Survive

[Needfull Thing]

Survive (Closed except by invite!)

The Setting
5 years ago the current population of the world woke up where ever they happened to be and could not remember what had happened to the world or even their own name. All civilization has ceased to exist. There is no form of government or civil authority. Human society has started anew from scratch in the ashes of the old world.

Your name is either chosen or given to you.
There are three types of people in the new world:

Tribes- Family groups who are mostly nomadic
Settlers- communities that have set up a stronghold and maintain residence.
Wanderers-Mostly exiles...lone travelers with no home or clan.

There are Humans type 1 & 2.
Human types 1-You are just as your ancestors are, not changed at all. You are stable and practical, most likely to be a settler or a Tribe Chief.

Human types 2-You are heir to the ESP that no one in the old world believes in. You are prone to strange temperment and peculier beliefs. Most likely to become a wanderer and thus have a short life expectancy. There are few.

There are SubHumans types 1 & types 2
Subby type 1 is physically little different from humans but changed enough to have physical capabilities aside the norm. Increased strength, speed and stamina as well as super enhanced senses. Sometimes Subby type 1s can be so hard to kill as to be virtually immortal.

Subby type 2 massively altered in both form and perception. Strange and often cannibals. They do not play nice.

There are Remnants
The old stories about faeries and vampires and shifters? They were true and some of them survived the change too. There are not many and they ted to stick to themselves but they are the only ones who remember the world Before or what caused the Change.

The setting for the main portion of the game is The City.
Shrouded in mist and fog with occasional spurts of rain and a rare storm, The City stands on a blasted plain surrounded by backened hills. Those who come there come to trade and barter, or to set up shop and live where there are fewer monsters. The Cty is run by Gangs who control the trade going out and coming in. They keep the law and are as close to civil authority as there is.

Part One: Gathering

Shade trudged through the later afternoon shadows, waching dust puff up from each footstep on the old road. Dirt and scrub had grown over the smooth paved stone, but it was still clear that the road had been a masterwork. Shade had done some road work with a gang in a place called Nebraska but the roads they built were no where near this good.

Shade closes his eyes for a second, enjoying the scent of fresh honeysuckle without knowing how he knows the name or how he remembers the smell. His worn black boots tromp, tromp, tromp
on the dusty asfault, forming a tempo to walk by. He loves the afternoons, the temperature cools down and his vision gets more clear. The world just seems to be friendlier in the evening. Shade scents water.

His eyes flash open behind the dark sunglasses he wears. He tilts his head back and sniffs the breeze before turning to his right and shoving through the folliage. He ambles up hill along an old worn trail until he reaches the bank of a fresh-water stream. He could hear the trickle of the water from down the road and had been looking foreward to cooling off.

Shade lets his rifle fall to the grass and shrugs his pack from his back. He unclips his harnus and lets his pistols and short, curved sword fall as well. Casually, he glances around knowing his instincts would have told him about any obvious threat. He searches quickly but carefully before taking off his shades. The light is blinding at first, bringing tears to his silver-grey eyes.

After blinking a few times he takes in the lovely verdent collage of blooming vegatation and the beautiful silvery purl of the clean water rushing over smooth rocks in the stream. Shade smiles widely, showing even, strong teeth. Humming softly to himself, along with the music of nature, Shade shrugs out of his sturdy grey shirt and kicks off his combat boots.

After a last look around he skins the dusty jeans down his long legs and leaps into the water. The rush is exhilrating! "Whoooooop!" Shade shouts and plays with abandon, unafraid and free for a long while. As the sun was setting, he scrubbed himself clean and then set about starting a fire.

Shade settled down to a meal of canned stew and corncakes washed down with cold clean stream water. His naked body was allowed to air dry. After washing up, Shade dressed again and lay out his bedroll. He lay with his arms behind his head, looking up at the stars and feeling a lonliness take him.

The world was a beautiful place and Shade loved living free but he sometimes wished that there were someone to share his life with. He saw how the Tribesmen lived. Somtimes they had more than one wife. And lots of children running around. Shade didn't know about kids but he wished...sometimes...

Shaking his head firmly, the young Wanderer closed his eyes and rolled over to sleep. It was best not to think of that which could never be. And no woman would ever have such as he, even if he should have something to offer her worth giving. Sleep came swiftly and was dark and dreamless.

 

[PaintaPicture]

Ryder's day was not going as planned. Although non of her days really had a plabn so to speak but this one was especially wasnt going well. She currently was sprinting to the citie's outskirts...with gangsters on her trail. She had stolen a particularly nice long blade in it's sheath from them only a few minutes ago, and she realized that they didnt like that. Fortunately for her running fast and for hours was something that came rather easy to her.

She was rather sure she had lost them but the last thing she wanted was to get caught and well...she didnt even want to think about what might happen if she got caught by them. But she kept running, her tiny t-shirt clinging to the sweat that was running down her body, and her tight pants not needing an excuse to stick to her legs and had been tucked into her boots nicely.

Ryder heard their voices coming from the road as she took a back aly to get out, she couldnt lie she had pissed these guys off before and this time they had had enough, hence the hunting down. She saw the road she needed and bolted. The sun was coming down and night was coming as her bright gold colored eyes quickly adjusted as she sprinted, leaving them far behind as she reached the hills getting closer to the woocs, but not in them.

The gangsters stopped as she got into the hills, and she heard them turn back and she fell on the ground breathing hard running her hands through her shiny silver short pixie cut hair. She looked around at where she was laying and decided it would be a good place to rest for the night she took the blade she stole and found a nice place for it on her belt and slide her belt off holding it across her chest as she layed there.

She could never find trust or peace with anything. She was dirty, paranoid, and didnt trust a damn soul that she came across. Ryder never really had friends. It usually ended with one of them trying to kill the other. She didnt have a home, she slept in whatever spot she found comfortable enough to close her eyes at. And as soon as she sensed, or smelled, heard or anything she was awake and whatever weapon she happened to grab first was pointing at their head. She loved the renegade life, but she needed something more in her life besides stealing food, weapons and anything else she needed or wanted. She was an odd looking girl and mature for her age.

Whatever it was that she wanted she diddnt know and wanted it to come soon and smoothly. Abrupt change wasnt really her thing. She closed her eyes finally and fell asleep as night time came officially, and she clutched her belt tightly.

 

[shadowoftheheart]

Lissa sat streched out beneath a tree, eating her meal. It was nearing darkness, and in another day she would be in the City for her supply run. It wasn't a bad life really. She was independent, didn't answer to anyone but herself. Had things pretty easy really, with the Tribes around being so .. careless.

She smirked remembering how this one screeched as she nabbed her. Fool, going so far out into the woods with no protection. She tore another chunk of meat off the roasted arm of the villager with her sharp teeth, and chewed it languidly.

Her face was what almost anyone would describe as beautiful. Shapely, fair-skinned, lovely piercing green eyes, and long red hair that trailed down to her waist. Below her neck .. well, she didn't wear the full leather bodysuit just for its protecton or aesthetics.

She set the arm down, feeling full and drowsy after eating most of the villager. She hated to waste such a good meal, but she also didn't want to get too full either. This meal would last her several days with her inhuman metabolism, but if she got too full she would stay drowsy and make mistakes, and that was simply something she couldn't afford.

She scanned her surroundings one last time, making sure the sawed-off shotgun and katana she always carried were nearby .. allowing the wicked talons to slide out of her fingertips and inspected them also .. she relaxed, her forked tongue licking some grease off her chin, and closed her eyes to rest til the morning.

 

[CursedVixen]

Marliegh - Shapeshifter

The wolves were Marliegh's family. She had always been unattached to humans; especially lately. Her wolf form provided her with a greater freedom than her human one, and very rarely did she ever leave it. The transformation was not painful or complicated; she just prefered to roam freely. But food was scarce in the world, and in the depths of the woods. Occasionally the wolves would grow desperate, and to keep from starving Marliegh would go into the city and salvage anything she could get her hands on.

On these rare trips Marliegh occasionally sought the company of men. Wolf form provided her with everything but the capability of sexual satisfaction. Humans had become so careless, in the sense that they cared not for their world and they cared no longer for those who also inhabited what was left of it.

Marliegh was on one of her trips. She kept clothes for such occasions. She wore a tight black vest that showed her feminine figure well, a dark pair of well worn jeans, and black boots. Her long black hair fell down around her shoulders; wild and untamed. Her eyes were as they would've been had she been in her animal form; a bright beautiful slate colored gray.

She was quiet. She knew many languages, but there was no point in utilizing them. Language was no longer a barrier in the new world. Marliegh was one of the older shapeshifters that had actually survived. Most lived unusually long lives, and some simply didn't age. Marliegh had retained her beauty over the years, even while living in the wild.

The night was Marliegh's cloak as she ventured into the city that night. She was looking for anything that would sustain her family. She could not return without enough for the pack. She would do anything to accumulate enough food. Anything.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Shade woke almost instantly, uncertain what caused him such startlement. He lay very still at first in case he were being watched. Hearing and smelling nothing close-by, he cautiously sat up and looked around. He was alone.

Without realizing it, Shade's hand had found the pistol he slept with. He gently eased the slide back to check the round in the chamber. Rising suddenly to his feet by the strength of his legs alone, Shade stood in the center of his little campsight, sniffing the breeze and listening. His silver-gry eyes were slightly luminous in the dark, tracking every moement.

The world at night was lit by pale fires for Shade. He could see everything as bright as daylight. He stood very still. Leaves swayed gently to a breeze...bits of leaves or puff seeds drifted down. The breeze blew Shade's thick, dark hair away from his face. A puzzled frown grew.

Something strange was in the air. Shade could not identify it but something strange was stalking him. Stalking everyone. A big bad thing. He shivered and took a black windbreaker from his pack. Shade sat down to rebuild the fire.

A thundering roar shuddered through the forest at the same time as a cold wind blasted through the tree-tops. Fear pounded into Shade like a tidalwave, taking his breath away and stopping the beat of his heart momentaily. In a panic, he grabbed all his weapons and gear and ran from the campsight into the forest, leaving his fire behind.

He ran and ran without looking, breath wheezing, lungs burning. Until he charged straight over the side of a small wash, slapping face first and rolling with the fall to avoid injury. At the bottom, Shade lay bleeding, panting for wind. He stared up at the midnight sky, astounded. He had never felt fear like that before. He'd never panicked like that before in his life!

Softly grunting, Shade picked himself up and began trudging slowly out of the wash. He would not be going back to sleep this night.

 

[CursedVixen]

From within the walls of the city Marliegh could hear the hungry cries of her family. Slowly and over time wanderers had begun to invade the forests that had once belonged to the primitive and wild - taking what little food sources there were to be had, contaminating the water and the land. She scavenged for everything she could find. She herself ate and filled her pack until her body could carry no more.

As the night wore on she finally reached the trees. It wasn't quite midnight yet, but everything in the forest was still and quiet. Marliegh focused on the paw-prints of her brethern and knew they had been forced by strangers deeper still into the darkest parts of the forest. As she cut quietly through the brush she saw smoke. Immediately she knew it was only a small campfire, and the pack would have traveled further away. She avoided the surrounding area and began to track down the wolves. She would find the old ones first. They were weak and unable to travel as fast or as far as the alpha's.

As she traveled she heard a deafening sound. Something so painful, so sharp, and large that it sent shivers down her spine. Within her she felt an arising fear. The wolves did not travel into the depths of the forest for many reasons, but now they were forced to. Darkness had always been a good friend to Marliegh, but tonight she feared it would be her enemy. She began to run. She could hear other things; both big and small, scrambling through the brush and the trees. Most were traveling in the opposite direction, but the paw-prints led her in the direction of the sound.

Marliegh cursed humans, and for what they had done. She cursed them for disregarding everything they had once had: paradise. The mistakes of the humans had cost everyone every thing that they had.

 

[PaintaPicture]

Ryder's eyes shot open from the meditative state she called sleep. She pulled out a blade and leaped to her feet. Nothing was there..and her eyes darted around, she heard the wind blowing and a cold breeze surrounded her body as goosebumps covered her body. She got a small smell of a camp fire some distance away but it was nothing she'd want to investigate. Her eyes were brighter gold in the dark, than in the light, something she got odd looks for by people. She didnt see anything but she felt it...and it wasnt pleasant.

She threw her belt over her shoulder, across her chest, and jogged into the woods, wanting to get further away from the city. Her jog was a fast run compared to most and her eyes looked around for something, yet she saw nothing. She then smelt that she was not alone, a wolf pack not too far away and she was obviously in their territory.

She tryed to look for a tree with a low enough branch for her to jump on but she didnt see one. She could jump high but the tree's in this area werent to helpful. Ryder came to a slow walk holding the dagger in her hand, the one she had stolen the day before. She could smell the scent of the wolves much stronger now and heard them clearly, it was only a matter of time before they could hear or smell her.

Ryder was out of ideas at this point and stood next to a tree, knowing if she ran they'd be running after her and if she stayed she'd soon become a snack. She sighed standing there as her eyes continued to glow. She ran her fingers through her short mess of white/silver hair and she walked slowly and as stealthily as possible, barely breaking a twig or crunching a leaf. Hoping they wouldnt find her.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Shade's silent trudge was interrupted by the sound of wolves howling and barking. He smelled them close and leapt up into the nearest large tree, clinging with his strong hands until he found a foot hold. Shade scanned the forest, tilting his head this way and that, much like a wolf himself.

Beneath his hiding place a couple of large wolves slinked through the underbrush like grey ghosts. One older male looked up at him with a coutionary growl and then herded his charges past. Shade did not mind the old one growling, he had merely been warning Shade not to bother them.

The big bad thing was still in the woods. It had gone silent now and Shade felt instinctively that meant it was actiely hunting. The cry of a few moments ago had been a warning to start the game. It wanted them afraid. Rustling caused Sahde to look sharply to his right, seeing movement...something larger than the wolves moved there.

 

[CursedVixen]

As the alpha howled Marliegh knew where the pack was. She sprinted in the direction of the sound. She cared naught for anything but her family. She rushed recklessly and carelessly through the trees and came across fresh tracks. They were circling for her. They too, had heard the noise, the roar, and were afraid. The pace of her heart quickened as she followed her brothers paw-prints. She knew the wolves would be able to smell the fresh meat and if she could not find them they would most certainly find her.

But they hadn't gone far. She quickly found both the alpha male and female pacing and waiting for her impatiently. The moment she saw them she rushed to them. The alpha's were like her parents; loving, caring, and protective. She fell to her knees and let them lick her and nuzzle her. She brushed their backs and ears. As Marliegh looked into the bright blue eyes of the alpha's she knew that others had found their way into the forest. They were not threatening to the pack, but they were close. Marliegh scanned the area. The two wolves howled loudly to signal the rest of the pack that there was food to be had. She heard them howl in return and begin their descent into the valley.

Marliegh was afraid. She knew there were wanderers close and in her territory. After feeding she decided she would hunt them down before transforming back into wolf form. She would also investigate the roar she'd heard just a little while earlier. The Alpha's would join her and decide whether or not it was still wise to remain in the area or if they would have to migrate elsewhere.

Marleigh knew she would not be sleeping for the rest of the night and probably wouldn't be able to sleep or eat again for days to come.

 

[PaintaPicture]

Ryder kept moving but she got a strong pain in her chest. The loud roar from earlier was effecting her physicallt it felt, it was either that or the constant moving and not having eaten in quite some time. She took soft breaths still walking. She then caught a sound and smell, and it was not from the pack and her eyes shot up into a tree and gleamed at another human who was in the tree and she raised an eyebrow. She didnt think much of him and just kept moving.

Her mind was racing about all the things that were going on. She was trying to sneak away from wolves, she needed to eat and sleep but she couldnt, and she needed to figure out what the noise from earlier was. Ryder adjusted the belt that was across her chest and kept going. She slowed down more, the pain was still in her chest and she didnt know why.

She then felt the eyes of the man in the tree on her but she didnt look back at him, it had taken a moment for her to feel his looks on her but they came. Her hands, now free from weapons helped move her through the woods. She didnt know where the wolves were exactly now, and that wasnt helping. If they were to attack, or if any one of them should she would have very little time to react.

 

[CursedVixen]

The pack circled Marliegh as she let them eat their fill. She greeted them briefly and rationed out everything she had been able to find. There was quiet as they completely filled their bellies for the first time in almost a fortnight.

Marliegh heard noises all around her. There was more than one human. She couldn't decipher how many or how close they were. With her human nose she could smell them, but she daren't transform and give those in the forrest the advantage.

"Who goes there?" She called into the darkness. A few of the wolves stopped and raised their gray heads to her in alarm. She motioned that everything was alright and the pack continued to eat. They ate quickly; devouring every piece and scraping every bone.

Marliegh bent over and placed her hands on an average sized branch. She called out again. "Leave here. Find your own shelter. Go!"

 

[Needfull Thing]

Looking away from the forest had been a mistake. Shade was hurled from the tree top as the tree itself was splintered into a thousand wooden shards of doom by the impact of something large, heavy and impossibly strong. The explosion cracked out like a lightening strike, loud enough that it registered even as Shade crashed into the underbrush. He rolled over frantically, getting away from the remains of the exploded trunk as it slammed into the ground, bouncing a couple of times and showering him with vegetable debris. He scrabbled backward on his hands, panting in fear. From the small cloud of dust a huge shape swayed back and forth, perhaps seven feet tall and wider than any buffalo at the shoulders.

The thing seemed a cross between a reptile and a mammalian predator. Thick leathery armor plated it, with horn spikes at shoulder, elbow and knee. Eyes glowed a sickly green, filled with a terrible amusement and hunger. Like sex and food were the same thing and it liked to play with both. Shade was only frozen for an instant, aware of It's gaze. Then he raised his pistol and emptied the magazine with steady rate of fire, watching puffs of violet blood spurt from it's torso with each shot taken.

 

[CursedVixen]

The tree that had been standing in front of her just a few yards away snapped and fell. Marliegh heard and saw a dark figure tossed from it and rolled on the ground.

At the noise of the creature the pack immediately stopped eating and bunched together. They stood once again strong and full - the strength of each returning and the strength tof the pack as whole returning.

Marliegh heard and saw the pop of gun powder as the dark figure raised his pistol. She had heard about these creatures before. She had heard that they were night impossibel to kill unless you hit it's throat. She cursed and wish she was near her stash of human weapons.

"Aim for it's throat!" She called.

A few of the pack members rushed forward, barking and growling deeply as they prepared to attack. She called for them to return so that they could all retreat together, but they would not. The alpha's eased forward and the rest followed.

Again Marliegh called out. She picked up a few heavy stones and began to aim as meticuously as she could. She aimed for the eyes, and was fairly successful. She vowed to never be without some kind of weapon again. She heard it roar that same deafening roar she had hear earlier and tried to decipher what kind of cry it was. It sounded like a cry of mourning. Marliegh prayed for the creature but prayed as well that it fell quickly.

 

[PaintaPicture]

She heard and saw the tree from which the man was sitting almost explode only seconds after she had passed it. Wood flying all around her she pulled a dagger out in each hand standing in fear for a moment and looking at the giant beast that stood before her. The massive, thing that it was. She looked down seeing the man shooting at it, with nice accuracy. She owned no gun and darted from tree to tree to get closer. Her sprints were a blur to the common eye.

She ran and jumped using a tree as a launch pad to fly towards the creature slashing across the chest and get a stab in his neck as she felt it's hand grabbing her, getting it's blood on her skin as he threw her, and she smacked into a tree, as she grunted loudly, as she felt like every bone in her body had just been broken. She fell to the ground with a cut across her cheek and more over her body as she layed on the ground barely able to move, but she did damage to whatever it was.

She looked down at herself, seeing her own blood and it's. Ryder looked back at the other man breathed heavily as she layed there, the pain in her chest no longer a concern to her since it now consumed her body.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Shade was aware of the wolf pack and of the woman's words. He dropped his empty and useless weapon before ripping the rifle from it's strap across his back. He cocked it and aimed for the monster's throat just as a blurred form attacked from the creature's rear. More blood spurted brightly, but the thing was as fast as it's attacker and thus she was thrown away. Shade paused to see the wolf-woman throwing stones. Most of them bounced off of the armor, but one struck an eyes. The creature cried out in the same terrible howl as before, deafening so close to the source. Shade checked on the newcomer.

She seemed to be only mildly damaged. Shade raised his riffle and squeezed of a triple burst. The thing dodged the shots! It simply wavered and was no longer where it had been standing. More vegetation splattered apart behind it. The creature opened it's mouth, revealing yellowed fangs curved like a vipers. It belched a glob of dark icor at Shade, who turned his back to take the attack. Stinging fire spread across his back, and the stench of melting nylon rose to his nostrils. Gaining his feet, Shade desperately discarded gear in an effort to lose his windbreaker before it burned through to his skin.

A flicker from the corner of his eyes was the only warning he had this time as a rock whipped past his head into the tree behind him. The tree did not topple but it looked like a rotten log somebody had taken a sledge-hammer to. The rock shattered into shards and powder. Shade stared gap-mouthed for a second, then leapt and rolled to the side, closer to the two women. He raised his rifle again and fired.

 

[CursedVixen]

As more debris began to fly the wolves retreated and Marliegh was relieved. She saw them venture further into the forest, to safety. The alpha's howled and Marliegh nodded: she would find them again.

Out of the corner of her eye Marliegh saw the figure of a woman tossed against a tree. She could smell the blood but knew she was still breathing. The woman would live if they could ever kill this monster or chase it away. The stones were becoming useless; they only angered the monster more.

As the man tumbled hastily towards her and the other man Marliegh crouched. She saw rocks and branches flying all over the place as though they were in the middle of a cyclone. The man fired again, and again he missed.

"Give me that!" She called as she ran to him, dodging the rubble that was being thrown around. He would never be able to hit it's throat if he couldn't stop for a moment and concentrate. "Stop and aim or let me shoot," she said as she stopped short before coliding with him.

 

[PaintaPicture]

Ryder watched as more debris flew everywhere, and she got a better look at the man. His shooting wasnt getting him anywhere and the girl with the wolves was getting annoyed with it, or so it seemed. She ignoreed them. Pulling herself to her feet and crouched slowly making her way towards the monster. Her body hurt, and she wanted to just run, but now it was personal.

She got closer, and she pulled out 5 thin blades and held them in her hand, flinging them at the monster's throat until she got noticed and felt the wind of a rock soaring over her head a bit too close for comfort. Ryder couldnt even tell if she had hit the damn thing or not and she hoped to Gods that she had. She dodged the rocks getting hit by a few pebbles that traveled with them.

She wiped her face seeing her own blood on her fingers and grew angry. She wanted to kill the damn thing, but charging it was out of the question, as she had established earlier. Ryder looked back at the other 2 and then continued to crouch behind a tree, her body still weak.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Shade was astounded at the woman. He opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. He raised the rifle to his shoulder and sighted carefully along the barrel. He slowed his breathing and focused al of his will down the line from his weapon to the beasts throat. His finger squeezed steadily.

Just as he was about to fire, the other female hutled her knives slicing into the creature with all of them. She swept past then scutled behind one of the few tree's remaining near them. Shade only paused in his actions long enough for her to clear the fireline.

The butt of the weapon jerked back into his shoulder, fire belched forth from the muzzle of the rifle and the creatures throat was shredded by red-hot bullets. Shade watched as it sank to it's knees, trying to hold it's blood inside with both taloned hands. When it fell onto its face, he turned silver eyes as cold as ice to the woman standing beside him. "Never speak to me that way again." His voice was hoarse from lack of use. He turned away from her and moved to the tree, where the other female knelt. He saw her clutching her chest and knelt down beside her. He could smell her blood now.

"Are you able to breath, lady?" His voice was very gentle, as he set down his weapon and reached out open hands to her.

 

[CursedVixen]

As relieved as Marliegh was that the creature was finally dead, she was still angry. She too felt sympathy for the woman crouching in the trees: without the blades, the man's rifle may not have done any good.

"I will speak to you as I wish when you are in my terriroty," Marliegh snapped to him. She could feel a low rumble in her throat and knew if she had been in wolf form at that moment she would've been growling. "Had I not said anything you might not have had the notion to stop and actually take aim at that wretched beast."

She followed him with her own slate-colored eyes. Her own were softer but yet colder than his. In hers you could see something wild and untamed.

"If she can make it, take her and go. If not, I will care for her." Marliegh said softly. She had not yet noticed that her arms were covered with nicks and cuts, exuding little blood. "But either way, you both need to leave." She could hear the wovles howling. They were traveling towards the caves. Marliegh knew that in the caves they would be safe.

"There are more of those, and you both are in danger. You've endangered yourselves by venturing this far into the woods and you've endangered the animals by exposing us."

 

[PaintaPicture]

Ryder saw the monster hit the ground and she breathd a sigh of relief as she held her stomach; she had moderate wounds on her torso and the one on her cheek but her body sitll ached from the violent smack against the tree. She saw the man offer his hands and she tryed to hold the dagger up at him as if she were to attack him if he got any closer. But her arm fell sliding both daggers into their sheaths, the belt still across her chest.

She then saw the two arguing almost, this woman was not who she appeared to be. Ryder got to her knees and leaned up holding herself up by using the tree. She looked at the woman and then at the man.
"I'm fine...please dont touch me."
Her voice was raspy, mostly from never speaking that often. She didnt know what to do with herself falling back to her knees. Her arm still around her stomach.

 

[CursedVixen]

The nature of a wolf was to care. As much as Marliegh hated it, she was half-human. And the mesh of human and wolf forced her to care and have sympathy for the injured woman. Again her eyes softened. She would have to take the woman back into the caves. There she would be able to inspect her and make sure she would live through the rest of the night.

"Don't stand," Marliegh said softly as she walked past the man. "If you don't want me to touch you then fine, we'll lay you on a makeshift gurney and drag you to safety. It wont be the most comfortable thing in the world, but if you think you've got a better option I suppose you'd better speak up."

Marliegh looked at the man and held his gaze. There were few humans left with any compassion at all, and she knew if he was one of them he would agree to the plan. They both knew she needed some kind of medical attention, and getting her out of the woods was the first step. She stared at him long and hard, imploring him to forget their quibbles for the remainder of the evening.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Ryder saw the monster hit the ground and she breathd a sigh of relief as she held her stomach; she had moderate wounds on her torso and the one on her cheek but her body sitll ached from the violent smack against the tree. She saw the man offer his hands and she tryed to hold the dagger up at him as if she were to attack him if he got any closer. But her arm fell sliding both daggers into their sheaths, the belt still across her chest.

She then saw the two arguing almost, this woman was not who she appeared to be. Ryder got to her knees and leaned up holding herself up by using the tree. She looked at the woman and then at the man.
"I'm fine...please dont touch me."
Her voice was raspy, mostly from never speaking that often. She didnt know what to do with herself falling back to her knees. Her arm still around her stomach.

Shade raised his hands and backed a step or two away. "Alright. Please be careful. I know you have no reason to trust me but I mean you no harm."
He turned to gaze at the other woman, the more mature one. He stood to his full six foot two inch height and squared his shoulders, taking a steadying breath. "I am not invading anyones territory. Nature does not belong to any one person or group. I am traveling here as a guest of the forest."

"If there are other monsters out there, how will you hide? How will you fight them? I see no guns. I will not leave you or the wolves to be slaughtered and will certainly not let any harm come to this girl. She needs care."

He turns back to the girl and kneels down again. The blood of his own numerous wounds has ceased to flow and through the torn, blackened shirt, a terrible burn wound can be seen to heal even as one watches. His face is soft as he gazes upon the young one. "Please. Let me help you. Then we can part ways as soon as you like. I give you my word of honor."

 

[CursedVixen]

"The forest belongs to those who protect it, a lesson hard-learned by those who have not spent their lives in it." Marliegh said as she rounded up some of the debris. She found her bag and tied together a few evenly lain branches.

"The monsters do not approach the mountains, so we hide in the caves. This was the first time I'd encountered one myself and I was caught off guard. It wont happen again."

Marliegh inspected the gurney. It would fair well enough for the short journey that lay ahead of them. "I have a feeling her ribs are broken. If we don't help her soon her lungs could puncture and collapse." Marliegh said as she moved towards the girl.

"Hush now, we're getting you out of here." Marliegh whispered comfortingly. She motioned to the man. Once they had lain her as best as they could onto the sled she turned to him.

"On the way I'm going to stop and retrieve those weapons that you so happen to think are non-existent. Take one end of the straps and I'll take the other. And if you could do me a favor and pick up my clothes, I'd appreciate it."

Marliegh gave him no warning as she slipped off her boots, her jeans, and her vest. Within moments her naked body took the shape and form of a wolf. She took the other leather strap in her teeth and waited for him to begin to pull. Their journey would be a fairly flat one.

 

[PaintaPicture]

"I can walk...i just need...." and she paused, hating the word she was about to say. "help."
She leaned herself against the tree seeing the man back off. She wasnt trying to hurt him it was her instincts kicking in. She looked at both of them, they seemed to butt heads easily. She let go of her stomach and held up a hand to one of them asking to get up. She was strong and tall but was glad to see him taller than him. 5'9" was tall for a woman these days but she always knew she was weird.

Her eyes lost some of their brightness as she looked at them. The gold not as shiny.
"I thank you both for this. and i never meant to put your family in any harm." she said to the woman honestly. it was never her intent, and it never would be. She looked at the man and noticed his wounds going away. When she's in good health hers would clean up fast like his, not as fast but close enough. She hadnt been in good health in what felt like years.

 

[Needfull Thing]

Shade tried not to stare as the pale perfection of the woman was rended by the transformation into a wolf. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open however. After a second he closed it. The girls plea wrenched his heart. She was so young to be out here all alone. Shade himself had been eighteen when the settlers cast him out. The helplessness of the child overcame his natural rage at the way the wolf-woman tried to treat him. He gathered the girl into his arms and placed her as gently as he could onto the litter. Then he took the straps from the wolf with a slight tug and began to effortlessly pull the girl behind him. "Lead on, Mistress of the Woods."