In With The Out Crowd (Open) 27/01/05

[jared]

When you were "one of the boys" in La Push you were sometimes expected to behave in a certain way. While mentally Jared had the occasional bout of scepticism he tended to be a good boy and fall in line but never did Jared feel comfortable thinking too hard while near the reservation. He always be ribbed by his friends and sometimes even elder members of the tribe for over thinking. The only time Jared ever let his mind wander was when he went on one of his long strolls. When he concentrated on where his thoughts might take him there were times when Jared's feet took him in directions he couldn't be certain of. This afternoon was one such occasion.

Jared had lost track of time since pondering. There was something eating away at his brain on a sub concious level but try as he might Jared failed to drag it to the front of his brain. Instead he'd thought of how school was going - how else would school be? - boring as ever. It wasn't the stress of his final year that got to him so much as everybody else stressing around him. Tranquillity, inner peace, it was a state Jared could only manage at times like these zoning out of the noisy panic around him when deadlines weren't met. They all lived on the same reservation for crying out loud, how was it difficult?

Jared took a bite out off the a little of the nail on his left thumb - though his habit for doing so meant there was much to remove - before spitting it out loudly it was only the sound reverberating back at him that made him take note of where he was. A grin slowly crossed Jared's face as he took in his surroundings. Even on autopilot his feet had done him proud. First Beach was the place to be in La Push. Not that there was much competition. On weekend the place tended to attract the odd surfer or weirdo who thought the beach might be the place to work on their tan, wierdos who clearly had over looked the sun part in suntan. That was weekend though.

Since the skyline rarely gave anything away Jared assumed by the tide it was maybe 7PM. Any large body of water brought the world tranquil to mind of Jared. He removed his shoes and felt the sand between his toes and leisurely wandered nearer to the sea edge allowing the water to just pass over his feet once in a while. Soon Jared once again became unaware of anything going on around him. When he snapped out of his thoughts once more he realised the water was now beginning to soak the bottom of his three quarter denim shorts. Again Jared felt himself with a small grin upon his face.

[hound]

Coyote Form

Jacinth jogged through the forest, getting away for the first time, in what seemed like years. It had truly only been a few short hours, but being cooped up in the house with a werewolf, and her family members was a difficult feat. Stopping she lifted her muzzle and took a large sniff. Salt. She was near the ocean. A yip was released from her muzzle. That would be relaxing, and a nice change of scenery.Shaking out her neck as she picked up a jogging pace, she jingled not only her collar, but the pieces of cloth wrapped around them. It was just a skirt and think cotton shirt, enough to cover herself with if she had to faze back to human.

Weaving through the trees, she picked up her pace, basking in the smell of the ocean. She wanted to see it. Wanted to feel it on her paws. Seeing the light ahead of her, the light that foretold the end of the trees she picked up her speed and yipped out a happy howl. Breaking the tree line, her eyes were only for the water in front of her, not the boy who was stepping into her way. Trying to stop quickly, digging her claws into the rock and sand, she slammed into his legs, toppling him over and tangling herself up in his legs. A yelp came from her as she lay there on the sand panting, and then looked over at the boy. Investigating this new person, she caught a scent that she didn't like. Okay, maybe Ben is right. I do stick my nose, and run into all kinds of trouble. She thought as she stared at the young wolf in front of her. He was tall and tanned, obviously a young native who lived on the reservation. Great.

Getting up and shaking out her fur, she sat on her haunches and watched him. Why run, it would only cause more drama, and she wanted to apologize. She was the one who had barreled into him, and so why in the world should she run when she should apologize? Tilting her head to the side she raised an ear, and let the other twist, listening all around her. Paranoia kicked in for a moment, what if there were others? Taking a deep breath through her nose, she knew that was not likely. So she wagged her tail, and poked her nose at the young man, curious about what she found.

[jared]

The smile quickly vanished from Jared's face as he fell forwards into the water. At first he suspected one of the guys had tracked him down so to speak. He wouldn't put it past any of them to sneak up on him and football tackle him into the water. Jacob lacked the grace but water or not Jared would expect this sort of behaviour from Paul. However after just a second Jared realised it was none of the guys. It was a dog. A big dog! It had gotten tangled in his legs on his way down but seemed to be recovering itself a lot faster than Jared managed

In the time Jared took to recover himself he flicked between emotions. Surprise. Anger. Frustration. Fear, trust him to run into a coyote. Back to surprise. There was something about this coyote. It almost seemed intelligent on a rare legened. As Jared studied it seemed to be studying him just as intently. 'Hopefully not as a snack' he thought. It didn't look ready to pounce - again - but Jared naturally guarded just in case.

He stared in amazement as it actually sat and watched him. It was stupid to look into the eyes of such a creature, Jared was well aware of this fact but he had become somewhat intrigued. He saw the coyotes posture change, relax almost and in turn felt his own tension starting to disappear. When it tilted it's head he mirrored it almost teasing the beast.

"Where did you come from little dawgy?" Jared questioned in a stupid faux Southern accent. He tilted his head from side to side playfully his carefree attitude was something that bothered the elders but what harm could it do? Other than perhaps accidentally provoking a wild animal causing it to maul him to death. Jared exhaled loudly. Over analysis was the bane of his life!

[hound]

Jack would have laughed as a human as she watched the boy in front of her tilt his head with hers. She just shook her head as a coyote though, yelping and jumping up to wag her tail. He was cute, sweet in a round about way. She started to circle him, coming up close when she was behind him to smell him. He had that wolf smell and it made her sneeze. Coming back around, she stood nose to nose with him. He had to know what she was, but by the way he acted, he didn't.

"Where did you come from little dawgy?"

Doggy? She was no dog. She blew air quickly through her muzzle in a humph. and yipped out a howl. She was no dog. Running up onto the beach she sat and watched him. He was strange. He actually started talking to her. Poor boy, he must be really lonely. Looks like he just needs a silent friend. She thought, and that caught her there. She walked back up to him slowly. Being cautious as she approached. When she was close enough, she rubbed her muzzle under his hand and whined, going behind him to push him out of the water. He was going to catch his death in that cold ass water. It was still winter, and even with his extra warm skin, he could get sick.

[jared]

Jared allowed the coyote to circle him and then to get close enough to smell him. Allowing her to get his scent that was the way forward he knew. But suddenly it began to pace away. Had a coyote taken offence at being called a dog. The concept perplexed and amused Jared. He thought of the legends and bits of stories he'd picked up on the reservation. He considered the stories nonsense but perhaps... just perhaps it wasn't just fables to drive children to behave. It seemed about typical that his apparent bad choice of words had the effect it did. Happened often foot-in-mouth disease his mother called it. Jared's assumption that taking the huff was a human condition was clearly wrong.

Jared let out a single syllable laugh at his own inner workings. Trying to justify the thought process of a coyote? How ridiculous! The coyote seemed to have forgiven him. It nuzzled into his hand and actually appeared to be trying to tell him something. It should have been more obvious -get out the water but at first it didn't dawn on Jared. Concern - it was showing concern for his well being? He realised for the first time how cold he was.

It was then Jared's sense of taste seemed to pick in. He'd gotten a mouthful of sea water and the after taste was not pleasant to say the least. He let out a couple of loud coughs as he wandered out of the water. For the coyotes amusement he shook his head side to side and watched the droplets make a circle around him on the small amount and sand and rock that remained uncovered by water."I wish I had half the instincts you do friend" he said as he perched his backside on the dry rocky ground. He was talking to the coyote again, he called it friend. Had it really come to this? A sigh built itself in his chest and Jared was surprised at how big and loud a sigh it wound up being.

[hound]

Jack yipped at Jared as he shook his hair out like a dog. Humph. Jack skipped out of the spray of water, and watched as he sat down. Walking up to where he sat, she sat down in front of him as he spoke. You do have the instincts I do. She thought, yipping a bark at him as she pulled her lips into a coyote smile. As she looked at him, she contemplated shifting, and showing him what she was. But the only thing she wanted to do at a moment was scratch her neck, which was being itched and bugged by her collar and clothing.

Shaking her head, she looked into Jared's eyes, willing him to use his god damned sense, but hoping he wouldn't notice that she wasn't just a normal coyote. Moving closer she smelled him up and down, memorizing his scent as a friend. He smelt like wolf, but better than that, he smelled normal. Even if he had that wolf scent it was still the normal home scent that she knew. The shape-shifter scent. Jumping up quickly Jack ran down the beach, sliding here and there losing her grip on the rocks, then came running back with a stick in her mouth. If he was just going to sit there, he might as well do something to help himself think. Why not throw a stick. She set it down next to him, and sat patiently waiting.

[jared]

Jared allowed the coyote once more to take in his smell. He was now relatively sure it was taking in his scent in a friendly way rather than food. Reassuring for him to note. He watched as the coyote zigzagged up and down the beach and wondered what it's agenda may be. This brought his thought process back inward. What was his agenda? Not just tonight but in general Jared pondered over his sense of purpose or lack thereof. He'd been so used to being the short fry around his friends. Even Jacob a couple of years his junior seemed to tower over Jared. He'd done a bit of catching up lately. His father had assured him this could happen the one time a young Jared voiced his concern. Late growth spurt or something else?

Jeez could his imagination take him some strange places! Jared quickly refocused turning his attentionback to the coyote, it was bounding back towards him now with a stick in it's mouth. Oh so it wanted to play fetch? Worked for him. As the coyote laid the stick beside him he picked it up, studied it and then launched it. Launched it a lot further than he meant to, a lot further than he knew was within him. As the stick flew through the air Jared's mouth dropped open. He was even more amazed when he realised it had gone that way against the direction of the wind. He stood up and watched it land back on the rocky ground and smash into two.

"Oops" he voiced."Let's see if we can't find something a little studier!" Jared began to walk towards the nearby wooded area. A nice thick branch would be just the thing for a coyote to chase. It would also be a good way to test his newly improved throwing skills. It had to be a fluke right?

[hound]

Jack watched the stick fly through the air, and snap as it hit the ground. Slumping her shoulders, she looked at Jared out of the corner of her eye, glaring at him for breaking her stick, but when he spoke, she jumped up, prancing around his ankles, yipping excitedly at the prospect of finding a good stick. Her collar jingled slightly as she walked and as she got closer to the wood pile, she tripped on a piece of the clothing that was attached to her neck, growling in frustration, she shook her head and got them to come off, picking them up in her mouth to carry them to a tree where she dropped them, and went back to looking for a good stick with Jared.

He was a pensive boy. Quiet and continually thinking. It was nice. Most people just yapped on and on, but he didn't. With her nose to the ground she found a good thick branch, just the perfect size for a coyote. Yipping around he piece of wood, she ran over to Jared, skidding to a stop and sitting with the stick in her mouth. Wow, I'm making a complete fool of myself. She thought, as she sat and stared up at the young man with her yellow-gold eyes. She wagged her tail softly and twisted her ears this way and that, listening and watching all at the same time.

[jared]

Jared watched as the Coyote tripped over something. Were those clothes hanging around it's collar? Human clothes? What the? He made a mental note to discuss this when he got back to the reservation. He needed an excuse for why he'd wandered to first beach but that could be considered on his way back. Once again the Coyote darted off into the distance with the clothes hanging from it's mouth after dumping it by the tree it appeared to be back into the search.

Jared had seen nothing resembling the description of stick he had in his mind. It needed to be a lot sturdier but nothing gigantic. Soon the yipping noise returned as did the coyote with the very sort of stick he'd been imagining. It was running at him at an incredible speed & for a moment Jared feared another collision but it skidded to a stop. If this had been one of those Roadrunner cartoons there would have been a skidding sound Jared was a little upset when his ears never picked up any such sound.

The coyote now sat in front of him with the stick still in-between it's teeth and was once again studying it's surroundings. 'Oh to be so aware' Jared pondered. He took the end of the stick and tugged lightly at it, it was a strange game he sometimes saw people play with dogs, but with a beast of that size? That spelled the perfect game to evaluate whether or not his earlier random feat of strength was a fluke or not, but not yet! He waited to see how much - if any - resistance the coyote would put up. Jared let out a fake snarl at the creature a jovial taunt

[hound]

Jack growled playfully as Jared tugged on the stick. Her tail wagging, she let him pull her head side to side as he pulled on the stick. Wanting to run for it, she let go and watched the boy closely, hoping he would throw it a far ways. She liked to run, but her family usually couldn't keep up with her, they didn't exercise as much as she did and they just didn't have their hearts in it. But she did.

Skipping around the boy waiting for him to throw the stick her thoughts were interrupted by the unmistakable sound of her phone going off. She stopped abruptly, her head cocked to the side, and a rumble of annoyance escaped her throat. Shaking her head, her collar jingled and she jogged over to her close. Nudging with her nose through her close, she found her phone, and looked at the screen. Dad. Obviously he was looking for her. He wanted to "talk". Again. But she didn't want to. She barked at the phone in defiance and turned looking to see if the boy had thrown the stick yet, for at the moment, she wasn't a girl whom needed scolding, just a coyote. At leas that's all she wanted to be.