The library's ground level is one large room punctuated by even rows of pier columns that confidently hold the weight of the upper floors. The building is old but solid, its lath and plaster walls dark with age. Here and there some of the plaster has worn off to reveal the wooden slats beneath. Heavy, dark grained and decorated mahogany wainscoting runs the length of the walls, complimented by thick, ornate crown molding along the ceiling and each of the columns. It's clear from the dilapidated condition that the building's been abandoned for decades. There is a somber, sepulchral quietness to the place, even when alive with people, that is perhaps a ghostly echo of the rigid, required silence that its wardens demanded when the library was in its heyday.
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 old black jeans with a rip in one knee and the cuffs half walked off and a faded plain black t-shirt which fits rather snugly, in a flattering sort of way. 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.
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 up as 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.
It can take a minute to properly identify just what this canine is. To those in the know, though, his species isn't quite so vague. As a coywolf, Watcher physically resembles his coyote heritage more than his wolf as a whole. He's smaller and leaner than a wolf, with the longer ears and lighter build one would expect to see on a coyote. He's got a thick coat, though, and it lends him a bit of false bulk that usually makes him just look a bit shabby. His paws are also larger, ending with curving claws. His muzzle is a bit broader though not so heavy as a wolf but contains the same array of sharp teeth. Overall, he's a tawny grey-ticked coloration with a darker saddle. His undersides are lighter and he has yellow eyes.
Midafternoon and it's sunny and cool. Inside though it's warm enough to be comfortable though with an extra layer - fabric or fur. Three-Mountains prefers fur as is only expected. Despite being Uktena he seems to have largely taken up residence bumming with the Gnawers since the mass of the pack /are/ Gnawers and he's not one to be apart from his pack. He's sprawled out on the floor, one paw draped over a large stick he found somewhere and snoring as he sleeps.
There's something of a thump from the front doors, Felix pushing in via the power of boot. The reason is clear enough; both hands are full, one with a few Walmart bags and the other with an amp. He's moving fairly swiftly and looks cheerful, and since he's currently singing 'We Are the Champions', the look is probably accurate enough.
After his knock down, drag out argument with Frederick, Justin had headed out for a run, and eventually found himself tangled in a fist fight with some asshole that tried to steal his wallet. Long story short, he is still walking through the front door where the asshole is probably still crying about his leg being bent in a direction it should not have gone. As he strides in from the back, his nose is bloody and his hair a bit mussed.
Three-Mountains twitches his ear at the sound of the door and music and wakes quickly. He lifts his head and looks over towards Felix. First, there's a wide yawn from the Uktena before he pushes himself up onto his paws, preparing to offer a greeting. The arrival of Justin waylays him though and he's quick to jog over to the side of the Ahroun. He's given a thorough sniffing with a low, displeased whine and insistence to know what happened.
Felix drops the plastic bags in the vague vicinity of the kitchen on his way over to the recreation area, breaking off the song to greet Three-Mountains with a "Hey!" though he doesn't stop walking. He does briefly when he sees Justin, giving the bloody nose an appraising look-over before he continues the way he was headed, to set the amp lovingly down beside the older one. "So what'd you happen to?" he greets his other packmate.
"I'm fine." Justin says to the Uktena as he gives him a pat on the head. "Just ran into some jackass who tried to be a tough guy. Pulled a knife on me. I did terrible things to him afterwards. He got a lucky hit in, sucker punch." He flops down on to his beanbag and rubs the blood out of his nose.
Three-Mountains makes his feelings known with a low growl, snort, and a butt of his head to Justin's hip. Shift, fix your nose. He takes a seat next to the beanbag and turns to look over towards Felix and the amp he deposits. There's a tilt of his head in a wordless question. What's that?
Felix flashes the Ahroun a quick, approving grin, and heads back toward the abandoned Walmart bags. "Wonder if it was the same guy whose ass I kicked couple months back?" he muses, "Didn't have a knife, but he mighta decided it was time to invest after last time. Prolly ain't, not like there's just one guy muggin' folks 'round here, but it'd be fuckin' funny if it is an' he just keeps pickin' really the wrong targets." Two of the bags get set on the kitchen counter, and he heads back toward the sofa with the other. He just barely catches the Uktena's questioning look. "It's an amp," he says, "...amplifier. When I play guitar, it makes it loud, like it oughta be. Figured I better replace the old one 'fore the bubble gum in Justin's juryriggin' disintegrates or somethin'."
There is a loud snort from Justin. "You doubt my abilities as a Gnawer engineer? I'm hurt." He gives a sniff of the air, then plucks up a comic book. "Not sure if it was the same guy that mugged you. I had a black dude that was strung out on something. He was screaming at me in a high pitched voice. I think he was high on something."
Like the gift that makes howls louder, seems to conclude Three-Mountains and seems satisfied with the comparison. He glances back over to Justin with a wrinkle of his nose. He doesn't understand why humans do that to themselves. Foolish. Dangerous.
"Fun," Felix adds to the other Galliard's adjectives, grinning, "which as a group describes some of my favourite memories. But yeah, ain't great how some folks end up, dependin' what it is they're doin'." He flops onto the couch and opens the back, ripping open a package of KitKats and tossing a couple to his packmates before opening one himself. "Not the same dude, though. Mine was white. An' I don't doubt 'em at all, you're the one who said when you gave it to me that I better replace it pretty soon."
"Whatever." Justin laughs as he reaches over to snag Three Mountains and drags him on to the bean bag with him, giving him a hug about the fuzzy neck. "Then I'm taking the old one back and salvaging it for parts and such."
Three-Mountains grunts as he's pulled over by Justin and decides to make himself comfortable by using Justin as a cushion. Squish. What are we doing tonight? Fun stuff? Moon's big! Should go hunting!
"I swear to you, you are the foremost Gnawer engineer I ever met," Felix assures Justin with just slightly too much earnest solemnity, although it sounds 100% sincere when he continues, "an' I really appreciate you makin' that amp work. May it go on to create more joy in its future lives, an' shit like that. You think this one could work on the solar power too? Or... is there a way to set it up so it could sorta plug into the solar, but still work to plug in to normal outlets, 'case I wanna take it somewhere?" He eats his chocolate, and Three-Mountains' suggestion gets a rather enthusiastic nod. "Sounds good to me. Gotta be somethin' around here needs huntin', right?"
"Yeah, I can make it work on solar." Justin assures him with a nod of his head. "Just as simple as plugging it into the AC." He rumbles out as he ruffles up the lupine's head fur and ears a bit. At the suggestion of hunting, he nods his head. "Yeah, we should do that. Umbra maybe? Need to show the banes that this is our city block."
Anywhere! Three-Mountains says as he continues sprawling on the Ahroun. Let's go! There's much to hunt and we should get an early start. Ohno will want to play too.
"Anywhere," Felix agrees, already getting to his feet again and carrying the plastic bag to drop it off by its fellows in the kitchen area. The chocolate he tossed to the others stays wherever it ended up; if they don't want it the rats probably will. "Where d'y'all wanna start?"
Justin picks up the piece of chocolate lobbed his way and takes a bite out of it. Chewing in thought, he heads over to the small mirror he had mounted on the wall. "Let's go, then. Three Mountains. You take us through." He says as he peels out of his shirt to reveal his lanky frame.
Three-Mountains hops off of Justin, even if he ends up using the poor Ahroun as a springboard. The chocolate is scooped up as he goes and begins sniffing around for a promising spot. He locates a puddle left from the rains that still hasn't dried and whuffs for the others to follow him. Once joined, he leads the pack across.
Felix heads back over to join the others, rubbing his hands on his jeans and following where Three-Mountains leads. It's reasonably bright on the other side at this moon, not quite as well-lit as it will be in a few dys, but certainly a comfortable level for seeing what one's after.
Once they travel through to the other side, the world is full of spirits that zip here and there through the old building, laughing and playing in their own language. The Ahroun shifts down into the Hispo form and gives a chuff to the two of them, heading out into the street to stare at the spider-web world before them. Taking in a deep breath, he gives his chops a lick as he trots off. ~Let's head towards the park. There is always some idiot trying to lurk too close.~
Felix follows suit, shaking his fur out as he settles fully onto all four paws, and nods to the Ahroun. ~Good as place to start as any,~ he agrees, gaze following a couple of the playing spirits as they pass. He just barely avoids walking into one of the nearby webs as a consequence, and gives it a look as though it's the web's fault. ~Reckon we oughta clear out a web or five while we're here?~
~Nope. Don't touch the webs. You do that, you bring whoever built them on you.~ Mouse Trap rumbles softly for a moment, then gives a pause as his ears slant back against his skull. There is a flicker across his eyes and he flops back upon his haunches. ~We should... just go back. Let's not hunt tonight.~
~Used to clean 'em out some at my last Sept,~ Cake says, ~...though now I'm thinkin' 'bout it, s'pose we usually had more'n three of us there.~ He sits when his Alpha does, tilting his head, ears quizzical, then looking around again as if searching for something. ~Go back? Why?~
Three-Mountains lands in the Umbra on Hispo paws, tail up and hackles bristled. ~Spiders dangerous but there is better hunting!~ At Mouse-Trap's words he utters a bewildered whine and looks to the Ahroun. ~Why go back?! We just got here.~
Mouse-Trap continues to flatten his ears back as he looks about at the webs, staring at them, then starts to back away as he turns his eyes to his two packmates. ~Let's just steal an X-Box and play video games instead.~ He rumbles out. ~Will be more fun!~
Lets-Them-Eat-Cake looks back to Mouse-Trap, head tilted again, and glances briefly toward his fellow Galliard. ~Real hunting's always more fun,~ he says, ~An' we could steal an X-Box any ol' time. C'mon, there's Wyrm things out there waitin' for a good hard smackdown. You wanna disappoint 'em?~
A Lupus is a master of body language and he watches every move Mouse-Trap makes. Ears forward and legs stiff, he approaches the pack alpha with his tail straight out. ~You're afraid.~ He declares, short and sweet. ~Why?~
Mouse-Trap barks loudly at Three Mountains, teeth bared. ~I am not afraid! I just want to play video games.~ He is not good at hiding his emotions in this form and yes, he is quite afraid, terrified even as he starts back for the library.
Int: >>> You rolled 2 dice at 6 diff (10 2): 1 success. <<<
Lets-Them-Eat-Cake's body language fairly clearly says 'skeptical' at the moment, and he rises again. ~No, you don't,~ he says, and then pauses, studying the Ahroun , as something seems to occur to him. ~...is this about the challenge?~
Three-Mountains stiffens nose to rump at the baring of teeth and hunkers down into a lower posture, clearly not wanting a fight but concern oozing from him. ~You are. That is not bad.~ The question of his fellow Galliard is echoed in a questioning gaze but he doesn't approach the Ahroun further.
Fury and frustration ripples through the Ahroun's posture as he gives a low grumble to them. ~Less talk more walk. X-Box waits for no wolf.~ He huffs out to them as it does not seem he is much for conversation.
Lets-Them-Eat-Cake is like a bridge between the postures of the others, frustrated and concerned at the same time. ~X-box waits for anyone. Wyrm things don't. We can't go back an' play video games forever. Gaia didn't make us to earn high scores.~
Three-Mountains inches forward to follow Mouse-Trap, though he doesn't seem to want to beyond the compulsion to obey his alpha. The refusal of Cake to move only complicates his decisions and the Galliard whines in frustration at the lack of unity. ~He is right, Mouse-Trap. We have a duty. We must fight. We must defend our territory.~
Mouse-Trap gives a look around for a moment, then flattens his ears back. ~Fine. If you are so eager to fight, we will fight.~ Turning around, he starts past them, stomping along the sidewalk.
Despite the stompiness of the concession, Lets-Them-Eat-Cake looks somewhat relieved by it, both for its own sake and for the restoration of more-or-less unity, and follows along again. No stomping on his part, and he watches their Alpha as well as their surroundings as they go.
Three-Mountains lets out a sigh of relief as he rises back up to his full height. Looking far more comfortable, he settles back in with his pack as the scouting begins. ~Maybe we will find nothing. Hunts do not always produce prey.~ He offers as concession to Mouse-Trap. ~But at least we can look. It is the right thing to do.~
Continuing to lumber forward, Mouse-Trap does not respond to Three-Mountains. He continues to scan left to right through the city as they move onwards. Despite his frustration, he keeps quite close to the pair of them, protectively. He shoots each spirit that drifts by too close a glare, snapping at them with his jaws to drive them back.
Lets-Them-Eat-Cake is good with the group staying close, though now that his own frustration is less, the concern that remains in his stance is warring with the return of his excitement in their aim.
<OOC> Lets-Them-Eat-Cake ughs. I'm really sorry, guys, but this cold's hit me and I can't seem to think now. :(
<OOC> Lets-Them-Eat-Cake says "Or breathe. But mostly think."
<OOC> Three-Mountains says "Go sleep!"
<OOC> Lets-Them-Eat-Cake doesn't waaaaaaanna! :( But maybe better. :/