▫ forest

@† lim donghyun Siyeon felt something touch her. His voice made her brow furrow. Why wasn't he accepted her apology? She wanted to question him further but the idea of getting medical attention sounded a lot better than asking if he was gonna bite her as well. Siyeon held onto the vampire as he carried her.
"I'm sorry you have to smell it. My blood I mean."
She did mean it. This poor guy was gonna have to have that smell near him all for trying to help her. Siyeon felt bad. Well, she felt sleepy and kinda lightheaded. She didn't want to bother the man carrying her since he was already doing so much. Hoping that closing her eyes would help things Siyeon closed her eyes and focused on the motion. The feeling of being carried. Anything but how tired or how much that guy had taken from her.

@☩ lee siyeon As the woman stumbled with nothing to continue supporting her, Dohyun reached out to hold her up. Her skin felt cold and her pulse was sluggish. It was a good thing that Dohyun himself had fed only an hour or two ago; he was sated enough that the tempting aroma of her spilt blood didn't so much as faze him. "What are you apologizing for?" he asked quietly, not out of true care, but more like how one would speak to a frightened animal. Dohyun had more than enough experience dealing with both bloodlusting vampires and delirious humans, and he didn't need her to start struggling in his arms if she got frightened and accidentally injure herself further.

He needed to get her to the medical wing as soon as possible. With the communication device he had on his person he was able to contact a member of the security team, notifying them of the vampire needing to be detained still placid and dazed on the ground. Dohyun would have to leave the vampire here in order to get this human the medical attention she needed as soon as possible. "A few minutes," he said, mostly to himself, as he maneuvered the human into his arms to start carrying her back across the grounds toward the facility.

@† lim donghyun The human knew she was gonna end up in a situation like this when she came to the farm but was not expecting it in this place. Siyeon was sure that it would have been in the clinical rooms. The rooms that she'd yet to see not the woods she loved. Of course, this was more than likely her fault. Siyeon had probably done something wrong. All she could think of was hoping that if this was the end that someone looked after Scarlett and Hyunwoo. She didn't like the idea of them being here without someone to look after them. Movement caught her attention. Suddenly the other on her neck wasn't there. Siyeon tried to catch herself but she felt cold and a bit sleepy.
"I'm... I'm sorry..."
No other words came to her mind at that moment, all she could think to say to this person who had struggled so much to come to her rescue. It made her sad a pathetic.

@☩ lee siyeon [ tw: blood description ]

There was always a smell of blood at the facility, both inside and outside the building. Of course, it was stronger inside, especially near the chambers where feedings took place. On the Blood Farm grounds it was less of a presence and more a vague scent, a lingering thing that you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it. Which is why it was immediately apparent to Dohyun that there was something amiss when the smell of blood turned sharp and strong as he walked the perimeter of the facility.

He'd been making his normal rounds when he noticed it. He could practically taste the blood on his own tongue, thick and warm; freshly spilt. Which could only mean one thing - something, or more likely some/one/ was bleeding, and quite quickly as well. Dohyun breathed in deep and turned towards the woods at the northern edge of the facility. The smell was coming from that direction. It could very well just be an animal, a deer perhaps, meeting an untimely death at the hands of a mountain line or a stray vampire, but as he breathed in again he could tell that it was human.

The scent of something medical clung to the blood, the same kind that accompanied all the donors at the facility.

At this Dohyun immediately made his way to the treeline. With his speed it took only seconds to arrive, and then he was weaving through the trees, into the darker sections of the forest where the canopy blocked the majority of the sunlight. The smell was getting stronger, and now he could hear the slowing thump of a human pulse, the slick swallow of blood down someone's throat.

He came upon the vampire and their human prey moments later. In no time at all Dohyun was on the vampire - too distracted by their feeding to notice him - before he grabbed them by the back of the neck harshly. The vampire gasped, his fangs dislodging from the human's frail neck, allowing Dohyun to rip him away. Before the vampire could decide whether to attack him or run away Dohyun hissed a command, his eyes flashing and the vampire going still. Now that he wouldn't post a threat (for now) Dohyun turned his attention to the woman.

@☩ lee siyeon The descriptors the other used were not exactly the most helpful at all given that most of the males she had seen in the facility, human or vampire, were taller than she. Muscular was a bit more useful but even that could be relative. Did she mean bulky or was this man cut? Both are 'crazy muscles' to Scarlett so she wasn't sure which one she meant. In general she had more or less avoided vampires of the masculine variety but apparently there was something or someone even more dangerous than that. It meant she would have to be more careful.

"There is a lot about me that you don't know. It is dangerous to assume anything about anyone." Scarlett warned the other female gently as she avoided looking at her altogether. Some people were cattle. She knew that and had encountered them from time to time and she understood that growing attached to them was dangerous and exhausting so she wanted to avoid that altogether. That being said, she just couldn't help herself from trying to give this creature even just a little bit more of a spine. Not that she actually thought it would take, it never did, but she had to at least attempt it.

What was interesting to Scarlett was that the woman seemed aware of her 'shortcomings' and weaknesses and yet chose to do nothing about it. The blonde had seen that a few times before and it was always something of a mind screw because she was so totally different. "Maybe figure out if I am worth any of your effort before offering it." She suggested kindly, doing her best to not come across as harsh as it could be. "As of right now I don't need a distraction. I just need to get back inside and avoid any unwanted attention from our undead overlords. Beyond that, I want a hot bath and a cinnamon roll."

@✠ scarlett johansson Siyeon nods her head bobbing quickly. "He's taller than me. Crazy muscles. He had some fight with my friend and I got dragged into it. My friend yelled at him a lot when he was acting funny and next thing I know I'm watching my body walk back to the dorms with him next to me." Siyeon was aware telling Scarlett that he was taller than she felt silly but Scarlett was shorter than her so she had to be warned. Scarlet had to be a couple inches shorter than Siyeon.

She chuckles tucking hair behind her ear. "Miss Scarlett I have health issues that make me weak. I doubt you could have that sort of thing. ...besides why trust me as you said earlier. I could be a bad person." Siyeon tries her best to look scary but as per normal a bunny scares no one. She continues trying to look tough. When it's clear Siyeon groans with a soft pout. Per normal if Siyeon is trying to be quiet she's either way too loud or barely audible. Most often than not it's the latter.

"Yes but happens when your family coddles you to the point of infantilization. Do you need a distraction or something? I have experience in being that and a scapegoat." Siyeon follows her line of sight before smiling at her. "If you don't tell me your plan I can shy babble a distraction. I had a big family so I know exactly what to do if you need it. But only if you want cause if not then I'll see you inside Miss Scarlett. Avoid the scary guy please."

@☩ lee siyeon As the other woman started to speak, Scarlett was only half-listening until she heard her mention one of the vampires and then she arched an eyebrow curiously. What she had not counted on was learning any sort of intelligence from the female so it was a pleasant surprise to the blonde. "Which one do you mean?" she inquired, now quite interested in what the other had to say as much because it was not only useful to report, but it could also possibly save her skin if she knew who to avoid. "And how do you know that? Did he use it on you?"

Although the female continued to speak, her mind was still on the potential threat and information she had just received. Her thoughts were whirring, fixated on trying to come up with a plan of action for how she would deal with a creature who had those kinds of powers. She was so distracted that she almost missed the other's name and the comment that came after. "Oh, but I thought places like this was where the weak were sent to be useful? Are you saying that is not the case now?" Scarlett poked, her eyes once more focused on Siyeon as she questioned her carefully.

"Besides, how would you know how strong I am? You've only just met me." she reminded the girl before looking around the space once more to decide on the quietest and quickest route back to the facility. Once she was sure it was clear, she began to move quietly through the trees in just such a way as to nearly always have something in between herself and any eyeline from what she knew were watchtowers that guarded the main gates. "Are you scared of many things then?"

@✠ scarlett johansson The other woman was clearly nervous which made Siyeon want to reach out and offer comfort. All she had to offer was the information she found on the head of security. "We should hurry back. The uh... there's one of the security people that patrol around here. He has the power of....suggestion...persuasion or something."

Siyeon smiles brightly, this smile seeming a bit more real than the last. She hadn't expected her to actually introduce herself to her. She bows to Scarlett hoping she said the name properly in her head. A thought hit her after she finished bowing. Did they even bow in America? Would Scarlett find that weird? Should she do something more American? It was then that Siyeon noticed the extended hand. She put her shaking hand in Scarlett's mumbling an apology for how cold her hands were. "Siyeon... I doubt you're weak Miss Scarlett. You're probably the strongest human here and maybe even close in strength to some of the vampires around here."

Siyeon smiles big enough to actually see some teeth briefly. "But we really should avoid that guy. He's pretty scary. ...not that that helps coming from me. But I mean..." She looks around trying to figure out how to phrase things despite knowing that she should just shut up and follow behind Scarlett. Siyeon was floundering about looking for a way to explain how the head of security was scary besides saying he was a man.

@☩ lee siyeon There was little for Scarlett to do as she watched and listen to the woman speak, shifting somewhere between confused and concerned for the other human the more she heard. From what she could gather, this person was about as opposite to her as she could possibly get and it was very difficult for Scarlett to wrap her head around the girl and her intention. To say that she was perplexed was an understatement and as the precious seconds continued to tick away, she also became increasingly paranoid and nervous that they would get caught.

"Okay." The blonde eventually replied, still unsure of exactly what to do or think in that moment. It was clear the other had a lot going on and a lot to unpack both emotionally and mentally but just then was not the time to do it. While Scarlett did have a sense of compassion for the girl as a human being, she was wary of becoming attached to anyone. That being said, an ally could be useful on the inside even if she didn't know what for yet so she decided to at least play nice. "Well, that is a good sentiment and I appreciate it but as of right now I am not doing anything except going back which is also something you should be doing. It will be curfew soon."

Scarlett paused once more and tried to offer an encouraging smile before she continued. "My name is Scarlett. I came from America and it's nice to meet you." she said softly and extended her hand in a slow and deliberate manner so as not to spook the other. "I guess that makes me weak too then so maybe we can be weak together."

@✠ scarlett johansson Siyeon watched the woman curious of why she was acting like this. After watching the woman move around she found herself copying this other woman. Not sure why she was doing so. "You don't know me. I don't know you so..." Her voice trailing off as she realized she had assumed the negative first once more. Guilt filled her as she hung her head. Siyeon chews on her bottom lip as she mentally scolds herself for once again assuming the worse before even considering anything else. Blocking out what the other woman said was easy enough as Siyeon gets trapped in her mind still scolding herself.

"Cause I was raised to make myself useful to those around me..." Siyeon crosses her arms in front of herself. Her eyes expressing everything she was feeling as if she was speaking it herself. Not that Siyeon wouldn't speak about it if she was feeling bold enough. "I haven't. I came here from my family home. I wasn't useful there so they agreed with me. I should stay here where weak people are the most useful." Her face lightening up as if she told a funny joke save for her eyes. Once again Siyeon's eyes betrayed her real thoughts on coming here. They shone, no, they screamed her true feelings as they always did. No matter how many times she practiced smiling her eyes always gave her away.

Siyeon looks away taking a deep breath. "If it's not something stupid then it's best to keep me around as a scapegoat. I can't run or anything so I'll get caught anyway if they find out. Just say it was my fault. I'm quiet and stick to myself so they'll believe it."

@☩ lee siyeon A look of deep confusion overtook Scarlett's fair features, knitting her brows together and drawing her lower lip into a pout as she regarded the other female. For a few seconds all the could do was just stand there and process the absolutely awkward display she had just witnessed before glancing around to see if anyone else had become aware of their presence because of it. They were breaking the rules, she knew that, and such carelessness could only bring unwanted attention and ire on both her and her mission.

"Just trying to get some fresh air." The blonde replied, crouching down a bit to give herself a lower profile to try and stay hidden from any wayward gazes. It wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either and she was alright with that. She didn't know this person or her loyalties so she wasn't exactly keen on telling her much of anything. "Why would I tell on you? I would get in just as much trouble and I don't want that at all. I've seen what they can do to troublemakers."

Her blue eyes once again scanned the horizon as she moved quietly towards the other, just wanting to close the distance to keep the noise to a minimum but not exactly eager to crowd her either. "You don't have any idea who I am or what I am up to. What if I was doing something stupid or dangerous? Why would you help with that?" Scarlett inquired, still speaking in low, hushed tones. "Or how do you know I wouldn't immediately betray you? Have you been out in the world lately? Not everyone is good."

@✠ scarlett johansson Slowly she balanced along the fallen tree with a soft grin. No matter how many times she got to escape here it wasn't enough. Siyeon hated being confined in a place like this out there. The facility only had a garden but it wasn't anything like this. It wasn't even close to being out here. She sighs softly looking around. A group of birds flies over making Siyeon look up at the sky. She darts off following them through the forest till she loses them. A fit of laughter hits her before her she starts coughing. Air not coming into her lungs properly. Siyeon leans against a tree finding comfort in the simple act. Once she feels okay Siyeon pushes off the tree looking around.

She pauses catching sight of another figure. Siyeon freezes like a deer in highlights. Was this person going to drag her back? Was she going to be in trouble? Lost in her worries Siyeon's foot slipped falling on her unceremoniously. She groans rubbing her perceived wounds before her head jerks up. The voice wasn't a man's voice! So much tension left her body. Siyeon stands up slowly to be sure she wouldn't fall over.

"I'm playing. What about you?" Her voice is soft. Her shyness and disuse causing it. "Do you need some help or something? ...if you don't tell I can help." Siyeon's arms went behind her back and her head tilted to the side.

@☩ lee siyeon The delightful chirping of birds overhead flitting from branch to branch was extremely comforting to Scarlett as she moved through the trees towards the facility that had become her temporary place of rest. Home? No. It would never be home. How could it? It was full of... them. The sight of it coupled with the thoughts of the creatures that dwelled within was enough to sour whatever joy the birdsong had brought to the blonde's heart. Almost as if to invite some of that warmth back into herself, she glanced up to try and catch a glimpse of the feathery singers before she would have to leave them behind.

These brief escapes into the forest to drop off her notes were the highlights of her weeks and she looked forward to gaining more and more knowledge just to be able to be among the forest once more. Scarlett savored every breath, every second that she wasn't surrounded by the stench of death and despair. Sure, it might have been better than other facilities but it didn't make it right either.

Just as she was about to break the tree line she paused, hesitating as she considered just running and disappearing into the woods and the mountains somewhere. She would never do that and she knew it, she could never abandon her mission like that but every once in a while she liked to entertain the fantasy that was freedom and for those few seconds her heart was lighter than air. As she turned her head to scan the horizon a true smile adorned her full lips, imagining running off into the distance for a brief moment until another figure caught her eye and she inwardly heaved a sigh.

It was another human.

And just like that her daydream was shattered as she walked towards the female, somewhere between annoyed and impressed. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she regarded the other with concern and suspicion.

@† park seonghwa The little bird now seemed distressed about something. Well, not distressed, per say. More like frustrated. Like it wanted to say something but there obvious limitations and a major, major language barrier that prevented it from getting the right words out. The raven looks around frantically, knowing just what to do in order to get the proper message across without leaving any key details out. Daemon spots what they were looking for and flies off into another room for a moment before coming back with the small whiteboard CB97 normally used when he needed to write out a message of his own. Learning from him, the raven manages to uncap the marker then begins to messily and rather clumsily begin writing. It takes a little while but once its complete, Daemon looks proud of their work as they step aside to let Seonghwa see it.

'Grieving and guilty. They were slaughtered. Him nearly dead. He feels responsible. He blames himself very much. Lonely. Yet distrustful. Yearning for company. More than that. Yet scared. Wants to trust. Past betrayal hinders him. Scars are evidence.'

Definitely a whole lot more to the hunter than he let people believe, that's for sure. People always saw him as an unmovable force, a mountain that would take hundreds of men to move. Someone who wouldn't even be phased by a damn earth quake. Someone who would probably look at a typhoon and say, 'Took you in' long enough to get here. I've been waiting.' A lot of people who are concerned for his well-being are sure he's purposely driving himself towards a dead end. Like he's convinced that the end-game here is his own funeral. Sadly, it's true. The only thing keeping him alive and breathing is his personal vendetta. After that, though? Well... what else reason would there be to stay?

How long has it been since he was out? That was unclear. When CB97 finally stirred awake, he wasn't aware that it had been nearly three days. Now that he had allowed himself to rest, he could finally be able to get the actually deserved. And by the time he did awake, his head was pounding and his body was still so unbelievably sore that it ached even when he just laid there contemplating life. After a little while, the hunter seems to have gathered himself enough to begin moving. Slowly, he pushed himself up with pained inhale, reaching up to touch the bandage on his head and briefly wondering who put it there when he happens to glance up to see someone walking through the doorway of his room.

@✠ cb97 Seonghwa slowly, gently, moved the hunter just a bit when he had to so he could reach his other arm and side to clean up a bit more. He doubted the hunter wanted to wake up in the remnants of that fight they had had. He asked the raven lighter questions as he worked along the man's torso, glad that the man was still breathing evenly as he fell asleep properly. He would probably need to be fed water though, dehydration was not pleasant.

The vampire wasn't exactly pleased by the raven's answer, but he wasn't all too surprised. With just this day's interactions alone, Seonghwa could tell a lot about the hunter. He sighed as he finished wiping down his torso. He wanted to take off the other's pants to see if he had any injuries on his legs, but he didn't want the hunter to feel violated in his sleep. Consent was important even with these sorts of things after all.

He turned to look at where the raven was looking and saw the photos. He didn't touch them or move them. He just looked at the photos and couldn't help but smile sadly, seeing someone who had the face of the hunter, but was entirely a stranger at the same time. The closest Seonghwa had seen of these photographs of the hunter was when he had blushed ever so slightly earlier in the forest. Other than that, it was either a neutral, disgruntled or angered expression.

"I'm... privileged in the fact that I'm a vampire during these times... but that doesn't mean I am not saddened by how the world is now," he commented. He didn't even know if the raven understood him, and he was sure that the hunter was very much asleep. "It's a terrible thing, what this world has done to people like you," he said softly as he turned to the hunter then. "If it wasn't for how things had turned out... well, I suppose we wouldn't be here like this, you completely worn out and overworked, and me taking care of you like this in your cottage with your little raven friend," he sighed. He stood up then and headed out of the bedroom. He grabbed a glass of water and placed it on the dresser in the bedroom before he scrounged around without looking into anything too much for a bandage. He very carefully wrapped the hunter's head in a bandage before leaving him to rest. Seonghwa waited around on the couch though, deciding to think about the things that had happened that afternoon and night. He was sure the hunter was going to wake up with a terrible headache.

@† park seonghwa The hunter wasn't unconscious, but he wasn't completely coherent at the moment either. Barely clinging to reality, CB97 continued to try to move, to try to reach into the second drawer and pull out whatever shirt his hand found. But before he could muster up any amount of strength that did still linger, someone was right beside him. And since his senses were still a little bit wonky, he couldn't quite register who it was at first. So the hunter struggled weakly against the hands grabbing him, groaning quietly when he's hoisted off of his feet - and then the fight is quickly fading. No longer having the energy to protest, he simply just lets whoever it was do whatever it was they wanted to do. It was only when he managed to focus his hearing enough to be able to listen to the conversation, to the words, to the tone, to the voice and then pinpoint who it was.

Seonghwa. It was just Seonghwa.

Relaxing into the sheets, the hunter let his eyes flutter shut so he doesn't have to see reality warping around him every second. It wasn't really helping how utterly terrible he's currently feeling. But then he takes note of what the vampire is saying, realizes that it's like Seonghwa was communicating... with Daemon? There was cawwing and every time it'd stop, the other would reply and so on and so forth. Back and forth they seemed to go, two souls completely understanding one another. For a moment there, CB97 actually thinks he's hallucinating. There's no way a vampire was communicating with a bird, right? It's got to be his concussion. He did smack his head off that tree pretty good earlier. Deciding not to pay too much attention to it, he lets himself drift off into a deep sleep.

Daemon gives a brief little pause, as though to consider Seonghwa's question. It really wanted to reassure him but it'd be nothing but a lie. Of course the hunter gets banged up once in a while, sometimes not even from his own doing. Sometimes, it can't be helped. There's been too many times where the person who gave him a contract would leave out rather significant details that they think 'weren't necessary.' So, no. This wasn't the first time where Daemon saw their beloved friend collapse from exhaustion, however it was certainly more preferred the watching him bleed out.

'Better option,' the raven says instead after much contemplation, staying off to the side to give the vampire all the room he needed to tend to CB97. Daemon looks towards the framed pictures on the wall above the dresser and their head to the side. 'Reasons. To continue.' Pictures of his family were there. Some with him included, showing an unseen side that was captured by the flick of a button. In there, he was smiling. Wide, happy, dimples showing, eyes curved to crescents due to his freckled cheeks bunching up. For little sister, Hannah, there was just her in what looked to be a pair of pajamas shoving an Eggo into , goofing off at the camera by playfully crossing her eyes. For the youngest, his baby brother Lucas, it was the two of them. The picture itself was blurry but that was only because it seemed to be taken in the exact moment Lucas had jumped on to his wide shoulders from behind. The younger boy was grinning from ear to ear at the camera while CB97 was looked to be caught mid laughter. It was taken from a cellphone and he was holding it front face. The other pictures were of his parents. His mother reading a book under the light. His father standing side by side CB97 with their backs towards the camera as they stood by a sink; sleeves rolled up, seemingly washing their hands while in a deep conversation. There was another whe CB97 was captured on the ground with his two excited siblings on top of him, clearly in a playful battle seeing as their father lingered in the back with a content and fond look on his face while watching his children interact so merrily.

@✠ cb97 Seonghwa was relieved to say the least when the hunter was clearly accepting his help. As much as he didn't want to resort to such methods, he was ready to handle the stubborn hunter until he relented. He was glad that he wouldn't have to do so. Once they got into the cottage, Seonghwa still startled ever so slightly when the hunter fell to his knees. He couldn't help but roll his eyes slightly, despite his own concern for the hunter.

He turned to the raven, already having understood what was going to happen. It wasn't good for a donor to be out so late anyway, let alone overnight. "Hunter, you better still be alive by the time I get back," he sighed. He turned to the girl gently lifting her up into his back so they could get back to the facility as soon as possible. The hand over to the girl's brother and one of the doctors was easy enough, and remembering that he was definitely not completely dressed anymore, Seonghwa very quickly went to his bedroom to change into slightly more comfortable clothing. He had a feeling that he'd be returning to a very unconscious hunter.

It didn't take long to head back to the hunter's cottage, with not many people out and about as well as the vampire's speed, he was able to get back in less than an hour since his departure. He headed inside and locked the door behind him. It was easy enough to find the bedroom where the hunter was, however, Seonghwa didn't expect to find the hunter knocked out awkwardly on top of his dresser. He turned to the raven and sighed, "Is he always like this?" he asked, sighing again when he received an affirmative answer from the bird. "I'm quite relieved he has you around, birdie," he said.

He approached the hunter's barely conscious form and even in the darkness, he could see the scar on his shoulder. "Huh, I guess we have something in common," he commented. He apologised out loud, even though he wasn't even sure if the hunter could hear him, before he very carefully lifted the man up and onto the actual bed, laying him down on his side. "Birdie, I'm going to get something to clean him up with. Watch him, will you? And give me a shout if he acts off," he requested before going back out to the kitchen area to find something close to cloths, water and a bowl of some kind.

He came back to the room soon enough and placed the bowl of water on the bedside dresser, dipping a cloth into the water before he began to wipe away the dirt, blood and ash from the hunter's head. "Birdie, please tell me he doesn't get to this point every time? Because I'm surprised he isn't more severely injured in the brain if that's the case," he said. He rinsed the cloth before moving down to his neck, having made sure to have the bitten shoulder up so he could clean the area properly.

@† park seonghwa Confusion. Oh, the confusion. What was it about this guy? He couldn't quite put a finger on it. Every time Seonghwa showed the slightest bit of concern for him, he'd feel himself grow... flustered, for some reason. When the vampire remained close to him throughout their journey to safety, speaking quietly to him once their destination was coming into view, it made CB97 question things even more - and be unable to figure out any of the answers. Turning his head and looking over at the male didn't seem to help either. Questions, questions, questions. The hunter's stare lingered on Seonghwa's eyes once more, as though he hoped some answers could be hidden there perhaps but he couldn't quite find anything.

'Acceptance,' Daemon almost seems to whisper in shock, surprised that their human friend would actually accept help from a vampire when he never has before. CB97 looks away, still completely oblivious to the fact that Daemon and Seonghwa have been able to communicate this entire time. Perhaps if he knew he'd keep a better cap on his emotions. That damn bird could read him like a book and a part of him was aware of that, he just wasn't sure to what extend it went to. Perhaps they knew him better than he knew himself.

The very second they stepped through the threshold of his cottage, his entire body gave out. It was only when he knew that they were all finally in a place where they were safe did he allow his knees to give in - and crashing down on to them was quite painful but at least he was able to catch himself before he landed face first into the floor. The girl, jostled out of her stupor by the sudden drop, gasps in shock and quickly scrambles to get off of him, not wanting to hinder him any more than she already has. She looks up, desperately asking what was wrong with him and if he was going to be okay. CB97 grits his teeth, forehead pressed against the wooden planks and eyes clenched shut as he reaches out to gently push her hands away. He turns his head slightly, opening an eye to give a brief glance towards the vampire.

'Take her home,' Daemon flaps their wings, still perched on Seonghwa's shoulders - but only for a moment. It flew down to instead stand by his head, as though to help watch over him while they were gone. 'Take her home. Girl. First. Him later. Girl. First.' CB97 focuses on her noises and uses it as something to hold on to. He starts moving, slowly, when he finally heads the door shut after a few moments. Seonghwa was going to take the girl back to the Blood Farm, back to her brother, and she was going to be just fine. They had gotten there in time. They saved her in time. She was going to be /fine/. Right now, he needed to get somewhere more comfortable than the damn ground. If he could make it this far, he could make it to his damn bed. Pushing himself up to his feet, dragging himself along, using the wall as his support, he was able to make it into his bedroom. The hunter eases down on the edge, wanting to take his gear off first because they're a to get off in general - and he'd rather do it now than later.

The boots were the first to go. Then it was his arm guards that had the hidden blades installed. One dropped to the floor then the next followed. Now it's the tricky part; getting out of his chest gear. It was rather skin tight due to the fabric resembling black leather. The vest took a few minutes to undo and by then, he was so, so dizzy that he could barely see straight. Was it the concussion? Or was it his body reaching its max? You know, it could be a bit of both, he joked in his thoughts; finding humor in this situation despite things. Now that the vest was gone, he'd be able to take off everything else no problem. Each article of clothing was tossed to the ground and replaced with more loose, comfortable fabrics. He just managed to finish putting the sweat pants on when his entire axis tipped, leaning against the dresser with a shaky breath. There was no shirt on his chest, leaving it bare to show his very well-defined torso as well as the horrendous scar that took up his entire left shoulder, even reaching halfway up his neck. A permanent reminder of the framed photos that hung above the dresser in front of him.

@✠ cb97 Flustered, confused, scared only for a moment, cofused again. Seonghwa couldn't help but smile slightly for a moment as he noticed the erratic changes in emotion from the hunter. It was amusing but also concerning. He really hoped that the hunter was going to be okay. The last thing he needed was two injured humans to carry back to the facility. He could do it, but it would be a lot more convenient if one of them could walk, and currently, the girl was not exactly up for such a task.

Just as they were leaving the forest, Seonghwa took off his outer shirt - mourning the blood, ash and dirt stains on it for a moment, tying it around his waist before grabbing his inner t-shirt. He was thankfully dressed rather plainly since he /had/ been working. He quickly tied his clean t-shirt around the girl's leg to hopefully staunch the bloodflow. He stuck very close to the pair and kept an eye on the raven as well. The raven didn't seem too worried though, so he supposed that they would be alright until they got somewhere safe.

Seonghwa remained vigilant, keeping his thoughts to himself with how stubborn the hunter seemed to be. He seemed to be very determined to keep holding the girl on his back, despite the couple of times he stumbled and needed a break. Seonghwa was very quick to notice that they were not on the way to the blood farm anymore. He trusted the hunter though and continued to follow him, eyeing him carefully since both he and the girl looked just about ready to faint from exhaustion.

As much as Seonghwa knew and could understand that the raven wanted to comfort the hunter, he doubted that it was any good to add even the tiniest bit of extra weight on his shoulders. "Birdie, come here. You can go to him in a bit," he said, tapping his own shoulder. Thankfully the raven hopped on over to him and soon enough, he saw a lone cottage, seemingly out of the way from most other things. "Hunter, I don't even know your name, oh well, that's for later. As soon as we get inside, I'll take this poor girl and place her somewhere safe. If you faint on me, I hope you can trust me enough to take care of you."

@† park seonghwa Staying against the trunk of the tree was probably his best bet for the next few minutes. He was still exhausted, even more so now than an hour ago, and he can feel himself teetering at the edge now. His body was worked beyond its limit. However, there was still an issue at hand that kept him driven; awake, defiantly fighting it off just for a little bit longer. The fight was over, thankfully, but that was the easy part. Getting the girl back to the safety of the Blood Farm was their next priority - and it was a hell of a hike to get there, especially with all those hills they have to climb over. He was seriously not looking forward to that. He could feel his body screaming at him at the mere thought of taking one more step.

Before he knew it, Seonghwa was in front of him. The sudden proximity catches him off guard - he wasn't used to people being this close. In fact, no one has /ever/ been this close in a very long time. He always made it a point to prevent that from happening. It's enough to make him panic for a split second, mainly out of fleeting fear (rough experiences with vampires, and all) and have the urge to recoil away. His fingers twitch towards his dagger and he finds himself gripping the handle but... never removing it from its holster. Instead, he's frozen in shock. Seonghwa... wasn't hurting him, wasn't even trying to. The concern in the vampire's expression was clear even if he didn't mean to show it. CB97 could still see it as the bite mark was inspected thoroughly. The touch was surprisingly gentle and... he surprisingly didn't feel threatened. He didn't feel like he was in danger. /Seonghwa/ didn't feel like danger. This sparks confusion, amongst other things but he's a little too in denial that it could possibly mean anything. Questions, questions, questions. First off: why was Seonghwa even worried about his health? /Again/? There has been several people who have shown concern for him, however they still lingered away from him (not just physically either). Why did he care so much about the hunter? Or perhaps he was just reading into it. Regardless, the confusion and mixed feelings and sudden closeness of someone who is admittedly quite attractive not only makes him not push Seonghwa away from him, but a soft pink gradually appears on his freckled cheeks. He stares wide-eyed at Seonghwa, looking into his gaze and finding himself to be breathless for a whole different reason.

"E-Excuse me?" came a meek, trembling voice. The girl. CB97 immediately snaps back into focus, having been lost for a moment there. He reaches up slowly and removes Seonghwa's hand from his jaw, doing his best to mask the reaction he just had by turning his attention towards the girl. Walking over to her, he knew she was in no condition to walk. Not with that injury. That means he had to carry her since she still seemed rather shaken up. He didn't want to make it worse by having his immortal companion over there to do it instead. So he crouches down in front of her and let her climb on to his back. It was a good thing his shoulders, given how wide and muscular they are were his strongest physical aspect. And it wasn't until they were half way there when he narrowly collapsed, having to lean against a nearest tree to avoid falling over. He just let himself breathe for a couple moments, not letting go of the girl who was definitely showing no signs of letting go of him, either. The girl of course panicked, worried over his health, and kept asking if he was alright. He clearly wasn't.

But, ah, there it was. The hunter himself did not believe that there was anything good left in him. Given the number in his body count and the blood on his hands, CB97 thought he lost his "humanity" the night his family was killed. He knew he was responsible for their deaths. It was /his/ fault. /His/ burden to bare. The Christopher that once was was long gone, or so he told himself. The man who believed that vampires and humans could coexist was the same man who smiled, who laughed, who was a genuine light to be around, had been buried with his loved ones. CB97 always thought that part of him died that night as well, but it hasn't - it's still there, just unseen by his eyes. The qualities of what it meant to be human was still flowing through his veins. The determination, the ability to adapt to change, to get up and keep getting the up no matter what, and to have the courage to face death with a grin. Sure, he was a hunter. And a part of him burned a hatred towards vampires. However he also wasn't blind about the devastation his own race has caused. On the other hand, he also holds an acceptance towards vampires and is even genuinely civil towards them. And he's also had to have the misfortune of killing humans, most of them fellow hunters, who have gone rogue themselves.

If you asked him what side he was on for the war, he would tell you neither. Neutral, seeing pros and cons for both sides and choosing to do what /he/ knew was right. Sometimes that'd put him on humanity's sides. Others times, though? They seem to occur more than most. Fact is: CB97 is starting to think the vampires were no longer his enemy anymore. Hell, he could've killed Seonghwa. He had the chance to twice now and chose to lower his weapon each time.

Perhaps he's gone soft for them.

He leaned off the street as a flame flickers in his eye. They all needed to get to safety. It was night time and the scent of blood could attract more rogues if they didn't get out of there quick. There was no time to rest - he'll do it when he's back at his cottage, which wasn't very far from here. In fact, it was closer to them then the Blood Farm and his body was on autopilot at this point; counting himself in the whole 'I need to get everyone to safety' mentality. It was leading everyone towards his cottage, the only place where /he/ feels safe. Daemon seemed to realize this and let out a sad little caw as it flew down to instead rest on his shoulder, pressing close and affectionately nuzzling his temple; trying to encourage him but also comfort him.

@✠ cb97 Seonghwa knew that his strength surprised many people on the rare occasions he showed it. He didn't like to show it off too much, but he definitely appreciated his own strength when he had some of the bigger cleaning jobs to do. He continued to take care of the rogues that were out of the hunter's line of attack, making sure every single one of them didn't even get a chance to get back to the girl. It had been a while since he had physically thrown bodies around, and he was sure that he'd probably need to feed once they got back to the facility.

The fact that the girl was bleeding was both good and bad - good because it got the rogues into a stupid frenzy, and bad because the girl was probably very close to fainting from the injury and the shock of everything that had happened within the last couple of hours-

Seonghwa turned around when he heard the distinct sound of the hunter being thrown. Seonghwa moved faster to make sure there were no more rogues, going over to the girl to make sure she was alright since he could see that the hunter seemed to be handling the situation alright. He let out a gasp when he smelt more blood, seeing the hunter struggling slightly against the rogue. Just as he was about to run over to help though, the hunter had already handled it.

Making sure that they were indeed in the clear, Seonghwa rushed over to the hunter's side, reaching out and gently turning his head to look at him to see if he had gotten injured more than the bite. He turned the hunter's head from side to side ever so carefully and frowned slightly, his hand still on the hunter's jaw. "You might have a bit of a concussion, but I think you should be alright. Right now, let's all get back to the facility," he nodded.

@† park seonghwa The alarming sight of an actual tree being tossed on to the field like its weight was one with Styrofoam was enough to make everyone pause for a couple of seconds. CB97 stares in bewilderment and glances over towards the one who threw it. He was a little impressed, he'll admit. Seonghwa had amazing strength. The hunter was worried that he'd get in the way one way or another and that would be a whole 'nother mess to deal with. However, it seemed that his judgement was wrong. Perhaps when he's in a better mood in a day or two, an apology would be given but that's food for thought right now. More important matters at hand at the moment.

As soon as the girl was in arm's length, CB97 reaches out and takes her hand, pulling her close and letting her cling to his back in fright. She was bleeding, most likely suffered that injury on her leg during a struggle that happened before they had arrived. It looked pretty serious seeing as she could barely put her weight on that leg and was practically using the hunter was her main source of support. Subtly, he began to back up slowly, knowing that there was some sturdy looking rocks that she could rest on somewhere behind them, refusing to look away as the rogues stood in front of them. Fangs bared, eyes blood shot and dark with thirst and desperation. Analyzing each of their frenzied movements, the hunter waits until he feels the girl's hold on him release as she sits on the rock before he makes any move. As soon as she lets go, CB97 reaches into his holster and pulls out what looks to be a simple, silver baton. One press to a button has it morphing into a tall staff and what looked to be a narrow hidden compartment going from end to the other. He pressed it with his finger tip and as it opened up, the same finger hooked around the string that was concealed with in, pulls out an arrow from the quiver that was on his back and takes aim. Turns out, the harmless looking baton was actually a secret weapon.

He spots one of the rogues appearing to have a teleportation ability, seeing as it was disappearing and reappearing all of the place to try to confuse him. His eyes narrowed as they followed its every movement, aim never wavering until finally, the arrow flew - and it looked like it was going nowhere when the rogue appeared for a millisecond, too quick for the normal eye to progress as nothing more than a blur. But it was enough time for the arrow to land. Right between the eyes. The hunter always had immaculate archery skills, able to predict where the target would be and could land a perfect shot from yards away (hilariously, some of his fellow hunters actually began calling him Hawkeye for this trait). After firing a few more arrows, he tucks the string back in and presses a different trigger that activates the baton's second weapon; a double ended staff. With this and his pistol, he was able to move more smoothly and make sure the rogues kept at a distance, not just from him but from the girl as well.

Two down, three down, four. Five down, six. The last one, now very angry, teleports directly in front of the hunter, who had no time to react before he was thrown against the furthest tree. His head bounces off the trunk and his vision sways, giving the rogue an opening and it doesn't hesitate to sink its fangs into his neck. However Daemon didn't let this continue for longer than two seconds as they swoop down and begin to attack with their talons and beak, prompting the rogue to let go in order to try to shoo the raven away. It gave CB97 the chance to plunge his dagger deep into their ribs, breathing heavily as the being in front of him soon turns into ash and bones.

@✠ cb97 Seonghwa followed along, barely making any sounds other than slight rustles which could easily be dismissed as small animals in the trees. He followed along, making sure he could still hear or see the raven and the hunter. He circled around the group of vampires, eyeing how many there were. Surely, no matter how experienced a hunter was, this was too many to handle on their own. Especially considering how tired the hunter seemed to be.

The muffled cries of the human girl could be heard easily from Seonghwa's vantage point. He continued to move closer just as the hunter did, and as the chaos broke out, with the hunter and the raven going for the rogues, Seonghwa very quickly scanned the trees. He found the one with the best angle, apologised to the forest under his breath before jumping down and uprooting the tree with all of his might. With a very loud crack! the tree slowly fell, falling to block the way into the shed.

Knowing that his presence was made known to the rogues now, Seonghwa ran from the treeline, scanning the scene before him. The hunter seemed okay for now, but he would be better off with the raven by his side. Seonghwa ran towards the raven and the poor girl. He shooed the raven away before taking the nearest rogues head in his hand and shoving it right up against the trunk of a tree. Taking down another vampire, Seonghwa very quckly tore the bindings around her wrists, arms and the cloth gag around . "My apologies," he said in advance before lifting her into his arms and speeding around to behind the hunter, away from the rogues, "Stay with him," he instructed before turning back around just as the remainder of the rogues seemed to gather their wits and charged towards both him and the hunter.

@† park seonghwa The hunter watched at Seonghwa climbed into the trees, intrigued by his movements and how easy it was for him to go from tree to tree. The agility some vampires had always fascinated him. He kind of wished he could move like that but, alas, the human body could only do so much it seemed. It was quite limiting. although that never bothered him too much. Growing through everything and still being human at the end is something the hunter has been kind of proud over. Not many sticked to that route and ended up volunteering themselves up to be turned because the thought of death terrified them. He isn't quite sure how he'd enjoy the idea of being turned into a vampire. He's looked death in the eye many times and was completely unbothered by it, so that won't change no matter what life takes him. It's not like there anything tying him to this earth aside from Daemon anyways. And besides, death is inevitable for humans. It'll come one way or another. What matters, as he's come to learn, is what you do in that lifetime. Shall you choose to make a name for yourself or let your body rot in the ground will mark where your legacy ends or begins.

Keeping himself moving through the trail, occasionally ducking under low branches while dodging those that had already fallen; not wanting to create any noise that could alert something unfavorable nearby. Bears still do exist, after all, and they're not exactly easy to kill most of the time. Plus, it's just a hassle. They could create enough noise to alert their target so it was best to try to be quiet as he rushed along, keeping a close eye on his companion up in the sky and keeping a weathered eye on the horizon ahead for any movement. After a little while of trudging along, Daemon suddenly picks up the speed before swooping down just ahead. 'There,' the hunter thought to himself, grip tightening as he walked faster and faster until something came into view that has him immediately taking cover behind a fallen tree. He could see the girl, struggling against her binds and utterly terrified as a considerably large group of vampires gathered around her. After studying the environment, he jumps over the trunk and begins moving closer, darting behind the trees for coverage until he was close enough. CB97 reached into the right holster to pull out a dagger, taking aim, steadying himself then letting it fly. It spun around in the air towards the vampire who was about to sink his fangs into the girl's neck The dagger hits him right between the eyes.

"Hunter!" Someone yells as the vampire's body turns into nothing but ash and bones. CB97 steps out from the tree line, eyes set on everything that moved. Some begin charging at him while the others attempt to drag the girl into the dilapidated shed behind them - like that was going to do much but it was most likely a last attempt to feed, a last resort to try to overpower the hunter. He aims his gun at them and manages to down three of them before his focus is on the ones who are now aiming their fangs at them. Daemon lets out an angry noise at the sight of the girl being manhandled into the shed and swoops down to begin attacking one of the vampires, going for their head and aiming for their eyes. CB97 moves fluidly, almost like water, with perfect timing despite his condition. One down. Two down. Three down. They're going down like dominoes. Alternating between firing his gun and using his dagger and hidden blades to go from one to another in the matter of seconds. He was barely able to dodge them, though. They were frenzied, driven mad with hunger, desperately trying to claw at him for any drop of blood that they could get. Luckily though, he had good reaction skills so he'd be able to knock them away before they could get close enough.

@✠ cb97 Although Seonghwa could sense and see the disgruntlement from the human, he was not planning on backing down any time soon. He had made a decision and he was sticking to it. Despite his aversion to violence and the high chance of this encounter becoming violent, the vampire didn't mind too much. The hunter was risking his life for one of the donors anyway. If anyone asked, it was simply to help the girl. He could tell that the human was much more concerned with the task at hand anyway, so he wasn't too worried about the anger being aimed towards him.

Seonghwa followed the raven with his eyes, glancing over at the hunter every so often as well to make sure they were on track. He wasn't all too surprised by the fact that they were headed into the forest. It was less crowded than the city, but it was a little easier to pick up on a scent. An interesting move by the rogue who had taken the donor. Seonghwa couldn't help but bristle for a short moment at the appearance of the gun in the hunter's hand. But he knew that that wouldn't be targeted at him so he shook off the feeling and kept up with the hunter's pace.

He could sense that they were close as well and looked up in time to see the raven circling. He split off slightly from the hunter, wanting to create space so that they wouldn't be so easy to target at the same time. If anything, he supposed that he could act as a distraction as some point, lead the rogue to believe that there were more people around. He didn't speak to the hunter, just noddded his head before creating an even larger gap and eventually jumping up into the trees to follow from above.

@† kim taeyeon as she was going to pass by the river, she heard a voice not very far and stopped her tracks. she turned to look at that voice and froze, she know her. one of the ancient vampires, most likely. she held the box tight in her arms and glared at her with red orbs.

"i'm not going to sell it, i'm collecting it." she told her, "it was from my family, and i'm going to take it back." then she turns away and continues walking where her marked trail is and winter had been storing precious heirlooms under an old tree.

@☨ kim minjeong Taeyeon eyed the small vampire that made a seemingly safe escape through the security and into the forest. She was bold and smart, she would give that much credit to the young babe (not because she oddly felt familiar to Taeyeon; a thought she assumed to be her old age playing tricks on her). She followed the other silently into the deep before she let her presence known.

"You know stealing is bad. Very, very, very bad." She stood feets away from the other vampire — her name minjeong, was it? Taeyeon shrugged off the thought and fixed her with a narrowed gaze. "Even if you try to resell it, no one will buy it."

@† kim taeyeon it took a few days for her to stare at the artifact that was from their family. those thieving monsters sold and auctioned her family heirlooms for gold coins, now she's going to take it all back. she got through the security from one facility while holding the box containing an antique gun that her late grandfather carried once before escaping to the woods where there's one place where she could hide these artifacts.