Urban Roots Park slowclap.gif

He hadn't meant for this to happen. Keys? In the car. Phone? Also in the car. Doors? Locked. Because of course he'd lock them after not checking his pockets for at least one or the other. Thankfully his window was down just a smidge but his arm was too wide and his hand too big and he had gotten his hand in but now he lacked the ability to move it. So there he was, hand stuck in the window of his car at his wrist, a trickle of panic settling in as he rotated his arm and wrist this way and that, hoping and praying even that if he got it stuck he could also get it unstuck.

Sadly the window wasn't budging and already a few people had stared as they walked past but thankfully the parking lot was still pretty empty. The window groaned as he tugged again, a nervous laugh bubbling up. "It's my car! I'm just stupid!"

Another quick tug.

The tiger didn't like the panic and he could feel the large cat beginning to pace behind his eyes.

The park was a special little place, was it not? Bustles of energy even this late in the day as parents zoomed after their children and others tidied up gardens as fall circled ever ominously. She watched it all with interest, simply enjoying herself with much on her to do plate done for the moment.

It was the smell of wulver that had her curiously changing course more towards the parking lot. There amongst the rows was a man struggling at a door and for all intents and purposes, possibly breaking into it. Goodness, a thief and so out in public! Was this area of town going down the gutters?

A bit of a sudden yell that it was his car did little to assuage the temptation to see the situation for what was glaringly obvious.

”Are you quite certain,” she called out, beginning to walk his direction.

Something strong. A scent that tickled his nose but didn't linger too terribly long. A voice. A female voice? Brown eyes turned and his body half with them as he caught sight of red hair and a question in her tone as she began to approach.

God, he hated this feeling! But she didn't look angry. So that was a bonus!

Was he certain? Yes! Yes he was, but he also knew how this probably looked. So in order to try and soothe both himself and the other, he nodded quickly.

"Promise. I just.. My phone's in there and I forgot I left my keys in and it's all sort of a.. big thing, now." He tried to give a laugh at the end, but it sounded defeated. "But I know how it looks."

Please stay calm, buddy. He didn't want to make this an even bigger thing with other people around.

Attention on her had Catrina smiling sweetly as she continued forward. He didn’t seem incredibly upset by her presence, a welcome reaction.

A promise was given to assure her of his tale and then more exposition that had her brows going quite high. ”What a story.” Close enough to look within the window herself now, she would do just that, and, oh, now that was a shame wasn’t it? There was the phone. A tut tut tut escaped her at the sight. ”Oh now that is a wee shame.”

Catrina looked towards him now. ”Did you happen to call someone yet?”

It sounded to him like she didn't believe him! Which sucked but like. Again. He got it. This looked shady as hell and he'd look at someone funny too if they were in this predicament.

She approached a bit more and Cody finally got that scent that lingered in his nose. His tiger huffed. He almost sneezed. Vampire! A very strong one too, from the strange pressure he felt. Still, she commented and he gave his head a shake, still working on making sure nothing else that was super stupid happened.

"Not yet. I uh.. Don't suppose you have a phone I could borrow? I think I still have a Triple A membership.." If it hadn't expired already. Which knowing his luck, it probably had.

Well that had been quite a small possibility considering the wulver’s phone was inside the car. But, he was open to the possibility and surely the services that were would verify such a thing.

”Aye, you may.” A hand went to pull out her phone, opening it up to the number dial with a sweet smile. Should he so much as consider walking away with it for ulterior purposes, she wasn’t above reclaiming it however was needed. ”Better that than breaking the window.”

Her phone was offered out and he jerked his other arm at just the right angle to finally free it from it's glass trap. He inhaled sharply, rubbing at his wrist. Not because it hurt but simply out of that still human sense of 'uncomfortable, rub'.

He very quickly googled the number for Triple A, making sure to keep the screen still facing her as much as he could.

"I really appreciate this." The number came up quick enough and he pressed the call button and after a few rings it connected. He gave his name, number and all other important details that they would need, hoping that maybe they could send someone out quickly.

After confirmation that it would be at least 45 minutes, he made a small noise in the back of his throat before ending the call and offering the phone back.

"Again, really appreciate it! And, Cody. I mean, formally." And he'd offer a lopsided smile.

He wrenched his arm free, no blood drawn or glass shattered by incredible strength, but it seemed there was some sort of pain present. To his word, a number was dialed and he stayed firmly placed, providing necessary information to whomever was on the other end.

Forty-five minutes was certainly long, but not the worst by any means. Help would soon come at least. She took her phone back with a nod, mirroring the general well intentioned goodness percolating the air at present. ”It’s a pleasure, Cody and I am happy I could help, however small.”

Her phone was pocketed.

”My name is Catrina. Are you new to the area?”

She’d certainly never met a wulver like him before as far as could be remembered.

Man, she was nice. Like in that powerful, awe inspiring way. He felt smaller in her presense and his tiger felt a bit cowed by the entire ordeal and simply watched, striped tail swaying back and forth at a low angle.

"Wasn't small by any means! I normally don't panic but.. I guess today was different." But the sun was still peaking, the last few rays dipping down below the mountain range and his head tilted.

The sun was technically still up. And she was out walking around. His inner mind began to whirl.. She asked another question?

"Oh! Yeah, pretty new. A few months in, if that." Just a dumb man with a still half empty apartment. "That obvious?" He'd ask with a grin.

She smiled, nodding. ”We all have those days.” More than others, of course.

And only a few months here, indeed a fresh face for many. ”A bit of a guess, it’s a popular city to come to.”

He felt relieved that she was being so kind about this. Hadn't Amira said something about certain spots that vampires had claim to? A clutch, right?

He wondered if she was part of a clutch. She felt strong enough to be!

At her comment, he nodded. "Seems like it is. It's good though, I think. Denver was a bit of a waste, in my opinion." He eased himself back, leaning now fully against the still locked door of his car.

"And, y'know. Please don't feel like you have to stay or anything. I'd hate to take up more of your.. uh. Evening." Because the sun still peaked just a fraction, didn't it? A quick glance her way, though he also seemed to look past.

"..Okay. Can I ask you something? Like, beyond that. Because that doesn't count." He'd mutter.

Denver being labeled as a waste had her smiling in amusement, a laugh dancing in her eyes. ”Duly noted.”

And my what a polite out to provide for her should Catrina have felt the need for it. It was good to know at least that he saw himself fully capable of handling the rest of his car problem without assistance.

Of course he was right, there were many things she could be doing and prancing off to, but Cody seemed to have a question for her. His gaze hardly found her face now, a bit of nerves or stress with the jumping around in punctuation and all, and it truly began to write a little thorough thread for itself.

A question, but not that question. Adorable.

”Good thing I am not a genie. Go right ahead.”

She humored him. Which was great because he didn't know if he'd ha e this chance again to ask with a vampire who seemed downright friendly and willing to put up with his likely stupid question.

Except it wasn't stupid because he didn't know and this was how things were learned.

"So. It's still daylight and you're.." Not burning to a crisp. Not like dead dead.

"How are you able to be in the sun?" Best to outright ask. He didn't want to infringe on her good graces of answering.

It was indeed still daylight, the golden rays of sunlight dancing across the earth peacefully, including her, hair a flame. Humored, she filled in the blanks, watching his mind turn and turn, avoiding a word that surely confused him in this scenario. How in the world was a vampire out in the sun without becoming simply ash?

”A wee bit of luck and a lot of experience.” And quite a lot of power. ”The effort is worth it, certainly.” A gust of wind danced across the space.

The way the sun caught her hair. A halo of red and orange, framing pale and woefully chill skin.

She was absolutely stunning.

He seemed to snap out of his reverence long enough to grin at her words, huffing much like the large lad in his brain space might, when pleased. "I bet it is! That sort of changes everything, doesn't it?" The fact that vampires weren't suddenly limited by the sun being up or not.

And judging from what he felt alone, she was very powerful. "Are you part of a clutch, here? Or have you gone rogue?" Because he almost couldn't imagine someone like her having a boss. Leader.. He couldn't remember what vampires called their Kings or Queens.

She hummed in pleased agreement, wondering just how his mind may be taking this all in. It was good, of course, that it wasn’t seemingly striking him with fear, but rather excitement. This was a nuanced sort of fulfilled curiosity of his and she would not hinder him on the quest so far.

Ah, there they go, a natural follow up. Catrina smiled with a small laugh just for the rogue comment. And with no prying ears… ”I’ve been both several times. Nowadays, I find myself the domina of Ridgefield.” A soft smell of blooming heather pulled through just for him, magic bending reality without much thought.

He inhaled the sudden new scent, eyes darting to where it seemed to permeate from. Magic? He gave another sniff, unable to fully discern. The woman; Catrina, his mind supplied. Her laughter sounded just as nice as she did and she would find him returning the smile with one of his own very easily.

Domina. That was what they called them! Which.. Also explained how she was out and about with the sun still up. She was strong; that much he knew from presence alone. "Woah. That's incredible! Must be a hard job? I don't know if I could handle a group like that." Be it were or not.

It was a delightful response and she bathed in it, happy her efforts were thought of in such a good light.

”Thank ye and aye, it can be. But, it is all worth it so as to see so many grow and flourish in safety.” She truly did care for each and every vampire in her clutch.

”What of you? If leading is not your thing, have you found one here that interests you?” Catrina could not remember smelling something with his particular nuance outside of a stale batch here and there clinging to other shifters.

Mature. Worldly. She seemed like she had been doing this for a long time now. Or at least had the confidence to pretend! Both he admired. "Well look at you. That takes a lot of uh.. " Shit, what was the word? "Moxie?" His brain fumbled.

"There's not one yet but I know someone who I think has been trying. I know she's mentioned it but we just lost a potential. I think he.. skipped town." Which sucked because he had wanted to get to know the other man.

"I'm not in any rush. I mean it'd be nice but.." He shrugged some, smiling once more. "I'm just enjoying being around people that seem to want me around too."

Moxie! Her brows lifted as a chuckle sounded in her breast. It was certainly a word to abe applied, a wonderful compliment even. ”That is very sweet of you.”

Not a group as of yet, what a shame, but hardly surprising considering she had not run into them just yet. But, someone was trying to get enough of them together even as potentials ran about. Catrina did not miss that about rallying a group. Once the magic stayed, all was well and good, but that initial step certainly took one for a ride.

”Well, that’s what is all about, isn’t it? I’m sure when the time is right, all will fall into place for you all.”