Werewolves (RP 10): The Song of the Mountain - part 2
Quote from Mae on January 21, 2019, 3:17 pmUlric attempted to aid Jackie with his own weight. He could hear her heart beating and knew her scent, but the moments he was aware of her were few. Every half-step brought darkness, and he slumped. Every attempt to lift his limbs drained his strength completely. He fell against Jackie, struggled, and fell again. Repeating every attempt the same. He soon began to breathe very heavily, with his maw agape and his eyes toward the sky.
Blackness... A red moon... then, blackness again. A red moon; that red moon - It wanted him to sleep. It drank his strength at every wakeful moment. More and more he longed to lay down on whatever rocky ground was under him and give in. He sagged. He struggled. He even fought against Jackie. But all his attempts were weak, followed by moments of complete surrender. He wanted to stand up, but he could not. He wanted to lay down, but he could not.
Ulric panted harder and grew desperate. He quit fighting Jackie and began to plead between breaths.
"Get me out..." He gasped, "Get me out of the moon!""Get me out..." He repeated weakly. "Get me out..."
******
Logan might've heard Timothy lick his lips as she closed her eyes. Then there was silence.
Timothy's features relaxed. He looked at Logan, her crossed legs and sagging arm... he looked at the flute laying on the leaves. Wind - a bitter, freezing breeze - blew through the trees once again. Timothy pinned back his ears, listening to it. He listened for other presences or dangers, but he kept his eyes on Logan. After a moment, he walked toward her. Each of his paws made a quiet sound one after the other as he left his inhuman tracks in the snow; Five fingers, five toes, except on the front left hand.
A few steps outside Logan's reach, Timothy stopped. He lowered his head and sniffed at the strange branch-like find. His gaze stayed on Logan's countenance, lest she open her eyes. He came a little closer, quieter than before. His lips curled a little further back with every inch he approached.
Ulric attempted to aid Jackie with his own weight. He could hear her heart beating and knew her scent, but the moments he was aware of her were few. Every half-step brought darkness, and he slumped. Every attempt to lift his limbs drained his strength completely. He fell against Jackie, struggled, and fell again. Repeating every attempt the same. He soon began to breathe very heavily, with his maw agape and his eyes toward the sky.
Blackness... A red moon... then, blackness again. A red moon; that red moon - It wanted him to sleep. It drank his strength at every wakeful moment. More and more he longed to lay down on whatever rocky ground was under him and give in. He sagged. He struggled. He even fought against Jackie. But all his attempts were weak, followed by moments of complete surrender. He wanted to stand up, but he could not. He wanted to lay down, but he could not.
Ulric panted harder and grew desperate. He quit fighting Jackie and began to plead between breaths.
"Get me out..." He gasped, "Get me out of the moon!"
"Get me out..." He repeated weakly. "Get me out..."
******
Logan might've heard Timothy lick his lips as she closed her eyes. Then there was silence.
Timothy's features relaxed. He looked at Logan, her crossed legs and sagging arm... he looked at the flute laying on the leaves. Wind - a bitter, freezing breeze - blew through the trees once again. Timothy pinned back his ears, listening to it. He listened for other presences or dangers, but he kept his eyes on Logan. After a moment, he walked toward her. Each of his paws made a quiet sound one after the other as he left his inhuman tracks in the snow; Five fingers, five toes, except on the front left hand.
A few steps outside Logan's reach, Timothy stopped. He lowered his head and sniffed at the strange branch-like find. His gaze stayed on Logan's countenance, lest she open her eyes. He came a little closer, quieter than before. His lips curled a little further back with every inch he approached.
Quote from Cat on January 21, 2019, 5:13 pmToby's ears were pinned back against his head, partially to show his current mood, but also because he refused to listen to the sound they were approaching. He didn't want to even try to guess what it was, and he knew if he focused on it, his mind would start off on all the possibilities. If this was something that was going to kill him, he'd rather be surprised instead of dreading it beforehand.
Theo's story stuck a familiar cord. Toby could recall Theo telling him that story, he just hadn't remembered it because (as Theo said) it was a myth, not something important about real life. In his current mood, Toby was inclined to mutter that the first werewolf had cried a whole awful lot-- Buckets and buckets, enough to cover a whole wretched mountain! She must have been extremely dehydrated before succumbing to her fate ...And how come her tears didn't have a smell? Shouldn't they be salty? This was what was wrong with myths. They were mythical.
Toby didn't notice when Theo stopped abruptly and ended up bumping into him. It wasn't a hard impact, but the jolt was enough to bring Toby out of his grumping and make him pay more attention to his surroundings. His ears shot up in an instant as he looked with confusion between Theo and wherever Theo was looking.
Toby's ears were pinned back against his head, partially to show his current mood, but also because he refused to listen to the sound they were approaching. He didn't want to even try to guess what it was, and he knew if he focused on it, his mind would start off on all the possibilities. If this was something that was going to kill him, he'd rather be surprised instead of dreading it beforehand.
Theo's story stuck a familiar cord. Toby could recall Theo telling him that story, he just hadn't remembered it because (as Theo said) it was a myth, not something important about real life. In his current mood, Toby was inclined to mutter that the first werewolf had cried a whole awful lot-- Buckets and buckets, enough to cover a whole wretched mountain! She must have been extremely dehydrated before succumbing to her fate ...And how come her tears didn't have a smell? Shouldn't they be salty? This was what was wrong with myths. They were mythical.
Toby didn't notice when Theo stopped abruptly and ended up bumping into him. It wasn't a hard impact, but the jolt was enough to bring Toby out of his grumping and make him pay more attention to his surroundings. His ears shot up in an instant as he looked with confusion between Theo and wherever Theo was looking.
Quote from Indy on January 22, 2019, 12:11 amJackie grimaced whenever Ulric tried to pull away, yet each time he tried to sink she never failed to drag him back. Negotiating the mountain terrain was not made easy by traveling this matter. On a few occasions, her footing had slipped, and had she not been looking carefully for footholds in precarious places, they might have both slipped down the slope by now. The opimist in her said they could still make it back in time for tea. However, the realist doubted they would beat the second round of the storm. Ulric's protests were painful, but there was nothing she could do about it. They certainly couldn’t stop to find a hole in the ground to serve as shelter; it would fill with water as soon as the clouds passed over the mountains.
She paused a moment, casting a furtive glance at the moon hanging low in the sky like the villainous fiend she was. She seemed to sit there, mocking their sad little attempts as she bid in her army of fat thunderclouds. But that was only personification, wasn’t it? Moonlight was moonlight, not poison. What Ulric suffered now couldn’t be so complicated…. they had both seen what had been in that cave after all.
"Ulric," her voice was low and firm, "We are going home. You are going to hang in there just a little longer. You can do this".
"We’re almost there," she tugged him over a tree root. She hoped he believed her lies better than she did. Her mud-caked body trembled to keep Ulric’s weight. She’d been tired enough to drop him a long time ago. They were alone, trying to beat a storm that could not be beaten. But there was only forwards, and any other alternative was surely death.
It was strange that in that moment a song came over her. It was not a song that lived in the howl of the wind, the heave of her chest, or Ulric’s weak protests. It was deeper than that, though all those things seemed to play a hand in it’s making. It was wolfsong. As the music seemed to swell in her chest, she paused, lifted her head and gave release to the strange melody. It was a song of her desperation to return to the pack, their need for help, and the darkness that threatened to soon overtake both of them. But it was also a song of a hope there was a tomorrow, a knowledge that the storm would eventually pass, and that at least for now the moonlight illuminated the path ahead.
— — —
Theo whined in his throat as he watched what appeared to be their alpha dismantling someone’s front door. It troubled him. He knew it wasn’t their cabin — they’d have known about it by now if they had. And there was a light inside. This meant Kratos was breaking and entering. Theo had mixed feelings about that, especially when the occupant was probably an elderly, defenseless hermit.
He flashed Toby his emerald-green eyes, filled with concern and indecision. The cabin did look warm… but that wasn’t the point. Or was it? He couldn’t decide.
Maybe he would have stayed rooted in place all night, wracked with his inability for decision, if he hadn’t caught the song. It was wolfsong, he was sure, though different from the one in earlier in the night. His brow twisted. He didn’t want to relinquish a perfectly good cabin…
"Toby… why don’t you uh… join them? And I’ll go… check on that"
Jackie grimaced whenever Ulric tried to pull away, yet each time he tried to sink she never failed to drag him back. Negotiating the mountain terrain was not made easy by traveling this matter. On a few occasions, her footing had slipped, and had she not been looking carefully for footholds in precarious places, they might have both slipped down the slope by now. The opimist in her said they could still make it back in time for tea. However, the realist doubted they would beat the second round of the storm. Ulric's protests were painful, but there was nothing she could do about it. They certainly couldn’t stop to find a hole in the ground to serve as shelter; it would fill with water as soon as the clouds passed over the mountains.
She paused a moment, casting a furtive glance at the moon hanging low in the sky like the villainous fiend she was. She seemed to sit there, mocking their sad little attempts as she bid in her army of fat thunderclouds. But that was only personification, wasn’t it? Moonlight was moonlight, not poison. What Ulric suffered now couldn’t be so complicated…. they had both seen what had been in that cave after all.
"Ulric," her voice was low and firm, "We are going home. You are going to hang in there just a little longer. You can do this".
"We’re almost there," she tugged him over a tree root. She hoped he believed her lies better than she did. Her mud-caked body trembled to keep Ulric’s weight. She’d been tired enough to drop him a long time ago. They were alone, trying to beat a storm that could not be beaten. But there was only forwards, and any other alternative was surely death.
It was strange that in that moment a song came over her. It was not a song that lived in the howl of the wind, the heave of her chest, or Ulric’s weak protests. It was deeper than that, though all those things seemed to play a hand in it’s making. It was wolfsong. As the music seemed to swell in her chest, she paused, lifted her head and gave release to the strange melody. It was a song of her desperation to return to the pack, their need for help, and the darkness that threatened to soon overtake both of them. But it was also a song of a hope there was a tomorrow, a knowledge that the storm would eventually pass, and that at least for now the moonlight illuminated the path ahead.
— — —
Theo whined in his throat as he watched what appeared to be their alpha dismantling someone’s front door. It troubled him. He knew it wasn’t their cabin — they’d have known about it by now if they had. And there was a light inside. This meant Kratos was breaking and entering. Theo had mixed feelings about that, especially when the occupant was probably an elderly, defenseless hermit.
He flashed Toby his emerald-green eyes, filled with concern and indecision. The cabin did look warm… but that wasn’t the point. Or was it? He couldn’t decide.
Maybe he would have stayed rooted in place all night, wracked with his inability for decision, if he hadn’t caught the song. It was wolfsong, he was sure, though different from the one in earlier in the night. His brow twisted. He didn’t want to relinquish a perfectly good cabin…
"Toby… why don’t you uh… join them? And I’ll go… check on that"
Quote from Mae on January 22, 2019, 7:24 pmThe wood creaked and groaned as the werewolf's fingers curled around the edge of the door. The sounds of chipping and cricking followed his large black claws. Then, just as his grip began to tighten, the claws above the door suddenly withdrew and vanished.
Kratos lifted his head as he heard Jackie's distant wolfsong echo over the peak. His form was blacker than the shadows that surrounded him as he sat hunched over Katie's door. His eyes caught a glint from the windows and glowed yellow for a moment. He looked at Theo and Toby. Then he came down from his haunches with a bellowing growl. He approached on hand and foot with the girth of his shoulders swaying over his head. A massive grey cloud billowed out of his mouth. His ears, tipped in color, flashed white under a rare stream of moonlight. He came to stand over the two young werewolf males and dwarfed them with his magnificent size.
"You won't be going anywhere, Theo." Kratos' voice rumbled deeply. "Bianca is by the house, and I have good reason to believe Sabrina is inside. There is a loaded rifle just beyond that wooden threshold and a vehement hand to wield it. If she will not let you inside, see that you keep each other warm."
The Alpha then turned away as if he were going to leave.
*****
Timothy heard Jackie's song so loud and near that he flinched and jolted away. Snow scattered and covered the precious flute behind his black heel. He retreated among the trees and halted, turning his face back and listening. His bright turquoise eyes shimmered and his features were placid and calm under the dappling moon. His broken tail swayed lightly behind him in Logan's direction.
The wood creaked and groaned as the werewolf's fingers curled around the edge of the door. The sounds of chipping and cricking followed his large black claws. Then, just as his grip began to tighten, the claws above the door suddenly withdrew and vanished.
Kratos lifted his head as he heard Jackie's distant wolfsong echo over the peak. His form was blacker than the shadows that surrounded him as he sat hunched over Katie's door. His eyes caught a glint from the windows and glowed yellow for a moment. He looked at Theo and Toby. Then he came down from his haunches with a bellowing growl. He approached on hand and foot with the girth of his shoulders swaying over his head. A massive grey cloud billowed out of his mouth. His ears, tipped in color, flashed white under a rare stream of moonlight. He came to stand over the two young werewolf males and dwarfed them with his magnificent size.
"You won't be going anywhere, Theo." Kratos' voice rumbled deeply. "Bianca is by the house, and I have good reason to believe Sabrina is inside. There is a loaded rifle just beyond that wooden threshold and a vehement hand to wield it. If she will not let you inside, see that you keep each other warm."
The Alpha then turned away as if he were going to leave.
*****
Timothy heard Jackie's song so loud and near that he flinched and jolted away. Snow scattered and covered the precious flute behind his black heel. He retreated among the trees and halted, turning his face back and listening. His bright turquoise eyes shimmered and his features were placid and calm under the dappling moon. His broken tail swayed lightly behind him in Logan's direction.
Quote from Cat on January 24, 2019, 12:15 amToby's eyes went as large as saucers as the alpha approached and he instinctively drew back behind Theo-- He didn't mean to hide behind another person like a coward, he didn't even think about it, but Theo was a likable chap and probably not the one that was in trouble. Kratos' words were befuddling.
Did.. Did he just tell them to go break into a cabin where Sabrina was being held at gunpoint by a maniac? No, he couldn't have said that..
..It just sounded like it.
So what had he actually said? Sabrina was holding someone at gunpoint. That made more sense. No wait, no it didn't. Sabrina was too classy for a gun, she used her bare hands. So who had the gun and why did Kratos want Theo and Toby to get themselves shot?
Toby whined, ears going back, and recoiled behind Theo again.
Toby's eyes went as large as saucers as the alpha approached and he instinctively drew back behind Theo-- He didn't mean to hide behind another person like a coward, he didn't even think about it, but Theo was a likable chap and probably not the one that was in trouble. Kratos' words were befuddling.
Did.. Did he just tell them to go break into a cabin where Sabrina was being held at gunpoint by a maniac? No, he couldn't have said that..
..It just sounded like it.
So what had he actually said? Sabrina was holding someone at gunpoint. That made more sense. No wait, no it didn't. Sabrina was too classy for a gun, she used her bare hands. So who had the gun and why did Kratos want Theo and Toby to get themselves shot?
Toby whined, ears going back, and recoiled behind Theo again.
Quote from Adriana on January 24, 2019, 7:59 pmBianca watched the Alpha walk away to the boys-who she perked up briefly to see-but her eyes were glassy and her body was tired. Her ears went back against her skull and she looked at the door, walking up to it and tapping it gently with the back of her knuckle. Without awaiting a response, she knelt down by it and turned her back against it's wood, lowering her head onto her knees.
--
Logan listened to the call, but did not move except to wipe the snow off the object before her. She met Timothy's eyes for a moment, but turned her eyes down on the piece again and continued to sit, her thoughts concealed behind a stoic expression.
Bianca watched the Alpha walk away to the boys-who she perked up briefly to see-but her eyes were glassy and her body was tired. Her ears went back against her skull and she looked at the door, walking up to it and tapping it gently with the back of her knuckle. Without awaiting a response, she knelt down by it and turned her back against it's wood, lowering her head onto her knees.
--
Logan listened to the call, but did not move except to wipe the snow off the object before her. She met Timothy's eyes for a moment, but turned her eyes down on the piece again and continued to sit, her thoughts concealed behind a stoic expression.
Quote from Indy on January 24, 2019, 10:05 pmTheo froze in place, his wide green eyes going wide like a boy who hadn’t intended to be seen. He hadn’t been hiding, of course, and certainly the alpha couldn’t have MISSED them talking, but the fact that he couldn’t smell his alpha had given him some misguided belief that he wouldn’t be noticed either. He dipped his head lowly, his ears flat again his skull, and inclined his head in acknowledgement.
Only vaguely aware that Toby was using him as some sort of buffer between he and the alpha, he regretfully pulled away from beneath the bows of the firm oak he’d been loitering beneath and approached the cabin. He could see Bianca’s somber frame against the door. He settled beside her and his eyes knotted into an expression of concern.
"Bianca… it won’t be so bad out here, "Especially with me and Toby… I’m sure we’ll be warm enough underneath the roof…"
Theo froze in place, his wide green eyes going wide like a boy who hadn’t intended to be seen. He hadn’t been hiding, of course, and certainly the alpha couldn’t have MISSED them talking, but the fact that he couldn’t smell his alpha had given him some misguided belief that he wouldn’t be noticed either. He dipped his head lowly, his ears flat again his skull, and inclined his head in acknowledgement.
Only vaguely aware that Toby was using him as some sort of buffer between he and the alpha, he regretfully pulled away from beneath the bows of the firm oak he’d been loitering beneath and approached the cabin. He could see Bianca’s somber frame against the door. He settled beside her and his eyes knotted into an expression of concern.
"Bianca… it won’t be so bad out here, "Especially with me and Toby… I’m sure we’ll be warm enough underneath the roof…"
Quote from Mae on January 24, 2019, 10:47 pmKratos did not, however, walk away. As Theo went to comfort Bianca, the Alpha stood grounded. His eyes rested on the single oak standing in a whole forest of pine trees. His ears laid back and his head slowly drew down.
"No..." He said with a deep growl as he turned around. "She will let us in."
*****
Timothy watched Logan and considered his retreat. So gentle, so solemn his features appeared. How could a human hide behind a face like that? He did not look unlike any animal that ever roamed the earth. He had both innocence and cunning in his eyes; Innocence, for he seemed not to know the difference between right and wrong - and cunning, for all predators must learn how to kill to survive. Yet, in a face full of such inhuman need, there was a faraway light in his countenance like the reflection off dull steel in a long dark tunnel. It seemed to be an awakening undetectable on his face that gleamed beyond description in his eyes. Sadness, fear, and farewell were communicated as if it would neither be heard nor seen. Then he turned away.
... But Timothy did not meet his escape. His parting he meant for Logan to see, yet she surely could not miss the terror that arose behind him. Timothy turned and saw for himself what had come from the trees. Twas a face he had seen before in the nightmares that guarded his memory of home; a black silhouetted creature that towered by the trees with fingers four, each crusted and sharp. Its eyes - large, black, and colorless, - were as if without soul. And upon its head was the crown of demons twain! It was not a werewolf, though it bent like one over the earth. It was a bull in size and shape, but for its fingers and face which resembled in part that of a man. It appeared without a sound or smell, and brought with it the full terror of Timothy's dreams.
To be continued...
Kratos did not, however, walk away. As Theo went to comfort Bianca, the Alpha stood grounded. His eyes rested on the single oak standing in a whole forest of pine trees. His ears laid back and his head slowly drew down.
"No..." He said with a deep growl as he turned around. "She will let us in."
*****
Timothy watched Logan and considered his retreat. So gentle, so solemn his features appeared. How could a human hide behind a face like that? He did not look unlike any animal that ever roamed the earth. He had both innocence and cunning in his eyes; Innocence, for he seemed not to know the difference between right and wrong - and cunning, for all predators must learn how to kill to survive. Yet, in a face full of such inhuman need, there was a faraway light in his countenance like the reflection off dull steel in a long dark tunnel. It seemed to be an awakening undetectable on his face that gleamed beyond description in his eyes. Sadness, fear, and farewell were communicated as if it would neither be heard nor seen. Then he turned away.
... But Timothy did not meet his escape. His parting he meant for Logan to see, yet she surely could not miss the terror that arose behind him. Timothy turned and saw for himself what had come from the trees. Twas a face he had seen before in the nightmares that guarded his memory of home; a black silhouetted creature that towered by the trees with fingers four, each crusted and sharp. Its eyes - large, black, and colorless, - were as if without soul. And upon its head was the crown of demons twain! It was not a werewolf, though it bent like one over the earth. It was a bull in size and shape, but for its fingers and face which resembled in part that of a man. It appeared without a sound or smell, and brought with it the full terror of Timothy's dreams.
| To be continued... |
