Reunions and Rifts

Timeline: August 28, 2007

The bus had barely given her time to step clear before it drove away, leaving the strawberry blonde standing at a lonely bus stop in what appeared to be only the distant outskirts of a small town. The sun hung low in the skin but shone brightly into the enclosed glass waiting area for the bus stop, revealing a set of tourist pamphlets standing on a hanging rack. One had a little map of the area and a description of local attractions. It only took one look for Rey to realize this out-of-the-way little town was something of a remote getaway, a place hikers and nature lovers retreated to in order find a little peace.

The last of her money was spent on a bus ticket that would take her as far as possible from New York. She’d thought she might make it Canada. No such luck.

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A gift in London

Well we had a little touble our second night on the way to Nottingham. Some werewolves attack another wolf on the train and we barely avoid a confrontation. Well there was a confrontation and it did some damage but we are ok now.

We got to London and I was fitted for court appropriate clothing by and kindred named Errol Dent.

When we got to court we were given a Ghoul named Shara. Apparently she had done something wrong and was punished and is to be sent away from London. She is an assent in so far as she knows London and the court. She is a liability in that I don’t know if we can trust her. I am going to use my power on her later and make her tell me everything.

I feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. Always on my guard and surrounded by the enemy. And I don’t even know the face of my foe. If this tension is normal then I can see more clearly why some Kindred choose a more nomadic life style.

Eldon Well, August 28-29, 2007

I don’t know what time it is, but I can’t sleep. Lyla’s friends must be stalking through the house, because I keep getting creepy crawlies up and down my spine, just enough to disturb me when I’m about to drift.

After the hell I want through, I can’t believe I found them again. Lyla and Ramiel, John, and Chaska, and the others. In Eldon Well, this nowhere town in the middle of New Hampshire. Lyla said it must have been fate. I don’t know. I don’t care. Oh god, I miss Hamilton. I close my eyes and I can hear his little scream as he yelled for me to run. If she hadn’t told me what Cherise was… God, it’s to horrible to think about. I know I don’t have nightmares, but I’m afraid to fall asleep. Afraid that I’ll wake up and discover it was all a dream and I’m still there in that room…

The trip here is mostly a blur. I don’t know how I ended up at my apartment, or how I got to the bus station. I’m sure my friend had something to do with it, but right now I don’t care. I’m safe, at least for tonight.

I wish I’d had the presence of mind to ask that that nice elderly couple their names, so I could thank them for the kindness they showed me. Buying me lunch and being so understanding. I wonder how long it took for them to realize I’d slipped the money they gave me back into their pockets.

Lyla and Chaska have changed. I can see it, plain as day. Werewolves. And Ramiel has changed. I don’t know what he has become, but almost every word he said tonight was like a knife twisting in my heart. He didn’t even seem to know it? Does he really think that a few words from him will ease my pain? That “I’d have been there if I’d known” erase the years thinking they were dead and what happened to Frank?

Oh god, Frank, I loved you so much. What did I do to deserve losing you….

Eldon Well, September 27, 2007

Today was very… interesting. I’ve been here a couple of weeks, waiting for the axe to fall because I figured out Lyla’s secret. It finally came to a head last night. Lyla brought Ironclaw and Grey to “meet” me. A polite way of saying “decide if it would just be better to kill the witch and be done with it”.

Things turned out better – and substantially different – then I had expected.

Ironclaw, the leader, is huge. NFL frigging line backer huge. And I bet not a single ounce of it is unnecessary fat. I feel like he could snap me in half with his little finger if he wanted to. However, he seems to know just the right thing to put you at ease. I felt like I was talking to a friend, or big brother, not some 300 pound werewolf that could order me killed at the slightest whim. We talked a bit, and I’m very glad he’s got a sense of humor. I made a remark about how I was feeling like Red Riding Hood, and he said they’d have eaten the woodsman. I’d like to think that he meant I was never in any real danger from them.

Grey didn’t talk much, but when he did, he sounded like a stodgy old professor. He seems a lot more, I don’t know, balanced of the two. Like he was more at peace with his Wolf than Ironclaw and Lyla. Lyla later told me that I’d probably have no problem catching him if I wanted to. As if I’d want to. I don’t want anything to do with any man beyond friendship. Every time I get close to one, I end up getting burned.

And boy, is Lyla going to be in trouble if the pack ever learned some of what she told me tonight. But I’ll never tell. She explained why it’s wrong, and what the rest of the pack would think and why. I have to say I agree with Lyla’s interpretation, but it’s not me. My opinion doesn’t count because I’m not part of the pack.

At least not yet.

I still can’t believe I’m going to become part of the pack. And I’m scared. Lyla told me what happens to Selene as the bottom of the pack, and as soon as I’m in, that’ll be me. She says that because I’m not a werewolf, I’ll be treated more carefuly. I know that’s what she thinks, but she’s not sure, and I don’t think I’d even have a chance against Selene even in a play fight.

But I’m going to be part of the pack. Definitely not what I had expected, or even set out to do. I would have been content to by a friend. An ally. Someone they trusted with their secret. I don’t know who was surprised more at Ironclaw’s pronouncement that if I was going to be part of a pack, it would be his pack. That he wanted Grey and Lyla to consult with YFB and find a way to bind me to the pack as if I were a werewolf.

Of course, that’s made me even the more concerned. So many selfish reasons going around for me to become part of the pack. Lyla wanting someone she can talk to. Me, so desperate to become part of a family that I risk everything to bcome part of something I probably have no right to become a part of. Ironclaw says it won’t weaken the pack, but I’m not so sure.

What’s a witch compared to a werewolf?

Lyla claims that my abilities and experience with spirits would be an asset to the pack. Make me valuable to them. I don’t know. I have no idea what they can do, and won’t until I’m welcomed into the pack. I don’t know when that will be, but I suspect it will be soon. Ironclaw seems to be an action kind of guy, so when he decides something is going to happen, it happens then.

I’m going to be helping Grey and Lyla. Or at least I’m going to try. If YBF deems me worthy to be part of the pack, then the chiminage he demands may not be onerous. I was also thinking that since I’m the one who wants to be part of the pack, then I should be there to help bear the burden of the price, should YBF decide I should be the one who pays.

Poor Hamilton. I don’t think he’s going to be very happy about this. He’s so afraid of dogs, and I think he’s even more afraid of werewolves. I just hope that when Lyla and Chaska found him, they managed to convince him he wasn’t going to be dinner.

Dinner. I definitely don’t want to be a werewolf’s dinner, or his punching bag. I need to find a way to drag myself up from the bottom of the pack and into a position of respect – and relative safety – without having to literally fight anyone for it. I know I can work at the bar, but that’s only going to do so much.

They don’t think much like humans, so that has to be a hinderance for them, a drawback when dealing with the “sleeping herd”. (Oh yeah, I felt real good knowing I was being compared to a cow.) Maybe I could work my way into position as a middleman, an intermediary between the town and the pack. They can’t be doing too well when trying to deal with humans, and their inherent scariness certainlt can’t help.

Maybe I could do the same with spirits. I’m certain there are spirits who will need help but won’t go to the werewolves because they’re scared of them. Or problems with spirits could crop up in the area that aren’t important or dangerous enough to have to call the pack in. If I could do that, make a position for myself within the pack doing things the others can’t do, something that really helps the pack, then it just might work. They’ll respect someone for that, won’t they?

I certainly don’t want Ironclaw, and Lyla, down.

Azlu Aftermath

Timeline: October 15, 2007

Ramiel, Michael, John, and Lyla had gone to take care of a problem that arose in Saratoga Springs, New York. There they had found a new enemy, an Azlu infestation. The situation was dire; many Azarath Azlu had infected humans and had stolen their forms to hide. Worse, they had slaughtered a small werewolf pack who’d made their home in that city. Two other werewolves, Selene and Bjorn, had been sent to aid them in their task by James Ironclaw, alpha of the Young Father Bear pack in Eldon Well.

The party of six were able to track down the next intended victim, a nurse named Charlese Wellington, and root out the Azlu spider that was waiting for her in her apartment. There, according to Ironclaw’s prophetic dream, it had intended to wait for her to go to sleep, then bite her, crawl into her mouth and then take her over by hollowing out the poor unfortunate’s brain. It was truly a gruesome fate, but it was averted by Ramiel’s determination to save her from the spiders, and Lyla and Michael’s fortitude in handling the situation at her apartment.

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A Room With a Wolf (or Three)

Timeline: September 27, 2007

Today, Lyla had a smile upon her face. She really had every reason to be happy. Ramiel had begun to accept her and that was progress very dear to her heart. She’d grown to realize that his acceptance of her, and recognition of her as something other than monster, helped her to accept herself. She’d taken control of the rampaging hormones and instincts that are always so overwhelming to new “cubs” as the other Uratha referred to new werewolves, and managed to accept who she was.

Her private little enterprise was moving along as well. She wanted to open a new bar, something that would provide the pack with a little bit of operating money (hopefully) and give them something to do when they weren’t dealing with rowdy spirits or patrolling territory. James — Ironclaw let her get away with calling him by his first name these days — had approved the move with a few stipulations, which Lyla readily agreed to. She had the location and space rented for the little bar and grill, and the town had approved a liquor license for it as well. The bar itself was nearly finished save for giving time for the final coats of varnish to dry, and the stools, chairs and tables ordered had just arrived. She had worked up a list of beers and drinks to carry and ordered it; that was due to arrive tomorrow — a Friday. This was perfect, because her planned opening was Monday, October 1st.

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The Sheriff of Nottingham

Well we are off to London the first night was spent in Lancaster the court there has a definite Goth feel and most of the Vampires there seem to be for lack of a better word Posers. I don’t thing Brenna or I caused any shame to tarnish our cities name. Moria was called aside by the Prince early in the evening.

I told of our exploits in clearing out the city and some of the battles we had but it was almost like we were from 2 different worlds. That only touched on the edge. If Belfast turns this way then I know why some of the Kindred turn to the Nomad ways. It would probably drive me insane.

Patches

Kian and I have worked things out between us, it was something I was not certain would happen.

But I am willing to learn the freedom of choice between true feelings for someone, and lust.

Eife had a confrontation with me, and she says it was a test, and that I passed. I do not know if I believe her, she seems to be on my side as it is best for her.

More on those things later, i must attend to some preperations.

Charlotte Chapter Two

Timeline: April 23, 2005

Lyla was able to find Paul rather easily, and after watching him for some time finally made her move. He was reluctant at first, and had asked her if they had met, saying she looked familiar. She responded with the usual, “I get that a lot, but no we have never met.”

It did not take Lyla long to work her charms, and though he seemed reluctant at first, she found all the right things to say and do to get him to buy her a drink.

A few drinks later they were headed to his car to go get a room. He opened the door for Lyla, being the ever curtious gentlemen. Lyla had been somewhat suspicious about everything but kept pushing forward because things where going her way. It was now that she was getting into the car that she realized why.

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Charlotte Chapter One

Timeline: April 22, 2005

The sun had risen to its’ zenith as the light burst through scattered clouds creating brilliant beams of light as they fell upon the earth. The small town of Charlotte rested beneath the brilliance of the sun, and framed by lake Champlain.

Ramiel had pushed the girls hard to get here, in the last three days they had stopped only to sleep, or for the bathroom. Honoré had never seen him act this way before, she had seen him be in a bad mood, but never be cold toward Lyla. When questioned about it he only replied, “ I have some place I want to be.”

Now they had reached his destination, but no one knew why, until he stopped in front of a store that was selling “Champ” souvenirs. He took out an old map that looked as though it had been worn, and he placed a small mark next to the figure of a sea monster.

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