Roth and Mercian, Lear repeated in her mind. She couldn't think much longer; she had to breathe eventually, and if she didn't, she would suffocate, as well as Umbre. And she couldn't permit that. Maybe Umbre would survive, but he isn't anything without her.
"Okay, okay!" Lear exclaimed, "I'll help you! Just let me down!"

Teran gave a small, satisfied smirk, relinquishing his hold on the girl's throat. He examined his claws briefly before looking at Leorn.
"I still do not believe that you have not yet been aquainted with the clan, and I am sure that you are hiding something from me..."

--Lear, not Leorn...--

"I'm telling the truth..." Lear managed to utter, her panic sense growing inside her chest as she noticed Umbre starting to freeze, "I don't know who they are... The only strange being I've seen in the past months is a purple-haired girl... About my age... Please, let me down..." Lear was beginning to wheeze, to suffocate, not being able to get some air. She didn't want to die. Not like this. But, most of all, she couldn't let Umbre down. She had promised.

- Sorry -

Teran relinquished his hold on the girl's throat, taking one step back. He seemed to be deep in thought about something.
"A purple haired girl of about your age... She is one of the beings that I must track down. You will take me to her."

Lear fell onto the darkened sidewalk with a deaf thud, grasping her neck as soon as Teran's hand had broken its constriction around it. Lear started breathing heavily, trying to find the air that she had so stupidly lost, her large scarf flowing in the air before completely dropping on the ground. Her black hair fell over her shoulders, her pupils small in her wide irises. Her taint was paler than normal, sign of her near suffocation. She cast one quick glance at her shadow, crumpled on the ground, holding its neck also, in a different position than Lear. She really wanted to use a spell that she had recently learned, but she knew that Teran was a demon, like that other girl. She recognized the magical signature.

Teran didn't make any move to help the girl, he just stoood and watched her as she tried to breathe again. He didn't particularly care if she or her shadow survived, as long as he got what he needed from them.
"Where is this girl?" He demanded.

Lear gulped, closing her eyes, gasping again. Her hand dropped from her neck onto her side, and she slightly opened her eyes behind the curtain of black hair that fell over her face.
"I... I don't know yet..." Lear murmured, "But I can... find her..."
Lear stood against the wall, one hand on her chest, lifting and sinking as she breathed quickly for air. She took a deep breath, and tried to get her thoughts straight.

Teran nodded curtly once.
"Then find her." He said, his tone leaving no room for negociation. On the outside, he looked calm cool and collected, but he was secretly planning strategies, almost jumping for joy that his revenge on the clan may finally take place.

Lear slowly stood up, shaking on her spot. Umbre followed her movements more or less, not wasting any energy by being Lear's complete shadow anymore, knowing that Teran had found out. Lear had to lean against the wall of the darkened building to be able to stand correctly. She lifted her frightened stare up to Teran's callous face, and knew that if she didn't do what he ordered, he would stand by his word and most probably kill her. She had no choice.

Teran cracked his knuckles before brushing a few invisible specks of dust from his shirt.
"Now, you know how to bring one of them here, unless I am very much mistaken. You will do so now. Beware, for I know when people are lying, and I will kill you. Slowly."

She stood up on her two feet, pushing off the wall to do so. Her breathing slowed down and became normal again, and Umbre adopted a fearsome position at Teran's shadow, almost ready to slap it. Lear prevented Umbre from hurting Teran, because she knew that the man had no patience at all. Lear nodded quickly, and sensed her surroundings for the signature of the purple-haired girl she had mentioned earlier. The magical flux was stronger to the East. Lear turned around, stepping to her right, and started walking.
"Follow me," she advised silently.

Teran nodded once, starting to walk just slightly behind Lear. On he outside, he seemed calm and cool, but on the inside, he was quivering with anticipation.

Umbre followed Lear expertly, imitating every one of her movements, if ever another conscious being should pop up as sharply as Teran had. Lear kept herself restricted, covering her body with the large brown scarf. She fastened her pace, not to try and lose Teran, but to get to the destination sooner. She knew that she couldn't outrun Teran, especially because of his morph. She felt selfish; her sense of life overwhelmed her sense of betrayal. She knew that Teran wanted something bad to the purple-haired girl or her siblings.

Teran also lengthened his stride, his heartbeat quickening. His golden gaze had turned to eagerness, his hands already tingling as he thought of the magic that would soon be coursing through them. He still remained slightly behind Lear, just in case the girl tried anything.

Lear guided Teran through the twisted passageways, making it seem like they were turning round and round. But Lear decided to take the quickest path to the girl she had known. Her signature magic was only getting heavier - sign that she was getting nearer. Lear felt humiliated, but also felt as if she had no other choice. Umbre's life wasn't to be lost. Lear lifted her eyes, to maybe perceive from afar the wanted girl.