Blizzard Trap

[Rezna Lardale]

"Thank you sir," she added quietly as her pale hands pushed open the door of the shop allowing a small blast of frosty air hit her face. Lowering her head, the girl fought to keep her eyes open as a dozen snowflakes stuck to her eyelashes and blurred her vision. For outside the warm shop, it seemed as though a blizzard was brewing. Many of the stores were closed and hardly a living soul braved the streets that afternoon. And the shops that were open had lanterns or candles out in their windows to help the passersby, for it was also rather dark despite it being only three o'clock in the afternoon.

Dodging a light-post, Rezna continued at a slow pace through the dense snowfall in the direction of the school. As she walked, the hood of her white coat pulled well over her head, Rezna rummaged through the paper bag in her hands for her newly bough possession.

Fumbling with the lid of a long and elegant box, the Hufflepuff pulled out a long oak wand. It was two inches longer than her previous one and almost twice as expensive. Yet that made it all the more special, for the blond girl knew that her old wand had been made for her old life. The one she now held was best suited for what lay ahead.

'Oak wood will give you strength and the phoenix tail feather will serve well for protection. Ten and a half inches, that shows that this wand is good as casting charms, or even dueling perhaps.'

The girl was only left to hope that what the wand-maker said was true.

From the corner of her eye, Rezna saw a path leading off from the main road into a knot of trees. She guessed that they later merged with the Forbidden Forest closer to the grounds. Back in the summer, a Ravenclaw mentioned that it served as a short-cut to the school. And with weather what it was like then, Rezna knew it was high time she tried it out. After all, among the trees the snowfall had to lessen.

And so, turning from the road, the girl hurried up the snowy hill with her coat practically camouflaging her with the white background. But no matter how much light the snow reflected off it's surface it was much darker among the trees then out in the open.

"Lumos," Rezna whispered not realizing that it was the first time she really tried out her wand. It the store she had set a box containing werewolf hairs on fire. This she knew was appropriate enough, considering the reason she was out buying a new wand in the first place.

And upon speaking those words, the wand lit up the path before her with more intensity then Rezna's old wand ever held. She hoped that it's performance would enhance her magical ability, for her life depended on it. Pushing the box and wrapping for the wand into her book-bag, the girl continued walking along the path which she hoped lead to the castle and not it's neighbor, the Forbidden Forest.

[Fenris Fenrir]

ooc: You wouldn't mind if I meandered in would you? Because that was a good post and now I am really tempted to reply.

[Rezna Lardale]

(ooc: Fenris, I made this thread with half a mind to complete the promise I made to you on your birthday. So no, I wouldn't mind. I'm actually touched that you asked for my permission. Although the special treatment makes me wonder what you plan to do with Rez now.)

[Fenris Fenrir]

A lone hill; what interesting tales such a place could tell anyone that knew how to listen. It could weave a tale of wanders lost in their travels; only to be taken into the arms of civilization once more. It could be a tale of lovers; confessing their love with each exhilerating and breath-taking kiss or embrace. It could hold an obituary for some poor soul that had perished an untimely demise. Or it told the story of one's rise to power; and that is the story of this hill. For it was here that a conqueror looked down on the conquered and let loose a cry of triumph for it was this day that he had struck a major wound to the side that opposed him, yet that there was bitter lament for the loss of something close to him.

Yet that story was one of the not so distant past, and the being that made the story was also entrenching himself in the snow; to a point that his fur coat provided such cameflogue that no human could see him. And so the wolf watched the town of humans; the second largest population of humans in the surrounding area. They also were the weakest target and their distance from the school greatly put them at a disadvantage; for shoudl something terrible happen; no one from the school would be able to come in time. But the soft, crunching sounds of a human moving through the snow, in the direction of his home, were soon picked up by the wolf with a lazy flick of his surviving ear.

And it seemed that Father Winter was on his side, for as the girl past everso close to his muzzle; the snowfall increased to a chaotic, almost fevered, rate. Such amounts of snow would make it impossible for any human to see clearly, but Fenris Fenrir was no human. Heaving himself out of his snowy foxhole, the lycan changed forms; from gigantic wolf to towering man. In his black attire and with all the snow swirling about as it was; Fenris Fenrir looked unlike any being on Earth, but instead some shadowy spirit from the pits of brimstone that littered the City of Dis. And so the predator began to stalk it's prey. Should the prey enter the fringes of the Forbidden Forest...

And she did; alas for the weak and the foolish are the first to perish in all the great debatles of our time. With his right hand, Fenrir grabbed hold of a low branch and tore it from it's tree. The jagged end of the branch was sharp; sharp enough to draw blood from Fenrir's hand when he gently touched it, so it would be more than satisfactory for what he had in mind. But his attention was drawn from his cut as he noticed a light ahead of him; so the girl thought that a light would help her in the dark and aged undergrowth of the Forest? She had much to learn; light did help it's user, but at the risk of drawing in unwanted riffraff.

Such as madmen.

The cold weather had no effect on Fenrir until he noticed his small wound. Already had frost collected on it and it stung to move it in any way. So; he would use Mother Nature to his advantage; for it was her forest after all that this girl was foolishly entering. So when the girl's path took her in front of a tree; Fenrir spring into action. Like an ancient warrior from a Greek myth, Fenrir held his branch like a javilen and sighting the girl as clear as could be; he let fly with all his might.

Whistling through the air, the makeshift spear embedded itself through the girl's layered attire; and into the trunk of the tree. So strong was the throw that no man could pull out the timber; effectively trapping the girl were she stood. "Hail the Trepasser", said Fenrir gruffily; his breath coming out in cold, puffs of white, "He that is about to be your torturer salutes you. "

And with his eyes aglow with pleasure that seemed to melt the snow that nestled in his matted, black hair; Fenrir began to advance on his prey. Such a pretty girl; a shame that torturers had a knack for destroying all that is beautiful.

[Rezna Lardale]

I am alone, my life so far behind.
I am alone, thoughts filling my mind.
I am alone, the cold freezing my tears.
I am alone, death overcoming my fears.
I am alone, the pain ever so light.
I am alone, hearing the silence of the night.

Rezna kept her head down as she took careful steps along the path that sported, so caring, at least five inches of snow. Some of the iced water made it's way into her boots, and affectively sent cold shivers up her legs and to her body. And, keeping her wand high so she could see, the girl kept on climbing a steep hill which she hoped would be turning left soon, toward the school.

But that hope was one of the farther thoughts in her mind. The thoughts that were playing in her mind were those of the day before, the same ones that were sparked by talking with Shae. And both the cold air, the depressing surroundings, and the lonely road she was one lead her deeper into the depths of her mind. Once in a while, she could swear she heard something behind her, but she dismissed it simply as her nerves. Besides, turning to look would get snow in her eyes, seeing how it was blowing from behind at that moment.

She had began to look at life in a whole new way, seeing how she almost had lost it barely a month before. She had found little things more enjoyable and special. '"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it - every, every minute?"' she quoted to herself from a book she read back in her muggle school. The answer to that she also knew, but now with more personal emphasis. She figured that should her life be stifled completely, she was happy to have found that incite, even for a month of her life. And just as she thought along those lines, a smile forming on her wind-chapped lips, a rather loud cracking noise made her stop in her tracks and finally lift her head to the skies.

Turning to the source of the sound, Rezna's green eyes only registered movement before her as she was suddenly thrust backwards into the trunk of a tree on the opposite side of the path. Looking down, the girl saw the thick branch protruding from her right side, just under her rib cage. Although she did not know it, but the wood had also broken straight through her last rib and done excessive damage to her other organs not to mention the addition of blood poisoning as the bark of the tree branch mixed with her red blood cells, the white being outnumbered.

And it was then that the pain came, much like it did when she fell out of the classroom window. Sure, it did not compare to her previous experience, but the pain was enough to make the girl disoriented for a good minute.

'-your torturer salutes you,' her brain caught the last words of the all to familiar voice as it reached her buzzing head.

Pushing the ring of pain from her ears, the girl's green eyes came to meet the figure before her. She was hardly surprised by the third, and perhaps final, encounter. Knowing how to handle herself in those situations by now, Rezna tried to list her options as calmly as she could in her head.

She knew that if she did not dislodge herself from the tree, she would be a puppet in the lycan's hands, and that lead to a slow and rather painful death. She also knew that she had not the strength to help herself by any physical means, but she did have one other source of aid, magic. Upon the attack, her hand had instinctively closed around her wand, and it was now the only thing she knew could save her.

Taking deep breaths, for luckily her lungs were undamaged, she pointed her wand at the wood sticking out of her stomach. "Moliliarbus!" she cried as she pointed her wand, rather violently, away from her body. And, to her astonishment, for she had half believed it would not work, the wood dislodged itself from the tree, although not her body. Falling to the ground, Rezna watched as drops of crimson blood fell to the shimmering snow below her. Her coat, that had once been the same color, had now turned a shade of scarlet red at the bottom.

Remembering for a second the story of Snow White, Rezna shook her head at the farthermost three drops of blood in the snow. It didn't work out so well for Snow White's mother after she saw them, now did it? But those thoughts were lost to time in half a second as the blond staggered against the same tree that had held her captive. Knowing that Fenris would come forward in on time, she used a further banishing charm to get the branch to fly out of her body, taking pieces of flesh with it, and rebound off another tree truck eight feet away.

"Ferula," the girl finally whispered as her wand touched her wound, knowing it would do little to stop the bleeding. Her strength ebbing with the blood and magic, she finally looked up to meet her hunter. As she watched him, the girl took her chances in conserving her strength without using anymore magic on him. She would, when the time came do so, but all in due time.

"What happens now, Fenris of the Wood? Will you gorge on me like you did that little girl from the village? She was unlucky to be on your path, but seeing how she no longer suffers, you're the unlucky one for you still do."

[Fenris Fenrir]

"Ha! What do I have planned for you? You are mistaken greatly dearie; for I have nothing planned. You entered my domain; the one patch of the Forest that I call my own. Were you an animal; my scent would have made it quite clear that here lies a great beast of sorts, but since you lack more primitive ways of the senses; I am not at all surprised. What you saw was a pathway that led toward the school; near a hill and over a grove of trees. That is mine Girl; that is where I watch over the villagers' town to make sure that nothing is amiss. This is where I find my solitude and peace of mind. You have unfortunately disturbed that", growled Fenrir through his teeth as he paced about his familiar foe; ever vigilent of her.

But she was right; what was his plan for her? Should he devour the flesh off of her body and leave her remains for the ravens and crows to pick clean? Should he let her off scot free and put her at a odds with whether he had something sinister afoot? Or...he could ravage her. As barbaric as the idea was; Fenrir was subject to all the desires that man felt; companionship..and greater desires than that. But even he would not stoop to such a level of barbaric practices; that was something humans did to one another; it would be shameful and dishonorable should he adopt that trait of their's.

"You speak of my feeding practices as if it is a crime for me to want to eat; to want to survive. An old dog cannot learn new tricks, or so you humans say. My main source of nourishment comes from human flesh; to try and alter that would be disaterous for me. Besides; at the rate you humans reduce; any number of humans that I consume is insignifigant compared to that number. You spoke of the little girl that I ate from the village; I am surprised that any one from the School was aware of my raids into Hogsmeade", stated Fenrir; his eyes glowing in what seemed to be...hunger, "She would only be missed by those that knew her; the world would not care for her passing. Just as the world would not care the slightest for yours."

Walking forward so that he stood right into of Rezna and baring his yellowed teeth with the stench of Death permeating from them, Fenris offered, "But I have no plan; so I will be generous as any host could be. I shall let you out of the Woods; I will take you to the Castle myself, for that you have my word. My word is my bond, or are you forgetful of our last meeting when I told you that? But in exchange for your freedom, you will allow me to take a certain percentage of your flesh as a toll; that percentage will depend on your weight. For if I take too much; I will crave for more and if I am cheated of flesh that the percentage grants me; then you will die."

"My compromise lets you live; refuse and it will mean that we shall fight; a fight that I doubt you could win. Agree to this compromise and you will be in considerable pain, but skin, muscle and flesh regrow in time. When weighing the scales, it would be wise to live and lose something rather to die and lose all. So make your decsion, and if I think you are lying to me; your head will be placed on a spike that will be thrust into the doors of the Entrance Hall. Do I make myself care dearie? Or must I repeat my generous offer?"

[Rezna Lardale]

Rezna listened to him rant, point out her ignorance, weakness, and stupidity. Her green eyes stayed on him, watched him pace, flaming up once in a while with her raising body temperature and anger. Had she the will and strength she would have interrupted him, pointed out where he was wrong or right, but she cared not for it. Instead she busied herself with covering her wound with as much snow as possible, hoping to still the blood as well as to dull the scarlet stain of her life upon the floor of, as the lycan called it, his domain.

Yet her hand faltered as his face came within inches of her own. Such closeness was usually only seen between two intimate people or otherwise would cause anyone great discomfort. Still Rezna was beyond that and could not move her head away even if she wished it, for she was already leaning against the tree. Keeping her mind off the foul stench of rotting meat and the sharp teeth so close from her face, she looked up at his eyes instead, too proud to look away.

His offer of a compromise surprised her. Enough that she was willing to consider it. After all, she knew that fighting him, with her disability, would prove fatal. Yet the thought of simply letting him take the blood price was as gruesome as it was imaginable. Still, no matter how much the second option displeased her, she knew it was the better of the two.

Opening her mouth to respond, she began to cough and choke as blood came out of her lungs instead of sound. Once she knew no more was coming, she wiped the blood, saliva, and phlegm off her face before continuing. "I accept your compromise and will pay the toll requited for a safe passage back to the castle. I know enough to trust your word, and I hope you will do the same with mine. However, know this Lord of the Forest, should you brake your promise, I will not hesitate you follow in you lead." Her green eyes locked with his for a moment before she tried to stand.

That proved difficult for as she did, her wound opened up again and the sudden movement made her feel lightheaded. Grasping the tree for support, the blond girl closed her eyes for the sickness she felt to pass. Fear clouded her mind, for she was most vulnerable at that point, her eyes closed giving the lycan free reign.

"I never called your feeding practices a crime," she suddenly spoke up, her voice softer then it had been before. "I simply care for children more than you do." She was happy to see that no blood came with the utterance of this sentence. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and let the tree go as she took a few hesitant steps forward. On her second step, her right leg gave too much pull on her abdomen causing her to fall into an awkward kneeling position.

[Fenris Fenrir]

Well; she agreed to his compromise and Fenrir's maniacal grin couldn't be hidden at all. As disturbing as the taking of a blood price sounded; it wasn't uncommon in the world. A long time ago, there once was a Jewish moneylender that made a deal with a Venetian merchant who agreed to a blood price for one pound of flesh; wherever Jew wanted to take it from. Though that man didn't get his price in the end, Fenrir would get his end of the deal and in turn the girl would be returned, though not entirely intact, to the Castle. Yet even as Rezna walked forward and lost her footing, Fenrir already started reaching into his military-esque boots until he heard her soft voice.

Fenrir straightened almost instantly at the mention of her caring more for children than he. "What would you know about caring for children when you are still one Girl?", snarled Fenris from where he stood; his back straightened to it's fullest extent, "I once had a child of my own flesh and blood! Do not tell me of caring; I care more than you could possibly imagine. Even now I have children on these school grounds, not by blood, but by bite. One boy and one girl; each of them having their individual talents, though the girl should be known to you. Hayzie Roberts of House Gryffindor; though she does not show her father the love that he bears for her."

Realizing that he had given too much away to Rezna, Fenrir swiftly pulled out what he had hidden in his boot. It was a large piece of obsidian; in the shape of an early dagger used by such primitive beasts as Homo Habilius. "Do you know what this is? This is a blade that has killed it's fair share of my kindred over the ages and now it is in my hands; to use against it's original wielders. The irony proves to be of great amusement, but not as much as what I have in store for you."

Walking even closer until he towered right above Rezna, he knelt down on one knee and offered her the knife blade first. "Though I normally would do this myself; there is a problem. You are a woman and women in general hate disclosing their weight. So I will let you cut off your own flesh; chose a fair percentage and all shall be well for both parties. I will watch you for any evidence of tampering. I don't care how much it hurts you; I will not interfer. And the temperature is dropping; the storm is getting worse. Time is not your friend Girl; nor am I.", said Fenris; his eyes glowing with anticipation,.

"So I shall let you commence your own surgery; then once you are done; you shall be taken to the Entrance Hall of the Castle and left there for some student to find you. For the last time I went to your Hospital Wing; I was shot repeatedly. Not the most pleasant of experiences to be sure; so begin your operation. Time and I are watching and waiting."

[Rezna Lardale]

"And that child was someone else's too!" she replied, to Fenris's previous statements. Her voice much stronger than it had been before. "How can you be so merciless towards someone that could be your child to another predator? I can care for strangers without having to know what it feels like to be a parent, but it seems you cannot!"

Still, she took all that he said to memory. Two children, and a third by blood, she figured. Still, she was kept from wondering about them, especially Hayzie, when Fenris continued to speak and offered her the knife.

Disgusted, she looked from the offered handle to it's owner. "I promised to pay the price, but I will not dish it out myself. You want blood? There is a good amount of snow that you can taste."

She would not do what he asked, knowing the possible dangers of doing so. She was no doctor and would not attempt to cut herself should she touch an artery unintentionally. Besides, the scars that would remain would be gruesome reminders enough, she did not need to know that she had done it herself. Whatever fun the lycan hoped to have she was not going to supply.

Pushing herself back from him, Rezna staggered to her feet once more. Pointing her wand to the snow she muttered, "Flagrantia" and she drew a line of fire before Fenris's feet. "Take what you will, but go no further," she told him as she extended her left arm above the flames that slowly grew in height. "Do not cross the line, so to speak."

As she waited, she grew to expect many things. As if playing chess, she saw many moves open for Fenris to use. But she had to know how to counter them, and know she did. But how far they would take her to winning the game, her life, she did not know.

[Fenris Fenrir]

Grining like a lunatic, Fenrir pulled back the knife when Rezna refused and laughed at her mention of eating the bloodied snow. "I am no vampire Missie; I am a beast and beasts do not care whether they have blood or not; they want meat.", growled Fenrir in delight. He thought that she wouldn't have it in her to take her own flesh like that, but then again there were too many errors that she could make; ending her life and leaving only one party of the deal with anything. Yet even as Fenrir's hand that held the blade was steadied and his left hand about to pull Rezna in; the situation heated up considerably.

The line of fire that Rezna had drawn between them startled the lycan; enough to have him back-peddle several paces, but halted and snarled at her. So she ignited things in the debatle of theirs; even when she was the one who wanted his word on no trickery; yet there was a fire that he didn't start. Since there was a great deal of snow stuck on his boots, Fenrir stepped forward right until his feet were in the middle of the fire, but it was extinguished in that particular spot due to the snow on his boots.

"Well; so much for keeping your word of no trickery Miss", said Fenrir cooly, "But I am not going to back down on my word now that it is given. So if you have never heard of the Sun Dance; allow me to explain. Native Americans conducted this ritual as a rite of passage to becoming a man. The youths had about 98 small pieces of their flesh cut off; then had cords put into their body where the flesh was taken from. And then they danced; dance until they dropped from exhaustion and only then did they have their visions."

"But I am not going to take 98 pieces of flesh from you; I am only taking 25. And since you only offer me your arm; all of it shall be taken only from there. Oh, and one last thing", cautioned Fenrir, "you will be in considerable pain and if you scream; try to scream as loud as possible; for screams are the natural symphony that humans create that beasts like myself love to hear. So prepare the ward; the operation commences."

Roughly grabbing Rezna's arm and after he pulled her in closer to make no mistakes, Fenrir's right hand (the one that held the blade) lowered over her forearm and quivered there in excitement; letting the tempo of the moment build. Then with a flash; it began.

1....2.....3.....4....5...

Five small wedges of flesh fell to the Forest floor and as tempted as he was to collect them now, Fenrir forced himself to focus on his patient.

6....7....8....9...10...

So delicious; how utterly intoxicating that scent of her flesh was. It smelled better than that one girl that he sampled in the Graveyard; flesh of Ondrea made quite a fine appetizer, but flesh of this girl; he had yet to try it in full.

11....12....13....14....15....16....17....18....19....20....21....22....23....24....

As he paused over the last piece of flesh that he needed to slice off; just below the shoulder, Fenrir whispered, "25" and harshly threw the knife to the ground and grabbed hold of the shoulder with he bare hands and he tore off the flesh himself. Stuffing that one piece greedily into his mouth, Fenrir let the scent intoxicate his body with it's delicious and exotic flavor.

"Oh; such flavor...you truely are a tasty one Miss", said Fenrir as he placed the obsidian blade back into his boot and collected the pieces of flesh on the ground, "Now come; we have to travel quickly if we are to make it before those wounds of yours freeze over and that would force the school to have to amupate; or whatever they do." Ripping off part of his overcoat, Fenrir wrapped it around Rezna's bleeding arm and tied it off once it was tight enough. Sling her over his shoulder, Fenrir asked one last thing before he made off, "Ready Miss?"

[Matticus]

(Rezna, I hope you don't mind me joining in on the fun.)

"You may want to take her back, and stop yourself from devouring the girl," began the deep male voice from behind the two. In a very tattered, torn and jingling set of heavy black pants and chains, without a top, was the boy that Fenris had taken to be his son. Despite the majority of Matticus's unwillingness of the transformation, it was nothing he could prevent. Much like taking drugs, and change or no change, he wouldn't cease their hold on him.

Pulling the cigarette from his mouth, the boy continually spoke, "but will you deprive me of my first meal?" He was completely aware of how much he meant to the beast of a Lycan, and used this to his advantage; because like the heroin, acid and marijuana, the hoping taste of flesh was addictive, even though he had never completed the first step.

After he had spoken again, the boy breathed out the smoke that built up in his lungs from sucking it in, and smiled a malicious smile that could challenge the devil's grin. He wasn't one for many words, and so kept the ones already said standing alone. The iron smelling blood beated through his sensitive nose as if he had never tasted a lolly before, forcing him to keep himself from lunging at the two and taking him from his father.

[Fenris Fenrir]

Even as he awaited Rezna's reply, Fenrir's sole ear twitched as he caught the words of another being; a being that brought a smile to the lycan's face. One of the only joys in his savage existence had come forth from the depths of his Forest; his son and heir. Fenrir had not seen his son since he first turned him; perhaps he was about testing his new body and enjoying the feeling of freedom that only the wolf felt. But now he was here and his manner brought tears to Fenris' eyes. His son could take the freezing temperatures, for his chest was bare and in such weather; only the foolish or those that had great resolve did things like that.

And the offspring of Fenrir had yet to prove themselves as fools.

"Well m'boy; you wish to have your first taste of human flesh? The food that is my ambrosia; without it I am nothing and I cannot exist. You wish to taste the succulence that explodes in your mouth as the favor courses through your body; that exotic and intoxicating feeling that has a greater pull over me than any drug ever could.", said Fenrir; his eyes glowing with fatherly pride, "You think that you are ready; your manner and attitude suggests that you do and I shall abide with your wants."

Pulling Rezna off of his shoulder, Fenrir grabbed both of her arms and held them behind her back as his stout arms held her dangling in the air in front of his son. "I think that is is repayment for pulling that little trick on my girl; the line of fire that you conjured; it's only fair that I allow something unexpected to happen. Besides; my oath only held to myself; not my son. This would be his first taste of human; consider it an honor.", whispered Fenrir into Rezna's ear.

"Now son; turn into whatever form you wish, though should you become a wolf; do not bite her. I promised to deliver her alive, but still as a human. So try your luck at any spot of your choice; I am certain that you can choose for youself as to what part of her you want to eat the most. Take only one piece though; but in turn I shall split the flesh that she gave to me with you as a reward. So let her have it m'boy."