RUN RABBIT

[text: to Naz] I know I shouldn't have disappeared on you last night. It wasn't my intention, but...

[ text: to Caleb]: Yeah, it's that but that's causing trouble... [ text: to Caleb]: It's fine. I'll start the kettle for tea, just don't wake Judas up.

Caleb looked down at Naz as she was snuggled inside his coat and he felt a warmth bloom in his chest thinking that he would do anything for this woman.

"It's not. It's not bad," Caleb said hastily when he realised his mistake. "It's not on me to tell you what you want to do with your body, even if it's naked billboards. I just..." he sighed. "Those are things that I do not often think about. If at all... I promise you, I would be the last person judging you or telling you what you want to do or where you want to work."

Caleb was incredibly hard to reach which was why Naz was surprised when he continued. She had seen that he was not a pervert like most men she came across so his words seemed true. Everyone had a preference, or no preference at all so Naz couldn't fault him, not when she had hidden away a girlfriend for years before their recent break up. Naz let him continue until his apology came and she simply nodded.

“I figured as much, and honestly I’d like to keep a man like that in my good graces as much as possible.” Elijah Remington hadn’t cut the figure of a powerful man at their meeting, but Howell was yet to be convinced that things were as the appeared. As a witch Mr. Remington could easily have done a number of spells and Howell would have been none the wiser. As a human, he’d most certainly would need protection from members on council but the only way to secure that was to speak to other members of the supernatural community. With in that there was no way he could verify if the help he received was real and if he would be working with someone who had honor in their craft. “Do you really think so?” He hadn’t wanted to show his excitement, but it naturally came out. Immediately the doctor regained composure and seemed deflated. “If I could ask something personal…would you want to be found if you disappeared?” It was a random thing to ask a woman he barely knew but the spirit was apart of the community and if anything she might have an idea of how Serai acted.

Howell had been put into a curious position. He was going to represent the human's of the city but amongst their council, he was suceptible to all sorts of manipulaion. Naz wasn't above thinking that her fellow council members would use that to their advantage. Witch's were the most like human's so it made sense that Howell would see sense in that relationship. "I imagine you'll feel that way about most of the member's you meet. At least until we start bickering over silly things." The council had a way of reducing the leaders of the city into pouting children.

[text: to Naz] I'm so sorry. The time got away from me.

[ text: to Caleb]: I'm still deciding if I want to see you or not...

Jaxon was glad that he did not have to explain what about this whole situation made him feel uneasy. He preferred his own pub for a reason. Fewer people, fewer problems..or at least, the kind that he knew he could handle. Either way, he felt bound by duty and, unfortunately, that meant he couldn't just skip events like this.

From her relationship with Caleb, she had learned how uncomfortable most werewolves were around vampire's. She knew that this situation was likely uncomfortable so she didn't plan on making it worse. They settled in beside the older wolf and sipped their drink, letting it settle her nerves. "I appreciate the company," she promised with a small smile. "I'm glad to hear it! I live in the area so I should come by and see the mural. I just never knew if I'd be allowed," she admitted, knowing it sounded silly.

Sipho nodded in agreement. "They certainly seem to be from where I have been sitting. I hope very much that is the case. Since you've been out there on the floor, I am sure you have a better sense of it than I so I will trust your judgement" he replied, eyes flicking to the dance floor and back again. His lips twitched. "Oh, such as?"

"Everyone is on the best behaviour, at least from a golden rule perspective," she promised. The drugs and drinking and debauchery were something else entirely but that didn't break the golden rule. The spirit thought it best to answer the question with a show and she nodded to the spot besides Sipho where a duplicate of Naz now sat and waved at him. "Nothing as fancy as you but I have a few tricks up my sleeves." With a wave of their hand, the clone disappated away, leaving them alone again.

"What is he doing that he managed to lose you?" he questioned with a laugh. He liked the man, despite his wolf everything, but they had found themselves questioning his decisions from time to time. Why did he leave behind a gorgeous woman that was totally into him at a party for vampires? "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself at least."

The spirit made a dramatic show of rolling her eyes at their friend. "Who knows. Actually I do know," she muttered. "He thinks he needs to go around and make sure there's no human's sneaking in. I understand the whole wolf not liking vampire thing but it's not meant to be a thing tonight." Naz didn't see it the same way as the alpha. She was caught between the two, as both an animal and undead creature.

"What else would these mortal creatures obsess over if it's not their continued survival? That always means popping out babies to 'ensure future generations'..." Ayumu responded with mocking air quotes. This was something the dead like Naz and themself were not able to do anymore.

Her lip curled up, grossed out by the thought of just being here to breed. Maybe when she was a rabbit, they were more inclined to do so but that base instinct died when she did. "Gross. I guess they don't realies that it doesn't matter yet, death is inevitable and time forgets us all," the spirit replied with a shrug. Not of it mattered in the end but she didn't know how to tell that to the living.

"in my experience, few things that end up as cages are ever intended to be, but we find ourselves snared all the same." victoria sneered at the ferris wheel. she blinked and pulled her eyes away, leaving whatever forgone thought had wrapped around her focus to better look at naz. it was always a relief to see a friendly face. "hey naz." when vix first started serving as an elder on the council, she'd been nervous that it would be difficult to find like-minded opinions. naz proved that fear pointless almost instantaneously. they both had a tendency to toe the line between spite and spirit. "I suppose if I am this scared of it, then I better do it." she sighed. "what has you so eager to face the nightmares tonight?"

"I think that is just part of life, or death, depending on how you look at it." Naz's life as a rabbit had been enough to make the spirit wary of anything that could ensnare them but a ferris wheel was not on that list today. "They do say that's the best way to get over your fears," the rabbit agreed, looking back up at the contraption. "There's plenty of nightmares here tonight that are trying to take a bite out of me. Suddenly being up high seems safer." They hadn't been in the best mood but a friendly face was enough to put a smile back on hers. Victoria was an excellent companion to have on the countil and Naz was incredibly grateful. It wasn't always the easiest job when up against the other species. "If it's bad, I'll owe you pastries?" she added, hoping to sweeten the deal.

[text from Caleb] why didn't you wait for me?

[ text: to Caleb ]: because I spent the entire night by myself. Why would I wait for you when I couldn't find you for three hours?????

Sipho's lips twitched at the blatant lie, but he did not call her out on it. She was free to speak as she saw fit and perhaps, he mused thoughtfully, she liked to pretend her feet did hurt from the all the dancing she had surely been enjoying. "I am surprised you made it away from the dancefloor in one piece, other's have not been so lucky..." he paused, and then shrugged one shoulder, "or maybe they do consider themselves lucky..."

There was a glimmer in Sipho's eye that told her he had caught onto one of her tricks. Witch's always were the most astute when it came to these things. "I think most people are enjoying themselves out there," she replied, eyes watching the crowd for anything out of place. "I do feel lucky that I have an arsenal of escape tricks to get away from any hairy situations on the dancefloor." The dancing was still worth the risk though.

He was used to the crowds by now, but wine fest was a whole other thing. He was working yet again, unable to enjoy any of it, but maybe that was for the best. Still, the women standing around him now seemed to want more than the drugs and potions they had on hand to offer. As if summoned, Naz appeared and immediately took ownership of the situation, and him.

She took the arm offered to her, thanking Judas for his kindness as they got some space from the women. The vampire was always popular but even she was amazed by how many men and women followed him around. As they stepped into their office, they finally relaxed. "I lost Caleb within a few minutes but I certainly am enjoying myself. The dancefloor has been fun," she agreed. As for her boyfriend, she doubted he was having fun at all considering she hadn't seen him in over an hour. Naz didn't have the same trust issues when it came to vampires and Judas was the prime example of that.

where: the rubicund, winefest with: open || @vievecorcitystarters

The party seemed never ending, without a watch Naz wasn't sure how much time had passed but it had been quite some time since she'd seen her date. The animal spirit decided to go looking for them but stumbled upon another familiar figure. "It's not meant to be a cage," she explained, overhearing her fellow council member. Naz looked up at the slow spinning mechanism with a grimace. "Although I'm not a fan of heights so I can agree, it's a nightmare. Hello, Vix," she greeted. The pair had been sat on the council as spirit representatives for quite a few years now so she felt comfortable relaxing by her side for a while. "Are you feeling daring? We could go for a ride in the towering cage of doom?" she suggested.

The frustation on Jaxon’s face smoothed out, replaced by a flicker of recognition as his gaze settled on Naz. He hadn't meant to look grumpy or anything, but judging by her own expression, it was obvious she'd noticed. "..uh, no. Don't be sorry. I was in my head." he muttered, looking from her face down to the glass she was holding out. "Naz, right?" The wolf reached out, his fingers carefully turning his inner wrist away from her line of sight, not out of shame but..in an effort to keep the conversation light and casual, as it ought to be. "Thank you. For the drink. It's definitely appreciated." he nodded, wondering if she'd been looking for Caleb. "..I think I liked the celebrations a lot better last year. How have you been?"

"No need to apologise, I know this even can make everyone a little tense," the spirit assured. She knew better than to take offense from the soured expression of a werewolf in a vampire club. They had barely gotten five minutes into the club before Caleb had left to check on his pack and likely to look for trouble as well. If she wasn't sure the alpha could handle himself, she would have been worried about not hearing from him yet.