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Alex is sitting on a rock at the edge of the pool, staring silently at the waterfall. His legs are crossed beneath him, his shoulders are straight, absolutely unbent.

Kristine returns to the waterfall, clutching her duster close to her. She pauses about halfway to Alex, and removes the coat, dropping on the ground. A couple of rabbits follow, being dropped in the center. "Hey Alex," She calls softly, walking towards him.

Ada can be heard coming over the ridge from the Caern, no singing from her today, strangely enough. Very carefully she makes her way down the steep decline, picking out her footing slowly.

Alex turns his head to watch Kristine's approach, completely without emotion. He bows his head deeply as she gets close. "Kristine-yuf."

Kristine quirks a brow, and begins digging in one of the pockets. Removing a very sharp rock she pulls one of the rabbits towards her. "'Kristine-yuf'? Where in the world did -that- come from, Alex? What happened to Kris?" She holds up the rabbit, and displays the fact that it looks like the rabbit isn't even dead, save for the extremely odd angle the head hangs. "Practiced hunting in Lupus. Aint you proud?"

Alex tilts his head very slightly, just staring at Kristine for a moment before he says, "I have never used 'Kris'. And yes. A quite efficient kill."

Ada raises a brow as she slowly comes down into the valley, her bare feet finally touching the grass that grows around the waterfall. Her eyes meet Kristine's from across the way with a curious glance as she nods towards Alex, silently asking with a single look 'what's up with him?'

Kristine chews her lip, "Well, start. You don't need to be formal, I mean, we're friends, siblings. Remember?" She tilts her head, setting the rabbit on it's back. "Okay, I've never dressed one of these things, help me out huh?" she glances up to Ada, and shrugs, worry is very evident in her eyes.

Louisa jogs down into the caern a bit after the other two. She smiles when she sees Alex and climbs up onto his rock and crouches behind him, twining her arms around his (*cringe*) neck. "How'd things go with Moon Otter?" she asks amiably.

Alex nods solemnly to the new-come Fang. "Ada-yuf." He turns back toward Kristine, again pausing before he says quietly, though still without any hint of emotion, "Yes. Family." He starts to stand, but at Lou's touch, he blurs into motion. That cold face falls away into an expression of absolute rage, and he reaches up, grabs Lou's arms, and throws her hard over his body to land splayed-out on the ground in front of him. Immediately he crouches over her head, almost nose-to-nose, and snarls, "DON'T fucking touch me!"

Ada's eyes widen as she goes completely tense, a look of abject shock, almost disbelief on her face as though she truely can't believe her eyes.

Louisa lands, the breath leaving her lungs with a whoosh. She stares up at those grey eyes, not breathing mostly because she can't -- but if she could, there'd be some question as well.

The rabbit and the rock's forgotten as Kris stands up. Without much concern for herself, she moves to place herself at the other two's head. "Alright, we won't. But playing hackey-sack with Lou ain't gonna get your point across." Kneeling, she positions herself as best she can in a proctective position. "You're out of line Mister." Her hands reach to pull Lou out from under Alex.

Alex growls low in the back of his throat, and narrows his eyes as he gets even closer to Lou, teeth barred. "Are. We. Clear?" As Kristine steps in, he looks up, his eyes once again ice-cold, as well as his voice, "And you are one to tell me these things because?"

Ada slowly moves forward behind Kris, in between the two girls and the large Ahroun. Her voice is soft but hinting at barely comtrolled emotions herself. "Because she's your friend Alex. You seem to forget that a lot lately."

For the first time, the Theurge begins to show some of that Authority she's been expected to live up to. Maybe she's finally accepting things. "Because we don't attack, or even beat up our packmates here, Ambrazavicius." Also, she doesn't mangle the surname. "Ada's correct. We're friends," she offers, her voice softening.

Louisa's mouth opens and closes but she still doesn't have her breath, or hence hr voice, back yet. She stares up at the Shadow Lord.

Kristine begins Gathering the Gaian up in her arms, watching Alex like a hawk.

Alex looks coldly between the three women, then whispers, "Then there isn't much of a problem here, since we are not packmates, Kristine-yuf."

Ada's eyes narrow darkly, a half growl barely cut off in the back of her throat. "Go find someone your own size to beat up Lord," she hisses, turning her attention to Kris and Louisa, looking to see if the smaller girl is hurt.

Kristine narrows her eyes, her tone slowly turning into a growl. "Lou's your -friend- Alex. Or have you forgotten that? I wouldn't care of you smashed my head against a rock, even if I did consider you a friend as well. But Lou's pretty much your sister." The tone drops, and she does look menacing, "Next time, say it, Ambrazevicius. Hurting people's not the way to go. Especially other Garou." She glances down. "Lou, sweetie?"

Louisa finally recatches her breath in time to say, ".. no no no no.." She will flies back toward Alex, albeit -very- unsteadily.

At the center, Rends-the-Dark yawns and stretches, rising to her feet. Slowly, she begins to amble towards the bickering cubs.

At the center, Rends-the-Dark heads southeast, towards the waterfall.
Rends-the-Dark approaches the waterfall from the center of the caern.
Rends-the-Dark has arrived.

Alex straightens slowly, and stares down at Ada for a moment before he says, "I did. I slit their throats last night, then chopped them up and fed them into the garbage disposal." He then turns his attention to Kristine for a moment before he shrugs, then turns and walks back to his rock and sits, utterly calm again.

Rends-the-Dark yawns again and licks her muzzle, looking Alex over. ~You still have an attitude, I see.~

Kristine lets Lou go, and stands up. She's not calming down so easily. For someone who had yet to get intouch with her Rage, she's doing a damn good job of it now. Her fists curl and uncurl slightly. She doesn't say anything about what he did. In combination between being royally pissed at Alex, and the shock at what he said, she's just too afraid to move much less say anything.

Ada lifts her chin, watching him slowly, cautiously. "Who?" she asks, her voice softening.

Alex looks over at Rends-the-Dark, staring at her for a moment before he bows his head deeply, shrugging. "Good morning, Rends-the-Dark-rhya. If I have an attitude, I was unaware of it." He then looks back up, gaze turning to Ada as he shrugs once more. "Two humans. Three, truly. Moon Otter broke the first one's neck when I would not kill."

As Lou wobbles back toward him, he's utterly calm this time as he reaches out and grabs her by the throat, holding her off. He stares at her silently for a moment, then says, "Do. Not. Touch. Me."

The small muscle in her jaw tightens visibly as Ada clenches her teeth together. "Shit, Alex. Why? Did he tell you to?"

Louisa stares at Alex, her hands reflexively going to the hand at her throat.

Alex then turns back toward Ada and nods. "One must learn to follow orders, after all."

Kristine takes several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. "Damn the PMS these days," she murmurs in an attempt to get herself to lighten up. Walking towards Lou, she takes the Gaian's arm. "C'mon, Lou. Just back away a little bit." She shakes her head, her voice pleading, "Alex, that wasn't orders, that was cold blooded murder." She rolls her eyes, "But what do I know."

Alex turns his eyes toward Kristine, and shrugs. "It is not a cub's place to question."

Rends-the-Dark pads closer to Alex, her lip lifting in a snarl when he graps Louisa.

Ada's eyes narrow and she spits down, towards her feet. "That's bullshit. That's utter bull fucking shit Alex. What are they teaching you, boy? Teaching you to just be a slave in their ranks?"

Alex looks very calmly over at Rends for a moment, then over to Ada as he shrugs yet again. "This one doesn't know what they have in mind."

Kristine frowns, still trying to coax Lou away from Alex. "It may not be a cub's place to question orders, Alex. But geeze, have some common sense! Tell me, were they helpless? Gagged and bound? Orders or no, that's still Murder. C'mon, Think!"

Louisa shakes her head stubbornly, not moving to pull away from Alex or move toward him. Her voice is hoarse though, "Alex.."

Ada shakes her head. "No!" She walks in front of him, forcing him to look up at her, into those dark eyes. "Listen to me Alex, you may be a Lord, you may be a cub, Moon otter may be your elder but he had not right to do that! Kris is right, you /could/ have questioned! That's not /you/ Alex! Murder is the Wyrm's place...."

From the rock outcropping, Dusty makes his way down the trail from the northern wall of the valley.

Rends-the-Dark's teeth are gleaming white now and her chest is rumbling. Her voice sounding a flat and ugly tone of command, she says, ~You will let the Gaian cub go. Now.~

Kristine remains as close to Lou as she can, giving into the fact she won't leave Alex. "You could have said something, Alex. And Ada's right as well. Murder is a Wyrm Tool." She coaxes slightly, much against her better judgement, "Now, c'mon, let Lou go. She didn't do anything to you."

Alex stares down at Rends for a moment, then shoves Lou back away from him, letting his hand drop as he bows his head. "As you wish, Rends-the-Dark-rhya." He then turns to look between Ada and Kristine for a moment before he shows yet another emotion: his lips slowly curl into a smile, but it's full of bitterness and almost tangible self-loathing. "Yes, they were bound and gagged. It was this one's honor to slay as though they were chaffs of wheat, waiting to fall. I do indeed believe that was murder, yes."

From the rock outcropping, A clarion whistle sounds out from the other side of the caern, a familiar voice to some that quickly fades at the sounds of conflict by the waterfall. Dusty jogs to the end of the rock outcropping,standing tall to get an idea of what is going on from this distance.

Louisa stumbles backward, still mostly quiet in comparison with Ada and Kristine. She shakes her head slowly, then says in a -very- quiet voice, "Where's Moon Otter?"

Alex shrugs silently.

Rends-the-Dark continues to rumble deep in her chest. To the girlcubs, she says, ~You. Step away from him. Now. Do not bother him again.~ And she transfers her attention back to Alex, eyes burning. ~And did your elder bind and gag these humans for you to kill?~ When Louisa speaks, she snaps, roaring, ~Silence!~

Ada shakes her head, slowly, disbelief on her face still as she looks into his eyes, not speaking, just staring at him as through reading his face. "Jesus, Jesus Christ," she mumbles softly, to herself more than to him. "How could he ask you do that Alex?"

Kristine grunts as she gets shoved back with Lou. Finally moving away from her, she frowns. "Bullshit! They were innocents! Tell me, how many family's are going to mourn? People aren't wheat to be culled, no more than wolves, or trees, or water!" She snaps to a silence at Rends' words, eyes flashing.

Louisa 's mouth shuts at Rends' command. She looks between the elder and Alex with shadowy dark, brown eyes.

Ada walks back slwoly, crossing her arms over her chest as she closes her eyes and bites her lower lip hard to keep from screaming.

Alex turns his attention back to Rends and nods. "Yes, Rends-the-Dark-rhya. So that I could learn the value of obedience, and have whatever once was human burned from me. So that this Shadow Lord could honorably slay those who could not defend themselves." He then turns his attention to Kristine, head canted slightly. "Who are you to question an elder, Kristine-yuf?"

Kristine backs away, but her eyes never leave Alex. He probably wouldn't be having this problem, if he didn't fling Lou the way he did.

"Honourably slay," Ada snarls beneath her breath, her back towards them.

"I silenced myself at her command, Alex." Kris says, in a forced calm tone.

Rends-the-Dark pulls her haunches under her. ~I see. How amusing. Do you know that your namesake killed Moon Otter's teacher for killing humans?~ She's still quite angry, despite her words, and her eyes go to the girls as they continue interacting with the boy.

From the rock outcropping, As the situation becomes clearer, Dusty makes his way across the clearing, whistling sharply in hopes of attracting the girls' attention.

From the rock outcropping, Dusty heads into the center.

Alex turns back toward Rends, and cants his head slightly. "What namesake would that be?"

Kristine spins around to go with Dusty, before she really loses her temper.

You head into the center and heart of the caern.
Center of the Caern
This area of the clearing is about 30 meters wide and is a mixture of dark soil and clay throughout, though much of it looks like it's been sodded in recent months. Near the center of the clearing, the top of a large white boulder juts out from the soil like a bone revealed after the skin of an animal has been torn away. The large rock appears to be normal stone at its base, but towards the top stone gives way to a sparkling collection of quartz crystal. Surrounding the base of the stone, on all sides, are shattered pieces of what looks to have once been a stone table.
Around you, twenty yards in every direction, stretches the caern. To the southeast, a waterfall plummets over the edge of the chasm into a small pool in the caern; nearby, to the southwest, steam comes from cracks in the ground, perhaps some of the same water. Northwest, a rocky spar justs out of the ground at a low angle, showing a sloping but smooth top. The chasm walls narrow a bit to the northeast, causing some of the mist to swirl in that area.
Contents:
Dusty
Obvious exits:
Rock Slab Windy Spot WaterFall Steam Vents

By the waterfall, Louisa is still quiet and rather pale, standing there staring at Rends and Alex.

By the waterfall, Ada looks to Louisa hopefull that she will follow. "Lou?" she questions softly, nodding after Kristine and Dusty.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark bares her teeth again. ~Why, Alexander, full-moon of the Shadow Lords, of course. My teacher. It's an interesting chain of events, don't you think? Tell me, did he have you eat them, too?~

Kristine stops, snapping her head at Rends' words, then growls. She marches further into the center, looking around for Dusty.

By the waterfall, Alex shrugs faintly. "I was not aware of such a forerunner. No, he did not. He had me chop them into pieces and force them down a garbage disposal."

Dusty is standing close to the center and making his way closer as Kristine comes to join him. "What's going on?" he asks quietly after getting one look at Kristine's face.

By the waterfall, Ada closes her eyes as a shiver of disgust passes through her. "God above," she sighs and walks silently away, her arms wrapped around herself.

By the waterfall, Ada heads into the center.
Ada has arrived.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark flattens her ears. ~He was killed and eaten by a Get in the city. Before you came. Still, we noticed you. And now we notice your Elder.~ She begins to stalk around Alex.

Kristine's face, once a mask of Rage and anger, twists slightly as she struggles to hold the tears back. "Alex pretty much attacked Lou when she hugged him, like she always does. And, that's when," she bites her lip, her eyes closing tight, "We were all concerned about Lou, and then he goes on about Moon Otter telling him to kill these people. Innocents! Apparently they had no way to defend--" She just stops and drops to the ground.

By the waterfall, Louisa doesn't answer any calls from the others, standing rooted to her spot.

By the waterfall, Alex nods solemnly. "A terrible fate, then, for one of so proud a lineage. Why, if one may ask, Rends-the-Dark-rhya, have you been paying any notice to this cub?"

Ada makes her way towards Kris silently, her face pained. And she shakes her head, taking the lupine form as she walks, touching her wet black nose against her friend's face with a little whimper. No tears. Please sister.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark snaps her teeth. ~Cut the bullshit, asshole. Honorable this and this one that. You know nothing about honor and you're letting your trickster of a teacher drag you down into slime with him. Stop pretending you understand. If you're really as mindless and stupid as you're acting, you should be culled.~

Kristine wraps her arms around the Ada-wolf. "I'm trying, Ada. It just hurts. It's as if he's a stranger, now. And that he just doesn't give a damn about us, the one's who care the most about him."

By the waterfall, Alex's eyes narrow very slightly at Rends, just watching her for a moment before he reaches around behind his back, pulling a large buckknife out and offering it to her handle-first. "Then cull, if that is what you think is best, Rends-the-Dark-rhya. This one has no soul left to care."

Dusty blinks, digesting this information, then walks over to Kristine and sits down next to the crumpled form, attempting to pull her into his arms as a father does a child. "A teacher forced his cub to kill innocents...and then attacked another cub? And calls it honorable?" He pauses and listens as Kristine speaks, then to Alex, his eyes sad.

By the waterfall, Louisa murmurs a fervant 'No!' at the culling suggestion.
By the waterfall, Louisa moves two steps toward the pair, eyes now on the knife.

Sunshine nudges the girl's chin, her breath warm against the flesh. Moon Otter was wrong. Alex is scared. I am scared.

Kristine drags the Ada-wolf with her as she gets pulled. "I don't know what happened. And I thought, damn, I was just seeing red there for a moment. I think I was going to attack -him-." She chuckles slightly, her cheeks wet, "See Ada, I can assert some authority." She sighs and nods a bit. "I'm scared too. If you can't trust your own 'mate, who can you trust." She suddenly becomes bitter, "Oh yeah, I forgot, we aren't a Pack. We ain't family."

Sunshine whimpers again, licking Kris' cheek. No! Family. Pack. Sisters and Brother. He talks nonsense. He needs help. Lou needs help. Need each other.

"We're all family," Dusty corrects gently. "Once, long ago, we were all one tribe. It sounds like Alex has forgotten that we're here to protect and defend Gaia in whatever way we can, not to dominate and destroy as Moon Otter would seem to think. We are all family, if we choose to admit it to ourselves."

Moon Otter wrong. Bad wrong. The wolf nuzzles against her sister and slowly stands, looking down at her.

Kristine holds Sunshine close, but leans against Dusty. "They're my family. You're my family. The first family I had. And now, has he turned against -us-?"

Dusty offers his free hand for Ada to sniff, thoughtfully. "You are then thinking about forming a pack?" he asks of both of the girls.

Sunshine scratches against the ground with her forepaw. No. Turned against himself. Slowly she leans forward, touching her muzzle to the offered hand, sniffing.

Kristine shrugs, and sighs. "I don't know. Alex, Lou and I, since we were stuck in the forest together, helping each other out, being there for each other, I guess we all thought of ourselves as a Pack. Not official, just that's how we thought, I guess. I think I thought wrong."

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark spins around so she's facing Alex head on. ~Yeah. You sold it rather than reject the teachings of your elder. And now you regret it. Poor you.~ Her tone drips with sarcasm. ~And instead of having the courage to deal with what you did, you attack other cubs.~

By the waterfall, Alex shrugs very faintly. "Given that Robert, and Brian, and Derrick, and everyone else who lectured me after the incident at the bawn was -quite- clear that I should be following the orders of an Elder without question, what would you have me do? I either disobey, and give up my honor and soul, or I follow orders...and give up my honor and soul. Which would you choose, Rends-the-Dark-rhya? I am curious."

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark gets a curious expression in the cant of her ears, amusement mingling in with her anger. ~Your honor is your own. Any elder can be challenged, and it is right and good that they should be if their judgement seems faulty. You are always responsible for your own actions, for the veil that is broken and the crimes against Gaia you commit. Blaming it on your elder, especially when your elder is a trickster, will only earn you scorn, not honor. It seems as if you still do not think, only accept what is lectured. I'm surprised Weighs-the-Way still cares for you. Tell me, how do you feel /now/ when I call you coward?~

Dusty lets out a sigh and puts an arm around Kristine. "All I can suggest is to stand by him. If you walk away now, he'll just go further into whatever weird funk he's gotten himself into, and you may never get him out. Though he'll never admit it, he needs you to stick by him." He looks up at the waterfall. "And to kick him in the butt when he needs it."

By the waterfall, Alex shakes his head slightly. "I do not lay blame at Moon Otter's feet, nor have I. If that was your impression, Rends-the-Dark-rhya, then you are, I hate to inform you, without full possession of the facts. I too am surprised by Weighs-the-Way, but that is her decision not mine. As for being called a coward...again, I feel that you lack full knowledge of events and intentions. I did not attack other cubs. I defended myself in what, at the time, was an intolerable intrusion into my personal space. If I had attacked her, she or I would be dead. That was not my intention, so it did not happen."

Kristine moves more into the embrace, and sighs. "I want to be there for him, like he was there for me. But If I can't trust my own reactions to what ever it is he does, how am I going to be any help?" She glances to the waterfall, as if she realizes what her task is now, "How am -I- going to be able to hold -us- together?"

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark chuffs in sour laughter. ~Bullshit. Listen to the way you talk. What do you think it means when you say, everybody told me I had to obey an elder without question! Wah! I have no soul left, because I did what I was told, and I'd have no soul left if I disobeyed! Poor me! I have no choice! Nobody understands me!~ She stares straight into the cub's eyes as she mocks him. ~You had this friend, and she understood you, but then Gaia liked her more and have her to a /nice/ tribe. Poor you. Now you have to hurt her like you were hurt.~

By the waterfall, Alex shrugs faintly, and offers Rends the knife once again. "Then cull, if I am so worthless."

Kristine turns her head towards the waterfall, trying to keep tabs on what's going on there, as well as take comfort that Dusty offers. At Alex's offer she frowns, almost seeing red again, before she calms herself down. "Sounds like someone needs to get off is blasted pity pot," she murmurs.

Dusty strokes Kristine's hair softly as he answers, "Well...you're not going to be able to do it by yourself. All of you are going to have to do it together. There's not really a whole lot you can do if Alex chooses to walk away from all of you." He smiles at Kristine's comment. "He does, I think, but he's going to have to do it himself. You can help, but the initiative has to be his."

Kristine leans against Dusty, and nods. "I know Lou's hurting. It's like I can feel it," she taps the center of her chest for emphasis. "She's hurting because Alex turned her away, and Alex's like her best friend. I know I'd feel that way if Brigid turned like that." She glances down, then up to Dusty. "They're both pained. Terribly so."

Dusty raises an eyebrow at this, but then simply nods. "I can only imagine." His eyes turn a bit sad. "I've never really had anybody be that close."

Kristine sighs and tries to shrink even more so into the embrace. "Neither have I. Until now."

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark studies Alex for a long moment. Then she shifts slowly, into glabro, and reaches out to wrap her fingers around his throat, as he did to his friend. ~No,~ she says softly, ~I won't do for you what you lack the courage to do yourself. I am not your friend and only somebody who loves you can give you the courage to do what it takes to restore your honor.~ Her strong fingers squeeze gently, holding him just as he held his friend.

By the waterfall, Alex snarls at the touch, and spins the knife in his hand to slash at Rends' torso as she touches him. "BACK OFF."

Kristine closes her eyes, and tries to block out what sure's to be a slaughter now that Alex's made a strike at Rends.

Dusty's eyes go up to the scene at the waterfall, almost unconsciously, though his voice is still quiet and for Kristine only. His arms wrap around Kristine as the Shadow Lord attacks his packmate, and his teeth bare in a snarl. "All right, that kid needs his head beaten in," he growls softly. "You're going to have to help Louisa out, Kristine... "

By the waterfall, The knife bites into Athena's stretched t-shirt and the flesh of her stomach, and she winces, her fingers curling more tightly about his throat-- not enough to choke him yet, just enough to keep a grip. Almost immediately, the wound starts closing. Her grey eyes are cold and hard. ~Can't have it both ways, boyo. Besides, who are you to order an elder?~ Her words are a cold mockery of what he said to Kristine earlier.

By the waterfall, Alex growls darkly, and he whispers through clenched teeth, "As you wish, Rends-the-Dark-rhya." He turns the knife on himself now, and gouges a dark line down along the center of his forearm, breathing in sharply at the pain.

"I--I can't watch," The Fang finally admits, turning to nuzzle her face into Dusty's chest. "If I watch, I'll jump into the middle of it, try to stop it."

By the waterfall, Athena reaches her other hand out and rips the knife out of Alex's hand. ~Oh, no. You can't do that, either.~ After dropping the knife into the dirt, she clamps a heavy hand over the self-inflicted wound, applying painful pressure. ~Now, See, I'll give you another order. Shift down.~ Her eyes never leave the cub's.

By the waterfall, Alex's eyes narrow darkly, and he hisses, "To what form, Rends-the-Dark-rhya?"

By the waterfall, Athena smiles mockingly, enlarged canines portruding. ~Oh, to a healing form. Had enough yet?~ Her fingers massage his throat almost tenderly.

Though Kristine can't see them, Dusty's eyes are bleak and angry as he watches, hugging the girl to him as best he can. He seems to be holding himself back as well.

By the waterfall, Alex nods solemnly, and shifts up...passing through glabro to crinos, his neck and forearm swelling beneath Athena's grip. His breathing his harsh, eyes wide, as he sits there, utterly motionless.

By the waterfall, Alex contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
By the waterfall, Alex shifts into Crinos form.

Kristine remains where she is, even though she's been struggling to keep in her birth form. Her hands, which are now placed on Dusty's upper arms, begin to grip tightly, fingernails digging into Dusty's flesh.

By the waterfall, Athena shifts up into crinos almost as Alex does, as if she was expecting it. Her claws just bite into Alex's neck now, and she moves her hand away from the self-inflicted wound as it begins to close, resting her taloned fingers lightly on Alex's chest. She leans forward, hot breath blowing into his face. ~Do you feel honored, puppy?~

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water says, ~Do you feel soiled, bitch?~

Dusty hisses as Kristine's fingernails dig into his flesh, and hisgrip loosens a bit. "Ow," he murmurs. "You want to go for a run or something?"

Kristine immediately withdraws at Dusty's ow. She glances at her hands, and takes a breath. "I'm sorry, Dusty. I didn't mean to hurt you." She turns back to the pair, and blinks as she sees the two beasts. "Ummm?"

By the waterfall, Louisa just stands there, rivetted, watching. Her hands are clenched at her sides and she has said nothing, made no movement in any direction. Her face is ashen.

Kristine stands up and moves to the edge, and tries to call Lou over with them.

Dusty shrugs, but lets Kristine stand. "I'm not sure what she's trying to do, but she must have something in mind."

Kristine glances over to Dusty. "But it looks like they're ready to kill each other," she whispers.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark bares her teeth and a long trail of saliva drips down onto Alex's muzzle. ~This ismy /job/, puppy. My choice, my honor.~ She starts to extert a downward pressure on the neck. ~Now down on your knees, puppy. Like a good, mindless, obedient cub.~

Dusty shakes his head again. "She made him shift to a healing form. He chose the warform, which wasn't smart really as far as the Veil goes."

Kristine rubs her arms, and walks back over to Dusty, but doesn't sit down. "Watching them's making me sort of nervous. Nervous like when Alex flipped Lou."

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water falls to his knees, but bares his claws once more. He goes for his forearm again, snarling as he tears through flesh and fur.

By the waterfall, Louisa's fingers clench and unclench at her sides. She bites her lip against the cry that swells from her throat -- but now her eyes are dead-calm.

Kristine makes to dart to the pair of Crinos. She stops herself before leaving the 'center', Alex's name dying on her lips after she called it.

Dusty jumps up and walks up behind Kristine, apparently ready to restrain her if need be. "It's a wonder you still stand by him, Kristine," he comments loud enough to be heard by the waterfall.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark raises one of her feet, pushing Alex onto his back and pinning down both his arms with her feet. She crouches on his belly for a moment. She tilts one ear towards Louisa. ~You are his friend. He seems to want to die. What do you think?~

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water snarls as he's pinned, then suddenly shudders violently and goes completely, utterly still.

Kristine leans back behind Dusty, shaking rather violently. "Stop it," she mumbles, as if lacking the strength to cry the plea out towards the others.

By the waterfall, Louisa murmurs with surprising clarity and diction, "I think he is in shock and he is blaming himself for what he saw as a catch-22. I think he should live."

From the rock outcropping, Steven makes his way down the trail from the northern wall of the valley.

From the rock outcropping, Steven negotiates his way down the valley wall and into the shrouded mists of the Caern. His pace slows as he reaches the valley floor.

Dusty stands not too far from the waterfall, Kristine right in front of him, watching Alex and Athena bleakly.

Kristine gulps down several quick, but deep breaths, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

By the waterfall, Louisa is standing not more than 6 feet from the two Crinos, her hands fisted at her sides, her face ashen.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark gazes down at Alex distantly, one hand at his throat and her feet resting on his arms. One of his arms is clawed bloody. Behind them, in the dirt, is a common buckknife. ~It is a pity he disagrees with you.~ To Alex, she says, ~Are you still so willing to die?~

By the waterfall, Louisa adds quietly, "I don't think now is the time to ask him that."

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water doesn't say anything as he lays beneath Rends. He just stares, completely silently.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark studies him a few moments longer. One claw traces a sharp line down his chest. ~Come here, Louisa. Not too close, in case he wakes up.~

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water doesn't react at all to the clawing. In fact, he hardly even blinks.

By the waterfall, Louisa moves with leaden feet over to Rends' side.

Kristine takes a deep breath as things seemed to have calmed down a bit. She makes mo move to leave Dusty's side.

From the rock outcropping, Steven, from his perch on the slab, watches the confrontation across the valley. He steps off the slab with a short jump and then crosses the center of the caern toward the waterfall to get a better view.

From the rock outcropping, Steven heads into the center.
Steven has arrived.

By the waterfall, Louisa stares down at the Lord cub. "You mean after firing the teacher?" Her words are very quiet.

Kristine finally moves away from Dusty, leaning against a rock ahead of her. Still, she refrains from going fully to their sides.

Dusty is quiet as she watches, waiting to see what will happen but ready to stop Kristine if he has to.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark continues to gaze down at Alex. ~Does your teacher care that much? To fight to take this broken thing from Moon Otter?~

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water just lies there, his breathing very light, eyes wide as he stares at nothing.

Kristine rests her cheek against the rock, sliding down to sit on the ground.

By the waterfall, So carefully spoken are Lou's words, calm and hard. "Once that sailor is away from the 'Teacher' who has broken him, then you do the same thing you would for a river full of Rage at the unspeakable trauma."

Kristine closes her eyes and sighs at Lou's reference. She turns to look behind her, at Dusty. "And I'm supposed to help some how?" she whispers. She shakes her head in disbelief at the statement, before turning back around.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark shakes her head. ~Nobody's figured out the river, and nobody takes a cub away from its tribe without a fight.~ And now she looks directly at Lou. ~Do you really think Quiet will fight for this broken thing?~

By the waterfall, Louisa shakes her head, "I will not speak for Quiet. I will not speak for Robert, or even Brian. But I think they need to hear what has happened. And they need to hear Moon Otter's explanation.. if there is some.." Here her voice goes hoarse and she stops, then continues. "If there is some reason for this that is not of the Wyrm."

By the waterfall, Moon Otter comes down the trail from the rim above.

Steven's arms are crossed across his chest, his face painted with a slight frown as he watches the scene play out.

By the waterfall, Moon Otter just sort of appears at the edge of the treeline of the caern. He could've possibly been around for any length of time or maybe just arrived.

By the waterfall, Growls-at-Water is lying beneath Rends-the-Dark, her feet on his arms, one of which is torn up pretty badly...it looks like by his own claw, though, since it's smeared with blood. He's completely unmoving, hardly blinking, staring up at the sky.

By the waterfall, Rends-the-Dark cocks her head to gaze at Louisa, slowly lessening her pressure on the cub. ~Why, training. Corrupted humans needing execution. There are many reasons.~

Kristine is against a rock, watching Rends and her friends. Dusty is standing about three feet behind her, probably appearing as if he's ready to stop the Fang from running towards the group.

Dusty snarls softly under his breath as the wolf appears on the treeline, and turns back, growling loud enough for Kristine to hear, "I'm going back to the farmhouse before I do something I'll regret later. You wanna come along?"

Kristine's face contorts, and the low growl and the slight increase of growth is all the answer Dusty needs. With a grunt she pushes herself up to her feet and turns her back. She doesn't say anything, just waits for Dusty to lead.

Dusty glances once back behind him, and then makes his way out through the steam vents, his pace quick and stalking.
Dusty heads southwest, into the hot steam.
Dusty has left.

By the steam vents, Dusty comes into the steam from the caern center.

Kristine follows, lacking the grace Dusty has at the moment. She looks more as if she's marching.

Lots of Travelling Stuff-Cut out for easy reading.

Bawn: Western Forest(#3018RAh)
Tall Sitka spruce and sequoia crowd around and above you. Many of the trees are old, their branches twisted into impossible shapes, trunks broad and draped with lichen, mosses and creepers. Tendrils of moss hand down from them like green spiderwebs, snaring the unwary with cold, ghostly fingers. The patches of younger growth are dense and pale, needles tinged with silver. Matted undergrowth huddles sullenly in the occasional small clearings, clutching with thorns and burrs at the legs of those who would pass. Deer seldom venture here, but the forest is full of rustlings, and tiny glints from wary, watchful eyes.
The forest spreads out to the east, bounded on the west by Sunrise Road. From farther to the west, one can occasionally hear the distant sounds of the town of Kent's Crossing.
Contents:
Dusty
Obvious exits:
Deer Path Sunrise Road Farmhouse Caern of the Hidden Walk Creek East South North

Dusty's eyes are dark with anger, and his pace barely slows until he's all the way into the forest. Only then does he stop, take several deep breaths, and then turn around and look at you. "I was afraid I was going to kill him," he growls softly, his voice gravelly as he struggles to bring it back under control.

Kristine stops only after he does, and crosses her arms. She frowns a bit, "You and me both. But you would've at least had a chance at surviving. And even if I did survive, I didn't want to get the rap for attacking an elder." She shakes her head, gritting her teeth. "I've never, -ever- been so Angry!"

Dusty's eyes are flint-hard and curiously cold as he looks out across the forest. His voice, too, takes on a curiously flat tone as he replies, "I don't think I would have stood much chance either."

Kristine presses her palms to her temples, "I just wish I would calm down!" She starts to pace, "How could someone do that? I mean, order a-a -child- to kill someone, several? And the only reason he can give is 'Obey your elders'?"

Dusty's tone is curiously calm and maybe a little flat. "A form of brainwashing, I expect. Humans mean nothing to that one; as far as he knows, they are not even part of Gaia. Not all tribes heed the Litany lines that says 'Respect For Those Beneath Ye, All Are Of Gaia.' Some want to kill all the humans wholesale. I say they are Gaia's lost children."

Kristine shakes her head, and sighs. "I thought being Garou meant we're all just a little human?" It's evident that she's calming down from her temper-tantrum.

Dusty seems to have calmed down altogether, perhaps a little too abruptly, and his voice is now cold and maybe just a little flat. "We are. We're also a little bit wolf. And we're neither." Only now does he look down at you, just a little bit of the flinty coldness fading from his eyes. "The Wyrm hates compassion and love and laughter, Kristine. It feeds on hate and despair, and seeks to drive wedges between us, beecause that makes winning easier for Itself."

Kristine reaches over to take Dusty's hand and sighs. "I know. Call me soft. Maybe I've just been hanging around Gaians for too long, even though I don't see Velia or Derrick objecting. But if the Wyrm thrives on hate, then we need each other." She takes a breath, and shakes her head, "Maybe on a personal scale first before going Global."

Dusty nods, the cold, flat look fading at the touch of your hand. "That may not be a bad thing, Kristine," he murmurs, covering your hand on his with his free one. "For if we take lives unnecessarily and without remorse, how are we better than the Wyrm? I guess we can all take an example from Gaia, who loves all her Children no matter who they are."

Kristine glances down at the hands and sighs. "Killing without reason, is wrong. That's not a Garou belief, or a Gaian belief, or a Human one. It's wrong period. The Bible states 'Thou shalt not kill', yet it's more than that. Even in nature, animals only kill for food, or if they're provoked, or if they're sick. Not because they feel like it." She shakes her head, "This Culling concept makes me sick. If I don't shut up, I might be transfered to another tribe," she adds with a slight chuckle.

Dusty glances down at the hands, and the abrupt look of a deer caught in headlights flashes across his face, and he pulls the hands on top away, dropping his eyes. "Um...I'm...I'm sorry," he murmurs.

Kristine frowns a little, as her hands drop away. "Why?"

Dusty blinks, and sshakes his head quickly, though his eyes don't lift. "It's nothing," he murmurs.

Kristine frowns slightly. "Dusty, people just don't shy away for 'nothing'. Remember when you first met me? Derrick had to basically tie me down somewhere so I wouldn't go darting off. I had a reason then for that."

Dusty shakes his head again, almost like a wet dog. "I just thought about something...something I shouldn't have." He takes a deep breath, and even manages to meet your eyes after a moment. "What were we talking about?"

Kristine she raises a brow at the first part, then shrugs. "We were talking about murdering innocent people that can't defend themselves, and how the Wyrm thrives in hate and dispair."

Dusty nods slowly, though his eyes are still troubled. "And about culling...I remember now. There's just one thing about culling, though...." As he talks, he moves to rest a hand on your shoulder and motions towards the south. "If somebody just can't handle the way we live, we can't just let them run loose...that'd put us in serious danger. D'you see why?"

Kristine turns in the direction he motioned to, and nods. "That would violate the Litany. I know. I don't know. Maybe I'm still rediculously human enough to think that killing people like that's wrong." She sighs, not commenting on his troubled look anymore. "Eventually I'll think like a Garou."

Dusty moves through the forest, heading south.
Dusty has left.

You travel south through the forest for a few miles.
Bawn: Southern Forest(#3017RAJh)
Evergreen trees spread their overhead branches wide across the forest floor. Each tree limb interlinks with its neighbor, forming a thick overhead canopy of pine needles that leaves the forest floor dim even at noon. An apparent tenseness seems to permeate the air here, and there is a somewhat less than subtle feeling that perhaps something is watching. The behavior of the wildlife in the area betrays a certain wariness that suggests the presence of predators nearby.
The southern edge of the bawn is marked here by the railroad tracks which run from St. Claire and Kent's Crossing to the west, towards the mountains to the east.
Contents:
Dusty
Obvious exits:
Ash Grove Railroad South Caern of the Hidden Walk Sept Compound Half Moon Pool West North East

Dusty points towards the pool as he walks, unconsciously putting an arm around your shoulders. "You see, though," he says, pulling free to duck under a branch and then hold it up for you, "our options are kind of limited. We'd all get murdered if a cub got loose and told the human world about this batch of shapeshifting psychos living out in the woods. But if you can't hack it, the life of a Garou is sheer and utter hell."

Kristine ducks under the branch and nods. "I realize this, Dusty. So, it's like you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't. In some ways, I prefer the Garou life, but sometimes, I wish I could just be normal." She sighs, waiting to go to the pool. "It's not that I can hack it or not, it's just sometimes to outlandish to believe."

Dusty walks into the clearing around the Half-Moon pool.
Dusty has left.

You walk into the clearing around the Half-Moon pool.
Shore Around Half Moon Pool
The shadowy canopy of evergreens recedes here, opening into a small clearing. The grass underfoot is a vibrant young green, luxurient and seemingly soft to the touch; small flowers, some purple and others blue or yellow, add to the spread of color. Immediately to the east, the ground rises into a small, rocky outcropping, at the base of which stands a large pool of crystal clear water; the barest rivulet of a stream wends its way south and west from the pool across the clearing, losing itself in the forest. This whole area has about it a sense of peace and silence; the air is cool and fresh, the scent of the flowers pleasant, the colors of the forest in seemingly perfect balance. Anything not pristine or natural seems almost a world away to you here.
The half-moon shaped pool lies just to the east. A faint trail seems to follow the little stream southwest into the forest.
Contents:
Dusty
Obvious exits:

"Yeah, isn't it?" Dusty agrees, walking over to the pool and sitting down beside it. "I gave up being surprised by anything I saw...let's see...when Derrick and I were baptized by a bear on our Rite of Passage."

Kristine wrinkles her nose, and drops to sit next to Dusty. "Baptized by a Bear?"

Dusty nods, with a ghost of a smile. "I don't remember that clearly, ut Derrick might. We'd gone to a pool to bathe...has anyone told you about the other shifters?"

Kristine shrugs a little. "I know about the Bastet, that's only because I sat there and said 'other shifters?' while being taught something else. Bad habit that, asking questions that don't pertain to the subject at hand."

Dusty nods thoughtfully. "Well, bear-shifters once existed as well. We were in one of the Realms, a place where legends lived and were real and we took the skin of another long-ago being. We'd gone to bathe, and we met one by the pool. We'd tried to talk to them before...but this was the first up close and personal contact we'd had. We ended up bathing, and he sort of sprinkled water over our heads in this odd sort of baptism...was kind of neat." He smiles fondly at the memory.

Kristine smiles a bit, and leans a bit to rest her head against his shoulder. "I guess it was. I hope something like that happens when I'm Rited." She takes a breath. "Sometimes I think that'll never happen, even when I think, 'Yeah, I'm doin' good, I'm learning fast.'."

Kristine pats Dusty then stands. "I'm going to go back and check up on Alex and Lou. Now that I'm a bit calmer. Want to come with?"

Dusty is about to wrap an arm around Kristine, then looks up as she stands. "Do you want me to?" he asks quietly. "I do have patrols to do this afternoon."

Kristine smiles down at him, and shrugs. "I wouldn't mind the company, but if you have patrols to do, I won't keep you from them."

Dusty nods and pushes himself to his feet, taking a deep breath. "I'll go with you, then, and see if Athena is still there. It's been a while since I've seen her."

Kristine nods and smiles, then slips into the forest.

You step out into the forest.
Bawn: Southern Forest(#3017RAJh)
Evergreen trees spread their overhead branches wide across the forest floor. Each tree limb interlinks with its neighbor, forming a thick overhead canopy of pine needles that leaves the forest floor dim even at noon. An apparent tenseness seems to permeate the air here, and there is a somewhat less than subtle feeling that perhaps something is watching. The behavior of the wildlife in the area betrays a certain wariness that suggests the presence of predators nearby.
The southern edge of the bawn is marked here by the railroad tracks which run from St. Claire and Kent's Crossing to the west, towards the mountains to the east.
Obvious exits:
Ash Grove Railroad South Caern of the Hidden Walk Sept Compound Half Moon Pool West North East

Rends-the-Dark comes down form the valley area.
Rends-the-Dark has arrived.
Dusty steps into the forest from the Half Moon Pool.
Dusty has arrived.

Rends-the-Dark is racing through the woods, nose to the ground, following Dusty's scent.

Kristine stops before she steps on Rends' nose. "Whoa. Speak of Angels. Dusty and I were just about to check up on the lot of you," She says, a small smile on her face.

Dusty steps out of the woods, right behind Kristine, but stops short as he spots
Rends-the-Dark. "Whoa." He smiles fondly and holds a hand out to the wolf. "Long time no see."

Rends-the-Dark skids to a stop, and looks quite seriously behind Kristine at Dusty. ~You should come now. She will need you, I think.~

Kristine frowns a bit at the seriousness. "Has something gone wrong?" Her eyes snap up to the caern, and she's already taking the first few steps towards that direction.

Dusty blinks, the smile fading. "What happened?" he asks.

Rends-the-Dark's ears are flat against her skull. ~Moon Otter came. Alex rejected him and told Moon Otter he was responsible for destroying his honor. Now he is dead.~

No sooner does the word 'Dead' fall from Rends' mouth, that Kristine's gone, not waiting for Rends or Dusty.

Lots of stuff as we go to the Caern/Waterfall.

Kristine, in a flurry of haste and pushed aside shrubbery, skids to a halt when she comes to the clearing.

The still-crinos Otter informs the Fang, ~He was weak. He dishonored the tribe. He dishonored this one. As elder of the Lords of Shadow, I decided he was unfit to be of our tribe. An unpleasant duty, but one that had to be done.~

Louisa begins humming some song, still brushing with her fingers at the bloody, matted hair on what remains of his skull. Now and then she leans down and kisses where the side of his head once was. The tears slowly dry on her cheeks, along with his blood. She doesn't seem to notice anyone else.

Rends-the-Dark comes down the trail from the rim above.
Rends-the-Dark has arrived.

Kristine just stares up at Otter, then bolts towards Alex and Lou. Her face is a mask of disbelief as she drops down next to Lou. "Y-you k-killed him?" she whispers towards the Elder.

"How," the Philodox demands, his voice obviously restrained, his anger battling his will to remain calm in the situation--and the anger's winning. "How did he dishonor you and your tribe?"

Dusty follows Kristine, a bit more carefully, watching the girl apprehensively as she runs. "Kristine, wait!"

Kristine is already kneeling next to Lou and the still form of Alex. One hand moves up to press against her cheek, the other hesitantly moves to rest on Alex.

Louisa's hand smoothly intercepts Kris's from Alex, "Don't touch him. I'm fixing him.." She resumes her humming.

Moon Otter steps away from the growing crowd around the corpse. ~The cub thought he knew better than his elders and the rest of his tribe. He was wrong. He died for his errors,~ he informs the half-moon again, clearly not in a good mood to be discussing things civilly.

Kristine turns misted eyes up to Lou, before falling back down to Alex. She stands up, not having the heart to tell the Gaian Cub otherwise. "D-dusty." She says, just stunned. "B-br-I want my sister. I-I want h-her now." She turns to him. "She either comes here..or I'm leaving t-to find h-her." Outside of being stunned, she looks like she's going to break down in tears any moment now.

Logan doesn't seem to give a damn what Moon Otter is or is not in the mood for. "You gonna give me a straight fucking answer some time today? Yeah, no shit he was 'wrong.' He's fucking dead! That doesn't tell me what he /did/." Still the young Silver Fang's rage grows.

Rends-the-Dark crouches, watching the Fangs and Gaians lose it in their own special ways. Her mane is bristling, but it's unclear what the focus of her anger is.

Ignoring Moon Otter completely for now, Dusty walks over to the lifeless body and the two cubs beside it. He moves to pull Kristine against him and stroke her hair gently. "We'll find her," he murmurs reassuringly, then looks down at Louisa. His voice takes on a tone of veiled anger as he looks up at the arguing Silver Fang and Shadow Lord. "I don't intend to decree what is right or wrong. I am no Philodox. But at the very least, honor the caern and clean the blood from this place."

From the rock outcropping, Keith makes his way down the trail from the northern wall of the valley.
From the rock outcropping, Keith heads into the center.
At the center, Keith heads southeast, towards the waterfall.
Keith approaches the waterfall from the center of the caern.
Keith has arrived.

Kristine's fingers curl at Dusty's chest, picking up pieces of his shirt, and maybe flesh as well. Her body shakes as she tries to keep the tears at bay. "D-dead, Dusty. H-he's dead. Brigid. I-I want m-my sister."

Keith emerges from the mists, pausing to take stock of the gathered Garou, his gaze falling upon the limp form where the rest of the assembly is gathered.

Moon Otter clenches his hands into fists, clearly fighting down further irritation at the pestering half-moon. It takes a moment or three before he responds. ~The cub was unfit and weak and a dishonor to the Shadow Lords.~ The statement is followed by evidence. ~He had attempted to kill himself. He slandered his own tribe repeatedly, in public. As elder, it is my duty to cull any weak members of our tribe.~ He then informs the half-moon, ~This is a tribal matter, and will be laid to rest at our next moot--as is tradition. Your services are not needed.~

Louisa doesn't respond to any of the exchanges going on over her head. She leans down as if telling Alex a secret; her lips move. When she straightens she begins humming again, and smoothing the blood and whatnot where his hair used to be. The entire side of her face is bloody now.

Dusty pulls Kristine close to him, and looks down at Louisa. He shakes his head slowly, then looks over at Athena. "I'm going to take her to the farmhouse. Can you get Louisa to follow?"

Rends-the-Dark can try.
Rends-the-Dark pads closer to Louisa and presses against her, licking the blood from her face.

Kristine clings tightly to Dusty, not to anxious to pull away from him any time soon.

Louisa's gaze slides up to Moon Otter. She says in a quiet voice, "Go away. You disowned him. Now he is a Gaian. You _won't_ take him away from me again." Her voice thrums with intensity. Perhaps the fact that he's already gone has not occurred to her. She holds the Shadowlord;'s head and shoulder close in her lap.

Logan's features freeze on that hint of a snarl as he sorts out the Moon Otter's words in his head. The rage surges once more, his teeth clenching, and then suddenly it's flushed from his system, leaving his face pale. Slowly, almost reluctantly, the Silver Fang nods his head, his lips uncurling. Whether he likes it or not, the tribal elder is correct. Looking back toward his tribemate and Louisa for a moment, he shakes his head, then returns his eyes forward, though they don't move up to meet the Shadow Lord's. "The body..." he says quietly, and seems to need a minute to collect his thoughts. "What do we do?"

Dusty sighs and picks Kristine up, hefting her under the shoulders and under the knees. He looks down at Louisa one more time, then up at the other two. "Get it out of here and clean up the blood before the spirits get pissed," he answers low in his throat, then turns back to Louisa. "C'mon. He's dead. There's no saving him. I'm taking Kristine to the farmhouse. Want to come along?"

Keith's gaze falls on Louisa then focuses upon Alex's still form. Acknowledging Logan with a silent nod, his eyes grow cold as he speaks his next words, "We bury the dead, Logan. Return him to Gaia."

Kristine whimpers slightly, and murmurs, probably too quietly for the Shadow Lord Elder to hear, "Like a marionette cut of his strings. Broken wood. I don't blame you your reasons, blame you your methods. Don't blame me-our grief, he was family."

Moon Otter curls his hands in and out, seemingly pumping the rage out of his system as his claws click against one another. Looking over at the body, he states, ~We bury him, as is the homid Garou custom. Even if he was not of the Lords of Shadow, he was Garou. It is my duty to do this, and my Gathering to perform later. Any who wish to assist may do so.~

Louisa argues illogically, "No." She doesn't move and she holds on to Alex tightly.

Rends-the-Dark curls around Louisa, still licking her face. ~The Gathering will be later. You should come away now. Your friend will need you.~

Louisa's brown eyes move slowly to Rends as if she hears the wolf's words from far, far away. "My friend is here. I won't leave him. I promised I never would."

Logan nods once. "I will assist you," he states simply, sorrow replacing the anger.
Kristine just clings to Dusty, obvious not in any frame of mind to be of any help.

Rends-the-Dark says gently, ~This friend is dead. He has already left you. You have other friends, still living, who need you now.~ She licks her face again.

Dusty shifts up to glabro to better handle the cub as he waits for Athena and Louisa, eyes dark.

Rends-the-Dark shifts up to glabro herself after a moment, arms resting gently around Louisa.

Louisa shakes her head slowly, "No.." Then louder, "No."

~If you wish.~ The Shadow Lord elder moves over towards the body, then stops as Louisa makes an outburst. ~Perhaps we should wait a while longer.~

Dusty growls, "He's dead, cub. He has to be moved or the blood will anger the spirits. I go to the farmhouse." With that, he turns and begins to make his way up the steep slope.

Kristine is now pretty much a limp rag, murmuring really wierd stuff. "Mend Shadows, we will."

The words hit Lou and she shifts upward to Crinos, rage burning bright behind amberdark eyes. ~No one touches him. I will move him.~ And with that she, struggling, picks up Alex's body.

Dusty starts along the trail up to the rim of the valley.
Dusty has left.

Some more needless stuff as we move elsewhere

Farmhouse: Hallway and Living Room
All doorways in the front part of the house lead to the front hallway, a J-shaped area with the short tail starting at the stairs, the front door hitting the bottom curve, the doorless opening to the living room halfway up the long side, and the also doorless opening to the kitchen and dining room at the very top. The hall has a simple wooden floor, and decorated with a generic print of soft-colored flowers hanging on the wall to the right of the front door, and a tall table sitting under the print which serves as a place to toss keys. A closet under the stairs serves as a place to hang coats or to toss shoes.
The doorless opening to the living room is halfway up the side of the hall's J, and the word cozy might spring to mind when looking into is, as it seems to radiate comforting vibrations. A long couch sits against the south wall beneath a large bay window curtained only by sheers that manages to obscure the view in but only filters the day's light. A variety of out-of-date magazines are strewn atop a low coffee table; more neatly presented are the plethora of books filling the small bookshelves which line the eastern wall. Three chairs sit about the room, focused inward, to allow group conversations. Large floor pillows are stacked in one corner of the room, except one, which lies carelessly in the middle of the floor, apparently left out the last time it was used.
An opening in the northern end of the hallway allows access to the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house, while carpeted stairs twist up at the other end of the hall, leading to the second floor. A door at the base of the J lets out to the front porch.
Contents:
Dusty
Brigid

Brigid is quietly curled up in a chair, reading. At the noise, her head lifts and she gets up, heading for the back. "What the...?"

Kristine clutches Dusty for dear life, whimpering. Her body shakes with withheld sobs.

Dusty comes through the hall, and sets the murmuring Kristine gently on the couch, then looks up at Brigid. "You wouldn't happen to know who her sister is?" he asks, gently stroking the girl's hair.

Brigid blinks in a moment's surprise, then recovers, "I...I am." Concern floods her expression as she sinks down onto the couch beside Kris. She curls an arm around the other Fang protectively as she murmurs to her, "Kris? What happened, sis?" A questioning glance goes to Dusty briefly in the midst of this.

Kristine looks to Brigid, and the tears finally break free. In a midst chocking sobs and a flood of tears, one can pick out "Alex is dead."

Dusty murmurs quietly, his mellifluous voice dark with anger, "Alex's teacher culled him."

Brigid's eyes widen sharply as she curls her other arm around her sobbing sister. The combination of both Kris' and Dusty's words are enough to send her speechless for a time.

In the back of the house, Ada steps into the dining room through the sliding glass door.
In the back of the house, Ada passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Ada has arrived.

Dusty is kneeling next to the couch, stroking the hair of the cub sitting of the couch.

Brigid is sitting next to her, and both look concerned. Dusty looks more than a little angry.

The back door slides shut behind her and Ada walks in, soaking with sweat, in her running clothes as though she had just run a marathon. As soon as she comes into the Living Room she stops, dead in her tracks, looking at the three. "Whassa matter with Kris?"

Dusty looks up, eyes dark. "Alex's teacher culled him," he says simply.

Kristine turns her face into Brigid's shoulder, her hands still clutching whatever of Dusty she's been holding. "He's dead," she sobs, choking occasionally, "Otter killed him. He killed my friend. Dead."

Ada blinks once, tilting her head to the side, disbelief obvious on her face.Like a ton of bricks it hits her and she inhales sharply, her hand going to her throat. "W-w-why?" Her voice is shaking, her eyes widening slowly and her breathing grows heavy.

Brigid rests her head against Kris' and rocks very gently. "I'm sorry, sis...I'm so sorry." are the only words she whispers into the sobbing woman's hair.

"Because Alex stood up to him," Dusty answers in that same calm voice that holds just a tinge of cold flatness to it. He works Kristine's fingers free of his shirt, clasping them tightly in his own hand instead as he stands. "You should sit down, too." He gestures to the empty spot onthe couch.

Dusty's fingers are now in that death grip. Apparently, Kris doesn't want him leaving anytime soon either. The sobbing doesn't cease, the words "Alex's dead" just keep getting repeated.

"No," Ada says very softly, her chin lifting as her hands clench into fists. "Where is he? Where is the bastard?"

In the back of the house, Logan steps into the dining room through the sliding glass door.
In the back of the house, Logan passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Logan has arrived.

Brigid glances up from Kris to Ada, watching quietly as she continues to gently rock and murmur comforting words to the cub.

Kristine finally says something intelligeable. "Don't Ada. He'll kill you too. I want him dead too, but it isn't going to happen anytime soon. His reasons, just. Methods, skewed. Can't agrue. Can't afford to lose you too."

Logan slides the back door shut and slowly walks into the hallway from the kitchen. He looks rather... defeated, as he simply looks toward the group with wet, sad blue eyes.

Dusty sighs and perches on the arm of the couch, squeezing Kristine's hand. "I think I'm going to have a word with Andrea," he mutters deep in his throat. "If I have my way, he'll never teach a cub of the Children again."

Maybe it's just the light of the room but it seems that the tall girl slowly begins to grow taller. With a snarl, Ada slams her fist into the hallway wall, turning on her heel and stalking out of the front door.

Ada leaves through the front door. You can hear the screen door swing shut again with a clatter.
Ada has left.

Kristine suddenly barks. "He didn't have to kill Period!! Maybe, maybe if he didn't make Alex kill all those people, Alex wouldn't have acted the way he did!!"

Logan calls after Ada, but it's too late. Without stopping for anyone, he rushes forward and nearly throws himself out the front door.

Logan leaves through the front door. You can hear the screen door swing shut again with a clatter.
Logan has left.

Brigid lifts her head and follows Ada and Logan out with a worried glance. "Gaia's Mercy I hope she doesn't do something stupid..." Her attention is immediately riveted back on Kris at her outburst and she blinks a bit, clearly at a loss for what to say.

Dusty's eyes go to the door. "I hope he can hold her back," he murmurs. He draws another deep breath, evidently trying for some measure of detachment, his free hand reaching out to stroke Kristine's hair. "Mother's love...what's the saying? Something about hitting the fan?"

Kristine brings her knees up, her face a myriad of emotions. At the stroking she does losen up on her grip. "Hell in a hand basket, shit's hit the fan. Rather be there than here. Shadow Lords are assholes. Hate them I do. Hate them!"

Brigid murmurs softly, "I think too much shit hit the fan today." She squeezes Kris gently, "Hey now, not all of them are like that. As much as you may not want to hear that, it's true."

Kristine brings both hands to her face. "Know two, good one's dead."

Brigid shifts a bit to hold Kris gently, "I know...I wish I could make it hurt less...I really do."

"You wouldn't do anybody any good being there," Dusty murmurs gently, not stopping. "Not in your current state. The Philodoxes'll figure things out."

Kristine shifts fully into Brigid's embrace, holding her tightly. "Called for you." she sniffles. "Lou's worse than I. Still thinks he's alive. Known each other since little children, those two."

Brigid's eyes close a moment and bite back a curse. "I'm here, sis. I'm not going anywhere right now."

Dusty stands up carefully, if Kristine will let his hand go. "I left Louisa with Athena. Would either of you like something to drink or some dinner?"

Kristine sniffles. "We were going to get a Pizza. We were going to try to find a way to get Pizza." The choking sobs have calmed down, as she closes her eyes. "How will I dream?"

Brigid looks up at Dusty, "I think something to drink'd help here." Turning back to Kris, she gently strokes the cub's hair. "You'll find a way, kitling."

Kristine's arms tighten around the other Fang. "Last words weren't nice. Felt like hitting him. I didn't say goodbye. We were at each other's throats, last we spoke."

Dusty stands up gently and goes to the front door, opening it and holding it open as he steps outside to look around.

Dusty leaves through the front door. You can hear the screen door swing shut again with a clatter.
Dusty has left.

Kristine, still whimpering, falls into an uneasy sleep, using Brigid for a pillow.

There's a small break, Kristine had to leave briefly OOC. This is the continuation. IC wise, she fell asleep.

Dusty sighs and looks down at himself. "I was supposed to patrol all afternoon, and I haven't because of all of this mess." He looks faintly embarrassed. "Maybe an hour or two of patrol would do me some good, and then we can try after dinner?"

Andrea nods. "I'll go look for our tribe's cubs."

Kristine stirs slightly. After all that's happened, does one really think she would've slept very long?

Brigid looks down and murmurs softly, "Hey sleeping beauty..."

Dusty nods slowly. "Perhaps we should have them all come here for the evening...I will meet you back here in two hours?"

Kristine sits up, her eyes are red, and she looks generally terrible. She glances around, noting all who's around before glancing back to Brigid. "You know, if we were in a movie, I'd sit there and say something like 'I had this wierdest dream.' But it wasn't a dream." She glances up to Andrea and murmurs a very unfelt greeting, "Good afternoon, Andrea-rhya."

Brigid smiles wryly and smooths Kris' hair reflexively.

Dusty walks over to the open kitchen door, and turns around at its entrance. "I will meet you back here in two hours, then. Trees protect you," he murmurs, and then takes off at a run.

Kristine sighs and leans against Brigid, closing her eyes.

In the back of the house, Duncan passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Duncan has arrived.
Duncan wanders in, humming softly, only barely aware of others around him.

Kristine glances up to Duncan, her eyes are red and swollen, obviously appearing as if she'd only recently been crying.

Duncan starts to say something horribly cheery before seeing Kristine. His face scrunches into a light frown and he asks, "Is there somethin' tha matter?"

Andrea goes through the aperture at the northern end of the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.
Andrea has left.

In the back of the house, Andrea slides open the door in the kitchen, passing through into the back yard.

Kristine sits up slightly and shrugs, "Oh. Nothing too terribly wrong. Got in a fight with my 'mates, Otter killed Alex, about ready to go mad. Other than that, hey, fit as a fiddle."

Duncan's eyes go wide. "What the fuck?! Alex? He's...dead?"

Kristine holds her head with a hand and sighs. "Yeah," she croaks, "Otter killed him."

Duncan pales a little. "You're jokin'. He's dead..?! Otter did it?! How? Why?" He moves to the seat beside Kristine and sits down, not looking too good himself.

Kristine takes a breath, looking about ready to break down in tears again. "Otter took Alex somewhere and ordered him to kill some people. Some -helpless- people," she stresses, "Alex did, because Otter stressed that he's supposed to follow orders without question. Alex, became something different. Lou went to hug him, like normal, and he flipped her. That's when Alex and I got in the fight." With that she laughs slightly, "I actually tried to assert dominance over him, can you believe it?" She sighs and continues, "Dusty and I left because we were really upset, and Otter showed up. A bit later, Athena something or another, showed up calling for Me and Dusty. When we got back to the Caern, Lou was sitting there, and she-" she takes a breath, "And she was holding Alex's head, or what was left of Alex's head in her lap. And Otter said he was weak and everything. And that Alex tried to kill himself. He deserved to be culled, because he was weak."

Duncan scowls softly. "Sounds like tha typical Lord thinkin'. Ruddy bastards..." He lets out a sigh and slowly places his hand on Kristine's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know how much 'e meant to ya an' the rest." He looks away, slowly closing his eyes. "This is just....horrid.."

Kristine leans against Duncan and sighs. "Why? Why'd this have to happen? We were all doing so well."

Duncan frowns lightly. "Kris, I know ya don' wanna hear it, but...it's not gonna be tha last time ya lose a loved one. If it helps any, I understand how ya feel. It hurts, makes ya sick at yer stomach."

Kristine nods a bit. "I know. It doesn't make it feel any better. I mean, it was meaningless."

Duncan nods slowly, giving the shoulder a little squeeze. "Well, my tribe celebrates life, but knows tha death is un'scapable. Right now, there's nothin' that I can say that'll make ya feel better. But, I can stick 'round an' keep ya from bein' alone. I'm a good shoulder ta cry on, if ya need ta too." He gives a weak smile, obviously forced.

Kristine takes a breath, and sighs. "I could use a damn drink, if you want to know the truth."

Duncan tilts his head. "Ya...think it'd help?"

Kristine shrugs as if she didn't know. "Make me numb."

Duncan furrows his brow a moment. "Yeah. Well, I'll go getcha somethin' if ya want. I know where all tha beer stashes are," he says, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Kristine shakes her head. "No beer. Something stiffer."

Duncan frowns a little. "Well, tha other stuff belongs ta Brian an' Steven. It's sorta off limits. I've been threatened by both."

Kristine snorts.

Kristine flops back against the couch. "Wish I weren't stuck on this damn place. Nick'd get me something to numb the pain."
Duncan scratches his head. "Ok, so I'm not tha bravest Fianna in tha world. Should rename me 'Turns-Tail-and-Runs'

Kristine's lips quirk in a slight smile at the statement. "I've got two deed names."

Duncan lifts his brows. "Oh? Wha're they?"

Kristine sighs a bit, "Dawn's Promise. Velia gave me that one. And 'Loves-the-Leaves'. Lou sort'a gave me that one."

Duncan nods slowly. "It is a nice one. I've still yet to get my adult deed name. I was afraid it'd be 'Frees the Fawn' or 'Runs Like Hell' or somethin'." He purposly avoids the rougher subject, hoping to make it somewhat easier.

Kristine smiles a bit, titling her head, "I'll get another one after my Rite?"

Duncan nods slowly. "Yeah, ya'r s'pose ta. I guess mine was lost in tha mail or somethin'." He keeps the fake smile and tilts his head. "Oh, I forgot ta ask, didja find out if I could help teach ya all my theurgish knowledge?"

Kristine smiles a little bit, "I think Derrick said it was alright, but I'm supposed to meet with the Ritemaster. Velia said so."

Duncan nods slowly. "Oh? So tha's a no on tha spirit talkin', huh?"

Kristine shrugs, and sighs. "Andrea-rhya's going to take me into the Umbra."

Duncan lifts his brows? "Oh? It's cool there, you'll see. Feels more natural. Kinda creepy at tha same time."

Kristine smiles a bit, and lowers her head. "I still want a drink."

Duncan glances into the kitchen and sighs. "Yer gonna make me get a whupin' aren'cha?"

Kristine raises her brows. "No." She stands up and moves to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she glances at the selection, then confiscates a bottle of wine and walks back with a cork screw and plops back on the couch.

Duncan grins and gives Kristine a nudge. "I was kiddin'. Sorry, I guess my humor is a bit...dry tanight."

Kristine makes a face as she opens the bottle. She dips it back and chugs down a few gulps. "So's this wine. Want some?" She offers the bottle.

Duncan shrugs and takes a swig himself before handing the bottle back. "Thanks. Ya should know better than ta offer a Fianna a drink." He winks and chuckles, "'course, I won't be gettin' drunk, no matter how much o' that stuff I drink."

Kristine sighs staring at the bottle, and nods. "I know. Your Gift." With that she raises the bottle slightly, "For you Alex," she says before tipping it back again.

Kristine is cruising for a Fang bruising, sipping at a bottle of wine.

Duncan watches Kris, shaking his head slightly. He remains quiet, not knowing what to say.

Kristine leans her head back and takes a breath. "I told Dusty there were times I wish I was normal. This is one of those times."

Duncan frowns lightly. "Death is death. Normal or not, ya can' 'scape it." He sighs softly and glances off.

Brigid comes in the front door, tugging an envelope out of her pocket as she walks. "I'm back..."

Kristine glances to Brig, then at the bottle of wine. No remorse shows in her face. "Hey, Brigid. What'cha got?" she mumbles gesturing to the envelope.

Brigid waves the envelope towards Kris and eyes the bottle nonchalantly. "Letter for you. Found it in my mailbox."

Kristine frowns, leaning forward to set the bottle down, and she reaches out for the envelope. Bringing it towards her face to read a bit better, the frown only gets deeper.

Duncan tilts his head, watching Kris' expression. He knows enough not to ask, but his curious expression more than asks the question.

Brigid folds her arms over her chest and flops down into a chair.

Almost at the same moment, Dusty walks in through the back door, carefully carrying several small leafy plants. He seems much better for the walk, if a bit dirty, and sets the plants gently down on the coffee table, eyeing Kristine carefully.

Kristine rips open the envelope and removes the single sheet of stationary. As she reads, the tears begin to fall down her cheeks. As soon as she's finished reading, she begins ripping the paper up. " 'Hope you do something better with your life' she says. <rip> 'Keeping open my account for you, transfer the funds at the end of the month' she says <rip> 'Remaining in Pennsylvania'<ripriprip>" She flings the pieces in every which direction. "Not even a 'Kiss my ass, bitch'!"

Brigid frowns and slowly drops her arms, "Your mother, I take it? What'd she say this time, kitling."

Duncan tilts his head, confused by the actions and the words. He stays quiet though, unusual for him.

Dusty blinks in surprise at the outburst, then meekly picks up his plants andheads for the kitchen, quickly disapopearing from sight.

Dusty goes through the aperture at the northern end of the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.
Dusty has left.

Kristine scowls, crossing her arms. "Yeah. She's 'glad that I've found friends', and that she hopes I 'do something with my life.' She's staying in Pennsylvania, and prefers I not keep contact with her from now on. Oh and she's still got money in her accounts, and that I'm to transfer them immediately to my own." She sighs. "Oh well."

Brigid rubs her eyes and sighs, "Lovely. Lovely indeed."

Kristine sighs and shrugs. "That's my mother for you. At least I got some extra cash and a house. Maybe Now I'll contend with Brittany." She frowns, then glances towards the kitchen. "Well, I thought Dusty showed up."

Duncan gets up from the couch and moves to a chair, plopping down in it. He looks between the pair, still keeping his light frown. "What a day.."

Brigid sighs and wanders over, plopping down next to Kris. "Still enough wine left in that bottle for me to steal a sip?"

In the back of the house, As if on cue, Dusty's voice floats out from the kitchen among sounds of water and pots and pans, starting low and deep and sad.

'There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on...'

Kristine lifts up the bottle, which is about half full, and hands it over to her. "To bad I didn't have access to an old ex of mine. He'd be able to get something--" she pauses, then stands at Dusty's singing. "Hold on," she murmurs holding up a hand, then moves into the kitchen.


In the front rooms, Brigid takes the bottle from Kris and downs a sip, craning her neck to follow her sister.

In the front rooms, Duncan looks toward the kitchen a moment before looking back to Brigid. "Hi," He says, for lack of anything better to say.

Dusty pauses in his singing as Kristine comes in, and he offers her a reassuring smile. "What's up?" His hands do not pause, though, busy as they arewashing, drying, and pressing the plants he seems to have brought in.

In the front rooms, Brigid smiles and wiggles her fingers to Duncan, "Hey. Stuff happens, hmm?"

Kristine shrugs a bit, and leans against the sink. "Same thing as before. What are you doing, and what was that singing, and why did you leave?" Straight forward isn't she?

In the front rooms, Duncan grins, but only for a moment. "Yeah, 's kinda weird, ya know."

In the front rooms, Brigid nods, "Yeah...many shades of weird it is."

In the front rooms, Duncan rubs the back of his head. "Yeah. It's 'nuff ta damper any mood, I tell ya."

In the front rooms, Brigid sets the bottle down and leans back on the couch. "True...but it will pass. It always does."

Kristine turns her head as Duncan's and Brigid's conversation drifts, but she still waits for her answers from Dusty.

In the front rooms, Duncan frowns, nodding. "Tell me 'bout it."

Dusty chuckles. "Well, I went to find these. I'm now cleaning them off and will probably Awaken them later when Andrea comes back and can work with me. As for the song..." he looks up with a smile. "Are you familiar with Les Miserables?"

Kristine waves her hands a little, noting she's slightly familiar but not too much. "Awaken?"

In the front rooms, Brigid sighs and runs her hands through her hair. "This day's been too long by far."

Sisyphus steps into the dining room through the sliding glass door.
Sisyphus has arrived.
Sisyphus has to duck his head to get in the door.

In the front rooms, Duncan scratches his head. "It's only been one day? Hell, it's felt like a whole month."

In the front rooms, Brigid chuckles softly, "Doesn't it though? I know...seems like the day just refuses to end."

Dusty is working inthe kitchen with a bunch of small leafy plants, talking to the cub as he works. "Awakening...well..." He looks up as the door opens, and studies the newcomer speculatively and with some surprise.

Kristine snaps her eyes to the new comer from her position next to Dusty.

In the front rooms, Duncan nods slowly. "Yeah. S'gonna get worse too as tha others find out. 'course, fer all I know, I'm tha last one ta know.."

In the front rooms, Brigid rolls her eyes at that, "Good grief...this isn't going to be soon to fade, not by any means."

Kristine turns her head towards the front rooms, again, and sighs.

In the front rooms, Duncan shakes his head. "Naw. But...I s'pose it's best ever'one gets use ta losin' someone they know an' love. We're not exactly tha longest lived critters."

In the front rooms, Brigid shakes her head, "You never get used to losing someone you love. Never." Her tone on the last word is flat and almost a bit cold before she sighs. "Sorry...don't mean to snap or anything."

In the front rooms, Duncan just shrugs. "Yeah, I know it. Didn' exactly mean it that way." He rubs his neck lightly and goes quiet again.

Sisyphus says "Hi. Don't mind me."

In the front rooms, Brigid eyes the bottle a moment, and scoots away from it. "I don't know what possessed me to touch that thing...I don't drink that much."

Kristine glances to Sisyphus. "Good Evening...?" Alright, so in her grief she's misplaced her manners, and her introduction.

In the front rooms, Duncan tilts his head. "Mebby tha spirit of a Fianna gotcha for a bit."

In the front rooms, Brigid smirks, "Now...wouldn't that be an interesting sight, mmm?"

In the front rooms, Duncan chuckles a little. "Yeah, well, it's prolly jus tha stress o' tha day." He motions to the bottle, "Tha great healer."

In the front rooms, Brigid shrugs, "Or the opener of even greater wounds."

Dusty blinks, then shakes his head with a small smile. "I don't mind you at all...please, come join us...though I must admit I don't remember meeting you before."

In the front rooms, Duncan nods lightly. "Either, neither an' both."

Sisyphus says "Good evening," to Kristine, pleasantly enough. To Dusty, "I'm Sisyphus. Guardian. Just taking a break."

In the front rooms, Brigid nods and curls one finger in a white streak.

Kristine returns to studying Dusty's plants. "Kristine Vaughn-St. David, Fang Cub." she murmurs in return.

Dusty inclines his head suddenly in understanding. "Dusty. Also Guardian." Heturns his back, pressing a paper towl gently to the plants spread out on the counter. "Sorry, things are a bit chaotic around here right now. "Now, about that Awakening...you do know that all plants and animals have spirits associated with them, right?"

Sisyphus passes through the open doorway for the front part of the house.
Sisyphus has left.

Kristine nods a bit, resting her chin on the counter to stare at the plants.

Dusty pulls the paper towel off of them and tosses it in the trash can, continuing, "Most of the time, thouggh, the spirits that rest within individual plants are sleeping. When they're persuaded to wake up, though, they're much stronger. I wish I had an example for you to show you."

In the front rooms, Brigid is stretched on the couch, an open bottle of wine on the table in front of her. Duncan is seated in a chair nearby, and quiet hangs over the room...most likely from lack of conversation.

Kristine points to the plants. "Why not them? Can you awaken them?"

In the front rooms, Sisyphus looks around the living room. He nods quietly to the pair and heads up the stairs.

In the front rooms, Sisyphus mounts the stairs, pausing briefly at the landing before continuing up to the second floor.

In the front rooms, Duncan looks up after a few moments of quiet pondering. "Well, I s'pose we mourn a while an' then go on."

In the front rooms, Brigid nods and lets the lock of hair go. "It's best to do that...or there will be a great deal of sore feelings floating around for months."

In the front rooms, Duncan tilts his head. "I don' think anythin'll keep sore feelin's floatin' around."

Dusty chuckles to himself. "Sure, and that's exactly what I had in mind. There's a ritual to do just that, but I don't have enough people here right now to make it work very well. If Quiet comes back tonight, we'll try it then."

Kristine sighs a bit put out. She sits up a bit, then glances at him. "Thank you for bringing me here, Dusty." She sighs a bit, "Thank you for being there, period."

In the front rooms, Brigid shrugs, "You'd be surprised at what could. People forgive and move on...but they never forget."

In the front rooms, Duncan gives a light shrug. "Forgetin' isn't always good. Plus, I don' think this improves any o' Alex's friends view of tha 'Lords."

Dusty pauses, then turns to Kristine and smiles. "Of course. I couldn't do any less. I wish Louisa had come with us, too. I should go find her, but that comes later."
In the front rooms, Brigid leans back and drapes a hand over her eyes. "I don't know...I'm getting tired of thinking."

In the front rooms, Duncan rubs his head. "Yeh, me to. I s'pose I could go out tanight an' try ta forget what's happened."

Kristine glances over her shoulder, and just sort of smirks at Duncan, before turning back to Dusty. "Louisa made her choice, Dusty. She wanted to remain with Alex. He was her friend. They knew each other forever."

Dusty nods, and heaves a sigh, settling down at the table with the half-dried plants. "I can only imagine. I'm concerned for her, though. Andrea said she'd gone to find her, though, so..." He shrugs, and stands up, pulling a gallon of milk from the fridge and a glass from the cabinet. "Want some?" he asks.

Kristine hooks a thumb at the living room. "I still got a half drunk bottle of wine in there. Fangs'r going to have blast trying to hammer out Nick's influence on me. He'd flip if he saw me now, what with me tossing the princess attire out the window and all." She ponders then shrugs. "Yeah, I'll take a glass, anyway. I forgot the Farmhouse has like, real food." She takes a breath. "I'm worried about Lou too. Real worried."

Dusty tilts his head curiously, but obediently brings down another glass andfills both of them. "Nick?"

In the front rooms, Brigid just lies quietly on the couch, looking for all the world like she's dozing. One hand is draped over her eyes, while the other drapes over her stomach.

Kristine picks up the glass of milk and takes a sip. "Old boyfriend."

Kristine smiles a bit. "He sort of, helped me bring me out of my shell, in a sense," she explains her voice holding a definate tone of fondness. "But, we broke up over a year ago. I guess he got bored with me or soemthing."

Dusty inclines his head in understanding and brings the other glass over to the table. "I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like you were fond of him. But how would you feel about tea instead?"

Kristine pretty much downs the glass of milk. "I'm not fond of tea, really. But sure, since you're going to offer it." She lowers the glass, "Do you agree with what Otter did?"

In the front rooms, Duncan slowly gets up and heads out the front door.
In the front rooms, Duncan leaves through the front door. You can hear the screen door swing shut again with a clatter.

Dusty draws a long, careful breath as he ponders that one, standing up to gather tea cups and set a kettle of water on the stove to heat. He opens a side cupboard, and pulls out several small jars with handwritten labels and a pair of cheesecloth bags. "Do I agree with what was done? Well, what Alex described, absolutely not. That is beyond wrong and something that should never be condoned. The last part? I don't know, honestly. I certainly don't like it. However," he continues, coming back to the table while the water heats, "I do acknowledge that as Alex's teacher, it was his right to teach him or kill him as he saw fit." Dusty'seyes darken. "However, it will be a long, cold day in hell before he is allowed to teach Louisa or any other Gaian cub anything, if I read Andrea's expression right. I'll certainly approach her on the matter."

In the front rooms, Brigid sighs softly and gets up from the couch, straightening herself up before wandering towards the kitchen and those there already.
In the front rooms, Brigid goes through the aperture at the northern end of the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.
Brigid has arrived.

Kristine draws a lazy design on the table and sighs, "Will I be killed if Velia sees fit?"

Brigid pauses in the doorway, "I should certainly hope not, sis."

In the front rooms, Sisyphus comes down the stairs.
In the front rooms, Sisyphus goes through the aperture at the northern end of the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.
Sisyphus has arrived.

"It's possible," Dusty answers quietly, then pauses as he sees Brigid. "Would you like a cup of tea?" he asks quitely,then continues to Kristine, "But I seriously doubt if that will ever happen. You certainly haven't given her any reason to."

Brigid nods to Dusty and smiles a bit, "Yes, I'd like one, thank you."

Kristine starts at Brigid's response, and turns to glance at her. She sighs, then glances down. "I don't think so since I've hardly seen her since I left the Estate. That's supposed to change soon I think."

Sisyphus comes back down the stairs about 10 minutes later. Again he has to stoop to get his antlers underneath the doorway as he makes his way back into the kitchen.

Sisyphus isn't a tall man; in fact, he's somewhat short at around five-foot-eight. He has a broad back and shoulders, testaments to a life of hard work, like his calloused hands. His head is topped by red hair, cropped very short, and a matching beard covers most of his face. His skin is weatherbeaten and starting to wrinkle, especially around his eyes. Those eyes - a deep blue - are bright and clear, the only part of him that doesn't look his age of forty years. Any of these things may be overlooked, however, in favor of the man's most prominent feature: the twenty-point rack that grows from his head, like a stag's.

Dusty nods and grabs a third cup and a third teabag, and begins to take a small amount from several of the jars and mix them in some proportion known only to him. "Hello again," he calls to the footsteps in the hall, quietly.

Brigid makes room to let Sisyphus by and smiles.

Kristine glances up to Sisyphus and nods in another greeting before staring back at the table.

Sisyphus nods silently to the Garou and makes his way toward the back door. The Metis opens it, sneaks a look outside, then runs for the woods.

Dusty blinks as the metis leaves, his mouth half-open to offer tea but the words stopped in their tracks. After several moments, he sighs, shakes his head, and turns back to what he is doing.

Sisyphus slides open the door in the kitchen, passing through into the back yard.
Sisyphus has left.

Kristine turns a weak smile to Brigid.

Brigid moves from the doorway and collects herself a seat next to Kris, returning the smile supportively.

The tea kettle whistles, and Dusty quickly pulls it off the stove, pouring three teacups full of water and allowing them to steep.

Kristine sits down in one of the chairs, and props her chin in her palm.

Brigid tucks her hair behinds her ears and glances over at Kris, reaching out and patting her back lightly, "Hey you..."

In the front rooms, Mark goes through the aperture at the northern end of the front hallway to enter the back room of the house.
Mark has arrived.

Mark heads over to get a glass of water. "Hello."

Kristine lifts her head up and gives a very weak smile at Brigid, then to Mark. "Good Evening," she says in a half-felt tone.

Dusty brings two of the tea cups over to the table, along with a small plastic honey bear. He sets one each in front of Brigid and Kristine, smiling ever so faintly to himself.

Brigid nods and smiles to Mark, then collects her teacup with a murmured thank you to Dusty.

Kristine bypasses the honey bear, and heads for the bowl of sugar, dumping two teaspoons of the stuff into her cub. Stirring it, she takes a sip, then another, without much emotion. In no time at all, an empty tea-cup is replaced.

Mark considers the group by the table. "Less than a happy group, I would say."

Dusty watches, dunking his tea bag up and down by the counter and sipping it plain, very very carefully. "Good evening..." he says quietly to Mark, his eyes on Kristine.

Brigid squeezes honey into her cup and unobtrusively watches Kris, her expression not really changing from one of concern.

Dusty turns around andwatches the table, eyes dark. "One of the cubs got culled this afternoon. The other cubs aren't taking it very well."

Mark ahs, quietly.

Kristine slouches in her chair, and sighs at the mention of the Culling. She rubs her eyes before sitting forward again and rests her chin on the table. "Dusty that was real good--" She doesn't finish her sentence as her head finishes hitting the with a slight sound, quite obviously, sound asleep.

Mark says "An interesting response."

Dusty chuckles softly as Kristine's head hits the table, obviously pleased with himself. "It worked," he murmurs to himself, "Though that was quicker than I expected."

Mark says "And a fine piece of evidence that she is not Fianna."

Brigid blinks a bit at Kris and nods slightly, "Indeed..."