[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_disorder.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> Dated early, early morning of July 2, 2009. Like, 3 AM. xD OH YEAH, and so I don't have to send you a second PM and spam your inbox literally, please don't reply to this until Thursday or when you have time, damnit! You said Thursday, and I only put this up because I ran out of threads to reply to and things to do, and yeah. xD
The coyote exhaled noisily, distress and anger apparent in her features and the way she carried herself. Her head was low and her ears were back, her single golden eye dark and clouded with rage. Her encounter over on the coast had only served to infuriate her, so she pushed it to the back of her head and carried on, targeting the city. She knew she could find something there to quell her rage and put her to sleep—alcohol, a cigarette, or maybe even someone's abandoned private marijuana grow, kept alive by the automatic irrigation system and grown to gigantic proportions. Stranger things had happened. As the coyote stalked down the wide main street of the city, her gait slowed, and she took in this marvel. This city was in remarkably better condition than the previous one—that's not to say things weren't in a wretched state of decay, but somehow, the buildings here seemed better-preserved and the entire city simply appeared deserted. The Citta Umana of the previous territories had obviously been wrecked with riots and terror before the humans had died out, but perhaps everyone here had been evacuated. Or maybe they just died where they were.
The coyote meandered down an alley, her eyes darting around and studying the human graffiti and debris left behind. There was a door here, and the coyote read the sign above it. Bar. She knew what that meant, and eagerly tried the door, only to find it was firmly locked. Annoyed, the hybrid growled beneath her breath, and followed the alley to the other side, where she found the front door. Thankfully, that was open, and Kaena wandered inside in a rather carefree manner, though she did take care to smell the stale air and listen before she made any noise. There was no one here, she realized confidently, and she leapt atop the bar, crouching down as she took stock of its contents. There was plenty here, though most of it was unusable as it was already opened. Even liquor didn't stay that long, and most of the opened bottles were either black with dust or otherwise clearly indicating they would cause some extreme discomfort and pain if they were consumed.
She had no particular tastes when it came to alcohol, nor any affinity for them. The bottles and their extensive revealed nothing to her; she could identify what she liked by taste and a sort of rudimentary knowledge about color. She hated most of the clear stuff, and the red stuff was the absolute worst. It was warm and far too bitter. The dark brown stuff she tended to like, though she'd come across a few that had been yellower that she had disliked almost as much as wine. Her eye wandered, and she pried an unopened bottle from the bartop, tearing the foil from around the cap with a single claw. She sniffed it after opening it and took a swig, prompty spitting it back out, capping the bottle, and putting it back. The hybrid rubbed her pink tongue on the roof of her mouth, growling her displeasure. That was the yellow stuff she disliked. Better luck next time.
&nsbp; The ashen canine leaned a little further over the bartop, and almost lost her balance, jumping not-so-gracefully from the wooden bartop to the tile beneath. She caught her landing and straightened herself, growling again. Today just hadn't been her day—the encounter with DaVinci had made her very angry to start. She plucked another bottle and repeated the same process, only this time, she merely winced and swallowed. It was acceptable—the hybrid tucked it under her arm after replacing the cap, and took two more bottles, though she didn't bother trying them. These were gifts for packmates, and it didn't matter whether she liked them or not. She put a folded piece of cloth between them to lessen the clinking, and set on her way out of the bar, her bottle now securely in her hand as she walked.
Her general direction was Inferni, though she wandered lazily up sidestreets and took the long way as opposed to the straightest path through the city. The coyote was unfamiliar with this city, and it seemed she would never escape the tall, decaying buildings of the urban city. Before long, however, she found herself in suburbia. Neat rows of houses confronted her, and the Lykoi peered around for a moment, studying the cookie-cutter homes with their rotting cars still parked in driveways, their front doors hanging ajar and most of their windows busted out. There were a few houses in better condition, however, and the Lykoi made her way towards one. The rain hadn't stopped since she'd left the bar, though it wasn't pouring and storming like it had been earlier. Most of the brutal parts of the storm had already blown over the bay, though Kaena's old wounds ached, and she doubted the rain would cease tomorrow.
The hybrid figured she could stay the night in one of these and make her way for Inferni in the morning. There was relative safety here; though her scent trail was easily discernable among the foreign smells of the city, she was comfortable enough to sleep in one of these abandoned homes for one night before making a return to Inferni. The hybrid jiggled the front door, and it opened easily. She peeked her head inside, and found the scent inside musty and stale. All of the windows and doors had been securely shut until that moment for many years, and the breath of air Kaena brought with her into the house stirred a layer of dust from everything in the living room. A magazine still sat undisturbed on the coffee table, though Kaena was only interested in the couch. It was usable, and she placed her bag carefully on it, heading back outside. She left the door hanging open to air the place out.
The ashen coyote settled on the small covered porch, relatively protected from the rain. Some stray drops still fell on her fur, though she wasn't bothered in the least. She took a swig from her bottle and stared out over the severely overgrown lawn. The bushes that had once neatly lined the front of the house were almost as tall as the building itself, shielding the windows and pressing close on the porch, threatening to spill over in the coming years. The grass on the lawn was almost to her knees in some places, unkempt and wildly uneven. It was patchy yellow in places, and the sidewalk was cracked, the tree in front of the house destroying parts of the walkway with its root system. The hybrid surveyed all of this, setting her bottle down by her side for the moment, sorely wishing she had a cigarette. She'd forgotten to look for them deeper in the city, and it was unlikely she'd find any here that weren't too stale to smoke. A heavy sigh escaped her chest, and she leaned against the wooden handrail of the porch, her golden eye half-lidding with tiredness.
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Uhm, 1188 words. Holy shit? x_x
Hefty drops of water drummed an upbeat cadence on nearby roofs, an orchestra accompanying the harsh whispers rattling the insides of her brain. She heard them frequently, although they weren’t always this loud. Most of the time, she could barely decipher what was being said. It was all white noise to her. As far as she was concerned, it was better that way. She could handle constant interference; it was annoying at times but at least, she did not have the deal with unknown beings. Every so often, the madwoman would catch bits and pieces of conversation; one or two words at most. The last time she’d actually picked up a few words, it had led to the brutal murder of a Crimson Dreams male.
She remembered it vividly. Flames towering high above, the enticing smell of gasoline and the victim’s deafening screams. She’d done it for Ahren; to honor his glorious memory. Fire was an element she inevitably associated with him, ever since the Aquila had informed her of his death. Such a shame; it was potential well wasted. The city was relatively close to her home in the Dampwoods. She’d found an abandoned cellar and made it her own; it was well-hidden and rare were those who ventured inside. It was the perfect place; quiet and away from prying eyes. It shielded her from the sunlight she hated so, a dark sanctuary illuminated solely by the hushed glow of candles littering the cement floor.
Unfortunately, candles weren’t everlasting and they had to be replaced every so often. Halifax was the ideal place to find what she was looking for; matches, bougies, lanterns and canned goods. She too, was unfamiliar with the city. The Concrete Jungle had been her home for the longest time and now, the visionary’s church lay in a pile of debris with the rest of Bleeding Souls. Lillith had spent most of the night pillaging houses, a forlorn figure roaming empty streets with no set destination in mind. The coal femme had a few hours left before sunrise, then she would have to seek refuge somewhere dark; a basement or some sort. Her eyes, for some unknown reason, were unaccustomed to daylight and she found it preferable to sleep during light hours.
As she made her way down the next few rows of houses, another’s scent pierced through the rain. Aquamarine orbs located the person in question rather easily; someone she did not quite recognize. She bore the smell of Inferni and yet, it wasn’t fully impregnated in her pelt. “That’ll kill you someday,” she said offhandedly, gesturing to the alcoholic beverage with her nose. Blue-green eyes swept over the woman’s body, at least twice, before settling on the older female's single eye. It was similar to Gabriel’s in coloration. A family member, perhaps?
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_columbus.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> Sorry, I swear it's a combination of being hyper-inspired and the Inferni game and threads moving slooowly (meaning I have like, six hours a day to split between two posts, most days). D: I'm totally good with short posts after this if you prefer? <3
The storm-colored hybrid took another short swig from the bottle, wincing as it went down. She had only had three sips thus far, but already she was feeling the wooziness set in. It was a good feeling—along with it came blissful forgetfulness, that lovely peace she so rarely experienced. Yes, it made her stupid and slowed her down, but not permanently. Once she slept a night, it was gone, and she was left with the same old ache and a pounding head. As much as she enjoyed alcohol-induced levity, she could hardly imagine feeling so carefree without the spin of liquor. Kaena was glad that she was not permanently gleeful; blind happiness was always fragile and easily shattered.
Her single eye peered into the sky, though she knew the clouds obscured the moon and stars. They were low and black, and clearly threatened rain early in the morning. She would sleep through it, in all likelihood—crashing thunder had never bothered the Lykoi. The earth was already wet and soggy, and the hybrid's eyes followed tiny streams and rivers as they traced over the cracked cement of the sidewalk, flowing down its gentle slope to the main walkway. Her eyes followed this, and in the distance, she saw a shaded figure, ambling aimlessly through the night. The other hadn't yet taken notice of the Inferni coyote perched on the porch, and Kaena was tired and feeling anti-social enough to allow the other creature to pass unmolested, though her raptor eye never left the figure as it approached.
It was a woman, the coyote realized, though the wind was not in her favor and she was only getting a vague smell of the woman. There was something familiar about her, though as Kaena got a better look at her face she realized they were complete strangers. It bothered her; she knew there was little chance they were related; there was no question the canine advancing on her was anything but a pure-blooded wolf. The raven wolf had certainly noticed her by now, and she paced closer to Kaena, she called out. The words made Kaena laugh, a harsh, rumbling sound that held no joy. There was some cryptic, philosophical answer lurking in her somewhere, but she couldn't force it to the surface, and after a minute she simply shrugged, and then she set the bottle beside her, deciding to leave her buzz where it was so long as there was an unfamiliar canine present.
"Yeah," she answered, deciding there was nothing to do but agree. There wasn't a whole lot that wasn't dangerous in this world, and as the hybrid's raptor eye took in the sable wolf and her adornments, she wondered if this creature was. She certainly looked it, but there was little in the way of hard evidence—unlike Kaena, who was covered in the marks of warfare, clearly proclaiming her as deadly. If she still wandered the earth looking as she did, then clearly, she had killed to survive and would do it again in a heartbeat. "Death does catch up," the hybrid answered, giving a half-hearted shrug. There weren't too many ways she knew of to live forever—but dangle one before her, and she just might bite.
A thought occurred to the hybrid, and she almost asked the wolf why she cared—but it occurred to her that in all likelihood, this crow-colored purebreed didn't give half a shit, so the Lykoi matron pressed her lips together in a thin line. Now that she was close, Kaena could clearly smell her, and strangely enough, she smelled alone, isolated—this was no pack wolf before her. For that and Kaena's own status—tired and tipsy—the stranger had been spared the hybrid's malevolent side. It was rare Kaena could have a civil conversation with a strange wolf, but some initial feeling had told her that this was not a force to be reckoned with. Things far more powerful than she were at work somewhere here, lurking behind the scenes and on otherworldly stages.
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Cutie, you're too much. <3 You can keep posting novels if you want. I like reading them. 
She should’ve ignored the coyote and simply moved on. But something about her, be it the numerous scars adorning her body or her one-eyed raptorial stare, had piqued her interest. Whoever she was, she’d seen darkness; every single flaw, every imperfection littering her frame had a story to tell. A walking enigma this coy femme was. The main difference between the two women was obvious; Kaena took care of her own problems while Lillith got others to kill for her. Brushing a strand of wet hair out of her face, slightly bothered by the light drizzle, the Stormbringer girl gingerly stepped around her interlocutor and sought refuge on the porch.
Why she decided to stay was a mystery. After all, there had not been the slightest hint of warmth in the older female’s voice; nothing that could’ve been perceived as an invitation. There was a brief moment of silence as Lillith carefully considered the other woman’s affirmation; she was right, death did catch up. How long until it claimed her soul? Such thoughts did not scare her; Ahren often visited her from the underworld, haunting her dreams with bogus prophecies and ideals. She’d join him someday; it was only a matter of time. The sooner the better.
“What do you think comes after death?” she asked suddenly, aquamarine orbs seeking the Infernian’s citrine-colored eyes. The visionary had proclaimed salvation to those deserving of such a thing, her faithful followers. Would Lillith be spared? Her King had died just recently, his body consumed by a holy fire. Where was he now? Although they often met in the realm of unconsciousness, their conversations rarely revolved around the subject. Ebony lips contortioned into a grimace as she reminisced. Oh, Thavardo… beautiful prophet, angel of God.
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Kae would have felt something similar to jealousy to learn the charcoal wolf before her spoke with Ahren still. She did not understand or realize the connection between these two, forged between them long before either was born. Even if she did, it was doubtful she would have respected it—Kaena knew Ahren had long ceased to be hers, if he ever was truly hers in the first place. Still, something in her had missed him for almost as long as he'd been gone from Inferni. They had never really and truly loved each other, yet Kaena had still felt something in her break when she heard of his death.
Her golden-yellow eye rovered over the she-wolf's body and features, memorizing her. There was still that strange tingle of familiarity about her, something Kaena could not place. It was this wolf's aunt—Ravyn—who had almost killed Kaena years and years ago on Clouded Tears with the help of Kiriska, grandmother of Arkham and Rachias. It was strange how many different faces Kaena knew, and how interconnected they were with the faces she saw even now. There was something else about the wolf that subdued Kaena—even for all of her blind malice, even Kaena Lykoi was not so blind as to miss the clear power and mysticism resonating from this creature. This power was something different from physical, raw strength. It was impalpable magic, but just as dangerous.
The question surprised the Lykoi matron, and that golden eye looked at the wolf's face, searching her features for a long moment before she responded. Death was a subject the woman had often contemplated throughout her life, and only recently had it actually occured to her that she would also eventually die. The sense of mortality had not surprised her; some part of Kaena had always known she would eventually perish, but the thought surfaced and struck her one day, and the subject of her own end was often on the forefront of her mind. She looked at the raven wolf for a long moment, mulling over it.
"Nothing, I hope," she finally replied, that golden eye looking dull. If she faced judgment, either by a god or her peers or the soul-eater, she was doomed anyway. "If there's anything good after death, I haven't earned it." Kaena's life had been spent carving a visceral, real legacy for herself in the flesh of others, written in their blood. She did not believe in living her life according to any creed that said she would be rewarded only after she died. There was too much uncertainty in that.
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The two sat in blissful silence for some time. Although heavy raindrops had morphed into a light drizzle, leaden skies indicated that the storm was far from over. Thunder rumbled menacingly in the distance, proclaiming the arrival of its accomplice. Lightning would soon strike the earth. And it did, right when an answer reached the madwoman’s receivers. She did not reply right away. Aquamarine orbs merely sought the coy femme’s saffron-colored eye, locking gazes with her king’s former lover. It was the second part of her response that intrigued Lillith most; where it was revealed that she had not earned salvation.
Pressing her lips together into a severe line, the ashen femme carefully assimilated the information given to her. “You’re wrong,” she asserted, as a general reply to older woman's assumption. Her voice was neither angry nor condescending. Au contraire, it was soft, delicate. “There is something after death,” she continued, allowing a bemused smirk to cross her face. Her thoughts revolved around him and his nocturnal visitations. There was definitely something after death, or else communicating with him would be impossible. He was everywhere, just not in the flesh. She never feared ridicule; her convictions and beliefs were stronger and far too important.
Fervent devotion burned within her soul; devotion to Azathoth, to Ahren and his mother, oh holy visionary. “Fire consumed his body,” she offered, although the coy femme hadn’t asked for an explanation. She did so out of her own accord, and not because she felt obliged to do so. Lillith wanted her interlocutor to understand, to believe. “But his soul remains.” Ebony fingers fiddled absentmindedly with the necklace around her neck; a silver-cross, homage to the clan. “Have you sinned?” she finally asked, her eyes turning cold with austerity.
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Maybe in another lifetime, Kaena and Ahren would have worked. They were never meant for each other; it was just a chance meeting and a fling that was solidified only by the birth of their children. Even as they had run to Chimera to burn Damian's cabin, Kaena had known that. She knew only the stirring life in her belly was what brought him to Inferni; she knew that and that alone had made them become mates. The thought was almost absurd to Kaena now, but even still, news of his passing had hurt her. It would have killed her to know she was perhaps a month, two months late to have seen him again before his death. The grizzled canine hadn't expected that pain; for a long time, she had considered Ahren's only meaningful contribution to her life to be his children. But it was there, throbbing and aching in her chest, and she could not get rid of it.
A soft voice spoke at her side, and two sable ears turned to meet it. Normally such a sentence would elicit malice from the silver canine, but there was only calm interest in her golden eye as she regarded Lillith. She said there was something after, but did not immediately elaborate, and Kaena was quite ready to turn her away. The gray canine more or less tolerated the religious tendencies of those around her; she had never been given to them but neither was she derisive. Her son held strong belief in a deity, and that was perhaps the only reason Kaena remained quiet, allowing the raven canine a precious few more moments to elaborate. Her words interested the coyote, and she turned her head fully, her slender, coyote features remaining carefully neutral until her next sentence.
"Whose soul?" she snapped, nearly bristling at the thought. Ahren? Her heart pounded. Salvaged? There were too many ghosts in the Lykoi matron's past to pick one, and as she looked at the woman's chest and what she clutched, she realized. Him. There was the familiarity, that tingle that had told her this wolf meant something. Kaena took in a deep breath, and shook her head, though it was not in denial or disbelief. There was some air of disappointment in her, and she wondered what had tethered this wolf to Ahren so in the living world that she carried his ghost. The realization was apparent enough in her eyes to make the question unnecessary, and the Lykoi could merely look at the sable wolf with a mix of wonder, envy, and hurt in her eye.
Lillith's next question raised the coyote's eyebrow, and there was a thin, almost apologetic smile across her scarred face. "I have sinned many times," she admitted. Some bitter, sarcastic part of her wanted to add a tooth to the sentence, defending herself; however, Kaena did not wish to anger Lillith in the least. If Ahren haunted her truly, it was only the very tip of her power and meaning in this world. The crude, primitive coyote could not understand; she was incapable of comprehending such things as what Ahren and Lillith meant, but her ignorance did not prevent her from sensing clearly marked power and danger and avoiding it. She had done so all her life, and this was no different. What sin did Lillith wish her to reveal? What did she want? Their meeting here couldn't be accidental. The Lykoi waited, and watched, holding a breath for a moment as that wary yellow eye regarded the dark woman.
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There were a lot of things she did not understand. How she, in spite of all her devotion and loyalty, had never been granted the chance to reign at his side. And how he, destined to rule the world, could have simply ruined it all by succumbing to a sea of flames. Perhaps in time she would find answers. Why had he chosen her as a vessel? Part of her despised him and his cowardice, while another part still yearned for his love and approval. Lillith saw the coyote's expression change as her golden eye located the silver trinket around her neck. And then it happened, simultaneous realization. Just as the older woman started piecing things together, the ashen wolf became vaguely aware of her identity.
Lillith did not immediately react. Faintly, as if coming from a distance, she could hear Ahren’s laughter. And she knew, right then and there, that her interlocutor was no average coyote. It was her to turn feel envious. A disgusted grimace had unconsciously settled on her face; upper lip curled ever so slightly into a condescending sneer. “You know who.” she countered very carefully, in a tone that matched hers exactly. It was a shame, how a dead man could still have such a strong influence over his two conquests. Lillith’s demeanor changed; her fingers coiled around the cross, as if doing so would rectify the situation. Her back was held upright against the wall, aquamarine orbs taking in the legendary Kaena; the succubus who’d seduced her King.
“I know that now.” Ahren’s first lover had always intrigued her. And now that she was faced with the woman herself, Lillith had nothing to say. This infuriated her. “He was never meant to be yours.” A bold statement, but true nonetheless. The madwoman wanted Inferni’s matriarch to know the truth; she had ruined their plans by manipulating Ahren at a time when he’d been young and naïve. Curse her and her diabolical intentions!
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Again, here were things she knew were more powerful than her, omnipotent fingers brushing against minds and gently guiding souls to where they needed to be. Again, the woman knew this was no accidental meeting; it was no coincidence that she had met the betrothed of Ahren here in this entirely different city. The streets were similar to the last, that same feeling of magic coursing just beneath the asphalt. She nodded almost numbly at the woman's statement, knowing damn well who. There was still little reaction on her face, the forced neutrality still masking most of her features. It did not fade as the woman spoke recognition, but the next words certainly sparked something in Kaena.
Her forced apathy shattered in an instant, her teeth showing in an eerie, pained grin. The russet across her nose wrinkled, and her brows knitted, the expression displaying only hurt. "Was he ever mine?" she asked rhetorically, that grimace not fading from her face for an instant. She knew the answer to this; the only thing that had tethered them was their children, and she had learned to love him far too late. "I don't think so," she answered herself, again giving that slight shake of her head.
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Her haughty comment did not trigger a hostile reaction from the Aquila’s dam. Au contraire, aside from a few sneers and grimaces, both females remained somewhat civil. Lillith then became vaguely aware that there would be no bloodshed. It was surprising to see Inferni’s Matriarch show such calm and dignity. Not only was her behavior unexpected, but her answer also managed to pique the madwoman’s curiosity. Lillith’s composure crumbled instantly, replaced by unmistakable bewilderment. “What?” It was unlike her to openly display such emotions. Her façade, she quickly realized, was not infallible. Not when it came to Ahren or the visionary’s holy clan.
Her King’s former lover, who’d been the source of her jealousy a few moments ago, was now seen in an entirely different light. Lillith lowered herself to the floor, her back sliding along the wall as she did so. There were so many things she wanted to ask. Ahren had never granted her a single second of his time, not while he’d been alive in the flesh. And numerous times she’d attempted to get his attention by reminding him that it was she, Lillith Stormbringer, who’d been chosen as his companion. But he hadn’t cared, preferring his numerous conquests over the only woman who understood what he truly was, or where he came from. Kaena was one of the females he’d chosen. And no matter how hard she tried to understand, Lillith still could not see why he'd been attracted to her.
“We were destined to do great things before he screwed everything up,” she started, a distinct glaze settling over aquamarine orbs. Her statement was followed by a mixture of fear and regret. He was an omnipresent God, which made criticizing him a little too risky. “What was he like? With you, I mean.” she finally questioned, the interest noticeable in her tone of voice.
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[html] There was bitterness evident in the grizzled canine, and she could hide it no longer, displaying roughly on her face for a moment before she again grasped for the bottle. It made little difference to her now whether she was drunk or sober around this wolf—the sable female had awakened things inside of Kaena the woman thought she'd stabbed and buried long ago. Ahren had ceased to love her a long time ago, if one could ever call the tenuous strings connecting them love. Children were not that, but the children had made Kaena love him more. His litter was strong and lovely, and oh, Ahren had given her Gabriel. Lovely, wonderful Gabriel—the golden son in as many ways as the phrase might be intended.
She unscrewed the cap and took a short swig, grimacing at the stuff's bitterness as it welled over her tongue. She did not replace the cap, instead setting it between herself and the other female who had sank down beside her, the metaphorical distance between them closing just as the proximity did. Kaena saw the crow's wing woman for what she was, now—a remnant. Her clan had passed along, died with the woman in that church. Kaena's golden eye glittered as she remembered how gingerly she'd stepped over those bones, their smell and the smell of old death coating the entire hall of that once-revered church. She did not think Lillith would drink, but she had been surprised, and the offer was there should the shadowy female chose to take it.
She was taken to another night on that burned beach, another long night with the tingling in her bones which would not allow her to sleep. She had found him then, waiting for her—it had been strange even then. She had once been a rogue of Inferni beckoning on Chimera's border for their king, but by then he was a stranger to their lands, long forgotten, and she had been the queen of Inferni. It was then that she had realized what she had lost, what had slipped away from her—it was then that the real pain set it. The hybrid woman sighed heavily. "What we had was accidental. Our children were the connection we shared, for the most part," the woman said, coldness creeping into her voice. She had never been able to let him in completely, maybe because he was a wolf, maybe because she knew they were fated to brevity.. She had loved Zulifer because he thought he was a coyote, because in his madness he believed he was a coyote in wolf's skin.
Kaena wondered if he would have referred to her by that name, still—kindlich. Thinking it sent a shiver down her spine; it was a dead word from a dead man, a name she had not thought in years suddenly in her head. "He left me for Chimera's crown, you know." There was that sourness in her tone. She understood duty but it made her no less bitter that it had happened, that he had left her and the children in Inferni for the wolf pack. But maybe that was her fault, too—how could a wolf ever feel at home in Inferni? "I didn't understand what I had until it was already gone," the woman added, sighing heavily. "If I ever did." OOC ENDING:
Kae and Lillith continue to talk vaguely about Ahren for a few more minutes, and then Lillith leaves to go do her thing, and Kae keeps drinking and goes to sleep.
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