Werewolves (RP 11): A Mystery Revealed
Quote from Mae on February 16, 2019, 11:49 pmTimothy ran down the mountain into the tree-laden dell. Frantic, searching, swinging around the trunks of trees, clawing bark, racing over fallen leaves... he saw nothing. Go left, go right, a little sparse moonlight here, a dark cloudy shadow there... there were no footprints, no hoof-tracks, no scent of hide. There was nothing but pale, thin trunks of aspen trees and the empty spaces between them.
What is this place?
Red leaves covered the aspen grove, and here and there a patch shone bright as if Timothy had once seen it in sunlight. He felt an awful enchantment hung in the air, and now and then heard distant laughter echo in his ears. Once, hearing it so near, he spun on his heel, his face pulled back and his teeth glinting white, yet he found himself alone. No bush or weed obscured his view. He flung right, then left, then right again, as if without direction. He tossed the leaves under his feet and kicked the earth with frustration! He was exposed in emptiness, surrounded by tall white sentinels in jagged lines, their ranks ascending on for miles, but there was nothing more to find.
Timothy ran down the mountain into the tree-laden dell. Frantic, searching, swinging around the trunks of trees, clawing bark, racing over fallen leaves... he saw nothing. Go left, go right, a little sparse moonlight here, a dark cloudy shadow there... there were no footprints, no hoof-tracks, no scent of hide. There was nothing but pale, thin trunks of aspen trees and the empty spaces between them.
What is this place?
Red leaves covered the aspen grove, and here and there a patch shone bright as if Timothy had once seen it in sunlight. He felt an awful enchantment hung in the air, and now and then heard distant laughter echo in his ears. Once, hearing it so near, he spun on his heel, his face pulled back and his teeth glinting white, yet he found himself alone. No bush or weed obscured his view. He flung right, then left, then right again, as if without direction. He tossed the leaves under his feet and kicked the earth with frustration! He was exposed in emptiness, surrounded by tall white sentinels in jagged lines, their ranks ascending on for miles, but there was nothing more to find.
Quote from Mae on February 19, 2019, 4:52 pmKratos watched the banister carefully as small trees and other debris piled against it. Most of the water, carried under the bridge, forced the larger debris down, and funneled it through the riverbed without further hindrance. The water gushing over the stone bridge, however, was attempting to bypass the channel-effect of the arch and carry the loftier debris over land rebelliously. Presently, Kratos observed that the over-passing water did not have enough strength or a sufficient ramhead to dislodge the banister.
Thus he passed over the bridge warily and came to the other side. The ground immediately thereafter inclined rapidly to the peak.
Kratos followed the jagged path of Dead-man's trail and climbed several yards before he paused to consider the height and descent. On his immediate left, a vertical wall of stone ascended like a tower, covered in trees that projected from its face at a seventy-degree angle toward the sky. All were pine trees, each appearing smaller than the trees in front of it, ascending for miles to the black clouds above. On Kratos' right, the ground sloped immediately away into nothingness, granting a view that surpassed the dark trembling mass of ash trees below and overcame the whole western face of the mountain.The ledge where Kratos stood was shielded from the south-bound gales of the peak, yet it would eventually lead into the onslaught before veering west into sheltered woods. To follow it any further was a great hazard, but there was no way to stray from it without plunging into the knotted canopy below. Therefore, Kratos walked along the ledge until the winds increased and he came to the point of it jutting off into the western pines.
Then at last, it was prudent to leave the well-named trail and venture to lower ground. Having combed the heights often, Kratos knew the trail would lead him to the peak, which provided the sole passage through the range. The valleys on Phantom Mountain's west and east sides were both too shallow to lead there, and ended abruptly. He likewise knew, however, from earlier experience, that the trail was collapsed, and that whether he now followed it, or diverted from it, he would meet difficulty. Thus, he left the flat-beaten ledge at its furthest east point, where there was a gravelly landing, and went on to climb down through the unworn foliage.
Kratos watched the banister carefully as small trees and other debris piled against it. Most of the water, carried under the bridge, forced the larger debris down, and funneled it through the riverbed without further hindrance. The water gushing over the stone bridge, however, was attempting to bypass the channel-effect of the arch and carry the loftier debris over land rebelliously. Presently, Kratos observed that the over-passing water did not have enough strength or a sufficient ramhead to dislodge the banister.
Thus he passed over the bridge warily and came to the other side. The ground immediately thereafter inclined rapidly to the peak.
Kratos followed the jagged path of Dead-man's trail and climbed several yards before he paused to consider the height and descent. On his immediate left, a vertical wall of stone ascended like a tower, covered in trees that projected from its face at a seventy-degree angle toward the sky. All were pine trees, each appearing smaller than the trees in front of it, ascending for miles to the black clouds above. On Kratos' right, the ground sloped immediately away into nothingness, granting a view that surpassed the dark trembling mass of ash trees below and overcame the whole western face of the mountain.
The ledge where Kratos stood was shielded from the south-bound gales of the peak, yet it would eventually lead into the onslaught before veering west into sheltered woods. To follow it any further was a great hazard, but there was no way to stray from it without plunging into the knotted canopy below. Therefore, Kratos walked along the ledge until the winds increased and he came to the point of it jutting off into the western pines.
Then at last, it was prudent to leave the well-named trail and venture to lower ground. Having combed the heights often, Kratos knew the trail would lead him to the peak, which provided the sole passage through the range. The valleys on Phantom Mountain's west and east sides were both too shallow to lead there, and ended abruptly. He likewise knew, however, from earlier experience, that the trail was collapsed, and that whether he now followed it, or diverted from it, he would meet difficulty. Thus, he left the flat-beaten ledge at its furthest east point, where there was a gravelly landing, and went on to climb down through the unworn foliage.
Quote from Adriana on February 19, 2019, 8:43 pmBlind Eyes was not patient. Before Jackie could respond to her empty threat, she was gone like a ghost into the trees behind her...
--
Still panting, Logan let her first fall into the ground one last, halfhearted time and raised her head. "You could have been killed," she stated, matter of factly, as she rested her hand on her knee in order to lift herself up.
"I did not ask for your help." she added, rolling her good shoulder.
"I would have called if I wanted to bring you into my battle. I did not." she walked in the direction Jackie had come, slowly albeit steadily.
Blind Eyes was not patient. Before Jackie could respond to her empty threat, she was gone like a ghost into the trees behind her...
--
Still panting, Logan let her first fall into the ground one last, halfhearted time and raised her head. "You could have been killed," she stated, matter of factly, as she rested her hand on her knee in order to lift herself up.
"I did not ask for your help." she added, rolling her good shoulder.
"I would have called if I wanted to bring you into my battle. I did not." she walked in the direction Jackie had come, slowly albeit steadily.
Quote from Indy on February 19, 2019, 10:03 pmShe stood still a moment in the cold, dark night, her bright eyes barely quivering from the place Timothy had vanished. He was gone. As easy as that, with hardly a thank you, and maybe they were all the better for it. She shifted her gaze, albeit slightly, to look upwards in the foreboding night’s sky. As she stood transfixed by the vanishing moon and stars, all else remained inconsequential details… even the feral, snarling, attacked thing was no more observed than the shifting mud. She didn’t even hear her leave.
But she did hear Logan’s approach and her deep, guttural tone. Her eyes narrowed rapidly, the whole of her attention shifting from something so distant as the clouds to something as close as Logan. Her nostrils flared. The edges of her lips curled upward.
"I don’t care what you asked for," she snarled, "I don’t care if you think I’m weak. You’re an idiot and I’ll do what I want".
She spun on her heels, her eyes livid and liquid, "Do you think the mountain cares what we want? Do you think any of us will last the storm out here? Kratos won’t get here fast enough… and even if he did, there’s no way he could drag us all back in time. There’s no one coming to save us, there’s no fair fight… we’re at the whims of mother nature"
She jerked her head towards the bend she’d come from, "Ulric is over there. He might not even make it to the storm…."
She snorted, her eyes tilting downwards in a dark, furrow and started forward, "Come on Trois, let’s go drown together"
She stood still a moment in the cold, dark night, her bright eyes barely quivering from the place Timothy had vanished. He was gone. As easy as that, with hardly a thank you, and maybe they were all the better for it. She shifted her gaze, albeit slightly, to look upwards in the foreboding night’s sky. As she stood transfixed by the vanishing moon and stars, all else remained inconsequential details… even the feral, snarling, attacked thing was no more observed than the shifting mud. She didn’t even hear her leave.
But she did hear Logan’s approach and her deep, guttural tone. Her eyes narrowed rapidly, the whole of her attention shifting from something so distant as the clouds to something as close as Logan. Her nostrils flared. The edges of her lips curled upward.
"I don’t care what you asked for," she snarled, "I don’t care if you think I’m weak. You’re an idiot and I’ll do what I want".
She spun on her heels, her eyes livid and liquid, "Do you think the mountain cares what we want? Do you think any of us will last the storm out here? Kratos won’t get here fast enough… and even if he did, there’s no way he could drag us all back in time. There’s no one coming to save us, there’s no fair fight… we’re at the whims of mother nature"
She jerked her head towards the bend she’d come from, "Ulric is over there. He might not even make it to the storm…."
She snorted, her eyes tilting downwards in a dark, furrow and started forward, "Come on Trois, let’s go drown together"
Quote from Adriana on February 19, 2019, 10:26 pmLogan's fur bristled. She faced Jackie with her countenance stilled as an ocean before the storm, but her eyes fiery, revealing the hurricane.
"I do not need the Alpha! I have survive worse by myself! Do I CALL you weak, ah?! No! I have not! You have survived worse, alone, no? I say only this: it was MY battle!" her words were dripping with rage, low growls occupying by the space between them. Then she grew silent and stood down, beginning towards Ulric again, attempting to walk as tall and straight she could muster.
"I have won no battles." she added, her voice quieter now.
"I can help no-one." her ears swiveled back against her skull. "Not the officer, not you... not Ulric, Timothy. I have done nothing." her voice trailed off meekly, for a werewolf and for Logan.
Logan's fur bristled. She faced Jackie with her countenance stilled as an ocean before the storm, but her eyes fiery, revealing the hurricane.
"I do not need the Alpha! I have survive worse by myself! Do I CALL you weak, ah?! No! I have not! You have survived worse, alone, no? I say only this: it was MY battle!" her words were dripping with rage, low growls occupying by the space between them. Then she grew silent and stood down, beginning towards Ulric again, attempting to walk as tall and straight she could muster.
"I have won no battles." she added, her voice quieter now.
"I can help no-one." her ears swiveled back against her skull. "Not the officer, not you... not Ulric, Timothy. I have done nothing." her voice trailed off meekly, for a werewolf and for Logan.
Quote from Indy on February 19, 2019, 10:36 pmShe stopped, flicking her ear back, and studying Logan intently as she raged. Not a muscle so much as quivered in response, though her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You call me weak all the time… I am not good enough for you, you do not respect what I can do," she snorted, "I am not as strong as you… I guess it’s a good thing the mountain plays no favorites".
She shifted uneasily in the mud, and her voice fell quiet, "I’ve survived terrible things, it’s true…. but never…." she turned away, her voice falling into a raspy sound before starting again so quiet it would vanish if the wind ate it, "Never alone…."
"I wasn’t going to let you die because of your pride. I don’t care what you wanted, I wasn’t going to let you," she shifted again, starting forward into the mud, "Anyone that pushes away their friends so easily when they are in trouble is a moron"
A sharp wind bore down into her pelt like a knife, and for an instant it seemed drive away the warm breath from her body. She shuddered.
"Maybe we can keep Ulric warm, just for a little while," she sighed, "Come on… I’m sure we can get to him before the storm hits".
She stopped, flicking her ear back, and studying Logan intently as she raged. Not a muscle so much as quivered in response, though her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You call me weak all the time… I am not good enough for you, you do not respect what I can do," she snorted, "I am not as strong as you… I guess it’s a good thing the mountain plays no favorites".
She shifted uneasily in the mud, and her voice fell quiet, "I’ve survived terrible things, it’s true…. but never…." she turned away, her voice falling into a raspy sound before starting again so quiet it would vanish if the wind ate it, "Never alone…."
"I wasn’t going to let you die because of your pride. I don’t care what you wanted, I wasn’t going to let you," she shifted again, starting forward into the mud, "Anyone that pushes away their friends so easily when they are in trouble is a moron"
A sharp wind bore down into her pelt like a knife, and for an instant it seemed drive away the warm breath from her body. She shuddered.
"Maybe we can keep Ulric warm, just for a little while," she sighed, "Come on… I’m sure we can get to him before the storm hits".
Quote from Adriana on February 19, 2019, 10:43 pmLogan outwardly showed no signs of the wind bothering her, anymore than she showed signs of the damage done to her body in the last hours. Wordlessly, she went on until they came to the place where Ulric lay..
Logan outwardly showed no signs of the wind bothering her, anymore than she showed signs of the damage done to her body in the last hours. Wordlessly, she went on until they came to the place where Ulric lay..
Quote from Mae on February 20, 2019, 5:18 pmAll while the drama below the ridge played out, Ulric lay motionless under the white moon. The wind blew over his exposed body, pulling his fur like grass. He did not stir. Presently, the moon's bright face was withdrawn behind looming black clouds, and Logan came up beside him.
The distance was obscured; the view of the mountains further north vanished. The clouds became loose and misty, falling among the trees like a thin cotton weave. While the greater giants continued their way north to plow over the mountain peaks, the lesser giants slowed, shedding forth the first white flakes of a sullen snowfall.
All while the drama below the ridge played out, Ulric lay motionless under the white moon. The wind blew over his exposed body, pulling his fur like grass. He did not stir. Presently, the moon's bright face was withdrawn behind looming black clouds, and Logan came up beside him.
The distance was obscured; the view of the mountains further north vanished. The clouds became loose and misty, falling among the trees like a thin cotton weave. While the greater giants continued their way north to plow over the mountain peaks, the lesser giants slowed, shedding forth the first white flakes of a sullen snowfall.
Quote from Mae on February 22, 2019, 3:06 pmAs the night went on, no sight or sound of the Alpha came over the mountain. Two hours passed with wind, rain, and snow filling the time, but nothing ever came so terrible as the recently passed storm-front.
Meanwhile, in town, the storm front passed over Reknab Bend, and the swelling mountain streams caused the ponds and rivers to rise. The embankments vanished, and water flooded the streets.
As the night went on, no sight or sound of the Alpha came over the mountain. Two hours passed with wind, rain, and snow filling the time, but nothing ever came so terrible as the recently passed storm-front.
Meanwhile, in town, the storm front passed over Reknab Bend, and the swelling mountain streams caused the ponds and rivers to rise. The embankments vanished, and water flooded the streets.
Quote from Cat on February 22, 2019, 7:40 pmToby finished hinging the door and tested it a few times to make sure it would open and close like a dream. He even made sure the lock was repaired and in working order-- And he busied himself with this for two whole hours. He didn't say anything to anyone, he didn't acknowledge the presence of anyone. He'd much rather forget the conversation between Kratos and Sabrina rather than analyse it. With his ears back and his eyes focused, he finished his work on the door and the lock, then went outside and softly closed the door behind him.
Without a word or gesture, he went toward the largest tree he could find. On all four legs, he scavenged the ground. A bad storm had just blown through, had it not? Tree limbs and wood would be everywhere. So it was, so Toby put to use the camping books, boy scout manuals and stranded/lost-on-desert-island novels he had read all his life. He constructed a shelter, weaving together the loose branches so it would support itself without rope. Using mud from off the ground, he patched the biggest, unsightly holes. Lastly, he pat the tall foliage down to make it soft inside..
Of course, built in the rain, it was far from dry, but it would keep them from getting wetter and it would keep them out of the wind...
Looking toward Bianca and Theo, he yipped meekly, beckoning them to come to the shelter.
Toby finished hinging the door and tested it a few times to make sure it would open and close like a dream. He even made sure the lock was repaired and in working order-- And he busied himself with this for two whole hours. He didn't say anything to anyone, he didn't acknowledge the presence of anyone. He'd much rather forget the conversation between Kratos and Sabrina rather than analyse it. With his ears back and his eyes focused, he finished his work on the door and the lock, then went outside and softly closed the door behind him.
Without a word or gesture, he went toward the largest tree he could find. On all four legs, he scavenged the ground. A bad storm had just blown through, had it not? Tree limbs and wood would be everywhere. So it was, so Toby put to use the camping books, boy scout manuals and stranded/lost-on-desert-island novels he had read all his life. He constructed a shelter, weaving together the loose branches so it would support itself without rope. Using mud from off the ground, he patched the biggest, unsightly holes. Lastly, he pat the tall foliage down to make it soft inside..
Of course, built in the rain, it was far from dry, but it would keep them from getting wetter and it would keep them out of the wind...
Looking toward Bianca and Theo, he yipped meekly, beckoning them to come to the shelter.
