+- Wolf RPG (https://wolf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: In Character: Roleplaying (https://wolf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Forum: Archives (https://wolf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=11)
+--- Thread: Blacktail Deer Plateau chicken noodle soup (/showthread.php?tid=29618)
chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
@Elixir . This one is for you, hopefully that tag works. xD
The Door was not a tiny space by any standards, but once the sun went down the walls felt closer and closer to Rue as the shadows crept in. The night wrapped around Rue oppressively, making her feel constrained. The sounds of the others breathing and rustling around had the young woman lying awake, mainaining an uneasy vigilance in case someone attempted to approach her in the dark. When Rue did manage to sleep it was fitfull, and she remained in that place between nervous thoughts and nightmares, never able to truly rest. All Rue could hear were his wheezing breaths in her ear; all she could feel were his teeth scraping against the skin on the back of her neck, exploring for firmer purchase...
"No. Stop!" Rue squirmed, flailed. Her eyes flew open-- darting, searching-- but they met only darkness. She couldn't see her attacker, but she could feel his presence all around her. She scrambled to her feet and darted from the Door in a panic, sprinting through the trees until she reached a small meadow bathed in moonlight. Her heart still pounded and she took her breaths in gasps, but now that she was under sky she was able to relax a little bit, able to remember that she was in Blacktail Deer Plateau. She wasn't in danger here.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 15, 2018
it worked ! :)
The night has engulfed the day in an instant, making Elixir feel exhausted but not yet enough to sleep. Tonight she wanted to watch the stars for the first time since they settled in the Plateau. The wolfdog has made her way to a rock, which was the only boulder that stood out in the Plateau, that overlooked a small meadow. It made for a good star gazing spot. A small smile filled her lips at she hopped up on the rock and laid on the cool surface. Her eyes followed the horizon all the way up to the North Star, her favorite star, and she admired it for a while.
Not far off she heard some rustling but she wasn’t worried about it as she knew Kavik sometimes wondered through the night like Elixir. It became alarming to her when the newest recruit came barreling to the meadow only calming when she looked around. Elixir furrowed her brow not in question but sympathetically, it seemed she was frightened and the wolfdog knew all to well what that felt like.
She hopped from the boulder to introduce herself to Ruenna. “Hello” She said softly as she didn’t want to scare her. Elixir stopped a respectful distance away, still feeling concerned for her packmate and wanted to get to the bottom of it.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
Rue should have just slept under the stars as she usually did, but she was doing her best to integrate in with the others. If she was always absent from the Door when the pack was resting together, someone would eventually notice and comment. Rue felt the strong need to fly under the radar. If the pack knew how weak and pathetic their new recruit truly was, would they even want her anymore?
A packmate appeared-- a canine who was somehwat familiar to Rue, or else she might have seized up in terror once more. The floppy-eared wolfdog was a stark enough visual contrast to Sjorn that Rue was comfortable with her approach. Rue assumed that the woman had followed her from the Door. She had certainly made enough of a commotion to wake another and raise some questions among the other sleepers.
"Hello," she answered, honey eyes meeting those of her new companion before casting downward. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I thought I, um.. that I.. heard something. But everything is fine." Rue wasn't a very accomplished liar. The explaination she offered was quite a pitiful excuse, and it was obvious that everything was not fine.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 15, 2018
Elixir studied the woman as she waited for a reply. She looked ghostly in the night, her tan and cream pelt looked to almost glow in the moonlight. The ebony wolfdog had listened to her explanation and her apology. To her there wasn’t a need to apologize, she too had a hard time sleeping so she need not to ever say sorry and she would let Ruenna know.
“I’m Elixir, don’t apologize I’m usually up far into the night. “ she reassured her that the commotion didn’t disturb her any but rather gave her some company. “I wasn’t sleeping. I was up on that boulder and saw you bolt in here. It seemed like you were frightened? “ she asked at the end to make sure she wasn’t just seeing things. “Was it something you saw or a nightmare?” She said sitting back on her haunches softly. If Ruenna wanted to talk about it Elixir was all ears, the wolfdog had no where to go or anything better to do. Besides this was what she loved to do, help others with what they are struggling with.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
She was Elixir. Right. Rue thought that she maybe had known that already, but right now all the background information in her mind was buried beneath a layer of terror.
"Ruenna," she answered. Elixir did not want her to apologize. That would be tricky for Rue-- it seemed that half the words that ever fell from her mouth were apologetic.
Rue had expected that Elixir would either believe her lie and question her about what she thought she heard, or that Elixir would not believe her but simply go along with the lie out of avoidant politeness. Elixir did neither. She ignored Rue's pitiful lie entirely, which was.. oddly refreshing. She seemed to understand the root of Rue's problem inherently, inquiring immediately about nightmares. Perhaps Elixir would make an understanding confidant. Rue deperately needed one.
"Not a nightmare, a.. a memory." Rue looked back up after her admission, clearly telling the truth now. "..A memory that I don't want to remember.. but I end up remembering it a lot.. and um.. remembering quite vividly." Rue wasn't sure how to explain the flashbacks in a way the other woman would understand, but hopefully having a memory didn't sound as pathetic and puppyish to Elixir has having a bad dream.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 15, 2018
Elixir smiled at her name because for some reason it fit her to a T. The ghostly girl seemed to really be frightened and Elixir sympathized with that. The shadow that haunted her always made her feel that way. She felt he was there with every corner she turned and every time she had closed her eyes at night. It wasn’t a good feeling and that’s why she wanted to help others.
The wolfdog listened to her explanantion of why she was barreling through the night. The smile slowly faded as she listened, because Elixir understood what she was going through. The fear in her eyes were all that Elixir needed to help her. “sometimes when things are so traumatic in our life they can come back so real that it feels like we are reliving them. I don’t want to pry at this but if you’d like to talk about it sometimes it helps.” She said nodding giving a warm smile. “I too have memories that come back and haunt me still.” Elixir wanted her to know she wasn’t alone in this, but was still important to the wolfdog because she knew how it felt and wanted to help Rue.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
Rue hadn't realized how good it would feel just having the words out there... having someone who knew about her intrusive memories and was understanding.
"I've never spoken to anyone about it," Rue admitted, hesitant to continue confessing to someone she just met. "My parents knew some of it, but they didn't understand."
Elixer spoke of her own haunting memories and Rue's tilted her head, curious and sympathetic. "You do? For you, is it like he's actua-- I mean, like.. people are actually there? Like there's real danger?" Rue's ears flattened in embarassment. Wolves who saw and heard things that weren't there were crazy, weren't they? Is that what Elixir would think of her?
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 15, 2018
Elixir had only told Grezig and Liri what had happened to her so maybe telling Ruenna would help herself out too. She understood not telling anyone, it hurts you telling anyone because the memories come back. Just thinking about that day makes Elixir cringe. She nodded when she said only her parents knew but didn’t understand.
”I understand that.” She added before Ruenna continued.
When she stated him Elixir nodded curiously,how did she know?, was the only thing that came to mind. No visible scars were seen on Ruenna but there could be emotional ones that the wolfdog knew. “It’s okay.” She reassured her so her ears would relax again. “Let me share first, maybe you’ll be more comfortable that way?” Elixir offered because even though it’s hard for her to talk about it would be good to let Ruenna know her story.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
Elixir did not confirm or deny whether her experiences were similar to Rue's flashbacks, but she was comforting even so.
Rue's ears perked back up at the mention of Elixir's background story. "Okay," Rue said quietly, ready to listen. If there were similarities between her own and Elixir's experiences, maybe she had finally found the one person who would understand her choices.
Rue lowered her back end to the ground, relaxing somewhat as she made herself more comfortable. She felt safe out here in the open, underneath the stars and the glowing moon.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 15, 2018
Elixir was fine with going first, she had always been a good friend in letting her own stories let others reveal theirs. With Ruenna giving her okay she nodded and then remembered back to that dark evening. Her eyes were glossy as she was ready to tell the story.
“It was a foggy night, kind of like the ones you hear about in stories,but that didn’t deter me from wanting to leave this group to go find a star gazing spot.” She started out as a shiver went from her head down her spine stopping at her tail. “I had gone down the mountain curious of the land we had come upon just days prior. I was standing not far from a tree when I felt someone had been watching me. It’s such an eerie feeling. Now I feel it all the time.” She looked around for a second and then back to Ruenna. This wasn’t meant to be scary but every time it came up it was very real and very scary to Elixir. “Anyway when I turned he was there. I was so sure it was only a shadow but when I back up I hit the tree and he just kept coming. I was pinned and nothing could help me. Kavik, Grezig, Liri... they were all too far away for me to even call to them. I knew then I was going to be killed or hurt badly.” She then shifted her gaze to the ground as tears had welled in her eyes. “He lept toward me and gave a piercing howl or growl, it’s something Ill never forget. He came and grabbed a hold of my shoulder. His jaws felt like a million pounds just shaking and yanking and I didn’t know what to do. I finally grabbed his leg with all my jaw strength hoping he’d let go and he did. That’s when I lept over him and struggled to run away.” She finished looking back up at Ruenna.
Elixir knew this could mark her as weak but it also could help Ruenna share her own story and maybe feel better. “I ended up with this.” She said revealing the big wound on her shoulder, volleyball size, healing but still nasty looking. “He haunts me everyday. I look over my shoulder. I barely go out of the territory because I’m afraid I’ll see him and he’ll want to finish the job. It’s haunting.”
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 15, 2018
Elixir began, and Rue could already see her shivering. Autumn was certainly upon them, but the evenings were still warm enough that Rue knew that it was unlikely her companion was cold. Rue took a few steps forward, concern evident on her features. Despite looking distressed, Elixir continued.
When it became clear that this traumatic event happened here, Ruenna's jaw dropped. She had assumed she was relatively safe in the surrounding territories given that she carried the scent of her pack. Rue couldn't believe that someone had been so bold-- or so crazy-- as to attack someone with an entire pack behind her.
Rue's gaze hardened as Elixir recounted the attack. Nothing about Elixir's description sounded as if.. well, as if Elixir's attacker had the same -ahem- motiations that Rue's did. Even so, it was a horrifying tale, not to mention a horrifying wound. Rue's inhale hissed through her teeth as Elixir offered her shoulder for inpection.
"..I can't even imagine," Rue replied, eyes wide. "I'm.. I'm really impressed that you're still here, and that you go out at all. That's so..." Tears were welling in Rue's eyes, and she didn't quite know why. She fought through them to keep speaking. "Just.. to be attacked out of the blue like that, and to have no idea why.." It was a wonder Elixir could even hold it together as well as she was doing. Rue could barely hold it together, and she was just the listener.
"..Are we looking for this psycho? Are we warning people? How has he not been identified, been found?" There was an edge to Rue's voice. Why hadn't anyone told her there was a killer on the lose?! To think, she had been wandering the surrounding territories without a care in the world, thinking that her pack-scent protected her...
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 16, 2018
Elixir realized she hadn’t quite told the whole story, that she was with BDP before it even was at BDP, when Ruenna had made the comment “I’m surprised you’re still here”. Her face was a bit panicky at first and then she calmed. “It wasn’t here, you see, I have been with this group since it was Just Illidan, me, Grezig, Kavik, and Liri. We’ve traveled a long way to get here.” She said as she thought about how to describe the mountain she had been attacked on. “We stopped on a mountain before the place we originally were going to settle. It was a nice mountain. And then the night before we left is when I was attacked.” She explained hoping Ruenna would feel more safe in BDP now that she had explained.
Elixir never thought that the shadow could have followed them but maybe he had, she never gave it a thought because it was too scary though she is always alert when she’s by herself now. She had only told Grezig and Liri, a bit hesitant about telling Kavik. “No one has went out to look for him. I don’t see a reason since we are here now but there are border patrols so I feel safe.” She said softly and then nodded, she was probably mostly trying to make herself feel better.
“I hope my story hadn’t scared you and you feel like you can share yours with no judgement.” Elixir said with a small smile.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - September 21, 2018
Elixir's attack hadn't happened here; that was a small comfort at least. But Rue still couldn't understand why she hadn't been warned about the attacker earlier. She had done quite a bit of traveling in the mountains since arriving at Blacktail Deer Plateau. Elixir said that she felt safe here, but Rue wondered if that was really so. By her own admission, she was often still up and about long after the others went to sleep. "I still think we should spread the word. If you're okay with that, of course. If we get his description out there, it might save someone else from going through the same thing..." Rue's features darkened as she trailed off. That was a thought that haunted her often-- now that she had departed Red Fern Grove, had Sjorn turned his attention to some other helpless young female?
Elixir prompted Rue to share, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Mine was different.. I-.. It-.. had been coming for a long time. It was really my fault, I should have done more to stop it." Rue was shaking noticably as she stammered out all of the guilty thoughts that had been churning in her mind since the attack. Elixir had been attacked out of the blue-- that was understandable. People could sympathize with that. Rue had been courted by her attacker for months. Maybe if she had been less.. less nice, or naive, or something... if she had done something differently, maybe everything wouldn't have turned out so badly.
Rue swallowed. "I was supposed to love him, but I couldn't. I don't know what was wrong with me. Lots of girls liked him, and he was nice enough. At first." Rue's gaze dropped to her paws in shame. For her entire life she had done everything that was asked of her, no problem. She had tried to love Sjorn, she really had, but that had probably only served to confuse the man. That was why he attacked her, of course-- because he was confused. It was all Rue's fault, for leading him on.
"He didn't like hearing no, and after I kept saying it, he.. wasn't so nice anymore." Rue's voice was getting smaller as she spoke. "There was one night that he tried to.. um, to make me love him. And I got really scared and tried to get away, and... I accidentally hurt him. Really bad." This was Rue's deepest shame. She had permanently injured a man who was a valuable to her pack, much more valuable than Rue herself. In hurting Sjorn she had hurt Red Fern Grove, and she wondered if she would ever be able to forgive herself for that.
"My pack exiled me, of course." Rue paused for a beat, and then she met Elixir's gaze suddenly. "Please don't tell Liri and Kavik. It was an accident, and I--" Rue's voice caught up as she attempted to stifle a sob. If the alphas of Blacktail Deer Plateau ever learned of what she had done in Red Fern Grove, they would surely cast her out as well. She couldn't stand the thought of losing another home. Silent tears poured down the young woman's face, and she bit her lip to hold back her sobs.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - September 25, 2018
Elixir listened her ears sort of drooped as the story went on. She knew this was not Rue's fault, the man should not have forced love on her or anything else for that matter. It burnt Elixir up but she was calm on the outside, knowing if she showed she was pissed at the man it might make Rue feel like it was her she was pissed at. All the wolfdog wanted to do was nuzzle the girl and let her know everything was okay. Though their stories were completely different she felt as though she could be of some help here.
"That's not your fault. The pack shouldn't have exiled you, they should have exiled him. That behavior is unexceptable among many packs including this one. Liri and Kavik would never blame you if they found out, but I have a strict policy. If you come to me and tell me anything, I promise everyone I will NOT tell anyone else unless you want me to or you bring them with you. That's my policy and I stick to it." she explained her feelings and policy in a soft way. "I understand why you have the feeling he might still come after you or be around. He should never make you love him or anything else. " she said
Elixir forgot she had ignored the first part of what Ruenna had said, to get Elixir's attacker out there so no one else gets hurt. She looked at the ground to ponder for a moment. "I guess we could try for that, if we could. Maybe we could do that with yours too so if he ever came around our pack members would know to never let him here." she said with a nod.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - October 03, 2018
The pack shouldn't have exiled you, they should have exiled him.
Rue's mouth opened and closed a few times in wordless protest. Half of her wanted to agree with Elixir's assessment of the situation, but the other half knew that it was more complicated than that. Behavior like Sjorn's was certainly frowned upon in Red Fern Glade, but Sjorn had never been her packmate. He was a high-ranking wolf in Black Fern Forest, a pack allied to the Glade. So even if he had broken every law in the book the Glade wolves wouldn't have been able to sanction him.
Further complicating matters was the fact that the Forest alliance was very important to the Glade-- so much so that it was unlikely the pack would survive without it. That meant that to the Glade leaders, keeping Black Fern Forest wolves placated was more important than standing up for Rue, who had been barely more than a yearling at the time and had yet to prove her worth as an adult packmate. It wasn't as if Rue had actually been hurt, after all.
It was a small comfort, knowing that Rue was unlikely to experience a similar incident in Blacktail Deer Plateau. At least if she did, she would have Elixir on her side. "Thanks," Rue said, relief evident in her voice. Perhaps the other woman was right, and Liri and Kavk would sympathize with Rue... but Rue still wanted her secret kept for now.
"He won't come here, except for in my dreams," Rue assured Elixir with a shake of her head. Sjorn had no reason to leave his home; he had everything he could want in Black Fern Forest. Well, everything except Rue, but he had probably already replaced Rue with some other poor, naive young woman-- probably one with less fight in her than Rue, if he had learned from his mistakes. The thought of it turned Rue's stomach. "..But people should know about these creeps. People, females, they should.. should know.. what can happen out there."
A spark of hope was evident in Rue's gaze. The thought of actually doing something to prevent the victimization of other women made her feel lighter somehow. Maybe this was how she could overcome her past and move on from her pain and guilt.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - October 10, 2018
Even though their stories weren’t super similar they were both victims. They came together and Elixir was calmer now that she could be of help to Rue. She seemed to be a nice wolf and Elixir was glad to have this interaction with her no matter how hard it was. With their stories they could help anyone, if she wanted but that’s why Elixir tells hers.
Ruenna tells her that he would never come here. “I hope he doesn’t because hell would pour down on him. “ she said cynically. He deserved whatever karma came to him after what he did to Ruenna. “Well if you ever need someone to talk to at night because of these dreams I’m always around. “ she said to reassure her. The wolfdog knew dreams could be scary.
”I do think that everyone should know about mind though. He is kind of local right? So if anyone sees him they know to be aware. “ she said and smiled at Rue. Hopefully it would help out someone some day. It felt good to help anyone with this.
RE: chicken noodle soup - Ruenna - October 14, 2018
Rue smiled at the strength of her new friend's conviction. If Elixir was this determined to protect her, then it seemed promising that Liri and Kavik and her other packmates would share her views. "Okay," Rue replied to Elixir's offer, brow knitting slightly as she considered the other woman's words. She didn't want to be a bother to Elixir, but her new packmate really and truly seemed to want to help.
"Right!" Rue agreed, glad that Elixir saw things as she did. She brightened at the idea of being able to help other wolves, especially females. "We should start.." she was about to say "right away," but a wave of fatigue hit her then-- probably due to the fear and adrenaline wearing off. "..Soon," she finished, "Tomorrow maybe. After--" Her sentence was interrupted by a gigantic yawn. "--after we get some rest." She smiled again. "Thank you, Elixir, I really feel a lot better now."
__
Feel free to wrap up/archive with your next post. :)
RE: chicken noodle soup - Elixir - October 16, 2018
Elixir saw that Rue was beginning to be tired again. The feeling was mutual. A yawn began and immediately she shut it down. “Yes tomorrow works for me too.” She said nodding.
The hard work would begin after good sleep. “You’re welcome I’m always around if you ever need anything.” She said turning to find a place to sleep. Her paws drug exhaustedly.