Midafternoon, and Felix has been away and largely quiet since around lunchtime yesterday -- it was Lilah's birthday, as the rest of the pack will be aware. Apparently he's now back, as he's alone in the story tree clearing, pacing back and forth across it with enough force in his strides and anger in his aura to make one consider pulling out the calendar to make sure it really is still just crescent moon. That black bag he's been transporting things in lately is by the trunk of the tree, and the beverage bottle in his hand at the moment is not Coke but whiskey, unmixed.

Footsteps outside the clearing warn of Trace's arrival before he gets there, not so much searching for his packmate so much as on a regular patrol and this is part of it. "Hola," he calls out, quietly, brows furrowing. The Glass Walker's gaze follows the pacing for a moment, before there's a wordless shrug of question, an echo of concern across the pack link.

Felix lifts a hand in perfunctory wave-adjacent movement at Trace's greeting, still pacing. At the silent question, though, he stops, a sudden wheeling to face the Ahroun, and declares, "This is fuckin' bullshit!" The level of liquid in the bottle is just barely low enough that whipping the arm with the bottle out to the side in a frustrated gesture does not result in a splash.

Trace takes a deep breath, and nods. "Yeah?" comes the further question. "I know it's bullshit," he agrees, without pushing as to why, at least for the moment. After that, Trace simply sits down in place, silent.

Pack> Justin peeks curiously in on you two. "Everything okay? I sense a disturbance in the force."

Felix takes a drink from the bottle and starts pacing again, giving a couple of the trees on the clearing's periphery looks as though they might possibly need their non-existent asses kicked and if so he'd be interested in volunteering. He doesn't seem inclined to immediately elabourate further.

Pack> Felix's reply is somewhat less emphatic than it was aloud, if still vehement: "This shit is bullshit."

Pack> Justin says "What shit is bullshit?"

Trace pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, mostly ignoring the occasional misting attempt at rain that doesn't reach the clearing for the trees. One cigarette is taken, then the pack is offered towards Felix.

Pack> Trace doesn't echo the concern as much as initially. "Yeah," he agrees. "If it's bullshit we can kick it's ass."

Pack> Felix says "THIS. Folks bein' stuck here. Kin not bein' safe to stay around. Those fuckers fuckin' up our shit. Waitin' an' waitin'! All this shit."

Felix growls at nothing particularly obvious, but the next paced length ends up with him dropping down onto the ground beside Trace, and accepting the offered pack. He offers the Ahroun the bottle in exchange, should the Walker be so inclined.

Trace takes the bottle and tips it back for a long moment, and there's nodding as well as the obvious agreement. "Yeah well. Every time I try and suggest doing something, it gets shot down because apparently, a house isn't important enough." Trace's own frustration gets added on, though it's well-reined in.

Pack> Justin says "... Uh ... okay? Where'd this come from?"

"I ain't even-- maybe it ain't, y'know? Maybe it don't matter, the house. An' I reckon it's true havin' some of those assholes there means they ain't at the tower when we hit it. But at least it wouldn't be just waitin'!" Felix lights up the cigarette and has a drag as he aims to make the trade back.

Pack> Felix says "Dropped Lilah back off to go back into fuckin' hidin' a couple hours ago."

Trace takes one more sip and hands the bottle back over, setting the pack of cigarettes down between them, and there's a nod. "/Si/," he agrees. "Or it could just mean that the tower is rebuilding their forces too, or that they're going to hit the caern if we hit the tower..." There's a sigh. "Melissa and Yong-gi keep asking me when they can move up here, too. And I have to tell them no, because it's not fucking /safe/."

Felix has a good drink, then sets the bottle down next to the cigs. "Yeah, was thinkin' before well, if they're there when we go hit the tower, how do we keep 'em from hittin' the caern then, won't we hafta leave a bunch of folks an' basically be ready to fight all of 'em anyhow. But then I thought, well, even if they weren't there, ain't like we could leave the caern undefended when we went. More or less gotta assume it might be attacked then either way." He gives his head a rough shake, "I am fuckin' SICK of havin' to fuckin' THINK about everythin' until we just got fuckin' circles of everythin' an' its brother bein' a shitty choice."

Pack> Justin says "Where are you guys?"

Pack> Trace says "We're at the story tree."

Pack> Felix says "Yep."

Trace puts his palms up, imitating a scale, one hand going up and then the other, and then they both drop into his lap. "Fucked if we do, fucked if we don't..." The ahroun grumbles. "When this is all over let's buy some more fireworks and go up away from the bawn and set them off all night and then have some of that pie from the diner."

After making his way through the woods, Justin pops out to the story tree. "Hey guys." He gives a worried look between the two. "You guys okay?"

Felix flops down onto his back, head lifted just enough to keep it from hitting too hard and arms landing spread out to either side along the ground. There's still a large, sharp exhalation as he hits, though it may be mostly intentional. "Pie an' fireworks," he agrees, "...an' as soon as possible." He lifts his cigarette in a not-quite-wave in reply to Justin's greeting as the second Ahroun enters the clearing. "Hey."

"It's not blowing up shit quite, but it'll have to do," Trace adds, nodding to Justin as he arrives. "Frustrated with all the bullshit, but what else is fucking new around here." From sitting normally cross-legged, Trace uses one hand to move his legs into half-lotus, and shrugs.

"So, why don't we go out and do something then." Justin suggests as he gives a stretch of his body. "We're the pack of bad mistakes. So let's go make a bad mistake. The Sept is talking about snagging one of those invisible fuckers, right? Let's go take one out and drag it back so the mage cat can look inside it's head or something."

"Still wanna blow shit up," Felix mutters, and watches smoke rise into the light breeze. He slides his free arm under his head like a pillow to make it easier to see Justin when the other Gnawer speaks, and looks... rather tempted. "It'd be doin' somethin'," he grants. "T can't leave the bawn, though, an' I dunno if they're still lookin' at head-peekin'. Sounded like he'd decided nah, last moot, he an' some other mage decided messin' with that would prolly open up whoever was listenin' or broadcastin' to the Queen's influence an' maybe the joint influence an' will of all the fuckers in the whole network an' had a pretty decent chance of corruptin' whoever tried it. ...where were you thinkin' of findin' one?"

Trace lifts his shoulders. "I still haven't seen one of them on the Bawn, though it doesn't mean they're not here," he says, and from his jacket he pulls out the pair of infrared binoculars that his tribemate had given him. "Just means I haven't come across them when I was looking." He grumbles. "And yeah, the mage cat was saying that trying to look into their link thing could lead to corruption for whoever tried it. Backfire." He lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Still say we ought to go find a spiral that's strayed too far from its friends and kill the fuck out of it."

"I was thinking of finding one in the city and lure it out to a place that no one is really using. I got a gift for that." Justin says as he leans back to stretch himself out once he hits the ground. "We can go find a spiral as well I suppose, but there is a shit ton of them out here. We'd have to be real sneaky."

"It'd have to be one that's strayed alone onto the bawn," Felix muses, pushing back up to seated. "Might or might not be one. Couldn't hurt to look though. Shit, it's T's job to look." He half-smiles, first hint of one today, though it fades. "I really liked the idea of fuckin' with the whole telepathy thing, though. An' of blowin' the tower up. If I think of some other idea goin' around I really like, reckon I can tell you which idea's gettin' nixed next."

Trace bares his teeth in a half-smile. "And it sure wouldn't hurt to have some more people along with me when I went looking," he agrees. "And we definitely need to get our hands on some silver. Pretty sure you can find silver ammo for an M40, and then I can really fuck them up."

"Yeah, if only we knew someone who was super rich and could get their hands on silver ammunition." Justin says with a grin to the pair of them, as if he was leading at least one of them on.

"Hmmm," Felix says, glancing toward the sky while he exhales some smoke. He's still not quite to his more usual small-moon self, but the conversation with his packmates does appear to have been helping. "That maybe could be handy, if we did, couldn't it?"

Trace huffs, and looks at his packmates. "It so happens we /do/ know someone like that," he points out. "You want me to make the call a bit later, see what Briari can come up with?" He pauses, and reaches over to grab the bottle, taking another long sip.

"Sure, go for it. You got more pull than we would. We're just lowly stinky Gnawers." Justin says as he gives Felix a bump on the shoulder. "The only thing we're good for is begging for scraps and living in an alley." He says with amusement.

Felix grins at Trace's huff and pointing-out -- a real one, finally, if maybe smaller than standard -- and returns Justin's bump. "I reckon I'm good for some other shit here an' there," he drawls, and reaches a hand out to prompt the Walker to pass the bottle his way next. "Yeah, works for me."

Trace grins and passes the bottle over. "If you're that stinky," he notes, "I know where the river is and I'll push you into it."

"Heh. I miss the library shower." Justin says as he lets out a loud yawn into the back of his hand. "But you know if we go after a gremlin or a spiral, Thane is gonna be fucking mad at us for breaking protocol."

"I smell fine," Felix says, which continues to be true, considering he almost certainly showered mere hours ago. He has a decent drink, offering the bottle toward Justin afterward. "...depends," he says, "I mean, we wander away to Edgewood, say, start goin' after 'em there, yeah. But we just happen to find one on the bawn, that came our way... well, ain't that what patrols are =for=?" It's a little too innocent, perhaps. "Ain't like we'd be expected to invite 'em for tea."

"I suppose Watcher can use his wyrm calling gift to pull one towards us, then we can wipe it out. Unfortunately it may also mean we'd pull a shit ton of them instead." Justin says as he shrugs. "And what if we go for one who is like scary powerful? That would get us in all types of shit."

Trace grumbles again briefly. "It'd still be better than sitting around here doing nothing," he notes. "And if he gets pissed off, well. More likely to get pissed off if we /intentionally/ attract one rather than just happen to find one that's wandered a bit too far into the Bawn."

Felix emits a frustrated puff of air. "Yeah, okay, it wouldn't be ideal if we accidentally called all of 'em," he admits grudgingly. "There's gotta be a way just one of 'em could haaappen to get inclined to wander off if they ain't already, though. Somethin' subtle."

"We get Oh No then ... shape shift into one of them ... pull one for a patrol, then we do what we do best. Create a mouse trap and kill an asshole." Justin says as he gives a thumbs up.

There's a nod. "/Un plan de accion/," the Glass Walker agrees, with a small snort along with that. "Corner it and kill the sucker fast enough and the rest of them won't have a chance to know what happened," Trace muses.

Felix laughs, and since Justin didn't accept the bottle, he takes another drink and then offers it to Trace again, instead. "I like it. So first patrol, we see if we can't happen to find one totally natural-like... an' if not, maybe we arrange one of 'em a friendly li'l prank."

"Yep. We really need a ragabash to join the pack. Kinda sucks we still don't have one. You'd think we'd be a new moon magnet." Justin says as he plucks a rock up and throws it upwards, then catches it.

Trace takes the bottle, takes a sip, and then sets it back down next to the cigarettes. "Well, not like there's exactly a surplus of ragabashes-- ragabi?-- around."

"That's what I keep sayin'," Felix says, shaking his head, "What's with all the Raggies bein' all coyote-phobic? Ain't that the only auspice we ain't never had? I mean, okay, so the 'dox ran off, but still." He ashes his cigarette, and glances between the pair of them. "Reminds me, though. If we DO gotta prank it, we better keep an eye out, 'cause Nolan's been watchin' the place an' I guess they ain't noticed him. Val they shot at like twice at least, one of 'em at night; she ain't huge on flyin' past it more for fun. But anyhow I don't reckon he'd keep his mouth shut if he noticed us arrangin' somethin'."

"Yeah, well, I think there is something off about Nolan anyways." Justin says as he pushes himself up and stretches. "I'm going to snag some grub and then maybe try and put eyes on the bad guys. Be safe!"

Trace nods and shrugs. "Don't know. Weren't any ragabashes in my first pack either," he notes, and stubs out the end of his cigarette on his shoe, the butt dropped into the pack. "Well, that's a good start at least," Trace says, and then reaches for the bottle once more.

"Later, J," Felix says, lifting his chin slightly toward the leaving member, "You too." He eyes the length of his cigarette, and seems to decide it still has at least one more good drag left in it, which he takes. "Yeah. At least we got a =somethin'=."

Trace nods. "Between that, and the whole fireworks and pie, we might just get through this after all," the ahroun notes. There's no sarcasm in his voice, however. There's a pause, and then Trace looks up at the tree for a long moment. "You've talked to Nolan a few times, right? Did he ever say anything about himself?"

One final drag, and Felix puts out what little remains of his smoke as well. He's quiet for a couple seconds, then shakes his head. "Not much, for sure. Noticed that when we first met him, hasn't changed. Born in Boston, ain't inclined to say much of anything about between then an' now. Says he learns shit by askin' questions, but also says he asks 'em to make people think. An' that's about it. All questions, no answers."

Trace takes this with silent consideration, and eventually there is a quiet huff. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that there's something off about him," Trace says, "we all have our flaws. But he's odd, that much is pretty clear." There's a quick shake of his head that follows and he reaches to pick up the bottle again, taking another sip. "I mean, there was more personal intel in my conversations with Thane, and he's a Shadow Lord. Not exactly forthcoming with that sort of stuff."

Felix considers a moment, adding, "Nolan Fahey, Squirrel Talks to No One, Cliath Ragabash of the Fianna. Ain't sure he considers himself part of the Sept, as yet. Definitely don't wanna be considered Fianna elder. Does consider himself a good Ragabash. Ain't said so out loud, but that's clear enough. Smart, seems to me, but don't seem to get what I was tryin' to say about =how= he asks shit." He stretches out his legs, rotating one foot. "...or don't believe there's another way that'd still work. Anyway. Yeah, he's closed-mouthed as fuck, when it ain't a question about the shit goin' on or plans about it. An' yeah, that's odd." A tilt of the head, "...found out way more about Thane first time I properly met him than I know about Nolan from, lessee, five months since he came to town?"

Trace makes a few grumbling noises, though none of them reach the level of the earlier growl of frustration. "/Madre de Dios/," he mutters. "Also, I have to admit that the whole, /meesteerious/," Trace exaggerates the word into pseudo-Spanish sounds apparently on purpose, "makes me more curious about what his whole deal is. I mean, I've got crap, but people ask me what the story is and I tell it, at least, more or less."

Felix snags the bottle for a sip or two, considerably more casual than when Trace arrived today. "I'm pretty curious, too. Wonder how we could find out? 'spose I could ask on the barkin' chain if anyone's ever heard 'bout him... I mean, I guess I don't generally tell people everything there is to know 'bout me, neither, but I don't evade shit like where I been between bein' born an' bein' here, say." Another sip, and he sets the bottle back down. "Maybe I oughta try askin' him again, now that he's been here a while."

Trace nods. "I could poke about the 'net, see if anyone's heard of him or things he's done. That sort of thing takes some time, but... Of course," Trace notes, "that would be easier if I were somewhere with an internet connection better than my phone's satellite on the northern edge of the forest up by the road." He shrugs. "I dunno. I try to be straightforward about things, but I'm kind of blunt to start with."

"I never really messed with computers an' shit that much," Felix admits, with a small shrug of his own. He pauses, and glances to Trace with a sudden grin. "'bout me? I strike you as straightforward, or blunt, or what?" he asks.

Trace grins. "Straightforward. You've definitely got me beat on the whole tact measure," he points out.

Felix laughs, inclining his head slightly. "Thanks. 's more or less what I go for, I s'pose. 's kinda amusin', though. People expect Coyote to be sneaky an' shit, but this whole pack, I reckon ain't really any of us don't come off somewhere betwen straightforward an' blunt..."

Trace takes a long sip from the bottle, and shrugs. "Pretty sure that OhNo! thinks that's funny too," the Glass Walker points out. "I mean, un-typical things are kind of his style and such."

"'s true," Felix agrees, still looking amused. "...y'know, if folks didn't just assume anythin' weird that happened was 'cause of us, could be real useful not seemin' like we know what subtle is." He grins again, "'course, once or twice I ain't been a hundred percent sure J actually does." It sounds affectionately teasing, despite the fact that its target isn't currently there to be teased.

Trace snickers a bit more. "Even and especially when it's not our fault," he agrees. "And of course, even when it is."

"'course," Felix agrees, still grinning, and leans back on his hands. "Kinda surprised ain't no one takin' advantage of that. If I was a Raggie an' not in the pack, I would for sure. Though I reckon I'd still've joined, too, an' as earlier discussed, none of the ones we got around have."

Trace stretches his arms to the sides, and snorts. "Don't tempt fate," he informs his packmate. "I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later. Should be pretty spectacular when it does, if we're not all dead."

"Maybe they just don't want us kickin' their ass halfway to Hawaii when we find out," Felix suggests, and stretches as well. "Been sittin' too long. Let's go climb the rock, or somethin'."

Trace tucks the cigarettes into his pocket, and then stands, shifting to lupus as he does so, and gives a brief wag of his tail. Race you, he says. Though he is at least polite enough to wait for his packmate to gather his things, before taking off at a dead run.