Wrath's Redemption :: A New Beginning or a Final End

He'd known what Nox could do better than anyone, understood the other Male's dark and twisted inner being far better than a Fallen Angel should. Even a Fallen Arch. Thus he was also quite acutely aware of the risk he was taking by placing himself between the two of them. It wasn't that he didn't think she would be unwilling to defend herself, no that was quite the opposite. He knew she would make the most valiant of attempts, but this was Nox they were talking about, a being that predated the Changelings themselves. She hadn't asked to be here, hadn't wanted to be here. He should have just went to her. Should have risked the influx of Angels that were said to roam the Earth in the future. In her future. It wasn't that he had been scared by the thought, in fact he'd relished the thought, yet he'd wanted a time, a place where his seduction of her would be uninterrupted by his arch nemesis.

That was all forgotten as it became clear that Nox indeed had not gone for a simple whip. Or if he had at first, he had changed his mind upon the interference. It was no leather or even magically enhanced weapon that ate into the flesh of his wings, but rather one created of Nox's own realm. A place where the most simple of weapons could be recreated to do devastating damage. The first taste of the lush had stung, but he'd born it proudly. The second had carried a soft bite with it, and the third had tasted blood. Each of the following ten strokes had hit so quickly, had been so expertly placed, that it had taken much of what he had to make no sound. it would have been nothing to him had it been any other weapon, but this had tendrils that reached in to tear and further taint his very essence. Draining while infecting what was left behind.

He'd had to close his eyes against it. Unlike Nox, he wore nothing to cover his eyes and with Samantha so close, he refused to offer her up to any further threat from himself, whether it be emotional or physical. When the lash had stopped, ceased it's agonizing meetings with his wings, he knew it wasn't over. That had barely whetted his appetite for revenge. Petty, yes, but truth none the less. bracing himself for whatever it was that came next, it was then that he felt the phantom talons plucking and tearing at his wings. One by one already damaged wings were being ripped apart from the top layer down the lowest. He could feel the blood seeping down his flesh, the pain enough as he struggled to both protect her and fight off the effects of Nox's that it nearly sent him to his knees. But an Arch was still an Arch, Fallen or not thus he was made of far sterner material than that. He just had to hang on. Hopefully Nox would realize the repercussions that would reach even to him were he to land a final, killing blow.

Going on for what seemed an eternity, but he knew in common sense could not have truly been that long, his thoughts were brushed shockingly by a female touch. Thoughts, surface only that had become involved with the decision to risk it all to send her back. He was fairly certain he could though it would leave him truly helpless and beneath Nox there would be no mercy if he removed Samantha from his reach. That was his problem to deal with though, not hers. How strange it was that the thoughts she offered him were the same that were wrestling and churning beneath the surface of his own, just out of reach to what she could hope to pry from him. Yet who knew ? Even with the binding, she should not have been able to speak to him like this, at least not this quickly.

Yet another pluck of his feathers, one that left him with little more than a heavily damaged skeletal structure upon his back was followed up suddenly by a wash of force that was astronomical. As she shifted away from him, repositioned her body to face Nox herself, he went to his knees. He had dreaded the thought at first but had been unsure until now. He would be unable to heal them himself. Whatever Nox had done, had also stripped the ability to heal his ability to fly. Not in him to be sorry for himself, he had fallen to his knees, fighting the urge to shatter the ear drums of the innocent bystanders that the Dreaming had stopped from drawing any closer, prevented from interacting. If he screamed now, it would destroy Samantha as well, reaching possibly outside of this place to the Mortals and other preternatural s outside of here.

Samantha's next actions, her very words, the sheer impossibility of what she was managing to pull off left him shaken to his very core. If he had thought the level of their binding impressive, this hit on the level of miraculous. Trying to struggle to his knees in case it somehow went awry, he was unable to do more then tremble. The sheer wealth of her power so beautiful, so mind numbing, the most he could manage was to lay a blood soaked hand against her calf. Gathering his remaining essence, he was preparing to throw her forward, back to her own place and time, hoping that the binding would be enough to send him with her. If not, her reaching it would break the binding, however brief it was, leaving him to deal with the fallout sure to come. Even if his son was a royal fuck up, the King of nightmares was unlikely to stand by and allow what had been done to his only child without some type of reaction.

That was when the Dreaming gave it's final answer, the silent thunder cracking, ringing true and sending Nox to some place unknown while it thew the two of them forward. Shoving his remaining energy screaming, pouring into her body, he managed to form it into armor the very shade of her eyes. Replacing her current clothing, it fit and looked like leather with a luminescent gleam that would shine brilliantly even in true darkness. Twenty-eight bone corset. Armored leggings that were held in place up the side with delicate yet impossibly strong chains. A plated and paneled duster, complete with cowl. His last gift to her as he crumpled harshly to his knees atop the rooftop of God only knew where was a pair of luminescent, ethereal wings a shade paler than the armor itself. Realizing now that she needed no weapon other than her own will, his last action was to rasp a small series of words out at her.

"Get inside. Don't know if King Nocturnal will follow. If he does...Will try to buy you time to prepare."

His head fell forward then, darker than dark hair heavy with sweat and blood as it hung over his eyes, shading his pain glazed features. The icy wind bit and tore at his wounds, his only wish, the only one that he likely had energy for was that she would just do as he had asked. He didn't know that he would be able to protect her otherwise. Didn't know if he could handle her of all people seeing him in this state. It would seem for all intents and purposes, that Fallen or not, there was some things, some trainings that never truly went away. Or maybe just maybe, something about this Mage, this Avatar, this woman was enough to draw out the most deeply rooted Male instinct of all. To protect at all costs that which they saw as theirs.

Obsidian feathers falling around her, a swirling storm of silk in the wind. Her vision had gone red, then black in her rage.

The strangest part was that she hadn't expected it to work. Imagine her surprise, the only one that could have come close was Nox himself. His true name Korevainryl Thathquemil fell from her lips, the syllables taking shape almost vibrating as she spoke them and the Dreaming listened. It was more that then her own power that bound the son of the Nightmare king. Why it had answered by granting her the strength she needed, she might never know. Especially since a moment later she was again jerked into the flux of in between.

Brilliant lightening and the world fell out from beneath her, all too fast for her to register anything at first. Then she found herself again in the courtyard of Pan's castle, atop the tower.

She was home.

They, there was still a hand on her armored calf, and Ash's voice swept to her ears, despite the biting wind. Disbelief illuminated her expression, he was still here. He had come with her, and she was back. The distant sound of bells told her she had only been gone a few seconds. The tiny bit of space between two rings, only now they were much clearer. Their sound crystalline against the snow, despite the distance across the city where they rang.

His wings.

She stared down at him, pained for reason's she couldn't name. She had come to his aid, had stood toe to toe with a force of nature, to spare him any more pain. Why? The initial answer seemed simple enough, because he had stood in defense of her. He had protected her. This... This demon. Fallen. His honorable action had cost him his feathers, and taking her home had stolen his fortitude.

Why?

She wanted to shake him and ask her questions. She wanted to be able to stare at his nearly unconscious form and feel nothing. That however was not the case. Things were never that easy, and she would have believed it all a ruse if he hadn't been bleeding at her feet. That was a long way to go to try and steal her trust. Not that she trusted him, but it had won him something... Something she didn't care to name in that moment.

It wasn't until she ignored his words to drop to her knees at his side, that she noticed her armor. Those spectral wings curved around her shoulders, their depths spotted with twinkling bits that shone like pinprick stars. Only a glance was given to it, she would inspect it more closely when it's giver wasn't possibly dying. "Ash" She spoke his name hoarsely, like she had been screaming. "...Ash don't you dare die."

There was suddenly no time for words, the door from the stairs exploded suddenly outward. The shattering of wood was ear splitting, and the crinos wolf came boiling out in a fury of fur and weapons. His eyes burning like hellfire. She came to her feet like a shot, her gun coming to her hand so rapidly it seemed to simply manifest from thin air.

Frosted wind spun around her, whipping her hair hard enough that it stung her cheeks where it caressed them. Her voice resonating with power thanks to a small surge of quintessence. "Stop!"

Vengeance. It's what he could taste on the air around them, a swirling Maelstrom of potent, feminine fury. He would have laughed at the thought if it wasn't likely to have ripped what was left of his throat into shreds. Then again, he was just a sucker for pain wasn't he ? His head tipped back, revealing up to the sky, up to her viewing those liquid burgundy eyes gone glazed with pain. If the state of his body wasn't so clearly ravaged, had you not seen the damage laid upon it, those optics you would have sworn belonged to a druggie high off their kite on their chosen fix. The laughter was ragged. Interrupted by spurts of jagged coughing that had him doubled over, vision fading in and out. Oh how it was worth it though. A literal spit in the face to the spoiled brat Prince of Nightmares. Not that he'd ever see it, not that the Fallen truly gave a damn if he did.

Lest she be thinking that he was laughing at her, he sobered rather quickly, which in and of itself was not a challenge to begin with. Little outbursts such as that tended to cost one dearly when in such a condition. Such a play of emotions ran her features though and for a moment he wanted nothing more than to wipe away that confusion. The disbelieve. Then she was there. Having come to her knees beside him for some unknown reason. One that was all too quickly made screamingly clear. She was worried he was dying ? That caught him off guard for a moment, rocking him back to look at her as clearly as his clouded visage would allow. It gave him two opportunities, both of which were likely to get him smacked. But he had broken every other rule, taken every other chance, why not experience these as well ? If there was a path, destined for hell, he was already dancing a jig all the way down.

A hand. Painted in blood, sweat, and a shimmer that might have been tears crept upwards. Moved close enough to sweep that strong, determined, yet purely feminine jaw. Reaching up until his fingertips would trace her cheek, he was almost desperate to see if her skin was as soft as the frozen silk that it appeared. Were he not to be kicked back, or shot over the ledge, or some other form of pain that set them apart, he would lean in. Breath less than a whisper. More a thought exhaled against her lips.

"Reghan doesn't have a slot on my dance card just yet, μου λίγη Βαλκυρίες δίκαιη. When she does, you'll be the first to know."

Always one to push his luck, were he still not slapped away, he would move to close that scant distance. To taste the anger, the torrent of feelings playing through her that was surely so heavy upon her lips. Or would have had the door not splintered behind them. The sound of it being caved, thundered outwards even, had him wavering to his feet. She would beat him to hers and for a split second he could do nothing but admire the winter's beauty that she was. A queen she stood, a Goddess of frost and white rage as she uttered that one word. For a moment, he saw her standing amid-st a frozen battlefield, far from here, the bodies of her enemies laying scattered about at her feet, all of them vanquished by her mere will alone. Yet there we were not, and here we had a rather angry looking Garou looking as if he wanted to bite one of our heads off. Like as not it was mine rather than hers. Yet one did not take chances with things like this.

At the moment calling upon anything close to his Apocalyptic form would have been suicide. While it would have given him ample enough juice to wipe the rooftop with this upstart wolf, when it faded, Reghan wouldn't have had to come looking for him, rather he would have planted himself firmly on her doorstep. So instead, he moved beside her. Stood to her right rather than in front of or behind. While she had proven herself more than capable of defending herself, it was not in him to kneel behind a woman and look to her for his defense unless he was quite literally on his deathbed. Close enough he may be as he wavered there, his body barely maintaining his feet. Yet still there was an aura of menace. Of sheer, palpable dark energy that rippled out to caress the ground around them. Even featherless devastated things of nightmares that they may be, the mere skeletons of his wings rose high, unfurled to spray blood and other things to the frosted ground around them. Wincing sharply as the frigid wind continued to decimate their remains, a rather wry set of words was casually afforded her.

"He a friend of yours ?"

I had felt the fury in my blood before, pushing me to the edge and beyond. But it was nothing like this. This was completely new. This was beyond just simple rage. This was cold, it was calculating, this was vengeance. Vengeance for Sam, and i didnt even know why. I saw her standing there next to the angelic creature, and for some reason i wanted to maim, hack, slice, claw, bite, anything everything that was in my power i wanted to do to this creature. But before i could make a move i heard Sam's voice as she yelled for me to stop, and help a gun up at me. She was alright, and in some raveshing new armor, it fitted her well.

On instinct my eyes flicked over to my forge, my Cairn, then back to the two of them. Whatever was happening i was pretty sure that it wasnt over yet. I huffed, sending a silent prayer up to Fenris, asking for him to fill me with strength should i have need of it to protect what was mine. The blade in my hands began to hum as i stalked forward pausing briefly mere inches next to Sam, staring down into her eyes, locking everything down and putting it away so that all she saw was my concern, that was all she needed to worry about. My eyes flicked up to the other one and thats when everything burst forth and a growl, filled with the rage and malise and vengeance, erupted from my throat before i could snuff it out. I ended the growl with one more huff and moved on heading for my forge. Upon reaching my destination i grabbed the edge of the roof of it and hurled myself to the top of it, and perching myself like a large gargoyle, and watched the two of them. Anything that got froggy was going to get dead right quick and in a hurry, and would not enjoy it what so ever.

Her gun hand was steady, and as the crinos stalked closer weapon drawn the bullets in the chamber bled slowly over to sliver. Slowly enough that any lycanthrope would have been able to smell the change over to death metal. She didn't realize who it was until he had walked up on them, until he was gazing down at her with that expression.

The same one so many people looked at her with, like she was someone that needed protecting. It caused something dark to shift behind her gaze, not the same predatory slide of a beast. Still it was savage, feral. Like she was some vulnerable creature that was unable to stand on her own two feet.

Those eyes, she stared up into them and the gun vanished as quickly it had appeared. She listened to the growl, but didn't speak when no immediate threats of violence were offered. Just a great deal of posturing for both of them. Her foot slid around so that when he rolled past them, like a brewing storm, she could keep those midnight blue eyes on him. Watched him as he swung up and around onto the roof of his personal caern.

It didn't take a great deal of time for her to spot the spray of blood across the snow. Ash received an brief unfriendly look over her shoulder for his trouble, before her gaze returned to Steel. "You okay?" It seemed a silly, and mildly repetitive question, since she had been the one ripped out of the restaurant the last time she had asked. Considering that, she pulled out her cellphone and shot a quick text to Pandora, and Sarah letting them both know she was fine before some sort of a war party was called together to deal with the energy surge.

I sat perched on the roof of my Caern, and continued to watch them. Sam's voice carried over to me and it took me a moment to put the three simple words together. I looked at her and nodded once, and then made my butt find the rooftop. I was willing to bet that something was getting ready to happen, but depending on what it was i probably wouldnt need to be involved.

He suddenly realized just how tired he was. The weariness shot through his body, from tip to toe and had he not been as skilled as he was, as practiced, he would have dropped, unconscious at her feet right then and there. It took every ounce of his being to stay still when that Garou came closer, especially as Sam brought her weapon up to train it on him, and a him it was without question. Though if he were a threat at the moment, it was unlikely that he would not have already attacked. Unless of course he was a far more underhanded opponent than that. It was rare that such slyness was found in the Garou, especially those who did not stink of the taint that came to some of their kind. It was not to say that he was without caution though. The moment he decided to get jumpy, it did not matter that his engine was running on empty. Hopefully Sam's words and actions would be enough. This was her place, her city, not his. It would put another stumbling block between the two were he to act the big bad Male, so he waited, actions held in check.

When the Garou stopped so close, his gaze locked upon Sam, his body bristled, fingers itching to reach out and drag him away from her. Yet burgundy eyes closed once that concern was seen. A man could be wrong, but if one had to hazard a guess, that Male was one who would die to protect Sam as quickly as he would. The growl was heard, the force and power behind it respectable from one warrior to another even if by all rights we were on two different sides of the field. There was no action made, his body held still, eyes never opening. The huff at it's end did bring the slightest upturn to one corner of his mouth, though nothing more than that. The wind was felt when he brushed passed, the sound as well as the vibrations of his bulk landing atop something apparently solid enough to hold him falling upon his ears to tell of the new location of the furred one.

He felt her eyes fall upon him then, Sam's eyes. The obvious displeasure however brief was as clear as a knife's wound to his face. Yet thoughts were kept open upon his face. The honest hint of confusion as well as the wry taste of amusement. Eyes opened then, that burgundy gaze rippling and flickering as if filled by a myriad of trapped fireflies. Hearing her question sent at the other Male, his own focus while still obviously tracking her looked for the cleanest patch of snow. Upon finding it, feet carried him quietly to it, a pathway of blood left in his wake as he had no choice but to lower the ragged things before they fall of their own accord. Crouching down, a handful of the powdery white was lifted. Teeth pressed together, locking in place to refuse to admit a sound as his fingers pressed the freezing substance to the first spot he could twist enough to reach. Pain. A brilliant, blinding thing, that had a hiss tearing uncontrollable from his lips. A breath drawn in. Held and locked into place to be slowly exhaled through his nostrils as another handful of white was captured and pressed just below the first. He was more prepared for the pain than he had with the first application, yet it still caused nausea to roil about in the pit of his stomach for a moment. Needing something other to focus on as he attempted to dull the violently injured nerve endings, he continued his work by feel alone while sending his gaze back up to Sam.

"You have returned to your home. The binding you placed between us by all rights is now dead. I would stay here with you, make sure that should the Prince follow us at some time you will not be harmed from him. Yet I believe you do not need my protection, that much you have made clear to me, as there is also the fact that my presence here would likely...Upset your people."

Steel kept her gaze for a long series of seconds, she looked like there was something she was debating on saying to him. Then decided against at the last moment. It was not an expression that was rare to find tightening the corners of her mouth, and furrowing delicate brows. Much she thought went unspoken.

Ash's scream snapped her head around, focusing those midnight blue eyes on his kneeling form. He was in rough shape, granted that was like saying the monsoon was just a hard rain. There was a lot of blood. It dotted the snow like a child had gone crazy with a bucket of paint. It almost seemed too red, some part of her struggled to believe it was real. The blood disappeared suddenly, it didn't even take a gesture on her part. She had bottled it and tucked it into the crawl space beneath the closet at her parents old place. No one would look there, with the both of them out of the picture the rat-hole apartment was still empty. It was safe enough, correspondence was a wonderful thing. As was matter, a sledgehammer wouldn't have been able to break that container.

The snow was white again, except where he now kneeled. Tending to the wounds on his back. "Yea, I suppose it is." The binding had ended, she was back. Hell in his weakened state she could have probably convinced Steel to kill him, with little more then a word on her part. Not the the Garou obeyed her in all things, but in this, she just had to speak to the wolf of what he was and this would all be over.

So why didn't she?

That answer was not so quick, and despite all odds she had already come to his defense. Granted it had felt really really good to put that spoiled, arrogant, pompous, prick prince in his place. Still, it would by lying to herself to say the act of retribution had been all for her sake. She had acted, almost without thought, in his defense. She was angry with herself for it. She knew what he was, he had told her himself.

She didn't go to him, instead she took a slow step, followed by another until she stood with her back to Steel, gaze unwavering, eyes cool bordering on unsympathetic. "Which means we have another problem. You've already threatened my pack. I can't trust you. Which means I can't afford to let you leave. It also means we have a problem."

I watched the red bleed away from the snow much as it bled from the man kneeling in it. I watched Sam approach him and speak her concerns, putting out of my mind the fact that she seemed like she wanted to say something to me not that long ago. When the words 'Threatened' and 'Pack' were said almost at the same time my body instinctivly tightened. All the muscles coiling, squeezing, waiting to be released in one fluid strike. I was able to stifle the growl that wanted to escape from my throat, and my body shrank in its anticipation. I sat perched waiting, and waiting.

"I never once threatened your Pack, Samantha. That part would have come from the prick fiddling, finch fucker of a Prince that I once called fri...Companion. I can quote it word for word if you would like. My only mention was that of defending myself if a certain Angel got too jumpy, and you know I'm not talking about Ash."

The sigh that followed those words was quiet as he pulled his hand back and away from that remnant of wing. The snow was numbing it alright but it didn't mean that it was healing it. Not by a long shot. That, the healing part would take far longer than he could afford to do it himself, or it would mean finding someone in this time who wouldn't take advantage of his weakness to end him. It was a mess, both the wing and the situation, the worse of the two being debatable. Feeling that wash out of power, his eyes rolled up, body shifting just enough to look back over him to realize that the blood that had covered the distance between them was gone. Then there were the vibrations coming from the wolf who was more than likely just waiting for the excuse to jump. It wasn't even midnight here yet, which in his book meant the day was still young and he had already landed himself on the hot seat, so to speak. It couldn't be changed though, that much was a surety.

"Thank you for moving that. I will only hope that it's somewhere that can't be traced back to you. I know that you don't need my protection, I see that now, yet I have no desire to make your life more difficult than I already have and there are those that would hunt down anyone who has had a connection to me that would not look kindly upon you for helping me."

He'd already said enough, knowing what he did of her situation. If the Wolf was who he believed it to be, he'd said too much. Knowing that it was far passed his time to take a bow, much as he would not have wished it, teeth gritted, holding back the shriek of pain that wanted to escape as he pushed to his feet. There had to be somewhere in this city of all places in which he could go to ground. It was merely just a matter of finding it which was likely easier said than done. Executing a rather impressive bow in her direction, his feet would carry him slowly but surely towards the lip that ran the edge of the rooftop. Steeping carefully up onto it, liquid burgundy gaze swept both skyline as well as the glittering city-scape below. The wings that would be of no use to him, due to both their destruction as well as the numbness that ran rampant through what was left of them closed as carefully as possible along his spine. Taking one last deep breath, he made move to launch himself out into the open space.

" I never did get a chance to thank her for what she did for my once kin. If her companion decides to get salty about it then he can be dealt with." She quoted back at him. Not that Radu had ever required her protection, but this was it's own very special occasion."Wait let me guess..." Her tone was ripe with sarcasm. "You didn't mean it the way it sounded." Her voice was turning dark, becoming something unfriendly. "Not only that but I have you and all of your intentions completely wrong. Do you think I forgot the few lovely tidbits Nox offered about your intentions?"

Her arms crossed over her chest, she truly wanted to offer him no quarter. Still something nagged at the back of her mind, causing her to continue speaking. Words she hadn't intended falling past her lips. "You must have known what my reaction would have been. you went to all that trouble to pull me out of my own time, no one is fool enough to do that without having done their research on their target first."

Anger danced within those dark eyes as she stood there cloaked in the armor he had put her in. Daring him without saying it, to deny any of the things she was saying. "And save your fishing for my pity. I have none. The fact that I shouldn't believe you strikes me as enough of a reason to do just that. Let alone trust." Her arms uncrossed and she paused briefly before she continued. "If you wish to jump from this tower on a wing and a prayer, by all means." She gestured to the empty air beyond him. "But I doubt what is left of your wings will hold you."

"It wasn't a threat, Samantha, it was a promise. The time for idle, simple words are long come and gone. I would not intend to seek him out, though it would be a most interesting conversation, I'm sure. It was merely an affirmation of IF he jumped first, I would defend myself. Though I'm sure it would please you if I just offered up my throat to him, now wouldn't it. As to my intentions, I never laid claim to what they were or weren't, nor is it like you ever directly asked. Had you, I would have told you, foolish as a choice that would have been."

He turned then, faced so that his back was to the city below, the Heavens above.The winds, wicked things that they were toyed with his hair. Sent it into a riotous nimbus about him that would have been distracting to a lesser woman. His marbled skin so temptingly revealed beneath the open fall of his jacket was painted with his blood and for a moment it was a wonder what the skin below it would taste like. But wasn't that a thought you had already held ? Those liquid burgundy eyes reflected the sliver of moonlight overhead, holding both the promise of pain but also of something more. Something rich and undefinable if one were only to have the balls to brave what society would say about him. What even your own people would say of him. But he was here. There now standing so close. A picture perfect image of everything he was, everything that made you hate him.

It would seem your words had no effect upon him, his stance remaining eerily still as the wind buffeted at his frame. Yet you knew that impassiveness all too well. The unwillingness to let anything show through the exterior that someone could dare use against you. Anything, however minute or vast that could be used as a weakness, a chink in the armor that you refused to let down. Because the moment you did you were vulnerable. Oddly his words offered all that and more without offering nothing at all.

"I did not forget, nor do I intend to. The debt I still owe to him for bringing you to my time will be reclaimed when He and I meet once more. To answer you, I did know what would happen were I to bring you there, as well as I knew that coming here was akin to a death sentence. If you think I seek pity, how very wrong you are. Have you met so few of my kin to think us that weak ? Wait...You kill the majority of my kin that you meet. Not that it's unjustified by any means. They're not the best example of what my kind can or should be."

Those last words were the only that held something. A hint of sorrow...Of sadness as he spoke of his Kindred Fallen. It was gone then in a flash as his arms raised slowly from his sides as if he would simply step back, letting his body fall into the openness that the twilight sky afforded him. Yet one last thing he afforded you, one last meeting of violent blue and turbulent wine. This time when he spoke, the words were only to you, and in that moment you were aware that the Wolf standing so close to you would never hear them.

"I would not yet ask you for trust as I have yet to earn it. Though I have been long from My Father's grace, the one thing I have not forgotten is faith. The faith to walk. The faith to breath. The faith to fight, protect and cherish that which is ours."

The last things you saw of him then was an odd smile. One that told you he wasn't as sure of his own words as he'd have you believe. Yet in that unknowing was his faith. Then the arms that had already come up to embrace what had to surely be his death on the pavement below rose over his head. Almost as if reaching for the Father who had long ago forsaken him. Then with that, he was gone from your vision, his body having enacted a dive, a free-fall that most gymnasts and X-Game performers would be envious of.

I had waited patiently, anxiously ready to spring, i just didnt think it would be for this. I exploded off of the roof of my Cairn shooting past the rooftop edge, my clawed arm extending snatching the wounded man at the last second as my other hand locked onto the rooftop lip, and in one motion swung us both back onto the roof. Landing with a loud THUD i moved in a blur and slammed him against the outer wall of the forge. I growled at him and then instantly shifted into homid form and the words burst out "NO! I dont give a shit who in the hell you are, or what you think you are, you are NOT going to come here and play this mental fucking games with Sam, and then think its fucking ok to go and off yourself on my bosses front porch! NOT FUCKING HAPPENING!! YOU WANNA FUCKING DIE ILL HELP YOU OUT! Now pull your fucking head out of your tight asshole, put it back on your fucking shoulders and fucking use it!" The beast wanted back out, it wanted this guys fucking head, but i wasnt getting ready to do that. I shoved him once more for measure, and turned to Sam. As soon as she was in my vision again the beast shut up. My anger drain away and i felt content. Gaia what the hell was happening?! I walked over to her, not wanting to invade her space but i still had to be sure she was ok. "Hey you doin' alright?" My hair was untied as per usual from shifting and billowed in the wind next to me, the only thing that survived the shift being my jeans leaving my chisled muscles exposed to the world and her sisters. My green eyes gently watched Sam and waited. I didnt want her upset, but i didnt think i could help her with it.

Blackness. Spots and stars as dark as Anubis's own hide were what he saw as his back met the wall of something. He wasn't sure what it was nor did he absolutely give a rat's damn. What was more important was staying on his own two feet and not crumpling like one newly fledged to their wings as pain danced through his body like a multitude of free whirling, careening blades. Not vomiting on the male's shoes would be a start too as his ears picked up the quiet yet easily discernible sound of cracking. Yeah, this was going fifty shades of bad and if he wasn't careful he was going to end up falling apart right here on the rooftop in front of them. In front of her. The male be damned as it wasn't his opinion that mattered a whit. Samantha's on the other hand was something else entirely. That was most of why he refused to lash out at the male, even though he could have.

"It isn't for you to know even if you did give a shit. Should the Manipulator of the Dreaming, should Samantha herself choose to tell you, I will not stop her as it is to her that I owe my being here. This is not Pandora Munroe's front door, but rather her roof, if indeed we were thrust where I believe we were. Even I don't have the poor form to draw that much attention. As to offing myself, that's almost funny. Such little faith your kind has. This one still has a small card to be played should my Faith in the winds themselves not be enough. Most importantly, I didn't come here to play games with her. Strangely, she is the last being on this realm or in any other who I would do that to. Hell I wasn't even sure I would make it all the way here, much less survive another series of breaths when I covered her in that armor to assist in her protection."

Knowing that the Garou was likely ignoring him, his hand rose to the pendant that still hung true from the cording around his neck. It glimmered oh so softly with warmth, pulsed as if there were actually a miniature being entrapped within it's confines. Granted he knew better, but he also knew that there was a chance it wouldn't have been enough to carry him all the way safely to street level. Just another tidbit that didn't need revealing as a glance from his peripheral told him that at least the male if not Samantha as well were wrapped up in a neat little world of their own design. What his good sense also told him was that should he try leaving again, it would more likely than not be assumed he was trying to off himself and he'd have given the Garou the excuse, or what he deemed the excuse needed to try thrashing him.

So here it was he would sit and here it was he would stay, back pulling enough away from that solidity as to not keep rubbing it completely raw all over again. If and when Samantha should choose to speak with him again, so be it. If the Garou decided he was going to get uppity again, Heaven above and Hell below preserve his hide because this was one Fallen who was not going to continue to be anyone's rag doll, not even to make Samantha happy.