Stalking the Wasteland (Open)

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[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=000000] _____________________ Isaac calmly sat perched on a gargoyle jutting out from the top of a building in the heart of the "city". The ends of his black overcoat blew gently behind him in the afternoon wind, an annoying draft of cool air was being diverted by the building directly at his face. He reached up to brush the strands of hair out of his eyes that blocked his view, looking down at those unfortunate enough to call this place home. The setting sun, in combination with the few torches that lined the street, caused abstract shadows to cover Isaac from view by anyone looking up from below. He recalled his priviledged life so long ago, the mere thought of it causing his face to twist with displeasure. The lives these people led could barely be called such, yet the majority seemed to adapt to their situation and appeared to be in high spirits. His mind wandered to the things his sister had told him, tallking of strength, determination, and faith. There was that word again, the one that he had the hardest time finding within himself, faith. What had his sisters faith gotten her, and what had it brought the people of this forsaken place? "Nothing.." He thought aloud as he stood to his feet. He wanted to know how these people kept holding on to something ethereal, at least to him, and perservered despite their situation. He dug his hands deep into his pockets, leaping gracefully from one mound of rubble to the next as he neared the ground. He continued to avoid being sighted by the humans, but he had to get a closer look. He lept from the last of the mounds and braced himself for the impact with the ground, attempting to land silently so as not to alert anyone to his presence. He walked in the shadows for some time observing the humans undetected. That is until his nose twitched, and he smelled someone a little too close to be coincidence. _____________________ 0:words.

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[emmaspencer]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,343,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=B0C2C2] Emma wasn’t sure why she had come to the desolate city in the first place. It was a melancholy place, nearly empty, and covered in rubble. Though there were a few individuals seeking shelter from the outside word, the city wasn’t really home to anybody. The young woman was tired and run down, and still wondering what was ailing her. Though her illness (or whatever it was) hadn’t increased within the past few weeks, she was still feeling under the weather. Because she didn’t have much energy, she rarely shifted and of course, she missed the freedom that came with her canine body. On this particular evening she was feeling unusually restless, and despite her exhaustion, she wanted nothing more than to shift, and spend some time in her wolven skin. The weather was finally warming as spring took hold, and she reveled in the warmth and comfort that the new season offered. Because the day had been rather warm, the young woman clothed herself in a pair of small black shorts and a white long sleeved top that was a little too large and tended to fall to the side, exposing her one of her shoulders. Like the rest of the shirt, the sleeves were too long and hung around her hands. On her feet she wore a pair of sandals, which wasn’t the most intelligent idea considering her rugged destination. For the first time in several weeks, she allowed her dark waist length hair to cascade freely down her shoulders and back. Normally she tied it back, for she was easily annoyed by the strands that tended to get in her face at the most obnoxious times. The brunette wandered aimlessly for several moments, trying to find an isolated area in which she could shift. She wasn’t really prepared to make the transformation and hadn’t thought to bring an extra change of clothing along with her. She had an entire drawer chock full of old and tattered clothing that she didn’t mind destroying when the time came to make a shift. But tonight she was a little unprepared and realized she would need to remove her clothing before she shifted, unless she wanted it rendered useless after she was through with her shift. The young woman began fiddling with the sleeves of her white long sleeved shirt, preparing to undress while there weren’t any humans nearby. Before she could even attempt to remove her clothing however, a small thump caught her attention and she swiveled from right to left, trying to locate the perpetrator of the sounds. Though Emma wasn’t feeling terribly well, her senses were still considerably astute, and as always, she was on high alert. She narrowed her eyes and quieted her breathing, knowing without one shred of doubt that there was another creature nearby. Despite the fact that there were humans meandering around the area, something about the scent of the creature nearby struck her as vastly different from the odors that the humans’ bodies emitted. Tucking her straight dark hair behind her ears, she took a few steps to the left and veered cautiously around a corner. Emma wasn’t fearful but she was careful and tried her best to avoid needless confrontations if it was at all possible. So far, her time in the area had been peaceful and she had yet to encounter an individual she considered threatening. She was enjoying her time as an alpha and felt that she had finally found the right place to make a home. There were still plenty of things she needed to learn, and many areas she needed to explore, but she made every effort to venture out when she could and see all that the area had to offer. Approximately a minute passed before Emma finally came upon the owner of the sounds and the unusual scent. She paused to watch him for a moment before stepping out of the shadows to carefully reveal herself. She stood tall (as tall as a petite young woman could stand) and made sure that the male knew she wasn't an easily intimidated woman. She was much tougher than she looked. Despite herself, Emma began coughing loudly and soon brought her hand to her mouth and cupped it around her lips as she coughed heavily into it. Well, her introduction wasn't turning out as well as she had hoped it would.

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[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=000000] _____________________ Although the sun was beginning to set, the heat in this place was suffocating. With a rare outward show of emotion, Isaac smirked when he thought it to be stupid for a werewolf to be wearing a suit and overcoat under these already hot conditions. He made a mental note of needing to get some clothing more appropriate of the weather before continuing his stroll through the city. He removed his overcoat and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to the elbows. He recalled summer walks with his sister and the conversations they would have. It was one of the only times in his childhood where he could remember being outwardly happy. He had only spent "man time" with his father on a few occassions, yet his father never showed anything to him even remotely hinting to him caring. He never saw any form of emotion from his father for that matter, and as the only male influence in his life he began to mimic that. That is not to say Isaac was a robot, because this was far from the case. He simply had never been showed by his father the proper way for a man to display his emotions. He realized then that his mind had been wandering and he hadn't noticed someone closing in on him. Isaac's head snapped around to look over his shoulder as he heard a cough. The tints of gold in his eyes glinted faintly in a ray of sunlight from the already setting sun. A cold stare now fell upon the strange female, his eyes never diverting from her as he shited the rest of his body around to face her. He considered turning and simply continuing his course, but there was something different about this females scent. A puzzled look now came to his face as his head tilted slightly to the side. He looked the female up and down, noting the way she approached him in a shadowy area with no fear for her safety. "Why are you following me?" Isaac spoke in a calm tone. His cold stare softening ever so slightly as he realized the woman seemed to have no intention of fleeing. He awaited the response stating the females purpose for being there, sighing lightly. He realized then that it was his own carelessness that had put him in this situation, and he hoped that it would not be entirely too troublesome. _____________________ 0:words.

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[emmaspencer]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,343,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=B0C2C2] Emma eyed the man as well as his attire. She noted the long jacket slung around his arm and found herself wondering if he had forgotten to go outside and test the weather before he stepped out for the day. She observed his dark hair and eyes, and the strong build of his body. She assumed he was healthy and physically fit, and judging by his clothing, he likely lived a comfortable life. If that were indeed the case, she wondered, why on earth was he meandering about in the shady and ruined city? When the brunette finally caught a few moments in between her coughs, she lowered her hand and allowed her arm to hang limply at her sides. She could tell by his positioning that he was on guard, and rightly so. He was in a troubled area and was in the presence of a complete stranger. She too was on alert, watching the male and keeping a close eye on his movements watching for any sudden movements. Emma had the slight suspicion that this male was more than a mere human, in fact, she was certain of it. She took a few steps forward and took a deep breath. His scent was heavy in the air, and she knew almost instantly that he was not unlike her. His odor was a mixture of masculinity and wilderness and naturally she was drawn to it. Though the alpha was curious about the male, she was also extremely cautious and made a conscious effort to keep a large distance between them. She had gotten a whiff of his scent, and for now, that was all she needed. The woman lifted her left hand and ran her fingers through her long dark hair, brushing the wayward strands out of her face. The wind was rougher than it usually was and she tried her best to ignore it. She noted the sun that hung low on the horizon, departing at a quicker pace than Emma would have liked. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to stand out in the open for any stretch of time, leaving her body exposed and in a vulnerable position. Quietly, she stepped to the right a few feet and tucked herself in the shadow of a large dilapidated warehouse. Emma’s better senses urged her to move onward and take her leave before the sun set and it grew dark. But her curiosity was piqued and against her better judgment, she remained where she was. The young alpha opened her mouth, knowing one of them needed to break the silence. The male beat her to it however, and his heavy voice filled the air around them. The male’s question was a little presumptuous and she was understandably taken aback. Her eyes narrowed as she began to respond in the feminine but unwavering voice that was characteristic of her. “You sincerely believe I was spending the evening tailing you? If that’s what you think, you’ve got another thing coming. Believe me, how you spend your time is the least of my concerns.” Emma had been a little more rude than she had intended, and felt that perhaps she had gone a little overboard. But she was tired and a little bit cranky and felt a little put out by the male's assumption. Was the shifter paranoid or just extremely conceited? He couldn’t REALLY believe that she had taken time out of her busy day to follow him around a ruined city…could he? Shaking her head in dismay, she didn’t bother waiting for an answer. She didn’t have the time or the energy to banter senselessly with someone. Stepping out from her shroud of darkness, she turned her back to the male and began heading in the direction from which she had come. It was getting late, and she knew she needed to get home before she grew too tired to continue. Home was quite a distance from the desolate city, and even if she traveled at a quickened pace, it would still take her several hours to get back to where she lived. Normally Emma was energetic and resilient but whatever illness she was harboring was leaving her tired and withdrawn. She hadn’t shifted in some time, and she got the sinking feeling that if she tried, she would have a difficult time getting in and out of each form. That was partially why she had traveled to the city to begin with. She wanted and needed to find out if she was still capable of shifting. She knew that shifters were more resistant than humans and that they tended to heal rather quickly. This concerned the alpha and she knew that she needed to find out what was behind her ailment and how she could fix it. Something was amiss, she just didn’t know what it was. She had heard rumors about healers but she wasn’t sure how much merit the rumors actually had. She realized the whole idea could be a farce and that an attempt to seek out such a person may be fruitless and senseless. But Emma was running out of options and she wondered if the time had come for her to make that journey. The question was, what would it entail? As the woman began walking away from the peculiar stranger, she was suddenly overcome with a powerful feeling of exhaustion, and she lowered herself carefully onto a pile of oversized concrete blocks that had been worn down by the elements. It wasn’t the most comfortable seat, but it would do just fine for the time being.

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[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=000000] _____________________ Isaac followed the female with his eyes, watching closely as she stepped back into the shadow of an old warehouse. He thought it was strange that she didn't leave, yet she hid herself from view. The scent she gave off was very similar to others of his kind, the fact only becoming apparent after his mind was clear. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as a yawn escaped his lips. His eyes darted from side to side as he surveyed the area around them, his gaze then setting back in the direction of a reply to his question. He cocked his head back and raised an eyebrow as the female gave her response. A westward wind swept across the landscape, caressing his face as it blew his hair into view. It never failed that his unruly hair would fall in front of his eyes exactly when he didnt want it to. As he reached up and moved aside the portion impeding his vision, he noticed the female turn and begin walking away. The edges of his mouth wrinkled as he did not particularly like the tone with which his question was responded to. That, coupled with the way she simply turned and walked away nearly set him off. He was usually slow to anger, yet something about the tone of her voice seemed condescending. Isaac, being the prideful individual he was, could not stand when someone considered him to be inferior in any way. He stopped and composed himself however, realizing that the woman owed him no courtesy and he was most likely overreacting. He was jumping to such conclusions in his mind without the slightest reason to do so. Isaac watched intently as the female didn't make it far on her way, stopping abruptly in obvious discomfort as she sat down on a pile of concrete blocks. He turned and began walking down the road, swaying rhythmically in the now cooling evening air as he neared the woman. He swung his overcoat off of his shoulder and wrapped it around his back as he put it on. He didn't do it because he was cold, for he never really got cold, but he didn't want to carry it all the way home. As he passed in front of the woman, he turned his head and smirked as he began to speak. "I would ask you why you were sitting there instead of heading home." He paused to emphasize the sarcasm that followed, "But believe me, how you spend your time is the least of my concerns.". He continued to walked down the road, the sun now hanging dangerously low on the horizon as the moon was rising majestically into the sky. A deep growl escaped him as his forward progress simultaneously stopped. He wanted to just continue walking down the street, get out of sight and shed his current form as he ran into the night, but he couldn't. The thought of his sister, and all her lessons, now flashed across his mind. He turned over his shoulder and opened his mouth to speak as the growl subsided. "So, you coming or what?" Isaac's voice didn't carry the same as before, yet his intentions were very clear. His guard was not lowered, but he would not dishonor the memory of his sister by going against what she had taught him as a child. The woman seemed to be heading in the same direction, so he was offering to walk with her as long as she chose to. He prepared to turn and continue on his way awaiting only an answer. _____________________ 0:words.

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[emmaspencer]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,343,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=B0C2C2] Emma didn’t feel well, there was no doubt about it. She felt as though every last ounce of energy had been sucked violently from her body. She dreaded the long walk home and wanted nothing more than to drop down right where she was and take a nice long nap. She knew however that lying down in the middle of nowhere was a bad idea, and she had too much sense to resort to such a thing. She briefly began to wonder if her journey home would be both quicker and easier if she transformed into her canine form. But would she have enough strength to do it? It had been some time since she even attempted to make the transformation and she wasn’t entirely sure her body would be able to handle it. She deeply missed roaming about on four legs and knew she needed to find something to cure her ailment before she became completely incapacitated. Emma wasn’t the type to complain however, and despite the fact that she had been feeling unwell for several months, not once had she complained about it to another person. She wasn’t the type of woman who found it necessary to share her burdens with someone else. She knew that everyone had troubles of their own and she felt that there was no need for her to add fuel to the fire. So she refrained complaining and chose to keep her difficulties completely to herself. The alpha was that way with most things. She hadn’t always had it easy but she rarely moaned and groaned about it. She knew that she had two choices: save herself or remain unsaved. Emma realized long ago that there was no cavalry and that she would be the administrator of her own rescue. As a result, she was a tough as nails woman and rarely allowed any deep emotion to shine through her hardened exterior. But despite the fact that she kept her emotions in check, she was a very compassionate and thoughtful young woman. When she formed a bond with another individual, it was always powerful and almost always unconditional. But strong ties with others were few and far between and after a while she began to prefer keeping a large emotional distance between herself and those around her. It was simply safer and much simpler that way. The young woman lifted her hands and placed them gently over her face, covering her eyes for a few moments before lowering them and placing them carefully in her lap. She slumped forward, weary and a little bit cranky. She watched with a look of dismay as the sun slowly began to make its final descent. The sun turned the sky a bright red, as though it were bidding the land a final farewell. Sighing quietly, she wrapped her arms tightly around her middle in a meager effort to contain some of her evaporating body heat. Realizing she needed to get a move on, she removed herself from her perch and stood stoically on her feet. Behind her she heard the man spat out a few insults, though none of them fazed or bothered Emma in the least. She knew she had been a little rude when she had spoken to him, and she didn’t really blame him for reacting negatively. Emma wasn’t generally a temperamental woman but the increasing amount of stress that was thrust upon her was finally beginning to get under her skin. She heard his heavy footsteps move in her direction and wasn’t surprised when she spotted him walking right past her. But when the man turned to Emma and asked her whether she was coming along or not, she was taken aback. She had assumed that the male had had enough of her and would continue on his way. At first, she wasn’t sure how she should respond or of she should respond at all. Was he being sincere? And more importantly, did she really want to head back to civilization with this man? The journey was a lengthy one and she wasn’t sure she could tolerate spending so many hours with him, especially if there was tension hovering between them. But she also realized there was strength in numbers and that it wasn’t exactly a good idea to head home on her own. Generally speaking, she was confident in her ability to detect danger and to defend herself if the situation called for it, but because her senses were slightly off kilter, she knew her responses would likely be delayed. So she silently decided she would take a chance and attempt to accompany the man back to the town. Brushing her long, dark hair out of her eyes, the petite alpha began moving forward, following the male at a little bit of a distance. Because his legs were considerably longer, it took her quite a while to keep up with him, and eventually she stopped trying to match his strides and settled on walking a few paces behind. Had she been feeling better, she would have insisted upon walking in front. Emma wasn’t an easily dominated individual and almost always preferred having the upper hand. From her position behind the man, she studied his posture and his movements. There was an unmistakable confidence in his gait and she found herself wondering if he was a high-ranking member of a nearby pack. Havren was the newest pack in the territory and Emma had yet to meet the leaders of the other packs. Perhaps this was her chance. But before the young woman got a chance to pose her question, she heard a guttural growl from the far right. Instantly on alert, she stopped dead in her tracks and made an attempt to visually locate the creature. She wasn’t certain if her companion had heard the sounds so she whispered firmly “hey, listen. There’s something out there.” She shivered rapidly as the cool wind brushed against her smooth flesh. It wasn’t long before the woman heard the growl again, and this time, the sound was significantly closer. Knowing she needed to shift, she made an attempt to focus her energy and concentration on the transformation. But she was drained and it was taking quite a while for her body to respond to her command. In the near distance, she spotted two glowing eyes moving close and closer to the spot on which Emma stood. Before she could react, the beast was upon her, pushing her to the hard dusty earth with a thud. The oversized cat clawed and nipped, trying to get a grip on Emma who was writhing violently beneath his weight. His claws dug into her pants and shirt, tearing numerous parts of her clothing. The animal ripped at Emma’s left shoulder, piercing her tender flesh. She winced in pain and watch as blood began to soil her clothing and drizzle onto the ground. It wasn’t a life-threatening wound but it would undoubtedly cause an abundance of discomfort. Angry and defensive, the woman explored the ground with her right hand, trying to locate a makeshift weapon. When her fingers curled around the edge of a solid large rock, she latched onto it and smashed it into the side of the animal’s head, killing it instantly. She gasped as the massive creature fell heavily onto her body, hindering her breathing with its weight. Despite her exhaustion, she managed to get out from beneath the heavy cat, and sat panting beside its lifeless body. She didn’t have much time to compose herself however, for she knew that there may be more cats lurking nearby. Her eyes instinctively flew toward the male, hoping he hadn't gotten into an altercation with one of the creatures. Note: I decided to throw some drama in here. Hope you don't mind!

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