August 28th, 2002 -
Moot
Glade
The
trail is thick with underbrush and sheltered from view by large rocks and the
cliff face that it winds down around. Reaching the bottom, it widens to lead
into a bare clearing, hidden under the outward jut of the cliff, and the ring of
ancient trees that surround it. In season, a carpet of wildflowers and lush
green grass liven the earth with color, in winter, the snow is always a pristine
white.
In the center of the meadow is a large patch
of packed earth. About ten to twenty medium-sized boulders ring this area,
creating a kind of dirt auditorium. In the dead center of this auditorium is a
circle of small stones, which form a kind of speaker's circle. To the south,
formed by underground runover from the lake, a shallow pool of clear water
sparkles in the light. The water is good to drink, though it is too shallow to
really enjoy for a dip. A tall, smooth white stone rises up from the middle of
this pool.
~*~+view is available
here~*~
Contents:
Gerald
Jeff
Maddy
Min
Hole
Whispering
Winds
Obvious
exits:
Overlook
Jeff nods once and glances to Min. "The talen
for Maddy. It's made, I just need to fashion it." He turns back to Maddy. "There
are some rules you'll have to follow, Mad. I'll get into that when it's
done."
Gerald stirs a little, then sits up,
rubbing his eyes blearily. People. Huh. He gets up and wanders over to the rest
before dropping down to sit on the ground. He grunts by way of
greeting.
Min is standing near the fire looking
sweaty and holding an empty water canteen. "Is this so the spirits will not
enter her freely?" she asks, raising her eyebrows. She looks over at Gerald.
"There's a hammock, Gerald-rhya, probably better for your
back."
Dylan makes his way down the trail,
shoulders hunched against the chill air, his steps hurried. He glances around
the caern as he heads straight for the overhang, smiling faintly as he nods to
those that are gathered.
Jeff shrugs. "It's to
protect her from that. Whether it will succeed is up to the spirit I've bound,
but it will buy us time and offer warning."
Maddy
seems wide awake now, and nervous. One leg starts a sewing machine needle
movement. "Okay... Uh. Okay."
Jenna comes down
the trail.
Jenna has
arrived.
Gerald grumbles, "Hammocks are for
wimps. I'm mighty." It might be more convincing if the last word didn't break
off into a huge yawn.
Jenna heads down the path
toward the open area.
Maddy glances at Dylan,
then gives Jenna a slightly surprised smile. "Thought you weren't coming...
hey." She stands and gives the younger girl a
hug.
Dark Wolf has
arrived.
Dark Wolf shimmers and
appears.
Jenna smiles to Maddy as she returns the
hug. "Some things have been taken care of," she answers Maddy
quietly.
Min pauses for a moment, getting a space
cadet look in her eye, then blinks and looks around. She nods with approval at
Jeff. "It's a start at least," she says with a leery grin, nodding in Maddy's
direction.
Jeff chuckles. "I do hope
so."
Once he reaches the overhang, Dylan proceeds
to take off his clothes. Or rather, proceeds to take off the fleece that covers
his upper body and the t-shirt beneath it, revealing the blue glyphs painted
across his upper body and the massive scar that remains at his right shoulder.
He kicks off his shoes, his shivering picking up
quickly.
Maddy nods, eyeing Jena
curiously.
Dark Wolf steps from the shadow, wisps
of webbing melting away from her body as she takes a moment to look around and
see who's here. With a satisfied growl she begins to shift to a more
conversational form, muscles and bones popping as she rises up and takes the
homid shape.
Maddy wanders over to Jeff, looking
him over curiously. "So.. can I see it? The
thing?"
Min heads over to her hammock with a nod
to Ocean and Dylan when they arrive and sits in it out of the way. Too much
talking makes Min go something something.
Jenna
smiles to Maddy as she wanders off, her glance then finally takes itself around
the Caern to the others. A flicker of a gaze over Dylan's scar and the glyphs
before it returns to the center. "Evening,
all."
Jeff shakes his head. "It's at home, but
maybe afterwards."
Dylan arches his back, a soft
cracking sound rising up it before he twists from side to side. With a great
sigh he turns to face the caern once more, a faint smile on his lips as he nods
to Jenna. He starts torwards the center of the caern, arms crossed over his
chest as a very ineffective ward against the
cold.
Maddy perches on the rock next to Jeff,
glancing at him as if she wants to make sure he doesn't disappear or die
horribly before this magic Answer to All Her Problems is revealed. She does
spare enough time to take in the rest of those gathered, giving Gerald a
smile.
Gerald peers blearily at Maddy. "What."
All sleep and no coffee makes Gerald go something so- er,
yeah.
Dee comes down the
trail.
Dee has
arrived.
Dee makes her way carefully in. If she's
tired from the hike, it doesn't significantly
show.
Glances once to Gerald as she makes her way
to an area nearby. She doesn't say much, nodding to him in respect before
settling down and keeping away from most of those
assembled.
Ocean smiles and nods at Min and looks
over at Dylan, eyeing the glphs on his chest with interest. She grins with
genuine warmth, gibbous moon beating her with the angry stick or no.
"Gerald-rhya. It's good to see you here, and in one
piece."
A small bandage can be seen on Dylan's
lower left back as he crouches near the pool of water. He cups his hands,
reaching for the pool then lifting a handfull of the water to
sip.
Gerald takes a deep breath, then outdoes
himself by mustering up words. "Hey. Good to see you
all."
Jeff nods to Gerald. "And you, rhya. Been a
while."
Tsukikage comes down the
trail.
Tsukikage has
arrived.
Dee just looked at
you.
Ocean glance up as the alpha enters and dips
her head respectfully.
Tsukikage hikes down the
trail into the caern. Aside from the traditional clothes which she often seems
to wear at moots, you might notice that her normally red-streaked hair has
changed to blue.
Dee finishes making her way in
in time to get out of Tsukikage's way. What a relief, how convenient. Eventually
noticing who trailed in after her, she bows deeply but does not yet speak to
anyone.
Jenna turns a gaze from the assembled to
smile to Dee as she enters and then beyond to Tsukikage, a bit of a blink at the
color change of her hair. She nods toward her in respect as
well.
Dylan stands slowly, the shivering making
it's way to his teeth now as they chatter a bit. Finally he gives up on this
form, his body growing and filling out with fur and muscle as he assumes his
warform.
Jeff doesn't say a word. Things are
about to get started, clearly.
Tsukikage smiles
and bows to everyone present, offering small nods to all those gathered and
heads further towards the center of the
caern.
Jenna just looked at
you.
Maddy raises her voice. "Uh, anyone with a
cel phone, I'd strongly suggest turning it off. I'll explain later, when
everyone's here."
The small bandage rips away as
Fire's-Promise assumes his warform, the wound hardly visible beneath all that
fur. As he sees his alpha has arrived his brow rises at the change of hair color
just before he bows his head respectfully.
Jenna
turns her phone off.
Jeff doesn't seem to have
brought his, but nods.
Ocean shrugs and heads for
the hole to make sure her stashed phone is turned
off.
Tsukikage glances down and takes out her red
cellphone, considering it for a moment with a slight frown, then turns it
off.
Min rises to her feet and heads over towards
the fire again, bowing her head towards Tsukikage with respect. She folds her
arms and takes on a silent bouncer stance.
Dee
doesn't seem to give Maddy's words great weight at the moment. If she has a
phone, perhaps it is already turned off; she appears greatly
unconcerned.
Leo comes down the
trail.
Leo has
arrived.
Ocean turns her leopard-printed phone
off and jams the thing in one of her coat pockets. She covers the hole back up
and moves to join the others.
Fire's-Promise's
arms remain crossed as he glances around the caern at all the different
groupings of people. Catching sight of Ocean he makes his way over torwars
her.
Leo strides in, carrying with him a certain
aura of confidance, perhaps even overconfidance, his dark coat wrapped around
him in the air. He scans the area as he steps in, as if finding this place
again, noting it's changes.
Tsukikage looks
around the group and steps to the center. "Well it look like most of us are
here. I would like to call a start to the moot." She glances around the group,
"First, have everyone here been formally introduced to one
another?"
Min nods her head respectfully to Leo
as he enters, keeping her arms folded and bouncer status intact, then focusing
intently on whoever speaks from here on
in.
Gerald looks around, nodding absently as he
says, "Yeah, I recognize all these ugly
mugs."
Ocean unbuttons her coat and glances
around, nodding once to Dylan as he approaches. She wipes the last lingering
traces of blood from her mouth as Tsukikage speaks, and darts a quick look
around. Nope, no strangers here.
Dee turns her
eyes once more about those gathered, then she inclined her head towards
Tsukikage in a respectful acknowledgement that apparently alos serves as a
polite version of Gerald's observation.
Jeff
scans the crowd and shakes his head, as
well.
Fire's-Promise glances back as he nears
Ocean, nodding the affirmative to Tsukikage's question. Turning back on Ocean he
raises an eyebrow at the blood on her mouth, not bothering to voice the question
now that the moot has begun.
Maddy brings her
knees to her chest, wrapping her arms loosely around them and resting her chin.
She's perched next to Jeff on one of the many
rocks.
Tsukikage glances around then smiles,
"Hai." She also looks over towards Ocean, though perhaps not minding the blood.
"Ocean, gibbous moon, would you take honor of leading the Opening Howl?" With
that she steps back away from the center and motions for everyone to form a
circle. Slowly, her form begins to shimmer and blur as she shifts to
crinos.
Irma comes down the
trail.
Irma has
arrived.
Jenna rises and moves in closer to form
the circle, settling in near Gerald and/or
Irma.
Fire's-Promise's attention falls back to
Ocean, the nearest thing to a smile and a look of approval on his lupine
features. He then looks back to his alpha.
Jeff
grunts, patting Maddy's leg as he hops off the rock, shifting
mid-stride.
Leo gives Min a respectful nod in
return before moving a bit inwards. At the call of the Opening Howl he moves to
shift as well, glancing to his alpha with a nod and a faint grin on seeing the
color of the streak in her
hair.
Howls-for-the-Lost bows her head
respectfully and flows smoothly in the war-form. She throws back her
black-furred and howls, her clear, booming voice echoing off the stones and the
hillside, announcing the opening of the moot.
Dee
draws slowly closer to the sloppy suggestion of a circle; the only truly
revealing motion or expression she yet makes, though her polite detachment is
yet informed by deep respect.
Crane Shadow adds
her howl to the song, it's high pitched timber letting lose pent up energy. It's
notes are tinged with pride and
confidence.
WalksOnWater adds his howl, a low
toned thing, touched with
weariness.
Fire's-Promise follows
Howls-for-the-Lost's example, lowering himself to his knees as he throws his
head back, letting out a long, eery and beautiful
howl.
Plots-Silently joins in, a bit unsteadily
(though it's hard to *really* mess up a howl), but throaty and
pitched.
LightningWalker's howl is low and
rumbly, like the scattered sound of a thunderstorm approaching. But it does not
add much beauty to the opening howl.
Moirai's
Wrath shifts into her war form also, lifting her head with pride as she joins in
with a howl, though not haunting or lovely, at least she's
enthusiastic.
Crane Shadow weaves her song
throughout the howls, then lets her voice fade as others
do.
Dee remains silent but interested; perhaps it
doesn't go entirely unnoticed that her glance goes to Maddy and then to Jenna
before she clearly makes the confident decision to be
mute.
Fire's-Promise eventually allows his howl
to fade, letting it echo about the
glade.
Howls-for-the-Lost song begins taper and
fade, eventually falling silent as the moot
begins.
LightningWalker lets his howl drift off,
then, as soon as it's done, he very businesslike shifts back to his
breedform.
Plots-Silently follows the lead,
quieting down.
Jeff returns to his own breed
form, sitting back down near Maddy.
Gerald lets
his howl taper, too. Then shifts back into homid. Then puts on his clothes.
Quickly.
Fire's-Promise stands slowly, remaining
in his warform. He glances to Howls-for-the-Lost briefly before turning his
attention back to Crane Shadow.
Maddy
uncharacteristically does not leer at Gerald as he dresses, rather glances at
Jeff before turning her attention back to
Tsuki.
Jenna turns her head away from her Elder,
but a smile flickers across her lips.
Moirai's
Wrath's howl cuts off abruptly and she remains in her warform, dark eyes moving
past the light of the fire to keep an eye on the place with usual
paranoia.
Howls-for-the-Lost growls fiercely as
the last notes of the howl fade away, and shifts back to her
birthform.
Crane Shadow grins toothily to those
gathered then steps forwards a bit again. She looks up towards Luna, then back
to the ground and holds out her arms. ~Now we offer what we can to this sacred
ground. To Unicorn, and her guardians, Bear.~ She steps forward and faces the
East, raising up her arms,
~Hear me spirits of
the East, Power of Air, we call on you, Starseeker, Whirlwind, Rising Sun, Come!
By air that is your breath, send forth your light, be here now...~ She pauses,
then turns to the North, ~Spirits of North, Power of Fire, we call on you.
Flaming one, summer warmth, Spark of life. By Fire that is your spirit, send
forth your flame, be here now...~ She then pauses again and turns to the West,
~Spirits of the West, Power of Water, we call on you. You of the watery abyss,
Unicorn, Rainmakers, Grey-Robed twilight, Evening star...Luna. Come! By waters
of your life, send forth your flow, be here now...~ She pauses again a little
longer then faces South, ~Spirit of the South! Power of Gaia, Lady of Life,
Southern Sky, center of all... Stone, Mountain, Fertile Field. Come! By earth
that is your body, Send forth your strength! Be here now!~ Crane Shadow's form
shimmers for a moment, as a faint light coalesces around her. She opens her arms
to the caern as energy flows from her.
Leo lowers
his head, collecting himself quietly. The shadows seem to move slightly around
him, though that could be a trick of the eye, and then bleed away, into the
ground of the caern.
Fire's-Promise nods slowly
as Tsukikage begins the ritual, lowering himself to a crouch. He lowers one hand
to the earth, long clawed fingers spread wide, his eyes closing. Concentrating,
a blue glow begins beneath his fur, the glyphs painted there seeming to expel
the energy. It rolls over his form like liquid, finding it's way down his arm
and into the earth.
Jeff lowers his hands to the
rock he's using as a perch, scowling perhaps a bit too hard. The rock does seem
to glow slightly, but the whole affair seems to leave him utterly exhausting,
slumping forward.
Maddy's eyes widen and she goes
to steady him with a whispered, "You okay?"
Jeff
doesn't respond, just nodding with a pathetic little
cough.
Crane Shadow lets out a relieved sigh,
then glances to Maddy, Jenna and Dee and slowly begins to the shift back to her
human form.
Jenna stands in silence near the pool
of water as she watches the caern almost glow and come alive with the energy
being fed into the deep recesses of the ground. Her eyes seem fixed on Crane
Shadow as she stands in the center, her own being
unmoving.
Dee's stance is respectful and a bit
detached, as if well aware of the general idea of what's going on but utterly
unaware of the small details she may not be able to
sense.
Fire's-Promise shivers softly as the last
of the blue energy enters the earth. Inhaling deeply, his eyes open once more.
He stands to watch the Alpha once more.
Ocean
touches the earth near the base of the standing stones. Dry, hot wind gathers
around her as she concentrates fiercely on the ground, and flows down her arm
and into the waiting earth.
Tsukikage steps into
the very middle again and looks around. "Before we move on with business I have
announcement I wish make. I recently again travel to Utah and challenge an elder
there, Thunder from Mountain, for the rank of Adren." She stands up a bit
straighter with a crooked grin, then winces as she favors her right leg for a
moment, and clears her throat, "I pass his challenge and he bestow upon me the
third rank."
Maddy nods to Tsuki, impressed.
"Congratulations."
Fire's-Promise's eyes widen at
the announcement, his lips curling back in a wolfy
smile.
Jenna does a doubletake to the Alpha. Her
smiles widens and she bows her head toward the small woman in
respect.
Maddy adds a quick "Rhya," with a
glances at Min.
Leo looks unsurprised, but
obviously pleased. He lifts his chin to her, a triumphant look, but also flashes
her a look.
Dee smiles a bit but seems utterlu
unsurprised, dipping briefly into a deep bow in Tsukikage's
direction.
Jeff bows his head, but doesn't say
anything. Twice as bad to mouth off to an
Adren.
Ocean looks quite starled and grins widely
at the sept alpha, completely dleighted at the
news.
Tsukikage bows forward a bit with a grin,
then looks over to Leo, "You also wish to speak,
Rio?"
Moirai's Wrath's eyes dart to Maddy and she
grunts softly with acknowledgement, then bows her head respectfully to
Tsukikage.
Leo nods. He steps forward. "I do. I
as well challenged for the rank of Adren and passed, the challenge was recieved
by Cold Storm of the Shadow Lords, the Master of the Challenge of the Sept of my
fosterage, the Sept of the Seven Thunders, and I passed the challenge...just
barely." He manages a cocky grin, and a shrug, as if he knew all along he'd make
it, despite what he said.
Fire's-Promise's
attention goes to the Beta, the smile returning as he bows his head. and says in
Garou, "Congratulations Leo-rhya."
Maddy nods and
echoes her congrats in turn, even remembering to add the rhya this
time.
Dee's smile broadens by perhaps the width
of an eyelash, but that is all, other than another slightly less deep bow in
Leo's direction.
Gerald rumbles,
"Congratulations, both of you."
Jeff's taken
immediately aback by this, but nods slowly, if a bit
perplexed.
Tsukikage grins to Leo as well, "Hai.
Congratulations, Rio-/yuf/," She corrects with a
smile.
Jenna swivels her gaze over to the Beta,
she smiles toward him and her head lowers in respect to his words. She doesn't
speak however.
Ocean grins even wider, doing a
fine impression of the Cheshire Cat. There's no sign of the Strider
disappearing, sadly enough. "Well done, rhyas
both."
Moirai's Wrath grunts with approval,
nodding respectfully to Leo again. "This bodes well for the Sept of the
Forgotten, with garou of such impressive rank as our
elders."
Tsukikage grins and bows forwards again
to everyone in thanks. She looks around, "Any other announcements before we move
to Sept matters?"
Maddy raises a hand
tenatively.
Leo glances down and dusts an
invisible bit of lint off of his coat, "Yeah, well," he says, stretching. "I
wasn't worried." He then nods to those who congratuated him, thanking them, but
then turns specifically to Tsukikage, "Thank you, 'Kage-rhya." He steps
back.
Ocean shakes her head and replies to the
sept alpha, "No, Crane-Shadow-rhya. But I have a tale, for
later."
Gerald clears his throat and says, "I
have a little something."
Tsukikage nods to
Ocean, then looks over to Gerald, "Hai? Please." She steps back for Gerald to
speak.
Fire's-Promise starts to speak, but stops
as Ocean does. He glances over at her, nodding his head, then looks back to
Gerald.
Leo is shaking his head. He steps back,
then wanders over towards Dee, though he casts a curious glance at
Gerald.
Gerald gets to his feet, then says, "I'll
be right back, talk amongst yourselves." Then he heads toward the woods
bordering the glade.
Jenna also looks from
Maddy's hand toward Gerald, her gaze follows him as he heads toward the
glade.
Fire's-Promise's brow furrows as Gerald
heads off, his head cocking to the side curiously. He remains silent, looking
back to Tsukikage for guidance.
Gerald emerges in
a bit, carrying a burlap bag tied off with baling twine. He holds the thing out
from his body as he approaches the group. "This is a little something for the
kinfolk," he explains. "I meant to do this awhile ago, but, you know. Stuff
happens."
Tsukikage furrows her brow curiously as
Gerald heads off, then tilts her head as he brings back the bag. She nods and
glances towards Maddy, Jenna, and Dee, then returns her attention to
Gerald.
Leo glances over at Dee, then turns back
scratching his head. He spies Gerald coming in and raises an
eyebrow.
Dee turns an idle glance of
acknowldgement to Leo in Geral's direction now, with considerably more
interest.
Ocean frowns at the bundle, not at all
convinced it's as harmless as it seems. It /is/ hidden in that bag, after
all.
Fire's-Promise swivels his head around to
look on Gerald again, looking as confused as
ever.
Gerald sets the bag down by his feet and
says, "Okay, this is about respect. I know we bitch at you all about respect,
and I know that, while the lessons take for awhile, eventually, it all gets lost
again. So, I'm just going to try to put a little perspective on this. You with
me so far?" His attention is on Jenna, Maddy, and Dee. He seems amiable enough.
Nothing wrong here.
Jenna well she /is/ Get after
all. Walking up to Gerald, she spies the bag and gives him a curious look. She
nods to his words slowly, still a bit
curious.
Maddy arches a cautious eyebrow, but
nods slowly.
Dee regards Gerald's chin for a
moment that stretches out like hot bubblegum. At length, she inclines a nod,
still inquisitive, at his question.
Gerald smiles
warmly. "I love you girls," he says. "I think the world of you. As people, I
couldn't meet any finer. As people, I think of you as my own family. As people,
I'd take any one of you out for a rootbeer float any day." He crouches, then,
unwinding the burlap bag carefully. He's very careful about all of this, and why
becomes revealed as he draws out of the bag, holding it by its head, a
rattlesnake. "But," he says cheerfully. "I'm not people, and neither is anyone
else in this Sept."
Ocean stares at the
rattlesnake, sudden comprehension dawning as she glances from one kin to the
other.
Fire's-Promise tenses, his lips curling
back to bare his teeth as he growls softly at the sight of the snake. He holds
his position, though his eyes dart to Tsukikage and Leo
expectantly.
Dee seems oddly undisturbed but
increasingly curious by this bizarre revelations of Gerald's. She watches him,
but without any fear; just a cool interest. Unlike some others', her eyes do not
dart towards other elders.
Jenna snaps a look at
the snake and she is completely frozen in time. She is far too close to move
forward and any backward movement, Gerald holding the snake or not, can set its
tail rattling.
Maddy sighs and watches, glancing
from the snake to Gerald, waiting to hear the
rest.
Leo raises an eyebrow, like he was the
Rock. He folds his arms and looks patient, giving no sense that he approves or
disapproves of this story. Either he approves of where he thinks the Get of
Fenris is going with this...or he's giving Gerald enough rope to hang himself
with.
Tsukikage tilts her head curiously. She
does not make any movement yet, but watches
closely.
Jeff mutters something about why does it
have to be snakes.
Gerald explains, "This is my
friend, Mr. Rattles." He takes a step back from Jenna, reassuring pleasantly,
"He can't hurt you, kiddo. Not when I'm holding him like this. Just don't tickle
my ribs, huh? Now, who wants to play with Mr. Rattles?" He walks around the
circle, looking quite earnest. "Who wants to hug him? Kiss him? Who wants to
whip him around their head like a piece of
rope?"
Dee arches one eyebrow, then two, at
Gerald. They meet a little fretfully at the brow of her nose. She doesn't
volunteer, but obviously tries to follow where he is going with
this.
Fire's-Promise's gaze returns to the Get
elder, his brow furrowing though his teeth are no longer showing. He remains
silent, though his shoulders still seem
tense.
Jeff says "Does that apply to any of us,
rhya?"
Jenna doesn't move, doesn't even hardly
blink, maybe she even quit breathing. Hug it? The thoughts in her head move in
quick succession, before even that folds into shutting down. Her form seems to
echo one of those stilled rocks behind
her.
Gerald glances toward Jeff curiously. "You
want to play with him? Go long." He lifts his arm, like he might just lob the
reptile. It's a slow motion, though. He's not quite as glib as all that,
considering he's holding the thing.
Jeff winces
reflexively and cups his hands like he's trying to catch something. He pauses at
this for a second, as if not sure Gerald will actually do
it.
Maddy glances at Jeff, but stays where she
is. She just watches Gerald, then pinches the bridge of her
nose.
Leo keeps that eyebrow raised. He mutters
something under his breath, but it's likely hardly anyone can hear it. He
watches Gerald patiently, keeping his arms folded, as sort of 'get to it' look
about him.
Ocean stands as silent as stone and as
still as death, gaze locked on the scene unfolding before everyone's
eyes.
Gerald shakes his head slowly and lowers
his arm. "No, Jeff. Part of my responsibility is the protection of my people. I
would be failing in my rank if I did that, and I would not be worthy of the
respect we're always complaining about." He glances around. Nope, not going to
throw it. "Mr. Rattles isn't a bad guy, here. He does his part in the cause. He
keeps the world from being overrun with vermin. Cuts down on disease that way.
He's on our side, really. He doesn't have anything personal against any of you,
but if you corner him, he's going to bite. There is no maybe. That's why you
respect this creature. Not for his sake, but for
yours."
Dee glances ever so briefly at Leo before
returning an enigmatic look to Gerald. She is far too well-schooled to let any
sense of 'yes, and?' touch her features, but the most perceptive might realize
that this sentiment is there nonetheless.
Jeff
nods and relaxes even as Gerald finishes. He seems to have picked up *something*
from this little anecdote.
Maddy seems to get it.
She looks tired, but she gets it. She looks at Gerald
patiently.
Fire's-Promise lets out a short,
frustrated sigh. He shakes his head slightly, crossing his arms as he looks at
each of the kin, studying their features.
Ocean
grinds her teeth and stares into the pool, refusing to let the moon's call
gallop away with her.
Jenna has yet to move, but
she is listening and her eyes do move to Gerald and Mr. Rattles. A small breath
does ease outward, but her features are pretty much white as a
sheet.
Leo tilts his head to Gerald, but keeps
his expression blank. He glances at Dee, and then back at the snake, looking
thoughtful, but saying nothing.
Gerald says, "So.
I'm done pampering. I love you girls. I really do. Like you were my own kids.
Which is exactly why I don't want to come unhinged some night on a new moon and
tear your throats out. If you can't see that, then there isn't much I can do to
protect you anyway." Then, without another word, he turns to walk back into the
woods.
Dee doesn't seem unnerved by this.
Perhaps, since she stand next to a full moon, she's already made as much peace
as it it possible to with the beast; certainly she doesn't seem unaware or other
than filled with the deepest respect for the fact that most people here could
eat her spleen before she ever knew they were on
her.
Jenna begins breathing again, really, maybe
it's more like hyperventilating once the snake is gone and out of sight. She
backs up slowly to find a place to sit down. She hasn't said one word and isn't
about to at this rate.
Fire's-Promise glances
after Gerald, then back to his Alpha, shifting his
weight.
Tsukikage nods to Gerald with a slight
smile, "Hai. Thank you for metaphor." She then glances around the group, "But
respect is something that not only kinfolk, but all must remember. We must be
respectful to each when dealing with problem and opinion. We must listen to all
sides, and we must all remember the beast in each of
us."
Moirai's Wrath's jaw tightens at
Tsukikage-rhya's words and she stares down at the ground, looking about as
morose a nine foot tall beast with a wolf face
can.
Dee's face is touched with the slightest
smile at Tsukikage's words, and she bows her head in acknowledgement. Still,
there is a sense of even greater expectancy about
her.
Greta comes down the
trail.
Greta has
arrived.
Leo gets an enigmatic look, but says
nothing. He focuses his gaze on the pool for a few moments, glancing over it's
still waters.
Ocean grits her teeth as she
remembers a certain conversation with absent septmates, and clamps her jaws
firmly shut as she listens to Tsukikage. She continues to stare blackly into the
pool, but manages to nod curtly at Tsukikage's
words.
Gerald doesn't look at all enigmatic when
he returns. The cheery whistle can be heard before his form emerges from amidst
the trees. Notably, he does not have a rattle
snake.
Fire's-Promise bows his head to
Tsukikage's words.
Maddy nods to Tsuki's words,
scratching her chin on her knee idly.
Tsukikage
looks around again, "While I think that move a bit toward Sept matter, any more
announcements?" She looks to Maddy, "You raise your hand
before?"
Maddy glances around uncertainly before
raising her voice to carry to the edges of the circle. "If you have celphones on
you, turn them off any time you're someplace you don't want to be tracked to.
Jase told me that's how the cops found Raechel's cel in Ian's saddlebags. Might
be a good idea to leave them behind altogether when going to a caern. Or have a
lockbox or something." She shrugs. "That's
it."
Dee listens politely to Maddy's point, but
there's something about her politely smiling interest in the girl's direction.
Probably not that this is a stupid point, oh no. But something,
something.
Ocean glances down at her coat pocket
and slowly closes her eyes. She rubs her temples fiercely and forces herself to
calm the hell down. She has a story to tell, something you can't do while you're
howling for blood.
Tsukikage nods to Maddy, "Hai.
That a good point. We have discussed a similar issue before and I think it a
policy the caern warders should consider." She glances to Min and Leo. "Any
other announcements?"
Moirai's Wrath nods briefly
towards Tsukikage but looks to Leo to wait for him to speak first before she
says anything.
Leo shakes his head, slowly,
staying silent.
Greta remains unobtrusively quiet
and in the background.
Gerald finds a place on
the ground to sit, and keeps quiet now.
Moirai's
Wrath rumbles in High Tongue once she is sure Leo isn't going to say anything,
"I have found a hole in the ground just outside the caern proper, where I have
been storing the weapons to be used to defend the caern. If people bring things
with them, there is room for it to be kept there. I have already asked people in
the past not to speak on their telephones (telephone is mangled in human tongue)
on the caern itself, not only because of security but because I am concerned
that the waves coming from them may damage the spiritual essence. So I suppose
it is an official request now." She shrugs her shoulders
gruffly.
Dee turns her attention to Moirai's
Wrath, regarding her with a respectful and utterly blank look. If required to
answer, she might very well say Oh yes, bedbugs, very good, rhya. At the finish
of this growling speech, a slightly inquiring glance goes towards the
alpha.
Jeff nods slowly, seeming to come back to
the conversation.
Tsukikage nods to Min, "Hai.
Everyone, please respect the warder's request." She then looks around, "I wish
to bring up that a new Bone Gnawer Theurge is in town. His name is Nick, deeded
"Giver." Several of you meet him already, but if not, you will
soon."
Jenna rubs her head slightly, pushing some
hair out of her eyes now that she has returned to a normal state of being. She
listens to the distant rumble of Min and then turns her attention to Ms.
Tsuki.
Jeff blinks, eyes sharpening to focus as
Tsuki mentions the arrival. He tilts his head sideways in a fashion rather
unbecoming of a human (though, were he more wolfish, it would look almost
normal), then huhs quietly.
Leo steps forward.
"On that note," he rumbles. "I'd like to announce the acceptance of Megan into
the Sept of the Forgotten, as a kinfolk. We will work with her on finding out
what her heritage in. Also on that note, I have slightly sadder news to
bring..."
Tsukikage turns to Leo, she nods
thoughtfully as he speaks of Megen, then furrows her brow as he continues,
listening.
Jenna raises a look toward Leo-rhya at
his words.
Fire's-Promise nods quietly to
everything said before before turning his attention on Leo. On the news that
Megan has been accepted, he stands up a bit straighter, happiness and pride in
his eyes. His brow rises at the mention of sadder
news.
Jeff eyes Leo, brimming with some sort of
additional knowledge. He nods, then quirks at this 'sad'
news?
Dee regards Leo as he steps forward. Her
reaction to his first bit of business is most difficult to read; the second
receives a polite curiosity. So perhaps she isn't
psychic.
Maddy wrinkles her nose a bit at the
happy news, then glances at Jenna as she waits for the other shoe to
fall.
Leo makes a face. "Regretfully, I bring
news from the kin of the Glasswalkers, Dennis Stratton. He is leaving the Sept,
going for an early retirement to a Sept in Florida where he may..play golf or
whatever it is that retired people do. It seems that our esteemed Mayor has been
calling for the resignations of many people in the force, and he wants to retire
before he is fired and loses his pension." He shakes his head. "We wish him
well, he has served the Sept for quite a
while."
Ocean brightens at the news and turns to
smile at Fire's Promise, pleased to see a bit of happiness in these
proceedings.
Jeff coughs slightly, nodding with a
bit of a smile. He glances at Leo as if asking to
speak.
Jenna glances to Maddy, having never met
the Chief, she doesn't have much to say. She offers Maddy a smile though for her
loss in her tribe.
Tsukikage scowls at the
mention of the Mayor, then nods with a slightly sad look. "He has served this
Sept honorably and will be missed."
Gerald clucks
his tongue and says, "That's too bad. Yeah, he'll be missed. Good
guy."
Maddy frowns. "We should a going-away party
or something."
Jeff nods along. "The tribe takes
care of its elders, kin and Garou. It's unfortunate, and I never met him, but I
know he'll be treated well."
Moirai's Wrath looks
genuinely crushed to hear that news, looking up at Leo for visual confirmation.
"He is a man of great honor," she rumbles to Jeff in High Tongue. "I am proud to
know him."
Leo glances up at Jeff. "A tribe takes
care of it's elder kin, yes. The Winter Wolf is what waits for us when we age."
He then turns and steps out of the circle, glancing to
Tsukikage.
Fire's-Promise bows his head briefly
at the sad news then turns his attention back on the
alpha.
Greta keeps her own counsel, her attention
flitting from person to person a they speak. She moves a few steps toward
Moirai's Wrath, but that's all.
Ocean rubs her
jaw, saddened by the news. She looks back to the alpha
expectantly.
Moirai's Wrath turns to her sister
and shoots her a fond look, reaching out to pat her shoulder, mindful not to use
claws.
Ocean just looked at
you.
Tsukikage glances around once more, then
steps forward, holding out a sun-bleached bone carved with various glyphs. "We
now move to the cracking. I wish to speak of the bane who threaten to wake in
the volcano. We retreived all the item needed to perform Rite and Megan sewed
the scarves we need. We must perform the Rite soon." She glances around, "We
believe there many bane protecting the volcano, and I wish to make two part
strategy. First, we will send in warriors to clear out any remaining small Bane
or enemies. We will need a small war party for this. Hopefully, we can spare a
day for healing, rest, and recharge. Shortly after, those who have a better
connection to the spirit world needed to participate in Rite. This group will
move in with Tallie, and we probably need some guards to make sure Rite not
interrupted. We all need to spend next few weeks recovering as much energy as
possible. We cannot afford mistakes or
squabbles."
Jeff glances up through his funk,
nodding with a heavy head in agreement. He nods more furiously when the offer of
a recovery time is extended.
Fire's-Promise's
brow furrows a bit at Tsukikage's words, his gaze shifting to Jeff, then Ocean.
He gives her an encouraging look, nodding torwards
Tsukikage.
Ocean looks puzzedly at the Fianna,
not understanding what that look is all
about.
Jenna listens quietly to the words of the
Alpha, her eyes going around the room for a moment to touch on each garou,
wondering if she will lose any in the near
future.
Tsukikage looks around the group, holding
the bone out for anyone else to speak. She looks over towards the meaningful and
confused glances of Dylan and Ocean.
Animated a
bit at last, Greta too gives a firm nod. She seems to want to say
something.
Fire's-Promise glances back at Ocean,
brow furrowed once more before he lifts his gaze back to Tsukikage. He growls
out in the high tongue, "Tsukikage-rhya, Ocean-yuf, Jeff-yuf, and myself
gathered information about those that guard the
volcano."
Gerald listens
attentively.
Dee listens, on the other hand,
blankly -- at least to the Fianna.
Leo keeps his
arms folded, taking another step back. He gazes around at people, watching their
reactions. As Fire's-Promise speaks he turns to glance at
him.
Tsukikage glances to Greta, then back to
Dylan. She nods, "Hai. Please." She passes the bone to him, then nods to Greta,
as if noting she might wish to speak
next.
Fire's-Promise accepts the bone, glancing
from Ocean, to Jeff, then back to Tsukikage as he speaks in a loud voice for all
to hear. "The other evening, we set out to find Tallie so that we could summon
the bane which tortued Megan, possessed our kin, and later led the spirals on
their attack here. I will leave the tale-telling to our moondancer," He glances
to Ocean again at this before continuing, "but the short of it is we found out
what it is we will face." There's a pause, probably for the dramatic effect as
he glances around from face to face slowly. "Two dozen banes, all led by what
the 'Dark Man' referred to as the 'Dreaded One'. A dark spirit with the ability
to warp reality. This was the creature that killed our sept-mate,
Whispers-with-Spirits. This is the creature that awaits us." Once done with
that, he offers the bone back to Tsukikage.
Jenna
rubs the bridge of her nose between her glasses as Dylan rumbles out his speech,
waiting for someone to relay the words, if they are important enough to
know.
Moirai's Wrath tenses at Fire's Promise's
words and looks at him with a sort of blank confusion, looking to Greta with a
questioning expression.
Tsukikage frowns, "You
believe this spirit is truthful in their
numbers?"
Fire's-Promise nods slowly, "The gifts
Gaia graced me with told me that it believed it's words were true." He casts a
quiet glance over at Min.
Greta listens in
continued polite deference, though her features are tainted with loss at the
words Fire's Promise offers. She rests a hand on Min's arm, this
time.
Tsukikage nods to Dylan, "Hai. We can only
hope some are small. We should focus attack on this Dreaded One if can. Perhaps
some will run when his command is lost." She takes the bone back and looks over
to Greta, "You wish to add something?"
Leo hrms,
looking thoughtful. He listens to the conversation with some faint
concern.
Greta takes the bone in hand with a
little half-bow, her expression grave. "There are many parts to play in this
yet. I ask that we all be careful to remember that at this time the Caerns also
need to be under constant guard. To send too few would be disastrous, but to
send so many that we are left vulnerable is equally dangerous. Where we talk of
two groups, there are actually four: one to clear the area, one to perform the
rite, and one to guard each of the caerns, so that we don't return and find
them..harmed. And we need to stay in constant
communication."
Moirai's Wrath looks a little
disconcerted, glancing between her packmates and then moves away on stiff legs
to crouch down and focus on her own thoughts for a
moment.
Tsukikage nods at Greta's words. "Hai.
Though we must protect the caerns and many will stay to do so, I do not expect a
counterattack immediately. We need send our strongest warriors in the first wave
to the volcano if we wish to
succeed."
Fire's-Promise watches Moirai's Wrath
with a little confusion in his eyes before glancing to Greta. He nods just
slightly, then looks back to Tsukikage
quietly.
Ocean rubs her jaw and clears her throat
a bit when Tsukikage is finished speaking. She steps forward slightly, waiting
for acknowledgment to speak.
Tsukikage nods and
moves towards Ocean, handing the bone to
her.
Ocean steps forward and accepts the bone,
looking around at the entire gathering. "I'll be conducting a gathering for both
Whispers-with-Spirits-yuf and Hotpaws-yuf before we strike against the banes and
their master lurking at the volcano." She stares around the circle, and when she
speaks again, it's not a request. "Tell me your memories of both our brothers
after the moot. They must be laid to rest, and we must grieve for them and move
on."
Greta relinquishes the floor to Tsukikage
again and stands there awkwardly, casting the occasional vaguely worried glance
at Moirai's Wrath, but saying nothing more.
Jenna
watches and listens to Ocean, her eyes staying her back for what seems like
forever before she looks down at the
water.
Fire's-Promise meets Ocean's gaze, nodding
slowly at her words.
Ocean senses "Fire's-Promise
gives you an appreciative look, easy to see in his eyes despite the form meant
for combat."
Moirai's Wrath sighs heavily, wiping
away her tears with a furry forearm and rises to her feet, drawing herself up to
a proper stance one of such breeding and dignity should be taking. She frowns
and focuses intently on what people are saying once
more.
Jeff seems to catch sight of this, glancing
intently at MW before nodding uneasily, and paying Ocean further
attention.
Leo doesn't show any outward pain, but
he does seem to withdraw inward, becoming veerrry distant and removed, as if he
has completely stepped outside of himself. He gives the person with the bone an
unfocused, but calm look.
Gerald keeps quiet,
yep.
Jenna rises up quietly and moves over to
Gerald, she sits back down beside him, gently touching his arm and giving him a
smile.
Dee is clearly attentive throughout all of
this; often impassive, but this does not automatically denote
uncaring.
Ocean doesn't dare to look around after
dropping that bombshell. She hands the bone back to Tsukikage and steps back out
of the line of fire.
Maddy just sits, like a lump
on a log. Or a rock on a bigger rock. She rubs her nose against her knee, face
blank.
Jeff doesn't take his eyes off Ocean yet,
but pats Maddy's leg sidelong.
Tsukikage nods to
Ocean, her expression cloudy, "Hai. Thank you. I look forward to honoring their
memory and spirit." She steps forward to take the bone again, then glances
around, "I wish to restate that when we move onto the volcano, it will not be
all at once, those who participate in rite will also stay behind to guard caerns
or will follow short distance away to heal the injured. Several of us can heal
once a day, thanks to our totem, Ikitomi. I prefer those who have her gifts to
use them when can than to tap gnosis from those we need for the rite. If that
cannot be, we will join in meditation after healing to prepare for the
Rite."
Tsukikage glances around the group again.
She holds the bone forward again, "Any other issues to bring
up?"
Jenna glances to Tsuki a moment as she waits
for any others to relate any other vital
information.
Jeff coughs, reaching out. "I...
have one, rhya."
Gerald shakes his head, then
glances toward Jeff curiously.
Tsukikage nods and
moves over, handing Jeff the bone.
Jenna keeps
her arm wrapped around Gerald's, especially since there are no snakes around.
Her gaze moves to Jeff as she waits.
Jeff takes
it and sighs. "I'll be quick. I have done a fair amount of binding in the past
few days. The first was our little bane friend, whom I bound with Tallie-rhya's
assistant. The second was a spirit designed to protect Maddy. I cannot guarantee
it will be truly effective, but it will at least be a layer of protection for
her, and in turn, warning for us. Maddy and I will be going over the specifics.
If anyone has further requests, I am always available, but this recent work has
drained me tremendously." He bows his head and hands back the
bone.
Ocean rubs her jaw uncomfortably, not at
all happy with the damage she knew this announcement would inflict. She looks
almost grateful as Jeff pipes up. It gives her something else to look at besides
miserable faces.
Dee listens to Jeff with great
care and interest, sliding a slow glance in Maddy's direction and smiling
somewhat.
Leo motions for the bone, stepping
forward once more.
Tsukikage nods to Jeff, "Hai.
Thank you. I believe you would be great use to us on the Rite, please rest when
you can." She glances over to Greta, "You as well, if you both are available."
She pass the bone to Leo.
Maddy offers Jeff a
tenative smile when he returns, as well as a helpful
hand.
Tsukikage glances over to Maddy with a
hopeful smile.
Fire's-Promise nods quietly to
Jeff's words, then holds a hand out for the bone
quietly.
Jenna smiles to Maddy as well with a
hopeful nod.
Leo takes the bone. "Tonight's been
grim in some ways. And in a lot of ways, we've had more than our share of pain
in the last few months than lesser Septs could handle. We're all of different
Tribes, with different views and different beliefs. We're used to working as
individuals, some of us only know how to go it alone. But what is pain? Pain
tells you your body is working, pain can be growth, you can learn from pain. And
as I look around this Sept today, I think we *are* learning from it. We are
stronger than ever before, despite our losses. We have learned in our own ways
to respect one another, and we have recovered from the attack on this very caern
to strike back not just once, but twice now." He pauses, but
continues.
Fire's-Promise listens to Leo, waiting
patiently for his turn with the bone. He nods his agreement with the Beta's
words, eyes squinting.
Leo rumbles. "This Sept is
young by some standards, but in reality, it's even younger. This Sept's
traditions stem back only a few months, when the first influx of you came here.
But we are building on these traditions, we are learning from one another, and
we are developing our rules, what we will allow and not allow. We stand together
now, ready to strike back at the Volcano, when only a month ago, all looked
lost. While there is much to grieve, there is much, much more to celebrate." A
more persuasive man might have something even more rousing to say, but he just
kind of trails off, glancing around, looking suddenly uncomfortable. "Eh," he
rumbles. "That's it." He stalks back to where he was, leaving the bone for
someone to pick up if they want to.
Tsukikage
smiles at Leo's words with an affirmative nod, then looks towards Fire's
Promise.
Dee listens carefully to this somewhat
unprecedented speech, and watches Leo both as he makes it and when he wanders
out of the circle. Some might deem this to be supportive, but again, it's a
pretty coolly impassive courteous look.
Ocean
smiles faintly at Leo's words, nodding a bit as she shakes off the last of her
depressed mood.
Gerald nods slowly, keeping a
pretty cool regard as he watches Leo.
Leo steps
back to his spot next to Dee, glancing down at her once before turning to gaze
upon Fire's Promise and what he might
relate.
Fire's-Promise rumbles appreciatively at
Leo's words then picks up the bone. He looks to Tsukikage, speaking in the high
tongue. "I just wanted to let you know that I spoke with Nick, he seems honest
and helpful. I've asked him to help us in the creation of talens, so hopefully
he too will be providing us with tools for the fight to come." He then hands the
bone back to Tsukikage.
Moirai's Wrath nods
respectfully towards Leo, admiration for his words in her eyes. She looks to
Fire's Promise and nods too. She then looks expectantly to Tsukikage, indicating
that she would like to hold the bone.
Jenna
squeezes Gerald's arm slightly as she makes to stand, taking in a deep breath.
It certainly looks like she is ready to add something to this little gathering
once all the Garou have finished their speeches. Her gaze goes to the Alpha as
she waits.
Gerald glances up at Jenna, watching
her curiously. Then his attention turns to Min as she indicates she'd like a
little bone-holding.
Tsukikage smiles and takes
the bone, "Hai. Thank you." She looks to the caern warders, Leo, then Min, "I
believe he is trustworthy to allow into the caerns, though he not a fully part
of the Sept yet." She looks around the group again, "I forgot to mention
something earlier. Both Raeth and Zef have offered their help to us in this
matter in past. One is some sort of cat, and the other...well. Most of us now
know he a child of Dragon. I would be willing to ask for their help in fighting
these banes, but wish to hear the thoughts of the Sept." She glances to Min with
a nod, acknowledging she will speak in a
moment.
Maddy looks from Jenna to Tsuki with
interest.
Fire's-Promise's canine snout wrinkles
up, his teeth showing just a bit at the idea Tsukikage presents. Lifting a long
arm, he indicates that he has something to say on the
matter.
Tsukikage nods, then passes the bone to
Fire's Promise.
Jenna watches Tsuki with a smile.
She nods faintly to the Alpha at her words of the Bete
joining.
Fire's-Promise takes the bone, brow
knitting as he growls out, "We do not know them well enough to allow them to
help us in so important a task. We would not trust some random garou with the
task ahead of us, I do not see why we should trust these two. The bete have
their own agendas, their own motivations." He offers the bone back to
Tsukikage.
Jenna frowns slightly at the growl
from Fire's Promise, but she can tell it isn't something that is going down his
craw too well.
Tsukikage nods to Fire's Promise.
"Hai. A good point." She looks around the group again, holding the bone out
again.
Ocean frowns as Fire's-Promise speaks his
peace, and holds her hand out for the
bone.
Tsukikage 'bones'
Ocean.
Gerald glances to Ocean, then holds up a
hand, indicating that he too would like a chance to
speak.
Jenna waits to the side beside Gerald
still, her eyes going to Ocean.
Fire's-Promise
glances to Ocean as she receives the bone.
Ocean
steps forward to accept the bone. "I don't know Raeth or Zef, so I can't vouch
for either of them personally." She clears her throat and continues. "If they've
been honorable in the past, I see no reason to doubt their willingness to help.
Dragon's children are well-known among my tribe for their hatred of the Wyrm's
minions, and the cats have fought with us against leeches in the past. If
they're honorable, I say we accept the help. We're going to need
it."
Ocean hands the bone to Tsukikage and steps
back.
Tsukikage nods to Ocean, then passes the
bone to Gerald.
Dee listens with more interest to
words that strike her as such. But with no difference in
courtesy.
Fire's-Promise's soft growl indicates
his disapproval of Ocean's words, but he looks away as the bone is given up,
turning his attention back on Gerald.
Leo gets a
clouded look, but says little. He rubs his clean-shaven chin, looking
thoughtful.
Jenna nods to Ocean with a faint
smile. Her eyes then move to her Elder as he takes the
bone.
Gerald takes the bone, looking it over
thoughtfully. "I don't have anything to add," he remarks. "I just wanted to hold
the bone." He flashes a cheeky smile around. Then, clearing his throat, he says,
"Uh, yeah. The cats. I say if we can use their help, do it. We have a common
enemy, and that's well and good. Just let's not get too cozy. Once that common
enemy is gone, I doubt things would stay peaceful for long. Accept their aid,
but don't look to make friends with them." He offers Tsuki the
bone.
Fire's-Promise shakes his head just
slightly, his gaze leaving Gerald to move back to Tsukikage... or rather, her
feet. His jaw sets stubbornly.
Ocean nods at
Gerald's words, silently agreeing with his words of
caution.
Jenna returns her gaze to the Alpha,
waiting patiently for her chance to speak as
well.
Moirai's Wrath rumbles at Gerald's words
and indicates to Tsukikage that she would like to speak on the
topic.
Tsukikage nods to Gerald, "Hai. I have no
intention of including them in our secrets." She glances around the group again,
"If I to ask, I would only ask for their help in battle. I think things too
complicated with Rite." She holds the bone out to Moirai's Wrath and nods to
Jenna in acknowledgement.
Greta has been quiet a
while, but at this topic, she, too, seems to have something to say. She
indicates this with a raise of her hand and some nervous fidgeting, then drops
into restless semi-stillness to await permission for a
comment.
Moirai's Wrath takes the bone and looks
around at everyone with a nod, before rumbling in Garou, "My concern is that
they will try to hold this help over us, twisting the situation to say that they
helped us out because we couldn't help ourselves and that we 'owe them one'. I
would fight with them against this threat, only with the understanding that we
fight against a common enemy, like was said and that they aren't doing /us/ a
favour, they are doing the city itself a favour. We owe them nothing for their
assistance." She shoots Gerald a puzzled look for a moment then passes the bone
back to Tsukikage.
Tsukikage nods to Moirai, then
passes the bone to Jenna, she acknowledges Greta's hand with a nod, indicating
she will follow Jenna.
Leo glances at Moirai's
Wrath and nods, agreeing with that sentiment. He gets a hard look, then glances
away towards the next person to take the
bone.
Fire's-Promise doesn't follow the bones
progress anymore, his gaze on the ground. He rumbles softly at Min's
words.
Jenna takes the bone and holds it in her
hand a moment, this being her first time at doing this. "I doubt this is going
to fall on ears that will enjoy hearing it, but, as some of you know I have been
Liason between Leo-rhya and Raeth for awhile now. The cat has offered his
assistance in the Volcano, as it threatens him as well. He has also given me the
honor to know where his Den lies, which I will keep my word on keeping it safe
as well. I have already spoken to Leo-rhya of this and he is aware of it. I was
unable to help him with the Fat Man information, because Ian was killed, perhaps
we can work on that as well at a later date. I also have discovered how to melt
Silver with a microwave and am purchasing some from a metalsmith in town, if it
is needed for the arrows." She hands the bone back to the
Alpha.
Tsukikage nods to Jenna thoughtfully,
grinning when she mentions a microwave, then moves over to Greta, passing her
the bone.
Ocean stands deep in thought, gazing
down at the ground as she absorbs everyone's
words.
Greta takes over the bone and adds, "I
will stand alongside whomever the Alpha and Beta call to this battle. This isn't
a democracy, I know, and it's a good point that we are going to need the help.
But while fighting together is one thing, trust requires more building than
this, especially after the history here. That's all." She offers the bone back
to Tsukikage and returns to her spot.
Maddy
raises a hand wearily.
Tsukikage nods to Greta,
"Hai." She then spots Maddy and offers her the
bone.
Maddy slides off her rock and takes it,
saying, "We're all supposed to be on the same side in this, right? Can we at
least act like it for once? We need the help." She hands the bone back to Tsuki
and makes her way back to her
rock.
Fire's-Promise lifts his gaze at that,
looking at Maddy, then lifts his hand, requesting the
bone.
Tsukikage nods to Maddy, then passes the
bone back to Fire's Promise.
Fire's-Promise takes
the bone, growling out in the high tongue as he looks at Maddy. "Yes, we
supposedly are all on the same side, but that doesn't mean they can be trusted.
They do not run in packs, they do not understand how to run in them. They do not
fight like us. Who's to say they know how to respect authority? It seems we will
be fighting with these creatures, fine. However, they must understand right away
who is in charge." And he hands the bone back to Tsukikage, his gaze turning to
the Alpha.
Maddy looks from Fire's Promise to
Tsuki. "Translation?"
Jenna frowns at Fire's
Promise, trying to figure that out.
Dee has
obviously long since given up on assuming
manners.
Ocean raises an eyebrow and looks at
Tsuki, then glances to the kin. She hold her hand out for the bone
again.
Leo flances Maddy a faintly disapproving
look when she speaks up. He glances back to Tsukikage,
mildly.
Tsukikage nods to Fire's Promise. She
glances to Maddy, "He say they not fight in packs like us and may not respect
authority. They must know who in charge." She looks around, "If they to fight
with us, they will follow our orders, or they most likely die trying to be lone
hero. If I ask them to fight, I do not want anyone telling them details about
any Sept matters. If they cannot agree to our terms, they will not come, if I
ask them.' She hands the bone over to
Ocean.
Maddy nods, check on the awfully silent
Jeff to make sure he hasn't keeled over or
anything.
Jeff lives up to his deedname,
bitch.
Dee listens carefully to Tsukikage,
inclining her head as she absorbs this before flicking a brief glance towards
Leo.
Ocean waves her hands and says, "You've
already said what I was going to, rhya. I have nothing else to
add."
Tsukikage smiles to Ocean and nods. She
glances around the group one more time. She looks questioningly at Leo to see if
he has anything to add.
Leo shakes his head,
keeping his arms folded. He has little to add to this, but his bearing suggests
approval in what Tsukikage said.
Tsukikage nods,
"I will ask Rio-yuf to lead war party on the volcano. We hear all your thoughts
on matter and will think on this some more before making decision." She glances
around the group again, holding out the bone, "Any more
issues?"
Moirai's Wrath nods in agreement with
Tsukikage, gesturing she would like to
speak.
Tsukikage nosd to Moirai and passes her
the bone.
Moirai's Wrath nods towards Tsukikage
her thanks and then she shoots Maddy a meaningful look. She says in High Tongue,
"I don't think this has been addressed officially yet, and I realise that there
are a lot of other things going on that are important, but both Kevin-yuf and
Maddy have mentioned to me a significant wyrm presence in the *mangled human*
cemetary */mangled human* that nearly caused Kevin-yuf to fall unconcious, it
was so overwhelming. I think this is something we should keep an eye out for, or
at least try to understand what it is, so once our problems with the bane are
less urgent, we can eliminate it before it gets out of hand." She bows to
Tsukikage and Leo then hands back the
bone.
Tsukikage nods to Moirai, "Hai. Thank you
we definately look into this. I also wish one of the theurges to look into park
behind where the girl Lisa used to live. I sense some old power there in Umbra
some time ago. This may have to wait until after Volcano as
well."
Dee inquires with most of her attention on
Tsukikage She mutters to Leo, "Cemetery?...
whole..."
Jenna glances over to Dee a moment at
her words. Raising a slight brow.
Leo leans down
to listen to Dee, then turns and fills her in in quiet
tones.
Tsukikage glances to Dee, then looks
around the group again, "Anything else?"
Ocean
shakes her head. Nothing more from her for
now.
Maddy looks from Min to Tsuki, saying
nothing.
Greta seems to be done
also.
Moirai's Wrath is done, folded arms and
all.
Jeff is done done done. Stick a fork in him
(not silver).
Tsukikage looks around, "If there
no more business, I believe our Story Teller has a story for
us."
Dee nods somewhat to Leo, murmuring thanks
and seeming both understanding and
distracted.
Fire's-Promise shakes his head to
Tsukikage, having nothing more to say. He glances to Ocean, brow rising
faintly.
Jenna leans over on Gerald, just to keep
him company in his silence.
Ocean steps forward
into the center of the circle, head and shoulders set squarely as she gazes
around at the crowd. "My tale this night is one of duty," she says in a clear,
carrying voice. She sweeps her gaze across the crowd and continues. "It is the
story of three of this sept, who travelled to seek the wisdom of an elder to the
north." Her eyes rest on Dylan and Jeff for the briefest of moments before
plunging into the tale.
Ocean kneels down and
dips one hand into the pool, swirling the clear cool water as if asking if for
its blessing with her tale. "My tale begins two night ago. I was hunting by the
lake in wolf-shape when I heard a call on the cold night wind, a howl of
summoning from Fire's-Promise-yuf." She glances briefly at Dylan and contiues.
"I found him near the overlook with Plots-Silently yuf, waiting for my arrival.
Fire's Promise had a task he wished to perform, one of great urgency for the
sept. It was his wish to travel to Mount Taylor to seek out Tallie, Leaping
Waters-rhya, the Uktena elder shaman who's been helping us with the volcano, and
see what aid she lend to our cause."
Leo was
speaking quietly with Dee, he glances up to listen to the tale, looking
thoughtful.
Dee pours her attention into Ocean's
tale now, listening with mute alertness.
Maddy
glances at Ocean, shifting uncomfortably on her
rock.
Tsukikage listens attentively as well, she
leans back on a rock, relaxing, glancing now and then to Jeff and
Dylan.
Ocean continues, "We drove to Mount Taylor
and crossed into the Shadow. The Umbra was rich with life, teeming with wyldings
and animal spirits. All of thesen were peaceful and serene: no harm would come
to us in this place." She pauses to glance over the audience and presses on. "I
howled our introduction to the Elder who dwelt there, and she graced us with her
council." She smiles slightly as she looks at Dylan. "Fire's -Promise conducted
himself with the true grace of Stag's children. He bent on knee like a knight of
old and presented Leaping Waters-rhya with a proper token of chiminage; his
words were well-chosen and fair-spoken." Ocean turns back to the gathering.
"There were two things he sought of Leaping-Waters-rhya this
night."
Fire's-Promise watches Ocean as she tells
the tale, arms hanging at his sides. He nods his head just slightly at certain
parts of it, as if re-affirming them in his own
mind.
Ocean says, "The first thing requested was
her aid against the beast slumbering in the volcano. Leaping-Waters-rhya told us
she would lead the rite, and that four of us would join her in the binding.
Another scarf must be made, but she said we are ready in all else." She pauses
to let that news sink in. "The elder grieves for the loss of
Whisper-with-Spirits, lost at a time when he is so desperately needed." Her jaw
works furiously for a moment before she
continues.
Gerald watches Ocean as she speaks,
giving her the whole of his attention.
Jenna
listens quietly to Ocean as well.
Leo shifts his
feet slightly, standing where he is, then straightens, lifting his head as he
listens to the story, gazing up at the sky as Ocean speaks. His eyes grow
briefly sad when Whispers-with-Spirits is
mentioned.
Ocean forges ahead. "The second thing
asked was a summoning of a spirit: the Dark Man who has struck at us among
hearth, glen and kin." She glances at Maddy and then Dylan before she continues.
"It was our intention to battle the thing when it appeared, and bind its foul
essence into an object, so that it could be forced to tell us of the other
beasts lurking at the volcano." She pauses and continues, "Leaping Waters-rhya
agreed to do this, and led us to a cave where we would battle the
bane."
Jeff smirks at the mention of the
'cave.'
Ocean continues her tale. "We entered the
cave and waited while Leaping Waters-rhya summoned the bane to us. Fire's
Promise would battle the beast, I would guard the cave entrance to prevent its
escape and keep reinforcements from joing the battle, and Plots-Silently would
trap the bane in a binding object." Her voice deepens and roughens, taking on a
harsh, grating note. "The Dark Man appeared in a dark vortex of evil and
corruption, screaming with all the voices of the damned. It spat its bile and
hatred at its mocking us all and calling for our deaths and the annihilation of
all we hold dear. It claimed that two dozen of its brothers lurked in the
volcano, and served a dark master, the Dreaded One, who would destroy us
all."
Leo gives a snort that is both dubious at
that challenge, and supremely
confidant.
Tsukikage listens, concentrating on
the tale, smiling at one point, frowning
another.
Ocean 's eyes spit fire and she begins
to pace. "The bane mocked us with Whispers-with-Spirit's death, telling us how
he was slain by the Dreaded One and fell in darkess." She snarls fiercely and
growls, "It was an insult that could not be borne. Fire's-Promise attacked the
thing, tearing into it with all his Luna-gifted wrath. He paid it back in blows
for all the damage it has done, and he tore it's materialized form into doll
rags as we howled our victory to the
skies."
Jenna stares at Ocean and the relating of
the tail, thoroughly transfixed on the moment at
hand.
Dee's own attention is less revealing. No
snorts, no great confidence, no smiles or frowns. Just a serious intensity as
though she is both enjoying the words in a way, and sucking them dry for any
hidden meaning. But that, perhaps, is just her
way.
Ocean grins fiercely and continues.
"Plots-Silently imprisoned the bane in a binding object. It goes to the hands of
our elders, and they will force the bane to give us information about what waits
for us at the volcano." She growls harshly and shifts to the war-form, throwing
her head back as she utters a ringing howl of
triumph.
Maddy huhs, and claps, glancing at
Jeff.
Jeff 's eyes are dull, but he nods weakly
and smiles at Ocean and Maddy.
Jenna grins at the
end of the story, smiling to Maddy and
Jeff.
Fire's-Promise tilts his head back, joining
in Ocean's howl a moment after she begins.
Gerald
glances over at Jeff. "There's a beer in all this for
you."
Tsukikage lets out an encouraging 'wooo' of
her own. Though in her human form, sounds more like some party-goer than a
howl.
Moirai's Wrath has
connected.
Leo's chin lifts in faint approval of
the resolution of the story, even as his eyes narrow in
thought.
Maddy looks around, uneasily. "So...
where's the thingy?"
Fire's-Promise's howl ends
just before Ocean's, letting her finish it out before he glances over at Gerald
with bright, amused eyes. He then looks to Jeff, brow
rising.
Jeff waves in Tsuki and Leo's direction.
"The elders have it. What they do with it is their perogative, but presumably
they're keeping it isolated until we need
it."
Howls-for-the-Lost ends her howl with a
flourish, pouring her mocking scorn of the enemy into her cry. She snarls with
satisfaction and hunkers down on the ground to survey the
gathering.
Maddy stifles a yawn, checking on
Jeff.
Jenna checks her watch, frowning slightly
and rising from Gerald's side. "I'm late for another meeting and need to go,"
she murmurs to her Elder.
Jeff seems to be
hanging in there. He grunts. "There's more, isn't there? There's been so much...
this was my first moot here."
Maddy rubs his back
comfortingly. "Almost done."
Tsukikage grins,
"Now we revel."
Gerald glances up to Jenna,
commenting, "I'll be in touch, okay?"
Maddy nods,
rising. "And that's all non-garou's cue to take off." She glances at Jeff, then
looks at Tsuki. "Can Jeff be excused? I think he's all reveled
out."
Jenna smiles and nods to Gerald. "I'll be
around." She then turns and bows to Tsuki, "Tsuki-rhya, thank you for allowing
me to be a part of this."
Tsukikage bows in
return to Jenna, "Thanks for coming."
Moirai's
Wrath has disconnected.
Jenna nods to the others
and heads by Leo, giving him a thumbs-up, before she dashes up the trail and out
of the Caern.
Maddy helps Jeff home, going
slightly slower than Jenna with a bonked Jeff in
tow.
Jenna makes their way back up the trail to
the Overlook.
Jenna has
left.
Dee steps away from Leo and also approaches
Tsukikage, bowing deeply and with great care. "Rhya," she murmurs, seeming
equally intent on leaving before the revel can even think about
commencing.
Leo glances after Jenna. He nods to
her, but, ah, too late.
Tsukikage bows back to
Dee, less deeply, with an easy grin.
Dee smiles a
bit to Tsukikage, offers a general nod, and heads
out.
Dee makes their way back up the trail to the
Overlook.
Dee has
left.
Leo watches Dee leave. He shoots a faintly
confused expression to her back, then scratches his
head.
Howls-for-the-Lost watches the kin leave,
and turns to gaze around the group. The moon's call is stronger in this form,
her rage rattling the bars of its cage as she curls her muzzle in a silent
snarl.
Tsukikage shifts and joins in the
revel.
Howls-for-the-Lost howls the call to revel
and races after the pack.
Fire's-Promise seems
all charged up for the revel after the tale, he shifts into his hispo form in
preparation for the madness.
Leo dances around,
"Woo hoo! I'm an Adren!" Then glances, blinking, looking faintly
sheepish.
Leo kicks the dirt and
mutters.
Tsukikage laughs and grabs Leo's hands
twirling him around in a childish ring around the posey type
circle.
Leo woos! Then he stumbles off, revels
some more, heads home.
Leo makes their way back
up the trail to the Overlook.
Leo has
left.
