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Passing through the flames had been oddly harmless, except for a small patch of burning just above her right breast. A discreet peek into her blouse revealed a tattoo there, one she most definitely had not asked for. Right. She briefly thought about making a fuss, but really, they'd signed up for pain and sacrifice from the sound of things, and this was a good bit more tame than that. With a sigh she hoped it was at least removeable when all of this was over.

This priestess was either a master of tricks, or into some really, really freaky stuff. If nothing else, whatever the thing with the water had been (more than slightly scary OK, don't judge), it was impressive. It didn't even occur to her that what they were experiencing might not have been something created out of Medea's FEAR.

She hadn't given much thought to the recently arrived horsemen, caught up in what had happened right after their entrance, but now she saw their looks towards the students as the chalice was passed around. Charming, really. She supposed she ought to cut them some slack, considering their circumstances, but really, it was terribly impolite. Nevermind that they were probably right and the Amityville students might not hold a candle to them.

As it was passed around, Leo took the chalice from the person beside her and gave a shaky smile in return. To be honest she didn't even notice who she'd gotten it from; the water thing and the tattoo had shook her a bit harder than she'd thought, probably. The heavy sense of a ritual she got from holding said chalice really didn't help. A quick, nervous sip and she passed it on again.

The nickname brought a smile to her lips, Jay’s grip on his sleeve tightening. Her face scrunched up when a giant cloth was suddenly covering her face. Jay reached up to swat it away. “Mmhm~ It was a nice sleep too,” she huffed, pouting. She puffed out her cheeks briefly, but then began to grin as she looked out at the crowd, the last of her drowsiness disappearing from Jay’s eyes. The warrior rocked back and forth, feathers ruffling excitedly while she waited for further orders from the priestess. Had the time finally arrived at last? Could they get their revenge on the hunters for everything they had done?

She blinked when she felt feathers that weren’t her own. There was a flash of white teeth and another glimpse of dark skin. Jay smiled when she heard Shaheen’s voice. “I don’t know for sure, but I hope so!”

Jay gave Zhi a confused look. “Hey. What’s wrong?” The small warrior reached out to tug at the horseman’s sleeve again.

Knee deep on most people was alarmingly high on the Drop Bear as she wadded her way down the corridor with everyone else, arms held up in the futile hope she wouldn't get her jacket wet as well. At least it wasn't cold, although she did hope it actually was water and not something that would ruin her boots.

She lightly trailed her fingers through the liquid as a test whilst Medea waited for something, leaving her completely unprepared for when the waters heaved and caused the small ghoul to flail a little as she regained her balance. She'd only just regained her footing, staring at the figure that had formed in front of Medea in slight apprehension, when she started to feel hands claw at her feet and legs, slowly climbing upwards, causing her to give out a small sound of startlement and jump around a little on the spot to rid herself of them and the creeping sensation they brought with them, the sensation of-

She let out a deep breath, relaxing just a little, as the waters stilled with but a single word left linger in the air. Ok, that had been a bit too creepy for her tastes.

It was with wide, slightly nervous, eyes that Mandy listened as the Priestess spoke again, of the lake and legend. Those same eyes then followed as the chalice was passed around a sipped from before finally it came to the hands of the person next to her and then it was Mandy's turn to take part in this ritual.

She paused with the chalice half way to her mouth, frowning down at the waters within. She wanted to ask immunity to what, but she half felt she knew - that the horseman had shown a few of them long ago now, so instead she took a fortifying breath and smoothed out her features before taking one large gulp and then hurriedly passing it on.

It took her a long moment after to realize she still held her breath, releasing it in one long wush. It defiantly felt like there was no turning back now, that she had done something that would change her forever.

Her hand came to rest lightly on her stomach, tracing the warm mark the curled around her bellybutton like another had done so long ago. Once again she belonged to something; it was just to what exactly that was left to be found.

Assault on the Hunter home base? Hell yes.

Yuzhi was not the only one being stoic today, but even Mr. Granite face himself had an air of excitement, the kind that made blood pump and fingers twitch eagerly for the next available weapon. Shik stood with his arms crossed like a russet tower in the crowd, having taken a sip from the chalice with little fuss and the swirl emblazoned upon the junction of his neck and collar less so.

Bacca's violent musings earned a little smirk at least. "Nothing wrong with preplanning the kill," he commented. Though with or without Eris, he was planning on a bloodbath today. Maybe carve a few runes into various body parts on his own.

(( [ur=http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a158/Mediciner/Gaia/TiH/Shikoba Len/shikobauncert.png]Shik ))

He could definitely relate to the gryphon's feelings. He wanted to hunt these hunters down and rip them to shreds for what they had done to their friends as much as anyone else here. He wanted them to pay, to see them suffer in the same ways they've made them suffer. He wanted revenge.

"If they've hurt them in any way..." His hands began coiling into fists, so tight that he felt nails bite into flesh. "I'll rip their throats out myself..!"

Perhaps he really had given up on being a carefree student. Two years ago he would never have dreamed of harming anyone in such a way. But now? Things had changed and it was clear that the hunters just weren't going to leave them alone. Amityville needed to take action. He was sick and tired of living in fear of when the next hunter attack would be and which friends they would lose next. He was past trying to understand them and honestly, what was the point? The hunters clearly didn't give a toss about trying to understand them.

"That aside..." he let out a sigh, tugged his hood aside to reveal the brand on his neck. "What do you think these are--and do you think they're permanent?"

Shehk seemed to hesitate for a moment before she took a drink, her finger brushing cautiously over the chalice with a small furrow of her brows. Something about this all seemed hinky, but her instincts said it was safe - and she'd never know what the water tasted like unless she drank, right?

She wasn't even sure if this water was anything like the water in the vial she had stashed away in her inner pocket. But it only took a moment before she turned and passed it off to the next person, pausing as she noted a strange new marking on the inside of her wrist, brushing her fingers over it.

This was.....

Had she been marked?

--

Invictus had no reason to feel any unease at the presence of the students. Perhaps there were those who would be suspicious of him - of them. That was to be expected. His eyes glanced over some of the more familiar faces, before he looked away, taking a moment to sip from the chalice before he passed it on as well.

Such nice toys that Medea was sharing with the present company, really. So nice of her.

Lifen couldn't help but sigh again at the little entourage that she seemed to have, but it was held with a smile, showing that she wasn't as frustrated as one would think. She was used to this, it was . . . almost calming to be around this. It made her miss her sisters a little - but she she let it slide, looking at the taller pair who were giving stares between each other, wondering how she was supposed to difuse the situation.

Flipping her free hand a little, she closed her eyes for a moment. "Never-the-less," She tried to play off a bit, not feeling terribly argumentantive, she opened her eyes and looked around a bit once again, pursing her lips a little.

"It appears that there are many who heeded the call, both student and horseperson." She murmured to her little group, eyes catching faces that were very familiar on both sides, before allowing herself to return the squeeze that Mengyao done, a half-grin on her face, lowering her hand to her chin, in a "hmm" like way. "Should prove interesting. . ." she trailed, before noticing a little form near them.

Leaning closer to Mengyao for a moment, she pointed lightly with her hand. "Yuzhi." She said lightly, not sure if he wanted to bother her or not at this time.





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"Oh, Bro!" Jack piped up when a sudden arm ringed around his shoulders, his head immediately sort of leaned in to the kitsune, feeling a little better knowing that he was starting to fold in to a group of his "brothers", he exhaled a breath that he wasn't aware he was holding.

. . . Wait, tattoos?

With his free hand he lifted it to his neck, the new mark still fresh and a little pressed out of his skin, a permanent memory now edged in his skin. "Well, I suppose I've been given the answer to "I wonder how I would look with some colour on my skin", then, hm?" He joked, looking over at Sparrow and Remi, wondering where the marking marred their skin, amused by Remi's distaste for his mark. "I think it should suit you." He joked, before hearing a familiar voice.

"Oh, King, I"m glad to see you're fine." He stated, ears perked high. "I suddenly lost you, I was thinking we were on the hunt seperately! I'm glad to see you're fine!"