Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:55 am

Cat

If ever there was a self-serving bone in Toby's whole body, it came into play just as the Alpha calmly passed him and exited the house. Almost everyone had gone out into the yard, responding to Timothy's threatening howl- The meat had been left unattended.

Toby reasoned that there would be nothing he could do to help if any fight should break out-- He was practically an invalid, and nobody took him seriously at all. It also wasn't his place, as the Omega, to put in his two cents whatever the situation.

Thus slowly and carefully, still holding to the wall for his support, Toby made his way toward the oven and peered at the cooking meat. It seemed just about ready; a few more minutes would finish the job nicely... But a few minutes less wouldn't hurt it. Quick as wink, Toby seized a knife from the side and cut himself off a small portion. He did not even consider that he hadn't a plate. Keeping the meat on the point of his weapon, he turned and fled the scene, back toward his bedroom.

Truth be told, he might have devoured it then and there while on the porch; for his thought patterns were along the lines that he must be quick if he was to have any food with which to subsist upon. He also reasoned that his steal was justified, for he only took a very small piece, and he was sure they would have offered him some anyway if they hadn't unfortunately forgotten he was still alive-- They had inadvertently tried to kill him at least three times... But in any case, the meat was fresh off the grill and far too hot to just devour.

Scrambling back to his room and closing the door behind him, Toby opened his bedside drawer, drew out several blank sheets of paper, wrapped his meat in it, and set both meat and knife back inside the drawer.. Shamefully, he reflected on how very uncouth it was of him to hide a piece of meat alongside his stationary, but this was life or death! He would make amends with the cook, the rest of the pack, his poor Grandma who had taught him proper manners, the universe and everyone in it-- After he had eaten.

For now, Timothy had threatened to kill someone. That meant trouble, and for the past several months, whatever meant trouble would land Toby back in this very bed; more bruised, broken and sore than ever before. If he had food hidden near his bed, he wouldn't starve to death, and if he didn't starve to death, the pack would not have to find him dead and rotting in this room several days later (after finally remembering him) and assume he had succumbed to his wounds (which wouldn't have been true, but who would be around to tell them?)... Well, the autopsy would, if they bothered, and didn't have him planted in the yard someplace...

...Yes. Being attacked by Jackie had truly shattered Toby's faith in his pack. After all, she was a member of the pack, if she had forgotten who he was and tried to kill him, maybe they all could forget who he was....

Meat safely stashed away in case of an emergency, Toby now turned his attention back to the matter had hand, involving Timothy's attack cry. Hobbling out of his room once again and back toward the kitchen, Toby made his way slowly into the yard and caught a glimpse of all the others now gathered by the pit. Toby had no doubt Kratos would handle whatever the situation was.. For all the mess and muddle, Toby wouldn't doubt the Alpha.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:55 am

Deseree

Chapmans gaze followed the Alpha, and he studied the manner with which he asserted the situation.. Logan just as well, who had at this point relented her struggle. When the event was said and done, Bob caught the none too pleased glance of the leader and took it as a silent command. Exhaling, he unlocked the cuffs and stepped aside.

"You understand my reason for doing that, don't you?" he asked, however it was a statement more than an inquiry. Logan might have been less patient, if she didn't know the answer. However, she felt it too; that consuming wrath, that creature stirring just underneath her skin. She only glanced at him from the corner of her eye before nodding once and resting her right hand on her left shoulder.

While Logan stepped down off the porch and moved forward towards Kratos, Bob remained, leaning on the doorway while the last of the adrenaline settled from his veins.

"Alpha Kratos," Logan began, "It is my fault she is in there. She is weak, let her out - I can take her place instead." she spoke in a decidedly quiet tone, however it was not entirely concealed. "My actions against Jackie, are not my only crimes against this pack. Please hear me."

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:55 am

Indy

Jackie had just started giving in to panic right before Timothy let up. The teeth closed around her throat (light though it may be), the looming dark form that filled up her vision, and the dank smell of breathe just inches from her skin, had all seemed to close in around her at once. She had kept her heartrate even, her features light and amused outwardly – knowing anything less might provoke her attacker further – but as soon as he withdrew she could feel that exoskeleton melt away and her heartbeat pummeled away, no longer content to be slowed.

With enormous effort she flopped over so instead of laying on her back, she was curled up on her side. She could hear Timothy prowling somewhere off to the side, but she was no longer concerned. He’d done what he set out to do... and even if he hadn’t she decided she just didn’t care anymore. Lock her up with her bandages in a pit with the psychopath – what did she care?

But someone cared. She could hear a familiar voice somewhere above the pit. A tiny trickle of energy passed over her, enough to sit up, and demand her full attention. As the voice quieted, the woman merely sighed, as if somehow disappointed and relieved all the same.

“Hey I picked out my corner first, Logan. Get in line if you want in so bad”

---

Melinda took in the girl’s image fully, her eyes trailing from the bandages to the expression on the girl’s face. She did not react as the girl moved to the doorknob; and yet her posture relaxed somewhat as she moved back in towards the room.

“No hun,” she answered simply, allowing the final syllable to settle in her throat, “Just a human like you”

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:56 am

Aim

Lost in thought, Chime had taken a walk to clear her mind. The events that conspired the night before had left her feeling empty, shock as it were.

She knew the possibility, no, probability, of the 'romp' going sour, but she had hoped.. A sigh escaped her, stopping that train of thought. What happened, happened.

At least no one died.

Turning, she looked down the path she had made. She should head back.. It was then she heard Timothy's howl.

Her eyes widened, no.

Quickly shifting, she retrace her steps with ease. Swiftly she came back in sight of the cabins, and slowly down, she looked on at the scene. At a distance, a small whimper voiced it's self.

Shifting back, she begin going even closer, a hand flew to her mouth. Why? Why was it all they did together.. was fight?

Closing the gap, she heard Logan's words, and then Jackie's. Perhaps now wasn't the time to speak, but her words came tumbling out before she could check them.

"We are all to blame.. This isn't how a pack's supposed to act."

Her words were quiet but clear.

"None of us reached out, we are too absorbed with our own problems to see everyone else's, but we don't have the power to fix our own problems, only others. We need each other."

Trembling with emotion, she continued.

"I mean, look at us. We are so different, so beautiful.. so unique. So many stories.. I'm learning, I don't understand how I can help, but please, let us learn together. Please stop fighting."

Trying to keep her tears in check, she wiped her face.

"We almost l-lost Jackie and Toby, please.. please let's try harder! P-please.."

Unable to talk any longer, she blinked rapidly. All she wanted was to run off then, she wanted to be away from prying eyes, but she held her ground. Pleading with her eyes, she glance over the others. Would they hear her words? Or was she wasting breath?

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:56 am

Deseree

"She's right."

Bianca uttered, looking to Chime with great admiration. She had only met the girl one other time before, and too brief a meeting to make out much of her character, but right now the young woman felt her heart swell with the words that were spoken. The other was clearly young, and still wise beyond her years. Giving one last glance in the direction of Jackie and Timothy in turn, she twisted around on a heel and looked to the faces around the yard.

"We're all people, with hearts and souls and feelings - why are you acting like animals? And we're all on this boat together, so we might as try to learn how to sail." her own voice was a little hoarse, and now she looked to Kratos.

"I know it's not my place, and I don't know any of you - yet - so forgive me for speaking out of line... but this man," she gestured with an arm to the Alpha, "Has given you all so much. A home, a safe place to stay, a family. He worked all morning to make us a great meal, and it's getting cold because we can't come to our senses long enough to sit at a table and communicate like people are supposed to do."

She hesitated a moment, considering.

"There are bigger things out there we need to worry about." her tone of voice was softer with this sentence, and more urgent still. "My Grandpa who's standing in that doorway over there, he could tell you stories you wouldn't believe. And my friend," she drew in a collected breath, her chest rising and falling as she exhaled and gathered herself, "My friend didn't die in the name of peace and justice so you could all tear each other apart. We're bigger than this, than our infliction. We're bigger than our monsters. You have to choose to let them consume you."

Once again, she looked around at the faces, then smiled slightly. "Lets try harder."

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:56 am

Mae

Kratos was pacified by Chapman's compliance to release Logan, and looked to her as she appealed to him for Jackie's sake.
"Logan," The Alpha said, stopping her and beckoning her to look up at him.

Somehow, as Kratos met Logan's eyes, it was made clear that it would not please him for her to confess her faults in front of the entire pack. To the Alpha, Logan's strength had value, and so did her dignity, nonetheless he had compassion on her and said as if for her sake alone,
"If I did not care about what happened to Jackie, she would not be down there."

Then the Alpha looked to the strangers and said nothing more.

*******

Ulric kept his eyes on Timothy for sometime after the unruly rogue had backed down, and hardly noticed how tight his fists had become as he watched the wolf skulk around in the shadows.

Being only one year older and nearly the same size as Timothy, Ulric had never considered taking on the rogue more carefully than he did now. The way Jackie had been treated caused a hot anger hard to describe to pulse into Ulric's heart. He knew he was a match for Timothy and it sorely tempted him to be the one to open the gate and put the rogue in his place.

But when Chime spoke, the feelings in the atmosphere changed, and as Ulric's attention was brought in her direction his heart was softened. Ulric's anger melted away, he could not go unaffected by the emotion of Chime and Bianca's words, nor the trembling of small Chime as she pled with the pack.
Ulric himself had nothing to add on account of his former anger, so he said nothing for a long time. Nonetheless after a time he afforded himself a venting breath and looked to his brother, the Alpha.

"Kratos, this is Bob Chapman, and this is his Granddaughter, Bianca, from Middlecrest." Ulric introduced, going on to explain, "Mister Chapman was the one who broke up the fight in town the other night."

*******

The Alpha listened as each person spoke, he did not add much by way of anything to what he thought of what was said, but folded his arms over his chest at the conclusion of it and looked to the older man.

"My pack is wild and we take offense quickly," Kratos said at last, and this seemed to address something that was earlier communicated between him and the Police Officer, nonetheless it was not an apology.

Kratos motioned with his chin toward Bianca.
"Your Granddaughter conveys herself well in writing," he said.
"I received lately, a formal request that asserted the desire of a young woman to be united with my pack, to which I did not at first respond. Now, however, if it is pleasing to the family and former Alpha of Bianca Chapman, I will give her my consent, and I will immediately make use of the talents which she enclosed in her letter, and which have been lately demonstrated."

Kratos adjusted his stance firmly.

"May it be understood, however," The Alpha said. "that once she is joined to my family I will not easily relent her to another tribe again, and she will be subject to strict obedience to my word and my Betas without argument."

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:56 am

Deseree

The words of Chime and Bianca did not fall in vain on Logan's ears, however she did not turn her eyes on them at this moment, and rather had turned sideways away from Kratos with her gaze cast over her right shoulder towards the edge of camp.

Bob gave a curt nod in Kratos' direction upon his being introduced, and when Kratos spoke next, he smiled something solemn and pushed away from the door.

"I understand." was all he said in reply.

Naturally with the next things that were spoken, Bianca and her grandfather both placed their full attention on Kratos, though with different manners of character. Bianca clasped her hands together and pressed them to her mouth, and Bob had moved closer to the Alpha for his failing hearing and rested a hand on his belt.

"Have you taken these things into consideration, Bianca?" Chapman asked. Bianca nodded and moved closer to her Grandfather, who lowering his brow, considered all that was said once again, nodding to himself after a moment.

"You've always been a bright girl. I won't doubt you on your decision." he responded, and Bianca smiled, but bit her lip as Chapman continued,

"Alpha Kratos, you are a good man. What you've done here is highly respectable, and I trust you will continue to do everything in your power to defend your pack, and my granddaughter. I think it is well, then, that her blood should be joined with the blood of you and yours. Take care of her." now he offered out his hand to shake with Kratos, but it was interrupted as Bianca barrelled into him and wrapped her arms tightly around her grandfather, bouncing up and giving him a peck on the cheek. "I love you paw paw." she murmured, with her face in his chest. He laughed and placed a hand on her head, kissing the top of it. "I love you too, my dear grandbaby girl."

The two held each other in an embrace for a moment longer, before Bianca broke away and turned to Kratos, a determined expression on her face. "Thank you. This means a lot to me - I hope I can make you proud..!"

Bob laughed heartily to see the young girl standing so tall before the mighty Alpha. "I'm not sure you know what you've just gotten yourself into - she's a Chapman through and through. We can be a handful, but leastwise, you've got big enough hands for it!" he laughed again.

"Anyway, I wanted to make sure everyone was alright, and that she was settled. The Mrs. will want me home for dinner. It has been truly an honor." again he extended his hand.

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:56 am

Mae

"Why are you here?" Tammy asked in a quiet voice.

In the upstairs room of the mountain werewolf den, closed off from the world by a single door, there was something surreal in the atmosphere that had changed recently. It was as if a fairy had stolen into the room, or that the room had been spirited away, lost to worldly reckoning. ... Even Melinda, if she was mindful of it, would be able to detect the peculiarity. Nonetheless, it was a subtle difference.

Although her mind and heart were racing Tammy was calm. She dared to let go of the doorknob and came closer into the room, but she was wary, unconsciously so, of the wall nearest where the werewolves were assembled outside.

"Did they bring you here?" Tammy ventured to inquire further, her focus for the present on Melinda.

****

As the morning had only just begun for Tammy, and she was already faced with a multitude of new circumstances to consider, it was far from her mind to think who might be missing her in Reknab Bend... or how much time had passed since that fateful night.
****
[Meanwhile]

Click! The door to the blue sedan was closed. The previous occupant of the vehicle, a young woman with short red-hair, would stay a hesitant moment beside it before at last venturing up the cobble drive.

Courage - It was the key to a great many things. Luckily, for Jenn Peters it was never in short supply. By nature she was as bold as people come, she could quite easily laugh at herself for silly mistakes or misgivings, and she knew how to agree with someone quickly to avoid certain conflicts.
The only real trouble for Jenn, was that she couldn't talk with Mildred McGordner.

Jenn Peters was a peppy young gal with a unique personality! Mildred McGordner was a straight-forward rancher with a serious expression and a business mind to match. The two did not regularly interact.
It wasn't naturally by Jenn's choosing to avoid Mildred, for she of course treated all the world like her friend! But Mildred was a stern woman, and found Jenn's regularly fast and enthusiastic way of speaking bothersome, it must also be fairly noted that Jenn lacked the ability to detect the annoyance of others, and therefore tended to ramble.

"Hi!" The young Jenn Peters called out the moment she saw the older lady in her worn-out jacket come around the corner of the house. "Sure is a beautiful day, isn't it? I've never seen the mountains look so clear!"

Mildred McGordner had just come from feeding her cows, she wasn't much interested in the sky, and replied gruffly as she continued up to her porch.

"Mornen."

Despite all their differences, Jenn minded Mildred with regard, and Mildred looked after Jenn in much same way that she did all the young men and women of Reknab Bend.

Now, Mildred didn't say much to Jenn, but being a woman of wise years, she knew how to interpret the small things, and she could see that there was something off in Jenn's approach. So she went up to her porch, which she wouldn't usually do at this hour, and took a seat.
It worked like clockwork. Jenn soon invited herself over to sit on the swinging bench and got ready to say what was on her mind.

"How are things up at the clinic, Jenny?" Mildred asked with casual interest. She had to be the first one to speak, lest Jenn spiel all the contents of her mind at once.

"It was pretty quiet yesterday and the day before, I haven't been there since last afternoon." Jenn said. She set her purse down on the bench beside her, taking courage from this casual started and got more comfortable to continue.
"Candace called me on my way up here, she said Mister Clover came in early this morning with bruises because his bull got out of the pasture. Candace said that his wife woke up to the noise of him yelling like a madman, and found that the bull had chased him under their old bed trailer. So she brought out a gun and shot him - the bull, I mean - not Mister Clover!" Jenn laughed, but tried to get serious again. "Isn't it a real shame? They raised him, didn't they? And they have had him for such a long time. Candace said Mister Clover came in swearing like a drunk, he was so angry!"

"Henry ought to have killed that bull last April when it nearly broke his son's leg." Mildred put in gravely, clearly she did not harbor much sympathy for the animal. "He's lucky Polly heard him, its bad enough his boys cut through the pasture everyday on their way to school. Better for him to lose the bull than one of the boys."

Not being a farmer herself, and knowing only as much about cattle as she had heard from Tammy, who spoke of them as if they were people, Jenn was somewhat surprised by Mildred's reply and she certainly wasn't prepared to keep up the conversation after that blunt statement. So she gathered her thoughts to find another topic, and of course the reason she had come wasn't far from her mind.

"Anyway Mildred, I wondered if I could bring something up." Jenn said carefully. "I've been meaning to talk with you about it ever since it happened. You're the only person I can think of outside Robbie Gelton to have seen the wolves everyone talks about, and of course you said they weren't wolves or bears at all..."
"I would never have believed you if I hadn't seen what I did the other night. I haven't told anyone else, I'm sure wolves don't look anything like it, and I've never heard of bears acting like that. ... It all sort of makes sense now better than ever it did."

Mildred never asked which night Jenn meant, she had heard about it already from Thomas Clerk, Don and Jeremy Baker, and nearly a dozen others who thought she might be interested to know about the wolves who had come into town three nights ago and attacked a bunch of kids in the street.

"Robbie's dad is having heart troubles," Jenn said after another moment. Her troubles had apparently been so long suppressed, having been kept for an excruciating three days, that they naturally all came tumbling out in random order. Mildred made no attempt to stop the youth, so Jenn carried on.
"He won't come in to the clinic, so Robbie hasn't been in town at all. And when I went by the Antique shop, Misses Buttermilk said she took Toby over to Pinerich for leg therapy - I had wondered why he was on crutches when Tammy and I ran into him, but I didn't think to ask Misses Buttermilk."
"Joshua came into town to pick up Tammy's truck yesterday morning and he said she'd gotten home alright - I didn't know what happened to her in all the commotion, so I guess she ran home, but she hasn't been at the clinic at all and Candace said she didn't come in with the other volunteers this morning. I'm beginning to feel worried about her and thought I might just head over there to see how she's doing..."

"Trodder has always liked his privacy," Mildred said at length. "But I've been thinking about heading over there myself to see how his little girl is."

At this point, Mildred took notice of how Jenn's face seemed to have fallen, and she could tell there were some thoughts that even Jenn would keep private. So Mildred didn't think much of it before she reached over and put her arm around Jenn. The youth was taken aback, she had not realized how much her expression had betrayed, and unaccustomed to receiving affection from this noble old lady, she chuckled awkwardly.

Mildred remained as grim-faced as she always was and said quietly. "I reckon its been a long few days for ya. Come on, we'll head over there now."

Quote from Adriana on August 25, 2018, 11:57 am

Indy

In the time it had taken for Bianca to be initiated in the pack, Jackie had managed to shake away the last of the fear, gingerly stand to her feet, and gently stretch away some of the stiffness in her limbs. Though her eyes did not avert themselves from any particular direction, she did not spend any effort trying to pinpoint the two yellow specks in the corner. She did, however, afford the slightest roll of her eyes, presumably in response to the tail end of Bianca’s speech.

“Lovely sentiment,” she retorted dryly,”Now here’s a sentiment for you: I would like out of this pit. Please. My roommate is horrible, no offense”

---

Melinda did not answer Tammy’s question, at least not immediately. It had not slipped her notice that the girl had not answered yet her name. Certainly the less this girl knew about her, and the more she knew about the girl, the better off this encounter would go. If she pushed too hard for information, she would loose her conversation. Yet should she proceed too cautiously, she might still loose the girl's intrigue. She lived in a world of subtlety.

And so the strange quality in the air, though unable to be clearly quantified by her senses, did not go amiss. In the same way she had felt the invisible eyes upon her in the forest that night, she could feel that the quality in the air had changed. Melinda did not know what to make of it, however, so simply made note of the peculiarity. The girl was wary, understandably, but perhaps she knew something of it?

“Yes, but it was just a misunderstanding,” Melinda answered quietly.

Bandages. A wariness of anything not ‘human’. Melinda had a guess why this girl was here, but dare not say it outright in case she spooked easily.

“That’s a nasty wound you have there. Take a seat, please. I don’t want you to strain yourself, miss ... ?”