Roe smiled at Scarlett and hoped she was right. She watched as she left and slowly went back over to her sister.

Ahanna nodded. She knew that her people were strong. "If my villiage was another or if I was maybe but not with me or them. My villiage was originally two but we were close. And in those two villiages no one had ever left since my grandfather's youth. I'm sure you understand how long ago that was. So we never worried about distant ways of contact. If any of us had stronger magic we might have sent word that way but the magic had been dying out. The best I can hope for is word of mouth." She smiled at his offer. "Thank you for the offer of help though."

Casimir smiled a little sadly in return. It was so hard to imagine that he'd done that he'd ruined the lives of people like Ahanna and Azra. "Tell me, is there anything at all I can do to help you? I know that... You may not want my help, nor will it do anything to change the past. At least it would somehow in someway make me feel better about trying to make myself a place here. I plan on asking Zalia to let me join." He'd finally admitted it aloud, what he'd been thinking about. Casimir felt torn in two, divided by his wants and his loyalties. He shook his head resolutely, this was what he wanted.

A big grin sprouted on Melony's face. "Won't you come join me Day? It'll be so much more fun!" Not only that, she wanted him beside her. Strange how someone of a different species could hold such a fascination for her. Melony wasn't quite ready to admit the feelings that she could feel growing and expanding a little with each moment passed with the pegasus.

Mellie grinned and sprinted off down the path, which lead to the circus. While she ran, she laughed and looked back at Rythen, her hair tangling with the wind. Her green eyes swiftly moved from his, to the path ahead. After a while, she reached the circus and when Rythen arrived, she told him to stay put, and went to every person's tent, leaving a small gift on their beds.

Zalia; Small dragon, layered with sapphire and ruby gems along its back and wings.
Azra and Chenol; Two sets of ten bangles, one set green with emerald gems, the other white with diamonds.
Lucifer; A chocolate rose, in a red velvet box.
Ahanna; Soft purple earrings, with small diamonds embedded in the amethyst stone.
Rythen; A solid white gold ring, with a large emerald in the middle, along with a white gold chain to put the ring on, and wear around his neck.
Cire; A book on reverse psychology, and a note saying, 'This might work on your new man. ;) ' and a sapphire necklace attached.
Scarlett; Amethyst earrings, with tiny lilies in the amethyst.

~

Lucifer was deep in conversation with Cyan,when he heard Scarlett. Peeking his head out behind the waterfall, he spotted her, and briefly said goodbye forever to Cyan. The large giant let out a cry of agony and sobbed in the corner. Lucifer sighed softly, pat his back, and slipped into the warm water. He swam out from behind the waterfall, and to the shore. Looking at Scarlett, he got out, and forgot his shirt was blood-stained from Cyan's ... Snack.

Ahanna shook herself. I left that behind. I will enjoy the life I was given as my family would want. "If you mean what you say I have no problems. I have accepted Rae and Roe. Really I don't have much I want or question." She thought about it for a moment taping her chin with one finger. "I have always wondered if my poison would work on a hunter. I did get to test it on you but tell me have you come across anything like it before?"

Rythen smiled as Mellie ran off but followed along. He nodded and simply stood waiting for her to come back.

Day nodded and followed her. "As long as the others do not mind."

((sorry their so short, have to run))

Casimir thought about what effect the poison had created on him. Carefully he compared it to other known poisons the hunters were acclimated to in order to be able to resist. There were similarities of course, but none quite such as this particular one. "No, there are other similar ones... But nothing as powerful or as effective as yours. It took such an effect on me because I'd never been trained to fight it." An herbalist would always ask about her craft, Casimir should have known she would ask. He stopped himself there, she accepted him if he spoke the truth so he would speak the truth an only that from then on.

Melony walked, or bounced, over to Day on the trampoline. "I'm sure they won't mind.. Too much. It isn't really crowded up here." She wanted to reach out and hug him, but she didn't. "What happened to your wings, you had some last time I saw you." She adored his wings, Melony thought they made Day look like an angel. That thought made her laugh a little, a pegasus, an angel... Day was never anythign normal in her mind.

(It's alright, it happens.)

((I got on here thinking "I can post something before we go out to eat." Started posting then like two minutes later my step-dad was heading out the door. At least my characters were at a point that small posts were ok. lol))

Ahanna nodded. She really had been wondering. She couldn't test it on herself anymore. After all the years of working with sleep inducing herbs they no longer worked on her. She had cut herself and tried the poison but all it had managed was to make her feel slightly drowsy. "Well thank you." She really felt pride in her herb craft. She liked working in the circus and making the crowd happy with her juggling but it didn't make her proud. "Even with training it still makes a person sleepy which could easily lead to death. It only works so well though because I made it to work with a blade. If I used the same herbs and put them in a tea it wouldn't be so affective." She smiled at him. Maybe he will work here. "You asked what you can do and that you want to stay. Just be a friend to the crew. And I would advise not pushing yourself on Mellie, the one you shot. She will come around but she really hates hunters. Um..." she paused then blurted, "are you straight?" She blushed knowing how that sounded.

Day bounced up and down slightly. He easily kept his balance as it was a natural thing for him. He looked back to where his wings would have been. "I left them off. I kept them last time because I wanted you to know it was me. But they don't serve a purpose in this form. They can't lift me in this form. And they just get in the way. I thought it would be easier this way." They also kind of depressed him since they just reminded him he couldn't fly.

Kita smiled at the girl as she backed up so as not to get knocked into. "You're doing great." She said softly. She watched as Day also climbed onto the trampoline and started to bounce around. She climbed to the second tier to give those two plenty of room, while she jumped up and down on the stretchy fabric, adding in a few tricks to the mix. "Just have fun you guys." She told them, bouncing up and flipping backwards.

Kyle watched them before standing up and grabbing the three packs, the empty tea cup sitting where he had just been as he walked out the tent to help Caleb prepare something for lunch. Setting the packs on a chair near the island counter-top. Both he and Caleb set about making up a platter of breads with sliced meats, cheese and veggies of some sort, with mayo, mustard, and butter to smear on the bread if they want. Kyle went and cooked up a few grilled cheese sandwiches too, some having sliced ham in them too.

Akasha sat on the ground, a little ways away from the trampoline to watch her sister, and Melony.

When Mellie came into her tent Zalia stirred awake. Rubbing her eyes she was surprised to feel something furry snuggled into her side. With a smile she picked her brother up and set him on top of the blankets. "A lion cub eh? Thought you'd soften me up?" She laughed the winced, her headache was still horrible. Hopping off the bed Jatan shifted and smiled at his sister. "I knew it would work. Still have a headache? Come to the mess tent with me the lovely Ahanna gave me something for you." Grabbing her hand he pulled her off the bed and after she looked at what Mellie gave her, put on her shoes, and grabbed her staff they walked out. Once they were in the tent Jatan quickly made her some tea and handed it to her. "Come on let's go see everyone." With an arm around her shoulders he led her into the training tent.

Mellie ran back to Rythen and jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, and hung off him. She giggled softly and held onto him. She then swung herself around him, then climbed up so she was sitting on his shoulders. "Weee! I'm tall!" she cried out, reaching her hands up. Looking at the sky, shivers were sent up her spine. Her face went from a cheerful smile, to a dark, solemn expression. "It looks like it's going to rain ..." she whispered. "I sure hope there isn't a storm ..." The clouds were fluffy, and black. A sign of a thunderstorm.

~

Lucifer touched Scarlett's arm and looked away. "His name is Cyan. He's a beast. He was scared, for he didn't recognize me," he said, simply, then picked up Scarlett. He held her, bridal-style, and started walking slowly. Not looking at her, his eyes were looking straight ahead, at the path. For some reason, he felt as though her injury was his fault, because he let her run off. "He's gentle ..." Lucifer whispered, holding Scarlett as close as he could, making sure no pressure was put on her arm.

Casimir eyes widened a little in shock at the question. He regarded to elf with appraisal. She was quite good looking, her dark skin made her hair look all the more white because of the contrast. He smiled before bending towards her to flirt a little. "Would you like me to be?" For a few moments he stayed like that,looking into her eyes, before pulling back with a good natured laugh. "Yes I am, the opportunity to tease you was too good to pass up tough." Casimir was finally beginning to enjoy the new found semi-freedom he had been granted.

Laughing the young woman waved to Kita and applauded her tricks. "Later you'll have to show me how to do that....Once I get the hang of just jumping!" She kept umping for a bit while thinking of what Day had said. Melony stopped to regard the white haired man with a frown. "Then why turn into a human if you can't fly! You love it, I know you do. So why?" It puzzled her, why now, why change at all? She shook her head a little, it couldn't possibly be because...

Ahanna knew her blush was growing. But at the news she sighed a little in relief. "Well while that is good news for me it is even better for you. It means that you have one less reason for Mellie to hate you. She seems very attacted to my brother and if there was the chance of you falling deeply in love with him and stealing him away from her she would hate you even more." When she spoke of falling deeply in love she clasped her hands together and leaned down to look up through her lashes at Casimir lovingly. She laughed and straightend back up. He is good looking. I'm kind of suprised that he is talking so nicely to me though. I did have him sliced repeatedly. "Poor Rythen has everyone falling for him. Or at least in Mellie's eyes."

Day thought about it for a moment. He simply kept his balance as Melony jumped knowing that if he jumped it would make it even harder for her. "Because I can always change back to fly or run. It isn't like all I did was fly anyways. And in that form I couldn't talk and I didn't have these wonderous hands. Anyways," he watched as she stopped bouncing, "I don't need wings to do wonderous things." He bounched up and down a few times gaining height. He took one last large bounce and did a back flip. When he landed he jumped again doing a front flip. On the last bounce he spun around. When he landed this time he negated the next bounce by simply sitting. He looked up at her a little out of breath. "Plus I wanted to talk to you."

Stopping suddenly Chenol whirled around and stood still. Cocking her head to the side she listened to something then took off running. Shifting in mid run she was suddenly on her tail going much faster. Going to her tent she entered and saw two things on her bed. One was a set of beautiful bangles and from the scent off of it they were from Mellie. The second was a note and that was from Mikhail.
Dear Chenol,

I am terribly sorry to have to just up and leave you. But I must leave for awhile. I can't tell you where I'm going or why and I am sorry. I will be coming back though, I just don't know how long that will be. The Circus has given me a ring so that I may find you once more. I'm really sorry I couldn't stay but I must do something before I join you all. I'll see you when I'm done.

With love,
Mikhail

Sitting down on her bed Chenol read the letter once more. Tears sprung up in her eyes as she set the letter down. She didn't know why she was so sad that he was leaving but she was.

Seeing her sister stop dancing abruptly and they take off running she shifted also and took off after her. She got into the tent just as Chenol sat down. Grabbing the letter she read it for herself and couldn't help but feel sad. "I'm sorry Chen." She said and sat down by her sister. Wrapping her arm around her twins neck she hugged her. "He'll be back though, the circus gave him a ring!"

Casimir couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from him at her words. What a horrible situation that could have been! That Mellie, he would have to somehow make amends with her, though how he was to go about that he had no idea. "Perhaps you could help me apologize to Mellie without offending her or bringing her wrath upon me? " After that , or before, he would need to find Zalia. He wasn't quite sure what was the most important. Apologizing, or gaining acceptance from the Ringmaster.

Melony sat down with a slightly shocked expression on her face. He had changed partially because he wanted to talk with her! Hesitantly she went to sit beside him, and put out a hand to his cheek. "Thank you, it really means a lot to me." His friendship had made all the difference in how she was with everyone else within the circus. She hoped it could turn into more, but she wanted to take it slow.

Even though Casimir sat next to her, talking with quite a lot of people, Cire was oblivious to everything and everyone. She had bended through her knees to talk with the present foxes, long gone ago. She had one arm outstretched, both foxes touching it with their noses. Obviously they were holding a mental conversation about a lot. Sharing information, how they had gotten theirselves caught, survival tips... Everything and everyone and what not. It had become clear to her that she was the oldest of the three, which had made her the most experienced in the conversation. It actually was quite obvious as well, only youngsters got caught. But, it would be a valuable experience to them so it didn't matter that much. Tomorrow they would continue with their days normally, and a bit more cautious. Made more powerfull by experience.

Ahanna thought about it. "Well, if you want to get near Mellie your going to have to get through Rythen and that won't be pretty. What you need is a distraction, but one that will leave me near you and Mellie. Maybe Cire would be willing to take Rythen's attention?" She looked at Cire talking with the little foxes and smiled. "But Mellie... I thank you need to tell her your sorry and just accept she will not take it. It will simply take time and proof. I really don't think she or my dear brother will ever truely trust or like you. How about this, we ever get in trouble again save Rythen. I bet she would like you after that and Rythen will be unable to dislike you then." She waved off her last suggestion. Rythen never gets in trouble.

Day smiled at her hand on his cheek. It made him think of a horse like expression for affection. "Your welcome. So you want to try bouncing around more?" She seemed to like it before so what was with that look? Does she think I was showing off?

Melony's answer was to get up and start bouncing around again. Unfortunately the young woman landed wrong during one of her jumps and she felt her leg buckle underneath her. It wasn't the first time that happened on a trampoline, and it certainly wouldn't be that last. Quickly she checked the limb in question and after finding it sounds she sighed in relief.

After some thought Casimir shook his head. The past would haunt him, and always would. He couldn't expect people to forgive him as easily as some others did. "Well at least I want to tell her that I am sorry... Because that is nothing more then the simple truth." He watched Cire with the foxes and smiled. It had been a good choice to take them all. The little winged tiger was asleep at her side, he wondered what would happen when it woke up.

Day watched as she bounced up and down. When her leg buckled he watched carefully but didn't move. It isn't hurt. You didn't live as a horse like creature for long before you knew all about leg buckles.

Ahanna watched the man. She knew he was worried about being accepted. She had accepted the other hunters easily and knew she was getting used to this one. Rythen had a hard time understanding it. She was still too scared to be alone with a human male but she could accept killers. Most of these hunters are in this and it is simply kill or be killed and I have been there. She had watched as Day stomped a man to death and Ash gutted another. She had even killed a few hunters. It made her wonder about the people who she had taken that person from but she was not sad. She knew they would have killed her. So she could see where they came from.

"Well then you should tell her that. Now tell me about the little friends you brought our dear fox lady. It looks like she likes them."

Quickly Melony righted herself but instead of starting to bounce again she went to sit by Day. "Have you ever liked someone, without wanting to take it too fast? Because I like this guy, he's great! He makes me feel like I can fly, but I'm not sure if I should tell him I want to be more then friends. What do you think?" She nearly started laughing, she was asking advice form him, about him! At least she knew his answer would work very well for her situation.

"Cire said she was lonely, hence the little tiger. And then she spoke of trying to find more of her kind, so when I saw those two I couldn't just leave them behind! This is such a strange situation, all I want to do is please everyone. I can't really believe that of myself." The young man shook is head ruefully. It was absurd but true. These people, he already saw as more of a family then the people he grew up with.

Feravin began to wander around once people had disperssed, a confused expression on his face since he didn't have anyone to tell him what he should be doing. He eventually wandered over to the trampoline area and looked at Casimir and the others, but as he spotted Cire, his eyes lit up as he was struck by the thought, "She's so beautiful," but a sinister smile creeped across his face as the image of himself beating her to death with her tails, all bundled together, came into his head. He shook his head, resuming his polite and friendly smile as he walked over, saying, "Greetings, my name is Feravin. I just arrived, I'm a half-angel half-celestial. It is very nice to meet you all."

Day watched as she sat down but was suprised by her question. Oh, she likes someone. He is a lucky guy. "No not really. My herd was my family but my brother was the leader. There were no unattached mares and I didn't spend much time with other herds. And I have spent very little time in this form. Probably less then a full year. So I really couldn't tell you. Just do what you want to do. They guy would be lucky to have you."

Ahanna smiled at the ex-hunter. "Well that was really nice of you. Cire deserves any happiness we can give her. She has always been kind to me." She looked around the tent at the others. "This circus does seem to bring out the best in everyone. And you've lived a life devoid of true love and happiniess. Of being yourself. It is time you let some of that out."

Ahanna looked over at the newest elf or at least part elf. "Hello Feravin. It is nice to meet another of my kind. I'm guessing your a light elf or really part?"

Sipping her tea Zalia let Jatan lead her into the tent. Seeing almost everyone still in there she smiled. It was everyone's hang out place. They all spent most of their time in there. The siblings walked over to the group by the trampolines. Seeing the three new animals made Zalia smile again. Crouching down she took another sip of her tea. "Who are these cute little creatures?"

Jatan let go of Zalia as she crouched down and he sat down on the floor. Resting his back against a post of the trampoline he brought one knee up.