-Sadrith Mora-

A feral growl from Leaps-With-Bats as the portal slams shut. As she stares at where it had been, at where SHE had been a single thought flies through her head. HOW? Talshaza was DEAD. If she had not Ri'Zakar would have never stopped hunting. And he would have found her and eaten her alive. And yet… she was alive, and utterly unchanged even after five years. Another feral growl from the vampire. How….had Talshaza remained untouched, undamaged, untortured, undrowned? HOW? With an enraged scream, she throws her head back and roars up at the third moon and crimson night. HOWHOWHOW? As the unknowing and rage swirls within her she transforms into crimson mist and bats and they swirl around the area in a rage destroying the fire-pit and everything around it. When at last there is nothing else to rip and sunder she reforms panting a single thought running through her mind. If Ri'Zakar knew she was alive…. The fire mage would be HIS and not hers and that thought very nearly made her lose it once more. A shudder passes through her and she closes her eyes as her mind swirls back in vicious memories of a long dead wolf.

-Five years ago-

Leaps-With-Wolves wakes slowly. Every scale hurts from the multitude of scratches and bite wounds from Xahrshi's undead. If she had been able to BE the wolf, the Leaps she truly was...he never would have caught her. She would have torn his horde up. Darkness threatens to drag her under once more, and she's almost tempted...not to fight it. Because she does not want to open her eyes, does not want to see the truth of where she is, even though she can feel the icy wrongness of this place in every scale, every breath. Back in her own time, before she left her home, her Egg-father had warned her. She may or may not fall under the same protection they did, and she was to take heed. NEVER cross the Prince of Domination. NEVER. And she had headed that warning all her life. Never had a reason to not… until the moons shattered. Briefly, she had broken this vow and traveled to the outskirts of Coldharbour looking for Rel'ihala and she had remained unnoticed, unseen. But now… now she is seen. Now she is noticed. And it is with all her spine she hopes ONLY by Xahrshi and not by his Prince as well. And even though that sends shivers down her spine, even though she wants to hide, she is brave and she opens her eyes. Jagged stone all around greets her, glowing eerie blue from the torches lit by cold fire, and the icy chill of this place reaches the depths of her spine. Leaps tries to move but her limbs are bound by icy chains that hum with foul magic. No way out, no escape and she lets out a breath and closes her eyes again. She had been targeted, he had known she was there and had hunted her. And then a chill down her spine. If she had been hunted, Talshaza must have been hunted as well by Ri'Zakar. Why had she not gone back with her? Alone… against the scourges, they had no hope. Together...maybe still no hope but they were stronger together. Why had she insisted on going back on foot? Why? A clench of her fangs as she struggles not to cry, not to show any weakness for any who may be watching. Talshaza… the Dunmer had become her best friend, a comfort in this hellish world that should have never ever been. With a spine-breaking shudderer the truth that she had not truly accepted floods over her. Not only had she lost her friends, but her future as well. Her pack, her tribe, her family. This had never happened in her time, which meant her time was lost, all she knew was lost. As lost as this world was. She could not save this world, could not save her world. Could not even save herself. All she can do now is surrender...or fight. And with this thought her eyes bolt open filled with determination. She would fight with all she had until she was no more. It was all she could do now, in these moments which may be her last. And soon after that thought the footsteps come echoing the stone. Leaps eyes narrow as Xahrshi comes into the room and she hisses in defiance. "I will not submit or surrender," she hisses.

The vampire cat's eyes are on her with a strange and serious expression, only a hint of hate he feels towards werewolves present and he moves to her and lightly runs a claw down the side of her face. "Your wolf is all but gone, only death awaits you down this path," Xahrshi tells her. "If you surrender this will be so much easier on you. It will still be agony, but it will be as if your wolf slips away...as if it was only a bad dream in the night." The vampire pauses and a frightening look crosses his face. "Resist and it will be torn from you and I cannot say how many pieces you will be in after."

A chill deeper than even the cold of this place fills Leap's spine. She thought he would torture her, kill her, or at worst turn her over to his Prince. But what he is saying, confusing and dread fill her and yet she pushes them aside and hisses again. "I will not give into the depths," Leaps hisses. "You will have to kill me."

A strange look crosses the Khajiit's face as he regards her. "My loyalty has always been to my Prince since I was saved from being a foul beast," he tells her. "Things...perhaps have changed a little," the vampire moves around her his eyes never leaving her. "You… the things I was told… and yet I see nothing of my Prince within you."

Leaps stares back. Trying to process what the vampire has JUST said. Remembering what something told Tervven… the secrets that had broken them apart. "How do you know that?" Leaps hisses. "YOU should not!"

A small strange smile. "Oh little wolf, how I know matters not. Soon nothing will matter but the agony and screams." Xahrshi says and then clicks his claws and a Xivilai walks into the room. The vampire gestures to the Daedra never taking his eyes off of Leaps. "Do it, Eksycus"

Eksycus looks at Leap's defiant eyes. "Are you sure, Xahrshi? None of the other werewolves we tried to transmute during the Plane-meld survived. You only survived because you wanted it."

"Do it," Xahrshi says again. "I do not care if it rips her mind apart, she is the granddaughter of the Vestige and our Prince. She will survive it and that is all that is required."

The truth of what is about to be done to her snaps something in Leaps and she hisses furiously as she trashes against her bindings. "You cannot!" she hisses and then she throws her head back and screams. Her wolf, as far away as it has been since the shattering is still who she is. She is Leaps-With-Wolves and all of that, all that she is, is about to be torn from her. And then it starts...agony and ice, screams, and then all is crimson blood and icy darkness as who she is is utterly destroyed, snapping her mind and shattering it into so many pieces she never will BE Leaps-With-Wolves again.

Leaps-With-Bats opens her eyes a brief haunted look crossing them. Leaps-With-Wolves had died. No one had come to save her...no one. And now Leaps-With-Bats wall was all that remained. Slowly she turns around to look back at Sadrith Mora a vicious angry expression crossing her face. These worthless memories.. she knew of ways to drown them. And one...was just over there and she bursts into crimson and bats and flies back to Sadrith Mora.

-Tervven's Tower-

The crimson horde of bats steams up the tower and through a window. The window is warded, but not against her. It was once, and then the window and a chunk of the tower...well got smashed and slashed and torn asunder. After that, her pet gave up trying to keep her out. Was that because of the artifacts she destroyed….or because of what she did with her claws and tongue to make up for it? She surpasses a giggle as she reforms in the highest room of the tower, one where he let no one in...well save her. For he could not keep her out...or perhaps he did not want to. As she reforms her eyes glance around. The room is cast in shadows save for a single burning lantern and her eyes quickly find Tervven who sitting in a chair dressed in a dark gray and blue leather duster that exposes the top part of his chest and his gloved hands are folded together. For long moments she just stares at the Dunmer. In a way the old Tervven had died, just as Wolves had. And just as she had come back so very changed, so had he. Now he had a thirst for knowledge and power that knew no mortal limits. The darkest parts of him made manifest.

Tervven looks up at her. "Why so quiet?" he asks her.

Why… Leaps starts to speak then stops. She could tell her pet. But he might tell Lyssavi, who would tell Ri'Zakar and her eyes darken at the thought. Talshaza was HERS. And at the thought of the Dunmer woman fragments of the past of long-dead wolves start to intrude again and she hisses. "Thinking…," she answers him and licks her fangs as she slowly stalks toward him. "Thinking...of all the best places to BITE you."

A flash of rage crosses the Dunmer's eyes as he stands. "No biting," Tervven says quietly, dangerously.

She knew he could easily undo it now if she did accidentally infect him. Just as he undid Leaps-With-Wolves bite, in whatever manner of Daedric power he found in the Prince of Knowlages realm. And yet it still angered him, and right now she needed him angry. So he would do something that would make the past vanish and so she stalks closer. "On your neck…" she hisses at him a deadly look in her eyes, "Or perhaps the inner thigh…."

A touch of green flashes through Tervven's eyes. "No biting," he repeats. "Last warning Leaps. You know what happened last time," he adds with a crafty smile.

Oh...she remembered very well and the thought has her hissing slightly. Because of that, she had not tried or even threatened to try SINCE. But now…." My pet," she whispers and then lunges forward fangs bared with all the speed her vampiric nature lends her.

A touch of shock crosses the Dunmers eyes that quickly morph into ice-cold rage and a gesture from his hand just as fast as she and glowing green Daedric runes burst into life and then tentacles burst into existence from the summoning and wrap around her limbs holding her tight. "I warned you…," he says. "You know you cannot escape them. You TRIED last time."

Last time...she just had to try to sink her fangs into his neck. Could not resist, and took delight in the rage it instilled within him. She did not expect him to be able to ensnare her and no matter how she raged she could not escape until he let her go...after he warned her what would happen the next time she tried to bite him. And now she hisses at him then throws her head back and laughs. "You'll let me go soon," she says.

A frown from the Dunmer. "Did I not warn you what I would do if you tried to bite me again? Please tell me you did not forget. I know your half mad, but not stupid." Tervven says.

She laughs again. "You would NEVER," she taunts him. "Never, EVER, EVER."

An eye twitch from him and he raises his hand. "We have rules, Leaps. You can call me your pet all you want. You can invade my sanctuary all you want. You can even use your tongue and claws all you want, but you do not BITE. So be a good little lizard and say you agree. Perhaps I'll give you one more chance."

Leaps gives him a fanged grin in response. "I know you will not do it," she taunts him again. "Let me down and when we are done, I will lick your neck and then BITE."

Another flash of rage from the Dunmer as she needles him. "So… it is like that," Tervven says icily. "Very well. Do not say I did not warn you." with that he moves his fingers once more and the tentacles tighten their hold on Leaps and then one more bursts into existence and wraps around the Argonian's waist. "So I would never…," Tervven muses as he moves closer to her, and with a twitch of a finger the tentacle snakes downward and slips under her armor.

Leaps gasps at the touch and tilts her head back hissing. It writhes against her scales and hums with power, her pet's power. "Y...you would not do it," she whispers.

A smirk from Tervven. "I did try to warn you," he responds and moves his finger once more.

Leaps writhes briefly against her binds as she feels it so close to… and then she closes her eyes and stills. "P...pet," she whispers.

He gives her an odd look at the tone in her voice. "You almost seem as if you wanted this outcome," he muses, and then with a motion from his hand, the tentacle penetrates.

Leaps cries out as she writhes against the tentacles that hold her as it moves deeper inside of her. And at last, the past starts to bleed away. "M...more," she hisses. "Or….Or I will bite you. All over!"

An amused smile from the Dunmer with a hint of arousal. "More?" he says silkily. "Very well. But it will not be just a little more. I need to make sure you are punished thoroughly," his hand moves and it penetrates even deeper pulsing and moving and Leaps throws back her head and gasps as the punishment continues...long into the night.

-Imperial City-

The sound of thunder in the distance, of darkness slithering, of countless spiders skittering in the abyss. A song that never truly faded from her mind, even when Spiders was not on top of her, even when his claws were not sunk into her flesh and his fullness sunk deep inside of her. Even when she was alone the song was there. Drowning out memories, regrets, and anything that might be left of the scraps of Nelina and her past self. The melody is so familiar now that she closes her eyes after stretching in the bed. Should she… sleep a little longer? Before she has to be? Be the lightning, the storm, lost in the melody as bodies fall and screams rain down. Hmmm… on that thought getting up is starting to sound...enticing… Perhaps the perilous few who have not surrendered to Spider's song or death will attempt to rise once more, an excuse to let go...to let it rain crimson. Both options are so tempting but it is a soft sound that makes the choice for Imperial and Rel'ihala leaps from the bed toward the soft sound, toward the crimson mist surrounded by ghostly bats as it forms into Leaps and the two crash down upon the ground as the Imperial wrestles her way on top and as she stares down at the vampire a flash of azure lightning can be seen in her eyes. "I told you NOT to come in here like this," she says.

Leaps looks up at her and the lightning in her eyes and giggles before she grasps the Imperials arms in an iron grip and twists flipping the order of things so she is on top. "My pet told me that too, ONLY once. He never told me again," Leaps says with a maniacal grin.

Rel'ihala stares up into the vampire's eyes. "Think you are mixed up on who's the pet," she responds.

Leaps hisses in anger and tightens her grip as she leans in, fans bared as if to bite but at the last moment, she giggles and licks the Imperial's neck instead. "Your naked," Leaps whispers. "And covered in such pretty marks."

A flush crosses the Imperials cheeks and then she surges upward tossing Leaps away and as she stares at the vampire azure lightning crosses her body as Daedric-looking ebony armor with shimmering crimson appears to cover her lithe form and her skin darkens as azure lightning markings appear. "You came into my room when I was sleeping," Rel'ihala says.

Leaps looks up at her from her position on the floor head tilted slightly and then she holds up her clawed hand to look at it. The change that birthed her had a much more dramatic effect than most turned vampires. "Why are you not like that all the time?" Leaps asks.

"Like what?" Rel'ihala responds.

The Argonian lowers her hand. "Like a monster."

Long moments pass before the Imperial responds. "I am one of his monsters in the song," she at last replies. "In an ocean of drums and lightning. One of many, in a way. But when it is just us, or just me before I awake to it…" she shrugs and looks more closely at Leaps. "You know I do not remember you from before. Just fragments lost in the dark.

Leaps gets up hissing in fury. "Your past self knew Leaps-With-Wolves, NOT ME. The wolf DIED, alone, screaming in the icy depths."

"What do you want?" Rel'ihala asks folding her arms, ignoring the vampire's fit.

Leaps grows silent for long moments staring at the Imperial monster, into the eyes of darkness as deep as her own. In truth, she could hunt alone. But Talshaza had a friend. Leaps could take them both, tear both limb from limb….but the cat would be an annoyance and interference. She only wanted the Dunmer woman. "If you hunt with me will all the demons ride behind your eyes? Will HE?" Leaps asks.

The Imperial stares back at her. "My mind is my own. How much I ride the song…," she trails off. It is more like drowning. Sweet darkness, sweet forgetting. "Drowning." she softly responds.

"The wolf drowned in the depths too," Leaps says. "I swamp up from her death." One last pause and then she decides. "Talshaza is ALIVE. I want her before The Destroyer of Khajiits finds out. But she has a friend."

Confusion across the Imperial's face. "Did I know her?" she asks.

"YES!" Leaps snaps. "She failed the wolf. Failed your past self. Failed to save them. She ran off and hid in some dark corner and cared not for any she left behind. I...I…" a crazy look fills her eyes. "I want to play with her! Let her know what it is like in the depths, to DROWN, to scream, to know nothing but agony that never ends."

Rel'ihala is lost in thought at this information. Why… should she go with the vampire? It was fine here. Spider's Dro-m'Athra had taken all of the Imperial city and most of Cyrodiil besides. Few dared to resist...anymore. Those few that refused the song and escaped death, at least. It… was almost TOO quiet here at times. "Will there be screams?" she quietly asks. "Disjointed things that must be put out of their misery or join the song."

"You can have the cat!" Leaps promises. "And any who get in the way of the hunt!" a laugh as she spins around. "Any who get in our way will be torn asunder!"

A small smile from the Imperial and it is decided then and there. Let the hunt… begin.