ɴɪɢʜᴛᴅᴡᴇʟʟᴇʀꜱ [Rea & Agnes]

[Agnes]

The Rift was serenely quiet in the night. Free of the bustling chatter on the main road, free of adventurers and vagabonds alike coming in and out of Riften. The moon shone upon the dense canopy that covered the top of the woods, streaks of light passing through where there were spaces between the autumn leaves. Serana closed her eyes and smiled, letting the moonlight bathe her pale skin as she stood still in a clearing. Moments of peace were rare for the vampiress, having been on the run from the Dawnguard, Volkihar, and men and mer alike ever since she awoke from her slumber three months ago. Opening her eyes for the first time in thousands of years, she found herself clutching a scroll and standing face to face with a man, one who called himself the Dragonborn. Memories came rushing back to her like a torrent; the ritual, her vampirism, her family, how her mother sealed her away in a coffin without ever telling her why or asking for her consent. After they'd escaped the cave, Serana asked him, begged him to help her find her mother-- but he refused, saying that he had more pressing matters to attend to, and left her on the gates of Riften to fend for herself after a brief apology.

And so there she was, alone in a strange new world, clutching an artifact in her hand that could shake the very foundations of the world. At first, she tried to blend in and make something out of herself, but even that proved too difficult. People had keen eyes, and it was hard not to get noticed when she had milky pale skin, stark yellow eyes, and had a huge scroll strapped to her back. Her efforts to gather information about her family were futile, for the first few weeks. People simply looked at her funny when she mentioned the name 'Volkihar'. But then, people in strange armor appeared, calling themselves the Dawnguard, asking the local folk if they'd seen a strange woman recently, describing to them the physical effects of vampirism, which Serana unfortunately had. The woman bolted out of RIften without a second thought, travelling day and night without ever looking back, until she came upon a settlement, one that was called Ivarstead. There she booked a night at the inn, intending to keep traveling northwest, but that night a group of fellow vampires showed up, and for the first time Serana dared to be hopeful.

These strange vampires introduced themselves as Volkihar, which confounded Serana, and told her forcibly that she was to come with them at once to be taken to their 'Lord'. When she refused, they attacked her, and Serana barely got out of the town alive, managing to slay one of her kin and losing the other two in the woods. She'd been hiding out in a cave ever since, not daring to go back to Ivarstead or travel onward, worried that she might get caught by one of the two factions again. She felt utterly lost, not knowing what to do and where to go. Eventually, she decided to bide her time, trying to formulate some kind of plan to contact either of her parents or find out even if they were still alive. So far, her efforts had amounted to nothing, and Serana was fast losing hope, almost beginning to wish the Dragonborn hadn't found her in that cave three months ago.

A soft sigh left her lips, her melancholy eased by the cool wind billowing through the forest. The vampiress shivered a little and pulled her cloak a bit more tightly around herself, staring up at the moon all the while. Her hood was down, and her long dark hair was blowing gently in the wind. Her traveling clothes were a bit worn down now, having not had the chance to purchase new ones in a good while, but they still held a regal, elegant nature that she associated with herself. Colored black and silver and maroon, her favorite, her dress made her stick out in the verdant forest and combined with the choker around her neck, she reckoned she must've looked a fearsome sight to anyone who stumbled upon her. The very thought brought a bitter chuckle to her lips.

While she was lost in her thoughts, the winds had died down and the woods were now quiet, something Serana only noticed after a good while. Suddenly, she didn't feel serene or safe anymore, and the hair on her neck stood on edge, feeling like she was being watched. Her hand flew to the ebony dagger at her hip, her eyes now focused and her senses sharp as a razor. The moon shone upon her, and she could feel her full power coursing through her veins, and she thanked the Nine that she didn't have to deal with the sun at the moment. Standing still, she analyzed the surroundings, painfully aware that she was out in the open and could be jumped at any moment. Seconds passed... and she saw movement from the corner of her eyes. There. Without hesitation, she channeled the magic within her and pointed her fingers at the tree behind which her stalker was hiding, and an arc of lightning shooting out of her digits and blasting the bark off it.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice firm and her stance ready, holding the dagger in one hand and a spark of lightning in the other.

 

[Rea]

"A vampire? Truly?" asked the Huntress, to which Ria only shrugged as if it wasn't such a strange request. "That is what I was told. I'm to accompany you, as well as the b-"

Aela held her palm up to silence her fellow Companion. "No. I will go alone," she insisted, already beginning to gather supplies from around her room. Ria frowned, leaning in the doorway. "That is dangerous, Aela. Vampires have been popping up all over the place. This one may have friends lurking nearby." After shouldering her now, Aela gave Ria a soft smile. "Then I will flee, and gather you for help another time. Trust me. More bodies means more blood to smell; I am confident I can approach easier without backup. Go, tell Kodlak I will return in a few days - hopefully with vampire dust in my hands."

Honestly she just needed to get out of Whiterun for a time; it was too painful to walk by Skjor's empty chambers. A few days away would clear her head, and nights under the stars would calm the anger she felt whenever she thought of finding his body in the hands of the Silver Hand. Bastards, all of them, so pious in their beliefs. They couldn't possibly understand the love of Hircine, and the thrill of bounding across the lands hunting forever.

It took a day to reach the supposed location, and by then, it was dark. Most would struggle to find their way through the woods at this hour, but Aela strolled with the ease of a master huntress. Her bow was drawn with a loose arrow in place; a vampire was the target, but there was always wildlife to prepare for. She'd already had to take down a sabre cat; the eyes were plucked carefully and stored for later use. Aela did not use magic, but her father had taught her several potions to use as cures instead.

Slow steps led closer to her prize, of which Aela noted easily through the dense trees - the woman stood out like a skeever in the kitchen. She was just sitting there, and for a moment, Aela considered that Ria might have been right. It looked like a trap, but it was too late now. Aela tightened the string of her bow to ready the arrow, but it was then the woman moved. Seemingly sensing the danger, Aela noted the woman's hand movement - she was armed, of course. Aela began to step from behind the tree when the lightning magic connected. She cursed beneath her breath while ducking behind cover. Magic! What a cheater! Aela fought fair, with her hands! Never mind magic came from the hands, too, but that's not the point. There was no time to consider her options; Aela inhaled deeply to brace herself, then slowly stepped out of cover with bow drawn tight and straight.

Unlike the vampire, Aela was dressed appropriately for a hunt. The ancient Nordic armor of her mother was moss and dirt colored, contrasted only by the steel plates connecting the leather pieces at her shoulders, forearms, and waist line. The hem reached midthigh - quite difficult to pounce and run with constricting fabric upon the body.

Aela did not answer; she simply released the taut string. Carefully aimed, the arrow was meant to knock the dagger from the woman's hand. Magic was hard enough to battle against; she didn't need another thing to fight with.

"I'm asking the questions, parasite. What are you doing here?"

 

[Agnes]

The woman that came into view was an awesome sight to behold, and Serana could feel her confidence wane a bit as she regarded this woman, this huntress, in her strange, revealing armour and weilding a bow taut in her hands. For a moment, the vampiress hesitated— she was neither Volkihar nor Dawnguard, that much was clear, and she was too well armed and disciplined to be a common hunter. What was she, then? And her scent... it was strong. Too strong, overwhelmingly so, blocking out most other smells until all Serana could sense was her. She'd never encountered someone with such a strong musk, and she realized with a grimace that she was dealing with someone not dissimilar to herself; this huntress was not entirely human.

Distracted by her mere presence, Serana didn't notice the arrow whipping through the air until it was too late, and clang went the dagger as it was knocked out of her hand, stinging her delicate fingers in the process. Fuck. With no time to retrieve her weapon, she readied both her hands with magic, a red orb of vampiric aura forming in the hand where her dagger once was. Still though, she didn't attack, staying defensive and observing the woman, thoroughly intrigued by her even though they were locked in battle. But then she opened her mouth— as frustratingly alluring her commanding voice was, the words made Serana's blood boil. A parasite? How dare she?

"Oh, that's rich, coming from you," she retorted, letting out a bitter laugh as she slowly moved and circled the huntress. "Calling me a parasite when your own blood is tainted and vile. Not even worth my bite to feed on. What are you then, some kind of beast?" Suddenly, she crushed the red orb in her hand, absorbing the energies storied in the vessel, and started moving at a supernatural speed, zipping from cover to cover behind the trees to keep her distance and find a good vantage point. Within seconds she was before her, and with a deft movement, she grabbed her hand and held it sideways so she couldn't knock her bow or reach for another weapon, and blasted her with lightning point blank to her stomach, sending her hurtling through the air and slamming into the trunk of a tree behind her.

"I'm here because I'm running from people who want me dead. I suppose I could add one more to that list now," she finally answered, not giving her a chance to retaliate as she retreated back into cover, steadily making her way to where her dagger fell to pick it back up. "We have no quarrel, stranger. I do not know why you have attacked me tonight, but I do not wish to gain any more enemies. Leave me be, and I'll leave these woods and go elsewhere if you so desire." She picked up the the dagger, her speed wearing off exactly at that moment, and Serana noticed with a start that she'd left herself wide open. "Persist, and I will kill you," she bluffed, keeping the conversation going and hoping to intimidate her into leaving.

 

[Rea]

The arrow hadn't even connected before Aela had another readied to strike; she held the string firm, unmoving even as her enemy began to circle the area to assess the situation. It was the magic in the vampire's hands that Aela focused on. She'd seen blood magic at work before, but this color of it was much more intense than she'd ever fought against. Brighter, likely more powerful. Damn, this was not some rogue vampire terrorizing the locals who could easily be subdued by expert hands. Something was different about this one. Aela needed to be careful.

A twitch of a smile when the vampire retorted, obviously noting the inhuman part of Aela. She slightly narrowed her eyes, the smile forming into a knowing smirk. "Something like that," the Huntress vaguely agreed, then frowning as the magic vanished. Was she giving in so quickly? Well that was no f-

Oh, no, she wasn't; she became the aggressor. Despite Aela's quick eyes and movement, without being in beast form, she could not keep the pace the vampire set. Aela considered shifting but she needed to test the other's prowess first. She also hadn't fed during the journey; it would be a weakened change to begin with.

Surprised by the sudden grasp, Aela attempted to twist free but the sharp crackle of lightning was much faster. The Huntress groaned with pain, temporarily dazed from her head slamming into the trunk. Unsteadily rising, Aela nearly dropped her bow before fully standing. Angry at being caught like that, Aela internally vowed to not let it happen again.

"Of course we are trying to kill you. Your kind has been slaughtering my people more than ever," Aela snapped, drawing another arrow, noting with amusement the vampire was plain in sight. The arrow flew, but given the lowered stance of her arms, it wasn't a deadly shot. It was aimed toward the ground, catching the hem of the vampire's cloak to pin her in place. In an instant Aela had twirled to the side, flinging her dagger in the same fashion to catch the other side. It would be far too easy to pull free from, but Aela wanted to merely show she was not giving in so easily.

"You fight well; better than any of your others thus far. So many of them cannot control themselves." Aela knew it all too well; poor Kodlak had several broken noses when Aela had first tasted the blood in the Underforge. "It's a shame none of your family is here to watch you die."

 

[Agnes]

It was as she had feared then; her kind has forsaken their way of living in the shadows and was wreaking havoc wherever they see fit. A pang of sadness and befell Serana, the vampiress feeling sorrowful at the path they had chosen in her absence. Surely, her father must've perished then, for he would never allow those under his dominion to roam free like savages. Especially ones that took the name Volkihar. What a disgrace to her family's legacy. The thought made Serana sick to her stomach.

"Perhaps my kind, but I'm not!" she replied hotly, getting frustrated with the way this half-beast woman was roping her in with the rest of the bloodthirsty vampires. "I've never even laid a finger on any of your people. The only person I've killed was another vampire, and even that was because he attacked me first." Serana didn't truly know why she was bothering to explain herself to her, but the words came flowing out of her mouth like water from a fountain, letting loose the emotional baggage she'd been repressing for so long.

Then suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere, the redheaded huntress seemingly having nocked and loosened her bow with inhuman speed. It caught the the hem of her cloak, pinning her in place, and Serana futilely attempted to pull free of it. Not enough time however; just as soon, a dagger came flying towards her, and for a moment Serana feared it would be lodged inside her chest and end her there and then. But no— it only caught the other side of the cloak, but now she was effectively immobilized. Seeing no other options, she undid the clasps at her shoulders, letting the heavy cloak fall to the ground and revealing her lithe body wrapped in a tight fitting dress. The dress had no sleeves, revealing her toned, slightly muscled arms, and her long hair spilled out over her shoulder and to her back.

"Then you have only faced fledglings who couldn't have been turnt for more than a week. If you truly knew what a Vampire Lord is capable of, you wouldn't spew so much nonsense and actually focus on staying alive." Backing up her words, she sent a salvo of ice shards right at her bow, aiming to knock her sole weapon out of her hand and pin her armor to the tree, just as she had been pinned moments prior. But her skill with the ice element was not as refined as lightning, and combined with the long period of unuse, it meant that the ice shards were actually slow moving and inaccurate, and Aela would be able to dodge them quite easily if she had the foresight to do so.

"But, I will admit, you are leagues above anyone I've faced before. Who are you, truly? And why are you hunting me? You're obviously not Dawnguard not a vampire. I've done nothing to earn your scorn. I'm merely trying to survive and find my family." Though her words would sound like pleas, she was also readying her dagger behind her back, and after she was done talking, she leaped forward and slashed at her with the blade, grazing her on her bare thighs and drawing a tiny bit of blood. The sight and scent of the blood awakened an insatiable hunger in her though, having not fed for weeks upon weeks now, and when she looked up and met Aela's eyes, the huntress would see that the vampiress's yellow eyes were full of hunger.

 

[Rea]

Oh, it seems Aela had touched a nerve; she felt pride swell her chest as the vampire so determinedly defended herself. Lies, the Huntress was sure of it. Well, all right, maybe not all of it. After all, the report had said a vampire had been sighted here, but it did not contain any word of attacks from this particular one, Aela recalled. That was odd. As the vampire continued, Aela began to ponder the validity of her words. To feed was one thing - Aela had to, of course, but she controlled herself. She'd had good hands to keep her in line. If these rogue vampires had no proper leader, it made sense they'd attack without regard. Since Aela had not heard of Vampire Lords, there may be truth in this one. Lost in thought, Aela did not notice the magic starting until it was too late - it did connect to the bow, knocking it far from her grasp. The Huntress did manage to avoid further spears, though, turning quickly to attempt a retrieval of her bow. She'd have to do so carefully; now that it was gone from her hand, Aela doubted the vampire would let her have it back so quickly.

"I am with the Companions, a sect from Whiterun. We he-ah, damn it!"

Aela wasn't permitted time to respond further; the vampire was upon her, nicking the exposed flesh of her thigh to draw a thin line of crimson. The vampire had drawn blood; this was Aela's final chance at mercy. With rapid speed Aela snatched the vampire's wrist and twisted, forcing the weapon back from her flesh. She twisted and kicked, wriggling from the vampire's touch until she could properly stand. The vampire's eyes were dark and dangerous; Aela knew she had no choice now. The Huntress growled deeply, her hands quick to start releasing the binds of her armor. It would be ruined if left on during the change; no matter the danger, she would not destroy her mother's armor. Perhaps that alone would be enough to startle the vampire, given her enemy was suddenly disrobing.

"You are not the only beast here, girl."

Just as the clothing was dropped, Aela began to bend at the waist. Her limbs elongated, bent at odd angles, and coarse brown fur tinted with red grew from her firming skin. Seconds was all it took for the transformation to be complete. The werewolf stood, her face to the moon, and she howled at the sky. Birds flew from the sound, elk and deer stampeding away. Upon lowering her head, canines bared and sharp, her intent was clear. Aela leapt at the vampire with maw open wide, aiming for the vampire's throat.

 

[Agnes]

The Companions. It was a name she'd heard here and there when she was in Riften; a band of 'honorable' warriors that took up jobs for coin. It sounded like just a simple mercenary company to Serana, but that was irrelevant. She knew why she was here now— someone had taken out a contract against her. But who? Someone from Ivarstead, when they had realised she was a vampire? Ungrateful vermin, the lot of them. She slew her own kin and drew them away from the village, and this was how these people repaid her. By sending a crazed huntress after her. A part of her wanted to ask the woman who had sent her on this job, perhaps to parley with her and offer her some sort of montary compensation to back off, but by then she had drawn blood from her thighs, and Serana knew there would be no going back from this battle. One of them was going to fall tonight.

As fast as Serana was, the half-beast was even faster, and the vampiress let out a shriek of pain as her hand was snatched and twisted painfully, causing her to let go of her dagger. It fell down between them and landed on the ground, barely missing her feet as it impaled itself in the dirt. No time to worry about that— Serana quickly reached up and snapped back her hand in turn, breaking free of her grip and snarling like beast, her basal tendencies rearing their ugly head in battle. But then her yellow eyes blinked in confusion as her enemy started disrobing right in front of her, undoing the clasps and letting her armour fall to the ground with a dull thud, bringing her ragged, muscular body into full view.

Even through the rage and adrenaline, Serana had the grace to blush, unable to help but notice just how magnificent this woman's body was. But then all became clear as that magnificent body began to warp and change, extending her limbs and face, sprouting fur from every part of her body. Serana backed away, startled, and a spine chilling shudder went through her whole body at the werewolf's howl. "By the nine... you're a daughter of Hircine!" she whispered, more to herself than to her adversary. Not wasting a moment, the wolf lunged at her throat, and instinctively she held up her arm to shield herself. Unfortunately, her arm was still made of flesh and blood, and the woman screamed in agony as the sharp fangs sank into her delicate flesh and tried to rip her whole bloody arm off.

"Argghh, fuck!" Her eyes began to sting, tears welling up from the intense pain of the bite, but Serana managed to prioritize her mind over her body, and through tremendous amount of will, she managed to ignite a spark of flame in her free hand. The fire burned her skin, being so sensitive to it, but she ignored it for now and instead blasted the beast with a full gout of fire, intending to light her furs aflame. Once the beast let go of her arm, she stumbled backwards and fell on her ass, clutching her injured forearm and hastily casting healing spells to stabilize the wound. Anger and fear fueling her actions now, she cast another powerful vampiric spell, the exertion almost knocking her out cold, and attempted to drain the very life force out of her enemy.

 

[Rea]

Aela had feared the taste would be disgusting - not that it mattered, she was trying to kill not feed - but it wasn't. The vampire's blood tasted quite different than what she was used to; she'd tasted it before from previous battles but this one's held a more … antique taste; it was older, more refined, like an aged ale. Good thing, too, Aela would have to prolong this attack to savor it. Her jaw had begun to tighten, starting to twist sideways when the vampire reacted. The spell worked well; Aela released and stumbled back to release a high pitched screech of pain. Desperately she rolled on the forest floor to extinguish the flames, then rose to start smacking the still smoldering patches. Oh, that little bitch!

The next spell didn't work as well, though it did manage to pull some of the wolf's energy inward, allowing some relief to the wounded arm of the vampire. Aela was quick to bound away, though, finding the cover of a thick oak to momentarily recover. So focused on the battle at hand, neither beast would notice hushed voices from the forest edge, signaling the approach of others.

Aela turned to face the tree so she could rapidly climb up, from the opposite side of the vampire so she could avoid further spells. As the other would round to see her target, Aela leapt to another tree. And another, continually dodging whatever spells were cast. At last she dropped to the ground on all fours, panting and out of breath. The Huntress was talented, indeed, but the vampire had much better endurance - she was older, had more practice, and didn't have the extra weight to haul around. Aela did not want to give up, but either she let the vampire kill her, or she changed back and asked for mercy - and that was not going to happen. Aela was a warrior; she would die with pride. The wolf lowered her head in defeat, waiting for the kill strike.

And from out of their sight, others had gathered shielded in a thick bush. Weapons in hand, they prepared themselves while waiting to see what the vampire would do.

 

[Agnes]

Managing to hit her with the draining spell brought back some much needed vitality to Serana's body, though not enough to make a significant difference. Her whole body ached, worn down from exhaustion from exerting herself so much in such a short span of time. Her magicka reserves were also almost depleted, having used it for the salvo of spells earlier and a large portion in healing the bite wounds on her hand. Despite this, the deep punctures were still visible and she was still bleeding freely, though it wasn't crippling her movements anymore. The wolf leaped out of her spell and behind the dense oaks.

Serana panted raggedly, taking a moment to catch her breath, but she knew she wouldn't last much longer, and in one last desperate attempt, she sent an arc of lightning curving behind the tree, which the wolf dodged by climbing up the tree. The vampiress didn't let up, letting spells loose at her enemy without inhibition, but she didn't even hit her once, the superior reflexes and speed coming into play. But to her surprise, the wolf stumbled at the last second, and tumbled down from the branches and landed on all fours, panting like an exhausted dog.

Seeing her opportunity, Serana scrambled to her feet, plucking her dagger from the ground and rushing to where the huntress was, prepares to finish her off and end the confrontation. But then she noticed that the werewolf wasn't fighting back anymore, and was waiting with her head down, seemingly for Serana to kill her. This lowered the aggression in Serana as well, whose eyes of hunger faded back into a soft yellow, and she no longer felt comfortable ending the life of an undeniably strong and beautiful woman. Even if she had come prepared to kill her for what she was, it would be still such a waste.

So, Serana instead placed the blade of the dagger beneath the werewolf's snout, tipping it up and forcing her to look into her eyes. "Sur... surrender, wolf." Her voice was married with panted breaths, and her expression made it clear she had no intention of killing her, merely wanting to escape without any further damage.

In her moment of victory, a lone arrow whistled through the air and pierced her shoulder from behind. Serana screamed and fell to her knees, dropping the dagger and clutching her wounded shoulder, desperately trying to see who the new assailants were. Men and women clad in brown tunics and boiled leather vests emerged, holding their bows and swords. Dawnguard. Another arrow loosened, and Serana had to roll out of the way, the arrow flying through where her face had been a second before. No longer having the strength to fight anymore, she pulled the huntress by her wrist and desperately pulled her up, deciding that two people would have a better chance of surviving than one.

The vampires hunters didn't seem to discriminate against werewolves, and a few arrows were loosened her way as well. Equally bigoted against anyone not human, Serana thought bitterly. What heroes. "Get up! We need to flee now, before they make a rug out of you and hang my head on a fucking wall!" Still holding the wolf's clawed hands, she started running deeper into the woods, using the last of her magicka to cast a shielding spell over both of them so as to survive a bit longer.

 

[Rea]

Rather than an instant slash across Aela's throat, she felt a slight pressure indicating a lifted head. This felt right to the huntress - a true fighter would look their victim in the eyes, to see the life fade. It was an honor to behold, but when she heard the falter in the woman's voice, the wolf curiously tilted her head sideways. She was right; this vampire was no rogue murderer. Before she could give the whimper of submission, she saw the gleam of an arrow too fast to catch. It pierced the woman's shoulder which forced an angry snarl from Aela. The vampire had spared her life; it was duty to return the favor. It was instinct to fight back, however, and the wolf howled in an attempt to scare them back. A few stepped away but they were well trained. It was only the tug of the vampire that caused Aela to hesitate attacking. Spent from the previous battle, they would not win this one. Aela had enough sense to grab her discarded armor before bounding into the woods; her weapons were too far out of reach. Together they fled, their speed the only advantage against the barrage of arrows.

When they were safe (enough, that is, for now) and sure they were miles behind, Aela paused to catch her breath. She was absolutely spent, and given the vampire's injuries, knew she would be too. There was a cave in the distance sheltered under the ridge by a river; Aela knew it well. Fearful to assume the change until she knew they would be out of public eyes, Aela gave a weak nod toward the dark entrance. As they approached two wolves came to greet them; with mouths snarling and teeth dripping with hot saliva. Aela responded in kind; she bared her teeth but said nothing. The wolves recognized their kin - albeit a larger, uglier one, but balked as the vampire approached. Then, Aela did verbally respond - her voice was meek, quiet, like a cub; it sounded as if she pleaded. The two hesitated before stepping aside to allow the battered party inside.

A slow trickling creek made soft babbling noises. Immediately Aela leapt to the edge and stuck her entire head underwater. During the desperate thirsty drink, she began to shift at last. Fur fluttered to the ground as limbs pulled back in. Nude, kneeling at the water's edge, Aela flung her long red hair back to cascade a stream of it behind her, unaware Serana was that close. She turned with a stoic expression, slowly beginning to pull her recovered armor back on. For several seconds she was silent, before she looked at the vampire not coldy, but skeptical.

"You spared my life," she said, as if she couldn't truly believe it. Briefly Aela glanced at the wolves nearby, carefully keeping the cubs close by despite their curious noses twitching. Aela smiled at them, and nodded in thanks. "They won't bother you. Not tonight. Perhaps tomorrow they'll be less welcoming. We'll have to heal you swiftly, lest they grow restless or our friends pick up our trail."

Weaponless and tired, Aela posed little threat, apparently as did the vampire. Feeling a bit prideful that she'd gotten in a few good strikes, Aela waved a hand at the vampire with curled fingers forwards. "Come to the water; I'll clean the mess I created."

 

[Agnes]

They had to run for miles to lose their assailants trail. Unlike her wolfish enemy-turned-ally, Serana was not afforded the extra strength and durability, and by the time they had stopped to catch their breath, Serana was barely hanging on. Her shoulder was a bloody mess and so was her hand. Her feet blistered from running so much, and much of her dress was dirty and torn and bloodied. Weary eyes glanced towards her companion, and it was clear she was in awful shape as well, even if she wasn't as beat up as her. Serana was no hardened survivalist, and she hoped that the huntress at least would be better acquainted with the harsh woods. Her prayers were answered, because the wolf gestured towards a small cave hidden under a ridge. The vampiress let out a relieved breath, almost collapsing on the spot. Sanctuary, at last.

But her enthusiasm was curbed as two wolves came snarling out of the cave. Serana subconsciously backed away, no longer having any will or strength to fight. She was so tired, so exhausted. Luckily, the woman in front of her was able to communicate with her kin, exchanging snarls and whimpers and baring their teeth. The conversation went largely above Serana's head, not understanding the wolfish language, but she knew they had been allowed safe haven when the two animals stepped aside. She looked at the magnificent beast in front of her in wonder, and she would have thanked her then if her throat wasn't so dry.

The interior of the cave was dark and damp, and as if it was her home territory, the werewolf leapt straight towards water and dived her whole head underwater. The vampiress was a bit more cautious, noting the structure and spacious layout of the place, and noting the wolf cubs observing them curiously from the far end of the cave, soon joined by their parents. At least they weren't harming them. Her eyes turned back to the creek, widening in awe as the furred beast in front of her shed her black furs and slowly transformed back into her nude, human form.

Serana felt a hot blush creeping onto her cheeks. The woman pulled her head out of the water, her long red mane flowing majestically in the air, droplets of water from it hitting the vampiress across the face and chest. She had noted how muscled and commanding she looked when they had fought, but now that she was naked before her, Serana saw that this woman was beautiful. Her back was toned and scarred from the many battles she'd inevitably taken part in, and her arms and legs were muscle bound and strong, unlike her own dainty appendages. She couldn't help but also note that she had quite a generous backside, and Serana bit her lip gently and squeezed her legs together, suddenly feeling hot and bothered. The woman would see Serana staring awkwardly as she turned to her, her eyes darting from her hair to her face to her exposed breasts. She was an exquisite creature, Serana noted, and she hated the fact that she couldn't look away from her.

"I did..." she said softly, coming back down to Nirn when the woman spoke. "It would've been a waste to kill you. If I had, then I woud've probably died the next moment." Her voice was still weak and barely audible, but she was now able to speak after catching her breath for a bit. She padded forward on weak legs, kneeling in front of the pool to quench her torturous thirst. Cupped hands reached into the pool and she drank and drank, sighing as she felt her sore throat ease up a bit. She simply nodded at her companion's words, not able to reply just yet. She wasn't as concerned about the wolves as she should be. If they would be less welcoming in the morning, then they would leave at dawn. She was simply glad to have a place to rest.

"Can you pull out the arrow?" she asked, turning slightly to present the arrow sticking out of the back of her shoulder. With a grunt, she tore off a large piece of cloth from her sleeves and stuffed it in her mouth, biting down on it and screaming into it when the arrow would be pulled out of her. "Thank you..." she said weakly, spitting out the cloth and groaning with pain and exertion. She was completely docile for the moment, and she was content to let her patch up her wounds, all the while she dipped her arm into the pool to start cleaning the bite wounds.

"I'm fairly sure we'll be fit to travel before dawn comes. Those 'friends' are members of the Dawnguard, and they don't let off their prey easily. I daresay they'll be scouring the woods all night looking for us." She patted her arm dry with her sleeves, and glaced at the woman's thighs, where she had wounded her with the knife. "Give me your leg. I will heal you." Such a small gash wouldn't take much effort to heal. She pulled her legs over her laps, delicate fingers brushing over the gash and knitting them close with restoration magic, humming softly to herself. "There," she said, satisfied with her work, and gently pushed her leg back off her.

For a long while, she stayed silent while she let her wounds be cleaned and bandaged, hissing and groaning every so often at the pain. Then midway, she spoke up, turning to her with curious yellow eyes. "Have I proved that I pose no harm to you or your kind?" Her lips pursed, anxious of her answer, and continued, "My name is Serana. Will you finally tell me who you are, now?"

 

[Rea]

Aela seemed to not have any desire to remain modest, twice in this short time she'd been nude in front of a stranger. If that stranger had been merely human, perhaps the Huntress would be more conservative. It was the scent of the Daedra, the dark and uncaring, that called to her inner beast - to cast aside confirmation and live without fear, without hate...to be free. Countless times Aela and her shield-brothers have been in this scenario, though not fighting each other (well, perhaps playfully). They were animals inside, and unbound carefree mammals did not concern themselves with such modern things. To hunt, to feed, to roam, explore, adventure...that was the call of Hircine. When Aela turned to see a red faced vampire, she recalled this was akin to her own dark blood, but not the same. She'd have to remember to be more careful. Talos knows, the vampire wore such dreadfully long and dark material! A hunter she was not; how had she ever survived long enough to be as strong as she was?

Not strong enough, it seemed. Although Aela had been bested in their initial battle, the cheating skeever tail frostbite spider like sons of bitches (not that Aela was bitter at being ambushed) had ended the will of the vampire. If they had not fled together, urging each other on to the cave neither would have survived. That was well enough alone, but the vampire could have injured Aela. She could have left the wolf dying in the Earth, left to the hands of the Dawnguard as she made her escape. But she hadn't. Aela felt a tiny blush of her own face when the vampire said it'd have been a shame to kill such a worthy adversary. A simple nod accompanied the vampire's request to remove the arrow. The time for talk was not now; wounds must be tended to. Aela was obligated (and honestly, happy to) tend to the vampire. She was rather pretty, for a parasite. It had been noticed before but never contemplated on; Aela was a Huntress, after all, and her first desire was the task at hand. As her own calloused palms swept across the vampire's gentle, fair skin while wrapping cloth torn from the other's - unbearably, Aela thought internally - long skirt, she began to admire the paleness, softness, almost illuminating petite figure before her. The armor Aela wore was far too short to prepare bandages, of course. She was mostly silent as she tended to the vampire, giving a roll of her eyes as if she didn't know the Dawnguard - they didn't know her as a werewolf was another subject best held for now; The Silver Hand was enough to deal with. When the vampire asked for a leg, Aela initially refused - she'd damn near chewed the woman's arm off, and here the vampire was, sorry for a little cut that barely drew blood! Unable to believe the gentleness of the vampire who could have killed her, Aela kept still silent and helpful until the question was posed. Thankfully, a friend would aid Aela's already chosen decision.

The soft nuzzle of cold wet nose nudged under their arms as Aela began the final wrap of the v- of Serana's shoulder. The mother of this wolf family had crept forward until she was silently beside them, her long snout helping prop Serana's arm in place for the evening. The Huntress frowned, but the wolfess remained. The father and cubs remained comfortably back, this time awaiting Aela's answer. They trusted her, as they had trusted …

Kodlak couldn't manage the beast within Aela. Every full moon she wanted to kill anything within sight; it wasn't the hunt at all, it was murder. He had other fledglings to attend to; his own, for the matter. Skjor was given reins over this lively one, to which he had tricked into a cave for an ambush. Then a lone male wolf entered. Before Aela could pounce, Skjor held her back. She fought against him, until a pregnant female followed him inside. Her desire melted - man and woman held each other as their beast kin struggled through birth. Together they aided, and although only one cub survived, the parents guarded the entrance with their child close as Skjor and Aela inhabited the back of the cave together. To take life, one must give life…

"I've missed you too, Ysa," Aela replied to the wolf sadly. The female nestled down beside Serana, laying her chin upon the vampire's calf. It almost brought tears to her eyes, knowing the last time had been the first…

Aela swallowed thickly, pushing all memories away. "You do not, but your kind does," she replied savagely, earning a quick turn of Ysa's head to give a warning nip at Aela's ankle seated close by. Aela remained still, trying to ignore how Skjor would do the same damn thing, of course he'd taught Ysa.

"Aela," the Huntress replied, much more softly this time. Despite rough palms, she began to gently and methodically braid the vampire's hair. It was a gesture of peace; Ysa calmed, resuming her chin upon Serana's lap. "I am of the Companions, in Whiterun. We help our people of Skyrim as needed, but I beg you not speak of my blood. Not all of us are … blessed." Aela chose the words carefully, considering she was the only one who thought it wasn't a curse.

 

[Agnes]

The strong calloused hands that roamed across her skin felt soothing to Serana, enjoying the feeling of getting taken care of for once, even if it was by the one who almost mangled her arm in the first place. Soft sighs escaped her lips every now and then, squirming whenever the wrappings were pulled too tight, but it made her feel worlds better. For once Serana was able to actually smile. She did roll her eyes when the woman refused to offer her leg, and instead simply bent down to heal the small cut, inadvertently brushing her chest with her thighs. "Perhaps it would be better if I chose something more suited for the wilds in the future," she quipped, chuckling at her own misfortune.

A wet, warm nose nudged her beneath her arm, and when she looked down she saw the glowing, curious eyes of one of the adult wolves staring up at her. It seemed like she was propping her elbow up to ease her position, and Serana gently rubbed its snout with her free hand in show of appreciation. "You know her?" she asked inquisitively, hearing the werewolf call the animal by name. Yet, she saw a hint of sorrow and regret in the huntress's voice, and instinctively she edged closer and laid a hand upon her knee, not knowing what to do but still wanting to soothe her. Had something happened here before... something that Serana was not privy to knowing?

But she seemed to have misread the situation. Aela's next words were harsh and cold, and Serana winced as she immediately withdrew her hand, feeling burned for her show of sympathy. Sulkily, she turned away, letting her dark hair fall over the side of her face and conceal it. Perhaps she had been too quick to assume, too quick to let down her guard. But then she felt her hands in her hair, untangling the matted hair and braiding it. It confused the vampiress, why she was acting hot and cold towards her, but she opted not to press the issue. Instead she simply enjoyed the calming touch of her fingertips, easing into the sensation and sagging in place while she petted the wolf resting her head upon her lap.

"Aela..." she repeated, rolling the name around on her lips. It was a beautiful name. A strong one, too, reminiscent of the prideful nature of the Nords. Perhaps her father would approve. She listened more carefully about the Companions this time, knowing she interrupted her the first time, and turned her head towards her when she asked her not to speak of her affliction. Was she an outlier, then? Was she hiding her curse (or blessing, as she said) from her comrades? "You have my word," she promised, smiling softly at her and touching the braids in her hair, examining Aela's handiwork. "I hope you'll do the same of me as well... though in my case people don't need much help figuring out what I am." She pointed to her eyes and her fangs to back up her point.

"I hope Hircine is merciful towards those he 'blesses', at least... Molag Bal is a cruel master." The mere mention of the name upon her lips made Serana shudder, remembering the horrific ordeal she had gone through under the Daedric Prince to become what she is today. Steeling herself, she pushed the memories out of her mind, for now. "I do not belong to any group or faction... though I do carry the name Volkihar. Lord Harkon was my father in life, and we underwent the ritual together as a family, with my mother. I do not know where he is now though, only that vagrant vampires have now taken his name and are defiling it." Serana gritted her teeth, her anger rising at the very notion. "It makes me sick."

Ysa seemed to have noticed her shift in mood, and nuzzled against her stomach, as if attempting to calm her down. She did tone down her voice a bit, though the fire in her eyes remained a bit longer before flickering out in defeat. "Something to worry for another time perhaps."

 

[Rea]

Aela knew the wolf family well; she had, after all, helped Ysa come into the world. Skjor and she had come here often, watching the little cub grow until she'd made a family of her own. They had talked about it once in awhile; perhaps coming to the Companions with their relationship public. It was no secret the two fancied each other anyway, but they'd never confirmed it. Now, it was too late. She cursed herself by missing out on a family, but at least she had Ysa to remember it - and a gem from his armor carefully embroidered into her own above her heart.

The Huntress perked a brow upon the mention of another Daedra - was that how vampires were made? No, it was from the bite of another. If Serana had performed a ritual...no, that didn't make any sense. They'd taken his name, though - did that mean…?

Aela frowned inwardly, unable to clearly think at the moment. She was too damn exhausted to theorize, and as if to confirm the very thought, Aela yawned loudly behind Serana. Slowly rising to work out the cramps in her muscles, Aela glanced around the immediate area. There was a gathering of moss and leaves in a corner; it pained her to look at it, but she didn't have the energy to create new bedding. From behind the cubs began to whine hungrily; Ysa rose as well, but not before touching Serana's cheek with her wet nose. Aela smiled softly - Ysa seemed attached to the vampire for some reason, and she could only guess because she sensed the womens' sudden closeness. Speaking of feeding, however…

"We can discuss our plans tomorrow; I am indebted to you. I will help you find your family, if I can, but we must head to Whiterun first. I cannot abandon my duties without alerting my shield-siblings. You will be welcome in Jorrvaskr." Well, not really, but as long as Aela vouched for her, they would not attack. Distrust, certainly - despise, definitely. It was nearly a day's journey; good timing too, it would be dark upon their arrival and Serana would be able to enter under the cover of darkness to hide her gift. Aela motioned the vampire toward the bedding. It would have to do. As she sat, Aela suddenly placed her wrist, palm up, on Serana's lap.

"If we are to leave at dawn, you will need to be fit to travel. I must make sure I will not have to carry you," Aela smirked playfully, obviously picking on the vampire, "and since I have had my fill," another gentle prod, Aela turning her hand to pat Serana's arm, "you must get yours. Do try to pretend I am not tainted and vile. And if you dare drink a drop more than you need, I'll have my friends get it back from you."

As if they could understand, the male wolf gave a quiet snort - yet it didn't seem threatening, almost amused instead. Aela lifted her wrist expectedly.

 

[Agnes]

Aela's yawn made Serana realise just how tired she was as well, suddenly feeling the aching in her shoulders and legs, and how her spine could barely keep her sitting up straight. A bit funny perhaps, that two creatures of the night would be so exhausted at the very time of the day they were supposed to be strongest in. Alas, they were still both human, even if partially. When she awoke that morning, she had imaged that the day would pass like any other, and that the most exciting thing she experienced would be hunting for game after she was done stargazing. How wrong she was; now here she was, alone with a stranger in a damp cave after almost fighting to the death, then fleeing together. What a strange turn of events.

The vampire turned curiously when the little cubs started whining, probably craving their mothers attention. She looked down at Ysa, lying her head upon her lap and gave her a smile, as if urging her to go back to her babies. The wolf seemed to understand her, standing up and giving her cheek a slight bump with her wet nose, earning a wide beam from the flattered woman. She'd never thought she could bond with a wolf either, but today seemed to be taking more and more firsts from her. With the wolf gone, she turned back to Aela, eyes roaming over the parts where her armour did not cover her skin, before fixing on her amber hues. After a moment's pondering about her suggestion, Serana gave a tentative nod.

"You have my gratitude, Aela. I can't say I'm thrilled about heading into such a large settlement, but at least it beats sleeping in caves." She stretched her arms over her head and let out a satisfied groan, feeling the joints in her sides crack as she turned. Yellow eyes followed Aela's fingers, and her nose scrunched up a bit as she saw the sorry bedding they were supposed to sleep in. "Well, that just proves my point," she said matter-of-factly, pursing her lips. "Ahh well. Perhaps the your fellow Companions will be more welcoming than you," she said with a cheeky grin, turning towards Aela and showing her pearly white teeth.

But then she huntress did something completely unexpected, and Serana simply balked at the hand being offered, still not believing what Aela was giving her. "I never said you were! You actually smelled really nice!" she said, not quite able to comprehend what she was saying, a bit flustered by Aela's words. "Just... no need for threats, alright?" She stared at her hand for a good while, eyes tracing over every vein and every little scar that marked her skin. She had never had someone offer themselves to her like this before— they always had cattle back when she was at Castle Volkihar. In a way, it felt more wrong to take blood from someone willingly, while they were concious, knowing it could hurt them. Yet, her basal needs prevailed, and having not fed in well over a month, she was famished.

"This might hurt a little," she said, grasping her arm with both hands and lifting it up near her face. "I'll try not to take too much," she said, shooting her a sly wink, and finally turned her full attention towards feeding. Her fangs bore out of her gums, and closing her eyes, she sank them into Aela's wrist, puncturing her skin and drinking deeply from her veins. The blood was not tainted and vile, in fact, and actually tasted so strong and intoxicating Serana felt like she had drunk a whole bottle of moonshine. Gulp after gulp she drank, hands holding her arm firm, feeling herself getting more and more revitalized with every drop. A satisfied moan let her lips, lost in the bliss of finally tasting blood again, and after a whole minute of the ordeal, she had to practically tear herself away so she wouldn't overfeed.

When her eyes opened again, they were full of life and vigor, and Serana looked a whole new person— not the meek and reserved girl, but a woman who looked like she could crush anyone with just her gaze. For a moment, she stared up at Aela, as if she was contemplating her next move just to mess with the werewolf, and finally licked her skin where she had broken it, her saliva healing the wounds almost instantly and easing the pain. "I do not know about tainted or vile, but by the Nine, your blood is strong," she said, finally standing up and no longer looking like she was seconds away from death. "Thank you... truly. I dare not think what would've happened if we ran into another fight before I've had the chance to feed."

Serana herself let out a yawn, her mouth opening wide open and exposing the fangs that still hadn't retracted. Lazily, she padded over to the mess of moss and leaves that was supposed to be their bedding. With a sigh, she plopped herself down on it, enjoying the cool feeling kissing her legs and backside through her dress. "It's quite cold," she noted, pulling her arms around herself, and huddling up to conserve warmth. "Perhaps it would be better if we slept closer. To preserve heat."

 

[Rea]

What a delicate little princess, not fond of her current slumber chambers. Aela could only bite the inside of her cheeks to stifle an annoyed sound - for a hunter, this vampire was unlike any other Aela had met. It reminded her of those in the cities, like Solitude, who "liked to hunt". Fancy clothes in a carriage traversing the countryside with guides at their beck and call, taking down rabbits and other small game before returning to their silken sheets and canopy beds. That was not a hunt by any means. Aela craved the feeling of earning her prize; stalking through bushes and brambles, patiently waiting for just the right moment to release a well poised arrow, the twang of the bow and the scent of fresh blood, then resting wherever she desired before doing it all again the next day. "I rather doubt it, Serana, but they will not harm you, I can promise you that."

Actually, Serana had said that, but again Aela chose not to comment on the matter - for now, that is. The flustered words of the vampire made Aela grin widely - for someone seemingly ancient she acted as a teenager sometimes. A little hurt? Please. It wasn't like they'd just been in a battle almost to death, thankfully interrupted just in time before they could fatally harm each other. Aela found herself growing rather fond of this stranger. Perhaps, along this journey, they could become friends rather than mortal enemies. Given they shared a cave, it was apparent they'd already grown past that point. Aela would only hiss softly as sharp canines pierced her wrist. After a moment she closed her eyes and steadied her breath to keep calm and still. Weakness was settling in - Aela was just about to pull away when Serana released her. The Huntress exhaled slowly trying to shake away the dizziness that had settled, just managing to catch the brief predatory gaze in the vampire. Aela flinched toward the only weapon - the abandoned arrow - but Serana ended the play. Aela narrowed her eyes, but there was a twitch of a smile before Aela moved to allow the vampire first pick on the moss - Serana's comment broke the Huntress, then. Aela laughed while shaking her head. "Milk drinker," Aela teased. She settled beside the vampire, with her front to Serana's back. It was cold, though, in the damp dark atmosphere. Aela was used to it, but she'd always had someone to wrap around in this place. Slowly, so Serana could shift in place, Aela wrapped an arm around the vampire's torso. She scooted close until they pressed together; Aela's face buried in the braid she had made. "You'll have all the commodities you require at Jorrvaskr, princess. I'll see that you are given what you need before we start our search for your kin."

No more words for now; Aela coiled about Serana almost possessively to contain their warmth. She thought it'd be difficult to sleep without his arms around her, but it was not long at all until the Huntress was gone from the world. Deep in slumber neither women would notice the approach of the wolves. They padded softly closer, until the male rested behind Aela, the female at their heads, and cubs to the front of Serana. Protected by their guardians, hours of rest rejuvenated the night dwellers.

Until, just as the sun crested the horizon, Aela began to twitch and stir with her arms still bound to Serana's waist. The wolves were first to open their eyes. The male went straight to the entryway to watch for enemies, while the mother and cubs tenderly began to lick and nuzzle at the slumbering beauties faces.

"Skjor?" mumbled Aela sleepily, temporarily tightening her hold on the other until she realized the form was much smaller, softer than his broad masculine form. Aela jolted away immediately, before recalling the previous day's events. Feeling sorry for likely jerking the vampire awake, Aela came a little closer. "Feel better, milk drinker?" she taunted while laying on her back and stretching deeply.

 

[Agnes]

"Milk drinker!?" Serana gasped, sounding absolutely offended by the teasing remark. She turned, slamming down the Elder Scroll in her arms beside her into the moss, looking like she was all but ready to give a frenzied debate. Perhaps Aela had made a mistake, letting her feed on her— Serana was a much more lively and argumentative woman when she wasn't starved for blood. "If wanting suitable accomodations and being averse to sleeping in the mud classifies me as a milk drinker, then yes, I am one." Having made her point, and not in the mood to have further discussions, Serana threw herself down and turned on her sides, staring straight at the priceless artifact she's held for months as she willed herself to sleep.

Sleep would not come immediately, however, and she could feel Aela settling in beside her, shifting in place and getting comfortable. Serana remained still, a bit sulky still after being called a milk drinker, but she did lose her rigidity when she felt Aela's arm snaking across her waist. She etched closer until there was no more space between them, and Serana could feel just how warm she was. Inadvertently, she sighed at the soothing sensation, shifting a bit to find the perfect angle to press her backside against her crotch, so that their bodies lined up perfectly. To preserve heat, she told herself. "I'm not a princess, and I'm not that posh," she said irritably, eyes rolling in the dark, hating how she liked the way the word sounded upon the huntress's lips. It brought back memories of a past life, one that was happy and free of curses and regrets. She was allowed to enjoy her happiness wherever she could, Serana reasoned with herself, and simply accepted name as a compliment. "Goodnight," she whispered sleepily, just as she slipped into a fitful slumber, the first one she had had in quite a while.

Serana enjoyed a peaceful, dreamless sleep, and was awoken by the touch of small furry creatures nuzzling against her and licking her face. Eyes still closed, she grinned and pulled one of the feisty little things into her arms to cuddle with it, earning a surprised little yelp from the cub in the process. Ysa stepped in and gently nipped her nose, and the vampire mumbled, "Alright, alright..." as she let the wolf cub go and snuggle back into sleep. For a moment she'd forgotten she was not alone, and was sharply reminded of that fact when Aela squeezed her and pulled her in tight, mumbling some name she's never heard before. Serana froze in her spot, wondering who Skjor might be. Her lover, perhaps? Must be, for her to be calling out his name while practically cuddling with someone.

Then Aela seemed to come to her senses, jerking away from Serana and waking up the vampire fully in the process. She groaned, clearly not happy at being shaken awake in such a fashion, and she sat up and yawned as she stretched, still managing to keep her eyes closed. They did open in irritation at Aela though, and the huntress earned a slap on her arm for the petty insult. "You're just going to keep calling me that, aren't you?" she whined groggily. "I'm feeling worlds better, thanks," she said more genuinely, and scrambled up to her feet so she could go clean herself up at the creek. Ysa and her cubs followed the vampire, and Serana spent a good while playing with them and letting them drink from her hands while she waited for Aela to get up.

When she does, Serana would be fresh faced and clean, water dripping from her chin after washing her face, and she greeted Aela with a smile as she scratched one of the cubs' ear. "Go clean yourself up. You look like shit," she said with a small laugh, and hoisted herself up to go pack up her things; namely, her Elder Scroll. With it slung around her back, she returned to where Aela and the wolves were, and knelt down so she would be level with the animals. "Thank you so much for letting us stay here," she said softly to Ysa, and the wolf stared into her eyes, as if she understood every word she spoke. "Perhaps we will meet again, if I happen to pass by." She nipped her hand in response, and Serana beamed.

"Shall we go, then? Whiterun must be a day's travel at least, and I'm not a particularly fast walker, unless you intend to carry me." And she'd made it very clear she had no intention of carrying her.

 

[Rea]

The slap upon her arm did little to disturb Aela despite the long reach of her limbs; she only chuckled quietly (quite glad to find another nerve to pluck the vampire's temperament) before rising to a sitting position. Of course the princess dearest wanted to cleanse herself but Aela did not care to. After sleeping on earth her scent would be better covered and undetectable by enemies, but there was a soft appreciative smile as she saw how readily Ysa and her cubs drew to the stranger's touch. The boldest of the young leapt up and down Serana's legs - not harmfully, but wishing to engage in the bath and roll about the water. Never before had she seen the young so adventurous; even when Skjor and she had inhabited after a hunt they'd only come to warm them in the night, then leave to guard with their parents. Aela gave a few soft scratches to each - perhaps a particularly long one upon the bold bouncing cub - before she shook her head at Serana's desire. "Absolutely not. You will remain with my tainted and vile smell," a brief pause, knowing the taunt and following reaction, "to deter wildlife. Smell of the prey, and you become the predator."

It would have taken her longer to prepare had she kept the necessary supplies - a weapon, first of all, which she missed terribly given the scowl on her face. Serana may have had fun with the cubs - who now yawned and stretched joining their parents at the entry awaiting their friends departure - they wouldn't attack, not when grown oddly so close, but they certainly couldn't keep them safe forever. One arrowhead between them. They'd have to backtrack to recover their arms, if any were to be left. Would it be worth it?

"Yes."

The armor Aela wore was her mother's, but the bow had been her father's. It was heavy for a woman but she knew it well. That meant they'd arrive at Whiterun in the middle of the night, not dusk as expected. Aela would not leave her father's bow behind. Although she loved her parents, eternity would lie with a hunt with Hircine upon her death where such things were not needed. Until then, she'd cherish what humanity held for her to the greatest extent.

"A brief backtrack, to recover our arms. I need my bow, and else we left. It'll only take a bit, considering we aren't half dead and fleeing. And...what the hell is that?"

Serana had kept a tight grip on some long paper scroll that Aela just noticed as the vampire and she rose to bid farewell to their new furry friends. Aela had seen it before but given the ducking, dodging, and not dying bit the massive thing hadn't caused a tweak consciously until they neared the cave entry half a day later to depart.

"You've held onto that longer than my breath," Aela mentioned shortly after the beginning of their trek, while nodding to the giant roll of paper at Serana's back. "What is it?

 

[Agnes]

Serana looked at Aela stonily, as if she was looking upon some flithy, savage beast. In fact, the vampire would've happily classified her as such, if not for the fact that they had spent the night sleeping in each other's arms, and spent the few hours before that running for their lives with only each other to depend on. Her lips twitched, beginning to realize that Aela was serious in her adamant refusal to at least clean up just a little bit. "Right. That's why I bested you in that forest then, because I'm an odorous parasite that could smell your scent from miles away." Still though, she was of not mind to force her to do anything, as she was an adult and not a child, and left the huntress to her own devices and moved on throuh the motions.

With everything packed up and farewells and thanks said to the wolves who so graciously welcomed then, the two women prepared to set out. Aela's suggestion caught Serana off guard, but she nodded nonetheless after contemplating it for a few seconds. "More than likely the Dawnguard will have snatched it up; it's a valuable weapon, no? With any luck they'll still be camped out around the area, with the element of surprise on our side this time." The trail was a beautiful image of yellow and green of autumn, and as much as Serana loved the scenery and beauty of day, the sun's heat made her uncomfortable in her own body. With no cloak or hood to cover herself, she felt the sun's rays burning upon her skin. "Mind you, I won't be as potent in my abilities as the night before, as we are in broad daylight. I have your blood coursing through me though. I won't fall to my knees because of a single arrow like last time," she promised.

The trek went as a leisurely pace, and Serana took the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air and revel in the feeling of safety and freedom, having another by her side. She shuffled uncomfortably when asked about the roll of paper upon her back, but she answered truthfully, trusting Aela to be sound in her judgement. "It's an Elder Scroll," she said plainly. "A gift from my mother, before she sealed me in some obscure cave for thousands of years." She flashed Aela a toothy grin, very well aware of the implications of what she had said. "Don't worry, I've only been really alive for a short span of time. I'm not some ancient vampire deceiving you into slavery, or some such."

But with her question answer, Serana deemed it appropriate to ask one of her own as well. "When we were sleeping," she began, just as they came towards the edge of the forest, "you called me by another name. Skjor. Is he... is he your lover?" Serana was well aware what she asked might be too personal, but her inquisitive nature prevailed, and judging from the fact Aela jerked away from her when she noticed she wasn't this Skjor person, the vampire knew it would be an important subject.

 

[Rea]

"It is not valuable to anyone but me. It was my father's bow," Aela explained to show the significance of the weapon. Upon plain sight it did not seem particularly unique for any reason, but Aela could not simply abandon it. Besides, as Serana continued, they'd need her cloak to shield the vampire from the sun. Aela paused to glance back at Serana as she told what the scroll was - the Huntress had never heard that term before, but it was the fact her mother had sealed the woman away for a very long time that stunned her. Aela remained silent with a perked brow for a moment, before shaking her head then continuing her walk. "She seems...nice," Aela whispered.

At the edge of the woods, Serana posed her own question which again caused a hesitation in the Huntress. "Did I?" Aela didn't remember doing so, but it made sense. She felt a sharp pang in her chest. With a soft sigh, she leaned against one of the trees. "He...was, but is no longer. He's hunting with Hircine now," Aela answered quietly, with her eyes cast to the ground. "It was he who bestowed the gift upon me. Only select Companions are given the blood, and it is secret among us. When I was learning, he brought me to the cave to control me. That is when we met the wolves."

Aela turned to the sky, soaking in the sun and watching the clouds slowly float across. "They miss him, too."

Not wishing to dwell on the matter, Aela waved a dismissive hand while gazing across the horizon. Faintly in the distance a thin streak of gray smoke drifted into the sky. Narrowing her eyes, she inhaled - a fire, likely their camp. "Look, there. It must be them," Aela pointed out, "We are lucky; they aren't far. Stay behind me, out of sight. They will not recognize me from last night. I can approach, and say I've seen a vampire the opposite way. When they leave we can retrieve our weapons, and put the vermin down. What do you think?"

As good a plan as any, Aela thought. She crouched to the ground before gathering a handful of mud. Eyes on the prize, Aela began to apply her war paint, hearing her father's voice quietly in the back of her mind.

"Eyes open, little hunter, all three - even your mind's eye. Cross everything else out." His rough fingers made two cross marks on her forehead, leaving the center open. "Focus on the horizon to keep moving forward." A long horizontal across her cheeks and nose.

Aela stood up, tall and proud. Confidently she began to move toward the smoke, the Huntress in all her glory stalking her prey.

 

[Agnes]

The fact that the bow belonged to Aela's father made Serana roll back her initial hesitance. A father's love was something she never had, but she could understand it. That bow would carry memories, and even if it was worthless to anyone else, she knew it would be priceless to the huntress. In much the same way the Elder Scroll was important to Serana, actually. Unlike Aela's bow, the scroll was a powerful artifact and the vampire despised the thing, wished she could toss it off a cliff into the bottomless sea. Yet she held onto it, for it was the only thing she had left of her mother. At least she had fond memories of the woman, even if the betrayal clouded much of her judgement.

"Oh... I'm sorry," she said quietly, worrying if she'd stepped on her toes by asking the question. From the way she hesitated and looked down to the ground, Serana guessed that the loss would've been recent, and that she was still healing from the wounds. The Companions and the secret existence of lycanthropy within their ranks didn't concern Serana as much, but it did confirm her suspicions that Aela wouldn't be the only wolf she encounters. Best be on her guard then. "He lives on in your memory," she said helpfully, trying to pull Aela back out of the emotional trap she's pushed her into. "And perhaps an eternity in Hircine's hunting grounds would be his paradise, if he's anything like you."

A trail of smoke rising from the woods put an end to their conversation for now, and immediately Serana felt her nerves tense as she thought of encountering the Dawnguard again. Aela didn't seem to share her concerns, formulating a plan and going over it in methodical fashion. The vampire breathed in, calming her nerves and thinking of her role in the plan. "A sound plan. I'll send an illusion to lead them away into the denser parts of the woods once you've managed to convince them. We'll have the shadows on our side when we ambush them, and we shall hunt them one by one."

Their plan resolute, Serana followed Aela into the woods, studying the curious way the huntress applied her war paint. She wore the same one when they fought the night before, though Serana had her mind on more pressing matters back then. Silently, the two creatures of the night crept into the dark of the forest, the sunlight eventually blocked out by the canopy above. Serana could feel her strength returning with every second. Once they were at the edge of the camp, Serana halted and went sideways, giving Aela a small nod of confirmation before circling around the camp.

While her companion talked to their prey, Serana began channeling her magicka and preparing her spell, patiently lying in wait. Once she heard footsteps coming her way, she cast the spell, forming an illusion of herself in her full vampire regalia— long black hair that flowed to the middle of her back, an ostentatious red dress, a black cape, and her eyes glowing a dark red. The fake Serana would wait until they've seen her, and then immediately break into a stride as she ran deeper into the forest.

"Over there!" one of them called, and the whole group quickly gave chase, abandoning the camp in the process.

Satisfied, Serana emerged from the bushels and made way into the camp, smiling dazzlingly at the woman waiting for her. "Hope you didn't have to wait too long," she quipped as she began rummaging through the tents and sleeping bags, searching for a cloak to protect her in daylight— preferably a thick one, to protect from the cold as well. She eventually selected a thick black fur-lined coat with a hood large enough to obscure her entire face. With a flair, she wrapped the thing around her shoulders, and also picked up a fine steel dagger from around the campfire to finish off her equipment.

"Shall we?"

 

[Rea]

It was too soon to discuss such personal matters; Aela was indebted to serve Serana in the meantime but she was not willing to fully discuss their histories - the vampire far more interesting than the huntress. After they prepared themselves for their primary journey, perhaps the huntress would accept further inquiries with acquiescence, considering she has several of her own regarding Serana enclosed with an alleged Elder Scroll - whatever that meant. For now, the hunt was on. Aela crept closer, within earshot to the camp she dropped to her stomach to listen.

"...they ran! We almost got them, too."
"Both?!"
"Why would a vampire and werewolf travel together?"
"Who knows? Doesn't matter! I had one in my arms, and he had the other -"
"Talos bless, it smelled awful. Anyway I was about to sl-"

Unable to tolerate their lies another moment Aela ducked down, to crawl forward unexpectedly. Hearing a sudden noise the guards drew their arms but after seeing a scantily armored woman without weapons they were quick to lower their hands. "Oh, thank the Gods!" she groaned as if out of breath. "A vampire...it, it attacked me, just minutes ago. It went that way. Please, help me."

Off they went into the opposite woods seeking what did not exist. Aela held the chuckle until Serana joined her to confiscate their camp. "That was perfect. I'll make a hunter of you yet, milk drinker." A soft tease this time - same words, but respect given with the softer tone. Illusion magic could come in handy, it seemed, she'd have to inquire about it one day. A topic for another time; they had blood to draw now. The bow and quiver was easy to find, but her Skyforge dagger was gone; Earlund wouldn't be happy about making her another one, but she knew he would.

Stepping into the woods, she spotted one of them immediately past a few trees. He was crouched and slowly creeping forward. With an arrow ready, Aela came closer, then gave a loud whistle. He turned as the string snapped, and grunted as the steel tip found his heart. Aela grinned viciously as he fell, watching the life fade from his eyes. And, once on the ground, she noted her dagger in his hand. Perfect; now she didn't have to beg Earlund for another. As she bent to collect it, another of the guards rounded a tree behind her, sword in hand.

"Hands off, thief! You're with that vampire, aren't you?!"

Aela rose slowly, unable to ready an arrow before he could be upon her. She kept her eyes on him as he approached, sword tip aimed at her chest but not penetrating. "Tell me where she is, and you'll die faster."

The Huntress only smiled tauntingly. "Behind you."

She wasn't, but he twirled nonetheless. Aela was upon him instantly, jerking the sword from his hand and using it to thrust in his back. Two down, two to go. Hopefully Serana's hunt was going just as smoothly.

 

[Agnes]

Serana gave a huge eye-roll at the name-calling, though this time it was more out of playful annoyance rather than being truly offended. It bugged her how she still wasn't able to come up with a good name for her, and that she was taking jab after verbal jab as the huntress teased her to no end. What does one call strong-willed, haughty werewolf whose blood tasted like fine wine? A tasty bloodbag? Promising herself that she would not be outdone, she phased the thoughts out of her mind for the moment as she refocused on the task at hand. Dawnguard, four of them, each one now separated in their attempt to search for her. "We shall see who is the better hunter soon, Huntress," she said with a confident, lopsided smile, and vanished into the shadows of the woods.

While she was no refined hunter like Aela, Serana was still a creature of the night, and she blended into the darkness like a fish takes to water. Her white cloak and torn dress magically camouflaged to a dark green, she stalked from branch to branch, yellow eyes sharp on the lookout for prey. The first she found lurking near a river, crouching behind tall tufts of weed as she readied her bow. Silently, she dropped down from the branch, landing with a soft thud, still not alerting the woman. Her fingers danced as she cast her spell, droplets of water rising from the earth and coalescing and crystallizing into a sharp ice spike.

Taking her time, Serana breathed in a steadying breath and took aim, then released the spike with a snap of her fingers. It flew at lightning speed and struck the Dawnguard member right on the back of her head, going through her whole head and coming out of her face. She was dead before she knew what happened, and the body fell onto the ground with a pathetic thud. Serana grinned.

So this is how it feels to be the hunter. No wonder Aela likes to so much.

As she was enjoying her victory, she heard footsteps coming from the east, and Serana ducked back into cover, readying another ice spike all the while.

"Ygritte? You there?" The man called, searching for his now dead comrade, carefully making his way across the river to where the body lay. Serana waited patiently, waiting for him to discover the body. Once he did, he let out an agonized wail, falling to his knees and gently cradling the body. He sobbed and whispered to it, but he didn't have to for long— Serana's spell hit him in the head not a moment later, and soon he was dead as well, going out in the same way the other one did. Satisfied, Serana slinked back into the covers and made her way back to the camp, running into Aela near the site.

"I'm guessing both of our ventures went well," she said a bit breathlessly, having jogged over the last couple of minutes. She looked more vibrant than before, knowing that she no longer had to look over her shoulder every minute. Serana took little pleasure in taking people's lives, but when they were looking to end her life, the vampire had inclination to spare theirs. The only exception she made was for the woman beside her. "Wait a moment. I should change into something more appropriate for travel," she said, spotting a set of clean leather armor on the racks. "Turn around," she told Aela, flicking her finger forward and motioning her not to look, and promptly changed into the tight fit of an attire. "Doesn't fit too well... A bit too tight around my chest..." she grunted, trying to hook the clasps behind her back and failing miserably.

"Errm, you can look now... Can you come help me with this?" she asked frustratedly, no longer caring that she was nude from the waist down.

 

[Rea]

"Very well, indeed," Aela preened happily. There was no pride in cold blooded murder, but a battle was different. It was Nordic custom, they were hardy and tough people. Besides, they'd been chasing the women anyway, and it would have only ended when one side fell. Idly the Huntress flicked through the camp for supplies, but paused when Serana told her not to look. Curiously Aela lifted a brow - what a prude, she had been nude in front of this one twice, and Serana couldn't even change clothes? With an annoyed sigh she did as asked, turning her back to the vampire while plucking potion ingredients from one of the abandoned pouches.

"You probably don't ha-...oh." Aela paused during the sentence, surprised to see a rather pretty backside greeting her. She was shapely, her fair skin smooth and likely very soft. The Huntress chuckled, forcing her eyes up to notice the problem of the armored tunic. "You have to adjust the strips. Here, let me." Aela expertly loosened the thin leather sections to make a better fit, though her eyes kept traveling down to the lovely rear she itched to touch, wanting to know if it was as soft as the rest of Serana's skin. "You're quite pretty…" Aela complimented, ignoring the reddening of her own cheeks. Ah, that would not do. She needed to fix that. "...for a parasite. There, that should feel better. We can find something you'd like better at Jorrvaskr."

Casting her eyes aside, Aela began to gather whatever could be useful for their journey, which was plenty. Lots of food, potions and ingredients, and even a silver necklace with a small amber gemstone in the amulet. Aela offered it to Serana, as she had no use for such trinkets.

"Time to go. I do not wish to be discovered by another surrounded by the dead. Are you ready, pretty parasite?"

 

[Agnes]

Serana murmured a small thanks in relief as Aela came to her help, finally able to breathe again as the leather strips were loosened to make room for her chest. Her comment had the vampire turning around in surprise, it being the first compliment she'd gotten from the huntress's lips. "Oh really? I hadn't quite noticed," she replied with a cheeky smile, eyes dancing with amusement and satisfaction, but it was gone all too soon, turned into a pout, as the woman continued talking. Quite pretty, for a parasite. Of course. How wonderful would it be if she could shut up her pretty mouth whenever she wanted? Serana would make Aela keep quiet whenever the woman tries to call her one of the many names she's devised over the past twelve hours. She shuddered to think what she could come up with if she was given a week.

Done with her upper body, she then slipped into the tight leather pants, which too were a snug fit around her backside. Serana sighed, not too enthused about possessing her curves at the moment. Still, she wiggled into them with some effort, learning to adjust the straps as Aela had. She'd asked for her help in a rush earlier, and only realized now that the woman probably would've gotten a good view of her exposed ass while she was suffocating in leather. Her cheeks flushed, and it only worsened when she saw that Aela was blushing as well. Ahh, what was wrong with her? Moving on.

Forcing the feelings of embarassment from her mind, she joined Aela in looting the camp, taking more than she would normally need so as to allow for detours in delays in their journeys. She pocketed some empty soul gems, potion ingredients, food, wine. She was hard at work searching, humming go herself, when Aela approached and offered her a beautiful silver necklace, with an amber gemstone embedded. "Oh... thanks," Serana replied softly, accepting the amulet with gratitude. It matched with her skin and choice of color for her attire, and perhaps she could enchant it when they arrived in Whiterun. The Companions would surely have a mage among their ranks, she hoped.

All done, she checked everything on her person, nodding after seeing all was accounted for. "Ready as I ever will be, wolf," she said, joining her, and the two women set out from the woods towards the city of Whiterun.