Full Moon Adventures

[alint]

The quiet town of Amsterville always had a plethora of passerbys move through. Usually they were in town for a few days, at most two or three months, but always left. This wasn't the case for Jason Paea, who was now going on a year of residence. He owned a small house on the outskirts of town, a few miles from main street Amsterville. He purchased the small abode with cash and worked odd jobs around the town for anyone willing to pay. When he wasn't working on a job, he was at the lumber yard. The town was slowly expanding but at a rate that was almost immeasurable. Despite this, the town thrived. It seemed that the town was just a place one passed through to get somewhere better, which brought in a good amount of money.

Jae kept a quiet life, which most people respected. There were some town rumors that circulated about Jae due to his disappearances around the full moon and the minimalist lifestyle he led. While the old timers seemed skeptical of Jae's existence, people seemed to respect him and leave him alone. He was known as a handyman who was also very intelligent due to his side gig of tutoring kids in math. Every so often, Jae would drive into the city, which was a 30 minute drive down a highway, to go to kid's houses or libraries to tutor. He made good money with the three jobs, enough to only need to work 5 days out of the week with an extra 3 days off a month. Jae didn't really have many friends in town. He seemed to float around and interact with people, but not build strong bonds.

As for the magical community in Amsterville, it was practically non-existent. There was a small population of people with magical blood and magical conditions. There were two paths these people took which included ignoring their magical past entirely or practice only sporadically. For the most part, those who carried magic in their blood kept to themselves and a magical community in Amsterville barely existed. Most of the time, those who moved to the small town wanted this. They were escaping the hustle and bustle of larger cities along with the problems that arose with a magical community. Amsterville was close enough to a bigger city that supplies weren't too difficult to get, but far enough away to get away from more powerful magical families.

At times Jae missed the ease of gathering materials where a magical community thrived, but he enjoyed the privacy Amsterville provided. That was until he appeared. The minute Andrei appeared in the town Jae knew that he was magical. Something about the somewhat haphazard appearance of the man indicated something to Jae. This was confirmed with Andrei appeared on his doorstep after a rather difficult transformation. Jae didn't know why he allowed the werewolf into his house, but he did and now the two of them were sitting across from each other in the living room. Jae had a cup of tea in his hand. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and revealed light scars on his arms. The black jeans were worn by the knees and were patched in a few spots. Jae's green eyes seemed to pierce through the dim light of the room. "So what's your plan? You already destroyed my garden and caused me some trouble by showing up at my doorstep half naked."

 

[CalamitousNag]

"Uh, huh. Yeah. You're sure right," Andrei fake smiled and fake laughed. He had learned long ago that you humor the one driving when hitch hiking.

Andrei found that the people who stopped to pick-up his scraggly, lost-looking behind were often people seeking a story themselves. They seemed to thrive off of the tales he would share, found themselves momentarily living the dangers that Andrei faced every day. These strangers either loved to listen or wanted to be listened to. There really wasn't any in-between and he was okay with that. Andrei doubted he'd ride with anybody who wanted silence the entire trip.

The older man chuckled, laughing at his own joke as he leaned back. He let out a sigh and Andrei could see he was remembering a happier time. A few moments of silence stretched by and Andrei's attention shifted outside the cab.

He couldn't place it exactly, but he knew he was in an area with a higher elevation. The sky seemed closer somehow and the dirt was red-brown. It wasn't anything like what he remembered growing up in the inner city of St. Louis.

"Yeah…" the man driving started again. Andrei felt his eyes on him. "So, something calling you up north?"

Andrei waited a beat before answering. "Not really, just trying to put some distance between where I was and where I'm going." He didn't really know.

"Well, you keep going north and you're going run right into the mountains out here. It ain't bad this time of year but it can get right cold. Right snowy, too. Don't be surprised if you get snowed in by 10 foot drifts. It's a common thang 'round here."

"I ain't afraid of no snow," Andrei grinned. "We got plenty back home."

"Got mountains?"

"Nope."

The man laughed so hard he started a coughing fit. "Well, then. You'll see."

"I'll see…" Andrei agreed, smirking as they crossed another state line.

…

"Aaamsterville?" Andrei rolled the name over his tongue as he looked at the map he had swiped from the gas station counter. Where in the po-dunk hell was he? The people around him were talking with an accent he wasn't familiar with and he felt out of place--probably in more ways than he'd care to admit. It didn't help he looked a little scraggly, what, with his stained jeans, ripped plaid shirt and gray baseball cap that was red 10 years ago. He also sported a worn, oversized backpack that was filled to the brim with what little he owned to his name.

See, Andrei hadn't had a single stationary home in a year's time. His plight was slowly worsening; what had started off as moving from apartment to apartment every year had now morphed into motel to motel every damn moon cycle. He couldn't stay anywhere long--his wolf always messed it up. Just when he'd get settled and be hopeful of a real life again, the full moon would come and he'd destroy everything he had built. It was never this bad, and it was only getting worse. Maybe if his wolf had manifested earlier in his life like it should have, he wouldn't be going through this now. But he couldn't change that, now could he?

He could only change what he could today. And today, Amsterville would host him for the night.

Andrei slid the map into his pocket and pressed out the door, the ringing bell above the door the only indication he had even been there.

…

This town was rougher than he thought.

Andrei had parked himself out in front of the town square, asking for a little pocket change to help get him to the next town. The people there didn't seem used to someone asking for money and they gave him a wide berth. When Andrei had spotted the same police car pass him twice, he knew it was time to move on. He'd only made $3. That wasn't enough for much of anything. He could get himself a coffee, though. Wolf or not he still felt the nippiness of the early spring air and it was wearing on him. He could always hunt for something to eat after he warmed himself up.

Andrei went into the nearest convenience store (imagine, a 7-11 out here) and got a $2 dollar coffee. It was gone within two steps of the store and Andrei realized perhaps for the first time that he was wayyy out of his element.

He had never been this far north and he didn't know what to do.

Sure, Richard may have a harder time finding him, but damn, he couldn't even find himself. What if there was pack up here? He hadn't noticed any traces of lycan in the town but he didn't really have a plan if he encountered one. He supposed he'd just grovel in hopes they wouldn't rip him a new one.

Andrei wandered out of town, walking down the winding, single lane roads that led out of town. He figured he'd put some distance in-between himself and the cop-er that was watching him. Andrei looked up at the trees around him. The wooded area would make good cover for him if things got dicey. He felt a bit more reassured.

…

It didn't take long for night to fall, though it seemed lighter later than usual. It was 7:00pm and he could still see clearly with his paltry human vision. He wasn't in Kansas anymore, that was for sure.

Andrei had made some good distance and he found the houses were starting to get more and more spread-out. This was good--he'd be harder to spot here. Giving one last look to the roadway and noting its direction, Andrei made an abrupt left and pierced the treeline.

He figured that he'd have to hunt as a wolf tonight because he sure as hell wasn't getting a cooked meal. He'd have to find shelter soon, too, but eating was his priority. He had to keep his energy up. He noticed that going too long without food was good incentive for his wolf to appear when it wasn't called.

Andrei found a dead-looking tree and unloaded his pack there. He wouldn't be going far, he just needed the space to change. He stripped down completely. The shirt wasn't entirely over his head before he felt his bones begin to move. He hated that. It was already fighting for control.

It only took a minute and was easily the most painful experience of his life each and every time. But once it was done, the pain was gone and Andrei saw the word with new eyes. He began to track the scentmark of a rabbit. That would be quick and easy.

Or so he thought.

…

Andrei blinked, stunned and a little discombobulated. There was a ceiling above him.

He sat up abruptly. Fear caused a stir deep in his bones as he realized he wasn't alone. His eyes flicked to his arms--luckily, they were smooth. He was human again. He didn't know when it had happened.

And he didn't know the man who sat across from him.

Something off about the man made Andrei's human hairs stand on end. This wasn't a man at all.

Oh, shit. Richard had caught up to him.

Andrei was rigid, frozen under the covering that had been haphazardly placed across him. He was naked. He didn't know where his backpack was. Hell, he didn't know where he was. Only that a stranger sat across from him, nursing a cup in hand. The stranger was also talking. Andrei didn't know he heard, or understood.

Andrei was silent.

He was silent as he smelled for others, waiting for the familiar, stale scent of the Alpha to assault his nose again.

Andrei didn't answer what seemed to be a question directed by the stranger his way. Instead, he asked, "How do you know him?"

There was no other logical explanation as to how he had winded up in this… house? Andrei took a quick inventory. He expected to see a russet sack and a bat somewhere. He had to have been knocked unconscious. He didn't remember a lick of what happened after he changed.

Then again, did he ever, really?

"Look, you don't have to do this. Just tell him I'll talk with him, but only him. I'm not going anywhere. I know better than to outrun the pack." Ha ha! Yeah, right! If he wasn't sitting across from what he pretty damn sure well knew was a lycan, he would be soooo out this piece. "I'm just asking for civility, man."

 

[alint]

"And I'm asking about my produce. Listen, I don't really have the time to baby sit a werewolf and I'm not in the mood to deal with your baggage," Jason explained as he ran a trembling hand through his hair. He took a sip from his cup and thought to himself. It was the day after the full moon and his mind was still collecting itself. He could feel the pull of the moon at his mind as his eyes registered reality and a world beyond the physical. Blinking a bit to clear his vision, Jason asked again, "I don't know who you're talking about or if that's just the moon, but I don't care. I just want to know if you're sticking around or not. This town doesn't have many supernatural folk and you're obviously from out of town."


Watching the other man, Jason wondered just what was going on in the man's head. There was so much that this guy just didn't get and it amazing Jason that he was still alive. Not only did the man destroy his garden, but the wolf also got through a few magical barriers meant to deter supernatural beings from Jason's property. Either this guy was really strong and didn't care or he was just dense. Either way, Jason didn't have the patience to deal with the guy. Part of him was curious though about who he was talking about. Nevertheless, Jason knew that inviting more supernaturals would just result in more chaos and problems.


"Why don't you just kill the wolf and be done with it? It's not like you have any reason to keep him around," a voice said softly to Jason who was waving it away with his hand. "You've killed before. You can use my power to dispose of this beast. Realize that you don't have time to humor this beast."

Jason had enough of this craziness. The full moon was rough on both of them last night and Jason wasn't really in the mood for a conversation. He just wanted to assess the damage and potentially gauge the danger threat of this man. Despite this simple objective, Jason's head throbbed and his ears buzzed with voices from the other world.

 

[CalamitousNag]

What?

Andrei's mouth was open.

"What the hell are you talking about? Produce?" Andrei shirked his head, his neck retracting like a turtle. That's when a key word the man said a few moments earlier suddenly came back to him: garden.

Andrei was clearly perplexed about 2 things: 1) how did he go from livestock destruction to garden decimation, and 2) was this fucker really accosting him about some damn vegetables? He'd done worse! The guy should consider himself lucky. He wasn't a willing participant in any of this shit.

Andrei's eyes zeroed in on the slight tremors of the lycan's hand. Would one of Richard's trained-hires be trembling, much less talking to him? Something seemed off about this and Andrei had the sneaking suspicion that he was trespassing. This seemed like someone's home, not a holding cell. So, now, he was confused.

"Sticking around? What?" Andrei shook his head to recalibrate. This man was talking sense and he couldn't process that at the moment. He swallowed thick, trying to remember his thoughts from the night before.

Oh, yeah. He had been passing through. Running north, putting as much distance between himself and Richard as possible. Hamsterville, or something like that.

"I'm just passing through. I'll only be in town a few days. You won't notice I'm here--and I'd appreciate it if you don't notice I'm here. In fact, I was never here. I don't even want to be here." Andrei paused a second, thinking. "Hey, what's the quickest way a guy can earn a buck around here. Your town square is stuck-up as fuck. Almost got arrested. I guess guys in need don't exist out here?"

And then Andrei thought some more. He changed his tune.

"Hey. I'm a little down on my luck. You know how hard it is for us out here, right? I mean, I can tell you're one of us," Andrei dipped his head down low, looking up-under at the other man, letting him know he sensed his secret. "Could you spare a couple dollars, brother? I swear I'll be out of your hair in a few nights. I just gotta get my bearings. Figure out where I need to go next."

Andrei didn't divulge how he was likely to dip in and out of beast mode over the next few days as the moon continued to wane. That was no state he could afford to travel in. He'd tried it. That's how he'd ended up with warrants for his arrest across multiple counties. He had to wait until he got his mind back and he was better off out here in the wilderness than he was in any civilized part of town.

If this wolf across from him could bear to allow Andrei in his territory for a few days, he could rest up a bit and find a way out of there. If he got a few dollars out of the ordeal, even better. People were more affable when you weren't completely penniless.

Like he was now.

"Look, just a few dollars and, shoooop," Andrei made a sound with his lips as he pointed west, "I'll be on my way. Probably a lot quicker, too." Andrei sniffed.

 

[alint]

"Money," Jason scoffed, "if I had money, I wouldn't be living in the middle of no where growing my own vegetables and herbs." His voice trembled slightly as he spoke since spirits from another plane pulled at his consciousness. The day was still young, but already he could feel the pull of the moon. On top of that this guy was being way too buddy buddy. Jason didn't like being called brother nor did he like the informal tone of the man's voice. Everything seemed a bit too surreal.

Looking at the guy now, Jason noticed how taken aback he was. Nothing was processing in the man's mind and it didn't seem like they were getting anywhere at the moment. Jae didn't know what to do about the guy. It wasn't like there was anywhere in town for the guy to camp out without drawing attention to himself. The law enforcement in Amsterville didn't take kindly to beggars. It was a small town and no one really had experience with poor people. Yeah, there were people passing through, especially after learning that the town had no sympathy for poor.

There was a pause in his thought process as Jae heard a familiar voice beckoning him away from reality. "Hey Jae, who's this? What you get into this time? You know that you can simply just throw him out and let the moon take over. He's just a wolf. He's below you. You're a wizard who can channel spirits of past wizards. Why are you wasting your time with this guy. Jae. Jae. Listen to your elders." Jae ignored the voice as it pulled at his mind. He got used to ignoring them, bu that didn't stop them. Every full moon, more and more spirits would visit and try to convince him to do something for them. At times, Jae would appease them and do something but it didn't often end well.

Turning his attention back on the man in front of him. Jae sighed heavily and replied, "I have a spare room in the back. It's warded for people like you." Jae meant supernaturals in general not werewolves, specifically. "You can stay there until the moon phases give you some peace, but then you should be on your way," Jae explained as he stood to leave. He was exhausted and he wasn't going to get much sleep that night either so he decided to go to sleep now.

Jae didn't wait for the man to reply. From what he gathered, the guy was rather harmless. It felt like he was just a shadow moving through his space. Before Jae left the room, he said, "Yeah, call me Jae. It's weird sharing a space with someone if you don't know their name. But don't get any ideas. This is a mutual thing. I'm going to lay down for a bit, please don't destroy any more of my property."

With that Jae disappeared into his room. Once in the room Jae was bombarded with voices from the other side. There was a plane parallel to 'reality' where spirits resided. Those who're able to talk to Jason and other sensitive people were often powerful in their own right. Jae hated these spirits. They seemed to single him out and hover over him, talking constantly. Jae was hoping that his body was exhausted enough to just drift into sleep. Thankfully that happened and Jae was able to sleep for 4 hours before waking back up.

Jae forgot that there was another man in the house as he got out of bed and wandered through the different common rooms. Jae followed a glowing ball of light as he moved through the space. He spoke softly, replying to the spirits who backed off a bit after being acknowledged. Jae's voice was sure despite how his hands trembled. The other plane was experiencing a strange phenomenon that made many spirits nervous. Jae did his best to calm some of them occasionally talking to one particular spirit named Arnoud.

 

[CalamitousNag]

Andrei blinked three times and then his eyebrow lifted, trying to make sense of what just transpired.

Warded? Now, where had Andrei heard that word before? What, did he have the room booby-trapped? Something old and wise told him he shouldn't stay in the homes of people (much less wolves) he didn't know, but…

How was that any different from hopping in a car with a stranger? He did that every week. Andrei was lucky he hadn't ended up in some ditch somewhere. He probably owed that to good fortune and his latent lycan abilities that seemed to make him stronger somehow. It was great when he needed to hold off another human, but another wolf?

Though the selfless offer sounded inviting, Andrei wouldn't be able to rest if he tried. And now that he thought about it--Andrei took a survey of the room around him--he wouldn't need to. Who lets some unknown into their home? Someone who had nothing to hide, surely. Andrei grinned internally, even if he was still a little spooked.

The visitor watched the other man stand, noting how he placed his steps. He looked a little bit worse for wear. "Andrei…" he introduced himself to the other man's back. Wow. He was just going to leave? Like that? Not waiting around to see what Andrei would do?

"Trusting guy," Andrei muttered under his breath, hearing a door close somewhere. After a few beats, he stood in all of his naked glory and looked around the house. It was a humble abode, homey. Kinda kitsch. Something made his back itch weirdly, though. Seeing as no clothes graced his skin, he shrugged the feeling off as nerves.

Andrei walked the perimeter of the living room, checking out the mantle, looking out the windows, searching for anything that looked like a trap. He found nothing obvious so he helped himself to the other man's kitchen.

Hey. If he was giving him a room, surely that meant he had access to everything else as well?

Andrei sat his bare ass at the kitchen table and helped himself to a bowl of cereal and orange juice. The juice was so refreshing on his tongue that he wondered if the Jae guy squeezed it himself. The itching across his shoulders didn't cease but he chalked it up to some poison oak he had probably fallen in.

Once he was sated, Andrei meandered through the home until he got to what he believed to be the back of the house. He listened for the sound of the other man in case this was an ambush. Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, he pushed open a door to a small bedroom. He had every intention of borrowing some clothes off the man.

Andrei crossed the threshold and then froze. The itching he had felt earlier intensified for a second. He would have scratched at it if it didn't feel as if it crawled under his skin. Andrei gasped, pupils flaring as his wolf was agitated from its slumber. What the hell did he just walk into?! Andrei turned back around about to flee from the room and felt the overwhelming urge not to leave.

All of the stories from his aunties and grandmother came to him in a rush. The hair on his body stood on end and he realized he had been invited into the wrong house. Shit! Shit! Shit! Andrei started to panic. What if the guy wasn't a werewolf at all and had tricked him by disguising his scent as one? What would he do to him? Fuck Richard, this was some next level shit.

Andrei whined, forcing himself to calm as he backed onto the bed and sat down. He wasn't in any sort of pain or harm but his spidey senses were tingling off the charts. The surroundings were just too calm.

Nope. He wouldn't be resting at all.

And he didn't. So when his sensitive ears eventually picked up the sound of footsteps an eternity later, Andrei called out. "Jae…" he said trepidatiously, his voice small at first. "Jae!" he said again, hoping the other would respond. And favorably.

 

[alint]

Jae was pulled away from the spirits by the sound of Andrei's voice. He looked at the wolf for a moment as his eyes struggled to fucus on the man. After about a minute, Jae realized who it was and a spark of recognition reeled through his mind. "Ah, Andrei. Why the hell are you still naked? Didn't I give you a change of clothes?" Jae asked as his hand trembled slightly at his side. Turning away from Andrei, Jae sighed and headed to get a change of clothes for the man.

After a few moments, Jae returned with a pair of underwear, jeans, and a T-shirt. "Here," Jae stated as he threw the clothes at Andrei. Looking closer at Andrei, Jae noticed how the hairs on his body were standing up and his muscles twitched. Jae wondered what was wrong with the guy. This was the first time that he had was in the presence of a werewolf since he was young. His mother passed away 3 years ago along with any connection to werewolves.

Jae you shouldn't trust him. You know how the werewolf world is. You'll be killed if this guy tells. You need to get rid of this guy. If you let me take over for awhile I can get rid of this stray. A voice from the other side warned. A cold hand made Jae shiver slightly as he considered the spirit's words.

"I'm capable of taking care of myself so back off," Jae stated probably a little too loud. The spirit did as it was told and moved away from Jae's ear. Turning to Andrei, Jae asked, "Are you comfortable?" It was a weird question since he was so hostile to Andrei before. After a couple hours of sleep, Jae felt much better and was willing to attempt to be a decent host. It was something his mother always emphasized. She was always the one to tend to people's needs.

By now the sun was past its highest point and was on its way down. They had a few more hours before the sun set completely, but already Jae felt the pull of the moon. His hands trembled slightly and the pull at his mind grew. Jae's eyes struggled to focus on 'reality' as spirits faded in and out of his vision. Arnoud was doing his best to keep the majority of the spirits away from Jae, but even Arnoud had his limits. By now, the spirits knew that now was the chance to influence Jae. They were extremely persistent this moon and he wondered why.

 

[CalamitousNag]

If Andrei could catch the attire any more suspiciously than he did, the outside observer would think he didn't know what clothes were. It wasn't the generous offering of clothes that confused him, but rather the one offering. It was a while before Andrei uttered a "thanks" under his breath, but he did.
He was no longer trustful. Something just seemed off in the atmosphere and Andrei didn't know what it was.

Andrei was about to start pulling on the shirt when the other man said something about being able to take care of himself.

"Sorry?" Andrei caught himself asking before he realized it, but he had heard the other man clearly. Andrei hadn't said anything but the guy's name and a thanks--who was he talking to? Was the place bugged? Was the man reaffirming himself? What, what, what?

Okay, it was time to go. Andrei decided right then and there on the spot.

Rushing now, Andrei pulled on all three pieces of clothing. It was enough time for Jae to turn back to him and Andrei looked the figure of a deer being caught in the headlights. How was he supposed to answer Jae's question? He certainly was /not/ comfortable, but how did you convey the feeling of having eyes on you?

"Uh, quite. You know, I actually left my pack out there in the woods and--you know, wolf or not--it would make my life so much easier to search for it while there's still some daylight left. I'll... be right back."

He wasn't coming back.

Andrei walked stiffly to the doorway. He still felt that overwhelming calm as he crossed the room but as he approached the door, he no longer felt the unexplainable urge to remain. He crossed the threshold of the doorframe and into the hallway. He let out a pent-up breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"Thanks, brother. You're a real good dude. See you later!" Andrei rushed as he made his way to the front door.

Well, he wasn't lying--he had abandoned his pack out in the woods somewhere before the change occurred and it basically contained what little he had left to his name. It was stupid to leave it for so long, but he just hadn't anticipated being picked up by someone. That someone who he was now trying to put some distance between.

He had encountered all kinds on his cross-country travels, but it was rare he met a wolf who didn't try to harm him on the spot. Maybe this guy wasn't a wolf after all.

Andrei reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open. The tree cover was so thick in this area of the woods that it was almost devoid of light--and warmth. Suddenly, the little house felt extra cozy.

 

[alint]

Jae watched as Andrei moved about the space. He could tell that the wolf was doing his best to keep his nerves under wraps, but Jae saw through this. As Andrei explained about his pack, Jae wondered if it was just a ploy to get away from Jae. The more Andrei moved around the space, the more Jae wondered what he was doing. As the wolf skittered about the room, Jae felt his wardings tremor slightly.

"No worries. See you later," Jae replied as he watched the wolf go. He had a feeling that he wasn't getting those clothes back. As the wolf left Jae's property, Jae felt the wardings shift slightly. If Jae hadn't readjusted the wardings, Andrei would've been in some danger. Now, the wardings ignored Andrei as if he were a typical human.

Jae went about his business as if it was just another day. He made food, went into the remnants of his garden, and read some books. The rest of the day seemed to pass quickly. As the moon started to rise, Jae felt his body tense up. Moving back into his room, Jae felt the pull of the moon on his mind. The worlds blurred and Jae put his hands on his ears. There was nothing left to do except prepare for a hard night. Whispers from the other side became screams and moans. The spirits seemed to materialize in his eyes.

As Jae was dealing with the full moon someone tripped his wardings. He was lucid enough to exit the house to find two large wolves sniffing around his land. Locking eyes with one of them, Jae realized that they were werewolves and probably after Andrei. Something clicked in their eyes as well as one lept towards him. Jae threw his hands up defensively and the wolf was blasted backwards. Jae turned to face the other wolf and was prepared to fight just as a cloud moved to reveal the full moon. The voices intensified and Jae's hand trembled noticeably. He was in no condition to fight, yet he couldn't back down now. The wolves started circling him.

The wolf on his left crouched down and lept at Jae. As he spun to avoid the attack, the other wolf saw an opening and slashed at Jae's back. In that moment, Jae didn't feel any pain as he called to Arnoud. "You get 10 minutes max," Jae said under his breath. Arnoud placed a hand on Jae's shoulder and Jae allowed the spirit to possess his body. A surge of magical energy flowed through the ground as Jae's eyes flashed open. This surge could be felt for miles around and resulted in a reporting of an earthquake. Arnoud's power combined with Jae's power seemed to intimidate the wolves. After an intense stare down, the wolves retreated and Arnoud left Jae's body.

 

[CalamitousNag]

"There you are," Andrei muttered as he scooped up his backpack and slung it over one shoulder. He'd check it to make sure everything was there, but he didn't have anything much of value. Why be a walking target?

Standing, Andrei looked around him, his sight now keen and clear. The moon was rising. It'd be another night of this shit. He could manage.

Andrei full-body shivered. Okay, maybe not.

He looked in the direction of that Jae guy's place. He had stayed with stranger strangers, but most of them had been human and never a wolf.

There was something about that guy--no, maybe not so much the guy, but his... energy? Something about Jae unsettled him. Something about Jae made him think of deep, still water.

But what was worse? Richard's bounty hunters or a possible lone wolf? Either way, Andrei was way out of his element.

Since night was coming, it wouldn't be wise to go back to the street yet. He'd stay under the thick of the trees until his sane half returned in the morning.

That's when the hairs on his arm stood again for the second time that day.

What was that smell?

It wasn't close, but his heightened senses made it clear what it was.

And it wasn't Jae.

Panicked, Andrei scaled (poorly, might we add) the nearest tree and deposited his backpack in the crook of a branch. He needed a safe place to change--there was no sense trying to run away from a new threat during the full moon. He wasn't in the right frame of mind.

The moon was up--he could let it take hold a little sooner. Blanking out his mind, Andrei felt his bones shift. The change was so violent he still managed to fall out of the tree--so much for that. When he landed, it was in a pained, angry thud. His joints reversed and his upper body broadened. It was only a second before he was off. He needed to eradicate the threat.

Andrei's wolf rushed towards the scents, having fallen to all fours to get there quicker. He felt them close when those strange feelings from earlier returned ten fold. It felt like a thousand whispers against his skin that simultaneously caressed and cut him. The powerful feeling echoed over him like a sound wave and Andrei's wolf was breathless. It was so quick and intense that the wolf froze in his tracks. His ears fell back against his head. What on earth was that?

After a few good minutes when the strange feeling didn't return, Andrei proceeded on his way.

Three signatures... there were three now. He'd rip them all to--

'Jae?' the name came across distorted and malformed in his wolf's mind, but Andrei knew that scent in the brief time they had been together. Had he finally called reinforcements?

Andrei stole out of the treeline, sighting the house he had left earlier that day. He saw what appeared to be two wolves turn tail and run. The temptation to run after the newcomers was strong, but he was too fearful to pass the other werewolf. Even Andrei's wolf knew when he was beat.

Andrei barked in defense, cautious. He sniffed the air, trying to understand what was happening. Had Jae felt that weird earth tremor? Did he wish to fight? He had better decide now: was he friend or foe? Andrei growled at the other werewolf, suspicious.