[center][img] https://imgur.com/rriYFGs.jpeg[/img] [sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=808080][color=#b899ff][b]#b899ff[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/mqiY4Fi][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [b]main street[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center] [color=808080] She sat in her car, one hand’s fingers clenched tightly on the steering wheel while her other hand hovered over the keys, ready to twist it over to bring the ignition to life and leave the town of Pine Ridge behind and finally in the rearview. She had been in this exact spot once…twice before. But she hesitated. Always hesitated. Even when she hated it. Her hand eased away from the keys and joined the steering wheel, gripping it impossibly tighter as she squeezed her eyes shut. [color=#b899ff]“Fuck,”[/color] she muttered to herself and threw her head back against the headrest in defeat. Gradually, her hands withdrew to her lap, admitting complete surrender to the pull of the town. To the pull of the pack. It was something she couldn’t leave behind. Nobody ever said ‘stay’ and nobody demanded ‘go’, they were just always silently and sturdily supportive. Several minutes passed by like this. Danica sat silent and still in her car with her eyes closed, seemingly napping or maybe even meditating to the outside world, while her thoughts run rampant. She gulped as flashes of her attack ruled her mind – she would say vengeance kept her here, but it had been months and she hadn’t seen the man – the wolf, that attacked her and the pack was oddly hush about it. Dani had never asked outright but they shared thoughts telepathically and they were rather sealed on who was responsible and why and where the hell he was now…where other thoughts ran quite freely and openly. Regardless, as it always did, her troubled mind eventually turned to resolve. She’d stay to stop that from happening to anyone else. Fatalities. Torture. Turning unwillingly into something. That was part of the wolves’ cause. She pulled the keys back and climbed out of the car, locking it up, glancing up at the sky obscured by grey clouds. After months, she still didn’t identify or quite settle into Pine Ridge as home. She still had that same motel room booked. Hadn’t settled into any job. Didn’t bother to make friends much beyond a smile or small talk. Never got personal. The closest person she had come to know was the owner of the motel, Dottie and that was to explain her extended stay and so they could arrange a tailored payment plan when her pockets ran inevitably shallow. Dani walked along the street, hands buried in her pockets, aiming to pass by quietly and lightly on her feet as a ghost and reach the diner. She’d tuck herself into a booth against the window, facing the door as normal with a hot brew of coffee planted between her palms like any other day. But instead, she slowed and swivelled to watch people manoeuvre large props and haybales around. Locals littered the main street to decorate their town for a Halloween festival, working in unison to achieve their goal. It almost looked innocent and wholesome of the small town. But it was displays like this that particularly clenched at her gut and gnawed at her being. Why would anyone ever have reason to assume werewolves and vampires and witches were a thing? They looked so ordinary. For the most part. Perfect for blindsiding newcomers and tourists. Just like her once. She wondered if they knew the elusive guise they put forward. If the locals — the humans, knew of the special beings they were holed up in town with. A strained grunt followed by a clatter turned her attention to a tipped table across the road, where a pumpkin rolled a foot away and fake webs and lights toppled out of a box. Danica jogged over, helping them recollect their décor. “Oh, thank you.” She moved automatically to push the foldable table up, cloaked in a white cloth. The second they applied weight and replaced the box, the table leg caved again, almost making it topple over towards her once more. Danica caught it and reached under to adjust the hazardous iffy leg, pushing it out properly. “It’s rather finicky. Don’t worry too much about it, dear,” the lady assured. She grabbed the opposite leg on the same short side and — the sharp sound of a horn had her yank the adjustable height, getting her index finger abrasively pincered between the metal bars while the table slanted now. Dani jerked her hand away with a hiss shaking her hand out. “Oh my.” Impossible pain tolerance wasn’t part of the wolf package regrettably, and Dani was caught looking between the lady scolding the table on her behalf, dismissing the whole structure muttering about getting a new one and the direction the horn blared while her finger stung and turned red. She stiffened, ears all but pricking up to the confrontation further down the road, away from the main bustle. The cowboy vampire. She wondered if this was one of those things she’d have to step into to protect — the albeit idiot — tourist. But she also knew it was a battle she wouldn’t win. He was older, experienced, stronger. Knew the Boones might reprimand her for confronting the cowboy of all people and starting something over nothing. So she stayed in place, still as a rock waiting and observing. The tension in her shoulders eased fractionally when the van reversed the way he came. Vampire and tourist parted for now. But she stared a moment longer, as if for good measure and to confirm they had really got away unscathed. Physically. Dani looked back at the lady and flashed a smile. Something between apology and warmth, hurrying to fix the table one final time. [color=#b899ff]“We'll get it,”[/color] she assured. And sure enough, table legs were hard set in place and set at the same height to finally make for a sturdy structure. A small task by all means but the lady's smile and the tiny contribution gave Dani feeling of...gratification. Community. [/color] [center][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img] [color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] clint [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none[/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]