Seventh Night - Part 1
Hansel awoke early, earlier than he had. He didn't know if Dracula was awake yet or not, but he could feel something tugging at him. Slipping from the crypt, he made his way to the Garden, where he felt he was being led. Once there, he strode confidently into the courtyard, shocked at how dark it was. Surely it couldn't be that late, could it? And then he realized. It was that gap in twilight, after the sun goes down, and before the moon rises. He slipped to the highest area of the garden he could, and sat on the cold stone of the old wall. His eyes picked up the faintest of light when it appeared, and he watched the moon begin its ascent. He didn't even notice the trance-like state he was falling into, until his eyes began to get heavy. He leaned to his side, resting against the wall, and closed them, falling back asleep.
Dracula was moving across the castle - the hunter the wolves captured no longer remember her previous life, and he had a good start on the cat figurine. It's time to see if his fledgling his ready
That first night that he'd been Turned, Dracula had said that the sleep of a vampire was a dreamless sleep, and that had held true. Nonetheless, entranced and sleeping high on the Garden wall, Hansel's mind was not completely at rest. Though he would not remember, images flowed through his mind, visions that he would have a hand in.
The vampire found Hansel in the garden as expected, but noticed he was out of it.
Hansel didn't even stir at his Sire's arrival. If it weren't uncharacteristic for the fledgling, it would appear that he was taking a cat nap.
He quietly cleared his voice to see if he could draw Hansel's attention
The boy stirred slightly, but didn't awaken.
"Hansel," Dracula started, louder.
Hansel made a slight noise, and finally opened his eyes. He rubbed them with one hand, trying to figure out why he was on the high wall. "Dracula-sama?"
"You seem to be distracted tonight."
"I... I guess I fell asleep..." He effortlessly jumped down, standing before his Master.
"Well, I was going to see if I can work with you on certain skills."
"Oh? What things?" He was certainly awake now, whatever had contributed to his nap out of his mind.
"I was seeing if you wish to learn how to take the form of a bat."
"You said it's easier than a wolf, right?"
"Yes, it is, though the locomotion is different."
Hansel nodded.
Dracula moved closer. "Have you ever up high, where the wind's blowing?" He started, getting Hansel into the mindset
The boy nodded. "I always found high places. Better view for my targets."
"Yes, remember how everything looks below you?"
Another nod.
"Focus on that feeling, of being higher then anyone else."
Hansel closed his eyes, focusing on the feel of being high up, of seeing everything smaller from the distance, of the wind blowing past him.
"Keep focusing, feeling yourself moving.... gliding over it all."
The boy imagined himself moving through the wind, gliding over everything. He could feel something stirring within him.
"Yes, keep at it,"
He wavered slightly, nervous, but refocused himself, and felt the change coming. Much smoother than the wolf, Hansel became a bat.
Dracula chuckled. "That's it, now cn you try to fly?"
The bat flapped his wings tentatively, and then more confidently, lifting into the air.
The vampire held his hand out.
Hansel flew to the hand, slightly awkwardly.
"That's it, it will take time to get used to it, but you are doing well." He gently rub the top of Hansel's head with a fingertip
The tiny creature leaned into the fingertip, making soft pleased sounds.
"Very good, very good."
He leaned more into the hand, enjoying his Master's touch.
"Go on and fly around the gardens, get use to it."
The bat lifted off from his hand, flying high into the air above the gardens. He wasn't graceful, but he was strong, arm muscles toned from years of bowstrings.
the vampire sat down, letting Hansel get used to flight
The freedom was exhilarating, and Hansel was enjoying every moment of it. He kept his eyes close, experimenting with sonar, and shocked at how simple it was to use. Wheeling, he turned to go back to Dracula, when he opened his eyes again, and became distracted from the light of the moon. He faultered, and began to fall, trying to regain his altitude.