FALLING SKY | open + return

[Nero]

He wondered if the guilt would ever fade. It had been a couple weeks since the incident, but that didn't make the memory any less fresh in his mind. He could still taste the blood on his tongue and feel the warmth against his face, could still feel the flesh around his fangs. Of all the people he could lose himself around, Shininglight was perhaps one of the worst. He already seemed to be in a bad place, all injured and out of it, and the fact that his victim appeared so helpless really didn't help ease the horrible feeling eating at Nero's gut. His snow white paws shook subtly as they headed back over the border. He had run away after the fact, afraid that he would be chased out if he didn't, but it didn't take long for the tom to realise that he couldn't survive in the wild on his own. When he had first left the territory the signs of his starvation were starting to fade, but now they were back worse than ever. Hunting was... hard. It was much easier to drink from the supplies in the observatory.

His ribs stood out against the rest of his body as he slunk towards the familiar building, sunken eyes narrowed slightly with caution. He didn't want anyone to hate him, but maybe Shininglight and the others would forgive him if he apologised enough. Even if he weren't on the brink of collapsing due to malnutrition, he probably would have returned anyway. If there was anything worse than the constant hunger that burned the inside of his stomach, it was the loneliness. As he drew closer to the observatory, however, he noticed that something seemed to be off. His form, which had previously been held meek and low to the ground, rose to its full height in order to inspect the closed entrance. "H-hello?" He gave it a bit of a headbutt, but it didn't budge. Immediately panic rose in his chest, the assumption that they were keeping him out on purpose crashing into him like a wave. His lower lip trembled and he took a step or two back, lowering his head. "I'm sorry for losing control like that... please let me in, I promise I won't do it again," he pleaded to no one in particular, hoping that someone on the other side could hear him.

[MOONMADE]

[size=9pt]Moon's taken to standing guard at the Observatory's doors. Apparently, it's now common knowledge amongst joiners that the courtesy of waiting at the border to be greeted doesn't exist anymore, and so Moon has given up on border patrols, instead waiting at the heart of the territory for the newcomers to come to him. Besides, he's not in the best shape; a brawl would only end with Moon glassy-eyed.

On that particular day, he's busy at the Cleric's hide. Meaning there's no one to treat so he sits alone and reminisces on the flurry of patients and Clerics, the smell of poultice in the making and Imperia, somewhere amongst it all. But there was only so long he could stay there before he sank into a rut of emotion and bullshit, so he takes off back to the observatory, where he finds Nero.

Moon isn't so familiar with Nero. He'd heard faintly of another vampire in the the Clan, and seen him in the crowd on more than one occasion, but they'd never spoken. So he's hesitant when he spots him, pleading at the door, but not enough to not step him and help. "Hey, hey-" He says, in the voice of a mediator, "Nero, right?" He pauses a couple of feet away, hoping not to scare him off. "The doors are locked. They fucked up bad, some type of system shutdown. They're not tryna' keep you out, swear." But curiosity gets the better of him. He frowns. "What did you do?"

[Grimm]

[align=center][div style="width:400px; font-size:8pt;line-height:1.1;color:#000;font-family:arial;margin-top:3px;margin-bottom:3px;letter-spacing:0px;margin-left:0px;text-align:justify;"]He knew the hunger, the burning pain as thought nails burning white hot had been hammered into the lining of the stomach, digging deeper as time wore on, begging for respite that might never come. How long had it been since the child had fed, indulged on anything that wasn't the fruit and vegetables he had been attempting to once more settle his diet around? At the least two weeks, each offer waved away for he never wanted to feel skin break beneath his teeth, another hurt because he needed to sustain himself, and so went about his existence with those nails in his gut.

Gentle was the sound which rose from Harland, small steps bringing him along just behind Moon, a tiny living shadow. Easy was it to tell another, the metallic tang of blood seemed about yet it was wrong, dark and rotting, as though touched with infection, confusion twisting his soft features into a frown. He knew only of Margaery and Suiteheart, both holding that smell of rotting blood though it was sweetened, grown light for they indulged their hunger, never allowed themselves to starve as this stranger seemed to. Skirting around the Halo the small child approached Nero, hesitance within each step for he was unsure on how he would be received, shuffling closer.

“You okay,” gentle was his voice, lips curling into a slight smile as he reached out to try and gently place a paw upon Nero's leg, an act meant to comfort. He knew not of what had happened but the sorrow within the other's words, in the way he spoke of losing control, it left him wanting to do what he could to offer some peace, knowing some small fraction of what Nero was going through.

[Margaery]

[align=center]

MARGAERY MIKAELSON-FOLIE

Margaery had been unaware of Nero's attack on Shininglight. Regardless, she understood the implications of losing control, of giving into the insatiable hunger that plagued her day in and day out. Of course, she had learned to live with the dull ache that perpetually ailed her stomach, the desire to exchange her morals for a furious killing frenzy not as strong anymore. A hundred years ago, she certainly hadn't been able to say the same, not with all the chaos and havoc that she and Aerona wrecked upon the world. But that had been an era of Genevieve, not Margaery, and the chocolate point liked to believe that she had a little more grace than her less-than-subtle counterpart. Now, anyways.

As she approached the border, gaze weary and shoulders - surprisingly - slumped, she was immediately made aware of both the sight and sound of Nero. Chocolate-capped paws would carry her quickly to him, her blue eyes widening the moment they saw how frail and starved he appeared. No, no, that wouldn't do. He needed blood immediately. [color=#b59693]"It doesn't matter what he did," Margaery would inform softly, [color=#b59693]"Not now anyways. He needs to eat. My dear, do you need help? Please, I'll go out and get you anything you need." In truth, her offer was partly selfish- she had not indulged in the blood of another in a few days, too consumed by grief and anger over her current feud (could she call it that? She admittedly didn't know) with Suiteheart. It would be good for the both of them, she had decided, and hardly wished to wait for his confirmation on whether or not she could steal away to bring them both back something. [color=#b59693]"Other than that," She would begin, a poor attempt at distracting her mind from the inevitable need for blood, [color=#b59693]"Do you need anything else? Are you hurt? Tell me everything!"