“Do you think she would like these, Ira-Gula?” The question chimed with angelic muses from the pale maiden. Hands were stained with grass and dirt after spending the day out in the wilds. In tow, judging by the assorted flowers gathered, Avarice had been out collecting the flowers. Glacial sights of the elder roved over the lavender and chamomile flowers following a reassuring nod and smile. “Aye, I think y’mother will appreciate it.” Her expression was unchanged though knowing her well enough, she was content with the knowledge. Delicate, albeit dirtied hands gently allowed digits to sweep over velvet petals in absent thought.

Her mother had been missing for some time now since the death of her father. And despite the tension between the man who wanted nothing to do with her, it would’ve been wrong to wish such events upon anyone.  Avarice knew what her parents were – and so for her mother to have been absent for so long, provoked a sliver of worry to etch through her nerves even if she never showed or expressed it. For the most part, her mother was harmless but even then, that could easily put the healer in harms way. “It’s gett’n dark Avvie.” Ira-Gula’s heavy drawl tugged her attention away from the potential onslaught of darkening thoughts.

Pink eyes blinked as she promptly fixated her attention to the grizzly looking elder with her usual blank stare. “So it is.” Came her acknowledgement. Avarice stood with the assistance of her guardian while gathering the basket of flowers collected throughout the day. “I do hope these keep long enough,” she muttered under her breath, though the sound of rustling leaves nearby caught her attention. “Keep close Avvie.” Ira-Gula warned. 

!

Soon the creeping tendrils of light would sink far beyond the horizon to leave this realm beneath a cloak of darkness. Shadows which welcomed the wraith without any hesitation and allowed a sense of freedom, allowed steps to wander without restraint in a land not held beneath the shroud. Rarely did trees alone provide a shield of equal strength, their canopies so often broken wherever it grew thin though with this dying light there was no fear of exposure. Nothing to hinder the way a figure shifted through these woods. Yet he was not here for a hunt, no malintent plagued the mind.

No. There were hopes of discovering one familiar to him, to offer the kitsune a moment of his time without the threat of an extended absence. Without a retreat into the confines of the vampiric city for matters of business nor heeding the requests of another. Such things would not steal him away this night if only such a being could be found. However, what first reached him was far from the tantalizing fragrance of a fox but rather the perfumed presence of humans. Two scented upon the winds and while neither appeared to bleed there lingered a curiosity over them for a vague sense of knowing mixed upon those fleeting aromas.

It was enough to draw him in. Just a quick peek and he would go, a lie he told himself for he knew better than any that mortals were fun to toy with. So many letting their primal fears take hold. Those final phrases bringing ears to flick before sights could even take the pair in fully. A cursory glance at first. Flowers, an old man, a pale girl - the last holding his gaze for it was her were that familiarity leaked. Though she was certainly not the dark haired woman he’d come to know… far from it in fact yet that did little to stop the chime of lyrics as they reached out.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to go out at night?” A tongue forcefully held, kept from addressing her in the same manner as he would another. No calling of healer no matter how her very essence seemed to reflect within the veins of the woman before him. It brought that mismatched gaze to fixate, the man kept at her side ignored for what was he but another body present? He was nothing. Whoever he was didn’t matter. Not to him as attentions refused to stray from the unknown’s countenance, “There are beasts in these woods you know.”

Phrases said with a flash of predatory fangs, the falsity of a ‘disarming’ smile, and yet despite the way glimmering eyes narrowed it was all in jest. The damned held no plans of sinking his teeth into the flesh of either of these wandering creatures. But they didn’t need to know that. He could allow himself a bit of fun, try to scare them at least a little before an act was dropped and usual mannerisms were given hold.

Her mother would have coaxed the soils to regrow what had been taken from them. Despite Ira-Gula’s warning, her softer gaze befell the loamy soil while a small frown tugged her plush lips. Perhaps there was an inkling of magic there and if there was – she knew not how to wield or possess it. Nor had she ever truly tried. A shame really for she did wish to return the earth to its natural state from what had been harvested. Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to go out at night? A voice? Or was than an echo ringing in her ears to draw her attention so? Ira-Gula’s hand found her shoulder, drawing her lithe form closer to his person. A protective gesture as icy stare loomed upon the stranger. Emotion remained vacant upon his features though his body-language initiated unease.

Cherry blossom gaze would follow the care-takers where she was met with the wry glinting grin where etched fang peered beneath lips. Eyes were dual toned: magenta and gold. At least what she could make of it to her best judgement. There are beasts in these woods you know. Lips did not part to speak but words found her still. Fascination was difficult to come by and yet her eyes widened ever so slightly with near child-like fascination. Otherwise, her features were just as stoic, gently discarding her guardians’ hand instead. Eyes squinting, struggling with the focus of her near-sighted vision. Assuming a stranger to be where Ira glared upon, thieir outline was rather blurry from the distance spared between them. “There are beasts during the day too,” she regarded simply with lilting coo. Humans could be just as cruel with their razor-edged tongues,

Her gaze fell to the bundle of flowers within her grasps, cautiously adjusting them to her liking. “Avvie, Y’know Poltergeist will wring m’neck should something come of yuh.” The elder murmured, “Don’t need yer mother diggin’ me a grave so soon.” There was light jest in his tone while all the same just as serious. He knew how protective the witch could be regarding any of her children. Even if she was missing currently: if she were to appear tomorrow and harm came of the girl, he’d never hear the end of it or even live to see the following day.

!

Nervous warning drew his focus as that electric stare would flicker, “Poltergeist? That witch will not care what I do here tonight,” at least not when it came to innocent fun. Now if she had heard of a plan for slaughter, a feast of mortal blood - well, then she would have more than a few objections over the idea. However she would fret not for all the ghoul wished was to toy with what could so easily be seen as prey. Though it appeared such amusement would come only from one as a hand stopped the pale girl from straying any closer. A silent plea for her to remain near that did not escape the vampire’s gaze, it twas an act which only drew that fanged grin wider.

Briefly arms spread in open gesture, jewelry rattling against one another as focus lay glued on the unknown, “If I wanted to kill you I would have done so already. Besides just what would you be able to do to stop me?” Tease rang clear upon such lyrics as they danced within the other’s mind before steps would shift to close the distance between himself and that floral woman. Arms crossing before him once again as little to no regard was paid to the unease of a protector any longer. Near all focus resting upon another, “And yet those of the night are all to willing to tear you apart.” But that was not to say creatures who dwelt in light were any less eager, however, it was the blood induced frenzy of those like him that held more firmly to the mind.

“I knew I smelt that healer’s blood,” an elixir never tasted for himself though he hardly planned to sample even a portion of it here, “Wasn’t strong enough to be her but enough to hold a resemblance.” Unlike the appearances of this nameless maid, the sharpness of his gaze not shy in the way it danced over her in silent observation before holding upon the bundle held tightly in her grasps. At least they held that in common, a draw toward plant life though this one seemed fixed upon the beauty of blooms while another would have sought out something more medicinal. “What relation do you have with that old woman?” Inquiry issued without much thought, he hadn’t sought the wolf out for some time now and yet if answers could be gained here there would be no need.

A gentle hand would rest upon her guardians and remove it from her person. A sigh soon followed despite bringing this upon herself after wandering too far away from the Vufrien wilds. As expected she was given quite the earful and how dangerous the nights grew. There was protest that even the daylight could provoke such dangers yet she withheld her tongue. Poltergeist? Words of the other came upon her thoughts again causing a slight perk of her mothers name. That witch will not care what I do here tonight, The albino merely lifted a brow with unchanging expression. Did this vampire know her mother, she wondered?

If I wanted to kill you I would have so already. Besides just what would you be able to do to stop me? She could feel the tension in Ira Gula’s hand as she carefully removed herself from his attempted protection. And yet those of the night are all too willing to tear you apart. “They are not wrong,” she regarded the elder in her quiet voice. All the while, it seemed to matter very little of the albino of what the fate of the nights could hold for her. There were harsher things – harsher creatures around another corner. However, none of which would tug at her curiosities as this particular dual-eyed one had in the mentions of the healer witch. I knew I smelt that healers’ blood.

She remained quiet still, silently dismissing Ira-Gula to allow her space to breathe. Inquiry followed the Vampires words even through telepathic communication; What relation do you have with that old woman? The collection of flowers gathered rested in her arm, head tilting slightly. “Poltergeist,” her soft gaze fell away for a moment as if to consider her words with care. “She is my mother,” Cherry blossom attention returned to his dual-colored ones “How is it you know of her?” the question came almost dead-pan. Knowing her mother well enough, and while Avarice didn’t exactly show it, she was surprised to hear of this potential acquaintanceship lest they be rivals. Which would have been all the more fascinating.


!

No matter how an elder may warn or seemingly plea with the girl for retreat, to avoid the very company of the damned who stood before them. It was brushed off time and time again. Pressed aside as if her life was of little importance, that she did not fear all that she should. At least one remained keen of the dangers which surrounded them. It had been no lie over the swiftness that a flame could be snuffed out and no old cretin playing protector would be able to stop fangs if such a notion seized the mind.

However, he was not here for games of slaughter. Not when something far more intriguing tugged at the mind. This little girl’s relation to that witch. The gleam of that mismatched gaze ever watchful of each motion made. How one’s features tensed while another remained more concerned about the way she carried the flowers in her grasps, a figure freeing itself from the man’s hovering company even if only for a moment. Though in these particular moments there was nothing for that geezer to worry over. Attentions briefly flickering to his features before monotone phrase would pull him back to the pale maid.

Mother. Blood ties confirmed though that recluse had never spoken of her supposed kin whenever he’d kept to her company. Given it had never really been a subject that interested him, one he never intended to pry over. Until now at least. Then came her question. One which bid a click of his tongue before it would unconsciously run over the scars which tore across his lip, “Let’s just say we know of each other.” The occasional patch up when blood alone would not heal the damages to an eye nor the marring of silver against features.

“Always offering that tea of hers each visit,” something the wraith loathed. It was never hot leaf water he wished to drink but rather a far stronger beverage. One more alcoholic or at least bloodier than what she provided. Gaze would narrow then as he regarded the youth. “Tell me Avvie,” the very name uttered by her would-be guardian lacing over a false tongue as it pressed to each of their minds, “Have any idea where that mother of yours has gotten off to? I’ve a few words for her.”

Let’s just say we know each other.

Delicate skull tilted slightly as the words touched her thoughts. Eyes shifting slightly as a slight inclination she was listening while trying to maintain this new information all the same. It must have been difficult – this gift of telepathy. Or it was well honed and it merely caused a slight throb in her skull. Always offering that tea of hers each visit. Well, that sounded like her mother. A habit that seemed to never changed even from the present – or – past events when her mother was still around. When she wasn’t absent. Tell me, Avvie. pale lashes fluttered as her head dipped slightly while shifting the bundle of flowers she held.

Have any idea where that mother of yours has gotten off to? I’ve a few words for her. Avarices’ expression softened. There was a sense of sadness hiding beneath that otherwise stoic façade of hers. “I do not know, she would not tell me.” She answered with a dismissive sigh. Her mother had merely left a letter of her departure. Place of location unknown to which Avarice could only assumed she wished for privacy and space. Given how sensitive and fragile her mothers emotions were, she couldn’t decide whether or not it was safety measure for the sake of her mother or herself. “When her husband died, she did not take the loss very well.”

She shrugged haplessly, as if unbothered. After all, why would she show such sympathy towards a dead man who had long since condemned and damned her? She had made it a point to not address the Trahern man as her father. “She did not tell me when she would return but that she would when she is ready, I suppose.”

!