A/N ;; Hello! Thanks for checking this out! This is a rewrite of my fanfic Fade Out. This is something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. Fade Out is still up for anyone who's curious. And if anyone would mind, I'd be greatly appreciative of feedback on things to work on as I release chapters. Please enjoy!

Praying.

It was all Louna could think of as she listened to the whispers outside her home. A blanket of darkness had taken over the village. Harsh winds blew outside, knocking over the wooden barricades villagers put around their homes. Demons scratched at the door of her own home. Wicked, shrill voices that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise in fear.

In the only other room of her little home, Louna heard her sister whimper. This was an attack that happened every night for the past week. Her tribe was growing weary of the ever-so-relentless terrors the demons graciously gave them.

Louna kept her head bowed and her hands held tightly together. Her prayers were spoken in gentle whispers. She could feel the power in her words. Warm unlike the cold night. Calm unlike the mocking laughter outside. Safe.

The power of a practiced priestess.

Louna hated praying.

She was surprised that her words had enough power in them to keep the demons out of the homes her prayers were sectioned to - especially her own. This, for the past week, was normally the job of her little sister, Milly.

Milly's words were powerful. Her spiritual energy grew each day – a blessing from their mother. When these attacks first started, Milly had no qualms about keeping the demons at bay. But she was only a little girl, so she grew tired quickly. Louna offered to use her own power to protect their home, but that was a questionable offer since Louna's power diminished over time. Praying was a strong reminder of her dimming abilities. And so were the demons outside of their homes.

This one…. This one… This one smells like him.

The demons took a particular interest to her home. Louna could not turn a blind eye to the stares the tribe members gave her and Milly. All of them knew that Louna's home was always attacked the hardest. And the members had cruel reasons for why that would be.

They pitied Milly. After all, she was just like her mother when it came to her abilities. But Louna… the girl was tainted by her father. What was Louna doing summoning such evil? Milly, she was pure. Her powers bested all the other apprentices. She could never be the cause of evil lingering in this tribe. But perhaps the older sister… the resentful Louna... Could it be her?

Louna's prayers shook with anger as her thoughts clouded with the tribe whispers. Her power faltered in her words, causing the demons to shake her home in their excitement. She couldn't stand that the members had the gall to whisper behind their backs! She couldn't stand that she had to ignore it on the command of the tribe elders! She didn't understand why defending herself would be unwise!

They are just rumors, Louna. You know better than to entertain them.

She may not have been able to see the faces behind the masks, but she could read the energy in the room. They believed the rumors the tribe spread about her. The discomfort was palatable when she entered and she was no fool to the judging glares behind their masks. They thought the same as everyone else. Yet, they gave her the benefit of the doubt. Something told her the only reasoning behind it was because of her mother.

A gentle touch pressed down on her shoulder.

Not breaking her prayer, Louna glanced behind her to see Milly kneel by her side. The younger girl smiled, weary, but ready to take over for Louna. Without a word to her sister, she started up her prayers with her head bowed. Milly needn't say anything. Louna knew the younger girl could detect the faults in Louna's prayers.

Louna came to a halt in her prayers and listened. Milly's voice was almost inaudible, but the power in her words was much stronger than Louna's. Her words pushed the demons back, prevented them from scratching at the door. The energy in them was like a quiet drum, but so powerful that the demons could not get near them.

Louna closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh through her nostrils. She wasn't going to be helpful to Milly when it came to the assisting with the ritual. But she could at least stay by the girl's side as she prayed through the night with the other priestesses. Louna shifted her form, an easy transformation, into that of a sleek, long fur, black canine - her underbelly and inside of her ears were white - and curled around her sister in a manner of protection. She rested her head between her paws and stared quietly ahead at the door of her home.

Louna awoke to a black spotted pup resting against her belly. The fact that she opened her eyes to her home intact was a good sign. They survived the night. Milly, Louna was sure, was exhausted. She shifted carefully and grabbed the white pup by the nape of her neck to carry her into her room and place her down in her blankets.

Louna shifted out of her canine form, and walked silently through her home so she would not wake Milly. She glanced at the sunlight gaping through her door and inhaled deeply to prepare for the damage done from the last night. With one hand adjusting her black mask onto her face, she pushed open the door and glanced at her surroundings.

Much to her surprise, everything was fine. She saw no signs of the other homes being attacked. Yet, hers was the only one with scratches upon it. Everyone who walked in the daylight stole glances in her direction. It was probably obvious that she was the one who perform the prayer of protection. It was definitely a questionable performance - she could not blame them for their stares.

"Louna!" A cheerful voice called out.

Louna looked behind her to see a tall and familiar figure approaching. Green eyes stared at her through a blue and white mask. This time in a way that was more friendly than wary.

Louna waved her hand towards her home in a show of display. "What do you think?"

"I would say that I am concerned because you taught your sister."

"I supposed the mentor should have been the one being mentored."

"Just remember you were the one to say that."

"Just remember that I am the one saying it for you, and there are no consequences if it comes from my own mouth rather than yours."

"Perhaps I am interested in the consequences you have to offer your future tribe leader?"

"How about a reminder that your father has been working on an arrangement for you to be married to Koge?"

Louna could not see it, but she could imagine that his lips had just pulled into a unfavorable sneer.

"Not the best of my father's choices, but I suppose not the worst."

"Then here is another reminder that should that marriage happen, your apprentice high priestess will not tolerate my presence. Shame… Because we've been friends since we were pups."

"I'm sure I can reason with her."

"Good luck, Jin." Louna laughed.

Jin place a hand on top of her head. "You know, I came here to say good morning and see how you and your sister were doing, not to endure your grim imagination."

Jin gently swiveled Louna's head from side to side as he spoke. Louna smiles faintly behind her own mask, but rolled her eyes despite his handling.

"Even little affections like this makes Koge question when you're around me," Louna teased.

"I'm starting to think that all you want to do is banter with me."

Louna reached up and pulled Jin's wrist off of her head. Before any speculation could come from the two of them, she released his hand from hers and dropped her arms to her sides. The tribe members had a way of started rumors if they expected anything. And the idea that her and Jin were together was a tumor that she did not want to reach Koge's ears.

"Milly is sleeping. Did you want to go for a run?" Louna suggested, scanning the faces in the area.

"Yes. Now is perfect," Jin answered. "Let's go."