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Pyro trailed behind the two vampires back to Oakhurst, mind spinning both with his new abilities and thoughts. The dead woods seemed to stretch onwards, onwards, as Pyro gnawed on his lip.
He had really been excited to learn about his new abilities—especially when learning the joy of transforming into a bat—but now, they were starting to worry about how to hide things from the townspeople settling in the ruins of the old village. Namely, how were they going to hide the fact that they suddenly couldn't eat normal food, instead only raw meat?
He jogged a little to catch up to the two older vampires. Maybe they had any tricks.
"Weren't you the one who said we should get back in town before sunup?" he heard Scott leer.
"I'm sorry I'm not all that quick, since someone had to gorge themselves on all of the food!" Owen hissed. "I only had a bit, and now I'm hungry again!"
"Well, find a pig then", the elder scoffed. "That would suit you, hm, lumberjack?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Owen narrowed his eyes.
"Uh", Pyro said, not sure if he really should be interrupting. They both snapped their heads to him in perfect unison, and his cheeks heated, reminded starkly that they were both much more used to being vampires than he was.
Scott was the first who caved, while Owen still eyed him with a narrow glance. "What is it, Pyro?"
"I was wondering, how do you hide these things from the people—humans—in town? Do they not ask about you both eating only raw flesh?" they asked, hesitant.
"I suppose they would, but I mostly eat when I'm alone", he replied, studying his claws. Pyro followed his eyes. They were… very sharp. Sharper than he'd first noticed. They swallowed, trying not to imagine how it'd have felt if he had had them when turning them. "Though, I've grown tired of it. It's much less convenient. I shouldn't have to hide like a commoner while eating."
Beside him, Owen bristled. "You and your—ugh." He turned to Pyro. "I go out to hunt in the woods from time to time. I usually eat then, and save myself until I'm hungry enough."
"And, pray tell, how is your vision?" Scott sneered. Owen hissed at him, baring his teeth as a warning, but didn't reply. The older vampire turned back to Pyro again. "I recommend keeping flesh on your person. The hungrier you get, the lesser be your vampiric abilities. It isn't… ideal, to become desperate."
"Ah", Pyro said nervously, glancing at Owen. He had already been the cause of his awakening when stumbling bright-eyed through the woods, and he wasn't sure if it was wise to accept advice from the vampire's rival. He'd do good to keep on both the people who, even if they now were on the same team, very much could kill him at any given moment, should he upset them enough.
"Shall we make our way back, now that you've had your homework done?" Owen snapped. Well, shit. Pyro rubbed his neck, still sore from both of their fangs. "At this rate, we'll be cast out before we can even try to lure them into their graves." He muttered something under his breath, but Pyro couldn't tell what it was. Apparently Scott could, though, giving a sneer.
"Yes, yes, let's go, outcast", he replied and began walking, carelessly opening his back to the two of them.
Owen flinched. Pyro opened their mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a withering glare from the other. "Don't", he snapped. "I don't need your pity."
Pyro, at least, could respect that, and nodded, hurrying after the older vampire as they resumed their trek back to the village. He pulled up his scarf a little to hide the punctuation marks and tears littering his lower neck, trying not to shiver at the phantom pain and gnawing hunger biting at his stomach.
"Why didn't you run away when I first started feeding on you?" Owen inquired a little later. Pyro felt heat rush to his face.
"I–I didn't really understand what was happening", they swiftly lied.
Owen nodded, seemingly satisfied. Pyro breathed a quiet sigh of relief. It was a little embarrassing, that the thought of death was, to him, better than being alone.