exsiliumlogs

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OPEN!

Date & Time: Feb 24th-25th
Location: The city, Outlands and Borderlands, in that order
Characters: Isaac Hunter and YOU
Summary: Isaac turns into a wolf once a month. This time he's trying to be prepared.
Warnings: Werewolf! Also, transformation (body horror), blood and hunting animals.

[A]
He was going to go farther this time, so he wouldn't risk coming in contact with humans, unless they already knew. His first change was still weighing heavily, as well as more recent incidents. No way was he going to risk it. And if it meant he had to go farther and start out earlier, well, the moon was calling and he wanted to run.

The pack slowed him down, but he didn't know what he would find in the smaller section of city that would be his first stop, so he'd packed all the meat he thought he would need. And ice, to keep it cold. It weighed things down a lot, but even so Isaac had remembered to put together a first aid kit this time. Scratches and even small cuts would be no problems this time, and he was confident that worse was unlikely unless he did run into a hunter.

So Isaac was setting an easy pace through the streets of the city, at a slow jog. He could go faster, but there was more than enough time, and even if he was slowed up, there were places he could reach in a pinch. He was smiling as he went, looking forward to a good run and some good hunting.

[B]
Change always left Isaac full of almost manic energy, and he'd only stopped long enough to gulp down the meat he'd brought before dashing off into the trees. This place was much better than the last. He could smell more prey, and if it came along with a scent that screamed predator, Isaac felt no fear. He loped along for the sheer joy of it for a while and then stopped to throw back his head and howl. 'I'm here' it said, 'happy, healthy, and strong. This is my place tonight.'

There was a note of loneliness in it that would never leave, and of course no one would answer, but a little singing felt right. And with that urge settled, Isaac set about easing another. At a full run he dashed off, following the smells and sounds of the woods, and looking for likely prey. He was hungry and he wanted to hunt.

[C]
It was nearly dawn, and Isaac was feeling that warm, tired contentment that came with a long night and a good change. His belly was full and he felt rejuvenated as he trotted back to where he'd left his clothes. There was even a little meat left--

Except something had been here. His nose and eyes told him all he needed to know. The meat had attracted more than just the usual scavengers he'd almost expected. No, this scent was different and set off alarm bells in his head. His hackles rose, and he stopped in the middle of the open space with a growl in his chest. Recent, but how recent was hard to tell, and he couldn't change here. It wasn't safe with another predator so close. But which way had it gone? He had to find that out before he cou--

Noise! Motion! Pain-snap-bite-kill--

It was over as soon as it began and Isaac shook the flesh between his teeth one last time for good measure. He'd mauled the creature badly during the brief exchange before he'd gotten his jaws around the throat, but the pain and blood-scent told him he'd received much the same.

Damn it all. He hadn't brought supplies for this, and a trip back untreated... There was only one thing to do.

Isaac let the change come, and when the pain faded and he was himself again--stinging and bleeding--he reached for his tablet.

((ooc: Action or prose is fine! Choose to stumble on Isaac with one of the options given or make up your own! He had to travel all the way out there and then spent all full moon night roaming, so there's plenty of places he could have been encountered on the way!))

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[ Some nights Conner chose to patrol the city alone while other nights, like tonight, Conner brought along company. Company in the form of a wolf. The large wolf walked at his side and scanned the area with bright golden eyes, nose lifted to sniff at the air. Conner trusted him and his senses, in anything.

Tonight was no different when Wolf stopped short and let out a low growl, eyes narrowing as his entire body tensed. ]

What is it?

[ Conner looked between Wolf and to where he was watching, listening with his super-hearing to pick up on anything in the near distance that had caught Wolf's attention. The sounds of the night were many; the nocturnal insects of that planet, the quiet calls of whatever animals were awake and on the prowl in the forests just beyond the city, and... ]

[Isaac is enjoying the run, but not so much that he isn't paying attention to his surroundings. As he passes a cross street he hears a faint growl--distant, but not out of the range of his own hearing. It's exciting, almost, even if he's sure it's probably a dog.

So Isaac turns, moving lightly in spite of the weight of the pack. Conner will have no problems picking up the sounds of sloshing water inside a canteen, or the squish of the meat he's bringing for food as that shifts. His scent, on the other hand, is similar to human and to wolf, but clearly not simply a mixture of scents. Those from his world with noses to tell would easily recognize it as the unique scent of a werewolf.

When he's closer, catching sight of man and wolf he slows. A wolf, here? And so easily in companionship of-- Isaac takes a deep breath, letting his nose catch the scent of both of them. Maybe this is more than it seems. He's careful to keep his posture neutral, though he's wishing for wolf-form right now, and gives a small smile.]

Hello.

[ Hearing Issac approach before he became visible, Conner narrows his eyes when the dark-haired man does step out of the shadows and onto the street. He looks him over and motions to Wolf to ease up; it's just a civilian probably out for a late night stroll. No need for all the tension. ]

You're out late.

[ Even if Conner doesn't know Issac personally, no harm can come from a friendly little conversation. ]

I'm on a trip and have a long way to go.

[Isaac looks Wolf over, curious, but does try not to be threatening or challenging. Part of him wants to ask if the wolf would like to go hunting, but he knows better. This wolf might not be a house-pet, but he's definitely more comfortable around humans than a wild one would be. And it would take time to settle things even into a temporary pack for hunting anyway. Time he doesn't really have.]

I never expected to see a wolf here.

He's not your ordinary wolf. [ Conner can see how curious this guy is; it's probably better to warn him in case he tries to get too close.

And it's true. Standing at Conner's side, Wolf reaches his shoulder in height, the tip of his ears pushing past that.

He wouldn't be, even if the size didn't give him away. The question is, what kind of extraordinary is he?

[Part of Isaac wants to stay, and part wants to leave. For now he listens to the first part, and it's hard not to close his eyes and enjoy the scent of even a strange wolf. It's been a long time for Isaac, and however strange there's a measure of comfort in it.

He knows better than to come closer, though, so he stays where he is.]

Isaac was not the only one who missed hunting. Her time in Balamb Garden had "civilized" Nepeta quite a lot, but somethings would never fully change. She was a troll and one who had ground up away from society and its comforts, forced to fight everyday simply for the bare essentials many took for granted. It had been a rough life, but that was how she liked it. There was something exhilarating in such a base and feral lifestyle, where everything you owned had been gained and made by your own hands.

In Balamb she had never been able to fully return to it. Even here, she would never fully be able to return to it, but at least she had much more freedom and reason to hunt here.

Typically Nepeta only hunted when absolutely necessary, there was no need to waste a life after all, but her anxiety levels had been on the rise without Vriska around. She was just licking herself clean of her kill when she heard the sound.

Her ears flickered and she glanced in the direction of the sound warily. Contrary to what some might think, Nepeta did in fact like barkbeasts but with the mutations that existed out here, who knew what that creature might actually be.

Isaac had caught the blood-scent on the air first, and it had attracted his attention. He'd collapsed the burrow of some small mutant rodents earlier and dug them out for a snack, but they weren't even full mouthfuls so he was still hungry.

And not really very cautious at all, though he kept upwind and his pawsteps mostly quiet--the branch that caught in his fur was not so quiet when it snapped but oh well--because he didn't pause out of sight and instead trotted right into view.

Of course even this far out he would run into a person. His first guess on seeing Nepeta was that she was one of the transports, and his last encounter left him with a nasty cut that's only barely healed. Even the fur on that shoulder was thin and spotty over the new scar. So Isaac went equally wary, but was careful to make no threatening moves. Hopefully he could stop this encounter without violence...

Nepeta hadn't moved from where she was, crouched over the body of a dead deer. Or at the very least that's what it most resembled--like so many other creatures here it seemed the war and pollution had had its effect on it.

When Isaac appeared she considered him a moment before relaxing. How odd, did he not have a pack? Her ears and nose gave no hint of other barkbeasts nearby, but she should keep on her toes just in case. She fell back on her haunches and then pushed what remained of the carcass towards him with her nose. It was too much for her alone and she had had her fill. Nepeta hated for anything to go to waste.

Well, that was something he wouldn't have expected! Another wolf wouldn't have shared a kill so easily, but they were both alone and it was obvious she was one of the transports, so maybe a peace offering. If it was, this was going much better than his last encounters.

Isaac's head had tilted to the side in his confusion at first, but then he settled more. He was still tense, ears rotating to check for suspicious sounds but he took the necessary steps forward and--

Began dragging the deer a safer distance away before digging in. And even while he bolted down chunks of meat--so good in his stomach--he watched her closely for any sudden moves.

Other than her tail gently swaying back and forth, Nepeta remained where she was. She could understand wariness on the wolf's part and she wasn't looking to frighten or fight anymore today.

Her lips quirked up into a smile as she watched him eat, glad to have been able to help out. Not that he looked like he would have needed it, he was a strong creature. In fact he seemed healthier than most of the animals she had seen here. It was puzzling and made her all the more curious--where had he come from? Was there perhaps some distant land that hadn't been touched by the war? If so, why would he have come all the way here, and alone?

Her expression became a more puzzled one and she tilted her head to the side, studying him.

Indeed, Isaac looked quite healthy, although another few pounds on him probably wouldn't have hurt. The only obvious injury was the barely healed scar on his shoulder--a long cut, but neatly healed.

It was hard not to look up at the swaying of her tail, though, even with food occupying his attention. The movement gave him an urge to look, and maybe even chase. It was a good thing she wasn't moving more, he thought, even if the want to chase was bubbling up in a playful way rather than a hungry one. She might not know how wolves played.

It didn't take him long to strip the deer of all the best meat and fat, and while chewing on the bones was pleasant, he didn't feel any need to risk breaking a tooth for the marrow. That would leave a sore mouth for weeks, even if the change usually assured that the tooth would replace itself eventually.

One appetite settled only led his curiosity to soar, so Isaac turned to face her and tipped his head again. What was she up to? He couldn't ask, not in words, but people did like to talk to animals...

She grinned, glad he had made good work of that deer. As much as she loved to hunt, Nepeta hated to take away a life without just cause. Back home on Alternia she had used every bit of every kill she had made. Maybe she could make some use of the bones but creating weapons or tools out of them would be pointless since there were already much better items back at the shelter.

"Did you enjoy it?" She shifted up onto all fours, being slow with her movements so as not to startle him. "Where's the rest of your pack, buddy? Are you lost?"

If he didn't turn away, or become aggressive she'd approach a bit more so she could give him a tentative sniff.

It wasn't hard to think of a way to answer that question without words. Isaac's ears pressed down and he whined before he could stop himself.

And then tensed a little--a true wolf wouldn't have understood the questions, and he wasn't sure how she'd react to a wolf who could clearly understand speech.

Of course there was always the possibility that she'd assume a coincidence, but to be brave enough to offer her kill and then stay and even come closer, well, he suspected she knew animals very well. But Isaac couldn't do anything about the slip, and held himself still as she came closer. If nothing else, he'd be able to get a good handle on her scent too.

It did strike her as odd. Odd, but she had always been one to think that animals were a lot smarter than people gave them credit for. There was also the fact that this was a different planet and there were mutations about--who knew what those could have brought about. Honestly, she just shrugged it off for now.

She neared when it looked like he wouldn't run off or become hostile and tentatively sniffed him. She committed the scent to memory--there were so many whirling around, some from very, very long ago but she never forgot a scent once she placed it. Once she was satisfied she sat back again.

"You're a smart guy, aren't you? I guess they must not be around, I'm sorry. But I can run with you fur a bit, yea?" She turned around and ran forward a bit before turning to face him, hoping he understood.

She would certainly have an interesting experience when she returned back to the hold, especially where food is served, up on the ninth floor of housing, and in the clinic. His scent barely changed when his form did and would linger where he spent the most time, but on the flipside, it allowed him to recognize others of his kind, no matter their form.

Her words surprised him, and he sat up straighter, ears angled forward. Had he heard right? Yes, he had. The loneliness surged up, but also the urge to play. How could he refuse? He'd just have to be careful not to give in to the urge to pounce. With the decision made he bounded after her, capering around and play-bowing. Hopefully she'd recognize that behavior and understand that he was agreeing to a run.

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