The front door leads into a small mudroom; coats are hanging on hooks. It opens into the spacious, well lit living room, with several battered old couches arranged into a sort of conversation pit facing the fireplace, a table in the center of them. There are a few chairs, some straight-backed, some plush and comfortable, arranged to make secondary conversation areas, with little end tables placed in strategic locations. There's a notable absence of either breakable objects, or elaborate electrical equipment such as televisions. The walls, painted an increasingly dingy white, have some sweeping dark fabric prints on them, but no paintings or posters. A steep, uncarpeted staircase leads up to the second floor. There are several doors that lead out to other sections of the house, as well. (+view for details)
A subtle undulation of the land forms an curious, natural spiral in the open ground. One side of the formation rises to create a half-circle or crescent of earth surrounding and encompassing the spiral. The ground is littered with rock and flagstones, both large and small. Someone has carefully gathered up a trove of these and erected a clear fire pit. Flagstones with smooth surfaces have been laid along the upper lip of half circle of earth around the fire pit, turning it into a nice seating area. All debris and flammable material's been removed from within the spiral, and a fire has been laid. Just beyond the spiral's edge, wood has been collected and piled for future use. Surrounding this, the rugged walls of the canyon have been half buried by the Wyld surge, making the upper slope of the valley more gentle than it was before. Stands of Douglas fir and white pines mix with hemlock, lodgepole pines, and western larch trees to fill much of the open space, but the trees here are not nearly as dense as they are in the surrounding forests of the bawn. The sparse woods allows a partial view of the sky, and both sun and moonlight filter down to create enigmatic and beautiful shadow patterns on the forest floor. That floor is blanketed with a thick, soft rug of shed pine needles, lichen and leaf debris. The moss-covered relics of old, dead trees occasionally mark a place where once great sentinels loomed above.
The caern expands in two directions from here. The escarpment wall and raised dais form one point of the new triangle, while the center of the caern and its gigantic, Wyld-influenced tree marks the other. The only obvious way out of the caern is the valley slope that leads to the central bawn.
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, with a faded black band t-shirt ('Anarchy Burger - Hold the Government', parodying the In-N-Out sign) under an open dark red hawaiian shirt. 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.
Here is a young woman who is built like a track star with shoulder length brown hair and matching brown eyes. Her skin borders on the slightly tanned due to being kissed from the sun from her outdoor activities. Alicia is of caucasian descent with a hint of peruvian mingled into her DNA. Her apparel tends to be a mix of urban streetwear in the form of loose fitted cargo pants and crop shirts, to long skirts with button down blouses. Fairly tall at five-eight, she looks to be a young woman who has seen her share of scraps, and radiates an aura of confidence and showmanship with how she walks. Under her shirts, her stomach has a number of hacksawed looking scars along her skin that criss-crosses around to her back and just under her breast.
Benny stands at 5'8, his build short and stocky. His shoulders are broad and he's a bit barrel chested, though his overall build shows that he is a man of few meals. He wears a denim vest overtop a gray hoodie, the sleeves oftentimes pushed up to reveal his forearms, one of which bares a large anchor tattoo. A pair of slim fitting dark colored chinos rounds out his outfit and are fall just over a pair of white low top Converse. His long brown hair is pulled back into a neat ponytail and he sports a large beard of the same color that seems to have been trimmed in the last week or so. Though he is clean, his face does seem to have a haggard look about it, as if he doesn't sleep often. He has a long chrome wallet chain that hangs down to his knee.
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.
Thick honey-blonde hair, styled in a poofy set of curls, rings this pretty blue-eyed young woman's head. She's in her late teens, and her hair's currently left down, though it's occasionally pinned up. She stands about five and a half feet tall, and is a little on the thin side of things, though not to an extreme. She dresses mostly in informal styles, from ripped jeans and tank tops to the occasional sundress.
Currently, she wears the former, her black tank top emblazoned with a large sequined red heart, and her jeans so ripped as to be nearly indecent. About half of the heart's sequins are missing. Her feet are clad in red strappy lightly-heeled sandals that have seen better days. She wears little in the way of jewelry, just a black wooden bracelet, a stainless steel and rhinestone mood ring, and (probably fake) gold earrings. When she speaks, a fairly thick Southern accent is evident.
The scars draw the eye so immediately they might as well be her face. Most prominent are the five thick, puckered gashes that go from left to right across forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin, miraculously avoiding her eyes, and that look for all the world as though she had an unpleasant encounter with some sort of large, angry predator, but there are others, so many others. Thinner, spidery, older scars trace over areas the larger and newer ones don't fully cover, such as her lips, jaw, even one eyelid, and seem to continue down her neck. Her hair is unremarkable--brown, terribly short, with a tendency to stick out slightly in utterly random directions--apart from a few locks of stark white around her left ear. Her eyes, when not obscured by dark sunglasses, are yellow and black, like those of an animal rather than a human being. A black tattoo not far from her right temple is often obscured by her unruly hair, but takes the shape of a simplistic, almost abstract snake design.
She's not really tall, maybe 5'7 or 5'8 at best, but there's a gawkiness to her body that creates an illusion of extra height, a sense of her torso being just slightly too long. She's stick-thin too, which only adds to the overall image. Beanpole for certain, this one.
As for the woman's clothing, it's functional, if fairly nondescript. She appears to favor loose and comfortable, button-up shirts and slightly baggy pants, with simple black street-walking shoes. What can be seen of her skin beyond her face seems to echo the motif above--thin spidery scars, mostly randomly placed, but a few seem to form meaningless designs. They're heavier and more intricate on the backs and palms of both hands, and perhaps for this reason she also seems to favor wearing fingerless gloves when she can get away with it.
This short, skinny white kid is only a few inches over five feet tall and looks to be around twelve or thirteen years old. His straight black hair is cut in a basic, functional style that requires little maintenance -- super-short on the back and sides and only slightly longer on top. He's got a thin face with a beaky nose, thick eyebrows, and dark brown eyes. He's not a bad-looking kid, quite the opposite, but there's still something about him that makes most normal people uneasy, a feeling of potential violence, of predatory intensity.
He's typically dressed in jeans and t-shirt and sneakers, typical casual kid-wear, with a grey hooded jacket for outdoors. Apart from the footwear, his clothing is all a little bit too big on him, but one might imagine that he'll grow into it in a year or so.
This looks like a human man, but one who's decidedly primitive. He's caucasian of skin tone with a faint swarthiness should he stay out in the sun long enough to catch a tan, though his body hair is thick and coarse, a dark brown. His bones are pronounced, giving him the appearance of leanness despite having a solid, even musculature that speaks of someone who's gained his athleticism through rounded activity versus focused weight training. His posture is hunched, though, slightly ape-like. His hair is a darkening brown and long and shaggy with pronounced facial hair. His eyes are an odd pale color like someone unevenly blended yellow and blue, held under thick pensive brows.
There is a look to him, the weight of something undefined. It's like looking into the eyes of a man who has seen terrible things and was never quite was the same after. It's even more haunting considering his blind right eye is surrounded by scars that looks like an attack from a bear. Usually, he's casually dressed but cleans up when the need calls. He's never seen among the normal public in anything but long sleeves regardless of the weather, underneath showing massive scarring on his forearms. They don't seem to restrict movement, but the oddly darkened scars are numerous like lightning bolts across his skin. Another deep slice runs at the upper portion of his abdomen.
After the wild ride of last night, Alicia is still wired and was unable to go to sleep. Jacinta is most likely upstairs still sleeping off the combat she went through, and Thane had finally went home. Having made pancakes and sent out a volley of coded messages about to her pack mates, she is now in the kitchen, eating.
There's the sound of a car pulling up and parking in the quiet of the morning outside, and not long after that, the front door opens, Felix coming through. He's humming to himself (Santa Baby, apparently) but it pauses briefly once he catches the scent from the kitchen, then starts again as he heads in the direction of that pancake smell.
A pot of coffee is already have drained it seems. Alicia is still buzzing as she takes another bite, followed by another sip. At the sight of Felix, she squints her eyes at him and gives a wave. "Hey."
"Hey!" Felix greets cheerfully; he looks fairly energetic himself, though he still heads over to check out that coffee pot, as well as checking the potential availability of pancakes. "'sup? Are all pancakes yours, or can other Galliards get in on this too?"
"These are mine and I will bite you." Alicia says as she looms over the stack, then gives a grin as she nudges them towards him. "So, we gotta talk." She says in an actual serious voice for a change.
Felix gives her some remarkably creditable puppy eyes at the threat of bites instead of breakfast, but brightens again at the nudging, snagging himself a fork and a mug of the remaining coffee before dropping into a seat within easy pancake range, at the table. Her last comment, with it serious tone, gets a sidelong look. "Uh oh. That never means anythin' good," he says, and takes a drink of the coffee apparently to steel himself. "...Okay. Shoot."
"Last night, Thane of the Shadow Lords challenged Jacinta for the right of Alpha and Warder of the Sept. After some heated conversation, she told him to fight to the death. He won." Alicia says, then takes another sip of her coffee. "Jacinta survived though and she is upstairs, sleeping off her wounds. But this means some big changes are coming down the pipes. As a Galliard, you're gonna have to spread this news to your pack and some of the city folk."
Felix pauses with his fork just at the pancakes, eyes widening a bit. "No shit? I mean, I knew he was thinkin' about it, but... man, I can't believe I missed that. Man. Okay, yeah, I'll start spreadin' the news. How heated? What'd they say? How bad's she hurt, since she ain't dead?"
"Yes, I was there at the right place and right time." Or maybe she was told to meet Thane there? Who knows. Alicia takes another bite of her pancakes. "She is pretty bad, but I healed her to the best of my ability. When she went down, I thought she wasn't going to get back up, but the beast woke her. Nearly killed me when I tried to heal her. Went to Dazzle her but Thane jumped her again. Dumbass." She scoffs. "Broke my spell on her."
"That Dazzle thing is kickass," Felix notes, getting himself a good bite as well, "...it'd be pretty good at a party. Can you do it on yourself?" The important questions. "Anyway, that sounds like a pretty good outcome, aside from the nearly killin' you part. Don't actually lose any fighters. So you know what kinda changes we oughta anticipate? He say anythin'?"
Alicia gives a shake of her head. "He talked of unity, though coming from a Shadow Lord that is brow raising. I suppose we will have to see, right? If anyone has a problem with his game plan, we can just .. challenge him again. I already made it clear to him that I am next in line. I'm ambitious, I lead the largest war pack, and my reputation is stellar. So at least he knows who the competition is." She grins in amusement. "But that is something I do not plan on doing until after I challenge for Athro in the Spring."
Felix grins, giving a small shrug. "I dunno, I reckon most of 'em are all about unity, as long as it's unity with them at the top of it," he says. He and Alicia are at the table in the kitchen, eating pancakes and drinking coffee. Specifically, they're eating HER pancakes, it would seem, since the plate's mainly in front of her and Felix is snagging bites off it with a fork. Like a semi-civilized person. "Good knowin' there's alternatives if we need 'em, though. =I= wouldn't want it."
"I was Alpha here a long time ago, when Megan stepped down. This was back when I was in the Stag pack called Resonance. I did pretty well as Alpha for the first few months before I stepped down for Touch Deer to take over. It was only temporary for me and I was just a Fostern. At the time, I took it because someone needed to and I was the Beta of Resonance whereas Megan was the Alpha. We were the leadership pack of the Sept." Alicia takes another bite of her pancakes. "It was a challenge, even during quiet times. Thane has his hands full."
"When you were Fostern? Man, things must've been kinda tough," Felix says, "...uh, no offense meant. It just ain't the kinda position you usually hear 'bout Fosterns endin' up with. I 'spect you musta done great, if it was a few months an' no one challenged you outta it even at the end." He snags another bite of pancake, just in case they get rescinded.
"We only had one Adren at the time and that was Megan." Alicia says with a tight smile on her face. "We had a handful of Fostern and a lot of Cliath. Hell, Silvertip, Jacinta and Emma were all Cliath when I was a Fostern. Freaking Ahrouns, right? Kill a bunch of shit and you get bumped up. Good for them though, they worked hard and took the beatings to get to where they're at."
The back door of Edgewood House is pulled open with a faint sound of the metal string screeching in protest and then a similarly faint click as it swings shut as whoever entered catches and slows it with a hand. The shuffling of feet can be heard and then soon enough a much cleaner Benny Martinez can be seen as he steps further into the house.
Felix glances down to Alicia's stomach, briefly. "I dunno, I reckon we take our share of beatings an' kill our share of shit too," he says, "Plus we got other shit we're supposed to do. Don't seem like it's reasonable to say Ahrouns oughta make it faster. But you're goin' for it soon, right? So awesome, go rep us." He grins, and gives her a mock toast with his coffee. The sound of the door gets his attention, and he sits up slightly when he sees who it is. "Hey, Benny! Mornin'. You hear the news?"
"Hey Benny." Alicia calls out. "You two can kill the pancakes, I got runs to make and news to spread. This one is yours." She says as she hops to her feet and heads out the back door with a yawn.
Benny turns to regard Alicia as she exits and he dips a nod to her. His eyes swivel to Felix and he says, "What news is that?" Eyeing the pancakes he places a hand over his stomach and then shakes his head as he says, "I think I'm going to pass. Just looking for some water... long night." Pulling open the fridge he pulls out a bottle of water and takes a swig.
Felix raises a hand in farewell to the older Galliard, and reaches over to pull what remains of her plate of pancakes over in front of him. "...but was it a good one?" he asks his packmate, studying him as if it might show. "Oh, shit, that reminds me, I got a Christmas gift for you, but it's back at the Library. Anyway. News is, we got us a new Sept Alpha. And Warder, since they're kinda combined here. Thane challenged Jacinta, an' she told him to fight to the death. He won; she's upstairs healin' her wounds." Presumably while not being dead.
Both eyebrows lift in surprise at the news and Benny's eyes drift upward as if he could see Jacinta through the ceiling. They remain there for a moment before finally drifting back down to Felix and he says, "Well... that is news. I wasn't expecting anyone to unseat Jacinta for a while." He shuffles across the distance separating them and then eases himself down into a chair across from Felix as he takes another swig on his bottle of water. "I imagine that will change the Sept a great deal..." he says thoughtfully.
"Well, I reckon that's the idea," Felix says, nodding, "He was sayin' before, when he was thinkin' he probably would, that either it'd mean we had a new Alpha or it'd at least spur shit happenin'. Make 'em think maybe. So there oughta be some changes, yeah. Interestin' to see what they end up bein'." He makes his way through one of the pancakes quite quickly now that he isn't sharing. Or being shared with. Whichever!
Nodding again, Benny says, "Shadow Lord Septs can be kind of a tricky thing. I don't know Thane that good, but... so long as it doesn't get overrun with the tribe I think we'll be okay. Passed through a Shadow Lord Sept once and it was all... cloak and dagger. Lots of secrets and bidding for the best angle. It seems to work for them, though so... fuck it." Benny shrugs his shoulders lightly and says, "What else new is going on? How's Lilah?"
"Well, if we start gettin' overrun, reckon other people'd get to challengin'," Felix says, not looking particularly concerned; the continuing presence of pancakes may be helpful with that. "And Lilah's great. Had a good Christmas, been workin' a lot. Not today, though, so she's sleepin' late. At least, I hope she is, 'cause that's why I'm here to start with." He finishes off the coffee, and heads to the fridge, snagging a beer instead of pouring another mug. "'bout you? Where've you been, how's it been goin'? Been a while."
[Benny idles out. Later...]
It's cold and raining, but there's barely a wind so the day is dreary and still. Even the birds outside are quiet. Inside the house though it's warm and the radio is on. Thane is sitting on the couch with coffee sitting next to him. He looks surprisingly good for not even having fought Jacinta twenty-four hours before, save there's dark rims under his eyes. The Lord looks exhausted but doesn't seem interested in sleeping.
Having made pancakes earlier and then went for a run in the rain, Alicia heads back in through the back door, wringing her hair out. Unzipping her wind breaker, she calls out "Anyone home?"
Thane looks up from where he was staring at a magazine on his lap - an outdated Times by the look of it. "Home for now, yes. It's been quiet." He takes another sip of coffee before gesturing to the kitchen. "Whole pot in there I just made if you want any. It's not exactly a cozy day out. Even us Lords don't like to be cold and wet all of the time."
"I already drank two pots since I did not sleep last night." Alicia flops down next to him in a flop. "I spent most of the day spreading the news, sending texts, giving the Sept an update. I have had a mixed bag of responses." She gives him an amused grin. "Sleep with one eye open, huh?" She winks. "See, that's a joke, because you only got one eye. Ta-dum-dum!"
Kevin comes in through the back door, his frizzy hair plastered against his scalp by the relentless rain, and shakes himself like a dog despite being in homid form. "Jeeee-sus," he croaks, "what a day." He heads for the kitchen, with a brief glance at those in the living room, selects the largest mug from the cupboard and prepares himself a coffee in it.
"Ha. Ha." Thane says with the dryness of the Sahara. "I stopped sleeping soundly a very long time ago. This doesn't change much." At the sound of the door he looks back up to spy Kevin walking in and he offers the Ragabash a nod. "It doesn't surprise me it's mixed but that's not my concern. This isn't a popularity contest. If it is, someone isn't doing their job."
"If it was a popularity contest, I would surely win. Hot girls win everything." Alicia says, then leans forward at the sight of Kevin and grins. "Sup Power Up? Whatcha up to these days? Say Hello to your new Sept Alpha!" She makes a ta-da in her voice, and a flourishy motion of her hands towards the Shadow Lord. "Last night he bested Jacinta in combat through proper challenge."
"Power-Up? Who he?" drawls Kevin. "You're behind the times..." But the amused expression is wiped from his face when Alicia imparts that news, and grabbing his coffee he hurries back to the main room without even pausing to sip it. "Really now?" He eyes up Thane with an air of slightly nervous respect. "That must have been an epic."
"It was long." Thane says as it was more a nuisance to have taken his whole evening. "I hadn't anticipated her electing to fight right then and there but that's how it went. She is a skilled fighter, there's no denying that. We were evenly matched. Alicia was there, which is why she and I don't look nearly as damaged as we had been. The same can't be said for the mess at the caern but it's seen more blood than we shed and no one is dead. So all in all it went well in my opinion. No doubt she feels differently as will other Garou of this sept but I will deal with that as it comes."
"It was one of the better fights I've seen. I am glad to have witnessed it." Alicia says as she gives a stretch of her body. "Because now I have a story in my back pocket to whip out for the young ones once in awhile."
"Well," Kevin says reflectively, "there's no doubt that if you can whup her ass you can whup mine. So don't expect any disloyalty or ambition from my direction." He salutes Thane with the hand not holding his coffee. "Got any plans to change how things are run around here, or are you still figuring stuff out?"
Thane gives a faint tip of his head in acknowledgement of Kevin's declaration. "Goal remains why I challenged in the first place. This sept needs to get its collective shit together. Soon as things settle and I deal with any possible challenges, I intend to summon everyone involved with the Tower and Hanford. Every relevant information gets put out on the table so we're all on the same page and we get a battle plan together. This isn't a competition to see who can bring the most to show and tell and I'm sick of nothing being done. This includes our allies - like the involved kinfolk - as well as Val. I heard she's been banned from the caern. No more. We are in no position to insult those who serve this sept loyally over petty, ancient slights."
It's the front door that opens this time, Felix entering with Lilah in tow and a bag in his other hand. "--five year plans and new deals wrapped in golden chains, and I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?" he's singing to her as they step in, but pauses at the sound of voices, leaning to peer toward the kitchen, then starting that direction.
As she listens, Alicia glances between the pair of them at times. "I think having an Elder moot sooner than later is for the best. But I agree, we need to take care of this tower thing, especially with the new information that has came out of it recently. Which by the way, I think would work well with yours and Briari's skill-set, Kevin."
"Action this day!" drawls Kevin. "What's this new information, 'Licia? I don't think I've heard it." Hearing more people arriving, he quickly snags a chair in case there aren't enough and sets his coffee down on its arm.
Lilah squeezes Felix's hand lightly, moving with him and not interrupting the song. Still, when he breaks off, she also looks into the kitchen, and quietly following after him. She nods politely to the assembled group as they start into the room.
"I agree with a moot." Thane says with an agreeable nod. "I'm thinking the new moon, this way kinfolk and others can attend and tempers, for the most part, should be calmer and heads clearer." And lo, there's more people arriving. The Shadow Lord looks over towards Gnawer and unknown kinswoman. "Good morning, Felix and.. company." He tacks on with her name lacking. "There's coffee in the kitchen." As for news, he gestures to Alicia to let the Galliard handle that much.
"Peter, the Shadow Lord kinfolk as well as a super computer engineer got himself a job into the tower and has been snooping about. He's got himself on every floor except for the top two." Alicia says to Kevin to draw him on the same page. "He has figured out who the head of security is and got a picture of her. Her name is Amelia, kinda Russiany sounding. Spiral Dancer and big time one. I'm reaching out to my contacts to see if anyone has heard of her and what type of pull she has. But, right now the strategy is to try and lure her and her pack out and destroy them, so that it removes one obstacle." She points to Felix. "Coyotes are in charge of creating some type of diversion to get them out, either find a common enemy to pick a fight with them, or something or another. I believe you may be able to help them out in that task."
Kevin says "Yeah, yeah, help yourself to coffee," echoes Kevin, "should be a full pot by now." His focus, though, seems more on Alicia's news. "You want me to help lure the big-bads out of their holes? Along with... I assume you mean Justin and his bunch by Coyotes?" He rubs his chin, a slight smile suggesting that he's pleased to be asked."
"Mornin'!" Felix replies brightly to Thane. "An' congratulations, too. Or commiserations, however you're feelin' about it in the light of day. This is Lilah," he adds, gesturing with the hand holding the bag to the young woman in question, and to her, "This is our shiny new Alpha I was tellin' you about. And that's Alicia, she's a Gaian Galliard, and Kevin, Walker Ragabash. Basically we're surrounded by Adren in here." Kevin's question gets a bit of a grin, "Yeah, she means us. We been workin' on findin' that common enemy. Got a promisin' idea, just dunno where they're hidin'. Yet."
"Lilah Sinclair," the woman in question says with a nod, "'Gnawer kinfolk. And a pleasure to meet all y'all." She turns her attention to Thane in particular, saying, "An' congratulations to ya." Pause. "Or commiserations, like Felix here says." She smiles brightly, and leans up against Felix just a bit.
"Yes, the discussion came up and I had thought it seems to be the most prudent route," Thane remarks to Kevin, "Given our lack of numbers and crucial information. So Peter is continuing to provide me intel and I assigned the coyote pack to collaborate with him, Briari, and certainly you if you feel suited to the task. The idea is to turn the Wyrm on itself. While we are the ones who strike the Tower and bring it down, we redirect their attention into thinking it was one of their own forces attempting to overthrow them. Ideally, it takes the heat off us and buys us time to secure our borders and then finish the stragglers off. If worse comes to worse, we need to be in a spot to take out as many of their heavy hitters as we can off of their territory. We cannot afford a straight on war." As Felix fills them in on who the woman is, the Lord gives her another deeper nod of acknowledgement. "Kinfolk out here on the full moon? Brave of you." Is he impressed sounded? Or was that sarcasm? He sounds a bit too dry to tell. But he does look tired too. "But we need more of our kin involved."
"Yup, that is the goal. Though right now, I think finding someone to take the blame and to poke at the tower is quite a challenge." Alicia says as she gives another stretch of her body. "Though of course, if the coyotes can come up with a way to manipulate the system. Create a bad guy of sorts, trick them."
Kevin smiles at Lilah. "Pleasure to meetcha." Returning his focus to Alicia and Thane, he goes on, "I like the plan of not only nobbling the black hats, but getting the other black hats to carry the can. Like what's his name... Cadmus, from the myth. Though I think it'll take more than just throwing a stone at them to pull it off. But yes, I like it. Very worthy of your tribe's resource and cunning, if I may say so as a compliment."
"She's good at not pissin' folks off," Felix says, "...and I reckon I'd be in the way." Which he rather is, coincidentally or not. "I was hopin' Benny was still here so I could give him his Christmas gift before I decide to keep it or somethin', but I guess he headed off again. Anyway, we're seein' what we can scare up. Which, I was wonderin', what kinda time frame are we actually lookin' at here? Didn't think to ask last time."
Lilah smiles softly at Thane's words, and glances over to Kevin with a nod at his. Her smile lifts yet further at Felix's compliment, but she doesn't comment on it directly. Instead, she listens closely to all that's said, and ends up chewing at the edge of her lip before saying herself, "There anything I can do to help? I ain't real good at... well, much. Not good at bein' sneaky-like, f'r instance. But I'm more'n willing to learn whatever I need t'."
"Why dirty your own hands when you can use those of your enemy?" Thane says with a sideways smile. "And if we only buy ourselves a chance to pick a few of them or or get some better intel than it's still an improvement. Just ideally it doesn't backfire and they'd team up, but normally the Wyrm isn't big on trusting its own heads. In any event, it's that or bomb the entire thing to the ground - though that is not off my table either. It's just burdensome to keep the mundane forces out of the equation then. Once they're gone we can refocus our resources on Hanford without being split on two fronts." To the Gnawer's question he gives a faint shrug. "Soon, but, this isn't a plan we can rush either or it will blow up in our face. By spring at latest, if they continue to remain quiet. We need to be ready though if the plan goes south. So far we don't know what all they have up there so we're at a disadvantage, but we can't sit in a stalemate forever." Lilah's offer is given a close look, thoughtful in the way someone is judging a chessboard. "My own kinfolk, Peter, is working inside of the Tower. I don't know your abilities and I respect that you are not my tribe's kinfolk to freely tell you what to do. Speak to Peter, with the approval of your elder. I will provide you his number. He may need the assistance of another human with information gathering since you can go places we cannot. Once we have a more formal plan I'm sure we can find ways for you to help."
"There is still the Umbra to deal with since walking through the front door is not an easy task if they do not fall for our plan and come outside. The Umbra is surrounded by huge banes, but those can be dispatched with a pair of strong packs. Excelsior most definitely will be at the forefront of that fight. Our totem is as powerful as most Crawlers and he enjoys the chance to battle." Alicia says as she heads to the fridge and opens it up, taking a peek inside. "Though the list includes Spiral Dancers, super fomori and at least a powerful mage."
"Whereas we Gaian garou, of course, always have one another's backs and never quarrel or squabble." Kevin delivers that statement with a face so straight it could serve as a tape measure. "Might it be useful for me also to speak to your friend Peter? Or have Briari and Justin already liaised with him?"
"Reckon Justin woulda mentioned if he had, so prolly not," Felix says, glancing toward Kevin and he takes his turn to head over to the fridge and check the contents after Alicia, not that they're likely to have changed since this morning. He comes up with a beer, which he offers to Lilah. Everyone's in the kitchen -- I think the other two Adren are seated, while the Cliath and kin are standing, thus far. As it should be, sniff the traditionalists.
Lilah listens intently to what Thane has to say, slowly nodding her head to his words. "I'll talk to m'Elder," she promises, "Thank ya kindly." She accepts the beer from Felix, but he doesn't get thanked verbally-- he gets a kiss to his cheek instead. The beer is carefully opened, and she offers Felix a drink first, leaning against him once more.
Thane utters the faintest snort of amusement at Kevin's words. He shifts in order to pull his phone out of his pocket. A pen is taken from the coffee table and he first looks up, the scribbles down, a phone number in the margin of the old Times magazine he was reading and rips off the scrap. It's passed over towards Kevin. "His number, you can share it with Lilah there. This way you're not reliant on daisy chaining. He may not be able to do too much more without tipping them off, there's already been signs of suspicion, but he has information on the tower, some of their forces, and this security team. Once we've gathered enough intel to make an educated plan we can work on who's killing who." He adds then to Alicia. "But yes, with the potential forces in there, we need to be ready to be flexible with our plans."
"Something I plan on trying is dream speaking with Amelia, to see if I can get any other information in regards to her pack, or those who may be giving her marching orders. If I can give gentle nudges here and there, I should be able to get her to reveal those details. All things considered and if they go well." Alicia takes out a couple bottles of water and heads back out to disperse them to the others.
The sound of a car pulling up outside--a rather nice car, from the purr of that engine--can be heard.
Kevin reaches out for the scrap of paper, and holds it up so that Lilah may copy from it if she's so inclined. "I'll leave it till after New Year, if I may?" he suggests to Thane. "I'm only a Ragabash, but, y'know, kin --" He breaks off abruptly, and shoots Lilah a quick glance. More than that he doesn't say, though he does raise one eyebrow at Thane.
The back door opens with a screech of protest from the spring and then swings shut with a light smack of wood on wood. In shuffles Benny, his converse clad feet light on the floor. Eyes flicking from one face to another in the room, his brows lift in surprise at the apparent gathering. "Oh... wasn't meaning to interrupt," the Gnawer Theurge says lightly. He offers a nod of respect to those of higher rank and then shuffles over to join Felix.
Felix accepts the drink from Lilah's beer when offered, and then snags another from the fridge once he gets a chance. "Hey," he greets Benny when said packmate returns, and offers him the bag he's been holding. "...hey, have we got things sorted out for if we DO end up just blowin' the place to kingdom come? 'cause I'd hate not to be prepared if it did come to that." Or to miss it.
You paged Benny with 'Bag contains the Christmas gift. It's a fairly large bottle of whiskey, wrapped fairly acceptably in tinfoil. With a metallic pipecleaner wrapped around the top and bent into the shape of a bow. Festive!'.
"That's fine." Thane says to Kevin with a wave of his hand. "I'll warn him to expect calls. This is just the intel phase and brainstorming. First plan is to ensure the sept is all on the same page and the information shared. There may be pieces others have that haven't come to light. After that we can work out specifics and contingencies." The sounds of the arriving car, then the arriving Gnawer, and the passed bottles of water each take some of his focus. The bottle Alicia offers is taken as he says to Benny, "House is free to anyone, though at this rate we'll need to build an extension."
Lilah smiles politely at Kevin when he glances at her, and she reaches into her pocket, tugging out a receipt from McDonald's to write the number down on. Once she's done that, she gingerly places the receipt in her wallet. The beer gets a small sip, and then simply dangles the beer from her fingers. She rubs at the back of her neck, going quiet for now and just listening. She gives a nod of hello to Benny.
The purring engine turns off. A few moments later it's followed by the sound of car doors opening and shutting, and footsteps outside the front door. Mouse enters first, in the process of slicking a bit of rainwater from her hair as she goes. She doesn't shrug out of the dark longcoat she's wearing, but instead carries on further inside, yellow eyes clearly scanning for the source of voices. At first glance, her expression seems her usual; serious, hard to read. A much more observant person, however, might be able to pick up on a certain steely tension that seems...new. Or if not new, certainly not regular.
Benny accepts the package from Felix with a lifted brow and he seems as if he is about to open it but then with another glance around at those present he places it beside him against the wall. Reaching into a pocket, he pulls out a simple hand-carved wooden pipe with a string and tag hanging from it and passes it to Felix, another hand in pocket pulls out a plain wooden two finger ring and he passes it over to Lilah. His eyes shift to Thane when he's addressed and he nods his head and offers a grin. As Mouse enters Edgewood House, Benny offers her the same respectful nod that the others of higher rank than him got.
Salem accompanies Mouse inside, and the young Philodox looks to be in a supremely sour mood. Several here have seen him since he was de-aged, though fewer have since he lost his scars as well.
Benny also offers a nod to Salem as he enters.
To (Felix, Lilah), Benny pages: So if they look at the tags on their gifts it just reads, "Merry Christmas Mother Fuckers!"
Long distance to (Lilah, Benny): Felix grins! There's no tag at all on Benny's gift. Felix knew who and what it was for, who else needed to? ;)
Benny pages: Also, Benny's gifts are both obviously handmade
Unscrewing the cap on her bottle, Alicia takes a quick slug, then peers over at the entrance of Mouse and Salem. She gives them a quick nod, then glances over to Thane. "I'll work on the dreaming tonight at the least and report back to you what I find."
"Did you call a moot in here or something?" Kevin mock-accuses Thane, lifting his coffee off the arm of his chair in case the growing numbers of garou present means someone needs to perch upon it. Mouse and Salem's advent draws a blink of surprise from him. "Goodness," he murmurs to himself.
Felix gives Benny a grin of thanks, and is just starting to look at the tag when the place gets even MORE crowded. He blinks, looking at Salem, then the scarred woman along with him. Maybe he picks up on the tension, or maybe it's the former's sour expression, but for one reason or another he shifts his position slightly so that he's just a bit more between Lilah and, well, everyone else. It's a pretty casual move, but it's there.
Thane turns to regard the two newest arrivals out of his one remaining eye. Each Walker is given a close look but the Lord's expression is unsurprised, even expectant. "No moot." He says sidelong to Kevin. "But sometimes they have a habit of calling themselves. Good afternoon." This added back to the Glass Walkers. "Business, I take it?"
Lilah smiles to Benny, thanking him quietly so as not to interrupt anyone else. She pulls out a box and passes it over toward Benny; it's rectangular and even wrapped, albeit with blue Hannukah paper. When Salem and Mouse enter, she also seems to pick up on the tension in the room, and rather quickly her gaze ends up directed at the floor rather than at any one 'rou.
Mouse gives Benny a sharp nod in return, and Alicia another, before her attention settles on Thane and she comes to a stop, with still plenty of space between them. "Good afternoon," she replies coolly. "You'd be correct. Business." Her hands slide loosely into the pockets of her longcoat. "Winning a combat challenge against an Athro Ahroun is no mean feat, especially someone like Jacinta, whose rank and accomplishments speak for themselves. You've earned the Wardership with blood. But I'm here to challenge you for Alpha, Consumes-the-Shadows-of-His-Enemies."
Benny may have not noticed the tension upon the entering of the pair of Glasswalkers, but as Felix angles himself in front of Lilah, Benny casually takes a step forward as well, placing his shoulder in front of the kin on the other side. His eyebrows lift at the challenge, and his mouth opens a fraction in surprise, but he promptly shuts it and stands watch.
Salem comes to a stop at Mouse's right hand and folds his arms across his chest. His attention's on Thane; everyone else gets pretty much ignored.
There is a loud snort from Alicia as she rises up from her spot on the couch, taking another sip from the bottle of her water. She stares at it thoughtfully for a moment, then says, "Well, things are about to get real interesting here."
Kevin's attention, now, goes to neither Thane, nor Mouse, nor Salem; he looks at Felix and Lilah, and gives Felix a meaningful frown and a very understated, almost imperceptible, shake of the head.
Felix glances from one side of the new challenge to the other, and already has Lilah's hand again. He gives Kevin an equally faint nod, though the suggestion was perhaps not entirely needed; he slips out of the kitchen, drawing her along with him out into the front room, nearly to the door, and murmuring to her there.
You whisper "Go to the barn, okay? I gotta watch this." to Lilah.
Alicia pages: <Mind Speak> Get her out of here.
You paged Alicia with '(ooc) he just did!'.
Alicia pages: FASTER XD
From afar, Alicia giggles.
Thane may have been tired but relatively genial before but as Mouse speaks the temperature on the Lord's face shifts to subzero. Slowly does he rise from where he was sitting and turns to face the Athro. "The position of Warder is not a consolation prize. Yes, I took the position of both Alpha and Warder with blood. In blood. This sept in is a war, cold as it may be, and I intend to shed blood for it as much as I did to see to commanding it. Any Alpha of this sept should be prepared to and needs to be ready to stand on the front line, to be among their people instead of barking orders from afar. If you desire to lead it then you challenge for it in the same manner as I and prove if you are the commander the sept needs."
By the time Felix grabs Lilah's hand, he'll find she's already backed up an inch or two, ready to get the hell out of Dodge. Her gaze remains fairly well downward, carefully not looking any Garou in the eye. She nods to whatever's murmured to her, immediately turning and making her way out the door.
<OOC> Thane says "Poor Lilah :)"
<OOC> Lilah says "Hahaha. :)"
<OOC> Thane says "Kin be like NOPE."
<OOC> Lilah says "She noped the hell out of there."
<OOC> Salem says "Smart kin."
<OOC> Salem says "<3"
<OOC> Felix says "She's a smart girl. ...yet with Felix for some reason. ;)"
<OOC> Lilah says "Hee! *^_^* <3"
<OOC> Thane says "We know it's not money."
<OOC> Salem says "He makes her laugh."
<OOC> Felix's other character has a joke based on the other two options being he's either hilarious or great in bed. So take your pick.
<OOC> Lilah says "HAHAH."
Mouse's teeth show a little more than usual as she says, "I don't offer consolation prizes." Despite having just put them there, her hands slide back out of her pockets, though her fingers remain loose and still. "You have earned Warder and you are suited to it. But being Alpha, especially Alpha of this Sept, is more than killing the enemy, more than being a war leader, and more than barking orders at /any/ distance. I have stood on the front lines, Shadow Lord. Here, as the commander on the Umbral battlefield at Mount Spokane, and at the fall of the Green in New York City, among many others. We both know the outcome of such a challenge, but don't ever mistake me for a coward. I will fight you on any battlefield you choose, and damn the odds. I challenge you for the Alphaship of the Triquetral Accord, Consumes Shadows. Set the terms."
Salem's jaw works slightly as he clenches his teeth; his silence doesn't look easy, not with the moon as full as it is.
Felix waits until Lilah's left entirely before he heads back toward the kitchen. He doesn't actually go inside this time, instead finding a spot where he can see and hear fairly well but not be within easy friendly (or not so friendly) fire range.
"A coward is the one who never speaks up." Thane says with a sharp wave of his hand and a frustrated snort. "And I would prefer it if Garou stopped mistaking me their enemy simply because of my tribe, but we don't always get what we want. All of life is a battlefield, Mouse. There are just different weapons." An Ahroun's words, spoken by an Ahroun, who keeps his gaze steady on Mouse with a cold, hard determination. "Let it be at the caern as it was before, so the spirits may serve a witness along with those who wish to be there. No interference. No gifts nor rites, nor fetish nor spirit aid including those of pack totems. We fight until submission, death, or frenzy."
"I am all for tribal unification." Alicia says off to the side as she twirls the bottle of water about in her hand.
With Lilah gone, Kevin pays heed once more to those remaining in the room, and in particular Salem. In a strange kind of way, it's as though the youngster's sour look and gritted teeth bring Kevin solace; at any rate, he smiles slightly, and seems to relax. Just the tiniest fraction. But he still moves his coffee down to floor level, as though anticipating potential spillage. When Thane gives out his terms, the ragabash narrows his eyes as though considering them, though they're only indirectly relevant to him.
Mouse fully bares her teeth now, if only briefly. "I'd prefer it if Garou stopped mistaking brute force as the only thing of value, but I'm not getting what I want today either. I've fought alongside every tribe, including Shadow Lords. I'm not challenging your tribe, I'm challenging /you/. The Caern then." She turns sharply on one heel and heads back the way she came at a brisk pace.
Benny casts a meaningful glance at Felix on the other side of the room and slips backward without a word and the sound of the backdoor opening and closing can be heard. Any incredible gifts of hearing would hear the ruffling of leaves and the sound of feet falling outside to announce that the Gnawer is indeed heading for the Caern to play witness to the event.
Benny pages: Benny would have been trying to communicate something along the lines of, "Oh hell, come on!"
Salem shoots Alicia a sharp, ugly look before turning to follow Mouse out.
Alicia gives Salem a raise of her brow upwards, then puts the bottle on the table. Turning, she heads after them with a rolling of her shoulders.
Thane takes to the Crinos form as he steps into the caern, snorting out a plume of breath into the cold air. Rain has rinsed most of the blood from the prior battle free but the full moon's weight still hangs in the air. He flexes claws and joints to loosen them from a day of rest as he makes his way to a clear spot where he waits.
Kevin realises as he enters the caern that he's still clutching half a cup of coffee. He quickly drains the remainder of his drink then carefully stashes the container in a crack that zigzags down the trunk of one of the dead trees on the spot, before adopting crinos form himself.
Mouse pauses before joining the Shadow Lord in order to turn toward Salem. She reaches under her coat and unstraps the holster hidden there, passing both it and the contained weapon over to the other Glass Walker with a meaningful sort of glance. Then she shifts as well up into her misshapen version of crinos--scars are on full display, both the old, spidery ones, the cyberfetish spine, and now long healed, but perhaps not as well known burns in the shape of horrible Wyrm glyphs, her apparent souvenir from New York. She strides toward the spot Thane has already occupied, and while she's no Ahroun, there's clear tension in her form from the moon that's unmistakable.
Benny follows along behind the group of Garou, and as all the rest begin to shift, he similarly boils up into his crinos form. He remains on the outside of the clearing, crossing his large furred arms over his chest to watch as both the challenged and challenger step into the center.
Salem accepts Mouse's weapon solemnly. He shifts up into Glabro, not Crinos, and takes himself over to a spot to witness the fight.
Felix heads along with his packmate, having apparently abandoned his beer somewhere along the way -- probably the kitchen counter, but who knows. He peels off his jacket while things are getting set up, taking off his shirts and tucking them into the waistband of his pants before putting the jacket back on and shifting up to Glabro, for the time being. The jacket gets actually zipped up for once; it's cold out here.
Consumes-Shadows is one-eyed, his abdomen laced with claw scars. There's an array of freshly healed stripes and punctures across his body. The skin is clear but the fur has yet to fill in, evidence of the prior battle. In particular it looks like his ear and scalp were about taken off given the bare, jagged edges. He faces the Walker elder as she takes her place and dips his head once like a boxer touching gloves. Then, once she indicates readiness, he's in motion. The Ahroun comes in with his weight forward and body lower, warding with a testing swipe of his claws towards the Theurge.
Three From Ashes can at least move with decent speed, and she twists backward and to the side in an attempt to avoid the swipe entirely. Both arms come up to protect her face and neck as she does so, in case she's not successful.
The claws from Consumes-Shadow brush past the Glass Walker but it is no more that a fleeting glance as she's in motion. The real blow comes after as the arm he has been using to protect himself swings back and then forward in a sweeping, power-laden blow for the Theurge's middle.
Three From Ashes turns her hip into the blow, but it lands, and it tears. First blood goes to the Shadow Lord, and now the Walker takes the offensive. Where he went low, she goes high, pushing up and digging claws precisely for eyes and the just-healed scalp, sharp and fast if not particularly strongly--for a crinos, anyway--before he has a chance to free his striking hand from her flesh.
Salem watches the fight with clenched jaw and fingers tightly gripping Mouse's holstered gun.
Reflection comes at a fast pace, headlong down into the Caern making landfall just as the Alpha's first shot lands and he growls deeply. His further movement towards the challenge is slower, more controlled.
As her pack Beta comes into the area, The Last Song Standing gives a loud chuff towards the Fenrir as she watches with intensity in her eyes. She gives her body a sway back and forth, looking to keep her joints limber.
Consumes-Shadows is big and quick but not that fast to avoid close combat without the boon of gift and totem. Blood is met with blood in short order and once again the right side of his head bleeds, spilling red across the blinded side of his face where peripheral vision is non existent. His snarl is sharp and pained and frustrated and it fuels his motions. He throws his weight forward in the confines of their battle to try and throw the Theurge off her feet and leave her open to take the fight to the ground.
Three From Ashes once again tries to twist to the side, although she goes the opposite direction from last time. Her attempt is somehow more urgent however; she knows the danger of being pinned.
The Shadow Lord attacks with an accuracy only just prevented from landing by the Glass Walker's twisting away. Three From Ashes dodge was smooth but over-extended, considering how close they were and how little Consumes had to move to close that distance for a bull rush. The two are left standing there moving quickly and squared off, in almost a parody of a boxing match.
And they dance back to square one. Consumes-Shadows doesn't let the grass grow, however, and he's back in motion the moment he realizes she's out of the way. He turns and drops low, swinging out a claw for the leg of the Theurge with the clear intent to hamper her movements if not outright cripple her.
Reflection steps over to his pack alpha and bumps against her, quickly returning his attention to the fight.
Three From Ashes leaps as Thane drops. She's not just attempting to dodge again, she's trying to get right on top of him and dig in. It's probably no accident that she favors jumping toward the Shadow Lord's blind side.
The two take a moment to right themselves and then move almost simultaneously. Thane goes in low, as Three From Ashes makes her jump, which isn't fast enough to stop the Shadow Lord's claws from finding bloody purchase. Glass Walker blood goes flying from a right ankle that is now simply ruined with the sound of claws striking deep and catching on the joint of that ankle. Scraped from bone, the flesh of that ankle now appears like raw hamburger meat wrapped around splintered bits of white.
Consumes-Shadow doesn't make it out of this exchange unscathed however, and now has a challenger on his back, claws snagged in fur and cutting into flesh.
Consumes-Shadows is not amused. Nope. The Shadow Lord snarls at being treated like a bucking bronco and he reacts as predictably as one. He jerks upright best he can under the weight of the other Crinos, jaws gaping in a roar. His claws come up to seek the Theurge and drive them mercilessly into whatever he can reach and shred what he can find in.
Three From Ashes's breath seizes a little at the pain, but it doesn't delay her in the slightest. As soon as she's on Consumes-Shadows' back, she attempts to wrap both legs around him and dig in with claws for purchase, but her main, almost sole focus is his single eye. She digs down and in for it with an equal amount of viciousness, her intention to blind him quite clear.
The movement of that "bronco" doesn't do either of them any favors in trying to land their attacks. A couple of times, the Glass Walker's claws brush across the current Alpha's eyelids or glance off the frontal bone, but no purchase beyond superficial scratches to the skin is made.
The Shadow Lord is, again, more focused on getting this Glass Walker off of him than landing an attack and that is just what happens. Thane's claws dig in here and there and find hold on one of those small metal pieces in Three From Ashes' back. This is all that is needed to jerk the Glass Walker off to the side and fling her to the ground, where she lands hard on her back.
Salem twitches. Or maybe it was a flinch. Regardless, the young Philodox is wound tight, close to the snapping point.
Consumes-Shadows keeps the momentum going with no apparent intent to let there be time to breath. He comes in rushing teeth first right for the exposed belly of the Glass Walker with no signs of intending anything but to eviscerate her. With the motion his body drops down towards a four-legged posture as the fight seems to be going to the ground.
Reflection seems to be mostly moving with the fighting in short swaying motions, again, like someone watching a boxing match. When Mouse hits the ground, the Fenrir has a sympathetic 'oof' come from his as well.
Speech-and-Silence's attention is fixed on the fight. He seems to be muttering to himself under his breath, like a sports commentator whose microphone has come loose from its socket.
Three From Ashes digs the claws of one hand into the dirt and stones beneath her and flings the assortment into the oncoming Shadow Lord's eye in the same motion as her attempt to roll out of the way. She looks nearly finished, but there's nothing sluggish or hesitant about this dirty move.
Continuing to move about the fight along the fringes, the Children of Gaia looks to be on edge as she studies the damage being brought upon by each of the combatants.
Felix watches avidly but quietly. He shifts on his feet, not quite able to stay still but staying well back from the area of combat.
Leaning forward at the spectacle of the two garou in mortal combat, Sugar Lips bares his own fangs reflexively as his eyes watch each exchange closely. He stands near his pack mate, and as the fight goes to the ground, the Theurge crouches down, placing both of his hands on the ground as if being lower will afford him a better angle.
The handful of stones and dirt thrown by Three From Ashes takes Thane full on in the face, but to little actual effect considering the attacker is already incoming through the air. The Glass Walker's rolling prevents her from what looked like an intended complete disembowlment, but only just.
Wild and blind, the Shadow Lord is on the edge of, but not yet lost to Frenzy. His swipes are heavier than they are fast, more like a Gurahl with bone-jarring strikes rather than a Garou with attempts to rend flesh.
Two deadly fights in a row is exhausting and it's clear Consumes-Shadows is wearing thin. With dirt and stone in his eye he's forced to back off to clear his vision but his nostrils are flared and he's shaking. He smells the Glass Walker's blood and it looks like it's taking him every effort not to rush in and render her permanently stained upon the caern's grounds.
Three From Ashes's momentum carries her a certain ways, but when she stops, she stops. The Walker shifts to hispo, but it seems slow and sluggish, and it doesn't bring her to her feet.
Ears flicking forward, The Last Song Standing steps forward a few paces, eyes moving from the Shadow Lord to the Glass Walker.
Consumes-Shadows is crouched like a bull ready to charge with his bloodied claws sunk deep into the ground. Victory is once more his as the Glass Walker doesn't get up but he seems conflicted, not quiet unable to shake off the murderous anger even as the challenge is over. His jaws open in a bellowing roar of challenge as if expecting someone else to come at him. He's not frenzied yet as he's lucid enough to jerk himself upright and take several heavy, unstable steps away from the Theurge.
~Enough. We're done with tonight. Show is over.~ The Last Song Standing rumbles to the crowd as she surges forward, moving towards the Glass Walker carefully. ~Thane, take a walk and cool down, please. Congratulations on your success, Alpha. James, go with him. Get some drinks and talk about scars and glory or something. There is no more need for blood shed tonight. Tomorrow will be a new day.~
Speech-and-Silence's muttering slowly winds down toward a halt. He takes a couple of uneasy steps toward the other Glass Walkers present, then pauses, the picture of indecision.
Salem spits out some ugly words in Serbian, looking like someone not only pissed in his Cheerios but then dropped a giant radioactive Balefire dump into the bowl as well.
Three From Ashes gets her front legs under her, and very unsteadily tries to push up there, though her back legs aren't cooperating just yet.
Reflection turns heavy hispo head from his Sept Alpha to his Pack Alpha with an expression like the Child of Gaia just went crazy. James does, however, obey like a good beta with the good sense to rise up to the homid form as he walks over, and shake his head. "Thane-rhya," he rumbles, "Lets get you healed up. I'm sure someone will try to kill you tomorrow, too." He spares Mouse a long stare and offers aloud with honest tone, "Well fought, Three From Ashes-rhya. Perhaps next time." He gives his Pack Alpha a look again, back and forth between her and the defeated challenger, full of meaning.
Felix relaxes about halfway, eyes on Thane and the Walkers. The fight may be over, but nothing says a new one couldn't break out, after all.
Speech-and-Silence appears to come to a decision. He walks around Salem and joins his tribal leader, squatting down alongside Three From Ashes and offering her an arm. He remains silent, in contrast to his constant muttering while the fight was in progress.
As she continues her lumbering stride towards the fallen Glass Walker, The Last Song Standing kneels down and gently puts her paw upon her, then softly rumbles a prayer as she begins to force her healing gifts through her with a soft glow of the hand. ~You fought courageously, Mouse-Rhya. You have my respect as a warrior.~
Salem, his glabro face all scowly, stalks over to join the others around Mouse. He's still holding her gun and holster, of course, though doesn't offer it back to her right away.
Consumes-Shadows manages finally to get his blood back under the boiling point and drags himself down to his Glabro form with the beast kicking and screaming. There's a last shake of his head and a bloodied hand smearing the dust remaining in his face, though it mostly just turns it muddy. As James approaches the Lord reflexively begins to stiffen, but no, no challenge comes and he lets out a long breath to let his shoulders ease. He looks every bit like he believes every work the Fenrir says is true and holds up a hand to ward him off, "Shortly. Help them see to Mouse. My injuries can wait. I need a minute."
Three From Ashes's muzzle wrinkles as her flesh knits slowly back together. She's still quite hurt, but no longer torn to pieces, and she follows that by getting her hind feet under her and standing, while favoring the mangled ankle. ~If I didn't have your respect as a Garou before,~ she seems to mean this for James as well as Alicia, ~This fight shouldn't change anything. There was only one outcome to this fight and we all know that. Let's not pretend otherwise.~ Kevin gets a sniff and a brief lean and brush as she attempts to maneuver past him.
Last-Song-Standing pushes herself up to her feet and glances down at the blood on her paw. ~You always had my respect, and always will.~ With an ear flickering up towards the others, she gives a rocking of her shoulders, then starts away from the Glass Walkers to tend to their own.
Reflection stands, for a moment conflicted between the orders of two Alphas. The Sept's command seems to hold some bit more sway than his Pack's but does not entirely move the Fenrir. Instead, he steps away and regards both Mouse being healed and the both of them being dour. He speaks more to the assembled than to Mouse directly, "The Elder of the Glass Walkers and Beta of this Sept has the respect of the Get of Fenris. She is a wise leader, a powerful Theurge with great works to her name. She has gone to places that none other could have been sure existed, and returned with her goals accomplished. That her bravery to challenge an Ahroun who had just bested one greater than his rank and that she also showed that she can fight here in the realm? Just adds to our respect for her. Be there glory and honor to the name of Three From Ashes the Wise."
Felix gives Reflection a faintly impressed look at his declaration, then looks over the combatants and those tending them again. "So... anythin' I can do for anyone?" he asks, voice gravelly with the not-quite-human form.
Giving a look to Felix, Sugar Lips shifts down to his glabro shape and then steps slowly down the rocks toward Thane and Reflection. As he draws nearer, Benny holds his hand up and out to either side to show that he means no harm at all as he says, ~Maybe you'd let me offer you a bit of healing, Thane-rhya? Just to take the edge off a little, alright?" He stops a few paces out from the Shadow Lord, arms still held in a peaceful manner.
After offering a healing touch to Thane with the slight glow of his hand, Benny turns away from the Shadow Lord after backing to a safe distance and promptly returns to his pack. His eyes swivel about the quickly emptying clearing before the settle on Felix with a slightly furrowed brow. "You don't reckon the Walkers went back to Edgewood do you? Lilah is still there, right?" he asks.
"She's in the barn," Felix says, looking that way, "She'll be stayin' outta anyone's sight... but yeah, I wanna get back to her an' make sure everythin' stays okay. Gonna run back, I think." Possibly as much to burn off some of that large moon energy as to get there faster, really. He tugs the shirts from his waistband, folding them neatly, then shifts down to four legs and takes them carefully in his mouth in preparation for doing so.