StarfrostedFox

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

"Hmm." Cinead seemed to consider, glancing down at Anna with a thoughtful expression. Then he resolutely shook his head in a negative. "I don't think we should risk the chips getting crushed." He concluded, rearranging the bottles of soda so that he was holding two in each hand. Then he lifted the bottles up over his head, well out of reach of the shorter woman. "and there's nothing you can say that will make me change my mind."he added for good measure, chuckling softly.

Of Lords and Faeries

The Arrington estate had once been a landmark of great beauty, a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and comfort. The nearby village of Fairhollow had flourished under its shadow, Lord Edward Arrington's knack for making good business deals and unerring ability to generate a healthy profit with said deals giving the Township it's own slice of wealth. Those who lived in the Village spoke kindly of the Lord of the estate, proclaiming honestly of his generosity and kindness. But complements and flattery had not been the initial reactions from those in the village however. For Edward Arrington was a native of England. And what right did a Britishman have building his estate in the north of there beautiful Ireland?

Lord Arrington had, Eventually, made his way into the heart of the people. Part of that success had been due to his beautiful wife, Margaret Connolly, an Irish noblewoman of high standard and sweet temperament. Together, they had been able to better the land they had owned and by extension those who lived there. So when the day came that Lady Arrington fell deathly ill, Fever raging and unable to stomach even a mouthful, it was not only the servants of the household that mourned and prayed. More than one heart hoped for the blessing of the Black Hare to come and take away the sickness. But the Lady of the estate did not get better...

And now the house stood abandoned, a constant reminder to those who looked upon it of the loss and sorrow they had faced. With the Lady of the estate's death, Lord Arrington had been driven away by the Constant reminders of her laughter and smile that had been taken from his life, returning to his home in England and leaving behind the empty shell of a home to fall into A new task of collecting dust and being overgrown by the return of the wild. The village had gradually suffered it's own losses with his departure as well, Returning to former states of productivity and wealth. No one had thought their lives could return to what they had once known... But return they had and memories of what things had been like under the care of Edward Arrington had gradually begun to fade.

Then came the day when the servants arrived. Three carriages full of men and women pulled by sleek horses had arrived in town, bringing a fresh wave of news and curiosity. They had been hired by one William Arrington, The new Lord and owner of the Arrington estate itself, to prepare the manor house for his arrival. Word spread like wild fire from mouth to mouth and home to home, excitement and anticipation rising. Stories began of how William was A nephew of the late Edward Arrington, Eldest child to the former Lord's estranged brother and wife, rumors that the young Master had been in touch with his uncle for several years. And not only was William receiving an inheritance of his uncle's wealth and property, he had also made his own healthy sum by way of good investments. Best of all, Lord William Arrington was an eligible bachelor.

The Group of servants had gone on to The estate itself soon enough and preparations had begun quickly. Dust covers had been removed from the furniture, the floors polished, the windows washed, fires had been kindled, the pantries stocked, and the outside of the house had been cleaned of vines and the gardens tended to. Fresh flowers bloomed in abundance in neat little patches, giving a pleasant perfume to the air. Several new bushes and trees had been ordered to be put in place, accompanied by wrought iron benches of beautiful craftsmanship. The hedge, at last, had been groomed as well, even and Square once more. Once again, the Arrington manor had been restored to its former glory, some even whispering that it looked better than it ever had before. And with the preparations complete, the Lord of the estate was surely not long in coming.

Down at the port, a few hours away by carriage from the village and the estate, a boat was coming in to shore, A crowd of people gathering to watch. Excitement rippled through the crowd like a tangible essence, The occasional turning of heads to look towards a waiting Black and silver carriage nearby, a team of white horses at the head. Servants waited at attention to either side, also focused on the approaching vessel, but remained less outwardly excited.

Out on the ship itself, standing atop the deck of the passenger boat, Hands clasped behind his back, legs spread, and chin held high, William Arrington cut a rather striking figure as he looked out over the port town where the vessel was coming to berth. Joyous excitement lit his dark green eyes as a smile threatened to curl up the corners of his mouth. He was dressed in a fine black suit and highly polished shoes, A hint of a crisp white shirt showing beneath the outer jacket. His hair, black as oil, was carefully styled so that the curly locks lay in stylish order, sideburns trimmed and orderly. The rest of his face was left clean-shaven, smooth and unblemished, with angular Sharp features that gave him natural appeal. As the crowd came into view for him, he unconsciously straightened his stance a little more.

'Ah Ireland. How beauty still favors your land. It is good to be back.' William thought fondly as his gaze swept over the landscape.

For it had been quite some time since the young nobleman had been to the country. The first time was when he had been bought a lad and had not returned until his adulthood due to a terrible row his parents had been involved in with his uncle during the visit of his childhood. Even at the inexperienced age of five, His heart had found joy with the Irish Land and her people, especially with his beloved Aunt, Whom he had doted upon quite explicitly. Sorrow with her passing had struck him hard, but not nearly as hard as his uncle. He kept in touch with Edward even after the man had returned to England, even visiting his manor in the south. William had not been expecting the inheritance of his uncle's estate and fortune, most notably the land that he owned in Ireland. But bequeath The Land Edward had, much to the surprise of his near relations.

The opportunity to return to Ireland had called to William's heart and soul thoroughly. Having the opportunity to is scape from his mother, who had been increasingly putting pressure on him to marry a woman of high status with his earning an ample fortune, was just an added bonus. Or a strong driving factor, depending on who you asked. Consequently, his mother had been rather furious with his departure. He wondered how long it would take her to come and pay him a visit... No doubt bringing along a few single noblewomen that just so happened to be her closest friend's daughters...

Hollers and commands rang out in the salty air as men coaxed The boat into position next to the docks, an anchor splashing into the water as it was released, ropes flying to be caught by those already on shore, Tying them into place on waiting poles. The sail was lowered and lashed into place, a gangplank retrieved to allow passengers and sailors to disembark, and a flood of people made their way on deck, eager to return to dry ground. Bystanders cheered and clapped from where they watched on shore as the ship finally came to rest, passengers beginning the task of disembarking. Very soon, the area was crowded with men, women, children, sailors, luggage, and even a few animals, creating a general orderly chaos on the edge of town.

William managed to carefully extract himself from the throng, disregarding the looks of awe he could see occasionally going through the crowd, Making his way straight towards the waiting carriage. The servants there moved in a well practiced motion as he approached, several bowing at the waist, while others moved forward in search of luggage and belongings, With one man directly stepping forward to meet The young Lord.

He bowed respectfully as he came to a stop a few paces in front of William before straightening up and standing at attention. "My Lord Arrington. I am glad to see that you made the journey safely. I am Thomas Lockwood, at your service, sir." The man said in way of a greeting, politely providing his own name.

William's face lit with recognition at the name, wiping away any trace of hesitation that had begun creeping into his expression. "Ah, yes. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance Mr. Lockwood. I trust that preparations have been going well at the estate?" He questioned, studying the balding man before him. Thomas had been a legal representative of his uncle and the two of them had been in correspondence since the reading of his late uncle's will. Mr. Lockwood had gone on ahead to prepare finances and to hire some of the staff in preparation for William's arrival.

"yes, my Lord. You will find things quite pleasant I do so believe. Most of the staffing positions have been filled, Save for the head butler and maid. A line of interviews have been scheduled for your perusal as well as the employment documents for the current staff." Thomas reported promptly.

"very well. Thank you Mr. Lockwood." William responded, glancing towards the group of men returning with his luggage and loading it onto the carriage. "excellent. I daresay, it shall be nice to have the place ready for me when I arrive. I'm especially looking forward to a bed that stays put when I am trying to sleep."he chuckled, stepping up into the carriage as one of the servants opened the door for him. "May I invite you to fill me in on more of the details as we journey?" The nobleman asked, looking out towards Thomas and gesturing for the man to take the seat across from him.

"yes my lord." Mr. Lockwood responded, stepping up into the carriage as well.

William had one last look over the crowd, several people staring in unabashed wonder, before the door was closed with a soft click. He tilted his head thoughtfully for a moment before settling back in his seat just as their came The sound of a whip cracking and the horses started off at a steady trot, taking him towards his new home on the Arrington estate.

Of Stone Hearts and Love (Rosalind x AutumnFrost)

Oh, my goodness! I'm sorry to hear that you have been in the hospital. I hope everything's all right. I'm not upset about the delay, but I will admit I was starting to get concerned. I can understand lack of interest in writing. I've been there before. Take as much time as you need with your reply, I am rather patient when it comes to waiting for responses. Life comes first, always.

The Mystery of the Black Hare (Erklings25 x AutumnFrost)

Squeezing out of the exit she had made on the other end of the tunnel that had helped with her timely escape, Branna heaved a small sigh of relief, Shaking the dirt from her fur before tilting her head back the direction she had come and caulking her ears to listen. Distantly, she could hear the baying of the hounds intermittently punctuated by a whinny, But the sound seemed to be steadily distancing themselves from her, heading in the opposite direction. Her body sagged gratefully at the information, ears drooping back against her head, And she wearily turn her body in the direction that would take her home, starting off with a prominent limp as she favored her right hind leg.

The journey was slow going and late afternoon began to creep up on the world as the hare wove her path through the trunks of the trees. By the time she hopped her way out into the clearing outside of the cottage, the last hints of True day we're starting to fade into twilight in the western horizon. With what little strength was left to her, Branna concentrated on her body, stretching out her legs, lifting herself onto her hind feet. Gradually, but quickly, her body began to grow, the thick black fur receding, long ears shrinking away. As she came to the small well near the front of the building, she gratefully leaned against it's stone lip with her human hands, thankful to be back in her own skin once more.

After a long moment, With the quiet of the early evening punctuated by her steady panting, a laugh suddenly bubbled up within her, Breaking past her lips in a breathless tinkle. Supporting her weight with her hips against the stone, she lifted her hands and rubbed them over the skin of her face, through the ringlets of her dark hair, and laughed. "you foolish lass." She managed to get out between bursts of giggles, Shaking her head slowly. "almost got yourself killed over a bit of fun... But oh, what fun it was." Continuing to chuckle with amusement at her own silly game, Branna lifted a bucket from beside the well up to the opening, letting it drop into the darkness in a sudden descent until she heard a splash as it hit the water below.. Waiting only a moment, she reached for the handle to the left of the structure, cranking it with a steady rhythm until the wooden container reappeared, Full to the brim with clear liquid. Reaching out, she pulled it to her, resting it against the top of the wall. Cupping her hand, she scooped a mouthful of the cold liquid passed her waiting lips, Savoring the sweet liquid as it washed away the dry feeling on her tongue. With another grateful sigh, She lifted the bucket into her arms, Taking every limp she received in payment for her foolishness as she carried it into the stone cottage.

Placing The bucket of water onto the stone hearth of The fireplace with a soft thunk, The young woman reached out to carefully touch the outer surface of the kettle she had left to hang over the flames, pleased when she discovered that it was still warm. Before she lifted it from its hook, she threw A couple of fresh logs onto the glowing embers, Provoking their gentle flicker into new life. Satisfied with the quickly growing flames licking eagerly at the fresh wood, Branna retrieved the water and took it over to her table, setting it onto the surface before she retrieved a shallow dish and a handful of clean white bandages, a washing cloth, and a small bottle of wine. Before sitting down, she carefully bent and retrieved her discarded dress, letting The soft material fall over her naked body and cut the chill that she had started to feel. With nimble and well practiced fingers, she tied the ribbon at her back into a bow, Straightening out her skirts before returning back to her task. Lowering herself into one of the chairs at the table, she went about filling the bowl with water, pulling another chair closer to her, And propping her injured leg onto it's supportive surface. With several grimaces, she carefully began to clean and inspect her wounds, wincing as several of The punctures broke open anew.

"you deserve every one of these." She spoke to herself as she began disinfecting the cuts with the wine, biting at her lower lip as they stung and prickled unpleasantly. "that dog nearly took your leg off. You should be grateful that didn't happen."talking aloud to herself seemed to be helping with the swell of guilt she felt in her stomach and the pain of the bite on her leg, Keeping her going as she found some left over herbs to make a poultice to spread over her wounds, Bandaging the lower half of her calf and the entirety of her ankle in clean strips of cloth. "there." She breathed, Tying off the end of her wrappings. "feeling better already." She mustered up A small smile, for it was truly beginning to feel a little less tender, even allowing her to put her weight onto her leg for a short time as she stood, collecting The things on the table to put them away.

***

With a soft exhale, Branna slowly opened her eyes, blinking confusedly. When was it that she had fallen asleep? Rubbing at The corner of one eye, she sat up from where she had been laying on her bed, where she had lain down to read before retiring for the evening. The book that had been resting on her stomach tumbled into her lap and the young woman blinked down at it, still unable to recollect falling asleep. But then, what had woken her up? Looking around the interior of the cottage, Branna frowned as she realized that the front door was still open, late evening light spilling in and spreading across the floorboards. But before she could make note of much more, a shout from outside quite abruptly made her startle, Waking her completely at once.

"oh dear." She huffed, rising from the bed. Limp to her gait, she went to the table, lifting a small lamp from the center and moving over to the fire, beginning to stoop to collect a stick from the edges to light the wick. She froze with her hand outstretched as a figure suddenly stepped into the doorway, knocking softly against the door.

"Oh!" She gasped softly as the face of a young man registered with her surprised senses, his expression almost as surprised as hers as she stood there, lamp in hand. Before he could notice her hesitation, Branna allowed a bright smile to blossom onto her face, teeth a flash of White in the dim light. "good evening Sir. It's rather late to be taking a walk, is it not?" She teased lightly, preforming what curtsy she could without causing further injury to her leg in response to his bow.

A kiss to the back of her hand had Branna flushing somewhat, unused to such attention. Her dark gaze Took the opportunity to study the young Lord subtly, Making note of his good looks and stylish trim he had given to his hair as he removed his hat, the rich texture of his clothing as he explained his plight. Her eyebrows drew together with concern as she listened, his words stumbling. Perhaps he was a shy man. Then he gave his name and she blinked with shock. "Lord Munro."she repeated. "as in the Lord Munro? ...oh dear. You do seem to be rather far from your manor house my Lord." She observed, wondering if this had been he who had lost his horse so early in the chase. The idea made her almost want to smile.

"I would be happy to be of assistance Lord Munro." Branna finally managed after considering. "I am called Branna Windwood. But Branna Will suffice." She said, unsure whether or not to perform another curtsy, but decided to forego doing such. She didn't think her leg could handle a repeat of the action. Glancing towards the still open doorway, she briefly bit at her lower lip in contemplation. "were you planning on requiring an escort back to the manor house?"she then asked, taking note of the growing lateness of the hour.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

Cinead merely chuckled in response to her protestations, though he did consciously slow his steps so that Anna wouldn't have to struggle to keep up with him. He glanced down at her as the shorter woman reached his side, giving her a slightly cheeky grin for the briefest of instances. "oh, I'm aware of that. But with how small your hands are, carrying one bag of chips might be more than you can handle." He teased, Feeling more comfortable with the joking after spending so much time in Anna's company.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

Sorry for the delay. My husband has been sick, so I've been rather busy. And then I got a little down the last couple of days. A reply should be coming soon though.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

The joke, however, went completely over Cinead's head. Instead of finding the statement of her teaching him dancing amusing, he instead seemed to grow thoughtful as he contemplated the idea. After mulling it over for a little while, he finally nodded his head. "that sounds rather enjoyable. I've always wanted to learn how to dance." He concluded, closing her door and stepping around to the trunk with her. As Anna opened it up, he looked over the contents before nodding his head once again. "I can do that willingly." He said, reaching in and pulling out three of the bottles of soda. After a quick moment of thought, he pulled out the last as well, easily situating them to carry in his hands and pinned between his arms and sides. Before Anna could object, he started heading in the direction he could hear a soft musical beat drifting from, something human ears might not have caught.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

Cinead had caught a glimpse of the blush that had colored Anna's cheeks, Increasing the fluttering in his stomach while simultaneously giving him a flare of hope for his intended confession. Now, however, was not the time. He pushed those thoughts once again to a corner of his mind, listening to the description of what he should expect at the party and how Anna was indeed excited about it. Music, dancing, and food. He wasn't a huge fan of music beyond the occasional classical piece, but he could deal with whatever they were playing. Dancing he had never experienced personally, but he was sure it could be easy enough, especially with what he had seen of the dance party that had happened on campus the week before. It was just looking foolish that he would have to deal with when it came to that. Food was probably his biggest obstacle. He was, after all, very picky. Then again, he could most likely easily avoid it by claiming that he wasn't hungry... "we shall have to see how things go I suppose. But the idea of taking a break partway through does sound enjoyable." He mused thoughtfully.

Anna pulled into an empty space in a parking lot near the woods, the shortness of the trip surprising Cin. Or maybe it just seemed so short because he had been so preoccupied. Whatever the case, he found himself blinking slightly as he looked out of his window, But then reacted quickly, swiftly unlatching his seatbelt and getting out of the car, he purposefully made his way around the vehicle and opened Anna's door for her and offering her a hand. "you mentioned that you were thinking of bringing something to the party. Do you need help with carrying it?"he asked, Remembering that detail just now.

The Mystery of the Black Hare (Erklings25 x AutumnFrost)

Weaving through her familiar forest home, Branna's ears were alert for the telltale sounds of a hunting party, whiskers vibrating as her nose twitched. Hooves thundering along the ground sounded soon after she crossed a small creek and she instinctively froze, braced for the appearance of hounds and hunters, But found herself blinking with surprise as a lone riderless horse galloped past her in a clear panic. One of the nobleman must have been thrown from his mount already she concluded with amusement as she watched the startled animal disappear around the next bend. Glancing in the direction the horse had come from, Branna quickly came to the conclusion that heading in that direction would eventually lead her to those she sought. Briefly rubbing her front paws over her face with excitement, she started off at another quick Sprint into the trees, even more alert.

Sounds of the hunting party we're not long in coming after that. It had her heart leaping within her chest, Her muscles tensing with anticipation of the Chase. As the whinny of a horse sounded, she dug her claws into the ground, turning her body in the direction the sound had come from and leaping into the cover of the trees, ready for the hunt.

Flying over the forest floor, Branna thrilled over the stretch and bunch of her muscles, The rapid tattoo of her heart within her chest, The feeling of the air as it washed over her body, and the pure joy of the speed of her run. If she could have laughed while in this body, she would have gaily allowed her happiness to escape her in peals of mirth. Instead, she found that she had to be creative in releasing the excess energy, bounding around trunks of trees, Diving through clusters of bushes, And taking every opportunity she could to tease The hunters.

With a small shower of broken twigs, the black hare leapt through a tangle of low bushes and out onto a barely perceivable deer run, Turning sharply to the right to point herself directly in the path of an approaching group of humans, dogs, and horses. Panic comically ensued at her sudden appearance, Several of the mounts whinnying and prancing or kicking out there front hooves with alarm. Those on their backs cried with dismay, Clutching at reins and kicking with their heels to try and control the frightened animals, but all the attempts made seemed only to alarm the equines farther. The only ones that seemed even relatively unstartled by the situation were the hounds, Appearing excited contrast to the rest of the party as they howled and barked, jumping forward into action quickly. With a fresh surge of adrenaline, Branna twisted her body just enough so that she clipped the lead dog with one of her back paws before jumping back into the forest, helpfully lleading The group towards a small clearing amidst The trees.

Several meters into the forest now, she spotted a half collapsed tree that was leaning against its neighbors, Darting beneath it's rotting wood and turning sharply to the left, diving within the cover of a blackberry bush. Skidding to a stop, she lifted her ears as she listened to the howling of the dogs and the pound of hooves as their masters followed closely behind, their voices mingling with the cries with whoops of encouragement. She stood, quivering with the heaving of her breath and the twitching of her nose, until one of the dogs came crashing through the bush in pursuit of her. She twisted nimbly away from his snapping ivory teeth, darting beneath his squirming body in the direction she had just come from. Kicking down with her back legs, she leapt over the second hound on the other side of the bush, Confusing the poor creature to no end as this resulted in his collision with his companion, the canines yelping with surprised as they became tangled within the branches of the bush she had just fled.

Speeding away from the struggling dogs, the black hare seemed to consider her actions before she suddenly turned in the direction of the approaching horse and his rider that had just managed to break through the foliage, Gaining momentum as she raced across the open ground. At the last possible moment, she tensed The muscles in her legs, pushing away from the ground in a powerful jump that sent her arcing high into the air, she had timed her leap so at the pinnacle of her arch, She crossed over the exact point between the man and his gelding's neck, claws scraping the leather of his saddle. For the briefest of instances, she was able to turn her head just enough to catch a glimpse of the man's face And then she was falling to the other side of the horse, Landing with a soft huff as the air was pushed out of her lungs. Without a backwards glance, Branna sped onward into the forest, heading in the direction where she could smell the sweet scent of a spring fed pond.

As she vaulted over a clump of twisted vines, a daring and reckless idea suddenly struck Branna, Causing her already quickly beating heart to increase in speed. But when she broke through the trees into a small meadow filled to the brim with wildflowers, she didn't hesitate as she slowed her pace a fraction, Allowing one of the dogs to catch up to her momentarily. As his breath grew hot on her fur, The proximity of his teeth to her skin became dangerous, she suddenly put on another boost of speed, darting out from beneath the hopeful hound's nose just as hiss fangs were beginning to close, Listening to the sound of a snap as they caught only empty air. Such Energy flooded her limbs at the new game, She could barely contain her excitement, Looping around a trunk on the opposite side of the clearing and immediately repeating the process.

The dogs were less amused with her antics, growling as she continued to slip away from them at the last moment, Running circles around their paws and forcing them to run in ever increasingly difficult patterns through the flowers. One poor beast finally gave up at one point, pink tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted at the edge of the trees, sitting down on his haunches as he watched the remaining dog continuing the Chase. Branna was continuously increasing her recklessness, delaying the time when she would dart away from danger, putting herself into increasingly difficult situations that nevertheless made her blood sing with excitement. She had just bounded away from her attacker, allowing him to just get his teeth on her flank, When a horse unexpectedly broke into the clearing, startling the hare. She had almost completely forgotten that there were riders following the dogs in the thrill of her game and The surprise of the mount's entrance made her muscles jump, paws momentarily stumbling over the ground. She recovered after a breathtaking instant, Turning her trajectory in the opposite direction, but the delay had given the pursuing dog the advantage. Sharp pain suddenly cut into her back right leg, Jerking her momentum to an abrupt halt as she fell hard against the ground, sharp squeal issuing from her mouth at the sensation. Panic instantaneously replaced the excitement, dread clutching at her heart, and Branna felt The caress of death at her back for the first time, her foolish actions suddenly crashing down around her.

what have I done!

Claws scrabbling at the ground in her fright, Creating small furrows in the soil, the hare began to twist and struggle against the hold of her captor. Intermittent squeals continuing to break from her throat. She was beginning to lose herself to the animalistic instinct for self-preservation when her humanity screamed at her from within to break free, Arguing that she was smarter than this. Fighting to control her breath, She rotated the top of her body, struggling against the sharp pain it sent up her leg, and sank her long incisors into the muzzle of the hound, hoping against her fears that it would do the trick. She was rewarded with a sudden loosening of the jaws, teeth slipping from the wounds they had created, and a yelp of alarm and pain from the dog. She collapsed heavily to the ground, momentarily overwhelmed by her sudden freedom, But was brought back into reality at the barking of the dog's companion, The surprised shouts of the humans. Gathering the last of her strength, she shot off of the ground, Ignoring the throb of her back leg as she called on her muscles to provide her with the speed she needed as she fled into the undergrowth. Trying not to think of the trickle of heat sliding down her leg that was her blood, She disappeared into a bramble bush, Shoving past thorns and twigs to dive into the protection of the waiting mouth of a Long forgotten burrow.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

"I do. And you're very welcome." Cinead reassured before their conversation lapsed into momentary silence. He found himself continuously sneaking glances towards Anna as she pulled into the flow of the light traffic, The fluttering in his stomach having made a reappearance. After a moment, she asked him if he was excited for the party they now headed towards, bringing his thoughts back from where they had been lingering on the right way to bring up his intentions. He tilted his head as he considered. "In a way, yes. Although, I am unsure of what to expect. I've never been to a party..." He admitted, feeling unashamed of the truth."are you excited to be going?"he then asked, curious about her response. She seemed to be excited about something, which wasn't unusual for Anna. Her heart rate was certainly elevated...