Raven

[Spotify]

Ember's eyes narrowed, but she didn't lash out at her father,"You're right his a cold bastard."she murmured as she turned her back to her father and exited his office. She shot Jai a cold glare as she headed for the kitchen in search of food. As she passed the fellow Schimba she growled one word,"Bastard." She paused just outside the kitchen and with a smile, she headed upstairs to her room, where she changed her clothes. Freshly changed, she headed back down to the kitchen clad in shorties and a tshirt that fell off her left shoulder. Her hair was up in a messy bun and a few her blonde curls were left down to frame her face. A silver long necklace jingled against her skin and she wore just a touch of makeup. Once in the kitchen, she opened a window. She glanced around to make sure Jai wasn't watching her. She didn't want him following her back to the Pricolici terriotory were Barrow was apparently having a bonfire that included boozes and the opposite sex.

Alec smirked,"True true, but you would've done so already, so you either want something from me or your toying with me... As for what I want.. I want you to turn me."he glanced down at his feet,"I'm going to kill them both and I need more strength than just Schimba blood."he said, bowing his head.

[Cloudy]

<sub>She really trying to sneak out? Jai asked himself with a huff. "Go ahead, Ember," he drawled. "My job's to watch you, not to report every last thing you do. But I will follow you. Don't worry though, my lady, I won't interfere. I'll hang out in a nearby tree. Barrow and the wolves won't even see me." He leaned back against the door frame, a single eyebrow lifted at her. Her antics amused him greatly but if he were to voice this, she'd probably try to kill him.

Costin raised a single eyebrow. "Murder, eh? Daddy dearest and sister love?" He looked faintly amused. Of course, he'd changed a Schimba before - it didn't work out very well for Jai or Barnabus. The latter had eventually lost his mind, as the poison in his blood constantly fought against the Schimba gene. But it was a fun experiment.</sub>

[Spotify]

Ember turned, her eyes set ablaze with fury,"When are you gonna get it in your hard head? I don't want you there. I don't want you watching my every last move. I'm not daddy's little girl anymore. I sure as hell can protect myself and call me my lady one more time. I dare you."she snapped. She was standing before him in a single bound, her body tensed, ready to pounce. "Leave me alone. Orders or not. Leave me alone."she snarled, fangs prodding from her mouth.

Alec tilted his head and slowly nodded,"I know what happened to Jai's father after you turned him. I know he lost control, but I'm ten times stronger than he. Please, I need this!"Alec dropped to his knees, his eyes pleading."I'll do whatever you ask of me."

[Cloudy]

<sub>"I can't," Jai snapped. "Unole asked me to look after you. It's not like I'm coddling you," he growled. "I'm making sure no one hurts you. You're the heir now; Alec's sure as hell told someone. You've got a big old target on your back, and you don't know enough about fighting to protect yourself. That's what I'm for. So go. Meet Barrow, do whatever you want. I'll be in the damn shadows, where I belong." His eyes flashed briefly and he bowed his head, nodding towards the window. Jai sighed. She was so dang stubborn.

"'Lost his mind'?" Costin laughed. "What's in it for me? Your undying service? I've got enough followers who are there to make sure my every whim and desire is accounted for. I've never tried it on a Schimba bellow 100."</sub>

[Spotify]

Ember growled,"My father wasn't kidding when he called you a cold bastard."she turned then, but instead of heading for the window. She walked right out the front door, she phased into one of her favorite forms, the exquisite red belly hummingbird, and took off in the direction of the wolves territory to meet with her childhood friend and his companions.

Alec's eyes pleaded and begged. He was a sorry sight to see, his face still full of bruises and his eyes full of sorrow and yearning. He rose suddenly and hurled himself at the Strigoi king."Give it to me!"he roared, exposing his neck. He needed the bite, needed it.

[Cloudy]

<sub>"And neither was I," Jai sighed, zipping after Pippa. He followed at a lazy pace, take on the form of a wolf. He simply locked onto her mental pattern, though he did not let her know this. He'd keep his promise and stay out of the bonfire. He just wanted her safe, not her social life destroyed. When she reached the bonfire he banked right, slipping into a tree a few yards away. He crouched, his form shifting to a midnight colored housecat and settled himself down for a long night.

"Why do you want your family dead?" Costin huffed, sidestepping. "Would it not be easier to simply orchestrate Ember's death? Then Unole would have to name you as his successor. The Schimba would not accept a mutt like Jai as their king." He snorted. "Half-blooded Raven-kind as he is, Jai is a deadly fighter and would kill you the second you got too close."</sub>

[Spotify]

Embe landed delicate on her toes, she, of course shifted midway through the air and landed with feline like grace on the ground. She smiled as she was greeted with loud cheers of welcome."Hey guys!"she called as Barrow came behind her and slipped her beneath his arm. He handed her a red solo cup filled with clear liquid which she drank greedily. Ember was not some sweet girl who made all A's in school and stayed home on the weekends. Nope. Indeed, she had the reputation of a party girl that somehow managed to get a 4.0 GPA. She giggled and than the music started and Ember was gone. Her cup getting refilled and when ever it did she drank it greedily. She danced with everyone, her hips twirling and her arms flailing.

Alec regained his footing and glanced away,"Because the bastard deserves to pay for naming her the heir not me."

[Cloudy]

<sub>Jai watched Ember, sighing. It took a lot to get a Schimba drunk, but by the looks of it, the vodka was doing its job. He let out a soft grunt but stiffled his instinct to push people off of her. He'd made a promise to her, and he would keep it, no matter how much it killed him. He rested his muzzle on his paws, intelligent green eyes watching the party of drunken teenagers unfold. Something burned in Jai but he smothered it, shifting slightly to gain a more comfortable position. He'd known from the get-go he'd become a professional stalker, but who knew creeping on someone was so boring? What it seemed Ember forgot more often than not, Jai was still technically her age. Though he was centuries older by birthday, he aged much slower after his first shift - generally, after his Schimba genes dominated his human ones. While he was over two-hundred, Jai still saw himself as more or less a teen.

"Wouldn't your sister's death be enough?" Costin said with a raised brow.</sub>

[Spotify]

Ember laughed softly and than frowned as one of Pricolici, she didn't know, approached her. A bottle of tequila in his hand,"Hey beautiful."he slurred, obviously drunk. Ember admitted the young Pricolici was cute, but what she had her eye on was the tequila bottle in his hand. She smiled and flirted easily till she got what she wanted. The boy didn't get her hints though and continued to push himself on Ember. Ember snarled suddenly,"Get away from me mutt if you know what's good for you."and turned and headed back to the handsome Barrow's side.

Barrow was rather popular among his own kind, he had good looks and charm, which every one seem to feed off, and of course if they didn't respect the young warrior one look from Ember would shut them up. Most respected the princess, she could hold her own in any fight and she could also hold back her liquor too. Barrow felt a small flash of pride and kissed Ember roughly. Ember didn't return the passion and for some reason that drove him onward. He lifted her up and took her into the woods.

Ember laughed, drunk as heck,"Barrow what are you doing? C'mon lets go back to the party!"she giggled as he hugged her friecely to his chest."I don't ever wanna lose you."he whispered protectively.

Alec nodded,"He would die inside if his little girl turned up dead to."

[Cloudy]

<sub>Jai's eyes narrowed marginally and he stood, bounding through the trees after Ember and Barrow. His footfalls on the branches were as silent as the night, his black fur blending effortlessly into the shadows. His green eyes tore through the night, focusing intently on Ember who was clutched by Barrow, though he knew that he was hidden from sight. His eyes narrowed further and he leapt from the trees, crouching in the ready to leap to Ember's defense.

Throughout the night, Jai had quite literally been spazzing out to keep himself from tearing the throats out of the Priciolici who attempted to push themselves onto the Schimba queen. More than once he'd caught himself curling his lip back and readying his form to pounce, but he'd drawn himself back from the precipiece at the last moment.

Now, though, with Barrow dragging her off into solitude, every last cell in his form was snarling.</sub>