A Vampire's Pride

Bandaged Wounds

Viola's POV

             The fire is easy to get going for Claire as Merlin and Valdus go around making tents. I hadn't asked where they'd gotten the large cloth tents or the poles to keep them high— I'd assumed it was magic.

        We'd crossed the river only to find that the gateway was actually underneath it all; and we couldn't cross again to reach the war camp, it was too dangerous. No one bothered to ask Kilian to open a portal for us, there was always a catch. I still don't know what I owed him for his teleporting us out of the river— and at this moment I was too ashamed to ask.

I'd spent an hour pondering over how selfish and rash I had acted, feeling like a scolded child; and I wondered if he was in a better mood. He'd gone into his own tent, a seven foot tall, monstrous navy blue tent; spacious enough for multiple people to sleep in. I hadn't been able to even look that way yet, not with how I'd reacted and the silence of everyone.

                 But eventually I'd have to see him— eventually.

              For now, I'd hunt.

"Claire." I say, rising from the log I'd been sitting on as she glances my way.
"Ever hunt a deer before?" I ask, eyeing her fire sparking from her delicate hands. She grins at me sheepishly, dusting herself off as she rises.

"Well, I've set one on fire by accident— but I don't think I'm any good at hunting them. They're like little babies, I would cry—" she starts to ramble on as Atticus steps out from the woods, he'd come from the direction of the river. I guess he was scouting if there were any other entrances or something.

"I can help." He says, tossing a knife gently in my direction. I move out of its way, furrowing my eyebrows at him.

"I don't need that to hunt. I've got this." I wiggle my hand in his sight, ice spreading throughout my palms in a light sheen of frost.

           "Alright then." He nods in my direction as he moves to my side, giving a Claire a kiss on her head. Her blonde hair bobs as she bounces on the heels of her feet gleefully, clasping her hands together in excitement.

               "My little sis going hunting with my—" she starts, but stops herself as she hears footsteps crunching through the snow in our direction.

        Kilian.

              "Viola," Kilian's blood red eyes are glowing as he towers over us in his black attire. His leathers were dry, but I couldn't say the same for my still drenched hair and cotton dress.
             "Come." His lips are set in a straight line, but the light that shines in his eyes is enough to tell me that he isn't as upset as before. Still, I have a bitter taste on my tongue as I walk past the silence of everyone;Claire eyeing us with wide eyes.

"I'll see what I can find— I'll save some of the hunt for you." Atticus calls in my direction, I send a nod his was as he turns and disappears into the forest to look for our next meal.

           "I still don't understand why he chooses to hunt— not when we can fill our stomachs using our abilities." Kilian mutters, glancing at me as I walk in synchronization with him. I give him a small smile, stiff but enough to show that I wanted to talk to him.

         "It's more enjoyable when it's real." I answer him, shrugging as we reach his tent yards away from everyone else. The camp is picking up smoothly as I start to hear Valdus and Merlin bickering start up, and Claire hum a song to herself as she sits by the fire.