Long shadows had crept their way across the ground as the day passed by into dusk and from within the depths of the woods a pair of luminescent green eyes pierced through the gloom. Though even if one should catch sight of them from the corners of their vision, a further look would reveal only darkness.

Perhaps they had never been there to begin with, perhaps the imagination was just prone to running wild. Either way, the sun would be down soon, and with it, the scant visibility that still managed to filter down through the canopy overhead.

Few ventured this deeply onto these wooded lands, so thick they were with a sense of dread and wrongness. And not only had there been no sign of life for miles around, the very land itself seemed to have grown sickened by some unknown taint that left the foliage withered and dying. The worst of it though was the faint stench of death and decay that seemed ever present in the chilly air.

However, it was the heart of these woods that harbored that which the hunter sought - rumors of a sickness that had befallen the area, and of the dead walking amongst the living once more. The stories told of even the druids abandoning it to whatever unholy presence had taken up residence.

It wouldn't be until the sun had all but set and the forest was falling to darkness that the monotonous sound of snow crunching beneath footsteps would be interrupted by a distant howl that pierced the evening air. Though several miles off, the sound was bone chilling and carried with it the same air of wrongness that the entire place seemed to exude in excess.

By the time Scar had donned his new gear, the source of the brief glimpse of eyes was long gone, and the only trace that anything had been there at all were some oversized wolf prints in the snow. Try as he might to track the animal, no further glimpses would be offered.

However, elsewhere in the forest several wolves seemed to materialize out of the darkness, heads low to the ground and hackles raised as they approached the form of the human woman, slumped against the trunk of a tree.

Only paces away the animals halted, and a whimsical song seemed to pierce the night air, ominous and eerie, despite the normally pleasant nature of the lullaby. The notes would carry through the cool night air, likely reaching the ears of both Scar, and the two other vampires in the area.

Gentle footsteps would carry her towards the form of the prone woman, her song shifting to gentle croons, interrupted only by the soft crunch of snow beneath her feet.

“Poor dear, so lost and afraid,” she purred, despite the woman's unconscious state.

The wolves moved aside allowing her passage, and it would become fast apparent to any that drew too close, that these were no ordinary wolves. The stench of decay clung to their forms, and in places their flesh was rotted clean to the bone.

During the human woman's flight from Cole and Aden, she had stumbled across territorial borders and into Sanina, but if the necromancer had taken note of the others, she gave no sign of it. Though given her whimsical and often less than lucid state, it was difficult to say just how aware she was at any given time.

One hand rose to lightly finger at the silver cross hanging at her throat, almost thoughtfully as she mused over the intrusions to her forest this evening.

As Cole moved to tap Sanina upon the shoulder, the wolves seemed to converge together, to bar him passage. Low growls emanated from their throats, but none made any move to attack him.

Sanina on the other hand seemed to pay the new arrivals no notice as she knelt beside the unconscious woman, gently lifting the human in her arms. It was only then that she turned to face Cole, and as she did so, gave a clear view to Scar as well, that the skeletal child she often carried in her possession was not with her this evening.

“Now now my dears, is that any way to treat a guest?” she crooned lightly the wolves, as whimsical as ever. It didn't take much time in Sanina's presence to realize there was something not quite right about the woman. Aside from her undead nature and necromantic habits, she was quite in her own little world, or so it seemed.

A light fluttering would be heard overhead of Scar, followed by the light caw of a raven. Should he look for the animal, I would be perched about seven feet above, on the branch of a dead and decaying tree.

“My invitation was to my fathers manor, yes?” Sanina inquired, her voice lyrical and innocent, with just the slightest hint of a chilly coldness that lay beneath it.

As she conversed with Cole, Sanina's eyes had taken on a milky white sheen, and she stared blankly ahead - almost as if she were looking blindly through Cole, rather than at him.

She had met these vampires recently on less than favorable terms, and was suspicious by nature. Her caution and wariness had served her well in the past though.

“What brings you so deep into my lands. And with a hunter no less?” she mused. The tone with which she spoke off their unseen observer was light, almost as if she were speaking of a pet, rather than a highly dangerous adversary.

It hadn't occurred to her yet, that the three individuals had perhaps arrived for different reasons, assuming instead that the human male had tailed Cole and Aden on their hunt. Careless of them to not notice?

As Cole's hostility grew and his voice lowered to a threatening growl, Sanina's eyes returned to their original state as they focused on the vampire before her. Though, as the milky sheen to her eyes faded away, her expression didn't lose that distant look that left her lucidity in question. They did however gain an almost inquisitively curious look.

Threats, petty and childish. They served only to bolster the nerve of those that lacked confidence. One who was confident in their abilities and their strengths did not threaten, they acted. Or at least that was how Sanina viewed matters, and Cole's reckless words only served to warn her of the imminent attack.

Sanina's greatest asset was her speed, and though this evening she was weighted down by the addition of the human woman in her arms, she deftly slipped to her right as Cole launched his attack. And even as she moved, her wolf pack did as well, and while Cole's sword sunk into the wooded bark of the tree at Sanina's back, the undead canines simultaneously launched themselves at Cole's form.

The pack moved as a single entity, and given Cole's close proximity, for some it was merely a matter of snapping jaws closed towards his legs to savage the flesh. Others leaped into the air, aiming to get a hold on his arms to drag him to the ground.

All in all, the tense situation in the span of a moment had deteriorated into a brawl that filled the forest with the sounds of snarls. Aden was largely ignored for the time being, though should he get a hold on his brother, the wolves would fall back after their initial assault, though only a few paces, and they would keep themselves positioned between Cole and Sanina.

Sanina herself seemed largely unconcerned by the sudden chaos that had overtaken the clearing and her voice crooned through the night air, preceded by a light tutting, as that of a mother chiding a child.

“Haven't you any manners at all?”

“Such reckless abandon and lack of self-control...” she mused whimsically.

The tone of her voice held an eerie soothing note to it, a gentle chastisement rather than open hostility. It was almost lyrical in nature, and aimed to lull those around her into a sense of ease, though there was nothing magical or unnatural about it.

“Consider the girl tribute, for safe passage through my lands,” she offered distantly as her footsteps turned to carry her away from Cole and back into the depths of the forest, lightly crunching against the snow covering. Her movements were oddly precise as if she were pointedly drawing attention to every step, rather than concealing the sound of her passage. They were the casual steps of someone who could not be bothered to hurry, or to be concerned enough to conceal her presence. These were her lands, and she exuded the confidence of a hunter within her element.

She remained largely unaware, and truthfully uncaring, as to whether the fight continued or not. But a pair of luminescent green eyes watched on silently from the darkness, ready to intervene should Cole pursue his assault on Sanina. Likewise, the pack would renew their attack should Cole continue hostilities against them, or against Sanina.

Overhead of Scar's initial position the raven gave a caw and fluttered its wings as it tilted its head to peer down inquisitively at the man below it. Whatever ruse Scar had played, seemed to have done the trick, for now. However, regardless of this, his inspection wouldn't turn up much of note from Sanina. She was a lithely built woman, but nothing remarkable, and the thick folds of her cloak concealed nothing of major note beneath them. Her possessions seemed to consist of her clothes, cloak, silver cross and a small leather bound book contained within a pocket in the inner lining of her cloak. No weapons appeared to be on her person, a further sign perhaps of the sheer levels of confidence she exuded.

Sanina inclined her head in a humble nod towards Scar, remaining oblivious to Cole and Aden, who had opted to withdraw from the area, and seek better hunting elsewhere.

“Why of course, the poor dear is just dreadfully exhausted...” she mused as she made to depart as well, in the opposite direction that Cole and Aden had taken.

As she walked, she seemed uncaring as to whether or not Scar chose to follow, and the woods filled with that eerie lullaby once more. Lyrical and gentle, with an underlying chill that turned the normally pleasant melody, haunting.

“Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, hill and vale in slumber sleeping, I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night.”

Scar's goggles whirred but one last time, his surroundings notified. The wolves still kept their eye on the intruders, now hurried off elsewhere, though vastly unsatisfied with the lack of catch on this chilly eve. His instincts were no longer alarmed - he was being watched from somewhere. Bugs, birds, bats...

And yet, it did not seem to matter at the moment. He wagered odds once more of the information learned. If communing, mayhaps it wasn't telepathy after all. The bird was forced to land on her shoulder, after all, nested calmly.

His right hand reached into a pouch, letting go of the disk clipped to his arm, before it was noticed. Casually, he took out his cigarette case - a gesture, to make the case its self, to look like a distraction for something else. Opening it up, smoke engulfed him briefly enough to return him the much loving trench coat and fedora.

The old attire felt more natural to him, despite the suit doing a fine job at heating his body on its own. Bumping the bottom of the case, he dragged out an addictive length of white and orange, his eyes set on the woman he was now moving after. The song again, reached his ears.

Not lighting his cigarette, he smiled. "Quite a poet?"

If Sanina recognized Scar's attire from their brief meeting atop the bluff in weeks past, she made no mention of it, lost in her lullaby. The wolves had melded back into the forest, leaving Sanina and Scar to themselves, aside from the unconscious woman and the raven.

It wasn't until Scar spoke that she stirred from her melody. “A mother's song, for a daughter,” she replied whimsically, choosing not to elaborate further. It was a constant shifting of lucidity with her, making it difficult to judge her current state of mind, but as they walked she spoke again. “Tell me, what brings you to my lands this evening.”

"The bar felt tiring, madam. A walk was surely in order, though I've a feeling I've wondered a tad too far." His eyes narrowed in the shadows of his much enjoyed hat. "You are a Druidess, m'lady?"

Sanina laughed lightly, her voice chiming through the night as Scar spoke. “Such naivety, from one to wander so very far?” she inquired.

"Though I am a curious bum, I am not an educated one. Do excuse me, however... if not, what might one to dress so grand be?"

“What am I? Such a strange question to ask. Perhaps whom might I be would suffice to sate your curiosity?” Sanina offered pleasantly enough.

"I fear, not at all. I know of few, even of such beauty, to be able to part a pack of wolves. But... I suppose I am too nosy, I do apologize. Might I start with having the pleasure of knowing your name?"

“Sanina.... Sanina Lessard.”

"Ah, quite a flowing one it is. Mayhaps, with a meaning behind it, er... madam Sanina?"

A light humming of Sanina's lullaby began to fill the air once again, and no further replies came from Sanina as the pair walked.

Scar placed his hands in his pockets, closing the cigarette case on its way there and chuckled to him self lightly. "I see. You must forgive a homeless one for not knowing proper manner, I reckon you will have to correct me, assuming the invitation has not yet passed." He smirked, then eyed the girl, examining her age.

Waiting until they were nearly out of the forest, to catch the lights of the city, on its outskirts he lit his cigarette with a flick of his zippo lighter. He made sure the body would not be noticed, returning it to the pocket it came from. "She, was it? The young beauty you've had last time?"

Sanina tilted her head almost inquisitively at Scar's inquiry. It wasn't often people asked such questions, generally they stared in horror when Jezebell was in her company. Not that she ever noticed, given her less than lucid state.

“Yes... yes... dear Jezebell.... Tell me, do you like children?” she asked.

"Ahh, mademoiselle Jezabell.." he exhaled smoke, smiling as they came out of the woods. "They are the future, no? If we're to not like them, then the future won't like us in return. However, yes.. I've a spot for the cute little ones." Under his fedora, the smile was a bit forced, though hidden.

Awkward silence filled the air as Sanina remained distant, and largely uninterested in pursuing conversation, until Scar spoke again.

"Though, I reckon it must surely be hard. Last time, after all, I remember her getting... awkward looks. Is there something wrong with her, mayhaps, that I can help with?"

“Jezebell is a perfectly dear, she is just unwell. She just needs her rest,” Sanina replied distantly.

"Oh, the poor thing.. perhaps, the formula is not up to standards? But, hrm... have you consulted a doctor of any sort?"

Sanina said nothing and made no outward sign of her shift in mood, but Carrion more than picked up on her sudden spike in agitation towards the man that would question her care of Jezebell. Letting out an obnoxious caw, the raven took to the air, fluttering and beating its wings annoyingly in Scar's face.

Moving a hand before his face, to keep the shadow of his fedora alive and the wings out from under it, he blinked a few times.

“Oh dear, I don't know what got into him,” Sanina mused apologetically as the raven took to the sky, vanishing into the night.

Watching it fly off into the night skies, he shook his head. "Frisky little fella.." Scar's eyes shifted back down to the Vampress. Intriguing, a response. The raven was a creature capable of understanding Human speech, obviously guarding his mistress, and yet... they narrowed on her back - could there be a possibility...?

"It's quite alright, really." He glanced behind him - they were entering Wing City. Her minions had all abandoned her... very intriguing.