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A Ravens Heart and a Witch's Soul....(Anaeria and runawayninja only please! )

Rafe sighed softly. "I used the power of the Ravenfaust bloodline, my family's bloodline. I tapped into the monster inside me, the beast that is always by my side." Rafe set the brush down and walked back to the fire, sitting down on his pack as he looked at Ariana. "Many decades, perhaps even centuries ago, my people were nomads, hunters and horsepeople who followed the herds of beasts and made their living on how chance and fate dictated. But they wanted something better, they wanted land and a home, a culture of their own. But time and again, they were treated as hostiles and barbarians, and they realized that most of the fertile lands were claimed already. They did eventually find a blasted piece of swampland called Ravenholm and they made it their own. They had some help from bands of wild swamp-dwelling elves, but it was tough work with strange wildlife and disease. But through hard work and toil, they did it. They learned that the swamp's ravens often held potents of kindness, wild berries, safe dens, and herbal medicines. They learned from the elves that the swamp was guarded by a minor goddess called the Raven Lady, and the ravens were her children and messengers, and that she had taken kindly on these people whom others cast out, and so worship of her took root in my people, and gave them hope and strong hearts as they trasformed Ravenholm in arable farm and cattle land, building homes, villages, and temples to their goddess.

But they found that the swamp had been mastered by another. A fiendish Black Dragon named Fraglore, who often traveled in human form to lure young maidens into the swamp, only to dine on them. He saw my people as denizens of his kingdom, pawns to be used and exploited at his whim and fancy, and those that attempted to resist were subject to his magic and acidic breath. But a man stood strong against Fraglore when he lost all he had to the dragon, and though he was no noble or knight, he vowed to end the fiend's reign of terror. His single-mindedness and acts of charity on his quest won him the Raven Lady's favor and she gave him her blessings when he confronted the fiend in it's lair. We have his writings of the den saved and preserved. It was a foul and rancid place, where Fraglore pickled his victims in acidic swamp water to his liking. Numerous deadly traps and spells were waiting, but the man managed to get through them with the help of his goddess, until he confronted Fraglore in his horde. The dragon, as he described him, was a young one, but still large and he barely survived the encounter, but an ancient and blessed sword in the dragon's own horde, pointed out to the man by a singular raven, allowed him to prevail, turning the dragon's magic back upon him. That man was Sigismund Ravenfaust, my ancestor, and he used the great wealth in the dragon's horde to build Ravenholm into a small kingdom, setting himself up as lord of the land, and the Ravenfausts have reigned since. The When he died, the Raven Lady accepted him into her realm as her consort, and they say his sons and daughters were bred from her, since he had no queen. And since...we have all had a portion of her power, giving us the ability to turn into ravens, either a single one or a flock, to walk as humans, or to walk between those forms, as a great raven, or as a beastly human...and then there is the Magnus Raven. The monstrous form that lurks inside those of the Ravenfaust blood, coiled inside our guts like a ball of rage, waiting to explode...I used the Magnus Raven against him, unleashing the beast inside, all that fury, because he was going to hurt White Rose...and I..." He paused, looked down. "I can't lose anyone else. Lord Haedrian killed all of my family, and my brother and sister knights of the order. I am the last of both...and I cannot stop until his tyranny and that of his clan are put to an end. So...it was either going to be Rastaban or me."
 
Rafe's story was both wonderous...and horrible, as Ariana listened to him, her thoughts imagining the tale vividly until the end when he explained what all had happened, the why of his hate for this vampire lord. Her emerald eyes almost glowed in the firelight as she regarded him, her gaze intense as she considered her thoughts before she responded, the silence falling between them being rather pleasant in her opinion. ~" That is a good true history of your family and your order Rafe, in return for aiding my and White Rose's escape I will help you against this Vapire Lord Haedrian, as I have said so before, I vow it now. Whether in life or in death, I will aid you in his permanent demise."~ Leaning over, away from Rose a bit, she pressed her muzzle gently against his arm, liking his scent.

Then, her tone took on a more amused note to it as she added ~"Besides, vampires and lycanthropes are notorious enemies, I'd see him once and wanna eat him. Vampires taste horrible but it seems to kill them pretty well when ya eat 'them!"~ She grinned at him doggy style, then rested until he grew weary and took over the watch for the rest of the night, dawn coming up slowly the next morning to find her naked human form lying between the two of them, her eyes on the sky as it lightened, though her other senses were for their surroundings. "....And a beautiful dawn it is..." Her words, spoken aloud, were a gentle whisper as tears of gratitude and sheer happiness slid from her eyes, making her blink to be able to see the sky better. The dawn was cold, and her nipples were erect because of it, but other than that she was fine and radiating body heat to keep her two pack mates warm.
 
The air was clear and the morning light lit up the sky in such a brilliant way that Ariana hadn't seen in years. Rafe was up soon after the dawn, praying and running through his morning exercises. When he finished and saw White Rose still sleeping off her exhaustion, he smiled a bit at Ariana, taking a moment to admire her fine nudity. "Good morning..." His eyes were difficult to pull away from her body, though he was trying his best not to be vulgar. "I hope the watch went quickly..." He moved towards her, sitting next to her. "So...I need to ask you something. Do you...feel something for Lady White Rose? I think she definite feels something for you...it's pretty obvious from where I stand..."
 
Ariana blinked and smiled, watching Rafe get up and do his exercises and prayers, the soft words coming to her ears pleasant and un-complicated. His question however when he finished, took her off guard, though his scent as he'd looked at her body had her responding slightly, growing a bit warmer. She wasn't self conscious about her nudity, she revelled in it, and the eyes of a fine man like him were welcome to look at her like he was....but for his question.

Tilting her head as she looked down at Rose, still very much asleep and curled into her side pleasantly, the Lycanthrope smiled slightly and then looked at him "I'm not human Rafe, and that means alot of things are different about me than most humans care to understand. Not because they can't, but because they see my kind as monsters and most want us all dead. My mating choices are also a bit strange...you see, I feel very loving towards Rose, and if she consented I would be quite happy to bed her, show her pleasure and be her mate, but I would be just as happy with a male such as yourself you see, you could give me children, you are strong and kind, handsome and your scent is very much appealing to me. Rose, I would always have that need to protect even though her magic is stronger than mine....with you...I wouldn't mind fighting with you, protecting each other in battle or loving each other in bed. I love Rose, she is my one friend that I trust above all others, and I confess that I care for her more than a friend possibly should. So, I do not wish to hurt her feelings. It will be up to her whether or not I go further with her than friendship or not...Of course if the three of us consented I would also be happy to be mate to both of you....." Trailing off as she began to confuse herself with her words, since Ariana wasn't much one for talking a long time, she shook her head slightly and sat up to stretch.

"I'll wake her up, if you wish? I know we have a long way to go today, and perhaps my magics can increase my furred size so I can carry Rose or yourself so we can go farther...I do not know yet." She then rolled to her side facing Rose and began to pet her hair lightly, hoping to wake her up gently. The last thing she wished was to scare her friend, her pack mate, and possible mate, after all.
 
Rafe smiled a bit at her. "I've thought myself a monster at times, because of who I am, but...it truly sometimes takes a monster to fight one. And if you're a monster like me, I'm glad to know you. I know what you mean, and I think we're as much alike as we are different. I feel many things. Food is usually not a problem for me, as I'm able to eat a wide variety of things, even rotten food or carrion if I have to, and insects aren't a problem either, though I refrain from doing so in the presence of others. I tend to climb trees in human form to find a nice spot to sit and perch on. I hate being alone, ravens aren't creatures you find in singular form. When I fight, I want to eat out my enemy's eyes...eyes are really delicious you know, like jelly." He looked at her for a long moment and smiled a bit. "Ravens tend to pair-bond for life, but...sometimes you'll find one visiting the nest of another woman when the male is away..." He leaned towards her and gave her a sudden, brazen kiss.
 
Ariana blinked, then smiled as he kissed her before she turned to Rose, her mouth opening in a small sound of surprise before she returned it, finding that she liked the taste of his mouth. So, ravens mated for life then, that was a good thing to know. And she could share him with Rose, quite easily if the delicate human woman was alright with that and held attraction to him in return. The redhead pulled back after a minute or so and licked her lips, savouring the taste of his mouth on her tongue, then smiled. "I think we could get along quite....well."

Contrary to her beast form, her human voice almost purred with satisfaction as she began to recognize him as a mate for herself, Wolf within her agreeing before She faded back to sleep within Ariana's mind. "I am similar, although I tend to prefer that fresh splash of blood from a torn jugular over the taste of eyes. Those are good for a snack to me, but can be slightly hard to get with a rounded muzzle, I always pop them before I can get them out of the sockets." Shrugging her shoulders, she pressed another kiss to Rafe's lips again before she turned to Rose and pressed her lips to the other womans' gently, wanting her to wake up in a much more pleasant manner than she had intended before.
 
Rafe chuckled softly and grinned. "I think that's because I'm an entirely different animal." A play on words. He broke from her in order to get his mount ready for the day. "I don't have anymore food on me, so we might have to hunt for game, unless we can manage across a coaching house or some other place to stay. I have some copper and silver pieces on me, so I should be able to buy us food and lodging." He looked at her with White Rose and smiled a little, feeling a little more comfortable at the idea of this strange dichotomy of a relationship.

White Rose slowly stirred when she felt lips upon her own and her eyes fluttered open. When self-awareness entered her and she saw Ariana so close, she shot upright in her seat and looked flustered. "G-good morning, Lady Ariana! Umm..." She quickly looked around for something to do and started to roll up the pack she had been on as best as she could, trying not to look at Ariana...or at least be seen looking.
 
Ariana smiled and then responded with a quiet "Good morning Rose." Before she too got up and helped with the packs, deliberately catching the other woman as they both straightened up, Rose having to use both arms to hold the bulky pack while Ariana just needed one hand. Her other she used to turn the womans' head to her, and she pressed her lips to hers again briefly before she pulled away and smiled gently, then headed for the horse to strap the pack to the saddle. "Food sounds brilliant, though I doubt we'll find much game at all around here, there's almost nothing in the way of prey scents around here, and there's nothing but wind and rain and plant life that I've seen during the watch too, not even a mouse showed up all night."

Looking at Rafe with a cheerful expression as she cinched the pack tight, she shifted to her wolf form quickly....only this time, her wolf form was the same rough size as Alexandria. Looking at Rafe and Rose after a moment, Ariana stretched experimentally then said ~"I thought I could do this within the first year, but it took alot of focus....so I don't think it'll be too useful in a fight other than at the beginning of one perhaps, what do you two think?"~
 
White Rose, nearly shrieked with surprise when Ariana kissed her, but she absolutely melted into the kiss. All her muscles and tension turned into jelly as she slowly leaned into the kiss. And when it was over, she looked like she might pop her top, she was so red. But a gentle exhale and a wide, if reserved, smile on her face told of her absolute contentedness. Then she began to hum most pleasantly as she helped to pack up at a more leisurely and relaxed pace, as if the world itself would have to wait on her.

Rafe gave a soft laugh as he saw what happened and then looked at Ariana. "Ah, so you have a near-animal form as well. I myself have six forms. The man...the raven...the Magnus Corvidae, which means Great Raven, the monsterous form...the near-man, which is just freakish looking...the near-raven, which looks like a huge raven...and if I need an escape, I can turn into a flock of ravens, but I am extremely vulnerable in that form. My intelligence and being is scattered amongst several ravens, and though they share a single mind, it's hard to maintain my focus like that, my animal instinct takes more over my mind. And the loss of a few of the flock inhibits my health greatly when they reintegrate. But I think your near-wolf form is great, and it should be very useful...can you track well or travel better in that form?"
 
~"Not really so much farther in my halfway form, I'm far faster on all fours, larger or smaller, and can run for days at a steady lope though I tend to pass out nearing the sixth or seventh. This form I've yet to test out fully, though I do feel much stronger than in my regular wolf form."~ The idea of his having six forms was fascinating to one who only had three, make that four now, alternate bodies. ~"The only thing that I could compare to your abilities is that in my human form I can gain attributes of my beast form; claws and teeth or fur or a tail and ears, that sort of thing. I'd love to see your other forms eventually as well, though it seems we are ready to go now."~ Looking over at Rose's contented humming, Ariana smiled slightly in her canine form and then shook herself out and then looked between the two.

~"So! Who is to ride Alexandria and who is to ride me?"~ Her query was cheerful, though her belly rumbled hungrily as she asked and she fell silent to look between her front paws at the sound and sensation. ~".....Oh yeah....hunger is a normal thing out here.....I'd forgotten that....feels odd."~ Her 'voice' was musing, more for herself as though she hadn't meant to talk to them at all before she looked back up at the two and tilted her head to wait for a response.
 
White Rose slowly walked over to Ariana, taking the initiative on this matter. "Umm..." She slowly mounted onto Ariana's back and awkwardly gripped some of her longer fur on her back. "Are you sure this isn't going to hurt you? It feels strange to be on you like this..."

Rafe quickly got onto Alexandria and smiled, seeing the pair as he started to get his mount going. He thought that he had something new to protect now. But maybe it was only fair to let them know where he was going. "I have to let you two know, I have an obligation to my people. I have to return to Ravenholm and help them however I can. But you two don't. Ravenholm is dangerous land now. There are undead of all kinds, insane lycanthropes roam the countryside...and people whisper that Fraglore's brood still exist. It's not safe, but it's my home."

White Rose looked down at Ariana. "What's a Fraglore?"
 
~"Fraglore is the name of an old black dragon whom was slain by one of Rafe's ancestors in the past. Apparently his descendants still live, and probably hold some kind of grudge or something, I don't much about dragons. As for insane Lycanthropes...those can only be Bitten Ones, a trueborn like myself don't tend to go insane unless we lose our SoulBound Mate. Something similar to a humans' fairy tale about soul mates and the like."~ Her mental voice was vaguely amused as she explained, somewhat, about the tale and her own kind. Glancing at Rose on her back as she held onto her fur a bit hesitantly, the white wolf lolled her tongue lightly, then bunched her muscles slightly and used a bit of her magics, now restored, to slide the woman up a little on her back and 'belt' her on more safely since she was new at riding a wolf bareback.

~"I do not have any real place to go so far, I was more of a traveller before, with a small cottage in the DeepWood to the southeast, but it's probably been taken over with the wilderness by now. How about you Rose?"~ Beginning to move, her paws silent in the thick grasses and thin pathways as she strode easily beside Alexandria, the woman within the wolf was happy to be speaking with others who were not attempting to use her for their own gain, and was content to be travelling with what her wolf side considered her Pack members. She had no troubles going into danger, things like physical attacks, spiritual ones and the like were welcome by the hot blooded female, and she was determined to aid Rafe with gaining back his home, since he had effectively given her back her world. White Rose however, she was uncertain of; if the woman wished to go someplace, then she would also be happy to take her and then meet back up with Rafe, but it would hurt. Alot. Wolf and Ariana both despised the idea of losing a good pack, mate, friend or otherwise.
 
White Rode clung to Ariana, but she shook her head firmly. "I have no where else left to go. I have no home anymore, my home was amongst Orlouge's holdings. My home is with the both of you now. You are my family and I'll go wherever you do." White Rose was firm in her words, running contrary to her usual nature. She seemed like she wouldn't be parted from the two of them if she had anything to do with it.
 
Rose's firm words were a balm to Ariana's worry, and the wolf yipped in delight and stretched herself into a long legged lope, just for the hell of it, pulling ahead of Alexandria with a burst of energy that made her feel giddy. ~"You have no idea how happy that makes me Rose, thank you!"~ Her voice was excited, happy and reflected her relief as she ran for nearly an hour in that easy pace then slowed somewhat and paced with Alexandria and Rafe, her ears twitching as she panted to cool her temperature ~"You do not mind that we tag along with you Rafe, right? We can split off if you'd like, but I can't very well keep my promise to help you if we do, and I like you alot...I think we both do.."~ Her words, referring to Rose and her, were somewhat of a guess, though she was currently too happy to worry too much about making a mistake that her nose told her was the truth.

They were at the town within a matter of hours, nearing midday when the place came into view, and the scent of smoke caught Ariana's attention. Ears pricked forwards as she trotted beside Alexandria, she grew more serious as the clouds of smoke became visible. ~"Looks like we might have a fight on our hands, you alright on my back Rose or do you want to hide while Rafe and I deal with whatever it is that's going after the village?"~ The stench on the wind wasn't of unwashed humans, which would tell her it was bandits, but of carrion meat, somewhat unpleasant, and wet fur and disease, never a good combination. ~".....I know that stench....it's Direwolves."~
 
"Ariana, as I told White Rose, you are strong and willful. I doubt I could stop you from following me, even if I told you. And you saved my life. It should be me asking you for permission. And White Rose, if it weren't for her as well, I might've been enslaved to this Rose Lord as well. That said, Ariana, you have strength. White Rose, you have heart. And I'll need both with me in the future. I've told you both it's dangerous, so if you still want to stick with me, that's your decision. But...I will do better with your company, and I deeply appreciate the risk you carry by joining me. It isn't lost upon me." He smiled a bit until Ariana's words turned serious. He drew his zweihander and kicked Alexandria into a faster pace.

Rose gripped tightly onto Ariana's body. "I'm not going to leave either of you to get killed...I have to protect you two, because you'll get killed without me." Was that a joke? She protect them? Did she just make a funny? Rafe gave a soft chuckle at that.
 
Ariana barked a laugh at Rose, not out of ridicule but out of sheer joy at having her Pack with her as they shot in towards the town, the wolf and horse moving faster and faster as the screams of humans and beasts alike rose from the firey homes and shops. At street level the worst of the smoke was above their heads as the four barrelled into the town, the screams and shrieks of the injured and dying coming from the town square where the Direwolves had trapped the townsfolk that remained, harrying and torturing the weaker humans cruelly.

Taking care to watch for Rafe's zweihander, Ariana bolted left, going around the ring of around a dozen or so horse sized wolves, most with the light of madness within their eyes. ~"I've got left if you've got right, we'll meet around center!"~ Sounding almost gleeful as her powerful jaws tore into a startled, filthy and matted beast, whose shriek as it died sounded almost human, throat torn from it by jaws and teeth that were healthier and by far better smelling. The humans all cowered, most of the women shrieking though one held a pitchfork that was covered in 'wolf blood and was flailing it around to keep the pack of mangy beasts back away from a group of children.
 
Rafe nodded his head, pulling his helm firmly on his head as he managed to hold the blade in one hand, pulling Alexandria to the right. With practiced skill, the mount leapt over a broken fence and landed squarely on one of the fiends that Rafe had fought before, crushing it partly, but Rafe's swift blade pierced into it's side and finished it off. A huge wolf charge forward to threaten the horse and Rafe pulled back on the reigns, causing her to lift up on her hind legs, neighing loudly and she slammed down right on the creature's skull, the weight and heavy hooves more than enough to end it's miserable existence. Rafe caught sight of a wolf about to escape the ring while chasing a young man down. He whistled loudly and from the treetops, a black raven, his familiar Deus, swooped down, cawing loudly as he harried the fiend, clawing right in it's face, and a swift peck putting one of it's eyes out. The fiend left the man in desire to pursue the raven now which lead it towards the encircled ring that they were forming.

White Rose looked about, unused to such chaos. She was uncertain at first, but when a large wolf jumped from the mass, leaping at her and Ariana, she reached her hands out and a perfumed wind shot out, with white rose petals and pollen fluttering out from her form. The wind held the beast aloft in the air for a long moment before it turned violent and shot it back against the side of a house.
 
Feeling the surge of power from White Rose, Ariana gave her some of her own power, pulling from that well of magic that was uniquely her own and offering it to the beauty who rode her back now so well. While she did that her jaws and claws were busily tearing into the throat and belly of another wolf, her muzzle coming away nearly black with the gore from the beast as it died and she turned as teeth sank into her haunch, snarling and ripped the ear out of another fiend, viciously tearing it away from the beasts skull and causing it to yelp, which in turn made it relinquish its hold on her haunch so she could turn better. With four Direwolves down now, and another being dispatched by some of the younger and older men of the town with their own various weapons and the like, there remained seven beasts in total who rallied together, a larger, more tattered looking 'wolf being the leader and rather more obvious for his size and bulk.

Ariana lifted her head from the carcass of the fiend who had attacked her haunch, which now was soaked with blood in an attempt to flush the toxins from those enormous teeth out of her body, and howled. The Call was eery, with a power to it that summoned every single dog within hearing distance. Canines both domestic and feral went wild at her summons, most breaking their leashes and ropes, chains and more and flooding into the square within minutes to take on three more of the Direwolves, sheer numbers bringing the beasts to the ground upon the command of the female Alpha Lycanthrope who commanded them, eyes gowing golden and emerald as she charged for the next beast and the next, her chest and neck, muzzle and body covered in sticky blood and bits of flesh within moments, her feminine rider nearly dwarfed on her back as Ariana's form almost doubled again in size until she stood nearly as tall as the houses around them, her muzzle picking one 'wolf up and crushing it easily before she spat it out, hating the tastes of the creatures and moving on determinedly towards the Alpha of that pack of soulless beasts.
 
White Rose was taken off guard by the sudden change in Ariana's form and she gasped, scrambling to stay on Ariana and find an equilibrium again. Once she had herself upright again, she continued to summon up her magics again, usually with some kind of rose. She got another sneaky wolf tangled with a mass of brambles that grew out of the ground super-quickly, sprouting roses as the tendrils took leash and restrained the wolf creature to death.

Rafe masterfully used his sword, mostly like a spear since it wasn't really meant to be used mounted, but on his steed it was far easier to corral the beasts into the center of town. Rafe spotted the alpha, but he left her to Ariana, figuring she'd probably want to face that beast one and one. It seemed like a wolf thing. Whenever a wolf got bold and tried to escape, Rafe swung his blade, aiming to pierce quickly, or take off a limb or head. This kind of chaos was something he wasn't unused to. He was tried as a knight for battle of this kind.
 
Ariana stopped as the last of the wolves were being rounded up, a small surge of her energy lifting her human burden from her back and placing White Rose gently on the ground with the other humans as the Alpha Direwolf snarled and lunged, Ariana's form shrinking somewhat to allow for better movement within the square.

The dogs and various animals that had come at her summons formed another ring, this time facing outwards in order to protect the townsfolk, a large dog(think doberman) moving up beside White Rose protectively. The Direwolf and the White Wolf met in a clash of growls and snaps of powerful teeth, Ariana's front claws gouging into the alpha's chest and drawing first blood, effectively driving the enormous beast insane with anger and pain. His teeth found her shoulder and sank deep, forcing her to turn her head and once again go for his ear, tearing half of it off and then taking a chunk from his jawline as the two huge canines fought. Within moments, and a twist of her upper body against the Direwolves' own, she had the alpha on the ground, all four of her sharp clawed paws cutting deep and gutting the fiend viciously, her teeth sinking into it's throat as it released her shoulder in pain.

Unlike the others of it's kind, it didn't die easily, and Ariana had to bite through it's throat and spine, severing the head from it's body before it finally stopped kicking and attempting to throw her off. By then, she was completely covered in blood and gore, some of which was her own as she watched Rafe and White Rose dispatch the last of the 'wolves. ~"...Good....to know I can...still fight...."~ Panting, drooling like mad to try and get rid of the taste of the rancid flesh of the beasts she'd killed, the gore covered wolf stepped away from the corpse, her magical control fading and her form shrinking obviously until she was the same size as the dog who remained beside White Rose. Limping, her wounds seeping blood still as her body worked to expell the toxins that were present in the teeth of the beasts who'd bitten her, Ariana headed for White Rose as the townsfolk set up a ragged cheer while the dogs around them began to scatter, going back to their own homes and owners.
 
When all the beasts were put to the sword and started to be burned to prevent disease, White Rose immediately came to Ariana's side to try and cleanse her of any infection from the fiendish bites, doing what she could. "Are you ok...? That was very fierce...I've never seen anything like this in person..." She was a little shaken, but seemed more capable than just a bystander.

Rafe helped with the disposal effort, having had experience with burning bodies before from burning the walking dead. He himself for the torch to the pile after they were stacked and moved away to avoid the smell. It was the best thing for all, and once that duty was done, he started Alexandria towards the town center, looking for his friends.
 
Ariana whined quietly, feeling the poison within her blood leeching away with White Rose's added help, but she was weak by the time is was finished and her human form shimmered into view as she leaned into her female companion, breathing steadily as her wounds in her hip and shoulder began to finally seal up on their own. "I'll be alright....forgot how nasty.....those things could be....heheh....scared you....sorry...." Nuzzling Rose's hand gently, the redhead closed her eyes as the world around her spun, having lost quite alot of blood during the fight and subsequent healing. She would be alright however, and she relaxed when she saw Rafe coming back with Alexandria, the stench of burning flesh and fur and bone rising on the wind as the sun began to set, houses that had been on fire now put out though embers smoldered still.

Luckily the Inn had not suffered any damage, and those who still lived were friendly people to their saviors, the oldest male offering them anything they wished in return for their aid in dealing with the Direwolves. Ariana's quick word for food was laughed at by several people, and she was helped to the Inn and all three of them were given a full bathing tub each filled with hot water once Alexandria was taken care of, the one room in the inn offering two comfortable beds that were pushed together so the tubs could fit into the room to allow for them to have something in the way of privacy.
 
White Rose was immediately calling the bath to herself and she hurried upstairs to their room. It had been the longest she had gone without a bath and she desperately wanted one since she had no idea of knowing how long it would be since they would get to bathe again. She felt the need to maintain cleanliness and a pristine image.

Rafe sat down to get some food with Ariana, but especially something to drink. He downed half of a stein of mead as he started to dig into the food. "You are a very capable woman Ariana, I like that. Your strength is something admirable and it was a wonder to watch you fight. It feels good to be able to unleash that rage inside, doesn't it? I know..." He looks at her with understanding in his eyes. "You can talk to me on the beast in you if you need to..."
 
Ariana smiled slightly, swallowing a mouthful of food before she answered. "Wolf, it's my name for her, my beast, isn't a dumb animal most days....she really helps me out too when I can't mentally handle something. Hunting and running and the like are perfectly fine but massacre....that's something entirely new, for us both." Frowning slightly as she struggled to explain something that was so natural to her, sharing her body with the instincts of an animal, Ariana took another bite of meat, tearing it off of the bone with a movement reflecting the biting movement of a wolf. "I wasn't bitten or given the magics to turn wolven Rafe, I was born with Wolf within me, and we grew up as one together....fighting, sleeping, healing and the like, I don't know how many years I've spent just as Wolf, roaming the highlands and keeping to myself, or as myself with Wolf asleep in the back of my mind. It's.....a little hard to explain to someone else."

Looking at Rafe with understanding within her own eyes as well, she smiled as she finished off the meat, then took a break so her belly could adjust and watched him drink, the scent of the mead making her feel slightly drunk. She wasn't one to imbibe alcohol for any reason, so her tolerance for even the smell of it was low, though she just smiled and let him him have his drink. "It does feel good to let go of control however....but it's hard to bring Wolf in when she goes into a rage for some reason.....it is nice to talk to another of it, even if it feels strange." Laughing quietly as she admitted it, Ariana slid her bare foot under the table and slid it along Rafe's leg lightly, needing some form of physical contact and, since their hands were currently full, settled for another of her limbs.
 
Rafe smiled and nodded while she talked, as if he understood just what she meant. "I think few lycanthropes actually become that way. I think most are born into it, but a few are cursed or diseased and spread it like that. But I know what you mean. Sometimes...I get the feeling that I just want to try into a raven and fly away towards the sun. I just want to fly and fly just to see how far I can get. When the weather turns cold, I want to fly where it's warmer, I don't like the cold, or the heat too much. And just occasionally, I feel the need to collect shiny things. I don't know why, but ravens do that sometimes. I get strange urges at times, like the need to groom myself, or to groom others to show affection. I...have the urge to pick parasites off myself or others, regardless of whether or not they exist...and..." He looked at her and smirked playfully. "You're a wolf. You make me nervous...I want to drop a little rock on your head."
 
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