Alicia heads out of the kitchen, with a tray of sandwiches and a soda. With a slight yawn, she slips down to the couch and plops the articles in her lap, glancing about the living room. "Man.. I miss TV.."

The door opens, Bernie slips in, and it quickly closes again, right behind her. She steps into the room, glancing about, her jacket, oddly enough, zipped shut. That's unusual. She smiles a bit as she sees Alicia, and wanders toward the couch, hands in her pocket. "Hey, heya 'lish. 'sup?"

Alicia leans back on the couch, poking a sandwich with a finger. "Oh, not much. Just got back from the compound, fixing a quickie sandwich, then back out again." She eyes the jacket being zipped up, the hands in her pocket. "Cold outside?"

Bernie glances down toward her chest, and blushes slightly. "...yeah, 's a li'l chilly out..." She drops down beside the Galliard on the couch, "...gotta message for ya."

Eamon waves. "Hey there."

Alicia raises a brow, leaning forward a bit as she passes the tray to the side. "You are blushing... you got a shirt under there, right?" She teases, leaning over to poke her friend. "Message? Uh oh.. I gotta be outta town by sunset right?"

"Of course I do!" Bernie exclaims, looking and sounding almost scandalized, and breaks off completely as Eamon enters and greets them. "....hey," she replies, fighting her blush.

Alicia smiles, one arm drawing around Bernie's shoulders as she scoots closer, giving a firm hug. "Hey Eamon-Rhya. How are you doing?"

Eamon shrugs. "Pretty good, and you? Guess you're glad to have your elder back in town, eh?"

Bernie hugs back, and snags one of the other girl's sandwiches, falling silent for the moment.

Alicia nods her head. "For both of them. Andrea, and NightFlash. I can't wait to start learning from them again. I'm real excited."

Eamon grins. "Yeah, cool. Hey, either of you seen Megan around lately?"

Alicia shakes her head slowly, a no.

Bernie laughs, after swallowing, "I spent over a month livin' here just 'bout every night, an' I =never=, not =once=, got t' meet this mythical Megan. Someone told me she was a certain person I saw at th' moot, afterward, but I'm not convinced it isn't just all a big ol' hoax..."

Alicia grins in agreement. "I've been here since November an never met her either."

Eamon chuckles. "Well, she's Gatekeeper, so she has to stay on the bawn. She might be up in her room. I gotta go talk to her about some stuff."

Bernie nods a little. "Could be," she grants, and eyes the stolen sandwich. Glancing to the Gaian's tray again, she checks for drinks to snag to wash it down.

Alicia chuckles and hands her untouched soda to Bernie, then crosses her legs. "Mmm... Well, what does she do? Jump in an out of the window? Cuz' I never see her at all."

Eamon shrugs. "Dunno. Maybe she goes out through the Umbra."

Alicia nods her head a bit, bobbing, then glances to Bernie. "So.. you have a message for me?" She asks softly.

Bernie accepts the soda with a grin to her friend, and pops it open, taking a gulp. "Yup," she replies, eyes darting toward Eamon for a moment, "...I do." No more elaboration than that. Either she doesn't want to deliver it in front of others, or she's just being a ragabash pain.

Alicia nods her head and smiles brightly to Eamon, then looks to Bernie. "You want to deliver this to me at the Barn then?"

Shoes scuffle against the porch. Allie steps in, looking tired, dirty, and there are a few scratches on her face and neck. "Hey," she says.

Eamon grins and waves at Allie. "Hey there. Where you been, chasin' squirrels or somethin'?"

Allie arches a brow. "No. Fightin' Wyrm-things," she says, and shrugs. "Back in the city. I don't need to worry about it, though -- I'm leaving next month."

Bernie considers, and nods. "...yeah, works for me..." she trails off at the new entry, regarding the girl curiously.

Alicia glances over to Allie, standing up. "Um... You are coming back, right?" She asks.

Allie just shrugs. "I don't know. My mom's in California -- Sept of the Ancient Giants. And she wants me to come with her. I haven't seen her since I was like ten," she says, twiddling her hair through her fingers. Then, she offers a small smile. "I'm a Strider. I'm sure I'll be back."

Eamon tsks. "Man, that sucks. Sure you don't wanna hang around here anymore?"

Bernie stands as well, and smiles at the stranger, shifting the soda so she can offer a hand to her. "Well, hey. Might as well meetcha b'fore ya dis'pear... Bernie Rosenberg, sometimes called Reads-in-Darkness, Ragabash Gnawer cub."

Allie keeps the smile, glancing to Eamon. "Like I said -- I'm a Strider. I'll be back." Her attention draws to Bernie, and she grins. "Hey. Allison Gardiner. Guides-the-Dead or Heart-of-Truth -- or, if you're Sepdet, Ma'at-yib. Philodox Silent Strider. Cliath. Nice t' meet you."

Alicia purses her lips in thought, then offers a quick smile. "Well, just hurry home then Allie." With that, she makes her way into the kitchen. "Meet ya at the barn Bernie."

Eamon nods. "Okay. Too bad, though."

Bernie blinks a moment, and then grins. "Ohh... well, niceta meetcha too, Allie. Hope t' see ya 'round...." That said, she waves, and follows Alicia toward the back of the house, and out.

"I'm leavin' around April. I'm teaching Milah a gift and then I guess I'm gonna go," Allie says, almost sadly.

[Big Red Barn]

Alicia heads inside and hops onto a haybale, glancing expectantly over to Bernie.

Bernie hops up beside Alicia, and shifts to get comfy. "A'ight," she says, "simple message, but just in case, I dunno, figured I might 's well give it t' ya privately. Anyway. N'vada says, he's sorry."

Alicia blinks her eyes a bit, then lets out a sigh. "Oh... gee'. Um..tell him that I'm sorry too then?" She asks, biting her lip.

Bernie nods, looking the slightest bit lost. "Yeah, a'ight. I'll pass it on. Y'guys have a fight or somethin'?"

Alicia shakes her head. "Nuh uh, just.. a bad joke that went..a bit too far." She says softly. "I should apologize to Cameron also."

Bernie arches a brow slightly at her friend. "Oh, yeah? What'd y' do to 'im this time? Not another knee t' th' groin or anythin'?"

Alicia shakes her head. "I kinda..went off on him for bringing Summer into the know 'bout us, before he let his Elders know. I was afraid he'd get in trouble you know... " She says softly. "I know that veil breeches, even with kin is a big no no..an that you can get killed for it. He got mad an we started to yell at each other an he kinda hinted I was jealous."

"Huh," Bernie remarks, regarding the Galliard for a few moments as she considers it. "....well. Are you?"

Alicia clears her throat a bit. "One second he's kissing me an grabbing my ass, the next he's swooning over this blonde." She snorts. "No.. I'm not jealous.."

"...y'kinda sound it," Bernie remarks, as gently as she can manage. "An' isn't that kinda an exaggeration? 'cause it's been, like, a week or more since y'kneed him for that kinda stuff... right?"

Alicia clears her throat a bit, wetting her lips as she fails to respond to her question, letting the silence speak for her.

Bernie tilts her head at Alicia, arching a brow in equally silent question.

Alicia blurts out. "I'm not jealous."

Bernie shifts her position a little, and gives Alicia a sidelong glance. "...not even a li'l bit, huh?" She glnces down to the toes of her dangling boots, and sighs softly. "...I kinda was," she admits quietly, blush returning faintly.

Alicia raises a brow. "You were jealous of Summer and Cameron? Why... I mean, you have Matt, an he's way better looking then Cameron." She blinks once. "An no, I'm not jealous of him, but just the other day he was kissing me again, and I just... feel weird 'bout that. I like to play with him, but he's always the one who kisses."

Bernie shakes her head. "Nah. Not of Cameron. Just..." She reaches up and runs a hand through her curls. "'cause. She's kin, an' she's Fianna, -an'- she's all pretty an' shit, an'... I dunno... I guess... I jus' felt like..." She sighs, and shakes her head. "'s nothin'. Never mind. Cam's still kissin' ya? An' he's still got all his parts in workin' order?" She sounds a bit surprised.

Alicia nods her head and smirks. "Yah well... if he tries it again, I'm telling his new girlfriend, an don't worry 'bout 'er. I think Matt likes you for who ya' are, not fo' ya looks, which I may add, are not that bad." She smiles, wrapping her arms around you. "Hey, I kissed ya didn't I?" She teases.

Bernie laughs a little, and hugs back. "Yeah, an' =there's= somethin' I'm not gonna forget for a while..." She shakes her head a bit, half-smiling.

Alicia grins at her, then traces her fingers up her back a bit, teasing softly. "Is it something you may wanna do again?" Heh, what is she getting at?

Bernie adds, after a second, "...so Cam an' Summer, they 'fficially an item now, then? 'cause yesterday, I thought they kinda see-" She breaks off. "Uh..." Whoosh goes the blush, straight to tomatoville. "...well, hey, I guess if I felt like kissin' anyone without a Y chromosome, I'd go t' you first."

Alicia smiles and squeezes her around the shoulders, then leans forward, gently kissing her cheek, the end of her lips. Softly whispering, she says. "Cool.. and I'm sure at this rate, either Cam or Steven will get to her first."

"Steven wants Cam t' have her," Bernie remarks, still blushing. "Think he thinks she'll keep him outta trouble... an' I'm pretty sure they were pretty int'rested in each other, judgin' from yesterday." Slight pause, "...not t' mention she always looks like she thinks Big'n'Scary's liable t' eat her."

Alicia grins and says softly against your cheek. "Cameron is intrested in anything with a pair of tits." Leaning back, she arches her arms up, popping the joints in her back. "Mmm..."

Bernie laughs. "Nuh-uh," she replies, "he's not int'rested in =me=, an', no 'ffense or anythin', but I'm bustier'n all y'all..." She shrugs, and grins, feeling better, though she still looks a tad embarrassed, and fiddles with the hem of her jacket a tad.

Alicia giggles and reaches over, tugging the zipper of your jacket down. Curious has gotten the best of her, and she's been dying to figure out what it is she's hiding!

Bernie squeaks as Alicia unzips her jacket, and tries to fight it a moment before giving up. She sits on her haybale, beside the other girl, looking a mite sheepish. "Dammit, 'lish," she chides the other girl, blushing, but not sounding too upset, really.

Alicia grins and blinks, glancing down at her shirt. "Woah... Hey Bernie, that looks real good on you. Showing off a bit eh?" She winks, nudging her with an elbow. "If you ever wanna borrow one of my halters, I'd be glad to give one to ya."

Matt eases open the barn door, tucking a cigarette butt into his pocket.

Bernie's blush deepens, though she looks pleased at the compliment. "Y'think? I liked it, but then I wore it an' I got all, like, shy 'bout it... an' I don't think I could wear onea those, 'lish..." She trails off as the door opens, and perks up -- not that she'd been down -- as Matt enters. "Hey!" she greets him happily, completely forgetting her shirt for the moment.

Alicia smiles and glances over to Matt, grinning. "Hey Matt, checkit' out. Bernie is showing off half her boobs. I think she looks hella hot, what do ya think?" She grins, teasingly tugging down one of the shoulders of her jacket to reveal a bit more of the Ragabash, giggling.

"Hey, Books, Oi...wow." Matt forces his eyes up to meets hers, a goofy grin on his face. "Looks wonderful on you. Looks new, too. Ye been shoppin' wif Alicia?" He scuffs a foot, trying, without too much success, to not make a fool out of himself.

Bernie shoots Alicia a mortified look as the Galliard calls attention to the new shirt.... and so, well, bluntly, too. Matt's reaction, though, distracts her from thoughts of homicide, and she smiles a bit shyly back at him. There is, however, no change in her blush. "Thanks," she replies, reaching up to push the ubiquitous stray curl back into the place behind her ear it refuses to accept as its own, "...an' no, went 'lone, I was pickin' up a few things..."

Alicia grins. "Yah Matt, you should know. If she went shopping with me, she'd be wearing /half/ that shirt." She smiles, teasing Bernie with a poke to her shoulder, then stands up. "So, should I let you two be alone or something?"

Matt snorts. "Aye, there is that. It's all roight. Oi /fink/ Oi can control myself...despite the temptation." His smile is broad, and his eyes keep straying back to that shirt.

Bernie keeps blushing, but grins, and offers Matt the empty spot beside her on the haybale. "...think I'm happier havin' both halves, for now," she remarks to Alicia, before looking back to the Fianna, "....so 'sup? Havva pr'ductive day, an' all?"

Alicia reaches over and picks up the discarded waterbottle she brought in last night after her romp in the Caern. Twisting the cap off, she takes a quick sip, then smiles, pacing around near them. Falling silent, she goes to sipping and listening.

Matt looks up. "Huh? Oh, aye. Not bad. Pretty busy, actually. Remember the twist whot spilled soup on me? She was all--" His voice goes falsetto--"Oh, Oi'm terribly sorry, like, and would it make it up to ye ta buy ye a sandwich fer lunch,"--his voice returns to normal--"and Oi'm all 'Sure, whatever.' So Oi got a french dip and about seventy dollars fer my trouble."

Bernie leaves the spot beside her open, hands settling on the bale on either side of her, and leans forward slightly, partially resting her weight on them. "Yeah? Sounds like a pretty decent deal, overall, then... maybe y'oughta leave some b'nana peels 'round, next time she's servin' soup, mighta d'scovered th' secret to th' fabled free lunch..." she teases, regaining her grin, blush gradually fading.

Alicia takes another sip of her water, then swallows a bit. Smiling to the others, she heads outside without a word.

Yi nearly bumps into Alicia, blinking as the galliard heads out of the barn. She pauses, then looks into the barn. "Yo?"

Matt looks away from Bernie's outfit again at Yi's voice. "'allo, Three-Blades. Doin' well, then?" He sits down next to Bernie on the haybale, sighing as he takes his weight off his feet.

"Hey," Bernie greets the other Ragabash, her boots dangling a bit over the edge of the haybales, not reaching the ground. "'sup, Yi?"

"Not much, yet," Yi replies as she slips into the barn and closes the door behind her. "How was the chat this afternoon? Nevada have any good ideas about the lights?"

Matt wrinkles his forehead. "Loights? Fer the church or somefing?" He seems distracted, and maybe a little hyper.

"For th' sewers," Bernie replies to Matt, then to Yi, "Nah, Chia wasn' really inta it; he told us a li'l 'bout th' Walkers, then he hadda go. Rototiller's workin' on it, though. He's all enthused, an' wantsta do it himself t' prove he's good for somethin'...." She shrugs a little. "So hey, 'long 's he knows what he's doin', I guess."

Yi muses over that. Safe enough to let an ahroun cub handle it? "I suppose..." she thinks aloud, striding towards the haybale. In the darkness and her absentmindedness, she nearly runs into the hanging punching bag in the way. Her body twists just in time as she comes back to reality and she reflexively reaches out and wraps a grip around the bag, swinging with it and coming back to balance like some comical Chan move. After a moment of regaining her footing and some blinking, she eyes the bag. "That's funny... I don't remember this being here. Maybe I've been gone too long."

Matt chuckles. "Careful, they'll sneak up on ye." His eyes twinkle...and return to Bernie's new outfit.

Bernie giggles as well. "That thing's evil, y'know. 's justa big ol' baga malevolence waitin' for a chance t' get revenge for bein' pummeled alla time..." She leans sideways slightly, bumping her shoulder against Matt's a moment, and then sways back.

Yi gives the bag a swift openpalm strike, sending it swinging back a few centimeters, and then coming back at her. The move is followed with a series of rapid strikes, open handed, fisted, towards the top of the bag, middle, bottom, top, bottom, all random yet flowing. After a full exchange of swings, Yi stops the bag, holding it still. She looks the thing over again, as if challenging it again to swing at her. "Sneaky thing, yes," she grins at the two others. Then, she gets a short glint of deja vu. "Never did finish a sparring lesson with you, did I?" She addresses both cubs, despite the original intent meant for Bernie.

Matt looks between Yi and Bernie. "Sounds loike a challenge, ta me, Books. You gonna sit 'ere an' let 'er talk to ye that way?" He grins widely, and as an afterthought, takes off his jacket and sets it on the bale next to him.

That gets a laugh from the younger Ragabash, and she eyes Yi a moment. "Nah, we di'n'," she replies, and follows Matt's lead, slipping off her jacket and laying it carefully beside her, near her backpack. "Guess now's gooda time as any?"

The Canto-Gnawer grins, backing away from the punching bag a few feet. "I'm not sure where we left off, but I suppose it's as good a time as any. Anyone else teach you how to fight?" Yi runs a hand through her hair momentarily, glancing around for some feeling of dimension. Then she looks back to Bernie. "Or we can just have at each other, and that would be enough for something." The memory of her mentor right off laying on his cubs the skills of a martial artist are fresh in her mind, anyway.

Matt grins, glancing between the two Gnawers. He doesn't add anything, but casts a gaze toward Bernie, then the dusty floor of the Barn.

Bernie pushes off from the haybales and drops to the floor, decidedly more lightly than she would have a few months ago. She takes a moment to stretch, pushing both arms overhead and arching her back a second or two before dropping her arms to her sides and taking a step toward Yi, then pausing. "...I've practised some, but there hasn't been a lotta, do =this=, or don' do =that=, y'know? An', two questions, should I take my boots off, an' are we likely t' shift durin' this?" One hand digs into a jeans pocket, coming out with an elastic band within which she swiftly gathers her hair.

Matt admires the stretching, a wistful expression on his face. The conversation brings him back to earth, however, and his focus turns to Yi.

Yi curls her fingers a little, and then releases them in a slow stretch that travels down both her arms and down to her feet. "If you want to shift, I've no problems with it. But even at this stage of the moon, it's probably best to stay in the human forms. If you feel you might frenzy, well, shout it out... before you do." She tilts her head side to side, then peels off her sweater to set in a folded pile on the ground next to the wall. A hand runs through her hair, unchecked by elastics. "Best way to find out where to work on, right?" she smiles, then comes back over and waits for the cub to make the first move, slowly swaying in her stance and then stilling for a steady balance on her feet.

Bernie nods slightly, "'s not that I think I'm gonna frenzy; I mean, I never have 'less y' count th' first change, an' then I was too startled t' stay pissed anyhow... 's just..." A touch of her blush returns as she admit, "'s a new shirt, an' I don' wanna have it get ripped t' pieces =quite= this quick. So, y'know, wan'ed t' know..." She wanders over toward Yi, taking up a position near the other Gnawer and finding her balance, but not making any moves just yet.

Matt tkes time to stretch a bit as well, starting by reaching for his toes and pulling himself down. He looks up as they close, and does a few torso twists as well.

Yi nods slowly, as if wary Bernie might try something amidst the talking. "Promise I won't go for headshots, either, in case your glasses might get in the way..." she trails softly. "Ready when you are." At this she pauses, gives a light bow, and then slips back into her fluid sway.

Bernie pauses suddenly, blinking. "...y'know... I jus' realised, I never fought a girl b'fore?" She grins, and shakes her head, slipping into position again. "Ready," she says, watching Yi closely.

Matt stands, watching as he stretches his legs.

The first move comes quick as Yi strikes low, shooting her left leg in a low roundhouse to trip the nomoon cub right off.

Bernie sees that one barely in time, and manages to step back just out of range. As the foot passes, she steps in past it, and aims a punch toward Yi's abdomen. She's not quite as quick as the other no moon, though, it seems.

The foot sweeps the dust and hay in its windy wake, and Yi kicks up a slight clump of hay on the ground to Bernie's face as the first punch towards her midsection connects with a rotated shoulder. She rolls a foot or so away and back onto her feet.

Matt winces in sympathy, but it isn't clear who he's wincing for. His grin grows wider. Neck rolls and side bends, next.

Bernie steps back warily, eyes on Yi, ready to attack if she sees an opening. This is already harder than fighting the guys she used to; they tended to be quite predictable. And as untrained as she was. And slower...

Yi has adopted a very calm, quiet way of going about this. Swift and silent, like an eagle diving from above, she leaps at Bernie with a full on frontal kick towards the middle of the cub's chest. She didn't say anything about not getting a little dirt on that green tanktop...

Now, see, that's exactly the sort of thing they never did... the kick, that is. Full-bore frontal assaults, though, those they were big on... The move startles the cub long enough that it does successfully connect, right in the center of her breastbone, knocking her down. An aborted attempt to block it actually works out in Bernie's favour, though, as she grabs onto the leg as it hits, holding on with all her might, trying to take the other Ragabash down with her.

Matt stops stretching for a second. He winces again, and it's pretty clear that this time, it's for Bernie. He just stands, taking in Yi's fluid style. No one he knows fights like this.

Yi has had problems with front assaults too, especially when she is the giving end. As the two of them go down, she twists her body almost cat-like, planting a hand on the ground but bending at the wrist to absorb impact while her free foot kicks out at the base of Bernie's wrist to the hand holding her captured foot.

Kicking has always served Bernie well before, especially once the fight's ended up on the ground. Yi, unfortunately, is not equipped to properly appreciate what the cub would usually try about now, so Bernie goes for something slightly different. The younger ragabash rolls onto her side a bit, still gripping Yi's leg tightly, and aims a boot to the small of the Canto-Gnawer's back, handily close to the right distance away. Of course, this leaves her with no defense from Yi's own kick, and there's a muffled yelp as shoe connects with upper forearm, the pain loosening that hand's grip.

Matt sits back down on the hay, trying to see without getting in the way (or the line of fire).

Boots hurt. That evident even as Yi hisses in pain while she jerks her foot away to free it and again rolls away. While the typist would never be able to do it in real life, Yi can, kicking her feet up and out followed by the rest of the body until she's back on her feet. Dang Asians and their martial arts. She briefly touches a hand to her back, eyeing Bernie on the ground with a short smile. "Nice hit," she says, waiting for the cub to get back up.

In Bernie's limited experience, once the fight moves to the ground, the combatants don't generally get up again until the proctors yanks them off each other by their shirts and upper arms. And march them to the office. So she can't match that nifty roll, and has to push up rather less elegantly, shaking her kicked arm out slightly as she rises, wary eyes still on Yi. "Thanks..." she replies.

Yi circles slowly, a little inside Bernie's kicking range and just beyond her own, one foot planted steadily after the other. Then she fakes a right and strikes with fingers curled at the tips closely towards the cub's lower ribs. Her other arm comes out as well, ready to block retaliations.

Matt can't decide to stand or sit. He gets back up, moving toward the punching bag.

Oooh, within kicking range. Bernie doesn't know how to do Yi style kicks, but does her best to deliver a nice solid boot to Yi's kneecap, arms pulled in toward her abdomen for balance. One moves as she catches Yi's intent, trying to bat the strike away, but she only manages a glancing adjustment to the trajectory, no more than an inch or so difference.

Yi battles with all four limbs and then some, she does. As the boot comes towards her knee she twirls tight and away, moving just inches between her and the cub until she's suddenly a bit behind her and off to the side she struck at. Palms shoot out, still in their retracted tiger-claw like manner, and strikes towards Bernie's shoulders to send her sprawling.

Matt takes a shuffle-foot stance and takes an experimental jab at the bag. Not bad for a kid who cannae box. He punches again, getting more confident and faster. Still, he doesn't turn his back on the fight, and glances occasionally to see how Bernie is fairing.

Bernie does a neat somersault, hitting with the broadest part of her back and popping back up to her feet as she rolls.... well, no, she doesn't, but wouldn't it be cool? Sadly, that trick's not in her repertoire, so what she actually does is... fall. Luckily, she =has= gotten pushed down a lot, so she doesn't smash her face in, catching herself on her hands, with a definite wince. Immediately as she lands, she pushes herself over to face upward, and directs a fierce kick toward Yi's groin. If it connects, it oughta hurt anyway.

Yi almost expects the move, though it's hard to tell as she narrowly dodges getting hit straight on. It would hurt, anyway, as the boot connects hard with her inner thigh and makes her back off with a slight limp and a wince. Again, she waits for Bernie to get back up, momentarily sparing Matt a glance at the punching bag.

Matt starts to bounce, bobbing as he dodges the swinging bag. Once again, the exchange of blows between Bernie and Yi gives him cause to flinch, but it doesn't seem to break the rhythm he's established with the bag.

Bernie pushes up as far as a crouch, a bit slower this time, it seems, and flexes her hands flexing a bit, stretching out from the abuse of catching her on the floor. Quite suddenly, she straightens her legs and virtually launches herself at Yi's chest in a tackle, making it look almost as though they've switched from sparring to rugby.

Yi backs up a millisecond too late, Bernie's full on tackle smacking the cliath no-moon right on as she was going to dodge. She opts for the third option, falling back onto the dusty floor with a harsh thud and a cough from her part. It's been awhile since she practiced, and so using the backwards momentum, combined with a rising thrust of her leg, Yi tries to throw Bernie off her towards the haybales.

Matt sidesteps a flying Gnawer cub, frowning in mock concern. "Oi! Watch where yer flingin' that!" He checks the spikes of his hair carefully. "Ye could 'ave gotten me tony mussed!" He leans down, offering Bernie a wink and a hand up. "Oi fink we should teach 'er a lesson in manners, whot d'ye fink?"

And that'd be another move Bernie's only seen in the movies, and always done by the good guy, too, so if there even =is= a counter to it, she's no idea what it'd be. Therefore, she essentially goes flying over toward Matt and the punching bag, instead, emitting the first words she has since the pair began: "...ohshit..." *Thud*. Okay... that hurt. Maybe, at least, the punch she'd thrown at the other Gnawer landed before her flight. She lies there a few moments, while Matt checks his 'do, and after a hesitation, squares her shoulders and accepts the hand up, rising rather painfully. "Works for me," she half-growls.

Yi gives herself seconds to regain her breath, rolling up to her feet and turning with a touch to her ribcage and shaking her head to send dust off it. Some hay pieces get picked off the front bangs as she glances to Fianna, then Gnawer cub. Two on one... there's something she really hasn't tried in awhile, if ever. This is going to be tough. She rubs the back of her neck, and bows curtly again to Matt and drops into a swaying offensive-defensive stance, waiting.

Matt springs into the open center space and takes an irish boxing stance: hands near his face, elbows out, relaxed and willing to wait for an opening. He glances with some reassurance in Bernie's direction, keeping herin the corner of his eye.

Bernie shakes her head a bit, clearing it, and looks deadly serious as she eases back into a balanced stance, waiting to see how things will proceed.

Keeping track of two opponents now in a dark barn is tough, but this is Yi's chance to tune her skills again. She circles around towards Bernie's side slowly, as the newmoon cub is the more tired of the two. Some inner part of her mind keeps a wary track on Matt's position.

Matt bounces inside Yi's reach, popping a simple jab at herhead. It may not be art, but if it works, Matt will like it.

As Matt moves in, Bernie suddenly sprouts an evil grin, and focuses on the other new moon. Or on her... waist? Why becomes clear soon enough, as the fastenings of Yi's pants suddenly decide they need some time apart...

Yi ducks off to a side as Matt moves in for the jab, striking swiftly with one hand to hit the outstretched arm away while aiming a palm in a hard uppercut for the underside of his chin. Open Seal, while effective, might take awhile against a set of jeans, but eventually the cliath's trousers do loosen in their grip. That, was very unexpected. Not to mention unnerving... and she shoots a glare towards Bernie's direction. Two can play that game...

Matt takes the hit, clenching his jaw so as not to bite his tongue. His head rocks back with an audible crunch, but he steps in even closer to Yi, aiming a wiry elbow at her ribs.

Bernie winces at the sound of the impact, but no time to worry about such things now... She ducks down and attempts a run-by pantsing, grabbing the denim and yanking downward, hard. With any luck, that oughta put a damper on the cliath's mobility...

Yi falls back at the elbow, which certainly is going to leave a nasty bruise at least. Bernie's attempt for a run-by pantsing is thwarted, though, as the newmoon shifts. She grows, becoming a blurry furry and stops in crinos. The cub gets a toothy grin as her hands meet fur and yank. It hurts, sure, but nothing probably compares to being grabbed by the shoulders by an 8 foot werewolf and tossed towards one's sparring partner.

Matt's bouncing around comes in handy here: He caroms off of Bernie, knocked a yard or two back, but still (mostly) on his feet. He grins, teeth bloody from the pop to his jaw. He works his head from side to side and starts in at his much larger target.

For the second time in one evening, Bernie finds herself flying through the air. With the greatest of ease. This time, the "...oh, shit," has a much more resigned tone to it. *Thud*. And no, last time wasn't a fluke... landing hurts this time too. She tries very hard to stifle a whimper, and decides that getting up is not something she =really= needs to do =right= this second...

Three-Blades follows the bouncing Matt, now able to use her heightened senses in the fight as well. But against two cubs in homid, doesn't seem fair to her. However, the newmoon cub seems a little beat. A little. Well ok, maybe more than a little. The crinosed Gnawer holds up a thickly furred arm to Matt, and rumbles, ~Hold.~ She turns her gaze off the boppy Fianna and looks in Bernie's direction. ~You ok?~

Matt waits, also concerned. He shifts his weight from foot to foot, and takes the time to rub his jaw. That will hurt shortly. A lot.

Silence for a moment from the Gnawer cub, before she sighs, and tilts her head back, curls dangling to the ground as she bares her throat, though whether she realises she's making that particular sign of submission, who knows. "Uncle," she replies calmly, though with an edge of annoyance.

Yi shifts down, moving to Bernie's side just as quickly around Matt. Once reaching the cub, she stops and bends to offer a hand. "Sorry... about the shifting..." the cliath attempts apology. "Didn't want to.. uhm.." It's hard to see her blush in the dark. She leaves that sentence trailing for those who could figure it out to fill in. Her hand remains offered to the cub on the ground, and she gives Bernie a small smile. "That was a good fight though. Never would've thought about the pants..." Again a flush of color, invisible to the untrained eye.

Matt crosses to help Bernie up as well. "You all 'oight?" He mumbles, jaw grinding a little as he works it. Hard to tell in the dark, but it might be dislocated. Matt himself appears oblivious to this possibility.

Bernie accepts the assistance in rising, wincing more with the movement. "Um. For certain values of all right." She balances on her feet, and stretches various muscles, slowly, checking to see where it hurts. Oookay, there. And there. And that too. Ow. She stifles the groans that yearn to emerge. "....yeah," she decides, eventually. "No harm, no foul."

Yi brushes some dust from Bernie and picks out a bare strand of hay that shines in the dim moonlight streaming into the barn. "Nice fight, both of you," she compliments the cubs, unharmed herself because of the shift. Her eye travels to Matt's jaw. "Are you alright?" One, she didn't think her uppercut would be that hard. Yi blinks a bit of the surprise away.

If he hadn't been moving /into/ the blow, it might not have landed as hard. Still, Matt feels along his jawline tenderly, frowning. "Oi," he grumbles through clenched teeth. "Mebbe that wasn't such a good idea after all..." He grips his jaw in both hands and *pushes.* There is a squishy crunch again and his features settle into familiar patterns. None too soon, either, as Matt's knees wobble from sudden pain, and he sits down heavily on the haybales.

Bernie winces almost more at the sound than at the effort of getting back up... almost. She does seems to forget about her own vast array of bruises for a moment, though, as she steps over to the haybale and sits down -- rather heavily herself -- beside the other cub, regarding his jaw with concern. "...gonna be okay?" she queries.

Yi joins the two at the haybales, looking concernedly towards Matt and his jaw. "Maybe you should both shift, since we're in the barn. And it's dark... but there's haybales around, if your clothes haven't been dedicated yet." She tilts her head towards the two cubs.

Matt spits blood and works his jaw painfully. "Hmm. Alla parts seem ta be there." He looks up at Yi. "Not the wisest, on my part. Glad ye didn't 'ave claws out." He gives Bernie a reassuring, if bloody, smile, and a pat on the hand. "Spend the night in lupus?"

Bernie nods a little, giving the other cub a wry smile. Looking to Yi, she says, "G'night, Yi. Thanks for th' practice. Someday y'gotta teach me how t' do th' nifty kicks an' throws an' shit, so I c'n kick your ass someday..." Tilting her head to Matt again, she suggest, "...loft?"

Matt considers, shrugs, and nods. "Sandshoe, Three-Blades." He says, wobbling to his feet.

Yi offers her hand again, to help Bernie up from the haybale. "I'll get around to it," she chuckles quietly to the newmoon cub. "We no-moons have to be able to defend ourselves too." In the dimness, her smile is pretty wide anyway. "Thank you both. Reminded me of the things I have to work on myself. I'll see you both tomorrow, perhaps?"

Matt nods, shuffling toward the ladder to the loft.

Bernie accepts the hand, and nods. "Sure thing," she replies, once she stops gritting her teeth. "Sleep well, Karate Kid." Shooting Matt a worried glance, she follows to the ladder, trying to be prepared to catch him should he suddenly pass out or something.

Yi nods, shifting herself as she makes for one of the haybales to curl up inside.

Matt climbs steadily up the ladder, and rolls into the hay at the top. He runs his tongue along his teeth, finding none of them are loose. Excellent.

Bernie follows suit, giggling a little as she rolls, despite the pain. The combination of the pain and the residual endorphins and adrenaline leave her a bit on the giddy side. "Would you like a roll in the hay?" she quotes softly in quite a bad accent, "...it's fun. Roll, roll, roll in the hay..."

Matt blushes, and if Bernie glanced down she'd note that the endorphins and adrenalin have had a slightly different effect on him. "Wif you? Abso-fookin'-lutley." ...and another American pop culture reference soars over Matt's head. His concerned touch is genuine, however. "Are you all roight? Ye took a couple good kicks, there..."

Bernie rolls onto her side, facing the other cub better. The answer is forced to wait a few moments as she acts on a sudden strong impulse, kissing him on lips, though she does keep it gentle in deference to his recent wounding. Pulling back, she licks her lips, tasting the slight tang of blood there. "...mm. Yeah, I'm a'ight. Or will be in th' mornin', anyhow," she says quietly, "...I don' =think= anythin's broken, though I prolly gotta few good bone-bruises. How 'bout you?" A hand moves up to gingerly touch the side of his jaw.

Matt is surprised at first, then welcomes the kiss, putting an arm behind Bernie's head to steady her. The coppery taste is strong, and...interesting. "Oi'll be all roight. 'sappened before, an' Oi couldn't put the pain aside, then." His hand lingers along her ribs, smoothing some of the dust from her new shirt. He tilts his head to nuzzle into her hand, affectionately, if quietly--Three Blades being right downstairs.

Bernie keeps her hand there, gently, and watches him as she shifts in a little closer. Her free hand finds its way to rest on his waist, and after a few seconds she steals another soft, silent kiss. "...good," she whispers, and then sighs quietly, smiling a bit.

Matt blushes and bites his lower lip, nervously. "Um, Oi hate ta bring this up, but if Oi'm ta heal, Oi'll 'ave ta shift." He grimaces. "An' Oi doan' wanta ruin my adams, so..." he trails off, embarrassed.

".....yeah," Bernie replies, gaze trailing down toward the indicated article of clothing for a second or two. "...s'pose I kinda better too..." She rather reluctantly pulls away, and sits up, pulling the bottom of her shirt from where it's tucked within the waistband of her jeans.

Matt averts his gaze...momentarily. Lying down to unzip and squirm out of his jeans, he steals a not-so-serreptitious glance. His boxer shorts bely his condition even more stridently than his jeans. He isn't as uncomfortable as he might have been this time last year, however. Being forced to be occasionally naked in the caern (cold water!) has inured him somewhat.

In the dimness of the barn, a blush steals across Bernie's face, barely perceptable in the low light. She takes a deep but quiet breath and pulls the shirt off, giving it a quick once over to assess the damage before she folds it fairly neatly and sets it aside, leaving her in the rather less street-worthy ensemble of bra and jeans. That done, she lies down again, stealing a glance or two herself.

Matt smiles in the near-dark, running a hand over her stomach to caress her side, gently, trying not to press down on bruises. He leans in to kiss her again, wordlessly.

Bernie returns the kiss with a sincere but restrained hunger, trying very hard not to hurt the so recently injured jaw, and lets her hand find its way back to the side of his waist, resting against the skin there.

Matt sighs softly, breaking his mouth from hers, but only to kiss her neck, softly. He shifts slightly, pressed against her, an arm behind him to keep him from rolling back into the hay.

The kiss to the neck draws a shiver, and a long, slow, deep breath as the girl presses back against him, head tilting to expose more of her neck to him, unguarded. Her hand slips up along his side and back, beneath the shirt, and holds him close.

Matt unbalances himself a little to pull his shirt off one-handed, pressing his head into the curve of her shoulder for a second to steady himself. Then his kisses return, open on her neck and throat. His skin is hot against her, and his breathing becomes deeper, more excited.

Bernie's breathing is much the same, her lips slightly parted as his kisses continue. Her hand slides slowly up the bared skin of his back until it rests on his neck, gently rubbing the muscles there, and she presses her chest to his, enjoying the sensation of warm skin against warm skin.

Matt also enjoys the sensation of skin on skin, hers more smooth than his own. He rolls the pair over, propped above her on his elbows. His kisses trail slowly, gently down to the cleavage not covered by her bra. If his jaw is bothering him, well, the ability to suppress pain has uses other than combat.

Bernie nibbles her bottom lip lightly, eyes opening from their half-closed state to watch him, her fingertips sliding into the hair at the base of his skull, and playing with it a little. Her chest rises and falls noticably, breath excited and a bit scared.

Matt glances up, smiling, but notes the glint in Bernie's eyes that isn't exactly enthusiasm. He pulls himself back up, leaning over her and meeting her gaze. The hand he isn't using to support himself picks a piece of hay out of her unruly locks, and tosses it gently away. "Hey," he whispers. "Whotsa matter?" He caresses her skin along a bra strap softly.

"...nothing," Bernie replies, returning the gaze and finding herself unable to look away, "...'s just... new..." The hand on the back of his neck remains there, with a gentle pressure pulling him slightly down to her as she leans up and tentatively catches his mouth with her her own again. The other hand slides to his shoulder, a bit possessively.

"Oh..." Matt sighs, relieved, a sigh Bernie cuts off with a kiss. His tongue meets hers, and he is pulled down, on top of her again. His kiss grows passionate again, and doesn't break for a long time. He supports himself on an elbow, his free hand stroking her neck, and trailing down to caress her breast through the fabric of her bra. Hopefully 'new' is good...

Bernie catches her breath with some difficulty after the kiss, by now forgetting about the evening's injuries and no longer moderating her kisses. As his hand moves down over that fabric, her back arches slightly, pressing her breast a hint more toward his hand before she relaxes again, with a tiny, soft sigh. New... is nice. Yes.

Matt, reassured, returns Bernie's kisses assertively, moving again to kiss her neck, this time with an occasional nibble, particularly at the base of her throat. He presses against her, providing heat in the cool air of the barn, twining the fingers of his free hand in her hair.

Again, Bernie bares her throat to him, shivering a little at his ministrations. The hand on his shoulder travels down between the two of them, the pads of her fingers tracing along his chest, and she presses her lips together to stifle what ends up as a very faint whimper.

Matt has goosebumps of his own, desire and reaction to her desire. A hand is placed gently on her shoulder, and he rolls them both on their sides, facing one another. Bernie's hair falls between them, a lock landing on Matt's nose, making it itch until he quickly pushes it away. He rubs his nose quickly to stifle the oncoming sneeze, smiling and mildly abashed.

Bernie ducks her head slightly, developing a smile of her own and a soft fit of the giggles, which she leans forward and muffles against his shoulder, not wanting to accidentally wake the Yi downstairs.

Matt quiets Bernie by covering her mouth with his, though he can't stifle his amused grin. His hand returns to trailing lazy circles over her skin, his touch feather-light and agonizingly gentle, meandering down to her stomach.

Bernie wriggles against Matt, a reaction to the rather ticklish movements of his fingers, but kisses him enthusiastically. Her own hand, the one not still happily placed on the back of his neck, continues to trace its way slowly and lightly along his upper arm, shoulder, and chest, glancing not-quite-intentionally across a nipple as it goes.

Matt takes advantage of the wriggling to shift his legs to twine with hers, pressing his boxers against her thigh. As her hand grazes his nipple, he shudders briefly with pleasure. He stops tickling, but slides his hand onto her hip, a couple of fingers inside the waistband of her jeans. There is pent-up urgency in his kisses, and his eyes are barely open.

Bernie is paying enough attention to consider this an Interesting Reaction, and try it again, fingertip brushing back the way it came. Her eyelids hood her eyes completely as she kisses him deeply, letting herself drift out of conscious thought and just feel...

"Mmmph..." Matt groans, not taking his mouth away from hers. His grip tightens on her hip, however, pulling her closer. He squeezes his legs together, pressing her thigh against his groin, and kisses her urgently.

The kiss becomes rather more demanding on Bernie's end as it intensifies, and she shifts her position to move in close against Matt's body, leaving little room for anything -- beyond the various fabrics already there -- to come between them. The hand that had been between them tests that intriguing reaction one more time before running across the skin of his side to the small of his back, and then lower, atop the material of his boxers.

Matt meets her, passion for passion. One hand cradles her head, fingers twined in her hair, the other slides around her to slide beneath her waistband at the base of her spine. The shift sets them groin to groin, a meeting that seems to send a jolt through Matt. His eyes open, briefly and fiercely, then close again as his moan is muffled by her kiss.

There is an answering moan, soft but heartfelt and also muffled by the kiss. Bernie worries for a moment that it might be audible to lupus ears below, but somehow, it doesn't seem worth dwelling on just now. Her hips move a bit against the pressure of his, completely of their own accord, or so it seems to her.

Matt lets the urgency between their bodies sweep him away. His hand presses against the small of her back, and he breaks their kiss to gasp into her neck, as quietly as he can manage. He arches his back slightly, baring his neck and throat to her.

Bernie leans in and nuzzles against the offered patch of skin, inhaling Matt's scent deeply, and reciprocates the earlier attention, eagerly dotting his neck with kisses and the occasional nibble. One little bite strikes her as perhaps too sharp, and she runs the tip of her tongue over it apologetically.

Matt groans, almost /too/ loudly. "Oh, Books," he gasps. "You are gonna drive me crazy." He doesn't stop pressing against her, but seems to relax, by sheer force of will. He brings his hand away from the small of her back and uses it to lift her face to his, gazing longingly into her eyes. He sighs, making a decision. "/After/ we Rite, 'kay?"

"....'kay," Bernie breathes, gazing back, and leans up to catch his lips with hers again, softly now. When she breaks it, she laughs a little, quiet and low, suddenly regaining a hint of her blush, and murmurs, "...you make my toes curl..." A tiny sigh, and, "...s'pose we ought to shift.. and sleep..."

"Hate ta say it, but ye don't just curl me toes..." The Fianna shifts up into Glabro, straining his boxers even more, and cradles Bernie, finally sleeping entwined.