Bernie is lying half-buried in a pile of loose hay beside some haybales, using one of the latter as a sort of makeshift desk as she writes in her notebook, seeming to concentrate really rather hard on whatever it is she's doing.

Kaz, hat down over her head, bustles inside the barn, closing it quickly. Letting her eyes adjust briefly, she grins a little. "Thought you might be in here. So, hey, 'sup?"

Bernie glances up, looking slightly startled for a moment, and grins as she sees Kaz arrive. The impression of having been caught with one hand in the cookie jar is fleeting. "Hey," she replies cheerfully, "namuch really... 'sup with you?"

Kaz leans against the wall. "Nah much. I crashed out'n the woods last night, an' I thought I'd offer t'give you a ride back Citywards. I still got Rachel's van, see."

Alicia heads into the barn, wearing a baggy jacket and jeans. Stiffling a yawn, a hand is ran back through her thick hair. "Hey Ya'll."

"Hey, thanks," Bernie replies, sitting up a bit further, but pauses as Alicia wanders in. "...I think I'm gonna hang out here for a li'l longer though, 'fore I go back. Maybe I'll see ya later though? 'cause I keep not seein' y'round lately an' all." Looking to the door, she greets the other cub, "Hey, 'licia. 'sup, sleepyhead?"

Alicia smiles slightly and waves a hand to the two Gnawers, brushing her fingers back through her bangs. "Nada.. Hey, if you got stuff ta' do, don't let me keep ya. I'm just in 'ere ta' grab my bag."

Kaz shakes her head. "'s cool, Alicia. I'm prolly gonna go grab Rotem anyways, an' I doubt Bernie wanna deal with him. Him lackin' social graces, an' all."

Bernie makes a bit of a face. "I dunno. He improved any yet?" She shakes her head slightly. "I might come by later or somethin', I dunno. Thanks, though."

Kaz shrugs. "I dunno, I ain't seen him since a week or so ago. I heard he got in kinda a fracas after that, though?"

Alicia wets her lips slightly. "Yi is sick o' him from what I hear. She may end up jumping off a bridge or something 'cuz o' him."

"Yi?" Kaz pauses. "Yi has more patience than anyone I know. And /she's/ sick of him? Jesus."

Bernie nods to Alicia, and then to Kaz, "ExACTly. I'm not real easy t' piss off usually, an' I wanna slap him half th' time... an' Yi's even better 'bout it, I think, an' I think he's almost get -her- ready t' throat him." She shakes her head, looking somewhat annoyed. "An' she blames herself for the shit he's done t't h' church, an' that's jus' not right. 's not her fault."

Alicia nods her head slowly and huffs. "I have half a mind ta' break Adam's rules, go to the city an kick the living shit outta him an tell him to shape up." Her arms cross over her chest. "He's a total prick from what Yi tells me. He almost got her fired too. Or did at least."

Kaz mutters "Christ," again, and sighs. "Anyway, I'll see if I can pound a brain into him. Or be nice and do it. Or somethin'. So. Later t'you an' yours." After she's gone, the far away sound of a avery noisy van can be heard.

Bernie shakes her head, closing up her notebook. "I am -not- impressed with that kid, gotta say. Lacks-Social-Graces is th' -nicest- name I wan'ed t' give him." She sighs, sitting up the rest of the way, and slips the notebook back into her backpack. The folder of photos is on top of the rest of the items within. "So how come y'didn't stick 'round after th' moot last night?"

Alicia huffs slightly. "I was too busy talking to Adam 'bout stuff. Like letting me out of the house, but he says I can't until I at least do two more weeks of Lupus training, prolly wi' Rides-Fire. Also kinda hinted he didn't want me participating in the revel."

Bernie makes a face and nods. "Yeah, Yi made me go back... though, seein' how she an' Matt came back, I dunno how sorry I am 'bout it anymore. They're okay now," she adds quickly, not wanting to worry Alicia. "But I mean, how come y'didn't stay in th' caern? I ended up bein' left 'lone with Collin, which isn't, like, a -bad- thing, I told him 'bout what Sepdet did t' Steven th' other day, an' that was fun... but it woulda been fun t' have you there too, so I jus' wondered."

Alicia ums. "Well.. I thought all of ya'll was doing the revel, so, I didn't wanna get stuck with Collin seriously." She lets a slight grin pass her lips. "I was also not in a good mood, I was feeling a bit pissy by hearing that I gotta go back out to wolf's ville."

"Don't blame ya," Bernie remarks, "not exactly how I'd wanna be forced t' spend my time either... how come y'don't like Collin? He's pretty funny. Oh, an' did Yi or someone tell ya that story yet? 'cause she was here too, so... an' it was fuckin' hilarious."

One of the barn doors open, and in steps Helen. She regards both Bernie and Alicia for a minute or so before announcing her presence with a loud, "What's up, homies?" The ragabash proceeds to giggle insanely.

Alicia ums. "'bout Sepdet burning Steven's ass? Few people mentioned it. Didn't catch da' whole thing. Um.... Collin is ... ok.. I guess, but he's full of it." Her eyes turn over to Helen and smiles. "Hey Bitch."

"Dude, that's -why- he's so funny, though!" Bernie relies, grinning, and glances over toward the entering Helen. "Hey," she greets the Fury casually, and slips her backpack onto her shoulder as she moves form the pile of hay up to sit on a well-fastened bale. "An' yeah, that's th' story, only that's only halfa it really 'f that's all they said."

Alicia picks up her bag, the sole reason why she came in. "Well, I'm going back to the farm house where its a bit warmer. I gotta do some quickie chores, write in my journal, then I'll catch up with the rest of ya." She smiles, giving both cubs a quick hug, then slips out the door.

[...due to computer weirdness on, I think, both ends, this scene kind of... died...

On to the Church!]

Kaz looks... A little confused. Not having quite noticed Banecruncher yet, she just shakes her head. "Yeah. Sometmes, you don' win, even /with/ a Gift. It don' mean they ain't no use, and," she adds, not even taking a breath, "What the hell's up with Baney?"

A slight draft -- well, a slight increase in the draft -- marks the pulling aside of the makeshift tarp-and-trashbag doors as the other Gnawer cub slips in, backpack over her shoulder as usual. She pauses, turning to adjust the covering of the portal behind her before heading any farther into the room.

Greenstreak curls up and sighs, breathing deeply. Not end up like bane. Not fight. No want to. Look at him!

Kaz says, slowly, gaining momentum as she goes, "Hello? You wanna protect the world? You gotta fight. A lot of the time, you gonna get hurt. Ain't no way around that. You don' fight, there ain't much point in your bein' a Garou, is there?" She pauses in this mini-tirade to check and see who's coming in.

Greenstreak shakes his head. Fight, hurt, no scared, Bane messy! Messy head. Like Three-Blades but worse. Not want end up like that.

Bernie gets the tarps arranged to her satisfaction and regards them an extra moment, as if making a note, before she turns around and greets Kaz with a silent wave, wandering calmly toward the front of the room.

You hear the sounds of whimpering and claws scrabbling at the floor, coming from underneath one of the pews.

Kaz, perched on her pew, waves a little absently at Bernie as she regards Greenstreak intently. "I'm scared every time I fight, kid. It don't get any easier." She seems about to say more, but breaks off when she hears the scrabbling.

Bernie blinks, changing her trajectory a bit and bending down as she walks, to look beneath the pews for the source of those sounds.

Greenstreak groans, covering his eyes with a paw and curling up, he's seen enough of Bane, or what used to be Bane.

Banecruncher is cringing under a pew, both hind legs broken at least twice, smelling of piss and fear, his eyes showing white all around, and his ears folded flat against his head.

Kaz hops off the pew and peers underneath it. "Holy shit," she mutters. "Lookit, Rotem, what the hell is goin' on here?"

Greenstreak whimpers. Found him like this. Tried to take care. Feed, water. Care good for Bane. Act like mutt. Bane weird in head. Messy in head. More then Yi.

Banecruncher whines as he backs away. Baddog. Frisket baddog.

Bernie stops short and winces at the sight (and smell)... "Shit," she murmurs, "...what happened?" She looks from Banecruncher to Kaz, despite the fact that the latter obviously doesn't seem likely to know anything more than she does about the matter. She shoots a glare at the cub, "The only way Yi's 'messy in th' head' is puttin' up with all th' shit -you- give her. 'f it was anyone else takin' carea you..." She trails off, shaking her head, and stands again, stepping back out of the way a bit.

Kaz starts "Yi is not," but then stops as Banecruncher backs up. "Baney, dude," she says, quietly, and sinks onto the floor to offer her hand, open palmed. "You ain't a bad dog. No one's gonna whomp on you."

Banecruncher whines and stretches out his neck to sniff at the hand. Baddog. Frisket baddog. Not hurt?

Bernie ignores the other cub, leaning against the end of another pew and watching Kaz and what little she can still see of Banecruncher.

"/I/ won't. You're m'brother, Baney." (She's not using Frisket. Perhaps this is deliberate.) "You're also not no bad dog. C'mon, lemme see if I can help some?"

Banecruncher whimpers and hesitantly licks the hand. Frisket baddog. Let twoleg get hurt. Not protect twoleg. Baddog.

The metis reaches over, carefully, to scritch behind the less damaged ear. "What happened, Baney? Which twoleg's this?"

Greenstreak lifts his head, barking softly and then looking to Kaz. No use, Bane not home, not home in head. No even shift to heal. Tried to help, no good.

"The twoleg from the junkyard the other day?" Bernie asks quietly, taking a seat on the pew behind Kaz and Baney.

Kaz doesn't even take her eyes off of Banecruncher to acknowledge that Rotem has spoken, so intent is she on the lupus.

Banecruncher whimpers and stretches to accept the scritching. Good-smelling twoleg. Female. Make pretty twoleg sounds.

Kaz keeps scritching, softly. "Ellie, y'mean?" Ok, maybe she does know what's going on. A little.

Banecruncher moans softly at the scritching, finally starting to relax a little. Sounds like twoleg noises.

Kaz just nods, and keeps at it. Not hard, just comfortingly. She doesn't suggest shifting yet -- too soon.

Bernie pulls her legs up onto the pew, soles of her boots teetering on the edge of the seat as she wraps her arms loosely about her knees, and listens.

Yi pulls away the tarp a bit, before looking around inside. At the edge of her sweater sleeves peeks the white colored bandages about her arms. "Yo?"

Greenstreak yelps as he hears Yi's voice and scampers down to the basement. He almost trips over the broken down basement door. He then dissapears from view.

Banecruncher drags himself a little closer to the scritching, whimpering as his hindlegs get twisted a bit and bumped across the floor. Baddog. Let twoleg get hurt.

Kaz keeps scritching. "Yeah. She got hurt. You gonna give up? Let it happen again?"

Bernie turns and gives the older Ragabash a weak smile, lifting her hand in a wave. "Hey," she replies quietly, not wanting to disturb the others.

Kaz is, still, keeping 9/10ths of her attention on Banecruncher.

Yi steps through the tarp with a light swish, a cold but gentle breeze of night air following in her wake. Spying Banecruncher and the others, she nods to them and slips into a pew nearby Bernie. "Heard what you did to the police car, Bane. What happened?"

Kaz mutters, not taking her eyes off the lupus, "He ain't real up for actual communicatin' jus' now."

Banecruncher is baddog. Hurt twoleg. He whimpers and lets out a mournful howl - the kind you hear from a lupus that's just found its own cub, dead.

Kaz doesn't try and stop him. It's just a dog howling. Happens all the time, in the city. She lets him howl out his pain, and then tells him, patting his side gently, "Banecruncher. Tell me something."

Banecruncher cringes at the sound of that name (well, he's improving a little...at least he's hearing it now).

Kaz asks, gently, "Why're you Frisket again?"

Banecruncher is always Frisket. Is what twoleg cub calls me. Why twoleg cub not come play? He know Frisket baddog?

Kaz says "Honest? He's scared you got hurt. He's worried for you. 'Cause he /cares/. He loves you, you know."

Yi quickly moves next to the ahroun and tries to scritch away his troubles... or at least get him not to howl. "You have to quiet nowadays, Bane... the people out there are paranoid about anything louder than a growl." She pets the lamenting lupus with a quiet demeanor as she looks to Kaz and Bernie. As she gazes around the rest of the church, she notices a couple broken pieces of wood on the ground, and narrows her eyes briefly.

Banecruncher wants cub. He always come play. Only cub not afraid of Frisket. He know if good-smelling twoleg be mad at Frisket.

Bernie runs a hand through her curls, listening quietly, and looking rather lost, tobe honest.

Kaz says, softly, "Frisket. You gotta shift."

Yi glances over to Bernie, and gives her a gaze that seems to just say 'stay with them a moment'. The cliath no-moon rises to her feet and proceeds downstairs after giving Banecruncher a small pat on the head.

Banecruncher yowls and scrabbles back away from Kaz. The stink of fear returns.

Kaz says, quietly, "Shhhhh. Frisket. It's ok."

Banecruncher's eyes show white and he whimpers fearfully. And incoherently.

Kaz remains entirely quiet, and scootches slightly closer.

Banecruncher watches Kaz slide closer and whimpers baddog...baddog...baddog...

Kaz very carefully shifts down into lupus and sidles closer to him.

Banecruncher yowlps and scrabbles away as soon as the shifting begins. He ends up backed against a pew again, and leaves a puddle on the floor.

The metis' ears, and quite some ears they are, too, droop. Frisket. What is it?

Banecruncher whimpers and stares fearfully at the strangedog. Not twoleg. Not dog. What you?

Ears's ears go back slightly. She smells, if there is such a smell, mystified, and a little scared herself. Frisket. You don't know me?

Banecruncher whimpers. Act like friend. Frisket not know. How you be twoleg and dog both?

The fear scent increases. I don't -- Her ears flatten. Banecruncher, come /back/, she almost growls, a little desperate, and holding herself back from just plain running only by the skin of her teeth.

Bernie's arms tighten a bit about her legs, getting a bit scared herself. This is... weird. Weirder than normal weird...

Banecruncher whimpers and droops his ears. Frisket baddog?

Ears still smells of fear, and confusion, but she manages to sound fairly reassuring, even as she's apparently forcing herself to take a step forward, when she says, Not bad dog. I'm Ears. I -- you're a friend.

Yi comes back up from the basement, the ahroun cub tagging along behind her. Her eyes immediately go to the lupus ahroun and then to the others. "Any luck?"

Banecruncher sniffs hesitantly at the strangedog. Friend? You friend?

Ears, despite her slightly desperate fear/confusion scent, insists that, yes, she is a friend. And she wants to help.

Greenstreak remains behind Yi. After finding BaneCruncher the way he did, he is playing it safe.

Bernie glances over to the others as they return from the basement, still sitting where they left her. She lifts a hand slightly, a sort of 'don't interrupt them' gesture, and nods a little, silently.

Yi nods, and motions Rotem towards the pews a bit further away from counselor Ears and her patient. She in turn slips into the pew in front of Bernie, watching.

Greenstreak hops up onto the pew. He lays down near Yi, eyes watching BaneCruncher.

Banecruncher misses good-smelling twoleg. Not deserve be with her. Baddog. He sniffs at Ears. Not mad cuz hurt twoleg? Let twoleg be hurt? He seems confused as to which it is.

Ears asserts, as if this is the only thing she /does/ know, You're not a bad dog. We all make mistakes. After nosing him while he sniffs her, she admits, I'm scared because I'm your friend, but you don't know who I am.

Banecruncher whimpers. You friend? Why I not know? Why I inside twoleg den? Why I not in yard? Where twoleg cub?

Greenstreak hops off the bench at the mention of the 'twoleg cub' and descides to vacate the premisis. He dissapears down the stairs oncemore, only a soft click of wood heard as he goes to bed in the back room of the basement.

Ears, who's been very restrained so far, skitters backwards a few feet, as if she can't help herself. You're like me. You can be twoleg sometimes. You're in this den because it's somewhere you feel safe. Finally, she barks, loudly, Come /back/, Banecruncher!

Yi lets a small sigh escape her, hoping Banecruncher will snap to his senses. "Damnit, Banecruncher... depressing ahrouns are worse than depressed no-moons. Jay would smack you upside the head if he were here," she mutters quietly, though it's probably quite audible from a lupus' sense.

Banecruncher yowlps and tries to scrabble backward at the bark. Who Banecruncher? Why you say that and say that and say that?

Bernie doesn't appear to be a depressed no-moon, but she's definitely an uncomfortable one. Her arms tighten a bit around her legs again, and she looks over to Yi.

Ears stops where she is, but she's obviously just barely staying in one place. Because it's your -name-. It's -you-. Come /back/.

Banecruncher whimpers and shivers like a dog that knows it's going to be whipped. Not Banecruncher. Frisket. Not. There's something almost desperate in that denial...

Ears doesn't snarl; the sound she makes is almost a cross between a snarl and a whimper. But it's clear she means what she says. You're Banecruncher, and you can't run away. You /can't/.

Yi slips her breath in slowly, getting up and walking to the ahroun's side. Her eye checks the doorflap before she shifts, slowly, down to take on the near-wolf form, the bandages about her arms stretching over the forelimbs and wrapping tightly against the fur. ~Frisket. Do you understand me?~ she asks, growling through the mother tongue.

Banecruncher is Frisket. Not Banecruncher. Not bad Banecruncher. Not hurt goodsmelling twoleg. Frisket baddog. Frisket let Banecruncher hurt goodsmelling twoleg. He whimpers brokenly and tries to hide his head under his paws.

Ears does, in fact, growl now. The fear is almost gone, replaced by indignation. You're /both/. You're /you/. And ok, you hurt her, but what, are you just gonna /hide/ the rest of your life? (Ah, the life of the colloquial lupus.) You're gonna /run away/ from your mistakes? Not /fix/ them?

Three-Blades's eyes take her gaze to the galliard, ears flick to tell the moondancer to give her a chance. ~He's welled up in something. Gotta get it out before we can get him back.~ Her gaze turns back down, deep towards the whimpering ahroun before her, lips lifting in a sort of half-snarl of annoyance show. Her large, darkfurred paw comes up and sets itself in front of the ahroun, head dipping down to the lupus' level. ~Frisket, why are you here?~ The question is rumbled, almost like an interrogator's tone. Firm, demanding an answer.

Banecruncher yowlps at the growl and looks from Ears to Three-Blades and back again. Then back to the interrogation. Frisket not let Banecruncher be bad. Frisket not let him be strangedog. He not hurt anyone if he not be strangedog.

~Hurt who?~ Three-Blades continues. ~Answer me, Frisket.~ The hispo's eyes stare dead on towards the ahroun's.

This is indignant Kaz on steroids. She bristles slightly. You won't hurt anyone, but you won't help anyone, either. You'll be /dead/ and you don't /know/ it. Remember Gaia? Remember why we're /here/?

Banecruncher whimpers and looks from one to the other. How Frisket supposed to answer both? Frisket just one dog. Frisket let Banecruncher hurt smellsgood twoleg. Not let him hurt her again. Not understand other stuff.

Ears continues bristling, but manages, for once, to hold her tongue.

Three-Blades's ears flatten down, tail lashing behind her. ~He is gone, for now,~ she seems to relent a bit, growling this out. This time, she licks the tip of her muzzle a bit. Frisket, she tries in the lupus language. Frisket are you like this one? This one is a big dog. Are you big? Her tactics seem to change a little.

Banecruncher is a big dog. Protects junk yard. Protects twolegs. Not let bad twolegs in yard. Not let bad twolegs hurt my twolegs.

You are small, in this one's eyes, Three-Blades rumbles as she takes her head higher than the ahroun's head. You protect junk yard, but you whine. You say you let a big dog hurt smellgood twolegs. Show this one you are big then, if you say you are.

Banecruncher growls uncertainly. You not dog. Not know what you are. Smell like twolegs. Look like dog. Not right.

Bernie continues to watch silently; at the moment, something rather like fascination is beating out the discomfort, and she leans forward against her legs to see things proceed.

Ears sneezes, and then gives up the field entirely to Yi, padding over to Bernie and lying down near her.

Three-Blades snorts, hard eyes examining a wounded, pathetic looking bull terrier. But this one looks like dog. Speak like dog. You say this one is not dog, but you see dog. And this one is /still/ bigger than you. Bigger dog. Her rumble is testing. You hurt too. You are a small dog. She takes her paw off the pew, and stands straight as a hispo can, head rising well above the pew as well as Banecruncher. Even when this one stands, you sit on wood, and this one is bigger. This one is the bigger dog. You are small.

Bernie unwraps one arm to reach over and scritch Ears gently behind, well, the ears, one at a time.

Banecruncher growls and stands up. For about a fraction of a second, then yowls in pain and falls down as his hindlegs crumple.

Three-Blades flicks her ears to the ahroun, then turn them side-by-side. You cannot stand? That is because you are not a big dog, like this one. If you can be like this one, be big dog, then you can stand. Her jaws go down to the bandages around her forelimbs, and tear off each wrapping, revealing quite a few angry red wounds that just seem to have been recently gotten. Her amber gaze turns back to the lupus. You see. This one, fights hard. This one is a big dog, and big dogs fight to protect territory. You, you not a big dog. You lay here and whine. You cannot stand and show this one you are bigdog. Her lips lift in a testing show of teeth. Show this one you are a big dog.

Ears leans into Bernie slightly, and watches Yi with a half surprised, half awed expression.

Joey slips inside, past whatever it is today blocking the chill wind from the church itself in place of doors. To the Lupus noses, the faint smell of cigarette smoke preceeds him, as always. He pauses, just past the entrance, to take in the scene.

Bernie winces slightly as Banecruncher's broken legs fail him, but stays silent, watching Yi avidly and continuing to scritch the Kaz, absently.

Banecruncher yowls in frustration and pain and tries to stand again. You not dog. Frisket not know what you are. You not dog. You strangedog. Like other strangedog. His legs crumple faster than before.

This one is not dog? Three-Blades sneers, literally. Strangedog walk on two legs. This one walks on four. This one is a dog. No... she checks herself. This one is not dog. This one, is wolf. And quite so, as her clearly more pointed muzzle, triangular ears, and long tail point out. And wolf, is bigger than dog. From this one's eyes, it is so. Is this one wrong?

Joey goes around the far edge of the pews, seeing that getting in the middle of this little conflict with the confusing speeches is a bad thing. He sidles down the pew, towards the folks in Homid.

Banecruncher lets out a frustrated growl. Frisket knows what he saw. Frisket knows what he smells. You not dog. You strangething. You like one who says she friend. He drags himself toward Three-Blades, snarling with intent to bite one of those strangething legs, dragging his broken legs behind him.

Bernie pulls her attention from the others long enough to wave a hand slightly and wordlessly to Joey before looking back to the drama at hand.

Three-Blades snorts and sidesteps one pace, away from the pew and turns to face the ahroun. The length of her stride carries her just centimeters from the ahroun's jawsnapping range. If he wants to bite her, he'll have to get up and go after. Or, shift so his range is bigger. Her tongue lolls, smiling. Whether it is a derisive smile, or just a glad one that Banecruncher is moving somehow, is anyone's guess. This one is strange, because this one is bigger and better. This one is wolf. And wolf, is bigger than a small, hurt, dog.

Ears's tongue lolls slightly. Go no moon go, she mutters.

Banecruncher growls and stretches toward the irritating strangething. He's leaving a trail of blood behind him on the floor where bits of bone are sticking out of his hindlegs. Stupid strangething. Frisket fix!

Joey scoots in next to Bernie, giving Max and Kaz a thumbs up as well. "Ok," he says, sotto-vocce to Bernie. "What in hell is going on?"

Ears tilts her head at Joey's voice, and explains, Banecruncher thinks he's back before he Changed. He's nice and fucked in the head, he is.

Three-Blades snorts again, half-rearing on her paws and then stomping down again. This action doesn't even bring a wince to her face. ~Ears, Reads, Smokes... watch the door,~ she growls under her breath as 'Frisket' comes towards her. Fix this one's answers, show this one you can be bigger than me. Her back paw takes one step back. Still out of jawsnap range.

Ears leans into Bernie again, and then heaves herself to her feet, padding backwards a bit so that she is, in fact, in front of the former wooden doors.

"Shee-it," Joey mutters. He hops over the back of the pew, ruffling Bernie's hair beforehand, as he shifts downward, joining Kaz by the doors.

Bernie nods slightly to Joey, muttering, "...yeah, what she said, I think..." She lets her feet down to the ground, releasing her knees, and stands, following Ears toward the doors.

Banecruncher drags himself toward the tormenting strangething. His snarling is growing much more vehement. Frisket kill! He pulls himself toward Three-Blads, and somehow is in mid-leap toward her - and definitely larger.

NOT FRISKET! barks Three-Blades in loud triumph with a quick hop off and to the side as Banecruncher shifts to get at her, barely escaping jaws and claws. She seems to be backing towards the basement or its vicinity, drawing the ahroun further into the church bowels. Frisket is not a strangedog! You strangedog now!

Banecruncher growls and charges after the taunting strangedog.

Smokes-the-Weed turns his muzzle back to Ears. You are right. This is fucked up.

Ears says, dryly, You noticed.

Bernie nods, still watching, and runs a hand nervously through her curls again.

Three-Blades would almost be dancing and barking joyfully, were it not that Banecruncher is trying to rip her throat out. Every time the ahroun makes a lunge, she jumps back and away. Her path seems already plotted out, taking the ahroun up towards the altar over the steps.

Banecruncher stays on the no-moon's trail, snarling with intent to do serious injury. Of course, chasing someone while healing is not a recommended procedure - by the time he gets as far as the altar, he's wobbling unsteadily, but still snarling and promising to use her guts to clean his teeth - or something like that.

Three-Blades jumps up onto the altar, landing lightly despite the weight of hispo. Her tail swishes down, wiping off the altar top and its dust in a quick motion. This makes the surface just barely shine in the fullmoon light streaming through the grimy windows. Look! You are big, strangedog now! Her bottom half hops off the altar, and waiting for Banecruncher to leap up onto the wide counter.

Smokes-the-Weed asks the others by him, not interrupting Yi or Cruncher as they...talk out their differences. Any idea who or what did this to him?

Banecruncher snarls and manages to get his front end on the altar. Frisket....

Ears isn't sure of all of the details, but a weaver vehicle of the authorities hit him, and he let one of his twolegs get hurt, and he's just a mess.

Three-Blades is now completely muzzle to muzzle with Banecruncher. Look down, you silly strangedog. Look, Frisket! Are you really just a dog? Are you really? Smell, Frisket! Smell the strangedog scent you have! Her barks echo in the church's interiors as she slides up her paws towards her chest, wiping off even the grimy layer her tail missed to reveal the fading polish to the altar.

Bernie shakes her head, murmuring, "..all I know's what she said, an' halfa that 'cause she jus' said it..."

Banecruncher stares at the light of the moon and lets out a rage-filled growl. His hindlegs, now that he's not trying to leap all over the church, begin healing. He swipes at the taunting Three-Blades with a forepaw and all the strength he has behind it.

Three-Blades dodges low, the forepaw clipping the furtips of her ears. Banecruncher is going to /have/ to look down if he's going to see her...

Banecruncher finds himself spinning and falling off the altar as the no-moon avoids his blow. When he hits, it's hard enough to rattle the pews, all the way to the back of the church.

Bernie winces again at the impact. "Ooh..." she murmurs the requisite line, apparently to herself, "...that hadda hurt."

Three-Blades meanwhile, shifts down to a much more nimble, as well as smaller form. Now she's really the smaller dog. Crouching on her paws, she backs up waiting for the ahroun to act.

Ears grunts. Maybe it'll knock some sense into him. Cynical? Kaz?

Banecruncher lays there for a moment, growling and shaking his head while he gets his breath back, then stands up on four good legs and casts about for that annoying no-moon. Where are you, Three-Blades? I'm gonna use your head for a basketball.

Ears's ears perk up. /Awright/!

Smokes-the-Weed's tail wags. That did work.

Three-Blades? You call this one's name! You know this one, don't you? She barks this from her crouched position behind the altar. Find me, Gaia warrior. Her form, though no one sees, starts blurring in the grimy scattered moonlight.

Bernie grins at the use of Yi's name, bouncing lightly on her toes, though -- unable to see her behind the altar -- she's still trying to figure out how the older raggie's going to get out of this...

Banecruncher grrrrs and leaps for the top of the altar. Of course I know you. You still stink of fish, too. He sniffs for the no-moon's trail.

Three-Blades whuffles softly. Of course, warrior of Gaia. One-Rage never minded the stench... or do you not remember him? He laughs at you from Gaia's arms, you silly fullmoon. Her body is crouched nearly beneath Bane's paws, tense and ready to dart.

Smokes-the-Weed visibly winces, as Three-Blades really tries to piss Baney off. he turns to the cub. You might want to shift forms. This could get evil in a minute.

Banecruncher snarls angrily and leaps for the scent of Three-Blades. Nothing coherent. Just rage.

Bernie nods, and sets her bag down before melting through most of her forms.

Smokes-the-Weed gives off a doggy sigh. I hate being right. All the time, day after day...

Ears snuffles at Bernie's bag curiously.

Three-Blades does indeed dart from her spot in a blur quite nimble and swift in her lupine form. Her small body also adds to her advantage. If Bane's gonna catch her, he has to be accurate. And Rage somehow clouds the eyes with that fine red haze. Are you going to kill the one you in the past wished to pack with? You would kill the tribe sister of One-Rage-in-Shadows? Her barks come out as she spins to the front of the altar just as Banecruncher leaps to the back.

Reads-In-Dark snorts lightly at Smokes, with something resembling a smile. Annoying, isn't it? Her bag smells of paper, snack foods, and a touch of photo chemicals at present, not to mention the lingering cigarette smoke steeped into it. She continues to watch, gaze darting after the participants.

Ears asks, Can I have a Ding Dong?

Smokes-the-Weed is watching, but chuffs a reply to Reads as he does. It is. It drives Legbreaker crazy. He sniffs at the bag himself. How is Speaks-In-Circles doing, anyway?

Banecruncher spins as he hits the floor and sniffs after the no-moon. Pack? You got to live long enough to be in pack. He sinks to the floor and creeps as stealthily as something that size can, in the direction of Three-Blades' scent.

Three-Blades smirks in her blurry furry form. And I have, fullmoon. I pack with Avalon, and we fight for Gaia. Or have you forgotten the meaning to being Garou? Have you forgotten the you /are/ Garou? Her paws take her back to the side of the wide altar opposite where Banecruncher sniffs.

Reads-In-Dark nods slightly to Ears, incongruous as the gesture is in lupus, and tears her attention from the chase long enough to nose her backpack into position and gingerly bite the zipper of the mid-sized pocket, pulling it open enough to stick her nose in and withdraw a Ding Dong. She carries the prize very carefully in her teeth, setting it down before Ears, and then addresses Smokes, not bothering to reclose the bag for now. He was hurt at the revel, but Sepdet fixed. Better now... She looks back to the show, adding that the same is true for Yi.

Ears manages to rip open the bag without needing hands, and then noses one of the Dongs out. She pauses to watch Yi, for a moment, before she eats the snack.

Smokes-the-Weed whuffs to the cub, his expression of a nod, and turns back to the chase.

Banecruncher thumps on his ass with a miserable whine. Betrayed. How can I fight for Gaia? I can't even be trusted to protect my twoleg? Should have stuck to killing banes and not tried to protect twoleg. Then she wouldn't have been hurt.

Three-Blades flickers her ears, the whine reaching her sharp sense of hearing. She straightens from her crouch, and nimbly hops up to the altar and finds the ahroun there. Everyone is hurt sometime, Crunchdog. We fight for Gaia, by protecting the ones we are loyal to. Killing banes is just one way of fighting. Another, is by stopping your whining, and getting back to what you do right. And that, is being Gaia's warrior, unshakable, and unbreakable. Her form slowly blurs back to reality, the small dark lupus gazing down towards the fullmoon.

Banecruncher whimpers miserably. Then I wouldn't have hurt her.

It was a mistake. The Rage of our kind brings such. Only last night, the Garou were hurt more because they frenzied on each other in the fight. It is control you must seek. That's what I tell Trouble. Control.

Ears adds, in a whurf, And the only way to make up for fucking up, is to do it right the /next/ time.

Right! the cub agrees, in a short, quiet bark.

Banecruncher must find Defiant-Shadow. I must pay for what I did.

Ears offers, I got the Rite that finds people, if you want.

Three-Blades licks her muzzletip, gazing down at Banecruncher. Then we will help you find her, Crunchdog. Ears has the rite. This one does too. Is she the one this one saw before, with your twolegs?

Banecruncher knows where she lives. She is the one. The one with the loud two-wheel.

Three-Blades hops down in front of Banecruncher, tail swishing lightly. Your goal is to admit, and move on. Accept the punishment, but you must continue. Defiant's Shadow may not let you go easy, but if you surrender honorably she should. It is the way. Do you /want/ to move on?

Reads-In-Dark sits down beside her bag, tail wagging slightly, glad to see things appearing ot get resolved.

Banecruncher does not deserve easy. Would have killed who did it if I had found them.

This one is no half-moon, Three-Blades replies with a low rumble. You full moons kill first, ask questions later. We no-moons ask questions while we kill. Her ears flick. Control, Crunchdog. You did not control yourself before. Now, you must learn.

Banecruncher needs to hunt. Needs to find banes to kill.

Ears finds the Dong again, munches it, and then picks the bag up, moving slightly so as to let Banecruncher past.

Three-Blades thumps her tail against the altar. If you want to kill banes, then seek your alpha, and ask for the nearest nest. If you want to come with this one down into the blight underground, then join up. This one searches for others as well.

Ears whurfs. Yo.

Banecruncher rumbles. About time. I have waited for Defiant-Storm to say when our next hunt is and have heard nothing.

Reads-In-Dark sits quiet again, watching the others.

Ears finishes the other Ding Dong, as well.

Three-Blades leaps up and over the altar, and looks back at Banecruncher. Defiant-Storm leads Fenris' Teeth, a pack of Get. She would be one to call upon to the hunt. This one announced it at moot, while you were licking your paws here. She opens her jaws in a grin. It is good to see our brother back.

Ears puts in, ~A fuckin' men.~

Banecruncher throws a tired growl at Three-Blades. Gonna get your tail bit off one of these days.

But she did it! Reads-In-Darkness defends her fellow ragabash, rather proudly. Then, judging herself not particularly needed here, she nudges Ears lightly with her muzzle. Go talk?

Ears blinks faintly. Sure. Where you want to go?

Three-Blades trots up to Ears and Reads, snuffling them both and then whurfing back to Banecruncher. It is ok. The tail will grow back, as long as this one remembers to shift herself. She laughs, a low whuffle. Her black ears flicker jauntily atop her skull. Speaking of shift, this one still has to heal. Her gaze turns down to her forelimbs as she grows back up to hispo. Licking the cub and the galliard, she bounds back over towards the ahroun and heads to the basement. Good nightfall, you three.

Banecruncher throws a swat at Three-Blades and rumbles warm appreciation.

Hmmm. Always the hard questions. The cub considers a few moments, cocking her head. Sleep well, Three-Blades. ...no particular place. Park? Anywhere all right.

Three-Blades lets herself be swatted with a tight yip and lick across the ahroun's topside muzzle before loping downstairs.

Ears brushes against Yi as she leaves. Sleep well. And good job. She studies Bernie. OK. Park. Shifting upwards, she tells Banecruncher, "Yo, hey, see you later, yeah?" and is gone out the 'door'.

~And remember, Control!~ comes the last few barks of Three-Blades floating up to remind the ahroun before she takes up her spot in the corner of the basement below.

Reads-In-Dark shifts up herself, rezipping her backpack and pulling it onto her shoulder as she regains her birthform, and smiles at Banecruncher as she, too, heads through the hanging tarps.

Bernie walks from the church to the park, the full moon caused energy evident as she can't quite seem to decide whether she wants to follow just behind Kaz, or to the right, or left, or, as they enter the fountain area, in front, walking backwards and somehow managing not to trip, at least so far. "So basic'ly," she begins, by way of some sort of explanation, "...I was wonderin' 'bout th' Park. 'cause people've been givin' me contradictory info an' all." She shifts the bag on her shoulder, and turns just before she'd run into a bench, taking a seat on it instead. The antsiness influences her choice of position, balancing on the back of the bench with her feet planted firmly on the seat.

Kaz has stuffed her hands in her pockets and walks pretty much a straight line, letting Bernie rotate around her. The events of the last hour or so are still playing in her head uncomfortably, but at mention of the park, though, she turns her attention fully on Bernie, brightening slightly in ways she doesn't even realize, in her posture, in her tone, in her step. "Yah? What about it?"

"Wanna know more 'bout it," Bernie replies, slipping her backpack off her shoulder and letting it plop on the bench between her feet. "History, et cet'ra... an' what th' status of it is with Us." Audible capital letter on the last word. "'s it someone's Territory? An' if so, how come -I'm- th' sanitation engineer?" Despite the evident edge of annoyance and frustration, she keeps the tone mostly cheerful, and definitely curious.

Well, ask a question... "Well, ok. I dunno the history before the Caern opened, but aways after it got re-opened, th' pack Crossing -- th' one Chaser th' Get used t'belong to, an' Moon Laughs Quiet th' Gaian -- they beat up this Wyrmy kid, an' Cleansed the place. Made it into a Glade. A place've Wyld in the damn City. Check out th' Umbra here sometime, th' place is far freakin' out. Anyway, so they saved it, I dunno whose territory it was after that. No one's, I think. Because for a long time, 'cause of its bein' a Glade, it's been Sept Protectorate, open to everyone. Untouchables, the pack Kyle the Get and my packmate Cutter were in, they protected it, kinda as a service to th' Sept, but it wasn't their territory. Them an' Edge -- my old pack -- they kinda kept buttin' heads over it, 'cause Edge, we didn't think they was takin' good enough care of it. But anyways, it ain't had no official protectors since the Plant blew up and Untouchables broke up. I think th' new Fenris pack wanna patrol it some, but I ain't seen them much around, y'know? An' I pay /attention/ t'this place." There's a short pause. "You do good stuff here, Bern."

Bernie listens closely, not interrupting, and nods a bit, particularly at the part about the Fenris pack. "Th' other day, when I was here t' pick up trash an' all, only Joey an' then also Matt were here so I was also talkin' t' them, Rina was askin' me whose territory it was, an' I said, mostly jokin', y'know, Mine? an' that I heard it was, like, communal property. An' she said I better talk t' Kyle 'bout that 'cause he and some other Get chick were here a lot, an' I said, kinda like you jus' then, that he can't be here -that- much 'f I've never seen th' guy, right? So, yeah, that's onea th' reasons I was wond'rin' more. An' thanks," she adds, the hint of a blush making an appearance, "...I try. Matt said, when I'm Rited, I oughta try an' start a pack t' take carea it, an' I thought that was a pretty good idea, only Joey said he wan'ed t' do that one time, an' they said he could'n'..." Let's see, a subject she cares about, when she's got too much energy... the monologue could go on for hours. Fortunately, she notices she's babbling, and pauses, long enough for another part of the information to register clearly: "'s th' Umbra here nice, then? I haven' gone t' see it, 'cause... well, 'cause I said I wouldn't, 'cause I didn' know 'f it'd be, like, way dangerous."

Kaz listens, nodding. She's not nearly as ebullient, but she's by no means sullen. And this /is/ the park they're talking about, after all. "Well, Fenrir's Teeth, yeah, whatever, but Kyle says they don' actually claim th' place. They just take care of it, supposedly. So you guys, you could, too. Share it, kinda." She sounds only fainly dubious about the idea. "Anyways, talk t'Brian about it. I mean. Once you're Rited. An'..." She trails off. "Well, keep me posted, on the pack shit, huh?" At Bernie's last question, she glances up at the moon. "Well, fuck, no time like the present, is there?"

"'kay," Bernie replies, with a quick nod, "...an' no present like th' time, 'f you ask Timex anyhow..." She grins widely, glancing up as well, "so you'd take me t' see it? Tha'd be cool... an' someday I gotta act'ly meet his Brian guy. I mean, I've seen him a couple times, but we haven' ever been introduced or anythin'. So prolly I should do that b'fore I ask him 'bout this stuff..." She gradually trails off into her own musings, and shakes her head, pulling attention back to the important things at hand.

Kaz says, vaguely, "Prolly, though he ain't real easy t'have a random conversation with," as she searches out a puddle of water somewhere out of common sight. "C'mon, yeah?" She crouches, and reaches over, shifting even as she's fading away.

Bernie hides her backpack quickly in the bushes, where no one's foudn it yet, at least, and follows suit...

Ears has shifted to Crinos a bit reflexively, warily.

Bernie turns around slowly, looking at the park wide-eyed, mouth slightly open before she breaks into a huge grin, and stares at the fountain a few moments before laughing a little, and shaking her head. "'s beautiful," she declares, "...I -hafta- show Matt this, he thought it'd be all icky over here..." A thought strikes her, and she glances over to the other Gnawer. "Li'l Tim said, this was almost made inta a Gnawer caern, one time?"

Ears grins, toothily, watching her -- though some of her attention is, always, on the surroundings. At the cub's question, she slaps her head. ~Shit yes. Don't know much about it. Need to ask him, soon. Him or Chugs. But bout 4-5 years ago, Gnawers and Sept didn't get along. So, we were gonna branch out.~ She shrugs. ~Didn't happen. More's the pity.~

Bernie nods, still grinning like a maniac, and heads closer to the fountain, regarding it intently. "Yeah, he said I oughta talk t' Junior's dad 'bout th' park, only I haven' met him yet. Startin' t' think he's, like, San'a Claus," she tease, "or th' Tooth Fairy." She leans over to touch the fountain, and shakes her head slightly, murmuring to herself, possibly just audible, "...'s jus' like th' pictures... cool..."

~Yeah,~ Kaz says, only slightly bitterly, ~He invites me into his fuckin' pack and then he up and disappears on us.~ After a moment, she pads a bit closer to the fountain, and asks, ~Pictures?~

Bernie blinks, and straightens partway, startled. Good ears. She nods, looking back to the fountain again, "Yeah... been doin' research on th' park for a while, y'know? Th' everyone sidea its history, 's well as the just us side. 'cause I'm a book nerd an' I -like- that kinda thing," she adds, with a quick grin.

Well, she's Ears, after all. The metis doesn't seem to think research is a horrible thing at all. ~Rockin'. I spend s'much time gettin' our side, I forget theirs.~ She sighs, looking at the fountain.

Bernie regards Kaz thoughtfully for a few moments, biting her bottom lip lightly as she considers. "...'s wrong?" she asks.

Kaz shrugs. ~Fuckin' city ain't puttin' th' same effort int' repairin' the fountain on that side as th' spirits are on this side, that's all. Feels like a damn scar.~

Bernie nods, and runs a hand through her curls, considering another moment before deciding to take the leap. "I know," she replies softly, watching the metis closely, "...that's why I am. Please don't tell anyone, a'ight? 's a secret. I wanna see people look surprised. I was only gonna recruit cubs t' help, but I dunno there's enough of us now. Wanna help?"

Ears blinks, slowly, once and then twice, and then, for the first time, drags all of her attention onto Bernie. ~You're doin' what?~ She doesn't seem positive she heard what she thinks she heard.

"Fixin' it," the cub replies, determination plain in her voice. "Obviously it c'n be done, right? I know how it useta look an' how it looks under th' plywood, so I know th' What. Now I'm workin' on th' How."

Ears says, on the heels of this, ~Well, I'm in.~ Hell, try and stop her. ~I won' step on none of your toes, but you want grunt work or anythin', I'll help. Or research, f'that matter.~

Bernie grins widely again, this time directly at Ears. "Cool," she replies, simple, "...thanks. Matt knows, an' 'licia, but no one else. Like I said, I'm tryin' t' keep it small as possible." The grin gains a touch of mischief as she adds, "..'s like reverse vandalism."

Ears mutters, ~Random kindness and senseless acts of beauty,~ and nods. ~Protectin' and improvin' th' places you love, I'll drink t'that.~ Raising her hand (paw) and crossing her index and middle fingers (claws) she says, ~Ain't sayin' nothin'.~

Bernie bounces lightly on the balls of her feet once, excited, and nods. "Cool," she repeats. "I'll letcha know soon as I figure out th' best next step, then." She regards the fountain again, grinning at it, and then the rest of the the park, with a light, happy sigh.

Ears goes back to being vaguely alert to her surroundings, though the cub's happiness continues to bring a quiet grin to her eyes. After a moment of just watching Bernie, she adds, ~By the way, Reads? Thanks.~

"...for what?" Bernie queries, surprised again, glancing over her shoulder to Ears.

Ears shrugs. ~Givin' a shit when other people don't, and not only that, usin' that energy've yours to fuckin' follow /up/ on what you give a shit about.~

Bernie blushes slightly, but smiles. "...'s nothin'," she replies, "...or you're welcome. Or both. Thanks for takin' me here... people've talked 'bout doin' it b'fore, but no one did, y'know?"

Ears says, ~I'm all into that actin' when you got the right moment thing. Grab me more often, I'll take you on patrol with me. Past time you run into some action anyways.~

Bernie looks slightly less enthusiastic at the prospect of action, but nods gamely. "Yeah, 's prolly 'bout time I hadda close encounter of th' Wyrm kind, I guess... what kinda things d'you tend t' run inta on patrol anyhow?"

Ears studies Bernie. ~You gotta understand, Reads, I ain't just talkin' banes and shit. I'm talkin' people tryin' to stomp on each other. I'm talkin' drug dealers takin' advantage of folks. I'm talkin' makin' sure your territory's -lived in right-. That's the kinda stuff, no offense to your physical prowess, that I assume'd be your bread'n butter.~ After a short pause, she adds, ~I mean, yeah, you gotta beat up banes, and I can go on and on about that, and the slimy things I run into, that look like them gelatinous cubes, or the spiny ones that sting like shit, or the ones that you can't touch, an' gotta kill with Mindspeak. An' we'll have t'tromp some've them. It just ain't the only thing goin', thass all.~

Bernie does, in fact, look slightly relieved. Acid-venomed bugs and stuff just seem slightly more threatening -outside- the pages of the Monster Manual. "...sounds sorta like school. Only more so. Tryin' t' make people not take 'vantage of people, I mean." She pauses, brow furrowing slightly. "...these gelatinous cubes... they got a paralyzin' touch an' eat organic material like they're amoebas?"

Ears considers. ~Well, I ain't met one that does, yet, but that don't mean the Wyrm won't think it up soon.~

Bernie nods, looking slightly disappointed. "'s too bad, I might know how t' kill 'em if they were th' same as in AD&D..." She grins, and adjusts her glasses. "Anyway... we should prolly go back, I guess, 'fore it ends up bein', like, dawn. Thanks 'gain... 's it okay 'f I come here by myself, by th' way?"

Ears glances up at the moon. ~Till it's jus' slightly over half moon, yeah. Don' trust it after that. An' if you happen to wanna go when there's people around, bring company. I don' go Umbral around here much without backup.~

Bernie glances up as well, and nods, smiling almost as brightly as the moon again. "Cool," she replies, and stays in silence for a few more minutes before they make their way back to the other side.