Kian's shriek of fear died after a moment when she saw who held her.
"You should have seen your face!" Shadow laughed as he opened his jaws and dropped her. Clover scowled and Sorrel glared.
"Shadow that wasn't funny!" Clover snapped. Shadow's grin faded quickly. Kian clung to the nearest tree panting and waiting for her heart to slow.
"Oh…sorry Kian. I didn't mean to scare you that much," Shadow said softly his tall ears folding back.
"You scared the living daylights out of Kian, not to mention you nearly gave me a heart attack," Clover continued as her scowl deepened.
"It was just a joke…" Shadow said lowering his eyes. "And I said I was sorry," Kian opened her eyes once she was breathing normally again.
"It's okay Shadow…just please think about what you're doing next time," Kian said trying to smile. Shadow nodded sullenly regret in his eyes. Sorrel's features lightened but Clover continued to scowl. Kian unfurled her wings and took to the air again.
"Come on guys, we have to hurry before the Vampyrum come out," she said. "Clover come on. He didn't mean anything," The bats flew along the edge of the trees trying not to stray to far, with Kian and Clover in the front, Shadow and Sorrel taking the rear. Clover looked back at Shadow then Kian.
"I don't trust him…" she whispered so he wouldn't hear. Kian rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"I know you don't but I do. He hates Goth, you heard him. His little sister asked if Zotz was actually real and he tore her head off right there," Kian replied calmly.
"I know Goth is bad and all but ripping off the head of a newborn? That's low even for him," Clover argued. "And Shadow could have easily lied about it,"
"Clover, he's been with us for months. If he was really going to eat us or take us to Goth he would have done so already," Kian said shaking her head.
"How do you know?" Clover snapped. "Maybe he's bidding his time,"
"For what?" Kian snapped right back defensively. "Why would he bide his time?" Clover stopped and was silent for a moment.
"I don't know…" she said.
"My point exactly. Look at him Clover, among his kind he's an outcast. He's smaller and less muscular than most of the males his age. He doesn't enjoy killing like the others nor does he eat bats. He believes cannibalism is wrong," Kian said. "If you don't trust him that's fine, but I'm not sending him away. He has as much right to stay with us as you do,"
"I don't think so. He's one of them Kian. A monster, a beast. Runt of the group or not he's still a Vampyrum Spectrum," Clover said. Kian shook her head again.
"If you keep this up Clover we'll be caught by them. I'm not arguing with you about him anymore," Kian said pulling back to fly beside Shadow and Sorrel. Kian was sick of this argument that came usually once every few days with Clover.
Shadow suddenly veered off whipped around a tree, there was a rustling in the leaves and he returned with one of the green stick-like bugs hanging limply in his jaws.
"Good catch Shadow," Kian said nodding with approval. Clover rolled her eyes unimpressed while Sorrel clapped her wings with a smile.
"Yes good job," Sorrel said in her quiet tone. Shadow grinned obviously hoping he'd made up for his little prank.
"It's what I do at least that's what my Dad used to say," Shadow said.
"What do you mean?" Kian asked tilting her head to the side as she hung from a branch. Sorrel and Clover joined her immediately, Shadow lay the bug on the branch then landed beside Kian.
"That all I was good for was catching bugs…" he said quietly and a frown grew on his muzzle. "To my kind that's an insult. But I guess when I live with bug-eaters it's an awesome talent," he added smiling again. Clover gasped-as usual-at the fang revealing gesture, Kian and Sorrel didn't mind. Shadow's smile disappeared at Clovers gasp.
"I'm sorry, I forgot…you guys don't like my teeth," he said in a low voice. Kian glared at Clover. Why did she have to treat Shadow like the monster he wasn't?
"It's fine Shadow," Sorrel whispered. Kian nodded and smiled at Shadow.
"I like it. It makes me feel like there's one thing protecting us from the Vampyrum and it has friendly eyes a huge handsome body and big teeth," Kian said giving him a one winged hug. He beamed.
"Really?" he said.
"Totally," Kian said then turned to Clover. "Right?"
"Yes," Clover said offering a slight smile. Shadow smiled a little more. "Now can we eat or are we going to let the bug rot up there?"
"You're right Clover, come on," Kian said scuttling up to the bug with Sorrel on her tail. The small bats began picking at the bug. Kian looked up at Shadow and swallowed a mouthful. "Are you going to join us?" She asked. He shook his head.
"No thanks. I'll…hunt later," he said forcing out the word hunt quietly. Kian nodded and resumed eating the bug ignoring Clover's smug look that clearly said See? What did I tell you? Shadow stayed and waited for them to finish. He never hunted when they were around and they didn't mind. Once they were done they headed back towards the tree. This time Kian flew with Shadow and Sorrel flew with Clover.
"Why does she hate me?" Shadow asked nodding toward Clover up front. Kian sighed thinking, not again.
"She doesn't hate you," Kian said. Shadow raised an eyebrow.
"No? I take it the glares, and untrustworthiness are signs of affection?" he said. Kian shook her head.
"She doesn't trust you that's all," Kian said trying to make it sound better than it did which failed miserably.
"But why? I didn't do anything to her," Shadow said hurt in his eyes.
"It's not you, it's the Vampyrum breed as a whole. Don't take it personally," Kian said. Shadow snorted.
"How can I not when every time she looks at me I see the disgust in her eyes," he said.
"You'll just have to prove to her that you're trustworthy. I believe in you and so does Sorrel. Clover just needs a little more," Kian said smiling. "Don't worry, I'm sure in a little while she'll love you as much as me and Sorrel do,"
"I hope you're right," he said sullenly. Kian smiled but inside hoped so too.