22nd February, 2014
He studied the gun, his thoughts swirling. He had been on this mountain for many, many years and this was the first time he had come across a new supernatural creature. His family had dedicated their lives to protecting others from the mountain's supernatural inhabitants; from the malicious Wendigos and the fae... But this was the first time he had come across a werewolf. Something new after centuries of only wendigos and faeries. He checked.
He had been shocked stiff when he noticed the heavily built creature below him. At first he had thought it was another white dog from the faery realm - they loved to send them over to scout for potential hunts, and he made sure to silence them before they could even dream of heading back - when he noticed that the creature had been lumbering on its hind legs.
Not to mention, the shredded pants gave the werewolf away.
He couldn't phantom why it would be roaming the mountain but he knew that it was looking for something. What, he didn't know but he knew it was a threat. To him, to his wolves and to the stupid people still on the mountain.
He had warned the Washingtons against purchasing the mountain and his grandfather had warned the miners and so on and so forth, but did they listen? No! And now this hell of a place was even more dangerous than ever before.
The only good thing to have happened that week was the fact that he had managed to burn the elusive Makkapitew. Everything else had just made the week worse. The girls falling off the cliff into the mines, the appearance of police to search for them had been once huge headache.
And to add on to that, a werewolf was on the mountain.
He grabbed his gun, checking his bullets. He only had iron bullets but they would make do until he had the time to melt some silver ones. He could just kill the bastard before it did anything like infect an unsuspecting police officer or even outright kill someone, or he could incapacitate it and question why it had come to the mountain. Decisions, decisions.
He stood up, his wolves watching his movements. Eh, it would probably be better to ask first, shoot later but he'll see. He checked his supplies and flamethrower; there were still more wendigos about. It was only a matter of time before someone else went missing.
He stilled. Wait a fucking second.
Could it be on the mountain because of the missing girls? Then who on God's green earth could it be? And who was the one to bring it here?
He swore, grabbing his gear. 'I bet it was those damn Washingtons! Always making things worse!'
It was daylight, the chances of encountering either wendigo or werewolf was low so he'd only grabbed his pistol before leaving the sanatorium. There was one person he wanted to talk to and it was a Washington.
Melinda Washington was in the kitchen, a hot mug of tea in her hands. Worry was gnawing away in the pit of her stomach for her girls and Joshua. He had come back just before Dawn, tired and sore but in one piece.
The transformation back to human was marginally better. The pain level was less, according to Joshua. She also noticed that the ritual circle was present when he changed back. She didn't know if it would always appear when he was forced to change with the moon or not.
He was currently on the couch, underneath a number of thick blankets, and fast asleep in front of the fire. He looked ill and exhausted; his skin pale and dark shadows underneath his eyes. His teeth were a little sharper and he'd gotten a little bit taller, but other than that there were no other indicators of the ritual or what he'd become.
Her lips trembled, her eyes squeezing shut. She had no idea that Joshua had not wanted to go through with the ritual. He had seemed so willing to do it to help find his sisters. He had told her that he wanted to do it.
He always was so convincing. She was distraught that he would choose to lie to her; she would have listened to him if he had said no. She would have tried harder to find some other way, to call her family to send someone to help rather than transform him. But that would have taken more time, more time than they could spare.
Even now, she wished there was something she could do to try and pinpoint their location but no scrying spells worked on Blackwood Mountain. Even if she were to perform the spell off the mountain, it would not have worked. The land was full of natural magics which made it difficult to navigate through.
She looked out the kitchen window, her tea lukewarm. It's been twenty days since she received a frantic call from Joshua, his voice choked as he informed her of what had happened. Hannah and Beth had run out of the lodge and they hadn't come back. The teens had searched for them but, with the snow and darkness, they couldn't find them.
She had come as soon as she could with her husband. He had been with them for the first week - making calls to local police, getting the other kids home safely and working with search and rescue. But his work could not be delayed any longer and he was forced to fly back twelve days prior with a heavy heart and had asked to be kept up to date on progress.
She hadn't told him what had happened with Joshua. She should have told him, then maybe he would have talked her out of doing the ritual and her son would be spared.
Abruptly, there was a loud pounding. She flinched. Who? What-?!
She rushed to the door, tea forgotten. Who could it be? Had they found them? Finally?!
She tore the door open only to jerk in shock. It was that man, the one that had tried to discourage them from purchasing the mountain. He looked different; older, a new scar running through his right eye and cheek.
"Mrs. Washington," he addressed, cold as ever.
"What- What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk."