Fight or Flight

It was the slow ache of alcohol and vervain that alerted her of the change f scenery. Even through the haze, she could sense the cool floor under her and the presence of others around her. Shifting her weight and opening her blackened eyes, Viola found herself face to face with a large, grey wolf.

Shooting back, Vi found herself pressed up against metal bars. Burning tore away at her skin, causing her to cry out. She fell forward, looking at her hands. It wasn't healing. Vervain, again. She moved her head to look around, to understand where she was, only to have her vision cloud again.

"Hello?" she called out, voice scratched and painful, "Who's there?"

"Oh good you're awake." Aurmerle said in a voice that sounded bored. He'd been stuck alone in these cages for almost a year now, it was good to finally see someone he knew. "The bars are vervained, getting very imaginative these mortals." He smirked.

"So what's your story?"

Viola blinked at the familiar voice, then gasped before pressing herself against the bars. She ignored the burn, her eyes filled with excitment.

"Aurmerle! You're alive!" she cheered, "Amora has been so worried! You have to contact her before she hurts herself!"

She let go of the bars to adjust her dress from the night before. "I was with Amora, drinking... someone... shot me? I-I forget," she admitted, "What is this place?"

"Of course i am. Why would i be anything else?" He asked, sitting himself up straighter. "You don't hold much confidence in me young one. Have you not heard the tales of the younger Galenson?" He asked before his brows sunk into confusion.

"Amora? How could i have forgotten!" He said slapping a hand to his forehead. With all the blood he'd been drinking, his mind had been so consumed on nothing but his thirst. He'd not even spared a thought to think about what the others were thinking. "I will."

He glanced around as if noticing the place for the first time. "It's a circus! We are the main attractions. They put us into fights the winner comes back here and the loser... well the loser dies pure and simple." He shrugged.

Viola gave him a worried gaze, then allowed the corners of her mouth to be pulled into a smile. She sat away from the bars, the worry still evident on her face. She had heard stories of him, of course... but never any good ones.\

"I had confidence in you. It was Amora and Ethon who were worried," The vampire replied, " They have been so scared for you. Mi amor has been searching day and night-"

Ethon. Oh no, she had promised not to leave...

The Spaniard shook off the feeling of regret and stared through the bars at a hulking werewolf. "I cannot fight, Merle. It's not in my nature,"

Merle smiled, not his usual smile this one seemed almost twisted in comparison. After drinking human blood, he was only left with a ghost of his past self. Like his human side couldn't bare to stay in his body whilst the animal stuck around.

"How is it a young spaniard like yourself has confidence in me where my own brother does not?" He asked lazily leaning up against the bars of the cave. The vervain there hardly bothered him not through the material of his shirt. He was still recovering from his high from the human blood.

"Then you die." He shrugged, he had no sympathy for her in this state. In fact he failed to have any emotions other than hunger and anger at all.