[WAMH] A Darkened Corner

[Tereza Rozanov]

"You've been invited, you're not encroaching on my territory, so sit and drink your beer," she said as she offered the bottle to Sam. "It's safe to talk here."

[Red]

"Just something you don't run into as much on the road," she says as she takes the bottle and has a deep swig.

"That idea of someone else's territory. I didn't expect it to be so... immediate."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"You may have run into it before, you may just weren't aware what it was." She plopped down on one end of the futon. "How long have you been aware?"

[Red]

"Well, I've..." She sighs, sitting down on the opposite end.

"The bite was about five years back. The month after that... it was obvious enough."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Hungry. Angry. Unreasoning need to run and hunt." It wasn't a question. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry someone wasn't there to take care of you."

[Red]

"Still never found the one that bit me. And that was a someone, wasn't it?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Had to have been. Most packs try to be a little careful about that. May have been someone else that didn't know what was happening to them. One of the reasons we tend to form tight little groups. Keeps accidents manageable."

[Red]

"And I still don't know how I feel about that, if I ever was to meet... whoever."

"It's not all bad. I've tried to... you know, own it, aye?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"A good attitude to take. And if you ever meet them, you'll probably know. And what happens then is entirely between you and whoever that is."

[Red]

"...so this is where you tell me there's more to this than being built like a brick outhouse and seeing shite that isn't there."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Oh, the shite is most assuredly there," she says, glancing at the spirit. "Maybe it'd be easier to tell me what you've managed to figure out so far."

[Red]

"I'm better off than I was when the ah... monthly visitor comes around. I guess it's more... steering than just being along for the ride, now. I still find a remote spot, though."

"And well... I went through bloody puberty all over again. I wasn't always built like this. If I'm honest I've... well, come to like that, a bit."

"The lifestyle just sort of came naturally. I needed to keep moving, and something just clicked when it came to the leather and the bike. Since then I guess I've just been... playing the part," she says, tracing one of the designs on her arm with a curving nail.

[Tereza Rozanov]

She leaned down and banged 'shave and a hair cut' on the floor. After a moment, there was a 'two bits' response. "Hope you like curried chicken. Occasionally my pack goes out to the woods for the full moon, but not always. You look good. I was bitten in high school, so I didn't get the additional filling out. I get teased about it on occasion."

[Red]

"So you're a runt?" She chuckles. "I've only got myself to gauge from, here."

"And chicken curry would be divine."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Relatively speaking, I'm runty. Not that anyone makes a serious deal out of it. You're among the taller werewolves I've met, but you're not outlandish. If you'd like, I can make some calls and introduce you to some of my pack in a couple of days. I'm sure you'd be more than welcome to stay around. If you haven't fallen in love with the lone wolf life that is."

[Red]

"Let me guess, in the meantime you make certain I'm not a total headcase?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"I won't lie. There's a certain amount of making sure you're not a threat. We don't survive by being careless. But it also has to do with some of them having families and lives and needing to make time in their schedule."

[Red]

"So why'd you end up with the short straw?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Sister," she gestured at the spirit, "pointed me in the right direction and unlike some other members of the pack, I have no life." She smiled.

[Red]

"...well, we'll have to fix that, won't we?" She smirks faintly.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"You are certainly welcome to try," she said with a snort. There was a knock on the door and Tereza answered it, coming back with a bag of food containers. "Dinner!"

[Red]

"You can't be that boring, you're a bloody werewolf," she says, looking up and sniffing at the incoming curry. Her stomach rumbles.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"I'm the oddball. The spirits see something in me that makes them feel at home. That tends to weird even other werewolves out." She fished out forks and handed food and utensils to Sam.

[Red]

"...challenge accepted, then." She says, digging into the chicken.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza let her eat in peace for a moment, thoughtfully chewing her own food. "I'm sure you've gotten into a fight or two and found out how quickly we heal. Silver being the one exception. I had a vampire stab me with silver once. It sucked."

[Red]

"I figured silver came with the territory. Never felt the urge to test it."

"...and I guess that's what the ones who smell dead are."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Dead or like blood, depending on how recently they've fed. Wanda, the owner of the Sunset Club, is one. Much like us, you mess with one, you mess with the whole 'family'."

[Red]

"Just... rubs me the wrong way. I've got to choke it down when they're around."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Once you're around some of them a bit more, that will get easier. Some of them are easier to deal with than others."

[Red]

"And I suppose I'm going to be expected to play nice."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"There is something of a truce in the city. It's not the same everywhere and in particular the Sunset Club is neutral ground. But if a vampire messes with your shit? Rip their arms off."

[Red]

"Don't have to tell me twice. A girl's got to take care of her own patch."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"And we do. But a war would hurt everyone and we'd risk discovery and that would be even worse for everyone."

[Red]

"Obviously you've not seen my face on wanted posters, or heard of a trail of carnage I've been leaving."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Your local pack would have likely hunted you down if there was, but I'm guessing your local pack was a little weak if they didn't find you."

[Red]

"Your guess is as good as mine. 'Local' has been relative for awhile."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Well, you obviously know how to keep your nose clean and your abilities quiet, so you're off to a good start. Have you bitten anyone that you know of?"

[Red]

"No. It gets bloody lonely, but I've got the sense not to spread this. Including... well, I can draw parallels with other bloodborne shite."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Safe from those now though," she said, "And you can't get double-werewolfed, so biting another werewolf is safe if you just need to bite something. Trust me on this though, you'll feel a lot better around the others."

[Red]

"Well I've just... god, this is bloody embarrassing, but..."

"...it's just been me, aye? I didn't want to risk spreading this by... other means, and all."