Yes, i know. it's been too long. summer does not lend itself to writing vamp fics. PotC ones are apparently well good tho. eh. my muse is on something. I banged this out because I felt bad. enjoy my guilt. it makes me write. now review so i don't feel worse.

disclaimer. yadda yadda yadda. Kali and Sezjah and plot and whatnot are mine. Silver is not. world is not. you know who it belongs to, you're reading fanfic.

the little line breaker thingy is not working so... tadah

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"Well, Rikka," Silver remarked, straightening from his crouch. "Let us go greet your new sisters. They have been waiting for you."

He held out his hand towards me and his face returned to the look of frozen stone. I wiped my fingers on the back of my shift and lightly clasped his hand.

There was no warmth in those fingers.

We headed out through the forest, Silver checking his long graceful stride to match mine. We followed no path visible to my eye but soon enough the sounds of campfires and of horses and of women's voices reached us. We crested a small rise and looked down into a hollow in the hill. Spread across the forest floor were the tents, wagons and fires of the Brynja clan. The only man in sight stood beside me.

No awkward stares met us as we descended into the camp, the occasional woman smiled or nodded in greeting but no one stopped us as we wound our way through, and no one seemed surprised. As we passed the largest tent, Sezjah stepped out from behind a wagon, grabbed her brother by the shirtsleeve and wordlessly invited us into the dwelling. I was surprised by her sudden appearance but Silver just nodded and followed her inside, holding back the tent flap so I could enter.

The inside of the tent was dark and smelled of animal furs and a heady incense I couldn't identify. A small fire, mostly embers, burned in a fire ring and large mats, woven from ferns, circled the stone pit.

Sezjah walked to the fire, crouched by it and dropped a few crushed leaves onto the burning coals. The smell intensified but it was not unpleasant. She stood, brushed off her hands and turned to face us. I stood meekly behind Silver and peered at her work.

"Welcome sister," Sezjah greeted me with a nod. "And welcome, my brother, we are again well met."

I glanced at Silver before replying, " I'm not your sister."

Sezjah quirked an eyebrow, laughingly. "You are Brynja, little one, and all Brynja are family. Every woman here would welcome you, some more than others, even if you are young enough to be their daughters and old enough to be…"

Silver released my hand and interrupted his sister, giving her a reproachful glare; "This is not the time to speak to Kali of such things, my sister. Your friend wanted her, you wanted her, and she is here. Corrupt her on your own time when I do not have to be present."

Sezjah raised and eyebrow and laughed aloud. "Since when has the corrupter cared about the innocent, Silver? Go and play with your friend Siete, Kali will be here for your pleasure if you, too, want her."

I admit. That had me confused. And a little scared. But you can only fear something as far as you can imagine it. And what these women were a part of, I couldn't begin to imagine.

Slowly, as the siblings bickered over my head, something in the incense made my head feel heavy and my eyelids droop. I ended up bundled onto a mat and curled around a blanket as brother and sister stood above me and raged quietly at each other. Sezjah spoke of a naming ritual and Silver replied with impatience but I slept and dreamed, and thought nothing of it. I dreamt the dreams of a child.

It would be the last time.