—`ϡ . 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙖𝙙𝙝 . ৴´ ↟

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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In the north-west of Scotland,
the fishing port town of Elgin
is enveloped by a forest know
n as the Coille Ruadh. The Red
Wood. What the locals don't k
now is that the community in
the heart of this forest is inh
abited by werewolves — not so
much a tourist destination bu
t a permanent home gatherin
g wolves from all over. The to
wnspeople of Elgin still fear t
he Red Wolf, and so do not st
ep a foot into the shadow of t
he conifers. Yet, a scar of cha
rred land now stands in one o
f the pack's meadows, and the
alpha fears this to be a sign o
f hunters returning to x Elgin.

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[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

The old trees of Coille Ruadh hide many secrets...

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑼𝑨𝑫𝑯xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the 1800s, the town of Elgin is said to have been prowled
by a wolf with almost unnaturally red fur and a tendency to
attack humans, as if it were targeting them deliberately. Th
e situation became so dire as to have caused the deaths of o
ver thirty people, including hunters who failed to catch or ev
en wound the beast. In an attempt to ward off the wolf, the
forest around Elgin was cut down at the cost of several of t
he loggers' lives, but as the wolf continued its attacks on the
bare meadow, the town was deserted for decades afterwa
rd, before people began to cautiously return in the following
generations, carrying the legend of the madadh-allaidh ruad
h. As people continued to avoid the areas around Elgin in wh
ich the deaths had occurred, the forest regrew into the Coil
le Ruadh, said to have been nourished by the blood of the dea
d. In the wake of the second world war, the locals of Elgin we
re approached by a stranger from the south, who wished to
purchase the land and its woods, and they were more than h
appy to be paid for a place they would never set foot in, alth
ough many chose to warn the stranger about the malevolenc
e that lived in the earth. The stranger set up buildings in th
e heart of the woods, and was soon joined by a number of p
eople who seemed to have nothing tying them together but l
ived as close as family. By the 90s they were gone, reduced t
o one lone woman who scarce set foot in xElgin. x Until now.

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A few years ago, mere mon
ths before the death of the
old woman, a man arrived
from London. What the loca
ls don't know is that both he
and the woman were were
wolves, and after the man
had been turned, what wou
ld have been the last wolf o
f Coille Ruadh took him in.
And now, in the years follo
wing the death of the old w
oman, people have been ar
riving from all over. The m
an has become the alpha of
the pack of Coille Ruadh, m
uch to his surprise. While t
he members of the pack ha
ve integrated into life in El
gin, the growing numbers i
n Coille Ruadh have not gon
e unnoticed...

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└──────────┘

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑶𝑾𝑵 𝑶𝑭 𝑬𝑳𝑮𝑰𝑵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elgin is a town that grew around fishing and agriculture.
The waves of the atlantic ocean crash upon the rocks at
its western boundary, and across the land, out toward t
he highlands, sheep farms divide the green landscape. El
gin may not get a lot of traffic from out of town, but the
town's economy has always been quite stable, and so it h
as slowly modernized over the years, trading some of its
dark stone buildings for bright storefronts and new hous
es. The pack of Coille Ruadh is quite well-integrated into
the town, as many of its members have jobs working fo
r local businesses and establishments.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑼𝑨𝑫𝑯xxxxxxxxxxxx

Some of Elgin's locals believe the cluster of buildings deep
within the forest of Coille Ruadh to be either some kind
self-sustainability retreat or an exclusive holiday destin
ation for those seeking a piece of wilderness, but most
pay very little attention to the comings and goings of it
s residents, as they contribute to Elgin's economy either
way. The pack's home consists of a few cabins set in a cl
earing in the middle of the thick forest. Most of the pac
k is housed in the largest of the cabins, which also has s
ome shared spaces, such as a kitchen and a living room.
Another cabin, the middle in size, is set off to the side,
and the alpha has settled here with a few other membe
rs. The spaces may be a little smaller and more cozy, b
ut with people coming and going, it is the quieter of t
he two, and most head to the main cabin when they're
feeling social. The last is the healer's home, traditionall
y set aside to allow space for supplies and peace for th
ose recovering from injuries.

𝑪𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑼𝑨𝑫𝑯xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The forest is what is known as temperate rainforest,
with species from pine to oak dispersed throughout. I
t is immensely dense and often shadowy, with the for
est floor dominated by ferns, and moss that creeps ov
er any stone or stump. It rains often.

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┌── 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑳𝑶𝑻 .─────────┐

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Willowherb is the pack's most important metho
d of combating Aconitum napellus, wolfsbane-
poisoning. Now the meadow of willowherb has
been cut, piled up, and burned. The alpha of C
oille Ruadh believes to be a sign of the hunter
s returning, and if this is true, he has a prom
ise to fulfill. Because the old woman entrusted
him with a secret. She was the granddaughter
of the Red Wolf, and she had failed in keeping
her own grandson from the ferality that taun
ts and tempts each and every wolf.

And what the alpha promised was that should
the hunters return, he would protect the feral
wolf — not only in order to save his life, but t
o keep the werewolves from being discovered
altogether. What neither the alpha nor the wo
man knew is that the red wolf's descendant is
not the only feral wolf lurking in the shadows
of Coille Ruadh. And now the pack must find th
em and try to reason with them, all the while
avoiding the possible threat of hunters.

The odds are stacking against the pack, but fo
r the sake of each other, they must persevere.

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└────────────────┘

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑩𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

healing

🞄 Willowherb, (Chamaenerion angustifolium): A poultice
made of willowherb is used for treating poisoned cuts, a
nd a tea brewed from its leaves is effective in counterin
g the symptoms of aconite poisoning when administered
correctly.

🞄 Bog-myrtle, (Myrica gale): A tea made from the leaves
is used to treat breathing trouble, especially from the s
moke of burned aconite.

🞄 Wild thyme, (Thymus praecox): A solution made from t
he plant is used as an antiseptic.

🞄 Coltsfoot, (Tussilago farfara): A tea made from the pla
nt is used to treat inflammation and fever. May be used
to delay shifting especially while recovering from injurie
s, but no healer would allow long-term use due to the ad
verse effects. Long-term use followed by a sudden end
of the treatment is known to lead to an uncontrolled shi
ft and violent rage.

🞄 Meadowsweet, (Filipendula ulmaria): The flowers of m
eadowsweet are used as a mild pain medicine by the pac
k. Another pain medicine is the bark of goat willow, (Sa
lix caprea)

🞄 Field horsetail, (Equisetum arvense): Is one of the pac
k's general healing herbs, applied to wounds in order to
speed up their mending. Lady's mantle, (Alchemilla vul
garis) is another generic healing herb made into a poul
tice.

🞄 Yarrow, (Achillea millefolium): Chewed or ingested as
a tea to help with internal bleeding, applied as a paste t
o wounds in order to stop bleeding.

🞄 Sphagnum moss: Used as bandages. Especially good at
preventing infections.

toxic

🞄 Wolfsbane, (Aconitum napellus): The unprocessed plant
alone is enough to incapacitate and weaken werewolves,
but a poison made of it can be enough to kill when ingest
ed or applied to an arrow-tip, especially if left untreated.

🞄 Wolf lichen, (Letharia vulpina): Grows on conifers. Pow
dered or brewed into a poison, it is most dangerous whe
n
ingested.

🞄 Rowan, (Sorbus aucuparia): Wounds inflicted with a we
apon made of rowan wood heal slowly & cause intense pa
in.

🞄 Juniper, (Juniperus communis): Juniper berries are to
xic to werewolves. In a wound, they cause excessive blee
ding, and ingested, they cause internal bleeding. Both can
be lethal without treatment.

communication

🞄 Bunches of dried heather, bound with twine, have been
used by werewolves to mark safe locations, and the pack
continues to use this code.
🞄 Raven feathers are used as a similar code in order to i
ndicate danger. An amount of notches may be carved de
pending on the level. A feather entirely bare on one side
means lethal danger.

nutritional

🞄 Various berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and
rose hips.
🞄 Edible mushrooms, such as chanterelles and chicken o
f the woods.
🞄 In the part of the forest that borders the sea, seafood
and seaweed are accessible from the coast.
🞄 Edible plant parts, like nettles, wild garlic, and even d
andelion leaves. With sufficient knowledge, sources of
nutrition are numerous in Coille Ruadh.

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[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

┌── 𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑻𝒀 .──────────┐

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For some, choosing to live in the wilds is a choice.
For others, it may be the result of a trauma or e
motional turmoil. They may have been exiled fro
m their pack or home, or been the target of a hu
nt. Often, no two stories are the same.
The ferals rarely shift out of their wolf forms, th
ey do not visit human settlements (and may find
themselves initially uncomfortable if made to do
so), they hunt and forage to sustain themselves, a
nd may have distanced themselves from pack trad
itions, such as healers. When there's talk in town
about a sheep or two going missing without any o
ther explanation, a feral wolf has likely briefly w
andered out of Coille Ruadh.
Although physically much the same, ferals tend to
be more in tune with their heightened senses tha
nks to their extensive time spent in wolven form.
What they may lack in ability to blend in with hu
mans, they make up for in sheer ability to surviv
e in the wilds. In addition to detecting scents as
the pack wolves do, they may listen for breath so
unds and even read a heart beat for truth. Their
pool of strength is the exact same, but they may
appear stronger due to their unbridled brutality.

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𝑾𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑾𝑶𝑳𝑭 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑺xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shifting is a conscious choice, but can also be brought on by st
rong emotion, physical pain, or even the presence of several
wolves shifting. Werewolves must shift at least once a mont
h, and while strong resistance may put it off, it is also a ris
k. If a werewolf goes without shifting for long enough, their
already higher body temperature begins to rise until it beco
mes a dangerous fever, which keeps rising until the werewo
lf either enters an uncontrolled shift or dies.
Werewolves don't maintain all of their human consciousness
when shifted, but become more ruled by animal instinct. M
any opt to hunt during this time. Control also varies betwee
n individuals, and is most often gained by practice and guid
ance from experienced wolves. New wolves may have little
to no control and must be supervised by the pack in order t
o ensure safety.
The smallest wolves are about the size of the largest of nat
urally occurring wolves, about three feet at the withers. Th
e largest near the size of a brown bear, five feet at most. S
ize tends to be genetic, and bitten wolves may be of an unpr
edictable size and appearance. It is rare, but born wolves m
ay retain an eye colour similar to their own when shifted. M
ost wolves, and especially the feral, tend to have eye colour
s ranging from amber and copper to brown.
Cuts and scratches aren't much of a concern to a werewolf, a
s minor injuries knit themselves together in a matter of mo
ments, leaving the skin looking untouched. But major injurie
s and broken bones are something to see a healer about, or
else they may prove lethal, or as is the case with a broken b
one, they may heal incorrectly and remain disfigured for the
rest of the werewolf's life. Poisoned wounds tend to heal alm
ost as slowly as a human's wound would, or may heal even sl
ower without treatment depending on the poison. Wolfsbane
can keep a wound from healing altogether, while rowan will
cause an unnaturally painful wound.
Werewolves have enhanced strength, stamina, speed, and s
enses, including hearing and smell, and sometimes even visi
on. They tend to distinguish individuals from a distance by t
heir scent, and pack members often gain an underlying pack
scent, which helps pack members recognize their own.

.

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

███████████
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┌── 𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑫𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬 .──────────┐

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Ravens and hooded crows are the wolves' constant
companions, tending to flock in places with a pack
presence. In Coille Ruadh, it is common to see hare
s fleeing into the mossy rocks and shadowy under
brush. There are both red deer and roe deer in th
e forest, and the presence of the wolves helps mai
ntain their populations and keep them from brows
ing the vegetation bare. From dawn to dusk, bird
song is abundant in the green canopy, until the sile
nce of the night, where eerie rustles and the calls
of nocturnal animals populate the forest floor. It's
possible to see pine martens, alongside red foxes.
Particularly indiscriminate wolves may hunt squir
rels, but the capercaillies are fairly common prey
for any werewolf in the area. Some wolves fish fr
om the coastal woods.

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𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑶𝑳𝑭-𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫𝑬𝑫: rare, but they are werewolves bo
rn or created who cannot shift. They possess heightened s
enses and an inner sense of the wolf, but as they are bette
r able to blend among humanity, some packs utilize them a
s advocates or guardians, who have an eye on the human
world around the pack's territory, all the while being able
to protect themselves with strength and enhanced healing.

𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Many packs live by the principle of survival. The kno
wledge of their true nature is their greatest secret,
and should it be uncovered by a human, the most br
utal will kill outright, while others may offer a choic
e: die or accept the bite. While the alpha of Coille R
uadh runs a rather nontraditional pack, discovery by
humans would still threaten their lives, and so shoul
d it happen, the wolves' hand may be forced. Some
alphas have been driven mad by this responsibility,
enough to demand dangerous shows of loyalty or wa
ge destructive wars against other packs over perce
ived threats to their safety and secrecy.
But most werewolves, especially those without a p
ack, tend to rely on each other in some way or ano
ther. Word of mouth and rumours are a common m
eans of information spreading from one werewolf
community to the next. Sometimes a whispered w
arning from another wolf may be the difference be
tween a pack's survival or fall. But the wolves must
exercise caution in who they trust, because stories
tell of packs that have been whispered to death by
hunters sowing seeds of mistrust and chaos only to
take advantage and pick off the scattered ranks.

████████████
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[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑼𝑨𝑫𝑯xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Alpha, August St. Andrew, 28, male; welter
The Alpha is in charge of solving conflict within the
pack and protecting its members at all costs.
August might have been a fitting alpha in times of p
eace, but now that the pack is being hunted, maybe
the time has come to acknowledge that having been
the first to arrive to Coille Ruadh isn't reason enoug
h for him to continue leading them.

Challenger, Drew Yang, 27, cismale; bewhy
More decisive, competent, and confident than the c
urrent alpha. They believe they are better suited to
lead the pack under the threat of hunters, and not
without a reason. (Will replace the alpha during the
roleplay, currently a regular pack member)

The Beta, Alexandra Morris, 27, female; aniki
The Beta is most knowledgeable about the wildlife
and terrain of a pack's territory. Whether it is sco
uting or hunting, it is likely that the beta is at the
forefront.

Commander, Harper Song, 25, male; bewhy
The Alpha thought he could run a pack without appoi
nting a commander, but the possibility of attack has
made one member volunteer. With the help of the be
ta's knowledge of the area, the commander is to pla
n both offensive and defensive strategies and sche
dule patrols to keep watch on their home.

The Healer, Niamh Gòrdan, 30, female; aniki
Possibly the most crucial member in any pack. They
know the plants of the area and ways to use them t
o treat various illnesses and injuries that threaten
the health of a werewolf.

Wolf-Blooded, Im Haneul, 30, male; `silver
The pack's wolf-blooded may not be able to shift into
a wolf, but their job in town means they know every
thing that's going on in Elgin.

The Omega, Adaya Anaiah, 24, female; broken*
Another rank that the alpha hoped to avoid. The Ome
ga has a past with the hunters, but after being turn
ed, they sought refuge with a pack, and the wolves o
f Coille Ruadh were the only ones to agree to take th
em in — albeit even then, warily. Now they might be
able to prove their loyalty by sharing their knowledg
e about the hunters' ways.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑨𝑳𝑺 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑬 𝑹𝑼𝑨𝑫𝑯xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruadh, Mercer Page, 30, male; welter
"Ruadh" is the descendant of the original Red Wolf of C
oille Ruadh, and maybe the most far gone of the ferals.

Dubh, Malik Tamir, 27, male; broken*
"Dubh" is the shadow of Coille Ruadh, hardly present ev
en for the other ferals of the forest.

Liath, Luana Farine, 30, female; `silver
"Liath" may live in the wilds, but they have one foot in
both worlds. Their wolf draws them to the forest, but
their human mind still longs for something different.

┌── 𝑴𝑬𝑴𝑩𝑬𝑹𝑺 .──────────┐

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— welter; current alpha & ruadh
— `silver; wolf-blooded & liath
— aniki; healer & beta
— bewhy; challenger & commander
— broken*; omega & dubh

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┌── 𝑹𝑼𝑳𝑬𝑺 x.───────────┐

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please reserve two roles via pm, and post in the
discussion thread only after you've been accepted.

I'm looking for writers who are comfortable produ
cing at least 500 words per post to keep things go
ing. :] it's likely there will be some fights and such,
but please keep the forum rules in mind!

try to create well-rounded characters with at lea
st some information on both personality and back
ground!

relo charts aren't mandatory but recommended<3

a discord link will be sent via pm once it's set up.

please treat other players with kindness. try to in
clude everyone. being intentionally rude might res
ult in being removed without warning.

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x

x

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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main topic created: 17/6/2023
discussion topic created: 17/6/2023
topic rebooted: 10/7/2023
liath & wolf-blooded were reserved: 11/7/2023
healer & beta were reserved: 12/7/2023
final ranks reserved, roleplay closed: 13/7/2023
autumn wins the season vote, weather poll started: 13/7/2023
discord created: 15/7/2023
omega & dubh reserved: 21/7/2023
fog & rain tie in the weather poll: 22/7/2023

─
season: autumn
herbs: stocked
prey: moderate
weather: foggy with light rain
─

roleplay status: all roles are full again, inquiries only!

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱𝖤 𝖠𝖱𝖤 𝖥𝖤𝖶 𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖭𝖦𝖲 𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖲 𝖶𝖮𝖱𝖫𝖣 𝖢𝖮𝖴𝖫𝖣 𝖭𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱 𝖳𝖠𝖪𝖤

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

⯭ ── ⋅ 𝑨𝑼𝑮𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑺𝑻. 𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑾

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

𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖫𝖮𝖸𝖠𝖫𝖳𝖸 𝖮𝖥 𝖠 𝖣𝖮𝖦 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖨𝖳𝖲 𝖯𝖱𝖤𝖸, 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖨 𝖫𝖨𝖤 𝖣𝖮𝖶𝖭 𝖥𝖮𝖱 𝖸𝖮𝖴 !

████
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tagging; niamh
mentioned; the pack !!
───────────────────────────
location; elgin > healer's home
feeling; distressed, faint

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The deep black water moved like folds of silk past the boat, underneath the white morning sun rippling like a silver lattice over the waves. There wasn't much to see beyond that, nothing but that white dot of the sun and a pale grey curtain of fog enveloping the tiny spot that might as well have been the whole of the world right then. But the droning engine pushed them closer and closer to the shore, and August could already picture the line of houses and the idle boats bobbing on the waves all around the docks. Heavy boots thumped past, back and forth across the wet surface of the cramped deck as the crew worked to ready everything for landfall. August was coiling up ropes heavy with sea water, standing steady in spite of the rolling boat underneath his feet.
indentindentA grey, veiled view of Elgin's seafront appeared in the horizon like a ghostly image, and rough voices began yelling short sentences across the deck to ensure that their return to dock would go smoothly. August leaned against the gunwale in his heavy jumper and bright waders, feeling the wind whipping his hair against his forehead and the salt spray lashing against the side of his bearded face. The screeching of seagulls grew louder, but Elgin itself was quiet as ever. They flowed to dock, and briefly everything jostled as the fender bumped against the weathered planks. August carefully jumped over and saw another man do the same toward the stern, and soon both of them received a coil of rope to fasten, as shouts from deck confirmed everything was going as planned with the anchor.
indentindentA plank hit the dock with a thud and crates of fish began flowing to shore with the practiced efficiency of a crew that had been at sea for two days and was anxious to return home. August gave the knot he had tied a few tugs to ensure he had done it right, and after exchanging a thumbs up with the other man, he climbed back aboard and got to work with his share of crates. Six bells rung out from across town by the time they were done loading the precious cargo, and the old flatbed pulled away from the docks with a splutter of black exhaust. They said their goodbyes for a few days of rest before it would be time to return to work, patting shoulders and sharing invitations to meet up at the inn for a drink once they had all gotten some sleep.

indentindentA weight of pleasant exhaustion had settled in every inch of August's body as he picked up his bag crammed full of his belongings and began his walk home, and he had no doubts about the fact that every piece of clothing he was wearing must have stunk — like fish, the sea, and wet wool. He had no intention of doing much else before a hot shower and a nap at the very least, but as tiny droplets began cleaving through the fog that hung over the grey cobblestone street, he had the thought to stop by the grocery and bring some decent food back to the house as an offering after having been gone again. And hopefully, the rain would be done by the time he left.
indentindentThe door chimed as it slid open and August stepped into the bright lights of the small shop. It was quiet at six in the morning, with only an undoubtedly caffeinated cashier working at the till and a few patrons wandering the spaces between the shelves. He picked up a basket and wandered for the back of the shop, embarrassingly aware of the smell of fish that followed after him, but considering Elgin was a fishing town and half the customers of any store open this early in the morning must have been his colleagues, he probably shouldn't have been. He found fresh rolls and the good kind of coffee, and gathered them among his pile of other things that he knew tended to disappear from the kitchen almost as soon as they were brought in.
indentindentAs he meandered for the register to pay for his things and make his usual unceremonious exist, a snippet of conversation between the cashier and the customer ahead of him caught his ear. Small town gossip as always, but he couldn't help listening with curiosity after a long time listening to nothing but the waves and the musings of fishermen. They were talking about a car that had come through town, which admittedly did not happen that much in an uninteresting town to the north of Scotland, let alone in Elgin. It hadn't been one of the usual clunkers either, but a shining black truck with darkly tinted windows — which the elderly customer was certain must have been illegal and not just illegal but dangerous, and so he had thought to tell the driver as much, until a big city-looking man with a daunting aura had stepped out and he had thought twice of it. August turned back to placing his groceries onto the belt. Maybe they were finally thinking about opening that bank office in town. Would be nice not to have to drive an hour over each time.

indentindentAugust took his leave, feeling somewhat bad that he'd had to buy a plastic bag to carry his things — until he stepped outside and found that the rain had not only failed to cease but had grown heavier, puddling between the stones among the fallen leaves and pattering against the storefronts. At least the plastic would keep the food from getting wet. The fog hadn't cleared either, and now his breath was clouding too, and maybe he was simply tired, but it made him feel strangely a part of the weather, and the thought struck a note of unexpected joy through his body. He followed the road as it curved away from the store and turned into a gentle hill, and above and ahead of him the town climbed upwards in its low tiers of houses. He followed it all the way until the pavement fell away and it turned into a farm's dirt path, with a fragmented stone wall rising and falling beside it. Another path soon separated from it, veering toward the forest that rose like a wall beyond the fields. Coille Ruadh, home.
indentindentMoving on two feet instead of four, entering the forest was like walking into a familiar dream. He knew the way so well, but as if he had learned it through the eyes of another. It was much easier to navigate the trails and wet walkways without two bags to carry, but even then, he managed well. The forest remained a shadowed and lush place even without the full canopy. Autumn had come their way and began to brown the leaves and pull them down into a soft layer that covered just about everything, but the fields of moss remained as green as ever, creeping across the roots of trees and climbing up their trunks. The rain turned into a steady drone as it fell against the remaining foliage and dripped down into the underbrush, beading from leaf to leaf. August allowed his senses to open and fan out until he felt as if he could tell apart the distinct notes of each different droplet of rain.
indentindentOn clear days, the air would be almost heavy with birdsong, but it seemed even the little creatures of the woods had retreated from the weather. With his head full of these musings, August turned onto his usual route across the meadow, and was faced with the sight of destruction.

indentindentAn acrid smell rose from the ground and struck him with such intensity that it was reflex to hold in his breath. Weak tendrils of smoke still rose from the razed and blackened underbrush as the rain beat down on the burnt and fallen husks of vegetation in its best efforts to carry away the bitter smell of smoke. August could feel it as the blood drained from his face and a nauseous feeling settled into the pit of his stomach, like an unpleasant gouge. Reasons raced through his head, tangled with uncertainty, and even as he felt frozen, he forced his suddenly stiff legs to move and carry him forward into the clearing. He could see it, the burned stalks of the willowherb that had filled the area like a field of grain only a few days ago, clearly cut at the base and stacked into piles all around. Why?
indentindentHe was barely thinking when he began to run, right across the scorched ground and back through the veil of trees that led to his home. It was hardly relief that washed over him when he saw the buildings still standing, untouched and exactly as he had left them. The willowherb turned his mind to their healer, and then he was running again, up the slick old steps of her home, dropping both of his bags on the small landing before the door, and entirely forgetting to knock as he entered like he was being chased by a forest fire.
indentin"Niamh?" he called out into the cabin, checking rooms as if expecting to find her dead.
indentindentWhen he caught sight of her red hair, then her face, looking no different than ever, after what had felt like an age but must have been mere seconds, he stopped in the doorway, mouth opening and closing in his bewilderment. And all of a sudden, he felt dizzy. His mind had leapt from one thought to another, racing through who could have done it and why, and if it hadn't been her, then who. Hunters. August didn't know much, but he knew that willowherb grew back fast. It would return the next summer, probably more abundant than it had been before. And if hunters had done this, then... then they weren't intending for the pack to be around for much longer. Not for long enough to see the willowherb return.
indentindentAugust felt like he was going to faint. He braced a hand against the doorway, and all he could bring himself to say was the meadow. Once, and then again, a little louder.

[broken*]

🌩. ── ❝ ADAYA ANAIAH ❞
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( 24 years ) ( female ) ( omega ) ( location: forest, main cabin ) ( tags: harper )
🌩. ── ❝ i am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other. ❞


it had been just over two months since the lean-bodied woman had found the town of elgin, and been accepted by the alpha of coille ruadh as a member of the pack, albeit a bit cautiously. it had been far longer than that since she had been on her own however; it was hard to believe that nine months ago she had finally been able to slip free from the hunter group that had used her for just under ten years. to keep her under their control at all times, she had been constantly dosed with small amounts of wolfsbane, but what the hunters hadn't realized was that after so many years, her metabolism burned through the herb faster than normal for a wolf, up until the point where it was practically useless on her, lasting only short bursts such as five to ten minutes. it was after what the horrific men considered a 'successful hunt', where they were all holed up in a small bar getting absolutely wrecked, that adaya had made her escape. she had been left alone in the backseat of one of the cars, expected to just stay, and in the past she would have had to, so no one thought anything of it. but she had been noticing for months now the wavering affect of the wolfsbane, and knew that she may not get another chance like this for a long while. she waited longer than she needed to, to ensure that all of the hunters had been inside the bar and were likely properly trashed, before she slipped away.

within those seven months in between groups, she had stumbled across several wolf packs as she made her way across england, but no alpha was willing to take her in as soon as she mentioned her history with the hunters. most cut her off as soon as she brought it up, not even allowing her to explain the situation, with many wolves spitting in her face and telling her that she was lucky to be walking away at all. a 'traitor to her kind' was a common insult thrown at her during this time, from others who didn't know the full story or the horrors she had endured herself. she knew that she easily could keep that part of her past hidden and manipulate her way in somewhere, but she was tired of being that person; she wanted a fresh start but she didn't want to hide who she was. adaya was nearly at the point where she was going to give up hope of finding a pack and going to just go off in the woods on her own somewhere, when she came across the town of elgin, and thus, the pack of collie rudah. unlike every other alpha she had met, august st. andrew actually listened. adaya was aware that not everyone within the pack trusted her, but she chose to take a chance on them, much like they were taking on her, and try to find a way to fit in here.

in the past month, adaya had stumbled across an older woman named amelia who ran one of the local sheep farms with her husband; it was smaller than many of the newer farms, but had been in her family's hands for generations. unfortunately, the couple had never been blessed with children of their own, and so amelia explained that they often hired local teenagers to help take care of their sheep, although no one stuck around forever. much like august had, amelia gave adaya a chance at a fresh start, offering her a position working however many days a week she wanted. it was hard work, but that wasn't something that she had any issue with, as she found herself enjoying the distraction that working with the sheep provided; sheering them when the time came, cleaning up after them, milking the ewes, etc. she also appreciated the flexibility of her schedule; she had certain hours that she worked, but she could come in any day she wanted, or not come in other days if something happened with the pack.

as she finished milking the final ewe of the day, adaya clucked her tongue to the ewe as she gently swatted her on the rump, sending her back off with the other sheep. she picked up the milk and made her way towards the building where amelia stored and processed the milk before turning it into cheese, soap, etc; all of which she sold at the local grocery store or farmers markets, when they popped up locally. "you have anything else you need me to do before i head out, mrs. amelia?" she called to the older woman, who was busy doing something over a stove-top. her sparkling eyes and tittering laugh as she shook her head and waved adaya off to go home. with one final smile thrown back over her shoulder, adaya made her way outside with her long satchel draped over her shoulder as she made her way straight for the woods, heading down the familiar dirt paths that she had been walking this past month towards the pack cabins.

adaya had just entered the clearing where the pack's cabins were, slowing her brisk walk to a more relaxed pace, when her warm hazel eyes spotted the pack alpha racing out of the forest and into the healer's cabin like something was nipping at his heels. adaya found herself freezing in place, not used to seeing the normally so calm alpha in such a disheveled state. her eyes flashed between the main cabin where she resided currently and the smaller healer's cabin off to the side. if something was really wrong, he would come to the main cabin to talk to everyone, although she couldn’t shake the intuitive feeling that something bad had happened. still, she decided to finish her original path to the main cabin, slipping in through the front door as quietly as she could as to not disturb anyone. the lean woman made her way into the kitchen, where she spotted harper scrounging through the refrigerator for something to eat. “hey harper. i have some fresh sheep cheese here, if you’d let me put it away.” she flashed the man a polite, reserved smile as she waited for him to step aside, grabbing the two chunks of cheese from her satchel and putting them in the proper drawer of the refrigerator. stepping back, she returned to the space on the counter where she had left her satchel, leaning back against it as she turned her gaze once again to harper. “have you heard anything unusual today? i saw august rushing to see niamh; i wasn’t sure if perhaps i missed news of something while i was at work today.”