Hey guys! Got a new one:)

Razielim Vampress: Hey, can't help but like the ol galoot! (hugs Dumah) This time, Kain is my whipping boy!

Kain: Oh great…

The Twisted Sister: Thank you:) Hope you like this chappy as well!

Malice-Pyro-Valcom: I'm glad you saw the humor of it all; thought you of all people would have caught the sheep sucking joke as well… Oh well.

Hope you guys like the celebration here!

Revolution of the Reaver

Chapter v: Cat of War

From an outsider's view, a celebration was in the making. People carefully decorated the walls of the tall buildings along the main lane with scraggily flowers and colorful banners. It seemed to be a race against time; nearly every able bodied people, from dirty peasants to armored guards, to the well-dressed rich, quickly and fearfully threw together traditional and contemporary decorations and objects, all under the stern direction of a certain few. They did not hail from this region, which was easily discernable from their unique attire and armor. Each of these men and women had strange runes displayed somewhere on their clothes.

"Hurry and raise that banner, humans!" screeched a woman wearing a long gray and black robe. This one was the overall leader of the decorations. "I want this street to look perfect for their arrival!" She brushed her long onyx hair out of her face with some contempt. She could not conceive how these mortals could ever presume that their great sire would forgive his advent festival for being quaint!

A man of the same nature approached her. "Laylane, the humans selected to drop the confetti are in place and are awaiting instruction."

She rubbed her hands together in glee. Her plans were all falling into place. "Have one of our kind at every differently outfitted cluster to make sure things happen as they should." One side of the large banner suddenly fell on one side. "Get that fixed!" she acidly hissed as she pushed some human towards the malfunction. He and many others quickly pulled the ropes to level it and tied it to posts for its security.

A scantily silk-clad man swiftly strode to Laylane. "Sister," he called. She turned to him, wandering what news her scout had to deliver. "They come."

This is it, she thought. Surely our lord and sire has not and will never receive such a greeting ever again.

The approaching party was now visible on the horizon, and she knew it would not be much longer now. The mortals of this small city were now ordered to take their appropriated places and prepare to fulfill their duty to their lord.

Kain strode purposefully into the city and towards the main street, easily recognized as decorated. The brothers followed close behind, with Turel carrying the still unconscious Dumah. A large black banner stretching across the expanse of the street first caught their attentions. In bold red script it read, 'Welcome, Lord Kain and Lieutenants!' The inhabitants of Mournfair lining the lane were now visible to the vampires. Kain tilted his head; he had never seen humans doing as such for him, plenty of vampires, but never humans. He continued his heading, cautiously now, for he did not know what to expect.

Just as he placed a single cloven foot where the first of the mortals began, the crowd erupted into frantic cheers, dropping all the while the items they were given as instructed. Kain was surprised; humans cheering for him? He trod upon the red scraps thrown so respectively at his feet, and instantly recognized what they were. These were faux rose pedals made from very fine silk. Now bits of paper fell like brightly colored rain from the tall buildings, thrown from people hanging out of windows. They really did not spare anything for this.

Raziel, feeling his strengths quite well credited by this display, marched behind his sire with his head high and a respectable look on his face. Unfortunately, Turel could not claim the same expression. Carrying his ill brother at such a time made him feel like the group's pack mule. He sighed dejectedly as he walked behind his eldest brother. Rahab glanced around, trying to figure out their traditions by their celebration technique, while the other brothers smiled and proudly marched in the rear, enjoying this reception quite well.

Their advent march concluded at the end of the boulevard, at the city hall, the largest and most grand building in the whole city. There, Kain and his lieutenants proudly ascended the steps into the ornate hall, still adorned with the pedals and cheers of the people. The heavy wooden double doors were opened for them, and inside, great fires lit the immense room, all focuses leading to a majestic throne surrounded by lesser but still quite magnificent chairs. The doors closed noisily behind them as they entered. This was a much more intimate environment, with the fires giving a low lighting and the few people. Three beautiful women with long elaborate robes approached the seven men, and bowed respectively to first Kain then the rest, and dropped more pedals on the tile floor, beckoning them to proceed. Once again, they walked. Kain stepped on the dropped pedals and was instantly surprised. These were real rose pedals! He thought they were all dead now. Fifteen men and women wearing various clan runes stepped foreword as they approached the seats. This was a real treat!

Leylane caught the Kain's look of amusement and smiled to herself. They bowed to their masters and held out their hands towards the seats of honor. Kain gave a single nod and sat on the chair of most grandeur. The brothers took their respective seats according to how they normally sit at the campaign table in the Sanctuary of the Clans: Raziel at Kain's right, Turel at his left, and every one alternating between; Turel just slumped Dumah into his chair and took his own. The fifteen vampires dropped to their knees and bowed low, placing their faces to the ground as Leylane spoke. "O Lord Kain, ruler and master of all, we welcome you to the fair city of Mournfair." Kain acknowledged them and so they rose to kneeling. "We will attend you every need and offer you gi--" A painful moan loosed from the unconscious brother's lips, breaking Leylane's concentration. "--what happened to Lieutenant Dumah?"

"Something hopefully from which he will learn a valuable lesson," he groaned as he rubbed his temples.

She decided to drop that subject right there. "Well, sire," she continued uneasily, "we have the finest rooms in the city prepared for your stay. Please enjoy any and all the traditional and contemporary entertainments this city has to offer you." With that, all the worshippers took their leave. Kain heavily sighed, happy that all those people now are leaving him alone for a bit.

Dumah finally stirred and awoke, quickly looking from side to side, quite confused where he happened to be. "At last you decide to join us, Dumah. I am guessing you are feeling much better?" His son nodded embarrassed; from his quick glances around the room, he realized their had been a great reception to their arrival, and he had been drug all through it. "Out of curiosity," the vampire overlord began, "how have you come by knowledge of this place? It was not on the map."

"You are aware how my clan is always searching for better ways to attack the humans," he blatantly stated. "This city is known for its war dog breeding programs."

Kain placed a gloved claw to his temple, this time not in exasperation, but in thought. He then rose to his feet and beckoned his lieutenants to follow. "We will see if these war dogs are fit for our needs." The brothers did as motioned, but were confused why Kain would even consider dogs. Vampires already have a very sensitive sense of smell, and he did not seem to them as the type of man to become lonely and need a pet. Of course, He caught on to their befuddlement, and grumbled, "I have lived for over two thousand years. I am bored out of my wits most of the time, and feeding rebellious humans to hungry dogs would at least entertain me for a few hours." They just shrugged and proceeded behind their master as he stepped back outside.

Finding the main breeding area was not too difficult, with its large business sign and the constant badgering of the worshippers pointing them in the right direction; it took nearly all of Kain's strength not to kill anyone. The seven vampires entered the large ranch-like establishment, quite amazed at its accommodations to the breeding dogs, nursing mothers, and selling dogs. They all were obviously the same breed, but in different colors; some were black, others a ruddy color, some a grayish blue, and still others were blonde. Yet they all held the same rust colored socks and markings on their face and chest. A squat man with an unusually long black beard greeted them from a window in a nearby barn. "Hello, customers! Lord Kain, how can I help you?"

"I am interested in what you can offer in the matter of war dogs," he called. "Direct me to where you keep the ones for sale on the instant." The man nodded, his beard bouncing with each movement. He placed a callused hand on the windowsill and with a swirl of his potato-bag shirt, hopped out into the yard. The vampires walked quietly behind the man as he led them to the large sliding door of the barn. One good push and it was open.

Once again, Kain and his lieutenants were astounded at the great lengths the breeders went to make their dogs comfortable. Each mother dog had her own well-equipped whelping box, and all the puppies looked quite healthy. Kain then heard scratching noises that did not sound like dogs. "Heads up!" called the breeder. Suddenly a white fur ball flung itself at Kain's head from the rafters. He moved just in time to dodge the attack as it fell to the floor and scurried away. "Sorry. That damn thing won't go away!" The stubby man stopped a few pins down and gestured at the slumbering dogs. "These are old enough now to be separated from their mother."

Kain was quite confused with this. These were just puppies, only maybe two months old, yet these are being sold like already trained attack dogs? "These are but babies," he declared. "Where are your trained dogs?"

The man gave a toothy grin. "Ah you see, that is the best thing about my dogs," he cooed. "They are specially bred to have strong protection and territorial instincts, so no real training is needed, except house training if that is where they are to be." He gave a wide swing of his arm towards the puppies. "All that is needed is for them to imprint on the one who is to be protected or is to give them orders. They will do the rest." He reached down and grabbed a black one, and held it to Kain. He picked it up from underneath and stared into its big brown eyes. Specially bred. These would do—

The puppy began to relieve herself on Kain's leather pants. He cringed in disgust and shoved it back into the arms of the breeder. "Sorry, lord," he sighed. "She is just a baby, after all."

He gave him a stern look as he handed him a towel. "I should kill it! These are my good leather pants!" He looked down in despair at his now ruined pants as he patted the wet spots. Another white rocket went by, this time attaching itself into the thick flesh of the vampire kings back. Kain jumped and yelped in pain and surprise. The Lieutenants just stared in shock as Kain hopped up and down, trying to catch the little fur ball now crawling up and down his back, clawing into him.

Finally he got his senses back to him, and Kain stopped the small creature with his telekinesis. He then grabbed it by its scruff and angrily hauled it up to him, face to face.

Wide innocent golden eyes stared back at him. It was nothing more than a kitten. He stared back at it in wonderment. It then felt the need to attach itself to his face.

Once again he howled and peeled it off of himself, leaving small cut on his face that quickly healed as he spoke. "This kitten! Did you specially breed this as well?"

The man huffed. "Me breed that psycho cat? No."

Kain pondered as he held it by its scruff again, this time far from his body. He examined its beautiful sleek white fur and golden eyes. "And yet it was able to take me by surprise," he mused to himself. How was that possible? He's the most paranoid person he knows; he can feel eyes on him. Yet this little kitten got past all that as if Kain had no defenses at all. "I think I like this," he concluded. "How much do you want for it?"

Once again, the breeder huffed. "I will pay you if you are willing to take that evil creature off my hands!"

Kain smiled; he was liking this kitten more and more. "No need," he added as an after thought as he began to leave the establishment, gently cradling the little white fur ball in his arms. "I shall call you," he cooed to his new companion as he checked its sex, "Lunatic. Loon for short." It purred a bit and snuggled against him. Zephon scoffed at his sire. He had intended to buy dogs to eat humans, and ended up with a kitten! He always knew his master to be an impulse buyer, but this was a ridiculous transaction! Sensing his unrest, Kain turned to his sulking son. "What troubles you, vampire?"

Zephon knew he shouldn't say anything, but his big mouth once again betrayed him. "This stupid cat! You came to that place to buy human-eating dogs, and you leave with an insane kitten that attacks you! I see not the wisdom of this!"

Kain just stared at his brazen son for a few moments, then spoke. "Get him, Loon." The small kitten launched himself from the vampire lord's bulky arms and dug its claws deep into Zephon's unprotected chest, causing him to cry out in pain. He desperately tried to catch the little menace, but it scurried on his body too fast. He continued to roar and yelp, desperately grabbing at the kitten, but to no avail. Kain turned to his stunned sons. "I thirst; do you as well?"


Kain: It urinated on me…

I know. Terrible, eh?

Kain: But at least I got a kitty:)

Raziel: Of course he gets all the good stuff…

Oh yeah, if you didn't know, these dogs are Dobermans. Such good guard dogs…

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