Quote from Mae on March 25, 2019, 11:51 pm

[Meanwhile...]

The cozy, warm light from Katie's cabin windows continued to taunt the freezing werewolves. Bianca, Theo, Toby...  None of them had yet the stamina to endure the harsh conditions of the wild on their own. The wind continued to blow, and the rain continued to descend. The moon refused to give her light, and the tiresome night seemed it would go on unending.

Behind the werewolves, the darkness of the low-drooping pines felt like a dense paste in which anything could hide. Truly, there were many times when the wind would pick up a racket as if something were moving in the shadows, only to fall suddenly silent. Despite the falseness of the frequent alarm, however, there began to be something very real about the sense of foreboding in the woods - as if something was indeed lurking just out of sight...

Quote from Kaqurei on March 26, 2019, 1:32 am

Then the golden glow of Katie's abode poured out into the night, washing Toby's well laid shelter in the promise of a warm fireplace and the smell of chamomile. "Well," said the surly silhouette standing in the doorway, waving to the timid werewolves in the rain, "Can't make my house smell any worse than it does. Y'all might as well come in and have some tea. Mind your manners, now." The complete 180 of her demeanor towards the werewolves went unexplained, as there seemed to be neither hide nor hair of her niece to have convinced her. Yet, the invitation remained extended, and the rifle was not in hand.

****

What is wind and rain to light and shadow? It feels nothing. It chases and retreats, always the one in the other's absence. Light step, familiar ground. He's been here before. This time he is not alone. This time he seeks that which was lost. Long has it been since he took up a hunt, yet circumstance has deemed this one's import above all others. How fares the little stone upon the mountain dreary, or fang among the towers steep? One chases, one retreats. Always the one in the other's absence.

Quote from Adriana on March 26, 2019, 10:27 am

Logan's ears swiveled back towards Ulric, her eyes following, tracing his gesture to the object fastened to their meek shelter. Rotating her shoulders and body in turn, she took but a couple large strides and caught the object between the pads of her fingers, enveloping it in her fist and tugging it from it's place.

She crouched to meet Ulric's curiosity and held the object out in her palm. "It is something I found..." she responded evenly, quietly-carefully observing it-her mind recalling the all too recent events that transpired with it's discovery, her shoulder reminding her it wasn't simply a contorted dream.

For a long time, her mauve eyes were elsewhere, her ears back and grey fur being stirred to and fro by the breeze.

--

Bianca stirred as the dull voice broken the pattering of the rain and the thrumming over her own heartbeat. Downtrodden blue eyes looked up to the doorway and she meekly came to a stand from her place beside the houses cold wet exterior. Every step was trembling and cold but immediately upon entering the home she seemed less a husk of her former self, some semblance of light behind her long weary face.

Without speaking, Bianca found a corner adjacent of the fireplace and hunkered down there wordlessly.

Quote from Mae on March 26, 2019, 3:07 pm

Ulric looked at the long handmade flute as Logan brought it under his eyes. He blinked discordantly and at last unfolded his fingers from his face. Several furry wrinkles rippled over his nose, his last protest to the acrid nylon fumes. Then his face fell solemn, his ears still leaning back, and his eyes half closed. He reached out and took the flute from Logan's paw, turning it between his own.

It was a beautiful object. Ulric observed it was a Native American flute, perhaps twenty inches long, made of some kind of red wood, perhaps cherry. It was hand-carved with immaculate care and etched with many symbols and designs. Even the leather by which it was bound had imprints along the edge. The block or totem, however, was missing and left the nest bear. The nest was adorned by only a single circle, cloven in two, which otherwise might've been covered by the block had it been present.

"Wow..." Ulric breathed the word after a moment. "That's quite a find, Logan."

Ulric's padded fingers were too large to cover the holes appropriately. He returned the flute to Logan's hand.
"I saw one of those years ago." He said, scratching the fur on his neck with his hand. "A guy I was performing with showed it to me. His wasn't as pretty as this though."

Quote from Adriana on March 27, 2019, 6:45 pm

Logan accepted the instrument back, her ears moving forward at Ulric's words.

"It is made well.." she responded, resting the object on her thigh. "I do not know how to use it, so it is not of use to me.." she shrugged with one shoulder.

"I am more interested, in how it got there."

Now she came again to a stand, pressing her palm on her thigh and hoisting herself up with some effort. "I do not plan to leave these forests until I have found out."

She ventured forward, examining the edge of their camp and listening to the sounds of the world around them. The patter of the rain, the faint tremble of brush and branch under the weight of the water. She looked with her eyes to see if anything stood out, and separated herself a short distance from the fire so she could breathe something besides the fumes of the rope.

Quote from Mae on March 29, 2019, 1:11 am

Ulric solemnly watched Logan step away.  He wondered what happened. There was a pensiveness in the air, and a queer determination in Logan's words that concerned him. He said nothing.

Then he looked at Jackie.
"Thank you," Ulric whispered. His hazy eyes turned down and he stared into the fire sadly.

*****

As Logan stepped away from the fire, the thickly veiled darkness pulled back. There wasn't much to see. The mountainsides were painted in dull grey and blue hues. Clouds were climbing the slopes from the valley into the trees. A soft snowfall had begun. But, there was something to see. - Some distance from the scanty grove of trees where Logan stood, separated by a gravelly rock-slide, a denser thicket sat on the same slope. There, among the roots of ash and pine, a large dark shape was hunched on the ground. Its face was hidden behind a mound of earth, but its two eyes stared back at Logan unblinking.

Quote from Adriana on March 29, 2019, 9:43 pm

Logan surveyed the land, and stepped towards the gravelly slope. Her gaze falling upon the strange mound in passing, her ears stood erect and she lowered her large head in studying it. Taking a bracing step forward, she inclined her head further while keeping her eyes level, drawing one hand to the earth and holding it there with her palm flat. Her intentions for the moment were undecided, but she was poised for many movements; whether to charge the object of mystery, to run from it, or to brace for attack.

In an effort to discern the object of her curiosity, she licked her nose, wide eyed, and exhaled loudly as if in a sneeze to clear her lungs and take in a long, deep breathe of the air. Her body on alert, her hackles bristled just slightly.

"Hello? What are you?" she asked.

Quote from Indy on March 29, 2019, 10:18 pm

The exchange seemed to pass beyond Jackie's care.  She kept her palms steadied on the fire, her bright eyes fixed to the flame, and her muzzle tightly clenched.  Just as Logan turned to depart, the flames had taken a new, promising leap to the logs.  She didn't even turn to watch her leave.  Though her ears were swiveled forward to hear the sound of her steps fade away.

She sighed, prodding the fire, but by now it needed little of her minding.  The flames had grown into a promising glow.  She turned to look at Ulric, almost surprised by his words.

"It was nothing," she shrugged casually, rolling one palm into the other until her knuckles cracked,"I owed you a few... now I just owe you one more favor, then you can thank me"

 

Quote from Mae on March 29, 2019, 10:51 pm

Ulric lifted his eyes at Jackie's remark. For a moment he appeared to be confused, then he looked at his scruffy brow and tried to count the times he had saved Jackie's life as compared to the recent reversal of roles. He never completed his calculation, however, before Logan spoke behind him and his attention was diverted elsewhere. To him, so near the fire, Logan was a hazy silhouette against a dark background. He could not see who or what she was calling to.

******

Funny, how one little thing can make so much the advantage. Immediately after clearing her lungs, Logan was greeted by a sweet savor. The cold wind brought the wholesome smell of minerals off the rocks. The trees' wet bark enveloped the air with a flavor reminiscent of cold earth and cinnamon. Other plants, too, danced namelessly among the trees, sending their leafy smells into the wind. Of her query, she might detect the salty scent of sweat overshadowing a metallic iron hint. She might also have recognized in that musky smell some familiarity.

In answer to Logan's question, the dark mound shifted, and then arose. Its original position belied its size. It was in fact much larger than anticipated. It came forward upon its arms and legs, and at last its identity was put beyond doubt.

It was Kratos. He walked over the gravelly landslide with inconspicuous care. His hand and footfalls left the barest of disturbance, and though the rocks grit and ground together under his weight, a pebble never fell out of its place behind him.
Entering the grove of trees where Logan and the others resided, Kratos blinked his eyes at Logan.
"How good are you on three legs?" He said at long last. "You should let me set that."