Decline, she's too tired

Jessica sighed and shook her head. Her beaten and bruised body was a liability. "No, lets take the longer, normal, path."
The crow's gaze was impassive beneath her mask. "Very well, come with me young hunter." in an equally ambiguous tone. Passing through a dog's and dog cages, drowning them in their impotent, furious barking, they took a sharp turn and she found herself again at the balcony, the site of her first ravishing. She felt a hand at her back. Jessica hadn't realized she was shaking.

"The beasts take more than blood from us dear. But you're still here. And one can choose what to make of your tomorrow." The crow said, voice even and unyielding as earth. The words were of some comfort to Jessica. She needed to face forward to tomorrow. They carried forward. As they rounded the corner to the stair, the Crow stopped Jessica, pulling her back behind the building. The Crow peered back out, before pulling back to Jessica.

"A so called hunter sits those steps, equal parts beast and man that one. Half as likely to help you as take from you. Stay here till I call you. I'll make short work of him." The Crow stated matter of factly. Disdain dripping from her voice when she spoke the word Hunter, before leaving for the staircase.

Jessica peeked around the corner. The crow shouted up at the hunter, something Jessica couldn't quite make out. He didn't seem pleased by the taunt, and raised an axe to his shoulder, regarding the crow. The crow rushed up the steps, like a dancer, just as he reacted to bring his axe down but before he could act the hunter of hunters was already behind him. With a mechanical spark, the two shortblades combined into one, and with one hand she cut the back of the man open. The crow continued her spin, grabbing the huntsman with her free hand, and swinging back down the steps before ending their dance with throwing the bewildered hunter down the remaining steps with a wet crunch.

The metallic smell of blood hit Jessica's nose. It was still strange to see these beasts truly bested. But this looked to be just a man. With a shrug she brought her gaze to the Crow, who beckoned hither with a gesture as she strode down the staircase. She picked up the axe and offered it to Jessica wordlessly.