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 Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:38 am
Theirn walked through the small cabin, he knew without the support of the Fox woman he'd never have been able to find the place. At first it had bothered him, not only because it felt somewhat like charity but also because on some level settling in with a more permanent home didn't sit well with the roma - the urge to travel was always within him. But now with the cabin settling in some it was growing on him, the massive amounts of forest that cut him off from civilization helped as well. One thing about being so far removed was lack of others around, even if he wasn't use to staying in one place long Theirn did enjoy at least having others around those days that he wasn't in danger of shifting. With that in mind Theirn went toward a worn desk that had come with the place and started writing a note out on a bit of paper.
Coal had decided that he liked this place, it had a high vaulted ceiling and seemed sturdy enough. Plus there seemed to be many places for the dark little wisp to hide and discover; at the moment Coal had collected a rather impressive pile of dust bunnies from under the stairs that winded up to the set of loft bedrooms.
The note was quick and informal, he'd met that cat girl at the barbeque and truthfully had enjoyed her company quite a bit. He'd promised to leave her his address once he got a better place for company. Gathering up Coal, Theirn took the note with him on his way into town, and dropped it off with one of his young cousins to drop off for Trivii. At the time of the letter he hadn't considered the full moon, as it was almost two weeks until the next one...but he didn't consider that it might take his cousin quite a bit of time to get the letter to the cat girl either.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:39 am
Itchy feet.
That's what her mother had always called it, that blessed inability to hold still. Flipping through the small stack of mail her editor had dropped off that morning. Classic type face with stick on addresses and those with clear plastic windows got tossed in the basket with the rest of her bills. The odd postcard was shuffled to the back, ready to just drop the whole sack, she blinked at an oddly crinkled envelope.
The untidy scrawl had her lips tilting up, but tugging open the flap she caught the faded yet familiar scent, dust and sunlight and rich fatty marrow... But more.
Theirn.
Her delight though silent was palpable.
Glancing at the window the cat girl gnawed on her lower lip, it was dusk, and would no doubt be full darkness by the time she reached his cabin.
But the note did say.... Stop by anytime. Should she take him literally? Being a cat-kin she could see as well at night as she could during the day so the thought of being out and about after dark didn't bother her... She could head out to see him. If the cabin was dark she would just come home. No harm no foul, right?
"Nell, come on, we're going for a walk."
The wisp careened around the corner as eager to get out as her foster-mother.
Slipping her throwing knives on her wrist, and another on her ankle. A light jacket, backpack, six-pack of beer, and can of pepper-spray later. The duo left the old farmhouse.
If Theirn's instructions were to be trusted, the cabin was in the hills about a mile west, and further outside of town than her own place, but she wouldn't have to cut through the city.
So she relaxed and set out. Nell, a sparkling whirl of shadows hovering at her shoulder.
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:44 pm
Theirn sat in a small clearing not far from the cabin, there were deer in the forest he'd seen them earlier in the day and watching them dart from one place to another had been exciting. His body always woke up...at least that was how he thought of it. Senses became more acute the sound of other creatures nearby, the scent of them, his eye would catch the sigh of a fleeting whitetail - the sight of fleeing prey and he'd feel energized. Once he'd attempted to keep such urges down but when he changed the beast was more powerful reckless and angry...over the years he'd let the predator instincts settle in to a degree and it had allowed at least some leverage against the beast when he changed; like tonight they'd hunt deer.
Coal drifted near Theirn, the little wisp rustled against the blades of grass disrupting them the best it could. He could feel the change coming, although not a werewolf the bond seemed to share many things. The effect the beast seemed to have on the little wisp was worse then his guardian's as he hasn't had years to get use to the sensory and emotional sensations it brought. Which all in all ended up with a very crabby wisp to say the least. Luckily being just a wisp kept his destructive capabilities to a minimum.
Theirn closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, the sun was at the horizon it would be soon that he'd change and for once in a long time he wasn't as worried about it as he usually was. His peace however quickly vanished at the breath - there was a new scent in the air, one that he'd smelled before - electricity on the air. Opening his eyes wide he tilted his head listening there was someone arriving and they weren't trying to hide their presence. The peace he'd been able to pull over himself started to quickly dissipate, he hadn't been prepared for the Catkin coming to visit on the full moon. Theirn had truthfully figured that he'd explain it to her when she came to visit...the visit he'd just hoped would have been about a week earlier.
Coal dropped down and brushed against the grass aggressively as his guardian's emotions spilled over. The little wisp darted over down the path where their visitor was arriving - darting to the side the wisp moved around as if attempting to flank Trivii and Nell.
Muttering to himself Theirn quickly followed after the wisp, hurrying down the path he could feel the blood in his veins moving more frantically and the sway of the moon above pulling at him. Dropping down from a small incline he landed in the path in front of Trivii, too late he realized that he must be quite the sight. His long hair was left to hang completely free and he was only wearing a pair of loose shorts leaving not much of his dark skinned heavily muscled body to the imagination.
"Trivii," pausing a moment he watched the catkin a touch of confused emotion pulled at his chest and he closed his eyes as it just seemed to infuriate his beast more. "I don't have much time to explain," wincing his body jerked as the moon became more prominent above them, "my beast is about to erupt," another jerk came and Theirn gulped attempting to push it down in the back of his mind he knew it would be worse when he shifted now because he was fighting it, "there are deer in the for-" his sentence cut short and he dropped to the ground starting to curl up as the change came on even stronger his voice came next as a growl, "run - don't be prey...don't be prey." He hoped she understood but then it didn't matter because his world erupted into red.
Theirn curled up and his skin started to shift, the sickening sound of bones popping came next as his body shifted and realigned and changed. The curse mark on his back glowed brightly until thick wolf hair started to spring up over his body and covered it. Standing tall now almost eight feet in height Theirn stood in his beast form and howled toward the moon, his fur was black and light grey in mix and looking into his eyes it was unmistakable that it was the same being, they were still the same ice blue predator eyes that he had during the day but the humanity that was usually very apparent was now gone.
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:42 pm
Most people would not have even considered hiking to a friend's, especially one who lived almost two full miles into the hills and Forrest. But Trivii wasn't normal, she enjoyed the hills and cairns, but she also simply loved the night smells, even if it was late November and they were talking frost by morning.
Knowing she was coming up on Theirn's described cabin she climbed over some rocks and performed a careless flip, cracking a couple of twigs and stirring up the air around her as she landed, she only managed a few more steps when her half-naked friend fell out of the sky. All that black hair, naked chest, long legs, had she forgotten to mention the muscles?
Licking her lips, a ready and flirtatious comeback died in her throat. The startled smile that had blossomed on her face at his sudden appearance quickly faded.
Sensing the subtle shifting in the air, Nell spun around her foster mother, the energy crackled off him, was echoed in the woods...
That would be Coal.
Dropping close to the ground she sped towards the other wisp.
"Theirn are you okay? I brought -"
His beast?
She forgot how to breath, she could hear something snap and watched his back arch, then he was doubling forward... The brand? Was glowing showing the silhouette of a howling wolf, some skin split, and hair was growing in... But his body was changing.
She heard the pain filled whisper Run... Don't be prey. she knew he was warning her, she quelled the adrenaline that leaped into her blood, and back peddled three steps, watching the beautiful man before her become something just as beautiful but a great deal more deadly.
When he came to his feet, a good two plus feet and a hundred pounds on her she went into action, precious seconds wasted, but thankfully he was howling.
She ran.
She knew better than to take the same path, as soon as she was on the other side of the hills crest, she took a shortcut.
Nell felt the change in her mother, the surge, the fear. And gave up on Coal barrelling after her mother, like an orange bullet, she pulled into her shadows becoming nearly invisible in the darkness.
Still she reflected the moonlight.
Curse the Moon.
She managed to cover probably a quarter mile. Holding her breath she saw what she was looking for, the nettles that meant mud. Diving into them tears filled her eyes but there crushed scent filled the air and gave her the chance to roll in the icy mud.
Masking her scent.
She lay still, breathing slowly through her nose and tried to map the forest in her minds eye. She should climb a tree get to higher ground, but she held perfectly still. Maybe the Beast would be distracted by those deer Theirn had mentioned.
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 9:37 pm
The Beast howled, his voice echoing through the forest his eyes focused on the moon a long moment before the stray scents in the air caught his attention. Dropping down the Beast began to sniff along the ground there had been another here, warm and with the scent of feline. In human form Theirn was very muscular but as the Beast the muscles grew and has he started to pace along the ground on all fours they rippled and shifted under the thick fur over his body. Pausing his ears flickered, the beast's hearing was exceptional, sniffing the air again he caught the catkin's scent and quickly darted off toward the smell.
Coal couldn't actually shift, but the feral mind of his guardian spurred the little wisp to move more aggressively. While Theirn had been busy with the change the wisp had seen where the glitter of Nell had disappeared in, Coal had tried to spur Theirn in that direction but shifted the wisp had found getting the beast's attention more difficult then when his guardian was human. Then the beast's direction changed and the thrill of the hunt sped through the little wisp causing his dark aura to shudder a little before darting off after his guardian.
The Beast darted off in the direction Trivii had traveled, Theirn knew her scent and had committed it enough to memory that while shifted it was almost disturbingly easy to follow. Such a fast target, one that sent his tamer form in enough emotional turmoil that the Beast was drawn to it - the scent and slight form that he knew it possessed.
Growling low he stopped in the area as the scent disappeared, his eyes shined in the light of the moon, intelligent predatory eyes. Moving low to the ground the Beast stalked near the mud and nettles his muscles tense and ready a low growl growing in his throat as he searched to recover that which he lost.
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:07 pm
Her heart was racing so fast, it was so loud she didn't know how it was the Beast couldn't hear it. Quelling the adrenaline again she stilled in that way of cats that was so against the norm from everything human. The catkin allowed her focus to narrow her senses razor sharp she focused on the territory between herself and he mud, and hoped she could stay downwind.
It was tunnel vision, those hairline instincts that transformed prey into hunter and had kept her people alive through a terrifying and bloody war. Instincts she had rarely used and only had the chance to train since coming to Gaia.
Keen ears heard the quick footfalls of the Beast at the edge of he thicket. She sent a prayer up to whatever higher power might give a damn... Pleading thoughts Don't let him find me, I don't want to hurt Theirn. Please. Don't let him find me.
Palming one of her knives from its scabbard on her wrist she kept her eyes down knowing their reflecting lights on the opaline surface would easily give her away.
Maneuvering the deep overgrown foliage Nell took the crows path to her foster-mother as fast and as close to a straight line as she could.
Slowing when she saw the Beast at he edge of the Marshy Nettle thicket.
She knew he couldn't smell her, unless he smelled Trivii on her.
Hugging the ground she took the long way around towards the cat girl.
Risking it, Trivii lowered her lashes and slowly lifted her head, it was painfully slow as not to stir the air.
The knot in her throat tightened at the sight, as she again tried to figure a way out of this mess. Less than a hundred yards away, was the fiercest.... she didn't know what, the Gods had ever given form.
Please Theirn, Please Beast, just give up.
In the cold her joints were beginning to lock, she knew she didn't have much time before she would have to move.
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:28 pm
Coal darted down close to the ground as well, the little wisp moved to and fro quite often attempting to follow, attempting to join in on the hunt. While the Beast concentrated on finding the catkin Coal was less focused his senses weren't as keen in his current form - being a wisp frustrated Coal more then almost anything else at the moment, the little wisp tore at some nearby vegetation in it's anger until a touch of glitter in the moonlight caught it's attention.
Coal tried to tug, there was prey he could see it - the other fiend the one that belonged to Trivii. The Beast didn't budge it had not use for glittery things - it had only care to find the scent that Theirn had been trying to wipe from his mind as he shifted. Coal however wasn't as focused on the Beast's hunt instead he'd found something closer to his size, darting low to the ground the dark little wisp started off toward the brilliant colors of Nell that couldn't hide in the moonlight; keeping low he darted and then pounced on the other wisp, his aura wide as if attempting to trap her.
The Beast twitched his head darting back toward Coal and Nell a moment, he could feel the thrill and the charge at the pounce. Growling agressively he digs his claws into the soft dirt ripping at the ground in frustration. But then in the brush he senses something, he can see it just barely a soft quick moment and his attention goes to the nettles.
The Beast's nostrils flare and he moves along the ground much more stealthily then a canine likely should be able to. Freezing in place the Beast breathed heavily a moment his hot breath coming out harsh and audibly, then his muscles tensed and his dark eyes seemed to focus in the nettles for a long moment. Then with lightening fast strike he grabbed something from the nettles.
A sickening almost human scream echoed through the area before the Beast gripped his claws and ripped a small rabbit open that had been attempting to move through the brush. Bloods stained the animal's white fur with a flick of the beasts wrist spattered rabbit blood over the catkin.
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Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:59 pm
Her wrists ached, knees felt bruised and if she weren't gritting her teeth he would have been able to track her by their chattering. Then the smell of rabbit filled the air, blood.
He isn't going to lose interest.
The idea shouldn't have sounded as appealing as it was, her own huntress stirred and she hoped the scent of rabbit blood would further help to mask her own scent. But had shocked her into lifting her gaze to peer directly at the Beast from her crouched position.
The splatter rained down on her. It could just as easily be her chest rendered open beneath those dagger like claws.
She moved, careful of the suction to the mud, she shifted one painful inch, then another. Gathering her long legs under her while staying out of sight. She cursed her pale hair and reflective pupil-less eyes.
Nell was out there, and in her own trouble, she would have to cover ground and move to the trees. Then high ground.
Carnelian came to an abrupt halt. Then she zipped right about a yard. Stopped. Zagged left about three. Zigging back and cutting a swift pirouette.
It was like the most absurd single player game of football ever, and only the ball was playing.
She felt like a running-back braced for a hard tackle.
Must be Trivii.
The it hit her, well he hit her, every gram of his carbon crystal form. The instant it took her to notice that he wasn't playing, was too long. They went down in a cartwheel of shadowy tendrils.
Nell pushed back trying to envelope him in her own shadows, struggling to not let him come out on top.
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:22 pm
Throwing the torn body of the rabbit off to the side the Beast sniffed over the now dead creature and threw it to the side making an unhappy grunt. He didn't bother with the rabbit, it wasn't his prey and it was a sorry excuse.
His blood thrummed through is veins he had to keep moving the thrill of the hunt the thrill of the chase.
He hadn't heard her, but then a flash of light colored hair hit the moonlight and he spotted the huntress. The Beast sprang into action blood splattered over him as he darted off toward the flash of light against the dark. Theirn still moved inside somewhere but was lost to the pull of the primal creature within, but in that part of his mind where some memory of what he was the rest of the month he thought -
She is running good.
And the Beast's mind responded, yes very good. And the thrill of the hunt was all he knew again.
Coal spun with Nell a moment, really the little wisp didn't have many ways to fulfill his hunt...but the urgings from the bond were hard to deny. The pull of Theirn's curse had him in a frenzy and everything was full of sights, colors, smells, and sensations that weren't really his and he didn't understand.
Touch...render...tear...hunt...
Nell spun and sent him flying, the dark wisp was in a frenzy but seemed easily disoriented from the influx of extra senses.
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:01 pm
Tunnel vision became sharp focus as the Beast rounded on her, discarding the limp and still warm creature. She didn't even try stealth. He had seen her, in a few quick strides he would be on her, the options were simple, and none at the same time. Crouched for a pounce did not position her to run.
'Don't be prey.' I'm sorry Theirn, you can't run without being prey.
She could feel the cold truth of it in her veins, she could no longer hear the rushing blood in her ears or the thunder of her heart. She stopped caring and simply let her instincts guide her. He was bigger than she was, stronger. But he was a Beast.
Her lithe limbs folded easy for the pounce and she quickly palmed her pepper-spray in her off hand. Then moved.
She was fast, with joints, muscles and tendons conditioned by generations of breeding moving in perfect symmetry the Catkin sprung into life and motion. Moving beyond the vague curtain and shelter. Directly at him, wide pupil-less eyes glowing in the moonlight a stark contrast to the tattoos that framed them. Curves that had once made her a coveted possession stretched and lengthened into fierce lines.
Soundless like lightning before thunder and covered in mud she should have made an interesting sight, as she leaped at the wolf-man head on.
Pure Huntress.
Confused Nell, became angry, she didn't like being confused, or alone for that matter. She backed away from Coal and turned to see the two charge each other, but before she could pursue her foster-mother.
Coal was after her again.
What was going on? He was so nice before?
She could feel the isolation and icy control descending. No, no, no, no, no! She wouldn't be left alone, not again!
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:16 pm
There was the sharp cracking sound as one hand moved and his claws broke through some rock giving the Beast enough of a grip to rise higher toward his target. There was a loud thump as the Beast dropped on flat ground again and sprang into action, as his target shifted and changed in direction he darted toward Trivii. His claws leaf markings in the rock, the change made him strong and his claws even cut through the rocks.
The Beast froze in place watching Trivii his growl changed to that of the hunt to something much more interested. The prey had changed, perhaps pack...or a rival. The Beast stopped in place and watched Trivii land, the low growl strengthened and grew into a challenge. Darting forward he stayed low to the ground starting to circle the Huntress...
Coal darted up taking a moment to get his bearing before he caught sight of Nell's shimmer against the moonlight. And then he was off again, why his target was different then Theirn's was easy - Theirn was searching...hunting for another that was the same as himself and that was what Coal was doing, Nell was a wisp and so was he.
Attempting to take a slightly different approach Coal again tried to move to the side, mirroring Theirn's movement but instead of a Huntress it was Nell.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:19 pm
Straightening to a completely non-imposing five feet seven inches Trivii shimmered with impatient energy, knife palmed in her right hand pepper-spray in her left. Taking long steps she circled, keeping her gaze locked with his.
Challenging.
Flashing sharply pointed teeth, she knew she couldn't use size to intimidate him, so she didn't try. Dropping to a runners crouch she pivoted so her torso was still facing the Beast, not breaking eye contact.
Part of her, the part that was Huntress, enjoyed the battle of wills, confident of victory, a haughty rumble like purr caught in her throat before turning to growl.
Shaking her head she spoke slowly, wondering if Theirn was still in there.. somewhere. "My friend, this is not the fight you want. Leave, go kill your game. I'll come back in the morning."
Nell held her position watching Coal arch to the side and with a waive of relief she darted past the opening and attempted to rush.
The desire to get home that had pulsed through Trivii before echoed and thrummed through her.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:46 pm
The hair along the back of his back stood on end and the Beast circled Trivii, his claws clenched into the rock and soil. He sniffed the air catching the smell of the other, despite the mud and animal blood he could still smell her under it and as she stood more dominate the Beast caught her scent even more strongly and growled again.
The Beast paused, tilting it's head he listened but the Beast didn't seem to be really listening. What he noticed was the tone and feel of her voice...she was not afraid, that pleased him - she wasn't prey at that point...not that it made her all that much more safe.
And then he was off, the Beast sped along the ground and jumped landing a foot before the catkin.
Thump. Umph.
And in the next motion he moved forward pushing her back with his powerful body, his breath heavy and close to her face.
Coal darted up and over as Nell started to make a break toward her guardian and the Beast he darted in and barreled over her from the side. The little wisp spun over the top of Nell sending himself and the other wisp into a spin.
Through his bond he could feel it, the thrum of blood and feel of the press of another close...and yet there was still a savageness.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:48 pm
Thump. Umph.
When he leaped at her, she froze, the bottom dropping out of her stomach as though her own personal roller-coaster had just entered a corkscrew spin. Then as he entered her space it was a brick wall to her senses sight, towering muscles, scent like fatty marrow and heat, sound like an echo of all the tension in her body. Touch...... She couldn't let him.
Looking up into his face, her mind drew blank for several seconds. Fear hadn't even occurred to her. In the next blink he was pushing her back, almost flesh to flesh, his breath heavy and close to her face. Blinking, slowly. The air froze painfully in her lungs, it was an effort to not look away, but looking was putting a crick in her neck.
Her thoughts gone completely the way of the DoDo, she acted. Faster than she even knew she could move she closed her eyes...
Spsshhhh
Raising her left hand between her face and his, she depressed the button in a sharp burst of capsaicin hell.
Stumbling away and covering realestate as fast as she could. But as any gym teacher could tell you, running and holding your breath at the same time, generally didn't work well.
Nell was taken down and brought Coal with her in a spinning, tumbling slide through leaves. Feeling the burst of energy followed by a stillness to her senses she shoved at Coal with shadowy tentacles.
Attempting another dash, unlike her foster-mother thoughts of hunter and prey made no sense.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:20 pm
He pushed down with his muzzle and sniffed against her neck, growling low in his throat and causing the vibration to buzz in the air between them. She froze and the blood pumped against his skin and the Beast seemed paused and considering....
But then she shifted under him, and he moved his muscles attempting to press against him stop her from fleeing - but then came the pain. What she had been doing hadn't even registered with him, but as the spray came around to his eyes he dropped back and brought his claws to his face letting out an inhuman cry.
He stumbled back growling his vision going red with rage and anger.
Coal ended up pushed off and away, and then the pain and anger from his host hit and for a moment he couldn't move. He couldn't think there was just the intense anger and then pain and it throbbed through is being.
Somehow he knew Nell was fleeing...she was leaving and it would be harder to catch her, but for now he couldn't move.
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