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Post by Athena♥ on Jul 16, 2014 18:20:10 GMT
Words could not explain how much the she wolf hated this place. No matter what she did, she always felt like death clung to the corners trying to weight her down into it. Her paw steps echoed just slightly on the loading area of the subway. The tunnels were the only safe route for her to travel back to the forest when the humans and canines were alive above her head. Most humans weren't happy with a wolf on the streets and plain daylight, and the russet furred wolf was more than happy to stay away. Even though it meant winding her way through a series of tunnels. Because of the little luck she had, there was a hole in one of the passages just large enough for a wolf her size to squeeze out. It opened into the woods and was about a half a mile from where her pack lands were located. Safe enough for her to take when the business was heavy overhead.
Still, it didn't mean she enjoyed it. Whenever she was down here, the dampness made her fur feel heavier, like she hadn't washed it any time after the day she was born. It made her head hurt, like the weight of the world was sitting behind her eyes, pushing to find a way out. In other words, you could say she felt like a cat that had been just dropped in a bucket of water and didn't want to move after getting out. Every step she took into that tunnel was hesitant and extremely uncomfortable. Even her dominant stance was lagging. Tail hanging low and flicking at the tip to show her aggravation and ears hanging low to try and protect it from the dampness. As she turned down the tunnel that led her home, she quickened her pace a little bit and hugged the shadows. The lights in the tunnel were for the most part on, but lagging. A flickering one here, a broken one there, and one that's sorry excuse for a light was clinging to life.
Still, this place was horrendous for any living thing, why would the humans or any other canine bother to use it? She only followed it to have a safe passage home, no matter how horrible it made her feel. Quirky Tea "I'm talking" I'm thinking
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Post by Quirky Tea on Jul 16, 2014 19:33:34 GMT
Elliot snapped back into consciousness in the tunnel. The voices were calling him. They sometimes did. He heard them and, like a Siren’s song, it led him into the dampest, darkest, most frightening places. His curse only very rarely leaked into the daylight. But in places like these, where night and day were very much the same, he could never be sure where he stood. His green eyes adjusted to the dark. The lights were malfunctioning. They flickered on and off where he was. The air grew chilled. It was another effect of being a ghost. “Shit,” he said as he looked around. “Where the hell am I?”
His eyes, a deep green with a slight gold cast to them, glowed gently. Elliot thought he was alone. He breathed a long sigh. He looked almost solid and even cast a long shadow, which flickered with the lights. He wondered why, if he was dead, could he still feel his heart beating in his chest and his blood pumping through his head. His shadow distorted far from him. He wondered why it was behaving so strangely. He didn’t yet fully understand that ghosts haunt because they are being haunted.
Elliot believed he was cursed to remain for no other reason than chance. Usually, he played with that chance. He laughed in the face of death. But when things like this happened, his bravado faded.
Sparks flashed as one of the lights burnt out completely. Then the other lights went completely dark. He heard the breathing of another creature. Pawsteps were approaching. He backed up and wondered which way in this stupid tunnel was the closest way out. “Go away!” he yelled. “You aren’t welcome!” He believed fully that he was talking to the illusions, which plagued his mind. He had no scent since his death.
The collie-greyhound mix gave a bark. It was a sharp bark like a collie’s. The lanky dog’s low-set tail was curled about his legs. “I’m warning you,” he said, a growl savage in his throat.
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Post by Athena♥ on Jul 17, 2014 21:49:01 GMT
TRIBUTE
The only sound that the russet-wolf could hear were her sound of her own paw-steps against the cement ground, the only scent that filled her nose was the stench of the humid air and the rusted metal from the trains that would pass every once in a while. That's why it was all the more confusing when she heard a voice off in the distance. Go away, you aren't welcome! It barked at her, so she was aware it was a dog. Still she was confused. She had one of the best noses in the entire town and the world around them - so why couldn't she smell this dog? It was the wrongness in her gut that made her freeze and lift her teeth into a snarl, something was wrong here.
Suddenly, the lights cut out and the she wolf recoiled, her head whipping back and forth as she tried to feel around her, to find the difference between the cement and the tracks. The last thing she needed was to fall into the path of an oncoming train. But, with knowing that another canine was out there and she couldn't smell him, well that scared her just a little bit more. I'm warning you. The voice came again and the wolf was able to pin-point it as male. But, she couldn't see, couldn't smell him. The russet hairs on her body began to bristle and she felt her body flooding with fear and anger. Her steps stammered on the ground, pressing it's weight from what paw to the other, like a cornered prey animal.
Another sharp snarl left her throat as she whipped her head around again. Nothing but darkness. What the hell! Her mind snarled. Is this really what I get for trying to do the right thing?! She growled shaking her head as the last of her fear was cast in pure anger. "Show yourself!" She snapped, saliva flying from her lips at the impact of her teeth against them. If this canine was trying to scare her, he would have to try better than that. "Let's go, don't make me have to find you myself." She growled again, her voice full of venom, though it was still a bit cautious if this creature was more than just a canine. That would be a little too much. Quirky Tea
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Post by Quirky Tea on Jul 18, 2014 15:58:08 GMT
Elliot kept himself together just enough to not bolt down the tunnel. Since death, his world had become random. Since death, unexplainable things happened to him. He had no ability to expect them. He had no ability to avoid it. But he always refused to lie down and submit to learned helplessness. He still believed, in the end, that there was some escape.
Even now, as he faced the dark tunnel and heard the growl and venom in the voice of the stranger in the blackness, he felt that some day, some way he’d find his salvation. “Show yourself,” her demand echoed through the tunnels. “...Don’t make me have to find you myself.” The threat made Elliot’s heart stop. He could smell her. Wolves always smelled different from dogs. Stronger. More wild. And, Elliot’s fur bristled at her scent.
Then, the lights came back on. At least some of them. They were steady and strong in the section of the tunnels between Tribute and Elliot. Both remained in the shadows. To Elliot, the bright path could be seen as an invitation. Or perhaps a dare. He pondered if he should step ahead, but knew that, if his mind was threatening him, he probably should obey.
Elliot took a tentative step and his shadow grew too large to be real. His green eyes glowed. He looked very much like a demon until he was completely under the yellow light. His tall and lanky form seemed solid in the light, but looking at his paws, it was as if he had no weight on the ground. His movements were silent. As he stepped into the light, it was obvious, if only for a moment, that he was something other. And then, once seen, it couldn’t be unseen. Something about him was off.
He looked ahead of him, wondering if this was the way out or if this was the path to hell. He saw nothing of Tribute except for the ember-like glow of her eyes. “Here I am,” he said. He hoped she was flesh and bone. He knew that nothing alive could kill him. Though dead, he could feel his heart beating and hear it, though it was probable that no one alive could hear it. He wasn’t sure. He drifted in and out of lives and never stayed long enough to discover every piece of his curse.
Because he didn’t believe she was alive, his stance was disrespectful. He was tall, stiff, and his green eyes, normally soft and dark, were hard with challenge. If he were going to face his end, he would not do it meekly. It would be a poor end to a good tale, in any case. He could feel his mind fizz with panic, but he stood strong.
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Post by Athena♥ on Jul 18, 2014 16:46:38 GMT
TRIBUTE
The moments ticked by as the canine in the darkness appeared to be making a decision. The she wolf was uncomfortable, and now she was even more flustered. Her tail curled into an arch behind her, fur bristled and sticking up in all directions and her ears twisted forward awkwardly in her anger. Her lips drew back to show glittering, white fangs. As she waited, her tongue would slide from inside her mouth and run through her teeth over her tongue, allowing a sharp snarl to fly from her lips as brought her tongue back to her mouth. Her tail tip twitched eerily, but still, when the lights slicked brightly back on, she jumped.
Her ears pinned and with a frustrated growl and lept back to the corner to keep herself in the darkness. Once she had calmed herself down once again, she returned to her dominant stance, ears and tail arched, lips curled and fur bristled. When movements from the shadows came, the she wolf stiffened once more, her fur bristling more - if it was even possible - as the canine brought himself into the clearing. She couldn't put her paws on it, but something wasn't exactly right with him. Her ears twitched and she glared, watching every movement, every twitch of his eyes when he blinked, but still, she couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. When he finally stood still and spoke to her, announcing he was there, she couldn't find out what was wrong.
A deep breath and she stared again, he looked like a normal dog, though his stance was disrespectful and aggressive, twisting the Alpha the wrong way. For another few moments she just stared from her place of hiding, lips curled and small snarls emitting from it, but eventually, she began to creep out. Steady, paw by paw, by paw. When she was half way out of the shadows, she let out a vicious bark. "It is wise to respect the Alphas of the wild and city packs, whether we are on our land or not." She growled, teeth shining brighter because of the brightness and even darkness that surrounded them. But, she fell into silence after that, trying to pin-point why this canine felt so wrong to her. "What, Who are you?" The russet wolf snarled, keeping her panic down and forcing it to sound angry rather than feared. If he held a silence again, she lunged a bit, snapping her teeth and growling, "Speak!" However if he returned the words immediately, she remained still, tail flicking angrily. Quirky Tea Hex #8d0377
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Post by Quirky Tea on Jul 18, 2014 17:56:36 GMT
She was afraid of him. Him. He looked down at the darkness, feeling a little smug, but also a bit uncomfortable. He didn’t want to be the villain. He chastised himself for enjoying her fear just a little too much. For, not only did he frighten a wolf, but he frightened an honest-to-goodness Alpha. He smiled when she stated her title. He hadn’t meant any disrespect. He had thought he was facing his inner demons, not a flesh-and-bone Alpha wolf. She lunged and snapped toward him, not close enough to close her teeth on a dog that was not truly there. Not close enough to discover that he was dead. A ghost. Though he didn’t mean to, he laughed a nervous laugh. He truly bubbled with relief. In one moment, he thought he was going to stare the devil in the eye. In the next, he was just looking at a wolf. A mortal wolf. Angry, too. In other words, he had nothing to fear. He brought a white paw up, trying to cover his long muzzle with it, to stifle the laughter. “I’m sorry; I’m sorry,” he said between breaths. “I just thought… that I was a goner.” He chuckled a few more times before he calmed himself with a long, well-needed sigh. “Elliot,” he said when he composed himself. “My name is Elliot. I’m a collector of stories. I tell them, too.” It was his most familiar way to introduce himself. All heroes had to have one if the story was going to be any good. ”And, you can say that I’m a little lost.” He still had a stupid grin on his face—relief wasn’t fading any time soon. He told her, in his definition, who and what he was. He wagged his tail, hoping that he had said enough to satiate her curiosity and let him go on his way. She didn’t seem the sort, at least in this moment, to sit down and listen to him, to lend a friendly ear. Though he enjoyed the company of others, he knew that he had to suffer his curse alone. Athena♥
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Post by Athena♥ on Jul 24, 2014 20:08:10 GMT
TRIBUTE
Tribute groaned at her own frustration. How could the male think this was so funny? Her paws moved back in forth in small unison, as though to keep her attention elsewhere. She slowly circled the male, her bristled fur relaxing as she studied everything of what she could saw. The male almost didn't look solid and for a moment, she pondered on reaching and trying to touch him. But, how foolish would that be? He was probably just a normal canine and she was over-reacting - like usual. However, his snickering was frustrating her anymore and eventually she just let out a sharp bark for silence - her own little way of saying shut the hell up. Her mood for violence was mostly gone - now she was just flat out annoyed.
Eventually, the male finally calmed himself enough to speak to her. He announced himself as Elliot - a keeper of stories. The russet wolf twitched her ears, still uncomfortable in the males presence. Still, according to himself, he was lost. That caused the wolf to snicker and shake her head. "Sick place to get lost in." She commented, allowing her body stance to relax just a little bit. "I'm Tribute." She barked, ear twitching in the humidity, really all she wanted to do was get out. "Where are you trying to go?" She asked, adding a small cock of her head. The faster he could find his way out - since now she felt to involved to leave him alone in there - the faster she could get herself home. It was a sort of win win situation.
After that was sorted out, her head lifted again, that same unease filling them. "You're different than most dogs." She commented, more to herself than to the male in front of her. "So tell me, what are you?" She asked again. She couldn't smell him, that was bad enough. But, he almost looked false, manipulated into being there - that was the part that made her feel almost sick to her stomach. And by the way he was unafraid of her, well that was also, something strange. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. Quirky Tea HexCode#8d0377
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Post by Quirky Tea on Jul 25, 2014 17:36:22 GMT
“Yeah, it is a pretty awful place to get lost in,” Elliot replied, feeling a bit more courageous thanks to not being alone. And being with a living creature. That always helped. He could pretend he was still alive then. He could feel the dampness of the tunnel in his nostrils, smell the dank air as it filled his lungs.
”Where are you trying to go?” She had asked.
Elliot turned his head from one dark end of the tunnel to the other. He had no clue where he had come from or where he was going. “I’m not sure. Out?” He smiled, chuckling at his own confusion and uncertainty. He was still nervous. If you knew he was a ghost and you knew him, you’d have understood his anxiety in the flickering lights and the chill and the clamminess that filled you from the inside out. The air felt dead in that tunnel. He was fresh from a haunting and couldn’t hide it.
She seemed concerned for him. Just a little bit. Elliot wanted to believe that she was. He wasn’t concerned for her because she looked like she could take care of herself. But she was astute. She could sense something was wrong with him. It was harder to maintain the illusion in the darkness of that tunnel. The air didn’t circulate as well and couldn’t hide the fact he had zero scent. In the daylight, he could almost appear perfectly alive. Solid. And dogs would come up and socialize with him without being any the wiser.
Elliot looked down at his paws, saw how lightly they moved over the floor of the tunnel and saw the texture of the dirt through them. He knew he was just ever so slightly transparent. “You different than most dogs.” Though he was dead, he felt his heart beat quickly. He knew it was all in his head. He had no heart anymore. He had no body. He just remembered how it all was supposed to feel. But he could never completely feel alive. He felt hollowed out. And, in moments like these, where he was fresh from his terror, he couldn’t even lie to himself that he didn’t always feel the touch of death on him.
He looked at Tribute as she had pieced the puzzle together using her intuition. ”So tell me, what are you?” It was a beautiful way to solve the mystery. Right for a good story. And now it was up to him to finish this perfect exchange.
And he held her gaze and tenderly revealed the secret he was so poorly keeping from her. “I’m dead, Tribute.” The words fell from his mouth into the still air. “See... I’m a ghost.”
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