[Social] Walking The Circuit

[Wanda Johansson]

It was starting to become a morning ritual for Wanda. Most people would probably say it was already well past ritual. Up at dawn and walking the same long, meandering course around the grounds. Every so often, she would stop for a few moments and stare off into the distance, whether there was distance to stare into or not. Sometimes after her staring contest with the world, she'd pull out her journal and make some notes, but usually she just moved on. Unlike other early morning exercisers, Wanda didn't have headphones or earbuds on, just a wooden walking stick in her hand and her now-constant-companion messenger bag slung across her body.

((Open))

[Samantha McManus]

"There's a pattern, isn't there?" Sam asks as she nears.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Hmm?" Wanda says, pausing and turning to see who it was. "Oh, hello, Sam."

[Samantha McManus]

"Wasn't meaning to interrupt. Just that it looks random, but it isn't, is it?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"The world or my walk?" Wanda lets out a small laugh. "Though I'd be sorely tempted to say 'no, it isn't' to both of those."

[Samantha McManus]

"It's too early to contemplate the former, so the latter."

[Wanda Johansson]

"It's all about the feel of the place, understanding it," she says.

[Samantha McManus]

"All's well, then? Currently?"

[Wanda Johansson]

Wanda ponders that for a long moment, "I'm not sure. Something's off. But I haven't been able to put my finger on what it is. And I keep finding strange marks on the trees that weren't there before and are gone a day later."

[Samantha McManus]

"Like carved, or something that could wash off?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"Both," Wanda says, "I'd say it's too separate things, but the designs look too similar." She pulls out her journal and flips through it, bypassing a series of designs and plant drawings before stopping at a pair of pages on which are drawn what look like two separate symbols, both in a rough style. "This one was over there by the grounds wall on a tree, carved, and this one was on the underside of a rock over that way, painted in red."

[Samantha McManus]

"Not ringing a bell, here. Do they mean anything to you?"

[Wanda Johansson]

She shakes her head, "Not at the moment. And I swear I keep seeing something moving in the woods too, but I can't get a fix on it. They might be related or it might have to do with me 'putting down roots' as Isolde calls it."

[Samantha McManus]

"The frustrating thing is one of my older selves might know what it is, but that's a bit touch-and-go."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, we can save the past life visitation for a more desperate time maybe," Wanda says, possibly teasing, "I'd hate to see you regress to a old school war goddess when I'm the only one around to restrain you."

[Samantha McManus]

"I don't know, I've gotten few complaints," she smirks.

[Wanda Johansson]

"I could see how that might appeal to your partners, but I'm not a werewolf or the daughter of the Lady of the Lake." She flips through her journal again before tucking it away, "There's just so much that I don't know and no library to look it up in."

[Samantha McManus]

"There might be, but it's probably not handing out member cards."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Groping around in the dark is less fun when there's things out there that will burn you and eat your fingers. But I guess there's also a fair bit of 'once you see it, you can't unsee it' as well."

[Samantha McManus]

"You're still owed a debt in Chelmsford, as I recall."

[Wanda Johansson]

Wanda makes a noncommittal noise, "That is an uncertain well to go to and even in paying her debts she seems to have ulterior motives."

[Samantha McManus]

"Of course she does, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been there a few times."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I suppose it is an option, even if my Guardian isn't terribly keen on me spending time in her ex's company."

[Samantha McManus]

"Ah, now there's a minefield."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Of sorts, yes. Not one I'm concerned with particularly, other than how it bothers Isolde."

[Samantha McManus]

"She'd probably put up with it for your sake."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Oh, I don't doubt that she would. But I try to be careful about what I 'make' her do. Well, as much as I 'make' her do anything."

[Samantha McManus]

"Aye, there's that."

"A lot of difference between knowing you could, and wanting to."

[Wanda Johansson]

"It's a little frightening sometimes, but she's been tugging back and that has its own appeal."

[Samantha McManus]

"Aye, being along for the ride is nice sometimes."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I will swear you made this up if you tell her, but I think sometimes she's skittish about taking the reins because of her past. She's worried about that darkness taking over again and taking me with her. I could be reading things wrong though."

[Samantha McManus]

"What is it about people who think they're no good for us? It's a hard thing to get through."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I don't know. I keep trying to stress that I want a partner, not a minion. The... connection doesn't necessarily help there though."

[Samantha McManus]

"...aye. That... comparison has only gotten more apt on my end too, since Viv got back."

[Wanda Johansson]

"More than you expected to be dealing with?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Viv apparently set out to change her curse, somehow."

She holds up the hand that's wearing the ring Viv brought back.

"This was the answer."

[Wanda Johansson]

"That's... quite the thing," she says, reaching for Sam's hand. "May I?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Be my guest," she nods.

[Wanda Johansson]

Wanda takes Sam's hand and inspects the ring. "Wolves and a raven. Appropriate. I'm assuming one of the fey made this for her. They're strange feeling and their magic more so. It fits, like nature, but doesn't, all at the same time."

[Samantha McManus]

"Aye. Tugs at certain parts of me, but it also reinforces a sort of hierarchy, it seems."

"They're my wolves, now."