The street lamps pooled golden glow on the ground at sporadic intervals. Shadows flickered like live things, thrown off by the flames of lights. Windows were lit. For the first time in a long time, the Tunnel looked alive. Willow moved quickly, sliding from shadow to shadow.
Damn them, but she had to find something to eat. Her stomach growled. Before being a lycan Willow didn't even know animal stomachs COULD growl. She pressed her ears back, glancing around, sighing.
Oh well.
The pavement scraped at the pads of her paws. She'd been walking too much on asphalt lately, she'd rub her paws raw if she didn't go back to some normal ground soon ... or she could just walk on normal feet like a normal person. Willow sniffed. Something interesting? There was an inn around here somewhere ...
It was as she was walking she remembered the coffee shop. Hadn't Willow like, had a job or something there? Oh well. She didn't have it anymore. Willow vaguely remembered putting in an application about getting the job again but she'd never heard back so oh well whatever. Willow stepped into an alley - after all, restaurants just throw out whole vats of untouched food.
Then she realized what she was doing and sat down, shifting as she thought. "I'm a god damned stray dog," she mumbled, staring at her bare feet. Piss.
Originally, Israfel had been prowling around the shattered ruins that had once been the Triangle Tunnel. Few people lived here now. Too many conflicts had originated here, leaving the city in pieces time and again. Most had simply become tired of rebuilding their city and packed up for greener pastures.
Still, there were a decent number who refused to give up their city, no matter what happened. That was nationalism for you. There were others, as well, who still picked through old collapsed buildings, looting what items they could from the rubble. These were his targets. Long devoid of a structured institution to provide for the defense of citizens, the Triangle Tunnel was the perfect hunting ground.
Originally, he would have thought nothing of a stray wolf passing by. After all, Fenrir had attacked this location with his brood once before, hadn't he? Fragments of his pack might have broken away and decided to lurk around this center of civilization. However, when he passed by the alley the wolf had gone down, he caught something interesting in his peripheral vision. The wolf had transformed into a human.
Lycan.
Turning on the spot, he headed back down into the alleyway, until he had moved within a good distance for casual conversation. "Good evening, child of Fenrir. Pleasant evening for a nap in an alleyway, is it?"
Willow spun, ending up standing on one foot and dropped on one knee in some weird half-bow thing. But not bowing. Or something. For a moment the air shivered, as if she might change again, but then it faded. For a long time her eyes burned silver.
This one she didn't know.
She felt like she should though, but the lycanthrope wasn't quite sure why. Willow got all the way up, eyes turning the pale green once more. After all, she was just being silly.
"Hello." At his question she glanced down at the cobblestone, then looked up, smiling and shaking my head. "Na. Grounds too hard anyway. Just thinking."
Willow crossed her arms over her chest, taking a couple of steps to close the distance. He didn't look hostile, or even dangerous. Still, he was a vampire, so she'd be ready in case something did happen. "What brings you out here? Out for a bite of dinner?"
One time Willow had let a vampire feed on her - before she was a lycan - and that had been some scary shit. She'd been convinced she was going to die as it were. But here she was, and she hadn't seen that particular vampire in quite a while.
Hadn't seen anyone but that Mildread girl, really.
"Heh, yes, that would be an accurate assessment." He said, giving a small bow to the lycan girl. His eyes drifted around the alleyway as he spoke. Lycans, as far as he knew, were as much pack animals as wolves. Yet it seemed this one was alone. Alas, for she was one he did not recognize.
"I've known some lycans in my day." he said, "Even worked with a few on a professional basis." This was true, to an extent. At least, to the extent that you could consider harassing and attacking students as 'professional'. Still, there was that time they had all joined up to fight the Society of Shadows on Angelus Morti orders.
"I don't suppose you would happen to either know or be related to Fenris Fenrir, would you? He and I go way back, to another country entirely. I honestly haven't been paying much attention to the news, so I have no idea if he's still running around or if he's gotten himself killed or captured by now. He always was a bit wild."
Willow herself wouldn't mind a bit of dinner ... herm. An idea bloomed in Willow's mind but she halfheartedly dismissed it. After all, this one would prefer ... other prey. Still, it'd be nice to hunt with someone else. The pack had been kind of distant lately. She nodded her head.
"Yeah," Willow said. "He's my sire." She didn't mention that this strange vampire had already pointed it out. She did note that he hadn't said he was friends with her sire. "He just got back, actually."
Kind of. It seemed. Willow didn't want to assume her sire was back completely. She shrugged, offering a hand to the vampire. "I'm Willow."
It would be up to him to close that last bit of distance and take it. She managed a half smile - frankly, this was the most ... friendlyness? This was the friendliest she'd been in awhile, even counting Orca. Herm. Perhaps it had something to do with how she had been so alone ... all the time. Oh well.
"I'm aware we have very different ... tastes," Willow said softly. "But if you're up for a hunt, I'll take whatever you don't drink."
For a brief moment she could smell a certain Justiciar's roasted flesh on the wind. She shivered.
"Yes, a hunt would be magnificent." Israfel remembered one of the last times he had been on a hunt involving lycans. It had been a trip to their very own tunnels. There, the lycans had done great injury to his lord, an injury that did not heal as normal, due to their filthy disease.
A hunt did sound like a wonderful idea, though not the kind of hunt this lycan had in mind.
His hand darting to his side, he grasped the hilt of his sword. With a slight tug, the blade glided gracefully from it's sheath. the moonlight glinted off of the silver inlay across the blade's surface. Though normally this would simply be decorative, for Israfel it served a powerful purpose: harming lycans.
In the same fluid motion as drawing his sword, he slashed at the unsuspecting lycans chest, seeking to do her great harm before she had the chance to flee or even fight back. Needless to say, he did not shake her hand.
Last Edit: Oct 24, 2010 11:40:22 GMT -5 by Israfel
He moved, but not how Willow had wanted. It seemed all vampires were assholes. She'd only been half expecting some form of betrayal. Still - it would have been nice if everything was all covered in roses and no one ....
What the hell was she saying.
The silver sliced across her front, and Willow hissed through her teeth. It would heal, although it would take longer - and there would always be a scar. When the sword flicked to one side, Willow pushed off the ground and sprang at him, shifting as she went.
They were too close, but then, both were very fast. The lycanthrope's eyes bled silver, and long canines flashed, snapping at this creature's throat.
Rotting pile of maggots, Willow growled, snarling explosively. She hoped he would bust his skull when her weight threw him to the ground. The poor Tunnel - just getting over their last attack and already there was another.
Maybe if she timed it right he'd get ran over or something as they fell out into the street.
He did some damage. That was good. Hopefully, she would lose a decent amount of blood before the wound could close over or be patched up. Hell, could wounds inflicted with silver even be healed through natural accelerated lycan regeneration? If not, then she would have quite a bit of trouble trying to find a muggle doctor willing to stitch her up who wouldn't ask awkward questions and call the muggle authorities.
Unfortunately, a wounded lycan was often a much more dangerous lycan. Israfel reminded himself of this as she leapt from the ground at him, transforming as she went. Israfel raised his free arm, catching the lycan in the throat to hold her back. Israfel was, in turn, greeted by the terrifying vision of a mouth full of sharp teeth mere inches from his face. Still, it was much preferable to having his throat ripped out.
As she had bodily leapt at him, Israfel staggered back several steps from her weight, bringing his back up against the wall of the nearest building. Though he didn't have enough room to properly swing his sword at her at the moment, the hilt was essentially a big chunk of metal gripped in his fist. Bringing that fist clutching the pommel of his sword swinging down, he attempted to bash the lycan in the face. Hopefully, this would knock her back long enough to bring his sword to bear between them.
Well aren't you a right little ass, Willow growled, suddenly finding it rather difficult to breath. Fortunately telepathically speaking didn't require breathing.
Just living did.
Something hit her on the side of the head, and with a yelp Willow hit the ground, staggering back a few paces. Ouch. Stupid vampire. Willow growled, taking half-circle routes to pace in front of him, out of reach of the sword.
Cripes that hurt.
She paused a moment to run her tongue over the cut, but it didn't do much good. Geez. Willow narrowed her eyes and stared at him, the fur all along her spine bristling.
What the hell is the matter with you? As if we don't have enough wizard problems you trying to start a war? Maybe this guy was just retarded. Willow didn't expect to win, but she'd do a job at surviving. As usual. After all, he had a silver sword. Lycanthrope virus wouldn't effect him, since he was already dead.
Unless she ripped his arm off or something, she probably wouldn't get anywhere. Hey ....
Ripping his arm off didn't sound like a bad idea. Any particular reason you're deciding to screw up our conversation? Or are you just bored?
Willow kind of got that. Kind of. He was still kind of an asshole though.
"Unlike you, it seems, I don't have any wizard problems. Any who come to challenge me, I deal with accordingly." Israfel said, his face an emotionless mask. Now that he had his sword between himself and Willow, he was eying her intently. She would leave herself open to attack eventually. Then he would strike once more.
"If you consider the exchange of 'hi, I'm related to Fenrir, would you like to murder people with me?' to be a conversation, then yes, I am clearly bored of it. All that really matters to me at the moment is sending a message to Fenrir through his spawn."
There, perhaps she would be off her guard now that he spoke to her again.
Taking a quick step forward, he took a quick jab at her with his sword. He wasn't close enough to outright impale her, but it would be a deep enough wound that she would remember it for some time if he hit. Even if she avoided it, he still had plenty of space to maneuver, should she retaliate.
Willow growled. Who said anything about murdering people, what kind of beast do you think I am? Willow snapped, looking more and more like a demon out of hell the more pissed she got. The lycanthrope was thinking, quickly as she could manage to think clearly in the current situation.
Maybe I'll just have to deal with you.
She snarled explosively, eyes flashing. As far as she was concerned every other being on this planet could just go to hell.
The sword lunged. Willow scooted sideways and sprang forward with every ounce of speed and strength she had. The air smelled like burnt hair and cooked flesh. Hot pain seared across her shoulder, slicing flesh and muscle, and for a moment, it looked like she was going to hit the ground.
I've got a message for you, asshole.
Long canines snapped, jaws reaching to close on the arm holding the sword.
This little ass would pay in at least some pound of flesh. Willow didn't necessarily care which pound of flesh.
"I taste like maggots? Of course you would be familiar with what they taste like. Of course, if this is true, it would explain why you are so keen on trying to bite me." He taunted back as the lycan took another hit from his sword to leap at him.
The lycan caught him in his sword arm, canines clamping down painfully. He could feel that she had gone through his sleeve and pierced his flesh, though the limb was still usable. Nothing seemed broken from the initial bite.
It was time to test how good she was at maintaining a hold on his arm.
Rolling with the momentum from her attack, he used his free hand to grab a handful of skin and fur on the lycans chest, pivoting on the spot to slam the lycan against the wall behind him. She was more than welcome to cling to his arm for as long as she wished. Israfel would just keep smashing her into things until he broke every bone in her body.
ooc: I think awhile back you said it was cool for Willow to shake him off so I'm gonna go ahead and do that, but beyond that ... its whatever.
Yeah, carrion. She chuckled hoarsely, lashing out with her hind legs. Gotta love it. She thought she heard her spine pop, but it might have been a figment of her imagination. Whatever it was, she would certainly feel it tomorrow. Oh well. She'd survive.
Obviously.
Feeling kind of hungry, come to that, Willow said. With a particularly powerful kick, she raked her claws down his stomach, hard and as deep as she could manage. In the same moment she twisted her head violently, teeth deeper into his arm.
What an ass.
Having shaken herself free, she dropped to the ground, spitting out skin and clothe as she did so. The lycanthrope, limping slightly and sore all over, took a few dancing steps away. If you've got a message, pal, put into words, because that's all I'm sticking around for.
She kept her jaws wide, teeth bared, whole body tense as a wire. They were both quick. She wished she could have gotten a go at one of his legs, that would slow him down for a good while. After all, vampires took a bit longer to heal than lycans did. She'd be all right after a bit, as long as any bones healed correctly.
Rebreaking them for fixing was a bitch, certainly.
Israfel staggered back as he took a hit to the stomach. While the lycan took a breather and stepped away, he took stock of the situation. Currently, he had several deep gashes in his stomach, and the arm she had bitten was looking even worse off. She had hurt him, that was certain. Yet, he felt that if they kept fighting, he could still win.
"My message to Fenrir?" Israfel said, taking a step toward her. "I intend for it to be your head."
Willow chuckled a few times, even mentally, coughing in that wolf way that might be called laughing. Irritated but still managing to be amused, Willow took a few steps back as he advanced.
Sorry, Bub, I kind of need that particular piece, Willow said, tongue lolling out of her mouth. Then, with a snarling snap of her jaws, she rushed him, darting around at the last second while snapping at his leg. Whether she hit or not didn't matter, as long as she startled him enough to give her that hair-width space of time to get away.
Dying was certainly not on the agenda, not by this one, and certainly not today.
Not ever.
Man, her chest hurt like a bitch. Why did all vampires have to behave like such pain in the asses? She really needed to find different people to hang out with.
Teagan Offline: This board is full of nostalgia.
Aug 22, 2020 8:39:09 GMT -5
Missing the old MH: gotta say missing when MH and all that was around.
Nov 6, 2019 0:02:30 GMT -5
Willow_lazy: why tf are there 400 posts about adidas
Sept 6, 2018 17:35:57 GMT -5
Azrael: I'm not hard to find, since I'm the only one there who goes by "Azzy", I'm pretty sure. XD
Feb 10, 2018 16:44:41 GMT -5
Azrael: Dunno if anyone still pops by here from time to time, but if any of you mofos do and still feel like gettin' yo nerd on, I've been hanging around this here place a bunch recently: www.roleplayerguild.com/
Feb 10, 2018 16:44:10 GMT -5
Azrael: hold onto your pantaloons
Jul 25, 2016 5:16:43 GMT -5