The Vampire's Rise

"Then take a seat, my dear boy, and allow me to tell you all that I know. I can promise you, I will not harm you" Donahue said calmly as he gently cradled the young cat in his arms, and slowly turned to face the source of the voice. The cat was still asleep. "No harm shall come to you, I swear it." A few more cats emerged from the shadows, and curled up beside Donahue.

Haemon looked around for a moment before he slowly settled down at the base of the tree. He didn't dare yet approach this Templar, not until he got some answers. So, for the time being, he remained with his back against the tree's trunk, turning so that he didn't have to crane his neck so much. "Speak,"

"Since Malik lost his arm as a result of the incident, your Mentor, Al Mualim, has acted strangely, has he not? Was it not only after that failed mission that the Assassins began to hunt the Knights Templar?" The cats purred happily as they licked some blood from Donahue's armor. He chuckled quietly as a kitten curled up in his hand. The kitten seemed to be gravely ill, and it was missing its front right paw. "Some time ago, your Mentor was actually in business with us. We worked together, but then things changed. He was consumed with greed, he sent the Assassins to kill us." Donahue held the kitten at eye-level, and examined its tiny paw. The pain in his eyes was overwhelming, yet he fought back the tears. "If you do not escape, he will have you under his spell, and kill you" Donahue explained as he took off his cape, tied it into a bag, and popped the kitten inside.

Haemon listened intently, a frown crossing over his face. He had listened to what this Templar had said and he had been right. Al Mualim had been acting stranger since Altair and Malik's failed mission. "You said spell," he said calmly, though there was curiosity in his dark, British voice. "How would he accomplish that? And what would he gain from killing me?"

"They say curiosity killed the cat, but much like this little one, it might just save your life" Donahue explained as he gently stroked the little kitten. "There are things in this world, strange artefacts, and they can do things to a man. They can destroy a man's mind, change his view, and make him susceptible to suggestion. As for killing you, who knows?" Donahue held the little kitten up to his face, and the same pained look returned. "You wouldn't by chance happen to have any healing herbs on you?"

"Depends on what you need," Haemon said gently, his fingers fumbling into a bag that hung at his side. He could feel the leaves of herbs brush against his fingertips. "I could just give you the pouch and you use what you need." That was a thought that he backed up. Haemon untied the pouch full of leaves from his belt and reached around the tree with a hand. Carefully, he set the pouch on the grass by the hip of the other man and slowly withdrew his hand.

Donahue rummaged through the small baggage of herbs, and breathes a sigh of relief as he found what he needed. He proceeded to crush the herbs into a fine dust, and mix them with the water in his cateen.
"There you go, little one, this should help you" Donahue said softly as he held the canteen at an angle for the kitten to drink from. "Thank you so much, my dear boy" Donahue said as he pushed the bag back to where he assumed the Assassin was standing. By this point, the kitten was lapping up every bit of the strange mixture.

Haemon reached around and reclaimed his bag, retying it to his belt. His gaze was watching the man with the kitten. He's so gentle with that animal, he thought in puzzlement. He didn't know what to do, though knew what needed to be done when he saw a bird perch on his shoulder. With a slow and steady hand, he began to write a message and attached it to the bird's leg before gently taking it in his hand and staring it in the eye. Quietly, he began to speak. "Take this back to Masyaf," he said and watched as the bird fluttered away.

He would stay for a while, though the message had said that he needed to track down the Templar before he killed him. He didn't want the Assassins to know exactly what he was doing. Haemon looked again to the Templar, a frown appearing across his face. "What does Al Mualim hold that he doesn't want the Templars to get back?"

"I know very little about the artefact. All I know is that it is a relic from those that came before, Precursors. They used these relics to control humans, to make us their slaves." Most of the cats had fallen asleep around Donahue, yet the kitten continued with its medicine. An old tabby approached Haemon, and looked up at him before standing up against him, begging for love. "That's Mari, orphaned. She was blinded in one eye somehow. I think she likes you" Donahue said with a chuckle.

Haemon looked down at the animal for a moment before he slowly moved a hand toward the cat and laid it on her back. "I don't know why," he rumbled, his hand driving across the cat's fur. "I'm not a very likable person. You Templars know that more than anyone." He gave a small, throaty chuckle. "You heard what my Brothers in Masyaf said about me."

"Animals are different, my dear boy. They see into our souls, and they see us as who we truly are. Templar, or Assassin, it makes no difference to them." Donahue looked at the little kitten, and smiled warmly before looking to the rest of the cats, and chuckling to himself quietly. "I do not see you in the same way that the Assassins do, nor the same way that the Templars do. You have potential, Haemon Donnelly. If you ever wish to find me, simply follow the cats" Donahue explained before he set off with all the agility and training of an Assassin. Maria simply sat at Haemon's side, still seeking attention.

Haemon listened as Donahue left him with Maria. Follow the cats, he echoed the Templar's words in his mind. Then he looked down at the cat and gently lifted her into his lap. "What do you think, Maria?" He questioned, giving the cat a stroke across her head. "Do you believe the words of a Templar?"

Maria let out a soft meow, and purred loudly as she bumped her head against his hand, and rubbed herself against him.

Donahue looked down at the young Assassin, and smiled happily.
"You certainly are interesting, Assassin" Donahue thought to himself before he disappeared.

Haemon chuckled quietly as he stroked the cat's fur and moved his fingers up underneath her jaw to give it a scratch.(I love cats' reactions to that XD ^_^) He looked up for a moment and then frowned. "Well," he said, glancing down to Maria. "Do you think I should? He didn't seem like the dangerous type." Haemon gave a laugh and ran his other hand down the cat's back for a moment. "He's the first Templar I've come across that I will freely say I like."

Donahue had found himself a nice rooftop garden to call home for the night. It was a cool evening, but scores of cats covered him like a blanket. Cats were constantly running towards and away from the rooftop garden.
"I think I shall call you Bran, after the Celtic god of health" Donahue said softly as he gently stroked the little kitten. The kitten looked up at Donahue, and let out a soft meow.

Maria seemed to enjoy Haemon's company, and remained at his side. She looked up at Haemon with huge, warm eyes at the mention of Donahue. It seemed as if every cat in Acre adored Donahue.

Haemon gave a small laugh and then nodded, standing to his feet though kept Maria in his arms. "Well then," he said, looking around for a moment before he stepped out of the shade of the tree and into the darkening light. "Lead on, Maria. I'll follow you." Slowly, Haemon bent down and set Maria onto the ground, straightening back up and fixing his outfit for a moment before he tugged his hood down and dropped his arms to his sides, nodding to the cat.

Maria looked at Haemon in confusion for a moment before sniffing at the air. It was only when another cat came scampering past that the tabby spurred into action. Maria raced off to the rooftops, and was soon joined by more cats; all of the cats seemed to be making their way to one rooftop garden.

Haemon followed after the cats and halted below a rooftop that held a garden. With a deep breath, he began to climb up and pulled himself up over the edge of the building, sitting down for a moment. He took in his surroundings first.

Maria bounded off, and leapt into the sea of cats.
"Ah, Maria! Did you bring your friend with" Donahue asked as his head popped out from the sea of cats. Maria simply meowed in answer.

Haemon rose to his feet and followed the sea of cats, looking around him in all directions. He'd never seen so many cats! Then he straightened up and cleared his throat, dipping it lightly toward the Templar.

"I see you followed the cats, my dear boy. I am certain that you find it strange for a Templar to be surrounded by a sea of cats?" The little kitten from earlier still sat in the palm of Donahue's hand, lapping up some milk from a small dish. The stump, where its right paw once was, had been medicated and wrapped in clean bandages. Donahue took a damp sponge, held the kitten in his hand, and began to clean the crusts from its eyes before cleaning away the general filth of the city.

Haemon gave a small nod, sitting down across from Donahue and watching as he cleaned the kitten. "Never seen a Templar surrounded by any animal," he said gruffly, though not unkindly. The tone in his voice was one of curiosity. It seemed he wanted to know more about this one, unlike the others he'd killed. This one Al Mualim wanted dead because of some precursor artifact that he now held and Haemon was curious as to why and what the Assassin's Master could gain from it all.

"Well, they're all rescues. These cities may be unkind to the humans, but for the cats, it's unbearable." Donahue looked up to Haemon, then down to the kitten, and closed his eyes tightly. "This is why I sleep in a rooftop garden every night, because all my money goes to them."

Haemon's cold, predator-like eyes softened and, for what seemed like the first time, his eyebrows softened into a small concerned look. A templar who does this just for some animals couldn't be all that bad, right? Haemon cleared his throat and looked down at the cats that surrounded him. "Sorry to hear you have no money," he said softly, his fingers brushing a full pouch at his side, one that jingled lightly with coins.