Jeremy Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 April 2, 2011 Dusk was setting over Holmby park when Jeremy hopped through the grass in Primal Raven form. Sometimes, it was just good to hide in plain sight and munch on bugs. Saved a fortune on groceries, certainly. An anthill he pecked at, finding an easy and healthy source of fast food. The breeze rippled through his feathers and he cawed in happiness. The little things are always worth it when you appreciate them. Suddenly, the ground started shifting beneath him, and he flapped upwards into the air, surprised. Looking downward, he found more reason for surprise there. The decay stench and dirt was palpable. Did I just land on one of those? Just my luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 *Wake up! It's right above you! You know what you must do.! Sarah had never enjoyed waking up. Not when she was living, and not now that she was dead. She had an inbred hatred for alarm clocks. And she really hated spirits that acted like alarm clocks. Still, a hunt-spirit wasn't something to ignore. And if it was right.... A hand burst forth from the soil; pale fingers grasped with frightening accuracy where just a fraction of a second ago had been the raven. A single feather was held tight in that steely fist as the rest of the vampire rose from Gaia's embrace, green eyes staring up at the bird that had gotten away. "Dammit," Sarah muttered to herself, pulling free of the last of the dirt, brushing herself off as she stood. "A bird?" she said to seemingly nothing. "You got me all worked up over a bird?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Raven-Jeremy flapped back up and onto a tree branch, squawking indignantly at the loss of the tail feather. That... had been too close. Too suspiciously so. How could the vampire have known he was there. Preening himself to make up for the precious feather's loss and making sure his meal hadn't gotten into his wings, he affected no notice of Sarah, though the words she seemed to speak to no one... somehow he had been sensed. But she couldn't see past the animal skin, and the two souls beneath. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 *More than bird,* Sarah heard from her invisible adviser for the evening. At that, she shot a critical eye up at the preening example of Corvus corax. The spirit's right, she realized after a moment. Sarah had been a hunter all her life - and unlife - and knew how animals reacted. A raven that just had a feather plucked away by an attacker would have taken to the skies for a good distance... or, if it stuck around, would be in a high branch watching the attacker for the next move. It would not sit a mere half-dozen yards above the ground studiously ignoring the danger. Considering the possibilities - Sarah had, after all, run into a fair number of things that were more than they seemed, including Uratha that could change into more than a wolf - and that the feather hadn't fallen to ash in her hand (which would have been sure sign of another vampire), she did her best to lock eyes with the bird. "Alright. So you're not quite what you seem. Wanna explain what you're doing here on my turf?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 The raven cawed back, putting a very significant seeming glance towards the feather Sarah still held before darting its head around. With there apparently still being the sound of cars passing by, Raven-Jeremy turned and flapped into a small cluster of trees, heading back to a higher branch. Once settled, he/it stared expectantly at Sarah to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 "Why do they always have to do things the hard way?" the redhead muttered to herself. Sighing, she trudged over to a clump of trees deeper into the park - and my territory, she thought with a growl - then looked up at the raven. The feather was quickly tucked into a jacket pocket, and Sarah started climbing. It wasn't exactly a challenge; she'd climbed hundreds of trees for one reason or another. But it was annoying. About ten feet from the intruder, she stopped, taking up a perch of her own on a good-sized branch: a low crouch with one hand on the trunk. Once so ensconced, she plucked the feather from her pocket, holding it up. "Alright. I've played your game. Time to play mine. Who and what the hell are you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 The raven shifted, enlarging and turning into a young man- fully clothed, Sarah noted, unlike the Uratha- with black hair. He regarded Sarah with a raised eyebrow, adjusting his weight but remaining secure on the branch. "So sorry, oh Dead One." The young man intoned with mockery of a supplication. "Seriously, though. I didn't know you'd ensconced yourself here. I was just being my animal self and eating bugs. Ants make a wonderful palate cleanser, see. You can call me Jeremy. You?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 "Sarah. And yeah, this is my territory. Scent-marked, if you've got the nose for it. And I still don't know what the hell you are. Shifter of some sort, but there's a lot of things that can shift. So if you plan on feeding in my territory and want some prayer of me accepting it, this'd be a real good time to make with the explainin'." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Jeremy leaned back a little. "Bird senses tend to emphasize sight and sound over smell. And not that I feel the need to come back here, but really. I'm eating bugs and little rats. I'm a feral. Two heartbeats, I'm a human and raven both. And do I detect an Alpha rating skyrocketing through the roof now?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 "Two...." Sarah started to reply, then stopped. "Wait a minute. You're a... were-bird? Like a werewolf, but a bird? Seriously?" Her eyebrows threatened to creep right off the top of her forehead as the Dead-Wolf considered the concept. She'd heard legends, stories around the campfire, of other changers. Generally, her Uratha cousins spoke of such in derogatory tones... but to be honest, that's how they spoke about most things, herself included. "If that's true, we might have more in common than you realize. I know what it is to have two skins." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Jeremy was doubtful of this, given the attitude most ferals had towards the idea of humans refusing to die and stay dead, but he felt intrigued enough to give her a questioning stare and a shot. His bird like nature was most pronounced in the way his eyes kept on Sarah. "Explain." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Sarah thought on his request, and came to a decision. "Nothing explains better than a demonstration." She concentrated, pushing her blood to the surface of her skin as she carefully crouched in an all-fours position on the large branch. For a brief moment, Sarah seemed to have a sudden and very complete blush. Then, the change began in earnest. Clothing and skin mingled, then became fur. Limbs shortened and reconfigured while her head shifted forward on the neck, nose and mouth pushing forward into a muzzle. By the end, a grey-furred wolf was perched - precariously - on the branch. The she-wolf canted her head at that particular angle that, for canines of all sort, spoke a silent question: Well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Jeremy actually broke an admitted interested grin. Maybe there was something in common between the two after all? "Granted, any feral will hear the lack of heartbeat within a certain distance. But I admit, that is impressive. Haven't seen anything like that in my life. Nor have I heard of a bloodsucker doing such a thing. Or have I been talking to the wrong people?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 With the same strange smoothness, the wolf shifted back to the young woman, who quickly and carefully took up a more secure position on the branch. "I'm kind of an oddity in that. Luna only knows the whys of it, but this who and what I am: a Dead-Wolf. And you are apparently a 'Feral'. I know a fair number of your, um, cousins I guess it'd be, if you're related to the werewolves." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Jeremy's expression took a bit of a more bothered expression when he heard Sarah reference werewolves and relations. "I can't be entirely sure about that, but what I have heard about Uratha-Feral relations aren't good. Tales of Laughing Strangers and Spinner-Kin being treated as spiritual parasites and being ripped up in short order are known to me. Can't say they get points for their attitude." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 A brief snort of something that may have been third-cousin (twice-removed) to laughter erupted from the Dead Wolf. "Yeah, can't say that the People are exactly an accepting, accommodating, feel-good type of folk. But they're kin regardless, and that's just how it is. I do fair enough with some of them, though it's been rough in L.A.; I don't think the bunch here really accept that I'm genuinely trying to take Luna's gift in the spirit intended. Which ain't all that fuckin' easy, to be honest." She pondered the were-raven for a moment, then made a decision. "If you wanna peck at bugs and such 'round my territory, I've got no beef with it. But I got conditions, and one of those is that you let me know if bad stuff is going down while I'm asleep." She paused, then added, "And if you've gotta way to see the spirit-side of things, a heads-up there'd be nice, too. I don't have a way across." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 "Can't." Jeremy replied, shaking his head. "Neither can do. Sorry, but it's a little too early for me to be making such a deal on the first meeting. I'll respect your territory then. The Night is both our shields, and I hate to disrupt it by bringing up a fight even then in the dark. No spirit seeing for me either, can't do it. That apparently the stuck up People's thing as I understand it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Sarah frowned. So much, she thought, for what coulda been a good deal. The frown only deepened when the trespasser made his back-handed reference to the Uratha. "Right then. I was in a pack with some of those 'stuck up People'. They were my kin. And it's getting more and more apparent that you're not. So you can take wing and find your way outta my territory, which is pretty much everything between here and the Red Dragon." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 "Well, I'm sorry." Jeremy said as he pushed off the branch and dropped to the ground. "But family has never a guarantee that they're on your side, as I know. At least you had some accepting folks at one point, and I retract those words for them. And for the record, I never claimed to be your kin or theirs. I'll leave now. If for whatever reason relations between the two of us improve, I might take you up on that offer. But now's too soon for certain." He started to walk off following those words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Goddamn it, Sarah. You just chased off the one shot you had at an ally... no matter how annoying the feathery fuck is. Sighing, the Dead-Wolf called out, "Hold up a sec." She waited, watching Jeremy warily turn to look over his shoulder before going on. "Trust ain't a very common thing in this existence. Predators have trouble with that. And I ain't asking for it. But what I put on the table was something of a start - letting you have the run of the place in exchange for letting me know anything you happen to notice in the daytime. It ain't much, and it sure as shit ain't an offer to join a fucking pack or anything. But it's all I got." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Jeremy paused, and had to admit his distaste for the werewolves and vampires, plus the life he led, was admittedly clouding his judgment to a fair extent. Still... he paused and then spoke. "I suppose. A generous offer to say the least. On the other hand, I have about as much trust here," he pointed to his chest for effect, "as I do in my armpit. And I am a fuck, to be truthful. But... sometimes one does what is necessary to survive." He walked back and nodded. "I'll take the deal." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 With a grin that showed only a hint of fang, Sarah stuck out her cold hand to shake the very warm one of the were-raven. "Glad to hear it. As for trust, that shit is earned, on both sides. Might take a while. Might never happen. But this here ain't a half bad start." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 "We shall see." Jeremy commented, but a grin was on his face nonetheless. He could feel the dichotomous warm of his living hand paired with her cold, dead hand. "Still, I won't impose since you're up and about now. Sayanora then?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Dead-Wolf Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "Sayanora," Sarah echoed, then - with a brief nod and a wink - she shifted before him once more, taking on her lupine seeming before loping off on what was, the were-raven concluded, the start of her patrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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