It was a foggy and chilly morning

[salty_witch]

It starts subtly. Wisps of fog coalescing on the surface of the lake, building until they crept up to the bank and out into the forest. This despite the wind, which wails and howls through the forest, nipping at the neck hairs of any who are outside. Clouds cover what passes for a sun, dimming the day.

Deep in the fog a dark shape moves. Quadruped, at times it lopes about as if hunting, other times it stands and lurks. Watching, it's eyes seeming to glow in the fog.

All day it skulks and disappears, but at twilight, as the day dims ever darker, it becomes bold, stepping forth from the fog. A great shaggy brute of a black dog which stands nearly as tall as a pony.

[OOC: And the Luidaeg's spook fest begins. Post open until Friday. See this backroom post for more info.]

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

At twilight, Ragnar comes out from the bar and starts wandering around the lake, deep in thought.

[salty_witch]

She scents him and pauses. To her mind, she still owes him for polluting the waters, so a good scare might just be the start of payback. Yes, this is unreasonable by mortal standards, but she is not mortal.

She turns, a deep rumbling growl flowing before her.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar's hand automatically goes to the seax at the back of his belt.

He stands, and listens.

[salty_witch]

A band of fog rolls in, cloaking the area. A large splash of water sounds from the lake,

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Slowly and carefully, Ragnar walks towards that noise.

Sea fogs do happen, where he is from.

[salty_witch]

The fog parts over the waters, revealing nothing but calm waters. Behind him another growl reverberates through the fog.

Assuming her turns around again, up on a knoll some distance away there is a large black dog staring at him.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar does turn around -- and now draws his seax.

[salty_witch]

The beast stands there and bares its fangs, growling low.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar approaches, slowly.

"Hello there?" he says, carefully, in case this is a patron.

[salty_witch]

Damn human, you're not supposed to step towards danger.

The beast lowers its head, hackles rising as it crouches low to spring.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar stands there and looks the beast in the eye, seax at the ready.

He is scared, yes, and his heart is racing. But he won't back down. He faced worse, for Lagertha's sake.

[salty_witch]

She leaps forward then, teeth bared and snarling, hHer growl so loud he can feel it in his chest, but just as she's within reach of his dagger, she disappears in a poof of fog.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

That finally makes Ragnar jump. Where did it go? Where is the beast?

He looks around, peering into the densening, darkening fog.

[salty_witch]

Over his left shoulder, he might hear the odd chuffing sounds dogs sometimes make which almost could be a laugh.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar turns, and steps towards the sound again.

[salty_witch]

The fog bands together and begins to form the large dog once more, eyes glowing like the sun in winter.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Definitely supernatural, that one.

"Who are you?" Ragnar demands.

[salty_witch]

It doesn't answer, just shows half-formed teeth as it steps towards him again.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I'm not going to run away," Ragnar says, sensibly, "and you're not going to attack. So, stalemate?"

[salty_witch]

The dog chuffs again before fading away in the wind.

[OOC: Seems a likely fade?]

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Good dog," Ragnar says before walking off towards the bar.


[[OOC: Yes -- thanks for the thread!]]