Ranloo woke at sunset, instantly aware of a new smell. He sat up and looked around, spotting a big wooden tub on the floor, filled with tepid water. He sniffed the air, a faint scent of Sern and soap lingering in the room. Strange how he could tell Sern had left some time ago by the smell alone. His senses had increased so much since he had turned. But that didn't matter right now.

Drawn by vague noises of people nearby, his eyes shifted to the door leading to the main room of the inn. He stalked over and grasped the door handle. He hesitated. Don't make a scene. He had to get out and find food. Preferably not a person.

Sneaking to the back door instead, he cracked it open and peeked out. He didn't want anyone to know he was there and feared that if he saw someone, he'd lose his calm and rush out.

The overcast sky hung low over the damp, empty courtyard. Ranloo opened the door fully and smiled at the simple luxury of a working door. Sniffing the evening air, he wondered where to go. His eyes strayed to a young pig tied to a pole outside the stable. He stared at it. His stomach rumbled. Glancing around again, making sure nobody saw, he approached the animal.

* * * * *

Sern entered quietly through the back door, finding Ranloo in the bath. He grinned, glad to see the vampire acting like a normal person and not on the prowl.

´You're makin' the water bad,` he commented.

Ranloo turned, his black hair a wet blanket over his muscular shoulders. ´I hope that pig was ours?` he said, ignoring Sern's quip.

Sern nodded. ´Where'd you dump it?` He tried not to stare at Ranloo's body.

´It's gone, no worries,` Ranloo smirked. He got out of the tub and dried himself on a small towel before dressing again. ´Finally,` he said with a pleased smile. ´I don't smell like garbage anymore.`

´Twas great,` Sern agreed, his cheeks heating. He gave the filthy water a horrified expression. ´Really needed. An' sorry if the water's cold. I didn't dare wait with the soak.`

Ranloo waved it off with a hand. ´It's okay. I don't care if the water's hot or cold. I don't freeze anyway.` He grabbed a comb from a drawer and brushed out the tangles in his hair.

Sern sat down on his bed, watching. ´Now what?` he asked, smiling as Ranloo fought with his hair.

´I want to find out a few things,` Ranloo said slowly. ´I don't know if you can help with this.` Sern met his thoughtful look. ´What d'you wanna do?`

Ranloo started pacing. ´I need to find out what happened to my friends,` he said at length. Sern quietly watched, following his movements. Ranloo glanced at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. ´My friends and I... we were attacked.` He swallowed and blinked a few times.

Sern didn't dare interrupt with comments or questions. He understood this was hard on him.

´We were attacked by this man, this... creature.` Ranloo frowned at the small mirror by the washing bowl. ´He fought us, all three at once. Toyed with us.` Sern nodded again. ´He took me away and...` Ranloo shifted uncomfortably, ´he made me into what I am now. But the thing is, I don't know if my friends are still alive. I need to know.` He crossed his arms over his chest, as if daring Sern to disagree.

Thinking about it for a moment, Sern asked, ´So, where'd you see 'em last?`

´Near a ranger school somewhere. I don't know where it is.`

Sern stood from the bed. ´No problem, we'll find it.` He flashed a confident smile. ´D'you know the school's name?`

´I do. Lesondale.` He sighed heavily. ´We went there to help them teach the ways of the ranger.`

´You're a ranger an' teacher?` Sern asked, studying him in a new light.

´Yes. I was,` he replied solemnly. ´But not anymore.`

Sern nodded. ´It'd be hard as you're now.`

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Ranloo shot a glare at him.

´I'll help find it if you wanna?` Sern hastily added.

Ranloo brushed strands of hair away from his face. ´Sure. But I want to go there alone.` Then he looked around the room, opened the drawers to the cabinet and the doors to the closet. After a while, he sighed and placed his hands on his hips.

´What're you lookin' for?` Sern asked curiously.

´Just something to get my hair out of the way,` he muttered.

Sern checked his pockets, found nothing, and looked back at Ranloo. ´There.` He pointed.

´What?`

´Your tunic, 's not tied anyway. Use that,` Sern explained.

Ranloo's tunic had a string to tie the neck opening with, which he hadn't done. He removed it and pulled his hair into a ponytail. He fixed Sern with his amber eyes. ´Do you carry all our money on you right now?`

Sern nodded, removed the money pouch and placed it on the bed. 'We should split it. In case we're attacked so we won't lose it all.'

Ranloo nodded in agreement. 'Maybe leave some of it in the room too?'

Sern rolled his eyes at the suggestion. 'I wouldn't leave it lyin' around. What if someone comes an' nabs it?'

Ranloo frowned. ´We could get a small safe to put it in?`

Sern tapped his chin with a finger. ´I guess.`

´Let's do it. That'll be your job tonight. I will try and find the school, see if I can get a hold of Master Caelem.`

Sern nodded, poured the money onto the bed and started dividing it into two piles. It was a lot of coin. They could live here quite some time before needing more. They'd have to talk about that though. He was certain Ranloo wasn't gonna like the idea of stealing, but what other ways were open to them? He pondered that as he counted. It was mostly copper wyverns, but also a fair amount of silver griffins. He hadn't been paid in gold, which was good. It was hard to get rid of, it was simply worth too much.

A money pouch slapped down on the bed beside his own. He jumped at the sound, eyes snapping up.

Ranloo grinned, a mischievous glitter in his eyes.

´Don't scare me, please.` A smile tugged at Sern's lips, even as his heart thumped.

´Why not?` Ranloo asked innocently and sat on the bed.

Sern frowned and glared at the money. ´You made me lose count,` he sighed, beginning anew.

Ranloo watched, his smile slowly fading. ´Thank you,` he said after a while.

Sern looked up, meeting the strange eyes of the elf. ´It's alright y'know,` he replied. ´I like helpin' you.`

´I just don't understand why.` Ranloo shook his head. ´It makes no sense to me. I'd have been mad with you if our roles were reversed,` he explained. ´I'd have killed you.`

´But I didn't wanna darkside you,` Sern said simply. And you can protect me, he thought. There are worse things than death. ´An' I've never met a vampire before. I was curious.` He smiled. ´I wasn't disappointed.`

Ranloo stood and paced again. ´Maybe. But you've almost been killed several times.` He gave Sern a grave look. ´I almost killed you.`

Sern nodded. ´I know. But you didn't.` He finished dividing the money, placed it all into the pouches, and handed one to Ranloo. ´An' you won't either,` he finished with conviction.

Ranloo smiled slightly. ´I wish I had your positive view.`

Sern waved it off. ´Never mind. Where's this ranger school, you say?`

Ranloo shrugged. ´I don't know. Lesondale. Near a district with many temples and schools.`

´I think I know where it's at then. Kinda.` He pointed towards the east. ´You gotta go that way, get t' The Upper Wall, then follow the river on the right 'til you see a rise on the right-hand side.` He hummed thoughtfully. ´You should be able t' see a big castle far t' the left from up there. Go towards it, an' you'll find the right place. But don't go all the way t' the castle, then you've gone too far.` Sern gave Ranloo a worried look. ´You sure 'bout this?`

Ranloo nodded. ´I need to know.`

Sern bobbed his head and stood, readying to leave. ´Alone?` he asked carefully. Ranloo nodded again. ´Okay,` Sern sighed. ´Don't get lost, an' be quick about it. An' don't push your luck,` he said eyeing him from top to bottom. ´I'd like seein' you again.`

Ranloo smiled. ´You will. Don't worry.`

´Oh, I'm worried,` Sern retorted, his forehead wrinkled.

Ranloo laughed. They went out to the courtyard, said goodbye, and left in different directions.

´Avoid people!` Sern called after Ranloo as he vanished behind a corner.