Rose invites Raphael for a walk in the woods

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Date/Time: 19th May, midmorning
Location: The woods (off the manor grounds)
Status: Private (Rose, Raphael and probably later Belial)
Summary: Would you care for a walk?

Rose was slowly walking towards the edge of the woods. Still troubled by the events and revelations from two days ago she had offered Raphael to walk with her through these woods today and she hoped he'd come. She wanted, no, she needed to talk to him...

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[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael started at her face and carefully brushed the fur there. He continued down her neck and back, letting the bristles comb through the thick layers of her beautiful pelt. "Let me know if I'm brushing too hard, okay?" He didn't think he was, but he wanted to be careful not to hurt her.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Cloud barked once in the affirmative - not that she was sure Raphael would know the difference to any other kind of bark - and kept wagging her tail, enjoying the brushing very much. When Raphael was finished with her back she rolled over to present her belly and hopefully get brushed there as well.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael slowly brushed her stomach. He knew he really should return befote his brothers decided to check on him, he knew they trusted Rose but to find him with a white dog would certainly raise suspicion and he didn't want to risk that. "I'll have to go back to my room soon," he said, clear reluctance in his tone.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Cloud whined at Raphael's statement but lay still to let him finish brushing her.

As soon as her friend was done with brushing her fur she transformed back into Rose and crouched before him, worry written all over her face.

"Should I accompany you back so they know you didn't go outside alone?"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael slipped the brush back into his pack, smiling gently at her. "I'll be alright. It's such a beautiful day, I think you should enjoy it." He rose to his feet, brushing off the leaves that clung to his robes.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it is a beautiful day. Thank you for coming here with me"

Rose hugged Raphael close before she retreated a step and changed back into Cloud. Tail wagging, she stood before Raphael, prepared to accompany him to the edge of the woods before going back to play and hunt.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

He may or may not have taken his sweet time reaching the timberline. Once he did he turned and scratched her behind the ears one more time before turning to return to the building.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Cloud enjoyed the scratching and nudged Raphael with her nose once, watching him return to the manor.

Then she trotted back deeper into the woods, sniffing for interesting scents. She followed an interesting one - rabbit - and nose to the ground went even deeper into the woods, hunting for a nice little snack.

[lordofsin]

Belial had checked on the little plant Raphael had been so concerned about - more for the plant's sake than Raphael's - before walking on, exploring the grounds a little. He preferred to be familiar with his surroundings; it often came in useful.

Afterwards Belial walked in the woods for a while, enjoying the weather and the trees. A flash of something grey caught his eye and he frowned, going closer. Hmm. Clothes? Folded neatly and placed on a branch?

He began to smile. The most likely explanation was that there was at least one naked person running around the woods, and he wanted to know who it was. Considering the guest list at the Manor, it might not be someone human, so he didn't go too close or touch the bundle of folded clothes; instead, he moved some distance away and leaned against a tree, ensuring that he would be unseen by mortal eyes at least. He waited, patiently.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

The rabbit had been juicy and tasty and Cloud had most definitely enjoyed her meal. Blood stained the white fur around her muzzle and she felt deliciously lazy, so she just curled up for a short nap. Life was good.

Some time later Cloud woke up again and stretched leisurely before she began to walk back in the direction of her clothes. She approached from the side, slowly, her nose in the wind, making sure her position was right for the wind to carry every scent right to her. She didn't want to run in anyone taking a walk in the woods.

The scent she got made her growl deep in her throat. That demon was in the woods. She followed the scent carefully, soundlessly, trying to find the source, but though the scent got stronger and stronger, she just couldn't find the demon. When the scent reached an intensity that meant she should be able to see him from her hiding place under bushes and she still didn't see anything she stopped her approach, wary of the demon's tricks. The scent was too strong for him already having left the woods, but where was he?

She flopped down under the bushes that would hide her sufficiently and thought hard about what to do. She could have sworn the demon was close by so she couldn't just change form and get her clothes as she didn't know where he was hiding. But if she walked to the tree and snatched the clothes from the branch to carry them to a better hiding place and change there, that would raise questions as well. So what to do?

[lordofsin]

Belial was letting his mind wander, thinking about some of the places he had seen and people he had met over the millennia, though there was a tiny part of him still focused on the tree and the clothes.

He shifted minutely, alert now, unsure if he had heard something. He could sense... something, but there was nothing in sight and he couldn't sense anyone familiar. Yet most humans would make more noise.

He knew he couldn't be seen by humans - except the psychic or magical ones - so clearly the clothes belonged to someone supernatural, someone who knew he was there. Yet he could barely sense anyone - all he knew was that there was something there and it could just as well be an animal - and it frustrated him.

Frowning, he continued to wait silently.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Cloud waited. And waited. She'd carefully shift position. She'd put her muzzle on her front paws. She sniffed the air thoroughly, hoping the scent would be gone soon. Really, what did the demon do in these woods that took him so long? Couldn't he just leave?

She huffed a quiet sigh, no louder than the wind in the leaves. What now? She couldn't stay here all day. She had to work, too. And she didn't want to lose her job just because of that stupid demon. But smelling him still, she couldn't just crawl out from under the bushes, change form and get her clothes or her secret would be out.

Cloud lamented the fact that she didn't have a female friend at the manor, or at least one close to her size. Then she could creep into the manor and ask her friend to get the clothes. But if she asked Raphael, the only one who knew her secret, it would look suspicious. Her clothes would never fit him and everybody who took a closer look at the clothes would notice. Besides, Raphael was no match for the demon, strength-wise, and she refused to endanger her only friend.

Racing to the tree and grabbing the clothes was out of the question as well. First, she most probably wouldn't be able to grab jeans, shirt and trainers at the same time with her teeth and would be forced to leave some of her few clothes behind. And second she didn't know if the demon had already seen her clothes and if yes, how close a look he had taken. Being asked why a strange white wolf had run off with her clothes, suspiciously left in the woods, wasn't what she was aiming for.

So there was only one option left, really. Cloud didn't like this option either, but it seemed better to her than the others. Should the demon think her a strange human, as long as he was still convinced she was human!

She crawled out from under the bushes backwards, ears still trying to catch every sound, nose getting all the scents. The demon was still there. Or at least his scent was and she knew of no way of it being there like that without the demon being there. Then she first walked, then trotted and then, when out of earshot, ran away from the demonic scent.

When she was far enough away that she was sure nobody, not even a demon, could still see her, she sniffed the air carefully again. No other people around. Cloud shook once, and then changed into Rose. Now for the hard part: walking back to her clothes like she didn't have a care in the world, like she didn't smell that someone was near her clothes. Should the demon think her a strange human who delights in running around the woods naked. Still better than him finding out the truth.

So she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and then strolled back to where she'd left her clothes. Rose still tried to enjoy the light wind on her naked skin, the moisture in the air, the light sounds of the woods. When she got closer to her clothes she couldn't prevent her eyes from wandering around, her nose still picking up the strong and distinct scent of the demon...

[lordofsin]

Belial raised an eyebrow. That was... Rose Heerkens, wasn't it? Naked?

A smirk began to spread across his face as he waited for her to come almost within arm's reach of her clothes before making himself visible.

"I was under the impression that the modern pagans waited until full moon, or at least until night, to dance naked in the woods." He ran his eyes over her. "Or are you simply in the habit of wandering around naked for the sheer pleasure of it?"

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose flinched and nearly jumped at the sound of Belial's voice, then glared at him. And I knew he was there. Cursed demon was using some trick to hide himself.

Thankfully she couldn't smell him on or near her clothes so she didn't have to look out for strange things he might have put onto or into them or something. Who knew what demons were up to?

"I wasn't dancing. Just enjoying the nice day."

Alright, it was misty, and not as warm as in Canada. But it was still a beautiful day, with fresh, clear air and a bit of wind and overall nice.

"I thought I was alone in these woods and just enjoyed the quiet here, the scents, the air. You should try it one day, it's very relaxing."

Rose had grabbed her jeans and was putting them on. They had her room key in one of the pockets so this garment was most important. And she didn't intend to change in front of Belial anyways. She'd never be able to kill him and thus protect her pack's secret.

[lordofsin]

Belial didn't look away as she dressed.

"It certainly does sound nice. Perhaps I should join you one of these days. I'm rather fond of nature." And it wasn't a complete lie; he did enjoy gardening.

He could sense her strange antipathy towards himself in her body language, despite her politeness, and it amused him.

"You should probably be careful, though; most men react a certain way to finding naked women in the woods. Would you like me to walk you back to the Manor?"

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

'Fond of nature', hm? I'd call it fond of annoying people. Rose put on her shoes next and then the shirt.

"I'm not interested in your company during those walks in the wood. I do them to relax and enjoy the quiet."

She combed her fingers through her hair to get any stray leaves out of it and look somewhat representable for her return to the manor.

"And I'm a big girl and capable of taking care of myself, so you needn't worry. I'll find the way back all by myself as well."

[lordofsin]

Belial winced exaggeratedly. "Ouch, sweetheart, I was just being nice. Here." He produced a comb and compact mirror out of thin air, handing them to her.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

"Of course you were, sir."

Rose's voice held no mocking, but it was quite obvious it was just a phrase, not really an agreement.

After taking one look at the offered objects, Rose raised her gaze to Belial's faze, looking slightly confused.

"My hair isn't that tangled..."

In fact, she was quite sure that she'd worked most of the tangles out with her fingers. She didn't brush her hair very often, it just wasn't the same as being groomed.

[lordofsin]

"Perhaps," Belial agreed, "but you still look like you could use a comb. I assure you I mean no harm."

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

The London pack would most probably have just loved the demon. At least at that moment, telling her to comb her hair. Honestly, what was it with this combing nonsense? There weren't any leaves in her hair and her hair wasn't completely tangled so there really was no reason to make such a fuss.

Rose raked her fingers through her hair once more to make sure there were no tangles and then gave Belial a rather annoyed look.

"Your eyes seem to be deceiving you, sir. My hair's fine the way it is."

[lordofsin]

Belial shrugged smoothly. "My mistake." He closed his fingers over the comb and mirror, which promptly ceased to exist.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Well, at least he had stopped insisting she needed a comb.

"Have a nice day then, sir. I need to get to work."

Rose turned to leave, not very comfortable with turning her back to him but not really having much choice if she wanted to go back to the hotel.

[lordofsin]

"Have a nice day, Rose," Belial smiled, taking a few steps backwards and leaning against the tree again as he watched her go.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose made her way back to the hotel, still annoyed with Belial. She wanted to talk to Raphael about it, wanted to get his advice and a hug, but she had told Belial the truth, she had work to do. So she sighed and decided to knock on Raphael's door later today.