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Lucian moved beside Ves'tacha, his mind far away and wandering. He loved Ves'tacha, but he did miss his family--Karloff especially. He missed the stallion that so often gave him advice, but he would not leave Ves'tacha. He often saw the look on her face, and he wondered if she thought he was going to leave her. He wouldn't...he wouldn't ever.

He nuzzled up against her. She was an angel to be putting up with all of his hunting and feeding, his need and drive having increased because of the full moon. The cool breeze wafted to him as they walked along, leaves blowing across the way.

His head came up as the sound of the Carival hit his ears. The sign came into sight, and he remembered vaguely that Karloff had mentioned something about the Blood Moon Carnival...but he couldn't remember what.

He looked at her, nuzzling her gently, "My love, do you want to see it?"

He felt a surge of excitement almost pulling him forward.

Lucian barely feels the n** at his shoulder, the pull of the Carnival is so strong. He moves forward along side of her, "I have once heard of it from my father--Karloff. He spoke of once or twice, but not much...I don't know what happened there. But I want to know..."

He moved forward, easing his way down the path to the Carnival. The lights blazed in his eyes, pulling him further toward it almost as though he wasn't completely control of himself. The smells of food wafted out, and there was something nearly magical in the air.

"We will enjoy this I think, I wonder what's inside."

"Budjo?" He questions it absentmindedly. "Chivani? Draba? Mamioro?" He was still not familiar with all her language though they'd been traveling together for quite awhile. He's free bird was always there with him, but always just out of his grasp of understanding.

But did he have to understand her to love her? He didn't think so, at least not entirely. Could you ever fully understand one person? He didn't know...

"Karloff told me that this Carnival gave him this mark. That the things that happened to him happened because of this...It's dangerous, you're probably right...But what if I can find out what happened to him? What happened to the one who abandoned me? I feel as though," he paused considering how to phrase it. "I feel as though...a story begins and ends here. Like if I walk away, I'll regret it...forever."

He looked to her with earnest pleading in his eyes. "We'll be careful," but already the warnings in his heart were going off.

Lucian could feel the words of warning sinking into his heart, and covering his coat. The weight of them was heavy but right. They rang true. Yet, still something pulled him toward the carnivale against his better judgment. It was as if an invisble string was tugging him to the carnivale.

He knew that if he went, Ves'tacha would go with him. It could be dangerous, he could find out nothing....But the not knowing, that would be a heavy price. "We'll go," he turns toward her. "If you'll go with me, we'll go. And we'll be careful, one mistep and we'll leave. I dont' want to risk losing you," the last words slipped softly like a whisper.

Lucian could feel the heat rising in his neck and face as she spoke, her lips tenderly nipping at him. "Thank you," he said gently. He knew that she was going against herself to come here with him.

The area was silent, no sounds could be heard as they approached the carnival. Big looming tents were spread everywhere with thick red stripes. The faint echoes of voices just behind the flaps.

Lucian wet his lips and listened. He felt a strange pull toward the back of the Carnival. The lights flickered on and off, and the tinkling of music filled his ears.

"This place...it feels familiar."

The wind whispered, and sounds and voice filled the air. They seemed to haunt him, teetering at the edge of his memory like some half-forgotten dream. But try as hard as he could, he could not remember them or identify them.

They moved closer through the canvas towns. Then suddenly as if something had called his name, he turned to a tint and listened intently. "Did you hear that? Someone said my name..."

Please turn away, the great trick. He does not see me.

He could not focus his hazy eyes, he could not see past what he was hearing. Her lips brought him around, and he felt himself turning toward her. "Ves'tacha. Do they not have your name too?"

The words were hard on his lips, he hoped he'd gotten them right. "Tereha muncije te aves manca?" The dark cave was beckoning to them.