steppin' up the production line.
#1
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@&#&$After returning from the expedition to Halifax, he'd commandeered the old shed from their last war--the one in which Firefly had been held captive. After several failed attempts to pull the correct numerical sequence up from the depths of his brain, he managed to disengage the combination lock that was still left in place from over a year ago. He'd slipped inside to find the keys to the other locks much as he'd left them, moving quickly and quietly so as not to disturb the residents of the old house.
@&#&$For the longest time nobody had lived here--when Halo first moved in, he'd visited less and less with the night of Halloween standing out as the primary exception. Technically they all had a right to come and go as they wished, but the young woman hadn't been thrilled about the huge party rolling in and it didn't take a lot of imagination to figure out why. Now that Cotl, Marik, and Cassius had taken up residence here as well, it felt less like an invasion of privacy.
@&#&$With Alacrity holed up in his den and the trees too stiff and brittle from the winter temperatures, he'd recently found this place to be a practical work out spot, too. The gates would not snap under his weight during pull-ups or push-ups as the bough of an oak might. He'd found himself stopping by with greater regularity; most recently he'd been caught by Mason screwing around on the ice. At present he was not so concerned with exercise or play, however.

@&#&$The extra keys jingled around his neck and he decided he'd have to find some way to keep them separated. The soft tinks were no better than dog tags on a collar--they did nothing for stealth, but he liked having the garage door key on hand at all times. Now he wanted to keep those to the storage shed on his person, too.
@&#&$Inside the shed he'd stashed the spoils of his trip--numerous lengths of PVC pipe, some lumber, a bucket of screws, a bucket of nails, an old hand drill with an assortment of bits, two hammers, a mallet, a tape measure, a handsaw with several spare blades, a screw driver, and several hundred square metres of plastic sheeting. (With all the energy he'd drained bringing these things back, it was no wonder construction hadn't commenced immediately.)
@&#&$Now, though, it was time. He'd had time to rest and eat, and due to the intensity of his everyday exercises he recovered rather quickly. He took the tape measure and his book first, flipping through the pages and setting it down on a broad rock with a smaller one on top to keep his place. He looked for a flat open plot of land and measured out what he considered to be reasonable dimensions, marking the corners with twigs. He then went back to the shed and cross-checked what he'd need against his supplies--maybe he'd have to go a little smaller.
@&#&$One ear fell back and he glanced back up at the old brick structure; maybe having a piece of paper and a pen would make these calculations easier. He started to make his way back towards the front door--surely he'd find something useful inside.

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#2
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Word Count: 550


In Character

The wounds that Gabriel had gained trying to kill the blue eyed Dahlian devil were starting to heal. They had closed up a few days ago, and were scabbing over nicely. No scars would be gained from that petty incident, one which had left a bad taste in the Aquila’s mouth. It was a fact now that he had dragged the whole of Inferni into the conflict—made apparent by his still recovering sister, Rikka. Guilt had been the main weight on his shoulders over his state, but he had since reconciled and mutated this feeling into an aggression that sunk deep into his body and heart, making his constant emotional state one where he could feel little more then the ever present fury that would undoubtedly send him once more back to the Dahlian borders, once more into the breach where he would hunt down that madman and tear whatever he had in place of a heart out of his chest.

Patrols had increased, as ordered, and there was little danger in having the borders crossed by any of the Dahlian wolves. Still, this did not mean that Gabriel would lessen his own duties in keeping an eye on the Waste. A clear path had been forged in the snow by constant monitoring—the borders themselves, a large spider web near the caves, another path reaching out to the mansion. This was the path Gabriel was currently following, his wolfish body a large golden-black contrast against the snow. Though he did not often spend much time in the building, Gabriel made a point to be conscious of who lived in the human structure. Halo he was very much aware of, having found her scent overbearing that Halloween night when he had been forced into playing a game he had no place in. Still, it had been a fun experience, and he was glad that his cousin had lightened up once they had set the bonfire and made their small presence known to the world.

Cotl’s horse was the strongest scent, because it was so unfamiliar to him. Having a horse within the borders of Inferni was something that Gabriel had never expected to see. It was a curious addition, but Cotl himself was a remarkably curious character. Still, Gabriel knew that having a horse was something they could use—there was no doubt that its speed would prove useful in the times to come. The scents of two other males became more apparent as he neared the house, one he identified with Cotl’s brother, and the other he did not know by name. Amongst these, though, he also managed to find Anselm’s scent very fresh, suggesting that either his cousin was in the area or had been recently.

Sure enough, he found the golden hybrid making his way towards the entrance of the large building. Gabriel let out a short bark to announce his presence, then trotted towards the equally wolfish Caelum. “Fancy seeing you here,” he greeted, tail wagging once behind him in a friendly greeting. “How’s Alacrity settling in? I haven’t seen her out much.” A playful grin made its way across the Aquila’s face, but his eyes did not lose their sharp edge. Even now, the weight of days was making itself apparent in Gabriel’s face.


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table by sie
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#3
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@&#&$His ears twitched at the sound of his cousin's voice and his casual stroll came to an immediate halt. He turned and offered a weary wave and a dip of his head to the commander, his own tail wagging lightly behind him in turn. Without him even calling for it, it seemed as if Gabriel would make good on his promise to help with the greenhouse. "Yeah; I took a trip down to Halifax the other day for supplies... quite a haul, you should see it." Even unassembled the multitude of parts and tools suggested much work and thought had been put into the project already. It was one of several things that suggested, despite the turbulence, that things would sooner or later fall into place. Of course he was anxious to see it in its final state, but for now progress was progress and he'd take what he could get.
@&#&$On the subject of Alacrity he hesitated, as he was a little less certain. In theory things would be fine. Tomorrow. He hated not knowing for sure, but Shaila's delivery was outside his realm of control. If the woman magically found another source or simply stopped caring and stole off into the night, he'd be no better off than he was two days ago. "She's all right I guess," he said, gaze falling to the ground. "She ain't built for this weather," he said, although he doubted it was necessary. Her coat was paper thin compared to their thick double-layer fur; it really wasn't any wonder she'd taken to holing up in the den almost exclusively as the average temperatures dipped below freezing. "I've got a hunch it'll all work itself out in the next couple days though," he offered, the glint in his eye suggesting greater forces were at work than chance alone.

@&#&$"But hey, man, I was just about to grab some paper and a marker if I can find it. Shouldn't take long; I'll meet you out back?" he queried, assuming this time would afford Gabriel a chance to shift in privacy if he so desired. Once the doggish man gave him the go ahead, he turned with a nod and continued along the snow-drifted walkway to the front door. He slipped inside quietly, the only sounds to be heard the soft tink of his keys and the fainter click of his nails against the hard tile floor. In no time he was in the old Lord's library, sifting through the contents of a solid oak desk. After securing the items he'd been looking for, he found his way out back as promised and glanced around for Gabriel.

mall-caps;font-weight:bold;text-align:right; border-top:1px solid #AB360D">SoSuWriMo +442
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#4
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Word Count: 1035


In Character

Though there was no need for such formality, given that Gabriel did not always expect submission, let alone from his cousin, he was glad to see such a thing. It showed respect, more then anything else, and it was the singular thing the Aquila could expect from his members. Even his mother—his arrogant, selfish mother—knew that he had the will and the power to lead Inferni to greatness. He had led them to war twice, and now he had no doubt that Inferni would come out victorious. Haku Soul, and any who chose to follow him, would die come the end of it. Gabriel had no mercy for the wicked, and those who would bow their heads and thoughtlessly obey a blue eyed devil were no better then the demon himself.

Anselm had, apparently, gathered everything he required for the greenhouse. This pleased Gabriel greatly, and he was doubly thrilled to know his cousin had taken such initiative. Despite the battles that would no doubt come soon (and they would come en mass, as Gabriel’s instincts told him), Anselm had not lost sight of what was important. Their borders, their survival, and improving what could be done to ensure this. Even in the past few days he had begun to come across colored stones and their traps. Having this current project finished would certainly give them the push that Gabriel hoped they needed. It would no doubt take time for plants to grow, but having healing herbs and such at their doorstep was something that would certainly aid them in such times as these.

The mention of his cousin’s peculiar African companion made the Aquila frown slightly. He had not even considered her thin coat a problem until now. Still, Anselm seemed to have it under control—that glimmer in his eyes told Gabriel he had a separate hand in it. Though he didn’t understand the Caelum’s dealings, he knew that with the drug cache in the city there would be no small amount of unfortunates and undesirables willing to do anything for a fix. It was an unfortunate fact that came with the territory, but as long as Anselm kept them away from Inferni there would be no problems. Though the answer given was not enough to satisfy his initial curiosity, he accepted it. Whatever Anselm did with Alacrity was his business, and Gabriel intended to let it stay that way.

At the invitation, Gabriel nodded. His shift was longer then expected, given that Gabriel had not taken the form in months. It bothered him, but at the same point, unless he was using his hands or sparring with his niece (something he no doubt would start soon) there was no need for it. His strength was best suited for the lupus form, as shifted, he was no match for any wolf that might come after him. Grunting, he pushed his dark hair out of his face. With age, it had lost the golden-red streaks it had once carried, and was nearly black at the roots. It hung to his shoulders, and gave him a ragged, messiah-like appearance. Still uncomfortable in his own skin, the coy-wolf pulled his shoulders against his chest, one after the other, and felt the left one’s joint grind uncomfortably. Without any consideration for long-term effects in his youth, Gabriel had continued to work the arm following the incident with the Storm wolf. These days, he regretted that choice. It ached uncomfortably during the coldest days and always after any long term work. Running, as much as he loved it, could only occur for short bursts or he risked having hours of pain afterward. Still, he didn’t let that fact cripple him as it might have.

While he waited for Anselm, Gabriel moved along the side of the house. His attention focused on the structure, having spotted weak points earlier in the winter. They were still there, especially around the covered porch. In the spring there would be no lack of effort to make the place suitable to live in, given that at least three or four coyotes called the mansion home. Wood would be needed, and though Gabriel had little experience in working with it, he would certainly spend what time he could spare reading up on techniques. It wouldn’t be a terrible amount to take care of provided they began as soon as the weather became better. Even with his base knowledge and experience with carpentry, he knew that snow could and would pile up and cause just as much damage to an unfinished structure as it would their current building.

One ear swiveled at the faint tinkling of keys, something not unlike the charms around Gabriel’s own neck, and he turned his head to find the source. He could only see part of Anselm from where he stood. “Over here,” the Aquila called out, stepping away from the building to make himself more visible. A chunk of his dark to light hair fell and obscured part of his face, causing the coy-wolf to frown and tighten his jaw, irritated by such a thing. His right hand, scarred and a constant reminder of his own weakness, pushed this back behind his ear where he hoped it would remain. Though he had once tied it back, he no longer had the convenient little wrap that had made such a thing easy (this too, along with so many other things, had been lost in that holy fire over the mountains).

As Anselm approached, items in hand, Gabriel waited for him patiently, then began moving towards the garden once his cousin had come to his side. During his time outside, in silence, the Aquila had come to a realization that he now needed to share. “You know,” he began, scratching his neck with the same scarred hand. “With things getting as crazy as they are you’ve done a lot to keep things on track. I’m sure it’s a lot, given everything and all, but if you think you can add to that weight load I’d like to offer you the Optio position. I need someone who can do what needs done here, and you’ve proven yourself more then capable.”


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table by sie
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#5
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@&#&$Anselm thought many things in life were simple, straightforward, and clear cut. The stars, the weather, the old human contraptions and structures, the flora and fauna at large--none of these things mystified him as they once did in his younger days. These things worked in patterns; they obeyed some indisputable laws. Though on the surface Nature could appear somewhat chaotic (with her hurricanes, tornadoes, and storms), ultimately she was a simple machine. Any time conscious beings were introduced into the mix, however, something happened. Things that might have seemed obvious could no longer be taken for granted. Although the coyotes were justified ten times over in their actions, he had no doubt Haku could make his cause seem just as upright and proper.

@&#&$If the sick Rosen covered all traces of his own madness, his followers would have no reason to question his rule: those smelly coyotes attacked his sister before, and now they had the audacity to come after him while he was sitting innocently at home on his own territory! He'd never mention that his sister had trespassed first, much less that he'd instigated the recent attack by raping Inferni's Centurion. Ultimately such ignorance was inexcusable. Any who erected themselves as walls in Haku's defence would have to be torn down and blown away. The coyotes would certainly be given no fair chance to explain their side of the story--unless they played their cards right, they'd have no opportunity to present a counterargument at all, giving those with more than two brain cells rattling about their heads a chance to step aside and allow what had to be done.

@&#&$Until the time was right, they'd have to hold down the fort. To Anselm, that meant having adequate supplies on hand, the option for retreat, and a well-monitored border. The last was a given any day of the week, war or no. In Alacrity's case, with the "option to retreat" came the "option to go outside at all," and this was something he'd have liked for her regardless. He knew he would tire of the same walls before very long--he had no doubt her cabin fever was worsening by the minute, and that the cozy den would soon become more of a stuffy enclosure. As for supplies, there was only so much he could do. He'd collected a small stockpile of clean cloth for bandaging and tourniquets, a few bottles of liquor for sterilisation... beyond that, he felt at a loss.
@&#&$Aside from the books he'd shown Gabriel earlier in the winter, he had few ideas regarding which plants would be best to grow. For the time being, it was a bridge to be crossed when he came to it. There was no sense in postponing what he could do now just for uncertainty in the future. In time, he'd talk to Fritz--and possibly Corona, though he had no way of knowing his sandy cousin would return just in time to aid them in their efforts. Any who were out of sight could be safely presumed out of mind, or at least far enough in the back it was inconsequential. Inferni and Dahlia were all that there was; even thoughts of Axle and Grit, his friends in Crimson Dreams, and the handful of other friendly faces he'd met throughout the lands had fallen to the wayside in light of his preoccupation with Haku.

@&#&$The madman should have felt honoured. Even now, this meagre pen and piece of paper were implements dedicated to his destruction. Anselm looked up from the first few numbers he'd sloppily scrawled down as Gabriel called out and he trotted forward quickly. As they rounded the corner to the back, the Aquila continued to speak and Anselm listened in silence. "I'll do what's necessary," he replied simply in time, figuring no further elaboration was required. This would have been a true statement regardless; the hybrid wasn't sure his duties or dedication would change significantly with the new title, but he felt honoured all the same. If nothing else, it would be easier convincing others to lend a hand and it would streamline the acceptance process, supposing he ran into any more joiners on the border. "I gathered from the meeting not all were ready to rush in guns a'blazin'. Perhaps I can recruit them for the home defence side of things, yea?" he wondered idly, beginning to sift through some of his supplies as they reached the storage shed.

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#6
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Word Count: 811


In Character

There was no doubt, given what had occurred during the last war, that Inferni would look like the bad guys. They were, after all, terrible coyotes who had nothing better to do then attack poor innocent wolves. Asphyxia had attacked first, but she had done so on their land. It was unfortunate that the she wolf had lost her children, but Haku had taken his revenge on her fast and hard. Then he had rushed out and slaughtered two innocent people—a mother and child no less—simply because whatever demon it was inside of his head would not allow there to be revenge without blood. Haku had started that war, and Gabriel had met him head-on. The same could be said for this upcoming battle, in which it was not simply a matter of unfinished business, but of striking out once and for all to eliminate the damned blue eyed wolf from existence once and for all.

Gabriel’s own ego had shattered any sort of conversation that could be held with Phoenix Valley. DaVinci’s attitude and refusal to leave Inferni alone had driven him to lash out verbally at his alpha, only to have the situation turn sour when two dominant forces had met head to head. Jefferson was anything but weak, and his strength lay not in the physical, but in his own stubbornness as well. Gabriel had not gone near that pack since their scrap, and did not intend to now that war was on the wind. Considering, further, that Gabriel had killed their founder when she had stumbled blindly into Inferni and provoked him through nothing more then her words. It infuriated him to have his weakness held in a woman he no longer cared for. Faolin was a fading memory, one overshadowed by her betrayal and the way she had managed to look at him as if he was a stranger. Now, he hated her. He did not hate many people, but he felt no love for the red coated woman who had betrayed him twice over now.

Gabriel was pleased that Anselm accepted his offer, citing the need for it rather then his own want, which had been a large part of the decision. There was, certainly, a need for such a thing with times being what they were. Though aware of his cousin’s growing trade in the city, Gabriel had considered it an option for finding information. Besides, with Anselm traveling to and fro, there would be many opportunities to keep his eyes and ears open. Even if he didn’t intend to fight, it would certainly do them well to know what the word from the other packs were. If, as they had before, the wolves tried to band together, Gabriel needed to know. He would not stand for such a thing and would need to crush it ultimately if this came to a head. Still, a part of him doubted it would. Haku Soul thirsted for blood and pain, and if he could not take this from Inferni, he would strike out against others. Svara, with her scars and her cruel eyes, had been one of those few who had come to him. Had she done so in a different manner, he might have called her an ally. Instead, she had wanted thugs, wanted muscle and wanted to send Inferni to fight her battle. Inferni fought no battles but their own.

Except, of course, when those Infernians had been so new to battle they turned, aghast, from the proposition. Gabriel had not failed to notice this, and it seemed Anselm had not either. Under his darkening hair, the Aquila’s amber eyes glimmered darkly. While he did not expect all of their coyotes to desire blood and rush into battle, he would not accept anything less then a strong home defense. Were they to leave their borders unprotected, leave their back door open, it would be catastrophic. “Yeah,” he agreed, sparing a glance towards the forest. With the trees bare, they could see several dozen yards into the distance, but even this fact did not mean they were constantly aware of every eye upon them. “I don’t want anyone not pulling their weight. We have enough members by now that there’s no excuse for any wolf to cross our borders. You can do whatever you need to with them, but if the time calls for it they’re going to need to fight.” Turning his eyes back to the golden wolfish hybrid, Gabriel’s voice dropped slightly. “They’re not all going to survive, but I want to make sure as many of them do as possible.”

Shaking the idea off, Gabriel exhaled in a sigh and pushed his hair out of his face once more. “This should help, though. This is gonna be a long term project, and you’ve got more then enough hands to help.”


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table by sie
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#7
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@&#&$Although the men could relate on many things, he would never be able to empathise with his cousin on the subject of Faolin. All of the women in his life had been easy come, easy go; he'd toss the idea out there and if they were interested, he'd have a merry old time--if they refused, he'd continue on his way. Rejection was merely a part of the game, nothing to fuss or trouble himself over... and throughout life he'd had more takers than not. He'd laid with all sorts of women; petite coyotes, proud wolves, stray dogs, some near his age, some a few years older, and some younger. They'd been black, white, gold, brown, and everywhere in between--some were random loners, some were pack wolves, some were even mated already, though for whatever reason they were dissatisfied and accepted his offer. He couldn't remember all of their names, especially those who'd crossed his path but once; some, like Lene, he'd stayed with for nearly a fortnight and remembered more clearly.
@&#&$Love or devotion had never been factored into the equation. Perhaps Alacrity would break the record? His infatuation with her was different--here he not only wanted to put his best foot forward, he also respected her space. He was content to take it slow. She didn't seem like the sort of woman to rush into things on a whim and though in the past he'd pass these ladies by without a second thought, here he was willing to put in a modest amount of effort. He found, strangely, that he'd been thinking less of the other random females he met in day to day life as well. They just didn't strike his fancy to the extent that they might have before he met the exotic African beauty--they really couldn't compare to her allure and charm. Even so, Rome was not built in a day; it was unlikely he'd truly changed in any lasting, meaningful way. She would continue to captivate him so long as she was around, but supposing she ever left, it was no mystery that he'd quickly revert back to his old ways.
@&#&$As he crunched through the numbers in his head and listened to Gabriel, however, thoughts of the painted woman were far from his mind. He finished his calculations and decided he'd have to scale it back--technically he had just barely enough to erect a structure with the original dimensions he'd anticipated, but that didn't allow for a safety factor (or in his mind, "wiggle room"). Just in case something fucked up, he wanted spare supplies on hand--gathering these the first time had proven to be quite an ordeal. He resolved, then, to cut a metre off each side. He rearranged his markers and nodded once he was satisfied with their position, his tattooed ear flicking gently as Gabriel finished talking. "Well, it's one thing to charge in hungerin' for blood, 'n quite another to hold down your own fort. I'm sure they'll all rise to the occasion when he decides to attack," he said, his word choice making it clear he thought this would happen.
@&#&$He looked up from the future footprint of their grow house and caught Gabriel's gold with his red and a grimace. "He thinks he's invincible. Sooner or later he'll grow too confident and come after us himself--when that happens, we will win," he clarified, though his tone was quiet and dark. His justifications for such a statement were a thousand fold, but it was clear he had no intention of elaborating further. He figured Gabriel understand from the knowing glint in the new Optio's eye alone. "If we want to minimise causalities, we'd do best to keep everyone close to home. That said, he may take some more instigation and prodding to decide his minions aren't cutting it and take matters into his own hands," he said, feeling completely at ease as he voiced his opinion to his leader, cousin, and friend. They'd jumped through these fiery hoops together a dozen times over in the past, and for everything, Anselm felt comfortable and relaxed.
@&#&$
"Want to give me a hand with a few of these?" he wondered absently, the sharpness in his tone and gaze fading ever so quickly, replaced by a dutiful weariness. He picked up a small plastic bag filled with several joints for the pipes and tugged on the encasement absently. It put up more resistance than anticipated so he pulled harder, and when it gave, the half dozen or so fittings flew up into the air and scattered on the ground with a clatter, leaving Anselm wide-eyed and blinking. Maybe this operation wouldn't be very graceful, and maybe the weight of the times was bearing down on all of them, but none of this stopped him from offering a soft what are you gonna do? laugh as he bent to pick them up. Anselm passed them off to the Aquila and grabbed some of the larger lengths of pipe himself.

mall-caps;font-weight:bold;text-align:right; border-top:1px solid #AB360D">SoSuWriMo +843
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#8
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Word Count: 822


In Character

The fact of the matter was, like it or not, Gabriel had put his everything into Faolin. He had been repaid with two children and a world of heartache and pain. Now, though, he had grown numb to this. Either Gabriel was angry about the matter or he became indifferent. There had never been a drive in him to find sexual pleasure with nothing behind it. Gabriel had always been more closed in when it came to sharing his body, unwilling to trust anyone even if they were only their for that physical need. Love had been a large factor in all after the first, which had been a girl who had pushed herself on him. Gabriel had not fought, but he knew he had not been ready to give her his all. So, he had shunned her afterwards, unwilling to open his heart to anyone.

Anselm’s record, from what Gabriel had gathered after meeting and knowing two of his children, was very different then his own. So, he believed that the woman he had brought home was another flight of fancy, an exotic partner to keep him busy during the winter before moving on. If he had ever believed that Anselm had intended to spend the rest of his life with the woman, Gabriel would have thought less about how to provoke his cousin in the matter and more about how to ensure it went well. He had been interested in Alacrity upon meeting her, and though he had never seen anyone like her, believed something special had to be in her breed outside of its build and coat. Had he known the militaristic way that African Wild Dogs hunted, he would have doubled his efforts to ensure her place in Inferni and made sure she was able to shine when the coldest nights were long behind them.

Gabriel’s lips pursed at the observation, though he believed the same was not long from coming. Haku Soul would bring his minions across their borders as he had done before. Certainly, Anselm believed this true, and believed that he understood how Haku thought. By this point, they had both had a fair idea on the matter—but Gabriel, above all others, found that Haku was above all else simple. One day, he would attack; but not until provoked, not until he was forced to. Even though Gabriel did not wish to see his coyotes cut down, he had seen them coming in and known their bodies and minds were unfit for war. It would take more then hiding behind their wolf skulls and borders to draw out the devil. Gabriel knew that more certainly then he would have liked to believe.

Anselm’s tone changed the minute he threw himself into work, and Gabriel turned his attention to the matter at hand. Of course, at the sudden explosion of plastic into the air, his ears stood up high and his eyes widened momentarily, surprised by the force at which they flew around. Letting out his own half-hearted, more exhale then laugh breath, he held out his arms and took the plastic joints rather haphazardly in his hands. It was apparent that the Aquila did not enjoy being in this form, given that his dexterity was slightly slower then average. He was not meant for, nor did he take great joy in, the Optime form. Only seven feet tall, thanks to his wolfish blood, Gabriel barely looked intimidating when it came to facing down a much larger wolf. In fact, he looked rather scruffy, and thin—his muscles were not bulky, and while he had the weight behind him, his build was more intended for speed then for squaring off with a heavy weight boxer.

“Well, those traps should help with it. I told Cotl’s brother to talk to you, he had a few ideas. I’m letting that be your department,” he said, the unspoken and apparent reason why clear. Gabriel was not at all comfortable being on two legs, even though he was doing his best to keep face while around his cousin. Stepping lightly over the snow, he followed the golden hybrid towards the gardens. “Same with this whole operation,” he added, blowing his hair out of his face rather ungracefully. “Speaking of that, how goes your little project down in the city?” Anselm had explained what he was doing, but whether or not such an escapade was paying off was beyond the Aquila’s knowledge. Hopefully, it was, and it would keep Anselm in touch with the eyes and ears they would need. Rurik’s son, certainly, was proof enough that the call of Inferni reached far and wide, and though fuzzy on the exact details regarding how Silas managed to join, he was here. Gabriel made a mental note to discuss the matter with Rurik the next time he manage to make it to the city, but who knew when that would be.


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table by sie
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#9
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@&#&$Anselm's lip twitched visibly at the mention of Cotl's brother, not quite a snarl but still noticeable if only one were paying attention. Coupled with a rough snort of an exhale, it was clear where his thoughts on that idea lie. "That guy's about as straight as a goddamn river and queer as snow in June," he grumbled. For as much as he adored Cotl (in a highly platonic, friendly way, of course), he really wasn't too fond of the quirky man's incestuous gay sibling. Anselm had more or less avoided Hybrid after the Hydra's suggestion that they "go fuck" and he'd been intending to do the same with Marik after being blatantly ogled on the borders (not to mention watching the weirdo grope at his own brother).
@&#&$He hadn't even bothered to stick out the whole process, the situation was so bizarre--he felt compelled to leave halfway through. Anselm would begrudgingly tolerate the "bone smugglers," as it were, as their unnatural dealings largely did not affect him. As soon as they tried to get his dick shitty (for he certainly wouldn't be the one catching), however, all bets were off. "Bleck, thanks for the heads up, though," he said, indirectly conceding that they'd have to cooperate for the sake of Inferni. That didn't mean he intended to stay around and chat with the weird man for any length of time--even for business, their dealings would preferably be kept to five minutes, tops.
@&#&$"Haven't been down that way since this whole mess started," he admitted as he lie down some of the pipe, loosely fitting the joints together to form three quarters of a rectangle. He'd have to hammer them in the rest of the way, but he still wanted to figure out how he was going to anchor the damn thing first. There was an old hand pump in the back of the Mansion and a decent length of garden hose (which would certainly be useful for irrigation purposes later); he had half a mind to just fill the bottom of the frame with water to weigh it down. Supposing they ever wanted to move it for whatever reason, the water could simply be drained.
@&#&$"I reckon we have a sizeable enough crew that it wouldn't hurt to run down for a quick day trip here and there, but I haven't really seen the need. I installed a metal safe; keeps the scent in, weighs half a ton," he explained, completely unaware of just how accurate this statement really was. The only way he'd been able to move it in the first place was by employing an impromptu sleigh--and he hadn't even drug it more than half the distance himself. Now it sat in the back corner of his locked garage and he doubted anyone would disturb it. Even come summer when the plants were actively growing, he no longer had a reason to worry. "Met these two guys, they decided to take up residence nearby 'n keep an eye on the place in exchange for regular stipends.
@&#&$"Other 'n that, Rurik gave me instructions for home brewed alcohol, but go figure.. I'd have to negotiate with the Valley for some of the ingredients, and a lot of the rest are even harder to come by," he added as he worked. "Not so much concerned 'bout that as the poppies; I'd like to have a full yield next harvest, but that means I'd need to get started about now so I've got enough seeds in time for the real growing season," he shrugged a little, gesturing to one corner of the future greenhouse's footprint. "Figured it might be easiest to just rope off a section here for that now--I'd just be growing 'em for the sake of more plants, not to trade, and I guess when you get down to it they are legitimate painkillers," he finished with a small shrug as he left to fetch the hammer. He returned with it quickly and began to secure the pipes together, taking breaks in between the banging to listen for Gabriel's replies.

mall-caps;font-weight:bold;text-align:right; border-top:1px solid #AB360D">SoSuWriMo +685
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#10
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Word Count: 374


In Character

Gabriel, ever observant, did not miss the expression that came at the mention of the German hybrid, but Anselm was not one to beat around the bush and spoke his thoughts on the man well enough. Though he had found the boy mouthy, he hadn’t been perturbed or seen anything incredibly odd about the man. No more then his brother, at least. Frowning slightly, though not because he was upset, Gabriel spoke. “Something the matter with him? I know Cotl curses like no tomorrow, but Marik seemed decent when I spoke to him. Wasn’t acting like a lunatic or anything.” As far as the Aquila knew, Cotl’s behavior was more unacceptable (given that Gabriel did not know it was uncontrollable).

Still, their focus needed to be on the project at hand, and Gabriel stood to the side, watching the way that Anselm was forming the pipes into shapes. Unsure as to whether or not he was supposed to do the same, he hung back. Apparently, though, Anselm had his project under control, and had even made some friends to keep his stash protected. Figured. For as much as Gabriel had problems being friendly with strangers, Anselm was the life of the party, and had no difficulty pulling off a friendly face. Then again, Anselm had far thicker wolfish blood, and this perhaps allowed him to tap into the social aspects Gabriel’s coyote nature would not allow him to do.

Though he had expressed concern for Anselm growing his drugs within Inferni’s borders, at this point it seemed the only way for him to manage what he needed come summer. Gabriel was hesitant about the matter as a whole, but Anselm pointed out their use as painkillers and the Aquila’s face darkened, finding the entire issue something that did not settle with him. Still… “If you grow them here, we have to be careful. I don’t want anyone getting addicted to that, you know?” Even though Gabriel was very turned off when it came to drugs, he recognized their use in his members, given how many of them seemed to use at least one form or another. “What do you want me to do?” He asked, suddenly, finding himself looking rather useless as it stood.



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table by sie
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#11
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@&#&$"Eh, Cotl's cursing is involuntary... some kind of disorder, Tourettes or something?" he said with a shrug. He'd intended to look into it simply because he found the nature of the illness very fascinating, but between their war efforts and his personal projects he'd never found the time. "That other one, though, he can certainly figure out how to keep his eyes to himself," he responded gruffly. "You don't stand around and leer at every pretty number that strolls past, even if she is a looker, aye? Ya gotta keep it subtle. Otherwise it's pretty distasteful and it'll freak most of 'em out," he elaborated. "At least wait to see if there's any mutual interest first before throwing out blatant looks like that, y'know?" he wondered with a huff, figuring even if the Aquila wasn't quite as sleazy as the scout he'd understand the gist of it.

@&#&$"Well I guess I don't care which way his door swings, but may the stars above help him if he tries to open it my way 'cause I'm going to throw it right back in his face," he concluded with a grumble. Pretty women were more than welcome to ogle him all they wanted, but that sort of attention from a man clearly skeeved him out. "Oh, and if you're gonna stand around groping your own fucking brother, please do it on your own time, not mine," he added with a swift roll of his eyes before his teeth clicked together as he clamped his jaws shut. Gabriel would know it wasn't like him to launch off into a tirade about any of their members (or... well, anything)--obviously Marik had gotten under his skin. Needless to say, it felt pretty good to blow off some steam and get it out of his system. He exhaled a steady sigh and diligently pounded the last joint into place.

@&#&$One ear fell back at the mention of addiction, and he paused in his work to consider. For as much as he indulged in any given vice, Anselm did manage to keep himself pretty well under control. Most of the more "addictive" things he didn't like as much to begin with--alcohol, tobacco. That didn't mean everyone operated the same way, though, and he offered a solemn nod. "I wasn't intending to refine it to any of the most potent forms anyway. Wouldn't know how and don't really see the point," he explained. "Even so, I intend to keep a pretty close eye on the inventory," he assured the leader. Though he could sympathise with the Aquila's concerns, it ultimately didn't matter whether or not the scout's heart was in the right place--it'd do him no more good to have his entire supply ransacked than it'd do Gabriel to have a battalion of drugged coyotes screaming in withdrawal.

@&#&$"Hmm; you can start cutting off more lengths of pipe for the sides if you want. I'll mark where to cut 'em and then you just use a saw," he explained, making his way back over to the shed and collecting the materials he'd need. "Helps if you steady it on a rock with your foot," he said, laying one of the pipes across one of the small boulders to demonstrate. "To start a cut, you have to just draw it over a few times first... once you've got a decent groove you can start goin' back and forth," he added, continuing to demonstrate on the first pipe so Gabriel could see. It took more effort than one might guess and the bronze hybrid figured they could switch jobs after a bit so neither party got too tired.
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#12
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3


In Character

Though Gabriel had read medical books, they were essentially first aid guides. He knew very little about mental illness, though by all accounts, he should have. His family was riddled with illness, himself included. Had anyone been able to sit him down and given him an education regarding such things, it would become apparent that his own mind was far from healthy. Of course, Gabriel attributed such incidents to the Voice of God, and he did not understand his paranoia or trauma enough to identify it. For him, these things were not out of the ordinary, and he accepted them readily. Cotl, on the other hand, had been so brash it had startled his senses completely. Anselm’s description of his brother made the Aquila quirk an eyebrow, missing a large part of what the golden male meant, but indeed understanding enough to get it.

Gabriel was about to laugh when he instead found the sound catching in his throat, finding that incest did push a boundary he was uncomfortable with. His jaw tightened and he frowned, amber eyes darkening. They did not lighten as his cousin attempted to lessen his concern about opium eaters leaving Inferni weakened. Like it or not, Gabriel trusted the hybrid enough to let him take charge of the issue, and should he find a problem the Aquila was certain it would reach his ears. Finding this good enough, he focused his attention instead on the task at hand.

Anselm’s display was enough for Gabriel to understand, and once the length of pipe was cut he took the offered saw and settled down to work on the PVC. As the motion began, he found it initially very unusual, but becoming easier as he went. Of course, the dull ache in his left shoulder, currently sawing away at the plastic, was enough to warn him he wouldn’t be able to do this for long. “Hope this works out,” he said between strokes. “This is pretty rough.” Especially on his bad shoulder.




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table by sie
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#13
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WC: 321 GOD DAMN IT. -Had a reply for this but is doing too much at once and had to restart before she posted it.- >___o Reply take 2 = short. ;;


The worst would be the roof and the ventilation system. A simple rectangular prism would be ineffective as soon as they got any significant precipitation; the roof would cave under the weight. It would have to be constructed with an angle then--a task that seemed best left for the ground. Once it was all put together they could raise it up and secure it in place. The foundation was just as important, however, and while Gabriel hacked away at the pipe he went about securing the base in place. A small pocket knife, a bundle of rope, the mallet, and some loose railroad ties would help him accomplish this task.


By the time he was done Gabriel had made some decent progress; here he offered to step in. Yea, worse than it looks, eh? I can take over for awhile. Maybe you can secure the legs for the sides in place, just kinda wrestle 'em in. Eventually we'll lower the roof onto them and fix it all in place... we'll probably get the frame done within a couple days, he said, feeling rather confident about this. I'll need to find a ladder but I think there's one out front. After that it's mostly up to Cass to put in the heating and ventilation, but I managed to turn up this one book that might help us, he said.


Then we'll just wrap 'er up and she'll be good to go. There'll probably be a few headaches at first, but once this gets rollin' it won't be hard to keep up... We're lucky that hand pump is right here for irrigation... beyond that it'll mostly be a matter of keeping the stove going at all times, he explained. Firewood wasn't exactly hard to find and he figured someone might take an interest in the greenhouse's maintenance--even if nobody did, he could easily stop by once per day during his rounds.

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#14
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Figure we wrap up soon, and have an updated thread where Anselm is all "IT'S DONE Big GrinDDDD" and Gabriel applauds him.

Whether or not Anselm knew of his shoulder injury, Gabriel was glad for the golden man’s offer to take up the task. The saw was passed off and the Aquila turned his attention to the other pipes and their placement. Though the idea was simple enough, it was still impressive to see how far Anselm had actually gone with it. If this ordeal worked, Inferni would be prepared long before spring finally warmed up enough to allow for planting. “Well, it’s going to be something,” he said, unsure of what to expect. Gabriel’s familiarity with construction was limited, and what he did know was amateur at best. While he had a keen eye for observing what was wrong, he was less experienced about knowing how to fix said problem.

Grabbing a pipe with one hand, he began forcing it into the elbow connector. After a few tries, he realized how much easier it was to twist the pipe itself rather then force it down. Satisfied, he worked diligently to finish his task at hand. “You wouldn’t happen to have any books about fixing a house, would you?” He asked after securing the second pipe and heading for the third. Even if Anselm hadn’t noticed it yet, it would become apparent that the Mansion was in dire need of repairs.

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table by sie
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#15
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#words=508 yeah, after the pack thread now is a little further along we should Big Grin I figure this can be the last post or you can once more if you want?


A length of pipe fell to the ground with a dull thump and was promptly kicked aside as Anselm set up the next cut. Once Gabriel hinted at the Mansion's less than pristine condition, however, he paused in his work and turned around to gaze up at the "ancient" structure. He stood with his arms behind his head, each hand clutching one end of the saw and toying with it absently as he regarded the imperfections that betrayed the mansion's age. Admittedly he'd never paid it much mind before, taking for granted that it was obviously stable enough to inhabit; nonetheless, he could easily see what his cousin was driving at. Although far from dilapidated, some maintenance would do the old girl some good and then they'd get even more mileage out of her.

Not sure if I've got anything that specific, more on general carpentry 'n tools.. but they'd still be relevant. Most of those are down at my place in Halifax; next time I swing through there I'll bring 'em back, he explained. Guess the main problem is the roof; once too much water gets in things'll start to rot. I'm not so worried then about the technique as what materials we'd need... I'll have to do some research, 'n hopefully it'll be common stuff that we can find in a hardware store, he added. He'd spent some time on the roof of his garage and frankly, it reminded him of asphalt more than anything. It wasn't like tile and certainly not wood, at any rate; regardless, he had no idea how to go about procuring such a substance. At least they needn't worry about heating, cooling, plumbing, or electric!

Oughta be one hell of a job; you're right though, might as well address it before it becomes impossible, he concluded with a shrug before turning back to the task at hand. What was one more item on a to-do list a mile long? Once the greenhouse was in working order and things with the war died down, he could start work on his personal grow house and the Mansion repairs simultaneously. In his experience these sorts of things only became easier with time--by the end of all three projects, he'd be a guru. Subsequent upkeep would be less of an ordeal once they got the bigger details worked out, too.


It'll all come together, eh? Just gotta take it one step at a time, I guess, he mumbled, perhaps as much to himself as anyone. Well, we already made a good dent 'ere today, he said, this time with more conviction. Probably can wrap up within an hour, then I'll have to get Cass out 'n soon after that we'll be golden. Naturally it'd be easier said than done, but the greenhouse was an investment in the clan's future and Anselm derived great satisfaction out of contributing. Inferni had seen war so many times in the past and even if the greenhouse wasn't 100% useful this time around, they'd never be bumbling around last minute again.


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