ooc Here we go! Sky, we briefly spoke about this opening scene. I made some assumptions based on what we all talked about, such as Orin making it that far into Sky's house, Tal not being home, and Sky being asleep. It is happening at a different time of day than planned so if you want me to change it I'm more than happy to adjust, just let me know if anyone requests a change. This thread is back dated to January 1 Sky and Orin for a few posts, then Skye, Tal, and CdA spectators (we'll give word when it's ok!)
It would have been better to wait for night to fall before making her move, but there was no time. Orin couldn't give the Devil a chance to hurt anyone else, not now that she knew. If it happened now then she would be responsible for it... how could she just sit back and let someone die if she could stop it?! Maybe it wasn't going to happen soon... maybe not today, or tonight, or even this week. But the truth was inevitable, there was a snake in the hen house, just waiting to strike.
She should have known when his son gave him away. They were probably in cahoots, but the boy was some lesser kind of demon. Sure, Liam killed a puppy, but it took a true evil to be able to hold in that bloodlust until the time was right. Some kind of sick, true madman, like a wolf waiting patiently for the right time to strike his prey. He was probably on the look out now, waiting for someone to realize what he was, waiting for someone to get a clue about why Liam had done what he did, and why Taliesin begged Skye to spare his life. Maybe he even had Liam lying in wait right around the corner, beneath their blind little noses.
She was edgy as she rushed down the back alleys of Thornbury, looking over her shoulder constantly. Shadows became great beasts and the wind was a thing to flinch at. She tried to keep her drumming heart calm but the throbbing filled her ears, drowning out some of her senses. Did he know? Could he know? Was he following her? Or was he just waiting for her to come to him?
She panted as she rounded one of the stone houses, feeling supremely naked now that she was in the open street. She was wrapped in her sheepskin cloak – not the fancy pink one – and the hood was pulled up over her head as if she were cold. She wasn't though; if she could sweat her fur would be soaked, even in the winter chill.
With each step her stomach churned, and she screamed inside herself. 'Don't go there! Don't go there! He'll be waiting for you! He knows that you know!' But she couldn't stop, she couldn't turn around now. He had her... she had to save her. Her golden eyes barely acknowledged the collection of skulls and trinkets on the porch as she stole up the steps of the witch doctor's house.
Now what? Prance on up to Evil's doorstep and knock politely? I don't think so. Orin glanced over her shoulder to spy the empty streets of d'Arte. No one was there, so she slowly reached out and tested the handle. There was a click as it unlatched and Orin swallowed hard. So, it was unlocked. A trap? Or just the security of a packmate within pack borders?
She eased the door open, straining to not make a sound, and edged slowly into the main room of Sky's house. Golden eyes flickered as she peered around, and she thought for a moment that the very beating of her frightened heart would give her away. If he was here she was surely done for, but she had to save her... had to save...
“Sky?” she whispered in a shaky breath. The house was eerily quiet as her imagination filled with images of the gory scene she was sure she would discover at any moment. She eased through the house, certain the next footfall would make the floorboards creek and give her away, but as she moved through the house she started to think that perhaps he wasn't actually here. Then again, was Sky? Her courage mounting, she slipped through the house that she knew so well from the snowstorm and into Sky's sleeping quarters. There she saw a lump in the bed. Was it Sky? Why was she sleeping in the middle of the day? Orin knew that she would pull the covers back and find the next murdered Artist, and shakily she pressed forward to find out.
One of the boards finally did groan just as she was next to the bed, leaning over the violet haired woman. There were no blood soaked sheets, and her chest rose and fell with even breaths. It was just a late afternoon nap, probably exhausted from pregnancy.
“Sky? Sky... Sky, it's Orin, wake up!” She whispered harshly as she bent down to gently nudge her pack sister awake. Her eyes were wide with alarm and she held a finger to her mouth to signal Sky to be silent when she awoke. “Sky, you're in danger. We've got to get out of here. No time to explain, lets go!”
Word Count → 420 :: Sky and Fella are both like, "wtfbro?" Also, epic stoner post count ftw.
She'd been hit by a hot flash earlier that morning and hot flashes always made the poor hybrid tired. So, not even remembering to lock her door, the girl had toddled upstairs for a nap.
And she'd been napping just fine for most of the late morning and almost into the afternoon. She would've kept napping until dusk, the time she'd told Fella to wake her up at, except...
Her eyes fluttered open at the nudge and whispered order to wake up. At first, her reaction was fear; be afraid of the thing sneaking into your house when your mate's not home and be afraid of the thing standing in the safest room of the house. Then, upon registering the wide yellow eyes, pink hair and white fur to be Orin, fear was replaced with confusion. Orin? What was she doing in her bedroom? She opened her mouth to voice her confusion when Orin held a finger to her mouth to shush her. "Sky, you're in danger." Orin warned, "We've got to get out of here. No time to explain, let's go!" Wait, what?
Automatic instinct told her to listen and follow. Another part of her told her that Orin was overreacting about something, but that was cast aside when yet another thought crossed her sleep-hazed mind; what if Liam was back? "Don't be stupid. That mutt's long gone." Sanja scolded. Annoyance flickered into the mixture of tired emotions the poor woman was feeling in that moment and, too groggy and confused to bother fighting with Orin's crazed warnings of danger, she shuffled around and moved to stand, groaning in protest at being both woken and forced to move. Her voice was kept low, though.
You'd better explain on the way, girly. She muttered in a whisper, stretching to wake her body up, though her mind was still muddled with tired confusion. She'd follow if Orin led her out of the house, of course, but not a word of either protest or concern was spoken after that.
Meanwhile, in the front room, Fella sat in the recliner, eyes still watching the doorway in bewilderment and utter confusion. Was... was that Orin? He wasn't sure why Orin had paid them a visit, nor why she'd not bothered to say hello to him. After another moment of confusion, he decided to check things out. Bobcat jumped from the chair and, on silent paws, moved to the staircase, hesitating at the bottom. ...do I even want to know?
She didn't think it would happen but Sky woke up silently, her words and her actions enough to keep the startled woman from crying out as she awoke to the light form looming over her bed. Still, it didn't feel at all like Sky understood the utter peril she was in. Well, of course not, how could she? No one knew what she knew. Her arms flailed to hurry Sky along, and she pulled the very blanket from the bed and threw it over the pregnant witch doctor's shoulders. Taking her hand should she not pull away, she crept back out to the staircase and peered down.
“Where's Taliesin?” She whispered almost inaudibly. The question was ambiguous and could have sounded like she was worried for his welfare too.
Seeing no one downstairs she picked up the pace again, flying down the steps and into the ground floor of Sky's house, not wanting to risk any precious seconds. She practically trampled Fella on the way down not noticing him there, and stumbled to keep from punting the poor little guy, but she didn't stop to apologize. There was no time. She sprinted through Sky's house but stopped when she got to the front door, opening it just a crack and peering outside.
“The coast is clear. Come on, to Skye's house. She doesn't know yet, we've got to tell her. We'll be safe there.”
Again if her hand could grasp Sky she would tow the woman right out of the house, waving urgently at Fella to come along too. Sky wanted an explanation but none came as Orin led her to the southwestern edge of Thornbury where Skye's house stood. All she would tell her was, in a low whisper, “We can't talk here. The wrong ears are listening. Wait 'til we're safe.”
When they reached Skye's house Orin was upon the porch in a second, knocking wildly at the door. “Skye!” She called as she moved to stand protectively behind the Rhiannon wife, eyes darting up and down the street. “Skye come quick! There's danger! It's Tal!”
Word Count → 252 ::
Sky's still like 'wtfbro'. Fella's glad to be in her arms now. XD
At the question of Taliesin's whereabouts, Sky frowned. Hell if I know. She hadn't seen him since their fight. As far as she knew, he was still off crying to his mother. Or something. Whatever. Orin pulled her along at a brisk pace, almost tripping over Fella at the bottom of the stairs. The bobcat, hissed and backed away from the flurry of wolf paws and watched in befuddled confusion as Orin dragged Sky, wrapped in only a blanket, out the front door and away. After a moment, he darted after them to follow.
A moment later, Sky was standing on Skye's front porch, looking utterly bewildered and confused, her eyes staring at the world around her, her mind trying to figure out how she'd gotten there. Orin yelled something about Tal and Danger. Sky turned to look, snapping out of her daze but still very, very confused. What about Tal? Her brows pinched together, tail flicking and ears at different angles, despite being chopped near the base.
Fella finally caught up with them a moment later and he lept up onto the porch railing to sit beside Sky at arm's reach. The confused mother scooped up her cat and tucked him into her blanketed arms, shivering against the cold air. What the heck's goin' on, ma? Sky couldn't answer. She only gave a shrug and stayed put, thoroughly confused but willing to listen at the mention of danger. Orin, what's going on?
The day wasn't over yet, but it was almost, and Skye had been in her house, looking at some things and wondering if they were fit for trade - an old bauble? Dirty clothes? She wondered who may want such things as she put the things she did not need nor use in a pile for trade, and left the rest alone. A fork... she never used utensils to eat, so she put the fork in the pile of things to trade and hoped that there were some more civilized wolves in the world that would care for it.
Before she could add anything else, however, she heard a wild knocking at the door, followed by a voice - Orin's voice. Dropping all activity, she ran to the door, yanking it open and seeing Orin Orin's face was panicked, which in turn caused Skye to panic slightly - behind her was Sky, looking thoroughly confused, as did her Bobcat, as well as a cat could look confused. She looked back to Orin, and heard something about Taliesin - she panicked further.
"Orin, what is it?" she asked sharply, her voice making no room for nonsense or beating around the bush. Her tail was high and her ears were perked, ready to battle danger if need be. She gripped the dagger on the belt on her waist. "What about Tal? Is he in trouble?"
It felt like precious hours were passing even though Skye opened her door almost instantly for the panicked woman. The second she heard the click of the latch and saw that Skye’s protective instincts took hold she abandoned her watch post to move to her alpha. “Inside! Everyone, quick.” She urged, trying to rush Sky Rhiannon past the Collins woman, but not pushing Skye back into the house for she was the protector.
With at least herself safely inside the house and possibly both heaven named women there as well, she felt a little safer. But still there were so many d’Arte members out there who didn’t know the danger they were in. Despite feeling painfully exposed, she moved over to a window so she could watch the streets.
“Not Tal. Us. We’re in trouble,” she said hurriedly as her eyes darted up and down the road. “It’s Tal. He’s not who we think he is. He’s a Devil. A killer.”
Her voice wavered and she flinched as something moved outside, but it was only a common dove flying past. She shrank away from the window and sidled toward the door.
“We’ve got to warn the pack. He could be anywhere. Sky doesn’t even know where he is!” She burst out of the house, only emerging from Skye’s residence far enough to let an apprehensive howl sing. She didn’t want to do it, Taliesin might hear it, too, wherever he was, but the pack had to gather. They needed to know what was going on. The devil had to be banished!
She turned mournful eyes to Skye. She still hadn’t explained herself very well, as excited and irrational as she was. “Sky, I’m so sorry…” Her eyes flicked to Sky’s belly and she gasped, throwing her hands to her face. “The puppies…” were Tal’s. “They can be saved. It’ll be okay, without his influence and with your blood, they will be okay. They won’t become like him.”
Skye appeared, defensive and confused just as both medic and cat were. When Orin shoved Sky to go inside, she went with it, rumbling a protest of 'hey, not so rough' but otherwise not fighting with the frantic, frightened packsister. The short explanation she gave made Sky want to fight for her mate, but at the same time... Orin, what in blazes are you talkin- She didn't get the chance to finish.
Orin flew to the door and howled for the pack, an action that had Sky now rolling her eyes and sagging her shoulders. All of this was over harmless, poet Taliesin? Then Orin came back inside and apologized, though not for what Sky wanted an apology for. When she tried to talk, yet again, Orin was off and going, this time about the unborn pups.
Fella moved away from Sky instinctively and the medic's hands went to her stomach, ears pinning back. Orin, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I think you're over reacting about this. She was worried that the pups would end up.. like Taliesin? Smart, educated, spiritual, compasionate... how were this things bad, again? She rumbled in annoyance, still confused but no longer worried like she'd been. She moved towards her frantic friend and put a hand on the woman's shoulder. Orin, sit down before you hurt yourself.
She wouldn't deny the suspicion behind Taliesin's darker side. His son was a murderer and he had a vicious temper. She remembered for a moment, the fight they'd had, and how he'd sworn he wasn't like Lucifer... but for a moment, she wondered if it had been a flash of denial? Was he fighting demons too? The more the pregnant woman's mind wandered, the more she started to believe Orin's babbling. Was Taliesin evil? Instead of moving to sit Orin down, Sky found the first chair she could and sat with a plop, a hand on her stomach, the other running through purple hair. She looked to her leader with a pleading expression, begging the higher ranked woman to help. What the hell as going on here?
He had been sitting by Tameri's grave, thinking about the things Erzulie had said, how the spirit was nothing more than a memory. He had sat through the overcast and chilly day, forgetting his resolve to go and purify the house he and Sky shared, forgetting to go and cleanse Liam's tree house too. He was reaching to touch the grave's cairn again, when an anxious howl stunned him. It ripped through the shroud of thought and misery, jerking his head up as if he were a puppet on a string. His first thought was terror that Liam had returned, and had hurt Sky.
He was on his feet, and moving quickly. The howl had been Orin's, but it had come from Skye's house. Had Liam come and hurt Skye? He cursed himself, hoping to make it there quickly enough to save whoever had been hurt, if someone had been hurt, cursing himself for leaving in the first place. As he arrived at the scene, a flash of movement on the porch showed itself to be Orin, darting inside and slamming the door.
He stumbled up the stairs to the front door. Scents mingled. Orin, Sky, Fella, and the Capitana. What had happened, what was happening? He turned the handle, but the door didn't budge. He pushed harder, and for a moment, the door seemed as if it would open, but it slammed shut again, sending him reeling. Fear filled him. If he was being kept out, what was wrong with Sky?! His fists pounded on the door, worry making his voice gruffer than the usual soft murmur. "What is going on in there? Let me in! Is Sky okay? Let me in, Orin!" He couldn't help it, after their fight he was feeling anxious and needed to know that his headstrong mate hadn't done something foolish. He moved to the window, trying to peer into the capitana's house.
"Please, won't someone tell me what's going on?!" His heart was pounding painfully in his throat, his hands clenched into fists to keep himself from breaking the window to get in. He was unaware he was the supposed problem, and his actions would undoubtedly make things worse than they already were. He couldn't see inside, couldn't see past the curtains. He needed to know if his mate was okay, if his pups were okay. That was the only thought in his mind.
She was still on the porch, barely outside the door when the devil showed his face. She yelped and ran inside, slamming the door behind her and throwing her weight against it. Dread filled her and she trembled as she heard the monster come up the steps, each footfall spelling their doom, but no matter what she would not let Taliesin get to Sky. She would die before she would let him hurt her and her children.
One shudder of the door as Taliesin made his first attempt to come in and she screamed, but quickly bit the sound off. Her heart beat within her chest mercilessly and her eyes were manic, frantic. A glance at the womens' faces reminded her that she had yet to give them a decent explanation for what was going on.
“The rest of d'Arte is on their way!” she shouted through the door. “You might think it wise to forget whatever deplorable act you have planned for us. Maybe you'll take one of us, possibly two, but you can bet, Taliesin Dir Rhiannon, that you're not coming out of this alive!”
With that she looked at the Rhiannon wife and her Capitana. “There was a visitor in the pack lands today. His name was Noah. He was Taliesin's brother. He revealed to me something Tal has hidden from us – and it explains everything! His father is the devil himself. His name is Lucifer, and he brought the seven hells upon our world when he was alive. Taliesin has this blood in him – this hellfire within – and it's only a matter of time before he breaks. He's probably planning something right now. Where was he the last few days? Sky didn't even know. Think about it, put two and two together... He begs for us to spare Liam, and then he disappears.” She waited only a half second for their conclusion before she blurted; “He was obviously with the murderer! Why? I don't know. I suspect that Liam, being of the same blood, of Lucifer! cracked because of the devil inside of him. The murder probably threw all of Taliesin's plans out the door because he blew their cover. Don't you see? His father, his son, Taliesin is evil! He will murder and he will rape and he will torture. And he's come to hurt us now!”
She panted, the words ripping from her mouth as fast as she could form them. The Devil was here and she needed to make her pack understand, now. She looked back and forth between Sky and Skye, searching for understanding in their countenance. Another rumble of the door made her flinch but tighten her hold, shoving her body against the door even harder. She mustn’t let him in... by her life, she would protect her pack.
Word Count → 500 ::
._. Like, precisely five hundred words. Woah. Also, Sky goes into Criminal Minds mode. xD
When Taliesin arrived, Sky felt a mixture of sudden emotions; anxiety to be there for him with Orin rattling on as she was, fear for both his and her own safety, for her pack's safety, anger for something she couldn't figure out and confusion... among many, many other muddled and mixed emotions. She was angry with him for leaving, for the fight they'd had, but that anger was a faded memory compared to the confusion, worry... fear, she felt with Orin's frantic accusations against him. She could hear him freaking at the door, the window, trying to get in but not in such a way that she knew he'd be after them for blood. She knew that frantic tone in his voice, and it wasn't rage. He was just as confused as she was, just as frightened as Orin, just as angry as he should've been, but for what, he had no inkling by this point.
Loyalty to her mate overrode her loyalty to the off-and-on best friend she had in Orin. She frowned and as Orin spoke quickly, wandered over to stand in the view of the window. She cast a look out to her poor mate, hoping he could see her... and plainly shrugged. She was fine. Orin was just being a crazy again. That's all.
At the final accusations against her mate, she whipped her head around to stare almost slack-jawed at Orin. Lucifer!? You mean the same damn man that abused him in the first place!? Her voice was finally awake and now she wasn't letting the bullshit slide. Orin, you're letting yourself get carried away. He wasn't -that- evil.
You're making a scene, Orin. Causing a panic and for what? She cocked her hips to the side and crossed her arms, instantly snapping into council mode. You've no solid proof to back these accusations, Orin. I'd suggest calming down now before things go too far and someone gets hurt. We can settle this like adults, hm? Instead of acting crazy? She waved a hand at Orin to shoo her away from the door, hoping to hell that Skye would back her up on this one and help calm the situation down.
Like it or not, Sky would have to deal with the accusations either way. As Protettore of the pack, she had to consider everything and anything when watching out for threats. If Orin was convinced that Taliesin was going to turn out to be a murderer and a rapist, she'd either have to prove otherwise and help clear his name... or prove the woman right and protect the pack whenever it became the truth. She didn't at all like having to look at her own mate as a suspect but with Orin's words and the pack's safety on the line... Taliesin would just have to deal with it. Now, how are we going to deal with this..? She looked over to the Collins woman pleadingly, begging the Capitana to help.
The female slightly snarled, a grimace frozen on her face as she gripped the knife even tighter and Orin told them to get inside her house - she then rushed inside and shut the door, trapping Skye, Sky, and the white woman inside. Skye was about to ask Orin what was going on, and what the danger was; her tail was held high, her ears were alert, and she had drawn her dagger out from her belt, ready to dart outside to protect her pack if anything - and she meant anything was even slightly amiss. However, panicking was doing Orin no good, and she was about to say so when Orin began to shriek that Taliesin was the problem, not the one in trouble. She claimed that he was a devil, was a killer; at first, Skye was incredulous. Although the scholar's son had been questionable at first and then later a pure monster, something that she would never look at or think about without loathing again, Taliesin himself had proven to be a truly loyal and helpful member of the pack.
"Now, Orin, listen to what you are saying," Skye began, attempting to reason with the white woman as Sky seemed to be doing as well. She had never seen Orin quite so deranged, quite so scared and terrified as well as thinking that she was doing the right thing, even if she was only spreading panic throughout the pack. If she had claims, justifiable claims against Taliesin, she had to do it in a calm manner - otherwise, what would they accomplish?
Then, panic truly set in to the white woman who seemed to think the man who matched her in color was a devil. She opened the door in fright and howled for her pack - something that she had no reason to do. Skye looked at her sternly, but before anything else could happen, she heard a knocking at the door and the window. A quick glance told her it was Taliesin, and he seemed panicked, not knowing what to do or how to do it. Skye flung open the door and stared at Taliesin sternly - first she had to calm Orin and Sky down, and then she would deal with whatever was going on here. She shot him a look that very, very clearly demanded that he stay put and calm down.
As Skye looked out, she saw that other packmates were here; she sighed and turned back to Orin, who seemed to have had an outburst. Her claims, which at first Skye would have feared to have basis, such as Orin seeing Taliesin do something, seeing him say something or seeing him conspiring with Liam... after his banishment... but no. Her claims were baseless - based on blood and a small absence, and nothing more. Skye glanced at him once more, making sure he stayed put, before turning back to Orin.
Skye glared sharply at Sky; she liked the woman and remembered being the one to accept her into the pack in the first place, but yelling at Orin and refuting her claims would do nothing right now, not from a packmate. She knew that Sky enjoyed having authority, but now was not the time to practice that joy, and her sharp glance warned her to be silent for now. Skye now took on the full dominant post of a leader; she wouldn't accept this nonsense anymore, this disturbance. There could be no more turmoil within the pack, distrust within the pack, discord within the pack. Not after what had happened.
"Orin," she barked. She wanted to get the white woman's attention, to allow her to see reason but also to force her to calm down if she would not be able to by herself. She seemed to have connections with this man Lucifer - bad connections, terrible connections that sparked this fear in her. However, she was certain that Lucifer, whoever he was and whatever he had done, was not present in Taliesin. "Taliesin has been nothing but loyal to the pack - he has stuck with us when times were harsh, provided knowledge for us, and drove out his own son when it had wronged." She looked with her ears perked and her stature tall at the woman, trying to get her to understand, to understand that strife and panic was not the way to go right now. To understand that Taliesin, although having blood of bad people, was not one himself. "Blood is not everything, Orin, nor should it be treated as such. And panic within the pack is not how to deal with a threat, even if the claims were justifiable - but they are not, Orin. Please understand - Taliesin is not a bad person, and the sins of his kin should not be a mark on his own path."
The words of Orin made him stop, the blood draining from his face. He leaned on the wall for support. He could see his mate, at least, but her words made him shudder. How could she know what had happened to him? He had never told anyone that his own father had raped him. No one except his mother, and that had been just a few short days ago. He felt nauseated as Orin's screams continued, how he had been conspiring with Liam, how he was as tainted as Liam and Lucifer. She didn't know Lucifer's father. She didn't know his own mother. She couldn't see that his lineage was equal parts good and bad, she couldn't see he strove to be more like his mother than his father.
He was still leaning against the wall when the door opened. His head jerked up, expecting it to be Orin out for his blood, but it was the leader, a woman he had come to consider a friend. Her look was clear, and he nodded as she returned to the others. He turned, seeing other pack mates gathered, hearing the accusations. He swore he could see Orin's ideas mirrored in their gazes, and he leaned with his back on the wall and slid down. He pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead on them, making himself as small as he felt.
He could hear Skye's words to Orin, but the kindness of her speech failed to lighten his heart. Yes, she pointed out the good he had done for the pack, but what was the point when he was to be judged by those he shared blood with? Yes, Lucifer was his father, but he had never hurt a woman, nor would he. No matter the rage he felt, no matter how the woman might hurt him, he would never raise a hand to a female. And yes, Liam was... no, had been his son, but he would never hurt an innocent child simply for their fur color.
How the pale scholar wanted to start yelling, wanted to proclaim his innocence of the deeds Orin laid at his feet, deeds that had yet to be committed, deeds that he would never commit. Yes, he had a temper, but it was rare it got the best of him. The rare times it did, his anger came out in words long before he resorted to violence. He closed his eyes. When he opened them he was staring into the gaze of Auntie Rosie, who had left her house to see what the commotion was about. A cat came up onto the porch, a long furred black cat. He felt a sharp sting as the cat swiped at him with a slap of it's claws. The feline then ran away, hissing. "Great, even the cats think I'm some kind of monster." His voice was a resentful and rueful mutter, meant only for himself and Rhiannon to hear.
He found himself longing to return to Crimson Dreams, to return to his mother and her comfort. Then he remembered she and Soran were moving to the new pack further north, New Dawn, and he felt a bitter resentment rise up in his throat. This just wasn't fair.
Sky's words ripped through the air first and at the mention of the name Lucifer her ears flattened and she winced as though the very syllables had prongs with which to skewer her. She didn't know anything of Lucifer abusing Tal, nor was she very interested in the story right now. She shook her head vehemently, as if to shake off Sky's words. “You don't understand. I'm not acting crazy, this is real,” her voice almost pleaded with Sky to believe her, as though she could believe it so strongly that the truth would turn to rope and wrap her pack sister up in its coils. Like a salmon upstream, she was feeling overpowered and overwhelmed, and her ears were now tacked back and her tail clung like static to her leg. In just the little time that the Rhiannon wife was council her power had already seeped in to Orin's primal being, and with the surge of pack energy she almost cowered. Too much fear... terror... and her Council didn't believe her...
“Capitana, no!” she screamed as she saw Skye reach for the door, but even with her swift lunge she was too late to stop her. For a moment she was at Skye's side and face to face with the son of the Devil himself, and then she yelped and whimpered, backpedaling as though his very essence had filled the room and began sucking on her soul.
Just before her mind could delve down the dark passageway it had unlocked, Skye's bark brought her back. Her golden eyes snapped from the Rhiannon to her Capitana, and her face tightened as she gave her her attention. Still she was wrought with fright, but at least listening to her Capitana gave her something to do other than tremble.
She caught a sliver of the molten look Skye passed to the other, and somewhere in the back of her mind felt a thread of hope like a warm ray of sunshine. Maybe the Capitana would believe her? But when Skye spoke it wasn't to assuage her fears, it was to still convince her that she was being a lunatic, just expressed in a calmer fashion. She whimpered for a moment and pressed her back against the wall as though she wanted to melt through it.
“Why can't you see?” she sobbed. “Listen to you words! Those very things are how he fools us now.” She gestured to the gaping threshold, now a portal into hell with Taliesin just behind it, then to Sky. “He's done a few small acts to try to make us believe that he's with us but the charlatan can keep up the charade forever so long as his victims remain fools. He's got you spellbound. We want to believe in him because we don't want to think he could be anything else, but who could have thought Liam was anything other than a kid until it was too late?”
An ear twitched toward Sky. “What more proof do I need? You practically admitted his guilt just a moment ago. You didn't deny that Lucifer is his father, you knew about him! That's proof right there of his parentage. Lucifer was a man... who... wrought havoc on Phoenix Valley. You don't even want to know what he did to the women there. Not even just Phoenix Valley, but he seemed to have it in for us... them. He lurked around there... in the woods between here and there. He could have just as easily come to Cercatori! It's only thanks to the hand of fate that he didn't and that you were saved from his wickedness!”
Her eyes were darting back and forth between the women. Would they understand? Or was talking about Phoenix Valley the wrong idea? Would Skye be offended to be reminded that Orin had been a part of another pack while she was presumed dead by d'Arte, even if for only a brief stint?
“Maybe we haven't caught him in the act yet, but do we know he is innocent? A... vile rapist was his father, his son is a child killer... He begged for his son's life! In front of all of us! He shamed us. He shamed you.” She held her hand out, indicating Sky. “You don't think he chose his son over d'Arte in that moment? To deny us all justice? Because you and I both know that banishment is no justice... not for what he did...” Her voice trembled and she shook her head smoothly, sternly. “I think that should tell us all of his allegiances right there. Not his wife nor his alpha knows where he disappeared to.” Her eyes turned to the Collins woman. “Did you? I'm sure he'd be happy to explain but who's to say that he hasn't had his story figured out miles before the border tree? We know he's too cunning not to.” Her pupils became pinpricks as her rage summoned the courage to turn amber daggers upon Taliesin.
She held her gaze and the silence for a long, heavy moment before focusing on the women again. “Sisters, for the sake of our pack, believe me!”
Word Count → 367 ::
Sky's all like, 'fuck this shit, when can I go home?' xD Also, yes, her mother is a cannibal. Was, rather. I wasn't sure if I'd actually mention it at all, as Sky's mom is a minor dead npc, and it wasn't a well known fact in the first place, but I figured, what the heck? The moment's perfect. xD
Sky silenced herself and backed off when Skye took charge, stepping out of the way and watching, listening, letting her nerves calm down as much as she could permit them to. Orin went on. Her words made sense, but at the same time, everything she said was accusing Lucifer of the crimes he'd committed, not her mate. Not her Taliesin. She let the woman finish before, controlling her tone a bit better now, lifting her chin in response.
Orin, Taliesin begged for Liam's life because the boy's his son. If Juliet or Titania commited a crime, even as evil as killing a child, would you want to see them killed? Her voice choked a bit with the next words that came out of her mouth. He begged for Liam's life because we'd already lost our Tammy. Killer or not, Liam was... is... still our son. Defending a murderer? What he did is unforgivable but it wasn't for his sake that Taliesin spared him.
It was a selfish action, Orin. We're all entitled to such things in time of great stress and anguish. We'd lost our daughter. What kind of father would he have been had he allowed his son the same fate? An eye for an eye works for us when it's not our flesh and blood... but Orin, would you have sentenced your own child to death, even for such a crime?
She left it at that. She didn't argue the rest, not feeling up to it at that moment. Instead, she moved away after sending all three (Taliesin through the window) a tired, irrate look. She sat herself down in the first chair she could find and sighed, pinching her brow and lowering her head. Her loyalties were being tested now and she hated it. ...I don't know his every thought and desire, Orin... Skye... but I know my mate, my husband. He's not a killer or a rapist. If blood decided our fates, I'd have been a rogue and a cannibal. Her mother had been, according to Dusk. Her glare settled on Orin now, daring the white woman to continue using blood as an excuse to accuse her mate of crimes he hadn't committed.
As Skye herself attempted to calm Orin down, she did not ignore Taliesin, either; he seemed shaky, uncertain, afraid, and upset. She didn't blame him; she would also be upset if such accusations were being thrown, but she knew that Taliesin wasn't simply upset because Orin was accusing him of being the son of the devil and a bad person in the pack. She knew that it was something more, something with Taliesin's past and heritage - she hadn't spoken to him about it because he had never offered it, but she could tell from the conversation that his father was a rapist, an abusive, and possibly worse; however, she knew that Taliesin hadn't inherited these bad qualities. Although she did not know all of the man's heritage, she knew the man himself, who he was, and he was not a monster. He was not a devil, he was not a rapist, and she knew better than to think that blood was everything.
She stared sternly as Orin continued on her speech of that was what he wanted them to think; that was ridiculous, she knew, but Orin was clearly not thinking sense, not thinking reason. She knew what it was like to be in a panic or a rage, a state where your mind was not thinking rationally - she knew that Orin would snap out of it, but not without some sense. She nodded as Sky began to point out her fallacies, began to attempt to shake some sense into her; she fully agreed with what she said about Liam. She knew that Orin would not stand to see her daughters killed; she knew that she would do the same as Taliesin did - but would Orin see that?
As Sky sat down, Skye had to remind herself of the woman's condition and she stepped forward, beginning to speak. "Orin, I understand that you are concerned, and I appreciate that you are trying to warn us about dangers," she said. Her tone was more stern than last time, and yet had a gentleness that took concern over the white woman's state of mind at the moment. "Taliesin has never done anything wrong to us - Sky is right. Blood is not everything; if it was, the world would be in ruins from one bad wolf. Taliesin may have had poor heritage, but who knows - his mother, his grandparents, they don't count as well?" She was trying to make sense into the woman; her posture was still that of a leader, a place of authority, but there was a softness in her eyes behind the sternness; she wanted Orin to understand, not just blindly obey. "I am not a dictator. I do not make laws that pack members can't leave if they wish - if Taliesin wished to go somewhere, he can, and I won't question him unless there is good reason for me to. And having bad luck with blood is not a good reason. You weren't worried about him before you found out who his father was; if you had never found out, you would never suspect him because he never has had reason to be suspected, nor does he now simply because he has two bad relatives." she said sternly.
She looked at Taliesin; he seemed miserable at the moment, as did Sky. So early in the morning - they needed their sleep, after all, and she did not want to hold them back. "Sky - Taliesin - you can go," she said quietly; she looked at Orin, telling her with her eyes not to hold them back. They had no reason to be here, and they did not need to be held back; she could help Orin herself, and unless Sky or Taliesin wished to remain, they should not have to.
