Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 3, 2006 17:06:21 GMT
Continued from: Alleys and Streets; The Rooftops with Trent
Calla reached street level and turned, waiting patiently for Trent, watching him move down the stairs, taking enough precaution to allow his hand to remain over the handrail and knowing that she probably really should have done the same. She was oftentimes far too overconfident in herself for her own good, but that was simply how she was. She knew perfectly well that, despite their increased agility, it was completely possible for one of their kind to trip. Calla just refused to believe that it would ever be her because she simply knew that it would not happen and, should it ever actually occur for some reason, then she would rethink her views, though likely not very seriously. She was how she was and that was simply all there was to it.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 3, 2006 21:35:28 GMT
He jumped down the last few steps, trying to make up for his pervious, less than graceful landing. Trent’s second attempt was much smoother, landing perfectly on the street, his knees bent slightly to prevent himself from hurting them. He smiled proudly at Calla, taking her arm in his, wanting the contact and safety that provided. Trent just didn’t know what he would do without her, and not just because of his… special needs. He just needed her, she was his world in more ways than one.
The couple moved along the sidewalk, looking for all the world as they were just two normal humans, out for a romantic stroll together.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 3, 2006 23:58:47 GMT
Calla had returned Trent’s proud smile with one of her own; it was wonderful when he was proud of himself for something, whether it be something as simple as landing gracefully or as complicated as a new piece of music he had composed. Walking arm in arm with Trent, she leaned against him lightly, making sure her jacket continued to cover the weapons at her sides. There was no sense in accidentally causing a scene by letting some passerby get a glimpse of them. That concern was at the very back of her mind, though. Right now, she was much too happy to just stroll along with Trent to really worry about anything.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 4, 2006 4:23:39 GMT
The couple passed a hotel, the type with a sit in restaurant. While Trent loved Calla’s cooking and believed it to be the best in the world, he also liked her taking a break from things like that. And since he wasn’t really supposed to touch the oven – not since that time in Budapest when he had tried to surprise her with a meal, only to forget half way through cooking and wander off to play his violin, completely oblivious to the smoke and fire – he wanted her to take a break in the only other way she could.
Trent gently tugged Calla to a stop, stepping sideways slightly to get a better look at the menu. “You cook too much,” he explained blithely, never thinking of how it could be considered an insult; Calla would know exactly what he meant she always did. “You deserve a rest from that some nights. Maybe not tonight, because you said we’re having chicken but another, less… moon filled one.”
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 4, 2006 16:57:44 GMT
She remembered the Budapest incident well. She had been terrified upon returning home and finding their home filled with black smoke and flames all but shooting from the oven. She had taken care of that problem quickly and had gone in search of Trent, grateful when she had found him so contentedly playing his violin. She had gently suggested that she take care of all of the cooking from then on, though the gesture he had been trying to make had not go unnoticed.
She gave a very slight smirk. Had anyone other than Trent told her she cooked too much… But, it was him and she knew what he meant. “Why don’t we plan on that for the night after next if you’re feeling up for it then?” Some might have thought twice about taking him out to eat somewhere, but Calla just dared anyone to say anything. If they did… Well, they could easily end up in the morgue and she would happily pretend that they had never existed. There were certain things one just did not do in her presence. Giving Trent a hard time for anything was one of the big ones.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 5, 2006 2:30:31 GMT
"That sounds lovely," he replied, pulling his arm free from hers in order to wrap it around her shoulders instead, hugging her lightly. The thought of a reward tomorrow if he was well – the music store – and then another one the next night came him targets, something to counteract the voices with, something else beside Calla to cling onto when they came and hurt him. When the images took her away from him and he couldn’t see her or hear her properly. It was a reassuring thought. As was seeing more of their new city.
“We shall eat out and I can show off to the world that I have the most beautiful woman with me.” Of course, sometimes, even Trent managed to express himself clearly in speech.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 5, 2006 16:03:05 GMT
Calla slipped her now free arm around Trent’s waist and leaned against him just a bit more than she had been. Times like this were extremely relaxing. For Calla, there was nothing better than just being with Trent, enjoying at least part of the night and calmly making plans for the near future. One day soon she would have to toss work aside completely so that perhaps they could take a tour of Los Angeles and figure out just where everything was. Maybe right after she finished the big project she was working on, which should not take more than an hour or two to put the finishing touches on.
She smiled gently at the compliment. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I know that I’ll get to make the other women jealous by showing up with the most handsome guy in history.” Yes, even she could be like that. It was just another part of her that only Trent ever had the opportunity to see.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 5, 2006 17:44:47 GMT
“You’re going to be eating with someone else?” Trent asked innocently, blinking at her, a slightly sly smile on his face. It was good to feel well enough to be able to joke with Calla and to his slight surprise he thought that the small fit from before had done him good, given him some small relief from the noise in his head and he was very grateful for that. He leaned his head against hers slightly, enjoying the feel of the woman he loved against him, there because she wanted to be.
There was a faint noise from around the corner, but he ignored it, it only registering in him at all because of his werewolf talents. Right now, for all Trent cared the world could be swallowed by a giant lizard or the rest of the country could boil and burn away and he wouldn’t care, so long as he was standing right there with her.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 5, 2006 18:14:45 GMT
In response to question, she poked him lightly in then side with a little laugh before jokingly saying, “Oh, I didn’t tell you? I made plans ages ago to have dinner with this guy.” She snuggled against him a bit more and said fondly, “Silly boy.” She loved it when Trent felt well enough to joke a bit. These times seemed far too rare sometimes.
Calla noticed the sound, but it didn’t concern her. In a city the size of Los Angeles, there was always some sort of noise and if she let every sound put her on edge, she would never be able to take advantage of situations such as this one. The feeling of Trent’s head against hers, their arms around one another and Trent’s feeling well enough to joke were enough to make her think somewhat good things about the world. So long as she and Trent were together, nothing else mattered a bit.
When the noise repeated itself, Calla couldn't help the frown that came across her face. She didn't think it was anything to be worried about- there were very few things that their kind really needed to concern themselves with- but she wanted to make sure. After all, protecting Trent was a responsibility that Calla performed proudly and seriously. Dropping the arm that was around his waist, Calla looked in the direction the sounds had come from. Kissing him lightly on the jaw, Calla said, "Stay here for a second. I'm going to see what that noise is. I'll be right back." With that, she moved towards the corner, determined to see what had been making that noise.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 7, 2006 12:19:30 GMT
It felt good to have Calla pressed up against him, the two laughing and joking softly. Pretending and acting, even if only for a few seconds that they were just a normal couple, with none of the problems that came with being connected to his… problems. Trent should have known it would have been too good to last and so, when Calla moved away from him, he couldn’t help the tiny thread of panic that began to uncoil in his gut, worry flickering across his features as she moved toward the corner of the street. He knew that she was only just going to check out some noise, that she would be right back, that she wanted to come right back, but as always, there was that hint of insecurity in his mind that to others could be perceived as being too clingy.
Trent stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to recreate the feeling of a few moments ago, the warmth. He scanned the menu again, none of the meals registering in his mind. There was a second noise, louder and closer to him and he turned, blinking slightly at the sudden influx of images.
The doors to the hotel had opened, a crowd of people spilling out onto the sidewalk. There was so many that they blocked Trent’s view of Calla, cut them off from each other. Immediately the thread uncoiled completely, panic taking over.
Calla was gone! He took a step forward, intending to look for her, but then some of the crowd turned their heads, looking at him. Hideous heads, rotting, decaying. Blood pouring from eye sockets which had long lost the eyes. Skin melting before him, along with a ghastly smile of blackening teeth. The beasts reached out for him, trying to grab at him and with a strangled whimper he turned, running blindly along the path away from the demons. Away, unknowingly, from Calla. All he wanted right now was Calla, he had to find Calla.
In a blind panic he turned the opposite corner and plunged down the street.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 7, 2006 16:13:27 GMT
It only took a few seconds for Calla to realize that the noises had been from a group of teenagers acting like idiots, kicking around some soda cans. Turning away in disgust of what she thought was typical behavior for human teens, Calla started to head back to Trent, wishing the large group of people standing around on the sidewalk would clear out so that she could see him. Since they seemed to be fairly content with just standing around, looking like idiots, Calla breathed in deeply, taking in scents. That was when she realized something was wrong. Though a light breeze was blowing in her direction, carrying scents to her, Trent’s was extremely faint.
Oh, no… Calla took off at run, plunging into the crowd, ignoring some outraged cries and snapping back at those who were making others. The humans seemed bound and determined not to move, so the werewolf began to literally push them out of the way, though she did have the presence of mind to regulate the force she used.
When she finally got through the crowd, she found what she had been afraid of- the spot where she had told Trent to wait for her was empty. “Damn. Something must have happened…” Determined to find him, Calla took off again, following the path that his unmistakable scent led her down.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 7, 2006 18:00:21 GMT
Trent raced blindly down the street he had chosen at random. If he had been able to think clearly, he might have noticed that the very faint wisps of Calla’s scent that he was clinging too, were growing fainter because he was moving away from her, not the other way around. As it was though, he simply kept running, ever person he passed turning into another horrible beast out of some kind of hell.
He crossed the road, ignoring the honks and angry yells from the people in the cars. As far as he was concerned, they didn’t even register, too lost in his own world where the only thing that mattered was finding Calla.
Without looking behind him, he pushed further into the maze of downtown streets, tears prickling at his eyes.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 7, 2006 18:14:18 GMT
Calla had no problem following Trent’s scent- after so many years together, doing so was almost like following a psychic feeling rather than a scent. She had no idea as to what exactly had caused him to take off; though she knew it was undoubtedly another of his episodes, they varied so much that it was impossible to know what actually going through his mind that had convinced him to leave when she had asked him to wait. Whatever it was, she knew that it was bad. Trent was always so concerned with pleasing her that she knew he wouldn’t take off unless there- to him, anyway- a very good reason.
Though she looked angry as she shoved aside a pizza delivery guy on the way to his car, Calla was worried. Without knowing exactly what had caused Trent to leave, she had no ideas as to what sort of state she might find him in.
She stopped suddenly and looked across the street. He crossed here. She didn’t question her instincts, instead simply following them as she crossed the street herself, weaving her way through the traffic that was now stopped for the light. Once across, she looked in every direction, picked up Trent’s scent again through the exhaust and other smells that the city boasted and took off after him again, determined to find him.
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Trent
Rogue Werewolf
Violinist
Posts: 132
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Post by Trent on Nov 7, 2006 19:25:22 GMT
The sounds of the busy city did nothing to help Trent’s confused state as he ran along, still trying to locate Calla and becoming increasingly more scared as he failed. He could feel all the eyes of the monsters on him, judging him and finding him unworthy. Trent wanted to turn back to them, to snarl that they were wrong, he was so very worthy.
But he didn’t truly believe he was. And they knew it, the dead eyes mocking him as he raced past, the tears now slipping down his face. Without thinking about it, Trent crossed another road, a car having to swerve violently in order not to crash into him.
It did scrape again him though, catching his right elbow as it passed, skin ripping off slightly. A few drops of blood dripped to the ground and Trent stopped where he was, still partly in the road in order to look at it, a rather puzzled expression on his face as he did so. It didn’t hurt, he couldn’t feel it… and yet there was a small puddle of blood by his feet.
“Hey! You! The idiot!” The driver of the car had climbed out by now and was advancing towards Trent, clearly angry. He half turned towards the human, paling at the images he could see. Flesh slowly burning up, worms crawling out of the open mouth.
“Calla… I need Calla…” Trent all but whimpered, backing away from the apparition in front of him, before turning and running again, holding his arm to his chest.
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Callandra
Rogue Werewolf
Freelance Graphics Designer
Posts: 132
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Post by Callandra on Nov 7, 2006 19:50:22 GMT
She paid little attention to the people looking at her like she had lost her mind as she ran along. They could think whatever they wanted of her. It didn’t matter. All she cared about right now was finding Trent. He was far more important than what some humans though of her.
She reached another street and spotted a man standing outside of his car. That, however, was not what really drew her attention. She could smell blood. Trent’s blood and, when she looked, she spotted a puddle of the red liquid at his feet and heard herself give a soft snarl. If he had hurt Trent…
She strode out into the street, unmindful of the cars passing around her, stopping at the driver. Keep her voice emotionless, she demanded, “Have you seen a guy around here? Messy brown hair?”
“You mean the crazy guy? The damn lunatic nearly got himself run over!”
Don’t kill him. No time for such pleasantries. “How badly is he hurt?”
“Why would you want to find a lunatic like that, lady? Best to steer clear of guys like that. He’s probably got a death wish.”
Calla reacted before she realized what she was doing. Grabbing the front of his shirt, she slammed him against the side of his car. “I didn’t ask for your advice, dammit! I want to know how badly he was hurt and you’re going to tell me right now if you don’t want things to turn ugly.” She managed to control her anger enough to keep her eyes from flashing, but just barely.
“I didn’t really notice, but he went that way!” the driver responded, pointing, wide eyed. He had obviously never been in such a situation before and Calla gave a little smirk as she released him, taking in his scent and filing it away for later. If Trent was more than just grazed… She might cause him trouble later down the line just for calling Trent crazy and a lunatic. She stepped away and gave the man a disgusted look before taking off again, following Trent’s scent.
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