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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 10, 2009 17:20:47 GMT -5
It wasn’t, of course, often that anyone found Arlette anywhere near Camp.
But today was a special day.
A vaguely lupine shape could be seen on the outskirts of the woods, slightly ginger-furred in the fading twilight despite the snow that had been sprinkled across it. Its eyes glowed a dim greeny-yellow with the sun’s reflection, browning when the wolf’s head turned back towards the trees. A black dog collar jingled on her neck, the tag glimmering in the sunset.
I shouldn’t have come out here, the she-wolf thought, and moved a little closer to the trees.
After a moment of careful deliberation, the canine disappeared from sight altogether amongst the snow-covered bushes. Time passed as the sun went down. And the wolf waited from where she lay, behind a layer of low-hanging branches.
The wolf had almost resigned herself to returning to the main part of the woods—after all, she had been waiting for far too long already, and she was hungry—when she heard something. Her ears pricked up. Twigs snapping?—Leaves rustling? Or… footsteps through snow?
Instantly the she-wolf crouched down behind her layer of branches, pressing herself tight to the tree. Her paws went up, balancing her as she rose onto her hind legs, and then the change began.
With many eerie snapping sounds as her bones shrank and grew and rearranged themselves, the wolf’s form began to ripple. A messy haze like heat distortion surrounded her, until with a final crack as her jaw returned to its normal placement, a very human and very naked Arlette Lupei was left pressing herself closely to the tree.
“Camelot?”[/color] she whispered, in a voice rusty from disuse. “Is that you?”[/color]
Her voice hardened, though it remained hoarse. “If that isn’t Cam I’m going to rip you limb from limb and eat you for dinner. I’m hungry.”[/color][/sup]
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Jack Travidi
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 10, 2009 18:12:43 GMT -5
Camryn Lupei slunk through the forest, her jeans slowly getting wet on the bottom. She ignored it, her instincts guiding her. She shrugged her coat up to her shoulders, as it had started to slip as she walked, adjusting her black tank-top. Over her shoulder was a brown pack, filled with raw meat (properly packaged, of course) and some snacks for her human form. Some instinct had told her to go to the forest, and she wasn't sure if this instinct would demand the appearance of her wolf form. Having skipped breakfast, she felt snacks were necessary.
She paused, looking around. Closing her eyes, Cam paused to examine her surroundings, listening for any sign of danger. She was nervous being away from camp by herself. In fact, the pixie-like girl almost hadn't gone, but her something in her had managed to force her away from the safety and comfort of the camp.
Stepping lightly, Cam ducked between several trees and their branches, becoming more wary of her surroundings the deeper in she got. She knew dangerous things lurked in these woods, and she knew she would hardly be in any shape to defend herself without transforming.
Hearing a voice, Cam froze, letting her dark hair fall in front of her face like a curtain, protecting her from whatever lurked beyond. Out of her mind with fear, it took Cam several seconds to recognize her sister's hoarse voice. "'Lette?" she inquired, her voice shaking. "It's me," she added, carefully moving toward her sister's voice.
The look on her face was one full of hope. Cam missed Arlette when she went off by herself, which was most of the time, and often found herself a bit lost. She didn't like being left behind, but that was the problem with being afraid of anything that moved: Cam didn't dare go anywhere alone. While she knew 'Lette would provide more than adequate protection, Cam didn't like the idea of being left alone, and she knew her oldest sister liked to wander off and would be held back. Aside from that, Cam felt different in her wolf form, and didn't really like it. It was yet another thing that the pale girl was afraid of.
"I've never been happier to be me," she added, trying to calm her nerves.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 11, 2009 18:29:18 GMT -5
Oh, good, it was Camelot. Whatever she said about how hungry she was, Arlette hadn’t been able to catch enough to actually have the energy to kill someone. And scaring them off just wouldn’t be good for her reputation if she acted like she really was going to kill them.
Her senses were keen even in this form, but not nearly enough to smell the raw meat from inside a package inside a backpack behind her sister several feet away. So it was with absent, almost careless enthusiasm that the brunette tore through the branches, leaving bleeding scratches on her skin and an Arlette-shaped hole in the brush.
“Camelot,”[/color] she said, as affectionately as she could—I mean, this is Arlette—and hugged her sister. She had no idea why both of them would have converged on this point; probably just chance fueled by animal instinct—but perhaps it was a good thing. Whatever Cam had come here for had to be good. Unless it was that Bailey had died.
… Well, nevermind, that would probably be good too.
With that thought in mind, Arlette pulled away, though her hands remained on Cam’s shoulders. “How’s Bayleaf?”[/color] she asked, eyes flashing intently. “Is there anyone new? I haven’t been out for a few weeks.”[/color]
Perhaps this wasn’t the news she needed to give Camryn—after all, Cam wasn’t the most… in tune with her wolf form. No matter how much Arlette had said that she would be more comfortable in it as she practiced. Ah, she’s a baby, but she’s my sister.
Her stomach snarled, though silently to anyone else, and Arlette’s eyes narrowed at the backpack. “Hey. Did you bring any food?”[/color][/sup]
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Jack Travidi
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For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 11, 2009 18:56:46 GMT -5
Cam hugged her sister back, feeling completely safe, a feeling that rarely emerged within the girl. She grinned at her sister's pet name for her, feeling much like a child reporting what had happened that day in school as she thought through her answers. "Bailey's fine," she said matter-of-factly. "But the Hermes Campers are sooo annoying sometimes," she whined, continuing. "Though no one new has appeared. That would certainly break the monotony of life at camp."
Taking a deep breath, Cam stopped talking. She wasn't much of a talker at camp, usually remaining quiet and reserved, but Lette was her oldest sister and her protector. She was comfortable talking to her and would babble on forever if she didn't stop herself. Her mistrusting ways had their downsides.
Shrugging the pack off her shoulder, Cam dug around, displaying an arrangement of treats for Arlette to choose from. "Yeah, take whatever you want." Of course, Arlette would have anyways, but Cam felt it was her duty to her sister to give her permission so that there would be no chance of guilt. She doubted her sister felt guilty about anything, but Cam was an optimistic person and liked to think Lette could.
"What're you doing so close to camp?" she asked, curious. Cam knew they weren't really that close, but they were farther out than the youngest wolf-pup would normally have adventured. "I mean, I'm out here to-" her voice dropped to a whisper "-train my wolf form," she said, looking at her feet, embarrassed. "You, however, don't have much of a need for that."
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 12, 2009 17:52:43 GMT -5
... Fine? Damn.
Arlette didn't allow the disappointment to show on her face - though privately she was snarling goody two-shoes, idiot, moron, why is she even related to me - and instead nodded. "Good,"[/color] she said, and if it was reluctantly no one could tell. "And of course they're annoying. Why do you think I'm out here?"[/color] Besides the fact that no one's forgiven me for eating that guy a few years ago, she added mentally.
As usual too self-absorbed to notice her sister's reluctance to stop talking, Arlette nodded in the silence. "Well, perhaps someone will show up soon,"[/color] she murmured thoughtfully. "That'd be interesting."[/color] And maybe they'd taste good, too.
She only snapped back to attention when Cam shifted the backpack, and felt her stomach snarl again at the sight of such fare. Raw meat... Arlette reached in to snag a package of apparently uncooked beef and tore it open with her teeth, sinking her incisors into it as if she hadn't eaten for days. Which she probably hadn't; all the good game had gone underground for the winter, and what little prey there was was either too fast for a starving wolf or too tough for the wolf's teeth to eat. Such as turtles. Urgh, turtles.
The brunette sat down in the snow, still gnawing on the side of beef, and looked up inquiringly at her sister, as if she had been sitting all along and didn't know why Cam was still standing. "Rureh?"[/color] she mumbled past a hunk of meat. She then swallowed and repeated, more clearly, "Really?"[/color]
Well. That was good. Bailey hadn't completely corrupted their sister after all. Stupid pacifist bitch. Arlette suppressed a bloody smile and nodded approvingly at Camryn. "Good. It's best to understand the wolf, rather than push it away, you see?"[/color] In response to her sister's question, she shrugged. "I've been tracking,"[/color] the brunette lied effortlessly, tearing off another chunk of beef. "Lost the trail because of the stupid snow, so I've been making bigger and bigger circles around the woods trying to get a sign again. Nothing so far, but I'll start going in soon."[/color][/sup]
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Jack Travidi
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For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 12, 2009 22:42:09 GMT -5
Pulling out a bag of chips, Cam joined her sister in sitting, positioning herself so that the bottom half of her trenchcoat fanned out behind her and she sat on the seat of her jeans. Most people would have been freezing, or at least cold, but some of Cam's wolf-like qualities extended into her human form, despite the fact that she rarely transformed. One of those qualities was the excessive amount of heat her body could produce and retain, despite her small stature. Another was a mild bloodlust, though that got much much worse in her wolf form. She eyed the raw meat she'd brought as Arlette ate it, pushing away the urge to snatch it and eat it herself. That bloodlust was one of the reasons she feared her wolf form.
Cam nodded in agreement with her sister, unwilling to argue or correct her sister. The youngest triplet understood the wolf completely. She didn't, however, understand why she was so different in that form. She remembered her first change clearly, and the few subsequent ones as well. Instead of thinking things through, she acted on impulse. Not stupidly, mind you, but in that calculated way where you acted the moment you knew you had the advantage. Her wolf mind thought of things differently than she did as a human, lacking sympathy or empathy. It was so easy for Cam to lose herself, and the last time she'd almost been unable to change back. It had become harder and harder each time, yet another reason she feared it.
Camryn knew she couldn't tell Arlette that, though. Lette didn't have that problem, lacking in her human form what Cam lacked in her wolf form. If anything, the older girl was better in her wolf form, if only because it was expected from a wolf. Of course, Cam also couldn't tell Bailey, who was also the same in her wolf form as her human form as far as she knew. Both her sisters had control. Cam, unfortunately, became something entirely different and unrecognizable, almost like a werewolf on a full moon. It wasn't something she liked the idea of, but she did wonder if she could control it.
And that's how she came to be in the woods, seeking out answers. She hadn't lied when she had said she was planning on training her wolf form, but Cam hadn't been planning on actually transforming. She expected she might, but her goal had been to hone some of her wolf-like qualities in an attempt to fear her wolf form less. If anyone looked in the side pockets of her pack, they would find knives (one a close range weapon, others for throwing). She was planning on hunting, in her human form of course, and sharpening her senses, hopefully gaining enough confidence to transform, though she didn't honestly think she'd get that far.
Nodding once more as she munched on her chips, Cam looked at Arlette questioningly. She would never question her sister's word aloud, but she doubted Lette had lost the trail of anything. Her sister was a very good tracker, she knew, and wouldn't let her prey get the opportunity to get away, let alone actually evade her. Instead of saying so, she simply said, "Makes sense. I'm glad though. It's been a while since I've gotten to see you." She smiled at her sister, her whole face lighting up.
"Does that mean you're leaving then?" Cam asked next, her grin fading.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 16, 2009 21:36:20 GMT -5
Arlette grinned at her sister. And if the grin was a little, well... wolfish, that was only to be expected.
"What, did you expect me to come in for the winter or something?"[/color] she said scathingly - though not as much as she would if speaking to, say, Bailey - and leaped nimbly to her feet. Now that she had some actual food in her, she felt a lot more... human, surprisingly. And that was despite the fact that she had just inhaled a flank of raw cow and trails of grease were now running down her chin.
Although staying inside did sound tempting, you never saw a wild animal indoors, did you? Not unless they were dead. Then again, wild animals didn't have a well-hidden addiction to cocoa. Well, maybe Christmas, she decided as she wiped the remainder of her meal from her mouth with the back of her hand. Don't want to disappoint Cam. Though maybe we can get Bailey out here somehow and let her freeze to death. ... Maybe tie her to a tree when Cam's not looking.
Caught up in these absent thoughts of murder, it took a long moment for Lette to shake herself and raise her eyebrows at her sister. "Well?"[/color] she said expectantly, practically hopping from foot to foot in her eagerness to get going. "C'mon. The whatever it was - I didn't recognize it, probably some monster - is moving. We are not. If you and I can track it then that'll be a great start. We could be eating it for dinner tonight."[/color] Realizing she didn't know what time it was, Arlette paused and peered towards the sky. Even this minor craning of the neck almost made her want to howl, but she squashed the urge ruthlessly. Shut it.
Upon realizing that it was dark, she shrugged carelessly. "Well, make that midnight snack. And even if we don't kill it - never know with these whatever the hells - maybe we can get one of those nymphs."[/color]
She stretched, cracking her joints restlessly, and suddenly glanced off to the right so swiftly her neck almost snapped. There was something there, definitely - probably nothing big enough to be her mystery monster (which she had almost convinced herself was real, but maybe they could find something like a nice tasty empusa out there tonight), but whatever it was could probably finish off the raging hunger that the meat hadn't quite fixed. It wasn't so much furious as mildly annoyed now, but nothing like rabbit. Except chicken.
The whatever it was was moving slowly, carefully, but as soon as it sensed their presence it would be off like a shot. By its noise it didn't seem too big, and what she could smell of it was definitely lapine.
"Be right back,"[/color] she announced, and with a change so quick it was like watching a badly focused video a she-wolf was bounding off into the trees and away from sight.[/sup]
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Jack Travidi
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For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 20, 2009 19:44:29 GMT -5
Cam hadn't thought Arlette would come in for winter, but she had hoped. The youngest triplet knew that her wolf-ish sister would never settle for going inside and sleeping in a bed, or for knowing there would be food in the morning. Understanding the way her sister thought, Cam just nodded and said, "Not really."
Of course, Cam did hope that Lette would at least visit her on Christmas. The short haired girl also hoped that she wouldn't have to wander all the way into the woods to see her, too, though she was aware that it was possible she'd have to. Hearing a rustling sound, Cam's head turned in that direction, turning once more when she heard another sound, her eyes wide with mild fear. "Sounds like a plan," she said, looking around the area. Camryn felt much safer in her wolf form, if only because of the difference it made in her and how instinctual her actions were.
"Mmmm. What do you-" At her sister's declaration, Cam shuddered involuntarily, hating the idea of being left alone. She waited maybe three seconds before her fear won out. "YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME HERE ALONE!" she yelled, shedding her trenchcoat. She threw it by a tree before fursploding, as she feared her sister getting too far ahead of her. Cam didn't want to be left alone with whatever was out there.
Her bones stretched and molded to that of a wolve's, her body contorting and changing shape. She cried out in agony, feeling her hands/paws hit the ground. She looked up through fresh eyes before her nose caught Arlette's scent, and Camwolf followed, her pack forgotten.
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