Werewolves (RP 9): The Song of the Mountain - Part 1
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:46 amIndy
Laying there in the darkness, Jackie could see far more than Ulric. The wind licked and howled hungrily over the opened maw of the cave like a fearsome, salivating predator. Outside, if she squinted, small rivers were tracking their way down the slope. In scarce light, she could even detect some of the contours of rocks and the slope of the floor from flashes of distant lightning. Yet if she thought of gloating of her superior sight, the thought was a fleeting one. Ulric had the kindness to leave her own weakness alone, so she was inclined to do the same.
She grunted softly, readjusting anxiously in the enclosed space. Her companion would not miss the subtle movements in the enclosed space.
"I think we’ll need more than stones," she replied absently, "I doubt we’ll find any dry kindling out in this… if we’d even want to,"
She shifted again in the darkness, but this time with purpose. After a moment she was still again and replied,"I have matches, rope, a knife, and some dead rabbits. We might have a shot at burning the ropes, but not for the entire night".
She stirred restlessly again, snagging a length of rope with her knife. It settled somewhere beside her palms, yet she stirred again as though taken by a terrible itch. It was an itch alright, but maybe not the kind on her skin. This one went straight down to her bones. She squinted at the small opening of the cave, filled with dread. Presently, she could leave if she wanted to. That gave her comfort. But in a few moments…
"Ulric," she replied, musingly, fumbling with the matches, "Ulric… what kind of a name is that, anyways?"
Indy
Laying there in the darkness, Jackie could see far more than Ulric. The wind licked and howled hungrily over the opened maw of the cave like a fearsome, salivating predator. Outside, if she squinted, small rivers were tracking their way down the slope. In scarce light, she could even detect some of the contours of rocks and the slope of the floor from flashes of distant lightning. Yet if she thought of gloating of her superior sight, the thought was a fleeting one. Ulric had the kindness to leave her own weakness alone, so she was inclined to do the same.
She grunted softly, readjusting anxiously in the enclosed space. Her companion would not miss the subtle movements in the enclosed space.
"I think we’ll need more than stones," she replied absently, "I doubt we’ll find any dry kindling out in this… if we’d even want to,"
She shifted again in the darkness, but this time with purpose. After a moment she was still again and replied,"I have matches, rope, a knife, and some dead rabbits. We might have a shot at burning the ropes, but not for the entire night".
She stirred restlessly again, snagging a length of rope with her knife. It settled somewhere beside her palms, yet she stirred again as though taken by a terrible itch. It was an itch alright, but maybe not the kind on her skin. This one went straight down to her bones. She squinted at the small opening of the cave, filled with dread. Presently, she could leave if she wanted to. That gave her comfort. But in a few moments…
"Ulric," she replied, musingly, fumbling with the matches, "Ulric… what kind of a name is that, anyways?"
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:46 amMae
Under Bianca's ear a slow, powerful drum was beating, yet unseen its sound attested the size and strength of that which fueled the iron over her head.
"Be still."
The Alpha's deep voice and warm breath fell over Bianca. Outside the crimson curtain, the rain turned to hail, and the wind bitterly swept. Inside, however, the sound of the Alpha's heart and voice penetrated the threaded walls.
The trees continued to whistle and moan, but the cloak was not torn from the hands that held it taut.
Meanwhile, Kratos listened to Bianca's wildly beating heart. He could feel her hands trembling. He could smell her fear with every bead of sweat she shed. Almost, he could hear her thoughts as emotion reverberated through her being. Her despair affected him.
After a long moment, he finally spoke again. "When I was a boy, I gave up a day of school to walk home by a long dark road. Following it through a discreet hole in the wire fence I went into the rail yard. I remember seeing the gloomy sky sitting over the city, but mostly a wasteland of tracks stretching in all directions under my feet. I walked on the rails for a long time before I realized there was no ground under them; the rails passed over deep trenches, most were so dark the bottoms could not be seen."
Light flashed outside and the ground shook! Kratos' warm arms gently embraced Bianca's quivering form. The thick fur of his neck hid her face.
"Do not be afraid for them." He said in a tone reminding, "They each have it in them to withstand many storms."
******
When the lightening flashed, Ulric saw albeit briefly the glint in Jackie's icy blue eyes staring outside the cave. There was no need to gloat to fill him with awe, for he knew she could see things he could not. A moment later and he was left again in darkness.
Listening to Jackie shuffle and fidget Ulric simply lay quietly on the cold stone. At the moment, he was hopeful for even the light of a burning match and could hope for nothing concerning the rest of the night. Few hours more, if that much, and there would be no one to tend the fire anyway.
Jackie's words caught him out of his thoughts.
"Heh," Ulric gave a light chuckle.
"I don't know," he said, musing. "I don't know if it came from my real parents, or if Talkane gave it to me."
Mae
Under Bianca's ear a slow, powerful drum was beating, yet unseen its sound attested the size and strength of that which fueled the iron over her head.
"Be still."
The Alpha's deep voice and warm breath fell over Bianca. Outside the crimson curtain, the rain turned to hail, and the wind bitterly swept. Inside, however, the sound of the Alpha's heart and voice penetrated the threaded walls.
The trees continued to whistle and moan, but the cloak was not torn from the hands that held it taut.
Meanwhile, Kratos listened to Bianca's wildly beating heart. He could feel her hands trembling. He could smell her fear with every bead of sweat she shed. Almost, he could hear her thoughts as emotion reverberated through her being. Her despair affected him.
After a long moment, he finally spoke again. "When I was a boy, I gave up a day of school to walk home by a long dark road. Following it through a discreet hole in the wire fence I went into the rail yard. I remember seeing the gloomy sky sitting over the city, but mostly a wasteland of tracks stretching in all directions under my feet. I walked on the rails for a long time before I realized there was no ground under them; the rails passed over deep trenches, most were so dark the bottoms could not be seen."
Light flashed outside and the ground shook! Kratos' warm arms gently embraced Bianca's quivering form. The thick fur of his neck hid her face.
"Do not be afraid for them." He said in a tone reminding, "They each have it in them to withstand many storms."
******
When the lightening flashed, Ulric saw albeit briefly the glint in Jackie's icy blue eyes staring outside the cave. There was no need to gloat to fill him with awe, for he knew she could see things he could not. A moment later and he was left again in darkness.
Listening to Jackie shuffle and fidget Ulric simply lay quietly on the cold stone. At the moment, he was hopeful for even the light of a burning match and could hope for nothing concerning the rest of the night. Few hours more, if that much, and there would be no one to tend the fire anyway.
Jackie's words caught him out of his thoughts.
"Heh," Ulric gave a light chuckle.
"I don't know," he said, musing. "I don't know if it came from my real parents, or if Talkane gave it to me."
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:47 amKaqurei
The white wolf said nothing. She shifted the weight of her body and moved to stand on two legs, catching Saber's small human form in her arms as she did so. She started to run, though where it was entirely unclear from the roar of the wind and rain. She knew her path, and was undeterred by the obstacles. Soon she came to the place she was seeking, and rapped on the door with her wet, furry fist.
She set Saber on his own two feet again, just as the door came open and a pale face peeped out at them. There was little time to explain, and Sabrina seemed comfortable enough to invite herself and Saber in.
She helped the little occupant in her struggle against the wind to close the door, and then there was an awkward silence. They had entered into a small cabin of sorts, lit all about by the welcoming orange glow of a fire place. The floorboards surrounding the door had been soaked by the rain and the drippage of the two uninvited guests. Sabrina gave the blinking woman a regretful look and shrugged, then took a few towels from the coat hanger alongside the door and set about mopping up.
"I apologize for the intrusion," she said, without meeting the woman's eye.
"Forget it. I told you you're always welcome here. But who is this?" and the woman looked suspiciously at Saber.
"A friend."
"A friend?" the woman repeated, eyeing Saber up and down. "One of your... ahem... friends?"
"Yes."
The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes. She waved them both into the cottage interior. "Sit down, get comfortable. I'll make us something warm to drink."
Kaqurei
The white wolf said nothing. She shifted the weight of her body and moved to stand on two legs, catching Saber's small human form in her arms as she did so. She started to run, though where it was entirely unclear from the roar of the wind and rain. She knew her path, and was undeterred by the obstacles. Soon she came to the place she was seeking, and rapped on the door with her wet, furry fist.
She set Saber on his own two feet again, just as the door came open and a pale face peeped out at them. There was little time to explain, and Sabrina seemed comfortable enough to invite herself and Saber in.
She helped the little occupant in her struggle against the wind to close the door, and then there was an awkward silence. They had entered into a small cabin of sorts, lit all about by the welcoming orange glow of a fire place. The floorboards surrounding the door had been soaked by the rain and the drippage of the two uninvited guests. Sabrina gave the blinking woman a regretful look and shrugged, then took a few towels from the coat hanger alongside the door and set about mopping up.
"I apologize for the intrusion," she said, without meeting the woman's eye.
"Forget it. I told you you're always welcome here. But who is this?" and the woman looked suspiciously at Saber.
"A friend."
"A friend?" the woman repeated, eyeing Saber up and down. "One of your... ahem... friends?"
"Yes."
The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes. She waved them both into the cottage interior. "Sit down, get comfortable. I'll make us something warm to drink."
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:47 amIndy
It took a while for her to light the match. Her hands were trembling badly enough that the match head seemed to miss the matchbox, or else not strike with enough velocity. The numbing cold made her hands clumsy. Yet the shiver in her arms came from more than the fierce, icy winds.
She closed her eyes, inhaling a short breath before releasing it. Again… distantly, it were as though she could hear something, though surely it was nothing more than a ghost in her mind. Her expression stiffened nonetheless; by the fifth breath, her exhale was heavy. Then a brilliant, tangerine plume filled the cave. Surely it was small, yet in that small dark space it were almost a hearty campfire in and to itself.
"Adopted, huh?" she grinned in unsteady victory over the prize in her fingertips, "I guess it makes sense. You don’t look a lot like him".
She lowered the end cautiously to the rope. The flame licked the end of the rope curiously. For a moment she was concerned it wouldn’t take. Yet just as she began to doubt it’s ability, the flame took to the rope happily. Then, if she doubted the flame’s any further, proceeded to fill the small space with a thick, acrid odor.
She wheezed, yet the fumes would be of little concern given the vicious winds that battered the opening; there would be no shortage of fresh air. As it was, she had to cradle the small flame carefully, protectively, so it could not be extinguished.
It was strange in that moment she felt her voice rise, "I… never knew my dad. Not my real one, anyways. No love lost, though. You can’t hate what you don’t know"
Indy
It took a while for her to light the match. Her hands were trembling badly enough that the match head seemed to miss the matchbox, or else not strike with enough velocity. The numbing cold made her hands clumsy. Yet the shiver in her arms came from more than the fierce, icy winds.
She closed her eyes, inhaling a short breath before releasing it. Again… distantly, it were as though she could hear something, though surely it was nothing more than a ghost in her mind. Her expression stiffened nonetheless; by the fifth breath, her exhale was heavy. Then a brilliant, tangerine plume filled the cave. Surely it was small, yet in that small dark space it were almost a hearty campfire in and to itself.
"Adopted, huh?" she grinned in unsteady victory over the prize in her fingertips, "I guess it makes sense. You don’t look a lot like him".
She lowered the end cautiously to the rope. The flame licked the end of the rope curiously. For a moment she was concerned it wouldn’t take. Yet just as she began to doubt it’s ability, the flame took to the rope happily. Then, if she doubted the flame’s any further, proceeded to fill the small space with a thick, acrid odor.
She wheezed, yet the fumes would be of little concern given the vicious winds that battered the opening; there would be no shortage of fresh air. As it was, she had to cradle the small flame carefully, protectively, so it could not be extinguished.
It was strange in that moment she felt her voice rise, "I… never knew my dad. Not my real one, anyways. No love lost, though. You can’t hate what you don’t know"
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:48 amAddie
Bianca listened. Eventually after the Alpha stopped speaking, the crying and trembling subsided, and she nodded her head slowly. She remained close as the storm continued to rage outside the stronghold the Alpha had created.
---
Lightning struck, and hail began to fall. Terrible was the sound of ice hitting the water all around. More terrible was the sound of creaking and snapping as the old tree became uprooted, and was thrust into the cruel murky river!
Logan clung on, feeling the ground vanish beneath her feet. Her head was barely above the water, and she struggled to keep it so as the tree rotated. Even in places where the rapids thinned, the ground beneath her was too yielding to offer a foothold, and with the darkness all around, hailstones coming down on her skull on top and water threatening to sweep her away beneath, she failed to realize a smaller log coming up quickly behind her...!
Addie
Bianca listened. Eventually after the Alpha stopped speaking, the crying and trembling subsided, and she nodded her head slowly. She remained close as the storm continued to rage outside the stronghold the Alpha had created.
---
Lightning struck, and hail began to fall. Terrible was the sound of ice hitting the water all around. More terrible was the sound of creaking and snapping as the old tree became uprooted, and was thrust into the cruel murky river!
Logan clung on, feeling the ground vanish beneath her feet. Her head was barely above the water, and she struggled to keep it so as the tree rotated. Even in places where the rapids thinned, the ground beneath her was too yielding to offer a foothold, and with the darkness all around, hailstones coming down on her skull on top and water threatening to sweep her away beneath, she failed to realize a smaller log coming up quickly behind her...!
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:49 amSkye
Saber didn't protest when Sabrina picked him up, although he continued to look miserable as he let her carry him.
Soon they arrived at the cabin, and Saber was placed back on the ground. After the cabin owner opened the door, Sabrina led him into the cabin as the change of temperature was sharply felt on his skin. However Saber continued to shiver, the warmth slowly trying it's best to penetrate his wet clothes and reach his skin. Although he could've helped himself warm up faster by removing his wet hoodie, he made no attempt to do so and instead simply gazed over the cabins details as Sabrina and the cabin owner made their small exchange of words, only meeting the women's eyes when he was mentioned.
As soon as the woman left Sabrina and Saber, Saber quickly gave Sabrina a sharp glare.
“ Why did you bring me here?!” He fumed in a hushed voice, trying to keep the conversation between only him and Sabrina. “ The moons almost at its peak, isn't it? This is a terrible place for me to transform..!”
Skye
Saber didn't protest when Sabrina picked him up, although he continued to look miserable as he let her carry him.
Soon they arrived at the cabin, and Saber was placed back on the ground. After the cabin owner opened the door, Sabrina led him into the cabin as the change of temperature was sharply felt on his skin. However Saber continued to shiver, the warmth slowly trying it's best to penetrate his wet clothes and reach his skin. Although he could've helped himself warm up faster by removing his wet hoodie, he made no attempt to do so and instead simply gazed over the cabins details as Sabrina and the cabin owner made their small exchange of words, only meeting the women's eyes when he was mentioned.
As soon as the woman left Sabrina and Saber, Saber quickly gave Sabrina a sharp glare.
“ Why did you bring me here?!” He fumed in a hushed voice, trying to keep the conversation between only him and Sabrina. “ The moons almost at its peak, isn't it? This is a terrible place for me to transform..!”
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:49 amMae
A flickering light in a trembling hand lit the world in crimson hues. Ulric's face was at last illuminated. The lambency caused his eyes, already red like amber, to glow like embers in the dark.
The atmosphere was gloomy and mysterious. In the dampened light, Ulric could see Jackie's gaze shimmering in pools of her tears from the rope's acridity. While the little flame burned between her fingers, lovely red strands cast spidery shadows over her pale features. Then she spoke, and shadows from the past gathered on the cave wall above her head. Unknown love and invisible faces danced just outside the range of human visuality, haunting as it were the very thought of self. Ulric felt a shiver in the marrow of his bones. It was to him as if the unwanted truths of his own past were pricked by recognition of a feeling not unalike that which hung in the air.
"Jackie..." Ulric whispered, but his thoughts never found voice. There was a glint in his eyes and an eerie look on his countenance. His face did not change, yet it was clear a change was taking place beneath his skin and already the inhuman truth was leaking through.
Ulric found it strange to see similar increments creep over Jackie's countenance. At first it was too subtle to tell, then it was too obvious to deny; She was not human. As if both primary and secondary forms were merely disguises of whatever this was, Ulric thought he beheld the true form of his kind. It frightened him. He had never seen the change come so slowly. He had no way of knowing that the little light in Jackie's hand, coupled with the coming of the moon, was the magic that peeled away the paint before his eyes.
Then something happened. The light was put out! The acrid odor was sucked down into the cave as if the mountain had drawn breath suddenly. The water racing over the entrance gushed into the room! The bitter cold wind ran down the mountain's throat. In the next moment, the rain water was repelled and the air in the cave grew dense once again.
Mae
A flickering light in a trembling hand lit the world in crimson hues. Ulric's face was at last illuminated. The lambency caused his eyes, already red like amber, to glow like embers in the dark.
The atmosphere was gloomy and mysterious. In the dampened light, Ulric could see Jackie's gaze shimmering in pools of her tears from the rope's acridity. While the little flame burned between her fingers, lovely red strands cast spidery shadows over her pale features. Then she spoke, and shadows from the past gathered on the cave wall above her head. Unknown love and invisible faces danced just outside the range of human visuality, haunting as it were the very thought of self. Ulric felt a shiver in the marrow of his bones. It was to him as if the unwanted truths of his own past were pricked by recognition of a feeling not unalike that which hung in the air.
"Jackie..." Ulric whispered, but his thoughts never found voice. There was a glint in his eyes and an eerie look on his countenance. His face did not change, yet it was clear a change was taking place beneath his skin and already the inhuman truth was leaking through.
Ulric found it strange to see similar increments creep over Jackie's countenance. At first it was too subtle to tell, then it was too obvious to deny; She was not human. As if both primary and secondary forms were merely disguises of whatever this was, Ulric thought he beheld the true form of his kind. It frightened him. He had never seen the change come so slowly. He had no way of knowing that the little light in Jackie's hand, coupled with the coming of the moon, was the magic that peeled away the paint before his eyes.
Then something happened. The light was put out! The acrid odor was sucked down into the cave as if the mountain had drawn breath suddenly. The water racing over the entrance gushed into the room! The bitter cold wind ran down the mountain's throat. In the next moment, the rain water was repelled and the air in the cave grew dense once again.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:49 amCat
Toby stiffend at the sound. He couldn't be as sure as Theo about what the sound was exactly, but it was very distressing. Toby's stomache felt like it was a rock: This is how it started. By tomorrow three people would be stitched and bandaged, someone would be in the pit, and he would be bed-bound.
Y-Yes.. Toby replied haltingly, though he wanted to say no-- In some other world, saying 'no' would mean it didn't happen. Didn't want an unsightly hole in your ear? Say 'no' and you were never shot. Didn't want to be a werewolf? Say 'no' and you were a regular human or a regular wolf. Someone screams in the woods? Say 'no' and suddenly whoever they were, they were happy and skipping through a meadow of flowers.... If only he lived in that world.
C-come on. We-.. We.. We should probably-- ... He gestured weakly in the direction of the sound and began reluctantly moving forward.
Cat
Toby stiffend at the sound. He couldn't be as sure as Theo about what the sound was exactly, but it was very distressing. Toby's stomache felt like it was a rock: This is how it started. By tomorrow three people would be stitched and bandaged, someone would be in the pit, and he would be bed-bound.
Y-Yes.. Toby replied haltingly, though he wanted to say no-- In some other world, saying 'no' would mean it didn't happen. Didn't want an unsightly hole in your ear? Say 'no' and you were never shot. Didn't want to be a werewolf? Say 'no' and you were a regular human or a regular wolf. Someone screams in the woods? Say 'no' and suddenly whoever they were, they were happy and skipping through a meadow of flowers.... If only he lived in that world.
C-come on. We-.. We.. We should probably-- ... He gestured weakly in the direction of the sound and began reluctantly moving forward.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:49 amKaqurei
Sabrina tossed Saber a dry towel and asked impassively, "Would you rather go back out into the rain?"
Once she had finished mopping up and drying her mane, she set the wet towels on a line near the fireplace to dry. Then she sat down before the flames in a meditative posture, cross legged and hands on her furry white knees. Her back and neck were straight, ears erect and focused on the crackling fire, eyes closed.
"Sit," she said to Saber, and he could only assume she either meant where he was or the small brown couch not far behind her, where lay an unfinished piece of knitting work and yarn.
Kaqurei
Sabrina tossed Saber a dry towel and asked impassively, "Would you rather go back out into the rain?"
Once she had finished mopping up and drying her mane, she set the wet towels on a line near the fireplace to dry. Then she sat down before the flames in a meditative posture, cross legged and hands on her furry white knees. Her back and neck were straight, ears erect and focused on the crackling fire, eyes closed.
"Sit," she said to Saber, and he could only assume she either meant where he was or the small brown couch not far behind her, where lay an unfinished piece of knitting work and yarn.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2018, 1:49 amAddie
If the Stone came down from the mountain, or sunk beneath it's earth, who would know? Or if the blind found their footing, only for the prints to be washed away-they would be as a phantom on the mountain, gone away without a trace.
Addie
If the Stone came down from the mountain, or sunk beneath it's earth, who would know? Or if the blind found their footing, only for the prints to be washed away-they would be as a phantom on the mountain, gone away without a trace.
