𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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The turning of a newborn wolf is a battle over control.x Some call the
pain of the first physical transformations the easiest part, over in no
more than a few days if you are strong — or lucky. It is the long battle
for the mindx that claimsx the most lives. x And anyone xwho loses is
considered as good as dead, for good reason. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
About twenty-four hours ago, a hiking tour of the rocky coast and the
verdant forests beyond tangled with a sudden storm. Hypothermia, dr
owning, crashing trees — with their guide dead, any hope of survival
was dwindling. x Those still clinging to life were saved by a few brave
but impulsive rescuers drawn to the smell of blood — werewolves. xxx

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[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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...........

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Bordered on one side by mountains and the coast of the Pacific on the other, the town of
Vernon Bay is out of the way, as far as the rest of the world is concerned. Older folks in t
own still talk of beasts in the grove, but what most locals worry about is getting on with
their days. The same could be said about the Hawthorne pack.

Vernon Bay, also known as just Vernon, is a fishing town of around a few thousand reside
nts, where the weather remains chilly and overcast even in the height of summer. The cli
ffs that spread out north and south of town are sheer and dangerous, battered by strong
ocean waves and swirling currents below, with only the exception of the narrow bay that
pierces into the heart of town. The forests draping across foothills of the mountains that
curl around the western side of town could only be described as... sinking. A place to dis
appear, with their overwhelming greenery, towering trees, and shadowy paths.


THE HAWTHORNE LODGE. The pack's house and home, located to the east of town. Large
enough to comfortably house its numbers. The 'beware of dog' sign attached to the fence
around the property is a flimsy explanation for all the howling and tracks observed in the
woods.
THE CAIRNS. Located on a cliff, far from town, the Cairns have been a meeting place ev
en before the town itself existed. If something were to happen, this is where the wolves
would know to gather.
ALDER BROOK BRIDGE. The old wooden bridge that crosses Alder Brook on the way to th
e pack's house from town.
THE LOOKOUT. An old fire lookout tower further out in the hills, past the pack's house. U
sed as both an overnight stop by scouts and a retreat from the pack's daily life.
THE COAST. Some daring wolves go cliff jumping here, but most humans would perish in
the currents.
THE OLD LIGHTHOUSE. A popular gathering spot, especially on the few more temperate
nights. North of town.

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

NPCs.

GARRETT HAWTHORNE. 31.
The relatively young alpha of
Vernon's local pack, Garrett
may be assertive and impetu
ous, but he is not unfair, only
protective. Cream-gold wolf.

ALINE FOXWORTH. 27.
Garrett's widely beloved beta.
She is known as the sensible on
e, and thus affectionately tire
d of the Hawthorne boys' messe
s. Witty and clever, charming.
Wine red-dark brown wolf. xxx

SAGE HAWTHORNE. 28.
A guardian, Garrett's younger
brother. Him being involved w
ith the rescue is one of the re
asons why Garrett didn't outri
ght reject the survivors. Reck
less, bold. White-tan wolf. (a)

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It is only a ritual, a tradition, but it is said that a werewolf is not truly
safe from the threat of losing control until they have maintained a calm
mind through a full moon's night. Most are granted time, but with a con
cerning amount of newly turned in his hands, the alpha, Garrett Hawtho
rne, has set the next full moon as their deadline. These bitten either pr
ove themselves or, well... There are those among the pack with their h
earts set on helping them survive, but there are also those who would r
ather have nothing to do with them. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Many of the ranks are largely remnants from a time when each wolf's eff
orts were vital to scraping together a living on the fringes of society. No
wadays most members of the pack have an occupation, and packs are so
mewhat of a way to manage both the instincts and strong familiality that
come with being a werewolf. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A packless life can not only be lonely but challenging. When a werewolf a
ngers, they tend to fall back on instinct and primal reactions. Those unab
le to control themselves begin to prey on anything that stumbles onto th
eir path, deer and human alike. Your packmates are the final line of defe
nse in the event of the unthinkable. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A pack bond is also important for the reason that it grants the wolves th
e ability to communicate, even while shifted. If one decides to leave the
pack, this bond will be severed. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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TRUSTED. Yu Xue Han. 26. male. played by mtuan,.
The alpha's most trusted, alongside the pack's beta.

HEALER. Juliette Beaumont. 37. female. played by synyster.
HEALER. open. age. gender. played by name.

SCOUT. Remington Kovac. 35. male. played by lykos. (b)
SCOUT. Ethan Barnes. 41. male. played by chevrolet.

HUNTER. Jasper Tzavaras. 28. male. played by Cats. (c)
HUNTER. open. age. gender. played by name.
HUNTER. Valkyrie Winters. 22. female. played by lykos.
HUNTER. Josephina Finch. 25. demifemale. played by Casper.
HUNTER. Keziah Kessling. 28. female. played by razzberry.

GUARDIAN. Greyson Monroe. 29. male. played by Crono.
GUARDIAN. open. age. gender. played by name.
GUARDIAN. Weston Grant. 30. male. played by razzberry.
GUARDIAN. open. age. gender. played by name.
GUARDIAN. open. age. gender. played by name.

OMEGA. open. age. gender. played by name. (d)
OMEGA. Eirlys Jones. 22. female. played by chempy.

BITTEN. Benji Helfield. 24. male. played by Casper. (a)
BITTEN. Daciana Hale. 25. female. played by `silver. (b)
BITTEN. Shin Juhn-Woon. 23. male. played by mtuan,. (c)
BITTEN. name. age. gender. played by Cats. (d)

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

i. make sure you're familiar with the cs rules, and ask if you aren't sure.
if you're using images for your character's wolf form, make sure that you
have permission to use them (unsplash etc. are good resources for this).

ii. two characters per player for now, although this will potentially change
once we get started. :]

iii. this is a semi-literate roleplay, so I'm asking for 300 words/character.
planning with other players makes writing easier, feel free to use the
discussion for that!

iv. try to let us know if you're going to be absent for a while or if you're
struggling to find a place to put your character.

v. please reserve your roles through pm and only post in the discussion
once you've received a reply accepting your reservation. other posts
will be ignored.

vi. all identities are welcome and bullying or vaguing will not be tolerated.

vii. all NPCs are open for anyone to move. major actions must be discussed
with the rest of the group.

viii. one pet (whether large or small) per player regardless of how many cha
racters you have, just to keep things from getting overly crowded.

ix. if you'd like for one of your characters to have a kid, please let me know
while reserving your role. this doesn't count when it comes to your amount
of character slots, but I'd prefer to keep this number low.

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,

CURRENT EVENTS:
Four hikers have been bitten to keep
them alive. Alpha Garrett Hawthorne
has granted them until the next full m
oon to control their wolf forms. It is c
urrently fourteen days until the ne
xt full moon. The approaching full
moon is yet to cause symptoms in the
members of the pack.


ROLEPLAY STATUS:
The roleplay is open to new characters
and taking reservations. :] Discussion.


WEATHER:
It is summer in Vernon Bay. Light rain
with thin cloud cover. Still about 16 C
/ 61 F outside, although it feels colde
r due to the wind.

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[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

this roleplay is no longer active

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

𝖣𝖮𝖭'𝖳 𝖶𝖤𝖤𝖯 𝖥𝖮𝖱 𝖬𝖤, 𝖫𝖤𝖠𝖵𝖤 𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱𝖸𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖸𝖮𝖴 𝖧𝖠𝖵𝖤 𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱𝖤

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

⯭ ──────── ⋅ 𝑬𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑵 𝑩𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑬𝑺

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

𝖥𝖮𝖱 𝖡𝖤𝖠𝖲𝖳𝖲 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖥𝖨𝖤𝖫𝖣 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖡𝖨𝖱𝖣𝖲 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖠𝖨𝖱

██
██
██

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he/him, forty-one, hawthorne scout
scent of almonds, rosemary & leather
───────────────────────────
the lookout > forest, open to be tagged
mentioned NPCs, rescuers, bitten, Juliette

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When they issue a storm warning in a place like Vernon Bay, you know that it's going to be a bad one.
indentindA flash of pure white and electric purple lit up the windows. The rumble of thunder seemed to tear the sky open, rendering everything deafeningly quiet for just a moment, before lashing rain began to hammer against the panes and the gusting wind tangled with the walls of the lodge until they creaked and groaned. Ethan stirred awake in his spot on the couch, where he had dozed off with his arms crossed over his chest. Another flash and rumble, followed by the cacophony of rain and the darkness pressing back up against the walls.
indentind"Sage!" Garrett's thunderous voice from outside, ragged with anger and dampened by the rain. Ethan's head was still foggy with interrupted sleep, but instinct lifted him up onto his feet just in time for the door of the lodge to burst open and slam against the wall. Wet air howled into the lodge, ruffling Ethan's hair across his forehead and sending the curtains billowing. Sage shouldered through with a limp form in his arms, wet hair plastered across both of their faces and rain dripping from their clothes, and a furious Garrett hot on his heels. "Juliette!" he called out in turn, and chaos erupted inside the house.
indentindAs the groggy forms of packmates emerged from their rooms, three more rain-soaked figures entered from the night, each carrying an unconscious human. Rain tinged with blood trickled onto the floors, saturating the air with the smell of iron, as they were lowered on whatever nearby surface was available, from the couch to beds and even the long wooden kitchen table. In a split second, adrenaline filled them all with stark clarity, and as the healers rushed to check on pulses and airways, half the pack jumped into action searching for whatever supplies they could manage. Someone yelled for Ethan to mop up the flooding floors before anyone could slip and crack open their head, and he set off pulling out every towel he could find and laying them down.

indentindA struggle near the door stopped Ethan in his tracks. Garrett was blocking the way from an agitated Sage. "There might be more of them out there!" he argued and sought to pass again, but the alpha stood unflinching. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" he countered. No one seemed to dare to directly look at the arguing brothers, especially not those who had gone out after Sage, but Ethan could tell that he wasn't the only one following the confrontation from the corner of his eye. "The burden that lies on us now? The responsibility?" Sage reached out to push his brother aside, but Garrett deflected his hand and gave his shoulder a rough shove. Heat flared through the room. Someone would have to separate them before they would have more injuries on their hands than they could manage.
indentind"Hey!" Ethan dropped the rest of the towels and wedged himself between the brothers. Sage had wound himself up into a state and as he raised an arm, ready to strike at their alpha, Ethan grabbed it, and it seemed to shake some sense back into him. Aline had emerged from the fray to lay a soothing hand on the guardian's shoulder, although they both knew that it could quickly turn into a restraint. With a defeated huff, Sage took a step back and shook off both of their hands, before turning away and disappearing into the house. The tension defused itself as quickly as it had risen.
indentindEthan didn't get a chance to make himself scarce, as Garrett gestured for his attention and pulled him aside. "Soon as this storm eases, you go out and make sure that this doesn't happen again. You find anyone, no matter what state they're in, they go to the emergency services, not to us. From now on, you're keeping tighter watch on our borders. Both of you." His tone was brusque and his attention pointedly on Ethan, although it was clear that he wasn't the only scout being addressed. Ethan could only nod in reply.

indentindMorning ascended on the lookout, casting its surfaces and their scattered ephemera in hazy light. The kettle on the small, wood-heated stove whistled, and Ethan poured steaming water into his instant coffee. He hadn't found anyone else in the woods. Not alive. They'd been nearing daybreak by the time the storm had calmed enough for anyone to return outside, and in a way, he had been relieved to leave behind the strained disorder of the lodge, because there wasn't all that much he could do for the bitten. His place was on patrol. And once he had made his rounds, the sky had been fiery and bright behind its tattered cover of clouds, and the day was once again cooling. He had cleared the fallen branches and debris from the stairs and hunkered down for some rest. Ironically enough, he might have been among the few who had caught some sleep in the past twenty-four hours, and that wasn't a point of jubilation for him.
indentindEthan smoothed out the checkered sheets and folded up the blankets from the narrow bed before heading out to the veranda with his coffee. In the distance, thick fog rolled across the evergreen spires of the forest, and below on the ground, pheasants wandered past the foot of the lookout. Mist-like rain drifted past, nearly too light to notice. It could have been idyllic, but not knowing what the situation back at the lodge looked like was beginning to make him antsy. Although he worried that he might only get in the way with his good intentions, it was best that he at least stopped by before setting off again, to get an update on his orders from Garrett if nothing else. He finished his coffee, rinsed out his mug, and set off back toward home.

indentindIn the aftermath of the storm, the birds were singing again. Everything was green and fresh. Calm. Ferns brushed against Ethan's russet-coloured sides as he followed the narrow trail through the underbrush, and watery Vernon light filtered slanted through the trees ahead of him. The drops of rain were beginning to grow heavier again, but they were languid and sparse, pattering down on the broad vegetation and the leaves of trees stretching out overhead. He made a brief stop to drink from a clear brook, swollen in its banks after the stormy weather, and paused to taste the air every once in a while to remain aware of his surroundings, all the way until he passed the fenced perimeter of the Hawthorne lodge.

x

[Crono]

Greyson Monroe
Male ~ Twenty-Nine ~ Guardian ~ Profile
Location: Hawthorne Lodge Front Porch ~ (Tags: Open) (Mentions: Garrett, Bitten Hikers, Unknown Porch Person)

The trees on either side of the dirt road blurred as the police SUV zoomed by with Grey at the wheel. The road itself had loosened itself with the heavy rain, turning into a bit more of mud and mush. Enough that Grey probably shouldn't be driving as fast as he was, still, he was antsy, tired, and on edge. With the storm moving in the night before he'd been at the station for an all-nighter like most days that storm warnings hit Vernon Bay. For the most part people knew to hunker down and stay indoors, but there were always the daring kids, drunks, or those getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. And mother nature didn't always play nice with those indoors either. So the station and it's employees hunkered down and waited for the inevitable calls, and they came.

It had been a relatively typical storm shift until they were alerted to a group of hikers and their guide hadn't returned. While a few officers and first responders went to the general area, overall the storm was to harsh for a search to actually occur safely. Grey was one of those still at the station, dealing with any other calls that came in, when Garrett called him. It was out of the blue and he'd wondered if the Alpha was worried or checking in on him, but those thoughts left the moment he heard the mans voice on the other side of the line. Garrett filled him in quickly before getting back to the situation at hand. Grey had to really sit and think about how they'd deal with this. The hikers at the packs cabin, freshly turned Werewolves, with most of the department out there looking for them as soon as the storm broke. It was a mess to say the least.

Now it was morning and he was meant to be going home to get a little shuteye before joining in that exact search. Though Grey knew well he wouldn't be getting sleep anytime soon. The cabin came into view and the vehicle slowed to a stop, the man taking a moment before stepping out still in uniform. Ahead of him he spotted a figure on the porch, possibly just trying to get away from the chaos inside or just simply dealing with the situation in their own way. Who knows. "What's it like in there?" Grey asked curiously, propping a foot up on the second step. Getting an idea of what was going on before getting in there would be nice, but he also wasn't looking forward to getting involved. Still he was ready to, because this was his family and he'd do whatever he could for them.

[`silver]

𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑
tags remington, dina mentions all bitten location forest > pack house word count 1,875

It had been dreary, overcast skies only a couple minutes ago. It had to have been. One moment the threat of rain clung in the air with it's heady scent reeking throughout the forest, uprooting the fresh underfoot and igniting the green around them into deep, verdant hues and the next was a furious tremor in the bruised sky above that broke into a bone-chilling squall. What happened next had turned into an automatic reaction to it, their hiking guide yelling against the relentless storm that this was an uncommon occurrence - how Vernon Bay wasn't supposed to have such a deluge like this today. The intention had likely been to dissuade any acts of crying for refunds and act as a jovial reassurance that despite them all getting soaked, it would likely be the type of rain that pummeled you before randomly clearing back into light droplets that would allow them to relax.

Such a blissful concept never did come to fruition.

The rain shackled them with it's incessant chill, turning their backpacks to boulders and hollowing their eyes as they sought safety beneath evergreens that could just as likely succumb to the electric streaks that clapped throughout the forest, threatening to touch the very ground they were all clambering through. The longer the storm went on, the harder it became to traverse through the cusps of trees. The earth was slick, peat was forming enough to swallow your shoes if you didn't step carefully enough and not to mention how high up they were in comparison to where the town was so they were essentially carrying the brunt of it all on their shoulders. Then in one fell swoop, a tree split open before them just as lighting blared into sensitive eyes, catching an unruly bystander in their soaked tracks. Screams erupted against the thundering, the rain almost acting like an amplifier as someone crouched down to wallow. It was all unfurling like some kind of movie, this trip. Silver could only look on in a mixture of disbelief at the fact that someone had just been crushed right in front of them and all they could do was continue to descend until they reached a point that would show them the way back to town. That was until their guide was the next to fall to nature's hands.

The land slid beneath them, people slipping one after the other like fawns on unsteady limbs, the weight of their packs dragging them down enough to cease struggling against the earth they churned up in vain attempts to claw at the earth. Untimely demise after the other drew an odd sort of panic to pound in Silver's chest when everything began to catch up to her the longer this all went on. She lunged to grab someone that had sunken into the muck, drawing them out with the little strength she had while they all tumbled. Fire raced up her arm as she was caught by exposed roots from an arbor she'd been slung against by the will of the mudslide, her hand loosening on the other person in reaction and her eyes widening in silent horror upon realizing that some people were screaming and she couldn't hear them over the rain anymore. People were getting moved every which way, some giving in to the storm and others struggling against it.

Her whole arm stung with pain and her eyes squeezed shut knowing there wasn't much to really do but endure. Blood roared in her ears as she slid down static rocks and foliage that lashed at her face and body, her jaw clenching as she tried hooking on to something, anything until the sound of rushing water grew louder. Then she was just falling. A single curse left her lips before she plunged beneath the currents of a river, hearing both the rain knocking loudly at the surface and possibly the impacting of heavier bodies hitting the water with her. Or maybe it was just all that debris getting kicked into the current. The water stung at her eyes and kept them shut, the lacerations she'd almost thought had been a trick of the mind stinging even more in the water as she tried to swim.

Her feet couldn't even touch the bed of the river even with her backpack dragging her down by her backside, her arms barely managing a doggy paddle movement as she was carried to who knew where. She clung to the last bit of breath she had in order to try and tear off her bag, bubbles foaming around her as she jerked through the waters. Colors flicked across her mind, melding into images that flitted across her thoughts that revealed to her the last time she'd been caught in a current. Saltwater had choked her and she couldn't even tread water as her head dunked under playful waves of a deepening sand shelf. Her friend had been swept up with her and having forgotten the fact that she couldn't swim, had drawn them both into the welcoming arms of a riptide. It felt the same way, this situation, except now she couldn't even cry for help nor was there anyone she could hold onto. How many times was she going to drown in this lifetime? How many times would she have to remain so helpless and useless to another?

A chance. Her body floated up just enough to briefly breach the surface of the river, a choking gasp escaping her as she drew in a few lucky breaths before she finally managed to pry her eyes open as the river began to widen, shallowing to the point that she could feel the pebbly bed beneath her boots. She tumbled under a few times until one final kick from the rush behind her knocked her into focus and she tried again to cut towards where water and carved earth met. Robbed of breath, Silver tore her way as much as she could until she was forced to collapse onto a part of the riverbed where the water waned but sharp stones greeted her palms and knees as she coughed up water, trembling on all fours until her body leaned to one side before dropping completely. It was then that she could see how mangled her arms were: crimson leaking from countless slashes, sleeves in shambles, and it seemed like her legs felt no better either. Her side that pressed against the stones felt very warm against the squall, oddly enough. She had to admit though, the rain was being quite distracting from whatever wounds she'd gotten throughout everything and it was enough that she didn't realize how labored her breaths were coming out.

Maybe if she just relaxed, closed her eyes for a little while, she'd wake up when the rain stopped. Or maybe she wouldn't wake up at all, who knew. To die by almost drowning again, by choosing to go on this hiking trip out of sheer wanderlust and thus putting herself into the unknown, it was sort of .. irritating. The world could fall away so easily in the blink of an eye for anyone, regardless of whom they were and what intentions they'd had for this life. Her eyes narrowed to pained slits after seeing something cut through the rain—a shadowy figure that she couldn't fully make out. Human? Animal? It was getting closer. She needed to move. A quiet wheeze left her lungs as she shakily pushed herself off the ground, swallowing down a hiss as the figure began to sharpen in definition and her body refused to move any quicker than it was as she scrambled to get back on her feet. She'd managed to get into a crouch before hot breath swept across her face and she was staring right at the face of a.. wolf? There were only seconds between catching an indecipherable yet utterly sentient look in it's eyes before pain erupted from her shoulder, hearing her own bones crunch damply at the serrated fangs that sank into her flesh. Her lips parted slightly as she stared sightlessly at the dense coat of fur in front of her, her mind caught in a whirlwind as her head leaned in enough to rest the top of it on the wolf's shoulder. "This is the only way, huh?"

Wolves didn't attack humans without reason nor would they seek to maim prey that was already close to death or an easy kill. If it had wanted to kill her, it could've within heartbeats and she never would've been conscious enough to fully process it — but it didn't. Why? It was the only thought that floated around her thoughts as she felt the way her fingers suddenly felt numb, muscles failing to function any longer as she was shoved into unconsciousness and going limp in the mouth of the beast.

—

Warm notes of a bitter, smoky scent mixed with that of something muskier engulfed Silver's senses as she slowly peeled her eyes open, light filling the room from windows somewhere behind her as she laid on something plush and that tucked into her bad side. A couch? She tensed upon feeling watched, movement and breathing coming from all directions especially one right beside her. Jerking her head to the side was a mistake but the reward was far greater. An East Siberian Laika had made a spot for itself beside her, deep brown eyes seeming to study her for a moment and thus earning the entirety of Silver's attention as she went to raise her arm to pet it. Wet nose wiggling curiously, Silver watched as the dog sniffed at her hand, stroking it's head only after it'd finished investigating her and relaxing a little more when something told her that there was no reason to be so tense around it. A friend. She winced when she tried to breathe in a sigh, noticing how achy her whole body felt only after the dog had wandered away to where she couldn't see and examining her hand to find there were only thin remnants of the wounds that she was sure had been there last night. Silver pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt annoyance stir at the pit of her stomach. She wanted nothing more than to sleep away this new reality that she was being faced with.

Something was pulling her though — it felt like some kind of deeply rooted instinct or sense that willed her to push herself into sitting up, burying her face in her hands for a few heartbeats. The pull.. was gone? Raising her head, Silver silently looked around until she locked onto someone that may or may not have been in the room the whole time. Her senses were both heightened and in complete disarray, but upon locking onto Remington, something stirred in her to the point that she could feel anger broiling in her chest, rising up to her throat in an unintentional, but genuine growl. Her skin itched at the sight of him enough that she wanted to knock him down, but why? She had no idea who he even was or why jaws were snapping in her head.

[Casperphobia]

Benjimen "Benji" Helfield-he/him-24-bitten-location: hawthorne lodge-mentioned: all bitten-tags: Shin Juhn-Woon

He hadn't even wanted to go hiking. Benjimen "Benji" Helfield was no shut in, not in any sense of the word, but something about spending hours trekking through a forest with miles upon miles of what was probably copy and pasted trees for scenery just wasn't up his alley. However, he'd try anything once and really what harm could it do? The weather had been favorable; the sky had opted to cover itself with clouds that shielded most of the sun's heat. Even the predicted, beforementioned scenery was photogenic and held his attention and interest. The tour guide indulged in the rumors and passed down stories regarding the forest, no doubt exaggerated for the listeners' pleasure. Still they were enjoyable all the same. It wasn't until his pack started straining his back that he remember his apprehension about the whole hiking idea. Like most things he did, the hike had been impulsive and his lanky, unathletic body was paying the price. It wasn't as if he would complain though; there was no need to make his hiking company miserable all because he had come unprepared. Instead he opted for lagging behind although he made sure too keep the group in his sights. The next unfortunate circumstance happened further into the activity: it had started to rain. And maybe if it was just a few sparce droplets, Benji wouldn't have minded, but one turned into two, two quickly turned to five, and five turned into water pelting down on the hikers even faster. In no time, Benji's shirt felt like a second layer of skin. The guide had yelled something, but between the drum-like rain and being at the rear of the group, the sound fell incomprehensible on his ears.

The worsening weather conditions started to plant seeds of panic in the little group. At least, Benji thought those were worried expressions he saw. It was hard to see with water constantly splashing into his eyes, a new sheet ready every time he ran his hand over his face. He could feel his own seemingly never ending optimism start to fizzle when a particularly eardrum shattering crack in the sky hit, a flashbang of sorts quick on the noise's heels. It was rather unimportant, but he did take note that this would be the last adventure his sneakers saw; the ground had not adjusted well to the excessive water and turned into a muddy hazard. Each sickening squelch, every time the ground hindered his mobility a bit too long for comfort, Benji felt a bolt of anxiety shoot through his heart. Another cracking sound caught his attention, it sounded oddly different from the unforgiving thunder that made an appearance seconds after. There was no time to process though. In what felt like seconds, in fact it probably was, the person in front of him disappeared under leaves and bark. It wasn't until the screaming started that the tragedy had registered. Yet, he allowed his brain to go into auto pilot, letting himself follow the group further, lest he meet the same fate. Nature was not so forgiving it seemed, because soon hikers were loosing their footing, Benji no different. Some part of him, only for a second, wanted to compare his wobbling body to when he had first attempted to surf, back bowing back and forth in a feeble attempt to gain some semblance of balance though to no avail.

It didn't take much longer for Benji to decide his pack wasn't worth his life, shoving it off in return to more easily hold onto a nearby branch as the ground beneath him began to give way. He hadn't even realized he was screaming until his throat started to burn. Around him, he could see his fellow desperate hikers, some bravely trying to help others not succumb to the forest's malice. Benji's attention was ushered to the tree branch he clung onto at the gut-wrenching creaking it emitted. Useless pleas spilled from his lips like a mantra, all in vain as the branch no longer could support the horrified hiker. The branch snapped forward from the sudden action, hitting Benji in the temple and causing him to crumble.

He doesn't remember much after that. He doesn't remember his barely conscious body tumbling into a violent river. Or swallowing mouthfuls of water as the currents shoved him around like a ragdoll; at the time, there were moments he couldn't tell if he was under or not because the rain still refused to lessen. He doesn't even remember how he miraculously made it to a less than welcoming shore. What Benji does remember is three things. One: there was something wet on his face. At first he thought he was still half way in the river, but judging by the river trying to lick at his ruined sneakers and the cuts on his hands and knees, he had crawled mostly away from a beckoning watery grave. Then he thought is was the rain. He concluded that it was actually in fact blood once his fingers felt the stickiness. Two: god, he was freezing. He didn't think he'd ever been this cold before. It was cold that festered into his bones. If his body wasn't so exhausted, Benji figured he'd be shaking harder than he ever had. Or maybe not because he was so cold he could have swore that he almost felt hot. He wanted to sleep so badly. The chances of waking up were next to none, but if it meant that he wouldn't be so cold he would take the chances. He would have done so if it weren't for, three: something was touching him. He didn't know how long he had been laying there before whatever was making physical contact had reached him nor did he have the slightest clue how long it had been touching him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't will his eyes open. They squeezed together even tighter at a sharp pain on his arm; he would have screamed if his throat wasn't already torn from doing so not so long ago. Finally Benji's body took pity and he went fully unconscious.

When he escaped the welcoming arms of sleep, he wanted to stumble right back into them. He was warm, though the ghost of a chill still trailed its fingertips over his skin, raising goosebumps. There was a groan, and it took Benji a moment to realize it came from him. What puzzled him was that the noise didn't cause pain to his throat. That's not to say he felt fresh and dandy. He was currently sporting the worst headache he had ever experienced, not to mention it felt like he had just run a marathon. Sore would best describe his current mood. Propping himself up with his elbows, he scrutinized the room he was occupying. He was lying on what looked like a makeshift cot. How he got here was beyond him. Nothing in the room offered a reason. The wooden walls almost felt cozy, maybe they really would if he actually knew where he was and what was happening. A fan spun lazily above, not really offering any kind of breeze. Taking in a breath in an attempt to calm his nerves, a breath he instantly regretted when his battered ribs angerly protested, Benji properly sat up all the way and swung his legs so his feet were firm on the floor. To his great annoyance, the chilliness started to return at the feeling of the wood floor on his skin.

From his new position, he noted that a curtained window had been behind him, the light currently being blocked. He silently thanked whoever had done so because even the thought of sunlight made his headache pound with a vengeance. It was also now that he noticed the door was slightly ajar. But most shockingly, there was someone else in the decent sized room, on the opposite side in fact. Based on the breathing they looked like they were sleeping. The floor slightly creaked under Benji's weight as he stood from his cot and curiously peered down at his unknowing company. He was even more surprised to find that he recognized the man. Off of the top of his head, he couldn't place a name, but he had definitely been a part of the hiking group. This revelation soothed some of his ignored anxieties. Not thinking much of it, Benji poked at the blonde's face. "Hey, wake up," he whispered, remembering the door was still slightly open. "Wake up. Hey. Hey! You awake? Do you know what's going on?"

[lykos brethren]

─ ＲＥＭＩＮＧＴＯＮ!ＫＯＶＡＣ ，

( male ) ( 35 ) ( scout ) ( tags: silver, jax, sage, garrett, wes, other bitten ) ( words: 2024 )

indentclouds so dark and overcast hang gloomily over the town making time appear later than it was. though it was just passing knock-off time for the man that still was clearing up his workshop, with the help of another. hardly a word was spoken between the two, but Remington did not need to tell Weston what to do or where to place items. he already knew what to do. the younger man had worked with rem long enough now that he did not need to ask him. in fact, despite the way rem constantly stirs him up, Wes was quite the helper. between the two, they both can manage the little mechanic shop that rem managed to buy a few years back. if it were any other worker, it would not be the same, and rem would no doubt end up taking the brunt of the workload to avoid anything going wrong. However, he would end up Hella burnt out. so, in other words, he was lucky to have a great worker like Wes.

indenthearing a purposely loud huff of impatience, and rem lifted his gaze to see a familiar face leaning against the wall of the garage. "Calm down, Jax. I will not be much longer man." shaking his head but a smile crept up on his face. It was the day that they both went out for some drinks after work. It came in handy to have a friend that was the owner of the local bar in that regard.

indentDucking his head back down, rem continued his way clearing up the mess of tools and placing them neatly back in their slots in the tool cabinet. Wiping the grease from the bench and sweeping up the pile of rubbish before scooping it up into the bin. Whilst doing this, he kept a light conversation with Jax, occasionally bringing Wes in on it as well.

indentSuddenly hearing loud footsteps hitting the asphalt before a familiar scent hit his nose causing rem to instantly whip around to be greeted by Sage. The younger brother of the alpha, Garrett. Seeing the redness of sage's face paired with his heavy breathing made rem think he had run a long way to get here. Rem's normal boisterous greeting that he would unleash on sage faltered and he frowned at the desperate expression on sage’s face. “Sage? What is going on man?” rem’s voice did not hide the concern he felt for his friend. His blue eyes focused on the blonde-haired man before him, “I need your help... now!” he managed to puff out between heavy breaths. Rem looked at Jax for a moment before looking back at Sage. There was no way he was not going to help him, no matter what problem had happened rem would be the first to volunteer to help. Giving a stern nod, sage seemed relieved to see rem agreeing to help. “Thank you.” he muttered under his breath before turning to leave at a full sprint again. “Wes, take care of the shop for me. Jax, come with me.” without another word rem sprinted after sage with Jax in tow behind him. Of course, not without a sarcastic comment coming from Jax in retort.

indentFollowing sage, rem kept a steady pace after him and watched as sage dipped into the forest. Within moments of entering the foliage, rem spotted the familiar white-tan wolf that belonged to sage. That serious huh? Shaking his head rem leaped forward and within a few seconds, his human flesh shredded away to reveal a large silver-grey wolf with stark blue eyes. Shaking out his coarse fur, he did not wait to get used to his legs as he bolt forward after sage once again. This time much faster and quickly found himself gaining on the guardian. Thunder rumbled above, accompanied by lightning and sure enough rain began to pour. And oh, did it pour. It did not take long for it to soak through his thick fur and to his skin, saturating him down to the bone. It was lucky that he was running, or he would have been freezing. The rain puddled on the ground as it was too slow to soak up that amount of water so suddenly. So instead, it started making muddy, slippery puddles that caused rem to slip and slide a few times. Several times rem ended up knocking into Jax earning growls and nips from both.

indentThat is when the scent of blood hit his nostrils and it was not just any kind of blood. It was human blood. Rem’s speed faltered and he slowed down his mind racing as he tried to piece together what may have happened. Why was there human blood? Why were there any people out there currently? When a storm hits Vernon Bay, you know it is going to be a bad one. So why were they risking their lives? And how were they supposed to help? They could not reveal who they were. It was out of the question and a death sentence.

indentThe closer they got to the source of the blood, the stronger it got, and the more rem could nearly taste the metallic copper in his mouth. The sound of a rumbling river that had come to life with the excess amount of water it has received. Sliding to a halt on the steep bank that is when rem spotted the vertical rock face that looked to have chucks of rock missing. His eyes wandered down to the lifeless bodies that rested on the bottom. His stomach churned and his wolf whined automatically at the scene. They were too late. That is when yelling could be faintly heard from the river, rem ears perked up and the three looked between one another. ‘I will check it out.’ rem instantly volunteered, before hearing sage growl, ‘do anything to keep them alive.’

indentSprinting harder than he ever had before, rem ran alongside the river. His mind was set on finding the one that managed to fall into the river. His legs burned as he ducked under low-hanging branches and leaped over logs. gradually the river began to slow, and the bank leveled out smoothly. That is when he saw the feminine figure laying limply on their side. Blood faintly burned his nose signaling that the woman was hurt. He could hear her breathing becoming labored and slowing at a rapid rate. Though he still cautiously moved forward, his paws lightly stepping on the pebble riverbank. as to not alert the girl or frighten her. Watching as she propped herself up, he paused for a moment as he watched her struggle to push herself up. He did not have the time to stand around. He pushed forward, his steps quicker but still silent on the bank. As she pushed herself finally up to a crouch, he was right in front of her, bright blue eyes studying her curiously. He knew what he had to do and what sage had meant, but he did not know if he could do it. Maybe, she would be, okay? maybe, she would survive? Maybe, He didn’t need to intervene? She had the fighting spirit to survive. Why did he need to change her whole life right now this moment? It all rested on his shoulders, and he had to decide.

indentWithout warning, rem snapped his jaws over her shoulder clamping down so tightly there was no way she could escape his grasp. His teeth sank in deep till they hit bone, even then the faint sound of crunching could be heard. Blood trickled into his mouth, staining his fur a bright crimson around his maul and down his throat. Feeling the girl’s head rest on his shoulder, “this is the only way, huh?” he frowned at himself at those words, and guilt coiled through him. It was too late now; his venom had already entered her system. It would only be a matter of time before she became one of his kind.

indentReleasing his halt on her shoulder, he watched her fall limp and he shifted back into his human flesh. Pulling the girl into his arms, he carried her back to the pack house.


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indentWarm rays of sunlight filtered through the windows into the main room gently caressing everything they landed on. Everything was peaceful at that moment. No one would have known the ordeal that had happened last night. Four newly bitten werewolves were brought back to the pack home, and the healers had run around all night making sure they were all stable. It wasn’t until the early morning hours of this morning that they finally got a moment to get some rest. Rem had dropped the girl off and before Garrett could speak to him, he had left before he could say anything to him. he didn’t want to be lectured about what happened right now.

indentHowever, the “pull” he felt was far too strong and persistent and rem ended up giving in to it. Just after everyone had gone to bed, he had slipped in and had a quick shower, before sitting across from the girl that lay on the couch nearby to him. As soon as he sat down the pull lessened and seemed to disappear. It was an odd feeling and not one he particularly liked.

indentGlancing over the girl for the hundredth time, but now with the sunlight over her. He noticed the cuts she had sustained were now completely healed. Good, at least her human body didn’t reject the transformation. Though part of him hoped she had rejected it since then he wouldn’t feel guilty for turning her. He remembers so clearly the day when he was turned by Garrett. He had been camping out in the woods in Vernon Bay seven years ago. When he got attacked by a bear, he had been left barely breathing and he would have been dead. Garrett had found him before he was even alpha of the pack and turned rem without a second thought. The pain that rem had experienced was beyond this world, though it is highly likely it was because the bear had broken a lot of his bones. Rem is completely in debt to Garrett for saving his life and giving him a life that he never knew he wanted. Though now the tables were turned, and rem had turned someone. The guilt that he felt chipped at him little by little, and really was not in the mood to deal with any lecture from Garrett.

indentHearing rustling and the girl’s breathing change, he intuitively knew she had awakened. His blue eyes watched her closely analyzing her, trying to figure out how exactly how she was going to react. He knew it was going to be a real shock when either she figures it out or he tells her that she is now a werewolf. Probably going to cop a lot of cursing and saying he is crazy, till she finally sees him shift. Though time would only tell if she would fully accept it and learn how to control her wolf.

indentWatching the girl push herself upright and bury her head in her hands. Curiosity sparked within him, and he tilted his head slightly before seeing her lift her head and her eyes lock onto him. Rem gave his usual overconfident smile paired with a wave. Feeling the waves of boiling anger roll off her before a growl escaped her. “Calm down, that’s no way to treat your Saviour,” his smile turned into a smirk as he leaned forward his elbows on his thighs. “How are you feeling?” he asked curiously, his eyes wandering over her face. “And don’t even try to lie to me.” he knew it would be no use to lie, since he turned her, he could sense her emotions far better than anyone else could. Same with she could sense his. It would only last for a year or two before it wore off and the bitten could fend for themselves, and so would the pull.