. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing..” ⎯ ⊱ )

For roleplayers who want to write longer detailed posts using advanced language and grammar. Anyone can create a topic here, but joining these RPs is by application-only so that RP owners can control the literacy level they're comfortable with. All content must remain child-friendly at all times.

. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:03 am

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      the locals of jasper national parks were
      exceedingly superstitious and believed
      that the supernatural were amongst the
      m. they were convinced that men and w
      omen would bare the skin of sheep to b
      lend in, which encouraged a few of the
      many to hunt down anything that resem
      bled a wild dog, whether or not it was a
      normal wolf. one pack suffered the most
      known as the wolves of lichen creek, losi
      ng many of it's members due to hunters.
      however, it was later found out that the r
      eigning alpha had made a deal with the h
      umans: her protection for her own memb
      ers. this caused anarchy amongst the ran
      ks and one wolf had rose up and disobey
      ed their orders, leading to a brutal fight a
      nd the death of the alpha. with a new alp
      lpha, the small pack have decided to try
      come out from hiding, returning to town.

      the question is... will they get caught ??

      [ forms & disc.thread ] [ discord server ]



Last edited by Tyres on Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:23 am, edited 2 times in total.
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. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing, rules..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:18 am

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      all of tess's rules apply. this roleplay is
      causal-literate, word count 300 words
      minimum. reservations should be made
      via pm, roles are first come first serve.
      maximum of two roles per person, one
      wolf and one townie.
      high ranks being
      limited to one per person, if you are
      either alpha/beta/med, please do not
      choose sheriff or deputy and vice versa.
      realistic face claims only please, using
      uncommon face claims would be nice,
      but it is not mandatory! your charries
      should be no younger than 22 and no
      older than 50 (i would advise having
      different ages if possb. make things
      interesting), please don't all be 22 lol.
      diversity is encouraged and lgbtq+ ocs
      are allowed. disable your signatures
      when posting please! plot ideas should
      be ran through me before introducing
      it to the group. a discord will be made
      for easier commuication (it is optional).

      [ forms & disc.thread ] [ discord server ]



Last edited by Tyres on Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing, the wolves..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:19 am




      dire peaks - located north, this peak isn't
      used a lot apart from experienced hikers,
      making it perfect for the wolves to utilise
      as a meeting point.

      beartooth point - located north east, be
      tween the snowy peaks and the town of
      jasper, it is used a lot by rock climbers
      and is another pack meeting point.

      jacques lake - located south west, it is
      surrounded by the valley. frequent use
      for locals for things such as fishing, etc
      the pack use it as their water source.

      thorington valley - located west, this v
      alley is used as the pack's hunting grou
      nds. quite a few locals use this area as
      there are trails leading to public areas
      and viewpoints.

      teneau meadows - located south, this a
      rea can also be used as another campin
      g site by people. very quiet, the wolves
      use it as sparring grounds and lounging.

      wapiti caverns - located east of the tow
      n, it was where the pack previously hid.
      the terrain goes dangerously deep under
      ground and is only ventured by the more
      experienced locals who know it well.

      lichen cabin - found between meadow
      and lake, this cabin has been passed
      down through the pack. left behind by
      the wolves of lichen creek, it's falling
      apart and needs some work before the
      wolves can move back in. to the locals
      its just a privately owned family cabin.


      x
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      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑨𝑳𝑷𝑯𝑨 )
      luther jameson grey
      37 - synyster.

      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑺𝑼𝑩𝑶𝑹𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑬 )
      peyton buckley
      29 - bunny,
      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑨 )
      elise michelle breckenridge
      34 - chevreuil

      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑺𝑼𝑩𝑶𝑹𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑬 )
      name - age
      serendipity !
      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑴𝑬𝑫𝑰𝑪 )
      se-hun “sebastian’ rhee
      26 - mtuan,

      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑂𝑀𝐸𝐺𝐴 )
      name - age
      azhefa.
Last edited by Tyres on Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:59 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing, the sheep..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:20 am




      sheriffs station - located near the outs
      kirts of town, next to jacques lake, thi
      s is where locals go to report concerns
      and crimes involving other townsfolk t
      o the current sheriff and their deputy.

      jasper residential - located behind the
      centre of town, this is where many of
      jaspers residents live. large road acco
      mpanied by decently sized houses and
      gorgeous gardens.

      library - located in the centre of town
      this huge library is full of knowledge a
      nd is often where locals will go to find
      out information. a few books mention
      legends about the lichen creek wolves.

      elk pine diner - located near the sherif
      f's station, close to the campsite, it is
      commonly used by the locals to grab a
      quick beverage and something to chow
      down on. it's locally run, being passed
      down through several generations.

      bobby's restaurant & bar - located in
      the centre of town, it is surrounded b
      y many shops and used by many if not
      all locals as their place to socialise an
      d clink a few drinks together.

      rhodes campsite - located betwee
      n jacques lake and teneau meadows,
      it can be used by both locals and tour
      ists to either sit down with a picnic o
      r to simply camp out. a perfect place
      to tell your friends stories, roast mar
      shmellows and conspire about super
      stitions.



      x
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      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑭𝑭 )
      adam morris
      42 - crono

      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑻𝑶𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑬 )
      harlow melia st. clair
      25 - kitsune,
      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑫𝑬𝑷𝑼𝑻𝒀 )
      name - age
      danjo

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      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑻𝑶𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑬 )
      name - age
      dxisy
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      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑻𝑶𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑬 )
      mercer zechariah blackbourne
      38 - chevreuil

      Image
      ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯( 𝑻𝑶𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑬 )
      name - age
      silver-
Last edited by Tyres on Fri Nov 12, 2021 2:19 am, edited 11 times in total.
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. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing, extra info..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:21 am

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      when it comes to forming relations, you
      can either set up 'previous' ones so to sp
      peak, for example one of the wolves ma
      y have had a good friend who may have
      been a townie, but after having to disap
      pear, it could cause angst and possible d
      rama, ect. or you are free to set up new
      relations such as your character has nev
      er met any of the townies/certain ones,
      ect. overall the possibilities are endless!

      in term of the sizing of these werewolves
      they are much alike to those that were u
      sed in the movie 'twilight'. they're able t
      o shift whenever they please, however s
      ometimes it can be overruled by their em
      otions, especially because they are more
      intense than a humans are which can cau
      se sudden and accidental shifts. werewol
      ves in their shifted form, can heal quicke
      r than in their human forms. however, ce
      rtain herbs can cause werewolves to wea
      ken and put them in jeopardy. these are
      often used by hunters, a common examp
      le of a dangerous herb: wolfsbane.



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. ♔ ( ⊰ a wolf in sheep's clothing, status..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby Tyres » Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:45 pm

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      this roleplay is open/closed! rules about
      reservations can be found on the second
      post of this thread. 1/12 roles are availa
      ble!

      this roleplay takes place a few weeks aft
      er the pack gain a new alpha. the weath
      er is overcast and chilly, expectant rain
      showers were forecasted later on in the
      evening. the wolves are trying to get b
      ack on their feet and get back to what
      ever normal means for them now. they
      have been staying undetected inside li
      chen cabin as well as its surrounding ar
      eas, keeping low as possible. the cabin
      itself is in need of a good spring clean a
      nd new boards to patch up the damage
      caused of the night the old alpha was
      caught out and killed. the 6 remaining
      held a meeting to agree on the new ap
      pointment of the alpha and their future
      plans to merge back into the town life.

      [ forms & disc.thread ] [ discord server ]


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Postby Tyres » Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:31 am



    setting the scene..

    after hiding for almost half a year, the werewolves have come out of hiding in wapiti caverns. finding themselves returning back to lichen creek cabin, hoping to get whatever stability they can before trying to reintegrate back into town. the cabin seems a little rundown, and needs some work to it before it becomes fully habitable again. on top of that, its now september, in jasper national parks and the weathers slowly becoming more crisp by the hour and the sun has begun creeping back earlier in the evenings, allowing the mountains to cast shadows over the forests and all that surround them. jasper have kept up with its town traditions throughout the year. it’s currently the early afternoon and the townies are beginning to set up for their annual fall festival which is scheduled to commence in the next couple of days. It’s a large event for such a small town, but it attracts a lot of traffic into jasper, where they chatter amongst themselves, watch some fireworks near jacques lake and knock back a few beverages to celebrate the turning from the end of summer to start autumn. with the town seemingly more busy than usual, the werewolves will need to think tactically about their next moves..
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001. seasons

Postby `silver » Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:47 pm

𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑
tags; none mentions; mercer, peyton location; bobby's restaurant & bar [bar section] word count; 615

Glasses winked in the sun's weakening rays, clinking quietly when their contents met with a couple of hand-cut pieces of ice. Warm amber-colored liquid drew condensation onto the outside of the glass as Len poured a couple of ounces of whiskey into it's beading exterior, handing the libation over to a man offering him a stern look to which he simply beamed at in response. The hardened expression seemed to darken into a glare as the man's face reddened, but his mouth didn't dare open for risk of making a fool of himself in front of his partner whom he'd brought in with him. She stared at Len shamelessly, head propped up against her hand that sat perched on their small table that held a few empty glasses already. Len made a mental note to collect the cups in case something were to happen later, his attention currently focused on the sudden influx of people that they were supposed to be getting this week, not to mention the crowd that was already here. Thankfully, people only tended to linger for the drinks.

A terse, 'thank you' had Len grinning towards the both of them even when the man turned his back to him. "No problem!" He was aware of the woman's staring, but ignored her entirely, knowing that her actions were quite likely influenced by the amount they had both drunken already. Probably have to cut them off soon too. He shrugged at his own thoughts and proceeded to wipe down the counters, keeping an eye on all the tables as he did so. Not everyone here was a local, it looked like. More and more tourists had begun to show up, likely drawn by Jasper's infamous fall festival that had people from different parts of the state hailing to the town, and more so now that there were rumors of werewolf hunters having stepped foot in town at some point. Superstitions, myths, legends, whatever you wanted to call it, seemed to attract a lot more people than Len had initially thought it would this year. Mercer is gonna give these newcomers an earful if he doesn't piss them off first.

The thought made him chuckle as he fell into his normal routine from wiping the counters to washing his hands before cleaning any dirtied glasses whilst no one was sauntering up for another drink. He enjoyed the hum of the crowd melding with whatever raucous football channel they'd decided to flick on for all the TVs, feeling himself naturally sinking into his thoughts as his hands carefully maneuvered each glass in a quiet rhythm. How long had it been since he'd last seen her - Peyton. Five, maybe six months, he guessed. Maybe more. Enough time for someone to confirm that they'd likely been 'ghosted' as many people would describe it. There'd been a few occasions where he'd vaguely mentioned her to Mercer before finally having had it egged out of him at some point. Being vague about his romantic interest simply wouldn't suffice to the older man, especially not when they hadn't even met. An exaggerated clap on the shoulder and a sarcastic apology for him getting dumped hadn't initially bothered Len at first, but now he wondered if he'd done something wrong. Sure, they hadn't been officially together, but he couldn't really believe Peyton was the kind of person to just up and leave without telling him why. It brought more of a concern for whether or not she was alright than anything else. A sudden victorious cry from an unseeable crowd of people in the restaurant area brought Len back to reality, a gentle smile lightening his features as he cleaned another glass.
Last edited by `silver on Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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♔ ( ⊰ ̷P̷o̷s̷t ̷001⎯ ⊱ )

Postby I'm done delete me. » Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:31 pm

      ℙ𝕖𝕪𝕥𝕠𝕟 𝔹𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕖𝕪 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
      [ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: 𝟔𝟐𝟗 ]

      xxx [ 𝟐𝟗 ] [ 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐄 ] [ 𝐒𝐔𝐁 ] [ 𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐎 ] [ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: luther | 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: pack, len ]
      ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
      Peyton couldn't put a feeling to how she felt moving back into the lichen creek cabin. She found herself emotional drawing closer to the cabin she had once called home, now to see it in a much different way. It had seen better days needing work to their home, never had she seen it in such a state. However, this place used to be overrun with their kind with many of the pack no longer with them. Peyton remembers that day when they pack fleed with the clothes on their pack and what they could grasp in minutes. Was it a mistake to come back here? She didn't know how to answer the question quite yet as she caught a tear forming from her eye as the pack closed in on the cabin.

      Closer to the town it made her wonder whether Len had moved on? Some nights Peyton had snuck into the village to look for him watching from afar where he worked, where they had first met. It seemed he was still his happy self perhaps he didnt miss her as she had him. It broke her heart not being able to get closer to him, not able to speak to him and hear his voice. A coward she was not going over to speak to him but it would risk her pack and herself. She knew it was best to stay away from him although it did hurt. Unsure whether he'll see her differently when she did return first of all she needed to make sure Luther was in a position to where they were able to go into the town. The last time they were there they were cast out. Len didn't know what she was, every time she drew closer to him she wanted to tell him what she was but was afraid of what may happen. Would he reject her? In his eyes would she be a monster? Would he tell the townsfolk that they were lurking? Deep down getting to know Len she thought he would keep this to himself but another side of her told her not to pursue this. She had to think of the pack's safety already they had lost many to the hunters. For now, she must bite her tongue she couldn't tell Len what she was she just had to appear human to which he already knew rather than learning the truth.

      With the current event of the festival one of her favourite times of the year, she was happy to find that they wouldn't miss it. However, she was unsure whether Luther would allow the pack to join the event this year. It would attract a lot of visitors to the event where maybe they could keep themselves invisible. She wanted to join in on the festive perhaps to be with Len. With her emotions being all over the place this had brightened her view of returning to what was left of their home. Turning to Luther with her question with a fragile smile creeping up on her face hiding that she had been crying to the fact they were returning knowing full well her friends had died nearby this home. Their scents had faded over the months, she was unsure where the bodies had gone what had happened to them. It was another thought she try to cast out of her mind as she tried to think of the festival instead. Walking side by side with her alpha, the alpha she referred to as her father. "Hey, chief... Do you think we could join the townsfolk at the festival this year?" Asked her alpha unsure whether he would allow them to go to such an event after everything that had happened almost a year ago.

I'm done delete me.
 
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001. ♔ ( ⊰ dawn is a gift..” ⎯ ⊱ )

Postby འབྲོག་ཁྱི » Fri Nov 12, 2021 8:58 am

─────────── 𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙀 ────── 𝘽𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙆𝙀𝙉𝙍𝙄𝘿𝙂𝙀 ─────── ── ─ ─
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─ ─
    LOCATION; Lichen Cabin TAGGING; open MENTIONED; (pack), Luther, Peyton, Len, Adam WC; 1,697
█ ██
█ ██
█ ██


      *
      As Elise slipped into the fabric of the world as a being of fur and claw, gaze level with the domain of everything that moved on four feet through the underbrush, it wasn't a mere wading into the space where vibrant earth and wet moss settled readily into the senses, and the twitches of birds' wings and the twirling of leaves on the ends of the narrowest of branches quivered on the peripheries, but an act of preservation. Lucent golden eyes tracked the shifting of the world in its state of gentle decay, and beads of morning dew passed on from foliage to honeyed fur as she stole past with a thread of worry spinning through her mind.
      indentindentindentToday was the day they would go back, and throughout the entire night, Elise had stirred with a restlessness she had wished to keep to herself. Staying asleep had had all the hope of a buoy to remain submerged. But as the midnight blue collapsed against the soft, peach light of the morning, her paws quietly pivoted in the layer of humus, turning her from her meandering and once again toward Wapiti Caverns ─ that damp, dismal place she had slowly grown to hate over the past several months. She stepped carefully over roots, rocks, and the limbs of trees torn far too soon from their bodies by some wilful wind, and the dry snaps and splinterings underfoot melded into the sounds of the waking forest. Today, she would leave, and if it were up to her, never return.

      *


      indentindentindentThe drumming of a woodpecker, piercingly resonant, startled Elise from the place into which her mind had tumbled in a manner that had been deceptively soft. She caught the gasp that had threatened to fall from her lips and tucked it right back into wherever it had risen from. A fleeting glance at the others from the corner of her eye and it seemed her ruse of composure had remained intact. Because a fretful feeling had wheedled its way underneath her skin, jolting and tugging at every long shadow that fell across the toe of her boots or the frantic fluttering of each bird that their quiet advance scared from the foliage at their feet. Maybe it was some clinging remnant, that atavistic instinct, that hung stubbornly to her shoulders after all the days she had spent as a wolf with her feet in the soil.
      indentindentindentElise liked her human skin, had missed it in fact, and all the attached human life she had been forced to leave behind, but approaching the cabin in what felt like a vulnerable and thoroughly exposed state was not to her liking ─ it made her feel more like an animal than she ever had before. And it had been unexpected. But being in this shape would give them the benefit of deniability if something were to go terribly wrong. Humans and wolves walking side by side would leave them no room to deny what they were, and regardless of the long, long months they had spent away, the cabin and its surroundings still had the distinctive reminiscence of a new wound. Everything revealed itself to her as tentative, like walking on early winter ice.
      indentindentindentAll of this, and she found herself wrestling with a tense anticipation and the disquiet crawling through each limb and capillary vein, instead of the overwhelming sense of relief she had been coveting. It was the mindset, the twitching body, of a stranger ─ the same stranger she had paced around for hours in their cave refuge ─ and a helplessly far cry from the comforting familiarity of her own, firm and steady self. She contained two beings, and those were not the wolf and the human, because ─ present circumstances set aside ─ they might as well have been one and the same. Instead, they were herself, the one she knew and longed to return to, and the one who would simply have to hold on for these last three feet, because she had a lot she needed to make up for, and being a reassuring presence on this excruciating walk would be how she would begin. Shake it off.

      indentindentindentAs the terrain took on familiar shapes and turns, Elise knew that they were nearing the cabin, and so she fixed a thin-lipped smile onto her face, but it could just as well have been wrought of iron. The golden afternoon sun should have been heartening as it thawed the ground, danced along cobwebs beaded with overnight rain, and had the mossy stones breathing out vapor into the slanted beams of light, but it stuck an indelible knife into the middle of her presence. How many times had she walked these same grass-blanketed knolls, seen these same snaking branches etch static lightning against the clear skies, smelled the coming summer push out of the dirt or decay underneath the heavy quilt of fallen leaves, and not asked the questions she should have been asking? How many times had she wandered these woods in her wake and ignored each and every twisting feeling in her gut in favor of the only one she had wanted to feel? I was a fool, and I won't be one again.
      indentindentindentThe sweet cadence of Peyton's voice brought Elise's mind onto a different track, and this time, the upward quirk in the corner of her mouth was genuine. It was good to be looking forward instead of dwelling in the past as she had a mere moment ago, and it was such a simple thing that kicked some glowing embers of hope back into her chest. But all the while she thought this and glanced at Peyton and Luther walking side by side a short distance away from her, she knew she would not butt in with an answer of her own because she feared it would begin another futile argument that would have her and Luther circling and bickering for hours on end. It was this thing, this heavy, lingering thing hanging between them that acted as the poison in the well, and for the life of her, she could not seem to wrap her head around how she kept approaching him with all the best intentions and would still end up sticking her foot right in her own mouth. And that was not what they needed while returning to Lichen Cabin after everything that had taken place there.
      indentindentindentIt might have been an odd tonic, a moment of ignoring one worry by considering another, but Elise took a page from Peyton's book and turned her mind to the future, although her thoughts drifted less to the joy of the approaching festival and more to each severed connection that had been left to wither for months and was now desperately waiting for her to reach out and mend it. Returning from her sabbatical and showing her face at the station would be strange, at the very least, but most of all, she had missed the fond friendships she had forged, even troubled her mind with their well-being in the prolonged, grim hours they had spent in those caverns. That past Elise, in hindsight seeming so naive and credulous, had so looked forward to discussing a certain frivolous book with Len, while this current Elise had not even managed to make up her mind on what to say to Adam once she would finally see him again.

      indentindentindentAs the landscape opened and the view ahead widened, revealing the sight of Lichen Cabin standing right where they had left it, even after all these months, Elise allowed her steps to slow and then come to a halt. For a moment, all she did was stare out across the field of etiolated autumn grass and do her best to keep the knife from turning. She would not think about who, but look at it as a what; what was right in front of her. She would not think about the dead alpha, and not the blood she had washed from her hands in a frigid mountain stream. Another heartbeat, and she had made up her mind: if it had to be her, she would go ahead and rip off the bandaid for the sake of everyone else.
      indentindentindentShe made her way up the now weather-beaten steps and onto the porch to face a door that struck her with a sense of abandonment and passed time. It was a certain coldness that emanated from each board and windowpane in their absence of light and warmth, of life. She tried the door only to find that during their time away, it had decided to refit itself into the frame and hung onto it every step of the way, but a bit of force and leverage and it let go with a creaking complaint and an eruption of dust. Inside, their home was exactly as it had been left, but with that same feeling of desolation blanketing the dusty surfaces and threadbare arms of couches. Every presence that should have been alive and vigorous was faded, every scent muffled. Guilt. What you're feeling it guilt.
      indentindentindentElise placed a foot over the doorstep, and in the dim of the unlit entrance, it was as if new hands had been laid on the hilt ─ everyone they had lost, and she could no longer tell whether they were trying to press the knife deeper or take it out. Which would be worse? Eyes glued to the sight of the interior and some middle distance of memory in-between, she laid her fingertips atop the chest of drawers nearest to the door, only to have them draw lines into that ubiquitous grey layer of dust. There was an amalgamation of countless familiar smells, the smell of home itself, but also the iron and the stale air, and the old fear that had set itself into the floorboards. Across the room, in the dining space, an overturned chair lay on its side ─ why, how or who, she could not remember ─ and she was overcome with the urge to pick it up. So that's what she did. We can do better.
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