Werewolves (RP13.2) Many Decisions: Secrets
Quote from Mae on July 11, 2020, 10:43 pm******
Ulric finished wiping away the last streak of elk blood off the floor. All that remained now were the orange-red paw prints outside the glass on the sliding door.Ulric sighed. He rinsed his washcloth under cold water and wrung it out.
"Where is everyone?" He wondered, not for the first time. The uncharacteristic silence permeating the house left an odd sense of vacancy at the werewolf den. Even the clearing outside was quieter than usual...Ulric stepped out on the back porch and closed the door behind him. He turned to wash the glass door, but paused. He looked at the dried vertical lines stretching over the empty kitchen. His arms felt heavy from the day's care. He sighed again. He lifted the rag and began rubbing away. Then, there was a sound around the corner of the house. Ulric stopped, and looked.
The sound was followed by uncomfortable silence.
"...Timothy?" Ulric said. He held his rag tightly but leaned out from the door to look around the corner. He could see nothing.
"Tim?" He muttered, quieter.
Oddly, Ulric felt his legs turn stiff like lead. He stood, and waited. Then, he slowly started rubbing again.
Suddenly, another sound came around the same corner, followed by a maddened sparrow! Ulric visibly jumped. The bird whizzed around the corner in a maddened frenzy, only to aloft in a tree halfway across the clearing and take up in twittering hysteria. Ulric looked at the corner again, this time more than a little alarmed.
"Timothy, is that you?" There was no good reason to ask - Timothy would not answer even if it was him. But in solitude, one is apt to feel comforted if only by the sound of his or her own voice.
Ulric cautiously approached the corner, waiting at any moment for a jump-scare or something else to send him flying back. How he wished he could take his secondary form! He could feel it, buzzing like electricity at his fingertips. But he knew in his heart that his body could not be taxed again, or the consequences would be great. Still, he stepped closer to that corner, and when he was able, he looked around it.
The sight that met his eyes was indeed startling. It was Timothy, but he was laying face down in the mud with his wet paw up against the side of the house. His head was beneath him, and he didn't appear to be breathing.
Ulric's good nature disregarded the obvious uncertainty of the situation, not for the last time. But Timothy did not jump up and writhe around to face him, maw blanched and teeth poised to sink into his skin. Ulric fell to his knees and flung Timothy onto his back. Timothy's mouth was full of mud and his eyes were rolled back.
"Timothy!" Ulric exclaimed, shaking the life back into him. Timothy's claws curled as he choked and sputtered.
"Timothy, you've got to change back! Don't you see you're killing yourself?" Ulric said. "You've got to change back!"Timothy breathed out two short breaths, perhaps in defiance, but when no air seemed keen on returning to him, he shrunk and relented. When he returned to his human form, Ulric could see how pale he was. His arms and legs were trembling violently. He turned himself over and heaved on the ground for several minutes. Ulric too was trembling by the time Timothy stopped. Then he two sat still, breathing restlessly for a moment.
"Come on," Ulric said at last. "Let me get you inside."
~
Steam filled the hall when the bathroom opened. Ulric guided Timothy to his own room and quietly laid him in bed. Then Ulric slipped out into the hall, and remembering that he had yet to feed his other patient, he slid to the floor and laid his head on his knees, quietly moaning.
******
Ulric finished wiping away the last streak of elk blood off the floor. All that remained now were the orange-red paw prints outside the glass on the sliding door.
Ulric sighed. He rinsed his washcloth under cold water and wrung it out.
"Where is everyone?" He wondered, not for the first time. The uncharacteristic silence permeating the house left an odd sense of vacancy at the werewolf den. Even the clearing outside was quieter than usual...
Ulric stepped out on the back porch and closed the door behind him. He turned to wash the glass door, but paused. He looked at the dried vertical lines stretching over the empty kitchen. His arms felt heavy from the day's care. He sighed again. He lifted the rag and began rubbing away. Then, there was a sound around the corner of the house. Ulric stopped, and looked.
The sound was followed by uncomfortable silence.
"...Timothy?" Ulric said. He held his rag tightly but leaned out from the door to look around the corner. He could see nothing.
"Tim?" He muttered, quieter.
Oddly, Ulric felt his legs turn stiff like lead. He stood, and waited. Then, he slowly started rubbing again.
Suddenly, another sound came around the same corner, followed by a maddened sparrow! Ulric visibly jumped. The bird whizzed around the corner in a maddened frenzy, only to aloft in a tree halfway across the clearing and take up in twittering hysteria. Ulric looked at the corner again, this time more than a little alarmed.
"Timothy, is that you?" There was no good reason to ask - Timothy would not answer even if it was him. But in solitude, one is apt to feel comforted if only by the sound of his or her own voice.
Ulric cautiously approached the corner, waiting at any moment for a jump-scare or something else to send him flying back. How he wished he could take his secondary form! He could feel it, buzzing like electricity at his fingertips. But he knew in his heart that his body could not be taxed again, or the consequences would be great. Still, he stepped closer to that corner, and when he was able, he looked around it.
The sight that met his eyes was indeed startling. It was Timothy, but he was laying face down in the mud with his wet paw up against the side of the house. His head was beneath him, and he didn't appear to be breathing.
Ulric's good nature disregarded the obvious uncertainty of the situation, not for the last time. But Timothy did not jump up and writhe around to face him, maw blanched and teeth poised to sink into his skin. Ulric fell to his knees and flung Timothy onto his back. Timothy's mouth was full of mud and his eyes were rolled back.
"Timothy!" Ulric exclaimed, shaking the life back into him. Timothy's claws curled as he choked and sputtered.
"Timothy, you've got to change back! Don't you see you're killing yourself?" Ulric said. "You've got to change back!"
Timothy breathed out two short breaths, perhaps in defiance, but when no air seemed keen on returning to him, he shrunk and relented. When he returned to his human form, Ulric could see how pale he was. His arms and legs were trembling violently. He turned himself over and heaved on the ground for several minutes. Ulric too was trembling by the time Timothy stopped. Then he two sat still, breathing restlessly for a moment.
"Come on," Ulric said at last. "Let me get you inside."
~
Steam filled the hall when the bathroom opened. Ulric guided Timothy to his own room and quietly laid him in bed. Then Ulric slipped out into the hall, and remembering that he had yet to feed his other patient, he slid to the floor and laid his head on his knees, quietly moaning.
Quote from Adriana on July 12, 2020, 8:56 pmThe downstairs door opened and closed softly. There was rustling, followed almost immediately by the sound of pots and pans clanking...
--
Bianca had turned away from the Phantom Mountain, fleeing from Reknab Bend and thinking she might never turn back. Her own monsters told her to keep running, running until her legs gave out, and if it was only half way to nowhere, and she lay there until her last breath, that would be alright.
She was a quarter of the way there when she remembered the empty fridge, and Chime and Theo and the rest in the mountains, bound to come back starving, on the verge of death. It wasn't about her- she had been so selfish. Kratos had entrusted her with the title of den mother, and entrusted her with the funds to care for the pack.
Duty bound, but bound nonetheless, she turned around and stopped into Reknab Bend, only long enough to go into the convenience store, dodge the crowds, and grab a few items, before running back to face the monsters.
--
... The blonde worked quickly to pour broth into a pan and heat it, and on another counter she began chopping vegetables... undoubtedly not enough of a portion for an entire pack, but it was all she could carry out of town in two hands, and a maw when she had gotten on the back roads. Her hands still had red indentations where the some six-seven sacks had begun to dig into her skin. The clerk wondered why she was putting the food in about five bags each and gave her a long, odd look, but she hadn't noticed. She hadn't noticed much of anything. Adrenalin and anxiety filled her veins even now, but she would try and smother in the scent of celery and.. what was that? Blood? She sniffed the air and bright blue eyes looked to the sliding door. She stopped chopping vegetables and scooped them up, dropping them in the pan with salt and pepper, ignoring the scent and the stains because she couldn't stop working, or the monsters would get in and the soup would scald. She began to mix flour in a bowl with water and cream in spite of her shaking hands.
The downstairs door opened and closed softly. There was rustling, followed almost immediately by the sound of pots and pans clanking...
--
Bianca had turned away from the Phantom Mountain, fleeing from Reknab Bend and thinking she might never turn back. Her own monsters told her to keep running, running until her legs gave out, and if it was only half way to nowhere, and she lay there until her last breath, that would be alright.
She was a quarter of the way there when she remembered the empty fridge, and Chime and Theo and the rest in the mountains, bound to come back starving, on the verge of death. It wasn't about her- she had been so selfish. Kratos had entrusted her with the title of den mother, and entrusted her with the funds to care for the pack.
Duty bound, but bound nonetheless, she turned around and stopped into Reknab Bend, only long enough to go into the convenience store, dodge the crowds, and grab a few items, before running back to face the monsters.
--
... The blonde worked quickly to pour broth into a pan and heat it, and on another counter she began chopping vegetables... undoubtedly not enough of a portion for an entire pack, but it was all she could carry out of town in two hands, and a maw when she had gotten on the back roads. Her hands still had red indentations where the some six-seven sacks had begun to dig into her skin. The clerk wondered why she was putting the food in about five bags each and gave her a long, odd look, but she hadn't noticed. She hadn't noticed much of anything. Adrenalin and anxiety filled her veins even now, but she would try and smother in the scent of celery and.. what was that? Blood? She sniffed the air and bright blue eyes looked to the sliding door. She stopped chopping vegetables and scooped them up, dropping them in the pan with salt and pepper, ignoring the scent and the stains because she couldn't stop working, or the monsters would get in and the soup would scald. She began to mix flour in a bowl with water and cream in spite of her shaking hands.
Quote from Adriana on July 12, 2020, 9:12 pm---
Logan was many things - strong, proud, a deep thinker - but nimble and precise were not among those qualities. When it came to cautiously navigating a treacherous mountainside, Logan was clearly ill at ease- oftentimes she would feel a piece of land with the staff before trusting it's heft, seeing how the mountain had so easily loosed the rocks only hours ago.
Two previous incidents on the mountain, and one close call, taught Logan that heft and gravity did not often work in her favor.
One crossing that was reduced to all but sloped gravel, stopped her. Logan reached out the end of the stick and touched it, watching rocks crackle and tumble down the side, falling into the tops of trees when the land seemed to vanish beneath them. Kratos had somehow crossed it, but she had been occupied with not dying and lacked her usual observational skills.
"I am going back. There is another way somewhere else." she said, squatting near the ground.
---
Logan was many things - strong, proud, a deep thinker - but nimble and precise were not among those qualities. When it came to cautiously navigating a treacherous mountainside, Logan was clearly ill at ease- oftentimes she would feel a piece of land with the staff before trusting it's heft, seeing how the mountain had so easily loosed the rocks only hours ago.
Two previous incidents on the mountain, and one close call, taught Logan that heft and gravity did not often work in her favor.
One crossing that was reduced to all but sloped gravel, stopped her. Logan reached out the end of the stick and touched it, watching rocks crackle and tumble down the side, falling into the tops of trees when the land seemed to vanish beneath them. Kratos had somehow crossed it, but she had been occupied with not dying and lacked her usual observational skills.
"I am going back. There is another way somewhere else." she said, squatting near the ground.
Quote from Mae on July 14, 2020, 2:52 amUlric was tired. Last night, he suffered head trauma and a concussion in the fall that re-injured the same arm that Harvey's dog attacked over three months ago. Already this morning he had climbed and descended a wet, slippery mountain, defended a stranger from a pack member, cleaned the kitchen, and bathed that same pack member to place him in his own bed. It must have been past noon now, but who had time to keep time? The thought of Mercy and her child still weighed on him. He knew that somehow he had to feed his unofficial patients and get down to Zeit's house before... But Ulric was so tired and in such considerable pain. He could do nothing but sit on the wood floor.
Ulric was staring hard at his hands for a long time before he actually began to see them. When he finally took notice, and saw the swirls on his fingertips, his thoughts went suddenly quiet. Strange to think in that moment, strange to consider, a thing he remembered noticing for the first time as a very little boy. Someone once taught him that everyone's fingerprint is different. He believed it, but there was always some quiet wondering if it were so. How could there be so daunting and so vast a number of variants to a single pattern? Perhaps, if the fact could be reasoned with, one might consider the vast number of people whose fingerprints had never been recorded. Might there not be a match somewhere in the past? But no, everyone possessed a unique fingerprint. In Ulric's mind, this was a consoling thought, for he knew or had been taught to believe that every soul was unique, and that there was Someone watching out for each and every one.
At that moment, Ulric heard the front door open and the scent of the mountain waft through on a cold breeze. His amber eyes like glinting lanterns came up.
*****
When Ulric came downstairs and looked quietly into the kitchen, he saw Bianca. She was turned away from him, with her face toward the stove. Her ears were pink with the warmth of the steam that rose past her face. Her knuckles were white on the spoon as she stirred with vigor. The colors she wore seemed bright and beautiful despite the dim kitchen light. The only evidence of the day was how her hair, made pristine that morning, was now perfectly tussled in a motherly way. She looked very much like an angel.
Ulric stepped into the kitchen behind her quietly. Forgetting that human shoes are not as quiet as werewolf paws, he thought he was in his alternative form. He didn't notice how light his feet were, or that he didn't make a sound when he entered. He simply swiveled around her and rested his elbow on the counter top to see her face, and voice the one thing that came to his mind.
"Did you go to Middlecrest today?" He said. His face poorly kept the ghost of a smile concealed.
Ulric was tired. Last night, he suffered head trauma and a concussion in the fall that re-injured the same arm that Harvey's dog attacked over three months ago. Already this morning he had climbed and descended a wet, slippery mountain, defended a stranger from a pack member, cleaned the kitchen, and bathed that same pack member to place him in his own bed. It must have been past noon now, but who had time to keep time? The thought of Mercy and her child still weighed on him. He knew that somehow he had to feed his unofficial patients and get down to Zeit's house before... But Ulric was so tired and in such considerable pain. He could do nothing but sit on the wood floor.
Ulric was staring hard at his hands for a long time before he actually began to see them. When he finally took notice, and saw the swirls on his fingertips, his thoughts went suddenly quiet. Strange to think in that moment, strange to consider, a thing he remembered noticing for the first time as a very little boy. Someone once taught him that everyone's fingerprint is different. He believed it, but there was always some quiet wondering if it were so. How could there be so daunting and so vast a number of variants to a single pattern? Perhaps, if the fact could be reasoned with, one might consider the vast number of people whose fingerprints had never been recorded. Might there not be a match somewhere in the past? But no, everyone possessed a unique fingerprint. In Ulric's mind, this was a consoling thought, for he knew or had been taught to believe that every soul was unique, and that there was Someone watching out for each and every one.
At that moment, Ulric heard the front door open and the scent of the mountain waft through on a cold breeze. His amber eyes like glinting lanterns came up.
*****
When Ulric came downstairs and looked quietly into the kitchen, he saw Bianca. She was turned away from him, with her face toward the stove. Her ears were pink with the warmth of the steam that rose past her face. Her knuckles were white on the spoon as she stirred with vigor. The colors she wore seemed bright and beautiful despite the dim kitchen light. The only evidence of the day was how her hair, made pristine that morning, was now perfectly tussled in a motherly way. She looked very much like an angel.
Ulric stepped into the kitchen behind her quietly. Forgetting that human shoes are not as quiet as werewolf paws, he thought he was in his alternative form. He didn't notice how light his feet were, or that he didn't make a sound when he entered. He simply swiveled around her and rested his elbow on the counter top to see her face, and voice the one thing that came to his mind.
"Did you go to Middlecrest today?" He said. His face poorly kept the ghost of a smile concealed.
Quote from Mae on July 15, 2020, 12:09 am*****
Kratos looked over his shoulder and surveyed the obstacle at Logan's feet. Tact, he knew, was not her forte, and the landing indeed required a tactful step to cross. He had himself crossed in possession of his secondary form - four feet made for better balance that two, after all."Do you have the strength to change now?" He said.
*****
Kratos looked over his shoulder and surveyed the obstacle at Logan's feet. Tact, he knew, was not her forte, and the landing indeed required a tactful step to cross. He had himself crossed in possession of his secondary form - four feet made for better balance that two, after all.
"Do you have the strength to change now?" He said.
Quote from Adriana on July 15, 2020, 8:36 pmBianca jumped inwardly, but managed against a physical reaction which might have sent scalding broth in every which way. Exhaling, she rested the ladle on the counter and flexed her fingers a couple of times.
"Mhm." she responded, observing the bubbling gold broth. She picked up an egg timer from beside the stove and set it for thirty minutes.
Now she washed and dried her hands, before turning to face Ulric. Somehow, in spite all of the bumps and bruises, he was able to smile, however faintly. Bianca smiled too, but not with her eyes the way Ulric did.
"Are you alright, Ulric?" she asked, noticing something different in his disposition and expression. She blinked and studied his eyes intently, before reaching a hand forward and placing a hand under his jaw. "Watch my finger with your eyes," she said, taking her pointer finger and holding it up, before moving it side to side, up and down.
Bianca jumped inwardly, but managed against a physical reaction which might have sent scalding broth in every which way. Exhaling, she rested the ladle on the counter and flexed her fingers a couple of times.
"Mhm." she responded, observing the bubbling gold broth. She picked up an egg timer from beside the stove and set it for thirty minutes.
Now she washed and dried her hands, before turning to face Ulric. Somehow, in spite all of the bumps and bruises, he was able to smile, however faintly. Bianca smiled too, but not with her eyes the way Ulric did.
"Are you alright, Ulric?" she asked, noticing something different in his disposition and expression. She blinked and studied his eyes intently, before reaching a hand forward and placing a hand under his jaw. "Watch my finger with your eyes," she said, taking her pointer finger and holding it up, before moving it side to side, up and down.
Quote from Adriana on July 22, 2020, 7:01 pmLogan looked on cautiously and sat down, crossing her legs. "Ehhh... the bigger they are," she cast her eyes skeptically down the slope again. "I do not know how you move like you do... there is not this thing called, ah, gravity for you?"
She began to focus on changing forms, but seemed at a loss. Before any physical change had even taken place, she was sweating and her knuckles were white across her fingers, which were wrapped tight on her knees.
"Augh... no.." she panted. Instead she scooted to the ruins of the small ledge, and shifted onto the gravelly slop using all for hands and legs, with her belly towards the sky for better leverage. She kept the staff in her hand and continued in the same manner until she had reached the opposite side, grappling the flattened surface and scrambled up it, gravel shifting against her weight and nearly taking her feet out from under her!
Nonetheless, she had survive the trek and look down to see the earth shifting and sliding, gravels setting loose bigger and higher quantities of stone on the way down, the tall trees swaying and limbs breaking below.
"Haha..." she chuckled, in spite of her wide eyes and sweaty brow, then moved over to Kratos and would henceforth follow his footsteps more closely.
Logan looked on cautiously and sat down, crossing her legs. "Ehhh... the bigger they are," she cast her eyes skeptically down the slope again. "I do not know how you move like you do... there is not this thing called, ah, gravity for you?"
She began to focus on changing forms, but seemed at a loss. Before any physical change had even taken place, she was sweating and her knuckles were white across her fingers, which were wrapped tight on her knees.
"Augh... no.." she panted. Instead she scooted to the ruins of the small ledge, and shifted onto the gravelly slop using all for hands and legs, with her belly towards the sky for better leverage. She kept the staff in her hand and continued in the same manner until she had reached the opposite side, grappling the flattened surface and scrambled up it, gravel shifting against her weight and nearly taking her feet out from under her!
Nonetheless, she had survive the trek and look down to see the earth shifting and sliding, gravels setting loose bigger and higher quantities of stone on the way down, the tall trees swaying and limbs breaking below.
"Haha..." she chuckled, in spite of her wide eyes and sweaty brow, then moved over to Kratos and would henceforth follow his footsteps more closely.
Quote from Mae on July 23, 2020, 1:31 amUlric flinched for the suddenness of Bianca's examination and unaccustomed to being touched. For a moment he narrowed his eyes and watched her finger move left and right, up and down. Then his eyes became fixed on something on her hand and his expression changed.
"Bianca," he said accusingly and concerned. He caught her hand with his and looked at it closely. "You did." He confirmed for himself. "- you carried all those bags up the mountain."
Now Ulric showed Bianca the mark on her palms that gave her away, and he looked very seriously at her. "I told you not to." He said. "Why did you run away?"
Ulric flinched for the suddenness of Bianca's examination and unaccustomed to being touched. For a moment he narrowed his eyes and watched her finger move left and right, up and down. Then his eyes became fixed on something on her hand and his expression changed.
"Bianca," he said accusingly and concerned. He caught her hand with his and looked at it closely. "You did." He confirmed for himself. "- you carried all those bags up the mountain."
Now Ulric showed Bianca the mark on her palms that gave her away, and he looked very seriously at her. "I told you not to." He said. "Why did you run away?"
Quote from Adriana on July 24, 2020, 9:36 pmBianca flinched likewise, her wrist tensing. Even as Ulric tried to show her the marks her eyes stayed fixed on his, rapidly moving between them with her brow knit. She pulled her wrist away, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"I don't know," she responded somewhat untruthfully-she had ideas, but they were hard to explain; more so hard to explain without feeling like a burden or a coward. The thought of breaking down in front of Ulric on top of Kratos and Toby made her suck up her tears. "Why don't you take a nap, Ulric? I'll watch the others and wake you up when the foods ready."
Bianca flinched likewise, her wrist tensing. Even as Ulric tried to show her the marks her eyes stayed fixed on his, rapidly moving between them with her brow knit. She pulled her wrist away, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"I don't know," she responded somewhat untruthfully-she had ideas, but they were hard to explain; more so hard to explain without feeling like a burden or a coward. The thought of breaking down in front of Ulric on top of Kratos and Toby made her suck up her tears. "Why don't you take a nap, Ulric? I'll watch the others and wake you up when the foods ready."
Quote from Mae on July 25, 2020, 12:31 amUlric listened and his expression softened.
"Bianca," he said gently. "What's wrong?"Very clearly, whatever was wrong maintained a place too sensitive to reach, and lest his pursuit cause her to take flight again, Ulric moved away. He went to the refrigerator and let her know with several short glances that he was still listening, but he divided his attention so she would not feel cornered.
"I'm fine." He said reassuringly. "I'm not good at taking naps anyway, I'm always afraid I'll miss something."
He quickly diced his cut of meat into large squares and dumped them squarely into a pot, which he then filled with water at the sink. He placed the pot on the stove-top and set it to boil, adding nothing else at all.
Ulric listened and his expression softened.
"Bianca," he said gently. "What's wrong?"
Very clearly, whatever was wrong maintained a place too sensitive to reach, and lest his pursuit cause her to take flight again, Ulric moved away. He went to the refrigerator and let her know with several short glances that he was still listening, but he divided his attention so she would not feel cornered.
"I'm fine." He said reassuringly. "I'm not good at taking naps anyway, I'm always afraid I'll miss something."
He quickly diced his cut of meat into large squares and dumped them squarely into a pot, which he then filled with water at the sink. He placed the pot on the stove-top and set it to boil, adding nothing else at all.
