Werewolves (RP13.3) Many Decisions: Echoes
Quote from Cat on December 3, 2020, 12:15 amToby was quite blind to the wolves of the graveyard. He knew they were there, of course, but the had become accustomed to the immensity of their number whilst a child. Once he asked his grandma about them, and if every headstone with a wolf was where a werewolf had been buried, she told him only that the wolves guarded the dead. All these years later, he'd never thought to clarify with her if that tale had been literal or metaphorical. Nowadays he just assumed it was a tradition started by the original pack of Phantom Mountain, and just kept alive by following pioneers who adopted it later.
Scout's remark made him smile, but also caused a sadness to enter his heart. There was a heritage woven into the soul of Reknab Bend, his heritage, and yet her knew nothing about it. That was upsetting, especially for a scholar.
Toby's hearing honed in on the whispered conversation behind him, entirely subconsciously and against his will. It would've been surprising to anyone to know how well Toby could hear Zander and Tito, given how distantly they stood from him, but for Toby it would be more surprising had someone said they couldn't hear it. He felt his heart leap when Tito mentioned wolves.
How did Tito know Zander was a wolf?! Was Tito a wolf too?... No. Tito couldn't be a wolf or he'd know their capabilities. So had Zander told Tito then?
Though come to think of it, Toby wondered if there was anybody currently living in Reknab Bend who DIDN'T know about the werewolves. His pack hadn't exactly been subtle, nor had any of the packs that sought them out, nor the hunters--- Nothing had been secret.
Toby was quite blind to the wolves of the graveyard. He knew they were there, of course, but the had become accustomed to the immensity of their number whilst a child. Once he asked his grandma about them, and if every headstone with a wolf was where a werewolf had been buried, she told him only that the wolves guarded the dead. All these years later, he'd never thought to clarify with her if that tale had been literal or metaphorical. Nowadays he just assumed it was a tradition started by the original pack of Phantom Mountain, and just kept alive by following pioneers who adopted it later.
Scout's remark made him smile, but also caused a sadness to enter his heart. There was a heritage woven into the soul of Reknab Bend, his heritage, and yet her knew nothing about it. That was upsetting, especially for a scholar.
Toby's hearing honed in on the whispered conversation behind him, entirely subconsciously and against his will. It would've been surprising to anyone to know how well Toby could hear Zander and Tito, given how distantly they stood from him, but for Toby it would be more surprising had someone said they couldn't hear it. He felt his heart leap when Tito mentioned wolves.
How did Tito know Zander was a wolf?! Was Tito a wolf too?... No. Tito couldn't be a wolf or he'd know their capabilities. So had Zander told Tito then?
Though come to think of it, Toby wondered if there was anybody currently living in Reknab Bend who DIDN'T know about the werewolves. His pack hadn't exactly been subtle, nor had any of the packs that sought them out, nor the hunters--- Nothing had been secret.
Quote from Indy on December 3, 2020, 9:58 pmZander sighed wearily, matching the stony eyes of the wolf. It looked out vaguely towards the graveyard, yet he somehow felt the eyes were still directed at him. It was funny the town’s closely guarded secret had been left to flaunt so clearly out in the open, but it made good sense. Unless you knew where to look, you could harmlessly flit past danger none-the-wiser.
Tito, unfortunately, had insisted he wanted to be wiser and had thus far ignored his pleas to look the other way. Half-in half-out, he still wasn’t sure how to make all the wolves disappear from Tito’s mind. The truth had got him into this mess - and he wasn’t sure it would get him out of it - yet the earnest in Tito’s voice betrayed in Zander a desire to at least be honest.
“Theoretically, maybe,” he said after a few moments in a low, soft voice, “There are, however, a number of shall we say logistical issues. One- the recent rain is a challenge, it would have washed away most of the smell. Some…er, of us… have learned to be adept at tracking in less-than-ideal conditions. I’ve never professed to be one of them”.
“Two," Zander continued, "I would not recommend striding out in plain daylight anywhere near the town. They’re on edge as it is, and exposure is a big no-no”.
"Three,” he returned a glance steadily towards Tito, “I can’t just go waltzing into another pack’s territory without asking permission. If he’s gone where I think he has, that’s a big no-go-zone unless I want serious bodily harm”.
He fell quiet. The truth, rarely, aligned so that it was what you wanted to hear.
His mind was still thinking, “But… I might know someone that could help. He has better resources than me… I could ask if he’d take a look”.
He glanced to Tito, feeling a little embarrassed by the intensity that took his voice, “But you’ll have to promise you’ll stay away from those mountains”.
Zander sighed wearily, matching the stony eyes of the wolf. It looked out vaguely towards the graveyard, yet he somehow felt the eyes were still directed at him. It was funny the town’s closely guarded secret had been left to flaunt so clearly out in the open, but it made good sense. Unless you knew where to look, you could harmlessly flit past danger none-the-wiser.
Tito, unfortunately, had insisted he wanted to be wiser and had thus far ignored his pleas to look the other way. Half-in half-out, he still wasn’t sure how to make all the wolves disappear from Tito’s mind. The truth had got him into this mess - and he wasn’t sure it would get him out of it - yet the earnest in Tito’s voice betrayed in Zander a desire to at least be honest.
“Theoretically, maybe,” he said after a few moments in a low, soft voice, “There are, however, a number of shall we say logistical issues. One- the recent rain is a challenge, it would have washed away most of the smell. Some…er, of us… have learned to be adept at tracking in less-than-ideal conditions. I’ve never professed to be one of them”.
“Two," Zander continued, "I would not recommend striding out in plain daylight anywhere near the town. They’re on edge as it is, and exposure is a big no-no”.
"Three,” he returned a glance steadily towards Tito, “I can’t just go waltzing into another pack’s territory without asking permission. If he’s gone where I think he has, that’s a big no-go-zone unless I want serious bodily harm”.
He fell quiet. The truth, rarely, aligned so that it was what you wanted to hear.
His mind was still thinking, “But… I might know someone that could help. He has better resources than me… I could ask if he’d take a look”.
He glanced to Tito, feeling a little embarrassed by the intensity that took his voice, “But you’ll have to promise you’ll stay away from those mountains”.
Quote from Mae on December 11, 2020, 10:33 pmScout had raised his eyes to scan the field of wolves, and it should happen Zander took interest in the same cut marble as the old gentleman, though the latter diverted his eyes on other particulars of the cemetery while the former entertained his guest.
It was unknown whether or not Scout overheard the conversation between Zander and Tito. He smiled as he looked around the cemetery and then he spoke quietly to Toby.
"I have something to tell you, my lad." He whispered. "But it is something your grandmother would not like you to hear. So, I leave it to you."His voice resumed its normal regular volume. "Do you want to hear it?"
Scout had raised his eyes to scan the field of wolves, and it should happen Zander took interest in the same cut marble as the old gentleman, though the latter diverted his eyes on other particulars of the cemetery while the former entertained his guest.
It was unknown whether or not Scout overheard the conversation between Zander and Tito. He smiled as he looked around the cemetery and then he spoke quietly to Toby.
"I have something to tell you, my lad." He whispered. "But it is something your grandmother would not like you to hear. So, I leave it to you."
His voice resumed its normal regular volume. "Do you want to hear it?"
Quote from Deleted user on December 12, 2020, 1:06 amTito was silent for a while, gaze now fallen to the ground. A heavy sense of grief could be felt in his countinance now, having slowly overtaken him.
" You don't think he's alive, do you..." He finally said softly.
Tito was silent for a while, gaze now fallen to the ground. A heavy sense of grief could be felt in his countinance now, having slowly overtaken him.
" You don't think he's alive, do you..." He finally said softly.
Quote from Indy on December 27, 2020, 10:15 pmZander was quiet a moment, his interest on the fallen tombstones.
"I don't know," he said finally, "But if he is, he's been taken in by the locals and you're more likely to get hurt by them than he is".
Zander was quiet a moment, his interest on the fallen tombstones.
"I don't know," he said finally, "But if he is, he's been taken in by the locals and you're more likely to get hurt by them than he is".
Quote from Deleted user on December 28, 2020, 10:39 pmZander's words offered little relief to Tito. His brows furrowed slightly.
" ...If he went into another packs territory, wouldn't they hurt him too…?" Tito said as he looked back at Zander.
Zander's words offered little relief to Tito. His brows furrowed slightly.
" ...If he went into another packs territory, wouldn't they hurt him too…?" Tito said as he looked back at Zander.
Quote from Indy on March 11, 2021, 10:49 pmZander looked aside to the question, far more interested in studying the stonework than anything else.
"I don't know," he admitted after a while, "Our world is not like the human world - there is no definitive law that all abide by. That goes out the window the moment you have the misfortune to be born as you are or attacked. For your friend, the cards are cast where they are. But you have a choice... think carefully about what you do with it"
He glanced away from the stonework at the final statement, looking at Tito with a serious expression. Finally he shrugged with a heavy, weary sigh.
"I already tried to get your friend to stay off the mountains. And failed. Now I'm sure I'll fail with you too. All I can say is, the moment you leave the town, be prepared to forfeit everything".
He did not elaborate further, nor give Tito much an opportunity before I turned aside. The young man started marching back among the gravestones again, at once returning to Toby and Scout.
Zander looked aside to the question, far more interested in studying the stonework than anything else.
"I don't know," he admitted after a while, "Our world is not like the human world - there is no definitive law that all abide by. That goes out the window the moment you have the misfortune to be born as you are or attacked. For your friend, the cards are cast where they are. But you have a choice... think carefully about what you do with it"
He glanced away from the stonework at the final statement, looking at Tito with a serious expression. Finally he shrugged with a heavy, weary sigh.
"I already tried to get your friend to stay off the mountains. And failed. Now I'm sure I'll fail with you too. All I can say is, the moment you leave the town, be prepared to forfeit everything".
He did not elaborate further, nor give Tito much an opportunity before I turned aside. The young man started marching back among the gravestones again, at once returning to Toby and Scout.
Quote from Deleted user on March 13, 2021, 10:43 amAs Zander walked away leaving his final words behind, conclusions were drawn. The heavy cloud of despair continued to weigh Tito down, as his eyes didn't acknowledge the grave stones around him. He turned and headed back to his truck parked outside the cemetery.
He didn't notice the moisture in his eyes till he was in the driver seat closing the door. Wiping them away, he now stared blankly at the road ahead of him in solemn reflection. What was he to do now? His friend was dead. Hope simply couldn't be mustered up any longer, as grief overcame him. His thoughts spiraled with memories of his friend as he tried to suppress his tears. It didn't seem real. Saber couldn't be dead, not after all of what he had survived. But as the hours dragged on, and Saber never had made it back to town after last night… It didn't bode well.
But then a memory took a hold of Tito, as if trying to offer even a sliver of hope. Tito remembered Saber's first transformation a few months back and the angry phone call he had received the next morning. He remembered how his friend was so weak, he didn't have almost any strength to walk on his own. Suddenly the reality of what happened hit him- Unless his stamina after transforming had improved, Saber likely was stuck with no way to return to town on his own. But any hope the thought had conjured up was quickly swept away at how that would've only made him easier to be killed by the mountain pack or the storm. He was certain his friends cold lifeless body now lied somewhere on that mountain; There was simply no hope he had survived.
After grieving quietly to himself for some time and saying one more prayer, Tito finally looked at the road ahead. This was not the time or place to let out all the sadness he felt. And so with a hard swallow and another wipe of his eye he started his truck's engine and began to head home to Pinerich.
As Zander walked away leaving his final words behind, conclusions were drawn. The heavy cloud of despair continued to weigh Tito down, as his eyes didn't acknowledge the grave stones around him. He turned and headed back to his truck parked outside the cemetery.
He didn't notice the moisture in his eyes till he was in the driver seat closing the door. Wiping them away, he now stared blankly at the road ahead of him in solemn reflection. What was he to do now? His friend was dead. Hope simply couldn't be mustered up any longer, as grief overcame him. His thoughts spiraled with memories of his friend as he tried to suppress his tears. It didn't seem real. Saber couldn't be dead, not after all of what he had survived. But as the hours dragged on, and Saber never had made it back to town after last night… It didn't bode well.
But then a memory took a hold of Tito, as if trying to offer even a sliver of hope. Tito remembered Saber's first transformation a few months back and the angry phone call he had received the next morning. He remembered how his friend was so weak, he didn't have almost any strength to walk on his own. Suddenly the reality of what happened hit him- Unless his stamina after transforming had improved, Saber likely was stuck with no way to return to town on his own. But any hope the thought had conjured up was quickly swept away at how that would've only made him easier to be killed by the mountain pack or the storm. He was certain his friends cold lifeless body now lied somewhere on that mountain; There was simply no hope he had survived.
After grieving quietly to himself for some time and saying one more prayer, Tito finally looked at the road ahead. This was not the time or place to let out all the sadness he felt. And so with a hard swallow and another wipe of his eye he started his truck's engine and began to head home to Pinerich.
Quote from Mae on April 7, 2021, 2:47 amDespite his promise, Scout blurted it all out before Toby made up his mind.
"The mountain, lad!" He said. "About the mountain. There is a secret to it that only the Guardians of the Archway knew - your ancestors, lad! Look at them."
Scout waved out at the field and hundreds of graves. "In 1859 by the time the graves were dug there would be nothing to bury. Ask yourself, lad, what were they trying to hide? Or rather... what did they want their children not to forget?"
"If you don't know, lad," Scout said, standing very straight. "Then it's all pointless. You are the last of the guardians - you and your grandma. Get it from her head, boy, before it is too late!"
To be continued in...
Despite his promise, Scout blurted it all out before Toby made up his mind.
"The mountain, lad!" He said. "About the mountain. There is a secret to it that only the Guardians of the Archway knew - your ancestors, lad! Look at them."
Scout waved out at the field and hundreds of graves. "In 1859 by the time the graves were dug there would be nothing to bury. Ask yourself, lad, what were they trying to hide? Or rather... what did they want their children not to forget?"
"If you don't know, lad," Scout said, standing very straight. "Then it's all pointless. You are the last of the guardians - you and your grandma. Get it from her head, boy, before it is too late!"
To be continued in...
