Radiance and Shadows

Twelve

When the sun began to peak over the horizon, Synika rolled from her bed. She didn't sleep, but she rarely needed to. Vampires could go days without rest, weeks if they had feedings in between. Though she missed the bliss of sleep, which she hadn't had since the few days following her bite incident.

She wiped her eyes, putting her armor back on for the day and awaiting Zina's arisal. She had a lot to ask and say, and she wasn't one for waiting.

Salyrria yawned loudly, stretching her body out to it's limit. She shook her body, ruffling her fur and sending the sun shimmering through it. She padded over to the light red skinned girl and sniffed her lightly. Snorting, the tiger turned away, padding to sit with Synika, who was laying sideways in the entryway, one leg dangling out in the open air, hundreds of feet above the ground.

When Zina awoke an hour later, she stood gently to her feet, looking in surprise at the blanket that had been placed on her during the night. Synika turned her head minimally, eyeing her sideways.

"I thought you'd never wake up." She said.

The former slave yawned. "Well, I haven't had the chance to sleep for more than maybe six hours, and after twice that swinging a pick, it starts to wear on you."

Synika smiled, chuckling slightly. "Yes, well.. I understand a daily grind, but at least I was fed, then."

The girl nodded.

Synika motioned to the cabinets along the back of the tower room. "There's a bit left if you're hungry, which I imagine you are. We'll be going out later, I'll pick up more things on the way."

The girl again nodded, idly rummaging through the shelves, looking for food. When she found old crackers, she pulled them down and went to sit with Synika. The tiger was sound asleep, inches away.

As she crunched on stale crackers, she again eyed the elf.

"What else, then? You told me your name was Synika, is that true? Mine is Zina, but I assume you know that from my sister." Zina asked her.

Synika nodded. "I do, yes. As far as my name, it was given to me by my former master, the one who turned me."

Zina rubbed her eyes. "Tell me about him."

Synika laughed, but she quickly recounted her capture, the years following, and her rescue. Some of the knowledge she'd already shared the night before, but she tied it all together.

Zina was silent for a moment.

"Why were you assigned a bow and two twin blades?" Zina asked.

The elf shrugged. "I would assume that Ar'Lan guessed that my dexterity and vision would make it easier for me to learn to use them. From birth until four, he made us do balance drills and such as a kind of test to determine our strengths and weaknesses."

Zina nodded.There was a long silence as the girl turned the information over. "So.. what happened to my sister? Is she okay?"

"Like I said, I pulled her from a Chultan camp, and left her to be cared for at a nearby friendly camp."

Synika extended her fangs, idly rolling her tongue over them, and retracting them. "It was a point to find you for your sister's sake, and I felt that I had the tools to do it, so I did. Sergeant Knox helped of course, with maps and intelligence reports, but as far as making things happen, he relies on me and a few others like me."

"Vampires, you mean?" Zina asked.

Synika giggled. "The city doesn't know I'm a vampire, and any of Knox's men who find out are sworn to secrecy from everyone about it. Most of the higher ranking military are aware, but beyond that, it's hush. So no, not vampires."