Werewolves (RP14.2) The Way of the Trusted
Quote from Mae on March 12, 2021, 10:21 pmThis role play chronicles the activities of Calagathorm Pack members Kratos Shragron and Logan Geronimo, as well as Ulric Shragron and Bianca Chapman on the night of August 19th, immediately following the events of "Werewolves (RP13.2) Many Decisions: Secrets".
This role play takes place simultaneously on the timeline with:
"Werewolves (RP14.3) Guardians of the Archway"
&
"Werewolves (RP14.1) A Precarious Road"The heavy footfalls of the Alpha carried long in the dark tunnels. Sand and loose dirt under them, the sound was the dragging and falling of large padded paws.
Kratos and Logan had been led to a cave in the nearby mountains and afterward left alone, for their guide dare not go with them into the darkness. Though he had given Logan a branch set alight as a torch wherewith to see, he shuddered to enter and would not. Therefore, the werewolves entered without him.
Before they had come to the cave, the sun had fallen, and now they had traveled some distance under the mountain. When then, at length, Kratos' spoke.
"Before I was a werewolf," he said, sounding as if his thoughts were far off. "Before I was a man... I was a little boy in a small house, on a dirty corner of Pinerich City."
*****
The night had grown late and the house fell silent. Ulric had slept with his back to Timothy's door. Every now and then, called from his sleep he would listen to hear Timothy breathing on the other side before drifting off again.
Now, in the late hours of the night, Ulric stirred and blinked his eyes. The old mountain cabin was dead in silence, yet the wind outside could be heard rushing against the windows. Outside, the trees were creaking and moaning. Ulric stretched and roused himself to listen at Timothy's door once more. He could still hear him, breathing by the closet door. He wasn't in his bed. Ulric looked at the shuddering windows at the end of the hall. Then he looked at the dark crack of the room wherein Saber was sleeping...
This role play chronicles the activities of Calagathorm Pack members Kratos Shragron and Logan Geronimo, as well as Ulric Shragron and Bianca Chapman on the night of August 19th, immediately following the events of "Werewolves (RP13.2) Many Decisions: Secrets".
This role play takes place simultaneously on the timeline with:
"Werewolves (RP14.3) Guardians of the Archway"
&
"Werewolves (RP14.1) A Precarious Road"
The heavy footfalls of the Alpha carried long in the dark tunnels. Sand and loose dirt under them, the sound was the dragging and falling of large padded paws.
Kratos and Logan had been led to a cave in the nearby mountains and afterward left alone, for their guide dare not go with them into the darkness. Though he had given Logan a branch set alight as a torch wherewith to see, he shuddered to enter and would not. Therefore, the werewolves entered without him.
Before they had come to the cave, the sun had fallen, and now they had traveled some distance under the mountain. When then, at length, Kratos' spoke.
"Before I was a werewolf," he said, sounding as if his thoughts were far off. "Before I was a man... I was a little boy in a small house, on a dirty corner of Pinerich City."
*****
The night had grown late and the house fell silent. Ulric had slept with his back to Timothy's door. Every now and then, called from his sleep he would listen to hear Timothy breathing on the other side before drifting off again.
Now, in the late hours of the night, Ulric stirred and blinked his eyes. The old mountain cabin was dead in silence, yet the wind outside could be heard rushing against the windows. Outside, the trees were creaking and moaning. Ulric stretched and roused himself to listen at Timothy's door once more. He could still hear him, breathing by the closet door. He wasn't in his bed. Ulric looked at the shuddering windows at the end of the hall. Then he looked at the dark crack of the room wherein Saber was sleeping...
Quote from Adriana on April 9, 2021, 7:29 pmFor the longest time, Logan's thoughts were on the burning branches in her hand, watching the smaller stems burn and fall in glows of orange, fading out of existence, watching the way the fire hollowed out the larger branches inside first so you could see the glow inside of the wood before it ate through. Fire had a life, and it consumed, and multiplied, and eventually died. It was one of those simple things that drew you in..
Kratos' words drew her out of her trance, and she listened, looking past the flames towards Kratos, although he was a dark blob in contrast to the bright light she had been staring at. As it were, she stared in the general direction of his voice.
For the longest time, Logan's thoughts were on the burning branches in her hand, watching the smaller stems burn and fall in glows of orange, fading out of existence, watching the way the fire hollowed out the larger branches inside first so you could see the glow inside of the wood before it ate through. Fire had a life, and it consumed, and multiplied, and eventually died. It was one of those simple things that drew you in..
Kratos' words drew her out of her trance, and she listened, looking past the flames towards Kratos, although he was a dark blob in contrast to the bright light she had been staring at. As it were, she stared in the general direction of his voice.
Quote from Adriana on April 14, 2021, 11:17 amEleanor, having done everything she could at the moment for Saber, was resting in Bianca's room. Bianca was sitting with her back against her own door, staring at the window restlessly. Downstairs, Bob sat at the dining room table, occasionally lifting a cup of coffee to his lips, staring distantly at a radio on the table.
The dead of the night was roused when the static of the signal coming to life moved the dusty atmosphere. "Tara.. . . . white group - - we found... administering first aid.. coordinates ... - - -."
Bob was already out of his seat and outside. He could only vaguely see the smallest flash of a white flare, but the radio was a buzz with the other groups confirming the location.
Eleanor, having done everything she could at the moment for Saber, was resting in Bianca's room. Bianca was sitting with her back against her own door, staring at the window restlessly. Downstairs, Bob sat at the dining room table, occasionally lifting a cup of coffee to his lips, staring distantly at a radio on the table.
The dead of the night was roused when the static of the signal coming to life moved the dusty atmosphere. "Tara.. . . . white group - - we found... administering first aid.. coordinates ... - - -."
Bob was already out of his seat and outside. He could only vaguely see the smallest flash of a white flare, but the radio was a buzz with the other groups confirming the location.
Quote from Mae on April 26, 2021, 1:39 amUlric's gaze settled on Bianca. He followed her eyes to the window. It continued to shudder.
Ulric listened again at the door. Timothy slept still. Quietly, Ulric bent forward and crawled across the floor. He came to sit beside Bianca.
"Hey," he whispered. "Are you okay?"
Just then a sound erupted downstairs. Ulric's eyes snapped to the stairwell. He heard Bob leave the house. Then he looked at Bianca.
****
The great black shadow of the Alpha Werewolf cast an eerie presence on the wall. Kratos' long dark stride led them deeper into the cave. His low, deep voice echoed on the smooth grey stones he passed.
"The house was beside the rail yard." He said. "The walls and roof shingles trembled every time a train passed. Late at night... early in the morning I heard it rumble. The house shook. The lights would flicker and fail. I feared with every train that came or left the yard that the walls would fold in on me. The house, the yard, and the sky was always covered in black soot. I was always covered in black soot. There, in that house, under thin covers, in the dark and the cold, I waited for my father to come home every night."
"The man I admired most always returned to his domain smelling like the odors of the city's waste. He worked in the sewers. I would watch him get home from the window. He would strip the clothes off his back in the yard and shower with the hose behind the house. ... Even having washed himself, the smell on him made my stomach convulse."
"Strange, to think of the alpha of a cunning and sophisticated pack, living his life under the toilets of his betas and gammas. Yet, that was the way of Abravious, to keep his family hidden in exile."
Kratos never turned his golden eyes from the winding road ahead. His tone now changed.
"We have encountered many enemies in our time on this mountain." He said. "The monster doesn't always appear as a rogue like Gathen, Logan. Or an undisciplined werewolf like Timothy. We see the monster when we behold the natural man, in his violence and selfishness. We see it in groups like the Svalnaglas who assert their power over their fellow wolves. That was Sabre's message last night. That is the story of mankind's relationship with wolves throughout time; the ruthless fabled killer - a reflection of man's own monster."
"We must be careful that we do not judge man for beast, whatever the appearance be. Remember that no one can take away your humanity, Logan. You must give it to them. You must choose in the dire hour - choose to retain your humanity. Choose it even when it seems you have nothing left to lose."
Ulric's gaze settled on Bianca. He followed her eyes to the window. It continued to shudder.
Ulric listened again at the door. Timothy slept still. Quietly, Ulric bent forward and crawled across the floor. He came to sit beside Bianca.
"Hey," he whispered. "Are you okay?"
Just then a sound erupted downstairs. Ulric's eyes snapped to the stairwell. He heard Bob leave the house. Then he looked at Bianca.
****
The great black shadow of the Alpha Werewolf cast an eerie presence on the wall. Kratos' long dark stride led them deeper into the cave. His low, deep voice echoed on the smooth grey stones he passed.
"The house was beside the rail yard." He said. "The walls and roof shingles trembled every time a train passed. Late at night... early in the morning I heard it rumble. The house shook. The lights would flicker and fail. I feared with every train that came or left the yard that the walls would fold in on me. The house, the yard, and the sky was always covered in black soot. I was always covered in black soot. There, in that house, under thin covers, in the dark and the cold, I waited for my father to come home every night."
"The man I admired most always returned to his domain smelling like the odors of the city's waste. He worked in the sewers. I would watch him get home from the window. He would strip the clothes off his back in the yard and shower with the hose behind the house. ... Even having washed himself, the smell on him made my stomach convulse."
"Strange, to think of the alpha of a cunning and sophisticated pack, living his life under the toilets of his betas and gammas. Yet, that was the way of Abravious, to keep his family hidden in exile."
Kratos never turned his golden eyes from the winding road ahead. His tone now changed.
"We have encountered many enemies in our time on this mountain." He said. "The monster doesn't always appear as a rogue like Gathen, Logan. Or an undisciplined werewolf like Timothy. We see the monster when we behold the natural man, in his violence and selfishness. We see it in groups like the Svalnaglas who assert their power over their fellow wolves. That was Sabre's message last night. That is the story of mankind's relationship with wolves throughout time; the ruthless fabled killer - a reflection of man's own monster."
"We must be careful that we do not judge man for beast, whatever the appearance be. Remember that no one can take away your humanity, Logan. You must give it to them. You must choose in the dire hour - choose to retain your humanity. Choose it even when it seems you have nothing left to lose."
Quote from Adriana on April 26, 2021, 8:51 pmThe woman listened in her usual way-silent, pondering, dozens of questions on her mind, too few that would be asked. She wiped one side of her face with the heel of her hand and might have sniffed once, but in a moment it would have gone and past.
"I will not forgot." she said simply.
-
Bianca met Ulric's eyes and then stood and made her way to the stairs and down them. Bob was attempting to radio the parties, but only half of the conversation could be heard on either end.
"They found them?" she asked hopefully. Bob looked to her and nodded, although his expression was grim. "Bianca, be prepared - I am not sure what condition they will return in. They are doing what they can."
The woman listened in her usual way-silent, pondering, dozens of questions on her mind, too few that would be asked. She wiped one side of her face with the heel of her hand and might have sniffed once, but in a moment it would have gone and past.
"I will not forgot." she said simply.
-
Bianca met Ulric's eyes and then stood and made her way to the stairs and down them. Bob was attempting to radio the parties, but only half of the conversation could be heard on either end.
"They found them?" she asked hopefully. Bob looked to her and nodded, although his expression was grim. "Bianca, be prepared - I am not sure what condition they will return in. They are doing what they can."
Quote from Skyelre on April 26, 2021, 9:57 pmIn the room where the stranger of Calagathorm's pack rested, was darkness and complete stillness. But when sound came erupting from downstairs, dark eyes flickered opened.
In the room where the stranger of Calagathorm's pack rested, was darkness and complete stillness. But when sound came erupting from downstairs, dark eyes flickered opened.
Quote from Mae on May 11, 2021, 3:40 amUlric did not go downstairs, but listened from the hall. His eyes watched the dark crack under Timothy's door, but his heart must have skipped a beat to hear Bob's word. What terrible joy and sickening dread Ulric felt! The woman and her child were found, and soon Ulric would see what he had done in a moment of blind desperation. Oh, how sick he felt.
*****
Humans do not often recognize how emotions move through the air to cause an affect on others without a word, but what is not considered by man is most certainly acknowledged by beast. And in the darkness behind the door, Timothy was roused suddenly from a tainted sleep.
Ulric did not go downstairs, but listened from the hall. His eyes watched the dark crack under Timothy's door, but his heart must have skipped a beat to hear Bob's word. What terrible joy and sickening dread Ulric felt! The woman and her child were found, and soon Ulric would see what he had done in a moment of blind desperation. Oh, how sick he felt.
*****
Humans do not often recognize how emotions move through the air to cause an affect on others without a word, but what is not considered by man is most certainly acknowledged by beast. And in the darkness behind the door, Timothy was roused suddenly from a tainted sleep.
Quote from Mae on June 28, 2021, 4:59 pmFor a short time all was silence. Kratos, the black behemoth, marched onward in the dark shapeless tunnels with Logan beside him, a woman of no small stature herself. Their shadows played over walls etched with markings they did not stop to study - for Kratos had no interest in the pictures, and the burning branch which was their light was burning quickly. After the small branches were gone, the stick would break and its crumbled embers would fall on the sand behind the passer's heels, forgotten.
It was in this manner that they came at last to their destination; a large underground lake. Spanning an unknown distance and depth into the darkness, the lake swallowed the reflection of the light, and all that could be seen was what was not there - no walls, no floor, no ceiling - save for the landing where they now stood, and the unexpected presence of large roman pillars which rose from the water at it's edges. The pillars supported the last of the ceiling immediately over their heads, and a small stone dock extended out past the pillars into the lake.
Kratos' white-tipped ears laid back as his golden eyes surveyed the area under the firelight. The whole of the endeavor seemed a pointless display - for there was no one within sight or sound to witness the errand which brought the werewolves to the belly of the earth. Nonetheless, Kratos looked to Logan to deposit their offering into the still water.
For a short time all was silence. Kratos, the black behemoth, marched onward in the dark shapeless tunnels with Logan beside him, a woman of no small stature herself. Their shadows played over walls etched with markings they did not stop to study - for Kratos had no interest in the pictures, and the burning branch which was their light was burning quickly. After the small branches were gone, the stick would break and its crumbled embers would fall on the sand behind the passer's heels, forgotten.
It was in this manner that they came at last to their destination; a large underground lake. Spanning an unknown distance and depth into the darkness, the lake swallowed the reflection of the light, and all that could be seen was what was not there - no walls, no floor, no ceiling - save for the landing where they now stood, and the unexpected presence of large roman pillars which rose from the water at it's edges. The pillars supported the last of the ceiling immediately over their heads, and a small stone dock extended out past the pillars into the lake.
Kratos' white-tipped ears laid back as his golden eyes surveyed the area under the firelight. The whole of the endeavor seemed a pointless display - for there was no one within sight or sound to witness the errand which brought the werewolves to the belly of the earth. Nonetheless, Kratos looked to Logan to deposit their offering into the still water.
Quote from Adriana on July 1, 2021, 11:14 amIn a blinking flash of violet, not a glow but a reflection-as if some unseen lightsource passed over Logan’s eyes, she met Kratos’ own yellow eyes, then slipped a strap of the bag off of her shoulder, dropping it carefully on the ground. Crouching, she opened it and withdrew the herbs wrapped in leather and opened it to ensure they were all there-three leaves and three blooms each.
Leaving the bag on the ground she stood and held them level at her waist, a hand underneath and a hand over, and observed the room as well as she could, but the darkness revealed little. Then she approached the dock, pausing before stepping onto it. She felt a chill creep down her neck-what if some unseen creature lay dormant in the depths? Her imagination, although usually silent-as Logan was often rooted in the reality of the moment- was alighted with the possibility of such terrifying monsters. She had half a mind to just joist the offering from where she stood, but she didn’t want to offend the ox people anymore than the giant grouper she imagined.
Gathering her courage with a deep inhale, she walked forward and continuously observed the water for so much as a ripple, then came to the end of the dock and knelt, lowering the herbs into the water and giving them a small push, watching as they floated slowly towards the center. She stood and took a couple steps backwards from the edge, wondering what might happen.
In a blinking flash of violet, not a glow but a reflection-as if some unseen lightsource passed over Logan’s eyes, she met Kratos’ own yellow eyes, then slipped a strap of the bag off of her shoulder, dropping it carefully on the ground. Crouching, she opened it and withdrew the herbs wrapped in leather and opened it to ensure they were all there-three leaves and three blooms each.
Leaving the bag on the ground she stood and held them level at her waist, a hand underneath and a hand over, and observed the room as well as she could, but the darkness revealed little. Then she approached the dock, pausing before stepping onto it. She felt a chill creep down her neck-what if some unseen creature lay dormant in the depths? Her imagination, although usually silent-as Logan was often rooted in the reality of the moment- was alighted with the possibility of such terrifying monsters. She had half a mind to just joist the offering from where she stood, but she didn’t want to offend the ox people anymore than the giant grouper she imagined.
Gathering her courage with a deep inhale, she walked forward and continuously observed the water for so much as a ripple, then came to the end of the dock and knelt, lowering the herbs into the water and giving them a small push, watching as they floated slowly towards the center. She stood and took a couple steps backwards from the edge, wondering what might happen.
Quote from Adriana on July 1, 2021, 11:40 amBianca waited nervously for the span of time in which the two were found and in which they would arrive, to pass. Occasionally she had to remind herself to breathe, and would draw in a lengthy breath. Moving people in critical condition was a calculated risk, depending on the extent of the damage. It could be forever before they were able to transport them.
… but after some time, there was a glimmer of hope. A headlamp light stirred in the trees far off, growing steadily closer. The sound of several feet could be heard. Bianca trembled, nervous to see what would be revealed in the following moments, as the group neared and it came clear there was a portable stretcher carried between them. Chapman laid a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Go fetch Ulric and Eleanor, we’ll have to leave very soon.”
Bob Chapman was no stranger to these situations. He could smell it in the air. For one who’s instincts were well in tune, there were many signs. He could sense it on Saber in the room above them, but also before them, in between the four scouts. He was aware that he wasn’t the only one keen to the odors that were telling if the vulnerable, the weary, and fragile. His eyes beamed quickly in the genera direction of Timothy’s room. Then he approached the white group, all of which were in their human skins. He could smell Clay’s group not far behind. Tara moved aside so Bob could see..
Meanwhile Bianca had come up the stairs and approached Ulric, “They’re back already… they’re going to leave right away… do you want to come down? It might give you some closure, but it might be difficult.”
Bianca waited nervously for the span of time in which the two were found and in which they would arrive, to pass. Occasionally she had to remind herself to breathe, and would draw in a lengthy breath. Moving people in critical condition was a calculated risk, depending on the extent of the damage. It could be forever before they were able to transport them.
… but after some time, there was a glimmer of hope. A headlamp light stirred in the trees far off, growing steadily closer. The sound of several feet could be heard. Bianca trembled, nervous to see what would be revealed in the following moments, as the group neared and it came clear there was a portable stretcher carried between them. Chapman laid a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Go fetch Ulric and Eleanor, we’ll have to leave very soon.”
Bob Chapman was no stranger to these situations. He could smell it in the air. For one who’s instincts were well in tune, there were many signs. He could sense it on Saber in the room above them, but also before them, in between the four scouts. He was aware that he wasn’t the only one keen to the odors that were telling if the vulnerable, the weary, and fragile. His eyes beamed quickly in the genera direction of Timothy’s room. Then he approached the white group, all of which were in their human skins. He could smell Clay’s group not far behind. Tara moved aside so Bob could see..
Meanwhile Bianca had come up the stairs and approached Ulric, “They’re back already… they’re going to leave right away… do you want to come down? It might give you some closure, but it might be difficult.”
