Conley Brothers

"And no more taking? I'll know " she said but smiled a little, never coming across as too harsh

Felix looked the boy over and smiled approving of a free acquisition "Starnacht. That's German" he knew.

The boy nodded "you will mind Vlad. Never speak to the customers?" People didn't react well to German these days

He nodded "yes good listen"

Felix nodded and looked back at Vlad "you will need more space yes?"
 
The twins looked up at Mimic unhappily. He was so easy! He was always "losing" his trinkets. But they nodded. "No taking tonight," they agreed cheerfully. "Will you do more flips?"

"It might be nice," Vlad admitted. "The wagon will be cramped when traveling with three teen boys." He glanced at Starnacht. "Or at least growing boys." He looked toward the twins, who appeared to be getting scolded by Spectra. "Rambunctious boys."
 
She smiled "well if you insist and with that she flipped backwards off the spot and landed on one hand a moment then flipped back to herself, a swirl of glitter raining down just for the twins.

"Ready Micky dear?" She asked.

He gave a nod "lets do this" he went for one of the ladders and climbed up one side while she flicked a lever on the other side and grabbed on to a silky length of cloth thay she continued to spin and twirl as it lofted her up to the trapeze

Felix nodded "come by my cart after the last show" he said and smiled "welcome to the circus "Starnacht"
 
The twins squealed, clapping excitedly as they watched the pair on the trapeze. This was their favorite part of rehearsals! They got to watch unabashedly! Oh, they loved the glorious display!

Vlad smiled down at Star. He squeezed his shoulder gently. "You are a part of this group now," he told him softly. Something deep inside wiggled uncertainly, but he pushed it down. Whatever reservations he had about the circus he called home, it was better than being Out There.
 
Felix gave a final smile then turned towards the ring "Places everyone!" he called as he went to take his place, swirling his cane and holding his arms out as if a crowd was cheering, a big smile on his face, and so official rehearsal began...

Star smiled and looked up at him "I have home" he said and hugged Vlad again, still smiling, very excited about that.

--

Camila approached the tarp covered cage and carefully lifted a corner "Hello?"
 
Vlad hugged him tightly, smiling. "Yes, little one, you have a home!" He glanced out at the ring. "I have to go work. Do you see the other people there? We will join them, and we will take turns going out into the ring. You stay here in the shadows near them, alright? This will have to do for now. Next time I will find a better spot for you." Vlad considered taking him back to the wagon, but he didn't want to leave him alone so soon, nor did he want him off in a corner, not after Keith had shown even a slight interest. "I need to go get some things, then I will be back. You will wait here?"

~~

Claudius stirred, lifting his head weakly. He was hungry. He'd gone much longer without food in the past, but that did not change he was hungry now. He watched this new person without saying anything, feeling the throb in the cuts along his back and sides. They were healing a lot more slowly than normal, but maybe this person brought food?
 
Star nodded "Yes, stay here, not move" he promised and smiled, crouching where he was told was a good spot for him to be. He would watch and see what this place was.

--

Camila lifted it a little more and hooked the corner up, keeping it mostly covered "Hey there, I brought you some food and came to heal you... is it ok if I come in there?" she asked him gently
 
Vlad smiled and ruffled his hair gently. "Very good!" He left his small box of tools near the ring where he could grab it and hurried out of the tent. If he rushed, he'd have just enough time to grab Nagru and Regina for their part. They'd be cranky about not having a very good warm up, but as long as they went through the paces, he would reward them with extra treats.

~~

He shifted slightly. Oh, yes, this was the one the owner had said would come. "Yes," he whispered, his voice raspy as he gave the expected answer.
 
Camilia lifted the latch and opened the door to the cage before she climbed in but stayed near the door as not to scared him. She pushed a plate of food towards him, a platter with different sorts of foods so she could see what he liked.

"I'm Cami" she told him, not approaching yet, letting him eat first
 
As hungry as he was, he watched her for a long minute before attacking the food. A long arm ending in spindly fingers snaked out and snatched the nearest plate of food. He didn't even care what was on the plate. He forced himself to stop and sniff it carefully for poisons or other chemicals before eating frantically. One plate was clean in seconds. Then he repeated the process with the second plate. The food on it was a mystery to him. Whatever it was, it was fit for eating, so he ate it. Maybe later he'd pay for it by throwing it up if it didn't agree, but he didn't care.
 
she watched him quietly "You poor dear" she spoke softly "You've been treated so badly... that stops now" she was speaking mainly to herself.

She waited until he was finished before she spoke again "Can I come heal your wounds now?" she asked gently "I don't want you to get sick"
 
He gulped down a piece of what he thought was meat then regarded the female. She was soft, gentle, and did not smell of chemicals or cleaning supplies. She was different. Maybe she was new to this world? He felt sorry for her. The first pain was much harsher than once you got used it like he had. He hoped she didn't end up like the others.

"Yes," he said, once again giving the expected responce. His hunger was sated now. He would obey his orders. He was too weak to do anything else just yet.
 
she smiled softly and came closer, careful not to scare him with any sudden movements "Show me the worst one and I will start there ok" she said, she didn't have anything with her, just her own two hands yet she said she had come to heal.

She herself was rather surprised Felix had sent her alone, she supposed he must think this poor fellow was safe, and she had to agree, didn't look like he could do much right now
 
His worst one... After a while, the pain became this numbing blanket that cloaked him, making it difficult to pinpoint any specific spot of pain, but he took a moment to attempt to analize his body. The worst pain was... yes, there on his back. Somewhere around the third spine if you started counting from the top of the shoulders. He moved toward her cautiously, his oddly elongated body hunched and held tight, as if he was used to trying to move in confines far, far smaller than this wagon of a cage. Long black hair hung in uneaven, matted patches, some of it tangling in his spines and horns, some of it little more than clumps cut close to the head while some hung down nearly to the waist as if someone chopped off whatever was in the way and did not bother with the rest. Scars covered his body as well as wounds in various stages of healing. Clean, straight wounds, like someone had cut him methodically and with purpose, not wildly flailed about just for the sake of it. The last blanket fell away, revealing he wore nothing, but he didn't seem to realize it as he turned his back to her, his head turned so he could watch her over his shoulder. Bits of cloth hung from the spikes that marched in a jagged row down his spine from mid back up his neck to disappear into his hair. He was nothing short of a monster, yet the look in his eyes as he watched the woman held nothing but resignation and exhaustion. The look of someone expecting pain and used to it.
 
She let him take his time to figure it out before she moved to sit close behind him "Not going to hurt you ok, probably take a couple of sessions before I can heal everything" she said gently before she put one of her hands very softly over the worst cut, though, oddly, the touch did not hurt but felt warm and soothing. The glow was a pale green magic that spread out from her hand, soothing his sore body and healing that wound and then spreading out to heal the others, tendrils of pale green light wrapping around and finding the cuts.

Her focus was on healing him and making sure she didn't use too much of her own energy and hurt herself in the process. She had done that before when she was first learning her powers.

Finally though she pulled her hand back, most of the cuts had healed up leaving no scar just a lingering warmth from her magic "There...That better?"
 
He shivered, the warm, gentle touch as much an alien to him as the cold touch of a knife was to others. He held perfectly still, trying to accept the touch, but something inside him felt like it was stirring. It was almost as if something that had been kept dormant was waking up, like learning to control a muscle you'd never used. He held perfectly still, trying to understand both sensations.

Then she spoke, snapping him out of his concentration.

He blinked and carefully moved his shoulder. Oh. That did feel... better. There was no pain. At least, not like before. Other places hurt, but they did not seem so bad now. He moved away from her and turned so he could properly face her, his gaze uneasy. She had been kind to him, but kindness never came without a price. What could she want from him?
 
she moved back to the door, she did look visibly weaker after healing so much "See, not going to hurt you" she said she set a cup of water down for him "Tomorrow I'll heal the rest then, maybe we can clean you up a little hm? what do you think?"
 
Two questions at once, one of them asking for more than a yes or no, was too much for someone who had barely heard one question in years. He curled up in his corner, hiding from her in his nest of blankets that were slowly getting torn down into a nest of rags thanks to the spines. He did feel better, but he didn't trust her. She wanted something, and until he knew what it was, he dared not give her anything. Not even an answer to something as generic as, "what do you think?"
 
She sighed softly "ok. We'll take it slow" she climbed out of the cage entirely and closed the door "I'll come back later with supper" she said before pulling the tarp back down. She felt for the poor fellow. Clearly horribly mistreated, it would take time to rehabilitate him
 
He listened to her go and did not stir. She was quiet and soft. The other female, he hadn't seen her since that argument, she had been hard and loud. Although the lard part was mostly due to the argument. What had happened to the first female? He hoped nothing bad even though as far as he knew, either one of them could be there to cause him pain. He still hoped things would be okay for them.

~~

Meanwhile, in the bigtop, the twins had finished their act - a good warm=up act for the audience as it got them involved and laughing - and Vlad had just finished his. He led Regina and Negru out of the ring, panting a little from the effort and looking weary. Performing always took a bit out of him, even just in rehearsals.
 
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