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#1
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Boomer liked it here. In some ways, it reminded him of the dense jungle of the islands--except instead of brightly coloured exotic birds there were more earthy-toned ones, it wasn't nearly as humid or hot, and it wasn't as loud. While there were some frogs, birds, and insects singing, they weren't as overwhelming as those halfway around the globe. Instead of rats there were squirrels; instead of tree kangaroos there were raccoons. It always struck him just how many similar niches had to be filled no matter where he went. The diversity was welcome and although any of the locals might find their selection of wildlife trite and mundane, he was captivated by it.
Crouched down low with his camera at the ready, Boomer snapped a couple of shots of some possums that were just beginning to stir in the early evening. He desperately wished that he'd had his camera sooner--the sights he'd once taken for granted were now long gone. He hadn't had access to the technology back then, much less the understanding of how to work it, but at least he had known some extremely gifted tattoo artists. Glancing down at his bird of paradise tattoo, he sighed as a wave of nostalgia struck him. The possums had moved on to do whatever it was that they would do, but he remained seated Indian style simply listening to the sounds of the forest.

table by jesile/amanda! <3

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#2
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Infected. Sick. That’s what she was now. Walking around carrying their illness, the one that made her just as much a monster as they were. The ones who had done this to her were indeed monsters, Adelaida could look at it no other way. She felt violated and dirty, and it was due to the newly introduced virus that was coursing through her veins now. The physical injuries were purely superficial, they did not change her, but the virus did. And she hated herself for it now. How could she not? Adelaida was still unshifted, even if she could do so, she didn’t wish to. She held her injured right front leg up, limping along, trying not to think about what had happened. There were wounds, closing now, along her left side, a gash on her chest, and bruises all over. Although she was barely able to feel any of that, Adelaida had tricked her mind into thinking she could feel the virus spreading throughout her. And it burned.





So preoccupied with trying not to think she barely realized how far she had wandered. The two toned female also did not realize how closely she had come into the vicinity of another. Luperci. It was another one of them. Sandy colored creature, sitting crossed legged. Such an unnatural position for a canine. Adelaida swallowed hard, the sick feeling surging up once again. Oh god... Adelaida spoke involuntarily, and realizing how loud she was, she tried to take a few steps backwards and realized she was literally frozen in fear. A deer trapped in headlights. Once again her voice found a will of it’s own. Oh god...
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#3
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The tattooed male heard a rustling behind him and turned his head just in time to spot a female wolf staring at him, wide eyed. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she uttered a terrified "oh god." The fear was written all over her and it was so intense that he could smell it. Instantly he was puzzled--what was the issue? He could only guess--dingoes obviously weren't common around here, he was covered in tattoos, he was using a functional piece of human technology, etc. He would have never guessed, though, that it was something as "natural" or mundane as being a shifter. Almost everybody he'd ever met had been able to transform--in Europe, he wasn't sure if non-shifters still existed at all.
Needless to say, his specimens had scattered off--no matter. I, erm, he sputtered, still clearly confused. He slowly placed his camera on the ground and shuffled about so he was facing her, all while never leaving the ground. He rose his two hands, palm up, in the universal sign of peace. Yeh look like you just fell in a pit of scorpions, mate, he stated quickly with a nervous laugh. Her terror was beginning to get under his skin--was there something so wrong that he should be afraid, too? What on earth is the matter? he inquired further, perplexed. He was small compared to wolves and far from intimidating, or so he liked to believe. He wasn't sure he'd ever been greeted in such a way before, and he didn't think he liked it too much.

table by jesile/amanda! <3

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#4
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His words washed over her with no meaning as she stood before him physically shaking in fear. The voice was kind, but so terrified was Adelaida that the tone did not register and his words sounded merely like a jumbled mess. Although small compared to the wolves and even some of the coyotes that shifted, the male before her seemed large and imposing, even seated. At the mere thought of him standing if felt as if her insides turned to liquid and the uncontrollable urge to vomit presented itself. Still the male did not stand and Adelaida did not vomit, thankfully. The only movement the stranger made, aside from turning to look at her pathetic form, was to raise his hands in a peace greeting, but even that seemed threatening.




Once again Adelaida attempted to moved backwards and this time succeeded partially in that she was able to take two steps back before her limbs locked up again. Yet that small movement away from the male helped to break the spell and the sick feeling flooded from her. The two toned female’s shaking died down to a tremble while her body slowly got a hold of itself. The bright sky blue eyes stayed transfixed to the male, waiting for him to make any sort of sudden movement, but it seemed as if he was merely content to stay on the ground. Adelaida was no surprised to find that her voice shook, which only added to the timid quality often present when she spoke. Wh- What are you? Clearly it was he she feared, although just why, Adelaida would have trouble explaining herself.


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#5
edit=> note to self: changing linked account name then hitting preview then hitting post later doesn't work.

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She retreated further and he simply watched, not daring to move closer (or at all). Every so often he'd cast a nervous glance over his shoulder--the way she was acting, he seriously expected some kind of bear reared up on its hind legs ready to bite his head off, a swarm of winged tigers waiting to attack, or a hoard of cackling evil spirits. Hell, even the possums hadn't been this frightened of his presence--and that was saying something. His ears pricked forward as she finally spoke. What was he? So that was it, eh? Fortunately, that was an easy one.
Just a dingo, mate, he reassured her calmly. A subspecies of wolf, actually, similar to any domestic dog, he elaborated further. 'm originally from Australia, 'n my name's Beck O'Malley, but I prefer Boomer. There, with a light hearted name like that, how could she possibly be afraid? Besides, he'd given her as good of an explanation as he could--knowledge was supposed to be comforting or something, right? His ears fell back but he didn't move otherwise; softly, almost offended or upset... Am I really that alarming?
He certainly didn't want to be responsible for giving anybody a heart attack. If he upset her that much, he'd just back away and leave... although part of him was determined to get to the root of the problem. He knew he was a good person and about as harmless as they came, and he usually wore this on his sleeve. Why couldn't she see it?

table by jesile/amanda! <3

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#6
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B-Boomer...? Adelaida let the name fall from her lips as her breathing slowly regulated itself. In her experience those who wish harm upon her being normally did not introduce themselves, and for reasons unknown to her repeating his name had a calming effect. Boomer. The female spoke so softly that she wasn’t even sure if the dingo, for that’s what he said he was, could hear her. She could breath easier now, although she could still feel her heart pounding in her chest, that organ was not as easily convinced or able to calm itself as the lungs were.



The terror left her face, her eyes slowly taking in the male for what seemed like the first time to Adelaida. Although she had obviously seen him and he had inspired such a fright in her, she had not really seen him. He did not resemble a coyote at all, but neither did he really resemble a wolf. If she had to choose between the two species she would have group him in the former, even if he told her otherwise. Before now, naive Adelaida, wasn’t even aware of other canines besides the two. Still, a lingering distrust was evident in her voice, as she shakily asked her question, just to make sure. A dingo...? No-Not some kind of c-coyote? It wasn’t dingos that were alarming, for she didn’t even know what those were really, although Boomer claimed he was one, but coyotes. Those filthy, disgusting creatures.



The pounding of her heart quieted, and the blood that seemed to be beating in her ears stilled as well as she took in the male. He still hadn’t risen, but never the less he was a luperci, and how could she trust any of that kind? Although, Adelaida hated to think it, she was one of that kind... now. That knowledge prevent her from telling him truthfully. He was alarming to her, although he would probably never guess the reason, for it was a silly reason to most others. Instead she bowed her head sheepishly, her voice as soft and timid as ever. I’m Adelaida...


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#7
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During his travels, Boomer had met all kinds of canines. Wolves and coyotes were just the start of it--there were slews of domestic dogs, jackals, dingos (obviously), etc. In some places there were even lots of non-shifting canines--foxes, maned wolves, and so on. He suddenly felt like the big city boy that got tossed into the homogeneous country where all the locals could stare at him oddly and whisper about him behind his back. What was the big deal? They were all practically the same, anyway... especially the coyotes, wolves, and dogs. They could all interbreed and produce fertile young; did that count for nothing?
That's a pretty name, he remarked, determined to put her fears to rest. Now he felt like an ambassador--so what if they weren't familiar with his species or culture? He could teach them and they could probably all get along... he hoped. If he was lucky, he'd learn something himself in the process. Sounds a lot like 'Adelaide,' one of the old human cities very near where I grew up. Indeed, he'd known a good number of folks in the village with that surname. He doubted her name had anything to do with that place so far away, though.

Sitting absolutely still was beginning to make him twitchy--his legs were itching to move. Rather fidgety by nature, he became found himself becoming hyper-focused on staying still and it bothered him all the more. Finally he gave up and shifted slightly in his seat; instead of crossing his legs, he placed his feet flat on the ground and pointed his knees toward the sky. Instead of leaning forward, he placed his hands behind him and rested his weight on them. It wasn't a dramatic change, really, but the way she was watching him made it feel that way. So uh... I take it there aren't many travellers around here? From overseas, I mean.

table by jesile/amanda! <3

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#8
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That’s a pretty name. Her attention was diverted. In any normal state, she would not be so easily contented, but living with constant fear and paranoia for the last few months had been exhausting, and her most recent run in with coyotes, shifters at that, had drained her more than she had realized. Boomer was not a coyote, and although he was a shifter he did not seem inclined to hurt her, and really none of the wolf shifters had seemed inclined to hurt her. Logically, Adelaida knew that the malice they felt for her was all in her head, because certainly now that she had the virus Ade didn’t feel any different than she had being a non-shifter wolf (except for the consistent idea that she was now tainted, dirty in a way). Keeping up with her biases and prejudice was exhausting, and so Adelaida let herself be lulled by the male’s kind words and voice, and slowly she lowered herself to the ground, no longer intent on escaping.




This action seemed to signal that he could move now, at least if he did so slow. She saw him shifting uncomfortable and despite the fact he was a shifter, she felt a pang of guilt. Her fears were shaping his actions and responses, yet he was being so patient with her. Adelaida let out a long sigh, and her eyes lost that crazed look, she found her voice and held it steady for the first time since meeting this canine. I’m sorry. I don’t know... why I am scared of you. Of shifters. And she didn’t really, except that the unknown was scary, and the shifters had been part of the unknown. Now however, she was one, and how could she herself be part of the unknown. And thank you... although I have never heard of that city before.



Adelaida laid her head on her paws, keeping her eyes on Boomer. Although she had given in and her panic was eradicated, she didn’t quite want to let her guard down, she would watch him for any sudden movement, although her expression was gentle now, more accepting. Were there many travelers from overseas? Adelaida found this an odd question. Perhaps there were and she hadn’t notice, because to her, all the wolves that had come over the mountain because of the fire were travelers to her. The only native wolves she knew of was herself and her sister, though there had to be others she didn’t know. I don’t know. Adelaida was honest at least. She had never taken the time to get to know anyone, except Umbra, and he certainly was not from overseas. As if it just occurred to her, Adelaida perked up, almost interested in the origins of the stranger. You came here in a boat?

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