a condensation of auroral light in womanly form

Ruslan doesn't mind the dark. At least, it doesn't bother him personally. It worries him, though, not knowing what's caused it or when it will change, if ever. Whatever happened didn't affect the full moon, which is reassuring, but after nearly a week without sunshine, people are increasingly uneasy and that, that puts Ruslan on edge.

Of course, part of that might be that the people in Darrow aren't alone.

In the days after he arrived, Ruslan did as much investigating as he could, trying to unearth all the information about Darrow he could get his hands on. He'd heard about the creatures people sometimes glimpsed in odd places and rumors of another space, some other version of this place or dimension or something, just crawling with them. It all sounded kind of crazy, but not actually unbelievable, all things considered. Now he sees for himself just how real they are.

In the city, at least, they have power, and people are doing their best to go on with their lives. With the electricity working, no one seems to be having much luck convincing their bosses to give them the day off, and people still come and go, running their errands, even if most of them look unusually spooked as they do so. Ruslan wanders around, keeping an eye out for the monsters, doing his best to herd them away from the more crowded parts of town. It isn't much, but at least it feels like he's being useful. It means he has to be extra careful, though; athlete or not, he's not nearly as strong when he's fully human, and he doesn't need people seeing him half-shifted, mostly boy-shaped but with his tail and wolf ears showing, fur matching his hair. He needs to shift, though, at least partly, to hold his own in a fight.

"Never seen you in furry mode," observes a cheerfully sardonic voice, and Ruslan sighs heavily, just barely managing not to hide his face in his hands. If he had to deal with a vampire right now, he'd vastly prefer for it to have been Solon, but luck isn't on his side apparently. No, he tells himself as he turns to face Shion, better this guy than some other vampire Ruslan doesn't know. At least he can trust Shion enough to know he's not a direct threat. An annoyance, yes, but not likely to actually harm Ruslan.

( Cut for length. )

"I don't need your help," Ruslan protests, cutting himself off when he hears footsteps. "Someone's coming." His eyes wide, he looks around for somewhere to hide until he can shift back, scurrying off behind a dumpster Shion points out. He probably thinks that's hilarious, but Ruslan doesn't care. It isn't safe to be seen halfway between forms. Better to look weird, walking out from behind the garbage, than to be caught with a tail by a normal human.

[ Normal human status not required. There are a lot of weird smells, a wolf can make mistakes, okay? Feel free to tag Shion, Ruslan, or even both. It's a good time to meet or reunite with either one! Ruslan needs people and Shion is in a fantastic mood. Just let me know or make it clear who you want. For that matter, feel free to have caught sight of a fluffy tail disappearing, since Ruslan isn't currently moving at warp speed, or to be in need of a rescue. Open to anyone in Darrow at any point in the day. ]