#Still got to do them tail/body language refs

[pomellon]

Teeny bytham sketches for my saurian au today <3

[thecreaturecodex]

Hordling

”Hordlings” © Paizo Publishing, by Andrew Hou. Accessed at the Dungeon 124 Map and Handout Supplement here

[This is why I needed a break. The hordlings are the single highest word count entry in the Codex so far, with sixteen random appearance tables and a table for special attacks and qualities. I also got somewhat distracted during this conversion. I had three versions I was drawing reference from--the original 1e version in Monster Manual II, the 3.5 conversion in Dungeon Magazine, and my own 3.5 conversion from my high school years. In going back over the MMII, I realized how many 1e monsters are relatively obscure. So I’m going to be converting some of those. Like, maybe 50 or so when I’m all said and done.

Also, I’d love to see what some of y’all make with randomly generated hordlings. Feel free to use this post as a generator.

Edit: In the interests of saving peoples’ dashboards, I’ve moved all of the random tables behind the cut. There’s a lot of them.]

Hordling CR 5 CE Outsider (extraplanar) This humanoid horror has a motley combination of mismatched traits.

In the distant past, the daemons infected the Abyss with mortal souls, creating the demons in the process. Perhaps the hordlings are the Abyss’ revenge. Whenever a chaotic outsider dies in Abaddon, parts of its essence merge with that plane, creating a vector point that spawns hordlings—sometimes merely a single one, sometimes hundreds. Some daemons view them as pests, and seek to exterminate hordlings and purge vectors of their chaotic influence. Others see hordlings as useful, expendable minions, and press them into service. Although hordlings are immune to charm or compulsion magic, they respond well to promises of murder and treasure, and value their own hides enough to be cowed by threats.

No two hordlings look identical, but all are vicious killers. They fight amongst themselves frequently for dominance, but are more than eager to turn their violence on other creatures. No matter their shape or size, all hordlings are surprisingly stealthy, and if they sense a possible victim coming, they seek to set up an ambush. A hordling’s abilities dictate its combat style, but they are generally melee combatants. Once combat is joined, most hordlings fight to the death.

There are many types of variant hordlings. The simplest variations can be made by using the degenerate, young, giant or advanced simple templates to make larger or smaller, stronger or weaker hordlings. But hordlings with additional Hit Dice are not unknown. A hordling has one hordling ability for every 2 HD it has, and has SR equal to its CR +11. A hordling with 11 or more HD has DR 10/lawful, and one with 16 or more HD has DR 15/lawful.

Hordling Appearance No two hordlings look alike, and the following tables can be used to customize the appearance of a hordling. None of these appearances have any mechanical effect, except where noted. Feel free to add, change or delete options as you desire. See below the cut for hordling traits both with and without mechanical affects, and for base hordling stats

Overall Aspect 1—gibbering, drooling 2—glaring, menacing 3—twitching, crawling 4—wrinkled, seamed 5—flaccid, drooping 6—rotting, tattered

Head Shape 1—wedge shaped 2—conical 3—discoid 4—cubical 5—spherical 6—ovoid

Head Adornment 1—bald 2—mane 3—frills 4—lumps 5—feathers 6—horns

Ears 1—large, pointed 2—small, pointed 3—oversized, drooping 4—large, fan-like 5—human-like 6—bare holes

Eye Color 1—black 2—purple 3—metallic 4—blank white 5—red 6—yellow

Eye Type 1—bulbous, protruding 2—small, on stalks 3—large, compound 4—small, sunken 5—small, cat-like 6—large, round

Nose 1—snout-like 2—nostrils only 3—short trunk 4—large, bulbous 5—covered in warts 6—none

Mouth 1—tusked 2—small, pointed teeth 3—prominent canines 4—beak 5—crushing molars 6—proboscis

Neck 1—ruffed, frilled 2—long and slender 3—short and muscular 4—crooked, bent 5—capable of full rotation 6—none

Back 1—many-humped 2—bristly 3—spines 4—greasy 5—maned 6—vestigial wings

Tail 1—prehensile 2—stumpy 3—fan-tailed 4—forked 5—knob-ended 6—none

Arms 1—multi-jointed 2—short, thick 3—feathered 4—large, muscular 5—spindly 6—tentacle-like

Legs 1—long, thin 2—short, bowed 3—multi-jointed 4—tripod (+2 CMD vs. trip) 5—centaur-like (+4 CMD vs. trip) 6—no legs; slug or snake-like (cannot be tripped)

Hands 1—single oversized claw 2—too many fingers 3—bird-like talons 4—pincers 5—webbed fingers 6—retractable claws

Feet 1—prehensile toes 2—hoofed 3—clawed 4—webbed 5—sucker-like 6—paw-like

Body coloration 1—dark and muted 2—pale 3—garish, clashing 4—counter-shading 5—stripes or spots 6—transparent skin

Skin covering 1—chitin-covered 2—rough and scaly 3—furred 4—feathered 5—slimy and dripping 6—warty

Hordling Traits All hordlings have multiple monstrous traits—the default has three traits, but many more are possible. Roll on the following table. Duplicate rolls do not stack with each other and should be rerolled, unless the trait has an asterisk next to it 1—additional arm* 2—all-around vision 3—amphibious 4—armored* 5—barbed defense 6—breath weapon 7—clutching grasp 8— elite ability* 9— enhanced senses 10— energy resistance* 11— fortification 12— functional wings 13—gore attack 14— quick footed 15— rapid healer 16— reach attack* 17—rending claws 18—sonic aura 19—spit 20—tripping tail Additional Arm (Ex) The hordling has one additional arm, and gains an additional claw attack All-Around Vision (Ex) The hordling has eyes on the back of its head or scattered around its body. It cannot be flanked and gains a +4 racial bonus to Perception checks Amphibious (Ex) The hordling gains the ability to breathe water and a swim speed equal to its land speed Armored (Ex) The hordling gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus Barbed Defense (Ex) Any creature striking the hordling with a natural weapon, touch spell, unarmed strike or manufactured melee weapon takes piercing damage equal to 1d4+ the hordling’s Strength modifier. Weapons with the reach property do not endanger their wielders in this way. Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, the hordling can breathe a cone of gas in a 15 foot cone. Creatures in the area must succeed a Fortitude save (Con based DC) or be nauseated for 1 round and take 1d6 points of Strength damage. On a successful save, they are sickened for 1 round and take no Strength damage. This is a poison effect. Clutching Grasp (Ex) The hordling gains the grab and constrict special attacks for its claws. Its constrict deals the same damage as its claws plus 1.5 times the hordling’s Strength modifier Elite Ability (Ex) The hordling gains a +4 bonus to one of its ability scores (chosen randomly) Enhanced Senses (Ex) The hordling gains blindsense 30 ft. Energy Resistance (Ex) The hordling gains resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic damage (selected randomly). This ability can be selected five times, once for each type of energy. Fortification (Ex) The hordling has a 50% chance to treat any critical hit or sneak attack as a normal hit Functional Wings (Ex) The hordling gains a fly speed equal to twice its land speed, with average maneuverability. Gaze (Su) The hordling gains a gaze attack with the following traits; range 10 ft., Will negates (Cha based DC), stun for 1 round. This is a mind-influencing effect. Gore Attack (Ex) The hordling gains a gore attack as a primary natural weapon that deals normal damage for its size. Quick Footed (Ex) The hordling gains a +10 foot bonus to its move speed Rapid Healer (Ex) The hordling gains fast healing 5 Reach Attack (Ex) The hordling’s reach increases by +5 ft. for one of its natural weapons. This ability can be selected once per natural weapon the hordling has. Rending Claws (Ex) The hordling gains the rend special attack, dealing additional damage equal to its normal claw damage plus 1.5x Str bonus when it hits with both claws Sonic Aura (Su) The hordling emits a 10 foot radius aura that causes all creatures within it to succeed a concentration check (DC 20+ spell level) to cast a spell. Any creature in the aura must succeed a Will save (Cha based DC) or be frightened for 1d4+1 rounds. A creature that succeeds this save is immune to the fear effect, but must still concentrate in the aura. This is a sonic, mind-influencing fear effect. Spit (Ex) The hordling can spit as a standard action. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet and no range increment. On a successful hit, it deals 1d6 points of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage (select randomly) per 3 HD. Tripping Tail (Ex) The hordling gains a tail attack as a secondary natural weapon that deals normal damage for a tail slap of its size. It also gains the trip special attack with this natural weapon.

Sample Hordling              CR 5 XP 1,600 CE Medium outsider (chaos, evil, extraplanar) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +7 Defense AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural) hp 51 (6d10+18); fast healing 5 Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5 DR 5/lawful; Immune mind-influencing abilities; SR 16 Offense Speed 40 ft. Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+3), bite +10 (1d6+3) Special Attacks gaze, swarmfighting Statistics Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 13 Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 20Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claw) Skills Acrobatics +10 (+14 when jumping), Climb +10, Intimidate +8, Perception +7, Stealth +17, Swim +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth Languages Abyssal SQ hordling traits (gaze, quick feet, rapid healing) Ecology Environment any land or underground (Abaddon) Organization solitary, pair, band (3-12) or horde (13-48) Treasure standard Special Abilities Gaze (Su) range 10 ft., Will DC 14 negates, stun for 1 round. This is a mind-influencing effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Hordling Traits (Ex/Su) All hordlings have a variety of different, monstrous traits. The basic hordling has three traits, rolled on the table above. Swarmfighting (Ex) Two hordlings of the same size can fit in the same square without penalty. If they both attack the same opponent, they are treated as if they were flanking that opponent.

[natzeeab1962]

SPLITING HAIRS OVER SPLITTING BODIES

On a typical day of enduring the drudgery of professional pretense in my old workplace, I chanced upon a news item regarding acclaimed Filipino Film Director, Amable “Tikoy” Aguiluz’s aborted Manananggal Project for Hollywood. For reasons not entirely clear, the project fell through. In discussing the project’s failure to launch, Tikoy bemoaned not being able to shoot the opening scene he had already conjured. It was the Manananggal circling the Empire State Building on its way to hunting prey in the whole borough of Manhattan.

For those not in the in the know, the Manananggal, also known by its categorical name Aswang, is the stuff of Philippine goblin folklore; a creature that severs its torso from its other half (hence the label) and roams the moonlit skies hunting for nourishment. The creature usually dwells in the countryside and is believed to prey mostly on infanticipating women in their first semester. It lands on the roof of a Nipa Hut (a native shack made of indigenous materials, chief of which is Bamboo and Nipa leaves), and there slips its long forked tongue through the cracks or slats and carves out the fetus of its unsuspecting victim.  If there are no preggy moms to feast on, it makes do with its usual staple of human liver (raw and bloody, natch).

I’m not sure if it was Aguiluz’s failed attempt to put the Manananggal on the global cinematic map that got me started on my own Manananggal fauxibility. One thing for sure, the image of the creature roaming and scouring for human cuisine in a highly urbanized setting such as New York city brought me back to my childhood haunts.

In the early 70s, a tabloid report exploded about a Manananggal sowing terror in the metro. As if to amp-up the scare factor, the article went on to talk about reported victims, albeit anonymous, and the public was advised to take necessary precautions. As asinine and preposterous as that news might sound today, there were some adults who were not quick to junk it as hokum (pretty much like the Trumpbeciles who still believe their Il Douche won the election).  I chanced upon some conversations in my neighborhood, where men in their early 20s babbled about spiking a lei of garlic on their window frames as a surefire measure to make them impervious to the Manananggal’s assaults while they slept (just like vampires, the Manananggal is averse to the scent of garlic). Others bragged about their augmented arsenal of salt, ready to do damage in case the Mananggal’s abandoned half showed up somewhere (as per folklore, vast amounts of sodium spread on the creature’s abandoned trunk would inhibit it from grafting its torso back leading to its demise).

These guys were not being facetious. Most believed that the creature was not just some figment of a twisted reporter or old wives’ imagination. Some based the veracity of its existence on hearsay that the creature walked amongst us in broad daylight. They transacted business; they rode public utility vehicles; they could even act as a Good Samaritan, lending a hand to someone who might need it in the street. No one would suspect that this wolf in sheep’s skin sitting or standing next to him could be coming after him or his pregnant wife that same evening. If you were sharp enough, this was how you could spot an Aswang amongst the crowd. No ridge or groove ran across its upper lip, making that portion beneath its nose as smooth as a grazed plain.

My mom was among those who scoffed at that news. My impressionable mind though would not agree and she had her own stories to blame for why I ignored my throbbing bladder in the middle of the night just to avoid gazing at the bedroom window where the creature could just pop up.

As a young girl growing up in the province, she too, heard rumors about the Manananggal preying on their community. Those stories naturally stuck with her on those nights she was asked to run errands like fetch water in remote places. (Why her mother chose her to be the designated runner and not her three other siblings could be attributed to middle-child syndrome which deserves another story on its own. My grandma reckoned that if the creature was coming after her children, it was her third child that should be on top of the pecking order).

On those errands, my mom might have picked up some disturbing noises along the way. However, the spooky sounds failed to put a face or figure to it that would have easily brought the fear of the creature in her.  Sure, she might have felt goosey at some point but she resolved not to be subdued by fear. Instead, she looked for something lethal to defend herself. She then dared whatever was lurking in the dark to show up, ready to sling it with the hard object in her hand while pelting it with colorful language that should never come out of a kid’s mouth. The creature never showed its face. Apparently, it was averse not just to garlic and sodium but to feisty little girls with salty language. After that, she was possibly more predisposed to believe Santa slipping through the cracks of their thatched roof than the Manananggal landing on it.

She had another story though about her older brother with a not-so similar experience. While on his walk home, he sensed somebody tailing him and saw a woman in a flowing white gown with eyes as dead as the night. He scampered off, paused, bent forward, and peered between his legs, perhaps based on what he heard was a preventive measure to keep the hell hound of his tail.  What he saw next was just that; the woman had turned into a black dog snarling at him. He scurried off without looking back. The dog/woman obviously didn’t give chase as he managed to reach home unscathed. As to why, go figure.

With those memories in mind, my own little Toy Truck process got me going.  As I was plowing on, it became clear that I wanted to avoid the trap of another Spook-and-Shock-Them tale. There’s just way too much of that already in those clunky and campy Tagalog flicks. What I was gunning for, much like Coppola did for the mob genre, was fashion my Manananggal story into a family saga like The Godfather (or at least come within proximity of that).

What came of it was Jebediah Magtanggal and his tale “The Honorable Magtanggals”, the second installment of the trilogy “Heroic Fauxibilities”. Following the thematic thread that binds all three books, Jebediah is an ordinary guy thrust into extraordinary circumstances. An orphan left under a tree and adopted by a poor childless couple, Jebediah doesn’t discover his otherworldly feral nature until the age of five. When he makes his first kill, he is beset with guilt. After that, he resolves to live by the moral code to only hunt those that deserve to be chewed out of this world.

If there’s a Yin there has to be Yang, right? The Yang in this case is his own family with whom he enjoins to live by his code. However, in due time, his family wages a mutiny led by his wife. Under her influence, their children stray from their raison d’ etre by using their condemned abilities not just for nourishment but to feed a much baser instinct, that is, to use that power to subvert both the powerful and the powerless. 

Of all my babies so far, this book proved the most difficult to get in shape, despite how easily it commenced. Even when the book was ready to go to print, I was doing last minute revisions and rewrites. I wanted to insert as many why’s and wherefores while still leaving lots of room for the imagination to speculate about certain things. The time it took me to do that almost proved costly. The final version of the book almost never made it to print, partly due to my failure to advise the publisher that I was still tinkering with the manuscript. But all’s well that ends well and what eventually emerged is the story of Jebediah that I found gratifying to tell.

Did I achieve my intentions? I would like you be the judge of that. Here’s hoping you can check out my book available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Fauxibilities-Heroic-Honorable-Magtanggals/dp/1952894433/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2MUW4P631VSMN&dchild=1&keywords=the+honorable+magtanggals&qid=1607562252&sprefix=the+honorable+magtang%2Caps%2C390&sr=8-2)  and Barnes and Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fauxibilities-series-natzee-ab/1137630280?ean=9781952894435). Let me know what you think.

[tellerford-mayhem]

Americano - No Hablo su Jesus Cristo Chapter 4

Masterlist

Ship: Chibs x OC

Word Count: 2,710 Words

Synopsis: Another member of SAMCRO learns who Isa is and wants to bring it to the table. Chibs has been tasked with protecting her.

Rating: M

Warnings: Language, Sexual Innuendos, Mentions of Death and Self Harm

A/N: Here is chapter 4. I hope everyone likes it. I have a special surprised planned for chapter 5!

Her POV

She sat in her bathroom holding the razor in her left hand. She stared at the blade and the scars on her wrists as she contemplated her next move. Isa knew the pain it would cause her if she followed through, but all of her emotions had left her body, leaving her soul shriveled and stale. Her bitter view on the world led her to believe that the only way she could feel again was through self-harm. Images from the hospital and therapists’ offices flooded her memory. She knew this was wrong and she could feel real emotions again, but right now this was the only way she knew how to cope.

There was a knock at the door. “Isa?” It was Wolf. “Isa, he’s gone.”

She set the razor down and wiped her eyes. Opening the door, she looked at him with puffy eyes. He gazed past her and saw the blade, but he chose not to mention it. “I told him he was no longer welcomed here.”

“I’m sure he will listen to your warning.”

Wolf shook his head. “I'm just trying to look out for you.”

Isa walked passed him into her room; he followed. She stood, looking at her mirror where a picture of her father was. “Do you think he's telling the truth?” She asked softly.

Wolf sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Does it matter? That lifestyle is what killed your parents.”

“It does matter, Wolf! If they didn't do it, then he can help me find out who did!”

“And what are you going to do about it, Isa? Kill them? You know you can't do that!”

She could feel the heat on her face: rage. She was used to feeling this way when talking about her parents. She could never think of a memory about them where she doesn't instantly become enraged. “I think you should go now,” she said, turning to him.

“Isa…”

“Get out!” She exclaimed.

Wolf accepted defeat and left. She sat on her bed, still looking at the picture on her mirror. If Chibs was right, the last few years of her life were a lie. She felt so lost in her hatred that it became overwhelming. She passed out on her bed, clutching her Father's T-shirt, holding on to everything she loved in one single article of clothing.

Chibs POV

He returned to the clubhouse to find Jax and Tig sitting at the bar. He sat down next to him and poured a shot of Jameson, knocked it back and did another. “Rough night?” Jax asked.

He scoffed. “Ye could say tha’.”

“Where have you been?” Tig followed up.

Chibs took another shot. “With our little Native friend.”

He smiled. “Nice!” he offered his hand for a high-five.

“No’ like tha’! I tried tellin’ her about her da’.”

Jax looked down the bar at him. “We have nothing to tell her. What did you say?”

“Look, Jackie Boy, I had no choice.”

Tig took a drink and said, “What the hell are you two talking about?”

“The Chief’s niece. She thinks we killed her dad, so Chibs wants to do some digging for her.”

Tig nodded. “Can’t say that I blame you, Chibby. Go after the one with daddy issues.”

Chibs shook his head at his brother. He had a morbid sense of humor with tastes way different than his own. Despite the fact he couldn’t ignore her beauty and fiery temper that made his pants a little tight, he was not about to prey on her vulnerability. “I’m no’ interested in tha’, brother.”

He grinned. “Maybe the next time she needs a tail…”

Jax laughed. “She will cut your dick off, dude.”

“Even better,” Tig smiled.

Jax and Chibs shook their heads. Tig was off in his own little fantasy, so Chibs turned Jax and said, “Ye still haven't heard anythin’ from Otto?”

“Nah, man. He said he's asked all around, but he thinks he's got someone willing to talk from one of Darby's crew.”

“Darby?”

“Yeah. He says he wants out of the life, so he's willing to break all ties and give him any information we want.”

Chibs smiled. “Well, hopefully he's got something to say about Mateo.”

“Mateo Alvarez?” Tig came out of his trance. “Is her dad Mateo Alvarez?”

Jax’s eyes widened. “You can't say anything. We've been following her for weeks. She's not in bed with the Mayans.”

“Does Clay know?”

Jax and Chibs shared a worried look. “No.”

“This isn't good, Jax. She's one of them. She knows about our op with the Wahewa.”

“Tig, she no’ goin ta tell. I've been followin’ her for a while. She knows the consequences if she talks.”

“We gotta tell Clay, man. He should at least be aware of it.”

“Clay will kill her.”

Tig thought about it for a moment. “How do you know Otto hasn't told him?”

“Otto doesn't know the whole reason as to why we are looking into this.”

“I don't like this. I don't like keeping secrets from Clay.”

“Tig, just wait until we figure our shit out, please.”

He nodded. “Fine. But figure it out soon.” He finished his drink and walked back to the apartment in the clubhouse.

Jax turned to Chibs. “Go get her. Keep her safe.”

Chibs grabbed his kutte off the bar and briskly walked back to his bike. He just knew trying to convince her to come with him was going to be an impossible task.

Her POV

She had been asleep for about an hour when she heard the knocking at the front door. She rolled her eyes, ready to stab Wolf. Isa told him she was going to be fine and that he didn’t need to check on her, but she knew he was persistent. She pulled on some sweatpants she found on her floor and went to answer the door. In her half asleep state, she was shocked when she opened the door and saw the Scot standing there with his arms folded. “Took ye long enough, lass,” he said, letting himself in, “go pack a bag. Yer comin’ with me.”

“Like hell I am,” Isa angrily whispered.

“I’m no’ givin’ ye much of a choice. I’m doin’ it to protect ye.”

“I don’t need protection.”

He sighed and rubbed his face. “Look, someone else in the club kens who ye are. Jax wants me to keep ye safe until this blows over.”

“And what am I going to tell my family?”

“Nothin’. Call them in the mornin’ and make somethin’ up.”

She rolled her eyes, too tired to fight. “Why can’t we leave in the morning? I’m exhausted.”

“Go pack a bag, lassie.”

Isa sluggishly walked back to her room and grabbed some essentials. She grabbed a hoodie and slipped it over her pajama top. Annoyed, she threw her backpack on over her shoulder and followed Chibs out the door to his bike. She climbed on behind him and strapped his helmet to her head. “How long am I going to be in hiding? I do have a job, you know.”

“I ken. The Prospect will take ye to yer job.”

She let out an audible sigh to express her inconvenience. “Let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner I get to sleep.”

He started his bike and quickly sped away to her temporary home for the foreseeable future. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him as she rested her head on his back, allowing the wind and the sound of the road lull her into a state of hypnosis and total relaxation. Her exhaustion was getting the best of her the longer the drive took. Finally he pulled into the driveway and helped her off his bike. He had taken her back to his place to hide her. The club would not expect her to be here; they would check with Marcus first. She rubbed her eyes and looked around at the small condo. “Where am I?” She asked.

“My condo,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him and crossed your arms. “Oh no. Take me to Marcus.”

“I canna do tha’, lass. I have a pull out couch…”

“That you're going to sleep on.”

“Aye. Stay away from the windows and don’ answer the door.”

Isa leaned against the door frame. “Which way to bed?”

“End of the hall to yer right.”

She started down the hall and then turned around to face him. “Do not get any ideas. Bother me in my sleep again, and you'll be dead.”

He smiled. “I ken. I canna protect ye if I'm dead, anyway.”

She ignored his charm and headed to his room. The bed was unmade, clothes were strewn across the floor, and on the nightstand was a picture of a woman and a small child. Isa grabbed the picture and looked at her. She was a beautiful woman with dark curly hair. The little girl looked just like her mother, but held a small resemblance to Chibs as well. She was startled when she heard him clear his throat. “Sorry,” Isa said, “who is she?”

“My wife and daughter.”

“She won't mind that I'm staying…”

He shook his head. “She dinna live 'ere.” He grabbed a pillow and blanket off his bed. “She dinna give a damn what I do.”

Isa, astounded, watched him walk down the hallway to the living room. She placed the picture face down on the night stand and crawled into bed. His bed smelled like him, and in her exhausted state, it intoxicated and comforted her. For some reason, she felt completely safe with him around, and being surrounded by his scent relaxed her. It wasn’t until she heard rustling and cursing in the kitchen did she wake up. It was about nine o’clock when she rolled over to see the clock on the night stand. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun and stumbled down the hall to the sounds. Chibs was in the kitchen scraping something out of a pan into the trash. She leaned against the cabinet and folded her arms. “Problems?”

He looked at her and then back to the pan. “I’m no’ used ta hostin’ guests tha’ are still ‘ere in the mornin’.”

She laughed. “Just pour a cup of coffee. That’ll hold me over until lunch.”

He handed her a cup and sat down at the table. She watched him stretch with a slight look of pain on his face. It had clearly been a rough night for him. He looked tired and sore, so the couch was probably less than comfortable for him. Isa continued to stand and sip her coffee. “Towels?” she asked.

“Bat’room, tall cabinet.”

She finished her coffee and headed to take a shower. She tossed her clothes on the bed and wrapped herself in a towel. The warm water ran down her spine, making her feel refreshed. This was the kind of spirit medicine she needed. She let the water fall over her shoulders as she the weights she carried leave with it. When she turned the water off, that’s when she heard the bike start up and leave. She had his condo to herself. She wrapped the towel around her and slowly wandered back into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. She saw a note on the table next to her cup.

“Try no’ ta leave, please. I’ll be back later tonigh’. Ye can call yer family, but dinna tell them much. Dinna do anythin’ stupid, mo ghaol. Chibs.”

She rolled her eyes and put the note back on the table. She walked back into the bedroom with her cup of coffee and grabbed her phone. She had seven missed calls, five voicemails, and about two dozen texts. She entered her password and listened. “Isadora White Dove, where are you? Your uncle and I are worried sick. Wolf Tamer came by this morning and said he left you here last night, but when we wake up you are gone. Call me as soon as you get this!”

“White Dove, this is your aunt. Still haven’t heard from you. Call me.”

“Isa, it’s Wolf. Where did you go after I left last night? Your aunt and uncle are worried about you and have the entire tribe on the lookout. I thought I heard a bike pull up at your house last night, but I didn’t want to worry your family. Call me back when you get this.”

“White Dove, Where. Are. You? I’m calling Marcus.”

“Sobrina, why am I getting frantic phone calls from your aunt and uncle? I assured them you were fine, but they seemed worried you were taken or worse. Please call them back so they’ll stop calling here looking for you. Te amo.”

She deleted all of her voicemails and called her Aunt Dana immediately. “White Dove? Oh, thank Esa! Where are you?”

“Tsaangu beaichehku,” she said, “I’m in Charming.”

“How? Your car is here.”

“It’s a long story, Biazi, but I promise when I come home I will explain everything.”

“When will that be?”

“I’m not sure. Probably a few days.”

She heard her sigh. Isa wanted to tell her aunt, but she was afraid of what she would tell her uncles. “If I tell you, you have to swear you won’t tell Charlie or Marcus.”

“I won’t, Isa. Just tell me you’re safe.”

Isa sat down on the bed and sighed. “I’m with the Scot.”

Her aunt became silent. “Not like that! Jax told him to take me somewhere safe.”

“Why do you need to be safe? What have you done?”

“I have no idea. He just made me pack a bag and leave. You cannot tell anyone!”

“Well,” she began, “I called Marcus…”

“I am well aware. He left a message. I will call him and deal with that later, but do not tell anyone where I am.”

“I won’t Isa. Please stay safe and keep me updated.”

“I will.” She hung up the phone and sent Wolf a quick text saying one of the Mayans came to pick her up last night, because she was having a moment of weakness and needed to see her uncle.

Then she dialed Marcus’s number. “Nice to hear from you, Isadora. Where were you?”

“I ran to Charming early in the morning to get a few things for my garden.”

“I’ve never heard her so frantic, though.”

“I promise it’s all straightened out, Tio. Estoy en casa ahora.”

“Muy bien. Te hablaré más tarde, Sobrina. Te amo.”

“Te amo.” She hung up the phone and looked around for her clothes. All she had were her pajamas and a pair of work clothes. Since she wasn’t leaving, she wasn’t about to put on her jeans. Instead, she walked to Chibs’s dresser and looked for a pair of sweatpants. She found a pair and a large SAMCRO t-shirt she could slip into for comfort. After pulling her hair into a messy bun, she made her way to the living room to find some form of entertainment. If she was stuck here, she might as well make the best of it.

Chibs POV

He pulled onto the Teller-Morrow lot and saw Jax waiting for him just outside the clubhouse smoking. He parked his bike and made his way over to his VP. “Mornin’, Jackie Boy,” he said.

“How’s our friend?”

“Pissed. She dinna want ta be there. We need Otto ta press his guy.”

“I know,” Jax said before taking another drag. “He said he’d send word when he’s ready to talk.”

“If I keep her there too long, she’ll kill me.”

Jax laughed. “Find another way to keep her occupied, then.”

Chibs shook his head. “Where’s Tig?”

“He’s inside. He said he’s not going to say anything today, but we will need to watch him.”

He nodded. “I need ta be back by dinner. I dinna have any food. So unless ye want her to starve…”

“I’ll make sure you’re home.”

Clay walked out of the garage and motioned for them to follow. “Church. Now. We have intel about Zobelle and Alvarez that we need to handle.”

Jax put out his cigarette and followed him inside with Chibs close behind.