[ It's only his second shift, and Carl doesn't think it will get any less painful, like his body is boiling from the inside out. Sharp points of pain as his body contorts and changes. Into what, he still doesn't quite understand- can't seem to wrap his head around it past the pain and the instinct and the power. He feels powerful, in a way he'd never experienced before. Senses are heightened so much it's an overload most of the time. There's too much going on that it's hard to string things together in a way that makes sense.
It should never have come to this. He still doesn't know what he did to deserve the bite-- no. The attack. He got more than just a bite to the shoulder that night. The mangled remnants of his right eye throb in remembrance of it. Vision skewed, he has to be careful as he darts through the heavily wooded area since his depth perception is off. He doesn't even know where he is, though something in the back of his head says north. How much, he doesn't know. As soon as that godawful shift had happened and he could see past the pain, he'd taken off. Running as fast as his feet could carry him. It didn't matter where, so long as he was far away from that asshole.
One thing is certain. He's hungry. Needs to sink his teeth into something before the night is out. He's only managed to catch small mammals, but nothing satisfied him. Nothing satisfied the monster that's lurking just under his skin now. A branch snaps somewhere close and the hackles raise as his attention swings in that direction. Fight or flight is starting to kick in, and he doesn't know which urge is stronger.
The urge to fight wins out and he skulks toward the noise, head dipped low. The faintest hints of daylight are starting to peek through the gaps in the trees, but for now, there's still time for a kill. ]
[It's not the kid's fault he's dangerous right now. He's young, and he's new, and they're all unpredictable then. She smells the pain and the fear on him as she tracks him. She doesn't blame him.
But that doesn't mean he's not her problem.
She stalks through the woods for a time, following him. But when the time comes to decide how to move forward, she holds back from attacking. Instead, she makes a noise, intentional, to draw him in. If she can reach him then its possible they can avoid doing more damage to the kid tonight.
What he'll find following the crack doesn't seem intimidating at a glance. She's smaller than a wolf. Her pale fur is reddish and ruffled around her neck, ears forward. But her eyes flash red, and there's a presence around her that a more experienced wolf would know to defer to.
She doesn't show any signs of fear when he slinks closer.]
[ He knows he's getting close to the noise. There's an unfamiliar scent in the air, hard to place. Hard to really know. It's nothing like prey, doesn't have that sour smell to it like the animals he's hunted before. It doesn't take him long to find the source, and what he sees makes the hunger peak.
Smaller than he is, but confident. The flash of red makes his chest squeeze, but he's unsure what that actually means. It makes little difference, because the hunger is the more intense thing and of course he acts on it. Growling, he runs at the other wolf-- at least that's what it looks like from a distance.
His jaws snap when he gets close enough, the feeling of bloodlust rising to the forefront. He needs the kill. It consumes every other thought. ]
[It's probably a good thing she left Bucky behind. Not because he doesn't trust her to take care of herself, because he knows better than to under estimate either her skills or her instincts, but that doesn't mean he'd like seeing how she handles this, darting out of range of the young wolf's jaws and ducking under his body. When she crosses behind him she plants her hind feet in his flank and pushes off him, kicking him off balance.
The snarl she gives is a warning. If he doesn't get a hold of himself, there's worse to come.]
[ The other wolf is fast- faster than he is, especially in this state. She darts behind him and he's knocked over in a mess of limbs. Scrambling to get back up again, he faces her once more, those hackles up and growling, staring defiantly at her with that one eye.
Something says that maybe he should back down, but that panic rises again. Warring with the bloodlust and making him careless. Once more he darts at her in another attempt to get a bite in. He doesn't have long before the shift happens again. ]
[ The snarl stops him in his tracks, scrambling back out of her reach. His ears lower to his head, tail tucked between his legs. It's enough to keep him in place, though the look in his eye is wary.
He can feel his heart beating harshly against his ribs. He can't really parse together why the snarl has him worked up so badly.. ]
[There's a slight hesitation, then she lowers her head slightly and puts her paw on his head in a weirdly human gesture. She'll have to ask him about his eye when she can. Seems like the kid's had a rough go with this.]
[ The paw to the top of his head quells a lot of the inner turmoil, settles the instinct. It doesn't last long as the shift starts, like a tremor under fur as bones shift and limbs elongate. The pained whine turns more into a choked off scream as the wolf recedes and all that's left is a scrawny teenager.
Everything aches, limbs refusing to cooperate as he tries to get up. He thinks dying might be easier, at this point. Once he gets his breathing under control, he glances quickly to where he thought for sure he wasn't alone. The hole in his face is more pronounced, the wound's origin potentially telling. Alphas packed a powerful punch, and the message was more than received. ]
[That went better than it might have. There's no way of making the change easy at this point. With practice and experience, greater control, it can get better. Natasha is efficient as she lets herself shift back and sidle away from the kid.
Chances are he's not going to go lashing out now.]
Hey... [After a long moment of quiet.] You with me?
[ For the moment, he's past lashing out and all he wants to do is crawl in a hole somewhere and sleep off the weak feeling. Her voice is muffled at first, it's hard to focus right after. His head snaps up to look at her warily.
He doesn't know where he is or who she is, but he's not going to go down without a fight if it comes to it. He doesn't recognize her, but that doesn't mean much. Can't trust her just yet. ]
[That's not entirely true. Natasha has a general idea. She knows the direction he came from. Hows the alpha who bit him.
She doesn't have any intention of sending him back that way, though, or know the particulars of his situation. She hasn't had time to find out who his family is, or how he ended up here.
That's a question for later though.
Rolling her shoulders, she leans back just a little to eye him.]
[ Home is the first thing that comes to mind, but it's not as if he can. He doesn't want his family to be endangered if he does go back. That psycho werewolf would be out for blood. Wanted him to join his group.
Pack.. wolves are a pack. The situation is so fucked up, it makes his head spin. Carl shakes his head, looking at her with a lost expression. ]
Away. I don't know.. [ Doesn't really know where to go. Or where he is.. ]
[ Why does she care? Others sure haven't, and it makes him feel a little on edge. There's another unfamiliar part of him that wants to go with her, to see what it's like. The part that screams for pack that he's yet to understand the meaning of. ]
I don't like messes. Especially not when they wander into my backyard. This is the way I'd prefer to clean it up.
[She makes it sound very reasonable. Rational. Sort of tip toeing around the fact she doesn't want to kill him. Barnes would probably laugh at her, playing tough. Around the fact she might have sympathy for the kid because she knows more about where he's at than she lets one.]
[ His head whips up, and his single eye narrows. It's some sort of werewolf pissing contest, isn't it? Get him to join some pack that he never asked to be a part of, but now a part of him yearns for without being able to pinpoint the feeling. How big could her territory be? He could find his way out of it while still keeping his distance from that asshole's. ]
Just.. point me in the right direction and I'll leave. You won't see me again.
[Her demeanor is steady. There's no aggression in it. But there is a sternness.]
If you're determined to go, I can have someone give you a ride. I don't think it's the best call, though. You're new. if it's not me, it'll be another pack.
I never asked for any of this! I just want to stay out of it.
[ The anger flares and he stands, that single eye flashing amber for just a moment. His hands are balled into fists at his sides as he tries to reign in the anger. It's harder just after he turns back and he shakes his head almost violently to rid himself of the feeling.
The mention of hunters definitely gets his attention, though. She makes it seem like they're not just ordinary game hunters- there's a gravity to her words. ]
Not many of us ask for this, kid. I know I didn't. We have to figure how we'll deal with it anyway.
[She's still calm. And she's in no hurry to move or force him to.]
Around here, the hunters and me have an understanding. They don't touch wolves who haven't hurt people, and they give me the chance to police my own first.
If you decide to go somewhere else, I can't say what they'll do.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Natasha;;
Date: 2018-02-18 05:47 am (UTC)It should never have come to this. He still doesn't know what he did to deserve the bite-- no. The attack. He got more than just a bite to the shoulder that night. The mangled remnants of his right eye throb in remembrance of it. Vision skewed, he has to be careful as he darts through the heavily wooded area since his depth perception is off. He doesn't even know where he is, though something in the back of his head says north. How much, he doesn't know. As soon as that godawful shift had happened and he could see past the pain, he'd taken off. Running as fast as his feet could carry him. It didn't matter where, so long as he was far away from that asshole.
One thing is certain. He's hungry. Needs to sink his teeth into something before the night is out. He's only managed to catch small mammals, but nothing satisfied him. Nothing satisfied the monster that's lurking just under his skin now. A branch snaps somewhere close and the hackles raise as his attention swings in that direction. Fight or flight is starting to kick in, and he doesn't know which urge is stronger.
The urge to fight wins out and he skulks toward the noise, head dipped low. The faintest hints of daylight are starting to peek through the gaps in the trees, but for now, there's still time for a kill. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 06:23 am (UTC)But that doesn't mean he's not her problem.
She stalks through the woods for a time, following him. But when the time comes to decide how to move forward, she holds back from attacking. Instead, she makes a noise, intentional, to draw him in. If she can reach him then its possible they can avoid doing more damage to the kid tonight.
What he'll find following the crack doesn't seem intimidating at a glance. She's smaller than a wolf. Her pale fur is reddish and ruffled around her neck, ears forward. But her eyes flash red, and there's a presence around her that a more experienced wolf would know to defer to.
She doesn't show any signs of fear when he slinks closer.]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 06:45 pm (UTC)Smaller than he is, but confident. The flash of red makes his chest squeeze, but he's unsure what that actually means. It makes little difference, because the hunger is the more intense thing and of course he acts on it. Growling, he runs at the other wolf-- at least that's what it looks like from a distance.
His jaws snap when he gets close enough, the feeling of bloodlust rising to the forefront. He needs the kill. It consumes every other thought. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 09:01 pm (UTC)The snarl she gives is a warning. If he doesn't get a hold of himself, there's worse to come.]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 09:17 pm (UTC)Something says that maybe he should back down, but that panic rises again. Warring with the bloodlust and making him careless. Once more he darts at her in another attempt to get a bite in. He doesn't have long before the shift happens again. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 10:57 pm (UTC)If he needs to hear an alpha before he'll back down, she can show him what an an alpha sounds like.
She doesn't think he's so wild or so powerful he'll fight that.]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-18 11:07 pm (UTC)He can feel his heart beating harshly against his ribs. He can't really parse together why the snarl has him worked up so badly.. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 12:13 am (UTC)Her posture is confident, square, tail up, but she's not aggressive as she approaches again.
He just needs to stay pinned a little longer.
If he's feeling more polite now, she'll sniff.]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 12:29 am (UTC)He growls low in his throat, but it likely doesn't sound as intimidating as he wants. The thought of fleeing briefly goes through his head. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 03:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 03:32 am (UTC)Everything aches, limbs refusing to cooperate as he tries to get up. He thinks dying might be easier, at this point. Once he gets his breathing under control, he glances quickly to where he thought for sure he wasn't alone. The hole in his face is more pronounced, the wound's origin potentially telling. Alphas packed a powerful punch, and the message was more than received. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 06:14 am (UTC)Chances are he's not going to go lashing out now.]
Hey... [After a long moment of quiet.] You with me?
no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 01:50 am (UTC)He doesn't know where he is or who she is, but he's not going to go down without a fight if it comes to it. He doesn't recognize her, but that doesn't mean much. Can't trust her just yet. ]
I'm not going back.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-22 04:22 am (UTC)[That's not entirely true. Natasha has a general idea. She knows the direction he came from. Hows the alpha who bit him.
She doesn't have any intention of sending him back that way, though, or know the particulars of his situation. She hasn't had time to find out who his family is, or how he ended up here.
That's a question for later though.
Rolling her shoulders, she leans back just a little to eye him.]
Where do you want to go?
no subject
Date: 2018-02-25 02:43 pm (UTC)Pack.. wolves are a pack. The situation is so fucked up, it makes his head spin. Carl shakes his head, looking at her with a lost expression. ]
Away. I don't know.. [ Doesn't really know where to go. Or where he is.. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-26 04:01 am (UTC)[Her gaze is steady, sympathetic as she takes in his injuries but not the least soft.]
While you get used to things.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-26 04:06 am (UTC)[ Why does she care? Others sure haven't, and it makes him feel a little on edge. There's another unfamiliar part of him that wants to go with her, to see what it's like. The part that screams for pack that he's yet to understand the meaning of. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-28 02:30 am (UTC)[She makes it sound very reasonable. Rational. Sort of tip toeing around the fact she doesn't want to kill him. Barnes would probably laugh at her, playing tough. Around the fact she might have sympathy for the kid because she knows more about where he's at than she lets one.]
no subject
Date: 2018-03-03 09:09 pm (UTC)Just.. point me in the right direction and I'll leave. You won't see me again.
no subject
Date: 2018-03-04 01:36 am (UTC)[Her demeanor is steady. There's no aggression in it. But there is a sternness.]
If you're determined to go, I can have someone give you a ride. I don't think it's the best call, though. You're new. if it's not me, it'll be another pack.
If not them, hunters.
no subject
Date: 2018-03-04 01:42 am (UTC)[ The anger flares and he stands, that single eye flashing amber for just a moment. His hands are balled into fists at his sides as he tries to reign in the anger. It's harder just after he turns back and he shakes his head almost violently to rid himself of the feeling.
The mention of hunters definitely gets his attention, though. She makes it seem like they're not just ordinary game hunters- there's a gravity to her words. ]
What are hunters going to do?
no subject
Date: 2018-03-04 05:28 am (UTC)[She's still calm. And she's in no hurry to move or force him to.]
Around here, the hunters and me have an understanding. They don't touch wolves who haven't hurt people, and they give me the chance to police my own first.
If you decide to go somewhere else, I can't say what they'll do.