By now, Debbie had, if not gotten accustomed to being what she was, and certainly not reconciled to it, at least was realizing she had to do certain things to make sure to not be any worse than what she was.

One of those things was to hunt.

In the parks, especially those outside the main city were plenty of homeless, taking advantage of the last of the somewhat warm nights, all she had to do was find one and hope to not wake them up.

2009-11-03 23:50:14 Debbie Allen rolls 3 dice to hunting (Diff 5) 9,8,2 (2 successes)

One thing she had learned was to steel herself to not drink too deeply.  A lot easier, of course, when she did this a bit more frequently.  She still hated it, but...

better than the beast

using a willpower to keep from killing victim

2009-11-03 23:51:54 Debbie Allen rolls 1 die to blood drain 7 (1 success)

She had also learned that licking the wound after would help.

It was still icky, and she was beginning to wonder if driving that guy away had been a good thing.

If Debbie was doubting before, she should really reconsider now. As she creeps back out away from the lights of the city she will hear something that unsettles her right down to the crawling marrow of her dead bones.

A long a mournful wolf howl that is echoed back from seemingly every direction over the next minute...

Debbie will stop dead on her way back to the pitiful seeming shelter that keeps her from the sun, looking around, the only remnant of her former life, those deep brown eyes, widening in startlement and panic.

'what the hell was that?'

Another added to the list of 'I wish I did' is be a girl scout and know something about wilderness.  Was that a wolf or big foot?

As the first howl fades into the crisp autumn night, another one will pick up from the opposite direction, resounding and echoing in the sky.  And before that one's last echoes fade, another from a third direction carries on the eerie call.

Soon, howls are careening through the forest.  You can't tell how many creatures are making the sounds, or even exact directions from which they are coming.  They sound like they are all around you, echoing and echoing and echoing.  There is something in your very being that is terrified by these sounds, something you can't explain.  It goes beyond the mere fears of a city girl out in the woods and descends into something primal and instinctive.  That crawling thing inside you stirs, crawling fearfully into a corner of your psyche and whimpering in agitation.

Something will make the blood in her system start running about to heal up anything that sleeping hasn't taken care of.  Looking around in beginning panic to see if she can find someplace to hide.

If nothing else, she'll start moving.  One direction seems about as good...or bad as any other.  For now, she'll try to concentrate on healing up whatever she can, without using up all the blood in her system.  

--Last edited by Debbie Allen on 2009-11-05 08:27:46 --

Thats when Debbie will catch a first glimpse, out of the corner of her eye. Its like a ghost, those hanging yellow eyes in the dark. Its just a flicker and its gone, leaving nothing but a hanging puff of breath in the cold night air.

That bare glimpse is enough to shatter her frail nerves and make her want to have a definite fit of screaming hejeepies.  As it is, she'll make her way to the tiny shelter which is keeping her safe during the day.  It looks frail, like a breath of wind could blow it over.

Crawling into it, she'll huddle into a tiny ball, rocking herself a bit, now and then, while chewing on those ugly talons.

To use a phrase from a lot of movies...she has a very bad feeling about this.

2009-11-05 10:03:06 Blacksmith rolls 6 dice to Dex+Stealth 7,6,10,2,10, 10 (5 successes)

Debbie likely wont hear a damn thing until its too late. From inside her makeshift little shelter all she hears is the clattering of baring tree-branches in the wind. For a moment she may even think shes safe, that her tiny circle through the trees back to where she started somehow shook an entire pack of wolves.

Shes wrong, however; and will realize her mistake when her makeshift, cloak and twigs shelter comes crashing down on her head under the weight of a full grown wolf. She will feel a thrashing ontop of her, hear a frustrated growl and clacking of powerful jaws. She may even feel them through the cloak, blindly chomping for her neck through the fabric.

2009-11-05 10:08:39 Blacksmith rolls 6 dice to Str+Brawl [Hold] [Diff:8, cant see target] 1,7,8,3,1, 10 (Failure)

Feeling the frail little shelter fall onto her...feeling...something on top of her, only one thing to do in her weakened state...

Scream.

Over her screaming Debbie will hear the howls sounding through the woods, rebounding from every direction.  They seem to be drawing closer, a circle tightening around the central point of Debbie and her hovel.

Times like this, Debbie is really wishing she could
  a.  start cussing, she's never really been comfortable with 'those words'
  b.  had stayed in the sewers with asshole, even if he DID piss her off
  c.  had stayed in her apartment, even though she knows she would have been taken away
  d.  had gone with Mr. Scammer, who promised to get her original looks back, since hopefully this kind of thing wouldn't happen
  e.  had just died

 She can barely cry, and really, at this stage, hurt, and clueless about fighting, what CAN she do?

 She doesn't want to just give up, but there doesn't seem to be much option, other than praying, and she's not even sure there even IS  a god.

 Unlife sucks...

From the ring of trees that surround the small clearing the howls grow closer, now accompanied by the sound of breaking brush as large objects bound through the bracken.  A few pairs of eerily glowing eyes dart through the dark gaps in the trees, disappearing and reappearing.  Any observer would be hard pressed to accurately tell how many creatures are in those woods.

The first form to burst through the undergrowth is a lean animal with auburn-red fur and green eyes, long-limbed and sleek.  The wolf paces about the clearing, eyeing "Andy" and the form pinned beneath him, almost warily.

Momentarily, another figure comes bounding out, leaping into the clearing in long, excited jumps, tongue lolling out from the side of its jaws.  It looks at the auburn-haired animal and then at "Andy" and gives a sharp, almost playful bark.  It turns back to the woods, leaping back into the trees and crashing back into the clearing a few moments later from another direction.

Debbie is only aware of the weight on top of her...as her body shakes from the dry sobs she can't stop.

This must be it...and she doesn't even KNOW whats going on.

A heavy snuff will sound next to Debbies head. A warm snout seeming like it wanted to suck the air from her very eardrums. Should she look she will see a massive beast of a wolf with nearly black fur and large, angry eyes. His shoulders are hunched and he is built like a bull. He opens his mouth easily big enough to swallow her head before seeming to think better of it and trotting off into the underbrush behind her.

Sitting on his haunches far back in the clearing is a grey wolf with patchy fur. Far more subdued than the rest he pants in the cold and watches the tongue lolling, bounding one go through his paces.

The weight atop Debbie almost lightens when she begins sobbing. Those jaws find purchase at the base of her neck. She can feel the hot breath and what has to be drool soaking through her cloak. A low, questioning whine issues forth from the animal and his jaws flex against Debbie threateningly before releasing and seeming to move away...

Glowing eyes stare out from the forest, and then a huge wolf, fur stark white, stalks into the clearing, head low to the ground and eyes staring unblinkingly forward.  It is nearly twice as big as any of the other creatures gathered, its shoulders standing some five feet from the ground.  Its eyes glare straight ahead as it approaches the pinned bundle on the ground.  This creature radiates an aura of power, strength, and menace, and all the other gathered wolves turn to regard it.  Even the bounding, jumping animal stops its constant playing and settles down once the massive creature has entered the clearing.  It stands there, hot breath blowing out frosty in the cold November air.  The others pause, seeming to wait to see what this one will do.  For a moment it looks back over its shoulder towards the woods, then swings its huge head back.  It takes a step forward, that air of commanding presence following it.

Then there's a bark of greeting from the edge of the clearing, the playful one calling something out as a final wolf comes loping into the clearing with easy strides.  This animal isn't nearly the size of the huge white beast, but there's a dignified grace about its sure-footed stride.  Its fur is sleek and silvery in the moonlight, and it carries its head high.  The great white wolf stops in mid stride, glaring at the silver newcomer before backing off a step.

Eyes now turned towards it, the newcomer strides over to "Andy" and the helpless bundle pinned beneath.

The sobbing stops as she feels fangs at her neck...she won't move, except to just droop head on her knees, curled into a ball, the cheap costume cloak sort of half covering her head.  

She can hear other animals...and can only hope her new form won't make them sick when they tear her apart and start chomping.

In her heart, she's already said 'goodbye'

With a wet slop sound the old grey wolf gets his panting under control and licks his muzzle. He remains off in the back, his eyes glint when they catch the moonlight and plumes like exhaust drift up from his black nose.

The bullish black wolf keeps snuffing loudly, as if trying to dislodge a bad scent from his nose. He paces back and forth behind Debbie and 'Andy', claws digging angrily into the cold ground...

The heavy beast atop Debbie will lay a paw on her head, pressing her face into her knees and the leaves. Its a dominant display, like hes somehow claiming or debasing her. He lays nearly his full weight on her skull as he rears his head back in a long and deafening howl before he steps off of Debbie, finally releasing her from the threat of his fangs and his considerable weight. He doesnt go far, maybe ten feet off to her right before he plops down and watches the silver wolf.

The silver wolf regards "Andy" a moment before stepping to the huddled, sobbing bundle on the ground.  It circles, sniffing, moving closer and then backing up a little.  Debbie will be aware of the creature moving back and forth around her, its nose coming in close and then pulling away.  

Finally it steps up, placing a paw at the back of her neck.  Without Debbie struggling its a token gesture of commanding control.  Debbie feels hot breath on the back of her neck as the wolf lowers its jaws, spittle dripping onto her burnt and malformed flesh.  She feels the pressure of pointed teeth as they press into the back of her skull, gaining purchase, squeezing lightly.  Its like the executioner lining up his axe with his victim's neck.

The last thing Debbie will hear, before those jaws close, crushing her skull and sending her into endless oblivion, is the cadence of howls that suddenly rise from the circle of wolves, a triumphant sonata of wild glory.  

--Last edited by Killer Rabbitt on 2009-11-06 13:23:10 --