If a tree falls

[snow]

Dominic strolled through the forest, which was currently dead silent save for an owl off in the distance. Peaceful for someone who had lived more than half a century on battlefields. He toyed with the mist hovering over the ground, kicking up ripples and eddies in the white blanket.

The air was getting crisp nowadays, fall was starting to set in full swing. During the day, the canopy overhead would be a mixture of greens, browns, reds and yellows, but right now it was all just black. Through a break in the trees, he could see the moon, the face on it quite visible. Always grinning.

In the distance he heard the howl of a wolf, followed by another. Must be a pack hunting some prey. He touched the pistol resting in it's holster at his side, reassured by it's presence. Not that he couldn't kill a pack of wolves single handedly, but he was a fan of his current shirt and didn't want to get it too dirty or shredded. Aside from that, a dagger was tucked into his boot, ready for quick access.

The wolves seemed to be getting louder, now the forest was no longer it's former tranquil self.

[malico]

Valerie ran frantically from the pack of wolves chasing her. She hasn't looked back but she guessed there were at least seven behind her. In her right hand she carried her violin in a case and her left hand helped her to keep branches out of her face. She was still wearing her clothes from work. A pair of black overalls, a yellow shirt, and a her white overshirt that she wears as a trench coat. Tears steamed from her face, she thought that the city was too far away for her to run to, she was helpless. She didn't want her younger sister left alone with no where to go. Misha would just end up being sent to an orphanage. She loses her balance and as she tried to ketch herself again but trips on a tree branch. ~This is it~ She thought, they would eat her for sure.

[snow]

His enhanced senses told him that the wolves were chasing someone before he could actually see who. A youngish woman stumbled out of the forest trying to regain her balance but tripped on a root, and would have smashed into the ground and be eaten were it not for his arm reaching out and catching her. He pulled her to him and drew his pistol, firing seven times for each pursuing wolf as it entered his sight. Once confident that all the wolves had been slain, he reholstered his weapon and set her on her feet.

"Miss, you should be careful when out in the woods. Things go bump in the night, and people like me aren't always there to stop them." He brushed a loose twig from her hair and smiled. "So many things would like eating a pretty little thing like you."

He bowed slightly and looked up at her, his red eyes glinting slightly from below the black veil of his hair. "Dominic Wrathe, hunter extraordinaire at your service."

[malico]

Valerie took in the moment, her eyes full of confusion. She didn't understand what just happened and she didn't know what to think. A complete stranger just saved her from a pack of wolves...but the poor wolves. Sure they were trying to kill her but they just did it to survive. "Valerie Volcan, all around chamber violinist, car fixer upper, and airbrusher." Somehow she felt comfortable, not like with most people she met. Sure part of the comfort may have come from the fact that he just seved her life. "Thanks...for saving me that is." She ended her words with a heartfelt smile.

[snow]

"Nice to meet you Valerie." He returned her smile, his unfortunately revealing the fangs beneath his lips. "Anything for a pretty girl."

The woods had once again returned to their peaceful silence. "Well, I could tell the violin part from that case you're carrying, but I never woulda pictured a young lady working on cars. I'm into... well hunting a variety of things. First time I've ever actually killed wolves though, noticed you didn't seem to happy with that. I apologize, but it was a necessary measure."

"So what are you doing out in these woods at this time of the night. I'm assuming it's not for an emergency car painting or violin concert."

[malico]

The fangs caught her by surprise but then something about him told her he wasn't going to drain her or try to change her.

She smiled akwardly at the question. "Well you're close, I'm just out her playing my violin. It's not really for a concert but it just feels good to play for the sake of playing." She blushed a bit but that was all. She looked at the gun that he used to kill the wolves with. " A hunter you said, That sounds like fun." She doesn't think it sounded funny until after she said it.

[snow]

Dominic thought about what she'd said. "Yeah, I guess a person sort of grows to enjoy it after a while." He thought back on how long he'd been hunting. Since right after World War II. It had been quite a while, first time he'd ever heard anyone suggest that it might be fun.

"Well, I too am out here in these woods for roughly the same reason. Minus the violin part, it just feels good to get out here away. Well, if you still want to play, you have a willing audience, Miss Volcan."

[malico]

"Ok...um...lets go by the river." She said pointing into the woods. "There's a sitting area over there and it's reallt pretty right now." She couldn't believe what he just asked. Sure she's played for thousands of people at a time but never for just one other persons ears. She didn't know how she'd go about playing a song. Usually when she plays a song, anyone and anything listening seems to pick up on the intensity of her emotion. Some sertain people can even get images from it that reflect the sheer raw energy of the strings notes. She made one of the most beautiful instruments sound as though it's full of hatred, fear, sorrow and sometimes lust, love, and joy.

[snow]

"Sounds good." He let her lead, picking their way through the forest until they came to a clearing around a river. The spot she had mentioned was pretty obvious. A slight concrete stage stood before four wooden benches. "Convenient. I'm guessing you were headed here anyways."

As she made her way onto the stage, he sat on one of the benches and looked up at the stars. Draco and Orion were very visible out here in the woods, and a shooting star streaked past as he looked on. He looked back down to where Valerie was removing the violin from it's case.

Tonight was starting to look up.

[malico]

Valerie ran her hand down the neck of the violin as she placed it against her neck and took up her bow. She took a moment before playing to decide what kind of emotion she wanted in the song. "Hmmm..."

She closed her eyes and remembered the sorrow that made her cry earlier when running from the wolves. The haste of the moment and the ravashing anger of her heartbeat. Her fingers ran up and down as she played the song. The uncomfortable slides her fingers made into beautiful notes. Somehow she remembered her parents after she thought of Misha being left alone with no one. She put herself in her sisters shoes, not knowing anyone, and being told that everyone she loved was dead. Who would she look up to, who would she go to when she was scared or needed protection? Valerie wanted to be stronger, she wanted to protect her sister.

[snow]

Dominic leaned back, listening to the sad music issuing forth from the instrument. It told him alot about her. She seemed to be a very sad person who wished for more strength. Reminded him quite a bit of a young girl on a battlefield far away who he had taken under his guard and almost raised for a year. But she was long dead now, killed by artilllery fire.

He found himself growing attached to the young violinist.

[malico]

Hot tears were whelling in her eyes as she played and she could feel them running down her cheeks like fire. The more she tried to hold them back, the faster they came. Stonger, that's all she thought as she finished the song. She took a deep breath and set the violin back in it's case, tears still falling from her face. She grabbed the sleeve of her shirt and pressed the tears on her left cheek, smearing them into her face.

[snow]

Dominic clapped as he stood up. "That was quite heartfelt, Miss Volcan." He walked up to her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Seems like you have quite a lot of frustration piling up, venting has always helped me, maybe it will help you."

He gave her a warm friendly grin, hoping that maybe he would be able to get her to stop bottling up such emotion.

[malico]

"It's really nothing." She says pressing her sleeve against her right cheek. "I was...just thinking of what would happen to my sister Misha if I died back there. She's only 6 and our parents died a few months ago. She would have no one to go to, I just...couldn't stand thinking of her being left in an orphanage." It seemed strange to her that she would be telling these things to a stranger, or a vampire none the less. "I don't want her to be hurt, whether I'm there to see it or not."

[snow]

"That's quite understandable. Listen..." He pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of his pocket and scrawled some numbers on it. "This is the number to my cell. If you're ever in trouble or need help, call me and I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"Would you care to take a stroll through the woods with me, Miss Volcan?"