Moon, Blood, and Wolf's Bane

Charlie whimpered quietly, blinded by the never ending flow of tears coming from her eyes. Her breathing came out in short, shallow gasps, partly from his knee in her back, but mostly from the pain and fear pulsating through her. Cyrus' hold on her leg did not loosen, his own breathing deep and calm.

Almost serene.

"Wh-" Charlie gasped, the words garbled before they could leave her mouth. "What. . ." One of her stitches ripped open then, from the pressure, and Charlie shrieked.

"What do you want!?"
 
After stitching Natasha up, Noel cleaned up after himself and had sat down to start playing that handheld game of his again. He looked up when Natasha took his wrist and tilted his head slightly at her. He could tell a lie when he saw one, and he'd seen plenty of weres make the same claims she was. But he did have to get back to the Howling Hippo and see what was up. Harry was going to be furious. And he could bet Sara was going to take home all her tips--again. Why did Harry bother paying her a wage at all?

"Okay then. Just take it easy for another nine or ten days and I can take the stitches out. It'd be less painful for you that way." He patted the hand she had on his wrist and stood. "Howl at you later, Tasha." Then he locked up after himself (not that locks would keep Zack out but one had to keep the human trash from looting the place outright) and returned to the Howling Hippo.
 
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At the Howling Hippo...

It was late. Closing up kind of late. The only people lurking around now was her and Jason keeping an eye on the joint, and Zack chatting it up with the stranger named Clay.

Since Natasha's outburst, Saraliya had been keeping her mouth shut. As loud and mouthy as she tended to be, she was worried about her sister. Noel hadn't come back yet and she was afraid it might've been as serious than that queer drama queen made it out to be.

As she cleaned up tables and was putting up the chairs to start getting ready for closing, she was keeping an ear on the conversation between Zack and Clay. She didn't trust the stranger. She didn't trust Zack. For a guy that was supposed to be protecting the law of the clan, he sure was bending a lot of rules. Especially with that stupid human girlfriend of his. It was sick, really, how wolves turned their back on their own kind to full around with humans.

"Wrap up your yapping, boys. We're about to close up the Hippo." she growled at the two of them, just to be a pain in the ass. Sara stomped behind the bar and snatched up the tip jar. Time to take home her pretties since Noel wasn't back to whine about it!
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Ten shot glasses ended up on the bar in front of Zack and Clay separated into two groups. Each of them were placed one after another yet left empty until all ten were on the counter. Just enough space left between them so each man wouldn't be left wondering what belonged to who. Reversing the order, the shot glasses got filled in quick succession. One group of four that Clay had ordered was finished last since the Bartender had put his glasses on the counter first. Zack's were filled first. Deft hands steady as rocks completed the entire order in under a minute given the simplicity.

"Sara make sure you've got the Sheriff's food taken care of before you start shutting everything down."

One eye was looking right at her, making sure all of the orders had been carried out.
 
The door to the Howling Hippo opened. Sara turned to tell the newcomer, whoever the hell he was, that the Howling Hippo was closed and his ass had better move on somewhere else. But the man sat down at the counter right in front of her and ordered himself a beer. Sara opened her mouth to tell him off when the man spoke. "Different town, the same people," he said, in a low voice. He wore a jacket and looked like he'd driven day and night to get to this small backwater place. He smelled of rain and leather and ... something else. "I'm surprised you're still running with the family, Sara. You told me you would be long gone by now."

"One day ... One day, I'm going to run away. I'm never looking back. I'm going to make my own Pack, run things the way an Alpha should run it." The two of them were on the edges of the Pack's land and Sara was walking along the top of the old wooden fence, arms out to balance.

"You gonna leave Natasha too, Sara?" The boy standing on the ground looking up at her asked. His bangs were so long, they covered his eyes. It was a miracle he could see anything.

"Hell yeah. It's not like she's going to come with me willingly. She just wants to stay and be with the Pack. Me, I see other things, greater things. What about you?"

The boy sighed and looked down at the ground. "I'm stuck here. And I'm never going to be able to leave."

"Can I get a beer. Promise I'll pay this time."
 
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"Why the fuck am I doing Noel's job?" Sara shouted at Jason. REgretfully, she was tucking the tip jar back under the bar just when some new stranger walked on in. Her mout opened to bitch him out for walking in while they were closed, but-

"Different town, the same people. I'm surprised you're still running with the family, Sara. You told me you would be long gone by now."

Son of a bitch. Saraliya didn't know if she were elated or just plain pissed off. As if the night couldn't get MORE fucked up.

"Can I get a beer. Promise I'll pay this time."

"Oh you'll GET a beer all right!" She snarled, picking up one of the spray nozels from under the counter. Sara then proceeded to spray a good glass' worth of their finest on-tap beer right in to his face. Her smug little expression was amplified by the flash of white teeth.

Of course, now she had to get a towel and wipe up the bar before Noel got back and complained. But it was worth it.

"You look different. Not like a runt anymore." Sara noted. Then she leaned over the bar, pointing a finger down where Zack was having a discussion with Clay. Her voice dropped low. "Fine time to blow back in to the pack, asshole. Geoff was killed by a hunter and everyone is all scattered. We were just getting settled. Now look at those two... That's trouble."
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"Because Noel isn't here right now and it won't get done if you go closing everything down on a whim like you own the place. That's why."

Jason replied without replied with a calm tone to undermine her shouting by not acknowledging anything but the words themselves. The last thing she was going to do was intimidate him over a little food order. Sara just loved acting like she was going to own the world one day when sometimes it felt like she wouldn't even know what to do with it after getting that kind of power. It would take something he actually took seriously to even start getting him worked up on the lower levels. She was a waitress and nothing more as far as the pecking order in this bar went. He had a great deal of tolerance for others so long as what they did never directly concerned him or his responsibilities.

And then the last person he expected to see walked into the Howling Hippo.

The scent of rain, leather, and something else had hit his nose just moments after the sound of the door opening. One eye looked up to see a face that didn't quite look familiar since it had aged a touch since last time. Not to mention the last time the Bartender had seen it was back in the day while he still had both eyes. Shock definitely spread through his system, wondering just how much this guy knew about what happened since the day he left the pack. Part of him felt relieved to know this old pack-mate was still alive and yet had to wonder what kind of trouble this would bring. But then Sara brought derailed his train of thought with her fiery reaction to him just ordering a simple beer.

For the first time tonight, Jason actually did something in response to Saraliya's rather unique type of personality.

His hand shot out at a speed which would have made someone think he were reaching for a gun at his hip. But instead it had headed straight for the sassy waitress' wrist and clamped down tightly. The one good eye on display had her face locked on with a display of intensity which offset anything about him seen so far tonight. It had that jarring effect which acted as an echo of the past for the type of person he had been before the night of Geoff's death at the hands of the hunter. For the first time in a while it seemed like there were a set of balls in his pants tonight. There were just a couple items in this world he didn't appreciate getting messed with by others when it was his job to deal with it. Yet his cool was still definitely intact given the tone of his voice and the fact her arm was still attached. Even in this brief display of seriousness by the Bartender a type of restraint still appeared quite evident in the way every movement seemed so controlled.

"You can raise all the hell you want with that mouth of yours. But don't go grabbing things that I'm responsible for while you're having one of your damn tantrums."

A glass was put on the table.

"Especially when this customer hasn't done anything tonight but order a beer. We're open until you get that burger finished for the sheriff. So if you want to get rid of everyone and close down for the night so badly. . . go back there and get it done. I'll handle this."

While the voice remained cool and steady, it had dropped down into a serious tone that showed there was little patience left right now for how 'eccentric' she behaved sometimes in her job here at the Howling Hippo. It was late and she wasn't the only one who wanted to go home. But the bartender was not the type to kick everyone out when they hadn't even finished drinking their orders. Plus now was not the day for him to just randomly stop keeping the peace here in this bar as he was paid to do by the owner. Sending Sara to make the burger would keep her from starting anything else without obviously getting way out of line. Or at least that seemed like the plan for right now as he finally released her wrist from his grip.

"LAST CALL IS IN EFFECT PEOPLE AS OF RIGHT NOW. After you finish your drinks you need to pay up and all that jazz!"

Jason now looked at the newest arrival dead in the eye once Saraliya had gone to make the burger. Just the tiniest inkling of a smile tugged at the left corner of his mouth as he thought for a couple seconds. When he spoke again all the tense and serious nature melted away to let his 'usual self' come back onto the surface to deal with this 'new customer'.

". . . Now then. Since this is last call you only get one drink so I don't have to clean a dozen more glasses. But. . .to make up for the lack of a warm reception from our staff, the first one's on the house. So, what'll ya have?"
 
"No, NO" Remmi screamed as her car shook and finally puttered to a stop about 15 miles out of Raymond. "Son of a bitch! You had better fucking start back up and keep going." Remmi shrieked as she continuously tried getting the car to start, but it just wouldn't. After a few more times of trying Remmi got out of the car and kicked it or that is what she had intended to. The reality of it was simple, she slipped on the gravel of the side road and fell on her ass. She screamed indignantly at the car and threw some gravel at it instead. Remmi was a mess, it was the middle if the night, her hair was dirty and greasy, she was in her last semi clean out fit, broke down on the side of the road miles outside of the nearest town and she had no phone. Remmi had never felt more alone then she was at this moment.

After a few moments Remmi sighed, "Well, it's not like the world will wait for me." Biting her lower lip she stood up brushing off the dirt from her shorts and tank top, making her way to the trunk. The car was surprisingly clean, nobody would have guessed that someone was living out if it, but that's how it was done. Traveling light with the best secret stash spots for her weapons, suitcases in the back seat and tools in the trunk. Remmi was not great with cars but she still felt as though she should do something, so she pulled the flashlight out of the trunk and popped the hood of the car.

With the flashlight in hand Remmi searched her engine and checked the oil wiping the dirty oil off in her shorts, she probably already smelled like a pig so what would it really hurt? Besides she doubted that she would see anyone on the road tonight. Sighing as she put the dipstick back in the hole Remmi whope her hands off on her shorts, and leaned against the car shoving gravel around with her foot, "This would be so much easier if I knew what I was doing."

Biting her lip Remmi noticed that she was talking to herself again. She never used to mind the silence but its so much louder not having people to share it with. Every now and again Remmi would catch herself filling the silence and felt awkward for it but the best and worst part was that nobody was around to hear it. Remmi pulled out some jerky and dried strawberries to munch on from her glove box as she contemplated what she would do next.
 
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In the kitchen, Saraliya was banging as much shit around as she could. Yeah, she was making the damned burger. But what the WANTED to do was bite Jason's sudden brass-balls off. The temptation was there, and it was stong..! Bastard was lucky that Noel would get all piss-britches at her if she broke something again. After the last time, he was still giving her those damned puppy looks everytime he remembered.

It didn't take her long to whipe up the order and pack it up. She had it tucked in her hands as she stormed out of the back kitchen and out of the bar. Sara made sure to glare like all hell at Jason while she did it. Rion was getting spared, if only because she was so annoyed with Jason. Rion she would get tomorrow.

"I'm dropping this off, then I'm going home. Don't touch my tips! I'll be back for them in the morning." With that as her final words she slammed the door on her way out.
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THE NEXT DAY

The sun rose warm and charming over the small town of Raymond. As folks had their morning coffee and got off to work, gossip about the previous evening spread like wildfire. That was just the thing about these small towns. Nothing could be kept a secret. Everyone knew your business.

Foremost on everyone's mind was poor Charlie Morris. The Rangers that found her talked about some bastard poacher laying out traps in the forest. Charlie's leg was a mess but she was able to go home with a leg full of stitches. The culprit was locked up in the jail, spouting out Bulgarian or some other foreign nonsense. Yet... no one knew the real man paid Charlie a visit last night...

At least there was a bit of happy news in the form of Grace Colton's big "surprise". An accident with a wolf eating up one of her cows and then turning on her had sent her to the clinic. What she got was a surprise baby announcement. The head nurse really couldn't keep the little tidbit to herself and spilled the beans to all her lady friends. Now the one person that needed to know, Zack, had no idea what was about to be dropped on him this morning.

What the humans in the town didn't know was that the wolf on Grace's ranch was actually Natasha Stonelake. Her emotional outburst and petty strike of revenge earned her a shot from Grace's gun. Luckily, the young queer stud, Alexander Chambers, found her on the way to the clinic and alerted just the right people in his crazy freak-out. Noel left the Howling Hippo to help take Natasha home and patch her up before Zack caught the scent of his human girlfriend's blood on her muzzle.

Alone at the Howling Hippo, Zack had an interesting conversation with Clay, a werewolf biker that just blew in to town with his gang. Without an Alpha to lead and protect the pack they are weak and open for a take over. Saraliya doesn't trust the two talking together, but as it stands there's no harm in it. Yet.

Making things all the more tricky, Jason now has to face Rion, the son of their former Alpha. The one that had saved Jason before he lost more than just his eye, and died by a hunter's hands.


It's a new day in Raymond, with different faces coming on to the scene.



DOWNTOWN RAYMOND, AT THE FOUNTAIN IN TOWN SQUARE.

Grace was sitting outside on the fountain's edge and checking her watch. A little bit ago she called Zack and ask him to meet her. Last night was... a trip! Maybe she should have called him then, but it still hadn't sunk in. She was pregnant. Kind of didn't fall in to the 'life plan' quite as expected. A hand rose to give a small way to some neighbors as they walked down the sidewalk and entered the diner nearby. There was some whispering, and Grace grimaced with they were out of sight. There was that big change half the town already knew. Gossip spread around Raymond like wildfire. She just hoped that she could be the first one to tell Zack...
 
Rion

After crashing the night at Jason's and helping him clean up, Rion had decided to take a ride out of town and around. He was riding his black Kawasaki motorcycle, a trusted friend who'd been through a lot with him. He'd even managed to take a shower, although he still smelled of rain, leather, and something else. Donning his motorcycle helmet and his gloves, he was driving down the road when he noticed a seemingly abandoned car. Funny, he hadn't noticed that car last night and he made a point to be aware of his surroundings.

Rion stopped beside the car, looked around. He took his helmet off and he sniffed the air. Nothing threatening on the wind. He studied the car. It hadn't been in an accident. It looked like it had just died. He tucked his helmet under his arm and tapped on the front window of the car, taking note of the legs sticking out of the window. Another sniff of the air. Whoever it was didn't smell dead.
 
Tap

Remmi had fallen asleep waiting for someone to pass by as she was reluctant to leave her car last night. One just never knew what could happen. Remmi was kind of clean at this point in time as she had found some water to rinse off in, man would she kill for a warm shower. It was early morning and the sun was so warm and she was just spent with all her travel. Her arms and hair were flung over her face and her legs hanging out the window. She shifted a little taking a deep breath. The air smelled fresh, warm and clean with a hint of leather and wolf. Kind of like home. Remmi sighed and shifted more.

Tap

What the hell was that sound? Remmi opened her eyes to see someone standing outside her car. Gasping she sat up quickly putting her seat back up, however she may have done so a little too quickly as her face collided with the steering wheel. "Son of a bitch!" she screamed holding her nose as she felt a slight trinkle of blood wanting to start. Whats wors is this guy that stopped had to see this incident. "Uhm.. hi.. Sunny day, huh?" That was it that is the first thing she said to him her amber eyes were wild and wide as this was such an awful start to her day. God she was such an idiot.
 
Rion

Rion was sniffing the air again. She was a wolf but she wasn't a member of the Larrow Pack. Even if he'd been gone for awhile, each Pack had its own scent. He tilted his head slightly and studied her. "Morning. So your car is stuck. How long have you been out here?"
 
At least he hadn't written her off as a complete idiot so far, so she decided to get out of the car, "Sometime last night. I'm not that certain. It just started puttering and then stopped." She bit her lower lip and shrugged looking up at him. He seemed friendly enough but really short with his words and actions. She was really hoping he would help her but she wasn't going to be pushy because she just was not that way.
 
Rion

Rion stepped back. "You're almost to town. I'll give you a ride back and then you can find a tow truck. Doubt you want to be sticking around here for very long. But you better take the things you need."
 
"Thank you so much" Remmi smiled at him then she turned back to her car and found a small back pack. She then started getting to work releasing a latch on the side of her door revealing a collection of hunter knives and various sheaths. She just picked her scuba knife and attached the sheath to her thigh upside down just above her left knee. Remmi closed the door panel and opened the secret compartment under the stereo and pulled out a pack of throwing knives that she wrapped around her right ankle. Closing that compartment Remmi made her way to the back seat and opened the secret compartment behind the passenger seat and pulled out a baretta 9mm and a few extra clips stuffing them into her back pack along with some clothes, money and other things she could carry. Remmi hid slightly behind the car as she changed onto a pair of loose fitting pants that were rolled up to her knees and changed her shoes to a lose fitting pair of combat boots.

Remmi made her way back to the front of the car and grabbed a small picture of her pack and put it in her back pocket. Remmi pressed that small button that locked her car and it sounded like deadbolts locking. Smiling as she reached her dark and brooding savior Remmi held her hand out. "I'm Remmi."
 
The night had passed in waves - waves of fear and consciousness, waves of calculation and acceptance. By the time first light ventured through the shuttered windows of the trailer, Charlie had almost accepted this new existence... this captivity, beneath his wing.

Tied to the one chair she owned, her wrists bound behind her back, her ankles lashed to the legs, still in her pygamas, the girl lifted her eyelids.

Cyrus was moving again, just beyond her eyeline as always, as if by deliberate act to keep her guessing. Throughout the night he had made her trailer his own, cooking an omlette from the contents of her fridge, sampling her whisky supply, clearing whatever surface he could find. The ornaments she owned were now on the floor and the tables and worktops were holding the hunter's assortment of weapons. From midnight onwards he had been sharpening blades, counting rounds, cleaning and inspecting his firearms. She had noted another Remmington, a hunting rifle as before, four handguns that she couldn't identify, a collapsible crossbow, and more than a few grenade-like objects with various colour tags and pin-heads. He had two sling-bags, carefully packed, plus a combat harness stuffed with God-knows what else.

The man was in just his vest and boxers for now, his ranger uniform stowed away. His gaunt frame, like a knotted tree, had the odd trace of sweat from where he had been doing his push-ups. It seemed that not an ounce of flesh had been left spare, conditioned away by exercise or by the wasting hand of age.

Cyrus had not allowed Charlie to eat or drink. Filling a water bottle for himself, he glanced at the stirring girl. "We should get moving." he spoke slowly, distantly, as if every word was read from a script he had grown bored of. "I'm after a family of wolves in the Yellow Valley. You show me where their territory begins and you'll get out of this alive."

He drew up beside her, placing the back of his palm against her cheek, feeling the stain of tears and the grime of sweat. "This could be the last day of your life, or the first, my dear. Your decision."
 
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Marette felt the beams of sunlight dance across her face, signaling the return of the morning sun. Her head throbbed dully and she kicked her feet over the edge of the bed. For a moment, she didn't move, her gaze focused on the untouched side of the bed, still pristine. Of course it was, no one had slept there in months. Marette stumbled to the bathroom, where she fixed herself a glass of water and ran a bath. The morning ritual was designed to make the hangover disappear. It took over an hour of babying herself, but the feeling of sickness faded. Slightly. It would have to do. Slipping on fresh clothes, Marette decided to inspect the store to se if it carried one of those sports drinks, those ones with all the ingredients designed to rehydrate the body.

As soon as she made it outside, the air seemed to feel heavy with whispers. There was a secret, being softly told from woman to woman and Marette was terribly curious. Marette only made it halfway to the store before she caught the sound of one of the whispers. "Grace... yes, according to Marsha. Uh-huh... I swear it..." Marette perked her head up, instead of staring at her feet. More to do with Grace? She probably had it coming....

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[size=+1]Zack[/size]

Through the crowd, Zack was easy to spot as he stood taller than most of the town's inhabitants, not to mention the sleeved tattoos that ran up, and down his arms, which for once were covered with a black long sleeved shirt with an eight ball on the front of it. Jeans, black boots, and a grew beanie completed his attire, which usually never changed throughout the work week due to his job. Grace had called him earlier, and asked him to meet her at the fountain which sounded like a great idea since it was where they'd first ran into eachother... but something in her voice made him worry slightly. There was a nervousness in her tone when they'd talked over the phone.

As he neared the fountain, he saw Grace sitting there, and he waved to her "Hey, babe. Sorry I'm a little late. Wallace recked some of his farm equipment, and asked me to swing by to look at it. What's up?" Zack finished, and sat down next to her.












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Grace let out a slow breath. If this had been planned, she would have been thrilled to spill to beans. But as it was, having to tell Zack the big news felt awkward. She scratched the back of her head, then fussed with straightening her pony tail before she finally dropped her hands to her lap.

"Huh, okay. I was doing my rounds last night and I found a wolf eating one of the cows. I thought I shot it, but it managed to get up and take a bite out of my arm." Grace lift her arm to show him the bandage but immediately held up her hand to stop him from saying a word about it. "Hold on. I'm not finished."

"At the clinic I was chatting with Charlie - er, long story about Charlie - and the nurse came by to tell me about my bloodwork to make sure I didn't have rabies, etcetera and..." she paused and took a deep breath.

"Zack, I'm pregnant."
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