Things were becoming a little more important now that Lyle got himself mixed up with the Scoobies. See, he wasn't a part of that group but he'd seen them around. He was honestly a little surprised that they were so quick on the uptake. Apparently, there was a good reason people nicknamed them Scoobies--they were some kind of ghost hunting crew. Not that they seemed to fight them... as far as Lyle knew.
Amused by the turn out, Lyle waited in the woods just outside the school. He scanned the area, the light of his flashlight skirting over the school buildings. For a heart stopping second, he could have sworn that he saw a pair of yellow eyes staring at him from the forest but when he quickly brought the light back in that direction... nothing. Huh. Lyle reached up with his free hand and gently rubbed his eye.
Somewhere nearby, he heard the scuffle of shoes on concrete and he swiftly turned the light toward the school. On the path from the back-most classes, he could make out a small male form. Without missing a beat, Lyle called out, "Hey, Sam!"
Sam's head popped up and he shined his own flashlight directly into Lyle's eyes. Letting out a soft hiss, Lyle turned his head away.
"Watch where you're pointing that thing!"
"Sorry." Sam looked up at the fence that separated the school from the woods. "Take my light."
He pushed it through the gap between the chain link fence and the locked gate. Lyle took it and watched Sam clamber over.
"Your girlfriend says she's on the way," Lyle said, just as Sam stuck the landing. In his surprise, it looked like twisted his ankle and he dropped to the ground with a sound of pain.
"Shit!" Lyle immediately dropped down next to Sam. He hadn't meant to hurt the guy--just tease him. "You okay?"
Before Sam could answer, the sound of voices emerged from the school and they both looked over, alert.
Isis had met up with Jae Ryong and they were meeting up with Sam and Lyle. Lyle isn't part of the gang she took it upon herself to meet him he as asking for help why else would he be online talking about it. Hazelton is a small town with a lot of secrets and Iris and her friends wanted to help give the town some answers. Her ability came to her when she was young and it was pretty scary talking to the dead, seeing things no one else could. But her parents helped her to learn how to control her ability to take control. She has come a long way.
They wouldn't approve of what she did, that's if they didn't already know. Embracing her power was the best thing that she ever did and Sam was by her side the whole time bringing her back. Jae Ryong is older and so is Lyle but they all go to the same school, Iris will be turning 15 soon here and her parents have a party planned==sound like fun~ The so call Scoobies are an awesome group the offers the best, Jae Ryong, Sam, and Iris look into the monsters the come out at night the ones their parents would tell them about when they where children to scare them to behave were real and taking over this very town.
Souls were snatched, vampires taking over, and now the wolves, she couldn't help but wonder if they were all related or not. Iris and Jae Ryong come up the school when she heard it, the sound of Sam falling and his pain. "Sam!" she yelled. Iris ran up to the fence and grabbed the chain with her fingers wrapping around it, concern filled her face. "Are you okay." They were on the other side of the fence. He was on the ground and Lyle was next to him. "What happened?" she asked.
They were out and about, looking into some new happenings around town again-- the Scooby crew. He found it cute and maybe a little embarrassing being part of a group with that sort of name, but they were kind of like the Scooby-Doo gang! Maybe they didn't hunt ghosts, but investigating all the mysterious stuff that went on around town had to count for something, no?
Jae Ryong thought so.
After Iris picked him up, they both headed to meet with Sam and that other kid, Lyle. He had an average amount of friends, but the ones his age always seemed confused or to judge him somewhat for hanging around with kids younger than them, as if seventeen and fourteen or whatever were such big differences. Whatever! He didn't need to sit with the cool kids... or... how that went...
"Oh!" spotting Sam on the ground, Jae Ryong rushed to the fence, next to Iris, while trying to see why Sam was on the ground. "Did you get hurt??"
Were they starting off on a bad foot already?
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Sam said, waving off the sudden current of concern directed at him. If anything, he was embarrassed to be caught tripping like a total idiot. Worse and more embarrassing things happened before but usually not in front of so many people. All three of them were looking at him with their worry all over their faces so Sam forced himself to stand up. Gritting his teeth, he said it again: "I'm okay!"
His ankle did hurt but as he gingerly tested his weight against it, it didn't send him falling back down or screaming in uncontrollable pain. It just hurt. To his eternal embarrassment, Lyle, who was still on the ground, lifted his pants leg to check. Sam didn't need the guy feeling up his leg, okay?!
"It's really okay!" Sam insisted as Lyle prodded it carefully. Lyle looked at him, then the others and gave them a thumbs up sign.
"At the very least, it's not broken," Lyle said, looking all suave and smart. Sam unconsciously stepped into Iris' line of vision.
"So you're finally here! What took you guys so long?" He looked over at Jae, too, giving him a little welcoming wave.
She was a little panicked seeing her best friend on the ground but he said he was fine and he was fine he was up on his feet again. Then she was being questioned. "Well first off, I had to wait for my parents to go to sleep then sneak out. And second I met up with Jae. I can't believe both of you didn't offer to walk me." She crossed her arms, with all this going on they were going to let her walk all alone? She raised her brow then looked at Jea Ryong he was a big goofball that was going to scare off any wolfs while she ran.
Iris then turned her attention to Lyle the reason they were all there right now. "So what do you have for us?" There was no reason to let the weirdness interfere, her and Sam would talk later alone, they didn't need an audience. Tension lingers a little. Iris intentionally turned her attention to Lyle she did wont to give him an opening to talk about it. They were there to get info on the recent attacks. Not talk about schoolyard gossip.
Oh. Right. Yeah. That was exactly why he didn't say no to coming with her. He didn't want her walking alone.
To be honest, the thought never crossed Jae Ryong's mind. He wasn't about to let Iris know that, since he did end up walking with her by deciding to join the little investigation. He did mumble "Jae Ryong." as way of correcting her, although he knew every time he did, that she wouldn't listen just to annoy him.
"Right... Yeah you shouldn't walk alone." he added when she looked up at him.
Iris explained why they were late, so the only unanswered question right now was the reason they were all here. The wolves.
Directing the question at Lyle, he leaned his weight onto one leg. "And how did you even find out something?"
"You could have asked," Lyle said in return to the scolding that he hadn't offered to walk her here. Honestly, he was surprised Sam hadn't taken that opportunity the second it presented itself. He was close to her, he knew where she lived, and they were best friends, right? That was the boring part, though. Lyle wanted to get to the meat of his discovery.
"Well," he said with a secretive little smile, "while you guys were on your way, I found one."
Was that enough for them? He felt pretty triumphant in getting this far; he'd come out to the woods to find something and he'd found something. The only thing was now they needed to go back further into the woods to see what Lyle meant.
Iris was done with these boys they were just that boys and they just wanted to hunt things, she was the brains of most of there investigations. She heard Jae Ryong but didn't correct herself, they all did it too him and same at scall would call him JJ or Jay he would get heated and she would laugh.
"I'm just messing with you guys is all," He waved her wrist lightly. She was a tough girl and she could stand her own she was just making it a point to get to Sam.
"WHAT?" She squealed with excitement and fear. What were they going to do with it? Call her father? "I could kiss you Lyle, is it under a spell? or in a trap?" Iris rushed to Lyle's side and grabbed his arm. Any other time it would be Sam but she couldn't right now, not what with what was going on. She couldn't just act like all was okay.
They had their strengths but they were still kids so she had her concerns going into this.
The only people Jae Ryong would let get away with calling him those stupid nicknames were this group. For some reason, he was annoyed, but the discomfort and-- honestly-- sometimes hurt that went along with it when others did wasn't there. Maybe it was because they were teasing, while the people at school who called him nicknames were genuinely trying to hurt him. He was still mildly annoyed, and glared at Iris for ignoring him. Hmph!
"Found 'one'? One what? Wolf??" Did Lyle catch a werewolf or something? Is that what he was talking about? Jae Ryong stared at Lyle, filled with curiosity.
"Will it attack us, you think?" He still didn't know what exactly Lyle found, but a flood of questions crossed his mind.
Lyle laughed, gaze warming as Iris grasped his arm and squealed.
"Well, you could," but mostly to tease Sam, who looked less enthused about Lyle's discovery. (Or Iris being touchy-feely with somebody else.) Lyle didn't want to get into some kind of drama, though, so he only lightly touched Iris' arm before smiling and gesturing for her to follow him.
"But we have better things to do!" he declared. "Like talk to this wolf." He turned to Jae Ryong. "And yes, it's a wolf. Werewolf, though. I'll tell you how I know when we get there. Or I'll show you, I guess. Come on, come on!"
He urged them to follow him into the forest.
Sam scowled and hung back, trying to grasp Iris' elbow. "I can't move that fast right now. Do you mind helping me?"
Iris slapped his chest and let go of his arm with a smirk on her face. She knew what he was doing. They had a little moment and yeah they all saw it but it was a played out moment to get to Sam. Iris didn't even know why she was letting Lyle get between her and Sam. They have a great friendship and things were all weird now cause of him.
Why was he trying to impress him? and why him of all people she didn't like him. She let Lyle lead Jae Ryong to the wolf and hung back with Sam. He was her best friend and she had a heart but she was still a little upset and didn't even know how to talk about it with him. She wrapped her arm under his to help take some of the weight of his ankle.
"Why are you getting hurt? Hmm?"
Jae Ryong glanced back once at Sam's ankle, but he let Iris hang back with him by herself. Sam probably didn't want that much attention if his foot really was hurt.
"Okay, you better!" Jae Ryong frowned, "How'd you even find a werewolf?" It sounded like something dangerous to happen to run into, or maybe not if the wolf wasn't a feral. Regardless, he was the cautious type when he could manage to focus and didn't know what to expect.
"I didn't do it on purpose!" But he was relieved that Iris stayed behind to help him out. It was getting to him, the weird way Iris was acting, the questions, and that weird knowing look on Lyle's face. Sam was really starting to not like him--and he barely knew him. Sam sighed and rested against Iris, but not too much. He didn't want to end up forcing her to carry him. Or worse, falling again because she couldn't hold him upright.
Meanwhile, up ahead, he heard Jae asking Lyle how he found a werewolf, which was a very good question. Yeah, how did he find one? Was he one himself??
"Magic," was Lyle's reply and Sam let out a half laugh, not really believing him.
"I know Sam I'm just giving you a hard time. You need to be nice to Lyle, He's helping us." She and Sam have a closeness one that she didn't have with anyone else, She knew she could tell him everything, except how she really feels about him or the way he feels for her. She could see it but she didn't feel the same way. And sadly she had to talk to someone else about him that was the one thing that was left unspoken about.
That was up until now. She felt like she had done something wrong talking to Lyle now, it was a mistake she could see Sam didn't like him. But they were there now and it was happening. Her staying back was her way of telling him it's okay, she forgives him, and he's still her best friend. She thought it would be kinda weird if there were no rumors about it, god, they have been friends forever they did everything together. when they were small their parents would joke about them getting married one day.
Sam might but Iris was doing Iris right now and if Sam was any kind of best friend he would support her.
Sam's laugh was expected and she wasn't impressed at all. She rolled her eyes at him. "What? You don't believe him?"
This time he didn't look back at Sam, despite hearing his laugh. Well, why was that such a laughable thing for Lyle to say? Jae Ryong felt more curious by the simple, one word response.
"... What do you mean," he paused, wondering, "did you find a werewolf and trap it with magic?" He looked ahead, wondering how far away they were from this find of Lyle's. If he just captured a werewolf minding its business, Jae Ryong might feel bad for them.
"Is he, though?" Sam asked, a sullen expression crossing his face as he looked over at too-confident, too-comfortable Lyle Duffy. He seemed way too well adjusted for a kid around their age. Way too practical, and he acted like he knew everything. Right now, he was acting like their defacto leader and Sam never had a say in voting for him.
Plus, Iris really seemed to like him, which rubbed a raw nerve in Sam. He knew it was dumb and irrational but he couldn't help feeling it--like Lyle was cooler than him and he was going to somehow drag Iris away from him. Or take all her attention and leave him abandoned and left behind. Sam didn't have a whole lot of friends outside Iris, even though she knew a lot of people.
"I don't know," Sam said, uncomfortably shrugging a shoulder. He didn't know what he believed about magic. There was the stuff with Iris, yeah. But now Lyle was Mr. Special, too? It seemed too perfect. Lyle was probably being a show off, that was all!
"I didn't trap it," Lyle said. "I'm tracking it."
"And what is his evil intention with us, Sam?" She said his name dramatically and sideways looked at him. She could tell he was a little jealous she didn't know what to say or if she could even say anything to make it better. Actions speak louder than words. She is the one that led two of her friends into imminent danger.
Their friendship wasn't in any danger but he was getting all defensive and that pushed Iris away more. The more Sam tried to control her the more she wanted to pull away. They once were in a better place and this worried Iris, she wondered what was to come of her and Sam as they got older. When they started dating would they forget about each other or would they be the same unseparated and just like now? If so why was this happening now? Why was their friendship being tested?
Iris spoke up, "So how do we know it's alone and that it won't attack us, Lyle?"
"... That doesn't sound like a good idea," he fiddled with the long sleeves of his shirt, frowning, "Iris is right. And they might not be happy about being tracked... even if they're alone."
Jae Ryong glanced back at Sam and Iris. There was his own magic if the wolf atacked them and he had no idea of Lyle's capabilities and everything, but this was still sounding more and more like a stupid idea.
"Even if it doesn't attack us, how'll we question a werewolf?"
"It's alone," Lyle said with certainty. He could feel it, connected to him like he held an invisible piece of wire. It was there, quietly hiding away in the forest. It was on its own, he knew that much. But he didn't know if it was dangerous. Personally, he wasn't afraid of it but he could tell all three of the others were so he stopped walking and turned to face them.
"Didn't you guys want to do this? If you're changing your mind, I can go on my own."
It was an offer to let them off the hook without judging them. Really, he wasn't. If they were scared, they were scared. But he wanted to ask the werewolf what happened. Maybe there was more to the story than they knew.
"I believe you otherwise I wouldn't be here. No way in hell I am leaving until we get a few questions answered." She was determined to find out what was going on. The people in their town needed to know and have some peace of mind.
They seemed to be getting close they started to slow down. Iris was still helping Sam walk they were slower than Jae Ryong and Lyle. They all wanted the same thing answered and they were determined to get them. There was a noise that came from the distance she was sure it was the wolf who else would be out here? Her heart pounding as they walked towards the danger that lay ahead of them.
She turned to Lyle for instruction, maybe if they circled the wolf in? She was an independent girl so she didn't need them to help her she just wanted to know if they had a plan. She motioned a circle with one hand and mouthed the words "circle it in?" That's when they closed in on it, the two magic boys needed to work their magic.
"I'm being cautious! That's all." Jae Ryong didn't think he came off sounding like he wanted to back out now, but maybe it seemed that way to Lyle.
He heard something and looked in the direction the sound came from. What was that? Could it have been the wolf?
Jae Ryong followed along with what the others were doing, still kind of worried about Sam's ankle as well. He had his magic, but he didn't know what he could do without hurting the wolf so he glanced over at Iris again, brow furrowed.
"All right then, let's find it, then."
Lyle started forward, before the strange sound stopped him. He looked over his shoulder at the others. Sam looked pale as he leaned against a tree and shook his head.
"I think I'm going to stay here and wait for you guys. I'm only going to slow you down."
But that wasn't in the cards, it seemed, because the wolf that had been quietly biding its time in the woods was now moving toward them. Lyle quickly pressed a finger to his lips and turned toward where the wolf was coming from. And it came out of the woods, head low, eyes darting about in suspicion--and blood still on its chin and ruff.
Iris helped Sam find a safe place to wait for them while they investigated, "Call for help if something goes wrong." She said in a serious tone before she hugged him and followed the others but before they could get very far the wolf was there before them a bloody mess.
She stood behind both the magic boys Lyle said he had a connection with this wolf so maybe that was why it didn't attack right away. It was breathing heavy and the fur on the back of it kneck was standing up. In an attempt to clam it down, she told it they were unarmed, "We just want to talk are you okay?" She held her hands up and looked at the others to do the same. It could be sick or hurt and when animals were hurt they seemed to me in defense mode.
It was a good idea for Sam to hang back. Their chance to approach the wolf first went out the window, however, as it stepped into sight and began closing the distance between them. The glint of red coming from its fur scared Jae Ryong.
Now, now he was scared.
Swallowing, he paled but didn't step back. He couldn't just up and run without his friends. And besides, he was still curious.
With its hackles raised, the wolf growled deeply in response to Iris. Jae Ryong glanced sideways at Lyle, wondering what his plan was now that they were faced with this situation. He was glad Iris was behind them, since he wasn't so sure what her stick arms could do if it decided to lunge.
Following Iris' action, he raised his hands to show they were empty. "... Are you hurt?" The wolf was glaring aggressively as ever. They would be lucky if it wasn't a feral ready to lunge... Which it hadn't-- yet.
"...doesn't look hurt," Lyle said, since the blood was dripping from its chin. It looked an awful lot like it had attacked something already. Where? Lyle slowly moved around the others and tried to peer beyond the wolf, to where it had come from. After a few more steps, he could see it. There was another wolf, half ripped open, eyes open but glassy and dead. Lyle swallowed hard. Well, if he had to admit anything right now, it was the fact that he hadn't actually expected to find this wolf dangerous.
"Guys, that's another wolf it's..." Defending? Not likely; it looked a lot like the wolf had attacked it...
"What do we do? There are more of us than him so we should be able to defeat it right? Can one of you use your magic to knock him out?" She whispered not wanting it to hear her. She really wanted to not be here right now she was scared this wolf just killed another wolf so she was sure some thin kids would be a breeze. Iris was trying to give the wolf the benefit of the doubt but Lyle was seeing the truth of what was going on.
"Did any of us bring a weapon?" The wolf growled and jumped forward at them Isis jumped back and fell on her back.
Okay, Lyle was probably right. It was staring at them so fiercely, Jae Ryong couldn't take his eyes off the wolf for more than a second. He did notice the spots where it was covered in blood didn't exactly look like injuries.
"I think we're getting into more than bargained for." he said slowly, disliking the situation more and more as time went on. What would they do after knocking it out, if that was even possible for four kids? He didn't want to hurt it with his fire either, despite it likely having attacked that other wolf itself.
Reflexively at the sudden movement, Jae Ryong raised his hands as if to block an attack, but fire appeared and snaked around back and forth in front of them anyway, in the space between the wolf and their little party.
"...maybe," Lyle said, licking his lips as he kept his gaze locked on the wolf. Yeah, maybe he could use some kind of spell. He was new to it and stuff but it didn't mean he couldn't use a spell in a pinch. Lyle also wasn't the type to lose his head and panic in a situation like this so while everything was going on, his mind was working on the solving part of the problem.
Then the wolf lunged and Lyle grabbed onto Iris and Jae Ryong conjured some kind of fire shield. Looked like for the moment, Lyle didn't need to cast anything. The wolf snarled and edged back, away from them but it didn't look too happy about any of this.
"Wait. My mom taught me something for this," Lyle said as the wolf looked around, clearly trying to find a way past the fire. Or maybe out of the area. Lyle really couldn't tell. It was already weird enough it killed one of its own. Lyle continued to maintain eye contact with the wolf and then he mouthed the words to the lullaby--a sleeping spell, actually--to the wolf. When it didn't immediately work, he began to whisper it, then slightly raised his voice. The wolf's ear twitched but after a moment, its eyes seemed to be growing heavier.
Although the wolf fought it, it eventually succumbed. It dropped onto its side, asleep.
Lyle stopped Iris from when he grabbed her as she fell. Wha ever the two did it saved them and Iris was made her way back to Sam. And they watched as Lyle did a sleeping spell as Jea Ryong held help up the fire shield. She saw the wolf eyeing her and Sam like they would be its next attack, thank god Lyle was able to knock it out.
Once the wolf was out she helped Sam over to the other so they could check out the wolves and maybe id them. "You two are a good team good job back there." She put her hand out for hi five's from them. She felt like a burden this time around she felt so stupid for falling like a girl and not being one of the guys. She didn't want them to know this so she kept it to herself. Sam is her best friend so he would see it but not call her out on it and if he helped her through it this time was up to him, seeing that they were just in a disagreement and not on such good terms after the couple talk before all this.
"So let's collect all the evidence we need and call the authorities. We need to cover out tracks we don't need to be tracked back to this."Iris' father works in the law enforcement so she know's all the do's and don'ts
If he had magic less destructive than fire, no doubt Jae Ryong would have called it forth instead. He was glad it kept the wolf at bay for now anyway. What next though, without scorching the wolf's fur off?
Lyle told them to wait, so Jae Ryong watched what he was doing. His fire didn't change, in case the wolf chose to leap at them again while he switched magic. The shield would hold it off long enough to keep them protected. Even after it fell onto its side, he waited a moment before dispelling the fire.
Jae Ryong smiled, high-fiving Iris although it felt kind of silly. Of course he did it regardless.
"What kinda evidence would be useful?"
"And actually, how long will the spell last?" he addressed Lyle.
"Whoa," he said breathlessly as he stared at the now sleeping wolf. His heart was still beating crazy hard, thinking about what that wolf could have done to them. A series of goosebumps popped up all down the back of his neck and over his arms. He rubbed them and gingerly stood with his weight on his good ankle. Stupid ankle, giving out on him when things were important.
"Wait, you think they'll trace this back to us?" Sam asked, eyes widening. "But we... we're just..."
He didn't even know what they could be taken in for but he could imagine Iris' dad doing it just to teach them all a lesson.
"Don't we have all the evidence we need?" Lyle said with a quirk of a smile. He gestured to the wolf. "He should stay asleep long enough for us to get him somewhere... safer."
"No way!" Sam stared at him like he was nuts, then appealed to Jae Ryong and Iris. "He's crazy. We can't carry that thing! And how's it evidence anyway? What if it's not a culprit but another victim?"
"I have learned a lot from my dad so yeah I'm sure he will trace it back to us, he is one of the ones on the force that does the cover-ups. It's a race against the clock and him."
"Kids, I know but we know a lot and I don't need to be found out so let's cover our tracks." He father had some not so friendly friends that she and Sam were not to know of. But she was sure he dad was a bad cop. She has little respect for her father but fears him and the people he knows.
"We have to Sam, What will happen if we leave it here? We'll never get any answers. And I am sure he did this where is the other on that was attacking it was just the two it's black and white, right in front of us." She was with Lyle on this one, Sam was her best friend and hurt but they needed to get to the bottom of this before her dad.
No way. He wanted to carry the wolf somewhere else? If it woke up and was still ready to tear their throats out, what then? Try putting it to sleep again, if it would even fall for that twice?
Yikes, what a scary dad to have. Jae Ryong didn't want to find out what would happen if they did get found out by her dad.
"Nothing's ever black and white. But... as much as I don't want to, I don't know what else we can do, Sam." he sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "If it's another victim... Maybe we can figure out how to talk to it. Somehow."
"Where do we even take it...?"
"All right, all right," Lyle said, putting up both his hands to bid the other three to pay attention to them. "No more arguing. I have a plan."
Lyle was used to having ideas and plans. At home, he was the Idea Kid. He was the one who helped out his siblings when they needed some kind of cover story or somebody to help them with chores they hadn't properly finished before running off to have time. Lyle was used to covering tracks, too--and it looked like Iris was, too. Lyle put his hands together and smiled.
"We'll take him to my house. It's like in the middle of nowhere and we can keep him in the old barn. Nobody uses it anymore and it's way in the back of our property. What we have to figure out now is how to get him there."
He looked naturally to Jae Ryong since Sam was hurt and Iris was so little. "You gonna help me, pal?"
Sam was outnumbered he could help them or it was up to him she wasn't going to make him do anything he didn't want to. Iris looked at Jea Ryong was he up for it? She could help carried the wolf just cause she was a girl didn't mean shit. But she might have to help Sam to Lyle's place. "How far are we talkin? Iris asked, maybe they could get someone with a car to help?
Other than that it seemed like a solid plan Lyle thought out.
Nibbling at the corner of his lip pensively, Jae Ryong nodded decisively. "Okay." Right, no use arguing more. They should finish what they started. It was a little weird to think Lyle lived somewhere in the middle of nowhere, but that was convenient for them!
"Maybe you can help Sam while we carry it?" he suggested to Iris, stepping over to the wolf and looking down at it. For their sake, he hoped it was a victim, too.
"It's not too far to walk, is it?" If they were to carry the wolf and Sam had to keep walking on his foot, they probably didn't want it to be a long trek.
Lyle let out a laugh.
"Might be kinda far if you're used to city dwelling."
He was used to the great outdoors, though. This whole forest was like his backyard growing up. But since they seemed so concerned, he looked down at the wolf, hands on his hips. They could work with this thing, though. Lyle might be able to carry it on his own but probably not. It wasn't exactly a tiny wolf and it had to easily weigh more than the hay bales he hefted around the farm.
"It's west of this forest. You know that old farm the bus passes to bring you to school? It's that one." He leaned down to pick up his half of the wolf. He was even being generous, taking the head in case it woke up. (But he didn't think it would--it was pretty knocked out). "That too far for you?"
The walked a lot of the time or they rode their bikes so the farm wasn't really like out of the picture. This was doable they just needed to hurry it up. Time could be the most important thing right now Iris helped Sam along as the other two took up the wolf. "Wait," She took off her belt." Let's use this as a muzzle for the wolf." She could see it now waking up halfway there and bitting Lyles arm off.
Yeah, she was tiring to avoid any accidents that could be avoided. Better safe than sorry. Once she had it's wrapped up pretty tight she joined Sam again helping take the weight off his hurt ankle. "You know you might want to have it looked at." Iris looked down at his ankle she knew his dad wouldn't take him to the clinic even if he needed to so it was up t her to make him go.
She cared about Sam and she worried about him and his home life. It seems like Sam's dad was drinking more and more the older Sam got. It hurt her so bad inside to see the hurt they carry and it hurt even more not knowing how to make it better. If she called CPS it would be worse it's not like his dad got violent all the time and Sam was good at hiding. Just a few more years then they could get jobs and move out and leave all this behind them.
"No it's not that bad a walk." Jae Ryong was somewhere in between lazy teenager and kid who liked to hike-- it varied depending on how he felt. And if it was raining. Rain wasn't happening and he didn't want to argue more so pick up his end of the wolf was his decision.
"Oh that's smart." he grinned at Iris.
He glanced back at Sam's ankle before starting to walk again. "It looks like we got more questions than answers so far."
Closing in on the barn, Jae Ryong looked the wolf over as they neared where it would be placed. "This might be mean, but I kind of hope it's a victim. I don't like assuming the worst." he smiled gingerly. Maybe he was being optimistic (was that optimistic)?
"How's that mean? You're just hoping he's not a bad guy. Or... she...?" He hadn't really got a good look at the animal's nether regions but he wasn't going to push it. Inside the barn, Lyle finally gave himself and Jae Ryong a break by setting the wolf down against one of the bales of hay. Venturing further inside the darkness of the barn, Lyle felt around on the tool table for the old gas lantern he used out here. Once the barn was illuminated, he brought it over to the others.
"I don't want to... imprison it but it might be a good idea to trap it so we can question it when it wakes up. If it shifts." Be kinda funny, he thought, if the wolf turned out to be less paranormal and more... normal.
Iris helped Sam set on a nearby haystack, "I agree we need to keep ourselves safe until they change back." She sat with Sam lifting his foot up rolling his pant leg up to see how bad it was.
She was leaving it to the others to set up whatever trap or cage they had in mind. This was Lyles born so he knew what he had and didn't. This was so weird she never piked him for a farm boy. Iris looked over Sam's ankle it was visibly swollen she couldn't tell if it was sprained or fractured he would need an x-ray for that. Sam was in no shape to walk anymore so they would have to get a ride to get him to the ER. The likely call would be Ethan, Sam's so-called father. He was probably in a bar drunk and passed out.
"True." he hummed shrugging. He didn't really know what he meant. But, well, Lyle was right. There wasn't much to say after they set the wolf down so Jae Ryong looked the wolf over curiously, thinking about all they just saw.
"Mm... So we just wait 'til they wake and see what happens then?" They were all in the barn with it and hopefully it wasn't malicious.
Glancing over at Iris and Sam, he pursed his lips worriedly. "What can we do about your ankle now? It probably shouldn't be left alone?"
When she finally came to, all she could see was faint outlines of objects. She quickly stood up, covering herself as best as she could with her arms. Cautiously she made her way around. "Hey!" she called sharply. Someone had to have brought her there, and closed her in. Unaware of their intentions, she was feeling anxious, but masked it with anger. "You can't just leave me in here without any clothes!" She slammed her hands on the doors to the barn.
Although there was no response, she heard breathing. "Hey!" she growled. "I don't care who you are, or think you are." She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. "But you probably don't want to piss off a cornered werewolf. Get me what I want, and I won't attack you." It was a suggestion, but her stern tone made it sound like an order. "And no; I don't care if I have to wear plaid!"
((Feel free to have had them go off an tend to Sam's ankle or whatever. I tried to keep it vague so you guys could decide how late/early it is. I couldn't make up my mind. Too many options. D: Also let me know if I need to make any edits.))
Sam was gone. Iris and Jae Ryong had left with him to have his ankle looked at and treated. Lyle, meanwhile, stayed behind in the old barn. He did his best to make things as comfortable for the wolf as possible. It seemed so deeply asleep that all he had to do was find a secluded part of the barn to lay the wolf down. Some people would have said it would've been smarter to trap the wolf properly in a cage or something but the old barn would have to do.
While the wolf slept, Lyle crept back into his house and raided the kitchen for a few things. Truthfully, he wasn't sure what a feral, angry wolf might want to eat when it woke up, so he chose a number of things and threw them all together in one of his dad's old coolers. He headed back out. Dawn approached--he could hear the world around him coming to life. Songbirds were out, the sky was slowly staining itself from ink black to a pale grey.
When he arrived at the barn, there was shouting a banging. Lyle paused for a moment. Then he started forward again. Once he was closer to the barn door, he put a hand to it.
"I forgot clothes," he admitted, "but you can have my jacket if you want. Just don't maul me when I open up, okay?"
"I'm angry, not homicidal," she snapped back, having taken offense. "It better cover everything, and eyes up at the sky, or I will make you regret this." She took several steps back, into the shadows, and tried to hide herself behind something, in case he looked. "You'd think I was a monster," she mumbled grumpily while she waited for the door to open. When it finally did, she ducked down, behind something. "Once you've thrown the jacket, close the doors and turn away."
When he gave her some space she quickly slipped the jacket on. "I'm going to need shorts or something; there's a draft," she grumbled. "You really didn't plan this out very well, did you?"
"All right, all right."
He tossed the jacket toward her and turned away as she asked him to. Well, more like ordered him to. He only glanced back when she spoke again. Shorts. Something underneath the jacket. Right. Made sense. He looked down at himself, in his sensible pair of jeans. At least underneath his jeans he had a pair of boxers on. Lyle didn't make it a habit to run around girls with just boxers on but... it was better to be the one in boxers than nothing at all.
"I'll lend you my pants," he said after a moment. He didn't turn around--not being a shy one--and he unbuttoned and pulled the jeans off before holding them out to her. "They'll probably be too big but it's something. I'll find you something better when I go back to get you some food. Deal?"
She averted her eyes when he said he would lend his pants to her. "Clothes are clothes, even if they're too big," she grumbled before closing the door to put the jeans on in privacy. "Do you make it a habit of kidnapping girls, or --" But before she could finish she had cut herself off. "I'm sorry, you gave me your jacket and pants." She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's just not every day you wake up in a stranger's barn." Although she was still mad, she didn't want to do anything that would make him leave; she had no idea where she was. "If you want to." She shrugged. "I feel a tiny bit better having something to cover me. It doesn't have to fit perfectly."
It was kinda weird, standing there in the barn with a girl that had a pretty voice and shadow (he couldn't see her that well in the darkness) while he was in nothing but an undershirt and skivvies. If his parents caught him sneaking back in like this, they were definitely going to think he was being a weirdo. Or worse, a creep. He promised he wasn't a creep but the only way to do that was to show her so.
Lyle scuffled the heels of his boots against the hard-packed dirt as he turned away from her door. There were no pockets to stick his hands into now so he just sort of let them dangle at his sides. Then he lifted one hand to tousle his hair, trying to make sure it had that just tousled look that some guys pulled off effortlessly.
"I don't," he started, then stopped himself, turning his head slightly around. "I've never kidnapped a girl before. Or like, anybody, actually. I just thought you weren't safe up there. I promise you'll be safer here."
Tsukiko listened, not speaking until she was certain he had finished. "I can take care of myself, and if you don't take any risks, you might as well be dead." Before she stepped out into his line of sight, she zipped the jacket all the way up, and made sure the jeans were buttoned up. "I need to get back there; this town is more messed up than you could know." She walked around him, looking out at miles of farm land. Eventually she started to walk forward. Even if it was the wrong way, she'd eventually find her way back.
She stopped and turned around to face him. "Someone's missing, I have to find them, before... if it's not already to late. There's more than werewolves in this town." Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. "...But you knew that? You were so calm." She straightened up, trying to be intimidating. That was easier said than down when she was shorter than someone.
((Sorry for the wait!))
"Yeah, but..."
The more risks she took, the more she was running toward death, wasn't she? There were a lot of issues that came with living in a place like this and especially if she was a wolf. A feral wolf, at that... Lyle watched her for a moment, expression impassive but ruminating over his choices. He wasn't going to lie to her or keep her against her will. All he'd done for her just now was to help. If she figured going out alone right now was the right thing to do... He couldn't stop her. Or he wouldn't; that wasn't his nature.
Lyle watched her, eyes glued to her as she walked about in a circle and then decided on a direction, marching off as if she knew exactly where she was going. For a moment, Lyle still watched, then he finally shook his head out and started to follow her.
"Believe me, I know how messed up this town is, okay?" Somebody's missing? He furrowed his brow and started to speak but now she was staring back at him like she thought he was part of some conspiracy. Slowly, Lyle put up both hands to show he was being peaceable.
"Yeah, I know. But," he said, lowering his hands. "You're looking for someone? Who is it? Maybe I can help."
(I'm going to close this thread as finished but I think when you're ready, we can fast forward a little to them looking for her person. Yes? Feel free to PM me.)