Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 15, 2010 19:58:15 GMT -5
The sounds and smells of bloody violence filled the shadowy evening air of Budapest. Dominic Hawk was in the thick of the fray, giving as good as he got. He was outnumbered two to one, his back to the wall of the alley, blood running into his eyes from a cut above his eyebrow. He kneed one of his attackers in the groin to bring him down, and was repaid with a long gash down his thigh from the man’s knife; Dominic retaliated with a kick to the man’s face, breaking his nose and knocking him out.
The other man was not so easy to defeat. He grabbed Dominic, pinning his arms and giving him a hard bite where his neck and shoulder met. Dominic cried out in pain and bit back just as hard, bringing his knee up again to hit this man’s groin. Once, twice, and the man fell to the street, groaning.
Dominic wiped blood from his face with his sleeve as he carefully stepped around the fallen thugs, limping a little on his wounded leg, and approached the young woman they had been victimizing; he held out a hand to help her up from the summer-warmed asphalt. She looked up at him in awe and fear, pushing her fair hair back from her face with one hand as she took his hand in the other and got slowly to her feet, eyeing her attackers nervously.
“Are you hurt?” Dominic asked her in concern.
The young woman shook her head. “No… thank you, I’m fine.” She looked at the cuts on her rescuer’s thigh and forehead and the bite on his shoulder and added, “You should get that looked at. Bites are bad for getting infected.”
Dominic shrugged his uninjured shoulder. “I’ll live. Will you be alright now?”
She nodded again. “Thank you for helping me. A lot of people would have walked right by.”
“I’m not a lot of people,” Dominic smiled. “Might I have your name?”
“Aneska,” she answered. “What’s yours?”
“Dominic,” he answered, and then looked up abruptly at the sound of footsteps hurrying toward them.
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Fekete Istvan
Ireth
University Junior: Mage
Make believe, close your eyes, I'll be anything for you.
Posts: 140
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Post by Fekete Istvan on Apr 15, 2010 20:25:36 GMT -5
Istvan hurried toward the alley as the sounds of violence died. His eyes widened at the sight of the two men lying on the ground, and the third who stood bleeding beside a young woman. A woman whom Istvan recognized instantly.
"Aneska!" he called out, hurrying forward. "Are you okay? What happened?"
Aneska smiled as she looked up and recognized Istvan. "I'm fine. I was about to be mugged, but this man, Dominic, rescued me."
"I see. Well, thank you, Dominic." Istvan looked at Dominic, and was immediately struck by how familiar he looked -- he bore a striking resemblance to Vincent Hawk, though this man was both a little taller and a little older. The two must have been related somehow; perhaps they were brothers.
Istvan winced at the sight of the ugly bite mark on Dominic's shoulder, and then looked down at the two thugs, one of whom was crawling away. Istvan let him be, turning back to Dominic. "You should get your injuries seen to. My aunt can help you, she's a nurse. We live a few streets over. Please, come with me."
He led the other two out of the alley, walking slowly enough to let Dominic keep pace with them.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 12:23:11 GMT -5
Dominic followed close behind Aneska and the young man, whose name he didn't know. His wounds were getting to him; his sleeves became soaked with blood as he held one to the cut on his forehead and the other to the bite on his neck. The gash on his leg, and other less serious injuries, he was forced to leave alone.
He soon began to lag behind a little, the gash in his leg impeding his movement and hurting worse with every step. His jeans were sticking to his leg, soaked with blood.
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Fekete Istvan
Ireth
University Junior: Mage
Make believe, close your eyes, I'll be anything for you.
Posts: 140
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Post by Fekete Istvan on Apr 17, 2010 12:35:43 GMT -5
Noticing Dominic starting to fall behind, Istvan slowed down a little, drawing level to the older man and moving to support him under his arm. Aneska did the same on his other side. Luckily Istvan's aunt's house wasn't far.
Istvan opened the door carefully and led the others into the front hallway, calling out, "I'm home!"
"You're late," his aunt Katalin replied, coming out of a room adjoining to the hall and brushing her dark hair out of her face. "I was starting to -- oh." She spotted the stranger who Istvan and Aneska were supporting, and looked to her nephew in confusion. "Who is this, Istvan?"
"His name is Dominic," Istvan replied as he and Aneska kicked off their shoes. "He saved Aneska from a pair of thugs. He's quite badly wounded."
"I can tell," Katalin replied. "Bring him to the bathroom and I'll get him cleaned up."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 12:37:55 GMT -5
Dominic removed his shoes when he saw the others doing so, giving the woman a nod of acknowledgement and gratitude and allowing himself to be led down the hall. "Thank you very much, ma'am."
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 17, 2010 12:46:20 GMT -5
In the kitchen, the scent of blood reached Kazari's nostrils. She had been assisting with the preparation of dinner, but upon hearing Istvan's explanation of the stranger's presence she immediately set about to gathering herbs from various cabinets-- bloodmoss to staunch any bleeding, aloe to soothe, and a special plant she had brought with her, with tiny green blossoms that, when broken and rubbed into a wound, would act as a disinfectant.
She placed the herbs into the pockets of the apron she was wearing, filled a bowl with warn water, and grabbed a few washcloths before going out into the hallway.
"Here you are, Katalin," she said to the woman, indicating what she carried. "Of help, might this Kazari be?"
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Fekete Istvan
Ireth
University Junior: Mage
Make believe, close your eyes, I'll be anything for you.
Posts: 140
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Post by Fekete Istvan on Apr 17, 2010 12:53:45 GMT -5
Katalin smiled and took the herbs from Kazari. "Thank you. I imagine you will be of help," she replied, opening the bathroom door to let Istvan and Aneska lead Dominic inside.
Getting Dominic seated on the toilet, Istvan moved to look through the copboard under the sink, pulling out a first-aid kit and opening it, setting gauze and bandages out on the counter beside the sink.
Katalin checked Dominic's wounds over carefully. "You'll have to remove your clothes so I can get at your wounds more easily. I'll wash them for you later."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 12:56:53 GMT -5
Dominic nodded uncomplainingly, shrugging off his knapsack and carefully stripping down to his underwear, letting Katalin look at the cuts and bruises on his body and limbs. He set his blood-soaked clothes aside and sat quietly, watching his benefactors in grateful silence.
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Fekete Istvan
Ireth
University Junior: Mage
Make believe, close your eyes, I'll be anything for you.
Posts: 140
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Post by Fekete Istvan on Apr 17, 2010 13:05:11 GMT -5
Istvan filled the sink with warm water and soap, wetting a washcloth and wringing it out. He gently bathed the blood and sweat from Dominic's wounds, and his aunt soothed, disinfected and dressed them with the herbs Kazari had given her, wrapping the bandages securely around them.
"There," she said when she was finished. "That will hold up. You should stay here for the night, I think; obviously it's not safe to be out after dark tonight."
"He can borrow my bed," Istvan offered. "I'll sleep on the couch."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 13:23:27 GMT -5
"That's not necessary," Dominic told him with a smile, picking up his knapsack and pulling out a shirt, which he pulled over his head. "Keep your bed. I'll sleep on the couch, if it's not too much trouble."
His cellphone vibrated in the pocket of his jeans, which still lay on the floor. He dug it out and opened it, reading the screen; it was a text message from Vincent, one of many he had apparently missed. You haven't answered my messages for a while. Is everything alright?
"Excuse me for a moment," Dominic spoke up, then quickly replied to the text. Got beat up and bitten. Been bandaged up. Very nice people here. Full story later. I’ll call when I can. Spending night here.
He closed his phone and looked up at the others. "That was my brother, wondering why I haven't answered his texts in a while."
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 17, 2010 13:27:32 GMT -5
Kazari, who had stayed just outside of the doorway in case she was needed, let a faint smile cross her features.
"This Kazari-- wonder, she does, who might your brother be. If, in asking, she is not to appear nosy."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 13:40:07 GMT -5
It took Dominic a few seconds to work out what the girl -- Kazari, he assumed -- had actually said. Ah, now it made sense. I wonder who your brother is, if it's not too nosy to ask. He couldn't help but grin at her odd syntax.
"It's not too nosy," he told Kazari, looking in her direction. "He's my younger brother Vincent. He and his wife work at a boarding school in America. Strange place, so I've heard. Dunehelden Academy."
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 17, 2010 14:03:09 GMT -5
Kazari raised one eyebrow and glanced at Istvan.
"Dunehelden, eh?" Her grin widened a bit. "Might be his name, Vincent Hawk?"
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 14:15:05 GMT -5
Dominic smiled, raising his eyebrows. "Ah, you've met him. Or you've heard of him. He's a great man to know. The best friend you could ask for. He'd give you the shirt off his back if you so much as shivered in front of him. Does he still go around dressed up as the Phantom of the Opera?"
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 17, 2010 14:21:49 GMT -5
Kazari chuckled. "Only when bored," she said. "Sometimes, instead, he is V."
She came into the bathroom fully and helped clean up the aid supplies. "And, in his free time, fences with the cook."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 14:37:19 GMT -5
Dominic laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Vincent, alright. He dresses up as V for his birthday every year, ever since he read the book. Funny how much he looks and sounds like the actor who plays V in the film."
It struck him that he was still sitting in his underwear; he went rather red and moved to pick up his knapsack again, pulling out a clean pair of jeans and carefully pulling them on. He hid a yawn behind his hand as he glanced down at his watch, realizing how late it was -- almost midnight. He wasn't sure what hours Istvan's family kept, but Dominic felt it was high time he was in bed. Battling thugs really took it out of a man.
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Fekete Istvan
Ireth
University Junior: Mage
Make believe, close your eyes, I'll be anything for you.
Posts: 140
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Post by Fekete Istvan on Apr 17, 2010 14:43:15 GMT -5
Katalin smiled at Dominic as she put away the last of the supplies and shut the cupboard door. "I'll bring some spare blankets down to the living room couch for you, Dominic. You should get some rest. That goes for you, too," she added, looking at the others in the room. "It's late."
"I'll show you to the living room," Istvan offered as his aunt and Aneska left the room. "If you hear someone walking around the house in the early morning, it's just Uncle Gellert. He works a late shift. We'll let him know you're here."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 17, 2010 23:23:10 GMT -5
Dominic stood carefully, picking up his knapsack and following Istvan to the living room. He gave a nod of thanks to Katalin as she entered and set a stack of folded blankets down on one end of the couch and left with her nephew. He bade them both goodnight, then arranged the blankets on the couch and stretched out, opening his phone and dialling Vincent.
“Hey, Vinny,” he grinned as his brother picked up the phone.
“Hey yourself,” Vincent laughed in answer. “You owe me a story. What did you do this time?”
"Nothing you can incriminate me for," Dominic told him. “I didn’t start the fight. I was saving a woman from a pair of thugs in an alley. One of them had a knife; he cut me up pretty badly. I kneed him in the bollocks and kicked him in the face. The other one was unarmed, but he bit me. Took a chunk out of my neck, the bastard. I bit him right back.”
“You want to be careful doing that,” Vincent said warningly. “That thug might have been a vampire. Since you didn't mention dying and coming back, I doubt that was the case, but even so.”
“I know,” Dominic nodded. “Nothing of the sort happened, thank heavens. This one seemed human enough. With luck it won't get infected. I’m just thankful I got there in time to save their intended victim. And they didn't even touch what was in my knapsack. Good thing, too. I got you all gifts,” he smiled, reaching down into his knapsack and rummaging around for them.
His finger brushed something metallic in the middle of the bag -- the wing of a small silver figurine he had bought for Ariel. It felt red-hot to the touch. He yelped in pain and quickly jerked his hand away, lifting it to his face and staring at his finger. The tip of it was burned and blistered. That was… not… normal…
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 18, 2010 21:49:12 GMT -5
Kazari sat at the top of the stairs, her arms hugged around her knees, listening to Dominic talk. His scent had changed since he had been brought in. It was more complex, less domesticated. Feral.
Kazari heard the yelp and slunk down the stairs, moving silently on the balls of her feet. She reached the doorway to the den and peeked into the room, her metallic eyes catching what little light there was in an odd way.
"Changed, you have," she said, her voice quiet enough to not be heard upstairs but loud enough to carry across to the man. She dropped to a comfortable crouch, waiting to see if he would let her approach or not.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 18, 2010 22:28:20 GMT -5
Dominic looked up at Kazari's voice from the top of the stairs, giving the girl a nod and a smile to indicate that she was welcome to approach him. His fingertip really hurt, and he resisted the urge to suck on it to ease the pain.
“Dom?” Vincent's voice asked through the phone. “Are you alright?”
Dominic shook his head, still staring at his fingertip. Something clicked in the back of his mind. The figurine was made of sterling silver. Lycanthropes were burned by silver. The disease was spread through biting… and that thug had bitten him. Kazari was right -- he had changed, for the worse.
“I’m here,” he said after a pause. “And I think I’m a bit worse off than I thought I was.”
“What do you mean?” Vincent’s voice was suddenly lowered, somewhat anxious. “Is it your wounds?”
“Yeah, you might say that,” Dominic replied slowly, his eyes still fixed on his injured finger. “Tell me… does it matter what form a lycanthrope is in when he or she bites another person? The disease spreads either way, right?”
“Yes…” There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line, and then Vincent spoke again. “Dom… you were bitten by a lycanthrope, weren’t you?”
Dominic nodded, moving his eyes to look at Kazari as he spoke into the phone. "I'm fairly sure. I just burned my finger on a silver figurine I bought for Ariel."
There was a breath on the other end of the line. "Alright. You should get the bite treated as soon as possible. Today's the fifteenth, yes?"
"The sixteenth here," Dominic answered, looking down at his watch. "It's just past midnight. The bite's been looked after already, though."
"Normal medicine isn't always enough. You'll need magical treatment before the next full moon, when the disease will completely overcome you. That's the twenty-sixth."
"What if I can't find a healer?" Dominic answered, his nervousness starting to show in his voice. "Is there a way to cure this if it can't be prevented?"
"Not to my knowledge," Vincent answered sadly. He paused for a moment, and then spoke again. "One of the upper-level mages at Dunhelden lives in Budapest. Istvan Fekete. I'm not sure where his magical strengths and weaknesses lie, but it's worth a try to look for him. Who knows, he might have a relative who's a necromancer, if he isn't one himself."
Dominic laughed. "Well, I'm in luck. I'm staying at his house right now. His aunt patched me up. I'll talk to the family tomorrow and see what can be done."
"Good, good. Do that and let me know right away how it goes. For now, don't worry too much about it, and get some sleep. Oh, and one more thing -- if this falls through, you should definitely come to Dunehelden in the fall. There are plenty of people here who can help you through the changes. Not just wolves, either. Several of the werebeings there are cats. Big ones. Ariel's boyfriend is a werecheetah, for example; there is another student who is a werecougar, and the school psychologist is a weretiger."
"Oh… alright…" Dominic frowned. "So there's a chance I'll turn into something other than a wolf? Like a cat?"
"Yes. Lycanthropes come in three known species -- wolves, bears and leopards. Since the one who bit you was in human form, we can't be sure yet which one you'll be."
"I see. Well, thank you so much," Dominic replied gratefully. "I'll definitely do as you've said. Goodnight, Vincent. My love to all."
"And to you, Dom. Goodnight, and good luck."
Dominic hung up and set down his phone, looking over at Kazari with a sigh. "I don't suppose you know whether Istvan or one of his relatives is a necromancer, do you?"
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 18, 2010 22:39:28 GMT -5
Kazari slipped into the room, shaking her head as she did so. "None, as far as this Kazari is aware." She had reached him by then, and took a perch on the far arm of the couch. Her nose wrinkled ever so slightly, not enough to be seen in the dark room. Even in minuscule traces, the scent of burnt flesh made her stomach churn.
"This Kazari, perhaps, could search for you one who practices Necromancy." Her eyes caught some trace of light and flashed. "She sleeps not much-- and at night, for her, it is much easier to travel without..." She paused here, and one corner of her lips curled upwards in a wry smirk. "...Causing distress."
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 18, 2010 22:48:45 GMT -5
Dominic nodded, watching Kazari warily. The faint light in the room from the window made her eyes flash in the darkness like a cat's. The effect was unnerving -- feline eyes in a human face. He smiled, though, at the offer she made.
"I'd very much appreciate that," he answered, putting away his phone -- very, very carefully -- and closing his knapsack. "Thank you."
He wondered what he should do about his finger, too; it was really bothering him, and he doubted he could sleep with his finger stuck in a cup of ice all night. He didn't want to wake up Istvan's aunt either. He blew gently on his finger in an attempt to ease the pain, which didn't help much.
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 18, 2010 23:04:50 GMT -5
Kazari nodded and eased off the couch, retreating to the far corner of the room, where the shadows prevented Dom from seeing her. There came a faint rustling, then a soft whump.
"In the kitchen, there is an aloe plant," Kazari commented as, in the cover of darkness, she picked up her clothes and folded them neatly. She set them on the nearest surface-- a small table-- and added, "If for this Kazari anyone asks, tell them she went a-hunting."
After this statement there was a low groan and several dull cracking noises, and something that sounded like leather or rubber being stretched over a frame. There was a small whine, which dipped a few octaves into a rumbling noise that might have been a purr. A moment later and Kazari came back into view, the tone of her honey-colored fur showing silvery as she passed through a beam of moonlight passing through a window. She padded out into the entryway and butted her head softly against the door, silently asking for Dominic to open it for her.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Apr 18, 2010 23:24:25 GMT -5
Dominic smiled and stood up, stretching carefully and wincing, listening in confusion to the odd sounds coming from the darkened corner of the room. What was going on over there? He turned his head, trying to see what Kazari was doing as he spoke to her.
“Are you alright over theholy SHIT!” He scrambled away from her, eyes wide with shock and fear. There was a bloody cougar in the room!
Oh… wait… Vincent had mentioned one of the students being a werecougar. This must be her. Dominic relaxed immediately, watching closely as she moved toward the front door, and tiptoed after her. Opening the door for her, he bent down slightly and whispered, “Good luck.”
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Baratoge Kazari
Keme
Academy Junior: Cougar Shapeshifter
Lusus Naturae
Posts: 176
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Post by Baratoge Kazari on Apr 18, 2010 23:29:58 GMT -5
Kazari tipped her nose to his chin in a don't worry gesture and padded off into the front yard for a few feet before breaking into a brisk trot, her head sweeping left and right to test the air for any trace of the scent of magic.
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