The House of the Haunted (CA - Tiffany & Ionone)
Quote from Mae on May 20, 2023, 6:24 pmTiffany went from one room to another. She saw things she expected to find; time-riddles in the gossamer webs, fractured bedposts, and layers of dust. She found damp wallpaper, moss & vines, beds, desks, and little novelties to enhance life - things such as perfume bottles, mirrors, and dried flowers. She found pens and ink bottles, a tattered gown in one closet, and a pair of old slippers. Then she found an old fashioned baby doll, weather-worn and dilapidated on the floor. For some reason, perhaps a reason hidden away in her past, she could not bear to leave the doll on the floor. She picked it up and cradled it, and stroked its hair. From its straightened locks to its well pressed hands, and the marks of use on its face, Tiffany knew the doll had been loved before. So she tucked it under the blanket of an empty bed, laid its head softly on the pillow, and left it there.
Tiffany wandered from room to room, finding the building much more vast than initially thought. She came to places where beams had fallen and the shifting of the mountain had opened the walls. One hallway was completely broken in half, prohibiting any access to the rooms on its further side. Yet, while there were branches thick enough to bear her weight, Tiffany's curiosity could not be constrained. Carefully, she singled out a path across the gap, and found herself precariously shimmying on a outstretched beam over a two-story drop. Far below the beam she could see a small stream running into the house, or rather through it. The basement, she could glimpse, was dark and flooded.
Arriving, however, on the other side of the hall without harm, Tiffany continued her exploration and began to find things she did not expect. She found things such as closets full of gauze, hand-made quilts that were torn, and stained rags. She found marks in the floors, and broken windows. Then she found the ropes and chains.
Tiffany went from one room to another. She saw things she expected to find; time-riddles in the gossamer webs, fractured bedposts, and layers of dust. She found damp wallpaper, moss & vines, beds, desks, and little novelties to enhance life - things such as perfume bottles, mirrors, and dried flowers. She found pens and ink bottles, a tattered gown in one closet, and a pair of old slippers. Then she found an old fashioned baby doll, weather-worn and dilapidated on the floor. For some reason, perhaps a reason hidden away in her past, she could not bear to leave the doll on the floor. She picked it up and cradled it, and stroked its hair. From its straightened locks to its well pressed hands, and the marks of use on its face, Tiffany knew the doll had been loved before. So she tucked it under the blanket of an empty bed, laid its head softly on the pillow, and left it there.
Tiffany wandered from room to room, finding the building much more vast than initially thought. She came to places where beams had fallen and the shifting of the mountain had opened the walls. One hallway was completely broken in half, prohibiting any access to the rooms on its further side. Yet, while there were branches thick enough to bear her weight, Tiffany's curiosity could not be constrained. Carefully, she singled out a path across the gap, and found herself precariously shimmying on a outstretched beam over a two-story drop. Far below the beam she could see a small stream running into the house, or rather through it. The basement, she could glimpse, was dark and flooded.
Arriving, however, on the other side of the hall without harm, Tiffany continued her exploration and began to find things she did not expect. She found things such as closets full of gauze, hand-made quilts that were torn, and stained rags. She found marks in the floors, and broken windows. Then she found the ropes and chains.
Quote from Indy on May 25, 2023, 9:46 pmIonone jolted awake. The dawn had broken to early morning, and the sinking realization she had allowed herself to drift to sleep drew cold ice from her blood. Certainly, she would not have done as such many years ago...
Yet she realized what had woken her was the sound of motion from within the home. She crawled back in the way she had come, and came upon Tiffany as she held ropes and chains in her palm. Her face was unreadable.
"We should get moving," she said, without acknowledging what it was that had been found.
Ionone jolted awake. The dawn had broken to early morning, and the sinking realization she had allowed herself to drift to sleep drew cold ice from her blood. Certainly, she would not have done as such many years ago...
Yet she realized what had woken her was the sound of motion from within the home. She crawled back in the way she had come, and came upon Tiffany as she held ropes and chains in her palm. Her face was unreadable.
"We should get moving," she said, without acknowledging what it was that had been found.
Quote from Mae on June 3, 2023, 11:18 pmTiffany was looking down with her brows knit together when she heard Ionone come in.
"Now, just a minute, sugar..." She said. She stooped and picked up the ropes and chains, conveniently, one for each hand."These don't belong to the hunters..." Tiffany said. "Ionone, I think these were ours."
There were little things strewn along the way, little clues that led to here; the marks on the walls and under the beds, a familiar round shape on the peeling plaster, a shadow in the flooded basement, and the forlorn doll in the other room... When Tiffany picked it up off the floor she felt something hard inside its chest, and upon its back and under its hair she found a way in. - Thus she found buried in the stuffing of the doll's breast an old wooden toy, carved to resemble a sitting wolf. Tiffany knew then that werewolves had once live here, but she dared not wonder why til she found the chains.
"I think they hid people up here." Tiffany said, wondering. "... Why would they need so many rooms?"
Tiffany was looking down with her brows knit together when she heard Ionone come in.
"Now, just a minute, sugar..." She said. She stooped and picked up the ropes and chains, conveniently, one for each hand.
"These don't belong to the hunters..." Tiffany said. "Ionone, I think these were ours."
There were little things strewn along the way, little clues that led to here; the marks on the walls and under the beds, a familiar round shape on the peeling plaster, a shadow in the flooded basement, and the forlorn doll in the other room... When Tiffany picked it up off the floor she felt something hard inside its chest, and upon its back and under its hair she found a way in. - Thus she found buried in the stuffing of the doll's breast an old wooden toy, carved to resemble a sitting wolf. Tiffany knew then that werewolves had once live here, but she dared not wonder why til she found the chains.
"I think they hid people up here." Tiffany said, wondering. "... Why would they need so many rooms?"
Quote from Indy on June 21, 2023, 10:47 pmIonone regarded Tiffany's assessment without remark. What more as there to be said? She had mentioned the bats in the attic, largely to ensure they would not explore more deeply into the home. There was nothing unsafe in it, however after the ordeal in the mines, she had no heart to cause her companion more grief than she had already endured. What good was it to reflect upon the suffering of those from decades before? They could not be helped, and their pain had long ago settled with their bones in the earth.
Yet she could sense the concern in her oldest friend's voice. She wished she could tell her she was wrong. She wished she could tell her that those that had dwelt her had received help.... Yet even today, could she confess they truly helped their own kind? The only kindness the Svalnaglas ever afforded their ill brethren was the embrace of death.
None of this she voiced, but she hovered besides Tiffany. So she might have stayed, endured, and moved onto the next moment had her thoughts not the scream down the hall. At once her senses were on high alert.
"Stay here," she muttered, "I'll go see what idiocy our pet human has found..."
Her tone was light, but there was concern in her voice. She had inspected the house thoroughly and guarded it a majority of the night. The only dangers here were those the past had left behind.
At once she strode down the hall in the direction of John's voice, every sense straining to discern what it could.
Ionone regarded Tiffany's assessment without remark. What more as there to be said? She had mentioned the bats in the attic, largely to ensure they would not explore more deeply into the home. There was nothing unsafe in it, however after the ordeal in the mines, she had no heart to cause her companion more grief than she had already endured. What good was it to reflect upon the suffering of those from decades before? They could not be helped, and their pain had long ago settled with their bones in the earth.
Yet she could sense the concern in her oldest friend's voice. She wished she could tell her she was wrong. She wished she could tell her that those that had dwelt her had received help.... Yet even today, could she confess they truly helped their own kind? The only kindness the Svalnaglas ever afforded their ill brethren was the embrace of death.
None of this she voiced, but she hovered besides Tiffany. So she might have stayed, endured, and moved onto the next moment had her thoughts not the scream down the hall. At once her senses were on high alert.
"Stay here," she muttered, "I'll go see what idiocy our pet human has found..."
Her tone was light, but there was concern in her voice. She had inspected the house thoroughly and guarded it a majority of the night. The only dangers here were those the past had left behind.
At once she strode down the hall in the direction of John's voice, every sense straining to discern what it could.
Quote from Mae on June 24, 2023, 5:58 pmTiffany straightened up at the sound of John's scream. It was a bad idea to let Ionone go alone, if not for Ionone's sake then certainly for John's. Tiffany was not one to stay behind at any rate, for she had seen the darker side of the world more than once, and she would not voluntarily be alone in any room of this strange place. She opted to count to ten, to give Ionone a head start, and then go behind her.
What they found, as they went back down the sullen hall, was much the same that they found coming up it. However, the feeling of the place had changed in light of their discoveries. It was simple to imagine men and women, dressed in 19th century house robes and nightgowns, going to and from breakfast in the halls before. Now, Tiffany was to imagine men and women in all likeness as ordinary people of the 19th century, who were themselves a secret, and who had no liberty as previously supposed. It was a haunting thought.
As the two werewolf women crept soundlessly back to the room where they left John, they might have noticed a creaking noise downstairs, or a tapping in the attic, or splashing in the water in the basement ... With all their senses on high alert, and the senses of a werewolf outdoing even a person on adrenaline, little wonder that Ionone and Tiffany began to sense everything around them - no matter how small. At one point, in passing an empty room, Tiffany caught sight of movement out the corner of her eye. She turned at once to look at it, but found nothing there. So, with caution she walked on.
The two had come almost to the door of the room where John and Tiffany had slept that night, when then they found him. John, his face pale and his eyes wide, came racing up the hallway screaming! Almost before they could think he clambered into them. Rattling from head to foot, he pointed at the ceiling and the walls. "This place! This place!" He cried, "We're in the asylum!"
Tiffany straightened up at the sound of John's scream. It was a bad idea to let Ionone go alone, if not for Ionone's sake then certainly for John's. Tiffany was not one to stay behind at any rate, for she had seen the darker side of the world more than once, and she would not voluntarily be alone in any room of this strange place. She opted to count to ten, to give Ionone a head start, and then go behind her.
What they found, as they went back down the sullen hall, was much the same that they found coming up it. However, the feeling of the place had changed in light of their discoveries. It was simple to imagine men and women, dressed in 19th century house robes and nightgowns, going to and from breakfast in the halls before. Now, Tiffany was to imagine men and women in all likeness as ordinary people of the 19th century, who were themselves a secret, and who had no liberty as previously supposed. It was a haunting thought.
As the two werewolf women crept soundlessly back to the room where they left John, they might have noticed a creaking noise downstairs, or a tapping in the attic, or splashing in the water in the basement ... With all their senses on high alert, and the senses of a werewolf outdoing even a person on adrenaline, little wonder that Ionone and Tiffany began to sense everything around them - no matter how small. At one point, in passing an empty room, Tiffany caught sight of movement out the corner of her eye. She turned at once to look at it, but found nothing there. So, with caution she walked on.
The two had come almost to the door of the room where John and Tiffany had slept that night, when then they found him. John, his face pale and his eyes wide, came racing up the hallway screaming! Almost before they could think he clambered into them. Rattling from head to foot, he pointed at the ceiling and the walls. "This place! This place!" He cried, "We're in the asylum!"
Quote from Indy on July 3, 2023, 9:10 amIonone's gaze narrowed on John's exclamation. Something graced her features that a novice might take as irritation, but Tiffany might see as it was... amusement, as it were.
"Did you see a ghost, John?" she asked, her voice monotone but ever-so-slightly mocking.
Yet she nonetheless did not lower her guard. Every sense was pushed to its maximum. The house felt like an extension of her body. Every drip of water was felt, the coolness of the air could be discerned by the degree and moisture content, every leaf from the trees outside were heard as the air blew through, the decade of the dust was noted. She sensed nothing. But this meant little. She knew better than most that there were ways to fool even the senses of a werewolf.
Ionone's gaze narrowed on John's exclamation. Something graced her features that a novice might take as irritation, but Tiffany might see as it was... amusement, as it were.
"Did you see a ghost, John?" she asked, her voice monotone but ever-so-slightly mocking.
Yet she nonetheless did not lower her guard. Every sense was pushed to its maximum. The house felt like an extension of her body. Every drip of water was felt, the coolness of the air could be discerned by the degree and moisture content, every leaf from the trees outside were heard as the air blew through, the decade of the dust was noted. She sensed nothing. But this meant little. She knew better than most that there were ways to fool even the senses of a werewolf.
Quote from Mae on July 7, 2023, 12:38 am"No, sugar, but I think I might've..." Tiffany said, ahead of John. She was looking in the opposite direction, from the way they had come.
John quit his flailing and stared trembling in the same direction.
"A what?" He said, breathlessly. "A what?"Tiffany didn't say any more. A werewolf need not say much to another werewolf about what was or was not present. No one was in the hallway, but Tiffany was sure she had seen movement a moment ago.
"No, sugar, but I think I might've..." Tiffany said, ahead of John. She was looking in the opposite direction, from the way they had come.
John quit his flailing and stared trembling in the same direction.
"A what?" He said, breathlessly. "A what?"
Tiffany didn't say any more. A werewolf need not say much to another werewolf about what was or was not present. No one was in the hallway, but Tiffany was sure she had seen movement a moment ago.
Quote from Indy on July 7, 2023, 5:59 pmIonone's expression cooled from lukewarm amusement to grim at the flip of a hat. She did not bother to glance down the hall.
"There are bats in the attic," she said, but even her voice lacked conviction.
The house troubled her. No doubt the walls were speaking to them of the history they'd once held, yet not every story need be heard. She was not a willing audience in the harm that had befallen those the previous century. Yet she could not shake the certainty that somehow, this house had fallen into the possession of the hunters - though John knew nothing of it besides what sounded like a ghost story, and there was not a single footstep or scent that indicated a recent presence. She could not shake the irrational fear. Though desperation had made it a necessity, she was not inclined to overstay her welcome any more than required.
"How are you feeling?" she turned to Tiffany, "We will need to eat... if we can hunt something, on the way, we may make progress and reach the tracks before nightfall. But if you need another days rest..."
Ionone's expression cooled from lukewarm amusement to grim at the flip of a hat. She did not bother to glance down the hall.
"There are bats in the attic," she said, but even her voice lacked conviction.
The house troubled her. No doubt the walls were speaking to them of the history they'd once held, yet not every story need be heard. She was not a willing audience in the harm that had befallen those the previous century. Yet she could not shake the certainty that somehow, this house had fallen into the possession of the hunters - though John knew nothing of it besides what sounded like a ghost story, and there was not a single footstep or scent that indicated a recent presence. She could not shake the irrational fear. Though desperation had made it a necessity, she was not inclined to overstay her welcome any more than required.
"How are you feeling?" she turned to Tiffany, "We will need to eat... if we can hunt something, on the way, we may make progress and reach the tracks before nightfall. But if you need another days rest..."
Quote from Mae on July 8, 2023, 7:10 pmTiffany brought her eyes away from the hallway with the greatest reluctance and met Ionone's eyes.
"Whatever you need, sugar. I'm all for getting out of here." Tiffany looked down the hall again and indicated to John to get going. John needed no prompt.
Tiffany brought her eyes away from the hallway with the greatest reluctance and met Ionone's eyes.
"Whatever you need, sugar. I'm all for getting out of here." Tiffany looked down the hall again and indicated to John to get going. John needed no prompt.
