“Good, I had a feeling it was the kid, given how Benjamin wasn’t fighting it.” Woodsly replied breathlessly.  “That’s good news to hear, kid probably will feel better not turning into something else.”

Woodsly directed his gaze toward the sheets, not sure on what to do now. He didn’t want to talk about it.

“Why not? She’s your wife, she’s accepted you this far even though your murdering ou...” Wilson's voice started in his head, causing him to tense up.

Claws dig into the sheets as red and white hairs started to sprout from his arm, it was fine. He was fine.

“Oh...” Duin muttered.

He didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t really comfort her since he knew that wouldn’t help. She needed answers. Not false hope and attempt of promises. He was at a great lose on this matter.

Two weeks passed and things seemed to go back to how they were. From what he heard eavesdropping, Eldrin made a recovery but from how it sounded it was a rough processes. Duin kept the tone it was said in out of what he told Dagny . Not wanting to upset her further.

Duin has been making himself useful around the place, often accompanying Dagny On her chores so he could learn more things. Some tasks were easy to grasp, others a bit more annoying but manageable. Something they all found out was his higher strength when he was sent to collect firewood with Dagny the first time. He was carrying the heavier of the logs that Dagny couldn’t get to split in half.

So it became common for him to go with her to collect firewood. Currently, the two of them were just finishing one of their trips. Duin was just finishing the pack of wood that Dagny would carry. Tying the knot so no pieces could roll out and escape.

“There. I think that’s good.” Duin said after one final tug of the rope.

CLeb released a purr like sound as the top of thier head was petted, enjoying the company clearly. Though that happy sound disappeared quickly as thier stomach twisted on them, feeling sick all of a sudden. A coughing hack left them as they spit up a couple of corks and some bits of glass. No blood thankfully and the youngin adjusted thier position.

Burying their face against Benjamin’s chest and stomach, they pressed him to him before curling up again. Caleb was okay though like anything he was seeking comfort.
———————

Woodsly eventually awoke as well, the dull pain already starting to register as he heaved himself up to a sitting position. For a moment, he forgot about the entire thing. Till he  spotted that translucent person by the window. His body tensed up as everything came back. There was no way...no way he was seeing this.

The bones in his hand shifted and the muscle of his arm grew. A blink and the figure was gone, leaving Woodsly to take in several confused breathes before he winced. Looking down to his hand, he could see the differences in it. It took a great deal of concentration to make that arm go back to normal. Everything was fine..it was just all in his head. It didn't mean anything.

“That ain’t all Cap.” Another crew mate said as they dragged a body behind them before dropping it. “We lost a mate, from the looks of it it’s either one of us or a regular werewolf.”

The purple petals from crushed wolfsbane was still in n the corpse though by now the petals were brittle and less dangerous.

“We followed the blood trail to the shore, I’m thinking Doc’s time on shore turned his other form more feral. The blood was a mix of cursed as well as the mermaids. She might’ve gone back out to sea.”

But it didn’t account for the doctor, unless she took him with her... somehow.

“I think she took him with her.” They added.

“Why would she do that?” A different crew member asked.
——-

Laying in the little rowboat, the sound of gentle waves reached his ears. The water lapping against the wood was sort of soothing. Though Sirius was doing his best to ignore it. Not wanting to feel the beast stir in him.

“Where are we going to get a ship...” Sirius muttered worriedly.

Still open to rping with new peeps ^^

Woodsly just didn’t want her drained, she was expecting. Who knows how a lack of magic could affect it. He just didn’t want her in more pain or discomfort on top of a pregnancy. Accepting the hand up, Woodsly groaned as he stood up. His transformed arm turning slowly back to normal.

With a little help, he got back in the house, all he wanted to do was fall asleep. Benjamin’s effort to get the beast into the barn would work and as the hours drifted by, the sun finally started to rise. The long beast started to shrink more, losing its many limbs and length until it was back to being a small raven esq creature with a humanis face. It was Caleb.

Slowly their eyes opened as a yawn left them, short wings stretched lazily as they did. Though their stomach seemed upset about something considering how that didn’t feel good. Spotting Benjamin nearby, the small creature trudged on over to them before climbing into their lap.

"Great..." Woodsly grumbled out.

The fact that it might be Caleb, limited their options greatly. The potion spilled into the snow, coating it in a blue color as it seeped in. The beast stopped near it and was quick to scoop up the affected snow in it's beak. Without the bottle blocking it, the magic was instantly able to take effect. Causing the beast's size to get larger as they sniffed for more. There wasn't any left. Hissing as they faced the house, it could sense there was still magic there.

"Benjamin...I think we need to get Astrid for that sleep spell anyway.." Woodsly cautioned. "There's magic in the house, it's going to try and get back in there."

If that fact didn't convince the bear of that, then seeing the beast staring em down as they seemed to be plotting how to squeeze through that doorway should. Don't hurt them...that was the main thing.

"I'll try to keep em busy and do my best to not hurt em just in case it is Caleb." Woodsly told him before the red haired man ran out into the snow. "GET Astrid! Tell her to prep the sleep spell in the house and only come out when she's ready to cast it, that way no time's wasted."

Scooping up a handful of snow, Woodsly compacted it together as he went off to the side of the creature before throwing the snowball. It was small against this creature though it was very clearly displeased to have snow hit it's face. It's dark eyes focused their gaze onto him with a shrieking hiss.

"Come on!! This way ya over grown parrot thing!" Woodsly yelled, immediately jumping to the right as a large paw like hand swung at him.

The beast had a great range of length, it could attack him without moving too much. Granted that was due to it's large size and length. Woodsly was certain he could play the dodging game but he didn't expect it to slither at him at a shocking speed! The black talons tore through his skin like a butter knife through butter, causing a pained cry to leave Woodsly despite trying to hold it in. Tumbling into the snow, the man shuddered as he now sported multiple deep claw marks across his back that blood was escaping from rapidly.

His heart was racing, panic....he hadn't felt panic in so long. What else went with panic? Fear....nono no!! He wasn't scared of this thing!!! As he tried to get up, the beast slammed a paw down onto him, causing a strangled gasp to leave him as he was shoved face first into the snow. Being pressed harder and harder into the ground as he manuvered his head to look back up at this thing. Golden eyes were filled with terror, it was just like that one time...just like the bear cave....no no...he wasn't..

"You can't shift, it'll only make things worse.... his thoughts pleaded with him as his nails turned black and dug into the earth beneath the snow as a feral snarl left him. "Stop! STOP IT! YOu're only going to....

His thoughts went ignored as Woodsly shifted, catching the creature offguard but also it got itself a nasty bite to the forelimb holding him down. Woodsly didn't manage a full shift, the claw marks on his back tore open further, the pain overruling his panic and fear. Causing him to revert back, collapsing in the snow as he took in a rasp breathe. When he looked up though, he wasn't happy with what he saw.

It looked like him...a very wispy transparent version of himself. A trick of the mind, he figured. Though this one lacked all the scars, sported longer hair....looked like the most skittish thing in the universe. Death on a stick....he was finally losing it huh?

"Listen to me please! Just once!! the mental image pleaded with him, Woodsly forced himself up, growling lowly.  "I know that look, you do that again you're going to rip yourself apart. Common se....

"Shut up..." Woodsly growled as he waved his hand through it, making the mental apparition disappear before he ended up having to throw himself to the ground as the beast swung a paw.

"Hold this...." Laurence instructed as he shoved the item he took from his coat pocket toward Lapis's hands.

The item he had handed off to Lapis looked to be paper in origin, the flimsy material wrinkled and creased by the force Laurence had applied to it. A partially intact symbol was on it, it looked akin to a wax seal but was shiny holographic almost. It was also smooth with a cold touch. The seal was round in nature, within that circle was the start of a capital A but where the line in the middle that helped show it was a A was replaced by two darker circles. Soon enough it was easy to see this was upside down, rotating the item would show it was more of a bird's head due to how the point of the A was longer than it should be with two darker spots to show the nostril holes within a beak.

The symbol of the Montgomery family, they were rather well known but had long ago opted out of using traditional paper. After all with holo pads and various other electronic devices on hand in this age, paper was only used by those who were extremely poor....or were hiding something. Laurence hadn't made it far past the study doorway when he collapsed to the floor.

Everything hurt...there was far too much pressure against his chest. Laurence was breathing heavily before he started coughing, discolored spots on his hands were visible once more. Though they were starting to blend together causing the skin of his hands to have a dusty grey color to them. Blood trickled out of his mouth as he pulled himself to his knees, coughing as a hand grabbed at his chest. He needed to keep it together, he had to keep everything under control.

Even with the rain pouring as hard as it was, he could hear it. The forest, the way things were...it all flooded his ears as he choked on more blood. The heavy taste of metal in his mouth as he felt his body struggling to contain it.