Waiting a few more seconds, Dimitri scanned the audience in the room, being sure to recognize every face present. When the silence was almost too much to bear for his audience, he continued his thought. "My friends... You are here today because of a grave threat to our community. Someone has been foolish enough to awaken a large number of newborns who have not been sufficiently trained in our ways. I know not why one of our own chooses to take such a risk-" Here he leaned in to his podium, letting his piercing gaze and opressive presence fall over every vampire assembled. "-but this act has not gone unnoticed. Not by me... And not by the humans... These newborns have held a high profile and practically led human hunters by the hand to their own destruction."<br/><br/>A low, collective murmuring resounded across the room as members of the community began to worriedly discuss the topic at hand. The word "hunter" never sat well with them. One man defiantly called out his own opinion. "And what of it? Why should it matter if some newborns die? Do you ask us to pay for their stupidity? I enjoy my kills Brother Dimitri, and I can see that you would ask us to restrain ourselves. I cannot."<br/><br/>Dimitri looked at the perpetrator and began to speak to him as a father would an infant. "These are different times Stephen. The humans are more advanced than ever before. Each vampire they have in their grasp leads to new knowledge of our kind. Eventually they will stop believing in the ridiculous myths we have spread of our existence and get to the truth of our race. Would you not think that is dangerous?"<br/><br/>At Stephen's silence, he continued. "Stephen is right my friends. You must be careful from now on. Do not lead trails of blood to your doorsteps. However... I do not ask that you keep a low profile... I demand it. And all those who wish to defy me... Come forward..." Rising to full height, Dimitri once again let his cold gaze spread over the room as he waited for challengers to rise.