Werewolves (RP14.2) The Way of the Trusted
Quote from Mae on July 3, 2021, 4:00 amA few years older and Ulric would have gone down. A few years younger and he would have run away. Ulric neither went down, nor ran away. His nature behesting him, and his fear and regret controlling him, he stayed rigid and pale at the top of the stairs.
"Oh, mother!" Ulric's heart seemed to cry, if only she were here. Behind her leg he would retreat as but a boy who could not face his trouble. "Be brave." His heart bid him be, if only his legs were inclined to agree. They trembled and would not yield to his desire, if even a small step, as though a barrier were before his knees or a great block of cement was set on his feet.
In mind, he reasoned he could look upon her, the woman whom he had done so much harm, - but in his mind's ear he heard repeated Kratos' words from before, and in his mind's eye he saw such a mangled form as was terrible to behold!How could he look upon her, knowing she would never accept his regret if she knew it was he? Yet how could he not go down and see her, to accept the sight of her as his consequence and be forever tormented by it? But in a moment she would be gone, taken far away. He would never see her again. A part of him wished that she were gone already and that he would not have to face her, or that some other soul - either Bianca, or her mother, or Bob Chapman - would go in his place and excuse him from it. But the other part, far more prevalent and powerful, was that aching regret that the door should be closed forever and he would never truly know what he had done.
Thus was Ulric's agony in so small a moment as was scarcely seen.
But he broke free. Ulric's feet found strength and he went downstairs, then he went outside and looked. The light from the doorway kept the darkness out, and Ulric's eyes were not so recovered as yet that he could see beyond it. So he went out further. The officers carrying the stretcher approached the light, and Ulric saw her, and he was relieved by what he saw.
Mercy lay in fevered sleep, with both arms wrapped in bandages, and a blanket covering her legs. Her cheeks were pale and her fingers swollen, but she was whole and human. Ulric could smell her blood and a stink about her but all her wounds were hidden from him. Thus, Ulric's heart was comforted. He watched her be carried by, and looked quickly for her son, who was found in the arms of one of the officers not far behind. The boy was in much better health than his mother, for though he looked tired, afraid, and overall famished, his eyes were attentive and bright. Again, Ulric's heart was comforted, and his fears subsided. Yet, even in the wake of relief, the solemn words entered his mind, "That little boy will be a werewolf because of me."
A few years older and Ulric would have gone down. A few years younger and he would have run away. Ulric neither went down, nor ran away. His nature behesting him, and his fear and regret controlling him, he stayed rigid and pale at the top of the stairs.
"Oh, mother!" Ulric's heart seemed to cry, if only she were here. Behind her leg he would retreat as but a boy who could not face his trouble. "Be brave." His heart bid him be, if only his legs were inclined to agree. They trembled and would not yield to his desire, if even a small step, as though a barrier were before his knees or a great block of cement was set on his feet.
In mind, he reasoned he could look upon her, the woman whom he had done so much harm, - but in his mind's ear he heard repeated Kratos' words from before, and in his mind's eye he saw such a mangled form as was terrible to behold!
How could he look upon her, knowing she would never accept his regret if she knew it was he? Yet how could he not go down and see her, to accept the sight of her as his consequence and be forever tormented by it? But in a moment she would be gone, taken far away. He would never see her again. A part of him wished that she were gone already and that he would not have to face her, or that some other soul - either Bianca, or her mother, or Bob Chapman - would go in his place and excuse him from it. But the other part, far more prevalent and powerful, was that aching regret that the door should be closed forever and he would never truly know what he had done.
Thus was Ulric's agony in so small a moment as was scarcely seen.
But he broke free. Ulric's feet found strength and he went downstairs, then he went outside and looked. The light from the doorway kept the darkness out, and Ulric's eyes were not so recovered as yet that he could see beyond it. So he went out further. The officers carrying the stretcher approached the light, and Ulric saw her, and he was relieved by what he saw.
Mercy lay in fevered sleep, with both arms wrapped in bandages, and a blanket covering her legs. Her cheeks were pale and her fingers swollen, but she was whole and human. Ulric could smell her blood and a stink about her but all her wounds were hidden from him. Thus, Ulric's heart was comforted. He watched her be carried by, and looked quickly for her son, who was found in the arms of one of the officers not far behind. The boy was in much better health than his mother, for though he looked tired, afraid, and overall famished, his eyes were attentive and bright. Again, Ulric's heart was comforted, and his fears subsided. Yet, even in the wake of relief, the solemn words entered his mind, "That little boy will be a werewolf because of me."
Quote from Skyelre on July 4, 2021, 9:06 pmMuch like Timothy, Saber's heightened senses wouldn't let him ignore what was happening beyond the door outside his room.
Although smell wouldn't be initially identifiable to the newly changed werewolve, what was heard was enough.
Much like Timothy, Saber's heightened senses wouldn't let him ignore what was happening beyond the door outside his room.
Although smell wouldn't be initially identifiable to the newly changed werewolve, what was heard was enough.
Quote from Adriana on July 11, 2021, 8:29 pmJust like that, they were put into the van. The teams began to file back to the camp steadily. Bianca watched from beside the door, arms folded at her waist, an elbow held in each palm. It was a blur of bodies, the light from the back of the van briefly illuminating the area, before the doors were closed up and the victims were whisked away.
"They'll be OK," Bob has said reassuringly, before he and Eleanor both said their goodbyes and followed the others. Bianca and Ulric were clearly both weary, and Chapman might have offered to stay, but their protection and aid were needed elsewhere, now. Besides - Timothy would have been more than finished with the added companies and it would only cause more unrest.
Bianca felt uneasy as they all drove away, a lurch in her stomach like the kind you get right as a roller coaster peaks and before it drops. The campgrounds became eerily silent and dark, without the stir of bodies and headlamps all about.
Just like that, they were put into the van. The teams began to file back to the camp steadily. Bianca watched from beside the door, arms folded at her waist, an elbow held in each palm. It was a blur of bodies, the light from the back of the van briefly illuminating the area, before the doors were closed up and the victims were whisked away.
"They'll be OK," Bob has said reassuringly, before he and Eleanor both said their goodbyes and followed the others. Bianca and Ulric were clearly both weary, and Chapman might have offered to stay, but their protection and aid were needed elsewhere, now. Besides - Timothy would have been more than finished with the added companies and it would only cause more unrest.
Bianca felt uneasy as they all drove away, a lurch in her stomach like the kind you get right as a roller coaster peaks and before it drops. The campgrounds became eerily silent and dark, without the stir of bodies and headlamps all about.
Quote from Mae on August 6, 2021, 2:31 amIt must have been awfully bad timing, or awfully bad luck, that when Logan's heel fell in the second step she took to retreat from the water's edge the light suddenly went out.
Immediately the werewolves were encompassed in darkness! But it was not empty darkness. The moment their sense of sight was gone, they were reminded of where they were by the lone cold air on their faces and how the sound of their breath vanished over the lake.
*****
Ulric stood in the night air for a long time. He watched as the red tail lights of the cars vanished behind the black trees, and was still standing outside long after the sounds of the vehicles were gone. Then a hard wind came blowing at his back, and the trees began to bend and creak. Ulric turned, and looked up. The moon slipped out of sight behind a dark, formidable shadow which overtook the peak of Phantom Mountain.
The storm was coming.
Ulric at length came inside behind Bianca and closed the door tightly behind him. It was quiet inside, but already the windows were beginning to vibrate.
"You know, for a den, these places could stand to be a bit closer to the ground." Ulric muttered in a half-joking, half-serious manner.
It must have been awfully bad timing, or awfully bad luck, that when Logan's heel fell in the second step she took to retreat from the water's edge the light suddenly went out.
Immediately the werewolves were encompassed in darkness! But it was not empty darkness. The moment their sense of sight was gone, they were reminded of where they were by the lone cold air on their faces and how the sound of their breath vanished over the lake.
*****
Ulric stood in the night air for a long time. He watched as the red tail lights of the cars vanished behind the black trees, and was still standing outside long after the sounds of the vehicles were gone. Then a hard wind came blowing at his back, and the trees began to bend and creak. Ulric turned, and looked up. The moon slipped out of sight behind a dark, formidable shadow which overtook the peak of Phantom Mountain.
The storm was coming.
Ulric at length came inside behind Bianca and closed the door tightly behind him. It was quiet inside, but already the windows were beginning to vibrate.
"You know, for a den, these places could stand to be a bit closer to the ground." Ulric muttered in a half-joking, half-serious manner.
Quote from Adriana on September 26, 2021, 11:49 am“Kratos,” Logan whispered in the silence, having turned around as soon as the darkness came upon them. She moved back in the direction of the Alpha.
—-
“Haha, yeah…” Bianca responded, only half laughing. “Why don’t we use the cabin on the ranch? It’s abandoned isn’t it, and still on the territory?” her blue eyes watched the windows with a nervous pang in her gut. “It’s too late now, anyway.. better get out candles and matches, if your brother thought of keeping those things around.”
“Kratos,” Logan whispered in the silence, having turned around as soon as the darkness came upon them. She moved back in the direction of the Alpha.
—-
“Haha, yeah…” Bianca responded, only half laughing. “Why don’t we use the cabin on the ranch? It’s abandoned isn’t it, and still on the territory?” her blue eyes watched the windows with a nervous pang in her gut. “It’s too late now, anyway.. better get out candles and matches, if your brother thought of keeping those things around.”
Quote from Mae on September 27, 2021, 12:28 amUlric considered the cabin at the foot of the mountain and all it's homey features. Despite it's lower altitude, it was a tempting place to wait out a storm in human comfort. Nonetheless, it was a long walk in the dark.
To Bianca's next words he answered, "Not with Jackie around." But he still went into the kitchen to look. The drawers and cabinets were stocked, thanks to Bianca's earlier grocery run. But there were no matches to be found.
Ulric sighed. Then his eyes wandered past the red door at the bottom of the stairs and he thought, "If he has matches, they would be down there."
Without a word his eyes wandered up to the ceiling and the room above his head wherein Timothy slept. "But who knows what else he has down there," he thought.
It was best to make certain the Red Door was locked tight, and so it was. Ulric made no attempt to open it, and returned to the den thereafter.
"I guess we'll be huddling in the dark before too long." He said, sinking into the couch.
----------------"I'm here, Logan." Kratos' deep voice answered.
Never had the Alpha experienced such darkness as was then encompassed about him. True, he had known many dark nights, but never had they been so dark as not even the rebound of light could he detect with his astute werewolf eyes.
"Come to me," he said gently, though he could neither see nor smell her. The plant she carried to the belly of the mountain made him blind in more ways than one, for it's influence lingered, and his sense of smell and judgement deprived.
Ulric considered the cabin at the foot of the mountain and all it's homey features. Despite it's lower altitude, it was a tempting place to wait out a storm in human comfort. Nonetheless, it was a long walk in the dark.
To Bianca's next words he answered, "Not with Jackie around." But he still went into the kitchen to look. The drawers and cabinets were stocked, thanks to Bianca's earlier grocery run. But there were no matches to be found.
Ulric sighed. Then his eyes wandered past the red door at the bottom of the stairs and he thought, "If he has matches, they would be down there."
Without a word his eyes wandered up to the ceiling and the room above his head wherein Timothy slept. "But who knows what else he has down there," he thought.
It was best to make certain the Red Door was locked tight, and so it was. Ulric made no attempt to open it, and returned to the den thereafter.
"I guess we'll be huddling in the dark before too long." He said, sinking into the couch.
----------------
"I'm here, Logan." Kratos' deep voice answered.
Never had the Alpha experienced such darkness as was then encompassed about him. True, he had known many dark nights, but never had they been so dark as not even the rebound of light could he detect with his astute werewolf eyes.
"Come to me," he said gently, though he could neither see nor smell her. The plant she carried to the belly of the mountain made him blind in more ways than one, for it's influence lingered, and his sense of smell and judgement deprived.
Quote from Adriana on September 27, 2021, 12:05 pm“That’s ok.” she mumbled, playing with her hair, braiding it on the side. She placed around, looking at everything, as if orienting herself with the room.
“I guess I feel like I’m losing myself out here a bit,” Bianca confessed, finally hunkering down in the armchair. “Coming into this, I had this idea of…” she waved her hand around in a wishy washy gesture, “You know, who I thought I was. I guess most of that was only surface level. It just seems washed away now. I think thats the reason I’m so.. not present. I’m drowning in who I am and trying to maintain what I thought I was. I thought I’d be more brave and more capable of handling things.” She exhaled, “I feel like a kid, everything is new and big and scary, but I also feel responsible in a way. I have some knowledge, I’m just struggling with how to apply it. I never saw grandma or grandpa hesitate, they just acted, just like today. Maybe I thought I was signing up for girls camp.” She trailed off with a shrug.
“I’m sorry, just thinking out loud. I don’t know if I make any sense. I guess I’m trying to ask, when everything is flipped on its head, how do you stay on your feet and maintain your identity?”
“That’s ok.” she mumbled, playing with her hair, braiding it on the side. She placed around, looking at everything, as if orienting herself with the room.
“I guess I feel like I’m losing myself out here a bit,” Bianca confessed, finally hunkering down in the armchair. “Coming into this, I had this idea of…” she waved her hand around in a wishy washy gesture, “You know, who I thought I was. I guess most of that was only surface level. It just seems washed away now. I think thats the reason I’m so.. not present. I’m drowning in who I am and trying to maintain what I thought I was. I thought I’d be more brave and more capable of handling things.” She exhaled, “I feel like a kid, everything is new and big and scary, but I also feel responsible in a way. I have some knowledge, I’m just struggling with how to apply it. I never saw grandma or grandpa hesitate, they just acted, just like today. Maybe I thought I was signing up for girls camp.” She trailed off with a shrug.
“I’m sorry, just thinking out loud. I don’t know if I make any sense. I guess I’m trying to ask, when everything is flipped on its head, how do you stay on your feet and maintain your identity?”
Quote from Mae on September 27, 2021, 2:19 pmUlric listened closely. He didn't expect the conversation to open up as it did, but Bianca had been so quiet all evening.
"I guess.." Ulric began, "I guess something happens when you move out on your own that makes you have to rediscover yourself."
"I found myself when I came out here." He said after a quiet thoughtful moment. "That night... when the hunters first came to the mountain. I waited all day for Kratos to give me something to do. Anything. When we found Toby, and he finally told me to go back to the house after those blankets... I felt like he finally trusted me. - Like I could belong here. ... I didn't grow up with Kratos. I didn't even know him until a few months ago when Resme brought me here. Resme and Abravious adopted me when I was ten."
"... watching Kimberly die was the hardest thing I thought I'd ever live through.. til two nights ago when I almost killed that woman and her kid."
Ulric listened closely. He didn't expect the conversation to open up as it did, but Bianca had been so quiet all evening.
"I guess.." Ulric began, "I guess something happens when you move out on your own that makes you have to rediscover yourself."
"I found myself when I came out here." He said after a quiet thoughtful moment. "That night... when the hunters first came to the mountain. I waited all day for Kratos to give me something to do. Anything. When we found Toby, and he finally told me to go back to the house after those blankets... I felt like he finally trusted me. - Like I could belong here. ... I didn't grow up with Kratos. I didn't even know him until a few months ago when Resme brought me here. Resme and Abravious adopted me when I was ten."
"... watching Kimberly die was the hardest thing I thought I'd ever live through.. til two nights ago when I almost killed that woman and her kid."
Quote from Adriana on September 28, 2021, 9:53 amLogan moved forward in the dark with her hand outstretched, until she touched Kratos’ ear and drew back her hand. She moved beside him, then rested her hand at the nape of his neck, near the valley between his massive shoulders. Touch and sound were the only senses remaining, and for both man and beast, it was a deeply concerning feeling to be deprived of what was lost.
Logan sought to satisfy the lack of sound and fill the emptiness of the great cavern.
“You had your mother,” she said, quietly although her voice still carried. “Did she sing to you any sleeping songs?”
Logan moved forward in the dark with her hand outstretched, until she touched Kratos’ ear and drew back her hand. She moved beside him, then rested her hand at the nape of his neck, near the valley between his massive shoulders. Touch and sound were the only senses remaining, and for both man and beast, it was a deeply concerning feeling to be deprived of what was lost.
Logan sought to satisfy the lack of sound and fill the emptiness of the great cavern.
“You had your mother,” she said, quietly although her voice still carried. “Did she sing to you any sleeping songs?”
Quote from Adriana on September 28, 2021, 10:06 amBianca watched Ulric’s eyes as he spoke. Her empathic nature made it hard not to feel the heartache behind the words. She searched for the right words to say, but she knew she wasn’t there-she didn’t know how it had unfolded, and saying the wrong thing might only make Ulric refute what she said and feel more guilty yet. But she had to talk. The silence was worse.
”You can’t live in that moment, not forever. We need you here, now. You reacted. In the heat of the moment, we have instinct, which is geared towards self preservation and other preservation, and it hijacks our logical thinking. If you had hesitated to think of every possible scenario, well.. I probably wouldn’t be talking to you. Jackie probably wouldn’t be alive. And, we wouldn’t have gotten an idea of where the woman and her son were, they might have died of hunger or at the hands of the hunters. At least they have a fighting chance now.”
Bianca watched Ulric’s eyes as he spoke. Her empathic nature made it hard not to feel the heartache behind the words. She searched for the right words to say, but she knew she wasn’t there-she didn’t know how it had unfolded, and saying the wrong thing might only make Ulric refute what she said and feel more guilty yet. But she had to talk. The silence was worse.
”You can’t live in that moment, not forever. We need you here, now. You reacted. In the heat of the moment, we have instinct, which is geared towards self preservation and other preservation, and it hijacks our logical thinking. If you had hesitated to think of every possible scenario, well.. I probably wouldn’t be talking to you. Jackie probably wouldn’t be alive. And, we wouldn’t have gotten an idea of where the woman and her son were, they might have died of hunger or at the hands of the hunters. At least they have a fighting chance now.”
