Devil's Tower

Who: Jace and [OPEN! or random narrative]
What: Keeping the Wolves safe from intruders, of course
When: Tuesday, late afternoon
Where: The edges of the Wolve's territory in the city

Guard duty. It was, generally speaking, a terribly boring job. It was better than doing nothing, but only slightly better, since most of the time it was... well, doing nothing. People left you alone though, and Jace appreciated the solitude. He was still too much of a loner to cheerfully join in the tribe's more teamworky activities. Considering his uncanny ability to piss people off and knack for disrupting groups, that was probably best for everyone.

Today's assignment saw him on the western edge of the Wolves' territory. His usual technique was to find some high vantage point where he could keep watch from and where he'd have the advantage if anything did go down. Lurking in trees or on rooftops also meant he could avoid welcome visitors he didn't want to deal with or, on rare occasions, jump down and scare the shit out of them, which was always good entertainment. Why was it that even the most cautious people never seemed to look up for danger? It couldn't have been evolutionary, there must have been some point in prehistory where people were attacked by nasty things lurking in the trees, but still everyone looked side to side and chanced a wary glance behind them, but never looked up. Except for the people he'd encountered before, of course. He had to hand it to most of the Wolves, they learned from experience.

Jace had perched himself on the roof of a small house today, using a conveniently placed railing to help him climb up. From that vantage point he had a good view of the few scattered nearby buildings and the road stretching out in both directions. There was no chance he wouldn't see anyone approaching.

Settled in to wait out his shift he fished in his pocket, pulling out a good sized switch-blade. The result of a recent trade, he'd grown quite fond of the wicked little weapon, playing with it in idle moments just to keep his hands busy, flicking the blade open and closed, spinning it, tossing and catching it. It was fortunate he had well above average dexterity from years of playing the same way with coins and cards or he probably would have lost a finger by now. That would be a fun one to explain to the medic.

Trespassing, climbing on rooftops, playing with knives. If only he had something to smoke and something to steal he could go for all the things that used to get him thrashed when he was fourteen. He chuckled to himself. If only his poor aunt and uncle were around to see him now, wouldn't they be impressed with how he'd turned out.

Who: Wolf and Jace
What: Wolf offers Jace and Bishop a permanent place to stay.
When: Wednesday morning
Where: Wolf territory

The unrest within Wolf’s tribe was never far from his mind. It wasn’t like he didn’t hear the rumors that were being spread concerning his relationship with Grey. Their fight at the farm hadn’t exactly been a silent affair and for all Wolf know that Dusty guy probably hadn’t kept his mouth shut. The food supply/ labor trade had not slowed between the farm and the city but things were tense and those Wolves from the farm avoided Wolf while the city Wolves avoided Grey.

With everything going on in his life Wolf was looking for anything stable to count on. It had been months since he’d agreed to shelter the two drifters from the wrath of the Mountain Lions and thus far there had been no negative consequences for his actions. Yet, he wasn’t so stupid as to think that the Lions would so easily give up on the drifters who’d offended them. The Lions did not forgive, they always remembered and they let their grudges build up and up until there was nothing to stand in there way. Wolf had been well aware of such facts upon letting Jace and Bishop stay with his people, but he wasn’t going to let the Lions intimidate him into cowering away from his duty to uphold justice.

Despite everything that had been going on in his personal and tribal life, he’d kept a fairly close eye on the drifters. Jace seemed to have fallen nicely into his role as a guard and any other physical task they had asked him to help with. From what he’d heard Bishop had been willing to help when asked as well. These facts and his reasonably decent mood brought him to Jace and Bishop’s apartment door on Wednesday morning. He knocked and awaited an answer.

Who: Griffin and Jace.
What: Lilah and 'Brian' finally reunite!
When: Monday afternoon.
Where: The Wolves' Apartments.

Griffin couldn't recall ever being quite so glad to see spring. The cold was uncomfortable, sure, but it was being stuck inside most of the time with one of the mopiest men that she'd ever met that had really started to wear on her nerves. It wasn't like she didn't sympathize. He'd lost his home, his horses, everything. But after a few weeks of just watching him lie there, she'd started to get kind of frustrated. Griffin was the kind of person who worked through her moods. She kept her hands busy, and tried to keep her mind off of whatever was bugging her. She didn't sit around and wallow, so it was hard for her to understand just why he was doing that.

So, even though she already loved going out and lending a hand with other tribes, it was an even greater joy now. A lot of the people in the area hadn't done so well during the long winter months. Now that she had her stockpile built back up, she was eager to start distributing the fresh stuff. As always, the Wolves' medic Shadow was her first stop. It was probably kind of biased of her, but she liked to know that her friend had everything she needed to help the people that she looked after. Plus, it was an excuse to go visit. There was rarely a time that she ventured in to Wolves' territory, and didn't end up hanging out for a few hours.

Once again, she didn't have much difficulty getting over the boarder. Most of the guards knew who she was, and knew what she was doing there. She navigated her horse quickly through the familiar streets, stopping a time or two to exchange words with anyone who might have been out and about. This was her first trip in to town since Nova had come back on her own, which meant that Griffin was fervently hoping that she didn't run in to Wolf. She wasn't sure if her name had been brought up in that conversation, but she didn't want to be interegated by her friend's older brother. Certainly no good would come of that, considering that she would be obligated to defend Hawk if anything nasty was said.

Luckily, she made it to the apartments without bumping in to him. Once there, she tied off her horse, looping the reigns over what had once been a handicapped parking sign. She laughed quietly to herself, enjoying a personal joke about getting handicapped tags for her horse, before unhooking the bad of goodies she'd brought for Shadow. Griffin paused for a second, digging around to make sure she'd gotten everything she needed.

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: A TRIUMPHANT RETURN Being themselves.
When: Tuesday afternoon.
Where: Their apartment.

Bishop still hadn't quite settled in to having her own place. Well, her and Jace's place. Coming to terms with the fact that this wasn't just a pit stop was taking some time. She was getting there though. There were lots of aspects of this tribal life thing that she actully enjoyed. Regular food, electricity, clean water...all of the stuff that she'd been living without for two years were now readily available. Now that they were out of Wolf's house, it was even nicer. She could add privacy to that list of perks. That had been one of her big issues with staying. Now, she was getting way too comfortable. It scared her a little, just how cozy she was.

Since the weather had finally started to warm up, she had all the windows and the door open, enjoying the brisk breeze. She'd be glad if she never saw another Wyoming winter. It was just too damn cold. Spring she didn't mind so much, though. If she had to pick a favorite season, it would be this one. Everything was all fresh and green. The cold and snow always started out pretty and fun, but it ended up just being a pain in the ass. It was always a relief to see the end of that. Even though it was sure to bring some sort of new drama to her and Jace, she couldn't help but enjoy it. She figured it was only a matter of time before someone from the Mountain Lions came looking for them, but they'd just have to handle it when it happened.

Tugging her hair back into a ponytail, she stretched out on the couch and rolled over onto her stomach. They still had all the furniture that had been there when they'd moved in. It was kind of morbid, knowing that whoever owned their apartment previously was dead now. Then again, just about everything in their lives was kind of morbid. It was inescapable, what with the fact that so many people had died. Luckily, it wasn't eh sort of thing that she dwelled on in the day to day scheme of things. Especially not when she was trying to take a nap.

Who: Bishop and Jace
What: Passing the time
When: New Year's Day, mid morning.
Where: Wolf's house, the living room.
Rating: TBD.

It had been a strange day. Bishop had woken up beside Jace, same as usual, but after that things had been different. Not terribly so. Nobody watching them would have been able to detect the change, but she could tell it was there. For one, they'd hardly spoken. Normally they were chatty enough, at least with each other. It was strange for them to go for an extended period without some sort of random conversation. Jace could always find something to talk about. That wasn't the only change, but it was certainly the most noticable one. Whatever else had shifted with them admitting they loved each other lay much closer to the bone. It was like she didn't know where to go from there. She didn't know how to be in love. Not openly, anyway.

Still, they didn't avoid each other. Given the way they'd lived for the last few weeks, that wouldn't have been easy. Bishop was used to him being around. Even if they weren't exactly speaking, and everything they did say came out as jerky and awkward, it was better than him not being there. They couldn't stay cooped up in the bedroom all day, though. That would have driven them both crazy, even if they hadn't said anything. So they'd gone out, together. The house was mostly empty. Everyone was sleeping off the night before. As scarce as supplies might have been, thery'd still had a pretty good party.

There was no one in the living room to bother them. Bishop wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved. It might have taken some of the pressure off of them if there had been someone else around. Rather than sitting down and minding her own business, she started poking through some of the shelves and cabinets. Surely there was something around to distract the both of them. Something that wouldn't require a lot of talking. That way, they wouldn't have to mention what had happened the night before. As happy as she might have been to be in love, and to be loved in return, she was kind of freaking out about the whole thing.

When she surfaced with an old checkerboard that miraculously had all it's pieces, Jace had agred to a game. It was better than nothing, and she was pretty sure he wouldn't have a way to cheat at checkers. They sprawled out in front of the fireplace, the board on the floor between them. Overall, the scene was oddly domestic, and entirely too peaceful for the life they lead. She wasn't about to complain, though. Peaceful wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Who: Jace and Bishop
What: After leaving the New Year's Party something finally gets said...
When: Very early Thursday morning
Where: Their Room
Rating: PG-13

Jace and Bishop were not exactly what would be called party people, but at least by going they could satisfy their curiosity. They couldn't stay hidden in their room forever anyway, and after the Christmas party they at least knew a few people, so they'd made an appearance at the Wolves' fancy New Year's shindig. That didn't mean they had to stay though. Long before the party was over, possibly even before the day and the year were officially over, the drifters slipped away to be on their own again. It wasn't much of a party up in their room, but the company was far more to their liking.

He closed the door, finally shutting off all but the faintest sound of the revelry going on not far away. People talking and eating and drinking, toasting the new year or, more likely, trying to drown out memories of the previous one. Jace stood for a moment with his back pressed against the door, as if he were holding it closed against the celebrating tribals in the next building. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, letting out a relieved sigh. "Alone again." It had been his idea that they should go to the party, but being around so many people yet again had worn on his nerves.

"I can't believe people still celebrate the new year. It has got to be the dumbest holiday anyone ever came up with." Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a tangle of bright memories and dark nightmares and a gallery of faces of people he'd known and forgotten from years past, somehow dredged up by the thought of another year passing even though it was just an arbitrary date with no real significance. Time was always passing, everything changed and yet somehow nothing changed.

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: A lesson in how to con. Plus, more of the usual.
When: After dark?
Where: Their room, Wolf's house.
Rating: R (adult language)

It wasn't fair of her to blame the books. One of the things Bishop had missed the most when she'd been on the road was reading. There was nothing she liked better than forgetting about the real word for an hour or two while diving into a good story. Now that she'd somewhat settled down again, there was plenty of opportunity for her to pick up a book. The only problem was that she kept running smack into the most sappy romances imaginable. After the first one made her have the most bizarre dream of her adult life, she'd sworn off anything that looked remotely romantic.

That's when things started getting weird. No matter what book she picked up, whether it was sci-fi or horror or mystery, there was always some paralell love story. She identified far too well with a few of them, especially those that involved some lovely heroine being held hostage until her lover came bursting in to free her. Who knew that was such a popular idea? There was no escaping that damn idea, the idea of 'love'. And it was starting to drive her nuts.

Propped up against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of her, Bishop scowled down at her newest find. The battered paperback had boasted a horror classification, and a focus on werewolves. It wasn't until a few chapters in that she started hitting the sex scenes. Those she could deal with. It was the deep, meaningful, unwanted love between the main two characters that made her want to hurl the damn thing out the window. And possibly rap her head against the wall until she knocked herself unconcious.

Ever since their snowball fight, Bishop had been wrestling with the idea that she was in love with Jace. Or maybe she wasn't. She had nothing to compare it to. Wasn't it enough that they wanted and needed each other? Why did it have to get so freaking complicated? She glanced toward the door. Jace was out, probably going through anything that wasn't nailed shut. She didn't really blame him. Being stuck there was kind of boring.

At least they'd gotten some of their stuff back. Jace and Wolf had gone out days before and raided a few of their stashes. Bishop hadn't joined them on that little adventure, since Wolf didn't want to be outnumbered. Guns weren't the only thing that Jace had retunred with, though. Leaning over, she dug around in the nightstand drawer until she came up with a battered metal case. She only had a few cigarettes left, which was way better than none. Pulling out one, she snapped the case shut and tossed it back into the drawer. Leaning back again, she blew out a stream of smoke as she turned the page.

[COMPLETE]

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: A chance for some fresh air.
When: Afternoon.
Where: Outside Wolf's house.
Rating: I don't see this one going past PG-13.
*Note: Excessive cuteness ahead. Proceed at your own risk.

She'd forgotten how much she missed being outside. Bishop had always liked hanging out under the open sky, even as a kid. After the virus hit, that's where she'd spent most of her time. Being on the road didn't provide a whole lot of safe shelter. Even after she'd rolled in to Sundance, there'd been plenty of opportunity to get fresh air. Ever since she'd started hiding out with the Wolves, however, she'd been cooped up. Spending each and every day staring at pretty much the same four walls had worn her nerves raw. After so long, it started to feel like you were breathing the same air, over and over and over. She knew that wasn't exactly logical, but she couldn't help it when the thoughts slipped in.

There was a collective sigh of the relief when that morning had dawned bright and clear. Some of the snow had started to melt away, and the tempature had dipped above freezing. It was the perfect opportunity for them to get outside. Who knew what the weather would be tomorrow? Jace had been just as thrilled as she was, and had hovered until she agreed to head out with him. He would have said that he was being persistant, but she cast her vote with obnoxious. In truth, he would have gotten her out faster if he'd asked once then left her alone. She'd already wanted to go outside anyway. All he'd done is give her an excuse to dig in her heels and take her sweet time getting ready.

Digging through the surplus of clothing, Bishop had come up with enough to keep her from getting too cold. Maybe she was getting soft, but the idea of recreationally freezing wasn't a fun one. She'd go out, but she had no intention of setting a toe into the snow. There'd been plenty of that when she was younger, when it had been more fun. Two decades of harsh Nevada winters had sort of ruined her on snow. Being a drifter was hard at the best of times. Winter made it almost unbearable. This year, at least, she had somewhere warm to live while the weather raged outside. As much as she might hate being stuck, she could appriciate that.

The second they got outside, Jace had mumbled something about 'checking things out', and tromped off around the side of the house. Since she had no intention of following through several feet of powder, Bishop settled down on the glider, wrapping her arms over her chest for extra warmth. It was actually kind of nice out, compared to her last experience with the great outdoors. At least this time she was dressed for it. All that she was missing was something to smoke. If this weather kept up, then maybe they could go back out to the shed, see if any of their stuff was still there. Jace may have been concerned about the weapons, but what she wanted to know was if they had any cigarettes left.

Taking a deep breath, and letting it out with a puff of steam, Bishop closed her eyes. Sure it was cold, but she felt more relaxed than she had in several days. She didn't feel like she was hiding while she was outside. With her eyes closed, she could very easily be back out at the shack, free to do what she pleased, with just Jace for company. It probably wasn't the kind of daydream that most people would induldge in, but it was one of her favorites.

Who: Jace and Bishop
What: Angst, guilt, and more of the usual
When: Late Thursday night
Where: The top of the stairs and their room
Rating: R

He'd known it wasn't a good idea. Knowing that, he'd even mentioned it to Bishop and she'd told him that it wasn't a good idea, and he'd agreed. He still did it.

Jace hated feeling defenseless. Even if the people around them right now weren't a threat, it still bothered him. It had been years since he'd just walked around without some sort of weapon and if felt wrong. That was the reason why he'd gone over to the medic's place, since she was the one who had taken his knife and his gun when they first arrived, hoping to get them back. He was just going to ask her about it. Of course, it was pretty late, so if she wasn't awake or if she wasn't there, he thought maybe he'd just have a look around for himself.

Shadow had been there though, and she'd been awake too. She'd caught him red-handed taking a rather thorough look around. The woman had been almost disturbingly calm about the whole thing and merely asked what he was looking for. Jace told her the truth because he couldn't think of a lie that would work better ,and he thought there was a slight chance that if he just asked for the weapons back she'd actually give them to him. She didn't. She said she didn't have them anymore and it was up to Wolf anyway. But she told him something else that nearly made him forget about the weapons altogether.

"Why do you want them back now? Are you really that eager to kill someone else?"

She knew about the Mountain Lion soldier he'd shot. What's more, she knew that the boy had died.

There was no reason for it to have bothered him so much. This wasn't the first person he'd killed, and he didn't seriously believe it would be the last. There was a difference though between actually doing the deed in the heat of the moment and being reminded of the consequences of that action later. In the moment there was at least a little uncertainty and there wasn't time to dwell on anything. Now he'd had it confirmed, the boy really had died, there was no denying it. And he'd had to stand there in front of Shadow while the woman told him. Which meant she knew not only that he'd tried to keep that bit of information from the Wolves, but she also knew now, without a doubt, that he was a killer. That was an unpleasant thought.

What was even worse though was that Bishop knew. She'd known for almost a week, and she'd never told him, never mentioned it. How could she do that? He didn't think for a second that it was because she didn't think it mattered. He knew Bishop better than that. So why? Maybe she didn't want to think about it either. Maybe she blamed him. Maybe she thought what he'd done had been an overreaction, brutal and unnecessary, that there must have been some other way. It wasn't like those thoughts hadn't crossed his own mind.

Jace was grateful that he didn't run into anyone as he made his way through the snow to get back to the house and then through the house up to their room. He didn't actually return to their room though. He didn't want to see anyone just then, not even Bishop. Especially not Bishop. He sat down at the top of the stairs, in the dark, staring ahead at nothing. Son of a bitch.

[COMPLETE]

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: Waking up.
When: Fairly early Sunday morning.
Where: Their room.
Rating: T for Teen (or higher).


For the last week, Bishop had come flying in to wakefullness every morning, tensed and ready for whatever new disaster the day would bring. It had been an automatic respone to lots of recent trauma, and being stuck in a place that may or may not have been hostile. During the day, she could tone down the fact that every bone in her body was sceaming 'danger', but it was harder to quell that feeling first thing in the morning. Instincts like that were what kept people like Bishop alive.

Not this morning, though. This morning was different. There was no sudden jarring realization that she should be awake to defend herself, no blinding need to know just where she was and what was going on. Instead, she slipped calmly from a deep, undisturbed sleep into the dull light of yet another day. Blinking, Bishop stretched lazily. There was no part of her that wasn't all loose and warm and...she let out a content hum. The only coherent thought that she could muster up was just how fantastic she felt. Never mind that she was snowed in, trapped in a strange house. As long as she could just stay in bed, curled up against something that was doing a very good job of keeping the cold at bay, she'd be more than happy.

Snowed in. That mattered for some reason. Something about being all upset about being stuck. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sank deeper under the covers. Didn't matter anymore. Maybe later, after she was awake. Mmm. Yes. Later was better. A smile curved her lips as she let out a small yawn. There was no reason to be awake and thinking yet. Was there? A stray thought tickled the back of her mind, but she swatted it away. There was no crashing, no knife waving or gun shots. Thus, no catastrophe that couldn't wait. She shifted slightly, wondering just what that weight across her middle was. Well, whatever it was, it was warm.

( Hides the naked under a cut. )
[COMPLETE]

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: Snowed in and twitchy about it.
When: After sunset.
Where: Their room at Wolf's.
Rating: M for Mature.

After being trapped inside for the better part of a week, everything had settled into a dull monotone. Wind and snow had battered their current dwelling for the last two days, leaving everyone locked in. For Bishop and Jace, the cage was even smaller. They kept mostly to themselves, doing their best to stay out of the way of the tribe members. The two of them weren't the most social sort in the best of times, and had no real desire to make any new friends. Which meant spending lots and lots of time in the tiny bedroom they'd been given. Small spaces didn't bother them. After all, they'd lived in a shed that wasn't much bigger than that for nearly two weeks. What had finally gotten to Bishop, and she suspected was eating away at Jace too, was the fact that they couldn't leave. Even if it hadn't been snowing, they could hardly set a toe out the door, just in case some nosey Mountain Lion caught sight of them and made a fuss. The snow didn't make it better. It just emphasized the fact that they were stuck. That there was no way for them to escape.

Just thinking about it very nearly made her twitch. It was only amazing control that had her sitting just as still as she had been, picking the dirt out from under her nails. Bishop was settled cross-legged in the middle of the small bed, various nail care tools spread out in front of her. It wasn't like she had anything better to do, and giving herself a half-assed manicure was the best thing she could think of to distract herself, even if it only kept her hands busy. She was doing a whole hell of a lot better than Jace, who had been walking back and forth across the same stretch of floor for nearly an hour. All she could hear now were his feet hitting the carpet. It blocked out everything, from whatever noise their hosts were making, to the screaming blizzard that raged outside. At first, the steady rhythem of it hadn't bothered her. It had been kind of calming, actually. Now, every thump was slightly more annoying than the last. Grinding her teeth, she flicked a strand of hair away from her eyes and glared up at him. Was it really that hard to stand still?

She managed to put up with it for another ten minutes. Okay, so it was five, but it felt like ten. Five minutes of steady, repetitive thumping. Thump. Thump. Thump. It had to stop, or she'd strangle him. At the very least, she'd end up locking him in the bathroom. Her gaze darted to the open door. She had the element of surprise on her side. He'd never see it coming. But no. There were more adult ways to handle the situation. Plus, Jace would be twice as pissed when she finally had to let him out. He'd just gone to pivot again when she let out an exasperated sigh, her hands falling in to her lap. With a scowl, Bishop narrowed her eyes. "Jesus Christ, Jace. Sit down. You're driving me insane."

[COMPLETE]

Who: Jace, Bishop, and Wolf
What: Meeting the man in charge
When: Tuesday morning
Where: Wolf's house

When Jace first woke up, he didn't know where he was. His eyes snapped open and for a moment everything around him was completely unfamiliar - the cozy room, the morning light flooding through the cheerful fabric curtains, the real honest-to-god bed he was laying on, the lingering aching pain in his chest. Then gradually the events of the day before came flooding back into his mind. It hadn't been a nightmare. He and Bishop really had nearly been killed by one tribe and run off to get help from another. And now they were in the house of the mysterious leader of this pack of Wolves. So there was that. Jace guessed that this wasn't going to work out to be a nice quiet day either.

He turned on his side so he could see Bishop, still sleeping peacefully beside him. A small smile crossed his face. So not everything was completely unfamiliar. He'd never admit it out loud, but it startled him just how attached to Bishop he'd gotten, how much he needed her. If things had gone differently, if the knife wound had been just a little deeper, if he'd returned to the shed a half-hour later, he really didn't know what he would have done if he'd lost her yesterday, but he knew that he wouldn't be standing here now. He'd probably be dead, but he imagined he would have taken a few Mountain Lions with him.

They'd both made it through the day though, despite knives and bullets and freezing cold. Good or bad, they were in this together now, which somehow made things seem a little more bearable. More complicated as well, but they'd get by. Jace slid out of the bed, careful not to disturb Bishop. He pulled on the borrowed t-shirt he'd left draped over a chair, then wandered off into the bathroom. There were yet more unfamiliar, but by no means unwelcome, things. Electricity and running water, wonders of the modern world.

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: Finally getting some rest.
When: Monday evening.
Where: Nova's vacant room.
Rating: T for Teen.

Had it really been less than twenty-four hours? It felt like she'd been running for a week. Everything had sort of blurred together after the initial fight, leaving only a whirlwind of pain and strange faces. Nothing had really cleared up until a few hours before, when her body had finally righted itself after all that blood loss. Bishop still felt a little light headed, but that was miles better than she'd felt all day. Propping her hands against the counter, she leaned forward a bit, peering at her reflection in the mirror. Even after she'd washed off the worst of the mess, she still looked like shit. The harsh light also revealed a lot that she hadn't seen in a long time. The face that looked back out at her wasn't anything like she remembered. Her hair had grown, there were new scars, and she'd lost more weight than was probably healthy. Overall, it was a punch in the vanity. She'd thought she'd managed to keep herself together pretty well, but what she saw contradicted that to an extreme.

Sighing, she straightened, raking one hand through her damp hair. It wasn't like that should have mattered at all. Yet it did. It was just one more part of her life that sucked beyond repair. In the space of a day, that had only gotten worse. Everything that she'd managed to secure for herself over the last two years was gone. Like somebody flipped a switch. Sometimes, she had to wonder just why she kept on trying. A thump on the other side of the door brought her attention a little closer to the present. And then there were some times when she wondered if he wasn't the only thing that kept her going. She remembered how...unbalanced she'd been before they'd taken up together. If that had kept up too much longer, then there was no way she would have lasted.

Bishop tugged down the hem of her borrowed shirt as she pulled the door open. The girl who normally used that room was obviously much smaller, just as whoever they'd gotten the pants from were slgihtly larger. Even though the clothing fit badly, at least it was clean. The room was also tidy, and warm. The warmth was the biggest blessing. It meant that she could walk around in an ill fitting tank top and baggy sweats, and not turn blue. Despite everything that had happened that day, the fact that there was heat and fresh water was something that she was incredibly happy about. Twisting her head, she peered at the stitched wound on her shoulder. The scar would be long and jagged, unlike the dozen or so others that crisscrossed each arm. Some people said that scars told a story. If that was a case, then her's definately fell into the horror variety. Dropping down on the bed, she let out another sigh. "Alone again."

[COMPLETE]

Who: Jace, Bishop, and Otter
Where: Entering the Wolves' territory
When: Monday, late morning, just after this.
What: After a violent encounter with some Mountain Lions the desperate drifters go looking for help.

They fled. There was no thought of going back for supplies or stopping to rest despite their injuries. They ran, and walked and stumbled, on. Jace had some idea of where he was headed, taking them north and avoiding the main road. His main concern was putting as much distance as possible between them and their last known whereabouts, but leaving town wasn't an option. In the state they were in, with no supplies or even warm clothes, they wouldn't last half a day. So against his drifter instincts, which were telling him to get out of Dodge, he'd led them towards town and one of the tribes' territories. The Wolves. He just hoped he'd picked the right tribe and that they would find help rather than running straight into the very trouble they were trying to avoid.

His sense of time and distance was a bit skewed at the moment and it was hard to say whether they'd been moving for mintues, or hours, or merely seconds. Jace still felt like he couldn't breath right and his vision was starting to blur, but his sense of survival pushed him on. That and the knowledge that if he stopped, Bishop would stop too. He'd told her to go ahead before, but she hadn't and he didn't believe that would change. Damn stubborn woman. The fact that they were in this together was simultaneously reassuring and disturbing.

He slowed down slightly, finally breaking the silence. "You okay babe?" he asked, partly to make sure she wasn't in shock or something and partly to make sure he wasn't either. "You look like you could use a bandaid."

Who: Watts, Bishop, Jace, and a team of four lower-level Mountain Lions
Where: A shack on unclaimed territory near Highway 90
When: Monday, late morning
What: The Mountain Lions send out a team to round up some suspected thieves. Conflict and bloodshed ensue.

If Watts didn't know Azrael better, she would suspect that she was being punished. There were a number of things she would admit to doing that probably warranted punishment, but being forced to hike past the Outskirts in below freezing temperatures with an even colder wind chill stepped quite close to the realm of outright torture. Watts, an Arizona girl for the majority of her life, despised Wyoming's winters.

She wasn't alone, today; four boys accompanied her, all sturdy soldier-types in their mid-to-late teens. All five of the Mountain Lions were bundled up in various articles of clothing that weren't exactly winter wear, but reasonably warm when combined in layers. Each of them carried an easily-accessible knife, and Watts's gun, omnipresent but woefully low on ammunition, stuck out of the back pocket of her jeans. She seriously hoped they wouldn't need their weapons, but knew it was probably naive to think so.

They weren't in search of parts and supplies, but thieves. Well, one thief, really. Supplies had been going missing from Mountain Lion stores, and with the onset of such wretchedly cold weather, possible culprits were scarce. Watts didn't know who had provided this intelligence, but apparently there was a drifter in the area with a liking for pickpocketing, and her ever-so-very wise leaders saw fit to bring him in as their main suspect. Knowing said leaders, they wouldn't spend much time actually confirming their accusations. Poor bastard. She didn't envy him his fate. Well, she amended, poor bastards - plural - because this drifter allegedly had an accomplice, with whom he'd shacked up in some rundown shed out by Highway 90.

This was the reason she was out here in this godawful weather - because her commanders had a bug up their collective ass over some drifter. They'd assigned Watts to do the dirty work. For one, she guessed, because she was a troublemaker. For another, because she had leadership experience, and had proved herself capable of running operations like this one without fucking shit up. So she found herself in charge of this little retrieval jaunt, grudgingly, but she would do as she was told, though she'd really rather just fix the boiler twenty more times.

It was a great relief when they finally located the shed in question. Watts, in the style of most great leaders, stood slightly removed as her team removed their weapons and prepared to enter the feeble shelter. They were told to expect two drifters, and thankfully the little building didn't look like it could house many more. With a curt nod from Watts, one of the boys slammed open the door.

Who: Bishop and Jace.
What: Jace needs to be taught a lesson...
When: Afternoon.
Where: Outside their shed.
Rating: PG-13 or higher.

The week had flown by, despite the fact that most of the town had been cold and powerless. It was a weird change from the usual routine. Normally, the days crawled by, and endless round of monotony that never changed. It was the same, all day every day. But, recently things had been different. With a severe lack of tension between herself and Jace had made general interaction a whole lot easier. Having someone else around to carry on a conversation with had taken a lot of getting used to, but now she didn't really see how she had gone without it. She was more than slightly confused about the entire situation. Bishop still hadn't figured out why Jace wasn't driving her insane. He had the sort of personality that should have, in any sane world, rubbed her totally raw. Yet every day she started to enjoy his jokes and pestering more and more. She'd even stopped threatening him with daily violence. It's not like she ever made good with those threats anyway. Eventually, he was going to call her on it.

As fast as the week might have gone by, the day seemed to have slowed to a crawl. They had plans to go to some big event that night, a cage fight hosted by the tribe known as the Mountain Lions. It would be the first time for her to head in to town. At least she wouldn't have to go on her own. Jace would be going with her, of course. Until then, Bishop didn't have a thing to do. Fortunately, their new shelter offered at least a little entertainment. She'd passed over the skin mags, but flipping through the rest of the reading materiel was a great time killer. Even if chrome rims and fuel pumps no longer mattered at all. It made her grin grimly, thinking about petty people had been. Not that things were a whole lot better now. In fact, they weren't better at all, but still. People did what they did now to survive, for the most part. There were a few tribes around that exploited people, but most didn't have the resources to look past their own members.

Sighing, Bishop shifted, slumping down a few more inches against the arm of the couch, crossing her legs at the ankle. Despite the fact that she was inside, she still wore boots, thick jeans, and a heavy hoodie sweater. They'd managed to build a small fire pit that kept it comfortable inside the tiny shack, but it still got cold when the wind started blowing. Fliping idly through the pages, she scanned over the far outdated articles. The magazines had been old even before the virus hit. Sighing, she blew a few strands of hair away from her eyes. It was starting to get long again. There was a chance that Jace might be able to help, and thus her hair would be a little straighter this time. Unless he couldn't cut any straighter than she could. That was a very real possibility. Flicking through to the next page, she tipped her head back as the door to the small buildng swung open. It took her a little longer to focus on Jace, what with the fact that he was upside down. "Hey."

Who: Jace and Bishop
When: Tuesday afternoon
Where: The Outskirts
What: The drifters deal with the earthquake and its aftermath

The weather was getting colder, the days shorter, and supplies scarcer. All of that combined made Jace nervous enough to do some honest salvaging. The homes nearest the outskirts of Sundance weren't fancy and they’d mostly been picked over, but they were still worth searching. The first waves of looters and scavengers hadn't been so desperate, they could easily have overlooked things. Items that weren't in plain sight or items that hadn’t seemed valuable back then.

Inside a shabby trailer home with broken windows and a door swinging loose on its hinges, Jace picked his way over broken furniture and debris. He made his way to the bedrooms, searching for blankets or warm clothing. Someone had been there before him though, and cleaned the place out. Damn. He opened the hall closet, not expecting much, but there were indeed items inside. Coats, sports equipment, some old cleaning supplies. It paid to search thoroughly. He grabbed the three warmest looking coats and made a mental note to come back for more later. Leaning further into the closet he looked at the sports stuff. Was a baseball bat worth carrying around?

Suddenly the floor began to shake beneath him. For a brief moment he wondered if the old abandoned house had given up and decided to fall in on itself, right then and there. It was an earthquake. Did this part of the country even get earthquakes? The shaking continued and he braced himself in the doorway. He could hear glass breaking somewhere and the few remaining tiles fell from the ceiling. The damaged front door slammed shut. In the distance he thought he could hear shouting or screaming.

As soon as the shaking stopped Jace got the hell out of that house. There might be aftershocks, and he doubted the neglected structure could withstand much more. Looking around nothing seemed much more damaged than it was before the quake, but then how could you even tell? The outskirts was such a mess, if the whole area was wiped out it probably wouldn't amount to five dollars worth of damage.

Instinct drove him to go check on his stash. He should gather his things. If there was much panic following the quake he wanted to be ready to leave town in a hurry. However, any plans to hole up or to take off vanished from his mind when he saw the warehouse. The roof had practically caved in and chunks of the walls had shaken loose. Oh shit. He ran towards the building, only slowing down when he neared the doorway. "Hey Bishop, you home?" he called out. He was a little surprised by the concern he heard in his voice. Making an effort to be calm and cool he stepped inside. "You alright? Just thought I'd check, so don't, you know, shoot me or anything."

Who: Anyone who attends the cage fight (all are invited!)
Where: Mountain Lion Territory, largest warehouse on the Vance Copper Mine property.
When: Saturday from dusk till late into the night, remember there are snow flurries so dress warm!
Why: Because gambling and bloodshed is fun!
(((OOC: This post is simply a starter for those of you who want to attend the cage fight. Please post all cage fight related threads here. If your character would like to be one of the fighters please post and wait at least one RL day for an opponent before posting your fight with an NPC. Only two characters are allowed to fight so it will be on a first come first serve basis. :))))

The week had been long and uncertain for the citizens of Sundance, Wyoming, especially for the Mountain Lions. When the power restored itself yesterday morning there was much rejoicing within the Mountain Lion tribe. The thought of losing their main source of sway over the peoples of Sundance had haunted them terribly the past few days. Though of course they’d done their best to maintain their usual airs as if they had everything under control.

The moment the power came on word spread throughout the city that the Saturday cage fight was still on. The fight was scheduled to take place in the same place as before. The largest warehouse at the Vance Copper Mine.

In the center of the fluorescent lit building was an enormous chain-link cage. It’s a square cage of simple construction, complete with a roof to keep competitors from climbing out should things get too intense for them. The Mountain Lions have announced only two rules: There are no weapons allowed and the first person to be knocked out cold loses. The prospect of gambling, even if it is only for minor supplies, drew even more of a crowd than last time, leaving the warehouse almost full as people huddled inside to keep out of the snow. There were a lot of drifters there and faces unknown to many of the tribes.

A few hours before dusk people started to arrive by walking, the River Runners, or the Mountain Lions’ own horse caravan. When the sun finally set there was quite a crowd and the warehouse had become noisy with anticipation. Betting was encouraged by all those who showed up. However they were required to register any bets with a Mountain Lion at the door. A Mountain Lion Bouncer circulated the crowd to keep tabs on the bets.

One of the Mountain Lions came over a loudspeaker they had managed to rig up. He explained the two rules, encouraged betting and welcomed everyone that had showed up. Then he opened the floor for two volunteers to be the first fighters.

Who: Jace and Jed
When: Thursday night
Where: By the river
Why: Can't we all just get along?

Jace had been lucky his first week or so in Sundance. The Trading Post was neutral territory, and people were happy to see new items available, even if they weren't exactly happy to see him. He was used to the cold welcome drifters received, and frankly he didn't care. It didn't matter. He played the wandering trader and kept off of claimed territory. He'd heard the rumors about what kind of town Sundance was, beneath the relatively peaceful surface.

The cage fight had provided some evidence of what the darker side of this place was like. The tribes abusing those without any support system and everyone reveling in violence. It hadn't bothered Jace though. In fact, he'd done quite well at the fight, fishing for information and listening to conversations, learning more about the town, meeting interesting people. Well, meeting one interesting person at least. Even his own fight had been nothing more than an honest brawl. His good luck couldn't hold out forever though.

His main stash was running low. Many of the little luxury goods that made him interesting at the trading post were nearly gone. He had some drugs and medical supplies left, be he hated to trade them casually, they were worth so much more when someone really needed them. And then he had the guns and ammo. Those he was hoping to use to buy his way into a tribe. Trade the weapons for a little temporary security. If he was going to stay around Sundance it was time to start dealing directly with the tribes.

He decided to check out the River Runners first. From what he'd heard, they weren't as wealthy or powerful as the Mountain Lions, but as fun as buying his way into the preppy little clique would be, he wasn't eager to deal with the Lions. The River Runners seemed like a better option. And he thought the girl he'd met at the fight was one of them. Maybe he'd run into her again. It was just getting dark as he left the trading post and followed the river towards the cluster of boats. He could at least check the group out, see what he'd be dealing with.

Who: Bishop and Jace
What: A confrontational run in of sorts...
Where: Warehouse on the Outskirts
When: Thursday night
Rating: PG-13/R (just to be safe)
Status: Pending

Gravel popped beneath her tires as she slowed her bike to a crawl. The buildings around her looked dark, long deserted. That didn't come as much of a surprise. She was still outside the town's city limits. Any survivors would be packed in there, where resources were more available. If there were still people here, that is. The town was good sized, but that didn't mean much. Those that the virus had spared might still have fled, especially if they'd run out of supplies. Pulling the bow away from it's harness on her back, she notched an arrow. Even if this place were dead, it was better to be safe than sorry. Bishop had rolled in with a heavy load. There were plenty out there that would take as soon as trade. Hadn't she seen that first hand? The world had turned into a pack of starving dogs, attacking those who had the biggest bones. Plus, a hungry beastie was just as bad as an angry human.

Propping her bike against the side of the sagging brick building, she peered around the corner. Freeing one hand, she gave a nearby lightswitch a test flick. Nothing. It was worth trying, anyway, and a hard habit to break. Some places still had juice pumping into them from somewhere, especially if the area was still occupied. Letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, she scanned the open room. There was some trash against the walls, proof that, at some point, people had been here. Against the back wall, metal grating formed stairs and a narrow catwalk. It was the perfect place to set up camp. Easy to defend, and high enough that no one could hide from her if they did manage to sneak in. It wouldn't be very comfortable to sleep on, but other things took priority. She might wake up with a stiff back, but it was better than a slit throat. As paranoid as that might be, it was one of the things she had to think of daily.

Stepping back outside, she slipped the arrow back into the quiver she had attached to the side of her trailer. Throwing her bow onto the rest of the load, she wheeled it all inside. It didn't take long to haul her goods up onto the catwalk, leaving her bike as a makeshift gate at the bottom of the stairs. Her goods were separated into two categories: use and trade. Most of the trade was stuff she'd taken from her own armory. It was surprising what one hand gun and a box of ammo could buy you these days. Once she'd gotten all unpacked, she decided a bit of exploration was in order. Strapping on her bow once more, and fastening the quiver across her back, she headed outside once more.

The evening breeze was cool, without the biting promise of freezing to come. Winter would be setting in soon, which would defiantly slow down travel this far north. She'd have to find somewhere to set up camp, at the very least for the coldest months. It wouldn't be so bad here, as long as the locals were friendly, and not crazy cannibals. One town of that was plenty. A sharp sound to her right caused her to turn, dropping quickly into a crouch. Bishop pulled the bow string back to her ear, her eyes darting to take in the shadows. The murky outline of a human figure showed against the shadows of the building, hidden by the falling darkness. Keeping a close eye, she called out in as calm and friendly a voice as she could muster. Her cop voice, even if no officer of the law had even muttered those words. "Why don't you come out nice and slow, and keep your hands where I can see them. You do anything funny, and I'll put this arrow through your chest."

Well, maybe she didn't sound to friendly, but she definately sounded like she meant business.

Who: Jace, Yuki, and Gaia
What: Little troublemaker finds an expert and big sis goes through various shades of mad
Where: the ML Lodge and wherever drifters roam
When: Wednesday, of week three

Chin sitting heavily on her hand the seven year old stared out the window with an overly dejected look on her little features. It was nice out and she was stuck inside. Again. No one wanted to play with her. Again. Danni was no where to be found. Her sister was busy. Again. And she didn't dare ask the other mountain lions. With nothing to do inside and no one to go with her outside, she was completely bored out of her ever loving mind!

Who: Anyone who attends the cage fight (all are invited!)
Where: Mountain Lion Territory, largest warehouse on the Vance Copper Mine property.
When: Saturday from dusk till late into the night
Why: Because gambling and bloodshed is fun!
(((OOC: This post is simply a starter for those of you who want to attend the cage fight. Please post all cage fight related threads here. J)))

Northeast of Sundance lies the open pit Vance Copper Mine. Before the virus it was a busy area. The price of copper had skyrocketed in the last fifteen years and by the time the virus struck the mine was so profitable that it was in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. After the virus the mine had become a place of death and fear. The open pit was now nothing more than a yawning coffin, its stepped sides like rows of teeth grinning up at those that dared walk to close to its edge.

The mine warehouse was abuzz with life in a way that it hadn’t been for the past two years. In the center of the fluorescent lit building was an enormous chain-link cage. It’s a square cage of simple construction, complete with a roof to keep competitors from climbing out should things get too intense for them. The Mountain Lions have announced only two rules: There are no weapons allowed and the first person to be knocked out cold loses. The prospect of gambling, even if it is only for minor supplies, drew quite a crowd. There were a lot of drifters there and faces unknown to many of the tribes.

Since a few hours before dusk people have been arriving steadily by walking, the River Runners, or the Mountain Lions’ own horse caravan. When the sun finally sets there is quite a crowd and the warehouse has become noisy with anticipation. The rumor going around was that two drifters the Mountain Lions had personally trained were going to fight first, then things would work on a voluntary basis. Betting was encouraged by all those involved.

One of the Mountain Lions came over a loudspeaker they had managed to rig up and told everyone to be quiet. He explained the two rules, encouraged betting and welcomed everyone that had showed up. The two drifters were finally brought out from the tents that were set up just outside the warehouse. They were naked from the waste up and only one of them had a pair of cotton, fingerless gloves on their hands.

The two boys, who couldn’t have been older than 18 were then let into the cage and the gate locked behind them. At the Mountain Lion announcer’s whim he called on the fight to start and the whole warehouse seemed to erupt with sound as people placed their bets and called to the fighters who began to circle each other nervously.