InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Promissa."

Alcide Herveaux (shreveport_wolf) wrote in mtgolfiersfolly,
@ 2010-12-21 00:36:00

Who: Alcide
When: night
Where: in and around the town
Open To: OTA
Thread: Multi

He'd meant to hide out all three nights of the full moon. He'd thought it wouldn't be too hard to just stay in the inn all night. It had worked for him last month, after all. But the moon was so...full. So bright. To start with, he just opened his curtains a little, got to a place where he could see the moon, but he wasn't in the moonlight.

It wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough to remind himself that it was dangerous to go running in a confined space where he didn't know if there was enough small game around to keep him satisfied either.

Eventually, he'd just had to go out. He stuck to the shadows as much as possible, sprinting through the small patches of moonlight he couldn't avoid until he was just outside the town proper. Once he's there, he finds a mostly secluded spot, strips out of his clothing and runs for the nearest patch of moonlight.

[ooc: Feel free to catch him either as he's trying to get out of town or once he's changed into wolf-form.]

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thunder_mother
2010-12-21 08:01 pm UTC (link)

Lucy had never been on this side of the mountain before. She'd felt the need to get out of her too-silent house, but she hadn't felt up to socializing in the inn, either. So she'd gone exploring, only to find this . . . open space. Whether it was a meadow or old overgrown cropland, she wasn't sure, but it was open space with the occasional tree and bush in it. Trees ringed it, the lines meandering but still a little too neat, suggesting that someone had looked after it, once.

Tugging her coat closer around her, Lucy turned and froze still. Not far away, she could see the gleam of jewel-like eyes as moonlight reflected in them.

What is it? she wondered, somehow not scared even though she ought to be. It was the first animal she'd seen since arriving on the Folly, and she spared a moment to wonder how it had got here.

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shreveport_wolf
2010-12-22 11:03 pm UTC (link)

It had taken him longer than he liked, but eventually Alcide had found a few birds to snack on. It didn't matter how full he was when he changed, he was always hungry on a full moon night, and tonight was no different. He'd caught enough to, if not satisfy him, at least keep that hunger at bay, so when he scented the woman across the clearing form him, he didn't immediately take off running either toward or away from her.

Instead, rather than take the risk that she might start telling stories of wild animals roaming at night--the kind of tales that tended to lead to hunting parties--Alcide took a few cautious steps toward her, careful to keep his movements as un-threatening as possible.

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thunder_mother
2010-12-23 07:12 pm UTC (link)

As the animal moved forward, moonlight fell on him. The clear full moon gave off a light nearly as bright as day now that her eyes had adapted, and she could see that he was a white wolf.

He was moving slowly, but it didn't feel like he was stalking her. Rather, the movement was almost tentative, as if he didn't want to scare her.

Keeping her own body language as unthreatening as possible, Lucy took a few steps forward and then crouched down to bring her eyes closer to his level. "Hello," she said quietly.

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	shreveport_wolf 2010-12-29 05:27 am UTC (link)
	With a soft woof, more like a domestic dog's than a wild wolf's, Alcide stepped closer, his muzzle lowered. He was bigger than a normal wolf, but not by much, not enough to make him seem definitely supernatural. The red eyes might accomplish that, though. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2010-12-29 10:32 am UTC (link)

There red eyes were a little disconcerting, but Lucy remembered being told by one of the neighbors back in Kansas that wolves' eyes glowed in different colors at night, depending on the wolf. Red wasn't unusual, and nor was yellow or green.

"You're a big one, aren't you?" Lucy murmured, not really expecting the wolf to understand her words. Now that he was closer, she could see that he was well-groomed and sleek, no signs of matted fur or other problems. Slowly but not tentatively, she offered her hand for the wolf to sniff.

[OOC: Lucy's going to smell of paint (watercolor) and canvas, fresh air and clean water and soap. The rest will be normal human female smell.)

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	shreveport_wolf 2010-12-29 11:09 am UTC (link)
	Alcide nudged her hand with his nose, taking in her scent, comforted by the familiarity of it and the fact that she didn't smell of anything supernatural. Once' he's satisfied he has her scent, he bumped her hand again, like a dog asking to be pet. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2010-12-29 01:38 pm UTC (link)

Lucy smiled, taking the hint. "Want your ears scratched, huh?" she asked. Lucy had always liked dogs, but before Jeff she'd never been able to afford one, and after Jeff she'd been too busy with the children to be able to care for one. For a moment, she wondered if Jeff would get one now she's gone.

Then her fingers dug carefully into the wolf's soft fur, her other hand coming up to pet his coat as she scratched him behind the ears. She'd never met a dog that didn't love this, but she didn't know how the wolf might react.

[OOC: Edited for tense fail.

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	shreveport_wolf 2010-12-30 12:01 am UTC (link)
	Alcide liked it just as much as any dog, tilting his head, to guide her fingers where he wanted them. His mouth opened in a soft pant as he leaned into the scratching. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thunder_mother 2010-12-30 12:32 am UTC (link)
	Lucy followed the wolf's signals, smiling as he leaned into her hands. "I wonder where you're from?" she said quietly, half to herself. "Another victim of the portals, hey boy?" She kept up the scratches, her fingers where the wolf had led them. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	shreveport_wolf 2010-12-30 04:40 am UTC (link)
	He makes a quiet, half-growl, half-howling noise, a little like a husky at her question. It's almost unmistakable as a 'yes'. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2010-12-30 08:20 am UTC (link)

Lucy was a little surprised when the wolf agreed with her. Her fingers kept petting him on automatic, even as she theorized aloud. "So, you're smarter than the average wolf, and certainly friendlier."

Something prompted her to glance upward, and her eyes fixed on the full moon above them. With the clarity of the air up here, it seemed huge. Before meeting Eric and discovering that the supernatural was as real as she was, she'd never have made this guess, but she was wiser now. She looked back at the wolf. "Either you're from a world where wolves are smarter than they are in mine, or you're a werewolf." She smiled. "If you don't want to answer, I'm okay with that. But if you do - how about one bark for the first option, two for the second, and three for I've got it completely wrong and I'd better do some more asking?"

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	shreveport_wolf 2010-12-30 06:20 pm UTC (link)
	Alcide didn't bark at all. It was one thing to get a little friendly under the full moon. It was entirely another to break centuries of secrecy. He tilts his head, looking at her a little like he's trying to work out what she's saying but can't. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2010-12-30 06:32 pm UTC (link)

"All right, then," Lucy said easily as it became clear that the wolf wasn't willing to communicate. "You know, I don't know if you're finding anything to hunt, but the Folly can be pretty accommodating about its inhabitants' needs. The next time you're out here, I wouldn't be surprised if it was stocked with rabbits and squirrels and . . . whatever you usually hunt."

She shrugged and gave him one last scratch. "I was going to go for a walk, before I spotted you. I wouldn't mind the company if you haven't anything else to do, but I'm not going to stop you from hunting if you're still hungry."

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	shreveport_wolf 2011-01-08 08:44 pm UTC (link)
	He'd had enough for the night to keep him satisfied if not full, so he didn't mind accompanying her. He was careful, though, not to make it seem too obvious that he understood the question, nudging her hand again and standing. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thunder_mother 2011-01-15 10:04 pm UTC (link)
	Lucy smiled as the wolf nuzzled her hand, unable to resist petting the soft fur on top of his head once more as she straightened up. "Come on. Let's go exploring. If my ears aren't deceiving me, there's a stream out past those trees." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	shreveport_wolf 2011-01-16 01:32 am UTC (link)
	Alcide yipped, almost like a bark, waiting for her to take the lead. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2011-01-16 10:28 am UTC (link)

Lucy's ears translated the intent behind the yip as something along the lines of 'Okay then, what are we waiting for?'

Lucy set off in the direction of the water sound, looking down with a smile at the huge white wolf padding beside her. It wasn't long before they reached the screening trees and passed them, revealing an old wooden bridge and a stream trickling below it. A few meters upwater was a small waterfall that tumbled down into a deep pool, the basin surrounded by rocks except on the side where it became the stream.

There was a fluttering sound, and a small, birdlike shape backwinged into a landing at the side of the pool. It bent to drink, entirely unaware of the predator behind it.

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	shreveport_wolf 2011-01-17 01:39 am UTC (link)
	Alcide paused instinctively when he scented the bird, and his focus turned away from his human companion. Without hardly thinking about it, he placed himself downwind of the creature and paced silently forward. He worked his way gradually into pouncing distance and lowered himself in the grass around the pool, preparing to pounce. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thunder_mother 2011-01-20 07:30 pm UTC (link)
	Lucy watched, almost holding her breath as the wolf stalked the bird. Even with his white coat, she could barely see him among the grass and the rocks. She'd never seen a predator hunting at such close range before, and she found herself silently hoping that the bird wouldn't sense him until it was too late. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

shreveport_wolf
2011-01-21 12:41 am UTC (link)

There was a barely audible whisking sound as Alcide's tail brushed the grass, and the bird took flight just as he lept, making it a very close call as to who would win out in this foray. In the end, Alcide only managed to catch one of the bird's tailfeathers in his mouth. The bird gave a pained twitter as it flew somewhat lopsidedly off, and Alcide brought the feather over to Lucy, holding it in his mouth like a gift.

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thunder_mother
2011-01-21 03:58 pm UTC (link)

Lucy reached down to take the feather, smiling as she did so. "Thank you. That was . . ." She didn't quite know how to describe the thrill of watching the wolf hunting, so she just shook her head. She was impressed.

She tucked the feather into the second buttonhole of her coat, smoothing it absently. "I'll have to remember where this place is and come back in the daylight. This would be a gorgeous place to paint." She could see it now - the tiny waterfall, the stream, the lush plants and tumbled rocks around it, all frozen in time on her canvas.

Moving forward, Lucy carefully picked her way over to the pool and sat at its edge, her feet curled under her. Dipping a finger in the water made her shiver at the icy bite. She looked around for the wolf, wondering what he was thinking.

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	shreveport_wolf 2011-01-22 07:26 am UTC (link)
	Alcide found a flat-ish rock, sitting to watch her as she took in her surroundings. His head tilted as he considered her, wondering much the same thing. What had brought her out tonight? What was she thinking as she sat there? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thunder_mother
2011-01-22 06:03 pm UTC (link)

Lucy saw the way the wolf's head tilted as he looked at her. She was sure there was an intelligence behind those eyes that was more than that of a simple wolf, but she didn't really know who it was. The anonymity felt freeing, somehow.

"It's too quiet, back at my house," Lucy said aloud, as if to herself. "I'm used to the boys rampaging up and down, needing feeding and bathing and playing with. Scott's computer games, John's radio, Virgil's music. Gordon pretending to be a fish. Little Alan watching his favorite movie. It feels strange, so much silence." She'd shed all the tears that she could for her lost family, so her eyes were dry. While she still missed them, she'd accepted their loss and was settling down to a life on the Folly. It was only occasionally, on the lonelier nights, when she felt the need to get away.

"They think I'm dead. They've moved on, and part of me is glad about that. Most of the people here, they have something to go back to. Me? I guess I'm stuck here now." She laughed, a short stutter of sound. "At least the Folly is a decent place to live the rest of my life. It's certainly never boring."

Lucy shook her head and looked apologetically at the wolf. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go all maudlin on you. Just needed to let it out, I guess."

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shreveport_wolf
2011-01-22 11:52 pm UTC (link)

Alcide couldn't really relate to the story of what he assumed was her family. It was only him and Janice growing up, and there'd always been just a bit of tension there since Janice wasn't a Were. Not that they didn't love each other, not that they weren't both fiercely protective of each other, but there'd always been that sense of something different.

When she finished, though, he got up and padded over to her, laying next to her and resting his chin in her lap, looking up almost sympathetically.

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thunder_mother
2011-01-23 12:31 am UTC (link)

The wolf's head in her lap was heavier than Lucy had expected it to be, but he was also radiating a welcome warmth. Lucy scratched his ears, appreciating again the softness of his fur. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but at least he hadn't left after her unexpected detour into memory. "Thanks for listening."

It suddenly occurred to Lucy that she hadn't heard any other wolves around the Folly. "I'm guessing you got snatched away on your own. I wonder, do you miss your pack? Or are you more of a lone wolf?"

Lucy wasn't really expecting an answer to her questions. Right now, she was just thinking aloud.

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