Chapter 4
“Headmaster?”
“Mother?”
“Caitlyn?”
“Vi?”
All four people in the room spoke at once before descending into silence, waiting for the other to speak.
Vi took a step forward, sending a tentative glance towards Cait. She received a subtly nod in return, giving her the ability to break the silence. “You wanted to see me, Headmaster?”
“Indeed I did, my girl.” Heimerdinger confirmed. “Though I suppose it wasn’t so much me as it was the Captain.”
The man stood by the window turned, facing the room. His dark hair held a tinge of white, show casing his age. Crows feet hugged his eyes and wrinkled his forehead. He looked a lot older than he did in the photos pasted around school.
Caitlyn wasn’t perturbed by the interloper. Her gaze instead rested on her mother’s, who sat primly on a couch just off to the side.
‘What are you doing here?’ Cassandra’s eyes blazed.
‘What are you doing here?’ Cait glared back with a similar fire.
‘I am on the Board of Directors for this school and I have a right to be here.’
‘A right you never exercise unless something is going on. So again, what are you doing here?’
“-Just so we’re not out in the open, sound good?” Caitlyn tuned back into the conversation once her mother averted her gaze to refocus on the Captain, refusing to respond to Caitlyn’s probing.
Vi wore a look of obvious distrust with brows furrowed. Like she knew there was a trick, she just didn’t know where.
“Whatever you can say, you can say here.” Caitlyn cut in. “As we’re still students, it wouldn’t be appropriate for you and Vi to discuss in a seperate room. Captain.” She tacked on as an afterthought.
“Caitlyn,” Cassandra hissed. “I’m sure you don’t meant to insinuate anything of the Captain-“
“It’s alright, Mrs. Kiramman. Your daughter is quite correct.” Marcus strode forward and Heimerdinger hopped out of his chair to allow him to sit. Caitlyn noted with disgust how the Headmaster seemed to scramble over himself to please the Captain. “We can do this here. It shouldn’t take long.”
“Even so,” Cassandra managed, momentarily stunned at being cut off. “This does not involve her. It involves private matters and sensitive information that Miss Lanes may not feel comfortable-“
“Cup- Caitlyn can stay. I don’t mind.” Vi blanched at the look of annoyance Cassandra wore after being cut off a second time. “Uhh, ma’am.”
“Then that settles it.” Heimerdinger interjected, one small finger raised in the air. “Caitlyn can stay to watch the proceedings. I do believe it will be quite educational for the girl to watch a master at work.”
“I’m no master.” Marcus let out a self deprecating laugh. “And I’m sure I wouldn’t even be in my position as Captain of Runeterra’s National Hunting Squadron if it wasn’t for your excellent teaching, Headmaster.”
“Oh nonsense, boy. You have a good head on your shoulders. All we did was show you the basics, you’re the one who really-“
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Vi burst out. The two men blinked, as if they’d completely forgotten she was there.
“It’s just,” She let out a nervous little laugh, running a hand through her hair as all attention was on her. “It’s not every day the Captain of Runeterra’s Werewolf Hunters comes to visit. And- and I’m not exactly sure I’m putting my best foot forward.”
Vi nodded down to her lacrosse uniform, the large gloves she still wore and the bag of equipment slung over one shoulder.
“Don’t worry about that.” Marcus said. “I was on the lacrosse team back when I was in school. I’m no stranger to the uniform.”
The look Vi shot to Caitlyn told her that wasn’t what she was worried about.
“If you could take a seat, Miss Lanes,” He motioned to the chair just opposite Heimerdinger’s desk. “We can get this whole thing started, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
Hesitantly, with another quick glance to Caitlyn, Vi stepped forward and sat herself at the desk. She let her bag slump to the floor at her feet.
“So, let’s start simple.” Marcus pulled a voice recorder from his pocket, clicking record and placing it in full view on the desk. “What were you doing in the forest that night?”
“I’d heard there was something hiding in there, and I wanted to know what it was.” Caitlyn frowned at the purposeful omission.
“So you didn’t know you could possibly encounter a Werewolf?”
“It would be a crime if I knew and I didn’t report it.” Vi’s tone was casual, bored. Like she was over the conversation before it had even started.
But while her tone was bored, her words were purposeful. She was careful not to confirm or deny Marcus’s question.
“That is correct.” Marcus chuckled knowingly, like he knew exactly what Vi was hinting at with the words.
After a moment of brief deliberation, Caitlyn reluctantly moved to perch herself on the couch with her mother. She took care to sit as far away as possible, not sparing her a glance.
She could feel Cassandra’s gaze burning into the side of her face and she took care to keep her gaze firmly on Vi’s back.
“Excuse me, ladies.” Heimerdinger hopped up between the mother and daughter before Cassandra could speak. He was just small enough to fit in the gap, but big enough that the couch now felt uncomfortably full.
“Can I ask you who you heard this from?”
“Why?” Caitlyn could hear the clear distrust in Vi’s tone, in the tensing of her shoulders.
“Just to give me a clearer picture.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Mm.” The Captain let the silence hang over the room, as if giving Vi a chance to change her answer before continuing. “So you heard from someone that there was something in the forest. And from that limited information you decided to investigate, is that correct?”
“I’m more of an ‘act first, think later’ type of person.” Vi shrugged.
There was another displeased hum from the Captain. “We already know what happened after you and Miss Kiramman made contact with the wolf, but seeing as you never went to the infirmary, we don’t know the extent of your injuries.”
A silence permeated the room. Marcus stared expectantly at Vi who remained quiet.
“Can you tell me how and where you were injured?” He prompted, irritation bleeding into his professional tone.
“Oh, sorry.” Vi said unapologetically. “I didn’t know it was a question.”
Caitlyn recognized with distaste the strategies Marcus was employing, and she didn’t like them one bit.
He tried to isolate Vi in a separate room but when that didn’t work, he seated themselves at a desk where everyone else was out of view. This was to make Vi feel alone, and therefore more cooperative with him.
He would repeat his questions and ask her to clarify what she had said to make Vi second guess herself, and he’d use long silences to make her feel anxious and volunteer more information.
It was the stuff taught in Legality and Ethics classes. What you should do when interrogating a suspect.
The good part was that Vi wasn’t falling for it. She didn’t look around for reassurance, she was confident in what she said and she sat pretty in the drawn out silences. Caitlyn couldn’t help but be impressed.
The bad part was that the use of interrogation strategies implied that Vi was a suspect.
“They were mainly superficial. A few scratches, bites. Nothing too bad.”
Marcus raised a brow at that. “You were alone with a hostile werewolf for multiple hours and you sustained injuries that weren’t too bad?”
“Well, I’ve been training to fight wolves since I got to this school. I just used what I learned.” Vi shrugged again, leaning back in her seat. “You know, it really isn’t all that difficult.”
Caitlyn wished Vi wouldn’t taunt the man interrogating her. If not for herself then for Caitlyn, because she was felt her blood pressure increasing by the second.
“It’s good to hear you’re doing well, Miss Lanes.” Marcus monotoned with a polite smile. “If it’s that easy for you, maybe you’ll have a spot on my squadron once you’re finished with your training.”
“Oh, I don’t plan on joining a squadron.” Vi said conversationally. “I wanna work as an individual Hunter. Anyone can take down a wolf with a team carrying them, it takes real talent to do it on your own.”
Marcus’s smile looked like it pained him to wear. He forced out a laugh, turning to look at the couch. “This is one ambitious student you have here, Headmaster.”
The way he spat ‘ambitious’ made it seem like he wanted to say something else. Something he definitely couldn’t say to a student while three witnesses were in the room.
“But of course,” Heimerdinger’s hand came up to twirl the end of his mustache. “Students at the Academy are always encouraged to shoot for the stars!”
“And is that what you’re doing here at the Academy? Shooting for the stars?” Marcus asked, the question clearly a precursor to what he truly wanted to ask. “I must admit, I’m curious as to what brought on your aspirations in Werewolf Hunting, Miss Lanes. Given what I’ve read about you, you could have a bright future in playing Lacrosse professionally.”
“Are you here to scout me?” Vi deadpanned. Marcus laughed loudly at that, shaking his head.
“No, no. I’m just wondering if this desire to be a Hunter was one you always had, or if it’s more personal than that.”
Caitlyn couldn’t see Vi’s expression, but she should see the way her whole body stiffened. For the first time since the questions began, Vi turned her head slightly to the side to glance back at Caitlyn.
“Your younger sister was killed by a werewolf. Your biological parents too.” Marcus spoke as if he was talking about the weather. As if Vi wasn’t practically shaking with emotion in front of him. “Is that why you want to be a Hunter? For revenge? Or does this go deeper?”
Another silence lapsed over the room. Vi’s head was ducked and she was still shaking in her seat. Caitlyn wished she could see her face, offer her whatever comfort she could.
The news of Vi’s family situation wasn’t a surprise. Caitlyn had heard the word ‘orphan’ being tossed around by people that were particularly cruel to the scholarship students.
What Caitlyn hadn’t known was that they were killed, let alone by werewolves.
Hell, she hadn’t even known Vi had a sister.
Cait was suddenly reminded of Vi’s words. How she described anatomy to be a fate worse than death for her.
“You know, this incident got me thinking back to that case from 10 years ago where a similar thing happened.” Marcus was unbothered by Vi’s reaction. His expression seemed to read, ‘What? No witty comeback?’ “You were removed from the vicinity by Hunters and your sister was left behind with the rabid wolf.”
The pink haired student seemed to shrink in on herself with every word, her body still trembling uncontrollably.
“Now your little incident has me wondering, if you can survive an attack like that, why couldn’t she?” Vi didn’t respond, her head remained ducked, her shoulders still shaking. “The pieces are in place, the situations are almost identical, the shoe fits, so the real question is how.”
Marcus was on a roll. Vi was still trembling. Still shrunken. Still slouching, shaking, trembling.
“How can two children survive an attack that would kill anyone else? How can a student be skilled enough to leave a fight with a werewolf with superficial injuries? How can the same markings that littered your childhood home be scrawled all over the cave where a werewolf resided?”
Tenseness, shaking, trembling further. Harder.
“These are questions that, despite my skills, I still don’t have an answer to.” Marcus’s voice was gradually beginning to raise. Caitlyn felt frozen in place, heart pumping fast in her chest. “So I want to know, Miss Lanes, what the hell happened in that cave?”
“I don’t remember.” Vi sounded almost unrecognizable. Her voice was strained, more gravelly, deeper. Almost a growl.
“You don’t remember? You don’t remember single-handedly taking down a werewolf? Is it like how you don’t remember who told you about the creature in the forest? I’ve already spoke to the girl who informed you and she informed me, that you had known each other for months.”
Marcus was on a roll now, putting pressure, pressure and more pressure onto the student, hoping to see her crack. “All that tells me is that you’re willing to lie. Whether it’s to protect someone else or not. It makes me wonder what else you’re lying about. Who else you’re trying to protect.”
“Captain,” Cassandra interjected, a look of disapproval on her face.
“I’m going to ask you one more time; what the hell happened in that cave?”
“You don’t have to answer that.” Caitlyn stood up, gaze firmly resting on Vi’s hunched figure. Then, her eyes turned upwards to the Captain, hardening. “She doesn’t have to answer that. She already told you she doesn’t remember.”
Marcus took note of the pink haired student in front of him, whose shoulders began to relax more and more with the Kiramman’s every word. Her body heaved up and down with deep, calming breaths and he clicked his tongue, knowing all his progress had just been unraveled.
“Something about this is not adding up, Miss Lanes, and I intend to find out exactly what information I’m missing.” He settled for leaning forward, palms on the desk as he loomed over the student. “Whether you give it to me, or I have take it.”
The girl’s head remained firmly facing the ground. Her hands were clenched into tight fists on her lap, knuckles white with effort.
“If that is all, Captain.” Heimerdinger spoke softly after a moment. His expression held a mixture of concern and confusion. Like he’d been just as shocked at Marcus’s actions. The Captain waved in a ‘go ahead’ motion. “You can excuse yourself whenever you’re ready, Vi.”
Vi wasted no time in grabbing her lacrosse bag and rushing out of the room without a backwards glance.
Caitlyn tried to catch her eyes as she left, but the other student’s eyes were firmly averted as she pushed open the door and slammed it behind her.
She floundered. Cait’s wide eyed gaze met Marcus, Heimerdinger, then Cassandra who, subtly, gave her a small nod, motioning to the door with her chin.
Despite the practiced indifference, the coldness in her refined demeanor, Cait could see the harshness of the interrogation wasn’t something she’d been privy to. That was a small comfort to Cait’s frazzled mind.
With a final look to her mother, she turned to follow Vi out of the office.
———————————-
Nothing. Caitlyn let the door slam shut behind her with a sigh. An hour of searching and nothing.
“Caitlyn.” Her eyes snapped open and she straightened.
Cassandra Kiramman sat primly on the foot of her bed, hands folded in her lap and spine ramrod straight.
“Mother,” Cait greeted, tilting her head in acknowledgment. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t bother asking how she got in, knowing full well Cassandra probably had a key to her dorm made specially for her the moment she’d been assigned to it.
“I need a reason to pay you a visit?” Cassandra asked.
“Not at all. It’s just- uncommon, is all. Especially during term time.”
“Well, after that little incident yesterday your father and I have made plans to visit more often than we have been,” Cassandra’s gaze was sharp and disapproving, words dripping with pointed venom and Caitlyn mentally cursed because she knew her mother would make good on that promise. “Seeing as you are certainly more capable of getting yourself into trouble than we thought you were.”
She raised a hand to beckon her closer. “Now come. Let me check on your injuries.”
Caitlyn barely contained an eye roll at that, trudging forward like there was lead in her shoes.
Her injuries consisted of little more than some scrapes on her knees where she had landed after Vi pushed her out of the way, coupled with some light bruising. Nothing that needed any special attention.
Still, Cassandra’s expression of furrowed brows and wide eyes when Cait pulled up her trouser leg was like she could see bone.
“This is why I don’t want you going down this route,” She huffed, pulling a small handkerchief from the pocket of her dress and fussing over the light scarring, wiping non-existent dirt away. “You are far better suited for a strategic role, commanding and deploying fleets instead of being apart of them.”
“You seem to hold great respect for the Captain,” Cait bit out. Cassandra’s movements paused momentarily. “And he isn’t confined behind a desk.”
“Who is that girl? Vi, was it?” Disapproval was clear in her voice as she spoke, almost spitting the nickname. “A friend of yours?”
“Yes.” Cait spoke immediately, defensive. “Is that an issue?”
Cassandra merely hummed, a clear non-answer.
The air in the room grew tense, crackling. Caitlyn knew her mother well enough to know that there was no chance in hell she was okay with Cait being friends with someone like Vi. It was probably the reason her mother had come to Caitlyn’s room after she finished up with the Headmaster and Captain, to ward her away from the other student.
But Cassandra also knew Caitlyn wouldn’t take that well. At all. And she certainly didn’t want to argue with her daughter outside of the Kiramman Manor, behind firmly closed doors.
Putting her handkerchief back in her pocket, Cassandra watched silently as Cait rolled the leg of her trouser back down. She made to do the other when her mother reached out to grab her wrist.
She tugged both of Caitlyn’s hands into her lap, squeezing gently at her daughter’s fingers and Caitlyn looked up at her with wide eyes because she was not expecting this.
“When I- your father and I, received the call from your school,” She began tentatively, as if she was choosing her words so very carefully. “It was like-“ Cassandra cut herself off, removing one hand from Caitlyn’s to pinch at the bridge of her nose. “Your father would be a lot better at this than I.” She confessed.
Caitlyn merely swallowed against the tension forming a knot in her throat.
Her mother was never the most emotionally available. She was a figure of strength for Caitlyn, the one that pushed her to be better, to be the best. If she wanted comfort and flowery words she’d go to her father.
Some part of her, deep down that she’d suppressed and labelled as weak had always craved that comfort from her mother.
“Having you was like making the decision to forever have my heart go walking around outside my body.” Cassandra said finally, gaze sincere and full of emotion Cait had rarely seen on her mother before. Then she paused, blinking. “That’s not mine, just so you know. It’s Elizabeth Stone. I am not poetic in the slightest-“
“Mother,” Cait grit out. “I know.”
“Right, yes, well.” Cassandra cleared her throat and Cait would say she almost looked a little embarrassed. “It stands all the same. It is . . . Difficult for me to see you in pain, knowing there’s little I can do to help you, or make it stop.”
“But I’m going to get hurt, mother. That’s life.”
“I know that, Caitlyn.” Cassandra said gently, her hand came up to softly brush against Cait’s cheek, eyes full of tenderness. “You’ve become so strong, and so capable, and far more than anything I’d ever imagined.”
The words were like a punch to the gut. Cait felt all the breath rush out of her chest and her heart swelled with-
“You cannot associate with that girl any further.”
And then the rug was pulled from under her feet, and her soaring heart was plummeting back down to Earth.
“You are so very capable, so very strong, and your heart is so very pure.” Cassandra continued to brush her thumb over Cait’s cheek but the touch no longer felt comforting, Cait couldn’t put her finger on the right word to describe it. “But you cannot save everyone.”
“Of course.” Cait laughed humourlessly, pulling her face out of the grip that felt suffocating. That was the word; suffocating. “Of course.”
“Caitlyn-“
“That’s why you came here, I knew that was why you came here but I foolishly let myself believe otherwise.”
“Do not insult my or your own intelligence by pretending you don’t know exactly what was insinuated in that meeting.” Cassandra spoke firmly, eyes blazing and Cait felt her stomach drop. “There is something going on with that girl, and you going and getting attached will only lead to heartbreak later on.”
The use of ‘something’ offered Cait slight relief. Her mother didn’t know what it was, she only had an inkling that it was something.
“Who I associate with is no one’s decision but my own.” Caitlyn retorted, voice equally firm.
“And yet the consequences fall upon the entire family.” Cassandra’s hands had fully left Caitlyn’s and the absence felt stinging. “You are a Kiramman. A councillor’s daughter. Your actions don’t reflect solely on you-“
“Is that it? You’re just worried about your reputation?”
“No, Caitlyn. I’m worried about my daughter.” Cassandra’s voice raised. Cait just scoffed. “There’s a charity event for the school coming up and I need you to have your head on straight when it arrives. This could be a wonderful opportunity for you to meet some people who can help you in your career once you’ve finished your schooling.”
As if.Caitlynstood from her bed, arms folded and Cassandra rose to do the same.
“If you’re still set on this . . . Path of yours,” Cassandra grew more hesitant, “I could even see about introducing you to some reputable Hunters. See if they have any interest in taking on apprentices.”
“What?” Cait blurted out in shock. Her mother had never, ever, offered any support in Cait’s decision to be a Hunter. Now she was just going to take her networking like nothing was wrong?“Really?
“We’ll see.” Cassandra said immediately, and the distaste was what Cait was familiar with. “Though if it is going to happen, you must carry yourself accordingly.”
And there was the catch. Carry yourself accordingly was code for what they both knew truly meant: ‘Stop being friends with Vi.’
“We’ll see.” Caitlyn echoed, tilting her chin in challenge.
The mother and daughter exchanged forced pleasantries during their goodbyes, before Cassandra remarked,
“And how is she? That girl.” Something akin to pity was in her eyes. “Did you see her?”
“I thought I shouldn’t ‘grow attached.’”
Cassandra huffed. “I’m not a monster, contrary to what I’m sure you believe about me. The Captain,” She hesitated, “Shouldn’t have been so tough on her.”
Caitlyn took a moment to assess, only after finding out her mother was being genuine did she offer, “I couldn’t find her.”
“Hm.” Cassandra tutted softly. “You do feel for the poor thing. She’s had a hard life.”
Caitlyn rankled at the condescending tone, but she understood the sentiment. From the pieces she’d put together, and the story painted by Captain Marcus, Vi had gone through a lot.
Cait was once again unwillingly reminded of how she’d previously treated the girl. Writing her off as a slacker, stooping to petty insults and dirty looks.
“Yeah.” She managed, suddenly feeling her throat tightening. “She has.”
———————————-
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Cait huffed, pausing in her reading to glance around the room. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she continued to read the tome Viktor had given her.
It was surprisingly easy to immerse herself into. The author used a chatty tone, contrary to most other scholarly books and making it far easier to understand what was being communicated.
Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Taptaptaptaptaptap-
Caitlyn slid her bookmark into the page she was reading, slamming it closed and placing the heavy time on her bedside table.
She stomped angrily to her window, half ready to rip whatever branch was tapping at her window straight from its tree.
Ripping open the curtain, she glared angrily at nothing. Then she paused, looking down.
A tuft of pink hair peeked from beneath a lacrosse helmet, a finger covered by large padded lacrosse gloves was tapping furiously at her window.
Cait gasped, rushing to slide it open and helping the other girl climb in.
“Vi? Are you okay? Where did you go?” She rushed out immediately. She peered down at the ground, her room being on the second floor, and saw no ladder. She frowned. “How did you get up here?”
“I climbed.” Came the girl’s voice. It still sounded strange, far away.
“Two stories?” Cait felt the intense urge to roll her eyes because of course Vi climbed two stories instead of using the door. “Why are you wearing your gear?”
Slowly, Vi’s large mitts came up to tug the white helmet from her head. It revealed her defined neck, sharp jaw, her lips and that scar cutting through the top one. Her ears, nose, her eyes-
Caitlyn felt her jaw sliding open. Purple.Vibrant, lively purple. Not grey. Not grey like normal. Different. Purple.
Vi shook her head as the helmet was fully removed, making her hair poof back up after being compressed by her helmet. The next to come off were her lacrosse mitts, that revealed wrapped hands and slender, lithe fingers and claws.
There was no other way to describe them. Long, sharp nails that extended from her fingers that certainly weren’t there at the start of the day.
“Well Cupcake,” As Vi spoke, Cait thought she even saw the glint of fangs in her mouth. “Think you can tell me more about that werewolf theory of yours?”