Werewolves (RP13.1) Many Decisions: Dangers
Quote from Indy on February 15, 2020, 10:53 pmJackie smacked her mouth, realizing somehow her mouth had gone dry. She scrunched up her nose as she tried to dig out the taste of cigarette butts. Some minor presence of mind nagged her to shut the car door so she did so; the ocean of information died down into a trickle. She settled herself in the familiar environment of the car.
Ignoring Sabrina's question, or more the point avoiding it, she glanced out the windshield curiously.
"If a squirrel ran out, would I want to chase it?"
Jackie smacked her mouth, realizing somehow her mouth had gone dry. She scrunched up her nose as she tried to dig out the taste of cigarette butts. Some minor presence of mind nagged her to shut the car door so she did so; the ocean of information died down into a trickle. She settled herself in the familiar environment of the car.
Ignoring Sabrina's question, or more the point avoiding it, she glanced out the windshield curiously.
"If a squirrel ran out, would I want to chase it?"
Quote from Kaqurei on February 15, 2020, 11:36 pm"That is entirely up to you, isn't it?" Sabrina asked. She looked pointedly at the car ahead of them, as though she could will it forward. When it did not budge, she sighed softly and drew her hand to her temple--and finding a wisp of hair out of place there, used the motion to set it to rights.
"Are you often in the habit of chasing squirrels? Surely there has been no lack of them at the mountain."
"That is entirely up to you, isn't it?" Sabrina asked. She looked pointedly at the car ahead of them, as though she could will it forward. When it did not budge, she sighed softly and drew her hand to her temple--and finding a wisp of hair out of place there, used the motion to set it to rights.
"Are you often in the habit of chasing squirrels? Surely there has been no lack of them at the mountain."
Quote from Indy on February 16, 2020, 7:50 pmJackie considered Sabrina's question thoughtfully as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her jacket. The smell still lingered.
"Not enough meat on a squirrel. Rabbits are better. Good eating on the haunches, sweet succulent meat, warm..."
She blinked abruptly, catching herself just before she started to drool. The campfire and rabbit pelts were only a memory now, but a rich one, and every pang of hunger painted the taste richly in her mouth. She shifted uncomfortably, picking at a small hangnail on her finger and focussing intently on the acrid, fading stench of cigarette to drive the fragrant sweetness of rabbit from her mind. She hadn't been hungry often during her time in the pack, particularly not right after a full moon, and now it was clear why.
"If this guy doesn't move in the next minute I am going to those bushes and hunting a big, juicy rat. It'll probably taste the same," she whined, feeling her previous anxiety, hunger, and desperation mounting.
Just as she said those words, by a miracle Mr. Slow Pokey pulled ahead.
Jackie considered Sabrina's question thoughtfully as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her jacket. The smell still lingered.
"Not enough meat on a squirrel. Rabbits are better. Good eating on the haunches, sweet succulent meat, warm..."
She blinked abruptly, catching herself just before she started to drool. The campfire and rabbit pelts were only a memory now, but a rich one, and every pang of hunger painted the taste richly in her mouth. She shifted uncomfortably, picking at a small hangnail on her finger and focussing intently on the acrid, fading stench of cigarette to drive the fragrant sweetness of rabbit from her mind. She hadn't been hungry often during her time in the pack, particularly not right after a full moon, and now it was clear why.
"If this guy doesn't move in the next minute I am going to those bushes and hunting a big, juicy rat. It'll probably taste the same," she whined, feeling her previous anxiety, hunger, and desperation mounting.
Just as she said those words, by a miracle Mr. Slow Pokey pulled ahead.
Quote from Kaqurei on February 22, 2020, 9:34 pm"Looks like the rat will be spared at present," Sabrina said. She turned her head and squinted at the menu again, recalling her choice and perhaps wondering if Jackie's rat might have been a better option. It was too late now, though.
The freckle-faced blonde teenager at the window looked almost as relieved that Slow Poke finally moved on as Jackie probably felt. If Jackie ever felt such an emotion as relief. Sabrina would have called everything in her companion's composure--expression, posture, the way she gripped the wheel--nothing short of feral. Perhaps the teen detected that was well, for he stiffened ever so subtly as they pulled up in front of him and he could make eye contact with his next set of customers.
"Uhh, Jill, the next order's ready now, right?" he asked a little uncertainly, looking over his shoulder.
"Looks like the rat will be spared at present," Sabrina said. She turned her head and squinted at the menu again, recalling her choice and perhaps wondering if Jackie's rat might have been a better option. It was too late now, though.
The freckle-faced blonde teenager at the window looked almost as relieved that Slow Poke finally moved on as Jackie probably felt. If Jackie ever felt such an emotion as relief. Sabrina would have called everything in her companion's composure--expression, posture, the way she gripped the wheel--nothing short of feral. Perhaps the teen detected that was well, for he stiffened ever so subtly as they pulled up in front of him and he could make eye contact with his next set of customers.
"Uhh, Jill, the next order's ready now, right?" he asked a little uncertainly, looking over his shoulder.
Quote from Indy on February 22, 2020, 10:03 pmJackie took Sabrina's humor with the enthusiasm of a snake. The pupils of her eyes still were narrowed and her fingertips clenched the steering wheel. For a moment she was taken aback of what to do next, as if her body was a strange machine and she had lost the control manual. Then she remembered to release her foot from the break and inched the little Beetle along.
She wouldn't have dared open the window again, if not for the juicy, juicy animal flesh that waited for her on the other side. She cranked the window downwards. The same assault brushed over her senses, but she had a goal in mind now. With laser focus, she settled on the boy behind the counter.
"Jerry," she read his nametag, gave a thoughtful sniff, and tried to peer past the window, "You're forgetting the dino fries"
Jackie took Sabrina's humor with the enthusiasm of a snake. The pupils of her eyes still were narrowed and her fingertips clenched the steering wheel. For a moment she was taken aback of what to do next, as if her body was a strange machine and she had lost the control manual. Then she remembered to release her foot from the break and inched the little Beetle along.
She wouldn't have dared open the window again, if not for the juicy, juicy animal flesh that waited for her on the other side. She cranked the window downwards. The same assault brushed over her senses, but she had a goal in mind now. With laser focus, she settled on the boy behind the counter.
"Jerry," she read his nametag, gave a thoughtful sniff, and tried to peer past the window, "You're forgetting the dino fries"
Quote from Kaqurei on March 14, 2020, 5:02 pmThe guy visibly startled when Jackie spoke, then flipped around and checked. "Oh, yeah, you're right--we'll get those right out for you!" He half turned again, this time towards the window. "How did you...?"
"Educated guess," Sabrina said briskly. "Do hurry up. Service here is appalling. You were bound to forget something."
And Jerry's face turned bright red.
Jill hurriedly stuffed the dimo fries into one bag and shoved the bunch into Jerry's arms, muttering something under her breath.
The guy visibly startled when Jackie spoke, then flipped around and checked. "Oh, yeah, you're right--we'll get those right out for you!" He half turned again, this time towards the window. "How did you...?"
"Educated guess," Sabrina said briskly. "Do hurry up. Service here is appalling. You were bound to forget something."
And Jerry's face turned bright red.
Jill hurriedly stuffed the dimo fries into one bag and shoved the bunch into Jerry's arms, muttering something under her breath.
Quote from Indy on March 19, 2020, 9:44 pmThe redhead continued to watch the window blinklessly, her nostrils occasionally flaring as a new wave of flavorful meat juices made her acquaintance. The only semblance of self control was the measured tempo of her breath, each inhale and exhale so perfectly timed it was if it was set to metronome.
Still, she felt as if she were missing something. Meat. Meat went in sack. And dino fries. Then she obtained said sack? It seemed simple. And yet... and yet...
Her order.
The reptile eyes blinked at once, not certain how she'd neglected to put in her order, and not realizing how her own presence had shaken the diligent workers from their routine.
She took in a breath. Then she said the order aloud, quite clearly. Jackie was certain it had been clear, anyways, even if she'd neglected to breath between words.
"Got all that?" she huffed. Of course they had. They were professionals. And they'd know better not to have gotten it all.
"And don't forget the ketchup," she replied thoughtfully.
The redhead continued to watch the window blinklessly, her nostrils occasionally flaring as a new wave of flavorful meat juices made her acquaintance. The only semblance of self control was the measured tempo of her breath, each inhale and exhale so perfectly timed it was if it was set to metronome.
Still, she felt as if she were missing something. Meat. Meat went in sack. And dino fries. Then she obtained said sack? It seemed simple. And yet... and yet...
Her order.
The reptile eyes blinked at once, not certain how she'd neglected to put in her order, and not realizing how her own presence had shaken the diligent workers from their routine.
She took in a breath. Then she said the order aloud, quite clearly. Jackie was certain it had been clear, anyways, even if she'd neglected to breath between words.
"Got all that?" she huffed. Of course they had. They were professionals. And they'd know better not to have gotten it all.
"And don't forget the ketchup," she replied thoughtfully.
Quote from Kaqurei on April 14, 2020, 10:16 amSabrina had become preoccupied with methodically picking a nail. After the order had been placed and there was a moment of silence, she looked at Jackie again. "Ordinarily I would wait until we have been adequately fed to discuss the finer points of our mission," she said, "But lest we stray the course, perhaps we a refresher is due. What can you tell me about the situation Melinda is in? From our last conversation regarding the matter, I gather she was supposed to bring you back to your father when she left the Mountain..."
Sabrina had become preoccupied with methodically picking a nail. After the order had been placed and there was a moment of silence, she looked at Jackie again. "Ordinarily I would wait until we have been adequately fed to discuss the finer points of our mission," she said, "But lest we stray the course, perhaps we a refresher is due. What can you tell me about the situation Melinda is in? From our last conversation regarding the matter, I gather she was supposed to bring you back to your father when she left the Mountain..."
Quote from Indy on April 14, 2020, 9:28 pmJackie's face stayed glued to the window, her glare keeping the fast-food workers painfully, painfully aware what tardiness might yield. She was a woman on a mission, a woman in search of this complete breakfast...
Except... that wasn't what she were here for was it? Sabrina's voice echoed in the back of her mind, and their last conversation snapped back like a rubber band, warring fiendishly against the delicious odors in the air. She shivered slightly. Then she eased her fingers to roll the windows back up, lest her mind go into a civil war.
She exhaled breathlessly as the window was closed, and yet enough smell now lingered inside the car that hunting down words proved difficult.
"She...." she blinked, "Sent me a letter. The name she signed..."
She rolled her fingers onto her temples, then hunkered her head between her forearms as if it was some kind of shield. Her eyes closed as she focussed intently
"Once.... I ticked off the son of some governor, cheated in a bet or something I don't remember. He got mad, I punched him in the face, he called the cops. I spent the night in jail -- and I just remember thinking, there was no way I'd get out of this, not even with Melinda there to smear some paperwork. That I'd finally done it, and I'd be making license plates for the rest of my life.
... Except then the guard told me my sister Nina was here to pick me up. She'd never used that name before, and she looked so serious..."
She sighed, "And another time, I'd gotten into a car wreck, spent the night in the hospital... Melinda didn't know where I'd disappeared to, I think she'd scoured hospital records for the better part of the night until she found me... and then I remember the nurse saying, 'Your sister Nina is here to see you', and when I saw her, she looked terrified".
She blinked slowly, opening her eyes, "I don't know exactly what trouble Melinda is in. She wrote in code because she must have thought someone else could read it... the name Nina, though, I know that means trouble".
Jackie's face stayed glued to the window, her glare keeping the fast-food workers painfully, painfully aware what tardiness might yield. She was a woman on a mission, a woman in search of this complete breakfast...
Except... that wasn't what she were here for was it? Sabrina's voice echoed in the back of her mind, and their last conversation snapped back like a rubber band, warring fiendishly against the delicious odors in the air. She shivered slightly. Then she eased her fingers to roll the windows back up, lest her mind go into a civil war.
She exhaled breathlessly as the window was closed, and yet enough smell now lingered inside the car that hunting down words proved difficult.
"She...." she blinked, "Sent me a letter. The name she signed..."
She rolled her fingers onto her temples, then hunkered her head between her forearms as if it was some kind of shield. Her eyes closed as she focussed intently
"Once.... I ticked off the son of some governor, cheated in a bet or something I don't remember. He got mad, I punched him in the face, he called the cops. I spent the night in jail -- and I just remember thinking, there was no way I'd get out of this, not even with Melinda there to smear some paperwork. That I'd finally done it, and I'd be making license plates for the rest of my life.
... Except then the guard told me my sister Nina was here to pick me up. She'd never used that name before, and she looked so serious..."
She sighed, "And another time, I'd gotten into a car wreck, spent the night in the hospital... Melinda didn't know where I'd disappeared to, I think she'd scoured hospital records for the better part of the night until she found me... and then I remember the nurse saying, 'Your sister Nina is here to see you', and when I saw her, she looked terrified".
She blinked slowly, opening her eyes, "I don't know exactly what trouble Melinda is in. She wrote in code because she must have thought someone else could read it... the name Nina, though, I know that means trouble".
Quote from Kaqurei on April 25, 2020, 11:37 amSabrina watched every twitch, every flicker of movement as Jackie spoke. Except for Timothy, in whom she had a vested interest, she'd not spent a lot of one-on-one time with any member of the pack. Some part of her perhaps wouldn't commit fully until she gained the Alpha's approval, perhaps. So why then was she so invested now, when he'd made his position perfectly clear and she'd all but resigned to leave?
But she was invested. Jackie was fascinating. Like the flame of a candle; energy untamed, but controlled for now. Keep it steady, keep it quiet, and you would have useful light and warmth as it danced restlessly on its perch... yet a simple spill would be all it would take to unleash its wild destructive power. Truly, Jackie's most destructive moments had been spawned after a simple mistake or left unattended for too many seconds. From there they grew exponentially. Just like a flame.
Now the flame had a past. A past far more complicated than Sabrina ever assumed.
She nodded thoughtfully as Jackie finished. "What else did she say?"
Sabrina watched every twitch, every flicker of movement as Jackie spoke. Except for Timothy, in whom she had a vested interest, she'd not spent a lot of one-on-one time with any member of the pack. Some part of her perhaps wouldn't commit fully until she gained the Alpha's approval, perhaps. So why then was she so invested now, when he'd made his position perfectly clear and she'd all but resigned to leave?
But she was invested. Jackie was fascinating. Like the flame of a candle; energy untamed, but controlled for now. Keep it steady, keep it quiet, and you would have useful light and warmth as it danced restlessly on its perch... yet a simple spill would be all it would take to unleash its wild destructive power. Truly, Jackie's most destructive moments had been spawned after a simple mistake or left unattended for too many seconds. From there they grew exponentially. Just like a flame.
Now the flame had a past. A past far more complicated than Sabrina ever assumed.
She nodded thoughtfully as Jackie finished. "What else did she say?"
