World of Darkness World of Darkness: Attrition - The Ones Responsible

[Dave ST]

The slithering sounds of the foul flesh upon the sandy ground of the cavern wall alerted the occupants of the nearby chamber that someone approached.

The chamber was subterranean and reeked of decaying flesh and fouler odors that are hardly within this writers ability to put into words. A stench emanated from places unseen in the cavern. Perhaps from the center, where the only light source within the shadowy gloom pulsed in a sickly green radiance.

It was a volcano like 'cauldron' where the precious essence of the planet had been made vile and fetid. A magma-like resin bubbled up and trickled down the sides from side to side illuminating the cauldron's edges in a sickly phosphorescent green coating.

With a 'thud' the corpse of a creature was tossed to the floor. It's features combined the foulest traits of a warthog and a powerful humanoid.

"I discovered this in the zoo." A powerfully built arm faded back into the shadows. The voice was rough and deep yet hinted at the owners gender being female. "It appears we have a problem."

"What the fuck!?" a nasally voice echoed through the bleak cavern. "Who? Tell me who Cold Winter, tell me so I can feast on their entrails!" The 'man' darted from the shadows and slid in the sand. Clutching the blood stained, gore ridden corpse he held it close like a beloved lost family member. He was wiry and emaciated, thin and tragically in poor health (or so it would appear). He barely had a tooth left in his mouth and the the ones that remained looked to have been filed to jagged points that just wobbled there amongst his disease ridden gums.

Sinew cracked and popped as cartilage reshaped and tightened. "I didn't see it, it was already dead when I found it." A foul greenish glow marking the eyes of what lurked in the shadows glared upon the weak little man and his corpse-toy. Her voice was no more human, and almost melodic. "I tracked the scent, whomever it was took special precautions to not be tracked. The Topanga Pack have dared to violate our territory, it is time we took the fight to them!"

"Not so fast." A calm deep baritone resounded off the walls. "We are but three, and you have yet to inspect the dead."

"I want the man who did this!" The thin man said. "I raised this one since he was a youngin' Boss! It's my right!"

Thunderous footsteps echoed though the Locus of Corruption and the thin man found himself hoisted off the ground by a single powerful arm. The black man, his master, was over seven feet tall and built like a man who'd dedicated his life to perfection of the body. "You have only the rights I give you... Roy. Remember you place when speaking to me. Am I clear?"

'Roy' shivered with fear. Gripping the giant's wrists he flailed his feet and prayed for a quick death.

Am I clear! the bald man asked again.

"I-I'm sorry... Rends the Soul." Urine and feces assaulted the assembled's keen senses. "I-I couldn't hear you over the sound of me shitting myself."

Disgusted Rends the Soul cast the putrid man aside and was focused on the corpse before the sound of Roy's tumbling in the sand ever reached his ears. "Look, here." He pointed to the lacerations on the chest.

"No Forsaken did this. The wounds are too shallow, vicious though they may be, unless our prey is four feet tall, then the claws are way to small to be Uratha." He knelt and rubbed his thick fingers over the tusks and tongue of the great beast. He sniffed them afterward.

"Well?" The woman in the shadows asked.

"Vampire." Was all he said.

"Impossible." Cold Winter replied. "We've bred these specifically for dealing with such threats. The vampires know better than to enter our territory. No vampire in Los Angeles has the skills to match one of our skull pigs."

"Then perhaps," Rends the Soul's eyes met the shimmering green of Cold Winters' "It's logical to assume that the leech is from out of town, and apparently dangerous. You will find him and then report to me."

"Very well," she sighed. Hardly pleased with her orders not to engage the blood sucker. "I'll contact you when he is found."

There was little more to discuss. Rends the Soul looked to Roy and a low growl filled the area. "Clean this up." He commanded.

Roy scurried over on hands and knees whimpering but daring not to say another word.