Mein Licht

@ Kross

They had barely made it anywhere before Ada suddenly stopped. A moment later, tom did as well, turning towards her as she started to speak. He did remember offering to show her around, remembered she'd had a pretty good response, but was still a bit surprised at the sudden urge for the tour he'd promised. By the slightly forced-sounding enthusiasm in her voice, he guessed she didn't like hunting either. He hadn't thought of her as one to enjoy that sort of thing though. She just... all someone had to do was talk to her, and they wouldn't believe she'd like such a thing.
He nearly started on an apology to her, actually. They'd gone to the council yesterday, and Karik would be making some sort of announcement that they should probably be present for, whether or not he decided they should be sent on patrol, but then he stopped. When they finally showed up again, Karik wouldn't be happy... Tom knew he could handle getting in a little trouble for this though. Adara wanted to, and though it was probably a little selfish, he was glad he'd get to spend more time with her as well because of it.
And all of this ended up influencing his answer inevitably. "I remember," he assured her with a smile. "And of course we can do it now if you want." He paused. "But... would you rather start with the caves, or out here?" he motioned around them. "I know you have trouble with the passageways in the caves sometimes, so..." He wasn't sure what else to say on that, honestly. He knew she didn't really like the caves, but she really did need to know how to get around, so she wouldn't get lost. Sure, she'd eventually find her way back either outside or towards the main cave, but what if something happened? War was supposed to be coming, after all... but he had to stop himself there... Tom, you worry way too much. He was going to worry his mind to death one day.
Or worse... turn into Mizuki. Talk about a horrifying thought.

As Kross told her his father's name, along with a small description, Lamani mentally filed that away for the next time she would need it. She'd hardly heard anything about that man, and she already knew that she hated him. It wasn't just the experiments, which were bad enough, but practicing them on his own son? It just... it wasn't right. Besides, the experiments were that -experiments. There was no telling if they were actually safe or if they would cause permanent damage to his child, maybe even kill him!
The mental massacre of a certain man named Jeremiah Vaughn could be heard by anyone in the clan, excluding Kross who wasn't technically a clan member until he was turned... but while that was going on mentally, outwardly, Lamani showed nothing of her inner thoughts as her smile faded into a scowl when he patted her head. "Really? I know I act like a child sometimes, but must you really pat me on the head?" She sighed, shaking her head. "Well, I've trained everyone else... I suppose I'll have to train you as well. And your first rule is that you shouldn't pat me on the head!"
She trailed off at his response to her scoping out Tommy's sister for him, and smiled widely. "Well, I can't wait to meet her then! If I disappear for a day any time, don't worry. I'll probably have snuck up to that awful village. If I put on my cute face, they'll never suspect a thing." She briefly stretched her arms out above her head, letting them swing back to her sides.
"Well, anyway... we might as well get back to the others. They're awfully curious creatures, and will be wondering what we were talking about..." she paused, considering this. "If you don't want them to know, our cover story can be that you had heard some weird rumor about being a vampire or something, and you were worried about who would change you or some such, and I had to give you advice." she shrugged. "Though you really do need to decide soon," she mused, almost to herself, but shrugged. "I just wouldn't choose Tom or Adara. They're too recently turned, both... other than that, anyone else should be fine."

@ Kross
(Feel free to bring in Kross' mom if you want, since we had that idea about her being a ghost and asking Miz for help)



Harry shrugged. "You need to listen to someone. If I'm not it, then it might as well be the shadows you've been talking to since we were little. It isn't really hard to figure out, and I thought they might be listening. Besides, you're worrying me. You're a good person, Miz. But you can't fix the world, or the vampires, or even our fucked up family. You know what you can fix?"

"You, to where you can't speak? And they aren't shadows, Harry," Mizuki looked very angry, just at that. "They're ghosts. They're people, friends, even if they're dead." Her eyes trailed to somewhere behind Harry, and a smile formed. "Dad agrees. He says to stop acting like an ass."

"Sure he did," Harry rolled his eyes, and then they were both laughing. When it finally died down, Mizuki's smile slowly slipped from her face. "Thanks, Harry, but you know I can't just do that. Besides, what would I do? Just sit around and be lazy like you? We have to live somehow."

"Well, we already have a garden we keep up. We could learn to hunt animals or something, if you want." Harry paused, looking oddly serious. He was always the goofy, lazy one, who didn't do anything but sleep, much less thin. And he was never serious unless he had to be. Yet now he was demonstrating character unlike him. "Miz, I was thinking that we would leave the village. It isn't really good here, and being around Hunters doesn't really promote original thought. We can leave a note for Aunt Kanon and Aunt Akane, for if they decide to visit, but I think they had the right idea when they left. This place is just so narrow-minded. I don't like vampires, but I don't hate them like you seem to. What if a vampire ghost asked your help? Would you turn them down?"

Mizuki looked down at her lap. "You already know the answer to that, Har."

"Well, I did ask for your benefit, not my own."

"Asshole," she accused succinctly.

He shrugged. "Well, I'm your brother too. So you love me anyway. It's why I love you, even if you're so frickin' stubborn and difficult. For example, the fact that you refuse to admit you have a crush on our recently departed visitor. We both know he liked you, and I've lived with you for years so I know you liked him. And I don't like him because he's a rude asshole, but that's not the point. Next time you see him, just knowing you, you'll viciously attack him and then hug him."

Rather than face what her brother was attempting to tell her, Mizuki attacked on a specific and meaningless bit of what he said.

"Wait, did you just admit to being an asshole and then call Kross one?" Mizuki raised her eyebrows at Harry. "Are you admitting to being like him?"

"I'm nothing like him," Harry pronounced confidently. "And you're avoiding the subject, so I guess I've got my answer on that account," he smirked.

That was how it came to be that Harry ended up with a dent in his head that was made by a book, and the twins ended up wrestling on the floor. It was also the death of Kano the goldfish, unfortunately... when they bumped the table, the aquarium broke and Kano was squished. But out of respect for the goldfish with one eye hanging out of his socket (again), they hosted a funeral for the little guy who was buried in the garden, deep enough that they hoped predators wouldn't dig up the goldfish.

And later that night, while they were relaxing, no one tried to bring to light their previous subjects of the day. Instead, they aruged over trivial things like good siblings did.

"Perhaps the caves and tunnels would be better to start with," Adara took a step closer to Thomas, and with one brave and brisk motion, she placed her finger tips against the palm of his hand. She hoped he'd accept her innocent offer, and they could go exploring their territory together, hand in hand.
"We could go through tunnels, work our way back to the cave, and then head out through the outside areas?" she suggested, though the words felt odd coming out of her mouth. Adara, as far as she could remeber at least, had never been one to be a leader in any situation. She was a follower by nature, however unvampiric it was, and that is how she would always be. "If that sounds good to you, of course..." she was quick to add, internally scolding herself for not breaking her awful, submissive tendencies.
There were many things Adara loved about Tom, but the one she cherished the most was that he eased her mind. When she was with him, she felt like a person; a girl. Not a vampire, or an amnesiac freak. Her mind ceased to scourge the dark corners of her hidden past, and stopped trying to rememer who exactly she was. She simply lived and breathed, all while enjoying herself in the gentle man's company.

Kross smirked at Lamani's reaction to him patting her head. Even though she had been trying to prove a point with it, saying that she wasn't in fact a child, she failed, as the act made her look nothing short of one, swatting at him furiously like that. "I'll try, but I make no promises," he chuckled, before tapping his fingers lightly against her scalp once more.
"I'm actually really conflicted about who to choose. I'm torn between you or Lothaire...Does it really matter?" he asked her suddenly, wondering why exactly the person who changed you was so important. "Who changed you, by the way? Do you two share a special bond?"

@ Kross

Tom started (just barely) in surprise as suddenly he felt Ada's fingertips at his palm. He looked over at her surreptitiously, and his fingers closed warmly around hers at the same time as he fought the insane urge to smile. "I think it sounds like a great idea," he assured her.
He'd come to notice she would say something, usually it was her opinion on something, and then go back and try to make sure those around her were fine with it. He tried to go along with her suggestions and such though... one, because they weren't bad. Two, because he was hoping she'd realize it was okay.
"We'll probably have to go through it all a few times before it sticks, with the caves at least, but at least you'll be able to work your way around because of it," Tom added. He wasn't really sure why his mind seemed so fixated on and concerned for Adara, but it just happened somehow.
Well... wherever that thought was going, it was pushed out of his mind by their closeness as they walked and the feeling of her hand in his. It was just a great moment, at least it was to Tom, and the previous ackwardness seemed to just fade away.

Lamani didn't even bother attempting to muster up a scowl this time as she felt him tap his fingers against her skull. She had the feeling it really wouldn't do her any good anyway, so why bother? He'll just learn slower than the others, I suppose. Though if he pats my head again, he might learn with pain.
And then he had to ask. Her smile dropped as fast as turning off a light-bulb. There as a general understanding that no one usually used their ability, unless they honestly couldn't help it, and Lamani's learned, tight control on hers slipped in that in that instant. Rather than the expected anger, it was as if her heart had become stone, useless, and the dropped out of her grassy green eyes. "You don't know the vampire who made me." The words presented themselves in a monotonous tone.
She tilted her head up, to look up into his ice blue eyes. "Your other question. Yes, there's a connection between the vampire turned and their master. The telepathic abilities between you and your master will be stronger than that you'll have with the clan. Depending on how emotional the two vampires, they might also feel each others' emotions. And it is the master's choice only whether that connection is severed." She paused, glancing about her surroundings, and then finally turned her eyes back to the boy. "Go get Lothaire," she instructed, with no particular inflection or tone to her words still. "I am hungry, so I shall be eating."
With that, the tiny vampiress dismissed the dhampir to move off to have her meal.
When the boy returned with Lothaire, Lamani looked up. "I slipped." From the look he had, he'd already guessed as much. Their master-creation bond was old. Most would sever the connection after some time, some severed it immediately, but Lamani had realized the wisdom in keeping at least one so that someone would know what happened should she slip up, even if it didn't happen often. It was just... certain triggers.
The theory had been that he could bring her back, and it had worked a few times before. The problem was really her... every time. It was hard to let go of the state where she felt nothing. It was harder to remember why she needed to -thus, Lothaire.

"Open wide," Lothaire snickered into Sarraqa's ear, one hand flirtatiously stroking her thigh, while the other waited with grace in front of her pink lips, his pale index finger dipped in blood from the rabbit in front of them.
Sarra joined in on his laughter, which made him happy. Why, exactly, he couldn't explain. Sarraqa had always made Lothaire happy, yet he couldn't help but use her as anything more than a child's plaything. Perhaps I am afraid of love... he started to think, only to be interrupted by the gentle touch of Sarraqa's tongue on his finger.
"Is it satisfying to you, sweet child?"
Her violet eyes looked up at him, coated with an emotion he couldn't place. It was almost as if she were torn; split between bliss and sorrow, though neither of them showed entirely.
"I do believe your touch adds to the sweetness. May I...oh, hello, Kross."
For a moment, Lothaire was confused. Not by the dhampir joining them, but by the hollowness in Sarraqa's voice. For a moment she seemed cheerful once more, but when the shaggy headed youth approached them, she became sad. Why, Sarraqa, has your smile become scarce? He thought, knowing all of his thoughts were safe within himself. No one cared to peer into the minds of other clanmates; it was rude and envasive. Simply because the option was there, did not in fact give permission to always use it. Most of the time, clan's telepathic communication was only used during battles or missions, when everyone needed to speak, but remain silent.
"Hello, boy. How might I assist you?"
Kross seemed rather unfazed by his and Sarra's rather provocative displayal of affection, not once commenting or even staring at their entangled bodies.
"It's Lamani," the dhampir started. "She just told me to come find you. She didn't say what she needed."
There weren't many times when Lamani called upon the help of others, so when she did, it was usually something dyer. "You will have to excuse me, darling. It seems my presence is needed elsewhere." he swiftly placed a kiss upon Sarraqa's hand, carefully scooping up her body and moving her away from himself.
"Alright...but we shall go hunting later, yes?"
"Of course, dear Sarra. Of course."

When Lothaire entered the bedchambers, hearing only the feeble words 'I slipped', he knew instantly what had happened. Gingerly, he wrapped the woman he considered to be a mother in his arms, stroking her hair softly.
The realization that Kross was still with them struck him afterwards. Slowly, he pulled his head away from Lamani and looked at the boy. "Er, Kross, if you don't mind...do you think you could give us some privacy?"
"Sure, sorry. I'll find something else to stick my nose in!" He replied, optimistic and energetic.
"Thank you, my boy," Lothaire said at his dismissal, then turned back to Lamani, "How far gone are you? Is there anything at all you can feel? You're not numb to my touch, are you?"
He pulled her tighter into his body, trying his hardest to think of words that might help. "Did he mention him? Is that what caused this?" Lothaire thought of the man who had transformed Lamani, so many ages ago. Perdix, was his name. Even as old as Lothaire was, never once had he crossed paths with the man. Not that he would have any desire to. From what little he had heard of Lamani's past, he had more than enough information to safely assume this Perdix was a demon among men...well, vampires.
She had once mentioned a man by the name of Hesperos, however. Lamani hadn't talked about him much; their relationship had never been described in detail to anyone, as far as Lothaire was aware. But he was sure she loved him, in some form or another. In all his time with her, he had never once seen an expression on her face quite like when she talked of him. He saved her somehow; that's all Lothaire knew. He had never seen this man either, as if he had just disappeared off the earth. Perhaps he had been killed. Everyone was afraid to ask.
The times Lamani slipped away where generally about either of the two; Perdix or Hesperos. They both had some form of impact on her life, more so than anyone else that he knew of. They hurt her too, he was sure, just in different ways. That's why their memories was so hard on her. Still, all of the unanswered questions pegged at his mind like a dagger. They always had.

Adara could literally feel her heart fly from the depths of her chest. It felt as if it were going to burst through her rib cage, and leave her and her swooning body behind.
It was then that she was struck with what had just happened: she had felt something. Her times as a vampire had been short; her new life was really only just beginning. But in this new state, everything felt so dull and lifeless. Sure, her senses were sharpened, and the view of the world itself had become more beautiful and surreal than ever before. It was in her, though, that seemed to lack something.
Even if her heart didn't actually beat, Adara felt as if it had. The intensity between her and Thomas's touch made her feel...human. She actually felt alive, whole, and real. Tears even threatened her at the backs of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. If she cried now, it would only worry him, and that was the last thing she wanted.
"That...that sounds wonderful," she finally said, gracefully tucking her hair behind her ears, for once showing all of her face. She didn't want to hide anymore; not around Tom.
With his hand in her's, she started to talk again, a smile like no other plastered on her face. For a moment, Adara even seemed to giggle. She had finally found her happiness; locked away in a perfect little forever with Thomas Skye.

@ Kross
If Lamani had been herself, she might have found comfort in Lothaire's hug and might have even kissed his cheek. Instead, she was still and unresisting as she considered his questions. "No, I can feel you. Only the emotions are gone," she answered after a few beats.
"Kross was asking about vampires," she continued. "He was wondering about the connection between a vampire and the one who turned them, and asked about who made me a vampire, and whether I had a connection with them." Still feeling nothing, her mind trailed to Perdix of its own accord.
She could see his horrible face in her mind. From his looks, she could only assume he'd been made a vampire in his early twenties. He'd had angular, aristocratic features, and his hair had been black as night, falling around his shoulders like raven feathers. One eye had been a cloudy white with a slash crossing down the middle of his face, though it seemed he could still see from it. The other eye was easily as black as his hair, but it always seemed to glow like a feral animal's.
Lamani remembered the first time she'd met Perdix, how he'd been covered in the blood of her family then, but her ability prevented her from feeling the grief and fury that might have otherwise welled up inside her.
"I suppose like this I could have answered him about Perdix." She glanced towards the exit where the black-haired boy had wandered off at Lothaire's request. "I might have warned him not to ask questions instead of simply asking for you, too." She looked back up at Lothaire. "I think I did the right thing though... it's always hard to tell like this though."

At Adara's words, Tom gave her a smile and nodded. "I'm glad," he said, and soon they were in the caves. His eyesight adjusted quickly due to being a vampire, as he knew Ada's would too, and he led the way, explaining the layout and where they were going as they walked.
It was a nice moment, and he was definitely enjoying the time with Ada as he always did. Still, she seemed to be opening up to him more as well, and that made him hopeful. Ada was usually so quiet and withdrawn, and he felt like she felt too much time on her own. He was honestly glad she was opening up to anyone, and especially so that it was him rather than someone else.
Still, too soon, they had wound their way back to the main cave, where everyone was gathered as they ate 'breakfast'. "Do you think we should stay?" he asked, looking over at Ada. "I think Karik is probably going to make announcements about the council trip yesterday soon..."

Lothaire continued to hold and stroke Lamani, knowing on the inside there was truly nothing anyone could do to bring her back. It was always a matter of waiting. "You did the right thing. No sense in filling his head with such things just yet. Let him live in naivete for a few moments longer...it is a beautiful thing, truly. He shall learn the darkness of our world in due time."
He gently scooped Mani up in his arms, and carried her over to the nearest slab of stone they called beds. There, he sat with her, holding her in his arms like a child. "Karik is preparing for his meeting with us. We shall wait here until you are ready. Then, we will go join the others." he whispered to her calmly, trying to change the subject to ease the pain she couldn't feel.

Adara nodded, slowly leaning her body against Tom's. She still barely held on to the tips of his fingers, even though they were back at the cave. "I think so," she replied, looking towards the entrance as Dareios and Nasrin came in together. With the exception of Lothaire and Lamani, the entire clan was there in the main part of the cave; the 'living room', she often liked to think of it as.
Taking in a deep breath and relishing the moment she was currently in, Adara released herself from Thomas's hand and took a small step away from him. While she would have much rather stayed in his reach for the remainder of...forever...she decided it would probably be best not to let the others see them being close with one another. The teasing they would receive would be most unpleasant, and she did not wish to put Tom through that.

(this side of Lothaire is surprising... I'm not sure if it's just part of his personality or if its just that no one can help but love Lamani xD)

Lamani gave a small nod when she was told she had done the right thing.
"We should probably go see what he has to say in any case," she told him as he mentioned that Karik was about to call a meeting. But in situations such as this, Lamani would often defer to Lothaire, a change from the normal. So she fell silent and contemplated what she should probably do.. That would be emotions. She needed those, didn't she? They were so far away though, that she couldn't feel them any longer. But that was the problem. It was always the problem. So that made the next problem figuring out how to solve the first.
It was all a mental jumble that Lamani seemed to have to work through every time. It had varying degrees, and sometimes the maze was easier to navigate than at others. And sometimes, like now, Lothaire felt more like a measure of mental stability than anything else as her feelings flooded back. She was stiff, curled in his arms, for a few minutes as she sorted everything back out as it should be, letting out a short breath as she finally moved away from the vampire. "Thank you, as always," she told him with a grateful smile that was still a little tight. "I know it can be terribly inconvenient to you... hell, it's inconvenient to me! Now, you said that Karik is organizing a meeting? Well, he better not start it without me!"

As Ada suddenly moved away, Tom looked over at her, giving her a puzzled look that was both curious and confused. However, no sooner had he opened his mouth than had Karik called everyone's attention. "Everyone, to sum up the Council trip yesterday... the message about Lothaire's vision was delivered, and hopefully the Council will take it into careful consideration. Also, I am sure that all of you have noticed the young dhampir, Kross, who has come to us through Lothaire. If I am not mistaken, he is soon to join our clan as a vampire, which was also approved by the Council. The change will take place within three days time.." Karik wasn't really one to mince words, but just got straight to the point. "In the meantime, it appears that our food supply is adequate for the moment, but a hunting party still might be assembled before the day is out so be prepared."

"For the love of..." Lamani had joined her clanmates by this time, and was as unimpressed by Karik's speech skills as usual. Yet knowing she was supposed to raise her hand or something equally stupid, she couldn't make herself abide by the rule as she spoke up. "I believe yesterday we were talking about a possible trip to the nearest non-hunter town to take care of a little shopping." It wasn't really a question and wasn't phrased in a question, but Lamani had certain gotten the attentions of many people around her.

(I think he's just this way with Lamani, since she's like his mom :3 it just kind of came naturally when I was writing haha)

Just as quickly as she fell into her emotionless state, Lamani climbed right back out of it in an instant. No matter how many times they went through this, the drastic changes always took Lothaire off guard.
"Glad to have you back," Lothaire smiled as the two headed into the main segment of the cave.
Their small clan had gathered around Karik and listened to his short speech with intent. In all of his years with Karik, Lothaire had always known him to be the same: cold, distant, and to the point. In some aspects, that aided him tremendously in his leadership position, but in others it was not so fortunate. Compassion was most certainly not his strong point. Many a times, Lothaire tried to talk to his leader about it, but the conversations never ended well.
The lack of detail and interest in Karik's tone of voice rubbed him the wrong way, and Lothaire looked up at him with an expression very near disgust. He looked around and saw fear in his clan mates' eyes, especially prominent in Sarraqa's and Adara's.
Karik, how I often wish I were the leader of this clan. Your lack of humility is most unbecoming.
Lothaire let his thoughts ring out loud and clear, part of him hoping the leader would be tuning in on him. He knew, however, that would not be the case. No one ever casually listened to other's thoughts.
Clearing his throat, the English vampire stepped up beside Karik and turned to face the rest.
"...Going back to the meeting with the council," he started, knowing very well he was speaking out of turn and without permission to address the clan, "I would like to further elaborate on what my vision was, exactly. Over the night, I managed to do some thinking, and there have been a few things that have cleared up." His lips twitched into a sort of frown, "well...by cleared up, I suppose I mean, became more fuzzy...anyhow, what I'm trying to say is, the chaos I saw, the war, it is blurry and undefined. I do not know if it is us who are fighting, or even other vampires. I do vaguely recognize the scenery as the mountains, however. So whatever it is that is coming, I feel as if we will be involved in some way or another. Be prepared.
"I know all of this seems sudden and horrifying...and, it is. However, I have faith in us. We are small, but not weak. For the sake of our sanity, I urge you all not to panic or stress over anything until we have an actual reason to. We should all remain cautious, do not mishear me, but we should carry out our days as normal, I believe. It would be simply nonsensical to live in fear of the future."
Lothaire looked around at his friends--his family--and smiled. The look of relief on all of their faces made him feel warm, especially from Sarra. She looked at him with her lilac colored eyes and smiled in return, her cheeks blushing their usual shade of pink.
"In the meantime," he concluded, "I will inform you all as soon as I can, if I am to receive another vision. If it is okay with Karik," he looked over to the leader quickly, his gaze not quite setting on him, "I would like to pay a visit to Daylily. She may have something of use to me, to help induce my visions. Astarot, would you be so kind to accompany me?"

Kross stood in silence as Lothaire stepped up to speak. Honestly, most of what the vampire said didn't even register with him. He was too busy digesting the fact that he only had three more days to be a human. Well, he was technically a dhampir, but that was beside the point. He felt human, and he only had three more days to feel that way.
The talk of oncoming doom didn't do much for him. A massive war was the least of his worries; he had three days.
Three days. Just three days. Mizuki. Three days. She will hate me in just...three days...
For some reason, hearing the 'official' announcement come out of Karik's mouth made everything seem almost unbearably real. The reality of what was happening, and the life altering choice he was going to make, had finally set in, and Kross wasn't sure if he liked it or not. At first glance, the idea of being a vampire was a dream to him. But just last night, his dream was Mizuki. And...a female version of Harry. But it was still Mizuki, nonetheless.
I have to see her again. Maybe that will help me decide what I need to do.
When the speech seemed to finally be over, Kross walked over to Thomas. He and Adara were standing a very awkward distance from one another; both still very close, but just out of each other's reach. He smirked, but decided to ignore their obvious affections for one another and save it for another day.
"Tom," he said, swiping his black hair out of his eyes, "Lamani mentioned a trip to Crescent Stone. Well, to the border at least. I was wondering if you'd like to go? Maybe...soon? As in tonight?" he asked, a little too eagerly.
His stomach made an awkward lurch when he remembered the 'talk' Tom had mentioned yesterday--hopefully he had forgotten about that.
"I'd like to see Mizuki again. And I know she and Harry miss you like hell...it'll be weird, yeah. Like an awkward family reunion or something. But, it's worth a shot, don't you think?"
Kross looked at him with a pounding hope in his chest. When he realized that he was being extremely sincere and serious, he quickly looked at Adara.
"You should come, too. Tom's little brother and sister would love to meet his new...what to call it...special friend?" he laughed, feeling accomplished in his efforts to make things uncomfortable.

Adara had already felt uneasy, with all of the talk of the war and what was to come. Hearing Lothaire helped a little, but her worry wasn't eased by too much. She looked towards Thomas for reassurance, when Kross approached them, giving her a whole new wave of uneasiness. She had hardly exchanged two words with the boy, but just from his first day with the clan, she could tell he was one to crush people's comfort zones. When he acknowledged her and Thomas's friendship though, she burst into a bright shade of red.
Panic caused her to say things out of paranoia. She wasn't even sure if Thomas wanted their friendship to become something more. Sure, he held her hand, and he was always really nice to her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, did it?
He's Thomas...he's just a really nice person. I'm sure he's like this with everyone. Of course he is. He has more important things to attend to, anyways. There's probably girls lined up to be with him, so it's not like you really have a chance, right? Save him the embarrassment, Adara. It will make things easier.
"U-um, actually, we're friends. Nothing more. R-right, Thomas?" she looked over at him and forced a smile.
Saying that they were just friends hurt more than she had anticipated. Immediately she felt like an idiot; how could she be brokenhearted over a relationship that never existed? It was stupid of her, unbelievably stupid, getting her hopes up as she did.
Swallowing a lump in her throat, she continued, "If Thomas wouldn't mind, though...I would love to come. But, if you'll both excuse me, I need to...go take care of something..."
She speedily walked across the cave and slipped out the entrance, hoping she hadn't attracted the attention of anyone on her way out.

Nasrin held her brother's arm, as she half listened to him and Y'dra talk about the war, and what to prepare for. She didn't bare much fear for what was to come. Honestly, it all kind of made her excited, though she would never say it aloud. As long as something was going on to keep them occupied, she would be at least a little more happy. She had never seen a war, after all. New things excited her.
Out of the corner of her icy eyes, she saw Adara escape by herself. From the quick glance she got of the other girl's face, it seemed to her as if she were upset. Her first instinct was to roll her eyes and silently accuse her of being a melodramatic little prissy, but for some reason, she had a change of heart. Releasing her grip from Dareios, Nasrin, too, silently slipped away from the rest of the clan.
Outside, her vampiric eyes scanned the night for Adara. The sound of what seemed to be crying pulled her attention behind a tree only a few feet from the cave's entrance. Skeptically, Nasrin approached it, to find the other hugged her knees to her chest with tears falling from her eyes.
"...What's wrong with you?" Like Karik, compassion wasn't exactly Nasrin's thing.
Adara's silence wasn't exactly the answer she wanted, but for some reason, she couldn't find it in herself to get angry with the girl. She seemed fragile and broken...and very sad. Whether she liked to admit it or not, those were all things they had in common. They just showed them very differently.
"Did you and blondie get into it?" she asked her, referring to Tom. Even though Nasrin wasn't close with either of them, she was still acutely aware of the budding relationship they had. It was a small clan, after all. There were no secrets.
Sighing, Nasrin stepped closer to her and sat down, letting their shoulders bump together. "I'm sad, too. I'm always sad. It's kind of like I've forgotten what happiness is."
Why she suddenly told her this was beyond her. Nasrin didn't open up to people; she wasn't an open person. The only reason Dareios knows her so well is because he's her older brother. He had known her since the day she was born.
"...I know what happiness is. He makes me feel it. But, I don't think...I don't..." Adara finally spoke, but her words were hard to come by.
Somehow, Nasrin understood. She didn't know what was going on in Adara's head exactly, but the emotional trauma they both felt was very similar, she knew.
"Caring for someone is difficult...that's why I choose not to do it," Nasrin said quietly, "Dareios is different. He's my brother, I have to care for him. Because he's family, it's generally without consequence. It's when you start caring for someone you're not obligated to care for...that's when things get hard."
"I don't understand why..." Adara huffed, her voice quivering, "...why this hurts me so much. I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand..." she repeated until her voice eventually trailed off into nothingness.
Nasrin looked at her, smiling for once, though it was a very grim smile. "Love is pain...or pain is love. I forget with time. I would like to tell you it gets easier, but I can't. I've never loved someone before."
"Love...do I love him..." the other girl had become a puddle of tears and emotional wreckage. Most of her responses no longer made sense. "There's just so much I don't understand...so much...none of it makes sense...none of it..."
"I don't think it ever does...humans spend all of their lives trying to understand everything. When, in reality, none of it makes sense. Perhaps the meaning of life is trying to find the meaning, I once read." she looked over at Adara again, who was shivering. "Sorry...I'm no help."
Without a word, she opened up her arms and let Adara rest her head on her chest. She stroked her hair and looked up at the sky, denying the tears that threatened the backs of her eyes freedom.
I won't cry...I won't cry... she thought, flinching at the sound of Adara's sobs.

Lamani was actually relieved when Lothaire took over. Honestly, with her age, she had initially been the one who was supposed to be their 'leader', but had refused. This being before Lothaire -barely-, she had decided that Karik had been a good choice. Since then, she had often questioned it, though she had also since lost the ability to do anything technically without causing many problems.
However, while Lothaire was a good speaker and gave everyone the details along with reassurances, Lamani couldn't say that she approved of how he completely usurped Karik, as if asking for a fight. Actually, that probably wasn't far from the mark. He took over the clan meeting, then announced his intentions to visit Daylily without asking for any sort of permission aside from a side remark that it would have to be okay with Karik... which, of course, didn't please the salt-and-pepper-haired vampire.
As the meeting was concluded, Lamani quickly intercepted Karik, who looked as if he were on his way towards Lothaire. "About that market trip..." she gave him her sweetest smile while knowing fully well that she would get her way. It was rather one of the nicer parts of being her, she thought.

Meanwhile, as everyone spread out in mini-groups, Astarot made his way over to Lothaire. The vampire had this odd way of holding himself so that he was stooped a little almost like vulture, making his extremely tall stature just a little shorter. Astarot always had this sort of nervous energy around him, as if he just expected something to happen at any moment and he was always prepared for that moment. He was actually usually pretty confident as a person and had a sort of quiet, lilting voice that would be good for story-telling. He didn't talk a whole lot, but his accent was aparent when he did. He was simply a little strange, all the way down to his mannerisms, and while sometimes he was perfectly fine, if a little nervous as he always was, at other times, it could come down to a downright panic attack. He would usually just disappear during these times, refusing to be around people. It was a large part of the reason for his on-again-off-again relationship with Y'dra.
"Not trying to sound ungrateful or anything Lothaire, but why are you asking me to go with you?" Astarot questioned as he approached. He had his hands shoved in his back pockets and rocked on the heels of his feet just a little in slight swaying motions that, had he been surrounded by humans, would have been hard to detect. That was just him though. His mannerisms just didn't always make sense.

The smile Tom had around Adara was completely different from the one he adopted as he spotted Kross making his way over. With Ada, it was a true smile that just found its way to his face when he wasn't paying attention. But when he saw Kross... well, that smile was replaced by one that looked little more than a thinly concealed grimace.
"Lamani mentioned a market trip, but we don't go to Crescent Stone for that... for obvious reasons. Actually, I don't know why anyone would suggest a trip to a village full of hunters, especially so soon after the Blood Festival has ended," Tom told Kross, because it was true.
But then Kross kept talking, and Tom patiently waited to speak, going still as he mentioned something about him and Ada, and Ada almost immediately just... left. She seemed to be acting sort of weird, and he was worried. He nearly just followed, but he still had Kross to deal with first.
And honestly, by this point, Thomas Skye's patience had begun to wear thin. Maybe it was just being the overprotective older brother that made him dislike the kid almost immediately... it could be something else. But that had just been uncalled for.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is, and I frankly don't care. We've all got our own problems," he started. "But whatever your issue is, leave Ada out of it, okay? There are plenty of others here who can take it, but she isn't like everyone else, and I don't want to see you upsetting her any more, okay? Don't mess with people you don't know."
He took a breath to attempt to calm himself down. "I'm going to go make sure she's okay. I'll talk to you about your little idea later after I've calmed down. Just.. don't go off on your own. Just trust me on that, since anything that moves at night tends to get killed around Crescent Stone."
Then without another word, Tom headed in the direction that Adara had disappeared off towards. Since he didn't know where she had gone, he let his feet automatically start to carry him towards the way that they had come, guessing he would find her at the tree. Once he knew what was wrong, helping her would be quite a bit easier.
Tom got outside pretty easily, and soon became aware of the sound of tears. He approached slowly and quietly, hoping not to startle Ada, but was starlted himself as he saw a certain silver-haired vampire with Adara. Tom didn't really know Nasrin that well, but compassion wasn't the sort of thing he had expected from her with how she acted. He stopped a couple of feet, not really wanting to alert Ada to his presence quite yet as he opened his thoughts to Nasrin.
I can take over from here, he offered. He couldn't protect his thoughts from Ada's, but her mind was closed off, so he wasn't worried about. Luckily, the telepathy was two way. If you opened up your mind to read someone's thoughts, then you were also opening your mind for your own thoughts to be read.
I want to help. I'm afraid this might be partially my fault, he continued to Nasrin when she hesitated, hoping she could also sense a little of how he felt from his words.

Lothaire gave another sideways glance at Karik, followed by a cocky and sarcastic smile. He deviously ran one of his fingernails through his partially shaven head. At that, he frowned. He wasn't used to being bald. The long white-blonde locks on his head seemed too far away; hopefully they would grow back soon.
He could feel the heat of Karik's gaze setting into his skin when he started to walk off, but just as he had anticipated, Lamani saved him, as always. He gave the tiny vampiress a smile of gratitude before walking towards Astarot.
"Astarot, you slay me. I do not know how many years we have lived together, and yet you still hesitate to consider us friends? What a shame," Lothaire let a dramatic amount of hurt ease into his tone, "I simply thought you would be the best choice, is all. It won't be a long journey. Thomas will be taking Kross and a few others with him to the Crescent Stone border, if I hear correctly. I figured us two would men would be most appropriate."
The awkward vulture of a man that was Astarot always made Lothaire smile. He was kind, and meant well. His odd way of interacting was always amusing.
"It could be just us. Or, if you would prefer, I could ask Y'dra to join us as well?" the mention of the Amazonian woman reminded him, "How are you two currently, anyhow? On or off? I do enjoy solving a good lover's quarrel. Perhaps I could be of some assistance to you both?"
The thought of an overnight journey with Astarot and Y'dra gave Lothaire a little too much joy. If there was one thing he loved, it was dabbling in the romantic affairs of other people. The gossip and melodrama was fuel to his egotistical ways.
He wasn't in the wrong though, when he said he could be of help to them. Despite it being a source of entertainment for him, Lothaire did get relatively good romantic advice. This was one of the reasons why Lamani was always frustrated with him; he could never follow his own wisdom.

Kross shook his head, "No, the market is south of Crescent Stone, I know. It was when we were going to the council. She said we could take a trip to the border, as close as we could get, and try to talk to them." As he said it, Kross realized he wasn't technically banned from entering the village. None of the others would be able to get in, but he was very capable of doing so...as long as they were still blind to his being a dhampir.
When Adara ran off, he simply continued. "Yeah, I could enter the village and go grab them, while you guys wait outside. Then, we could--"
The sudden malice in Tom's voice was off putting. Kross had expected him to be extremely passive, like Harry. He apparently was very wrong.
"Alrighty then," he said slowly, "you take care, now." he scoffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets, watching as Tom walked away.
He looked down and noticed he was still in Tom's clothes; the white button down and jeans. A scowl crept over him.
"Needs more black..." he said to himself.
He quickly slipped away into the bedchambers, and found his old black military garb he had stolen. He gathered them up, as well as the combat boots, and walked around the cave until he found Sarraqa.
"Hey," he said. She was standing off on her own, "would you wanna come wash my clothes with me? I don't remember where the nearest part of the river is."
At first, she seemed to be taken aback that he was talking to her. After a few seconds, however, she smiled at him. "Of course! I would love to."
She lead him out of the cave, where they both awkwardly passed Thomas, Nasrin, and Adara, all gathered around a tree. Ignoring the trio, she continued to skip happily through the grass, her curly hair and flowy dress bouncing behind her.
After only a few minutes, they were at a small piece of land that curved outwards, giving one the perfect angle to bend down and do whatever they needed in the river. The water was almost white, and moved rapidly, sending cool mist all around them. It was nice to Kross though; very tranquil.
Sarraqa sat down, folding her legs beside her, and smiled faintly at the water.
"Thanks," Kross told her, "I wouldn't have found this by myself."
"No need to thank me," she said sweetly, "I always love to help people. It makes me happy."
Kross dipped the filthy black clothes in the water, rubbing them against the rocks on the shore to help pull off the dirt and grime. As he was doing so, Sarraqa bent over and pulled a small green weed, resting in a clutter of plants of the same kind by the water.
"If you break these open, they have a substance in them that smells like soap." she told him, snapping the plant's stem before passing it over. "I think they're lovely."
Kross took the stem in his hand, and immediately smelled soap. "Wow, it does. How'd you guys figure that out?"
"Living out here for decades, or for some centuries, really gives you the chance to find things like that. I do most of the laundry though, so most don't deal with this."
"You do everyone's laundry?" he asked, almost comically disgusted.
"Yes," she laughed, "I don't mind it though. In the time period I was born in, that's what women did. Housekeeping. We grew up, fell in love, got married, had children, and taught our kids to do the same..." she trailed off, picking up another soap plant, "I've only been successful at one of those, sadly. And I don't know if you'd even call it a success."
It was obvious she was referring to Lothaire, but Kross couldn't bring himself to say anything. Nothing he could say would make it better for her. So, he chose to remain silent and focus on washing his clothes.

Nasrin looked up when she heard Thomas approach. She protectively put her hands over Adara's head, so she wouldn't look up and notice him.
I don't think that's a good idea. You're probably the last person she needs to see right now. she thought to him, making it sound a lot more cold than she intended.
Try again later. Just let her get this out of her system.
She then looked back down at Adara and stroked her hair some more, whispering gentle words to try and soothe her pain.
She started to shake her head, to try and dismiss Tom, but caught herself. There was something more she needed to say.
Tom, you really need to think about who she is. Who is Adara? What is she to you? I may be stepping out of line here, but she's really broken. You need to remember that. Remember who she is...because, she can't. If you want your relationship with her to advance, it's going to take a lot of patience on your part. If you're not capable of doing that, get out now, and save her the pain.
With that, Nasrin looked away from him and back to the sky, looking far off, while thinking hard on the words she had just spoke.

@ Kross

Astarot sighed at the ever dramatic Lothaire. Sometimes, he suspected Lothaire got a little of the way he acted from Lamani, though it really wasn't supposed to work that way. Then again... he suspected Mani rubbed off on almost everyone. She just somehow had the right personality for it.
"Lothaire, I trust you and the clan has become a family to me, but you really should know by now that we all are how we are. And how I am involves a little bit of distrust. You really shouldn't take any offense by it." The last was something of an admonishment, but he suspected Lothaire was trying to mess with him in any case.
At the mention of Y'dra, he paused. What Astarot felt for Y'dra was something strong, but also something he strongly hesitated to even consider calling 'love'. Or was it? Y'dra sort of put him at ease except when he got back and was probably the only person in their clan that was that way. The fierce woman that scared so many was a little like a rock for Astarot, someone who helped ground him. But even with that being said, there often seeemed to be these times when doubts and nerves just crept up on him like a mountain and it was during these times that they had their 'off again' stages. Y'dra always got mad, and it always took him forever to apologize sufficiently. Then, not long after, the process began new. And each time the cycle restarted, his fear that she eventually wouldn't forgive him grew. And it grew. And it grew. So each time, he was determined not to restart the cycle again. He couldn't.
Then he did it all over again.
"We are fine currently," he answered Lothaire, feeling some relief at that. "Just recently, actually. I'm very relieved." He glanced back at the orchid-eyed vampiress briefly, unable to help himself. "And she'll probably want to come... I'm kind of surprised she isn't here already..." Astarot trailed off as he watched the conversation Y'dra and Dareois were engaged in, feeling a familiar prickle of insecurity. What if she wanted to be 'off again' for good because she liked Dareios better?
With no small measure of self control, Astarot forced himself to calm a little. It was okay. It would all be okay. Especially if Y'dra came along. Yes, he should go ask her! Without a moment's notice for Lothaire, Astarot hurried off to do just that, thinking he had said something to Lothaire about it though in reality, he hadn't.

Without looking, Y'dra knew who was coming. The dark-skinned woman simply put out a hand, and a second later, it connected with Astarot's chest, stopping him from running headlong into her. "I think your aim is getting worse, Astarot. You nearly missed and hit Dareois," she said as she turned towards him, her head tilting as she noticed the slightly panicky gleam to his cloudy white eyes. Already? she inwardly groaned. He had just gotten through one of his phases recently.
"Lothaire invited me to go see Daylily with him."
"I know, dear. I was standing right there when he gave Karik the mental finger."
"I'm going to go."
Y'dra gave him a small nod. "Okay, I thought you might."
"That's it?" Now his eyes looked a little more panicky and he sounded almost desperate.
"Astarot... is there something you wanted to ask me?" Y'dra knew there was. She wasn't really sure what was going on with him at the moment, what was setting him off this time, but it was always the same. He would sort of cling and then suddenly toss her. It was mentally and emotionally draining at the best of times, and left her crankier than she probably should be with everyone else.
The problem was that Y'dra wasn't quite used to being a particularly nice person. She was hardened and before she had discovered this clan, she had been distant with others. She had naturally opened up a little with her clanmates, but with Astarot, had opened up more than a little. Yet sometimes, it seemed as if he just needed to be coddled, and that wasn't really the sort of thing Y'dra did... except she did do it for him. There was a lot she did for him that she normally wouldn't, and what it left wasn't exactly the nicest person -which was what most everyone else received from her. The worst of it was when Astarot got into one of his phases, and when she was at her happiest seemed to be right when things fixed themselves again, before they started the gradual descent once more.
Y'dra really didn't appreciate how short those happy phases were.
"Well..." Astarot seemed to be hesitating, and she gave him a flat look. "I was wondering if you would come with us, to see Daylily that is. I would really love if you came."
And to that, Y'dra gave Astarot her version of a sweet smile though it looked more like she was baring her teeth than anything. "Of course. Just let me know when I need to get ready to leave." Y'dra closed her hand around his shirt since it had still been pressed against his chest. Using his shirt, she pulled Astarot close and gave him a quick, resounding kiss. "Thank you for inviting me," she said as she let him go.
Astarot returned to Lothaire reassured and with a happy smile gracing his lips. "She's coming," he confirmed.

As he was basically just told to get lost, Thomas ignored the directive and stayed where he was, not really caring what Nasrin thought was best at that moment. He just wanted to help Ada, wanted to know what had happened so he could fix it, and he wasn't going to let Nasrin, who didn't really know Ada or even himself that well, tell him what he should and shouldn't do. She didn't even know what had happened.
I know, Nasrin, he replied patiently to what she was last saying. I may not know Ada completely, but I've spent enough time to know some things, and definitely enough time to know that I would never hurt her. Kross came over and started talking, and I think he said something that upset her. I'm not really sure what's going on, but I want to help her. He was silent for a few moments.
I'm not moving.
Be that as it may, Nasrin didn't seem to be moving at the moment either and definitely didn't seem as if she had any intentions of it. Then again, Nasrin didn't know who she was dealing with... which was to say that she was dealing with a Skye. Probably the only person in their clan who would've even been able to come close to being able to guess what this meant would be Kross. Though Harry was... well, a little uncaring. Mizuki wasn't really a good example either. She was just stubborn beyond reason usually. As for living Skye's though, Kanon and Thomas were probably the two that were the best examples of the Skye attitude.
Oh well, Nasrin would figure it out if she decided to continue being obstinate.

Karik gave Lamani a small scowl. "You really can't keep protecting him," he said in a way that sounded like a command. "There's a leader for a reason, and that's to prevent anarchy. When you enable him, you're breaking the chain of command and promoting anarchy!"
Lamani rolled her eyes in such a way that spoke of what she thought about what Karik was saying. "Hush, child. I am not 'enabling' anyone or 'promoting anarchy'." She folded her arms in front of her chest as she stared up at him. Yet, despite her height and young appearance, the look she gave him was the look of someone who was looking down on someone. "Karik, this may come as a surprise to you, but you aren't particularly good at giving out speeches. I am sure I would be downright awful attempting to lead a bunch of raggamuffins..." she shuddered at the thought. "And that's why I declined and asked you to take my place. You care about this clan and its protection. You keep everyone functioning, and you keep us safe. However, and I know you don't want to hear this and it'll go straight through that thick skull of yours, you're lacking in a couple of places.
"One of these areas is why Lothaire takes over during speeches, and why I protect him from you. You give the bare facts, either expecting everyone to already know everything or as if you don't want them to know it all. You are all business, stating what happened and what needs to happen. Did you see what Lothaire did? He went into the detail that they need, and then he gave them his reassurances. It's called an inspiring speech, Karik, and you could use a few pointers."
Without giving him any chance to butt in and give his opinion on the matter, Lamani continued. "The other area you are lacking in, Karik, has to do with how protective you are. You treat us like witless children and doddling old men and woman who can't even dress themselves! A few protections are nice. The hunting parties are brilliant. To keep up with everyone and know what's going on, we should check in with you if we want to go out beyond our territory. But you really can't just decide that we aren't allowed to go anywhere. I shouldn't have to bully you for us to have a market trip. Did you hear what Nasrin was saying to poor little Sarra earlier? She was making fun of her because her corset is too small now! Sarraqa can't help that because she has no way to get to another one. Yet, she needs a new one. And you know where we can get one for her, Karik? The market! I've left you alone for years, but you've just been getting ridiculous lately, and it has to stop." Then she was done.
For a few silent seconds, Karik simply stared at Lamani discompassionately. "Is that all?" he finally asked in that cold way of his that said while he had been listening, he hadn't really. He had heard the words, but he would give them no thought. With Karik, it was his way or the highway. Rather than do something rash though, Lamani took a deep breath.
"Karik.. I'm serious, you know."
"Yes, Lamani."
"If you continue with this nonsense, I will simply refuse to listen to you. Something has to change, and I'm sure the others agree with me."
"Would you like to lead?" It was a blatant challenge, and she narrowed her grassy green eyes at him.
"You know..." she finally said, almost conversationally. "I don't think I would. But I think I know a couple of others here who would... possibly Lothaire. He seems to be quite suited to it, I think. He shows greater leadership skills than you at least."
And with that, the tiny vampiress turned on her heel and abruptly left to go have a temper tantrum. She made sure she was out of the cave first though... and was dismayed to see that even just outside, there were still others around. So as she walked away, she settled for muttering under her breath, heading for the river where it was always quiet.
But Sarraqa and Kross were there. Lamani just stared at them for a few moments. "Sorry children," she finally said tightly, feeling hardly in control just then. "I'll just be leaving."

Lothaire watched with a smile on his face as Astarot ran over to his...whatever you would call Y'dra. Girlfriend? Lover? Significant other? It was always hard to tell with those two. Laughter swept over him as the awkward man nearly ran into her and Dareios.
Watching his other clan mates always brought amusement to Lothaire, and given the recent series of events, he certainly needed that. It was nice to finally sit back and resume the bizarre antics that was his daily life.
Being alive as long as he had, Lothaire had never once come upon a group so queer as this one. Nor had he ever found a group of individuals whom he loved and cared for as much as them. They were his family; odd, for certain, and maybe even a little on the dysfunctional side, but family nonetheless.
When Astarot returned to him with the news of Y'dra joining them, he smiled.
"Ah, marvelous. Shall be a lovely outing, don't you think?"
With the exception of Sarraqa and Lamani, Y'dra was probably one of the vampires in their clan that he shared a closer relationship with. Even though they were very different in a personality sense, they both shared the heir of leadership and control; ones who are down to business and prepared for the worst at all times. He had neglected numerous chances to speak with her as of late, however, since Sarra vied for most of his attention. It would be nice to spend some time with her.
"We shall leave here shortly. I wouldn't be keen on wasting more time than we have to. Will setting off within the next hour be suitable for you?"
Even though Lothaire had pressed upon the clan that they should no worry, he was more concerned than he cared to admit. He didn't quite know how long they had, and he would rather have a clearer image on what to expect sooner rather than later.

Adara had heard Thomas approach from the beginning, though she still hid her face in Nasrin's chest as if she had yet to notice. She was embarrassed, of course, crying over nothing like she did.
It seemed to her that this was the bane of their relationship: she would become upset and cry, and Tom would be the one to save her. Always. She appreciated it of course, and it made her feelings grow for him each and every day, but she knew that mustn't be fair to him. Who would want to spend their days comforting the girl who could never be consoled?
I'm a wreck. All the time. I need to be better...for him.
She nestled herself into Nasrin's chest again, breathing in the scent of her dress, and trying to muster up the courage to look up.
"It's okay, Nasrin." she said finally, her voice muffled. "I am alright."
She tentatively pulled away from the other girl's torso, glancing up at Thomas with squinted, puffy eyes and a fragile smile.
"Hello, Thomas," she said, so casually it would have almost been comical, without the given situation.
Adara looked back to Nasrin, giving her another nod of assurance.
Reluctantly, the tanned and silver haired female rose to her feet and departed, glancing at Tom with her icy eyes as she passed by.
"I'm sorry," she said, after Nasrin was out of sight, "I didn't mean to just run off like that, so suddenly. I just became a tad...overwhelmed. Please forgive me?" she looked at him sweetly, her cheeks red from the tears.

Kross smiled as Lamani approached, silently laughing as she referred to them as children.
"You don't have to leave. It's nice out here...quiet, yeah?" he said, not necessarily expecting a response from her.
Sarraqa had been silent for the most part, occasionally humming tunes he was not familiar with. She had a pretty voice, he thought.
Honestly, she had a pretty everything. When Kross looked at Sarra, he felt as if he were looking at some expensive, porcelain doll, handcrafted by the most talented sculptor in...India or something.
He didn't look at her in a way of lust, however. He simply admired her beauty, inside and out.
Lothaire truly is an idiot...
Thinking of relationships brought his mind, once again, back to Mizuki. He had a hollow feeling in his chest; a void that could only be filled by the stubborn, violet haired girl who had somehow managed to capture his affections in just a few short days. How this happened, he wasn't sure. But it had, and he wouldn't change any of it for anything.
Well...the whole, her being a vampire hunter thing, he might change. But that was beside the point.
I just miss her. he concluded, I miss her a lot.

@ Kross

Astarot had returned with the feeling of Y'dra's kiss still tingling on his lips, though that feeling was rapidly fading as much as he wished it wouldn't. Yet, even if he had the sort of face that was an open book for interpreting his emotions, they flitted by so quickly that it would be near impossible to pick any one thing out. The reason for this was the clutter of his mind, which barely poked at one thought before moving on, all the way across the spectrum, to another. It was all a mess really, much like the vampire, himself.
"An hour?" he echoed distractedly, seeming to be attempting to focus on something else. "Sounds fine."
Then Astarot was off again in a sudden burst of speed to report to Y'dra that they would be leaving in an hour. Another kiss lingering on his lips, he was back with Lothaire in under a minute, clear eyes sparkling. That certainly wasn't a hard emotion to read and it was the most dominant at the moment.
"We'll both be ready in an hour," he told Lothaire, the words hardly out of his mouth before he left once again, this time disappearing with Y'dra somewhere off in the cave.
As to where they had gone and what they had gone to do... well, it wasn't really a stretch of the imagination, now was it?

Tom paid no attention to Nasrin's attitude or the look she cast him as she left, though he was a bit surprised at her leaving. However, those thoughts were soon distracted by Ada as she apologized. "Forgive you for what?" he asked with a shake of his head, moving to sit down beside her in the place that Nasrin had just vacated.
"Ada, you haven't done anything wrong. There's nothing to forgive." Tentatively, he reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it once gently. "Actually, I should probably be the one apologizing... since it seems like something I might have said caused this."
Tom gave her a small, slightly wry smile. "I'm sorry, Adara, for whatever I might have done. Even if you don't forgive me for that though, I do ask that you forgive me for not knowing what I did to cause this. The only reasonable defense I can give is that I am a man and all men are idiots. I promise though, that in the future I shall attempt to refrain from any similar idiocy should you choose to forgive me. And you need not set Nasrin on me if I ever make you cry again. I'll gladly punish myself."
Okay, so maybe he was going a little overboard with theatrics and such, but it got both his point across and hopefully would make her smile if not actually laugh at him. He hated seeing her so sad all the time, and everything he had so far done was to try and dispel that loneliness and sadness she held about her. He wanted to be closer and really did hope that she did too.

As Lamani was told she didn't need to leave, she made a noncommittal noise that was part snort and all exceptionally unlady-like. She'd honestly just come out here to let out some steam, and hadn't expected to run into anyone else. Honestly, she just felt like yelling or destroying something or both.
Or doing something evil to prove a point to Karik...
Considering her options, Lamani looked thoughtful, and before long, she turned her grassy green gaze towards Kross. "You said you wanted to go to market, right?" she asked, and didn't bother waiting for an answer. "Nothing is open at night, unfortunately, but it'll take us a while to get there from here. It'll be day by the time we get there..."
Lamani trailed off, as if thinking to herself, and looked at Sarraqa. "I'll make sure to bring you back a new corset, dear, but I'm afraid Karik will get a tad suspicious if too many of us simply up and leave at once. He's more likely to attempt to put it all to a halt if too many leave rather than a few. I'll try to bring you something that looks like what you have now though."
This said, she turned back to the dhampir that would soon be a vampire, himself. "I need you to get Thomas and Adara," she told him and then frowned. "Scratch that. Go back to the cave and get three heavy cloaks, please. I'm supposed to be sulking, so I shouldn't go back with Karik there just now. I'll get Adara and Thomas." She made a shooing motion at him impatiently, her way of telling him to get on with what she'd asked.

Lothaire stood with stiff posture as Astarot and Y'dra slipped away together. Part of him felt proud for the awkward gentleman, as he did with all couple's and their intimate affairs. The other part was rather disturbed though, at the thought of how a woman such as Y'dra would behave during intercourse...
He shuddered at the thought, but smiled as well. It was a rather conflicting feeling for him.
Shrugging, he swiftly strode in the opposite direction, crossing paths with Karik. Lothaire scratched at the back of his shaven head, eyeing the clan leader with yellow eyes of kindness. Much too kind.
"Lamani seemed to have a fair share of words with you," he said slyly, slowly pacing around the other, "Is everything alright?"
True, he hadn't heard the conversation between the two of them, but knowing Lamani, he already knew what she had chewed into him for. This was just his way of saying 'even she thinks I'm a better leader than you' without being a complete ass.
Even then, it was still rude, but he certainly didn't mind that.
He eventually reached the opposite side of Karik, so he was now facing his back. Leaning into the cave wall, Lothaire stood there, tracing his nails against the stone, waiting ever so cockily for their 'leader' to respond.

"No, no, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was all me, I promise. You did nothing wrong," she said, her cheeks warming as he sat himself beside her, "please believe me when I say that, Thomas. There isn't a need for you to apologize."
She angled her shoulders towards him, gently placing her palms upon his chest as he spoke to her. When he finished, she laughed. She didn't want to, as she had just been crying, but with the way he was talking she couldn't help herself.
He made her feel better, as always.
Suddenly, she turned her head away from him, hiding her face behind her hair. "...Tom," she started, her hands delicately clasping together against her lap. As she started speaking, it was nearly impossible for Adara to believe she was actually saying any of it, but there she was.
"When Kross referred to me as your...special friend. What did that mean to you?"
In all honestly, she had no idea what to expect for his answer. Most of her mind told her that he would say Kross was an idiot, and just liked to make people feel uncomfortable, to pay no mind to his words. Though most of her heart wanted to hear the opposite.
"...If you can't answer now," she said, feeling the intense heat radiate off her face and neck, "you can think on it. Sorry to spring that on you so suddenly...how weird of me," she forced a small giggle.

Kross's eyes suddenly widened at the mention of a trip to the market. Sure, it wasn't exactly in Crescent Stone, but it was close, right? Maybe they could take a detour...
As she instructed him to go fetch a few cloaks for their traveling party, he nodded.
"Er, sure. I'll be right back. Just meet me back here when you have them, 'kay?" he darted off before she could even get the chance to answer.
His heart now pounding from sheer excitement, Kross ran as fast as he could back into the cave.
He passed Lothaire and Karik, who seemed to be having an intense conversation, and Dareios, who was off in a corner, reading from an old book.
All of the rest of the clan seemed to be elsewhere, carrying on with their lives. This made it particularly easy for Kross to get into the bed chambers, grab three of the heavy cloaks (one a charcoal color, another garnet, and the last emerald, all made of a velvet like material, silk on the inside), and sneak back outside again. No one paid any mind to him, whatsoever.
Beaming, the dhampir practically skipped all the way back to the riverside area they had been at earlier, only to find it abandoned. Sarraqa must have gone off on her own.
Not giving her a second thought, he roosted himself by the water, cloaks tossed over his shoulder, and waited impatiently for Lamani, Tom, and Adara to join him.

Sarraqa had taken her solitude to a different location, wandering aimlessly through the forested mountains. For some reason, she felt...off. Though, this usually always happened after her and Lothaire spent a night together.
She was lead to believe that it was because of her human past; that the trauma she faced near the end of her mortal life would forever tarnish the intimate sides of life. Somewhere deep down, however, she knew that was a lie.
She was lonely. There was no other way to put it. She loved Lothaire with every fiber of her being, and cherished all moments she got to spend with him. It was just that, those moments were becoming more and more scarce as the years went by. She felt used now, every time he asked her to join him in the passion pit. Used and ignored.
I do not hold ill feelings towards him for not returning my feelings. That is a matter of the heart; one he cannot change, nor would I want him to. I just pray and beg that God allows me the will to move on. I have spent nearly a century chasing after that man, letting him use me however he wished, because it brings me joy to see him happy. But I plead with all of me that I can someday put these feelings to rest. I am tired of being hurt...of being alone...I'm tired of being tired.
I will always love Lothaire, that I am fully knowledgeable of, and I am in no way unhappy about that. He saved my life, and showed me so many beautiful things about this world we live in. But I...I just want to be me again. I want to be Sarraqa; not the silly little love struck doll that everyone perceives me as. I am not ignorant. Nor am I naive. I like to believe I have become rather worldly in my time as an immortal. I would like others to see that, as well.
Maybe then Lothaire would actually notice me...No! Stop that, Sarra! You don't need him to notice you. You need to be content with loving him, and letting him be happy. But by letting him be happy, that doesn't mean letting him walk all over me.
If he is worthy of my affections as so, he will still enjoy my company, even if it isn't of risque nature, right?
As she mused over her many thoughts, she realized she had ventured off a lot further than normal. She glanced around at her surroundings, and saw so sign of their cave, or familiar parts of the river. Instead, there were only thin streaks of rolling water around here, all sliding gently over smooth pebbles. Judging by the smaller streams, she assumed she had gone further up the mountainside.
"Hmm..." she wondered aloud as she tiptoed over the rocks, the bottoms of her boots making small splashes.
Her lavender eyes caught site of a larger rock, with a smooth curve in it, perfect to sit in. She smiled widely at her discovery, and quickly placed herself in the crevice.
There were a few openings in the trees' canopy, so she caught a few clear views of the stars from her seat. It was a peaceful site...and it made her feel a little better.
"I think I'll stay here for a little while..." she murmured, "see if anyone notices I'm gone."

@ Kross

It took Karik a few moments to decide whether he even wanted to bother with attempting to pretend to have a civil conversation with Lothaire. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing though... there was certainly no love lost between the two, and at least now Lamani didn't appear to be around to stick her damnable nose into business that wasn't hers.
"Yes, we shared a few words," was Karik's measured reply as he slowly turned to face the other vampire. His easy posture was only given away as an act by the coldness in his dark maroon and brown eyes. "And yes, everything is alright. There were a few slight disagreements," Karik's eyes darkened briefly but then he gave Lothaire a slow smile. "However, I believe Lamani was persuaded to my side in the end." Karik's posture was still easy, even with his arms crossed over his chest, and he looked the part of a new grandfather in appearance -all except those eyes that betrayed the truth.
As for his words... well, an eye for an eye as the saying went. In this case though, it just so happened to be insults rather than eyes. A pity, really.
Politics amounted to a terrible game, but these were the sort of games that Karik had been steeped in long before he had become a vampire. Politics and war. They were practically ingrained in his very nature, and either game against him would be hard-fought. Certainly, he didn't believe anyone in the clan could match up to him.
Not even for Lothaire, no matter how clever the man believed himself to be.

As Ada laughed at his antics, Tom couldn't help the small grin that found his lips. He was glad that he had gotten her to laugh, even if it was only a small one. Even if it meant being silly or making a fool of himself, seeing her smile and feeling better was well worth the effort.
But soon she turned away, seeming to even shy away from him when only a few moments before they had been so close. She even pulled her hand from his, and he sighed silently to himself as he leaned back against the tree and waited for her to speak, wondering what was on her mind and what he could do to reassure her or help, whatever the case might be.
Whatever he had expected it to be, he hadn't really considered it to involve what Kross had said. He blinked at her for a moment, though she still wasn't even facing him, much less looking at him, and he actually felt a blush paint his own cheeks before he forced it away. "No, it isn't weird at all. Just... give me a moment. You surprised me..." Even if she wasn't looking, Tom's smile was a little shy as he ran a hand through his sandy hair, considering the question.
Somehow, it felt more like she was asking what exactly he felt for her as opposed to what he'd thought about what Kross had said. And maybe it was how comfortable they had been with each other earlier, before they'd joined the others again, that made his mouth so brave. And maybe it was because he figured she probably already knew thanks to the telepathic bond the whole clan shared, but he somehow ended up saying the truth.
"Well... I think Astarot and Y'dra are 'special friends'," he started, suddenly unable to look directly at her either and ended up studying his feet. "But ah.. well, I figure you've probably already figured out I don't really think of you as a friend. I mean, we're friends of course, but I would like to be more than friends. Only if you want though, of course."

After Kross headed off, Lamani went in search of Thomas and Adara. She found them without trouble near the entrance to the caves, and her vampiric hearing picked up their conversation without any difficulty. Usually, she would've just walked out and announced that they were going to leave soon, but the subject of conversation intrigued her, and she ended up hiding nearby and eavesdropping like the nosy little vampiress she was, a grin stretching her lips wide.
She hadn't been grinning when Adara had asked Thomas her question, but little Tommy's answer was what actually ended up deciding her actions. Oh, she fully planned on interrupting soon because the two were just embarrassing in the cutest way and she knew she would have good fun with them before she told them that they were about to leave for market, but she wanted to let this play out first.
She was fairly sure that Adara would tell Thomas that she liked him too, or something equivalent, and maybe the two would kiss, or maybe things would get more awkward. Either way, she would be interrupting soon and her reward would likely be in blushing and mumbling and scurrying. The thought only widened her grin, really.
In any case, she couldn't stop it now. Just wouldn't dare. So she waited and listened.

It took all the restraint Lothaire could muster not to scoff in Karik's face. As much as he knew it was important to respect and obey your leader, the man was making that nearly impossible.
"Persuaded to your side?" he retorted defensively, "Do you know who Lamani is? She's never been 'persuaded' to anything in her life! I saw how she was talking to you, Karik. It would be much appreciated if you didn't speak to me as if I were an ignoramus."
He straightened his back and sharply folded his arms across his chest.
"You're failing as a leader. I am aware I am obligated to abide by your authority, but that does not mean I am required to remain silent while you carry on with your unacceptable...bullshit!"
One could always tell when Lothaire was angry by his use of slanderous vulgarities. He always tried his hardest to maintain his educated Englishman's satire, but the venomous fuel that pumped through his body when Karik acted this way quickly diminished all of that.
"You act as if you have everything under your control, when in reality, this clan is falling apart! You are lazy and inconsiderate, selfish and morose...why, I believe there are days where I truly resent you! Your ways of leadership are pathetic and chaotic. I dream of the day where someone else replaces you.
"A good leader wouldn't simply sit around and pretend everything is okay. We are scared. There is literally impending doom upon us, and you're just trying to gather up a hunting patrol? I know even I said carrying on like normal is key for us to maintain sanity, but addressing the issues that are at hand is important too! You must care about us and our well being to be a leader, Karik, and I honestly believe you do not give a damn about anyone else but yourself."
Without another word, Lothaire turned his back and stalked off to the bed chambers. If Karik even had anything else to say, he certainly did not want to hear it.
He was sure Astarot and Y'dra were in the cellar pit below, tending to their...business. But his patience had run dry; he needed to be far away from Karik. Daylily would be a nice distraction at the least.
"Astarot, Y'dra!" he yelled, stomping his booted foot heavily on the cellar-like door. "We're leaving! Now!"
He spat at the dirt ground and marched over to the stone slab he had claimed as his own. A few shards of dusty broken glass were mounted onto the wall, which Lothaire had started to use as a mirror in the more recent years.
Anger washed over him again as he looked around at the state of their 'home'. Sure, they were vampires, and living in secluded areas was part of their staying hidden from society. But they could at least have blankets on their beds, couldn't they?
He remembered a time, back when he was a newly made vampire, when their clan had been much larger, and the cave was a glorious place. They had candles mounted in all of the crevices to serve as light, as well as a large cast iron, candlelit, chandelier that hung above their tiny waterfall. They had walls of weaponry, handmade rugs, blankets, and other little luxuries that had been taken as the years went by.
Karik had never cared to replace them.
Now, they lived in darkness at all times; the only light they received was from the moon and stars, shining through the entrance. The cave was barren and lifeless...just like their incapable leader. He smirked at the thought.
Sighing, he wiped away the dust from his poor excuse of a mirror, and frowned at the bald scalp he saw.
Perhaps Daylily will have something to speed hair growth... he thought hopefully.

"...More than friends."
Adara slowly repeated his words, though they weren't exactly a question. Her voice was shaking, as well as the rest of her body. She wasn't scared, however, or crying. She was just...shaking.
Still hiding behind her little shield of hair, she continued. "I think I understand...and...yes, I do."
Her tone was so quiet, it was almost sad. She kept tightening her muscles and shrinking further and further into herself.
What's happening? she thought, I'm happy. I'm so, so happy. But why am I feeling so...strange?
"T-Thomas.." she started, slowly rising to her feet and walking a few steps away from him, "I'm sorry. I don't...can we...do this later?" she managed to choke out, anxiously wiping her palms on her shorts.
She felt a horrible clenching sensation in her chest, where her heart was. It wouldn't beat, of course, but this seemed to be close to the same thing. As if this weren't enough, tears finally started to well up in her eyes again. She furiously tried to blink them away, but her efforts were futile.
As she continued taking slowly and steady steps away from Tom, her chest eventually bumped into something hard. With a terrified gasp, she jumped backwards, only to look down and find Lamani standing there, watching.
Adara rubbed her now sore chest. "L-Lamani!" she stammered at the vampiress, never so thankful to have a conversation interrupted in her life.
Why she was thankful, she still couldn't tell. She chose not to dwell on the thought any longer, though, because the sensation in her chest was becoming unbearable.
"W-what are, um, you doing here?"

@ Kross

It was a good ten-fifteen minutes after Lothaire had announced they were leaving before anyone emerged. It was Y'dra who appeared first, and she didn't look very happy with the mostly bald vampire in the least. "I know there isn't a clock in the cave," she said in a decpetively pleasant voice, "but Lothaire, it hasn't been an hour. I doubt if it's been half an hour yet. The next time you give me an hour, I expect an hour." This was said with a flash of ivory teeth, and Y'dra had no illusions that he hadn't gotten the point.
Then Astarot emerged. While Y'dra appeared more or less the same as she had before the two had disappeared together, his long braid had been undone and his hair was in disarray. It actually gave him a slightly feminine look. Only slightly though. Like Y'dra, he didn't appear very appreciative of the interruption, but unlike the warrioress, he said nothing.
"I'll need to fix your hair before we get to Daylily's," Y'dra observed, almost mildly, her orchid eyes taking in the ruined braid contemplatively. "You should just pull it all the way down for now though... unless you'll finally agree to my cutting it." The orchid-eyed vampire raised one eyebrow, her hand going to a knife sheathed at her side almost instinctively.
Astarot watched the movement, body tensing as if ready to to jump away at a moment's notice. "No. Cutting my hair any shorter would be disrespectful." As he spoke, he undid the braid. In a braid, his hair reached the small of his back. Unbraided, it was at least mid-thigh, if not longer.
"The last you let me cut your hair was years ago, Astarot." This said as Y'dra's eyes pointedly moved towards where his hair ended. With how tall the gangly vampire was, the length was utterly absurd. Y'dra was half certain that his hair was longer than Lamani was tall. "I just want it to be the length it is braided... without being braided. That really can't be disrespectful." her voice was careful and measured, showing an extreme amount of patience though she sounded as if she'd had this conversation with him a million times.
"I'm not cutting it." Astarot's voice was firm, but the man held no illusions about Y'dra. He suspected she would try to cut it while he wasn't paying attention or while he was sleeping if he wasn't careful. She might be good about honoring his wishes about his hair, but she had her breaking points. The last time she had set out to cut his hair, it had ended up shoulder-length, and she had admitted more than once that she thought he would look handsome with it even shorter than that. But he just couldn't abide it... no matter that it was what she wanted.
"Fine." Y'dra held a sharp tone as Astarot finally finished undoing the last of the braids. She turned to Lothaire and cocked an eyebrow. "You said we were leaving? "Now" I believe were your exact words. Let's get on with this."
That said, the warrioress stalked out of the 'bedroom' area and into the main part of the cave. Karik had left, apparently deciding not to linger around. In fact, no one was out in the open, so her progress was unimpeded. Probably a good thing considering the mood she now seemed to be in...
"She'll leave us... we should probably catch up," Astarot murmured to Lothaire, grabbing his cloak -and Y'dra's since she had left it- and giving the other vampire a look that was part apologetic and part wry.
Then he followed Y'dra, a rustic orange cloak lined with a dark red color draped over one arm and a brown cloak lined in green draped over it. The heavy cloaks were good for traveling, especially where sunlight was involved. Just being out with the sun up would weaken them, but it was a sight less dangerous when they were hidden under the cloaks.

Tom could tell almost immediately that Ada's reaction wasn't good. It wasn't that it was exactly bad or anything, but it was the strange way she was talking. So that also meant that he knew immediately that he had made a mistake. He had been so careful in the past, just trying to talk to her and be good company and keep his distance since that just seemed like she wanted... but as soon as he threw caution out the window, he managed to fuck everything up.
"Yes, of cou-" he had hurriedly started to say that of course they could talk later, pretty much already suspecting what was coming. She seemed so upset, and he honestly just wanted to disappear. He had told himself that he refused to hurt her or do anything to upset her -had actually told Nasrin that- and now look at where they were...
But then Adara bumped into Lamani. He hadn't known the little vampiress was there any more than Ada had, and he was sure he didn't want to know how much she had heard. Actually, he wanted to go crawl under a rock and die right then. That would definitely be nice...

Lamani had decided at Adara's reaction that intervening might be a kind thing for them both, so was working her way towards them, intending that they wouldn't know that she had been spying. She hadn't expected to be run into.
Well, shit happens...
Lamani stepped out completely, giving them both a rather guileless smile. "I've been looking for you two," she said as if there wasn't a thing wrong, even though she knew better. Maybe she was nosy... but she liked to think that she knew when to interrupt a conversation and when to leave things alone. Right now, she was doing a little of both. Then again, it was a rather delicate situation, and she planned on getting both Thomas and Adara alone at different points to talk to them.
"We're going to market. I sent Kross after our cloaks, and he's going to meet us by the river once he has them, though I imagine he's waiting on us... so let's go!" She went over and got Thomas up and without letting either of the two argue with her, began to usher them back towards the meeting spot.
"This will be a lovely outing, don't you two think? Especially with the Blood Festival over," she chattered on. "And you'll probably get to see your little siblings, Thomas. Oh, and Kross will too. I think he misses your sister. What's her name? Mizuki, was it? I can't wait to meet her, after having heard so much. I'm sure she's a lovely child. And your brother? I haven't heard much about him... not even sure I know his name. Do you think he would blush if I kissed him? I'll bet they would both blush." She laughed.

"To...to market?" Adara asked, awkwardly swiping her hand through her hair.
She could feel Tom behind her as if he were a blazing fire, the intensity of his heat radiating towards her in unbearable waves.
I'm a horrible person. Simply horrible. What on this earth is wrong with me? she thought frantically, trying to sort through her mind as if to find an answer to her bizarre reaction, all while she was engaging in a conversation with Lamani.
"Er, uh...ye.." the most horribly awkward sounds escaped her lips as she attempted to reply, her world moving in a rush as the tiny woman pushed her and Thomas along with her.
As they were forced on, Adara didn't dare look over at time. Instead, she kept her eyes on the ground, and her face hidden behind her hair as much as it possibly could. Her cheeks were on fire, it seemed like, blushing a bright red so hot it felt as if her skin would start melting.
Nervously, she connected her thoughts with Thomas, deciding this would be the best way to handle things as of right now.
...I'm so sorry. I don't...I don't know what happened, um...we will talk later, alright? Let's just, er, try to, uh, have fun at the market, yeah?
In her mind, the whole thing came out a lot more reassuring that it sounded.
After that, she finally started to calm down a bit, though her eyes were still locked on to the grass and dirt.
She anxiously awaited a response from the male, while they all walked up to Kross, who was now sitting with his legs crossed, in a sort of meditation position, with all three cloaks draped over top his shoulders and head.
She stared, rather blankly, for a moment forgetting all of the horrible trauma she had just experienced. It was only a momentary relief though, as she soon started to feel panicked once more.
Sighing, she forced her self to look over at Thomas, and gave him one of her usual tiny smiles. She was still a bit red faced, but the gesture was still genuine. She wanted to make sure he knew everything was okay, and that he really didn't do anything wrong.

"OhmmmMizuki....OhmmmMizuki....Ohm...."
With his eyes closed and hands to his side, Kross did not notice or hear the trio reappearing.
In his time alone, he had started to think, and with Kross, that was generally never a good thing.
Had a gotten the bright idea that he should try to 'look within himself' to find the right answers in all of the choices he was facing, as he had once been told from some old Asian man in a black market. So, here he was, meditating.
"OhmmMizuki...."
He thought of the tiny violet haired girl, and began to smile, though he quickly tried to force it back.
You're meditating! You can't smile! You have to be still. Wait, you can't think either...dammit!
By now, his eyebrows at furrowed and his lips formed a snarl. Lazily, his arms flopped to his sides, and he pulled the cloaks around himself like a big pile of blankets.
"This is stupid." he huffed, "Obviously mediation is a hoax."
He defiantly fell over onto his side, being cushioned by the mass of cloaks. When his head touched the grass, his eyes opened, and he saw Thomas, Adara, and Lamani all standing there, staring at him.
"Oh, hey guys. You ready?" he asked them, not even mentioning the 'art' he had just undergone.

@ Kross

As he heard Adara's voice in his mind, Tom tuned Lamani out. Though it was hard to do that... especially since no matter how fast he walked, she somehow always managed to continue to push. He wasn't exactly sure whether or not to be grateful for that, considering how the conversation with Ada had been going...
Okay, we'll talk later, he agreed with her though. At least she didn't seem to be freaking out any longer. Maybe he should be grateful to Lamani after all..
Then, all of a sudden, they were at the river. Kross was sitting with the blankets on him, eyes closed, and Lamani stopped pushing as she stepped in front.

Lamani had stopped chattering after a while, figuring she had done her job well enough, and once they made it back to the river, she stepped forward importantly and opened her mouth to speak.
However, the words died in her throat as she heard what Kross was mumbling. It was a little difficult to sort out what he was saying, but once she figured it out, it was definitely not particularly easy to simply smile and not just laugh and laugh and laugh.
Honestly, it was cute and funny and a million other words that escaped her mind right then. "Down boy," she chuckled, casting Tom a glance as she sensed him tense up.
"Yes, I believe we're ready," she then replied to Kross with another laugh, skipping over to him and giving him a sound kiss on the lips. She plucked her cloak out from under him and draped it in her arms. "If you value your life though, you might not meditate using Tommy's sister's name any longer," she advised to him quietly as she patted his cheek.

Tom honestly didn't like Kross. He didn't like the way he acted, the way he had upset Adara (at least he was pretty sure that was what had happened), and he really didn't like the fact that he liked his little sister. Tom had disappeared because that was what was best, and he really tried not to regret his decision. Things would've ended badly if he had stayed.
But he was still the big brother, and he would always want to protect his little siblings, especially his sister. It was practically in his blood as the big brother! So first hearing Kross talk about Mizuki, and now seeing him meditating using her name... all of it was just adding up, and he really didn't like it. At all.
He even gave Lamani a glare when she spoke to him like a dog, but then he realized how he'd stiffened and his hands were clenched. Even if he wanted to, it wasn't like he could just attack the guy...
So in a show of self restraint, he let a long breath of air and slowly forced his muscles to relax, taking the tiny vampiress' advice on this one. Then he got the remaining two cloaks from Kross, holding one out towards Ada with a small, almost painfully awkward, smile.