the taste will linger
#1
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Private



The sky seemed stormy gray above the beast’s head, but had yet to release a weeping downpour down to earth. Initially he had planned to do this a long time ago, but time pulsed, twisted and bended like few things could. Lately, very little seemed to move on naturally. His time was running out, and the distorted sense of reality was a brilliant proof of this. However, options flourished these days, and he hoped to find more where he was going. It was about time Tayui Aston and Haku Soul had a little chat. Formerly he would have cared little about the existence of a bastard litter, but he was not his original self and had not been for a good while now. His stranger daughter’s blood had tasted lovely, and the taste still lingered lazily on his tongue, so lovely.

Without any thoughts about the act, the hulking secui walked straight into Aniwaya territory, finding it oddly foreign compared to the neutral territories that had become his unofficial kingdom. Her scent was ever present though, and the male eagerly followed the freshest trail, eager to find the little woman before the entire pack was alarmed by a mass murderer’s presence.


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#2
Could we backdate this to June 20? :3 (308)

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In the time that had passed since Noir’s death, the days slowly felt like they were becoming longer. Although she knew in the summer months, the days were supposed to grow longer and keep the night at bay; she could not find any peace. Even though the nights were shorter, it only gave way to more light and more chances to see her reflection in the stream by her den. This meant there were more opportunities for Tayui to remember that she was still alive while her daughter was not.


And now, there was the opportunity for her to notice her son’s disappearance. Although she had not heard from him in some time, apparently no one else had, either. Concern for her son, coupled with grief for her daughter made the days almost unbearable. And poor Claudius did not quite understand what had happened, either. He knew, but he refused to acknowledge it: he remained cooped up in the den, holding Noir’s stuffed toy and reading to it from his aging books. One day, those books would be impossible to read, and Tayui feared it would be sooner, rather than later.


Some days, she tried to push herself to get back in to the world and do things; anything. Many times, she would find herself too fatigued to continue or too unwilling to carry on. Sometimes, she thought she could see Noir, waiting for her. So when she saw the shadowy figure of her little-known beau, she thought she had to be hallucinating. Like every other time, the figure emerged from nowhere, silently and without warning. Like every other time, she asked the same question.


“Who did this?” If anyone would know, it would be her beautiful daughter Noir, with her honey-golden eyes. But somehow, today, they looked less golden and more like her own: bright, baby blue.



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#3
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Private



Her scent was quickly becoming stronger, and anticipation built up thickly along with the foggy ache for living meat between his always hungering jaws. He would cruelly repay her for her sins; for keeping the child a secret. She would know pain, and though he had found immunity against such, he knew that emotional pain could burn deeper and less forgiving than any nerve could grant her. He wondered if she knew that her daughter was dead. He and the Lykoi woman had left the corpse to rot, and in a world dominated by nature, there were always creatures designed to clean up what the larger predators left behind. It was a shame really, and the beast regretted not devouring the dead girl’s flesh. Little tasted better than a hint of his own blood, and Noir had tasted of that.

The white woman stared at him, asked him a question. It was not him she saw, naturally, but he would answer her nevertheless. ”I did.” Surely this would answer all the woman’s questions, and it would be nice, because he had not come here to answer them. Haku wanted more to devour, and Tayui’s remaining children would not continue to live much longer.


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#4
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“W-what?” Tayui questioned as she fumbled with her reply. She didn’t understand, nor could she understand. What could her daughter mean when she said she had done it? The cruel act that had taken her sweet daughter could not have been self-inflicted, could it?



Tayui’s vision began to waver as her daughter’s response became less believable. For a split second, it was no longer her daughter she was speaking to, and instead, someone else entirely. Someone larger and darker, to whom those azure eyes belonged. Tayui squinted, trying to figure out why it was so disconcerting. She was seeing herself in her daughter – that had to be why she saw blue eyes. But why did she look like this?



Overwhelmed, Tayui closed her eyes and took a moment to steady herself. When she opened her eyes again, it was Noir standing before her with skies in her eyes. But it could not be Noir, not if Noir was dead. She had been coming to Tayui in her dreams and thoughts, but she wasn’t real, was she? She couldn’t be. This was not her ghost: Tayui had seen enough in her time to recognize one. Although they changed according to the ghost’s needs and perceptions of themselves, this was not a ghost. This was Haku Soul.


“Why?” was the only word she uttered. Quickly, she added: “why would you do that to yourself?” She did not know if Haku could tell that the fantasy was no longer real, or if he even cared. She could still see Noir flickering before her, like a slowly fading flame. But when Tayui looked away and examined the fire from the corners of her eyes, she could tell that it was not her precious daughter standing before her. Noir was not a monster, and she could never harm anyone, especially not herself.




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#5
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Private



Why? Lips pulled back and revealed the weapons that had dug into their daughter’s throat and ripped without a trace of mercy. They all sought to understand him, yet refused to see the answer lying plain in front of them, light as day. Once he had been beautiful and those around him had drowned in that unique, blue gaze. The veil had been lifted and the true, grotesque form of the madman could no longer be overlooked or denied; least of all by the cruel being inhabiting the mortal flesh. He could not see the flickering memory of Tayui’s beloved daughter; saw only Tayui and listened to the gentle voices whispering, pleading for him to steal her soul. His mind silently agreed. He wanted her.

His hulking body lost its stillness; legs shifting and pushing him forward—closer to the doomed woman. ”Until the very end, she cried out for you,” he spoke, the lie invisible on his tongue. ”Yet you did not come to save her.” He wanted the woman to hurt, wanted her to scream and cry, eyes gleaming with a thousand unshed tears. He could not understand the emotional torment the mother was going through, but it fed the darkness and tasted delicious. Pain was most beautiful of all, and the worst thing for a parent was to lose a child. He wanted to see the pain crack her face open and reveal her true nature.


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#6
328.
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He had known of the monster that was Haku Soul when she slept with him. She had been aware of his crimes and injustices, but still, she had chosen to do it. The thought had been dangerous and forbidden; it had made her feel young again, even powerful. She no longer felt the same things, and the fantasy had ended when she realized she was pregnant. She knew he could never find out about her children, but he had and now Noir was dead. Somehow, these thoughts rang clearly in the back of her mind. Unlike everything else that was going on, they were sharp and clean-cut. She could examine them and reflect on them, but she could not touch them.


When he spoke, Tayui realized that he knew. There was no ruse; he knew she could see him for who he was, and there was no point trying to hide it anymore. Even if the image of Haku flickered, replaced by Noir for a brief second, she knew it was not her daughter. She remained silent, quietly regarding him after he finished speaking. There was nothing she could say to that, nothing that would make it right. She did not know what his intentions were; perhaps he had only come here to cause her pain, or perhaps he wanted something from her. Whatever it was, Tayui knew there was something she could never give him: knowledge. She could not tell him where her other children were, if she had more, or how many there were. Again, she realized that they would never be safe unless Haku Soul was dead.


Quietly and contemplatively, she replied: “I see.” She could not say anything that would jeopardize the lives of her children. But if he knew where she was, he would eventually find her family. She could not let this happen. She had to be strong for Claudius, Attila and Ocèane if she could not be strong enough for herself.





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#7
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Nothing could ever make things right again. That was what drove him. Misery was beautiful in all forms, but to rip souls asunder was beyond anything else. She did not react as he expected, but he trusted that she hurt badly regardless. Time for small chit-chat was over and he required some answers of his own. Guilty, jagged teeth were revealed again as he sneered at her, wishing he could go ahead and take a taste at once. More blood had to be shed, and perhaps a black woman could finally see what he could not. While he was not a mere mortal, residing in that decomposing flesh limited his true nature. His powers were limited in this world, but that usually kept the game interesting and worthwhile. ”Are there more?” the silent, deadly voice challenged. Paws shifted, bringing him to the white female. The stench of her pack was strong in her fur, but there were several individual scents invisibly smeared all over her coat, and he was very interested in these at the moment.


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#8
325.
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While he spoke, Tayui kept her gaze steady and firm. She knew if she looked away, she would break apart. All she wanted to do want sit down and hold herself in her Optime form. She wanted to pretend it was Noir holding her or hugging her or just being near her. She wanted to wipe the tears away and beat her fists against her thighs and howl for three days straight so that all could hear the pain she felt for her daughter. Now that she knew who did this, she wanted nothing more than vengeance. She wanted to see Haku suffer and she wanted to bring that suffering upon him with her own hand. She wanted to see blood -- for the first time -- on her white coat, where it would stand as a stark testament to all the love she held in her heart. All of that love would never be for Haku.


When he questioned her, she knew she would have to lie. She could not answer too quickly or he would know it was false. She gave herself a moment, and then replied firmly: "no. Not now, anyway. They're gone, somewhere. They might as well be dead," she added, letting her voice crack at the end. She could afford to show this emotion: her last child who had returned for her, dead. While all her other children had left on their adventures or had been whisked away by some force, her darling daughter Noir had returned. She had been the one Tayui could count on to brighten her day and remind her of the innocence of youth. She had been the one who had so befriended Honoré and made such an impression on him that he had moved packs to be with them. She had been her daughter and now her murderer was here, demanding answers. Tayui should be the one questioning him, but she knew she would never survive.


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#9
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A moment passed and the woman’s voice rose to tell a beautiful lie. While he had spent half his life living behind a mask, he could not always see through others. This was an assumption. Tayui had merely been one of many women that he had used to satisfy that simple carnal desires, and he did not know her face well. Back then those corrupted intentions had been less obvious to him. There was a reason for most things he did, and as the wolf had died and the demon had awakened, he could see them plain as day. Their blood would sustain him—give him time before the secui body crumbled and fell to the ground. Death was so close now; it was with him always.

Now, would he choose to believe the woman’s words? Salmon tongue flickered out to brush across jagged teeth. No. ”You lie,” he purred. A mother would gladly sacrifice her life for her children, was not that how the story went? Would she die to keep them safe? Perhaps she knew that he would seek to end her life either way. He had learned something useful though. There were more of them. The girl he had eaten had not been the only child in the litter. Madness glowed within blazing blue. If she refused to cooperate then perhaps she would give in when he slowly devoured her living fresh. Yes, he was hungry.


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#10
429
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She could feel her emotions shaking beneath the surface. Only her words had masked them, and now that he had discovered her small white lie, her thoughts and guilt screamed for released. She knew she could not permit it; nonetheless, she was determined to keep a cool attitude, or at least project the imagery. She was determined to send Haku as many false clues as she possibly could to keep the remains of her tattered family together. While her intentions had been strong, her acting skills were clearly not at the same level. She was not an exceptional liar, but she had always thought that when it mattered, she could lie as well as any other canine. No, while she had a certain proficiency in diplomacy, there was no dignity to this meeting and she was dancing with a devil. She was slowly spinning in circles, digging her heels in deeper to the ground, slowly digging her grave without even realizing it. When she did, she knew it would be too late.


So, she realized one thing: would have to divest herself of her remaining dignity to keep her family safe. While the idea seemed noble, she knew she would have to stoop as low as she could.


No. Stop. That was wrong. She had no family. She had no children – not now, anyways. They were gone, dead, or worse. To sell the lie, she would have to commit to it, and she would have to believe it. Deny everything, make counter-accusations, and attack aggressively.


“No. They abandoned me,” she replied, her steely voice thick with alleged resentment with an overlay of sadness. “You killed the only one with enough love in her heart to return to me. I know what you did. I see your lies, I see what you did! You must be the reason my other children never returned; you came to finish them off and you killed her. Oh, third time’s the charm, you rat bastard. And you came here to ensure they were all dead. You kill my children and demand more? You’ve already ended them, all of them, they’re gone,” she emphasized, glowering at Haku. Her voice was bitter and her eyes jaded.


Suddenly, the memory of her meeting with Kaena came rushing back. How far would she go to protect her children? She would rather die than let this monster have his way with her. She would rather die than hear his purring voice, so smooth and velvety while he touched her. She would rather death; but how far would she go?



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#11
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No, the woman would live. And this was why. ”How terrible,” the man purred darkly, his grin terrible as it stretched across his ravaged face. Once he had been beautiful, but that time had passed and everything foul and wrong within him had manifested on the surface to allow the world to see the offspring of Lucifer. He was not the first, nor the last proof that Armageddon would eventually rise and extinguish all life. The humans had been the first to go. They were next; they were all next. Hunger gnawed against the inner walls of his ribcage, but his body hesitated now; stopped in his approaching track as he eyed the woman with his burning blue glare.

He did not believe in her foolish words. Perhaps were they true, but he did not believe a mother’s words. Or perhaps she too could anticipate the future. He had a clearer goal of what he wanted now. ”I came here to ensure that there are more.” He tilted his head slowly to the side, a dark laughter bubbling deep down in his chest. ”I will find them, Tayui. I will find them. I will drink their blood and eat their flesh.” his words were cruel, but they were also true. ”Just like I ate our daughter’s cooling heart after I ripped out her throat and let her die in a pool of her own blood.”


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Table by Sie-Kone
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#12
330. I was going to have Tayui attack Haku, but that would end up making this thread a lot longer. So for the sake of finishing this up, I had her howl for the other members. Hope that works!
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She watched him, her jaw clenched and her eyes tired. But she had since decided to don a dark frown, eyeing the monster with a dark gaze all her own. While her mind screamed murder! she tried to keep herself expressionless and hard despite the shouting match. When she screamed murderer, her mind replied in kind: monster, savage, cannibal. And as all of this went on, Haku added to the clamour with his own poisoned words. She felt herself almost sneer in reply; it took so much energy to keep herself from doing any more or any less. She wanted to break down and cry and she wanted to claw his filthy eyes out. She wanted him to forget everything about her because she did not want him to remember that one night they had spent together. She wanted him to die without any memories and with only the guilt and pain he should rightly feel.


She clenched her jaw harder as he finished explaining why he was here. She nodded slowly, but would not let herself lose sight of him. She did not know what he was capable of. She knew nothing about him except for the blood and gore that tinged her vision. She wanted more – more blood, more violence, more gore, but only he was the one to suffer.


Tayui felt herself go cold when he spoke again; her heart began to beat faster at the mention of her daughter and she had to dig her claws deeper into the dirt to restrain herself. But from what? What could she do to him? She would die. It was that simple; Kaena had almost died when he raped her. What did she want – the same fate?

No. Yes. Everything. She wanted blood.


Monster! her mind screamed again. She wanted blood, but she would have to wait. She sent out a howl calling forth all AniWaya members as quickly as possible alerting them of the murderer in their midst.


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