Werewolves (RP12) The Day After the Storm
Quote from Indy on December 4, 2019, 6:53 pm"I did... months ago," she growled, her tone still furious but something in the sharpness dying back. Her fists slackened, though there was still plenty of teeth as she scoffed the next question, "Have you?"
Her attention settled sharply on Sabrina with renewed vigor, "Tell me this, then. What is a pack? Does it mean we're a bunch of weirdos stuck in the woods together with exactly one thing in common? Does it mean I tell you my secrets, but you don't tell me yours? Does it mean you can still have a back-up plan stashed away on the mountains, ready to ditch us all at the first sign of trouble, but I can't help my sister when she asks me to?"
She knelt down, grabbing the baseball hat from the floor and winding her long, matted, copper hair again as she tried to trap it underneath. She snorted harshly in frustration as it vainly fought against her efforts. Once she pulled her hands away, the ultimate result was something like a bedraggled cat trapped beneath a boulder.
"Let me tell you something about me, in case you missed it," her eyes shifted back to Sabrina, as bright and jarring as crushed-up highlighters, while strands of wild copper danced from beneath their constraints, "I don't give up on people I've chosen. If someone asks for my help, especially my sister, I go. I don't ask questions. Maybe I'm an idiot, but at least I'm a consistent idiot"
"I did... months ago," she growled, her tone still furious but something in the sharpness dying back. Her fists slackened, though there was still plenty of teeth as she scoffed the next question, "Have you?"
Her attention settled sharply on Sabrina with renewed vigor, "Tell me this, then. What is a pack? Does it mean we're a bunch of weirdos stuck in the woods together with exactly one thing in common? Does it mean I tell you my secrets, but you don't tell me yours? Does it mean you can still have a back-up plan stashed away on the mountains, ready to ditch us all at the first sign of trouble, but I can't help my sister when she asks me to?"
She knelt down, grabbing the baseball hat from the floor and winding her long, matted, copper hair again as she tried to trap it underneath. She snorted harshly in frustration as it vainly fought against her efforts. Once she pulled her hands away, the ultimate result was something like a bedraggled cat trapped beneath a boulder.
"Let me tell you something about me, in case you missed it," her eyes shifted back to Sabrina, as bright and jarring as crushed-up highlighters, while strands of wild copper danced from beneath their constraints, "I don't give up on people I've chosen. If someone asks for my help, especially my sister, I go. I don't ask questions. Maybe I'm an idiot, but at least I'm a consistent idiot"
Quote from Mae on December 6, 2019, 1:04 amUlric knew from the fatigue in his body that changing forms came with a toll. His muscles felt weak against suggested strain. Dread lingered at the back of his mind. It was as if his body knew a cost he did not; a sacrifice it was unwilling to make at his behest. He couldn't quite understand how or why, but there was certainly an involuntary holdback in every sinew of his body.
At length, he gave up. He intended to walk the rest of the way and catch up with Bianca and Toby, just as he said, but he was worn by the time he reached the edge of the clearing. Regretfully, he succumbed to the gravity of his weakness.
Sinking to the ground like a stone, he sat with his back against a tree, and his gaze wandering up over the cabins to the red mountain trees beyond.
"Why does life have to come with limitations?" He wondered. He thought about the woman in the cave, and her little son in the mountains beyond his sight. How his heart sank, and his stomach ached, knowing he could do nothing for them. He remembered how fiercely she fought, and how he promised she would come to no harm. His stomach felt a little tighter thinking of the moment he acted before Jackie could. How he wished he could take that moment back!Sinking further, in mind rather than body, Ulric bowed his head between his knees and trembled. "If only the heartache would go away." He cried silently.
It was then that Ulric became aware, as if by a sixth sense or some other way of knowing, that he was being watched. He lifted his eyes, and somehow immediately he found the gaze of the watcher. From the other side of the ditch Timothy's turquoise eyes were staring into his own...
Ulric knew from the fatigue in his body that changing forms came with a toll. His muscles felt weak against suggested strain. Dread lingered at the back of his mind. It was as if his body knew a cost he did not; a sacrifice it was unwilling to make at his behest. He couldn't quite understand how or why, but there was certainly an involuntary holdback in every sinew of his body.
At length, he gave up. He intended to walk the rest of the way and catch up with Bianca and Toby, just as he said, but he was worn by the time he reached the edge of the clearing. Regretfully, he succumbed to the gravity of his weakness.
Sinking to the ground like a stone, he sat with his back against a tree, and his gaze wandering up over the cabins to the red mountain trees beyond.
"Why does life have to come with limitations?" He wondered. He thought about the woman in the cave, and her little son in the mountains beyond his sight. How his heart sank, and his stomach ached, knowing he could do nothing for them. He remembered how fiercely she fought, and how he promised she would come to no harm. His stomach felt a little tighter thinking of the moment he acted before Jackie could. How he wished he could take that moment back!Sinking further, in mind rather than body, Ulric bowed his head between his knees and trembled. "If only the heartache would go away." He cried silently.
It was then that Ulric became aware, as if by a sixth sense or some other way of knowing, that he was being watched. He lifted his eyes, and somehow immediately he found the gaze of the watcher. From the other side of the ditch Timothy's turquoise eyes were staring into his own...
Quote from Adriana on December 9, 2019, 3:58 pmBianca looked around, then stood up with a puzzled expression when she realized Toby wasn't moving closer. She started at a walk, then a brief jog up to the scrappy adolescent.
"I'm sorry- I wigged out again." the blonde sighed, tucking her thumbs underneath the straps of her backpack, long eyelashes falling down over her cheeks.
"Is something wrong?" she quickly changed the subject, looking up to Toby, then back over her shoulder. "Is there like.. a curse I don't know about or something?" big blue eyes inquiring earnestly, as though fully confident it was possible.
Bianca looked around, then stood up with a puzzled expression when she realized Toby wasn't moving closer. She started at a walk, then a brief jog up to the scrappy adolescent.
"I'm sorry- I wigged out again." the blonde sighed, tucking her thumbs underneath the straps of her backpack, long eyelashes falling down over her cheeks.
"Is something wrong?" she quickly changed the subject, looking up to Toby, then back over her shoulder. "Is there like.. a curse I don't know about or something?" big blue eyes inquiring earnestly, as though fully confident it was possible.
Quote from Kaqurei on December 10, 2019, 12:32 pm"A pack is a family," Sabrina said. Jackie's comment about a backup plan had touched a nerve, as evidenced by a flash in her eyes and the way her cheeks flushed, but as ever, she kept her cards close by choosing not to address it. "We don't have to swap secrets, we hardly trust each other enough for that. Besides, you never asked. I am asking you, however, what dangers your background poses to our family. The last time Melinda Channing came here she struck a deal with hunters. Maybe that was just to save you and she didn't know any better. But I can't help but feel there's more to it than that. She was in the area long before you were captured. So tell me, what help has she asked of you?"
"A pack is a family," Sabrina said. Jackie's comment about a backup plan had touched a nerve, as evidenced by a flash in her eyes and the way her cheeks flushed, but as ever, she kept her cards close by choosing not to address it. "We don't have to swap secrets, we hardly trust each other enough for that. Besides, you never asked. I am asking you, however, what dangers your background poses to our family. The last time Melinda Channing came here she struck a deal with hunters. Maybe that was just to save you and she didn't know any better. But I can't help but feel there's more to it than that. She was in the area long before you were captured. So tell me, what help has she asked of you?"
Quote from Indy on December 10, 2019, 2:04 pmJackie nodded and the dangerous forest creature in her eyes took a half step back. Every motion in her body fell still, the quietness unnatural on a person intended for constant motion. Sabrina had said it. The word she'd been looking for all along, that word she always kept at arm's reach but never had dared to say herself.
She exhaled. Now that the frantic energy was gone, the words were too. Elusive. Slipping. She fumbled with them a moment longer, seen only in the rapid movement of her eyes to some distant focal point.
"Melinda is my sister," she said softly, "And that makes her my family too..."
She hesitated, the words were there but every instinct rebelled to liberate them. Finally they brushed past her lips, their very utterance bringing an expression of pain, "But... I had a father once too. He found me in some alley halfway across the world and said I was his... but there was always a cost for his love"
She brought her eyes up hard on Sabrina, trying to find the ghost of the blush that had been on Sabrina's cheeks as if once she found it she could find any other expressio, "And I paid it. Over and over again. And I would have kept paying, except...".
Her voice faltered, then started up again like a dying car engine.
"I don't know what kind of trouble Melinda is in, but I only know whatever it is, it's because of me. She took a risk in leaving without me. We both knew that when Kratos sent her away, knew that it would never be so easy, that he would never let go..."
Her lips pursued and she stood up straighter. A hard edge caught her eyes and the feral forest creature returned once more, "She always bailed me out. Every time. I owe her this much. And if you try to stop me..."
Jackie nodded and the dangerous forest creature in her eyes took a half step back. Every motion in her body fell still, the quietness unnatural on a person intended for constant motion. Sabrina had said it. The word she'd been looking for all along, that word she always kept at arm's reach but never had dared to say herself.
She exhaled. Now that the frantic energy was gone, the words were too. Elusive. Slipping. She fumbled with them a moment longer, seen only in the rapid movement of her eyes to some distant focal point.
"Melinda is my sister," she said softly, "And that makes her my family too..."
She hesitated, the words were there but every instinct rebelled to liberate them. Finally they brushed past her lips, their very utterance bringing an expression of pain, "But... I had a father once too. He found me in some alley halfway across the world and said I was his... but there was always a cost for his love"
She brought her eyes up hard on Sabrina, trying to find the ghost of the blush that had been on Sabrina's cheeks as if once she found it she could find any other expressio, "And I paid it. Over and over again. And I would have kept paying, except...".
Her voice faltered, then started up again like a dying car engine.
"I don't know what kind of trouble Melinda is in, but I only know whatever it is, it's because of me. She took a risk in leaving without me. We both knew that when Kratos sent her away, knew that it would never be so easy, that he would never let go..."
Her lips pursued and she stood up straighter. A hard edge caught her eyes and the feral forest creature returned once more, "She always bailed me out. Every time. I owe her this much. And if you try to stop me..."
Quote from Kaqurei on December 10, 2019, 4:42 pm"--No," Sabrina said, sudden and almost urgent, like a sudden jag in a perfect smooth line, a cough in a silent crowd, or coffee spilt on a fresh white tablecloth. She paused, took a step back mentally, and smoothed her demeanor. Softened it. There was the return of poise and coolness. "No," she said again, her voice steady and controlled this time. "I'm not going to stop you."
Another pause.
"But."
A hesitance. Resolution.
"If you'll let me, I'd like to help you."
"--No," Sabrina said, sudden and almost urgent, like a sudden jag in a perfect smooth line, a cough in a silent crowd, or coffee spilt on a fresh white tablecloth. She paused, took a step back mentally, and smoothed her demeanor. Softened it. There was the return of poise and coolness. "No," she said again, her voice steady and controlled this time. "I'm not going to stop you."
Another pause.
"But."
A hesitance. Resolution.
"If you'll let me, I'd like to help you."
Quote from Indy on December 10, 2019, 8:27 pmThe feral thing in Jackie's eyes spluttered and went out like a dying star. A thousand possibilities played out in her mind, all of them terrible and yet... the more she thought of it, the less the future felt like a great, yawning shadow. She straightened the ball cap, tucking a few fly-aways from her face back under the hat as she nodded to herself.
"Okay".
She glanced down the hallway, now abandoned and quiet.
"First... I need to find out where Melinda stashed the car Kratos wrecked. I think she left something in there".
The feral thing in Jackie's eyes spluttered and went out like a dying star. A thousand possibilities played out in her mind, all of them terrible and yet... the more she thought of it, the less the future felt like a great, yawning shadow. She straightened the ball cap, tucking a few fly-aways from her face back under the hat as she nodded to herself.
"Okay".
She glanced down the hallway, now abandoned and quiet.
"First... I need to find out where Melinda stashed the car Kratos wrecked. I think she left something in there".
Quote from Adriana on December 20, 2019, 10:25 amLogan was awake. She was a deep sleeper until she woke up, then her mind had too many things it wanted to consider. She stepped off her bed with a thump, her bare feet still dirty. She wore a white tank top and black cotton shorts that landed mid thigh.
Her lavender eyes went over to the desk and chair in the corner. The instrument she had found hung by the strap at the corner of the chair, and draped over the back of the same seat was the fur cloak she had found. She picked that up first and knit her brows, feeling the fur between her fingers before drawing it up to her nose and smelling it. She could smell the wearer on it, but didn't know what to make of the scent. She threw it back on the chair, then picked up the instrument and turned it around in her hands, looking at the craftsmanship of the piece.
Climbing back onto the bed, she sat in the middle with her legs crossed easily over one another, and she drew the flute up to her mouth. She smelled it like she smelled the coat, and examined the leather strap and different holes. Then she lifted it to her lips and attempted to make a sound, but it came out as a dull whistle. Logan cocked an eyebrow and examined the top, looking over the spot that was carved, and deduced it was broke. Disappointed, she lowered the instrument into her lap and tucked a lock of her behind her right ear. That's when she noticed her own smell, and remembered the wound on her shoulder, examining the bruised and scabbed injury.
"I don't think I should lick it now."
Somehow the prospect seemed counterproductive as a human. Instead she decided to take a shower, as the dead rabbit was increasingly noticeable. On her bed sheets, too. She began to pull off the sheets and pillow cases after setting the flute aside, then carried them out of the room, into the hall and then the bathroom. The door was left open and she threw all the bedding into the bathtub, plugging the drain and switching on the hot water. She sat down in front of the tub while it filled up, yawning listlessly.
Laundry machine, what?
Logan was awake. She was a deep sleeper until she woke up, then her mind had too many things it wanted to consider. She stepped off her bed with a thump, her bare feet still dirty. She wore a white tank top and black cotton shorts that landed mid thigh.
Her lavender eyes went over to the desk and chair in the corner. The instrument she had found hung by the strap at the corner of the chair, and draped over the back of the same seat was the fur cloak she had found. She picked that up first and knit her brows, feeling the fur between her fingers before drawing it up to her nose and smelling it. She could smell the wearer on it, but didn't know what to make of the scent. She threw it back on the chair, then picked up the instrument and turned it around in her hands, looking at the craftsmanship of the piece.
Climbing back onto the bed, she sat in the middle with her legs crossed easily over one another, and she drew the flute up to her mouth. She smelled it like she smelled the coat, and examined the leather strap and different holes. Then she lifted it to her lips and attempted to make a sound, but it came out as a dull whistle. Logan cocked an eyebrow and examined the top, looking over the spot that was carved, and deduced it was broke. Disappointed, she lowered the instrument into her lap and tucked a lock of her behind her right ear. That's when she noticed her own smell, and remembered the wound on her shoulder, examining the bruised and scabbed injury.
"I don't think I should lick it now."
Somehow the prospect seemed counterproductive as a human. Instead she decided to take a shower, as the dead rabbit was increasingly noticeable. On her bed sheets, too. She began to pull off the sheets and pillow cases after setting the flute aside, then carried them out of the room, into the hall and then the bathroom. The door was left open and she threw all the bedding into the bathtub, plugging the drain and switching on the hot water. She sat down in front of the tub while it filled up, yawning listlessly.
Laundry machine, what?
Quote from Mae on December 23, 2019, 9:49 pmThe rustle of the red autumn trees faded into a dense muffle in the back of Ulric's mind. The grass recoiled around like diluted watercolors to the edge of his vision. The world seemed distant and dim as he stared into the eyes of the wolf.
Then, dawning out of silence, words found utterance.
"You were there." Ulric whispered, barely audible. Yet, across the field, beyond the wide gapping ditch, Timothy's ears turned slightly forward."You were there." Ulric said again. "You led me to her. You knew she was there - you had to know."
No indication of comprehension was given by the wolf. Timothy stared back like a muted animal; voiceless and dumb. It was, in fact, easy to believe he was exactly that.
Ulric found himself steadily rising. "You know how to get back there... don't you? Will you take me back to the cave?"
The wolf did not reply.
Before Ulric came back to the tension of reality, he found himself having crossed the field around the outside of the training arena. Timothy didn't let him get too close. In a moment, the wolf leapt up! He turned away in a blink and raced to the edge of the clearing, pausing just beside the bridge over the babbling brook... Ulric stood a moment under the tree where the wolf once lay, then, slowly, he followed.
The rustle of the red autumn trees faded into a dense muffle in the back of Ulric's mind. The grass recoiled around like diluted watercolors to the edge of his vision. The world seemed distant and dim as he stared into the eyes of the wolf.
Then, dawning out of silence, words found utterance.
"You were there." Ulric whispered, barely audible. Yet, across the field, beyond the wide gapping ditch, Timothy's ears turned slightly forward.
"You were there." Ulric said again. "You led me to her. You knew she was there - you had to know."
No indication of comprehension was given by the wolf. Timothy stared back like a muted animal; voiceless and dumb. It was, in fact, easy to believe he was exactly that.
Ulric found himself steadily rising. "You know how to get back there... don't you? Will you take me back to the cave?"
The wolf did not reply.
Before Ulric came back to the tension of reality, he found himself having crossed the field around the outside of the training arena. Timothy didn't let him get too close. In a moment, the wolf leapt up! He turned away in a blink and raced to the edge of the clearing, pausing just beside the bridge over the babbling brook... Ulric stood a moment under the tree where the wolf once lay, then, slowly, he followed.
Quote from Cat on December 24, 2019, 2:12 amToby smiled in a friendly manner as Bianca approached, but the smile soon fell to a look of perplexity as she asked a question. Haunted? He sure hoped it wasn't! But who could say for sure? What made a haunted place haunted? Cryptozoology is the one subject he hadn't studied.
"I think it still belongs to somebody." Toby said with a shrug. He didn't want to pursue this train of thought: Ghosts were the last thing he needed to accknowlede the existence of. Just thinking about ghosts was issuing an invitation for one to appear, and it wasn't like Phantom Mountain was scarce for those stories that ended with 'and they were never seen again'-- On the contrary, a lot of people had either gotten lost forever or died up in this mountain.
Toby shook these thoughts from his mind. "Thanks for waiting for me anyway." He said to Bianca, smiling again. "You're pretty fast."
Why did he say that? What if she found that offensive? Was being called fast the same as being called fat in a girl's mind? There is only one letter difference between to two words!! It was meant to be a compliment. Should he be complimenting her this early in their friendship? What if she thought he was flirting with her? How would he tell her about Jenn, or Jenn about her?!
The adventure continues as many decisions are made in ...
"Werewolves 13: Many Decisions "(1) Dangers, (2) Secrets, & (3)Echoes"[Navigation Information:]
- {Dangers} - Follows Sabrina and Jackie in pursuit of Melinda's clues.
- {Secrets} - Follows Ulric and Timothy up the mountain, as well as those who remain at the dens.
- {Echoes} - Follows Toby and Bianca to Reknab Bend.
Toby smiled in a friendly manner as Bianca approached, but the smile soon fell to a look of perplexity as she asked a question. Haunted? He sure hoped it wasn't! But who could say for sure? What made a haunted place haunted? Cryptozoology is the one subject he hadn't studied.
"I think it still belongs to somebody." Toby said with a shrug. He didn't want to pursue this train of thought: Ghosts were the last thing he needed to accknowlede the existence of. Just thinking about ghosts was issuing an invitation for one to appear, and it wasn't like Phantom Mountain was scarce for those stories that ended with 'and they were never seen again'-- On the contrary, a lot of people had either gotten lost forever or died up in this mountain.
Toby shook these thoughts from his mind. "Thanks for waiting for me anyway." He said to Bianca, smiling again. "You're pretty fast."
Why did he say that? What if she found that offensive? Was being called fast the same as being called fat in a girl's mind? There is only one letter difference between to two words!! It was meant to be a compliment. Should he be complimenting her this early in their friendship? What if she thought he was flirting with her? How would he tell her about Jenn, or Jenn about her?!
The adventure continues as many decisions are made in ...
"Werewolves 13: Many Decisions "(1) Dangers, (2) Secrets, & (3)Echoes"[Navigation Information:]
- {Dangers} - Follows Sabrina and Jackie in pursuit of Melinda's clues.
- {Secrets} - Follows Ulric and Timothy up the mountain, as well as those who remain at the dens.
- {Echoes} - Follows Toby and Bianca to Reknab Bend.
