One of the last bastions of green left in the city, mottled and withered grass and weeds covers the earth like a badly stained carpet, with the construction work turning what is left into just bare dirt. The vegetation seems marginally healthier the further it is from the river and much healthier towards the central area of the park around the fountain. Construction work is ongoing here: a raised earthen berm about five feet tall is being built all around the park perimeter, with two breaks each at the Bridge Street entrance and the First Street end. Wooden posts are being erected at regular intervals all along the earthen wall, while tasteful iron gates and fences are being added at the entrances. Overpowering the scent of living vegetation are the exhaust fumes from a busy street to the west and an unpleasant stench from the Columbia River to the east. From the street view or river view, the park is now isolated, as if it existed apart from the city. People in tall buildings have an excellent view of any goings-ons for now, though. In the center of the park, a small glade of six tall trees and a flower bed surrounds the fountain.
The murky waters of the Columbia River flow swiftly along the east side of the park. Bracketing the park to the west is First Street and the city of St. Claire.
Compact is the word for him: wiry, maybe 5'6" in his beat-up black combat boots, with a sense of compressed energy and imminence like a coiled spring -- or a cocked gun. Never quite still for long, balance flowing through the balls of his feet. There's a striking intensity to his narrow blue-green eyes, the colour contrasting with his fair skin and spiky copper hair; just below the left is what at first appears to be a faint mole, but closer inspection reveals as a small, long-healed scar. His features are appealing, with high cheekbones and a good jawline, but it's the confident mien and roguish smile that most often seem to draw people in.
He's in a well-worn biker jacket of the traditional sort, all fairly closely fit black leather and silvery zippers and snaps. Beneath it, he's got a short-sleeved black shirt, untucked and well-fitted, with brass studs around the cuffs and edge of the collar, and old black jeans with the rip in one knee and the cuffs half walked off. Sometimes when he moves his left arm, part of a tattoo peeks out beneath the sleeve's hem. There's a couple leather-and-bead bracelets on one wrist and a length of ball-chain disappearing beneath his collar; his nails were apparently painted black some time ago, since they're starting to show chips. Late teens, most likely, and when he speaks it's in a mellifluous, southern-accented baritone voice.
Scroungy and dirty would be the best words to describe this teen. Benny stands at 5'8, his build short and stocky. He is wide in the shoulders and his arms are well defined from a life on the streets without much food. He wears a ragged and frayed jacket overtop a torn and worn out t-shirt along with a pair of gloves with the fingers cut to reveal the dirt caked beneath his fingernails. He wears a pair of camouflage cargo pants along with a two worn out and broken steel toe boots he obviously saved from a life at the dump. His rough appearance is only enhanced by the long tangle of brown hair that hangs from beneath his black knit beanie and the grizzled brown beard. His face is wide and his eyes are almost constantly ringed, giving him a sleepless appearance. He has a long chrome wallet chain that hangs down to his knee.
Shaggy brown hair and darker brown eyes frames this young boy's face. Justin has a slightly tanned complexion with a hint of Puerto Rican from his mother's side, Caucasian from his father's. He has a fairly lanky build that could use a bit of bulking upas he is built like a high school track runner. He wears loose fitted 'destroyed' blue jeans, simple tank tops, and worn down sneakers that are about five months in need of replacement, and during the cold, a thick green military jacket from his Grandpa. He looks like your average, ordinary American young teen that plays outside and is fairly active. Tall at five foot ten, he is a few inches higher than most his age for now.
Kevin Lockwood is now into his twenties, and physically, he blends in pretty well with those who would outwardly seem to be his peers - he's taller than many of them, leaner than most, and perhaps a little more mature-looking than the average. As ever his face contains a long chin, large nose, heavy eyebrows and brown eyes. He's resumed his previous style of long wavy hair combined with a clean shaven face.
His clothing seems to run pretty much entirely to black. Black jeans, a black t-shirt with the CND 'peace' symbol being struck by lightning, and a smart black windcheater jacket over the top of it. Also black, though rather less expected, is the studded leather dog-collar he sports around his neck.
He's a couple of inches over six feet tall now, much of it his long legs, as ever; sometimes, particularly when sitting down, he doesn't seem to know what to do with those legs, crossing them, tucking them under himself, swinging them sideways, or a dozen other uncomfortable-seeming positions.
Physically, Watcher looks like a young man maybe in his late teens. He's lean and in the high five foot range. Overall he has a distinctly native american look to him, with a tanner toned skin and long hair dark enough to black save under direct sunlight where it has a faintly brown cast. His eyes have the marked epicanthic fold and look to be a dark brown in hue. There are a few features that don't entirely match, though. He's got a wider nose bridge and nostril set that might fit better on someone of african-american stock along with a faint texture to his hair that can be seen at close range. He tends towards two wardrobes. One is very traditional clothing one would expect of an ancient Native American - a deerhide tunic and trousers and high boots dyed a dark brown. Sometimes, a coat lined in grey rabbit's fur is added. The other is more modern, simple jeans and varied shirts and flannels. None of those seem to fit him nearly as well though as if they're third party.
The Gnawer is sprawled out on one of the benches, flipping pebbles into the fountain with a bored expression on his face. His shaggy hair is sprawled out in front of his face now, with brown tufts sticking up here and there. He is wearing a baggy black sweater and a pair of green cargo shorts this late afternoon despite the chill in the air.
Kevin approaches from over Bridge Street entrance. His hands are again in his pockets to keep them warm from the fall chill. But he's walking with a lot less of a slouch and more purpose to his gait than he was, the last time Justin spoke to him.
The OTHER Gnawer is passing one of the entrances when a glance toward the fountain reveals what looks an awful lot like his packmate, and Felix changes his trajectory, sauntering into the park instead of past. He's smoking, and carrying a McDonald's take-out bag in one hand.
Plucking up a bigger pebble, Justin coasts it along the surface of the fountain, watching it skip at an odd curve. With a tilt of his head upwards to the approaching Garou, he lifts up a hand and gives it a wave towards them. "Hey guys."
Kevin's attention instantly slides from Justin over to the other person present. For a moment he's all wariness, then he relaxes... but far from all the way. And he cocks a silent eyebrow at Felix.
"Hey," Felix greets Justin, with a grin and a slight lift of the chin; Kevin gets a more appraising look, and a raised eyebrow in return, amused and just slightly challenging. "Hey," he repeats in a friendly-enough way, this time to the taller man, and continues over to Justin's bench, pushing the Ahroun's feet out of the way so that he can put his own on the bench there, sitting on the side of the fountain. "Fries?" This appears to be an offer to both of them, friend and stranger alike. "I got a shitload."
"Felix, this is Kevin, the guy I was telling you about." Justin motions to the Adren as he flicks another pebble out into the pool with a loud plop. "And sure, I'll have fries if you're offering." As his feet is pushed out of the way, he swivels himself to sit upwards proper.
Kevin relaxes some more, perhaps half the way back to normal. "Why, thanks," he says in a deceptively mild drawl. "As you offer. Kevin Lockwood's the name. Glass Walker Three raggie, breaker breaker."
Felix nods slightly at Justin's remark, comprehension clear in the eyes, and Kevin's introduction gets a grin. Setting the bag down beside him, he replies, "Felix T. Sinclair, Cliath 'Gnawer Galliard, at your service," with a slight incline of the head and a flamboyant arm movement that brings to mind a sweeping bow, though he doesn't actually stand up. "...and Coyote's. Nice meetin' ya." He picks the bag up again, opening it and folding the top edges back. He wasn't lying; there's got to be at least three or four large servings worth of hot fries in there, though no boxes for them. "Help yourselves." He takes a couple as well, munching them while he ashes his cigarette.
Digging his hand into the bag, Justin pulls out a handful of fries and crams them into his mouth. "Kevin here was talking 'bout wanting to join up with us and make us respectful or some shit. I still think he's trying to out prank the pranksters." He says with a grin towards Kevin.
Kevin grabs a few fries for himself. "First of all," he says, more to Felix than Justin, "my initial step is to help you guys out with these nasty leeches we have lurking in town, which believe me I am only too glad to do as I understand you guys lack a decent scout and I don't like leeches one little bit. If things seem to go well, then maybe we can talk some more. But let's tackle immediate issues first, 'k?"
What is this, he heard? A pack gathering and meeting the would-be new guy. Or help. Whatever. Watcher is a bit late to the party but he comes ambling in in due time, crossing the park on long and easy strides the type a consummate runner might use. He's moving at a bee line for where his packmates are despite only coming into eyesight.
"Well, I dunno about him, but I like that plan," Felix says, "We been keepin' an eye out for the preacher-guy, but there ain't been a lot to see lately. Which'd be great if we didn't know they were still hangin' around..." He stands, taking a handful of the fries and stepping up onto the fountain rim to pace along it; there's too much energy bound up in him at the moment to keep sitting still. "So, when're we thinkin' to--" he breaks off at the sight of movement, and lifts the arm with his cigarette when he recognizes the approaching form, waving to the Uktena. "Hey! Watcher!" Okay, so he clearly seems to already be heading for them on purpose, but hey. "...anyway, the whole kinda trial-workin'-together thing, seems good to me."
Giving a nod of his head, Justin takes another bite of some fries. "Yeah, I like this trial thingy as well. We just need a rock star ragabash to track these assholes down. We don't have the resources to do it." He waves his hand over to Watcher as well, giving a big grin at the sight of his best friend. "We just need to get some type of lead and we should be okay."
Kevin waits for the new arrival to make his way over toward the gathering -- it seems quite plain that that's where he's making a beeline for.
Watcher arrives with the group proper in short order, giving a smile to each packmate in turn and a more neutral, but not displeased, expression to Kevin. "Heard of you." He says before he raises a hand, pausing long enough to give it an uncertain look, before presenting it with a stiff jerk forward in a clearly unpracticed shake gesture. "I am The One Who Watches and Sings To The Three Mountains. Uktena songhowler, Cliath."
"Fries?" Felix offers to the newest arrival, indicating the bag with a very light poke from the toe of his boot. Another traversal of the fountain edge to the extent of conversational distance in each direction, while the introductions ensue, and he gives the fountain sculpture an oddly considering look before sitting again and having another handful of potato.
Once Watcher reaches them and make introductions, Justin gives another grin, then another fry. "We're talking about vampires and Kevin here is going to help us track them down. Will be an adventure I'm sure. I'm thinking we can work on one section of the city at a time instead of spreading ourselves thin. Maybe break the city up into quadrants."
Kevin introduces himself to Watcher with the same words he just used to Felix. "Kevin Lockwood's the name. Glass Walker Three raggie, breaker breaker." He then adds, as though to himself, "Mmm, I kind of like that one." Looking back up, he continues, "Well, possibly, Justin, possibly. I emailed my man who knows the mostest about these foul fiends and I'm hoping to tap him for all the info I can hold shortly. Till then I'm not making any firm plans. Want to know my enemy first."
Watcher scrunches his face at Kevin's introduction, looking somewhat confused but he says nothing about it. The Uktena instead just seems to listen to the general gameplan as he inches towards the fries to collect some of the offered greasy sticks. Several are quickly crammed right into his maw as he watches and pays attention in otherwise silence outside the rustling and chewing.
There really are quite a lot of fries in there, still. "Y'know, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say 'foul fiends' for real before," Felix says, "Not that it ain't accurate, I guess, but it does kinda make me half expect you to whip out a sword an' start gettin' all thee an' thine all over the place." He stands up again, this time using the back of the bench itself to walk along. He stops at one end, balancing there while he smokes.
"Still think a bit of prep work in the meantime won't be a waste of time." Justin says as he flips another fry upwards and catches it in his mouth. "You don't use a sword into battle do you?" His brow arches upwards curiously at the Adren. "If you do, that'd be hilarious. I figure you'd use a light saber."
Kevin snorts drily. "I'm British, I have a reputation as a loveable eccentric to maintain. But that doesn't go as far as wearing a sword. My brethren prefer something a bit more technologically... upscale." He helps himself to more fries.
"Teeth easier." Comes the murmur from Watcher as he chews on a fry sticking out of the corner of his mouth. He sits up straighter then as something seems to dawn on him and he begins looking around the bag of fries and immediate area with a flare of his nostrils. "...milkshakes?" He asks with a hopeful look towards his packmates.
"...so the light-saber, then?" Felix replies to Kevin, grinning again. "...yeah, teeth easier, though. Claws, too. I knew I was gonna be sharin' with you I woulda made sure there was a shake, man, but... just fries. Actually there might be an apple pie at the bottom, there was last time, but that ain't exactly the same." He gives Watcher a faintly apologetic shrug, then looks back to Kevin, a bit curiously. "So how come you're hangin' out with us instead of back in jolly ol' England? Lovable eccentric quota full?"
"We could go get milkshakes." Justin says with a grin to Watcher, giving him a shoulder bump, followed by a hook of his arm about him for a hug. "Hey, did you snag anything from that church we can use to track with? When we were fighting, you get any of their clothes, or.. a scent? Anything you can help Kevin with?"
"I happened to first over here," Kevin explains, quite casual. "And then I kind of got attached to this place." He looks out over the dirty river, and pulls a wry face.
A whistling can be heard echoing through the park, faintly at first and then growing. With the ever growing volume comes the form of Benny, shuffling along the sidewalk leading into the park and toward his packmates. Once his eyes find the familiar faces he raises a hand in greeting. In his other hand he has clutched a case of bottles which tinkle merrily in the afternoon light. He eyes the unfamiliar face of Kevin for a moment and then says, "Sup guys? I brought beer." He moves over toward Felix first and rips a hole in the box and offers a bottle to him.
Watcher looks initially disappointed at the lack of shakes, the Lupus turning a mournful eye to Felix, but Justin's suggestion fixes that right up. "I remember all." He says to Justin. "Good good memory. Spirits help me remember all I see, smell, hear." Benny's arival is given a pleased look but the beer is ignored.
Felix nods to Kevin's explanation. "Ain't too bad, as places go," he allows, and breaks into a grin again at Benny's arrival and (particularly) offer. "My man!" he greets approvingly as he leans down to accept the bottle, slightly wobbly while balancing on that edge, "Thanks. I brought fries." He gestures toward the bag with the bottle, then sets his cigarette between his lips and pulls out a pocket knife. For the bottle opener, it turns out. "Anythin' you can pass on to Kevin?" he asks Watcher.
"Yo, Benny." Justin waves a hand to him with a grin. "Beer and fries is like a Gnawer's breakfast." Despite it being the afternoon. "Kevin here wants to work with us on the vampire situation, so we're kinda half-ass talking 'bout it. He is one of the best trackers in the city." He gives his Uktena bestie a nudge. "You should give Kevin everything you can to help him out."
Kevin points one finger at Justin to indicate he endorses what he's just said, and gives Benny a nice smile.
Watcher gives his head a nod. "Will see what I remember. Takes time." The Uktena scrunches his face consideringly as he takes a seat at the edge of the fountain. Drawing on the gift, he closes his eyes to begin sorting his memories.
Benny looks to Kevin and shrugs his shoulders a bit as he says, "I don't know a ton. Seen a few things here and there. There is something going on at that church I told Justin and Val about. Then I think that new club that opened up is worth looking in to also."
Felix offers the bottle opener to anyone else who seems inclined to accept Benny's beer. "It IS this Gnawer's breakfast," he agrees with Justin, and has a good drink. Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day. He brightens further at the mention of the club, digging in the pocket of his jacket and pulling out a slick-looking flyer, or at least it was slick before it got folded up. "This one?" he asks, "Because you would not believe how fuckin' on board I am with givin' that some thorough damn investigation." From the enthusiasm in his tone, the last word possibly ought to be in air quotes, but checking it out's checking it out, right?
Glancing over at the flyer, Justin gives a nod of his head. "How about this then. Benny, you and Felix take the club because you two would fit in better. Most likely if shit goes down, it won't be in a public venue. After that, we'll go as a group to the church. Probably be best if Kevin goes solo about the proximity due to his skill-set, see if we can get eyes on any coming and goings. The rest of us will map out a perimeter of the area, find all the ins and outs so if they do make a break for it, we can bottleneck them into a trap."
Kevin nods a few times. "I'm happy to go solo. Apart from anything else, if I do blow it somehow and get spotted, there'll be no link to you guys for them to exploit."
"Priest was ugly, fast." Watcher remarks as he sifts through his recollection of the event. "Alter had carvings but screaming came from under. Man who lead controlled shadow, had followers. Torturing many humans. A lot of blood. Could smell easy. The humans went mad. Spoke of Sabbat. Could not find where they went after fighting us." At the solo idea the Galliard snorts. "They know we are here, who we are. Does not matter. Safer to go with another."
Benny nods his head with Watcher's statement and says, "These don't seem to be the typical St. Claire vampires that everyone expects. They beat up my packmates and sent them home with a message. They seem to not be cery afraid of us, even bold enough to taunt us." He considers Justin's plan for a few moments and then nods, "Felix and I can manage that, but I recommend only as a scouting mission. If I'm right about the club, it will be just as thick with vipers as the church could be. If we get in to deep with just the teo of us we need to have a damn good escape route. The flyers say the grand opening was last Friday and from what I can tell the place is thick with people."
"We are talkin' the kind of scouting that involves bein' inside the place, right?" Felix checks, glancing between Justin and Benny, and gives the latter an appraising look. "You got anythin' to wear?" he asks the Theurge, "We can get hold of shit if not. But you gotta look right or you're gonna get way too much attention, an' not the fun kind. Not real good for scoutin'. Or even gettin' in, 'less we try an' sneak."
<OOC> Benny punches Felix
<OOC> Benny says "I am a drug dealer! This is a style choice"
<OOC> Felix grins.
<OOC> Felix says "For certain values of 'style'. ;)"
"Yes, I'm talking about scouting. No touchy. Right now we need intel. The goal is to see if we can track down some of the humans that are protecting them during the day. Tail them, then we create a plan of action to go in and kill them while they're asleep." Justin says gives a nod of his head. "Sneaky shit. We're not built for in your face combat and I'd rather be cunning about it."
"Okay." Kevin stretches a little. "You guys all met me now. Anything else you need from me? Any objection if I slide on out?"
"Can help scout. Good nose, ears." Watcher says from where he sits. "Smaller too, can fit in smaller places." He does escape his seat briefly to steal some more fries, but says to Kevin as the Ragabash moves to go. "If I remember more, will tell you."
Benny clurches at his chest and says to Felix, "Oh, my heart! You wound me. Alas, no faith!" He shakes his head and says, "Someone get me a beer! Oh, wait... I brought them." He winks to Felix and says, "I sell weed dude, I have a few dollars laying around. And you don't worry about me. I'll put on my shiney shoes and once this ass starts to shimmy and shake... I'll fit right in to the party."
Felix laughs, shaking his head at Benny. "Hey, I didn't ask if you had money, I asked if you had clothes. Ain't the same thing. An' historically speakin', when I don't dress 'rou for this shit we got problems. Y'learn to ask." He shrugs, taking the last drag off his cigarette and dropping the butt to crush it. "Anyway, awesome, saves me trouble. When you wanna go?"
Benny shrugs his shoulders and says, "Here in the next few nights. Maybe you can bring Lilah and that other kin girl along? What's her name again?"
Justin gives a shake of his head. "No kin. At all." He says firmly as he shifts his shoulders back a bit. "When we last encountered the vampires, they had humans under some kinda mind control. I don't want to put the girls in harm's way and easily exposed."
"Which one?" Felix asks, "Though, I dunno, if we're scoutin' for leeches, not sure I'd want 'em there..." He nods to Justin's point. "Yeah, that'd..." A shake of the head. "Prolly better just us for the time bein'. Anyway, if we ain't already all paired up, gives us more excuse to talk to folks. Mingle. Shit like that."
Benny shakes his head and says, "Alright then. I was kind of thinking eight eyes were better than four, but whatever." He looks to justin and says, "If they have humans under mind control, they can likely do the same to us."
"Maybe, but I would rather us get shit on than two innocent girls." Justin says as he rocks his shoulders back. "We are built to fucked with, they aren't."
Felix finishes off his beer, and glances toward the others. For now he grabs a handful of cooling fries, instead. "Well, maybe we can recruit a couple other 'rou," he says, with only a faint hint of reluctance. "I mean, ain't like there's no one else around, right? Who'd be good on somethin' like this?" He considers a moment, then sighs and says with rather more obvious reluctance, "Briari might. Raggie, old enough to get in, an' I reckon there's a decent chance it wouldn't be her first club. Or maybe we could just get Kevin to join in. Walkers oughta have a clue on how to handle themselves there, right?"
Benny pulls a face at the mention of Briari and says, "I dunno about her. She is kind of a... well... maybe it's just me." He frowns to himself and then runs a hand across his face. "Kevin may work, but I don't know him very well. Or at all. The dude didn't even introduce himself to me."
"He introduced himself three times in five minutes." Justin says as he glances to Felix, then back to Benny and Watcher. "Kevin asked to work with us because he wanted to do a trial run of sorts. He has an interest in joining with the pack if we all gel together and we think that we may benefit from his experience. That's Kevin Lockheed, Adren Ragabash for the Walkers. He has been here about ten years now, was in a Fenris pack, and he left the Swan pack recently because they are disbanding."
Felix picks up another of the beers, settling on the edge of the fountain as he opens it ip. "Ain't just you," he says, "She drives me up a fuckin' wall. Sometimes literally," though that version at least gets a brief grin, "An' any time I nearly forget what she is an' shit she said, she gotta go sayin' somethin' to remind me. But. From what I seen she ain't bad at what she does, an' I dunno a lot of other folks here likely to blend in real well there. Man, how the fuck did I somehow end up arguing FOR involvin' her in our shit? Shit." He shakes his head, and takes a good swig of his drink.
Benny looks sideways at Justin and says, "Three times, to the three of you... so like I said, he did not even introduce himself to me." He shrugs and says, "Whatever. I guess just let me know when you guys decide what the plan is." He moves over and picks up a beer from his case and pops the top on it and takes a swig.
"I already decided what the plan was." Justin says with some exasperation in his voice, then gives Watcher a nudge to the shoulder. "I'm gonna head to Edgewood and help Charlene on the bawn. She's asking for bodies out there and I want to get some brown nosing in. I'll catch you guys later." Pushing off the bench, he heads off as he shoves his hands into his pocket.
"He prolly didn't realise he didn't, after doin' it a few times," Felix says, "Pretty sure I've done that 'least a couple times. Hey, J -- does that include it just bein' him an' me goin'? 'cause I'm down with that, especially for, y'know, a first look 'round, but just so we're clear..." He stands again, stretching, and tilts the bag of fries to see whether there is indeed anything hidding there at the bottom, and comes up with a pie, looking pleased to see it and slipping it into his jacket pocket. "I prolly oughta do somea that too," he muses, "Wouldn't hurt none havin' her like me. Might catch up with you in a bit."
Benny snorts at Justin and rolls his eyes. Once the Ahroun is gone he looks to Felix, "You know. I feel like you fuckers lied to me. When you guys sold me on this pack you made out like everyone was equal. A group of buds. Every single thing I just tried to input to 'his plan' was cut off, and he acts like I'm his little soldier to command around. If that's how it is I will take a walk. I didn't sign on for that shit." Not waiting for a reply, the Gnawer grabs up his box of beer and stomps off the other way.