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Alexei Tvarivich
Oct 10th, 2012, 01:09:39 PM
Snap!

The crack of the twig filled the silence of the woods, and those gathered in it all jumped to their feet. Large, hunched figures bent down; ready to pounce. "Easy Vladimir." Called one of the few men still sitting around the large campfire. Alexei looked over at his companion, who was still looking out into the woods, trying to peer through the layer of fog that had rolled in from the nearby lake. "The sun is still up. There won't be any of them out here. Relax." His words fell on deaf ears as Vladimir, and a few others, continued still to peer into the shroud. At last, a deer lopped by just at the edge of vision. Nothing to be afraid of.

"Fetch it." Alexei commanded, and Sasha and Dimitri took off, chasing down the deer with an agility that could not be matched by humans. The camp was rugged and deep seated, having sat in this place for some time. Logs had been dragged for miles to now sit around the fire. There was little shelter. A few ragged tent constructs that were nothing more than fabric stretched over sticks. This was it, the royal encampment. The entourage of crown prince Alexei Tvarivich demanded better, but it was all they could scrounge up since they were banished from the cities.

Vladimir was still on edge, starring into the mists as if daring a Vampire to step out of it. His hands were clenching and unclenching, with claws extended and mouth open. He knew the signs. Vladimir was on the verge of a shift. The hair on his neck was standing up and growing longer. "Calm yourself, comrade." Alexei tried again, and this time Vlad spun around and faced him; his teeth already lengthening to fangs. "Why? Why should I be calm. We live in the piss ass woods. Your mother gave them the cities and you had to make it worse and stick us out here. What more could you take from us? We can't even shift for shit sake. I swear if I see that bit-" Vlad was stopped short in his tirade by Alexei rising from his homemade throne chair and hitting the ranting Garou across the face.

The shock turned into rage and Vladimir snarled and came for Alexei, but all he found was pain as the prince was faster; grabbing him by the shoulders and savagely headbutting him. The crack resounded through the woods and sent birds scattering overhead. Vlad dropped, but Alexei was not finished. He caught the man, rolled him so he fell onto his back, and then pummeled him on the ground. Each blow dented the man's face and sent blood spurting in all directions until the man looked like a horse had tap danced across his face.

Sasha and Dimitri chose that moment to return, with the deer dragging behind them and shock on their faces. Alexei looked up, blood on his fists and a single drop falling down his face from where his skin had broken from the headbutt. His hand released Vladimir and let him finally slump to the ground. He was alive. He would heal. However, the other Garou of his encampment were looking equally upset.

"He's right. What are we doing out here?"

"Hiding." Alexei replied. "We can't go back to the cities. The Vampires will kill us." His bloodied knuckles were wiped off on Vladimir's shirt. Finding a dry spot was difficult. "No big fires, no structures, and no shifting. We can't let them find us, and you can bet they will destroy us in a moment if they find us out here. Like that." He emphasized with a snap of his fingers. "The dozen of us cannot defeat a hunting party of Vampires."

The party relaxed, but only so much.

"Let's go into Rengar. I think we all deserve a little company."