when i run through the deep dark forest

[arracht]

Who: Derek and you
What: Monthly full moon log
Where: The North Woods
When: January 15
Why: This is going to get repetitive really fast. Full moon, Derek, camp full of nosy people. Added bonus of SHIT THERE'S WEREWOLVES RED ALERT.

The fact that Derek has to be smuggled into the woods doesn't sit well with him in the least, but it's better than someone catching him in the act of heading out there by himself. Between campers being on high alert, the camp heads watching everything like hawks (at least they know about him, but still), and the general problem of harpies on top of Lycaon's wolves outside of the camp, he can't exactly put up too much of a fight over it.

He has literally no other choice.

Maybe he could just lock himself away in Cabin 13, but his nerves are so frayed that he doesn't think it's exactly the best idea. Resisting the shift isn't difficult, exactly, but it puts strain on him when he does it and he's not exactly fit to deal with that.

But once he's in the woods, away from the rest of camp and surrounded by the trees and the silence of the night in the January air, he feels a little bit better. Now, it's just a matter of finding the people that will inevitably be out tonight-- and finding out whether they're the ones he needs to avoid, or the ones he needs to talk to before he succumbs to the pull of the moon.

( As always, prose/bracket and I'll reply to match. uwu* )

Comments

[willyouwalk]

As soon as everyone's dismissed from dinner, Tybalt goes to Cabin 13 and knocks. He's got black cloth and wax, and a werewolf that needs smuggling.

[arracht]

While Derek has no idea what Tybalt's cloaking actually entails, he finds himself preferring it to Nico expending energy when they don't know if an attack is due tonight or not. So when the knock comes, he opens the door and raises his eyebrows a little at what he guesses are the supplies.

[willyouwalk]

"Don't give me that, this'll keep you from getting shot at by those over-eager archers you lot have," he retorts, setting his things down on the nearest table and starting the spell. (Though really, it's not a retort if the other part doesn't speak.) "Sadie's the only person who has a chance of seeing through this."

[arracht]

Immediately lifting his hands in mock-surrender, Derek nudges the door shut again with the toe of his boot while he watches Tybalt go to set things up. He's just not going to question how this works.

"I appreciate it." At least he can sound sincere when he says that, even if he's curiously watching what the magician does.

[willyouwalk]

Tybalt nods as he molds the wax into a humanoid shape, occasionally looking over at Derek to see if he's getting it right.

"I really don't want to know what would happen if you fight the transformation, and we really don't want anyone shooting you because they think you're one of those monsters out there." He pauses for a second, thinking. "Though if you wanted to scare that human boy in Hermes, I won't say no." Dean is a dick and Tybalt does not like him.

[arracht]

"Right now? Tensions are too high, I don't think anyone would like the end result of that." Worst would be him snapping and going feral. Best would be him becoming the king of assholes. His anchor is too loosely secured for him to trust himself right now.

His eyebrows raise again, but in a more amusedly interested way. "Was that the dick you were talking about?"

[usernameallison]

So this time, it's harder. Not only is it the full moon, and Derek's shifting, but werewolves are circling the camp, ready to break into the borders, Scott worries. This is bad. He doesn't have his full backpack, this time, but he's knocking on the door of cabin 13, waiting for him.

[arracht]

Maybe Derek should stop asking Scott to keep an eye on things whenever the full moon comes around. He can't help but think it's asking too much of him sometimes, but in the end Scott's really the only person here from their cohort, and the one person he's trusted most with his safety.

So when Scott knocks, he comes to the door, quirking a halfhearted but grateful look at the younger Roman.

[usernameallison]

He knows it's harder this week, it's different. It feels a little like there's a big rock in his stomach. But still, he looks up at the son of Pluto, blinking. "What are we doing, Derek?"

[arracht]

Bringing a hand up, he rubs at the side of his neck, exhaling slowly and looking past Scott a moment. "We need to get into the woods. Patrol, make sure that they haven't breached the barrier."

And he has an idea, but he doesn't want to suggest it until they're actually out there.

[usernameallison]

"Right." He takes a deep breath, in and out, and nods, his resolve strengthened. "Border patrol, keeping guard. Right. Just like Camp Jupiter."

He nods a little, then gestures to Derek. "You ready?"

[arracht]

"Just like Camp Jupiter," he agrees, looking back to him and watching him steel himself. Derek knows for sure that Laura would be proud of him if she were here.

"Ready. Let's get moving."

Lydia, & Maybe 2 Companions, & Derek and maybe OH SHIT WOLVES idek

[lefthandedgenius]

Lydia's hopeful, but she's not stupid.

Chiron may not have given his blessing, but he did give his permission, and while she's not entirely sure this is the best idea, she has a hunch she wants to pursue. So she's following what she believes to be her previous footsteps from that fugue over a month ago, as silently as possible. Every sound, every sight feels heightened under the light of the full moon, and absently Lydia wonders if she checked the calendar for that night, if she'd discover it had been a full moon then as well.

She knows Lycaon's forces are stalking the borders of the camp, so she tries to avoid skirting the edges, but there's a point at which she's not even sure anymore. She knows the direction of camp and she knows to keep moving forward. Even armed with blades and her whip, she knows she's no match for a werewolf. It gives her reason to keep an eye out for trees to climb, rocks to hide behind.

[halfbread]

So somehow they went from chocolate and baking planning to wolves and fighting and trips out into the forest in winter with a bunch of angry animals around.

Sounds exactly like his luck, actually.

Lydia had snagged his help when they'd met up to discuss truffle making and plans for the holiday next month, and while Peeta knew she could take care of herself, she also wasn't exactly a combatant like a lot of the other people in camp were. And what with the werewolves out in the trees, if she needed to go wandering around, he wanted her to do so with some backup. His particular combat set might not be the best for dealing with fanged beasts, since it was so much more geared to close-range combat than anything further than a foot and a half away, but he was still better than nothing and his plant-senses would give him an extra couple of levels of helpfulness in the woods. To that extent when he catches up to Lydia at last, he's come prepared with his bronze knuckles and his long knife - but also with some small cloth bags of seeds that could produce some very angry-looking plants.

He'd used the trees to follow her path and catch up to her, and when he's within hearing distance Peeta gives a soft whistle to let Lydia know someone's behind her and so he doesn't get stabbed. "Find anything yet?"

[lefthandedgenius]

Lydia starts, but not as bad as she would if she heard a sound she was unfamiliar with. Relaxing a little, she shakes her head ruefully. "No, not yet. But arguably that may be a good thing. I still want to make sure that wolf is alright, though. If we can. He found me someplace close to here, I think."

[halfbread]

"And you're sure he's a good guy? I know we have Lupa and some of her wolves out here now, but you think she'd know about another 'friendly' wolf out here." True, Lydia's wolf had appeared long before Lycaon's forces - but if he's going the cynical route, it's possible that initial wolf was a scout. It's also possible that it helped Lydia back to camp so it didn't blow its cover by having a missing or savaged demigod just outside the borders.

[lefthandedgenius]

"He helped me." Lydia says firmly. "I was all by myself in the middle of the woods, completely vulnerable. If he was one of the enemy there would have been no reason not to rip my throat out then and there. He kept me safe instead. So I owe him to make sure he doesn't get hurt."

Her lips press together in frustration. "But we can't help him if we can't find him."

Like hell she's sitting this one out

[renegadehero]

Sojourner is adept at sneaking out, so the moment it's lights out and everyone's in bed?

Well then Sojourner is up, slipping out the front door and tugging her combat boots on. She pauses a few feet away, checking her utility belt to make sure that she has her daggers, throwing knives, pepper spray, brass knuckles and other various weapons before tugging her goggles over her eyes.

And given the circumstances, Sojourner couldn't help but break out her old uniform. When in doubt, confuse the enemy by appearing to be a cosplayer. You'd be surprised how often it worked for her back home. Really, in the end, old habits die hard and Sojourner feels more comfortable slipping out and patrolling as Sparrow rather then Sojourner.

Stretching her arms above her head she takes a deep breath, then takes off for the woods. Sorry Lizzie, but she can't lay low any more.

gdit gurl.

[arracht]

Honestly, Derek shouldn't be surprised that he picks up a familiar scent in the woods.

These Greek kids have this bad habit of running around on full moons when they shouldn't, and if now isn't one of those times he would literally eat his jacket. He picks it up some time after curfew rolls around and he's shifted, and makes a point of trying to avoid it to the best of his abilities. He doesn't want to see anyone that isn't already in the know, not when his nerves are on edge and the entire camp's up in arms against wolves.

At the very least, he can pass for one of Lupa's wolves if he stays inside the woods and on the paths she usually leads her pack through. So long as he stays away from the border of the camp-- for as much as he wants to patrol it-- he should be fine.

Maybe.

hey, hey, don't hate

[renegadehero]

Sorry Derek, a lot of the Greeks want to be Big Damn Heroes... That or are just too curious for their own good.

It's been an hour or so since she slipped out, which means it's time for a small break! Sitting down beneath a tree Sojourner pulls out a small canteen from one of the larger pockets followed by a nutrigrain bar. So far so good. She hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

Which, of course, is when she hears something approaching. Of course. In a flash she's back on her feet, dropping her nutrigrain bar and canteen in favor of pulling out a dagger. Her nerves aren't eased when she spots a black wolf. One of Lupa's? No way, they would be patrolling together, wouldn't they?

... Oh great.

w/e she gets to meet a friendly at least

[arracht]

He's gathered at this point. It's exasperating, but admirable.

Derek watches her for a moment where she's taken a seat, ears flicked up and towards her even as she gets back up to her feet, swaps out her canteen and bar for her dagger. He doesn't seem too perturbed by the weapon overall, though his eyes do drop down to it briefly as he takes stock of it. But when he lifts his gaze back up to Sojourner's face, his ears swivel sideways into something that looks vaguely annoyed, his expression almost judgmental.

Honestly, if he were human, it'd scream really?, because what is with these people and not listening to their camp heads.

There's no attempt to come closer, but he certainly doesn't turn his back on someone that's skittish and has a weapon.

Re: w/e she gets to meet a friendly at least

[renegadehero]

"You one of Lupa's?" She's keeping the dagger out, eyes narrowed behind her goggles. "'Cause if not I'm politely asking you to get out of this camp or I'll make you."

Really Sojourner is all bark and only a little bite. She's sizing him up, thinking of the best moves to use if need be.

[untameimpala]

Dean's not dumb; he knows basic math. Werewolves plus full moon equals super-powered maniacs on the loose, in his woods. (They only qualify as his for as long as he's around; then they'll go back to being the camp's.) So on this night, lit up by the silver glow of the moon in the sky, looking way more innocent and tranquil than it ought to, considering the circumstances, he's going on a little hunt.

There's kids in this camp that don't quite know how to fight yet, and plenty of others who don't even know the first thing about fighting werewolves or protecting themselves from one. That's where he comes in. Callie's got his silver knife, but Dean still has plenty of silver bullets, and he's heading out into the woods tonight to see what he can do to reduce the threat.

I was waffling on whether you got a wolf or a person for the longest time.

[arracht]

After having been at the camp for as long as he has-- previous stay included-- Derek is hardly surprised that there's a slew of trails and obvious presence in the woods, even if it's a full moon. The people of this camp have a problem with respecting curfew, and apparently don't know better than to go wandering off into the woods when they don't exactly have business there. A few aren't wholly familiar, but there's one he doesn't recognize that he comes across.

It makes him a little wary, considering the closer he gets to it the stronger the gunpowder is. He's not had very kind experiences with guns in the past, truth be told, and for as much as he knows there are gun wielders at the camp...

Well, it's a little offputting. He follows the trail at a distance, when he comes across it. Trying to avoid whoever it is, but eventually his luck is going to run out and he knows it.

[untameimpala]

Things are relatively quiet out here at night. Even the monsters you might normally find out here seem to have gone to bed for the night, so as Dean walks through the woods, on patrol for any furry threats coming into the camp, he's listening carefully for any sound that isn't from his own clumsy movements.

And there it is. It's soft, barely audible, and the gun's up in an instant, Dean searching for a target. He doesn't say anything, not wanting to give his presence away anymore than he probably already has. But the moon is bright and before long, he sees the gleam of it in an eye.

A wolf. But it is a werewolf, or just a camp regular?

"You one of Lycaon's?" he calls out boldly, eyes narrowed. Maybe it is just a regular old wolf, but Dean doesn't have any reason to trust that. The odds of it in a camp full of godly kids on the night of the full moon are slim to none, and he's not taking chances.