Post by Pandora LeAmour on Jun 13, 2009 22:50:39 GMT -5
Tathar Seregon
Pandora LeAmour
William the Tower Guard
Location: The Tower
Time: The beginning of the Moon Phase.
His mind was racing, moving more and more erratic as the sun grew ever closer to sinking beneath the treeline. He was so very flustered that he almost tried to go through the door to his home rather than opening it first, but he played it off as if he had stumbled and quickly made his way inside and to his bedroom...The lockbox was withdrawn from it's place under his bed, and it took several tries before he could actually get the inner mechanism to release so he could open it. He quickly stashed his day's take and re-coiled the lock until it fell in place, slamming the lid shut so he could hear the satisfactory clicking sound as it triggered, effectively keeping the contents safe from most worries, and he replaced it under his bed. He still had a few moments, so he decided to try and calm down first, lest someone see his current state and take him for a jittering loon. He leaned against the wall in the entrance room, breathing deeply and slowly, trying to slow his heart rate to a more acceptable pace, reaching up to take his cloak from behind the door and donning it.
Pandora worked soundlessly, simply greeting those that arrived for the Moon Phase with a brisk nod of her head. The process was methodolical by now. Step in and watch as Ex removed the silver chain from the door, give a nod of her head to the poor sucker going in, and then watch as Ex closed the door, refastening the silver chain once more. Every Moon Phase was the same. Once, Pandora had assumed that Ex could handle this proceedure himself, and thus failed to attend. Too late they realized that Ex hadn't properly latched the chain. Four died that night, and every Moon Phase since, Pandora was there to doublecheck everything.
She would have done it herself, if not for the fact that silver wasn't exactly her best friend. Her hands still stung just thinking about two night's ago when she was forced to handle the silver chain herself, even though they no longer bore any wounds to her flesh. One of these days someone would invent something that would keep them in and NOT keep Pandora herself out. One of these days.
Each time someone came in, Pandora's eye's darted towards the enterance as if seeking someone out. And each time she looked away and back to her task, obviously not finding what she was looking for.
He stepped out of his home and locked the door behind himself, moving with a brisk pace toward the tower after pulling the hood up to cover his features. The cloak felt stifling....Restrictive...he didn't like it. Normally it wasn't this bad, but tonight it was like the cage that he was going towards...and that gnawing feeling in the back of his mind didn't like it in the least, hence his current irritated demeanor. Since his pace was quickened as far as he could manage without drawing alarm the trip through the village wasn't very long at all, and he his knock on the door was rather excessively hard
William's eye's barely flickered to the small slit in the Tower door before he pulled it open and, using it to sheild his body, slowly limped backwards to allow the cloaked NighWorlder in. His movements were slow, agonizingly, but after a few moments, the door stood open enough for the arrival to enter. With his eye's on the floor, William remained hidden behind the door. He knew exactly who was under that cloak, and was ashamed to look at him.
The familiar scent met his nostrils, but time was running much too short, and he offered only a low spoken greeting before continuing on to the second level of the Tower. He felt truly bad about William's own punishment, having hoped to take the attention off of him with his actions, but at least the man still lived. He quickly made his way around, looking for where they were still letting the others into their own cells, afraid that he may be too late
When the Smithy entered the NightWorld Holding Cells, he was the last to arrive and Pandora had stopped looking for him. His footsteps announced anothers arrival, and Pandora had her back to the door. She turned and watched as Tathar stepped in, the struggle to keep her face expressionless requiring nearly all of her attention. With a brisk nod of her head to Ex, Pandora waited until he had the silver chain removed from the bars. As he swung the gate open, Pandora mentally spoke his name waiting until he looked to her before telling him she would like a moment.
Ex had been around long enough to know that he could not read minds, but he could speak to those whom did simply by thinking it, and right now he was thinking, quite loudly might I add, that it was too close to the hour for her request to be anything but safe.
Pandora gave another brisk nod, and simply stood by, soft eyes yet expressionless face watching Tathar. She didn't ever really have to worry about him seeing what she was really thinking, what she was really feeling, for Tathar never cared to look in her eyes but that once. She doubted after the last time they had seen each other, he'd be all that eager to do it again.
He saw Ex...and barely stifled a growl, the strain of keeping himself under control taking nearly all the energy he had at the moment...and he would have softened a little upon seeing her, had he the ability, but he didn't, so he simply nodded and moved within the cell, ceremoniously removing his cloak and garb and setting all of those posessions in the back corner of the cage. The thought of being unclothed didn't bother him...He much rather preferred to keep his clothes intact for when the deed was over with and he was back to normal, as so many of the newly changed took for granted. He moved to look through the bars at her, watching as Ex left against his own judgement, still resisting the flooding urge to let his form do what it would...He had the feeling that she wanted to say something, and he would like for it to be to the part of him that would remember and understand
Pandora had diverted her eye's when Tathar began to undress, though she didn't really know why. It was not like she hadn't seen the male figure before. When the sound of him disrobing ceased, she moved around the cell he was now standing in, until she was at the back. Carefully, she reached her slender arm between the bars and removed his belongings. For those that chose to remove their items, someone always placed them just out of the bars so that when they shifted, their arms couldn't fit through the slit, and yet when they were back to their normal status, they could easily grasp and retrieve them.
She worked silently, her eye's keeping on the task at hand as she did so. As Ex returned, Pandora simply gave another brisk nod of her head. There was no point in speaking aloud for she'd litterly have to scream in order for Ex to hear her. The deafening sounds of groaning, and those whom were unaccustomed to it just yet, whimpering as other's began their change.
Her eye's flashed directly to Tathar's face for one brief moment and the corner of her lip twitched ever so slightly, before she stepped away from the bars. There was no way she wanted a repeat so soon.
Lingering only a moment, Pandora finally turned her back and exited the Holding Cells, allowing Tathar the dignity of shifting in private.
his gaze followed her as she moved, taking his belongings so they were just outside of the cage. He gave a greatful nod, but watched her still...Apparently, she didn't have anything to say, after all, so he waited until she left until he relinquished control comepletely to the urges, this time, as it was every moon, it was far more violent and rough than it had been those two nights before...The beast cared not for finesse or fluidity....It wanted the pain. Though, he made hardly a sound, a grunt at most as he clenched his teeth, muscles siezing as they twisted and grew, the sounds of bones crunching and grinding sickeningly filling the air to match chorus with those who were doing the very same around him...Their moans and cries sweet and pained music to his ears. And unlike before, his form had no choice, instinct ripping it apart until there was nothing left save for the hulking wolf several times too large for nature to have spawned it
She waited, respectfully, outside the Holding Cells room until the only sound within it were pure beast. And then, instructing Ex to fasten the mortal lock behind him, she sent him on his way. He would return when she summoned him.
Pandora was expected to keep those bound to the Moon Phase safe during their 'visit' in the Tower, and thus the doors leading into the Holding Cells was always doublelocked, by key from the outside, and my wooden slate on the inside. There were, afterall, others whom did not have Pandora's vow to keep them safe. Sliding the door's large wooden lock into place, Pandora then took a position just left of the door, her form leaning until her back rested against the stone wall. She slid one boot along the wall until her knee was bent level and comfortable. Pale arms crossed over her chest, and Pandora closed her eyes.
More often then not, nothing that required strength went on during these times. Sure, there would be constant noise, and constant disappointment as beast attempted to escape the confined spaces. But that wasn't anything that quite required strength.
Infact, if it weren't for Pandora's own personal interest, she would not have been needed here at all. As it were, Pandora always tried to ensure she had this evening to spend as she wanted it, locked in a room with Lycans. Lycans whom, when shifted, she could still communicate with.
The shift complete, all he had to do now was to inspect his surroundings....He had to get out...to feed, but he growled ferociously at the damnable silver chain keeping the door closed...ensuring that he was unable to leave. His head lifted, then, scenting the air with loud huffs...There were a good few others, here...Some angry, and some disoriented from what was likely their bodies still not used to the change...No entertainment, then...None had gone mad and rogue as some tend to do...So he moved foreward, claws clicking against the floor as he did so, trying to get a clear view of her through the bars, but it was difficult due to the lack of colored vision
Of course she knew which one was him, and of course she was aware that it's eyes were upon her, and yet still she did not move from the wall. Actually, she wasn't really there at all, for three doors down from the Smithy, was an older Lycan whom had spent many years here within the Tower. Many years of knowing that Pandora could understand him in this state. And thus, the two of them were simply chatting about the rest of the Lycans.
She never could figure it out. Most Lycans, even in this state, could understand here, but never cared to actually converse. The change wasn't exactly friendly. Yet, the old timer had managed to find a way to not only understand her, but communicate with her throughout the change, almost instantly.
Her eye's stapped open and she looked to the cage three stalls over, and directly at what once was the Smithy. Her expression hardened and she began arguing in her mind, the old timer betting he would be the first to bloody himself trying to get out.
With a laugh, Pandora took that bet, her eye's watching the beast of the Smithy even as he watched her. She had no charms over a shifted Lycan, that she knew of. Honestly, she didn't really care to get close enough to find out.
He watched...looking for a sign of movement to affirm the knowledge that her scent told him that she was there, but didn't receive it for a few moments...but upon seeing her look towards him he noted the shape of her form against the wall for easy reference, and he moved to press his head against the bars, well away from the cursed silver chain...Pushing them...testing them...every now and then giving them a trying bite, but he knew better than to waste energy trying to get out...He'd been here once before, after all...He'd watched as some of the others tried the very same and failed....As for the old timer, he could care less...There were many scents of his kind wafting through the air at the moment, and there were many sounds, many coats of fur...And as far as he knew, or at least could tell, there were no alpha's present...If there were, there would likely be one hell of a show....But no...he did nothing but stand there...watching...the sound of her laugh reaching his ears, and they twitched idly, as if brushing away a fly or some other bothersome pest
Pushing herself off the wall with the foot that had been propped there behind her, Pandora strolled slowly towards the cell that housed the Smithy until she was close enough for her comfort. She stood there, eye's upon the beast, for a moment before her lips moved, her words getting lost somewhere amongst the noise.
"Thank you."
Remaining where she was for another moment, as if judging the view for herself. The Moon Phase wasn't a pleasant time for a Lycan, and it most certainly wasn't a pleasant time for a Vampire either. Of course, Pandora didn't have to go through the pain of shifting, or being locked in a cage. Instead, she had it relatively easier. The only thing she had to fight against was the urge to kill Lycans. When they are in this form, that urge isn't always so easy to quil.
The past Moon Phase with the Lycan Smithy had proved that though she could communicate with him, he wasn't all that receptive to communicate back. Instict, she told herself.
His beastial gaze followed her every move as she pushed herself away from the wall and moved closer, though notedly kept her distance still...And her words weren't completely lost...After all, his mind was still in there somewhere, and he was experienced enough to exert some small degree of control, but only in short intervals, and it wasn't with very complex actions...so, as she spoke, his head tilted to the side slightly, ears perking before the reigns slipped from his grasp once more, a threatening growl escaping his lips as instinct once again took over and looked upon her as an enemy...and in this case, as food
Leaving him to his own ideal of entertainment, Pandora casually strolled down the row of cells, her eye's glancing from one fuzzy puppy to the next. Most approached the front of their cells jaws snapping and snarling until she was no longer infront of them. A few, however, pointedly ignored her. Those were the ones that had been through this so often it was just another day to them.
Once she managed to reach the end of the holding room, Pandora rapped at the door before carefully sliding the wooden lock out of the way. When Ex did the same on his side, the door swung open and Pandora stepped out, carefully closing the door behind her. Ex repositioned the lock and turned towards her.
"Go ahead, Ex. Let them out."
She waited patiently as Ex crossed down the room and nodded to the next group of guards waiting there. That was their signal to crank the lever that ran through the Holding Room to each cell, removing the chain slowly, one by one.
It was one of the best thing's within the Tower itself, and such a shame it was only needed during the Moon Phase. Once everyone was free of their human form, and the newer ones calmed down enough not to go crazy, they were released from the cell with this nifty little crank, allowing them to either run about through the other cells located in the room, or to exit the far arch where the Keep was located.
This isn't exactly a spot where Mortals would like to go. Heck, even a Vampire didn't bother going anywhere near that room before or after the Moon Phase, for the smell of hunting animals and small prey was immensly strong and no matter how much time the servants spent cleaning after, that god awful smell just never seemed to go away.
The animals are purchased in Sacred Stones twice a month within the week of the Moon Phase, and brought and stored right there in the Keep until they were needed. Lycans, when free of their human forms, were permitted free hunting within the Keep.
He watched for a few more moments until she moved out of view....having nothing more to do for the moment he began to pace, lumbering form moving back and forth as he waited...A door opened and closed, the lock on the end released, and the sound of the crank as it drew the chain back filled his ears, and his eyes norrowed....Time to dine...and he was hungry, as were the others about in their cages, no doubt...the change always left them like this...They burned up so many calories that they were literally very, very famished, to say the least. As soon as his cage opened, he barreled out, using his size to his advantage to shove himself in front of those behind, as well as going as far as he could foreward before the already small walkway was crowded, the smell of prey, live and well, making him salivate. When he'd finally made his way within the Keep, he scanned around, not feeling very picky, he lunged after the first animal he could see
Pandora LeAmour was not one to hover. While the Lycan's feasted, she headed for the Drop Room, and then to her own private quarters. The smell a Lycan had was not pleasant, and thus first on her agenda was a serious wash and change of clothes. Even from her own private quarters, it wasn't all that difficult to hear the fun those within the Keep were having. Outside the walls of the Tower, these sounds were muffled considerably by the stones that built it. Inside, was an entirely different story.
Taking her time, Pandora prepaired herself for the Night routines that lie ahead. The Tower never got any visitors from other NightWorld members or from the Royals during the Moon Phase. Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that her puppies weren't exactly 'cute'. Perhaps it was simply fear. Either way, those whom remained within the Tower at this time were staff, and they each had their own thing's to complete.
Pandora, had nothing. Unless outside the walls of the Tower beckoned the Master of the City for one trial or another, these were the nights she considered having 'off' if one could ever really get that around here. And thus, when she was freshly scrubbed and in cleaner attire, Pandora returned to the main floor, and settled into the meeting hall with an unread parchment at the ready to occupy her time.
He ran down the poor animal, caring not what it was or the disadvantage it was at, and tore into it while it still breathed...It was better that way...The meat was still warm and juicy. Every now and then he snapped to either side with a thunderous snarl to fend off would be opportunists who would rather try and steal a meal than take it down themselves...It was survival of the fittest, and if they were unwilling to hunt their own food, then they were destined to disappear and make way for those that would. His own gorgefest was short lived...He stayed well fed in his human form, or at least tried to as often as he could, but he left very little of what he had killed. Scraps of skin and pieces of bone and gore were all he left for those weak to the point they have to scavenge. For now his own hunger was sated, and he looked about to try and decide what to do next..The others, or most of them rather, were still feeding, so there was unlikely going to be any socialization for a bit, even for pack minded animals....Food time deserved more attention.
He huffed....It was odd being around so very many of his kind after being exiled for so long....The pack mindset was no longer dominant in him, so he decided to skip on the socialization and grabbed a piece of bone, carrying it back and up to the entrance to the cell area, moving just inside the door, using his much larger form to block the doorway from the others...He wanted privacy, from them at least, and he lay down, chewing idly on the bone, lapping at the blood rich marrow that leaked out every so often.
For the life of her, she could not seem to focus on the parchments at hand, and after only an hour, shoved them away. Carefully, Pandora mentally calculated the location of all 9 Lycans currently housed within the Keep, and a gentle smile came to her lips as she located the one she was looking for.
Rising from her chair, Pandora headed out of the Meeting Room and directly towards the Holding Cells. With a silent order to Ex, the door was released and Pandora slowly stepped in, sending Ex off to have the guards close the door between the Holding Cells and the Keep itself, so that she wouldn't have to deal with more then one Lycan at a time.
This was the exact same thing she did last Moon Phase as well, and thus her orders were not haggered over this time around. Last time she had made no headway with the Smithy Lycan. This time, now that she had tasted his blood in the battle, and he had fed her, she was hoping for a different result.
Strictly business, for Pandora was twisted, but even she didn't find the 'beast' all that attractive. It was knowledge she was seeking. She had never infected a Lycan whom remained alive to test theories on before. And she certainly had never fed from one. It was simple curiousity that tugged the strings now.
His ears twitched, then perked at the sound of the door on the far end opening, and he lurched foreward a step or two to ensure that he wasn't caught in the door behind him before settling back down with the bone, eyes warily watching her as he chewed some more. He wouldn't attack...His gut was pleasantly full, and he was content for now, unless she planned on attacking, with which he held no qualms about defending himself...But for now he was docile, for she showed no signs of aggression...at least not yet
She didn't much care to press her luck, and thus Pandora took a stance at the opposite side of the long room, with plenty of space between the two of them should she need to make a quick exit.
Her eye's watched him silently for a moment, as he gnawed away, no shame whatsoever within him. When he clearly showed no signs of advancing, she focused her eye's directly on his own, as if that somehow would actually help. Generally, she could read the mind like a picture book, but only when she had contact with them. Communicating, however, was much easier when it was your animal of call.
A thought couldn't be controlled like a voice. You cannot make it loud or quiet. Crisp or soft. It simply is.
"Smithy"
She did not blink, did not gesture, ever lips did not move. A single thought. And then nothing. It wasn't that it didn't work, she had no idea if it did. She just didn't want to bombard him.
After a pause, she aimed her thoughts toward him again.
"mîn fea wulf?"[/b][/i][/u]
He saw that she wasn't going to advance any further than just inside the door on her own side of the room, and he would have shrugged had he the ability...But instead he chose to act as if she wasn't even there for the moment....or rather, that she wasn't of any more interest than the bone he currently chewed upon, even though his eyes were on her....But when she locked gazes with him his movements slowed, and it would seem as if his eyes narrowed, but he slowly resumed his chewing, even after the first mental call to him, showing no sign that he had "heard" it...The second, however, would obviously have reached him, as soon as the thought moved from her to him the bone snapped, falling to the floor with a slight clacking sound, and his head rose to look directly at her, rather than the corner of his eye watching that he had been doing
It was always risky, this nasty habit of hers. A shifted Lycan is about as focused as a child surrounded by new toys. There simply wasn't a trick that could be used to garantee your safety, nor their attention. They were more like puppies then they'd ever admit. The slightest change around them, and their attention is diverted and you're, hopefully, left standing there talking to yourself.
Even with these factored in, Pandora never lost patience. It was her own personal addiction, and one that was probably better left starved.
Either way, as she kept her eye's focused on the lycan from across the room, she remained perfectly still. She couldn't control her environment, but she could damn well control herself. Now that his eye's were focused directly on her, she knew that for the briefest of moments, she had beat the bone and was currently more interesting. How delightful to be more interesting then a lousy bone!
She wasn't certain if this particular Lycan would know who she was, or what she wanted. After all, he was a whole new form of experiment with the blood they had shared. Because of this, she started off gently.
"Do you know who I am?" [/b][/color][/u]
Oh yes...at this moment, she was quite more interesting than the bone....After all, while the bone may yield terrific tasting treats, they didn't send thoughts into one's head, did they? No, they didn't...and, since she was standing completely still, she evaded his vision for the moment, however since he knew what was behind him, the source of that invasive thought could only have come from ahead of him, and he stood, shaking himself for a moment as he did so, freeing scraps of flesh and gore from his thick and rough fur as he did so, taking a few curious steps foreward...Then the next one met his mind, and he huffed in response. Obviously it wasn't a negative one, as he hadn't charged foreward yet, so it was safe to assume that he'd meant it as a sort of yes...Words were exceedingly hard to come by when one had no cheeks or detailed control of lips, after all
She mentally shook herself when the Lycan across the way from her took a few steps forward. She didn't want him approaching, as the last time they were close together, she barely escaped with her life. She wasn't looking forward to doing that again any time soon.
Well, it was a step in the right direction. He understood what she was sending him, but he hadn't yet conceived that if she could send him her thoughts, she could probably pick his right up out of his mind as well. Or at least, that's what Pandora was hoping for. Perhaps it only worked on way, who knew.
"Very good."
She then sent him a short series of images from the last time they had seen each other, in midst the battle. With the quick few images of them fighting, the questioning thought of if he planned to do it again. Communicating with him this way was exceedingly difficult, and Pandora wasn't certain how to ask if that bone was enough to prevent him from making her his next meal without offending him.
He could...sense...her reaction to his movement. Not seeing it, it was more as if his gut was telling him so, despite the approving thoughts that she sent afterwards, so he slowed to a stop so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. He was...thinking. Trying to figure out how to filter his thoughts through the more primal ones that his body and brain were giving him, and despite the good intentions of her, the sudden burst of thoughts...of images...from their last meeting disoriented him slightly, making him shake his head from side to side for a moment before he could really process them. He could understand her, it just took a little time to sift through...And in answer to her he merely sat on his haunches....It felt degrading to do so in front of a vampire, but he felt it conveyed the point well enough, and just in case he focused on one word, hoping she would pick up on it
"Understand." [/b][/color][/u]
She almost caught herself nodding her head, before she realized exactly what she was dealing with. Any movement would distract him, hell could very well set him off. She had pushed him far enough this time. She learnt what she wanted to. He could understand her still in this state, and she in turn could understand him.
"Thank you."
My god, she was saying that a lot today. Thank you for what you did for me two days ago. Thank you for allowing me to communicate with you now. Hell, if she didn't put a stop to it, people would begin to think she was half decent afterall!
Without moving, Pandora sent Ex a mental message again, the signal to go ahead and inch the crank just a fraction of a movement so that it would capture his attention and cause him to look behind his current position, giving her the time to rise and slip out the door once more.
That was enough for tonight, Pandora didn't want to overload him. She had done that the first time she discovered she could speak with Lycans, and the poor pup never did quite recover. Now she learnt to hold in her eagerness to experience the rough waters of this. In otherwords, she learnt to go slow and build up gradually.
He started to nod his head slightly at her next thought, but the sound of the crank brought his attention elsewhere, form snapping around only to seenothing of note, a low and rumbling growl escaping his throat as he turned, catching her in sight just as she slipped out and behind the safety of the door. He trotted foreward a few steps, watching to see if anything there would move anymore, but finding that it was apparently to no avail he sat on his haunches once more, head tilting back, throat issuing a long, loud, and resonating howl. When he was finished, he moved to the cell he had been placed in upon his arrival, following his scent trail, and he curled up there to rest. While his eyes may be closed, his mind and ears were fervently working, ears twitching at even the slightest sound be it from other parts of the tower or from the Keep and his kin
Satsfied with the progress made, Pandora briskly nodded to Ex and left him and the remainder of the three guards there to finish their duty. They would wait until the Sun was nearly up before they would enter the Holding Cells once more when all Lycans were sleeping off their puppy night to replace each of the clothing items that those whom took the time to remove had disguarded. Their duty then would end, and the new shift, come morning, would be there to release them when they woke. Some wake first thing in the morning, some rest longer. The difference doesn't relay from age or adjustment, it simply depended on how badly they exausted themselves up until that point.
Pandora crossed through the quiet isolation of the Tower and made the easy jump into her own private quaters. Stripping the evenings attire and dawing on something more comfortable, she settled in at her desk to write the evenings events down in the small leatherbound book she kept. One day someone would want to read her story. Be it because they wanted to see what Vampires were like 'back in the day' or perhaps because they still do not believe that such beings exist. Either way, her book would one day be a great introduction to someone else's library.
When she finished with her entry, she would once again slip silently, and quite willingly may I add, into that of her DayDeath. Another night complete. Another eternity begun.
Pandora LeAmour
William the Tower Guard
Location: The Tower
Time: The beginning of the Moon Phase.
His mind was racing, moving more and more erratic as the sun grew ever closer to sinking beneath the treeline. He was so very flustered that he almost tried to go through the door to his home rather than opening it first, but he played it off as if he had stumbled and quickly made his way inside and to his bedroom...The lockbox was withdrawn from it's place under his bed, and it took several tries before he could actually get the inner mechanism to release so he could open it. He quickly stashed his day's take and re-coiled the lock until it fell in place, slamming the lid shut so he could hear the satisfactory clicking sound as it triggered, effectively keeping the contents safe from most worries, and he replaced it under his bed. He still had a few moments, so he decided to try and calm down first, lest someone see his current state and take him for a jittering loon. He leaned against the wall in the entrance room, breathing deeply and slowly, trying to slow his heart rate to a more acceptable pace, reaching up to take his cloak from behind the door and donning it.Pandora worked soundlessly, simply greeting those that arrived for the Moon Phase with a brisk nod of her head. The process was methodolical by now. Step in and watch as Ex removed the silver chain from the door, give a nod of her head to the poor sucker going in, and then watch as Ex closed the door, refastening the silver chain once more. Every Moon Phase was the same. Once, Pandora had assumed that Ex could handle this proceedure himself, and thus failed to attend. Too late they realized that Ex hadn't properly latched the chain. Four died that night, and every Moon Phase since, Pandora was there to doublecheck everything. She would have done it herself, if not for the fact that silver wasn't exactly her best friend. Her hands still stung just thinking about two night's ago when she was forced to handle the silver chain herself, even though they no longer bore any wounds to her flesh. One of these days someone would invent something that would keep them in and NOT keep Pandora herself out. One of these days.
Each time someone came in, Pandora's eye's darted towards the enterance as if seeking someone out. And each time she looked away and back to her task, obviously not finding what she was looking for.
He stepped out of his home and locked the door behind himself, moving with a brisk pace toward the tower after pulling the hood up to cover his features. The cloak felt stifling....Restrictive...he didn't like it. Normally it wasn't this bad, but tonight it was like the cage that he was going towards...and that gnawing feeling in the back of his mind didn't like it in the least, hence his current irritated demeanor. Since his pace was quickened as far as he could manage without drawing alarm the trip through the village wasn't very long at all, and he his knock on the door was rather excessively hardWilliam's eye's barely flickered to the small slit in the Tower door before he pulled it open and, using it to sheild his body, slowly limped backwards to allow the cloaked NighWorlder in. His movements were slow, agonizingly, but after a few moments, the door stood open enough for the arrival to enter. With his eye's on the floor, William remained hidden behind the door. He knew exactly who was under that cloak, and was ashamed to look at him.
The familiar scent met his nostrils, but time was running much too short, and he offered only a low spoken greeting before continuing on to the second level of the Tower. He felt truly bad about William's own punishment, having hoped to take the attention off of him with his actions, but at least the man still lived. He quickly made his way around, looking for where they were still letting the others into their own cells, afraid that he may be too lateWhen the Smithy entered the NightWorld Holding Cells, he was the last to arrive and Pandora had stopped looking for him. His footsteps announced anothers arrival, and Pandora had her back to the door. She turned and watched as Tathar stepped in, the struggle to keep her face expressionless requiring nearly all of her attention. With a brisk nod of her head to Ex, Pandora waited until he had the silver chain removed from the bars. As he swung the gate open, Pandora mentally spoke his name waiting until he looked to her before telling him she would like a moment. Ex had been around long enough to know that he could not read minds, but he could speak to those whom did simply by thinking it, and right now he was thinking, quite loudly might I add, that it was too close to the hour for her request to be anything but safe.
Pandora gave another brisk nod, and simply stood by, soft eyes yet expressionless face watching Tathar. She didn't ever really have to worry about him seeing what she was really thinking, what she was really feeling, for Tathar never cared to look in her eyes but that once. She doubted after the last time they had seen each other, he'd be all that eager to do it again.
He saw Ex...and barely stifled a growl, the strain of keeping himself under control taking nearly all the energy he had at the moment...and he would have softened a little upon seeing her, had he the ability, but he didn't, so he simply nodded and moved within the cell, ceremoniously removing his cloak and garb and setting all of those posessions in the back corner of the cage. The thought of being unclothed didn't bother him...He much rather preferred to keep his clothes intact for when the deed was over with and he was back to normal, as so many of the newly changed took for granted. He moved to look through the bars at her, watching as Ex left against his own judgement, still resisting the flooding urge to let his form do what it would...He had the feeling that she wanted to say something, and he would like for it to be to the part of him that would remember and understandPandora had diverted her eye's when Tathar began to undress, though she didn't really know why. It was not like she hadn't seen the male figure before. When the sound of him disrobing ceased, she moved around the cell he was now standing in, until she was at the back. Carefully, she reached her slender arm between the bars and removed his belongings. For those that chose to remove their items, someone always placed them just out of the bars so that when they shifted, their arms couldn't fit through the slit, and yet when they were back to their normal status, they could easily grasp and retrieve them. She worked silently, her eye's keeping on the task at hand as she did so. As Ex returned, Pandora simply gave another brisk nod of her head. There was no point in speaking aloud for she'd litterly have to scream in order for Ex to hear her. The deafening sounds of groaning, and those whom were unaccustomed to it just yet, whimpering as other's began their change.
Her eye's flashed directly to Tathar's face for one brief moment and the corner of her lip twitched ever so slightly, before she stepped away from the bars. There was no way she wanted a repeat so soon.
Lingering only a moment, Pandora finally turned her back and exited the Holding Cells, allowing Tathar the dignity of shifting in private.
his gaze followed her as she moved, taking his belongings so they were just outside of the cage. He gave a greatful nod, but watched her still...Apparently, she didn't have anything to say, after all, so he waited until she left until he relinquished control comepletely to the urges, this time, as it was every moon, it was far more violent and rough than it had been those two nights before...The beast cared not for finesse or fluidity....It wanted the pain. Though, he made hardly a sound, a grunt at most as he clenched his teeth, muscles siezing as they twisted and grew, the sounds of bones crunching and grinding sickeningly filling the air to match chorus with those who were doing the very same around him...Their moans and cries sweet and pained music to his ears. And unlike before, his form had no choice, instinct ripping it apart until there was nothing left save for the hulking wolf several times too large for nature to have spawned itShe waited, respectfully, outside the Holding Cells room until the only sound within it were pure beast. And then, instructing Ex to fasten the mortal lock behind him, she sent him on his way. He would return when she summoned him. Pandora was expected to keep those bound to the Moon Phase safe during their 'visit' in the Tower, and thus the doors leading into the Holding Cells was always doublelocked, by key from the outside, and my wooden slate on the inside. There were, afterall, others whom did not have Pandora's vow to keep them safe. Sliding the door's large wooden lock into place, Pandora then took a position just left of the door, her form leaning until her back rested against the stone wall. She slid one boot along the wall until her knee was bent level and comfortable. Pale arms crossed over her chest, and Pandora closed her eyes.
More often then not, nothing that required strength went on during these times. Sure, there would be constant noise, and constant disappointment as beast attempted to escape the confined spaces. But that wasn't anything that quite required strength.
Infact, if it weren't for Pandora's own personal interest, she would not have been needed here at all. As it were, Pandora always tried to ensure she had this evening to spend as she wanted it, locked in a room with Lycans. Lycans whom, when shifted, she could still communicate with.
The shift complete, all he had to do now was to inspect his surroundings....He had to get out...to feed, but he growled ferociously at the damnable silver chain keeping the door closed...ensuring that he was unable to leave. His head lifted, then, scenting the air with loud huffs...There were a good few others, here...Some angry, and some disoriented from what was likely their bodies still not used to the change...No entertainment, then...None had gone mad and rogue as some tend to do...So he moved foreward, claws clicking against the floor as he did so, trying to get a clear view of her through the bars, but it was difficult due to the lack of colored visionOf course she knew which one was him, and of course she was aware that it's eyes were upon her, and yet still she did not move from the wall. Actually, she wasn't really there at all, for three doors down from the Smithy, was an older Lycan whom had spent many years here within the Tower. Many years of knowing that Pandora could understand him in this state. And thus, the two of them were simply chatting about the rest of the Lycans. She never could figure it out. Most Lycans, even in this state, could understand here, but never cared to actually converse. The change wasn't exactly friendly. Yet, the old timer had managed to find a way to not only understand her, but communicate with her throughout the change, almost instantly.
Her eye's stapped open and she looked to the cage three stalls over, and directly at what once was the Smithy. Her expression hardened and she began arguing in her mind, the old timer betting he would be the first to bloody himself trying to get out.
With a laugh, Pandora took that bet, her eye's watching the beast of the Smithy even as he watched her. She had no charms over a shifted Lycan, that she knew of. Honestly, she didn't really care to get close enough to find out.
He watched...looking for a sign of movement to affirm the knowledge that her scent told him that she was there, but didn't receive it for a few moments...but upon seeing her look towards him he noted the shape of her form against the wall for easy reference, and he moved to press his head against the bars, well away from the cursed silver chain...Pushing them...testing them...every now and then giving them a trying bite, but he knew better than to waste energy trying to get out...He'd been here once before, after all...He'd watched as some of the others tried the very same and failed....As for the old timer, he could care less...There were many scents of his kind wafting through the air at the moment, and there were many sounds, many coats of fur...And as far as he knew, or at least could tell, there were no alpha's present...If there were, there would likely be one hell of a show....But no...he did nothing but stand there...watching...the sound of her laugh reaching his ears, and they twitched idly, as if brushing away a fly or some other bothersome pestPushing herself off the wall with the foot that had been propped there behind her, Pandora strolled slowly towards the cell that housed the Smithy until she was close enough for her comfort. She stood there, eye's upon the beast, for a moment before her lips moved, her words getting lost somewhere amongst the noise. "Thank you."
Remaining where she was for another moment, as if judging the view for herself. The Moon Phase wasn't a pleasant time for a Lycan, and it most certainly wasn't a pleasant time for a Vampire either. Of course, Pandora didn't have to go through the pain of shifting, or being locked in a cage. Instead, she had it relatively easier. The only thing she had to fight against was the urge to kill Lycans. When they are in this form, that urge isn't always so easy to quil.
The past Moon Phase with the Lycan Smithy had proved that though she could communicate with him, he wasn't all that receptive to communicate back. Instict, she told herself.
His beastial gaze followed her every move as she pushed herself away from the wall and moved closer, though notedly kept her distance still...And her words weren't completely lost...After all, his mind was still in there somewhere, and he was experienced enough to exert some small degree of control, but only in short intervals, and it wasn't with very complex actions...so, as she spoke, his head tilted to the side slightly, ears perking before the reigns slipped from his grasp once more, a threatening growl escaping his lips as instinct once again took over and looked upon her as an enemy...and in this case, as foodLeaving him to his own ideal of entertainment, Pandora casually strolled down the row of cells, her eye's glancing from one fuzzy puppy to the next. Most approached the front of their cells jaws snapping and snarling until she was no longer infront of them. A few, however, pointedly ignored her. Those were the ones that had been through this so often it was just another day to them. Once she managed to reach the end of the holding room, Pandora rapped at the door before carefully sliding the wooden lock out of the way. When Ex did the same on his side, the door swung open and Pandora stepped out, carefully closing the door behind her. Ex repositioned the lock and turned towards her.
"Go ahead, Ex. Let them out."
She waited patiently as Ex crossed down the room and nodded to the next group of guards waiting there. That was their signal to crank the lever that ran through the Holding Room to each cell, removing the chain slowly, one by one.
It was one of the best thing's within the Tower itself, and such a shame it was only needed during the Moon Phase. Once everyone was free of their human form, and the newer ones calmed down enough not to go crazy, they were released from the cell with this nifty little crank, allowing them to either run about through the other cells located in the room, or to exit the far arch where the Keep was located.
This isn't exactly a spot where Mortals would like to go. Heck, even a Vampire didn't bother going anywhere near that room before or after the Moon Phase, for the smell of hunting animals and small prey was immensly strong and no matter how much time the servants spent cleaning after, that god awful smell just never seemed to go away.
The animals are purchased in Sacred Stones twice a month within the week of the Moon Phase, and brought and stored right there in the Keep until they were needed. Lycans, when free of their human forms, were permitted free hunting within the Keep.
He watched for a few more moments until she moved out of view....having nothing more to do for the moment he began to pace, lumbering form moving back and forth as he waited...A door opened and closed, the lock on the end released, and the sound of the crank as it drew the chain back filled his ears, and his eyes norrowed....Time to dine...and he was hungry, as were the others about in their cages, no doubt...the change always left them like this...They burned up so many calories that they were literally very, very famished, to say the least. As soon as his cage opened, he barreled out, using his size to his advantage to shove himself in front of those behind, as well as going as far as he could foreward before the already small walkway was crowded, the smell of prey, live and well, making him salivate. When he'd finally made his way within the Keep, he scanned around, not feeling very picky, he lunged after the first animal he could seePandora LeAmour was not one to hover. While the Lycan's feasted, she headed for the Drop Room, and then to her own private quarters. The smell a Lycan had was not pleasant, and thus first on her agenda was a serious wash and change of clothes. Even from her own private quarters, it wasn't all that difficult to hear the fun those within the Keep were having. Outside the walls of the Tower, these sounds were muffled considerably by the stones that built it. Inside, was an entirely different story. Taking her time, Pandora prepaired herself for the Night routines that lie ahead. The Tower never got any visitors from other NightWorld members or from the Royals during the Moon Phase. Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that her puppies weren't exactly 'cute'. Perhaps it was simply fear. Either way, those whom remained within the Tower at this time were staff, and they each had their own thing's to complete.
Pandora, had nothing. Unless outside the walls of the Tower beckoned the Master of the City for one trial or another, these were the nights she considered having 'off' if one could ever really get that around here. And thus, when she was freshly scrubbed and in cleaner attire, Pandora returned to the main floor, and settled into the meeting hall with an unread parchment at the ready to occupy her time.
He ran down the poor animal, caring not what it was or the disadvantage it was at, and tore into it while it still breathed...It was better that way...The meat was still warm and juicy. Every now and then he snapped to either side with a thunderous snarl to fend off would be opportunists who would rather try and steal a meal than take it down themselves...It was survival of the fittest, and if they were unwilling to hunt their own food, then they were destined to disappear and make way for those that would. His own gorgefest was short lived...He stayed well fed in his human form, or at least tried to as often as he could, but he left very little of what he had killed. Scraps of skin and pieces of bone and gore were all he left for those weak to the point they have to scavenge. For now his own hunger was sated, and he looked about to try and decide what to do next..The others, or most of them rather, were still feeding, so there was unlikely going to be any socialization for a bit, even for pack minded animals....Food time deserved more attention.He huffed....It was odd being around so very many of his kind after being exiled for so long....The pack mindset was no longer dominant in him, so he decided to skip on the socialization and grabbed a piece of bone, carrying it back and up to the entrance to the cell area, moving just inside the door, using his much larger form to block the doorway from the others...He wanted privacy, from them at least, and he lay down, chewing idly on the bone, lapping at the blood rich marrow that leaked out every so often.
For the life of her, she could not seem to focus on the parchments at hand, and after only an hour, shoved them away. Carefully, Pandora mentally calculated the location of all 9 Lycans currently housed within the Keep, and a gentle smile came to her lips as she located the one she was looking for. Rising from her chair, Pandora headed out of the Meeting Room and directly towards the Holding Cells. With a silent order to Ex, the door was released and Pandora slowly stepped in, sending Ex off to have the guards close the door between the Holding Cells and the Keep itself, so that she wouldn't have to deal with more then one Lycan at a time.
This was the exact same thing she did last Moon Phase as well, and thus her orders were not haggered over this time around. Last time she had made no headway with the Smithy Lycan. This time, now that she had tasted his blood in the battle, and he had fed her, she was hoping for a different result.
Strictly business, for Pandora was twisted, but even she didn't find the 'beast' all that attractive. It was knowledge she was seeking. She had never infected a Lycan whom remained alive to test theories on before. And she certainly had never fed from one. It was simple curiousity that tugged the strings now.
His ears twitched, then perked at the sound of the door on the far end opening, and he lurched foreward a step or two to ensure that he wasn't caught in the door behind him before settling back down with the bone, eyes warily watching her as he chewed some more. He wouldn't attack...His gut was pleasantly full, and he was content for now, unless she planned on attacking, with which he held no qualms about defending himself...But for now he was docile, for she showed no signs of aggression...at least not yetShe didn't much care to press her luck, and thus Pandora took a stance at the opposite side of the long room, with plenty of space between the two of them should she need to make a quick exit. Her eye's watched him silently for a moment, as he gnawed away, no shame whatsoever within him. When he clearly showed no signs of advancing, she focused her eye's directly on his own, as if that somehow would actually help. Generally, she could read the mind like a picture book, but only when she had contact with them. Communicating, however, was much easier when it was your animal of call.
A thought couldn't be controlled like a voice. You cannot make it loud or quiet. Crisp or soft. It simply is.
"Smithy"
She did not blink, did not gesture, ever lips did not move. A single thought. And then nothing. It wasn't that it didn't work, she had no idea if it did. She just didn't want to bombard him.
After a pause, she aimed her thoughts toward him again.
"mîn fea wulf?"[/b][/i][/u]
He saw that she wasn't going to advance any further than just inside the door on her own side of the room, and he would have shrugged had he the ability...But instead he chose to act as if she wasn't even there for the moment....or rather, that she wasn't of any more interest than the bone he currently chewed upon, even though his eyes were on her....But when she locked gazes with him his movements slowed, and it would seem as if his eyes narrowed, but he slowly resumed his chewing, even after the first mental call to him, showing no sign that he had "heard" it...The second, however, would obviously have reached him, as soon as the thought moved from her to him the bone snapped, falling to the floor with a slight clacking sound, and his head rose to look directly at her, rather than the corner of his eye watching that he had been doingIt was always risky, this nasty habit of hers. A shifted Lycan is about as focused as a child surrounded by new toys. There simply wasn't a trick that could be used to garantee your safety, nor their attention. They were more like puppies then they'd ever admit. The slightest change around them, and their attention is diverted and you're, hopefully, left standing there talking to yourself. Even with these factored in, Pandora never lost patience. It was her own personal addiction, and one that was probably better left starved.
Either way, as she kept her eye's focused on the lycan from across the room, she remained perfectly still. She couldn't control her environment, but she could damn well control herself. Now that his eye's were focused directly on her, she knew that for the briefest of moments, she had beat the bone and was currently more interesting. How delightful to be more interesting then a lousy bone!
She wasn't certain if this particular Lycan would know who she was, or what she wanted. After all, he was a whole new form of experiment with the blood they had shared. Because of this, she started off gently.
"Do you know who I am?" [/b][/color][/u]
Oh yes...at this moment, she was quite more interesting than the bone....After all, while the bone may yield terrific tasting treats, they didn't send thoughts into one's head, did they? No, they didn't...and, since she was standing completely still, she evaded his vision for the moment, however since he knew what was behind him, the source of that invasive thought could only have come from ahead of him, and he stood, shaking himself for a moment as he did so, freeing scraps of flesh and gore from his thick and rough fur as he did so, taking a few curious steps foreward...Then the next one met his mind, and he huffed in response. Obviously it wasn't a negative one, as he hadn't charged foreward yet, so it was safe to assume that he'd meant it as a sort of yes...Words were exceedingly hard to come by when one had no cheeks or detailed control of lips, after allShe mentally shook herself when the Lycan across the way from her took a few steps forward. She didn't want him approaching, as the last time they were close together, she barely escaped with her life. She wasn't looking forward to doing that again any time soon. Well, it was a step in the right direction. He understood what she was sending him, but he hadn't yet conceived that if she could send him her thoughts, she could probably pick his right up out of his mind as well. Or at least, that's what Pandora was hoping for. Perhaps it only worked on way, who knew.
"Very good."
She then sent him a short series of images from the last time they had seen each other, in midst the battle. With the quick few images of them fighting, the questioning thought of if he planned to do it again. Communicating with him this way was exceedingly difficult, and Pandora wasn't certain how to ask if that bone was enough to prevent him from making her his next meal without offending him.
He could...sense...her reaction to his movement. Not seeing it, it was more as if his gut was telling him so, despite the approving thoughts that she sent afterwards, so he slowed to a stop so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. He was...thinking. Trying to figure out how to filter his thoughts through the more primal ones that his body and brain were giving him, and despite the good intentions of her, the sudden burst of thoughts...of images...from their last meeting disoriented him slightly, making him shake his head from side to side for a moment before he could really process them. He could understand her, it just took a little time to sift through...And in answer to her he merely sat on his haunches....It felt degrading to do so in front of a vampire, but he felt it conveyed the point well enough, and just in case he focused on one word, hoping she would pick up on it"Understand." [/b][/color][/u]
She almost caught herself nodding her head, before she realized exactly what she was dealing with. Any movement would distract him, hell could very well set him off. She had pushed him far enough this time. She learnt what she wanted to. He could understand her still in this state, and she in turn could understand him. "Thank you."
My god, she was saying that a lot today. Thank you for what you did for me two days ago. Thank you for allowing me to communicate with you now. Hell, if she didn't put a stop to it, people would begin to think she was half decent afterall!
Without moving, Pandora sent Ex a mental message again, the signal to go ahead and inch the crank just a fraction of a movement so that it would capture his attention and cause him to look behind his current position, giving her the time to rise and slip out the door once more.
That was enough for tonight, Pandora didn't want to overload him. She had done that the first time she discovered she could speak with Lycans, and the poor pup never did quite recover. Now she learnt to hold in her eagerness to experience the rough waters of this. In otherwords, she learnt to go slow and build up gradually.
He started to nod his head slightly at her next thought, but the sound of the crank brought his attention elsewhere, form snapping around only to seenothing of note, a low and rumbling growl escaping his throat as he turned, catching her in sight just as she slipped out and behind the safety of the door. He trotted foreward a few steps, watching to see if anything there would move anymore, but finding that it was apparently to no avail he sat on his haunches once more, head tilting back, throat issuing a long, loud, and resonating howl. When he was finished, he moved to the cell he had been placed in upon his arrival, following his scent trail, and he curled up there to rest. While his eyes may be closed, his mind and ears were fervently working, ears twitching at even the slightest sound be it from other parts of the tower or from the Keep and his kinSatsfied with the progress made, Pandora briskly nodded to Ex and left him and the remainder of the three guards there to finish their duty. They would wait until the Sun was nearly up before they would enter the Holding Cells once more when all Lycans were sleeping off their puppy night to replace each of the clothing items that those whom took the time to remove had disguarded. Their duty then would end, and the new shift, come morning, would be there to release them when they woke. Some wake first thing in the morning, some rest longer. The difference doesn't relay from age or adjustment, it simply depended on how badly they exausted themselves up until that point. Pandora crossed through the quiet isolation of the Tower and made the easy jump into her own private quaters. Stripping the evenings attire and dawing on something more comfortable, she settled in at her desk to write the evenings events down in the small leatherbound book she kept. One day someone would want to read her story. Be it because they wanted to see what Vampires were like 'back in the day' or perhaps because they still do not believe that such beings exist. Either way, her book would one day be a great introduction to someone else's library.
When she finished with her entry, she would once again slip silently, and quite willingly may I add, into that of her DayDeath. Another night complete. Another eternity begun.
