next chappy up, nothing more to add this time, wow, surprising :P

claimer: i own everything you haven't seen, or read before

anyone seen that new video of behind the scenes on the twilight movie?? why does edward have to be so ugly!! TT

58.-Society

The darkness pressed on my eyes as I stared unseeing up at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep, the soft breathing around me resounded in my ears like the howling wind of a storm and the room seemed to be getting smaller, boxing me within its confines, suffocating. I couldn't stand it anymore, I got up off the cot Nasuada had supplied us all with and went to the door, looking back on the sleeping forms of Cadara and Bernlak to make sure that my hasty getaway hadn't disturbed their peaceful slumber. I heard a small squeak and saw two emerald eyes reflected in the fait candlelight in our room. I sent comforting thoughts to the baby and slipped out the door, my heart racing from the claustrophobia-induced adrenaline that was now coursing through my veins.

My bare feet made no noise as I crept down the cold stone steps but as I passed the door that lead to Dorran's room the knob turned and he poked his head out, his dark eyes alert and missing nothing even though it was the middle of the night.

He looked at me amusedly, late night stroll? He asked, leaning on the door frame and blocking my way down the stairs. I smirked, not all of us have to depend on beauty sleep, I retorted, irritated from lack of sleep.

He grinned and draped an arm around my shoulders, leading me down the steps and outside into the cool fresh night air. I suppose I will accompany you then, you know, to make sure you don't get into any trouble or anything, he thought to me, the jesting grin never leaving his tanned face.

We walked along the deserted cobbled streets, just enjoying the sweet scented night wind running through our hair and just being in each other's presence.

Night is definitely my favorite time of day, Dorran thought to me as we made our way down an ally way.

How can night be a time of day if night is night and day is itself? I asked him, grinning as he searched for an answer.

Don't ruin the moment with your logic, he replied mockingly, pretending to be annoyed. I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes with exaggerated patience.

He stopped suddenly, his eyes searching the shadows behind us intently and I concentrated on the darkness as well. There was something there, lurking in the all-consuming night, and we braced ourselves to morph if trouble arose, straining our ears to listen in an attempt to identify the creature.

"Show yourself." Dorran said, his deep voice echoing in the still of the night.

Then something emerged from the shadows and I almost laughed when I saw that it was just a girl, her dark hair blending into the background and her startling blue eyes seeming to glow vibrantly in contrast.

She bowed slightly to us, "I hope I didn't startle you, I was merely curious as to what two people were doing out walking in the middle of the night." She said, her voice soft in the pressing silence.

I snorted, "We were only intrigued as to what creature could possibly make that much noise on its own." I hissed back, I didn't like the way she was looking at Dorran, as if he were a piece of meat or something.

Dorran was apparently oblivious to the girl's stare because he elbowed me in the side and addressed the girl in an apologetic voice.

"I am sorry; someone has apparently forgotten her manners," he said, looking at me with playful scorn, to which I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

The girl smiled warmly, sickeningly. "Worry not, I would not welcome an intruder either if I were her." If she was me she would have a good reason not to, I thought bitterly to myself, blocking my mind from Dorran so he couldn't make a comment.

"I am Trianna, well met." She said, holding out her hand to Dorran in greeting, completely ignoring me. He grasped her hand and shook and I noticed a golden bracelet on her wrist, the form of which was a snake with glowing ruby eyes, not unlike the silver and sapphire eyed serpents I had continually come across. This revelation made me suspicious all over again, there was something more to Trianna, something unpleasant, that made her untrusting, and it wasn't just the fact that she was paying Dorran a bit more attention that I would like, which would be none at all if I had my way.

"I am Dorran, and this is Kalanie, do you live here or are you just passing through like us?" Dorran said, looking into her sapphire eyes with a slight vacant expression.

"I live here, for now, with the Varden. Luckily my family resides here as well so I am able to stay with them seeing as every building is occupied from the relocation of the Varden. Where abouts are you staying?" she asked, directing her question to Dorran. What, was I nonexistent or something?

"Nasuada has provided rooms for us, but we were unable to sleep so we decided to take a walk." He replied and I realized that he was looking at her snake bracelet, which was withering around her wrist, alive, its eyes fixed onto Dorran's dark ones which stared unblinking back, hypnotized.

"That's an interesting bracelet you have there, Trianna." I said, staring into her eyes menacingly, telling her that I knew what she was up to. She was a sorceress, not particularly powerful, but possessing powers none the less.

She looked at it lovingly, examining its golden scales in the moonlight with a look of awe and curiosity.

"Indeed, I call him Lorga; he is my spirit protector, remarkable isn't he? He has been in my family for many generations and has served us all very well. Why the sudden curiosity in it?" she asked innocently, her eyes fixed on me intently.

"No reason, it's just that I have seen a serpent similar to that throughout our travels and I was just curious as to what it actually stood for." I replied, shrugging.

She smiled once again, "The serpent is the mark of an old and elite group of healers who were part of a secret society that was founded during the time of the Dragon Wars, my mother is among the last of their descendents seeing as I chose the path of sorcery instead of healing."

Didn't the first group of Shifters begin as an organization of healers? I thought to Dorran, excited that my questions were finally getting answers.

Uhhh…what did you say? He replied, his voice distracted and slow. I sighed, he was still being mind controlled.

"Could you please stop that, it's really hard to have an intelligent conversation with him when he's zoning out like this." I asked Trianna, smiling slightly at the thought of what simple mind power could do to him, it was slightly amusing if I thought of the damage I could do with this knowledge, it would definitely come in handy if he ever tried to get back at me for calling him a pansy yesterday.

Trianna smiled back and whispered words of magic to her bracelet, which became still at once, its menacing ruby eyes fixed onto mine.

Beside me Dorran shook his head, clearing it from the magic-induced fog that had surrounded his mind.

"What happened?" he asked, blinking so rapidly that it was funny just to watch him.

"Nothing, you just kind of spaced out, sure you're not so tired that you're turning delirious?" I smirked, teasing him.

He rolled his eyes, clearly not impressed, and grabbed my arm.

"We should probably get going now, it was…interesting to meet you Trianna, perhaps we will see each other again some time." Dorran said, steering me around and preparing to go back to the tower.

"Perhaps. It was a pleasure to meet you two too, however odd the scenery." She replied, gesturing to the darkness around us. I nodded, then let Dorran lead me back to our rooms, feeling fatigue wash over me as the stimulation of the conversation wore off.

"Well that was interesting, but I'm slightly annoyed that it ruined our walk." Dorran said in an attempt to keep me awake, I guess running thousands of leagues in a couple of hours uses a lot of energy, huh.

We ascended the cold steps and my vision started spinning, drowsiness covering my mind like a soft blanket and I felt myself falling down the stairs, my thoughts dimming and my head throbbing until I could feel nothing more and everything went dark once again.

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-Firesilk:D