A Drop of White [open]

[Queen Annette]

It was rare that the Queen of the Seelie, the Red Queen, dropped her scarlet hue in favor of anything else. But today she had, she was dipped in white. Her gown was of her usual taste, a sharp V along her neckline baring her flesh, leaving little to be imagined. No sleeves or back to seen for only a small piece of moiré held the dress around her neck. The gown gave way, from a tight form fitting top to a lustrous flow of silken waves that fell over her feet. The bottom of the dress was trimmed in scarlet, as she walked two pixies fluttered behind her, holding her dress so it would not drag through the grass. The Queen was never without the glitter of precious gems decorating her garb, diamonds sewn into the charmeuse in elaborate designs. She wore stiletto heels, though they could not be seen her height was impressive. Slight glamour had dyed the waves of crimson rose of her hair to a pure white and her red eye lashes, black. Her eyes also lacked the image of a rose bud, but instead a distant white in the middle of her pupil. She looked seraphic, ethereal in the way that she appeared to glow white.

She took her seat, a high seated throne beneath the tent, raised at the opposite end of the entertainment stage. The music silenced and horns called for the attention of the crowd. Silence came quickly and Annette beamed out over the denizens of Alanor. ”I am Queen Annette, Princess of Striae and Blood, Mistress of Slight Illusion, and the Fae of Reticent Fury.” Her voice boomed over the crowd, swelling with pride and power at the mention of her Goblin Blade title. ”I welcome you all to the Festival of Imbolc. Today we honor Skylla, our Fate and caretaker, as we ask for her to bestow the magic of rebirth, the essence of spring upon this land! I invite you all, Seelie and Unseelie, Shining and Darkling, Sidhe, Nimbus, or Garlanger, to partake in the food, the drinks and the music. Come night fall we shall light the ceremonial blaze, a bonfire that shall melt away the ice left from winter and usher in the warmth of the spring time. I wish you all well…”

Her voice silenced and chatter began once more, a loudness washing over the crowd. She settled back into the throne, accepting a golden goblet from a servant. She drank and smiled satisfactorily, her gaze dancing over the bards who danced and sang.

[Krysis]

After the announcement, Krysis could not help but laugh, and her laugh rang true and clear in the first burst of chatter and applause. Rather than be accused of attempting to emulate the Queen, she did away with the illusion of a dress of pearls and crystals, and instead choose to hide her ancient and tattered white dress under the guise of white bodice laced up on all four sides with electric blue cords, and a matching bell-shaped skirt sewn with tiny aquamarine crystals in the shape of snow flakes.

She left her hair mostly white where it was normally black, but let the natural gold shine through as silver instead. No where else could one deflect a social faux paz with such ease. After all, it wasn't like she had deliberately worn the same style as Annette.

Krysis had just been so pleased at her personal emergence from the winter of her own disappearance, and so had found it appropriate to fully celebrate the return of spring at the same time. The living tattoo of her mantel was clearly visible high on her left bicep, since the new style of dress left her arms completely bare, but she did not bother to hide it. The spikey looking zebra declared her alliegance without a doubt, but here, it was supposed to not matter.

So she moved to collect another glass of spiced rum, her brilliant blue gaze sparkling with pleased amusement as she lifted it in a toast to the Queen, then gave a bow of respect just in case Annette noticed her.

[Nymeth]

Nymeth had not yet paid her full allegiance or swore loyalties to the new Queen, but she was honorable to all festivals in the name of Alanor. If there was nothing else on this side of reality that Nym could ally with, it was Alanor herself.

She stood proud in her full armor, wielding a pearl and ivory spear across her back, purely for decoration. The leather loops that often hung from her belt had been replaced with white feathers. She had cleaned and scrubbed her battle skirts until their soft cream color reached something closer to milk, allowing the fresh ruffles of the dress to sit on her shoulders like dollops of whipped cream. The armor's primary color -- a strong but soft blue -- glistened, freshly cleaned, in the light of the magic candles. The golden etchings sparkled and added a streamlined quality to her look. Her hair was pulled back in a nest that resembled a bun, accentuated by her feathers (now accompanied by white ones) that protruded from her headband-helmet.

Mathias disliked the noise and bustling activity of the festival, but suffered it admirably. He kept himself tucked against Nym's neck with some affection, eyes peeking out at the crowds on occasion.

With an air of purpose, Nymeth moved through the party-goers swiftly. She paused by a serving table and requested a glass of vodka and lemon juice when a toast was made to the Queen. She looked towards the ceremonial throne and listened. Nymeth had heard that the Queen was in possession of a Goblin Blade, but had had her doubts until now. She had no judge of character thus, but Nym, so far, had found no reason to oppose swearing her sword to the woman.

A lady done up like a snowglobe bowed after the toast. Perhaps she had made an earlier offense, Nymeth wondered, then noticed the Unseelie mark. Polite of her, she thought with a hint of a smile. Her favorite part about festivals was seeing the two courts mingling together, especially now, where she held no particular stance, where she could relax and felt no ill will towards anyone. The festivals reminded her of Valhalla, when the einherjar were not focused on battle and Ragnarok, and her sisters served them drink. Not all of it was happy, but time had a way of turning the past into gold.

Her glass arrived and she tossed it back with ease -- and an even easier smile.

[Murdoch]

Murdoch had stepped into the tent not too long before the queen's announcement. He declined any food that the servants offered his way, and though he had accepted a wineglass upon his arrival, he didn't once bring it to his lips. As befitting custom, he was clad entirely in white -- tuxedo shoes, trousers, a bow tie and dress shirt overlaid with a single-breasted waistcoat and notched-lapel jacket -- though the light would catch a glint of silver cufflinks when he moved.

Overall, the effect might not have been the intended one; though he seemed completely at ease in his chosen outfit, the pale blue of his eyes combined with his propensity for stillness gave him an image of immovability that seemed more like an embodiment of winter than anything else. The flurry of activity around him didn't bother him; he didn't deign to join it, but he made brief replies to those who spoke to him, discouraging conversation but curbing any words that would inevitably end in violence and bloodshed.

It was the first time attending the Festival of Imbolc, and without first knowing the guidelines of tradition in this circumstance, he was loath to break form. The dingo at his side, however, had no such reservations. Shay prowled back and forth next to him, occasionally circling in front of him to snap at the fingers of unsuspecting faerie, for which Murdoch made no apologies.

They were standing near the imposing throne when the queen arrived and made her announcement, and his gaze fell on the faerie who had laughed first and loudest, the tattoo that disclosed her designated court clear on her arm, unmistakable. "The Unseelie salutes you," he said to the queen, his tone neutral but with an undercurrent of amusement that echoed Nymeth's sentiments.

There're already three characters in the thread some distance away from each other, none of them talking to any of the others, and I tried really hard but I can't tag them all at once with a character like Mur. )

[Haley]

Haley was in a particularly vicious mood this day. Despite her desire to arrive at the Imbolc festival early, she had overslept and was now late. If there was one thing Haley despised it was being late. Even before her time in the Air Force the little Nimbus had always been punctual, arriving at least fifteen minutes early to all events and appointments. Aside from that, even though Haley quite desired to attend the Festival of Imbolc, she absolutely despised the color white and the Spring season. Haley was merely coming for the free booze and food....and for some people watching. Haley knew she wouldn't particularly care for what the faerie of Alanor considered entertainment - dancing, singing, music. No. Haley got her jollies from judging people and she was looking forward to seeing what kind of freaks she could spot today. After all, both Unseelie and Seelie would be together. That was a rare treat to her.

The female wasn't dressed for the occasion. Haley had tried, really, but the amount of white in her outfit was an abysmal attempt at best. The fact of the matter was Haley didn't own many clothes with white in them and she wasn't about to go out and procure some to wear once. So, instead she had gone with what she had in her closet. Her lower body was adorned with a pair of short black shorts ragged on the edges and splattered with white paint. Beneath them was a set of black and white stripped leggings that were ripped in a few places and tucked into knee-high black combat boots laced with white laces. Over her bodice was a tight black suit top, lined in white with the sleeves ripped off. It ended above her belly button, but was conservative in terms of how much chest it showed, considering she had no shirt on underneath it. Her hands were both adorned with black fingerless chain-wrought gloves, and various necklaces and thick bracelets draped from her. Atop her head rested a white pin-striped black fedora, tilted to the side in a manner that looked as if it were about to fall off. Her long tresses ran free, and Haley had taken advantage of her slight glamour to turn her hair black with an undertone of white. Yeah, she wasn't exactly a shining example of fashion, but Haley never cared to be. She wore what she felt like.

Striding forcefully into the tent, Haley knocked shoulders with a pixie server, causing the garlanger to drop her drinks. As the faerie shot a disdainful look in Haley's direction, the Nimbus merely rose an eyebrow, hardly sparing the other a look as she drifted forward towards where the Queen was settled. She had just missed the whole announcement, but from how everyone's attention was still on the Queen Haley simply assumed that the scarlet woman...or ivory woman in this case... had just made some sort of announcement. Haley snorted, partly pissed she had missed it, and half glad she had. Though the Nimbus had yet to meet the Queen, she was born with a distinct hatred for authority. It was a wonder she had even made it through the four years of Air Force she did.

As Haley approached the front of the tent, making her way towards the alcohol, where Krysis was conveniently standing, Akuji trotted beside her, his fur on end and his ears back. A permanent snarl seemed to be wrought upon his maw as he practically glared at everyone. He was -not- a social creature and he did -not- want to be here, but Akuji followed his bonded wherever she went. When Haley swept past Krysis to snatch a glass of rum, Akuji broke into a slow lope, jumped into a nearby chair and proceeded to leap into the middle of the table closest to both Krysis and Haley, spilling the few drinks that were nestled on the table and in the process snapping at any faerie that he deemed too close; including Haley.

Haley paid him very little attention. Rather, she snatched a glass of rum, knocked it back, and with the empty glass still in her hand, turned to face to Queen. She offered a smile -albeit a fake one- and a delicate dip of her head accompanied by a lift of her empty glass, though nothing more came from her. Instead, she leaned somewhat close to Krysis and murmured, "What'd I miss?"

[Queen Annette]

Annette had remained unaware of the darkling’s efforts to appear different from the queen. Had Annette noticed she wouldn’t have thought much of it anyway, though imitation was thought to be the sincerest form of flattery, Annette wouldn’t appreciate such emulation. If Annette had noticed the woman dressed similarly to her she most likely been in a foul mood and if she had noticed the fae shifting her appearance, she would have most likely assumed it was in an effort to appease her, an idea that would inflate her ego and satisfy her, as it would seem even the Unseelie fae knew not to cross her.

As it was, Annette had only noticed Nymeth. The woman, clad in her battle ready regalia, ornate armor that would only be practical to be worn in battle adorned her body as if it were everyday wear. Annette had once been that type of woman. She had once been a warrior who felt the need to carry her blades with her, dress herself in chainmail and make sure that while she was beautiful, her demeanor held an innate ferocity to it. To see another dressed in such a way, holding her posture with the same pride and confidence that she had held herself with, brought certain nostalgia to the queen.

She had been so caught up in study Nymeth that she had not noticed the man approach her and only looked to him when she heard his voice. Amongst the crowd he was the only one to speak to her, it said something about his character. ”As they should, their king does not hold a Goblin Blade.” A brief glimpse of her arrogance came with the bluntness of her words, but however arrogant she seemed one could not deny the fact that she was correct in her statement. Cel did not have a glimmering blade, one that repelled debris and blood, a weapon that constantly shined with a silver purity and would never break. Her words were loud enough to hear, and several sidhe (by the looks they shot her, Unseelie sidhe) glanced in her direction. She ignored them, instead choosing to raise a glass to the under dressed woman in front of her.

She noted that the woman’s unwelcoming mantel and also noted that the woman she stood next to lacked a tangible bonded, something that marked her as a Darkling. However, Annette was not interested in them beyond their toast to her and she scanned the crowd for Nymeth. She spotted the armor clad female and raised her hand gesturing for her to come forth.

[Nymeth]

OOC: If we go by order, Krysis (I believe) was technically next in line. I wasn't sure if we just wanted to go with flow or order, however, so here I went! If you guys rather stick to turns, let me know and I'll save this post for after Krysis'.

The chilly beast of the man that Murdoch was had gathered in the same area -- the only one brave enough to directly speak with the Queen, who responded with confidence. Nymeth found it typical, but the lilt in her voice lent to a different air of pride than most monarchs. Hers was not in jewels and appearances, crowns and wealth, but in strength. Power. She was, in fact, an actual warrior with a confirmed Goblin Blade.

Now she gestured towards her, there was no mistake. Nymeth rose and dipped her head, then approached on soft feet. "Queen Annette, the red rose of the Seelie Court," her voice ran like honeyed wine, "Fae of Reticent Fury. I am Nymeth."

But she would stop there -- she was uncertain where the Queen would go with this, and uncertain as to where she would follow, if at all.

Mathias cooed softly and re-settled his feathers against her warm neck.

[Haley]

Haley didn't like to be ignored. It wasn't as if she hadn't expected it of course. The Red Queen wasn't exactly known for a predisposition to speak to lowly looking Nimbus. Haley wasn't the most beautiful of faerie, but she was a damn good one and it seemed to her as if the Queen was completely blind to talent unless it came in a pretty package. The Queen was, in essence, the embodiment of shallow, superficial humans. Haley was distinctly reminded of the preppy cheerleader bitches at one of the High school's she had attended back on Earth every time she looked at Annette. Would it kill her to pay attention to the other faerie? Would it hurt her to speak flattering words to faerie other than Sidhe or those with pretty armor?

It wasn't as if Haley completely disliked the Queen. She didn't know her well enough to hate her, but already the Fury had left a sour taste in Haley's mouth, a disgusting film that Haley could only fight to get rid of. The Queen's presence arose the fighter in Haley. On one hand Haley wanted to prove to the Queen that she was the most valuable faerie the Seelie court had to offer -a tall order, she knew- but on the other hand she wanted to best the Queen at her own bloody game. Still, Haley knew her limitations. The Queen before her held a freakin' Goblin Blade, and was a Sidhe to boot. Haley would have no chance against her in a fight, and until she did, Haley would have to play her cards right....and to Haley that meant getting the Queen to noticed her longer than just a raise of a glass.

"Scratch that Lady. Come on." Without waiting for Krysis's answer, Haley snapped a hand down to grab the Sidhe by her wrist and yank her forward. It was not an overly harsh yank, as Haley sorta liked the Unseelie - she had a soft spot for zebras- it was a more 'you-should-come-with-me-because-yeah' yank. As Haley made her way directly towards the Throne where Murdoch was standing, she made sure to sidestep Nymeth in order not to intrude upon the space between the other Nimbus and the throne. Haley had a feeling it would piss Annette off if she did. Akuji was quick to leap down and follow his bonded, rounding around her first to send a warning snarl to the dingo mantel near Murdoch lest it get any smart ideas.

The moment Haley had approached the side of the throne she dropped Krysis's hand and pointed at Murdoch, "You. Come. Here." She pointed at the spot directly next to her, just a few paces from Murdoch and essentially right next to the Queen. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously, threatening violence should Murdoch disobey- though whether or not she would go through with it was something even she didn't know. After barking out her orders Haley placed her hands on her hips and muttered under her breath, "God you faerie are all the same. All looks and no talk. Drives me crazy." She took a deep breath to calm herself, her eyes flicking towards the Queen. Haley desperately wanted to interrupt the Fury's impending conversation with Nymeth but instead she stayed her tongue. It would make a horrible first impression if she was that rude and though Haley was a naturally rude person, she needed the Queen to think decently of her, at least for now.

So instead Haley focused on Krysis and Murdoch, pointing at each of them individual, "Names?" Haley's human personality characteristics were astonishingly apparent, but underneath it was all a cold biting edge, a ruthless quality that was distinctly faerie. Haley was a dangerous creature who only acted the fool.

[Krysis]

"The Seelie Queen made some announcement of--" Krysis started to reply before the canine jumped on the table. The sidhe merely watched the beast without seeming to care about the drip of alcoholic beverage against her pale skirts. It didn't leave a stain though, going right through the illusion and not ruining the dress beneath it by virtue of the real dress already being suited for the rag bag.

Her good humor and amusement at the antics of the wild dog were abruptly quenched with Haley's uninvited grip on her wrist. A twist of her arm to break the exuberant woman's grasp was pure instinct from the older Sidhe. Then Krysis gave a mocking little bow and murmured, "I'll assume that was not a challenge, since this is a peaceful event."

The tall, thin woman did follow Haley though, after snagging a fresh drink of course and staying out of the way of the canine. Her temper was bruised enough that her expression was a dangerous grin instead of bright and cheerful as it was before. Still she gives an appropriate bow to Annette when pulled so dramatically into the Queen's range of audience.

Krysis tilts her head at Haley's rudeness, then snorts in amusement. "Your Majesty, I wish to express astonishment at this treatment. It seems this fae is overly--" Here the sidhe paused to give Haley a slow examination before settling on the word she wanted, "Hasty. However, I am willing to play this game if you wish it. I am Princess Krysis, Seeker of the Unseelie Court."

[lynksys]

A black tailed rabbit could be seen hopping around on the grounds. Following after it was Gaeshin. "I never should have let you out of my hold. Get back here!" His voice wasn't very loud. It was just audible enough for the wandering rabbit to hear above all the other sounds that could be heard. At last, the furry critter stopped moving. Something had grabbed its attention, so the rabbit stood up on its hind legs and took a look around. This allowed Gaeshin enough time to scoop his mantel up into his arms.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Another situation was under control, and the day hadn't turned into a disaster yet. It wasn't very often that the Garlanger went out into such crowded areas. He was an extremely shy person, so he did his best to avoid places like this. The fact that Garlangers were not highly thought of in the Seelie court did not help with his shyness either. However, he thought it best to get out every once in a while. After all, it did get very lonely and boring living the way he had been for so long. A break from his "normal" life would be a simple pleasure he would partake in.

Instead of the usual earth colored robes that he wore, he decided to dress in a silvery white cloak and concealed his ears with a similarly colored hood. The Queen's earlier speech had bolstered his confidence in meeting others, but he knew to be careful. He had been around long enough to know how most Seelie were. They appeared to be creations of good and beauty on the outside, but on the inside, for some of them, they were truly evil beings.

"Come on, friend. Let us go find a bite to eat. Hopefully they'll have a little hot tea around here too." He set his mantel back on the ground and followed the scent of food. "Mind you that you don't take off like earlier, or I won't bring you to such events next time." The rabbit paused for a moment and nodded to show that it understood.

[Murdoch]

Murdoch had glanced away after remarking on the Unseelie, but he looked back at Annette when she spoke. She was seated on a raised throne; however, the slight upward tilt of his chin managed to somehow not convey any inferiority in his behavior -- if anything, he was utterly unbothered and matter-of-fact about his position. She was the queen, after all, and he had no quarrel with her standing.

Though Annette's words had carried a hint of arrogance, the thought didn't even begin to cross Murdoch's mind. He was not given to false modesty, and he abhorred it when he saw it in others. That Annette possessed a Goblin Blade -- and the relatively young Unseelie king did not -- came as no surprise to him, though he saw how some of the nearby faerie had looked less than happy when she pointed it out. "Naturally," he replied, leaving his comment to be interpreted as it would.

His gaze was drawn when a Seelie faerie approached with intent, a sidhe following not far behind her -- the Unseelie from earlier, he noted in passing. At her words, he smiled faintly, visibly amused by her gall; but though he was not quick to anger, he made no move to follow her directive. "You have nerve," he said, his tone neutral -- a statement, no more or less. He inclined his head slightly and added, "The name is Murdoch."

[Queen Annette]

She smiled when the title red rose slipped from between Nymeth’s lips. She had never been called such a thing, but her eyes twinkled with the image of a single red rose, so it seemed appropriate. Though Annette often feigned flattery even when the compliments thrown at her were overly panegyric, she truly felt a sense of satisfaction upon hearing the nimbus’s words. Her gaze told Nymeth that she had done something to please her, a rare occurrence for the Fae of Reticent Fury. The matriarch bowed her head slightly, ”It is a pleasure to meet you, Nymeth.” And though the omitting of a formal title often perturbed her she did not speak on it. Anette could not afford to knit-pick these days. She found the denizens of her court to be less than promising when it came to political matters and matters of war. Though that would prove to benefit her as there would be little internal plotting, it would be the court’s downfall should the Unseelie ever make war with them. From the two Darkling advisors she had seen thus far she had deduced Cel was having a much easier time piecing together a competent high court.

Her attention was pulled from Nymeth to the Unseelie. The Darkling fae claiming a member of her court has been too haste. Annette was unsure of what the Darkling sidhe meant but regarded her with a raised eyebrow. She tapped on the arm of her throne with her nail before she spoke, ”Game? What game?” Her tones were even keel, stern and unemotional. She was not impressed with the sidhe. First she expressed some type of appall towards a Shining nimbus and then insulted the formalities of the faerie by calling them “a game”. What Haley had done did not matter to her, but now her fury was at risk of targeting Krysis. She did not ask for the Darkling’s name but instead turned to Haley, Murdoch and Nymeth, all three marked as Shining fae.

”Do any of you know this woman?” For their sake they had better not be associated with her rudeness for in Annette’s eyes it was Krysis who was being too hasty. The words of the sidhe and the words of her court would be the woman’s doing or undoing.

[Skylla]

With the coming of night comes the pounding of drums who direct a procession of faerie dressed in flowing white robes and cowls. Horns sound a triumphant call as each member of the procession surrounds a large pyre. One by one each fae takes their torch to the pyre until the tower of lumber is a blazing inferno.

The Imbolc bonfire symbolizes the melting away of winter and the warmth associated with the spring. The light of life can be seen for the first time since the past summer in burning pyre embers. The whole festival is bathed in warmth and a powerful brightness.

[Nymeth]

Nymeth gave the Queen a simple nod in reply then plainly returned to her drink, shortly thereafter requesting a refill. She would not have the opportunity to enjoy it. The moment the glass touched the table, it began to shake. Everything got louder, the temperature rose, the crowds pulsed faster. It was impossible to make out what exactly was happening, but Nymeth was on her feet, hand reaching over her shoulder as an arrow vwooshed past her. More rained down. Screams and shouts erupted. The sudden brightness that had grown from the fire now dimmed -- darkened completely.

She didn't need to know what was going on. As fae began to fall, as they were slaughtered as they ran for safety, Nymeth drew her spear. She had worn it today for decorative purposes, yes, but no valkyrie owns weapon that could not function properly as one. Her only regret was that she had not brought more weaponry for the unarmed fae around her.

"If you cannot arm yourselves, then run!" She grunted, dashing forward to slash at the strange dark creatures that encroached on the party from what seemed like every direction. Were they cornered? What was this? Was there nothing to be done? Nymeth struggled to find a strategy, a way to organize this chaos into something that would at least suffice as order and security, but found none. In her position, there was little she could do but jab -- not that she wasn't, at least, very adept at the task.

Matthias had flown from her shoulder and now soared over the crowds, moving swiftly, he glided and observed the situation. Always keeping a bond between Nym, he swooped over towards the outskirts of the encampment, then returned to her. Rather than perch on her, he began to strike back at their enemies, wings beating heavily, beak jerking like Nym's spear, talons moving to shred.

[Haley]

Haley shot Murdoch a look, somewhat annoyed at his distinct inability to obey her simple command. It didn’t matter to her that he was a Sidhe and that probably meant he outranked her. Still, there was something about his nonchalance that brought a smirk to her lips. She would have furthered their conversation had the Unseelie Sidhe not opened her mouth and spouted a bout of retardation at its finest. Haley rolled her eyes and turned to face the Queen. She wasn’t surprised by the Red One’s reply. After all, Haley had also lost all respect for the woman. Pity. She quite liked zebras.

The next few moments almost happened in slow motion. Haley had opened her mouth to respond to the Queen when out of the corner of her eye she spotted an arrow pass cleanly through the throat of a nearby Pixie. As the Garlanger fell with a gurgle, the glasses perched atop his tray falling with him, Haley watched him, an apathetic look etched into her face. It was as if this occurrence were normal- she thought little of it. However, it took less than a second for her apathetic mask to wash away, making room for a sick, twisted full-mouth smile reflecting both joy and a penchant for blood-lust. Fuck yeah! This festival had just gone from negative fifty on the fun scale to fucking awesome. Haley’s only regret was her lack of viable weapons, save for the boot blade in her right heel and the double-edged switchblade tucked into her belt.

Having narrowly escaped the onslaught of arrows, Haley jerked her head back towards the Queen and crisply saluted. She then lunged forward, past Nymeth, shouting a challenge to the woman as she passed, ”First one to twenty wins!” Akuji followed her cry with a ferocious snarl of his own as he bounded forward at his bonded’s heels, his teeth lashing to sink into whatever flesh presented itself to him. Haley met the first one head on, ducking his blade and lunging up into a full-blown punch to his (or it’s) throat, severely damaging the windpipe. She followed it with an even faster kick to its head, knocking it out and to the ground where she proceeded to stomp on its throat, smiling all the while ” One!” She declared loudly.

It was at that second a yelp resounded through the air and Haley jerked around in time to see Akuji stumble, an arrow embedded in his right shoulder blade. Haley instantly lost her smile. She dropped down next to her mantel and quickly broke off the shaft of the arrow. Haley was in the process of looking for something to bind the wound with when Akuji snapped at her, baring his teeth. The wild dog knew there was no time to worry about minor wounds. Haley looked as if she were about to argue but instead she stood and met the black creature that bore down on her with a switchblade stab to the heart, ignoring the pain of its blade as it sliced across her right shoulder, leaving a shallow but workable cut.

Her face now dead serious, Haley murmured under her breath as she stalked forward with purpose, ”Forget twenty. I’m going to fucking kill them all.”