The Castle [02] (Remba, but don't let it stop you)

[Boog]

The frog simply looked at the spider forlornly. He knew when to keep his mouth shut and let somebody cry it out.

[Cogidubnus]

Cog gasped as Sebastian's fist connected neatly with his stomach, the blow catching him completely by surprise. A clean hit. He did indeed double over and gasp for a moment, and the whiskey in his stomach suddenly threatened to make a second appearance – he managed to keep the bile down and take a shuddering breath.
To Sebastian's surprise, Cog gave a lopsided grin. "Glad...to see you're feeling better...finally." he wheezed, making an effort to straighten out. His eyes danced with both pain and a little mirth. "I apologize if I've offended." He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, and managed to keep another snide comment from passing his lips. "But it got you out of bed, at least." He stood a little distance from Sebastian this time, and one hand rested on the hilt of his blade. "I really do hope you can see straight, by the way. You're going to have to go back in town for more booze, at this rate."
Seeing as he had made such an ordeal about Sebastian going first, he again waited for her to vacate the room.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Knowing that it would take the jackal a while to read through the research Mel picked up a book she had not yet had a chance to look through and took a seat. As soon as she was in the large leather chair she chided herself to get up and reclaim one of the hard wooden chairs. This chair was too comfortable and she was too tired and it was too dangerous to sleep with the bat in places unknown. But her body wouldn't heed the command to move after her very long day so she assured herself that the book was enough to keep her mind engaged.

[Gareeku]

Opening his eyes, Gareeku realised that he had in fact fallen asleep after sitting down in a chair. He had tried to listen to the spider woman's explanations, but it seemed that as soon as he had sat down, a wave of fatigue had overcome him and sent him drifting off into slumber. Looking at the clock, the wolf saw that it was coming up to 3am in the morning.

Yawning, Gareeku rose to his feet and looked around, stretching slightly as he did so. It seemed that people were still reading books, and those who weren't seemed either deep in thought or asleep.
"Well, I think I'm gonna head to a room and catch some more sleep." he said to the others. He felt partially guilty about leaving them like that, but he had a feeling that if he didn't get back to sleep soon he would collapse. "Night guys."

Leaving the library, the wolf made his way through the dimly lit corridors and halls. Eventually, the wolf came to a bedroom after walking into studies and dining halls and such. Collapsing on the bed, Gareeku sighed tiredly, before closing his and drifting off back into slumber.

[Stygian]

With the castle quiet and still, it was much easier to admire the exquisite paintings, the architecture and the decorations of the highest class. Had someone actually decided to sell the castle before it had been cursed, it would probably have caught a tremendous price. In a way, one might have supposed that the adventurers were lucky it was so, and that the place had been kept in shape in a way by the curse. The bedroom Gareeku entered was large and comfortable, with a great roofed bed. Unlit candles and tall, draped windows, a tall mirror and a wardrobe, and a small washstand and some chairs and a neatly designed table made the place look homely. It was the sort of bedroom that would have housed honored guests. Upon inspection of the bed, the silken sheets of it were scarcely touched by time save for a thin layer of dust on the cover. Soon the wolf was sleeping on it, drifting away into shadowy dreams.

   The spider cried away, and then fell silent upon the couch, sniffing a few times and then seeming to drift away into sleep. Her red, smooth hair fell over her face and covered her eyes, so it was hard to tell, but her breathing slowed and her mouth opened slightly, a very mild chittering sound audible with her breaths after a while.

   "So what? Better that then die of thirst or painful recollection. You could have some more yourself, to keep it all down," the bat said to Cogidubnus, and turned her side to him, taking her glass and slowly emptying it yet again, as she walked over to the tall windows of the room that gazed out over the side of the castle and the steep cliffs below, and let the full moon shine in and play through the draperies. Then, she looked at him disturbedly. It didn't seem as if she was intending to leave for a while.
   "You keep offending me if that smile's about what I think it is," she said, her face turned against him and her eyes gleaming, lit up from the side by the pale light.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog was taken aback for a moment, but simply grinned all the wider and made a flourishing bow.
"I assure you, it had nothing to do with that. Merely glad to see you stop sulking." He straightened back out and took Sebastian's advice. It didn't look like she was going anywhere anytime soon. He preferred whiskey, but he'd dropped the bottle, so he contented himself with the cognac available. Dregs, but such was life.
He turned to her again, sipping his drink. "You're a bit of a dark individual. I take it as a sign of progress when I can get you riled up enough to throw a punch." His grin faded somewhat, the dull ache in his stomach beating in time with his heartbeat. "Although I do certainly hope you're feeling better. Took god knows how much booze and taunting, but you're moving now, at least."

[Aisha deCabre]

Throughout the time that she partially lay on the table, head supported by one of her arms, Aisha seemed to catch herself drifting slowly between a simple nap and real, true sleep.  The panthress opened her eyes a few times continuously for a few minutes, mostly just to see what time it was.  I must be more exhausted than I thought.  She lifted her head at one point, just in time to have caught Gareeku bidding everyone a good night.  She spared a smile and a wave back, before looking the situation over in the library.

A few were still in concentration over their reading, so quiet that they looked as if lost in the words that were bound to the book, conversly their minds bound to the concepts within.  And others still had found sleep...the spider woman at this point had ceased her sobbing and also had quietly drifted off.  The bat and Cogi still hadn't returned, so it looked as if the curses weren't to be lifted any time soon.  Even to her sensitive ears, there was barely a sound in the library save for everyone's breathing, or muttering, or snoring.  Outside the storm subsided, leaving calm in its wake...just like the calm after the storm within the castle's walls.

I guess I could try braving a night in a mostly-haunted place, Aisha thought to herself with an inner laugh and stood from the table, stretching the muscles that were sore from a position of half-lying and half-sitting.  Her nostrils twitched though, almost involuntarily, as they had done since the adventurers were done with their fights.  She was one of them who was the most covered in the blood of the long-dead, a scent still lingering.  She sighed.  As long as I live I will probably never get used to that smell.

Making a decision, Aisha gathered herself and, leaving the others without much of a word other than a wave to those who caught sight of her, started to make her own trek through the castle, to explore and get a mental map of at least a few things...who knew how long they were going to be there?  Plus, if she couldn't find a place to sleep, then at least a place to bathe...which she did, soon enough.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Either Mel was more tired than she had believed or the book less interesting because it wasn't very long before the book fell to her lap unnoticed and her head rested against a wing of the chair, eyes closed. The lighted crystal that had been bobbing along over her head blinked out, then disappeared back to wherever Mel had produced it from. In her sleep she twitched and whimpered a bit, as if her frightened mood had followed her into her dreams to destroy her rest.

[Boog]

As the spider woman nodded off, it occured to Jeremiah that he'd had a long day himself. setting up the chair next to a couple others for a makeshift bed and using his coat as a blanket, the frog nodded off and dreamed of fine art...

[Rloa]

Kerag awoke and looks back at the sky "Still dark." Kerag muttered he stands up and stretches then jumps off the roof his wings open and slowed his descend a little and lands on the soft ground he goes to the door and opens it and with out thinking he cast a small spell and he was dry this cheered himself up cause now he has his powers back so he heads to the library to see whats going on

[Stygian]

Night was still settled deeply all over the castle. A plain, but elegant, tiled bathroom was available and readily found on the bottom floor by the panthress. It was a simple deal to warm up water using a quite good fired heater. With the job done pretty quickly, and with soaps and shampoo and such available in clearly marked glass bottles, it was easy to settle in and clean up. Getting her clothing washed would have to be done elsewhere, but at least she could wash out her fur.

   The bat snickered, sitting down on the bed again and throwing the pendant Cog had brought on the bedside table.
   "Some would call you insane for that," she said, and had some more to drink. "But I don't sulk. I was just feeling all gloomy. Because I'm dark." She smiled jadedly. "It's not always a fun thing, you know? Like when you get locked up for a century and a half and don't get to sleep," she sighed, and muttered. "A century and a half of loneliness and pain... It can get to you." Her eyes gleamed again. This time though, her face bore a devilish smile. And together with that pretty face it made for a look twice as dangerous as what the bat could probably have mustered before.
   Then, she just turned her face down and chuckled.
   "Still, you're right about me feeling better. And I am relieved, even if it might not matter that much now."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

PBH watches over the Ferret as she eats and refills both wine glasses when they empty.  She lets the ferret eat in peace, and just taken her company.  The quiet of castle, wine, and the long day, takes a toll on PBH, and she start to dose off.  Her worries about the ferret girl wakes her with a start... 

"Oh boy, Are we ready for bed, yet my friend.?" ask PBH in a calming voice to the startle ferret girl..."We should try and find a bed somewhere, this bench or table is too hard to sleep for long."

See that the ferret had eaten all of her food, PBH gets up with the half empty wine bottle in one hand and offers her other hand to the girl ferret.  PBH waits for Gina to come on her own.

"Come, my friend, and we will see where sleep or rest we may get us.  Don't worry I wouldn't leave you, if you don't want me, too."

PBH

[Sunblink]

Understandably, Keaton was more than happy to detach her attention from the spider, as was indicated by the immediate snap of her book being shut, and her eyes gliding over to meet Mel's. A weak smile tweaked the edges of her pallid lips in an effort to uplift them, a hand reaching up to brush some hair out from her face. "What, you want my help? Sure," Keaton said, walking over to where the dragon was and leaning down.

Recieving some form of confirmation, Keaton drew out a chair and seated herself, taking hold of one of Mel's notes and beginning to scan it over. It was apparent by the attentive look on her face that she was more than happy to assist, especially if it meant alleviating the curse that befouled her from her being. Knowing that it would take Keaton a considerable amount of time, Mel located an appropriate perch in one of the leather chairs that hadn't been knocked over before, quickly falling asleep in the midst of her research, although soon the jackal realized, much to her concern, that the dragon seemed to be whimpering in her sleep...

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Stygian]

After having listened to Bunny's explanation, and pondered while she ate, the ferret did not seem so very confused anymore, but just a bit insecure. Still, she stood up and took the feline's hand and nodded to her a bit, while yawning.
   "Yeah. We think We could do with some sleep..." the ferret said, low and dazedly. She seemed a bit unsure on her feet, but walked well enough.

   The grandfather clock in the library, a large and very well-made piece, the gears and working apparatus of which were visible behind an ornate and decorated front, ticked away against half past three in the morning. And where she sat and studied Mel's work, Keaton came to realize something horrible. Mel was not only used to hypnosis and illusion effects, but she also had intricate knowledge about thoughts and memory. She just missed the more specific black magic skills to draw the conclusion, just as Keaton herself could not have done without Mel's previous work, of the spell's composition and effect.
   The horrible truth was that when the poison's effect had completely settled, something that would take two days tops, it would also embed itself into the afflicted so much that it would be as if they had never been anything but what they had become. In effect, it would make them think they always had been, and unable to remember or understand anything else.
   Needless to say, this would be very bad.

   Upstairs, Stygian had laid back a bit, closing her eyes and sighing, not quite contently. The ice in her glass had melted completely, and what was left was now only a little bit of amber slur, she and the wolf having drained the whole bottle.
   "I am really wondering how I am supposed to go back to the world. All my projects have run out, and to wake the old 'legend' will have to wait. And my vengeance... I am not so sure that I wish to pursue further. I've ground two houses in the dust. Now..." she muttered, trailing off and looking over her shoulder at Cog. "Part of me thinks I've extolled my fair pay."
   The wolf though, was not entirely focused on what the bat was saying. It might just have been the full moon, but part of him was beginning to feel just a bit more dizzy and off than the alcohol could account for.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

PBH and ferret pass the sound of running water, as tempting as a bath sound right now, she knew she would a sleep in a bath in seconds and likely drown.  Therefore, She leads the ferret upstairs and pass the library to one of the family bedroom with a large bed that is enough to sleep 10 Beings  PBH leads the girl to the edge of the bed.

"It is okay, but we need to get ready for bed."

Here, Bambi takes a quick drink from the wine as she turns the sheets down on one side. Handing the bottle the ferret, PBH sit the ferret down on that side of the bed.  She leans into the girl enough to looses tight collars and sleeve on the ferret and removes any belts, ties, and the girl's shoes. 

**PBH will stop anytime the girl seem scared, the girl asks her to or pushes her away.  but PBH will not push the ferret away If she needs hug or to be held**

After loosing the ferret's clothes,  PBH'll step back from the girl one step or two.
Waiting a moment or two on her knees in front of her, She looks at the girl.  If she seems calm, PBH gets up and removes her own shirt, pants and shoes as she walks to the other side of the bed, but always keeping a eye the ferret.  Leaving only her underwear on, PBH crawl into bed and lays her head on a pillow facing the ferret across the vast bed.

"I'm right here, Girl.  If the nightmares come, or you need anything, I am right here"

PBH

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog swirled the cognac in his glass absently. "Vengeance..." he murmured, the word bringing back his own memories of days long past. "Interesting you'd mention that. It's too bad you've been locked up for the last century or so...I'd hoped to find a trace of a certain someone here."
Cog swallowed the last of the amber liquid and set it down somewhat sharply. "Doesn't matter. There are only so many paths in the world, and I have time to walk as many as I must. Eventually, time brings all things to light, as they say..."
Cog suddenly found himself sitting down in a chair, although he didn't remember bending over to sit. He found it somewhat difficult to focus his eyes as well. He shook his head and continued on. "As far as the world...I somehow think you'll be alright. After all, if you can grind two houses into the dust, something tells me it would take great things indeed to put you back in your box. Play it smart, you'll be fine." He grinned. "Not that I think you didn't plan on playing it smart."
Cog was sweating, he noticed, something that he seldom did even after getting as roaring drunk as he probably was. He settled back in his chair and grimaced. Something had been irritating him all night, and it wasn't just the activities and trials of the day. No matter. He shook his head and simply loosened his shirt. Perhaps some night air would do him good.  He stood and crossed the room, unlatching one of the windows and sighing as the breeze flowed in. It was a cool night, but not yet fall - the air was about perfect.

[Aisha deCabre]

With the door to the bathroom locked, and the last bit of heated water filling the dusty but ornately-crafted tub, Aisha nearly wanted to fall asleep right among the warmth permeating the room after setting her clothes to the side and stepping in.  But soon enough the task of eliminating the scent and feel of blood from her body and hair was finished, and she had the time to just relax in the air of luxuriance, no matter how barely-lit and gloomy the surroundings seemed in the firelight.  That, and save for her own breathing and the water lapping around it was ethereal and eerily quiet.

Her eyes narrowed as they fell idly upon her clothing, which was still darkened with entrails.  I guess I shall take care of that tomorrow, she decided and leaned her head against one end, closing her eyes in thought.  So much had happened in the course of one night, certainly none of the tasks the others had would be finished until the sun rose.  She thought of the cursed...the spirits inhabiting the ferret still...their mysterious guide, and the castle's history...and who knew what else was to be found?

"Stay or go..." the panthress muttered.  Something in the back of her head advised that if anyone stayed, they'd likely face more trouble...death, mental breaking points, or monsters.  Her adventurer's instinct...the same instinct also told her right then, strangely, to stay and see what else happens.  There was a smirk on that thought.  She had gotten a new sword out of the adventure so far.  Even if it didn't truly belong to me...

Aisha stayed there for a while, almost in a state of approaching sleep, until the water cooled.  Then after drying off, she drained the tub and went to looking for a room of her own, dressed in her shirt and trousers while carrying the rest under an arm.  And when she did, she literally collapsed on the bed.  She took a second thought after setting her weapons aside to keep the boomerang beneath her pillow, before succumbing to the dreams entirely.

[Sunblink]

The more startling information that Keaton absorbed, the more visibly downtrodden and aghast the jackal became, her azure pupils pinpricking until they were nearly swallowed up by the whites of her eyes. When Keaton was a Cubi, she had no need for sleeping, but was one of the very sparse few who still enjoyed it--but even though she now had the same limitations that Angels did, while she remained incarcerated in the castle she wouldn't so much as allow herself to close her eyes for even a minute.

Especially not after what she had discovered.

One exsanguinous hand tweaked at the cover of the book she was scanning through while the other hovered near her mouth, her teeth mauling and nipping at her index fingernail. Teeth finally clamping down onto the overly abused tip and shredding it, she snapped the book shut and tucked it under her arm, climbing up and rushing over to Mel.

The Succubus-turned-Angel looked even paler than usual beneath her luxuriant, alabaster fur as she grasped the accursed book which had helped her unearth the damning piece of information, blood swarming from her knuckles. The very idea of her not being to remember her ever being a Cubi--the idea of her having to spend the rest of her life as a godforsaken fucking Angel sickened and frightened her beyond belief. There had to be something they could do to remedy this, or they would be stuck the way they were for lord knew how long.

"Mel," Keaton spoke tremulously, hand resting on the slumbering dragon's shoulder, "We have a serious problem."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Stygian]

The ferret seemed quite insecure, but settled down and still enough. She didn't seem entirely in sync with the whole situation, but the feline's words and calm demeanour rubbed off on her and she quite soon found herself. Slowly, she moved up on the bed, sitting down on the end of it, still wearing underwear and her loosened blouse and pulling the sheets aside while she moved her legs up.
   "T-thanks..." she almost murmured. "I'm... not quite sure. But thanks." She smiled at the cat.

   From behind, Cog heard the bat's voice as she closed up beside him and stood over to the side right next to him, taking in the cool night air and sighing pleasedly.
   "Full. And a bit red too. Right the way it should be..." she said smoothly, looking at the moon. Then, her nose twitched and her ears perked a bit, and she looked at the wolf next to her. Being what she was, she had no problem sensing his smell changing a bit, and his body heating up. She quickly looked him over, and smiled a sinister smile.
   "Feeling quite allright, wolf?" she murred, closing more and placing an arm around his waist. "Haven't had too much, have you?"

   Down in the library, the spider slept away. Or at least she seemed that way. There was a glinting beneath the shadows under her forehair every now and then though...

[Boog]

Jeremiah dozed on unaware of possible dangers from any direction, least of all the spider woman who he'd assumed to be equally unconcious. He rolled over in his sleep (nearly toppling from his makeshift bed of chairs and his coat) and murmored something about "bad mojo" and a place called Squiggytown. His dreams had taken a turn for the strange rather than fine art, but that wasn't the business of anyone else in the room anyway.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel awoke with a start at Keaton's light touch. Her dreams hadn't been pleasant and being startled back to reality left her blinking and bewildered for a long moment. But it only took her one look at Keaton's face to know that the jackal had not found a flaw in her hypothesis. "I was right, wasn't I?" She sighed, "I wanted to be wrong despite it meaning more time researching."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Okay, If we are not tried, now" says PBH as she stretches. groans and sits up against her pillows, too.. "Share the wine and we'll make this a slumber party.  We can tell stories, talk about ex-lovers, or try playing true or dare. Go ahead, You ask a question, and I have to answer or Drink up.  Then it is my turn for a question.  So, Go ahead, Ask me anything?"

PBH

[Cogidubnus]

The night air was doing him some good, and although he had not looked up at the sky yet, the view more than compensated. The vista presented from the high view of the castle was incredible. The lands on which the place was situated was beauty inscribed, and although it was somewhat in disrepair, one could still see the skill that had been used in the landscaping. The forest surrounding the place was dark and lovely, and the lake in the distance reflected perfectly the light from the sky and the lesser lights from the castle. Cog was staring out when he heard Sebastian slide up behind him.
He stiffened at her words, however. "The moon.." he murmured, and looked up instantly. There in the sky it was, full and red, the bloodmoon fully risen. He realized what had bothered him all night, and he shivered as he stared. He averted his gaze - looking at it so was a sure ticket to... bad things. He averted his gaze elsewhere, concentrating on keeping calm. He had survived worse nights than even this yet.
He was indeed surprised, though, when Sebastian slid an arm around his waist. His eyes opened wide, and he felt himself grow somewhat hotter than he had been. He looked down at her from where he stood, his eyes hidden behind his shades.
"No, well...yes, I have had too much." he said, his voice stuttering for a moment. He looked back out over the view. "That's not why, though. The Moon, like you said." he murmured, keeping his gaze firmly away from the heavenly body.
Cog stood there for a moment, letting Sebastian keep his arm around him. He felt himself growing more uncomfortable...and, something else too, he realized. His eyes widened under his glasses. The Moon!
Cog cleared his throat. "I...ah..."

[Stygian]

Still looking a bit insecure, the ferret nevertheless seemed to catch on quickly enough. She moved a bit to the side and lay more comfortably, placing the wine bottle on the nightstand. Then she breathed in and out heavily a bit, as if to calm herself and get more time to think. As she turned, Bambi could see her all-white eyes glowing very faintly, as if some of the moonlight that shone through the window lingered in them. The girl pursed her lips just a bit, and then spoke in a low tone.
   "Do you know anything about me?" the quite obvious question came. "You said... Our... my name is Gina. How did you know? And what is this place?"

   The bat tilted her head at Cog's reaction at first. Sure, she had expected that he would be out of balance, but this... If he was so easily swept off his feet as this, he should not have become an adventurer.
   After a brief few seconds though she realized what was really going on. She frowned a little, looking to the side and out the window, her gaze meeting the moonlight. Then, she moved against the wolf even more and wrapped her other hand around him too, gently pulling him back from the window with a strength that nevertheless belied her size, and quickly pulling the curtains a bit. She kept the wolf close, and looked up at him with eyes that really glowed, dimly lit like embers from the inside, their eyes just inches apart.
   Stygian had not been privy to the secrets of weres before. Quite frankly he had been uninterested in them, regarding the creatures as an exotic but pointless oddity. But he knew at least enough that he could tell that many of the legends about them at least seemed untrue. Now here was something that the bat could both see and feel was a lot more powerful and strange than she had expected, and that acted unexpectedly to boot. Half her mind told her that what she was doing was risky and stupid. The other half that seemed to drown out the other was just rushing with thoughts too quickly to make sense of. All of her mind was excited and tense like a violin string over the whole situation.
   Slowly, she slid a hand up past the wolf's neck and took off his glasses, looking straight at him.
   "Don't be afraid. You've got to settle down. Focus," she said. Then, slowly and warily, but decisively, she kissed him.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Pixalated Protons, Hand me the bottle!!.." curses PBH..But she calms down and turns to the ferret and looks into her eyes...PBH takes a slow sip from the bottle, and then keeps the bottle in her lap.

"Okay Okay, my friend, and I did say anything...This place is known as the BLUE or the blue castle.  And that relates to more than just the color on the walls.  a Great family, Caeruleus, lived here once and they performed great magics.  They created something that should not be in the control of any mortals Being or Creature, but I will get back to that mmmm. What I know about you, I have only seen over this last night or hear about from one of the last members of this family.  I am not sure if you are related to him or her, but someone in you is...."  looks deep in the girl's eye,  wonder If she should go on.

Now, before I going on, I have heard of someone like you once before.   I traveled alot with my mother as a kitten, and I heard a tale of Toban, the Tribe of One.  As a young Kangaroo-rat in a tribe of Kangaroo-rats in arid land, Toban was happy seven year old, when bandits came and killed all his tribe to the last soul.  As the final blow was stuck against his mother, the shamaness, who was using the last of her magic to protect her son.  Instead, she cursed the bandits and their leader Warro, and pulled the last of the souls of her tribe into her son Toban.  The great act of magic scare the bandits into leaving early.  The unconscious boy went undiscovered..  For ten year, the boy survive by the souls of his family and tribe in him, guide his path, and teaching him the way of the sword.  He hunting down every last bandit from that day.  Warro had become a bandit king but no army could defeat him.  Yet, Toban would at last bring down Warro to win the day, and his Tribe's spirits left him.  From the loot of the Bandit king, he would restart his tribe with three wives.  Or so says the tale.

You, my dear girl, seem to be also carrying more then a fair share of souls.  Something that you may not wanted to do.  Now, Please remember that I am your friend and what I am about says, is the truth as I know it.  Some of the souls in you may not be my friend and they are most likely not my host's friend. 
Please Don't kill the messager, because I still have no idea where/what all the pieces are,  But here is what happen under this castle a few hours ago.  "... PBH will take a sip of the wine and hands it back to the girl.  And starts telling the tale of what happen in the Hell painting including Stygain's and the Ferrets's part in killing the angel.  And Stygain rescue of both the ferret and PBH just before the gate closed.

PBH

[Boog]

Jeremiah shifted to get comfortable, his hat falling over his eyes. He laughed a little in his sleep, softly...

[Cogidubnus]

Cog was growing increasingly bothered, by the light of the moon and by Sebastian's continued presence. He found himself in a increasingly...split state of mind, a dangerous thing in this circumstance. His continued amicability, spare of late though it was, depended on his ability to retain his focus, and control, of himself. This all was yet another reason why he despised mages.
The disease he was afflicted with was a part of the lore associated with Weres, although it was not a part of Were nature. It was lychanthropy, purely and simply a curse that had nothing to do with being a were at all. It was, however, unique among these sorts of hexes: it was fashioned, designed, and created to affect Weres specifically, and this curse had created many of the myths and legends that surrounded his race. However, like most things, it was some truth mixed with a lot of illusion.
What was true about it, was that under the night of full moon, the curse would do it's best to force him into his more feral form, and drive him completely mad. This was something one could learn to resist, through mental discipline and focus. With many years of training, it was possible to completely overcome it, to the point that only a little effort was required those twelve times a year. This was under the best of circumstances, of course.
This was the worst of circumstances. He had not only been drinking, he was roaring drunk, and Sebastian was having an good effect disrupting his concentration as well. He was somewhat conflicted – he was aware that he wasn't in the best state of mind to decide anything, let alone wether or not he would want to continue down this vein with someone whom he knew to be as cold as ice, let alone someone whom he had just met. Even would he, he wasn't bisexual, although he wasn't even sure if that applied here. More confusion.
He felt Sebastian pull him away from the window. A nice gesture, but it wasn't the moonlight directly that was the problem, it was dwelling on the moon itself. He was about to tell her so, and turned, when he simply stood silent.
He found himself staring into her eyes, and what lovely eyes they were. Dark, yes, eyes that smoked and glowed like the embers from a long-burning fire, but they were all the more lovely for it. He found himself falling silent, without any words to say. An old rhyme of the bard sang through his head, a snippet of verse that appeared out of long habit and practice, and he grinned at her softly.
But I call thee fair, and name thee bright, ye who are dark as hell, and black as night..., he thought, and  simply let her take the glasses off his face.
But he could have never been more surprised when she kissed him, and though her words urged him to focus, her actions caused him to do the complete opposite. Drunk as he was, while she embraced him, all focus fled from Cogidubnus as he returned her kiss.
But the Wolf never sleeps, and its focus is always, always sharp.
  In his mind, he felt the slip that meant he was losing control, but that only meant it was too late. He cried out mentally – the rope halter had slipped, and left it's strip of raw flesh on his hand, and the wolf, caged for a hundred years, had finally loosed itself. It was hungry. It was ravenous. But more than that, it was angry, and it was free. In that moment, as Cog cried out in his mind, all that made him up Cog was drowned in that flood of rage. Until that moon set, he would not wake, and in his place there was the Wolf.
Cog pulled away from Sebastian and growled, but it was no lover's moan or eager murr that passed his throat. It was the wet, savage growl of a feral beast, a growl of pure rage and frightening madness. He bared long fangs, fangs that were growing longer and sharper, and his eyes held nothing of kindness nor intelligence any more: they glowed as Sebastian's glowed, lit by an inner fire more hellacious than even hers glowed at that moment. Rearing back with another snarl, he swung at her face with hands now ragged with claws, and his form continually grew more and more feral, liquefying joints and bones ripping apart what was left of his torn jacket and clothing.

The Wolf was free: it was FREE!

[Rloa]

Kerag stands over the spider lady and mutters "I wonder what are you dreaming about." Kerag's hand flash over the spider's head.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Before Keaton could respond Mel noticed something else. The strange unknown cubi had returned and was trying to raid the spider-woman's mind. He didn't seem to have any real purpose except his own amusement. This angered her, which  might have seemed odd, considering what she did every day, but that was business and to a specific purpose, not a random romp through an innocent bystander's mind to kill time. As she closed on him Mel realized that he was a little kid, probably only a year or two into his powers. He was more likely to kill himself and the spider than anything else. He needed his hands slapped to remind him of both his manners and his limits.

She moved up behind the cubi quickly, shifting size as she did so that she loomed over him, fluffing out her wings a bit to increase her apparent overall size. "That's pretty antisocial behavior you're exhibiting. I would appreciate it if you refrained from raping people's minds without a damn good reason for the duration of our mutual stay in this place." Then she smiled, the one that showed all her teeth. "If you do not comply with my request you will find out what it is like from the other side." She pushed on his mental shield, not enough to do anything except make him realize that she could smash it easily. "If you need something to occupy your time go to the kitchens and make a pot of tea. Keaton and I will probably be very busy for the remainder of the night."

[Stygian]

The ferret listened intently at first, but after a while her eyes sort of glazed over and she looked as if in a daze. She slumped back against the pillows and sat, empty eyes staring at nothing as Bambi told her story. When the cat had finished, she just sat like that for a while. Then she looked at the wine bottle and sighed.
   "Give me some of that... I need..." she said, tiredly.

   At first, the bat was simply taken aback. Bashful, and now hateful? How did that work out? She supposed that it might have been an effect of his drunken state, but going from smelling that afraid and excited to passionate and then purely furious in such a short time was just plain mental.
   "You don't have to get so..." she said, stepping back a bit. "Cogidubnus...?" Then the wet snaps and cracklings began, and she realized. All the blush dissappeared off her face, and it contorted as she bared fangs. "If that's how you..."
   She didn't have time to say more, as a shifting hand with razorlike claws smashed right into her face. Not in a position or form to stand up against it, and too out of balance to catch it, she only managed to twitch before she was thrown away next to the bed, smashing into the wall and dropping to the floor with her back slightly to it and her face down, hair falling over it and her body going limp like a ragdoll. Something dripped from her face and the tips of her hair, staining the floor.