Jerimiah walked through a forest. The entire place was pitch black and nothing could be seen infront of him. He walked with caution. Not even his wolf sight was enough to help him see through the cloak of darkness. Each step seemed to be leading him deeper into the darkness, but when he turned around there was nothing but more darkness. Jerimiah let out a shuddering breath. Where was he? Jerimiah swallowed. "Hello," he called out but not a sound escaped him. He tried again. "Hello?" No sounds. It was like everything was put on mute. Jerimiah blinked and tried to see, but when he took a step forward he was plumetting into nothingess until he hit clear water.

Jerimiah eyes flickered open and he rolled over in his bed. It was bright as heaven outside despite the blinds that covered his window. Jerimiah sat up in bed but eased his way back down. He had a killer headache and didn't seem to be gettin any better as he spent nearly an hour laying around wrapped in white sheets. After he'd had enough he stood up and walked to the bathroom so that he could wash his face, but when he got there he found something very much unpleasant. The tub was filled to the rim with crimson blood and writing on the side of the wall was a message:

Sweet crimson blood,
such a gentle delight,
Sweet crimson blood,
without you I could not survive.
Sweet crimson blood,
how I lust for you,
Sweet crimson blood,
I can't imagine being without you.

Sweet crimson blood,
you run my dreams,
Sweet crimson blood,
if only you understood me.

You sweet taste is a delicous treat,
that my soul cries out to eat.
So precious,
So new,
So beloved are you.

Sweet crimson blood,
walk in my dreams,
Sweet crimson blood,
Jerimiah shall have Sweet Dreams.


It took all Jerimiah had not to loose it right there. Instead he walked back to the bedroom and threw up. The scent of blood was sickening. Jerimiah couldn't handle it, but he refused to loose control, even as the wolf inside of him started to arise for the first time in nearly three weeks. Every since his encounter with Bat he wasn't able to turn into his wolf form, but now the tables had turned. Jerimiah stood up. He had to get out before he did something stupid like turn and end up killing someone. That would not fair well on his conscience.

Not giving it a second though Jerimiah hurried off to the Unknown. There he could think up a place that was quiet and settle. Maybe he would me able to calm down and think of his next move and try and figure out who had wrote that on his bathroom wall. When he'd reached the Unknown and found a sutiable spot of rest he thought over his options. He could have called Kazuya, but he knew Kazuya would be busy with all sorts of things and was possibly tired of Jerimiah relying on him twenty four seven. He had to grow up and today was that day.

Jerimiah leaned against a tree and gave a small shake of his head. He couldn't keep this up if he wanted to. The constant wondering of whether he'd written that on his bathroom wall wall driving him crazy. That was just too much blood though. It was as if someone had drained every last drop of blood from several people, and the blood was not watered down either. Jerimiah closed his eyes. It couldn've been him, his covers were clean. And in the past he never cleaned up after killing someone. Who was messing with him? Jerimiah sighed and started to fall into sleep when the sound of someone drawing near snapped him out of it. "Who's there," he asked.

Zandra walked through the unknown silently, looking up at the sky and twirling in a circle occasionally. She was looking for a place to swim, hopefully one that no one could find. She had problems swimming in the lake because so many people came there and all she wanted to do was change. She'd heard that this new unknown place had many unexplored places, which meant there'd most likely be a good place to swim without being seen. Unfortunately as she was walking, she hadn't even noticed she was coming up to someone, having been to busy staring up at the stars. She looked at the person as she heard a voice. "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

Jerimiah a bit suprised when he saw a child walk up and ask if she'd woken him. "No," he said bluntly. Jerimiah wasn't trying to be rude, he was atcually greatful of her for making sure he didn't drfit off. He wasn't sure if he could stand another nightmare. He gave a sigh. Despite message that said he'd have sweet dreams. Jerimiah put his hand to his head and then stood up and dusted himself off. "I'm sorry if I scared you," he said.

Jerimiah hated being around kids. Even if he was no more than one himself. They were just too care free and to get on his bad side might mean they'd lose their life. Jerimiah swallowed at the thought of warm sticky blood on his hands. Jerimiah sighed. He needed some help. If he didn't know better he'd say he was crazy.

Zandra smiled at the man. "Oh you didn't." Truth was she never found out how to talk like a normal human girl and was blunt with just about everything she said. "So Mr, what were you doing laying there like that, were you looking up at the stars?" she asked with a smile. She enjoyed th company of humans, it was the whole reason she came to the surface.

Jerimiah shook his head slightly as she assured him that he hadn't given her a fright. "I was just getting some fresh air," he said to her. Partial truth, partial lie. She'd never know the different. He then smiled as she asked if he was watching the stars. He didn't think anything in the sky was intrersting, but he'd feel bad for crushing her imagination or dreams.

Jerimiah sighed. When he realized she'd called him Mr. "Um, my name's Jerimiah," he said. "What's your name." He guessed that if he was out here he could atleast talk to her. He had the time in the world because he didn't want to go home. He didn't want to clean up the flood that didn't belong to him. The blood that had been splastered over his wall at night. He couldn't bear the thought of reading the message again. Jerimiah shivered then waited for the girls response.

Zandra walked over to him and looked up at him with a smile. He was very tall compared to her. "My name's Zandra." She frowned a little as she noticed him shiver. She proably wasn't supposed to se that, but how was she supposed to know? "Are you cold Jerimiah?"

Jerimiah looked at Zandra. "Not really," he told her. Jerimiah never got cold, literally. He then noticed that there was something off about Zandra. She wasn't like most kids. She wasn't cautious, she was.... Jerimiah sighed. He had no clue whats so ever. He gave a small smile to her. What was it about this kid. It wasn't her scent. That was fine beside th fact that she smelled heavily of water, lots of water. Maybe that was it. He wasn't sure. Did he really want to know. He'd had enough suprises for one day.

Jerimiah leaned against the tree he was standing against and crossed his arms behind his back. "Zandra," he started carefully. "Why are you out here in the unknown without anyone. It's dangerous in here," he said. Who in there right mind would think of traveling this place during a dark night, besides him? He had the skills to get out alive when the time called for it, but her, she was nothing more than a mere Genin. At the thought of Genin Jerimiah slowly felt himself seperating from the present. He remembered his hatred towards ninja. They were the reason his parents were dead in the first place.

That night they'd burned his house and killed his mother and father. Life was good before than but when things go wrong, you turn out like Jerimiah was now. Completely out of it and lost in the world with no chance of help. You were hanging by a thread and it was real thin and ready to snap at any given moment. Jerimiah tightened his grip on his arm. Snap out of it, he told himself, Don't lose it here. Partially because he didn't want to hurt Zandra, and partially because he didn't want to wake up in the middle of nowhere. Getting lost was not fun.

Zandra gave a smile at Jerimiah. "How can it be dangerous if we're the only people here? I haven't heard any bears or birds or lions out here, so it can't be that dangerous." If there were two things she hated, it was birds and bears. They had a knack for telling that she was a fish and always went after her. "And besides, you're out here without anyone, aren't you?"

Jerimiah looked at the girl. "Well you see," he said. "This place is called the Unknown because no one has fully explored it," he said. "So no one knows what's here and what's not." He then slid to the forest floor. He wondered if he'd asked this many questions when he was a child. Because if so h must have been very aggrivating.

"I'm here by myself because I can handle myself," he said kindly to her. "I'm sixteen years old. I've no family so I do as I please." Jerimiah then closed his eyes and sighed. "How old are you? And why are you here?" He asked. He gave a small sigh a a small breeze blew through. It was nice.

Zandra frowned. "You have no family? How sad...." Zandra smiled at his question a little. "I'm eleven and I was looking for a place to swim." Maybe it wasn't so smart to say such a thing, but she could've just been a little girl who loved the water for all he knew.

Jerimiah gave a slight nod at her comment about no family. It wasn't really sad, just depressing and a bit pressuring. If they would have died in a kinder fashion he wouldn't have thought it as bad. He then listened to her explain about her age and why she was her. He went to ask her about liking water, but stopped himself. That's only cause suspicion.

"You want to swim....at night...in the Unknown," he asked a bit amused. He couldn't help but smile. "Well then," he said as he started to stand up. "I guess we can go find your swimming spot. May I tag along," he asked. "If you don't mind. I'd like to make sure you don't run into any trouble. I wouldn't forgive myself if you did," he said.

Zandra looked up at him. "Yeah, what's so weird about that?" She blinked. She hadn't really planned on bringing anyone along with her. That's why she was out so late. But telling him that might make him wonder and he might've followed her regardless. "Uhm, sure I guess," she said as she started to walk. While walking her eyes drifted up to the stars again and she spun around once and giggled. "They remind me of little bubbles," she said almost absent-mindedly.

Jerimiah looked at Zandra. "Nothing," he said quietly. He then smiled as he said that the stars reminded her fo little bubbles. "That's nice," he said as absent mindly as she. He then stayed silent as he walked after her. But it didn't last long. He had the need to shift and let himself feel free.

His wolf form was calling for the sweet scents of the open and the smells that were carried on the wind. Jerimiah swallowed. "Zandra," he said softly. "Are you scared of wolves?" He asked her as he looked up at the sky. The moon wasn't full so why was he wanting to change, and could he keep control?

Zandra stopped spinning as she walked and looked at Jerimiah. Wolves didn't eat fish, so she wasn't afraid of them. Why would he ask that though? She smiled. "Nope, are you?" She said with a small grin. She had to be the only child that would have an answer like that, but somethng about this man made her answer as if she was talking to someone who knew her back home.

Jerimiah smiled. "No," he said. None except for himself, which was odd. Jerimiah then gave a small stretch and shifted. It was stranger than the previous times he'd shifted. It was easy and fluent. And he felt more alive than ever. His fur was much golden brown fur was neater and smoother and his eyes were bright yellow. He gave a small shake and then yawned.

"Thank you," he said to her. "I needed that." He then took a step forward. "I'm still Jerimiah, but I'm a Hybrid as well," he told her. He knew this was dangerous but the longing was killing him. He couldn't wait to tell Kazuya about this, maybe even show him. Sweet Dreams will come tonight, I'm finally at peace with myself.

Zandra's eyes widened as he changed and a grin came over her face as she ran over to him and felt his fur. "Oh, I've heard of hybrids, but I've never seen one before! Oh wait until I tell mama! She'll be so excited! You're so cool Jerimiah!" She said giggling as she gave Jerimiah a hug.

Jerimiah gave a small smile as she became excited. As she rubbed his fur he gave a happy whimper and wagged his tail. "Thank you," he said to her. It was his first time being petted and it was like heaven. His ears moved back and forth lightly. "I guess you'll have much to tell when you get back to your home," he said.

Jerimiah then sat down and blinked his round yellow eyes. "Woul you like to continue," he said with a grin. He was amazed that he was really speaking in human language. It wasn't as hard as he thought, but hisvoice sounded like a growl. He smiled with joy.

Zandra smiled and nodded as she started walking again, her eyes going back to the sky as she twirled while she walked. "So Jermiah, do you keep it a secret that you're a hybrid?" She wondered if she could trust him with what she was. She hoped so. No one in the surface world knew what she was, and it was starting to bother her. It meant that she hadn't made a real friend yet....

Jerimiah started to walk along side Zandra until she started to spin around. He gave a small laugh and then said as she asked him about keeping his Hybrid a secret. "Well, I'm going to be truthful with you," he said. "I hate what I am," he said as he looked straight ahead. "I have a hard time dealing with society, so I keep everything a secret," he said.

Jerimiah gave a small flick of his ears. "But, I trust you enough to let myself change," he said. "I guess I'm calm around you, or maybe I'm just having a good day," he said with a spark in his eye. Jerimiah was actually enjoying this. And for that he was going to keep it up as long as he could.

Zandra stopped spinning and walking and looked at Jerimiah. "You shouldn't hate what you are! Hybrids are wonderful creatures! It's a miracle that they exist! Anything that people say shouldn't exist is a miracle because they try so hard for them to not exist in the first place!" She walked over and petted behind Jerimiah's ears. "You should be proud of what you are. Hybrids have beaten the mighty humanity," she said with a small giggle.

Jerimiah looked up at Zandria as she fussed at him. He gave a small nod and then sighed. "You're right, from now on I'll be more energetic about what I am," he said. He wondered why she'd even bothered caring about what he'd just said. She had her own life to live and it didn't envolve him. This made him smile.

"Oh we've beaten alot more than humanity," he said as he continued to move on. They'd beaten much more. Always going up against the odds and coming out on top. Life as a Hybrid was sweet when you looked at it from a different angle. He wondered what angle he'd been looking at all this time.

Zandra smiled at him and kept walking and a few minutes later a small body of water, looking something like a pond, came into her view. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she ran towards it. Kneeling down in front of it, she splashed her hand in it a little. "Oooh, it's nice and cold too!" She said grinning. Of course, it wasn't likely there'd be any fish in it, unless there was a little stream that flowed under ground, but it didn't matter much seeing as how she'd found a place to swim, and the only people who knew about it were her and Jerimiah. After a few seconds of splashing her hand around, Zandra got up and dived in. She could change at will, and she very much wanted to, but she couldn't while there was another person around. It was too dangerous. So instead, she'd test him. Coming up from under water after about half a minute, she looked at Jerimiah. "Hey Jerimiah, have you ever heard of those water spirits?" She asked with a grin. He might take her as a curious little girl, or on the other hand, he might take it as something completely different...

Jerimiah walked until the found the fresh pure smell of water. Very opposite of the crimson blood which seemed to be fading out of his memory by now. When Zandra said it was nice and cold he smiled. "It's night," he said. "Sure it's cold." He then shook out his fur and walked to the edge of the water after she'd taken a dive in. He gave a small grin. "You enjoy the water don't you," he said as he laid down. He himself was not up for swimming.

When Zandra asked him about water spirits he nodded. "I've heard," he said. "I believe inmost things I hear. I doubt anything is a myth or legend." Then it hit him. No wonder she'd been looking in the unknown for a place to swim and no wonder her scent was so strong of water. Jerimiah got up and walked closer to the edge of the pond. "You're one of them aren't you," he asked. He'd never met a water spirit, but he was sure he was looking at one now. "You can trust me, if I can trust you enough to turn myself," he said.

Zandra smiled and nodded at his question. "Mmhm, I love the water!" The smile faded from her face and she swam a foot or so away from the edge, still facing Jerimiah as he asked if she was one of them. She'd said so many things that would've gave herself away, it was no surprise that he knew. All the same, hearing it aloud like that, she couldn't help but be a bit nervous. She bit her lip lightly and swam up to the edge and looked at Jerimiah. "You're not going to tell are you? Oh please don't, if you do, I'll have to go back," she pleaded. She wasn't near finished exploring the human world, and she didn't want to go back to the water yet.

Jerimiah looked at Zandra as she moved back some. He felt bad. "Please," he said with a bit of fear. "Don't be scared," he said. "I would never tell your secret," he said. "I know how it feels. For a long time I hoped no one who'd seen me like this would tell, because they'd turn me in," he said with glistening yellow eyes. He then took a step from the water. "Besides, I know you'd like to stay here for a while longer."

He then thought back to his deal with Kazuya. "I'll make a deal with you," he said. "I'll keep your secret as long as you keep mine," he said. His tail flicked as he laid down and yawned then laid his head on his paw. "Now go have fun in the water, I knw what it feels like to want to turn." He smiled. "You're the first water spirit I've ever met, I wouldn't turn you in anyway."