How Can A Story Never Die?

Above all else, she was kind. It was what she recalled most about her mother and it rung true in the stories that her Papa would share with her. Kindness was the part of her that Odette wished to emulate in order to carry on her legacy. Papa had recounted the days and weeks that had followed her passing, a time that she was far too young to have experienced. There had not been a single patron of the Lithgow's shop that was missing when they held a ceremony to honor her life and not a single dry eye. There were even folk there that her father had not known and yet somehow her mother had touched their lives and left that tiny bit of magic in the world after she'd gone.

As was their family tradition, what was left of their baked goods for the day when they closed was packed up and they would distribute it to the poor and hungry. Odette carried a bag full of bread rolls and loafs and today even some muffins had come along to be passed out. Sometimes she wondered if her father purposefully overbaked, seeing as they almost always had excess and yet he never adjusted their ledger to purchase less of the ingredients. It was a subtle kindness, but his daughter had noticed it, nonetheless.

There were some children huddled at a street corner, wide-eyed and terrified. It struck her how many of them had been seen since the ending of the war, but if an orphanage nearby hadn't taken them in then it was one of the usual company she'd come to know through the years. “Come now, boys. Told'ya she'd show." An elderly, blind beggar beckoned the pups closer to her and patted her paw to encourage them to sit. “Good to see ya again, Winny. How's your ear been? Still aching?" Odette asked as she placed her sack down and started to pass out the food. She procured the muffins especially for the little ones and then gave them all a loaf of rye. “Heh? Oh, yeh, yeh m'dear, s'like there's water ‘n all stuffed up in there or 'some..." The homeless woman gave her a toothy grin or, well...with what teeth she still had left. “I can send for a doctor to at least have a look at that when I'm out and about tomorrow morning. I'll cover the costs so you'll not have to worry about that.” Winny sighed and after a moment's hesitation she nodded. Even in those sightless eyes, she could see a sparkle of gratitude. “If yer sure it's not a bother, deary..."

“Oh, not at all, Miss Winny. It would be my pleasure, in fact." Odette made sure everyone who had gathered all had gotten a fair share of what she'd brought and she beamed brightly at all of them as they filled their bellies, preparing for another winter's night. “You are a blessing, girl. Jus' like ya mother." The comparison stirred up butterflies in her chest and she gave a bow of her head. “Thank you...you don't know how much that means. Well...I'd best be off. Now you lot stay warm, I'll see about bringing more pelts for your camp area when I can soon.”

Odette gave one last glance over her shoulder as she took off back towards her family's cozy home in the woods. The sun was setting quickly and the air was only becoming more brisk with cold. It made her reflect on how thankful she was to have all that she did have and then her mind wandered again to her mother as she took a turn down a street that served as a shortcut to the forest path.

Lachlan O’Conaill//i am the monster in your head.

Lachlan was no stranger to the streets of Iverness when they grew dark. In fact, he and those streets were bitter friends till the end it would seem. He moved through the shadows quietly, avoiding others as he walked, until he left town and headed out into the forest. The sounds of town died behind him only to be replaced with sounds of the quiet winter night-- no birds chirping or frogs croaking... just quiet silence. His limping gait halted easily enough and he closed his eyes to enjoy the lack of sound for a moment. It wasn't often he searched for peace among the chaos that was his life but sometimes, even he craved a shred of normalcy. Of course that would not last long as the quiet churning within him turned to boredom and off he went again, in search of something to do. Amelia was retired for the night so he daren't bother her and his kids were all off on their own, doing god knows what, so tormenting them was off the table. He'd have to find some other poor soul to bide his time with, it seemed, and there among the trees... he found her.

At first he did not reveal himself and whether she noticed him lingering in the dark was unknown to him. The cold wind shifted this way and that, perhaps obscuring him from being scented or perhaps taking his stench right to her. It did not matter for he would not stay hidden for long as he studied her somewhat plump figure. His eyes burned like embers in the night as he slipped from the shadows with as much of a smile as he could muster on his scarred face. "Hello, sweetheart." he purred, his tail swaying easily behind him. His gaze raked over her body unapologetically; then took in the scene around them. They were alone in the quiet, save for the sounds of his voice and the crunching of the frosted grass beneath his paws. He said nothing else for the time being as he watched her. What he planned to do with her, he was only just beginning to mull over in his mind.

"Lachlan speaks."

art and table by hale.

The forest welcomed her with the hush of winter and she breathed in the cold. It was invigorating even at nightfall. Padding with ease down the path, she released her breaths in quick puffs to entertain herself as she made her way home. Odette's mind wandered for a moment to the days ahead of her. Perhaps Rhodes would come to visit the Tea Shop again soon. The thought sent her tail into a happy swish. The present reality came back in an instant when a figure moved from the long shadows the tall trees cast.

She jumped visibly and shuffled her feet backwards from the suddenness of the appearance, having not noticed the man that stepped into view. As she caught her breath she tilted her head and turned to look over her shoulder and then back at him. “Goodness, you gave me a fright!" She laughed and shook her head, keeping her keen gaze upon him.

Something was...off, but she wasn't going to judge a book its cover...not yet, anyway. “Sorry to say I've, uh, run out of the extra bakes from today. Winny might have some extra if ya ask her. Or, oh, how about you stop by the tea shop tomorrow and I can have ya somethin' fresh, hm?" She wasn't about to wait for his answer, moving to continue past him and back on her journey.


@Lachlan

Lachlan O’Conaill//i am the monster in your head.

A little smile formed on his scarred lips as she jumped at the sight of him, no doubt surprised by his sudden appearance if she hadn't noticed him coming. She commented, saying that he'd given her a fright, and inside he reeled with delight. Outside, he played apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said softly, almost as if he really meant it. Almost.

She began to stammer something about baked goods but he wasn't really listening. She was just buying time before she dismissed herself, and when she tried to do so without him answering he felt that familiar anger rise up inside him. He wanted to grab her by the neck and wring it as she started walking past him without so much as a second glance. A growl he could not seem to stop urged from his throat and he pivoted on his paws to block her path this time, now near-glaring at her. "I don't want your food, girl." he said softly. He ran his tongue over his lips, he was hungry for something else. Without a warning, he darts towards her, jaws snapping just shy of her face as if he were going to tear it off just like that bitch had done to him all those years ago.

"Lachlan speaks."

art and table by hale.

It was his tone. A deep gravely sound with that hint of ire that she was certain she did not cause. Much of the time she was not deserving of the way some treated her. It was unfortunate that they were unable to attend to their unprocessed emotions that led to the way they lashed out. When his voice transitioned into a growl as she attempted to move along, he moved exactly where she expected him to, blocking her path.

Odette could feel a trembling in her tensed muscles and she drew in a deep breath through her nose. Flashes of the incident during her recent travels put her even further on edge. As the male practically mocked her offering, she opened her mouth to speak, but jaws came forward in an instant. She pushed herself backwards, narrowly avoiding the snap near her face and instinctively she raised a paw in an attempt to hit him as hard as she could in the nose.

“No, sir!" She barked in a scolding tone, releasing a growl of her own. “That is certainly no way to get what you want! Not from me!" She huffed, trying to catch her breath as the adrenaline rushed into her veins. “Now, would you like to try again? Or...?"


@Lachlan

Lachlan O’Conaill//i am the monster in your head.

The impact of her paw on his snout was an unexpected one that caused his jaws to clatter closed much harder than he meant to. A sharp, searing pain shot through his mouth as his jaw began to ache and this only caused him to snarl in response.

He was not used to retaliation and he did not like it.

Her chiding words grated on him like claws down his back, each word a scolding meant for a child or invalid. He was neither, and he'd show her that soon enough. "You little bitch," he seethed as he clenched and unclenched his sore jaw. His eyes filled with malice as he stared her down. "I take what I want, girl." The insinuation was heavy enough between them. His next response was a toothy grin that spread wide across his scarred face -- a warning before he struck again. This time he would attempt to move around her so that he could scruff her and force her to the ground. And if she wanted to put up a fight well then he'd give her one. His gait stumbled as he moved, and if she were sharp enough she would be able to see the thick scars down the inner thigh of his right leg that hindered his every step nowadays. The pain made him slower and less steady.

"Lachlan speaks."

art and table by hale.

Odette had managed to land a blow and the impact had even hurt her own paw, having to shake it out to regain the feeling in it again. He seemed to be stretching his jaw at the same time, demon's eyes aglow with a burning rage as he claimed he took what he wanted. He needn't say more than that. The words that dripped from his lips like the black icker of his soul made her feel instantly sick to her stomach. No, no...not this...not again...

There was an instance of panic as he made ready to move against her, but she felt a wave of otherworldly calm come over her. A voice in the back of her mind soothing her and letting her know that she would be alright through this. After all, she knew something that he didnt...what had happened last men who had tried to do the same exact thing to her. One way or the other, it wouldn't end well for this man, she would see to that...


@Lachlan

Lachlan O’Conaill//i am the monster in your head.

Lachlan only smiled as he painted the forest red with her blood; the sounds of her cries music to his ears. He was an artist, in this moment, or so he thought. As she fought, he only thought of all the ways he'd make her pay. Every bite, every scratch, a mental list was thrown up within the confines of his mind. He'd make her pay for every single one.

The scuffle started to slow down as her energy waned and he let out a cruel laugh as he moved above her, his eyes gleaming maliciously. However, a flaming pain ran up his leg and wrapped itself around the base of his spine as his leg began starting up it's usual shit. Not now, he warned silently, but to no avail. An almost whimper escaped him as he lurched sideways, distracted for the moment at the pain he was feeling from all this exertion. His prey was momentarily forgotten.

"Lachlan speaks."

art and table by hale.

[AFTER HER BATTLE IS LOST...]

The opportunity to escape the monster's grasp couldn't have had better timing. Odette's panic had begun to flare at the thought of being trapped as her body slowed down. The determination to not meet that fate was what drove her to push past exhaustion and rip herself away. It was a messy break, another fresh wound added to her cheek just at her jawline as she tore from his hold and took off into the woods.

There was no direction aside from away...away from the danger. She instantly lost a sense of where she was, but it mattered not when she feared the man might be on her heels. Odette's thoughts ran with her, but in a thousand different directions. She didn't know what to do, what was going to happen next, where she could find help, or even if she'd truly made a successful escape. But, there was one thing that stuck to the forefront of her mind...suddenly, it was not safe here, not even close to home...not anymore...

[Exit]


@Lachlan