Castle of the Bloody Night (Open) {October Event!}

[Briarheart]

"Fine. You can."

Those three words ran like gunshots across the small camp, over the cracking roar of the fire, over the conversation of the others who flocked to its flame like moths. The only thing that would have rivaled it was the joyous squeak that Hyperion let out whenever someone new allowed her to complete the Friendship Ritual and wrap her vine-woven arms around their form and give them a tight squeeze--something that certainly would have startled the bird and caused a horrible scene.

Except, this time it never came.

There was always something about Hype. Oh, she was going to hug you, alright; but she also had this sixth sense of sorts when to reign the excitement in. If someone was not comfortable being on the receiving end of a hug, she would not leap into their arms and knock them off-balance. She would be careful and considerate.

That was the case this time.

The crow woman was rather short, so Hype (who had a solid foot and a half on her, at least) had to bend over ever-so-slightly as they sat side-by-side on the log near the glow of the fire. She moved slowly, spreading her arms wide, allowing the bird to get used to the idea of having someone embrace them. From the look in her dark eyes, it was clear that this was going to be a first for her.

And then Hype moved in for the kill. She scooted her butt a couple inches closer, and held her prey tight. Even from this angle, I could make out the soft, pulsating glow of her amber eyes that she was giving out one of those hugs. The one where she tapped into the lingering magics of her previous life as a healer, dispersing the energy into the crow woman. They always had a calming effect on anyone who received one. Whenever Hype held someone like this, all of their stress and anxiety and troubles simply melted away. They would relax completely, their mind forgetting the aches and pains their body racked up as her energy flowed through them. Their heartbeat and breathing would sync up with her own, and they would share a moment that seemed to linger into forever.

For the briefest of seconds, I was jealous of the little bird.

It came time for the briarbane to let go, which she did slowly and gently. Her briar-knit hands reached up to pet the girl's soft obsidian plumage, but she hesitated for a moment and settled on lightly resting them on her shoulders instead.

"See," she cooed softly to her. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Amber light beamed in her eyes as she stood up and brushed out the ruffles in her dress. "My name is Hyperion."

"Stare," the crow said, clearly confused as to what just transpired. "My name is Stare."

"It's nice to meet you, Stare! That was a very good hug! You should give them out more often!"

It was around that time I noticed the nekojin sniffing me.

The thing actually bumped into me by accident. I nearly screamed as I found myself suddenly two inches to the left.

I spun around and glared at the silver-eyed furry fuck, my features twisting into a snarl beneath my mask. "What the hell are you talking about, natural earthy aromas?! I took a bath this morning!"

And now I really wanted to take another one. Did I really stink? I don't really sweat anymore, and I've been very mindful of my personal hygiene habits since I could first draw a bath by myself. Normally I'm told I smell like a mossy forest right after a rainstorm, but I know that there was a lingering bit of rotting flesh buried deep within my vines. Was today one of the days it decided to flare up and be extra odoriferous? My sense of smell's been vastly diminished ever since I was burned at the stake twice back in Eiskalt, so I can't really tell... I bathe every other day, I put on perfume...

--Oh gods, had it worn off? We missed our mark on the teleportation stone when we made the trip, and were a few hours away from the grounds of the castle. I know that the Tular Plains are rather rough to traverse, what with the massive dust storms that whip up to keep nosy adventurers like this lot out, and you can't go five feet without tripping over a crack in the ground that leaked something either sulfurous or toxic.

Did some of that shit get on my clothes? I didn't bring a spare suit, and we're so far from any decent rivers in which I can wash them...

Did Hype bring any spare bottles of that lilac crap she practically marinates in every morning?

I need to ask her as soon as possible.

Oh, and somewhere in all this, I told the cat to fuck off and leave me alone.