Courier run

[cian_oneill]

Odd jobs was definitely a part of Cian's work description, but he didn't mind this sort of thing so much. It gave him a chance to get on his bike and ride, even if it was just up to Searchlight.

He pulled up outside the library, opened the pannier on the side of his bike and pulled out the bundle of books that had to be returned. Some family had forgotten the concept of borrowing from the library meant actually returning them at some point, and had just left them in the room at the resort when they had checked out.

He took off his helmet and leather jacket, leaving them on the seat of the bike, and tucked the bundle under his arm. The heel of his boot crunched on the gritty pavement outside the library, and the rush of cool air that hit him as he walked inside was welcome. There was no-one at the counter when he walked in so he stood and waited, making the most of the air conditioning, before heading back outside on his next errand.

Comments

[wolfs_daughter]

She ducked her head, shy being her resting state. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to snap. You're the only other shifter I've met other than Papa. We didn't really associate with his kind, if that makes sense."

A spot on her arm itched, and she scratched at it absently. "When I was about eight years old, I was playing with some of the other children in the common area outside. Lots of running and hiding, horsing around, carrying on. I guess it was just waiting for the exact wrong moment to happen, because I shifted into the Wolf when someone knocked me down. I can still remember how much it hurt."

Echo kicked restlessly at another piece of gravel. It went flying beneath a parked car. "I didn't even know I was different until then. I think Mama kept it from me, to protect me until I was older and able to understand it better. And sometimes I still don't understand it."

[cian_oneill]

"Doesn't make a lot o' sense to me, not tellin' y', but then I wasn't born t' it." He looked her up and down for a moment. "What don' y' understand? C'n y' control it, or y' just shift whenever?"

[wolfs_daughter]

"I can usually control it," Echo replied. "There was this one incident, but that was an accident. There was this...thing. I thought she was human at first, but she wasn't acting right. She sniffed at me, like a were but different. The Wolf said she was the enemy, and I panicked. I should have handled it better."

[cian_oneill]

Cian was a little puzzled at her apparent lack of control, and this made him wary. The last thing he needed was to have her freak out and flip while around him. After all, if what he had noticed, and Rhiannon had commented on, was true, and a large number of things were starting to congregate in this corner of the world, she was going to have to start to get herself under control, or she wasn't going to last long at all. The vampires alone would make minced meat of her.

"Y' ever used wards, or anythin' like that t' help y'?" he asked, knowing it was the first step Annie had taken in helping him.

[wolfs_daughter]

"There's a magic supply store in town, Peddler's Rest," Echo answered. "The owner was really nice to me when I went in before. I was thinking about going back there to see if she can recommend something, but I don't really know how to explain my situation."

She knew she had to keep control of herself, and she wasn't about to tell Cian that she had a crush on the shop keeper, so the only avenue open to her seemed to be to gather her courage and go through with telling someone. Someone else.

"I'm not...I think I know what you're thinking. Mama warned me, Never shift in front of others. That I could end up in a government lab or somewhere worse. I've always been really careful. I've had to be."

She was looking down at her shoes by the time she finished talking, as if she'd run out of steam to form words, and she darted a look upwards before returning to study the toes of her sneakers when she said, "How did you learn to control it?"

[cian_oneill]

"Friends," he said simply. "One in particular," he continued, thinking if he ever met this kid's parents he'd probably give them a piece of his mind.

"She helped me wi' ward 'nd potions she made. And others who did the work on findin' the best ways t' control it." He knew only too well if it hadn't been for Annie, Oonagh and Sean he'd probably be dead. He was surprised she wasn't. Vampires could smell a were out and most of them wouldn't think twice about killing one, would boast about it.

"Y' can't go on not knowin'," he told her. "I'm goin' up t' town later this week, I'll pick y' up some things."

[wolfs_daughter]

"You'd...you'd help me?"

The offer was a surprise, and Echo darted a look at Cian's attractive face before looking back down at her shoes. No, he wasn't family, but he was like her. If he could offer the wealth of his experience, she'd be a fool to turn him down.

"I'd like that," the hybrid said shyly. "You're right, I have to be sure it's under control so I don't hurt someone. And so I don't get hurt. If it wouldn't be a hassle for you, I'd love to have your help."

Re: Courier Run

[cian_oneill]

He snorted softly, shaking his head and again surprised that she was even still alive. Luck of the draw was all he could put it down to.

"Where d'y' say you were stayin'?" he asked, unsure whether she'd told him. "I'll drop by some things, get y' set for the time being. Y' can figure out when we can go out and work on y' shifting." He glanced at his watch, the orders he had to pick up probably ready now.