Hecate | 21 years | Female | Second | Shifter
Location: Temporary Camp
Mentions: Calida, Bishop, Isaiah, Lorelei, Nomads (indirect) // Open!

"Oh good!" she hastily replied to the two who answered her. She stood and gave a small and silent 'thank you' to the rest who were picking up their things. She turned her yellow gaze back to Isaiah. "Oh," she had taken a moment to think,"It's all good on my end.". She smiled slightly and threw her bag over her shoulder. Hecate's shoulders rose and sunk for a while while everyone was silent. Then when the adolescent of the group, she just ignored him. Heck, she didn't even know where exactly they were going. All she knew, was that their best chance of survival was to stay together. Speaking of, Hecate looked around for the few missing nomads. Just as she was about to speak, Calida stepped up and said what was on her mind.

Hecate walked over next to Calida, flashing her a small smile to let her know that Hecate was there for her, whatever she needed. " I haven't seen them," Cate sighed. Her eyes scanned the group. 'dammit who's missing? Isaiah, Bishop, Rafael, Calida, me, Damian, Nova, those two brothers, Thanatos.....,' she counted and said every name that she could remember. "Where's Lorelei?", Hecate stood on her tippy toes, even though she could already see past most of the group. 'she isn't here...', Hecate thought, worry bubbling in her. " Shall we wait or go look for her?", she turned towards Calida. Cate's face was emotionless but her tone held the slightest trace of worry that made her a little shaky, but she suppressed it.

• [ Vincent Pierce ] •
22 Years Old | Male | Loner | Unknown
Location: Outskirts: | Mentions: Lorelei / Closed for now

An open-palmed hand raises and closes in an odd gesture, but within seconds the white dog falls quiet; little more than a ghostly figure blocking Lorelei's path home. Those dark eyes smolder with contained ferocity despite the delicate and chiseled skull they're set in. Her mouth is still full of deadly teeth that could tear open flesh and leave her bleeding out. Of course, the dog senses the other part of her as well; the wolf, and it makes her lips curl over her teeth in a silent snarl, her wispy coat standing on end. The other two hounds, once they catch up, come across more timid. The pup is hiding behind her owner's legs with her whippish tail tucked between her hind legs and the brindle doesn't look quite sure what to with himself, hovering close but never within striking range, pacing.

Lorelei's response renders the man speechless for a split second, the pointing finger hanging in the air before lowering uncertainly. No...of course she said no. Nothing was ever so simple. It's quite imperative he reclaims his things, however, so he does his best to force an assertive tone into his voice after awkwardly clearing his throat. "No? What do you mean no? I must insist you return my belongings at once, miss," he demands before taking another step toward her, resisting the urge to add a please onto the end. Maybe for once he would actually come across as intimidating enough she would just hand over the goods and return to her group, the members of which thankfully hadn't stormed out to flay him just yet. He must've quieted Orchid down in time to avoid an investigation.

Vincent doesn't like the idea of frightening anyone, but it's a necessity of survival, even if he is all bark and no bite. His arm is shaking as he reaches for the bag and he winces, thankful it can't be seen behind the garments covering his face. It's a sign of weakness either way, one that would likely only embolden her. Pain radiates from the wound on his other arm. She can probably still smell the blood. He doesn't want this to turn violent, can only pray she'll be reasonable, because if not, well...he supposes he'll be losing some very valuable and sentimental possessions this morning, because in the end bluffing was all he had.

━─━─━━─━「₪」━━─━─━─━

• [ Rafael Ramírez ] •
25 Years Old | Male | Warrior | Shifter
Location: Outskirts - Temporary Camp | Mentions: Bishop, Damian

The hint of a smirk makes its way across his mien at Bishop's antics. Rafe can't help finding her energy contagious, feeling it pulse through him like a contagious disease. What a delightful little virus. "You know me, not satisfied until I get a taste of blood on my teeth," he replies wryly, that subtle smirk growing into a full on grin at the swipe of bent fingers through the air. "Sure hope so, playing it passive and hiding behind the fire ain't my style." The hand that collides with his chest elicits a grunt despite it barely causing an impact. He did so enjoy his dramatics. "You can always help out. How do you feel about being the bait?"

A gentle pull on his sleeve is all it takes to have him trailing after her toward Damian, his face settling into a more neutral expression once the reached the heavy-eyed man (he had a reputation to uphold, after all). The fellow truly did look about ready to drop under the weight of his burden. Bishop's comment paired with her exposed tongue makes him roll his eyes as he accepted the pack cautiously handed his way by their newest companion, slinging it over his other shoulder to join his own pack. "Exercise is important for maintaining muscle mass," he responds in a matter-of-fact tone, "and carrying heavy shit, running around the camp perimeters or beating the ever living crap out of the beasties is the only exercise we ever get lately. Not that I'm complaining. I do like to feel strong."

Damian's remark concerning sleep and the laugh that follows causes an eyebrow to quirk. He doesn't know this one well at all, but from his observations he wasn't normally a conversationalist. Rafe is pretty sure this is the first time he's ever heard such a sound come out of him. Bishop did have that effect on people, though, so he's not too surprised she's dragged a bit of humor out of the dreary looking hybrid. His gaze shifts to Calida for a brief moment as she speaks, only a shrug of his shoulders offered in answer. He hadn't paid much mind to anyone leaving the camp this morning, far more occupied with assuring there weren't any hounds lingering in the shadows.

Lorelei | Werewolf | Nomads | Provider | 22 Years Old
Location: Around Temporary Camp | Mentions: Vincent Pierce [Direct] | Closed

Lorelei stared back at the dog that had fallen silent at its owners command. Just like any animal, it could sense she was a beast beneath the human mask. Silent, but still ready to tear into her. Lorelei really missed Brimstone then. He was a good boy too. She turned back to face the man and his two other pups, watching as one cowered behind him, tail tucked. The other simply paced. Waiting for an order, most likely. From either the dog blocking her, or from the man himself. Ah, what a situation. She’s been in worse ones.

Ghostly eyes watched as his finger lowered. A small chuckle rumbled in her chest. Oh, he was trying so hard! Has this man really not been a target for thieves? The dogs were daunting, yeah, but a relatively small obstacle, considering her species. She had the option. Her wolf could explode from her in a fury, deal with the dogs and the man. The desire for entertainment was stronger than the looming presence of her wolf simply wanting to deal with the threat. Lorelei scoffed at his words. “Really? Wow, typical male, not understanding what ‘no’ means.” At his step towards her, she didn’t move an inch. This man was about as intimidating as a butterfly stuck in morning dew.

At the reaching arm — the shaking arm — Lorelei gave a threatening twirl of her hatchets. The aroma of blood tickled her nose. Oh, this was so not his day. “You should get that looked at.” Her tone was dry, clearly not someone who sympathized. But… Hm. Idea. Lorelei’s head lolled to her shoulder, outwardly at ease despite the situation. “I’m sure my group would help you with that.” Lorelei was never someone to rely on intelligence past street smarts. She was known to hurt and maim and even kill before she relied on anything but instinct and past teachings. But the dogs… could be good for the group. Hunters. “So here’s the deal,” she drawled, “Any resources you currently have go to the group. And you and your pups hunt for the group. Resources are shared, so not only will you get to keep your arm,” she gestured to his injured arm with the blade of her hatchet, barely lifting her arm. Flippant and blasé. “But you also won’t go hungry.”

A good deal, she thinks. And, of course, she’ll get to keep what she wants from the bag. But that was a given.

Bishop | Shifter | Provider | 21 Years Old
Location: Temporary Camp | Mentions: Rafael, Damian[direct]

Bishop snorts at him, though proud of her ability to get a smile out of him. At least she could make him happy for a few moments. “Wow, Rafe, that’s kinda edge.” She giggled though, despite it. “I would be right there with you if I wasn’t so damn tiny.” Despite there being a comical element to her words, it was the disgruntling truth. She could pretty much only provide support with her bow, but she was sure she’d get in the way, some way or another. At his idea of using her at bait, her eyes brightened. “Really?! Gladly!” She clapped her hands together, light and quick like a hummingbird’s wings.

She could turn into any animal she pleased, she knew that. But a fox is just… what she felt comfortable in. Maybe she could try and match Rafe one of these days? Maybe watching him and moving around as a jaguar could help her find comfort in another form. Or maybe she could turn into a hawk like her father. Or a bear like her mom, and Laurens. There were so many options. She had tried before, but the big and lumbering kinds didn’t do well for her, and considering heights weren’t her friend… It was complicated.

Bishop didn’t notice the more neutral expression Rafe took on, all too used to his more reserved persona when they had to talk to others. Strange, but she never questioned it. She also didn’t quite question the squinted look Damian fixed on her. He was just tired! “Don’t mention it!” She peered over at Rafe as he talked about muscle mass and carrying stuff. Bishop blew a raspberry in his direction and proceeded to repeat a shell of what he said in a dorky voice. “Sounds like a lot of propaganda to me!” Bishop wrinkled her nose at Rafe but her attention turned back to Damian as a sudden laugh left him. “Now that’s the truth,” she said, despite sleeping relatively nice last night. It wasn’t worth mentioning. She was usually plagued by confusing nightmares, so she’ll keep that morsel of bliss to herself. “Maybe we can just start knocking each other out.” She tilted her head and held out a hand, exposing the berries she has been holding carefully, offering them to Damian. “Or! Or maybe one day we’ll find a plant that will help us along with that.”

Finding a plant that would help induce sleep seemed more probable than finding a permanent shelter to settle down in, to fend off the creatures and to finally… finally get some good sleep.

• [ Vincent Pierce ] •
22 Years Old | Male | Loner | Unknown
Location: Outskirts: | Mentions: Lorelei / Closed for now

The ridicule in her tone is discouraging enough, but the next remark to leave Lorelei's mouth deals some severe psychic damage. Vincent's brain short circuits for a split second as panic overtakes any rational thought and he recoils from the woman is if her hatchet actually took a swing at him. To anyone listening in the snark in her voice would've been plain, but all Vincent can do currently is scream internally. " I didn't - that's not what I meant! Of course I understand what no means - and I don't mean to impose, but - listen you...you stole my things and I just want them back." Was that so much to ask for? Honestly, he supposes so in a world with so few resources left to go around, but regardless...

Her comment concerning the injured arm has Vincent grabbing the limb with his other hand subconsciously, holding it closer to his body. He's preparing to call this, slink off before her groupmates figured out what was happening and metaphorically lick his wounds when she offers an interesting, and unexpected, proposal. He stares at her wide-eyed, though once more it can't be perceived through the dark lenses of his visor. Could she make decisions like that? To accept a complete stranger into a well-established community wasn't the norm in these parts from his experience. Was it possible she was one of the higher ranking members of this society? That acknowledgement only worsens the anxiety swirling in his gut. What a great first impression to make with a person who might have power of his life, should he choose to accept.

This could be a trap as well. Things that sounded too good to be true often were, but Vincent was growing dreadfully tired of doing this whole survival thing on his own. The chance of being assimilated into this group was too valuable an opportunity to scorn despite the risks. There's another minute or so of uncertainty before he tentatively removes his visor and pulls the hood of his cloak down to reveal his face, eyes searching Lorelei's countenance as if he could find the truth hidden in her eerily pale eyes. "There are a few items in there that are only valuable to me. Will I get them back?" He asks, resisting the urge to cringe at how meek he must sound. "If you can...if there's truly room in this group of yours for us I accept your invitation, on the condition you return my bag to me and let me share my valuables of my own volition."

━─━─━━─━「₪」━━─━─━─━

• [ Rafael Ramírez ] •
25 Years Old | Male | Warrior | Shifter
Location: Temporary Camp | Mentions: Bishop, Damian

Rafe rolls his eyes at Bishop's proclamation of 'propaganda', watching with disapproval as Damian declined her offered berries. "Another thing that helps maintain a healthy body weight is proper nutrition," he remarks with a comical amount of seriousness. "Breakfast is the most important meal, and these berries might help energize you a little more so you can at least make the journey to the lake without feeling like you're going to pass out on the way. No one's going to carry you if you faceplant in the dirt." That's a complete lie, at least in his case, but he's trying to drill in the importance of not spurning a good opportunity to eat when one of those sneaky little devils made off with one of the supply bags.

Before he can get another word out the howler is darting off with their goods and Damian is after it just as quickly.. What an absurd scenario to deal with this early in the morning... His palm rises to rub against the side of his forehead before shaking his head, face tilting back down to stare at Bishop. "Duty calls. Getting that action I asked for a little earlier than anticipated I guess," he mutters before moving to follow Damian, shifting fluidly back into the form of a large, dark-furred panther once more, the bags he carried still around his shoulders. He wouldn't be putting them down after this incident even if he knew a jaguar running off after a wolfdog and a howler with a bunch of bags strapped across back must be quite the sight.

Hecate | 21 years | Female | Second | Shifter
Location: Temporary Camp
Mentions: Calida (directly), Severin (directly), Howlers (indirectly), The nomads (indirectly) // Open!

Hecate silently nodded to Calida. The shapeshifter picked up her belt that sheathed her twin blades and buckled it on. Luckily, her backpack was already fastened when a howler came running up and snatched a bag of food. Hecate froze for a second, or maybe two and turned her head towards Calida. "Calida, am I still dreaming or did a Howler just steal a bag of food?", she scoffed and shook her head, turning back to finish tightening her belt. She unsheathed one of her blades and bounded towards the edge of their camp, which was only about 50 feet from the group. "I'll watch this side," her voice carried a monotone sound and she turned back towards where the howler had returned. She scanned the surrounding tree-line for more, and sure enough, there were more. Hecate could count a dozen that were visible, who knew how many were out there.

Just then, a few of the nomads bounded out of camp. She looked at the bounding figures and looked back at the group, specifically Calida. She threw her hands in the air, carelessly letting her blade slice the air. "What are they doing?", she sighed, turning back to watch the howlers and their positions to try and anticipate a next move. Howlers weren't usually a huge threat. They were starving thieves and only made themselves violent if need be. If the howlers suddenly decided that they wanted to eat the nomads instead of our measly rations, the best chance of survival would be staying together. Hecate wiped sweat from the morning sun off of her forehead. She watched a golden eagle fly away with a satchel.

Cate sighed before looking over her shoulder, again. "I swear to god Severin if you had anything important in that bag, so help me, she shot her eyes to meet Severin's directly. Her eyes told more than her mouth did. Hecate was staring at Severin very harshly but had no intention of scaring the poor shaman, she merely wanted to convey that she was done with today, and the sun had barely risen. After a moment or two, Hecate took her gaze off of Severin. " By the way, more keep showing up, this is getting sketchy Calida," she half shouted across the camp, looking back and forth between the howlers, Severin, and Calida.

_______________________________

Thanatos | 16 years | Male | Adol. | Werewolf
Location: Temporary Camp
Mentions: Severin (Indirectly), Howler (indirectly), Ashes (Indirectly), Nova (Indirectly) // Open!

No one took up the young boy's offer of mints, so he shoved them back into his pocket. As he retreated back to the camp's border to grab his skateboard, a howler bounded past him and clutched a bag of goods in it's jaws. "What in hells name was that", he said, furrowing his brows with a jaw dropped open. He looked back towards the group, then back at where that creature had run off to. Just as fast, a cheetah ran by and left an eagle in the blink of an eye. The young werewolf looked back at Severin smirking and raising an eyebrow. Before he could make a comment of his own, Nova beat him to it. The red-and-white-haired adolescent chuckled and shook his head loosely, letting his damaged hair fall in front of his eyes as he hopped on his skateboard.

Thanatos had no intention of pursuing anyone, or rather anything without motive and decided to ride around the camp, weaving in and out of the nomads and their bags. He stopped at Nova and whispered,"If that shaman girl does need help with her bag, i'll race you". The werewolf's proposal was childish, but he thought it would add some spice to his morning.

Lorelei | Werewolf | Nomads | Provider | 22 Years Old
Location: Around Temporary Camp | Mentions: Vincent Pierce [Direct] | Calida [Indirect] | Closed

Oh this was good. It was as if his brain started to melt as he rushed to explain that he wasn’t like that. Such an easy target. Couldn’t have chosen a better victim for her antics. “Oh, I’m sure that’s not what you meant.” Another drawl to psyche him out a bit more. At least she hoped it did. He was a… tall and intimidating man with some very scary doggies, after all. Facing off against a small girl with nothing but hatchets. How unfair. “Sounds like an excuse to corner a small girl.”

Lorelei watched closely as the man drew his arm closer to his body. He looked about ready to squeal, even though his eyes were covered. The way he sort of shriveled was a great indicator. Lorelei had thrown out that offer without much concern for what Calida would think. Hunting dogs could be valuable. Very valuable. They practically paid for their own spot in groups. It would be a shame to pass them up. And even though the man that commanded them was a bit squirrelly, she was sure he had his own use. Hopefully.

A minute seemed to tick on. Lorelei hadn’t moved a muscle, all too used to being nothing more than a shadow for hours, scoping out traveling groups and deciding their worth. But once that minute ended, the man reached towards his own face, removing the visor and the hood. Hm, he was cute. Too bad he was twitchy and soft. Like a kitten. Lorelei blinked at him idly. Valuable only to him, huh? That’s a shame. Sentimental too? What kind of fucking utopia was this man raised in to be able to act like this? “Sure, why not.” The sentence had a similar vibe to you live because I allow it. And well, where was the lie there?

Lorelei turned, with intent on walking back. There looked like some action was taking place at their temporary camp. “Call off your dog. And keep up.” She didn’t stop her stride, figuring that the meek man would rush to do so. If he didn’t hurt her then, he wouldn’t hurt her now. Unless he was suddenly emboldened by the turning of her back… but she doubted it. And no, she hadn’t released the bag. Didn’t need him running off now. She still needed something out of this little trip.

Bishop | Human | Provider | 21 Years Old
Location: Temporary Camp | Mentions: Rafael, Damian, Ashes [direct]

Bishop frowned a bit at the declination of the berries. One needed a good snack in the morning, right? It’s what got the energy going! Bishop nodded and made a noise of agreement at Rafe’s words. “Totally! Food is fuel!” She did smack Rafael on the arm, though, for the comment about leaving Damian in the dirt. “No one would leave him! I would even get past my discomfort in other forms to carry him!” She knew it was a joke from him. Of course she did! He just wasn’t like that. Damian, however, wouldn’t know such a thing. She bent down and dropped her berries back into the little pouch she kept them in before peering back up.

Oh, this didn’t look too great. The amount of howlers surrounding the place, rushing around… something was about to happen. Bishop didn’t shrink away from the thought, and instead was distracted by the howlers and the thieving they were committing. She only saw the sleek, powerful body of Rafael and the canine form of Damian rush after it. She opened her mouth, a quick cheer for the two men exploding from her before her attention was snapped away from the scene, and dragged to another. Severin, appearing dumbstruck, and watching after a cheetah that blazed across the landscape, taking another bag, before shifting into a bird of prey.

A string of curses slipped from her mouth, and she rushed by, dropping her bag at Severin’s side, with a passing order of ’Watch that, please!’ Why did everything have to go wrong so quickly and all at once? Two legs turned into four, and her fox form was sprinting after the bird of prey, swift paws keeping the thief in view. The shifter didn’t seem to want to go far, which was probably good, considering the form they had chosen. But not a good idea, considering Bishop was always ready to jump to action. It wasn’t long until Bishop found the thief. They were looking through the bag, looking perhaps a bit desperate. Poor girl.

Bishop was quick to shift from her form, back to two legs, and stumbled into the area the girl was in, keeping her distance. She ran a hand through her short hair, fingers getting caught on the knots. “Whoo! What a race!” She blew a pocket of air from her mouth, watching as a few of her strands floated before her, but refused to change their positioning. She did it again, but they refused to change. She rolled her eyes before giving the girl a bright smile. “Anywho! I’m Bishop! What’s your name?” Bishop wasn’t angry. It was hard to be, when she knew how tough times were in the world.