What Lie in Shadow (CA - Saber)
Quote from Skyelre on August 17, 2023, 11:21 amTown hall stood old and proud amongst the buildings of main street. From an alleyway, a shadow moved stealthily towards its front door. A glance was exchanged behind, before looking around the rest of main street. Not able to see any movement, the shadow quickly picked the lock of the front door and soundlessly slipped in.
---
Saber closed the door behind him as quietly as possible, locking it back up. He released a quiet breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. He turned, looking at the abandoned front desk of town hall. Plenty of papers, a pen holder, and a computer with a big box of a monitor could be seen behind the desk. On the wall could be seen posts about upcoming events. The light filtered through the windows and gave the place an eerie glow.
Saber took a few tentative steps forward, but the stillness of the environment seemed to cause him to hesitate. He looked back at the door, listening. Nothing. Then he turned back and looked the place over; Listening, smelling, trying hard to sense if there were any threats present.
Being alone was dangerous, his wolf told him.
Being alone could be lethal, his experience told him.
Being alone was what got him here, his conscience told him.He had known there was danger in the city. He had known there was danger in the town. While he had survived being run out of the city, and never ran into much more than threatening glances in town, he knew he may not be so lucky if either threat dared to rear its ugly head again.
While the town had been a cozy and inviting place before, now that it had been abandoned the entire town of Reknab Bend had grown eerily quiet. With silence grew the deathly shadows of imagination. With imagination, every dark corner started to become something to fear in the mind. Paranoia seemed too strong of a word, but whatever it was, man and wolves' fears combined into something that settled beneath Saber's skin; Waiting, anticipating, keeping him restless.
Having noticed nothing to cause alarm, Saber continued a few more steps forward till he eyed what he was looking for behind the front desk. He moved quietly to the door leading to the back and proceeded to that which he sought on the other side.
Town hall stood old and proud amongst the buildings of main street. From an alleyway, a shadow moved stealthily towards its front door. A glance was exchanged behind, before looking around the rest of main street. Not able to see any movement, the shadow quickly picked the lock of the front door and soundlessly slipped in.
---
Saber closed the door behind him as quietly as possible, locking it back up. He released a quiet breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. He turned, looking at the abandoned front desk of town hall. Plenty of papers, a pen holder, and a computer with a big box of a monitor could be seen behind the desk. On the wall could be seen posts about upcoming events. The light filtered through the windows and gave the place an eerie glow.
Saber took a few tentative steps forward, but the stillness of the environment seemed to cause him to hesitate. He looked back at the door, listening. Nothing. Then he turned back and looked the place over; Listening, smelling, trying hard to sense if there were any threats present.
Being alone was dangerous, his wolf told him.
Being alone could be lethal, his experience told him.
Being alone was what got him here, his conscience told him.
He had known there was danger in the city. He had known there was danger in the town. While he had survived being run out of the city, and never ran into much more than threatening glances in town, he knew he may not be so lucky if either threat dared to rear its ugly head again.
While the town had been a cozy and inviting place before, now that it had been abandoned the entire town of Reknab Bend had grown eerily quiet. With silence grew the deathly shadows of imagination. With imagination, every dark corner started to become something to fear in the mind. Paranoia seemed too strong of a word, but whatever it was, man and wolves' fears combined into something that settled beneath Saber's skin; Waiting, anticipating, keeping him restless.
Having noticed nothing to cause alarm, Saber continued a few more steps forward till he eyed what he was looking for behind the front desk. He moved quietly to the door leading to the back and proceeded to that which he sought on the other side.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 17, 2023, 3:51 pmIt wasn't the first time Saber had snuck into town in the dead of night. Nor was it the first time his shadow had been shadowed. Sabrina was generally content to let him wander and simply observe him, unseen, from a distance.
Breaking into the abandoned grocery store here and there and helping himself to the free wares seemed to have a good effect on him. It wasn't like he was actually breaking anything, anyway. He had a knack for getting into places and leaving it like he'd never been there, minus whatever he'd come for. Non-perishable foodstuffs he wasn't allergic to. A backpack. A flashlight and some tools. Some prescription pills. Nothing that would be painfully missed. As far as Sabrina was concerned, his nightly exploits were like hunting, if he'd been born a wolf. It was an acceptable outlet for his energy. The additional benefit was that she knew he would actually eat whatever he managed to secure for himself, which was more than could be said for any meal the Pack afforded him.
It was the first time he'd been to City Hall, though. And that warranted a closer look. Perhaps he did not know he was watched when he jimmied the lock and let himself into the government building. Half a smile crossed her face. He'd figured out by now he didn't need the flashlight. Unfortunately for her, that meant she couldn't track his movements inside the building by the light in the windows. She'd have to follow him in if she wanted to see what he was up to.
She liked that a little less. Indoors limited the potential angles she could either enter or escape by. The alternative would be to wait until he came out, then. But she wasn't satisfied with that. From her vantage point, she noticed a small security camera over the door. This was Reknab Bend. The chances that it was actively monitored, let alone more than just a prop, were slim. But it never hurt to be sure.
She slipped across the empty parking lot like a ghost. Even in the dead of night, it was difficult to remain unseen when one's wardrobe of choice was a consistent crystal white. Especially in a town where nothing else was moving. But she was not making an attempt not to be seen, either. Saber was the only thing for miles that would see her--and only if he looked. Instead, she simply relied on silence and picked out a path that wouldn't be looked for as the obvious point of approach. When she got to the door, she pressed her back against the wall. She rubbed a smooth stone in her hand, aimed, and let it sail for the camera lens.
It shattered.
Saber should have heard that, so she waited to see if he would come back to check out the noise, or flee. She'd give him a few beats to make up his mind before following him in.
It wasn't the first time Saber had snuck into town in the dead of night. Nor was it the first time his shadow had been shadowed. Sabrina was generally content to let him wander and simply observe him, unseen, from a distance.
Breaking into the abandoned grocery store here and there and helping himself to the free wares seemed to have a good effect on him. It wasn't like he was actually breaking anything, anyway. He had a knack for getting into places and leaving it like he'd never been there, minus whatever he'd come for. Non-perishable foodstuffs he wasn't allergic to. A backpack. A flashlight and some tools. Some prescription pills. Nothing that would be painfully missed. As far as Sabrina was concerned, his nightly exploits were like hunting, if he'd been born a wolf. It was an acceptable outlet for his energy. The additional benefit was that she knew he would actually eat whatever he managed to secure for himself, which was more than could be said for any meal the Pack afforded him.
It was the first time he'd been to City Hall, though. And that warranted a closer look. Perhaps he did not know he was watched when he jimmied the lock and let himself into the government building. Half a smile crossed her face. He'd figured out by now he didn't need the flashlight. Unfortunately for her, that meant she couldn't track his movements inside the building by the light in the windows. She'd have to follow him in if she wanted to see what he was up to.
She liked that a little less. Indoors limited the potential angles she could either enter or escape by. The alternative would be to wait until he came out, then. But she wasn't satisfied with that. From her vantage point, she noticed a small security camera over the door. This was Reknab Bend. The chances that it was actively monitored, let alone more than just a prop, were slim. But it never hurt to be sure.
She slipped across the empty parking lot like a ghost. Even in the dead of night, it was difficult to remain unseen when one's wardrobe of choice was a consistent crystal white. Especially in a town where nothing else was moving. But she was not making an attempt not to be seen, either. Saber was the only thing for miles that would see her--and only if he looked. Instead, she simply relied on silence and picked out a path that wouldn't be looked for as the obvious point of approach. When she got to the door, she pressed her back against the wall. She rubbed a smooth stone in her hand, aimed, and let it sail for the camera lens.
It shattered.
Saber should have heard that, so she waited to see if he would come back to check out the noise, or flee. She'd give him a few beats to make up his mind before following him in.
Quote from Skyelre on August 17, 2023, 6:25 pmSaber did hear the noise- right as he had opened the door to enter the back section of town hall. He turned as his eyes darted to towards the front windows, glancing at each one in turn. Neither were broken. He slipped quickly but quietly into the door and closed it. His heart was pounding.
That wasn't a gunshot... Wasn't a window apparently... It had sounded like glass, and yet nothing could be seen of what had got hit. He mentally went down a list of possibilities, before his thoughts got sidelined by the question of if he was currently in danger or not.
...If someone wanted to kill him, they had a far better advantage of keeping the element of surprise than alerting him. He knew that from plenty of personal experience. If this had been an accident, another noise would've followed of someone fleeing. Assuming it wasn't simply an amateur after him, this person wanted his attention, not his life. Not yet anyways. And if it was an amateur who thought he could kill Saber because he was some kind of a small "easy" target, he swore to heaven and hell his ghost would come back from the grave and drown that fool who even dared think he was something easy to dispose of.
No. Most likely than not, it was a pack member told to keep an eye on him. The pack in the mountains were all werewolves, and that seemed like it lent them to all being a bunch of night owls. Ever since he had been changed, even he found himself far more alert at night than before. Problem was, someone almost always seemed to be awake at any given hour. He had no doubt with how many times he'd slipped out already that by now most of the pack already knew he was doing it. So most likely, it was just a pack member. But did he want to bet his life on it was the question....
Saber didn't think he had a lot of time left before whoever it was would make their next move, and that one thought caused him to snap out of the tangled web of thoughts he had ended up in and move.
He turned a corner towards the front desk, soon noticing he was visible now through the front windows. He quickly crouched down below the front desk. He moved and grabbed what he was after and dragged it down from the counter top above him, below into his lap.
The Reknab Bend phone book... nope. He tossed the small book aside, having seen it almost everywhere already. Then there was a decently thicker book; The Middlecrest phone book. Also tossed aside. He'd also seen that elsewhere, but only once. Finally he was on the book he was looking for, labeled Pinerich. He quickly flipped through the pages, keeping as quiet as possible as he listened for the shadow outside's next move.
Saber did hear the noise- right as he had opened the door to enter the back section of town hall. He turned as his eyes darted to towards the front windows, glancing at each one in turn. Neither were broken. He slipped quickly but quietly into the door and closed it. His heart was pounding.
That wasn't a gunshot... Wasn't a window apparently... It had sounded like glass, and yet nothing could be seen of what had got hit. He mentally went down a list of possibilities, before his thoughts got sidelined by the question of if he was currently in danger or not.
...If someone wanted to kill him, they had a far better advantage of keeping the element of surprise than alerting him. He knew that from plenty of personal experience. If this had been an accident, another noise would've followed of someone fleeing. Assuming it wasn't simply an amateur after him, this person wanted his attention, not his life. Not yet anyways. And if it was an amateur who thought he could kill Saber because he was some kind of a small "easy" target, he swore to heaven and hell his ghost would come back from the grave and drown that fool who even dared think he was something easy to dispose of.
No. Most likely than not, it was a pack member told to keep an eye on him. The pack in the mountains were all werewolves, and that seemed like it lent them to all being a bunch of night owls. Ever since he had been changed, even he found himself far more alert at night than before. Problem was, someone almost always seemed to be awake at any given hour. He had no doubt with how many times he'd slipped out already that by now most of the pack already knew he was doing it. So most likely, it was just a pack member. But did he want to bet his life on it was the question....
Saber didn't think he had a lot of time left before whoever it was would make their next move, and that one thought caused him to snap out of the tangled web of thoughts he had ended up in and move.
He turned a corner towards the front desk, soon noticing he was visible now through the front windows. He quickly crouched down below the front desk. He moved and grabbed what he was after and dragged it down from the counter top above him, below into his lap.
The Reknab Bend phone book... nope. He tossed the small book aside, having seen it almost everywhere already. Then there was a decently thicker book; The Middlecrest phone book. Also tossed aside. He'd also seen that elsewhere, but only once. Finally he was on the book he was looking for, labeled Pinerich. He quickly flipped through the pages, keeping as quiet as possible as he listened for the shadow outside's next move.
Quote from Skyelre on August 19, 2023, 1:22 amAfter several page flips later, Saber landed on the name he was looking for. He carefully pulled the page out to make things faster than writing down the number- it also made who's number he was grabbing more discreet.
He listened for a moment and continued to hear nothing outside. He folded up the paper and tucked it into his pocket. A quick glance was given towards the front door barely seen above the countertop. No movement. No sound.
Saber closed the phone book, before a thought made him pause. He reopened it and carefully tore out several more pages in different sections before closing it and placing it back on the counter, along with the other two phone books. The other severed pages were folded and tucked into his pocket as well.
He eyed the front door once more. Still nothing.
He didn't like the silence. Even though someone barging in suddenly to try and kill him would've been bad, something felt better about that situation; That situation would mean he was right and it was an amateur after him. The silence however implied someone was biding their time. He didn't like that.
He stared at the door, listening to his surroundings as if he expected staring long enough would make something eventually twitch out of place and reveal the original noises source. Because of the feeling that settled beneath his skin, he couldn't seem to get himself to move. And so there he remained for a time, waiting, anticipating, his heart pounding restlessly in his ears.
After several page flips later, Saber landed on the name he was looking for. He carefully pulled the page out to make things faster than writing down the number- it also made who's number he was grabbing more discreet.
He listened for a moment and continued to hear nothing outside. He folded up the paper and tucked it into his pocket. A quick glance was given towards the front door barely seen above the countertop. No movement. No sound.
Saber closed the phone book, before a thought made him pause. He reopened it and carefully tore out several more pages in different sections before closing it and placing it back on the counter, along with the other two phone books. The other severed pages were folded and tucked into his pocket as well.
He eyed the front door once more. Still nothing.
He didn't like the silence. Even though someone barging in suddenly to try and kill him would've been bad, something felt better about that situation; That situation would mean he was right and it was an amateur after him. The silence however implied someone was biding their time. He didn't like that.
He stared at the door, listening to his surroundings as if he expected staring long enough would make something eventually twitch out of place and reveal the original noises source. Because of the feeling that settled beneath his skin, he couldn't seem to get himself to move. And so there he remained for a time, waiting, anticipating, his heart pounding restlessly in his ears.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 21, 2023, 1:45 pmEventually, Sabrina grew tired of the stand-still. The jig was up. Five minutes of complete stillness was not what someone did when they'd dismissed a sound as "nothing". 30 seconds or so, sure. Two minutes, tops. No, Saber had caught on that she'd followed him this time. Or that someone had, anyway.
Regardless, he obviously wasn't going to move first, and she had learned all she could about this exploit by merely observing.
After she'd broken the camera and leaned back against the building, her keen ears detected the sound of the door he'd closed, so she'd known what room to find him in. She hadn't made a sound as she entered the building and came to that door, where she waited and listened. The scuffling of paper. The thump, thump of heavy books being returned to the desk. She'd taken a bet on when to enter the room and it paid off, another thump and possibly the thundering of his own heartbeat in his ears covered the light click of the doorknob when she came in.
She'd only seen him stash a few pages of the Pinerich phonebook in his pocket before he looked back at the door. By then, she was standing in the moonlight by the American flag in the corner of the room, using the contrast of light and darkness to trick the eyes into telling their owner that he saw nothing there. But of course his eyes would keep returning to that spot, for something was amiss, even if the light allowed his brain to dismiss her form as simply an odd shadow cast by the flag.
At last, the odd shadow moved. There was no one, and then it was evident she had been there all along.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Eventually, Sabrina grew tired of the stand-still. The jig was up. Five minutes of complete stillness was not what someone did when they'd dismissed a sound as "nothing". 30 seconds or so, sure. Two minutes, tops. No, Saber had caught on that she'd followed him this time. Or that someone had, anyway.
Regardless, he obviously wasn't going to move first, and she had learned all she could about this exploit by merely observing.
After she'd broken the camera and leaned back against the building, her keen ears detected the sound of the door he'd closed, so she'd known what room to find him in. She hadn't made a sound as she entered the building and came to that door, where she waited and listened. The scuffling of paper. The thump, thump of heavy books being returned to the desk. She'd taken a bet on when to enter the room and it paid off, another thump and possibly the thundering of his own heartbeat in his ears covered the light click of the doorknob when she came in.
She'd only seen him stash a few pages of the Pinerich phonebook in his pocket before he looked back at the door. By then, she was standing in the moonlight by the American flag in the corner of the room, using the contrast of light and darkness to trick the eyes into telling their owner that he saw nothing there. But of course his eyes would keep returning to that spot, for something was amiss, even if the light allowed his brain to dismiss her form as simply an odd shadow cast by the flag.
At last, the odd shadow moved. There was no one, and then it was evident she had been there all along.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Quote from Skyelre on August 22, 2023, 12:26 amSaber at some point had given a quick glance over to where Sabrina was now, but at the moment of her reveal his eyes had gotten fixated at staring above the front desk, towards the top of the front door of the building. He wasn't looking towards her when she finally had spoke.
Saber jumped. He turned towards her and exhaled sharply, angry more than surprised of her presence." Are you trying to give me a heart attack..?!" he said, but kept his voice low.
He slowly stood up as he tried to steady his breathing. His heart was pounding wildly now. He angrily eyed Sabrina.
" Why did you follow me?" He demanded, but continued to keep his voice low.
Saber at some point had given a quick glance over to where Sabrina was now, but at the moment of her reveal his eyes had gotten fixated at staring above the front desk, towards the top of the front door of the building. He wasn't looking towards her when she finally had spoke.
Saber jumped. He turned towards her and exhaled sharply, angry more than surprised of her presence." Are you trying to give me a heart attack..?!" he said, but kept his voice low.
He slowly stood up as he tried to steady his breathing. His heart was pounding wildly now. He angrily eyed Sabrina.
" Why did you follow me?" He demanded, but continued to keep his voice low.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 24, 2023, 10:32 am"While that was not the intention of the manoeuvre, it was considered as a possible unfortunate outcome, yes," said Sabrina of Saber's potential heart attack. "But I'll give you some credit. I don't believe you're that fragile."
She crossed her arms and leaned to one side. "I followed you for your protection. There is safety in numbers, and while most of Reknab's inhabitants have been evacuated, one can never be too careful. I intended only to observe, not interfere, until you broke into a government building. For... Some phone numbers? Is there someone you need to get in contact with?"
"While that was not the intention of the manoeuvre, it was considered as a possible unfortunate outcome, yes," said Sabrina of Saber's potential heart attack. "But I'll give you some credit. I don't believe you're that fragile."
She crossed her arms and leaned to one side. "I followed you for your protection. There is safety in numbers, and while most of Reknab's inhabitants have been evacuated, one can never be too careful. I intended only to observe, not interfere, until you broke into a government building. For... Some phone numbers? Is there someone you need to get in contact with?"
Quote from Skyelre on August 24, 2023, 4:29 pmSaber scoffed. " You don't think I'm fragile, just possibly up to something illegal. Great," he said with a roll of his eyes.
With that he moved to leave.
Saber scoffed. " You don't think I'm fragile, just possibly up to something illegal. Great," he said with a roll of his eyes.
With that he moved to leave.
Quote from Kaqurei on August 25, 2023, 2:14 pm"Oh no, I'm quite certain you're up to something illegal," she said, lazily gesturing around at the building they were standing in, as though that much was self-evident. "But as I followed you in, I am guilty of the selfsame crime. More, if you count the broken camera outside."
She made no effort to block his exit. Instead, she followed him. "I only question why you are doing something illegal. The risk seems to outweigh the benefit, by far. At least from where I am standing."
"Oh no, I'm quite certain you're up to something illegal," she said, lazily gesturing around at the building they were standing in, as though that much was self-evident. "But as I followed you in, I am guilty of the selfsame crime. More, if you count the broken camera outside."
She made no effort to block his exit. Instead, she followed him. "I only question why you are doing something illegal. The risk seems to outweigh the benefit, by far. At least from where I am standing."
