Ixora had escaped the prison her dreams had provided her lately, assuming that everything would be fine. Still, she never expected that one counter not ending so well would turn fate's wheels and cause everything to flip upside down on her. The encounter with the wolf... She would have preferred if it had never occurred.



The wolf, seemed perfectly melded in what it claimed territorial rights to...These alleys, in all there twist and turns, and maze like corners, and dead ends. Many the young pup, was that had traveled back here, and never left. The red glow from those deep ember eyes, were the only sight that had kept ample civilians away.

Leather feet padded quietly against cobblestones as she carried herself down the alley way. She paused outside the door, debating on entering to grab a drink. "Too crowded," she muttered to herself and shifted into a lean outside. Her hand rested loosely against the Flintlock at her hip. Her finger tapped against the side of the weapon. She should probably go find Toby or Katt to see what happened the night before, but she kind of felt like keeping to herself.

The musk of the alley, had drawn in a new scent, brought about by the breeze so graciously gifted this night. Frigid air, stagnating refuse...Much to his dismal remembrance of his time in England, during The Guilded Age. But with the stench came a perfect mask of his scent, padded feet made a silent approach to the back of the Inn.

She turned, she was quite perceptive so it wasn't hard for her to notice that she wasn't completely alone back there. Her gun was removed from the holster, one that needed constant reloading as old as it was. It wouldn't do her a bit of good against a werewolf anyways though she didn't know what lurked back there. "Show yourself," she hissed and her finger tapped against the hammer lightly as she prepared to pull the trigger if need be.

Red glow of hell, shaped and molded to the eyes of a wolf. Edged around a corner, a snarl. She was threatening him in his domain...And under the watchful gaze of a quarter luna cycle. The dark of his lips, parted, and Canines were revealed, edged and sharpen, perfectly lethal once attached to any part of a body. A step forward, drew him into the pale torch light.

She stepped away from the wall, she would not leave herself trapped there if the creature decided to attack her. She inched along, keeping the gun ready in case she needed it. She waited to see if the animal were a further threat and then she would have to make the shot count so it could injure him enough for her to get on by. She did think better of the idea. She wasn't sure she wanted to render the animal immovable or even dead. As wicked as it sounded, she had been craving to feel the adrenaline of a fight pumping through her body.

A guttural growl resonated deep in his stomach, another snarl. Taking another step forward, had him completely viewable, it was obvious, that the wolf before her was and easily could have been the Alpha of a pack. But the scar that weren't as obvious, led one to understand he held his own by himself. His muscles tensed, all ready to charge at her, especially after his prey had disappeared last night.

She holstered the gun, she wasn't sure if it was a wise decision or one she would regret. Still, she doubted that the weapon would hinder the wolf too much. It might wound him or something, but the adrenaline was already flooding into her and urged her to attack. After the Flintlock was at her hip, she moved into somewhat of a defensive stand. She was prepared for him to make the first move.

Knowing the stance all too well, he hiked into an aggressive stance. Slowly he started towards her, and before one could blink, he was in a charge.

She leapt forward as he did, hoping that the force of her attack would cause her to collide against him and knock him backwards. She brought her knee up as she moved for him to meet with his abdomen. Arms moved in hopes of grabbing at his shoulders and pushing it deeper against him to bury itself against the wolf's stomach. Of course, these were all actions that she had taken movements to ready herself when her body met his. It was likely that none of it would even go through and make the marks she had intended and considering the wolf's size and speed, it was likely that she would be the one on her back.

In no way shape form or fashion is he capable of reading the mind, but perception, and body movements, were base for survival skills. Before getting directly to her, a strong leap to his left, and him countering her movement. Saliva slinging from his mouth, as he turned on her. Another powerful leap had him barreling at her through the air, from her right.

She was easily knocked to the ground, the blow was sure to leave a bruise in the morning. She fell into a heap and pushed herself up to the ground, a twisted and morbid grin was worn. She moved quickly to put distance between them and then she was speeding towards him and leaping into the air, attempting to plant her foot against his rib cage. She had been so tempted to draw her sword out, but she let it remain at her side. It occurred to her that she had made to attack him twice with the use of her leg, she would have to change it up or he would catch onto a fight pattern and that was something that she didn't want.

The kick sent him barreling toward the wall behind him. And unnaturally his body twisted through the air, allowing him to land crouched against the wall, His features were slight more human, but quickly shifted and returned to the wolf. Dropping to the ground, and hopefully before she could recover from her maneuver, he was set upon her again. This time attempting to Bite down on just about anything he could sink those canines into.

Her heels tick tocked down the alleyway, still perfect for Manhattan, still overmuch for Rhdyin, her black hole of a purse over her shoulder she was talking away on her cellphone as she walked up the alley towards the inn, in search of a drink or seven. "Hello Guido, yeah it's Mimi....No I do not need a 'booty call' just cause the SOB dear janed me." Absorbed in her call she did not notice the sounds of fighting that perhaps she should have.

Having both hands rendered out of use caused her leg to jerk up forcefully to kick at him. Even though she appeared to be the defenseless one, she doubted that Mimi could hold her own against the wolf. She heard the familiar voice and associated it with the woman, "Mimi!" She called to her, not wanting to alert her enemy to her presence yet felt that the woman deserved ample warning. "Get out o' here and stay back." The words came out somewhat raspy with her struggling to free herself from the confines of the creature's hold on her.

Hearing her name called, the voice of Ixa, who'd just put her back together the other day, seeing her suddenly there in the alley, struggling with a (naked) man, her reply was somewhat more sororal than sensible. "What the frak! Guido, I gotta go babe...some psycho is going after my girl Ixa in an alley!" She stuffed her phone in her purse and reached inside for her gun.

A leg brought up to defend himself. As he flipped, her hand around over each other. Seeing as he still had her. Slamming his foot down, he was attempting to send her in a collision course with the wall.

She had somewhat suspected that things looked different than they really were. The man being completely nude and holding onto her like he was, she assumed that it looked more likely look as though he were trying to get her in the sack if anything else. With both arms struggling to break free of his, she was unable to do anything more than try to fight him off with her legs. While he was pushing her up towards the wall, her legs moved out and wrapped around Rois' waist, tightening there as she was roughly slammed up against the brick. Her hands worked at twisting away, nails moved to dig into him and she even forced her mouth to near at him and bite down somewhere. She was doing anything she could find fit to get him to relinquish his hold.

Withdrawing the gun, thumbing the safety off, she focused on the assailant's back, the largest center of mass, took a deep centering breath and called out, "Let my friend go, creep, or I will shoot your ass."

The nails didn't bother him, and as for the bite. Well his naturally high pain tolerance helped him there. But she did have him forced to having to bash the sh*t out of her. Tilting up, and slamming her against the cobblestone below. Bullets... Bullets would prove rather useless in this confrontation.

Mimi, she didn't know that, and rather than risk hitting Ixa by accident with a ricochet, she calmly stepped closer until she could press the barrel of the gun against the man's back. "I said, let her go."

As he edged her towards the ground, her legs pulled her even closer and she tightened herself to him. She curled herself against him, attempting to pull herself up from hitting the cobblestone though her head did thunk against the ground and cause her headache to swell further. She was still attempting to maneuver her hands free from his grasp, keeping herself close to him as she did so. She wasn't about ready to release the hold her legs had on him because it would have left her even more vulnerable.

It didn't take a genius to figure when a fight was over, and his quarrel with the one now clinging to him was over. from all the actions, bloody sweat coated most of this part of the alley. He wound was deep, and she had lost at least a pint. releasing her from his grasp. "Humans are frail beings, and ignorant."

She glared at him at his response though her legs unwound themselves from his waist and she stood upright, she forced herself to keep her gaze up as he was still in his human form and without clothing as well. "Frail and ignorant," she scoffed. Her tongue would never keep itself where it should. She, unlike others, wasn't grateful as she should have been.

Seeing him release Ixa, she stepped back and away circling around him, eyes still on him, not diverting her attention from the threat he remained. "Whatever buddy....Ixa, come on, let me get you to a doctor." Her weapon still pointed at him.

"A doctor," she echoed softly as she followed after the woman. She figured that she should probably leave at the moment. She was actually glad that she had released some adrenaline and she was still alive and moving so maybe it was best to leave the fight there. She didn't need to be reprimanded for her stubbornness by staying until she was sure that she was the one who had came out more victorious. She picked her sword up off the ground and returned it to the scabbard.

"Yes, unless you want to go another nine rounds with Ron Jeremy here."

"You still breathe, count yourself lucky. Not many leave my Alley, that provoke attacks." Looks to the one with the gun. "And perhaps you are as foolish as you seem, but who is it you think that put the canine marks on her arm." It was obvious enough that the red taint still stained his mouth. A shifting form, and he was the wolf once more. A a snarl as he moved past both, and disappeared in the moon light.

She blinked in shock, her gun hand wavered and she muttered..."He's even stranger than Kuro was, with my luck I'll end up frakking him next." Seeing the vanishing form, she stuffed her gun in her bag and offered her shoulder to Ixa for support. "Boy, our taste in men sucks lately doesn't it Ixa?"

"Who is Ron Jeremy supposed to be?" She queried, certain that the man that Mimi spoke of was supposed to hold some importance. She shook her head, she might have retorted to the wolf though she figured that it was better to get out of there while she still had her life. That question riled a laugh out of her. "You caught me, I was tryin' to get him under my covers."

She shook her head and laughed, "He's a very famous performer where I come from and he performs very well with his ahh, endowments, he was built kinda like your friend there, I couldn't help but notice."

"Well we know where your attention was the whole time," she teased.

"Hey, Kuro dumped me nearly what, two or three weeks ago...a girl can only go so long" Leading her towards the inn and some presumed help. Yes, she was raunchy, but not that depraved, she was hoping the laughter, the humor, would push more adrenaline through the woman, enabling them to reach the inn without any further mishap.

"You want to get a drink?" She asked, tearing a piece of fabric from the bottom of her mantle after bending over. She was wearing a sleeveless sweater under her vest so at least she didn't have to bother with moving her any sleeves up to tend to the wound. The fabric was wound tight around her arm. That would take care of it for the time being until it healed on its own or she managed to get to a healer.

"God yes, i think seven or eight might do just fine. So, the Inn or Star's End?"

"We're already right outside the Inn," she answered with a shrug and started for the back alley door. She reached for it and pulled it ajar, holding it open while she waited for Mimi to go inside ahead of her.

They had both entered the Red Dragon after the wolf had left. Ixora had gone up the stairs to fetch Toby, recalling that he kept a room there. She had knocked and when her only answer was the familiar yips produced by Gizmo, she let herself inside. The door had been unlocked. Toby's upper torso was bare, something that received little attention. Especially after her attacker had ended up in the nude. Toby had assisted her with cleaning out the bite on her arm, compliments of the wolf. The only thing that had made her night worse was Katt finding out and discovering that she had been infected.

Crossing the Market to the Alley, seemed to relieve the pressure of his enemies. Looking to her. "Your safer in these alleys, then out in that market." Stepping back, and looking to her arm. "Checked your wound lately?

She seemed confused at his insisting she were safer there then out on the streets with the others and it caused a brow to perk up slightly. His question caused recognition to ignite her features, he had to be the wolf. She was sure of it. "Why?" She inquired in response to his query.

"Because yesterday I was an enemy, today I'm a friend with far more experience then you. Now...Check your arm."

She removed the gauze, easing it up off her skin carefully as she assumed the flesh there to be tender still. She worked at pulling the knots loose since Toby had tied them to keep the bandage against her arm.

Stepping back. "Well, now look familiar." Pointing to his ear, that she had cut, and it was practically good as new. A light scar where she had landed the slice.

She stared at her arm, a dumbfounded expression was certainly in place. It might have been beneficial were she to have regeneration such as that a week or so ago when she had fractured her jaw. It was healed at that point since Katt had taken her to the healers at Unity, but it had been painful to cope with. "You turned me," she accused of him.

"What? No, You were born this way. This is were your BS myth fall from." Looks at her, the sharply turns to look down the alley. He could hear it, not sure if she could, A high pitched scream as though something was happening. "Damn." Looks to her. "The sooner you accept what your are, the better off you will be."

It was too coincidental, she wasn't exactly sure that she believed him and she was sure to make that fact known to him if it wasn't already evident by the dubious expression she wore. "My mother's family is all elven and human, my father's family is human. There is no possibility and for my wounds not to o' healed until after you bit me? It doesn't make any sense."

"I'm 1976 years old, I've seen it skip whole centuries before showing in families." His vision was still focused down further in the alley. "I need, to check my territory." Looks to her. "It will be best for you to either move on somewhere extremely public, or stay with me."

"I think I'll head to the Market, I would rather keep my distance from you if possible." After the attack, she was reluctant to stay near the man. She may have had dozens of questions for him though that didn't mean that she wanted to be anywhere near him either.

Starting off toward the noise he heard previously. "Suit yourself." Starting into a sprint, and in the shadow of a building, he shifted to his wolf form. And disappeared into the back alley's many corner.

Her feet carried her off towards the Market. If the wolf was still intent on stalking after her then he already knew where she was headed, not that his keen sense of smell wouldn't alert him to the path she had taken.

It had been next to two months since his last encounter with her. The problem of creature born of myth, and heard in fearie tales, were all too common for him.

Eyes, stalked the Alley. Burned through the darkness, capable of piercing with relative ease. It was this night, That he had decided in seeking her out. She had lived long enough, and surely she would have experience The Quickening, by this months time. Nostrils flared, the Scent...Descerned easily enough. Other...Coated it...Tainted its purity, She may not have meant to..But it would have confused lesser wolves. Not this one.

Many years were spent in winter tracking off of scent alone. Scent...It was the greatest tool a survivor had. And he was one of the Best...last of his pack. Virtually the last from his youth, but that was many years ago. Now, Now he would have been regarded as an elder. A life of Ease is what would have been expected, save for the fact. That chance was robbed, from him. And it had fueled his change from youthful naivity, to vengeful hunter. A primal killer, and a master of his senses. But Now was not the time for memories of time past.

No, her scent was caught and he was on the trail. It would take less then a few hours, for him to discern the trail. Follow it to its origin...It true origin, she had to have gone to building on a regular bases, and as such they would be misleads, but eventually. Her home was found.

Shifting from the primal nature he so loved, to the pathetic existing race of the Human. He would need to find her room...And to do so, He would need to seem as a regular person.

Over to the Side, a window. Thankfully left open, Through it he climbed. Not a single noise heavier than a silent footfall. Moving from this window, her scent filled his nostrils, she was here somewhere and all he had to do was find her. Across the floor, to the door, with the silence that had benefited him in all aspects of his hunts. A soft turning of the knob, as he peaked through, The hall way was dark, the stairs across the way. Voices could be heard, But no where near him. Opening the door, and shutting it. Up the stairs.

Her scent brought him to her door. Unsure if it were locked, he gave a gentle turn of the handle. Click, and it stopped halfway..."Locked..." he whisper out under his breath. Taking the knife out of his pocket, slide it into the key hole, as far as it would go...Then a sharp push and jerk to the left. Successfully breaking the lock, without alerting the people downstairs. The door swung open. Looking spotting the bed, her scent still fresh.

Moving to a chair in the corner...He would play the waiting game till she returned.

Her unease riddled her words, it was something Rois had enjoyed for so Long. Hearing some fear in her voice had brought back some of his own ease, in truth he had seldom broken into place as a thief or rogue would. This would be maybe the tenth time.

Hell fire's looked to her, eyes that seemed as though they condemned by mere visage. Letting the room grow quiet, he was quite comfortable in the chair. Letting her fear settle about the room for what would seem like an eternity. Seconds ticking by slowly...The soft noise, of inhalation, and the movement of exhalation. A blink, a short reprieve from his view.

Raising to his feet. Letting his hands slide in the pockets of the dirty denim jeans. Moving to the door, grasping the knife, and jerking out. The handle would have come out if it were not for the thickened, and heavy oak of the door. A small knife sheath it was returned to, right along his belt. Eye's, coming back upon her, and with a motioning of his head down the hallway. His voice broke the silence.

"Lead..."

A scoff, as he walked around her. She was easier then he thought to provoke. Almost as easy as he can be. A once around, before stopping before her once more. Crossing his arms before his chest. A sigh escaped as he ended it with a chuckle. "Im going to be very blunt with you. Your weapons will no more hurt me, more a mesquito hurts an elephant. But since you come bearing question's. Ill answer."

Taking in a moment, hoping to let the silence reinforce the fact she couldn't hurt him as she was...at least at the moment. "In the last couple of months, have things been...Distorted to you. Like you wake up...But your not awake. Or your eyes, pick up on things further then normal human eyes should." Turning away from her to gaze at the moon. "One second your at your front door, and another...Your at your destination. Small animals scurry away from you out of fear, or just generally stay away from you. And have the Canine's..." Looks back to her. "have they been more obedient?"

His hands crossed as he awaited her response. She was new into her powers and honestly for the first time in his last century...He wanted to assist someone, instead of breaking their will. "You'll have to understand...That to your or those you call friends. I mean no harm. Them because they have nay to encounter me or brazen enough to attack me. And you...Because your different."

"Then shut your mouth, and hold your tongue. Cause Im not above silencing a young, Uratha, Such as yourself." Taking a step closer he was in her face now. "First off, Lets put this fake a** B.S. you know about Werewolves and Vampire behind you. My bite Did nothing, more, then garner me the ability to search you out easier. Im here to help you understand the voice in the back of you head. You were Born this way as were we all. A gift, a curse, a disease...See it as you may, There is no Cure. There is no Settling with your now surfacing nature. You can try to say you don't want this, even pretend it has no relevance. But your Life has permanently been changed. And As you are, uncapable of controlling your shifts, I suggest not getting angry. Especially not around me."

Taking in a Breath, and Easing off of her. She was provoking him as well, as he provoked her. "My name is Rois. And For all you know...I'm the only one around here, that can teach you how to survive Insanity and other things you'll definetly hear about through your dreams. Looking to her, His presence seeming to ease up.

A chuckle, she was brazen and stupid. "I seek you out, to inform you what your are. To help you understand that you are neither animal, or human. But both...And all you do is make demands." Her little shove did nothing to him at this point. He was going to goad her, and prod that sense or honor, and see how far he should push her anger.

"Try not to kill your friends." Turning around, and beginning to leave their little chit-chat. "Seek me out when you want to understand what your are. And when you have a more cool head on your shoulders." Waving back to her. "You can find me in the alley, shouldn't be hard to follow my scent...Or the destrustion."

"I look where the scent if strongest. And show no Difference to whom lives there." Jerking His arm away. "Your not going to fool me acting sweet and all. But there are things about your lineage that have been so well guarded a secret that many would have shuttered it from your ear...and eye's." Turning around to face her once more. "My words wont open your eye's to the event happening around you. Do research on your lineage, somewhere along the lines there is bound to be one of your ancestor's, who was wrote off as being mentally insane. Claiming to have heard voices that were never there, see sights that were not to be viewed. And perform things that no normal person could do."

Steps back from her. "Seek me out when you better understand what Mother Luna speaks to you. But first to proceed forward, you will need to learn your past."

Turns around, and continues off. "Trust me...Its easier to beilieve your eyes, then your ears."

A rap on the door caused anxiety to swell in the pit of the stomach and seep in through every nerve in her body. Her fingers shook with violent tremors though were hidden by the cloak she wore. She waited, curious as to what sort of welcome she might receive. A woman finally opened the door and she scanned the woman over quickly though her chin and gaze immediately dropped to the ground.

?Mamman...? She spoke in a near inaudible and unintelligible manner. She had trouble finding her voice as though she suddenly lacked the capability to talk as soon as the woman opened the door. Hair, the same color as her own was braided into tiny plaits and gathered into some intricate design at the nape of the woman's neck. Eyes just a touch lighter in hue than her own. She could feel her knees shaking. ?Been a little o'er ten years... Right, Mamman?? The shock at seeing the woman who hadn't aged at all in her time away caused her eyes to burn slightly though she shook the thought away.

?Qynine,? the name escaped the woman in a near chiding manner. ?Come in.? She held her hand out, palm facing upwards and made a motion with her fingers towards herself to gesture for her daughter and the escort to enter inside the home.

Ixora noted that nothing had changed and she found her gaze shooting over the room. ?I trus' that Ambriel has made it here as instructed.?

?Yes,? the older woman quipped quickly. ?I can't say that I have had an opportunity to read your letters. I have six more now. They keep me busy.? Ixora nodded slowly as the woman continued. ?If I had known that you would be coming then I would have arranged for some suitors to start stopping by in hopes of pursuing you. Not that any man would want a scoundrel or is this your mate, Qynine Aleron??

Despite the bite of the words, they didn't possess the sting that they might have before she had left the home. ?This man is not. He is an escor' an' nothin' more. I shall correc' you though. I am due to wed and it will be Qynine Belzande when I do.? She raised her chin boldly with her defiant response. The last part wasn't added out of pride so much as to discourage her mother from welcoming suitors into the home during her brief visit.

?I see.? She avoided her mother's glare and glanced past her. ?And how long do you plan to stay for??

She shrugged her shoulders, ?I can' stay for long. No one knows that I am here. I came to reques' permission o' your library. I will stay until I ha'e gathered the information that I require and then I will lea'e. My escor' is bein' paid by the hour. I will return eventually, but for now I mus' cut it short.?

?I understand...? There was a pause for a few moments. ?This man you are due to wed, what is his name??

?Zeollas Belzande,? she offered up with a shrug. ?He prefers Zeo though.?

?And what is his profession?? There was a quizzical quirk of the brow and Ixora could already tell that her mother was trying to judge him based on the information she was fed.

Her own brow ticked upwards with the question and she felt the need to retaliate somewhat. ?What he does for a livin' has nothin' to do with what kin' o' person he is,? she retorted. She didn't enjoy the judgment being passed on herself or any of those she was associated with. ?I am sorry that our reunion has gotten us off on the wrong foot, but it is importan' that I finish my research and head back. I ha'e work to get back to, I ha'e people who will look for me if I am away for too long. Perhaps we can ha'e a more pleasan' conversation when I return, an' if you insis' then I will bring Zeo with me.?

She still had the house mapped out regardless of how many years had passed and she brushed past her mother. The mage had remained silent and continued along after her into a room that was located underneath the staircase and immediately to the right.

Feet meandered their way through the nooks, and cranny's of this labyrinth of alley ways. Left, right, right, left, forward, left, right, backwards, and right again. It was confusing to those incapable of tracking by scent, and inescapable, save by the off chance, or if they didn't venture far in.

No most kept to the outskirts, and fewer still had managed to stake out a few claims. Remembering the way in, and their ways out.

Eyes, catch movement in shadows. Figures that aren't there, sight not to be seen. Losing one's mind was almost as easy, as to lose one's self. Which wouldn't surprise the Old hunter, as he had found the one searching for him. Prowling through the alleys, the scent of blood was fresh on his coat. Sweat, sickly sweet in the mixture of rotten garbage, and amongst other thing...excrement.

White hot coals caught her movement's, nostrils flaired as her scent pierced the stagnation about him. She was upon the other side of the alley, seperated by crates, barrels, and all manner of obstacles. They walked a parallel path...One aware of the Other, incapable of viewing each other.

Slowing down, she would pass before him. A low audible growl, eminated. Dark fur, blended him to the shadow's almost perfectly. Grey flecks, stray stands, signs of age, caught the light of a faded sun. The only key to his viewing. The growl inherently wasn't a threat, more to make her aware that she had been located. His voice seemed to pass somewhat feral...Primal...Powerful, onto her ears.

"You've finally returned."