All Fangs

  The night was cooler than normal as Katarina walked the streets alone in the dark. Most people (especially women) would be weary, but Katarina never felt such concern. Katarina is a vampire and is a few centuries old. She's very intuitive and loved watching the world change and see how the people adapted to these changes.  She too adapted well. Learning more and more about human culture and blending into it with ease. Katarina loved all the new innovations she got to witness over the years. She believed she had seen pretty much everything at this point in her existence. Very few things ever seemed to surprise Katarina besides humans....and even that was quite rare. But something about this night was completely different, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Katarina's mind began to race through possibilities of what this sensation of something new was. She was unsure where she was headed, but she walked off the pavement and towards a nearby forest. 

  Sensing something different and quite unusual, Katarina picked up the pace and looked through the trees searching for someone or something to be out within them. Her senses were extremely heightened and she was confused how she had never come across something like this before. Katarina got to a point in the forest that seemed to change. She walked up towards that point and felt a calm within herself. "What is this?" Katarina couldn't help but comment on the peculiarity of the situation. She closed her eyes and let the experience consume her. Then she felt the shift....she was somewhere new. Katarina opened her eyes and looked around to see nothing had really changed. Confused, Katarina took a few steps forward then heard loud footsteps headed her way. She readied herself for whoever was coming.

  From the trees and branches in front of her, Katarina saw a man coming towards her. She felt the energy from him and realized quickly he wasn't human. A slight feeling of fear started to fill Katarina. She shook it off and dropped her fangs in preparation for an attack. Suddenly, here stood this entity before her. Heavy boots, long black coat, chain over his shoulders, mask, and a hood......what could he be hiding? Katarina looked him up and down, wanting to ask what exactly he was, then he spoke "Who are you and what are you doing here?" His low voice and demeaner let her know he meant business. "My name is Katarina and unsure why I'm here but would love to know exactly what you are?" she looked over, flashing a fang as she smiled at him. He stepped back and looked at her perplexed "What are you exactly?!"

  Katarina lightly chuckled "I could ask you the same thing. But I'd also add your name since you have so politely forgot to give it to me." He crossed him arms and stood tall "Name's Karsh. I protect this place from Twisted and other beings who mean to disrupt things. I am.... complicated." Katarina raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms as well "Well I am a Vampire. I have been walking the Earth for a few centuries now and have never come across this place. Where exactly am I?" Karsh pondered a moment before answering "This is the Land of Ishness. We coexist parallel to the human world. Some humans possess the ability to travel here....but it is rare. I am not very familiar with vampires, but I think someone else may be more helpful. Hopefully he's in a good mood today." Karsh motioned for Katarina to follow him. Hesitantly, she followed. Thoughts flooded her mind as they traveled through the forest deeper. Then, Katarina stopped, gripping Karsh's arm "Do you hear that?" Karsh looked and nodded "It's one of them."

  Karsh looked over at Katarina and before he spoke a word, she took off with Vampire speed and grabbed the culprit of the sound. Karsh stood shocked for a moment, then ran to catch up to her. Katarina stood holding the being in her hand above her head, fangs glaring "What the hell is this thing Karsh?!" He stood silent a moment, then snapped out of his own head "That is one of the Twisted I mentioned earlier. Seeing how easily you handled him, I could use someone like you." Katarina looked over to Karsh and could almost see the smile beneath the mask. Karsh walked over to her "Let me take care of him." Karsh reached up, pulling the chain from his neck, and wrapped it around the Twisted to secure him. Katarina watched and grinned "I see now why you are the one taking care of these things. You sure you don't need my assistance?" Karsh chuckled as he threw the Twisted over his shoulder "Nah...I usually do this alone."