Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:41 pm

Mae

A cold stream passed by the roots whereon Diane had collapsed, a misting spray ascended from it as it poured over the stony creek. Darkness seemed tangible and light forsaking as Diane slunk slowly down into an icy crevice. To Diane's hands the water on the black stones was as if piercing shards of glass and she began to shiver. Nonetheless, the daughter of Beta Baltronan cast no outward shadow on her countenance; her expression was resolved - resolved in every attitude to endure or to die.

But death was not the will of Diane's tormentor... In moments she slipped from painful agony into blackness, hearing not, nor being aware that she was carried from danger.
******

Tammy looked up just as Theo leapt over her, then she heard a dreadful sound and turned to meet it. What Tammy saw would haunt her ever after. Inches from Tammy's face the teeth of the werewolf, with canines each longer than any of her fingers, snapped together! The hot breath of the werewolf raced down Tammy's shirt. The snarling face, grey and scarred, shot forward in two successive second attempts before Theo was at last able to pull him away. Far more terrifying to Tammy than his features were his eyes, piercing bright in blue and green hues. Tammy would never be able to unsee them.

What was more natural in that moment than to get up and run? Just as Jackie entered the room and Sabrina jumped forward, Tammy hit the wooden floors and ran out!

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:41 pm

Cat

Toby moved with Bianca, fully prepared to follow Sabrina into the woods. But then, as if drawn by the silent, yet irresistible call of war, the plans seemed to change themselves and Sabrina went into the cabin instead. Logan shot off into the woods only a short time after releasing Jackie the Crazy and Timothy the Stark-Raving-Nut-Case from their hole! Why would she have done that?! Had Toby not known any better, that had all the ear-marks of betraying the pack to their demise-- He'd read about that in medieval books: Enemies have the castle surrounded and causing chaos, so the attention of the king and his knights are is divided. Then the stinking rotten traitor, typically an evil adviser or jealous relative to the king, goes to the dungeon and releases the threat from within.

...All fantasy and conspiracy theories aside, it was happening again. This wretched pack was in chaos once again! What was the name of this pack again? Caglathorn or something? Whatever it was, it probably meant Chaos and Death In The Thorns! Stupid thorns. Stupid chaos. Stupid pack. Timothy had just blown through a window in the cabin, and Toby was still standing there. Toby didn't know where anybody was anymore.

Confusion and panic had taken hold of his mind, giving only two responsive options: Fight or flight. In that second there was a choice, to either fly up the mountain and hope to discover where Sabrina was supposed to be leading them. Or to join the fray in the cabin and undoubtedly wind up bedridden again, should he be so lucky as to escape this time. Third time was the charm after all.

Toby didn't want to be in bed anymore. He didn't want to be hurt anymore. This pack was stupid! ... Toby felt ashamed of himself for thinking it, but it was how he felt. They were mean to him, mean to each other, and just mean in general. It was like every jerk on the planet got married and had this pack!

...Well, enough was more than enough. Toby chose flight. Casting a glance at Bianca, Toby collapsed to all fours once again and began to move hurriedly up the mountain. His motions were urgent, but not all out sprint; he didn't want to leave Bianca behind after all. If it was just the two of them, at least someone would live to tell the tale of what happened to the Chaos and Death In The Thorns pack!

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:41 pm

Deseree

Just when the Statue had found its legs, it came to a sudden, crumbling stop before the massive form produced from the trees. Dust and gravel kicked up all around as the werewolf's muscles tensed in spite of the inertia throwing them forward like liquid beneath a gray sack of fur. Almost unstoppable force meets nearly immovable object. Not quite.

While the Alpha was asserted almost merely by title in the mind of Logan, sans "first real transformation", she was wiser now than this morning. In some ways. Not regarding the fact that for a moment, those collecting eyes measured Kratos against herself, considering her new height and girth, the fact that he didn't stand quite as tall as a mountain like before. Her ears stood erect as she listened, not removing her gaze from his eyes - those gleaming fires burning in the deepest reaches of a cavern, only a window from the hillside to show for it.

His presence was enough. Logan let her ears fall only briefly and broke her gaze, acknowledging his rank. Instead she gave her attention to Ulric, albeit a sweeping consideration; he was unhurt, physically, which was what she sought to know.

She stood tall and straight and for a moment her eyes were drawn beyond the Alpha and his brother to the road behind them. It seemed that she might take to the road just then, her breath taught as a bowstring. Until finally she exhaled and turned, meeting eyes with Kratos once more, a question seated behind her own.

Back to the mountain, then.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:44 pm

Deseree

Bianca's eyes followed after Toby, not quite registering that he was leaving. She had seen Timothy--seen wasn't quite the right word--she had practically felt his vehemence as he went towards the cabins. It sent chills all throughout her body, the dog equivalent of it visible as her hackles lifted at the nape of her neck. Another had gone into the cabin, and Logan had turned the other way.

Words could scarcely describe the ongoing affair that was thrust down on the Calagathorm pack. Alice had stumbled into a rabbit hole of mayhem, archaic bestial hunger meets political pandemonium. If werewolves had a newsletter, that might be the title of the latest publication.

It might have been a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately the ratio was hardly split down the middle. It was more like a microscopic silver lining on a massive, rolling thunderhead with the capacity to create a terrible fire tornado. There was this however, that character is revealed in the greatest of trials. And whatever of this terrible event wasn't construed or oppressed by a mind so desperate to be rid of it, would be beneficial in knowing who your packmates really were.

When Bianca's legs at last became unglued, she turned and realized Toby was long gone. She had to pry her eyes from those cabins - which looked from here very much like a hungry beast that had been swallowing and gnawing on all of her new family - and called after her friend, turning to follow him into the mountain at last.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:45 pm

Indy

Theo’s strength trembled to restrain Timothy. It felt as though he were holding up the entire world, and the moment’s peace depended on his ability to hold back a force of nature. Timothy was stronger than him, he was certain of that. Even Sabrina could not contain him entirely…. and yet… for those few moments, he felt as though his meager strength were enough.

Timothy was unbalanced. He thought like an animal, a force of nature, but never a man. He reacted from pain and danger, but never for love or protection. Timothy rebuked his humanity in the same way Theo had rebuked his beast for all the moons in the pack. Physically, it made Timothy no more weaker; and yet the union Theo experienced from man and monster was what made him all the stronger. Theo had feared the monster that could cause (and had caused) so much harm, and yet it was that monster that currently held this one at bay. He was no long afraid of the muscles that kept Tammy safe and that gave her a few precious moments to go running out into the hall.

He grunted, his arms holding Timothy’s torso, and with a show of strength started to push him back. He did not know how much longer it would be until Timothy would overpower him. But, while his upper hand lasted, he at the very least wanted to pin him onto his back in a more vulnerable position.

“Timothy,” he grunted, his voice difficult to find in the strain, “It’s just...a girl. You are… safe here”

---

Jackie tumbled into the scene, squeezing out of the way just as Tammy ran out the door she’d just tumbled in. That should have been sign enough for the chaos this room scarcely contained. Her eyes glanced from Sabrina, to the two wrestled forms in the center, to Melinda backed against a wall corner. Her sister appeared unhurt, and yet it did not appear a permanent condition. She could smell the fire just waiting to be lit.

Melinda seemed surprised by Jackie’s entering. Or rather, startled, not surprised. Melinda rarely afforded surprise to when or why Jackie did what she did anymore. One stared into the eyes of the other, communicating in a language all their own, or perhaps waiting for the fire to set and a course of action to reveal itself.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:45 pm

Kaqurei

Sabrina had moved forward, but only that. Then she stepped back, and merely observed the struggle that ensued between Theo and Timothy. Tammy flitted past her as unheeded as a shadow. Jackie forced her way through and Sabrina still did not interfere. She waited.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:45 pm

Mae

Theo's grip around Timothy's torso might account for his failure to gain power over Timothy, notwithstanding Theo being the larger and stronger combatant. Affording Timothy his arms and head near Theo's neck would also have made for a terrible advantage to Timothy, had he taken the opportunity, but after Tammy had gone from the room the wild savagery in Timothy's eyes vanished.
Timothy was still angry, despite Tammy's retreat, however, and after making known his intention to give up the fight, Timothy shoved hard against Theo's head, shoulders, and chest to be released. Having done so, Timothy pushed Theo away and stood upright with a yell!

"You can't be so stupid!" Timothy said, his padded fingers stretched far apart as he waved his claws at Theo and the door. "She doesn't even smell like them!"

Timothy still bare his teeth as he turned with fiery eyes on Melinda and Jackie, his hand hit the wall behind him as his arm swung in a wild gesture toward them.
"What is that smell?" Timothy shouted with fervid frustration!

****

Kratos watched Logan head back up the road. Before slowly starting in that direction himself, he looked over his shoulder and motioned that Ulric follow her.
"Go with them into the mountain." Kratos said.

Ulirc was hesitant. "Kratos..." He said, "I gave my word that I would go back with them."

The Alpha's answer came as a bit of a surprise to Ulric.
"Resme and Abravious taught you honesty and integrity, Ulric. Do not dishonor them with blind obedience."

"What do you mean?"

"Ulric," The Alpha said, speaking slowly as he continued to meander up the hill. "To act in obedience to the teachings of your parents is just, but you gave your word contrary to their will for you. What you choose to do now, and in the future, falls to you, but in this decision you were uninformed. Abravious has forbidden you to return."

Ulric stumbled and Kratos stopped on the road to look over his shoulder.

"How is that?" Ulric said, disbelieving. "Abravious said that he would welcome me if I came back."

Kratos looked back up the road and continued walking, drawing Ulric to follow him again.

"When I knew Resme and Abravious, they were not leaders in the Red Moon pack. They were outcasts who shunned themselves from the association of all werewolves and lived solitary lives. When Resme came to the ranch and presented you to us, she informed me that Abravious had been reclaimed as the leader of his ancestral pack. What that means to me, is that as an Alpha he is in service to his pack, and presently he and his family are more subject to them then they are to him. Abravious consented to send you here to put you out of their reach, but when you signed your name at the clinic for Jackie, they found you."

Ulric lowered his head. Brought to shame over the error he muttered, "I'm sorry, Kratos."

Kratos glanced over his shoulder again, briefly.
"Ulric," he said, "The name 'Shragron' means 'old cloth' in Low. It was a name given to the first Alpha of the Pinerich pack by her son."

Ulric, blinking in his confusion looked up at the Alpha once again. "I thought the first Svalnaglas Alpha was Mavros Yios."

Kratos shook his head. "Her name was Ebony Brown. She is not considered the first Alpha because she was not werewolf. She had been used and subsequently cast off by a nameless werewolf male, hence, the name that Mavros Yios later chose to identify his family. Thus, when not used among other werewolves, the name of our family is 'Oldcloth'."

Ulric might have asked another question had the two not suddenly come into the clearing. Ulric observed that Kratos moved his head from the ditch to the den and back again. No doubt, the previous scene played out in the Alpha's eyes like a story. Ulric and Logan were instructed to follow Bianca and Toby up Deadman's road, while the great beast himself turned toward the den. As Ulric raced forward and met the trees out of the clearing, he caught a parting glance over his shoulder and saw Kratos enter the building as a man.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:45 pm

Indy

Jackie rushed into the room, detecting the savage nature in Timothy’s tone but not yet understanding it’s meaning. She could only see he’d broken free, that Melinda was pressed helplessly against a wall, and there was nothing to stop him from breaking her sister’s body like it was made of ceramic. She rushed past Timothy and Theo, settling herself between them and Melinda.

“Don’t you dare touch her,” she snarled, her eyes flashing brightly with threat.

---

Melinda watched the sequence of events unfold as though she were an unseen witness, and all that transpired was merely being catalogued in a carefully kept file record. The reality was far the contrary, however; she was very much a part of this scene, no matter how silent she remained in the matter.

And yet what was there else to do ? Her palms tugged lightly at her necklace, recollecting the night she had fetched it from her crumpled SUV. That night, she had the luxury of selecting many items. The cellphone, this necklace… and a third item that had been left behind; her hands had strayed over its dark, cold handle before brushing away from it entirely. She had made a choice that night, and for that the consequences may strike her most viciously.

She sighed, watching as Timothy’s frustration grew. Her eyes did not betray fear, and yet they seemed to grow darker nonetheless, narrowing in upon Timothy as he spoke. She took no comfort that Jackie stumbled in between herself and Timothy. It was a wholly Jackie movie, which was to say entirely futile and poorly conceived, and this massive beast would have no problem tossing her aside to get to her if he wished. She merely sighed in response to it, exasperated.

The wolf boy was the first to speak up in her defense; his limbs trembled a little from the exertion he’d just strained them to, yet he appeared more or less recovered from the encounter.

“T-there’s more than just pack, Timothy,” he cried out, shaking his head as he looked helplessly towards Sabrina for help she had yet to suggest she would provide, “Just because they don’t um… smell like us… its uh…n-not bad".

Melinda watched the boy stumble words. He’d missed Timothy’s meaning, yet she had not. She unclasped the silver chain from her neck, glancing at Timothy with a resolute fire all her own.

“This?” It twirled it by the silver chain; at the end was a small stopper bottle, hastily tied to the silver chain, and filled with a translucent blue fluid.

She shrugged away her glance, settling on Jackie instead. “It is not yours to know,” her voice slid as coolly as water droplets on silk, “It is hers”.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 12:45 pm

Indy

Meanwhile…
The willowy figure pressed further into the woods. He did not need much skill to pinpoint the sound of voices and people. And admittedly, the step in his gate started to grow faster in anticipation. People he understood well enough not to fear. As he reached a clearing, his nonchalance quickly morphed to quiet suspense; even from first glance, it was apparent there was more than met the eye…

His gaze flitted from the dissipating smoke, the vehicles, and the figures that had gathered around the pile of rubble and debris. He slid from the dense cover of trees as smoothly as a shadow. Perhaps superhuman senses watched him, disappointed by his stealth, and yet it oft served him to slip into places unseen. He did not intend to make his presence known without first taking a proper lay of the land.

Yet… for all his stealth, it was a simple stone that did him in. It rolled underneath his foot, momentarily unearthing his balance; for a few brief moments, his right leg slid farther and farther away from his left, as though he were going in for a split. When he finally did regain his balance, he did so fluidly, and slipped behind a parked vehicle. Yet not without cost, for surely the sound of the pebble scrapping could not have gone unnoticed.

In fact, it would be unwise to hide when these men clearly outgunned him. He slipped out from the shadow, his arms held above his head.

“Why hello gentlemen, my apologies for dropping in… I admit, I’m a bit lost”.