#acras

Acras, vampire.

Ask me questions if you want.

Overhead, the sun beats down, merciless, and her stomach growls.

The Xaela woman tries to ignore the growling of her stomach, the trembling of her limbs.

Taking another step, the sand shifting underfoot, she shifts the bundle of canvas and rope on her back - before her foot skids out from under her, leaving her sprawled on the dunes, tears in her eyes.

"We stop here for now!" the khatun cries, her voice reedy and thin.

Trying not to cry, the prone woman struggles to her hands and knees, shrugging the packed tent from her back. Starting to prepare it to be erected, she sobs quietly, her hands shaking.

~

Overhead, the stars glimmer, uncaring, and her hunger gnaws at her.

Staring into the bowl of thin soup, the Xaela woman tries not to cry.

Dipping her spoon in, fishing one of the small chunks of lizard meat out, she takes a mouthful, swallowing the watery liquid quickly. Her stomach claws at her, hard enough to make her whimper and flinch, dropping her bowl - and spattering the remaining soup on the sandy ground.

Crying out in dismay, she falls to her knees, staring at the wet ground. In her mind, she cries out for mercy, for a satiation of her hunger, to anybody who will listen.

Taking a deep breath, she sets the now-empty bowl down and walks to her tent, back straight as she tries to hide her shame.

~

Overhead, the moon shines, aloof, and her body cries for sustenance.

The purple-black hollow in the cave makes the Xaela woman's teeth hurt to look at, but she creeps closer regardless.

The water ran out two days ago, and the food the day before that. Her people are dying. She is dying. She had been looking around the cave for a spring, a nest - but the strange, yawning schism in the world has her attention.

Widen the gate, and I will enable you to feast.

Stepping back in shock, the strange voice filling her mind, she looks around in panic. Slowly, her heart slows, and she opens her cracked lips, addressing her response to the rift.

"How?" she croaks, throat hoarse from disuse.

Blood will widen the gate… Give me blood, and I will give you the power to feed to your heart's content.

Pulling a knife from her belt, the starving woman cuts her palm open - crimson immediately welling up in her hand. Holding it up to the dark hollow, she watches as her blood seems to be magnetised towards it.

The chasm widens, until a shape emerges - a tall, thin humanoid figure, horned and winged. The strange figure waves a clawed hand, and a wave of purple smoke races from it - straight into the Xaela woman.

Collapsing on the ground as her body stops responding, she can only watch as her vision fades and the monster cackles -and flies away without another word.

~

Beneath her, the stone is cool, and a delicious scent reaches her nose.

Sitting up, her body feeling odd, the woman blinks in shock - having not expected to wake again. Getting to her feet, she hits her head on the roof of the cave, oaths falling from her lips. Taking stock, she looks down at herself - and gasps.

Her body has been warped almost beyond recognition - taller, her skin paler, even her hair is healthier.

As she surveys her changed form, a smell, sharp and alluring, catches her attention. Lifting her hand, she sniffs it - licking the blood from her palm.

Immediately, her eyes roll back, her hunger diminishing sharply as the blood enters her mouth. Inhaling deeply through her nose, her rational mind receding, she turns to face the entrance to the cave - and that delicious scent wafting in through it, her tribe's tents visible through the aperture.

Sometimes, Acras doesn't want to go out to some party or event. On such nights, she has made a few friends who will happily let her stay at their place for the day. Lunaria is even willing to make sure that Acras doesn't go hungry...

Acras needs your help! There are not enough blood donors in the world.

However, this lovely Raen, Lizzy (@lizzy-dotharl) has agreed to generously, kindly donate some to people in need.

Shio is pretty easy to get the attention of: like fishing, be willing to go drinking with her, and don't be racist.

The first step to romancing Acras is to feed her. The second step is offering to do it again.

Cholla is incredibly vain, and preens under compliments. She also would love people to work with. (She would be insufferable about any partners she had, though).

Gologa is a popular one, apparently. Big scarred liondad. Apparently everybody wants to love the fuzzy.