Thoughts and Decisions

Valdemar looked to the panther with narrowed eyes. "Don't look at me like that!" he said shaking his head. "Look what I've been reduced to, talking to a damn panther." he muttered under his breath. "Because the woman I love is so concerned about being a mother that she can't see how much I love her." he said grinding his teeth slightly.

The panther growled, curling his lips upward a little before slowly gettiing off the couch. His joints groaned with old age as he made his way over to the carpet in from of the fire. He gently eased himself down onto it and his head onto his paws. Arianna read through some notes of hers, then got up and went to a cupboard searching for something.

Valdemar watched the old panther. "Why is she so fixated on this?" he said with a shake of his head. "I blame you for this." he said simply. "You just had to get old." he said shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. "I know what you're thinking. I should go and apologize." he closed his eyes, opening one to look at the panther. "It's not going to happen. Not this time. I'm right." he said closing his eye with a nod. "She knows I am."

The panther did an eye roll before letting out a huff, he wished he wasn't getting old. He wanted to stay with his master forever, but it wasn't how things worked. Not this time. He closed his eyesand flicked his tail at Valdemar. Arianna had a pot boiling and was adding things to it. All of a sudden, the pot started to boil, then it exploded, causing a loud boom.

Valdemar narrowed his eyes at the panther. "Don't roll your eyes at me." he said sternly. He opened his mouth to continue to rant before he heard the boom. He leapt to his feet and darted towards her lab. He flung the door open, smoke filled the air. He waved his hands around to get rid of it. "Arianna!?" he shouted into the thick smoke. "Are you all right!? Where are you!?"

Arianna placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I'm fine." She said as she pulled him out of her lab and shut the door. "One of my pots exploded, that's all." She said as she placed a towel at the bottom of the door, not wanting the smoke to spread throughout her manor. "Just have to way until it dies down before I can go back in." She said, rather annoyed with it.

Valdemar spun around as her hand was placed on his shoulder. "Oh. That's all right then." he said clearing his throat. "As long as you're okay." he said with a nod. "Fair enough." he said as he moved back towards the lounge. He closed the door behind him, sinking himself back into the sofa. "She's fine." he said to the panther as his hands went to his face whilst he leaned back.

Arianna didn't mind him as he left, she only looked up as he left. "I'm only trying to talk some sense into you." She mimicked what he said earlier. "I'll show you some sense." She said with a slight snarl. She went to her room and changed quickly, into some leggings, boots, and a tunic. Then she quietly made her way through the manor to the front door. She slowly opened it and went out, shutting it quietly behind her. The panther rolled his eyes again, as if to say of course she is.

Valdemar kept his eyes close and his hands over his face. "She's so infuriating." he said into his hands. "No-one's right but her." he said with a slight snarl. "Anyone is inferior to the almighty Arianna." he said in a mocking tone. "Bloody ridiculous." he said as he folded his arms lightly. "She can come crawling back to me. I wont do it to her. You wont change my mind."

Arianna walked at a slow pace, the moon wasn't as big tonight. Probably because it wasn't full. She sighed and put her hands in her pockets and kept walking. She finally reached the town, it was quiet, aside from the saloons and brothels constant activity. A few men eyed her but she hissed at them and they scurred off like little insects. It cracked a light smile of her face but that was all.

Valdemar opened his eyes to the panther. He kicked it lightly. "You still alive?" he questioned as his eyebrows drew together. "If you died when you were in the same room as me, that'd be my fault as well, obviously." he said with a shake of his head. "Everything is these days." he said with a fake laugh.

The panther hissed and swiped at his foot, barely missing. It was a warning. Just because they both loved Arianna didn't mean they had to love each other. He gave another hiss, baring his fangs before crawling a little farther away. He kept his ears pinned as he watched Valdemar. His tail flicked from one side to the other.

---

Arianna stopped outside the girls home, although Elena wasn't home. Arianna could tell by the how strong the scent was. "What are you doing?" Came a voice, Arianna whipped around to see Elena. She was holding a basket full of food and her gaze was wary. "You are the one that saved me, right? Along with that man?" She asked. Arianna nodded.

Valdemar shifted his leg away. "Oi! Watch it flea bag." he snarled at the panther. "Just because Arianna loves you doesn't mean I wont turn you into a fur coat." he said as he stood up. "You try that again kitty cat. I dare yah." he said lowering his gaze to him through narrowed eyes. "I'll do more than bloody kick you." he said sitting himself back down.

The panther let out a growl, his fur standing up. He then swiped his paw into he air, giving a challenge of his own. He then sat up, glaring at Valdemar. He could feel the disturbance in the air as he stared the vampire down.

---

Arianna took a small step forward, which Elena took a step back in response. "I won't harm you." Arianna said calmly. "Just please stay there." Elena said. Arianna respected that and nodded her head. "How have you been?" Arianna asked. Elena gave a small shrug. "Okay."

Valdemar rose an eyebrow to it. "..Really?" he said as he stood himself up. "You're really doing this?" he said with a light smile. Within a second he was upon the panther, pinning it to the ground so it was unable to move at all. "You're an old man." he said with a light smile, he stroked it's fur lightly. "You and me both."

The panther growled and tried to swipe at him. For one as old as he, he had some strength left. He hissed and tried to get free, but he soon ceased to struggle. As quick as the energy was there, it was gone. His breathing was deep and his eyes wide for a brief moment before it went back to normal.

---

Arianna and Elena seemed to stare at eachother for the longest time. No one said a word as hey surveyed each other. "You shouldn't be here, the order has been poking around lately since you were last here." Elena said, which surprised Arianna. "They usually don't like to make themselves known." Arianna stated.

Valdemar let the panther go. He patted his side lightly. "It's ok." he said as he laid down next to it. "I don't know what I'm going to do." he said as he folded his arms behind his head. "I want her to be happy. But I want her to be happy for a long time." he said with a frown. "I don't want her to be happy for five seconds and then wind up getting hurt." he said as he turned his head to look at the panther.

The panther huffed and shook his body, then started to clean his fur. He perked his ears to Valdemar's voice as he spoke. He stopped cleaning for a moment and turned his head to look at Valdemar. He gave him a look that said it all. Do what you think is best, but don't give up. He then returned to cleaning.

---

Elena watched her for a moment before slowly making her way to the house. Arianna was about to take a step forward but thought better of it. Elena stopped at the door of her house and turned to Arianna. "Thank you...again." She said, given a light smile before disappearing into the house and closing the door. "Your welcome." Arianna said with a smile and turned to head back home. Out of the shadows, an arrow came and struck her in the shoulder.

Valdemar looked to the panther. "You know, for a smelly fur ball. You're right." he said as he sat up. He gave the panther one last pat before he stood up. He moved to the door, pulling it open and moving towards the lab. "Arianna?" he said as he pulled the door open. "Arianna?" the smoke had cleared now so that he could see. His eyebrows came together "Odd.."

Arianna hissed and her eyes flashed yellow, she whipped around to face her attacker when another arrow slammed into her stomach. Forcing her to the ground. "Preying on little girls are we?" A voice snarled. It was Aleera, one of the few female slayers in the order. "You think you can get away, but you won't." She said, three more slayers emerged from their hiding spots to stand beside her. Arianna let out a growl but I was cut short by the arrow in her stomach.

Valdemar moved back to the living room slowly. "She's not here.." he said as he sat back down on the sofa. "I should go after her." he said as he stood himself back up again. "Or should I.. should I give her some time to cool down?" he said as he sat on the edge of the sofa. He swept a hand through his hair. "I'm such an idiot.." he said as he looked to the panther. "What do you think I should do?"

The panther walked over and nudged Valdemar's hand, signaling that he should go after her. The panther it was bestfor Arianna, even if she didn't think so herself. She had a tendency to not pay attention to her surroundings once something was on her mind. That proved to be dangerous at times.

---

Arianna placed a hand at her stomach, only to feel another arrow pierce her skin. She let out a slight yelp as she was forced to her knees. "Not so tough now are ya?" Aleera asked, the hunters around her let out snickers as they converged on the wounds vampire. A growl escaped Ariannas mouth and she lashed out her claws, managing to catch one at the knee at knock him over.

Valdemar looked down to the panther. "You're right. When you're right you're right." he said as he pushed himself onto his feet. He gave the panther a scratch behind his ear with a light smile. "You stay in here, keep warm and.. off the sofa." he said pointing to it before back to the panther. He closed the door, moving out of the manor slowly. He picked up her scent easily as he moved at a normal speed after it. "Well, it's as they say, the best part of falling out is the making up." he said with a smirk.

The panther shook his head and with a snort and lay down by the fire. Arianna swung her fist again, knocking the other off his foot. She then got up and started to run. "I don't think so." Aleera said, she pulled back her arm and threw a dagger. It sailed threw the air at an incredible speed before a thump was heard. Arianna stopped and turned a little to the side, the dagger planted itself in her back. She reached around and tried to pull it out but couldn't. Instead she fell to her knees.

Valdemar swept his hands through his hair. "Arianna, I'm sorry.." he rehearsed. "Wait." he said as he stopped in his tracks. "What the hell am I apologizing for!?" he said as he walked on again at a faster speed. "She should be the one apologizing to me! For leaving without saying a word." he said with a nod. He sniffed the air lightly. "Where are you going..?" he said as his eyebrows drew together.