[M] You Are Not Alone {1x1 AgroShadow, Larynx} [Archive]

AgroShadow

01-21-2019, 03:46 AM

The pavement was hot. The pavement was always hot in the city during the summer months. But today it felt even warmer on his paw pads. His tongue lolled out his mouth as he trotted down a side street of a small mid-west city. It was unusually busy today, people moving to and fro, going about their business. What was nice while Mason was in dog form was the lack of attention people gave him. Every now and then he would get a glance at his mangy coat but people steered clear of him. He never kept his fur clean for this reason specifically. His normally snow white coat looked ruffled in all the wrong directions with dirt and mud smudged all down his sides. Every now and again he would find something slightly repulsive smelling and roll in it to add to the effect. However, today was hot and the flies were relentless buzzing around his ears. Giving his head a good shake, pale blue eyes scanned his surroundings. What was I here for again...? Food. Right. No money while in human form either meant stealing or scavenging. And while neither was appealing, shifting into a canine allowed him for more luck to finding what he needed. Well that and the canine stomach could handle more of those questionable foods more so than a human stomach.

Rounding a corner, he caught the scent of some sort of meaty smell on a slight breeze. His stomach gave a tight squeeze in response to its lack of sustenance. His large paws carried him further along the street until his gaze landed on the source of the salty goodness that was the scent. A hot dog vendor. A rather large man standing there in ill fitting shorts and shirt with the sleeves torn off. His arms sported a horrid sunburn, splotchy and blistered from multiple showing out in the unforgiving sun. Mason lowered his hind end to the ground as his mind thought of some sort of plan how he could get even part of one of the glorious sausage links. Letting out a huff of air he gave another aggressive shake of his head to remove any of the pesky insects that had settled. Well it's worth a shot... Standing, he plodded over to the man, sniffing around the ground and doing his best to just look like he was searching for any sort of crumbs. 'Alright pup, one. Then you leave.' Mason's ears twitched at the sound of just one. And sure enough one plopped into the dirt crusted sidewalk. Before the man had a chance to reconsider, teeth wrapped around the wonderful hot dog. Loping off, the hot dog was gone in two quick bites and already sliding down his throat.

While the hot dog hadn't been much, it would be enough to sustain him until the grumblings of hunger became too much again. Glancing toward the sky, Mason noted it would be still quite a few hours until sunset when he could really make his traveling. Sighing, he made his way to the outer edges of the city looking for a little place that would be relatively cool so he could nap the rest of the day away. Finding a few bushes planted close together, they made a small shaded area that would suffice until he left. Using his two front paws, he braced his hind end and begun digging out a spot for himself. Satisfied that it would work, the white dog laid himself in the cool dirt, staring out to the small town, knowing by this time tomorrow he would be somewhere different and maybe have a bit more luck in the food department.

Larynx

01-21-2019, 04:36 AM

"Holy shit. It is hot." It was meant to be only a thought, but the words left her lips with emphasis. She had been expecting the heat wave per all the recent news, but damn. She had not quite expected this. She had been trying to gain some respite by coming outside, hoping the combination of shade all day and the nearby trees and grass would cool the breeze as it came past. She had been thankful before for the small balcony on the bottom floor but today did not seem to be one of those days. Concentration had been meek and an essay due next week had gotten only a page's worth of attention since coming outside. It was sweltering. It had been concerning before she left early for this research trip and her grandfather's saying "it'll get worse before it gets better', came to mind.

She sighed and brushed her back into a new ponytail. Her hand came away with a good smear of sweat. Looking back into her little apartment. Why was she choosing not to turn it on again? Suffering out here? and why had she chosen this terrible little apartment instead of just going to her much nicer and more comfortable home? With a sigh she told herself she could make it now that the worst of the afternoon was over and hopefully evening in a few hours would relive the whole city. And her. Instead she retrieved a tall glass of lemonade from her fridge and poured herself a very well iced glass and returned to the balcony. For research, all the research.

The sun had not moved much but she was starting to see progress on her reports. She was in the middle of formulating her sentence when she thought she heard footsteps. "I swear to chicken fried shit Mary if that's y-" Not Mary... But what.. She looked around the small courtyard. No people coming her way, not even the nosiest neighbor she'd ever had. Then what had she heard? Looking around again, she a large white shape in some large bushes against the wall. That hadn't been there before... Standing up, she immediately saw more of the shape and knew. She dashed into her apartment and returning with a big bowl, she crept slowly forward. The poor thing was panting so heavily, and looked rather thin. Those hips were somewhat prominent, but she was more worried about trying to help him get out of the heat. Hunger was slow, heat could kill in an hour.

Slowly coming forward she began softly. "Hey there big guy. I haven't seen you around. But I know it's hotter than the devil's asshole out here. Look at this nice cool water." She could feel sweat rivulets roll down her neck. She pushed the bowl toward the white animal. Behind her, she hid a hastily constructed leash of some old rope. The animals' thirst would outweigh fear for now,she knew.

AgroShadow

01-21-2019, 09:50 PM

Under the bushes it was at least a little cooler, but only by a few degrees. Not much to make a difference. Mason let out a deep sigh of disgust. Cold weather he could handle, this scorching heat was another story. It left him feeling drained and made for his night travels that much more difficult. Should’ve waited till winter to travel... His ears twitched absently as he spotted a female sitting outside with her laptop working on god knew what. He would never understand the fascination of technology. It just made him easy to find and not to mention when it came to working it, Mason wasn’t the brightest. Trying to at least force his body to settle down, he shut his eyes for a second. Not that he could lower his head, the panting made that near impossible. One of the glorious joys of not being able to sweat through the skin he supposed. Both forms had their advantages and disadvantages. Some slightly scuffling causes him to open his eyes. Where the female had once sat, she was no longer there, but the laptop was. She must not have gone too far. Letting out a huff of air, he returned to his closed eye breathing. Other people’s activites were of no concern of his.

He must have dozed off for a few seconds, the sound of a voice so close to him caused him to jump in response. His eyes snapped open and landed on the female from earlier, however this time she must have been only a couple feet away from him. Immediate response was to let out a low, soft grumble of a growl. Not threatening but hopefully just enough to discourage her from coming any closer. He would never intentionally hurt some one if he could avoid it, but he was in no mood for the games of a caring human that wanted to try and make a pet out of him. The heat tended to make him less approachable and adding to the fact that he was hungry didn’t help much. However at the mention of the devil’s asshole his growl stopped short and he let out a snort of amusement. Such lively language from this one. The sound of metal scraping against the concrete caused him to glance down. The sight of a full water dish was almost too much to pass up. But there was always that caution in him that caused him to pause from lifting himself off the ground completely. Glancing at the girl once more he decided that she didn’t look all that threatening. Making up his mind he pulled himself the rest of the way up and took a few cautious steps toward the bowl of liquid. Nearing the bowl, his nose caught whiff of the crisp clean water that was contained and all reason left his head.

His nose hit the water quickly, his tongue lapping up the water as quickly as he could. The water covered his muzzle as he tried to suck it down as quick as he could. The past few days had been drinking out of sad ponds and fountains that never tasted remotely as good as fresh stream water or tap for that matter. Mason wasn’t paying attention to anything other than the water in front of him, determined to get as much of it down before it was taken from him. As soon as he was ready to pull away from the water for a breath he felt something slide around his neck and tighten. Energy shot through him as he tried to back up but he was stopped short as the rope tightened. He dropped his hind end on the ground and just stared at the lady. Really? This is what we’re gonna do? He sighed through his nose, spraying her with whatever water had found its way up his nostrils. It was the least he could do after she slipped something around her neck. There was the possibility she would take him somewhere that was cooler than his current situation and he could always shift and let him self out later in the evening or early morning hours but there would be no way he’d be going to the animal shelter.

Larynx

01-24-2019, 07:59 PM

"Thanks for that." She muttered, beginning to move toward her apartment. It was a weird feeling to be disgusted at the spray but also slightly cooled off by it evaporating from her skin. At least it wasn't as disgustingly snot filled as it could be. With a white tank top on, it could have totally ruined it. Looking down at the dog trying to plant itself into the earth, stubbornly, at every step. With a sigh she eventually pulled him into the apartment, firmly closing the door behind her. The rush of cool air that hit was a relief. That strange rush of being too hot, and having to adjust to something cooler made her tingle, goosebumps prickling along her arms. She was very glad that she'd decided to have the forethought of turning it on before going out to rescue the dog.

Looking over the dog in question, her heart sank a bit. He was quite...dirty. White but incredibly dusty and frankly, in need of a very deep bath. He was covered in dirt and dried mud, clouding his white coat to the point you only knew it from the color of patches here and there that showed through. That, and if anyone knew anything about dogs, the color of his eyes gave him away. Most dark dogs really didn't have that coloration. A typical German Shepherd looking male. Though a very lean one. Now that she could a real look at him, the hip bones shed noticed previously really did show through, along with an overall leanness that just cried neglect. A long term lack of good, quality food showed in the dry, brittle looking dirty coat. Wrinkling her nose, she ignored the fact that a good bath would do more than just highlight his pale coat. "Now I have nowhere to put you to keep from terrorizing this place. So. Be a good boy and don't eat me or go on the couch while I get you some food." Slowly, she presented her hand to the dog, and then quickly slipped the loop from his head. Standing slowly, she looked him over, hoping her firm voice and stance told him enough. She didn't get he impression that he was wild or dangerous. Hopefully, he was house trained too.

Watching him as she made her way into the kitchen, she dug through her leftovers and dug out some rice and chicken. "I bet this'll be the first good meal you've had in a while, eh?" It came out with more warmth then she expected, catching herself getting attached to a dog she literally had just brought in, Maybe she really did miss having a pet. "Here, you are." Still that same warmth to her voice. Setting the newly shredded chicken and rice in front of him, she waited, wanting to see him actually eat something decent and establish some measure of trust between them. She got the impression that a white shepherd should have an owner, as they weren't usually just thrown to the winds back home.

AgroShadow

01-25-2019, 05:03 AM

While the walk into the apartment was unpleasant, Mason did have to admire the cool air that hit his body entering the building. It flowed over him and sent a small shiver down his spine. For good measure he shook out his fur, sending little puffs of dust into the air. He stood quietly while she removed the rope, taking in his surroundings. Once he was free he started to walk around the apartment, his nose sniffing everything that it could reach at this height. It was a small place, filled with basic essentials that would come with living in such an area. Not a lot, but enough. Now that his body was adjusting to the coolness, a yawn escaped his muzzle. This was the perfect temperature to nap in. He eyed the couch, knowing just how nice that would be compared to the floor or the ground. Glancing at the woman rummaging through her kitchen, he wondered just how much he could get away with while he was here. Not that he would destroy the place, but it would be so nice to sleep here until dark. Once she was asleep he could easily shift and open the door to leave, slipping out in the early morning hours.

He placed a paw on the couch cushion, preparing to pull himself all the way up until he remembered her earlier remark. Eating her, no. But he couldn’t promise about staying off the couch. However, for now at least, he removed his paw and placed it back on the ground while letting out a deep sigh. If that’s what she wanted, fine. He continued his current search of anything interesting that he could possibly find. Entering what look liked a bedroom, he took a deep breath in. There was something off about the scent he caught from whoever used this bedroom. Something... familiar. Tilting his head slightly he trotted back into the main part of the apartment, right up to the woman in the kitchen. This time he paid attention as he breathed her in. Yes. There. It was that scent again. One that all of his kind shared. But it wasn’t as strong as he was usually used to. Does she know? He looked her over, she looked like any other person he could pass on the street. Nothing special about her.

While he was trying to puzzle it out, she placed some chicken and rice in front of him. The smell alone made his stomach grumble something fierce. But he knew better than to just shove it all in. It’d be a terrible waste of food to have it all come back up in a matter of minutes after consuming it. So, he took his time with it. Pulling out small mouthfuls at a time. However, it still didn’t take him too long to finish the bowl. Licking it clean, he wanted to make sure he consumed it all. Another yawn escaped him as he moved out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Finding a floor vent that was pulsing our that glorious air, he lowered himself onto it with a sigh. His eyes never left the female though, wondering just how much she knew about what she was. Could she not see that he was one too? Or at least sense it? Maybe she just hadn’t come into her full ability yet, but she looked older so it would be odd to be such a late bloomer. Either way, he wasn’t sure just how involved he wanted to be with that. Maybe the best option would to just still sneak out in the night when she fell asleep, let her figure it out on her own. The thought of dealing with someone was enough to justify that idea. So it was settled, Mason would leave as soon as it was dark enough and as soon as the female was asleep. It’d be easier for both of them in the long run.

Larynx

01-27-2019, 01:22 AM

A quick glance at the clock suddenly showed that several hours had passed by and that, with a glance out the window, Arianna realized the day had given over to the far reach of night. One a.m. had arrived without warning. At least she had gotten a good start on her spreadsheets, and presentation seeing as how it was due soon.With a faint sigh she closed the laptop with a soft click. Rubbing her eyes until spots of color showed from her pressed fingers, she looked away from the computer to have her tired eyes rest on the dog. He had been a quite house guest so far. The only thing she had noticed was that, despite having slept for the most part, whenever she had gotten up or made sharp noises, he had been on his feet, following her with those pale eyes of his. Quite a pretty blue, actually. They almost seemed too...sharp, too knowing for a mere dog. More than once she had looked over and felt...like there was something she should know about him. A quiet sort of unsuspecting fact about him that she was overlooking, that she should catch on to and recognize. She looked quickly away and closed her eyes for a moment. Maybe it was just the fact that she was tired and if she were honest, missed having a dog lay quietly and companionably at her feet. Or that sleep had not been as easy as it used to be lately. She had been telling herself it was the stress of starting a new business project that had been keeping her up at night and out on the patio instead of warn and snug in bed.

With soft inhale, she rose to her feet, pausing to stretch her arms overhead, moving her torso left and right slowly, breasts and hips pushing through her loose t-shirt and leggings ever so slightly. She hadn't moved from the couch in a few hours. Eyeing the dog once more, "It's time for bed. Don't have any more chicken and rice for you, sorry. But we'll take care of you in the morning, alright?" She gave him a quick scratch behind the ears before rising. Her hand came away with a definitive coating of dust and a dark line of grime under her fingernails. To the front door she went, and firmly slid the locking bolt in place, and making her way over to the sliding glass door to the patio, made sure it was locked as well, unlocking and locking it with a solid snap. Pulled the curtain across the view and with a last look at the shepherd back on his blanket, she padded away towards her room.

:TIME SKIP:

The number switched from 03:59 to 04:00 silently. The whole house had been quiet for the last hour, cooled down enough to keep the light blanket covering her body, mostly empty but for its two inhabitants, and...lonely feeling. It was a rather insidious feeling, creeping in as she had struggled to fall asleep for minutes at a time, only to wake with a furious need to get up and move. But there was something else she found hard to describe. Almost a yearning. It was like remembering walking through along a forest path, the leaves overhead changing from their steady green to brilliant ambers and golds and fiery oranges, the sky overhead inevitably being overtaken by the coming of the deep hues of night...laughing with joy as you went, you couldn't remember if it was with or without a friend...yet, you hadn't actually walked down that path or laughed at the friend following after you.

It was strange and new from the last few nights she had not been able to sleep, prowling about the room in a restless energy. With an exasperated exhale she clambered out of bed, sliding her feet into her slippers and headed for the kitchen, holding her now empty glass of water.

What met her eyes was nothing short of a shock. An extreme rush of fear flooded her senses, followed by the zing of adrenaline to fuel her body into an all out fight or flight mode. She had no idea what the hell was happening in from of her, she had never seen anything like it before. It appeared as those epic transformations she had read in all the thick fantasy novels crammed onto her bookshelf, describing them as awe-inspiring or a horrifically disgusting twisting and cracking of the human body into another form entirely. All she did understand, somehow, was that the glass slipped, as if in slow motion from her hand to the tile floor and with the loudest crack she could imagine, shattered. Jagged, broken bits of glass spread out in a wave around her. And there was suddenly something else too that followed the alarm. A swift coursing of......she clutched her chest as she felt a sharp flash of desire and..."What....what are you!? What is happening to me!?" The words left her mouth in a scream as she fell to the floor, feeling herself writhe against the tile.

She felt....no...noooo..noo... Terrified blue eyes rested on...long growths of claws sprouting from her fingers and as she continued to watch, astonished, her hand began to twist the bone and tendon and muscle with excruciatingly fascinating detail into a paw. It....hurt in a very faint, distant way. Even as the humerus and ulna began to twist into the shape of the animal. As if she were on the same painkillers she'd taken as a teen when her arm was broken in a softball match. Black patches of fur began to sprout along the length of her arm, at first slowly, as if hesitant to grow through her skin. In a second it spread, knowing its true course now and determined to traverse it fully. Painless but she felt her terror rise, the beginnings of a scream rising in her throat, only to be released with the unmistakable tinge of pain. It was no longer painless as she felt....her spine, her ribs, she could feel every attempted snap and twist and elongation, shortening... Every nerve burned in white hot fire. Every strand of that dark fur, stabbed through her skin like ice sharpened knives.

AgroShadow

01-27-2019, 03:39 AM

The time in the house was spent with sprawled out naps. Mason couldn’t complain too much with the cooler environment, it meant deeper naps and better recharging for his later travels. Even though he napped most of the evening, anytime the female moved he followed her where ever she went. He wasn’t sure if it was for the possibility of more food and attention or if it was just the fact he enjoyed what he saw. She was a well-built human, with noticeable curves that were hard to ignore. Even try as he might, ignoring her was hard. The male part of his brain brought that forward anytime she moved or stretched. He tilted his head slightly at the mention of bed. It was late, he could tell, but there would still be time to leave once she had fallen asleep. Yawning and stretching out more, he rolled onto his side to emphasize he had no problem with more sleep. His gaze followed her as she checked and locked the doors, making a little mental picture of where they were, knowing full well when he shifted back to his human form that he would have terrible eye sight taking over.

A couple hours had passed, or at least that’s what the scent of the air was telling him as he awoke. It was still early morning, but slowly starting to turn into day break in a few more hours. Sighing, he knew he needed to get moving, especially if he wanted to travel in the cooler weather. He pulled himself up right, letting out a slight groan as he did. His canine counterpart let its annoyance be known at the thought of shifting back into a two legged form. He wondered how easy this would be. It had been… Seven or eight months? Since had had used his human form for anything. It was so much easier to just go around as a dog and not talk to anyone. Either way, he needed thumbs to get that door unlatched and opened to get himself out of here. Finding that part of him, the part that was human and not canine took a little bit of searching. He had to remember what he looked like, what he had been wearing, and just his total mannerisms that made him Mason. Once he had that mental picture of himself, he pushed it forward to the front of his mind. His body gave a resounding groan as it began to shift back into what he knew was human.

Bones cracked, fur that was once covering his body slowly started to be sucked back into his skin, paws became hands and feet with fingers and toes. His snout shrank, slowly at first and then more rapidly as it worked its way into a human nose. His shift took a little longer than he was used too, he figured it was due to staying in the canine form for so long. But once it was done, his skin pebbled with goosebumps at the feeling of air rushing over it. Such a different feeling from being covered in fur where it felt no air. Mason couldn’t see much other than simple shapes and shadows, his eyes shifting back to the shitty human version. Running his hands over his chest, he could feel the bare skin. ’Well, forgot the shirt.. However, he could feel the waistline of his jeans, so that was something at least. He went to take a step forward but the sudden sound of breaking glass caused him to whirl around and crouch slightly. Waiting for something to come after him. While he couldn’t see much, he could make out the shape of the female that had brought him in. ’Fuck.’ The word slipped out of his mouth at the sight. ’Look, I can expl-‘ The words flowed out, as his hands were held up in defense, but the sight that was happening before him cut him out entirely. ’Oh… Shit.’ Slowly, he began backing up until his body slammed against a wall. This was not at all what he had planned on how to getting out of here. His eyes widened as he tried to sort out just what she was shifting into. When the scream left her lips, the sound was so disturbing he wanted to turn and run. His first shift wasn’t painful, but it was uncomfortable. Hers sounded like her bones were breaking one by one, which in a way, they were. ’What the actual fuck?’ Mason was at a loss for words, or actions for that matter. He had never witnessed anything like this. Shifting, sure, but this painful? What the hell could he do?

Larynx

01-27-2019, 05:02 AM

She could feel her mind spinning as she tried to process everything happening in this moment. A moment that felt like it was dragging on and on, never ending bursts of nerve blasting pain. She could feel herself hunching in on herself, making herself as small as possible. She could feel the cold tiles pressing against her knees as her back arched, the bones trying to snap into place to transform her body into...something. The thought trailed off as her sides heaved into something smaller then their previous shape. A crack sounded into the air as the formerly human jaw rapidly shrank into shorter and animalistic. Human cry turned into a yowl from those same new jaws. A pitifully desperate cry of pain and bewilderment.

She sat, panting, hunched in on herself, trying to occupy as little space as possible. She was not...there was something new here, in her mind. It was not just herself, but another form of herself? But this felt distinctly different, yet the same. There was an almost familiar sense to this new...entity. It was distinctly other yet distinctly still her. She was somehow not so frightened of this new half of herself as much as how the incredibly blinding pain she thought would never end had suddenly stopped. Cautiously, she tried to explore herself and she noticed that.... The buzz of the air conditioning was louder than before, she could hear the traffic through the walls more clearly, the air touched her skin differently, it was...warmer? There was the scent of vanilla from the candle she had lit yesterday, an unpleasant ripeness drifting from the garbage. She could hear the breathing of another, smell the dirt and grime, the distinct scent that things that lived outside... With that her shot open and they landed on the....dog? human? she had seen what felt like ages ago.

Claws scrabbled against the tile as she shied away from the person. Momentarily she was afraid for her life, but it flicked by quickly as she realized that she was looking at her own paws. Shocked yet again she stood staring at them. Inky black fur for as far as she could see, feline paws tipped by sharp hooked claws. It hit her. She was no longer human, the entity from before was now whispering at the forefront of her mind. It was soft at the moment, yet she knew beyond the soft facade there was an enormously strong and wild presence, like watching the beach brushed by the sea but beyond the waves churned and crashed end over end of each other. Like trying to take a wolf pup and raising it as a pet but the wold never forgot where it came from. It was a fantasy come to reality and she knew. She was transformed into an animal without the romance, the grand hidden meaning, the illusion of being bound by some curable hex or curse. A soft keen left her feline lips as she looked to the man before her, watching with what she could only call stunned shock.

AgroShadow

01-27-2019, 05:49 AM

’Oh... You’re a cat shifter.’ His eyes looked her over as he spoke. There was no mistaking the whiskers, short nose and long tail. Her paws seemed almost barren like, but Mason knew just what sort of claws were tucked into the little toe beans. His hand slid across the wall as he took a few steps to the side, searching for a switch of some sort. Finally his fingers found a plastic plate, marking what he was looking for, giving a flick of his pointer finger. Suddenly the room was swathed in light, causing him to blink a couple time. ’Sorry... can’t see too well when I’m in this form.’ Mason didn’t know why he felt the need to explain to her, maybe it was just to fill the awkward silence that now sat between them. Not so much because she was now a feline, but because he knew just how awkward this sort of thing was. Now that everything was lit up and in proper color, he could tell this woman had quite a taste in things. Nothing that he would ever own, but to each their own.

After glancing around the room, his blue gaze landed back on the cat. ’I knew what you were, when you caught me. You have this scent. Everyone of us does... well I can smell it at least. I’m not sure how you could tell..? But I’m assuming you don’t even know what you are?’ He tilted his head slightly as he regarded her. ’I really am sorry about..’ he motioned with his hands and arms to emphasize, ’All of this.’ He took a few steps toward the front door. Granted he did feel a slight remorse toward the now feline, he wasn’t sure how he could make this situation any better. Or worse for that matter. Reaching for the lock on the door, he figured maybe one piece of advice that could help. ’Normally if you picture yourself, you know, how you were before, that helps you get back to it.. it can take a few tries sometimes. But the more you do it, the easier it gets...’ When he was in shape, Mason was able to do it in just a few steps, and almost flawlessly. But he knew he was rusty and out of practice. It was gonna take him awhile to get back to that point.

Larynx

01-28-2019, 04:39 AM

What was she going to do with this...this...new development? It was not like anything she had had to deal with before. Even her arm breaking had not held her back but this...this was entirely out of her wheelhouse, nothing could compare to having your body morph into an animal's. There was a pulse of annoyance at this whole thing pushing back her work. She had put quite a bit into that and was loathe to give it up after so much time and effort spent on it. She squashed that thought and that feeling quickly, if she were going to push through this it would probably be better to at least try and learn about how this nonsense worked. Would she even be able to be human again? Was she stuck like this forever? A very alarming idea and she could feel herself fighting a weird feline version of a panic attack. The male voice interrupted her thoughts. Oh. She watched him fiddle to find a light, blinking as the room flashed to life, swathed in light.

Dark ears pricked forward as the man continued speaking, in soft tones. She realized he was moving away from her, edging slowly towards the door as he spoke, keeping his voice soft and even. What a little shit, trying to leave her here and act as if he hadn't born witness to one of the most terrifying things she'd ever experienced. He had had just as much shock on his features as she felt. She perked up in interest when he implied that all she had to do was think of herself in her normal way. Was this event something she had to start looking at as a new normal? Ears subconsciously flicking at all the emotions being juggled through her she watched, growing increasingly annoyed as he unlocked the door and with a last soft word begin to walk away from it all.

Without a second thought she rushed to slip through the door as it was pulled to a close. Somehow she knew that she would make it, and as she slipped through, the door closing on her heels, the entity within suddenly swelled with excitement. Pulsing with new sensations in this dark form she took to hiding just within the shadow of the building. Well, he should not be so free to divulge his inability to see and let her use it to her advantage.Peering at the strange male before her, she wondered if she would even be able to keep up with him. What if he changed into a dog again and left her in his dust? She was not confident in these short legs to keep with those long ones. Maybe he was too exhausted, his transformation had not exactly happened quickly. Not like hers. It had felt like eons stretching into endless eons but some part of her knew it had not actually bee more than a minute. She could feel herself getting distracted by the entity within her that had sprung up on her transformation. Now that she was outside, there was a surge of wanting to explore. Not only to explore all the dark corners that were now alight for her, but to explore the lithe athleticism of this new body, to revel in more animalistic joys and thrills. Was this what it was like for other cats? No wonder they always padded about with such confidence and pride. They had it because they knew they had it, they knew the dark was not just the dark to them.

No. She had focus and tried to brush the urging away. This was her mission. To get this man to at least give her actual information and explain what the hell this whole deal was. Although she really wished to stay within the shadows she allowed herself to pad forward, no longer hidden and just inside the sliver of light to be seen. She put on as best a determined face as she could, feeling her features harden. Such a strange thing to know that... A low growl left her jaws, directing it at the man.

AgroShadow

01-29-2019, 04:53 AM

The early morning air brushed his bare skin, causing it to pebble up in the sudden change as he exited the house. It wasn’t cold out, but it held that soft morning chill summer brought with it. The only time being outside was tolerable. A sigh escaped him as he noticed the slightly lighter blues in the east, signaling the start of a new day. Such a late start, and so far to go. His feet brought him down halfway of the block the females house was on. Guilt pooled in him, knowing just how confusing and scary that first transformation is. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He made it on his own just fine, something told him she would figure it out eventually as well. Running his hand through his hair, he found the dark strands longer than he remembered. It had been a long time since he used this form, and it showed in his unkept features. Slightly longer hair on his head and a small beard covered his face. Grimacing, he absently scratched at his facial hair. As soon as he could, it would be something he’d have to take care of. If he would have been thinking, he would have grabbed a pair of scissors or a knife from that lady.

Rounding a corner, his early morning walk stopped short at the sight of a familiar female cat sitting in front of him, as if she appeared out of no where. The small growl that left her caused his mouth to pull up at both corners in a grin. ’Such a demanding sound for a thing so small.’ The canine part felt the need to tease, reminding the lesser species just who was better. ’I don’t speak cat, so unless you find a way to suddenly form human words with your lack of vocal cords or shift back, I don’t know what to tell you or what questions you have.’ He reached down and gave a small pat on her head before stepping around her to continue on his way. He glanced over his shoulder as he spoke back at her, ’I want to get somewhere remotely cool before the heat gets too bad, and I can’t do that with you stopping me every five feet. Now...’ He paused, realizing he had no idea what her name was. ’Little kitty, it was nice to meet you. Hope I don’t keep seeing you around.’

Rolling his shoulders slightly, he could feel himself getting more accustomed to being back in this form. It meant slower travel, and more human needs to fill compared to his dog form, but he could manage until he had enough energy to shift back. And hopefully by then, the little kitty would have made up her mind and figure out that he wasn’t going to be much help for her. Mason figured he wouldn’t be that great of a teacher, he knew what to do but he couldn’t think that he’d be able to convey it very well to others. He took another glance back at the feline form, wondering just what her plan was with figuring out her new found self.

Larynx

02-11-2019, 01:24 AM

Every five feet. So be it then. If that was what it took to get any information at all out of him she would. She knew that with four legs she would be faster than his two and should be able to keep up with his travels through the city. It was not a difficult conclusion to come to that this stranger had little money and so would be avoiding any form of transportation needing paid. Foolish of him then, when if he had taken any interest in learning anything about her, he'd have noticed that she was not desperate for income. She had no need to hide from the general public's gaze as she was somehow sure he did. Looking the man up and down with startlingly bright blue eyes, she realized that he was fairly tall. Just how much it was emphasized by her being so much smaller in this form her feline brain could not quite comprehend at the moment. And nor did it want to. The urge to explore had crept in among her more human thoughts. The scent of dew in the nearby grass, and the newly warmed air brushing through her shirt fur told of early morning creeping in. These early morning hours were ripe for reveling in all feline pursuits. To surrender.

They were like whispers threading through her other thoughts. They curled to the front of her mind and she found herself taking a few quite steps back toward the nearest shadows before she could stop herself. A soft whisper of delight in prowling through slim shadows, exploring on soundless paws, and exciting views only she could see through her newly sharpened perspective poured through her. Becoming one with the shadows and one with all her newfound feline ability. Ah. No. She told herself firmly. This was not the time to give in when she knew absolutely nothing about it. With a forceful push she sent those away, to the furthest part of her and focused on the man before her. Except he was longer, and after a quick surge in panic found him turning a corner without a backwards glance. Quickly, she trotted after him, and followed.

It was easy to keep up, as he was sticking to this battered sidewalk for now and with it being early morning, they were alone. Watching the houses pass by, she trotted up the back of his feet and with a soft growl hooked his shoe to stop him. She easily evaded his trip up to lower her haunches to sit before him, watching with an unblinking gaze. Every five feet. So be it. She could deal with everything else. This was something she knew without a doubt would get her sent to expensive doctors, best int he field they would claim. Extensive test after test and probably hour long therapy sessions. All to discover what the hell was going on the with the CEO's best heir to the company throne...and squash it into oblivion.

Watching him now, she knew that somehow she had to figure out how to return to her human self. Unfamiliar with how exactly, a plaintive meow escaped her jaws. This had to work. She could not do this by herself. It terrified her, loathe as she was to admit it. But she needed help and there was at least one of them who could do something about it.

AgroShadow

02-11-2019, 02:21 AM

At least it was cooler in the morning hours, he breathed the soft air in through his mouth. What a night. He hadn’t expected things to take that turn, but it had been awhile since he had encountered another shifter. Most knew to stay out of the spotlight. But this one. She was different. How could she have not know what she was? His hand absently scratched at his scalp as he wondered about it. Rounding a corner, he was pleased he hadn’t heard the little pitter patter is paw following after him. Maybe she finally gave in to the animal side and started to explore. It took awhile to get that wild feeling under control, for him at least. His canine form was relentless when it came to hunting down scents and finding their origin. Still to this day he often found himself wandering around looking for something with his nose if he wasn’t paying attention. With his next step something stoped his foot from swinging forward and his knee compensated by bending and striking this hard pavement. ’What the actual fuck?’ Glancing up, his eyes met those of the feline he had thought left off to do what cats do.

His hands and knee stung with freshly scraped flesh. The quiet copper smell of blood struck his nose as it broke to the surface of his body through the newly created scratches. It wasn’t much, but when he wiped his palms on his shorts it caused him to hiss slightly through his teeth. ’Really? You just had to resort to tripping?’ Grunting, he repositioned himself so he sat back on his rear to get a better look at his knee. It was the same as his hands, nothing serious and something that would disappear in the next week. Although at a slightly annoying slow rate. Looking at the female cat sitting in front of him, he could see the determination in her eyes. He could tell there was no way he’d get past the city limits without this creature constantly being there. A loud and slightly annoyed sigh left his lips. ’Fine. I’ll help you. But only for a little bit. I’m not going to stay long. So you best be a fast learner.’ He pulled himself back up onto his feet, glancing at the cat. ’I guess let’s just go back to your place till you figure yourself out.’

He turned away from her, his eyes rolling ever so slightly. Leave it to the situation where he has to work with a cat. A freaking cat. Why couldn’t it have been anything else. Mason would have taken a fish shifter over a cat one. Looking back, he gave a sheepish grin as he spoke. ’Until you shift back into your human form though, I’m sitting on your couch.’ He emphasized by slapping on his shorts and sending out small clouds of dust and dirt with each smack. ’Might steal your shower too, seeing as it’s been well over a month since I’ve had one.’ Figuring he’d be here a little bit, he might as well milk it for a bit. Seeing as he doubt a small cat would be able to do much to stop him from using the stuff in the house.

It didn’t take long to get back to the house, he let himself in, knowing it hadn’t been locked since they left. The cool air hit his face and he let out a sigh. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be in a house as nice as this for a bit. He held open the door for the small shadow that had been following him back. Once she was in, he let the door shut. He made a straight line for the couch and plopped down into it with a smirk. ’Now if you wanna talk, I gotta hear some human words. Like I said before, picture yourself. Sometimes a human memory helps me. Something that would want to make me go back to being a human. Or maybe a feeling only humans can feel. Everyone is different. You have to find what works for you. And until you do, I’ll be sitting right here waiting.’

Larynx

02-13-2019, 03:40 AM

Filth. Her couch cushion was being sat upon by a dusty, dirty man she had only just met. One she had formerly thought was an ordinary dog. Dirty and a stray, but still just a lost dog. She had never thought to suspect anything beyond the usual. Well. Perhaps she'd refrain from rescuing strays from now on until she was at least comfortable with even the idea that she'd wake up to a tall stranger in her room. That had morphed from a dog. She felt an exasperated huff leave her. What a day already this was going to be. She watched him relax into the cushion and could feel herself growing agitated at just how easily he seemed to take ownership of it. At the mention of taking over the shower, an internal shudder passed through her. With an annoyed flick of her tail, she tried to set her mind on the more pressing problem.

It was much easier to keep her thoughts on what she should now that she was indoors. But what would bring her back? Something human... She was not sure where to go with his suggestions. Trying the human feelings, she tried to coax her half feline half human mind to turn over and remember whats he thought would be exclusively human ones. Joy, hope, happiness, regret....none of those seemed to tug at her in any way. But what was it supposed to feel like? The desire to be human once more? Not jut a feeling for her then?

At the mention of memory, she tried to turn her mind to those. Oh. Maybe..that...? She felt her spine contract and snap along its vertebra. Fur covered dark legs seemed to turn into jelly beneath her...hot, burning fire jolted along them as they lengthened. Every hair receding felt like nails being driven savagely back into the skin. A rough yowl escaped her jaws even as fang and carnassial shrunk down into human molars once more, throat swelling with vocal chords more human like then before. Pain flashed across her eyes as slits returned to ovals and the early morning dimmed as she lost her superior night vision. The whole transformation was silent to onlookers,yet her ears were filled with the snaps and pops of bone and tendon sliding into human sockets and hinges. The rushing of blood pounding from her heart pounding hard. The ordeal was over in a few moments, but left the young woman that emerged from it curled in on herself, hugging her knees to her chin. She could feel human ribs rising and falling quickly with ragged breaths, dark and long human hair now falling forward to cover her sniffling face.

Everything now felt...distinctly human. The feline entity so strong before was now quiet, present but reserved. If she concentrated on it, she would almost say it was murmuring softly, as if it had been reluctant to leave. Drawing in a deep breath that hitched repeatedly, she kept her eyes tightly closed. She could feel the air conditioning blow across her skin, pebbling the skin at the temperature difference between bare and furred. Somehow she realized that she was naked and for a moment was aghast and terrified. It lasted a mere second. If he had wanted to anything insidious he would have already, she realized. All he had to do was take advantage of her the moment she began shifting back into human form, or as soon as it had been completed. Even so, she curled more tightly in on herself. She had never felt so... at a loss, vulnerable, or ignorant of how to proceed.

"Help me." It was a rough whisper from a strained body and mind. It escaped before she could hold it back. A small part of her was not ashamed of it. It was a small gesture, but the larger part of herself was furious at having done so, at having revealed it. Slowly opening her eyes, she peered over her knees and through her dark hair at the man before her.

AgroShadow

02-14-2019, 03:01 AM

He kept his eyes on the feline sitting in front of him, his canine counterpart not wanting to let the sneaky creature out of his gaze. Mason knew that he had nothing to worry about with her, seeing as this was her first time. There would be nothing coming from her until she figured it all out. The male was just glad she had shifted into such a small feline and not one of the larger cats. There would have been no way he would have stayed around for that one. His eyes glanced around the house as it seemed the female withdrew into herself, seemingly to take his advice. It was a nice place. Filled with more things than he would ever be able to afford in his life. For a split second he felt rather bad about sitting on this nice of a couch while he was still so filthy. However the sound in front of him caused his eyes to dart back forward. She was doing it. Not gracefully, but she was still doing it. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth until the loud screech filled the room. The smile quickly faded as he watched the scene play out in front of him.

The transition wasn’t quick, which made it that more painful to watch. His stomach rolled slightly as it seemed everything was played out in slow motion. Is this what all shifting looked like? Maybe that’s why she looked at him the way she did when she first saw. He was sure his shifts weren’t terrible, and he had seen others that never left him feeling this nauseating. When it was all said and done, a naked form curled in on themselves was laying in front of him. He felt the blood rushing to his face, feeling like this was something he hadn’t needed to see. She was in a vulnerable state, and it made him feel embarrassed and like he was intruding. The words that left her lips were almost missed, but he caught them. ’Right.’ He shot up from the couch, looking for something he could use to cover her. Spotting a throw in the corner of the room, he grabbed it and gently laid it over her. ’I’m sorry, this is gonna feel a little weird. Skin is always a little sensitive after a shift... I don’t know if yours is more so or not since that was the strangest one I’ve seen yet..’ Once the blanket was on her, he pulled back and made his way toward the kitchen.

After rummaging through the cabinets, he pulled a glass down and filled it with water from the tap. He brought the glass with him back into the living room and gently placed it on a side table closest to her. ’I don’t know what else I can do to help you. First shifts are always hard and I’m rather impressed you were able to switch back so quickly. It took me two weeks before I shifted back to a human after my first shift. But I was also alone and didn’t have someone around to help.’ he lowered himself back onto the couch, keeping his gaze anywhere else besides the form on the floor. Acutely aware of the naked body beneath the throw blanket. Manson wasn’t too sure what all else he could do to help, so he just rambled on, hopefully to distract her from whatever she was going through.

Larynx

03-18-2019, 12:19 AM

A fog rolled through the twists of her mind. Clouded everything from how she now felt the brush of cool air across now bare skin, to the emotions of fear, anxiety, and disbelief growing stronger as she sat there on the floor. At least now the more familiar nuances of a human body were back. Cautiously she looked over her arms and legs, her toes peeking out from beneath the throw he had placed over her. It had been strangely gentle, something she had not necessarily thought him capable of showing towards her from their brief meeting. At least everything looked their normal pale human skin color from what she could see and the blinding pain was ebbing away, no longer pulsing through every inch of her. At the sound of a male voice, she looked up and found herself relieved that he had given her the blanket.

She drew the fabric in tighter to herself. "Is....Is it always painful though?"Brushing aside his other comments, she wondered what even was left to discuss. She had succeeded in getting him to help her back into human form and not she wondered if even asking him to come back was too much. She had not felt this vulnerable before in a long time. It was not enjoyable. Finally looking away from examining her fingers, she focused on the man before her. Oh. What the hell did he have to be embarrassed about? She was the one who had literally bore he naked body in front of him, discovered what she was, and been in debilitating pain. How was she handling this better than him? If he knew all about this alternative world, how was he not more composed and ready with information? "You can look at me, you know. I literally just snapped my spine into a cat's and back again...and am sitting here naked. How am I handling this better than you right now!?" She snapped, feeling her voice rise in a slight panic before she could rein it in. And holy shit her voice was so....hoarse, so gone. Rubbing her throat with on hand she held the blanket over her breasts with the other as best she could, knowing a slip was likely at any time. Well, if this grown man couldn't handle himself around a naked woman maybe his help wouldn't be the best after all.

Cautiously, she rose to her feet. A slight tremor in the legs but she could hold herself upright well enough. "You don't know what's going on with me. Do you?" Those shoes were worn to their last week. The five o'clock shadow actually a substantial layer of dark hair, a full blow light beard. An unkempt one. The clothes that clung to him were a size too large. Faded and worn. He must not have seen the inside of a house or apartment for a long time, or had been spent so much time as a canine that everything had caught up to him. How long did it take for that to happen? Was this man really someone she could trust with teaching her all about this? What if he.... The eyes were bright and possessed an intelligent spark though. A pretty blue and he had come back. "Look. If we're going to do this, we need to work something out so it will work. I just..." She looked away and didn't finish.

"You're the one with all the power here so if you want to leave do it now."

AgroShadow

03-18-2019, 02:24 AM

At her question, he shook his head slightly. 'No. It's never painful for most, uncomfortable maybe but not painful. You're the first one I've met where you actually feel something like that during the shift...' Mason had not encountered too many of his kind, but he met enough to know that it would never hurt like that. It sounded as her body was being ripped apart entirely during the whole process. Just the thought of going through that gave his stomach a turn for the worst. Shifting was never pleasant, how could it be? You were taking the anatomy of a human who's structure was so much different than an animals and forcing it to grow or shrink and then to go back again. But there was always a part of his mind or nerves, he wasn't sure, that blocked that sort of pain. Maybe she was lacking that? It was hard to tell, he had only known her for a short time. But he knew enough that he felt himself drawn to her. If it wasn't for that feeling, he wouldn't have come back when she had followed the first time.

At the snap of her voice, Mason drew into himself a little bit. He stood up and turned away from her, walking a few steps toward the door they had come through earlier. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but not lacking any strength to it. 'I haven't done much human interaction for the past four or five months, so my bad if I do human things.' In all honesty, he couldn't remember the last time he spoke more than five words to someone in the past year or so. Ever since he had left his home town, there was no reason to talk to people unless absolutely needed. It was just so much easier to go as a canine and do things that way. He could hear her shift around behind him, and he glanced back to see that she had rose into a standing position. She was a little wobbly on her legs, but they held firm beneath her. He felt her gaze drag over him when she spoke, and all of a sudden he was very self aware of just how horrible he must have looked. Suddenly his hair on top of his head and on his face felt too long and too dirty. His clothes must have been a sight as well. Holes peppered in random places, old and stained. Shoes that were slightly too big and looked like they would fall apart any moment. And he could physically smell himself. It wasn't something he would have payed much attention to in the past, but now he was all aware of it.

Either way, he shook his head to answer her question. 'I don't know what's wrong with you. I don't even know if there is someone out there that would be able to tell you what's going on.' He rattled his mind for anything that could be of help. But nothing came to. The only thing he could think that would possibly help would be to visit some other shifters, maybe they would have some insight as to what she was going through. She couldn't be the only one. At the mention of him having all the power, he couldn't help as a laugh forced it's way out of his chest. His laugh was deep and hearty, so much so that his eyes started watering slightly. 'Oh, love. If you think I have all the power here, just wait till you can see what you can do when this is all figured out.'

Grinning, he turned to her and wiped the moisture from his eyes. 'But what would you suggest we do so things work out?' He wasn't sure where they would go from here. After all, she was a feline shifter and he was canine, he couldn't imagine this would go further than this apartment. Running his hand through his hair, he first task was going to be at least cleaning himself up a bit though. 'By the way, I'm Mason.'

Larynx

04-25-2019, 10:22 PM

"Arianna." She replied smoothly. Pride was in a name. Or so she had been taught anyway. She could feel her self assurance slowly coming back as the time between a new discovery and an old world stretched. If this was what it took to understand what was going on, then she should resolve herself to working with perhaps some not so savory situations or people. Maybe she should look at it as new business research. Perhaps even, some new weird and crazy new open and untapped demographic that they could create something for? That could open up a whole new department even.

"I..."Pausing she looked him over, more aware of his shortcomings now than before. The holes appeared larger, numerous, shoes that looked a size too big and stitches and glue peeling apart.Long hair too long and in dire need of a trim to bring out his jawline and bring the focus back to those eyes... "Do not laugh at me." She snapped, quickly pulling out of that path. "Let us table this for now . You need a shower and I need rest. We'll discuss it in the morning."

Adjusting the blanket across her chest to hold closed with one arm, she pointedly strode across the room to lock all the doors with a soft click of finality. Raising an eyebrow at him, she pointed down the dark hall. "You'll find what you need in the bathroom. Good night. I'm an early riser." She sought the comfort of her bedroom and slumber.

{So shitty, so sorry >.<}

AgroShadow

04-29-2019, 08:46 PM

Mason woke with a start, the room swathed in darkness. Taking a breath, it took a moment to remember the day before and just where he was. In a house, with a cat shifter. Arianna. That was her name. Sighing, he dragged his hands over his face, slightly surprised he felt the smoothness of skin and not the facial hair that was there before. He wove his fingers through his hair as well, he had given that a trim while he was at it as well. Luckily he had been trimming his own hair for a few years and it was easy to avoid doing a hack job and make it look at least a little presentable. Sitting up, he glanced around the room, his eyes adjusting a little better to the dark. Cool air brushed across his bare chest once the blanket fell away. During the process of cleaning up of himself, he had left his clothes on the floor in the bathroom, not having any desire to put the dirty old rags back on. Save for his boxers. While he wouldn’t have minded the freedom, he would have rather not been caught by the owner of the house clad in nothing but his birthday suit.

He pulled himself off the couch, stretching his arms over his head as he went. While it wasn’t the most glorious place to sleep, sleeping on the couch was a step up from the hard ground he was so used to. He wandered into the kitchen, noting the little numbers on the microwave as he went. A little after 5 am, later than he usually like to wake up, but not bad. Rummaging around a bit, he found a glass and pulled it out before filling it with water from the sink. He leaned himself against the counter, taking small drinks from the glass. Mason couldn’t help but wonder what she considered to be ‘early riser’ like she had said before they parted ways. Everyone was different and he figured this might be the case. He wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted from him. His teaching skills were rudimentary at best, so it was going to be rather interesting just to see how this would go. And besides, she was a feline shifter. Part of him had no problem with that but there would always be the part that told him not to trust cats. Shifty creatures they were.

Larynx

06-30-2019, 03:22 AM

The laptop shut with a click that seemed louder than normal this time. She had woke as usual, 5:30 am, to the soft rumble of the natural alarm clock she had built in over the years, and the start of soft morning light filtering in through the curtains. The only thing she could remember from her dreams was prowling about the city as a small, sleek black cat. Weaving in and out of shadows like they were a second home and feeling alive watching the night's activities through new eyes and heightened senses. It had not been the first time the memory had come up while she worked on her analytics. Over the course of the half hour she had been working, her performance had suffered tremendously as her subconscious tried to pull her away and enticed with the feelings from the dream and her memories of the previous day.

The previous day. She swung her laptop out of her lap and hastily pulled on her robe. 'Holy shit. How could I have forgotten?' This was supposed to be the start of some half assed agreement between her and...Mason. A...shifter. She had to keep remembering that it was not just part of a dream, but all real, and very much happening still. She caught her reflection in the mirror as she thought to herself, and paused. Quickly, she ran her fingers through her hair and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. It couldn't hurt to keep the upper hand at least with appearance here. She had been truthful when she'd told the man he held all the power. For all she knew he was lying and was ready to kill and eat her little cat form the moment he could. She hadn't been ignorant to the hollowness in his eyes, or the gauntness to his cheeks and frame that came only from hunger. She soothed the...entity...on the thought of being snatched up as a snack. 'Oh.' Still felt incredibly foreign, but much more comfortable than she it would. Taking a last look at herself in the mirror, a soft sigh escaped her. It was now rather than later. Making sure her robe was closed up well enough, she stepped through her door, the hall, and into the living room.

"I did not realize you were such an early riser, too." A touch of surprise colored her words as she made her way into the kitchen and noticed he was also only clad in a faded pair of boxers. Looking away, she fixed herself a cold breakfast of cereal. She gestured half-heartedly towards the general cabinet and fridge space. She couldn't not be at least hospitable to him while he was here. Perhaps it would stop him from snapping at her with those big teeth later. Watching him eat out of the corner of her eye, she ignored the way the man ate with a hungered gusto but trying to be polite. Cleaning up after herself, she leaned against the counter across and away from him. "I want to know if we are rare...How am I not part of...Are there groups or clans of shifters?" The word felt awkward being used in a real context instead of the fantasy novels she read so eagerly as a teenager. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself. "Perhaps we should draw up some sort of contract of what we expect from this. I am no stranger to paying for quality however, I want expectations and intentions to be clear. To avoid any...misunderstandings." Before she could stop herself she looked away. She moved from the counter to a drawer in a nearby desk set against the living room wall when she realized it. She returned with paper and pen. And waited.....for...the real life mundane things business required so unlike her fantasy novels.

AgroShadow

06-30-2019, 07:41 PM

He jumped slightly when he heard her voice. Lost in his own thoughts he had not even noticed she had came out of her room. ’Oh... yeah. It’s cooler in the mornings, makes it easier to move around.’ He watched her move around the kitchen with ease, pulling things out of cabinets almost mechanically as if this was her normal morning routine. He didn’t miss how she skirted around him, however. He gladly accepted her offer for the food, never turning down a free meal. Once he was satisfied with the amount he consumed, he placed his bowl on the counter next to him as his eyes trailed the female. Her next question caught him off guard, and almost caused him to laugh. But he refrained, knowing that this was all new information to her. His eyes filled with mirth as he responded. ’There’s a lot more of us around then you realize. I mean, we are people after all. So everyone is different. Some like to group up, others, like me, prefer to be on our own,’ he shrugged as he continued, ’So really its all up to how you feel about it all. Some shifters think we are better than those that can’t shift, thinking we somehow have the gifts of the gods. I’d steer clear of them. They aren’t the most friendly of people. Interesting though. Eventually you’ll hone in on other shifters through a sort of sense like sight or smell, and you’ll realize how many are around. Granted it took me a couple years to get there, there’s a chance you’ll pick it up sooner.’

At the mention of a contract, he tilted his head slightly in confusion. Watching her gather the supplies to write one up, he couldn’t help but judge slightly. She was so official about this. Had she ever just done things with a firm handshake and hopes that one would follow through on all this? Let alone, what is it she could offer in this so called deal she wanted? There was no doubt she had money. Just the taste of living this woman had was higher end than anything he would have ever seen. But living like he had had never bothered him before so he couldn’t see his way of living change just by helping her. ’Misunderstandings?’ What sort of thing where she thinking could cause problems? Sighing, he pulled himself up to sit on the counter, figuring that they would be here for a little while as they hammered out the details to what exactly she wanted from this sudden acquaintance that had been made between the both of them. ’Alright. So you want to learn things, and I’m willing to teach what I know. What other things do you want to cover?’ He might as well amuse her with this. He couldn’t see it doing much good, but if she wanted to cover her ass so much in something she had no idea what was involved, then so be it. He hoped she understood, at least, there was going to be injuries, probably to both of them, and there was going to be frustrations through the whole ordeal. Just from what he gathered from her, she was meticulous, he was both. Failures never bothered him. While he felt she was going to have a hard time accepting things if they went south. Glancing around the place a thought popped up. ‘If we are gonna work on things that require shifting, I’d much rather not be in such a confined area. Should things get rowdy, I’d hate to have some of these fancy things broken. I’ve got a cabin, it’s up in some mountains. Secluded, but a good area. If you’ve got a better place in mind, I’m all ears.’

Larynx

07-02-2019, 03:22 AM

Watching him so casually pull himself up onto the counter, she bit her lip. Would it be unnecessarily bitchy to ask him to keep his dusty ass off her granite counters? That shit was expensive and she liked surfaces free of being able to make out whose cheeks had sat there just from the imprints. Looking away, she tapped the paper with her pen, more to steady herself than anything else. Was it unnecessary to do this? Probably. But he was a stranger and she had never felt comfortable going into something without knowing what, at least, to expect in part. It was incredibly easy to walk into a boardroom and have everything needed at her disposal to wow them into a partnership, or new product, even new investments with their clutched-to-their-chest dollars. She had never been wrong in delivering an effective and often lucrative product in a long time. The man before her though was more than just a product, and she was not naive in thinking of covering her ass before things came to it. Perhaps, she had jumped the gun on it, but she still distrusted him.

Ignoring the question of misunderstandings was easy, but she looked up in slight surprise at the mention of broken things and a "cabin in the woods". Glancing around the room, she realized that there was truth in it. She would hate to have to replace her paintings and sculptures, a few of which being her own creation, hanging off walls or displayed prominently on pedestals and platforms, or shelves meant to be viewed and admired gently rather than be threatened in the wake of...whatever it was that this shifting training would entail. If he was suggesting it, there must be a reasonable expectation of things going south or at least definitely unkind to precious art. There was also the ideal of being far enough away from the public to avoid notice. There was also the not so quiet nature her shifting presented, especially if every time was going to be like the first. A shiver shook down her spine. "I do not... that does not sound appealing but I will defer to your judgement." The pen moved swiftly across the no longer blank paper. A paragraph of prefacing information having been hashed out as he was speaking. "I think we have an element there in agreeing to defer to the more experienced party's judgement. However, I think what is more important is to first agree upon what we expect." Inhaling softly, she continued. "I expect to be not only competent but, exceeding in my ability to exist as a...shifter in all areas a shifter should." Good it was easier the second time there. "I...expect to be able to live with this as normally as possible." Feeling the slight hitch in her voice, she looked up and was surprised to be met with steady one. Blue eyes that held some sense of strength there, despite the weariness. Rather than look away this time, she held his with her own hazel ones. If she followed the line of his jaw...he was handsome if she let herself continue this train of thought. "I shall take responsibility for payment of travel, operational, and materials costs within reasonable argument that they part of learning what this shit is all about." She could feel herself staring at him, eyes not leaving his. She just hoped that all those boardroom sessions had schooled her face, as they should have. "This is not to be abused...This agreement is not to go beyond that of a platonic state." She continued, finally breaking eye contact to write this out. Yet, she knew that was not the entire reason she broke away from his gaze. It felt like forever ago, yet still stung more than she wanted to.

"Is there anything you would like added? I can type this up with a few additions and ready to be signed. I do not expect either of us to miss out on what claws and teeth can do to each other, either." Fingers moved the pen in a feigned slowed pace. She told herself that as anxious as she was, that had never held her back before. This was no time to start.

{That ending is shitty but oh well}

AgroShadow

07-02-2019, 11:05 PM

This. This was why he never dealt with people. ‘I will defer to your judgement.’ What the hell was that all about? Good lord, this woman was gonna give him a run for his money. He should have expected this from a woman named Arianna. Strange names made for strange people. Mason kept listening to her spiel, but there was that word again, defer. Glad to know that she would at least consider his options, but that didn’t mean she would follow through. She had a strong personality, and he felt that she probably got most of what she wanted with that personality. After all, she seemed proud of her surroundings so that was enough to tell him she worked hard for all of this. However, he was proud of his life too. It took him awhile to get where he was, but it worked for him. When she met his gaze, he held it. He would not be the first to back down from this, deciding an agreement or not, he knew a challenge. He didn’t miss the hitch in her voice as she spoke. He could tell he made her uncomfortable. She was thrust into the shifter part of the world and he knew more about it then she did. He figured it wasn’t often that someone beat her out in knowledge and experience in her line of work. This was going to make for an interesting ‘platonic state’ of relationship.

He listened quietly to the rest of her agreements. When she finished, he paused for a moment before replying. ’How long do you think it’s going to take to learn all these new things about you? Let alone how long do you want to learn things from me? This is a skill where you keep learning for years to come. There’s always new things people like us are figuring out about our abilities. I’m willing to teach you just the basics, if that’s what you want...’ He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he continued, ’But I have a feeling we’re gonna need more than the basics for you. The way you shift, it’s not what I’m used to seeing. It’s gonna take some trial and error, and possibly some extra help. I’m willing to give you all I know about these things, but I have to know that you’re not going to use this information to gain anything but your own knowledge and the skills will only be yours to use.’ He didn’t get the impression that she would use these sort of things against his kind, but it was always a worry of his. He watched her continue to write down what was conversed between the two of them. Never had he dealt with someone so formal and persistent as this one.

Sighing he slid down off the counter, grabbing his bowl from breakfast in the process. He finished cleaning up his mess then leaned back against the counter. ’Is there anything else you might have wanted covered?’ unless she wanted his blood type and birthday, he couldn’t imagine there would be much more that needed to be said about this ‘platonic state’ as she put it.

Larynx

07-21-2019, 08:46 PM

Listening to him ask of her expectations took her by surprise. She had not expected him to return with such a response. He had not exactly struck her as the type to really care about the details of things, especially of something like a contract. It was...good. She did not have much patience for individuals who dismissed things lightly. As she watched him though, she felt an earnestness there behind his words as he continued. Apparently this type of thing must happen more often than she would have thought if it was his first real input into the contract. "I...don't know." She began, softly, hesitantly. It was not easy to think very long term about something five minutes ago she had thought only existed in fairy tales. All she knew fro certain was what she had already said. "I told you I want to be competent. Enough to manage this and go about my life as normally as possible. I think that would be your call to make more than mine at this point. I am not going to ignore my own abilities when they develop but the point is still true." She could feel irritation start to color her words. She rubbed her throat absently, soothing the rawness she felt there she could only attribute to having snapped back and forth between feline and human structure. "However long it takes." She said finally, after giving it some thought and failing to remove all of the color from her words.
"I...will not use it against...shifters."

"What about your blood type?" She asked quickly, looking up to meet the man's eyes once more. A smile creeped at the edge of her lips. If he was going to be an ass about it, maybe she could at least get some entertainment out of it. Especially if he was going to be this way for the entirety of their...agreement. Without waiting for a response, she rose to her feet and set the notebook down at her desk. Turning to face him, she took him in again. This time trying to tell herself to look at him as more a partner than some stray. There was still the gaunt, tall man. Neglect shone in all the places she knew to look and that came easily. Harder to see was the way he stood up straight, no hint of a slouch, which she had often seen in tall men even in her own circle with the best suits at their disposal. "When do you want to get this started? When do you want to leave?" The words left her mouth before she could stop them. Now that they were spoken out loud she couldn't see anything holding them back. Work could be dealt with. She was the goddamn head of the department. Vacation days were nonexistent to her any other day of the year.

:TIME SKIP:

The road ahead of her was empty and stretched seemingly endless miles further into the distance, curving lightly towards their destination.This would not be the farthest she had traveled by far but perhaps one of the most important ones. And one of the most awkward, though that was not unexpected. Glancing to the passenger beside her, she didn't know why she did every so often expecting someone else to be there. There was no way around it. She would have to grit her teeth and get herself through it. IF she continued to let herself think of this whole endeavor as a chore instead of something like an in development phase she'd turn this car around and drop him off at the next gas station. That probably would not phase him int eh slightest though. In the minimal time they'd spent together, she had the feeling he was just fine finding his way from situations just like that or worse, and for better or worse that was a skill that served him very well. That was admirable regardless of where you were in life and was not always present in everyone. Shaking her head to herself she told herself to relax. So far all was well and going according to contract, nobody had died, the tank was full and they were headed in the right direction.

Things were going as well as they could all things considered. If she were honest with herself, the drive had given her time to realize that she was excited about trying out her new abilities. As painful as it was, and the soft keen of the feline entity reminder her, there was an allure. To allow a full immersion in what was so new but felt like it could so familiar yet so thrilling at the same time. This cabin was sounding better and better the more she let her thoughts wander down its unknown paths in the woods. "How much longer to the cabin?" She asked, breaking the silence they had been sitting in, looking to what the GPS displayed.

AgroShadow

07-27-2019, 03:20 AM

The last couple hours seemed to blur together. Mainly it was more him watching her gather her things to get ready for the trip to his cabin, as he already had everything on him. Settling into his seat in the vehicle was another matter. Mason was not used to sitting for long periods of time, and this was going to be a long ride. Knowing the general area of his cabin, he was able to give her side streets, but he was unsure just where it located on a map. However, he couldn't help but feel giddy about returning to his home in the mountains. He had gotten a late start on getting there this year, and it left him here. Summer months for him were spent high in altitude, avoiding the worst of the heat in the middle months. Late fall usually brought him back down, as the game in the area all migrate away. If there was a way he could figure out how to store meat longer without electricity, he would never show his face in the cities again. Living in solitude was his dream, but he had yet a way to accomplish that. And now here he was bringing a total stranger into his home. Glancing over at her, she seemed at ease driving for such a time, something he would never be accustom to. Driving was a skill that he never really practiced much. Sure he knew how to do it, but it made him uncomfortable that he was not every good at it.

'Hmm?' Realizing she had said something, he blinked and looked at her. 'Oh, um, maybe another hour or so...? The landscape looks familiar but I'm always on foot, hiking in. There's a dirt road, maybe 5 or 6 miles up that goes northwest, take that and we'll go as far as we can. If we are lucky it'll be clear all the way there, I don't think there were any major avalanches this last winter that would have knocked stuff down.' Rubbing the back of his neck in a relaxing manner, he realized his shoulders and lower back were feeling tight for having staying in a stationary position for so long. He hoped it wouldn't be more than what he had said. Even if he hadn't been stiff, this ride was still awkward on a personal level. There was nothing to talk about between the two of them. He couldn't even remember the last time he had to start a conversation with someone he didn't know. What was a decent question to ask in this situation? What was your childhood like? Yeah, that's a real good one. Letting a sigh out through his nose slowly, he figured silence was better than painful conversations. He propped his head on his hand, his forehead resting against the glass of the window. His eyes lazily followed trees as they passed, growing thicker the further drifted into the mountain. The road grew more less like a road and more like a game trail, his head jostling with every bump the tires hit. One hit just right and his head swung back and came forward to smack the glass with a little thud. 'Shit.' Rubbing the now red mark on his forehead, he turned his head back to the window, hoping that what just happened quickly faded from her attention. Just as he was gonna lean back in the seat, he spotted something outside against a tree. 'Hold on, stop the car!' Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Mason was already outside the door, heading toward what he had spotted.

Jogging over to the spot, a boyish grin spread across his face with what he observed. It was one of his little markers, showing him the edge of where his property was. Just a small board, nailed to a tree, with a design carved into it and painted. The paint was fading, but it was still a blue that stood out against the tree it was attached to. He looked over his shoulder while pointing to a spot and shouted at the woman still in the car. 'Swing your car between those two trees over there and park it! We're here!' With that, he disappeared through the woods, going toward what they had been searching for. Once he broke through the treeline, his eyes were met by a welcome site. There in the middle of a little meadow, was a small but sturdy cabin. The front was welcoming with a small walk around porch that housed a couple chairs. Mason went up the porch, pulling a key from a little notch in the outside wall, he popped open the door. His nose was hit with a musty scent of dust and stale air. The inside was small, but livable. In the corner there was a wood stove to provide cooking and heat when it got cooler, a small table with two chairs were set up next to it. Sweeping to the right of that was a doorway into a room that housed a cot where Mason slept and small chest for belongings and just to the right of that room was yet another room that housed a cot, however it was covered in few things Mason used regularly including a couple rifles and hides from his previous summer. He would have to clean the room for Arianna, but that could wait till a little later. Satisfied that things were still where they were supposed to be, he popped his head back out the front door. 'It's small, but it'll work for what we need. There's an outhouse around back a few yards away from here when you need it. And if you're willing to take a walk about a mile east of here, there are a few hot springs you can find for bathing and swimming... Hopefully you'll enjoy it here while you have to be here.' He gave a small smile at her, hoping she would enjoy it here as much as he did. There were many things to do to set up the place, but for now, he went and helped pull her things out of the car.

Larynx

08-10-2019, 01:29 AM

There was no time to react before he practically vaulted out of the car and nearly trampled through the brush on his path to some random tree. Putting the car fully in park, she followed him to observe his examination of what appeared to be a well worn, handmade sign stapled into the bark of a pine. Trying to look closer herself, she could see how it would be easily missed if you didn't know what to look for. Well worn was a fond description. It had obviously seen many seasons of nature, rendering the dark design nearly faded away apart from the center, and deeper gouges collected and held the paint. Oh. Apparently this was not good enough of a parking spot, she huffed to herself as his muffled shouts reached her ears. She picked two random trees standing close but apart enough for car to slide through. That vague wave did not qualify as actual directions. It did make sense to keep the car out of sight if he wanted to keep this place from being discovered, however well meaning the finders might be. Especially, she supposed if they were definitely not well meaning. She took a few moments to look around and at least get an idea of what the area looked like. If they were meant to be here for an extended stay she wanted to be familiar with at least the general area to find it again if need be.

That observation was interrupted when she realized that no sound but the chatter and calls of birds filled the air. Turning back int he direction of the sign, she was surprised to see that she was alone. In some god-forsaken random patch of forest, with no real idea of what was around but the last convenience stop thirty miles from them. How fucking cliche to be a victim in the woods with some random man she had just met. It was not difficult to push her legs into a semi-confident walk forward in the direction she had last seen him saunter off into, finding herself pushing aside some long branches as she went. "Oh." The breath of surprise left her lips before she could stop it. It was...the cabin. Literally standing just behind the treeline from the sign, perfectly blocked from at least one direction and as she took a quick sweep around it, looked like from most other angles as well. It was not as small a building as she thought it would be. It was likely all the years of refusing camping trips or summer camp offers since fifth grade had kept her ignorant of anything but massive "vacation cabins" and one room log houses from Westerns and history books.

The head that popped through the door made her jump out of her skin. She eyed him as he explained the cabin and all of its glamour. Immediately her hope of something decent were dashed. The smile that pulled at his lips caught her eye though. He was....excited. It was clear that he loved this place, was excited to be back even if it were not an immaculate two storied "authentic" cabin with a lake view. Dark eyebrows rose as the man proceeded to jump down from the front steps, breeze past her, and presumably toward the car.

~~

Bags hit the cabin floor with a soft thud. Instantly puffs of dust wafted up from the floorboards and swung her into a fit of coughs. "How- long has it been since you- had a maid clean up in here?!"She gasped between coughs, narrowing her eyes and turning to look at him. Waving her hand through the air to try and clear it, she moved away to the kitchen. Hesitantly she opened a cabinet, not sure if she would find actual kitchenware or something handmade. Downing a full glass of water, she rubbed her throat as she leaned against the counter to look around at this place. It was not falling apart, but definitely had a certain air of being maintained with perhaps not the best upkeep, but enough to keep the walls sealed and thankfully no piles of dead bugs or random dead forest creatures. Apart from being dusty, it looked...comfortable enough. Even quite cozy if she let herself remember her time spent at one summer camp. Despite no cooling, it was comfortably cool. The air inside was a little musty, and maybe even a little nose-wrinkling. Throw the windows open and she imagined that it would air out and be much better. Traveling along the walls, she spotted two rooms holding cots, one with gear laid carefully out onto it. The metal and wood caught the later afternoon sun and gave off a well cared for gleam, despite being as dusty as the rest of the place, but she looked away. His personal things were her personal things, regardless of if they'd just met. She was not sure of how to proceed now that they had sort of moved in.

She had not realized that they would be doing this arrangement in what was obviously a home to him. The excitement to be back here took on a new understanding. No wonder he had acted how he had to show her this. Light eyes came to rest on the man who had brought them here. "It's been a while since you've been back here hasn't it?" She asked softly, eyes rising to meet his own.

AgroShadow

08-10-2019, 02:48 AM

Mason could see the rise of dust as the bags hit the ground. At the mention of a maid, however, a look of bewilderment was plastered on his face as he watched her move toward the kitchen for a large glass of water. Before he could help it, a loud laugh burst from him. ‘You’re in for an awakening up here. This is a self serve cabin, you want some thing, grab it. You need to clean something, you do it yourself.’ He may have been a male who didn’t mind a dirty area now and again, but he took pride in his little abode. It had taken him years to get the cabin the way he wanted. Everything in the kitchen wasn’t all pretty to look at, but it was functional, metal and glass tended to be the best option for dishes and kitchen equipment, lasting the longest. He had plenty of blankets and all the things needed for living comfortably, not fashionably as he could imagine she was used to. Grinning at her, he moved into the spare bedroom and pulled his hunting equipment out. It consisted of two rifles, a shot gun, and a compound bow and some arrows. ‘I suggest you get used to learning how to use and take care of one or more of these as well, if you don’t wanna starve up here either. But that’s for another time,’ He gave her a wink, before continuing, ’As for right now let’s get thing settled and a little less dusty.’ He went into his room and carefully set his things down on his bed. Glancing down at his old shirt and sad looking pants, he quickly grabbed better fitting and more visually appealing clothes and switched out of the old stuff. Already he felt better and more at home. With that, he took his old clothes and opened the front door of the cabin and tossed them into the fire pit laying a few feet from the front porch. It would work as great kindling for later when he lit a fire, after all, there was no need to keep them now.

Once he finished cleaning out his objects from the spare room, he picked up her bags and set them gently on the floor at the foot of the cot. Coming back out of the room, he caught her soft question. His eyes met hers as he answered. ‘It’s been a little more than a year I think. I got injured before winter and knew I wouldn’t be able to survive up here with it. So, I dragged my ass back to the awful cities so I could get some medical care and get better. I was on my way back here when you so graciously brought me to your wonderfully air conditioned house.’ He wandered over to a small cabinet that was as nearly as tall as he was. Popping it open, he pulled out a broom that had a dust pan attached to it. Leaning it against the wall, he moved to open the window. Once unlocked, his muscles strained to open it after it had lain dormant for so long. With a grunt, the window finally gave away and popped open, letting a light breeze flow through and stir up some more dust laying around the place. He moved to the opposite end of the cabin and proceeded to open two more windows so the breeze blew though cleanly, taking some of the dust and musty smell with it. Turning back to the female, he leaned his hips against the window ledge, looking at her. ‘I know it’s not much, but I’ll do everything I can to make your stay here the best I can.’ A soft smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he admired her standing there. It was the first time he looked at her, actually looked. She was attractive, her long dark hair offset with lighter blue eyes. Shaking his head slightly, he grabbed some rags and the broom off the wall and heals both out to her. ‘So what’s your pick, sweeping or wiping down surfaces?’ He flashed white teeth in a smile as mirth dance in his eyes.

Larynx

08-21-2019, 01:27 AM

"It was a joke." She growled quietly to herself, as the man let out an unnecessarily loud laugh. The bubble of irritation grew quickly to more than just a bubble at the assumption. She bristled, mouth opening to issue forth a just as sharp retort. No sound was released, as instead, teeth clicked together. This was not the way to get to know each other, with sharp remarks and assumptions. If she were to live up to his expectations of being a naive rich city girl there would only be more steps to take away from it. Building rapport, trust, ignoring slights....all elements necessary to cultivate investors and buyers.

Blue eyes widened at the thought of having to use firearms. Even wider for the knowledge that they would be used to feed themselves during their stay. That train of thought had not in the slightest come to her, although it really should have, given that she had had really had the information to come to this sort of conclusion. It made perfect sense and really fit well into this whole idea of having to live a certain way to be a shifter. Perhaps especially if the shifter were not from a background like her own. Oh. The newer clothing choices certainly did make the appearance a great deal better. The material clung closer tot he man's frame, emphasizing the thin-ness that had not disappeared, but also a sort of look one obtained when the muscles were worked, kept in use, and kept that way. She quickly looked away before he could catch her, not that she would be ashamed of it. It just would not fall in line with what they were trying to accomplish here. Instead, she said nothing as he began to move about the cabin, trowing open windows as he went. A soft sigh of relief escaped her at the brush of cooler late afternoon air against her skin. Being open, the windows really did do a good job of pulling the air through and she was grateful for it.

"That is kind of you." The days were catching up to her and made her voice soft as she caught the smile edging along his lips. Following it up, she looked away quickly. Striding forward, she took the rags silently. It would be good to have something for her hands to do. If they couldn't be typing they would be making this place reasonable and capable of wrecking less havoc on her lungs with more dust traps. Quietly she set to work, dampening the rag before sweeping it along countertops, worn wooden chairs, the stove...anything that had a layer of what did not belong she set upon it. The work was satisfying, as she wiped away grime a new look from warm stains made wood shine with that traditional cabin look, and seat cushions showed their wear from being used to gather round the center table. It was immensely comforting to watch as this cabin she almost dreaded come to life. Furniture formerly dirty and dusty from being shut up, cleaned up to reveal a solid build and distinctive rough worn look that she knew some would pay well for in their own homes. Standing with a groan, her hands went to lower back, rubbing gently. She took a moment to admire her work and was happy to see that it had indeed made the cabin a much more respectable looking place. Fond memories of that one summer at her grandpa's cabin came back to her. A fire burning bright and warm as they roasted s'mores, curled up with a mug of hot cocoa warming her fingers as they watched snow fall...

AgroShadow

09-08-2019, 03:42 AM

The cabin started looking more and more like when he had left it to get the help he had needed. Seeing it all restored to its glory and looking more like home left a warm feeling in his chest. He was grateful for Arianna’s help in getting it that way, as it took less time with the two of them doing it rather than just himself. Once the area inside the cabin was looking decent, he took himself outside to start chopping the wood that would be needed to keep them warm at night and offer a sense of comfort to the both of them. Once he was in a rhythm, placing the wood, swinging and replacing the remaining, his mind and body fell into a welcome routine. He must have been at it for a little longer than he intended, as he glanced up and noticed that it was now early evening. The crickets had started their nightly singing already, and the mosquitos and other insects had started flying about. Sighing, he leaned his well worn ax against the side of the cabin and grabbed a large armful of the recently chopped wood. He set some of the wood into the fire pit that was just outside the front of the cabin before dropping the rest off on the porch for starting the wood stove later. Returning to the fire pit, he stacked the wood appropriately, shoving his old clothing in the middle of the small pile he created for kindling. Pulling out some flint and a knife from his pocket, he quickly had it smoking with small flames licking at the wood. ‘Hmmph. Good enough.’

Standing up, he wiped his hands on his shorts and started back to the cabin. Letting himself in, he spotted the female with a dazed look on her face as if she were lost in some memory. ‘It’s not so bad once it’s cleaned up, huh?’ Cozy, but satisfying.’ Moving over to the kitchen, he popped open a cabinet and pulled out some dried meat. He always had some for those just Incase moments. ‘Tomorrow I’ll go hunting for something a little more sustainable, but for now we can just munch on this till we are satisfied’ He tossed a bag of it in her direction, pleased that she was able to catch it with ease. She had decent reflexes, which would help in her training at least. ‘There’s a fire going on outside if you wanna relax a bit before we head to bed.’ Walking back outside, he was pleased to see that dusk had come and gone within the half hour, now leaving a soft blue cast on everything in the meadow. He pulled some foldable chairs closer to the flames that were now devouring everything he had put in there.

Sitting there, he began eating the dried meat he had kept for himself. It wasn’t bad, but it was palatable. He glanced up as he heard footsteps approaching him. He watched as Arianna lowered herself into the seat next to his. ‘Thank you. For helping me clean up a bit. It went much quicker than the last time I did it myself.’ He gave a sheepish smile as he continued. ‘What is it you want to work on first...? I’ve never really trained someone in all of this... so it’ll be interesting to say the least.’ He didn’t even know where to start. Did she want to try and shift right away or did she want to learn other things first? Hopefully she had some sort of idea how to approach this whole thing.

Larynx

09-11-2019, 03:05 AM

The...jerky? had the appearance a of any other tried before. Putting it to her nose, she took a curious sniff and satisfied that it at least smelled like she guessed jerky should smell, took a small bite. It wasn't bad. Not great but, not inedible. She had been hoping for something more substantial as a dinner but if he hadn't been back in a while it was unreasonable to expect a fully stocked pantry. Heading outside, following, as she chewed, she was surprised to see just how fast late afternoon had turned into evening. The sky was darkened by a cool deep blue cast, the mountains in the distance dark silhouettes with the last edge of the sinking sun peeking behind before it finally dipped below the horizon. Even as she watched it seemed to slink ever deeper below it, the darkness creeping eagerly in. It was beautiful. The feline within also thought it was beautiful, but for an entirely different reason. With the coming of night meant the coming of skills best practiced by a nocturnal hunter. Catching herself, she lowered down into the chair she'd spotted and shifted her focus on the flames licking at the air instead. It was more of an effort than she thought to tell the entity, no. Definitely not again, not so soon. She was not keen on reliving that experience again, at least not yet. Not until, hopefully, she felt like she had some understanding of what it all was. It was almost as if the man had her thoughts. Glancing his way, she noticed he seemed at ease out here, watching the flames as she did.

Yet, there was a tinge to his words. Was that uncertainty, she was hearing? Maybe not the best thing for him to tell her. "...Maybe, things I should work on before giving in to morphing into a whole other species?" She asked, softly. She definitely was less sure than he was of what sort of things someone like them should know. Another bite of the mysterious jerky made its way tot he young woman's mouth. Chewing contemplatively, "When do you go for your hunts?"

She had never been on a hunt before...or even thought of going on one. She had never thought that appealing but the time off for any real vacation she had never taken anyway. Head of the department and certain privileges within the company for being what she was only got her so far. It either bred resentment from coworkers or you took it upon yourself to actually demonstrate the ability to do her assigned job. It was that or become a shallow, vagrant party girl. She'd tried and it had brought her nothing real. Sighing softly to herself, she wondered if she'd even be able to help him on his hunt. Probably better to let him do it himself as he knew what he was doing. He was already teaching her about this, probably didn't want or need to bring her along. "Never mind. You probably just want to get it over and done with. It would only be another thing to teach me." Turning her gaze up to the sky as she chewed another bite, a soft gasp escaped her before she could catch it.

The sky was dark with the settling of night. But it was not empty. Thousands of tiny pinpricks of burning lights pierced the inky backdrop. Leaning back into the support of her chair, she let her head fall back even further, neck resting on the chair's back. If she looked closer, she could see among the clusters and the far flung lone dots, a slightly more multicolored band streaking all the way across. The longer she peered up at it, the more obvious it became, the more the faint colors differed from the dark space surrounding them. It was recognizable but so much brighter and prettier than she remembered having seen it. "Is the sky like this every night?" She breathed, tracing the Milky Way across the sky as if she had never seen it before. "It is so hard to see them in the city."
It seemed like she could just let herself stare up at the sky for ages and find new stars, it was gorgeous. The soft crackling of the fire burning away, its warmth brushing her feet and legs, and soft chorus of crickets all filled the air as she gazed upon the heavens. A deep sigh and she settled deeper into the chair.

AgroShadow

10-09-2019, 11:42 PM

He pulled a long stick from the ground and shuffled the logs that were in the fire into better positions so they were not giving off so much smoke, as he contemplated what she had said. ’Well, I guess embracing and understanding the other part of you. Once you understand that other half and really accept it everything becomes easier. While my canine might be another species, he’s just another extension of my personality, my body. I don’t know...’ He rubbed the back of his neck as he attempted to put his thought into words that made at least a little sense. ’You can get to know them without having to shift, there’s a drive, almost primal that you can feel, that right there is where they reside. There’s a trick though, it’s also where you can go to shift, but to keep from falling into that, it helps to be doing something more human than animal. So you always have that focus and tether to where you’re at now. If you let that animal part take over... well it can be difficult to come back. We should find something that’s worth coming back for you, to make the transition to returning to your body easier. Is there anything that drives you to be who you are?’ Glancing over at her, he noticed she had leaned her head back to watch the growing stars emerge. The orange soft light of the fire traced her skin, highlighting the lines of her jaw, tracing down her neck and pooling at her collar bone before dropping down dip below the darkness of her shirt. His eyes lingered there for a few seconds before he shook his head slightly to regain his thoughts. ’Uh, yeah, usually. In the winter it’s even more beautiful. When it gets cold enough, you can usually see the Aurora Borealis. One of the reasons I can’t really stand the city, too many artificial things and everything so close together.’

Tossing a few more logs on the fire, he kept his gaze directed at the flames so his eyes didn’t stop and stare at the beautiful woman sitting near him. It had been a long time since he had done anything with a woman, and an even longer time since he had any major feelings for one. He knew what he feeling now was just lust for the touch, he had no emotional attachment to her since it had only been a short time knowing her. But he wasn’t going to say she was unpleasant. ’I usually leave a little bit before the sun comes up, before all the animals start moving around.’ He caught her quickly retracting her statement and he shook his head. ’You’re more than welcome to come. I wouldn’t mind help setting up the smaller traps for rabbits and smaller game. I can show you how to do that, where all the good spots are and leave you in charge of them, if you want of course.’ He turned and gave a wink before standing up and dusting off his shorts. ’We best get some sleep though if we’re going to be getting up that early, it was a long ride up here and I expect we’ll have a busy day tomorrow. We can just leave the fire, it’ll burn out and the smoke will ward off any unwanted visitors.’ He made his way back toward the cabin. Once he was inside, he made his way to his room. Pulling of his shirt he glanced behind him at the female. ’There’s extra blankets in the cabinet if you need them. Sleep well, Arianna.’

——TIME SKIP: Early morning——

He awoke with a jerk, his eyes snapping open to a dark shadowed room. His breathing was heavy and sweat coated his back. Realizing where he was, he brought a hand up and rubbed the nightmare from his eyes. It had been so long since he had one, he thought they were over. Guess not. Sighing, he dragged his legs over the edge of the bed, standing on the cool wood floor. Fishing a shirt out of a drawer, he slid it on as he emerged out into the main part of the cabin. Quietly, he gathered the things he knew he would need. Snares and extra ammo made its way into a well worn pack. He grabbed his rifle and checked to make sure it was still well oiled and loaded. Poking his head into the spare room, his eyes spotted the human figure beneath the covers. Quiet but loud enough he knew she would hear, he spoke. ’Hey sleepyhead, if you’re coming with me, meet me out front in a couple minutes. If you’re not out there, I’ll just assume you need your beauty rest and head off without you.’

Larynx

10-10-2019, 02:19 AM

A soft brush of cool morning air against exposed skin made the young woman try to burrow deeper into the covers. This was too early and he mind and body knew it. As early as she was used to waking, the sun was not as far behind as this was. Keeping eyes closed tightly, she drew the blanket back up to her chin. Sighing softly at the warmth spreading back over formerly exposed skin, she vowed to make herself return to the world of dreams and no worries. She could feel her mind drifting off, breath slowing, and body sinking back into the bed. The voice was like a knife stabbing a balloon full of water. The ease of sleep abruptly popped away, and all sense of it fled. She sat up quickly, only to groan at the quick rush of cooler air replacing her cocoon of warmth. Pressing her hands to her face, she caught the last snippet of words and the sound of him moving away quickly. Off to no doubt get himself together for this god awful morning jaunt. Well it was now or never. Teeth gritted in determination, she threw the blanket off and set to dressing for the adventure ahead.

Stepping out into the living room, she paused and looked over herself. A simple fitted black t-shirt and jeans, and a pair of boots that had not really seen much action since purchased. She was reminded that she had bought them in the hopes that it would be a sort of motivation to get out and do more actual hiking and "roughing it" but those days had never dawned. They felt alright, broken in but it seemed like today would be the ultimate test. The area looked tame enough and he wouldn't have offered it if it weren't impossible, right? Shouldering her backpack, she looked to the front door. It stood opened already, echoing the open invitation from earlier. The cool morning breeze was blowing through it, on which she could smell the last touch of smoke from last night's fire. Stepping through to the doorway, she lingered, where she laid her gaze on her companion. He had not noticed her yet, his focus was on preparations. He was doing something with the rifle, and taking stock of ammo. As she watched he looked out towards the more forested tract of the property. His eyebrows furrowed, mouth stretching into a line. The sky was glowing pink and orange, gradually replacing the cold grey of ended night. The morning sun was making its presence, the first beginnings of morning peeking through and finding the man unobstructed to its soft rays. The face held a strong jaw and eyes that caught the light quickly and seemed sharp and intelligent as they swept through the trees, looking for what she knew not but the concentration held him in full.

"I am ready." She called, letting her presence be known. Looking back toward the cabin, she pulled the door shut firmly behind her. There was a tingle in her veins as she strode purposefully towards him. Maybe it was the morning air being warmed as the sun still hung back but warmed the earth, or the allure of being out and about in exactly what the feline wanted stirred into awareness.
"Where to first?" There were no paths or trails, unless she was just looking in the wrong place. Being a cabin wildlife probably ventured closer but it was still human inhabited so game trails weren't expected to be obvious. Or at least, that made perfect sense but knowing this was his world, she gestured to him to begin the day.

AgroShadow

10-29-2019, 02:44 AM

The cool, crisp morning air filled his lungs as he drew in a deep breath. This was such a nice change compared to the smoggy, crowded city. Where people fluttered about without realizing the air they breathed had no comparison to fresh morning air. His eyes scanned the edge of the clearing, his mind wandering as to where would be a good start for the both of them. The smaller game should be pretty unafraid of things seeing as he had been gone for awhile. Small minded creatures made for easy catches. Something bigger would be a little more difficult to find. It was later in the summer, meaning deer would start making their way down the cooler mountain slopes in order to get ready for the rut. So there was still the chance they would be able to see and possibly catch one of those. A muscle feathered in his jaw as he clenched it and made a decision where they would set off for the day. Leaning over, he doubled checked his bag that he would have the needed materials for setting the snares. Satisfied at what he saw in the bag, he shouldered the bag. Just as he was lifting his rifle strap over his head to settle against the pack, a female voice floated through the morning air. Part of him was slightly surprised she had hauled herself out of the bed. She had looked rather comfortable and warm in the bed, making him slightly jealous he hadn’t been able to sleep like that in awhile.

A smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he glanced her silhouette against the dark cabin behind her. ’We will head East, hopefully we’ll get lucky over that way. Lots of smaller game and sometimes larger, but we’ll see.’ With that, he waited till she was caught up to him before heading off in the direction he had mentioned. It didn’t take long for his legs to start feeling the strain of walking through the unkept forest floor. He had chosen one of the easier routes, game seemed to pass through her often leaving a trail that was easily follows. If your feet were the size of hooves spanning a couple inches that was. His feet were much larger than the actual width of the trail so he found himself embarking on his own trail next to it. Every few yards he would draw in a large breath of air through his nose, scenting the area around him. While his sense of smell wasn’t as strong in this form as it was in his canine part, he could still pick up scents faintly. After walking for close to an hour, he finally drew in a breath that held the faint musty scent of rabbit. Perfect.

Pulling of his pack, he set it on the ground gently, leaving his rifle strapped on his back. Pulling out the snares, he glanced over at the woman that accompanied him. ‘Snares are real easy and very handy if you don’t have the time or energy to catch what you need.’ He pointed over toward a much smaller trail that disappeared under a bush as he continued, ‘There are loads of rabbit trails around if you know where to look. Ones that funnel them into a certain area make for better chances of catching what you need.’ Taking one of the long wires out, he made quick work of setting it up and anchoring it to the ground after draping it over a sturdy branch in the bush. The point was so as the rabbit moved through the circle of the snare, it would get caught and tighten the wire tighter around whatever limb got caught. ‘What do you think? Did you want to set up a few?’ His gaze landed on her, the morning light just now starting to filter though the leaves of the tree, giving her skin a blushed appearance. He found himself staring for a little longer than he would have like and quickly cleared his throat before handing her a few snares and picking more up for himself. ‘So what pressing questions do you have right away?’ He figured they would be here for a bit, so might as well fill the silence while they worked.

Larynx

10-30-2019, 04:03 AM

It was cool. Cool enough to make wearing the jacket just enough cover to keep from feeling chilled. No breeze, thankfully, as that would have made the wind chill the real cold and less bearable. This typical early morning cool of mid-summer was acceptable. Having driven up to a higher elevation she imagined this chill would last until the sun made itself more known. Looking back she was surprised to see how much ground it seemed they had covered. They had gained some slight elevation, and if she peered beneath the branches, through their gaps she could see the cabin, sitting quaintly in its little meadow. From here it looked much cuter and sturdier. A real cabin made to withstand the snow that surely fell in deep drifts, the howling gales, and any flooding from summer storms. She could not follow the path they were on from the meadow to where they were through all of the vegetation and gradual rise, but she could tell they had walked several miles in to this little forest. Turning her gaze from behind to ahead of them, she swung her legs in wider strides to catch up with her guide.

Watching the trees pass by as they strode on, she wondered what exactly he meant by "larger game". Did that mean deer or elk to him? Or merely a large rabbit. She could not tell if he were fully serious or trying to toss a joke in there. Eyeing him she thought it best to take him as serious. Hunting and feeding oneself was probably more serious for him in this environment. The bag swung to the ground quickly and was opened to reveal...what she could only assume were the parts to the snares they had briefly gone over earlier. She followed his gesture to a bush somewhere off in that general direction. An eyebrow arched as she thought it silly she would know really what he was pointing to. "That makes sense." She agreed, nodding, gaze now falling to the materials now in his hands being sorted. She followed, to get a closer look. They looked...simple enough. The concept made sense and if they were still used today by hunters and the like, obviously could work well enough to get the job done of putting something warm in the belly. Rolling the wire between her fingers it was surprisingly thin. To hold a struggling animal she would've thought something a little thicker. Shaking out a small loop she did an exploratory hook over a nearby bush and was satisfied when, after a few tugs it did not give way.

"Yes."Nodding to his offer, she moved off with another to a different spot, checking to see if it was in-line with where the others were, but not so close as to be obvious and hopped over or avoided easily. Giving a bit of a tug one to make sure it held, looped around a thick branch of a natural corridor through some fallen branches, she looked up at the sound a throat clearing and the man moving off as if red-handed. Choosing to ignore it she focused on his hastily asked question instead.

"Well, I guess... how do I control it? How do I do it at will like yourself?" Her gaze followed the man's fingers as they set up another snare a little farther down some trail. "Who can I tell? And...do I have to leave my job? Are there like, entire clans of people like me? How has this not been found out by the, I don't know the whole world? Is this genetic? How...." They came out more easily than expected. And maybe more honest that she would have liked to be with him. She let herself look up from his hands to his face. She did not hold that sea blue gaze for long, looking away and landing upon a small group of sparrows, the fully fledged older and the not quite as large which must be the last of their brood, busily flitting about in the grass. Seemingly un-bothered by the humans as long as they stayed far enough away from their seed hunting. Their life must include the fear of losing their babies to predators, surviving a harsh winter...all while living though every day as an opportunity for some predator to tear them mercilessly from life to fuel their own. Problems so unlike her own. If a tiny thing like them could fight through and live each day until their met their end surely she could through her own. She drew a steadying breath and turned back to him. She sought the gaze and held it this time. "I want to know everything. I want you to teach me, show me, everything. I want to be your best."

AgroShadow

12-08-2019, 03:35 AM

With both of them setting up the snares, they made quick work of all the ones in his bag. Giving the final one a tug, he stood up and dusted the dirt off his pants from kneeling on the ground. Zipping his now empty bag up, he couldn’t help the smile tug at the corner of his mouth as she rambled out all she wanted to know. ‘We’re going to need you to learn more about that kitty cat just hanging out inside of you first before you can at least start to get where I’m at with my canine...’ Once those words were out of his mouth,, an idea sprung to mind. His blue gaze slid over to her as his lips parted to reveal his teeth in a full wolffish smile. ‘How do you feel about meditation? I have an idea. Follow me.’ He shouldered his pack and set off toward another game trail that led to an area he figured might help. As they were walking, he continued to answer her earlier question left as honestly as he could. He was never worried about telling anyone, mainly because he had no one to tell. But he supposed since she was so well set up in the city, she probably knew more people in her day to day life than he had ever met. And not to mention she most likely had a loving family that would be worried about her if she just disappeared like she did. Suddenly a part of him felt guilty for pulling her here. There was no way she was going to stay forever. This isolated lifestyle was not for everyone and after seeing how she lived and worked, he doubted this was a lifestyle she would want for herself.

‘So I suppose you could tell whoever you want, as long as you trust them. I’ve found that people take it different ways. Either in disgust because you’re so different, or way too curious about how everything works in your body, or they just don’t care because they know who you really are. I’ve never really had to break the news to people because I avoid everyone I can.’ He held a particularly thick bunch of bish limbs out of the way for her as she followed through. His eyes tracked her movements as she walked past, her head held high and her body sure of with every step. ‘You can do anything you want. This isn’t a disability like some might think but just more of an extension of your personality. Everyone I know with this ability lives a normal life, most in the city and a few out in areas like this. Some have families with people that aren’t shifters. Once you’re comfortable with your ability, things become easier. We’re going to get you to a place where you aren’t afraid of this. And then you can decide how you want to deal with it and where you want to go from here. There are quite a few of us out there, but it’s a rare thing to have. I’m sure people have their guesses that we exist but we try not to make it too public since a lot of us don’t enjoy being looked at and tested on. As far as I know, there is no known reason why we have this ability and it seems to be completely random but I have heard of shifters having offspring that shift as well. So it’s hard to say where it comes from and why it happens.’

Running a hand through his hair, he could feel the beginnings of the day heating up by the small amount of sweat collecting in his hair line. Sure enough as he glanced up though the branches, he could see the sun had begun its climb toward the center of the sky. It just have been mid morning by now, and the day was promising to be a warm one. Sighing, he paused for a moment and listened. The birds were going about their day, flitting about and chirping as they continued. Once he sorted out the sounds of nature, he heard what he had been looking for. The softest sound of a trickling stream fought to be noticed through the sounds of everything else. He headed in that direction, hoping Arianna was still following. It wasn’t long before he eyes found the source of the trickling. It was a decent size stream, moving peacefully in the forest around them. Everything seemed to quiet down around it, providing for the perfect area to do what he was hoping for.

Turning toward the female, he gestured to the area around them. ‘This is a good place to start if you’re up for it. We’ll have to wait a bit anyway if we hope to catch anything from the snares, so we might as well make the most of the time. I want you to sit and just listen, to everything around you, but mainly just yourself. Find out where that cat likes to hang out and become familiar with it. Do not, and I mean it, do not touch it unless you want to shift. I just want you to find where you can reach for her. You can talk to her and see if she’s in a talking mood, but I have a feeling she might test you a bit because of her species.’ He gave her a wink before continuing, ‘I’ll be here, but I also won’t be. Take your time and tell me when you’re ready to go, but I want you to learn something before you’re done. Just remember you can’t be scared of this, you’re going to have to learn to live with it.’ With that, he gave her a soft smile, set down all of his items, and with a soft sigh he shifted. A large white dog stood where a man was once, blue gaze holding the female standing in front of him. Giving a little tail wag, he padded over to an area where the sunlight was streaming though the trees, giving him a direct beam of sunlight. He stretched out his upper half and let out a large yawn before flopping down in the soft grass and shutting his eyes.

Larynx

12-08-2019, 04:50 AM

Following after him, she hesitated when the man set his things down and the...shift began. It was not sudden so much as watching water bend and course smoothly and unimpressed around a large rock set upon its riverbed. The bipedal figure bent to assume one with paws that sprouted from their fingers before they reached the ground, and as they did fur erupted across the skin, a coat of white now catching the early afternoon light not caught away by the canopy overhead. Somehow it was recognized that this coat had a much better appearance. The white was truly white and stood out from the surrounding forest, even before it fully enclosed the man. She took in the muscle and bone snapping froward into place to make a longer distinctly canine muzzle sprout from his face, the fangs bared before draped behind their lips. As the tail curled above the dog's back, she realized it was over. That it was done. It seemed to take forever and no time at all. But it was...painless. No howls of some half human half animal throat. No obvious, loud cracks of bone and tendon jumping into place as they changed their species. What stood before her was a fully morphed person and he was totally comfortable, pink tongue casually lolling to one side in the early afternoon heat. She could feel envy surge from deep within. An unsettling heat there, too. This must be what it was like, truly. She turned away as the shepherd stepped deeper into the clearing, coat catching the light even more and blowing him out in the increased sun.

"I have never done anything to do with meditation." She began, only to see that Mason had decided now was a great time to shut his eyes for an afternoon nap. Teeth clicking, she set herself in a shaded pocket facing the clearing and the shepherd, trying to keep her annoyance at bay. This was not a great example of his teaching methods. Legs crossed she leaned back against the tree. And...with an irritated sigh, closed her eyes too. Slowly she sought out the cat....

...And found nothing. All that she had gained was a slow trickle of sweat down the back of her neck, between her thighs, and grass and poking uncomfortably at her ass and back. Not much time had passed but Mason was still asleep, seemingly at ease and taking advantage of the reflective nature of his coat while still being able to soak up some of the sun's warmth. She chucked a small rock off into the grass in frustration "Ugh!". The forest grew silent almost immediately at the unfamiliar sound. She shut her eyes again and tried to refocus. After a few minutes, the birdsong gradually resumed to its full retinue. There was a soft trill of something off to the right, low and soft. It was not very loud or full as it was afternoon but if she strained she could hear the beating of what she guessed was a woodpecker storing its lunch, the low drumming buzz of a beehive somewhere near and their inhabitants flitting from flower to flower all along the meadow. Over everything there was the soft rustle of the trees. Their leaves caught in the breeze and their branches swayed to a comforting rhythm. With a soft trill of excitement the cat came forward, cautious but eager as the sounds of a wild place came to it. She crooned to it, beckoned it to come forward and give her what she knew it could. Before she remembered it was not all together a fond memory.

It obliged. "Oh fuck. Ma-." Was all that escaped before she slung forward as the transformation began and with it flashes of blinding pain. An explosion of bone, muscle, and furious pain. Her limbs snapped down to less than half their length, even as fangs slipped between human teeth. Patches of inky fur swept across the body, reaching a newly formed tail and pinned ears. She knew her mouth was open, human or feline she did not know, but she did know that some mangled scream of agony flew from it. The claws sprang eagerly forward, kneading the forest soil with delight even before Arianna could realize that it was over. As abruptly as it started, it was complete. Now she was looking through eyes that caught the shepherd's and were unafraid. She looked away and instead eagerly swept the forest around them, ears pricked for a signal to hunt. She could feel the feline quiver with excitement.

AgroShadow

12-09-2019, 02:58 AM

He could hear her frustrations every time she let them slip. Her uneven breathing, her annoyed sounds. It was amusing, in a way. Lazily, his ear flicked slightly as he heard the soft thud of a rock hitting the grass. Letting out a long sigh, he cracked an eye open and spotted her closing her eyes once again as she fought to settle down. Satisfied when he finally saw her take a long breath and lean into herself, he let his eye close once again. It grew quiet, just the sound of their breathing, swaying in and out with the sound of the stream and the slight breeze blowing through the trees. The soft scents of the area brushed against his muzzle, bringing all the wonderful feelings of being free. He had missed this place, to be able to run about with not a care in the world. At the sound of a sharp intake of breath and a curse with what sounded like the start of his name, his eyes flew open. Where there once was a woman sitting, a feline form was taking shape. Hands became paws, ears sprouted from hair that shifted down into fur. A half human and feline screech hit his ears like nails taking down a chalkboard. With that, he pulled his body up, standing and facing the small cat that now stood there. Fuck. He had told her not to touch the cat, but it seems like she was unable to follow any sort of instruction. Snorting with disappointment, he lowered his haunches for the ground.

Mason could see the wildness in those eyes. The thrill of being a swift and cunning predator. His own instincts began to arise. His body bringing to twitch and roll with excitement at the thought of chasing and running. While he knew he shouldn’t indulge in those feelings but it had been so long since he had gone for a run. And now, with someone else to do it with... Shaking his head, he cleared the thought. However his body made no move to relax, his muscles tensing even more, ready to spring from his sitting position. Oh, fuck it all. With that, he lunged forward letting out a loud bark at the feline as he zoomed past. Claws dig into the soft earth, propelling him forward. Muscles rippled under his pelt as trees flew by in his field of view. He didn’t even check to see if he was being followed, the thrill fully taking him over as he let the canine wash over him and take full control.

His tongue lolled out the side of his mouth as the air rushed through him with each breath he takes. His paw thud against the ground in a rhythmic fashion as he kept running. Smaller animals scatter as he bursts through the forest, no reason to remain silent here. Noticing a familiar scent he curved off to the right, breaking through the trees into a small clearing. Just beyond the clearing stands the edge of the mountain they had climbed earlier, the clearing sloping down until a sheer edge appears. Slowing to a stop, he stood there looking over the vast mountain range spread before him. Scents wafted up from the push of the wind, consisting of animals and nature. Suddenly the thought of the feline crossed his mind. Mason reined in some control, just enough to turn himself around and start looking for her. Growling to himself, he knew he messed up. This wasn’t a very good way to teach someone to learn about all this, maybe it’d be best to find her someone much more capable. With a swish of his tail, he started trotting back the way he came.

Larynx

12-11-2019, 11:10 PM

The sun was bright and warm. The soil underfoot was still damp from a previous rain, yet still yielded enough scent to follow a faint trail to little morsels that scurried and squeaked in their dens. Before she could stop herself, little black paws were carrying her after it, nose to the ground at intervals to check her progress. Except..she paused and turned back to the meadow. It stood empty besides the bees about their all important nectar gathering and the sun filtering through more strongly now with afternoon in full. Perhaps she should wait for her teacher to return. The feline gave an unapologetic huff at that. He had bounded past her in sheer exhilaration it seemed, bounced up to her with that gargantuan mouth and barked at her of all things before disappearing away into the forest to some unknown destination. Not a very dignified invitation to...whatever it was supposed to be.

Very well then. She took the time to examine how this really felt. She could feel the feline quivering and urging her to abandon anything else but the sheer delight of animal instincts. Somehow, she knew this, though if asked would not be able to describe just how she knew this. It was like another piece of consciousness that was with her at all times, there in the back but just as distinct as another person.

Lowering her haunches to the ground, she watched as the canine returned, form slipping from the trees to the meadow with surprising ease. He must have been all over this area in both forms. That sort of ease with which he had led her off this morning and now moved about the meadow was only gained from familiarity. As well a confidence in his own ability. The canine seemed surprised not to find her where she last was. That nose of his would probably find her before his own blue eyes did, so she was content to have this moment to herself to watch another of her kind move about in its other suit. He was definitely not as bad looking this time as the last time she had really gotten a good look at him, nose turning up to the air to catch her scent. He was a tall dog, long pale legs covering the ground with equal strides as he angled about to let his nose do the work. She wondered just how easy it would be to let herself fall into this part of her and let it take over. How...fun it could be to lead the dog on her own little chase through the forest and put him to work this time. Knowing he would not be far behind made it very tempting and the cat agreed eagerly. It was not fond of being coddled, which given her newness to it was surprising to her. Perhaps he underestimated the instinct that seemed to pound with glee at the thought of leaving him behind and surrendering to the wilds. Even as she saw him pad slowly forward and ever closer to her, she crouched. It would be very easy indeed.

Edging from beneath her low bush of cover she met those blue eyes with her own. Peering at him a low and excited chirp escaped her. Her muscles tightened, and before he could be upon her with that great big nose of his she leaped forward and away into the forest. The forest sweeping past in swathes of green and brown she ran, letting the cat take her wherever it wanted. Darting around and through brush she ran, letting her dark pelt momentarily conceal her in their depths before springing out just out of the following dog's reach, only to dart away again. It was glorious knowing that this body was hers and was seemingly infallible. She sent herself through brush and up fallen logs without hesitation. Bounding through, up, or over any obstacle that popped up during this chase, she quickly gained distance on the canine. Leaping up onto a rocky outcrop she paused. Pounding heart, the quivering of muscles beginning to tire, and the blood rushing through her, all while the forest continued its soft sounds of life that made her almost ache to run after them...This...felt alive.

Heavy footfalls and rough panting caught her ears long before the dog actually managed to show up. Not very well acquainted with dogs and their behavior, she could tell Mason seemed irritated. Lowering her haunches to the cool rock though, she was content to stay above him. She was not about to be scolded for indulging herself to the same reaction he had only minutes before, either. A soft meow was all she released, a happy, tired meow.

AgroShadow

12-12-2019, 05:20 AM

It wasn’t difficult to find his way back to the little clearing he had left the feline in moments ago. He could easily catch her scent in the breeze. It was so different than the other scents that he was so familiar with here. However when he trotted in, he didn’t see her at first, but her scent led him toward a bush where he could see some movement. Before he was able to get closer than a few feet, some sort of chirp was released from her and she took of. Oh, so this is what it was going to be. Letting out a bark of excitement, he took off after her. While he could smell her the whole way, his eyes lost track of her when she darted into the shadows of the forest. she kept things interesting by coming just within reach of him, but before he could act on it, she was gone in a flash of fur and paws. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he pushed himself harder, his legs bunching and propelling him forward with every powerful stride. Gods she was fast. No matter how much he pushed himself to try and match her speed, his large body would just not match her. It was odd being bested at something. He had lived in these mountains for years and it had only ever been him, no one else to challenge him the way she did. She seemed at ease, leaping over the fallen trees and rocks with nothing but a whisper of her paws leaving the ground. So she enjoyed this. He caught the gleam of the thrill in her eyes when she was close enough. If anything she would learn how to enjoy this second form she could inhabit.

He caught the sound of her steps slowing and he pulled himself up as well. He spotted the feline sitting atop a nice rock outcrop. Too high for him to reach in this form. One of the things he would never master as a canine, climbing. He let out a low growl of frustration between his panting. After the run it left his tongue lolling. Lacking the ability to sweat in this form was unappealing. He caught the little meow released from her. It sounded like she had thoroughly enjoyed her little romp through the area. For good measure he gave a low huff at the feline before plopping himself down in the shade and cool dirt.

It had been awhile since he had had that much fun. The excitement of the chase left him giddy and happy despite not being able to catch her. The breeze picked up for a moment and he lifted his head into it, savoring the feel of it rustling his fur. His nose twitched as it caught the scents it brought with him. However one hit him and he stood up abruptly. He knew that scent. It was faint, but recognizable. Forgetting about the feline on the rock, he padded toward where the scent had been carried from. It didn’t take him long to find it. A fallen tree was wedged up against another one, creating a little lean to that had what looked like a makeshift bed in there for some sort of animal. Sticking his head in, he moved the vegetation around with his muzzle to stir the smells up even more. It had been quite a few days since they had been here, the scent just now starting to fade. Maybe close to a week ago. Letting out a soft snort, he pulled his head away and turned back around to go back to where he left the feline. He didn’t know if the owner of the scent was still around, but if they were, he was sure they would make themselves known once they realized he had returned home.

Once he was back with Arianna, he flicked his tail slightly and trotted past. They needed to get back to where he had left his stuff and they still needed to check the snares before they got back to the cabin. However his mind was still lingering on that scent he had caught. It was enough to leave him wondering where the owner was and if they were still around. Also, why is it they came here when they had so many other places to go? Sighing, he glanced around him and noted he still had a ways to go before they reached the stream. He hadn’t realized they had ran so far away. His ears twitched slightly, picking up the sound of little paw steps following after him. He hoped that when they got back she’d be able to shift herself back. Best scenario would be she could do it tonight, worst would be a couple days. It would be another test she would just have to overcome. The sound of the stream broke through his thoughts. Once he could see where his stuff was, he willed himself back into his human form. His muscles were sore from the run and transformation. Stretching out his body, he glanced back at the feline as he re shouldered his backpack and rifle. ‘We should head back and check the snares as we head back down to the cabin. I don’t expect you to be able to shift back quite yet, so take your time on that.’

Larynx

12-18-2019, 05:25 AM

The ears twitching forward and back again let her know that she was either not at quiet as cats were supposed to be or, he was trying to make sure she followed. Choosing to believe the latter, she kept some distance between them but withing view as they made their way back to the first stop. The afternoon was growing warmer as they made their way back down in elevation. She had not realized that had gained as much as they did and was thankful that this form did not seem to mind the work going back down took with shorter strides and smaller paws. It was still very much causing her to stop and stare off after a bird taking flight at their strolling by or the frantic rustlings of smaller forest dwellers in the undergrowth. It urged her to forget following after the man and discover even more wonders of being a predator in this prey-rich world, the undergrowth and their shadows lending well to her success in capturing such prey. It would be an easily forgivable romp, it cooed. More than once she found herself padding away opposite their intended destination, only to pull herself away back to the path and bound after man to catch up. There would be more time for it, she told the feline gently and it growled back but retreated.

Happy at the cooperation and the quieter urging, she padded up closer to the man as he now bent to check what they had set up earlier. She wondered where he had gone while she sat up on the rock. It was something important with the way he had reappeared soon after and immediately indicated to head back. He now seemed preoccupied, going about the snares and starting to retrieve the unsuccessful ones, pausing for a moment and then having to remind himself to continue. Watching the thin wire whip through the long grass as he pulled it up and away into his pack for another day, she meowed softly. She hoped it sounded like a questioning of why they had had to come back so soon. Summer meant there was still some hours left until dusk and still later until full night took over the forest. At the mention of the darker hours of night the feline within gave an excited trill, but she pushed back, thankful it complied. What a temperamental side of her this was. Looking up into the man's face, it was difficult to interpret what she found there. As a feline, now the features and body language was less distinct but she would guess with confidence that he had something he would rather not on his mind. It was there, hard to read, but there. If it were important to this excursion she hoped he would be polite enough to let her know. She had no experience to draw off for how to protect herself this way or how to even really act around others. Sure maybe like a regular old black cat, but she was not just a regular black cat. Every other cat she'd been around had never run from her, even the feral ones that lived, died, and fought in the streets back home. They had peered at her with their golden or jade eyes as if expecting her to join them. Perhaps they were. It definitely made more sense now that they would sensed she was more like them than she ever thought to know. She watched him move steadily along the line to the next one, growing farther away with each, trying to better get to know him and his movements.

The forest gradually came back to its normal sounds as they remained quiet and slow, the birds ad small animals going back to their habits as the more obviously threatening human moved away. Wind rushed softly through the leaves above and the birds still active gave their calls. The soft rustlings caught her attention and without a second thought she crept forward, body lowered to hover just above the ground, and inching cautiously forward. Gaining the cover of the closest but still decent bush, she peered about eagerly for the source. Movement in the shallow depression below some overhanging pine branches caught her attention, and she was surprised to see a bird moving about. A crested head and very brown, it looked about, small dark beak pulling off the needles of the pine. Praising how silent she actually was, she padded forward as quickly as possible, only halting when the bird paused to check its surroundings. Inch by inch she stalked, gaining the distance between them quickly. The bird resumed foraging once again and she took the opportunity. Small black body launched forward, claws extended and sinking deep into the bird's plumage and into beyond into flesh. Her pounded in her ears, and the blood rushed through her excited body. Feathers and soil flew about, but she did not waver, even as the bird turned to brush her with its wings in defense. Twisting the fragile thing's body toward her, she sunk her fangs into its neck, cutting off its rough squawk of surprise and horror.

With the bird dangling pitifully from her mouth, she trotted proudly out from the brush past the man. She set off toward the cabin. She did not know what the man's cooking skills were, but she was immensely proud of herself for having successfully caught something with her own ability and being able to contribute. Long black tail arching overhead, down the slope she went. She was surprised at herself to feel relief when the cabin and its clearing came into view through the trees. Heartbeat winding down and the adrenaline firing her nerves dissipating, Arianna looked forward to the idea of a nap in a good patch of sunlight. In this form or her human one, it sounded delicious after a nice late lunch.

AgroShadow

01-06-2020, 03:10 AM

Finally reaching the area that they had set the snare, he could already see some still grey bodies laying in the soft tufts of grass. So there were at least two that he could see. Hopefully there would be more as he worked getting the lines in. Two little rabbits would not be enough for the both of them, seeing as his stomach was already making some noises at the thought of some sort of sustenance. Bending over, he untangled one of the bodies from the line before wrapping the snare up and sliding it into his pack. He could hear the soft sound of small paws wandering the area behind him, turning to look, his eyes met with those of the feline. The soft meow that had come from her was cute in a way. Quiet and kind of questioning. Glancing up toward the sun, he noticed that he had started bringing them back down sooner than they could have. "Sorry for the early way back, something came across my mind and I just wasn't paying attention. Feel free to explore... and do whatever cats do?" The last part came out more questioning than he would have liked, but what exactly was it that cats did when they were off on their own? He had never found the need to study them, and in fact they posed as more of a nuisance to him more than anything. He knew they were opportunistic, just as he was. But they managed to be more sneaky about it, swooping in when you least expected it. Picking up the catch that had been caught by the snare, he moved on to the next one. This one was unsuccessful, but Mason never left any traps out more than a day unless he knew when he could go back and check them in a timely manner. He owed it to these animals in case the trap failed and didn't go as planned, he could end whatever suffering they might be in.

As it so happened, it seemed to be the case as he came up along the next snare. He could see the wire was pulled taunt and as he approached it the wire wiggled, telling him that there was something on the end of it and still alive. Kneeling down close, he noticed a wide eyed rabbit with it's back leg caught in the snare. It somehow managed to slip enough through the loop to avoid it's neck and end up on it's rear leg. He quickly reached for it, his hand wrapping firmly around the base of skull and the rest of it's body. With a quick jerk of his arm, the rabbit stilled. He placed the body with the other one in the grass, and he kept moving along the line. He hadn't heard the little feline make another appearance, so he assumed she had run off to do whatever it was she wanted. In a short amount of time, he had finished cleaning up the snares they had set out. Overall there was five rabbits that they would be able to clean up and eat, which was decent for the day. It would leave them with full bellies and some pelts to use for later purposes. Just as he was wrapping up the last of his snares and setting in his pack, some movement caught his eye. Turning to see what it was, he caught sight of something wonderful. Letting out a low chuckle, he couldn't help but be slightly impressed that she had caught something. The bird swayed back and forth as she set off down the rest of the mountain with a knowing prance. Shaking his head slightly, he followed after her with all of the rest of the catches they made today.

They walked in silence, her paw steps much quieter than his large feet. But what was there to say to something that couldn't talk back to him? Not only because she was feline, but because of the bird dangling from her maw. After walking for awhile, he could spot his cabin nestled down in the meadow.
It was a welcome site, even after being there for a full day already. He had not realized just how much he had missed it since he had been gone. Dropping into the meadow, he wandered over to where his fire pit was. Placing the rabbits down near there, he looked over toward Arianna. "If you want, I can cook that up for you, or you can eat it as is like that. But it's up to you." He lowered himself toward the ground while pulling out a flint and knife, sparking up a small fire to start cooking what they had caught. Once he was sure the flame was going, he picked up a rabbit and began skinning it rather efficiently.

Larynx

01-06-2020, 04:28 AM

It was not long after they were within the cabin's clearing that the man set to preparing their catch. She watched him move to a fire pit, not having noticed it before but she chalked that up to being more focused on the start of their in an entirely new place. Perhaps from now on she should make more of a resolution to herself to be more observant. Small ears went back at the thought of relinquishing her own catch still firmly in her jaws. This was solely hers, wasn't it? She had done all the work in utilizing what quiet paws and keen eyes and ears could do. Found and wrestled with the thing that had wanted life as much as she did, in either form. Flexing her claws, she decided that sharing was a better option. Better to be this way now and try and train the feline to do her own wishes when asked. Cooperative would serve better than combative. Trotting up to the man's off side, she set the bird to the ground, which did not go without protest but it ebbed away as large eyes followed the man's movements preparing the rabbits.

She watched with interest, inching forward to get an even better view as the man's fingers moved a knife deftly through the animals fur and skin, to reveal the structures underneath. They gleamed red with the shine of fresh blood int he afternoon sun, quickly staining the hands that now moved into the body cavity to remove internal organs she guessed were not fit for their human consumption. The organs were set as far as the arm could reach, and for that she was glad. Their scent was nothing short of distinctive and although the feline was interested in checking them out to eat, her human nose recognized them as unfit for safe consumption. The flies attracted to the small but growing pile confirmed her desire to ignore them and she returned to watching as muscle segments began being peeled, pulled and cut from the body. It seemed easy, but she knew better now than to assume that were the case. Even as she continued to watch dinner's progress, she could see the calm concentration on the man's face as he separated what he could from the rabbit's gradually diminishing body. The larger muscles groups from leg and middle were driven through hand-sharpened wooden poles and placed over the fire, the flames licking up at them as their juices dripped down into it. Nostrils flaring as she took in their scent, she almost reached out a dark little paw to snatch one of the smaller bits yet to be placed over the fire. It seemed to wake her stomach to give an insistent grumble about being empty. And she thought she had been peckish earlier. A fluttering object caught her eye and almost without thinking she turned and grabbed at it with her paws, forcing the object to the ground. Peering closely she realized it was a feather. Barred in shades of white and brown. The bird was being prepared now, feathers being plucked as quickly and surely as Mason's fingers could go, sending some up into the air, some back her way and a few towards the fire where the caught quickly and went up in a short burst of bright orange. Releasing the feather beneath her paws, she was almost disappointed it remained there as if defeated.

Looking back toward the cabin, she knew it would be easier to communicate in human form. Easier to maybe even help him with this without four claw-tipped paws instead of more dexterous hands and fingers. Thinking of shifting brought all the reminders of the pain it would bring before emerging with two legs instead of four. As much as a cat could grimace, she could feel it on her face and she could not hide it. Even the feline remembered and tried to croon the lure of rushing through the late afternoon shadows and feeling the power of being a predator gave. They would run before you, cower in their nests, and there would be victory in the taste of warm flesh and the thrill of another hunt. It was...alluring. Yet this was part of it, being able to deny these urges, these callings, when she said to. A low, plaintive meow escaped her jaws, a physical manifestation of her frustrations as she moved to her feet. She jumped up the steps and found herself in the living room.

Setting herself out of sight she tried to start the process she could never look forward to it. Something the tied herself to the human piece of her, he had said. A memory, a feeling, something unique to a human versus an animal. Keeping herself calm, even as she could feel her anxiety rising at knowing what was about to happen, she sifted through her memories. Ah, there it is. She let the memory replay and with it she could feel the snap of bone beginning to shift. Gritting her teeth, she felt every dark hair retreat into her skin, blinding jabs of pain as they did. Watching her paws before her she saw claws pull back into the blunt and useless ones of a human, sending dull pounding aches through her as they did. She had no choice but to contort into uncomfortable shapes as the transformation took over now, more surely and steadily then when it had first started. The clicking and scraping of bones and tendons into their new places sent her into waves of blackness from passing out, only to be greeted with a new wash of agony as it continued into the last remaining feline elements. Breath hissing between fangs that shrank at an eon's pace, she could not back the muffled cry. Almost too soon she snapped her head up from the worn wooden panels, aware that there was no longer any trace of a small black cat. Breath a little ragged, she rose to her feet, grateful they were steadier than she thought they would be. She was happy to see that this time somehow, she was fully clothed.

The layer of sweat that now clung to skin grew irritating. Quickly she went to dampen a clean cloth from the rudimentary kitchen and went to change. It seemed to linger, all that pain and feeling of being in limbo. Wiping herself down, she took deep breaths to get herself back down to feeling decent. Newly dressed in plain jeans and a white t-shirt, she returned to the kitchen sink and rinsed out the cloth again. Setting her face into the damp cloth, she let herself rest there for few moments, relishing the cooling feeling. She suddenly wondered how the shower set up was. Really hoped it was indoor or at least attached, even if it was one of those "solar shower" or whatever they were. She liked to be able to step right back into her room to get ready for the day after. Hadn't he said there was an outhouse? She grumbled to herself and her hope for a nice shower set up faded. Other than the doors to the rooms, there had been another two off the kitchen she hoped was not just storage.

He was done with everything already, apparently. He was turning the poles every so often, reaching over from his chair to poke the smaller bits on a sort of grill just over the fire on its other side. The smell was even better now, reaching her and making her stomach grumble again. He seemed relaxed this way, the motions came easily and practiced, his focus on the meat and feeding the fire. The transformation must have taken longer than she thought as late afternoon had dipped into the start of the sun starting its slow descent. "How...long have you lived out here?" She asked, taking her seat in the chair beside him and pulling her knees to her chin. Jeans were a good idea, it was still summer but it was going to be a cool summer night.

AgroShadow

07-11-2020, 08:36 PM

It was almost a mindless activity for him to skin and prepare the small game meat in front of him. Knife sliding through the layer of skin, his fingers easily separating the skin from the carcass in a sift movement. Once the pink bodies were removed of the outer layer, he could slice through the abdomen wall and carefully remove the innards. With the size of his hands being on the larger side, he could only use the tips of his fingers to slide through the chest cavity to grab the pluck of the animal. That part took concentration due to if he were to pull to sharply, he would leave some of the pluck behind, whether that would be part of the esophagus or trachea or even if he was in a hurry he was known to leave the heart and lungs behind and have to go back into grab them. With each small animal skinned and gutted, he wiped whatever blood and fur that remained on his hands onto his shorts in a quick movement before skewering the mammal and placing it over the fire, just out of reach of the red and orange flames.

Movement from the corner of his eye caused his attention to shift toward it. He watched as the small cat placed the bird near him. He gave a small smile as he picked it up and began plucking the feathers from the small body. This was not going to provide much of a meal, but at least it was something to add to the small pile of food. Pulling the longer feathers were the easier of the two tasks, when it came to the shorter, softer down feathers, they floated in the air longer than liked. Tickling his nose, it took all the concentration not to suck the feathers up his nose. He kept his mouth closed and pushed air forcefully through his nose to dislodge the ones that stuck there. He gave a small chuckle as he noticed a dark blur of fur dart and jump after the feathers that were still floating through the air. Focusing at what was going on in his hands, he hadn't noticed that she had taken off toward the cabin until there was a curdling scream from that direction. The bird body hit the ground as he shot up from his sitting position. Eyes wide, he stared toward the cabin, the thought coming back to him that she didn't shift easily. A muscle feathered in his jaw as he clenched his teeth together. He wish he knew why that happened to her, but in his life as a shifter, he had never encountered anything like it. Slowly, he lowered himself back to sitting down. There was not much he could do for her, as he found out the last time it had happened. Glancing at the bird in the dirt, he sighed and picked it back up. Brushing the debri off, he finished what he had started, occasionally glancing at the door of the cabin.

Once all the animals were sizzling over the fire, he watched the flames as the world started growing darker around him. Bugs began chirping and flitting about, replacing the song of the birds during the day. The sounds from the cabin had stopped awhile ago, but he didn't want to intrude on anything that she might be dealing with. Glancing up at the sky, he decided that if she wasn't out within the next 15 minutes or so, he would go check on her. Turning the poles and flipping the meat on the grill, he was making to stand up when a dark figure made it's way out of the door. He let loose a breath he didn't know he had been holding in as the sound of her footsteps got closer. The male watched her out of the corner of his eye as she sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest. He could not even wonder what she went through everything she shifted, but he knew it had to be unpleasant. When she spoke, her voice was raspy, as if the shift had taken it's toll on her.

'I've been up here for 5 years. I made the move after I lost my family and living situation in a city. Decided I did not want anything to do with people. Took some time to get used to supplying everything for myself, but it was the best decision I could have ever made for myself.' As he spoke, he removed some of the meat from the fire, seeing that they were done. They would have to let it cool before they could eat them, unless they wanted to burn the roof of their mouth. However the scent wafting from the meat set his stomach to growling and his mouth watering in anticipation. Even though the crackle of the fire was comforting, he wanted to know a bit more about his new companion. 'What about you...? How did you get to be where you were at?'

Larynx

07-12-2020, 05:28 AM

The sun was dipping below the horizon, the last of its light leaving quickly. The point of a sunset was past and night was falling into place, the first of the early stars popping through the deepening sky. A whole day of...this, had passed and already the sun would rise on a new day. A whole day. Shifting her gaze from the sky back down to earth she instead followed the fire's flames lick occasionally at the make-shift grill and their fresh caught dinner. It's heat and size was gradually falling, the glow still strong though against the shadows falling in around them. The smell coming from the sizzling bits was strong, even with her now human nose. She watched hungrily as they were tentatively checked, yet placed back on the grill. It made a small rumble echo through her stomach. Ignoring it was easy, she had gone hungry before many a time, a few minutes more this day would be no different.

"That must have been some work to get everything together." Most people would have probably have said a vague apology for having had to do everything alone. But that was stupid. Why offer an apology for having the capacity, the intelligence to have pulled everything together just how one wanted? Especially as the man seemed to have implied, he was willing to put in the work towards something needing to be done. "I...am sorry to hear that it was not your first choice." She added softly, not sure really how to respond to that tidbit of information about family. How much were they allowed to ask about that? That had not been discussed in the contract although, when it was drawn up, this sort of living arrangement had not entirely been discussed either.

Glancing over at him when the familiar rumble of an empty stomach also came from him, she could see that he was not looking at her but into the flames as well. "I graduated from college, told my parents that I wanted to begin a company helping other children in the system. They already are pharmaceutical giants in their own right and with their help in the beginning... My headquarters are here in Pennsylvania and we are now an independent organization that provides training to social workers, funding to various agencies..." This was not an unknown fact among her own circle of friends, family or colleagues, or even the general public if one looked for it. This information was easily found and validated. Here in the dark, watching the fire and the soft sounds of crickets hidden away in the grass, it felt more personal. "I have to be honest and tell you I still am not sure why I aid yes to any of this. I know I seem strong and accomplished, successful, but I do not really feel that way here right now." Stopping herself, she looked away.

Drawing her knees in tighter, she settled her gaze on the flames flickering down in the now smoldering coals.

AgroShadow

07-13-2020, 01:19 AM

Was it wrong to ask about such things? Afterall, it seemed that they had just only a teacher-student relationship. Or that's the way he was supposed to see it, according the discussion they had before coming out here. He couldn't help and wonder if knowing some things about her, might help them figure this whole thing out. Her apology seemed heartfelt yet also as if she had no idea how to approach it. He wasn't upset about what happened in his past, it had gotten him to be who he was today. The only thing he wished that could have been changed, were the lives that were lost. But that was a story for another time. Besides, it felt as if that was almost too personal to share to someone he had just gotten to know recently. Her soft voice seemed to coincide with the sounds around them, a nice soft melody with the hums of the insects around them. While he listened to the small facts about herself, he removed the meat from the flames, deciding they were probably cooked through. She was no stranger to working hard and fending for herself it sounded like. Where she was able to stand her own in the business world, he could stand on his own in the natural world. With her way of thinking and his skills, he was sure they would make a decent pair of people. It didn't hurt that she had a pretty face to go with it all either.

He placed the pieces of her bird on a plate with smaller chunks of rabbit. Handing it to her, he gave a small shrug to her statement. "I don't know why you said yes either. But here you are. It sounds like you've done well in what you're familiar with, this is what I'm familiar with so it only make sense you feel uneasy here.' He began making plate for himself as he continued, 'I don't want to force you into anything you don't feel comfortable with. You are more than welcome to leave if that's what you wish... but if you want to stay, there will always be a room for you here. Sometimes just adjusting to something new is the hardest part. Gods know I wouldn't be able to do what you do everyday.' He smirked slightly getting a visual picture of himself in some high end suit, with his hair cleanly cut and with a close shave on his face. The thought of having to deal with people everyday though... a shiver went down his back at that thought. No thank you. Glancing over at her, he felt for her, he really did. It seemed she blossomed late in her life when it came to her shifter abilities and she had already had such a nice set up with her life that he was sure this threw quite a wrench into.

Although he would respect any decision she would make, he would be lying to himself if he would say that he wouldn't miss her. It was nice to have someone to talk to and share experiences with. While he did enjoy solidarity that came with being out here, just having that one person made it that much more enjoyable. Granted, she had not done anything to piss him off quite yet, but as for now, it was ideal. It didn't take long for him to clear his plate of the small meal. But it left him satisfied and tired. The fire was beginning to die down into glowing coals. Since it was starting to get late, he didn't want to place another log on the fire since they probably would be turning in for the night soon. In fact the yawn that forced it's way from his lips just managed to prove his point. He figured they could sit here until the fire was completely out though, so he stirred up the coals and what was left of the wood in there until it ignited into a small fire once again. He didn't expect it to last longer than a half hour or so, but that should give them enough time to converse to where they could figure out what it exactly is she wanted to do.

Larynx

08-03-2020, 03:47 AM

Cautiously, she took a small piece of the steaming meat between her fingers, testing the temperature. Bringing it to her mouth she found it pleasantly warmed, but not it enough to burn and cause any sort of pain or a curse word. Maybe it was just a hungry stomach from nothing but this for a busy day but the small game had turned out delicious. Just enough time on the grill had kept the meat moist and tender, yet just enough blackened on the outer bits. An appreciative sound escaped her lips before she could stop it. It was a small surprise to herself that she actually enjoyed it so much. This was certainly not the kind of entree she was used to or would treat herself to on a regular basis. There had never really been a limit as to what could be on the menu since being adopted into the family and grown up in for the last decade. Listening to the man's response, she chewed thoughtfully, savoring the meat's freshness.

"Thank you." Simple, but still very true. She looked over at the man more seriously now, really wanting to get a good look at him. There was really no obligation for him to offer more than what they had agreed upon and this struck her as a generosity she had not expected, especially from someone who obviously did not have all in the world to share or even offer. It did not go unnoticed that part of letting her choose what she wanted to do, whatever it might be. How much of that was truly him being genuine, or letting it slip that he would prefer being here alone to his own devices. It did not appear that Mason was much of a people person. It did take certain kinds of people to build their own cabin and live what she would bet money on, a pretty self sufficient lifestyle. She watched as he stretched long arms out to the fire, the cords of lean muscle moving deftly under the skin. Doing so, she noticed that it had gone down quite a bit, the last tongues of bright orange barely peeking over the rim of the pit. Oh. It must be later than she would guess. As nice as this was, she was relieved to see that instead of tossing another log onto the thing, he simply stirred the coals back to life, shifting the less burnt pieces back into the flames. Hungrily they took to the wood, and it threw more soft orange and yellow aura once more, but not as large as before. This, she estimated would last for an hour or so. One thing her grandpa had taught her well on those nights were how well, and how long, a fire could keep the frost from settling in your toes. Smiling to herself at the thought, she was pleased to suppose she would at least be alright at keeping herself warm on any cold nights here. She would not his help on that.

She took a bite of the bird. Looking at it, it was not really a flavor she cared for. The cat gave an unimpressed snort. She had liked it just fine when it had been fighting for its life and its fresh, hot blood trickled into her mouth. Wings trying desperately to buffet her away, and little heart beating rapidly with fear...claws sinking deep beyond the feathers into flesh and her teeth closing mercilessly around its throat seeking its stillness. And now the meat's juices rolled in her mouth....yet she gagged, almost spewing up what little of it she had already eaten and the rabbit, too. Her stomach clenched, and she tried to set the plate onto the grill only to miss from unsteady hands and it tumble into the dirt. Holding her sides, she remembered that she had an audience. Flushing with embarrassment, she grimaced.

"I....think the cat and I do not agree on some things." Brushing up the bits back onto the plate she tossed it back into the fire. Leaving it out would attract pests and problems, and they did not exactly have a dog they could toss it to. The thought made her chuckle despite her discomfort. Settling back into her seat,"My grandpa would say that that's "To the dogs", but I don't think you'd be willing to morph for that, would you?" she explained between her chuckles, hands over her eyes to avoid looking at him. Would he even laugh or think that stupid? Maybe she really was tired, she had never really cared much about what others thought of her like this. Probably because, she tried to reason with herself, this felt much more important than dragging money out from behind old men's golf memberships.

AgroShadow

08-09-2020, 03:38 AM

Mason didn't miss the gag that came from her when she placed a bit of the bird meat into her mouth. The corner of his mouth tugged up slightly at the amusement it brought. She was just now discovering how much the other half of you could disagree on things. At the sound of the plate hitting the ground, he actually turned to look at her to make sure she was okay. Even in the darkness of the night, the fire was able highlight the redness that crawled up her the back of her neck to the front of her face in a magnificent blush. However, it was the words out of her mouth that broke a deep laugh from him. One of his arms wrapped around his middle as his stomach muscles contracted to an uncomfortable tightness from the laughter escaping from him. Shaking his head, mirth danced in his now tear rimmed eyes. 'Oh no. Bird is not my forte, but thank you for the offer.' Grinning he casually picked up the meat that had fallen onto the dirt and tossed it into the fire. The flames eagerly ate away at the meat before burning it until they were indistinguishable. 'You'll find that the animal part of you will eat other things that you would never even think about putting into your mouth otherwise.' A memory crossed his mind when his canine ate some rather unmentionable things. He spent the next week with terrible stomach pains and a taste in his mouth that even the most delicious food could not remove. Sighing and rubbing the back of his neck, he found the fire dying down a little quicker than he had expected. Today was productive, for sure, but he had to figure out what exactly she wanted to do tomorrow. Granted there was loads they could do for food preparation, but maybe a trip to the lake would serve a better time for everyone. Taking a longer stick, he separated the last few of what was left of the logs in the fire. It quickly and quietly died down to a point of no light, only soft smoke was that left. 'We best get some rest, I've got a plan for us tomorrow that's not quite so much work as today was, but loads more fun.' He gave a wink her way before standing up. Casually he offered his hand to help her up as well. 'It'll be a little bit of hike, but I promise it will be worth it.' Once she was standing, he lead the way back to the cabin. While it was dark, he knew the area around here like no other. Cracking the door open, he reached to the right to the little side table and found a small lantern. With quick work, the room was swathed in a soft light cast from it. He decided he would leave it on for the night, it wouldn't hurt anything and he had plenty of fuel for occasional nights like this. Opening the door to his room, he looked over at Arianna. 'I'll see you in the morning. Take your time getting up, just know the longer you sleep, the warmer the hike will be.' With that, he made his way into his room and stripped his shirt off before collapsing on his bed in a great sigh.

--TIME SKIP--

The sound of birds chirping broke through the dream that was filling his mind. Cracking open an eye, he could see the soft light of first sun had started to light up the room. Groaning, he rolled over onto his back and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He listened for a moment to see if he could hear any other movement in the small cabin of his. Satisfied that he hadn't heard anything, he draped his arm over his eyes again, shutting out the light. The canine in him gave a nonchalant yawn in response, more than happy to have a couple more hours of sleep. Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you lazy thing. At the thought of his canine being more content to have more sleep, it forced him to pull himself out of bed. No way would he get that satisfaction. Making his way into the tiny kitchen, he set up a small kettle to boil, pulling out his little hand crank for coffee and began grinding the beans down. Pulling out two mugs, he placed small filters over them and then placed the ground coffee beans inside. Leaning against the counter, he waited for the kettle to heat up enough to produce the familiar high pitched whistle that let him know the water was boiling. This is where the waiting really began when he poured the hot water over the grounds to let them drip into the mugs.

While it may have taken a while, he always enjoyed this part of his mornings. Just slowly getting things together and taking the time to just enjoy the smaller things. While he let the first part of coffee do it's thing, he ran outside to quickly relieve himself of his ever persistent bladder. Once back in, he noticed it was round two for the hot water to drip over the grounds. Hopefully by the time the second round of water had dripped through, the coffee would be strong enough for both of them. However, he wasn't quite sure just how she liked her coffee. He knew she drank it, as she had it the one morning he was at her place. He just didn't know how she drank it. At the sound of movement, he was pulled from his thoughts and looked up to see a sleepy eyed woman appear from the door way to the spare bedroom. 'Morning. Afraid I don't have much in the way of breakfast, but there is some coffee if you want it and...' He popped open a cabinet and pulled out some powdered creamer and packets of sugar, 'creamer and sugar if you want it.' All at once, he became aware of the fact that he was shirtless and she was not wearing much in the way of clothing to sleep it. Coughing, he grabbed his mug without adding anything into it and went to stand on the outside porch. While he knew it was not unusual to share such small areas with another, there was a certain thing about seeing her that way that sent him into wanting something more.

Larynx

08-09-2020, 05:01 AM

The morning began as before, cool and fresh, the soft breeze coming in through the window smelling like pine and the readily recognized scent of just dirt, good dirt, but still dirt. Looking herself over in the small mirror on the dresser, she was not displeased with the reflection looking back. A face that appeared to have gotten enough rest peered back at her with cool brown eyes, catching the morning light filtering softly in through the window. Dark hair fell down behind her, its normally wavy texture more pronounced now that it had been a day without a shower or real brushing. At least the air was not too dry or much moisture as she would prefer not to also have to deal with the frizz that came with that. Digging through the bag she had been able to bring, she ran a brush gently through the dark strands, taking her time to be gentle and de-tangle anything she came across. Her mother had been a vain woman, never one to criticize what was wrong with an outfit, but she had dearly meant well in instructing the best ways to take of your hair. After all, she had said great hair was like a great crown for a woman. Muttering about how she had been right, Arianna took the time to quickly but thoroughly make sure that her hair at least looked presentable enough.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she padded quietly into the kitchen. Of course, he was already up and and moving confidently about the kitchen. Surprised flashed through her at realizing there was a bare back and a bare chest there. Before she could react or comment, there was already an offer of a semblance of breakfast. No surprise this time. "Two cream, one sugar." Voice soft from sleep, she almost wasn't sure she had really said it but he moved away almost as soon as the offer was given. Watching the man stride away and out the door to the porch, she was suddenly aware that there was more of her exposed and shown than yesterday. Black, as usual but a simple tank top and pajama shorts were what had been donned for the night. There had been no little voice that reminded her she was not alone in this house and to respect that fact. Looking back out to the porch, she was unsure whether to follow or just get ready for the day. He seemed content out there, sipping his coffee with one hand, other resting on the railing. She was not too far to notice there was the definitive curves of lean muscle there beneath the skin, moving smoothly as Mason turned slightly to look across the landscape. Taking a sip of the coffee, it seemed to help her decision making and deciding it was not worth it, she went and draped a light cardigan over herself.

"I cannot ding your coffee choice, actually." The air was much cooler outside, being still quite early, the sun had just fully come out from behind the edge of the world. Golden light was splashing out across the yard and them but it brought little warmth this early and she inhaled softly. Leaning against the rail, what skin she had exposed pebbled up, nipples pressed though her shirt. Cupping her coffee, she began to think that this late summer was closing in on fall sooner than expected. She was very aware that there was a half naked man just across from her but she refused to look over that part of him. That was not what they were here for. Sipping on the liquid and letting its warmth seep through her body, she leaned into the light as she could feel it slowly gather more warmth in its rays. Looking out across the yard, instead there were quite a few small flocks of birds, eagerly foraging in the grass still damp with dew. They hopped in and out of the sun bars, scratching at the dirt and happily twittering their morning calls as they were successful in their breakfast hunt.

"How much land do you have here?" She asked softly, still not willing to really look at him more than a glance. From the plentiful trees came other calls, most she could not recognize. A woodpecker's drumming for his own breakfast, the more melodic calls of what she could only assume as songbirds, and a light buzz of some insects. It was quite...nice actually and she found herself letting a soft smile pull at her lips. The air smelt even fresher out here than inside and she found herself looking forward to this hike to a lake. It could easily replace her usual morning run, and was probably better.

AgroShadow

08-09-2020, 11:24 PM

There were sounds of things waking up with the sun. Birds. Insects. Mammals. The small rabbits that darted across the dew covered grass at his arrival usually would catch his attention, but his attention was elsewhere. Even though the cooler air was a refreshing feel against his bare skin, the images in his mind ran rampant. Seeing her in just the tank top and shorts left not much for his imagination, but his mind couldn't help but wander. It wouldn't take much to just casually remove those with a few swift movements. A muscle in his jaw feathered as he clenched his jaw and shook his head slightly, trying to clear his head. That was not why she was here. A soft voice caused him to glance back toward the door. He could see that she had dawned a light cardigan over her shoulders. The canine let out a huff of slight defeat that the view had been covered. It took a second to realize she had asked a question. 'Uh, well I own this whole little meadow and about another 10 acres behind it into all of that forest stuff. The place I'm going to take you to today will be on the outskirts of my property...' He paused for a moment, as he glanced over at her, 'I hope you like it, not too many other people have set eyes on it.' With that, he drained the last of the coffee from his cup in a smooth motion. For a second he thought about making another cup, but the thought of having to go through grinding more grounds seemed like a task he was not quite up to again. Unless... 'Do you want some more?' He motioned to her cup with his empty one. He had seen her sipping on it while she had been standing here but had not tipped it back like it was quite empty yet. She had mentioned something about his coffee choice not being terrible. Well that was good, seeing as he had loads of it out in the shed in the back. There was a deal he couldn't pass up on that one. Just sacks of the beans for a cheap price. And who knew coffee beans would keep so well over the years.

Satisfied that she was still working on her own cup, he went about grabbing a couple things to prepare for their hike. He had left a backpack on the porch from yesterday, picking that up, he emptied out the snares onto a nearby chair and darted back into the cabin. He grabbed a couple water bottles, and filled them up before shoving them into the pack along with a small first aid kit that always came with him and some collapsible soft reusable bags. While they were up there, there was a wonderful blueberry patch that always seemed to grow throughout the whole summer and they were going to start really picking up here in the next week. Mason liked to grab as many of those as he could for canning and also snacking on when they were ripe and ready to go. It was honestly one of his favorite things to do in the late summer and early fall. The thought of shoving his face full of berries and their sweet sticky juice made his stomach rumble slightly. The thought of throwing on a shirt crossed his thoughts, but it felt like it was going to be another hot day and besides, he'd be taking it off anyway when they got to their destination. Double checking that he had what he needed in his pack, he grabbed his rifle that had been leaning up against the wall next to the front door and came back out onto the porch.

Setting the things down and lowering himself into a sitting position, he grabbed his shoes and slipped them onto his feet. 'It's a decent hike, but when we get there, there's loads to do and there will be a few things to eat, but it's up to you if you would like to bring some extra food. There's dried meat and fruit slices in the cabinet. I've got water and there's a spot to refill halfway if needed. And I'm ready to head out whenever you are.' Looking over at her, the corner of his mouth tugged up slightly at the thought of showing her such a wonderful place. A thought crossed his mind and he stood up, leaving the pack and rifle where it was. Trotting back around the cabin, he pulled up a layer of moss to show a small door. Lifting that up made for a chilly air to waft into his face. Without a second thought, he dropped himself into the hole, falling a few feet before catching himself on the ladder that was against the side of the hole and lowering himself further down. The air got colder as he went, the light fading farther away. Soon he felt his feet touch hard ground and he shuffled around for a minute before finding the lantern he always left down here. Lighting it, soon a small underground room was illuminated. There were slabs of meat and limbs of animals hanging from the short ceiling, all still frozen. His breath curled in the air as he grabbed a slab of deer meat and hauled it up to the fresh air again. While they were gone, this could defrost enough to where they should be able to cook and eat it. Closing up his small permafrost freezer, he went back around to the front of the cabin and back inside. Over in the kitchen, he had a small box which looked like a small fridge sitting under the counter. He put the meat inside there, knowing full well not to leave meat out in the open where bears could smell it. It was a problem here he had not quite been able to avoid, but he had learned how to work around them. Moving back over to the porch, he leaned against the railing, waiting for his hiking partner.

Larynx

08-16-2020, 03:26 AM

Lacing up her shoes to conform comfortably to her feet, she found herself looking forward to this little trip. Mason was clearly wanting to show her this, his voice tipping up with excitement as he described it. Vaguely, but she could not blame him for wanting her to be able to experience it in all it's apparent glory, without any spoilers. Why would this place be so special to him? Most of them really weren't much different from each other. At least, the most she had ever really found special about them were too drunk college kids, too many boats clogging each other up, and beer cans and a random bikini top floating by and getting stuck on the beaches and too much trash getting caught in the reeds. There would definitely be none of that here, for which she was grateful. Rising to her feet, she could see Mason had slipped back in and was at the kitchen counter for what felt like seconds before popping back out to the porch again. Slipping an arm through her backpack's loop, she followed him back outside, the soft thuds of her boots on the planks giving her away.

Seemed like when things were decided he moved fast. She watched him swing his own pack across his back and motioning for her to follow, head off into the forest. The man's strides were sure and quick as they moved beneath the pine trees, their long sloping limbs filtering the light into pretty streaks across their trail. The air was still cool and fresh, the soft morning breeze pushing through the forest feeling refreshing against a lightly sweating back and forehead. As they moved deeper into the forest, she could feel the breeze fade slightly, being blocked off by the forest itself, the trees growing taller, closer together, and the brush also growing denser and reaching onto the edges of the trail with their leafy runners. Overhead the birds called loudly, but quieted as they moved by, starting up again when they were deemed a safe distance away. Inhaling deeply, she could almost taste the smell of the pine resin, the damp undergrowth, and the seemingly inherent scent being outside held. It was actually quite pleasant, and she found herself smiling softly to herself.

As they moved quietly forward along the trail, she could feel the other half of her growing increasingly aware of their surroundings. Arianna could feel it giving soft pushes to give in, to let herself feel the speed of four legs, the sharp senses of animal eyes and ears instead of her pathetic human versions. To feel the rush of bounding through the underbrush, at home in the shadows on silent paws equipped with daggers tough enough to bring down game that would soothe a hunter's instinct and satisfy a hunger worked up in the purest of fashions. The forest called to her,the pockets of shadows deepening with the allure of making them hers, the rustling of the small wild creatures begging to be found and caught and sent down her gullet. The ridges rising up beside the trail called to have their caves explored and claimed, the boulders to be lookouts high and unreachable by others. Fighting against herself was difficult. Despite telling this part of herself no, her feet seemed to move on their own, off the trail and towards that tingling call of the forest. Gritting her teeth she fought.

This was not as hard as that house. Or the nights spent clutching her stomach from the pain of not having had anything to eat for days, little sister sleeping quietly beside her but unknowingly having been given the last peanut butter sandwich.The long nights of studying to finish early. Campaigning for funding to help others like her. This was a part of her now but she would not let it consume her. She growled into the feline's face that this was not the way. This could not be demanded of her. Nothing would ever be again. Overwhelmed moments ago, the feline shrank away quickly retreating with a yowl of anger and surprisingly, fear and hurt. Oh. Inhaling sharply at the sudden vacant feeling, she moved herself back onto the trail. This was no longer pleasant, the forest around them seeming to have lost its charm and those dark shadows no longer alluring but dull, the rocky ridges reverting back to just looking like impassable heights. Slowly the forest regressed to normal forest sensations. Suspecting that this was the first of many, a rush of pride filled her at having come out the victor. A fight she could and should win, she thought. A precedent had been set.

A soft rustle not of bird wings or tiny paws, but fabric caught her attention and brown met blue. "I..think I won that." She breathed, moving to catch up to him. Let's get going. I want to see this special lake of yours." And she meant it now, this was not so much of a reward but she had been worried that the trip would be ruined by this very entity taking over. She could learn to accept it was part of her but not ruling her. A true cat, she was not. Moving past him she could see that the ridges were no longer ridges but had turned into high walls as the forest grew denser, pushing against the trail, throwing rippling shadows out along the trail. It was not long before she could hear it, the easily recognizable rushing of water over rock. Forging ahead eagerly, she reached it.

The trail came to an abrupt halt beside the stream heard before, the water moving steadily around large grey boulders dotted along its banks and across to the other side. The canyon reached overhead on one side, shading that side of the stream and as she followed its course out, she inhaled softly. It was pretty. The canyon walls fell away on both sides and there sat the lake, the early morning light bouncing off the softly rippling waters. The perimeter was less beach and more of the same smaller, grey rock, smoothed by the years of water rubbing against them, larger boulders strewn about. The forest also fell back along its edge, the trees growing inward creating small shaded overhangs close enough to sit on a boulder with your feet in the water in some places. Closer she went, moving along the bank. Only to pause again at the sight of a waterfall. Two! waterfalls. That must have been what she heard before, she realized. The stream would have been too quiet for it to have been heard so far away. They were not very large waterfalls, about as high as she was tall but many gallons of water were rushing over the perfectly placed dark boulders. "So. What's so special about this place, huh?" She whispered, a smile pulling at her lips.

AgroShadow

08-16-2020, 04:27 AM

The further they trekked into the forest, the more at ease Mason felt. He could feel his shoulders loosen with every step, his stride lengthen despite the slight incline of forest floor they were on. The sights and smells wrapped him in the warm embrace of home. This was his home. It had been awhile since he had been here, and the way his body and mind craved it, he could tell he had missed being here. Despite having been gone for months, it was still the same. The same smell of pine and other trees, freshly sprouted spring grass. The sounds that filled his ears a mixture of nature, songbirds singing to each other for mates, the sound of buzzing insects and the wonderful symphony of wind blowing through the different pine needles and leaves on the aspens. Sweat rolled down his bare back and chest in tiny beads as he worked to keep the speed he was at. He was glad he had decided to keep his shirt off, to provide even a little relief on this trip that seemed to be pushing himself a little hard. So far it sounded as though Arianna was keeping up rather easily. He could tell she did things to keep herself fit, but he just didn't know how far she could go. The familiar steady sound of footsteps that had been behind him suddenly stopped after taking a few steps off the dirt path they had been on. He wouldn't have picked up on it, however the canine filled himself with the sudden urge to whip around.

Tilting his head slightly at the feeling, he turned around to watch what exactly had happened. Arianna had taken a few steps off into a direction that had no marked trails, standing there staring off into a distance he could not see. Slowly, he removed his pack and kneeled down quietly. The sudden feeling of air on what once was covered flesh provided a small relief of cool to brush his still bare skin. He pulled out one of the water bottles he brought and pulled a few large drags from it. Once he was finished, he put it away and stood back up while shouldering the pack again. When he was fully standing up again, her piercing gaze met his. His breath hitched slightly in his chest at the sudden attention, but the words that followed from her mouth made him loose the breath that had got caught. A small smiled tugged at the corner of his mouth as he responded, 'Eventually it'll get easier and you don't have to cause such a ruckus. But you best keep up or I'll leave you behind.' He winked as he set off at a slightly quicker pace than before.

His calves burned with the effort he was throwing into his strides, but it wasn't long before a long figure surpassed him. A chuckle escaped his him as he watched her keep going. Shaking his head, he let out a sigh and pushed himself a little harder to go after her. He almost ran into her when she stopped suddenly, the roar of the waterfalls drowning out the sound of both their footsteps and breath. He pulled up beside her and took in the scenery for himself. This place always made him hold his breath for a split second as he tried to take it all in. It never lost its beauty. As many times as he had been here, it was always so beautiful. Grinning at her statement, he dropped his pack and rifle to the ground and ran past her. 'Besides the fact that this is all for us?' As he ran, he popped his shoes off between strides before leaping off a boulder that was jutting out over the water.

He hit the surface with a large splash. The water rushed past his ears, drowning out any sound other than his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears. Opening his eyes, the water was murky except for the sunlight streaming above him. With a strong kick, he pushed himself toward the surface. Breaking above the water, he shook his head and sent water droplets in every direction. Glancing toward the shore, he spotted a familiar figure standing there. 'The water is fantastic, but I know how kitty cats are about it.' Grinning, he continued, 'There's a blueberry patch above the falls if that's more you're style.'

Larynx

08-16-2020, 05:53 AM

She had followed the male make no hesitation to dive into the lake, eyes following the fuzzy form of him moving about under the water before popping out above the surface. An eye roll was all he got for that response and his showing off. There was no need for him to show her just how fit he was, hiking several miles, gaining some elevation and now leaping and swimming. "I am sure you know how sharp kitty claws are too." She replied quickly, grinning back at him. Now that it had been said she knew that this was the man's style of jokes, she would never hear the end of feline related jokes. As long as she did not become known as 'Kitty' then she supposed she could tolerate anything else, even if it bordered into dad-joke level humor. There would be no harm to him if he could refrain from that and the nickname. Letting out a soft huff at the man's 'pleased-with-myself- smile, she moved along the bank, taking her time to come closer to the edge of the water and to him. She found plentiful tracks of deer, right up to the water's edge, and various distinctive 'x'-shaped bird tracks, but nothing that really caught her attention.

Watching the man out of the corner of her eye as she moved along the bank, she realized that as she watched him, he did the same to her. They both knew little about each other, and she suspected he had given her the choice to join him or the berry patch knowing full well that it was more likely of her to choose the berry patch seeing as how she had not given any indication of joining him in the water. Arms crossing self-consciously, she wondered which would really be better. This was a new area and it would not be very wise to go gallivanting about to this berry patch atop the falls. If anything were to happen here it would be tougher to get a response team or medical help here than within the city so many miles away. There was also the possibility that she was overlooking the fact that if he had offered it really was probably a mild hike around to it. She could even see the top of the waterfall and most of the surrounding area not blocked by stands of what she thought were cottonwoods, their leaves rustling gently in the slight breeze. Sighing softly to herself at the thought of how nice it did sound to just do her own thing and enjoy the area, she also knew that remedying their not knowing each other well would be the better action. Quickly she peeled off her shoes, socks and her pack. Setting them on a boulder high enough to keep them out of reach of the lake and any sudden water level rise, she also bent to unzip her pants. This was as good a time as any to make use of their convertible feature.

Wading into the lake, she inhaled softly at the cool liquid against her toes and her knees as she continued further in. It was almost the perfect temperature and was quite refreshing actually. Easily balancing on the smooth rocks on the slippery bottom she pulled herself up onto a boulder close to where the male was treading water. Letting her legs dangle freely in the water, she leaned back against the rock, enjoying the sun beginning to warm things up. "When did you start living here?"She was not sure how to go about getting to know him. She was not known for being overly charming outside of the boardroom. People in general, she just did not make much effort to make friends with if she did not need to. She had the friends she had and that was what she had always needed just fine. But they both needed to know each other enough in this to build rapport and trust. It would be nice just to not feel awkward around teacher. Maybe the could even be friends after this, seemed like he could use some and she was never opposed to beneficial relationships even if it was not quite friendship. Turning to lay eyes on him, "When did you first find out about shifting yourself?"

AgroShadow

08-16-2020, 06:43 AM

She moved with sureness around the shore, picking where she put her feet carefully. He could see her question his invitation of joining him swimming in the lake. Understanding that they weren't all that well known to each other made sense as to why she didn't just leap in. He traced her movements to the boulder he had leapt off just a few moments earlier. Swimming just a bit closer, he was able to feel the soft bottom of the lake with his feet. Bracing himself in a decent position, he tilted his head slightly to the side at her question. It just seemed out of the blue, but if this relationship of them was going to work, then he supposed that they would need to know more about each other. 'I lived in the forest for a few years in canine form before I found this area... There was an older guy who owned the cabin before me, I stumbled upon him and there was just something about him that kept me around...' He trailed off slightly as the memories resurfaced all those years ago. 'I stuck around, he fed me, not knowing what I really was. Just kind of an unspoken thing we had. Occasionally I would bring him game when his hunting had failed. And one day he was out and took a bad fall off a ridge. I had been following him when it had happened. He broke his leg and a couple ribs... I couldn't see dragging him like a carcass back to the cabin, so I shifted and helped him. I was lucky he was kind of delusional with pain, when we got back to the cabin I left him there and I was back to my dog form as soon as I could. But he knew. Talked to me a lot more after that, asking me questions even though I never gave him answers... Anyway, eventually I got into a scuffle with a bear trying to prove something to myself. I got injured, bad. When the old guy had found me I had panic shifted back into my human form. So he helped me without any questions or requirements. He taught me a lot about living out here, where all the things were to be self sufficient all that stuff. He passed away and left it all to me on the condition I never sold. And after being here for so many years, I could never imagine doing that.'

He knew the land would gain a lot of money if he ever did sell, but what was the point when money had no value to him? He loved this land and all around it. It was still far enough away from cities that he never had problems with people despite the occasional hunter coming through the area. He stayed quiet while she digested what he had just said. It wasn't meant to be a sad story, just a story as to why and how he got to where he was in this particular area. The next question brought a full new range of emotions coursing through him. He hadn't thought about that era of his life in a long time. But he figured it was something she would like to know.

Swallowing hard, he spoke softly, 'Young. I was young. Ten or eleven, I can't really remember. It happened all of a sudden. I was emotional at the time it happened.' The dingy walls suddenly appeared in his mind. The sound of his mother screaming at his father to stop. Mason yelling and pulling on his dad's arm as he raised it to strike her again. His dad threw his arm back, slamming Mason into a small side table. His dad was yelling as he went to grab the iron fire poker, Mason was trying to get his vision to stop swimming. There was the sound of his mother wailing and then a few sickening thuds as something hard collided with something much softer. The crying stopped other than the soft sobs coming from himself. He could see his dad clearly now, seeing what he had done, standing there like it had not just happened. Mason made a soft gasp and his father turned around toward him, clenching the fire poker and coming from him. There was a flash of bright light and what used to be hands suddenly turned into paws. His jaws closed around his father's neck and with a quick and strong squeeze, a sudden flood of iron taste coated his mouth.

The roar of the waterfalls brought him back to where he was. He could feel the coolness of the water wrapping around him, the soft laps of the water pushing him back and forth. The feel of something holding him was almost too much. With a few short movements, he pulled himself up onto the rock with Arianna. Laying down, he glanced at the sky as he continued, 'I was trapped in canine form for a couple weeks before some other shifter figured out what was wrong. I spent the days wandering the streets trying to get people to pay attention to me and talk to me. She was able to talk me back into a human form, and even then I didn't talk for a little more than a year. I stayed with her until I was ready to leave...' Thinking about that kind shifter gave him an idea. If things didn't work out with him, maybe he could track down that kind shifter and see if she could be of any help Arianna. He wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the whole story of how that happened. It felt like he would be opening up a little too much to her. Glancing over at her he asked, 'So what is it that made you so successful in your job? Besides being so cunning and resourceful?'

Larynx

08-16-2020, 09:50 PM

She listened closely to the recounting of the land passing from one man of the wild to another. No wonder he felt so at home here, it was more than just having been conditioned to prefer being away from others, this land had been truly given to the young man. It was more than just a thank you from the older man, it was a gift to someone he had felt would need it as well as enjoy it with all of its remote harshness and occasional beauty only a wilderness could give. The isolation could be the death of some, and the savior of others.

The emotion that came next took her by surprise. It was clear that this was hard for him to share, and she found herself sitting up to better look at him. That hard swallow, soft voice, and the faraway look that crept into his eyes... That self distancing language too. There was a memory there. A painful one. She found herself wanting to comfort him, to let him know that whatever past he had revisited was not where he was now. She knew better than most that painful pasts had a way of popping up unexpectedly and could hurt just as much ten years later as they did the day they were burned into memory. The water rippled around his still body, belying the ripples of emotion within him. Before she could even open her mouth however, he was pulling himself up beside her onto the rock. Before she could stop herself, she flinched away from his sudden movement and his suddenly being so close. Water splashed up across the rock and onto her, dark streak now across her shirt. But she was already on her feet, she was ready to take that backwards step into the water to get away when she realized all that had happened and that he was now asking her a question in return.

Slowly lowering herself back down, she wondered just what he had thought of that. The speed with which he had already reached her from the water was impressive, now that she could tell herself to stop being so jumpy. You would think by now if the man had wanted to ambush her he already would have. "I go after what I want." Clearing her throat she slowly unfurled her legs to reach toward the water again. "I was determined to use my parents' wealth to do something good." A shrug brushed across her shoulders. "I guess I felt guilty too. I did not like me and my sister being labeled lucky for having been adopted by people who do love us as their own." She was not certain just what he wanted to hear for the answer to that. She could appreciate his description of her though. "Why do you think I am 'cunning'?" She had not heard that before, and she had definitely met with business people who did not take too kindly to a young person who was also a woman rank higher than them. She was aware that she did not hold the knowledge of everything and was open to constructive criticism for a business that was considered a fledgling in many circles.

AgroShadow

08-17-2020, 12:07 AM

He didn't miss the flinch and jump away from him when he hopped up on the rock with her. He slowed his movements slightly as to make his movements a little more predictable. What had caused her to be so jumpy was beyond him. He hoped it wasn't him, but seeing as how he just brought her out into all this land with no way of communicating to the outside world... Well that could explain it he supposed. She slowly settled back down, if not hesitantly. He was going to have to watch himself and slow himself down if that was the case. While he was one to move first and think about reactions later, he could tell she was much more cautious around people she didn't quite know. Hopefully the more they got to know each other, the more they could get comfortable with each other. As she started talking, her body language eased up slightly as she started to get more comfortable. While she spoke, Mason watched the clouds slowly trailing over the sky. Their small white fluffy bodies pushed forward by a wind that could not be seen.

He figured she had come from wealth. It was difficult to get to where she was starting at nothing, especially at a young age as she was. He tilted his head at the mention of her sister and adoption. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth when she asked about the description he had given her. 'You have a way of adapting quickly, it seems hard to surprise you with something but even when something does surprise you, you are able to hide it quick. Almost as you had planned it. You haven't quite told me what you want from me other than helping you figure out how to help you with your shifting, and the contract I signed, you know how to make things work in your favor.' Manson had no problem with helping her out, but he could not remember much from their discussion from those few days at her place. Even if this was just a contact agreement, what is it that was supposed to benefit him while doing this? 'I assume people don't take kindly to a younger person being their boss. Let alone a younger woman. You had to do some things to get there, and I'm sure you did a great job doing it.'

He couldn't help to admire her driveness and adaptiveness. She worked hard to get where she was, despite her family background. Remembering the mention of her sister, he glanced over at her. 'You mentioned you had a sister. Do you know how she's doing? Shifting sometimes runs in the family. And since you two were adopted it could leave the possibility open that she has the ability too unless you were able to contact your biological family.' The sun was warming up the rock, quickly drying off his body. He ran a hand through his damp hair as he glanced back up toward the sky again. The clouds had moved on further, new ones replacing where the last ones were. Sighing, he sat up to let the remaining water roll off his body.

Larynx

08-17-2020, 03:32 AM

"Thank you." She was not sure how to respond to the praise form someone who barely knew her. It still felt very good to have traits not attached to looks or body be pointed out. That was not something she got very often if not from friends or family, or suitors trying to get into her pants. The complaint caught her attention sharply. While true she had not outlined much, if anything, that he could claim to gain of benefit, he had signed it. "You did not exactly question signing a legally binding agreement either, though." She pointed out, chuckling softly to herself. "You're much more of a sign my life away, deal with the consequences later kind of guy. Might get you in real trouble if it hasn't already you know." She hoped he knew she was speaking truthfully but teasing at the same time, not wanting their chat to turn into an argument or fight over something stupid.

"She is not my biological sister." They had stepped out of the car and there had been someone she had not expected there, a little girl half her age peering out from behind her father's leg at the newcomers. The first month or two were fine but it gradually gave way as the facade it had always been. "My mother fell for his charm," Arms crossing over herself as she continued. "She...did not make it past the drugs. My sister and I are still very close, and I do not think she would be keen on shitting on all we've been through for something like this. She can be a real grade-A-flake but she has a good heart." Looking over at him, she was made aware once again that the male was without a shirt. Before she could stop herself, her eyes trailed along his well-formed shoulders, down his chest and noticing those hints of a washboard set of abs. Beads of water trailed down the curve of a well shaped arm, and across the planes of a face dotted with very light freckles from the sun around those blue eyes. Hair darkened to a lovely shade of deeper brown, and with the light still holding on to some of that early morning glow...he was attractive if she let herself go down that road. She was human and not immune to the male gaze, of which she had not been lacking, but she also knew well how badly things could turn.

Looking away before she could let herself feel embarrassed for looking, she slipped down off the rock. A soft splash and an inhale at the sweeping cool feeling that washed over her, she began making her way back to the bank. "Afternoon is coming and I am hungry. Let's get back to the cabin and we can see what nice lunch of jerky and fruit we can whip up." She called, teasing him again for his minimalist eating supplies. Must not have dinner parties very often, she thought, chuckling to herself. Reaching the bank she quickly got everything together to head back down the trail and to the cabin. Knowing he would catch up soon enough she set off for the trail-head. When she reached it, she paused to turn and give the area one last look. She lingered, one hand on the same tree as before to steady herself. Watching the gentle laps at the banks, the soft roar of the waterfall rushing down, and the birds coming back to flit along the surface for bugs... It was very unlikely this would be their only visit. From her observations this had been a good starting point for whatever relationship from this agreement they were going to have. Even so, she wanted to safely keep this as one of her happier memories and she found herself looking forward to their next visit. "Thank you for bringing me here."With that the turned and hurried off down the trail, stomach rumbling softly.

The afternoon sun threw much more light across the trail and with it, much more heat. It was a good five degrees warmer, at least and Arianna could feel the sweat starting to build up on her scalp and skin. A nice long shower sounded great but knowing their setup, it was probably going to be cut short to five minutes or less with some sort of outdoor shower. Or, and she would not be surprised this time with what she had learned about him, one of those other doors had been a complete, perfectly designed bathroom with all the luxury amenities people like her were willing to pay well for. Soft, fluffy towels to wrap herself up in after a nice long bath were what she was thinking of when they reached the clearing just before the cabin. The sun was well up in the sky now, sending out strong light in all directions across the now empty meadow. Most of the wildlife had learned long ago in their evolutionary crawl that midday was the best time to stay out of the sun and attend to young or naps, or calling from well shaded areas. Stepping out into it, she wished she had been wiser this morning and grabbed her hat. Thankfully she never really did burn very much. "I am looking forward to what you surprise me with for lu-,"she began only to drop into silence.

It was the same matte black with that stupid New York Yacht Club sticker in the back corner. Three years later and he had still not had it removed despite no longer being a member. Worse, she realized that it was directly parked behind her own car blocking any attempt for it to leave its own spot. She could feel her mouth go dry, and hands begin to shake. This was the last thing she had ever expected out of this day. Shaking hands clenched into fists she strode farther into the meadow, fury mixing with fear stirring within her. She did not get far before she was stopped by him appearing on the porch, arms crossed and jaw set. "I never thought I would find you out here among this...."The man's voice grated on her ears, as he gestured rudely to the cabin and when he laid eyes on her companion, a harsh laugh escaped him. "Is this the kind of man you turn to? Was I not enough for you? I can show you again just what you're missing out on baby." He was looking her up and down, waiting for her response but all she could force out was, "What are you doing here!?" She could feel herself standing there, fists clenching and un-clenching as she stared at the man she had never wanted to set eyes on ever again after that night. "Oh I thought you would be happy to see me? I missed you and thought I would check up on you." Before she could react he had stepped down from the porch and into her space. She tried to push away, slamming her hands into his chest but all she did was stand there looking up at this face and remembering that he was handsome.

"If you wanted to come all the way out here to a cabin, all you had to do was tell me and I could've found such a nice one for us." A backhanded compliment that did not register as fear and confusion began to overtake fury. She could remember that Nathan had always been charming, always ready to say the right thing that made her feel better in the moment only to be analyzed by friends as manipulative. "How did you find me?" She managed, trying to look away from his gaze and failing. It would be easy to slip back into those familiar arms. "What's important is that I found you and am ready to take you back to where you belong. Something must be going on if you came all the way out to the middle of nowhere." That...was not untrue. She did need help with this. She could feel him reaching for her hands, and beginning to lead her to his car. "Let's get you the help you need and back with me. We can start fresh, no need for this guy to ruin what we still have."

Yes, she needed the help from trained professionals not some man she barely knew living out in the forest. As he turned, the small silver circle he always wore caught the light and everything came crashing back. The rough sheets, the red light of the computer tower, his grinning face caught in its light and the silver necklace falling forward out of his shirt and bouncing against his chest as he forced himself into her..."NO!!" She cried,snapping out of her stupor. Adrenaline, confusion, fear, anger, despair were all zinging through her as she tried to slip her hand out of his. Tears were beginning to flow down her cheeks as he turned and tried to sling her over his shoulder.

AgroShadow

08-17-2020, 04:57 AM

Mason gave a slight shrug at the mention of him signing something without really thinking of the consequences. 'Well you're not wrong there. But I have yet to be caught for it.' He gave a small chuckle at the thought of being in trouble for the few things he had signed in the past. He tilted his head slightly while she talked about her sister. Ah. That made sense now. Well at least he wasn't going to have to worry about two people dealing with their new found shifting abilities. His attention was drawn back to her as a small splash came from her direction. He watched her make her way toward the shore. The words that came out of her caused him to release a laugh. Well she wasn't wrong. It wasn't going to be quite jerky and fruit, but it would be pretty close. 'If you're not careful, I'll feed you the oldest dryest jerky and some very tart and sour fruit that isn't sweet yet.' With that he pulled himself off the rock, following her back toward his pack and rifle. Shouldering his pack, he watched her make her way back toward the trail here. When she turned back around and took in the view. He could feel his lips pull up in a slight smile as he took her in. It was nice to see she had enjoyed this place as much as he had. He didn't show this area to everyone, but some people just needed it in their life.

As he started walking toward her, he caught her thanks. 'You're welcome here anytime. It's a place that deserves to be shared with some.' Mason was careful who he shared this area with, knowing some people would take advantage of it. He had a feeling Arianna would be one who didn't do that. She seemed genuine and seemed like someone who just needed to find herself. He began his trek back down to the cabin after her, letting her lead the way. It was pretty easy to find your way back once you had made the journey there. The weather was a lot warmer than what it had been when they started, and it didn't take long for his body to slowly start sweating to try and cool himself down. He found himself longing the feel of the cool water of the lake again, just anything to remove how uncomfortable the heat made him. Glancing up at the figure in front of him, the easy hike back made it easy for his mind to think of other things. There was a lot of work they were going to half to do to make Arianna comfortable with this new part of her. A lot of it was going to have to be her own battle, but Mason just hoped that with him there they could speed up that process. It was good that she was able to win a little fight with the feline earlier today, but she was going to have a lot more urges that were going to be much more difficult to control. It was definitely something he could help her with. Although he was unsure just how much more stubborn felines were compared to canines.

A slight breeze brushed past them providing cooler air and also something else. Suddenly Mason was alert and looking around, the canine perking it's ears. Drawing in a deep breath, there was a scent that had not been there when they had left. A mixture of gasoline, rubber, cologne and testosterone. The sound of a female voice reminded him that she was there. 'Arian-' The sudden scent of anger from her smacked his nose hard. She was still standing in front of him, his view obscured as to what caused her mood to change so quickly. As she continued walking, he kept a few feet behind and the view hit him. A black car, one that was not there before and the man so nonchalantly standing on his porch. Immediately the canine bared his teeth, his fur rising on his hackles in an impressive mane. This was his territory, and there was someone improaching on it. Mason reeled the canine back slightly, his own jaw feathering as he clenched his teeth. He wasn't sure why this man was here, but with the way he held himself and how he gestured at his home it was everything to not just shift right now.

The amount of emotions rolling off Arianna were difficult to miss. He could smell her anger from standing this far away, but he could also smell a sense of claiming from the other male. He didn't miss the jab of being some low life that she had turned to, but it was also something he was used to. Sure his life wasn't glamorous, but it wasn't for anyone else but him. Things happened so quickly in the next few minutes, the man coming off the porch, grabbing Arianna's hands, pulling her to the car, her slowly following him as in a trance for a few feet before digging her heels into the ground and screaming no, and the male turning around to grab her over his shoulder. Without even thinking, he pulled the rifle from his shoulder, cocked it and aimed it at the man. 'Hey! Now I don't know what you're doing on my property, but you are not welcome here. And I believe she said no.' He waited a few seconds for the man to register what he had just said. When there was no hint of him letting Arianna go and when he shifted his weight to really grab her, Mason fired a shot into the ground next to his feet with a thud and dirt scattering from where the bullet hit. The sound of the gun going off echoed in the small meadow. 'I said you are trespassing, and my patience is wearing thin bud. My next shot won't miss.' Mason pushed the next bullet into the chamber with a swift movement of one hand. His gaze never moving from down the sight of the gun.

Larynx

08-23-2020, 06:23 AM

Feet hit the ground with a jolt as she was set back on the ground. The man actually took a step back. She could see the expression of genuine surprise flash across his face before being replaced with a cold anger, the dark eyes narrowing even as he turned to look down at her again. "Are you sure you don't want to go back to all you're missing?" The voice was deceptively cool and low, but she could see the man's jaw feathering at trying to keep calm and avoid looking over at the gun pointed directly at him. It would be easy to fall back into their old routine, it had not been such a bad one since she had almost said that three letter word that would have had her tied to him for who know how long. She hesitated, watching him move for her again, although only slowly inching forward into the crouch to pull her onto his shoulder she could see it this time.

The feline decided for its human. Teeth bared it shot forward, jolting her backward and out of the ex's range to which a genuine flash of surprise crossed his face. A rush of overwhelming indignant fury coursed through her, taking her by surprise. She had not expected this and before she could react, she felt herself move forward just enough to give a resounding smack across that still smug face. The air cracked with the force of it and a red mark began to bloom in the shape of her hand across the man's cheek. The air cracked with the sound of it, sending the last of the birds chattering away from their nearby perches. It must have been the last straw and long arms and large hands lunged for her, ignoring the very real and serious threat of a bullet being sent straight through him. Panicked she moved, and it must have been some innate sense of self preservation and the cat's athleticism that gave her the ability to twist out of his grasp. A snarl lifted her lips and she was not sure if it was her or her cat, or both. "I can see you're not ready, I'll be back to take you home where everyone misses you, where I miss you." He stood up, again seemingly unfazed by all that happened. Running a hand through his hair he looked her over and barely slid a gaze over Mason before turning on his heel and marching straight back to his car. The door had barely thudded shut before he was flooring it out back onto the road, swinging the car wildly around to head out. The engine roared away and she could hear it long after the car disappeared beyond the trees. He had always been so boastful of being able to afford a powerful engine.

The cat prowled within her, pacing back and forth. Low growls as it let its displeasure be known. It wanted to run, to console her within the depths of the forest just there at the edge of the meadow. Wanted her to know the shadows and all their little burrowing things ripe for catching and reveling in the pride of a well earned kill. The shadows lengthened as she looked out to the forest, feeling herself agreeing with wanting to be alone, wanting to forget this had all happened. To leave it alone and ignore it for the soft scents of a fresh trail, beckoning her to follow and use the senses honed over the millions of years. She could see herself slipping into a fine tawny coat, large paws and a size that would enable her to take exploration of those rocky ridges to new level. A feline form that would have her respectfully feared by more than the burrowing rabbit and the little grouse. She could find an exquisite solitude out there, amid the trees, prowling about with no care for human pain. Backpack feel away to hit the dirt with a soft thud. Yes. The pain knocked her to her knees as the process began. Long fangs snapped into place. Bones twisted and cracked as they forced her to hunch over, claws sprouting from her fingertips in white hot flashes. Every tendon and muscle moving awkwardly into place sent her into darkness only to be woken by another set of organs shifting into a place fit for a feline and not human. Her screams changed to yowls as each hair of a tawny coat sprouted from her skin, clothes tearing away.

Blinking at the brighter world, the forest resounded its call, louder than before as rounded ears swiveled to listen deeply. Drawing a long breath, the scent of the earth was stronger, felt more right. The scents of deer filled her with a strong eagerness to follow them to their secret spaces and flex these larger claws, stronger muscles of this larger body. These legs were more powerful, they could carry her over great distance and leap wide gaps before tiring and even still she would not be hesitant to ask for more. The feline thrummed through her, urging her to really give in and bound away without looking back. The crunch of footsteps made her whirl to face their maker. A man. A snarl raised lips to reveal sharp and capable fangs. Inhaling deeply, the scent was recognizable. She knew this man. Only in this form she could see that he was not at all just human, the faint note of something more behind the stronger scents of sweat, caution. If she looked closer at him their was the faint, blurry outline of a canine, flickering in an out about him. Perhaps this was how she could recognize others of her own kind, but was she only able to tell in this form? That was not a question to be answered now as the male crept slowly forward. A growl sounded deep in the feline's throat, lowering down into its own crouch and moving forward as well. This form would easily make this threat no longer a threat. The thought struck her, pulled her away from her confusion. Lunging away, she forced the cat to stand down to which it protested angrily. Softly, soothingly she told it there was time, time for everything and this would not the only opportunity.

It felt like ages, like she had witnessed all four seasons come and go before the cat stepped away. Reluctantly it went, growling all the way, to a corner. And the yearning diminished. It was as if she had been relieved of a great load. She turned back to the man, who had paused not too far away. Quite close actually, and she let a low rumble ripple through her chest at him. Quite brave for facing this beast, she would admit. The forest still called but it had reduced to a soft lull, if her amber eyes remained there though, it grew and grew harder to resist. Cautiously, she lowered her haunches to the ground, pinning her gaze on the male before her. Well....now what?

AgroShadow

08-23-2020, 10:53 PM

At the sound and sight of the smack across the males face, Manson's eyes widened slightly at the sound. He could see the inner turmoil that Arianna was facing with this man. For what, he couldn't tell. All he did know, is he didn't enjoy him. The next time he saw him somewhere on his property, he would gladly let one of his bullets at least graze some skin off him. That thought in itself was enough to twitch the corner of his mouth up into a small half smile. However the sight of the grass and plants being ripped up and flung backwards by the tires of the car as the man sped off was enough to have the canine bare his teeth in a snarl. Blue gaze locked on the car as it took off, flashing through the foliage and trees before it was out of sight. A small part of him was annoyed by the sudden disruptive company, knowing full well he could go a full year and a half before seeing a person here and now there had been two within the span of a few days. While he knew Arianna did not bring the male here on purpose, a selfish thought came though to just have her leave if it meant constant disruptions on his territory. The canine gave a snort of agreement, having done the perimeter check numerous times and marking the area as his, it seemed extremely disrespectful to suddenly have other improaching on his space.

The sound of screaming turning to snarling quickly snapped Mason out of his self-centered thoughts only to spot Arianna quickly changing from human form into something different than the little cat he had seen before. Tawny fur covered a large body, the paws bigger than his hand width. It was something he should shy away from, but at the sight of it, a wolfish grin spread across his face. 'Well this is an unfortunate way for you to figure out you can change to something other than a small cat.' Slowly and very carefully, he laid his rifle on the ground. His gaze never left the big cat, careful to keep his movements slow and predictable. A cat this size was not something he would want to wrestle with, ever. With one swipe, she could easily knock him around and he was not willing to risk it. As the cat started prowling toward him slightly, he felt himself take a step back out of instinct. Large, sharp and shiny cat eyes met with his much smaller blue ones. For a second Mason wasn't sure she was going to stop, he could easily see those powerful muscles springing that body forward and claws longer than his fingers easily pierce his flesh. Just when he was tempted himself to allow the canine to take over, the large feline whipped around and took a few bounds away from him before lowering her haunches to the ground.

He could see there was a question in her gaze. Giving a small shrug, he spoke out loud, 'Well until you're back in human form I can't answer much questions you have... But we will need to talk about what just happened.' He wanted to explain how shifting could be used in a fight or flight sense, but after what just happened he was sure she could understand that on her own. However he also wanted to know just how many of these encounters he would have to deal with. He supposed this was part of the things that came with not knowing exactly who this person was he just invited to his home. A small spark of regret blossomed in him. While he had no problem helping another shifter out, this seemed like it might just be all sorts of trouble with her and her past. It was too late now, to take back his word. As the female so kindly pointed out, he had signed a legally binding document. Sighing, he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, the morning's events just now coming all together on him. Glancing at the sky, he noticed it was early afternoon now and his stomach gave a large rumble to remind him he had nothing to eat this day yet.

'Alright, here's the plan. You can check out your new large cat body, take some time for yourself since I'm sure whatever feelings that man brought with him is causing all sorts of smells to come off you. Go hunt. Roam. Anything you want. I'm going to try and find something to eat and get some things together for dinner later. It's up to you if you want to shift back in that time. Either way, I need some time to think about all... this.' He motioned to the area around him. Leaning down, he scooped his rifle off the ground and strode off toward the cabin. He didn't look back at the large cat, knowing she would move off on her own whenever it was she wanted. The porch still reeked of that man as he walked by, causing his nose to scrunch up in disgust at the smell of another male. Once inside, he plopped his things down onto the floor. Making his way to the small kitchen, he pulled out some dried meat and ingredients for making some bread. Between eating snacks and kneading some dough, he thought about what it exactly he wanted from this new found acquaintanceship he had formed. His need to help oftentimes clashed with his need to be alone and made it hard for him to make smart decisions. He had already agreed to help her, and he planned to do that. But he didn't quite know if he could handle having other people know where he lived and spent most of his time. That guy obviously had money and some sort of influence over people with the way he had treated Arianna and carried himself. Some pompous asshole. Snorting in amusement, he knew there was no way he could handle someone like that without using fangs and claws. Was this someone who was going to keep making appearances and possibly make his life difficult here? That was something he was going to need to ask her. If it was, they were going to need to find a way to keep him out. How did he even find her here? There was no cell service, so no way he could have tracked a cell phone... unless. Her car. And why did he want her back so badly? It was obvious things had fallen out between them. It seemed it was more Arianna's decision instead of his, but it still was a little curious as to what had caused it.

Sighing, he placed the now neat little dough ball into a bowl and covered it with a towel for it to rise. There was a lot they needed to talk about if this was going to continue, and Mason was not looking forward to it. And that was all on if she was shifting back into her human form or not. But he figured she needed to think about things as well. The smell of both fear and anger that had rolled off her was enough to smell from across the clearing. But being that close it had hit him like a wall. He checked on the deer meat he had pulled out earlier this morning and was pleased to find it was mostly defrosted but still had a bit to go. It should be ready to cook by the time dusk rolled around, but until then, Mason found himself wandering to his room and collapsing on his bed in a huff.

Larynx

08-31-2020, 04:23 AM

The settlement sat quietly in the clearing, a trail of dark smoke from it arching up into the dimming sky. Several flocks of birds scattered among the grass, taking advantage of the last bit of sunlight by foraging within the relative safety of the presence of human development. Peering through the trees, she knew that it was time to return, to remember that she was human again and meant to behave as a human and no longer a feline that only minutes ago had enjoyed prowling about on quiet paws strong enough to take a deer down in one swipe. Which is exactly what had been done and, looking back into the shadows, it would be much easier to slip back into that form and enjoy the catch for herself. To store it away, and return from exploring her domain when needed. The longer she gazed upon the way she had come, the louder and more alluring the call became, rising from a coo to a soft roar in her ears. Soothing the cat had eagerly perked up at the thought of going back, this time at night, Arianna strode forward into the clearing with as much purpose as she could muster. More than a few minutes had passed with debating whether or not to do just that or give in once more and put herself through that excoriating round of pain for the reward of being a feline well adapted to this environment.

She was proud of herself for not having to worry about striding through that front door and giving... Mason...a show for free. Despite the unpleasantness of morphing back into this human form, she had been bale to hold onto her clothes this time. Even so, she paused in the doorway. She was met with the sight of a bare back busy bustling about the kitchen counters, and a surprisingly delicious smell. Stepping further in and peering over the man's shoulder she could see a pan of something simmering on the stove. It looks like I am too late to add to that." Her voice was softer than she expected and her throat felt a little scratched, rough. She could guess that it was probably from an esophagus not used to switching between two different forms. Coming further into the kitchen she continued softly, "I thought I would bring the deer back that I...caught...in time." Strange to be talking about herself having brought down a wild animal all by herself and intended to eat, there or here, but ideally here. She had thought to contribute. Lowering herself onto the bar stool at the island, she watched him move about the kitchen. Being closer made the smell from before stronger, and even better. There was no grumbling of an empty stomach, but she was curious to try whatever it was he had going. She could not see a luxuriously stocked kitchen and pantry here but the man had already surprised her more than once today.

"Thank you for helping me with all of that earlier." Suddenly quite tired, she lowered her chin onto her arms and wondered if this was even necessary. There was nothing in their agreement about opening up to each other, getting to know each other's pasts and bonding over it. Couldn't they just as easily keep going, not like it hadn't happened, but like they didn't need to talk about it. Sighing softly, she knew that they both deserved better than that if they were to at least have a good understanding of one another. Also for all that they knew, anything could be responsible for her issues with accessing this other half of herself. Watching him stir the contents of the pan she decided to continue. If anything, she would commit to always being honest with herself with herself and him, in this. [/B]"That man was my fiance. We were engaged for a year, having met in college and we were going to be married that morning. I had forgotten something important, even though now I can never for the life of me recall what it was. It was at his house and I had gone over to grab it but we ended up hanging out longer than I meant to stay. We, well I after all he had not actually been drinking, got too drunk and.."[/B] She swallowed. "The next thing I remember, he was...there and I just....I said no and he...decided that it meant yes." She could feel tears pricking at her eyes. Blinking rapidly to hold them back her voice was rough as she added, "He had told me that it was okay we had not had sex in our two years together, once when we first got together and I just...I guess I was not ready." The therapist had said opening up and sharing your story was good, to do it if it made you feel better about it. And she did feel okay about sharing this, it just never seemed to get any easier to tell it. "I already destroyed the tracker he put on the car. He's an obsessed bastard that I should have known better., been able to see."

AgroShadow

09-27-2020, 10:15 PM

Mason had laid there for a few hours, drifting off into an uneasy nap. The canine refusing to settle down after the ongoings in the meadow. Grumbling, he pulled himself out of the bed after fighting for so long. Glancing out the window, he noticed it was early evening, a perfect time to start cooking what he had pulled out and gotten ready earlier. Pulling out a pan, he pulled out a few seasonings he kept around, along with a small jar of lard. Scooping a small amount of the lard, he plopped it into the pan and lit the small stove to start warming it up over a low heat. Next he pulled the dough out that had nearly doubled in size. With careful hands, he kneaded it a couple more times before pulling it apart into smaller size dough balls. He plopped those into a small pan, keeping them close together to make eight small rolls. Scooping some of the the now melted lard with a spoon, he drizzled it over the rolls and then slid the pan into his small wood oven. Finally he was able to get to the meat course of dinner. Reaching for the chunk of deer meat, he placed it on the table and began chopping it into smaller cube pieces. As the knife sliced through the meat, he heard someone come through the front door. His hand froze for a split second as the scent of her wafted over to him. Realizing it was Arianna, he continued to push the knife through the meat until it was all cut up evenly. Scraping the meat into the pan, the sound of a satisfying sizzle hit his ears at the deer meat hit the pan. He sprinkled some seasonings over the meat as he stirred it slightly before leaning back against the counter and looking over at the female.

Seeing that she was surprisingly clad in her clothes that she had shifted in, his eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. That was an improvement seeing as the last few times she had shifted, he had noticed she hadn't been able to hang on to that part of her. At the mention of her taking down an animal to bring back for dinner, he smiled slightly as he spoke, 'I'm sure we can take care of it tomorrow. With two of us here, we can take all the food we can find. It should be fine for the night, we can go first thing in the morning to retrieve it.' He turned back to the sizzling meat and gave it another stir. Watching it for a few minutes, he almost missed the small voice come from behind him. Tilting his head slightly, he listened as the sound of her emotions were weaving with her voice. She didn't have to tell him any of this. And from the story he was hearing, it made him wish he had actually shot the man. His grip on the spoon tightened as she continued. What in the actual fuck was wrong with that man? Forcing himself on her, fiance or not, and a tracker on her car? The uneasiness that washed over him caused the canine to pace back and forth.

He forced himself to turn around and look at her. He could see the shining in her eyes of the threatening tears that wanted to spill over. 'Sometimes people are really good at making others seem them differently than who they really are... I'm sorry you had to go through that, and I'm even more sorry I let him get away without a souvenir for coming so far to find you.' With a hard swallow, he turned back to the food. Stirring it carefully, he thought over what she had just told him. There was no reason he needed to know how that guy was tied to her, but yet she just gave him the full story of why he had come so far to find her. Noticing that the meat was fully cooked through, he spooned the contents of the pan onto two plates. Reaching for a towel, he carefully removed the bread from the oven he had stuck in there before starting the meat. Satisfied that the bread was done, he popped out a couple rolls and placed them onto the plates next to the meat. He picked up one of the plates and a fork and set it down quietly in front of the female. 'I know it's not as satisfying as the deer you caught earlier, but it's one of my favorite dishes. Hope you like it.' It was a simple dish, that while not crazy about it's looks, it was one of the better tasting ones he could make. The bread complimented the lean game meat perfectly and using it to soak up the juices left over from the meat was his favorite part. 'Thank you, for telling me that story. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it. I can't promise I will be so kind to him the next time I see him, but let's hope he never comes back this way.'

It didn't take him long to clean his plate of the meal he had spent so much time making. Now that his stomach was content, the canine in him started to become more unruly. Sighing, he plopped his plate and such into a wash bin and figured he could give in for at least a night. His gaze met Arianna's when he turned around. 'I've got to leave for a bit, I need to let off some steam. You're welcome to anything here.' Rubbing the back of his neck, he continued. 'I'll be back by morning.' With that, he stepped out into the now cool air of early night. The feeling of dusk hitting his lungs sent a small thrill through him. With a soft sigh, his fingers and feet traded for paws, his nose lengthening into a sleek jaw. Soft, white fur coated his whole body, and with a shake of his shoulders, he was off.

The feeling of the earth between his pads, and his claws so wonderfully sticking into the dirt to propel him forward was one that could not be matched. It didn't take long for his tongue to start lolling about as he sucked in large amounts of air into his lungs to help not only to breathe, but to cool off his body temperature as he ran. Reaching the nearest edge of his property, he slowed into a steady trot, his ears pricked forward in anticipation. In this form he could smell the leftover emissions from the car that had left hours ago. But it was still enough for him to wrinkle his nose in disgust. He continued forward, catching the occasional smell of the evening animals out and about. Fox, racoons, and coyotes were some of the familiar smells he came across. But when an unfamiliar one hit his nose, he stopped. This one smell was somewhat fresh. Smelling as though it came from earlier in the day. Faint but not enough to completely wash away from the ongoings. Everything told him to turn around and go back the way he came, but there was something familiar about this scent. He just couldn't place it. Walking forward slowly, his paws where nearly quiet on the forest floor. It looked like there had been some of the overgrowth shifted around in a way that made it so his body was forced to go through this makeshift path to the right of the overgrowth. Stopping short, he knew what this set up was for. Traps were not foreign to him. He took one more step forward to get another sniff of the area before he turned back around, but that was all that was needed for him to make a mistake. With a large clang, something snapped around his right forelimb with bone crunching force. A sound of pain and surprise broke from him, filling the quiet area around him. His automatic response was to pull away from the pain but a short chain attached to the trap kept him from going much further than a foot or so away from where he had stepped. Growling with his teeth bared, his hind quarters lowered into a half crouch as he braced himself against the tautness of the trap. He surely fucked up this round, but he also never expected these traps on his land. His eyes darted around, looking for what exactly might have set the trap, expecting them to come out of nowhere. But after a few minutes of just hearing his heavy breathing with the occasional whine escape from him, there was nothing there. There was no way he could shift like this. Broken bone never shifted correctly and could very well leave him without an arm if it went wrong. Ever so carefully, he lowered his very painful leg to let the trap sit against the ground. He was at a loss for how exactly he could get out of this.

Larynx

10-11-2020, 01:04 AM

The last plate was set on the drying rack. Turning back to the room, dark eyes surveyed the room hoping to find some other small project to keep herself busy. After rummaging through a storage closet, she had found housekeeping necessities enabling the table and kitchen countertops wiped down, floors swept, and general tidying up. She had not had the courage to go poking around to find what the man's laundry set up was, though she had thought it would be something as simple as washing by hand in the sink and air drying. The modern amenities of fully automatic washer and dryers were certainly appreciated now but she could remember bundling up in her frayed sweater, pulling on too-big boots and trudging out to the backyard hoping her underwear was not frozen to the line. She would have to pull everything off with as strong a tug as little ten year old arms could give and set them in front of the stove to warm up as she tried to stretch one egg into a breakfast for herself and little sister. Rubbing her arms at the memory bringing back the feeling of snow melting through her sweater, she refocused on thinking of something to fill the morning. She had already gone for her run, almost reluctantly as she really was not that familiar with the area. She had to settle for several loops around the meadow basically never deviating from the circle. She had thought of taking one along the route to the waterfall but did not feel comfortable visiting it without Mason. The place had felt special and she was not sure if that had been invitation for free use too.

Even so, in a new place, she had felt good after letting her body work up a nice sweat. To feel the burn in legs swung into a new stride even as they pleaded to stop, the cool air sending cooling brushes against sweat dripping down her neck... It felt good to be able to do something normal and routine. After, she had been happy to find that the bathroom setup was quite adequate. The shower was an outdoor one but connected via a little side door back to indoors. It was a little tight, standing in front of the mirror to brush your teeth but the door would not hit your backside while there. Definitely made on a tight budget, but it was clean, and efficient. Tidier than she would have expected of a man also.

Now that the house had been tidied up the best of her ability, she wondered on what to do next. She had taken a peek into the small fridge to find little of sustenance besides some of their leftovers. A rather bare kitchen, really, and not something she was surprised to find if this cabin was really uninhabited as long as he'd said but still a little depressing. It would probably be a good idea actually to head into town and pick up some essentials. She was not a great cook but she had her favorite recipes, and even so, one could live off bread and water and some dried meat but what kind of eating was that really? Shaking her head at not having thought of that before or on their way in, she moved to the porch. The cool morning was making way for early afternoon, the sun climbing into the sky behind some wispy scraps of clouds. It was looking to be a cooler day, but still hanging on to the last of late summer sunshine. Out across the meadow before the cabin, the birds were flitting back to their shady perches, the sun starting to flood the meadow. Hadn't Mason said he'd be back by now? She could not imagine him being late for much. She understood that sharing that unpleasant bit of her life may not be for everyone, but she still was not happy with his reaction. It was not an easy thing for her to share and surely he would have wanted an explanation too? It was a lot to take in and she could not expect everyone to be alright with it, but thanks for sharing had been quickly followed by dipping out. Whatever. She shouldn't get so worked up over someone she did not know very well. Maybe it was better to give him the benefit of the doubt about just not being cool with emotionally heavy things.

Sliding her shoes on and a pocket knife into her pack she headed off the porch. She chose the direction she had last seen him head off in and hoped she would come across him. If anything she could say she just wanted to explore the area, which was true enough. Slipping into the shade of the trees she found her feet following a thin trail meandering around roots and large outcrops of rocks. The breeze was still cool and it brought welcome relief across the sweat trickling down her neck. It was a nice property. It would be a very good one for development, which she knew he would hate to hear but if he ever wanted to sell he would likely get a very good price for it with its proximity to a water source and good distance from main parts of town. Her thoughts went down paths of where to expand and how best to go about it, her ideas for the future of her company...as her feet carried her down the natural path among the trees. After this, there would be a lot to do back home and within the company. It was a good thing Kay was good at her job. But she missed being there, being hands-on with the processes and knowing the shit was getting done, and how she wanted it done.

It was the whine that brought her out of her thoughts, feet coming to a dusty halt. Where, or more importantly, what, was that? Surely it was too late in the day now for much of any predators around to be out? But fall was approaching right? Didn't that mean bears and shit would be feasting to prepare for winter? The pocket knife made its way to her hand and she felt a little better about continuing on closer towards the sound. It did not sound very large or menacing... In fact it increased as she approached some low brush, and pulling it aside, she made an audible gasp, followed by "Oh, shit." Rushing the brush she ignored the quick stings as it caught at her clothes and skin. Setting her pack on the ground as she kneeled beside the injured canine, she tried to figure out how best to go about getting him out of this situation. Cautiously, she ran a finger along the closed jaws, ignored the frenzy of whines that released. "Shh and let me look at this thing, Mason."If she were to get him out she had to figure out how this thing worked. It was all metal and gears and a chain driven well into the ground but two bars on the side looked to holding the jaws together. There was some blood spattered across the thing and taking a quick look at the leg he'd stepped in with, she winced. It had snapped tightly enough, just over connection paw to leg, but even without medical training she could see that it had been snapped. "Alright, don't you fucking bite me." She said firmly, keeping herself calm as she crouched closer over the trap, aware that the dog's eyes had not left her for a second and felt like they were boring into her. Gently as she could, she tentatively pressed a little on the bars with her hands but they were not strong enough to pull the jaws apart more than enough to make any other animal panic and make it worse. Rising to her feet, she gave a look that once again warned him not to bite her, as painful as it was, she'd probably shift right there and bite him back. The feline was already not ecstatic about being in such close proximity to a canine shifter in such a heightened state of emotions. Steadying herself she positioned her feet over the bars and pressed hard. The white leg slipped through and as soon as she could tell all parts of him were free, she let the metal slam back together, jumping away from it as she did.

"Are these even legal here?" She asked aloud, more to herself than the shepherd as it backed away and inspected its injuries. Hmm. Retrieving her pocket knife she followed the short chain to it stake and dug it out. "It doesn't look like you expected this so I imagine this is actually on your property line otherwise you'dve been more cautious. Glad you weren't using your nose." She muttered, "Let's just take this and see." Searching within the confines of her pack, her hand reappeared with some paracord and wound it around the trap's jaws and pulled the knot tight. She approached the dog cautiously, not sure how he would react but she wanted to see if something could be done for his leg. At the very least to give him some comfort while they traveled back. There was no way she would be strong enough to carry him that far back on her own. She had also found an old scarf at the bottom, holes and ripped edges but it was still long and strong enough to be wrapped around this. "If you let me I can wrap that and it might feel a little better." She moved to take up his leg and when he did not object more than some growling she took that as her opportunity and worked as quickly as she could to make a sort of makeshift polo wrap around the injured leg. Jumping back and away from his teeth, she said no more and took to moving back the way she had come along the trail, glancing back to make sure he was keeping up.

Company problems disappeared as she thought of what this meant for her "training". A broken limb. She could only see it making it worse, things already move around and did some weird shit to make a morph happen, there was no way it wouldn't just make it worse. Also, she had never cared for anyone in this sort of predicament. Her goldfish, being goldfish, did not do much and she had always been different from most younger children in not wanting dogs or big animals as pets. She was worried about how to get the bone set or...whatever it needed...to heal correctly. Cost was no objection but that would still take time, more time away from her desire to return to her company, her friends in the city and yes, even her family. Sighing softly, she told herself that this was just another obstacle to overcome and deal with. She could do this...but the thoughts of learning about this part of her being delayed gnawed at her as they slowly closed the distance to the cabin.

AgroShadow

10-26-2020, 03:37 AM

There wasn't much that could be done in the current state that he was in. Unable to pull himself away from the trap without causing extreme amount of pain, he could only lower his haunches to the ground in a sad seating position. He contemplated howling, maybe Arianna could hear him from the cabin. But also would she come running to the sound or be turned away from it? Also it gave the other wildlife around here the idea that there was an injured animal ripe for the picking. While Mason had an understanding with the wildlife, he could not assure himself that some cougar wouldn't just come and pick him off. Much like it should do, seeing as if he was living like that, he would too. The canine in him grumbled deeply when he shifted his weight slightly. The feeling of the teeth grinding against his bone could be felt all the way up his forelimb and into his shoulder. Just from looking at it, it was good to see that at least the wound was not bleeding. However, he was faced with the decision of what would happen if he did not find the help he needed. He could risk the shift and just see what sort of damage would be had, or try and free himself with his jaws. Sighing, he wondered if it was even possible to just shift part of him. If he just had a hand pry and push the trap apart...

The sweet sound of footsteps on fallen leaves caused his ears to perk forward and he couldn't help the whine that escaped him. The shadows had grown throughout the day, letting him know that he had been out here for some time. He was tired, and gods did it hurt to move anything in his body. He watched the female cautiously. Not for any ill intent, but for the fact that any sort of movement around his limb made it extremely painful. She spoke words to him, but when she touched the trap, he felt the vibrations of her hands against the trap. Grimacing, he did his best to not just pull away from it. However, there was no way he could prepare for the next part that came. It felt like hot iron twisting his leg but also an immense relief of pressure. Springing away as soon as he could pull his leg out of the trap, the yelp that came out of him was loud enough to echo through the forest. He could not help the series of whines that slipped when he started feeling the blood rush back to his paw. This was too much, even for him. He had been through a lot but never something like this.

Even before he had any experience with traps like this, he knew he didn't like them. This here was enough to make his stomach roll with disgust. The fact that people used this to trap and kill animals was appalling. His attention was brought back to the present when he noticed Arianna rummaging around in her pack. He slowly lowered himself down into a lying position, his head hovering over his injured leg. Ever so carefully, he started to let his tongue roll over the very edge of the wound without causing too much pain. At the sound of her voice, he glanced up at her when she approached. His lip lifted slightly when she started to wrap his broken limb very carefully. Her hands were gentle and efficient. Before he could even think twice about it, she was done and standing back away from him. She began packing up her things again and stood and shouldered her pack. Glancing down the path they were to take, Mason could not but wish he wouldn't have to walk all the way back. And then there was the issue of what he was going to do about his limb. He did not have the things needed to set it correctly at the cabin. Grunting, he pulled himself up into a standing position. Even he was not sure with what they were going to do about all this. Slowly, he lifted his leg up and began his slow trail after her.

It took awhile, but after a bit, Mason could keep a steady pace so long as he didn't go too fast and joustle his injured leg. There were a few times where he tripped on a rock or uneven ground that set him to growling and snapping at the air around him in pain. It seemed like forever before the familiar sight of the cabin began growing in the distance. Finally. Shaking his head to clear the thoughts. Arianna was quite on the walk back, leaving him to just listen to their breathing and the world around them. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. She had carried her head high and her shoulders tight, as if there was some stress going on with her. Well with him unable to really communicate effectively in this form, this was going to be difficult. Slowly, he hobbled up the front steps of the cabin and promptly lowered himself on the porch with a huff. He looked over at Arianna and let out a small bark. There was so much he wanted to say to her, and not a way to communicate it well.

Larynx

10-26-2020, 05:24 AM

Dark eyebrows rose at the sound of a bark. Well, just as she had thought this would be a very ineffective mode of communication. She was not a stranger to the basics of animal behavior and their propensity for body language, but being human there would only be so much she could infer. Going to a small closet near the front door she came back to the dog with what looked to be a blanket that had...seen some better days but it there were no major holes but it looked and smelt clean enough as she shook it out and placed it on the ground for him. At least he could be a little more comfortable with that than straight on the hardwood flooring. "Well, there isn't much more I can do for you right now so...I am going to head into town to grab some things..." She trailed off, thinking of things she would need. Probably some sort of brace for that, for sure. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Be a good guard dog while I'm gone." She added with grin she tried to keep from spreading. Shaking her head she grabbed her keys from a hook by the door, she moved to go but caught the dog's eye and lingered in the doorway. This would be interesting.

:TIME SKIP:
The warmth from the mug against fingers cupped tightly around it, the steam rising into the cool air...were reminders that late summer had ended and the crisp mornings of early fall had arrived. The nights had been moving in earlier too. The deepening shadows in the forest around them, the sense of urgency that had started to settle in the forest's inhabitants as the felt the urge to prepare for the coming of white blanketing the ground and the sharp howls of winter winds. The feline had been feeling it too, the forest's calls becoming more alluring and difficult to resist. She had morphed many times over the last few weeks, unable to resist the thrill of being at home in the forest on powerful paws and elevated senses. A shiver ran down her spine at remembering and even as she cupped the mug tighter and was content, she looked longingly into the forest, the slow rising of the sun chasing away the night's shadows. Sipping her coffee she pulled herself away and soothed the feline that protested at having to wait once more. She reminded it that each time had still been incredibly painful, no relief had been found for that so far. Each subsequent morph since that first one here in the meadow had been faster, smoother...and that greatly reduced her time spent in that state before coming out the other side as a large cat. But today she was content to remain as a human. Taking in the last sip of coffee, she stepped back into the house and appreciated the warmth.

She eyed the figure at the kitchen counter. He was confident enough to have returned back to his usual human self a couple of weeks ago, but she felt that he was not one hundred percent confident in having to do much back and forth between the two yet. But he had healed as well as could be expected, from her limited knowledge. The man had no health insurance and had refused to go in for more than a quick examination at a little clinic in the nearby little town and the doc had given him a mostly clean bill of health...the bill had been more than expected but she had paid it willingly. It could be argued to fall under that 'all expenses' clause, she thought, a chuckle of amusement escaped her and the man turned at the sound. "Good morning. You look like you're feeling well." She said, nodding at the knife in hand, potatoes neatly chopped up on the counter waiting to be set into the pan. He had been purposefully chopping, bearing weight, just moving in general. She appreciated his approach to get back where he needed to be. Moving to Mason's other side, the mug was washed and set on the rack, but there was no rush to her actions.

Leaning back against the sink, she watched as he continued with preparing breakfast. His grip was sure around the knife handle, the tendons and muscles moving slightly under the skin. She found herself traveling up the well muscled arm to shoulders and to his face, watching his focus. She looked away quickly when she realized she had been staring too long, back down to his hands. The man's motions were mostly smooth. There was only the slightest hesitation in putting full effort into the motions of that one arm, but it did not seem to slow him down much as he diced what looked to be some of the bacon she had last picked up on her run into town. As things hit the pan they sizzled, and it brought a nice smell up to fill the cabin. They had not been eating anything super fancy despite her deep pockets. She had thought it would an insult to return with quite expensive things or to return with armfuls of stuff she nor he had real need of so she had stuck to basics. Except for some good chocolate and some more, creature comfort items for herself. She had not been sure what sort of similar treats would have been appropriate for him being in canine form so she had stuck to just doubling her portion of chocolate to a bar for him if he had wanted it for later. It had remained perched up in the cabinet though, so maybe he just did not like chocolate or no real sweet tooth. She had been tempted multiple times to reclaim it for herself.

"So what are our plans for the day?" Most of her time at the cabin had been spent exploring the property. She knew a good handful of trails well now and felt confident about running them and just generally feeling safe enough to be out most of the day along them or being able to find them as human or feline for reference points of where she was on the property. It had been alright, if not a little boring doing her morning runs, tidying up, and dipping into town now and again for business operations and then coming home to someone who was not able to talk back much. He had taken care of himself but it had felt nice to be able to help with things dog paws and mouth could not do. She knew she did not always give him the best bedside manner about changing bandages or adjusting his brace but he never seemed to mind....Or he had just put up with it and hated her now she thought wryly. It had felt companionable though, knowing that he was usually waiting for her to return and seemingly happy enough that she was alright and back to her temporary home. It had been nice to see someone genuinely acting that way, for her and there had been times she'd almost raced home to make sure he was okay after being alone and hurt for so long of the day.
I guess a better question is, what do feel up for today?"

AgroShadow

11-09-2020, 08:56 PM

The past few weeks had been mostly uneventful. Spending most of the time as canine did not leave much room for conversations since the most he could do is huff his displeasure or agreement to things. When it became too unbearable to not communicate, and having her take care of the both of them, he shifted. It by far was one of the worst shifts he had ever gone through. While the bones shifted from canine paw to human wrist and hand, it felt as if they were being ripped and rebroke over and over. Once he had been fully shifted over, it left him sweating and his eyes brimming with tears at the pain. His wrist was still tender for days after that, having had to make a small sling for a short time. However now he could at least push it to start doing normal things. If he pushed it too hard, it left it sore and throbbing most of the night, so everyday was a test to just how much he could do with it. Right now, as he would carefully chopping potatoes, every push down with the knife was deliberate and slow, testing each movement. It would still be awhile before he could do things without a slight ache if he pushed too hard, but it was a start.

He didn't miss when Arianna came up next to him, her arm brushing his while she washed her mug. While this kitchen was useful, Mason had never thought to have another person in here. She lingered, and when he glanced out of the corner of his eye, he caught her eyes roaming up his arm. A small smiled tugged at the corner of his mouth. Finishing up the last of the dicing, he plopped the potatoes into the pan with the bacon. Placing the knife down, he rotated his wrist carefully. 'Better and better everyday.' Giving the food a good stir so it didn't burn, he leaned back against the counter next to her. 'I never did thank you for all that you did those few weeks... so thank you for that.' He wasn't sure just what he would have done in that situation but having her here made it easy. There was someone to change bandages, to make sure he was fed... all of that he would not have been able to do in that form. He could still smell the chocolate bar that she had gotten on one of her market runs from where he was leaning against the counter. Just the smell was enough to make his mouth water slightly. He loved chocolate, but never went out of his way to get it. And yet he could not bring himself to eat it. Only because she bought it for him. It was a small gesture, but it was enough to pull on his heart slightly. While it might not have been a huge deal to her, it was to him. It meant a lot more than she would ever know.

Looking at her when she asked a question, he gave a shrug in response. 'We could work more on your shifting, we could go on an adventure around the area... really anything at this rate.' The days were shorter and growing colder. There would not be too much time left to play around outside. Which also had him wondering if Arianna was going to stay through the winter or not. Winters up here were harsh and very unforgiving. While he knew she would enjoy time down in the city more, it would almost be impractical to keep her up here during those cold months. Maybe they could spend the time at her place. Or she could at least go back home. Mason did not want her to feel obligated to stay. Once the snow settled here, there was no getting out of the area until spring. At the sound of a pop from the stove, he turned back to stir the pan before things started burning. Pulling down two plates, he divided the food up between the both of them. Grabbing some utensils, he handed her plate to her before turning to his own.

At the mention of what he was actually up for, he couldn't help his eyes trailing to her, watching her movements. While he was a canine, it was easier to watch her without any emotions crossing his face, but now... He quickly averted his eyes back to his own plate. There was a lot of things he was up for. Some more unmentionable than others. He couldn't help but think of her soft and gentle touch every time she had to change his splint and bandage. How she smelled when she leaned in close to check she had the wrapping just perfect. It had been so long since he had even started feeling an attraction for someone, but those weeks where he could do nothing but sit with his own thoughts left his mind wandering to different places. 'Uh, how about we run into town and get a few things? I know it's been awhile since you've been and I can at least get this round of things. Plus it'll take us out of the cabin for a bit.'

Larynx

11-14-2020, 10:46 PM

The newer model stood apart from most of the local population's older farm trucks and family sedans. Despite the downtown area receiving a small but sustainable stream of tourists and road-trippers, very few of her model came about. She had been made acutely aware of this the first few times she had come into town, getting more than a few looks as she had come in and found a serviceable area for some business calls and even a conference or two. It drew less now, but there were still a few to remind her that this was a smaller town whose local economy did not support much above having ones needs met with infrequent opportunity for luxury. She had not chosen the car for its price tag or reputation among those "well off" so much as for its quality and other respectable features. But having come to the area a few times now, she had been considering a bit less of an ostentatious model instead. It was a bit of a reminder actually, that had she not been so lucky she probably really would not even be here, with the ability to freely travel and spend, much less such an expensive car. Their quick looks and spark of recognition at the brand told her to remember where she came from. Biting her lip, she looked down the road in the direction of the little hotel she had used before. She probably would do well to take some calls there, to check in on things.

It had been a few weeks since she had been able to check in on a new project and a new partnership. The reception here was... reliably spotty. She had frequently been unable to tune in via video call, and so relied on their acceptance of an explanation that received some favorable 'ohh' and 'that may sound promising'. It was research in a way, she did not have to divulge all of her plans yet especially since most of them were half baked until the night before presentation. She had been letting others take a more forward stance lately, presenting her views and management. It had been.... good, though. She had not realized how much stress running this behemoth entailed. She had been sleeping more soundly, her thoughts had not turned to what ball she could get rolling next after just landing one in the hole... It was nice to run around and just enjoy the scenery. "Hmm." Turning to the man beside her, she noticed that he was dressed well enough, even looked presentable in clean dark jeans and a simple long shirt. Her own attire was dark as usual but this time she had donned a dark blue shirt instead of the usual black. She found herself more approachable to the locals in lighter colors.

"I am okay with following your lead. There must be some cool spots I haven't found yet." She said aloud, gesturing him forward. "As thoughtful as you were earlier, Melissa has it in hand so far, so you can lead me today." The early morning sun was bright and warming up the day, making her glad she had settled on just this long sleeved shirt.

AgroShadow

11-23-2020, 05:55 PM

The sight of the small town was familiar and warming in a way despite the chill in the air. He was familiar with the small shops that lined main street and spread out to the houses that were scattered few and far between. He could only hope that it remained this way, isolated but populated enough to give it it character. At the mention of him taking a lead, a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. 'It's a small town, but it's got a few things that are nice and have some... character.' With that, he started down the street toward some small shops that looked like they might have been built in the early 1900's. And they might have, but their wooden structure was still standing, mixed with more modern construction gave it some character. Pushing open the door, he was greeted by the sound of a familiar bell dinging and the dark room was poorly lit by watered down lights. It was enough to see that there was glass cases holding firearms of all sorts. The walls were lined with rifles and shotguns all leaning barrel up in a neat fashion. As he walked toward the main counter, where the cash register was located, a gruff sounding cough and shuffling came from behind a door. Soon a equally gruff looking man popped out, holding a few boxes in his arms. When he looked up and saw that there were customers in his shop, he squinted slightly as he looked at them, trying to get a better look. His eyes shot open when he noticed the male standing close to the counter. 'Mason, my boy!' His voice was raspy, matching his gruff appearance. The older man looked like he had just rolled out of bed, his white hair shuffled in all directions and his white beard short but somehow looking unkempt as well. 'I was wondering when you would come and collect your things. They have been here a while, and you know how hard it is to not just sell them to the first person who rolls in the door asking for them...' He trailed off, finally spying the female who was quietly browsing the guns off to the side. The older man looked at the young male and lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Mason shook his head slightly, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. 'I'm sorry Bert. I've been... busy.' The old guy, Albert, or Bert for short, coughed and mumbled under his breath as he turned around and started digging in a cabinet behind him. 'Uh huh. I'm sure you have.' Once he had gathered the things from the cabinet, he plopped them on the counter. Most of which was ammo, some bird shot and solid points. However there were two boxes of hollow point, and Mason's eyes lit up when he saw them. 'You were able to get your hands on some of those? You've been holding out on me old man.' Bert shuffled the boxes so they were the front and center of the ammo he had on the table when he spoke. 'You know if you had come any later, I would have sold them. Those go for a very high price, boy, and you know that.' Mason grabbed one of the boxes and looked it over. They were 9mm size, which meant he would need a new gun for them to fit... Bert grinned when he noticed what Mason was looking at. 'I supposed you'll be needing a new piece to be able to fire those.' Mason knew that he did that on purpose. And he couldn't even be mad that the old man for that. It was a clever trick he pulled there. Rolling his eyes, he shrugged. 'Well, what do you recommend?'

It was obvious that Bert had been waiting for that question, since he didn't walk over to one of the glass cabinets, he turned around to where he pulled the earlier stuff out and reached in there again to pull out
a small handgun. When Mason laid eyes on it, it was impressive. It was something that was small, but held a punch. Bert handed it over to Mason, who looked over the gun with sharp eyes. It was a decent weapon, but it was something Mason was not quite looking for in a weapon. He was about to hand it back and shake his head at Bert, but he glanced over at Arianna at the last second and handed it to her. 'Here, see how this feels in your hands.' He watched quietly as Arianna turned the weapon over in her hand. He could see that it was a gun that would fit her hands rather perfectly. Without giving her a chance to speak up about it, he turned back to Bert. 'We'll take it, and bag up a couple extra rounds of whatever you can find.' Bert grinned a semi-toothless grin and started stuffing things into a bag. 'I'll throw a holster in there for you too. On the house, for the pretty girl.' Mason rolled his eyes again, and grabbed the bag from him and shoved it into his backpack that he brought with him. He took the gun from Arianna and slid it into the holster and handed it back to her. 'Thanks Bert. You know where to get the money from. Take extra for a holding fee.' With that, he ushered Arianna out of the store as he shouldered his bag before Bert could say more. The man was nice, if a bit much when it came to females, and if he could have Arianna avoid that, he would.

Once back outside, Mason let out a sigh he didn't know he had been holding. 'Sorry about him. He means well, but his age lets him get away with a lot of things.' He started back down the street, heading for a place that offered food since his stomach had set to rumbling, reminding him that the afternoon had approached and they had eaten early in the morning. He spotted the little joint from a half a block away. There was a worn red sign swinging in the breeze, the letters almost hard to pick out. But he knew the name of the restaurant without needing to read the sign. Ignis, the latin word for fire. It was quite literally a hole in the wall restaurant, the door tucked into an alcove. He pulled open the door, the smell of food and spices wafting from inside as he held it open for Arianna. 'Seems a little creepy, but I promise they have the best food in town.' He followed after her, his eyes landing on the tables that were crammed together, the few patrons at the bar turning their heads when they walked in. He noticed one of the men at the bar letting his eyes linger a little too long on Arianna and her curves. Mason locked eyes with him and held them until he turned back around to the small television hanging above the bar. They made their way to a small round table and sat down in the chairs. It wasn't long before a blonde female holding menus sauntered over to their table and set the menus down. 'Hi. Welcome to Ignis, is there something I can...' Her voice trailed off and Mason glanced up to see familiar green eyes meet his. 'Mason?' His mouth fell open slightly at the sound of his name rolling off her lips. 'Britt.' Saying her name was like dredging up old memories that he would much rather forget.

'I... uh... knew you lived near here, I just haven't seen you in town before...' Her voice was shaking as she spoke, from nerves or just from the sight of him, Mason didn't know. 'Um, can we talk... after my shift? I get off in a couple hours and I've needed to talk to you for awhile...' Her hands were balled up in front of her, wringing her fingers as she was talking. He could smell her anxious and nervous demeanor rolling off her in waves. 'Uh. Sure.' A muscle feathered in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. The day started out so well, and now there was this. He watched as Britt glanced over a Arianna, a sad look on her face as she turned and walked back to the bar. He could see he talking with another woman and Britt pointed to their table. The older woman glanced over at them and nodded before heading over with two glasses of water. 'Sorry about that, what can we get started for you two?' Mason did not need to read the menu to know what he wanted, but he knew Arianna had not been here before. 'Can we get a couple more minutes please?' He gave a small smile, and she nodded and walked off. 'Well, today is about to get real interesting.' He gave Arianna an apologetic look.

Larynx

11-28-2020, 04:32 AM

The place was small. It held a dozen dark tables against the wall and across the dining area away from the window and where the waitstaff grabbed the orders and brought them out to customers. She had been in some fancy places, some that held waitlists, some that you knew really charged too much based on name and reputation or a single "fancy" ingredient but this place seemed promising with the calls sounding from the cooks in the kitchen, but especially the smells coming from their dishes being cooked. It was primarily strong and spicy, but not overpowering and maybe it was her hunger talking but she could practically taste the hiss of meat hitting pan signaling a nice sear. She could feel her mouth start to water as they took their table at the further end of the dining room. It had been a bit since their lighter breakfast and the soft rumbles of her stomach now, and mouth watering were reminders.

Taking a sip of water, she watched the waitstaff move about the dining area. It was busy enough to have half of the dozen tables with patrons eating their own orders or waiting for them. They looked to be enjoying them as they talked amongst themselves. Their was a low buzz of of talk which was always a good sign. Her attention slid back to her own companion as he offered somewhat of an explanation of what had happened at the register. Her eyes moved across the menu as she thought of that. "Well, I'm no stranger to fucked up relationships either." She replied, meeting his look with her own that she hoped conveyed her acceptance of his apology. The glimpse into her own past he surely would not forget anytime soon. Relationships were sometimes complicated things. She gave a soft sigh and leaned back in her chair, looking towards where she could see their waiter laughing with another. Arianna caught her eye and gave a soft wave to let her know they were ready. "Hi. I think I will try the 'spiced pork tacos'. May I swap the rice for the 'southwestern salad', also please?" At the waitress' blink followed by a nod, she realized she probably phrased as that less as a request and more of a statement. Chiding herself, she replied with a genuine thank you before handing over her menu. At least the waitress didn't seem to have taken it personally.

Taking up the glass again she took a long sip as she watched the slices of the chefs she could see pass by the window as they started placing orders up to be served. "You don't have to explain it if you don't want to." She had no room to deny someone's own mistakes regarding relationships.

AgroShadow

07-13-2021, 03:08 AM

Mason took a long draw on the glass of water that had been set down by the blonde female, emptying half the glass. It had been a long time since he had seen Britt. Their parting was rough while the relationship was wild and free. It's part of the reason they had to get away from one another, they were bad for each other in different ways. Just knowing her, he knew that she had been in this town looking for him. He had never taken her to the cabin for that reason. She would have lingered more than either of them would have liked. Sighing, he watched as Arianna waved the second waitress over. After she ordered and those older brown eyes landed on him, he rattled off his usual. 'Can I get the steak fajitas, please?' His eyes trailed the woman as she walked away. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Britt serving new tables, her gaze glancing back over to Arianna and him every few minutes. At the sound of Arianna's voice, he glanced back over at her and gave a shrug. 'It wasn't a fucked up relationship, per say, but it was not good. I just wonder how long she's been hiding in town waiting for me to come down...' It was rather weird, having someone seek him out for other reasons other than knowledge or refuge. 'I'm sure if you don't hear it from me, you'll hear it from her.' He drained the rest of his glass of water and before he could even say anything, it was refilled. He nodded a thanks to the waiter. 'I met her in a time in my life when I was low mentally and was just looking for someone, anyone to know I was here. She's a shifter like us, just a fox type. And she's through and through a fox personality wise. Very cunning and persuasive, but also fiercely loyal.'

'You know when you just find someone that just seems to get you, and you lose yourself into them and suddenly you don't know where you begin and end? We caused a lot of trouble, both in the non shifting world and the shifting world. And it was fun. But on a particular job, a really good friend of mine died while we were working. She's the one who had caused the accident. And while I don't blame her for it, it still was not something I could recover from.' He shook his head slightly, the sound of the gunshot still echoing in his head. 'We parted shortly after that, once I realized I could not look at her the same way as I used to. She did not take it well at all.' It was as if a vail had been lifted off of his eyes. And at first, it was hard. To not have someone right by your side all the time, Mason had to relearn how to just be on his own again. He has been tracing the grain in the wood table with his eyes when a noise caused him to glance up. Their food had arrived, hot and steaming. The plates were placed on the table gently and he shook his head when she had asked if they needed anything else. 'I think I'm good.'

He made short work of the food in front of him, not realizing just how hungry he was. Well, either he was hungry or he was wanting to get over talking to Britt. The food was just as good as he knew it to be. Just the right amount of flavor in all the right ways. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair while he pushed his dish away and down another glass of water. He could already see a blonde figure standing in the doorway to the kitchen, carefully watching them. Their current waitress brought over the check and Mason pulled out a small wad of cash. Counting out a couple twenties, he handed it to her. 'Keep the change.' He waited until Arianna was finished with her food before he started gathering up their stuff. 'Well I suppose lets get this over with.' Standing, he shouldered his backpack and they made their way out the front of the restaurant. Mason held the door open for Arianna behind him, and sure enough another figure was dashing toward the open door after them. Her face was flushed, stark against those familiar green eyes. 'Mason, I...' Before she could continue, he held up his hand to stop her. 'Let's go somewhere else, the park down the street maybe?' The small nod of her head was all he needed. He caught the flash of her eyes as she glanced over toward Arianna, a note of caution, or was it jealousy? He wasn't certain, either way, he started leading the two girls a few blocks away to an open park with a few benches.

Larynx

07-14-2021, 04:25 AM

It was a hole in the wall. But it was good. This had been a good choice. She vowed to herself to really explore more of these local shops. There had been some hesitation on her part, not sure of what to expect as sometimes local places were very, very good and deserved their accolades but it seemed just as often they seemed to have those accolades because they were the only decent steaks in town. Glancing over her last bite of taco she noticed that her companion had already finished his own meal, and wiped the plate clean at that. And about as soon as she had finished that bite he was gesturing for them to head out. Draining the last of her water, she rose to her feet and followed him out. She could feel a pair of eyes watching their backs as they went. It was not the first time. It had lasted all through lunch. She had not let herself stare back when she'd caught those green eyes but she had not looked away immediately either.

They did not make it out all the way when here was their owner, face filled with a light blush of color that she could not fully determine was from embarrassment at having run after them or from bustling about with the other tables. She could not miss the quick up and down, looking her over. She did not allow herself to look away. There was no romantic or even platonic claim here over Mason, in his own area, in her own hometown, but there was no desire for Arianna to feel inferior or that she was to be pushed around. That was a precedent that she often settled early. There was no way back up if you allowed someone to think they could get one over on you. When the girl's attention turned back to Mason she moved to follow after him. Only to find herself relegated to actually following and not walking with him, leaving her to move along awkwardly beside this new person who she felt already did not have the fondest of feelings for her. It left her in an uncomfortable choice of coming across as a bitch for not talking much or being obviously trying to make small talk to ease the mood. Sighing softly to herself she chose not to be too chatty and simply said, "Hi. I'm Arianna. Pleasure to meet you." The hand she held was glanced at with brief hesitation but was taken up for the few seconds to shake. The girl had a good, firm grip. The calluses brushed against her own smoother hands and she was suddenly cautious of how it was probably easy to pick her out as someone not used to doing laborious tasks for a living. She gave the girl a small smile when she returned the phrase. It wasn't said in an overly kind way but at least it had broken the ice and she felt more comfortable knowing she had been the one to make the effort.

The main drag was not a long one and it came rather quickly with Mason's pace, to an end. The park was... a public park. She eyed the low wrought iron fence around the main entrance that definitely had been there for a while with its blunted points and overgrown brush twining through it. She was a little surprised at just how big it was, at least two football fields long. There was a well worn swing set tucked over to one corner, two seats moving back and forth gently in the slight breeze. The grassy areas were not at their best, with fall almost upon them, its cover turning dull and a bit brown and yellow but it was all one even length and covered a good swath of the park, even up to the fence line for the most part. There was an oblong concrete path going around, showing its age as well, with worn surfaces and roots and grass poking through. A few worn smooth, plain concrete benches scatter around under the large trees... It probably was quite nice in early summer and she could imagine that they held all manner of local activities and festivals and things here all year long. She found herself smiling about what those would be and whether she would be present to enjoy them.

She followed along to the bench they had picked out. It did not go unnoticed that as soon as she could, Britt took the seat next to Mason. Unbothered Arianna took the seat across from them and was actually grateful for the space between them. She did not know what to expect from this. It almost felt like she did not need to present for this. What could she add to the conversation? This was between them was it not? The idea of a fox shifter was intriguing though and looking the other woman over, she supposed one could see a sort of lupine set to the angular eyes, a mouth not especially voluptuous but held in a sort of tight manner, high cheekbones... There also seemed to be a watchfulness about her. But she couldn't be sure how much of that was this situation or the fact she was also a shifter. Arianna was sure Britt was very conscious of what probably felt like a third wheel. Clearing her throat softly, "This is quite a nice park. These trees give so much shade." She said, looking up into the branches as an excuse not to look at either of them. Maybe the stupidity of her clearly said to ease the anxiety building between them would get them to start hashing things out. The blonde clearly had things to say.

AgroShadow

07-17-2021, 02:55 AM

--Britt--

The female that was keeping Mason company was something else. She was beautiful and carried herself in such a confident manner that it made Britt feel like there was no way she could compete with her. She could feel her glances everytime her eyes came over to her while they followed Mason to the park. She was not looking to have another person here to hear this conversation, but if she was with Mason then she must know what they were. She was slightly taken aback when she introduced herself. And after a little hesitation, she took the hand that was offered to her. 'Britt.' Christ, even her handshake felt as if it was full of power and determination. The walk was not long, but it made her all the more nervous that she was going to have to have this conversation. Mason was one of the last people she wanted to see... well that was not entirely true. She had craved his presence ever since they were not seeing each other any more. There was just something so sure and steady about him that she missed. And those hands. So calloused and rough from day to day work, but just so gentle in other ways. Her mind wandered back to times when they were closer and, well, more physical in ways that she missed. She felt her cheeks flushed when she sat down. Hoping that neither of the two that were there would know why and just think it was from the heat. The idle chatter from... Arianna, she said? Was welcome in a way. A soft smile played at the corners of her mouth. 'It's not often you find older parks with such big trees anymore. They are always so small and new.' She glanced around, taking in all the greenery. She had been here for quite some time now. Knowing that Mason would eventually come back to his usual spots. She had grown to love the town in the meantime. All the people were so friendly and willing to take care of one another... much like the family that she wished she could have. She happened to glance over at Mason just has he had looked at her as well. Their eyes met and for her, just for a moment, it was as if he was the only person there. 'What is it you needed to talk about, Britt?' His voice was low but soft. A voice that could draw goosebumps over her whole body when he whispered into her ear. She blinked. Realizing that they were still staring at her. 'Uh.' Her gaze suddenly went to her hands, which had been nervously wringing her fingers back and forth.

'Well, it's not good. Have you heard anything about The Alliance?' Judging from the slight confusion on his face and the small shake of his head, her shoulders dropped a bit. If he hadn't heard, he must be one of the last to find out. 'There's a rumor, well what I thought was a rumor for a bit, until I actually witnessed it. But, a group of shifters, out off the east coast that are banding together. They are slowly making their way across the country and recruiting anyone that they can find that have our... abilities.' She sighed a little, continuing, 'Mason, they are gathering us up and those who refuse to join are taken and either killed or tortured for information. For what, I'm not sure since no one comes back from that.... I don't know why they are trying to gather all the shifters up. There are mentions of an uprising against either the non shifters or another group of shifters, but no one I've talked to is sure at all.' Britt did not realize, but she had been staring off at a spot on the ground. She glanced up, first at Arianna, who seemed she could just hold any emotion from her face, and then at Mason, who made it very clear on how shocked he was. 'I thought... I thought you already knew and were hiding away in your cabin, like you do. So I came here hoping to run into you sooner, so I could ask, if I...' She took a nervous swallow before continuing, 'If I could stay with you until this was figured out.' It was no secret that she never had a place to stay, and she had never stayed at Mason's cabin, knowing that one day he would have taken her to it. If she had known where it was, she would have gone straight there. But also she would never wanted to impose on him. But now thinking back on it, she knew the cabin was small and glancing over at Arianna, she couldn't help but wonder if she was staying with him as well. Were they sharing the same bed? The thought caused a small flash of jealousy through her, but she battled it down while she waited for the male to respond.

'What do you mean you saw it happen?' His voice was a startle back into their conversation. She shrugged a little as she spoke. 'I was staying with Sarah and Jason, they just bought a house together. I had run out to grab some food for all of us and when I came back there were a ton of cars outside their house. I hung back a little and snuck around to the back and peaked into the kitchen through a window. There were voices, some were too far away to hear, but I could gather what was being said by both their responses. After some talking back and forth, there was a clear refusal from the both of them. When one of the guys asked one more time and they said no, they shot Sarah and took Jason. There... there were so many of them I couldn't do anything. I.. I ran and hid.' She was ashamed that she had done such a thing, but what was there to do in that situation? 'I went back a couple days later and scouted the house. They had taken Sarah's body and cleaned the house... It was like there had never been anything there. I started making my way across the country and asking around. That's all the information that I have as of now...' Her voice trailed off some as silent tears had started falling down her cheeks.

Larynx

07-19-2021, 02:44 AM

That was information that had not been expected. At all. She could feel her brows come together as she thought about what this all meant, before making the effort to smooth her features. Not just for her, but the greater population of shifters. From the way Britt described their movement, they wanted to sweep across the nation for whatever it was they were after. That hardly ever seemed to indicate good things for anyone, whether they were a target or just caught up in the crossfire.

At the mention of needing help in the way of staying at Mason's cabin, with them, she looked more closely at the girl. There it was. She had been waiting for something like that. Surely there was indeed then still some bit of something unresolved between them...At least, maybe. Looking over the girls face, she thought she could see genuine fear there, especially as she moved into a description of what really sounded like the oldest crime in the world. Could be wrong but she suspected not because those eyes had also held some hope in there before she'd looked back down into her lap, where her hands were wringing themselves dry. Looking to Mason, there was a quietness about him. Some deep thoughts were taking place there, trying to comprehend what had just been shared. She did not know him well yet, but she knew there was fear there too even though he tried to push it down. Hide it behind the furrowed brows and the anger that she could see too. And that scared her more than anything else,, if someone who seemed to hold himself to a high standard of being prepared, ready to take care of himself....someone who had always seemed confident in his ability to do that....

"They sound serious. And dangerous." She said softly. More of a thought said out loud than a conversational bit. But from what little she had just heard, her words felt pretty true. Rising to her feet she gestured for Mason to come with her. With a look at Britt he followed her over to a tree she hoped was out of earshot. Foxes had good ears. "Mason. How long have you really known her?" She began, partly out of her own curiosity and out of genuine concern about this new situation. "I know I'm new to all of this and you obviously know this world and her better than I do. But... this sounds, I don't know, weird to me." Crossing her arms, she continued softly. "She travels all across the country for information and doesn't get more than what she's told us so far and doesn't get on anyone's radar for asking those sorts of questions? Comes here to wait for you, not even sure you would be back, instead of running as far as fast as she can? I don't know any foxes personally but that doesn't sound very smart to me." She shrugged. She was no detective and hoped that he wouldn't be upset at her for voicing her opinion on this. His friends and relationships and acquaintances were his to have. A soft sigh escaped her. "I..." In a quieter voice she continued. "I have a friend...He could do some digging. He's in the FBI so this would be right up his alley. Wouldn't bat an eye and I'm sure wouldn't give two shits about us being what we are. He and my Papa go way back." She looked at him then, to a bright pair of eyes. "We can try and do this on our own first if you want but it's an offer. Freely given and frankly, this sounds like it could become some real scary shit, Mason."

AgroShadow

07-19-2021, 08:53 PM

It was difficult for Mason to take this all in. There were a number of things that just didn't add up from Britt's story. But also it had been awhile since he had seen her last and actually spoke to her. And for Britt to just do nothing? That was very unlike her. He knew her well enough to know she would go with her actions before even trying to think things through. Their messy past was enough proof of that. Sighing, he rubbed the back at his neck and looked at her. Really looked at her. She was hurting, that much was apparent. But there was a tension in her shoulders, the glancing looks between him and Arianna and the ground. The wringing of her hands in her lap. Something was up. But what it was, he was uncertain. At the sound of Arianna's voice, he glanced over at her and noticed he invite to join her a few feet away. Getting up, he left Britt on the bench but he kept aware of her and any movements she might make. He tilted his head a little at her question before answering. Four, maybe five years. Not counting the last two we have been separated. But I agree with you. Something is up. And she's not one to lie to me... But things have changed for the both of us.' Rolling his shoulders slightly, he glanced back at Britt. She was fidgeting on the bench while looking at a cell phone she had pulled out. 'Would you mind reaching out to that friend of yours? I don't think we should trust everything she is saying but if we could get even a little more information, that would be helpful. I also don't want to let her get very far from me, but I'm not going to take her to cabin.' He looked back over at Arianna. 'What do you say about staying in town for a bit? Just till we can get this thing sorted out. And at least you'll have signal to reach out to anyone you need to.'

It was not a solid plan, but he could not trust her to not do something stupid that would endanger them all. He was grateful Arianna was here and had connections that he did not, but it made him all the more wary of Britt and her story. He did not want to get Arianna involved in things that she could avoid. He didn't think that that contract they signed together had anything about 'shifters taking over the world' in it. Just that thought alone caused him to huff in amusement. Just the sound of it was ludicrous. He took
covered the distance over to Britt again, his voice soft, but stern. 'Until we figure out what exactly is going on, I can't trust you at the cabin. Once I give that location, it's no longer a safe place. Are you staying somewhere?' At the shake of her head, he sighed inwardly. Of course not. She'd been sleeping on couches or if it was nice enough outside, then under the stars. 'Come on then, we'll go get a few rooms at the hotel for a bit. My treat.' He grabbed his backpack, throwing it over one shoulder. He was at least a little relieved that he had brought a majority of his stuff with him. The cabin would be fine for a bit, as it usually was when he left for months on it. Just as he was getting ready to ask if Arianna could drive them over there, Britt's cell phone started ringing. Before he could glance at the screen, she denied the call and shoved it into her back pocket. 'Scam.' She pursed her lips together in a nervous line, and Mason narrowed his eyes slightly at her before they started making their way back to Arianna's car.

The hotel was across town. It wasn't some fancy one, but it was one of the nicer places to stay in the town. Air conditioned and turn down service was something that was offered, and Mason found that in itself a treat. Once inside the lobby, Mason approached the counter and asked if they had three rooms available. After a few moments of typing on the computer, the service man shook his head slightly. 'I'm sorry. All I've got right now are two that are next to each other. Once with a queen and the other room with two double beds.' Holding back a groan, he pulled out some cash from one of his pockets and placed it on the counter. 'We will take them.' He didn't want to figure out how to divide the three of them up. On one hand, he had no intention of staying with Britt, but he also did not want to push the two women together into a room. Gathering the room keys that were handed to him, he gave one each to both Arianna and Britt. At least they would have their own room. He would figure out what he could do with himself in the meantime. Shifting was always an option for him, but he would wait until later to figure that out.

Larynx

07-21-2021, 03:45 AM

"Holy shit! That sounds like something I wannna know!" An overexcited, but gravelly from years of smoking at least a couple packs a day, male voice came yelling out the phone's speaker. Cringing she held the phone away while the voice's owner calmed down. "Take it easy, please. I'm not exactly putting up a billboard on Time's Square, ya know?" She replied, in a much calmer and quieter voice than him. Arianna had not wasted time in getting touch with the contact she and Mason had discussed earlier. Just as she had predicted, the man was excited about it. He always claimed he was too busy to do anything but whatever the bureau gave him, but her family knew better. The guy just as often came in to his head of department with concerning leads that he'd caught wind of on his own. The guy just loved finding interesting things, finding leads and following them to their very end, and though he joked it was a decent paycheck with too much overtime, the guy seemed to like being able to do some good. He had never treated her unkindly and was one of the positive male role models in her and her sister's life from the very beginning of becoming a member of the Lancaster family. Of course, he had been their first illegal taste of beer but he always scolded them for speaking ill of anyone or not wanting to help learn about changing the oil on his car, and never smoked around them. "I just want you to use your talents, find any information that seems worrisome, Al." She could hear the soft clicking of a keyboard as he affirmed his willingness to do so. With a quick agreement on how to contact each other, their was silence in the room at the end of the call.

She sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand, and taking the room in. It was... as standard semi-budget hotel. It was clean and fairly plainly decorated but it was nice enough and she had not seen many others also in town but was able to tell this one was larger than them. A soft sigh escaped her. This hadn't been how she expected the day to go. Well, it certainly might do her some good to take a quick nap after getting some work done. Sliding her laptop out of its bag she set to it. The numbers and charts were growing fuzzy, needing to rub her eyes more often than usual... It felt like not too long after, she had curled around a pillow and fallen into a nice nap.

~~TIME SKIP~~

With a jolt, the girl shot up from bed. Swinging her gaze to the window through bleary eyes, she realized that night had fallen, the sun shining through earlier having changed to the distinctive neon of the hotel's outdoor sign. Rubbing the sleep from still tired eyes, the young woman shuffled to the bathroom to freshen up. The cool water against her skin certainly woke her up, and she was wistful for her face wash to help even a little more but she was soon puling the basic little hotel comb through her hair. Catching her reflection in the small round mirror made her pause. There sued to be dark circles under her eyes, from too little sleep and too many nights spent staring at graphs and chart and numbers of profits and losses and composing memos that would largely go ignored. Slightly too small dark eyes looked back, a clarity there she hadn't remembered could be, and her skin was seeming to like the cleaner forest air.... All good things, and even with this recent shift in priorities, the scent of danger, and an uncertainty still hanging between her and Mason.... There was a whisper of excitement that also hung in the air,, not dampened by the edge of fear about unknowns. Pulling in a deep breath, she let it out slowly and deliberately, focusing on the motions.

The air had cooled considerably, even with the long sleeve shirt she wished she'd thought to bring a jacket. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, its face displayed seven-thirty in numerals bright enough to cast her face in blue light. "Let's get a bite to eat? Not sure if Britt wants in. Meet at the Timberline?" Hitting 'send', she adjusted her purse and headed out, not minding the couple blocks it would take to reach it. The feline perked up but was easily coaxed to relax when it realized there was no real wilderness quite so close as at the cabin. It was a good night to think about things and realize that although a smaller town and local, the Timberline was one of the nicer restaurants that she had visited while on her trips in for regular shopping and work meetings. It was too late though as she had already reached it. No going back, she strode in with as much confidence as she could realizing that this might get a little awkward, especially if Britt declined. Giving instructions to the hostess to let Mason and Britt know that they need only request to be shown their table, the hostess' eyes widened a bit before she gave a nod and led her to a table tucked into a corner with a good view of the main street. Eyeing the placement and dark green tablecloth, she now definitely knew that everyone seemed to know who Mason was, or at least knew of him. Maybe though, it was her, too, she suddenly realized. She had done it at the last place, and every other place she'd visited while here, and she had not always been dressed so casually either. Eyeing the street, and letting her mind mull over this supposed rising up of shifters... the wine she'd requested, swirling gently in its glass as her gaze absently followed the tourists meandering up and down the street, sky deepening and the lights starting to give a warm glow.

AgroShadow

07-27-2021, 04:50 AM

Mason had spent his last few hours in the library. The comfort of old books and quiet atmosphere was enough to settle the nervous energy that had sent his canine counterpart to pacing. He had picked up a old favorite of his and was nestled in the corner of the room, a small desk and lamp with a chair next to it that was shoved between two bookshelves. He was not quite sure what he was going to do when it came time to sleep. He had given the two woman the only two rooms left in the hotel and had not even thought for himself until this moment. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes scanning the next few lines in the book. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. Glancing up, he noticed a fairly attractive female scouring the shelves next to him for something. She was a petite thing, long blonde hair and carried herself much like she knew that she could turn heads. Her pale blue eyes shot to his when she noticed him staring. He did not miss the smile that had pulled her lips into a rather seductive look and he could feel his own body react and return a smile of his own. He watched as she pulled the backpack off her shoulder and reached in to grab a piece of paper and pen. She jotted something down then came over and slid it onto his desk he was sitting at. 'Text me sometime.' Her voice was soft but assertive. She gave a wink at him and then rounded the corner, leaving behind her scent of what seemed like almonds and cherry blossoms. Looking at the piece of paper on the table, he found the ten digit phone number, along with her name and a little heart next to it. As fun as it would be for a distraction right now, Mason grabbed the paper and crumpled it and shoved it into his pocket. He got back to reading his book when his phone went off a few times in alarm to a message.

He couldn't help but smile a little when he noticed who it was from. The mention of Britt was enough to cause him to roll his eyes, but he shot her a quick text explaining where they would be. Closing the book, he set it back on the shelf on his way out the door. Stepping out the door, he noticed the slight chill in the air. Fall was coming, and with that it meant colder weather. Mason thrived in that weather and could not wait for it to hit. The smell of decaying leaves and cold fronts moving in was enough to send a shiver down his spine. It was a short walk to the restaurant, but he made it in pretty quick time. He arrived at the hostess and let her know that he was looking for someone. She nodded and lead him to a table with a familiar face. He was not sure what exactly it was, but she looked rather beautiful in this dim lighting, holding her glass of wine. She was comfortable here, her tense shoulders slightly rounded and relaxed, the crease between her forehead when she was thinking hard, smoothed out. Grinning, he slid in to the chair across from her. 'Fancy place you chose here.' His voice held a bit of playfulness with it, but Mason had been here before. It was a place he frequent regularly when he was down here. Good alcohol and decent conversation. When the waitress came back around, he ordered a mixed drink which came out rather quickly. Taking a quick swallow of it, he was not disappointed in the least. 'I'm not sure if Britt will be coming, but I told her where we were. She's not much for out and about things. Besides, I still think she's got something going on that makes her nervous to be around us.' He gave a small shrug before taking another sip of the drink in his hand. This drink was strong. His empty stomach was going to pay for this, but what the hell.

His eyes landed on Arianna as she sat there and it was hard to not just stare. There was a stray hair that had fallen from the rest and was resting just in front of her ear that he so badly wanted to just push back. Clearing his throat, he shifted his gaze to people walking by. 'I hope the hotel is enough. I don't think it will be more than a couple days, but I'm not sure...' He glanced at her, knowing it was still early for her to find anything through her friend, but he had to ask. 'Has your friend told you anything that might be useful? I know you only just talked to him, but damn those guys can work fast sometimes.'

Larynx

08-01-2021, 05:07 AM

The distinct feeling of being watched made her turn, abandoning her idle people watching. It was just in time to see a familiar man sliding easily into the booth across from her. The playfulness that came out of his mouth made eyebrows rise, but a smile pulled at the corners of her lips before she could stop it. Taking a sip of her wine to hide her expression she watched the ease with which Mason ordered a drink and was not surprised in the least with the dark mix that returned. Absently swirling her wine, she wondered what his favorite was. Probably something dark, and simple. He never had struck her as a complicated man when it came to everyday things, and this seemed to be just the type of place for him. It was a fancy place, for here, but she knew that he probably had never stepped into the type of establishment that served edible gold and thousands of dollars worth bottles of wine, or the type of chairs that were boasted to be made with hand stitched leather by local craftsmen from some tiny village needing the economic boost... No. This was an attempt at fine dining compared to those run by Michelin-starred chefs really just doing it because they claimed the love of good food, but were just as often doing for the money, because it honestly was an avenue for profits at that point. She eyed take a sip of his drink and caught the barest of cringes at its booziness.

"I prefer just the two of us." The words were a hushed whisper, but they spoke truth. It was a thought spoken aloud and not meant to let stray from behind her teeth, to betray the feelings that had stirred up within her at the sight of him reaching her table tonight. Feelings that were soft and unsure, ones that she had squashed immediately. The contract made those impossible. Feeling a rush to her face that would be a beacon of her meaning, she quickly moved to respond to his questions.

Her shoulders rose in a small shrug. "No, but he seemed happy as a loan shark getting double interest hearing about it. All he texted me so far was that he had a lead on some guy... I requested not to be told of anything unless he was sure of it. I want useful information, not guesses." She looked away when the man's eyes lingered a little too long, the feelings rising up from before dampening quickly. The contract flashed briefly in her mind, and she remembered why she had made that addition in the first place. Crossing her arms, she waved one hand to their waitress. "You know what... I'll take the honey walnut shrimp appetizer, steakhouse salad, medium well. Another glass of wine and I'll try this famous 'Grandma's Cobbler'." As she had detailed her order, she had realized how empty her stomach felt. It had actually been several hours since their lunch. And damn, she did like some good food and more people had begun to trickle in, small groups, a couple or two, and singles who had taken up residence at the bar. Their light, quiet chatter was beginning to fill the space and the more romantic lighting settings had been kicked on by staff now that dinner rush begun to settle in. But she didn't really notice these things for what they were but they did contribute to her more chatty mood.
"So tell me Mason, what is your guilty pleasure?" She wiggled her fingers for dramatic effect.

AgroShadow

08-09-2021, 08:52 PM

The drink was enough to make him ease into a comfortable state. Usually the amount of people here was enough to set him to pacing, but after a few swallows of his drink, the warming sensation of the alcohol washing over him was appeasing. Watching as the waitress came by, he waited until Arianna had listed off what she wanted. An eyebrow lifted slightly at the list and a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. When the waitress turned to him, he pulled his eyes off Arianna as he recited what he wanted. 'Can I get the steak and potatoes, medium rare on the steak and the loaded potato. And can you actually just bring a bottle of that wine? I'll take a glass well. And to finish it off, I'll take the triple chocolate cake. Thanks.' His eyes trailed after the woman after she nodded and took off. It was not long before the wine made an appearance and a new glass was placed in front of them. While he would have loved continuing drinking his whiskey, a few of those and he would be under the table in no time. And he was rather enjoying his time with Arianna at the moment. With steady hands, he dumped some of the wine into his glass and topped off Arianna's. Taking a sip of it, he was pleasantly surprised by the taste. Just the right amount of sweetness but not overwhelming. He was not much of a wine drinker, but he could be if all wines would taste this way.

He was in the middle of taking another drink when he heard the question about guilty pleasure. A chuckle worked its way out of his chest just at the moment the drink hit his throat. With a hard swallow that sent his eyes watering, he shook his head while the chuckle broke free. 'My guilty pleasure? What an unusual question, Arianna.' His eyes danced with mirth as he thought it over. 'Well since you asked, I'd have to say I have two. One being chocolate. I could literally eat anything with chocolate and I could eat it until I get sick and still want more.' Maybe it was the fact that if he ate it while he was in his canine form, it could potentially kill him, or maybe it was just that he had an unhealthy obsession of it. Either way, he would always look forward to eating the smooth concoction. 'The other, and I'm gonna need you to not laugh at this. Promise?' He locked eyes with Arianna while he spoke, a smile playing on his lips and amusement dancing in his eyes. He waited until she nodded before he continued. 'Romance novels.' He paused, waiting for her reaction. He could see the amusement all over her features, and saw how hard it was for her to hold back the laughter. Giving a shrug, he continued, 'What can I say? I enjoy the cheesy writing and the preposterous descriptions they use to describe body parts.' The last little part was hard to say with how hard he was trying to swallow the laughter bubbling out of him. But when he got all the words out, he couldn't help but let them loose. This time, the water coming from his eyes, was due to the laughter.

'I can promise you, I've never told anyone that.' Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was just because it was due to how comfortable he felt around her, but he was glad he was able to share with someone. 'But now, you get to tell me your guilty pleasure since I shared so deeply with you on mine.' He gave a wink before continuing, 'And you also have to tell me what is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you.' He grinned at her and then drained the rest of his drink before pouring more into his glass from the bottle. All thoughts of things that had happened before this, with Brit and otherwise, were forgotten as he was immensely enjoying this time out with Arianna. Even though they had been in this contract for awhile now, Mason realized that he did not really know what caused Arianna to work the way she does, or why she acted certain ways. And part of him was so excited to find out all the things. It wasn't long before all the food they had ordered was placed on the table, save for the desserts. Mason started attacking his potato while he listened to her talk.

Larynx

08-15-2021, 12:03 AM

"You could have fooled me! That bit I bought you is still up there in the cupboard." Eyes went wide in both genuine and mock exaggeration of surprise. You know that makes sense with the chocolate." How ironic though. A whole piece of how he existed could not have nay or it could very well send him to the grave. Maybe that was part of the appeal. She almost flinched at the laughter that erupted out of him. So suddenly sure of himself and letting this feeling of amusement out. Leaning back into her chair, she thought over her answer. It was indeed only fair.

"Mmm that's a good one." Their had been plenty of the normal embarrassment that came with being lower on the playground totem pole. Kids were cruel. the wine swirled as she mulled over her response. The one that always comes to mind is the time I burped in front of my first batch of investors, in my first meeting with them. I never drink any sort of fizzy thing before something important."

"My guilty pleasure.... is video games." Her gaze dropped from his into her glass. The memories were easy to pull up, filling with the time the control was in her hands for the first time but definitely not the last. ]Her free hand flexed open and closed, remembering the smoothness of the plastic, buttons and their functions foreign, the whole thing too large for one so she had to cup it in both hands. "I remember the control being too big for my hands." Some stupid party she had gone to, what felt like a million years ago now, but really wasn't. The game had instilled a sense of nostalgia for experiences and adventures there was no way to actually experience due to sheer age and time. The controller had been tossed to her and..."It was Zelda. I was still there at the end of all the drunks going home, 2am
and they had to tell me it was time to go and that my ride was gonna ditch me. My parents would have been furious if I'd have missed school the next day." The wine glass was functionally empty, the last swirl of red too small to be a real sip and she reached for the bottle, only to catch herself and stop. There was no need for that this time. She felt relaxed enough around him without the help of liquid courage. It's why now, I can be your sugar mamma." She joked, laughing softly. "I'm the CEO of one of the largest MMOs in the world right now.... I just wanted others to be able to partake in what I felt that first time. Especially those kids like me who needed that...escape from their shit real lives.
I don't actually play as much as I want to but I am enjoying the more creative side. "She could feel herself getting excited. "I have a lot of ideas that are already getting put into the coding phase, from there it will be into testing. There's good feedback with some of the item usage changes we've made but.. She trailed off, catching his eye.