Skylar Nightshade

*Cassius coughs softly and he says in a weak voice* W-water... p-please....

*Skylar nods her head and she gets up. She walks over to a nearby stream and she fills a cup with water. She walks back to the two parents and she hands the cup to Cassius. She watches him drink the water, hoping that it will help him feel better.*

*Cassius finishes drinking the water and he says in a weak voice* T-thanks...

*Cassius coughs softly and he says in a weak voice* W-water... p-please....

*Skylar nods her head and she gets up. She walks over to a nearby stream and she fills a cup with water. She walks back to the two parents and she hands the cup to Cassius. She watches him drink the water, hoping that it will help him feel better.*

*Cassius shakes his head and she says in a weak voice* N-no... t-they h-have v-very p-powerful w-weapons....

*Skylar pauses when she hears this. She is still determined to find the monster hunters, but she knows that she can't just rush into this without a plan. She looks back at the little girl's parents, who are both still weak and injured. She thinks for a moment and she says* "You're right, I can't just go after them without a plan. But I can't just leave them out there. I need to do something."

*Cassius sighs and he looks at her, he says in a weak voice* T-those m-monsters h-hunters.....

*Skylar nods in agreement. She knows that the monster hunters are dangerous, but she never expected them to do something like this. She looks at him and she says* "I know, it's terrible. But at least your daughter is safe."

*Cassius sighs and he says in a weak voice* I-it a-all h-hurts... T-they h-hit u-us s-so h-hard...

*Esmeray nods her weakly and she says in a weak voice, looking at her* M-My d-daughter...?

*Skylar nods. She is still holding Esmeray's hand.* "She is safe. I took her in. She is inside, waiting for you to wake up."

*Esmeray smiles weakly and softly. She says in a weak voice* T-thanks....

*Esmeray thinks for a while, trying to remember. She then says in a weak voice, grabbing her head in pain* Y-yeah... Me, m-my husband a-and our d-daughter w-were... j-just... h-having a-a p-picnic... h-here... I-I a-am g-glad E-Ellie r-ran a-away, s-she w-would b-be h-hurt o-or w-worse... b-by n-now... *she pauses, looking away* B-but... M-my p-powers... I-I f-feel l-like t-they a-are g-gone...

*Skylar is horrified when she hears this. She knows how dangerous it is to lose your powers as a vampire. She tries to stay calm, but she can't help feeling worried for the little girl's parents. She reaches out and she touches Esmeray's hand, trying to comfort her.* "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I don't know what to say, but I will do whatever I can to help."

*Esmeray nods her weakly and she says in a weak voice, looking at her* M-My d-daughter...?

*Ellie nods her head, there is an ice pack on her ankle that Skylar put on earlier.*

*Skylar walks outside and she heads towards the river. She sees the unconscious bodies of Cassius and Esmeray. She approaches them and she kneels down next to them. She checks their pulses and she is relieved to find that they are still alive. She tries to wake them up, but they are both still unconscious.*

*Esmeray slowly starts to open her eyes and she says in a weak voice* I... W-where am I...? W-why do... I feel s-so... w-weak...? *she can barely speak, like if the monster hunters took away her powers.*

*Ellie sniffles and she says in a quiet voice* Mh... Why...? Y-you are not afraid of me, are you?

*Skylar shakes her head. She feels a little uneasy about the girl's parents, but she doesn't want to make her feel bad.* "No, I am not afraid of you. I am just a little surprised. Your parents are very powerful vampires."

*Ellie sniffles and she looks down, she says in a quiet and sad voice* Now they are not... Those evil people hurt them.... They are still by the river, not waking up...

*Ellie sniffles and she says in a shaky voice, rubbing her eyes* I-I d-don't u-understand w-why t-they h-hurt m-mommy a-and d-daddy...

*Skylar sighs, feeling sad for the little girl. She doesn't know how to explain to her that there are some people in the world who are just cruel and evil. She strokes the little girl's hair.* "I know it's hard to understand, but there are people who are not like us. They don't understand our way of life, and they are afraid of us. So they try to hurt us."

*Ellie sniffles and she says in a sad and quiet voice* We were not doing anything bad.... We were just having a picnic by the river...

*Ellie sniffles and she says in a sad and quiet voice* We were not doing anything bad.... We were just having a picnic by the river...

*Skylar hugs the little girl tightly.* "I know, sweetie. I know it's not fair. But you are safe now. I will make sure nothing happens to you."