A/N- Damn, I've been lazy about updating recently…

krazykutie- sorry about the grammar and all, I'm a horrible typer. If that's a word…

I'm gonna apologize now for any grammar/spelling mistakes I made in this chapter, as well as any sentences that don't make sense.


"Ew, ew ew," Allie muttered under her breath, pulling her foot out of a puddle of mud. As it yanked free, there was a squelching sound that caused her to grimace more. "Gross."

"Hurry up, Princess, if you want to say au-revoir to all of your little friends!" Kal, even with a limp and a punctured lung, was a good ten yards ahead.

"But it's so gross! And look, I got mud all over my shoe!" she whined.

"Stop your crying already! It's giving me a headache!"

"I'll stop my crying when I get onto nice, level ground that's not boggy!"

Kal stopped and shook his head. "Ahtya-karah?" he asked himself, again in that odd language. In a louder voice, he said "Just stop complaining and suck it up!"

"Meanie."

"Exactly. Now move it!" Kal stepped over a fallen tree and continued on.

Allie, now splattered in mud and grass stains as well as blood, groaned and hurried to keep the demon in her view. The fog, not having lifted, made matters worse: her clothes and hair clung damply to her skin, making her feel in need of a hot bath. A nice, long hot bath. The state of her hair horrified her; it was nearly as bad as Kal's.

Speaking of which, either I'm going to cut it or brush it. How can he deal with having hair in that state? It's unimaginable! Hmm…it would probably look weird short. Definitely brushing it, then. And combing. Maybe afterwards I can braid it…oh! And he'll have to take a bath, too. Or at least wash. He's all covered in blood and dust and mud and…that's just plain disgusting. At least his outfit is still in acceptable shape…except for those tears. Well, better those tears than having the entire shirt destroyed.

"You have weird thoughts, d'you know that?"

"Hm? What'd you say?" Allie was busy thinking on how to fix up his hair. It probably needs to be trimmed, too….it's all uneven. What did he cut it with last, a dull knife?

"Never mind," he grumbled. "And it was a bread knife, by the way. Stole it from a baker's."

"A what?"

"You were wondering what I cut my hair with last. I cut it with a bread knife. And it was dull."

Allie blinked. "Did I say that out-loud? I thought I thought it." She frowned. "But maybe I didn't think I said what I thought I thought in my thoughts. But that would mean I said what I thought, not thought--"

"Don't stress your little human brain, Princess. I can read people's minds if they're not too far away." He looked over his shoulder and grinned wickedly. "So you did think what you thought, not said what you thought you thought."

"That's confusing…I guess I should be more careful about what I think now, huh?"

"If you want." He ducked before he walked into a low-hanging branch. "Or you could not think at all. It's not like you use your brain a lot, anyways."

"Hey!"

Kal laughed and then coughed. With out stopping, he hacked and spit into the bushes.

"Eeeeew.." Allie shuddered. "If I had eaten breakfast, I'd be throwing it up right now."

"I can't help it if I'm still coughing up blood," he defended. "What would you rather me do, swallow it?"

"Point taken, but it's still gross!"

"I told you that staying with me wasn't going to be fun."

"I know, I know." Allie squinted through the gloomy forest and saw a familiar, large shape ahead. "Look, there's Mel's manor!" The forest, they had found out, could be used as a shortcut to both her's, Melanie's, and Kelly's homes. Not a very convenient shortcut, for one would often get muddy on rainy days, but a shortcut none the less.

"Oh, joy."

"Don't worry, I won't take long. I'll say good-bye, get your clothes, hopefully get my borrowed clothes from a year or so ago returned to me, and we can leave by nightfall."

"What? It's not even noon!" Kal stopped at the edge of the forest, waiting for her to catch up. "And I have…other things to take care of!"

"I don't know when I'll see them next, so give me some time." She caught up and gave him a questioning look. "And what other things do you have to do?"

"Nothing important."

Allie narrowed her eyes, but dropped the subject. "Fine."

"Mademoiselle Alison!" Matt, one of the guards, recognized her from his post inside the gates. As she closed the distance between them, he looked distrustfully at Kal. "Is that…I mean, must he accompany you again?"

"Yes, he must." She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. I'll keep a close eye on him."

"Alright, if you're sure…" He opened the gates for them, staring distrustfully at Kal, who pretended not to notice.


"Allie!" Mel tackled her as she walked through the door, Kal following behind her. Kelly ran up to Allie and hugged her also, while Kal wandered off to a corner of the room and tried to act invisible.

"I see you're alive," Mel said coolly, after releasing Allie.

"Thanks for the concern," he answered sarcastically.

Allie noted that her friends seemed more uncomfortable in the presence of Kal than they had yesterday. Their eyes were guarded, even fearful, and their bodies were stiff.

"So…" Allie said, trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen. "Uhh…Kal and I are going abroad…so…I'll be one for a while…um.."

"Oh, really? That's…nice." Mel smiled forcedly. "Kal, would you mind if we spoke to Allie in private for a moment?"

"And if I said yes?"

"Please step outside, just for a little bit," Kelly asked, a bit more politely. "It'll only take a minute."

Surprisingly Kal looked at Allie, as if asking her. Allie blinked, confused, then nodded. "Fine," he said.

Mel closed the door after him. "Allie, you can't go with him," Kelly told her.

"Hm? Why?"

"He killed your parents, and all your staff," Mel said. "I examined their…bodies, and the claw marks on them matched those on the Eagle demons from yesterday."

Allie winced, then sat down on the bed. "I know."

"What?" Kelly looked surprised. "How do you know?"

"He told me, after I gained consciousness."

"He told you?" Mel sat down next to her, and Kelly followed suit.

"Yes."

"And you still want to go with him?" Kelly asked incredulously.

"Well…yes."

Mel shook her head. "No. We can't let you. He's a murderer, Allie. He may have killed those other demons yesterday in self-defense, but he killed the others in cold blood."

"He's dangerous, Alls," Kelly added.

"I know that," Allie sighed. "But he won't hurt me. He…it's kind of complicated, but he just can't."

"Allie…" Kelly pleaded. "We just wouldn't feel safe letting you go with him. You're like a sister."

"Same with you two." Allie smiled. "and I know you just want for me to be safe. But just look at Kal. I think…well, maybe he just needs a friend. Maybe then he wouldn't be so violent."

Mel shook her head. "Allie, you are truly insane," she sighed, though not unkindly. "And we do usually trust your judgment…but it's just too risky. What if he looses his temper, and hurts you?"

Kal opened the door a little bit and looked in. "I could just as easily hurt in a good mood. Which I was in."

"Kal…" Allie gestured to her two friends.

-fine, I'll convince them, if that's what you want- He limped into the room and then stood in front of them. "I probably can't convince you that I won't hurt her," he began.

Mel raised an eyebrow. "So what are you going to try and convince us of?"

"As I was going to say," Kal continued, "I can show you that I can't hurt her."

Allie shifted nervously. "And, er, h-how will you do that?"

"Like this." Kal held up his hand; held in it was one of his feathers. Before Mel or Kelly could protest, he brought I down towards Allie on an angle, as if he meant to cut her. The next instant, his hand froze and a shallow cut appeared across his chest, a mirror image to the one that would have been inflicted on her. "Now, does that convince you?"

"I…I'm not sure what just happened there," Mel admitted.

"If I try to harm her in any way, the injury will instead be inflicted oppositely on me. It's part of what you may call a bargain we made. Again: do you believe me?"

Kelly shook her head. "No. In fact, this kind of makes you look psychotic."

Allie winced at the fresh wound on Kal. "We should bandage that."

He waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. It already stopped bleeding." He turned his attention back to her friends. "Listen here; you're making me frustrated. That's not a good thing. Now, I'll promise not to hurt Alison in any way, shape or form. If she has any problem with me, I'll bring her right back here. And she's almost an adult, so the decision in the end is her own. Believe me, I've been trying to get her to stay with you two, but she's more stubborn than an ass."

"He's telling the truth," Allie said. "And I don't think I'll be putting myself in any life-threatening danger if I go with him. It'd make me happier knowing that I had your consent, so, please?"

Mel sighed. "Alright Allie, if you really want to."

"But," Kelly added, "You'll have to write every week. And if we think something's not right, we'll track you down and drag you back here."

"Thanks! You two are the best!" Allie hugged her friends tightly. "I'll really miss you! And Kieth and Jordon too. Oh! You'll have to tell him happy birthday for me. Or I could just say that in a letter…"

Kal shook his head in mock disgust. "Women." With that, he limped back to the far corner and leaned there with an uninterested expression on his face.

"And that reminds me," Allie said, "I'll need some clothes. And Kal's, from yesterday."

"Of course! We can't be sending you off in just a bloodstained dress!" Mel went over to her wardrobe and started pulling out outfits. "Actually, I think some of these might belong to you."

Kelly nodded towads the foot of Mel's bed, where two paper bags were set. "Those are all of Kal's clothes."

"I'm fine with what I got now," he grumbled. Mel stopped what she was doing and stared at him. His new black shirt already had a tear in it, the one he had inflicted. Then she rolled her eyes and went back to picking out clothes.

"If you as so much bruise her, it'll be hell to pay for you," she promised.

"How nice."

Kelly tried her luck at talking to him, distrust still faintly written on her face. "So…how's your wound from yesterday?"

"Just great. I'm still coughing up blood every few minutes, and that puts me in a horrible, murderous mood."

"Kal!" Allie looked sharply at him. He had just convinced her friends to let her go with him; and here he was, saying more things that involved murder!

Kelly flinched. "That's…good to here. I hope you get better."

Well, at least she's making an effort. "So, what should we do for the rest of the day?"

"Well…" Mel paused, an armload of clothes in her arms. "We could attempt at making that pie again…"

After sneaking into the kitchens once last month, they had been inspired to try and cook themselves.

The key word being 'try'. They had already burnt six desserts and three meals.

"That sounds fine to me," Allie said. Kelly nodded in agreement. "Kal?"

He shook his head. "I already told you that I have things to do. I'll e back at nightfall. Fair?"

"I guess…ar you sure? It'll be fun," she asked. Truth be told, it would be qiute amusing to watch the demon bake.

"I'm sure. Au revoir." He limped out of the room and all but slammed the door behind him.

"Huh. I wonder what he's up to," Kelly said out loud.

Allie shrugged. "I guess it's not really our business. As long as he doesn't kill more people."


Kal took no care to be silent as he came up behind a familiar raven, who was preening itself on the roof of a house. As Death heard him, he turned around sharply.

Oh, bonjour Kal! What happened to your chest?

Kal answered Death's question with one of his own. "Where've you been these past days?"

Ah. Excellent question there…I asked first.

"Just a scratch and a punctured lung."

Another one? Kal, you should take better care of yourself! Have you no respect for your life?

"None at all. What are you, my nurse?"

Well, I was with you almost every minute from the age four until nineteen.

"So where were you the last few days?"

Death shifted and went back to preening, breaking eye contact. Around. Here and there.

"Would 'here and there' include America?" Kal asked inccocently.

The raven hopped a few paces away. It might, he said defensively. Either way, it's of no concern to you. Just an errand.

Kal smiled coldly. "Of course. It's none of business. It was rude of me to ask, wasn't it?" He stared unblinkingly at the raven, who moved father away. After a few moments of Kal's un-matched eyes on him, the raven broke down.

Alright! I went to Jessica to try and make a truce! Happy?

Kal nodded and smiled. "Very. My thanks, mon ami." He noticed the bird sigh with relief as he jumped off of the roof and dropped to the street below.

Now I've got the rest of the day to myself. Probably the last time I'll have any quiet, with the Princess coming with me. Kal walked idly down the road, humming some song or other.

He paused as a woman paled visibly and pointed him out to another next to her. "That's him! The demon that killed the Lord and Lady! I saw him!"

Oh. I forgot about her. That's the wench that escaped. Kal debated what to do with her as people started to look curiously at him. The maid continued to rant.

You know, all that yelling is really starting to bother me. Kal cracked his knuckles. I might as well give her a good send-off.