Kavi Bhaskar - Ringtone

Pizza

2009-05-18T02:15:11Z

I like her. She seems... She seems nice.

Lefty is the first inside. The Gnawer's tired and dirty and happy to be home. She holds the door open for Kavi and Pizza, grinning faintly when the other ragabash comes in. "You know, looking at you, the power of suggestion just kickced by word association or something. I'm gonna call Garxia's and get a pie delivered. You guys hungry?"

Pizza's tail immediately sets to wagging. Yes! Food! Food, food, food. She 'dances' about the older Gnawer, half-bouncing.

Kavi follows Lefty into the apartment, looking around as though it were his first visit. At the suggestion, he turns to Lefty and considers for a moment before he nods. Pizza's dance catches his eye and he watches, the corner of his lip pulling upward slightly.

Lefty can't help but grin at the lupus, too. She looks between Pizza and Kavi, clearing her throat. "You two ain't talked much, have you? You should get to know each other." That said, her gaze lingers on the Walker a little bit longer, as if gauging his reaction to this.

Pizza stops dancing long enough to look at Kavi, her nose working visibly, and then she shapeshifts, passing quickly through the forms to settle on homid. She sticks out a hand to shake. "Pizza. Ragabash Gnawa' lupus. Yuh howl pretty." Her grin is toothy and unabashedly friendly.

Kavi swallows, watching as the lupus shifts. He's more tentative, but he takes her hand in a firm grip, his hand warm and soft, except for the calluses on his fingertips. "Kavi. Ringtone." His gaze falls as he releases her hand. "Galliard of the Glass Walkers. I. Um. Thank you."

Lefty's grin widens further. "Couldn't have said it better. And I'd ask Kavi to sing for us, except I think if I did he might kick me late.r" She had started heading to the kitchen, but now she stops to turn back and regard the Walekr again. "Or am I wrong about that? you want to sing for us?"

Pizza's hand is rough as a dog's pads, and almost as dirty. She looks at Lefty, then back at Kavi, studying the Walker with nonjudgemental interest.

Kavi's chin lifts, his gaze swinging back to Lefty with a deer-in-the-headlights look. "I... I don't have my guitar," he says after a moment, glancing between the two. "I," he starts and then swallows again, cutting off anything further.

Lefty chuckles at the Walker's discomfort. "Sorry," she says, tone sincere, despite the laughter. Continuing to the kitchen, she pokes her head in the fridge to rummage for dinks. "You want a beer, Kavi? how about you, Pizza? What do you drink?"

Pizza flops herself bodily down on Lefty's couch. "Beer!" she says brightly. "Beer's th'best." She reaches down and starts tugging at the laces of her muddy sneakers, barely undoing the knots before pulling them off to reveal bony, dirty feet.

Kavi watches Pizza from where he stands, curious, but not appearing to pass judgment on what he sees. His brow furrows and he turns back to Lefty. "I. Um. Yes?" He takes a few steps toward the kitchen, but then shifts direction and moves to sit at the other end of the couch.

Lefty seems pleased by the answers. She grabs three of Jacob's beers, kicking the door shut behind her as she returns to the living room. They're handed out, her own set down on the coffee table while she picks up the phone. Calling Garcia's, she amiably and cheerfully orders up two pies, giving the address. When the phone's tucked away again, she once again picks up her beer. She seems like she wants to ask the Walker something, but for now she just sips the beer.

Pizza, her sneakers off, grabs her beer and wiggles herself comfortably into a corner of the couch. She chugs down a hefty several beer-swallows -- lupus or not, she's a real vet of the art of brewskis, apparently. This is followed by a belch.

As in everything, tonight, Kavi is more hesitant, more tentative in his drinking. Sitting at the edge of the cushion, about as far from the lupus as he can get and remain on the same couch, he takes a single sip, and then another. He holds the bottle in one hand, resting his forearms on his knees. After a little while, he takes another sip and looks to Lefty, brow furrowed again.

Lefty's already looking at Kavi when his look comes. Her own smile slips. she draws a breath, finally asking, "Kavi, I know...well, I mean I think I know some of what's bugging you. But, you want to talk about it now? Or later? Or?" she trails off.

Pizza sips her beer again, less crudely this time, and then -- inspiration. She shifts her weight, digging a free hand into a coat pocket, and rummages around.

Kavi glances to Pizza and then down at the bottle between his knees. "I... Maybe later? I... I'm sorry. It... I'm sorry."

Lefty shakes her head. "Na. You don't need to apologize, Kavi. I understand." The squirming Gnawer gets her attention, then, and she waits to see what she's digging out of those pockets.

Kavi nods without looking up, more acknowledgement than acceptance. He takes another sip from the bottle and sets it on the table. Glass scrapes against wood as he turns it, twice, running a finger over the shoulder and leaving a trail through the condensation. "Did... Did you find a lot? When you were scouting?"

The reminder of last night's travels dampens the older Gnawer's mood further, though she does not seem to bear any ill will toward Kavi for bringing it up. "Yeah. Lots. I saw six, personally, and they were an outlying patrol. When the alarms went up, there were a lot more voices. I couldn't give you an absolute count. But. I'd say there's enough that we'll have to muster as many bodies as we can." She stops there, swallowing another sip of beer. It looks like she's going to say more, but for the moment it goes unsaid.

Pizza finds what she's looking for -- a half-empty bag of gummi bears. She sits up and holds them out to Lefty, then Kavi, offering. (They're soft and warm 'cause they've been in her pocket.)

Kavi reaches in with a thumb and forefinger to pull out a green one, a faint smile offered along with his nod of thanks. He studies the malformed bear for a moment, and then looks back to Lefty. "But. It was...?" He hesitates, finally settling on a safer statement. "I'm glad you're back," he says, and then slips the candy into his mouth.

Lefty's grin returns with the offering of the bears. She takes one, popping it into her mouth right away. Kavi's question garners her gaze, again, and she exhales softly. "I got a look at the totem. You know the one they've been talking about? The cat?" She exchanges a look with Pizza.

Pizza takes a bear herself and drops it into her beer. The rest of the bag ends up on the coffee table for the others to partake from at will. Her nose wrinkles. "Yah, big cat wit' hair all ova his neck." She shakeshakes her head, making her own wild hair fly. "Daaark. 'N loud."

Kavi nods at Lefty's question, but at Pizza's elaboration he draws the corner of his lip between his teeth. One finger comes to rest on the lip of his bottle. "You... You saw her?"

Lefty grunts. "It's a him." She looks to Pizza again, and then adds, "Well, if spirits even have a gender. It looks like a male, black lion. Only, you know, if its parents had been demons."

"Yah," the lupus agrees. "Baaaaad stuff." She sips her gummi-bear-garnished bear.
"Oh," Kavi says, his tone nearly flat. "Is it... Did it know you were there?" The flat of the tone gives way to the rough edge of anxiety.

Lefty takes a moment to sip her beer. And, on second thought, she makes it a gulp or two. "Yeah," She answers, belching afterward. "And he wasn't pleased. But we were on our way out, and we scrammed. I tell you, Kavi, I've seen a lot of bad ass spirits. And this one, charging down the mountain made me wanna piss my pants. But it doesn't scare me as much as what Skokiaan said."

Pizza mutters again, "Bad stuff."

Kavi's eyes widen and his hand wraps around the bottle, fingers tight. "What... What did she say?"

Lefty studies the label on her beer. "That...that there's something beneath there. Beneath the mountain? Something held there. And it has a name." She stops again, clearly not really wanting to talk about the subject. So, she drinks more form the beer. The sudden knock on the door startles her. "Damn. Just the Pizza guy." She gets up to answer the door.

"Havin' a name's good, yah?" Pizza sits up, alert at the knock.

Kavi startles at the knock, almost tipping his beer before he catches himself. He gets up to follow and pulls some bills from his pocket to hand to her before the door is opened. "I... I can help carry them back," he says softly and stays close to her side as she opens the door.

Lefty's good hand was patting her pockets when Kavi comes up with the money. She grins at him. "Thanks, brother." The pizza guy is dealt with, and the two pies laid out on the coffee table.

Pizza wriggles in place but doesn't make a jump for the pizzas, despite the fact that she clearly wants to.

Kavi moves his bottle out of the way and opens the box nearest to him. He doesn't take a piece, yet, but removes the little plastic table from the center and turns it between his fingers. He glances up at Lefty and then back down, but makes no effort to return to the previous subject.

Lefty grins down. "Dig in," she says, settling down and not worrying about plates and stuff, though with greasy fingers, she asks Kavi, "Maybe some napkins?"

"I ga' napkins!" Pizza digs around in her coat again, producing some wadded up restroom paper towels, the cheap brown kind. She dumps these on the coffee table and then grabs herself a piece of cheesy goodness.

Kavi fiddles with the plastic for a few seconds more before setting it aside and taking a slice for himself. He doesn't speak as he eats, but his gaze flickers back and forth between the Gnawers.

Lefty thanks Pizza with another grin, grabbing one of the brown paper towels to wrap her greasy, cheesy slice in. She chews, wiping her mouth a little with the back of her hand. A furtive glance between her two companions, she asks, "Pizza, you given any thought to what Kaz said?"

Pizza's cheeks bulge outwards with pizza. She swallows some of it, chews some more, swallows again, and clears her mouth enough to answer. "Yah," she says, wiping her mouth on the back of her wrist. "I wanna pack. I liked workin' wit'chuh, too."

Kavi's glances back and forth become more pointed, studying each for several seconds. He doesn't add to the verbal conversation, though, instead taking another bite of the pizza.

Lefty turns toward Kavi, her grin widening a bit. She notices the pointed look and returns it, in kind. Her brows rise a little, questioningly. To Pizza, she admits, "Yeah, I like working with you, too. You and Masao. you should come meet the rest of us. Jacob, and all. Would you like that?"

Pizza grins broadly; there's a bit of herb or something stuck between her front teeth. "Yah! Yah, def'nitly!"

Kavi looks down at his slice of pizza when Lefty catches his eye and he shifts a little further back on the couch. He takes a swig from the bottle, keeping his gaze averted, and then sets it on the floor by his foot.

The three garou are sitting around the coffee table in the apartment, drinking beer and eating Pizza. Lefty's just asked the other Gnawer if she'd like to meet the rest of the pack, with the idea of maybe joining Fidelity. With the younger Gnawer's answer, Lefty looks decidedly pleased, but a look to Kavi tempers her expression.

Knock, knock. Jonathan waits outside in the door, looking nervously up and down the hallway. The metis has his coat tucked in tightly about his sides and his hat pulled down low.

Pizza notes Kavi's expression as well, and this puts a damper on her enthusiasm. She bites her lower lip and looks at him with wide eyes.

"It's... That's..." Kavi swallows, but before he can try again, the knock grabs his attention and he rises quickly to answer. The remains of his slice of pizza is set haphazardly on the box lid as he makes his way for the door. He opens it cautiously, but then farther, to admit their theurge packmate. "Hey," hey says quietly.

Lefty watches Kavi intently, her attention shifting to the door after the knock. Seeing Jonathan, her eyes widen in surprise. "Hey, champ!" She says, getting to her feet to give the metis a hug. "How are ya? Come in. Have some pizza."

Jonathan steps inside, nodding his greeting to Kavi. "Hello, brother Ringtone." Then when Lefty gives him a hug, he manages not to flee or show any overt signs of nervousness. "Thank you, I'm hungry, alpha. But I'm doing alright. Just came from-" He cuts himself off at spotting the (to him) stranger.

Pizza's right hand has half a piece of pizza in it. Her left has a beer. She waves the beer at Jonathan a little in greeting, grinning shyly.

Kavi closes the door behind Jonathan and returns to his seat on the couch. He gestures toward the Gnawer beside him with a nod of his head. "This. Um. This is Pizza. Lefty. Lefty was just asking if... She was saying Pizza should meet the rest of the pack. And maybe. Maybe join Fidelity?" There's no hostility in the tone at all, though the uncertainty remains, the slightly rough edge brought on by anxiety.

Lefty, sensing the mild tension, tries to diffuse things some by adding, "Well, why don't we start by having a little pizza, a little beer, and getting to know each other some. I'll get you a beer, too, Jon. Have a seat." The older ragabash goes to the kitchen, coming back with more beer.

Jonathan chooses instead to sit on the floor, looking up at the sofa Pizza's sitting on. "It is good to meet you, erm, Pizza." He stumbles over the name briefly. "I am Lune-Calmer of the First Tribe, knifemoon and supplicant to the Moon Lodge." He offers Lefty a grateful smile as she brings him a beer, though he doesn't drink just yet. He also snags a slice of pizza. "Joining Fidelity?"

"Groo gotta pack, yah?" Pizza ducks her head, looking at the three of them from behind overlong blonde hair. "I'ma no-moon," she adds to Jonathan. "An' lupus an' Gnawa'."

Kavi reaches for the piece of pizza he set aside, earlier, and takes a bite from the crust. He eats in silence for a moment or two, and then looks up, searching Lefty's expression.

Lefty moves to the couch to sit by the 'guest'. She sighs as she flumps into the cushions. "Yeah," she agrees, nodding at what Pizza's said, and looking to her own packmates. "What? Come on guys. Talk to me."

"Metis," Jonathan amends after Pizza makes her own introduction, abashed. Then he looks up to Lefty and can't quite restrain a small flinch, no matter how gentle the request. "I do not know her," he observes, with an apologetic shrug.

Pizza, while they discuss, stuffs the rest of the slice into her mouth. It's quite an amazing amount of food to go in at once.

Kavi looks past Lefty to Pizza and offers a small, apologetic smile. He pulls one leg up onto the couch, turning to face the other two as well as possible. "I... I don't know. It's...." He leans a bit to the side to see the lupus better and his brow furrows. His gaze falls to his lap as he starts to speak again. "I. I'm not... I can't think right. Right now? And. I don't know."

Lefty answers Jonathan first. "Well, that's what things like tonight are for. Yeah? We si'down, we eat. Get to know each other." She grins, eyes shifting to Kavi. "Yeah. Ok. We don't got to talk about packing tonight. Let's just enjoy stuff." she encourages Jon to eat, chuckling a little at how much Pizza's already packed away.

Jonathan takes a bite at the encouragement, looking to Lefty for a moment before he takes off his hat and reveals his third eye. He's quite purposefully not looking at Pizza, as if not wanting to see any reaction. "Okay, that sounds good. How have you all been?"

Pizza tips her head a little at the Fang's extra eyeball, but doesn't react much otherwise. Curling into the corner of the couch with her long legs bent and her bony feet tucked under -- a posture that looks hideously awkward -- she sips her beer.

Kavi's eyes close for almost a second, and he nods without directing it toward anyone in particular. He reaches toward Lefty with his nearer hand, slow, cautious movements mostly hidden between him and the couch.

Lefty seems to have had enough food--which some who know the Gnawer might find strange. The movement of Kavi's hand is noticed, and without thinking about it, she reaches out to take the hand and clasp it. It's reflex, as is the smile she gives him. "Kavi, if you're not going to sing, then I should put the stereo on. Some old blues, or Jazz or something."

Jonathan turns back to look at Pizza for a moment, then to his packmates. One can almost see the wheels turning in his head as the conversation lulls for a moment. "Where do you come from, Pizza?"

Pizza hunches her shoulders, cuddling the beer close to her chest. Her eyes shift to Lefty and then back to Jonathan. "I been lotta places," she says slowly. "Bu' I was born 'round here. I jus' been... 'way a long time."

Kavi grips his alpha's hand, holding tightly to it for a moment. When she speaks, though, he releases. "I... I can do it," he says quietly, and rises from the couch. He pauses, looking back over his shoulder at Pizza when she speaks. His brow furrows, expression softening. For a second, he glances to Lefty, and then continues on his way to the stereo.

Lefty lets go of Kavi's hand only reluctantly, but he's up now and she nods as he continues to the stereo. It's Pizza's answer that grabs her attention, now, and she shifts to face the other Gnawer. Without trying to make it feel like an inquisition, she says, "Really? Huh. From around here? Cool. Then... Wow, then you know these streets pretty good, yeah?"

Jonathan listens to the answer, seeming genuinely interested. "Oh, well, then." He cocks his head at Lefty's question, then looks back to Pizza. "Erm, I'm from England, myself."

Pizza looks quizzically at Jonathan, as though she'd never heard of such a place. Then she nods at Lefty. "Yah, bu' they changed lots when I was gone." She nips the edge of her beer can, then adds, "I been goin' 'round 'em lots since I ga' back."

Kavi fiddles with things until there's jazz coming through the speakers. The volume is turned low, so as not to interfere with conversations. He watches Pizza as he returns to the couch. The question in his expression never reaches his lips and he reaches for the beer as he sits.

Lefty automatically reaches out to take the Walker's hand again when he sits, but her gaze is still turned toward Pizza. "Well, hey, I'll run with you. we can do some patrols or something. Or just, you know, explore. You got any friends around still?"

Jonathan taps his lips with one slender finger, thinking. "Ah, it's where 'English' came from? Tea, bad teeth, a monarchy?" He lists off the stereotypes in the hopes that it might ring a bell.

Pizza gives Jonathan an apologetic look and shrugs. "Yah, I ga' some people thatt'r good. Friends, yuh know. Human an' dog." She scratches her nose. "Use'ta go inna sewers a lot, hadda place down there." She frowns. "Ain' found it again."

Kavi still sits half-turned to face the others on the couch. He tenses slightly as Lefty takes his hand again, but then his fingers curl around hers and he grips tightly. He tips the bottle back, finishing it off.

Lefty latches on to something Pizza says. "KAz and I were talking about the sewers. She kinda said the same thing, and suggested we try and clean them up a little. It really should be our turf, you know? Our tribe."

Jonathan pulls a face at the mention of the sewers, but busies himself with his pizza and beer as he listens to the conversation.

Pizza brightens at this idea. "Yah! I been feedin' th'rats an' makin' good widda rat spirits. We c'n geddem to help us?"

Kavi sets the bottle aside, watching it, rather than the pair of Bone Gnawers. His grip loosens on Lefty's hand, though he doesn't try to pull away.

Lefty grins, unable to /not/ be enthused by Pizza's energy. "Yeah! That sounds like a good plan. Think of it. It could be good networking for us around the city."

Jonathan looks over to Kavi, apparently willing to let the talk of rat spirits and sewage pass him by. "How is Miss Vincenzo doing, brother?"

Pizza grins back at Lefty. "Yah, they know lots." She wriggles a little, then chugs down the last of her beer. Another belch, smaller than the earlier one.

Kavi shifts his gaze to Jonathan at the question, brow furrowing. "She... She's good. It's hard. Right now? Until... Until this is over, and Jenny and Angela can come home. But. But she won't leave. And..." His voice drops to a whisper, gaze falling to the table. "Mostly I'm glad."

Lefty continues talking with the Gnawer and her packmates till the pizza and beer have both been thoroughly dented. The weekend's adventures have left the Gnawer exhausted, and after inviting everyone to stay over, she goes to take a shower and then get some sleep.

Jonathan drops into a simple, deep sleep at the foot of the couch when all is said and done, hat laid over his face and muffling his faintly whining snores.

Pizza curls up on the couch, nose to tail.

Kavi excuses himself when Lefty gets up to shower, heading home rather than staying the night.

Teaching

2008-10-13T01:37:18Z

Bobby's in the garden, with a jug of water, carefully walking between the duct-taped areas of the roof to water the plants. A jacket lies discarded nearby, next to a broom. The roof's just been swept and looks pretty clean.

Kavi pushes his way through the door to the roof, a guitar case in his hand. He stops when he spots the cub, just a few feet past the entrance to the stairwell. "Oh," he says, a hint of surprise in his voice. There's a pause of just long enough to be noticed. "Hey."

Bobby grins and waves to the Galliard. "Hey, Kavi-rhya. Wassup?" He gestures with the water jug. "Finally found something to do."

Kavi's brows rise faintly, his expression otherwise blank. "Good," he says glancing downward. "It's good to have things to do." He hefts the guitar in his hand, shifting it to rest the base on the toe of his boot. "Have you... Have people been teaching you?"

"Constantly," Bobby nods. "Spent a couple days on the Bawn, even helped catch a rabbit. In Lupus!" he adds, proudly. "Chris-rhya's started teaching me more about fighting, and Ishmael-rhya might even take me to visit the Umbra soon."

"Good," Kavi says again. He moves across the roof, settling down on one of the crates by the low wall. "Did. Have they told you... why?"

"Why what?" Bobby asks, before taking a drink from the water jug and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Quentin-ryha told me about the Wyld, the Weaver, and the Wyrm. A little, anyway."

Kavi watches Bobby for a minute and then looks down. He flips the latches on the case and then opens the lid. "Tell me what you learned," he says, his voice quiet, soft. "But. Remember to tell me what you /learned/, and not... not just what you were told." The guitar is drawn up onto his lap, his fingers strumming a simple melody.

"Well..." Bobby sat down on the wall nearby, and offers the water jug to Kavi if he wants it. "In the beginning, no one really knows how it started because no one was there to see, but the Triat created Gaia. The Triat are the greatest of all the spirits; the Wyld creates and gives life to everything, the Weaver organizes and gives form to everything, and the Wyrm recycles things that have outlived their purpose or stuff that the Wyld makes that the Weaver can't keep up with." He stops for a breath before continuing. "The Weaver was stuck in the middle, and kept trying harder and harder to keep up, and eventually went insane - 'between infinity and nothingness, it sought stasis, and found madness.'"

Kavi's fingers keep moving across the strings, his touch light, the music an easy backdrop for the story that doesn't distract. He frowns at something the boy says, but doesn't interrupt, and when Bobby pauses, he nods, encouraging him to continue.

"The Wyld was too big and fast, so the Weaver tried to stop the Wyrm of Balance. It wrapped it all up in Weaver-webs, and the Wyrm tried to escape and got sliced into a thousand heads of a hydra. And the Weaver kept trying to bind everything, and the Wyrm sent its children to destroy everything so it could get free. The Wyld still makes stuff, and is still dangerous. So Gaia made us to protect her, to dig out the Wyrm's corruption, cut loose the Weaver's webs, and keep the Wyld in check if it needed to be. And then there was an argument about stories being just stories or true." Bobby stops, catching his breath.

Still, the galliard doesn't interrupt. The soft melody continues from the guitar and he watches the boy expectantly.

"I couldn't follow most of what they said, it was in the Garou language. I'm better at it now, though," Bobby grins. "Quentin-rhya said that there were other spirits, too - incarnations. And that there's Wyld even in the middle of the cities, too."

Kavi gives Bobby a small nod. "Incarna. There are a lot of spirits. And... It's better if Mouse, or... or Ishmael explain them to you." His palm flat against the strings silences them. "Some stories say that it was the Wyrm who went mad, first. And that the Weaver was only trying to maintain what was. Some stories say that it was the Wyld's madness that infected them both. Or that sentience was what drove the Wyrm insane. It's hard to know. But we know what's happening, now. Now, the Wyrm is out of control, and it isn't just recycling, it's corrupting."

"So all or one of the above may be insane," Bobby says dryly. "And our job is to fight the Wyrm's corruption. Does it still recycle at all?"

Kavi nods at Bobby's first comment, but stops, drawing the corner of his lip between his teeth at the question. "What happens to these plants when they die?" he asks, sweeping his hand toward the small garden.

Bobby nods. "Good point. The plant's growth is the Wyld, its form is the Weaver, and it decomposition into the soil to be reused by other plants is the Wyrm. So how do you tell the difference between the good Wyrm and the bad one?"

Kavi's brow furrows; for a long second he studies the boy. "What do you think?" he asks, eventually, bringing his hand back to the strings of the guitar. He doesn't strum, doesn't resume the soft melody, but he plucks at the bass string, letting it alone ring out over the rooftop.

"I'm guessing something that gets corrupted would never actually die. But then again, that's what the Weaver does too - put things in stasis. So they both end up doing kinda sorta the same thing..." Bobby's brow is furrowed as he thinks.

Expression twisting in a vague frown, Kavi shakes his head. "Corruption isn't about stasis. It's not about keeping things forever. Think... Think about it... Like. Like if the Wyrm doesn't want to wait. What if things start to decay, before they die?"

"Like a zombie or something?" Bobby grimaced. "That's what the Wyrm does? Rots stuff that's still alive?"

Kavi chews at his lip, but then gives a single nod. "But. There's more ways to... to rot something, than just the body. The Wyrm corrupts, rots, things in other ways, too. Think... Think about some of the things people do. When they can't, things you can't explain. Some people are... Humans are human, and not everything they do that's bad is because of the Wyrm, or because of... of corruption. But sometimes?"

"Most people aren't evil for evil's sake," Bobby observes. "They think they're doing the right thing for whatever reason - like Magneto, in the comics. You're saying that the ones who do - the ones who actually _like_ being evil - might be henchmen for the Wyrm?"

Kavi considers Bobby's words, though no recognition shows at his mention of the comic books. When he's done, the galliard nods, but it's coupled with a shrug. "Might be. Or. Or it might be that a Spirit of the Wyrm, a bane, is hurting them. Or controlling them. There are lots of ways that the Wyrm can affect people, too. Look... Look around the city, and see... See if you can understand, if you can figure out how the Wyrm has... has taken hold."

Bobby is serious for a moment, something that's almost unusual. "Well, people are more inclined to do things they ordinarily wouldn't in extreme circumstances. Things like poverty, hunger, violence - they'd all make someone more vulnerable. The Wyrm could be promoting things like that to get... recruits."

Kavi nods, slow and steady, and his fingers start moving over the strings again. "Yes. Things like that. And the more the Wyrm creates those situations, the more his influence grows, and the more things like that happen. You see? That's... That's part of why we're here. The Wyrm isn't just about people. We sometimes forget that. None of this is just about humans. It happens in the forests, too. But in the cities? There's so much more to build on? And things are so much worse, and so much stronger." He looks down at his hands on the strings, and the melody he plays becomes more cohesive, more clear, and less just a soft string of background notes.

"The Wyrm finds it easier to work where the Weaver is strong, then?" Bobby asks. "And you can't just, say, burn all the cities to the ground, because that'd be rather counterproductive, since pain and suffering are what the Wyrm likes."

Kavi's brow furrows and the building melody ceases. "It's not about the Weaver being strong. Not... not really. It just happens to be in the same place. Sometimes? If the Weaver were stronger, the... the corruption wouldn't be as bad? Because. Because if the Weaver had her way, everything would be fixed, rigid, and the Wyrm wouldn't be able to get in. But the way things are? The Weaver is strong enough that the Wyld is weaker? It's... It's more a question to ask a theurge. You should ask Mouse. I... I know the stories, and the songs. If... If you want to know more about why? That's. That's better for Mouse to answer."

"Mostly, I want to know how to fix it," Bobby says matter-of-factly. "I know I'm supposed to be a soldier of Gaia and all that, but I don't think I'd last that long in a fight against some of the monsters I've heard about. There's got to be a better way of dealing with it, y'know?"

"You can't fix it. We can't fix it. We can only fight." Kavi's words are clear and crisp, and his gaze fixes on the space just beyond his knees. His fingers pick up the strumming again, the melody different than a moment before. "Do you want to hear a song? It's an old one?"

"If it can't be fixed, what are we fighting for?" Bobby mutters quietly, but shrugs it off. "Sure!"

Kavi gives a single nod and focuses on the song. His fingers stretch to reach unusual chords, the melody decidedly eastern. "I translated it. I know it in Mother's Tongue and in Gujarati and in Hindi. But I translated it into English." His tone is a little apologetic as he glances up at the cub and then once to his fingers on the fret board. Drawing in a deep breath, he sits up a little straighter and begins to sing. It's easy to see, once he begins, how he got his deed name. His voice is clear and cool, and the sound echoes off the roof to rebound and simply add to the quality. The galliard is clearly adept at this particular skill.

Phoenix rises from ashes, touches my eyes
Vision swimming through flames, painful to see
And I looked. And I saw what was to be

Hunted kin, dead by the thousands
No more children, no more parents
Children of the Weaver, Humans' gift to us

Still I looked, Still I saw what was to be

Humans rising, too many to bear
Gaia groaning, burdened too far
Children of the Weaver, Humans' gift to Gaia

Still I looked, Still I saw what was to be

Humans overrunning, nothing to hold them

Wyrm in their hearts, Blood in their hands
Children of the Weaver, Wyrm's gift to her

Bobby listens intently to the words, brow furrowed a little as he memorizes the lyrics.

The galliard continues on through the verses, his voice ringing out over the rooftop.

I could not look, did not wish to see.
But Phoenix would not let me turn away.
So again I looked, Again I saw what was to be

Children born twisted, A world of decay
Sickness and dying, Warriors fell
Children of Gaia, Wyrm's gift to the world

Crying I looked, Crying I saw what was to be

Heat parched earth, no rains fell
Winter was warm, All living drew still
Children of Gaia, Wyrm's gift to us

Bright as the sun, I saw what was to be

Gaia in pain, Fire boiled her seas
Final days calling, packs will form
Each has a purpose, each has a task

All is black, all is blood
Still I saw what will come

The moon, swallowed by the sun
Burning in his belly, vomiting blood
Everything shattered, everything lost

I looked away, I would not see the end
Phoenix looked at me with shame
He whispered when I closed my eyes
This is as it shall be
But not as it should.

This is what I saw. This is what will be.
This is what you must learn from me.

"This is as it shall be, but not as it should," Bobby repeated quietly. "Can the future be changed, Kavi-rhya?"

Kavi's brow furrows as he brings the song to a close. He doesn't still the strings with his hands, but instead lets the last chord fade on its own. "I don't know. Maybe? Can... Can you see into the future?"

"Me?" Bobby asks incredulously. "Not any more than anyone else. But if that's a prophecy and it sounds like one, and the future can't be changed, then there's not much point, is there?"

Kavi swallows. He lifts a hand from the strings to look at his palm. "It's called the Phoenix Prophecy. It's... It's very old. And... And maybe we can't change it. But. But if we don't try? Then we won't change it. So. So we have to try. We have to... to keep fighting. To keep trying to... to make things better. If we... If we just think there's no point, then... that's when the Wyrm wins. And. And maybe we can't fix it. But what if we can just... just make things better for a little while? Isn't that... Wouldn't that be good?"

"Any good done is better than none at all, I guess," Bobby mutters. "Anyone would do what they could, I think. Still, though. Maybe there is a way, and we just haven't figured it out yet. Dagny-rhya said everything has a weak spot. The Wyrm has to have weak spots, too."

Kavi's eyes narrow as he studies Bobby. "Maybe. But. It's not... We can't destroy the Wyrm. I mean, even if we could? Even if it could be done? Without the Wyrm, then the Wyld and Weaver would be out of control, too. Nothing would decay. Nothing... The cycle would... wouldn't work."

"Well, not kill it then, but fix it," Bobby insists. "If it's insane because of the Weaver, then maybe we have to convince the Weaver to help or something."

Kavi shrugs, his fingers wandering across the strings, apparently aimlessly. "Maybe. Maybe there's a way to heal the Weaver, and heal the Wyrm. Maybe. But I... I'm not a theurge. And that... That's something the Elder's would be thinking about. If. If there's a way? There aren't... I don't know any stories about it. I... I don't even know stories about people who are trying." He shrugs again. "It's... Maybe when you're Fostern. Maybe you can go and try to scout out if someone is. And. And be a proper Questioner, and try to... Try to get them to think about it, if they're not." The aimless wandering becomes a more specific melody, this one clearly more western in theme.

Bobby grins a little, again. It'll take more than a tale of hopeless doom to dampen his spirits. "Questioner of the Ways, someone said. Guess I'm kinda fitting in to that already. Tons of stuff to learn, though."

Kavi nods, and for a time doesn't answer beyond that. He watches his fingers, though his skill clearly shows that it isn't necessary, and as the melody progresses, he looks out over the rooftop to the city. "It's... It's good to ask questions," he offers, after a while. "Just. Make sure you... Try to pay attention to who you're asking, and... And if they want to answer. When you're Cliath? You can do more. And. And when you're Fostern, you can ask a lot more. Being a Questioner... it's... it can be hard. To know how far you can push, before someone will want to push back?"

"Chris-rhya and Jason have told me about knowing when and where to ask questions," Bobby nods. "Lots of people seem to be pretty high-strung."

"It's... It's what Luna gives us. To help us protect Gaia?" Kavi turns his gaze back to Bobby, studying, expression twisting into a small frown. "You can feel it too, probably more when the moon is at its smallest and biggest. "It's... It's our connection to Gaia's pain."

"A little. Kinda... edgy and nervous like, I guess. Not as much as Jack-rhya or Chris-rhya. Jack gets... downright scary," Bobby says.

"We all have it," Kavi says clearly and his hands still the strings. He leans down to put the guitar back in the case and works each of the latches in turn. "It's why... It's why I came up here. It's harder to stay in control, when the moon is bigger. It's... It's harder to... Little things... We feel them more, now. And. So, it's just... harder."

Bobby nods. "I try to stay out of the way, when someone looks edgy like that. I'm squishy and fragile."

Kavi picks up the guitar case by the handle, the other hand running across the textured surface. "Yeah. It's... It's good to be aware, that way. But. Submission works. Sometimes better than staying out of the way? If... If someone is angry, and they think you're ignoring them? Sometimes they just get more angry. It's... it's better to just submit. And then wait until it's... Until it makes sense to leave."

"I'll remember that," Bobby notes. "Thanks for the song, too, Kavi-rhya."

Kavi pushes to his feet with a nod. "If... I know a lot more. And. I should probably sing some for you? Sometime. There's... You should learn a lot of the history. Because... Because if you're going to question things, you should know what is, first."

"That makes sense," Bobby agrees. "Not like I have a lot of other things going on, so. I'll listen."

"Good," Kavi says, his voice gone soft again. Then he heads toward the door to the stairwell. "Stay safe, Robert."

Bobby picks up the water jug again. "You too, Kavi-rhya." He waves as the Galliard leaves.

Protectorate

2008-10-11T21:25:49Z

The moon has risen, shining down through the faint haze of smog in the otherwise clear sky. More than half-way to full, but not yet there, her pale glow adds just a little to the light of the city night. Kavi is sitting at one of the small tables in the pizza parlor, sipping at a can of soda and poking at the slice of pizza he ordered.

No matter what class you're born into, it's hard to turn down a craving for pizza. The front door swing open to allow Juliana to enter, and the kin heads straight for the ordering counter, although not without a quick, assessing glance around the joint.

Kavi's gaze though window follows the kin as she enters, careful to look away as she surveys the store. He picks up the pizza, biting off the tip and then setting it back on the paper plate.

It's not all that clear at first whether Julie spotted him or not. She heads for the counter, leaning against it a touch as she orders. Once she has her order number and drink, though, she turns and heads towards Kavi's table with a faint smirk.

Only when she's near does Kavi turn his gaze directly to the kin. "Hey," he says, nearly swallowing the word. Then his gaze dips to the edge of the table.

Juliana smiles a bit more once he greets her. "Hey. Mind if I join you?" she asks, nodding towards the seat across from him. "Pizza tastes better with company, I hear."

Kavi looks up again, almost furtive, and glances toward the door. "If... If you want?" He brings his gaze back to her, wiping grease from his fingers on the paper napkin. "I... I wanted to... I'm sorry."

Juliana slips into the seat at his response, setting down her drink. "It's okay..." She frowns at the memory, though, then shrugs. "He was out of line. /I'm/ sorry he was so rude to you."

Kavi looks down sharply. "I'm... It's. It was your house, and..." He gives a soft shake of his head, reaching for the soda. He doesn't pick it up, though, instead, letting his fingers trace the pattern of the lettering.

"You'd think that'd /mean/ something," says Julie, a hint of frustration entering her own tone. "Instead of giving him some /right/ to be like that. I can just see how great it'll go once...." Her words fade, though, and she shakes her head.

Kavi's chin lifts sharply, his brow furrows with concern. "What...?"

Juliana frowns back at him, then looks away. She grabs up her soda a moment later, though, sipping at it to fill in the silence as she looks to see if her food's ready yet. Just as the silence stretches out too long, she lets out a sigh, giving in, and looks back. "I'm seeing someone. Outside of the tribe. I haven't talked to him about it yet."

As the kin's silence stretches on, the galliard is patient. His gaze drifts downward, avoiding the appearance of pressuring her. As she speaks, however, he slowly returns, listening without a change in his concerned expression. He doesn't have an answer for her, not immediately, but after a span of seconds he asks, "Is that... Does your... your family... Is that not allowed?"

Juliana frowns at his question. "I don't know, really. I mean, I don't know how it is /here/. How he'd see it. Back home, my father would have thrown a fit. Kenneth... sometimes he seems like he'd be okay about things, but then others he turns around and I just don't /understand/ him."

Kavi nods slowly, uncertainly, his shoulders rising. "I... I'm sorry I can't... can't just..." He shrugs, rather than completing the thought. "I don't think... I think you should be free to... to make your own choices."

Juliana automatically starts to reach a hand out, but stops herself, resting it instead half-way across the table. "It's okay. I'll figure something out. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed now." She then smiles lightly. "I'm glad you think so."

Kavi's eyes are just a little wide as she reaches across, though he's quick to relax when the hand settles on the table. "It's... It's important, I think? For everyone. We... We don't. Always? There's. There are things that get in the way. But. But this? Who you choose?" He swallows, ducking his chin almost to his shoulder for a long second. "I don't think there's ever... I think that should always be... be from your heart."

Juliana smiles at his response, and while there's a hint of relief, there's also something troubled, uneasy, about it. She slides her hand back, then looks towards the counter. "I'm going to check on my pizza," she announces before moving to stand again.

Kavi's brow furrows again as he looks to her, worry showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he says softly as she rises, and then reaches for his soda.

Juliana glances back briefly at his words, offering a faint, if reassuring, smile. The kin isn't gone /too/ long, though, before she returns, the ordered pizza in hand. "Think I missed hearing my number called."

Kavi offers a brief, faint smile. "I... I'm glad you got it." His glance to her lasts no longer than his smile, and he lifts the soda to his lips.

Juliana smirks as she sits again. "Yeah, same here." There's a pause as she takes a bite, savoring it, but eventually she looks back over at him. "He's a Walker," she notes in a lower tone, a light smile returning. "Calls himself Major? Or Heart-Throb."

Kavi drinks, a sip, and then another, before he sets the can back on the table. "He's... He's from here?" Concern wars with confusion in his expression and his tone.

Juliana shakes her head. "No. He's from Colorado. Visiting, although I think he's been reconsidering moving on. I heard him talking to Kaz about needing to talk to Mouse. So. But then he was injured pretty good, so he'd been recovering. But he should be seeking you guys out soon."

His expression remains uncertain as Juliana explains, but the concern wins out when she mentions injury. "Injured? How? Is... Is he okay?"

Juliana nods. "Yeah. Morrison got followed home that night. We managed to trap the things in the basement, but luckily I'd invited Kaz and Ryan to dinner, so they arrived in time to help us out before things got ugly. They all were hurt, but Major the worst."

"Oh," he answers without real meaning. He pokes at the slice of pizza on his plate, lifting it to nibble at the edge, despite the fact that it's now quite cold. "Kaz didn't tell me."

Juliana gives a light shrug at that. "I imagine she has a lot on her mind. Kaz. I still can't believe she's... Well. I think it's pretty fascinating that she's made it as far as she has."

Kavi's expression softens as he gives up on the pizza and sets it back on the plate. "She... She's really amazing. I... I don't know what it would be like, if it weren't for her."

Juliana gives a faint grin at that. "Yeah, she seemed cool when we spoke. I'd like to learn more about her." The kin doesn't, though, ask more questions right that moment, as her attention finally returns to the ordered pizza.

As the seconds pass in silence, Kavi seems to grow more uncomfortable. "I. Um. I was... I should... But I can stay. If you want? I... If you want me to?"

Juliana glances over at him, her brows furrowing briefly, but then she smiles. "Whatever you rather. I'm okay, really. Not that I don't want you here, but if you have somewhere to be, I understand."

Kavi half-rises from his seat, lip caught between his teeth. He hovers there, awkward, for a long second, and then he settles back down. "It's okay," he says softly. "It's not important. I... I'll stay, until you're done."

Listening

2008-10-10T19:06:11Z

Looking much more healthy than the last time he saw either of the Gaian's, Kavi answers the door to the fifth floor and lets them through. It's his tripple knock on Mouse's door that announces their presence, as well.

Stacey waits beside Kavi and Coriander, arms crossed and looking rather unhappy in general. Too serious is one way it could be described. With the growing moon, the Ahroun's rage seems to simmer just below the surface. Lurking.

There's an audible click from Mouse's door, followed by a muffled shout, "It's open!" from Mouse herself, who sounds as though she's nowhere /near/ the door.

Kavi glances behind him and then pushes the door open. He keeps his gaze lowered as he steps inside, holding the door for the other two, and not looking at anyone.

And Coriander looks mostly worried and a little jumpy, at least until they get inside. She lets out a bit of a sigh and gives Kavi a light smile in greeting. She slides herself out of her borrowed jacket, slinging it over an arm as they head for Mouse's room. She waits to let Stacey enter first, but steps in just after her.

Stacey lets in after Kavi does, moving further into Mouse's room. "Hey, Mouse," she greets, her tone at least friendly, if tired. "There have been... developments. But first..." She pauses and gives a crooked smile. "Don't suppose you still keep a stash of cookies you're willing to share?"

Mouse is sitting at her desk, with her laptop open in front of her. As the other Garou enter, she's gazing intently at it, but she abandons that after a moment or two to push back and twist in her chair. "Kitchen," she replies. "Huge plate on the counter, can't miss it." One hand gestures toward the small kitchenette behind her.

Kavi hangs back by the door. He looks up, finding Mouse at her desk, and chews at his lower lip.

"Mouse-rhya," Cori greets, with a smile that the focused Garou probably can't even see. She can't help but perk up at the mention of cookies and she puts a hand on Stacey's shoulder, "I'll grab them. You want a drink, too?" She asks as she heads toward the kitchen.

Stacey shrugs at Coriander. "Think I'm good with the cookies. Thanks, Mouse," she adds before letting out a rough sigh. "I'm glad you're sitting down for this, so don't stand up. Someone decided to go and attack Carnage. Alone."

Mouse is in the process of closing her laptop when Stacey drops this little bombshell, and while she was warned not to stand up, she starts to. "What the fu--" And bangs her knee into the desk. "/OW/."

Kavi starts, eyes going wide. He lets the door close, no longer hesitating, and moves further into the room. His steps are slow and cautious, but take him toward Mouse.

Coriander takes a moment to gather up a plate of cookies and drinks for everyone, even though Stacey declined. She stops the plate in front of her Alpha first, offering her a comforting smile. She doesn't add to the conversation, but it's pretty clear she was clued in before this.

Stacey grabs a cookie as the plate is offered, but her focus is on the other pair. "That was about my fuckin' reaction, too. Except I got to see the retaliation. Jacinta and I were tracking the one that got away, Bloodbath, not Adam. The fuckin' Dancer led us back to Pure Tribe territory... Burned the long house. Killed buffalo. And fucked up Jude pretty good. Left behind a silver-tipped spear and the glyph 'Fairness'. I'll give you three guesses whose bright idea this was."

Mouse settles back into her seat. She doesn't say anything, but the dawning suspicion is fairly easy to read across her features, and it's /very/ clear she's not happy with that.

Kavi swallows, gaze flicking between the two tribal elders. "Mouse-rhya?" It's just a whisper, and then his gaze drops again.

One of the drinks is set down next to Mouse next, as well as the plate and Stacey's drink. Cori grabs a cookie for herself and steps over to pass Kavi a drink, too.

Stacey doesn't yet eat her cookie, but waves it around as she continues to rant. "So the Wendigo are pissed, obviously. No idea what she's going to do. We never did find the bitch. And Silvertip's missing, far as I know. I'm /hoping/ that that's the end of them 'getting us back', and it doesn't hasten any other of their plans."

Mouse's lips curl. "Jesus /fuck/. That's cute. Nice. Way to blow the fucking gameplan. /Jesus/." She kicks at the leg of the desk and then crosses her arms, leaning back, looking ceilingward.

Kavi looks at the drink as Cori brings it to him. He hesitates, but then accepts it, and returns his attention to Mouse. "What..." His single word trails away, so soft it might not be heard to begin with.

Coriander smiles softly to Kavi, but as the matter is explained, she slips back into the kitchen, where she searches for a cup and ice for her own drink, letting the others discuss.

Stacey lets out her own faint growl before biting into her cookie, chewing that before she speaks again. "I don't know what the hell possessed him to do this. Or if anyone else knew. /I/ sure as hell didn't." She lets out another rough breath before taking a drink.

"Tell me," Mouse says, "That someone's going to nail his ass to the wall. If he's still alive. Jesus /Christ/."

Kavi looks down into the glass, tense, but silent now. One finger trails down the side, drawing a waving pattern in the condensation on the side of the glass.

"Well, I'm not going to give him a fuckin' pat on the back, that's for sure," responds Stacey. "And I know Jacinta's pissed. /I'm/ pissed. That place was like a second home to me for a while, ya know?"

Mouse reaches up and pinches the bridge of her nose for a moment. "...Well, if we weren't already on high alert..." She glances toward Kavi, before looking to Stacey. "This is going to make the scouting missions more difficult."

Kavi meets Mouse's gaze for just a fraction of a second and then looks back to his glass. "Is... What can we do, now?"

Stacey nods, then glances between the two. "The Scouts need to know this before they go. They'll have to be ready to get the hell out of there if it gets too much. And people should know someone pissed the enemy off, so we might expect more aggression from them. Might speed up my planning process, too."

Mouse gestures toward Stacey. "That's about all we /can/ do. God. This is going to make shit harder."

Kavi pulls his lips between his teeth and nods, setting the glass aside.

Stacey nods as well, her own gaze lowering to the floor for a moment before she looks back up at Mouse. "I do have a plan. But I'm going to really need your help, if you're willing."

Mouse looks toward the Child of Gaia. "Err. Sure. With what?"

Kavi looks back and forth between the two, his expression curious, but not interrupting.

"I need to split our forces for the battle," explains Stacey. "I need one group to go Umbral and handle things there. Make sure the Bane either doesn't get out or is stopped in whatever way necessary, while the rest of us draw as much of the enemy's attention as we can. Obviously, I need another leader in order to pull this off. I'm sending Kenneth and Coriander along with that group, to be my eyes and ears there, possibly my mouth, but... I still need someone focused on leading there. I trust you, Mouse."

"Yeah, with Stacey on this side of things... it'd be good to have you heading up things over there," Cori says as she steps back out, clinking the ice around her cup as she does.

Mouse blinks, slowly at first, followed by a much faster one. "Err. Wait. You're asking me to lead that side of things?" Her cheeks have gone ever so slightly pink.

Kavi's eyes go a little wide as he looks back and forth between them, finally resting on Stacey. "Where... Where do you want Fidelity?"

Stacey nods, offering a faint smile. "I am, yeah. And you'll have your pack with you. And I need you to take Jorge. I'll also ask Fantasia to help on your side of things, might need her if that Lion is around. I think he'll be important. And if you have no strong objections, Rommy's pack as well. But you'll be the leader there. Your Auspice's realm, no? Fidelity I'd like with me. Kaz as well. Melodie. Likely most of the others, as I'm hoping for the bulk of the fighting to happen in the Realm."

"Also, we might get some response asking some of the spirits around if they'll help out. And, I was thinking, Mouse-rhya, we could maybe make some healing talens to send along with Stacey and the others for the fighting." Cori looks over at Stacey, as if checking to see if that's okay. "And maybe Stacey and Mel could alert us if more healers are needed, so we can pop over."

Mouse sinks back into her seat. She looks faintly troubled, but she's clearly mulling the matter over, and there aren't any actual objections from her.

Kavi seems a little troubled, too, though his only response is a single nod.

Stacey takes a moment to consider both of the Walkers, then looks to Kavi. "If you had wished for the other, I'm sorry. I have good reason to need some of your packmates in the Realm with me, and I would rather not separate more packs than I have to. But if you have good argument for me to do otherwise, I'll listen." Then she looks back to Mouse, her own expression turning somber. "I'm not asking something easy. And I know I'm likely asking some on both sides to go to their deaths just by seeking any sort of confrontation. But I also know that someone capable needs to keep things together on the other side. That bane needs to be stopped or bound or /whatever/ it takes. And I think you can do this. Just let me know who or what you need, and we'll see what we can work out. ...If you think I'm completely /wrong/ in all this, I have a Plan B, but..."

Mouse holds up a hand, and shakes her head. She's not entirely looking at Stacey when she speaks. "...I'll do it."

"It needs to be done. Some of us go to our deaths, but we go to protect Gaia and her children," Cori says, although the words seem to lack totally conviction, particularly because the girl's gaze falls to the floor as she speaks. "It's our purpose, right?" She shakes her head some and looks up at Kavi, "You'll look after Jacob? He's so... on edge about all this."

Kavi seems surprised when Coriander speaks to him, both by the very act, and by the content. But he nods once as he swallows, and his quiet answer is firm. "It's what we do."

Stacey frowns, first at Cori's tone, and then at the mention of Jacob. "Thank you," she says to Mouse. "Coriander experienced Jorge's dream, and we talked it out some. It might help you. We'll have to talk more about who will be where before all of this goes down."

"Yes, I can... I was hoping you'd listen, to see if you can hear something we've missed. A hint. There isn't anything about the Dancers, but the... bane." Cori's own cheeks flush some, embarrassment entering her expression.

"Dream?" Mouse asks, her gaze trailing from Stacey to coriander.

Kavi bites his lip again, turning his attention to the cup. He picks it up, drinking down a good third of the water and then watches as the ice shifts to find a new equilibrium.

Stacey nods to Mouse. "She asked Chimera to show it to her. In the Caern." She then looks to Cori, nodding to encourage her to tell what she can.

When Cori looks over at Stacey, there does seem to be a certain amount of wetness in her eyes that wasn't there a moment ago, but she clears her throat and looks toward the Walkers. "I... well, the dream starts in this beautiful wood. The trees are tall and strong and the wind is crisp and cold and there is a calmness, a peace. But it only lasted a few moments. There came a snapping sound. Not like twigs... like... like necks. And it made me feel /sick/. And /panicked/. And all of a sudden the sky is red and there's fear everywhere. There's /wyrm/ everywhere. Black clouds roll in and the red star comes to outshine Luna. Everything's... off. Tipped. In /their/ favor. And it changes the fear and panic to /rage/. Rage like nothing I've ever felt before. And then... there's blood. Ah... on me. Or Jorge. Or... whoever this is. But me, the blood is there and it won't come off, see? Even dipping them into a creek, it just turns the water red. And there's this screaming, pleading. It sort of comes from everywhere, bouncing off the trees. Mercy. Forgiveness. And I knew the voices, they were my people. My brothers, my sisters. Fathers, mothers, children. My /people/. And I killed them. And the panic returned there... and I tried to run, but everywhere, they hang from the trees. They were beautiful, but now... they're twisted and... their souls are there. I think it's... their souls crying out. But then the darkness comes over everything, and I have to feel my way out. But it's just... bodies and blood. Until the Bane. It laughs. And /laughs/. And that was then end."

Mouse listens quietly to the recitation, a vague frown playing out over her features. Her brow knits at particular details, but she doesn't say anything.

Kavi listens, his grip on the glass growing tighter through the recitation. His eyes close, by the end, and he swallows.

Stacey likewise remains silent during the recitation, the Child Elder looking tired, either at the tale or at other thoughts. "We talked it over as a pack," she notes finally. "Pretty sure the person is his past life. And it's warning Jorge. Trying to get him to help finish what he started, I'm thinking. Or ensure it wasn't for nothing."

"Jorge thinks it's the apocalypse. But it's not that. It's /this/, what we're dealing with. The Grove... well. I haven't seen it myself, but I'm pretty sure that's what's in the dream. The question is... I'm not sure /what/ the dream is asking him to do. Specifically. Face the past and /fix/ what was done. The guilt. But how isn't covered." Cori stops there to take a long drink from her cup.

"It sounds pretty much like his story, yeah," Mouse says, eventually. "I'm not sure there's any new information in there. But I'll think on it, if you want."

Kavi downs the rest of his water and walks into the kitchen to put his glass in the sink. He stands there for a second before turning back to the others. "I feel... I want to be... be doing. Not waiting. I... What can I do? I need to help, and not just wait."

Stacey nods to pretty much everything that's said before she looks over at Kavi, her brows lifting. "Actually... There is something you could do. Or rather, you Walkers could do. For the Realm battle, there's something I'll need for each Garou on our side. Ear Plugs. Really, really good ear plugs."

Mouse looks up, squinting. "Ear plugs?"

Coriander gives Mouse a crooked smile, but nods to her question. "That's the plan. Oh, it's a good plan. I guess... we're not gonna be in on it on the Umbra side, huh?"

Kavi bites at the corner of his lip for a moment before brining his gaze to Stacey. "Do you... Do you want noise-canceling ones? Or... Or just, mechanical? Blocking kinds?"

Stacey shakes her head at Coriander. "I think Stealth will be your friend there, and it's also why I'm thinking of putting Rommy Umbra-side." She then grins at Mouse. "Yep. I'm going to have everyone who's going to be fighting with me go through Rite of Silence. And stay quiet until we get into position... I'll have Kaz do Call of the Wyrm to bring as many as we can, and then we'll all let out a shout or what the fuck ever and release all that noise, disorient as many of the bastards as we can before the fighting starts. So yeah, ear plugs that'll protect our folks from the noise," she concludes, looking to Kavi.

Mouse grunts. "That's easier done that most things. I'll order some. But they aren't likely going to stay in your eyes if you shift, so you know." She stands, hesitates, and then stretches. "When are you looking to start the scouting runs?"

"Ah... Mouse-rhya? Could I ask a favor, too?" Cori steps a little forward, giving both her and Stacey an apologetic look for a moment before her gaze settles on Mouse.

Kavi swallows and bites at his lip again. His gaze drops to the edge of the desk, following from one corner to the next.

Stacey nods. "That works. I don't want the plugs used after it's done. They'll need to hear orders." She taps a finger on her leg, considering. "Within the next week." And then she looks to Coriander, waiting.

"Good," Mouse says. "See me before you start any raid-esque type hit and run maneuvers. I've got something cooking that I think you'd appreciate for that." She looks at Coriander. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you could help... Ah... I want to learn to speak to the spirits. I think I could be a better help in the preparations if I could! So far, my contributions haven't been... all that helpful," Cori notes with a slightly embarrassed, crooked smile given toward Stacey.

Kavi's brow furrows as he studies the desk some more, but he doesn't interrupt.

Stacey nods to Mouse. "Sure thing. I'm hoping to at least give all you theurges and such time to finish what you're working on before the battles. We might not have forever to wait, but I don't want to rush into this either."

Mouse assures her, "Shouldn't be too long. I think you'll like it." And once more her attention shifts to Coriander. "Oh. Well...yeah, I could teach you. Sure."

Coriander brightens up at Mouse's answer, a fuller smile coming to her face. "Really? I... I don't have much to offer back, but if you need anything that I can do for you... I'd really owe you one. Isn't that how this usually works? I just... I... Thanks Mouse-rhya."

Without looking up, Kavi speaks, his voice quiet, tentative. "We could... We could adapt them. The earplugs? To make them fit lupus. If... If you wanted? Because. It might... It might be easier to get close?"

Stacey looks rather pleased by Mouse's response to Cori, but looks away from the pair in order to focus on Kavi. "Yeah? If you can do that, that would be awesome. I'll also have to come up with some non-verbal signal to get people to release the sound. It'll also probably make our force sound larger, too. Intimidate them some in return."

Mouse shakes her head at Coriander. "Don't worry about it. We can start tomorrow, if you like."

This time, Cori manages to keep her mouth shut, but her nod is plenty enthusiastic in the place of her words.

Kavi nods faintly, still not lifting his chin. "It... It would take a little time? To put them in right. And. Someone who wasn't going to... to help? Because you'd need hands. But. I could do it. If you want."

There's a knock, then a small murmuring out in the hall, and then there's a 'shave and a haircut' knock, on Mouse's door.

Stacey nods to Kavi. "Perhaps the Umbra-bound group could help place them before we separate. How much time would it take to put them in, do you think?" She then looks towards the door at the knock.

Mouse turns to sit back down. "S'open!" she calls to the door, though any of the others might notice she does grow tense. Just in case.

"We could do that, Stacey. Get your side ready and then step over." Cori steps back at the knock, moving to grab herself another cookie from the plate. It's a celebratory cookie.

Kavi also tenses at the knock on the door, or perhaps more in reaction to the tensing of his elder. He moves so that he's facing the door, standing again at Mouse's side. "Just... Just a few minutes. To make sure the seal is good?"

Kaz pushes in cheerfully, though there's the shadow of tension about her shoulders and jaw. "Hey, yo. Thought I'd come bother people and steal a cookie. Because, cookies."

Stacey frowns softly. "A few minutes per person might be too much time. Unless we do this a good distance from the final destination. Basically, we're going to have to plan the journey there carefully." She looks over as Kaz enters, offering her a tired smile. "Hey, Kaz."

Mouse gestures toward the kitchenette. "Cookies. Eat them, please. Before I drown in sugary confection."

Coriander stays silent as the Alpha enters, although she is greeted with a smile from the girl. She seems content to let the others talk, although her attention does shift over to Kavi for a moment, a curious expression there.

Kavi looks down and chews on his lip, just a small flicker of his gaze toward Kaz acknowledging her presence.

Kaz limps over to the kitchenette and grabs a cookie. Or three. "Anyone wanna take a roadtrip with me t'morrow? Them things're always more fun with other people along."

Stacey frowns over at Kaz. "Road trip? T' where?" She then gives a faint shrug. "I can't, though. There's been trouble in Wolf Woods, and I need to help look into that. Among other things."

Mouse gestures toward Cori. "I just booked stuff for myself tomorrow. Plus, some other things. But uh...yeah, why?"

"Yeah, Kaz-rhya, what's up? Something serious?" Cori's first reaction seems to be concern. "Yeah, we gotta see to those poachers before they get to any of the other wolves."

Kavi looks up, his gaze finding Kaz, expression thoughtful, internal. "I... I can go. If... If you want?"

"Cuz I gotta go drag my butt out beyond fuckin' Spokane so I can make sure fuckin' Carnage doesn't have fuckin' Silvertip in any fuckin' area that we'd be able to do anything about." Kaz finds a Coke. "Because fuckin' /Silvertip/ suddenly turned into a fuckin' /lone wolf/ with less sense than my grandmother's /barber/." She asides, "My grandma's barber once cut off President Nixon's toupee by accident, and then tried to hide it. And /Silvertip/ apparently tried to do something stupid to Carnage's crew. But /anyway/, y'all prolly know that because Stace's right here. So my point is, if he's accessible, we gotta do for him what we did for Stacey. Even if he was a goddamn moron with no fashion sense."

Stacey scowls at that, shaking her her roughly. "I don't know /what/ the fuck he was thinking. I could have used his help /here/ if he was that eager to do something. Shit." She lets out a heavy breath, then nods, much tenser than she had been a moment ago. "Good luck."

"Oh, good," Mouse says, with very fake cheeriness. "/Then/ we can nail his hide to the wall. Did he at least give you back the fetish before he decided to play hero?"

Coriander reaches for another cookie, this one with a frown as Silvertip is brought back up. She lets out a sigh before taking another bite, but Mouse's question brings a curious tilt to her head as she looks over at Kaz.

Kavi tenses at each emphasized word in Kaz's speech, holding hte tension through Stacey's and Mouse's responses. At the end, he swallows, and looks back up to the Alpha. "If you want? I... I'll go with you."

Kaz says brightly, "No! He's still /studying/ the goddamn thing. Though," she allows, grudgingly, reluctantly, "He is makin' /some/ progress." She bites a cookie, vengefully, and munches it as if it had slighted her. A moment later, she sighs at Kavi. "I'd love t'have you along, but you can prolly do a lot more useful things back here. I can use my radio, it'll be fine."

Stacey just looks more tired and once again upset as she lets out another sigh and stands. "I think... I'm going to head back to the city before it gets later or anything. Cori? Walk me out? And then ya can do your learning tomorrow..." She then looks over at the Walkers. "Thanks again. We'll meet soon to hash out the fine details, Mouse."

Mouse nods at Stacey, before looking back to Kaz. "Or he /was/. Fuck it, Kaz, if he didn't take the damned thing with him, /I'll/ study it for you, some more. We'll be lucky if the God-damned Dancer didn't find it and take it."

That particular possibility widens Cori's eyes for a moment, but she moves to stand next to her pack alpha at her words. "Sure Stacey. And I'll have Kenneth come and get me tomorrow. If that's alright, Mouse-rhya?"

Kavi ducks his head again at Kaz's reply, his nod so small it probably goes unseen. "Okay," he answers softly. Gathering up Stacey's and Coriander's glasses, he moves back into the kitchen. Water runs in the sink as he starts to wash the dishes that are there.

Kaz, who might normally probe a bit more into Kavi's reactions, is still somewhat volatile, and instead snorts at Mouse. "I may well go lookin'. With Jacinta's permission, anyhow." She glances at Stacey, a mild apology in her gaze and in her voice as she says, "OK. You sleep good, huh?"

Mouse nods at Coriander again, before slumping in her seat and rubbing her forehead. She mutters something, but it's not exactly audible. It's probably unkind, anyway.

Stacey offers a nod to them all, including a faint smile to Kaz. "Will do. Take care." And then she steps out of the room, dragging her packmate along with her so that they can have Words before she leaves.

Kavi lets the water run, finding a sponge to wipe down the counters once the dishes are clean. He glances occasionally to the rest of the apartment, but he keeps quiet, biting down on the corner of his lip.

Kaz chews on her lip, and then looks up toward Mouse again. "Also? That fucking Lion asshole thingummy who's out to eat our souls came to steal some more of our fucking spirits, while them Dancers was burning down Wendigo-land. Just in case you wasn't already enthused enough about all this shit." In a suddenly quite restrained voice, tied down with anger, she says, "I'm a little bit peeved about this." She makes a pinching motion with two fingers and her thumb. "Just a /bit/."

Mouse's eyes narrow to small, thin slits. She stays like that for a beat, and then, abruptly, she stands and crosses the room to her closet. "You want to see what I'm working on? Talen-wise?"

Kavi keeps cleaning. Some spot or stain gains his attention and he focuses his effort on trying to scrub it away.

Something in Kaz's gaze sharpens. "Ohhh sure," she drawls.

Mouse pulls open the closet door, and gestures. There, on the floor, amidst things people might expect to find in a closet, such as an extra pair of shoes and the metal box she uses to hold her ritual supplies, sit three neatly cleaned...skulls. Crinos skulls, grinning toothily in the sudden light from the room. "I figured I'd give Carnage back his buddies. Explosively."

Kavi turns off the water and looks over his shoulder toward the closet. Unable to actually see from where he stands, he moves back to the main area, sponge still in his hand.

Kaz limps over to the closet, and peers into it. She starts to grin, slowly, and then she points at Mouse. "I am a /fan/ of you, have I mentioned?"

Mouse brightens faintly. "They're not done, obviously. Right now they're just, you know, /skulls/, but I figure they'll be done before we start doing actual raids. Or, if Stacey wants to save them, for the main event, but I'm thinking the former would be a better use for 'em."

Kavi watches for a few seconds and then looks down at the sponge in his hand. He turns back to the sink and sets the sponge back where he found it.

Kaz nods at Mouse. She considers the skulls for a moment longer, shaking her head and chuckling. Then she quiets; after a moment's thought, she suddenly looks at Kavi. "So. You. Mr. Quiet. D'you /wanna/ come and don' feel good arguin' with me, or are you cleaning Mouse's kitchen for other reasons entirely?"

Mouse closes the closet door, turning to regard Kavi as well.

Kavi swallows as Kaz's attention falls to him, and it takes him a second to turn to face her. Even so, his gaze remains lowered, his head slightly bowed. "I... I want to. I. There's nothing. There's nothing I can do. Here? Except wait."

Kaz watches this, and, slowly, she smiles at him, her eyes showing some of her fondness. "Awright. Cool. Bring a book. You can read t'me when I don' have to be doin' that Rite every 30 seconds. An' we can shoot th' shit."

Mouse's expression settles into seriousness again. "You guys watch yourselves, alright? Not that I think you're going to attract attention just driving through Spokane, but..." Fret.

Kavi nods to Kaz, lifting his chin just a bit. "Okay. I'll... I'll be ready." He shifts his gaze to Mouse, watching her and then dropping his gaze again. "We'll be careful."

Kaz looks at Mouse. "Yeah. Most definitively. It should be fine, since it's just drivin' around and stoppin' every 2 seconds, but... Well, I'm bringin' silver, and I'm payin' attention."

"You run into any kind of trouble..." Mouse taps her ear. "I'll break several laws getting to you. And I'll bring party favors."

Kavi's lip is taking quite the beating, tonight, and he draws it between his teeth again. "Okay."

Kaz nods, once, at Mouse. "Ayup." Then she glances at the cookie she's holding, and back up. "Ok, so, I should hit the hay. Kavi, I'll come bug you in the mornin', OK?"

Mouse meanders back toward her computer chair, though there's a tenseness about her movements that wasn't there before.

"Yes, sir," Kavi answers Kaz. He starts to head toward the door, himself, but hesitates, turning to regard Mouse.

Kaz limps out. Limp.

Mouse meets that gaze, one eyebrow arching faintly.

Kavi looks down almost immediately. "Mouse-rhya? Can I... Is... Is there anything I can do? For you?"

Mouse shakes her head, slightly. "I'm going to finish up here and go to bed, I think." She gestures with her chin to the closed laptop.

Kavi turns his gaze away, head bowing again. "Okay. I... I'll come back, tomorrow. After? I... I'll tell you. What happens." That said, he starts heading for the door.

Mouse nods and brushes her forehead with a hand. "Night, Kavi."

"Stay safe," Kavi says in a soft voice before he slips out the door.

Restoration

2008-10-08T10:10:41Z

I won't be weak. I'll do what she needs. I'll be strong enough.

Turns-the-Tide is in hispo in the woods, and the grey-furred ragabash is being rather careful, sniffing about and minding his step. He's been out here for a while already, but seems rather focused on his task.

The Glass Walker galliard arrives at the scene of the battle, his movements stiff. His black fur is hard to spot in the dark, but his steps are clearly audible, the sounds of a city-bred Garou moving through the forest.

Sean presses his nose close to the ground, sniffing and moving forward slowly, ploddingly. He's still wounded, but he can still work. His eyes lift up as he walks, lifting to look at Sawyer, though his muzzle still hangs low. He perks his ears and lifts his head, then picks up his legs with high careful steps as he walks closer, still careful. He's in Hispo, so he dwarfs the Gaian by a fair margin. ~Hello Turns-the-Tide. Have you found any more traps?~

~A few,~ the Gaian replies, looking tired, but he greets Sean amiably. ~You?~ However, the sounds of the approaching Walker catch his attention, just a tad bit of wariness in his form before he tests the air, sniffing a bit. ~Who's there?~

~Ringtone,~ the galliard announces, forcing the verbalization where his postures would go unseen through the dark underbrush. He continues on toward the sound of voices, now, until he breaks through into sight.

Golden-Tongue barks an affirmative at Sawyer. ~Found another pitfall. Marked it off with glyphs and scent and other ways to make it obvious, but will want to fill it in. This one wonders where all the dirt went.~ turns and lifts his head warily as he looks at the approaching garou, then lets it sink back down. ~Ringtone. You fought too. Are you here for cleanup?~

Turns-the-Tide chuffs a greeting toward Ringtone, amiable and welcoming. He looks to Sean with some concern, an ear flicking back. ~I'm more worried about how they found the time to do all of this. This took time to put together.~

Ringtone licks his nose, a nervous gesture as his ears twitch backward. Yes. Cleaning. He stretches, eyes closing as he fights the pain and focuses on finding the larger form. It takes a little bit of work, but he eventually finds his way into hispo. ~Mouse wants a bear trap,~ he rumbles. ~If we can find one, undamaged.~ He moves a little closer, blowing out a hot breath at the ground in response to something he smells.

Golden-Tongue sniffs at Ringtone curiously, maybe a bit worriedly. In this form he hobbles some, his right shoulder heavily mangled and partially crushed. And a large gouge taken out of his left side. He snorts and glances back to Sawyer, eyes narrowing. ~Yes, it's all very worrisome. But still they failed. Hopefully the ones who did it are dead. Hopefully we can return the favor.~ He curls his tongue up against one side of his muzzle, then glances back ponderously. ~Think there must have been one found somewhere... if we don't find one now we should be able to get one found before.~

~There's a lot,~ the small metis agrees, ruefully. Turns-the-Tide watches Kavi's gait for a moment a bit worriedly, flicking his ears back, and then turns to eye Sean. ~Has anyone healed you yet?~ he asks, as though just now taking in the severity of the gnawer's wounds.

Ringtone lifts his muzzle as the metis speaks to the Bone Gnawer and he watches both for a long moment before huffing out a sigh. We will find the rest. Destroy them. Make the land as it should be. He takes a few steps forward, and his ears lay flat as he reaches down to sniff at an unfamiliar scent.

Golden-Tongue turns his head to glance at Sawyer, and lowers his head humbly. ~Golden-Tongue has owed you for healing enough times already. Turns-the-Tide gives too much.~ Of course, that's not to say he'd mind healing in the least, and a hopeful glimmer in his eyes tells as much. He turns to Ringtone and asks, ~How can we fill the pitfalls?~

Turns-the-Tide looks tired, but he carefully steps over, giving the area Kavi is inspecting a wide berth and steps remaining attentive and careful. He seems content to let Kavi field that question. ~You should have talked to me before. People don't need to be walking around wounded if we can help it.~ He slides up to his birthform with ease once he's next to Sean's hispo, finding a spot to slide fingers into fur and focusing inward as he goes about his duty.

Ringtone looks up again, watching Sawyer work his gift. With a flick of his ears, he looks around them. ~If the soil wasn't taken far, we can put it back. If not, we can fill it by digging. The whole area will be lower, but there won't be holes.~

Golden-Tongue flattens his ears in a reverent way, that Gaian touch always a blissful reprieve from pain. He twitches his tail and looses a short groan of relief, hanging his head as rejuvenating energy flows through him. He lifts his head a moment later, slightly dazed and more relaxed. He turns about and ruzzles Sawyer, holding his head close for a moment, then slips back to look at Ringtone. ~They must have just scattered it. I think the ground is slightly sloping up to the hole, so digging might set it right.~

Once done, Turns-the-Tide sets his hand on the hispo's head, and looks to Kavi, concerned. ~And you?~ he asks, referring to the healing. He seems a bit more tired for the effort, but not unwilling.

Ringtone tenses, tail and hackles both rising slightly at the offer, an entirely unconscious response. ~Mouse already,~ he rumbles, and despite the raised tail, his ears slick back against his skull. He turns away, finding one of the marked pitfalls and starts kicking dirt into it.

Golden-Tongue lifts his head against Sawyer's hand fondly, then flattens one ear in mild confusion at the Walker. He glances to Sawyer, showing the confusion, the wags his tail a bit as he hobbles over, possibly feeling fit enough now to actually help dig. He pulls up beside Ringtone, ponders a moment (he had seen dogs do this before...) and throws a few kicks into the dirt, flinging it back. Then he pauses and turns to make sure it went in the right place.

Turns-the-Tide seems a little confused by the reaction, letting his ears fall back, but he readily accepts it. He steps away, easing back down into hispo for ease of movement as he starts hunting out traps again, seeing as three hispo crowded about a pit might be a little much.

Ringtone drops his head a little, watching Sawyer move off on the search, and redoubles his efforts at filling the hole.

Golden-Tongue quickly picks up the art of digging in a lupus form, kicking and digging quite nicely, though the hole is deep and over the time it takes to fill it, he has to take a few breaks, his shoulder growing sore, relying heavily on Ringtone for help. He tromps around on the soil in Crinos when it's full, looking like a strange little dance, to pack it in nice and flat. Though the lack of growth there still seems a bit out of place. Then he goes back to sawyer, staying in Crinos for a bit since it's much easier to walk, and helps the Gaian find a bear trap. Or two, or three, springing them with sticks and slinging them over his good shoulder.

A few hours pass by in the woods as such, the three garou searching diligently to find traps. Eventually, however, the group finds need to split apart, Ringtone receiving what bear traps they did find to take back to the city while the other two retire back toward the bawn. All in all, at least, a successful (if tiring) hunt.

Phone

2008-10-08T09:46:44Z

*RING*

Kavi answers after the third ring, his voice half an octave lower than normal and rumbling. "Hello?"

"Hey," comes a familiar voice. "It's Mouse. Listen, you know those traps you mentioned you guys ran into last night? If you could pass on to whoever is doing clean-up, that if they got any relatively portable, still functional and intact ones, I would /love/ to get my hands on 'em. I'm thinking specifically the bear traps."

“Yes, sir," comes the gravelly reply. "I'll tell people. And... I can... I'll go look."

Mouse cautions, "Don't strain yourself, Kavi. It's just an idea popped into my head. But if you could pass it on to whoever is out there, especially Stacey."

There's a slight pause, and then Kavi's voice comes again. "Yes, sir."

“Thanks. Take care alright?”

You paged Mouse with 'There's another pause, and then the words repeat, softer, sounding a little hesitant. "Yes, sir."

*click*

Reporting In, Kaz

2008-10-07T10:27:13Z

I didn't. I can't. I don't want her to see me this way, not hurt, and not glabro. She shouldn't have to. It's too much to ask.

Late in the night, Mouse has stepped away from the lobby, something else requiring her attention. Kavi is still drowsing on the couch, his sleep an uneasy one. A blanket covers his form, dried blood visible on the hand that clutches it to his chest.

Kaz's keys jingle, and then she lets herself in, scanning the room automatically. She blinks at sight of Kavi, and her face softens in a smile. Closing the door gently, she heads for the stairs, quietly.

Kavi's eyes open at the sounds of entry, bleary, and trying to focus on the new arrival. The bloodied hand rises to rub his eyes, though it doesn't seem to help much and drops quickly back to grab at the blanket. "Kaz-rhya?"

Kaz halts about halfway to the stairs. "Hey. Sorry, kid, was tryin' not to wake you. You OK? What's up with this shit?"

Kavi pushes himself upright, wincing at the movement. The blanket drops to his lap, revealing a shirt dark with blood. "I'm. I'm okay. Just tired, now." He swallows, looking up to find her face. "You got my message?"

Kaz nods-- "Just now. It's why I came t'find you. I was off buskin' and lost track of time." She takes a pace toward him. "Glad you're not, y'know. /dead/. But-- how-- what? What /happened/?"

"Dancers," Kavi answers succinctly. "Near the bawn. Coriander and I. We heard something. And then she said Stacey was talking to her, that she'd found them. She wanted us to come up from behind."

Kaz growls under her breath, and nods. "Packlink's damn useful that way," she mutters, as she troops over to the couch and sits down against the wall, facing Kavi.

Kavi's gaze drops to the blanket on his lap, fingers tugging at a small bit of fuzz. "Yeah," he whispers, quiet for a moment more before he looks to her again. "We were going, but. But before Coriander could shift, Adam was there. He held her by the throat. He was too fast. I couldn't stop him, and he just... just had her. He wanted to know how many of us there were."

A motorcycle's engine passes on the street, starting at a high-rpm whine and slowing to a halt.

Kaz growls louder, now. "There's a /reason/ I didn't trust that fucker. OK. So he's demandin' stuff outta her..."

Kavi nods once, tension rising through his shoulders as he recounts the events. "I told him it was just the two of us. But then Stacey howled, and he got angry. She was coming to us, and letting the dancers chase her. When she got to us, Adam let go. And when the fighting started, he left."

Kaz snorts. "Fucker. I wonder if he's fucked his pack completely, or what. Is the cell phone number Mouse has his, or Rita's?" A moment later, she adds, thoughtfully, "Man. Riot was so... vulnerable." Then she shakes her head minutely. "Right. How many dancers, d'you know?"

Rina bursts through the door, a black leather whirlwind--and stops at the sight of him, breathless from running and wild-eyed with alarm. There's a visible moment of impact, as if the Galliard's injuries strike her like a hammer-blow to the gut.

Kavi cringes at something Kaz says, and the movement brings a slight wince of its own. "His. I think? She... She called." He swallows, starting to sit upright when the door opens and his head turns sharply in that direction. His eyes go a little wide as they fall on Rina and he pushes to his feet, far less unsteady than one might expect given the amount of blood visible when the blanket drops away.

Kaz starts back against the wall at the bursting, but all she says is a casual, "Hey, Rina. How goes the night?" Shoulders visibly (and deliberately) relaxing, she asks Kavi, "Mouse called /Adam/? Man, I'd've loved t've heard /that/."

With a catch in her breath, Rina shakes her head and come quickly to support the Galliard. "Don't--" She swallows. "Here. Lie down again, yeah?" Chewing on her lip, she says, "It's all right. You're all right."

Kavi swallows as Rina approaches, something in his expression shifting, uncertainty furrowing his heavy brow. He starts to reach for her hand, but stops before he makes contact, pulling back to press his hand over his abdomen as he sits. "I'm okay," he answers, not looking at either one. "Mouse... It's not as bad as... as it looks." His eyes close and he pulls in tight, his form actually shrinking as he shifts down to homid.

Kaz says, "Figured Mouse musta. And I bet some of that ain't yours, too. But d'you wanna new shirt? I mean. Clean shit always feels better..."

Rina sets an arm under his gingerly, to ease him on the way down. She gives another little shake of her head when he shifts. "Stay. You need to heal."

Once he's back in his birth form, he reaches again for Rina's hand, looking down to follow the movement with his eyes. "I. I fell asleep," he says to Kaz, his delivery making it sound as though he's answering her question. "But. There were three. Three that we fought? But Stacey. She'd wanted to wait. Before Adam came? She'd wanted to wait, because they were waiting for someone else."

Kaz says, with a small spark of fond humor, "Kavi, I know you don' like goin' glabro in front of Rina and all, but uh, you're injured. You recall how we don't /heal/ in them birthforms, and all?" She nods to the information, absorbing it. "So there's three that we /know/ of. Didja kill 'em?"

Rina gives his hand a light squeeze and says, firmly, "Shift."

Kavi winces at Kaz's words in a way that has nothing to do with his injuries. When Rina gives the same instruction, the turns to look to her, eyes filled with worry. He watches her for only a pair of seconds and then nods, turning his gaze to his knees. The shift back to glabro is slower, reluctance making it a more difficult transition. "We did," he answers Kaz's question, though his gaze is still on his knees. "And there were more. Quentin and Fallout, and some others. There were four more. They... They got three. The last one. They lost its trail when it reached."

Kaz mutters, "Thank you," and then, at the news, her gaze sharpens. "Good job." A pause. "Huh. OK. I'll ... bug Touch Deer, methinks. He don' gotta follow trails by scent alone."

Rina gives him just enough room, and then finds one of the coarse hands, laying her own over it and taking a careful breath.

Kavi's hand closes under her touch, pulling a corner of the blanket into his loose fist, and for a moment his eyes remain on that point of contact. "They were setting traps," he says, turning his head just enough to be able to see Kaz. "Some people were staying. To... to try to find them all? They're not... There's no silver. But they were made well." He swallows again, biting at his lip briefly. "He said. Adam said. He said to tell you, he's tired of waiting."

Kaz snorts. "Oh, how cute, he's trying to make us think he's on our siiiide. Well, I don't fuckin' care whether he is or is not, and I /sure/ don't fuckin' care what he thinks no more. He threatens ours, he ain't on our side. Period. Caput. X-ed out. He is /gone/. So he can do whatever, and however, and he can be all butthurt and disappointed and angry, but fuck him and the horse he rode in on, we're stickin' to the plan." She takes a breath. And then another, and lets it out. "Traps. OK, where is this, so I can go help find shit?"

Rina's tense, but remains still and quiet, watching Kavi's face with an occasional glance to Kaz.

Kavi keeps his face turned toward his knees as he explains. "Near the bawn, where the old railroad and the old highway cross. It's... It's just north of that. In the woods. Be careful. There's... There are a lot of them."

Kaz says, incongruously cheerfully, "I will search by blundering around and bothering things. And getting holes stuck in me." She adds, thoughtful, "Wonder if Wildfire saw anythin', beforehand. That's near their turf. Tenacity, too."

"Maybe you oughta take a no-moon?" Rina suggests, gently.

Kavi gives a small shake of his head. "Not... It wasn't near Tenacity. Closer to the bawn. We... Coriander and I? We were just walking on the road. It... it wasn't that far." His hand tightens a little further under Rina's, and his gaze darts toward her, and then back down.

Kaz says, "Yeah, well, if I can find one, sure. Main thing is, doin' shit. Makin' it clear we're all in this together. See." She shrugs. "Symbolic lil' random things."

Kavi shivers, and he reaches down with his free hand to pull the blanket up higher around him. "Be careful?" He looks directly to Kaz, then, leaning back against the couch, exhaustion creeping into his posture once more.

Rina moves to tuck the blanket in around him, a flicker of worry in her eyes.

Kaz says, nodding at him, looking at him. "Well, I mean. I'll bring /backup/. Because holy shit, Dancers." There's a short pause. "You wanna sleep?"

Kavi pushes himself upright, shaking his head at Kaz's question. "I can... If you need... I can do it. Whatever... Whatever you need me to do."

Kaz considers him for a moment, and then says, practically, "Right now, I need you to sleep. I ain't goin' over there til the mornin' anyways."

"You gotta rest, caro," Rina echoes, flashing Kaz a grateful look.

Kavi tenses, for a long moment not allowing himself to relax. Eventually, he acknowledges Kaz's words with a slow nod, and leans back against the couch again. "Okay," he says, the single word softly spoken, relenting.

Kaz levers herself to her feet. "Anyways," she says. "I'll leave you two to be cute and all. I gotta go talk t'some people. I'll catch y'all around, yes?"

"Take care," Rina says quietly.

"Stay safe, Kaz-rhya." The weariness can be heard in his voice, rough and low.

Kaz says, "Plannin' on it," she says, to both, and heads, not outside, but upstairs.

Kavi watches through half-lidded eyes as Kaz slips out, and then turns his head until he can see Rina. "Rina?"

Rina swallows, and gives his hand a light squeeze--so much larger than her own bird-boned hands. She looks to him, dark eyes touched with worry, searching. "I'm here," she says hoarsely. "What do you need?"

"I... Will you stay?" He turns away even as he asks, finding the strength to sit forward on the cushion.

The momentary tension passes unnoticed. "Yeah," she says quietly, swallowing. "You wanna sleep down here, or y'think you can manage gettin' to your place with some help?"

"I can," he answers, pulling the blanket with him as he pushes to his feet. He's not entirely stable, but he also doesn't seem about to collapse. "You don't... You don't have to touch me."

"I'll help," she says quickly, moving to his side to support him, tucking herself under the tall Glabro's arm.

Reporting In

2008-10-07T02:08:27Z

I shouldn't have let her. She shouldn't be wasting her energy on me. There are important things. More important than me.

Lefty makes her way to the Walker safehouse from her own pack's apartment. It's late Friday night--or, more accurately very early Saturday morning--when the Gnawer's shadow darkens the front door of the Tenement. The caemras pick her up and she gives them a little salute with her good hand before pressing the buzzer to alert those inside she's there and would like entrance.

Mouse seems to be the one on watch duty tonight, as she's the one who opens the door--and a peek over her shoulder would reveal that no one else seems to be in the lobby with her. "'Ey," she says quietly, before pulling the door open to let Lefty inside.

Lefty offers the Walker elder a friendly grin as she steps in out of the early morning chill. "Hey Mouse," she says. "Kavi around? I was hoping to borrow his laptop again. I probably should have just kept it like he said, but.." she shrugs.

Mouse gives a slight shake of her head. "I'm not sure, but I haven't seen him this evening." She moves to close the door behind the Ragabash.

Lefty grunts. "Should have known," she comments with a shake of her head. "Small moon. He's probably with the family." She unbuttons her coat to leave it open in the front, turning to look back at the Walker elder. "So, how are you?"

Mouse waves her hand dismissively. "M'fine. Nothing new. You?"

Outside, a motorcycle engine can be heard moving past the building. It passes almost beyond hearing before it shifts down to a different sound, idling, and then the engine cuts out completely.

Lefty's grin returns. "I'm still kicking," is her answer. The motorcycle engine, at this time of night, is more than notable, and she turns to see if she can see anything outside. But it passes quickly, and the Gnawer turns back to Mouse. "Don't suppose you got any cookies? I'm hungry."

"Yeah, but they're upstairs," Mouse replies. She also tilts her head to the sound, but she doesn't move from where she's standing.

It's not long after that Kavi appears in the monitors. Helmet clutched in one hand, he doesn't seem to be moving with his usual grace. He almost stumbles as he reaches to pull his keys from his pocket as he approaches the door.

Lefty's shoulders fall minutely, and her expression turns a little glum. "Oh," she says, not pushing her invitation much further. Instead, she makes her way toward the couch to wait.

"Man," Mouse says, looking faintly amused, "You look like a puppy that's just been denied attention." She also moves toward the couch, though casually, in no hurry.

Kavi's keys turn in the lock and he pushes through the door. His grip on the helmet is tight enough that his knuckles pale, and though his jacket is fully closed, in the light of the lobby the dark red staining his jeans is readily visible.

Lefty is mildly embarrassed for her sulk having been recognized by Mouse, and she covers it with a sheepish grin and a vague shrug. "What can I say? I've got the munchies." As Kavi comes in, her grin fades a little. "Hey brother. You alright?"

Mouse opens her mouth, clearly about to say more--likely more teasing judging by her expression--when Kavi enters. She turns that bright look on him, but one glance has it disappear entirely. "Kavi? What happened?"

Kavi pushes the door closed behind him and starts across toward the couch. His brow creases, eyes closing for a moment, concentration evident, and then his steps seem closer to his normal fluid movement. He shakes his head, positioning himself behind one of the chairs, and lets his helmet fall to the seat. "They came. Near the bawn." He winces as he draws in a breath and holds up a hand as if to ward off questions as he gathers himself.

Lefty's mild concern turns to alarm when he speaks. Despite his apparent indication that he's 'alright', she moves to his side and touches his arm.

Mouse remains where she is, but her alarm is no less visible. She has to visibly bite her tongue not to immediately spout off at least five different questions, and it shows.

Kavi drops his hand to the back of the chair, his grip there almost as tight as it was on the helmet. Lefty's approach steals his attention, and though he tenses at her touch, he doesn't flinch. "Dancers," he says, confirming, or explaining. "They came. Near the bawn. I was with Coriander. She... Stacey used their totem, their connection, and told us they were there." He swallows, and shifts his gaze to look directly at Mouse. "Adam. He was there. He... He didn't hurt her, but. He held her. He held Coriander by the throat. And he said. He said he's tired of waiting."

Lefty's jaw works, her eyes dark with both anger and frustration. "Kavi, sit down. Let's get a look at you." It doesn't seem to be a request.

Mouse snaps, "/What/? What do you mean /Adam/ held Coriander by the throat?"

Kavi jerks back at the vehemence in Mouse's tone, hiding the wince as his head bows. His grip on the chair grows tighter, and he shifts his weight away from Lefty. After a glance at her, however, he moves to follow her direction. His steps are cautious, now, though it's hard to tell if it's in response to pain or the tension in his elder and alpha. "He came... Too fast. Too fast, and I couldn't... He just grabbed her. He had her by the throat and wanted... He wanted me to tell him how many of us there were."

The idea and imagine of Cori held by the throat continues to darken Lefty's mood. As Kavi sits, however, she sits beside him, taking the opportunity to check his wounds. The ragabash can't heal him, but she can at least make sure he's not bleeding to death.

Mouse's lips drag upward away from her teeth. She looks /angry/, to say the least. "What happened after that?"

He protests only a little, finally looking away from Lefty and letting her look. As the jacket is opened, the extent of his injuries becomes more obvious. The fabric of his shirt seems to be all that is keeping his organs from spilling out and he flinches from her touch. "Stacey howled, and led them to us. Adam. He was angry. He let go. He said. He said to tell you he was tired of waiting. And when we started to fight, he left." He keeps his focus on Mouse, struggling to keep his words even, and failing frequently as pain edges into his voice.

Lefty grimaces at what she sees. Despite his relaying of events, the Gnawer interrupts him to ask, "Kavi, is there silver in here or something? Because if not, why are you not shifting up to glabro to heal? Come on, boy." she moves out of the way, holding his jacket open to show the Walker theurge what she sees.

Mouse's eyes narrow to thin little slits. She takes in the injuries, but apparently, she still has questions. "You mean Adam was /there/ when the Dancers attacked? And he just left? Or was he fucking working with them?"

Kavi swallows, closing his eyes at the admonishment from his alpha. "I'm sorry," he mumbles, and then goes silent, concentration and pain bringing a crease to his brow as his form twists and shifts upward to glabro. "I don't know. He just left. When we started to fight. I don't know why." His voice doesn't drop as far as it normally would, the rumbling tight with pain. His eyes open to look for Mouse again, and he swallows, almost meeting her gaze, seeking something before he speaks. "But. Mouse-rhya. Before they came? Before we fought. Stacey wanted us to wait. Because they were expecting someone else. There were three. They were expecting a fourth."

Lefty, once Kavi at least takes glabro, relaxes slightly. She settles back, eyes shifting between Kavi and Mouse.

Mouse stuffs one hand into her pocket. "Who? The Dancers?" She's fishing around, and almost before she's done speaking, she's pulled out a cell phone. It's definitely /not/ her usual one. It looks rather cheap.

Kavi gives just a faint nod to Mouse at that. "Yes. Stacey," he stops talking, wincing as he tries to sit up straighter. "Stacey heard them. They were expecting someone else."

Lefty quietly tells Kavi to take it easy, but otherwise she remains silent, letting Mouse question him.

Mouse half turns from the other two, pushing all of a single button on the cheap cell phone before she brings it to her ear. She stands for a few moments, obviously waiting through rings, before she speaks into it. "Hey, Adam." Her voice is already brittle at the greeting, and there's no pause to suggest anyone on the other end is saying anything, "I know you've got your own issues and all, and it sucks to be you, but if you /ever/ fucking threaten one of mine again, I'll /personally/ make sure your impatience comes to an abrupt end. Capiche? We're allies, not your fucking cannon fodder attack dogs." She hangs up and shoves the phone back into her pocket.

Kavi settles at Lefty's insistence, but shifts a little straighter while Mouse is on the phone, lips closed tightly over protruding teeth to keep from giving voice to the pain. When she hangs up, he starts pushing to his feet. "I have to go. I have to find Kaz."

"Not yet you don't." Mouse's tone hasn't much changed as she turns back to face Kavi and Lefty. "You're going to sit. Right. There. And we'll see if we can't find Kaz on the phone." So saying, she reaches out to very firmly push the Galliard back into his seat, though as one might expect, she doesn't have a load of strength to back that up.

Kavi doesn't have a lot of strength to fight against her, and the tone is almost enough to push him physically into his seat. He winces, this time unable to restrain the groan. Chastened, he looks down, his gaze skirting over the bloody mess of his clothes and settling closer to his knees. "I'm sorry," he mumbles, the words rumbling softly.

Lefty winces. "I'll find Kaz," she says, decisively. "I've got the talent for it. you on the other hand," she points to Mouse, "Have the talent for healing. Help him out, will ya?" she gets to her feet, moving toward the door.

Mouse nods at Lefty, before turning her full attention on her tribemate. She reaches out, with both hands this time, fingers pressing for skin that is not ripped or bruised or torn, and closes her eyes. Inhale. Exhale.

Kavi tries to move out from under Mouse's touch, his frown almost a look of subdued panic. He doesn't have much luck and in the end just turns his face away from her, eyes closed and heavy brow furrowed as he submits to the healing.

"Take it easy." Mouse's tone in that is much, much softer than it has been. She breathes again, more slowly, and focuses. The gift seems to take a lot longer for her to use than it usually does--possibly because she's still, clearly, pissed to hell--but eventually Kavi can feel skin and flesh knitting back together.

Kavi gives a soft shake of his head as he feels the healing begin. "You shouldn't," he whispers, still turned away. Still, he relaxes into the couch as muscle and tissue close, and the pain eases. With the release of the pain, the release of the tension, comes a wave of exhaustion. His muscles ease, all except the line of his jaw, the pinching around his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Mouse moves her hand momentarily to Kavi's cheek, before she draws away. "Why are you apologizing to me for defending our Caern, Kavi?"

Kavi winces at the touch, though obviously not from pain. "Not that. You shouldn't. You have too much to do." His voice is a whisper, exhaustion taking its toll. He doesn't seem to notice the still sticky dampness of the blood soaked clothes as he lets himself fall back. The strain is mostly gone from his expression as he turns to look at Mouse. "Will you... Call Rina? Tell her I'm okay?" He doesn't even wait for an answer before his eyes fall closed again, clearly halfway to slumber.

Too Close

2008-10-07T01:01:48Z

Huddled in his jacket against the slight chill in the air, Kavi walks with his head slightly bowed, his eyes on the cracked pavement before him. Coriander noticed right away when he walked into Edgewood that the Glass Walker was less centered even than he normally appears, and suggested the walk. Now they've been out for more than half an hour, the young theurge at his side accepting his silence.

Cori, too, is huddled in a jacket, albeit one she borrowed from Jacob's, making it too large for her smaller form. As they walk, she looks over at him, tilting her head a little to see his face better. As accepting as she has been thus far, it does seem like half an hour is the girl's limit for silent companionship, "You know, I went to a movie theater for the first time the other day." Still not pushing for what's actually bothering, she does seem to settle for small talk instead.

Kavi slows his pace, looking across to her with a furrowed brow. "You did?" It's hard to tell if he's surprised that she went to a movie, or surprised that she hadn't, before. His tone holds curiosity, but seems a little flat.

Coriander nods a few times in quick succession, straightening up as she goes on, "Yeah, Jacob took me to see something called Igor. It was cute. And we got popcorn and a slurpee and he ever let me drive there." Looking over at him, she smiles gently, encouragingly. "But not back. That should tell you how well I did getting us there."

"Oh," Kavi answers, studying her face for a moment. "But you didn't crash, or anything?" It's intoned as a question, though just barely, and he turns back to look down the road ahead as he asks.

In the quiet of the dusk, what can be heard through the perceptive senses of the pair naturally attuned is some louder than usual rustling. The forest is thick enough just beyond the road's shoulders that it's difficult to see into the brush what is the cause. But there is something out there. And there is that neck-hair prickling feeling.

"No, no. Didn't hit anything, but I think I made him nervous," Cori spreads her hands helplessly, her smile turning a little sheepish. "But we had fun anyway. I think it's a good idea, ya know? Trying to unwind and just hang out for a little while. To relax... and stuff..." She trails off a little at that rustling, a shiver running through her as she turns to glance that way, instinctively taking a step closer to Kavi.

Kavi isn't as perceptive as the Gaian, but he lifts his chin, turning to follow her gaze and searching for what drew her attention. His shoulders rise a little, unconsciously responding to that same sensation.

The shadows are growing longer by the minute as the sun turns on its downward arc past the tops of the trees. The plants themselves seem to go still with some sort of anticipated, bated breath. The rustling sounds again, and out of the bushes onto the empty road, not fifty or so feet from the pair, a young rabbit just starting to grow its winter coat hops out of the brush. It comes to a stop in the middle of the black hard river and looks around.

Coriander lets out a breath when the origin of the noise turns out to be just a rabbit and she looks up to give Kavi an embarrassed smile. "Jumpy these days," she says, as an explanation, "I guess I still need to work on that unwinding, myself."

Kavi doesn't seem quite as able to release the building tension. He watches the rabbit, rather than turning back to Coriander. "Yeah," he answers quietly, his voice a little tight. "It's... It's just, so much. And. Waiting. Waiting is hard."

As the rabbit peers around, there's another rustling coming from the direction it had exited the tree line from. Audibly, that noise doesn't sound like any mere predator or prey animal trying to be stealth. The noise causes the rabbit to take off in the opposite direction whence it came, disappearing off the road and into the bushes for some cover, leaving the pair of Garou alone on the road once more.

"It was Tom Petty who sang 'the waiting is the hardest part', I tend to-" Cori cuts off at the return of more rustling, and her eyes go a little wider as she looks back over at the noise. "...Maybe I'm just paranoid," she says in a whisper, "But I've got the heebie jeebies, ya know?"

Kavi's gaze follows the rabbit, rather than turning immediately to the new sound. "I... You're a theurge. It's," he turns, then, looking to Coriander and then back to the underbrush. "You should listen to your feelings."

The shadows grow even longer as the pair on the road wait. The rabbit doesn't return. And, it sounds like the movement is headed in a certain direction.

"Yeah..." Cori doesn't look away from the sound, but follows it. "Stacey's in the woods, that way," she says, pointing a bit north of them, "She says it's wolves. Bad ones. Three of them. She's in their path and wants us to come up from behind." Cori relays the information, but her herself seems uncertain and, frankly, downright frightened.

Kavi's brow furrows for a moment, his gaze shifting to Coriander more directly. "Stacey?" His voice is just a whisper, now, tense, but not with fear. Then understanding seems to come and he nods. "Fast? Or Cautious?" He takes a step to the side, dropping into a crouch.

"Slow and sneaky for now. She'll give me the signal to rush and I'll pass it along. And she says, if there's any gifts that need time to get ready, now's the time to do so." As for Coriander, there doesn't seem to be any preparation needed, beyond looking over at Kavi to see if he's ready.

Kavi shakes his head, shifting even as he leans forward onto his hands. The change is slow, but complete, leaving a black wolf where the dark skinned man stood moments before. He shakes out his ruff, and then takes a step, ready to follow in the direction of the rustling sounds.

From the direction the sounds had moved off towards comes howls of others. Warnings of enemies on the bawn, of Wyrm presence afoot, and a little further off an urgent reply for defenders to hurry.

Coriander's attention turns at the sound of those howls, taking in sharper breaths, "More of them?" She looks back to Kavi, "We should... yeah, we should go... take care of these guys so we can go... help... the others." Her words are gunho, but her tone is just the opposite. Even so, she starts moving forward toward those sounds, and her Alpha. There are only a few steps before she turns to make sure Kavi is with her.

Ringtone is, his black form almost disappearing in the lengthening shadows when they step into the brush. Though he clearly isn't one of those born and bred to the forest, his natural agility and the instincts of the wolf make up for a lot, and he is able to move with assurance.

The howls from the direction sound again, and this time there's rustling further out once more as Kavi and Coriander start to head in its direction. What Ringtone can smell in his lupus form outside of the old faded scent of tar and asphalt on the road mixing with that of the park's newer strip, is the sour twang of sickness along with that of other wolves. Along with it, the sound of movement as fur brushes against leaves. Whoever it is, is on the move again.

"Stacey says to hang back a little. They're waiting for someone and she doesn't want to attack until we know who it is. So we aren't caught of guard. So, we get closer, but keep a distance." Her steps are much less sure, and Cori ends up a few steps behind Kavi as they go along. She does, also, take a moment to shift up into Glabro, the black war paint she and her packmates are adorned with coming into view. Hers covers her face solidly from the bridge of her nose and upward, as well as having the gylph for Spirit on one cheek and the gylph for Courage on the other. Her lips are also painted black, and three lines come down from her bottom lip to her chin.

Ringtone turns his head to look up at the theurge, ears pulling together in a look of mild confusion. A moment later, it shifts to one of acceptance as they continue on, slowly, cautiously, toward the target. A few steps further on, he glances to Coriander again, and when he resumes his forward progress, his form grows bulkier, rising to that of the hispo.

There's a crack of a twig, signaling something near to Coriander once she's shifted and Ringtone has moved a few steps away. While the Walker's ears catch it, the blur of action is swifter than the eye can see. A black crinos, or rather a deeply dark grey and coated with a huge leather coat over his person steps between the white and black Garou. One set of claws reaches to grasp the Child's throat, tips lightly digging against the fur. ~Don't. Move,~ growls out the unknown Garou in a rasped command.

Given the swiftness of the movement, Cori doesn't even have time to register what's got her until those claws are already around her throat. Her hands move instinctively up to grab the hand at her throat, but at the command, she does stop moving. She doesn't even let out a squeal, but stares wide-eyed at the Crinos, taking in short breaths in.

Ringtone stops, freezes in place, the whites of his eyes showing in the dim light. Bat-man, he indicates with just a bare flick of his ears, hackles rising even as his tail tucks tight against his side.

~Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,~ hisses the huge crinos. One might even think it's supposed to be a soothing sound, but it really isn't. With his hand still on Curiosity's vitals, the bat-eared one turns to regard Ringtone. ~How many of you are out here?~ he growls out in query.

Additionally to the howls, in the distance there's a great bellow of a sound that sounds rather familiar to those who recognize a very large Get metis' voice.

There is a bit of a strangled squeal from Cori at that shushing noise as she shrinks back some. Just a little, of course, as those claws are around her throat. Her brow furrows at his question, and she just stares back at him. No answer from this one.

The hispo barely breathes as he shifts his weight, indicating just the two of them. His already tense form seems to coil like a spring, tighter and tighter with the uncertainty in the air.

Pathwalker watches as the Spirals move further off, caught in indecision. Before they get too far off, though, she belts out a howl of her own. ~Spirals! Spirals by the highway! Moving north! This one sees three!~ She snaps her jaws shut after and turns to take off, heading fast for Kavi and Cori's direction.

The bat-eared crinos snarls with the howl from Pathwalker, and shoots a definitive, accusing glare at Ringtone. It screams: Liar. His large ears turn up at the sounds of battle, though, and he looks towards there. His grip on the theurge's throat loosens and lets go before he backs up from the two Garou.

When she's released, Cori scrambles back from the Crinos. She tries to get over by Kavi, clearly puzzled and uncertain. "More on the way," she says to the Hispo.

Ringtone remains tense, watching the self-acknowledged Black Spiral Dancer with obvious distrust. His ear flicks toward Coriander, her uncertainty infecting him. Still watching Adam, he takes a step in the direction of the howl.

~Go on,~ snaps the bat-eared crinos as he takes back another step. ~Tell your elders that I'm done waiting.~ And under that statement, he slowly turns and stalks off towards the darkening woods.

"I... who..." She starts the question, but decides finishing it, as he actually turns to go. Cori doesn't turn away from him, but she does back up a few more steps, as if just to increase the distance.

Ringtone dips his head, ears flattening against his skull for just a moment, clear assent, just as the fear and distrust are clear in the gesture as well. Go, he encourages the theurge, taking another step in the original direction.

It's as the pair start to distance themselves from the Batman that Pathwalker comes into view. The snarling hispo's coat has a faint glow to it due to Luna's Armor, which just intensifies the look of the red, black, and white paint upon her face. The Glyphs for Wisdom and Chimera, Gaia, Suffering, Rage, and Defiance can all be made out amongst the designs.

As he's stalking off, Pathwalker's arrival and subsequent snarl bring the crinos to spin back around with a snapping growl of his own. Eyes fixating on the new painted hispo, the bat-eared one bares his teeth in warning. Now faced three on one, though at distance, he's the one who seems a touch wary about Them. Nostrils flare as he catches the scent of Pathwalker. The large telltale Dancer ears flick forward.

Meanwhile, there's also the sounds of paws striking the ground coming from behind at a distance, soon to be coming to the treeline. Soft, but audible to wolven ears.

Ringtone backs up so that he's not facing away from either Adam or the sounds of approach. His whole body radiates fear and uncertainty, now, but with a flick of his ear, he looks to Stacey for direction, for orders. As his gaze falls on her, some of the fear uncertainty fades, shifting to determination.

Coriander nods to Kavi's word, and turns as if to run to meet Stacey, shifting up again into Crinos as she goes along. Of course, when her Alpha makes an entrance, those steps halt. But still, she shies back from the Dancer when he spins around to growl. More of Cori's war paint becomes visible as she takes to her war form, the most significant being the gylph denoting that she packs under Chimera, which is painted out on her back. Of course, the intimidation factor of the paint /may/ be diminished a little, given her own wary posture.

Pathwalker growls back at the Bat-eared Crinos, her hackles rising threateningly. Still, she doesn't move to attack him, and much like Kavi, spins so that she can monitor both directions, readying to face those that followed her.

Once the trio have become aware of the drum of paws coming their way, the bat-eared crinos backs up another pace. It isn't very long after they've heard it that bursting out onto the road, three black Hispo slow to a halt and stare at the Gaians and Walker, and the looming crinos behind. It's a facedown at the Highway 22 Corral.

Curiosity-Saves looks between the one and the three, looking both torn and worried. Fright is there, too, although she is /trying/ to suppress that bit, particularly when those extra three dancers make their entrance. She doesn't make a move, but does stand ready.

Trap free forest makes for much easier movement; Hunts-Wisely and Seagull dodge between the trees at a full sprint, heading towards Pathwalker's group and the Dancers.

When the trio make their appearance, the Glass Walker turns sharply to face them, hackles raised and teeth bared. He doesn't move, yet, waiting for the signal from the Gaian ahroun, but his tail slowly moves away from his side, quirking out a little behind him.

Pathwalker doesn't yet give that signal, but the war-painted hispo continues to watch the enemy, eyeing them warily, hackles still raised, lips pulled back to reveal her fangs. She even lets out another low, threatening growl.

Like a shell game, the trio of Dancers loll their tongues out and twist and wind, pacing back and forth as they stare alternatingly towards the three Walk defenders. As if they've been surrounded, there's the bat-eared one in warform and a coat with body armor standing behind them. The seconds tick by tensely until finally with a snap, the middle Spiral Dancer quickly turns and starts to run back for the wood, ears splaying to either side and tail tucking. The other pair look surprised by this action, as they're a second or so behind in turning to follow their leader. Meanwhile, Hunts-Wisely and Seagull unwittingly have come close to where the staredown's occurred, and break through the wood to see the ending moments, witnessing the Dancer trio's turn to take flight.

Curiosity-Saves watches the Dancers, too, her gaze mostly focusing on the one on the right. She really does her best not to run herself, despite a firm desire to do so. So, when that first Dancer turns tail and runs, and is actually followed by the others, she blinks once and looks at Pathwalker. ~Was that supposed to happen?~ Curiouser and Curiouser.

The sudden flight, the subtle shift from the fostern to his left, and Kavi's own instinct all lead him to leap forward after the fleeing Dancers. He aims straight for the slower one on the right, the one directly in front of him, charging full bore with the intent of rending, ripping legs out from under the running enemy.

Pathwalker doesn't have time to answer Coriander verbally. As soon as that middle Spiral turns take, the Child Elder lunges forward, chasing after them, particularly aiming for the middle Dancer.

Hunts-Wisely doesn't slow when he bursts onto the scene and the chase resumes. He pulls on his Rage with a snarl, pushing his body to its limits to try and catch up.

Seagull follows the two Ahroun's lead, snapping up into hispo as she goes. ~Now I finally get to kill you you fuckers!~ She snarls, venting some frustration from the rest of the evening.

Not until the last second comes, when Hunts-Wisely and Seagull both come bursting out into the open road to block the Dancers' escape route, do the two sides of the pincers close together and trap the trio. Pathwalker charges towards the leading, scarred leader of the three, her warpainted fur shining with the touch of Luna clashing against black furred bully rising up to meet her. They snap and snarl as jaws meet jaws, but the Child ahroun draws first blood. Shortly after, Ringtone takes on the biggest of the Dancers but his attack comes faster, making a painful piercing through and tearing of tendon as he hamstrings the large Garou. The wiry one discovers her path cut off by an angry Wendigo and Shadow Lord, the two of them closing in distance. She rises up quickly to her crinos form, bracing for attack. Curosity remains a step behind, but were she to turn to look behind her, she'd see the fourth, coated Bat-eared crinos taking this opportunity to retreat.

Oh yes. A few steps behind. Curiosity does charge forward, having needed the prompting from the others, but not before she takes one worried glance backward. As if expecting those claws around her neck again. Seeing him on the retreat is a bit of a relief to the young theurge, jut a bit because there are three more ahead. When their escape is cut off, she does seem to gain some confidence in her charge in to join the battle, claws ready to tear into that wiry one, looking to catch her while her attention if on the Wendigo and Shadow Lord.

As Hunts-Wisely draws within pouncing range of the wiry crinos he leaps forward, pulling on his rage to explode into the warform and send a pair of brutal claw swipes high on the Dancer's body.

Heartened by the success of his initial attack, Ringtone rears up to lunge toward the Dancer's neck. His jaws snap closed, seeking purchase, there, while his claws rake down at the shoulder.

Seagull takes the lower half of the nearest Spiral, jaws reaching out to snaps around his leg, twist, and pull.

Pathwalker presses the attack after that first draw of blood, and she draws upon her rage as she continues to battle the Spiral, digging her razor-sharp claws into the enemy hispo.

Though the battle between Pathwalker and the leading Black Spiral is fierce, the battle tips onto the Child's favor when her moon-granted armor shears away the brunt of the warrior's raging counter attacks. They bloody each other though, with the ahroun getting a heavy rending down her side when the hispo's teeth catches her more delicate middle and its old battlescar. Ganged up on by the multiple opponents, the smaller Spiral uses her wiry body at an advantage as she avoids the heavy attack from Hunts-Wisely at first. But then, the Wendigo grabs onto the Dancer's leg and holds on with a painful twist, creating an immobilizing situation where the Shadow Lord tears his claws through the chest of the small Dancer. The pain is great enough to elicit a wailing cry, but also a retaliation filled with Rage as Hunts-Wisely catches a face-full of claws scratching him up. Ringtone's bigger opponent snarls, made lame by the Walker's attack, and spins with a quick shift to the warform. Remaining on a tripod of limbs for the balance, the big Dancer lunges forward like a defensive line, slamming headlong into the galliard's attack and bringing him down with claws impaled into the Walker's midsection. Ringtone's jaws close on the neck, but he soon finds himself almost smothered under the weight.

Seagull pulls back further to unbalance the crinos she's gotten a hold off, doing her best to drag it off balance, taking several forceful steps back.

Hunts-Wisely snarls and attempts a coup de grace as Seagull tries to further off-balance the wiry Dancer, but wastes no time if the effort is unsuccessful. Dancer dead or no, she is left for the Wendigo to deal with as the Ahroun leaps forward, pulling on the last of his rage to send his claws at the back of Pathfinder's foe.

Her attack having missed, Curiosity growls and steps back a moment, to reassess. And in that moment, she catches sight of Kavi under his foe. She, too, lets the Wendigo handle that particular Crinos and rushes over to help Kavi. Namely, to get the BSD off him.

Pathwalker lets out a snarling growl of pain as the hispo bites into her scarred underbelly, but it doesn't daunt the Ahroun. With almost a crazed rage, she twists to attack the Spiral once again, clawing into it and biting as able.

Ringtone grunts around the fur and blood in his jaws, a slight whimper of pain in the mix. He forces upward with the muscles in his neck, biting down all the harder at the throat in his jaws. Well-muscled hispo limbs grab at the crinos's sides and shoulders, trying to drive his claws deep into the foe.

Under an epic clash of tooth versus claw, Pathwalker and the leader attack each other in a crazed bout. Gradually, though, she can feel the warrior succumb to his injuries, going slack when her jaws find his throat and tear a chunk away to spray blood over her painted pelt. The struggle between Wendigo and Shadow Lord both finds the thin crinos female also trying to break free. Her claws rake over Seagull's head and open up bloody wounds that ooze down towards the Wendigo's left eye, but in a final decisive blow, Hunts-Wisely brings his claws through the throat of the nimble enemy and ends her life in a second splash of ichor over the broken asphalt. The female grasps at her bleeding throat before slumping over backwards, almost onto the Wendigo. The only battle that seems to continue on without as much progress is the Walker galliard and his quarry, backed up from behind as Curiosity takes her claws to the enemy, turning the Dancer's back into a scratched up sight. While Ringtone's jaws crush down and feel the closing of the windpipe, the galliard's claws find marks into the thickly muscled body of the crinos over him. Still, the Dancer presses on, hard panting and rasping, but crinos claws curling inside the Walker before slowly rending outwards. It is a terribly painful feeling.

Hunts-Wisely pages to the room: Wait, I missed a going slack part. Disregard, doesn't matter as the thing's dead one way or another.

Ringtone resists the urge to open his jaws, the tight sounds of pain held in check and muffled by the throat within his jaws. He bites down all the harder for the pain, digging in with his claws as if attempting to pull the Dancer's weight down onto himself.

Curiosity-Saves seems almost at a loss as to what to do next, and seeing Kavi's maneuver only heightens that uncertainty she's had hanging on her since the first Dancer appeared. So, she grabs onto a leg of the big guy and uses all her might to pull him in the opposite direction Kavi is.

With two of the three Dancers down, Hunts-Wisely attacks the single remaining Dancer. He rakes his claws at its back and moves past, clearing the way for another to follow up his attack.

Seagull doesn't even try to get into the pileup on the final Dancer, instead looking around for the nearest Dancer bodies and dragging them into a pile, getting a start on the cleanup.

Pathwalker regains her footing and backs away from the spiral she'd been fighting once it goes limp. The Child is obviously wounded, bleeding, pained, but still, after a few panted breaths, she moves in to help with the last remaining Spiral, watching for an opportune moment to jump in if needed.

Soon after the remaining Dancer is ganged up on, it's clear where the battle will turn. His leader dead and slipped into the form of a scarred wolf, his packmate, also dead and shaped in the form of a mangled, naked female, the last Dancer tries to snarl but his airway is completely blocked with Ringtone's fangs punctured through. Heavy strikes from behind flay the Dancer's back to ribbons, but in time, even the large crinos falls unconscious. A finishing set of blows will do the trick, and leave the area covered with an eerie quiet. And Ringtone, covered in a smelly crinos Dancer corpse. The cleanup phase is soon to begin, although there is still the danger of possibly other Dancers being around and the traps mentioned occupying a spanse of the wood out further up the highway.

Golden-Tongue trudges on in within a few moments, emerging from the forest heavily wounded, in Hispo. He looks around warily and barks, then quickly scampers close to the other garou, not wanting to be left on the periphery in case any more spirals attack. ~All dead?~ he asks.

Curiosity-Saves steps back once it's dead, to look over the area during that silence. When Golden-Tongue enters, she jumps back only to let out a sigh when she sees it is, in fact, not another Dancer. ~If there's no more around.~ She answers as she walks over to Stacey, to put a hand on her. And with a moment to close her eyes, she goes about using her gift to heal some of Stacey's wounds.

Fallout limps in after a little while in hispo, a little behind Golden-Tongue and still looking quite dazed and more than a little cloudy. He's bloody, fur spiked and skin torn, and all told he looks just a bit mangled, though the worst has been healed. No direct questions are asked; the philodox eyes all, announcing himself with a gruff sort of 'hey, I'm coming' sort of noise.

Ringtone doesn't let go immediately, holding tight to the throat of the larger crinos until it is dragged away. As the bulk of the corpse is pulled from him, he winces and scrabbles unsteadily to his feet, shrinking down to lupus where his black fur hides most of his injuries under the deepening shadows.

Golden-Tongue pants heavily, then composes himself to speak. ~If there were more they would have come after this one when he was weak and alone. I'd imagine.~ He sniffs at the corpses, and snorts. ~All of ours alive?~ He licks his chops, looking up at the others for guidance.

Tentative

2008-10-03T07:01:38Z

He's just a cub. I shouldn't have told him all that. I shouldn't tell them any of it. It's not right to make them carry it. It's mine. It's my... I need to just... Be okay.

Near the top of the waterfall, Jonas is in quiet repose: he's lying on his stomach, his chin held in his hands, elbows digging into the ground at his sides. He's watching the water cascade downward into the pool, and his hair is a little damp from the ambient spray. His feet kick up on occasion, just for some movement.

Hope-Turner pads down the trail to the Caern meanderingly, sniffing randomly at a few spots on his way. Picking up the smell of Jonas, he follows it to find the cub near the cascading water. He chuffs an non-intrusive greeting to the young theurge. Mind company?

He smells like slightly damp Jonas, all in all. One arm goes down and he turns his head, resting his noggin in his other palm for a moment. Even in Homid, the tension at the arrival of an elder is there, along the edges of himself. "I don't," he says, with his accent. "It's been quiet the last day." He purses his lips. "I knew some of the other cubs. They're...well, out there someplace."

Hope-Turner sniffs at the backs of the prone cub's knees, finding the damp scent of his pant legs interesting for some reason. What cubs? Are they on their Rite of Passage? His ears prick forward and he stops his sniffing. They didn't run away, did they? He grumbles, annoyance and alarm suddenly gushing forth.

Somewhere to the southwest above, another presence can be heard moving through the forest.

The question causes Jonas a bit of alarm as he starts, bumping into August in the process. "No, no," he says. "Their Rites. Edge and Jason. And the one girl who's a theurge. She's a Shadow Lord." He calms a bit. "No runaways, far as I know." He swivels around to sit. The backs of his knees are safe. "How're you?" Though, there's a bit distracted as there are sounds coming from the forest. "Hmm."

Hope-Turner calms at Jonas' answer. Oh, that is good. He pauses, distracted by the noise of another arrival, before turning back to the cub. This one is anxious and frustrated, but well enough in body. He looks back towards the noise again, sniffing at the air.

Kavi's scent is on the breeze, though faint from this direction - city and leather, traces of gun oil and the more subtle scent of anxiety as he draws closer. His steps take him on a rather ambling path, and eventually down the trail toward the caern. When he spots the Gaians, there's a moment of surprise, apparently having missed the sounds of their conversation, and he stops some distance removed. "Oh. Um. Hey." He pulls a hand from his pocket to lift it in greeting.

As the ahroun turns, Jonas closes his eyes and tilts his head to one side. "I hear someone, but I can't tell just by the footfalls," he says. But, that moment is when Kavi speaks. "That voice, I know," he says. He flashes a bit of a smile, calmer with the low moon. "Kavi-rhya," he says. "I wanted to ask; was the Story Moot open to everyone, or just Galliards? I didn't want to intrude or make waves if I just showed up."

Hope-Turner recognizes the scent of Kavi a few moments before he appears, and the Walker finds him wagging slowly. Hello Ringtone. Is something the matter? He noses Jonas and chuffs that anyone can go.

Kavi stuffs his hand back in his pocket. "Usually," he answers the cub. "They're... They're for everyone to learn, to listen. Sometimes. Sometimes even people who aren't galliards tell stories." He focuses for a little longer on the cub, as if by not looking directly to the ahroun, he can avoid answering the question. "It's... I'm just. Trying to figure things out. You know?"

"I'll remember next time," Jonas says, relieved at the news. His look when stories are mentioned is almost hungry. "Well, okay," the theurge cub answers. He runs an idle hand along Hope-Turner's fur, as if to reassure himself. "What are you trying to figure out? Maybe I can help?"

Hope-Turner settles back onto his haunches. Yellow-Eyes wants to learn stories? he suggests at the theurge cub, and then looks to Kavi. About your past, you mean?

Kavi swallows, gaze dropping at Hope Turner's question. "About that. About... About where I am, now, and. And what I want... what I should do?" He draws his lower lip between his teeth for just a second and then lets it slide free. "Maybe..." he says more quietly, glancing briefly to the cub. "I... I don't want to make... to give you my problems."

"Hear them? Sure? Learn them, I don't know. It's not my place." Jonas quickly shakes his head. "No big deal in any case." The kid leans up, pushing himself up with his hands planted on the ground. "Hey, I'm here to listen. It's a theurge thing," he says, a bit of a half-smile crossing his face.

Hope-Turner chuffs to Kavi that it is part of a Gaian's job to help others, and doubly so for a Gaian theurge. If you want to talk about it, Ringtone.

Kavi pulls one hand from his pocket, raking fingers through his hair as he considers the pair of Gaians. After a moment he nods, and looks around him, finding a relatively dry spot on which to sit. "Can I... Can I ask you a question?"

As Kavi sits, Jonas turns up a palm. "Sure thing," he says. "Unless you meant just August, but I'd still be listening in." He crosses his legs, sitting that way and leans forward. His attention is caught, by the look in his eyes.

Hope-Turner assents, canting his head to one side. Yes, what is it?

Kavi pulls his feet in close, wrapping his arms loosely around his legs. His head is bowed, not looking at either of them as he speaks. "If you... If you have a child? If... if she's a girl? Would... What would you do?"

The question causes Jonas to just stare at the blue-purple haired man for a good thirty seconds. "Uh." Beat. "Kids?" He takes a breath. "Give me a second, here..." He's thinking, trying to process that idea in general.

Hope-Turner turns away from Kavi and shifts through the forms hastily, settling in homid. He keeps his back to the Walker and the cub as he speaks, guarding his tone very carefully. "In the unlikely event, I'd want her to be Fury, but I'd want to be there for her as a father. Not an anonymous sperm bank."

Kavi swallows, giving a small, shallow nod. It's not so much agreement as acceptance, understanding. He glances to the cub, fleeting and then back down.

"Wow." Jonas comments, rubbing the back of his neck. "I am so unqualified to give advice on this it's not even funny." But, the cub steels himself. "Though...are you trying to tell us something, Kavi-rhya? Good news?"

He pauses for another moment, before looking up and at some point in space past the Glass Walker. "When the time comes, and not before. If you have a daughter who breeds true and look into her eyes, you have to decide for yourself what is best for /her./ Whatever you choose? It will not mean you love her one iota less. Somewhere I think you know this." The boy blinks a few times, shaking his head.

August turns and peers at Jonas, noting his change in demeanor. Blinking, he licks his lips, then jerks his head towards the cub. "Yeah, that."

Kavi's eyes close as Jonas speaks, pinching tight by the time he finishes. He swallows and his fingers tense at his elbows, gripping with more force. For a few seconds after the others speak, he's silent, focusing on his own breathing. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, rough. "What if...." He lets the thought trail away, the question unasked. Lifting his gaze, he looks between the two and nods once.

The next is met with a sigh as Jonas taps the side of his own head with a finger. "Warn me next time, 'kay?" he says, not being really obvious about who he's talking to. He looks back, focusing his look on the Galliard. "What if...?"

August's attention turns to study Kavi. "You have a kid, huh," he murmurs quietly, no judgment in his tone, just confirmation. He settles down to sit cross-legged on the ground, letting Jonas' question hang in the air, to see if Kavi will continue.

Kavi nods again, the gesture and his posture both stiff and tight. For a little, it doesn't seem that he'll answer further, but eventually he draws in a deeper breath to speak. He doesn't let his head bow forward, this time, but his gaze focuses somewhere other than either ahroun or theurge. "What if. What if it wasn't... wasn't your choice?"

"So far, I only really know one Tribe where the gender of a Garou infant is no choice," Jonas says, focused on the others. "And, well, we're all here, aren't we? Kavi? What's this about? You're skipping details, I think."

August's face tightens and he purses his lips at Kavi's question. He seems to infer what it's about quite well, or at least thinks he does. "Then that really. Fucking. Sucks. It's not a practice of the Furies I agree with," the ahroun grumbles, his tone controlled enough not to devolve into a snarl. Anger still present, August does manage a sympathetic glance at Kavi. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Kavi. But it's not your fault."

Kavi's face turns sharply away from August, form tensing as the ahroun seems to hit the nail on the head. He nods after a moment and focuses on his breathing again. "That's... I'm trying to figure it out. What... what to do, now. I don't... I don't even know what I want."

Standing up, Jonas shakes his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think of that. And I haven't been at this long enough to really..." He runs a hand down his face. "Wow. I just. I am not the go-to Cub for this kind of advice. Maybe down the road, but not now." He sighs, at that, glaring at his own hand. "I need to walk for a bit. My apologies?"

Kavi's gaze snaps to Jonas, worry flooding his expression. "I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have..."

"No, no," Jonas says, turning to speak as Kavi says something as he's going. "I asked to know, and now I do, and I still have a lot to learn. Better that than shunning a chance to learn more. Always." He looks away, then back. "And for what it's worth? If this all means what I think it does? Congratulations. I think you'd be a cool, loving kind of dad." With that, he heads up the path and out of the Caern.

August nods at Jonas as he excuses himself. "Gaia watch." Looking back to Kavi, he asks gently, "How long has it been?"

Kavi doesn't say anything more as Jonas leaves, but the worry doesn't leave his eyes and he remains tense through his shoulders and neck. When the boy is out of sight, he returns to August, keeping his gaze lowered and voice quiet. "She's... She's six, now."

August waves the apology and Jonas away. "Nah, we asked," the ahroun grunts. The Walker's answer to his question raises both eyebrows. "Oh," he mutters, visibly surprised. "Then it's been awhile, huh? You still in touch with the mom?"

Kavi swallows and shakes his head, his eyes closing in a prolonged blink before he looks directly at August. "I..." He stops, lips forming a tight line. "There's. There's more. But. But I... I don't want to put... I'll tell you. If you want to know? If... But it's not. Easy. And. And if... If you don't know? If you're not... not sure you want to know? I... It's hard to talk about, and hard to hear. And... and you don't need to."

August looks at Kavi with confusion. "It's your story to tell. I don't mind listening. If you decide you want me to hear." He takes a few steps back and reverses through the forms, back down to the shape of a wolf. This one will not take offense either way, he adds, curiosity warring with caution, and a skittish respect for the Walker's privacy.

Kavi watches the transformation, swallowing once again. "I just... I didn't... I don't know who she is. I never... I never knew her." His voice is quiet, expression guarded, now. "I didn't..." He shrugs. "Now it's different. I'm different. And... I'm trying to decide... Trying to figure out what to do, next."

Hope-Turner flicks an ear, not understanding. What is different?

"Me," Kavi answers, returning his gaze to his knees. "I... I had help. And. I... I'm better." He falls silent, fingers clenching at his elbows, gripping tight. "I... I should go. I don't mean to... I don't want to put my... my problems on you."

Hope-Turner snorts. You aren't. This one used to be different too. It is hard to talk about. The black wolf moves forward and touches his shoulder to Kavi's leg. This one is honored you shared truth with him and asked his opinion. This one hopes you find the right path for you... and your daughter.

Kavi nods, gaze still down-turned. He tenses a little further at the light touch, though he doesn't flinch. "Thank you," he whispers, and starts to push to his feet. "Maybe... Maybe when it's... When it's really over, we can talk. And... Help each other."

Hope-Turner backs off at the tension, moving a small distance away from the Walker. We can try, if it is needed, the Gaian whuffles unsurely. He turns away from Kavi to stare at the turbulent waters of the cascade.

Kavi takes a backward step. After hesitating for a few seconds, he takes another step. "Stay safe, Hope-Turner," he says softly, and turns to head back up the trail.

Hope-Turner chuffs out, You too. Gaia watch your steps.

Jeff's Rite of Passage

2008-10-02T08:44:51Z

The curtains have been drawn, the floor of the empty apartment scrubbed clean. The door itself has been left open a crack, but the only light apart from what trickles in from the hallway is provided by candles. There's a circle of them in the center of the floor, and in front of one of these, kneeling next to her metal box, is Mouse, in crinos, with her back to the hallway door. The rest of the room is fairly well drenched in shadow.

Settled against the wall by the door, guitar on his lap, Kavi waits for Mouse's signal. At the moment everything about him is still, though there's an anticipatory tension that's threaded through his posture, keeping him tight and far from relaxed.

Jack has been here since Mouse said to arrive; he is leaned up against the wall, mostly in shadow and with hands shoved in his pockets. Quiet, really. Just waiting for things to start.

Salem is humming something under his breath as he arrives, only a phrase or two anywhere near audible. He quiets entirely upon entering and takes a spot near the door with a faint smile.

Similar to Jack, Ishmael has also been here for awhile, leaning against the wall opposite of Jack and wearing a neutral expression, arms folded over his chest.

Timothy slips in the open door, coat closed around him tightly. Reaching back to return the door to its previous state behind him, Timothy move aside, attempting to remain inconspicuous.

A dip of Quentin's head offers a nod to those present as he slips in a few seconds after Salem, moving to step along over to lean against the wall beside Jack, arms folding over his bare chest and shoulders touching the wall proper.

Mouse reaches toward the metal box and flips it open, before she pulls out a box of what's unsurprisingly more candles. Her eyes flick over those arrived and arriving, mentally counting, before she begins placing six candles at even intervals along the outside of the candle circle. Mmm, fire.

Shortly after mouse sets out the additional candles, Jeff shows up. He's what can only be described as squeaky clean. He has rarely been this clean. Even his clothing looks clean. That said he peers in the doorway curiously, into the candle lit room, blocking some of the light from the hallway as he does so. "Hello?" He says softly, sounding a bit unsure.

Kavi glances up at Mouse and then across as each new person arrives. His fingers settle above the strings, moving across them without quite touching, without quite bringing sound to life.

Jack glances sideways at Quentin briefly and gives the galliard a nod, but he's otherwise quiet for now.

Mouse has since returned to her previous position in front of one of the candles, with her back to the door. At the sound of Jeff's voice her ears lift, and she says, without turning around, ~Come in, and close the door behind you.~ One clawed hand gestures at the candle circle. ~Step into the circle.~

Ishmael barely moves as he watches the inward procession, eyes on Jeff once he enters.

Kavi watches Jeff move, a slight softening in his expression as his gaze follows the cub. Then he turns his attention to Mouse, waiting for her signal to begin.

Timothy has eyes on Jeff as he goes to close the door, before it's closed entirely, he returns attention to Mouse and the Ritual.

Jeff hesitates for just a moment, then steps into the room and closes the door. Doing so cuts off the only source of light, other than the candles. He turns his head a bit, as he looks around, even as he steps forward into the circle indicated by the tribal elder. He says nothing as he steps into the circle, and moves to the center of it.

Quentin quirks a smile at the sight of the cub, though it only lasts a moment before fading for a more serious expression; remaining silent, gaze on Jeff.

Salem grins crookedly and cocks his head to favor his good eye; his gaze, too, is on the cub.

First-Strike breathes slowly, in through her nostrils and out through her teeth. ~Warform,~ she instructs Jeff, quietly, before she turns and nods at Kavi. Then the theurge twists, reaching into the metal box for something that catches the candlelight--it's metallic and brassy, and as she lifts it out, it becomes clear that the object is nothing other than an actual censer. It's apparently already been loaded with incense, because as First-Strike brings thumb and forefinger near it, there's a spark, followed by a faint but quickly growing scent that is reminiscent of cinnamon.

Lost-Boy shifts up into crinos, his clothing vanishing as he shifts. He stands very still other than shifting up into warform, so it looks kind of odd as he faces Mouse. His black eyes reflect the candle light in odd ways, looking to flicker with the multiple facets. He looks slightly tense, muscles stiff as he watches, and is watched.

As soon as Mouse gives the signal, Kavi's fingers begin to strum. The melody is rich and full, but quiet enough not to distract. It fills the space with a constant rhythm, rising and falling like the intake of breath. His fingers hit the lower notes, an incessant bass thrumming like the beat of a heart.

First-Strike stands smoothly, bringing the censer with her in one hand. As the music begins, she begins to swing it, slowly, back and forth, back and forth like a pendulum, matching the beat of the strumming. The censer leaves little smoke trails behind it that glitter in the candlelight, and what was only a faint scent a moment ago quickly invades the nostrils. It's not unpleasant, but it's definitely very strong. First-Strike's eyes meet Lost-Boy's for a moment, before she turns and begins to pace along the outside of the candle circle, each step and each swing of the censer still moving along to the beat of Kavi's instrument.

Lost-Boy remains still, standing there. As First-Strike moves around him he does not turn, but instead stands still. Other than his breathing, through his nose it seems since his mouth is shut, he could be a statue. He remains motionless, quiet, just standing there in the center of the circle. He doesn't even turn his head to follow First-Strike's movements. He's standing as straight as he can in Crinos, as if trying to seem just a tad taller, or at least with good posture, as good as a crinos form can allow anyway.

Kavi keeps his eyes on Mouse, now, following her movements and making tiny adjustments to the melody as she moves. Through it all, the beat remains steady, and he continues without faltering.

First-Strike continues along the circle, and as she goes, now and then, she gives the censer a slightly wider swing: once for Jeff, and once for each Cliath Walker as she passes them, so that the scent becomes, not just powerful, but almost disorienting in its intensity. It takes her a considerable few steps before she returns to the exact place where she started. There, she stops, turning until her glittering eyes pick out Quentin. With the censer still swinging, she lifts it and holds it out to him, a wordless, but obvious invitation.

As the censer's held out, Quentin pushes himself away from the wall in a single smooth motion, the candle's light flickering over his skin and tattoos; reaching out with a bow of his head to the woman, his fingers curling about the censer's chains, smoke coiling up from it about his hand.

Lost-Boy keeps motionless for the moment, although as the scent of incense builds his nose flares a bit, and he struggles to not react to it as the intensity builds. He seems to be focusing on First-Strike, but it is hard to tell with his bug eyes.

Kavi watches the exchange closely, keeping the beat strong as the censer is passed from one hand to the other.

~Keep the beat,~ First-Strike murmurs as she hands the censer over, in a tone that is both instruction and request. She gestures from Quentin with one hand toward one of the candles she set along the outside of the circle. ~Tonight, there are four guardians to begin this journey. Pick up a candle, and take its place, but do not step inside the circle.~ She gestures toward the non-Galliards waiting along the walls, and then toward the candles she set out.

Lost-Boy turns his head towards Quentin when the censer is handed over. His head then turns back to the guitar playing Kavi and finally back to First-Strike. He remains silent and other than his head turning he remains very still. His muscles do seem tense though and his body language betrays some uncertainty, but just barely. He clearly is trying to hide any nervousness and isn't doing that bad, only really observant people would notice.

Timothy eyes Quentin's taking up his new position, and views First-Strike in the flickering candle light as she gives further instruction.

The blue-splashed head of the galliard bows to the request, the instruction, and Quentin takes a step away again with the censer in hand, the chains drawing it in a slow, steady sway that matches the beat that thrums in the air from Kavi's fingers upon his instrument. His own steps move to carry him along the room's perimeter as well, circling slowly and steadily, spreading the heady scent of the censer's incense throughout the ritual chamber.

Salem nods and steps away from the wall. He picks up a candle, holding it delicately by the fingertips, and takes its place.

Ishmael pushes himself away from the wall, and also moves towards the circle, gingerly picking up a candle and trying not to look too grim.

Jack isn't the first one to move. It is only after Salem stirs that he pushes off the wall, taking a few steps over to bend and take up a candle. His expression remains mostly neutral, impassive, though his gaze briefly studies the crinos in the circle.

Kavi lets his gaze leave Mouse, briefly, as the others move into position. The melody continues, with only minor changes as the ritual continues.

First-Strike watches each Walker taking up their place, before she gives Timothy a brief, expectant look. Then she turns toward her metal box, reaching in to retrieve a small, flattish jar of what looks for all the world to be blue paste.

Lost-Boy seems now fully focused on First-Strike, yet he hasn't moved anything but his head since he took up the spot in the center of the circle. And still, he remains motionless for the most part.

First-Strike unscrews the jar and dips her fingers into the paste. ~When I was a child,~ she murmurs, ~I spake as a child.~ Her fingers lift and begin slowly, carefully painting the glyph for 'Galliard' on one side of Jeff's furry chest. There's just the faintest hint of honey smell from the paste itself, warring with the overwhelming smell of incense all around them. ~I understood as a child, and I thought as a child.~ Her fingers move, painting the glyph for 'homid' on the other side of his chest before lifting to Jeff's forehead. ~But when I became a man,~ she presses her thumb against his forehead, and then smears a blue line down. And then another up. ~I put away childish things.~ Her index finger adds the details to the rest of the Glass Walker glyph.

The melody Kavi plays shifts, becoming quieter, following the changes in her words rather than the steady in and out of breath. The bass thrumming, however, remains constant.

Lost-Boy stands as still as he can while First-Strike marks his light tan fur. He seems to be listening intently. The paste marks his fur clearly. He waits. First-Strike can feel muscles tense under Lost-Boy's fur as she marks the paste on him.

First-Strike turns and puts the paste away, and this time when she turns back to Jeff, she's holding a small, sharp knife. ~Hold out your hand,~ she instructs quietly. ~Palm upward.~

Lost-Boy moves his hand out, holding it palm up, flattening his paw/claw to give First-Strike as flat a surface as he can. He doesn't hesitate at all in this motion.

First-Strike draws the knife across Jeff's palm in a sharp, swift motion, opening up a shallow cut nearly to his elbow. In almost exactly the reverse of that gesture, she makes an identical cut along her own forearm. Then she holds up that hand to Kavi, indicating he should stop. In the silence, she begins pacing the circle again, this time moving around behind the other Walkers, her footsteps treading the same beat, even though it has been silenced. There's a certain pulse in the air, like an echo of the former music, that seems less sound and more feeling. It grows steadily with every step she takes, and there's a sense, just the faintest sense, that there are other eyes watching the proceedings.

Kavi's fingers still the strings and he sets the guitar aside, rising as quietly as he can.

As the beat stops, so does Quentin; his free hand lifting to still the chains, the smoldering censer ceasing its steady swing at the same time that the music is silenced.

Lost-Boy is still, doesn't cry out or make even a sound as the blade cuts across his palm and up his arm. A few drops of blood seep out and drip but then the wound starts to heal up almost instantly. He keeps his hand out, palm up as First-Strike does her new walk around the circle. As the pulse builds Lost-Boy does turn his head a bit, but not much, to follow the path of the rite mistress.

As First-Strike completes her second pacing of the circle, her movements still synchronizing themselves with the now silent beat, something in the atmosphere of the room seems to change, though likely, it's only the result of the incense. The place seems to shimmer, and there's a very definite /rustling/ noise. The theurge continues, this time by lowering the knife and bending over enough so that the blade scrapes along the floor as she walks. The candlelight is catching other things in the darkness now, the shiny black of small carapaces, the twitching of tiny black antennae, the subtle movements of dozens and dozens of small legs. The Tenement's roach population, it would seem, are also bearing witness to this scene.

Salem's smile widens; his lean, scarred face looks almost satanic in the flickering candlelight.

Lost-Boy looks down at the roaches, his own black eyes reflecting like the insects' black carapaces in the candlelight. A light smile comes to the lips of Lost-Boy in warform, he clearly is pleased by the insects presence.

Quentin's lips twitch into a slight smile as he catches sight of that scuttling of movement, green eyes following the moving shadows in the corners.

Ishmael suddenly does look /very/ grim, and shoots the assembled roaches with a look that makes it /very/ clear that they ought to stay on that side of the room. Bluh.

Kavi catches the corner of his lip between his teeth, almost forming a smile at the sight.

Jack takes notice of the roaches, but remains impassive as always, features neutral and hard to read, especially in the candlelight. Ishmael is glanced to briefly, but he then watches the cub in the circle.

First-Strike reaches her starting point once again, and as her footsteps cease, so does that unheard but clearly felt 'beat'. She faces Jeff, studying him, and when she speaks, her voice, while quiet, is almost jarring against the previous spell. ~We stand outside time, in a place not of earth. As our ancestors before us bade, we join together and are One.~ Silence follows the intonation. The theurge seems to be studying Jeff, almost looking /through/ him. Then she turns, putting her back to both the cub and the other Walkers. An inhaled breath, and she throws her head back, howling into the darkness. ~Lords of the Quarters! Come and see a child who wishes to become a man! Cockroach! He who walks between the Weaver's webs! Child of the city, father of a thousand, thousand children, Patron of the Glass Walkers! Lost-Boy, child of the Gibbous Moon, takes his first steps to become one of your children!~

Lost-Boy looks up and then around, unsure. He glances back to First-Strike. He seems to be expecting something to happen next.

First-Strike sets her knife back into the box, and then turns to take up a candle of her own. ~Lost-Boy,~ she intones, ~Tonight is your vigil, the first step of your journey. You will stay here, in this room, in this circle, in this form, without speaking, without harming Cockroach's children, until I come to you with your task. Sleep. Meditate. Dream. Tonight and for hopefully all nights to come, Cockroach's eyes are on /you/.~

First-Strike gestures toward the other Walkers. ~Take up your candles and leave, but do not cross the circle. Blow them out before you cross the threshold into the hallway. Also, take anything of yours with you, unless you want it to stay here until tomorrow.~

Ishmael, still eyeing all those cockroaches warily, promptly spins on his heels and glances towards Lost-Boy, mouthing 'good luck,' before promptly pacing to the hallway, blowing out his candle along the way.

Moving as silently as he can, Kavi gathers up his guitar and moves toward the door. He glances only once, just before he exits, at the cub within the circle.

Lost-Boy takes a deep breath and nods to First-Strike, but says nothing, apparently considering the vigil having started already. He watches the Walkers for the moment, then turns his gaze back to First-Strike.

Salem nods wordlessly, his eye shifting from Mouse to Jeff. He regards the cub for a second or two before stepping carefully out of the room.

Jack eyes Jeff for a moment, and then moves to leave as well, stepping to mind the cockroaches and snuffing out said candle before he's out.

Quentin inclines his head to the word, offering the cub a brief wink-- and then he steps himself along to the door, snuffing the censer as he carries it outside with the others.

First-Strike is the last to go. She paces the circle one last time, blowing out each candle in succession, until the only one left is hers. Then she packs away the censer into her box, shrinks down into homid, and stands. She spends a moment studying Jeff, but apparently she has no further words for tonight, as she turns and makes her way toward the doorway. Just before she steps into the hall, she blows the candle out, and then shuts the door behind her, leaving the cub in the darkness. The slightest rustle around him proves he's not been left alone.

Leaning

2008-10-02T08:42:15Z

I shouldn't have said yes. I don't deserve it. I shouldn't take from her when she... I can pretend. I can hold on.

The ritual room is clearly in a state of transition, thanks to its current occupant. Mouse's metal box is resting against the side of one wall, but the floor has been newly scrubbed, and she's right in the process of drawing the heavy curtains closed. At the moment, there are no cockroaches to be seen, but that's likely because she's just finished cleaning. Nothing to entice them back. Yet.

The galliard doesn't seem to have slept too well, recently; his eyes are rimmed with red and there's something somewhat 'off' about his appearance. His posture doesn't show any obvious discomfort as he arrives, guitar case in hand. His voice, on the other hand, is somewhat pinched and tight. "Mouse-rhya?"

Mouse doesn't look up from the curtains as she pinches the edges closed, even going so far as to use a plastic clip for the purpose. "Hey, Kavi."

"I..." Kavi lets the thought trail away, for a moment silent as he sets the guitar case against the wall by the door and moves to help with the curtains. "Have you... Have you talked to Zeke? Recently?"

Mouse straightens up a little, and then turns. "Zeke? Not...recently, recently, no."

Kavi nods, mostly to himself, and swallows. "If... Maybe. When you have time? He... He misses you."

Mouse looks up, expression curious. "Yeah?"

Kavi nods again, avoiding her gaze. "Yeah. And Melodie... She was making arrows. She. She wanted to know about... if you could make them into talens. Maybe some to use against the spirit. But maybe some for her to shoot at the Dancers." He keeps his head bowed, face turned slightly away.

Mouse moves away from the windows, toward her metal box. "Silver is probably easier than talens against Dancers. Though I'm no craftsman, so I couldn't help her with creating those. Bane arrows, yeah."

Kavi runs his fingers over the fabric of the curtain, feeling the texture without really making the fabric move. He nods again, ducking his head as he turns back toward where his guitar sits. "Okay," he answers quietly.

Mouse flips open the box and begins removing candles. "You alright?"

Kavi stops short, freezing like a deer caught in headlights. "I have to be," he says after several breaths, resuming his course toward the wall. The words aren't so much whispered as spoken without volume.

Blink. That clearly wasn't the sort of answer Mouse was expecting, judging from her expression. "...Wait, what?"

Kavi doesn't look at her, still. He sets the guitar case flat and starts flipping the latches. Clearing his throat before he speaks again, he finds a bit more force for his words. "I... It doesn't... It doesn't matter, right now."

"Well, that's as much as telling me 'no'," Mouse replies. She sets the candles in front of her as she turns to face Kavi again. "It does matter. What's going on?"

"I don't... I don't know," he answers after a moment, his fingers touching the strings of the guitar but not quite lifting it. He finally looks to Mouse over his shoulder. "It shouldn't... I shouldn't be like this. I... I just have to be okay."

Mouse's frown deepens considerably. "Kavi," she says, a little more firmly. "What is going on?"

Kavi swallows, turning away abruptly. "It worked. The rite. Zeke's rite. It. It worked. I... I shouldn't be like /this/." His voice gains strength, though it never reaches normal volume.

Mouse's tone remains level and calm, but undeniably insistent. "Like what, Kavi?"

Kavi lets the top of the guitar case fall closed and turns to sit so that his back is against the wall. "Like this. Afraid, and... And lost. I... I shouldn't. I'm not like I was anymore."

"Like you were before the rite?" Mouse persists. "Or like you were after?"

"Before," he answers, his voice tight again. He rakes his hands through his hair, fingers snagging in the curls. "I'm not like that, anymore. I... don't want to go back."

"You're not," Mouse says. "You're not going to be, Kavi. But that doesn't mean you won't still have...have some bad days."

Kavi works hard to lift his gaze, pulling in a deep breath and holding it until he can find her face. His brow furrows, eyes searching for something, reassurance, or answers, as he studies her face.

Mouse meets that gaze, though she doesn't attempt direct eye contact. If there are answers to be found there, well, she's not really showing it.

Kavi looks away after just a few seconds, swallowing again before he nods.

Mouse lifts a hand, rather hesitantly, and then moves to set it lightly on Kavi's shoulder. She keeps an eye on him though, and if there's even the slightest hint of flinching she draws back before making contact.

Kavi doesn't flinch, though he does watch the approaching hand, and his body is tight beneath her touch. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

Mouse lets her hand come to rest lightly. "For what?" she asks quietly. "For something /bothering/ you? I'd be more worried if it didn't still bother you, sometimes."

Kavi looks up at her, confusion registering in his face. "I... I thought..."

Mouse asks, "What did you think?"

Kavi shakes his head, negating some thought unspoken. "I thought. It's... It's supposed to be /over/. I. I'm... I'm supposed to be. Be better. Be right. Not. Not like this, anymore."

"It /is/ over," Mouse says, without removing her hand from his shoulder. "But the getting better part? That takes time. And you have good days, and bad days, and I don't think it ever actually /stops/ being something that upset you."

Kavi sighs, deep, heavy, and his head drops forward to rest on his crossed arms. There's a difference between his posture now, and six months ago; where once he would have been tightly closed and defensive, now he merely seems tired and tense. "I... Okay," he says softly, resigned.

"I've still got that fetish, you know," Mouse offers. "Do you need it tonight?"

Kavi swallows, only lifting his head after more than a second. "Mouse-rhya?" Again his eyes search her face, hope rising alongside the anxiety and anger he's tried to push aside.

Mouse tilts her head slightly. "Yeah?"

Kavi drops his gaze. His weight shifts, almost imperceptibly, taking him just a fraction of an inch away from her. "It's okay," he says with a small shake of his head.

"You sure?" Mouse asks, presses, just faintly.

"No," Kavi whispers, so faint it might not be heard. "But you..." He looks to her out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head. It's a cautious, surreptitious glance, and he looks away again almost immediately. "You need it."

Mouse straightens a little. "Not every night," she says, with a great deal of casualness. "I don't need it tonight. And it belongs to the tribe, so it belongs partly to you, for you to use."

Kavi glances again to her, another sideways glance, looking for the truth of her words, but afraid to look too closely. "Okay," he answers after a few seconds pause. "If... If you. If you're sure."

"I'm sure," Mouse says firmly. She looks and sounds, at least, pretty sincere. "I'll get it for you after the ritual is done, alright?"

Kavi reaches up to grasp her hand. Almost too quickly, he shifts forward onto his knees, his other arm flung out to pull her into a fierce embrace.

Mouse's eyes widen a little at the suddenness of it, but after a moment she wraps her arms around him and returns it, mouth twitching faintly in the upward direction.

Kavi's embrace is firm, a slight tremor running through him as he seeks to draw strength from her through that contact. "Mouse-rhya," he whispers again. "Mouse-rhya, thank you." He clings to her for a few seconds more, and then releases.

"Don' worry 'bout it," Mouse murmurs, before he pulls back. There's still that faintly crooked almost smile. "It'll be fine, alright?"

Kavi nods, not quite looking at her once he lets go. "Thank you," he whispers once more, and turns around to face the guitar case, reaching for the lid. "I... I should practice."

Mouse nods herself. "I need to get myself in the right state of mind, too. So."

Kavi fingers the lid, lifting it just an inch or so. "Do you... Is it okay? If I practice, here? While you get ready?"

Mouse turns in order to start setting out the candles. "It's perfectly fine."

Visiting

2008-10-01T08:39:16Z

He won't. He can't. I... I can't stop him. I want to. I wanted to, but I can't. I'm not strong enough. I'll never...

A motorcycle pulls to a stop outside the gate.

"Am I not doin' a good enough job for your tastes?" Kenneth asks as he stands more fully, watching the kin pace closer.

"I didn't say that," answers Juliana, halting several feet from him. "I haven't seen enough to have much of an opinion one way or another. What I /have/ seen leans towards the favorable so far."

A few moments after the motorcycle engine stops, the doorbell rings. It's just a brief tap of the buzzer, but clearly someone is at the door.

Kenneth's response is a slow blink that borders on accepting of her answer. The doorbell sounding shifts his attention rather quickly in contrast and he looks in the direction of the front foyer. "That gonna be Morrison?" he wonders aloud with a light sniff of the air.

Juliana looks in the door's general direction before she starts heading that way. "Highly doubtful," she calls back towards Kenneth. "Morrison has a key, of course." Without waiting to see if the Shadow Lord follows, she continues on to answer the door. Which means unlocking a few locks on it.

Kavi is standing on the other side, helmet held loosely in one hand and head slightly bowed. He looks up when the locks begin to click, signaling someone on the other side, and his fingers tighten their hold on the helmet.

Kenneth does in fact follow Juliana, abandoning the cooling microwave meal behind him in the kitchen to go see the newcomer. Prowling up from behind, he's there to wait and see with a dark gaze for the interrupting party.

Juliana lifts her brows when she spots Kavi, but then grins, a tension within her easing. Faintly. "Hey, Kavi. Glad ya decided to come over." She steps back to let him inside. The kin looks much more relaxed than the house does. She's dressed in a black tank top and slacks, while the house is considerable more fancy, if still rather empty. "Kenneth stopped by to visit, too," she notes.

Kavi takes the few steps necessary to move beyond the door, but no more. He looks up, gaze shifting quickly back and forth between kin and Shadow Lord, finally coming to rest on Juliana. "Hey. I. I can come back. If it's not a good time?"

Kenneth looks up towards the Walker, his eyes focused on the galliard and taking him in appearance-wise. Stepping closer towards the kin, Kenneth puts himself at such an angle to be closer to Juliana. "What brings you to visit?" asks the philodox briefly.

Juliana steps closer to Kavi, about at the same time that Kenneth steps towards her, reaching out to touch his arm reassuringly. "You're welcome here, Kavi. And we were just finishing up dinner and talking. Are you hungry or thirsty or anything?" she asks politely as she moves to shut the door once more. "We were talking earlier," she adds to Kenneth. "I told him he could stop by if he was in the area."

Kavi tenses at the touch, just barely visible beneath the overly large jacket, and he offers Juliana a small smile by way of apology. "No, thank you." His gaze shifts to Kenneth, lifting to meet the other man's eyes for almost a full second before dipping just a little lower. "I was invited," he answers tersely, quietly, after Juliana gives her own answer.

The meeting of the eyes gets an intensified, split-second glare from Kenneth's end that persists for a few seconds even after Kavi lowers his gaze. Seemingly rooted to his spot, he doesn't back away just yet, but instead remains in the way of the pair from proceeding further into the house without having to go around him. It takes the philodox even longer before he says, evenly, "So was I."

Juliana turns back to face the pair once the doors are locked, her brows rising. "You know, a Walker kin lives here, too. So in my thinking, both of you have a 'right' to be here. Then again, I'd like to think I can invite who I'd like to my home. And we all are, after all, on the same side..."

Kavi nods once to Juliana. "It's your home." His voice is still quiet, gaze still lowered, but the tension in him seems to be rather constant, now. "I..." He pauses to draw in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Do you want me to go?" As he speaks, he shifts his gaze from the fostern to the kin, looking her in the eye.

Kenneth catches that look, but he winds up stepping back and turning first. "His kin might live here, but he ain't here at the moment," the Shadow Lord remarks on his way towards the kitchen, back to the meal he'd left behind.

Juliana lets out a frustrated sigh, a hand moving up to brush through her hair. She shakes her head as Kenneth moves off, then looks back to Kavi. "Please. Stay," she answers, both requesting and reassuring.

Kavi searches her face for a moment before he nods. "Okay," he answers verbally, voice softer than before, though no quieter. He looks toward the kitchen, but doesn't move until after Juliana starts to lead the way.

Kenneth, once in the kitchen, resumes his meal with a sense of haste about it but only so long as the pair haven't entered that part of the house yet. The philodox instead listens, rather intently.

Juliana smiles back at him. "Thanks." She starts walking, then, back down the hall to the kitchen, her pace slower this time. "How've you been? Things any better in your part of the city?"

Kavi sticks close by Juliana, just a step or two behind her and closer, at her side, where there's room. His posture returns to a more protective one, even as they re-enter the philodox's presence. "Okay," he answers, voice still soft. "Lefty and Masao are gone, a lot. Scouting. Trying to get ready. But things are... You know how they say that things get quiet, right before the storm? It's like that."

Kenneth's downed a good majority of the potatoes in his microwaveable meal by the time the pair reach the kitchen again. "Sure you don't want any?" he offers out at Kavi, pushing the plastic tray his way on the countertop. His look says it better: Go on, eat some. I dare you.

Juliana nods. "I don't think I've met either of them yet... But Kaz gave me a list of numbers, which was nice." She nods to his last words. "I know what you mean, yes." Her gaze drops to Kenneth's tray as he pushes it forward, and then she moves to the fridge. "I /do/ have more I could heat up. And some soda."

Kavi shakes his head. "No. Thank you. I... Rina made dinner. It's... I'm not hungry anymore." He stops following Juliana about halfway through the kitchen, but he makes no move to sit.

Kenneth eyes the Walker some more, and then shrugs and pulls the tray back. He hovers over it, offer rescinded. "So if you're up this way," the philodox muses aloud, "this mean Rina's back at her loft studio?"

Juliana shrugs at Kavi, and then reaches into the fridge to pull out a drink for herself. Beer. She leans back against a counter as she opens the beer and takes a drink. "I really ought to see Rina more. Rather like her."

Kavi watches Juliana at the fridge, and then as she moves to the counter. "She'd like that." Only after she's settled does he turn to answer Kenneth, expression and tone both guarded. "She still uses the studio. Sometimes."

Kenneth picks up on the guarded tone and expression, and leans forward testingly. "I was there a few times. Once, she'd had a gun... was pointing it," he indicates with a couple fingers touching his own temple, "right at herself kind of like this." He holds his fingers there just long enough to be significant, and lowers it after.

Juliana smiles at Kavi, but it's short-lived as Kenneth starts to speak. Her gaze shifts from Kenneth to Kavi, then back, tense and wary. "Just what was the point of telling that?"

There is a very tense moment during which Kavi's entire body shivers and then goes very, very still. He doesn't even breathe, and Kenneth can see in his eyes the internal struggle that takes place. When it ends, the galliard leans forward, and once again lifts his gaze, suddenly assertive and direct. His voice sounds as though he's swallowed pebbles, rough and tight in his throat, but the words are quiet with tension and his voice is lower than its normal register. "She doesn't do that, anymore. She doesn't need to."

Canting his head just a bit to the side, Kenneth watches Kavi with a wariness rising. Silence fills in the stare and counterstare on the philodox's end. "I'm just saying," he starts back with a lowered volume, "she was pretty messed up when I saw her last."

Juliana remains rather still as Kavi regains his control, but she looks rather tense herself. Pale, skittish. When the Walker finally does speak, she takes in a breath, then turns to head for the nearest door. "I gotta... Need some air," is the mumbled excuse as she escapes the room.

"She's not," the Glass Walker returns, the 'now' unspoken but still somehow clear. He doesn't even seem to notice the kin's departure, so focused is he on Kenneth. The shiver starts again, a tremor that begins in his shoulders, as a lower sound, almost a growl, begins deep in his throat. The tension grows between them, the shaking travels down Kavi's arms and spine. There is an instant, just the space between one moment and the next, in which his eyes seem to lighten, gold highlights in his irises catching the light. Then his eyes shut tight and his head turns, chin tucking to his shoulder.

Likewise, Kenneth's focus on Kavi lasts through the staredown to the point that he too shudders just underneath his skin. Small beads of sweat start to form on his brow from the concentration and will behind sitting there. Ever so slowly his lips peel away from human teeth as his jaws tighten, creating a 'smile' that isn't friendly at all. Just as his head starts to duck, barely a millimeter, the Walker is the one to shut his eyes and turn. That changes the philodox's posture to something a touch more relaxed. He rises from his seat and, sliding the tray with him to the end of the counter, starts to make his way around Kavi, leaving the Walker a wide berth.

Kavi stands still until the shaking subsides. Seconds pass, and he opens his eyes. Just barely a glance is given in Kenneth's direction and then, head bowed, he makes his way toward the front door.

Kenneth doesn't make any sudden moves towards the Walker, although he does keep a watch on the galliard. The silence continues on his part, on through until Kavi's gone out of his sight. And then, Kenneth looks around again, this time for Juliana.

It would take a bit of looking to spot the kin, but one might eventually find her perched on a bench on the back porch, still looking a tad shaken.

Kavi continues on through the doors, closing them behind him. Seconds later the sounds of the motorcycle engine coming to life filter through the house and then fade away.

Stepping Forward, Sliding Back

2008-09-30T21:41:54Z

What if she knows who I am and hates me?

Kavi has waited a few days, not even calling in between, and as he enters the apartment, it's clear that he's a little more anxious, more tense, than he usually is when the moon is this small. He moves slowly, seeming somewhat cautious as he sets down the bag and the helmet and makes his way over to Lefty where she's settled on the couch. Even his greeting is somehow smaller, the lift of his hand somewhat tenuous. "Hi."

Lefty looks up, smiling when she sees it's Kavi. There's a shift in the way she's sitting. "Hey." At first, she doesn't say anything, but she notices the odd anxiousness in the Walker, and things suddenly click. "Oh. Hey, yeah, I talked to KL," she explains, her tone turning serious. "She's going to look into things. It may take some time, of course. And we should probably talk about exactly how or why we want this to come off, you know?"

Kavi's brow furrows and he sits down at the very edge of the cushion, turned enough that he can see her. His hands rest in his lap, fingers moving, twisting, slow but clear. "Why?" The intonation suggests he's not understanding, rather than asking.

Lefty tries to explain, but it comes with a bit of a sigh and a ducking of her eyes in embarrassment. "Well, I guess what KL meant was...I asked her, and she's wondering if she'd be doing it for /me/, or for you, or for the girl. The way I proposed it, I made it sound altruistic. Like it was completely for the benefit of the child. When, in reality, let's face it. I'd want it for you. To help /you/. And she'd want it for /me/. To make me happy. And you'd want it...why, Kavi? For curiosity? I mean, that's a perfectly honest and /good/ reason. She's your /daughter/. If I had a daughter, I'd want to know her, too. Want to know if she's safe, if she's healthy, if she's a good person. Everything."

Kavi swallows, head bowing as he stares at his hands. His expression turns more and more inward, more closed, as she speaks, and at the end he simply nods. For a little longer, he doesn't move, but eventually he swallows, and opens his mouth to speak. "I don't know. I... For so long... I couldn't think about her, without... without being angry. Without... Without hating what she was. And now... Now, I... I don't have that. It's not... in the way? And. I... I don't know who she is. Is she... is she part of me? Am... am I part of her? Does she even know?"

As he begins speaking, the Gnawer is reminded of her own failings and shortcomings. She reaches out a hand to touch his. To take it and squeeze it gently. "I know. And I'm sorry I made that comment the other day, Kavi. It was stupid of me." She cuts herself off, listening and nodding. "And that curiosity is perfectly normal. Like I said. But I think we need to ask ourselves what's best for /her/. And I'm not saying bringing her here /isn't/ best for her. I'm just saying we should think hard about what we're doing. I don't have all the answers. Just questions, like you."

Kavi's hand stills under her touch and his gaze focuses on that point of contact. "If you were... If you... If it happened to you? And. And she was yours? What... What would you want? What would you do?" His voice drops to a whisper, sounding raw and rough in his throat.

Lefty thinks about it, though the answer seems immediate in her eyes. Still, she's careful when she tells Kavi. "I'd go find her. But I'm a reckless asshole. And...I'm not you. In fact, you're a lot stronger than me. I'm not sure I would have /survived/ what you went through. But that's beside the point of what you asked me." She draws a deep breath. "I'd want to know her. Deeply."

Kavi swallows, his hand closing around her fingers. "I... I'm afraid."

Lefty chuckles softly, squeezing again. "Perfectly natural, Kavi." there's a silent pause, and then she asks, "What if she doesn't know about you? What if they told her the man raising her is her father? Or...made up some other story? What if she finds out and doesn't want to come or talk to you?" It's a hard question, both to ask someone and to have asked to you. And the Gnawer bites her lip after doing so.

Kavi leaves his hand in hers until the questions start, then slowly draws it back toward his center. "I don't know," he whispers harshly and shakes his head. His hands find each other, gripping and twisting, scratching at his palms as though they itch. "I don't. I... I don't."

Lefty looks at him sadly. "Well. Let's deal with first things first. We should probably talk to KL. Both of us. She can get the details from you about the nmae of the sept and all. And then she can make some calls. Or...however the Furies do it."

Kavi stills his hands though it takes a visible act of will. He sits up a bit straighter, lifting his chin, though his gaze looks over toward the kitchen, rather than to his alpha. "I can..." He swallows, and then draws in a deep breath. "Okay."

Lefty looks for all the world like she wants to hug him, but she restrains. She follows his gaze to the kitchen, and then a completely separate thought hits her. "Oh, I almost forgot." She gets to her feet and walks into the bedroom, returning with the Walker's laptop bag. She hands it over with a smile. "Thanks for letting me borrow it. KL actually said I should bring it back. And that there was a use for Weaver toys. Heh."

Kavi looks down at the bag as she brings it out, a flicker of a smile touching his lips for just an instant at her words. "You can... You can borrow it again. Or... or if you want to keep it for a little?" His fingers run along the edge of the bag. "I can... I mostly write on paper. And I can use Rina's. If I need to?"

Lefty shakes her head. "Na, I'll get it from you if I need it again. I've already dropped it once. I don't want to break it." She's quick to blink, and add, "It's ok. Really. I checked it out. Nothing's broken."

Kavi starts, turning wide eyes to her when she mentions dropping the laptop. But he recovers as she goes on, turning his gaze back to the bag. "Okay," he says quietly, not the rasping whisper of before, but still tense. "I... Just. Tell me when? When you want to... to go see her?"

Lefty nods, relaxing when he seems to take the news well about the mishap. "It should be soon," she says, thoughtfully. "While the moon's thin. I can go see her tomorrow and make a specific time, then call you? I really wish she had a phone, but...you know." She shrugs.

"Yeah," Kavi answers as he pushes to his feet. "Just... You can just call me. And I'll come." He holds the computer to his chest, protective, or perhaps protected. "I'll... I'll be at home."

Lefty nods, but she watches him close. "Kavi, are you alright?" she asks.

Kavi takes a few steps toward the door, but her words bring him to a halt. He turns to face her, at least in body; his gaze is glued to the floor. "I... I don't know."

Lefty licks her lips. "Tell me what you're thinking?"

Kavi swallows, holding the bag a little tighter. "I'm supposed to be okay."

Lefty shakes her hed. "Not if you're not?" She says, then clarifies. "If something's bothering you, it's ok. Just tell me."

Kavi stands unmoving for several seconds, letting his head drop until his chin nearly touches his chest. "I don't... I. I have too many questions. Too many... too much fear. I... Hating her... hurt, but it was... it was easier."

Lefty listens, her expression softening. "Understandable."

Kavi swallows again, waiting for another beat without speaking before he turns back toward the door.

Lefty touches him again, just before he leaves. It's reassuring, fond, even loving. Filled with the concern of a mother. "I'll call," she says, again.

Kavi nods as he scoops up his pack and his helmet. Then he slips out the door, not offering his customary farewell.

Testing

2008-09-28T21:32:34Z

She does care. Even when she's busy. He'll see that. And he won't say she doesn't.

Melodie softens her tone, misinterpreting Zeke's emotion. "Oh, it's okay. I'm all healed up now, it only left a little tiny mark. An' I don't go to the city alone anymore, 'Specially not after what happened to Cori. But I want revenge something fierce. An' silver's the best way to do it, so we'll do it."

A motorcycle engine is heard outside, pulling up in front of the house and then rumbling to a stop.

Zeke looks about to say something else when he hears the engine outside. He sets the notebook down and puts his hat back on before moving toward the door to look out. "Kavi is here."

Melodie doesn't seem too upset, as she works on attaching an arrowhead to a shaft. "Oh, okay. Maybe he's got news an' stuff. Hey, I bet _Mouse_ can make talens!" She smiles wickedly at the thought.

By the time Zeke is looking out, Kavi is making his way to the door. He hesitates for a second before lifting his hand to knock. Three solid raps land on the wood and then he takes a step back to wait.

The door opens almost immediately and Zeke gives the other a nod, "Hi Kavi." There's a cool irritation about the metis today but he nods the other in, "Come on in. What's up?"

Melodie is sitting in a chair making arrows. Her fingers move deftly as she attaches the sharp arrowheads to the shafts. "Hey, Kavi. Gettin' ready for war soon. You got any news?" She seems to be in a decent enough mood, enjoying her craft.

Kavi stands in the doorway, hanging back a little as he watches Zeke. "No," he answers Melodie with a soft shake of his head. "Nothing... Nothing new."

Zeke just follows that up with another little bob. "Well, you can still come in. It's not like you've got to trade us news for passage." The metis moves to the couch then and slides down into it, slouching and tipping his head back. "If you're looking for KL, I'm not sure where she is just now."

Melodie asks cheerily, "Hey, do you know if Mouse can turn arrows into Talens that hurt werewolves? I wanna do archery for the big battle, 'cause I'm super good at it, but that means we either need silver arrowheads, or turn them into talens." She grunts a little as she pulls the wire very tight, to tie it off. It bites into her hand a bit when she does that, and she grins. "They're best when you put a little of your blood into them anyway. Oh, or if you know anyone else that does Talens, I know Silvertip does. But I doubt you talk to him much."

Kavi watches Zeke for another second, and doesn't seem too certain as he steps past the door. "I did," Kavi answers Melodie, his voice holding the same uncertainty in his posture. "Before? He taught me a rite. He... He probably can make talens. And Mouse can. She... She was trying to get all the theurges to help. To make talens for the fight. She wanted... She wanted bane arrows, though. Not for the Fallen, but. For their totem. Or the big bane." Though he's moved beyond the door, he still hangs back.

Zeke listens to the other and then cants his head toward Kavi. "Tell Mouse I said hi. She apparently only cares to come looking for me when I'm dancing on the devil's door." The metis huffs and stands up once more, moving to pick up the notebook he had left at the table.

Melodie nods happily at Kavi. "Cool, we're thinking the same. I can make lots of high quality arrows, then, for her to, um. Enchant. An' I'm a good shot, too! I think I've gotten even better since joining Masquerade." She frowns a little at Zeke. "Why would Mouse come here? She's not a Fury, she's got lots of work to do. Half of her tribe is crazy, si?" She then gives Kavi an apologetic look. "I mean like Chris an' Mick, not you an' Salem."

Kavi's hesitation seems to disappear at Zeke's words and tone, and as he takes a step into the room his posture shifts, becoming more secure. "Mouse isn't like that," he says forcefully. He pauses while Melodie speaks, and doesn't even seem to notice the inadvertent insult. "She cares. You know she does. But she's elder. And in charge of all the theurges. And trying to make sure Carnage is gone and there's not a Hive at our back door. But don't say you think for a second that she doesn't care."

Zeke is caught off guard by the others unexpected security and he narrows his gaze at Kavi the response comes. "Right." He's cowed slightly by this, and a more genuine apology follows. "Sorry." Then he tucks the notebook under his arm and turns his gaze downward somewhat as he moves toward the door.

Melodie shoots Zeke a look of concern. "Why don't we call her up on the phone, invite her over for tea? 'Cause I got a legitimate thing to work with her on now, an' you'd like to see her. I don't always see how she thinks, but at least this is something we're all together on. The time before battle is a time for friendships anyway, don't you think?"

Kavi nods once, accepting Zeke's apology without further comment. Melodie's suggestion gets another nod. "She might not... If she's busy, she might not be able to come here? But if you call? She'll know. And maybe you can go to her, if she can't come here." He stuffs his hands into his pockets, shoulders rising. "She cares about us. Even when she's busy. I. Sometimes you just have to go to her."

Zeke looks over to Melodie and gives a nod. "Not now. She's busy. And I'm going to be." He glances at Kavi briefly and then looks to the door, "Maybe I'll see you around later."

Melodie sets aside the arrow into the needs-fletching pile, moving on to another one. "Okay, if you gotta go, that's fine. Kavi, could you tell Mouse please that I'm making arrows for the fight, an' if she can make them Talens, I'll use 'em in the big fight? I'd appreciate it a lot. I'm gonna be with Stacey-rhya, realm-side." She gives Zeke a look of kindness, but doesn't try and stop him.

Kavi's brow furrows at Zeke, and he takes another step away from the door, so that he's clearly not between Zeke and his exit route. "Yeah," he answers to either one or both. "I'll tell her," he adds, more directly to Melodie. Then he returns to watching Zeke, a hint of apprehension in his bearing.

Zeke nods his head, glancing over his shoulder as he makes his way past the Walker and out the door quietly.

Accept What Is

2008-09-26T06:25:41Z

He says... to just accept, and move on. But. How can you accept something you don't understand? I can't... I need to understand.

Clouds and fog have cooled the forest with their damp, chill air. It is a bitter contrast to the warm weather of only a few weeks ago, and instead of being curled up indoors, Hope-Turner is standing chest-deep in the frigid waters of the Half-Moon Pool. In lupus. His eyes are closed.

Kavi's hands are stuffed into the pockets of his over-large leather jacket. His steps seem somewhat aimless, head bowed, more watching his feet than the direction he travels. As a result, bits of leaf and other debris have found their way into his long hair, though he doesn't seem to notice. As he breaks into the clearing by the small pond, the change in light gets enough of his attention to draw his gaze upward and he spots the wolf. His steps halt, and he makes a small sound of surprise. "Sorry," he says, softly, and moves to take a backward step.

Hope-Turner's eyes snap open at Kavi's noise. Without much warning, the black wolf splashes forth from the water and charges Kavi at full speed. Jaws gaping and tail wagging, he tries to check his shoulder into the Walker's knee.

Kavi's eyes go wide, for a crucial second failing to read the ahroun's posture as friendly. He backs up, hands raised out before him in an all-too-human gesture displaying his lack of weapons. "I'm so--" he starts again, as his feet carry him back into the lower brush, cutting off as he finally recognizes that the other isn't offering a threat.

Hope-Turner begins to circle around and wag at Kavi, giving a brusque 'yap' of a no at the Walker's homid gestures. Not mad, the Gaian assures, and then shakes his soaked ruff, sending a spray of cold water droplets Kavi's way.

Kavi backs up another step, swiping a hand across his face to wipe away the droplets. He swallows, gaze following the wolf. "I didn't mean to... To interrupt. I was just... just thinking." His hands slide back into his pockets.

Hope-Turner flicks an ear in the lupine equivalent of 'whatever.' Was doing endurance training. You gave this one an excuse to come out, was time! The Gaian shifts through the forms slowly, landing in homid. He gives Kavi a grin, "Care to share what's on your mind?" He's seemingly unbothered by being soaking wet.

Kavi watches the transformation as though fascinated, though as the other arrives in homid, he drops his gaze just briefly. "I wasn't... It's not anything important. Just. Things. You know?"

August shrugs and takes a step back. "Okay," he mutters, and doesn't press Kavi. He looks out at the water as Kavi drops his gaze. Some of his earlier good mood has waned. "Do you know Coriander's kin, Jarod?"

Kavi looks out to the water, offering a small shake of his head at the question. "No. I know Coriander. A little. But I've never met her kin." He pauses, just a small breath in and out as he turns to look at August. "I didn't mean... It's not secret. What I was thinking about? I didn't mean to sound..."

August shrugs again. "Your business is your business." He pauses, and adds, "And yeah, I heard the kin hung out with Walkers, so thought I'd ask."

Kavi's brow furrows a little, but he shakes his head again. "I don't think I've met him. But if you need something? Maybe I can find him for you?"

August grunts. "Nah, just Quentin told me some disturbing news the other day 'bout him. Kinda got roped into being messenger about it," he mutters, some Rage coming to the surface, "and now people have questions, and I don't got answers." The ahroun spits, "But you don't know him. It's not your problem."

Kavi's shoulders shift back, chin lifting a little. "If I can help? It doesn't matter to me that it's not. Let me know what you need. What I can do? You can ask me."

August keeps his gaze on the water. He speaks slowly, as if thinking his words through thoroughly. "I'm told Jarod is being blackmailed with pictures of him and Coriander, because Coriander's underage. By who? Dunno, but Quentin mentioned there might be a Veil Breech somehow." He gives a frustrated sigh. "That's really all I know. Coriander's been through a lot lately, and... well this doesn't help things."

Kavi nods slowly as he listens, brow furrowing once again. "Have you talked to him? To Jarod?"

August replies tersely, "No," his tone getting away from him for a moment. More calmly, "Quentin said the Walkers have him. Didn't say where."

Kavi bites down on the corner of his lower lip then lets it slide away. "Oh. Do you want me to find out? Or try to talk to him?"

August considers this, then shakes his head. "Nah. I'm going to the Tenement later, I'm sure I'll find out. You probably got enough on your plate, right?"

Kavi offers August a small smile, though it's quick to fade and his expression turns more serious. "There's always a lot. But if you need anything? If I can help? Just ask, okay? Jacob, he's your elder, and he's my packmate. Your tribe. What you need? I think... You can count on Fidelity to help." He ducks his gaze again, just slightly at the end before looking up again. "Okay?"

August looks to Kavi with an appreciative smile. "Thanks man. I make a shitty Galliard, I'll leave it up to the pros to find out and spread info." He adds, smile twisting into a smirk, "Though I was packed under Magpie."

Kavi's expression twists, briefly, and he nods again. "I do what I can. To pass information? But sometimes it seems like... like I never know anything until everyone else does. But I'm... I can sing. And I can... I try to write the songs that will mean something. Even after the moment is gone."

August shivers, his body showing the effects of wet clothes on a cool fall day. "I can't sing for shit," he mutters. "But I can play guitar. Badly. I'd like to hear something you wrote, sometime. If you're not shy about sharing your music."

Kavi's brows rise slightly and he shakes his head. "It's... It's the only thing I'm good at." He nods his head in the direction of the story tree. "I've sung for people here. And at moot, as Talesinger, I've sung three times. But I sing in the city, too. Different songs, ones that are... songs that I write for them. For people."

August snorts. "You're good at more than one thing, Kavi," he says sharply. Looking at the Walker full on, he cautions, "I don't like it when people put themselves down. But," the ahroun shudders as a chill runs down his spine, "I'd like to hear a song sometime. I like music, but I don't get to hear it as much as I'd like."

Kavi drops his gaze again at the sharpness in August's tone, head bowing slightly for a long moment. "There are other things... I can do the things I need do. I can fight. And I know... I know enough about the human world, and Cockroach taught me a lot about how to work the Weaver's webs and tools... But what I'm /good/ at. What my... What I can offer? What I do that is /mine/? That's what I mean. And. Maybe. Maybe when Carnage is gone? Maybe I'll have time to play again."

August nods. "Damn straight, we'll all sing when Carnage is gone" He pauses, turning the subject back, "But you feeling that way about your music? Is awesome, like that's special. Because sometimes I feel that way about fighting, but it doesn't really feel good." The Gaian frowns. "I guess, the Mother didn't make us so we could feel good."

"Yeah," Kavi answers, swallowing. His expression turns thoughtful, inward, and he frowns a little as well.

August lets the silence stand for a few moments, looking back out over the water. "Sucks sometimes," he finally comments. And then a non sequitur, "You ever make any headway with the Fury stuff?"

Kavi blinks, surprised by the sudden shift in topic and it takes him half a second to follow the question. "Yeah. A little? KL. She said. She's going to ask someone to come. Because... because she doesn't know? Or. She knows, but. She can't sing, and... and she can't tell stories. And. Maybe Zeke would. But. She wants to ask. Maybe find a galliard to come and tell stories to the rest of... of them." His posture tightens a little bit, gaze shifting, slowly lowering as he speaks.

August huhs. "They've got no Galliards?" he says, some surprise in his tone. He eyes Kavi as his posture tightens, his own posture subconsciously reflecting the tension. Between that and the ahroun's sporadic shivering, his posture exudes discomfort. "Weird. What'll you do once you've heard the stories?"

Kavi focuses on his breathing, forcing a little of the tension out of his posture, at least. "It's... I don't know. I just... I want to understand. Maybe if I understand them, better, I can... can understand me? I don't know." He starts to slip his jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall as far as his elbows. "Do you... If you want? I could..."

August snorts and shakes his head at Kavi, instead taking a step back, and shifting down to lupus. Hope-Turner shakes again, and indicates that he will dry faster this way. And understanding the Fury stories will help you understand yourself?

Kavi pulls the jacket back up onto his shoulders and his fingers rake back through his hair. "I think so? I hope... I hope so."

Hope-Turner wonders if Ringtone has Fury ancestor spirits?

Kavi swallows, and shakes his head. "No. Not... Not spirits. Not. Not like that."

Hope-Turner snorts and his ears splay back. That is for the best. This one has one, but the connection is not strong. She does not bother him too much.

Kavi nods again, slow and shallow. "My... I think if I knew? Maybe... Maybe I could accept it." His hands shove deep in his pockets, forcing the leather to stretch a little under the force.

Hope-Turner grunts. Then seek the stories and knowledge. But wolves accept what is. Gaia made you Fury-born for a reason. Try to be at peace. The ahroun chuffs a farewell, and begins to trot around the shore of the pool.

Kavi's expression falls, and he looks down to the space before him as the Gaian starts to leave. "Stay safe, August," he calls after the wolf, though his voice is pitched just barely loud enough to carry.

Learn With More Than Your Head

2008-09-25T16:18:07Z

I hope he understands. I want him to learn... I want to find a way to make them learn that doesn't hurt.

Bobby sits on the sofa, leaning against one arm with his feet up on the sofa, engrossed in a book. It's _Technical Calculus with Analytic Geometry_, and appears to be quite interesting.

The door to the stairwell opens and Kavi steps through. His pack is slung easily over one shoulder, helmet dangling from his fingers. Overall, he seems far less tense than the other times the cub has seen him. As he steps into the hallway, he pauses to glance into the breakroom. "Hey," he calls, his voice calm, a little quiet, though clear enough to draw attention.

"Hey. Kavi-rhya," Bobby answers, looking over the top of his book. "Wassup?" He waves a little, with one hand.

Kavi takes a few steps into the room, setting the helmet down by the door. He lets the pack slip down to his elbow as he settles onto the opposite end of the couch. "I was looking for Mouse. I... I haven't been staying here, this moon. So it's important. That I check in?" He pulls the pack into his lap, fiddling with the leather threaded through the buckles. "Have you been learning?"

"Kaz-rhya and Jack-rhya taught me the Creeds a couple of days ago, and Jack-rhya started teaching me how to fight yesterday." Bobby rubs his chin ruefully, although any injuries have long since healed. "Or rather, he tried. I'm not very good." He swings his feet back to the floor, to give the other Garou more room. "I haven't seen Mouse-ryha tonight."

"Kaz is... She's really... Listen to her," Kavi says the last rather firmly, as he finds the words he wants. "If she has something she'll teach you? Listen. And learn it." He shifts on the couch to face the boy more fully and his gaze grows sharp. "I don't mean memorize what she says. I mean, take in what she means, and put it inside you. Do you understand?" His accent fits his voice, the source of his deedname becoming more obvious as he continues to speak.

"I'm working on it. This is all kinda new and everything, y'know what I mean? Culture shock. I like Kaz-rhya, she's pretty awesome." Bobby marks his place in the textbook carefully and lays it aside.

Kavi studies Bobby for a moment and then nods. He's silent for a second or two longer, not so much studying as simply watching the boy, considering something. "Have you been practicing your forms?"

"Crinos and Lupus, mostly. Be nice to get outside for some of that, though." Bobby shrugs. "I want to visit the Caern and everything."

"Mouse will decide when you're ready. If you show her. She's a good elder." Kavi draws in a breath and lets it out slowly. "Do you ever just... practice being a wolf? Letting yourself feel it?"

"Not as much indoors. I did when I was in the basement, though. Spent nearly a whole day in Lupus form." Bobby grins a little. "Fell in the toilet, too."

Kavi nods again, shallowly, eyes narrowing slightly at the last. "But since then? You mostly practice just... going from one to the other?"

"Yeah, just changing itself. I've spent some time in each, but not a whole lot. Jack-rhya's been showing me how to shift to heal." He frowns. "Why don't we have the whole Wolverine thing going on in human form? Would be more convenient that way."

Kavi gives a small shake of his head, but then his gaze returns to the cub, expression tight, focused and intent. "That wasn't Gaia's will. She wants us to remember we're not human. You should spend time practicing. Not practicing fighting, or changing, but just being. Because it's part of who you are. You're not human."

"Gotcha. Like..." Bobby pauses, closing his eyes momentarily, then opening them. In the intervening seconds, his body distorts and shifts, growing six inches taller and doubling its mass. His voice is deeper, his features a little scruffier, and his glasses look almost comical perched on his nose. "...This?"

Kavi watches the shift, his eyes narrowing again. Though he seems surprised, initially, it quickly dissipates and he simply watches. "Yes. But, also? You should practice... Practice being a wolf. Not. Not right now. But after? Just practice it. What it feels like. All the smells and sounds? But also what things you feel."

"Being a wolf is kinda awkward, what with the lack of talking and all," Bobby says. "Someone should make, I dunno, a translator. Software's not my strong suit."

Kavi's expression shifts to a sharp scowl. "Wolves communicate in their own way. And it's important for you to understand it. Mother's Tongue, the language of our people, was created from the postures, from the language of wolves. You need to learn it." He pushes up from the couch, letting the bag slide to the floor, and turns to face the cub. "Do you remember when we met?"

"I remember everything. What in particular?" Bobby brushes his hair from his face.
Kavi stuffs his hands into his pockets, looking down on the boy on the couch with his jaw set and a hard edge coming to his gaze. "All of it. Ishmael. Cordelia. All of it. Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah. Ishmael-rhya was pretty banged up, and you hit Cordelia when she asked for her phone back, because she was trying to help Ishmael-rhya." His tone makes it pretty clear who, in his opinion, was in the right.

Kavi's lips curl away from his teeth, and though there's nowhere near the amount of tension in him now that there was that night, the anger in his response is difficult to miss. "No," he says, simply, and schools his expression back into a mask of calm, though anger still burns in his eyes for anyone perceptive enough to catch it.

"If you say so," Bobby says simply, not contradicting. "But yeah, I remember."

"No," Kavi says again, taking a step forward, using his very presence to enforce his dominant position. "You only remember what you saw with your eyes. And you missed almost everything important."

Bobby crosses his arms over his chest, unconsciously defensive. "There was a lot going on."

Kavi takes another step forward, until he's close enough that he could easily reach out and touch the boy. He gives a little shake of his head and juts his chin to indicate Bobby's crossed arms. "Uncross your arms. Look down or bear your throat and look away." His words come out through a tight jaw, sounding a little pinched, now.

"Why?" Bobby asks a little grumpily, but he does as he's told somewhat begrudgingly, putting his hands in his lap and looking to the right, his brow furrowed a little.

Kavi stands just inches in front of where Bobby sits on the couch. The boy's hands are in his lap, and his gaze is shifted slightly to the right. The galliard, by contrast, seems to be more and more tense by the moment, shoulders drawing into a tight line and jaw set. His eyes are narrowed and focused entirely on the cub, anger smoldering within. "Be careful," he says with quiet menace. "Be very careful. When you cross your arms. When you talk back. You're challenging. When you challenge, and don't submit, bad things happen. /This/ is why you need to practice /being/ a wolf." Though he pauses, he does not seem to be finished.

Bobby waits patiently for the rest of what Kavi's going to say, avoiding his gaze and keeping his hands folded in his lap, moving only to slide his glasses back onto his nose with a finger.

Jeff peeks in, hearing voices, "Hey..." He starts but as he takes in what he sees he instantly quiets, and gulps. He moves to the side, so he's full in view in the doorway. He looks down, "Sorry to interrupt, Kavi-rhya... should I go?" The respect is obvious in his body language as well as his tone. He seems afraid to just dodge away, not wanting to make things worse.

Kavi gives just the hint of a nod at Bobby's response before he goes on. He doesn't seem to notice Jeff, or perhaps he just retains his focus on the other cub at first. "We are /not/ human. We are something different. We have both wolf and man within us, and we have Gaia's anger, too. Her Rage at everything that's become of this world. You were in the human world. Maybe it's hard to learn. Maybe it's hard to adjust. But the more time you spend practicing feeling it, on your own, the less likely you are to need someone to hurt you so that you can feel it." He gestures toward the door, jabbing a finger insistently as though the object under discussion were right outside in the hallway. Jeff gets a glance, but no real answer, before Kavi turns back to the ragabash on the couch. "Like Ishmael. Like Cordelia. What happened wasn't about her /phone/. Tell me what laws /she/ broke. Two of them. That night." Still slightly on edge, he does seem to calm significantly as he speaks, perhaps as a result of the cub's more clear submission.

"Submission to those of higher station. I don't know what other one?" His expression is stone, as if there's something he's dying to say, but isn't.

Jeff takes this all in, and as he catches that look on Bobby, that 'I want to say something' look, he actually just cringes a bit but says nothing, does nothing, but stand there at the doorway, watching for now, keeping his posture submissive.

Kavi's eyes narrow slightly, and though he nods, he doesn't seem entirely pleased by the answer, or perhaps by something in the boy himself. He looks to Jeff then, brows raised expectantly. "Did you see? Or were you upstairs getting blankets and water when it happened?"

Jeff frowns a bit, and tilts his head to the side, "When what happened, Kavi-Rhya?" He asks, sounding rather unsure.

Kavi takes in a breath, deep and slow, then another, letting it out through his nose. "The night Ishmael was left on the doorstep, and the camera was disabled. Do you know what other law Cordelia broke, that night?"

"No," Bobby admits. "She might have been disrespectful when she didn't say please asking for her phone. I don't know what else." He doesn't look away from that very interesting spot on the wall over there.

Jeff ahs softly and says, "Well, she failed to respect the territory of another, she didn't submit, and it was pretty clear who was leader, and we are at war so I guess you could say she challenged in a time of war, but I'm not totally sure on that last one." He pauses and adds softly, "I'm not a philodox so I might be a bit off, Kavi-rhya but... did I get it right?"

Kavi turns more fully to Jeff and nods. "We were at war. In that moment. It didn't matter whether the Alpha had declared it so, or not. Something or someone had disabled our cameras, and someone had left one of ours, injured, on our doorstep. The Elder had sent two of us to go scout. Inside were cubs, and me. In that moment - there was no time for her to question me, to question my directions, my choices. It is /not/ a cub's place, ever, to give orders to a Cliath, but in a time of crisis? It is against the Litany, for a /reason/." All of these words are spoken to Jeff, as though he were the one who needed instruction. But at the end, he turns back to Bobby and leans forward just a little. His voice suddenly cool and very quiet. "Do you understand?"

"I think so. In an emergency, we do nothing unless we're told?" Bobby asks.

Jeff nods to Kavi, but then almost chokes on Bobby's answer.

Kavi's brows rise a bit in surprise and he shakes his head. "No," he says quite firmly. "Do /what/ you are told. And do... Do what you've been /taught/, otherwise. What you and Jeff did, that night, those were the right things. You stayed out of sight when you were told; you helped in the right ways when you were told. If the enemy had come through the door, you would have been prepared. Cordelia /overstepped/. She questioned, rather than doing. I asked her who she was, she refused to answer until I threatened. That took time away from what should have been happening. She cared more about her phone than about listening to the information that /I/ had. Do you know /why/ I put her phone in my pocket?"

"I figured it was because you forgot," Bobby replies truthfully. "I really wasn't paying attention to you until you hit her, because I was worried about the other dude - Ishmael-rhya."

Jeff remains quiet now, just standing at the doorway, watching.

Kavi shakes his head. "No. And I didn't do it because I wanted to keep it. I put it in my pocket because I wanted to be able to answer quickly, if Mouse called back. And I wanted to be able to hit redial, instead of dialing her whole number, if I needed to call her, again. But I didn't have time to explain that, then. And I was the leader. And we were in a time of war. The Litany says I don't /have/ to explain. I make decisions, and you, who are beneath me, follow them."

"Right. Chain of command," Bobby nods. His expression has relaxed somewhat, but he's still staring at the wall.

Jeff stays silent, just watching the pair talk now.

Kavi nods and finally takes a backward step, giving the boy a little more space. His breathing is slow and even, and the tension seems to drift from his shoulders. "Good," he says, and even his tone is much calmer and softer. "So. I want you to practice being a wolf, /being/ a wolf, because the more you feel it, the less likely you will be to ... to make mistakes. She should have been able to feel it. Like Kaz said. It shouldn't have come to what happened. Because she should have known, long before that. And I want you to be able to feel it. Like I do. Like Mouse does." He tips his head toward Jeff. "Like Jeff does."

"So I need to spend more time in Lupus form?" Bobby nods. "Except for the bathroom thing. That's just... awkward." He shifts uncomfortably on the couch, adjusting his glasses on his nose.

Jeff blinks at Kavi's words and smiles at the compliment. He says softly, "Thanks." But leaves it at that.

Kavi gives a slight shake of his head. "I don't think... I don't know if that's enough. But maybe it will help? I think you have to try. I think you have to reach inside and try to feel it. Too. But you can practice. Even in homid. Practice with Jeff. He's younger than you, but he's dominant, right now. You can feel that, can't you? He knows more. He's more experienced."

"I'm not going to discount someone's knowledge because of their age," Bobby agrees. "I've been on the other end of that stick plenty of times." He nods to Jeff, finally satisfied that the wall has received the full benefit of his stare.

Jeff hesitates then suggests, "Kavi-Rhya? Um, to help me with understanding this kind of thing, I was put on the bawn for a while and told to stay in lupus mostly... and it helped lots. And... if things are kinda dangerous in the city, maybe... maybe Bobby should go to the bawn and spend some time there in lupus? Learning?"

Kavi steps back to the sofa, but instead of sitting, he reaches down to pick up his pack and sling it over his shoulder. "Yeah," he answers Jeff, glancing toward the other galliard and then back to Bobby. "He needs to show Mouse he's ready. And then someone can take him there. I can. Or one of the other Cliath. Maybe Jack, now that he's back."

"I talked to Kaz-rhya, she said she didn't have a problem with letting me go to the Caern even, but that Mouse-rhya had to OK it." Bobby nods. "It'd be nice to get outside for a change."

Jeff grins, "Well, maybe someday I'll get rited and then I can take you!" He says to Bobby. Then he looks to Kavi, "Um, ya need anything? Or... can I do anything for ya?"

Kavi nods to each of them, offering a small smile to Jeff as he reaches down to pick up his helmet. "No," he answers softly. "I'm okay. But if I do? I'll tell you." He turns to regard Bobby from the doorway. "I think you'll be okay. Just... Listen with more than your ears. And learn with more than your head. Okay?"

"Cryptic is good," Bobby grins. "I can totally do cryptic." He nods at the older man. "I think I know what you mean."

Jeff heads in to the room and gets a glass from a cabinet.

"Stay safe," Kavi says, encompassing both of them with his gaze, and then he ducks out to head down the hall.

It's Like That

2008-09-24T04:36:40Z

Lefty's fixed herself a dinner of chef-boy-r-dee raviolis, and she's curled onto the couch to simply watch TV. She has a beer on the coffee table to complete the meal and looks intent on being a couch potato tonight.

Kavi's keys turn in the lock, pushing through the door and closing it behind him before he really takes the time to look around. "Hey," he calls over when he spots Lefty there, and sets his helmet down. His tone doesn't show a lot of surprise, but it doesn't seem that he was expecting her to be there, and his gaze and posture shift almost immediately to the more submissive bearing that she's used to.

Lefty looks up, not knowing who to expect this evening. Seeing Kavi, she almost seems relieved, and also happy. With a grin, she waves him over to the couch. "Hey hon. Have a seat. There's a new comedy on tonight. Not sure what it's about."

Kavi glances toward the television, though he doesn't seem particularly interested in it, and then brings his gaze back to Lefty. He keeps his eyes lowered, perhaps a little moreso than he has, recently, and the smile he offers in return is small and fades quickly. "Oh," he answers, settling onto the couch. He doesn't sit at the far edge, but he's not quite close enough to touch without making an effort. His expression shifts as the unspoken thoughts tumble through, and he fixes his gaze on the ragabash's meal. "Rina would cook for you. If you wanted," he offers quietly.

Lefty grunts, the galliard's distanced noticed but not really bothering her. In fact, she doesn't think twice about it, even when she shifts, setting the raviolis on the table by the beer. The Gnawer then shifts to put her head in the galliard's lap. It's a rather forward, affectionate action that she does without even thinking about it. there's a small murmured sound of delight. "Yeah, I know she would. I just been kind of busy lately. Chasing Ed around, gathering raggies... Stuff. When did I become so god damn responsible, Kavi?" Her tone is sarcastic.

Kavi holds his hands up, back stiffening as his alpha eases into his lap. He doesn't really relax with her there, though his near hand comes down to rest on her shoulder. Perhaps he doesn't hear the sarcasm, perhaps he just doesn't understand it; his own tone is earnest enough when he answers. "Maybe, maybe when you decided you wanted to be fostern?"

Lefty rolls her eyes, her lips curling in a little smile. "Maybe I should have gotten busted after all," she says, "if I knew it was going to be this much trouble." She gets comfortable, either ignorant Kavi's discomfort or dismissing it. She looks up at him. "How is, she anyway?" she asks quietly.

"She's... She's okay," he answers, voice a little rough as the tension enters the tone. His gaze shifts off to the side, following an imagined line across the far wall. "Jack. Salem? He came home, and... And it brought... She's glad, but. But it's. There are things, between then, from before he left."

Lefty notices the tension in the galliard, and his tone, and what he says and doesn't say. Her eyes look up at him, and then she decides to sit up and properly face him. "Yeah?" she says, regarding Salem. "I met him, briefly, when I first got here. He seemed...intense."

Kavi moves his hand out of the way as she sits up, and then sets them both in his lap. His answer is a simple nod, at first, gaze shifting to her and then down to his hands. "They've both been here a long time, and... There's a lot. Between them? I don't know it all. I don't know anything, except... except what I see, and... and what it does to her." He swallows, silent for a second before he turns, shifting his knee up onto the couch so that he can face her, though his gaze remains lowered. "Do you think... Do you think it's possible to care about someone so much that... that... I don't know. That you hurt them just... just by being there?"

Lefty listens to the first part, nodding sympathetically. "Ah. History, hmm?" she comments softly without really interrupting the galliard. As he goes on, her expression shifts, cheeks reddening considerably. Her eyes then duck as much as his have, and she avoids looking at him. Clearing her throat, her answer is quick, "Yeah. Yeah, I think I can imagine."

"I think..." Kavi starts, and then swallows. "I think that's what... Maybe that's what happens to them? I don't... I won't ask her about it. It just... I know it hurts, and... I don't need to know why. I don't need to make her hurt more, so I can understand. And... I don't... He... I can't ask him."

Kavi seems to take her words without really reading the emotion behind them, so absorbed in his own thoughts.

Lefty nods, slipping her hand over Kavi's knee in that familiar gesture of reassurance. "Yeah. Yeah, I know how that goes. I'm sorry Kavi." Uncertain what else to say right now, she just keeps that simple contact.

Kavi shifts his gaze to her hand, though he doesn't tense more, or pull away. His chin lifts slowly, his gaze rising to Lefty's face. "It's... It's okay. I'm okay, and, and she is. It'll be better. After this is over? After we're done with Carnage and Jenny can come home. It'll be better. Because she can stop worrying all the time, and... and we can do the rite for her. It'll be better, then."

Lefty lets out a heavy breath. "Tell me about it. I want it over, too. As quick a possible." The Gnawer looks overly tired, actually, like sleep hasn't been her highest priority.

Kavi takes a breath almost directly opposite his alpha, letting it out slowly. "Lefty-rhya? Can I... Is there anything I can do?"

Lefty glances up, her expression fond and her smile wide. "Na, but I appreciate it, Kavi. Maybe some more of that good cooking from Rina? Right now, I think I'm gonna grab some sleep, ok?" she reaches out to hug him before getting up.

Kavi hesitates only briefly before returning the hug. Slowly, his tension drains away, or at least melts enough to let him enfold her completely in his embrace. He lets it last a long while before he finally pulls away. "You can call me. If you need me? Or... Or even if you just... Even if you're hungry." Then he turns, snatching up his helmet on his way to the door. "Stay safe, Lefty-rhya."

Feel Your Toes

2008-09-22T03:21:04Z

What if things had been different? Would I still feel it? Or would I be like them? I want them to be able to feel it like I do, like she does, but... There should be a better way for them to learn.

I hope she's okay, that she remembers.

The knock comes in the familiar way suggesting the galliard on the other side; three solid raps, evenly spaced, and then silence.

There's a very long pause between the knock and the answer, but eventually Mouse's door cracks open. Her hair is messier than usual, and she looks rather tired. Apparently she was napping. In the middle of the day. "'Ey, Kavi."

Kavi is waiting patiently when the door opens, his expression and posture steady. His gaze lifts, following the form through the small opening. "Mouse-rhya?" He swallows, and his expression takes on a note of concern.

Mouse pulls the door open a little wider and gestures inside. "What's up?"

Kavi nods once and moves through the opening and into the room. "I... I haven't talked-- Not really talked to you, since... And." He looks around the room, though his gaze seems to remain low, magnetically held to the floor and low tables. Turning back, he brings his gaze up to the elder's face, the question unspoken.

Mouse tilts her head, one eyebrow arching in a question of her own. "Have a seat?" she says, after a moment, pulling a chair out from the kitchen for Kavi, and pulling her own computer chair out for herself.

Kavi nods, a small gesture without much force behind it, and takes the chair. He settles onto it backward, straddling the seat and folding his arms over the back. For a moment, he rests his chin on his arms, then straightens and asks, "Are you... Is everything... okay?"

"Sure," Mouse says, as she flops into her own seat. "As okay as it gets. /Busy/, but."

Kavi studies Mouse as she answers, measuring, something in his gaze suggesting he's not quite ready to accept her answer at face value. He looks down with another small nod. "Okay." He takes in a slow breath, letting the subject close as he exhales. "I talked to Jack, yesterday. He said there's a house. A hellhouse? That you might... That maybe I could help?"

Mouse studies Kavi in return as he says that, before her chin lowers in something resembling a nod. "Yeah, it's some thing Zeke stumbled into. On the realm side of the Gauntlet. Apparently it's fond of really, really messing with your head, and tainting you. We were going to take a peek at it umbral-side."

Tension creeps into Kavi's posture at Mouse's description, tightening the line of his shoulders, the set of his jaw. "Tell me what you need," he says. "I'll be there."

"Muscle," Mouse replies. "General backup. My plan is to take a peek first, see if there's anything in specific we'll need to get rid of before we cleanse the place, or if we need to burn the damned thing down."

Kavi nods again, more determination in the gesture, this time. "Just, tell me when. I'll be there."

Mouse nods herself. "I will, thanks. Though damn, at this rate, the entire tribe is going to go on a hellhouse field trip." She doesn't sound terribly upset at that prospect, however. Rather the opposite.

Kavi lets out a deeper breath and sets his chin back on his folded arms. "Mouse-rhya?" His words are muffled slightly until he lifts his head again. "If... If there was something..." His voice trails away, eyes flicking back and forth across her face.

One eye squints back at Kavi. "If there was something...?" Mouse prompts.

Kavi shakes his head. His arms shift, hands gripping the sides of the chair back, and his gaze drops to the place his hands left. "It's okay."

Mouse squints a little more. "...I don't think that's what you were planning to say."

"Just..." He worries at the edge of his lip between breaths. "I don't... Don't forget that I'm here. That if... If you need something... I don't want you to forget." Kavi's voice becomes softer as he speaks, dropping off to nearly a whisper by the end.

Mouse's mouth turns up very slightly on one corner. "I won't forget, Kavi." She stands, stretches, and moves into the kitchenette. "How're you doing anyway?"

Kavi's gaze rises again, follows her as she moves, a small nod marking her words. "I... I'm glad Luna is... is finally turning from us. It's. This time. It was harder than some." He pushes up from the chair, resting one hand on the back. "Why... Why don't they understand? Who we are? What it means to be Garou? Why don't they feel it? Like we do?"

Mouse takes two mugs down from the cupboard, and begins to pour coffee. Mmm, hot coffee. At two in the afternoon. "You're asking me?" she says, rather lightly. "I've never thought I was anything but Garou. This is the sorta shit I don't understand. And, I mean, it's not like I think the Garou Nation is the greatest and most perfect thing ever, or that a lot of what we do /isn't/ shit in a can."

Kavi watches the pouring of the coffee as though it were inherently one of the most interesting activities ever. "I pushed. When I... When I was young. I pushed. But then. Then I learned. And... I feel it. It's part of me. As much as... as much as my music is part of me?"

Mouse shrugs one shoulder. "That might be it. They're still really, really young." She sets the coffee pot back, and offers one mug to Kavi as she turns. "I dunno. Maybe I didn't teach well enough. Ishmael and Riley were the first cubs I ever /really/ taught. I mean, specifically taught most of their training, that is."

Kavi takes the mug, cradling it within his hands, wrapping his fingers around it. He looks down into the steaming surface, getting lost in the depths of the liquid. "I don't know. I don't know if I would have learned. If they didn't... If things had been different? I've been wondering. I was trying to think... How to teach someone to feel it. And I don't know."

"It's like teaching someone how to feel their toes," Mouse remarks. She takes a very careful sip of her own coffee, and leans back against the counter. "Or teaching someone what colors /are/."

Kavi glances to Mouse and then back to the surface of the mug. "It's like that. Feeling your toes. Because. Because if you don't understand, and someone... You teach someone to feel their toes by hurting them. If they can't feel it without pain... they'll feel the pain. And... and they'll learn to feel them when the pain is gone." As he stares into the mug, his expression becomes a little distant, his voice, a little tight.

Mouse studies Kavi quietly over the top of her mug. "...That's pretty accurate, yeah."

Kavi takes a sip of the coffee, not seeming to notice the heat. He glances up again, and then quickly back down. "But I don't know... I don't know if you can teach that? How to feel your toes? If someone doesn't understand? I don't know if there's another way to teach it."

Mouse makes a face. "I don't know either. And that's...that's a problem. I don't know what it's like to think you /are/ human."

"I don't... remember." He lifts the mug, sipping slower, this time. "Maybe because... Maybe because I was with the tribe before I changed. Or... or maybe because of--" He draws in a deep breath and shrugs. "I don't really remember... how I thought, before that. I know... I know what I did, but not... not who I was."

Mouse nods slowly. She doesn't seem to have anything to add to that just now, however. Sip.

Kavi shrugs again, letting the thought drift away as he lifts the mug to sip again.

"You alright?" Mouse asks.

Kavi lowers the mug and nods. "Yeah. I'm..." His voice is quiet, a little distant, but after a moment he lifts his eyes to meet Mouse's gaze - just long enough to let her see the strength that resides there. "I'm okay. I am."

"Good," Mouse says, quietly. "Look...about this Ishmael shit? I know if I say 'don't take it personally', that sounds really retarded. But...you did what you should have done. Okay? He's the one who needs some adjustments."

Kavi is still for a few seconds after Mouse speaks. His nod is small, shallow. "I... I know. Mostly, I know. I wish... But I know." He takes another, larger sip from the mug and then steps across to set it on the counter. "Thank you."

Mouse smiles very faintly. "It'll be alright," she says, with a confidence she may not actually feel.

Kavi nods more firmly. "I... Yeah." He takes a few steps back toward the chair, though he doesn't sit. "If you think... If there's anything I can do? To help? For him, or. Or to help him understand?"

Mouse shakes her head. "If I think of something, I'll let you know, but right now your guess is as good as mine."

"Okay," Kavi answers, still somewhat subdued. "I'll be near my phone. If you need me. Or when you know? When you want to go. To the house? I'll be here."

Mouse nods. "Okay, Kavi." Pause. "Have a good day, yeah?"

"Stay safe, Mouse-rhya," Kavi returns before heading for the door. There's a depth to his tone, the words more than mere formality. Then he turns the knob and steps out into the hall.

Catching Up

2008-09-21T00:55:49Z

He'll call her. She... I'll be there. Just in case.

It's not too long after noon when the knock comes to the door at the top of the stairs. Three solid raps, evenly spaced, carry down through the stairwell, neither hesitant nor demanding.

Salem opens the door a moment or two later, wearing t-shirt and sweatpants and looking very workout-sweaty; his hair's tied back into a ponytail and he's slightly out of breath. The glyph-scars on his forearms have been added to, turned into abstract designs married to black tattoo ink. "Kavi?" He's a little surprised to see the Galliard, but more curious than displeased.

Kavi's gaze falls to the scars for a moment, taking in changes with just a slight crease to his brow. He looks up, then, though as usual he avoids meeting the other's gaze. Unlike in the past, however, he doesn't seem to have difficulty holding steady on the man's face. "Jack, sir? I... Do you have time to talk?"

"Of course." Salem ushers Kavi inside, waving a long arm in the general direction of the couch. "Have a seat."

Kavi nods once and moves down the stairs. His steps are a little less fluid than normal, muscles just a little tighter. Settling onto the far cushion, he turns to regard Salem again. "Thank you. I, um. I wanted to tell you, I'm glad you came back."

Salem closes the door and follows down after. "I'm glad to be back, too." He pulls over the desk chair and straddles it backwards. "I was always /planning/ to come back, you know."

Kavi's lips form a tight line and he nods again. "I know. I think. Mouse said, but." He takes in a breath, letting it out a little sharply and his shoulders rise in a small shrug. "Rina thought, because of how you left, and where you went, maybe... She thought you weren't planning to... to be able to come back."
Salem's brow furrows, his faint, amiable smile curdling into a puzzled frown. "Come again?"

Kavi's shoulders rise a fraction and his gaze drops. "When you left? We didn't know. The way you had been? And, she heard you were gone, that you'd given things away, and where you were going. She thought, you were going there to--" He breaks off, swallowing once before completing the thought, his tone a little apologetic. "To fight until you were dead. She wanted to go after you."

Salem stares at the Galliard for a beat before swearing softly in Serbian. He drops his head slightly and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Thank you for stopping her," he says, a bit wearily.

"It was hard," Kavi answers softly. "Not, I mean, not stopping her. But... that week? For a while, after. It was hard." He shifts his weight back on the seat, shoulders dropping a little as his back straightens. His chin lifts, gaze rising to follow the other man's hand. "But it's okay. She's good, now. Mostly. She's getting better, really."

Salem looks a mite skeptical but nods anyway. "That's good. I appreciate you taking care of her."

Kavi's lips quirk upward in a small smile. "We... We take care of each other. It's good. There's no more drugs. And she's painting. And." The smile fades, his expression turning to one of determination. "When we're done with Carnage, when this is over, and Jenny can come home? She promised to let Zeke help her. Like he helped me."

Salem raises an eyebrow. "Soothe the Scars, you mean?" He scratches his bearded chin. "Hmm."

Kavi's nod is small but firm. "Yes. It's... It's not easy, but it... I think it worked, for me? And Mouse said she'd be there, and with me, and Jenny, and maybe my pack, if she wants." For just a second he looks the philodox in the eye, a question in his gaze before he looks away again.

Salem's mouth thins. After a second or two, he nods, his face a mask. "I'll be there, if she needs me."

The small smile returns. "I'm glad. It... It will mean a lot, to her." He draws in a breath, relief in the sound as he exhales. "We just need to finish with Carnage. It's hard, now? To wait? But I don't know what else I can do to help, until the scouting is done."

Salem smiles humorlessly. "Waiting's always hard. The hardest part, in fact."

"Yeah," Kavi answers, his voice dropping in volume, though it takes on a keener edge. "If I can help? If you know of something I can do? Tell me. Okay?"

Salem purses his lips. "Do you know about this thing called the hellhouse? Zeke and Morgan went into it and came out tainted. Quentin, Mouse, Fallout, Kaz and I are planning an expedition back."

Kavi's brow furrows, expression entirely confused, and he shakes his head. "No, I hadn't heard. What do you need?" He shifts forward to the edge of the cushion, hands resting on his knees.

Salem shrugs and gets up. "I don't know. I only heard about the place last night. But talk to Mouse or Quentin... or Kaz, even." He brushes back a stray lock of hair that's escaped the ponytail elastic. "_Sranje_, I hardly know half of what's going on right now. I'm still..." He waves a hand vaguely. "Catching up."

Kavi's gaze follows Salem, though he doesn't yet rise, himself. "If there are things... If you know what... Ask me anything, and if I don't know, I'll find out." He pushes to his feet, standing stiffly at the edge of the couch.

Salem smiles wanly. "I know you will," he says. And his tone, while not dismissive per se, definitely has a 'but not now' added onto it.

"I'll talk to Mouse," Kavi says, pushing his fingers into his pockets. "About the house? And if you need something? Just call me. Or Rina." He pauses, biting at the corner of his lip. "You... If you have time? You should call her."

The suggestion seems to irritate the Philodox. "I know."

Kavi swallows, looking down almost immediately as he notices the irritation, and tension draws his shoulders a little tighter again. "I'll go find Mouse."

Salem's expression relents a little, though there's no apology forthcoming. "...Right. And tell Rina I'll call her."

"Yes, sir," Kavi answers with a nod, heading toward the stairs. "Stay safe."
"You too," Salem says. "Be seeing you."

Kavi turns about halfway up the stairs, and finds a tight smile for the philodox. "It's good to have you back." He doesn't wait for a reply before he continues up the stairs.

Salem doesn't give one, though watches the Galliard's departure with a pensive expression.

Nature of Garou

2008-09-15T06:10:32Z

Why don't they understand? Why do they try to pretend? We are what we were made for, and our instincts, our ways, we aren't human.

Sean laid out on a deck chair in Glabro in the front yard of Edgewood and enjoying the sun, Sean looks like he's practically on vacation. In one hand he has a book, in the other a tall glass of ice tea. Well, except that the deck chair is rusty and falling apart, and the Gnawer is in no better shape. One cheek is torn open, and his shirt is off and his torso bandaged, blood showing through on his chest and sides. His face is drawn and weary, repressing the pain, though it's definitely there.

The motorcycle comes down the lane, heard before it's seen. The Glass Walker parks not far from the house and starts heading toward the building. Before he gets there, he spots the philodox in the lawn chair, and shifts direction. "Hello," he says to the injured Bone Gnawer, raising his hand in greeting. His gaze travels over Sean's form, taking in the bandages, though he doesn't react to the sight outwardly.

Sean looks up at Kavi, watching him ride in with ambivalence at first, then recognition. When the walker walks up, Sean looks up to him with a half smile. More than a half smile would stretch things in painful ways. He sets down his drink and says, "Hello Kavi." While he finds a bookmark for his book, a crinkled receipt, and sets it down, he apologizes, "Sorry if I don't stand up. Thanks for coming out here." He sits straight and reaches out a hand to shake Kavi's. The wounds are definitely fresh.

Kavi tucks his helmet under his arm and takes Sean's hand, briefly, his expression more reserved. "Kaz said you wanted to see me?" He shifts the pack on his shoulders, weight settling through the straps.

Sean nods his head, attempting a friendly but serious attitude. "I wondered if I could ask you a little about what happened with Ishmael. Jack told me a little about it but... I guess no one else was really there but you two?" He raises his eyebrows, curious in tone.

Kavi pushes his hands into his pockets, his expression turning a little guarded. "Okay," he answers, and while his tone is reserved, it doesn't seem fearful. The tension in him could easily be ascribed to the size of the moon overhead.

Sean leans back and makes himself comfortable as possible, nodding. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Just uh, go ahead and tell me what happened. And... you know, specifics are good. Who said what. What Ishmael said." He shrugs lightly and tilts his head a bit, listening.

Kavi's brow furrows slightly, and for a moment he simply watches Sean. "Why?" he asks, voice quiet and somewhat soft, though his expression remains cautious. "I mean, why do you want to know?"

Sean raises his eyebrows and takes a deep breath. "Well... considering Ishmael's extreme response I think it bears investigating. Anytime things aren't running smoothly among Garou, I believe it's a philodox's place to smooth things out." He shrugs matter-of-factly.

Kavi's hands come out of his pockets and his arms cross over his chest. "We're fine," he answers, a little louder, a little firmer. "I'll tell you, because I'm a galliard, if you want to know. But if we need a philodox, we have three in our tribe. We can ask one of those."

Sean frowns a little, considering, then shrugs and nods with some disappointment. "Fair enough." he concedes. "But I was under the impression no one was investigating it. I spoke to Kaz about it and she gave me the go ahead. If someone else is already doing it...." He raises his eyebrows at Kavi inquisitively.

Kavi's level of tension increases, his fingers clamping down on the leather of his jacket. "No one is investigating," he says, quite clearly, now. "There is nothing to investigate."

Sean raises his eyebrows and shrugs lightly, saying resignedly, "Well... why don't you just tell me what happened then." He glances away to reach down and pick up his ice tea, sipping gently, then notes, "There’s more iced tea inside if you want some."

Kavi watches the glass, following the hand that reaches for it, that lifts it, and then looks again to the philodox's face. "I was asked to find all the ragabash, and all the theurges," he says after a moment, and his voice has a cool, calm quality, at odds with the way his fingers grip his jacket. "I found Ishmael upstairs. I told him what he needed to do. He acted like it wasn't important and told me to get out of his way so he could watch TV. I told him it was important, and said again what he needed to do. He refused. I told him to follow orders. He told me to keep the orders to myself and that I wasn't Fostern. I shifted. I told him to do what he is told. That there's more than rank. He refused. I held his throat. He refused. I struck him. He submitted. I stopped. He went to his room. I left to find the others."

Sean nods his head with interest. "Yeah, that's better than what I already knew. What was it you were supposed to tell him to do?" He sets the cup down, settles and listens.

Kavi's fingers slowly start to relax, less tight around his upper arms. "All the theurges need to help get ready for the battles to come. Some will make talens, some will help with chiminage, or making allies of the spirits and getting them to help. Whatever they can do to help. Mouse is in charge of deciding who does what. I told him to go see her." The Glass Walker stands not far from the lawn chair on which the injured Bone Gnawer is sitting. Though the tension of the moon seems to ride him, his voice is calm enough, somewhat controlled.

Sean listens in thoughtful consideration, taking a deep breath. "So it was a dominance thing really. What happened after? And what about now? Is he doing what he's supposed to?"

"Dominance," Kavi returns with a small nod. "After? I don't know. He didn't shift. And he left the tenement and someone found him and stitched him up and brought him back. Mouse healed him. He says they talked, and he's going to help, now." There's a slight edge of bitterness in the tone, but he closes his mouth, lips twisting slightly, and when he speaks again, it is gone. "I hope so."

Sean tentatively scratches near the edge of on of his bandages, head nodding emphatically. "Sounds like he doesn't think he should have to follow orders from anyone who isn't higher rank. Which is... technically true, but you had orders from mouse..." he muses thoughtfully. "How well did you and Ishmael get along before this happened? What do you think of him now?"

Kavi looks at Sean, his gaze not wavering a centimeter as he focuses on the younger man's eyes. "You are /wrong/," he says firmly, clearly and simply. "We are not human. We are not army. I am dominant to him. I am dominant to you. Rank is only one piece. Jacob was the beta of my pack before he was Fostern. He was dominant to me, and when he gave an order, I would follow it. Jack. Salem. He is cliath, but dominant to me. If he tells me a thing, I will do it. Because I am Garou."

Sean blinks at Kavi in surprise when he's first rebuked, then after listening for a moment he nods. "Well yeah, yeah you're right, that's all part of it too. But I mean, technically, there's no law that says he has to listen to you. He couldn't be philodoxed for it. But there's the higher rank law. So he could be punished for not listening to Mouse." He ponders a moment, pressing his mouth closed. "Well, respect is a part of it too. Respect those beneath you." He raises his eyebrows at Kavi with a shrug.

"Submission to Those of Higher Station," Kavi answers almost immediately, his voice cool. "It doesn't mean just rank. It means submit when it's needed. We are Garou. We accept an honorable surrender - honorable submission - and we don't abuse those below us. I didn't abuse him. I didn't tell him to do something, just because I could, and I didn't hurt him, until his refusal to submit, to follow orders, warranted it. And once he submitted, I stopped." His arms fold a little tighter across his chest, hands tucked beneath, no longer closing on his upper arms.

Sean glances at Kavi with a slight frown, looking a little glum, then he nods lightly. He furrows his brow and looks up to Kavi with a concerned look, "You know he was trying to kill himself right? That's uh, why he wouldn't shift. He wanted to die." The gnawer looks into Kavi's eyes with a light frown, nodding. ""Do you think it's possible you might have overdid it a little? Considering that?"

Kavi doesn't look away from Sean's gaze, holding it with all the intensity of the moon in his own. "No," the Glass Walker answers without hesitation or thought. "He refused to submit when my hand was around his throat. He refused to submit when my claws pierced his skin. Only when I hit him, only when I hurt him, that's when he submitted, and that's when I stopped." He gives a tight-shouldered shrug, lips forming a thin line. "I told him, after, when we talked? I told him I can't read his mind. We can only act on what we see and smell and hear. I'm sorry he's hurting, inside. But that doesn't change what he did. Maybe, if I'd known, I wouldn't have let him walk away, after. But his actions, and my actions - we're Garou. That's the way things are."

Sean's eye drifts away, with more fervent nodding. "You talked to him after about, that's good." He sighs softly and looks back up to Kavi. "I'm not trying to attack what you did. My concern is that... well, we as garou, are gifted with an incredible amount of strength, and with that comes an incredible amount of responsibility." He looks up at Kavi, frowning in concentration and speaking sincerely. "If we are too heavy handed, we could destroy people who are important to us, our allies, the people we are sworn to protect. I know we are not human, but we are part human. Humans are capable of incredible cruelty as well as compassion. So are wolves. Sometimes we need compassion, to balance our rage." He clears his throat, and leans forward, sitting up though it pains him. "So I hope... in dealing with Ishmael from now on, you will recognize his weakness, and instead of exploiting it, try to understand and show him guidance and compassion. And that way he can grow."

Kavi considers Sean for a long moment, eyes narrowing slightly as he studies the younger man. "We are what we are. I've always cared about Ishmael, and I will, always. But that doesn't change what we are, or how we are. He needs to learn to understand what he is. Others... Others won't be as gentle, won't try so hard to keep in control. If he wants to be dead, he'll push someone, and he will be."

Sean looks at Kavi contemplatively for a moment, then settles back into his chair. "Well we are what we are, true. But we choose our actions, and are defined by our choices. Every action counts. We are who we choose to be. We make that choice every day. Sometimes one person's choices make all the difference." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then looks at Kavi and shrugs mildly.

Kavi's hands drop, shoving into his pockets, but his voice goes very quiet and intense. "Gaia and Luna gave us gifts. Gifts to help preserve what's left. Those gifts don't always allow us to make choices, Sean. I'm only a galliard, and I have lost control more than once, just since I've been here. Not because I wanted to. Not because I... But because we are violent. It is what we are. We are not human, and we are not wolf. We have parts of each in us, but we are something else. We are instinct and fire and pain, and sometimes there's nothing more to us than that. Push the wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong way, and there will not be a question of choice. There will not be a question of what he wants, or you want, or I want. There will only be pain and blood and death. Look inside yourself. Feel it. Learn it. Recognize when it is time to back down, to submit; recognize when the time for talking, for arguing, for /thinking/ is done, and it is time to let the animal part of you show throat, and let go. That's a choice, too."

Sean swallows roughly as his mouth twitches, the hole in his cheek causing havoc on his climate control. "It's a relationship that goes both ways, respect. He have to try to keep our rage in check against those beneath us, and be respectful of that rage, of those above us. To not provoke it. But I don't believe we are just blood and pain and death. We are life, we fight for life." He smiles softly at that. "We are a part of Gaia."

Teeth clench tightly, and the galliard's hands push hard against his pockets. For a moment he doesn't answer, and then he gives a small shake of his head. "We are. We do. But never forget that we are something other than human. Never forget that we were given claws and rage and teeth for a purpose, and that we always live close to that edge." He takes a step back, though he doesn't yet turn.

Sean watches Kavi soberly, then glances down. "Thanks for coming Kavi." He says quietly, looking back up at the Walker with a careful nod. He purses his lips together in silent contemplation.

Kavi returns the nod. "Stay safe," he says, a strange emphasis on the second word. Then he turns, shifting the pack on his shoulders again. He straddles the bike before slipping on the helmet, and the noise from the engine fills the otherwise quiet evening.

Who We Are

2008-09-12T06:12:25Z

Ishmael sits just in front of the downstairs computer, tapping up a storm upon the keyboard, and navigating his way with the mouse through some complicated-looking software. He seems blissfully involved in whatever he's doing.

The key turns in the lock and the door to the lobby opens. Kavi enters, pack slung over his shoulder and helmet dangling from his fingertip. He pauses, just inside the door, as it swings shut behind him. "Hey," he calls to the boy at the keyboard.

Ishmael glances from the screen to Kavi only long enough to make sure he's not an intruder, and promptly returns to whatever he's doing without so much as a nod of his head.

Kavi pushes off from the door and makes his way over to the couch, settling down not too far from the theurge. The helmet is set beside him, and he swings the pack into his lap. "Did you hear? Kaz declared us at war?"

"Mouse told me," Ishmael replies briskly, continuing with his work. Tappity.

Kavi's eyes narrow as he turns to study Ishmael more closely. His fingers work the buckles on the pack, and flip the top open. "Good," he answers, his voice going slightly cold. His body starts to show the signs of tension as well, as he slips his notebook from the pack.

Ishmael's typing ceases for a moment, and leans his head against his hand, apparently reading something. He yawns, idly, but otherwise says nothing.

Kavi's gaze fixes on the boy's face, a twitch in his lower eyelid. Without looking down, he starts flipping through pages of notes. "Why do you pretend to be what we're not?"

Ishmael shoots the Galliard a sideways glance. "Excuse me?"

"Why do you pretend to be human?" Kavi asks, his fingers splaying over a random page in his notebook. "We're not."

"/My/ humanity isn't going anywhere," Ishmael returns dryly, returning to his software navigation. "There's no pretending."

"You're not," Kavi insists, closing the notebook again and setting it down beside him. "We're something different. We're something Gaia created, because she needed us. We have some of what is human in us, but we're not that. We're also wolf."

Ishmael returns sharply, "I can quite cheerily retain my humanity an' not be completely human, thanks." Tappity.

Kavi sighs, his gaze falling just for a second. "I don't understand," he says, hand lingering over the notebook, as though he might pick it up again. "I think you pretend to still be who you were, before you changed. To still live by the same rules. But we aren't. And we can't."

Ishmael lifts his hands off the keyboard and up into the air as if he's suddenly very aggravated--perhaps by talking on this subject... again. "There are certain things that Garou do--like all the gratuitous violence--that I will not subscribe to. /Ever/. All the anger. All the hate. No thanks." He exhales sharply and makes another attempt at typing again. "Not to say that humans don't do any of that either--but I didn't subscribe to it /before/. So. As far as that goes, wolf be damned. I'm a Walker. Not a Red Talon."

Kavi's hand leaves the notebook and the pack finds its way to the floor. Both hands rest on his knees, tense, fingers curved against denim. "The anger... Gaia's's anger, we can't turn away from. We can't ignore it. It's part of us. Part of what makes us who, what we are. Not all violence is gratuitous. Some of it is necessary."

Ishmael laughs a little bitterly to himself, eyes still on the computer. "Oh, so clawing up friends, and frenzies, and thralls. Not gratuitous. Right. And I've been ignoring it just swell, thanks. It's called self-control." Tappity.

Kavi shakes his head. "Self control is more than controlling frenzy," he says, sharply, and pushes up to his feet. "If you haven't lost control to the rage we feel, it's because you've been lucky. It /will/ happen. You're Garou. But self control - if you had self control, you wouldn't have pushed me until I nearly lost control. You would have known when to submit, before I /had/ to do that. Submitting when you don't want to, THAT takes self control."

Ishmael promptly pushes himself up from the table, apparently now done with whatever it was he was doing. "No. Self-control is knowing how to /deal/ with people and /not/ give into your anger and need to bully in about a ten second window. /I/ may have been being a snot, but /you/ could have handled that /so/ many different ways, one of them being to, I dunno, /actively try and convince me/ instead of just tossing me to the ground and ripping off my face. Thanks." He looks around for his keys and grabs them up, clearly intending to leave.

Kavi points toward the door, the gesture repeating to punctuate his words. "We are At War! You /saw/! You /know/ what they are. What they can do - What they /will/ do. I /told/ you what we needed. What Kaz wanted. What Mouse wanted. I /told/ you, because I'm a /galliard/ and that's my job. I shouldn't have to /convince/ you." He snaps his jaws shut, cutting off further speech.

"Yes," Ishmael says, turning. "You /told/ me. And then you tried to kill me. Because that was the right thing to do, wasn't it? Well good for you. I hope you take your empty victory and stab yourself in the heart with it, 'cause that's right about what you did to me." He then begins to head towards the door.

Kavi moves right along with the theurge. "I didn't try to kill you, Ishmael. I tried /not/ to kill you. You tried so hard to push me past my limits. You tried so hard to push me over the edge. Well you didn't succeed. I have enough self control that I stopped. I hurt you, yes, because you wouldn't submit, wouldn't /stop/. Well, you're not dead. And if it hurt you that I had to do that, then think of what you do to Mouse!"

Ishmael stops and /glares/ at the Galliard. "I did not /make/ you do anything. Your actions are /your/ choice. I stated my mind, becuase I was angry and hurting, and probably would have helped you anyways. But that clearly wasn't enough for you." He proceeds walking towards the door. "I'm done talking about it. I promised to help Mouse, so the point's moot. I think you were wrong, and nothing you say is gonna change that."

Kavi huffs out a breath, hands clenching at his sides. "You think I could read your mind? You think I can know what you will do, when you say the opposite? I can't. I'm sorry you don't understand," Kavi says, though his tone is anything but apologetic. "I'm sorry you don't see how you hurt Mouse by how you act. I hope you learn. Before it's too late." He continues moving along with Ishmael toward the door.

Ishmael stops again. "That's why you /ask/ and /press/ and /explain/ instead of /bullying/ and shitting rage all over me," he shoots back cool. "Mouse and I talked. I'm aware I hurt her. She and I talked about our feelings and discussed the matter, you know, like /sane/ people."

"You didn't ask me," Kavi says through a tight jaw. "You said, no. You acted like it wasn't important. I wasn't /asking/ you. And it wasn't /for/ me. If you /asked/, maybe I would have been able to answer, but you didn't. Because there wasn't anything /to/ explain. You just refused. Well I've lived through this war before, Ishmael. I've seen it. I've felt it. And I'm not going to lose my friends to it again."

"I was scared and alone at that moment, Kavi," Ishmael remarks with no small amount of frost. "But instead of troubleshooting, or going on about Wisdom and Honor and Glory or any number of other things that could have instilled me with courage and understanding, you apparently thought it would be oh-so-better to intimidate and demand my help with /claws/. Because, what, scaring me so much I want to go off and /die/ is going to save your friends. Well," he lifts his hands and drops them. "Having friends die off is apparently /not/ the only way you lose them. So, ff you'll excuse me, me and my face have some patrolling to do. We're terribly sorry for inconveniencing you." And now he's /at/ the door.

Kavi moves right up beside the door, though he's not blocking it. "You didn't /say/ that, Ishmael. And I can't read your mind. You acted like you didn't care. And you haven't been my /friend/ since you turned your back on me. I thought you still cared about Mouse, though. I expected you to want to help, not pretend you didn't care."

Ishmael promptly turns and hisses. "Turn my /back/ on you? Have you not /been/ here for the past 6 months? Have you not /watched/ me slip in and out of clearly suicidal depression? Who turned their back on /whom?/" But then he regains his composure and adds. "I do care about Mouse, which is why I talked to her, and which is why we've worked stuff out, now that my mind's a lot clearer than it has been in a long time. Because she made the attempt to reach me--my /heart/." Pausing to catch his breath, he shakes his head. "We're clearly not going to give an inch, so unless you've got something pressing to tell me, I'm going."

"How would I know that, Ishmael? When you told me to stay away from you? You /told/ me to give you space, and you avoided me every chance you could." Some of the anger leaches away, though enough remains to be visible, regret replacing it. "I did what /you/ asked. Was I wrong, then, too? Was I supposed to read your mind, then, too?"

Ishmael kicks the door; it's a light thing, more out of aggravation than anger. "I think you could have stood to be a bit more perceptive and ask around, yeah. But it's over and done, so whatever." He searches on his keyring for the appropriate key. "But honestly, I was marinating in the loneliness, and it's what I wanted then, anyways. Because of the, you know, fear, stress, and anxiety. So it doesn't really matter." He moves to open the door.

"Because reliving the worst memories of my life and having my friend tell me to stay away from him... Because that--" Kavi swallows, and takes a step back from the door. "I'm sorry I didn't know you were scared."

Ishmael runs a hand through his shaggy hair with a soft growl, perhaps more at himself than anything. "Look, I'm still /really/ pissed at you, but I'm sorry if I made you relive anything terrible. That was never my intention." He then promptly opens the door. "My cell number is pinned to the fridge upstairs. Call me if anything comes up."

Kavi nods, but doesn't speak again as he watches the younger man leave.

Ishmael waves briefly, if tersely, as he exits, shutting and locking the door behind him.

He Came Back

2008-09-12T05:52:00Z

Early evening sees Kavi taking a shift at guard duty in the lobby of the tenement. Helmet, jacket and pack set aside on the couch, he's pacing, rather that sitting. He glances at the monitor with each pass, but doesn't spend a lot of time staring.

"...you later, Doodle," Quentin calls back up the stairs as he trots his way down from above, fingers raking back through blue hair, a laptop bag's strap crossing his chest and the bag itself bouncing lightly against his hip. Catching sight of the other galliard, he tilts his head over, "Hey, Kavi. All quiet on the western front?"

Salem pulls up to the building in a dusty, battered, little yellow-ish car that looks like it had an ignoble birth in some half-baked Eastern European country. He parks it along the curb and, as the cooling engine knocks and pings, folds himself out of the driver's side, fetches a battered duffle bag out of the back, and heads up to the tenement's front door. Behind the sunglasses, his eyes are reddened and tired, and his hair's half come out of its ponytail; like the car, he looks travel-worn. He pauses at the doorstep, considering it for a moment before knocking.

Kavi glances back as the door to the stairwell opens. "Yeah," he answers, the slight tension in his voice possibly a general reaction to the moon. His pacing doesn't pause until he catches the shape suddenly appearing in the monitor and he moves to check it out. Brows rise in surprise and he heads toward the door.

"What, who is it?" Quentin, not near the monitors, cranes his neck after Kavi as he heads for the door; stepping along over to look out the window, both brows leaping upwards as he falls silent a moment, "...holy shit."

Salem steps back to squint upwards at the building's facade, taking off his sunglasses to squint. Same facial scars, same dead eye. Definitely more of a tan. He hooks the sunglasses into t-shirt collar and knocks again, probably just as Kavi's reaching the door.

Kavi flips the latch and opens the door, tension being replaced by anticipation, and even a grin surfacing as he swings it wide. "Jack, sir!" He swallows back the other words that threaten, clamping his jaws shut on the questions. He extends a hand toward the bag, brows still lifted, though more in question, now.

Quentin takes a step back, his own free hand lifting to rub against the side and nape of his neck; shifting briefly on his feet before a smile tugs itself up in a shadow at the corner of his lips. He doesn't shout past Kavi, though, just waiting for the other Walker to come inside.

Salem gives off a crooked, piratical grin. "Evening, Kavi," he says, letting the younger Walker take the duffle. "And Quentin." This added as he enters and spots the Galliard; there's mild surprise in his voice, but genuine pleasure also. "Still here?"

Kavi takes the bag and steps out of the way, giving a little shove to the door to help it close. For a bit longer he clamps down on the thoughts that play across his features. Then, with a nod to the bag and another toward the door to the basement, "Do you want me to bring it downstairs?" There's another question, unspoken, submerged within the first. His voice is clear, but the calm in it is a bit forced.

"I'm still needed," Quentin replies with a slightly wider, crook'd smile of his own, looking Salem up and down, "You're lookin' good, boss. Just passin' through, or stickin' around for a bit? Time of war. We could use an old grizzled warhorse've a lawgiver like you." His own question more blunt, more open. Despite this, there's a warmth to it, green eyes alive with light.

"I'm back," Salem confirms, and nods to Kavi. "And, yes, to stay, presuming no one objects." He cocks his head a bit at Quentin, favoring his good eye. "Time of war? Officially?"

Kavi's grin returns when Salem indicates his intention, but before he has a chance to turn away the question catches him. "Yes, sir," he answers, expression suddenly entirely serious. "Kaz is adren, now, and Alpha. She declared a time of war at a meeting of the elders just a few days ago. Little Silvertip challenged her for alpha, just before, but she won, and the rest of the elders backed her."

"You heard 'im right, too," Quentin's lips curve in a shit-eating grin, "Mama Kaz's in charge of everything 'round here these days. Whole world's gone crazy-- ain't it great?"

Salem's eyes widen. He utters a few amazed words in Serbian, shaking his head. "Kaz. I'll be damned." He looks from one Galliard to the other, good eye gleaming. "What happened to Vera?"

"Kaz challenged," Kavi answers, setting the bag down at his feet. "She challenged Vera for rank, and right when she got back, she challenged for Alpha. And won. Right at moot, in front of everyone. Vera..." He can't keep the scowl from his face, the slight downward glance as he speaks about the Shadow Lord. "She left. I heard that she was trying to find help. For the fight against Carnage." His gaze returns to Salem, studying his face for just a moment without attempting to meet his eye. "I think... We think Carnage is trying to open a hive. That's what it's all been about. Stacey is Claw, and they're gathering the ragabash to scout good places for ambush, now."

"...there've been Spiral-backed gangs movin' into th'area too," Quentin adds with a grunt, his head shaking a little as he leans against the wall, "Their kin've been as busy as ours have. Generally a bad situation overall, Kavi got th'basics down pretty solidly there, though."

"Christ on a stick." Salem shakes his head again, then crosses over to the sagging couch and drops himself onto it. "Anyone of ours taken?"

Kavi's expression closes, nodding once as he takes a breath. "Stacey, and more recently Coriander. After... After what happened to Aja, too. We got them all back, and... Stacey is doing okay, now, ready to lead the fight. And Coriander, they got her back before it could get bad. They've attacked the bawn, tried to take spirits. Mouse thinks it was to make talens. But we've stopped them."

Quentin's head tilts in a bit of a nod, his expression and tone grim, "We've lost Riot'n Cael... no other deaths of late, but there will be b'fore all this is over an' done with, I'm afraid." A pause, "Not all bad news. We've got a few new Walker cubs kickin' around here-- Bobby, ragabash, Cordy, theurge. An' Jeff, of course."

Salem props his elbows on his knees and rubs his scruffy chin as he absorbs the information. "Jeff... the boy with the eyes? Hmn. Mouse still elder?"

Kavi's gaze shifts briefly to Quentin as he names the dead, and then returns to Salem. "Yes, sir. And we have two new philodox, too. One is lupus. Cheese Doodle Burns Chrome. The other one I just met the other night. His name... His name is Jack."

"Fallout," Quentin adds, chin tilting up towards Salem, "Bit rough 'round the edges. Reminds me of th'old days." The ghost of a smile, there, "I like him, personally. S'probably why."

Salem smiles ruefully. "It's not exactly a unique name. What auspice is he?" He leans back against the sagging couch cushions, stretching legs cramped from long hours behind the wheel.

"Philodox," Kavi says, almost apologetic in tone and his gaze drops for a beat. He reaches down for the bag and nods toward the basement. "I'll be right back." It's almost phrased like a question, but not quite enough to qualify, and with a fleeting glance to the former elder's face, he heads in that direction.

"We had a bit've an issue with some leeches'n their pets thinkin' they were all that again," Quentin continues the barrage of news as he pushes off from the wall, walking over to claim a chair and settling on the edge, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees, "I'm in th'middle of cleanin' that up, got most of th'problem solved, just a few left hidin'. Belated thanks for those lessons from Orion, by th'by, came in handy..."

Salem glances briefly to Kavi as the other heads off with his duffle, then focuses back on Quentin. "Orion...?" It takes him a moment to place the name, and then he grins. "Heh. Had a feeling they would."

Quentin grins a bit, "Yeah." He's silent for a moment, then tilts his chin up and over towards Salem, "...so how've you been, boss?"

Salem, on the couch, laces his fingers back behind his head and makes a brief show of mulling over Quentin's question. "Good. Better than I've felt in a long time."

"Good," Quentin's lips twitch in a lopsided grin, "Good. Glad t'have you back, boss..." He rubs a hand against the nape of his neck, "...hasn't been th'same around here without you."

A key rattles in the lock; the figure on the largely unwatched cameras is veiled by a full-face black helmet, but incongruously holding a paper coffee cup. Keys are juggled and return to the pocket of the leather jacket; a gloved hand comes up to unstrap the helmet. Rina backs into the door, helmet hung over one wrist and her hair mussed. "Caro, I brought you a--" Turning, she catches sight of Salem and her eyes widen. "...latte," she finishes weakly, the word a distracted and totally unheeded near-whisper. Dark eyes search Salem's scarred face, intently. "Jack," she whispers, an odd incongruous smile coming to her lips.

Salem's expression flickers a little, but Rina's smile gets one in return, vaguely apologetic. He unlaces his hands from behind his head and lifts one to her in a half-assed salute. "Yes, I leave town and it all goes to hell, eh?" He directs this to Quentin, with a wry smirk.

The blue-haired galliard pushes back from his knees as the other figure steps within, sprawling back in the chair and throwing an arm back to tuck behind his head; a grin curving itself wide across his face as he looks to the newcomer, "Hey hey, Rina-babe. Look who the cat dragged back in...." A snort of breath, "Damn straight, boss. See? We need you."

Rina swallows, and looks away abruptly, trying to find somewhere to unload the steaming cup and the helmet; she settles for the coffee table, and after setting down both items she strips the gloves from both hands, her head bowed.

Only a few minutes after the door closes, keys rattle in the lock and it opens again. Jack heads inside, his limp a little worse than normal and looking just a little annoyed. An unlit cigarette is tucked behind an ear, and the crowd is regarded with a wary eye as he shoves the door closed. Quentin gets a slight jerk of his chin in greeting, and the whole place gets a, "Damn, party here tonight?" It's very dry, tone somewhat removed.

The trip to the basement doesn't take terribly long, and Kavi returns after just a few minutes. He halts at the top of the stairs, catching sight of Rina, and there's a moment in which he doesn't move, expression twisting, conflicting emotions visible there. Then he moves, not to the kin, but to the couch, hardly noticing when the second philodox enters the room.

Salem crosses his legs at the ankles. Less than a half hour back and he's already feeling right at home, that's obvious. Black eyebrows rise as Jack enters; mismatched eyes take the measure of the younger man, sizing him up. "Not yet," he says, answering the other's quip.

"Hey, Fallout..." Quentin raises a hand in greeting, fingers splaying through the air in a casual cant of greeting as he looks away from Rina towards the door, "...long-missed friends returnin' to th'fold tonight. Come introduce yourself to th'other Jack."

The door opens behind Jack yet /again/, followed by a female voice saying, "Beep beep. We gotta traffic jam tonight or something?" Mouse looks tired, big shock, but in a generally good mood.

Rina drops her gloves onto the table and glances over to the newer Jack, eyes narrowing a fraction, measuring.

Jack first glances back behind him as Mouse enters, and she simply gets a, "Yo, Boss." He moves out of the way; at first it seems like he didn't hear Quentin, but his gaze flicks back to him briefly before he glances toward Salem, features hard to read but mostly neutral. "Guessin' she ain't 'the other Jack'," he says, thumbing back toward Rina, before just rattling off his introduction while digging for a lighter. "Jack Moore, Fallout. Cliath, walker, philodox." Pretty blunt and to-the-point.

Salem continues to study Fallout. His answer's amiable enough, albeit reserved. "Jack Salem, sometimes called Scar. And likewise."

Kavi watches the interaction between the two philodox for just a second before he shifts his attention to the kin. Almost silently, he takes the few steps to her side, glancing only fleetingly at Mouse as she enters. As close as he stands next to Rina, he doesn't actively reach out to touch her.

"Mouse," Quentin greets with a broad, shit-eating grin, "Look. Reinforcements."
Mouse blinks as Jack moves out of the way. And blinks again. "Whoa. Jack. I mean the other Jack. /Hey/."

Rina's chin lifts slightly, and her nose wrinkles the slightest bit as the Cliath looks for a light. "Don't think we've met," she says, her voice a slightly hoarse alto. "Which means you're relatively new in town."

Salem lifts a hand in a half-wave at Mouse. "I'm back," he says, stating the obvious.

Quentin tilts his chin up and over towards the scarred philodox, "...Kavi'n me were jus' giving him th'one-minute-rundown on local happenings. Damn good t'have him back."

Jack nods once toward Salem, before both brows arch as he looks toward Rina. "Nope," he answers, and then follows up with a, "'bout a month." The question left hanging is sort of a, 'and you are?' He does locate the lighter, absently toying with it between two fingers, but he doesn't light anything yet.

"Do I get to punch you?" Mouse asks, though the question sounds terribly cheerful. "Welcome back, man. Things're insane. I'm sure you're shocked. Hey, Q. Other Jack. Rina. Kavi."

Kavi sticks close to the kin, though he doesn't make any attempt to answer for her. He looks again to Mouse when she speaks, and almost smiles. "Hey. I... I've talked to everyone I can find. I told Alesia I'd ask if... When you go to the bawn? If you can find her, there. Or if you want me to tell her what you need from her?"

"Rina Vencenzo," the dark-haired woman says quietly. "Walker Kin." She gives him a nod, and then turns her attention to Salem. "We've got Dancers, we're at war, and we have a new Alpha." At that last, something of a smile comes to her eyes, the look of someone holding in a grin-worthy secret.

Salem grins roguishly at Rina. "I heard. Remind me to buy Kaz a drink." Then he pulls himself off the couch and onto his feet in a single smooth motion, stepping over to Mouse and spreading his arms to present a likely target. "Strike away." His head tilts slightly, giving the Fostern a show of throat. The invitation to hit him isn't serious; the throat display is.

Jack merely grunts in acceptance to Rina's introduction, though he doesn't seem to have much else to add as he busies himself with lighting a cigarette, content to stay backgrounded.

"They're interestin' times..." Quentin leans back in the chair, adding ruefully, "...oh. Right. Jacinta's Warder now, too."

Mouse grins. She lifts one hand and flicks Salem in the chest; if he even feels it through his shirt, it'll be something. "You should've seen her. She had a fucking /sword fight/ with Vera in the middle of Moot. And beat her. Oh, her Adren challenge was something too, she got sent off to find some crazy powerful fetish. I've never seen anything like it."

Kavi follows the interaction between Mouse and Salem, lips pressed tightly together.

Rina leans over to pick up the latte on the coffee table, and hand it to Kavi. A glance to Salem, and her eyes narrow slightly.

"If she won't take you up on it," the Kin mutters, "*I* might."

Salem half-turns, head tilted to fix his good eye on Rina. Then he turns fully toward her, makes a sweeping gesture at himself. "If it'll make you feel better."

Quentin lifts a hand, fingers gesturing over towards the kinswoman in the room. "Oh... Rina. We've got a new kin in town, Fallon Stevens? Manufactures, ah, recreational pharmacuticals. Told her t'go talk to our shadowy friend with the cane, thought you might wanna know about her, though." Pause. "Oh, sorry. Don't let me interrupt your catharsis."

Mouse points out, "She probably hits harder than me."

Salem retorts, "I know she does."

Mouse grins again.

Kavi looks down at the cup as it's placed in his hand, a small smile offered to Rina after. Then he looks back to Mouse, taking a single step toward her, brows raised in expectation.

"Bite me," Rina mutters, choosing Quentin to glare at as she shrugs out of her jacket. For a moment it looks as though she might actually take a swing at Salem, as she steps around the table's edge and squares off with him, looking up into his sighted eye; then she ducks her head and hugs him instead, swift and fierce. "You *asshole*," she says roughly.

"That," quips the peanut gallery from around a cigarette, "ain't how you deck someone, last I checked." There's some sort of vague dry amusement in Jack's words, at least.

Salem flinches only slightly, then returns the embrace, utterly platonic. "Uncle Scratch said to say hello and that he's going back to Chicago to challenge, finally," he says as he pulls away.

A quiet chuckle is exhaled by Quentin, who, it seems, doesn't take an iota of offense from the glare or muttered words. As they embrace, his smile only curves more broadly over his lips, gaze hooding a bit as he murmurs, "Damn. Almost feels like th'old days..."

"Basement's a bit of a mess," Mouse says, her tone returning to semi-businesslike. "You want to move back in down there, I can get it cleaned up for you, and get another empty unit opened up in the meantime. You should know we've got a P.I. with eyes on the area. He's human, but he's on the payroll of a bunch of Dancer kin. We're working on that, but be careful and all."

Rina glances up to Salem with raised eyebrows, as she pulls away, and nods. "Bout fuckin' time," she murmurs, turning away to snag up her jacket with a ring and clatter of metal. A glance to Mouse, and she offers, "I'll be home, if you need anything. We should prolly see what we can scrape together to start orderin' ammo."

Jack eyes those gathered for a moment more and eventually meanders for the stairwell while the others are talking.

"I can take care of that," Salem says, referring to the basement clean-up. He notes the other Jack's withdrawal, taking the opportunity to study the man again. Then he returns to the couch. "What's he look like?"

Quentin's chin tilts up towards the man slipping off, "'Ey-- Fallout. Might need you for somethin' soon, got a leech t'hold down an' make talk. An' possibly some ghouls to turn into hamburger in th'process."

Mouse gives a fairly detailed description of 'Charlie' the P.I., as well as his car. "I don't want to off him if we can at all help it, for one because he seems like a regular Joe just doing his job, and for two because if he suddenly ends up dead or missing, his employers are gonna know he found what he was looking for. But we can't let it go much longer, or they're gonna pinpoint this place." Rina gets a firm nod, and a wave. "Meantime, these same assholes are trying to run out the local gang--I'm looking to get a meeting with 'Jazz', their leader. Sort've a we scratch your back you scratch ours sorta thing, since they want to replace this gang that's not cooperating with 'em with some guys who will. Dirty cops, dirty lawyer...they're dug in deep."

Awdamn, caught. Jack pauses mid-retreat, half turning toward Quentin as his name is called. "Sup?" He doesn't miss Salem's studying him, but he doesn't seem affected by it one way or the other. "Arright," he says to the first, and to the second he actually quirks a half-grin. "Sweet, ghoul-burgers." Though, he sobers a moment later, taking a drag. "Yup. Just lemme know."

"Maybe talk to Cutter," Rina offers to Mouse, her eyes narrowing. "He's runnin' my crew, we might have an in with those guys."

There's a bit of a muffled noise in the stairwell, and then someone pushes the door open at speed, just barely missing Jack. "Hey /Mouse/," Kaz calls, "Why the fuck is there a--" Whatever it is she was complaining about is, evidently, destined never to actually see the light of day, as she stops short upon finally seeing Salem, and stands there for a moment. "Huh," she eventually says.

Salem stretches his legs. "Lovely," he replies to Mouse, then eyeballs the arriving Bone Gnawer. After a moment, he gives her a slow, pleased smile. "You," he says with relish, "have a story to tell, or so I hear."

"Already done," Quentin offers over to Rina, "He's doin' what he can. I've got one've th'scumbags' house's bugged... we still waitin' on Morrison's plan, Mouse?" A look to his elder, brows arching a little, "'Cause I'm gettin' a bit antsy myself. We could easily push Michelson into making a mistake, as things stand right now, an' expose himself..." He trails off once the figure comes down from the stairs, and just grins, broadly.

Kavi looks back down to his coffee, slowly moving out from the group, until he's placed himself where he can see the monitor again. Kaz's arrival gets his attention, and he greets her with a lifted hand and a dip of his head waiting until she's occupied elsewhere before turning back to the screen.

Jack's escape is cut off by Kaz, upon which he straightens up a bit as the door nearly makes close friends with his face. He eyes it for a moment before sliding a step, his gaze turning to Mouse at Quentin's query.

Very briefly, Kaz flicks an apologetic look to Jack. At Salem's statement, a slow grin rises on her face. "Y'know, I kinda started t'try and look you up, while I was down there, but then I got distracted by a Bastet tryin'a kill me and it went clear outta my head." She limps over towards him, and says, waving a hand dismissively, "I can tell you all about it when they ain't talkin' business, hey? But welcome back, Salem. Seriously."

Mouse says to Quentin, "I want to get them. /All/ of them. In one go, before they can get out or go into hiding or get off a warning. I'm antsy too, but we've gotta do this right." She looks up. "Hey, Kaz. Why's there a what?"

Rina picks up her helmet, and steps over to Kavi; her head is bowed, as she turns her helmet over and over. "I gotta run," she says quietly. "What time y'gonna be home?"

Kavi glances back at the group and then to Rina. He doesn't say a word, but moves to the couch and gathers up his things.

"It's good to be back," Salem says to Kaz. He stretches slowly without getting up, rubbing stiff muscles between shoulder and neck. He passes a look over the room, noting changes since he left and generally appearing pleased at what he sees. The place hasn't been blown up, and that's certainly a plus.

Quentin grunts slightly; clearly uncomfortable with the decision, but he doesn't argue, merely tilting his chin up slightly. "Alright. I'll keep on passin' word along as I hear it, then, jus' let me know if you need anythin' more done."

Oppositely, Jack seems to be satisfied with this, and he turns and finally manages to make it to the stairwell and disappear.

Kaz watches Salem with a grin, which is disrupted as she looks over to Mouse, expression melting into slight confusion. "I..." She stops, and looks sheepish. "I clean forget. I think there was same stupid-ass kid's toy on the stairs, but you know, what do I care, I didn't break my neck, so all in all I came out ahead." Then she calls, "Hey! G'night, you two. Catch you later."

Rina's brow furrows, and she glances over to Kaz, giving the woman a nod; then she looks to Quentin and says, simply, "Keep me posted, yeah? Drop me email if you got anything."

Mouse studies Quentin for a moment longer, before she too nods, and looks to Kaz, then Rina. "Later, Kavi, Rina."

"Stay safe," Kavi says, perhaps to the room at large, and then continues on to the door, holding it for Rina.

"You, too," Salem offers from the couch.

"Night, guys," Quentin offers over, before pushing back in the chair, grinning back at the returnee, "Damn, boss. No idea how glad I am t'see you..."

Mouse makes a brief face that seems to be half wry, half irritable for some reason, before she straightens up and begins digging in her pocket for her cigarettes.

Kaz plops onto the couch, and says, "I should git, soon. But I gotta ask, did you hear about /Morgan/?"

Salem's brow furrows in concern. "She's not dead, is she?"

Quentin exhales a low chuckle, "Quite th'opposite."

Rina ducks out, murmuring something to Kavi as the two leave.

Spreading the Word - Coriander

2008-09-12T03:43:00Z

Sitting in the middle of the floor of the Edgewood House, Coriander is busy sliding beads onto a nearly invisible length of thread. The girl's tongue is sticking out just a little, in concentration, as her focus is clearly and completely on the task at hand. There isn't even the scent of marijuana in the air this time, as there would usually be around her.

Kavi's motorcycle is heard down the lane before it pulls up out front. Kavi makes his way through the mudroom and into the living room where the information board has been re-written and Coriander sits on the floor. His pack is slung over his shoulder and his helmet dangles from his fingertips. "Oh," he says, spotting the theurge on the floor, a certain amount of surprise in the tone. "Hey."

There is a definite pause while Cori string the bead in hand, but once it's secured on the thread, she does look up. A smile comes to her face when she see that it's Kavi who has enter. "Hey, Kavi. Come in, have a seat. I'm just doing a bit of crafts."

Kavi smiles in return, though it's slight and begins to fade rather quickly. He moves across the room with his usual grace. The pack slips from his shoulder into his lap as he sits at the edge of a chair. "I was looking for you, earlier. Have you, um. Have you read the board?"

Coriander watches as he crosses the room, her own smile staying put. "I did, actually. I never have anything to add, but I like looking it over." Cori carefully sets down her work and turns to face him. "I suppose I need to find Mouse-rhya. I don't know that I'll be much help for what you all need, but I'll see if there's anything I can do to help out with her."

Kavi glances at the board, then back down to Coriander, turning the helmet between his fingers. "Yeah. It's time. If you go see Mouse, she can tell you what needs to get done. Even if... Even if you can't make talens, you can help work with the spirits, or help with the chiminage."

"You bet. I'm ready and willing to help. Stacey wants us deep in this, so whatever's needed, really." Cori tilts her head a bit, regarding him for a moment. "You know, that board really is a good idea. With everything happening around here and everyone getting exposed to bits. I don't know if anyone's told you, but it is. I've been out in the woods, so it's been the only way I've heard about things, for the most part."

Kavi frowns, a subtle downturn at the corners of his lips, but he nods in reply. "Some people don't like it, because, I guess because some people can't read. But. I can't find everyone. I've been running all over the place to find the theurges and ragabash. And it's taken days, and...." He tips his head to the board. "And if people see it, they can spread the word, too. It's not supposed to replace the galliards. It's just... It's supposed to help. Because, I can't spread the news I don't know. And I can't get to everyone."

Coriander's smile shifts to be more reassuring, "It does help. And those that don't like it, can sit in the dark. Some of us are grateful for a speedy way to pass along this sort of thing. As things are now, with things going in every direction... it's no wonder you can't get to everyone. You should be proud."

Kavi's expression shifts, the small smile returning, though with a hard edge to it. "It's important," he says. "What we have to do? What we're facing? We need to make it happen. Soon. Before it's worse."

The theurge does nod to him, although her own expression takes on a more sobered look. "Whatever he sends at us, we're going to face it," she says, sounding quite like she's giving herself a pep talk, "I hope Jorge can find his path before the big day. I think we're going to need him."

"It's not... We can't wait, anymore, to face what he sends?" The smile fades, but the frown doesn't return. Instead the intensity in his expression simply eats at the edges until there's nothing but focus left. "We have to go to him. We have to stop him, before he finishes." He draws in a breath, holds it for a beat. "I wish Heart were here."

"I know. I know it up here," Cori says, pointing a finger at her temple. She looks as if she were thinking of going on, but she shuts her mouth and looks up to him again. "I never got to meet Heart. But I've heard only good things."

Kavi nods slowly. "He... He helped me. When I needed it? I think he could help Jorge, too. But. But I think Jorge will be ready, when it's time. I think... He knows what's at stake, and... He'll... He'll be with us, when it matters." He runs his thumb along the edge of the helmet and studies Coriander's beadwork.

"Where did he go?" Cori nods, though, about Jorge, "Oh, I think he'll be ready, whether he wants to be or not." As his attention drops to her work, so does Cori's, it's just a simple bracelet, so far, in a repeating pattern of blues of varying shades. "I guess that's true of all of us."

"Yeah," Kavi answers, a soft sigh accompanying the word. "I hope we are," he says, as he rises. "I sometimes worry. People sometimes seem more... worried about what they get out of things? Or what... I don't know, maybe what their own wants are, than what we need to pay attention to. Their own fears, or desires."

"That's because they're too used to being human, where your own desires and fear /are/ able to be all you worry about. This life is different, and I think it takes time to adjust to the shifting in priorities. Sept, Tribe, Pack, Gaia, there's a whole list of things that come before you." Cori looks up at Kavi again, shrugging her shoulder lightly, "Maybe some can't adjust at all. Or need more guidance to understand that so much depends on them doing their duty."

Kavi looks down, into the dark padding of his helmet, as though there are answers stored in hidden depths, there. "I wish I knew how to... How to help them understand. I learned... I wouldn't want anyone to learn the... I wouldn't teach the way I was taught. But. I did learn. I know what it means to be Garou. To be... what we are, and not... human. Like that."

"I wish I knew how to help, too, but it came very naturally... Maybe because I was raised to think of the village, so to speak, or something." Cori pauses a moment to tilt her head, "Maybe, since you know and you know how you /don't/ want to teach, you can devise a way to reach the same end in a way you feel better sharing."

Kavi frowns again, but lifts his chin to look at Coriander. "I hope so. But. We're violent. It's what we are. It's ... it's what comes with the gifts that Luna gave us to protect Gaia. We're predators. And humans... aren't. Not like that. Not like... And the ones who don't understand... I don't know how to make them understand without... How can you teach someone who doesn't want us to be what we are... I'm not... I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense. It's just. I don't /want/ to... to hurt my friends. But, we are what we are... and. And..." He trails off with another sigh.

"It makes sense. But violent isn't /all/ we are. There are other ways to learn what we are. I know I learned a lot from seeing the devotion and caring of some of those here. I suppose that is a very Child of Gaia way to do things, but it may work. We have to love Gaia, otherwise we won't feel the drive to protect her." Cori shrugs her shoulders lightly. "But, I guess there is no way to avoid learning that we are predators. We learn, one way or another."

"But we're wolves, too. As much as we're human. And... And sometimes, it's like they forget." Kavi sighs again, and though he doesn't look down, the helmet turns slow circles in his hands. "They don't understand that... that they can't... they can't act like a human and ignore the laws, and the things we need to do. And they don't listen to words, but--" This time he cuts off, not sighing, but going silent.

Coriander stands up here, abandoning her project to come and put a hand on Kavi's shoulder. "Those of us that do know have the responsibility to teach those who don't. Be it through instruction or by our own actions. For Gaia, we need to make sure her warriors are ready for their duty. But. No one of us has to do it alone. We have each other to draw from, or to lean on, or to call on for help in places we need a hand. You're right, they can't keep acting like they're just humans still. We've stepped out of that world. And it's up to us to keep that world livable for those in it still, as we keep Gaia safe."

Kavi pulls back as she reaches out, taking a step to the side to evade the touch. His gaze drops, apologetic. "Um. Yeah. I..." He glances at the helmet again, and then toward the door. "I should go. But. But thanks. And, I'll tell Mouse to look for you."

Cori takes her hand back as he pulls back, her expression mirroring his apologetic one. "And I'll look for her, too. And soon." She starts to turn, too, to let him leave, but looks back at him as he goes for the door, "And Kavi? If you need any help with anything... I'd be glad to. If you ever need it."

Kavi turns back at the door, finding that small smile he had earlier. "Thanks," he says earnestly, and then just before slipping out the door, "Stay safe."

Bobby

2008-09-11T15:44:36Z

"That girl will rain destruction down on you and your ship. She is an albatross, Captain."
"Way I remember it, albatross was a ship's good luck, 'til some idiot killed it... Yes, I've read a poem. Try not to faint."

Bobby sits on the worn sofa, chewing on what might have, at one time, been a sandwich. He grins at the punch line on the movie screen.

The lock on the door to the stairwell clicks and Kavi pushes through. His green canvas pack is slung over both shoulders, helmet dangling from the fingertips of his left hand. He glances down the hallway, but then turns to the right, heading into the breakroom. Spotting the cub on the sofa, he lifts his right hand in a small wave. "Hey," he says, voice a little softer than the general level of tension in his form would suggest. "Bobby, right?"

Bobby looks over his shoulder at Kavi as he entered. "Robert Walker, Ragabash cub of the Glass Walkers," he says by rote, after swallowing a mouthful of sandwich. He regarded the older man somewhat warily, and didn't get up.

Kavi nods, setting his helmet down by the door. He pulls at the straps of the pack, letting it slide down over his arms, and sets it, too by the door before he turns back to the cub. "Robert," he corrects himself. "I'm Kavi. I'm sorry everything was so... chaotic, last night."

"Yeah," Bobby replied, turning back to the flatscreen. The operative was threatening to blow up the captain's ship. "How's the dude, anyway? The dude who got beat up? And Kaz-rhya?"

Kavi glances to the TV, back to the cub, and then moves across the room until he can grab up the remote. The TV is turned off and the remote pocketed. "Ishmael... Physically, he'll be okay." He gives a little shrug. "The rest? That's... That's going to be up to him." His hand rises, touching one of the hoops in his right ear and he sighs, settling onto the couch. "Kaz will be okay. She's strong."

Bobby nods. "That's good. Kaz-rhya was nice to me." He looks from the blank screen to Kavi, quirking an eyebrow. "You got something against movies?"

Kavi shakes his head, turning and drawing one leg up onto the cushion as he turns to look at Bobby. "No. They have a place. But when... when someone comes in to talk to you, someone above you, you should pay attention to them." His eyes narrow slightly as he studies the boy. "Have you learned the litany, yet?"

"Thou shalt not fuck. Thou shalt kill bad guys. Thou shalt not trespass. Thou shalt not kill people who're surrendering. Thou shalt obey big people. Thou shalt not kick little people. Thou shalt not go public. Thou shalt challenge the leader in peace. Thou shalt not challenge the leader in war. Thou shalt not get the kern dirty." He recites the list, ticking them off on his fingers. Yeah, paraphrased somewhat. "Cordelia told me, my first day."

Kavi draws in a steadying breath, eyes going a little wide as the boy speaks, and it costs him a little to not interrupt. He swallows once and his eyes lock onto Bobby's, his gaze intense and carrying the full weight of his restrained anger. "Listen to me."

"Crap, I forgot two. Don't eat people, and give loot to the boss. Ok, I'm listening?" Bobby turns sideways to face the Galliard, adjusting his glasses on his nose. He meets the man's gaze for a moment, then shifts to look over his shoulder, uncomfortably.

"When you say the litany, it is /very/ important that you say it correctly." Kavi's voice is cool, controlled. "What you say, when you say it like that? It's wrong. It's dangerous. Do you know the real words?"

Bobby closed his eyes. "I only know the words I was told. Um... gimme a second." His inflection changes, almost reminiscent of Cordelia's, as he recites: "Law one. Garou shall not mate with Garou. Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds. Accept Honorable surrender. Submission to those of higher station. First share of the kill to the greatest of us. Ye shall not eat the flesh of humans. Respect those below you. The Veil shall not be lifted. Leaders may be challenged in times of peace, and Leaders may /not/ be challenged in times of war. Take no action that causes a caern to be violated."

Kavi listens, nodding this time, and some of the sudden tension begins to fade. "Better. If you say it the other way to the wrong person? They'll correct you. So, just make sure." He lets that thought drop as his gaze passes over the cub, coming again to rest on his face, though not challenging, this time. "Do you know what it means? What does it mean to submit to someone higher in station?"

"Means, if you tell me what to do, I have to do it," Bobby says simply. "Unless it violates the others. Kinda like Asimov's Laws."

Kavi's eyes narrow again, considering. "That's part of it. But it's not everything. If you're my elder, and you tell me to... to clean the kitchen? And I say... I say something rude, but then go clean the kitchen and grumble while I'm doing it? Is that submission?"

"That's submission, but that's not respect," Bobby parsed. "And, the way I see it, there's a certain amount of respect you give to everyone, right? Unless they prove they aren't worthy of that respect, or that they're worthy of more. Just because someone outranks you, doesn't mean that they're better than you. It just means you have to do what they say, like a good soldier, and hope it doesn't get you killed."

Kavi gives Bobby a long look. "How do you think someone gains rank?"

"No one's told me yet, except that eventually, someone'll give me a job to do, and if I do it good, I'll become a Cliath. So, if it's always like that, you gain rank when someone above you decides you've earned it, and promotes you contingent to completing a mission." Bobby explains his worldview. "I'm just extrapolating here, though. No one's told me much, besides the Litany, and the names of the tribes."

Kavi lets out a breath, long and slow, and now most of the tension has eased. The galliard tips his head to the side as he regards the cub, and after a moment straightens. He sets his hand on the leg curled before him, folding fingers within the palm of the opposite hand. "If you have questions, ask. Ask a Cliath, or Mouse, not another cub. When cubs have enough answers, they become Cliath. Okay?" He doesn't really wait for an answer before he goes on. "When Mouse thinks you're ready, she'll test you. And it won't just be her watching, the spirits will be watching, too. Cockroach. And if you pass the test, then you'll be Cliath. You'll be considered an adult, and it doesn't matter how old you are."

"Billy told me a little - Billy's a Bone Gnawer cub - and he was talking to Jack about his own Rite of Passage. I guess I'm a long ways off, though. I'm not even allowed to have my laptop or cell back yet." Bobby shrugs. "Probably have a lot of training and learning how to get hit without getting knocked out first, I guess."

Kavi scowls a little. "We're not Bone Gnawers," he says almost sharply and then cuts off. When he starts again, his voice is a little softer, and his expression smoothes. "Kaz is... Kaz is amazing. And Lefty is a Bone Gnawer, my alpha, and I would... I would do anything for her. But we're not them. And what's true for them isn't true for us. You should learn from Glass Walkers, first. I mean, about Tribal things. If Lefty has time to teach you? If Mouse says it's okay? She's the best ragabash I've ever met. But learn who we are, first. Okay?"

"Christopher-rhya said he's going to teach me. And Billy and I were just talking, anyway. He's pretty cool. I haven't really met anyone here my own age, besides Billy and Jeff. Cordelia, maybe." Bobby scratched his head. "So far, only Christopher-rhya, Jack-rhya, and Cordelia have really bothered to teach me anything."

"Cordelia is a cub," Kavi says, the sharpness coming back into his tone. "Remember that." He takes a breath, and then another, this time taking a few seconds to gather his thoughts before he speaks again. "Tell me the second law again. And the last."

"Jack-rhya told her to tell me," Bobby said defensively. "He was there the whole time. OK, second and last. Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds, and take no action that causes a caern to be violated."

Kavi's eyes narrow at the defensiveness in the tone, but he lets it pass unremarked. "Good. Has anyone told you what that means?"

"Yeah, Cordelia did. But Jack-rhya didn't contradict her, and he's the Litany boss around here, right? Ok-" Bobby closes his eyes, again imitating Cordelia's inflection as he recites, "Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds. That means, if it is of the Wyrm, you strive to destroy it. The Wyrm, as said before, is part of the Triat, and it is the part that works against Gaia, our Mother, the most right now. It went crazy, and it puts things on this earth that do not belong and do awful things to all creatures. Human, Garou.. Chris was not wrong when he said the Wyrm is the stuff of nightmares. We're here to make the Nightmares go away. Take no action that causes a caern to be violated. Caerns are our holy grounds, our temples, our sanctuary. Weaver toys, including cell phones or guns are prohibited. Caerns are where we gather at the full moon to share stories, events, introduce ourselves.. They are our true home, where we are closest to spirits and one another." He pauses, somewhat out of breath.

Kavi's eyes narrow as he listens, but he doesn't argue or contradict. He waits, to see if the boy will continue.

"That's the second and the last. Combat the Wyrm, take no action that causes a caern to be violated." Bobby looks up at the Galliard. "Did I get it right? Because I'm just reciting what I was told."

Kavi nods. "Try telling me what it means, though. To you. Not what someone else said."

"Well. Second one, simple. We fight bad guys wherever we find them and wherever they are. Last one I'm not as sure about, because I don't know much about a caern. But don't bring any technology to one, I guess." He raises an eyebrow hopefully.

"To this one," Kavi answers. "Some caerns are different. Glass Spire was in the middle of Bhuj, and the caern was... It wasn't about the Wyld. It wasn't about the Weaver, exactly, but, it wasn't just okay to have things there, it was expected. Every caern is different. And they all have their own focus."

"Bhuj. Bhuj." Bobby closes his eyes and concentrates for a moment. "Gujarat? There's werewolves in India too? Cool beans."

Kavi gives Bobby a slightly funny look, one corner of his lip crooking upward in a strange sort of smile. It doesn't last, and for a moment after he closes his eyes. If Bobby is perceptive, and good at judging people, he might catch the measure of sadness in the smile, the pain in his eyes before he closes them. "Yeah," he answers, opening his eyes but looking out toward the kitchen instead of the cub. "India, too." He sighs. Bringing his gaze back to the cub, he regains focus and sits up a bit straighter than a moment before. "What do you know about the Wyrm? Not what other people have said - what do /you/ know?"

"I only know what other people have told me. And by other people, I mean Cordelia." He frowned. "It's not like I've been studying Advanced Wyrm all through high school. The Wyrm used to be the force of destructive balance, but it's the force of corruption now. Like entropy increasing towards maximum. All sorts of bad stuff work for the Wyrm, and we work for the Wyld."

Kavi gives a small nod, and doesn't contradict the boy. "Has anyone told you what's happening right now? Why Mouse and the other elders, why we've been so busy?"

Bobby shrugs again. "I've been locked up in a basement until yesterday. I haven't even met Mouse-rhya yet, really. No one tells me anything."

Kavi tenses at the words, and once again his focus on the boy becomes intense, almost uncomfortably so. "We are at war. Did you hear Kaz tell me this, last night? It's true. We are under attack. The Black Spiral Dancers, the Fallen tribe, there are a whole lot of them gathering, trying to make their own caern. Not a sacred place, like ours, but a place of befoulment. If they succeed, they will be stronger than ever, and only two hours from us, surrounding us. All of the adults in the sept have to do everything we can to stop this. That's why Mouse has been busy, why I have been busy, why we haven't been here to teach you. We're not ignoring you. We're trying to make it so that there's still a sept, still a caern, still a world here for you to learn about."

"That works. But if the adults are busy, then it would make sense if the older cubs taught the youngers ones, right? Instead of everyone just kinda hanging out and waiting?" Bobby asks.

Kavi's eyes narrow, and his jaw clenches for a moment. "And what if they teach you something wrong? A cub should not teach another cub without a cliath there to observe. The way you said the litany, a cub might not know that's wrong, that it would get you in trouble. Jeff is close to riting. And he's a galliard. Ask him, if you have questions, but can't find an adult. Play with the cubs. Practice things you've already been taught, but don't ask them to teach you things. They're not ready for that."

"Ok." Bobby yawns. "So no peer teaching, because it produces self-replicating errors. Gotcha."

Kavi nods again, calmer after the boy's reply. "Yeah," he says again. "I still need to find Riley, but he's usually here in the evenings. If you want, I can teach you more about the litany while I wait?"

"Sure, I guess," Bobby replies. "Hit me. I might as well do something useful."

Through the course of the evening, Kavi goes into detail about some of what the sept is facing with the Dancers, answering questions, and relating most of them back to the litany.