Sunflowers and Moonmonsters
Quote from Adriana on July 31, 2023, 12:11 pm“That’s the part you need to explain real quick like.“ I said, leaning against the doorframe. I had dried my eyes and stepped from the room after hearing talk about “family”.
“She was bitten by one of those pups on the mountain-I know the place, I’ve been there, so don’t play with me. Mr. Chapman explained it to me before she got here. But now you say she’s your family? Which is it? Their family or yours? Because last I checked, she was my responsibility. Make it make sense. Who told you where this place was? How'd you get here?”
It didn’t matter that Mercy was in the room. Her life was hard enough. Over my dead body she and Charlie would spend the rest of her life with the Pinerich dogs.
Besides, Mercy wasn’t the only one I was worried about.
"Please. I'm so tired of lies. I need to know. She needs to know." my voice gave out a little. Too long I'd been half-playing a game I didn't have the rule book for, and all the wrong pieces. I ran a hand over my face and closed my eyes in a quick prayer.
Dear God, please, give me the strength to endure to the truth.
"We've got all day yet. Don't hold back."
“That’s the part you need to explain real quick like.“ I said, leaning against the doorframe. I had dried my eyes and stepped from the room after hearing talk about “family”.
“She was bitten by one of those pups on the mountain-I know the place, I’ve been there, so don’t play with me. Mr. Chapman explained it to me before she got here. But now you say she’s your family? Which is it? Their family or yours? Because last I checked, she was my responsibility. Make it make sense. Who told you where this place was? How'd you get here?”
It didn’t matter that Mercy was in the room. Her life was hard enough. Over my dead body she and Charlie would spend the rest of her life with the Pinerich dogs.
Besides, Mercy wasn’t the only one I was worried about.
"Please. I'm so tired of lies. I need to know. She needs to know." my voice gave out a little. Too long I'd been half-playing a game I didn't have the rule book for, and all the wrong pieces. I ran a hand over my face and closed my eyes in a quick prayer.
Dear God, please, give me the strength to endure to the truth.
"We've got all day yet. Don't hold back."
Quote from Mae on August 1, 2023, 6:55 pmRosa stood up immediately.
"I am not one for secrets, or for lies;" she said, "I will tell you everything."
"But Mercy," she said, sitting back down. "Don't try to understand this all at once, it will not come easily today. Confusion and fear play hand in hand, and you simply mustn't be afraid. That is very important."
Mercy looked cautiously between Rosa and Robin. An inhuman light danced in her eyes. Charlie sweetly sat beside her, looking intermittently between all faces in the room.
Rosa looked at Robin. "Will you sit down?"
Rosa stood up immediately.
"I am not one for secrets, or for lies;" she said, "I will tell you everything."
"But Mercy," she said, sitting back down. "Don't try to understand this all at once, it will not come easily today. Confusion and fear play hand in hand, and you simply mustn't be afraid. That is very important."
Mercy looked cautiously between Rosa and Robin. An inhuman light danced in her eyes. Charlie sweetly sat beside her, looking intermittently between all faces in the room.
Rosa looked at Robin. "Will you sit down?"
Quote from Adriana on August 1, 2023, 7:01 pmI lowered my shoulders and checked my face, understanding why Rosa asked me to sit down.
"Yes, ma'am."
I took a chair from the table and turned it to face them, inhaling deeply as I braced myself internally.
I lowered my shoulders and checked my face, understanding why Rosa asked me to sit down.
"Yes, ma'am."
I took a chair from the table and turned it to face them, inhaling deeply as I braced myself internally.
Quote from Mae on August 1, 2023, 8:36 pmTo Mercy's surprise, Charlie perked up and scrambled away off the couch as Robin sat down. Then, without any hesitancy at all, he grabbed Robin's knees and began pulling himself up onto her lap.
To Mercy's surprise, Charlie perked up and scrambled away off the couch as Robin sat down. Then, without any hesitancy at all, he grabbed Robin's knees and began pulling himself up onto her lap.
Quote from Adriana on August 1, 2023, 8:58 pmI pulled Charlie up and turned him around on my lap. I hugged him around his chest for a moment, then smelled the top of his head with my eyes shut and let a few tears roll onto his hair, before I turned my gaze intently on Rosa.
I pulled Charlie up and turned him around on my lap. I hugged him around his chest for a moment, then smelled the top of his head with my eyes shut and let a few tears roll onto his hair, before I turned my gaze intently on Rosa.
Quote from Mae on August 2, 2023, 9:38 pmAfter Robin was seated, and Charlie was settled, Rosa began her story.
"When I first met my husband, Abravious... Abe. I had no idea what he was; I didn't know that he was a werewolf, or that he was a prince among his kind."
"I was a young woman, twenty-seven years old, and I believed my chances for marriage and family were well behind me. I was hopeful, as with the rest of the country, that there was still much to live for. But I was born during the Great Depression, and I experienced much of my youth while the country fought in World War two. Racial segregation was still very much alive in every part of the country when I was a teenager, and it continued to play a prominent role throughout my early adulthood and marriage."
"Among so many of these and other trying conflicts in the country, there was no reason to assign merit to talk of secret organizations thriving under the nose of all. But, as I said before, I always sort of entertained a belief in the supernatural. It was a belief in fantasy, and extraordinary beings and circumstances, that kept my chin up. Looking back on it, I think it was a means for me to escape some of the trying realities of the time."
"Right in the middle of all the social conflict, I met and fell in love with a humble man of color. He appeared in all rights and circumstances to come from a humble family. And we dated for many years, despite all that was against us. I came to know him, and love him immensely, long before it dawned on me that there was something about him. I had no way of knowing, nor any reason to suspect, that this humble, dashing young man of color was the leader of a powerful and affluent group of people; a hidden race of persons who existed for generations outside the knowledge of the political world."
"You see, Mercy, there exists in this world many different groups of werewolves, and they all thrive on secrecy. They have been hunted, and persecuted, by mankind for over a millennia. Their nature is to disguise themselves, to blend in with mankind, and to go unnoticed by him who is their only natural predator. To protect themselves from mankind, they must be as invisible as the air itself. And anyone who possesses any knowledge of them is a threat to all that they are and can be."
"But even in disguise, a werewolf cannot hide from another werewolf. They are drawn to each other. They need each other. Alone, they cannot exist for very long... Thus is the nature of their affliction, that when they find themselves alone, they infect others, and in so-doing create more of their race. By their associations, they are kept safe. Their ways to survive are recorded only in their blood, and their knowledge passed down to them through traditions - from father to son, and from mother to daughter. ""Abe knew the dangers of his world much better than I. He knew that to know about their secret world was to live every moment looking over your shoulder for the hunter. It wasn't a world he wanted me to be a part of... but it was likewise not a world he could keep me from. The more I learned about him, the more I grew to be a part of that world. And I began to realize that before I ever even knew it, I was in a world of monsters I could neither see nor detect.. "
"Abe's family had always been aware of me. Despite the passing years of our courtship, they believed his fancy to be a passing matter; that he would soon lose interest in me."
"I think there were many times when Abe tried to dissuade himself, or me, from pursuing our relationship. But neither one of us ever seemed able to pull ourselves away... We were drawn to each other. Magnetized. He would consign himself to the other side of the city without my knowledge, and I would feel that day to take a trip downtown, and we would meet by chance on the way. It happened so many times! Each time was more amusing than the last... until it brought me face to face with the dangers of his world, all too suddenly."
"There were other women in Abe's life, women who came from his world and looked at me with malice and jealousy. I met many of them, without realizing it, - men and women both - that knew him. Almost in perfect obliviousness of my situation I was surrounded by them daily! And they seemed content never to make themselves known."
"I believe they must have heckled Abravious severely. But when the others knew he could not be dissuaded, they tried to dissuade me. They produced and devised all kinds of terrible tactics and mean tricks to scare me off. It was the most horrible time in my life. I was ready to leave the city, before long, to run away and never return. But just as I was making preparations to do so, all the harassments came to an abrupt halt; it ended in a moment... inexplicably."
"I learned later that Abe was responsible for the sudden ceasefire. He threatened to leave them... and in so-doing he threatened to demolish their entire empire."
"You see, Mercy, in order for groups like these to exist, they must build upon the structure of a concise leader. The utmost order and precision is required to fool the whole world into believing they do not exist, and thus the nature of their associations and secrecies for survival depends on those they term 'alpha'. Without their leader, all their movement is disorganized, and all their cooperation is discord."
"Abravious was one to this group, and because of their traditions, they believed I was a threat to him... or more precisely to them. It was their determination, therefore, to either kill me, or bring me fully into their world - to have me changed into one of them."
"So, the others arranged for Abravious to be away... One night, when the moon was full, I was alone and a group of his friends came. By then, I had spent many nights with Abe under the moon. I had no fear of him. But the arrangement was such that neither one of us suspected the plot. That night, they had me blindfolded, and carried me off. They had already decided among themselves which one of them would do the deed, but I wasn't allowed to see who. I only can remember feeling the hot breath of one of them, over my left shoulder, and the teeth that pierced my skin.""They let me go afterward. They didn't keep me long. Abravious came to find me that morning. He was very upset when I told him what happened, and he feared greatly that he would lose me to the fever, or to the change. But I never did get sick... "
"Abravious was much more cautious of his people after that. We both were. He kept me away from them. And when it came to his ear that they would try again, he kept his promise to them: He left. He forsook all and everything; his family, his title, and his world for me... But we both knew that there was nowhere we could go to be safe."
"There are invisible lines drawn everywhere, Mercy. They stake claims on land, resources, and people. Most traditional groups respect these boundaries, but there are some that drift between them. These 'loners' are most often very dangerous individuals that have no loyalty to anyone or anything. They can be violent and unrestrained... but they can also be very young, and oblivious to the undefined lines in the world around them. So many of these become casualties of an unseen war."
"Abravious' family had lived in that city for many generations. All other groups knew it belonged to them. To go anywhere else was to enter someone else's territory, or to attract the attention of those that wandered between the lines. So we stayed in the city, beneath the knowledge of all, even his family."
"Still, we had friends, even in exile; people who helped us stay hidden. Officer Chapman and his wife, Eleanor, were two of them. They were very kind to us. Others lived in the city with us. But none of them knew about our son, Samuel."
"It was Abravious' hope as well as my own that, because I hadn't contracted the illness, Samuel would be born without it. We wanted to keep him separate from those people and that world... to raise him prepared to face it, if he had to, but otherwise to let him live like all others unaware of it."
"For many years, we lived in watchfulness. Abravious had seen werewolves pass right by Samuel, undetecting him. And when Samuel came to the age that the symptoms typically manifest, and no sign of it emerged... we thought our hope had not been in vain. But we were wrong."
"We were both out the night Samuel experienced his first change. He was well prepared to face it. And he possessed such supernal mastery over it, even from the beginning, that his father and I were dumbfounded. But I'm afraid it rocked Samuel's world entirely. Abravious and Samuel could not get along after that. It seemed to me that his father had fallen out of grace with his son. Then, after a tragic incident involving some of his friends, Samuel left us."
"It was fortunate timing... For just shortly afterward, Abe and I were discovered by his people - the pack of Pinerich. Abe was forced to resume his duties as its alpha. We learned that in his absence, chaos had broken out, and the whole party was being torn apart. They could not get along and did not know who should be his successor. So, when Abravious returned, all the discord seemed to stop..."
"I believe they are simply biding their time. Abravious cannot live forever. His position at the front is simply to keep order and harmony within their ranks, until they can find or create his replacement. They would be very happy if it could be Samuel, but neither his father nor I have revealed him. And as for me they should not care if I were alive or dead."
"I did not know where Samuel was until very recently. He had gone to that mountain to establish a pack of his own. They are all children; loners, and drifters. Very few of them possess any knowledge of that invisible world."
"That is how you came upon them, Mercy. Ulric never intended this to happen to you. He is a good man, who Abravious and I love very dearly. After what happened to you, he could not rest until he knew that you were safe. He endangered his whole pack by calling on Chief Chapman to rescue you." Rosa concluded solemnly. "I hope that has answered your questions, Bluejay... Robin. But I will answer any other questions you have for me."
After Robin was seated, and Charlie was settled, Rosa began her story.
"When I first met my husband, Abravious... Abe. I had no idea what he was; I didn't know that he was a werewolf, or that he was a prince among his kind."
"I was a young woman, twenty-seven years old, and I believed my chances for marriage and family were well behind me. I was hopeful, as with the rest of the country, that there was still much to live for. But I was born during the Great Depression, and I experienced much of my youth while the country fought in World War two. Racial segregation was still very much alive in every part of the country when I was a teenager, and it continued to play a prominent role throughout my early adulthood and marriage."
"Among so many of these and other trying conflicts in the country, there was no reason to assign merit to talk of secret organizations thriving under the nose of all. But, as I said before, I always sort of entertained a belief in the supernatural. It was a belief in fantasy, and extraordinary beings and circumstances, that kept my chin up. Looking back on it, I think it was a means for me to escape some of the trying realities of the time."
"Right in the middle of all the social conflict, I met and fell in love with a humble man of color. He appeared in all rights and circumstances to come from a humble family. And we dated for many years, despite all that was against us. I came to know him, and love him immensely, long before it dawned on me that there was something about him. I had no way of knowing, nor any reason to suspect, that this humble, dashing young man of color was the leader of a powerful and affluent group of people; a hidden race of persons who existed for generations outside the knowledge of the political world."
"You see, Mercy, there exists in this world many different groups of werewolves, and they all thrive on secrecy. They have been hunted, and persecuted, by mankind for over a millennia. Their nature is to disguise themselves, to blend in with mankind, and to go unnoticed by him who is their only natural predator. To protect themselves from mankind, they must be as invisible as the air itself. And anyone who possesses any knowledge of them is a threat to all that they are and can be."
"But even in disguise, a werewolf cannot hide from another werewolf. They are drawn to each other. They need each other. Alone, they cannot exist for very long... Thus is the nature of their affliction, that when they find themselves alone, they infect others, and in so-doing create more of their race. By their associations, they are kept safe. Their ways to survive are recorded only in their blood, and their knowledge passed down to them through traditions - from father to son, and from mother to daughter. "
"Abe knew the dangers of his world much better than I. He knew that to know about their secret world was to live every moment looking over your shoulder for the hunter. It wasn't a world he wanted me to be a part of... but it was likewise not a world he could keep me from. The more I learned about him, the more I grew to be a part of that world. And I began to realize that before I ever even knew it, I was in a world of monsters I could neither see nor detect.. "
"Abe's family had always been aware of me. Despite the passing years of our courtship, they believed his fancy to be a passing matter; that he would soon lose interest in me."
"I think there were many times when Abe tried to dissuade himself, or me, from pursuing our relationship. But neither one of us ever seemed able to pull ourselves away... We were drawn to each other. Magnetized. He would consign himself to the other side of the city without my knowledge, and I would feel that day to take a trip downtown, and we would meet by chance on the way. It happened so many times! Each time was more amusing than the last... until it brought me face to face with the dangers of his world, all too suddenly."
"There were other women in Abe's life, women who came from his world and looked at me with malice and jealousy. I met many of them, without realizing it, - men and women both - that knew him. Almost in perfect obliviousness of my situation I was surrounded by them daily! And they seemed content never to make themselves known."
"I believe they must have heckled Abravious severely. But when the others knew he could not be dissuaded, they tried to dissuade me. They produced and devised all kinds of terrible tactics and mean tricks to scare me off. It was the most horrible time in my life. I was ready to leave the city, before long, to run away and never return. But just as I was making preparations to do so, all the harassments came to an abrupt halt; it ended in a moment... inexplicably."
"I learned later that Abe was responsible for the sudden ceasefire. He threatened to leave them... and in so-doing he threatened to demolish their entire empire."
"You see, Mercy, in order for groups like these to exist, they must build upon the structure of a concise leader. The utmost order and precision is required to fool the whole world into believing they do not exist, and thus the nature of their associations and secrecies for survival depends on those they term 'alpha'. Without their leader, all their movement is disorganized, and all their cooperation is discord."
"Abravious was one to this group, and because of their traditions, they believed I was a threat to him... or more precisely to them. It was their determination, therefore, to either kill me, or bring me fully into their world - to have me changed into one of them."
"So, the others arranged for Abravious to be away... One night, when the moon was full, I was alone and a group of his friends came. By then, I had spent many nights with Abe under the moon. I had no fear of him. But the arrangement was such that neither one of us suspected the plot. That night, they had me blindfolded, and carried me off. They had already decided among themselves which one of them would do the deed, but I wasn't allowed to see who. I only can remember feeling the hot breath of one of them, over my left shoulder, and the teeth that pierced my skin."
"They let me go afterward. They didn't keep me long. Abravious came to find me that morning. He was very upset when I told him what happened, and he feared greatly that he would lose me to the fever, or to the change. But I never did get sick... "
"Abravious was much more cautious of his people after that. We both were. He kept me away from them. And when it came to his ear that they would try again, he kept his promise to them: He left. He forsook all and everything; his family, his title, and his world for me... But we both knew that there was nowhere we could go to be safe."
"There are invisible lines drawn everywhere, Mercy. They stake claims on land, resources, and people. Most traditional groups respect these boundaries, but there are some that drift between them. These 'loners' are most often very dangerous individuals that have no loyalty to anyone or anything. They can be violent and unrestrained... but they can also be very young, and oblivious to the undefined lines in the world around them. So many of these become casualties of an unseen war."
"Abravious' family had lived in that city for many generations. All other groups knew it belonged to them. To go anywhere else was to enter someone else's territory, or to attract the attention of those that wandered between the lines. So we stayed in the city, beneath the knowledge of all, even his family."
"Still, we had friends, even in exile; people who helped us stay hidden. Officer Chapman and his wife, Eleanor, were two of them. They were very kind to us. Others lived in the city with us. But none of them knew about our son, Samuel."
"It was Abravious' hope as well as my own that, because I hadn't contracted the illness, Samuel would be born without it. We wanted to keep him separate from those people and that world... to raise him prepared to face it, if he had to, but otherwise to let him live like all others unaware of it."
"For many years, we lived in watchfulness. Abravious had seen werewolves pass right by Samuel, undetecting him. And when Samuel came to the age that the symptoms typically manifest, and no sign of it emerged... we thought our hope had not been in vain. But we were wrong."
"We were both out the night Samuel experienced his first change. He was well prepared to face it. And he possessed such supernal mastery over it, even from the beginning, that his father and I were dumbfounded. But I'm afraid it rocked Samuel's world entirely. Abravious and Samuel could not get along after that. It seemed to me that his father had fallen out of grace with his son. Then, after a tragic incident involving some of his friends, Samuel left us."
"It was fortunate timing... For just shortly afterward, Abe and I were discovered by his people - the pack of Pinerich. Abe was forced to resume his duties as its alpha. We learned that in his absence, chaos had broken out, and the whole party was being torn apart. They could not get along and did not know who should be his successor. So, when Abravious returned, all the discord seemed to stop..."
"I believe they are simply biding their time. Abravious cannot live forever. His position at the front is simply to keep order and harmony within their ranks, until they can find or create his replacement. They would be very happy if it could be Samuel, but neither his father nor I have revealed him. And as for me they should not care if I were alive or dead."
"I did not know where Samuel was until very recently. He had gone to that mountain to establish a pack of his own. They are all children; loners, and drifters. Very few of them possess any knowledge of that invisible world."
"That is how you came upon them, Mercy. Ulric never intended this to happen to you. He is a good man, who Abravious and I love very dearly. After what happened to you, he could not rest until he knew that you were safe. He endangered his whole pack by calling on Chief Chapman to rescue you." Rosa concluded solemnly. "I hope that has answered your questions, Bluejay... Robin. But I will answer any other questions you have for me."
Quote from Adriana on August 3, 2023, 10:05 amI listened keenly, quietly, and without interruption. After some time, I found myself chewing my lip, and I produced two dum dums from my pocket-one for myself and one for Charlie-to distract me from the habit.
Two unwilling participants held captive to the likes of the Pinerich pack. My stomach hurt for them. It hurt for myself and my husband. He was doing what he could to protect me from Rosa's fate. The sacrifices she and Abe made in the name of love for each other and their son moved me.
When the story ended, I looked to Mercy to see how she fared, before returning my eyes on Rosa.
"I have... a few if you'll bear with me..." I began slowly. I didn't know where to start. Best guess was just to start.
"First, I'd like to know the names of these - packs, right? And an idea of where the territory lines begin and end, I don't care if you draw me a pretty little map. I don't intend to go to no dinner parties anytime soon."
"Secondly, now, this is a statement - you said your family. Mercy is apart of your family - with all due respect, you're not taking her to Pinerich." I lowered my chin. "You plan to take her into the mountain? The hunters were hot on that place when I was up there in May."
"That brings me to my another observation - your son is either cocky, plain stupid - doubtful, if the apple fell anywhere near the tree - or there's something I'm not seeing, considering he's planted his tail that close to the likes of the Pinerich wolves. My daughter's tangled up with his little group- don't ask me how, I don't know, I don't wanna know, I wish I didn't know - but you think they're really safe there with your husbands pack snooping around?"
"And finally, Jay's my Momma's name, so I'll go by Robin."
"Matter of fact, it's her middle name. Iris, Jay, Blue. I don't know how your husband knew that. The daughters in my family have been named after flowers and birds since we were slaves, as a reminder that we will always have beauty and we will always have wings in the name of God. You have any theories on that?" I tilted my head. "Maybe it's just a coincidence. I don't know if I believe in coincidence anymore."
I listened keenly, quietly, and without interruption. After some time, I found myself chewing my lip, and I produced two dum dums from my pocket-one for myself and one for Charlie-to distract me from the habit.
Two unwilling participants held captive to the likes of the Pinerich pack. My stomach hurt for them. It hurt for myself and my husband. He was doing what he could to protect me from Rosa's fate. The sacrifices she and Abe made in the name of love for each other and their son moved me.
When the story ended, I looked to Mercy to see how she fared, before returning my eyes on Rosa.
"I have... a few if you'll bear with me..." I began slowly. I didn't know where to start. Best guess was just to start.
"First, I'd like to know the names of these - packs, right? And an idea of where the territory lines begin and end, I don't care if you draw me a pretty little map. I don't intend to go to no dinner parties anytime soon."
"Secondly, now, this is a statement - you said your family. Mercy is apart of your family - with all due respect, you're not taking her to Pinerich." I lowered my chin. "You plan to take her into the mountain? The hunters were hot on that place when I was up there in May."
"That brings me to my another observation - your son is either cocky, plain stupid - doubtful, if the apple fell anywhere near the tree - or there's something I'm not seeing, considering he's planted his tail that close to the likes of the Pinerich wolves. My daughter's tangled up with his little group- don't ask me how, I don't know, I don't wanna know, I wish I didn't know - but you think they're really safe there with your husbands pack snooping around?"
"And finally, Jay's my Momma's name, so I'll go by Robin."
"Matter of fact, it's her middle name. Iris, Jay, Blue. I don't know how your husband knew that. The daughters in my family have been named after flowers and birds since we were slaves, as a reminder that we will always have beauty and we will always have wings in the name of God. You have any theories on that?" I tilted my head. "Maybe it's just a coincidence. I don't know if I believe in coincidence anymore."
Quote from Mae on August 3, 2023, 10:34 pmIf Mercy were struggling to keep up, she disguised it well.
Rosa listened, nodding her head with each question gathered.
"I don't know how Abravious knew," she said. "But if your family has lived in Pinerich for any amount of time, it is likely he knew them - he, or his family. There were many white supremacy groups in this part of the country, and people had to stand together. But the pack of Pinerich has many ordinary people working for them and under them, as well... I couldn't tell you how he knew."
"And unfortunately, I can't draw you a map of the pack territories either. Sometimes the lines are very ambiguous. As many times as Abravious mentioned boundaries, I could never visualize what he meant. All I can tell you is that most groups will draw their lines on prominent landscape features. - Mountains, rivers, cities... look for their lines on any resource that can be claimed. The Monvac River, for example, separates the pack of Pinerich from the ring of mountains, where my son and your daughter are. As far as I can tell, that is where their territory ends and the other begins. "
"As for that ring of mountains up north... it has been unclaimed territory since the last pack that lived there vanished without a trace. It does unnerve me that both of my sons are there. Nothing can be said of that pack now, and it is the only place I've heard the werewolves themselves regard with superstition. Perhaps, that is why Samuel chose it."
"And Mercy," Rosa turned to look at her. "Chief Chapman believes, and I agree with him, that it would be best for you to stay with Robin for the time being. Not many werewolves know about this place. Until you have some control over the change, it is the safest place for you. Bob's people will protect you from being swept off into a world you can barely understand yet. But I hope you will think of us as family - Abravious and I. Ulric feels a keenness of responsibility to you and Charlie both, for what happened. By tradition, you are a part of our family now."
"If that is agreeable to you, Robin?" Rosa returned her gaze to the woman. "Then I hope you will think of us in the same way."
If Mercy were struggling to keep up, she disguised it well.
Rosa listened, nodding her head with each question gathered.
"I don't know how Abravious knew," she said. "But if your family has lived in Pinerich for any amount of time, it is likely he knew them - he, or his family. There were many white supremacy groups in this part of the country, and people had to stand together. But the pack of Pinerich has many ordinary people working for them and under them, as well... I couldn't tell you how he knew."
"And unfortunately, I can't draw you a map of the pack territories either. Sometimes the lines are very ambiguous. As many times as Abravious mentioned boundaries, I could never visualize what he meant. All I can tell you is that most groups will draw their lines on prominent landscape features. - Mountains, rivers, cities... look for their lines on any resource that can be claimed. The Monvac River, for example, separates the pack of Pinerich from the ring of mountains, where my son and your daughter are. As far as I can tell, that is where their territory ends and the other begins. "
"As for that ring of mountains up north... it has been unclaimed territory since the last pack that lived there vanished without a trace. It does unnerve me that both of my sons are there. Nothing can be said of that pack now, and it is the only place I've heard the werewolves themselves regard with superstition. Perhaps, that is why Samuel chose it."
"And Mercy," Rosa turned to look at her. "Chief Chapman believes, and I agree with him, that it would be best for you to stay with Robin for the time being. Not many werewolves know about this place. Until you have some control over the change, it is the safest place for you. Bob's people will protect you from being swept off into a world you can barely understand yet. But I hope you will think of us as family - Abravious and I. Ulric feels a keenness of responsibility to you and Charlie both, for what happened. By tradition, you are a part of our family now."
"If that is agreeable to you, Robin?" Rosa returned her gaze to the woman. "Then I hope you will think of us in the same way."
Quote from Adriana on August 3, 2023, 11:24 pmVanished without a trace.
"Ma'am," I inclined my head towards Rosa, breaking myself of the thoughts - we weren't gonna go down that rabbit hole right now.
"It's been a long road. I'm grateful for the company." I nodded to Mercy, "I'm positive she and Charlie have helped me plenty more than I've helped them."
"As for family... I'm a little rusty, but so long as you'll have me." I smiled softly. "I'm sorry I've accused you rashly."
Vanished without a trace.
"Ma'am," I inclined my head towards Rosa, breaking myself of the thoughts - we weren't gonna go down that rabbit hole right now.
"It's been a long road. I'm grateful for the company." I nodded to Mercy, "I'm positive she and Charlie have helped me plenty more than I've helped them."
"As for family... I'm a little rusty, but so long as you'll have me." I smiled softly. "I'm sorry I've accused you rashly."
Quote from Mae on August 8, 2023, 10:33 amRosa shook her head, indicating that no apology was necessary.
"If I were in your position," she said, "I'm sure I would have done the same."Plink!
Charlie's lollipop fell out of his mouth and hit the floor. He had fallen to sleep with his head on Robin's chest and his mouth hanging open."You said werewolves." Mercy spoke up suddenly. She had begun rubbing her palms awhile ago. "What about the hunters?"
Rosa looked at her.
"Werewolf hunters are not so knowledgeable or so bold as to hunt entire packs," Rosa said. "As long as you are with Robin, you are safe.""You're wrong." Mercy said. "Douglas is that bold, and he is that knowledgeable."
She clenched her teeth when even vigorously rubbing her palms failed to bring relief. Then she cursed and clenched her left arm. "Will it be like this every time? Does it ever stop?"
Rosa shook her head, indicating that no apology was necessary.
"If I were in your position," she said, "I'm sure I would have done the same."
Plink!
Charlie's lollipop fell out of his mouth and hit the floor. He had fallen to sleep with his head on Robin's chest and his mouth hanging open.
"You said werewolves." Mercy spoke up suddenly. She had begun rubbing her palms awhile ago. "What about the hunters?"
Rosa looked at her.
"Werewolf hunters are not so knowledgeable or so bold as to hunt entire packs," Rosa said. "As long as you are with Robin, you are safe."
"You're wrong." Mercy said. "Douglas is that bold, and he is that knowledgeable."
She clenched her teeth when even vigorously rubbing her palms failed to bring relief. Then she cursed and clenched her left arm. "Will it be like this every time? Does it ever stop?"
