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 Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 5:22 pm
Encountering Awen The sun had come up a long time ago and still no one had come back for Awen. Luckily for her no real animals decided to think this bloody half fish girl was food. It was probably the first lucky thing to happen to Awen all of that day. However the new day had dawned some time ago and her luck would have reset itself. Were she concious she would not be very optimistic of the sun now shining over her.
The blood on her had crusted over and all three of her wounds were starting to scab over. As for the rest of her, the rubbery skin had dried out too much and large flakes had started to fall off. All of her skin was rough and cracked. Laying faced down on the ground the only indication of who or what this creature's identity was the bright blue hair and familiar green shirt."Not as bad as it sounds?!" Ambrose echoed incredulously. "Three of the Islanders went crazy due to lack of food and that alone is making them become more of the animal that he made us?!"
A small growl of frustration. "And Jamal's changed as well?! I remember he thought that he was 'safe' from the changes.... and... he hadn't changed at all before all of this right? I mean... I know Amaya said that you had changed again since all of this, but you had already gone through a transformation to begin with..."
Ambrose thought of Angelina... could she change as well, even though she hadn't changed could the DNA in the initial injections still be enough to force them to change without a followup injection??
"I haven't seen Jamal in a while... Last I saw him we argued... he seemed very .... touchy about the whole issue of transformation, but... before all of that we worked together with Chubbs on many occasions.... But threatenign to hurt you isn't a good sign at all - following through on it is even worse...." Ambrose continued Westward along the riverbank from his campsite, hopeful that he might run into other faces of people who had been shunted out of the village. He hoped that he could come up with some feel that most of them were alright... figure out where people had been, how they were doing... if anyone was in trouble, and to pass along the word of who was in his camp, and that they would gladly take in more people if they needed it - or at least maintain contact.
Ambrose didn't encounter anyone all the way back to the village, which, in a way was reassuring in that he learned that he could follow the river straight back. It was... eerie. He hadn't been back to the Village in weeks now - depending on Angelina's periodic scouting to the labs that the power was still off. It was like a ghostly reminder of what his life had been before he was ousted into the jungle, living off of the land... without soap, without much in the way of clothing. He walked by his duplex and peered into the window. It was like a shadowbox.... a cruel diorama of his old life... he could see the photograph of himself still perched on the bedside table next to his unmade bed.
His heart ached.
Why had they shut them out? Away from their humanity, all trappings of their previous lives? And out in the jungle like animals.
He shook his head and forced himself to keep walking, taking a southern turn to follow that branch of the river. Amaya had said that Jamal and an "Antony" were on the west beach... so he might as well see if he could find any other groups of people in a different direction. He scolded himself for not doing this earlier.
As he walked.... his nose alerted him to a dangerously familiar scent: Blood. His ears lay back on his head and his fur prickled. Was it a hurt animal? Possible prey or food? Or was it an injured predator or boar that could mean more danger? He drew the knife from his pantline, gripping it defensively.
Or could it be one of the islanders? Hurt? And in need of medical attention. Softly, his pawpads patted closer until he peered through the foliage to see a strange rubbery-bluish figure lying in the mud by the riverside.
His mind first fumbled for what it might be until, is his embarrassment he recognized the green material as a shirt, and the blue as hair... his mind finally clicked over. Awen... Awen had blue hair, right?
He approached hesitantly, quietly, worried if she might be badly injured. Amaya had just seen her the other day, and she was unhurt then, right?!
A soft whine of worry escaped his throat unconsciously as he walked to her side and stooped down, putting a furry hand on her rubbery shoulder. Awen was for the most part unaware of the islander near her. In the darkness of her mind her she had been thrown from her comfortable place in the lake by a rough set of claws. She saw Jamal, Joliette, Lauren, Chubbs and Antony standing on the shore around her. She was confused and tried to ask what was going on, but as she looked to each face in turn she knew that their minds were no longer in control. She could see all their predatory nature showing through, each baring claws, fierce stares and Lauren brandished her knife. Awen tried to run, but was not fast enough anymore on the land. She saw water, the cool safe sweet water of a river, but just as she was about to dive in it disappeared and left Awen faced down in the dirt. She knew the islanders had drawn closer, each looknig for a kill.
A pain shot through her shoulder as Ambrose touched it and Awen stirred from her sleep with a cry of shock and pain. Not yet realising the waking world she flipped to her back and crawled backwards as quickly as she could manage. Her eyes scaned the area but she saw no one from her dream, her heart pounded as she breathed heavily. As the purple orbes landed on Ambrose she let out a soft groan. The others weren't there but this wolf was definately a predator.
"Please don't hurt me..." She whimpered softly. "If you need food I can get you fish... If you eat me I'll be gone... but I can get fish..feed you for longer. Please..."Ambrose's mouth opened and just... hung there for a few moments. His blue flecked with gold eyes scanned her, brows furrowing in concern that might be mistook for anger. What had the poor girl been through?! She was bleeding from what looked like claw marks... her scent spoke of her terror at looking at him.
Was she deleirous? Had she been attacked by some wild beast.... or were things on this side of the island much much worse than his campsite in the east? Could other of the Islanders, the people have done this to her?
"Awen?" He spoke carefully, returning the knife made from twisted scrapmetal lashed to a short stick to the waistline of his sleeppants, now dirty and frayed at the bottoms.
He carefully raised his hands, pawpads facing her. "I'm not here to hurt you... It's... Ambrose - do you remember me?" He studied her again. Amaya was right.... she had changed.... so much since he had last seen her. Was this the result of just one change? She even smelled of the river, her rubbery skin more like that of a fish's, her liquid purple eyes staring back at him with fear. Perhaps she was delusional after a particularly traumatic transformation? But that still didn't explain the clawmarks that she didn't have the claws to deliver to herself...
"I'm... despite how I look, I'm no animal... I don't want to eat you."
But he didn't advance She stared at him for awhile letting everything sink in. For a sort bit she just had to let things sink in slowly. As she glanced over her shoulder it almost appeared as if she was going to make a break for it. She looked back suddenly she took on a look of realisation.
"Andy!" As she had mistakenly thought of him after the Halloween party. Sure she had been corrected, and she just heard him say his name.. but at that moment she wasn't quite thinking straight.
She sprang forward and latched onto the nearest part of Ambrose she could find... with happened to be a foot. Slowly she crawled her way up so her arms were wrapped tightly around his stomach and she face was buried in his belly button. The poor girl was sobbing into him getting his nice fur a** wet with her tears and crusts of blood that flaked off.
"Thank god." She whispered in a gasp for air. "Thank god...."Ambrose was about to correct her when she flung her arms around him and held on for dear life.
Bewildered, Ambrose gently patted her somwhere that didn't look cut and his ears lowered in concern.
"Dear lord, Awen.." He whispered. "What in God's name happened to you?? What did this to you?" He ran a hand through her short hair.
"Amaya... she said she spoke with you a few days or so ago... said you were staying with Joliette and Chubbs? What happened?! Were you... attacked by something? Are you alright? Where is everyone?" His words were coming quicker now. Awen tried to settle herself down and was actually very comforted by Ambrose's gentle pat. She stiffled a few sobs as she pulled back to look up at the man. She tried to figure out where to start. Which question to answer first. Everything just seemed to crowd and overwhelm her.
Finally thoguh she wiped the tears from she eyes and took a breath. Okay... "I don't know where everyone is, some back at camp, others at the beach...some I have no idea. As for what happened..." She swallowed hard and bowed her head a little bit. "Was almost attacked by a half-starved Lauren in the morning, then attacked by a freshly changed Jamal near dusk, then I thought I was saved when Joli stumbled upon me in the middle of last night but then she almost attacked me too."
Her eyes watered again but she refused to cry again. She was afraid, terrified of everything that was happening but she wouldn't cry again. She actually tried to crack a smile. "I guess luck just isn't on a fish's side eh?"Ambrose looked stunned at her description of the events. How ... how could they resort to that?? Attacking her?? What was going on??
"They... attacked you?!" He shook his head again and gave her another tentative hug.
"I promise, Awen, I am not going to hurt you. I... dear lord, we were hungry for a while too.... and I guess I felt a little more feral, but Amaya and I went hunting and caught a... uhm... I think they said it was a capuhberry... or something like that. But... Lauren... Lauren I could almost picture - she was always a little crazy. And I've argued with Jamal before, but he attacked YOU?! And Joliette? I have a hard time picturing Joliette hurting a fly!"
He took a breath and dabbed at her cheeks with the back of a furry finger. "I'm so sorry... I heard that you guys were out here... I came to see who else I might be able to find - make sure everyone was alright... but by the sound of things, my god..." She raised her hands defencively at his comments. "We were doing okay. WE've had some fish, boar at our camp. Not sure about Jamal's. But Lauren went off on her own and she was getting delirious because she hadn't eaten in a few days. And Joliette has been eating nothing but berries she finds... the animal in her isn't liking it at all. And Jamal...."
She rolled her shoulders a little bit and bit her lip. "He just changed. He wasn't in the right state of mind... he was... I don't know. He thought he was safe he wasn't going to change. But his hopes were crushed, his dreams dashed...and whatever he was turning into took the opportunity to take control. He...gave me a chance to leave... He told me he didn't want to hurt me.. that I should have walked away." She shooker her head and looked straight into Ambrose' eyes pleading for understanding. "But I couldn't just leave him. I couldn't abandon him in the middle of nowhere..."
She sighed softly. "It's...not as bad as it sounds...." "Me and Chubbs are fine!" She retorted quickly to his lack of food comments. "The food is fine people are just being stupid and not eating..."
Unlike Ambrose she actually seemed more calm, if weak, about the situation. Then again Awen was perhaps for forgiving than she should be after three near or directly physical attacks against her person.
"It's not Jamal's fault either. It was the change... He didn't..rightly know..." Her brow furrowed as she was straining for an excuse for him. She couldn't think of something so she just jumped to the next. "And....I'm glad, for once, I'm becoming more like the animal Moreau had in store for me. We can eat all we want and hey..no more stupid fear of water, I'm more assertive. I mean we might not be in such good condition had I not changed more into an animal Ambrose. It's not all bad... Gotta... look on the bright side. Like I said it's not that bad.""Well.... I'm glad that you and Chubbs are still alright.... and it looked like he and Joliette were getting rather close - maybe he'll be able to help her snap out of it... convince her to eat some of the meat your group has collected instead of.... someone" He swallowed.
"And even if Jamal did jut change... that's no excuse to attack someone, let alone a friend. What is he turning into?"
He scratched the back of his head. "I wish we hadn't been locked out here... I don't like what it's doing to some of us... Have you seen anyone else out here? Jamal... and whoever Antony is... You, Chubbs and Joliette are all I know who are out here.... back at my camp is me, Angelina, Amaya, Emelyn, Vasile and Cassidy and Greer.... but that still leaves a lot unanswered for."
He breathed, trying to calm himself. "Here.... well... I'm glad that you're seeing a bright side... honestly that's better than I can say for most of us in dealing wiht all of this. I'm really glad to hear that you're.... comfortable with what's happening to you. It still scares the hell out of me to look in a mirror to be perfectly honest. Even if it had helped me find food and keep track of where our campsite is with my sense of smell. But you should go back to our campsite... it's safe there, we've got supplies of fruit and some able hunters... And we're on the riverbank - so uhm... I don't know if you need to stay ... moist or anything..." He spoke cautiously, not sure if he was sticking his foot in his mouth. Awen picked a little at the flakey skin on her arm and nodded a little bit. "It's..probably a better idea that I did..." She muttered a little bit. Honestly though Awen had the advantage over most other islanders because she hadn't seen herself in a mirror yet. All she had to do was understand what all of her changes brought to her, but how would she react if she actually saw herself? She didn't really know what the whole effect of her appearence was yet. She didn't want to know either... so far three people, to her knowledge, could barely recognise her when they saw her, and those were people that were close to her.
"Timothy too... he was around. I told him where people are incase he needed help..." She wasn't about to tell Ambrose that Jamal had changed as well. She wasn't sure how he was going to handle it, he didn't seem to be taking any of this well so far.
She sighed a little bit nd shifted her weight. "Ambrose... I mean no offence at all. But when you changed you did have the nice duplexes, the food provided, the sweet comforts that Moreau really had provided for us." She shook her head slowly. "I don't know what he's turning into...something...white I think. But whatever it is he is a predator. Someone who is already hurt and confused by the events of the passed while, already being shoved out into the wild and having to survive, making our natural human instincts heighten anyway, the tension and instability everything has caused, worrying if we'll ever get back to some version of normality on the island or if we'll die in this ferral state. It already does damage to people's minds Ambrose. A change ontop of all of that... the instincts are overwhelming...I suspect... to a predator. I mean... I think manta rays, as Chubbs says I am, are more passive and so it hasn't hit me as hard. But whatever hit Jamal has hit him hard."
She really didn't want to backtrack on the subject but Ambrose did as and that brought up more issues for her. She sighed a little bit. "It wasn't him. And yeah... we'll get him back..."
"Anyway!" She said with a smile and a much cheerier attitude. "Amaya told me everyone that was safe. I'm really glad everyone is okay. Thanks for letting me in on your camp... "Ambrose hung his head, feeling guilty for his pronouncement on Jamal... but still... Ambrose had a hard time picturing himself attacking someone else... let alone a friend... because of a beast inside of him....
But Jamal already had anger problems, and Ambrose remembered how he got when he hadn't had meat in a while... compounded with the unknown predicament they were all in, and Jamal's fear of the whole process.... it was enough to drive someone crazy. Not that he would be the first - his upstairs neighbor, Julian, was already flying high after his first change, and that was within the comforts of the duplexes. Lord knows where he was now... if he had changed again. He was becoming a feline of some sort - a predator - as well.
"I'm sorry, Awen.... I shouldn't have spoken badly of him like that..... I know he must be going through a lot just like we all are.... but still... attacking you... I'm sorry - you shouldn't have to face that either. Seeing a friend turn on you because of what's been done to us. I hope you're right about him not being beyond salvation. I'd hate to see more people being lost to this... lost to the animals..."
Ambrose took in the fact that she had seen Timothy as well. "It's been ages since I've seen Timothy either... For such a small Island and tight community I've been pretty cut off from a lot of us... Heck, I've never even met that "tattood woman" or "Antony" that I've heard a few make reference to. Then again... I became something of a hermit after ANgelina showed up for a time..."
He left her side long enough to fetch a handful of water to bring back to her, but most of it was slipping through his fingers by the time he got back and he winced sheepishly. Putting the remains on some of Awen's cuts he spoke up "Sorry... maybe we should try to at least clean some of these, and if you want, I can either direct you or take you back to our campsite." Awen shook her head slowly. "No no, don't be sorry." She looked up at Ambrose with a smile, very ready to put all of this behind them. She was worried about Jamal and unsure if he really could be saved or not. She was optimistic but... How far could that take her? She definately didn't want to think on it at the moment.
She looked east in the vague direction of Ambrose's camp. "Well you could take me if you want but... it's slow going for me on land, in my condition..probably worse..." She shook her head and turned back to the wolf. "It would probably take most of the day if we go by land ith me. It might be better to give me directions, I could go by water... you said it's by the river right?"
She nodded definately. Besides Ambrose said he was out looking for others. "You go check on Chubbs, Lauren and Joliette? Maybe meet Antony if you want to keep checking on people." She paused a moment and bit her lip. If Jamal had roughed Awen up like that what happened to Antony? Was she hurt? Or was she...
She couldn't keep thinking like that. She gave Ambrose directions back to her camp briefly. "...and if ou stick to the rivers you should be okay."Ambrose smiled, but there was a note of worry to it, esepecially after she mentioned her condition. "You're probably right... I followed the river here, so you shouldn't have much problem following it back to my camp. Just take it North to the lake by the village, then take it east. I think our Camp is on the Northmost brach of the river when it splits. So... after you get to the village, take a right and stick to your left. You should see our camp eventually on your left."
"I... I would go with you, but something tells me that you're a much stronger swimmer than I am now, and will probably be able to make better time by water than I could on land picking my way between the undergrowth. And yes.... I am worried about some of the others as well. I'll make my way to the beach... and see if I can find some of the others as well."
He offered his hand in good luck. "And dont' worry about anyone at our camp... they should be able to help you out... and we've got food and shelter if you need it." She took his hand and gripped it as firm as her body would allowas she smiled up at him. "You take care Ambrose. And don't worry about me I'll be fine."
She turned and started for the river. Her legs did seem to be a little shakey but once she got in the water she knew she would be fine. It could always get a lot worse. Plenty of food, and shelter was what awaited her on the other end of things anyway and that would giver her strength enough knowing it isn't totally hopeless. She paused a moment and glanced back at Ambrose.
"Kind of funny though... How we've all adapted to this. I never thought people as sorted as everyone on this island would be able to get through this relatively fine." She shook her head and started walking again.
Even if they were surviving the former rich girl would rather the comforts return. How long could these groups last anyway, howm uch longer until someone else snaps? No. She would not get too confident in their own abilities just yet. They need Moreau back.... badly. Besides, Awen had only just started a file on SCIII and she really needed to get back to her old lifestyle.
She sighed in relief when her flipper-like feet finally touch the cool water. The sensation spread slowl as she dipped her flakey self back into the life giving liquid. It was great, she finally is back in her element. Her domaine. Her shoulders hurt and her stomach had a dull ache but still she felt good. She walked along for a short while to try to rub some of the blood off but couldn't help it and soon just dunked herself completely. Breathing deeply from her gills she started on her way.Ambrose summoned a confident smile for the fish-girl as he shook her hand, doubly impressed with how well she was coping, both to her drastic changes and to the 'wild.' Ambrose unspoken sentiment mirrored hers, however - mournful of his loss of creature comforts - a pain that stung harder with his trip through the village and his glimpse into a duplex that he never imagined he would have thought of as "home".
"You're right... but as diverse as we are, together I think we can survive this stronger. I'm sure Moreau will come back... and things will return to as normal as they get around here." He gave her another smile and a wave. He watched her go, sliding effortlessly through the stream back in the direction that he came for a few moments before pushing on.
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Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 5:14 pm
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:02 pm
Newcomers Island of Moreau Avery and Rex had been through quite the ordeal. After having fallen (or jumped) overboard of the cruise liner, the waves were not gentle arms welcoming the pair. Instead of others on the boat noticing the two men overboard, the fight left most of the ones who might have seen and alerted the crew either unconscious, uncaring, or scattering. Besides, not reporting the incident frees them of a potential charge of involuntary manslaughter. By the time the boat notices two missing passengers, they've been carried far away, the strange currents of the Bermuda Triangle pulling the pair towards a mysterious Island that doesn't appear on most maps. The pair is unconsicous long before they reach the Eastern Beach, being battered and bashed about by waves, despite being caribbean waters, still chilled by the February temperatures, dragged across corals and suspiciously jagged pieces of submerged metal. The blackness and oblivion of unconsciousness is in fact a welcome departure from the experience of the wicked forces of nature. *** When consciousness does begin to slowly filter back to the pair, they feel warm sands under their fingertips. However, while unhampered breaths and solid ground are a welcome savior, it only takes a moment for your nerves to awaken as well, feeling bruised and sore and battered all over. Your skin is peppered with small cuts and abraisions, aching all over, particularly spots on the back of your necks.... The cuts burn with the saltwater. Your lungs are sore, and you whease before hacking up a good few ounces of water. However, when you finally risk a look, you find yourselves coincidentially near eachother... on a narrow beach, with a massive jungle looming in front of you. In the distance a mountain rises out of the foliage, and you could almost swear you see some sort of... building up there? But it's far away, and perhaps it is just a trick of the light. Animal calls sing out to you from the jungle, hoots of monkeys, whistles and cries of birds, and the buzz of insects. And, above it all, there's a creeping sense of foreboding that you can't quite put your finger on.... Rex Vadnais The last thing he remembered was darkness, the freezing ocean water and being ripped from side to side by waves until he went unconsious. Rex felt many things before his eyes creaked open to see the island around him. The grainy warm sand on his cheek, several open wounds and an awful pain in his neck. His skin felt the tightness that he knew the ocean waters did to you.
A breath in? COUGHHACK! Rex scrambled to his knees and coughed up quite alot of water. "Ughh.." He moaned, trying to steady his breathing. At least he was alive...
After rubbing the salt and sand from his eyes, he saw the immense forest in front of him and the endless sea to his back. An island? Well at least it was better than floating out in the water until he died. What exactly happened last night? So much of it was washed in his mind, all into one big blur. Rex collapsed back to the ground and lay there in the warm morning sand, no wanting to move due to aching everywhere imaginable.
The worst was over though... right? Avery Calder He was dying. Yes, Avery was sure of it - his entire body ached, and he was sore in places he didn't even realize could be sore before. He could feel the cuts and bruises all over his body, sand irritating the wounds, and why did his neck hurt so much? He pushed himself up on his arms, intantly coughing up saltwater when he tried to gasp in breath. "Oh god," he moaned, rolling over onto his back and opening his eyes. He squinted up into the sun for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. He remembered falling off the cruise ship, and calling for help... he thought he had seen someone dive into the water after him, but after that, he couldn't remember anything. Maybe he had imagined it? Obviously, he had not been rescued. He turned his face to the side, looking away from the sun. His eyes focused on the figure laying a close distance next to him, and he gasped. Thank god, I'm not alone, he thought, feeling suddenly relieved. He pushed himself up enough to crawl over to the person laying on the sand. "Hey... hey, buddy... are you okay?" Oh god, his throat felt like it was on fire. Rex Vadnais Rex focussed on his breathing, blocking out all sounds of the waves and the tropical birds... in, out, in-- HUH?
At the sound of a voice, everything came rushing back to him. The night before, the fight, the girl who fell over and then diving in after him. It hit him, they were deserted. Questions filled his mind like the salt water filled his stomach.
The voice. Rex jumped! er... kinda-half-rolled since his body wouldn't permit much movement when he realized there was another with him. His eyes rolled into wild realization as he made out the body next to him. A girl dressed in rather punkish clothes with long blonde hair and looking just as beat up as he was. "Yeah, I'm fine. But--" He coughed, a small amount of water coming out again, "but you were the one I'm worried about" He let out a little half-smile, trying to make the situation seem better than it was. Then he realized... this was no blondie he was talking to, but a man in woman's clothes. A drag queen... okay, nothing wrong with that.
Rex rolled over onto his back to give his belly some space, the sun shone searingly, blinding Rex temporarily.. Avery Calder "Me?" Avery blinked. "Well..." he looked around their surroundings; on one side, the ocean, on the other... a dense forest. No signs of civilization or any other humans here, it seemed. What were they going to do now? "... I've been better," he sighed. " Everything hurts... but what about you? Are you alright?" He sat down next to him, carefully, being mindful of his injuries. "Thank you, by the way," he said, softly. "For trying to help me..." Rex Vadnais "Heh," a chuckle escaped his lips, "ehh, deffinately had better days." His lips curled into a gentle smile, still looking straight to the sky. He reached an arm up and rubbed the back of his neck. It must just be from the whiplash. Surfing had taught him much about the ocean, and you don't want to get stuck in a wave's pull. It's brutal.
"Well, I do what I can. But apparently that wasn't good enough." Rex weezed a sigh, then propped himself up on his elbows, looking out to the sea. "It could be worse." Always optimistic... Avery Calder "Worse?" Avery stared at him in disbelief. "How could it possibly be worse? We're... stranded, who knows where... we both look like we got mugged, and... and I've got sand everywhere." He took a deep breath, burying his face in his hands and trying not to cry. This couldn't be happening! "What are we going to do? We're ******** stranded! On an island, or - or somewhere! God damnit." Rex Vadnais Rex looked around. He was going to cry, oh please don't cry. "Uhm... I'm just saying at least we made it on some island instead of still floating out at sea," He didn't dare mention sharks or the like, that'd probably make things worse. "I mean, as far as we know, this is somewhere in Florida! Just beyond those trees, there could be a huge resort where... we can swim with dolphins!" Rex began to fool himself, he really hoped there'd be at least some kind of building. Unfortunately, those buildings were the labs.
The man eased himself to his feet, legs quavering, and examined the beach as far as he could see. Beyond the forest, a large mountain stretched for the high blue sky. Rex swear he saw something distant glint in the sunlight... "There, see on the hillside? There's... something!" He looked back down to the sobbing man and placed a large hand on his shoulder. "Things are looking up!" Avery Calder "But I can't swim," Avery replied, laughing a little and wiping his eyes. He sniffed and looked up in the direction that Rex had noticed the building. It looked so far away... but it was better than staying here, on the beach. He sighed and slowly stood up, putting his hand on Rex's arm for support. Once he was sure he wouldn't fall over, he dropped his hand. "Alright... I guess we should get walking then, huh?" he said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "By the way... what's your name? I'm Avery," he smiled a bit. Rex Vadnais Rex looked shocked, "You can't swim?!" He's never heard of such a thing, the water was such an important thing to him, not being able to swim would... suck. "Well that's really unfortunate."
He helped the boy to his feet to find that he towered above him, like he did with most people, "Avery? I'm Rex." He would have extended a hand in greeting, but figured this wasn't the time. Rex turned and saw the jungle, the ocean's breeze rattled the leaves and made the forest seem quite menacing. "I imagine we could get walking." But running his tounge through his dry mouth, he learned what his body really wanted. Fresh water. "Yergk... the salt water's dried out my mouth. Whaduyah say we find some water." He highly had his doubts that they were on Florida, but the building... Avery Calder "I know, I guess I just never learned," Avery said, a little embarrassed. "I can, like... float. And I can doggie paddle a little bit." "Water? As long as it's not salt water, I think I've had enough of that for... forever," Avery shuddered, and looked up at Rex. "But where are we gonna find some?" Avery had no survivor skills whatsoever. "I mean, we obviously can't just find a water fountain in a forest..." Colche "I'v got rumblies in my tumblies, rumbly rumblies in my tumblies!" Colche recited the oh so famous words that pooh bear sang in her book and she made double sure to sing it loudly. She wasn't exactly sure where she had left Lily, at the river she thought, any way, she wanted a walk and a run and where was best for a run? The beach of course! She smiled to herself ehr tiny fuzzy fluff of a tail twitching left to right as she broke throught he line of trees her long, jet black hair racing behind her.
Nestled in her arms sat a rabbit, small, fluffy and completely harmless lookign nestled in the cat girls arms. She really couldn't run with him sitting there but she would think of something. Spotting people she smiled, they must be somone she knew, she hadn't sen any of her family for a while. their scents didn't bring any particular scent to her that she knew though. But shrugging it off she padded towards them, everyone on the island was friendly. Even the men. Her huge, doe blue eyes smiled as she approached, the wind whipping ehr hair about her strangely marked features. Her most defining feature of course beign that she was naked, and partly covered in fur, it didn't seem to bother her though. Amaya Vaughan Amaya had been wandering farther and farther from her little camp, even though it wasn't intentional. Heading South she had crossed three rivers before the sound of the beach started to echo through the dense forest... it would be a nice change in sceanary compared to the dense, uninviting jungle. With a sigh she walked on, her clawed thumb absently fumbling with the locket around her neck. Recently it had been the only real sorce of comfort she got... thinking about the past and her parents. The thought of them seemed to be the only thing that brought a genunie smile to her face in time likes these.
The sand pushed awkwardly between her elongated toes, making walking a little more difficult here then in the forest. She paused for a moment, green eyes looking at the ocean that lapped at the island's edge. Somewhere on the other side of that was home... or at least she liked to think so.
Then again, did she really have a home anymore? Moreau, or Feral Labs, had legally adopted her... so this was actually her home now. Or prison. It all depened on how you looked at it. Her larges hands dropped to her sides. She didn't have a place to return to... she had nothing left that beckoned over the ocean for it. Absently she wondered how much it had snowed back in Pennsylvania.
Bah, enough of those thoughts. Shaking her head, she started walking again and... could have sworn she had heard a voice. Her brow furrowed as she climbed up a sandbank. Who was that...? She squinted and slid down the other side of the bank. "Colche!?" She called out, wondering if it was the young girl. Colche was alright! Grinning she went to run towards her, but froze. Who... were those other two people?
She stood there, staring. Though she wasn't as nude as Colche, she was only in her underwear and her scales stood out like a sore thumb... not to mention her huge hands and feet. Ian Campbell Ian had had a lot to think about after his encounter with Chana. Luckily for him he was unable to smell Emerwyn anymore and he could leave his mind unguarded once more. Around his head he wore a small woven crown of vines. It served two purposes, the first was to keep his hair from his eyes, and the second was to remind him of who he thought he was. He found the trees growing sparcer and the dirt turned to sand beneath his hooves. In the distance he could see the ocean and 4 people. Squinting he could almost identify them. It appeared that Colche and Amaya were there, as well as two people he did not know. Walking closer he saw that Colche was naked and Amaya was wearing nothing but undergarments. Not that he was wearing much more - only a pair of leafy shorts barely held together by thin strips of vine. He would have to replace them soon, they could fall apart at anytime. Ignoring the lack of clothing on his two friends he smiled broadly and despite the fact that there was nothing to be happy about he made it appear as though he was happy. "Hoy!" he called cheerfully. Rex Vadnais "Well that's certainly a start! I'll glady teach you once we get to the resort's pool" Oh man, did that resort sure sound nice. He'd never wanted to see civilization so badly.
Water could be a problem, "All of this foliage had to come from somewhere! There's possibly a stream nearb--" his sentence was interupted as Rex something running at him from up the beach. Was it a person? It was! "Hey! Look down there! It must be a resort personel, see? We're safe and sound!"
Rex looked father up the beach and saw some other kind of figure, but it had a green tinge to it. What an awkward bathing suit that woman had. "Hey... there's more of them." Glancing around, Rex began to feel a little... uneasy. Where were these people coming from?
"Hoy!" He heard. The jumpy man whizzed around and saw a person. Wait.. that wasn't a person, it was brown everywhere and... furry? Something wasn't right. "These people look.. strange.. I don't like it" Rex braced himself, did he run? Fight? Wait..? Avery Calder Avery couldn't wait to get to the resort either - in fact, he didn't even care if it was a resort, or just a crappy little hotel. As long as there was water, food, a shower and a warm bed, he would be satisfied. Avery looked up when Rex stopped speaking, noticing the three figured emerging from the forest. But there was something... off about them. "What the hell... they have... fur? And... what is wrong with that other chick?" Avery gripped Rex' uppar arm, moving to hide behind him a little. Avery was no fighter, and Rex looked like he would be able to handle himself well in a fight. "Are they some type of weird animals?" Then, a little more quietly, he whispered, "you don't think they'd... eat us, do you? Where the hell are we?" Colche Colche turned almost instantly at the sound of Amayas voice. The grin which spead ehr kitty features made ehr look very childish and delicate but she managed to break in to a sprint and virtually fling herself at Amaya, being careful of her rabbit though "amaya, amaya, amaya!" she puurred happily so glad to have found one of those family members she had been searching so hard for.
Looking up with those dark, sweet blue eyes she noticed Ian too, he was little known to her but she certainly knew him, of course there were still the others to worry about. She desperately wanted to tell Amaya of her adventureds with Lily, about the pigglett and about the fact that Aubrey wasn't on the island any more. The black bird didn't house her 'mother' figure though so all the past thoughts were scuppered as wave upon wave of happiness flooded over her. She was so glad to be with them again. Maybe the other people would be happy too.
Grinning up at Amaya she started once again on her long legged saunter towards the two unchanged men "Hi" she smiled softly, tilting her head a little curiously, all men on the island were nice, even if they weren't fuzzy. The fur on the back of her neck stood on end any way, she stopped, maybe it was better to wait for Amaya and Ian, people she could definately trust. Amaya Vaughan As the lizard-girl was gawking at the sight of Colche running up to two strange men... naked, she was snapped out of her daze by Ian's call. Looking around, she spotted him coming from the brush and couldn't help but smile as well. Both Colche AND Ian were alright! Even though it was such wonderful news for her and she wanted to run up to both of them and say how happy she was to see them, she could tell by both of the men's reactions that... they didn't know what was going on.
So she stayed where she was, her legs screaming for her to run back into the cover of the jungle and to hide. Amaya felt more exposed then she had in a long, long time. Her legs twitched a little and she took a step back. The same thing that happened with Chana was going to repeat itself, she just knew it. Her large hands rose to her chest, fingers fiddling with the locket dangling around her neck.
"Yah!" Amaya said in alarm as Colche literally flung herself onto her. She had to push one of her feet back to keep her from toppling over. "Hey Colche... I'm glad to see your alright." An awkward smile came to her features as she pet the back of the young girl's head... afterall, Colche was naked and hugging her. But she had to remind herself that it was Colche, the poor girl didn't know better and even she was rather skantily clad.
Green eyes then watched her depart and greet the other two. The girl wanted to follow, just to make sure they didn't do anything to Colche... but she stayed where she was, the fear that the same thing that had happened with Chana would repeat itself. Ian Campbell Ian's smile became genuine when he saw Colche hug Amaya and he followed Colche as she went to greet the two strange men. The men both looked really confused and Ian knew how he and the two girls must look to them. Like freaks, an inner voice told him, and he had to agree. But he couldn't let the strange men know, he had to act happy. Let them know that they were safe-ish. Especially since that none of the buildings were currently running that they couldn't get an injection. They would stay human. "Greetings." he said when he was close enough. "I am Ian, Ian Campbell." He purposely did not reach out a hand to shake - neither would probably have shaken it. "The girl is called Colche." His smile did not fade, but the look in his eyes was tired, wary. Rex Vadnais Rex's heart began to race and mind running faster than the tap water from a sink, but he still held his ground, fists clenched and chin up, hoping for the best. "I don't have the slightest clue, but we'll find out soon enough." He'd fight if he had to, even though it was one of his least favorite things in the universe.
Rex saw Colche leap at Amaya, yelling her name. "Whoa! That first one just pounced the other! What was she screaming?" The adrenaline was causing his imagination to kick into overdrive. These villagers were insane. He couldn't show fear becuase he thought Avery might have a break down... Animals could probably smell their panic.
The green thing looked okay after being attacked by that first furry person, but then she began to walk over. She was actually rather sweet looking, the adorable expression of a small girl enveloping her face. She was naked.. and furry.. but spoke english? "Uh... hi?" Rex said nervously, unsure of how to react. His strong fists softened... this thing was just too cute.
Glancing nervously around with his blue eyes, he noticed the green figure stayed back... a strategy? Maybe they weren't going to be eaten after all...
Then the third man approached, Rex less wary of this one. Who were these people?! It appeared that he had horns, antlers more-so... and was covered in fur, but walked upright and didn't seem to show much fear. Then the deer-thing spoke, like the cat girl, in english with a proper introduction. Ian? They had names... and rather normal ones at that, not some random tribal jibberish. "Yeah.. Rex... pleased to meet you?" He took a small step back, still confused as hell and scared to boot. Avery Calder "I don't know if I want to find out," Avery muttered. What the hell!? These things can talk? he thought. "What is going on here? I've never seen anything like... those... mostly naked... animal things." He felt like he was going to panic. Maybe he should run for it... no, they might try to chase him - Avery felt that he was safer staying near Rex. For now, at least. But he grew more nervous the closer the others got to them, and he tensed up, staying behind Rex. Ian? Colche? Well, their names were normal enough, he supposed. But he just couldn't stop staring. When Rex introduced himself, he figured that he should too. He wouldn't want these things to think he was impolite... "Uh. I'm... Avery," he replied weakly, and obviously afraid. Amaya Vaughan Amaya watched the two walk up and greet the strangers confidently, suddenly feeling like a incredible heel. Sighing, she walked forth as well, though made sure she stayed behind Ian and Colche. If they could do it... so could she. A little. "My names... Amaya." She added, albeit timidly while hiding behind Ian much like Avery was hiding behind Rex. Ian Campbell Ian suddenly felt very awkward. Both Amaya and Colche were practically hiding behind him. When the blond man spoke Ian almost lost his smile. So they were mostly naked animal things huh? Well, most of it was true, except that they weren't things, they had been people once too. Both appeared obviously afraid and Ian thought about what to do. He stood up straight to his full five foot nine height and spoke again. "It is a pleasure to meet thee. Do not be afeared, none of us will hurt thee, we were once human." Ian was no longer smiling, but he looked quite serious. "Just as human as both of thee, merely months ago." The truth was a valuable thing. People may not know it, but often the truth gave them more power than falsehood, and Ian needed to make sure that they knew the truth. Rex Vadnais Rex felt Avery tense up while he was still holding his arm. He would've glanced down at him, but instead had all of his focus on the "people" surrounding him. But as the animal-people closed in and spoke in english, the man began to feel safe and more secure. One thing was for sure, this obviously wasn't Florida's peninsula. He was glad that Avery was calming down too, with his attempt of introducing himself.
Rex watched as the green girl approached as well. Why was she holding back? She must've been a bit shy or something by the way she hid behind Ian the Elkman. Amaya. Gorgeous name... ooh, so thats what the Colche girl was screaming. All of the mutated people were actually quite nice! However frightening their appearance may have been. Rex nodded a head and smiled at the scaled lady. Was she a scared as he and Avery were? The didn't seem to hold back much while introducing, as if they'd done it before. Were Rex and Avery the first? How many others could there have been?
Then Ian stood tall and spoke. Old English? Rex hadn't heard them speak enough to know their accents or way of speaking. Had these people had outside contact in years, or were the exiled here? The questions continued to pour into Rex's brain. What was going on?
Ian mentioned they used to be human? "Bu-wha? How?" The man began to get even more nervous. How were these people turning into animals? It just didn't seem possible. Avery Calder When none of the strange creatures made any move to hurt them, Avery relaxed just a little, and let go of Rex's arm - he didn't move out from behind him yet, though. "Wait a second... you're human? I mean... were human? How did... why aren't you human anymore?" he asked. He was still afraid, but now moreso about how these people somehow became what appeared to be part animal than being attacked by them. They didn't seem to want to hurt them, so maybe they weren't all bad... just creepy looking. Amaya Vaughan The iguana-girl let Ian do most of the talking, her face peeking out from behind him at both Rex and Avery. She frowned at what the deer-man was saying before looking at the ground sadly. She highly doubted that either of them would believe them, despite the look on their faces.
She caught the smile Rex had given her and looked a little surprised, her eyes widdening a little bit as she shifted on her long toes. Though she didn't return the gesture, the sad frown still on her scaley features. Ian Campbell Ian's expression grew even more grim. "We became the victims of a cruel experiment. Some came on their own, under the impression that this island had a different purpose, while others washed ashore and have been held here." He could tell that they doubted him. He wouldn't have believed it himself after washing ashore. At least they were safe. They might be stuck on the island, but with all the buildings seemingly abandoned, they couldn't possibly get an injection. But he didn't mention that. He didn't want to give them any sort of false hope. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose was still parolling the Island looking for more Islanders after his encounter with Antony and her update on her and Jamal's situation. He was glad that more and more individuals were being accounted for. However, as many as he had located there were at least that many missing.
Instead of heading back into the jungle, Ambrose started walking around the perimeter of the Island, from the West beach around the point of the South, and then to the East.
As he walked, his acute ears and nose picked up people.... several of them by the sound, talking. His ears pricked curiously, he trotted faster towards the beach where several figures emerged into his vision. A few he made out almost immediately - Amaya's familiar scent... and... was that Colche?! Colche was alright! His tail began wagging and a smile came to his face as he made out more figures - Ian!
And then Ambrose's quick approach slowed as he saw two completely new people to him. No, they just had to be people that he hadn't met yet - lord knew that there were enough people on the Island to be people he hadn't met. Hell, He hadn't actually met Antony until earlier.
While a bit more guarded, he still approached, smling widely to the group. "Colche! Ian! I haven't seen you guys in so long! I'm glad you're alright!"
His eyes strayed to the two strangers cautiosly. "Ah... I don't believe we've met...." For the moment he assumed that they had been there for a while. "I'm Ambrose."
Then why did they smell afraid....? Rex Vadnais Avery said what Rex was trying to say, but he was too baffled by the situation to express his questions into undertandable words or sentences. When Avery let go, he shot a quick glance down at the man. Obviously, he was getting a bit more confident, that's good. Rex then looked back to the three people before him, unsure of what to say.
Unfortunately, Amaya still looked shy and reserved. There was probably some reason for it, but Rex didn't even know the slightest bit about these people or their background... well.. besides the fact that they once were human. Those leftover questions still brewed in Rex's head. At least he was now standing normally, no longer scared for his saftey.
"An experiment?" Rex said, finally forming a coherent sentence. He looked to see how the others reacted, but was only welcomed by stone solemn faces. "This can't be true. I mean, how is this possible? How many others are here? Naw, you're just kidding me, aren't you." Yet Ian, Colche and Amaya stood there in front of him as real as could be. He felt like pinching himself or looking for some hidden camera. "This is just some cruel joke."
Then he remebered the night before, once more. Avery and Rex had fallen off a ship and been marooned. It was all true. But, it just didn't seem right...
Then yet another animal-person came running up the beach. Everyone here seemed to know each other, so there couldn't have been too many more, could there? Rex was too dumbfounded to say anything or even seem happy towards Ambrose. He just sat there, awestruck. Avery Calder Avery had to agree with Rex. "This is insane. People can't be turned into... animals. That's impossible!" When Ambrose approached the group, he couldn't help but think, how many more of them are there!? "No!" Avery suddenly spoke up, a little louder, when a realization came to him. "I get it! Ha ha! This is some type of furry convention! And you guys are playing a joke on us! We're really on some beach in Florida, right? At a resort!" He laughed then; it was impossible for people to turn into animals. This had to be some furry convention... it had to be, there was no other explanation. "I bet all this is fake, right?" Avery moved towards Ambrose. "You're all just wearing costumes," he said, and he reached out to tug on some of the fur on Ambrose's arm. Amaya Vaughan Amaya watched them, wondering if the two men had washed up on shore as well... if that was the case, they had picked the best time to wash up on it. The labs were shut down, even though the duplxes were too. Maybe they could find a way off the island before everything became up and running again? Or was it going to stay like this forever? She shifted from foot to foot, wondering what she could possibly say at this point.
"But..." She started, her voice timid and shy as she peeked a little out from behind Ian. "Everything shut down awhile ago. I don't think anyone is here to inject you..." Unlike the deer-man, her voice was perfectly normal... albeit it had a Pennsylvania accent.
Then another voice caught her attention. Her face literally lit up at the sight of Ambrose. There was a God! "Ambrose!" She almost squealed, eternally grateful for his pressance. He always made things go smoother. Once he was in the small 'group' she went over to him and took one of his arms into her hands like a small child, much like how Avery had been hiding behind Rex earlier.
The lizard-girl listened to Rex, her tail giving a small twitch behind her. She knew this was what would happen. Green eyes went to the ground again, not wanting to see as Avery started joking and laughing about it... just like Chana had. Her hands gripped onto her brother's arm a little tighter and she turned her head away from Avery and closed her eyes. She wished she could close her ears too... she didn't want to hear this. Ian Campbell "It's not fake." Said Ian quietly feeling very sad that those two had washed up on this beach. "These antlers on my head are attached. They have grown out of my skull. The fur is attached to my arm. My hands." Ian didn't want to think about his hands and he winced. "My hands are more hoof than hands it seems. If thou doubts you can touch them. Figure out that they cannot be removed." Ian looked behind him to Colche and saw Amaya and Ambrose together. His heart felt squeezed and he wanted to cry. To cry for all those already on the island and for those two that had just discovered it. "Ambrose, how art thou? I haven't seen thee for awhile. Perhaps thou has been faring better than I." Ian knew how he looked. There was dirt encrusted in his hair and on his face. Washing in a stream just didn't do much after awhile. He would love to have a shower if he could ever get back in his duplex. Ian's voice had sounded calm this entire time. Unknowingly, until Ambrose had arrived, he had taken charge of the situation. He had felt the need to make sure that Colche and Amaya were protected. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose's approach slowed as he started to catch the conversation and really realize what precisely was going on. His ears lowered hesitantly and he exchanged glances with some of the familiar islanders who were all coincidentally about as changed as he was.
Talk about a shock for these two. "I.... ah.... assure it... it's genuine." He had heard of 'furries' from Angelina a few times, but only enough to know the term.
Ambrose didn't pull back when Avery reached to tug at the fur on his arm. However, the soft fur was quite genuine to the touch - soft an not with the plastic-y feel of feaux fur. ANd furthermore, it grew right into the skin, tugging against the arm, but not coming off OR moving a whole section of it as if it were a coat or a suit.
Ambrose smiled welcomingly to Amaya. "Amaya, good to see you... sorry about my absence recently." He glances around the group that has collected. "But it appears you have found about as many other people as I." He also spoke with a relatively unaccented voice - save for perhaps the hint of pretention that indicated someone from a wealthy New England family.
He took her big hand in his free one and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "How have you been...?" He added quietly, aside to only her.
The wolf nodded cordially to the stag. "Ian... I've been.... well enough as can be expected." His fur was also uncharacteristically matted, his hair disheveled.
He turned his attention back to the two newcomers, stepping forward and seeming unafraid to take initiative. "This... Island - I do not know how much they have told you.... but yes... there ... there were doctors here. And I use that term loosely. They were... experimenting on us. They brought us here under a variety of excuses. But they disappeared a month... maybe two ago. Perhaps you're lucky.... But regardless, to our knowledge we're still trapped here. Unless.. do you have a boat? Will people be looking for you?!" Rex Vadnais Rex looked to Avery with puzzled countenance. What the crap was a "furry"? He shifted uncomfortably and crossed his arms, unsure of what to believe. When Avery reached out to tug Ambrose's fur, two possibilities streaked through his mind. One, it would be a costume, the plan would be revealved and a camera crew would run out of the jungle or something. Or, this fur was real... and that could only lead to more possibilites. For some reason, Rex leaned to the latter.
He turned to the timid Amaya. "Closed down? The labs? Wait.. labs. AS in there are buildings here?" He gazed back towards the mountain and saw that same metallic glint as before. "So that's what those are."
Then Ian spoke once more, temporarily calming the conversation and settling Rex's doubt. This was real, you can't fake the feeling and emotion injected into his mini-speech. But would this happen to Rex? How was the animal determined? With each piece of information, new questions arose.
The Ambrose cleared the mist for Rex as well. Doctors? Like mad scientists? They were living in a sci-fi novel. Then Rex remembered home in San Fransico. "We both fell overboard on a cruiseliner and washed up here." The he thought about his parents, co-workers.. and Julie. He fiddled with the old engagement ring on his right hand insecurely. "No one will be looking for me." Avery Calder Avery quickly jerked his hand back when he felt that the fur was indeed very real. He stumbled back into Rex, and then got behind him again, whimpering. "It's real... but... no, I don't want to believe it," he said, tears springing into his eyes. "This is too much, I don't want to deal with this!" He knew he shouldn't be crying - he's supposed to be a man, after all - but he couldn't help it. He couldn't deal with everything that had happened to him, all so fast - first the fight on the boat, falling overboard, being stranded on some island... now these animal people were talking about experiments and doctors and labs? He reached up and covered his ears, not wanting to hear anymore. "My mom and dad were on the ship... they'll get people to come find us, they'll notice me missing. And we'll get rescued and get the ******** off this stupid island, and everything will be okay..." he sniffed, trying to convince himself that they would be rescued. There's no way he would be stuck here. Amaya Vaughan She squeezed Ambrose's hand back, though covered his entire hand with her fingers when they all curled around his furry palm. Silently she listened, eyes opening halfway but staying firmly locked on the ground.
Though as Rex spoke, she looked up slowly at him before meeting his eyes and looking towards the mountains. He seemed a little more... level-headed about the situation. "Yeah, the labs are over there." She pointed a long, clawed finger in the direction of the labs before she realized what she was doing. With a flinch, she pulled her groteque limb out of sight. "But... if you fell from a cruise liner, won't they know that you went missing?" Her eyes went back to Rex, but she didn't let go of Ambrose's hand. The wolfman could probably still smell her overall nervousness.
Amaya watched Avery, almost starting to cry herself. She wanted to reassure him somehow... but how could she? Look at her... She bit her bottom lip, forcing the tears gathering into her eyes to keep from slipping any further. "See? You have a chance to get off... the doctors are gone as far as we know and everything is turned off! You have a really good chance at getting rescued..." And it made sense, at least to her. When you thought about it, both of them DID have a good chance at getting rescued. Ian Campbell Ian remained silent as he listened to both of them. He liked Rex and Avery seemed a pretty decent fellow. He would probably be a bit different after getting over the fact that he was stranded on an island full of animal people. Ian was glad noth of them seemed to believe them now, but he still wanted both off the island. To spare them the same fate. "We can hope for your rescue." Unbidden a thought came to mind: It'll just be another disappearance in the bermuda triangle. No one would look for long.He sighed and his arm started to itch. Ian scowled and grabbed a handfulof sand and scraped it over his arm to relieve the sensation. "Forgive me," he murmered. "But the truth needed to be told. I'm sorry both of ye have to be here, but I doubt that ye will be leaving. From what I know this island is near the Bermuda Triangle. Ye will just be left as a disappearance in the triangle." Ian knew that he was making them have less hope, but the more truth they had now, the less hope they had to lose later. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose inwardly cringed at Avery's reaction, even though he knew part of it was coming.
His ears lowered and he took a step towards him, despite the fearful reaction lay a hand on his shoulder. "Look... I know as much as anyone how you must be feeling right now...." He trailed off on his name. "Hey... I know you're scared... but maybe it's true... God knows I hope so... but if they do come looking for you... they you'll go home... maybe we'll all be rescued. But if the doctors arent' here, then you two shouldn't be in any ... danger of all of this happening to you as well. Despite appearances... we're just people.... we aren't going to hurt you." Ambrose thought back to Awen's stories of what had happen with her run in with Joliette and Jamal... and decided not to say anything.
"Even if you don't have anyone" He looked to Rex. "Then Amaya's right... there is still the cruise liner. I mean... I'm sure they're liable... as soon as they realize passengers are missing, there will be a report." Ambrose sounded like he was half-trying to convince himself
His face fell when the Bermuda Triangle was brought back. "But..." he protested, "IT IS just a myth after all... the cruise liner can't just pass that off - they'll have to at least look for you guys... I mean.... they might give up, but perhaps we could try to get a signal fire going." Avery Calder While their appearances were still a little frightening, Avery no longer feared being harmed - or worse, eaten - by these... people. They seemed harmless, and were trying to calm him down, at least. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to crawl into his bed with his stuffed plushies and sleep and forget any of this ever happened. What did I do to deserve this? he thought. He looked up then, really looking at them now. The girl with scales seemed a little shy, but the deer man and wolf man - Amaya, Ian, and Ambrose? - seemed a little more confident. He glanced at Rex, who didn't appear to outwardly be afraid at all. He felt a little ashamed with himself, for being the only one that was scared enough to cry. "Yeah... we can get a fire going..." he sniffed, and rubbed his eyes. "They'll find us... they have to. I mean, it's not like we could have drifted very far from the ship, right?" he asked, and sounded slightly desperate for agreement. Amaya Vaughan The iguana-girl looked up at Ian as he spoke, her frown returning. He was right... both of them were probably doomed to the same fate everyone else was. She sighed, now unable to think of any real reassurance for Rex or Avery and let Ambrose handle it.
Now that she thought about it... what if they did get rescued? What would happen to all of them that had changed already? What would happen to her? She started to get worried that they would get rescued... she had no place to go. Her long, clawed fingers reached up and fiddled with the locket around her neck. No, she couldn't think like that... no matter what happened to her, most of the people on this island deserved to go back home. They had a home to go back to.
"Right." Amaya nodded to Avery, unable to come up with much else in the reassurance area. "We can make a fire... and get you some water and food." She wanted to say 'until you get rescued'... but she wasn't sure if that was a good thing to say at the moment. Ian Campbell Ian nodded as Ambrose planned a fire. A fire was a really good idea. "There is a stream not far into the jungle. The water isn't as clean as it could be, but it is better than salt water. If we are going to stay on the beach I know where it is and if anyone had anything to carry water in I could bring some back. As for food I do not know much about where to find any; I eat leaves and grasses." Ian was no longer ashamed to admit it. He was part deer now. He accepted that. He only wished that he was human again. Ian also had no clue how to get a fire started, he would leave that to Ambrose. He could get some wood however. "I want ye to get rescued. If the doctors do reappear I want you to be as far away from this island as you could possibly get." Ian had already made up his mind that if rescue did come he would stay on the island. There was nowhere for a deerman on the mainland. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose seemed more than happy to leap to agreement with Avery. "I'm sure they will! My camp already has a fire going, we could build a bonfire on the beach... and bring a torch from our fire... " Ambrose almost immediately started togo back into planning mode.
"You couldn't have washed far without a life raft or anything.... "
The wolf did sense the nervousness from his scaled 'sister' and he looked trepidiouly back to her again.... maybe it was just the new company... feeling sorry for them for being drug into all of this perhaps...? He gave her hand a squeeze again.
"Our camp probably still has some meat as well.... we were kind of split up when the buildings shut down." His ear flicked back in irritation. "We've spent the last month or so tryign to salvage what we could from the jungle... find out where the rest of us went. The Island is deceptively large."
Indeed, there was a makeshift spear strapped with vine to his back, a knife at the waistline of what looked like plaid sleeppants. They were branches that looked like twisted metal was tied to the ends. Avery Calder As if on cue, Avery's stomach growled at the mention of food. "I... I guess I'm a little hungry... and I could use some water, too," he said, grinning sheepishly. "I guess a shower is too much to hope for right now? I've got sand in my cuts, and they sting a bit..." Avery glanced at Rex, not wanting to go anywhere with these other people without him. He was the only one that was completely normal on this island, it seemed. Again, he felt relief that the man was here with him... but guilt that it was his fault Rex was even here. "How many more of you are there?" Avery asked. "And is the camp very far from here? Amaya Vaughan Amaya nodded to all of them. "I can probably gather some fruit. Though I don't have anything on me to carry water with... obviously." She nodded to Ambrose, knowing that getting some supplies from their camp and bringing them back was probably a pretty good idea.
Silently she agreed with Ian, even though neither of them spoke it outloud. If a ship was to come... she would probably choose to stay on the island with the few who chose the same. She had no family, the only realy family she had since her grandmother had died was right here. Beyond that, she had nothing else.
She then looked to Avery, glad that he seemed to have calmed down considerably. "It'd probably be better to wash your cuts out with salt water. Doesn't it help heal them?" She asked no one in particular. "And the camp is North of here." Amaya said, pointing a little again. Ian Campbell Ian nodded again and smiled again, feeling a little more at ease. But almost scowled at Avery's question of how many people were on the island. "More than twenty people are here." At least that was about how many people that Ian had met. "Would you mind if I stayed at your camp with ye? I've been sleeping wherever I can in the jungle, wandering around looking for people." Ian felt a pang of regret. Emerwyn, Julian, and Chana were alone in the jungle for all he knew. "Fruit?" Ian's eyes lit up. He hadn't had fruit in a long while and he loved it. What he wouldn't have given for a tomato or an apple right then. . . "Sorry, no shower. I want one too, but all the duplexes are locked according to someone else I've talked to." Ambrose Maurlias "You're welcome to either come back to our campsite.... You too Ian. We've been building lean-to's and are by the river for easy access to fresh water. We've been collecting people after a fashion - safety in numbers and we can work together to gather resources. Alternatively, you are free to stay here on the beach... or anywhere else, really. But I would think that trying to set up a signal fire while the boat stil might be looking for you would probably be a good idea. I don't mind gathering some firewood to bring over here. If you want to stay by the fire and have things brought to you, or go with someone to clean your wound and get some food is your decision."
He gestured to the north. "I'd say our camp is probably.... somewhere between thirty minutes and an hour's walk from here. Not that far. In total..... given the number of occupied duplexes before we got locked out.... probably around thirty of us."
Ambrose turned to Amaya as he headed back to where he had seen a collection of driftwood. "Feel free to come with me to get the bonfire going, or you can help them find the stream and food." Amaya Vaughan "I think I'm gonna look for some fruit, then come back here." The lizard-girl said to Ambrose and the others with a nod and a tiny smile before turning and heading into the brush. Rex Vadnais Rex had stayed quite through most of the conversation, not exactly having much to add but the occasional nod or murmer of agreement.
And the plan was such: find supplies, meet up and Ambrose's camp to the north and make a signal fire for any remote hope of being saved.
All of this hit Rex quite hard, and while remaining level-headed about the ordeal on the outside, he was really scared as hell. His mind was screaming, as were the cuts and gashes all over his body. "The salt water would sting like crazy, but it might help clean the wound. Also, if you have any alcohol, that could help kill any bacteria." He looked out to the ocean, "And my clothes were just getting dry, too." He smiled, taking another glance at these new people.
Rex wondered, what would happen if they were saved? He would go back home to his mundane job, empty apartment and lonely life. Sounds like a blast... If the Lord destined him to be here on this island, then so be it. Who knows, being an animal could be a whole new adventure, only experienced by the people on this island. But that wasn't right, he couldn't live on this island forever, right? He'd end up like one of those people on a Missing Persons show. It's not like the world would leave him behind... right? But maybe becoming an animal would be the best thing tha could happen to him, everything hadn't exactly been in his favor since he was a kid. I wonder what animal I'll beco-- No, stop it, Christian! Things will begin looking up soon.
He waved goodbye to Ambrose, "I may as well get to cleaing these cuts before they get infected." Rex looked to Avery, then to Amaya, Ian and Colche. "We'll meet up at your camp later. Hour or so's walk to the north, right? Thanks for... explaining everything to us. It means alot that you'd take the time to sort things out." He smiled, his teeth just breaking the lip-line, then turned to Avery and beckoned for him to follow. Avery Calder Avery cringed at the idea of more salt water and, even worse, cleaning his wounds out with it. Just get it over with, and then you'll get to eat when the lizard girl... Amaya, comes back with some food, he thought to himself. "Er... yeah, thanks. Catch up with you all later," Avery said, before turning and following Rex to the shore again. He didn't understand why salt water would be better for cleaning out wounds than fresh water, but Avery guessed these people know more about it than he does, so he'll just have to go along with it. When they arrived back at the shoreline, Avery walked into the water until it was up to his knees, unconcerned about getting his clothes wet again. He crouched down, and dunked both his arms under the water, inhaling sharply when the salt stung his cuts. "That hurts..." he muttered. Rex Vadnais "Okay.." Rex shook his head and prepped himself for the pain that was going to ensue rather soon, "We were just out there for hours right? What's a little more stingin' gonna do?" He gave another uneasy smile, walked about 15 feet out and dove under. Everywhere, select patches of skin burned as they were enveloped in salt water. His head poked out, bobbing on the surface with his black tie floating around his face. His face wrinkled in a pained grin and looked back to see how Avery was doing. "I don't know how this works, but it gets the job done." Planting his feet on the sea's sandy floor, he stood up and wiped the water off of his face, then continued to rub gently at the slices and punctures. "You doing alright?" He paused... thinking over his words, "This whole island thing is... quite a trip." Avery Calder Avery watched with shock as Rex dived right into the water. Did nothing phase this man? Avery had a hard enough time just putting his arms in the water, and . He looked down at the water, feeling suddenly very useless. He can's swim, he doesn't even know how to start a fire, and he can't even fight to protect himself. All he can do is reply on other people to save him... He looked up again when Rex spoke, gently rubbing his arms. "Yeah... that's one way of putting it," Avery said. "Where do you think we are..? How can experiments like this be legal? You'd think PETA would be all over their asses... and you'd think this kind of thing would be on the news, but I've never heard of it."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:19 pm
Meanwhile, as promised, Ambrose spends the next several hours collecting driftwood, dry fallen branches, dry mosses and other kindling onto a huge stack on the Eastern beach, above the tide-line.
His work is fervent, the looming image in his mind of a huge cruiseliner, perhaps just out of view. Their salvation. They can get off of this island if he can just get this fire going to signal them. He tosses on lots of small branches with leaves that perhaps will smoke once the fire gets going.
Finally, there is a stack of wood on the beach nearly as tall as the wolfman himself is, and he grabs a final piece of wood to go fetch a starter from his own fire.
Finally, setting fire to the heap, Ambrose sits down by the bonfire - a good dozen feet away, to wait.
However, as he does get the thing lit at long last, the looming shapes of dark clouds on the horizon start to cloud over Ambrose's hopes just as much as they do the skies.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:10 pm
Ambrose's hackles rose as the darkness encroached from the horizon and the foreboding thunder ripped across the skies.
With a snarl he leapt to his feet, shaking his fist to the heavens. "GOD DAMN YOU!" He cried. "Our CHANCE! Our Chance to get off this goforsaken Island!" His eyes stung. This was not the first time that Ambrose had built up his hopes around one flimsy idea, but the falls did not lessen with repetition.
The coiling smoke was already obscured by the shrouding clouds - no one would see it from very far away, despite the leaping flames. And those too would be soon quenched, he thought as a big, fat droplet fell onto his shoulders.
"IT's not FAIR!" He shouted again, at the skies, at Moreau, at Fate. He felt cursed. That was an ample way to put it. Even if his lupine nature didn't have to do with the folkloric lycanthropy or the mark of the devil, he felt every bit as cursed as the creatures of myth. Cursed to lose his humanity - as much as he was denying it, and cut away from his home, from his family.
The larger pelting drops hissed against the hot wood of the fire - which wavered but held strong, until the drops were joined by a seeming infinate amount of companions, finally winning the war, extinguishing Ambrose's proud accomplishment, and the symbol of his possible salvation.
With frustration and desparagement, Ambrose lifted his short muzzle to the skies, howling out in wordless anger and betrayal.... in a long, mournful howl that echoed across the island with rains and the rolling thunder.
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 8:33 pm
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:30 am
"Defending" the Camp
Wander away, come back, wander, away come back... Joliette couldn't seem to make up her mind, besides to know that she was still scared that she'd lose control again. Her hair drenched from the downpour her bangs matted against her face and the long curls pulled nearly straight from the wetness, and beyond that soaked to the bone she was cold, much colder then she would have expected to be in a rainstorm. She never really felt a lot from the air conditioning in the cafeteria or the duplexes, but today she felt it... and had this desire to be in the depths of a warm soily place as she slowly trudged into the large camp shivering with her arms around herself looking at the groundAmbrose had fallen comfortably asleep wrapped around Angelina. While the lean-to wasn't perfect, at least the winds were lessened in the middle of the jungle, and he wasn't quite as wet had he not been inside.
Hovever, at the sound of someone else entering the campsite, his ears pricked and his eyes snapped open. Before even fully wakening, a low, defensive growl rumbled out of his chest as he disentangled himelf from Angelina and crawled towards the opening of the small shelter.
However, the growl stopped and he shook his head. Why on earth was he growling??. He had prided himself that he HADN'T resorted to such animalistic urges like some of the others had. Speaking of.... hadn't Awen mentioend Joli tried to eat her?? That thought set the hackles on edge again, and nearly began growling again.
"Joli...?" He asked carefully. After some time Awen and Colche would emerge into the camp as Awen had promised. There was shelter around for Colche and Awen smiled brightly at this. It had been some time since Awen had been to the camp, and had only stayed briefly before flitting back to the lake.
She knew it wasn't anything like their duplexes, as Colche seemed to want, but she could do no better for the girl. Looking around though she wondered if everyone would welcome them, Ambrose and Amaya would but... she didn't remember who else was here.
"Hello?"
She glanced over to the other side of the camp when she heard Ambrose and smiled brightly. "See Colche, Ambrose" She whispered to the girl and blinked.
"Joliette." Awen moved forward into full view of the camp.
Colche wasn't long standing still as she saw Ambrose. Her big brother would make the rain stop. She virtually dived at the wolf man, glomp tackling him and sniffling quietly. She shivered still clinging tightly to the poor, wet, half squushed rabbit which she constantly held against her chest "rainrain go away" she mumbled looking up at Ambrose with huge blue eyes begging for him to make it stop. She was cold, very bedraggled and a little more than frightened by the severety of the storm.
She tried to clamber in to ambroses lap. If it wasn't bad enough she had launched her very wet self at the virtually dry wolf man she was trying to get closer, she wanted a hug, she wanted a blanket, she wanted to be dry, Ambrose would make it better he always did.Joli came to an abrupt stop hearing her name, not once but twice. She looks up and towards Ambrosse then at Awen, and then finally at the pouncing Colche "Oh... Uh... Hi" she says in a rather quiet withdrawn voice as she stood shivering not sure if she should stay or not... Then it struck her she should say the words she'd been wanting to say for a while "Awen... I'm sorry" she says before looking down at the soil below her heavy feet once more her yellow tongue flicking onceAmbrose turned to look as two new figures entered the campsite. Anxiety rolled over him until the figures' faces and scents emerged through the curtain of the storm. Why was he feeling so defensive?? He should be welcoming anyone who decided to come to the campsite - safety in numbers, right?
But he calmed as he saw the two females. Before he really could give the two a friendly greeting, he was bowled over by the wet Colche. "Colche!" He exclaimed in surprise as the feline proceeded to reunify him with the wetness. But... he was coming out into the rain anyway... He patted her gently on the head. "Aww... you got caught out in the storm, too, didn't you sweety?" He glanced over at some of the unoccupied lean-to's. "I've been worried about you, kitten. I'm glad to see that you're alright... out here in the woods." HE smiled at her. "And you - any of you, really - are welcome to join the camp.... it's not much.... and it's not exactly dry - but it's drier than most other places."
Ambrose looked back to Joli, relaxing a bit - his hackles lowering - as he heard her apology. "I can't speak for Awen.... but... I've heard you've been through some rough times, Joli. I.... wel... I'd offer you some meat.. but I fear it's been rained on.... but you're still welcome to it." HE winced, gesturing to a small shift, a bundle of leaves and some rather soggy meat. Awen nodded slowly to Joliette and moved over to the small girl. "Hey, no problem right?" She gave her a quick hug before backing away to let her at the food. "We've been through enough lately, I know you're not really liking what you're getting food wise..or at least your animal isn't liking it."
SHe grinned a little bit and simply sat herself near the long dead fire. "Actually I might be heading back to the lake soon. I'll stay for a bit though, it's nice to be able to visit without my skin flaking off." She chuckled a little bit.
She seemed to be in a rather cheerful mood, despite the stormy weather.The bedraggled colche looked up at Ambrose. She was glad to see the older guy and delighted that he had been missing her too. That didn't change the fact that she was wet and cold and not very happy though. She sneezed and buried her head in his chest as a crack of thunder and a bold of lightning streaked accross the sky "want home" she mumbled through the fur. Being out in the jungle was all well and good when it was dry and sunny, it was completely another matter when it was cold and wet and scary.
The bunny in her arms finally lifted it's head too, it was very wet but didn't seem to mind being a bit squushed, it was drier nestled between colche and Ambrose. "Want chocolate cake" she managed to squeek still sniffling quietly. She had started to miss her creature comforts out in the wild, things she had gotten so used to had been ripped away from her in an instant.
A part of ehr wanted to ask Ambrose about the black bird, though she had been told irrefutably by several people that it wasn't Aubrey, her big brother would definately know. Ambrose knew everything.Joliette would have pulled away if she had noticed Awen's approach, instead she took a step away when she was let go of. Her eyes drifted tot eh sogey meat... and her stomach let out an audible growl regardless of just how wet it was. "Yeah... Thanks Awen" she nods and thanks her quietly glad to know Awen wasn't mad.
These people hadn't really known her outside of her professional attitude of when she arrived, that gave her confidence, but she had reverted somewhat back to her quiet self in her non-professional side. "It's still meat, thanks Ambrose" she says moving slowly towards it shiveringand not really wanting to unwrap her arms from herself as she sat down beside the sogy foodAmbrose smiled to Awen. "No problem... make your self at home as long as you'd like. You're welcome here." He glanced up at the skies and back to her. "I guess for some there's a silver lining." He ineffectually brushed his hand along his fur that was quite damp again. Unfortunately for him, however, the skies promised that the rains weren't going to let up any time soon.
Ambrose's ears lowered as he looked down to Colche. "Yeah... I want to go back 'home' too... even the duplexes are a welcome change to this. Sometimes I wonder if this all isn't some sort of scheme to get us to be complacent with what we were given." HE glances to the others. "Or perhaps that is just wishful feelings... because that means we'll go back inside sometime." His eyes trailed down to the rabbit in Colche's arms, and he immediately chewed on his own lip. It's Colche's... you remember it... even if it is an easy meal.... you're not LIKE that.
"I'm sure we'll all be home and have chocolate cake eventually, Colche..." He petted her long black hair. "But... in the meantime... if you want to use one of our... erm... lean-to's. They're like tents..? But not quite as dry."
Ambrose nodded to Joliette. "Sorry it's not... fresher. I'm sure that this won't be a good ... sample of how meat should taste." He apologized.
In all, he hadn't budged much from the entrance to his lean-to, still sitting facing the outside, albeit with a colche in his lap. She looked around to the others and sighed softly. She really hated being happy when her friends were down in the dumps. She missed all of the easy comforts that she had, her PS2 and gamecube must be getting lonely. Not to mention get brand new PSP! The modifications seemed to make sense now. She grinned a little thinking about the genious. Moreau made her game water proof!
A loud crack of thunder brought her back to the current moment. She scratched a little bit behind her ear. Turning to Ambrose at his words and hopes of Moreau, Awen bit her lip.
"If we can't get back sometime soon..." She shifted her weight uncomfortably. "I've been thinking about swimming off the island for help. We can only survive for so long in the wild like this right? And with people still changing without serums... who knows what will happen. Predators and prey is what this place will become, I'm living proof of it."
Bringing her knees up to her chest she started to drum her fingers along her knee. "But I can breathe in the water. I could go find mainland or something.... get help."Colche nodded softly Listening to Ambrose, he sounded quite destracted. her nose wriggled a bit and she peered in to the darkness. Somone was inside, she didn't know who it was. Everyone had somone. It always seemed that way to her. She just, didn't entirely understand why everyone had somone and she didn't Aubrey had said it took time. She just had to be paitent.
With a final sneeze and a nod Colche smiled up at Ambrose and padded off as quickly as she could towards one of the lean toos, dissapearing in to the darkness. She was tired and she scrunched herself as close to the tree the leanto was coming off, curling in to a tight little kitty ball, her natural body heat starting to dry off her fur. She sneezed a couple of times more before her breathing became regular. It was sleep and dry off time, other things could wait. She could question Ambrose about the lady later, she could ask him about the 'big black bird' later, sleep was important now and her eyes aggreed as they closed and sent her off in to a nice little oblivious dream.Joliettte picks up the meat 'wringing' it out a lil "Don't worry, I know that meat should taste like... I haven't been vegan all my life" she says looking up in the same quiet tone her eyes watching Colche disappear and then the pair who remained and she used a clawed fingertip to push her matted bangs from her faceand bit intot he meat not chewing it rather pulling it to tear a chunk off with her teeth, the water seemed to have 'diluted' the flavor for that she was glad.
Joliette pulls her knees towards her chest shivering as the cold rain continued to land on her, she listens to the converstaion, or least what she can hear of it.Ambrose weighed Awen's suggestion. "It... sounds dangerous, Awen. Even if you can breathe under water.... there's still dangers out there. Shaks and.... other things. But... even if you could get to shore - how do you know that they would't just lock you up and study you there?" His ears flicked back. He was a freak now... his second change had killed Ambrose's hopes of ever returning to normal society. He couldn't hide what he was, and at least here.... people understood what he was going through. If only he could get back in the duplexes....
Of course, this didn't mean that Ambrose idn't miss home, or that he woudln't try to escape if given the opportunity - He had been the first to try to build the signal-fire....
Hell, who was he kidding, he was sour-grapes-ing the mainland.
"IT's your choice, Awen.... but... I don't think it's worth risking your life for it."
He turned to Colche as she got off his lap, and he stood slowly, shaking himself off instinctually, wincing afterwards. "Sorry." He mumbled. Like it was even helpful - it was still raining buckets.
"SLeep well, Colche." He waved to her.
Ambrose nodded to Joli. "Ah... I didn't realize. Hopefully it won't be too miserable.... it won't last much longer anyway. And you're welcome to use one of the lean-tos... maybe share it with Colche... you can help keep eachother warm if you like...""Sweet sleep Colche."
A shiver ran down Awen's spine at the mention of sharks. She had concidered it to be dangerous but she hadn't felt frieghtened by the sea creatures. Now that Ambrose mentioned it though...sharks hit home somewhere in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like the feeling, it made her feel that somehow the water wasn't hers anymore. But she simply shrugged.
"Well... Maybe.." She shruged slightly. "I just figured that if things got worse and we couldn't get into the duplexes. It's dangerous...but if there's no other choice..."
Still the manta in her wanted more open waters. She couldn't stand being cooped up in the rivers and lakes. The ocean was more what it wanted, a place to stretch out and call home. She thought a lot about what would happen on mainland, but... If it meant that risk or the risk of starving or tearing eachother apart. Yeah, she'd be swimming to mainland.Share... with anyone... she stared at the meat in her hands. She'd been avoiding physical contact with anyone since she had encountered Awen last. "Uhm... I uh..." she wasn't sure how to put that... She'd appologized to Awen yes, but she'd already had the piglet episode, and then coming to her senses with Awen in front of her "It's probably ...not a good idea" she finishes glad that the falling rain hid tears that were threatening to slip down her cheeks... she hated what she was becoming"Only if it comes to it, Awen..." HE could smell the spike of fear with the mention of Sharks, even above the rain. He shifted positions, edging closer to his lean-to. It wouldn't surprise him if Moreau had intentionaly popualted the waters with sharks.
He looked to Joliette with a puzzled look. "What do you mean..? Why?" Awen stood up slowly. "I'm sure once you eat some food in you it won't be so bad Joli..." Looking around though she started feeling uncomfortable. The social scene wasn't exactly what she wanted to be a part of anymore. The manta in her just wanted to go back to the lake, or better yet the ocean, and swim around on her own.
"You guys take care.... This lightning and thunder is really starting to freak me a little bit... the water will be better..." She waved and started out of the camp. Funny though, she didn't head for the river at all but was going throguh the land. Was she headed back to the lake by land..? Or maybe she intended to go somewhere else..."Bye Awen" Joliette says. She pauses for a moment before looking towards Ambrose "I've already woken up looking into the lifeless eyes of a dead boar piglet, and wound up hunting Awen... I... I don't know if I can trust myself, it's... it's like the beast inside is trying to take control ... Least thats what it feels like"Ambrose stood to give a farewell to Awen. "You take care... don't hesitate to come back if you need anything. Seriously." He waved and watched her depart before returning his worried attention to Joliette.
"But.... you've only changed once, Joli... I mean... maybe you do just need to suck it up and try to eat some more meat... honestly the only time my... instincts have flared up that I've noticed is when I'm not ... getting thing that I need..." But his ears remained flattened. "You... woke up to a dead piglet? You don't even remember..... doing anything to it..?""Maybe you're right, maybe I do have to give in and do what I swore I never would again ... " she pauses tearing off another bite of the meat "Yeah, about a good hundred or so feet away from the camp, David, Awen Lauren and I were sharing, it had claw marks, and teeth marks... and I had ... blood... in my mouth, but no, I don't know how it happened, I don't remember doing anything to it..." she shivers both from the thought of the blood but also the coldAmbrose's ear flicks back and he edges closer to the lean-to again. He was agitated, anxious. He didn't want to hear about Joli going crazy and killing something.... Angelina was inside... he couldn't risk her getting hurt.
"That.... that is strange, Joli.." His voice conveyed his anxieties. He watched her bite into the soggy piece of flesh. "I know... " she watched him edge away, she wasn't surprised, not in the least... She'd probably react the same way, "Just bad dreams and waking up" she mumbles she put hte last of hte small piece of meat she'd taken from the soggy pile of meat in her mouth and crossed her arms on her knees leaning her chin on them. Her thoughts were undecided, but remained just that... thoughtsHe nodded... slowly. He'd had his share of nightmares since coming to the island. One even ended in him waking up in the middle of the jungle afterwards. But none had ended with him actually hurting something.
Granted, a piglet was a big difference from a person.... but... it still didn't change the fact that having someone who wasn't in control - who COULD hurt one of them in his campsite made him antsy. Especially now.
But it was raining, and his good sense and compassion told him it would be damning her even more to send her away.
But if she stayed, he'd be watchful - of Colche and Amaya, and most especially Angelina.Joliette watched him her tongue flickered a couple times and then she tips her head so her forehead touches her arms hiding a yawn. The silence was something she didn't really like, only because it spoke of untrust to her, about as little trust as she had in herself too... She takes another larger piece of hte meat and then stands up "I think I should leave..." she says quietly, glad for the pouring rain hiding the tears "I am going to try and find a cave or something... where I wont put anyone at risk" she pauses before leavingAmbrose felt a wave of guilt that combatted the growling anxiety that a part of him snarled to him that he shouldn't keep a danger in the campsite.
But he took the news stoically, feeling sorry for the woman who was in a position that any of them could have fallen into. But it was a danger that - he was sure - that if she could accept and make some amends to, she could defeat.
"I... I understand, Joliette. Just, keep in mind what you need. We... we can't ignore what's happening to us. Staying human means making choices and recognizing the animal influence and metering it into your life." Ambrose had no idea how much of a hypocrite he was being.
"I wish you the best of luck with your demons, Joli. We... we'll all get out of this mess sometime...."
He turned and crawled back into the lean-to. He had bee away from her too long.
"I hope." the voice drifted back in closing.With a silent nod she watched him disappear into his leanto and trudged slowly back into the jungle ignoring her tearss since the rain was keeping her face much wetter. And she slowly went in search of a cave... and some warmth
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:26 pm
Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose was dead to the world that night, wrapped lovingly around his mate girlfriend, Angelina. Her body heat and comforting smell in tandem with the minimal shelter that the lean-to provided was all he needed to help him sleep soundly through the night.
When the rousing sunshine and birdcalls of dawn finally reached the wolfman's senses, he yawned lazily, hugged himself closer to the woman in his arms, and lazily lifted an eyelid.
The first thing that came to his attention was the normal background scents and noises of the camp was strangely silent. No Amaya... no scents of the slew of people that had taken up resident in his pack camp.
He planted a small kiss on Angelina's forehead and crawled out into the sunshine.
The campfire was long since out - the drowning rains had seen to that. THe river level was also raised since he had last ventured out - but not dangerously so. But it was a ghost town. Where was everyone? Why hadn't they woken him?
He stood up and pricked his ears. Had something happ-
Then he stopped, his eyes widening. There was a faint sound - ever so faint, but unmistakable. It was a buzz that had been absent from the island for months - something that before hand had been so everpresent that he had begun to tune it out. It was the sound of electricity buzzing through wires all over the island.
The power was back.
His face broke into a grin.
"Angelina! Angelina! Wake up Wake up!" His tail was a blur of happy wagging, his eyes shone with a light of excitement as the possibilities tumbled through his mind: real cooked meals! real beds! a SHOWER!. Angelina Swanson Angelina sat up straight, being so suddenly jerked from sleep. SHe had been on extra paranoia since being trapped int he "wild" for the past few weeks. A rush of panic raced through her. "What? WHAT?" Ambrose Maurlias "Listen! Listen!" Ambrose exclaimed, for the moment not realizing that not everyone sported his acute hearing.
"Hear that buzzing! IT's... it's the POWER! I think it's back on! Come on! Come one!" he elated, virtually bouncing in place. "Food! Bed! Showers! I bet they're back!" Angelina Swanson "Oh ********" Angelina said as she sprung up and slipped her shirt over her head. She grabbed Ambrose's hand, and, not having the advantage of his hearing or smell, she gave him a look that said "after you" Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose replied with a wide smile and a grip of her hand and began leading her through the jungle at a breakneck speed, hopping over logs, ducking under low branches, in a westward direction.
About halfway through his frenetic run, his noise alerted him of the smell of COOKED food.
"Oh my god - I think the cafeteria's open!" He elated. "Oh god... what first? A shower? Or REAL food?"
His stomach cast its vote - he hadn't eaten much since the rains had begun, but Ambrose felt positively NASTY. It honestly was a really tough call. Angelina Swanson "I can't get much dirtier than I already am - but I would KILL for a something processed and perservative-filled." The shower could wait. She would just let the hot water run over her until it ran ice cold. Ambrose Maurlias "Right you are." Ambrose grinned with sharp teeth. Both options sounded equally tempting to him - and he was sure if there were others in the cafeteria than they would forgive his bedraggled look as they would have been out in the jungle equally long.
Soon, they were emerging through the treeline - and the village was before them. But unlike the depressing ghost town he had visited before, there were lights, and he could swear he saw the door of at least one duplex standing open - but... best of all, the scents of the cafeteria were mesmerizing. As much as he longed for a shower, he didn't think that his stomach would have let him make that decision with the engulfing smells of cooked meat this close.
And.... even more strangely... the jeep - the one with the Feral Labs logo on its side, was standing nearby.
But for the moment, any thought of an ambush or attack was shoved aside. He didn't care if it meant real food. Angelina Swanson Angelina, too, noticed the Jeep and through a questioning glance at Ambrose, shrugging. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose shrugged in response to her glance. "I have no idea.... but, to be honest, at this point I don't really care. The hell with it - let's go get some food!"
And with that, he bounded towards the cafeteria.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:27 pm
FOOOOOOOOD~!Aubrey Lockheart Aubrey could hear a few people in the cafeteria so she headed in there first.
She opened the door with a smile and a wave, though the overwelhming attitude of the place seemed... off.
"Colche!" was her first reaction, dropping her duffle bag of goodies and opening in her arms to her. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she noticed she looked...different. What the hell? SHE alone was in charge of Colche's development...how the hell did she change? Who could have possibly had her access codes to her files except Moreau..and he had been with her. She tried to surpress the anger in her eyes from Colche, but her jaw muscled flexed on her face.
Taking a second glance around the room she noticed... well, to be honest, they all kind of...smelled. And looked...really dirty. And Amaya... oh god. She hadn't been aware anyone would be changing while Nick was away, but she definately had. And not for th better, the poor girl.
Then her eyes settled on Rex and her eyes narrowed. Now just who in the hellwas THIS? Colche Colche was up from her seat before you could say jack rabbit. Showing that, well known cheetah speed she pounced aubrey with a loud shout "Aubrey!" she held tightly to the older woman and started to gabble a whole load of nonscence "thinkeddeadwithblackbirdwentboomoutsidelotsnrainnallnotnicewiththenofoodins" She gabbled this so fast perhaps Aubrey wouldn't understand a word of it but it was probably her longest speach ever, despite the fact that she didn't take a breath between the words. "youback, youback, youback!" she giggled, though her giggle was strangely distorted with that happy puurr she made which rumbled deep from her chest. She was just so glad to see Aubrey back again, all her aches and pains, and even her steak were forgotten. "missed,no leavey gain, plea?" She lifted her head her blue eyes begging Aubrey not to go away again. It was bad times without her there. Kim Nguyet Kim... setteled to looking really, really confused, and attempted to eat her sushi... Even if it was... well... raw fish. What on earth was pocessing her ?!?
The attempts at using the chopsticks where... not working very well, which frustrated her quite a bit. She KNEW how to drive chopsticks damnit, she went to asian restaurants all the time !
Reminder of her long fingers... Well oops. Maybe she should just use THEM as chopsticks... Sightly annoyed, she gave up on that for a moment and sipped from her soda, listening to the conversation around her. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose dashed into the cafeteria like a starving man who hadn't seen food in weeks - which was not too far from the truth. The scents, Hogod the scents! There was meat, meat of every array - cooked and clean and that didn't have to be killed or put over a fire.
For the moment, the other people in the cafeteria didn't matter to the bedraggled wolfman - it was all he could do to stop himself from bodily tackling the buffet bins and shoveling food into his mouth. Before even saying hello to anyone, or even really looking at anyone, Ambrose was tray-in-paw, and ladeling huge spoonfuls of meat onto his plate, spearing a big steak, and grabbing several pieces of sushi (a few were popped into his mouth rudely before taking a seat).
As he turned back to the table to take a seat, however, Ambrose just.... stopped.
SEVERAL things clicked to him at once. Colche... had changed again.... Amaya.... was that even Amaya? - was also there - covered in scales from head to tail... and... her lovely raven locks now gone. Both of them had arrived after he had - and now both of them had changed more than he.
But that didn't top the final site that stopped him cold. Aubrey?? Aubrey. She was standing there, Colche in arms, like nothing was wrong. His ears flattened to his head and a snarl met his lips as he finally goaded himself to movement and set his tray down hard next to Amaya, glaring at the confused-looking woman.
"Aubrey?!" Ambrose growled. "Where... what.... WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED?!" He snapped, confusion and hurt in his voice. Angelina Swanson Angelina was happy to let Ambrose confront the Feral Labs lady. She had never really met her, though COlche seemed happy enough to see her. She would watch, so she just sat down with a plate full of food and took a mental inventory of everyone that was there. She swallowed nervously at Amaya... wondering if she would end up looking like that one day. Amaya Vaughan Amaya stared at Aubrey as she made her pressance known. She didn't know how to react... They had shut them all outside for months and then just came back acting like nothing was wrong? ... Though even though she didn't know the woman very well she had a hard time believing she was behind it. But why would they do something like that? Was it some stupid test? What about the two bodies? She wanted to jump into yelling and questions, but when her lips parted only a low, reptilian hiss emitted from her mouth on it's own accord.
The only thing that stopped her was the slam of Ambrose's tray next to her. She literally jumped, her tail twitching slightly behind her on the ground as green eyes looked up at him, then back to Aubrey. The iguana-girl didn't seem to even realize she had just been hissing.
Everyone else now was only backround noise, all her attention focused on Aubrey as she glared. Her tail slid behind her, back and forth as it gently brushed the ground in aggitation. Rex Vadnais Rex tried not to stare, studying the girl that entered. She was certainly well dressed and compared to the majority of them, looked like a queen. He waved politely across the room then watched Colche zoom towards the girl and nearly take her down like a linebacker. A smile stretched ear-to-ear as he watched the adorable cheetah girl.
He watched the girl stare at her food, confused as hell. "Uh.. you like sushi too, huh?" He said, trying to strike a conversation, "Oh, what was your name, again? I seem to have missed it."
Again, his gluttonous eating was disrupted by a surprise entrance of Ambrose the wolf-man! He watched, half in horror and half impressed that he could put the food away so quickly. He almost broek into applause when he sat down, but sat quietly in utter confusion instead when he spoke to the Aubrey woman. He hadn't even noticed the other girl come in after Ambrose. If he just listened, maybe he'd figure out what the hell was going on. Aubrey Lockheart Aubrey stroked Colche's hair, to comfort herself more than her surrogate daugher at this point. Something was definately wrong, the hostility in the room finally materializing with Ambrose snapping at her.
She was confused and angry - why the hell where they yelling at her. COlche, she could possibly imagine getting lost out of the jungle or forgetting to shower - but Ambrose looked like s**t and that was sure as hell one giant red flag.
She gently tried to push COlche off her with a scritch behind her ears. "I'm back, Colche," she consoled robitcally, turning her attention to Ambrose. "What the hell do you mean what happened? That's what I what to know?? I haven't been around if you didn't notice." Aubrey's voice was hot with anger, but thick with confusion. Colche The slender cheetah girl clung tightly to Aubrey still puuring happily before Ambrose shouted and her eyes fled to him. She had never heard him shout before it was a scary thing. She made an uncomfortable little sound and snuzzled her short snout in to Aubreys tummy "no shouty bad, back now, sokay" her voice was muffled by Aubreys clothes but she was just so glad to see her the tribulations of the jungle and being out in the wet were fortgotten. At least until she sneezed and turned her perfect, doleful blue eyes up at Aubrey "got sneezes" she stated rather simply, though she allowed Aubrey to push her away a bit she wasn't about to let her 'mother' out of her sight at least for a little while.
Like the rest of them she had llost what little weight she had started to put on being in a cushy environment and ti had nothing to do with ehr latest transformation. She had eaten sparcely on her wanderings through the jungle and her belly reminded ehr of this now "sit! eat!" she stated, still clinging to Aubrey, she wanted her steak, but she didn't wnat to leave Aubrey just yet, if anything bad happened, Aubrey would make it okay, she really didn't like Ambrose shouting, but Aubrey would make it alright again. Kim Nguyet "Im Ki-" And then she was cut up. Ambrose slaming the tray down almost sent her flying into Rex's arms like a damzel in distress, but instead she only sightly jerked in his direction. The air in the cafeteria was tick with confusion and frustration and she really didn't like it, and it was evident from the way she moved, and the way that she had completely forgotten about her meal. She just felt scared all of sudden.
"...We where out in the jungle... Nothing worked at all, everything was locked... We're been there since... Uh..." She took the first device that her hand reached to, checked the date - and bluted something in a foreign language that was probably better kept this way, before adding something sightly more understanble. "Two months ?!?"
Suddently it was almost as if she felt ill. Along with the atmosphere in the room, it almost felt as if she was choking. What the hell was up with her ?!? She had seen fights before. And been parts of some. But right now she was scared stiff. She needed to go, needed to get out of here...
Her stomach gave a turn, and she darted up. "I-I don't feel so... Im sorry, I... I..."
The words confused herself in her mind, and she found outside before she could even finish any of her sentences, going to her duplex, to the calm, to the peace... Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose's first, gut reaction was skepticism. How in the hell couldn't Aubrey know what had happened to them!! They were locked out, they had to be behind this - the helicopter crash, everything. But.... the snarl slowly faded on his lips although his ears still remaind pinned back.
This was Aubrey, after all. And each and every time he had gotten mad at her it had eventually disappated. While the woman's.... priorities were certainly in a blender - 'evil' or 'deceitful' were about as far from this woman's vocabular as 'kind' and 'benign' were from Moreau's.
He looked to Colche, suddenly feeling guilty for yelling at Aubrey. His ears lowered and he glanced to the ground, sighing.
Ambrose patted Angelina's hand as she took a seat next to him and looked quickly to Amaya, his eyes speaking of sympathy and talking at a future point.
"You... you mean you don't know??" He was flabbergasted. "You haven't been here?? Where did you go?! Was Moreau behind all of this?!? We were locked out! The electricity JUST turned back on!"
He nodded to Kim, confirming her synopsis, but doubletaked. It had been two full months? Dear lord. He didn't wait to take a rough bite of the sloppy joe on his plate. He was starving. He felt guilty - he smelled the girl's fear as he shouted - but in his mind, the outburst was deserved, even IF Aubrey wasn't technically at fault.
"I'm sorry, Kim" He winced quietly as she fled. Angelina Swanson Angelina sat and just listened for now. She waned to know why she hadn't changed... if she was going to...and into what. But not now. She would feel selfish asking now. And she didn't want to be told she was turning into a barnicle or a cockroach in front of a lot of people. Amaya Vaughan Aubrey didn't know? What the hell was going on?! Wasn't she like... the second in command or something? Was this some sort of sick joke she was playing? Playing dumb? Slowly she stood up, pulling her chair back with her long, finger-like toes. Her large hands balled into fists on each side of her tray, her scaley body still covered in dirt and mud along with her clothing, which was still only her black undergarments. Green eyes continued to bore down into the only person on the staff she had been told to trust.
Amaya only barely heard what Kim was saying, all of her attention focused on the woman by the door. Her tail continued to sway back in forth angrily, the look from Ambrose and everyone else for that matter going unoticed. Rex Vadnais The dirty man sat in silence, watching the exchange between Ambrose and Aubrey. Obviously, he was new to the island and hadn't really known much of anything that was going on besides the things that were with him presently. Plus he was smart enough to know no to get in the middle of a fight with a wolfman and a woman. You just don't do that.
By the looks of it, this Aubrey woman didn't have the slightest clue what had happened! How were your "experiements" locked out of the jungle for two months and you don't know jack squat? She had been gone, though.
"Bye Kim!" He assumed her name was, "Feel better..." Gosh, everyone has been getting sick... Rex still had the little in his throat as well, hopefully some medicine would get rid of that.
He seemed to have melted, then solidified in his chair until Amaya stood up with her hands clenched. Anything but a fight, please... He perked, sliding upright in his seat. All of his attention focussed on the ordeal before him. Aubrey Lockheart Aubrey immediately went to consoling Colche. She was sick and nothing was being done about it. She let the girl lead her over to her meal so she could continue, but she didn't s it down. She stood by her, one had on the girl's head, the other planted firmly on her hip.
But her annoyance was quickly melting away to nothing but pure confusion. "You have to be kidding me?" Flooded with interrogated questions, she tried to remain clam, and look in control, through she felt ratgher helpess. "Where was I? I... I... I took Nick to meet my parents," she finally blurted, "then we took a little vacation. But thats all... no other staff left..everything should have continued on as normal.. I mean, what? There HAD to have been eletricity! The staff is here.. I have piles of coding reports on my desk...and..and.."
She shot a warning glance at Amaya as she stood, holidng up a pointed finger and narrowing her eyes.
She glanced to Rex. "Who are you?? How did you get here?" Colche Colche's gentle puurr echoed throught he cafeteria as the tension ceased, at least a little. She gnawed at ehr steak, happily devourering the juicy meat while Aubrey wasbehind her. She sneezed, and owed, a couple of times before she finished, though by the time she had eaten the steak she was looking content and rather sleepy. She was stil sitting next to rex and his shoulder looked like a good place t rest her head, just for a minute. Reaching her clawed fingers up she grasped the hand on her shoulder and puurred "no going" she stated, her eye sight bluuring, she was tired and sick and full of good food. Sleep wasn't far around the corner for her. Her cheek soon met with Rex's upper arm and she leant there quietly, blinking in long, slow bats of those long ashen lashes. "No go" she purrs sleepily still holding Aubrey's hand though her grasp loosened slightly as she drifted off, still sitting, her furry cheek pressed against the none furry man. Nothing could go wrong now that Aubrey was here, Aubrey made it all better, seh always had. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose slouched a bit in his seat with this new information, confusing building on confusion. IN the interem, he was shoveling food down his throat so fast he barely tasted it - but what he did tasted ... so.... good.
He slowed, swallowing so he could reply, looking now again at Colche, Amaya, and Angelina - three individuals he felt fiercely protective of. Colche did look on the ill side... Amaya scared... and the poor thing - the changes that she was undergoign really hittting him - even her hair....
And Angelina - he could tell she was nervous - knowing that it probably had almost as much to do with the people around her as the whole confusing situation.
He took a lungful of air, held it for a moment, and released, letting the tension go along with it.
"Yes.... we... we've been out of the duplexes for ... Kim must be right - just about two months now... all of the power went out and we all woke up outside around the island. Everything was shut down and locked. Even the labs - the fence was off, but it was impossible to get into any building. "
he shook his head. It didn't make any sense. "You're telling me that you AND Moreau were gone??? Moreau ISN'T the one who did this to us?? We had to hunt our own food.... no showers... no soap. And it's been raining the past few days solid! Who WAS here? There couldn't have been electricity! Everything was so quiet!" Amaya Vaughan Amaya let out another hiss as Aubrey had the gawl to give her a look like that. She was very, VERY pissed but that didn't mean she was some loose canon. Just because she was more animal then human didn't mean she wasn't still in control of her own body. Tempted to swat the womans finger down, she resisted and simply let her tail speak for her as the lashes got quick. "We were locked out. For two months. I almost DIED because it got TOO COLD." She spat at her, fists clenching even farther as angry tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Rex Vadnais "Me?" Oh goody, he was getting dragged in! "Uh, m'name is Rex." He would have gotten up to shake her hand with a formal-type greeting, but Colche had conked out on his shoulder and he couldn't get up. "I uh, washed up here a few days ago. We've been living outside ever since, like Ambrose said" He gestured to the man across the table, "I really have no idea what the hell is going on." He shurgged nervously and spoke a bit faster.
Rex was impressed with Amaya. The girl he'd known to be shy and reserved stood up, enfuriated. He nodded with what she said about her almost dying, he'd been there to experience it. Aubrey Lockheart Aubrey's jaw was lax she was so flabberghasted. What the HELL was going on?
She just stood there shaking her head. She addressed Ambrose first. "No, Nick was with me. The WHOLE time... I didn't even see him touch a computer or a cel phone or anything." She listened to Amaya and Ambrose, not knowing what to say. I mean, its not like she didn't believe them. They were filthy, they certainly smelled like they hadn't bathed in two months, and their anger was real. BUT..."that's just... impossible.." she stuttered out. She glared back at Amaya, doing her best to keep her anger in check. She was just confused as the rest of them. "We have a full staff here." she said, slowly, deliberately. "Everything from a cook to a cleaning lady. And all the lab techs. They were HERE. They have been working..I have proof. Dr. Duvert is right in command under myself, and he was here. He was reporting to Moreau all last night."
Aubrey did not like Dr. Duvert. Something about him was just wrong. But there's no way he could have pulled this off. And expect to live to tell about it at least. Moreau wouldn't allow a debacle like this to happen to precious subjects. As twisted as, even Aubrey could admit he was, Moreau had a strange and unshakable appreciation for life. Safety of his subjects, at least physically, was high priority for him. The crease in forehead when even the smallest lab rat died was enough to crack his emotion facade to show he ddn't like it when things under his care died as result of his hand.
She looked back to Rex, shocked. "Ship wrecked?" The cel phone was already out, ready to alert Moreau. "Washed up here? Have you been contacted? Inspected? Treated?" Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose paused again in his mass consumption of food - his plate that was once piled with meats now almost empty.
He believed Aubrey - her shock was too convincing to be an act. But it still didn't make any kind of sense - especially if Moreau himself was absent. He had never met this Dr. Duvert that others like Joliette had mentioned, but he hadn't heard anything good about the man.
He looked to Amaya, his sympathies and selfrighteous pity flaring as he put a comforting hand on her scaled shoulder. He had no idea that the cold had gotten that bad to her, and felt responsible. She was his 'little sister' after all, and that's the very reason he had a campsite was to watch over people. "Amaya... oh my god, I had no idea.... you... you should have said something... " His ears crumpled.
Ambrose nodded on corroboration with Rex. "I was part of the group that found him on the beach... But I don't understand... How could the staff have been here? There was no food, no contact, no shelter... there was the remains of a helicopter crash on the helipad for God's sake!" Amaya Vaughan Great, now she was more concerned over Rex getting his damn injection?! Amaya's breathing became labored, the tears spilling from her eyes. These people didn't give a damn about any of them. Why would they? Each and every one of them was torn from their homes and stripped of their humanity. She should have expected them to not care.
Finally she broke down. Tears spilled from her eyes as she sunk to a crouch, large hands covering her eyes. "I couldn't! I collapsed before I could get back to camp! And- and- they put me by the corpses!" Another strangled sob and sniff. "They probably put that poor rat-bird thing so Greer and I would havta kill it too!" Things began to click together for her as she sat there sobbing, her tail having ceased it's lashing and now lay limply behind her. Rex Vadnais In response to Aubrey, "No, not shipwreaked. I actually fell over board on a cruise liner a few nights ago with another man. We both woke up on the beach here, but you're the first person I've seen who works here. And I haven't been injected yet, for all I know. This is the first time Ive ever been in the village or eaten actual food here on the island."
If she held such a high position here, why wouldn't she have been informed about everything going on. And Moreau, the head honcho, was gone as well... He was bound to have known what was going on. Things were so confusing.
What was all of this about corpses and a helicopter? Perhaps this was a very elaborate and slightly morbid joke. Changes without injections, bodies and a charred helicopter. The people that run this place are jacked up... Aubrey Lockheart "Oh. my. GAWD." Not the most professional response, but certainly all she could muster up. Her arrival back to paradise just kept getting worse and worse. "Look, I have no idea what happened... or what's going on. But I'm going to find out." She didn't know else to do, but she felt she was either going to get attacked or made even more of a fool if she stayed.
She pulled up the dufflebag which, when opened, had gift bags for every islander except Colche (she had her own duffle bag). They were filled with expensive perfumes from Paris, lots European chocolates and other sweets, and some unique articles of clothing. Aubrey didn't want to rub it in their faces that she was off seeing the world, so there were no postcards or pictures... but she just wanted to bring them back something special. But even that was ruined. She just unzipped the dufflebag wordlessly after it was dropped on the table, then she collected Colche in her arms and took her to her Jeep.
She was so confused, angry, and frustrated she had to blink back tears. She left Colche in her duplex with a chocolate bar and woke her just enough to tell her she would be back after she helped the others. Time to go find Nick. Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose watched worldessly as he saw Aubrey's ire ignite as she was given more of the information. At least, it felt, they had someone on the staff who was sympathetic. It made sense though, he supposed, if something like this really was planned by the staff - with what he knew of Aubrey she would never have agreed to it. Hopefully her ire would help them.... somehow.
He finished the rest of the food on his plate, his stomach finally gurgling happily as it was full for the first time in a Loooong time.
A whine slipped out of his throat as he tried to comfort amaya by rubbing his hand along her back. "shhh... Kiddo... I'm sorry.... the duplexes are open... Aubrey's going to find out what happened.... we can eat... take a shower... and... we'll look after you."
He looked over to Angelina, a small questioning look before continuing. "I am going to go take a well... well needed shower - with all of my fur I'm sure that I'm not a happy smell to you. But... if you like.... and if Angelina doesn't mind, you can stay in our duplex for a bit if you like? I was just about to head back." Angelina Swanson Angelina didn't mind Amaya or anything, but she was definately ready for some -real- alone time with Ambrose. But the poor girl was obviously upset and Angelina tried to swallow the paralyzing fear she gave her.
She felt bad, it wasn't anything personal, but Amaya did nothing for Angie expcept illustrate what might be her future. Or worse. "Sure thats fine," she finally said, with a tight-lipped smile. Amaya Vaughan Amaya rubbed at her eyes with her fists and could only nod to her older brother's offer. Luckily for her she was dirty, but oddly... didn't smell very bad. Aside from the lingering stench of lizard. Things seemed to be a little on the less smelly side when you didn't have any sweat glands. She didn't notice Angelina's hesitance, though if she did she would have definatly declined the offer. Rex Vadnais Aubrey had left and hopefully that would remove most of the tension and confusion in the air.. or just cause more. Now that Colche was gone, Rex got up and ran over to comfort Amaya with Ambrose as well. He rubbed his hand up and down her back like he had the night before.
Then he looked it Ambrose, "I haven't had a chance to talk to you since that morning on the beach. Thank you for your efforts in trying to get me off the island, it.. really means alot." He was sincerely thankful for the man, he certainly had a way of being the peacemaker. Rex's smile truned upsidedown, "But... I've seen my name on a duplex door. It looks like I'm here to stay." Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose also missed Angelina's hesitant look - only catching her agreement.... he did still smell the scent of fear from her, but didn't correlate it to Amaya. In Ambrose's mind, nothing was less dangerous than some of the other islanders like Amaya and Colche, despite their appearances. She had accepted him as a wolf, and didn't catch that that fear might be associated with one of the other islanders.
"It will be alright, Angelina." He said to her as well. "I can't wait for that hot shower and soft bed." He smiled dreamily as he got up and offered the two girls a hand.
"Amaya... you're welcome to use our shower after we do... or you can meet us back in the duplex after you use yours."
He turned to the other man, nodding. "I'm sorry I couldn't help more... believe me. The rains came at a very bad time.... assuming that a ship would have seen our signal fire from whereever it was anyway..." He shook the man's hand. "And your name on a door already...?" This seemed to corroborate with what Aubrey said about staff being htere... how else would they know his name and react this fast. "I... I wish you best of luck, Rex. If... well, if you need anything, we'll be around. I'm in duplex 1." Amaya Vaughan Gradually the iguana-girl started to calm down. Her hands dropped to her lap and she sniffed, about to take a deep breath in but instead erupted into a hoarse cough. It seemed Colche wasn't the only one who had gotten sick.
She took Ambrose's hand and stood up, wiping her tears away again before finally speaking up. "I'll take a shower in mine first." Green eyes looked back down at her untouched food, her appitite having completely faded. Rex Vadnais A small smile curled the corners of Rex lips, "It's good to know that I'll always have you guys here behind me. But it looks like I'm just going to have to accept my place here. Who knows, it might be the place for me to be 'til the end." He didn't dare bring up the whole 'fate' talk rolling around his head. but he believed that if it was meant for him to get off the island, he would. The world played out at your fingertips. "1? That's easy to remember. I'm in Duplex 35." He came to his feet and cleared everyone's plates from the table, "I'm guessing you're all done." Ambrose Maurlias Ambrose smiled as Rex gathered the plates. "Thanks, Rex. And... I'm glad to hear that it sounds at least like you're doing alright, all things considered. Enjoy, and I'll see you around."
He turned to Amaya, and patted her on the shoulder again. "That sounds fine. I'll meet you back at the duplex." He gave her a quick hug and then turned to the exit.
With a smile, Ambrose led Angelina back towards Home Sweet Home, with a huuuuge smile of relief on his face, eager for the shower. Amaya Vaughan "I'm in number 20." Amaya replied to Rex, watching him and then Ambrose as he left. She nodded to him, then turned her attention back to the man she just barely met, but enjoyed so much already. "I'm sorry about everything Rex but... Thanks for everything. Come by my duplex if you ever need anything or just to talk okay?" She forced a tiny smile before pushing her chair back into place. "I'll catch you later." And with that she slowly made her way out of the cafeteria and to her duplex. Rex Vadnais He made a mental note of the duplex numbers and waved good bye to Ambrose. Then said in a quiet voice towards Amaya, "Sure thing, girl. Any time..."
He cleared the plates and walked the road to Duplex 35 for the first of many, many times to come.
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:12 am
Ambrose had never savored a shower so much in his life as he did today. The closest he could remember was the time when the hot water in his and Angelina's college apartment had been shut off for about three days - he had felt grungy, greasy and gross. But compared to this, these TWO MONTHS without hot water, without purified water, without soap - that period in college was a trip to a health spa.
He peeled off the dirt-encrusted, tattered sleep pants, depositing them in the garbage, and leapt into the shower, Angelina close behind him. A wiiiide smile on his face as he turned the shower nozzle and steaming water spilled down over him, seeping through the layers of muck and grime. Even trips to the (chillly) river had never fully succeeded in removing the deep-down dirt beneath the fur and close to his skin. Without soap or a loofa or sponge in the river he had resorted to scrubbing wiht his hands and claws in the river in the areas he could reach - which took time. But now - oh Lord - Ambrose was in heaven.
The hot water cut right through the layer of fur down to the skin beneath - the pale human skin that was a small reminder of what he used to be - burried beneath the covering fur that sprouted from every pore and follicle.
He just stood there - under the wonderful hot water, letting it run through his coat - the water around the drain first brown, then a tan, then running clean. He wasn't even to the scrubbing phase yet.
Then Angelina joined him - Ambrose's lids were already heavy with contentment and a final release of stress that comes with the return to civilization, a full belly, and a hot shower. Angelina was also quiet - she had been through every bit of torment that he had been through, compounded by her feelings of isolation among the others - feeling different, and feeling scared - those around her different, and yet at the same time a painful reminder of her own potential future - anything from the scaly Amaya to the spiny Emelyn.... or worse.
But these unspoken thoughts did not reach Ambrose. Instead, he melted into her hands as she lavished liberal amounts of shampoo all through his fur, scrubbing him up and down, in every nook and cranny until he resembled some sort of soap-suds wolf in sheeps' clothing.
Ambrose was virtually crooning, scrubbing under each clawed nail, between each toe and pawpad, under his arms and under his tail, until he felt he had washed away the months of dirty living.
She carefully and lovingly picked through his fur, alternating between the plastic shower comb and her fingers, releasing the tangles and knots - picking out the burrs and plant matter, until it was smooth and shiny once again.
His hair was longer now too, he thought as he rinsed it out as well. He hadn't cut it in the seven months he had been on this island. He had always wanted to grow it out, but never had the guts to do so given society's anathema against men with long hair. Now, that sort of physical stigma was laughable in the face of all of his other .... differences.
As the cleansing waters bequeathed him of his sudsy mantle, Ambrose turned and returned the favor on his lady love, massaging her back with the loofa, massaging her scalp along with the shampoo with his dull, round canine claws, stopping to nibble teasingly at her ears or the base of her neck.
The whole process was sensual... and yet releasing - pure.
Ambrose thanked his lucky stars that apparently whatever sort of water heating device supplied the village had more than enough juice to last them through their wonderfully long shower. When finally all the water ran clean, and hair was groomed and taken care of, they wrapped themselves in terrycloth robes, and brushed their teeth - spitting out the nastiness of the worst case of mornings breath he had ever had the displeasure of imagining.
For the first time in over two months, Ambrose felt clean.
Sleepily, and putting on a clean pair of sleeppants, Ambrose and Angelina walked back out to the main bed area of the duplex, left the door unlocked for Amaya, and crashed into the soft, welcoming bed, drowsy from the shower and food, and ready to sleep until his body was ready to wake once again without fear of danger, cold, rain, or whatever else the 'wild' could throw at him.
Ambrose had never slept so soundly in his life.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:40 am
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:09 pm
Ambrose yawned and stretched, his chest bowed down, arms straight out in front of himand his tail straight back behind him in a pose not too different from the common morning stretch of a household pet dog. In these moments before sleep and awake were the moments that the instincts were strongest and the rational mind still lagging behind on his movements.
Angelina was still slumbering.... she had been feeling more sluggish recently since their return to 'civilization'. Sleeping more than she had in quite some time, but... then again, so had he. It's not exactly like sleeping on the hard ground was conducive to a great deal of sleep. And he had also slept like the dead after they got back to the duplex.
He had gotten back late the previous afternoon after his argument with Jamal and introduction to Zachary and spent some quality time with Angelina.
Leaning over to plant a kiss on the base of her neck, he smiled. Her scent was so comforting to him. At the same time a reassurance that someone here loved him still... and a scent that still said 'home' to his mind. His gaze flicked to the portrait on the nightstand - the two of them... as they once were - not a clue in their eyes where they would be a year from the photo shoot.
"Good morning, love. The sun is up... the birds are signing..."
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:08 pm
Angelina had never been quite the morning person Ambrose was. But in additional to that, Angelina was starting to suspect she was getting a cold from having been stuck out in the rain. She wasn't postive yet, mostly because she was just a but achy and with a bit of a headache, so she hadn't brought it to AMbrose's attentions yet. But this morning she noticed her self feeling more sick than before.. her muscles sore and feeling a bit feverish.
"Morning, lover," she mumbled into her hands as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:10 pm
His tail wagged back and forth, held high as he kneeled on hands and knees on the bed, ears pricked.
"How are you doing? What would you like to do this morning?" He smiled, quite awake.
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