The Castle (IC) [M] {04}

[lucas marcone]

"Who was that?" Ian asked Mel. "And that Aisha girl seems to keep to herself. She alright?" Ian looked confused and bewildered. guess it's to be expected when you meet a legion of new people with quirks like this motly crew.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

"Who?" asked Mel confused. "I am not sure what you mean. You have met Mistress Msh'taan, the white tiger, she is a healer. Ketefe introduced herself. Aisha is a quiet girl, but very nice. Very smart and thoughtful. The last of the group that you have seen is Cogidubnus Mithlome, the silver haired wolf. I have  no idea why he was so rude as to leave in the middle of talking to you. He normally has very nice manners. There are a few others, but you have not met them yet. When you are warm and dry we will go to the library and you can meet them." The dragon looked very seriously at Ian. "Please do not go wandering off alone. We have misplaced a few adventurers already and have no idea of their fate. I am not joking."

[Stygian]

Taking a deep breath, Stygian pushed himself up with another grunt, more a snarl this time. He was still shuddering, feeling the pain sear through him and hating himself both for his actions and for his weakness, but he had experienced these jolts of pain often enough that he recovered quickly from them. Or, at least he had learned to ignore the agony.
   'I'm fine... I...' he growled, face twisting, and then hobbled forward, throwing open the door and dashing down the stairs. Halfway through the movement his shape began distorting, darkening as he shifted to his true form to move faster and more steadily. By the time he had stumbled down to the base of the tower, he was a haze of crawling, swarming darkness, only vaguely recognizable as a humanoid shape with some sort of large wings amid all the twisting dark. He stormed after Cog's trail, trying to catch up with the wolf, moving in an almost serpentine fashion, making his way forth on all limbs like some grotesque arthropod. When he reached the entry hall he stormed right at Ketefe, clearly scaring the wits out of the feline as she saw his bestial face and glowing eyes come at her and felt the blackness brush over her, but not stopping, throwing open the doors and pulling himself out into the rain.
   Aisha had just rounded Cog when Stygian closed up on them in the dark, stopping just out of sight in the darkness in between the trees that lined the path just beyond the walls, not knowing how he should approach either of them.

[Angel]

Ketefe nodded a thank-you to Aisha as the panthress left to get Cogi. She had just taken a step in the other direction when a murky haze of darkness with blazing eyes, wings and a grotesque face that could only have been Stygian charged right at her. Her eyes widened and she let out a short scream of fear as she jumped out of his way, but as he passed, she felt some sort of darkness brush over her, as if somehow her soul had been briefly eclipsed. He went on as if he hadn't noticed, going straight out the door and into the storm.

When the bat (if he could be called that in his present form) left, she was shaking all over and still wide-eyed. Somehow, this had been even scarier than watching him attack the Mythos. At least then he'd had a reason to look terrifying.

"What...the bleeding hell... is wrong with him....?" she said to no-one, trying to slowly regain her composure.

[lucas marcone]

"Really? Get the student loan people in here. They'll find a penny in a sea of copper scraps if you know what i mean." Ian said with a snicker. He took a sip of tea. "I hope Darrol isn't too terrified."

[Cogidubnus]

 The wind and rain blowing both of their clothes about them, and the foul weather making it difficult to look directly at the panthress, Cog paused as she stood in front of him, and almost as if confused he took his hat from her hand.
He turned, the wind molding his coat around him, and he stared back up at the castle, seemingly oblivious to the weather. He began to shake, and looked off to the right, away from her.
"Just go." He said thickly, and took a rattling breath. "Please. I'm sorry. But...ju- please, go."
Aisha, from where she was, couldn't see him crying. And though her eyes and ears were sharp, neither could she see Sebastian in the woods, perfectly illumined by the magic-seeing glasses Cog wore.

[Stygian]

Stalking closer and around the pair standing in the middle of the road, Stygian came almost into view, the glowing pinpoints of his irises dimly visible in the shadows. The rain suppressed nearly all scent, but both Cog and Aisha with their heightened senses could catch a slight whiff of his scent, toxic and vaporous like some sort of smoky alcohol or fuel. With him this close, Aisha's tailring flared in a nearly steady emerald glow.
   A lightning flash finally lit him up where he stood between the trees, monstrous and snaking with shadows deeper than those surrounding him. He slowly began walking closer, the blackness drawing inward but his form still hidden in the dark as he shifted, again assuming his humanoid disguise.
   'Cogidubnus... What are...?' he hesitantly began as he emerged partially into view. While his darkened face had been hardly readable, the sadness and worry was evident on his now much more normal face. 'I... I didn't...'

[Sunblink]

"Motherfucking--!" was Keaton's only exclamation after Stygian lurched to his feet and staggered out the door, dashing out of sight. It took her a while to react properly, her body frozen in a sheer state of shock over how everything was so swiftly degenerating. A single twitch heralded the sudden movement of her muscles, her body rushing forward, out the door, and out of sight, the scuffling of rapidly scraping heels and a loud shout of "FUCK!" being the only harbingers to Keaton's approach.

By the time she had made it down to the door Stygian was already outside. Apparently Cogidubnus had left, and considering what had transpired, Keaton didn't particularly blame him. Blatantly ignoring Ketefe, a look of panic about her, Keaton rushed outside without even observing the weather conditions. She didn't even muster the effort to conjure up another umbrella to shield herself from the rain--she was just in too much of a hurry, and as menial of an example of shadow manipulation that was, she didn't want to unnecessarily waste any energy. Unfortunately, as she burst out the door and sped outside, where she was instantly greeted with the downpour of rain, she began to regret this decision.

For Keaton, the shadows were hard to manipulate when their presence was being obscured by assailing, tumultuous rain. It made it hard to concentrate. Fortunately, when Keaton managed to focus enough, she forged a smaller umbrella from the same shadows she did during her leisurely stroll before, protecting her somewhat from the bombardment of water. It was frail, but it had to do for now.

She found Cogidubnus near the trees. Sighing, Keaton walked over, her normally vivid yellow appearance eclipsed by the shadows draped over her, her dark clothing and markings, and the unsteady weather. "Cog?!" she shouted, not immediately recognizing Aisha until she noticed the green halo of energy radiating off of her tailring. Stygian was too concealed for her to see. "Jesus, you--you scared the shit out of... I..."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Aisha deCabre]

Unaware of the fact that they had been pursued for a small time, Aisha tilted her head to watch Cogidubnus's reaction to her interference.  She had expected to perhaps be lashed at, or ignored...but not this.  The wolf turned his expression away from her and uttered that the panthress just leave, in a tone that she could swear carried tears.

And she certainly felt like obeying.  As was said before, the problem was hardly any of her business...but her eyes narrowed, regarding him, and she didn't move an inch from the spot she stood in, even when she was becoming completely drenched.  "I don't think so, comrade," she said, crossing her arms.  "I think we both know that you would rather not walk out in this rain, and the only reason people do, is if they're depressed."  She sighed and tried to put on a reassuring smile.  "As I said to Keaton, we're all friends.  So I'd like to hear what's got you so..."

But the panthress never finished her sentence.  Through the talk, there was the unnerving thought of the encompassing darkness near the trees...and the feeling that they were being watched...the strange mix of scents...all brought to light by the sudden flare of her tail ring, giving the area around them a constant, pulsating emerald glow.  Looking up, she saw Keaton approaching, also coming back for the wolf, she assumed...but was she the cause of the flare...?

No, that was.  The lightning briefly illuminated the dark shape in the trees, which made Aisha back up and instinctively draw her boomerang, raising it over her head.  But she didn't fire...instantly she recognized the bat, approaching the hurt and saddened wolf as well.

With a sigh of relief, Aisha replaced her weapon and crossed her arms.  "Okay...well...should I get out of here?" she asked incredulously, but she kept her concerned...and now curious...expression.

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog instinctively bristled at Aisha's refusal to leave, almost turning and lashing out at the panthress as she stood in the rain for him. He bit his toungue instead, watching the bat walk out of the woods and start speaking.
About then Keaton showed up.
Cog turned and regarded all three of them, Aisha, Keaton, and Sebastian, looking at each of them in turn. Tears still ran down his face, and after sputtering a moment, set his teeth, his fur standing on end and his eyes flashing.
"Get...AWAY!" he screamed raggedly, both of his fists clenching and erupting with tiny orbs of force, visibly displacing the rain around them. Still shaking, Cog turned on Aisha. His eyes, furious, and wet with rain and tears, seemed almost feral. "GO." he said, and the sky suddenly cracked with thunder. "Just...J-...GO!" he yelled, growling and baring fangs at the panthress. The storm, already fierce, became yet more intense: the rain began to fall in sheets, and the wind began to tear violently at Aisha's cloak, nearly dragging her forward. Cog whirled, glaring daggers at Keaton.
"Leave!" he said raggedly, the wolf unable to keep a snarl out of his voice. A stroke of lightning suddenly struck beside the group, exploding with an earsplitting boom as yet another bolt fell in the same spot. Cog gestured to the storm, and it responded to his call, the skies darkening yet further.
The weather was becoming truly dangerous.
Cog turned and regarded the bat, his eyes inhuman. He wasn't sure if the other two had left yet. He no longer cared. "You didn't what? Mean what you said?" Cog stalked forward, staring straight into the bat's eyes. His teeth flashed dully, briefly illuminated by a thunderbolt. "Didn't mean that you've lied to me. Betrayed me? Used me?"
He voice choked, but the wolf kept speaking, walking closer and closer to the bat. "Tricked me? Laughed in your sleeve as I professed love for you, because you needed a fucktoy for a few hours?" Cog bit out, his voice thick and savage at the same time. "Or what? You didn't think I meant what I said? Did you think I was lying?"
He shook, and made a sudden chopping guesture with his hand. The sky growled, and thunder roared in response, bolts of lightning falling frighteningly close all around them.
Cog was only feet away from the bat. "That...I'd...well, you said it. Like any other puppy. Maybe the Cubi will get rid of him for you, right?"

[Sunblink]

It should've been easily predictable that someone who had their heart stampeded on a million times over would've reacted violently to being encountered by the source of their heartache in front of a live, and consistently-increasing audience. It honestly should've been. But, logic and basic reactions aside, Keaton never would've anticipated such a volatile reaction out of Cogidubnus--poetic, articulate, smooth Cogidubnus of all people.

So when he whirled around to face them, tears streaming from his eyes and fury shrieking from every pore of his body in palpitating, viciously vivid rays, Keaton thought she was hallucinating. Originally she would've heeded Cog's screamed demand, obligingly sidestepping until her shock wouldn't allow her to move any longer, but instead she merely stared in owlish surprise, the hand gripping her umbrella having gone taut and pallid with tension. Thunder rolled overhead; chains of lightning leaped between the billowing clouds like crackling shackles, spasming and fluctuating as a lance of electricity barreled to the earth, colliding against the ground with an earsplitting crack.

Keaton didn't scream--but she felt her concentration loosen just enough for the umbrella to dissipate, vanishing in a swirling mass of atramentous vapors. Another lightning bolt kissed the ground, Keaton staggered back, gripping her wrist unconsciously as she felt dark magic instinctively spark between her fingertips. The emotions radiating off of Cog were overwhelming, nearly enough to penetrate her mind-barrier and send her careening into delusion, but only pummeled away at her senses in the background of her panic. Cog didn't seem to care if Keaton remained around any more, because he was advancing on Stygian.

Many proclamations Cogidubnus had made, but one particularly smashed Keaton out of nowhere. Love? He had declared love to Stygian? All this time Keaton had assumed their encounter was nothing more than a fling, something shallow and meaningless which only then Keaton realized would be terribly uncharacteristic. Not everyone was like her, after all. Severing these thoughts prematurely came the downward cannonade of lightning, cacophonous thunder echoing in an eerie crescendo around them. Keaton let out a loud grunt, dodging a haphazardly thrown spark as it grazed past her ear. She could feel something in her head pop and sizzle sulfurously, but she wasn't quite sure what it was yet.

All that really mattered right now was getting out alive, but Keaton couldn't find herself able to move, or even draw her weapon. It seemed... distasteful. The only thing she was capable of doing was staring and listening to everything Cog said, observing Stygian's reactions from the sidelines.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Stygian]

Stygian took one step closer, then wished he hadn't. The crack of thunder that was way too close wasn't nearly so uncomfortable as the wolf's pained and tear-streaked face. He stood and heard out the tirade, his own face contorting in both pain and anger with every word. As Cog neared, the bat's hair stood and his neck ruffled as he reared a bit, clenching his fists.
   At the mention of the word love though, the bat nearly cringed. As Cog finished his last words, Stygian bit his lip, one of his fangs piercing it and drawing blood. Then, when the wolf stopped speaking, he looked up, eyes like daggers, and punched him straight in the face.
   'You idiot!' he shouted, and it was evident by hearing his voice that he was on the verge of tears as well. 'You stupid, ignorant fool!' He snarled as he cried. He looked straight down, shoulders tense and his fists still clenched. For a bit he didn't speak at all.
   'Yes!' he said, finally. 'Yes, I thought you were lying. I thought you were smart!'

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel took the last sip of her tea and set the cup down. "Well, if you have dried out I will show you to the library. The last time I checked everyone was there. It is probably where anyone who did not return to the tower is holed up. Really interesting collection if you are studying magic."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha had recieved her answer with a definite bang, as it was soon found out.  She stood her ground as Cogidubnus started to whirl on her...she was wondering if a nerve had been struck or what was going on.  The presence of the others only just seemed to make things even more tense and destructive...as the storm whirling overhead clearly showed.

Aisha lowered her head and started to back away, though she was fighting the oncoming wind in doing so, and was nearly blown off of her feet.  She kept her eyes on the wolf, but she was staring aghast at the way he appeared, as Keaton certainly was as well, walking towards Sebastian with a glare so venomous it would have made many of the wise back away without a thought.

As the panthress held onto her cape and exchanged a glance with Keaton, trying to figure out whether to leave or to go, the lightning and thunder increased in frequency.  She was starting to opt for the latter option, just as soon as two bolts...one after the other...landed square near them.  Aisha leaped away to catch herself from falling on her side, blown nearly deaf by the booming sound and the intense heat.

But, unfortunately, she could all too clearly hear what the wolf had said next, words blazing towards the bat like spears.  And of course, as the wind blew the hood from her face, that would reveal the melanistic cat's aghast expression.

They...did WHAT?!

"Ugh!" she snarled and held her horridly-aching ears, rolling back onto her feet as the lightning only grew more prevalent, and Stygian retorted with his own--very cold, one might add--argument and slammed the wolf's jaw with his fist.  Needless to say, there seemed little reason for the bystanders to be there...Cogidubnus had grown uncaring of their presence.  It didn't look like they were going to stop.

"I'm outta here," Aisha said in passing to Keaton and replaced her hood, starting to race back toward the castle.  "Do what you want, but you oughta do the same!"  The action might have seemed cowardly...but she came to bring back someone from the storm, and that's what would end up happening, one way or another.  There would be some musing over what was going on later.

Better warn Rynkura that there might need to be some healing after all this dramatic bullcrap...

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog's eyes widened in surprise as pain suddenly flared up from his jaw, his brain processing that the bat had just punched him. His head snaked back at the bat, his eyes now truly feral in their fury. He listened to the bat finish, and snarling even as a little blood ran down his chin.
"Then you should have listened! If I am an idiot, than you are truly the god of imbeciles! What did you think...what else could I have been saying?! That I was simply trying to get some? That...I...Iah..."
Cog faltered, his eyes and ears twitching with rage, the lightning around them, building to a crescendo of deafening booms he screamed, his cry starting out horse and ragged, and blurring into a two-toned, distorted howl of despair and fury. The storm raged all the more furious in response, the roar of thunder becoming almost a constant rumble, and the flashes of lightning almost staccato in their frequency. He howled, even as his voice began to gradually weaken, becoming less distorted. Finally, and with his head still high, the wolf stopped.
And fell to his knees.
The storm began to weaken rapidly, the thunderous flashes growing less and less frequent, and the sky itself growing lighter. The rain began to patter instead of rain down in sheets, and the wind blew a little less strongly. Cog lowered his head, his eyes empty.
He fell to his hands, and on the ground, Cog wept.

[Stygian]

Cog didn't fight back. He didn't even try to walk away. All he did was despair. And as the wolf cried out in pain, Stygian could do nothing but agonize with him. He fell to his knees, and the bat almost stepped up to catch him. Stygian swallowed visibly.
   'I'm... I didn't think...' he said lamely, then sniffed and looked down, ears drooping with rain and his blond hair falling in wet tassels over his eyes. 'For Hell's sake, you idiot! Why do you think I'd speak to... It's only been days! Are you out of your mind?!'
   The bat dropped to his knees and grabbed Cog, pulling him close. 'I can't, Cog. I can't do that to you. I just thought...' he said, and bit his lip. His voice thickened while he spoke, his own black eyes squinting through tears now. 'Damnit! Look at me!' He grabbed the wolf's shoulders and shook him. 'I'm not a woman, Cog! I'm not even a creature like those you know. I'm a thing!' he said painfully. 'I thought you understood that! Did you think you could...?!'
   Again, the bat stopped, letting his head fall and the rain spill through his hair and soak his shirt slick against his hard, arced back. He shivered.
   'I don't know what to say to you, Cog,' he said. 'I think you've made a mistake. I want to say that I feel as you, but...'

[Cogidubnus]

 His rage spent, Cog seemed almost limp in the bat's arms, the wolf listening to the bat speak, without growl nor snarl. He merely listened, letting the rain soak him, and between rattling breaths he sighed, looking down at the dirt. The bat shook him, and Cog's eyes rose to meet his. Cog was surprised to see tears there. As the bat shivered, however, Cog looked at the strange, shaking thing before him, pausing for a few long moments before speaking.
"I know." he said simply. "I know all those things. I knew all those things. And yet..."
He stared into the bat's eyes. "It didn't matter. It doesn't matter. Why didn't you...I..." he faltered, and his eyes seemed to light again. "I told you. I wasn't lying. You're not a woman, I know. You're not a man either. You're a thing. I...I didn't..."
Cog stuttered, his lips pressed tight, and he spoke, outpouring his heart. "Why? I...I...how coul...dammit! Why couldn't you have said something? Why did you let me..."
Cog shook, pausing and sucking in breath, and letting it out slowly, desperately seeking the calm he knew so well. It didn't seem to want to come. He looked at the bat, and drew a hand across his mouth, wiping away the blood.
  "I...I think I understand."
He seemed to fight with himself for a moment, his hand jerking on his hip several times. "If you...don't feel the same. Than you don't." he said. He couldn't quite bring himself to put his hand on the bat's shoulder. "But...what you said. Is..."
He paused. "Is that how you see me? Really? Just another puppy, looking for a soft spot?"

[Aisha deCabre]

As fast as her feet would carry her, Aisha dashed back to the sanctuary of the castle with the storm behind, eager to get away from all of the noise that still left a ringing in her ears.  And when the thunder stopped rolling and the storm quieted down to nothing more than the mercilessly-pouring rain, she stopped at the front doors to catch her breath and just looked down the pathway, quite curious as to what had happened all of a sudden.

I'd like to see what the quiet's about...but I guess that can wait...the panthress shook her head with a sigh and quickly pushed the doors into the entrance hall and shut them again as she trudged in.  Drenched from head to toe, Aisha shook the water from herself with a very disgruntled look on her face and started across the foyer, wondering where everyone else was.  A few were in the library...and a few in the kitchen, she remembered.

The feeling of the water made her shiver.  Suddenly, her nose wrinkled.  "Ha-chnk!" she sneezed, ears still pinned to her head while her hand was on her mouth...despite feeling a little worn, she wondered now what to do, and where to go.  For all she knew, those three hadn't been at all close behind her.  Should she get help...?

But a major part of the panthress, after hearing what she did, felt like just leaving everything be.  Everyone down there could more than take care of themselves, said the back of her head.  And hey, maybe it's deserved...

...I'll...tell Rynkura in a minute, she decided, and started towards the kitchen.  She tried to hear who was there, but she couldn't bring herself to move her ears from their laid-back position.  Damned lightning...stupid ringing...stupid...gah.

[lucas marcone]

"Library? it'd more than some Sports Illustrated and a few Playboys right? Darrol has a very limeted selection for reading when I get bored and I've already read all my books thrice." He shot a smile at Mel. "Sure let's go." Ian started walking then promptly remembered he has no idea of the layout of the casle nor does he even remember how to get to the front door. "Er...um. Lead the way?" He asked hopefully.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel laughed, "The library is huge, bigger than most public libraries, and I rather think the original owners would frown upon anyone leaving nudie magazines in there." She had only made her way as far as the kitchen door when she spotted Aisha coming at her, as mad and miserable as only a wet cat could look. "You look like you fell in the bathtub, Aisha. Come here beside the stove." She pulled one of the chairs over right next to the warmth and  helped Aisha disentangle herself from the clinging folds of her soaked cloak. Dropping it over a second chair to dry she lit the main boiler to start water heating for a warm bath then poured out the last of the tea. After handing it to the sneezing panthress she asked, "What would possess you to go outside right now?"

[Aisha deCabre]

As Aisha wandered into the kitchen, she was somewhat surprised to suddenly see Mel already up from her seat.  "Oh, hey...sure...thanks" was all the panthress muttered as she let the dragon help to remove her wet cape.  She sat in the chair and took the tea without much question, also giving a light nod of greeting to Ian as she entered.

She had to chuckle slightly at the "fallen in a bathtub" remark...Aisha probably did look a little bedraggled...but the warmth of the inside soon helped to calm her down a bit, though she was still a little jumpy from having nearly been blasted to pieces.  After all of that, Aisha hoped that Keaton and the other two would make it back in one piece.

After a gulp of tea, the huntress smiled to Mel.  "Thank you...and I was trying to get Cogidubnus, as he stormed out of here in a bit of a rage...then Keaton arrived, and then Sebastian...then everything went to hell.  The storm got worse, a fight got started...I think they're still outside...mierda santa..."  Aisha cursed silently and took another sip of her tea, stopping there.  She wasn't going into any more details than that.

She sagged a bit in her seat, and then looked back up at the others.  "Anyway, I'm sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt any good conversation."

[lucas marcone]

"We were just talking about some books nothing too interesting. Here." Ian set a small tube filled with a slightly clear greenish liquid beside Aisha. "That'll stop any cold before it starts." He looked like he was thinking, "Won't stop syphilis though. Greg found that out the hard way."

[Angel]

After watching Keaton bolt out the door after Stygian, Ketefe had calmed down. Something inside her told her that this wasn't something for her to interfere with. Still, she needed something to distract her and help her relax, so she went upstairs to her room.

Luckily for her, there was a bathroom adjoining her room. She set her drawstring backpack on the bed and pulled out an outfit, set her sword leaning against her bed, then walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

About twenty minutes later, she walked out, hair slightly damp and dressed in a black cotton t-shirt and blue jeans. She folded up her old outfit and put it at the bottom of her backpack, and left her mask on the bedside table. She wasn't all that concerned about her scar being visible; pretty much everyone in the castle knew she had it, and she wore the mask out of habit more than anything. The bracelet Mel had given her was retied around her left wrist.

She headed back downstairs and to the kitchen. She could hear voices in there - Ian, Mel, and Aisha, who sounded a little shivery. Not surprised, Ketefe thought before entering.

"Oy. You okay, Aisha?" she said upon seeing the panthress clearly. She was soaked to the bone, and looked a little rattled. Not too surprising either...Stygian is a scary person when he's mad, and Cog is practically never upset.

[Stygian]

Stygian paused, looking at the wolf before him, lost for words. He conjured up a little crooked smile.
   'You're a puppy to me, Cog. But if you're so sincere...' he said, and stroked over the wolf's cheek. 'And I do feel for you. A lot. But I am not sure whether we could work together. Not in that way.' That was the simple truth of it, however much one might dislike it. With Stygian's nature and history...
   Sighing, the bat tugged Cog up, bringing him to his feet with more ease than might have been comfortable. He stood though, even if he looked every bit of the sad dog he was with his scruff slick and his fur wet and drooping. But Stygian guessed that he must look no better himself.
   'I would love to be your friend, and perhaps a bit more. But I've got a long way to go before... Before I can even settle down. Before I can allow anyone so close,' he said. Though what he really thought was before I can work out the problem of what and who I am, somehow... 'And most of all I think you should try and find someone more deserving of you. Why else did you think I spoke to Keaton?' He smiled unexpectedly over Cog's shoulder at the jackal, as well as he could. 'A devious, sadistic succubus is ages better than me.'

[lucas marcone]

When Ian caught a glimpse of ketefe's scar he shiverd for a second, and stared for a few more when he caught himself. "Oh! I'm so sorry I didn't know you had a, ...and I didn't mean to...."

[Aisha deCabre]

Quirking her eyebrow at Ian as she sipped her tea, she glanced at the tube filled with the liquid and took it, sniffing the substance inside with a bit of caution.  Being a healer's apprentice, she recognized the scent of various healing substances, perhaps some made with herbs and some other things.

There was a snort of laughter at his syphilis comment, shaking her head.  At least the kid had an interesting sense of humor.  Aisha took the medicine and felt a little warmer, perhaps so as it was combined with the warm drinks provided by Mel and the overall mood of the castle.  Still she would probably have to see Rynkura about her near-shattered eardrums.  "Thanks," she nodded, still a little shakily to the rat.

The panthress then perked up as Ketefe came back, giving her a nod as well...though she had seen the scar before, so she wasn't quite as surprised as Ian was.  "I'm fine, thanks...just a bit of a chill, nothing more."  How understated is THAT...?  That's when her mind snapped a little bit back into business.  She still wondered if it was good to leave them out there...she flexed her claws momentarily to let out a bit of tenseness, and scritched the back of one of her own ears.  "I couldn't really fetch Cogi back...Keaton and Sebastian are handling that."  She looked up questioningly.  "Did you find Bambi?"

[Sunblink]

From afar, as the rain pelted the earth from the miasmal clouds churning in the sky, Keaton stood on the sidelines, listening attentively to every word uttered between Cogidubnus and Stygian. Aisha had escaped previously, inviting for Keaton to join her, but for some reason the jackal found herself irreversibly frozen where she numbly stood.

When Stygian punched Cog in the jaw Keaton expected for the sky to begin raining lightning and thunder again, but instead the wolf reacted more emotionally, dropping to his knees and weeping. The storm gradually ebbed away into relative inactivity, the flashes of lightning dying and the gravelly thunder disintegrating to rocky hiccups. Keaton glanced up at the sky, watching the storm cease, but immediately regretted this decision once a sizable bullet of water stung at her malfunctioned eye. Against the damaged ocular replacement, it created the sensation of a pint of acid being poured into her socket, just before she felt another loud sizzle and all vision in that eye disappear.

"FFT--!" Keaton hissed, grabbing at her eyesocket and shielding it from any further assault. Normally she would've let out an endless string of curses, but for once she curbed her temper, and the oncoming water she felt well up in her organic, uninjured eye. That could wait for later.

The rest proceeded with a surprising amount of peacefulness--Stygian had drawn Cog back up and was speaking to him, though when he mentioned about why he was speaking to Keaton, the aforementioned jackal nearly choked on the rainwater dribbling into her mouth. Her, being better than Stygian? For Cog? That... that was a maddening thought. Nearly enough to drive Keaton into incoherency. If this had occurred in any other circumstance, Keaton would've looked almost comical in her reaction, but instead appeared somewhat sober, if stunned into silence.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog stood forlornly, dripping water, and regarded the bat sadly. He snuffled once, shook his head, and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and he brushed his sopping hair up and out of his eyes. He slowly settled his hat back on his head.
"I thought you spoke to Keaton to get rid of me." he said bluntly. "Which you were, I suppose. But..." Cog paused. "Not like that, I guess. But...do me a favor, Sebastian."
Cog's eyes were strange. "Don't make decisions about what's best for me, for me, Sebastian." He said, his voice oddly even. "I...yes, this, is as much my fault as yours. I should have been more clear." Cog looked straight into the bat's eyes. "But...you should listen when people say things. Sometimes they really do mean them."
He looked at him for a moment longer, and turned. "I meant what I said, Sebastian. I still mean it. But if that is how you feel..."
Cog began walking up the hill. "Keaton is a nice girl." he called back. "But you shouldn't put yourself down like that." Cog sighed. "No offense, Keats." he murmured as he passed her.
Water dripped down the front of his hat, as one very wet, very sad, and very exhausted Cogidubnus walked back up to the castle, intent on finding somewhere dry, warm, and away.

[Angel]

Ketefe gave herself a mental kick when Ian shuddered and stared at her scar. Whoops. She smacked herself in the forehead, saying "Oh, jeez. I'd forgotten you hadn't seen it yet. Sorry. Didn't mean to freak you out." She gave Ian a smile so he'd know she wasn't offended by his reaction.

When Aisha spoke, she turned and felt a little ashamed about her answer. "I didn't go looking yet. I was about to when I heard your voice, and I wanted to see if you'd had any luck. I probably should go check now... I'll be back in a minute." She turned towards the door.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel looked a bit incredulous. "Cog, Sebastian, and Keaton are having a fight? In the pouring rain?" Well, that would explain the thunder she had been hearing, since Cog didn't seem to have much magical control yet. A quick probe of the storm showed a lot of magical tampering but it seemed to be past. She hoped that meant the fight was past as well. Just then Ketefe entered and spoke with Aisha. Bambi was missing too? Even with the worse of the dangers gone this place was still claiming people. When Ketefe left again Mel turned to Aisha. "I have started the boiler, but you might want to catch the first hot shower before the others get in. Ian, I found the laundry earlier. Do you mind helping me get towels for the others before our library tour?"