Werewolves (RP17) "Where the Moon Meets the Mountain"
Quote from Kaqurei on August 31, 2023, 1:19 pmAt first there was no response. A minute or two passed. Enough for him to have recovered from the surprise of her calling his name. Then a little bit longer than that. He did not appear, but his voice eventually called out uncertainly from the roof, "Yeah?"
At first there was no response. A minute or two passed. Enough for him to have recovered from the surprise of her calling his name. Then a little bit longer than that. He did not appear, but his voice eventually called out uncertainly from the roof, "Yeah?"
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 1:22 pmLogan rested her weight lightly on the shaft of the hunting spear she had created earlier in the month. She was silent a moment herself,
"Please; you will speak with me?" she asked gently towards the roof.
Logan rested her weight lightly on the shaft of the hunting spear she had created earlier in the month. She was silent a moment herself,
"Please; you will speak with me?" she asked gently towards the roof.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 31, 2023, 2:09 pmThere was another silence.
Then he made his way down the side of the roof, keeping his head low to obscure his face, and dangled his legs over the edge.
"Yep. Somethin' I can help yeh with?"
His voice was just an octave lower than it usually was. Sounded like his nose was stuffy or something, though wasn't a nasal speaker and he managed to cover it well.
There was another silence.
Then he made his way down the side of the roof, keeping his head low to obscure his face, and dangled his legs over the edge.
"Yep. Somethin' I can help yeh with?"
His voice was just an octave lower than it usually was. Sounded like his nose was stuffy or something, though wasn't a nasal speaker and he managed to cover it well.
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 2:46 pm“Please, come down," Logan asked.
**
A deep breath, purposefully through his mouth and not his nose. "Aye, a'right."
He inched closer to the edge, until he was just sitting on it, and his palms alone still touched the roof. He judged the distance with a calculating glance, then he swung himself off and jumped. He touched lightly on the wall before continuing the fall, though he caught himself with a fairly flawless roll absorb the impact.
He used the roll to get back up to his feet, then hunched up his shoulders and still kept his head low as he turned around and returned to the wall where Logan stood.
**
Logan seemed impressed. She had expected Levi to go back inside and come around.
The woman, standing much taller, moved up to Levi and put a hand gently on his shoulder. The spear was cast aside and with her other hand she urged him gently to lift up his chin, but her hand did not linger.
“I am sorry I was not there to protect you.” she said in earnest. “That was not your duty. You did well. You are a good warrior,” She stepped back now and gestured to Levi’s arm, “That scar will tell a story of how you defended your friends. Be proud of it.”
**
His face was pale. Especially pale, as the flush in his face had gathered at his eyes and a smear along his cheek bone. He'd rubbed them red when he'd dried his tears with his sleeve before coming down. His eyes did not meet hers at first, until she spoke. Then there was surprise, then gratitude, then embarrassment as tears sprang to his eyes again. He looked down quickly and rubbed his face with the back of his good arm. A shaky sigh escaped him, but he nodded his thanks.
He followed her gesture to his bandages. Nodded solemnly. "Weren't your fault," he said lightly. "Yeh cannae be everywhere at once, can ye? Luck o' the draw an' we lost this time. Well, we won. But..." Another shaky sigh. Then he had to sniff, or his darned nose would run.
**
Logan cast her gaze off elsewhere for a moment, then back to Levi.
“What is “but”? Say what is on your mind.” she said steadily.
**
He scrunched up his face and pressed his palm into his forehead. Took another deep breath to collect himself. Sighed, and shook it off. "T'weren't anythin'," he said, shrugging. "I just... I donnae know what I'm doin' here. Any o' this. None of it makes a lick o' sense."
**
The language barrier along with the accent made Levi's words particularly difficult for Logan to understand. And yet the meaning was clear.
"You feel you do not have a purpose?" Logan asked, clarifying with a tilt of her head and knitting her brows.
**
He looked at her, those neon green eyes of his alert and earnest. "I--" he started. "Aye, I guess that's it. I donnae feel like I belong here. I... I donnae feel like I belong anywhere, really." He was silent for a moment, thinking.
"We havenae really talked much. But t'weren't that long ago that was us," he said, gesturing with his chin towards The Pit. He looked to be regaining his bearings, though his face was still solemn. He looked at her again. "Did you have family? Before here?"
**
Logan followed his eyes. Levi was here because of her, and maybe Jackie was the reason that either of them were there, in a way.
All the more reason for Logan to be frustrated at Jackie, who seemed to turn away at every opportunity.
Then Levi's question came, and as a surprise to Logan. She inhaled and lowered her eyelids over her violet eyes. Ulric had tried to ask about her past before, or at least where she was from, but not in regards to family. "Ah, we did not come from the sky?" Logan asked jokingly, with a small smirk.
"My.... dedko. You would call him "Grandfather"," she responded, "And my... ehhh.. I do not know how you would call it, a man promised to a woman," she blinked, "We say snúbenec."
**
"You were engaged?" Levi asked, trying not to sound too surprised lest he cause some insult. But it was hard to imagine Logan in a wedding dress. The image of Kratos in a tutu almost came easier.
**
Logan smirked and narrowed her eyes. "It is not so hard to believe, ah?" she flicked a finger up across the bottom of Levi's nose before picking up her spear.
"That does not matter any way. We are all here, sworn to each other as a pack. What do you want to do?"
**
"Do?" he repeated. "What do I want to do?"
"Oh, I, uh, I dunno," he said. "'Brina basically said to just stay out of the way. So. I was up there." He looked up at the roof. "Staying out of the way."
**
"What do you want?" Logan asked again, with more intent.
**
Levi continued staring up at the roof. "I want to go back home an' visit me Mum," he said quietly.
Another quivering sigh, though this one was quick and shallow. Resigned. "It'll be the first year since died I dinnae bring her flow'rs."
**
Logan looked solemnly on at Levi. He was just a child. To be missing his mother and fighting for near strangers in an unfamiliar place… Logan looked sadly on.
“We can honor her still.” Logan said, “Come.” Now she led Levi out from behind the cabins and looked to see if he would follow.
“Please, come down," Logan asked.
**
A deep breath, purposefully through his mouth and not his nose. "Aye, a'right."
He inched closer to the edge, until he was just sitting on it, and his palms alone still touched the roof. He judged the distance with a calculating glance, then he swung himself off and jumped. He touched lightly on the wall before continuing the fall, though he caught himself with a fairly flawless roll absorb the impact.
He used the roll to get back up to his feet, then hunched up his shoulders and still kept his head low as he turned around and returned to the wall where Logan stood.
**
Logan seemed impressed. She had expected Levi to go back inside and come around.
The woman, standing much taller, moved up to Levi and put a hand gently on his shoulder. The spear was cast aside and with her other hand she urged him gently to lift up his chin, but her hand did not linger.
“I am sorry I was not there to protect you.” she said in earnest. “That was not your duty. You did well. You are a good warrior,” She stepped back now and gestured to Levi’s arm, “That scar will tell a story of how you defended your friends. Be proud of it.”
**
His face was pale. Especially pale, as the flush in his face had gathered at his eyes and a smear along his cheek bone. He'd rubbed them red when he'd dried his tears with his sleeve before coming down. His eyes did not meet hers at first, until she spoke. Then there was surprise, then gratitude, then embarrassment as tears sprang to his eyes again. He looked down quickly and rubbed his face with the back of his good arm. A shaky sigh escaped him, but he nodded his thanks.
He followed her gesture to his bandages. Nodded solemnly. "Weren't your fault," he said lightly. "Yeh cannae be everywhere at once, can ye? Luck o' the draw an' we lost this time. Well, we won. But..." Another shaky sigh. Then he had to sniff, or his darned nose would run.
**
Logan cast her gaze off elsewhere for a moment, then back to Levi.
“What is “but”? Say what is on your mind.” she said steadily.
**
He scrunched up his face and pressed his palm into his forehead. Took another deep breath to collect himself. Sighed, and shook it off. "T'weren't anythin'," he said, shrugging. "I just... I donnae know what I'm doin' here. Any o' this. None of it makes a lick o' sense."
**
The language barrier along with the accent made Levi's words particularly difficult for Logan to understand. And yet the meaning was clear.
"You feel you do not have a purpose?" Logan asked, clarifying with a tilt of her head and knitting her brows.
**
He looked at her, those neon green eyes of his alert and earnest. "I--" he started. "Aye, I guess that's it. I donnae feel like I belong here. I... I donnae feel like I belong anywhere, really." He was silent for a moment, thinking.
"We havenae really talked much. But t'weren't that long ago that was us," he said, gesturing with his chin towards The Pit. He looked to be regaining his bearings, though his face was still solemn. He looked at her again. "Did you have family? Before here?"
**
Logan followed his eyes. Levi was here because of her, and maybe Jackie was the reason that either of them were there, in a way.
All the more reason for Logan to be frustrated at Jackie, who seemed to turn away at every opportunity.
Then Levi's question came, and as a surprise to Logan. She inhaled and lowered her eyelids over her violet eyes. Ulric had tried to ask about her past before, or at least where she was from, but not in regards to family. "Ah, we did not come from the sky?" Logan asked jokingly, with a small smirk.
"My.... dedko. You would call him "Grandfather"," she responded, "And my... ehhh.. I do not know how you would call it, a man promised to a woman," she blinked, "We say snúbenec."
**
"You were engaged?" Levi asked, trying not to sound too surprised lest he cause some insult. But it was hard to imagine Logan in a wedding dress. The image of Kratos in a tutu almost came easier.
**
Logan smirked and narrowed her eyes. "It is not so hard to believe, ah?" she flicked a finger up across the bottom of Levi's nose before picking up her spear.
"That does not matter any way. We are all here, sworn to each other as a pack. What do you want to do?"
**
"Do?" he repeated. "What do I want to do?"
"Oh, I, uh, I dunno," he said. "'Brina basically said to just stay out of the way. So. I was up there." He looked up at the roof. "Staying out of the way."
**
"What do you want?" Logan asked again, with more intent.
**
Levi continued staring up at the roof. "I want to go back home an' visit me Mum," he said quietly.
Another quivering sigh, though this one was quick and shallow. Resigned. "It'll be the first year since died I dinnae bring her flow'rs."
**
Logan looked solemnly on at Levi. He was just a child. To be missing his mother and fighting for near strangers in an unfamiliar place… Logan looked sadly on.
“We can honor her still.” Logan said, “Come.” Now she led Levi out from behind the cabins and looked to see if he would follow.
Quote from Indy on August 31, 2023, 4:43 pm*****
After the pack had moved away, Theo regretfully had retrieved his basket and moved in the opposite direction. There was a loneliness to be sure, heading where the others were not, but he knew well where his place was and wasn't. He wouldn't be of any use to the injured or in securing the intruders. There were few things he was good at, in the world of werewolves.
He walked for twenty minutes, before coming into a small clearing. It was a place he had visited often before, as evidenced by his own 'improvements' to the land. A small shelter had been set about between the trunks of two trees at the edge of the clearing by manner of several hefty branches and old blankets. Inside, something dangled. And in the center of the small 'room' was a low fire. The smoke was permitted to escape the top, much like a teepee might be designed - although the shape and form of this was far more improvised.
He set his basket to the ground and set to work. From the basket he removed a handful of flowers and set them to the ground until they lay flat. After working with the strange flora for so long, he had grown used to its smell-lessness and tolerated its effect. Still, he moved particularly and arranged each flower so it blossom and stems each faced the right way. When he had a set of perhaps twenty, he took a needle and thread and carefully sewed through the ends of each of the petals. He took the petals and knotted all the strings together. They now dangled freely with the stem facing the bottom with a dallop of milky sap facing the bottom.
Taking his resulting creation, he strode to a tree and joined it with the others he had prepared this way... the entire branch was filled. A plastic tarp lay overtop, protecting the blossoms from unnecessary moisture. After he finished tying all the flowers from his basket, he went to remove those that had been drying in the sun since yesterday. They had held strong to the thread, although dangled loosely... So began the tedious effort of gently removing the string without causing unnecessary damage to the partially dried-herb.
As these were removed, he set them to another basket. And once he completed with those, he began to toss and gently crush the petals with his palms. As he was satisfied with the consistency, he brought the basket overtop a stone that lay on a small grate he had rescued from an old grill. The top of the flames did not reach the stone, although kept it warm - and as he set the basket overtop, it would not burn the petals but instead slowly dry them. He removed the previous basket as he placed the new one, inspecting the consistency. Still some moisture remained. He took a small handful, arranged each petal lengthwise, and began to roll it slowly to form as had been taught to him long ago.
Then he tied the resulting product and returned it to the sun to finish drying.
****
*****
After the pack had moved away, Theo regretfully had retrieved his basket and moved in the opposite direction. There was a loneliness to be sure, heading where the others were not, but he knew well where his place was and wasn't. He wouldn't be of any use to the injured or in securing the intruders. There were few things he was good at, in the world of werewolves.
He walked for twenty minutes, before coming into a small clearing. It was a place he had visited often before, as evidenced by his own 'improvements' to the land. A small shelter had been set about between the trunks of two trees at the edge of the clearing by manner of several hefty branches and old blankets. Inside, something dangled. And in the center of the small 'room' was a low fire. The smoke was permitted to escape the top, much like a teepee might be designed - although the shape and form of this was far more improvised.
He set his basket to the ground and set to work. From the basket he removed a handful of flowers and set them to the ground until they lay flat. After working with the strange flora for so long, he had grown used to its smell-lessness and tolerated its effect. Still, he moved particularly and arranged each flower so it blossom and stems each faced the right way. When he had a set of perhaps twenty, he took a needle and thread and carefully sewed through the ends of each of the petals. He took the petals and knotted all the strings together. They now dangled freely with the stem facing the bottom with a dallop of milky sap facing the bottom.
Taking his resulting creation, he strode to a tree and joined it with the others he had prepared this way... the entire branch was filled. A plastic tarp lay overtop, protecting the blossoms from unnecessary moisture. After he finished tying all the flowers from his basket, he went to remove those that had been drying in the sun since yesterday. They had held strong to the thread, although dangled loosely... So began the tedious effort of gently removing the string without causing unnecessary damage to the partially dried-herb.
As these were removed, he set them to another basket. And once he completed with those, he began to toss and gently crush the petals with his palms. As he was satisfied with the consistency, he brought the basket overtop a stone that lay on a small grate he had rescued from an old grill. The top of the flames did not reach the stone, although kept it warm - and as he set the basket overtop, it would not burn the petals but instead slowly dry them. He removed the previous basket as he placed the new one, inspecting the consistency. Still some moisture remained. He took a small handful, arranged each petal lengthwise, and began to roll it slowly to form as had been taught to him long ago.
Then he tied the resulting product and returned it to the sun to finish drying.
****
Quote from Mae on August 31, 2023, 5:07 pmKratos' secondary form fell away as he passed over the threshold into the cabin.
"Bianca." He called as he entered. "We have three more mouths to feed and they will need their strength before the moon rises tonight. Do we have anything to give them?"****
Ulric stood solemnly in the clearing, looking down on the two werewolves, with Dakota beside him.
****
John sighed tersely and stood. He made the effort to dust himself off and stretch out, despite the ragged mess he was.
"Oh well," he said. "That's comfortable, isn't it? Straight from being one's captive to another."
"Look, sugar, I was captured first, so don't you go on about how sorry you are for yourself." Tiffany chided him. "Now, they didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Eh, no." John said with a smile. He opened his black leather jacket for her to see and turned slightly to the side, posing. "You about saved my life with this, I think."
"Now aren't you glad?" Tiffany said. She folded her arms and leaned on the wall with her shoulder. One of her ankles gently turned around the other.
"Glad that you stole it? No. I don't think I should ever be glad about that. But I am glad to be alive."
"I told you. There was nobody coming back for it, sugar. That car been parked there for awhile."
"Yes, but you're a werewolf. Don't think I don't know you can track someone through the woods."
"Hm." Tiffany looked away from him. Not for the last time her gaze went to the light-haired young man standing outside the fence above the enclosure.
John followed her gaze. "Hello there!" He called up to Ulric. "Can you tell us where we are? I think I have a pretty good guess, judging by the size of that big brute up there. Are we anywhere near Reknab Bend?"
****
Ulric said nothing. Across the expanse of the pit, on the other side of it, Timothy was watching him. He looked back down.
****
Tiffany met his gaze for only a moment more, then she looked solemnly at Ionone.
"How are you doing, sugar?" She said softly, near a whisper.
Kratos' secondary form fell away as he passed over the threshold into the cabin.
"Bianca." He called as he entered. "We have three more mouths to feed and they will need their strength before the moon rises tonight. Do we have anything to give them?"
****
Ulric stood solemnly in the clearing, looking down on the two werewolves, with Dakota beside him.
****
John sighed tersely and stood. He made the effort to dust himself off and stretch out, despite the ragged mess he was.
"Oh well," he said. "That's comfortable, isn't it? Straight from being one's captive to another."
"Look, sugar, I was captured first, so don't you go on about how sorry you are for yourself." Tiffany chided him. "Now, they didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Eh, no." John said with a smile. He opened his black leather jacket for her to see and turned slightly to the side, posing. "You about saved my life with this, I think."
"Now aren't you glad?" Tiffany said. She folded her arms and leaned on the wall with her shoulder. One of her ankles gently turned around the other.
"Glad that you stole it? No. I don't think I should ever be glad about that. But I am glad to be alive."
"I told you. There was nobody coming back for it, sugar. That car been parked there for awhile."
"Yes, but you're a werewolf. Don't think I don't know you can track someone through the woods."
"Hm." Tiffany looked away from him. Not for the last time her gaze went to the light-haired young man standing outside the fence above the enclosure.
John followed her gaze. "Hello there!" He called up to Ulric. "Can you tell us where we are? I think I have a pretty good guess, judging by the size of that big brute up there. Are we anywhere near Reknab Bend?"
****
Ulric said nothing. Across the expanse of the pit, on the other side of it, Timothy was watching him. He looked back down.
****
Tiffany met his gaze for only a moment more, then she looked solemnly at Ionone.
"How are you doing, sugar?" She said softly, near a whisper.
Quote from Adriana on August 31, 2023, 5:13 pmBianca looked to Kratos and nodded,
"There's still some meat from the elk we caught last week, only about fifty pounds worth though. Uhm... some frozen hamburger I think. I'll make them something." she got up from the couch and was in the kitchen right away.
Bianca looked to Kratos and nodded,
"There's still some meat from the elk we caught last week, only about fifty pounds worth though. Uhm... some frozen hamburger I think. I'll make them something." she got up from the couch and was in the kitchen right away.
Quote from Indy on September 1, 2023, 2:00 amIonone hadn't moved much since she had come to occupy the pit. Though the care of her healer had been harsh, her skill could not be doubted. She'd no doubt the injury would heal with not even a scar. At present, the injury throbbed. She sat with her back against the wall, her eyes light closed. She opened a violet eye to Tiffany's question.
"Tired," she said.
****
The hunter moved about the woods like an unseen phantom. Or a hunter who had rolled around in phantom herb. So long as she wouldn't sniffle and sneeze, she was sure not even her prey would detect her... In any case, this morning's mission was only to check the traps.
In the almost two-dozen traps she had set nearby the property, she found three fat rabbits and a pigeon. It was a small quantity of meat, but not an insignificant one. She released the pigeon and made quick work of the frightened rabbits, then effortlessly came back down through the woods to the cabins.
It seemed her arrival was on some kind of cue. Just as Bianca had answered the question, she came walking up with her prize in hand.
"And three rabbits," she grinned, no doubt pleased.
Ionone hadn't moved much since she had come to occupy the pit. Though the care of her healer had been harsh, her skill could not be doubted. She'd no doubt the injury would heal with not even a scar. At present, the injury throbbed. She sat with her back against the wall, her eyes light closed. She opened a violet eye to Tiffany's question.
"Tired," she said.
****
The hunter moved about the woods like an unseen phantom. Or a hunter who had rolled around in phantom herb. So long as she wouldn't sniffle and sneeze, she was sure not even her prey would detect her... In any case, this morning's mission was only to check the traps.
In the almost two-dozen traps she had set nearby the property, she found three fat rabbits and a pigeon. It was a small quantity of meat, but not an insignificant one. She released the pigeon and made quick work of the frightened rabbits, then effortlessly came back down through the woods to the cabins.
It seemed her arrival was on some kind of cue. Just as Bianca had answered the question, she came walking up with her prize in hand.
"And three rabbits," she grinned, no doubt pleased.
Quote from Adriana on September 1, 2023, 8:51 amBianca turned around and scrunched her face up.
”Jackiee… we talked about having things with the fur still on in the house…” she whined.
Bianca turned around and scrunched her face up.
”Jackiee… we talked about having things with the fur still on in the house…” she whined.
Quote from Indy on September 1, 2023, 11:12 amJackie flashed a grin and pulled out a knife. In a motion she ran the knife along the belly of the rabbit and made no small show in the removal of the first pelt. The speed and confidence she moved made it clear it was something she had a great deal of expertise in.
"Got it - soooo make a pair of mittens for you with the fur, then you can have," she pushed the first rabbit, freshly skinned to Bianca,"the rest for stew".
Jackie flashed a grin and pulled out a knife. In a motion she ran the knife along the belly of the rabbit and made no small show in the removal of the first pelt. The speed and confidence she moved made it clear it was something she had a great deal of expertise in.
"Got it - soooo make a pair of mittens for you with the fur, then you can have," she pushed the first rabbit, freshly skinned to Bianca,"the rest for stew".
