Katya | Female Shapeshifter | Copac Clan | Second In Command
Location: Copac Town | Mentions: Coy [direct], Adrian [indirectly]

The cold nearly ripped through her heavy jacket, as big as it was. It dwarfed her, making her seem smaller than she (sadly) already was. Her boots barely made a sound as she walked a trail she knew pretty well, a full bag slung over her shoulder and she lightly swung her weapon of choice at her side, a bat with nails driven through. It was already speckled with blood. She swung it about as if it were a baton, a bored pout on her face as she approached a weak point in the wall. One thing she was reluctant to patch up, just in case they needed a back-end escape.

She doubted anyone would strike them, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared, to have options. She peered around, listening to the lesser cryptids hiss and growl in the underbrush, hidden from her sight. She took a deep breath and chucked her bat over the wall, jammed the bag through the wall, and followed suit. Huffing, she picked up the bat and bag, and peered around, gloved hands a bit chilled from the cold. Maybe she could find Dray and shove them up his shirt. That’d wake him up for sure, if he wasn’t already up and about.

She peered about, spotting Coy, a dedicated scout, with his hands outstretched towards a lit barrel. Not her usual choice of communication, for obvious reasons. Boy was dedicated, but hard to talk to. Katya could usually bring anyone out of their shell, known for making friends. Coy was different, didn’t really seem to enjoy company. But hey, she wasn’t going to bother Dray this early, and might as well gather a report.

Katya shouldered her bag and sauntered towards the man, her boots quiet upon the ground. “Good morning, Coy. I trust you got back to us safely?” She asked, her voice a soft hum among the birdsong and the baying from distant lesser creatures. “Anything to report?” She plopped down a bit of a ways from him, mindful of his less than amicable aura, and began to pull out her bounty. Canned foods, from a long way from her own stronghold. She often had trouble sleeping and turned the lack of rest into an efficient way to spend her time. A secret she kept from Dray. Lord knows what he’d say about it.

Katya slowly pulled out a slightly water-damaged notepad (something she used to keep inventory) with a nub for a pencil and peered up at Coy, her head tilted owlishly as she waited for an answer.

|| Cas / Male / Shifter / Warrior // Location; Copac ||

Having risen from his slumber, a very pointless rest, might he add, The pale skinned man slipped from his chambers, slipping on a tan sweater, quietly pulling on his boots to match. Leaving the quarters, he felt goosebumps rise along his skin once the chilled air struck his flesh. Russet hair drawing down, he ran his hands through the silken locks, slowly pulling them onto his shoulder. Brows furrowed, that emerald gaze kept forward, his hands rubbing against each other before feeling hot breath hit his palms.

He was on the newer side of this group, though not by much. The shorter man didn't quite talk to anyone, well, unless conversation was brought upon him. Huffing a loose strand of hair from his face, a yawn worked its way from his lips, and he couldn't help but stretch, soon standing still to do so. It was one of those lazy days for him, and he didn't quite feel the want to pursue much work other than sleep. Though, it wasn't like his position called for much, but when it did, he was on it right away. There was brute force in that smaller figure of his, and he didn't care too much to hide that.

Perhaps he'd go out for a bit, take a good walk among the cryptid filled territory, see where that got him. Who knows. Blowing a puff of cold breath, he kicked the ground below him before glancing about, seeing a few familiar faces, though not much. Scout, commander, etc. People whom he generally didn't grow to know very well. Maybe that would change. Who knows. He was the most social, after all. With a gentle hum to rumble from his throat, the ginger tread to the wall slowly, examining the wooden frame with a careful stare.

He really did wonder what would come from behind those walls. Well, he knew what was behind them, but really, what could happen if they came down? Would the people even know how to defend themselves in that situation? Would he be able to defend himself, let alone a whole group? As far as he knew, he was the only one with this rank, and while it was an honour to fight for the sake of the lives within this camp, would he be prepared for that? Hell, probably not.

Adrian Reyes | 24 Yeas | Male | Shapeshifter | Copac Clan | Leader
Location: Copac Town | Mentions: Calida, Coy, Katya

Winter's frigid bite sliced through his fur like an ice-coated knife, chilling Dray to the bone. Even as his limbs began to tremble from cold the dark panther continued prowling through the underbrush, coffee-colored irises watching creatures slink through the shadows in the hopes of escaping his attention. He was like a Shade Cat in solid form, evoking fear into the lesser cryptids. Few were brave enough to approach him alone and he reveled in that respect, allowing it to inflate his increasingly large ego. An eerie howl in the not so far distance caused rounded ears to perk, rising from his crouched position to gaze into the outline of the trees.

His breath formed gray wisps around his nose and open mouth, and once the last remnants of the howl dissipated he stretched his jaws and released a fearsome roar in answer. A reminder he and Copac Clan were here, that Calida was not the only feared beast to wander these woods, and perhaps, just possibly a call of solidarity between leaders. Their path could be a difficult one, a lonely one. He waited for the echos of his roar to cease before pivoting toward Copac Town, the fortress coming into sight before long. Making a detour to where he'd discarded his clothes, Adrian's form shifted from cat to man and redressed with haste, fingers slowed by the deplorable temperature.

Within minutes he was shuffling in through the front gate, the flickering of flames catching his eye immediately and steering him toward the barrel where Coy and Katya took refuge. Ungloved fingers spread before the flames, sighing as heat met his freezing palms. "Mornin'," he greeted both, but otherwise didn't impose upon the conversation, listening as Katya inquired after any news, his gaze sliding to Coy expectantly.

Erin Hunter | Female | Human | Resident | Location: Human City | Mentions:-

As the sun shines through the make-shift window of the wooden hut and wakes Erin up from her sleep. She lets out an annoyed grunt and slings her arm over her face in an attempt to shield her eyes from the sun. A few minutes go by, but without any luck with falling asleep again she reluctantly decides it’s time to start her day.

Slowly making her way out of bed she grabs what’s left of last nights dinner for breakfast while trying to get into her cargo pants. After almost falling over a couple of times - and nearly choking on her breakfast - her pants are on and soon her black shirt and jacket are too. With quick hands she braids her hair into fishtail that falls down her back, out of her line of sight.

Without wasting much time Erin head for the door, but grabs her tattered knife on her way out. Before closing the door she throws an eye at her bow. Her gut tells her to grab it, but it has for weeks now, and she has yet to be attacked herself. She knows that the city is safe, or at least safer. But she has yet to trust the walls that protect her, not sure if it’s foolish or smart.

Deciding to not grab her bow Erin steps out of the wooden hut, closing the door behind her. She wraps her arms around herself as she studies the shadows that the sun had yet to chase away. Before setting her course to the middle of the city where most of its people seemed to gather, to her at least.

Katya | Female Shapeshifter | Copac Clan | Second In Command
Location: Copac Town | Mentions: Coy, Adrian [directly]

Katya quirked a brow. Hell hounds getting bold? That was nothing new, but she was glad she wasn’t the only one to notice. Her bat dripped with the blood of them, laying idle at her feet. Two had rushed her when she was cleaning out that old farmhouse. One she sent through a window, the other she sent to its maker, with only a scratch to mark the event. Fucking hell hounds. Katya scoffed to herself, chewing on her already battered lips. It was fun, if not a little annoying. She had been so caught up in her looting she didn’t even notice the creaking floorboards, or the dripping of saliva.

Katya broke from her thoughts as a familiar voice greeted her ears. Lifting her eyes from the scout who seemed that they’d rather be anywhere but here, Katya gave Adrian a dorky wave and an even dorkier wink before returning to her notepad. “Quiet is good, hell hounds are not. Maybe we should make them take a step back?” Marking down a couple more cans before she turned her eyes to Adrian, her brows raised in question. She didn’t like them nipping at her ass, and she didn’t want Coy to get injured next time they went out. Two attacked her, and one wasn’t even strong. They were either really desperate or really stupid. Either way, it would only help their situation. To kill or to scare.

Marking down the last of the cans, she stood, tucking the loot back into her bag and plucking her bat from the ground, turning her gaze onto Adrian. “What’s the plan for today, hotshot? Heard your little pissing contest with Calida.” She gave him a sharp-toothed grin, a chuckle bubbling in her throat. The calls were a little hard to miss, anyway.

Laverne | Human Female | Human Settlement | Guard
Location: Settlement | Mentions: None, Open

Sunlight had barely filtered through the settlement when Laverne was roused from her bed, bright and early, as usual. Perhaps her family’s old drills still hung in her mind like a veil, waking her just when light broke, and keeping her awake by sending stabs of an old panic straight to her heart. Good morning indeed. It didn’t take her long to crawl out from under the tattered blanket and pelts that lay across the bed, whining and groaning as the cold hit her skin. The tanned hides she shoved into the crevices of her hovel were just enough to keep most of the cold out.

Scowling and grumbling, she shoved herself into her clothing, debating on wearing every piece just to fight off the cold as she shoved some canned peaches into her mouth and bit off a hunk of bread from a fresh loaf she swindled from an old man who had swindled her out of a knife just days before. Typical. She took to counting her knives, making sure they were accounted for and adorning her body correctly, even taking the time to sharpen them upon a whetstone when she noticed the onset of dullness.

Soon enough, she was out and about, gloved hands shoved into pockets, hood pulled up, and an old, holey scarf pulled up over her nose. Silvery eyes sought out who was awake, listening to those used to the cold and early mornings shuffle about inside their own homes, watching those little crafter’s shops open up, and watching a little boy stumble out to feed his chickens. She reminded herself to grab one when no one was looking. Perhaps after the family went to go wander the other shops that somehow still stood about. God, she missed a good chicken dinner.

Slipping into the center of town, she drew herself up. She was a guard of this settlement, which was funny, considering she still didn’t trust more than half of the folks here. Hell, even the ramblings of those who’ve lost their minds made her wary, paranoid. “The unknown lurk here! They do! They wear our faces!” Her lip curled a bit, and she shouldered her small backpack, fumbling with the hilt of the knife she carried, rubbing it with the pad of her thumb. Her eyes bounced from person to person, wondering if she should take the time to bother one of them with her unfortunate existence, or simply walk to her post, earlier than she was supposed to, like usual.