An overly large and dark equine shape makes its way towards the caern, moving between the trees with a reasonable amount of grace despite the evening's failing light. Wearing his Stormrunner shape and carrying three passengers, Thundersnow resembles the Perunka Express, but at a light trot he's not moving too quickly. Once they've reached the Cathedral proper, he slows to a stop, and waits for Robin, Kal, and Justin to disembark. Off off off, he whickers, his ears flickering about.

Bryce slinks along after the Perunka Express in his cougar form, coming to a stop nearby them and stopping to non chalantly wash his whiskers. Nothing exciting going on tonight, oh no.

From afar, Aurelia thinks Martin and Ren should be fashionably late, but not /too/ late. :)
You paged Aurelia with 'Sure. :)'.

Justin slides off the very-high-above-the-ground Perunka back, landing with a neat thud and putting a hand against Thundersnow's withers for balance. "That's a longer drop than it looks," he observes, helpfully offering assistance to Kal and Robin in turn to dismount.

An ashen silver shape drifts along, sitting down just inside the treeline. Her ears are half eased back in general disapproval. River has come to see what crazy people let humans into their caern.

Cautiously planting one foot in front of the other, the tall Strider picks her way up the steep path. Layla pauses and stares warily at the sight of figures ahead, then the moment passes, she relaxes, and she glides forward.

Kalisto, who has been clinging to Justin like duct tape for the entire trip, gladly accepts his assistance for getting off the big horse. He's pale even for him, and as his feet touch clumsily to the ground, he complains, "Thanks, Danny, for somehow making horses scarier." He then takes a look around and comments, "Woah..."

From somewhere above, a sleek black raven croaks. About time. Slow horse. No wings. She dives off her perch, sweeping downward swiftly, and as she comes close to the ground, her form blurs and shifts until Aurelia's bare feet touch the ground. She grins at the Perunka fondly.

"/Longer/ than it looks?" Robin says, peering over the edge. He looks marooned on Thundersnow's back like a sailor on the back of the Leviathan. He accepts Justin's assistance, landing with a not-so-neat thud and an oof. "My feet..." he whimpers. Then the sight of the gathering crowd grabs his attention. "We are a mixed lot in Haven, aren't we?" he says, still half bent-over.

Miki arrives out of nowhere, in a rush of unseasonally warm, incense-scented air. He takes a single step, then sways like one who has just abruptly emerged through an unexpected door. He's disheveled, his hair half-loose from its tie, and there is a smudge of something high on one cheek; he is also breathing fast, like someone who has just been running, or perhaps arguing with someone. Barefoot, dressed in what looks like the robe he wore for the ghost calling, and without his bow or backpack, he seems utterly disorented, not to mention out of place. For the moment he stands still, perhaps to let his eyes adjust.

Thundersnow arches his neck slightly, preening over Justin's compliment, and snorting at Kal's. Was safe. I did not run at all! Once Kal and Robin are both safely on the ground, he shifts into his human shape and gets back at Aurelia for her comment by catching her in a hug. "I was carrying three people. I didn't think they'd appreciate it if I hurried." He chooses a random spot on the ground that's mostly dry, and sits down heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Bryce quits washing and pads forward to headbump Justin's hip. He settles down on his belly, head up and forepaws strethed out before him. He observes the gathering through sleepy eyes, as if it's really nothing special.

"I wouldn't have minded," Justin says cheerfully, ruffling Bryce's head as he's bumped, "after all, you raced me around the mountain going heaven knows how fast, was it eighty miles an hour or so?" He looks exactly before Miki appears, and wastes no time going to him. "Miki!"

River matches Bryce's pose, lying down with her paws stretched out, although she includes a graceful cross at her 'ankles'. Her ears aren't so relaxed, and she wrinkles her nose, watching all the strange and diverse people trickle in.

Rex lopes easily up the trail, his bare torso sheened lightly in sweat and his chest heaves with effort and altitude, but he doesn't seem put out. He has a grin and a nod for everyone, and looks sufficiently businesslike, despite the small splotch of flour on one side of his neck

A grizzled wolf pads into the clearing from between the enormous trees and sits in the center of the Cathedral, tongue lolling as she peers upward at the gently blushing moon that fan dances flirtatiously with clouds. After a moment of contemplation, she lets out a long howl backed by powerful lungs. The howl echoes between the boles of the trees for several seconds after she finishes. And then her body melts upward into her equally grizzled human shape. Eos smiles, the lines of her face crinkling into a relief map of some exciting geography, and peers around at the gathered folk.

Layla finds a spot that's just on the edge of the crowd and sits down. She rests her chin in her hands and watches folks.

Robin bumps Kal's shoulder with his own and grins, then points out a good sitting-down spot toward what promises to be the front of the crowded ring of people.

Kalisto relaxes some as Danny assumes human form, but the sight of his happy reunion with his girlfriend makes the youth wrinkle his nose and roll his eyes in distaste. Sidling away from the pair, he continues to take in the dimensions of the Cathedral with intense fascination. Once shoulder-bumped, he blinks a bit and then half-grins at Robin and heads for the sitting-down spot.

Aurelia hugs Danny, sweat and all, and once he sits, she situates herself nearby. "Yeah, it's too bad you can't fly," she sympathizes. "The view is incredible."

That's around the time Martin arrives. Shirtless, sweaty from a long hike, bronze from the sun and laughing breathlessly at something Ren says as the pair approach the Cathedral together.

Miki looks over at Justin, and pads carefully across the cleared space towards him, wincing once as his bare feet encounter some sharp debris. For a few moments he trails a complex mix of scents behind him-- burnt herbs, sweet resins, damp stone, turned earth, dry wood, the faintest hint of copper-- but then the fresh breeze carries most of the complex lour of magic away from him.

Danny grins at Eos' howl, and answers it with a neigh that's surprisingly horse-like for all that it comes from a human throat. He also waves to the various arrivals, then sighs wistfully at Aurelia and says, "Some day, I'll get that Gift. Just you wait." A little scooting along the ground sees him sitting next to her, and he leans against her slightly.

Serendipity is keeping up admirably well with Martin, given the difference in the length of their legs, and looks distinctly pleased with himself, presumably about whatever it is Martin's laughing at. His shirt and coat are both off as well, tied loosely about his waist. He flashes a grin at the assemblage, and snags Martin's hand to drag him over to a seat near his kumimate.

Bryce's ears go up and his eyes open wide at Eos' howl. Now things are getting interesting! The tip of his tail twitches in suppressed excitement. So much for the cool cat.

Robin looks over her shoulder as Martin and Ren appear, then glances at Miki. He murmurs something in Kal's ear.

Justin smiles down at Miki, reaching for his hands. The smile pauses as he gets a good look at what Miki is wearing and why Miki is wincing. "Hmm," he says. "Last minute? Come on, let's go sit down." When Eos appears with her howl, he salutes her wordlessly but with a grin.

River's ears, too, come up, and she answers Eos with a howl of her own, tilting her head back and singing with total abandonment to Luna. Then she licks her nose and looks eagerly at Eos, her ears cupped and tail stirring.

"Full moon," Miki murmurs, following Justin to sit down, but whether it is an explanation, an observation or perhaps some other message is left up to the hearer to interpret.

Kalisto takes in Martin and Ren, then Miki, and as he tilts his ear toward Robin's murmur, his expression goes from vague to a wicked little smirk as he leans over to whisper a reply.

Aurelia leans against Danny, watching Eos howl, and she settles down to put on her serious I Am Paying Attention face. She greets Ren taking a seat nearby by using him as a footrest.

Martin follows after Ren, and the howling gets a wide-eyed look. Not laughing now. Once seated, he snakes an arm around Ren's shoulder and looks around.

Layla shifts her weight against the cold hard ground. She watches the crowd with quiet interest.

"Welcome," Eos says, voice ringing through the space. "To the new folks, welcome to the Caern of the Mountain's Heart. To those more familiar, welcome home." She repeats the greeting in the Mother Tongue, with a nod toward River. "Tonight is the night of the full moon, when Luna shines down upon us with her full face and bathes us in her power and light. From time to time, we, as a Cineal, must gather to remind ourselves of our bond, as protectors of Gaia's power, and as family, no matter our disparate ways and shapes. Tonight we gather to summon our Totem spirits to our meeting place, to welcome the new folk that walk in our midst, to share news, and, as usual, to celebrate. Does anyone have any other business they would like to conduct?" After repeating the essence of this for the benefit of the Feral, she looks slowly around the group.

Serendipity leans against Martin, and pulls Aurelia's feet farther into his lap, letting his arms drape over them. He pauses a second, looking up at the sky, then takes a good breath and adds an answering howl of his own. Unsuprisingly, it's more coyote than wolf; however, it's a damn good imitation for a human. He trails off just before the speaking begins, and actually looks respectful. If just for now.

Eos nods once and turns entirely around once, staring out into the darkness. As she does so, she begins to hum. The sound is light and soft at first, but it builds rapidly. The music of it is odd, traveling through notes in a way that renders a repetitive sort of melody in a minor chord.

River, having listened intently to both English and Mother's Tongue, joins in the song with a soft, low keening, a curious sound from such a massive and irritable beast.

Danny has no voice suitable for singing, so instead he supplies a steady rhythm by clapping his hands, and tapping his feet.

Aurelia joins in the hum, carrying a tune quite well, actually. Kal doesn't, though this could be because he has no idea what's going on. Martin, on the other hand, refrains from joining in even though he doesn't seem terribly confused, merely attentive and curious.

Miki listens for a few moments, then begins a strange mostly-wordless harmony which wanders through upper and lower thirds and slowly starts building in intensity. His voice is oddly hoarse. What words he does use are not familiar to those present.

Bryce shifts to his human form and gets to his feet. He stands around looking awkward, like he's not sure if or how he's supposed to join in.

Justin glances, a little concerned, at Miki, but as more folks join in the singing, he does as well.

Serendipity joins quietly, making up a harmony, and looking interested.

Robin whispers a word to Kal, then joins the harmony as a countertenor.

Just as the song starts to shake the leaves, it's answered by two voices off in the trees, one a rusty alto, the other a young wolf's call. And then Ruth strides out from the wood, her hair a wild bedraggle, her cloak billowing to follow her step. There's a wolf draped about her shoulders. That wolf is Leaf! The pair of them look like a storm's picked them up, tossed them about from one hand to another, set them down again.

Kal eyes Robin oddly, but then joins in, and -- quelle surprise -- he has a pretty fine tenor voice.

Rex hums quietly as he leans against a tree, tapping his foot and grinning generally.

Eos begins chanting softly into the music of her Cineal. Those nearest her might catch a few words here and there; the gist is that she is calling for Skunk and Squirrel and Moose. And it doesn't take them long to respond, either. An acorn drops out of the trees, bouncing off Bryce's head. An immense, shaggy shadow materializes about ten feet behind the people near Justin and Miki. And, finally, a powerful lemony scent wafts across the Cathedral, and Kal and Robin find Skunk ambling out of the trees near them, grumbling under his breath.

Eos lets the music build, and then brings the summoning to a close with a sharp bark -- strangely canine from the human throat -- and two claps of her hands. "Welcome to our protectors and guides, the Totems of our caern. For those who have not met them, we are defended by noble Skunk, wise Moose, and cunning Squirrel." She matches words with gestures, indicating the Totems. Only Skunk stirs a bit at her introduction, possibly making a "hmph" sort of noise. "Now, it is the Garou tradition to recite the Litany as we know it, but we began a Cineal tradition at our last Moot of exploring the ways of the others among us. This time, I would like to ask Danny and Ruth to speak of the ways of the Perunka." She nods to each of them.

Ruth settles down on her haunches and the young and lanky wolf springs free, her ears aloft and her eyes wide and then she's curling up to watch, tail over her nose. Ruth cants her head, glances from Eos to Danny.

Robin sits upright with his hands in his lap as Skunk passes by, as he learned some Very Instructive Things about sassing skunks at the last moot. After Skunk has passed, he draws a packet partway out of his pocket--it looks like a wrapped sandwich--and glances speculatively at Squirrel.

Miki glances at each of the Totems as they are introduced, ducking his head in a deeply courteous nod to each of them, and then looks up, to where Luna shines down through the treetops. He tilts his head back and stares up at the moon.

Serendipity settles in comfortably against Martin and waits for the Perunka to come forward, trying to catch certain other people's eye in order to give them a grin and tiny wave of acknowledgement. The spirits distract him somewhat, though. Actually, rather a lot. He greets them as well, though with nods rather than fingerwriggles.

Bryce jumps when his head is struck by an acorn and glares up in the tree. He can't hold the angry expression though and soon starts giggling. He waves to the totem and turns his attention to Danny.

Aurelia coughs delicately as the ways of the Perunka are mentioned, but she keeps her mouth perfectly and innocently shut. Meanwhile, after casually ogling Rex, the arrival of the spirits capture Martin's attention and he regards them with avid curiosity. Kal isn't so easy-going about it. The skunk gets a look of stark paranoia and he sidles closer to Robin.

Justin bows his head to the totems, smiling a little, as if he's still getting used to this whole 'squirrel, skunk and moose: mighty totems' idea. Wel, skunk and squirrel, anyway. Moose commands respect by sheer size alone.

River greets the spirits of the Mountain's Heart! Greetings from the river running deep, under the elder sister's light. Greetings from the People. The she-wolf thumps her tail, once.

Robin murmurs more useful advice in Kal's ear, then nods to each of the totems.

From her seat on the ground Layla tilts her head to get a better view of the spirits. She watches with great respect as they arrive.

Ruth draws a brow up, looks at the young wolf curled there on the cool ground, then chuckles and stands, takes a few even steps until she's standing, not far from Danny. She folds her arms and looks over at him, quirks a corner of her mouth up.

Kal flashes Robin a smile, with a rare look of genuine gratitude on his face, and he gives a shoulder-nudge, then takes in each of the Totems with more interest and less twitching.

Danny takes up the necklace from around his neck and holds it up to the Totems as they arrive, kisses it, and lets it fall back to his chest. He exchanges a glance with Ruth, smiles, and stands up, dusting himself off. Aurelia gets a look that's mostly a smile but partly a promise of later comeuppance, and then he bobs his head in deference to Eos, saying, "Thank you, rhya." He looks out over those assembled, and begins speaking. "Epona's Get are a pretty scattered lot, so I suspect what I grew up with and what Ruth grew up with will be different. Maybe a lot different. We're not the only, or even the biggest group of shifters back where I come from, in Sunset Crater. When the Perunka and the wilders came back to the mountains, we never really separated ourselves from the Mother's Wolves, or the Cats, or any of the others. So we picked up a lot of their ways, and made up some of our own, with the help of all the katsina. The spirits in the mountains. We don't really have auspises like the wolves do, but we do have a Riting, where the Elders decide if we're ready to learn Gifts and Rites, or if we have to wait longer. The duty depends on the family and the Elders. Then, after that, you can learn from other Perunka, or the katsina, or anyone who'll teach you really."

Bryce discomfort at the pagan-ness of it all melts away in the face of curiosity as he listen to Danny talk about his people.

Ruth sets herself firm where she stands, her arms stay folded. Her hair streams out in curls all over and she smells like-- soot. Something. Where has she been? She takes a breath and nods, even. "He's right. Our people died. Our lines were there, our families, but there weren't any foals or children who could change. We've been waking up, all of us, learning what we can, remembering what we can." She drags a hand through her sooty hair. "We all have different traditions. My family's from New York, before then from Spain and Africa. In my family's rite of passage, we learn to live a year in our shapes, learn to live with our communities. Work the land with them, live with them."

Rex favors Ren with a wink before turning his attention to Danny and Ruth, listening with frank interest.

Danny nods at Ruth, but continues speaking to the Cineal at large. "My family's people are mostly from this coast, back when the country that they had here was being formed, and from Europe before that. They moved out west when the colonists did, and they stayed in the Western lands. The deserts, mostly, and some in the mountains up to the north. We're not allowed to Rite until we've learned to shift in all three--" He stops awkwardly, and laughs softly. "Well, it was three forms then. That's another story, though." He glances at Eos, and raises his eyebrows.

Ruth snorts, thumps a heel on the ground solid, like a hoof. "Yeah. That is another story." She grins.

"Quite a story it is," Justin mutters, flashing a wry grin at the Perunka.

Serendipity responds to the wink with another grin, and a decidedly flirtatious quirk of one eyebrow before behaving himself as well, paying attention to the information the horse shifters are sharing. He does take a moment out to lean up and murmur something to Martin, though.

To Martin, Serendipity whispers, "...that over there's Rex. Pretty sure I mentioned him t' you before an' you didn't know yet who he was."

"Yeah!" Bryce blurts out. "You died and stuff. Any story where you die is cool."

Eos nods to Danny. "Stories are always welcome. Though we should go through introductions and news first, I think."

Martin cants an ear toward Ren, then glances toward Rex and offers him a warm smile. Otherwise, he pays attention to the Perunka.

River rises to her feet, and through her forms--hispo, crinos, glabro--finally arriving in her human form. She's entirely naked, whipcord lean, with dark skin and a great tangled mass of black hair. She surveys the crowd with a look of disdain barely held in check by politeness. "I am the river. I have journeyed from my sept far to the north. Dusk-rhya has made me welcome in the Mountain's Heart. I thank her. I thank Dawn-rhya for speaking in the Mother's Tongue. I greet you all, from the First People, the Pure Ones. I come in peace." The words are spoken flatly, and she holds eerily still, no real body language to speak of.

Danny nods at River, whickering a greeting, and glances down at Aurelia to give her an encouraging smile.

Bryce, somewhat embarrassed over his outburst, watches River now. He ends up staring at her in shock or fascination, either because she's a weird naked woman, or just because she's weird, it's hard to tell.

Aurelia gazes up at Danny with a blank look, then it clicks and she says, "Oh! Right." She gets to her feet, smoothing her dress primly as she says, "Aurelia Corwin, daughter of Raven. Uh, I come to Haven 'round the end of Wint, and I reckon I'm fixin' to stay a spell."

Layla places a long-fingerd hand to her neck and experimentally clears her throat. The sound must satisfy her, for she drops her hand and says, "My name is Layla. I've been here for ages." She trails off and gazes into the woods, almost absently.

There is the slightest of splashes from the Nave, and then Julen emerges from the niche, leaning slightly heavily on her staff. She gives Eos an even kind of nod and slows to a stop.

Justin pipes up, "I'm Justin, but I think everybody knows that. Excepting you, madam," he adds with an incline of the head to River, who stares at him as if marking which bits to bite off first.

Kalisto remains quietly, watching Justin introduce himself. He makes no move to follow the alchemist's lead, however.

"Danny Wentworth, or Thundersnow, and I'm still here since last sum." He reaches out to take one of Aurelia's hands and give it a brief squeeze.

The young wolf stretches herself out, her forelegs splayed before her, her rump in the air. Then paws become hands and feet, gray fur fades for brown skin and straight black hair, and a lanky girl stands up. She's-- wearing overalls, that's new. "I'm Leaf," she says. Then she adds, "Leaf is here, but not here before, at Moot! Hi!" There's a pause, then she settles down on her haunches. "Leaf can fly."

Aurelia resumes sitting, leaning against Danny comfortably as she takes his hand and uses it to drape his arm around her shoulders.

Justin, noticing Kal's reticence, waves him on, looking at him Meaningfully.

Serendipity hops up to his feet, glancing around again. "Figure mosta you know me by now, seein' as I've been here 'bout half a year," he remarks cheerfully, then sweeps a deep, flamboyant bow and continues, "but for those as don't, Serendipity Jones, Child of Coyote, at your service." He straightens, spreading his hands in a small, magician-style 'tada' gesture, and seats himself again, this time half-sprawling across Martin's thigh, the grin never faltering.

Bryce joins Justin in encouraging Kal but nudging the apprentice wizard with his foot. A brisk sort of nudge. Almost a kick, but not quite. He grins at Kal cheerily.

Seeing that Kal's not taking his cue, Robin stands up and nods to each of the people he doesn't know well. River gets an especially low nod. "Robin Longfellow. I've been here since last fall." He sits down, bumping Kal with his hip as he resettles himself.

Kalisto returns Justin's Meaningful look with one of blank-faced nonchalance. Then, as he's bumped, with agonizingly deliberate slowness, he goes through the trouble of getting to his feet, raking his curls from his eyes with his fingers. "Hey. I'm Kal. I'm here because I set stuff on fire."

Miki lowers his gaze from the hypnotic moon to look at the strange and feral newcomer, then at people as they introduce themselves. Finally he says lowly, "Majlath de Holtsapadtbolyh Miklos. Miki." He speaks mainly to the newcomer, nodding his head politely, then glancing away.

River looks at and listens to each of the introductions. She gives Eos, and the newly appeared Julen, a curiously pleading look, as if to say, what is /wrong/ with you, please restore order so I can sleep at nights, but she says nothing, not even in the wolf-speech. She sits down crosslegged.

"Hey, I'm Ruth. Eshu's Daughter and Foe-Hammer," the tall woman says. "I've been here a while, few years now." She glances at River, a brow draws up, and then she looks back over at Danny.

Serendipity tilts his head up from where he's draped across Martin's thigh, and murmurs quiet enough that only those around him can probably make out the actual words, "...introduce yourself, han'some. They wanna get officials from all the newcomers."

Julen gives River an eloquent shrug. There are elements of, "They are young," and "the world is a strange and new place," and "It confuses /me/, too," in it. Then she says, aloud, as she straightens slightly, "I am, as you may perhaps know, Constance Juliana Brown, but call me Julen. I am The Fire in the Dusk, and other names. I am, among other things, theurge, Garou and Alpha here." She gives Kal and Martin in particular small nods, before glancing at Eos and then leaning back onto her staff.

Martin looks down at Ren with vague puzzlement, like he's not quite sure what the kin is talking about. Seriously, a beach in Southern California is clearly missing a surfer dude. "Oh," he says, then looks up and around at those gathered. "My name is Martin Brook. I'm not sure I have an official capacity here in Haven, but I trade here quite a bit."

"I'm Rex," the bare-chested Kin says, "born to Oroszlan." He rakes fingers through his hair, then bows to River.

Eos smiles around at everyone, nods to Julen, and says, "For those who don't know, I am Eos Spins-Dreams-in-Morning-Light, Galliard Crone of the Spiral Dancers, Warder of this caern and one of its tale-tellers."

Danny settles down next to Aurelia again, slipping an arm around her waist, and waits for the news-sharing to commence.

Justin stands up, dusting himself off, and addresses the sept. "With the alpha's kind permission, I would like to present some news." He bows to Julen and Eos, then straightens up. "The caern and the mountain has a new set of guardians. Miki, Robin, and I," he gestures towards his friends, "were selected to judge which, from among several groups of unicorns, would claim Katahdin for their territory. Through the judging process, we chose a group of four unicorns aspected as Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter." Could he be flushing slightly? "Those four unicorns now claim Katahdin and environs as their protectorate. You may well see them around. They're...friendly." Definitely color. "Excepting Spring, who has been known to be aggressive, you've nothing to fear from them."

Julen enquires, "And what does Spring look like?"

Miki mutters, "A white horse with a horn." But he says it very quietly.

"They all look rather the same, rhya," Justin explains, "excepting the eyes. Spring's eyes are golden."

Ruth says nothing at all about unicorns, standing as she is there with her arms folded and her feet set firm on the ground, like she grew from the spot where she stands. But, it's a noisy sort of saying nothing. She drags fingers through her curly hair.

"Spring is the largest and the most muscular of the four," Robin adds. "He doesn't like mortals, so he's unlikely to appear."

Julen murmurs, "Thank you. Knowing the difference between an aggressive one and a friendly one might well be important."

Kal makes a rolly-eyed look of adolescent snottiness at the mention of the unicorns and pointedly pretends to become fascinated by a bit of dirt on the ground. Dirt on the ground! Who'd of thought?

Bryce steps up next to Justin and clears his throat, glancing nervously at River for a moment. "Ahh, another piece of news. Justin and Danny and I have formed a kumi. We're called Aethra, which is Latin for the stratosphere, I think. Anyway, it means we reach for higher goals and stuff. So, we're dedicated to protecting the caern of course, and we can build things. Danny's got the crafting angle, Justin has the magic angle and I've got technology covered. Uh, we formed because we were all going crazy from what happened to us in the other Katahdin and needed to support each other, so that kind of means that membership is restricted to people who've been traumatized in the Wizard King's realm." He shifts from foot to foot awkwardly. "So, yeah, we're called Aethra and if you need something built, or destroyed, come to us." His piece finished, he steps back and sits down, trying to look small.

Robin looks vaguely bewildered as he whispers something to Kal.

"/Bryce/," Justin mutters, scandalized by the membership description.

Kal cracks up, but quickly clamps a hand over his mouth and gives Robin a Look. He settles down though, quiet like. Angelic, really.

Julen looks vaguely bemused for a moment, but rallies sufficiently to say, "News of a kumi is most definitely heartening news for this Cineal. Thank you."

Danny smiles gently at Bryce, looking more sympathetic than anything else.

Robin gives Kal a puzzled Look in return.

Serendipity reaches up and ruffles Martin's hair happily. Bryce's announcement reminds hi of something, and he glances over to Aurelia, then stands himself after the Bastet sits. "Speakin' of kumis. Rae an' I started one too -- an' Tristan, whether he likes it or not. We haven't exactly given it a name yet, but we're buildin' a kumihouse an' stuff, so I 'spect we'll get around to it. If y'can't figure out what kinda things we might be useful t' help with, hang out with us more." He doesn't sit yet, glancing at Aurelia to see if she wants to add anything to that.

Aurelia nods to Ren and adds, "Yeah, we're just going to let the name kind of happen. We're here for the defense of the mountain and all that, and I'm takin' to defendin' the dreamlands when I can."

Julen murmurs, "Excellent. My congratulations to the both of you. Or, perhaps, to the three of you, depending. I will look forward to your progress."

Miki leans against Justin's arm, trying to keep his attention focused on the moot. He usually doesn't have any trouble keeping his attention on people; but tonight he seems strangely restless, as though he hears something in the distance.

Once she's settled on her haunches, it isn't long before the lanky girl has faded for a gray and lanky wolf. Leafcutter cants her head, scratches at an ear with a hind leg and also sneaks golden-eyed glances at River.

Serendipity smiles and makes a slight bow to Julen, then looks back to Aurelia. "Rae, did you wanna talk about that one thing?" he inquires eloquently, as he wanders over to where Rex has ensconced himself and whispers something in the lion-kin's ear.

Aurelia regards Ren blankly. "What one thing?" she asks.

Serendipity whispers to Rex, "Think we oughta tell 'em all about the nutty mage an' all?"

Justin slips his arm around Miki and bends his head to murmur something to him briefly.

River chuffs in Leaf's direction, a gentle note. She almost smiles, the corners of her thin mouth quirking upwards, but does not quite make it.

Danny leans over and murmurs something in Aurelia's ear, looking quite serious as he does so.

Serendipity looks up and gestures vaguely. "With the dream stuff?" he elabourates, arching an eyebrow meaningfully.

"Ah, right, then." Aurelia sits up a bit straighter and gets a serious look about her. "Long story short: there's evil-walkers in the area, malandanti. They're like sorcerers who use a special brand of dream magic, and they're dangerous. They got an opposite number, the good-walkers. I'm one of them. I been keepin' watch around here, and while there's a nest of 'em somewhere in the area, they ain't come to Haven in great numbers. Should be safe for now, anyway, but I don't know for how long."

Leafcutter's ears perk up, and then she curls into a crescent with her tail over her nose. A furry brow goes up, she glances at River again, then looks away. Of course she isn't looking.

Miki rolls his head against Justin's shoulder and looks over at him with wide, dilated eyes. He murmurs something in response, then gazes away across the crowd of people, unfocused and alert, languorous and restless.

Bryce's attention swings over towards Aurelia. "Whoa," he says. "Uh, how do they get around? Do they have physical forms like you? Are they shifters, too?"

Julen raises an eyebrow, but Bryce's questions seem to suffice for her, for the moment.

Layla uses her fingertips to trace patterns in the dirt as she listens intently.

Rex whispers, "Oh, sure. You go ahead."

Aurelia turns toward Bryce and shakes her head. "Nah, not quite like that. Bein' a dream-walker is a circumstance of birth. We Corax ain't like other shifters in how we come to be. We're not born to it, we're chosen. I don't got a drop of Raven blood in me that I know of, but I got Raven's spirit, a gift from the corvid who chose me. Dream-walkers, we're born to it. Born in the caul, they say. They got a physical form same as anyone, but their power is in their dreams. They stalk the dreamlands lookin' for what they can corrupt and influence. Most of the time, they're like a nightmare and you never knew they were even there, suckin' away your spirit."

Justin kisses Miki's forehead and settles him closer, and lets him be otherwise, as Justin pays attention to what Aurelia is saying.

The way that Danny bites at his lip and lets his gaze dart away briefly almost makes him look restless, but a brief moment spent watching Moose and Squirrel settles him down, and he's soon watching Aurelia again.

Bryce pales a little at Aurelia's description and gulps. "That sounds /really/ nasty," he says quietly. "But if you find 'em in the, in whereever they are on Gaia, and if we can help, you let Aethra know. Okay?"

Aurelia nods firmly and replies, "You know it. They can be killed in dreams, where I fight 'em, but that don't kill their bodies. They hunt my kind, the good-walkers, in this world. Kill the body, the spirit can't dream. If I find where they're living in the waking world... well. Got to do what needs done."

Ruth looks at Aurelia and nods, once. Her curly hair tumbles down over her brow. "I don't know much about fighting in dreams, but if there's something I can fight in the realm, I will. What should we look for?"

"Hounds," Danny says, a little quietly. He clears his throat, then raises his voice. "The last time I saw one, it looked like a hound. But, Corrupted, like a hell-hound from a child's story."

Julen leans forward slightly at the mention of Corrupter, and while she did not precisely look skeptical before, she seems, indefinably, more focused.

Ruth settles on her heels and says, amiably. "That shouldn't be hard to miss."

Aurelia lays a hand over Danny's, giving him a sympathetic shoulder-nudge. "Yeah, dreamin' of black dogs is a sign," she confirms quietly. "But they can take other shapes. If you ain't sleepin' good, and you're wakin' up tired and drained after a nightmares and terrors, you might want to give me a head's up. In the wakin' world, they're human beings. Likely not very nice ones, but they don't go around advertising. They might bear a taint, they may not." She looks around the gathered Havenites, chewing at her lower lip thoughtfully. "Like I said, there's been some activity around here, but not a lot. If it becomes worrisome, y'all will be the first to know."

Serendipity nods at Rex's murmured reply, letting his fingertips drift down the other kin's arm as he heads back toward his own space in the circle, but doesn't sit, waiting on his feet instead. When it seems that Aurelia's said her piece, he speaks up again. "So while I'm up an' all, Rex an' I had an experience a while back I remember someone sayin' we oughta mention. We were walkin' down t' Millenockett t' pick some stuff up, an' we came across this short blonde chick who was afraid of bears or somethin', an' asked us to escort her, so bein' the fine upstandin' gentlemen we are, we said sure. Only she used some kinda electric thing t' knock us both out," he looks somewhat annoyed about this fact, "an' we woke up in these cages she had, with these collar things on. Anyway, long story short, she was a crazy mage, experimenting with turning kin inta full shifters, an' I managed to get out an' deck her an' all, but it was too late t' keep the magic from goin' off. Hurt like hell, but didn't do anything else t' me. Rex actually got shifted. So, yeah, Justin an' Miki an' Rowan showed up an' helped us get out, got the mage, Callie was her name, t' take the collars off, an' we left. She promised not t' do it again without the subjects' consent an' all, but who knows. Anyhow, I went back there a few days later, whole underground lab was gone, an' I mean there was just a huge hole in the earth there. So just... keep an eye out for freaky short blonde mage chicks. Yeah?"

Julen murmurs, "Indeed."

Justin adds, "She did say she'd be good and experiment on the willing, though."

Bryce gives Ren a thoughtful look at the story, then looks down at the ground and wiggles his toes in the dirt. Seems he's got some food for thought now.

Danny rests his head against Aurelia's and manages a faint smile for her. With a nod for Ruth, he settles in to listen to Ren and Rex's tale. His eyes widen at the strangeness of it, and he shakes his head. "Goddess, Ren. I'm glad your both okay." His gaze shifts to Rex, as if he could just alrightness on sight alone, then goes back to Ren. "Maybe we should spread the word, in case she's still in this area."

Miki focuses briefly on Aurelia, frowning at her descriptions, then looks over his shoulder at the dark woods. The restlessness grows more pronounced; he wriggles like a kitten held too tightly. Finally he whispers something to Justin and gets to his feet-- as he does that, however, he becomes... less noticeable, nothing more than a passing breeze, a shadow in the moonlight, for all that he's still quite physically present. He drifts towards the edge of the trees.

Martin reaches fretfully for Ren. "If either of you ever need someone to travel with you," he offers, "all you need to do is ask. I won't let anything happen to you."

Justin watches Miki go, looking a tad forlorn, but there are important things being discussed, so he turns his attention back to the moot.

Serendipity glances around to make sure no one else has something to say on the topic, and then reseats himself, draping comfortably across Martin's lap again.

Rex smiles and nods. He does add, quietly, "There's a little... leftover from it. I dunno how, really." He extends one hand and claws emerge from the tips of his fingers. "It's a little freaky."

Danny tracks Miki's departure from Justin's side with his eyes, but Justin's lack of concern dictates he can stay relaxed, and so he does--until Rex's fingers produce claws, and then his eyes widen in surprise.

Kal watches Miki go, and a small smile plays upon his lips. He keeps silent though, listening to people talk, but also distracting himself somewhat by tracing things in the dirt with a fingertip.

Justin murmurs, "Residual influences in your Pattern, Rex. It might go away; it might not."

Rex lets his hand relax and the claws vanish. He shrugs, not really looking at anyone. "Y'never know."

There's a brief exchange in the horse speech between Danny and Ruth, and with a rueful grin, Danny hugs Aurelia and gets back to his feet. He betrays a touch of nervousness in the ritual motion of brushing back his hair with his hands; where discussing the traditions of the Perunka didn't seem to affect him, this clearly does. Setting aside his disquiet, he once again addresses everyone. "I think most of you know something about what I mentioned earlier, the new forms that Ruth and I have. Towards the end of wint, I had a dream. I saw Perunka, all sorts of Perunka, wearing shapes I'd never seen before, and they were running in a field of golden grass. The field was actually the Mare of the World, and she was running in the sky and the stars. Then, the day after the Equinox, a unicorn came to Ruth and I, and said we needed to go on a journey. A quest, to restore what the Perunka had lost when they all died. He took us deep into the Shadow Place, further than I'd ever been, up a mountainside and over a broken road to the Homeland. The Perunka Homeland. It was like I'd seen in the dream, with golden fields surrounded by huge mountains. We met the First Perunka there, who'd all died before the Dark. Boukephalas was with them, and he said to regain the lost forms, we'd need the boon of a goddess. He sent us to Cerridwen, who lived in a castle in the sky. She said she could give us back the forms, but we'd first need to go to Rhiannon of the Horses, and retrieve the forms from her. Then she could restore them to us." Here he pauses to take a breath and collect his thought again.

Julen leans on her staff, watching the young man.

Aurelia watches Danny as well, her expression inscrutable but terribly intent.

More whickers and nickers pass between Ruth and Danny, and then Danny continues. "The problem was, Rhiannon was in the Farthest West, in the Land of the Dead. We had to give up everything we had with us, and a Gift, and die, to go see her. So, we gave them to a Raven, and went into Her Hall. She was there, with a lot of people, celebrating. I'm not sure, but maybe they were all the Old People, the ones who used to worship her. Not Perunka, I don't think, because they were in the Homeland." He frowns for a moment, looking confused, then shrugs it off and continues. "She was there, and she was, incredible. I don't think I can describe her, not with any words that would do her justice. She gave us the forms, as a pair of brooches, and sent us back to Cerridwen in a balloon. Cerridwen put us in her cauldron and, I'm not kidding, the ocean was in it, and we had to swim to shore through a storm. We were back in the Umbra, then, and we ran back home on a moonbridge." The retelling has left Danny a little glassy-eyed, and he shakes his head to clear it. "We had the new forms too, but it's taken us a while to get used to them. It's been like Firsting, all over again."

Julen has heard some of this, but her eyes widen slightly as a smile grows. "My," she murmurs as she straightens. "You had quite a trip. Honor to you."

Danny blushes and nods at Julen in thanks. "We're definitely the ones who were honored, to be sent to do it." He runs his hands through his hair again. "Now we just have to get the news out to everyone else."

"Indeed. That, in and of itself, should keep you busy enough for six people." Julen smiles, and, slowly, levers herself off her staff. The slight pain in her movements slides away from her as she says, "And that, my friends, is our gathering of many tribes, races, and beliefs. Until the next time, I thank you, I thank the spirits, and, as ever, I thank Glitters and Rusalka." The very faint scent of skunk -- so light as to be, perhaps, imaginary-- wafts through the clearing. "And now-- let us drink, eat, and drink some more."