The Bubble Popped [OPEN]

[Sandeyes]

The divide beckoned the changer, as she continued to brush against its fringes like a cat at its master's feet. Her fur tingled satisfyingly as she continued along the edge, lost in thought as she deftly moved along, hardly thinking about the spot where she would make the jump.

She never got that choice, however, as she hit the rift and the choice was taken from her. The tingling turned to pins and needles as she made the transition from the old world to the new. It was over soon enough, like the change, though the transition startled Otter profoundly. It had been decades (at least!) since she had wandered into a world rift-- they weren't common, though every world she had visited had histories and lore about them. Gates, portals, wormholes, jumpspots, spirit doors-- it was almost a guarantee that a rift could be found with some work somewhere in each of the dimensions, though often the interesting stories were the ones of the rifts creations. That being said, Otter didn't often like to make a habit of visiting rifts-- they were chaotic, and sometimes even dangerous. If she had been paying attention, and not reminiscing, she would have avoided it all together and sought a different path.

Too late now, everything was said and done. Otter blinked back the stars dancing in front of her eyes as she sneezed once, twice, now three times. Three times was good-- any more or any less would be warning to the changer that the world she walked in would be dangerous to her health, be-it dirty air or other environmental oddities. Her stump twitched as she finally finished everything off with a hearty shake of her fur before sitting and considering her surroundings. She sat on bare, earthy ground, her nails solidly resting in the fertile soil. To the left of her sat a building and manicured grounds with what seemed like a large stone monument nearby, set in the human fashion, reminiscent of the plantation mansions she had seen on earth.

She had no doubt that whomever dwelled in it were of power and status-- it was one of the only consistent status traits she'd seen among creatures the divide over. When she drew the cool air into her nose, she could just pick up the scents of humans, animals, and even faintly the dead. Not that any of those scents bothered her-- where there were humans, there was death, animals, and in general all sorts of strange smells. Though, not for the first time Otter wished she had the nose of a real dog, so she could pick up the individual scents better and perhaps better understand her surroundings more. She continued to look around, squinting slightly in the morning haze.

A noise to her side startled her, and she rose and turned to face it. Unsure of the inhabitants of this world, she decided it would be safer if she shifted slightly, to make herself a little less vulnerable seeming. The vulnerable dog act had worked in the last world, after all, that was what the boy needed-- a dog. Here, perhaps not so much.

Warmth spread over Otters limbs as she grew in size from that of a black rotteweiler/boxer mix, to that of a similarly dark, brindled boerboel. As her muzzle shortened and her jaw widened, she shivered at the temperature change that came after the change, as her undercoat dissipated in favor of the crisp short coat of the breed. Not enjoying the coolness, she shifted this form slightly more, choosing a thicker undercoat for better insulation. Otter didn't like the cold, after all. She shifted her weight slightly, giving herself a moment to acclimatize to the new mass and heft of the form-- boerboels were a bulkier dog, which meant more substance of bone to alter her movements. Ears perked, she stared in the direction of the noise, deadly silent.

-Otter Mossheart

[Krepta]

The warm afternoon air welcomed Krepta like an old friend. Despite the dampness that clung to her fur from the moist air, and the hot sunlight that made her pant under it's oppressive heat, the shape-shifter was relieved to feel it again. To a less shaggy being, it might have been a little cool-- but in her thick, salt and pepper fur, it was helluva hot! A humid spring day sure beat the cold grip of the stormy ocean, however, and she was grateful for it. Krepta had loved the ocean for a very long time, but truth be told, after that particular monstrosity, she would be hard pressed to face it willingly again.

That was a problem for another day, though. Today had it's own mysteries, and what better to sniff them out than the bold nose of a wolf? While Krepta often favored her dragon form, it was a little conspicuous in this particular setting, as there was no telling when a car would come up the drive, or one of the local supernaturals to come trouncing out of the woods. While she was sure she could take either of them, and probably several of each all at the same time, it was a lot less about if she could and more about if she should.

After all, the owners residents of the property had been accommodating enough to her so far, the least she could do was keep her head low like they asked. She certainly had no intentions on wearing the stuffy, era appropriate clothing that had been delivered to her room, but hey, she knew how to compromise!

However, comprimising and being thankful to her hosts didn't mean she was just going to let them keep her in the dark! Something fishy was going on here; she could feel it in her gut, and the shape-shifting human was bound and determined to find out what! Already she had discovered that Timbre Ridge had a booming population of Weres, Wolves, Cats, and who knew what else--- a little detail that had been neglected by her welcoming committee. There was something strange about her hosts themselves though... She just couldn't put her finger--- er-- paw on it.

Speaking of paws, the last thing she had expected was for her nose to lead her in sight of a set other than her own. From what she knew, the wolves kept to the forest, and besides horses, there didn't seem to be many pets about. The creature before her was hazy in the fog, but looked distinctly canine in shape. Not wolf though--- no, too boxy for a wolf, and the profile was off too. It had to be some kind of dog--- or a creature close to it, at least.

Cautiously, Krepta treaded forward through the low hanging mist. Though she was likely bigger than the animal, or at least equally matched, it had been a long time since she had been in her wolf form, and she wasn't as confident in it as she was in her dragon form. The likely-hood of the animal being just a friendly stray were high, but... It was best not to take chances.

"Here, boy," she called softly. The words were almost ironic, coming from a canine, but she figured if it was someone's pet, it might pay more attention to the tone rather than the mouth it was coming out of. She wasn't about to take a risk and take her human form though, that was for sure. This was no small dog!

[Sandeyes]

Otter frowned as the creature neared. It was a wolf, solid in form though something about it didn't ring "wolf" in Otter's mind. If she was correct in guessing the architecture of the mansion nearby, this was a humanoid world she had tumbled into. Still, the not-wolf had her mind churning as she tried to decide just what wasn't "right" about it. Human world or not, there was a magic here that wasn't latent to just wolves, there was something bigger.

When it froze upon seeing her, she couldn't help but twitch her tail stump in satisfaction-- she was going for somewhat intimidating, it seemed as if the size of the form worked. Bigger magic or no, Otter was always pleased when she could elicit an ounce of respect from other creatures-- much too much she was an understated, underestimated creature; sometimes being able to assert a little weight gave her the esteem boost she needed to remember why she traveled so.

She almost laughed when the wolf in front of her called out almost hesitantly, "Here, Boy", in a human tongue. It took Otter a moment to run through the multitude of languages that ran through her mind, trying to place the words into a matching language for some sort of context. One thing was for sure, the voice emanating from its mouth was certainly nothing a plain human world canid could produce, confirming her suspicion that it wasn't entirely "right". Yet, human voice or not, it did tell her a little more of the world she walked. The wolf creature spoke plain human English-- meaning that she should be in some sort of human place. It wasn't lilted like the European languages, so she was a native English speaker, most likely from North America, probably somewhere east and north. It didn't have a southern drawl, but more of an eastern-y feel. Yet, it wasn't eastern enough to sound like the Canadian east-- this creature wasn't from the Canadian islands like Newfoundland or Nova Scotia (A shame, really. Otter had spent many years in Canada in many of the human worlds, she had enjoyed it quite a lot...). So, she was left with the America's. Now, considering this creature was no plain wolf, but something with powerful magic, she could tell she likely wasn't in the plain human world (where magic was in the decline, shapeshifters nearly extinct with the advent of Christianity, this creature would be a true rarity if she were from there), but rather an alternate, where magics still thrived.

Done trying to piece together puzzle pieces that were still yet vague, Otter decided she should perhaps stop playing "Ms. Mysterious", and she stepped forward from the mist, to see the wolf creature more clearly. She pulled her lips up at the corners in a bull-doggy grin, as she twitched her stump in a somewhat friendly manner. "Girl, you mean." She rumbled, her canid throat testing the limits of her rusty human voice. She hadn't spoke human in years, decades even-- the chords were reluctant to give rise to such distinct tones. Otter cleared her throat, and shook her head as she tried again, a little clearer for the creature,"I'm female, I mean. Though, I'd much rather go by "Otter", if you're meaning to address me in the future. I'm not a dog, after all."

Finished her introduction, she promptly sat down. Not a comfortable kind of sit, but rather the kind of sit that if need be, she could rise quickly to her feet. Although she didn't feel in immediate danger, it didn't hurt to be prepared, after all.

-Otter Mossheart

(OOC: Sorry for the delay in posting-- I have been studying and writing exams and papers like a fiend, as well as been busy wrapping up the alpaca spring show season. I hope you can forgive my tardiness-- I haven't abandoned this place so soon!)

[Krepta]

Krepta chuffed. It was a sound of embarrassment. How was she supposed to know that the other canine had been sentient!? With all this fog, it was hard enough to see her, and she hadn't spoken up or anything and-- ugh. She looked like a damn fool, didn't she?

Giving an almost inaudible whine, the wolf that was Krepta dipped her ears back briefly in response to the playful chiding of the other and decided to try and salvage what was left of her pride. Why couldn't anything be just normal for once? She liked dogs, typically, but she wasn't sure yet how she felt about the ones that could talk--- or--- the not-dogs that could talk, in this case. She wasn't thinking straight. She was sure that that fall through the portal had addled her brains or something.

"Nice to meet you, Otter," she responded at last, ducking closer. The thick, low fog clung uncomfortably to her neck ruff, and made her coat feel heavy and sticky. "Sorry, I did realize that there were any other shapeshifters around. I'm Krepta." Okay, so that was a lie, but if she admitted that she knew otherwise, it would only make her even more silly! "Are you new, or are you a native? I came through the portal myself."

Part of her wondered if the 'locals' even knew about the portal. Certainly from her observations the humans of Timbre Ridge were happily in the dark, but how much did the Weres know? Had she just let slip some centuries old secret? Ah well, if she had, it was her host's fault for not providing better orientation upon her arrival. Besides, she's like to see them punish her for it. Hah!

"I'm, um, not a dog either, by the way. Well. Wolf. I'm not a wolf."

As the words left her mouth, she tried not to screw up her face in frustration. Leave it to her to trip over her own tongue after already making herself look like an idiot!

[ No worries! We all get busy! Just try to leave a note somewhere one the boards or C-box next time you think you're going to get caught in a busy spell! You can even send me a note if you'd like and I'll pass it on. :3 ]

[Sandeyes]

Krepta. So that was the name of the not-wolf. Otter was pleased that her hunch had been correct, and that the other was a shifter as well-- her stump briefly wagged in self satisfaction that her old senses were as of yet, not failing her.

As the other stepped forward and ducked her head, Otter cocked her own to the side, wondering if it was some sort of greeting bow. She emulated the motion, ears back as she bobbed a little ungainly from her sitting position.

"Nice to meet you, Otter. Sorry, I didn't realize that there were any other shapeshifters around." The other apologized, Otter nearly grinned at the reference, though thankfully her heavy jowls prevented the emotion from playing across her face. It always amused her when others believed she was a shapeshifter-- it was always a close guess, a painfully close one at that, that to her seemed ironic. How many strangers had believed her a shapeshifter, without the idea that they were so close to having the right name, "shapechanger", over the years? It was such a simply play of words that she could hardly hold back the brief mirth that the word always implied. That being said, Otter was hardly a heartless beast, and knew that to correct such semantics would be nit-picky at the very least, and almost always irritating, if not embarrassing to the guessers. She remained silent on the name, thusly to help her new companion save face, as she always did.

Instead, she replied brightly with all the face value honesty and joy a real dog could muster, tail wagging, "It is nice to meet you, Krepta. I am glad to find myself in the good company of another shifter." Sometimes her forms did that to her-- instilled instincts that came with the forms she wore. That was part of why she wore the dogs so often, because their honest nature and pure elation at everything was a trait she always admired. It had found her more friends than enemies, and was a characteristic that had saved her hide more than once.

The wagging stopped, however when she realized that her answers may not come from her current companion. "Are you new, or are you a native? I came through the portal myself.".

Otter's heart sunk to her belly and lower, as she realized that this other was a traveller, much like herself. It hardly stopped her from replying though, her voice still just as bright, though it hardly matched her heart.

"New, I'm afraid. I travel from time to time, and it seems I was caught up in a rogue rift in the Divide. Have you been here long, do you know where we are by any chance? Do any others live here? It looks as if these buildings might be human." It didn't hurt to be direct, Otter felt as she dove into her questions. The sooner she got her wits about her, the better, the changer felt.

To help offset any discomfort her queries may have caused, she added in quickly in response to the other's admission of being a not-wolf, as if it was a surprise. "Not a wolf? Might I ask what you are then?" She paused, then pulled the edges of her jowls up into a slight smile, although she was really grinning immensely, as she added, "I'd tell you what I am, though I haven't been what I am for too long, and I don't entirely remember. Suffice to say, I am simply a shifter, as you suggested.".

Perhaps if she was lucky she'd get more than just the answer to her location answered, as the niggling wonder as to what this not-wolf with its powerful feel could be.

(OOC: I'm sorry-- I had completely forgotten that I should let you know. To be honest, I hadn't thought it was going to take so long, or that I was taking so long to reply. Like Otter, I have an atrocious sense of time and without my calendar, I wouldn't know what month it is, let alone day. I will be sure to let you guys know though, should I be afraid of missing more undue time in the upcoming weeks. On the bright side, my busy-super-busy time is over. I just completed the training regimen for my black-belt test in taekwondo, and my test yesterday was a huge success, and I am now a 2nd dan blackbelt, so I have a huge lull in my RL activities till shearing time now. Lots of time for rping. )

[Krepta]

Might be human? The strange way she phrased that sentence made Krepta wonder if Otter herself was human. At the very least, she had obviously spent enough time around things other than human that she knew enough not to simply assume that the population of any given place was mainly homo sapien. Then again, anyone with that much energy was questionable to begin with! Of course, everything about the current situation was really quite odd, so she decided to dismiss it as just another part of the day's increasing weirdness. Not that a talking wolf was any less weird, but she was used to her own weirdness, at least. Not so much talking dogs named Otter. She decided to just take the whole situation with a grain of salt and try to be polite.

"Uh, just a day or so," she answered at last. She was really still trying to wrap her head around that the very much dog-like creature in front of her was not, in fact, a dog. Sure, she had her own animal instincts, depending on the shift, but she was still human underneath it all. Otter, well, she made a very convincing mutt. "We're somewhere in South Dakota in what I think are the 1920's---" She paused, "Or 30's. My history is a little rusty. Whenever the prohibition happened. At least, I'm assuming that's what's going on right now. The folks up the hill are rumrunners." Probably something she shouldn't be blabbing so freely, but she was still reeling from the last few day's events, and she somehow doubted that the friendly dog shifter was going to go running off to turn them all in.

"They're human," she said, then paused. "I think. They look human at least. They don't always act it though. I think part of that is because they apparently get a lot of lost little ducks through the portal like we two. I don't know though." She frowned heavily, distracted for a moment. "I'm still puzzling that little tidbit out."

"I'm human though, myself. Mostly." She paused again, looking the not-a-dog over. "It's... complicated." Ah-hah! So her fellow shapeshifter wasn't human, most likely. She hadn't met a lot of other shapeshifters in her time, but human beings had a very ah, potent mental identity. For better or for worse, she had always known she was human, and she was confident that she always would. She hoped.

She couldn't help but wonder if that loss of personal identity ever bothered the other shapeshifter. She knew it would bother her. Just thinking about it caused her to shudder a bit, and she forced herself to shake the thought free.

"So, um---" Why was she 'um'ing and 'ah'ing so much?! What about this other shapeshifter made her so damn nervous? Maybe it was just this place. It had to be. The whole area put her on edge, she was sure of it. "-- I'm sure I can get you a room if you need. They got me one. I think they take in dimension hoppers and stuff. It seems to be kinda what they do..."

[ No worries! I know how it goes! We just want to know you haven't poofed on us so characters and such don't get shelved. Trust me--- I KNOW busy. XD The busy gets us ALL sometimes. Also, sorry for the choppy reply. My muse has been fighting me tooth and nail lately! ]

[Sandeyes]

Otter nearly dropped her grin when Krepta said she had only been in this world for a day or so, crushing any solid hopes she had for finding out detailed information fast. However, experience kept her from doing so, so she acted as if nothing was amiss, despite her disappointment. She remained silent, listening intently nonetheless as Krepta continued on, describing where they were.

"We're somewhere in South Dakota in what I think are the 1920's--- or 30's. My history is a little rusty. Whenever the prohibition happened. At least, I'm assuming that's what's going on right now. The folks up the hill are rumrunners." South Dakota? Prohibition? Otter considered these terms, as she roved through her memories of Earth and the places she had been in it. She knew about Prohibition from her time in the America's and Canada, though she had never visited any of the worlds during the actual time-- before, during the initial explorations, and after, yes, but never during the actual Depression. It took her a moment to remember that South Dakota was American, though she was still unsure as to how the politics of the place went-- it surely couldn't be as extreme as any of the larger populated areas, like either of the Coasts. The density of the wilds surrounding them suggested to the changer that they were far from any large cities, which caused Otter to relax ever so slightly. Big cities and the volatile nature of the Depression meant there would be lots of guns-- not a fan of guns, she would sleep slightly better knowing they were in a more remote location, so guns may be of a somewhat smaller issue. Either way, she'd be careful, for sure-- if such a powerful creature a Krepta was wandering about, she wondered what other creatures were hiding in and about the area.

"They're human, I think. They look human at least. They don't always act it though. I think part of that is because they apparently get a lot of lost little ducks through the portal like we two. I don't know though. I'm still puzzling that little tidbit out." Otter cocked her head at Krepta's confusion. She mustn't be a real traveller like herself then, but instead a victim of the rogue rift, to be confused by the inhabitant's lack of plain humanity. Otter considered this new information for a moment, wondering what kind of creatures the inhabitants were, to look human but not be. She had met all manner of strange creatures in her travels, not too many looked human but were not, though there were enough that she understood the need to be wary nonetheless. Otter's attention was really grabbed when the other admitted to being human, but not-human at the same time. Of course, Otter already knew the other was a shifter, but knowing that she was such that she could turn human was an interesting tidbit. Otter briefly wondered if the other would be more comfortable with a human counterpart to speak with, the thought tugged at her form as she could feel it briefly itching, wanting to fulfill the idea. Otter stood strong however, waiting out the urge for the moment being.

Instead, she shifted her position to a more relaxed sitting posture, leg splayed out to the side instead of at the ready beneath her, physically showing that she was more relaxed with the stranger Krepta was to her. She no longer thought the other would willingly harm her, being so confused by their surroundings as she was, if anything she was somewhat of a kindred spirit-- two lost travelers, puzzling together where they were lost. She smiled lopsidedly as Krepta dismissed her abilities as being complicated, "I'm sure it is. Though, perhaps it wouldn't be as complicated as you may think-- I've seen a lot in my time, so little surprises me these days." She offered up warmly. She did pause for a moment however, before continuing, "If you're human, would you be more comfortable speaking with a human? I can change, if it makes you more comfortable. I don't like offsetting others when I can help it. "

Otter wasn't all too fond of shifting to a human when she couldn't help it. Humans were vulnerable-- no fur against the elements. Slow, ungainly, lacking of claws or suitable teeth. Even a sheep could outrun the poor things, and they were always so aware of when the form was just off, making it hard for Otter to make any connections with the creatures when she wasn't paying attention to detail and making herself look the part. That being said, if it made Krepta or the inhabitants more comfortable, she would make the necessary changes, of course.

In passing, she considered what else Krepta had said, about her introducing her to the others, and perhaps getting her a place to stay. Otter didn't mind staying outside, she had been living outdoors most of her life, but in this clammy, moist morning weather, she thought she may perhaps enjoy a stint indoors. "You said you could perhaps help me find a room with the inhabitants? It's been forever since I've slept indoors, I'd really appreciate the help with such an introduction, if you wouldn't mind helping me, of course." Pausing again, Otter wagged her tail and chuckled with her rough, canid voice, "Do you think they'd find it strange to meet a talking dog? Haha."

She hoped they'd be willing to find her a room, if not, perhaps she could convince Krepta to take her on as a pet dog or something-- Otter wasn't averse to remaining silent and doglike for others. Either way, Otter was sure she could figure out further options if plans fell through.

-Otter Mossheart

(OOC: No worries, I had no issues with your post at all, didn't even find it choppy. We finished shearing, so for now I am without distractions for optimal posting abilities. I left you a few choices for what you'd like for Otter to do. I'm happy playing her human or dog, whichever you'd prefer. I don't like to script plots out when I can avoid it, just cause I think winging it is more fun, so whatever you'd like is up to you. )

[Krepta]

Krepta chuckled. Though the idea of a talking dog was still a little strange to her, now that she thought about it, it was far from the strangest she had seen, particularly lately. Honestly, it was just nice to have a friendly face about, and she liked dogs--- even after all that nasty business with the island. She leaned back on her haunches and forced herself to relax a little. This place was just making her jumpy.

"That makes two of us," she answered with a lopsided grin. It looked particularly suitable on her long, canine snout. Unlike Otter's own jovial look, though, it rather made her look like she would be off to raid the hen house after their conversation. It was often difficult for wolves, particularly such a lanky one as herself, to look jovial without looking like they were up to something at the same time. It was the nature of the beast, it seemed.

She thought about her question. Was it really her not being human that made her uncomfortable? Thinking about it, no. Krepta had conversed with everything from porcupines to dragons and still felt right at home. No, more likely it was her own embarrassment at her initial approach that made her so flighty. "Nah," she answered at last. "It's fine. I think I just didn't expect you to talk, that's all. Everything here so far... besides the portal, I mean... has been weirdly normal. Kind of... suspiciously so, even. Maybe I'm just paranoid after all the stuff I've seen. I dunno. As long as you don't mind me being big and red occasionally, I'm good."

She rose to her paws and stretched, working air bubbles out of the padding of her spine with soft clicks and pops before she righted herself once more. "If they didn't find me weird, I'm sure they won't find you weird. I came in a dragon and they barely batted an eye." She frowned briefly, swiveling her furry head and ears in the direction of the mansion. "That's what worries me, I think. For so much that they treated me like I was no big deal, I haven't seen a single other---" She paused, searching for a polite word, but failing to find one. "---Well, you know, people like you and me. There are some shapeshifters in the woods though, I'm sure of it. I know the smell of werewolf well enough by now."

She jerked her head in the direction of the barn, indicating that Otter should follow, then began walking. "Conner said he wanted to help me get settled in. I'm sure we could track him down with these noses, but he seems a little... jumpy compared to the others. Sweet guy, but a little out of touch. I think maybe we should just wait for him in the barn. That's where I'm bunking for now."

[ That's good. XD I was a little worried, considering the time it got written. And awesome! Are you gunna just sell the wool, or do you guys make things with it? As for Otter, I think Krepta might have to fight Conner for her. XD And no worries. I'm the same way. I sometimes make a general arching plot, but I never over detail it if I do. It's just no fun that way. It feels forced. ]

[Sandeyes]

Otter continued her smiling as Krepta chuckled-- the wolf lay before her grinning like a fox in the henhouse, "That makes two of us". The comment for a second made the changer reconsider the status of the one before her-- if she was used to oddities, perhaps she knew more of the worlds than Otter had previously suspected.

Irregardless, Otter continued listening politely to the shifter, as she continued on,"Nah. It's fine. I think I just didn't expect you to talk, that's all. Everything here so far... besides the portal, I mean... has been weirdly normal. Kind of... suspiciously so, even. Maybe I'm just paranoid after all the stuff I've seen. I dunno. As long as you don't mind me being big and red occasionally, I'm good." Otter nodded, laughing inside at the diplomatic answer. Krepta seemed as if she preferred to stay on the intimidating side(which, made sense to Otter. The best defense is a good offense, right?)-- perhaps it unsettled her that another creature was doing what it shouldn't have been. An odd paradox, considering the shifters.... Own disposition, Otter thought, but she kept silent nonetheless. She herself was more interested in remaining inconspicuous, which also meant never seeming like a threat of strength or power. Usually, this was quite easy for Otter-- beyond changing, she wasn't really anything to worry about physically, at least not for creatures who didn't fear wild animals. As for power-- well, Otter wasn't that ambitious, and had never had the itch to be anything more than a drifter.

That being accounted for, there was still something in what Krepta said that made the hackles along Otter's spine tingle. Normal. Suspiciously so.
Why go through the trouble of producing a community that was exceedingly normal, when small communities were generally known for not being so? Even in her times on the different planes of Earth, Otter knew that a small town was only a small town if something wasn't right. Maybe a crazy vagrant, strange lore, extremes in wealth or religions, such things were commonplace in small communities-- the nearness seemed to do that to humans.

The hackles on her neck shot straight up as Krepta continued,"If they didn't find me weird, I'm sure they won't find you weird. I came in a dragon and they barely batted an eye." Otter's eyes followed as the other gestured to the imposing mansion, a frown twisting her wolfy face from the amused look it held earlier. "That's what worries me, I think. For so much that they treated me like I was no big deal, I haven't seen a single other------Well, you know, people like you and me. There are some shapeshifters in the woods though, I'm sure of it. I know the smell of werewolf well enough by now." Otter couldn't help but nod her head in agreement. At least Krepta had answered two of her questions-- settling the matter for herself whether she should shift human or not.

Looking the other shifter up and down, Otter narrowed her eyes slightly as she tried to imagine the other as a dragon. It didn't surprise her of course-- the fact that she felt like an intimidating powerhouse by her very prescience told Otter that what she said was the truth. It explained why she could shift, and could do so so convincingly. If there was anything dragons had, it was finesse when they did something, cause they did it right. Otter's fur tingled at the thought that this little wolf before her really hid a dragon beneath her skin; her mind briefly drifted to the human saying "A wolf in Sheep's clothing" and she grinned at the paradox breathing before her now. Well, she wasn't dead yet, so she wasn't too worried so long as she stayed in this dragons good graces.

As to the other thought lurking behind the shadows of her mind, the thought that for these humans, a dragon in their midst was of little concern, Otter was of like minds with Krepta. There was a reason humans feared monsters, and if Dragons weren't scary, and werewolves were really around, well, that would explain a lot, if only by bringing up more questions.

Otter looked at Krepta again, her gaze softening, "Well, if the humans weren't bothered by you, perhaps it would be better for me to remain even more inconspicuous, by looking human. While a talking dog might not be out of the norm for them, I don't want to seem like a threat and take the risk-- the humans might not be off put by a dragon like yourself, but they might fear you enough to leave you be. I don't have that luxury though--" Otter chuckled, "I'm somewhat soft and squishy myself, and don't have a dragons hide to hide behind." Punctuating that thought, Otter finally gave in to the itch that was crawling up her spine since the first mention of a human shift. Her body had looked forward to it, and the shift swept over her quicker than usual. Of course, although it was quick, it took more thought than usual as she crafted for herself a new face with human flat features.

Changes for Otter were as quick as eddies in rivers-- her form blurred, and that was it. By the time the thought was finished, Otter sat before Krepta with her bare feet dug into the earth, the tattered hems of work trousers that didn't fit just right sweeping her pale ankles. Otter had decided on a plain blouse with lots of room to move would be a good choice, lest she needed to move with a full range of motion, with a plain, worn brown leather jacket, complete with buckles on top. At her neck hung her necklace neatly, still on its magiked chain, while her hair hung long and unkempt about her shoulders. Otter knew of the hairstyles of the era, and didn't really relish the thought of a girlish wave sweeping her hair, nor the ridiculously manicured curls-- her own was simply long and straight, what untouched hair looked like, minus the matts. Her bangs instead hung lank as the rest of her hair, slightly obscuring her still green eyes, rimmed in long, thick lashes and framed beneath thick, yet still feminine brows. She smiled at the wolf, a lopsided grin as she considered the mental image of herself she had constructed. She thought it'd work, but the other would be the final judge. She briefly looked at her hands, to double check the skin colour she'd chosen-- pale enough to pass for Caucasian, yet tanned enough to pass for native or even mexican with minor shifts, if she needed it.

"You think it'll pass for human? I haven't done this form for a while, so if I have a pair of horns or wonky teeth, I'd greatly appreciate your input right about now. Otherwise, the barn sounds like a wonderful alternative to the clammy morning out here, don't you think?" Otter grinned.

-Otter Mossheart

(OOC: Its long, but I hope it makes up for my absence. If there's anything you want changed, let me know. I'm always happy to edit to help other posters out. )

[Krepta]

[ Nope! Everything looks good! :3 ]

Krepta grunted at the other's musings. Maybe that's why they left her alone. Maybe she was too big and scary to mess with, or otherwise not scary enough in her human form. Somehow, though, she doubted it. There was something much more sinister going on here. "Yeah, it's worth a try," she told Otter. "But I don't think that's quite their M.O. They didn't seem scared of me, dragon form or not. And... trust me, I tried." Stupid skeezy carsales man with his paste-on smile. Who did he think he was fooling?

"It... I dunno. I get this feeling of a roach motel. I dunno if you know what that is, but... people check in... They don't really check out." A breeze blew eddies around her feet, and brushed cold up her spine. She shivered, casting a nervous glance over her shoulder. "I haven't really seen any evidence of it, but the place just feels wrong." She sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe I'm just paranoid, like I said. It's been a long time since I've been anywhere that wasn't horrible. They've been nice enough so far."

She watched the woman shift and almost managed to look impressed. She herself was a fairly skilled shapeshifter, but to simply... blend into another form like that... It was impressive, to say the least. Not that she was too envious. If she shapeshifted too fast--- hopped from one form to another without allowing herself to adjust, sometimes the natural instincts of the animal she was becoming would overwhelm her. It hadn't happened in many years, and she could still transform pretty quickly, but the possibility, no matter how slim of that happening always bothered her. It was hard enough when she lost herself to The Beast occasionally. At least that was usually provoked by a life threatening event!

She herself decided to follow Otter's example and take her human form, though her own transformation was a little slower, if perhaps just as fluid. While Otter rather blurred into her new shape, Krepta's flowed over her, from the ground up. Stormy fur slicked down into soft, human skin, as if it had never been, and stunted digits lengthened fully into human fingers. The change worked it's way up her arms, reversing joints and lengthening features as it went. At last, though, Krepta rose from her crouch, fully human, and stretched.

While Otter might have passed for a local, Krepta most certainly could not. Her features were too exotic, almost elfin, even under all the scars. Those eyes, far too bright, a ferocious shade of green that could only belong to a predator. The dragon was still there, if perhaps now beneath the skin. Her smile though, was plenty human, and as she turned to look Otter over, it was hard to believe that she had even been anything but human.

"Honey, if you don't pass for human in comparison to me, then we've got more trouble on our hands than who does or doesn't look human enough. And anyhow..." She offered up her hand to the other, still smiling. "You don't need a dragon's hide. You've got the whole damn thing. Happy to provide the service of big, scary monster if anyone messes with us. Inside sounds good. I'm hungry anyhow."