Wild Rye Fields actions don't rewind

Her growl crept like fingers up his spine, but he did not turn or otherwise brace himself for aggression. Perhaps if he trusted her enough she would begin to reciprocate. She pulled away from him instead, and he wanted to face her but still stayed as he was, wanting more to keep his word. He'd been witness to the voice that entered the air behind him only once before, words so uncharacteristic to Colette leaking into his ears. Before, he had rebuffed her anger and by the end of it their romantic relationship had been severed.

This time, he understood the shift for what it was.

Take a damn look, she told him, and so he stood and turned. There was no avoiding the initial disbelief of what he saw had been done to her. First to register was the milky eye, clearly no longer of use, and his heart thundered with sympathy and concern. Then his own eyes briefly took in the scarring before he focused on that which was still familiar; her intact eye.

I used you. It was fake, an act. All of it. You mean nothing to me, Chan. Just a means to an end.

He couldn't help the soft snort of incredulity that came from his nostrils.

"What end?" he asked simply, with genuine interest. Whatever the actual truth, they clearly had a lot to talk about. No matter what she said, after all this, Colette would be hard-pressed to convince him she really did not care.

(This post was last modified: Mar 17, 2022, 05:45 AM by Chan.)

He didn’t move, not at first, anyway. Didn’t flinch, didn’t snap back, like she had half-hoped he would. Not until she urged him to move did he stand and turn. And again, the looks of rejection and disgust the ghost had been hoping for did not manifest across his countenance. If anything, it was sympathy and concern, even as her confession was given.

A snort of either denial or disbelief escaped him, maybe a combination of both. He asked a simple, except not so simple question. What end?

So he couldn’t just trust her, and go. Fine.

The beginnings of a cruel smile tugged at the corners of the ghost’s face, and she leaned in, as though about to impart a dramatic secret. And in a way she supposed it was. ”Death,” Colette breathed, moving to circle around him, after that. ”For anyone that stood in our way. Men, women, kids.. I’ve watched them die. I’ve killed them myself. I used you to blend in. So I could gain trust and information, until my real pack was ready to strike. That was my role.” She shrugged dispassionately, as though the weight of it all meant nothing.

Her good eye glimmered with an angry and hard edge, as the ghost circled back around to stand before her former lover again. The picture she attempted to paint was not a complete one, and that little part in her mind prayed he couldn’t see through this, too. Couldn’t see how the guilt of it all had impacted her, heavier than anything, and had already nearly crushed whatever will she had left to continue on. The dark deeds haunted the ghost, and no matter what she did, they would never leave.

Now she began to morph into something unrecognizable. His ears planed backward, brows continuing to furrow as a look of obstinacy took over. His head turned to keep her in his sites as she began to circle, horrible words sliding out of her throat. His muzzle wrinkled, but not yet with disgust. He wanted her to stop this ridiculous ploy, at least until she made it personal, daring him to fall into a gruesome belief.

I used you to blend in.

Wait. His ears lifted, leaning tremulously forward once more.

... ready to strike.

His jaws unclenched, and Chan looked to her almost pleadingly.

"Are... are you saying they're gone?"

The wolves they'd both lived with, the elders who'd imparted their stories, even the children he'd helped teach? It couldn't be. That was an awful, cruel lie to tell.

(This post was last modified: Mar 22, 2022, 06:46 PM by Chan.)

Chan’s expression transformed from one of confusion to shock and dismay. Finally, it seemed, they were getting somewhere. A small part of the ghost regretted that she’d had to tell him this, and she knew later that she would hate herself even more for it. The far better alternative would have simply been for them to never meet again. But, he’d been the one to approach, and he hadn’t left when she’d told him to.

This was on him, too. Or at least, that was what Colette was going to tell herself.

He spoke again, sounding still as if he were in denial. He didn’t want to believe it, or her. A testament to how well she’d played her part, before, she supposed. You disgusting creature. Rage fulminated within her once more.

”Yes,” she answered his inquiry coldly. ”The elders, the kids, and anyone left not willing to assimilate. Which was most of them.” And if you hadn’t left, you would be too. Why do you think I wanted you gone so badly, Colette wanted to shout at him. But that would undermine her narrative.

”Do you understand now?” she jeered instead, putting forth a wicked smile, as though daring a response. Could she piss him off enough to get him to finish the job her former associates had started when she betrayed them, she wondered? One could always hope.

She confirmed it, and a storm of emotion filled his chest. Chan didn't want to believe her, but this being a lie didn't make sense unless she was suffering from mental illness or covering for something worse, and what could possibly be more horrific than slaughter? He turned his back to her swiftly, though dropped his haunches to the ground almost stubbornly. They were far from done, but she didn't get to watch the reactions play out across his features.

His thoughts rattled and ricocheted, making him lightheaded. He wanted to take off then and there and find his way back to the Basin and discern the truth with his own eyes, but what then? Chan closed his eyes, and took steadying breaths to clear his mind. Once he was sure he could maintain a neutral expression, he pushed himself back onto his paws and engaged with Colette once more.

"Why?"

His voice had an edge now, not quite anger but no longer softened by sentiment or willing to abide by a refusal. He deserved answers, especially if this was the truth.

With all of that said and done, the man turned away as though to hide his emotions from her, just as she’d done to him initially. Good, that darker portion of her mind thought. Now they were getting somewhere. However, with the small victory came a slight quelling of anger, and a fresh wave of guilt.

The ghost had hoped these secrets were something only she would have to carry. To have burdened someone else with them was not a good feeling, especially someone that didn’t deserve it. With his back to her, Colette took the few moments she had to close her eyes and gather her thoughts, before the faint sound of movement prompted her to look back to the man.

Another pithy question escaped him, this one with more of an edge.

”Couldn’t have anyone around to threaten, or take resources from our empire,” the ghost offered indifferently. She had to admire his restraint, though. A lesser man would’ve probably already lashed out. Despite the expression he wore, though, she had a fair idea of what he must’ve felt inside. It was too much.

In that moment, she opted to avert her gaze from him, and to turn and take six or so steps away. ”As for me.. kill or be killed. It was my job, no different than killin’ a rabbit or something.” Her gaze drifted downward, to her paws. Colette focused on them, a soft breath escaping her. Another lie, the last part, but he seemed to be buying the lies mixed in with the truth. She wasn’t going to seek pity now, not after all of this.

The ghost steeled herself, and then looked back. ”We done here?”

Empire. Chan's lip began to curl into a sneer at the word. That's what they'd lost their lives for, some made-up construct? Was she a fanatic, brainwashed? Kill or be killed. As casual as she tried to make it sound, those words gave more away than she likely wanted.

We done here?

Irritation was clear in his features as he frowned at the question.

"We're not going to be done for a while, Cole. You can pretend slaughter is easy to turn your back on but I won't. How close was this pack to the Basin? Could they come here to the Lore?"

There was a lot he needed to know, and he was trying to figure out the most important things first. It was difficult, though, with his mind racing as it was, demanding action rather than interrogation. Racing into something blindly would either be falling for a wild goose chase or getting himself hurt and helping no one.

He wasn’t willing to just let it go at that. The ghost took in his words, the look of irritation. As much as she wanted to sneer back, with the first couple of comments, Chan’s last question provided a reason to pause. Could they come here? He must’ve had other friends around, to be asking that.

Colette had already hurt him, in ways he didn’t deserve, and there was no taking that back. To leave him wondering if this place was going to be threatened too, was not something she was willing to do. A soft breath escaped Colette, as she contemplated a way to ease these concerns without completely dismantling the story she’d constructed so far.

”No. As we grew, resources were spread out. Others got greedy. Alliances fractured, there was infighting,” the ghost spoke, finding the last of her anger had abated, for the moment. ”That allowed a couple of spies, traitors, to gather and ally remnants of other opposing groups to take back what they’d lost. They fought like hell.. and won. Now, as far as I know, I’m the last one.” A soft, sarcastic chuckle escaped the ghost. It was ironic, in the end, that the same tactic she’d used to infiltrate so many other groups had been the undoing of her own.

Certainly not undeserved, though. Even that act, though, wasn’t enough to provide her redemption. It never could be. ”As for turnin’ my back, it’s not pretend. I am done here.” Chan hadn’t moved to physically stop her yet, so the ghost opted to set forth again, hoping to leave things as they were.        


-attempted exit unless stopped

No, she claimed, and that was a relief, but it was short lived. There was so much left up in the air, and he couldn't know what information was being given to him was a lie. It decided it. He would have to go see for himself what exactly was going on, and whether or not there still remained such a heinous threat. She said she was finished and moved to leave, but Chan didn't want her to just disappear. He moved forward quickly, and put himself back in her path.

"What are you doing now, then?"

She didn't smell of a pack, had initially been so abhorred at his presence, and spoke of herself so vilely... was she just wandering out here, aimless and alone?

"Go back there with me. Show me."

He couldn’t let it rest at that. Chan moved forth, with an agility and quickness the ghost half envied, to place himself in her path. What was she doing now, he asked? What am I doing? She studied him with her good eye for a moment, but couldn’t bring herself to meet that gaze for very long.

”Good question. Just.. waiting for fate to catch up to me, I suppose.” It was possibly the first completely honest answer she’d given. His next question though, was wholly unexpected. He wanted to go back there, after what she’d described?

”Fine,” she conceded with a snort. Colette supposed she couldn’t fault him for wanting to see and know with his own eyes, after the tangled web she’d weaved. Then, though, a small smirk. ”If there’s anyone left, you’ll probably be quite the hero, for managing to drag me back there. Could be good for you - your image, reputation.” She shrugged slightly.

Despite the role the ghost had played in destroying her own empire, anyone left wouldn’t hesitate to exact revenge. She was sure of it. But if that was the price to pay for her deeds, and for him, it was one she'd accept.