A/N: *Important* This is an AU of my fic 'Thirst for Blood', which in itself is an AU of Fates: Conquest. This one starts at around Chapter 23 and will be from the perspective of the OoC Velouria. Unlike 'TfB', there is no Phoenix, Raven, Hadronix or Lotus. There is also the, much more, obvious difference of Yasei giving birth to Velouria.

Mostly everything that happened from 'Kitsune Kalamity' and before happened here, but after that, things will change. Leo is in a spot closer to canon. Like how with Yasei (Corrin) and Keaton being OoC, Velouria is also considered OoC, simply due to the changes made to 'Shifters' in 'TfB'.

Lastly, while this is considered an AU of 'TfB', this and its sequel 'A Need for Peace' will contain canonical information for the sequel of 'TfB', 'One More Chance'. Velouria and Kana are the two, more or less, obvious canonical parts, but that is relatively minor compared to the other changes these two will make.

I took in a deep breath of the surrounding area, grass, trees, and flowers pepper the area with a number of different scents. My tail wags at the pure blissfulness of the place, yet my face remains cold. 'I hate being here.' My parents wanted to keep me out of the war, so they sent me to be raised in the Deeprealms, a place accessible only by the Dragon's Gate in Nohr. 'I don't want to be here.' Both my Dragonstone and Beaststone softly glow at the pent up anger, not at my parents, but just at life in general. 'Kill, rip, rend, feast.' A dark smile graces my face, father may be a pure-blooded Wolfskin and mother may be half-dragon half-human...

But I am more bestial than they could hope to be, I am the daughter of the two strongest Shifters in the entirety of Nohr and Hoshido. I pull my red cloak slightly closer as I feel the urge return. If it's not the beast calling out, it's the dragon, my tiny human side is all but silenced, unable to make even a squeak compared to the other two. I lick my lips as I tune in to the Dragon… time to hunt again. 'Ravage, consume.'

Within a minute I am back in the forest, the single most bountiful area in all of the Deeprealms… a forest whose animal population is quickly dwindling from my excessive hunting. Though I don't care, I'm just heeding the calls of my bestial sides. With a scent locked on to a bear, I form my lance and charge the pathetic beast, the hulking thing turns to roar… but even its eyes are filled with a fear as I approach.

All the animals here fear my presence, I am on top of the food chain, I cannot be outran, and I cannot be outwitted. The bear comically stumbles as he attempts to run, before I skewer him like the rest, whenever the Dragon calls for blood. My heart is hammering as I rip into its body, fur and flesh alike, my own body heats as I relish in the desired scent of blood, the rawness of its meat. 'I won't ever find a mate of my own power…' That is the only truth that burdens me. Father told me how lucky he was to find Mother, a dragon-shifter that had no equal. Keaton and Yasei, father and mother, Wolfskin and Dragon, Alpha and mate.

Mother rarely acknowledged her human side, preferring to embrace her Dragon, a choice that has caused her to become increasingly savage as the war against Hoshido continues, her army is the single most deadliest unit. Not that it surprises me, since the two strongest Shifters fight side by side, their bestial connection providing a stronger bond and synergy than even the most veteran of soldiers would be envious of. I look down at the bear, nearly devoid of meat, organs and all. I rip out a few of its bones and place them in my bag.

These animals are starting to bore me, I want them to run, not stumble as if they were cubs. Perhaps it's time to up my game? Look for another forest that doesn't know my skills. Yet, even if I do, it'll only be a matter of time before they too, fear me. The Beast growls, the Dragon roars, the Human stays put.

I make my way back to the sorry excuse of a village, "Velouria!" The elderly woman that oversees… oversaw my care walks up to me, "You're late again… and all bloody." She chides, but looks more disappointed than angry.

Not that I care, "And somehow this keeps surprising you." I shrug it off.

"Gods, I know how…" She starts, but stops and pales as I level a glare at her.

"Are there any other forests here? Ones with stronger game? Ones that don't whimper and tremble like cubs and pups?" I all but spit out.

"N-no." She shakes her head. "Not near here."

"Then where?" I take a step closer, "These animals are weak, worthless… even the 'mighty' bears scatter, it bores me."

"Please, I ask you stop killing so many, the other villages rely on that place for meat."

"I don't care." I growl, "The strong survive, human. I will not deny my Beast or Dragon, if they call for blood, I give them blood." With a speed that none of the humans can follow, I lift her off the ground by her dress, "Where are the other spots?"

"Velouria, put her down!" One of the guards has the guts to order me.

I glance over at the offending voice, before carelessly tossing the elder aside, yet even with my lack of effort, she is launched several feet away, sliding on the ground for a few extra inches. "Where is the stronger game?" I repeat, both of my Stones start to glow from my frustration. "Well!?"

Now even the guard trembles, "That f-forest has the st-stro…"

His eyes widen in terror as his insides are suddenly falling out of a large rip in his chest, the intoxicating scent of blood fills the air as my Beast is sated once more. "That 'forest' is worthless." Not that he could respond, with the way he is choking up blood. I yank my hand down and rip through the rest, a hole in his chest and a gap formed on the way down. "Just like you."

"Halt!" Now the other guards have come to join him…

I see Wyrmslayers and Beast Killers, but they don't bother me, "Even if you do somehow succeed in subduing me, it won't spare you my mother's wrath." I simply state, "This is still considered Nohrian territory, and I am still Nohrian royalty." Everyone knows mother is not related to the Nohrian royals by blood, but her devotion to Nohr's cause makes her their family in every aspect of the word.

And just like that, they falter, 'Pathetic.' The guard leader kneels, "Please, excuse us."

I close my eyes for a moment and listen for the animals' responses… silence for once, and as such, the Human cries out for mercy. The Human sounds weak, undeserving of being a part of me, I can easily tell why mother keeps ignoring it. "Send a messenger to my parents, I desire to be a part of this war."

The leader hesitates, "Th-they ordered us to keep…" He stops as I carelessly rip another one of the nearby guards apart, a few quick strikes removes an arm, a portion of his upper body, and the first few inches of his face. "Please, I ask for your forgiveness… I will do so at once!" The ravaged body falls to the ground as the leader, whose face has paled, calls over a messenger.

'Pathetic.'

The only real way to pass time is by ripping through more animals, the cowardly beasts that are starting to leave their own homes, they force themselves to adapt to a new environment to escape my claws, my teeth, my horns… my hunger. The Dragon roars and I rip, the Beast growls and I rend. The Human stays silent as it observes the half-hearted bliss I partake in. 'They are too weak.' The Dragon and Beast never seem to be sated, 'Too weak! Kill, rip, rend, ravage, feast, blood!' The protests continue, and they never seem to…

"Pup." I turn and the Dragon and Beast immediately become silent, as father stands a few feet away from me. He has a small helping of blood adorning his face.

"Vella, dear." Mother gently greets, heeding her Human. She too, has blood around her face.

I smile as I run to embrace them, letting my Human have its share for once. Father tenses before giving in to the hug, while mother responds immediately. "You're here…"

"Still having trouble keeping track of days?" Yasei gently chides me, "We were only a few hou… two days away." I can sense her discomfort and uncertainty. 'We all still have trouble remembering the time difference.'

"It's hard." I admit as the embrace breaks. "Mother, father, I…"

She smiles, but the gentleness is gone as her Dragon shows itself, and father flashes his fangs, "I would like to see you in battle." Keaton states, "I understand that the animals fear you." He is nearly overflowing with pride.

"I'd expect nothing less." Yasei's gentle, but deadly voice rings out.

"Then I'm to join?" I ask, hopefully.

Keaton glances over to Yasei, while father is the alpha, it is still mother's army. "Do you really need to ask?" She simply questions. "But just remember, this won't mean you can kill as you please, you'll have to learn to temper your Dragon and Beast sides, while promoting your Human."

I eagerly nod, "Of course." And with that, I join my parents for war… my father's pack, without a doubt we will be the deadliest out of the entire army. The Dragon roars, the Beast growls, the Human stays silent, and I flash a primal grin. 'Hoshido… prepare yourself, Velouria, daughter of Keaton and Yasei, is out for blood.'