Tanuchan

Nice work, Phoenix! The poem does remind me of some elements that are frequent in the region where capoeira is common, and it's easy for me to associate both (the poem and capoeira, I mean). As a side note, I suppose you meant as title "Água de Beber" - which is a nicely poetic title because it really fits the overall reading. (beber=to drink; bebe=3rd person singular of present tense of verb 'beber', and doesn't make sense in the title context ). Thanks for sharing!

Annelise sat at the breakfast table, observing Dana and frowning at the news of Vinka's escape. Vinka escaping? That doesn't make sense. Where would she go, with the road closed... and why just her? Or is it that she wasn't innocent of the killings and her partner just helped her go? She finished breakfast, and went to her room to get her gear. The lodge was rather silent, and she could feel the tension around everybody. Why are they doing this, I wonder... to throw us against each other? That morning, the thoughts of the kills and the locked people followed Annelise until she climbed off the chair lift. The air was, as always, crisp. The mountain was there in all its might, but for Anne it was a soothing presence. She picked an easy trail, not bothering to check if Charles had already arrived - if he had, and if he had seen her, he would just have shouted and gone into some tirade. So she assumed she had time for a warming-up, and went for it. While doing a slow, leisure descent, something she had heard Brad saying came to her mind. Gregor! Brad thought he saw Gregor... and where is he anyway? He's always chattering away some nonsense, making himself both visible and invisible... would it be possible? And... Stefan. The silent one. What if we have two murderers who don't dare talking to each other during the day? Wouldn't that be almost ironic... Brad almost catching one of them, and then - in spite of all the bantering - they get afraid all of a sudden? That we might actually get at least one of them, if we dare enough? Annelise finished the run, and breathed deeply. She had taken her time, and by now surely Charles would be around. Pushing away all stray thoughts, she slid towards the lift - she needed all her attention for her work with Charles. ~~~~~ OOC: Vote for JDRollins/Gregor... let's see what will happen

As Annelise had expected, Charles was doing his best to test her and see her stumble or fail. Every single slope they'd been exploring and marking was tricky - sometimes visibly tricky, but those weren't the ones that worried Anne. There were the apparently easy slopes, but which hid their dangers. On those, she knew that any mistake would cost her more than a grumbling. While following Charles, she let her mind wander for some seconds - who could be the killer? She still didn't believe it could be Charles; under all his behavior towards her, she could see that there was both sense and meaning on what he was showing her on those slopes. She almost bet that Charles himself wasn't fully aware of how much he was actually teaching her, and training her. Not that she would tell him. A killer... more than one... and those who are so silent. Stefan. Again, where was he? Would a killer hide behind silence and lack of interaction? Annelise saw the hidden rocks too late. Cursing for letting her mind wander, she avoided them in the only way she could - brusquely, without any technique but sheer will to not hit them. She didn't understand when she didn't go for a header, and thanked that. "Has the accident completely affected your common sense, girl?!" Charles shouted at her. "If you want to kill yourself, just warm me so that I don't have to actually worry about picking safer paths for you to follow!" She glared at him - because she knew that he was right, but wasn't going to admit it. ~~~~~~~ OOC: A vote for Elwen/Stefan

Annelise spent most of the night tossing in her bed, deeply annoyed by Charles. And when she had finally managed to get into a deep sleep, the voices and an insistent knock on her door woke her up. She stumbled out of the bed, groggy, picking the robe on her way to the door. "Annelise! You're alright, thankfully!" She blinked at Johann, as he quickly explained what the commotion was about. Anne sighed, nodding, and started going down the corridor. But she saw Charles coming up from his room, and decided that if she saw his smug face once more that day, she'd just slap him again. And as much as she wanted to do that, she also knew that doing it in the middle of all instructors wouldn't be a good idea. So, she glanced at the scribbling on the wall and went back to her room, where surprisingly she fell back into sleep rather quickly. I'm glad someone is trying something to catch those murderers... if we could only do the same, instead of suspecting each other... Next morning met Annelise in a calmer mood. Not only calmer, but as determined as only she knew she could be. The hours spent reviewing her conversation with Charles, his attitude, his words, had made her understand that she would never get completely over her accident while she felt it had made her a lesser person. And so, she needed to get back what she had lost - skill, confidence, and willingness to learn. She was on the slopes almost earlier than anyone else. She took her time once on the top, just examining from above some of the trails. There, running them through her mind, she analyzed each curve, each obstacle, each possibility; it was an exercise she had used to do every morning when back in instruction. Choose a couple trails, and run them in her mind until she could see herself skiing down. It worked almost as a meditation exercise. How could I have forgotten this? She smiled, her mind's eye seeing herself on that same run the previous morning. It has always made me close to the mountain. It has always helped me to teach. To start a day. She pushed herself on, and started the descent. White, soft, blanketed in wind, cold and alluring - dangerous temptation She chose speed. And let her mind guide her as in the exercise on the top. drunk exhilaration on the edge of control - steep slopes where speed rules Her curves carved perfect tracks. Her speed didn't leave much margin for mistakes, but she didn't make any. And at the bottom of the slope, Annelise breathed and let the rush of adrenaline go. She felt like crying and laughing, but all that came out was a soft chuckle. Oh, the slope she had chosen was the easiest one in Vannacut Point, one that she had only taken in leisure just as a warming up until now. Two days ago she would have avoided the exercise. A day ago she would have done it on a medium to difficult slope. Today she knew better. It was the easiest, so the one she could risk for speed. And check for skill. She felt happy. As she jumped into the lift, she let memories of other days come. Memories of lifts shared with students. With other instructors. Or with herself. "There you are. We have work to do, if you're done with your foolish speedy descent." Annelise looked at Charles levelly, taking her time to answer. She didn't know if he had been truly waiting her to start working, or if he had just taken advantage of the fact that he had obviously seen her before she noticed him. "Foolish and perfect." Her eyes made it clear to Charles that she wasn't just stating something she thought - she was sure of it, and she was daring him. "Good. Break your neck next time, and don't complain if I'm there again." "Complain? It's your work, patroller. And had I been in danger, you would have come after me and not just waited for me here on the top. It's obvious that you thought my foolishness was a very reasonable one." She grinned. "Do you want to try it, patroller?" "I have no time for children's games, girl. One more sassy answer, and you're done here." Charles meaning was clear - he controlled her future on the mountain, being as he had to sign off on her internship. Anne regretted her words, but nothing in her face showed it. She nodded. "As you say, patroller. What is in today's schedule then?" No one - not even Charles - could put any fault on her answer. But Charles caught the implicit meaning - he wouldn't answer to her dare. A dare from Annelise? What a joke! But if she wants work, work she will have. Let's see what she thinks about dares herself. Annelise knew that it was possibly going to be a rather rough day for her as Charles' assistant. But the truth was that she hadn't expected otherwise, and - surprisingly - didn't regret it. ~~~~~~ OOC: post subject to editing for RP purposes. (And no vote yet).

Co-written with Panther - thank you ~~~~~~~~ The snow on the mountain was tinted with the shades of the approaching sunset, and the air was crisp and cold. There was silence for the moment, except for some distant voices that were easily filtered out. Annelise closed her eyes, breathing deeply, letting the mountain fill her. She had always loved both sunset and dawn in the mountain. The feeling of a new day, fresh powder, new trails - or the end of another day, tracks carved on the snow with perfection. The mountain had been her point of balance since she was a young girl. Mostly, her only friend - the one who understood her, and embraced her offering comfort and support. Anywhere she had gone, she had always looked for the mountain's presence. She turned, and looked down upon the lodge. There were a few people either coming in or going out, and she wondered what each of them was thinking. What secrets would they have, what part of themselves would they never show to the world? Annelise stayed where she was, immersed in thoughts. At a point, she knelt and dug into the snow. A few minutes later, there was a family of small snowmen on skis made of twigs, poised to slide down a slope. Anne smiled, remembering her childhood. A voice drifted towards her, a tone she had learned to recognize - and she shuddered. Charles was down there, somewhere - she couldn't understand what he said, but she also recognized Dana's voice. She kept looking at her small snowmen, bracing herself for what she was absolutely sure that would be unpleasant conversation. She heard Dana's voice again - "Be careful, we don't want people outside at night..." - and Charles answer - "I know the mountain, Dana. But I'll be back soon, don't worry. Just need some fresh air." So, that's it. If I don't face him now, I won't be ever able to face myself. Anne took the path towards the lodge in slow steps, intent on the noise of other steps coming beyond the curve ahead of her. Soon she was facing Charles. "You should be resting." Not concerned, not really upset - just a cold statement of fact. "It was more of an ugly bump than anything else, but if you are to work tomorrow, you'd better stop behaving like a brat and do what you are told. And you were told..." "... to rest. I'm not a child, Charles." Her voice was level, her eyes catching and holding his in its intensity. "And if I heard Dana correctly, you also shouldn't be out." "No one tells me what to do in the mountain, girlie." "Nor do they tell me. Patroller." She let her voice gain an edge. "I have a name. And you know I was an instructor. Give me the due respect." "Respect? For an intern who doesn't even know better than keeping distance from another skier?" "Respect for a person who doesn't want to remind you that skiers are not supposed to stop as brusquely as you did when they know they're being followed." Charles glared, but let his voice come almost sweetly. "For a person who suffered an accident that clouded her best judgement, too?" Annelise almost hissed, those words too close to her thoughts of the past day. Charles looked down at her. "I saved your life once. Don't throw it away on the slopes again. Learn instead." "I owe you my life, yes." Her voice was again icy, sharp. "But that doesn't give you rights over it. I'm back and I'm an instructor - whatever the stupid papers say. I chose to accept the joke of being your intern, but don't expect me to act as one who doesn't know better." Charles chuckled, quite amused. "But you don't know better, Annelise. You were never ski patrol." The use of her name surprised her, but Charles continued before she could react. "And I am. So, bow that arrogant empty head of yours and try to make this easier for both of us. I'm not about to let you throw away the life I gave back to you. Next mistake you make, I may not be around to pull you back from the consequences of foolishness." Mistake? Foolishness? Annelise froze, caught between pride and a necessity to know. "So you're thinking. Good." Charles nodded, hoping that the silence and the surprised face meant that she had some sense at all. "Go back to the lodge now. Tomorrow we'll have new tracks to mark." Anne blurted, knowing she wouldn't have the courage to ask otherwise. "So that's what you think? That it was my mistake?" "What I think has no bearing on the facts. That fact was that you were in over your head, and got caught. You were lucky that there was someone around to help you back out of your sticky situation." Charles barked at her with a distinctly arrogant look on his now annoyed face. Annelise's anger peaked, and she just looked at Charles' smug face. Without any warning, she slapped him, hard. And left him standing there while she walked down the path to the lodge, seething. Deeply annoyed with the whole situation, Charles stormed off down one of the paths around the lodge, looking for some space to cool off in the crisp winter air, some place without Annelise.

Johann helped Annelise back to her room - managing to be quite unobstrusive on that. Annelise herself was quiet and pretty much unaware of what was going on around her, so she didn't seem to mind Johann presence. Charles... no... She sighed, drained. She would have to sort it out. She owed him her life, but she actually didn't want to ever acknowledge it. But wasn't it worse than his self-centered personality? Someone rushed by her, almost bumping her against the wall. Johann frowned, mumbling something that Anne quite didn't understand. She saw just the girl's back - she thought it was Shayna. "What, Johann?" She asked automatically, feeling him grip her elbow more firmly. "She's... I don't know. I..." He felt foolish, remembering what had started his suspicions on her. He shrugged. Anne heard a door being slammed shut. "Shayna...?" She considered her own suspicions. Stefen. Gregor. Shayna... she, who was so controlled on first day. Helping Dana, soothing her, so collected. Why was she so panicky now? ~~~~~ OOC: Changing vote to Evangeline/Shayna

Co-written with Panther and Akallabeth. Reposted to make sense chronologically - I'm deleting the previous one ~~~~~~~~ After a rather restless night, Charles dragged himself from his bed for another day of getting the mountain ready for the public. The events of the previous day were still heavy in his mind, and they didn't get any better when he heard about the murder of Tina. It disturbed him to learn that she had some kind of smile on her face. That's just sick... he thought to himself. Not wanting to have to think about who had done that latest murder just yet, Charles grabbed a quick bite to eat, then returned to his room to change and get his ski gear. Maybe the mountain can give me some answers. Stepping outside, Charles locked into his bindings and headed up the nearest chair. About mid-way up, it struck him: Where is that blasted intern of mine? Oh well, if I get to work without her, it's no skin off my back. But, at the top of the lift, his fears were realized, as he saw Annelise standing off to the side of the unload area, looking like she was deciding what run to do next. Even though it was not what he really wanted to do, Charles decided to take her along, just in case he needed someone help him scout out the runs. "Come on girlie, time to get to work! No complaints! It's what you're here to do." Charles immediately pushed himself down the hill, heading to one of the chutes that he had wanted to scout out yesterday evening, before all the events happened in the lodge. About half way down, Charles stopped abruptly to scout out the rest of the run, not realizing that Annelise was following so closely, and hadn't seen him stop. She collided with him, sending them both tumbling down the next bit of the run. Annelise hit her head quite hard on the slope. Charles, however, recovered quickly and as he turned he saw her still form sprawled on the snow. For a second something eerily familiar in the scene hit him, but then he was already kneeling by her - a silent curse in his mind being overriden by professional instinct. "Annelise!" He glanced at the name tag in her clothes and shook her shoulder very gently, careful to not actually move her. Annelise Berger... Berger...? Charles frowned while checking her, still calling her name, trying to ignore an increasing sense of dèjá-vu. "Annelise, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Annelise's thoughts wandered in the boundary between light and darkness, disoriented. The strong voice came again from the past. Annelise... Annelise Berger... "Annelise!" Annelise was suddenly aware that the voice was real. And at the same time wasn't. It echoed strongly in her mind, though, and her breath caught. She opened her eyes and stared right into Charles' concerned face. "You? Was it you?!" Her whisper was dazed, stunned, and barely audible - even Charles had trouble understanding it. "It was you!" Another voice came, stunned, and Annelise winced when her movement towards it sent the world spinning. "Don't be stupid, boy - help me with her." Charles growled, wondering what he had ever done to any of the ski gods to get stuck with people like that. "No, you don't understand... " Johann knelt by Annelise, keeping her from moving. "Don't move." Johann had seen both Charles and Annelise going down the path, and having himself just used that same one, had decided to check on them - he had noticed some difficult passages in there, and something in his mind had wanted him to go and warn them. And, seeing Annelise sprawled on the snow with Charles knelt by him, a scene from five years ago had come suddenly back to his memory - in every detail. He told Charles. "I recognize you now. You saved her. Years ago." Annelise forced herself to focus on reality. The voices matched. Something in Charles' face matched. No... no, not Charles Montagne... no! "I'm alright... just hit my head..." Her voice also came as a growl, trying to push both Johann and Charles away. Charles was no less stunned. He had saved many lives, and quite a number of them had been head/back injuries. But very few had involved instructors, and those he remembered rather well. Vanacutt Point, five years ago... he cursed under his breath. "Of course... ice patch. Ugly injuries... for some seconds I thought I had lost you." Annelise pushed Charles' restraining hand away, trying to get up. Johann kept her down, though. "Don't. You know better, Anne." Charles let Johann restrain the girl - he was doing a good job of it anyhow - while he checked her head injury. He hadn't thought that he'd be attending injuries so soon, the people on the mountain right now were supposed to be pros. They should know to keep their distance from another skier. "Stop treating me as a child, dammit!" Annelise snapped, but stopped struggling and let Charles examine her. In spite of his glaring and mumbling, his hands were sure and gentle, and she was also starting to absorb the shock of the knowledge. Charles... of all dratted patrollers, it had to be him... ?! She closed her eyes, suddenly tired. She filtered out whatever Charles was saying, but she heard Johann clearly. "Stop it, Charles. She isn't a child, and she isn't inexperienced. She may have lost her skill, but you have no right to treat her like this." Charles sighed inwardly - lord, not one more... "Listen, boy - she might be everything you say and I knew of her as instructor. She was good. But she is now my intern at Ski Patrol. She is my responsiblity and right now she's no better than a spoiled brat. Period. Now make yourself useful and help me with her - unless you also think that I don't know my job?" He glared at both of them. I was good? Annelise let both men help her up, and sat still feeling dizzy. Charles admitting that ... Then it struck her. He knew. What had happened, whether it had been her own fault... ~~~~ OOC: Voting for Elwen/Stefen. Please see OOC thread - I'm editing my IC reason into a previous post.

I'll be editing my IC reason for my vote into a previous post, just for RP reasons - sorry for that. It just happened that I have a storyline and some posts that were co-written with the intent of being posted in a given order, and RL has come in the way. That also means that I'll almost certainly have to insert a post with Akallabeth right in the beginning of my (currently) last post or, if that's the case, delete it so that Aka can post in the correct order. Sorry for the mess...

*pokes Vahktang* That depends on whether I'm a wolf or a villager But you know it's metagaming, and that's why I've always been against it - at least after I found out/deduced it was a catch phrase. I do hope you keep having fun in spite of being locked into the storage room. Feel free to get Annelise near you (provided that she isn't already on the slopes, since she has an ongoing storyline that is not quite complete yet...). Nice to have you back, and since I'll be modding next game, I hope to have you around for some time more *hugs* ~Tanny

Annelise glanced at Tina's body from the door, and left with somewhat unsteady steps. She stopped at her door, silently going over something else in her mind. Wanting to die? Wishing for someone to kill herself, because she felt unhappy? Has that girl ever thought that life is... precious in what it gives us, in the time it allows us to feel alive? She knew she might not have made sense if saying those aloud, but her heart knew the meaning. She had been months in bed, every doctor telling her that she would be lucky to be able to walk again. She remembered weeks of despair, when all she had wished was to have died in the mountain. A noise at her side made her turn, and she saw Evelyn coming out from Tina's room. The girl was also pale, and going to her room - and that being next to Anne's, she couldn't avoid her unless running inside. She just sighed, seeing that Evelyn was already saying something to her. "Annelise! I'm glad to see you... what a terrible thing to happen to Tina! And can you believe what was written? That she asked them to do it? What sick minds! No one would ever ask them to cut their throats! Imagine that - you have your full life ahead of you, and you know that there are lots of dangers and that you can just be ran over by a car on next crossing, or be mugged and left for dead... I mean, why ask to be killed if you are already risking it everyday? And we, instructors and all... she could have just skied down the cliff, no need to have all that blood... " "Evelyn, shut up." Annelise's voice was so quiet that Evelyn actually looked at her in shock. Then Anne smiled. "Good, you can do it, them." She rested a hand on Evelyn's shoulder, grasping it with some comforting pressure. "I understand what you mean. But please, breathe and calm down. You are babbling." Evelyn nodded, and Annelise gently steered her down the corridor. "Let's just see if there's something to drink, what do you think? Something hot would be nice." On their way to the breakfast table, Evelyn recovered herself enough to go back to talking. And as it was naturally drawn towards Tina's death, Annelise couldn't help wondering who of them could be so sick to do that to her. Gregor... he seems so harmless, so out of touch with reality... always babbling out things about Utah. But would that make him a psychopath? Stefen... so silent, so collected. He doesn't really try to fit among us, he always look so distant. But then, maybe they see me the same way. Annelise kept just half-listening to Evelyn, once more wondering if that girl really had some point in all her paranoia. At a point, again she almost asked if she somehow knew who had rescued her. ~~~~~ post subject to editing for RP purposes Edit: Added some lines to base my vote IC - actual vote is some posts below. Explanation at the OOC thread...

Some of the rules can be slightly changed/adapted by the current mod, so please be sure also to check for any extra information on the signup post for current game and also its first post. As extra info, there is an index to all Werewolf Games posted at the Piazza of Portraits, under my profile. Index Also, the Q&A thread brings some interesting info.

Yup, we can. But remember she's locked in a storage room, and will be there until the end of the game or until the mod decides otherwise . For all purposes, Vinka is now an NPC controlled by Vahktang. Also, it's never too much to remind that during night phase we aren't allowed to speculate about the wolves, pass on any kind of information about them, or accuse anyone.

And after that, after he was done helping Dana, he went out for some breathing space. He said as much in his post It's not always that we write all the details between two given posts, Evangeline... it's alright to skip stuff by just mentioning that they were done. Akallabeth needed to go forward in time a little bit, without actually having to go through all the dialogue/procedures. Sometimes it happens so - many times also due to time constraints when we're writing. Not everybody has the chance to go into PM communication to write a given character together with another person, specially if they want to post quickly because of something like voting deadline. Hope you're having fun! ~~~~ Edit: typo

Annelise listened quietly to the comments around her, feeling drained of all energy. Spending half her time on the mountain with Charles, then getting too close to a header on a rock... and a murder. She shook her head, trying to keep panic at bay. As she just stood up to leave for her rooms, she heard again whispers and a name. She frowned, not happy with herself but having to be fair. Charles? No, I don't believe in it for a moment. He might be a self-centered arrogant prick, but he's Ski Patrol. I know what I saw in those eyes - he save lives. Another voice reached her ears - a giggling, and more whispers, and even something very close to simpering. Vinka... how can someone act so... foolishly. Pretend to, too - she knows how to get what she wants. The thought followed her until her room. Vinka knew how to use her "attributes" for her own ends. Would she do more? ~~~~ OOC: Vote for Vinka/Vahktang

Thanks for the help, Panther ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vannacutt Point's possible paths hadn't changed in what they were best - the amazing variety, the different ways one could choose to run them, the challenges even in the easiest of them. Challenges that were adequate to all levels, but also dangerous for the unwary. Annelise's instructor's training and spirit quicked in fast, and even in the first runs a part of her mind was analizyng how to best take advantage of nature's quirks for instruction. But either at the bottom of the descent or back in the lift, she had to deal with the fact that she wasn't going to instruct - not this season, not even as an intern. She'd be skiing and keeping an eye on the public, but not in the way she loved most. Worse, she'd be doing that while partnering with Charles. Charles. If she could get her hands on the guy who had decided to play that joke on her... management or not, he'd know what an angry skier could do with bare hands. She was forced to tag Charles in some runs. He made a point of pulling rank on her in all possible ways, specially near other instructors. She didn't mind that terribly, since as a child she had learned how to deal with the teasing of those who had better skills than her and, later on, with demanding teachers who wanted to bring out the best from her. And as apparently no one had recognized her yet, she just hid her increasing frustration behind a mask of icy calm. Not frustration at the sharp words or subtle hints on her lack of more developed skills... but at not being free to roam the mountain as she would. Annelise tried wilder paths a couple of times - or tried to try. The first time, Charles saw her and surprisingly sped after her, stopping her at the top of the descent. "Too dangeorous, girl. You won't go there." She started to argue, but then she saw something in his eyes - a second or so of true concern. He started to give her a lesson on how to recognize the trails that would normally be left a little longer into the season, as they would still have dangers coming out through the snow. "The dangers will be closed, and the trails opened, with more snow. We are the first ones on the mountain, and the trails that would normally be closed are not marked off yet. It is part of our work here to find and mark them - but not at the expense of lives, specially from overeager guys. Can you remember that?" Annelise, in spite of all dislike for Charles, knew when to respect him. She filtered out the tone, paid attention to content, and accepted his judgement. He might be an insufferable guy, self-centered and arrogant, but he knew his job. She didn't have any doubt on his competence and professionalism as ski patrol. She just wasn't about to show that to him, not while he didn't learn to respect her as a person and fellow skier. She had dealt with him five years ago, and she would again. Even as an intern, she knew she had the knowledge if not the skill. She would use it, and the skill would come back in time. The second wild track she tried was a mistake. At the top, she could see what she would have to do, where to go. The descent started slowly, quite gently, but there was a rather abrupt change in steepness some hundred meters down. She had recognized it before starting. However, when hitting the changing point, her ski caught on something. Instinctive skill saved her from a fall - though it wan't a perfect recovery; her mind might have known what to do but her body wasn't cooperative. But it was enough. Then she froze. Sliding towards a tree stump a few meters downward, she sagged against it. Dizziness took hold of her, and all she was able to see and feel was the mountain going upside down, trees rushing on her, and pain. The memory of the accident hit her hard, and in that moment she knew she had made a mistake by trying a path so similar to the one five years ago. She tried to will herself to continue, as there was no other way out of a path but down. Not for her. While she was breathing hard, fighting for control, a gentle hand supported her below the elbow. "Are you alright, Anne?" Annelise cringed, something in that voice carrying through the mist in her mind. Anne! Annelise Berger, are you alright? Can you hear me? She knew the voice had been strong, full of concern, and it had come from some point in the darkness surrounding her. She was sure there had been other words, too, but she couldn't remember which ones. Funny how that memory had surfaced right now - she had never remembered that distant, fuzzy voice, until then. "Anne?" Johann's voice overrode the past one's, and Anne nodded slowly. "Yeah... yeah, I am." "That was a tricky spot that you hit... I wasn't far, and saw you stopping here..." Johann couldn't avoid the concerin in his voice, and stopped talking before he ended up hurting Anne. He was almost sure that she was reliving her accident - he had seen how close she had been to doing a header into a rock - and he didn't know how to help her without giving the impression he was dealing with a student. He had noticed how that ski patroller had talked to her, and it galled him. Annelise opened her eyes, her hand grabbing Johann's arm. She realized she needed help, but didn't dare to talk. Johann saw her look, and didn't need anything else. "You can do it. You know how. Tell me how to deal with a slow descent in these conditions." A part of Anne's mind smiled, recognizing instructor's sureness in his behavior and making her sure that she hadn't been wrong five years ago. She answered in a soft whisper. "Well, let me think. Take it slow, make lots of turns, and keep the speed down." "Good enough. So why not put that in practice?" Johann's easy smile, coupled to the worry in his eyes, gave Anne the edge she needed. She nodded, and Johann took the lead. At the bottom of the path, Anne finally breathed freely. "Not too bad, was it?" She managed a strained smile at Johann, who fought down an urge to hug Annelise. Stop that! You'll just hurt her more if you go all protective on her... even if you think she needs some comfort right now. "No... thank you." Johann didn't know what else to say, and the silence stretched for a few seconds while several thoughts crossed his mind - all of them circling around his wish to do something for Anne. He had just an idea of how badly the accident had affected her, from their talk the previous night, and had picked her uneasiness around the fact that she had never again gone down a slope similar to the fatidical one. At the end, he just asked, "Wanna talk?" "No." The answer was immediate, sharp. Then Annelise regretted her tone, and added softly, "No, sorry, Johann... not now. I know you mean well. But I have to deal with this by myself right now. Thank you very much for coming." If it had been Charles... She shuddered. Later in the day, she joined the instructors near the fire. She kept to herself, in a somewhat shadowed corner, with Johann sitting nearest to her. She added her voice to the general talk from time to time, but kept mostly to herself, smiling and laughing at the stories being told. It felt good to be back, even if right now she didn't feel really as part of that group. Then Dana screamed, and she ran outside with the others. Seeing what was left of Seth, she froze in her tracks. She didn't consider herself squeamish, but gore was something she loathed... she gagged, and fought the sickness without much success. ~~~~~~~~ OOC: no vote yet.

Co-written with Panther. Thank you! ~~~~~ With his mind much clearer, and the first run of the day under his belt, Charles made his way down to the chair lift once again, to try more remote trails, and trails he had had to attend injuries last year, to inspect any trouble spots. Charles slid into what would be the lift lines, if this had been a regular day, his mind already on the next descent down the mountain. "Charles?" The soft voice interrupted his thoughts, and only the fact that it was a girl's made him stop and turn. He didn't really want to waste more time now that he was in the mountain. "Yes?" The tall elegant girl that faced him at the foot of the lifts, also in her full skiing gear, caught his attention immediately. He saw her sparkling green eyes, and couldn't avoid a smile. A new instructor, then - and a pretty one... but her next words almost made him groan. "I was assigned to you as intern." Annelise kept her calm countance, though the words grated at her. Not so much because she had already been an instructor - but because she was interning in the wrong path with the wrong guy. Charles just stared at her. So, this was the rookie he'd have to get rid of... it was a shame, since he liked pretty girls. But not ones that would come between him and the mountain. He eyed her critically, trying to assess her from the way she stood and dealt with her equipment - which he recognized as good. "Name?" Charles almost growled, frowning. "How long have you been skiing?" "Annelise. Since I was 9." She declined her last name, immediately deciding that she wasn't going to try to make Charles remember her. He had always been a prick, and the years apparently hadn't helped him any. "Then you're pretty old to be interning. Why?" Because I cannot be what I was! Her eyes got shadowed, but she forced out other words calmly. "Because I had to stop for a while against my will." Charles wasn't so stupid as to not notice the coldness in that Annelise girl. And a hint of defiance. That was really unfair for him... of all things, an intern who wouldn't recognize rank... "Well, and why ski patrol, girl?" That tone was too much for Annelise, who glared at him and replied icily. "Because some stupid guy assigned me to you." It wasn't the answer Charles was expecting, and for a second his surprise showed. Annelise's lips thinned in a suppressed smile. "Don't try to be clever with me, girl. You'll never survive the mountain by trying to be smart. Ski patrol is a serious business. We save lives. I might have yet to save yours, if you keep this insolent attitude. Mark my words." His voice was stern, and intended to humiliate that upstart girl. Charles turned and pushed himself towards the lift. He climbed on the chair quickly - but Annelise was as quick to sit beside him. "I have a name and you will use it." It was a statement, and not a bit less icy than her previous words. "As for my views of ski patrol, I'll give them to you when I think you're ready to listen to them." It wasn't a lie - Annelise wouldn't let this guy know that she certainly owed her life to some dedicated ski patroller. And that she had a great deal of respect for their work. It was only that respect that had kept her from storming into Vannacutt Point's management to demand internship with the right person. That, and the fact that she couldn't leave the mountain until the roads opened. But, for the lord's sake, why had it to be Charles Montaigne?! Charles pointedly ignored her. So, this girl already had a couple strikes against her. She, obviously, didn't respect his authority, nor did she even want to be doing this serious job. Though Charles didn't really complain to himself about the second strike, as he would be just as happy, if not happier if she were not stuck with him either.

Evangeline, in this RP there's no rigid timeline unless the mod makes it very clear. So, just post whatever you feel your character would be doing, within the limits the mod gives - for example, right now it's after the briefing and the mountain is now open to play. The players in general will adapt to the previous posts, if they're not incoherent with the guidelines the mod give. So, see how "Annelise" left after the briefing (when in my original post she was going to continue from the point she left Johann soon after arrival), and how "Charles" arrived late at the mountain, missing the briefing. Also, if you feel the need to add something that happened "before" what other players have done, just add something like a flashback/comment in the beginning of your post. So, if you want to say something about your room or where it is, you're free to do so without waiting for the mod or someone prompt you. We'll just ask you to take care if you're going to write a character interacting with yours in some detail... for example, "Annelise" and "Johann" have been interacting in both my posts and Akallabeth's; but we have discussed their background in PM, and the content of the post in itself (we've been cooperating). We both are open to editing whatever we write if we get the other's character wrong in some way. PMs for alliance aren't allowed, but it's always okay to communicate to set background and interaction, or to do cooperative writing. Sometimes the mod asks for copies of any PMs, too. I would suggest you to read some older WW games, if you haven't done so yet. I'd say... WW III: The Case of Garnavon Hall (really nice RP and interaction from all involved); WW XVII: Pulp Wolf (for an example of the mod restricting the timeline); WW XXIV: Winter's Heart (for some real nice cooperative writing). There are lots of other very good WW games, but as I modded those three I remember better the details . Also, when the mod says just "24 hours" (or any other time range), it means in real time; game phases are made really clear in the text, usually through an OOC line saying something in the line of "now it's day phase/night phase". And within that 24-hour RP period, we are free to suppose either day or night unless the mod says otherwise (though we usually keep to just one general day ). I hope that helps... sorry for the amount of info, and feel free to post or PM any doubt you have ~~~~~ Akallabeth, I'll be editing my last post so that I'm not implying we're talking at night; it occurs to me now that we really don't know at what time the briefing was, and it will be more coherent with Panther/Charles arriving soon after briefing (and still during the day ). ~Tanny

Soon after the briefing, Annelise talked to Dana privately - she hadn't yet met the guy she had been assigned to, and that brief talk with Johann had put her on the edge. "What?! Charles Montagne? But he is Ski Patrol!" She remembered Charles, of course. She wasn't sure she wanted him to remember her. But, more than that - being interned to Ski Patrol wasn't what she was supposed to be. "Dana, I'm an interning instructor... I cannot be interning with Charles!" Dana shrugged, handing in the report to Annelise. "That's what it says, Anne... assigned to Charles Montagne - Ski Patrol internship. Sorry if it was a surprise to you, but we can do nothing... " She smiled, and hugged her. "You'll enjoy it, I'm sure. Good luck!" Annelise passed by the other instructors in a kind of daze, keeping a frozen smile and answering greetings without paying attention to them. The only thing that crossed her mind was that she was thankful to not have talked to anyone so far that had worked with her in her last Winter at Vannacutt Point. She had recognized at least a couple of them, but they seemed to not notice her. A blast of cold wind brought her back to her senses, and she rested a hand against a tree. Turning, she saw that she had gone maybe a couple hundred steps from the back of the lodging. "Damn..." Her soft whisper was carried away by the wind while she fought her memories. Then, all of a sudden, she just let go of the struggle. Tiredly, she rested her forehead against the tree and let her mind sort out whatever it wanted to dig out from the past. Vannacutt Point... five years ago. Her second season as an instructor. At 21, she was happy - she had dreamed of that life since she had first gone down a slope. A bright day, sunny and very cold. She had woken up feeling a tad queasy - dinner previous night hadn't sat too well on her stomach, but she knew it would go away after a couple hours in the mountain. She took a light breakfast - she could still remember how it all tasted. Weird how her memory had frozen that day in so many details. The chairlift broke down on the way up, and she had spent the time talking to one of the skiers. A young boy, around 16, and clearly not well-off. His skill had called her attention since the first day, and as she found out how much passion and respect he had for skiing and the mountain, she told him he was good stuff for instructor. The face of the boy, as the name, had remained fuzzy during all those years. But having met Johann again, she knew it was him. She was at the top. She looked down the steep slope of fresh powder, running in her mind the path she'd be taking. Then pointed downhill, and started her way down. She felt the exhilaration that came with the speed, the rush of adrenaline. The path was a difficult one, but she enjoyed the challenge. She hadn't had trouble going down that one path since the beginning of the season - but the previous day had been warmer, and the night chill. She was aware of the danger of ice patches - but when she hit it, it was completely unexpected. As she began to recover from it, one of her skis hit something - a tree maybe? - turning her around backwards, and she fell. She remembered the blurred trees. And the sudden pain in her back. She had woken up at the ICU. Feeling nothing below her waist. They had said she had bashed her head on a tree after falling on her back. That she had fractured her skull, and a pair of vertebrae. Annelise blinked tears away, tears she had not been aware were there. For long minutes she stayed there, lost in thought. Johann looked through the window, staring at the landscape. He could feel the mountain there, and felt anxious to explore it. He sighed softly, still feeling bad about Annelise - how he could have handled that so badly? He would do almost anything to change his words back then, but he knew he couldn't do anything. With luck, she wouldn't avoid talking to him, and he might yet have some chance to salvage the situation. A soft knock on the door startled him. He wondered who would be looking for him while going to answer the door. "Johann? I'm sorry for disturbing you, but would you have some minutes?" He stared at Annelise - and a corner of his mind told him that he'd better learn some other reaction to being face-to-face with her. "Of course... please, come in... " Johann could again feel the tension in Annelise, but there was less coldness in her eyes than when they had last talked. That gave him some heart, and he started to apologize. "Listen, Annelise... I'm sorry for... " She raised a hand, stopping him and speaking in a low, hushed voice. "Johann, I was unexcusably rude to you earlier today. The only thing that I can say in my defense is that ... it was a shock for me." "No, you don't have to apologize. It was really my fault... I was so... happy... for seeing you here..." "And you met an icy wall when you were trying to be friendly and show your pleasure. " She gave a rueful smile, then breathed deeply. "Let me tell you what I remember from that day, Johann." ~~~~~~ Edit: Typos, and changed slightly to not set the ending of the post at nightime. Also, to add thanks to Akallabeth, Panther, and Azuran, for helping me out with the mountain/skiing-related stuff.

Wind blowing gently leaves swirling in random dance - colored life pattern.

lol There comes happy Zool overflowing with such joy - smiles he brings to lips. *hugs*

Pleasing people, poetic peasants perfected pristine pounds pouring perfume permanently.

Annelise frowned again, looking through the window. She felt restless, and finally decided to go out for a walk - she could use the time to start getting reacquainted with Vannacutt Point, and the cold air would probalby do good to her. And I have to find out who the guy I was assigned to is... The thought didn't help her mood, but she tried her best to be positive about it. She picked her jacket, and opened the door to find Johann fumbling with the door to his own rooms. He turned with the noise, and stared at her. "Hello." Annelise blinked, a bit taken aback by the intensity of those eyes but immediately catching the typical nervousness of a beginner instructor. She smiled as he blushed, and extended her hand. "I'm Annelise. You look like new here...?" "Eh... yeah... first time... " Johann mumbled, still surprised at finding Annelise again at Vannacutt Point. He couldn't help but staring, seeing again the girl who had set him in this path. "Oh! No, I mean... I've been here once, skiing... 5 years ago... first time instructing, though." Annelise kept her smile, though her mind rushed to a point in time five years ago. A slope, an icy spot... trees. Pain rippling through her back, then nothingness. Johann grabbed her hand, suddenly bringing Annelise back to the present. "Johann Olsen. I ... we've met at that time... you were an... " He caught himself, belatedly remembering that Annelise had been introduced to him as an intern. He thought he noticed a fleeting pain in her eyes, and instinctively squeezed her hand gently. Annelise nodded slowly. She didn't remember him - there had been too many young men at Vannacutt Point in the season and half she'd instructed there. But she was certain that Johann remembered her accurately. "I had an accident... I had to stop. And... start again." Her voice was somewhat hushed, but she kept a calm face.

Can't enter the challenge, of course... but wanted to participate all the same . The one below might make sense only with the pic, though... image: winter lake Blanketed in snow time caught in silvery frame - reflection of life.

As the helicopter approached Vanacutt Point, Annelise took in the mountain. The pilot kept his amiable soft chatting, to which she answered with a smile and monosylables, just half-aware of what he was saying. Her eyes followed the slopes and the way the snow blanketed them, the lines of the chairlifts still far below her. So I'm back. You defeated me once... you won't again. "I beg your pardon?" Annelise blinked, and realized that last sentence had been said aloud. "Just a phrase I used to repeat a lot, never mind it... skiers are a bit queer, aren't they?" She smiled, teasing. She relaxed, noticing for the first time how tense she had been during the short flight. Now that they were landing, she knew there was no other way. She was back to where her life had been so abruptly changed, and her resolve grew stronger. Walking the path to the lodge, Annelise couldn't help but wonder if someone she knew would be there. She had kept few contacts among the other instructors, and she was pretty sure none of them was there this season. It had been five years, after all. She stopped and looked up, looking for the path. She wondered if it still existed, if it had been used again in the next seasons. She wanted to go up and find it. Later. It is what we are here to do. Annelise entered the lodge, sighing a bit and looking around. She didn't like being an intern, but she wasn't about to complain or tell people she knew better. Her skills were again decent, but not enough to have brought her back as a full instructor, and she was fully aware of it. I just hope the guy I was assigned to isn't ... a pain. Skiers - instructors - could be pretty arrogant among themselves. Maybe not too much to the ones they intructed, but there was veiled competition among them - there had always been, and she didn't expect Vanacutt Point would be any different from five years ago. Dana didn't recognize her - and there was no reason she would, since she was barely out of her teens; Anne smiled, and chatted a bit with both Dana and her boyfriend before going to her rooms with a sure step, knowing well the lodge. On her way, she nodded and waved at a couple other instructors who had arrived just before her.

(Great, Gyr!! ) Definitely, dryads drinking do dreary dances - don't dare divining, dear...