Trail of a Lost Soul (Tito & Zander)
Quote from Deleted user on November 28, 2019, 1:19 amIt was the day after the devastating storm. The storm that left a sinkhole in the middle of town. The storm that caused human and cat alike to seek refuge in a strangers car. The storm that could've easily swept up Tito's friend into an obscure part of the land and left him for dead never to be discovered again until years later.
Tito's eyes opened. He was tucked up in a warm bed at an inn, but his heart felt cold. He had hardly slept, the storm having stirred his worries throughout the night. Eventually he pulled himself up and got ready to check out of his room, unsure what he was going to do afterwards.
With tired eyes and a grim expression, he sat inside his truck deciding if he would check the town or mountains again for Saber, or head home. If everything he heard and had gathered were true, his friends survival seemed very slim. Was it worth checking over again? Tito was torn. He had to check again, but he worried he was chasing after empty hope. Still, Tito decided, as long as there wasn't proof of his friends death yet, hope had to continue existing within him.
And so he started up the engine of his old battered truck and drove away from the inn. He knew where he'd go first; The antique shop where he got the strange tip that Saber had likely headed up into the mountains in the first place.
Because of the sinkhole, Tito had to park off on a side street to the main road and walk to the shop, but luckily it wasn't far. With a deep breath, Tito pushed open the door to the antique shop, deeply hoping somehow Saber had beaten the odds once again and had survived another tragedy.
It was the day after the devastating storm. The storm that left a sinkhole in the middle of town. The storm that caused human and cat alike to seek refuge in a strangers car. The storm that could've easily swept up Tito's friend into an obscure part of the land and left him for dead never to be discovered again until years later.
Tito's eyes opened. He was tucked up in a warm bed at an inn, but his heart felt cold. He had hardly slept, the storm having stirred his worries throughout the night. Eventually he pulled himself up and got ready to check out of his room, unsure what he was going to do afterwards.
With tired eyes and a grim expression, he sat inside his truck deciding if he would check the town or mountains again for Saber, or head home. If everything he heard and had gathered were true, his friends survival seemed very slim. Was it worth checking over again? Tito was torn. He had to check again, but he worried he was chasing after empty hope. Still, Tito decided, as long as there wasn't proof of his friends death yet, hope had to continue existing within him.
And so he started up the engine of his old battered truck and drove away from the inn. He knew where he'd go first; The antique shop where he got the strange tip that Saber had likely headed up into the mountains in the first place.
Because of the sinkhole, Tito had to park off on a side street to the main road and walk to the shop, but luckily it wasn't far. With a deep breath, Tito pushed open the door to the antique shop, deeply hoping somehow Saber had beaten the odds once again and had survived another tragedy.
Quote from Indy on November 28, 2019, 1:36 pmZander yawned to the bright morning sun and the birds chirping as though nothing had ever happened. He was at a mild disarray. His normally well-ironed shirt was crumpled, his face slightly smudged, and his hair was sticking out at funny angles that was more fresh-out-of-bed than fashionably grunge. He held a broom in hand, carefully negotiating he narrow aisles with practiced ease. It may have been a full moon the night before, but that didn't mean his boss gave him any slack for it. Just like every morning, he was bright-and-early for any would-be-customers.
But if anyone would enter after a storm like that... well, he'd be surprised. Not to mention if any said customers would make it past the literal sinkhole down the road. He tried not to think too much on the carnage and the poor souls that had been trapped out on it... Had she made it out okay? Had he? His features knit into that of concern, almost missing the figure through the glass.
His lifted his eyes, trying to summon his best customer-service face and failing miserably. Too tired... he couldn't open his eyes wide enough. At best, he looked bored and disinterested. At worst he looked like a puppet that came to life. The only thing bright and chipper to him was the color of his eyes, tones of caramel and bright grass-green in the right lighting.
"Hello there, welcome to Buttermilk's Antiques," he repeated as if a robot on script. He frowned, taking in the fallen expression of the man that had entered, "You weather the storm alright?"
Zander yawned to the bright morning sun and the birds chirping as though nothing had ever happened. He was at a mild disarray. His normally well-ironed shirt was crumpled, his face slightly smudged, and his hair was sticking out at funny angles that was more fresh-out-of-bed than fashionably grunge. He held a broom in hand, carefully negotiating he narrow aisles with practiced ease. It may have been a full moon the night before, but that didn't mean his boss gave him any slack for it. Just like every morning, he was bright-and-early for any would-be-customers.
But if anyone would enter after a storm like that... well, he'd be surprised. Not to mention if any said customers would make it past the literal sinkhole down the road. He tried not to think too much on the carnage and the poor souls that had been trapped out on it... Had she made it out okay? Had he? His features knit into that of concern, almost missing the figure through the glass.
His lifted his eyes, trying to summon his best customer-service face and failing miserably. Too tired... he couldn't open his eyes wide enough. At best, he looked bored and disinterested. At worst he looked like a puppet that came to life. The only thing bright and chipper to him was the color of his eyes, tones of caramel and bright grass-green in the right lighting.
"Hello there, welcome to Buttermilk's Antiques," he repeated as if a robot on script. He frowned, taking in the fallen expression of the man that had entered, "You weather the storm alright?"
Quote from Deleted user on November 30, 2019, 11:55 pmTito felt relief at the sight of Zander, recognizing him from the night before. Upon observation it seemed the former did not recognize him however.
Tito tried to smile to show he was alright. " Yeah, I wasn't ever able to find my friend last night though. Did he ever come back by chance? The Asian, about this tall," he measured up to his shoulder," has red highlighted bangs and usually goes by the name Saber. Did you ever see him again after we spoke?"
Tito felt relief at the sight of Zander, recognizing him from the night before. Upon observation it seemed the former did not recognize him however.
Tito tried to smile to show he was alright. " Yeah, I wasn't ever able to find my friend last night though. Did he ever come back by chance? The Asian, about this tall," he measured up to his shoulder," has red highlighted bangs and usually goes by the name Saber. Did you ever see him again after we spoke?"
Quote from Indy on December 1, 2019, 7:20 pmZander woke up all at once, in a way that a night's worth of sleep wouldn't. He tensed, blinked, then looked at Tito a little closer. Faces never really stuck out to him too well. Certainly he'd know his close friends or his own mother, but something in the casual acquaintances had a funny habit of slipping by him. The previous night's conversation, however, was crystal clear. It was hard to forget the angry half-starved werewolf and the friend that came looking for him after.
He nodded slowly, setting down his broom politely.
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him since," there was sincerity in his tone, but something in his green-flecked eyes seemed to peer a little too deeply into Tito's.
"I've been worried about him too," he finally confessed with a sigh, "It was a rough storm out there... I feel badly for my part in not being able to stop him. But your friend seems like someone to bet on"
Zander woke up all at once, in a way that a night's worth of sleep wouldn't. He tensed, blinked, then looked at Tito a little closer. Faces never really stuck out to him too well. Certainly he'd know his close friends or his own mother, but something in the casual acquaintances had a funny habit of slipping by him. The previous night's conversation, however, was crystal clear. It was hard to forget the angry half-starved werewolf and the friend that came looking for him after.
He nodded slowly, setting down his broom politely.
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him since," there was sincerity in his tone, but something in his green-flecked eyes seemed to peer a little too deeply into Tito's.
"I've been worried about him too," he finally confessed with a sigh, "It was a rough storm out there... I feel badly for my part in not being able to stop him. But your friend seems like someone to bet on"
Quote from Deleted user on December 2, 2019, 1:28 pmTito listened to Zander, his brows beginning to furl as his green eyes grew their own intensity. His mouth opened to speak, but he hesitated.
" ...I've been wondering though.." He finally started, " why did you think he headed towards the mountains in the first place? Even with the storm rolling in?" He spoke in a cautious and quiet tone, as if there was more that he wanted to say but couldn't for one reason or another.
Tito listened to Zander, his brows beginning to furl as his green eyes grew their own intensity. His mouth opened to speak, but he hesitated.
" ...I've been wondering though.." He finally started, " why did you think he headed towards the mountains in the first place? Even with the storm rolling in?" He spoke in a cautious and quiet tone, as if there was more that he wanted to say but couldn't for one reason or another.
Quote from Indy on December 2, 2019, 10:00 pmZander shifted the weight on his feet, his eyes breaking eye contact as he did so. For an instant his eyes flicked up the stairwell, where Grandma Buttermilk must be sleeping, but in the next moment they'd shifted back to the various, dusty objects of the main room. He sighed as he took the broom in hand and started to sweep again.
"I don't mean to be impolite," he began slowly, "But how well did you know your friend? Was he known to do reckless things like this before?"
The employee shrugged, "I wouldn't presume to know his mind. I only knew him for ten minutes. Whatever it was, it seemed like he was looking for something".
Zander shifted the weight on his feet, his eyes breaking eye contact as he did so. For an instant his eyes flicked up the stairwell, where Grandma Buttermilk must be sleeping, but in the next moment they'd shifted back to the various, dusty objects of the main room. He sighed as he took the broom in hand and started to sweep again.
"I don't mean to be impolite," he began slowly, "But how well did you know your friend? Was he known to do reckless things like this before?"
The employee shrugged, "I wouldn't presume to know his mind. I only knew him for ten minutes. Whatever it was, it seemed like he was looking for something".
Quote from Deleted user on December 2, 2019, 10:35 pm" ..So he didn't say anything?" Tito breathed as he turned away, his face looking troubled again.
" And you didn't see him head in that direction either..?" Tito paused. " The thing is... Going up the mountain sounds just like him, that's what scares me. I was really hoping he didn't, I can't imagine he'd likely of survived the storm up there......"
Tito looked back to Zander earnestly, his eyes pleading now. " Please can you tell me- What made you think he'd go up there of all places? I just need to know if he really did or not."
" ..So he didn't say anything?" Tito breathed as he turned away, his face looking troubled again.
" And you didn't see him head in that direction either..?" Tito paused. " The thing is... Going up the mountain sounds just like him, that's what scares me. I was really hoping he didn't, I can't imagine he'd likely of survived the storm up there......"
Tito looked back to Zander earnestly, his eyes pleading now. " Please can you tell me- What made you think he'd go up there of all places? I just need to know if he really did or not."
Quote from Indy on December 3, 2019, 8:12 pm"I'm not sure it matters," he replied softly, his eyes suddenly drawn to a marvelous antique sitting on the shelf. It appeared to be a porcelain figurine -- a tiny white wolf with ruby eyes. Zander considered it with mild interest, before removing it so he might polish it with a cloth found at his waist.
"I can only guess he went to the mountains. I don't know for sure. But there's a lot of funny rumors about the place that may have attracted his attention..."
The rag was still gently cradled around the figure in his palms. His eyes settled on Tito so firmly, as if transfixed, one could imagine he were watching a fire. Perhaps the metaphor wasn't so far off: in the direct lighting of the morning sun, his eyes looked gold and emerald, ever-shifting like a living fire.
"If he did go up there, don't go after him. Your friend has a lot better chance of surviving them than you do"
"I'm not sure it matters," he replied softly, his eyes suddenly drawn to a marvelous antique sitting on the shelf. It appeared to be a porcelain figurine -- a tiny white wolf with ruby eyes. Zander considered it with mild interest, before removing it so he might polish it with a cloth found at his waist.
"I can only guess he went to the mountains. I don't know for sure. But there's a lot of funny rumors about the place that may have attracted his attention..."
The rag was still gently cradled around the figure in his palms. His eyes settled on Tito so firmly, as if transfixed, one could imagine he were watching a fire. Perhaps the metaphor wasn't so far off: in the direct lighting of the morning sun, his eyes looked gold and emerald, ever-shifting like a living fire.
"If he did go up there, don't go after him. Your friend has a lot better chance of surviving them than you do"
Quote from Deleted user on December 7, 2019, 11:38 pmTito watched as Zander carefully pulled off and began to dust the porcelain figurine, his troubled face soon shifting over to intense focus with a hint of perplexity. Tito's eyes met Zanders as the questions in his eyes only grew.
" Them?..." Tito's voice was barely audible as he spoke the word.
" What do you mean by 'them'?" Tito questioned, his voice growing concerned. " You wouldn't know…" Tito trailed off as he looked back at the wolf statue in Zanders hand and everything clicked. He looked back at Zander with realization in his eyes. " Your one of them, aren't you…"
Tito watched as Zander carefully pulled off and began to dust the porcelain figurine, his troubled face soon shifting over to intense focus with a hint of perplexity. Tito's eyes met Zanders as the questions in his eyes only grew.
" Them?..." Tito's voice was barely audible as he spoke the word.
" What do you mean by 'them'?" Tito questioned, his voice growing concerned. " You wouldn't know…" Tito trailed off as he looked back at the wolf statue in Zanders hand and everything clicked. He looked back at Zander with realization in his eyes. " Your one of them, aren't you…"
Quote from Indy on December 8, 2019, 12:33 pmZander exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His demeanor still remained casual, however, as he finished polishing up the figurine and set it back on the shelf. Still holding Tito's eyes, he gave the slightest incline of his head in answer to his question. Then his attention shirked up the staircase again, feeling better at ease once he saw no movement or sound from the depths above.
"Good, then you understand?" his voice was soft but casual, as though he were merely discussing the weather, "The moon might be behind us, but that doesn't mean they can't hurt you. If... if your friend did find them, then he's probably in good hands"
Zander exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His demeanor still remained casual, however, as he finished polishing up the figurine and set it back on the shelf. Still holding Tito's eyes, he gave the slightest incline of his head in answer to his question. Then his attention shirked up the staircase again, feeling better at ease once he saw no movement or sound from the depths above.
"Good, then you understand?" his voice was soft but casual, as though he were merely discussing the weather, "The moon might be behind us, but that doesn't mean they can't hurt you. If... if your friend did find them, then he's probably in good hands"
