I. Full Moon [Saturday 1st, Evening]

22:38:49 Mila had used her hasty departure to treat herself to a quick shower, dry herself and find something warm to wear. Gone was her customary highlander jersey and instead, rather than bothering with anything pretty, the girl opted for comfort. All she was leaving her dormitory for was the usual early dinner that came with the seclusion of the full moon, which began as the darkness fell – early of course, given the Winter month. A pair of dark yoga pants hung low at the curve of her hips, their ends tucked comfortably into another pair of snow boots with inlined fur visible at the top. A fitted, dark blue hoodie pullover with pink Varsity text on the front. Her wet hair had been blown dry and hung sleek and straight as ever, casually pulled over one shoulder as Mila often guided it so whilst distracted. She was walking alone, the girl who had been accompanying her to meet those they generally sat with excusing herself to use the bathroom so into the Great Hall she went. Alone. There were often the same faces that Mila sat with, but with such an open personality and down to Earth manner, the girl was welcome almost anywhere. Plenty of friends to pick from. For this reason, the flippant little brunette often seated herself where the platters in the center most interested her. She trudged about idly, stopping only once she spied French fries and other less-than-healthy goodies that suited her finely. At the Magnus table, midsection. Seating herself, she took up a perch that was perhaps a little childish – tucking her legs to cross 'Indian Style' and settled in. Then she was using handy utensils to fill her plate with small portions of chicken nuggets and fries. Omnomnom time.

22:48:27 Pixie prepares herself ritualistically, a solemn and special act behind closed doors to keep anyone from knowing she might have depth and dreams and quiet thoughts. Jewelry is dumped into a messy box of trinkets; her armor—that is, makeup—is chipped away carefully, washed until the water runs black and rouge and then clear. Her boisterous wardrobe is exchanged for simplicity and combat boots dragging her short, skinny legs. Is it pathetic that the waifish little creature is excited for her first full moon that won’t be spent alone? A demented pinpoint of pleasure in this prison. Despite the foppish appearance of her bizarre wardrobe, the she-wolf pads down to the main hall for an attempt at eating dinner—although her nerves and excitement may turn the feast into ash as usual. Unlike lovely Mila, Pixie seems to exude something inherently off-putting that makes folks want to give the short creature a wider berth. Fucking clouds on her beautiful parade. Wraps a stack of mixed proteins in a napkin and ducks back out, favoring the horrid chill of the courtyard to the bustling warmth of exclusion.

22:54:24 [Emri] Having left the company of many others earlier - for reasons less self-concerned than simple image - Emri was quickly back out among the throngs of students that occupied the many hallways of Hex. The full moon was nearing with every minute that passed, and by groups students started heading out to the courtyard or forest. Likewise, the students that stayed in were heading down for an early dinner, and then likely back to their rooms, to drown out the cacophony that would reverberate through the school. Emri wasn't looking forward to that particular aspect of the full moon, which meant he would have to even further occupy himself with the food and delicacies that lined the Grand Hall. Roaming along the length of the Magnus table, he occasionally pushes his way through bodies to reach for the specific platter of food placed before him, always careful to give any familiar faces he pushes past a friendly shove of their shoulder; should they prove tough enough, he slaps at the back of their head before moving on. All playful antics among similarly year'd students. Finally - and much to his surpise, at that - he spots Mila at his side. Luckily his peripherals are able to catch the recognition before he boldly shoves her aside for the french fries ahead of her. Instead, he hesitates, and rather than reach over her for the food, slips along the bench at her side. " Fancy seein' you here. "

22:55:45 Patrick : His hair was a little weird. Which meant she would have had to do something about her hair. Make it not so straight. Also. The woman version of Patrick would be a bit shorter. Something about Biology. He didn't pay much attention to human biology in school. Plus, he went to a catholic school... so things were a little warped. However, Xarissa seemed to end the subject on their asses. But, Patrick was pretty sure he had the better ass. It was obvious! "Yeah! I was... I'm sorry about that..." he let out a sigh. He just had to get called away! When Chase said that they should be getting to their dorms because of the Weres, it caused him to blink a few times. And look around. "Ah. Feck. You're right..." he said, finally fully realizing his situation. Chase said that he should walk with her. Patrick nodded. However, Xarissa didn't need him. Too bad. She was stuck with the little Fae. He would much rather walk her than go back to the Arcadian house and do absolutely nothing... Outside of smoke with his roommates. He would totally do that bit. A yawning Fae nodded. "Naaaah. I'll walk with you" he said with a smile and moved to follow her. "Good meetin' you, Chase!" he said with a smile and gave a slight wave to him.

23:02:47 Xarissa That made her a little uncomfortable, something made her uncomfortable. She couldn't perfectly place it, but it was there. Something about having her friend escort her, then having to leave, because they were different. She stood there, a little quiet, then waved her little fingers as she went on her way with Patrick, "I'd say I'll stay around with you, but...That'll get more trouble, and heaven knows what'll happen." She endured a moon in a cage, and that had drove the girl crazy. "Uhm, well, try and enjoy your evening, I don't mean to be...pushing you off, but, I gotta...get changed." Giving him a frown, she shrugged her shoulders rather carelessly. "Plus, I don't wanna, ya know...get you in anymore trouble." Once they got to the points they needed to split ways, she smiled somewhat, then ran off, to go get out of her wet clothes. Trading them for some she cared little for, which in the end was nothing more than a shirt that was covered with a long jacket. She was not going out there without some sort of clothing on her body beyond spandex, and something to cover her scarred back up, for as long as she could. Was she ashamed by it? A little, but...Xarissa wore it proudly, under the layers. Buttoning herself in, she shoved her feet in some shoes, and went on to wait outside. Food? Oh, uh...yea, she wasn't hungry. Planting her ass on the steps, she'd shove her hands in her pockets. Waiting time.

23:03:03 Chase` considered her criticism of his idea for her become a female version of Patrick and he shrugged, "Wear high-topped shoes? Maybe people with think you're wearing heels?" He shrugged and headed away from the two and turned to wave at Patrick before heading up the stairs. He'd make his way to his dorm, grabbing one of his books and a notebook as well as his pen. He figured he might as well get some homework done while their movements were restricted. Plus, he'd been spending a little too much time on his personal project than he should have.

23:09:48 Mila knew the fries and nuggets would be popular! Restricting meal times and deciding on the meals for a bunch of youths who were brought up with the ease of being able to order pizza or buy Mcdonald's whenever it suited them, one could only imagine the 'Arena' of the Hall when junk food was on offer. With an audible, Oof she was shoved aside and when she'd turned to glare at her assailant, only to find Emri staring her down. Oh. It occurred to her that she should stop her staring and perform some adorable hair flip or batter of eyelashes, but the flippant femme belatedly realised she still had half a nugget protruding from her mouth. Attractive. Her hand rose to cover her mouth from view as she chewed and glanced away, only speaking after swallowing, “I know, right? It's almost like we live together – I bump into you everywhere.” Get it? Because they do live together? Ha ha boarding school jokes, Mila should be a Comedian. With a sidelong glance from entrancing smoke eyes, she casually enquired after her candy-cane. “You seem to be in a good.. mood today.” Insert a cant of her head and a playful smirk that subtly turned her interrogation into flirtation. In her head, the miniature cheer squad she employed went wild – so proud were they of all the remarks she'd come up with this day. On a roll, apparently.

23:22:37 [Emri] As he catches sight of the nugget, Emri laughs. " I'm not interrupting, am I? " he asks, sliding down from her to throw one leg over the bench, twisting his body to face Mila headon. " Live with you? " A faux sense of disgust is present in his tone as he speaks. " If only I was so lucky. " On the weekends the Institute is noticeably lax about their code of fashion. Having changed earlier, Emri is currently in a pair of simple jeans, gray, with a red sweater rolled along his torso. His hair is in a controlled mess as per usual, likely having taken much longer than what was necessary, but such is necessary to look as devilishly good looking as Emri does, all rivaling opinions aside. " You could say that; but aren't I always? " His question, while not entirely serious, isn't a complete joke of the words either. If asked, he would have to answer 'yes', he was more often in a good mood than not; there may have been an argument to make for today being more noticeable than normal, though. " But, I suppose such is the effect of free candy. Not that you know anything of that. " He had his suspicions, naturally, but to act on such a farfetched idea didn't seem as reasonable as it did when he spotted her smirk.

23:36:01 Mila took a moment to scan the vicinity for others. To her left there was Emri. To her right, there was an empty bench or a trio of invisible students – the same, being directly across from her. “Interrupting? Yeah, no.” The nuggets didn't mind sharing her with a boy. Even if they had, she'd have told them to go flip because she ate nuggets like them for brea- well, dinner, and cute boys were more important. Mila almost agreed with his joking comment. Living on the same Campus was one thing, but if they shared a house at least it would be a good deal easier to sneak in her next small, hinting gift. On top of this, it would have allowed their conversation to be more than a rushed, dinner fling, what with the common room restrictions coming about very soon. Tick tock. The girl fed herself a French fry or two, and found her eyes drifting to his lips and wondering about other French things she could be doing with him. Hm? What? “Oh. Yeah, guess so.” Mila wouldn't know. It wasn't as though she had the chance or the balls to speak to him so much. “Free candy? Are you implying I'm a virtuous girl that makes a guy work hard for his cand-.” The girl blinked. Stupefied by her own daring comment, her cheeks coloured a little. The cheerleaders in her head were judging her! 'Cleverly' changing the subject, she stated “I love French fries.” Yum.

23:40:12 Jake stood in the courtyard, surrounded by the excited outbursts of the excited wolves, eager to make their shift. After his rather eventful morning, rolling around the woods with a certain Crux house student, Jake had spent the rest of the day preparing for the night ahead. Much like himself, some of the other senior werewolves whom the playboy associated himself with were all chattering about what they were expecting to accomplish. The boys had gotten to that age where the size of your wolf was like comparing dick sizes, it only led to heated discussions and outbreaks of scuffles, yet still they did it anyway. Jake liked to think he was above it, the arrogance did little to dissuade his would be challengers. The wait was unbearable, as each minute passed, the urge to break free became much more apparent. Some stood completely still, calm and collected. Others paced frantically, an attempt to keep themselves focused. Jake was a bit of both. From an outsiders perspective it seemed like he was merely impatient, arms folded over his white vest clad chest, his right boot tapping as if waiting for a late bus or train. “Come on Teach, where are you.“ The Tritus student muttered. Although his chiselled features seemed well kempt, an attempt at exuding an aura of calm, he was truly eager to turn just like the rest. The excitement, the adrenaline, the hunger. Jake noticed a few familiar faces amongst the crowd, a courteous nodded greeting was all that was necessary, glances up into the sky above, watching, waiting…<e>

23:47:10 Xan was waiting for his weres in the courtyard. Wearing only a pair of athletic shorts and the spandex undershorts and apparently unaffected by the snow all around him. With the moonrise just around the corner, his inner animal was getting even more agitated. Always in control, however, it did not affect him. He stood by the door, checking off names as the kids went by him. He'd reach out and snatch the new girl Pixie Amsterdam, as he recalled, and bent down to the folded cloth next to his bare right foot as he stood on the steps, "Put these on. And hurry. This door gets locked when all of my students are out here." He'd motion for her to move past the weres moving from entrance hall to the courtyard. There was a girls bathroom nearby where she could change into the new undergarments. The folded cloth he'd handed her was a spandex breastwrap with a pair of shorts to cover her modesty when she shifted back without clothing. He continued checking off the names on his mental list, his sharp eyes moving over the crowds of students who were, for the most part, having a little trouble with their inner beast. It was only natural. The bloodlust was rising. There would be bloody fights out there in the woods. They would savage each other, inflicting leathal wounds for anyone that didn't have a nearly instantaneous healing factor. And as the Alpha, only he could inflict a lasting wound on a werewolf. He would wait until every last one of the werewolves had exited the school, including Pixie. That one was getting the first taste of her full moon training. Once she was out in the courtyard he nodded to the professor who had been standing to one side of the door on the inside and together they shut the doors. The teacher on the inside would then chain the doors shut from that side. Xander turned to his students and lifted his arms, "Settle down everyone. Settle down." When they were quiet, "Alright, everyone's accounted for, let's head for the woods!" With that the students would turn, en masse and hustle out of the courtyard and head for the treeline. They all knew where to go. The massive clearing.

23:49:08 [Emri] His eyes followed hers as they fell. One hand reached out then to guide the bottom of her chin up, and hopefully with it, her eyes. He had been so bold as to go in for a kiss during the Masquerade, so what point was there in being physically shy? " My eyes are up here, " he mocked, clearly playing off the line so commonly heard within the walls from the girls. A joke. Another bite followed before he pushed the plate to one side. Without much of an apetite to finish off the haphazardly brought together plate of food, his arm instead lifted against the table, with his chin resting comfortably in the palm of his upturned hand. His dark eyes, full of wonder and, in this specific moment, lust, sought out her own to comfortably gaze against. " I... " he trails off, laughing. It seemed her comment didn't just throw her off. " I should be implying that, shouldn't I? Unless you are one for giving out candy for free; in which case, who am I to say no? " Another coy smile is flashed as he uses his available hand to pick at the plate before him. It doesn't show - not yet - but there's a concern building in him about the full moon that night; not necessarily for his safety, or any others, but something was in the air.

23:51:45 Pixie had been prowling on the outside of the pack of students, logging information like the tricksy little scout-wolf she is. But the adult actually managed to notice her without makeup on, gruffly handed over some garments to cover herself. Pixie regards the gift like a jaw of rare incurable diseases. Gosh, this is…nice of you. What’s it for? her upcurled sneer seems to say. Being naked is part of the fun of being a wolf, isn’t it? What is wrong with these Europeans?! Her arm drops, grasping the odd garments uselessly. Starting off on a great impression with her would-be alpha, little Pixie doubts she’ll be stuffing her lovely bits into this.

00:00:57 Ignatius was never much of one to get overly hyped about much of anything. He didn’t exactly know what it was that made him so level-headed in comparison to the others around this time of the month, but while everyone around him was busy containing themselves with whatever shred of humanity they’d managed to subdue, he was just kind of sauntering through. Some would consider it possibly even a bit unnerving if they weren’t massing up like lemmings to haul ass outside like a pack of ferocious wildebeests, and even in the midst of the tension and bloodlust that could be cut with a knife, he just kept on. Okay, so, maybe it wasn’t all him. In between the glances that Xan tossed about the crowd, fingers would quickly rise to his lips, bringing a crudely-wrapped cigarette to his lips. A quick puff, a few moments to hold it in, and he’d release it when Mr. Teach turned his attention again if he was ever granted that small window, otherwise he’d turn his head over his shoulder to exhale. A little weed always took the edge off, wasn’t that right? In the midst of the frenzied hustle outside, he’d remain stationary as the raging bodies of hormones slipped around him to either side like a rock within a river’s raging current, only to take the rear - his destination didn’t seem to be far, though; in fact, if there were anyone else left that didn’t depart in some blind fit of rage, they’d notice him perched with one knee up, his other lax against the ground. Might as well finish what he started, right? He could always join in later. The night was still plenty young.

00:01:42 [Dietrich`] Thin streams of steam curled up from the cup clasped in both hands in front of his chest, fogging up a spot on the window. Dietrich raised the cup to his lips and sipped lightly, eyes locked on the courtyard far below. He imagined he could hear the echoing boom and rattle of chain that signaled lockdown. His lips pressed into a thin line and his hands tightened around his cup. As big as this castle was, he didn’t like the idea of being confined. Trapped. Dietrich forced more liquid past his lips, scowling out into the night. He wouldn’t even get a firsthand account, damnit.

00:04:52 Mila 's full, cherry stained lips came ajar with an audible exhale as he guided her chin up. It was entirely romantic and just like the movies, until he played upon a comment usually spoken by women. If her cheeks weren't coloured enough before, they certainly were now. She shook herself free of his touch. The cheerleaders within waited for another sassy response and were left a little disappointed with the, “Right,” that escaped her between mouthfuls of food. Then, she was left to consider her morals and just how she granted her 'candy' to others. Mila was no awkward teen who'd never held a hand nor kissed a boy. There had been a few in her life, however, as advertised publicly in Elixirs last month, the brunette was more or less fairly unscathed by teenage romance. Lucky too, for it never ended well, did it? As desserts were littered around the main meal platters, smoke eyes were easily found to have settled on a squeeze bottle of honey. It wasn't candy, but close enough. Sugary sweet, she picked it up and lead it to his conveniently offered hand on the table – the one not supporting his head. Before one could really consider what she was doing, the flippant Mila was squishing the bottle and drawing a love heart on his bare flesh, sure to make him sticky. “There.” The girl observed her handiwork and set the honey down. “I don't give my candy out. But you can have a little honey for free.” An infectious, cheshire grin painted itself about her pretty countenance, and she was even leaning over to scoop up a little honey with her index finger to nom on. Mila had lived through plenty of full moons at Hex and while her first few had been frightening, tonight she expected nothing than the usual unsettling howls which sometimes made it difficult to sleep. Noisy badgers, the lot of them.

00:05:44 Jake did not have to wait long. Xan had emerged and hastily began his sweep through the crowd, standard routine for each full moon. Most of the experienced wolves were grouped together, knowing the drill and prepared for the release. Jake was among them. The strange pieces of apparel which were passed around to the first timers were magically enchanted, allowing for the werewolf to grasp at some form of decency when they shifted back to their human state. Already owning a pair, they had replaced his boxers this night, fitting snugly about his nether regions and hidden away beneath the navy blue shorts, only the waistband coyly peeking out. When Xan had called for silence, many quickly obeyed, only the few eager individuals took slightly longer to get the message. Goosebumps crept up his bare muscular arms, this was not on the account of the cold, it was the rush of excitement flooding through him. Before they departed, Jake had been approached by the little wolf he had met earlier that day. He was in a hurry during their last encounter but caught on that perhaps his boisterous banter might have hurt some feelings. “Hey.“ He replied, already the sharpened canines had reflexively began to form. “Can you feel that in the air? It is going to be a good night.“ A hearty warmth in his tone. When the pack had been released, a thunderous cheer erupted as the groups flooded out onto the fields and into the woods. “Try to keep up.“ Jake smiled playfully. Setting off at a short job before developing into an athletically powerful sprint. Passing several wolves upon his descent, casually looking around for signs of the pup. The run was short lived, as the experienced led the others into the tree line and rushed for the large clearing.<e>

00:13:12 Xarissa Her eyes cast towards the big man who had been making the announcements, trying to silence the people there. She shrugged somewhat, unsure what to say to his words. Sure, he had rubbed her the wrong way, and now, she was only gravitating towards him, because he recognized him. "It smells like a bunch of kids who wear too much colonge, if you ask me." She couldn't help but to chuckle. "I really wish you'd stop underminding me..." She responded with a pout. "Just because I'm small, doesn't mean a thing!" As soon as they were released, Xarissa, a little confused, unsure where to go, had no choice but to follow. Jostled a little at first, she ducked past a few elbows, to keep up with the challenge of 'keeping' up. So long as she wasn't pushed, or shoved, she had no problem settling into keeping pace. Though, that small figure would no doubt eventually, disappear between taller people. Damn being little. She wouldn't get too far behind though, oh no. She refused to let that happen. She didn't want to continue to be underminded, and looked down upon, for being little. Maybe if she...wore a muscle suit, people wouldn't look at her like she was such a flower. The idea made her mentally chuckle, but that wasn't the prime thing on her mind, oh no. She couldn't help but to look around herself, to scan for the potentially familiar face of the girl she was requested to bring here. Uh, oops, on that part. Oh well, she'd made her way there, correct? Right, so without worries, she decided, she might as well enjoy, for what she could.

00:18:14 Pixie makes a little moue of a pout with her mocking mouth. This is not the wolf-fest she anticipated. This is sanctioned, with uniforms and roll-call. Shouldn’t wolves be partaking in some nakedness and biting some shit to bits? Five feet of disappointment, taking her chunky boots off by the institute door so as not to lose them. The scent of burning catnip quirks her interest, dark eyes locking on the oh-so-cool and casual slouch of Ignatius smoking on his perch. Barefoot and bereft of most of her layers of clothing, the waifish little creature slinks towards him. All nonverbal, she raises her eyebrows and widens those lying doe-eyes, her chin tipped downwards. That’s a pretty please for a hit if you ever did see one. Where moments before Pixie had been electric with anticipation of being in the pack, her easily burst expectations now drift to making it through without complete mental disaster. Again, she must be winning lots of favor by trailing behind.

00:23:21 [Emri] If only Emri had been around for her confession in Elixirs - perhaps his jovial banter would have been more restricted. Perhaps it would not have. Either way, he was oblivious to what she had been magically forced to admit to, and hadn't been subject to any possible rumors. They weren't likely to deter his want of her anyway. " Cute, " he remarks in response to the heart placed in his open palm. Letting her dip a curious finger into the sticky sweetness, he slowly lifts his hand to his mouth shortly thereafter, giving it a once-over with his tongue. A resonating 'mmm' rises from his stomach as his hand falls back against the table. " How'd you know honey was my favorite? " The connotation is there. As infectious as it is, her grin leaps to his own face, and before long he's wiping the honey away on a napkin rather than actually licking it all up. It was good, but there were enough other available places he would have rather been cleaning it off of. " Why'd you run off. " he questions, though its more of a statement. " When I revealed myself as your sweetheart at the Masquerade.. " he quickly adds on. Its a sudden question, with no proper transition into the subject, but such was Emri to attempt in destroying social norms.

00:26:31 Ignatius had been pretty far gone by the time Pixie decided to make herself known, but not simply from the few puffs he’d taken prior to actually stepping outside. No, just judging from the reddening of the sclera - which would now be visible as he canted his head somewhat curiously, albeit belatedly to the tiny girl - he’d been at this for most of the day. Dark, greenish-gray eyes would blink once in complete and utter confusion as the gears above started to churn, only to finally connect the dots. He’d puff out his chest, only to utter forth a little, “Tch,“ sucking his teeth out of distaste. He’d take another drag, this one almost tauntingly longer than the ones he’d taken before, all the while staring at her with that semi-vacant gaze. Prideful in his own right, that was for sure. Eventually, however, he’d crack, letting out that lungful of smoke to toss her a rather cynical glare. “ Don’t be comin’ over here t’me like y’some kinda princess, girl. That shit don’t fly ‘round ‘ere. If y’want a drag, you haf’ta use that mouth o’yours. “ He’d state bluntly, not being sucked in by that feigned innocent look that she was boasting.

00:28:21 Xan watched as his students ran for the woods. All save one. He turned and moved toward the younger wolf, his lip curling and his eyes taking on a golden tinge. When he got near enough his head rose and he could smell the sickly-sweet stench of marijuana. He completed his course toward Ignatius and, when he was close enough, his right arm reached out and grabbed the teen by his brown hair. He shifted to one side, acting as if he was about to pull the young man away from the wall, but, instead, he did the opposite. His fingers flexed to tighten his grip on the boy and then, suddenly, he was lunging forward. With his entire body weight, plus his enhanced strength, the boy'd head would connect with the stones violently. There was a sharp, echoing report as the stone cracked all around the impact point. It probably fractured his skull. If he didn't completely collapse Xander's hand would unlock itself from his hair and would snatch the joint from his hand and crush it under his bare foot. He snarled, "Who the fuck do you think you are you little wanker?! I told you to move your ass and the next time you disobey me on a full moon I'll do worse!" Then he'd grab the young man's hair again and hurl him bodily toward the exit of the courtyard He turned toward the new girl, lip still curled, "Move!" From then on he'd be running behind Ignatius and Pixie forcing them toward the woods. When they arrived at the clearing he shoved Ignatius toward the rest of them and then took his place before them. The clearing was truly massive, large enough to fit half the school fairly comfortably. He looked around them with the golden eyes of his wolf and raised his voice, "Everyone get yourself some space and kneel." Standard practice. Whe all of them were spaced and kneeling he began to pace before them, "Now, look into that place inside you where the wolf waits. Where it's limited consciousness awaits you. It's an ocean within you. Infinite. The key now, is to surrender to it. To fight it this night means losing. Losing yourself and any control on your animal." He looked up at the night sky to see the moon slowly rising, "In order to guide, you must surrender. That ocean of rage spills into the waiting banks of an empty river. You are the banks. Your consciousness forms the banks of the river. Try for control and the river grows unmanagable. Simply guide the flow and it responds to your will."

00:35:24 Mila smirked. “I'll have to remember that. Never know when honey comes in handy.” Oh the implications! But who wouldn't imagine the combination of sassy innocence like the senior reclining with honey coating he- Ahem. Well, now that Emri was distracted by an uncomfortably sticky palm, Mila was turning her attention back to her meal. She was not the kind to starve herself in front of a boy, and as she was either blessed with a shapely slim figure, or crediting her athletic schedule – Mila need not worry about eating nuggets and fries at dinner. Not until Emri's next comment had her choking momentarily on a fry. Gathering herself after a few loud coughs and chokes, she sipped some apple juice and delayed in her response. It was not a question she expected put to her. Bold, wasn't he? “Uhm.” Her cheery, confident speech had lowered to a near whisper. “I was just.. shocked, I guess. It's just not something I do.. you know? Like, kissing guys when I don't know who they are. I was...” Mila's eyes didn't meet his, in fact she allowed her hair to fall forward in a veil of sleek sable that shielded her from his eyes. Meanwhile she stared with such forced concentration at the fries on her plate one would think they were hypnotising the poor girl. “It kind of just came out of nowhere.”

00:46:29 Ignatius had been pretty far gone by the time Xan decided to make herself known, but not simply from the few puffs he’d taken prior to actually stepping outside. No, just judging from the reddening of the sclera - which would now be visible as he canted his head somewhat curiously, albeit belatedly to the irate, barreling Teacher - he’d been pretty baked throughout the day as a whole. Alas, even if he’d wanted to get up and move away to defend himself, he didn’t. The other man’s fingers would’ve met their mark, and in a flurry of meshing horizon and blurring colors, there’d be a very sharp pain ricocheting throughout his head. The jarring, unnecessary display of ‘dominance’ caused Greenish-gray eyes to widen in surprise, before the warm, viscous feel of blood was felt trickling down the side of his head. If he’d been a lesser being, Xan would’ve just killed a poor boy, but Ignatius’ fortitude was enough to keep him anchored to this world for now. It sure was a wake-up call, or a buzz-kill. Yeah, buzz-kill. Several blinks of disbelief would be given in response as he finally caught up with what just happened, only really catching the last couple words that Xan decided to yell at him amidst the deafening pain. And, again, there would be more motion that he’d not quite been ready for: pushed towards the woods, he’d stagger forward, legs more or less like jelly as the recoil still wracked his body. A hand came up to cover the point where his head hit the stone, fingers gently rubbing the already-healing skin beneath tufts of dark brown hair. “ What a dick…“ He’d grumble, eyebrows furrowed with slight irritation. Then there was another command. Kneel? Him? “ Yeah, okay. “ The last word came off incredibly sarcastically as his hand fell back to his side and shoulders rolled. “ Save the speech for someone who cares. “ He’d retort, turning a deaf ear to the teacher as he moved to saunter towards the clearing like the rest of the mindless pissants, only assuming that he wasn’t first rudely interrupted once again.

00:48:03 Jake laughed at the observation, one which he could wholeheartedly agree upon. It was her next response which caused the curved corners of his lips to shape into that trademark wolfish grin. “It’s not about your size darlin’, you can call it my way of challenging you. Always nice to have an obstacle to overcome right?“ The hyper competitive wolf’s remark could be taken with a grain of salt. Often dancing between that faint line of confidence and arrogance, he often butted heads with those who felt he was a threat, that was just the way life was be it ether touched or human. The run into the forest had obscured the view of what had happened behind the ranks, Jake completely oblivious to what had happened but upon arriving at the clearing, watching how the young pup was manhandled had shocked some of the younger students yet stricken the seniors with flashbacks of their own rebellions. After a few moments of spacing, everyone preparing themselves for the transformation, the part of the ceremony which Jake detested most had dawned upon the group. The kneeling to him was humiliating, the inner wolf growled and barked in protest but the Tritus student knew that he didn’t have the strength to overpower the Alpha, that usual mischievous grin was replaced by an uncomfortable grimace, subtlety hardly his strong suit. Then came the speech, the recited prep talk which moulded the young minds, guiding them into their coming transformation. Jake could already feel the black furred beast within biting at it’s tethers eager to be released. Knowing he had to surrender, he reluctantly began to let go of the shield which suppressed the animal. Warm pools of brown were replaced with the viciously sulphuric yellow of the wolf, a low growl building in his throat.<e>

00:49:18 [Emri] Her choking and coughing, even though brief, takes Emri back a few, and he's poised to help should it continue. But he quickly falls back into his comfortable lull against the table, watching her even as her hair falls, and she refuses to look his way. Her answer is silently absorbed and as a moment passes between them where he's silently contemplating his next words and shes just staring at her fries, he finally cuts the quietness that - even despite the students that surrounded them on every side - had managed to build up, and noticeably so. " Sorry. " Its a short spoken phrase, but genuine. Since that night, he had never fully thought about whether there was a line to be crossed - was that not the implied point of the Masquerade? To live life, dance with the people you wouldn't have normally been brave enough to ask, and to take risks that weren't even normally possible. But the apology was there. Anything to kill the silence!

00:54:37 Xarissa "Then, stop picking on my size, 'cause, ya know, it's kinda starting to get old." She huffed, and that appeared to be the end of that. If he wanted to challenge her, surely he could pick something other than how tiny she was, to nag about. Call her a dumb blonde, if that's any better. Xarissa was far from a dumb blonde, however. "However, I'm pretty sure you could jump over me. I'm not much of an obstacle." Size-wise. Small had it's advantages. Challenge he wanted, challenge he'd get. Eyes fluttered towards those deciding to make a ruckus, paying little attention. It was juvenille, if you asked her. Easing down onto her knees, wasn't too hard, now that her body had warmed up. Her hands flattening on her thighs, she sucked in another cold breath, that made her shudder. She had thrown on a jacket she didn't care about, but, eventually, it was shrugged off, and the cold kissed her skin, bringing it to prickle as she forgot about it. Following words was easy, despite having been taught otherwise. Letting things out, was now harder than keeping them in. Whereas keeping, had become natural, just letting it have what it wanted, that was hard. Furrowing her brows, Xarissa just let her mind go blank, and let it all overflow. A geyser, so to speak. That bubbled up, and found its way to freedom past the restricting layer of rock. Letting herself go to the change, yea...it was in motion now, whether she wanted it to be, or not. There was one big difference, being out here, rather than caged. She wasn't going to get stuck, prowling back and forth at the bars, threateningly every time the poor guard walked by. Left to freedom, that really wasn't freedom. It was just a bigger cage.

00:57:16 [Dietrich`] The pack of students turned nearly as-one, surging off towards the treeline. Dietrich’s scowl darkened as he watched the shapes fade away into the night. Apparently he wouldn’t even be given that much. Still scowling he turned from the window and returned inwards towards his prison. With little else to do and not enough focus to direct his energy towards more studies, Dietrich stalked down the long winding halls back towards the dining hall. Sweeping in through the door. Dietrich headed straight for the faculty table, tossing his empty cup aside and reaching for whichever confectionary was closest at hand. That was until a familiar face caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Didn’t that girl still have something of his? Tossing aside the sugar doughnut he’d just picked up, Dietrich swept down from the head table and into the rows of student tables, coming up behind Mila with a clamped a hand on her shoulder. “You and I have something to discuss.” He growled, gaze flashing for a moment to her little boyfriend before resettling on the top of the girl’s head. “Follow.” Was he sorry for interrupting their little lovebird moment? Not in the least.

00:59:27 Pixie boasts brashness and loose morals when it comes to her sex life and using foul language and wearing last season’s trends, but there is something behind that lie that is crying for the rape of its innocence. It’s this different Pixie that covers her mouth like a pup in shock at the boy’s treatment. Bones crack. There is a moment between actions as Pixie is about to bend to help her fellow student up from the snow when Xan orders her to move. A hummingbird’s heartbeat is spent meeting his eyes, expression unreadable, before she bolts ahead. Five feet of Were isn’t much to tip your hat to unless it’s time for speed, and the waifish she-wolf would like to have the most distance possible from her supposed instructor. This is not how children should be treated. Criminal records and nail polish and floppy haircuts aside, that is what they are here: children. Spare the rod, spoil the child, here at Hex Institute of Teaching Hatred and Brokenness.In the clearing with the rest of her restless packmates, Pixie strips the remainder of her clothing with little modesty, swallowing her pride and donning Xan’s offered flesh-garments for modesty and rulebooks. Then comes the changing ritual. The vapid princess, stripped of her clothes and makeup and charms, digs her fingers into the snow until she finds cold earth. It gets under her fingernails. Pixie doesn’t reach for rage, just for the blissful empty. She is slow, quirking the flesh between her shoulder blades at the noises of her packmates changing; hopefully not the last, the waifish girl is replaced by the russet-agouti monster.

01:11:37 Xan heard every last one of Ignatius' remarks. It even riled his beast. He suddenly called out, "Connolly! We have someone out here that doesn't want to participate! Grab him." That was a safe bet. Jake Connolly had heard this shpiel enough times to have it memorized. He glanced up at the slowly rising moon and then turned those golden eyes of his to the students. They were kneeling for the simple fact that this way he could look at their faces. He looked at each one, scrutinizing, then moving on. He matched every name on his mental checklist to a face. He noticed who wasn't trying and who was struggling with the concept. He'd seen it all before. He would have to single them out to match them up with a senior would could walk them through it more slowly next time around. By this time Jake should have manhandled the fifth year boy into the formation. Xander took in a deep breath and turned his face to the sky as the moonlight shone into the clearing. His hands moved by rote, pushing off his athletic shorts and revealing that he, too, wore the spandex undergarments that were given to every last one of his students. His breath misted as he basked in the brilliance of the full moon and his eyes opened. Then, down to his very DNA, he began to change. His molecules were shredded and reformed to create the shape that the full moon demanded this night. Bones cracked and reset themselves. Sleek, black fur spourted all over his body as his ribs expanded. The bones in his feet shifted, his ankes repositioning themselves to create the double leg joint of the animal. When it was over he stood there, massive and powerful. His head turned toward the students who had either already changed or were just beginning to. His golden eyes shone with the reflected moonlight and, should anyone look into his eyes, they would see intelligence there. More than any of their fellows, for sure. He looked around at all the students as they finished their metamorphosis. And then, before they could turn on each other, he drew in a deep breath and let slip a snarling roar that would inspire fear in all off them. Their primal minds would know the Alpha and, at this primitive command, they would scatter. And now his work truly began.

01:16:33 Mila shook herself from the awkward silence, tucking her hair out of the way and offering him a slight quirk of her lips. “You don't need to be. I was just shocked when you told me, that's all.” And though she didn't say the words, it was clear what she was implying. Mila did not regret anything that happened at the Masquerade. She was a big girl, and a small dalliance with a young man who could very well have been a stranger was no feat new to teenagers. Weren't normal girls outside of the Hex spectrum, doing this every weekend? Somehow her mind wandered to how she felt and she recalled her tampering with his mood. Was the candy-cane the only reason he humoured her attention today? Last month the short interactions she'd shared with Emri had all revolved around Trix and questions about her. There wasn't jealousy but curiosity. Perhaps the fae had shared a dalliance with Em' at the ball, too? Now she blushed again. He probably thought she was clinging and overreacting – these were likely things he did at every Masquerade and no girl had blown them so out of proportion. An escape was offered on a silver platter when Dietrich joined the two. Merciless world, probably the one member of faculty she'd cause to avoid. The girl who had never been one to frequent the library was noticeably never caught within a vast diameter of the area – her way of evading the confrontation that would come when asked to return the novel she had promised to borrow only for two days more than a month ago. Mila cringed but forced herself to turn obediently to the librarian, a meek “Okay,” offered as assent. Like she had any choice. The intimidating man requested her immediate follow and so the sprite of a girl was slipping beneath the weight of dread to a stand, and following after him with her head bowed and hands clasping anxiously in front of her. She was getting the lash, she was sure of it. What bothered her most was now she would have to relinquish her ownership of the tome.

01:28:35 [Jake] It made sense that Jake would be one of the few seniors chosen to root out troublemakers, to set those straight who were so eager to protest and rebel. The irony was that Jake too used to be one of those rebellious wolves but with experience he had learned a valuable lesson. It was best to sit through the ritualistic crap at the start, bite your tongue and persevere so that the real fun part could begin. The change. As he was asked, Jake approached the fifth year who hung out at the outskirts of the group, it was then that he noticed the wound. He had already caught the scent of blood, tickling at his senses as he approached. “Step in line mate, we are about to get to the good part.” An attempt at friendly confrontation but something told him that the unrecognised student would much prefer to do things his own way. Jake saw a part of himself in the guy, a part of his old self. If the peaceful solution had been denied, Jake was ready to act but if all went well, and it rarely did he would he would resume his position amidst the group. As Xander transformed, a chain reaction of shifting erupted like a wave throughout the clearing, the wolves revealing themselves at various paces. In an explosion of fur and fang, the audible cracking of bones, expansion of muscle and elongation of limbs would eventually leave the large black furred wolf behind. A remnant of that same grin upon his lips, he so affectionately wore in his human state.<e>

01:32:35 Xarissa Awaiting that change, made her uncomfortable. Feeling so revealed, for what she was. What a funny place to feel self-concious. Everyone else is in the same boat. Tiny, tawny aspen. That was what was left there, with it's perfect camoflague to face the forests around her. With eyes of deep hazel to replace the pools of blue. A creature equally as small as Xarissa. A creature equally as intelligent, and agile. Swift. That's what she got for being small. Swift, and calculating, rather than big, and brawny. After all, there had to be some sort of perk, right? Right? Rather than constantly being a delicate doll. All the fur, she did like, she enjoyed the mahogany shades, that hid her ugly scars. The whisp of a wolf flattened her ears, more against the sound of the howl, than anything. The racing of her heart, and she turned. Off, to head away on her own. To likely encounter, and prove that being the tiniest wasn't always a bad thing. Head low, she went off to venture, weaving and trailing between and around trees. Lazy lope, to stretch the muscles that had been bound and unused. Warm up the canine body. Yea, she didn't want to stick around to watch what happened to those who decide to be trouble. She'd had enough trouble, for now.

01:42:34 Ignatius had been more than jostled back to reality with the crack to the head, so the dulling sensation that made marijuana so enjoyable in the first place was thrown unfortunately out the window, leaving the rebellious fifth-year much more alert to his surroundings. The ample amounts of adrenaline pumping through his bloodstream counteracted the copious amounts of THC, and in a moment, he’d gone from slow and stagnant in his reactions to borderline average. No delay, really. As the moments wore on, they’d get sharper. The response from the instructor had him more than ready for Jake’s approach, though it was much more docile than he would’ve originally anticipated, especially considering the mob-mentality that was surging about the area like a frenzy of crashing tidal waves. Though Ignatius could clearly feel the beast scratching beneath Jake’s skin, the other male’s approach was genuinely kind. It was something that caught him off-guard for a moment as he pondered his response, but in the end, it ultimately came down to him not caring. He didn’t need to be part of some group to feel special, and he certainly didn’t need a roided-out teacher to make him feel validated. “ I’ma be ‘least a little less blunt with m’response considerin’ y’went through all th’ trouble t’make yer way over here in a somewh’ civil manna’: piss off. I don’t need some teacher’s pet tryin’ t’get all chummy wit’ me. Y’do your thing, I’ll b’over here. “ Even in the face of Xan’s transformation he didn’t quite seem to understand the circumstances that currently surrounded him. Still, the stubborn tended to die hard, didn’t they?

01:43:28 Dietrich` turned on his heel and strode from his room. By the tension in his shoulders and the fury of his stride, it was clear that the man was not in a good mood, not even remotely. Mila was not directly responsible, but it was unlikely that she’d know as much. Dietrich didn’t take her far. Once they were out of the Great Hall he led her into the nearest hallway, and turned on her right around the corner. “I have been lenient with you, up until now.” He growled quietly. In one fluid motion he’d turned and shoved the girl up against the wall, his forearm pressing firmly across her collarbones and throat. This was not the equable librarian’s usual behavior. Something was different, something behind his eyes that wasn’t normally there. The man who was usually the very embodiment of measured stoicism now exuded an intensity that rarely broke the surface. Of course Mila might be none the wiser, confronted so suddenly and with so little interaction in the past with the man she had clearly been avoiding. Dietrich’s lip twitched and he leaned in closer. There was a hint of alcohol on his breath. “We had an agreement. You broke it.” He snarled in that low tone of his. “I do not like being lied to. I do not like being toyed with. You will be returning the book to my hands immediately, ponyal?

01:47:41 Jer shifts his attention to the far window. The commandeering roar, the secondary yips and howls that follow, such sounds of the full moon instantly impregnate the night with a feral shudder. What had once been cold, yet innocently still air is now a palpable alarm, warning all to burrow, to hide, and - most importantly - to stay the fuck out of the way. The mage, safely tucked within the Tritus common room, peels his gaze from the frigid pane and puts in his earbuds. The cacophony of weres is a noise he's never been fond of. Thus, as he rises from the plush upholstery of a sofa chair, leaving by his characteristically unrushed pace out into the hall, he drowns the world from his ears, replacing it instead with the ironically appropriate Moonlight Sonata. MP3 player slipped into the right pocket of his pants, his left hand into the left, he pads barefoot over the tiled floors. With a certain detachment from everything around him, details begin to manifest: his breathing is slow and measured, his blink have become more languid and lengthy, his walk increasingly a listless meander. But there is a destination to all this and, within a short time, he arrives, standing high on a stairway banister. His gaze, like a rock sinking in molasses, descends through the generous open space that separates him from the pristine floor that lies one flight down.

01:57:27 [Jake] The response had been expected, no one ever chose the easy route, what is easy was hardly ever as fun. The approach had been well mannered, Jake hoping to appeal to some form of common ground, both were werewolves, both were students and each of them seemed to prefer to do their own thing. The asshole retort didn’t look like it phased the wolf much, on the outside his expression was stable, the slightest hint of an excited sneer upon his lips. “I did try to appeal to your better judgement. Shame. Types like you seem to respond best to violence.“ His tone filled with amusement and misplaced merriment. As all the wolves around them began to shift, following the example of their teacher, it left only Jake and Ignatius at a stand still. “Best get this over with whilst the night is still young.“ Mockingly announcing. Bursting into his own transformation, the towering black wolf let out a deep growl, fangs snapping at the air, goading the same transformation out of his would be opponent. The wolf stalked from side to side as he waited, some of the other wolves with greater control stayed behind to watch the charade. Jake was going to enjoy this.<e>

01:59:09 Xan 's golden eyes lingered upon the insolent male who had just told one of his sixth years, one of the strongest he had taught, to piss off. But tonight there was other work for the Alpha. His ears flicked as howls echoed through the woods, signalling that the night was in full swing. No doubt his wolves were ripping and tearing at each other right this moment. But those wounds would heal. He left Jake, who could be considered a Beta in this particular pack, to deal with Ignatius. He would teach the insolent pup a lesson later. For now he turned, shifting his upper body weight forward and his legs propelled him into the four-legged lope of the werewolf. Once he broke through the tree line he effortlessly changed direction and began to lope the edges of the woods. He claws curned the snow and the earth beneath, mixing the two and marring the pristine white of the snow as it shone in the moonlight. From here, with his greater speed, he would circle the edges of the woods hundreds of times over the course of the night. He would fight and throw his students back to the woods, making it known that the school was off-limits. No one would die because he was being lax. Ah, and there it was. The first shape to emerge from the woods, sniffing toward the school. He sped up instead of slowing down and smashed into the form, knocking it to the earth. He turned as it began scrambling for its feet again and as it pushed itself up and sank his claws into the body, which gave vent to a pain howl. He turned twice before flinging the body into the woods where a crash could be heard as the body took out a tree. Not one of the grat oaks, mind you, but probably a skinny pine or something. Then he was running again, loping along the edge of the woods.

01:59:17 Mila knew she was in for it. Dietrich was furious and presumably, she was the cause of such obvious anger – she had all but stolen an ancient, valuable grimoire – Tenebris Ether, despite solemnly promising to return it. Had she known he was releasing anger felt at a number of bothers solely upon her shoulders, she would have thought it unfair but commonplace in an Institute like Hex. This was not a school where teachers were mentors and friends. It was a place that the worst of the youth were sent to be reformed , it was only a shame that there were a number of students as harmless as she being treated to the same brutality as the bad eggs. Meek and anxious, she followed him from the Hall and around the corner, only to cry out as he outright manhandled her to a pinion against the wall. Her smaller, slim form hit the wall with a thud and then a forearm of stone was holding her in place and making access to her air supply uncomfortable. Doe eyed, those crystalline orbs were wide with fear. This was a confrontation she had yet to experience. On occasion Mila had earned herself a lashing, grounding or grub duty for inappropriate behaviour with boys, always the tame sort for it simply wasn't in her to be a harlot, along with tardiness and distracting herself and others during classes. Never had a member of the faculty or staff ever beaten her about. Unable to shrink when he leaned in, she caught the scent of alcohol and winced. But she knew she had brought this on herself. Daring disobedience against an elder at Hex? The girl had been in attendance long enough to know better than that, but the tome had a pull on her and she hadn't the heart to release it willingly. Now though, the choice was not hers. Mila nodded as best she could with his arm holding her in place, her dainty hands rising to grip his arm but doing little to push or ward off his attack. Foolish enough she may be, but not foolish enough to defend herself. The last word that left his accented tongue was spoken in a language she did not understand – but his message was clear. “Yes.” She managed, in a voice to low and annunciated to be anything but an irritable reply. Submit she may, but Mila was too spirited to beg and cry – even if she was tempted to do so, and her heart was beating rampantly beneath the swell of her heaving breast. The girl didn't need foresight to know she would get lashes or worse. Now she need only wait for him to release her, and give her leave to collect the book or at least bring him to it's location.

02:09:12 Ignatius wasn’t quite as easily coaxed into his more monstrous form which was obvious to any on-looker at this point, so though the result would eventually be inevitable, he could cling to his frail, human sanity and deny Jake any hope of getting satisfaction. To someone like himself, a Werewolf, he could survive a hit from the evolution seen before him, but only if he was struck alongside something that didn’t have a vital organ. Taking multiple hits in rapid succession would be pushing it. Still, threat of death hung over Jake’s head in this position should he act with rashness, not Ignatius’, as killing another student was punishable by death. Though the display was grisly, Jake’s transformation was watched with a bemused look, as he had already predicted his far before their change of words had even occurred. Instead, with taunting meticulousness, he dipped his hand into his pocket and attempted to fish out another cigarette. This time, however, it wasn’t marijuana. Though he played it off like he was perfectly safe, he wasn’t; in this very specific scenario, it came down to who had more control, as well as the best poker face. A risk, but one he knew he had at least some premise of winning if be bet on it. The cigarette was eventually pulled out of his pocket if he was even able to do so, pulling the object to his lips as the fingers of his other hand brought up a red, faded lighter. It was a bit pink now, truth be told, and he’d flick the flint several times, unsuccessfully - though not exactly intentional, however somewhat beneficial to his standing - until it finally flared into life. A couple small puffs would be taken to get the ember started before his chest heaved and his lungs filled, only to exhale directly into Jake’s ugly mug. All the while, however, he didn’t take those greenish-gray eyes off of the monster before him. He wasn’t that stupid.