Down Under

"Your son will die if he isn't marked. There is too much power with him that needs to be confined. He will literally 'pop' if he isn't marked."

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"Can I stay in the doorway to start off with? Don't wanna go out that far..." Kaidan finally relented a little.

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"I can get them wet, but I can't dry them..." Nidawi shrugged weakly.

Jackson looked at Auriele asking her what she wanted to do.
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"Ok."
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"I would help, but you were persistently saying no earlier."

Auriele tucked Mathias against her side with one arm, rubbing the back of her neck with the other hand before sighing and nodding weakly. "Don't want Mathias hurt..."

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Kaidan nodded jerkily, trying to go back towards the doorawy.

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"I understand that, but having wet wings versus you drying them is going to be worse." Nidawi wrinkled her nose. "I can temporarily detach the nerve ends. Please don't take too long though, otherwise they'll start to die."

"I won't take too long."
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"The I say we let him."
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Rochelle put him inside

((gotta go))

Nidawi took in a deep breath and when she let it out, her wings had dulled in colour. She'd gone noticeably pale as well.

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Auriele nervously crept forward with Mathias, the Archivist smiling encouragingly.

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Kaidan sat in the doorway, hugging his knees.

((Byee))

Thane dried them quickly. "There, all done."
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Jackson shifted back to a wolf and he watched her.
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"Just stay here ok?"

Nidawi relaxed shortly afterwards, lifting her wings up and tucking them against her back.

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Auriele nervously handed Mathias over and then Archivist gently took hold of him.

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Kaidan nodded jerkily, looking over his shoulder to inside the house

Rochelle cme back after a few minutes and she dropped a dead deer just infront of the door.
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Jackson watched her.
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Thane looked at her. "Feel better?"

Kaidan stared at it with a blank expression before looking up at Rochelle in question.

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The Archivist moved his hold on Mathias to press fingers to the back of his neck. There was what sounded like a crackle before Mathias started screaming and Auriele bristled, snatching him back and scrambling away, trying to calm Mathias. The back of his neck was burnt and bleeding.

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"Much." Nidawi moved to hold herself quietly.

"It's ok Kaidan, come here."
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Jackson snarled at the man.
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"Good."

"Why'd you kill that deer?"

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"Sorry. I probably should've warned you...You might not have let me otherwise."

Auriele was examining Mathias' neck, whimpering at the circular, bleeding burn on his skin.

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"Was there anything you wanted to do?"

"You have to feed." She told him, holding her hand out to him.
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Jackson snarled at him, and it was a warning for him to leave.
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"Not really, what about you?"

"Can't I just have a sandwich?" Kaidan still looked confused.

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"My apologies." The Archivist held up his hands and then stepped back, disappearing.

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"Everything moves much slower on this side. I've done everything I've needed to. Though, it is more dangerous here..."

"Kaidan, you need to feed off animals to."
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Jackson shifted human.
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"Yeah I noticed."

"Why?"

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Auriele was still trying to calm Mathias down, rocking him gently and humming softly.

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Nidawi smiled slightly before it dropped.

Jackson watched them.
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"It's what our kind does."
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He smiled slightly back.

Auriele relaxed when Mathias' crying drifted into sniffles and soft whimpers.

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"But why? I've never felt the urge to kill anything before and I don't want to start now."

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Nidawi shuffled on the spot before straightening suddenly, head tilted to the side as she listened to something.

He kept his eyes on them.
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Thane looked at her. "What's up?"
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Rochelle sighed. "You're brother was the same to."

Auriele moved to lie on the floor, curling around Mathias as much as she could.

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Nidawi twitched gently before mumbling, "Somebody - some idiot - forcibly ripped open a gateway." Despite her attempt to keep them pressed tightly to her back, her wings were trembling.

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"I'm just not...hungry for animals or anything really. I just wanna go inside and play."

She sighed. "Damon, I brought you some supper."
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"I can name a few idiots like that."
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He held her close.

Damion followed her voice until he was stood behind Kaidan the doorway. "You refuse to feed lil' buddy?"

Kaidan shrugged. "Doesn't seem that appetising..."

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"I was a Gatekeeper on the other side but I don't know if my duty has carried onto this side. Something strong enough to rip a hole is something I don't want to encounter..." Nidawi sighed and stretched her wings before walking towards the front door.

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"He hurt him." Auriele sounded very upset. "Hurt him and I let him."

"He certainly got your stubborness. Both him and Thane did."
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"If it comes looking for you, then it won't find you, I promise."
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"It's ok Aurielle, you weren't meant to know."

"I'm not stubborn, cheeky." Damion nudged her gently as he moved to the deer.

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"I'll go and clean up the mess that's undoubtedly been made. I'll be back shortly." Nidawi dared to kiss his cheek before walking towards the door.

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"He's hurt." She whimpered.

"Aurielle look at him, he is ok."
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Thane kissed her cheek in return. 2Ok, be careful."
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"Yes you are."

"He was in pain. I can still feel it, hear it." Auriele tucked herself smaller around Mathias, almost smothering him. He'd fallen asleep a few minutes ago.

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"I'll try my best." Nidawi pressed her fingers absently to her hip as she walked out of the door, closing her hand around the space there as a knife appeared in her grip.

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"I think you'll find that you are the stubborn one." Damion crouched by the dead animal, twisting the body so the neck was completely straightened out.