Private Tales Wolves At the Door

[Jorg]

Sliding himself down all the way into the tub Jorg let out a loud groan of comfort and exhaustion.

His bones hurt, as they always did after he transformed, and the heat of the tub was probably one of the most relaxing things he'd felt in months. Before all of this he'd been traipsing around the Wilds, every night spent sleeping on the floor. "Not too different than Alliria really."

That was the only Western city he had ever traveled to, though the comparison was not really fair.

"Smaller, taller walls." He shrugged. "My Fa-"

Jorg cut himself off. "The Duke controls most of everything. Trade, the military, all that stuff. People are mostly happy. It's...nice. Calmer than you would expect from a city that close to the Wilds."

 

[Silver Romani]

When she heard him sink into the tub she rested her arms over the rim and her chin atop them, since now she couldn't see anything but his face. He'd been about to say something about his father, it hadn't gone unnoticed, and her gaze narrowed slightly as he fell over his words but she didn't comment. "Sounds nice.." she smiled softly and tilted her head.

"We never settled anywhere long enough to grow roots, I'm not even sure where I was born to be honest.." she frowned thoughtfully. "It's sort of difficult to be a gypsy on your own.." she added with a quiet huff. Her life had been completely upturned, people like her needed a community to thrive and she was having to learn to make her own way..

"Have you been on your own too?" she arched a brow, considering that he may have been in the same predicament as she.. "Can't you go home?."

 

[Jorg]

"I can imagine." He told her quietly. The Travelers he'd met on his trips had all been extremely communal. Everyone relied on everyone else. It was to someone like him, but there was a beauty to it.

People actually working together was rare in Mallian. At least unless there was a profit to be made from the venture.

"You'd think..." He said as he put his feet up on the rim of the tub. "As Wolves we would travel in pack."

Jorg let out a chuckle, shaking his head as if such a thing was silly. He'd certainly never heard of a Werewolf pack. "I can't go home, no."

He said softly.

"If they found out what I was I'd be hung, and there would probably be a revolt against my parents for birthing a monster." The people of Mallian were a simple sort, they wouldn't care that Lycanthropy was generally not passed on by birth.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's brow arched and she nodded at his explanation.. "Yes, well. I shouldn't have returned afterwards.." she answered, a pang of guilt evident in her voice, but it gave way to remorse.. "I suppose I thought they might help me deal with it."

She settled back into the tub and sighed. "My people used to tell stories about a wolf pack that live in the spine mountains. They said they were born as people who could turn into wolves, but they weren't frightening like the stories about us.. These were wolves who protected people by hunting demons and monsters.. I can't remember what they were called... But I suppose we're the monsters in those stories now." she frowned deeply.

 

[Jorg]

"Don't blame yourself." Jorg said softly, letting his hand come out of the water and flicking it towards her.

He doubted any of the droplets would reach her through the gaps in the wall, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.

"The First months after you're bitten is like being a newborn babe." His teeth grit slightly, remembering exactly what it had been like. There had been so much fear, so much hatred, so much guilt. Even thinking about it now formed a pit in his stomach. "You had no idea what you were doing."

Jorg said softly, though he might have been placating himself more than her.

A breath filled his lungs, and he slowly shook his head. Her words clung to him, stick on the roof of his mouth like a burnt caramel. After a few seconds his head turned, eyes meeting hers. "Do I really look so monstrous to you?"

There was an odd tinge to his voice.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver frowned as he tried to mollify her guilt by reasoning and her head shook with a laugh under her breath. "I still don't.." . She had no idea what the fuck she was doing at all, she wandered aimlessly dreading the one night every month where she lost control entirely, it was no way to live but she didn't know what else to do, she couldn't live amongst people for fear of being found out or hurting someone.

She looked back at him and she chewed on her lip as she realised what she'd said, her heart skipped a beat or two and she felt the need to sink lower into the tub.. "I... No.." she answered nervously.

"Not right now." she added with a hint of caution.

 

[Jorg]

"Ah good." He said as he leaned back into the tub. "Because you just look like a beautiful woman to me."

A yawn passed his lips. "I was worried we had different strains or something."

Jorg did not think of himself as a monster. There was a monster in his head, but a collar sat around it's throat that he was happy with. If the beast being set free meant the deaths of a few bandits, the taste of blood in his mouth some mornings, then so be it.

He had come to accept that part of him.

Perhaps that was what Silver needed too. Perhaps she needed to accept it, at least in her own way. Something clicked in his head, and he smiled slightly.

 

[Silver Romani]

She let out a breath at his answer and flashed a bright smile at his compliment.. "Hm. Well, thank you." she smirked and shook her head before sinking below the surface of the water for a few moments. Her hair was a more violent shade of red as she emerged, and she rubbed the last taste of blood from her lips.

She allowed a pregnant silence to grow between them as soaked for a while before scrubbing at her skin and looking over to make sure he wasn't looking before she stood up with a rush of water and stepped out to wrap her towel around her, steam rising from her skin in the chill of the room. She glanced through the gaps in the wood again, a small smile on her lips.. "Thank you, by the way.. For trying to help."

 

[Jorg]

Out of the corner of his eye Jorg watched her as she left the tub.

He wasn't leering, not even ogling. Just appreciating out of the corner of his eye. There was nothing wrong with that. He was just naturally curious about what another Werewolf looked like naked.

Turned out it was the same as an ordinary woman. Who could have known? "You're welcome."

The first lesson had not gone well, but he had an idea for the next. Though she probably wouldn't like it all that much.

His eyes closed, and he leaned his head back.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver could feel his eyes on her and gave a light smirk to herself. She found his company pleasant despite her initial uncertainty. She’d been so terrified of others like her that she’d avoided them entirely, it’d taken a lot of persuasion for her to accept herself for what she was, and now that she had she could accept that they were, for the most part, normal people. Still she’d met many normal men who were horrible, and he didn’t seem like one of those so far, and so she felt a little more relaxed.

She wrung out her hair picked up her clothes to go hang them by the hearth to dry out, and returned a moment later with the bottle of spirits and two cups. “Drink?..” she asked as she poured, and she slipped one of the cups through the wall for him.

She sat up on her bed and took a sip of her own. Cue coughing. “This stuff is vile...” she groaned.

“Does it get easier?....” she asked after a moment of staring into her cup. “The shift I mean..” her lips twisted..

 

[Jorg]

Jorg took the cup, taking a sip of the spirit as though he were drinking a fine wine. His head was still tilted back, and he was starting to feel a pleasant heady buzz falling over his mind.

"I think it's nice." He told her with a smile. "Fits my Mallian disposition."

Back home they made a spirit called Mallian Blue Wine. It was distilled from the root of a tree found only in the Wilds. The stuff was strong enough to burn paint off of metal, and it had a habit of turning your tongue blue if you let it sit on your tongue.

Jorg loved the stuff.

Placing his cup down on the rim or his tub Jorg slowly shook his head. "Wish I could tell you it did."

He sounded genuinely sad as he spoke.

"But...five years on. Still hurts like the first day." He frowned briefly. "But...I don't dread it like I used to."

Part of accepting what he was. What he'd become.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver wrinkled her nose at his approval of the drink, but she continued to drink and cough anyway. His answer wasn't what she'd hoped for, and she felt her heart sink and her stomach churn over with nausea. She'd hoped he'd tell her he could teach her of a way to make it easier, and she dropped her gaze to the floor..

"How could you not dread it?... I literally beg for death every time, it takes hours." she frowned.. "Even the week leading up to it is difficult, and the few days after." Full moon was a week away and already she could feel it in her bones. It was impossible not to want to be free of such a life, and she was unsure why she'd ever bothered to fight for it whenever she was faced with death. Perhaps it had been the hope of things getting easier somehow, but now that hope was well and truly quashed. She had nothing, no-one, and a life of the same hopeless misery ahead of her..

Silent tears fell, and she poured a little more of the vile liquid.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg hesitated.

He had never done well with crying women, and it seemed his callousness had hurt yet another one. A frown touched his lips, his ears prickling slightly as he heard the drops of her tears.

It sent a shiver down his spine.

Fingers tightened on the cup, the rim of the tub, and the odd ache in his stomach seemed to become worse. Lips thinned, and slowly he pulled himself from the still warm waters. Jorg did not bother toweling himself off, nor did he dress himself. Instead he moved through the cold night air between their rooms.

Wet feet carried him across rotted floorboards towards where she sat, and then he squatted down besides her.

With a strange, almost painfuly awkwardl reach, Jorg wrapped his arms around her in an embrace.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver lifted her glassy eyes as he approached her, water still rushing from his naked skin. She didn't bother to look away this time and instead wiped frantically at her face, but it was too late to deny her upset. She simply stared at him as he crouched in front of her, and went completely rigid as his arms wrapped her in an embrace, a quiet gasp escaping her lips as he did so.

She blinked for a moment and looked down at him, knowing how well he understood and finding a small smile as he tried to assuage her grief, though she wasn't used to it.. Slowly though, she eased, unclenching her fists and reaching her arms around him to cling to the offered comfort.

 

[Jorg]

For a time, Jorg simply held her. In his mind it was really the only thing that he could actually do. The only thing that might offer her a modicum of comfort.

It was the first time he had actually held anyone in nearly five years.

He'd touched others of course, had a pretty girl sit on his lap, fucked his way through brothels, even ended up in a noble woman's bed once or twice. On all those ocassions though there had never been an embrace, not like this.

Not in a moment of peace with no ulterior motives or thoughts.

There was something soothing about it even for him, though getting him to admit it out loud would have been impossible. This was for her, she needed comfort. He was fine.

This close to her though, his arms wrapped around her, Silver's scent was impossible to ignore. It permeated his nose, stinging his nostrils as the Wolf in the depths of his soul began to stir. He stepped on it, silenced it, but it was there.

Watching. Strangely eager.

 

[Silver Romani]

He wasn't letting go, and she felt her muscles start to ease. Despite the bath his scent actually seemed stronger now that he'd washed the blood from his skin and Silver closed her eyes and settled the stirring in her mind, trying to breathe calmly, though she didn't feel as aggressive as she had when she'd bit him. For some reason whatever he was doing was working, whether it was simply being held or something else, she settled.

She pulled her feet up onto the bed, and after a moment's hesitation she lay down and curled up, trying not to break his embrace. She sighed quietly, and settled her head against his arm, not really knowing what to say nor feeling the need to speak at all. It felt strange to have a strange naked man hugging her, but she hadn't felt relaxed in some time and she wasn't going to turn it down when it seemed to mollify her troubled mind. Her eyes closed, and her mind and body slowly gave in to the peace whilst it lasted.

 

[Jorg]

As Silver slowly laid herself down Jorg followed along.

He did not want to break away from her, he did not suddenly want to rebuke the gesture he had offered and somehow make every feeling she'd already had sweep back over her.

So when she laid herself down, he simply did the same.

His heart thundered in his chest, beating once for him and once for the wolf. He could feel it lingering in the back of his, could feel it reaching out towards the surface.

It had not yet been even a day, he didn't understand. It should have been a month before the Wolf arose again, yet he could feel it near the surface, lingering.

Was it her?

It had to be. The scent.

Jorg's mind raced and wondered as he too slowly fell into a deep sleep.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver slept through the storm and awoke with the golden light of dawn pouring in through the window of the ramshackle room, her towel and Jorg's arm still wrapped around her. Her eyes widened and her skin warmed a little as she now felt a little more awkward about falling asleep with him, and she cleared her throat softly to wake the werewolf from his slumber..

"Uhm.. Jorg.." she prodded gently at his shoulder and chewed on her lip.. Well this was awkward.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg smacked his lips together. "Five more minutes."

He said with a yawn, eyes still closed as he tensed his arm a bit and pulled her close for a bit of warmth.

The Inn had managed to stay surprisingly warm overnight, the fire lasting throughout and keeping Jorg from freezing. Though of course Silver had also helped with that bit.

"Sleepy." He said, clearly drifting off again.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver blinked as she was pulled closer against him in all his nakedness and her cheeks blazed more furiously. She didn't quite know what to do and she bit on her lip as he seemed to be drifting off again.. "I can... go hunt some breakfast..." she nudged, though it seemed useless.

She sighed and watched him for a moment before settling back down. He was making her sleepy too, and the wolf in her rumbled an almost inaudible guttural sound as she closed her eyes again. "Fine... five minutes." she rumbled an agreement.

 

[Jorg]

Five...fifteen, they were practically the same numbers.

Eventually Jorg opened his eyes on his own, a loud yawn escaping him as his arms finally unfurled from around Silver. A stretch wracked his entire body, and he let out a groan as some of the pressure released from his aching bones.

His lips smacked together, and he glanced down at Silver. "Oh you're up."

Jorg said, somewhat surprised.

"Why didn't you wake me?" It was clear he was not just teasing her, but was genuinely asking.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's brows arched and she looked up at him incredulously.. "I did..." she huffed quietly, but didn't immediately move as he released his hold on her. She yawned and stretched herself out too before rolling out of bed and securing her towel a little tighter around her chest, keeping her back turned to him.

Without a word she wandered out, and returned a moment later with both sets of dry clothes, and she averted her gaze as she threw his over to him.. "Deer or rabbit?.." she asked as she pulled her leggings on under her towel.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg shrugged as if he had no idea what she was talking about, clearly not remembering the fact that he had even spoken to her. Another yawn passed his lips, hand coming up to rub his eyes.

The wolf was already awake of course, and it was that which kept an eye on Silver, not Jorg. Lips thinned for a moment as his gaze shifted, forcing himself to look away from the other Werewolf with a deepened scowl. The damned thing was chomping at the bit.

His hand launched up as she threw his clothes at him, fingers latching onto them.

Surprisingly, Jorg wasted absolutely no time in putting on the clothes he'd stolen from the bandits the night before. There was something very human about wearing clothing, and he was hoping even that tiny gap would stop the Wolf from peeking out anymore.

"Deer." He said quietly. "Rabbit is always too gamey."

Plus he had no taste for it. Rabbit was decidedly a western fare.

 

[Silver Romani]

Her back remained turned on him as she threw down the towel, the silvery scars on her back glistening in the light before she covered them with her vest and pulled her hair up to knot it, though the usual unruly locks fell back against her face.

"Alright.." she agreed and rubbed at the back of her neck as she turned to look at him again now that he was dressed. Her lips parted as though she was about to say something, but she lost her words and she offered him an awkward smile instead, hoping he would take it as a mute thanks for his comfort..

"Breakfast... Then, perhaps you can teach me a little more?.." she squinted, hoping that food would be fair payment..

 

[Jorg]

"Are you actually going to bite me this time?" Jorg teased as he pushed himself up and off the bed, throwing her a smirk.

He had a different plan for his next lesson of course, though he wasn't entirely sure how he would go about it just yet. When she'd bitten him last time the Wolf had taken over, and she'd managed to at least felt what it felt.

Now Jorg had to get her to accept what she was. That presented more difficulty, especially given that nobody wanted to be a monster.

Even he didn't. "I'll start the fire for when you get back."

Jorg told her with a smile.

"We'll start when we're full." He chuckled. "Then maybe we won't try to eat each other."