Morning Star

"When no ones injured I tend to the wild animals that run around. Someones always hurt at one point or another. Right?" She tilted her head smiling. "It's probably bad that I get so much pleasure out of it when people hurt themselves but we all have our little quirks. I'm sure there's something bizarre that makes you happy."

--

Exuro growled quietly, lips unconsciously curling over his teeth.
"Thank you but I said I'm not moving. I stick to that." He repeated shuffling his feet and picking up the earth with them.

(Okay babe. And breakdown actually make you feel better oddly enough. But the feeling right before one is soooo horrible D:)

"In a way, maybe. However, in saying that, it's a good thing you get so much joy out of it since you're helping people. Healing and calming and well, you get the point." He smiled, admiringly. He looked down at Luka, the blood having soaked into his clothes.
"So, is he going to be alright?" Kai asked curiously.

--

"There was no need for that." Ikumi was slightly taken aback by the wolf's reaction but she was understanding and so quickly added to her previous comment. "I was only trying to get you cleaned up and then at least that way, we can move Koda. She needs to be put to rest, God can only imagine what her soul's up to right now." Ikumi frowned, her eyes becoming sad recalling her last encounter with Koda.

--

Saki and Amaya reached camp to find virtually no change to the surroundings. Kai and Laelia were still with Luka and Ikumi with Koda and Exuro. The smell of iron invaded the air and made Amaya shuffle her feet in distress.
"Saki, I don't like being able to smell so much blood," she whispered, afraid of what she could do.
"It's okay, you're stronger than that," Saki smiled, the smile only half touching her eyes. "If need be, we'll go find an animal. Is that okay?"
Amaya nodded slowly, inhaling as little air as she could find possible.

"Wound wise he should be fine. He'll be in a lot of pain when he wakes but I don't know when that'll be. It could be in the next two hours or it could be next week." She sighed rubbing her forehead. "Doesn't make it any easier because I want to give him something to kill the pain before he wakes but since I don't know when that it..."

--

"I'm not moving." He repeated, sitting back down on the ground with his ears pressed against his skull.

"Psycholohically, he's fucked. He's not going to be pleased when he hears about everything that's gone on." Kai's face softened; he felt sorry for Luka.
"It's a good thing Saki still loves him," he muttered.

--

"Why?" Ikumi was beginning to get slightly impatient. The tent needed to be cleaned up and Exuro needed to be rid of the blood. "It's the best thing for you and for everyone. I know this is going to sound really old and what not, but Koda wouldn't want you to sit her like this and throw everything away."

"Basically. Although 'less than pleased' seems like a bit of an understatement to me. I doubt you'd even be able to realise he was the same person he was moments before you tell him." Laelia leaned back in her seat, the soothing pelt calming her skin. "Though I guess your right, it's good she still loves him."

--

"No...just...let me..." He finally stammered. He couldn't give her a reason of why he was so desperate to stay, just a sheer compulsion that tore at his stomach.

"I don't want to tell him to be honest. I'd rather let him think she just left but he'd only figure it out and then be angry we didn't tell him," Kai frowned. "If only there was an easy way to tell him." He shook out his hair, purple flashing in front of his eyes.

--

"Ex, I'm really sorry but either you come and get cleaned up or I take Koda's body somewhere else. I don't want to be like this but it's stupid to waste away precious moments like this. Besides, there's someone else who needs your protection and they're going to want you there when they get reminded of everything that's passed." Her jaw locked and her features became sharp, angry almost. "Once again, I apologise."

--

Saki looked at Amaya's tense face and listened hard for her breathing. "Right, that's it." She took Amaya by the wrist and spun the two of them around. "We're feeding, now." Amaya looked on helplessly, knowing she couldn't fight off her sister and so gave up. She gave a small nod and allowed herself to be pulled away.

"You don't have to tell him. In fact I'd prefer it if you didn't. He will hit you most likely and with that new metal it can't be too pleasant to have pressure applied. I don't mind doing it myself, or if one of the girls wish to then I will oblige." Sliding back out her chair, she put her hand back in the paste, spreading a new layer on. "It seems to be working though."

--

"I don't want to go." He whispered, laying down on his front like a dejected child. "I may be acting like an idiot and so irritating but just for now I can't walk away."

Kai blinked and nodded slowly. "I don't think either of the girls would be able to handle it. I hate to burden you but I think it best if you tell him. And yeah, pressure on this whole side of my face hurts like a bitch." His tone became angry towards the end and he sighed hanging his head.
"Well, I hope he wakes up soon. The wait is killing me."

--

"How long do you need?" Ikumi's tone was soft as she patted the wolf on the head, trying to remain calm; impatience threatening to consume her.

--

After a leap over the river, the girls headed deeper into the forest, sniffing out the forest animals. I sweet smell caught in their noses as it drifted slowly through the air. Their mouths watered as they bent low into a crouch.
Edging nearer to the scent, Amaya glanced at Saki. "We're not going to kill it. Just injure." Saki nodded before curling around the bush to get a better view of her prey.

"I would help you with that if I could. Really. But your molecular structure has changed and there are some thing s that just can't be fixed. Though it should stop hurting after a while, like once it sets." She assured him. "I don't think he will for a while. He's out pretty cold."

--

"I don't know. Ten more minutes?" He questioned, though more to himself then to Ikumi. "I'll go soon, really."

"So, there's absolutely no way to remove this?" His face fell and he growled quietly. "Damn it!"
Kai stood, looking back at Laelia and Luka. "Good luck with him," he muttered before leaving the tent. As soon as the fresh air hit him, he transformed, flinching in pain. Spreading his wings, Kai lifted into the sky his piercing eyes angry.

--

Ikumi turned on her heel before looking around to Exuro. "I'll give you an hour. I know how much she meant, and still means, to you. After that, I'll be in to take you and clean you up." She turned her head straight and exited the tent.

--

Amaya craned her neck to see around Saki, sniffing gently at the doe that grazed in the clearing. "Mmm, smells good." She tip-toed around the bush, crouching low.
"Don't alarm it Amaya. We want to be as careful as possible remember." Saki whispered, her voice almost inaudible but she knew Amaya's sensitive ears would hear it. Amaya gave a small nod before moving noiselessly along the forest floor.
When she was close enough she pounced, almost flying through the air and sunk her teeth into the animal's hind. Blood poured into her mouth and she relaxed, giving into her vampyre senses. "Mmmmm," she moaned as the blood coarsed through her.
Saki put a gentle hand to her shoulder and whispered. "Enough Amaya, you'll kill it otherwise." When Amaya didn't respond Saki tugged at her hard, pulling her away. Her face dripped with blood and her eyes were ablaze. "Calm down Amaya," Saki said as she stepped inbetween the girl and the doe.

Laelia sighed, guilt submerging in her stomach. However even to remove the metal would leave a hole in his face which she wouldn't be able to fix. Reaching out she gave the bag of fluids a light squeeze, watching it drain down the tube. Some colour was coming back into his face, but he still looked deathly pale.

--

"Thanks" He mumbled, leaning his head on Koda's chest. His eyes drooped over, breathing in the familiar scent.

Amaya's eyes flashed with anger at the interuption. "Move!" She spat. Saki simply shook her head and braced herself as Amaya ran at her.
Placing a leg out, Saki steadied herself, getting a grip on either side of Amaya. "Stop." She growled but Amaya continued to struggle, crazed by the scent of blood. "Fine. I'm sorry Amaya but you asked for this." Taking one of Amaya's arms, she twisted it behind the girls back and pushed her to the floor. "I believe I told you to calm down." She whispered in the girls ear, applying pressure to the trapped arm.
Amaya flinched but struggled as much as the pain would allow. Saki sighed and picked Amaya from the floor, arm still wrapped around her back. Draggin her away from the animal she slapped Amaya in the face. "Now, calm the fuck down!"
Amaya shook her head out, clearing the confusion from the slap. When she recalled the incident she gasped. "The blood...did that to me?" Saki nodded, turning to retrieve the bleeding doe.
"We should take this back to camp. We'll have one of the elves tend to it. Can you handle the smell?" Saki's voice carried through the bushes and trees that hid Amaya. Amaya shrugged to herself but called out.
"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be fine." Her voice was shakey and Saki could tell so she laughed quietly.
"Go ahead, I'll be back in a minute," Saki called. Amaya sighed but did as she was told to prevent any further damage to the animal.
Upon reaching camp Amaya found Ikumi exiting the Elders tent, smelling strongly of blood. "You reek you know?" She laughed. Ikumi sniffed at her wrist and nodded.
"You hardly smell much better," she said pointing out the red stain Amaya had around her lips. The two of them laughed before sitting beside the fire. "Where's your sister?"
"Tending to an injured animal." Amaya voice was quiet and her mothers eyes widened.
"Tending? How do you mean?" Ikumi's tone was careful. The word 'tending' had a double meaning to her.

(Sorry for a bad post -.-')

Laelia smiled to herself as she settled down to read the book that she had cast aside having long since finished on Luka's wound, which was now bandaged and stitched to avoid further damage. Turning over a page, she cast a glance at the boy, whose eyes had squeezed further shut, turning his head restlessly for a few moments before finally cracking one eye open.
"Owww..." He managed to let out.
"Good evening too you too." She replied, leaning her book open on the page she was reading, putting it down on the wooden bed frame. "How do you feel?"
"What happened?" He murmured, voice cracking on the last syllable.
"You got stabbed." She reminded him. "Don't move, you'll pull out your needle." She reminded him, indicating to the long tube that was still embedded in his flesh.
"I did? Explains why I feel like I've been mauled. Hurts so much." He whined, tracing his fingers over the pale linen covering the newly fixed wound. "Where is everyone, are they okay? No one else got hurt right?"
Laelia paused biting her bottom lip. Worry flashed in Luka's eyes, brow furrowed in agitation as she held the pause for longer.
"Tell me what happened." He demanded.

"Not like that," Amaya said quickly as she realised what Ikumi was thinking. "No, she's just retrieving it to bring it back so it can recover." Ikumi relaxed, turning her head to the tent that Laelia and Luka were in.
"It would appear Luka has awoken." She said, gesturing to the tent. Amaya listened hard, hearing the weak voice of Luka.
"Saki will be pleased he's awake. Not so when he realises what happened." Amaya's voice was low, quiet. Ikumi sighed and nodded.
"Hm, you're right. Is she to be the one to tell him? No, no I don't think she is." Ikumi began to mutter to herself as Amaya looked around the camp to try and spot Saki, who had to be close by and could have heard everything the two of them were saying.

--

Taking the animal in her arms, Saki hoisted herself off the ground, pushing herself straight with her knees. "Come now, let's get you well again," she whispered to the doe. Despite how tempted she was to feed herself, she was going to stick by what Amaya wanted even though she herself had tried to kill it.
Taking a slow walk back to camp, she picked up snippets of conversation. It was Ikumi and Amaya speaking about her. "...so it can recover...Luka has awoken...tell him?" Luka was awake?
Saki quickened her pace instantly, desperate to see the male.

Laelia gripped his hand gently giving it a squeeze before dropping it.
"Please, you're scaring me." He begged, attempting to sit up, but quickly realising it was pointless as a fresh wave of pain burst through him.
"...Koda...nulled the contract." She finally spat out.
"What do you mean? Is she okay? Why can't she tell me this herself?!"
"Luka she died." The elf whispered, eyes firmly on the ground not evening wishing to see the look on his face. The silence ate away at her until he finally spoke up.
"You're lying." He breathed, voice dangerously quiet, shaky breathing lacing his words. "You're fucking lying!" He yelled at her, watching her form tremble under the sudden shouting. "She said she wouldn't die. She promised. Why would you lie?" He only noticed he was crying when the water dripped off his face and onto his chest, rubbing at his face he reached down gripping her shoulder firmly. "Laelia, tell me this is a joke. Please."

Saki arrived back at camp in time to hear Luka's voice; he was shouting. Or at least trying to. "What the fuck?" Saki cried, dropping the injured doe and sprinting towards the tent.
"Ikumi, take care of the doe and be sure it doesn't die. One of the elves will be able to sort it. Amaya stay here!" She called over her shoulder as she ducked underneath the lip of the tent.
Saki's eyes settled on Luka's hand, which had latched onto Laelia's shoulder. "Luka, let go," Saki whispered, prying his hand away from the elfs shoulder and grasping it tightly in her own.
She took over for Laelia. "Luka, Laelia is telling you nothing but the truth. As much as I'd like to tell you this is some sick kind of joke, I can't and I can't be sorry enough. It's true, she's gone." A tear spilled over her cheek, swiftly running down her face and landing with a gentle splash on Luka's hand.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered repeatedly, waiting for a reaction from Luka.

Luka pulled his hand out of Saki's clenching it tightly.
"No it's not true. I won't let it be true." He hissed, forcing himself to sit up, no longer caring about the pain."I need to go."
Laelia gently pushed him back by the shoulders. "No you're not. You won't be able to stand."
"Don't care." He snapped. "I need to go."
"Really, where would you go?"
"I don't know. Somewhere, anywhere! Better than staying around people who are telling me my sister's dead when she's not!"

Saki took Luka by the shoulders and pinned him to the bed. "Listen," She growled. "Firstly, do you really think I would lie to you? Think about it, would I? Second, I'm not in to sick jokes so why the fuck would I joke about this? And finally, you aren't going anywhere until you are properly healed."
Despite her sudden burst of anger, tears flooded uncontrollably down her face, spattering over Luka.
"I won't lose you too," she whispered, her hand still locked on Luka's shoulders.

--

Ikumi took the doe in her arms, inspecting the wound left on it's hide. "Hm, bitten I see. Let's take care of you," she whispered gently. Ducking underneath on of the student elves tents, she laid the animal down.
"I'm sorry to ask this of you but could you please, please take care of her? If you can't make sure someone else does. Just try to keep it alive." Exiting the tent, she looked down at Amaya.
"You fed off that animal didn't you?" Amaya's eyes widened in surprise, and she nodded.

"She can't be." He whined, silent tears mingling with Saki's. "I don't want it to be true." He covered his face with his arms. His head started spinning as he realised he had forgotten to breathe. Taking a deep breath, he reached down and pulled the blanket over himself falling silent.

Saki released her hold on Luka letting him lay in silence. She wiped away the tears that lingered on her face before standing. "If he tries anything stupid, come get me?" She hadn't meant for it to sound like a question but she didn't want to tell Laelia what to do.
Without a response Saki left, spotting Amaya and Ikumi on the other side of camp. Ignoring them she wondered straight to the Elders tent. Hesitating, she lingered just outside for a moment before crouching into the tent. She found Exuro with Koda.
"Oh Ex." Saki broke down in a wave of sadness taking Koda's limp hand in her equally pale hand. "Koda, if you're listening, please please try to get into Luka's head. I don't want to lose the both of you. Not now. Not ever." Her tone was virtually inaudible as she muttered into Koda's hand, gently brushing her lips across it before laying it across her chest.
"How are you holding up?"

Exuro opened his eye listlessly letting the glassy stare hold her for a moment before sliding his eyes back to the front closing them once more.
"Fine." He murmured. "Though you're talking to late. She's already gone."

Saki looked at the wolf, her eyes sparkling with fresh tears. "I'm well aware of that but if what my mother says is true then she can still hear me. She'll always be able to hear me." She smoothed Koda's ruby tinted hair back off of her face. "Rest in peace Koda."
Saki stood, walking straight out of the tent, looking over again at Ikumi and Amaya. She sighed, deciding she needed a distraction.
Sprinting she headed towards the river. Without undressing, she dived into the freezing water, feeling it nip at her exposed skin. Holding herself below the water she looked about at the tiny creatures that surrounded her.

Exuro whined to himself, scooting away from the door. He didn't want Ikumi to come in any time soon and tell him he had to leave. Padding over to the door of the tent he stuck his nose out sniffing the air before retreating back inside, ears pressed against his skull. Slowly back up he jumped as his back end hit a wooden chair.
"Don't come inside." He growled to himself.

Lacking oxygen Saki rose from under the water, gasping for air. Sweeping her hair back out of her eyes she blinked. "Ugh," she groaned looking around herself. It was all so empty. Sighing she clambered from the river shaking out her hair, water flicking everywhere.
Saki wondered slowly back into the camp noticing Ikumi was still sat talking to Amaya. "Ikumi, I do believe someone is waiting for you," she called over.
Ikumi snapped her head up looking at where Saki had been stood moments before. "Hm, very true. I need to go and clean up the elders tent. I'll be back soon." Ikumi pecked Amaya on the forehead and walked slowly over towards the tent. Pausing outside she called in. "Ex, I'm so sorry but it's time."

Exuro pressed himself to the ground digging his claws into the supple earth.
"No it's not. You said an hour and no way has it been an hour!" He whined, trying in vain to blend in with the floor, the dirty scarlet of congealed blood on his auburn fur making him stick out like a sore thumb.