The walk back to the encampment of the Night Parade was uneventful. There were still whistles Lasciel's way, of course; that could not be avoided, not when the leather encased her curves just<em>so</em>. But perhaps she didn't look so exotic anymore, perhaps she was mitigating her own allure somehow. They reached the copse across from the entrance to the carnival without causing a riot. The show had ended, the last of the spectators were gone, and although nobody would be sleeping for a few more hours, there was an air of satisfaction, deceptively like a children's camp.<br/><br/>The hunters were settled facing the flickering lights, scowling fit to jinx the entire Parade into nonexistence by sheer force of disapproval. There were three of them, the one Samuel had met earlier and two older, bigger men who looked alike enough to be twins. They sprang to their feet when Samuel and Lasciel appeared, obviously bristling at the succubus' presence. She frowned back at them; their own presence wasn't any more pleasant to her.<br/><br/>'What have you brought that spawn of darkness with you for?' spat the third hunter. 'Have you departed from the path so much that you expect help from the likes of her?'