The Castle (IC) [M] {04}

[Sunblink]

Still studying the eye-stone intently, Keaton trailed dutifully behind Mel, following the ice dragon into the library. Occasionally the jackal would devote some of her attention to where she was walking, and making sure she wasn't putting herself in danger with the absence of depth perception, but for the most part she was engrossed in her inspection of the eye-stone. So it was commissioned by a Demon who specialized in dark magic? That meant it was basically meant for her.

Keaton's previous eye was just a mere augmentation, something primitive and low-maintenance for the lack of technology of her age. Not to mention the people who had given her the eye in the first place hadn't exactly dedicated themselves to finding her a well-working replacement. Part of the reason Keaton was so skeptical about this new eye-stone was because it looked even older than her last eye. If technology was so limited back then, what would it be like dating to times stretching back even further?

For the moment, she discarded these musings, especially when they encountered Rynkura. She waved as pleasantly as she could, a juxtaposition to the ghastly sight of her vacant eye-socket. Mel explained their situation, and Keaton nodded, setting the eye on the table. "Yeah," she said, "You think you can help us out?"

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Aisha deCabre]

With a hum, Rynkura listened to Mel and Keaton as they explained the situation of the eye to her.  The tiger's expression turned to one of thought.  "A demon's eye?  Whatever happened to him, I wonder," she mused and picked the small orb up from the table, weighing it in her palm.

It looked rather plain for the description of an enchanted object.  But briefly, the tips of Rynkura's fingers glowed and sent a small portion of detection magic through the relic, and she could feel the energies reflecting back.  Just as she thought, there was considerable power within.  "It's well made, Mel.  Very old indeed, but well-preserved.  Dark magic, a few elemental and biological properties," the old healer surmised in an observational tone.  "So the vision should work well...it's gem-enchanted perhaps, but keyed into the user's traits, so there's never a need for recharging it...but as for the magic..."

The tigress smiled and looked back to the expectant dragon and jackal.  "Dark or shadow magic isn't in my reportoire to add to what's there, but I will try to help.  Perhaps I can manipulate it enough so that it's made for you to use quite perfectly, without it losing any of its special effects.  Let's see..."

She held the stone-like orb up for a closer look, narrowing her eyes, then glanced back at Mel.  "If I may please know what the eye was made to do, if to provide anything more than just vision, specifically?"

*     *     *

Despite the lingering pain in her temples, Aisha chuckled at Sebastian's reply to her words.  "Well, you may just find more friends, even when you aren't looking for them.  And yes, cold water would be fine," the panthress replied with a smile, but wondered if she should even bring up the small detail that they were no longer allowed into town.  If it's worse, I won't need aspirin.  S'what healers are for anyway, she mentally dismissed and gave a nod back to the bat as she turned around, exiting the kitchen, but leaving the tea out.  "Thanks.  You sleep well, too.  Buenas noches."

As the panthress walked back to her room, just keeping her tired eyes ahead of her, she couldn't help but smirk ironically to herself.  I guess when times like this arise, it's good to take back what I once thought of having Mistress Rynkura be here.  I still feel like such a child for feeling so, Aisha sighed, thinking of the healing.  At least Gareeku had brought her a bit more comfort then...but she wondered where the wolf was now, hoping he wasn't one of those mysteriously vanishing...

Shaking her head, she opened the door to find the raven still there, hanging on the window and staring ahead at her, as still as some sort of statue, and its expression quite menacing as it always seemed to be.  "Anyone ever tell you that you go well with the decor?" she asked the raven dryly, still wondering if some portion of the animal understood what she was saying.

Aisha dismissed the thought, undressing again and sliding into the sheets, this time finding it much easier to fall asleep.  Not totally, but well enough.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel made a bit of a face. "I am not sure I remember everything it does. As you noted, I made it a very long time ago. It is not something I would normally undertake but it was a special commission taken at Grandmother's request for the grandson of one of her old friends. He was killed before he could pick it up." The dragon stared at the thing in Rynkura's hand. "I remember that it has vision enhancing properties because his sight was failing. He was a feline demon so it has enhanced night vision. But there was something else. Something to do with dark magic. It stores it so the user can use it later. But I can not remember why, although considering the one who commissioned it I am fairly certain it was a weapon. Perhaps Keaton can tell."

[Aisha deCabre]

Looking the eye over while listening to Mel's answer, Rynkura nodded to signify that she had paid attention, and hummed when the dragon finished.  "Ah, I see...quite unfortunate I suppose, the demon's death, before the eye could be put to good use."

She smiled back at them.  "Don't worry about not remembering everything...I sense powers in the eye, but most likely they aren't spontaneous.  Keaton should be able to sense them for herself."  Rynkura held the small orb in her right palm, and it felt quite light for something that appeared to have the density of a rock...but magic held no weight.

The tigress turned to sit at the table, on the side so that the onlookers could watch and perhaps comment if anything.  Rynkura was not vain about her skill, but even with onlookers, she was quite drawn into her craft.  She lay the item carefully on the table, pushing a few of the books out of the way to clear the space.  "Now let's see..." she murmured and placed her fingers on the sides of the eye's circumfrence.

Sending a little more sight-seeing magic into the object, Rynkura picked out the exact powers that Mel had described: enhanced vision capabilities and a store of dark magic around what would be the cornea.  Much like her healing magic did, she bypassed those traits and with a quick flash of a dark, shadowy light, expelled capabilities from the eye that would have made it perfect for a demon, and the magic seemed to waft in the air like mist before disappearing altogether...and at last, she inserted a touch of her own magic to keep all of the capabilities in place.

The tigress lifted her hand from the orb, and it looked just as pristine as it had been before, with a minute difference in energy for those who could sense it.  Satisfied, Rynkura picked up the eye and offered it to Keaton.  "There...I simply made the eye more generalized so that it could fit anyone if the need saw it...it ought to help.  You need just give it a taste of your own magic before inserting it, if I'm correct, and it should fit you well."

[Sunblink]

Keaton watched everything that proceeded with piqued interest, ears swiveled upright and eyes concentrated on the stone as it was gently carried in Rynkura's hands, fingers wrapping 'round the spherical surface. Everything seemed to happen almost instantaneously--there was a bit of focusing on the part of Rynkura, a subtle squeeze of the hands, and then the palpitations of freshly-released magic as it coalesced outward in a quick, sizzling vibration, then disintegrated in the form of a drifting stream before its disappearance. Anew darkness flushed back into the ancient stone, rejuvenating it from its slumber.

Still, there was no ostensible change to the eye-stone aside from the enlivened pulse of magic. For some reason Rynkura seemed rather satisfied with the results, leaving Keaton befuddled as she stared at the eye-stone once it was passed into her grasp.

"Hey, thanks!" Keaton said--while the outer change wasn't significant, she could still feel that the eye-stone had come alive in some way. Experience with magical objects and weaponry taught Keaton that was enough to make some sort of difference. Carefully, Keaton lowered the eye-stone, entwining it in her fingers until it was slipped, snug between her palms. "Now I just charge it, right...?"

She focused. And she felt something spark up from within her belly, enough for her to take advantage of and push it outward, outward, outward, forcing it along the channels of her body and through the veins networking in twisting trails within her arms, snaking out her fingertips. It seemed as though, for a moment, electricity was creeping in darting dots through the hieroglyphic engravings ornamenting the eye-stone, at first starting off as a neutral purple, but then darkening to a deep black as it flowed in, saturating the essence of the stone itself and permeating it with her signature. That was enough. Within her palms, the black glow faded, wispy whirlwinds of sable fog spilling from around her fingers, then she opened her hands again. The stone sat comfortably between the crook formed by her palms.

"I guess it's safe now," Keaton murmured. She lifted the eye-stone. Still no physical changes. She angled it slightly, expecting for it to react lifelessly to the faint glow of Rynkura's nearby staff.

For a split second, she thought she saw a flash of something akin to gold.

"...Alright," Keaton said, preparing herself. "Here I go."

And with that, unblinkingly, she opened her eyes, carefully pushing the eye-stone into her empty eye-socket with her thumb and forefinger. Nothing happened at first, the eye slipping in painlessly. There was still no sight in her eye, and for a moment Keaton thought that their ritual hadn't worked.

She was wrong. Something similar to an electric shock stabbed at the back of Keaton's head, yet despite the unexpected flare she hardly felt herself react. The same electricity tightened, sending bands of lightning flashing through Keaton's head, automatically drawn to the beckoning presence of the eye. Instantly they worked their magic, hooking in, interacting perfectly despite how different the linking forces were. Darkness surged in darkness, Keaton forced herself to squeeze her eyes shut, feeling overcome by a certain pressure, she was unsure, but she thought she was in pain--

--then they opened, and Keaton felt the room come alive.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Prof B Hunnydew]

The South Garden Courtyard

"Well, I am embarrass to say but I am only 2500 years, and breaking the rules of co-play could mean a 500 years timeout.  So. I am not coplaying, now.  I am here to help my friends." stated Bam as flip her hand toward the tree. "This is very ancient oak. Some Fae made friends with her and make her into a Fae doorway.  But she has not been used or talked in a long time, since before the Castle was built, I think.  She was just now feeling lonely.  She is a nice old lady.  I will have to remember to say hello again sometime this week.  It is not easy to talk to tree"

They had reach the courtyard doors as the rain become a heavy down pour and the lightening lit the sky again.  "Well, I am a little hungry, let us go to the kitchen.  I hope, the Bat is in a good mood, the place seem more gloomy.. and Gina, I will have to find Gina and apology to her" says Bam as quicken her pace to the other more travelled place in the castle.  

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel watched Keaton carefully as she activated and inserted the eye. While she was certain the eye was still in good condition, as confirmed by Rynkura, she was less certain of it's reaction to a non-demon host. When the jackal winced and closed her eyes Mel asked, "Are you okay? Do you need help Keaton?"

[Sunblink]

"Are you okay?

                                    Do you need help, Keaton?"

Mel's voice was a distant echo, barely muffled by the sudden wave of revelation that came crashing through Keaton's body for the most precious of seconds, something that was so instantly worshipped and revered by her soul for that moment that her mind was utterly devoted to preserving its minuscule existence. Following its passage came a sudden amplification, every syllable of Mel's voice flowing with increased speed and realization through Keaton's heightened senses. Suddenly very aware of everyone else's presence in the room, she glanced to them, hand involuntarily reaching up to undo the piercing securing her glasses and remove them from the bridge of her nose. For some reason, they just--fogged her vision, and she was surprised to find everything, for once, in focused clarity.

"Sorry about that, Mel," Keaton said, smirking sheepishly. "I'm fine."

More than fine, in fact. Against the sloping shadows of the room the appearance of Keaton's new eye suddenly became very obvious, its once stony form having been transformed into a sleek, glassy outline. The contours of the hieroglyphic carvings were still intact, very much visible against the ephemeral globe, and nearly glowing with bright saffron light from the concentrated core of honey-gold circulated in the pit of Keaton's eye. Surrounding that sphere of gold light was a thin outline of hazy black, a miniature nebula intertwining and juxtaposing with the harmony of the golden core. Instead of pulsing and throbbing dramatically it just remained where it was, suspended in the heart of the eye, seemingly still but still alive.

Keaton pressed her fingers to her temple, gazing around the room with a clear expression of shock on her features. Everything seemed so... clear, so full of color. Not since before Keaton's eye had been lost was she able to view her surroundings in such clarity! Flawless sight had undoubtedly been taken for granted, sadly petered out of Keaton's memory until it was but a faded hallucination, a mocking mirage of what once was, what could've been, but what wasn't there.

"Wow," Keaton said. Even that single syllable seemed to be permeated with shock, somehow conveying her utmost and absolute amazement. "I... guys... I can see. Without my glasses. This is...

This is fantastic."

Grinning wildly, Keaton whirled around to face Mel and Rynkura, ecstatic. "Thank you!" she said excitedly, "Just... thank you."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Aisha deCabre]

Rynkura watched intently after she gave the jackal the eye, grabbing her staff to hold while leaning forward.  She knew little of the nature of the succubus before her, but from what she had heard, an eye previously made by a demon should work.  It would have to...the object took in the jackal's signature magic, as expected and with no side effects.

The tigress held her breath through the entire ordeal.  As the jackal placed the eye into her socket, Rynkura tensed as the effects of the implant kicked in after a quick moment...the small bit of magic she placed in it did as well, helping the biological effects along.  The jackal took the shock that was sure to follow, and her eyes closed.  Rynkura's ears tilted slightly as Mel stood up to help, in case of trouble, her face staunch and neutral...waiting.  Let it work, she pleaded silently the air.

And then, when Keaton opened her eyes, she was met with the concerned faces, and Rynkura finally let out her breath as she saw the powerful elation on Keaton's expression and demeanor.  It had worked, and her vision now had its perfect clarity, with a bit of discolor in the artificial one to denote its difference.  But the tiger smiled.  It had worked.

"For my part, you are more than welcome," the healer smiled and stood up.  "May it serve you well.  And now," she chuckled, "I think my time in this room is done with...I'd suppose that my student went to sleep, thus I shall too.  There are books left for you here to look at, Mel, if you wish."  She gestured to the table, and then bade her farewells with a bow of her head.  "Good night, to everyone."

With a wide yawn displaying an impressive set of sharp teeth, Rynkura gathered herself and spared a nod to the others before setting off to the stairs to the second floor and to the room she had chosen.  A productive day, if quick, she thought to herself.  Let's see what tomorrow brings.  I may yet stay if this bunch intends to.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Keaton's joyful look caused Mel to grin in return. It had been successful and after all these millennia the enchanted object had finally found a home. "That is great. I am glad it works for you." Rynkura's yawning exit caused a similar reaction in the dragon, although she tried to hide it behind her hand. "Perhaps tomorrow we can try to figure out the function I have forgotten."  She quickly glanced over the books the tiger had left out and picked out one that looked interesting, but not so interesting as to keep her awake. Covering a second yawn she asked, "Keaton, do you mind showing Ian to a room when he is done looking around? I don't think I can stay awake much longer."

A slow trudge up the stairs got her to the room she had spent the previous night. After quickly cooling down the room to made it comfortable she slipped into the bed with the book for a sleepy read.

[lucas marcone]

Ian yawned aswell "I think it's time I turned in as well.

[Stygian]

In the solemn, murky surroundings of the castle, the retreat of the others left Ian and Keaton in a pressured solitude almost as deep as the one the rat had experienced earlier. Fortunately, the library was at least lit, even if only dimly. The amber light and silence were a comfortable contrast to the mausoleum-like pallor and looming darkness of the corridors. And there was nothing to disturb Keaton's energetic elation at her new and greatly improved sense of sight, save a little feeling in the back of her head that as the others had gone away, maybe it was time for her to get moving as well.
   I can't stand around here. Better ditch the rat, she thought, distantly somehow.

[Angel]

Ketefe's eye twitched again at the fae's explanation. That she could live that long was only half-surprising, given her race; but what the hell was coplaying? Meh. She'd ask for an explanation after food and rest. She followed Bam to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pawing out anything that looked like it would make a good sandwich.

[Boog]

Jeremiah continued to toil away in his little corner of the library, studiously oblivious to the world around him. I'll stop researching and go to bed soon, the artist thought to himself as he leafed through yet another book on magical healing in the vain hope there would by a section on psychological ailments, Midnight's soon.
New person's funny, Plic tended to get chatty late at night. Out of all his personalities Jeremiah often found her to be the least obnoxious. The fact that she was essentially a psychic kleptomaniac made that a fairly sad facet of his condition.
The rat?
Funny, Plic said, like a three year old being insistent about something to a grown up, Funny little student with guns.
Guns? Jeremiah had a mixed opinion of guns. On the one hand, his low opinion of adventurers as a group could be attributed to them. If they took creature injustices so seriously, why did they go after said creatures wielding swords or other archaic weapons? It wasn't about looking good, it's a matter of solving a problem. On the other hand, those who had guns were so rarely adventurers... I didn't notice those.
Weren't looking, shame shame. Things you don't see can be bad for you.
Huh... Jeremiah looked around the room thoughtfully, 11:30. I'll turn in around 11:30. And I'm locking the door to my room.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Thank you  Ketefe for the samdwich...*yawh* I guess I will have to head to bed.. I have a feeling that Gina is already in bed or maybe in in the Library.. Have You found a room to sleep in yet?" asked Bam  as she head down the hallway toward the Library and beyond to her own bedroom.

At the Library, Bam enter with three glow spheres that light the whole room up.  She looks in the see the Keaton and Jeremiah.

"Has anyone seen Gina?" ask Bam

PBH

[Sunblink]

On her way towards escorting Ian to a room, Keaton felt her elation heighten and heighten as she absorbed every new, minute detail that was so cruelly robbed from her when her eyesight was uneven and distorted. The lights, the colors, everything so vibrant and different, elevating her above mere happiness and into nirvana-laden ecstasy.

Hardly any introductions had been given towards Ian--instead, Keaton merely attempted to fulfill her instructions as brusquely and quickly as possible so she could go back to experimenting with her renewed vision.

The lack of lighting wasn't even noticeable by Keaton. The new eye provided near-perfect vision in the darkness. That only energized Keaton's happiness. Urgently, Keaton located the door to an unoccupied room and, after poking her head in to ensure that it was safe, gestured for Ian to enter. "Alright, here you go. Enjoy." And that was all she said, for once bereft of any sarcastic comments, before she walked off, in search of a room of her own.

She quickly found another room not far from Ian's. After ensuring that it was safe, Keaton entered, stretching her arms over her head. She didn't need to go to sleep, but there was something she was curious about. Sitting down on the sofa, the only piece of furniture that could suffice as a comfortable bed in the chamber, she rummaged around in her pocket and withdrew her marble, rotating it between her fingers. Kaleidoscopic colors, electrified and revitalized through the surface of Keaton's eyes, swirled and danced together, churning gently.

It seemed... different somehow. Brighter. Enhanced.

And for that Keaton was glad.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[lucas marcone]

Ian flopped down on a bed. It was hard for him to sleep knowing that finals were comeing soon, but he'd studied enough to earn a break. though if he planned on staying longer than a week he have to find his back and take the exams and get contact info from graduateing friends. Eventually he finnaly managed to sleep.

[Angel]

Ketefe finished the sandwich she'd thrown together, and decided she should get some sleep as well. Tomorrow would no doubt be just as trying as today.

She headed upstairs to her room, listening to the breathing from other rooms as she passed. She propped her sword by the nightstand, removed her jeans and t-shirt, and slipped under the covers. Falling asleep was easy yet again.

[Stygian]

Still, in all of her bliss there was something else that Keaton felt, something out of place, like a rock in her shoe or more accurately, a nagging sensation in the back of her head that marred the sensation of joy. Her sight was returned in full and more, yes. But she wouldn't get to enjoy it in this dark castle. She was tired, yet somehow she realized she was on edge too, knowing that there was something else she had to do.
   She had to open the doors. The thought was there before she knew it. The feeling of the chill, nightly breeze, the sound of the rain falling, the rustle of trees all seemed so... pleasurable all of a sudden. But more than that, more than anything else right then, there was something beckoning to her, a tremendous revelation she knew she would find if only she could make her way out undetected... if she could open up the doors to the castle...

[Sunblink]

It didn't take long for Keaton to register the strangely lulling, melodic sense of pleasurable calm that saturated her insides, even as she marveled openly at the vibrant mishmash of colorful combinations spiraling within her marble. Oddly enough, while she was so thoroughly, unabashedly entranced with all the renewed hues and lights that composed her surroundings, she allowed her attention to be drawn away from the marble and towards that beckoning sensation, where her eyes were guided to the door.

Was it hot, or something? No, actually, it was rather chilly. Perhaps from the rain, Keaton didn't know. Either way, without any logical explanation, she wanted to open the doors. Far away, pelting the window, she heard the roar of the rain and the thrumming of the thunder, the symphony of the storm, and it was all so fantastic. She wanted to be closer to it, so she could enjoy it even more, after years of colorblind oppression.

Could merely enhancing her hearing immerse her in such a fantastic state? Her hearing had always been fantastic, but now it just... it just...

Without complaint, Keaton stood up, stretching her arms over her head. Flipping the marble into her opposite hand, she pocketed it after making a temporary show of it, walking towards the door. Slowly, it creaked open, her head popping out first, eyes glowing with ethereal alabaster. Black encroached from her spiraling markings onto her fur, saffron succumbing to sable until she was completely enveloped by it. Then, crouching, she slipped out the door, an idle tendril looping from the shadows snapping it shut, and sunk deep inside the amber-hued darkness, body twisting and mind formatting to adjust to her new, ephemeral surroundings...

...and then she was gone.

---

In front of the towering set of doors that served as the entrance to the castle, the twisted shadows, painted empyreal bruise-black from the rain peppering the windows, suddenly began to distort subtly, at first rippling as a tremor raced across their atramentous surface, then bending and twisting as something large and mountainous began to rise in its heart. Twisted crowns of shadows spilled like misty, skittering spiders along the dusty tile floor as what was sealed inside of the shadow broke free, utterly silent, body stretching outward and dashing at the door, clawing it open and racing outside in the rain and wind before it was even detected.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[lucas marcone]

Ian unlatched the door and made his way down the hall. The casual observer would notice an entranced like rat shambeling in random directions muttering to himself. "No,no,no....can't go that way.....the door's hot. Look out Justin. Fire,fire. when's the department arriveing? fire."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

**An orange Fae cat in a Fire helmet arrives flying in on a fire hose, **

"Fire fire !  What What?!  Hey You just left the front Door open  Or Somebody left the door, Any Dark thing could waltz in." Shouts Bam

With a twirl , she wears a police blue uniform and lookings at the rat hard and asks" Who are you and who are you trying to let in ?"

PBH

[lucas marcone]

Ian, being a very sound sleeper haveing moved on to a diffrent memory in his dream, just kinda stood there still asleep.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Well, Then Be quiet and go to sleep." says Bam as she closes Ian's door

Bam continues a ways down the hall to her own bedroom.  She holds her hand on the wood of the door, a moment and thinks... Is Gina here? Does she want me near?... She knocks lightly on the closed door, and waits.   The Fae hears rustling inside then paws steps on the floor, but will Gina open the door?

PBH

[lucas marcone]

Haveing cycled back into a disturbing dream Ian was active again. He was loudly mumbleing abouts some school yard bully back in his elementary school days as he shuffled in a diffrent direction, away from the fae.

[Stygian]

For a moment, everything was still, save the rain falling with a whispering patter. Then came the slow sound of steps out of the dark.
   'Thank you kindly, girl,' a voice said, low and strong. The stranger's features were dark, still hidden among the shadows, but Keaton recognized the voice after only a few seconds, as well as the green coat. The panther stepped past her so unconcernedly that she just had to turn and watch him, then stopped before the doors and looked up at the stretching towers of the castle. 'Yes, excellent.' He turned to look behind him, smiling slightly. 'Let's get going. We don't want to be too late...'
   Emerging from the shadows under the trees, another familiar figure came into view, and it was this one that drew Keaton's attention the most, though for reasons that she couldn't understand at all. Not consciously. The dark-eyed, slender woman with her six arms and prominent fangs sidled up beside the jackal, and Keaton felt a sort of pleasure, and a great deal of dim puzzlement at her own feelings and response. She vaguely knew that the woman, Sal, had fought them before, that she was their enemy. But now, standing beside her, Keaton could not help but feel a warm, longing feeling toward her. She wanted, she knew somewhere deep down that it was senseless, but most of her just wanted to obey the spider, to please her.
   'Take it easy. I know the place looks empty, but those inside are not so easy to deal with as you might think,' she said. She did smile though, knowingly as her words were meant to say it's tough, but if we do it right we can do it without trouble. 'Let's just make sure we kill Stygian and the dragon first. The rest will be easy after that...'
   'So confident...' a third voice scraped, accompanied by dry steps past Sal's shoulder. A slightly shorter and more elderly-looking figure came into view, an old bat who nevertheless had an appearance as hard and unyielding as an ancient, gnarled tree. His already pale golden-brown fur graying in places, he was nevertheless handsome beyond his apparent age and had had black, glistening eyes and fangs that showed slightly between his lips, his lower one being split in a sharp, short slit. He was dressed in sleek black clothes and carried a short lacquered black staff, wrapped in gray cloth to form a handle near the top. The bridge of his point-tipped muzzle was crowned by a pair of round, silver-framed pince-néz.
   '"Confident, cocky, lazy, dead," I believe was the saying,' the old bat recited. His voice was coarse but powerful, and like his hard-lined appearance it exuded power. 'And shouldn't you be more careful around that one? Letting her know too much...' He frowned as his dark eyes turned toward Keaton. The spider-woman only smiled at him.
   'Don't worry, old master. She's as good as ours,' she said, smirking even more devilishly and petted Keaton's head, and the jackal blushed confusedly as she felt a shiver of odd pleasure and joy run through her. 'Though if you want to...'
   Before she knew it herself, Keaton had turned around to look up at the castle, still and unthinking as if in a daze. She was aware of the conversation taking place behind her back, but didn't pay any mind to it at all. After all, she was only a little jackal, and didn't need to hear what was being said, did she? She stood there, simply looking, until a clawed hand brushed over her shoulder, and another warm wave of contentment washed through her as the spider-woman spoke to her.
   'Come, sweetie. Let's go kill your friends,' she purred.
   Keaton grinned. It seemed like such a good idea.

- -

Bambi barely had a moment to respond as the door unlocked with a loud clack and opened, and with a swift tug and a strength that belied her size, the white ferret pulled her into the room. She closed the door behind them just as swiftly, her hair standing and her movements tense.
   'They're here! It's just... But it's them!' she said, worry making her voice almost jagged. 'We can't be seen!'

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Ow ow ow These leaves are attached you know" whispers Bam as she smooth her dress down. 

"We need to Hide?" asks Bam in a low voice..  with a look of cunfusion on her face.... "Gina we need to warning with others at least, Mel.  If not Aisha and the healer.  Even Cog the wolf.  Oh I can't say much  but I can send a silent alarm to a few people.  Please We have to alert the others?" asks Bam

Four small green glowing butterflies appear in her hands.
" Awake adventurer, the enemy is near. Awake for the battle, we fear" she whispers into them, but has not release them yet.

"Do I warn the others Gina?" asks Bam again,  "Each of these will find the ones I named and whisper my message into each of their ears until they wake"

PBH

[Sunblink]

Everything felt so delightfully enhanced.

Whether it was the moonlight on her back or the grass crunching beneath her feet, the prickling, bristly sensation somehow penetrating the thick soles of her boots to reach her flesh, Keaton felt everything, no matter how ostensibly insignificant or inconspicuous each beloved emotion was. Somehow, each step was magnified, glorious, sending billowing chimes ringing like church bells through her cloud-infested head; body guiding her unconsciously, as though inanimately possessed by some intangible force, all the way to the entrance of the Castle Caerule. Sight was effortless with the internal illumination of her new eye, piercing, mismatched brown-gold gaze staring straight through the darkness to latch onto the door.

With Sal and the others following behind, Keaton gently pushed open the doors, keeping her movements taut, inspected, so to not attract any unwanted attention or create any incriminating noise. Specifically, Stygian. Lord knew what he was capable of detecting within the darkness. Bastard could probably hunt her down easily if he were alerted to anything abnormal, and then everything would be ruined. Ruined! She couldn't compromise that, she couldn't--couldn't let Sal and everyone else down. She had no idea why she felt so dedicated towards these strangers, but they made her feel, and that was what mattered, so she listened to what they told her, no matter how outrageous.

As though appropriate to the situation, Sal turned around to face her, a condescending, mad grin on her arachnid features. "Very good. Very good girl. You're just a deceitful little bitch, aren't you, cute stuffs?" she asked sibilantly. All Keaton could do was stare at her wistfully, that familiar sensation of longing need welling up in her as she dreamily nodded her head. Satisfied, Sal turned away, murmuring to herself as she skittered up the stairs. "I wonder what to do with your friends once we're finished... we shall have so much fun, don't you think?"

Keaton merely trailed behind devotedly. Again, she found an entranced look of happiness befall her features with surprising serenity, ears deaf to the demeaning and degrading things Sal was saying to her. Under normal circumstances she would have snapped, would have called her every foul word in her vocabulary and torn her limb from limb, but instead just smiled stupidly. Keaton led Sal to the door to Stygian and Cogidubnus's room, hand resting on the doorknob. It was open slightly, just slightly, enough for her to peek in and notice the two resting peacefully together, bodies entwined, on the bed.

Asleep.

Keaton turned around, still smiling dutifully at Sal, her brown, organic eye holding that misty, faraway look, the other glowing with that dull, palpitating pulse.

Mission accomplished.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Stygian]

Gina seemed on the very edge with panicky fear. 'Yes! Send them! Just... don't leave me!' she exclaimed to Bam. 'What can we do?! Help, yes, but... I can't just...!' She ran her fingers through her hair and breathed deeply, closing her eyes and concentrating. She knew that panicking would not help the least, but still it seemed that things were bad enough to upset her to that degree.
   'I can't go down there. It's too soon! We don't have any help...'

- -

Sal smiled wickedly at Keaton as they arrived at the room, silently stepping up next to her and gracing the jackal with a scritch to the neck as if she were a pet, before slowly sitting down on her haunches, careful not to make any noise. Her black and red clothes, mostly loose and made of satin, did not even make a whisper of a sound.
   At first it was hard for Keaton to see what the spider was doing. She simply sat there, two arms on the doorframe, two others on the floor and the last two working within her jacket-like robe's folds. It was only when she slowly brought out a little wriggling, white thing made of web that the jackal realized. She carefully placed the thing down on the floor, picking strands of cobweb from her clawed fingers, as the thing began to rupture.
   The little creature that emerged, Keaton immediately recognized. Chitinous and sleek, it seemed fully developed, straight out of the cocoon. And it seemed to know at once what to do. Stretching its legs even as its carapace darkened, it skittered slowly over the floor toward the sleeping pair, slipping under the bed. For half a minute, it seemed as if nothing happened. Then, Cog's resting shape slowly stirred. Still half-drunk with sleep, the wolf carefully removed the bat's arm and slid toward the edge. As Stygian made a sleepy mumble and rolled into a more comfortable position, Cog stood up by the side of the bed, watching with puzzled awareness.
   Sal only made a satisfied nod. Her smile had slipped from her features now, and her formerly so fiendish expression had been replaced by one of tense focus. She slipped something else out from within her clothes, and strode, tensely but silently against the bed.
   The dagger gleamed in the spider's grip as she twirled it between her fingers, its blade wet with something else than just moonlight. She rounded the foot of the large bed, passing Cog as she gripped the blade firmly, hissing silently through her teeth. For a second, the wolf, even with his mind captive, thought he could hear her say something, almost inaudibly, as she raised it next to her shoulder.
   'This is for Leonard...!'
   Something twinged in Cog's already tense mind, a sudden burst of clarity, red-hot and bloody. Fighting for control, both he and the wolf growled as they strained to fight the thing that had invaded them...

[Cogidubnus]

 The Wolf and Cogidubnus were not friends. Under the best of circumstances, they were simply uneasy with each other, each knowing which one had proved itself superior. The Wolf was always waiting for Cog to slip up - Cog was always ready for the Wolf to make a move. During moonlit nights, Cog's mind was one of an uneasy truce, with Cog constantly resisting the impulses brought on by his more feral side.
This new presence, however, didn't quite expect what it found - as it controlled the one, the other seemed to fill the void the other left, and neither could be...subdued, like it was used to.

Cog felt the mindspider reaching into his brain, again, the subtle and seductive impulses of the arachnid settling on his mind. He looked at Sal, his face blank, and watched softly as she raised a wetly sparkling knife above her head, whispering fiercely at the bat beneath her. Cog's eye did not even twitch. He -wanted- the spider to have her revenge, to see her rage satisfied...
The Wolf, however, never sleeps.
The mind-spider, no matter how well it did it's job, simply wasn't made to handle two minds at once. Confusing, contradictory sensory information overloaded the little thing, and Cog felt a spark of awareness flower within his mind again. Shaking, and suddenly choking, he felt his mind become a battlefield in a three-way fight, and as he leant over he saw the glittering knife in Sal's hand. The Wolf, lashing out at both Cog and the mindspinder equally, was eager to take any opening it could get, and as Cog snarled, he felt the Rage of the Wolf flood through him. A red haze dropped and clouded his mind, and suddenly, he didn't care. He was drowning, and it felt -good-.
A wet, vicious snarl escaped the twitching wolf's throat, Cog's form -twisting- with his lychanthropic curse.
The Moon was full. The Wolf could almost taste the coppery tang of freedom.
Twitching and slavering, the feral wolf lunged forward, springing off the bed and into the spider's face, it's long fangs burying themselves deep into her head. They landed hard, slamming into the wall, and the wolf ripped and tore as it twitched with the mindspider's desperate attempts to somehow control that which it was never meant to compel.
Cog buried his fangs into her flesh again, a red light glinting within his yellow eyes.