Night of the new moon

The atmosphere was not lightened.
Bart dropped his head, staring at the neutral ground. he pushed few rocks away with his flickering tail. His eyes glistened, and he tensed his fists. He almost pierced his hands with his claws. He couldn't do anything, and he knew it. But he shall continue nonetheless.

Shadow looked up at the dark sky, playing with a lock of her jet-black hair. It always felt strange to be human, without magic nor to threat of her demonic side. She looked down at the ground again. Soon she wouldn't have to worry about either.

Alba smiled, remebering the first time she'd met Shadow. It had been in a busy street and she'd been running. Running from thugs from her school. The demon and her had collided and were sent flying. It was funny to think that such a violent moment had lead to such a strong friendship...
Then she thought of meeting Vrael, and her eyes filled with tears, remembering the fact that Natalie had liked him too. She felt slightly guilty. A tear rolled down her cheek and an uncontrolable sob escaped her as she thought: Maybe she wouldn't have left him like this. Maybe she would have lived to love him as he deserved...

Bart turned his head to Alba. He did not wonder why she was crying. It was hard to live, knowing that you would die in a couple of weeks, but also letting everyone behind you. Everyone that was counting on you, you would leave them alone. Bart approached Alba, and put a heavy hand on her shoulder. He did not say anything. His tail flicked once, and his eyes glistened.

Shadow suddenly smashed her fist into the ground. She got to her feet, ignoring the pain at doing so, glaring at the ground.
"Alba, we will find every possible way to stop you dying." She growled.

Bart jumped slightly as Shadow hit hard onto the rocky and humid ground. He relaxed then, his eyes glistening. His tail flicked twice. He looked at Shadow. If he could've smiled, he would've done so; but this wasn't the time to do that. He then turned his head to Alba. He nodded his head, and agreed.
'Exactly,' he said, simply.

Shadow looked up at Alba and Bart.
"I won't be there to protect you, but I assure you that the rest of my family will do everything in their power to help you." She gave a slightly sarcastic half smile, "It's one of the few advantages of being a part of a demonic clan."

Bart stood up, nodding once more, his tail whipping at the air ferociously, 'I'll do the same. All the Kraferrs instead for... For me and someone else are dead. I can't let you go too, can I?' Bart said, scratching the back of his head. He turned to Shadow. 'But I'll also do everything in my power to not let you die, even if that seems imminent.'

Shadow shook her head.
"My death is inavoidable. Karthragan will keep tracking me down. Alba, however, the clan WILL do everything it can, even if it means she has to spend the month in Synairn." She said

Alba stood up, wiping her tears on her sleeve and trying not to think about spending an entire month among demons in an other dimention. She looked up at her friends and smiled, her green eyes glistenning with fresh tears.
"You people are the best friends anyone could ever have," she croaked, forcing back her overwhelming pain and sorrow.
Then, she did something she would never have done before (mostly to avoid the mother of all wedgies :s). She stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around Shadow, hugging her close.

Shadow stood frozen for a few moments, but then she hugged her friend back.
"You won't die, not if the clan had something to say about it. You will live on, either in this dimension or another." She murmured to her friend. She pulled away, looking down at the ground sadly.

Alba managed a foolish grin, ans said:
"Thanks. Demons! No matter how bad the situation gets, they always find a way, don't they! Brilliant!"

(lol)

- If it's ok with everyone, I'd like to do a time jump of two days, because this isn't getting anywhere very fast and, reading over it, is getting kinda repetivive... -

Shadow gave a sad half smile, flicking a rather annoying lock of black hair off her face. She hated the reminder of her current situation. She could sense that Karthragan was likely to jump around the corner at any time, and the prospect of facing him in her human form was, quite frankly, terrifying...

--Nooo problem. We need to get the fun started, anyways. I vote yes.--

- Ok -

Shadow and Vrael sat up in a tree near their home two days later. Shadow was contemplating the leaves through the last rays of the sun. It was the end of the second day of their vulnerable period, and Shadow was eager to get back to her semi demonic form. They had gone back to the home within the forest that the clan kept with an invitation for Bart and Alba to stay with them (Archangel had been severely warned by her mother to keep the pranks to a minimum. The girl had of course obliged, knowing that Shadow would know exactly who set the prank, and that she was usually very grouchy during her transformed period).
Vrael glanced back at the house, watching the grey stone walls become tinted with orange from the setting sun. He liked the old look to it, with the ivy covered walls and wooden beams inside. It reminded him of the time he spent in the vampiric dimension, where most of the houses looked like that. He sighed, looking down at the ground again, his back against the tree trunk as he sat on the branch. He glanced up at Shadow, who was on a branch slightly higher than his. The wound to her leg was healing and she was on pain treatment for it, as well as her heart making a speedy recovery. He looked towards the house. He knew that Shaeman was about to return from his week’s stint in the great library with his adoptive son, and Archangel and Onyx were, for once, being very quiet, knowing about the prophecy’s rapid approach. He sighed, leaning his head back against the tree, feeling the rough bark scratch his scalp lightly through his reddish brown hair.

Bart appeared, walking like if he was a revenant, out from the back of a tree. His head was lowered, and his hands were in his pockets. As he walked, his feet made slight thumps, as he was walking heavily. His red eyes glistened under the shadows of his hair.
3 days since I haven't turned back human... I'm becoming used to this body by the day.
He looked up slightly, noticed Shadow, and looked back down, uttering a short 'hello,' knowing that it was probably his last that he would give to Shadow. His tail flicked three times at the air, before curling up his right arm. He sat down, at the foot of the tree Shadow was perched onto. He looked at the ground. This was the day. he had hoped for something different, but it seemed to not have worked.

Shadow looked down at Bart, nodding once in acknowledgement. She gave a half smile as the first star came out, and both she and her brother were surrounded in a sphere of magic. When it faded, both of the part demons had been changed back into their previous form. Shadow silently swung down from the tree, still favouring her injured leg. She looked up at Bart through her violet hair, but said nothing. All she could think about was the coming day, and what it was going to bring.

Bart looked down at Shadow, smiling in the slightest way. He helped Shadow stand up. His hair swung sideways, as he did so, and his tail flicked at the air several times. Bart stood silent for a moment. He then looked down at the ground, letting his hair fall down over his eyes. 'So,' he said, quietly, 'This is the day.'

"This is my 333rd moon," Shadow said quietly, looking up at the sky. She was trying to hide her fear, but wasn't sure how much it was working. The thought of death terrified her now, ever since she had had a glimpse of what was waiting for her on the other side.

Bart looked up at Shadow. The 333rd moon. Bart then noticed that there was one person missing. He looked around briefly, and then turned to Shadow again, asking, puzzled, 'Where's... Alba?'
His tail flicked once, and then a second time at the air. His eyes glistened, and his silver bracelets glinted.

"I think she's inside with Onyx," Shadow said. She had asked the twins to keep close eyes on the manticore, still determined as ever that alba was going to survive the prophecy. She knew that she couldn't avoid her part, but it was a part of her nature to tryi and alleviate possible sufering of the people she cared for if it ws at all possible.

'Hm,' Bart answered quietly. He looked down at the ground. Shadow's really trying her best to protect Alba... Bart looked up at Shadow. And I'm going to do my best to protect her.
Bart opened his mouth, thought a bit, then closed it again. He then asked, turning his back to Shadow, 'So, what are we supposed to do right now?'

"We wait." Shadow said simply. "He will come for me," She looked at Bart, looking him in the eyes, red to violet. "and I will wait for him." She held her gaze calm for a few moments before she looked away, trying to hide the fear in her eyes.

Bart nodded once. He looked down at the ground, then looked at Shadow again, his eyes glistening. He walked silently aside her, looking in the same direction she was. His tail flicked lightly at the wind. His bracelets glinted. he glared at his bracelets. I'll control myself, I know it. I won't go demonic.

Shadow walked with long, deliberate paces, her cloak brushing the ground behind her. She had a mask of determination on her face, but it was clear that it was hiding her deeper emotions. She maintained her silence, trying to keep her thoughts away from those of the prophecy. These were her last moments of life. She had to make the most of them. She gazed around at the world around her, blinking back her tears.