Over the river and through the woods

'Enough bricks to build a house.'
Alianna stuck her tounge out at Eli with a grin as her friend helped her with the massive bag.
They followed the boy through the woods and it wasn't too long before they saw the house.
'Thank god, I think my arm's falling off.'
Ali winced and dropped her bag on the floor.
'I could really do with a bath, you got one?'
She asked the guy who had led them through the woods as she rubbed her shoulder. As she was asking another guy came walking down the stairs. He seemed, well, stuck up to her. His voice was clipped as if he wished the girls wernt even there. It seemed like the perfect chance to annoy him.
'Hey.'
She stuck out her hand.
'I'm Ali. Care to help me with my bag?'

Tahlia muttered to herself as she wriggled her foot around and winced at the painful twinge she recieved in response.
"Damn it Ray i've sprained it bad- feels like i've broken it!" she groaned lightly proding her ankle to see if any bones where sticking out in unusual places.
"What do we do- signals crap we're in the middle of a forest" she added throwing her hands up in the air and collapsing crossly on a mossy bolder. "Knew we should of gone shopping instead i never sprain my ankle when skating but take me hiking my whole foot decides to spasm and drop off"
Tahlia looked to her friend with her almond shaped eyes for reassurance.

Xiao stared at the girl. Was she talking him? He continued to stare at her until he broke it and walked over to her. He looked at her hand like it was a disease. "Sorry, I don't do handshakes, but the name's Xiao." He picked up her bag and put over his shoulder. "The rooms are upstairs." He strolled back over to the stairs, waiting for Ali to follow.

Wow nice guy Alianna thought sarcasticaly to herself as she let Xiao take her bag. He just swung it up over his shoulder. That massive heavy bag, as if it were nothing. She put one hand on her hip and raised an eye brow at him as he reached the stairs.
He must work out quite a bit...
The sporty girl she was at heart began to push at her curiosity.
I wonder what his exercise plan is...
Ali opened her mouth to voice her thoughts before catching herself. It wouldn't be a good idea to go all sports freak now so she just smiled sweetly and walked over next to Xiao.
'Lead the way.'
After she'd spoken she turned back to her friends and gave them her conspiritory 'up to no good' wink and a smile.

Xiao just rolled his ice blue eyes as he sighed. Humans...He continued up the stairs, looking back every few moments. When they made it up to second floor, he walked over to the first empty room which was, surprisingly, right next to his room. "Why...,"he said under his breath. He turned back to her. "Here's your room." Xiao felt a little weird. Why was he still standing there? Why didn't just go off to his room? He ruffled his black hair in confusion.

Eli watches the boy named Xiao carry Alianna's huge bag upstairs while she follows behind him. she turns around mid step and winks at us. oh, poor poor boy. Eli thinks to herself as she catches his look on his face, a mixture of annoyance and something else...

she shifts her guitar to her other hand. "where is my room? she asks, as much to herself as those still around.

"I'm ok with wherever i am, i just need to be able to get outside to play soccer or run." Paige said blankly. Her love of both activities shining through. She looked at Nero and smiled faintly.

He smiled back at her, "Well, there is plenty of area for that kind of stuff." She was athletic he liked that in a girl. "If you like we can do a one on one competition... unless any of the others would like to join..." he suggested. "Well let me take you to a room," he said as he walked upstairs and lead her to a room that was across from his. " I'm right across the hall if you need me..." he pointed out.

'Thanks.'
Ali smiled at Xiao.
'But if you could do me one more favour, could you dump the bag on the bed? I really don't think I could carry it myself.'
After asking she walked into the room. It was nice, not tiny but some how had plently of space spare. Not knowing how long she'd be living here for Ali wasn't sure wether to unpack her bag completely or not. It did seem like a lot of effort to her.
'Which one's your room?'
She asked turning back to Xiao.

"thanks." She said and she followed him upstairs. She looked around the room. She peeked back at Nero with a faint glint in her eyes. "thank you, by the way, for helping us."

He blushed slightly as he thanked her, turning his face away. He looked back to her, and nodded his head slightly. "You are very welcome, though it isn't needed..." He said quietly. "I'll make a call to some friends and see what I can do about getting some parts and getting you out of here.." he added.

Paige nodded. "Cool."
[sorry, writer's block]

He looked to her, then walked into his room for a moment. He stepped back out and walked over to her, " So where'd you girls come from anyhow?" He asked raising a brow.

Eli put her case on the ground and looked around the place. it was rather small. "how will we all fit in here?" she asks, again, mostly just voicing her thoughts. she sits down on top of her case, resting, releasing all of her worries, if only until she stands up again.

"Everwood. It's about a 5 hour drive from here." Paige said turning around.

Xiao sighed again as he walked into the room and dropped the bag on the bed. He turned his head back to her. "Right next to yours." He blew his hair out of his face. "If you ever wake up because you hear music playing, sorry in advance." Now he felt very confused. Why did he tell just practically told the girl that he played an instrument. Not wanting to engage more into the subject, he slowly inched to the door.

"If you ever wake up because you hear music playing, sorry in advance."
Instantly interested Ali looked straight at Xiao.
'You play an instrument?'
She had always wanted to learn to play something, anything. At some point in her life she'd had singing lessons but it was all calssical stuff. Her mother had been a singer in a band when she was younger and it had been a dream of Ali's to follow in her footsteps but her father wouldn't let her learn 'that' type of music.
'Which one? what type of music?'
She forgot to be coy and irritating and just let her enthusiasm for music go.

Lorraine had been with Tahlia the whole time. When she hurt her ankle, she offered her help, and they were soon following behind the other girls into the house. They got a little behind though, and she looked around, her voice echoing through the empty halls. "I don't know where to go." she said.

(fail catch up post. you guys post FAST)

Samuel's muscles jerked with a twitch as he found himself being awoken from an extremely lucid nightmare. His wolf eyes had been gazing down at the body that rested before him, flesh torn to ribbons, eyes made of glass that sat unchanging as they stared at the flakes of snow that melted against her still, warm body. While he had been a wolf, Sam held no connections or ties to the life he lived outside of his supernatural existence. He did not recall faces, names, and all memories he may have had sat in scattered images across the field of his sub-conscience. Yes, he recognized the female. But he had made no mental connection. That was, until he was back in his own skin again. Until he was Sam again.

Stirring from the foggy after effects of his slumber, Sam pushed himself up from the pillows, the left side of his face seemingly numb. He had been sleeping on his abdomen, his arms clenched around one of his pillows, his visage buried deep inside of it's plush depths. Perhaps his mind had been trying to escape the memory. But, Sam knew there was no escaping the memories of gore and the sins he had committed. There would be only one way to atone for his sins and, as much as he longed for it, he was too cowardly to do anything about it. Running his fingers through his thick mass of dark hair, his tongue playing at the two hoops that studded his lower lip, Sam heard faint voices echo in the hall way past his bedroom. Voices that did not belong to the men he normally lived with. No, the tenor of these voices held a higher, more feminine pitch. They belonged to females.

With curiosity and confusion getting the best of Sam and his usual, cautious ways, the man stood from the mattress, the only material adorning his body being that of his pajama slacks. Cracking the door and peeking out into the hallway, he heard voices deeper inside of the house, but noticed only a pair that stood at the mouth of the hall, their backs turned to him. Easing out of the doorway, his footsteps non existent against the hard wood of the floor, Samuel allowed his wolf like instincts to take over, sizing the two females up mentally. Neither of them smelled of danger or mischief, but one of the two did rank of pain. Stepping closer still, his eyelids fluttering as he lost pieces of himself to his animalistic instincts, Sam crept closer, a predator analyzing it's prey.

Lorraine had supported Tahlia's weight the entirety of the trek up the hill, having fallen behind the rest of the group, thus having no male help like they did. By the time they reached the large estate and went in, she'd taken a small breather, the girl's arm still around her friend as they meandered into the hallway, curious yet fearful. "Maybe they're down there," she said, moving to turn around. There was a sharp tinge of pain in her right knee and she winced, but ignored it.

Her timing seemed pristine, because as she turned around slowly to look down the hallway, she spotted Samuel, a gasp rifting her originally pursed lips as she felt her muscles tense in surprise. She didn't say anything for a long while, staring at the man before her with wide eyes before managing to say, "Uh... I'm Ray, this is Tahlia..." she stuttered a little out of sheer nervousness.

Nero shifted uncomfortably, and laughed slightly. "I haven't been in Everwood in a long time," he said shaking his head. "I normally go past there if I need too..."He leaned against the wall, though his attention shifted when he heard Samuel stir from the other room. He put his hand up,"Morn' Sam."

(Man this post was ...)

Tahlia sized the male up just standing above them looking down as though they were something to eat. Men she thought darkly.

"We're meant to be here...didnt just wonder on in" Tahlia added to Rays anxious introduction.

Man her ankle hurt and she felt guilty that Ray had to support her weight the whole way to the house- she wasnt as light as she looked and she wasnt used to being helpless- she liked to think she was strong- independant- not injured and handy capped.

Samuel didn't say much of anything at first. Instead, the deep, intense blues of his eyes trailed over the length of the two bodies. The gaze was anything but sexual, though. He was simply trying to put names to faces, trying to analyze how they functioned, the way their muscles constricted and released, how their eyelids fluttered and the way their eyebrows furrowed and lips parted. It wasn't just the animal in him that needed this information; it was just in his character.

Bringing his eyes back to the rich browns of the girl who called herself Ray, Sam simply ran a hand through his hair once again, clearing his throat some before nodding at her knee and speaking softly,"You should probably take a seat. Get some ice on that." It wasn't much of a greeting or an introduction, seeing as he didn't so much as even offer if his name, but that was just how Sam worked. Motioning to one of the sofas that sat waiting in the foyer, he stepped past the girls and shot a quick wave in Nero's direction. "You two make yourselves comfortable. I'll get that ice."

Coming back a few minutes later, a small ice pack in each of his hands, Samuel didn't even bother asking where the pain resonated in either female before he hesitantly placed a cold pack on Ray's knee and Tahlia's ankle, unsure at how they would react at his touch. "That should help ease it some. I'm Sam, by the way."

Lorraine's eyes followed Sam's gaze, and she realized he was looking at them. After a moment, she coughed awkwardly and stole a glance around the hall once more, before narrowing her eyes at the man before her who had asked her to sit. She blinked. "How...?" she asked, referring to his comment about ice. How did he know she was hurt? A bit curious but more so confused, she did as he'd asked, helping Tahlia onto the sofa beside her before waiting for him to return with the ice he'd mentioned.

Once he got back, she followed his frame and knew exactly what he was about to do. Feeling the cold on her knee she bit her lip, not quite enjoying the sensation. By now she was a little bit intrigued by Sam, but more so finding him odd. "Nice guess." she smirked, referring to how he knew it was her knee that was injured.

Samuel felt the slightest flush color his cheeks as he sat back on his haunches, his fingers finding and scratching at the slight beard that was sprouting over his chin and jaw. He knew better than to put himself out there in such a way. He should have remained conspicuous. He should have poked his head out of the room, sated his curiosity, then returned to bed where he belonged and would have remained on any other day. But, these house guests sparked Samuel's interest. He wasn't accustomed to outside interaction. That is, unless you counted hunting game as socializing. It would have been fine if he would have simply acted as humans do, but instead he let the wolf that lingered under his skin get the best of him. Again.

Tapping a finger to his right temple lightly, Samuel gave a similar smirk before erecting his spine once again, turning towards the hallway. He intended to grab a shirt. Though he didn't associate with humans very often, he doubted it was polite to walk around half naked in front of a group of ladies. "Call it intuition."