The vast temperate rain forest is dominated by Sitka spruce, western hemlock and other giant evergreen trees that spread their overhead branches wide above the forest floor. Each tree limb intertwines with its neighbor, forming a thick overhead canopy of pine branches that leaves the forest floor dim even at noon. The land undulates here, rocky outcroppings breaking up the otherwise overwhelming vegetation. The occasional call of an owl or the startle of a deer create an unease that seems to permeate the forest. It's not hard to believe, standing here, that someone or something is watching--perhaps even hunting. Remnants of the Wyld surge still remain here and there in the form of unidentifiable plants--some of them still bearing their weird fruit.
The bawn continues to the north, east and west, while the railroad tracks to the south mark where the bawn ends and the mundane forest takes over. A variety of other trails converge here, as well. The Ash grove, the sept compound, and the half moon pool can all be easily accessed by their respective trails.
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 nicely-fitting dark indigo jeans with a plain white tank, its ribbed cotton skimming close enough to hint at the musculature beneath. Over that, he's wearing a long-sleeved, navy blue shirt, unbuttoned; judging by the white-on-red number patches on the left arm, the flag patch on the right shoulder, and the round fleur-de-lis patch to the left of the collar, it was once part of someone's Scout uniform... probably not his. Okay, the 'Boy Scouts of the USA' patch over the right pocket's a hint, too. 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 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.
In his Hispo form, Watcher's coywolf heritage is far less noticeable. He's far bigger than a wolf and dwarfs a coyote, resembling some primitive creature or an oversized hybrid of wolf, dog, and bear. As a whole, though, he still physically resembles his coyote heritage more than his wolf as a whole. He's smaller and leaner than most Hispo, with the longer ears and a lighter build. 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 muzzle is a bit broader though not so heavy as a wolf, though in Hispo it hardly matters. Those jaws are massive, his paws and claws even more so. Overall, he's a tawny grey-ticked coloration with a darker saddle. His undersides are lighter and he has yellow eyes.
It's a cloudy spring morning and the sun is just coming up, turning the dark sky to a stormy gray-blue. Three-Mountains moves through the trees at the southern edge of the bawn, coming up from the Wolf Woods to the south. The Lupus looks a bit rumpled and tired, but then again he frequently looks rumpled with his unruly coat. He's got a groundhog in his teeth that appears pretty fresh though scrawny, likely snatched from its winter burrow.
One of the many things the bawn lacks is a 24 hour McDonald's, or indeed, any McDonald's at all. This is probably why when Felix and Justin arrive this way-too-early morning, the former is carring one of their paper bags in one hand and a large cup in the other, the latter of which he's eyeing dubiously. "There's no way this ain't gonna melt before we find him," he says to the Ahroun, "I'm pretty sure it's half-done already." This apparently did not occur to him as a potential issue before now.
"Ah, he won't care." Justin says with a grin as he walks along with him through the forest, giving a stretch over his head with his arms to pop the joints in is back. "Waaaatcheerrrr!" He calls out through the woods. "We got MICKEY D's FOR YOOOOOU! SHAAAAMROOOOCK SHAAAAKE!"
Three-Mountains lifts his head as large ears swivel and turn to focus on the direction of the familiar call. The groundhog is dropped so he can give out an answering howl. It's closer than the two might have thought and brims with joy. The groundhog is snatches back up and then he's off at a sprint. Thump thump thump are his paws on the ground, crashing through the brush without any care for being quiet.
"...a'right, I stand corrected," Felix says, turning toward the sound of the howl and the crashing, "Either that or we're gettin' savaged by somethin' else really into ice cream in a second or two." Despite this no doubt terrible risk, he heads in the direction of the approaching rumpus, grinning as he goes.
It's several minutes before Three-Mountains can catch up to his pack but when he's found them the groundhog is dropped and he's soon dancing around there with gleeful bounds. You're here you're here! He missed his pack so much! Wiggling with joy from nose to tail he throws himself at their feet and rolls over to show his belly. Are you still mad at him?
"What? Dude, we were never mad at you in the first place! Why would you say that for? I only told you to hang out here and get in touch with your Uktena roots so that you can challenge for Fostern." Justin flops down next to him and grapples him in a head lock, giving him a firm hug. "Ya'know, so you can be the best that you can be and get your respect."
"We're here!" Felix agrees, "An' so're you!" He drops down crosslegged next to the pair of them and grabs the wolf's closest hind leg while that hug's going on, giving it a brief shake before letting go. It's more like some odd sort of hand-focused hug-substitute than a handshake. He offers the cup to Three-Mountains, and agrees, "Why would we be pissed at you?"
Three-Mountains squirms himself closer to all but smother Justin as he sprawls onto the Ahroun and his fellow Galliard's poor arm is buffeted by a rapidly wagging tail. ~I thought you were mad because I was a bad Uktena. I am still not good but I have been busy. Snakepatcher-rhya let me stay in his territory and with the pack there.~
"I didn't say you were a bad Uktena! I said that you should learn with Silvertip and Reggie to become a /better/ Uktena and to be true to yourself. Learn secrets and mystical shit" Justin gives him a stronger hug, then motions to Felix. "We brought junk food."
Felix nods, setting both bag and cup down out of range of wagging tails but within easy reach for investigation. "Don't want you forgettin' cheap processed delicious shit in the meantime," he says, "'cause last I checked you love that shit, like all right-thinkin' people, and fuck it, that's true to yourself too." He reaches over to ruffle the Lupus's fur fondly. "...so how's it been goin', this busyness?"
Three-Mountains lets out a noisy huff. ~Silvertip-rhya is too busy. She is hard to find.~ He scoots enough to give Justin breathing room and scoots towards the familiar bags to dig his head into the one. ~I may have to leave but I don't want to leave.~ He says from inside the bag before withdrawing a mouthful of fries. They're gone in two snaps of his jaws and he's licking salt off his muzzle as he looks to Feliix. ~I found a mate! She is called Frost-on-Flowers. She is a very good hunter.~
Felix steals a couple of the unfortunately-getting-pretty-cold fries before they're all gone, and settles back a little, getting comfy to watch the eating. "May hafta leave where for where?" he asks, brow furrowed slightly, before the second part distracts him, and he laughs delightedly. "Niiiiice," he says, and holds out a fist near the other Galliard's front leg, "Pawbump. Good work. Is she hot? Are you gonna introduce us?" It's a little hard to tell how much of the last couple questions is teasing, but probably at least some.
Three-Mountains thumps his paw against Felix's fist before he scoots over to sniff at the container with the milkshake. He pins the cup between his forepaws and squishes the lid between his jaws and pops it off. Some of the shake is sloshes in the process but he seems unconcerned with licking it off dirty paws. ~She is small but fast and her fur looks like snow on a rock. Maybe Snakepatcher-rhya will not mind but I will ask first. It is his pack. I hope he will. I want my pack to meet my pups when they are born.~
"Double pawbump," Felix says, holding the fist out again with a Very Serious look, though it dissolves into a grin pretty quick. "When's that gonna be, y'think? Soon? An' good, keepin' up the pack tradition of gettin' all the hottest mates. Very important."
Three-Mountains raises his paw for a high-five style bump. Wolves and that wrist flexibility thing. ~Maybe another full moon, when the trees have leaves again. Then the animals are awake from winter and not so skinny.~ He looks over towards the thin groundhog. ~Better eating.~ He looks up to his packmates and parts his jaws in a tongue-lolling grin. ~You should have pups too! Good to have more Garou and kin.~
"Hey, ain't like I ain't doin' =my= part," Felix smirks, settling back again and pulling out the Coke bottle lodged in his jacket pocket. Chatting is thirsty work. "Just ain't happened yet, I guess..." He trails off, taking a sip and looking uncharacteristically thoughtful for a moment or two before he turns his attention to the Ahroun, giving him the most innocent look he can muster with one corner of his lips trying hard to quirk back up, and prompting, "J? Anythin' to report?"
"Uh, no. Nothing to report about me having kids. I keep my shit wrapped up." Justin says with a smirk as he ruffles Three Mountain's ears. "Good on you though for finding a mate. See, I knew banishing you to the woods was a good idea! You got laid!" He plucks a fry out of the bag and slips into his mouth for a chomp. "But, uh .. no.. I don't have any news, news. Life is boring right now. Figure we should go do something prankish to appease Oh No."
Three-Mountains grunts under the ruffle to his head. ~Cubs are good renown. Good for the Garou.~ He says to his packmates before tucking his muzzle down to start lapping at the mostly melted shake. ~Maybe mine will be better Uktena than I am.~ The Lupus looks between his packmates at mention of a prank and wrinkles his nose. ~Who needs to learn a lesson?~
Felix wrinkles his nose as well, but rather earlier in the remarks. "Ain't as good," he says, taking another sip of his drink, and regarding Justin over it. "...but Bella got past that whole kiss rationin' thing an' you're finally gettin' some now, then? An' I don't mean the kisses. Or are you still keepin' it wrapped in your pants?" he teases, and reaches over to dip a fingertip into the shake while it's not being lapped and steal a few drops. "Know I had an idea for a prank... eh, it'll come back to me."
"Heh. Yeah. Bella and I have moved on to sexy times, finally. She told me she loves me." Justin says with a bit of pride in his voice as he flops backwards on the ground and tucks his arms under his head. "So, prank. Who needs a lesson .." He trails off a bit. "I'm thinking that tiger dude, Karuvar. After I was nice enough to bring his cub to him after she popped fuzzy in the middle of the city, he didn't even hook me up with lunch. Super rude. He lives in a huge manor, all fancy like."
Three-Mountains seems to lose his train of thought as his ears splay out. Blink. Blink. ~What's a.. tiger?~ He asks of his packmates, the word for the big cat coming through a bit poorly in the Mother's Tongue. ~And there's another cub? Is a tiger a type of tribe I didn't know of?~
The other homid doesn't get the verbal prompt, he just gets the proffered fist, and a toothy grin. "Yeah, I HEARD you found one of their cubs!" Felix says to Justin, "That kinda shit should wait 'til I'm around to see it. Universe got no fuckin' sense of timing." He shakes his head, sighing, and then looks to Three-Mountains. "A tiger's like a fuck-off huge orange cat. With black stripes. I guess their tribe's called Khan. Like the one in the movie." 'cause that's going to mean anything to the Lupus. To Justin again, "Huge fancy manor, huh?"
Justin nods his head. "Yeah, he's loaded." He fishes his phone out of his pocket and launches a picture of a tiger, then shows the lupus. "Here you go. This is what one of them look like. They are were-cats. Just like us. They are also protectors of Gaia, just kinda more sneaky about it and not as many after we wiped them out during the war of rage."
<OOC> Justin says "Watcher is dealing with a baby meltdown."
<OOC> Felix says "Ooh. ::helps mop up baby:: Also, intentional or accidental lack of fistbump?"
Three-Mountains cranes his shamrock shake-smeared face forward to look at the picture, sniffing reflexively at the phone like it might tell him something more. ~Oh. Cats are not very friendly. They don't taste very good. Stringy. Mother caught them sometimes near the human houses.~ He drags one of the other bags over and fishes out a cheeseburger and begins shredding the wrapper free. ~If they are so big, are they good to prank?~
<OOC> Felix repeats OOC question.
<OOC> Three-Mountains says "Probably accidental, kid's spazzing out."
<OOC> Justin says "Who are you fist bumping?"
<OOC> Felix says "You!"
<OOC> Felix points to first line of last pose.
<OOC> Justin says "Oh. Didn't know what it meant. XD"
<OOC> Justin says "Sure, he returned it."
<OOC> Felix says "ffffft. Okay, thanks. :)"
"Are we pickin' targets by size, now?" Felix asks, reclaiming his hand post-bump and setting his soda bottle down to find the Altoids tin in his other jacket pocket. "Did you have a thought 'bout what you wanted to do? We could always con him into providin' inappropriately gratitudinous levels of lunch, would be maybe appropriate an' prolly fun, but that ain't so much a prank exactly."
"He's pretty powerful to be honest, from what I was told. Kinda like an Athro level of powerful. He's smart too. I don't see us convincing him to do anything for us. He'd probably be the type to throw money at us to make us go away." Justin shifts his jaw in thought. "And that's no fun. I don't wanna do anything lame like switching out his shampoo or whatever. I also don't wanna give him a reason to come after us. April Fools is coming up real soon .." He trails off. "And we /gotta/ do something epic."
Three-Mountains chews on the cold cheeseburger as he listens to his packmates. ~And we shouldn't prank the spirits, they have done nothing wrong. This sept is very serious. Even the caern totems are serious. No one has fun. There are so many to prank it is hard to choose, but they probably wouldn't learn. They'll just growl.~
Felix shrugs. "Smart folks get conned all the time," he says, "an' that =could= be fun, dependin' how much got thrown, how we got it thrown, an' what we did with it after. But ain't likely it'd really affect him any. He like you? 'cause it ain't like he has to be the target right =now=. Me an' Watcher ain't even met him, makes it harder to figure out what he'd need..." He lights up a cigarette, and stashes the case back in his coat. "April fools, I think we gotta think of somethin' bigger'n just one person, for sure. The Sept, or the city, or at least, like, a neighbourhood." He nods to Three-Mountains, "...an' you're right, this place's real serious. Place I went on my challenge, they got the right of it. Their caern's in this big underground bar, they have a massive party the night before a moot. Ain't so many sticks as need wigglin', seemed to me. Which. Did you hear 'bout Winter bringin' the need for stickotomies up at the last Moot?"
"I think a tower full of assholes would be perfect to prank." Justin says with a flare of his nostrils as he drums his fingers along his jawline. "Maaaaaybe we could find a way to rig the building to display a middle finger with their office lights at night during after hours."
Three-Mountains snorts. ~Better to send them a present and have it blow up.~ He drops his head down over his paws as he periodically works to lick cheese from between his teeth. ~What if we let Ohno pretend to be one of the sept elders, made new rules? The sept would be very confused.~
Another shrug. "I'm just sayin', maybe we oughta be lookin' again at tryin' to recruit him," Felix says, and snirks at the suggestion of the tower. "Yeah, I still wanna blow that fuckin' place up," he says, "You ever seen one of those films of skyscrapers bein' demolished? Like a huge collapsin' stack of concrete pancakes..." He gives Watcher's idea some consideration. "That'd be pretty funny," he decides, "it'd have to be the right rules though. Gotta be, what's that word, plausible enough they believe it, but still do a bit of wigglin'. Maybe doin' the frog in hot water thing, though I guess there might not be that much time."
"Would be a sweet prank to convince a demolition crew to knock the building down at night." A frown creases upon Justin's face as he thinks deeply about this particular idea. "Hmm..Eeh.. maybe we can sneak over and spray paint a huge thingy on the side of the building." Tapping at the front of his phone a few times, which is a cheap blackberry type that has seen better days, he says, ".. How 'bout if we set up a ... ah... flash mob in their lobby? During the lunch hour. Maybe get a buncha leather daddies or something to roll in for a rally. Make a post online on some of the fetish websites, claim there is a get together ... a free lunch of sorts?"
~If they can get in.~ Huffs Three-Mountains as he scrunches up his nose. ~Destroying the building would be very good, may be hard. Need lots of others to help or something very powerful. No one else is trying. Maybe we should. Big boom. Pranks do not have to be fun to them. Or enough to chase them from their nest.~
"Rumour has it ain't no such thing," Felix says, picking up his bottle and returning it to his pocket, then rolling up to his feet, and stretching. "'Accidental' orders to knock it down'd be great, if we could swing it, yeah. Barrin' that... if we wanted to do the flash mob thing it oughta be some kinda group that'd really end up fuckin' the place up. Like. Impromptu lobby rave, tell people bring their music, bring spraypaint, bring glitter, get things fuckin' festive." He paces a bit around their little clearing while he talks, smoking; too much sitting today for this size moon. "Wonder what it'd take to actually bring the place down? I mean, I know that's supposed to be the backup plan B C D whatever the fuck, but... hypotheoretically... what'd it take? Would your pipe bombs do it, J? Dynamite, get really Wile E. Coyote about it? Mini-nuke? Big-ass truck full of fertilizer, however that shit works?"
Justin gives a shake of his head. "Nah, pipe bombs won't blow the place up. It needs real shit, like C-4. Military grade. A place that big has multiple support structures from the basement and up. It would take multiple explosions in multiple sectors to take it out. Also, you know .. a lotta innocent people work there just doing a desk job and getting paid. They have no clue about the evils upstairs. Queens is a building that houses multiple corps to rent out floor space." His nose wrinkles up. "But, I do like the lobby rave idea. I bet we can get a shit ton of people to do it. Get in touch with Nieve or Briari and have them do the online shit and coordinate. We can pass out fliers around the clubs. We need to entice them though with a reason to be there. Promise of free booze? Say a famous singer is showing up? Maybe claim the owners support anti gay agendas? People are always riled up on that shit."
~I'm not very good at that.~ Three-Mountains remarks rather lackluster. ~I don't know what humans want or what makes them angry - besides dumping those things they put their trash in. Cans! Those things.~ He flicks his tongue over his nose as he muses this idea. ~It could be a good prank.~
Felix leans up against a tree trunk, giving the cigarette a flick to ash it. "The innocent folks prolly ain't there overnight," he says, "Although for all we know neither are the guilty ones. Those invisible telepathic fomori might be, though. So, a'right. Lobby rave? All of the above. The more reasons the merrier, messier, mightier. Gotta weigh it right though, gotta get the most people to know without THEM hearin'." He squints at the sky for a second, taking a drag. "Word of mouth's prolly ideal if we can swing it. I know plenty of folks who could pass it on to other folks who I guarantee'll be interested in showin' up for the promise of drinks an' a good time. Maybe online too if the Walkers're up for helpin' an' can keep Queens folks outta it. But if we spin it like, secret exclusive flash mob party, folks'll tell their friends an' we won't need fliers an' all lyin' around. Less paper trail anyhow. Then if there's folks we could find a way to get pissed at the place an' up for, I dunno, showin' up to picket an' throw paint or somethin' at the same time..." Thinking out loud.
"Lilah and Bella." Justin points out. "What better way to spread the word than two smoking hot blondes that show up at a party with fliers and promises of a good time and booze? We could hit up the frat houses ... oh! It's tournament season right now! So we throw a sweet sixteen party at the rave. Free booze, pizza, yadda yadda. Huge party to cheer for the basketball teams going on. Bella, she looks old enough to be a sorority girl. She could claim alma mata or something and be convincing. They give out the address and claim there is a conference room rented out or something and to meet at the lobby to begin the party."
Three-Mountains leaves the evil party plotting to the Homids. He has the rest of the McD's to devour. These will not be pleasant farts later.
Thank goodness for everyone they'll probably be outside. Felix dips into his pocket and comes out with his own phone, a reasonably recent if inexpensive Android thing. Stolen or from Walmart or both, surely. "I got a LOT of phone numbers," he says, wiggling it. "An' yeah, I like that plan. Be even better if there's an actual game that day, but that I'm pretty sure we gotta just leave to luck. But yeah, let's get the Greeks. Bonus, they ain't particularly likely to include any folks'd be insiders." He pokes at his phone, then announces, "It's a Friday. Nice. We should aim mid-late afternoon. Might be I can get 'em thinkin' about a little pregamin' before they show up, that'll only make shit better."
"Friday is game day." Justin points out with a wider grin on his face. "And we can use Watcher's can idea as well. Maybe we can rig some garbage cans with my pipe bombs, stick 'em on a timer. Soon as the party goes to clear out because of security gaining control, we blow 'em. Boom. Send garbage all over the place. Maybe fill them up with dark red kool-aid or something that will cause a good stain. Kinda a coup de gras."
~That was my idea?~ Three-Mountains looks up with a bag over his muzzle and blinks at Justin. ~Oh. Well, guess it was a good idea. I didn't know I had it. Fancy dressed humans hate getting wet. They always worry those little devices they carry will get damaged.~
"An' more glitter," Felix agrees gleefully, "Sounds like a plan to me. We better start gettin' hold of shit next couple days, so it don't look weird all at once or somethin'. An' recruit the girls, an' write up whatever we're gonna put about, I guess..." The phone disappears back in his pocket, and he wanders to step up onto a large root growing up from and across the ground, and use it like a balance beam.
"Sounds like a plan. This is gonna be epic." Justin says with a laugh as he tips a wink to the pair, then hops up to his feet. "I'll steal some construction paper. You going to handle the passing of news mister Galliard?"
"That's what I do!" Felix confirms brightly, "...well, one thing I do. But that one I do officially. I reckon I can get a couple branches of pass-it-ons an' invitations goin' easy enough. An' I'm gonna be out some today anyhow, gotta hit a supermarket at least, so I'll snag some shit too. Tonight we can see what we already got an' decide what else we need from where, go hit that this weekend." He hops off the root, and turns toward the way they came, then back to the others. "'s good to be back."
"Yeah, it's good to have you back, bro. I can't wait to celebrate." Justin says as he gives Watcher's ears a ruffle, then heads off back towards the farmhouse with a yawn. "I'm gonna raid the fridge also and get some snacks, then head back to the junk yard so I can build some bomb making stuff. Peace out, yo."