[Loras] The Longest Yard (Part I)
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 4:14 pm
Searing 16th, 120th AoS
It had been just about as average of a day as any other for Rickter, apart from the sudden manhunt the entire guard of Loras was on now. They were all working diligently to sniff out this cell or movement, whatever it was the group of people was clearly vile in every way. Dranoch they were called. While Rickter hadn't any idea as to what they were, much less how he'd discover one, but insofar the watch had been working diligently. With every effort made on learning how to track, possibly trap, and even dispatch these wretched things. Was seemed funny enough to Ricky was the actual fact that they could blend in, almost perfectly, within society and not a single one of them would be able to tell.
That part unnerved him especially, and with Captain David's recent death, Malkea was an immediate replacement for the empty chair. While the wolf himself never really saw eye to eye with David before, it was always Malkea he had grown to work well with over the years. Believe it or not, the man's return to the Captain's chair was a welcome one, as Ricky knew he could trust the man to get things done here in town. Yet Loras wasn't safe yet, and while the search for these Dranoch proved difficult, something else was afoot that nobody was quite aware of.
"Rickter!!" One of the fellow guards called out to him as he approached the guardhouse, his breaths almost in ragged wheezes as he looked to have run a mile without stopping. It was Erikson if Ricky remembered the name correctly, a younger adult still relatively green as a guard. The poor bastard was likely exhausted running around his armor, yet the weary brunette of a man straightened out, hands placed at his hips while his lanky muscles slowly heaved from the deep breaths he took.
"What is it? Somethin' to report Erikson?" The wolf checked as he walked to approach him, his head tilted at a slight angle when his eyes fell upon the young man.
"It's Hannah sir! Something's happened!" The guard responded in turn with an innate look of concern, leading Ricky to narrow his eyes and tension wracked his body.
"What's happened?!" The wolf almost growled now as his eyes darted past Erikson, immediately set on the main street that led into the heart of Loras.
"A break of entry, somebody made an assault on her." The tan complexion of Rickter's cheeks began to flush immediately, garnering a brilliant rich red as he bit his lower lip hard. If somebody was that brave enough to intrude into his home and assault the caretaker of his child then... Something about that was wrong. Everything about it felt entirely wrong, and yet, instinct spurred Ricky into action as he started past Erikson. "Sir!"
"Report to Captain Malkea!" The wolf immediately barked as he took off, without even looking back, down the street towards the Duedrop Inn. At that moment he literally dropped any and every protocol within his mind, knowing only that he needed to run as fast as his feet would carry him. Though it wasn't incredibly fast since he was only on two legs, that and the chainmail armor carried its own weight, in turn slowing him down a bit more than he would've preferred. Still, that didn't keep Rickter from running, pushing every fiber of his legs into covering the distance, as he moved past people wandering the middle of the street in earnest haste. There was even a moment where he had to declare "Move," as he continued past the Duedrop Inn.
Clearing past a clutter of people he rushed onward towards the south gate, his breathing ragged now much like Erikson's was earlier. Rickter knew it wouldn't be long before the Captain himself would be tailing after him, as the nature of this incident could've very well related to one of these Dranoch. But why Hannah? Why would anybody target her unless? Suddenly the pit of his stomach twisted in a knot, leading the wolf to dread the possibility of what awaited him as his home came into view. In turning down on its street he could see its door wide open, with a guard stationed outside as others appeared to be moving inside. Please! He practically begged to whatever higher entity might've heard his desperate thoughts. Please let them both be safe!!
Yet as he came to reach the doorway the guard waiting there greeted him, a concerned look heavily weighing upon him as Ricky arrived. "Ricky, thank the Old Ones you're here!"
"What happened?!" Ricky checked in between his heavy pants. "Where is she?"
"Rick?!" Hannah's voice called out from within, prompting Ricky to look inside without waiting any further, not that the guard prevented him from entering his own home. Two other guards stood within the lounge area of the house, while Hannah herself sat at the edge of the cushion on a sofa. "Oh thank Gods! Rickter!" The brunette rose gradually from her spot, as though she were woozy or perhaps even disoriented from the movement. Ricky didn't wait to approach her and usher her back down, taking a seat on the low table across from her as he inspected her closely. Near the left temple there was a small cut, to which Hannah had been doctoring with a washcloth, as he noted the bloodstains that decorated both it and her hand. The left side of her face also appeared rather bruised, as though she had taken a bit of a beating from somebody.
"We were told somebody broke in, she was getting ready for work at the time it happened." One of the two guards present shared with the wolf, as his eyes looked from Hannah to them with a certain ferocity.
"Do you remember what happened?" He checked earnestly with a suspicious look shot up the stairs, as he noted that nobody in the room held Martin presently. Chances were he might've been in his crib but... An incident like this he'd be awake and likely crying, that is unless another guard had removed him from the premises. If they'd taken Martin to the mansion where the other kids were, then Ricky hadn't any need to worry, because he knew his own son would be safe under the care of Milana. Still that didn't mean he wasn't drawing other conclusions also, thus the guard shifted with a slight bounce in his knee, clearly troubled by the fact somebody targeted his friend.
Hannah noticed this behavior of course and, immediately, shifted to lean forward with the washcloth pressed at her temple. "I was about to get ready for my shift at the Inn, when I heard somebody walkin' into the room. I thought it was you until I looked in the mirror and..." Tears began to well within Hannah's eyes as she looked away, before focusing on Ricky once more with utter concern. "Rick it was Aaron. He came in and... and I think he took..." The color in his face went from red to white in an instant, as the wolf clearly saw where this was heading now. Aaron... He'd never liked Rickter since he'd got here, and now he had the balls to come in and take Martin away, not before hurting his own damn Godmother at that. The eyes of the wolf widened and yet, intensified as he began to feel on the verge of panic.
His son was taken. Martin wasn't safe as he hoped, but now a hostage in what could be an utterly dangerous situation. "I'm sorry Rickter, I'm so sorry!" Ricky immediately withdrew and rose onto his feet, anxiety, and fury was both a duality of a concept within his expression. He looked scornfully towards the other two guards, before reaching for his gauntlets to begin unfastening their clasps.
"Y' two," He barked seriously as he slipped the first one off, immediately throwing it down as he moved towards the stairwell, "deliver a message to the Terras, namely Milana, and give them a full update on the situation! Make sure somebody stays behind t' watch Hannah!"
"Rick?! Where are you- RICK?!" Hannah cried out almost in desperation now, clearly panicking just like Ricky was just now. Only Ricky wasn't resolved to losing himself into a panic... No. As he climbed the stairs towards Martin's room he'd already removed his gauntlets and managed to undo the coat of his chainmail before stepping into the boy's room. Thus when he managed to slip an arm out of it, Ricky removed it from his other arm to let it hit the floor with an obnoxious thunk. The child's room looked to be intact, much like the house itself did, yet the only thing missing in that darkened room was his son... as the crib remained empty when he gazed upon it.
I'm gonna find 'im, He thought spitefully as he could only imagine what his late wife would be saying, I'm gonna bring 'im home... The boots were unclasped and slipped off, which left the chainmail trousers next. And I'm gonna kill that bastard before this is over. Anger and rage were all that he felt now, as he undid the last clasp to let the article of armor fall to the floor. Within moments Ricky began to shift and turn, the sounds of his bone structure snapping filled the room not even a moment after. Furiously the man growled as he leaned forward, using the crib as a crutch to remain at a stand, while the muscles of his body contracted vigorously before giving shape to his other form. It was probably the first time he'd ever gone through a transformation without feeling anything, other than the driving rage that made it easy to ignore the discomfort.
Shortly after his body metamorphosed into the black wolf he was, Rickter remained at a hover over the crib with his muzzle pointed downward. He could still smell the traces of his son within the crib, as the soap they used this morning still hung heavy on the fabrics. But there was another scent here also... the scent of wood and... blood even? That was a foreign smell, likely Aaron since he worked as a carpenter. I'm comin' for you!! He gave a low growl as he lifted his paws off the crib, enabling him to walk the floor once more as he headed out the doorway, and back downstairs into the lounge area. From the looks of it, the guards had already heeded his instruction, as there was only the one know who looked to be helping out Hannah.
While Hannah herself looked practically driven to get up and follow after him before, she now looked upon Ricky in his Faunis form now, something she didn't get to look at very often considering the story of their first night. The shock was evident in the brunette's reddened eyes as he walked down, stopping at the doorway to look at her for just a moment. I'll be back with Martin soon. He wanted to say to her aloud but, of course, he couldn't talk like a human within his Faunis form. So he resorted to a brief wine, before pointing his nose down to pick up the scent of Aaron's shoes. He guessed they'd be a hard leather quality, likely riddled with...
He knew he found it the moment his nose picked up the smell of sawdust. Leading Ricky to growl as he started forward, determined to follow the trace of a scent for as long as he could. Hannah exclaimed his name a few more times in earnest, likely hopeful to chase after him also, that is until the lingering guard that remained did everything he could to keep her seated. Calm was ideal but certainly didn't seem possible, not with how belligerent the barmaid became now. Thus the wolf kept moving forward past anybody who might've been an onlooker, following his nose with hopes that the scent might pick up a little more. If he could just get a whiff through the air then perhaps it'd have been easier, but for now, he was resolved to following the weakened scent of sawdust along the street.
It had been just about as average of a day as any other for Rickter, apart from the sudden manhunt the entire guard of Loras was on now. They were all working diligently to sniff out this cell or movement, whatever it was the group of people was clearly vile in every way. Dranoch they were called. While Rickter hadn't any idea as to what they were, much less how he'd discover one, but insofar the watch had been working diligently. With every effort made on learning how to track, possibly trap, and even dispatch these wretched things. Was seemed funny enough to Ricky was the actual fact that they could blend in, almost perfectly, within society and not a single one of them would be able to tell.
That part unnerved him especially, and with Captain David's recent death, Malkea was an immediate replacement for the empty chair. While the wolf himself never really saw eye to eye with David before, it was always Malkea he had grown to work well with over the years. Believe it or not, the man's return to the Captain's chair was a welcome one, as Ricky knew he could trust the man to get things done here in town. Yet Loras wasn't safe yet, and while the search for these Dranoch proved difficult, something else was afoot that nobody was quite aware of.
"Rickter!!" One of the fellow guards called out to him as he approached the guardhouse, his breaths almost in ragged wheezes as he looked to have run a mile without stopping. It was Erikson if Ricky remembered the name correctly, a younger adult still relatively green as a guard. The poor bastard was likely exhausted running around his armor, yet the weary brunette of a man straightened out, hands placed at his hips while his lanky muscles slowly heaved from the deep breaths he took.
"What is it? Somethin' to report Erikson?" The wolf checked as he walked to approach him, his head tilted at a slight angle when his eyes fell upon the young man.
"It's Hannah sir! Something's happened!" The guard responded in turn with an innate look of concern, leading Ricky to narrow his eyes and tension wracked his body.
"What's happened?!" The wolf almost growled now as his eyes darted past Erikson, immediately set on the main street that led into the heart of Loras.
"A break of entry, somebody made an assault on her." The tan complexion of Rickter's cheeks began to flush immediately, garnering a brilliant rich red as he bit his lower lip hard. If somebody was that brave enough to intrude into his home and assault the caretaker of his child then... Something about that was wrong. Everything about it felt entirely wrong, and yet, instinct spurred Ricky into action as he started past Erikson. "Sir!"
"Report to Captain Malkea!" The wolf immediately barked as he took off, without even looking back, down the street towards the Duedrop Inn. At that moment he literally dropped any and every protocol within his mind, knowing only that he needed to run as fast as his feet would carry him. Though it wasn't incredibly fast since he was only on two legs, that and the chainmail armor carried its own weight, in turn slowing him down a bit more than he would've preferred. Still, that didn't keep Rickter from running, pushing every fiber of his legs into covering the distance, as he moved past people wandering the middle of the street in earnest haste. There was even a moment where he had to declare "Move," as he continued past the Duedrop Inn.
Clearing past a clutter of people he rushed onward towards the south gate, his breathing ragged now much like Erikson's was earlier. Rickter knew it wouldn't be long before the Captain himself would be tailing after him, as the nature of this incident could've very well related to one of these Dranoch. But why Hannah? Why would anybody target her unless? Suddenly the pit of his stomach twisted in a knot, leading the wolf to dread the possibility of what awaited him as his home came into view. In turning down on its street he could see its door wide open, with a guard stationed outside as others appeared to be moving inside. Please! He practically begged to whatever higher entity might've heard his desperate thoughts. Please let them both be safe!!
Yet as he came to reach the doorway the guard waiting there greeted him, a concerned look heavily weighing upon him as Ricky arrived. "Ricky, thank the Old Ones you're here!"
"What happened?!" Ricky checked in between his heavy pants. "Where is she?"
"Rick?!" Hannah's voice called out from within, prompting Ricky to look inside without waiting any further, not that the guard prevented him from entering his own home. Two other guards stood within the lounge area of the house, while Hannah herself sat at the edge of the cushion on a sofa. "Oh thank Gods! Rickter!" The brunette rose gradually from her spot, as though she were woozy or perhaps even disoriented from the movement. Ricky didn't wait to approach her and usher her back down, taking a seat on the low table across from her as he inspected her closely. Near the left temple there was a small cut, to which Hannah had been doctoring with a washcloth, as he noted the bloodstains that decorated both it and her hand. The left side of her face also appeared rather bruised, as though she had taken a bit of a beating from somebody.
"We were told somebody broke in, she was getting ready for work at the time it happened." One of the two guards present shared with the wolf, as his eyes looked from Hannah to them with a certain ferocity.
"Do you remember what happened?" He checked earnestly with a suspicious look shot up the stairs, as he noted that nobody in the room held Martin presently. Chances were he might've been in his crib but... An incident like this he'd be awake and likely crying, that is unless another guard had removed him from the premises. If they'd taken Martin to the mansion where the other kids were, then Ricky hadn't any need to worry, because he knew his own son would be safe under the care of Milana. Still that didn't mean he wasn't drawing other conclusions also, thus the guard shifted with a slight bounce in his knee, clearly troubled by the fact somebody targeted his friend.
Hannah noticed this behavior of course and, immediately, shifted to lean forward with the washcloth pressed at her temple. "I was about to get ready for my shift at the Inn, when I heard somebody walkin' into the room. I thought it was you until I looked in the mirror and..." Tears began to well within Hannah's eyes as she looked away, before focusing on Ricky once more with utter concern. "Rick it was Aaron. He came in and... and I think he took..." The color in his face went from red to white in an instant, as the wolf clearly saw where this was heading now. Aaron... He'd never liked Rickter since he'd got here, and now he had the balls to come in and take Martin away, not before hurting his own damn Godmother at that. The eyes of the wolf widened and yet, intensified as he began to feel on the verge of panic.
His son was taken. Martin wasn't safe as he hoped, but now a hostage in what could be an utterly dangerous situation. "I'm sorry Rickter, I'm so sorry!" Ricky immediately withdrew and rose onto his feet, anxiety, and fury was both a duality of a concept within his expression. He looked scornfully towards the other two guards, before reaching for his gauntlets to begin unfastening their clasps.
"Y' two," He barked seriously as he slipped the first one off, immediately throwing it down as he moved towards the stairwell, "deliver a message to the Terras, namely Milana, and give them a full update on the situation! Make sure somebody stays behind t' watch Hannah!"
"Rick?! Where are you- RICK?!" Hannah cried out almost in desperation now, clearly panicking just like Ricky was just now. Only Ricky wasn't resolved to losing himself into a panic... No. As he climbed the stairs towards Martin's room he'd already removed his gauntlets and managed to undo the coat of his chainmail before stepping into the boy's room. Thus when he managed to slip an arm out of it, Ricky removed it from his other arm to let it hit the floor with an obnoxious thunk. The child's room looked to be intact, much like the house itself did, yet the only thing missing in that darkened room was his son... as the crib remained empty when he gazed upon it.
I'm gonna find 'im, He thought spitefully as he could only imagine what his late wife would be saying, I'm gonna bring 'im home... The boots were unclasped and slipped off, which left the chainmail trousers next. And I'm gonna kill that bastard before this is over. Anger and rage were all that he felt now, as he undid the last clasp to let the article of armor fall to the floor. Within moments Ricky began to shift and turn, the sounds of his bone structure snapping filled the room not even a moment after. Furiously the man growled as he leaned forward, using the crib as a crutch to remain at a stand, while the muscles of his body contracted vigorously before giving shape to his other form. It was probably the first time he'd ever gone through a transformation without feeling anything, other than the driving rage that made it easy to ignore the discomfort.
Shortly after his body metamorphosed into the black wolf he was, Rickter remained at a hover over the crib with his muzzle pointed downward. He could still smell the traces of his son within the crib, as the soap they used this morning still hung heavy on the fabrics. But there was another scent here also... the scent of wood and... blood even? That was a foreign smell, likely Aaron since he worked as a carpenter. I'm comin' for you!! He gave a low growl as he lifted his paws off the crib, enabling him to walk the floor once more as he headed out the doorway, and back downstairs into the lounge area. From the looks of it, the guards had already heeded his instruction, as there was only the one know who looked to be helping out Hannah.
While Hannah herself looked practically driven to get up and follow after him before, she now looked upon Ricky in his Faunis form now, something she didn't get to look at very often considering the story of their first night. The shock was evident in the brunette's reddened eyes as he walked down, stopping at the doorway to look at her for just a moment. I'll be back with Martin soon. He wanted to say to her aloud but, of course, he couldn't talk like a human within his Faunis form. So he resorted to a brief wine, before pointing his nose down to pick up the scent of Aaron's shoes. He guessed they'd be a hard leather quality, likely riddled with...
He knew he found it the moment his nose picked up the smell of sawdust. Leading Ricky to growl as he started forward, determined to follow the trace of a scent for as long as he could. Hannah exclaimed his name a few more times in earnest, likely hopeful to chase after him also, that is until the lingering guard that remained did everything he could to keep her seated. Calm was ideal but certainly didn't seem possible, not with how belligerent the barmaid became now. Thus the wolf kept moving forward past anybody who might've been an onlooker, following his nose with hopes that the scent might pick up a little more. If he could just get a whiff through the air then perhaps it'd have been easier, but for now, he was resolved to following the weakened scent of sawdust along the street.