Issue 1 Downtime

Theresa was roaming the woods on four legs instead of the two she normally used. It was a different perspective and one she figured she might as well get used to. Her nose told her where the more frequented parts of the woods were and she steered clear of those, roaming in the deeper sections of the woods. As she walked, she tried to think, just to relax and keep her mind active. The sensory input alone was a lot to process, but keeping the instincts in check was a bigger concern. If she didn't want to become a hermit, it was something she was going to have to do.

((Open))

Victoria, trying to get a handle on her current project, was meditating. There was a faint buzz of power in the air, but nothing alarming. The bare earth around her was cleared, and a series of designs, difficult to make out from angles away from where Victoria sat, were carved into the ground in thin lines. She seemed to stiffen slightly, then relaxed again with no further reaction.

Theresa ducked behind a tree, peeking out to see who it was. She then quickly retreated a short ways away to shift back before approaching again, this time on two legs and in what looked like a training uniform. Knowing better than to interrupt, she leaned a shoulder against a tree and just watched.

"At least you have the sense to not have to run around naked," Victoria allowed idly, not turning. "Pity, I suppose. I can sense a curse when I'm meditating, don't bother with the 'try not to be seen' bit, darling."

"I wouldn't be just leaning here if I wanted to hide. I'm a little more competent than that," Theresa said.

"Which is why you ran back there to rejoin the bipedal masses?" Victoria countered, amusement in her voice.

"Talking is hard otherwise," she said, "At least if I want to be understood. And it's not like the change is particularly pleasant to hear or watch."

"If you say so, darling. So, talking and not biting? Pleasant change."

"Biting is a Bad Thing, capital letters," Theresa said. "It's preferable to talk. What are you working on?" She motioned to the designs.

"Personal project," Victoria said. "See if you can pass them if you want to see if it's working," She added, glancing back at Theresa with a wicked smirk.

"Is it going to do something nasty to me when I try to pass them?"

"Mmm... debatably. It depends on how far into the curse you are," Victoria said. "Human form, and before your first full moon? It'll probably just repel you. Probably not pleasantly, but I wouldn't say nastily."

Theresa eyed the wards and then Victoria, "I'll just hang out over here. I trust your work is sound."

Victoria smirked. "Well, this is already a pleasant change from last time," she said.

"Expecting a slavering beast ready to maul you?"

"More like snotty condescension and hypocritically looking down on me while they all pass men around. The mauling didn't come until the full moon."

"Well, I'm unlikely to be passing men with anyone," she said.

"Not everyone did then, either. I remember one just giving the guys dirty looks after Murphy had tried them out to pas them on," Victoria said, shrugging. "The behavior changes aren't that extreme, after all."

"So can we address the elephant in the woods? You know what I am. What are you going to do with that info?"

"Darling, last time this happened, I sang my lungs out that this was bad, that it needed to be fixed, and no one gave a damn until the full moon, when I managed to cure exactly one of them and got mauled nearly to death by your dear little pack leader trying to repeat it on her. And even that got me nothing but suspicion and grief on top of being stuck in a hospital bed for three weeks. So frankly, if people don't want you all turning into bloodthirsty monsters when the moon spreads the curse, they can just pray that someone else comes to fix it. I don't need any more scars."

Theresa crossed her arms. "I've yet to maul anyone."

"Neither had anyone until the first full moon. Everything was all fun and games, then that moon hit, and that was the shift when everyone lost their humanity."

"Well, I think I'm past my first full moon already, and even if I wasn't, I have better sense than to let myself roam free during that time period."

"The one where you were bitten doesn't count, darling. And think what you want. Like I said, I've got better things to get headaches over than slamming my head against the wall trying to convince people about how lycanthropy curses work."

"Like getting headaches over the weird shit in London?"

Victoria sighed. "You have no idea, darling. Welcome to the lovely world of 'I have a penis, therefore I must prove it by doing stupid shite with magic that anyone else might know is a bad idea.'"

"It doesn't seem like that sort of thinking is confined to those with penises. Present company excluded, of course."

"Yes, well, it sometimes feels as if it's ten times worse when they do," Victoria said. "Very least, I think they're more smug after the fact."

"So he just did stupid stuff with magic just to prove he could?"