Logs:A long day of Meat and Blood and Cuddles

{{Log | content-warning= Canabalism, Meat, Blood, Self Harm, Loss of Agency, Homelessness, Abuse | cast=Ylva Theodulus
Vorpal
Laura Walker
Aksel Arkwright
Teagan | setting= Various Hedge Places | log=

Ylva :
Ylva stepped forward again, its paws crunching in the carnage that was its Orchard. Its mouth wider than it should be able to be and fangs looking like they can shear through steel.

It steps again blood dripping from its teeth, pouncing towards Aksel, going through one of the still standing trees. Taking a huge chunk out of it and hissing as it realizes it isnt flesh. Roaring in anger it prows, waiting for Aksel to act.

Aksel Arkwright:
Act Aksel did, a simple calm in his eyes as he moved with inhuman grace. The giant Torrent’s speed belied his size and stature, barely visible as his body blurred in a dodge to avoid the attack. A golden light follows as he sidestepped, a large shield made of woven light, and a king staff, though both seemed more for fending Ylva off than trying to actually attack her.

Each timed dodge was at the last second, trying to keep the Beast occupied while he spoke to her. “Ylva! Find yourself! I know this isn’t what you want. Fight this instinct! I believe in you!”

Vorpal:
Crunching. Hissing. Roaring? Vorpal's senses were... obscenely sharp, and catching those sounds, even at a great distance, wouldn't have been overly concerning... if not for the proximity to the Freehold's Stable Trod. So she headed that way, wisping up a bit of glamour to tweak her legs digitigrade, letting her pelt forward at truly impressive speeds. Soon enough to catch Aksel's plea for sense. Soon enough to adjust her approach to come from the other side as him.

You know- in case she bolted.

No blade drawn for this, but the shadows in the orchard started to quiver and squirm as the sense of V's Wyrd settled like an eclipse, the ripe scents of mulled cider and autumn bonfires preceding her emerging into the orchard. Quiet- well in Aksel's view- and giving herself a second to take stock.

Ylva :
It feels the presence of Wyrd of that strength as it looks towards Aksel, as it tilts its head in some sense of confusion.

It paused at that, seemingly confused as to what is going on, maybe some trace of understanding of what had just arrived. Of who.

Only a pause though, it moved again, jaw wide as it moved into a clearing of the Orchard. Trying to figure out what is going on. Bestial brain turning, slowly.

Aksel Arkwright:

From across the clearing Aksel felt that same powerful Wyrd that had slowed Ylva for a moment, giving a nod to Vorpal as she came into view.

Letting out a deep breath he settled himself before leaping back into action, his mantle flaring hard as a pair of blade like wings of light stretched from his back, radiant starlight giving him strength. A star shown on his brow like a diadem in combat, brilliant streaks of illumination marking his run. He kept pace with Ylva well, flanking the half maddened Beast to keep from losing her.

“Ylva! Come back to yourself! I know you can! Stay with us!” As the elemental continued to try and reason with Ylva a large, shadowy form moved at high speeds through the Orchard, it’s body like a starlit night given shape. The massive wolf like creature worked in perfect tandem with Aksel, as if they’d trained for long ages to perfectly fight together. Every move Ylva made was harried by the darting form, while Aksel did his best to keep her from snapping at the star wolf, of himself.

The staff of light whirled like a hurricane, a constant rebuffing force that was as barely visible as the big Changeling was, almost 50 years of martial experience on display.

Ylva :
There was a little stutter in its steps as Andromeda entered the fray. Three on one is seemingly worse odds and even its limited bestial brain could understand that.

It looked around trying to find an escape but not seeing any, instead it moves deeper, into the main room of the Hollow, tearing through the vine wall and landing inside the Bird Cage like main room.

Ylva :
Inside the main room was quite plain, a small fireplace sat on one side with a lovely framed mirror sitting above, held in place by the vines themselves creating a frame for it.

It was quite a tall room but not very large across, maybe 30 or so feet across but 60 feet tall, the circular room was in the shape of a bird cage, more or less.

It is lit mainly by the fireplace with little balls of light hanging towards the roof, glowing fruit. There is only one other door at this time, aside from the hole that Ylva has just put in the wall.

Vorpal:
Vorpal bolted alongside the other two as they raced along. It was clear that Aksel was a step beyond even Vorpal's impressive, altered speeds, as fast again over Vorpal what she had over the feral Ylva.

As Aksel kept trying to talk it down, as it leapt into the Hollow, Vorpal melted into the room, either right behind Aksel, or before, if he didn't move in himself, sticking against the wall as she studied Ylva. "Aksel. Would it help if she was restrained while you speak to her?"

Aksel Arkwright:

As their quarry moved into the bird cage, Aksel and Andromeda moved after her in unison, working to cut off other avenues and expertly trailing after her, the master far faster than his companion but keeping their flow perfect.

As Vorpal joined them to try and keep Ylva contained, the elemental turned his bright, glowing eyes towards Vorpal, traces of golden light trailing across his face in patterns and lines. He nodded at her request, smiling. “Yeah, if you could. I really need to get her attention focused. If you can, by all means.” He sounded more than a bit relieved at the option, rather than having to try and bonk the Autumn Beast senseless. “I know she doesn’t want this. If you can make sure her attention is on me I can maybe break her out of it.” He tsked to himself. “I miss working with a team. You really do remind me of someone I used to know.”

Ylva :
It looked towards its only exit. The one Exit it really couldn't afford to take right this moment, the exit Ironside.

It stepped towards it but being blocked off by Three different opponents it faltered, not quite sure how to proceed it just roared at them, trying to pounce on Andromeda.

Vorpal:
Vorpal sees Ylva twitch towards the Hedge Beast, and the Hedge... quivers.

Ylva's own shadow, Andromeda's shadow, every shadow near Ylva abruptly rushes upwards and coils around it mid-movement, dragging it to the floor of the Hollow with twisted, shadowy replicas of the vines so thoroughly populous in the home. It's harmless, but extremely effective, adjusting immediately to put pressure on her joints to discourage movement. Her limbs won't necessarily break if she struggles, but the shadowy limbs are coiled around her like a grounded wrestler holding her to the floor.

Vorpal:
(Blessing of Perfection is ALSO nonsense with 10 Wyrd.)

Ylva :
Ylva struggles against the shadows, writing in place but unable to move. It roars and hisses but cant get out. Snapping at anything that comes close.

Vorpal:
"There! She should be quite focused on whatever's in front of her~" Vorpal comments in that ever-masked tone of hers.

Aksel Arkwright:
Aksel nodded, a look of profound gratitude on his face as Vorpal neatly wrapped up Ylva and kept her restrained. He let out a long breath and gave the Autumn a thumbs up. “I owe you a whatever. Dunno what you’re preferred drink or whatever is. But thank you.”

Aksel moved in front of Ylva, Andromeda padding around to sit next to her companion. The torrent let the shield and staff fade, raising his hands for the Beast to see that they were empty. His voice was quiet and calm, a soft monotone of a trained therapist. “Ylva. Look at me. At my face and my hands. Smell me. Hear me. Remember who I am. Remember who you are. Bring yourself back to, follow the thread of my voice.” He crouched slightly so he could be eye to eye with the small woman, getting to one knee to be comfortable. “Think of how far you’ve come. The names you’ve met and the people they belong to. Remember the feeling of clothes and keys and umbrellas in the rain, remember cake and video games and your tattoo shop. Remember that you’re one of the strongest people I know. Follow my voice. Bring yourself out. You are Ylva. You have a world beyond this. Come back to it. Please.”

Ylva :
It snapped its jaw as he approached but couldnt move, it snapped and writhed but eventually tilted its head in question. They seemed to see something, to understand something.

They looked around the room they were in, their body still on high alert but mind seeming to reel at the realisation. Fangs shrinking down just a touch until they were almost their normal size, one mumbled word coming out of their mouth, the first since they had lost it. "Ylva?"

Vorpal:
Vorpal has the sense to stay quiet rather than risk interrupting the far more familiar restorative session occurring before her, staying still, quiet, inhumanly immobile for the duration.

Aksel Arkwright:
“Yeah. Ylva. My friend. The person I care about. The person Vorpal cared about. And Artie and your wife. You’re not just your hunger. You’re so much more. Come back to that. To us. We care about you. We want you to be safe and happy. I want you to be safe and happy. Follow me back. Let us help you find an anchor to your true self. Let us be that anchor for you. Not to weigh you down, but to keep you with us.” He reached out tentatively as her fangs receded, brushing her hair back and letting her get the scent of both himself and Andromeda. “I’ll never stop caring about you. We won’t. Come back.”

Ylva :
"Vorpal?"

They look up head tilting.

"Shadow? Friend?"

Fangs shrinking back down to their normal length.

Vorpal:
"The very same, dear. I hope you'll forgive the mildly aggressive embrace, I thought you might appreciate the lack of a cracked skull this evening," Vorpal intoned pleasantly. She sounds like she's smiling. But you can't really see.

Ylva :
Their head lowers looking down.

"I upset friends?"

Looking back up they continue.

"I hurt friends?"

Vorpal:
"Not unless your orchard trees are friends," Vorpal remarks gently.

Ylva :
"No hurt Vorpal or"

They pause thinking.

"Aksel?"

Aksel Arkwright:
Aksel smiled softly, raising his left arm to show an already healing, faint scar. “Didnt hurt Aksel, no. Or Androemda. Or Vorpal. I just forgot to have someone sit on you when we tried to hedgespin. Which is at least partly on me. When I cut myself to get the blood, it triggered you. But I’m ok, I’ll be fine. And you’ll be ok too. Come back. Come home. We’ll make s’mores, have a campfire, make tea. I’ll even bring my guitar.” He smiled. “And I promise no puns.”

Ylva :
"Okay."

They look up at Vorpal, around at Vorpal.

"Can you let me down now? I can take us into the Dawn room and we can sit on the beach."

Vorpal:
"Well. As much as I enjoy keeping you trussed up in my shade," Vorpal drawled, "Teagan and June would put me in time-out if I ever ignored someone's No." The shadows uncoiled gently and set her on the ground as requested. "And don't worry yourself about a favor, Aksel- I dislike taking things from others. We'll call you taking care of our friend here my payment~"

Ylva :
Ylva sighs walking over to one of the walls and without her regular Poem to open the door she just rips out a section of the vines opening a walkway to a shining sunrise on a beachfront.

Beutiful sand dunes flow before the sea hits them with a relaxing sound of nature.

They stop looking back at Vorpal.

"Oh, is a sunrise on a beach bad for you?"

Vorpal:
Vorpal tilts her head. "You met me on somebody's driveway. I think I can handle a sunrise!"

Ylva :
"Sorry, your just all shadowy I didnt know if it was. Sorry."

She walks in flopping into the sand running it through their hands.

Aksel Arkwright:
Aksel beamed at Ylva as she seemed to return to her full senses, nodding enthusiastically. “Sounds like an absolutely tops idea.”

Vorpal’s comment made him chuckle, though his brows rose as she went on. “Sounds… sensible. And you know me. J love a sunrise. Didn’t bring trunks though, but maybe next time.”

Vorpal:
"You're okay," Vorpal reassured as she moved to follow, crouching and starting to draw an intricate occult symbol into the sand. "It's not sunlight that bothers me. It's spotlights. So I'm afraid my career as a nighttime advertising airship operator are out the window."

She worked the symbol out quickly, and then stood, lifting her hand to dramatically... click her fingers.

At which point the sand rushes up to form just the most lovely sand-based sofa you ever did see. Onto which she swirls over the top and flops down comfortably.

How is this different from sitting on the beach itself?

Ylva :
Ylva looks up at Vorpal making little mounts in the sand and then smooshing them.

"Thanks for helping Aksel. i appreciate it. I havent lost it like that since my first week back."

She lays back onto the sand looking up at the sky.

"Fuck."

Vorpal:
"It's alright. You're not the first I've seen lose control. The last time, it was someone using an iron blade and invoking a contract to become deadlier- but battlemad. Comparatively, this was a walk in the part- in large part because I learned tricks to fight without harming after that incident." Vorpal is just lazily sprawled on the sandsofa. Unconcerned, unworried. Just as companionable as ever.

Ylva :
Ylva chuckles.

"Thankfully, I dont tend to use contracts when I get like that. Battlemad and Feral is not a fun combination to get me out of id imagine."

She waves her hands around making a sand angel. As she does one of the clouds in the sky changes shape.

"I think I like that shape better. It was too fluffy before."

Vorpal:
"TOO fluffy? Is there such a thing? I tend to find increasingly fluffy things to be all the better to cuddle, in my experience. Not a fan of fluff?" Vorpal asks lazily, studying the sky and its clouds.

Ylva :
She points her hand up at one of the clouds.

"It looked more like candy floss and less like cloud."

Tilting her head she smiles.

"I like fluffy but clouds need a balance. See."

As she finishes the cloud changes shape to indeed look exactly like candy floss. She even makes it pink.

Vorpal:
"Oh! Is that so? Quite the cloud connoisseur, are we?" She grinned lazily. "Well, I'll agree that the confection looks strange in the sky. Fairly told. How do you feel about thunderheads~?"

Ylva :
Ylva smiles "Im an artist. Its what I do, when im trying not to eat my friends."

She sits up tilting her head. "As in the stormy cloud kind?"

Vorpal:
"exactly! How do you like those?"

Ylva :
"I love them, im still on the fence about what should be in the Night room, currently it has gentle snow clouds. But. I do like some thunder."

Vorpal:
"Love it myself. I tend to sleep with storm sounds. Thunder or wind or snow blowing about. That and anything composed by Joe Hisaishi."

Ylva :
"Well then."

She looks up and the clouds gather forming thunder heads. A breeze coming from behind them and snow falling from the sky.

"Better?"

Vorpal:
Vorpal snuggled down into the surprisingly soft sofa. "You know, I think I do like it even better now!"

Ylva :
Ylva chuckles catching a few snowflakes in her hands.

"Snow on the beach, I can get behind it somedays. Maybe I should just flip a coin every day for the weather in a room."

Vorpal:
"Things change," V said simply, glancing at Ylva while she played with the snowflakes. "Why not let your rooms change too, I say?"

A moment, then, out of nowhere- "So tell me about these lovers you had."

Ylva :
"True" her black fur is speckled with snow, though the sand doesnt seem to stick to her.

She blushes at that comment.

"One of them is my receptionist at work." Her voice is shaky at not being able to work.

"And you know I have a wife. All my other lovers were very casual, friends with benefits sort of things."

Vorpal:
"GASP! The power imbalance! The salaciousness! The... presumably excellent sex~?" Vorpal teased. "I see, I see. Why don't you start by talking about Astrid?"

Ylva :
"Jenny has peak Step on me Mommy energy and sometimes I need that in my life."

She looks down at the sand for a bit before continuing.

"I met Astrid when I was like, 14 or 15. Somewhere in that region. I had just run away from home and she was the first person at shelter to keep an eye out for me." She reaches up touching her brilliantly white hair.

"Shit I was still dying my hair back then."

Vorpal:
"Now hold on, you gotta be more specific. Does she make YOU feel that way, or GIVE OFF the need to get put in her place? Be precise, it's- for posterity."

Sure it is.

"I see! You'll forgive me for not really clicking with that age. I was There before I hit my teens, and I was grown by the time I got out. I don't- huh. Have ANY idea what being a teenager should be like."

Ylva :
Ylva leans forward on her elbows.

"Is it because you want to know what makes me happy or if she could make you feel that way?"

"Sorry, I was 28 when I went in and fucken who knows how old I am now. She kept me sane, kept me away from the really bad druggies, kept men off me."

Vorpal:
"The first one, dear. Could you really imagine me desperate to submit to somebody?"

A moment of quiet, then, before she continued. "You apologize a lot. When I do say something like pointing out we met in broad daylight, it's meant to tease, not criticize. I've no reason nor interest in making you feel bad. I like hearing you giggle much better. So please rest assured that if I want you to feel awful about yourself, it will not be subtle- or likely to occur at all. Okay?"

Ylva :
"I mean no. But I wanted to be sure I wasnt misunderstanding. Sorry."

A little chuckle. "Case and point I suppose."

She shimmies a little closer to the couch. Close enough for Vorpal to touch her if she wants to.

"Its a habit ive never been able to break from my childhood, then it only got worse in Arcadia and worse since ive gotten back and keep trying to eat my friends."

Vorpal:
"Hmm." V murmurs, shifting to lean down against Ylva from behind, legs apart enough to rest her calves down on either side of her without shoving any salacious bits against her. "Is it out of guilt, or a survival tactic? Either is fine, I just wonder whether it's coming from a place of fear, of habit, or of guilt."

Ylva :
Ylva leans on Vorpal. Enjoying the contact.

"Survival, its all that kept me safe as a kid, then in Arcadia and here its guilt added to a habit."

Vorpal:
"Mm. Well, take heart. Guilt isn't something things like Them feel. I should know. For a time, I let myself believe I was a God, and when you allow that mental slip away from mortality, so much stops making sense. Stops connecting. Like- guilt. So. While the guilt is absolutely not fun to live with, it's proof that you're living how you should- as a person. Not a story or a tool."A gentle squeeze to both shoulders.

Ylva :
"I guess thats, something, I just. I spent two decades eating Lost and everything else. Fuck."

She leans back into the contact reaching a hand up to each shoulder.

"Alive is, well its something."

Vorpal:
Vorpal's thumbs slide along Ylva's collarbone to acknowledge the touch. "It's okay to not be okay, you know. I know it might feel like there's pressure to immediately be this safe, healthy person nobody will ever need to worry about again, but that takes time, and we do know that."

Ylva :
Ylva leans her head back looking up. "Is it? I feel so guilty. Im alive because others are dead. Its a lot to process. Makes it hard to think about other things."

Vorpal:
"That's not a fair way to process it." Vorpal states that, leaning down to press forehead to forehead. "By the time you were tasked to eat those unfortunates, their fates had already been decided. Your only choice was to obey and live, or disobey and die with them. You could not have saved them. You had no agency in those deaths- so you cannot blame yourself for them, any more than you blame my knife for who gets cut by it."

Ylva :
"But why do I deserve to live when they died? Why am was I the top Dog, the top Fox."

She shudders.

"Why did he favor me over them?"

Vorpal:
"Because you served your purpose. That's it. You were able to dispose of what he deemed disposable. That kept you useful, and ergo not disposable yourself. It's not about who deserved what. None of us deserved to be there, to survive that, or to die there. That way lies madness."

Ylva :
"Yeah? Okay."

She does a half hearted giggle. "Sorry for being a mess."

Vorpal:
"Oh, please. You're hardly a mess. The sand hasn't had a chance to get into unpleasant crevices, it's not plastered to your thighs, your hair isn't a tangle of sweat and silica- compared to how you could look, you're downright pristine," Vorpal teased in that unbreachable deadpan.

Ylva :
She chuckles at that.

"And it never will, not here anyway. Its constructed in such a way not to stick to bodies or hair. Even when you get up it will all just fall away."

Vorpal:
"Well, then! You're not even at RISK of being a mess, then, are you~?" A soft little pat pat to one of Ylva's shoulders. "So no need to apologize for being one, I say."

Ylva :
"You know I meant mentall..." She shakes her head.

"Of course you did. Thanks Vorpal."

Vorpal:
"You're welcome. Now- I imagine you have access to this room all manner of times. Is this where you want to stay? I have no issues up and wandering wherever suits your fancy."

Ylva :
"My Hollow has like 6 rooms. 5 of which are finished."

She counts them off on her fingers.

"Dawn, Midday, Dusk and Night. The main Entrance bird cage and my sleeping quarters."

Smiling she continues.

"Where do you want to head?"

Vorpal:
Vorpal snorts, curling her calves in across the little Beast's belly for a moment. "Can't help but notice the sleeping quarters were securely on the list of options I could pick from. Was that a shy little invitation?"

Ylva :
"Oh no, that is because they are the only room that isnt finished. They are currently very plain and boring. Which is why they werent on the list."

She blushes and there is definitely a hint of a shy invitation.

Vorpal:
"Hm. Well. Far be it from me to insist on invading your space before it's properly prepared. Tell you what. How about we take a walk back to the Freehold and talk about boundaries, and you can invite me again once your room's just the way you want it. THAT way-

I can also check in with MY people and make sure nobody gets taken by surprise when they inevitably discover my sluttery days may be coming to a resurgence. Sound like a deal?"

Ylva :
"I mean I can finish it between here and there if you wanted, I just havent had much use for it is all."

She blushes again. "But walking back to the freehold and you talking to your people is probably more ethical. I should probably discuss it with my wife too, at least let her know."

Vorpal:
"That sounds wise. Trust me, I am as much a fan of throwing caution to the wind and shoving adorable little fuzzy pipsqueaks against a wall until they start making at least three new sounds I've never heard them make, but I also like not having to explain why I didn't have the courtesy to tell my polycule that I was gonna drag someone into bed. I'm terrible at talking my way out of trouble, so I just try to avoid the sort I have to talk my way out of.

Now. STABBING trouble. That's fun trouble."

Ylva :
Ylva giggles shrinking down into the sand.

"Okay, lets walk you home and then you can pin me to a wall another day?"

She stands offering Vorpal a hand to stand, that she definitely doesnt need given she is bigger than Ylva but still.

Vorpal:
Vorpal takes the hand and melts up onto her feet without any pressure on Ylva at all. It's- weird. That shouldn't be possible. But there it is. And then she's heading for the door without releasing that little paw. "So. Let's talk about boundaries. There's the Please Do category, the Please Ask category, and the Please No category. What, pray tell, should I know about in each of those little boxes~?"

Ylva :
Ylva stumbles following behind.

"Please do. Me."

She giggles before continuing, closing the remnants of the door behind her.

"Please ask, um, Anal and choking. Im trying to think, consent good please do that. Thats my biggest kink."

Vorpal:
"Mhm, mhm. Starting to get the picture. So you want all the lovely naughty things- but you want the chance to ask for it, first. Or to be made to ask for it, perhaps~?" Vorpal asks as she leads the way out of the orchard. She's got impossibly sharp ears. She'll redirect their chat well before anyone else is in earshot!

Ylva :
"Yeah. That."

She looks down. "Im not the best at discussing thing before they happen I tend to get all caught up and then stuff happens."

Vorpal:
"Oh, sweetheart. Me, too. This whole "responsibly checking in with my beloveds" is a new thing. Last time hurt more than a few people and fuck if I'm gonna put them through that again. This is not motivated by responsibility, but a lesson learned by its absence, you know?"

Ylva :
Ylva chuckles "Yeah. I spent my youth getting hurt by lovers, I would rather not end up there again. I appreciate it."

Pushing the door of her Hollow closed she starts walking along the Stable Trod.

Vorpal:
"Now, now, lets be specific again. Is that to say you don't appreciate a little sadomasochistic indulgence~?" She lets the question hang before reassuring, "Not that I particularly mind either way, but I do like to know.

Everything~"

Ylva :
"Oh, no I mean mentally and emotionally taken advantage of. There is a diffirence between that and some teasing and spanking."

Vorpal:
"And that's why I ask. Though- damn. I'm sorry to hear that. I've been lucky. Only had the one relationship turn out that way. It was pretty awful, though. I hope yours weren't, but I suspect they were."

Ylva :
"I was homeless for like 5 years, you can imagine how that is for a stable Polycule."

She laughs running a hand through her hair.

"But now we are here and I have met nice people."

Vorpal:
That makes Vorpal think for a bit. "Hold on, so- oh, wait. You were younger. So it wasn't like your partners had homes of their own to welcome you into, did they?"

Ylva :
She shakes her head.

"No, we were all on the run from one thing or another. I didnt have a stable roof over my head until." Thinking for a moment before responding. "I was like 22."

Vorpal:
"I can get that. I spent a lot of time without someplace to stay. I just walked through a few walls and found a nice attic or something to sleep in every night. It wasn't so bad. But that's sort of an exception. Most folx leave evidence when committing B+E."

Ylva :
"Sadly I can confirm my breaking and entering experience did leave traces. Though. It did lead to some good sex occcasionally."

Vorpal:
THAT earned a pause! "With the residents?"

Ylva :
"Once, yeah. She gave me a shower, a place to sleep and then said that sleeping with her was payment. It was all kind of fun at the time. Fucked up on review but still."

Vorpal:
"Well. To be fair, it's only really fucked up if you're not into it. As with most things. She's just lucky you were into it, cuz. That would have gone south REALLY fast otherwise."

Ylva :
"True, It was pretty fun. Just weird more than fucked up I guess."

She giggles changing the topic, slightly.

"Im lucky enough to have a house to go back to Ironside once I can. Thats something I suppose. Most of us are gone too long for that."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Ahead of the two, still within the Freehold but relatively near to the trod's entrance, Laura is carrying out a series of stretches interspresed with shadow boxing. If shadow boxing involved pretty large claws. Dressed down to her sports bra and shorts, her bare feet pad over the ground as she greets the night (or early morning) with a daily routine.

Vorpal:
"Indeed. I think my extended family is still in Manhattan, but. It's been seventy years since I vanished. They would never believe it was me." As they pace closer, Laura's ACTUAL shadow rises off the ground and boxes back. Harmlessly, of course. By that time, she's sure to have felt that Wyrd, that Mantle. There's no mistaking Vorpal's presence.

Ylva :
Ylva blushes at the sight of Laura almost letting go of Vorpals hand but, not. She waves gently to Laura waiting until they get closer to talk to her.

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Hyena teeth part in a toothy grin and she waves off her shadow after a bout of clawing at it, turning on her heel and striding towards Vorpal, the feeling of a thunderstorm due to break carried with her. "You make my fur bristle." She informs her. "Have to remind it that it's in a good way. I.." She catches sight of the small, dark Kitsune, canting her head. "Well now. I see you've bumped into one of my polycule." She lumbers closer, green eyes bright.

Vorpal:
"|Everyone could use such a reminder! At least you know what wicked something this way comes." At the bumping comment, she adds, "Well. More accurately, I bumped into her whilst enacting a clever plan to make Artie's home look slightly less than perfectly cared for by taking a nap in his driveway as leaves! We talked about the people she's met, and you came up- exciting! Now I get to grill someone else on what sort of escapades I've been missing!"

Ylva :
Ylva blushes pushing her hair out of her face. Or trying to, there is no hair in her face currently.

"Yeah. Artie is going to make me a nice skirt to accomodate tails. It took some convincing for him to make it short enough but we got there. I cant really wander around in just a jacket all the time. Wont be any fun that way."

Giggling she looks up at Vorpal. "Yeah. She was leaves and also saved Aksel from getting eaten this morning."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"I like wicked. I am built as a witch, after all." She reminded Vorpal with a wink. "Need to put my witchy powers to work sometime, but right now.." She pads a little closer, leaning in slightly to inhale their scent. "I came up, hm?" She glances between them, then focuses on Ylva. "Did you tell her we nearly ate each other the first time we met? Wait. Only time we met." A chuckle. "And the jacket might be fun, but, mm. Skirt makes sense. I get wearing as little as you need to." She gestures at herself.

Ylva :
Ylva blushes as Laura draws close.

"I think it um, came up in conversation."

Vorpal:
"You know, I picked up some neat little witchy powers myself lately. Little more time magicks, a little transformative trickery- and I've just found a little stash with records of Contracts I've never even heard of. I'm looking into it, I'll let you know what I find!"

"Now, now, you didn't mention that it almost HAPPENED! For SHAME. Denying me such an interesting story!" She's quick to establish the reason it's "shameful" before anyone can feel bad. "Now, who's going to tell me how it happened?"

".... wait, ONLY a jacket? Did I MISS the commando jacket ensemble?!"

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura gives Ylva a curious look before dropping down to her haunches on the ground. "Hm. You seem pretty bashful today." She smiles thoughtfully before nodding over to Vorpal, giving a rumbling growl in thought. "If it helps, I was wearing even less at the time." A cackling laugh. "I was out hunting as the crocotta. And Ylva here, hm, well, hunger to match mine. I think she'd have tried wrestling me for a meal, and vice versa. Luckily we started talking first."

Ylva :
"i dont know how you missed it in all the excitement but here we are. Just me and my fur and my long coat."

She blushes as Laura looks at her.

"Today has been a confusing day and then V said she was going to talk to her Polycule and then we ran into you and well. My brain is doing a lot right now."

Vorpal:
Vorpal blinks. "I assumed you had on a skirt like when I first met you. Didn't occur to me to look under the coat. Hm! It is I who have cost me this opportunity!"

A quiet snort from Vorpal. "I think the problem, dear, is that your brain is trying to do a lot right now but the oxygen is otherwise occupied elsewhere. Just a theory."

She folds to the ground, heedless of the plants and dirt and all, matching Laura settling down. "You know, that's one trick I've not picked up yet. I should have looked into it. It could be interesting to be another creature entirely..."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura reaches out, gently nudging Ylva's shoulder with a clawed finger. "A lot, hm? Maybe let some of it out, talk and say so it doesn't get pent in?" She wryly looks between them, eyes amused at Vorpal's comments. "I'll let just what went on come out naturally, more enjoyable that way. As for the animal changing, yes." She raises her hands, gesturing. "Few things are more freeing then winging in the sky, or diving in water. I can handle most environments. The crow for flight, the otter for swimming, the cat for being unseen and the crocotta for a good hunt."

Ylva :
"um." This woman is beetroot red right now. "Well, tried to eat Aksel and Vorpal came to my rescue and then we cuddled on the beach, I have a beach in my hollow and then Vorpal wanted to fuck but my room isnt finished and she wanted to talk to you first. Well you in the Polycule you sense."

She breaths out heavily flopping to the ground.

Vorpal:
"Ah-ah- it's important to be precise~" Vorpal looks to Laura and grins. "She asked if I wanted to see any of the other rooms in her Hollow and specifically mentioned her bedroom. I said she should ask me again once she finishes her room, and that I wanted to give everyone a heads up so nobody had to worry about Surprises. If we're being specific~"

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Looking to Vorpal, Laura smiles, glancing at the blushing little fox and producing a sheet of reflective material. A claw pricks her finger to produce a drop of blood before she plunges her arm into the mirror, rummaging like she's reaching into a cupboard. A moment later she offers Ylva a bottle of water, nodding at Vorpal. "It's a good thought to have, Ylva is.. I'll wait for her to feel a little more relaxed before I finish that sentence." She grins. "Suffice to say I see it as a good thing for you both."

Ylva :
Ylva pokes her tongue out at Vorpal. "Specific."

looking to Laura she somehow blushes more. "Embaressed and easily flustered it would seem."

Vorpal:
"I think you're just a wee bit twitterpated, if you ask me~" Vorpal offers, grinning back at Laura. "And here's hoping. Worst case scenario is I fail to rock her world and she opts to file a return on the "with benefits" add-on for her Friends package. Presuming my pride survives, I think we'll still get along just lovely, which does knock a lot of stress off the table."

Then. "Hrm. Ladies, have you had any strange dreams lately? Ones full of bizarre iconography?"

Ylva :
Ylva just stares off into the distance. Overwhelmed.

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"We get along well so far." Laura smiles with a nod, glancing at the quiet Kitsune and electing to not say more for now. "Give her time to process, mm?" She nudges Vorpal before humming. "Nothing that comes to mind.. I should dig around in dreams a little?"

Spider :
"Asking one of us if we've had strange dreams full of bizarre iconography?" First there wasn't anyone there, and then Johnnie's necklace warmed up just long enough for her to not be surprised before there's a tall, lanky figure leaned against a ropy tree as if it's a doorway, absently pushing a shag of curly hair out of their face with long, slim fingers. Teagan's just about two meters tall, with skin the color of the metal on the back of an old mirror, a sort of liquid black-quicksilver; they wear a black tank top, jeans, combat boots, and a long, charcoal grey leather trench coat which flatters them like it was made to their exact measurements or they made their exact measurements to fit the coat, one or the other. Where others have eyes, Teagan has instead eyepits lined with shards of broken mirror which reflect back tiny fractions and fragments of whatever's in front of them. "You might as well ask if we had any odd experiences with captivity, Johnnie." They hook their thumbs in the coat's pockets, one corner of their mouth pulling up slightly as the heat of their strong Summer Mantle crackles the air around them.

Ylva :
"Well there has been this weird blood..." She cuts off as another person joins them.

"Weirder blood. Fair point." Waving from the ground she tries to smile and hide how blushed she is.

Vorpal:
"Teagan!" Vorpal's voice manages to evince a small deviation from its typical steady inflection to express a glimpse into the genuine delight that must be behind that stolid exterior. "Come, join us. We've been discussing-" Pause. Consideration. "... actually, I am supposed to be playing nice and giving Ylva time to breathe before I make more jokes. I'm going to go with "carpenters and kings" instead, and reassert the invitation to join us. Have you met Ylva before, Teagan? Or vice versa?" V pats the ground between herself and Laura with the hand not currently looped into Ylva's. "And! Before you have to ask or wonder, you are not out of the loop! This-" She gestures to said hands. "Is as exciting as things have gotten. We put a hold on things so we can talk to our respective loved ones and make sure nothing will be problematic. And that was... maybe thirty minutes ago." She flicks her eyes askance a moment, the only sign she's internally trying to make sure she's ticked all the boxes to date. "... so far, so good, I think?"

"And yes, you're right, of course, but I meant... Different Dreams. Ones that don't feel like yours. With like. A synth-heavy background but super iconic stuff. Like slow-mo flipping coins, or blood pooling at the roots of a tree, or a silver gun spitting fire and water. Anything like that? Or is it just me?"

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"Teagan!" Laura bounds to her feet as the new arrival makes themself known, reaching out to try and snag them in a tight hug and inhale their scent as she did with Vorpal. "Yes, you should meet Ylva. She's a little overwhelmed right now, so we're giving her time to process. But I've met her before and she's good people, and delightful." She beams down at the dark skinned Changeling, ears twitching.

Spider :
The Mirrorskin lets out the most longsuffering of sighs as they get scooped up by the hyena and hugged. It's terrible, the way one's swag can be interrupted by things like hugs. The protest is a half-hearted one at best -- truly, it doesn't even really exist -- and they thunk the side of their head against Laura's. "Hey, Laurabear." Once they're set back down on the ground again, Teagan tips their chin up at Ylva. "'ey," before loping over to Johnnie, leaning down to ruffle her hair and slinging themself liquidly down next to her. "Heard, Johnnie."

Ylva :
"Hi." Somehow their casualness makes Ylva feel even more exposed.

"Ive been having the weird blood one which isnt weird for me but this one feels diffirent. Feels Prophetic rather than nightmarey."

Vorpal:
Leave it to the Mirrorskin to pass along the swagsassination by ruffling Johnnie's hair like she's a kid. You'd think the Great And Powerful Voz would have objections.

She does not~ what she does have is a free arm to loop around Teagan and rub idly on their far flank. "Good! Still got a few folx to talk to, but this is a good start," she admits. "As for the dreams- Ah. See, it is. One second." The shadows behind Vorpal rise and slip under her duster, pulling out a thick tome with a cover sewn from Autumnal leaves. As they flip it open, she explains. "I've been researching the imagery, and I'm confident they are, in some way, prophetic. For instance, I have personal connections to the person I believe the coin imagery is connected to, and believe the message is that things are at a tipping point. They will change, somehow, and it will be on those close to them to help ensure things tip towards weal instead of woe."

The book flips open and settles on a chapter labeled Dream Symbols And You. Below that, it's subtitled "Or How I Learned To Love Dying In My Sleep".

Ylva :
"Old blood feeds the tree. Sorry it just came to me."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura drops back down to the ground herself now greetings have been bestowed, sprawling and getting comfortable. "Should I look into my own book?" She asks, letting Johnnie lead the discussion. She leans towards Ylva, speaking quietly. "This is us, we're at ease. I'm hoping you can settle too, but say if you need anything?"

Spider :
"You don't need my permission," Teagan answers lazily, adjusting how they sit once Vorpal loops an arm around them; the movement of their coat as they settle reveals a wicked-sharp machete in a ring holster at their left hip. They absently pat the blade -- easily identifiable as Hedgespun to Lost eyes -- with their scarred palm and cover it up again. The scars across both of their palms are old, ugly things, cutting deep horizontally across each palm and around the edge of their hand, as if the original cuts went down to the bone. "Just... don't want to be surprised."

They tip their head to one side. "I had a strange dream, but I hammered it out of existence. Fuck messing with my eidolons."

Ylva :
Ylva leans into V trying to relax but looks to Laura. "Thanks, im trying, just big groups are hard."

She reaches into her jacket pulling out a Hedgespun lollipop and sucking on it.

Vorpal:
"Yes, please, dear. My book's lovely, but it's less of a proper reference material and more- like having an extremely knowledgable friend with a habit to ramble about whatever it wants. If you'd fetch yours, we might get a touch further than I did, thank you."

"And I've no desire or intention to ever leave you on the back foot again, love." Vorpal squeezes Ylva to her side and leans up to kiss Teagan's- cheek, temple, lips, whatever she gets is good.

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura nods, rummaging in the mirror cupboard again before producing a leather bound book that she handles carefully, claws lightly resting on the cover. "This is one of my secrets." She tells Ylva. "But you're liked, so happy to share." She beams at the affection Johnnie shows Teagen, leaning back slightly. "Thank you for thinking of us." She notes for herself.

Spider :
The Mirrorskin grunts in response to the kiss to their temple, bumping their forehead against Johnnie's in response. They're not much of a talker, are they? Their expression is liquid, smooth, and redefines hard to read, honestly.

"I know, Johnnie," they answer the shadow; their Mantle crackles again, the sound like distant milspec radios calling medic, medic, but no one ever answers. "I know."

Ylva :
Ylva watches the interactions with a tilted expression. Squeezing Vorpals hand for an anchor.

"Thanks Laura. I didn't manage to figure out much but it was weird blood. Old and almost coagulation but still flowing."

She chuckles.

"Yes the blood one is the one that stuck with me." Adding quietly to Laura.

"Is there more of you or just the three? I just want to know how many more people I might meet."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"There's a fair few." Laura smiles wryly, nodding at Ylva. "Glitch you've met. So aside from those of us here that leaves June, who's an adorable but extremely tough red panda, Sigrun who is.. " A content sigh. "Warrior heart. And there's Sturm too." She grins. "Sturm is even bigger than me. Finally, there's Sam, who's a racoon and one of the friendliest souls you'd ever meet."

Vorpal:
Johnnie cracks a small, sincere smile at Teagan's affection, quiet though it is. What Ylva says, though, leaves her sitting upright. "I- hold on, let me answer that. So, in order from my perspective- there's me, Teagan, June, Glitch, Sigrun, Sam, Sturm, and Laura. We're Direct Action. And lots of us have folx all to ourselves, but that's not so much my place to discuss."

V's speaking very quickly. Her mind is on something else. "The book revealed that the tree in the dream was rooted in old things. In the underground. In death. If it's also being watered by old, coagulated, flowing blood, that... suggests... Teagan's least favorite post-human supernatural demographic, I think." Pondering for a few moments. "Maybe the tree is their society here in town?"

Ylva :
Ylva squeezes V's hand nervously and potentiinally uncomfortably tight.

"Okay, um. Sorry."

At the discussion of other things.

"Least favourite being ? For those of us not in the loop."

Spider :
Soft laughter - not at Ylva, just... amused - at the idea that there might be more of them to meet. "Yeah, there are eight of us. Here, anyway. We have some people on walkabout. You don't ever really leave Direct Action."

They stretch their shoulders. "I don't like vampires," Teagan answers lazily, and fails entirely to explain why. "Don't know anything about vampires and trees. Maybe it's just... old? Whatever it is?"

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"I.." Laura taps the book in thought. "I can consult the book." She suggests to the group. "I'd just need to define exactly what I'm hoping to learn." She glances between Ylva and Johnnie, nodding. "Everyone with me, they're in Direct Action. Though I have spent time with others in the past."

Vorpal:
"Sorry, Ylva. I'm not trying to be obscure-" She pauses. "Well. I suppose I was. I try not to directly give away info that's not my business to share. My apologies all the same." A soft squeeze. She doesn't seem worried about the tightness of Ylva's grip. All part of the role of playing anchor.

"It could be. It absolutely could be. It's a leap of logic, I suppose. The tree could also be its own thing. What I DID learn was that the tree was a living thing, built on top of death- and that it was somehow foundational. To what? I don't know."

Ylva :
"Your fine. I'm just made of anxiety especially in groups."

She bites her lip finishing the lollipop stick and all and grabbing another one.

Spider :
"Quis Habemus Servamus," offers Teagan, perhaps a little sleepily and rather distractedly, when Johnnie talks about not giving away what isn't hers to give away, "What we have, we keep." Since when does Teagan use Latin? This is what Sigrún gets for teaching them to read.

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura nods at Teagan, reaching out to lazily wrap an arm around them and shuffle a little closer. "Sometimes with blade and claw." She adds to Teagen's statement. "We look after one another."

Vorpal:
"Hey, don't forget fists," murmurs Vorpal, shifting to loop her arm around Ylva and slowly drag it up and down her side. "I'll keep talking around. Maybe I can learn something more about the tree or what's feeding it. It's the sort of thing with no reason to be in a dream except to be understood. So I aim to understand."

Ylva :
"Dont forget teeth too." Ylva adds with a chuckle enjoying the safety.

"Whats feeding it seems like a good thing to know. Though I keep getting told to visit a Vampire."

Vorpal:
"Told? By whom? It's not an awful idea if you know the right ones, but- who's been telling you to meet one?"

Ylva :
"Artie, he mentioned it when we first met and again the other day."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"And why?" Laura adds, tilting her head. She finally gives into temptation, opening the book and starting to look through pages covered in strange symbols and depictions, the tang of expended Glamour entering the air.

Ylva :
"Because they know what its like to want to eat people. It was just a suggestion. Sorry."

She shrinks down trying to bury herself. Feeling silly.

Spider :
The Mirroskin points out in that lazy, Summer-sleepy way they have, "Innit there a reformed cannibal in Autumn? The, uh, constellation?"

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"...Is there? I'm so out of touch. I thought I was the only person of my nature in Autumn." She shakes her head ruefully, embarrassed ears lowering.

Ylva :
"I feel like reformed is a strong word there. Its like a reformed alchoholic or sex addict." She chuckles to herself "Just musing, sorry."

Vorpal:
"Oh! Liane? Vorpal chimes in, though when Ylva tries to shrink into herself, the shadows pool beneath her and calmly hoist her into Vorpal's lap to be wrapped in her arms. It's harder to feel like you're making yourself look stupid when you're cuddled. Scientific fact. "That's true. Actually, she and you have a lot in common, Ylva. I can arrange a meeting if you like. She's the current Ghul, but I'm working on hammering through a bit of a quest to prove I can do the job. She's a wonderful Ghul, but she has Places To Be eventually, and I want her to know we're in good hands before she goes."

"Is that so strange a comparison? Considering how you described it?" Vorpal asks, of using the term reformed.

Ylva :
Ylva blushes but relaxes a bit.

"That would be nice, ill have to ask you what that is later when Laura isnt busy reading the weird occult book for us."

She thinks on that for a moment, a crunch from the lollipop. "Dang it. Note to self make the next batch bigger."

Grabbing another one she continues.

"No, I guess not. Makes it easier to, process."

Spider :
A shrug. "It's how she calls it," Teagan answers. "But some of us don't speak English as our first language, either." They gently pat Laura's knee, a soft gesture of comfort.

Vorpal:
Vorpal adds idly, "Y algunos de nosotros aprendimos nuevos idiomas para poder hablar en la lengua materna de nuestro amado."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
Laura nudges her knee against that touch, leaning into Teagan some. "The book.." She hums, making herself comfortable. "Right, book. If I'm grasping it right, the tree is very vibrant, powerful. What it might look like is only the surface and.. ah." She scratches an ear. "Need more time to think on all this."

Spider :
That earns Johnnie a blown kiss, even at this short range.

Ylva :
Ylva tilts their head at the interaction, a smile crossing their lips.

"So old strong tree being fed old blood, that seems like a not fun time."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"Or, well, a challenge. Maybe involving some hunting." She gives Ylva a pointed tooth grin. "That appeals to parts of me."

Ylva :
"Every day is a challenge, I dont need the added stress though it could be a good outlet for it."

Vorpal:
V jerks to attention at the mere mention of a hunt. "Hm? Do you think? You could be right, you know. Might take a bit of a hunt to find the answers, after all. I could be coerced to assist with such a thing. If you wanted."

A squeeze round Ylva to soothe her gently. "It could be the normal way of things, and simply be exposed because it is pertinent- or it could be a sign things have gone terribly wrong. I'm not sure which yet, but as of right now they're just dreams. Don't worry yourself over them- Laura and I are witches, this sort of thing fascinates us."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
"You two look delightfully cosy, by the way." Laura gestures at Johnnie and Ylva with a wink, from where she's settled by Teagan herself. "And like you said Ylva, mm. This is our bread and butter. We love digging into something to get answers."

Vorpal:
"Listen. I'm shite at verbal counseling. I make do with what I have. And what I have are cuddles."

Ylva :
Ylva blushes trying to sink down further into Vorpals lap.

"Um. Thanks?" She stutters but continues. "Interest and Anxiety are not mutually exclusive feelings. Im intrigued. Its the first thing in my dreams that hasnt been Arcadia since I got out, ill take weird blood tree."

She reaches a hand down stroking Vorpals.

"And your doing lovely at it."

Laura/Atalo/Harmony:
The hyena nods, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Do you two prefer some alone time? Not that I mind keeping talking, or getting to know you better. You intrigue me Ylva, I admit." She smiles. "But get the feeling some privacy might suit, if you want it."

Ylva :
"I have zero idea what I want at essentially any time aside from to Bite someone and squeezing V's hand is helping with that right now."

She leans back.

"Maybe, I dunno."