M - The Mystery of Moonflower Mine - SouthernBelle & Pyro IC

[SouthernBelle]

Sola had run all night in wolf form with her pack trying to pick up scent of whatever being had come into her town and killed one of her humans. She was beyond frustrated. She wanted to find whatever it was and sink her teeth into it's neck ripping it to shreds.

There is nothing, Alex growled from beside her. She could tell her frustration was being felt by all the pack. All of them wanted to find whatever this was and kill it.

It's getting light, lets get back to the pack house. Carson, relieve Alex and keep watch for anything out of the normal. she glanced towards the mine a shiver running down her spine. All night she had felt a chill that shouldn't have been there this time of year. What were they facing?

Yes, Alpha, Carson replied as she tore towards the pack house. They had dealt with vampires, lobo lycans, and the likes before. But with those they could smell them a mile out. Whatever this was she hadn't been able to pick it's scent up yet.

She was going to kill it one way or the other. There was no doubt about that.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning Sola went into town early and sat in the cafe. She wanted to hear what the town was saying. They had already found the body by the time Sola made it to the cafe and she sat at her table just listening to the talk around the cafe while she sipped on her coffee.

She watched as the miner that had gotten sick last night walked into the cafe over to Maude who was cleaning the table behind her. She listened to their conversation and sighed. It was the same conversation she had been hearing over and over all morning. She turned in her chair and looked at the two.

"We haven't had something like this happen in, well years. I can't remember the last time," she said pulling Maude's eyes to her.

"That's what makes this place so good, there are tussles and such, but there is order," Maude nodded her head.

"I know the sheriff is looking into it, he will figure it out," Sola smiled a little. She looked towards the miner and smiled. "I hope you are feeling better,"

[Pyro]

At the approach of Sola, Felix averted his gaze, suddenly shy. He couldn't explain it readily, perhaps he was merely taken by her beauty, but he felt meek in her presence. While he would normally resent a feeling like this, as it would imply a departure from the masculine image he wished to achieve, it was a fairly pleasant sensation, a comfortable weakness. He felt a spark of surprise when Sola addressed him, and the heat of bashfulness colored his cheeks a rosy pink.

"Oh!" he spoke softly, the hairs on the back of his neck raising with a slight chill, "Nothing to worry about, miss. I should be right as rain with a glass of water."

"I'll fetch it for you, Felix," Maude piped up, "you set down and Austin'll be out in a bit with some chow."

She bustled off to the kitchen, leaving the two alone. Felix anxiously scratched at the table he leaned on, unable to look directly at Sola. He cleared his throat.

"I, uh, I know this is hardly talk for a lady, but perhaps since the whole town appears to know the details...do we...do we know who was killed?" he asked, his face growing redder from the embarrassment of speaking so awkwardly, "Did he have any enemies who would do such a thing? I mean...not to take credit from the sheriff, who I am certain will do a good job, his job, of course, I merely mean to be aware."

Felix felt rather foolish, but, as always when he spoke too much, he knew he could not take back the words he had put into the air.

[SouthernBelle]

Sola couldn't help but smile as Felix stumbled over his own words. She picked her cup of coffee up and sat down at the table Felix was at taking a sip of the dark liquid.

"I do not know who was killed, sadly I do not know most of the miners in this town," she pondered on that. Miners came and left in this town. The ones that were around for a while she got to know, but the ones that passed through she didn't bother with remembering their names. She hadn't heard anyone say a name this morning though and she wasn't going to ask. She hadn't wanted to intrude on any conversations especially since a lot of the town folk saw her as a higher class person and didn't like having those conversations with her.

She didn't feel any different than the rest of the town. Yes they had founded the town, and kept it going with as little incident as possible, but she had never intended to have special treatment. Just to watch the town flourish.

"Sheriff Grayson is very good at what he does, I'm sure he wouldn't care if someone was trying to speculate as to what happens," she ran her finger over the top of her cup and looked at Felix, "He is a very factual based person, doesn't have much of an imagination which sometimes I assume slows him down in his findings. A couple of my brothers have gone to help him try and track down whoever did this, though if they were smart they would be very far away from this place by now. We do not take kindly to such individuals."

[Pyro]

There was an intensity to Sola's words that struck Felix with an emotion he could not quite place, and he felt a shiver raise the hairs on his arms. He eased himself into the seat opposite her, keeping his hand steady on the tabletop as he went. He had kept the habit of maintaining grip on solid, stationary objects (usually wood) when anxious since his long journey in the wilds - the rigidity and texture focused his attention on reality and kept him grounded.

"Of course...whoever would take kindly to such behavior is not a person I would care to know..." His knee began to bounce underneath the table. "Oh! How rude of me...I have not properly introduced myself. Felix Holt, miss, at your service. I know I am not much use in investigation, but anything I can do to aid, I would certainly be glad to."

He offered his hand for Sola to shake, hoping she would not notice the slight tremble. He wondered briefly why it was so much colder this morning than it had been the day before. Did the weather normally change so rapidly in Moonflower or was something else the cause of it?

[SouthernBelle]

"It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Holt," she smiled as she shook his hand, wondering why he seemed to shiver. She didn't say anything about it though as he sat down. "I am Sola Johnson, you have probably seen my brothers around a time or two depending on how long you have been here."

She felt Carson reaching out to her and she picked up her glass as she took a sip.

The temperature has dropped all over the territory, this doesn't make sense, Carson told her as she drank down some of the coffee.

Any luck tracking down whatever it is? she asked.

Not yet, I'll let you know if that changes. He replied cutting the mental link.

"Where do you come from, Mr. Holt, before you came here that is," she set her cup down and looked at him with a smile hoping to not seem like she was prying.

[Pyro]

"Boston, miss," Felix responded, "I know northerners are not as welcome here as some others, but I mean no condescension by my...oh..." He picked at the wood slightly and his cheeks burned hotter as he realized his error. "I suppose my manner of speaking gives the wrong impression. I'll need to work on that..."

At that moment, Maude's teenage son Austin arrived with a glass of water and a bowl of porridge (or what looked like porridge to Felix). He hovered a moment after setting the dishes down, staring at Felix.

"Thank you, Austin," Felix said, flickering a smile as he glanced at the boy, "Your mother does right by relying on you; she's certainly raised you up to be a fine lad."

He drank the water quickly, his parched throat thankful for the relief, but Austin still stood and stared.

"You wern't sick last night," the boy said cryptically. Felix turned to him incredulously.

"Pardon?"

"That's what the folks been sayin'. That miner was a newcomer like you."

[SouthernBelle]

Sola couldn't help but smile. "We accept anyone here as long as they do not cause a problem," she took a sip of her tea and watched as he picked at the wood a warmth in his cheeks. He intrigued her more than most of the new miners did. Though she wasn't really sure just yet as to why that was. He was different, there was no doubt about that. But she spoke the truth, no one was turned away from Moonflower without a valid reason.

When Austin walked over she noticed how he stood there staring at Felix. She frowned a little when he said Felix wasn't sick the night before.

"Austin, are you suggesting that Mr. Felix killed the miner last night?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Because I can verify that he was in fact sick, seeing as my brother and I walked him out. I would expect you to be smarter than to believe idle gossip."

"Sorry, ma'am," Austin lowered his head a little but still peeked at Felix. This was not good. The town was already starting to cast blame, which never ended well. She had heard more stories than she liked about humans throwing things like witch hunts, where they were driven by fear of the unknown. Fear that needed to be cast onto something and it normally ended in the death of an innocent.

"I expect you will not go spreading unfounded gossip?" She raised an eyebrow as Austin glanced at her.

"No, Ma'am," Austin shuffled his feet a little and she nodded.

"Good, if you hear people talking of such foolishness I expect that you can tell them it's best not to guess at things they do not know. If you want you can let them know that is what I said." She picked her cup up again knowing full well he wouldn't. Know that the gossip would continue.

[Pyro]

"I thank you for the support, miss, but I can weather a few rumors," Felix said, his intent confident, but the delivery meek, "Heaven knows there were rumors running rampant in the streets back home. I once heard one that my next door neighbor was involved in the Boston Tea Party, which was absurd, of course; that would have made him over a hundred years old! The man was advanced in years, certainly, but to make a statement...like...I am so sorry. I never know when to stop talking."

Felix shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He could feel the potential for a promising friendship with Sola slipping away the more he rambled, but he wasn't sure how to remedy the situation.

He picked up the bowl of porridge and rose from his seat.

"I'll leave you to your coffee," he offered, "I need a word with Ms. Maude before I head out to the mine."

He paused before leaving the room, wanting to remain to patch things up further.

"It was pleasant chatting with you, Miss Johnson. I hope we get the chance to do so again sometime."

[SouthernBelle]

Sola couldn't help but smile at his ramblings. It was almost like he had to fill the space with something. Had to talk or else he would feel too awkward. It was endearing in a way.

"I hope so too," She smiled back at him before he walked off to go speak with Maude. She took a sip of her coffee and her smile faded as she thought about the rumors going around. She knew that Felix wasn't the cause of the killing. Though she had a feeling that would not be the last she heard of someone saying he was. Rumors like that could be deadly in a small town that was being controlled by fear.


*~*~*~*~*~*

A week passed and two more killings took place. Both had the same odd scent, or close to lack of, from the first with no evidence or leads as to who was doing the killings. Sola was getting more and more frustrated. Another supernatural was on her territory killing in her town.

She slammed her fist into the porch railing looking at her packmates. "How do we have nothing? There has to be something about this creature."

"We have looked over the enter territory, we can't even find a den that it's staying in," Carson frowned his arms crossed.

"What about the mountains just east of the town, there are caves riddling them," she looked at Carson and knew the moment she asked his answer. The look on his face told her they hadn't checked there yet. It was just outside of the territory, but also just outside the town. A perfect place for something to hide. She struggled to contain her growl before she turned and started towards the tree line her skin rippling. She was going this time.

She shifted mid walk her paws hitting the ground as she took off at a full run feeling some of the pack behind her. The sun was starting to set so if anyone saw them in wolf form it wouldn't be odd. Though she had no intention of being close to the town. She would skirt around it and get to the mountains on the other side. Find whoever was killing her town and kill them.