M - The Mystery of Moonflower Mine - SouthernBelle & Pyro IC

[SouthernBelle]

Rated M for possible mature content including sex, violence. language, graphic situations, and drug use.


Sola looked over the town as they road towards it. She couldn't believe that everything that was there was there because of them. No matter how long the town was there for she was never going to get over that. They had built and nourished this place. It wasn't huge, but she liked it that way. If the town got too big then they would start having problems.

They could control the problems now. No one threatened them either. It was a silent rule of thumb that they left them alone. That they were not to be disturbed on their property. Kids would always eventually wander out there in curiosity. They had ways of scaring them off where the rumors of the things that happened to those that went on the packs property alive.

The town didn't know it was owned by a pack of Lycans though, they just knew it was owned by her and the others that lived out there. Some speculated, always in private, that they were a mix between a tribe and their lovers who were kicked out of their own tribe to start their own. Others looked at it the other way around, that it was a group of white settlers that had fallen in love with the natives and had to move away to keep from being judged.

The mix of races and people that were in her pack were too vast though for anyone to really figure out what they were. All that was for sure is that they were never anything but nice and Moonflower was theirs.

"You didn't have to come with us," Paul said to her left as he eased his horse up alongside of hers.

"I know, but I haven't come into town for a while," Sola responded as she adjusted the uncomfortable dress over her saddle. She much preferred the leather pants that she wore around their property. That was not appropriate attire in town though. It wasn't that she didn't come into town very often, it was more that she tried to avoid it unless she had to come into town. If there was a large gathering or if there was a problem that she needed to help address.

"The stage will be coming in today," Paul said looking ahead of them as they rode. "We are still waiting on hearing from the eastern pack to see if the council was initiated or not."

"Either way they will have no control over us. This is our territory and if they have an issue with that they can come and speak with me," Sola frowned. The rumors that other packs were making a council to rule them all infuriated her. What alpha would allow some other wolf to rule them. They were not humans, they were lycans.

"I know, Alpha," Paul glanced over at her. She couldn't be more pleased that Paul was her Beta. He was a rock when she needed one and he also kept her from making rash decisions. "I had Jake go out to the point to see how many people would be coming on the coach. There are only two. A man and a woman."

"Probably another couple coming out here to try their hand at finding gold." Sola shook her head.

"As they all are out here for," Paul stopped his horse alongside the general store walking over to help her down off her horse.

[Pyro]

"Boy, ain't nothin' gonna come out if you keep swingin' like a little girl."

Felix Holt sighed and let his shoulders slack. Old Jimmy Whistler meant well, but as always, his words of encouragement fell short of being genuinely encouraging. Felix had only begun working in Moonflower Mine about a week before, but already the more seasoned miners had taken to teasing him for his "soft" upbringing. It seemed only Jimmy was interested in helping, but even he didn't do much to lift Felix's spirits.

"I appreciate the advice, Jimmy," Felix said, "but perhaps I will improve with time?"

Jimmy sidled over, his bristly white beard smudged with dirt and his bright eyes twinkling amidst numerous folds of skin. Felix thought that he might be smiling, but his beard covered his mouth too fully to be sure.

"I reckon this ain't the life for you, son," the old man spoke, dropping his pickaxe to the ground with a solid thud and leaning on the handle, "There's a knack to it and you simply do not have the knack."

Felix grimaced.

"Thanks," he replied with mild sarcasm, "I suppose I ought to turn tail and scurry all the way back to Boston to be a grocer?"

Jimmy clapped him on the shoulder roughly, nearly knocking him off balance.

"Ain't nobody come to Moonflower for no reason. There's somethin' special 'bout this place. You listen good now. You listenin'?"

"I most certainly am."

"You make enough money workin' this mine to build yourself a nice house - get on out of that boarding house - and you take up work in somethin' fancy like law or medicine. Lord knows we need more of your types bringin' structure out in these parts. You know what I'm sayin'?"

Felix nodded, half listening at this point. He had heard this lecture at least once a day from Jimmy and he was tired of hearing it. Back home in Boston, he had heard the same advice from his parents and teachers. Go to university and use your smarts, they all had said. But Felix wasn't interested in a safe career, even if it ensured him a large salary and a climb up the social ladder. He wanted to live the rugged life of a frontiersman, and he had already experienced his fair share of adventure simply getting to Moonflower. He shuddered to think of his long struggle in the wilderness, and quickly shoved the memories aside any time they arose. The busier I keep, the quicker they will fade, he reminded himself, thinking back to the old proverb his mother would tell him as a child: "idle hands make the devil's work."

-------------------------

Done digging for the day with little to show for his efforts, Felix exited the mine with his fellow miners to return to town. He noticed during these times more than ever how much smaller and skinnier he was than them, and resented not fitting the image of the strong, capable man he so wished to become.

As the men made their way to the usual establishments (the saloon and the brothel most notably), Felix noticed two people walking into the general store he had not seen before. Though he had only lived in Moonflower for the greater part of a month, the town was small enough that he could at least recognize the faces of all the locals.

"Say, Jimmy," he prompted, tapping the old man's shoulder, "have you heard of any new folk coming to town?"

Jimmy followed Felix's gaze to the general store and gave a short laugh.

"Son, you're lookin' at the town founders!" he croaked, "They're not often amongst us common folk, but they sure as hell been here longer than you!"

Felix found himself staring a moment longer than was polite. He had been aware of the town founders living outside of the main area, and that they all lived in the same house - talk travels swiftly in small communities - but he had never seen them in person. The woman of the pair was young, near Felix's own age, he suspected. This was unusual, he thought, as he expected the town founders to be much older, and young women typically worked in one of the service establishments in town.

"That Sola's a pretty one, ain't she?" Jimmy commented, noticing Felix's stare, "I reckon she's spoken for. That whole family is right strange, but they keep to themselves so I keep to mine."

Felix blushed upon being caught, the rosy color spreading all the way to his ears.

"I was not...I...I need to lie down. I have had too long of a day."

He stiffly turned and walked towards the boarding house on the other side of the street, still strangely captivated by the image of Sola.

[SouthernBelle]

Sola walked into the general store and glanced around. She had a list of the items that she was needing to get for the pack. Paul stayed right at her side as the rest of the pack members that had come into town dispersed. Some went towards the tavern to catch up on any news that they may need. They would go to all the establishments but the brothel. That was the only rule that Sola had, not that she had to enforce it since a lycan would not be tempted by another that was not their mate.



“Miss Sola!” Mary Beth smiled from behind the counter. “What has it been, at least a month?”



“I’m so sorry, Miss Mary Beth,” Sola smiled as she walked over to the counter and gave the woman a hug. “It’s been crazy at the ranch. How is everything in town? You know men don’t pass on information very well. I’m lucky if I get more than a grunt to my questions.”



Mary Beth laughed, a musical laugh, as she shook her head looking at Paul. “That doesn’t surprise me. Are you here for your normal pickup?”



“Yes, and I’m going to look around and see if I can find anything special for the youngins at the ranch,” Sola smiled as she glanced around the shop. She would end up taking candy back but she liked looking around the general store. They made most of their own clothes from the hides that they got but they would get fabric for clothes to wear into town sometimes.


Paul and the men could easily get away with wearing their leather pants and shirts, it was okay for the men. But women were expected to be more feminine. They had bolts of cloth at the house, there was not a need for more.



“Do you want the same candy as always?” Miss Mary Beth smiled from behind the counter.



“Please,” she nodded as she walked to one of the shelves that had a window behind it. She glanced out it watching as some of the miners walked around the boardwalk. She caught one walking into the boarding house that was much smaller than most of the miners in the area. “I see y’all have gotten new miners coming in.”



“Oh you know how they come in all the time. Just depends on how long they will stick around,” Mary Beth replied. “We got one about a month ago that is like a twig. He’s sweet, super sweet, but he’s not a miner.”



“He’s made it a month though, got to give him credit for that.” Paul said as he picked up a box carrying it out towards the buckboard one of the other pack members had driven out and left in front of the general store.



“That’s true,” Mary Beth nodded. Once Paul was out the front door with the box she turned her attention back to Sola. “Please tell me you have more of the tincture that you brought me last time.”



“Is your stomach still giving you problems?” Sola furrowed her eyebrows as she walked over to the counter.



“Not as much, but I ran out. That’s the only thing that stops it when it does happen,” Mary Beth replied tying off the bags of candy.



“I don’t have any on me, but I will have someone run some in to you,” Sola smiled. She should’ve known to bring some with her. She had become sort of a medicine woman, but it was only hush hush. She didn’t need anyone rushing out to get her.



“Thank you, I rather you do it but I really just need some more.” Mary Beth smiled. Paul walked back in the store and she handed Sola the candy. “That is the last of everything.”



“Thank you so much, I’ll let Paul settle up with you,” she glanced over at Paul. “I’ll meet you over at the café.”



“Sounds good.” Paul nodded following Mary Beth to the register. Sola made her way across the street to the café that was attached to the boarding house. Slowly the rest of her pack would gather there before they headed out.

[Pyro]

Felix sank back in the warm water of the tub, the heat soothing his aching muscles. He counted himself lucky that his room contained a bathtub, as not all in the boarding house did, and that he did not require the use of the communal washroom behind the building with the outhouses. He suspected that since he was able to afford a slightly higher rent than many others who used the boarding house, a private bath was included. His first hot bath since leaving Boston almost three years ago, one month prior to now, was nothing short of magical for Felix, though his new scars felt the water differently than the rest of him - something he wasn't sure he would ever get used to.

"Alright, that is quite enough of that," Felix announced to no one, jolting himself out of his thoughts and hoisting himself out of the tub, "Clean enough to get dirty again, as they say. Who says that anyhow?"

He dried himself quickly, focusing on the motions rather than what his mind wished to show him, and dressed in his nicer evening clothes, the ones too casual for a night on the town back home, but too posh to wear in the mine. I wonder what sort of creature Maude has cooked into a stew tonight, Felix thought with a chuckle, imagining the landlady (and self-proclaimed chef) of the boarding house chasing an opossum with a cleaver and a stewpot.

Felix headed downstairs from his room to the attached dining room, relaxing at the sound of a full house chatting and laughing with one another. The noise reminded him of the busy city life he left behind, and it was a welcome nostalgia. He found Maude, the middle aged landlady whose hips often struggled to squeeze through the narrower doorways, bustling about the room taking orders instead of delegating work like everyone told her to, and approached her with a warm smile.

"Evening, Ms. Maude," he greeted, "What delights have you prepared for us tonight?"

Maude scowled in his direction - her unique way of saying 'hello'.

"Your rear end was on the menu, but it ain't enough meat to feed my dogs let alone half the damn town," she teased, her face and tone sour, but Felix knew by now she meant no ill will.

"I'll find myself a place out of the way then?" he asked, gesturing towards the far wall. Maude nodded and waved dismissively, waddling back to the kitchen. Felix found a small, empty table on the far wall and seated himself with his chair facing at a slight outward angle so he could watch the growing crowd. Finally, for the first time since he had decided to leave Boston those many years ago, he was beginning to feel almost at home in this odd little town.

Almost...

[SouthernBelle]

Sola sipped on her cup of coffee as she watched people come and go from the cafe. A part of her missed the bustle of the town. Watching as everyone moved about their lives. She ignored the few looks that she got, there was always some talk when she came in town. She didn't mind though.

"You decided on what you're gonna wanna eat?" Ms. Maude asked putting her hands on her hips and making Sola smile a little.

"I don't know, there are just so many options to choose from," Sola responded making Ms. Maude crack a smile.

"Girlie, you ought to make your brothers bring you in town more often," Maude glanced around the cafe. "Where are those scoundrels anyway?"

"You know them, when we come in to town they all scatter. They'll be here eventually," Sola glanced towards the door as Paul walked in right on que.

"Ms Maude," he nodded his head as he sat down next to Sola.

"I'll go get you some coffee. How many of ya came into town this time?" Maude asked raising one eyebrow. Sola knew that Maude got in on the gossip just as bad as some of the other town folk, but she like the older lady.

"Trent and Braxton will be the only ones joining us." Paul responded as he leaned back a little in his chair his eyes scanning the room.

Where did Alex and Carson go? Sola asked him as Maude walked away. Their telepathic link keeping anyone from hearing.

Alex heard about something happening in the mine today that he went to go check out, Carson is over at the tavern and probably will be til dark. Paul smirked a little. I'm telling you that waitress over there is his mate. Give it a few more days and we'll have to bring her out to the territory.

You think she'll go for that? Sola frowned not amused with the fact that Paul thought this was funny. It was a serious thing for one of her pack to be mated to a human. If that was the case they would have to expose what they were eventually to the human, and that was if they had the same feelings for the pack member. Mate or not she would not force someone into their lives. Even if changing the human would make it blatantly obvious who they were meant to be with.

That's why he's over there, he's...what is the word he used...wearing her down. Paul rolled his neck a little. I don't think we'll have to go to any drastic measures for this one though. You should see the way she looks at him when he's not looking.

I would see if I could go in the tavern. Sola responded. She didn't like not having access to everything.

Not proper for a woman, and we don't want anyone seeing you as anything but. Paul responded. She knew he was right, which is why she wouldn't go to the tavern. But the Alpha in her loathed the thought. She had to follow human rules in the town, to a point.

[Pyro]

Soon after he had sat down, Maude had sent her son out with Felix's dinner, which produced a heavenly aroma of vegetables and some sort of meat (he could never be sure of where the meat came from). As expected, it was a stew, and Felix was all too content to dig right in, his stomach grateful to be filled. He ate quietly, listening to the various conversations he could make out in the room. Most talked about the day's activities, the news of the town, comments on Maude's questionable but delicious cooking...Felix wondered if he should join any of these discussions. He longed for friends, as he had still made none so far (unless one counted Jimmy, but Felix really only saw the old man during mine operation hours), but he was far too shy to approach anyone in such a bold manner. He knew from his social situation in Boston that if he spoke with too much vigor and frequency, the less liked he became and by fewer people. His father had always said that Felix was prone to becoming overexcited and should "dry up once in a while" if he wanted anyone to not tire of his presence.

Across the room, Felix's loneliness was muted by an argument between two well known troublemakers: John Sanderson and Joel Hatch. The pair were often the culprits of any brawls that occurred here or across the way at the saloon, and were possibly the most frequent customers of the brothel; all in all, unsavory characters who got along with hardly a soul in town. Still, they were considered mostly harmless, albeit a bit rowdy. Despite their quarrel growing more heated by the second, Sanderson and Hatch were the best of friends, and never seriously injured each other whenever they would come to blows.

Felix found himself drowning out the sounds around him as he slipped deeper into his own thoughts, the old sadness of having no one to share in friendly conversation with more depth than simple small talk creeping up on him as the world faded to a low buzz in the background. Against his will, a tiny memory of a hollowed out tree and blood in the snow materialized in this mind...and suddenly Felix felt quite ill.

Leaving a portion of stew in his bowl, Felix rose stiffly from the table and turned toward the stairs. He barely noticed the crowd of people in the dining room in his current state, and all he could think of was to return to his room. His legs numb, he awkwardly staggered across the room to the staircase, but in his haze he did not possess the reaction time to avoid a chair knocked backwards by Hatch. Felix's foot caught the leg of the chair and he tumbled to the floor, drawing the attention of nearby diners. Struggling to regain some clarity, Felix was taken by surprise to be hoisted to his feet by the two troublemakers.

"I said, 'watch where you're goin''," Hatch snarled, holding fistfuls of Felix's shirt as he leaned uncomfortably close to his face, "you good-fer-nuthin' yank!"

Sanderson joined the harassment by pulling the back of Felix's shirt, forcing him to stumble backwards.

"Lily-livered betties like you ain't wanted 'round here," he jeered, "Ain't got no spunk, no spine, and no place in a real man's world."

By this point, some of the other guests had stopped talking amongst themselves and were fully attentive to the scene before them, yet no one intervened.

"Hey, Sandy," Hatch instigated, "What you wanna bet me that this scrawny little nuthin' ain't never had a woman?"

Sanderson laughed and shoved Felix back down onto the floor.

"That ain't a fair bet!"

Meanwhile, Felix was using all of his concentration to resist both the memory of the tree and the urge to vomit. He knew he should try to escape to his room, but he could not will his body to obey him. His breath was short and shallow, his back and forehead clammy, and his hands trembled, unable to steady themselves completely. He heard Maude's voice yelling something, but he could not make out the words. He had fallen victim yet again to the far away place in his head.

[SouthernBelle]

Sola heard a commotion on the other side of the restaurant looking up and spotting the smaller miner she had seen earlier hoisted up by the towns two trouble makers. The miner was white as a sheet and looked like he was about to be sick.



Come on, kid, stand up for yourself, Paul’s voice sounded aggravated. She felt the same way though. He would never survive out here if he didn’t stand up for himself. The miners would eat him alive. It was hard to watch though, Sola didn’t like watching anyone being picked on. Especially when it was an unfair fight.



After a few moments of no one stepping in Sola stood up and glanced at Paul who was instantly beside her as she moved through the now crowded dining room. She reached the three just in time to clearly hear the bet that Hatch threw out to Sanderson. She cleared her throat as she crossed her arms.



“I feel like a comment such as that should not be said in an establishment such as this, seeing as there are many women and children here,” she said as she looked between both Hatch and Sanderson. “Ms. Maude is also owed a lot more respect then what you are showing her at the moment. So, I kindly ask that you unhand this young man and either sit down and finish your meal or leave.”



“Why…”Hatch started and Sola felt Paul take a step forward. “Yes, Ma’am.”



The dropped the young miner and quickly sat back down at their table their heads down as Paul walked over to the young miner and pulled him up supporting his weight as Ms. Maude reached them her look of pure fury on her face as she eyed the two trouble makers.



“What room is his?” Paul asked glancing at Ms. Maude and then at Sola who was looking the young miner over. She couldn’t smell any poison or infection in him. It had to be nerves or something of the sort.



“203,” Ms. Maude replied as she shook her head looking over at the trouble makers. “You two best finish your food and get.”



Sola moved towards the boarding house doorway Paul following behind her. Once they got out of the café and into the boarding house lobby she slowed and looked at the man that Paul was supporting.



“Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?” she asked again trying to sense what was wrong with him.

[Pyro]

Felix felt more coherence returning as he was helped out of the room. He could not bring himself to make eye contact with Sola, but he also did not wish to be rude.

"'m fine..." he mumbled, sliding away from the man who supported his weight, "Overtired, I suspect."

He shuffled away towards the stairs, only turning back once he had reached them and could feel the sturdy wood beneath his hands.

"Thank you," he said softly. He wanted to say more, to be on good terms with the founders, but his current state would not allow for further discussion. He climbed the stairs carefully, his legs threatening to give way at any moment, but he soon made it to his room on the top floor. The lurching in his stomach could not be contained any longer, and Felix stumbled hurriedly to the small bucket he kept in the corner of the room, violently expunging the dinner he had just eaten. Fortunately, it seemed one retch was enough to purge everything, but he still dry heaved for several long moments until the wave of nausea passed.

Felix groaned as he sat on the floor with the bucket, leaning his weight against the bedpost. The vomiting had chased the memories away for the time being, but he knew they would eventually return. As long as he bore the scars of that night, he would carry the fear and desperation that came with them. He shuddered, partly from the chill that came after sickness, partly from the thought that he would never be free of that one encounter, months gone now.

"I lost it back there in the wilds," he reminded himself as firmly as he could force his voice to be, "I am safe here in Moonflower."

---------------------------------------

Meanwhile, just outside of town, a sinister shadow began creeping towards the mine, and a cool breeze trickled in behind it...

[SouthernBelle]

When the young miner moved up the stairs Sola glanced over at Paul. Something didn't seem right but she wasn't going to push it. If he needed help he would ask for it, or should at least.

"Alex should be back from the mine by now," Sola said as they moved back into the diner and sat down at their table. She picked up the cup of coffee that she had and took a sip of it.

He said he caught scent of something, he isn't sure what it is, Paul replied as he glanced up seeing Carson walk in. I hope that's not a bad sign.

"I hope that smile on your face is a good sign," Sola smiled when Carson got closer to them. He was beaming. She could tell that what he felt for this woman was real and no matter who she was he would love her all the same.

"I convinced her to take a ride with me out to the homestead," Carson beamed as he plopped down. "You're gonna love her, Sola, I just know you are."

"If she makes one of my family happy that is all that matters," she replied glancing towards the door. Something made her worry about Alex. Something just wasn't right. "Paul, reach out to Alex, tell him to drop what he's doing and get here."

"Got a feeling?" Paul scrunched his eyebrows together. She just nodded as she picked her cup up again. Something wasn't right.

Ten minutes later Alex walked into the cafe and sat down next to Sola a grim look on his face. She didn't like that.

Found a miner, dead, Alex said so they could all hear. They'll find him come morning, I didn't leave any trace I was there. But, Alpha, I don't think it was human that killed him.

Why do you say that? what was killing her town folk? The people of this town might as well be a part of her pack.

It was a vicious attack, and I mean vicious. Looks like a knife attack, but it doesn't smell like it. There isn't a scent of another human on him. You know the smell of the attacker should be there, but there wasn't anything.

Let's get back to the territory. Alex, post up just out of town. I want to know if you spot anything the second you spot it. Do not go after it until you have backup if you do see something do you understand?

Yes, Alpha. Alex got up and quickly left the cafe.

"Let's get home," Paul finished off his coffee and gave Sola a hand up. They had some digging to do and that was best done in wolf form. Least if it was possibly something that was not human.

[Pyro]

The following morning arrived quicker than Felix would have wanted, still feeling unwell from the night before. His night had been a restless one, constantly sensing a presence that could not be seen, and what little amounts of sleep he did get were shadowed with uneasy dreams that left him more anxious than if he had stayed awake. The worry that what he had left behind in the woods of the north had followed him to Moonflower plagued him like an insect that always flew just out of sight whenever it was about to be swatted.

For the first week or so of moving in, Felix had tried to pretend that his encounter in the woods was a horrible nightmare, that it did not truly happen. But in the days that followed, he found himself transfixed by the scars on his legs and abdomen, if not for their prominent appearance, for the persistent ache that weakened his muscles and only seemed to fade when he acknowledged that the encounter was real.

The creature did exist.

Since then, however, he had been doing his best not to think about it. The less he thought about it, the calmer and more adjusted to western life he became. Occasionally, as was true with the previous evening, Felix experienced flashbacks and would need to retreat to his room to recuperate, but none had been as severe as this most recent episode. He feared his condition may be growing worse, but could not fathom a way to remedy it.

---------------------------------

Felix dressed and made his way downstairs, his head swimming and his throat parched. Entering the main hall of the boarding house, the few residents lingering there paused their individual conversations and continued in hushed tones once Felix passed into the dining hall. Felix did not consider this wholly bizarre, knowing how much of a scene was made on his behalf last night. He instead found Maude, who was furiously scrubbing a table with a discolored rag, her back to him.

"Morning, Ms. Maude," he greeted, his voice raspy from dehydration and a vomit sore throat, "How are we today?"

Maude gave a start and wheeled around, clutching a hand over her chest.

"Good lord, Felix!" she cried, "You gave me a fright!"

"Terribly sorry, ma'am," Felix replied, a small frown forming, "I meant no offense."

Maude shook her head and tucked her rag into the belt of her apron.

"Whole town's on edge this morning," she explained, "You've been asleep longer than your usual, probably on account of that stomach bug, so you missed the news."

"What news?"

Maude leaned in close, though the whole town already knew the news she was about to share.

"Murder!" she whispered, "The miners found a man dead this morn in the shaft. Stabbed more'n a potato set for roastin'. No one knows whodunnit neither."

Felix felt a small surge of unease at the news. Nothing worse than a few mild brawls had occurred since he'd moved here, and from what he understood, that had been the extent of violence since the founding of the town.

"Dear God!" he breathed, steadying himself on a nearby table, "Who could have done such a thing?"

---------------------------------

The shadow that had crept into Moonflower Mine left a noticeable chill, and it began to stretch towards the main part of town...