Blanc was lost. That was bad. He was also possibly near the breeding grounds of a pack of bears - that was worse. Of course, seeing as he didn't have much knowledge of bears, not only did he not realize that the prints on the ground the wrong shape for a bear, he also did not find anything strange about bears travelling in packs.

As Blanc climbed deeper into the mountain, he had found more and more tracks. Eventually, he was beginning to realize that a few things were off. First, the tracks were all leading in the same direction, and secondly, there were small signs of humans being were he passed recently. Were they out hunting, or . . . running? Blanc sincerely hoped it was the former.

Since his treasured spot in the mountain was a bit unorthodox to get to, Blanc was used to going off the path, despite several warnings not to do so; in fact, he even enjoyed his little rebellious streak. Right now, however, he was beginning to doubt whether or not he should follow through on that - those were a lot of 'bear' tracks.

The sound of a wolfs howl entered his ears, and he turned to the direction it came from. He creased his brows as his thoughts flashed back on the human tracks he had seen. It was looking more and more likely that they were hunters tracks then. If so, that presented a bit of a problem. Right now, it wasn't hunting season, and though he wasn't aware if Colorado had any laws pertaining the hunting of bears or wolves, he was pretty sure that if it wasn't hunting season, then that was it. No hunting.'

Pursing his lips, Blanc followed the few human tracks he could, going deeper into the mountains.

William was glancing down at the snow, tapping his fingers on the wooden railing, before hearing the distinct sound of snow crunching from not too far away. The hunter glanced over at the bright haired girl. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. His gaze followed her own until he was staring at a rather young looking lad with a mighty fine rifle. He gave a nod to the young man, noting the nasty looking head injury he brought with him. The newcomer and the young werewolf conversed for a short while, the conversation appeared to be uncomfortable for the two.

William smiled, although worried for the man now at the doorstep of a werewolf den. "A hunter you say?" He moved along the porch and down the steps beside Acacia, his boots crunching into the snow. "I myself fancy the dangerous sport as well." The werewolf hunter smirked. "Dangerous was probably an understatement." He thought to himself before extending his hand out to the man for a handshake. "Pleasure to meet you Ryan. The name is William." He glanced up at the man's head. "Looks like a rather nasty gash there kid. Must have been one hell of a crash."

He glanced over at the young lady beside them. "You wouldn't happen to know if anyone in your pa-.. group has any medical experience would you?" He placed his free hand in his pocket. "I'm sure the one in charge around here would like to get him patched up and sent on his merry way." The werewolf hunter scanned the treeline behind the man, wondering if someone had followed him.

Sam

Her muzzle wrinkled in response to some old lady telling people how to find the Odessa pack, and Sam hoped the woman was being intensely discriminating about those she shared such information with. A trip into town would be needed to make sure the old crone wasn't going to be a problem, Sam supposed. She had a few other items to obtain, anyway, and knew there were several other wolves who probably would mind heading down for a day on the town.

A new werewolf, then, she pondered with some surprise. He hadn't been too interested in devouring the dead werewolves, which Sam thought was fairly impressive – newer werewolves were perhaps the most bestial in nature, giving way to the wolf in a more complete manner in those first few months. It had been a scary time for Sam, but that might have been due to the enclosure she'd been kept in by her initial and temporary self-made Ulfric. A shake moved down the dark wolf's body as she jarred herself to the present, refocusing on James.

You are a werewolf, so I think you should get used to hunters and their legacy of slaughter, she recommended seriously, not following his glance to the blood splatters behind her. As well as learn how to avoid them, Sam added as an afterthought.

Standing back on all fours, Sam paced a few feet from James. Speaking of hunters, perhaps we should head back – while I don't mind a good fight, I'd rather do it on my own terms. You have seen the Ulfric of the Odessa pack, and I am the Geri. You are welcome to stay so long as you offer no harm... and have some use, she added, thinking some of the werewolves were basically overgrown children. Providing, of course, the Ulfric doesn't say otherwise.

She suddenly turned tail and leapt several feet forward, blurring past the blood and reaching Markus' path of departure. Follow me, James, and spill any beans you have on the way. Despite the mild tone Sam used, there was a sharp, cunning mind judging the other wolf.

With everything settled he was off moving through the snow a blur of white fur, though still balancing that body on his back perfectly without dropping it while dragging the other. He wasn’t heading back to the cabin right now though. It was to late and he didn’t want to create chaos in the middle of the night. A hunting cabin was not that far and it would be easier to reach, and the plus side was there was a emergency cellphone there. Slowly the place came into view it wasn’t much more than a shack, but he knew the inside was insulted well and some food had been stored for it’s use for pack members who might get caught in a flurry. His large head pushed the door open and he stepped into the hunting cabin, it’s wasnt very big and personal space would be gone once the other two arrived, but they were wolves what did they care… He let on the body on his back fall off as he dropped the other.

It was then that his body began to change back his form extend the fur retracted soon his face had shrunk down and flattened out and white flesh covered in tattoos became visible as the white fur disappeared. Bones cracked and organs slid back into their original place. A short few seconds later where a large white wolf had stood now stood a naked Markus. Stepping lightly he went over to a footlocker on the floor and flipped it open finding the old flip phone inside. Opening it he pressed the power button and saw that it still had half it’s battery life. “They don’t make phones like this anymore” He said to himself as he settled down to sitting on the box and tapping away a text message to Marrec. ‘Me, and Sam are fine. Found a new wolf. Two pack members are dead. They were killed by a human. RESTRAIN THE HUNTER DO NOT LET HIM LEAVE! Any other humans should be treated with extreme caution especially if armed. Treat them as hostile and restrain them as well if they come to close to the cabin. If they resist. Kill them.’ he hit send and shortly after the phone dinged as the message sent successfully.

A small firepit sat in the middle of the room and some extra logs had been left here. Quickly Markus filled up the pit finding that staying here all night would be quite cold, and he was naked after all, he felt that skinning one of the other wolves and sleeping in their fur might be frowned on. With a quick opening of the footlocker he pulled out a lighter and some paper that came with the cellphone and lit the paper and wood the fire began blazing shortly after. He took a deep breath and leaned back. “What a god damn night.. Can I just have ONE day of peace.” he chuckles and rubs his face. “I guess not.. If I didn’t want to deal with it. I shouldn’t have become Ulfric.” Finally he stopped talking to himself and just sat there waiting for Sam and James to arrive.

North nodded, a little bit nervous at the prospect of meeting the Ulfric. In response to Sasha's offers, she thought "I would like to look around a little first. I think knowing my surroundings might help me relax." The Skoll's first question, however reasonable, somewhat put her out. Her ears lowered in embarrassment as she replied. "I was never really given a name, you see, but I have taken to calling myself 'North', if you need something to address me by." She wondered what the reaction to this statement might be. Would she be questioned further, or would Sasha just become quietly suspicious? She really didn't want to come across as problematic, but she couldn't really help her answer.

"What do you mean by 'meditating'?" she questioned, just registering the last thing she'd been asked.

Continued to watch the bright haired male, 'Ryan', and soon jumped slightly as the other human, 'William', passed by on the steps that were nearby out of the corner of her eye. She'd suddenly focus upon him as he began to speak, and as she was addressed she'd begin trying to figure out who had any medical abilities and her head would turn partially to glimpse at the building behind her.

"Uh, I think we have some peroxide or something... I think, I don't know whose good with injuries, maybe I can ask the lu..." she'd cut off for a moment and shake her head, "The lead lady, Valerie," she huffed after a moment, and eventually pushed herself to her feet, looking towards Marrec she'd pause once more standing straightly and fairly stiffly as she thought.

"She'd know someone who can help, wouldn't she?" she questioned lightly before moving towards the nearest entrance to the inside of the building, "Is it okay if he comes through to see her, or must I go fetch her?" she'd tilt her head curiously and glance towards the copper haired human along with the hunter, 'Will he be okay with them both out here, or should I stay' she'd slowly think to herself and mumble under her breath, 'Wheres Markus when you need him,' she continued in her head while waiting for a response.

Her false smile widened as Nina began to talk. By this point, acting like a normal human being was almost second nature to her. When she first started training to become a hunter, she forgot what it was to be a human. Her humanity was stolen away from her and her only choice was to take it back from the clutches of dead beasts. At this point, her hunting was far beyond vengeance - her hunting was solely to wipe out the beasts before they could wipe out humans. Although she would never feel like a normal human again, she had a duty to them and she was going to follow that out even if it killed her.

Lifting a hand up, she brushed some of her white hair to the side and out of her eyes before nodding. "That suits me just fine! I just need to get my feet on the ground and I'm not sure anywhere else would even hire someone who's only just arrived to town!". Frowning, Anna turned and reached into her bag before withdrawing her license and what appeared to be a CV. All fake, of course, but it helped her get jobs in any spots she chose to hunt in.

Once she had passed it over to the younger girl, she smiled a gentle smile. "Everything should be there. I'm fine with minimum wage and I'm pretty healthy so lifting and climbing shouldn't be too much of a bother." Setting an arm down on the table, she idly curled a strand of snow between her fingers. "I'm ok to work any hours, really, as long as you're not killing me!"

With a shake of herself, she remembered her manners and that this girl probably didn't want to eat with a stranger sitting across from her. Rising, she gave the younger girl a half-smile, half-smirk that appeared to be quite flirtatious. She wanted this job and she wasn't above some helpless flirting to get it. Dragging her teeth along her bottom lip, she nodded to Nina. "Once again, sorry for disturbing you. My phone number is there if you want to call me."

With that, the young huntress exited the diner before looking up towards the scattering of stars that hung above the town. Anna could hear howls in the distance and knew that her targets didn't lie very far away from her. It was dangerous her being this close but she was willing to take the risk if there was a chance that she could root them all out.

Until that happened, however, she elected to return to the motel and book herself in. She had research to do on a particular Hunter that had already arrived in town.

James took a shallow breath when the female told him he would need to learn of these hunters' ways if he wanted to survive. Grimacing he nodded for a moment, then heard the other wolf mention returning to the pack......and it didn't seem as though she was forcing him to leave.....

Smiling he stepped foreword; skirting past the blood on the ground. The Ulfric of the pack was mentioned, and James blinked slightly when he came to realize the female was speaking of the other, larger, wolf that had been present. I appreciate you letting me come with you....and yes I assure you I'm not looking to cause opany trouble......even if it certainly looked that way when I found you

His voice was a chuckle in her mind, but when he thought of the pain that came with seeing the dead female he went quiet for a moment.
Eventually, he looked up at the Geri, Im afraid however that I don't have many beans to spill. I'm a rather extra-unordinary person.......As a human I lived alone in a sad little apartment with a sad little job......then I was turned.......I guess the changing was painful that first time.....but until now I've never really had any interest in my wolf side.......that's why I'm here.

Blanc was feeling . . . strange. That was really the only way to describe it. Every time he took another step, every time he went deeper into the woods, he could feel his spine jolt and his fingers tingle, as if electricity was running through them. His head felt warm and relaxed, but strangely sharp, sharper than usual, unusually so, in fact; Blanc wasn't much of thinker.

Eventually, he realized that the sensations he were feeling got stronger and came at increasing intervals the more he followed these tracks. In fact, when he paused to look at them for a second, his head froze for a minute as a current passed through it and his vision brightened to the point of it being blinding, like he had been in the dark for awhile and suddenly someone had flashed a light on him.

"Did I develop an allergy or something?" he wondered.

His stroll eventually took him deeper and higher into the mountain than he had ever dared to go before. He was left feeling tired after the hike, and leaned against a small withering tree to rest.

"Wha-?!" The sound of wood cracking and ground moving was all that alerted Blanc to what came next.

Unexpectedly, the ground under the tree proved loose and the tree gave way and fell down, the sudden drop causing Blanc to lose his balance and stumble down with it. He went down, left, right and generally just rolled down the ground, unable to recover, until he crashed shoulder first into the same tree that caused him to fall.

Blanc got up steadily. "Ow ow ow," he groaned, rubbing his aching - and quite possibly bruised - shoulder.

Blanc had unwittingly come close to the cabin if the Odessa pack. Not close enough for either parties to see each other, but close enough to be scented, and close enough for Blanc to here their howls.

The Lupa had looked up at the boy as he slid the warm mug onto the counter in front of her, listening as he spoke to her alone and a soft smile touched her lips when he tried to help her feel better. He was always gentle wasn't he? Though when he and the stranger vanished from her immediate scent range she looked back to try to locate anyone left in the room. The hunter had gotten up, his scent already stale beside her, Marrec was inside still and there was little sign of Sam here either though she assumed the woman would make her appearance soon enough. As she lifted her chin slightly to see who else was around a sharp tang touched her tongue and she was standing before she realized what was happening as she smelled human blood not too far away from her. She left the mug behind on the counter, admittedly glad that there was something to distract her thoughts, though concerned for whoever it was that had angered an animal or deserved the wrath of whatever punishment they had recently received.

Her bare feet were light on the cool floor though with the sensitive nerve endings in her body, leaving her feet free of obstruction often made it easier for her to navigate through not only the house but the terrain outside of the house. She made it to the door easily enough and stepped outside, blinking open her pale eyes in the dark while her nose allowed her to pinpoint to injured man not too far from their porch and she looked between those she knew were there, her brows furrowed slightly though she had heard what the young woman had said earlier. The human male didn't know about wolves, he'd never met one before. The wind picked up slightly, lifting the ends of her hair just barely enough to frame her slim shoulders for a moment as she stepped out into the snow to walk toward him. "Here." She offered him her hand without question to lead him inside of the building. "Can you stand? I am unable to see, so you'll have to tell me where it hurts and how badly you're injured." She explained to the human before looking over her shoulder toward those who were also outside.

"Someone let Markus know there's an injured man here. Have him call when he's resolved his side of tonight's ventures. Expressly tell him that I allowed the stranger inside."

Valerie was often kind with her instructions though the lift of things she had said would baffle the human and she was already working on a list of possible scenarios for them to all be living here at the same time. She couldn't just allow a seemingly innocent human to remain injured in the cold, especially if they were ignorant of what they really were and of their species existence in a whole. It went against her very nature to allow such suffering without cause, even deserved there was always an alternative was there not?

Ryan accepted William's handshake happily. "Nice to meet you as well," he replied. "Yeah, hopefully I don't start bleeding all over you," he said when William pointed out the gash on his head. As the redhaired girl, who he hadn't yet learned the name of, left to get help, another woman came out on the porch as well. This new, pink haired woman seemed to walk strangely, as if she couldn't see where she was going. Her next statement seemed to support that theory. "Thank you. Yeah, I'm standing right here," Ryan said as he approached her, ready to follow her inside. Kinda strange that a blindwoman is the one offering to help me with my injuries. "As far as I know, my head's the only thing that's bleeding," he added. As he walked walked behind Valerie, a question came to mind. "So, what you guys doing all the way out here? Some big family reunion or something?" he asked.

Marrec

Marrec watched as the human and Acacia struggled to interact, eyeing the young man's injury with a critical eye. Despite the weapon, Marrec could practically smell innocence oozing from the fellow, so he wasn't inclined to do anything particularly hasty – and to Marrec, most things were hasty when it came to werewolves. When Acacia approached the house and therefore the enforcer, he turned the weight of his dark glance upon her.

"She'd know someone who can help, wouldn't she? Is it okay if he comes through to see her, or must I go fetch her?"

“She is not without skill in healing, but perhaps she should come to the man and not the other way around. Sasha is inside, and she's not decent,” he warned, keeping his voice mild and conversational. From the behavior of William and Acacia in regards to keeping the human oblivious, Marrec knew it would ruin their efforts to see Sasha in her very intimidating lycoan form. He almost offered to go find the Lupa, but hesitated due to his obligation as enforcer. With some relief, the Hati heard the soft tread of the Lupa making her way towards them, and all too soon she was zooming in on the strange man and his blood-coated scent.

"Someone let Markus know there's an injured man here. Have him call when he's resolved his side of tonight's ventures. Expressly tell him that I allowed the stranger inside."

“I will,” he assured Valerie quickly, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a cellphone. “Sasha is inside, however, and she's kind of feeling a little... wolfish. We should probably keep him away from the den,” he advised with a barely suppressed grin. Turning his attention back to messaging Markus, the enforcer was flipping open his cellphone when a message flitted through, causing the phone to vibrate in his large hard. There is a pause in the man's breathing when he read the text message from his Ulfric.

“Me and Sam are fine. Found a new wolf. Two pack members are dead. They were killed by a human. RESTRAIN THE HUNTER DO NOT LET HIM LEAVE! Any other humans should be treated with extreme caution especially if armed. Treat them as hostile and restrain them as well if they come to close to the cabin. If they resist. Kill them.”

Black eyes lifted, settling on the man. Marrec relied on his instincts and those instincts told him this man wasn't the killer, but nonetheless Marrec would follow his orders. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward to block the lupa from entering with the human, suddenly appearing larger as he stood tall and looked down on them. He hesitated, unsure how to inform the lupa.

“Markus just sent a message – he says he's fine, but Sam came upon some... trophy hunting carcasses nearby. They're cleaning up. He also thinks some of William's friends might be wandering about, so we should make sure to flag them down and bring them inside. Somewhere safe.”

Despite the topic, a flash of triumph brightened Marrec's eyes at the subterfuge. Sam would be so proud of that, Marrec thought with wry amusement, knowing the Geri didn't think he had much of a brain to him.

Acacia would stare lightly as the door she reached for suddenly came open on it's own, her feet stumbling back as she watched the Lupa emerge, that was until she arsed over with a thud from her lack of concentration. Before long she'd just straighten up and remain down for a moment, watching and listening as the Lupa spoke, and eventually began to arise as she tried to guide the man inside.

She'd fully raised to her feet when Marrec moved to block the pink haired lady, and spoke a somewhat odd statement. Her head cocked curiously to one side as she tried to piece it together, the idea of other humans made her shudder slightly, the hairs on her neck standing on end as she moved off to the side and continued to listen. With her back facing the small group she'd scent the hair, ears focusing on everything about, that was until she picked up yet another trail of crunching foot steps that followed a crashing tree or something, though not close enough to see the house or inhabitants, it was close enough to hear as she partially moved to look at Marrec.

If he glanced back towards her she'd gesture towards the forestry as if to let him know, though she said nothing and merely stood planted where she was.

Sam

As Sam led James along Markus' trail, she took note of his words as they slipped across the surface of her mind. His voice had a pleasant tenor, though as yet the fellow still didn't stand out strongly to the Geri. She didn't suppose a new environment amongst strangers and dead werewolves was really the place to shine, so Sam didn't really try to hard to get a grasp of the fellow's true character. If he stuck around, she would make sure to learn about him.

Time would tell if she could trust him as part of the pack or if he would need to be chased out, since part of Sam's job as Geri was to protect the pack and keep an eye on things. Too many new werewolves could be dangerous, since it held the potential to cause dissention among the ranks if the newcomers were not as benevolent as they would seem. Markus was a fairly astute leader, but Sam still felt the value in having multiple eyes watching out for trouble.

As the hunting cabin came into sight, Sam couldn't help but respond to James' rather dreary response. Then what do you live for?

Once she ended up at the cabin, Sam turned to James. Shift back to homid form, please. Feeling assured that if the wolf tried anything, Markus was mere feet away, Sam crumpled to the ground and let the shift draw the human out from the wolf. She lost considerable mass, dark fur receding until only the mass of heavy dark tendrils swung around her bare shoulders and down her back. Standing straight, she gave James a look that could be constued as a warning and pushed open the cabin's door.

She moved with a casualness that suggested nudity was not abnormal nor something to become concerned over, since it was a common occurrence to shift and not always have clothing nearby. Becoming comfortable was a necessity in a pack of their size, and pack manners dictated that unless otherwise indicated as wanted, it was faux pas to address another werewolf's nudity. Offering a smile at the welcoming heat that billowed outward from the open door, Sam stepped inside.

Sasha

Names had little value to Sasha, so she wasn't overly concerned with North's unwillingness to provide a name she'd been given by someone else anyway. Instead, she focused on the real issue at hand, surfing through memories and plucking words she'd heard from her mate when he had first been helping her control the wild wolf that came snarling out with ease and frequency in her first few months.

Meditate. Calm your wolf... put it to sleep, kind of, like using a lullaby. When you're in lycaon form, you blend with the wolf and stand side by side in a way. In lupus form, the wolf has the wheel and is awake. If you lull the wolf sufficiently, you might be able to shift back without our Ulfric's aid. You're in a state of distress, so your wolf half is the stronger for that, but if you let it think it's time to relax, it may step back.

Sasha leaned forward, propping her arms on her knees as she addressed North. Her ears constantly shifted as sounds carried through the house, on high alert for any shouts or screams that might be issued from outside. She hoped to be of help to North, since she wasn't sure when Markus would be back.

Aldo had slid the meat into the oven and padded over to a chair to take a seat. The smell of it was delectable, but unusually tonight it didn't make him as hungry as it usually did. He just felt too...wary, on edge, to eat much. Hopefully there'd be leftovers in the morning, because tomorrow would have to be more relaxing, right? Valerie walking out also worried him. For a moment he wondered whether to follow her, but in the end he decided that the Lupa was smart enough to take care of herself, blind or not.

"I'm going to jump in the hot tub after this," he said in a soft huff to no one in particular. He could hear faintly what was going on outside, and he didn't like it, but he also didn't feel like running outside and putting himself in possible danger...yet. Aldo tried to keep his body language calm, so as not to spread his uneasy feelings to Vashti. Still, he couldn't stop himself from cracking his neck nervously.

The woman would have led a potential threat into the house if Marrec hadn't stopped her then, standing between herself and the door though as he spoke she nodded her head, swallowing dryly as she thought. She'd only been Lupa for a couple of years, officially though she'd been informally recognized long before when her and Markus had become closer than was normal for those who were not mates. She found the young man by scent and presence, her gaze finding his with a little trouble though that was often how it worked for her. Instead of trying and looking weak she let go of the humans hand and looked toward the clueless human behind her and the hunter who had not given them away, regretting in her humanity what she was about to do.

"Escort them downstairs. I'm sure the first level basement quarters will be sufficient for our guests to stay the night."

She instructed him, her jaw set for a single grim moment as she thought of dead wolves being found on their land, inside their territory where they could have been found and eaten by crows or other scavengers. If she could have seen she could have gone with them as well and at least tried her best to protect them as well. She would have died too though if they really were killed by hunters. When she stepped inside, this time alone, her chin held with dignity and authority that she was learning every day how to command and walked until she was standing not too far from the basement stairwell. The first level was often for newer wolves who had a hard time controlling themselves and those who were passing through or running from another pack though this time it would be fit to hold what hunters they could with only the single exit and entrance. It would be easy to watch, to keep the humans under guard until they could find the one who had done this to one of their own. What could the two have done to deserve it? Exist? This was why humans repulsed her so much, with their need to destroy everything around them, to ruin whatever peace or happiness existed for them.

"If he still needs me to I can tend his wounds tomorrow, after we have all rested to night. After Markus returns."

"Put it to sleep...like using a lullaby." North thought back to when she'd been a child, and after particularly difficult days, her mother would sing to her. She could still remember her mother's voice, rough and strained during the day, but at night had an unexpected sweetness to it. Her room would be dark and warm, and during the summer, crickets would fill the empty space between words with their own songs. In the winter, a fire would captivate her with its crackling pops and snaps instead. Allowing herself to remember what she'd felt - a soft haze of contentment, security, but most importantly affection - while reciting the verses brought a wave of bitter, smiling regret crashing down.

"You would have hated her if you'd known ay different, so why should your memories be fond?" Maybe it was gratitude, the desire of love in return, or even just hormones and chemicals, but North found that her one human tie to the world was the only thing that would bring her back.

Wandering child of the earth
Do you know just how much you're worth?
You have walked this path since your birth
You were destined for more

Sighing softly, the young wolf felt her heavy eyelids close in sleep, unaware that she was now a small girl curled up on the floor.

William turned, letting the red haired hunter go first. He climbed back up the steps of the porch, seeing that Marrec was still shadowing him. It was to be expected, although the werewolf hunter still didn't enjoy having eyes at his back at all times. The young bright haired gal was talking with Marrec, who had warned her about taking the young hunter into the house. William watched, amused by the sight of the pack concealing their identity to the oblivious man. He didn't step forward to the group until the Lupa stepped out of the house to meet the stranger. Marrec shared the information that the Ulfric had sent him with the Lupa in front of the two, and mentioned something about staying on the lookout for "William's friends."

The werewolf hunter raised a brow, confused for a short moment until he realized that it could mean there were other hunters in the area. That would certainly give reason for the Ulfric to run to the aid of a pack member. He listened quietly, not wanting to protest the statement in worry that he might ruin this elaborate cover-story already. When the Lupa ordered Marrec to escort him and the young man downstairs, William crossed his arms. "Well, i'm sure it's rather comfy down there. Lead the way Marrec." The hunter would go willingly, seeing little reason to protest the decision. He nudged Ryan, to get his attention. "Some rest will probably help with that wound anyway."

Hearing that he would be spending the night in the basement, and not be given medical attention until the next day, almost caused Ryan to blurt out his frustration. He quickly thought better of it though. He was a guest and a stranger, these people were in no way required to help him. So, reluctantly, Ryan followed Marrec and Valerie to the basement. The first thing he noticed was the lack of doors and windows, there was only one way in and one way out. Creeeeepy. "Eh, I've slept in worse places. Good night, everyone," he said as he unslung his rifle and put it down across from. He also unclipped his two holsters, with the berettas still in them, and placed them next to the rifle. Finally, he set down his pack which held all of the ammo for his weapons. He turned his back and went to the part of the room with the most comfortable-looking sleeping area and laid down. If Marrec was quick and quiet enough, he could easily confiscate Ryan's weapons without him noticing until morning, possibly even later in the afternoon considering how forgetful and oblivious he often was.

The Next Morning

Ryan awoke from his slumber with a loud yawn, stretching out his arms as he arose. He lifted his hand to feel his forehead. The bleeding had stopped, but half of his face was now covered in dry blood. Without bothering to see if William was awake before asking, "Yesterday, those guys said your 'friends' were causing trouble or something and that's why they put us down here? You know what they meant?" Ryan stood up and looked around the room curiously. Why do I feel like I'm missing something?