Nadia
Nadia walked through the building, purring quietly. It was so peaceful here, without anything to cause disturbances. She leapt onto the windowsill and looked into the distance.
Mikhail Bakunin
After leading one of his cattle back to the stalls after a bit of foraging, Mikhail headed for his house. A suspicious glance was thrown to the surroundings before he slipped into the blue building and closed the door behind him. Although his home was tucked away in a little valley niche next to the mountains, he couldn't help but feel wary about intruders. A stache of guns were always on hand, in case someone decided to pay Mikhail an unexpected visit.
Striding across the room, the tall man approached the windowsill where his Nadia sat. "Nadia, Kak - Vi syeodnya, moy droog? Watching the house while I was away?" With a thin but pleasant smile, Mikhail stroked the cat's head before moving to the kitchen and opening a can of cat food.
Nadia
Nadia's purring grew louder when her owner arrived. She meowed at Mikhail, then jumped onto the floor. Her paws made no noise as she followed him. Her face showed a happy expression. She sat at his feet and stared up at the can of food.
Shasta
After realizing that her dog was gone, Shasta began searching. Mouse always did like the country and the forests. He could be anywhere, but this seemed like a good place to look. She came with only a pistol in case she should encounter danger. This place was teeming with it. She crouched low in the bushes and looked around. "Mouse! Here boy!" She called loudly, not knowing what could happen...
Mikhail Bakunin
Twirling around the little can of food with a sorely outdated can-opener, Mikhail dumped the mush of gravy-like food into a bowl on the counter. "I see you're hungry? You..." As if he'd been shot, Mikhail flinched and stopped mid-sentence. A voice... there was a voice outside! Setting the empty can down quickly but quietly, he rushed towards the nearest window.
Grabbing a riffle fitting with a scope, he eased it on the edge of the windowsill as his single eye roved the yard for the source of the voice he had heard. Then he spotted her, some strange lady invading his land! Mouth taunt and good eye narrowed in concentration, Mikhail shot directly above her head, striking a tree. Bark exploded from the trunk, spraying Shasta.
"Stop!" He commanded in a sharp voice, snaking the end of the riffle out of the window where she could see it, "Don't take another step!" This time, the riffle was pointed directly at her... one wrong move...
Shasta
Shasta was scared stiff. A pirate! She thought, noticing the eye patch. "I'm only looking for Mouse!" She exclaimed. It seemed like she was ignoring the apparent danger as she hid her fear. "Why do you have that gun? Are you going to shoot me?" She called, slowly putting her hand on her gun.
Mikhail Bakunin
"If you make the wrong move, yes." Mikhail replied tensely, finger on the trigger, ready to squeeze on a second's notice. "Stop!" Now he shouted again, growing more tense as he saw her hand go for the gun, "Hands in the air, now!" The man inched the gun further out of the window, bringing his head out more until the light shown clearly on it. "Don't try me, miss..." Mikhail warned, "I can pull this trigger faster than you can draw your gun out."
Nadia
Nadia's eyes widened when she heard the voice, but she soon pushed that thought aside when she smelled the food on the counter. Launching herself up, she began feasting on the tasty meal. She raised her head when things got ugly. How dare that stranger talk to him that way! She thought, peering out the window from where she was.
Shasta
Shasta glared at the one-eyed man. "Yeah? I'm sorry to disagree with you, but no, you can't." She yelled, then quickly pulled out her gun and aimed it at Mikhail's head. "Just tell me if you've seen my dog and I'll get out of your way."
Mikhail Bakunin
For a brief second, his teeth were bared in a feral snarl as frustration got the better of him. He was so close to pulling the trigger... but... At the last second, he ducked back from the window, just as she was drawing her gun on him. He moved to a shaded window a few paces away before suddenly revealing himself. With countless years of experience to guide him, Mikhail took a calculated shot at Shasta's gun. Even with one eye, he had impecible aim with a gun.
Shasta
Shasta raised an eyebrow when she thought Mikhail had retreated. She took a step forward, but the gun was soon shot out of her hands. "Why do you have to do this?!" She exclaimed. "I'm only looking for Mouse! You've probably killed him already! What do you want from me?!"
Mikhail Bakunin
"Shut up! Hands in the air!" He ordered, his voice more threatening than ever, as he failed to answer her questions, "The first two shots were a warning, the third won't be!" Mikhail edged, pointing the weapon directly at her. If she had been a man, she'd be shot already. Not that he was much of a ladies man, it was just that not many woman wound up roaming outside of his house, and he wasn't sure what to make of this situation. And despite her adament claims of looking for a dog named Mouse, he didn't believe a word of it. She had to be up to something bad.
Shasta
Shasta was ready to scream, but she tried her best not to. "You win..." She said, raising her hands. "If I wanted to, I'd call the cops right now!" She stayed where she was. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't move. She was stuck in an 'insane' man's yard without a weapon, filled with fear.
Mikhail Bakunin
"Stay right where you are!" The man ordered, giving her a wary look before vanishing from the window. Seconds later, he was stepping hurriedly out of the door, riffle raised to his sights and pointed at Shasta, "And if you were to do that, I'd have to shoot you. Now, in the house! And don't try anything!" Mikhail ordered, circling around as he pointed the gun towards her back. He didn't for a second buy her 'lost dog' story. Oh no, there had to be something else going on here, and he'd get to the bottom of it!
Shasta
Without a word, Shasta obeyed Mikhail's order and walked into the house. She gave a glance to Nadia, then looked around. "I'm not who you think I am, I think. I'm only looking for my dog." She said.
Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail quickly snatched up the gun that he had previously shot from Shasta's grasp. As the two entered the house, he came up beside her and briefly nodded his gun towards the couch in a commanding gesture, "Quite! Sit there." I've never seen this woman before... how did she know I lived here? He thought frantically, though kept a controlled - if not slightly tense - demeanor.
Mikhail sat himself down on a chair that faced the couch. Easing the riffle down along the side of the chair, he held Shasta's pistol now, aiming it at her to discurage her from trying to escape. "Tell me, how did you find my house?" The man demanded, trying to read her face for any tell of a lie.
Shasta
Shasta sighed and sat down. "I already told you!" She said in a frustrated tone. "I'm only looking for my dog. I had no idea that anyone lived out here. Let me go before somebody kills him." She watched him carefully, wondering what he wanted.
Mikhail Bakunin
Skepticism was written all over his face as she continued her story about the missing dog. "Look for your dog, are you? And what does this dog look like? And why would someone kill him?" Mikhail questioned, ready to catch her in a lie that he was sure she was telling. As he spoke to her, he would glance now and then towards the window, making sure no others were sneaking up on his house.
Shasta/Nadia
Shasta sighed. "He's a saluki. small and fawn-colored." She said impatiently. "I don't know why somebody would kill him, and that's why I need to find him. Have you not heard of the attacks? You know, people attacked by wolves, People attacking wolves? For all we know, these same monsters are going after dogs!" She looked around. This seemed like the most dangerous place she had ever been.
Nadia jumped down from the counter and watched her owner interrogate this strange woman. They both seemed stressed, and the cat wondered why.
Mikhail Bakunin
The man was silent as he listened to her, all the time reading her face and searching for the lie. She's good... He thought to himself, when he could find no trace of doubt on her. "That's an interesting story, but I'm still waiting for the truth." Mikhail looked to Nadia as she jumped to the floor, then back to Shasta, "Just where did you loose this dog? And why do you suspect he would wonder near my home?"
Shasta
Shasta clenched her teeth in frustration. "He got out of my yard. He likes the wilderness. Are you happy now? Can I go save my dog now?!" She said in a venomous tone, getting fed up with Mikhail.
Mikhail Bakunin
A grin came to Mikhail's face as he shook his head, "You're pretty good at playing this little game, but I'm still not buying it. However, we are getting no where this way." He stood up now, after first picking up the riffle and pistol. As he began to walk away, he looked to his cat, "Tenerla d'occhio, Nadia."
Without turning to look back at Shasta, Mikhail spoke out to her, "I will be right back; and if I find you trying anything... I will shoot first and ask questions later."
Shasta/Nadia
Shasta saw her chance. Mikhail was out of sight. She slowly pulled out her cellphone and called 911, speaking in a quiet voice.
Nadia meowed and followed Mikhail.
Mikhail Bakunin
Just as he was rummaging through some things, he thought he heard voices again. In a flash, he spun around and charged into the room again, careful not to trip over Nadia. "Merda! Who did you call?! Give that to me!" He demanded, rushing across the floor to grab the cellphone out of her hands. If he didn't looked furious before, he really did now. "Who did you call?!?" Mikhail demanded again, his voice raised and obviously enraged.
Shasta
Shasta grinned. "I called the cops." She said confidently. She stood up, though she was nowhere near the height of Mikhail and therefore not very intimidating. "They'll be here in a while. If you let me go, I'll tell them that it was all a mistake." She thought she found her way out of here, but she had no idea what was going to happen...
Mikhail Bakunin
Again, his teeth were bared in the heat of frustration and it took all his control not to bash the end of the riffle against her head. She was too sly! But... was she bluffing? That's it, she must be bluffing... then who was she calling? Mikhail put the thoughts out of his head as he gave another order, "Sit down!"
Glaring furiously at her with his single eye, Mikhail stormed over to the windows and quickly shuttered them all up so no one could see in... or out. Dimming the lights so as it looked like no one were home, he headed swiftly back to the couch and hissed in an angry voice, "You'll tell my who you called and why you came to my house, or I will pull the trigger!" With Shasta's gun tucked away in the other room, he had the riffle directed at her chest this time. "I'm done playing games!"
Shasta
Shasta lifted her hand to shove Mikhail. "Why do you have to be so paranoid?!" She snapped. "I called the cops because you kidnapped a girl who was only looking for her dog, you freak!" She glared back at him, clenching her teeth and balling her hands into fists.
Mikhail Bakunin
Gritting his teeth, Mikhail refrained from shooting her or slamming the riffle against her head, though he was very much tempted to do so. Swatting her hand away when she tried to shove him, he drew his face in closer to her's for emphasis, "I have my reasons!" And for a moment, the man seemed to be taken aback by her name-calling, but only for a second. "Don't play innocent! You raised your gun on me as well, remember?"
Fearing that the situation may get out of hand, Mikhail backed off and sat down on the chair again. A calmness descended on his face again as he struggled to get control of his anger and paranoia. "I given you the chance to explain yourself, but my patience is wearing thin. So lets take this from a different angle, shall we? What is your name?" Suspecting she'd stick with the dog story, Mikhail attempted to get the truth out of her a different way. He only hoped he could do that before the cops arrived.
Shasta
Shasta sat down on the couch. "What will you do to me if you know my name?" She asked. "Fine. Since I know you won't believe me either way, my name is Shasta Wild. I'm 21. I'm female. I'm human. Can I go now?"
Mikhail Bakunin
He smirked, "Ha, very funny Miss Wild. But you aren't going anywhere until you tell me the real reason you were snooping around my house, and who you called on the phone." Mikhail eased the riffle down and sat back in the chair more, as if to make a statement that he wasn't getting up any time soon.
Becoming silent for a moment, the man turned to look at his gray tabby before calling her to come over, "Venire qui, Nadia." With that thin-mouthed, wry smile of his, he looked back to Shasta, "You see, Nadia is the only one I trust around here. I will do some research later and find out if you are who you say you are. Until then, I will question you more. Where do you live?"
Shasta/Nadia
Shasta sighed. "This is ridiculous..." She said under her breath. "I already told you! Are you going to torture me anymore? Good. If you'll excuse me, I have a dog to save!" She stood up and walked towards the door, but stopped and looked back when Mikhail spoke of Nadia. "See, I don't really care about your stupid cat right now! Are you keeping her against her will too?! I live in a house! Where else would I live! 120-B Andrew Street!"
Nadia came back into the living area and sat by the chair. She glared at Shasta curiously. That girl seems dangerous... She thought.
Mikhail Bakunin
The smile departed, fading into a look of surprise and tension as she began to stand. He was just reaching down to scratch behind Nadia's ears when the woman made for the door. Grabbing up the riffle that he had since lain across his lap, Mikhail stood swiftly and brought the riffle to his sights again as he trained it towards her back, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned in a cold voice, still 100 percent convinced she was up to no good. "I assure you, Miss Wild, that I can shoot this gun far quicker than you can unlock that door. But if you wish to find out the hard way, be my guest..."
By all appearances, it looked as though Mikhail were dead-serious about shooting her. A finger was held steady on the trigger, ready to apply the little bit of pressure needed to send a bullet into Shasta, should she choose to call his bluff. "Violence is not neccessary, but if you give me no choice, then I will use it."
Shasta
Shasta turned around. "If you're going to shoot me, shoot me!" She exclaimed, and a wide grin stretched across her face. "But I know you don't want to shoot me; you don't want me dead. You know how I know? If you did, you would have shot me already. Yet you did not. That means you want me alive. Tell me, strange foreign man, why am I so important? What is keeping you from killing me?" She thought she had him now, for she seemed calm. She was the interrogator now. She felt superior.
Mikhail Bakunin
Anger boiled up once again, though he stayed from pulling the trigger when she turned her back on the door. Still, he did not relax his tense position, with the riffle sight to his eye and the barrel pointing directly at her. "Shut up!" Mikhail yelled, lost at what to say for a moment, knowing she was beginning to get the upperhand in the psychological game; but he was still the one with the gun and strength. With that to ease his burdened concious, Mikhail reasoned out his options before speaking again, "The only reason you aren't dead yet is because you were smart enough not to open that door. But let me warn you again, you are really trying my patience."
The man took a few slow, decisive steps closer to Shasta, never once moving the gun away from her, "You will sit on the couch and answer my questions. If you do not, then I no longer have a reason to keep you alive, now do I? Sit!"
Shasta
Shasta grinned for the time that Mikhail did not speak. She felt as if she was winning. She stepped closer to him, trying to ignore the gun. "Must I say it again? I know that you don't want me dead. What will happen if I open the door?" She walked towards the door like a disobedient child. She raised her hand an put it close to the door, but did not touch it. She was afraid of him, but this was interesting.
Mikhail Bakunin
Just shoot her, or you'll regret it later! The thought screamed in his head, as he clenched his jaws and gripped the riffle tighter. "I told you what will happen..." Mikhail hissed out through his teeth, lips drawn back like a snarling dog as rage and confusion ran through his thoughts. SHOOT HER!
The riffle lowered a few inches, away from his eye as he battled his thoughts. What if she's telling the truth? I can't risk it! But... The riffle was raised once more as she reached for the door, and the trigger was gripped with a tense finger, "Mb
Shasta
The grin soon left Shasta's face when she felt the pain in her shoulder. "OW! You maniac! Why did you have to do that?!" She exclaimed, her right hand clenching her left shoulder. "Why is it so hard for you to believe me?!" She stood in one place, glaring at him with two eyes.
Mikhail Bakunin
Tossing the riffle to the side, Mikhail closed in on Shasta without a word, though the infuriated and panicked look in his eye was enough to speak for itself. Using his superior strength, he took the young woman by the throat in a deadly grasp, pressing her up against the door. Being mindful of any kicks she might try to down him with, he snarled out as she ranted, "Zakrytyn! Zakrytyn!"
Holding her with one hand, he glanced briefly through the shuttered window before suddenly forcing her to the ground, "We will see who you really are, Miss Wild. For your sake, I hope you were telling the truth!" He threatened in a low, tensed voice. With duct tape he had gotten when he was hiding Shasta's gun, Mikhail began to bind her hands and legs up. When he was finished with that, he hoisted her up and dragged her over to the couch. "Lest you want your mouth taped, I suggest you keep it shut."
Giving her a cold, warning glare, the man turned and headed into an adjacent room. It was filled with equpitment that looked to be from the seventies, as well as an impressive slough of modern tecknowledgy. With this, he began to do a bit of research with the little information that Shasta had given him. For starters, her name and address.
Shasta/Nadia
Shasta gritted her teeth while Mikhail bound her hands and legs. Taking his advice, she did not say a word. Her eyes glanced around the room nervously. Now I'm in danger... She thought silently.
Nadia kept her distance from the stranger, but watched her carefully.
Ryan Sohmers
Though the phone call was brief, the operator had been able to locate the relative source of the signal. The lower section of the Croal Mountains; and there was only one known residence there. The information had been sent out to Ryan Sohmers, who happened to be on the edge of town on patrol.
He knew of the blue house at the base of the mountains, though he had never actually been there. After calling for backup, Ryan drove out along a poorly maintained road as far as he could, until the way was blocked by fallen trees and washed out by old flood ways. "That's just wonderful..." Ryan mused sarcastically aloud, getting out of his squad car. He was at least a mile from the house still. Locking up the car, the officer set off down the road, which got progressively narrower and narrower until it seemed nothing more than a horse trail. In fact, with the sapplings and small trees growing up along the trail, it would appear that no car had driven on this old road for decades.
Walking as swiftly as he could, it still took Ryan a good deal of time before he reached the yard. "Hello?" He called aloud, making sure his presence was well known before he stepped onto the lawn. Rumors and stories circulated about the crazy, foreign hermit who resided in the old house, and how trigger-happy he was.
The first thing that the officer noted were the windows; they were shuttered. Obviously, this person didn't want anyone to see what - or who - he had inside. Drawing his pistol, Ryan advanced towards the door, giving it a few good raps, "This is Officer Sohmers. We recieved a distress call from this residence. Is anyone home?"
Mikhail Bakunin
For the first ten minutes or so, Mikhail silently worked away on the computer, digging up any information he could on Shasta. Funny thing was, the deeper he delved into the information, the more he found she was telling the truth. An online photo matched her appearance, the given information matched her name, her age seemed acurate, and she lived at the given address. The more he read into it, the more Mikhail realized that he may have made a mistake this time.
By the time fifteen minutes had rolled around, Mikhail had failed to find any incriminating evidence against Shasta, or any reason why she might be snooping about his house. Nothing at all to suggested she wished him ill intentions. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out in a long, slow whistle. Wow, he had really screwed up this time... Exiting the computer room, the tall man walked slowly back to the couch. "My sincerest appologies, Miss Wild. It would seem that I..." Ah, merda! He heard a voice outside!
Reacting swiftly, Mikhail pounced towards Shasta, putting a hand over her mouth to keep her from making any noise as he whispered harshly, "Don't make a sound!" Dragging the woman to her feet, Mikhail dragged her less-than-gently across the room. Kicking aside a rug, he revealed a floor-hatch that lead to the basement. Before opening the hatch, he grabbed a small pistol from a nearby shelf.
- Knock knock - This is Officer Sohmers. We recieved a distress call from this residence. Is anyone home?
Beads of nervous sweat began to glisten on his face as Mikhail hauled Shasta down into the dark basement. Propping her up against the wall, he pressed the muzzle of the gun against her cheek, "Sit here and stay quiet." Then he scurried back up the stairs, closing the door and kicking the rug over it.
Taking a few seconds to collect himself and shift into a calm voice, Mikhail approached the door, "Yes, and there is no problem officer." He stated loudly, not about to open the door to some stranger. He was tempted to just shoot the cop and be rid of the hassle, but killing cops was tricky business, and he would rather get the officer to leave on his own accord.
Shasta
Shasta listened as Mikhail apologized, but did not make a sound. Finally... She thought, relieved. But she soon heard the knock on the door and gasped when his hand was over her mouth. Oh no...Cops! She had called the cops, but now she figured that they might make it worse. After all, it seemed as if she was about to be freed. She wanted to scream when she was put inside the basement. The only sound she made was a silent whisper. She shut her eyes and prayed that everything would be alright.
Aurelia Marcellus
Igneus sol solis
The burning sun
Ryan's call through to the station for backup was passed onto Officer Marcellus in a matter of minutes. After just returning from a call-out, she was ready to jump straight back into her and head for the location; The Croal Mountains.
She was driving down the same section of poor quality road when she spotted Ryan's patrol car vacant. Concerned, she stopped and exited her own vehicle, walking round to the door of his. It was locked, but Ryan wasn't anywhere around. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her hand instantly touched her holstered weapon as she steadied her nerves. The reason for him leaving his car must be obvious, and it was. The track was covered by a fallen tree. Vaulting over it, Aurelia followed the track as it grew smaller, thinking about trivial things as she wound down the trail at a quick walk. Whilst she didn't mind the walk, she didn't quite like being alone so far away from...well...human company.
After a long space of time of simply walking, Lia as she was sometimes called by her fellow officers came across the house. She saw Ryan standing by the door, weapon drawn. The house windows were shuttered, and the resident didn't seem to be happy about showing his face. Following lead, Aurelia produced her own gun, holding it firmly but pointed it at the ground; for now.
Stepping cautiously across the land towards Officer Sohmers, she offered him a fleating smile as she came alongside him. "Could we please talk to you face to face, Just to make sure everything's alright?"
Nadia
The gray cat sat a few feet from Mikhail and stared at the door. She wondered why all these strange people were coming onto her property without an invitation. She stood up and walked closer, mewing quietly and twitching her tail.
Ryan Sohmers
Ryan returned the brief smile, with a sheepish touch to it. He knew he should have waited for back-up to arrive before going to the residence; after all, he nearly lost an eye last time he went to a scene alone. Looking back at the door, Ryan spoke again, "Is there anyone else in the house with you?"
The dispatcher had relayed that a female voice had made the call. Judging by the simple fact that Mikhail didn't open the door to greet them, he assumed he had something to hide. In anycase, he wasn't going to readily believe what the other man said.
Mikhail Bakunin
Silence followed the requests of the officers as Mikhail sorted out his options. The arrival of Aurelia only made him more hostile and paranoid, though he did well to mask these feelings at the moment. "La polizia, sono non essere fidato di. Not a word." He spoke quietly, looking down at Nadia as she padded towards him.
"Just me and my cat." He answered, his voice rich with a Russian accent, though spoken perfectly clear and understandable. "But if you insist on speaking face to face..." The man opened the door just enough so that his face could be seen, but not so much that the officers would be able to see much beyond him. "There, how is that?" A wry smile played on his face now, while his words carried a hint of sarcasm.
Ryan Sohmers
This is going to be real fun... A look of annoyance began as a faint crease in his brows as he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, "We're going to have to search your residence sir. I'll need you to step outside for a moment." The eyepatch caught his attention, but not wanting to be rude, he tried not to stare at it. That snarky little tone in Mikhail's voice spoke enough to tell Ryan this man probably wasn't to be trusted.
Mikhail Bakunin
When Ryan showed no amusement, which Mikhail hadn't expected anyway, the cynical smirk withdrew and was replaced by a more serious taunt-mouth expression. "If you'll excuse me one moment. I must get my shoes on." The man explained, easing the door shut and locking it, without waiting for any response from the officers.
Moving quickly, Mikhail tossed aside the rug and opened the basement hatch. Descending into the darkness, he flipped on a gloomy light and knelt down near Shasta. "Head down that hallway there. Take a right and follow that hallway until you reach a stairwell. Climb it, and you'll be free." He explained, glancing once at her during this speech, as he untied her hands and legs. "Do not attempt to go down the left hallway, or any doors pass by. Just do as I say."
Once she was untied, Mikhail stood up, looking her over once as if he wasn't sure he should really trust her. He didn't like the fact that he was letting her leave, and much less that he was trusting her not to enter one of the many doors and hallways that made up his expansive basement. But if she followed his instructions, she would wind up crawling out of a stormdoor and be at the far corner of his land, out of sight from the house and officers.
After he gave her these instructions, Mikhail took up his cellphone and dialed a number. All the while, he watched Shasta and kept an ear out for the officers.
Shasta
Shasta finally smiled. She couldn't believe that she was being set free. Without a word, she ran down the hallway that Mikhail told her to, and she escaped through the storm door. And then she was racing through the forest.
Mikhail Bakunin
Watching as she ran, Mikhail began to speak on the phone, “Benjamin?
... I have a situation.
...There are two police officers outside of my house.
...I found a young woman by the name of Shasta Wild snooping around my house. She had a gun with her, so I took her in for questioning.
... I did a background check, and I found nothing to suggest she is troublesome to us. I decided to let her leave, but the police are here.
...I am letting her escape through the southeastern hatch in case the police find the basement hatch, but I fear she will end up talking about the abduction regardless.
...I will.”
Snapping the cell phone shut, Mikhail climbed back up the stairs and hastily covered up the hatch door. Confident that a disaster had been staved off, he unlatched the front door and opened it up. "I'm sorry for the delay. I had some trouble finding my boots." He explained, sounding quite pleasant and non-sarcastic as he spoke to the officers. "Feel free to look over my residence." Spanning his arm out in a welcoming gesture, Mikhail took a few steps back to allow room for the two officers to enter.
Luna
The white wolfess prowled through the forest. She soon picked up the scent of humans. Where there were people, there was most certainly food. She followed the trail and eventually reached the house. These humans seemed stressed. She kept her distance, but wagged her tail.
Ryan Sohmers
When Mikhail disappeared within the house, Ryan had began to pound on the door and demand him to come back. Weapon drawn, he very nearly came to kicking in the door before the man returned.
"Stand over there, sir." The officer ordered in a sharp tone, obviously frustrated and angered by the other's antics by now. With an uneasy look to Aurelia, Ryan entered the house.
"Hello? Is there anyone here?" He called out, gun drawn as he crossed over the living room floor. While Aurelia stayed with Mikhail, Ryan began to systematically check all the rooms. The sight of so many guns laying around did little to his his nerves or suspicion of the man.
Mikhail Bakunin
"Of course." Mikhail responded, stepping outside where he was instructed to, hands clasped complacently together in front of him. However, as with his previous demonstrations, there was a tinge of sarcasm in his actions. A clear reflection of how he felt about the police.
And then something interesting came, stirring up the situation. A wolf. He contemplated drawing his weapon out and shooting at Luna, but was hesitant only because of how angry Ben had sounded on the phone. Still, his hands were unclasped and poised near the pistol he had tucked away against his side, hidden beneath his shirt.
Nadia
Nadia sat beside the chair and watched the situation. Her tail twitched, but she never took her eyes off of the officers. She walked closer to Ryan. "This is not your home." She meowed.
Ryan Sohmers
As he was poking about in the house, a meow caught his attention. Turning about in surprise, he almost laughed to himself for being frightened, "I see he's not a total hermit." Ryan mused quietly to himself as he passed by Nadia.
When an extensive search failed to bring up any signs of a prisoner, Ryan knew he could do little else. There was no blood to indicate foul play, or the odor of cleaners to suggest a coverup of blood. In fact, the house looked in decent order. The whole thing didn't sit right with him still, but there was no evidence, and he had nothing to charge Mikhail with.
Walking back outside, he looked to the man, "Sorry for disturbing you. Everything checked out." With an akward nod to the man, Ryan headed back across the yard, giving the wolf wide space as he headed for the trail. For all he knew, Luna was one of the crazy Russian's pets.
Luna
Luna wagged her tail as Ryan passed. She loved humans. Well, most humans. Some weren't so friendly. She walked a ways away, so she would not be disturbed by anybody. She gave birth to seven pups in the forest. Ajay, Victor, Draco, Adora, Carita, Grace, and Faith were their names. She tried to keep them silent as she fed them. "Ruhe. Gefahr ist nahe." She whispered.
Their cries could be heard, though, despite Luna's best effort.
Mikhail Bakunin
Once the police had left, Mikhail let his single eye trail after Luna as she departed into the woods. Was that the 'dog' that Miss Wild had spoken of? It seemed friendly enough, though it was certainly no dog. In any case, she had disappeared before Mikhail could do anything.
Retiring to his house to make sure nothing was disturbed by Ryan, Mikhail set about steeping some tea leaves. And of course, giving Ben a call to report what had happened. Then it was off to play a quick game of chess- which he lost at, again. Stupid computer always won.
Aftering getting beat a second time by the blasted game, Mikhail gave up and returned to his tea, which had finished brewing. Pouring himself a glass, he wondered back outside to check on things. And that's when he heard something... something nearby...
Taking his riffle, the tall man crept along the side of the house, following the noise. He knew it was no person, but that still didn't mean he was any less nervous about it. As he found the source of the noise, Mikhail used the end of the riffle to push aside the branches that hid Luna and the pups from his view....
Luna || Nadia
Luna looked up at Mikhail and wagged her tail. "Humans are so curious." She said to herself. She did not fear the man, for she believed that she would be left alone if she caused no trouble.
Nadia trailed after her master. She stood at his feet, watching the wolves carefully.
Mikhail Bakunin
Standing there, Mikhail looked over each of the little pups and the mother. He was pleased that she didn't show him any agression, and especially pleased that she didn't seem hostile towards Nadia. If she had been... well, then he would have had to shoot her. But as it was, she seemed friendly enough.
"How would you like two more friends, Nadia?" Unlike with Shasta and the others, the smile Mikhail shown to his cat was genuinely happy. "They would make good alerts as well, I should think. And they will never lie to me." The man knelt down, taking Luna's wagging tail as a good sign. "I am sure Ethan and Ben will be interested in some as well. But lets have our pick first." As he spoke to the animals, Mikhail again began to study the seven little pups.
Luna || Nadia
Luna continued to wag her tail happily. Her ears perked and she cocked her head when Mikhail knelt down. Not knowing what he was doing, she didn't think much of it. The pups continued to squirm.
Nadia twitched her tail and stepped forward. "Your pups are well-bred." She said politely.
Mikhail Bakunin
It wasn't long before the man had picked out two of the pups of his liking. With a cautious look to Luna, he reached down to pick up Victor first. It was hard to tell with them so young, but the little gray pup seemed to be built leaner than the others. A swift, agile wolf would make a great addition to his home. And... that little gray sister as well. Adora.
"How about this one, Nadia? He matches your colors more than the others do." Mikhail explained out loud.
Luna || Nadia
Luna bared her fangs when Mikhail took her pups, but was soon silenced by Nadia. "Your children are in good hands, White Wolf." The cat said softly. Luna pondered for a moment. She decided that the man seemed responsible enough, but letting her pups go was hard. She stood up and licked the two. "Nie vergessen." She whispered. "Never forget." Her tail wagged to show that she was happy.
Nadia looked at Mikhail. She had no idea what he was saying, but it must be important. Everything her owner said seemed to be of great importance. She sniffed Victor curiously.
Mikhail Bakunin
An eyebrow was raised to Luna's bared fangs, and the man watched her cautiously until her defensiveness faded away. "Non ci è esigenza di quella…" When she licked the pups and began to wave her tail again, Mikhail calmed down as well, "You see, no harm done." Standing up slowly, he held the two pups in one arm and headed back for the house. "Come on, Nadia. Lets get your new friends settled in."
It was certainly early to take pups from their mother, but if he wanted their complete and utter trust, he was convinced he had to raise them from day one. Besides, the town was packed full of pet supplies, thanks in part to the wide-scale dog fighting rings. It would be easy to get the two some fortified puppy milk.
Taking out a laundery basket, he stuffed some old blankets in it and set Victor and Adora inside, before taking out his cell phone. Pacing around the back of the room, he began to speak with someone.
Nadia/Victor/Adora
Nadia followed Mikhail inside. She could always use a companion, as long as it didn't eat her.
Victor and Adora huddled together, trying to stay warm.
Mikhail Bakunin
Pacing along the back of the room, Mikhail continued to talk on the phone. "...attacked by a horse, in the prairie? And where is... I see. ....That I can do. And what of the pups? ...Yes, I am sure they will. ....Yes, I will make sure of it." Pausing in his lengthy strides, the tall man turned his single roving eye towards the basket holding the pups. After a moment of listening to the other speaker, he replied, "That is correct. One was Officer Ryan Jon Sohmers, residing at 2304 Staghorn Estates Drive. He has a younger sister, Natalie Ann Sohmers, residing in room 15 of the Riverview Apartments. Parents live out of town. ...I was getting to that. Her name is Auriella Marcellus. I don't have a residence located yet, or any possible relations in town. ...are those direct orders from him? ....very well. And I would suggest a visit to Miss Wild's area. ....I've already informed him. ...alright." Finishing the conversation, Mikhail put the phone away and returned to the pups.
"I am sure you two will be needing food very soon. And I don't think cow milk will settle well with you." The tall man stood up again, towering over the basket and the three animals in and around it. "Nadia, Guardi la casa mentre sono assente." With that, he strode out of the house, where he saddled up one of his horses and headed out.