The decision was clear by the time Kasai woke up.

Her brother needed her. She needed to look for him.

She was too eager to search to remember that Cory was going to visit her again today.  Her mind was set on Fuego.  She had no idea where to look, but she did know that he needed her and that she needed him.  They were a team.  Without thinking, she opened the window, went into her phoenix form, and soared to find her brother.

It was about 15 minutes later that Cory knocked on the door.

"K-kasai?  Y..you here?"

... no answer.

"Kasai!?"

Still nothing.  Cory struggled to open the door.

"Kasai, this isn't funny-"

The door flew open, pulling Cory with it.  "OOF!"

He looked around.  No sign of Kasai.

"KASAI!?"

He searched frantically.  This must be exactly how Kasai felt when she discovered Fuego was gone, he thought.

It took him longer than anyone would expect to find the open window.  He sighed.

"...guess she went to find Fuego without us." he muttered, looking down.  "... sounds like something she'd do.  She cares too much for her little brother.  I wish I had a sibling...sure, Doug's like a brother to me, but still."

He plopped down on the bed.  Things were already heading downhill, and he didn't like it one bit.

He suddenly flinched with a whimper as he felt a shockwave of pain run through him.

"...right...forgot to eat breakfast..."

He shakily got up and quickly got out as fast as he could.  He knew sensing the heat from the phoenixes would only increase his desire for a vampire's favorite meal:  blood.

He.  HATED.  Having to drink blood.

Sure, he often found replacements, but none of them worked well enough to completely satisfy him.  Besides, they're probably rarer than actual blood...especially now since there was so much snow.

He ran home as fast as he could to eat.  Of course, he was greeted by his mother, Ratka.

"Back so soon?" she asked.

"...yeah.  She wasn't home.  I guess she decided to look for her brother..." Cory muttered.  "...but that's not the only reason I came home early."

"I told you you should've eaten your breakfast." Ratka muttered, slowly shaking her head.  "Get in here before you get frostbite.  Are you sure you don't want-"

"NO!" Cory snapped.  "I-I mean...no.  I'm not drinking any blood...ever..."

Ratka sighed.  "You know it's bad for you if you don't."

"But I don't wanna!"

"You HAVE to!  You're running out of alternatives; you have to drink some blood eventually!"

"I'm not gonna do it!"

Cory began storming away before his mother could say another word.  She sighed.

"...you always had your father's stubbornness." she muttered.

... Cory stopped in his tracks.

"...m...my...father...?"

Ratka paused.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have brought him into this."

"N-no...it's fine.  But...you never told me he was stubborn."

She chuckled warmly.  "Yes, your father was very stubborn.  I called him a minotaur once because of how stubborn he was."  She giggled at the memories.

Cory laughed a little.  "How'd he react?"

"He just said, 'I may be a minotaur, but I'm YOUR minotaur, missy!  So toughen up and deal with it!'" 

They both giggled.  Ratka gave a dreamy sigh.  "Oh, I miss him so much."

"...what happened to him?"

"... let's just say...the soldiers that killed him had plenty of garlic."

Cory shuddered at just the thought of his father being killed with garlic.  "...oh..."

Ratka looked down.  "It was just weeks before you were born.  It broke my heart knowing you'd never be able to meet him."

"...s-sorry for asking..." Cory said, looking away.

"No, no, sweetie, it's fine." Ratka protested, hugging her son close to her.  "I like telling you about your father.  I'm glad that you want to know more about him."

Cory gave a small smile, but flinched as hunger overtook him again.

Ratka hesitated.  "Please, just once, try a little blood.  It'll help you."

"...I...I really don't want to..."

"Cory-"

"No.  Final answer."

"But you HAVE to."

"I won't!"

Ratka looked down.  "...fine.  I won't force you.  Now, anyway.  But I need you to try at least a little eventually."

She walked away.  Cory looked down.

"...I...I don't care how tempting it is.  I'm never gonna do it."

And with that, he went to his room, all alone.