I eased myself down from the cliffs, dropping soundlessly onto the earth below before breaking into a steady lope, heading across the plain of Diveen and towards the den of my most recent of apprentices, the coming of the spring marking her second year and indeed robbing her of the ability to turn from us and the Art from these moments onwards. Indeed, i had been given to have my doubts about the girl of snow and violet eyes, so much like myself, though her form and figure indicating that indeed our relation ended with colour, the bloodline she hailed from seeming to be wolves of a smaller, lighter stature, yet Malina herself had proven that the height and weight of the wolf matters little in our game. It is about the mind. After all, before it comes to swords and daggers, blood and fang, the games of the mind are played first and we are rather infamous for winning those. It is time Khaleesi began to learn to truth of our ways, the more intimate secrets and some of the greater knowledge and skill that would be available to her. She had proven herself worthy of it so far and indeed, Malina had brought forward no concerns about my apprentice after she had been charged with the case, as it were, thus I will continue on with her training and indeed it seems she has chosen to become one of us at a rather critical time- we are being hunted and I aim to put a stop to that, even if I have to kill one damn Demon at a time. I might be old- but I’m not dead yet and indeed I am in rather exceptional condition if I do say so myself.

I was pleased with the girl so far, she had kept to herself, present within the Pack, yet refraining from forming emotional attachments as Azrael had evidently decided to do in every way possible. Was there no stopping the shame he brought to us? If it wasn’t Andromeda and her pregnancy and theft and the way he carried on- it was his sinfully gained children. Of course, I will never begrudge the birth of my grandsons, boys I am yet to meet properly, after all they are legitimately born and I myself am aware of the significance of children born from an imprint bond. They were always meant to be, touched by fate and indeed, that both boys bear Angel Marks, despite the fact they are sinfully coloured- is the verisimilitude of the matter and is enough to placate me- for now. I will deal with him properly later. Today is about Khaleesi, a girl of determined attitude and notable fire and with a war at our doorstep, one I have every intention of winning, I believe it is time to test her skill, to see what she is truly made of. I smirked momentarily at my own thoughts before slowing my pace, easing to a long striding walk and coming to rest outside the girls den, pausing a moment before I spoke in the ancient tongue. It is time she learned and from this moment onward I will begin to teach her our language until she speaks it with the fluency of my children, grandchildren, Malina and Devil May Cry. It is a gift and if she is smart she will learn quickly not to misspeak it in my presence.

“Surge draco parum est, omnia facere, ne cessas. That means, get up, Little Dragon, we have things to do and don’t you keep me waiting. Hurry up, if this were a surprise attack you’d be dead.”

I lowered my head, peering into the gloom of her den, waiting for her to come out, teasing smirk on my lips as I chuckled, waiting until her head emerged from the den before quickly shifting my weight, right paw swinging out to strike at her with sharp suddenness. If she was quick enough to move I’d be more then impressed and if not, well, she’d get herself smacked in the side of the head wouldn’t she. I chuckled once more, lifting to my paws to move away from the den once more, offering her to space to step into the afternoon un-harassed.

“Exspecta inopinata.” (Expect the unexpected)

I grinned, white fangs flashing in jest in the fading sun as I waited for her to seat herself before me, violet gaze sweeping across her form, assessing her for a few moments. She looked well since the meeting the day before and indeed I had been pleased to have be one of the first to respond to my call for war, her eagerness a pleasing thing, yet to be to eager would only bring her undone, a delicate balance this game yet she had the right attitude and temperament for it and despite her quietness- I had no doubts on her intelligence. We had an hour or so until the night set in, an hour until we did a little ‘hunting’ and until then I desired to play a different sort of game. I waited until I had her attention once more, speaking in the common tongue for her benefit. Better to learn a few words at a time and not overwhelm her young mind, wouldn’t want to do that now would I?

“Scenario one. You’re on the outer rim, your alone and you scent a wolf you know to be your enemy, a hit, a target, a wolf marked for death yet one who will destroy you just as quickly. The wind changes as the wind is often want to do and his scent is lost to you, yet you know he is there, somewhere. What do you do? Keep in mind that for everything you get wrong I will knock you to the ground until it sinks in. Now. Answer.”


h e y e l
The King