The Devil in Yer Blood |
Summary: | Clyde is still locked up, Kathleen keeps Clifton from doing something stupid. |
Date: | 1942-04-18 |
Related: | None. |
Clinton Trail, Higsi
Tue Apr 18, 1942
High atop Iron Mountain, the dense pine forest grows wild and tall. Clinton Trail becomes a full dirt road as it forges through the woods before opening into a football-field sized clearing of bare earth. This clearing is where the logging trucks make their careful turnaround as they leave the nearby logging camp. It's also where the occasional car is parked from hikers who are exploring one of the many trails spreading out over the mountainside.
Overhead, the trees grow tall enough to block much of the sun, and a giant fire tower where the occasional logging supervisor or wilderness ranger keeps tabs on the area looms even taller. The sound of chainsaws and the rumble of heavy machinery can be heard from the logging camp in the distance, and the ground occasionally vibrates as ancient trees are fell and moved.
Weather:
It is spring. The weather is cool and overcast.
See, here's where it helps to run on one's own schedule. A self-made woman who can do what needs to be done, and take a lunch break whenever.. whereever… and for however long! Case in point: Kathleen Wright, who has been busier than a dog with two dinguses in the repair efforts following the twister. Much of her work to repair shutters, steps, treefalls… was done out of the goodness of her heart. No, Kitty ain't a glowing, loving pillar of charity; she just noticed who needed help with their homes and yards (showing preference to those who aren't all that well-off) and elected to help for free.
Sometimes money would change hands, but rarely. Kathleen loves Higsi and wants to help out. She has the tools, the skill, the time… it's her duty.
So the morning was long, hectic and deserving of an extended lunchbreak while Maddie finishes up the second half of her day in school. Kitty was driving along, encountered a one Clifton Walker, and was struck immediately by how sullen and stressed the man was. Uncharacteristically so. She did what any helpful friend would do: she invited him along for a drive. Maybe a long walk on the trail. This ended up being a visit to a more.. uh… recluse part of the Clinton trail; one of the lesser-traveled veins of the trail. And it was there, in a very secluded copse of trees and foliage, that the carpenter elected to deal with Walker's tribulations in a way that she is /incredibly/ good at. For however long it took.
Following this kind deed, Kitty is back in her roughed-up attire of a black tanktop and loose coveralls, her hair a grassy, leonine mane over her head as she nips from moonshine from a flask. Her color is high, skin chafed in spots…. she hopes that helped.
When Clifton had been walking into town, he had every intention of going to the jailhouse. Visitation or not, he had to try something! Since it was likely to only lead to more trouble for Clyde, himself and the Walkers as a whole…it is probably a good thing Kitty came across him when she did. Definitely not his normally more controlled frustration, no today he was a ball of varying emotions. All of which found a good ahem…outlet…in the recently finished activities.
Looking over to Kitty, Clifton sits on the ground and pulls on his second shoe. Seeing the chafed areas of skin and other parts where she had let him get a bit more…enthusiastic. "You sure do like it rough…" Not a complaint though! "Some balm might help…I can suggest a good brand if you like?" he smirks up at her as he pushes up to stand. Reaching forward he plucks a strand of grass from her hair.
Oh, worry not.. Kitty went as rough as that frustrated New-York-mountain-boy would have wanted to go. Clifton may have to cover up the shoulder she bit. c.c
Kathleen may not be the most gentle of women, but even she picked out 'something' about Clifton when she saw him walking up the street. Having no finger on any gossip, Kitty couldn't have known that he was off to the jailhouse to perhaps do something dumb. That would have NOT ended well. But what Kitty /did/ see in the glint of an eye, set of a jaw or clenching of a fist… Clifton was pondering /things/.
The drive out here, before parking, she could really see it in him. Originally intending for the walk, Kitty had to.. uh.. ramp it up a bit. She'll have to remember this location if he needs another 'walk' someday. The golden-eyed woman can hear Clifton putting himself back into sorts, and she can't help but grin a bit to herself. The skin that can't be seen on her body, beneath the clothing, is surely scraped up and reddened from friction in the foliage. Think she minds, though?
"Y'weren't of a mind to complain." Kathleen chuckles, and calls his bluff. "Got some balm in my truck, ifn' yer needing it." She remarks as he plucks grass out of her hair. "Now that we got th' devil out of yer blood, what's got ya so upset? Never seen ya so riled before." Kitty asks, genuinely concerned but not pushing. Clifton may be proud to see, she looks good and worn out.
Clifton looks to the ground with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck "No…definitely not complaining." With her question though he frowns, head staying lowered but eyes lifting back up to meet hers. "Honestly? I don't know…I mean I KNOW but I don't…know…" Another heavy sigh "…fuck…" before he shakes his head and raises it to look back to her "Clyde's in jail. My cousin. I don't fully know why and I don't know for how long. All I know is it doesn't look good and they aren't letting us in there to see him. I know he might have done something to earn it…but either way…it doesn't mean I have to like it or just sit by while he's in there does it?" Or does it?
The woman stretches her legs out in front of her as she leans back to sit, palms pressed into the grass. One ankle hooks over the other.. this is Kathleen's 'thinkin' pose. She tilts her chin down some, looking up at Clifton from beneath lashes as he explains to her the gist of what's got him in such a state. The anxiety and frustration is coming off of him in waves; it's enough to furrow the woman's brow a bit and warrant another deep draw from the flask. "Oh, shit.." She exhales. NOW she knows… there was just too much tension before. It took a lot of effort to loosen and expel it, and still it lingers.
All Kitty has is her family of two; but she knows and can surmise how important Clifton's family is to him, and him to them. "I can't even reckon a guess.. I don't know yer cousin well. I wish I had something for ya.." She trails off. "I work in a lot of homesteads, and hear things.. I ignore most of the gossip. Got no time for it. I guess I should have listened for some inkling, huh.."
Kathleen's lovely, angular features soften some. "That where y'were headed, when I caught ya? Y'looked like a man on a mission… hope y'weren't goin' to spring yer cousin, Clif. Wouldn't help the cause much in gettin' him out sooner."
"Honestly I have no idea what I was planning to do once I got into town…maybe I would have tried? Maybe I would have just ended up at the Gallows. Who knows…" Clifton is then sitting back down again, next to her, extending one leg out but keeping the other knee pulled towards him and resting an arm on it. His hand comes up to his mouth, Clif biting on his nail. "Don't worry about it…there's no way you could have known what to listen for and honestly…probably best that you keep your nose and ears out of it." A piece of nail is spit out ahead of him before he looks over at her "You're already risking enough of your reputation by being seen with me…let alone spying for me."
Feeling a pinch in her lower back — yeah, she had to 'contort' a bit sometimes *cough* — the woman rolls her shoulders and stretches a bit. She then reclines so that she can stretch out on her back… one can just hear the delicious 'pop' of vertabrae snapping back into place. Oh yes~
Still supine and completely relaxed in Walker's presence, it's a testament to their association that Kitty isn't all grabby and cuddly like a woman in love. Clifton is a good friend and she respects him as such… hell, even laying back with her belly exposed to a werewolf. She doesn't /know/ he's such, but hey.. details. One lean arm cranes forth to offer up the flask filled with familiar brew. Clifton now sits broodily beside her lazy bones, but he can be assured that he has her full attention still.
Arching once, Kitty is rewarded with another 'pop' in her hip. Ahhh. "As y'wish. I know it's hard, though.. if I hear anything offhanded, I'll let ya know. But I usually kick people out when I work." Kitty admits, silent as Clif spits out his bitten nail. He speaks of this reputation business and Kitty handwaves.
"Pah… should hear some of the garbage I got around me already. I'm an unmarried woman doin' man's work.. I don't keep m'self all nice like most of the birds in town. I have to keep up some level of discretion for Maddie's sake, true… but I ain't gonna ditch ya, Clif." Kitty says languidly.
Clifton watches her as she twists and pops, unable to help but chuckle a bit in amusement. "Those sounded like they felt good!" As she speaks of her own reputation though and gives her vow of loyalty…part of him wishes she would just ditch him. Before things got worse…and he knew they were bound to. It seemed to be the way of things here for their kind even moreso than New York.
"Well obviously I'm not gonna try and tell you what to do with your own life. Even if I did think I could convince you…it's not my place…but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to mention it." Clifton frowns "I also know Clyde can take care of himself…doesn't mean I'm not allowed to worry…" Even if Clyde didn't seem to like accepting help, for as much as he was ready to give it.
"I'm a big girl, Clif. Ain't gonna become some fawning bird that's of a mind to make life right for ya, thinking I can change ya." Kitty tries to reassure, "Maddie is my life, and the moment things get hot, I have t'see to her first. I hope it don't come to that point, because yer a good guy… but.." Her chiropractic work done, Kitty sits up again and rolls her neck. Crick, crick… done~
Golden-ale eyes watch Clifton again, "I thank ya for yer concern, but ya don't have to worry none about me. Looks like ya'll have a heavy weight to deal with as is. It cain't be easy… and it doesn't help to have one of yer own locked up. Yer Clyde looks likes he can mix it up if he needs to and anyone fucks with him in the jailhouse, they'll learn." Hopefully that won't happen.. in-house beatdowns would only keep him penned up longer. "Course yer gonna worry.. he's yer kin." The woman says pointedly, as if that's the most important thing in the world.
"I ain't heard nothing yet on account of my keeping up with ya. Long as we're careful, I cain't see how it'll get worse."
That's just it. Kin IS the most important thing in the world. To her and to Clif. However, with what she just said about Maddie…he knew it would be alright. "Good. Because I'm not going to lie to you, Kat. There is the real potential for shit to get hot. Several times over. As I'm sure you've noticed…me and my kin have our own knack for getting into trouble and causing talk in the town. Part of why I'm just looking for fun and nothing serious."
Clif looks right at her then though, a serious look but sincere as well, "I want to be your last priority in this damn town. We're a good fuck for each other and that's all. Maddie…she's your focus and that's how it should be. I don't care how good of a guy you think I am…WHEN it comes to that point…forget about me. I need to know you will."
What DOES Kitty know about the Walkers…? Enough; lots of the standard-issue things. Surely there have been others from the family causing some problems, beyond the three most notable visitors to town. Kitty remembers Wilber, who delivered to her Daddy; rough old bastard, him. Who knows, maybe one of the raucous folk she encountered in the bar and had words with… could have been one of them. Kitty isn't going to sit here and preach that the Walkers are good… but she won't hate on them unless given a reason.
"That was our agreement, pal, the fun with no strings. I stick to my word." Kitty says levelly to Clifton. No hysterics, no quivering features… her gaze is pointed and honest, but still with that flicker of fondness. "I ain't gonna fall in love with ya, if that's what yer worried about.. I ain't relationship material." She says again, holding up a hand to rub the back of her neck. "Ya can have my word on that too."
That said, she extends that hand to him. "Shake on it. Between fuckbuddies…. I like ya but I ain't lovin' ya." Kitty says, her gaze intense. "But ya call on me anytime ya need help. Not just the kind I gave ya in the bushes."
Clifton listens to her, before grinning and extending his hand to take hers in the shake. "Between fuckbuddies. Works for me…I'll like you just fine, but love if a four letter word…and those aren't proper around these parts after all" he says with a smirk. As for the rest of it, the calling on her if they need help, he doesn't say anything towards that. "Thanks…for today. Likelihood is you saved me from doing something really stupid that would have just made things a lot worse."
If Kitty was bothered about how 'heavy' that all was, she doesn't let on. Or maybe Kitty just isn't tremendously sensitive… oh, she /cares/, but she knows how family dynamics and reputation can play into things. She would rather give up any material object, a limb, or her /life/ for her sister… she's not saying this to pacify Walker. Something in her eyes said it, even beyond words. But she /gets/ why CLifton needs to be reassured that she will get when the getting is good, if the Walkers /really/ get into Big Trouble. All she can do is hope that he took her word, and will not worry about that on top of everything else.
"Love is overrated sometimes." Kitty admits, and says nothing more about it. She leans forward to knead her fingers into the soles of her bare feet, eyes closed to slits as she relishes the touch. "'course. As I said, y'had the look about you. Had to cool yer jets, because what good would it be to yer kin if y'were /both/ locked up." A good point. With their Alpha put away, they need to rely on one another.
"So what are ya gonna do, once we part ways? There any risk of ya gettin' up another head of steam? I'm a good lay Bag Balm but I cain't go all night." Kathleen jests.
Clifton shakes his head and looks to her "Don't worry. I'm cooled down enough…I'll probably just got back home." He laughs though "Yeah…if I managed to get myself thrown in there WITH Clyde at least he'd have something to entertain himself. Kicking my ass…"
Satisfied that Clifton won't be off to the slammer to cause a ruckus, Kathleen nods once. "Okay.." A quick nod, and she leans back a bit, then rolls forth quickly to spring back to her feet. She languishes in the feel of the earth beneath her bare soles for a moment, and moves to ferret out her socks and boots. She looks up, seeing one sock in a tree… huh. How'd that get there?
"Git on home.. this trail leads on up to where ya'll are at, huh? I gotta go get babygirl… I'll have y'know that she loved her flower prints." Kathleen says as she reaches up to pluck the sock out of the sapling, moves to put both on along with her boots. "Mind the little miss. She loves freely and she ain't understanding of the Walker business."
Clifton does smile a bit at the mention of Maddie and the prints. "Good. I'm glad…" The rest of it though just has him giving a nod "Don't worry. I'm not going to turn her away, but I'm not seeking to get her too attached either. As much as I can help it…" It was not his goal to hurt either of them.