Las Almas The Line

Fit

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The moments in which Ophelia found herself awake had increased a bit, not by anything substantial, but there was certainly more minutes to her day than there had been before. Sometimes she would have a longer night, and others a longer day, she had no say in which it would be, but she was grateful for either.

The increased time awake meant that she could continue expanding upon this little world of hers, could push the limits of the cat just a little more.

Reignhart had gotten easier, though the city was still a bit much, but Ophelia felt it would be quite some time before she managed crowds again. Best to stick to the outskirts for now, and while she’d thoroughly explored Reignharts, this did not mean she was done.

No, she still had Camp Baron and Grapual, but for some reason or another, every time she grew close to either city the cat would be set into a hissing fit.

She did not know why, and she had not thought to ask, at least not until today.

She had come up to that invisible line, the one that had her eyes going green as the cat urged them back towards familiar territory. An urging that she followed more often than not, but not today, she would get her answers today if it was the last thing she did.

So at the line she stood, brows furrowed and jaw set, but despite this determination she still could not bring herself to cross. Green eyes caught a stranger, and with the look came the smell of an animal.

Maybe she could explain? Ophelia would find out now, ”do you sense the line too?”

Luisa had just recovered from a shift and was walking back to her truck, her hair a mess and wearing sweat shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt. Her shoes were in one hand, swaying back and forth as she made her way through Las Almas. She was enjoying the feeling of grass beneath her toes, finding it to be a simple pleasure. It was only as she got to the side of the road, that she slipped her shoes back on her feet.

It felt good to be back out and about, no longer restricting her shifts to the apartment while injured. All of her injuries had healed over the last few months from Fight Night, and she felt renewed. The weasel was pleased to be out in nature too! She chittered happily in Luisa's brain, even as she hungered for something more substantial than the few rats she'd stockpiled and devoured several hours ago.

As she came into view of someone, however, Luisa hesitated, adjusting the strap of her backpack over one shoulder before the woman called out to her.

A were. What kind? Cat? Maybe? She felt... really new.

"The line?" She asked for clarification as she got a little closer, knowing her truck wasn't that far if she needed a quick getaway. She seemed alone though.

A nod of her head as those wide eyes turned back towards the ground before her, a hand held out before her as she waved it over the line that she dared not cross.

”This one here,” she answered aloud. ”It cannot be seen, but I can sense that it is there.” And because she knew that this woman was much like herself she added, ”the cat will not let me go into Camp Baron because of it.”

Did this woman have the same problem with whatever animal lay within? Did it also hiss at this line before them?

Luisa followed the almost ethereal-looking gaze of the woman toward an invisible barrier. As she spoke, it all clicked into place a bit more. Was it where Camp Baron began? Luisa took a step forward, over the barrier and felt the familiar sensation of an owned territory. Something she had been quite used to living in Cheyenne Point until relatively recently.

"Oh!" She smiled, happy to be able to help someone who seemed new to it all!

"It's someone's territory! A were group." But it was strange that the woman's cat wouldn't let her enter the territory? Too scared, maybe?

"It's okay for us to go there. At least, I'm pretty sure it is. There's a whole were sanctuary there, so it's gotta be okay?" Was it? Don't doubt yourself now, Luisa!

A territory? Land owned by a whole group of Weres… This explained why the cat did not want them to cross, why she threw such a fit about it. This was their land after all, and crossing into another’s could spell trouble. The woman claimed it a sanctuary for their kind though, so perhaps it would not be too much trouble if they did cross.

A step forward and the cats shrieking had her taking a step back once more.

”How many Weres on the other side?” She questioned instead, doing her best to pretend that she had not just been dissuaded by the cat. ”Are you apart of this group?”

Oh! Well, one question she could answer - the other she couldn't! Luisa moved back onto neutral ground beside the woman, noticing the way she had just tried to join Luisa in Camp Baron before seemingly being halted? Maybe?

"I'm not part of this group," She replied first and then hummed a little. What did she know about the folks who owned Camp Baron? Not much really!

"I don't know how many are on the other side, sorry." She frowned, feeling unhelpful. "I normally just stick to Cheyenne Point, which also used to be claimed by a group until recently?" Maybe?

There were either multiple groups, or the one that this woman spoke of now had moved to a new location. It was not uncommon for animals to migrate, she assumed the same could be said for Weres as well. They were part animal after all, and the same forest could grow boring after a number of years.

She knew this fact well, for it was the biggest reason for her attempts to travel now.

”I see,” a soft sigh as she looked towards the line. ”Your animal isn’t bothered by others?” Because the cat had certainly been growling during this entire conversation of theirs.

The weasel was always a little on guard, especially around bigger non-fellowship animals. But she tried her best to reassure the creature, to remember she was still strong and that counted for something too.

"Not as much as she used to be. But sometimes, yeah." She thought of Patrick briefly and frowned. She wanted to get over that hurdle for Céleste's sake. It might just take a bit more time.

"Certain animals set her off more than others."

Ophelia nodded her head though she couldn’t quite relate, the cat seemed to hate everyone no matter if they were human or animal. The only creature that had calmed them had been Eirene, and even then, there had been a magical dance played within her mind to make it so.

Waylin had claimed it would get easier though, she would trust him in that, because clearly there had been progress made with him, and with this woman that now stood before her.

It could be done.

”My cat does not like anything,” she clarified. ”Only her forest, and a few of the creatures that reside within.” The ones that they could eat.

Damn, that really sucked? Like, how did she get by with a cat that hated everything? Was it limited to just weres or did she mean literally everything and everyone except her forest and a few creatures?

"I'm sorry. That's got to be really hard. Mine was just scared of like everyone for a while when I first moved here. Except a few folks. She's a weasel." In case it wasn't clear. It wasn't always clear to people. "Have you been on your own most of the time then?"

A weasel? Now why was her cat so afraid of that? She as pretty certain that they were smaller, unless perhaps this was a giant weasel, but Ophelia was quite certain that she would have heard of those before now.

Ophelia knew quite a bit about animals after all, especially the ones that could be found within the woods.

But there was a strength that bled from this woman, something akin to Eirene, but just a bit more tangible. A bit more solid. It reminded her of the fox, of Waylin.

”I have been,” she answered with a nod. ”I experienced my first shift with another, and then all of them left.” It was neither a happy nor a sad tale.

Just a boring one.

”I’m a black-footed cat.” Because an animal had been offered to her. ”We are small.”

It definitely felt sad to Luisa, even if the woman didn't seem too sad about it. She frowned a little, grimacing at the idea of being left completely on her own when she likely still couldn't remember shifts. It was hard to say for sure, but it felt that way?

A black-footed cat -- Luisa made a mental note to look it up later when she back at the apartment.

"It's hard being small sometimes. How long have you been on your own?" She asked softly. Luisa wondered absently how Fitz-Lloyd would feel about being introduced to a new small friend but she was, of course, getting ahead of herself here.

She imagined that it was quite hard, though she did not have any solid proof of it being so, she never remembered any of her shifts which was quite the issue when trying to figure out where exactly she’d ended up within her endless forest.

”Four or so years,” a soft sigh as her head shook. ”Time gets a bit muddled when you spend so much of it sleeping.” But from what she could gather of the dates, this was an accurate enough answer.

Four years or so! That was... that was so long?? Luisa couldn't hide the grimace at the idea of being on her own for that long when she couldn't remember shifts.

"I'm sorry," She replied gently. "Would you like help or, um, a friend?" She asked just as gently. Luisa figured she could help where possible or wanted. If the woman didn't want it, that was fair too. But it just felt... dangerous for her to be on her own without any memory of shifts. She was small, like Luisa and her fellow smalls.

Ophelia had garnered some potential help through Waylin, but adding another Were to the mix likely would not hurt, and if this one was small like her, then there could be other lessons learned.

Plus, there was an offer for friendship, and Ophelia had never been the type to deny those. Missed them terribly since her infection.

”I would appreciate both a lot.” She answered with a soft smile. ”Though I cannot travel further than Reignhart currently due to-“ a wave towards the invisible line.

Luisa hummed a little, considering the woman's predicament. It was possible she could help her out here most. Maybe suggest spending a little time each day in someone's territory and letting her cat grow used to the feeling.

"Maybe I can help there too? If you want, I'm happy to help like... stand guard if you ever want to try crossing into territory. Cheer you on? Be there if you shift?" She offered a small smile. It was a lot to offer after having just met someone and not even have their name yet but!

"I'm Luisa by the way."

Goodness, the Weres that she met now were much kinder than the ones that she had met in the past, with exception of Dakila of course. He had always been kind, did wonder if he was still around after all these years or if he’d moved on as well.

If she could get her hands on a phone again, perhaps she could check.

Alas.

”Ophelia,” she returned for the name. ”And that would be wonderful though I cannot say how the cat acts when I am asleep.” She did not want to hurt Luisa, even unintentionally. ”The process of shifting takes me quite a bit of time though, so perhaps you’d be able to get away before it’s completion?”

Ophelia was such a pretty name! A tragic one too, but pretty nonetheless. Luisa waved a hand to dissuade any fears about how the cat might react. She liked to think she was powerful enough to handle it.

"That works. I can also stay? I can shift bigger? Um. Warrior form, I think it's called sometimes."

She could do that maybe. Unless it would scare the cat?

"Or I can just hold back a shift."

A warrior form? Ophelia was quite curious to see what exactly this was, but she knew better than to push the cats already thinning patience. The woman was fine as she was now, but a sign of shifting from the other would likely send them both racing back towards familiar woods.

Best to leave this sight for another time, perhaps once the cat had grown used to this other animal? Or perhaps she could ask Eirene to do another mind dance? Trick the cat into believing that other Weres were okay? Hm.

”Do whatever works best for you at the time.” Ophelia answered with an easy smile. ”I won’t be present either way, and I’d rather we both stay safe.” So if Luisa felt warrior form was best, then she was more than welcome to use it.

Even if it would be a pity to miss the sight.

”Still, I will do my best to prevent a shift on my end,” eyes back to the dirt before her. ”Do you think, perhaps, you could stand at my side?” She questioned, ”cross the threshold with me?”

She was not sure if this would work, but perhaps it could.

Luisa figured it would be alright either way. She wasn't too concerned and if the cat ran off on her, she wouldn't follow in pursuit. She would wait though. All details they could figure out when the time came.

In the meantime, however, Ophelia had a very simple (for Luisa) request. Cross the boundary with her.

"Absolutely, I can." She nodded and came closer to the other woman to stand at her side.

"We can go when you're ready." It didn't matter if that was now, in a few seconds or a few minutes. Luisa had nowhere to be and she was determined to help this woman out a bit.