Alpha Interviews - Jackie: Meeting in the Middle (SP-RP15/16)
Quote from Mae on August 1, 2023, 9:31 pmThis role play takes place on the timeline on August 20th 1997, set between the main threads "Werewolves (RP15) The Waking Dawn" and "Werewolves (RP16) A Town Abandoned".
It details an important conversation between Calagathorm pack member Jaqueline Ryder and Alpha Kratos.No sooner had Jackie set foot off the property of Zeit's Chandler's ranch than a familiar voice was heard away in the distance. It was Timothy. His voice had similarly been heard that night after the chaos in Middlecrest woods, though tonight it was much different. Tonight, Timothy cupped his hands over his lips and bellowed a howl in mimicry of himself, but took no other form than his human shape. Kratos heard it, and he answered:
"To Zeit's cabin, all of you. The beta is back, and you are to go to meet her. But Jackie, come to me."
This role play takes place on the timeline on August 20th 1997, set between the main threads "Werewolves (RP15) The Waking Dawn" and "Werewolves (RP16) A Town Abandoned".
It details an important conversation between Calagathorm pack member Jaqueline Ryder and Alpha Kratos.
No sooner had Jackie set foot off the property of Zeit's Chandler's ranch than a familiar voice was heard away in the distance. It was Timothy. His voice had similarly been heard that night after the chaos in Middlecrest woods, though tonight it was much different. Tonight, Timothy cupped his hands over his lips and bellowed a howl in mimicry of himself, but took no other form than his human shape. Kratos heard it, and he answered:
"To Zeit's cabin, all of you. The beta is back, and you are to go to meet her. But Jackie, come to me."
Quote from Indy on August 1, 2023, 11:45 pmA lone woman walked along the path of the storm, twice interrupted. Once, to the wolf song given voice by a human throat. And the second, to the call from her alpha requesting her return.
Once when that call had been made before, she had returned on his command.
Now, the storm beaconed her onwards. The turning of the dark clouds ahead, the lightning in the air - it compelled her onwards. It did not promise answers. But it promised freedom.
It wasn't running away, she knew. There was no freedom in running away from the source of pain. It was only another cage. Sabrina had told her as such. What was she without a leash? What was she without a keeper? And what was the alpha to her in the first place?
It was a word which had no equivalent meaning to a human. Her father had never been her alpha. He had been a man who had held her with a chain. The alpha held her too, but not with a chain. Not with a leash. She could not answer how it was he held her.
So she defied it, walking further into the storm... if only to answer, what it was the alpha was to her. How it was he held her...
A lone woman walked along the path of the storm, twice interrupted. Once, to the wolf song given voice by a human throat. And the second, to the call from her alpha requesting her return.
Once when that call had been made before, she had returned on his command.
Now, the storm beaconed her onwards. The turning of the dark clouds ahead, the lightning in the air - it compelled her onwards. It did not promise answers. But it promised freedom.
It wasn't running away, she knew. There was no freedom in running away from the source of pain. It was only another cage. Sabrina had told her as such. What was she without a leash? What was she without a keeper? And what was the alpha to her in the first place?
It was a word which had no equivalent meaning to a human. Her father had never been her alpha. He had been a man who had held her with a chain. The alpha held her too, but not with a chain. Not with a leash. She could not answer how it was he held her.
So she defied it, walking further into the storm... if only to answer, what it was the alpha was to her. How it was he held her...
Quote from Indy on August 2, 2023, 6:39 pmJackie walked without knowing where she walked. Some sense in her knew, even if her mind didn't. She was not surprised when rather than continuing down the dirt road that led out to the main road, she instead veered east and came to the orchards.
She gazed upwards at the boughs of the trees as they swayed in the throes of the wind. Hadn't her life began here? All those months ago she had been brought to this orchard on the eve of her first change. Kratos had told her what it would all mean.
At the time, it had seemed an abstract concept. She hadn't taken much of the alpha's words seriously, that day. She had known what she would become on full moons - but she hadn't known what she would be.
Even now, could she answer that? She had asked to join this pack, but what exactly had she joined? If she walked past the orchard, would the alpha stop her? If she decided to leave, what would she be without a pack? If she searched for her sister until the ends of the earth and never found her, what would be left of her?
The questions posed had no answers and turned viciously. Instead, she reached out her arms to the lowest branch of an apple tree and started to climb. The foliage was a verdant and soft beneath her fingertips. The bark was damp and rough. The air hummed and turned. The distant moan of cicadas drew out to silence as they sensed the approaching pressure in the air. To the eyes, nose, and ears of a werewolf, the world was a very different place.
She stopped climbing until she reached a branch midway up the tree. She sat on the branch she had settled on. A smaller branch extended just in front of her torso. She rested her abdomen on it, her arms drooping overtop, and gazed on the landscape. Although the storm was approaching, it did not frighten her. To watch it closer to its level, to sense the air as it changed, brought its own kind of comfort.
Jackie walked without knowing where she walked. Some sense in her knew, even if her mind didn't. She was not surprised when rather than continuing down the dirt road that led out to the main road, she instead veered east and came to the orchards.
She gazed upwards at the boughs of the trees as they swayed in the throes of the wind. Hadn't her life began here? All those months ago she had been brought to this orchard on the eve of her first change. Kratos had told her what it would all mean.
At the time, it had seemed an abstract concept. She hadn't taken much of the alpha's words seriously, that day. She had known what she would become on full moons - but she hadn't known what she would be.
Even now, could she answer that? She had asked to join this pack, but what exactly had she joined? If she walked past the orchard, would the alpha stop her? If she decided to leave, what would she be without a pack? If she searched for her sister until the ends of the earth and never found her, what would be left of her?
The questions posed had no answers and turned viciously. Instead, she reached out her arms to the lowest branch of an apple tree and started to climb. The foliage was a verdant and soft beneath her fingertips. The bark was damp and rough. The air hummed and turned. The distant moan of cicadas drew out to silence as they sensed the approaching pressure in the air. To the eyes, nose, and ears of a werewolf, the world was a very different place.
She stopped climbing until she reached a branch midway up the tree. She sat on the branch she had settled on. A smaller branch extended just in front of her torso. She rested her abdomen on it, her arms drooping overtop, and gazed on the landscape. Although the storm was approaching, it did not frighten her. To watch it closer to its level, to sense the air as it changed, brought its own kind of comfort.
Quote from Mae on August 2, 2023, 8:12 pmA time passed, and the wind blew. From the boughs of the apple trees, on the little hill, all the Chandler homestead was open to view. Timothy was seen to trudge down from the mountain, walking barefoot as always, with his hands in his pockets. He looked so human, so casual, so unafraid as he went to the cabin by the cornfield. Others, too, gravitated in the direction of compliance. Last of all came Kratos, carrying Saber in his arms.
With his back Kratos protected Saber against a constant wind that seemed in its fervency to want to push the alpha and his charge down the gravel. But if that were the wind's desire, it was unsuccessful. Kratos stood firm against it, and descended with such care for his charge that it seemed he were carrying a child in his arms.
At the end of his descent, Kratos entered Zeit's cabin for but a moment. Then he came out again, and looked to the apple trees on the hill. There, he saw Jackie's body hung on the boughs. Even from the distance, he could see her short red hair splayed in the wind. Kratos lowered his head, and climbed the hill slowly.
A time passed, and the wind blew. From the boughs of the apple trees, on the little hill, all the Chandler homestead was open to view. Timothy was seen to trudge down from the mountain, walking barefoot as always, with his hands in his pockets. He looked so human, so casual, so unafraid as he went to the cabin by the cornfield. Others, too, gravitated in the direction of compliance. Last of all came Kratos, carrying Saber in his arms.
With his back Kratos protected Saber against a constant wind that seemed in its fervency to want to push the alpha and his charge down the gravel. But if that were the wind's desire, it was unsuccessful. Kratos stood firm against it, and descended with such care for his charge that it seemed he were carrying a child in his arms.
At the end of his descent, Kratos entered Zeit's cabin for but a moment. Then he came out again, and looked to the apple trees on the hill. There, he saw Jackie's body hung on the boughs. Even from the distance, he could see her short red hair splayed in the wind. Kratos lowered his head, and climbed the hill slowly.
Quote from Indy on August 2, 2023, 9:13 pmJackie watched the proceedings down below. She felt both apart from it and removed from it. They were people she knew, people she would bleed for - and they were children's toys when seen from so far away. Even Kratos looked small from the height. She watched as he struggled with the unconscious young man that had been brought to the cabin only days ago - already, Kratos seemed to enfold him into the file of his rank.
Her legs swayed against the harsh winds of the storm. Although the boughs shook terribly, the apple tree was old and firm. It had weathered a hundred storms, and would weather a hundred more. With her limbs tangled in those branches, she did not fear easily slipping and falling.
Then Kratos turned in her direction. She watched him as he did so, head cocked, her legs wavering in the air. But what was she to do, run? That was silly. A fleeting impulse. She had nowhere to go... only half-formed primordial impulses of where her sister might be or clues she could have left behind. Instead, being close to the storm was enough. It satiated the urge in her to run without moving an inch.
What was an alpha to her, then? The one she stayed for? She listened to his approach, boots crunching on gravel and dirt, and closed her eyes as she swayed in the breeze.
Jackie watched the proceedings down below. She felt both apart from it and removed from it. They were people she knew, people she would bleed for - and they were children's toys when seen from so far away. Even Kratos looked small from the height. She watched as he struggled with the unconscious young man that had been brought to the cabin only days ago - already, Kratos seemed to enfold him into the file of his rank.
Her legs swayed against the harsh winds of the storm. Although the boughs shook terribly, the apple tree was old and firm. It had weathered a hundred storms, and would weather a hundred more. With her limbs tangled in those branches, she did not fear easily slipping and falling.
Then Kratos turned in her direction. She watched him as he did so, head cocked, her legs wavering in the air. But what was she to do, run? That was silly. A fleeting impulse. She had nowhere to go... only half-formed primordial impulses of where her sister might be or clues she could have left behind. Instead, being close to the storm was enough. It satiated the urge in her to run without moving an inch.
What was an alpha to her, then? The one she stayed for? She listened to his approach, boots crunching on gravel and dirt, and closed her eyes as she swayed in the breeze.
Quote from Mae on August 3, 2023, 9:32 pmKratos climbed the hill slowly. When he reached the top, he looked into the boughs. Then he turned his back on the tree wherein Jackie lay, and sat down with his back against the trunk.
The sky gathered blackness over the little ranch. Faraway, the wail of the siren ran long and high. In the opposing direction, the sky began to rumble like the belly of a gargantuan beast. The wind pressed on.
Kratos stared out on his domain. His brows were furrowed. His arms rested on his knees. After a short moment, he spoke low and deep.
"What are you doing, Jackie?" He said.
Kratos climbed the hill slowly. When he reached the top, he looked into the boughs. Then he turned his back on the tree wherein Jackie lay, and sat down with his back against the trunk.
The sky gathered blackness over the little ranch. Faraway, the wail of the siren ran long and high. In the opposing direction, the sky began to rumble like the belly of a gargantuan beast. The wind pressed on.
Kratos stared out on his domain. His brows were furrowed. His arms rested on his knees. After a short moment, he spoke low and deep.
"What are you doing, Jackie?" He said.
Quote from Indy on August 3, 2023, 10:34 pmJackie gazed down below at the top of Kratos' head - not in any way disliking the new vantage. Her thoughts flickered to the tops of the storm clouds, to the parts of the mountain she couldn't see, to the herd of deer she had hunted... everywhere, but in the direction that was asked of her.
The woman curled her fingers into the branch, letting the sensation of the bark bring her back to the question.
"What is an alpha... a pack... really?" she tilted her gaze back to the sky just as a gust buffeted her against her stronghold.
"When I asked Sabrina, she told me it meant family. But I don't know what that is either... and if that's the case, does that what, make you my dad?"
Jackie gazed down below at the top of Kratos' head - not in any way disliking the new vantage. Her thoughts flickered to the tops of the storm clouds, to the parts of the mountain she couldn't see, to the herd of deer she had hunted... everywhere, but in the direction that was asked of her.
The woman curled her fingers into the branch, letting the sensation of the bark bring her back to the question.
"What is an alpha... a pack... really?" she tilted her gaze back to the sky just as a gust buffeted her against her stronghold.
"When I asked Sabrina, she told me it meant family. But I don't know what that is either... and if that's the case, does that what, make you my dad?"
Quote from Mae on August 3, 2023, 10:45 pmKratos briefly turned his gaze down to the swaying grass between his feet. He plucked a handful of it out of the earth - it was quite a large handful at that - and he let it go into the wind.
The alpha was thoughtful as he considered the question. Then he looked out on the stormy landscape again.
"I suppose it is whatever you want it to be, Jackie." He cast a glance to his brow, listening to the boughs creak above his head. "It's here to help you."
Kratos briefly turned his gaze down to the swaying grass between his feet. He plucked a handful of it out of the earth - it was quite a large handful at that - and he let it go into the wind.
The alpha was thoughtful as he considered the question. Then he looked out on the stormy landscape again.
"I suppose it is whatever you want it to be, Jackie." He cast a glance to his brow, listening to the boughs creak above his head. "It's here to help you."
Quote from Indy on August 3, 2023, 11:10 pm"Help me what?" she watched the grass go, aimless in the wind, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be, what I'm supposed to do... besides whatever this is, the only thing I have left is my sister, and she doesn't want me around either".
A sound settled at the back of her throat - a thing of growing frustration, ultimately cut short in a gurgled exhale.
"What if this is all I can be? You told me about this world I was supposed to join... but I think this is it. I can't be like the rest of you, but I can't be what I was either".
"Help me what?" she watched the grass go, aimless in the wind, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be, what I'm supposed to do... besides whatever this is, the only thing I have left is my sister, and she doesn't want me around either".
A sound settled at the back of her throat - a thing of growing frustration, ultimately cut short in a gurgled exhale.
"What if this is all I can be? You told me about this world I was supposed to join... but I think this is it. I can't be like the rest of you, but I can't be what I was either".
