Locations

The Dark Woods



A thick forest stretching for miles upon miles. Even in daylight these woods are shrouded in shadow and full of any number of dangerous creatures.

Wolves of the Dark Wood Camp



An old camping site located deep within the Dark Woods. Wooden cabins can be found along one end of the camp, providing homes for each werewolf and their family. A wide clearing where pack meetings are held can be found at the other end and two dirt paths lead out to the training area and Sky Tree. Tall, thick bramble bushes edge the camp and serve as a barrier.

Training Area



Apprentices are brought here to train. The clearing is covered in soft grasses and is a great place for practicing battle moves. Adult pack members may occasionally come here to spar.

Sky Tree



A tall tree with wide, arching branches that seem to reach for the sky. The alpha, shaman and their apprentice come here to connect with pack ancestors.

Wolf Paw Creek



A small creek a short distance from the camp. The wolves have resorted to coming here for water instead of the Bear Tooth River in order to avoid humans and weredogs.

Bear Tooth River



A huge river that separates Galeladus from the wilds beyond. Fisherman come here daily with weredog patrols and their side of the river is strictly guarded.

Abandoned Mansion



A formally luxurious mansion that has been left to rot. Luckily the building has some new residents who are interested in returning it to its former glory. The Guild of Vampires now call it home. It is located very deep in the Dark Woods.

Galeladus



A small kingdom surrounded by stone walls. There isn't much room for farming so they rely on hunting for most food with goats and chickens adapting to being raised within the city for eggs, milk and cheese. A small, unnamed river cuts through the city's center, a bridge built over it to get from one end of town to the other. The river eventually leads out to the much larger Bear Tooth River, which is used for fishing.

Hunting Trail



A man-made trail the huntsmen and weredogs take when venturing into the Dark Woods.

Tavern



A family owned tavern at the edge of town. Vampires have been known to sneak in every now and then for a drink.

Day One

Mid spring. It's early morning, the recently risen sun hidden behind soft gray clouds as a light rain pelts the forest. The temperature is mild and small prey is plentiful as the wood blooms with new life. Deer and elk seem to be disappearing from the area.

[ Cole Pérez García ]
Male ◘ 36 ◘ Weredog - Greyhound ◘ Galeladus Guardians ◘ Leader
Location: Bear Tooth River ◘ Mentions: {Directly} None [Open] / {Indirectly} Ninka, Diamanta, Adeline (NPC)

The sound of water hitting water as fresh rain drops broke on the river’s surface was almost soothing, lulling Cole into a tranquil state as he sat beside Adeline’s grave. She had loved the river from the first moment she caught a glimpse of glittering blue under the noon sun. It had felt right to bury her here. He leaned against the tall slab of stone that marked her grave and closed his eyes, uncaring of the wet soil soaking through his clothes as his thoughts returned to countless memories he once shared with his beloved wife. Nearly ten years had passed since Adeline’s death, and yet the sting of that lose still felt so raw and new. She should be here with him, watching their children grow together and leading the pack in unison. Now the burden was his alone to carry.

Faint chattering reached his ears, and even through the rain Cole drew in the scents of the humans he had accompanied to the river, watching over them as they fished. The weredog pack had taken to marking the bank closest to Galeladus, a warning to the werewolves who lived on the other side not to cross. Guilt washed over Cole and he immediately rose to his feet, making quick work of rejoining the fishers. He couldn’t afford to lose sight of them for even a second. Warnings clearly weren’t enough. The previous night a patrol had returned to the city with word that strong wolf scent and pawprints had been found over the border.

As he left the shelter of the trees cold drops pelted him in an unrelenting stream, as if the formally mild storm was more powerful around the river. He ignored it, a sense of relief filling him once he found all humans were accounted for and he continued to linger close by. The pack wouldn't miss his presence. Ninka and Diamanta already knew to set up patrols in his absence. He trusted both women were more than capable of handling such a task without him hovering over them.

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[ Richard Phoenix ]
Male ◘ 27 ◘ Weredog - Silken Windhound ◘ Galeladus Guardians ◘ Warrior
Location: Dark Woods - Unspecified Location ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Wyclef

Richard padded through the forest on silent paws, careful of every leaf or twig that littered his path to keep from creating unnecessary noise. He was alert, ears perked up, deep sapphire gaze scanning the area before proceeding forward and drawing in every scent that presented itself. No weredog was allowed to wander the Dark Woods alone, and yet here he was without another packmate in sight. Richard was infamous for breaking this particular rule, no amount of scolding or punishment able to deter him. He needed this alone time out in the wilderness, away from the crowded kingdom where the Windhound felt he barely had any room to breath.

Scuffling behind a nearby set of bushes had Richard pausing mid-step. Rabbit scent flooded his senses and Richard crept forward eagerly, his former wariness forgotten. He was a warrior now, but one mustn't spurn opportunity. As he quietly rounded the bushes the rabbit must have picked up something was amiss. Wide, fearful eyes glanced in his direction before his prey took off deeper into the woods. Richard tore after it, the thrill of the chase clouding his mind and discarding his usual caution. He was more than content with his current rank, but Richard was still a hunter at heart. At times he truly missed this.

Just as he was closing in on the rabbit a sharp pain shot up his leg and a gasp of alarm escaped him as he was suddenly jerked forward, crashing to the ground in an awkward pile of limbs. Richard lay completely still, lost in a haze, but his confusion quickly dispersed as the pain returned full force. He scrambled to his paws, finding his front right leg trapped between jagged metal teeth at the wrist. Shame and embarrassment had Richard’s skin flushing red beneath his wavy golden pelt. Only an idiot would run straight into a bear trap, or rather a werewolf trap in this case. The design was nearly the same, but it was larger and the pointed ends now digging into his flesh were laced with poison. Fear soon replaced humiliation as he watched blood leak from the wounds, clogging into his leg fur and dotting the steely color of the trap with red.

If he called out for help he could attract the wrong attention, but if he didn’t seek assistance he would be at the mercy of whatever found him next anyway. Weak from blood loss or the toxins doing their work. ”Shit,” he hissed under his breath, clawing at the trap with his free paw in a vain attempt to pry it open. Transforming now would only make the injury worse and his heart began to race as he realized how few options he had. These traps were made with difficult removal in mind. Caught up in his struggling, he didn’t notice the sound of approaching pawsteps until it was too late and ceased his efforts, turning to face whoever was coming with raised hackles and a low growl rumbling in his throat. He barely looked threatening in such a state, but he had to keep up a strong front if he wanted any chance out of this.

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[ Phineas Phoenix ]
Male ◘ 23 ◘ Weredog - Silken Windhound ◘ Galeladus Guardians ◘ Tracker
Location: Galeladus ◘ Mentions: {Directly} None [Open] / {Indirectly} Richard

Phineas couldn’t keep the displeased frown currently crossing his features away as a light drizzle fell over the city if he tried. Rain made everything so wet and unpleasant, he wasn’t looking forward to trekking through mud on the morning patrol. Getting it out of his fur was always a royal pain and he hated the feeling of it seeping down to his skin. With a dramatic sigh he forced himself away from the window and left the cottage he shared with his brother Richard, careful to avoid any puddles as he made his way to the clearing where the pack always met in the morning.

He took shelter under a tree at the clearing’s edge, leaning against the still dry bark as he waited for the rest of the pack to arrive. He hoped against the odds he would be ordered to remain behind and guard the city. Wet stone paths weren’t nearly as bad to walk on as the drenched forest floor. The Dark Wood might offer some cover, but rain always found its way to the ground eventually. As the seconds ticked by he wondered briefly what his brother was up to and why he wasn’t here yet, but that line of thought quickly disappeared as the first few weredogs began to appear.

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[ Faith Darkwood ]
Female ◘ 24 ◘ Werewolf - British Columbian Wolf ◘ Dark Wood Wolves ◘ Alpha
Location: Camp ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Everyone

Faith rose with the sun, though its rays never reached the Dark Woods through the soft gray clouds hiding it from view. It was almost an instinctual habit to wake up the same time every morning and the dark-furred wolf found she missed the warm light that usually greeted her upon waking. As she made her way through rows of cabins, she took a detour into the food house, checking their stock.

Most prey had been plentiful, but the pack still hadn’t caught even a whiff of a deer or elk since last spring. A familiar feeling of resentment burned in her chest as she took note of their diminishing supply, made up of only small prey, rabbit, duck and pheasant being the most numerous. The humans had a tendency to overhunt despite warnings from the pack they would all suffer the consequences. That time had finally come.

Tail flicking in irritation, she returned to her former course. As she reached the camp’s center Faith leaped atop the risen boulder from which all Alphas of the pack addressed their subordinates, careful of its slippery surface. She took a moment to compose herself before tipping her head back, a summoning howl echoing throughout the camp. Sitting back on her haunches, she waited for the pack to gather around her. There was much to be discussed.

[ Dominique ]
Male • Old • Vampire • Indian Flying Fox
Guild of Vampires • Adviser
Location: Mansion • Mentions: Everyone at the mansion

Having always been diurnal, Dom was up with the sun every morning, and this morning was no different. Of course, he couldn't physically see the sun due to the heavy drapes covering all the mansion windows, but he knew it was there, just as he knew he wanted some wine. Sliding off the couch (he preferred sleeping on the couch rather than on one of the beds, so he was always the first to know of an intruder), he made his way into the kitchen, pulling a bottle of wine out of a random cabinet on his way. Call him what you will; he likes his wine.

Dom sorted through various cabinets in search of a clean wine glass (curse his hatred for cleaning dishes). Upon opening his seventh cabinet, however, someone had apparently decided it was a good idea to shove all of his glasses in carelessly, as they immediately poured out of the cabinet and shattered against the floor. The crashing sound startled Dom into shifting into his bat form, and he hovered above the mess, glaring at the shards furiously. He grabbed a blanket off the couch with his feet and landed on the island countertop, shifting into his human form and wrapping the blanket around his body. He could have just grabbed his clothes off the ground and put them on, but he was too pissed to think clearly.

"Who the hell messed with my wine glasses!?" he shouted angrily to the mansion, French accent thicker than usual. If the glasses shattering hadn't been enough to wake the others up, his voice certainly was.

Fulke Church
Human | Lead Huntsman
Location: House -> Bear Tooth River
Mentions: Npc fishermen

The drizzling morning rain created a somber drumbeat that looped and scurried through the house. Church had woken with its rhythm, unwilling to sleep while it played on the tiles above. He didn't mind rain. It was irritating, sure, but aside from washing away the tracks of quarry, it did little else. Well, little else aside from causing strange dreams of drums and voices that cracked and burnt as if he'd been struck by lightning. As such, Church had become more than alert to the gentle pattering of rain. He'd spent the early morning preparing a soup that made the kitchen smell homely and warm. He'd slurped down a bowl or two and left the rest on the stove. It would be cold by the time his mother awoke and discovered it, but she seemed to prefer it that way. He'd thought for a moment about waking her early with a bowl and a smile, but he hadn't been able to do so for many years. He couldn't stand to be near her for long. Her distant stare as she mumbled children's songs in repetition had pushed him to tears many times. Nothing was quite as difficult as trying to care for someone who wasn't there. It was easier if he didn't have to see her. It was easier to be a benign ghost in the house.

With a stretch, Church rose to his feet and left, locking the door behind him. No one in town would be brave or cruel enough to rob him, but it kept his mother from wandering into the woods as she was prone to do. He tied the key to a string around his neck and pushed both beneath his shirt as he started towards Bear Tooth River. The dogs had mentioned that wolves had left tracks and scents on the wrong side. Though he didn't trust the dogs, he knew what a wolf could do to this town. If they let the pack edge across their border those tracks would lead to dead livestock and, eventually, dead people. It was best to keep them corralled to the forest, even if the forest's resources were dwindling. Church smiled at the thought that the pack might starve or be driven further away by hunger. If he could only do the same with the vampires. A bittersweet feeling clung to his heart as he continued on his way and in no time he could see the fishermen along the river battling with the trout that lived beneath its waves.

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Xavier Mortimer
Human | Huntsmen Cadet
Location: Wandering the Dank Woods
Mentions: Artair

Xavier was far too unlucky to be as curious as he is. Only last week he'd had a visit to the local doctor after he discovered the huntmens' lost traps... With his foot. It had gotten to the point that the guild had set aside a medical stockpile specifically for his adventures and their inevitable injuries. Today was unlikely to be an exception, especially as he'd decided the best course of action was to visit his friend. A werewolf. A bitten werewolf. Without mentioning where he was going. To anyone.
...Xavier wasn't exactly the best at thinking ahead. Especially as he'd not entirely considered a future where the huntsmen find his mangled body in a ditch, but he figured that was a risk he would have to take. He knew that supernatural creatures knew a lot more about things than humans did. Whether it was some sort of magical knowledge or simply gained from living longer than humans didn't matter. He wanted to know the things they knew, and the best way to do that was to find a relatively harmless critter, befriend it, and bother it. Part two was then keeping that critter alive and this involved not telling the huntsmen about his various adventures to say hello to a previously-rabid werewolf. This line of thinking was the simplest explaination for why he was in the middle of the dark woods, wandering in the rain towards where Artair lived.

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Gabriel
Vampire - Greater Flying Fox | Vampire Master
Location: Vampire Mansion
Mentions: Dominique

The shattering of glass had been more than enough to wake Gabriel up. He stared at the decrepit roof for a moment waiting for the yelling to follow. On cue, a french accent made its way to his ears. There would be neither peace nor quiet until this was sorted. With a reluctant sigh, Gabriel pulled on some pants and made his half-clothed way downstairs to the kitchen to see Dominique sitting on the kitchen counter in nothing more than a blanket. He raised an eyebrow.

"If you wanted to seduce me, perhaps try so during the night." His sleeplessness seemed wrapped around his throat causing his voice to sound rougher than usual. He stepped over the glass, barely noticing the small shards that dug their way into his foot, and retrieved a bowl from the cupboard that he filled with wine. "I believe it was you who 'messed' with the glasses. Your exact words being; Je peux retourner les lunettes sans votre aide." The French rolled off his tongue with a mocking tone. He didn't much care for his adviser's drinking or other strange behaviours. His actions tasted too much like older and darker things than they, but Gabriel wouldn't speak of such things. They craved mention and were drawn to it like demons to sin. He would tolerate Dominque's foolishness as long as it was helpful. He had no idea how a creature so old could be so incredibly different to himself.

Gabriel handed the bowl to his fellow vampire before stooping to collect the largest shards of glass. Their presence wasn't particularly dangerous of course. It would take far more than a foot injury to kill a vampire, and it's not as if they had to worry about infection. Their danger lay in how their wounds would weep as they hunted in the night, alerting every dog and wolf within miles of their presence. Though he would have enjoyed the hunt that would follow, he knew they were creatures of stealth, and to be so required being unnoticeable. After all, the humans had become wiser and more dangerous now. The huntsmen and their hounds could easily run their guild out to the forest and into the hungry waiting jaws of the wolves.

Rafael Da' Silva
Male | 28 years | Gray Wolf | Beta | Wolves of the Dark Wood | Location: Pack Territory; Outside -> Camp | Mentions: [Directly] None / [Indirectly] Faith / Open for interaction
human reference

A massive red gray brute peacefully padded outside of the camp, desiring some peace and quiet during the cool morning. This was something he did quite often, surprisingly the aggressive brute enjoying the calmness the walk offered outside the camp. Long, furry swaying behind him, he walked further from the camp. Nose twitching, he picked up a faint scent of rabbit and his stomach immediately growled as he thought of the plump rabbit in it. Eh, a little hunting wouldn't do any harm. Besides, most of the pack hadn't awoken yet as it was in the early, early morning. Striking yellow eyes soon spotting the said hare mentioned before, the large male werewolf crouched and began inching forward, careful not to make a single sound as he noiselessly moved across the floor of the dark forest, his tail hovering above the ground. Also, to his advantage, the rain would block any noises he made, even if he did make any - which he didn't. Eyes narrowing, he stalked as close as he could be before charging after the rabbit, who bolted immediately after they heard and saw the massive red wolf chasing towards them. Biting at it, he was close enough to it soon and pounced, paws pushing it to the ground and claws digging into its soft, plump body. Jaws lunged towards the neck of the rodent before biting down hard on its furry neck, killing it in an instant.

Sitting down satisfied, he then picked up his hare before standing up, sniffing briefly before turning around and trotting back to camp. It had begun raining by this point and that made him feel grumpy as the cold water drizzled onto his red pelt, wetting both him and his catch. Just as he neared camp, Rafael heard the powerful howl of his Alpha, Faith, and quickened his pace, realizing she was calling a meeting. Probably about the problem they had discussed before. Maybe.. Entering camp, he trotted over to the stock of food and set his rabbit in there before heading to where the pack held their meetings and sat down where he usually sat, which was closest to the boulder on which the Alpha stood, his head facing up towards Faith, who stood atop the rock, as he waited for the meeting to begin.

Xena
Female | 20 years | Rottweiler/GSD/Greyhound | Warrior | Galeladus Guardians | Location: Galeladus| Mentions: [Directly] Phineas / [Indirectly] None / Open for interaction
human reference

A frown arose on her charcoal lips as she exited her house into the wet rain, her eyebrows furrowing. She didn't really enjoy the rain as some others did. She hated the feeling it gave her as it hit her body and slid down it. But her fur wasn't as long as other weredog's, so she couldn't complain as much. For longer-furred dogs, it soaked their long fur and just stayed there, matting against their body. But for her, it gracefully slid off her sleek, black fur. Still, in human form it was just as bad as anyone else's, wetting her clothes, her hair, and her body. Feet hitting the puddles as she trotted across the ground, she neared the place where the weredog pack normally met, long hair swaying behind her calmly.

Eyes open against the rain, Xena looked around as she entered the usual meeting place, eyes observing the few weredogs that were here. She was a bit early, then. Stunning eyes observing still, she soon saw Phineas - one of the trackers - leaning against a tree and the pretty girl approached him. It might be assumed she approached to speak to him, but really she did so to get out of the unpleasantly wet rain. She nodded towards him with a small smile, standing under the shelter of the tall tree as she continued to wait for the pack to begin discussing the morning duties.

{Wyclef Snow}
Male❉Werewolf - Grey Wolf❉Dark Wood Wolves❉Subordinate❉Locat: Dark Woods❉Ment: Richard, Elliot
Wyclef huffed as he padded softly through the trees, slightly annoyed with his current predicament. The large wolf would prefer to be out hunting but he was not one to turn down a request, especially when it came to the older shaman. He was sent on a mission to go in search of wintergreen and burdock root, the humans had been setting more poisonous traps of late and wintergreen was one of the best herbs for long term treatment of the poisons burdock helped stop more infections. His herb pack was half full of the herb when the call for help reached his ears, panic raced through his system. He took off through the trees and burst through to a clear, the sight displayed before him stopped him in his tracks.

The gold coat of the weredog caught in the light that fell through the trees but what truly stopped the wolf was the sharp blue eyes that seemed to see straight into him. Wyclef took a moment to survey the scene though it was quite clear what had happened, the wolf needed to work fast. "You're a little father in the Dark Woods than most go alone." He slipped off his pack and shifted into human form. "I'm Wyclef but most call me Crow, right now I am really going to need you to not bite me. If you want to keep your foot that is."He didn't really have time to reassure the other that he meant no harm if he waited much longer the weredog could lose more than just his foot. Placing a hand gently on the other's side he gave the trap a quick scan looking closely... Found it! He grabbed the latch and pulled it lose, the jaws of the trap releasing the pressure.

Wyclef knew he needed to pull the metal free as it was quite embedded in the other male's leg. The werewolf placed his hand on the side of the weredog's head, this would hurt like all hell and Wyclef didn't want the other striking out in pain (though he was quite sure the other was too weak to do so at this point). "I'm sorry." Wyclef wrenched the jaws from around the other's leg, freeing the mangled limb. He panted as he moved the trap away to deal with later, he needed to get the poison out of the other's system quickly. He reached for the herb pack, every werewolf knew how to deal with the toxic traps, and quickly rummaged through it till he pulled out a small pouch made out of leaves. He reached in and pulled out a stem of some sort before holding it up to the other. "Chew, don't swallow." He went back to the leg after placing the stem in front of the other, pulling out another pouch before dipping his fingers in it and swabbing the poultice on the wound.

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{Elliot Shrike}
Male𐇯Werewolf - Eurasian Wolf𐇯Dark Wood Wolves𐇯Shaman𐇯Locat: Dark Woods𐇯Ment: Wyclef, Toxa
Elliot grunted as he limped his way back towards the main camp, his back foot held up so as not to brush the ground. He intended to use the whole morning to hunt for herbs but it seemed he had forgotten to grab his Comfrey Root for his leg and thus his search was cut short. He had luckily spotted a young wolf on their way to a hunt but had managed to persuade them to go in search of some herbs instead. He was now going in search of his apprentice, not quite sure where he left him or if he'd sent him to go do something. Toxa was a talented yet troubled wolf, reminding Elliot a bit of himself at a younger age.

The large wolf made his way into the Shaman's Cabin, taking a moment to breathe in and relax in the doorway. Elliot loved the rich smell of the healing room, it was the only place that he preferred over his own cabin. The werewolf shifted into his human form and pulled on some clothes he had folded in the corner of the work area. "Toxa, you in here?" He called, hoping to hear the other respond.

𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯𐇯

{Grant Burncast}
Male♔Vampire - Giant Vampire Bat♔Loner♔Locat: Bear Tooth River♔Ment: Open
Grant dropped the body next to the river, it made a soft thud against the dirt when it landed. The vampire knelt by the water to wash his hands and face, he was a rather messy eater. He turned back to the body, it was the closest thing he had to a traveling companion in a long while. The last small village was left in ruins by the old vampire but Grant had decided he needed a meal to go if he planned to make it all the way to Galeladus. Keeping humans alive was harder than he originally thought, it had been a long time since Grant had been anything close to mortal.

Grant kicked the body but it was quite clear the human was not coming back from the vampire's last feeding. Oh well, he was close to Galeladus anyways which meant there were plenty of free meals to be had. The snap of a twig caught the vampire's attention and Grant knew it would not be good to be caught with a freshly killed human. He pulled his cloak closer to him and leaped into one of the closest trees, ready to see who he might encounter.

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{Sasha Elkheart}
Female♥Human♥Galeladus Huntsman♥Huntsman♥Locat: Galeladus --> Hunting Trail♥Ment: Open
Sasha yawned as she exited her bedroom, enjoying the soft sound of rain echoing through her cozy little home. As she proceeded to make breakfast a rough caw sounding from her window had her chuckling and she went to open it. A dark raven fluttered into the kitchen, it ruffled feathers wet with the morning rain, the bird letting out another loud caw. The raven was basically the small woman's morning alarm and thus Sasha finished her meal and headed to get changed into her hunting clothes.

Sasha quickly fed her chickens and goats before grabbing her bow and arrows, her raven perched on her shoulder in hope of a meal. she moved out of the walls of the city at which point the raven took off into the air, he helped her track some of her prey which he got rewarded for. She let out a sigh as the day began, she wondered what it had in store for her...

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[ Cole Pérez García ]
Male ◘ 36 ◘ Weredog - Greyhound ◘ Galeladus Guardians ◘ Leader
Location: Bear Tooth River ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Grant / {Indirectly} Church

Cole shrank back into the woodlands, deciding he’d be of better use to the fisherman in his canine form. After shedding his clothes, he left them hidden within the confines of a bramble bush before padding back to the riverbank, preparing to scope the area for possible threats and see if he could find out more about that wayward werewolf. He halted for a moment as someone new joined the fisherman, recognizing Church even before his scent drifted to his nose on the wind. Cole was more than aware of how the lead huntsman felt about his kind and was in no hurry to greet him. Nearly all of his attempts to befriend the man had ended poorly and he had learned to accept he would never be liked, only tolerated, and avoided direct contact with him unless it proved necessary.

As he made his way further down the riverbank Cole paused, his entire body stiffening as the scent of human blood and the sour reek of vampire filled his nostrils, overpowering everything else. Cole suppressed the growl rising from the back of his throat and proceeded toward the death smell with caution, senses on high alert. His distress over the human’s likely fatal predicament soon made him less wary of where he was placing his paws and he trod over a twig, snapping it in half under his weight. When the still form of a man beside the river and a dark shape flickering away came into sight it took everything in him not to run toward them, well aware danger might very well still lurk in the shadows of the wood.

He quickened his pace ever so slightly, finally coming to a stop beside the human. The man was face down on the gravelly shore, river water lapping at one of his hands, dyed red with the dried blood it washed from his pale fingers. Honey brown eyes scanned the surrounding forest, eventually glancing upward to the treetops. He couldn’t spot the vampire, but the intensity of his scent guaranteed he was still within the vicinity. Cole did the only thing he could do by himself, and that was alert the others. Loud, warning barks exited his maw, echoing across the river. Cole rarely barked so the fishermen would know this meant they should stick together and return to the city. Hopefully Church would see them back safely. In the meantime he would attempt to deal with the intruder.

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[ Richard Phoenix ]
Male ◘ 27 ◘ Weredog - Silken Windhound ◘ Galeladus Guardians ◘ Warrior
Location: Dark Woods - Unspecified Location ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Wyclef

The appearance of a werewolf in the clearing did little to reassure Richard’s frantically racing heart. He felt dizzy with pain and the effects of the poison, his unharmed legs trembling with the effort of holding him up. As Wyclef ventured closer he let out a defensive snarl, frustrated by how weak it sounded. It took him by surprise when the wolf decided to help him instead of finishing the job. His growling ceased, but he still gazed at the other male with a mixture of confusion and mistrust, blue eyes slightly glazed.

The transformation from wolf to man didn’t faze him, even with Wyclef’s sudden lack of fur or clothing. He had far more concerning worries than a naked man touching him. Wyclef offered his name and soon after advised him not to bite if he valued his paw. Richard snorted in response, not able to give much else in this form. He felt some of the pressure around his wrist disappear as the trap sprang open, but the movement caused the jagged ends still buried deep in his leg to tear through flesh and he bit back a whimper. Even with that they still remained embedded. There was far worse pain still to come.

As Wyclef pulled out the metal points fully he couldn’t help the sharp yelp that escaped him. His jaws snapped on empty air, the rush of agony lending him enough energy to bite. If Wyclef hadn’t been wise enough to hold his head still he’d likely be sporting a bleeding wound of his own. Once Wyclef released him he slumped weakly to the ground, body wracked with chills, whether from blood loss or the poison he couldn’t tell. His mind grew fuzzy and he found himself slipping into darkness when Wyclef’s voice rang through his ears and he forced himself to turn turn his head in the werewolf’s direction. A plant of some sort was held under his nose and he took it between his teeth, chewing feebly.

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[ Phineas Phoenix ]
Male ◘ 23 ◘ Weredog - Silken Windhound ◘ Galadus Guardians ◘ Tracker
Location: Galadus ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Xena / {Indirectly} Cole

Xena was the first to appear in the clearing and she seemed just as disgruntled about the weather as himself. At least with her he knew his complaints wouldn’t fall on deaf ears. He greeted the younger woman with a wave and a friendly grin, more than pleased when she moved to join him under the tree. He was well aware it was likely more for the shelter its branches offered than wanting to chat with him, but that little fact wouldn’t deter him from starting a conversation. It was too quiet around here and he was eager to break the silence.

“Good morning Xena, you’re looking lovely as ever,” he welcomed her with a playful wink. “Fine weather for a patrol today, wouldn’t you agree?” He added, tone dripping into something more sarcastic. “I’m beginning to think the others are hiding from the rain. Not as daring as we are I suppose-” He started, pausing as the noise of distant barking reached his ears. It sounded like Cole, and he didn’t seem happy. He hesitated before gazing back at Xena. “What do you think that’s about?”

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[ Arvia Jäger ]
Female ◘ 28 ◘ Vampire - Ghost Bat ◘ Guild of Vampires ◘ Adviser
Location: Abandoned Mansion ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Dominique, Gabriel

Arvia flew at a leisurely pace, the beat of her wings unhurried as she glided toward the mansion. Dawn had arrived, but thanks to the rain clouds above she had more than enough time to make it home without worry. Swooping into her room through an open window, she changed from bat to woman in a fluid motion, landing neatly on the soft fur rug covering the old wooden floorboards at the room’s center. Her clothes were folded sloppily where she left them at the edge of the bed, but she didn’t pay them much mind as she curled up under the blankets, exhaustion pulling her into a much needed rest.

Her dreams didn’t last long, interrupted by the piercing sound of shattering glass and a familiar, outraged voice hollering something from the kitchen. Arvia yawned and considered ignoring her friend, but eventually thought better of it and rolled out of the bed, yanking her clothes on before exiting the room, more curious about the ruckus now that she was up and moving again. Arriving in the kitchen at last, she raised an eyebrow in Dominique’s direction, taking in his appearance before gazing down at the broken glasses.

“A bit early for a drink Dom, don’t you think?” She teased lightly, though it was a bit hypocritical coming from her of all vampires. “How’d you manage this?” He didn’t have a chance to answer before Gabriel strolled into the room, and she did her very best not to snicker in response to his wry comments, though her amusement was soon replaced with a wince as her leader stepped over glass with little care for the sharp shards embedding themselves into the bottoms of his feet. Undead they might be, but that didn’t mean pain was non-existent. She moved to help him remove the broken glass from the floor so the feet of their fellow vampires wouldn’t suffer the same fate.

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[ Artair Croft ]
Male ◘ 29 ◘ Bitten Werewolf - Timber Wolf ◘ Loner
Location: Deep in the Dark Woods ◘ Mentions: {Directly} Xavier / {Indirectly} Xena

Artair’s ears folded back against his skull apprehensively and he paced around the cabin he called home in an erratic fashion. The change had been unexpected. Normally mornings would be spent out in the woods in search of prey, but as a man, not like this. If he didn’t have to become this he would always choose not to. His clothes lay in shreds across the grass and he whined in confusion. He was upset...but he couldn’t remember why now and that only furthered his misery. If only the boy or the she-dog were here. They always knew what to do…

Eventually his uneasiness drove him away from the cabin. Hunger gnawed at his stomach and he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He hadn’t consumed anything filling in the last two days, left with only rabbits and birds to hunt since the deer disappeared. As he plunged further into the woodlands a familiar scent washed over his nose and recognition flared in his mind. The boy was coming. His hunger forgotten again for now, he rushed to meet him, suddenly very concerned. The woods weren’t safe. Xavier shouldn’t be alone. He burst through a set of bushes, skidding to an awkward halt at Xavier side and woofed in greeting.

Diamanta de Haven
Female | Weredog - Drentsche Patrijshond | Deputy
Location: Galeladus | Mentions: Xena, Phineas, Cole [Directly]

Diamanta walked towards her pack's gathering place, carefully avoiding any mud puddles in her way. She wore a simple grey hooded cloak that protected her face and hair from the dreary weather. A small sigh escaped her lips, and she hoped none of the weredogs would try to skip their patrols today because of the rain. With werewolf and vampire sightings on the rise again, they needed as much help as possible. As she reached the gathering place, her eyes settled on Xena and Phineas, and she gave them a small smile. She walked over to a small-sized boulder and sat down, waiting for Ninka to arrive so that the two of them could sort out the patrols together. She hadn't been waiting for long when she heard the faint sound of barking, and her head snapped in the direction of the noise. She went absolutely still, listening carefully. Upon hearing the next bark, she rose to her feet and flipped back the hood of her cloak. It was Coal, she was sure of it, and he didn't send out warning barks like that unless something was wrong.

She turned her head to face Xena and Phineas. "I'm going to see what's going on over there. You two should stay here, and make sure nobody follows after me. If I need more backup I'll howl for it. If Ninka arrives, just tell her to set up the patrols without me." She spoke in a serious, commanding voice, making it clear that she expected her orders to be followed. If it was a dangerous situation she didn't want anyone coming after her and risking their lives. She quickly found a tree to change behind, and took off her clothes, leaving them in a neat stack so that she could find them again later. She then shifted into her dog form and took off in the direction of Cole's barks, running as fast as her paws could carry her.

She soon caught Cole's scent, along with that of human blood and vampire, making her quicken her pace even more. The scent of vampire was never a good thing. She soon spotted Cole's sleek, black figure, and was comforted to see that he didn't look injured. She approached him cautiously, her ears pricked and alert for any sounds. "Cole, what's going on here? I heard your barks." She spoke to him through their mental link, slight curiosity in her voice. "Is everything alrigh-" She froze, catching the sight of the dead human. The stench of blood and vampire was all over its body, and she had to stop herself from growling. So it was confirmed, then. The vampires were back, and they definitely weren't on the humans' side.

Wolf
Bitten Werewolf | Unaffiliated
Location: Hunting Trail
Mentions: Sasha

Wolf had been blessed with discovering the basis of his new den. The pain in his stomach had set him wandering along the hunting trail, hoping that the scent of prey would waft into his nose, and it had. Along the trail there was a hole that overflowed with the scent of rabbit. He stuck his nose in and managed to grab many soft things which he pulled out and devoured whole. It wasn't much of a meal, but it seemed to take away the worst of the hunger pains. He knew that the trail was an easy path for other prey to take. If he dug in and expanded the rabbit burrow he might be able to live there, occasionally grabbing something unsuspecting. He set about gathering materials and bringing them back to the dig site. Soon he had a hefty pile of foliage, feathers, sticks, and small tufts of animal dander. The combined stink of the pile seemed to cover the worst of his scent. Sure, he'd have to clean the den and replace the leaves as they rotted, but the maintenance would be worthwhile.

Content with his gathering, the werewolf started to dig, his strong claws making quick work of the soft earth. It wasn't long before he'd managed to open the burrow up enough to curl awkwardly inside. The den was perfect, even at this early stage. He could clearly see out onto the path and could smell various birds in the trees above. He watched as a large black bird landed just outside the den and let out a series of warbling croaks. Wolf stared at the bird. His animal mind ran through the scenarios of trying to catch the feathery fiend. None of these plans resulted in a feathered feast and so he turned around and continued to dig. He hoped some of the dirt would land on the bird. That'd teach it for not being easier to catch. With the earthy scent of soil and rotting leaves filling his nose, Wolf was entirely unaware of the approaching huntswoman.


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Jasper
Weredog | Unaffiliated
Location: Bear Tooth River
Mentions: Cole

Jasper was awoken by a series of barks that jolted him to alert. He was in a clearing somewhere in the forest. The gentle rush of water suggested he had either wandered to Wolf Paw creek or Bear Tooth river. The blanket beneath him, various empty bottles, and piles of clothes suggested he hadn't come here alone. His head ached in protest of his detective work and he decided to give it a rest. He stumbled to his fee- no, paws- and wobbled his way towards the barks he'd heard. It seemed like the best direction to go in, though going in any direction was difficult. His paws kept snagging on each other and every step nearly sent him sprawling. He wondered briefly if shifting would help, but quickly shoved the thought away. Balancing as a human would be harder, and shifting while hungover was never fun.

So Jasper continued, using the tree trunks to steady himself whenever he thought he was about to fall, until he could finally see the cause of the barks. Cole and Diamanta. Their ears back and their stances were tense. Jasper wondered for a moment if he'd somehow seduced his leader and deputy. He was about to make a remark when he spotted the human by the river. Their face brought back the night's memories and seemed to knock Jasper out of his drunken daze. He quickly padded over beside the two, mimicking their stance. It wasn't long before the scent of vampire drifted down to his nose and he realised the danger they were in. He sent a quick "where is it?" to the pair, hoping they had seen the predator.

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Fulke Church
Human | Lead Hunstman
Location: Bear Tooth River
Mentions: Cole, Jasper, npc fishermen

Church briefly spotted the weredog leader as he emerged from the bushes, now a sleek sight hound. Church could feel goosebumps rise across his body. He'd always been unnerved by their ability to change forms, more so than werewolves or vampires. Something about going from your own kin to your kin's best friend just unsettled him. He knew they were allies. There'd been few dogs that were openly aggressive to humans and those that were tended to be shunned, or worst, by the pack. Everything about them pointed logically to a reliable ally, but Church couldn't shut out the voice of suspicion. It called to him like a siren song. With its presence the best he could manage was an uneasy allegiance with the creatures. He knew he was the problem. He raised his hand to give a short wave to Cole, but the dog- man?- had already turned and continued patrolling down the river. Church couldn't blame him for not sticking around.

The huntsman made small talk with the fishermen, awing over their catches and playfully threatening to feed them to the fish. He almost felt at ease until he heard Cole bark a warning. All of a sudden his body tensed, his hand already going to the sword by his side. He ushered the men together and directed them down the path. A few protested the loss of their rods and catches, but Church assured them it was better than the loss of their lives. It wasn't long before they were back surrounded by the walls of Galeladus.

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Xavier Mortimer
Human | Huntsmen Cadet
Location: Deep in the Dark Woods
Mentions: Artair

Xavier had been enjoying the quiet of the woods. The birds were calling to each other as if they were playing some strange game of marco-polo. He tried to join in but quickly realised there was a reason he wasn't picked for the choir. Instead, he walked in silence towards the cabin where he'd left the werewolf. The cabin wasn't great. There was a hole in the roof, most of the furniture was broken, and the fireplace was in dire need of a fix before winter. The roof and fireplace would be easy enough to fix with some wood and stones, but he had no idea how to build furniture, or even if a wolf had any need for it. He could make some kind of bed at least. Use some logs for the frame and dismantle the rest of the broken bed for fabric and fluff up the rest with the copious amounts of fur that Artair had shed. He grinned. It'd be perfect, and his buddy wouldn't have to sleep on the floor any more.

He was nearing the cabin and preparing to call for the werewolf when a giant furry creature burst through the bushes and let out a low woof. Xavier quickly set to petting and baby-talking the animal, using such phrases as "who's a good boy? Who's a good puppy? Oh yes, you're a good puppy!" The animal was, in fact, not a puppy, but that did little to deter Xavier. It may not be an actual puppy, but it was his puppy now. He walked to the cabin and set his bag down, pulling out the various items he'd need for the day; an axe, some rope, a net and a saw. He wasn't an expert cabin-fixer, but he'd made his best guess as to what to bring. He rubbed the wolf's head. "Hungry, boy?" His own stomach gurgled and he picked up the large fishing net he'd brought. He'd been watching the fishermen string up nets across the river for a few weeks now, and Xavier figured he had the technique down. If they did it right, they might be able to catch all the big fish that were swimming at this time. "Hope you like fish, buddy," he said before starting his way towards the creek.

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[ Dominique ]
Male • Old • Vampire • Indian Flying Fox
Guild of Vampires • Adviser
Location: Mansion • Mentions: Gabriel, Arvia

Dom had stuck his tongue out at Arvia at her comment, similar to how a pouting child would stick their tongue out at people they didn't like. He had opened his mouth to reply immediately after he felt his point was made, but the Master had walked in and interrupted. So instead, Dom settled for shooting a barely noticeable glare Arvia's way as he spoke.

As soon as Gabriel was finished mocking him, Dom's mouth formed a sort of 'O' shape as the memories came flooding back. Of course, never one to admit defeat, he shrugged indifferently. "It doesn't matter who did it. What matters is that half of my very expensive wine glasses are broken. Do you know how hard it is to find such high-quality glasses? I'll tell you how hard: very. It took me nearly a century to collect all of these," he complained, gesturing wildly to where his fellow guild members were cleaning up his mess. Yes, he was very comparable to a toddler at times.

Dom hissed in frustration, but whether it was directed at himself or the idea of the effort he'd have to put into restocking his supply was anyone's guess. He slid off the island countertop and began to pick up some of the smaller shards off the ground, passing right by his clothes as if he had forgotten all about them (which, knowing him, was a pretty reasonable guess). As he collected the pieces of glass, he wondered aloud: "What do you think would happen if I ate all this glass? It would not kill me, I know, but how much harm do you think it would do? A lot?" It was a strange, and possibly twisted thought, but such was not unusual for Dom, especially when it came to dumb ideas that usually resulted in his pain. And yet, he'd somehow kept his rank as Adviser, possibly due to his wit. Or his constant begging.

What was probably most concerning about the whole ordeal was that Dom found himself eyeing the glass in his hand, as if actually considering eating it. It would not be the first time he'd gone to such extremes just because he could, nor would it be the last, but most of those times had been out of sheer spite and indifference towards his vampire needs. Now, though, it was sheer curiosity that egged him on, and it was very encouraging. Damn his need to satisfy his curiosity. He had yet to lift his hand to his mouth, but he fully intended to. And such was the reason why others considered Dom unpredictable and sadistic (although masochist would be a better term if you asked him).

Gabriel
Vampire | Vampire Master
Location: Mansion
Mentions: Dominique, Arvia

Gabriel was thankful that his advisers had bent to assist in cleaning up the glass. Though he didn't openly smile, he let the feeling of warmth fill him, rather than shooing it away. He caught Arvia's concerned glance at his carelessness. He paused for a moment before continuing to pick up the pieces, this time avoiding the sharp edges and points. There was nothing to gain in ignoring his advisers' worries. He wondered what they should do with the pieces. They couldn't exactly throw them out and risk being discovered. They couldn't leave them in the kitchen either.

He was debating between building a furnace or digging a very deep hole when Dom's voice caught his attention. Something about eating glass. Gabriel watched with a sinking gut as the vampire stared curiously at the glass. Memories rushed forwards of stained glass and pointed edges and blood across the floors and the chil- he let out a dark growl that seemed to roll like thunder over his tongue. "You'll not do such foolishness," he snarled, the words coming out guttural over his bared teeth. He realised at some point he'd grabbed the adviser's hand, twisting it to force the danger out of his grasp. He released and stood quickly, some cold feeling washing through him, perhaps shock, perhaps shame. "Clean it up." His words were short and sharp. "Don't let the idiot eat any." A brisk glance towards Arvia followed by a more scathing glare at Dominique. He turned and left, heading up the stairs and back to his room. Though his face stayed stern, his heart was beating with an intensity he hadn't felt for a long time. He pushed open the door, closed it behind him, and slid to the floor against it, breathing heavily. His thoughts circled like vultures around the past. Each mental swipe at the memory only seemed to draw others in, as if they could sense weakness. Flashes of a face, wide-eyed, accusing, judging. He hid his head against his knees and muttered prayers, hoping the repetition would frighten the memories away.

Xena
Female | 20 years | Rottweiler/GSD/Greyhound | Warrior | Galeladus Guardians | Location: Galeladus| Mentions: [Directly] Phineas, Diamanta / [Indirectly] Cole / Open for interaction
human reference

A small smile flashed across the usually serious girl's face as she was greeted by the friendly Phineas. He then spoke to her and she rolled her eyes, running a small, nimble hand through her long, flowing dark brown hair. "Good morning, Phineas. And I could say the same about you." she greeted, smiling as she spoke. She wasn't lying. The tracker was actually a very attractive individual, with ginger hair, freckles, and slightly captivating blue eyes. But, with her past still etched in her mind, she couldn't bring herself to trust someone, or even fancy them a bit. Then her smile fell a bit as he sarcastically spoke. She laughed sarcastically with little effort, speaking with a slight roll of her eyes, "Yeah. Wonderful weather."

As Phineas then spoke about the others, Xena nodded, "Definitely." she said shortly, chuckling softly with a bit of "pride" edged in her voice. She then, alike the other weredog, stopped as the familiar barks of their leader, Cole, were heard in the distance. "I don't know, but we better go check it out.." she said, and was about to bolt off, and possibly change forms as doing so, but then was stopped by the deputy, Diamanta. As the she-dog shifted and bolted off, Xena exhaled with disappointment and annoyance. "I wanted to go." she muttered under her breath, possibly to inaudible for Phineas to hear. She sighed, running her hand through her hair once more before holding her hands on her arms, waiting.

OOC: A bit blocked >.< As always :/

~Moza Patcheart~
| Weredog/ Berger Picard |Female Medic |
Human Form | Location: Forest Near Bear Tooth River
Mentions: Cole, Jasper, Diamanta

Brushing aside the pale blonde braid, silver blue eyes calculated the distance from hand to target...ready? THROW! The juicy red apple sailed through the air landing in the metallic jaws of the wolf trap. The dangerous device snapping shut with an ominous clang crushing the piece of fruit to a juicy pulp...nasty things. The amount of pain they caused was sufficient, but adding poison just for good measure? It was idiocy at its best, especially when they were laid out on the wrong side of the river. One less to worry about now though, thank the stars above...the medic was fortunate that she had spotted the trap on her walk through the forest.

A smile stretch over the woman's tanned face; it made for interesting target practice if nothing else. Humming to herself, the weredog gathered some of the herbs growing at the base of several trees, tucking the plants into several packets slung across her chest from left shoulder to right hip and around.

The warning barks from farther up the river, sung with a familiar cadence, only able to belong to none other than Cole Pérez García himself...what trouble had the old mutt gotten himself into this time? Pace was quickened until the woman was dashing through the woods with practiced steps sliding to a stop once she saw three pack-mates standing together practically radiating tension. Whatever sarcastic remarks that may have slipped loose from Moza's mouth were instantly silenced as she saw the fallen form of a man...just breaking adulthood if she did not miss her guess.

The other's would be ignored as the doctor ran forward sliding to the ground and pushing the man so he was not face down upon the dirt a biting remark sliding from clenched teeth. "Couldn't spare the time to flip the poor guy over, could you?" Who the words were directed at, was unknown as Moza pressed her fingers against the young man's neck, while leaning her head down on his chest straining for the sound of breathe or heartbeat. A part of the Berger Picard new, had known since she had stepped into the clearing, that there was little to no hope for the man. It didn't stop her from trying...but it was clear by scent, sound, and touch that whatever amount of blood the boy had was too little for life to persevere.

"Dammit"
The word was soft, but hard, and filled with more emotion than it would have carried if the doctor had shouted the curse at the top of her voice.