The small, brown box with no return address that arrived at Nytehawk's home would have been unremarkable, save for it's contents. Inside was a letter from her cousin, and the hilt of a Guardian's sword. The letter told Nytehawk everything of the past several days, from the situation with Legacy to Snowhawk's current state of half-vampirism.

After reading the letter several times, Nytehawk leaned back in her chair and sighed heavily. “These are interesting days.” She wanted to return contact with her cousin, and not knowing any other way, she decided she would send the letter directly to the Sininensusi estate, and pray that someone there knew how to contact Snowhawk. Nytehawk's letter, much shorter than her cousin's, would simply request that Snowhawk visit them, and her son, at her home.

After writing her letter and handing it off to a courier, she searched out the Golden Guardian, to ask him about the sword hilt. “Jerome, I have a question for you about something I received today.”

“I'll help the best I can,” he replied, turning toward her.

“Can you identify this?” she asked, showing him the hilt.

Jerome paused for a moment, a look of shock on his face. “That hilt... That's from Legacy's sword.”

Nytehawk sighed. “I was afraid of that. I received a letter from Snowhawk today telling me he was, indeed, Quillen and that he was now dead. Again, I guess.”

Jerome nodded. “I was mostly sure of who he was, but I never said anything because I couldn't prove it. If the blade has been reclaimed, then it means that he is dead. For certain this time. The dark silver used in the blade of a Guardian sword is further enchanted to the owner's life. The enchantment helps the blade stay sharper, and makes it nearly indestructible as long as the owner lives.”

“I see,” Nytehawk responded, frowning a bit.

“What is it?”

“There's more. Janus is suspected dead, killed on the same night. And Snowhawk,” she trailed off.

“What about her?”

“Snowhawk is apparently a half vampire now.”

Jerome sighed heavily. “Well, this is not an ideal situation.”

“I know. I've sent a letter and asked her to join us here, at least for a little while. Maybe we can find some way to help her.”

“I know Juv has been working on a cure for vampirism. I don't know how far along they are, though.”

“Then I'll send someone there too, and have them bring back any information they can.”

“The Delphin City is not welcoming of strangers, you know,” Snowhawk's voice said, causing both Nytehawk and Jerome to quickly turn around to face her.

“How did you get my letter so fast?”

“I met your courier on his way. You should hire someone not quite as terrified of me.”

“It's wonderful to see you again, Snowhawk,” Jerome said, breaking an uncomfortable silence between the cousins.

“Thank you, Jerome. It's a pleasure to see you again too. Though considering I managed to get your head of security killed, I don't know how wonderful it really is.”

“Will you be staying?” the Golden Guardian asked, ignoring the subject of Quillen for now.

“I can't stay away from the estate for too long. My condition is being kept in check by Adian.”

“Adian?! I thought he died!”

“No, the same vampire that put me in this condition found him near death and saved him.”

“Can it be reversed by him?” Nytehawk asked.

“No. Not completely. But if the Delphin in Juv have learned anything, we'd both love to hear it.”

“Maybe I should ask Hunter to go. He's from there. They'd be less suspicious of him.”

“That's probably your best bet. I doubt they'd let even you, their race's leader, through the gates,” Snowhawk smirked.

“About that--”

“Nyte, I can't. I don't have the right personality. Everyone sees me as a revolutionary, and a savior. I'm neither. I just wanted you free. If it meant a few slavers died in the process, then so be it.”

“Well, I don't think that's true, but if you feel that way, I can't really change your mind. I'll go get Hunter,” she said before trotting out of the room.

After she'd left, Snowhawk turned to Jerome. “How has my son been?”

“Growing like a weed and into everything he can be, like a young healthy Delphin should be.”

“Good.”

“Do you regret leaving him?”

“No. I don't have time to regret anymore. If he's happy and healthy, that's all I can ask for. I think everything would have been too stressful at the estate.”

“So is Adian now–”

“Adian is my protector,” Snowhawk quickly said. “Nothing more.”

“I see,” Jerome replied. “His choice or yours?”

“His.”

“That seems out of character.”

“He apparently got the shit kicked out of him one night, as he was stalking Nytehawk. By the very Delphin that he would later work with to try and free me from Kione.”

“That must have been awkward.”

“Not really. I think Lupino like when they know a potential rival is an ally. And that happened before he became a vampire anyway, so Adian apparently forgot how to hold a grudge.”

“Who was the Delphin?”

“Onyx.”

Jerome looked surprised. “So that's where he went to. Did the old man survive the fight with the vampire?”

Snowhawk nodded. “He did. Then he left soon after to find Janus.”

“I thought he died too.”

“Not according to the Avizon who killed Legacy and I thought killed him. And Kione wanted her dead, so thinking Janus was gone, I went for revenge...”

“That doesn't seem like you, Snowhawk.”

“It wasn't just me. Do you remember the stories of Emerald?”

“Yes.”

“She's an ancestor of mine. We basically share the same soul.”

“So she tried to take you over to come back to life.”

Snowhawk nodded another affirmative. “And she was Kione's mate during her time as a vampire.”

“And that explains so much about why a vampire would only turn someone half way.”

“Right. If she can slowly take over, she'll be stronger for it.”

Jerome sighed again. “Things are needlessly complex.”

“Tell me about it.”

*********

Within in the hour, Hunter left for the Southern city of Juv. Unlike the haven to slavery that was Di'aru, Juv was mostly populated by Delphin, and they were incredibly unsure of outsiders. Most Delphin in Juv settled there after Ametition fell into quiet chaos during the so-called slave revolution. Others, like Hunter's family, had escaped the slaver's chains and simply lived there, untouched by the slavers thanks to the city's high, well-maintained walls. A handful of Feln and even fewer Lupino lived in the city, and no humans dared set foot inside. Due to the higher number of horned Delphin living there than anywhere else on the continent, and their closeness with the healing arts, most medical advances originated from Juv. Since the disease that causes vampirism originated from Delphin, a cure for it had been the top priority of the various medical colleges and associations in the city. However, the near xenophobic nature of the Delphin within the city led to advancements leaving the city walls slowly.

“I know he was born there, but I still worry about him going back,” Nytehawk sighed, watching the car carrying her mate pull away into the dark night.

“Considering what they did just to let him leave when he was younger, I'd be worried too,” Snowhawk replied.

“I should have gone with him.”

“What, so they could trap you there and you leave all this shit you've stirred in my hands? I don't think so,” she snarked, looking away, then catching the faint outline of someone, apparently a short-tailed Feln, climbing down the side of the estate. “The hell is that?”

“Hmm?” Nytehawk responded, looking in the same direction as her cousin. “I don't see anything.”

“Oh, shit, of course you wouldn't. You don't have a vampire's eyes.” Snowhawk said, trotting off to catch whoever was climbing down the side of the building. Moments later, she was under the figure, and realized it was no adult Feln, but a young Delphin. She climbed up and grabbed a small leg, then saying in a fairly intimidating voice as the smaller Delphin looked down at her, “And just where do you think you're going, young man?”

“Aw, shit,” Valerian sighed. “Caught.” He apparently didn't recognize his mother, or her voice, “How did you see me?”

Snowhawk, toying with the child, simply smirked. “Come on down.”

By this point, Nytehawk had walked to the wall and joined the two as Snowhawk plucked Valerian off the trellis he'd been climbing down. “Where were you off to?”

“I saw Hunter leaving so I wanted to follow him for a while.”

“That would not be prudent, Valerian,” Snowhawk replied, “His home is a dangerous place.”

“Your voice,” the child commented, “sounds really familiar.”

Snowhawk looked at Nytehawk, then back to the boy. “Valerian, it's me. Your mother.”

“M-- Mom?!” Valerian said, at first shocked at her appearance, then he embraced her in as much of a bear hug as his small frame could manage. “But, what happened to you?”

Snowhawk sighed, wrapping her arms around him as well. “It's a long, complicated story.”

“Snow,” Nytehawk began, sighing a bit, “why don't you call your wolf here. Then you can your son can catch up, and you don't have miss any of your... treatments.”

Snowhawk remembered the few times her and Adian had previously interacted. “Are you certain?”

“Yes. I'm sure. Especially if he's changed as you have said.”

*********

Nearly three days later, Hunter arrived just outside of Juv. He hadn't been back to the city in nearly a decade, but he had sent word ahead to his parents that he would be visiting. He missed their reply saying if he was asking for money, to not bother coming back. 

As per their usual operating procedures, Hunter was forced to leave his vehicle before being allowed inside the first wall. Juv was a city filled with paranoia and distrust of anything from the outside. After being searched no less than three times for any sort of weapon, he was allowed into a waiting room inside the main city wall to wait on his parents. His mother arrived shortly after to pick him up.

“So why have you come back to our city?” his mother sternly asked.

“I need to speak to your doctors. Any of them, all of them. Someone close to me has contracted vampirism and we need to know if they've found a cure.”

“Who would be close to you?”

Hunter sighed. His mother was as aggravating as ever. “You do realize I'm mated to the leader of the new Delphin Society, right?”

The older female laughed a bit. “Tell me another one, Hunter.”

“Since I knew you wouldn't believe me, here,” he said, pulling out a photograph of himself and Nytehawk.

His mother shrugged. “So she's a vampire now. Why should Juv care?”

“She's not, her cousin is. You know, the whole reason half this damn city is free now?”

The old mare's eyes widened, remembering how the uprising saved many of her friends and some of her extended family. “Why didn't you say that in the first place?! Your father is at the car, let's go!”

Hunter sighed again and trotted after his mother. “Nothing changes.”