A quite peculiar thing was what kept Abbie standing on the side walk of elm street, staring almost strait up.


His old green trenchcoat he held wrapped tightly around his body. Wile a knitted, lavender scarf that was tightly around his neck fanned to the left of him because of the harsh, cold wind that blew through the streets.

And still he stood, observing.
But he had a reason to do so. He was baffled at the detail he noticed in the pattern of trees that were fenced in neat rows through out the side walk. The trees were all branchy, that now in this season looked like skeletal hands reaching out to snatch the sun from the sky. But not this particular one this tree was...

A palm tree.

...And it annoyed and confused Abbalon to no end to why on earth would anyone be so... so STUPID to put a palm tree right smack in the middle of a pattern of all cherry trees.

Shad was walking home. Home being where ever he could manage to find a deserted ally way and let himself morph, and then a tall tree with at least one comfortable perch. He was looking at all the barren cherry trees, frowning. Had the Unnish no common sense!? Could they not see how whimpy and pathetic these trees were? They were impolitic! Shad muttered his thoughts out in utter disgust, and about tripped up laughing at the sight of the palm tree. But he didn't. He stopped dead cold, and clutched his cloak to his sides in an attempt to not reveal his two large wings and his long pointed tail as the wind blasted down on the street. There was someone up ahead. The man was staring up at the same palm tree Shad had been laughing internally about. But this man... His swirled blue-indigo eyes were locked on this tree, as if he was to die if he cast his gaze elsewhere. Shad squinted as a new blast of wind pummeled down apon him. He shuddered, and clutched the cloak tighter. This man was likely to be Innish... He had a purple streak beneath his eyes and passing under his nose. He also had unnatural eyes. But Shad couldn't be certain. If the stupid Uninitiates would just stop trying to change themselves with fake colored eye contacts, and makeup of the oddest sorts, this would be so easy... But they do, so it is not! Shad approached, slowly. He downcast his eyes, and then came up to the man.

"Excuss me, sir, but I am lost..."

Shad looked up to the man with his youngest expression, appearing only thirteen to the easily fooled and unknowledgeble. To anyone with keen senses about them, they would be able to catch the fact that he was babying his words and widening his eyes far beyond his norm. He stood there, looking as completely helpless as possible. It wasn't hard; He was on his own, had no money, couldn't get a job, and was without shelter. He would be considered helpless under those circumbstances if he hadn't already learned of his special possession of wings and transformation. Those enabled the little boy to get most of what he needed. The rest was all by chance.

With a small smile and eye contact Abbalon faced the kestrel-child.

"..Perhaps I can help. Where do you live?"

He asked, despite noticing the words not truly being own to a lost child. He pulled off that trick himself acouple of times when he had been... Younger in apperance. For one reason or another.

((Gar gar gar. Morning post. >.< Brain dead..... ))

Shad smiled, dropped his act. He knew the man, Unnish or Innish, knew he was not what he tried to appear, and to keep it up would make him seem foolish. Shad looked up and down the street, and sighed.

"I am new to this area, so I have no idea where anything is. I am looking for some place that I could sleep for the night. I was thinking of a really really cheep hotel of sorts, because I really don't have too much. No one gives a 15 year old a job."

He smiled, and then relooked over the palm tree. It wasn't all that bad... Well, yes, it was. But as far as tree's went, it wasn't that bad. It had a kind of dip at the top... A nest could be made up there. And better yet, it would be easy for people to find him. 'Palm Tree on Elm Street' He continued to smile at his thoughts. But then he frowned. No one is looking for me anyway. Oh well to that idea.

"The Sunset Paradise Motel is all that comes to mind for one in your position... Though I don't gladly sugest it. The place is quite discusting and racid; It would be better staying in a cardboard box, from what I've gathered."

Abbalon offered, then with a smile turned his head to look at the tree aswell.

"...I personaly find this tree amusing, it stick out from the other trees here. Always good to find something different. ....Actuly I'm surprised a bird hasn't atempted to build a nest up there yet. It appears sturdy enough of a tree, palm or not, to hold nest."

It was the last coments that reveiled that Abbie's mind had recently been opened a crack for loose thoughts.

Shad nodded. Paradise Motel... He had heard of it, and its bad reputation. He figured that he would have to go there, of all places. Either that, or...

"Yea... Only birds around are pidgeons. They are way too dumb to think up something like that, though. Maybe a kestrel..."

He smiled, and ruffled his wings beneath his cloak. The sound was audiable, but could be mistaken for a lot. A breeze through some leaves or crumpling of newspaper. Shad was off in thought when another blast of wind landed upon him. This time, he was momentarily off guard, and the cloak ripped up, exposing a few feathers of his left wing. He hid it quickly, and turned slightly. He was about to flee the spot... Who knows what this man could mistake the wing as, Innish or Unnish.


((Ack... Sorry so short))

Abbie had gotten a good of enough glance to have figured Shad out. It all made sence now.

He rubbed the marking on his noes, the habbit still there.

"A Kestrel, Of cource." He mused playfuly, "Refrane from falttering yourself as much, it usualy backfires in the end."

((blAh. Sorry for the truck load of morning post I'm giving ya... ))

Shad smiled. He hadn't meant to be entirly so obvious, but this man didn't seem real himself. The smile was more and act of embarresment than friendliness. Shad looked back to the tree, and stood quietly. Something told him to.

((Morning post right back at ya! *Yawn*))

Abbalon followed the action, it just seemed there was reason to do so. After a fragment of silence, abbalon spoke up again.

"So... What is your name? No use in talking to some one for a wile without atleast getting their name." His strange violet gaze looked over and down to to the Kestrel-child. "Though, the same goes for you, so perhaps I sould tell first."

He smiled softly and waited for Shad's responce pacently.

((YAY For morning post! And even more yay for morning post that are decent! *points to this post* ))

Shad smiled, and nodded towards the man. His purple eyes gazed down apon Shad, and Shad felt a bit complelled to tell the man everything. He refrained.

"I'm Shad. Shad Gievalk."

The way he pronounced his name was 'Shade', where as his name is spelled without the 'e'. He didn't know why his parents named him like that. He always figured it was cause they had wanted a golden child to light up their life, but he was exactly the opposite. He resulted from a rape and officially ended the family. This was why he thought he was named Shad. He darkened their feelings, like a shadow, and made it impossible for them to see the light of their marrige.

"Abbalon." He paused for a second musing, " Though I supose I'm knowned by other names, aswell, but you can call me Abbie."

His calm smile was still on his face.

"Well, as for you name, You don't seem much like a 'Shad', But Rarely do people get to choose their name, do they?"

The bright eyed boy nodded, and smiled. The sun was out, making his eyes shimmer a golden color. They looked pretty now, but if the sun hit his eyes directly, they sparkled to a luster so spactacular, it could be considered blinding. Well, for him at least. He would have to stare at the sun for that to happen. He smiled, and quietly repeated his answer.

"Shad... I like it as a name. Suits me, even if I don't suit it."

He smiled. The boy was increadibly smart, though he rarely showed any bit of intelligence. His big words made him look geeky, his intelligence made people jealous. He just refrained from it all. His stupid trick remarks did occasionally slip, and he had to pull one then.

"So... How long have you been here?"

"On Elm street? About an hour, or so. I didn't take the effort bring a watch this time."

Abbalon replyed, catching the golden shimmer of Shad's eyes, but not comenting aobut it. They were ovously quite intresting gems, there was no use in pointing out the ovous.


"I actuly have a friend that is sometimes here. I was hopeing to see if I could catch her, since I haven't seen her in quite a wile." A small frown replaced his smile. "My atempts have been so far unproductive."

Speak of the devil…

Grace was slowly wandering down Elm Street, an empty can of Mountain Dew in her hand. Empty cans were terrible things, because for one, whatever was inside of it was no longer there, and two, you were stuck holding a shell of something that had once been perfect, but now was nothing of value. Grace shrugged and tossed the can into a near by recycling bin.

She was bored. There was nothing to do today. She was wearing some fading black pants, and a black tanktop, which probably wasn’t the best choice of clothing due to the fact that large fresh scar was going down her right arm, a bruise was around her a neck, and a small cut was on her lip. It has been one HELL of a night.

A yawn escaped her lips, and she closed her violet eyes for a brief second to blink before slamming into another person. Pulling back quickly she almost lost balance, but steadied herself. Opening her eyes quickly she looked at the person she ran into, a young boy, probably about fourteen or fifteen.

”Shit,” she muttered quietly “Sorry…”

Instinctfuly, by parent-like habbit, abbalon reacted to the famular voice cussing.

"Grace! Watch your launge! Especaly out in public and near childr-" He demanded, only to pause mind sentence. "Grace?!"

Scrach that about not having progress...

((BLAH. Short. >.< ))

Shad jumped forward, and turned to look at her. She had hit his wing, and it would be obvious to her that what she had hit wasn't human. He was ready to run, because most of the Unnish would scream and pull the cloak to see what the hell they bumped into. But at Abbalon's voice of recognition and friendliness, Shad did nothing. He smiled weakly, and spoke quietly.

"I am fifteen. I have heard worse..."

He smiled, and nodded. Much worse. He looked at Grace and noticed her bruises and cuts, feeling sorry for her. Don't feel sorry for her, you dimwit! You have no idea... He turned away and gazed at the tree, which seemed to be a stress releif or something for him.

" That's most likely true, but she still knows bet..."

HM. It seems to be 'Abbie keeps stopping in middle of sentances day'.

... Not really, actuly he just noticed the nasty bruses and cuts grace owned.

"Grace, What happened?" He asked in consern.

((WEE! MY RP TALLENTS ARE SLIPPING!))

”Abbie!” she shrieked happily! “I haven’t seen you in AGES how HAVE you been?” she was smiling happily moving over to him to give him a quick hug. She pulled back.
”The boy is right you know? Most of the worst cussing is actually about eleven or twelve, what is this world coming to?” She was bouncing on her feet happily. It had been so long since se had seen Abbie! Come to think about it, she hadn’t seen Abbie since a few days before Amor’s disappearance.

Shad stood akwardly near the two. Old friends, obviously. And here was little intruder Shad, who knew nothing between them. He tried to smile it off, but he was afraid he didn't look very convincing in being happy. He probally looked more... Intruder like. He blinked a few times, and stood still. Maybe if they didn't see him, he could leave them be, and then disappear off to Liz's house, or back to the park and get his resume's and start going job hunting again, or maybe just keep walking aimlessly... No. He took a step forward, and spoke up.

"I'm Shad."

He knew that this was completely akward, and probally would be ignored, but it was worth a try.

Grace smiled; happy the attention was mostly off of her injuries. She turned to the boy, Shad.

”Name’s Grace,” she said, smile widening, extending her hand. If one would have looked sloe enough, they would notice some dried blood beneath her nails, luckily, most people didn’t look closely. “So how are you guys today? You’re a friend of Abbie’s I presume…”

"We've actuly just met a little wile ago." Abbie inquired to Grace about Shad. "But Shad has been great company since the begining, to me." He insisted.

(Watch as my post get SHORTER and SHHOOORTER. XD ))

Shad smiled, glad that he didn't have to answer that question. He might have said something stupid and hurtful, which he didn't want to do. He nodded quietly, and looked on to hear what happened to Grace. Her bruises and cuts were bad. Maybe a fight? No. Worse than a fight. Hatred caused those. Shad waited on.

((Me tooooooo!))

Grace nodded, another small smile gracing her slightly beat-up looking lips. A hand strayed to her neck and she touched the back of it lightly, almost wincing even though that was not where the bruise was forming.

"Some weather we've been having, eh?" she asked with a small chuckle as she recalled the reason there was odd weather.

(Me too! An WITNESS! My lazyness, as I do not *gasp* SPELL CHECK!!!)

Shad nodded, and recalled the nights weather. It hade been a cloudless beautiful day, and then, that night, while he was all curled up on his branch and ready to sleep, it started to pour. It poured the whole night, which would explain his cold that had been forming. Well... I could have been from that man in that park too... He knew it was coming, though it was not yet apparent. Couple more hours, and it would be.