Frozen Tears, The wind blows a sad song.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius sat upon the dust covered floor, his back to the quickly degenerating wall. Snow poured in through the many holes in the roof, an old run down home, barely standing, Aumnius had made this poor excuse for a building his makeshift home. He couldn't find a home, and this building seemed to be the better then sleeping outside. What he was searching for was in the area, he was searching for clues to it;s whereabouts but could find none. His search was quickly becomeing hopeless, he had to find what he had been searching his whole life for, if he didn't, then the miles he traveled, the scars he had recieved, becoming immortal and become a heartless souless man would all be for nothing.

Aumnius stood and brushed the dust from his body, he had yet to even find more suitable clothing and his flesh was nearly as white as the snow. Aumnius' weight caused the unstable floor to groan and shudder, he stepped carefully to a ledge to the outside. He leaped down to the frozen soil covered lightly in snow. The people around had welcomed him in the city, they didn't go out of their way to aid him but they didn't shun him away either. They preacefully allowed him to stay in their city, and so far it had been well. A vulpin named Abigail had been giving him free food at the local motel without the manager's knowledge, he was going to see her now.

Aumnius walked down the frozen streets of Kousetsu traveling along, his boots crushing the frozen ground below him. A hard breeze blew and Aumnius stopped walking, tightening himself and bracing against the freezing wind. His fingers were numb and hair was nearly frozen. He approached the motel he stopped as he looked up at the sign, The Frigid Fire, he had a falling out with the manager when he caught Aumnius stealing food. He wasn't one for theft, but he was starving to death and it was the only way since he had no local currancy. Aumnius sighed softly and made his way around the back of the inn, stopping at the door, he looked up at the sky to see it blocked by storm clouds, snow lightly falling. He knocked on the metal door twice then took a stap back. A few moments later the door opened wide with no indication of how. Aumnius walked into the open doorway and brushed the now that had gathered on his shoulders.

The door behind him closed, he didn't have to turn to know it was Abigail, the scent of strawberries raidiated from her, a scent no other had. Abigail walked forward past Aumnius and turned to face him. "I swear everytime you come in here you look more and more ill." She said softly looking up at him, she only stood about 5' 4''. "I am well Abigail, I'm just here for the meal." Aumnius kept his eyes from Abigail's as she looked up at him. Her smile slowly fell, and led him to the kitchen. Handing him a plate. "Here you go big guy, eat up." "Abigail, thank you." He took the plate and sat at a small table. He gently picked at the salted pork, his appiteit becomeing less and less as time went by. Abigail was correct, he was growing ill, Nothing he would die from, but an illness would slow his search for what he was searching for. He ate and surveyed the small inn, looking from face to face.

[Jiron]

The hourglass that sat atop the mantle of the fireplace within the tavern had been turned twice before the sounds of a newcomer disturbed the quiet melancholy of the increasing night. It was a soft sound, as though the hand knocking on the solid door was formed of nothing stronger than a slip of cloth.

A number of people would easily brush the idea of another patron seeking entrance as a figment of their all-too-weary minds, already sluggish with the warm fumes of liquor.

Then it came again. A soft rasping at the door...then silence.

A few more moments and a soft wispy voice tried to fight it's way over the howl of the wind and through the door. To an untrained man--or to be more precise in this situation, to a man trained namely in the drink--the voice would, in fact, go unheard.

However, a select few could have sworn they had heard the voice of a child.

Indeed, if any were to open that portico they would find just that. A slender little girl, nearly all skin and bones. The thin cotton sweater she wore showed signs of a hint of powdered blue, but had, for the most part, faded to a more colorless hue. It fell midway down her thighs, hanging from her shoulders like a sun-dress might. No pants hugged her hips and there were no shoes to be shod on her petite feet. A drifting of snow lay scattered upon her head, and a bit clung to the solitary article of clothing that covered her torso.

A few snowflakes found themselves to her cheek, whereupon they didn't melt, but just more so seemed to stick, as if to say 'here I am!'. Her hair, matted with snow, was a coiled curling abyss of blacks and browns. The matching dark lashes hid her eyes as she lifted her hand once more to attempt to knock on the door.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius glanced at the door, he felt something on the other side but couldn't tell what. either way, it was none of his business. It wasn't his brother so it didn't concern him. Aumnius stood after he finished his salted pork. He walked over to Abigail from behind, she turned and bumped into his chest. "Offh!" She called out before looking up at Aumnius, "Done big boy?" "Yes Abigail, thank you as always." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, as always." She smiled, "This time, I want a payment though." Aumnius raised one eyebrow, "Payment? I have nothing to give you."

"Wrong big boy," Abigail stood on her tip toes and pressed her soft lupine lips to his pale white lips. She pressed her lips deeper before pulling back and landing on her soles again. "Thanks, you're free to go." She spoke as she walked off. Aumnius watched her go for a moment, this world was filled with strange people, and Abigail was just another one of them.

Abigail heard the soft knocking with her pointed ear, turning she walked to the inn's front door and opened it. "Well hello there, come on in." Abigail walked off going back to work, Aumnius looked at the small girl, then turned and left through the same door he entered.

[Jiron]

The girl ducked her head in a bow. She wasn't from the city, and if she was she must have grown within a closet. There was something else, too...something just off enough about her to make one want a second glance. Her voice was a quiet silver rift moving in the air as cold human feet stepped into the tavern. The warmth of the room began to melt the snow clinging to her, causing little puddles to drip here or there.

"Thank you..."

She kept her eyes to the ground, the palest chance of a frothy green hidden behind the matted ill-kept hair and thick lashes. Still, there was that -something- that just made her seem an oddity.

For those with keener senses it would be simple, but improbable, if not impossible. Human. She, for all intensive purposes, smelt, felt, and looked like a human girl. No older than nine years old, perhaps. But a human all the same. All in all, she should have been dead from the cold.

She stepped aside, out of the way of the door, and there she stood, looking, if only for a moment, a touch wiser than she should have been. Then the look vanished and she timidly offered a hesitant look about, a subtle twitch to the corner of her lips, then vanished.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius stood at the door to his little run down makeshift home. His stomach felt full but he barely ate anything...The little girl in the inn upset his mind. Something was off, she appeared to be human but her energy signitures were slightly off. Either way, it wan't his problem unless the little girl threatened his life or the life of Abigail, he relied on her, for food, and with her gon he'd have to go back to starving.

Aumnius walked through the doorway of his broken home, there was indeed, no door in the doorway, but Aumnius didn't care. He didn't care for anything, not anymore. He walked cautiously up the steps, most had broken by now but those still intact he wanted to keep intact. He made his way to the second floor, walking through the short halls he reached the room he had started in less then two hours ago. He slumped back against the decaying wall and got to work.

Aumnius' eyes flushed over in white light, and mist tendrils began pouring from his slightly ajar mouth. His right arm began to shine softly with light, a hand, the palm pressed onto the broken wood. Light began to resonate from his palm into the wood, waves of white lighted energy echoed throught the wood, sinking through the wood to the frozen ground below. The waves echoed out even further covering the entire town, pulsing, invisible to the local townspeople. He was feeling for unique energy signitures, like those of his brother.

Even though this was mainly a way to locate energy signitures, there was also a side effect, he slowly was draining the energy from all that he light waves touched. He slowly drained the life energy of all the creatures, the buildings, even the snow. All things had energy, energy that could be drained, energy that could be harvested. So was the knowledge and the abilities, of an immortal.

[Jiron]

For Aumnius the number of souls harvested within the tavern he so recently retired from would seem a mite on the high end. For really, how could twenty new patrons have managed their way into the meager setting in the short while it had taken for him to get 'home'?

But there it was, a collection of nearly a score or more of souls all seemingly centered and located in a single corner of the bar-room. Surely something was wrong with that?!

Well, let us take a look at the occupant who sat there...

It was the waif. She sat in an armchair that looked several shades larger than her, a borrowed blanket wrapped around slender shoulders. The afore-to-mentioned souls that hid bellow the surface of her own aura swirled as if trapped in a perpetual whirlpool. Shadows nipped and gnawed at the twenty plus spirits that accumulated within the dark depths of the prison her body had become. So many souls trapped by such a small little slip of a thing.

There was something horrifying about the girl. Surely nothing good could be forged from such a foul insight. If Aumnius were to focus on that junction of shadows and souls he might notice the deeper intent...the primal instinctual truth behind those faded green eyes. Hunger. She needed to feed, and it was clear--if to none else but him--that feeding was -precisely- what she planned to do.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius felt the anomely of the girl. And knew what must be done. The echoign rings of light slowly seepd back to their origin and soon Aumnius stood, breathing in the white tendrils of mist as an outline of light surrounded his body before slowly fading away. He threw subtlety out the door as he took a running leap from the building's second floor, landing crouched on the frozen cobbel stone he bolted back toward the inn.

Several minutes later he arrived, going to the back entrance he didn't bother with knocking. Breaking the door's handel (locked form the inside) he pushed the door open, the waitresses jumping at his sudden intrusion. Abigail walked over to him, a scowl on her face, "What the hell is the big idea? You had your meal, please I can't feed you a second one." "Abigail we need to go, now." "What?" Aumnius thought for a moment...he could kill the anomely now...but this would cause too much destrustion...His current objective was to get his food supplier to saftey.

Aumnius saw one option that seemed as if it would work best. He threw his arms around her waist, one hand carressing the small of her back, the other on her shoulders he pressed her to his body, she was warm, and the smell of strawberries filled the air around him seeping into his nostrils. Aumnius leaned down slowly and pressed his lips to Abigail's. He pressed further, his eyes cloing as Abigail's shot wide. Soon though they closed and she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Please, come with me." He spoke softly.

Abigail stood there for a moment blinking and trying to regain her breath. She looked up at the man she had come to grow close to, even though all this time he was cold to her, and now this. "Yes, let's go."

Aumnius forced a smile, he couldn't feel happiness anymore but he knew what it looked like. Aumnius grabbed her hand and left the inn to it's fate. He would deal with the waif in due time.

[Jiron]

The girl, like many others in the tavern, looked rather startled by Aumnius' sudden re-appearance. She blinked and, for the brief moment of when the two kissed, looked rather wary, if not altogether sheepish.

Mumbled grunts arose as the fellow dragged the young floozy who worked the pub out the door, and one would have to note not all too entirely against her will. With attentions now peering at the door which swung on its hinges the child's eyes had a moment to fade. All the color from the iris became devoured by the pupil and even the scleara laced itself with the blacker-than-black hue until there was nothing left but two eyeless black spheres.

It was only a momentary thing, taking all but the time of a single blink before her eyes appeared as they had before. Pale, timid: human.

"Souless..." The word lingered on her lips, a ghost of the sounds it had been while uttered.

She turned her attention back to the patrons of the bar, who now found quite the chill pervading the air. She didn't notice. It had been a long time since she'd forgotten how to feel cold. But now they were complaining. That was good...discomfort would mean many of them would start the treck to their homes to sleep away the fuzzies liquor induced.

It would be a perfect chance to catch a bite to eat.

She waited, numbers of people were beginning to realize they couldn't out-drink the cold. She'd have to wait. Too many of them were leaving all at once. Quietly she remained in her seat, shifting ever so slightly to tuck thin pale legs beneath her. The snow that had melted made dark curls cling about her alabaster features likes the stripes of a tiger.

almost there...just as soon as those retches outside the door clear...

A pale pink tongue darted out, brushing against those thin pale nine-year-old lips. There wasn't much of any saliva in there to wet them with...but the notion was a habit she had picked up from...well...she wasn't all too entirely sure WHEN or -where- she'd picked it up. It was just something she did.

~*~

Lourun sighed. It had been a difficult day. Not more than average these days, but not better than it should have been, either. He wasn't a particularly tall man, but not short either. Average. If there was any single word that could have described him better it would be his name. Lourun.

It was the most common name of his people, and even had transversed species when his people left their isolation to join the world. He snorted. Join the world? Here he was on the ass-pimple of the world and he was trying to justify his parents' lack of imagination?

He shook his head, peering into the thick dark brew in his hand. Claire would take him back. Eyes of a ripe mulberry passed to the simple silver wedding-band that encompassed his ring-finger. A sob caught in his throat a moment before he gulped it down, chasing after it the stout ale.

She would take him back.

As the grizzled fingered of a working man lifted to check his breast pocket the slender horn-rimmed ears twitched back. It was still there. The little envelope that would turn his misfortune around. A smile graced his aquamarine lips as if he thought himself to be the most clever of men.

Things are goin'ta change. He told himself. He'd make the proposal and she would rush back into his arms. She'd cry...then he'd choke out his apology...and then things would go back to being normal. She would hold him close in the cold deapths of the night, petting down that teal mane which fell a touch shaggier than normal, and while he was in that blissful stage of note quite asleep she would murmur to him and tell him everything would be alright.

Settling his tab he stood up. His head felt heavy, yet detatched. His limbs felt fuzzy, like it would take hours for the message for them to move to have any effect on them. He was easily suprised when they listened and stirred to life on the first try.

First a foot moved. Then the other. And then he was off. A hand idly shoved empty chairs out of his way. Yes, he was a man on a mission.

The warmth of the liquor struck him full force, spreading first through his lungs, then it twisted a little further south. He had already stepped outside, embraced by the horrid chill that he loved only slightly less than his wife.

What a time to have to use the privvy!

He shook his head almost violently, jerking it quickly from one side to the next as if he were trying to wake from a dream. Going back inside would be such a bother...plus, it would delay him from Claire. Oh, his beautiful, wonderful, smart, sweet Claire!

He stumbled to the side. There had to be SOMEplace where--perfect! A little nook between the buildings. Ingenious! With a triumphant chuckle he stepped over, his half reptilian half avian feet crunching the untrod fresh snow. The bottoms of his pants would get stiff with the cold wet, but he couldn't think of a single reason why there would be a problem with that.

"Excuse me...?" It was a silvery voice that faded to a subtle midnight tone. A child's voice. He glanced over his shoulder, then with quite the start of embarassment tucked himself away. Then he froze, hand half in his trousers, and blinked. The child wasn't wearing any shoes! The HUMAN child wasn't wearing any SHOES!!!

Child, get back inside before you catch your death! He tried to articulate the thoughts, but his mouth fumbled on the first word and fell into oblivion. He tried again, and again had little sucess with passing onto the second word.

The child walked slowly forwards, moving as though she were drawn forwards by a phantom string that connected her to the presence of another. He voice dropped to an even quieter whisper as her eyes turned downcast. She couldn't let him see them fade...she couldn't give him that kind of warning. Long lashes engulfed the eyes in shadow. "I'm lost..."

Lourun frowned deeply. Lost. A child lost? She wasn't even properly dressed! Oh when he found this girls' parents they had another thing coming to them! He would find them for her, oh yes, and when he did he'd just have to take a few moments to have a word to word with them. Yes. He'd help her. She was too frail-looking to not want to help!

And then, yes, and then NO ONE could say he was a lout! He would be extraordinary! No one would ever whisper about doubting whether or not he was a good guy. People would see him and say, 'Hey, you know, he's alright. Heard he helps kids when they're lost and everything, no matter the time of day or just how busy he is. Yup, a right decent fellow.'

Convinced that's what would be said he stepped closer to the child, bending down to be at her height. "Ish okah..."-he frowned, he sounded drunker than he remembered being. With a clear of his throat he continued, offering a hand-"Leth getcha thome thoes firth't, ka-"

Her pale nimble fingers reached up, hesitated...and then snapped faster than a bolt of lightning around one of his ears. He startled a moment before stumbling. Her other hand curled around his throat. This would have to be quick. Her hands cupped his face and held him steady before her own. He struggled, tried to hollar, but to no avail. Words and sounds were evading him.

A deep breath filled her lungs before she opened her mouth and pressed it over one of his eyes. When she exhaled the tip of her tongue danced out, making sure that, unlike most, his eye would remain open.

The vapors of her breath spread quickly and when she released his face he shuddered, talloned hands gripping at her slender fragile shoulders. Even as the cloud loomed ominously over his mind he found it strange how much resistance there was to the child. It was like trying to bowl over a mountain with a featherduster only much more futile.

His mouth opened. Air refused to grant his lungs what they pleaded for...then he tasted it. It wasn't vomit...was it? Was he going to vomit on this girl!? Would serve her right. But no, nothing came out. He heaved and choked and coughed, and still, nothing came ou--wait...there! A vapor swirled, then dripped in the air.

Definitionless eyes watched the man as he began to cough up the intoxicating spirit-matter. Her tongue darted out of her mouth once more daring a chance upon her lips. Her stomach made the noise one might connect with a disgruntled bear, and it took all of her self control not to leap at the small appitizer that the man had already hacked up.

The full meal was only seconds away. Being prudent would pay far greater than not....

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius led Abigail to the building he had been staying in. "You were in danger. My apologies for dragging you here. There was trouble that was going to start at the inn...I needed you out of there." "You really care about me don't you?" Abigail spoke softly. Aumnius thought for a moment, he didn't, but he couldn't tell her that. "Yes, I do, I care about you more then you know. You took me in, and fed me...When no one would help me, you did. Thank you Abigail." He turned and looked deeply at her, hoping to seem like he was telling the truth.

Abigail smiled and hugged him tightly. "Tonight you're sleeping at my house." Aumnius nodded, this time she took his hand and led him off down the street. Aumnius hadn't forseen this perk, but he wasn't going to complain, a warm home would do well for his health. Abigail led him along, all the mean while Aumnius was focusing on the souls around him.

---

Leo brushed the snow flakes off his golden bronze tipped fur. He grinned as he walked down the street his human like feet, the feet were human in shape but with lion like fur and pads. He walked along the snow covered cobbelstone. This town was a little cold, but, hey, whatever, he liked towns that seemed to be filled with hidden danger. He walked along and stopped, senseing something terrible. His frost covered mane shook slighty as he turned his human like hands tightened his claws sharp and extended in the small padded tips. His lion like ears tweaked in the new direction he was facing, trying to hint at the trouble as he soundlessly stepped toward the trouble, slowly moving closer to where the girl was having her meal.

[Jiron]

A touch of color arose in the face of the girl. The gray hue had fled from her complexion and of a sudden she seemed much more healthy than she had been before. She crouched down beside where the man who had been her dinner lay. He was motionless save for the occassional twitch of a hand.

Crouching before the body she leaned forwards to gently cup his face. He was a corpse...for now. She couldn't let that change. Too many bad things would happen. A soft kiss landed upon his brow, as if by way of apology, half a moment before she wrenched his head sharply to the side. The resounding snap of the bones breaking and twisting about was a reassuring noise for her. It meant she was done for the night.

She looked at the body and, for the smallest of moments, managed to look startled at it. Scared. Then the sentiment subsided and she turned, her little feet the temperature of the snow that crackled beneath them. She had to keep moving.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Aumnius walked into the cozy two story building that was Abigail's dwelling. A simple home, but cozy none the less. "Go ahead, sit down and I'll be right back." Abigail went up the stairs slowly she reached the top of the stairs and looked down at him, she smiled softly a cute smiles Aumnius had never seen before, she then walked off into a room. Aumnius turned and walked over to a couch sitting in the middle of the living room. He unsheathed his blade and lied it against the couch, he stretched and lied down on the couch, his feet hanging off the edge. He breathed deep and huffed heavily. It had been a long time since he felt soft fabric, and even longer since he slept on anything but gravel or the broken wood of the abandoned building he had been inhabiting. He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep, Abigail walked down the stairs in a more, casual attire, a long skirt that reached her calfs, a tight black t-shirt covered the rest of her body. She smiled and leaned against the couch, looking at Aumnius' sleeping body. She cared for him a lot, more then her own family.

Leo turned and saw the body, he grimaced and slowly approached the body. "Cor Lionis." He spoke gently, in his hand radiated a golden colored energy. The energy burst revealing Cor Lionis, Leo's powerful katana. He held it tightly and crouched over the body. He looked around, a grimace on his face. He stood and held his blade ready, the man was dead, that mush he could tell, he just couldn't figure out how.

[Jiron]

The child had escaped from the scene through the other end of the alleyway, and it was there that she paused. Someone was finding the corpse. Not completely surprising, but so soon? Yes, that was and oddity. Then again, her luck had run sour as of late.

She turned, peering back with startled wide eyes. There was a man with a blade back there and fear began to settle in the base of her chest. Her stomach churned and she looked very much the part of a timid frightened little girl. Quickly she stepped back, forgetting herself, and her feet crunched through the snow. It wasn't particularly loud, the noise her movements made, but to her, who wanted to remain as quiet as possible, they couldn't have been louder.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Leo's ear twitched in the direction of crunching snow. He snarled softly pulling back his lips to bare his sharp teeth. He walked quickly around to the end of the alleyway, spotting nothing but a small child. His features softened but he kept his blade ready. "You there, girl. Hold for a moment." He called out.

Aumnius opened his eyes softly, looking up at the wooden celing he felt better then he had for many many months. He sat up and looked around Abigail's home, a fairly large home, a roaring fire place, most likely one of the only few the entire town had. He aw his blade had been propped against a wall, it's crystals genlty reflecting the light of the fire. Aumnius swung his legs out placing them on the wooden floor, the only source of light was in fact the fireplace. It must be night, Aumnius thought to himself as he stood. He looked around more and focused his senses, he could hear the soft breathing of a sleeping Abigail upstairs,

Aumnius felt the sudden urge to go and make sure if she was alright. His current situation was something that he could definetly get used to, but if she was harmed then he might need to leave. He stepped to the stairs and began climbing them. He quickly reached the top of the stairs by going two at a time, his massive legs carrying him. He stepped softly toward Abigail's room, gently pushing the door open. Aumnius stepped forward in the room his hands out before him so he wouldn't hit anything.

Aumnius' hands reached a soft surface, it had curves, the gentle fabric felt even better on Aumnius' skin then the couch. His eyes adjusted and they widened slightly when he saw where his hand was. Lying there in the bed wrapped in her blankets and sheets, Aumnius hand was placed firmly upon a mound that was Abigail's left breast. He pulled his hand upward, he saw AAbigail's eyes glow softly as her eyelids pulled up slightly. "Aumnius." She spoke softly. She reached her hands up slowly and grasped his hand in both of hers. "Would you lie with me?" Aumnius thought for a moment, relations were not what he was interested in, true he functioned in all the appropriate areas, but he wouldn't even be able to feel pleasure from lieing with Abigial. He needed to keep the rouse that he was in love with her. He spoke softly, "Yes."

[Jiron]

The child made a small startled noise and scrambled back a step before the man's words fell upon her. She froze, stilling her body completely. Wide faded green eyes watched him, a settling fear gripping at her stomach.

Not good. Not good. Not good...!

She shifted with slight discomfort. One might wonder just what such an ill-dressed child was doing out of doors, especially given what time of night it was. And where were her shoes?!

For a moment she looked as though she might cry, her voice a soft silver noise that carried on the air. "Please...p-please help me..."

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Leo approached the small child, he had leared anybody could be a threat during his travels. He walked in front of the child and turned to her. The child came up to about his thigh. He crouched low and confronted the small child. "It all depends on what you know, a man is dead, I need to know if you saw anything. The killer is nearby, do you have a home I can take you to where we can discuss this more?" He reached a hand out gently placing it on her shoulder.

Aumnius woke, as he sat up the blanket fell from Aumnius' chest revealing his bare scarred flesh. He looked next to him, accompanied by another sleeping form. Abigail, her fluffy tail wrapped around his legs, her body covered with short fur. He reached his hand out and carressed her arm. He had made love to her, but he didn't love her...He didn't feel anything. He swung his legs out from the bed and was going to stand when his hand was grasped. He turned to see Abigail's soft hand on his, grasping it and squeezing it gently. "Aumnius." She spoke gently in her sleep. Aumnius sighed softly and slipped back into bed wrapping his arms around her while intertwining one of his legs with hers. His hand soflty rested on her breast and pressed close. She sighed happily and pressed against him enjoying his warmth.

[Jiron]

The girl shook her head, doing everything in her powers to not look at the hand that now rested upon her shoulder. Instead she looked timidly down to her feet, the toes of which stretched in the cold grasp of the snow. "NNnn-nnh...no...I...I want to go inside."-she then chanced a glance up from the snow to the man before her, a miserable expression claiming her features-"Please...can we go inside?"

[Serephix Vamlyn]

"Of course young one." He stood, keeping his hand on the young girls shoulder. "We'll head to an inn." He spoke softly. He kept Cor Lionis in his hand as he began walking to the nearest inn, he stopped and looked back to the small girl, "Coming?"

Aumnius lie there with Abigail in his arms, it had been centuries since he lie with someone. He began to reflect upon his past and went through his memories.

----- Sixteen hundred years ago.

Aumnius' hand was warm, it was being held by a woman with long blond hair. Her grass green eyes reflecting the light of the sun. Her head rested on Aumnius' tight six packed stomach. She smiled and closed her eyes, soaking up the sun's rays. Aumnius also had his eyes closed as he lie in the soft grass of what they called the Sanctuary. A river flowed along through the Sanctuary, a giant weeping willow shading the river, it's roots dug heavily in the sil along with some through the bank and into the river. A giant rock lifted from the river, flat on the surface, this is where Aumnius and his love, Sarah rested. Aumnius' eyes flew open as her heard the foot steps. He leaned up to see a figure dressed in a crimson cowl standing on the water bank. The figure pulled back the cowl to reveal a handsome face, long jet black hair flared from under the cowl. It was Serephix, Aumnius' older brother. Aumnius sat up, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty. "Brother, what brings you to Sanctuary?" "I'm leaving Little brother."

"Leaving? Why?"Aumnius spoke, he lay Sarah's head down on the stone gently and stood. "My place isn't here brother, I need to get something. And you're going to help me." "Of course brother, what do you need?" "I can't tell you yet. But, you'll help me, I know you will. And that's why I have to do this." Serephix crouched low and dropped his cowl. Across his chest was a strand of flesh, an eye in the center, and on his back, was a blade made of flesh. Aumniu's eyes went wide as his older brother leaped high into the air landing on the stone Aumnius stood at. Aumnius cried out in surprise as pain shot through his body. Serephix' leg was planted firmly in Aumnius' gut, the shock launched Aumnius off the rock, flying through the air over Sarah's sleeping form and into the water. Serephix pulled his blade from his back, the strand of flesh tearing and bruning softly in the air into ash. Aumnius tore from the water looking up at his brother. "Serephix! What is the meaning of thi-....NO!" Aumnius stopped mid sentance and called out as he saw Serephix drive his blade downward, driving it deep into Sarah's sleeping form. Sarah's eyes opened in shock and pain. The blade drove deeper entering the stone. The blade's veins began to be filled with blood, it was draining the blood from Sarah, it's eye's widening. Serephix felt the life from Sarah snuff. Aumnius cried out in rage, and his cries echoed throughout the Sanctuary.

--- Present
Aumnius' eyes opened. His power shining softly in his eyes. He loathed his brother, he killed his beloved. He could never forgive his brother, and he would kill him.

[Jiron]

The child didn't hesitate. She nodded as she stepped after him, her body brushing close to his legs. Cold emmited from her, enough to chill stone, but didn't seem to effect her. She looked timid, almost even bashful, her eyes not lifting from the snowy path before them as her gentle voice drifted on the air, embarrassed, "I-I haven't any money."

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Leo stopped for a moment, he turned and wrapped his arms around the back of her knees and the other around her upper back. Leo lifted the small girl upward, Cor Lionis bursting in a small pulse of energy. Leo lifted he with ease and pressed her to his fur covered chest, unlike her, he was warm in his fur. He pulled her close and smilied. "Neither do I." He chucked his fur seemingly growing warmer as he walked down the snow covered street to an inn.

[Jiron]

The child weighed vertually nothing at all. As light as a feather, even by human standards. Ringlets of matted dark hair seemed to catch the occasional drifting snowflake, one found her cheek and took a few moments before the warmth radiating from her 'companion' caused it to melt.

With a sigh she rested her head upon the warmth that was his furry chest. She could tell her body was starting to adapt to the warmth nearby slowly...but that was her body's thing, not hers. She didn't rightly care either way, however, it was nice to not have to walk or worry about arguing for a room. With the air of someone far too young to understand such things she lifted a hand and began coiling a touch of his fur around one of her tiny little digits.

"My name's Lee." She almost sounded sleepy.

[Serephix Vamlyn]

"I am Leo." He spoke softly as he pressed his foot to the door of a three story building. He pressed lightly and the door swung open. Leo carefully carried his small companion inside. He stopped at the hip high desk where a small man with a full beard sat behind. The man looked up at Leo and the Lee in his arms. "We need a key." Leo spoke gently. "That will be forty-five sliver peices." The man replied as he turned his head back down, preoccupied with something under the desk. "We have no money." Leo replied witha slight hint of annoyence in his voice. "Then no room." The man bluntly replied, not bothering to look up. Leo held back the growl that was building in his throat. "We need a room, this girl is cold, she needs a bed." Leo's voice had raised slightly his arms tightening around Lee. "No money, no room." The man's voiced had raised as well, yet he hadn't even looked up yet. Leo released his growl from his throat and turned. He walked slowly and lie Lee down on a long couch gently. He spoke in nearly an inaudible whisper, "I'll deal with this man, rest, I'll get us a room."

[Jiron]

Lee offered a slight bobbing nod of her head as she sat up, tucking unshod feet beneath her derrier. A curious tilt of her head turned towards her companion, Leo, and clustered dark ringlets of hair fell to frame her all-too-innocent features. "Did you know him? The man who died?"


((OOC: sorry it's a one-linner, i tried to put more but nothing seemed to work right. I'll be throwing in another character into this rp soon enough, someone who's crossed Lee's path before. I'm just not sure the nature of their last meeting, and want it to be amusing. n_n ))

[Serephix Vamlyn]

Leo brushed a hair from Lee's face gently. "No, I didn't." Leo stood and walked toward the man sitting behind the counter. He slowly lifted his hand intil it was over the counter before it fired outward, grabbing the man at a blur of his clawed hand, claws outward as he grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him upward from behind the counter and slamming him down onto it. He reached his free hand outward and placed it on the man's neck, he squeezed softly and the man cried out softly before passing out. Leo relaxed and walked back to Lee, he reached down and gently lifted Lee upward, holding her in a bridal style he carried her to the counter. He gripped her tightly with one hand as the other reached down behind the counter, plucking a key from behind the counter and lifting it back up replacing it on her Lee's back holding her close again.

Leo walked up the wooden stairs, turning to his right at the top he walked as gently as he could, and with the pads on his human shaped feet that wasn't very hard. Walking soundlessly and as soft as clouds drifting across the sky. He reahced outward and unlocked one of the many doors gently pushing it open. He stepped slowly and lied Lee gently on the bed, lifting the blankets and covering Lee's body with the thick blankets. He sat on the plush chair beside the bed and placed his hand on the bed side as he closed his eyes, he opened them slightly and reached out with his long lion tail, wrapping around the door's knob his tail pushed it closed before wrapping around the chair softly as he closed his eyes again. Lee had a bed, and he had helped her get it, he was feeling good about himself.

[Jiron]

"That's good." Came the muffled little reply from the child. She didn't watch as he 'negotiated' getting their room. Normally she frowned upon such brutally violent methods but since it proved effective this time she wouldn't object.  
 
Once up the stairs and nestled into what was a predictably soft hay-mattress bed she flexed her toes. A thoughtful quiet glance turned towards the ceiling, then she frowned. "Do you think it'll be warmer tomorrow?"
 
~*~
 
Downstairs a slender figure quietly slipped inside the tavern area of the three-story building. A deep navy gaze flickered around the patrons nearby, however few there were, then fell towards the counter of where the immobile form of a very unconscious proprietor lay half sprawled towards gravity.
 
A slant tilted the corner of pale thin lips downwards. This...wasn't good. Small hands lifted to push back at the heavy cowl that had previously hidden delicate alabaster features. The slightest of rouge kissed high cheekbones as the woman moved towards the keeper of the inn. A hand moved towards his neck, soft fingers testing for a pulse.
 
Just unconscious.
 
"Father...?" She gave a few gentle slaps to the side of the man's face, a scowl creasing her brow. With her movements the part in her cloak offered the view of a slimming dark outfit accented by a pendant that hung rather low and a belted falchion. "Father, what's happened? C'mon, wake up you old bastard b'fore people start to rob y'blind!"

[Serephix Vamlyn]

"One can only hope." Leo replied. He could hear the woman downstairs with his giant ears. He knew there was going to be trouble soon. But he would deal with it then. Leo stood and put the chair tilted on it's hind legs locking the door in place so it couldn't be opened without damaging the door. He walked back and sat down next to the bed. He reached his hand up and grasped Lee's hand. "But I'll stick by you."