Moot: October 2002

[hazlogs]

Date: 10/22/02

Location: The Caern

Moon: Full


At the center, Rides-Fire sits with his packmate. His pose would seem
serene, if not for the twitching tailtip that betrays him.

Salem stalks into the caern, leading two smaller forms in like bipedal
ducklings. He pauses a moment before heading into the center to eyeball
Cat, checking for the boy's reaction.

At the center, Nightfire is in the center, near a small hole that's been
dug in the middle of the caern.

By the waterfall, Fights-For-Hope sits before the waterfall in all his
scarred hispo glory, looking out over the caern as the mist frames him
from behind.

Julie trudges along behind Salem and Cat, though a perpetual half-grin can
be seen behind the veil of braids hanging in her face, eyes glancing
excitedly about.

At the center, Aubrey walks in with her hands stuffed into her pockets of
her jeans. She and the young Gnawer, Lyra, are quietly talking amongst
themselves in a low murmuring tone. The Fianna looks up as she sees those
already geathered in the center of the cearn. Julie is noticed and
beckoned by the Fianna woman.

Cat's following Salem so closely that he's in very real danger of tripping
over the cliath's heels. Shocked blue eyes flick at everything, from the
walls of the caern to the strange faces that are gathered there. The cub
doesn't make a sound, but chews one one knuckle nervously. Like he might
bolt.

By the waterfall, Sepdet returns from the woods carrying the stone that
has been in the sept compound for several weeks, and moves towards the
Rocky Outcropping. Those entering the caern will find that many clay bowls
filled with water have been scattered around the central gathering area,
each of them reflecting steam, stars, sky and moon.

Julie glances over at Aubrey, and then at Salem. Right now, she's under
his sayso.

Salem rests a hand on Cat's shoulder, lightly enough, and ushers the cub
into the center. Now that the trio has arrived, he doesn't seem to give
much of a damn what Julie does.

Nightfire looks over at the Walkers as they file into the center and
offers greetings.

Rides-Fire shifts his weight impatiently as the numbers of the gathered
swell.

By the steam vents, Julie snorts, as he moves off with the cub. A shrug,
and, look of 'whatever', before she wanders toward Aubrey and group.

Lyra's clothes have become paler as they get more worn, but she's braided
her hair back neatly and even has a scattering of blush on her cheeks,
thanks to a certain Gnawer Kin. It's her first moot, and she's all
interested gazes and smiles. "Do you think Adrian will be here?" she asks
Aubrey, fiddling with her sleeves.

Salem inclines his head toward Nightfire, returning the greeting
wordlessly, then leads Cat off somewhat to one side. As he does so, he
bends down to murmur in the boy's ear.

You whisper "You'll be expected to introduce yourself at one point. I'll
let you know when. Don't disappoint me." to Cat.

Julie does give Nightfire a nod, recognizing station, before she plunks
down to sit on the ground by Aubrey and Lyra. A smile to Lyra, having not
met her yet.

Aubrey smiles lightly as Julie makes her approach toward her and Lyra.
"Greetings Julie," she says to the Gnawer. "I'd like to introduce you to
Lyra. She is a cub of your tribe." The Fianna smiles, then looks to Lyra.
"Depends on his elders, I suppose." she says with a light shrug of her
shoulders.

From the rock outcropping, Sepdet inclines her head to the evening's
Truthcatcher and then shifts down to glabro, where she seems to be holding
something wrapped in black silk under her arm. She returns to the
gathering and roots near the exact center, searching the gathering crowd.

Quentin's shoes crunch against scattered twigs and such as he makes his
way along through what's left of the treets and along into the clearing of
the caern's center; glancing 'round a bit to see where everyone is, a
brief grin flashed over to Lyra, before with an easy step he heads over
towards where Salem and Cat are standing.

Cat blinks, tilting his head a bit to better hear Salem's words. He blinks
again, then looks up at Salem with almost palpable shock. No one had
mentioned him having to speak! He swallows, then pulls his fishermen's cap
over his ears, almost hiding under it.

Julie says "Hiya," friendly enough. Then her attention turns to those
gathering about."

Coming down the trail, a pair of Silver Fangs make they're way into the
Center. This pair happens to consist of Tobin and Kristine. And the
later's looking as lax as ever, hands in her pockets and the whole nine
yards. She pauses, tilts her head left, then right, a simple cracking
hitting up her neck, before she indicates, "Let's go sit over there."

Salem scowls down at the blonde boy, then abruptly tugs Cat's cap off and
pushes it into the cub's hands.

Sepdet raises her head as Alicia makes her way into the caern.
~Guards-the-Flame,~ she calls formally. ~Would you do the honors?~

Lyra crouches down on the ground, grinning at the other Gnawer. "H'lo,
I've never met you before. I'm Lyra Xio Tobias, Four-Leaves, Philodox
cub." A hand is extended for shaking, and since the philocub is being
distracted by the new Gnawer, she misses Quentin's grin.

Tobin walks side by side with Kristine, coat billowing a bit in the
breeze. He nods at her suggestion and makes his way with her to the
indicated spot. He grins and waves over at Aubrey, but otherwise stays
with Kristine.

Striding forth and blurring into the Crinos form, Guards-Flame clears her
throat and lifts her chin, howling out powerfully in a beautiful song to
the sky, summoning the others.

Rides-Fire, of all things, gives the metis Strider an appreciative look.
His agitation continues to grow, as his tail sweeps at the dirt in
spasmotic twitches.

From Center of the Caern, Guards-Flame can be heard to howl, ~Come all,
brothers and sisters of the Hidden Walk, tonight we gather at the center
of our mother's glory!~

Julie leans to reach for the extended hand, giving a firm handshake.
"Julie Hackett, Gnawer Cliath, Galliard." She winks, and goes quiet as the
howl ripples through the air. She gets to her feet, and turns her
attention to the center of the Caern.

At the howl, Brings-Battles comes to sit near the waterfall, her eyes
moving from the Center of the Caern, to around it, ever watchful.

Layne appears near the outcropping, all silence and observation. The hole
near Nightfire gets a curious glance, before her eyes return to the
growing crowd.

"Salem-rhya," Quentin greets quietly, so not to interrupt, as he comes
along up beside him, "..Cat."

Sepdet nods approvingly to Alicia and seeks out Salem with her eyes,
apparently confirming something with him.

Guards-Flame rumbles softly to the Adren Strider and dips her head,
grinning toothily. Lumbering her way over to the pack, she steps up to
Salem's side and crosses her thick arms.

Aubrey nods her head back to Tobin from across the circle. Then she sees
Layne and skirts around teh crowd to join her other tribemate.

The blond Walker cub misses Quentin's greeting completely, staring in
complete awe at Guards-Flame as she howls. When she starts approaching
Salem, Cat's eyes follow her until he's staring right up at her like a
little boy at the zoo.

Kristine lifts her hand to also greet Aubrey, before taking a breath and
glancing around.

Guards-Flame reaches over and pats Cat lightly on the head with her big
strong paw, then ruffles up his bangs, before shifting back to her own
breed form.

Lyra watches a few more people drift in, then gets to her feet as well as
the howl's echoes begin to fade. "Nobody else from the family?" she
murmurs in quiet surprise, hands in the pockets of her dress as she
glances around.

Salem gives Quentin a curt nod, much of his attention focussed on the
nervous blond cub at his side. He catches Sepdet's look and gives her a
nod as well.

Layne greets her female tribesmate with a light nudge and an unusually
cheerful smile, then shifts to offer a nod to Eamon.

Kristine glances down,a nd oh, lookit, a clay bowl. How'bout that.

Julie looks around, then shakes her head. "None that I recognize," she
says, voice quiet.

Quentin lifts a hand, fingers brushing through Cat's revealed hair in a
light rustling, at least once Alicia's hand is out of the way. "Relax,
kiddo," he murmurs reassuringly, offering him a comforting grin.

Tobin kneels down to peer at one of the bowls of water. He looks at it
curiously for a moment before getting back up and shooting a questioning
glance at Sepdet. He doesn't seem to expect an answer at the moment,
though, for he quickly looks elsewhere, watching the people gather.

Sepdet seems to be only half-here for a moment, then looks up as Yi
arrives, glancing between her and Alicia. ~Robert-rhya is finishing up a
few preparations on the other side,~ she states. ~Go ahead.~

Kristine leans over to murmur something to Tobin, before returning to
actually paying attention.

Cat starts as that great big paw of Alicia's comes down on his head, but
doesn't really have much to hide behind and ends up getting his head
tousled by her -and- Quentin. The older cub gets a baleful gaze from Cat.
"Relax," he repeats, despairingly.

In the windiest area, The Galliard of the Children of Gaia makes her way
through the windiest area of the Caern, finding her hair flung back and
out of her face. Turning slightly, she gazes towards the Gnawer fool,
trading words with her for a few moments, before shifting up into her
Crinos once again, rumbling loudly. ~Even in this day of age, it is still
important to remember the first of our great laws, the brothers and
sisters will and shall not mate with each other.~

Julie does motion, as Yi passes by, glancing at Lyra to indicate that one.
"There's one," she whispers roughly.

Tobin smirks at Kristine and shakes his head mutely, looking bemused. He
crosses his arms over his chest and continues looking around, noting new
faces.

Nightfire glances around the caern as the calling begins, listening for
responses to the Fool.

Salem stands straight, arms folded across his chest, stern and dour and
the very image of saturnine nobility. In a low voice, audible only to the
two Walker cubs, he mutters, "You're a Garou. Not a rabbit. Remember
that."

In the windiest area, ~Metis are just a fraction of the problem with this
law!~ Three-Blades howls out to begin her part as the Fool, ~This law
throws out the notion that we cannot even begin to love another Garou. Are
we only supposed to be unthinking killing -machines-? That we cannot even
look upon another in an affectionate manner, that is what this law is
truly saying.~

Kristine ponders, "Well, there's a difference between showing affection
between friends, and comrades, and knockin' boots, you know. If it wasn't
supposed to happen, the offspring wouldn't come out the way it does." She
nods here.

Lyra blinks at Julie, then glances around and smiles as she catches sight
of Yi...a smile which quickly turns to confusion as Yi begins to howl
arguments -against- the Litany. "...eh?" she mumbles.

Aubrey looks to the Fool and scowls, "Affection can come with as much ease
as a brother or sister than a lover." She crosses her arms as she gives a
glance to Layne.

Julie shouts, "If all Garou mated with only Garou, we would die out,
unable to fight Gaia's fight, because our offspring are sterile!" The
spirit of the Moot not keeping even this temporary outside from speaking
out.

Kristine blinks a bit, turns, and poins, "Hey, I think I know her..."
Okay, she says this really quietly, because that would just crush the
spirit, but she does it anyway.

Tobin calls out, "The bonds of the pack let us know that we care for each
other. Where does sex enter into it? It doesn't."

Cat swallows again, miserably, but he stops fidgeting with his hat and
chewing on his knuckles, opting to stuff his hands and hat in his coat
pockets instead. "Garou, not a rabbit, not a rabbit," he whispers under
his breath.

Quentin, after Cat and Salem's comments, drops silent altogether.. a shift
on his feet as he settles in beside the others, arms folding 'cross his
chest as he looks around the gathered with a slight purse of his lips.

Sepdet listens grimly to the calls and responses tonight.

In the windiest area, Pacing back and forth on lumbering paws,
Guards-The-Flame shoots a hard glance towards the Gnawer, snorting.
~Combatting the Wyrm wherever it dwells and breeds, surely even you can
agree that this is gravely important.~ Her eyes burn holes into the new
moon, narrowed, intense.

In the windiest area, Three-Blades gazes out over the caern and Garou
gathered. ~When the Wyrm is breathing down your nape, when it's clear that
you WILL lose, what good will it do to continue fighting? Run, and live
another day to gather up others so that you might take the Wyrm down in
due time. But to fight -wherever and whenever- it shows? It is brave, but
it can be foolish.~

"It's what we're here to do...Combat the Wyrm, defend Gaia. Why argue with
that?" Kristine holds her hands up in a light shrug.

"Foolishness comes when one does not protect and steps back merely to
watch life crumble at their feet. We are, as we are, fighters and keepers
of the light of Gaia. Do you dare fall into the taint of the Wyrm by
stepping aside to allow it through?" Aubrey raises her voice over the
crowd.

"Oh," Lyra murmurs, cocking her head at Julie and glancing back at those
gathered. It's now that she notices Quentin. She quirks one corner of her
lips, the smallest of smiles, before keeping her gaze on Yi.

By the waterfall, Fights-For-Hope snaps his teeth viciously towards the
fool with a short growling roar, ~We do not /share/ this world with them,
we are mortal enemies! They will die by either our hands or others. But
they will die.~

Salem notes, "There's a world of difference between a tactical retreat
with the knowledge you'll return with reinforcements... and choosing to
ignore the war entirely. Anyone but a fool can tell the two apart."

Rides-Fire grows in size, as he opens oversized jaws to speak disdainful
reply. ~The law is to remind you that your life is not your own. Your life
is Gaia's, to fight for her against her enemies.~

Julie leans to whisper to Lyra again.

In the windiest area, The Gaian and the Gnawer go back and forth a few
more times, listening to the rumbling voices of the Hidden Walk refute the
Fool at every turn. ~And to eat the flesh of humans, don't tell me you
would easily snack upon your neighbor?~

In the windiest area, ~We are Predators!~ Three-Blades calls out in
retort. ~And the prey is soft. How many could humans could -you- kill in a
night? How many Gaia-choking land-tainting Wolf and animal-hating apes
could you slay and free Gaia for? If a little flank of man slips down past
your jaws, so what? In the light of ridding Gaia of the menace, in the
light of culling the unworthy, what is a leg bone or two?~

Julie says "We are not like the Wyrmy vampires!" she growls. "Ours is to
protect, not to feast! Ours is to protect Gaia, not like those who would
destroy her!"

"Cannibal," Salem accuses the Fool, his expression stony. "They're half
your heritage."

Rides-Fire wrinkles his muzzle in distaste. ~Tainted meat will make you
sick.~

Tobin snorts, "Slaying humans is not our duty. Slaying the /Wyrm/ is. If
the human is Tainted, then slay away, but would /you/ want to eat Tainted
flesh?"

Lyra nods mutely at Julie's whisper, but blanches as Yi goes on to
describe leg bones and flanks. Her fingers clench a bit inside her
pockets. For this law at least, she will not speak.

"You -are- what you eat, as the old addage says," Kristine pipes up with.

Anyone watching Layne would notice that she's not as active a participant
in the calling as usual. While she does her best to keep an attentive ear
toward the others, her own voice is silent, thoughts focused inward. She
bleeds down into hispo, eventually, muzzle working into a quiet sneer when
the human flesh-eating tenet gets its turn.

Julie grins a bit toothily, enjoying the points against Yi's playing the
Fool, especially this law. Even Salem's retort gets a perk, that is an
angle rarely discussed.

In the windiest area, Once again Guards-The-Flame rumbles out another law,
flexing her claws a tad, determined. ~You must always respect those
beneath ye', for all are of Gaia!~ The fur on her neck bristles a tad.

In the windiest area, Three-Blades drops to a crouch, the better to get
herself 'closer' those down below. ~I have keen ears and eyes, cousins,~
she rumbles almost too softly to be a call. ~Do not think I haven't heard
or seen the unfair treatment of those 'beneath' you. And this law:
"Beneath you"? Who is beneath us? Our kin?~ She lets it sink in for but a
moment. ~How about our kin? To say they are "beneath" us already demeans
them. What respect is that? When we see our kin and kind as "beneath" us,
we already break this law and do not respect them. I have heard and seen
this law broken before. Our kinfolk, they groan at our tail-raising and
are afraid to speak to us for fear of being killed and their loved ones
being killed! They RUN from us! They hide from us! Our kin have openly
said they wish to leave because of us! Our kin, who have been turned to
the -Wyrm- because we do not respect them enough to make sure they are
happy and content. Perhaps, it is This law that makes them this way.~

Sepdet's eyes grow pained, briefly; several of the Fool's barbs have hit
closer to the mark than usual tonight. ~The wolf knows that those beneath
one in station are still packmates. They are still of /us/. There is no
dishonor in that some lead, others follow; it is the way the wolves have
taught. Cub, cliath, kin and elder, we all serve Gaia according to our
station and our power. All are of Gaia.~

Aubrey shifts to Crinos. ~Respect comes when one is trustworthy. We must
give our kinfolk respect to recieve trust.~ is growled.

Lyra rubs at the bridge of her nose, hazel eyes seeking out Quentin's.
Once she catches his attention, she mouths 'Kin Appreciation Day' and
grins.

Quentin just shakes his head a little at Lyra, as he catches sight of that
mouthing.. a slight smile quirking his lips, before he looks back to those
speaking.

Rides-Fire seems slightly puzzled, but he does respond, ~This law is for
the pack. Even the wolves cannot be pack with us in this war. They are not
part of the pack, even if they are our allies.~

Cat watches Salem from the corner of his eye, trying to mimic the cliath's
stance and expression and keep his attention on the confusing banter all
at once...it's enough to make a cub go cross-eyed.

Sith-Fhuil snarls, quick and sharp, but sorrowful, ~If we cannot respect
our fellow Garou and our Kin, we have lost this War already.~

Golden-Eyes crosses her arms and rumbles a reply in agreement to
Sith-Fhuil.

In the windiest area, The Galliard continues to listen patiently as she
gathers her thoughts, then shakes her head slightly at the Fool, ears
pricking some. ~The veil shall not be lifted, for if it did, we may all be
doomed. Fool, even you can't deny that this law should always be set in
stone.~

In the windiest area, ~The Veil. What Veil? The very moment we walk
amongst the humans, they eye us with fear and know the Curse. As they
rightfully should, for we are warriors of Gaia and they are polluters of
the land.~ Three-Blades stands again, crinos form revealed in a symbol of
the strength of the Garou. ~Let them run. Let them piddle on themselves
knowing that we are the Chosen, come to cull those who would dare aid
tainters of Gaia. Let it be known that Garou walk and defend Gaia! The
Veil is nothing compared to the restoration we could bring, if we walk in
our warforms openly. They can run - we will hunt them.~

Julie sneers as she speaks. "Yeah, and have humans hunt US down in mass
posses, mobs that would kill us, and defeat our purpose to protect Gaia!
They don't know the Wyrm's taint can creep on them, and they would know
where we live, to bring the Wyrm down on us with but a point of finger!"

Nightfire snorts at the Fool. ~The Curse? The Curse is our punishment, for
a thousand years of wrongful hunting. Now it is we who must hide, for if
we do not, they will kill us. They will kill us with their numbers, and
with their weapons. Such is the price for /our/ crime.~

Tobin shifts to Crinos and calls out, ~We are outnumbered in this war.
With our enemies so numerous and our allies so few, what wisdom is there
in shouting out who and what you are? It only makes it that much easier
for our enemies to find us. The humans are the least of our worries.~

~We walk in the open and we also call the Wyrm, Fool.~ Golden-Eyes snarls.
~Humans will turn from us and run right to the Wyrm. There would be more
against us than there would be to aid us.~

Kristine gives a nod to Tobin as he speaks.

~One of my predecessors broke this Law and married a human not of kin's
blood,~ Sepdet calls. ~Good-hearted she was, and a lover of the earth.
Until she was forced to face that which she should not have known. In the
end she went mad, fell to the foe, and betrayed us.~

Rides-Fire snorts. ~Even rabbits, in enough numbers, could bring down the
wolf if they chose.~

In the windiest area, Once more the Voice of the Caern and the Fool go
back and forth, hearing the retorts, the snide laughter of the brothers
and sister's of the Sept. Another three laws go by, until Guards-The-Flame
finally reaches the final rule of the litany. ~This is the most
important!~ She exclaims loudly through her howls, chin tilting upwards,
dark eyes peering at the other in a rush of rage. ~Ye shall take NO action
that causes the Caern to be violated, defiled, or -lost-! As of recent
events, even your memory can't be as dull to forget the pain we have
felt!~

Sith-Fhuil cuts her eyes toward Sepdet when she speaks, and bobs her head
in emphatic agreement.

Rides-Fire's answer to this, even before the Fool speaks, is a wordless
snarl.

In the windiest area, The Gnawer ragabash who plays the Fool calls her
replies to the laws and listens with mixed reactions at the Garou rebuttal
from below. At the last law, she lowers her voice to a growl, letting the
Garou who have to strain to hear her, strain. ~Here is the scenario. The
caerns in these lands nearby have all fallen to the Wyrm. We are, quite
likely, the last ones left. The Wyrm has proven its strength and taken
this one too, and violated it. Why? Because we ran. Look at us now, with
the caern restored again and going strong. But what if the Wyrm to come
knocking at the woods once again, in even greater numbers? Overwhelming
numbers? What if there were a caern, say, the Western Eye, who could help
if we regrouped there? If you run again, you violate this law, but you
could save the caern again. If you do not run, you die and violate this
law. Which do you choose, in this scenario I ask?~

Sepdet states rumblingly, ~That we regained this caern is a miracle that
turns back the prophecies. Do not expect another. Rather, Western Eye
needs /our/ aid now, and could not have it, were we still on the run
trying to get back what we should not have lost.~

Nightfire says boldly, ~We stay and we fight and we die, because if we
lost this place again, we should all die of shame regardless.~

Kristine nods with that, feeling her thoughts've already been voiced.

~We loose part of ourselves when we loose our home.~ Golden-Eyes cries
out. ~This is why we must always remmain prepared and learn from our
mistakes, therefore, this error will not come again. We are like rock, the
memory of our loss will not fade quickly!~

In the windiest area, Guards-Flame turns her eyes towards Sepdet and dips
her head formally towards her, clearing her throat, signalling that she is
done.

Sith-Fhuil merely snorts--loudly--and rips her eyes from the Fool, turning
away to leap atop the rock slab. She noses at something she'd set there
earlier in preparation for the moot.

Sepdet inclines her head to the Fool and the Caller in thanks, letting the
lessons of the evening percolate for a moment. Then she takes a few paces
turns the waterfall, turns and proclaims in a clear, ringing voice, ~We
call on the Totems, whose spirits guard this caern.~

In the windiest area, Three-Blades meets eyes with the Caller, and then
slips back down from the windy spot down into crowd.

Julie rolls her shoulders, shaking off a bit of the hackle-raising tension
across them, and nods a greeting to Three.

Sepdet continues to let her voice ring off the rocks, falling into the
singsong chant of ritual. ~We call to the Lady of Mirrors, who has claimed
us at the invitation of Nightfire's pack. Look into the mirror now and
show Chimera your true face, and reflect on your deeds of the past moon.~

Julie ahas quietly to herself, maybe this is what the bowls of water are
for. She glances over at the one set nearby, at the reflective surface of
its water.

Nightfire walks over to one of the claw bowls and sits, looking down into
the water.

Kristine hmms a bit, and nudges Tobin, and scoots the bowl between them,
to look into the bowl.

A fairly dark and still perhaps slightly plump shape slips in through the
fog of the steam vents and into the center of the caern, making its way
carefully around to where the greatest concentration of Gnawers currently
seems to be, and takes a seat, setting backpack aside to look obediently
into one of the bowls. Bernie's back.

Golden-Eyes sits before a bowl, crossing her legs as she peers into the
surface of the clay bowl.

Abandoning her preparations for the moment, Sith-Fhuil eagerly finds one
of the bowls that the elder Theurge set about the caern and, inhaling
deeply, focuses herself intensely into the water, into her reflection.
Awaiting Chimera.

Calls-Spirits hunkers down, electing to remain in Crinos for the time
being. His eyes fall with ease on the reflective surface of the water in
the bowl.

Salem unfolds his arms and turns his attention toward the bowl nearest to
himself and the two Walker cubs.

The mirrored waters before the Garou's eyes seem to swirl yet remain
still, and some may see, for a moment, not their reflection, but a vivid
image: a fear, a doubt, a failure... and a silent challenge to reverse the
loss or conquer the obstacle. Above, the air begins to glimmer as if a
thousand mirrors were suspended in the swirling mist.

Renee locates one of the bowls and looks into the reflective water.

Julie winces, yes, seeing briefly more than just her reflection. And
resigned acceptance of the weakness. Not everything did she fix when she
was gone.

Look into the bowl, eh? Quentin's gaze falls from where he's watching
Sepdet, and he drops down to a slight crouch near one of the bowls near
the Walkers; one hand resting against the grass, fingers splayed there
lightly, green eyes watching the reflective waters in thoughtful silence.

Three-Blades looks up at the mist, gaze narrowing at first and then
setting her ears back to a more comforted level. ~Hello,~ she rumbles to
the spirit in a quiet greeting laden with more respect than the water in
the pool.

Renee's nearly perminant scowls deepens as she looks into the bowl, hands
curling into fists.

Salem's face shows almost no reaction to what he sees or doesn't see;
there's a subtle tightening of jaw muscles as he clenches his teeth, but
nothing more.

Kristine hrms again a bit and then sort of smiles here, though she still
gazes into the bowl.

Bernie's gaze drops from the vision in the water to her hands, and then
back, stronger. Not exactly defiant, but decisive. Taking the challenge,
perhaps.

Sepdet rises from her own inspection of the waterfall's pool and collects
herself, raising her right hand to salute the glistening mirrors that
float above the Garou's heads. Then she chants again. ~We call to the raw
power of the Wyld, which roused on the night of the Great Battle to help
us vanquish our foes. Howl your defiance of the destroyers: we are alive!
Gaia lives and thrives. Let the wolf within you sing to the sky!~

Sith-Fhuil's fur bristles--not in fear or aggression, but in excitement
and anticipation. A raspy whine escapes the dire wolf's muzzle, and the
'challenge' is attentively noted.

Golden-Eyes looks into the bowl, seeing her flaws and seems to recoil
lightly towards them. The dappled-pelted crinos abruptly sets her muzzle
and broadens her shoulders with determination. Once the scowling is over,
the Fianna goes back to being her happy, usual self.

It is currently 18:34 Pacific Time on Tue Oct 22 2002.

Three-Blades lifts her muzzle and howls, always with a tinge of defiance
in the ragabash's way of calling. She adds in a few high yips in tribute
as well. Yip!

Quentin's breath is caught, for a long moment as he gazes into the
rippling-yet-still waters that reflect something only he sees.. and he
lets it out with a slight shiver, rising back to his feet slowly with a
slightly clenched jaw to look up towards the shining mirrors overhead.

Julie lifts a fist to the sky, and whoohoos heartily.

Sith-Fhuil's howl begins as a series of throaty barks, before exploding
into the night as a long and resonant howl. She can barely stay in one
place, so she doesn't, deftly avoiding the clay bowl as she prances in
strange circles.

Bernie sits back on her haunches, and ripples, shifting up into the
warform before taking her eyes from the water, throwing her head back,
muzzle to the sky, to join the howl. The edge of defiance in it echoes her
tribe- and auspice-mate's, but the rest seems to hold rather more joy.

Golden-Eyes slips to all fours in dire, lifting her muzzle to the winds.
The Fianna sings to the spirits with an expressing howl.

Salem turns his eyes up toward the mirrors, then stretches himself upward
into Crinos form and howls, channeling his rage into a bellow of defiance.

Kristine pulls her gaze skyward and sighs a bit. Yeah, we're still here,
what're you gonna do about it? She grins here, then shifts upwards into
Crinos, and howling her inner statement to the world.

Renee looks up toward the sky, then throws back her head and howls. A
smaller human voice, mixed in with the lupine calls.

Sepdet grows a little more substantial as she shifts to crinos, adding her
own rather coyote-ish long high howl to the chorus.

The caern seems to throb beneath them, reverberating with the howls until
the pulse becomes a steady, warm beat, like a drum, like a great living
heart in the earth. They can feel it through their feet, the very air. Out
of the corners of their eyes, the images of strange wild shapes of leaves,
water, etched stones twist and leap and dance.

Quentin's own voice mingles with the others, a far cry from his reluctance
to join in mere months ago at his very first moot; he doesn't shift, just
joins a human howl to blend with the lupine calls from crinos throats. A
light nudge of Cat, then, as though to encourage him to join.

Three-Blades cuts her howl off when the ground begins to throb.
Disconcerting, nonetheless, and the changing shapes around the edges of
her vision moving around do something on the verge of unnerving. The
Gnawer steps a little closer to the rest of her tribe, ears twitching as
she looks around.

Stands-Proud's howl seems to quiet down as the ground begins to do it's
thing. She rests down on all fours and curiously watches the scene unfold,
ears twitching here and there.

Julie is a bit unsettled, too. Some of her dreams when she was younger
looked a lot like this. A twitching, uncertain smile at Yi, before her
attention flits around the Caern.

Renee grins savagely and quickly looks around her, trying to get a better
look at the changing shapes around her. While some might find the wavering
forms unerving, the Galliard finds them oddly comforting.

Golden-Eyes perks her ears, but she can not seem to withstand the awesome
power around her. Her tail swishes to the pulsing, drumbeat sound around
her. Her paws can no longer stay in one place as she sidesteps, almost
ready to leap and pounce around the cearn.

Salem lowers his muzzle as his howl fades away. One golden eye notes
Quentin's performance with approval, then turns toward Cat as well,
briefly. The Wyld-born disturbances set his ears back and his hackles up,
but as he shifts back to human form, he seems to have completely regained
his equilibrium.

Sith-Fhuil continues to circle and cavort, tuning herself to the beat of
the Wyld. The Fianna 'bows' down with each thrum, as if she were
signalling 'play!' While the blossoming images catch her attention
briefly, her gaze is steadfast on the display of mirrors, fangs bared in a
perpetual snarl. Exhiliration. Defiance.

Before the Totems begin to fade again, Sepdet reverts to to glabro and
raises her arms. A piece of black cloth falls away as she holds something
aloft that gleams and returns the moonlight threefold. Those who have been
in the caern before its fall will recognize the Pathstone that was once
embedded at the caern's center. ~And the caern also lives! Here is the
stone rescued from its heart. Before the sept's eyes and yours, honored
spirits, we return it to its proper place.~ She moves towards the hole at
the exact center of the caern which has been prepared by the Warder and
Groundskeeper. ~Septmates, I ask you all to form a circle around me and
face outwards. Those who know Binding or Dedication, join me, and add your
will to mine. Robert-rhya holds the caern steady for us on the other side
of the Mirror.~

Stomps-The-Wyrm rises to her feet without shifting back, and pads toward
Sepdet, picking a spot that seems about the right distance away from her
and the hole to turn and stand, beginning a circle of sorts.

Eamon moves forward to the center of the caern, joining the circle around
Sepdet and the Stone.

Julie whoas quietly to herself, eyes widening at the sight of the Stone. A
grin, and she moves closer, to help create the circle, turning with her
back to center, exitement glittering in partly obscured eyes.

Salem leaves the two Walker cubs to join the others at the center of the
caern, at the stone, massaging his knuckles as he does so.

Three-Blades lumbers to Sepdet, as per her request. The Gnawer no-moon
grins toothily at Bernie and Julie, before going a little further to help
with the rite.

Golden-Eyes joins Sepdet and the group around the pathstone. The dire wolf
remains on her paws, keeping to the outter circle of those not performing
the rite.

Quentin doesn't catch all of that, still not an expert in the Mother's
Tongue, but he catches enough; glancing after Salem as he moves towards
the caern's heart, he stays close to where Cat is. Maybe he doesn't know
enough to defend the caern, but he can defend Cat.

Nightfire and Rides-Fire take their place among the defenders, watching
outward for any trouble that might interfere with the Rite.

Sepdet smiles at those who have joined her at the center. She drops to one
knee before the hole, which on closer inspection is filled with clear
water. She scoops up a handful of earth and sprinkles it over the
Pathstone, whispering, ~Bound to this earth, this place, this caern.~ Her
tone of voice suggests the end of a rite, as if she'd done something
before this. Then she holds out the Pathstone in her small cupped hands,
nodding for those with her to do their own form of mojo.

Three-Blades arches her claws upwards, as if to catch the moonlight. Her
eyes slit in a meditation, adding herself to the rite.

Renee turns away from the Rite, looking outward and standing guard.

Salem, like Sepdet, goes down on one knee, though with slow dignity. He
murmurs under his breath as he focusses his will on the pathstone,
frowning in concentration.

By now, Sith-Fhuil has joined her septmates in the ring surrounding
Sepdet. While the Fianna has chosen to guard, she, too, focuses what she
can spare into the circle and the rite.

~Pathstone to caern heart, us to Gaia, reform and strengthen the bond
between,~ Three-Blades rumbles, her will and spirit fully dedicated to the
dedication.

Sepdet closes her eyes, concentrating. Her fingers shake slightly, as if
the stone were far heavier than it appears. When she speaks again, her
voice is pitched to include those who are keeping watch, as well as those
helping with the binding. ~This Pathstone belongs to the sept, to us all:
it is our treasure, and our responsibility. It opens bridges to distant
caerns. It is a gateway through which danger can enter, if we are careless
and clumsy performing rites within these sacred grounds. It is a precious
thing won by the bravery of septmates who fell fighting the Wyrm long ago.
Chimera and Wyld, we commend it to you, and promise to guard it well.~
With that, she slowly lowers it into the hole at the caern's heart. The
stone sinks into the water without a ripple, and gleams through it.

Three-Blades lowers her claws when the stone sinks away, blinking a few
times to be sure and then finally relaxing when the rite is done. She
looks to Sepdet, an ear switching up at the Strider elder expectantly.

Sepdet is utterly still, watching the Pathstone as it settles into place.
The caern's floor continues to pulse softly with the power of the Wyld,
and the mirrors of Chimera continue to glint faintly overhead. The only
sounds now are their own breathing and the waterfall's murmur, but the air
feels charged, expectant; the Totems are still quite palpable.

Salem turns his gaze from the pathstone to the Strider, one eyebrow
raised.

Julie swallows, and her feet shift, the thickness of the air tangeable,
and she waits. Her gaze continues watching beyond the circle, even as the
rest who guard are doing.

The Gnawer philocub folds her hands before her, but otherwise stands
stock-still, murky green eyes flickering from face to face. Unconsciously,
Lyra's holding her breath, in anticipation for what may come next.

There is a single bright flash from the Pathstone deep down in the water.
The Strider exhales, a reserved smile and a hint of relief on her face as
the ground stills and the last of the mirros fade from sight. ~The Sky is
Open,~ she whispers, and sends a wink in Layne's direction. ~Thank you,
everyone.~

Stands-Proud hmms and nods. She leans back on her haunches, deciding jus
tto chill in the Warform. It makes things easier to speak.

Salem gets to his feet, brushes dirt from his knee, and rejoins Cat and
Quentin in the Walker Corner.

A quick smile flashed over to Salem as he returns, and Quentin relaxes a
bit. He's a lot more comfortable at these things with a cliath in arm's
reach.

Calls-Spirits crouches next to Kristine, still in Crinos. He raises his
head from where it was bowed during the ritual and looks around for who
will lead the next portion of the moot.

Three-Blades whuffs her relief, shifting down to a smaller, red-furred
wolfish form. The Gnawer then rejoins the others of her tribe, nudging and
making silent hellos.

Golden-Eyes remains quiet, although her tail flops around behine her. She
gives her tribemate a lupus grin.

THe quiet reverie Matt's indulged in so far is broken as he shifts his
legs, basking in the rightness of things.

Salem meets Quentin's gaze and gives the young Galliard a thin, tight
smile, then turns his eye to Cat to see how the other cub is... handling
things.

Stomps-The-Wyrm grins, rather more toothily in this form than the version
that develops as she shifts back down to homid, turning from her position
in the circle to look at Sepdet and the Pathstone in the water before she
heads after Yi, back toward her tribe and the portion of her pack
currently present.

Cat neither relaxes nor tenses up. Salem's return is a minor note in the
back of his mind...he's still staring intently at the water where the
Pathstone lies, staring the way he had been during the entire rite.

Sith-Fhuil whuffles in Golden-Eyes' direction, though the halfmoon seems,
for the most part, distracted. Wary. Things weren't so pretty last time
they gathered in a circle to guard a rite.

Nightfire does relax once the pathstone is set in place and the caern is
opened. He over at Rides-Fire and inquires softly, ~Any visitors?~

As Yi shifts to four feet, Lyra grins and does the same, waiting for the
ragabash to come within paw's reach before nipping at the cliath's chin.

Renee shifts her feet and relaxes a little, before joining her Tribal
group.

Rides-Fire raises his head to sniff the air, nostrils flaring.

Julie turns to watch the remainder of the proceedings, reaching over to
scritch Yi behind the ears, then Lyra. She even pulls out a couple pieces
of strawberry twist, one for each of them, before nodding a greeting to
Renee, and digging around for more of the chewy treat. A piece for her,
too.

Wildfire remains standing quietly behind Nightfire. Been there most of the
night. Really.

Rides-Fire indicates a negative. ~I do not smell the enemy.~

Three-Blades nips back at Lyra, also whuffing at Stomps. Hey, long time no
see. And speaking of that, the Gnawer newmoon also looks in Julie's
direction. She hadn't seen her before while calling out the Fool's role,
but now back with the others the ragabash greets Julie with fervor and a
bump of her head. You. You have some stories to tell, talesinger.

Golden-Eyes tilts her head to Sith-Fhuil but nods in understanding for the
Philodox's wariness. The Theurge picks up her head and looks to Rides-Fire
as he comments that he indicates nothing out of the ordinary.

Bernie grins at Yi, reaching over to give her wolfy form a scritch.
"Yeah," she agrees quietly, "my family crap back home took kina longer'n
we 'spected. Missed y'all, an' shit. ...hey, Julie. Haven't seen you in
fuckin' forEVer." The cub gets a quick little grin too as the raggie
hushes.

Julie just hehs at the two she's familiar with, even grinning stupidly.
Bernie gets a light punch to the arm, then Yi gets another scritching,
before she grows more serious once again, and waits for the next step in
the ceremony.

Sepdet seems to be listening to something beyond the circle of Garou, but
abruptly her eyes snap back into focus. She makes a hushing noise towards
the whispers. ~I think it's all clear, although we need to keep our noses
and ears alert,~ she says, raising her voice and nodding respectfully
towards Rides-fire.

Rides-Fire splays his good ear out at the Gatekeeper, then falls back a
step to bump up against Wildfire.

Ashley appears at the outskirts of the gathering. The waifish blonde girl
is most likely unfamiliar to those of the sept; she hovers wordlessly near
Wildfire, pale eyes wide and staring at the group of Garou.

Wildfire looks over his shoulder and motions Ashley to get closer. Under a
hushed breath, he introduces her to his pack, Nightfire first.

Bernie grins and nudges Matt back with her shoulder, leaning sideways into
her packmate before straightening back up.

Three-Blades whuffs at Matt too, greeting him with a wolfish smile. Lots
of faces and scents returning, this is good.

Four-Leaves sits on the ground and wages her tail, tossing her head and
thoroughly enjoying the sound her ears make when they flap against the
side of her head. What's next, what's next? she chuffs, green eyes
flashing excitedly.

Nightfire chuffs a greeting to Ashley, but saves the formal introduction
for a less serious time.

Rides-Fire sniffs toward the young woman curiously, as tall as she is,
though he far outmasses her in his current form.

Peacekeeper appears near the stone basin at the middle of the caern,
surrounded for just a moment by shimmering pearlescence. He gives a nod to
the Gatekeeper, then looks around the caern towards the rock slab.

Ashley remains demure and wordless, though she moves hesitantly to
Wildfire's side. His packmates receive little more than that flat-eyed
stare, unreadable.

Three-Blades looks at Four-Leaves, the moment of incredulity lost when
Peacekeeper appears on the on this side. Then in answer to the cub, she
replies with a look towards Sith-Fhuil. The Cracking of the Bone, she
answers with a rumble.

Salem catches sight of Ashley, dwarfed there with the Get and his brawny
packmates. The Walker's gaze lingers for a moment, eyes narrowed and
expression unreadable. Then he turns his attention toward the rocky slab.

The red dire wolf throws her muzzle skywards, jaws parting in a short but
sonorous howl; when eyes begin to turn her way, Sith-Fhuil flows up into
the warform. From the satchel at her feet, she produces what would appear
to be a bone from a deer's leg, etched with various Garou glyphs. ~I crack
this bone,~ begins the Fianna, splitting the thing with a loud /snap/, ~so
that the marrow of truth, no longer concealed, may flow freely before us.~
Extending the severed pieces up and in front of her, the Philodox calls
out, ~If there are any new to the Sept, come forward; make yourselves
known and be recognized.~

Salem turns a significant look down toward Cat. And just to make sure the
cub gets the hint, he puts a hand on the boy's shoulder and gives him a
nudge.

Wildfire bends over and gives some slight instruction to Ashley, nudging
her forward as well.

At the splintering of the deer bone, Cat flinches. His reverie is broken
further by Salem's nudge. The stiff cub staggers forward, flinging out one
hand to catch his balance. He doesn't trip, but he looks over his shoukder
at Salem with a startled, unhappy look.

Julie straightens the front of her leather jacket, and shakes the mass of
braids into some semblance of order, before glancing at the tribe mates
around her with a grin. She steps forward. Turning, she faces the Sept
members, and waits for the other newcomers to come forward and join her.

By the waterfall, Fights-For-Hope finally moves to sit beside Wildfire
from his position at the waterfall.

Salem stifles a grimace, then turns a dour eye on Cat. He stares at the
cub for a moment, then nods toward the Philodox at the rock slab.

Three-Blades wags her tail once, looking at Julie with encouragement.

The red Gnawer cub paws at her nose, then nudges Three-Blades with her
muzzle. What are they doing now? she chuffs softly.

Quietly, Helen walks to the caern, glancing about. She presses her lips
together, and moves over to someone she at least knows fairly
well--Golden-Eyes. "Hi," the Fury murmurs in greeting, turning her
attentions to Layne.

Golden-Eyes flcikers her ears to Helen and nods her head, quietly
murmuring the greeting in reply to the Fury Ragabash.

Ashley steps forward smoothly, away from her elder's touch. The pale girl
squares her narrow shoulders, lifting her chin to regard the gathering.
"Ashley Devlin," she announces in a soft contralto. "Get of Fenris cub.
Ahroun."

Three-Blades twitches her ears, at the nudge, and then explains in quiet
whuffs and growls as well as body postures. Then, she nudges the cub over
towards Julie as well.

Calls-Spirits watches the new cubs curiously, ears swivelling to keep
track of them as well as his eyes.

With shaky steps, the youngest Walker cub makes his way to the group of
Garou near the rock slab, hovering around Julie's elbow. Julie he at least
recognized from the walk over here. And there he stands, hands in pockets,
looking very frail.

Sith-Fhuil angles her head significantly toward those that have come
forward and, splaying claws, palm up, gestures to the gathered sept.
Probably suggesting introductions. The new Get cub gets a quiet look from
the Fianna.

Golden-Eyes listens and watches in silence. The dappled wolf's ears seem
to be splayed forward towards the new cubs as she observes each one of
them.

Sepdet observes Ashley intently, not recognizing the Catholic waif at all.
Cat, mercifully, doesn't receive her usual intent scrutiny. As Julie steps
forward, the Strtider observes the reactions of the sept more than the
Gnawer herself.

Julie studies the crowd, while waiting for the rest of the newcomers to
introduce themselves.

Fights-For-Hope recognizes Julie instantly, and a mixed reaction that
doesn't betray any one emotion boils to the surface of his features.

Salem folds his arms across his chest and watches the newcomers -- his
all-too-timid cub especially -- with a tight frown that borders on a
grimace.

Peacekeeper raises an eyebrow at the Get cub, then goes on to give each of
the others a slight nod as they introduce themselves.

Four-Leaves listens intently, ears twitching- then her head flies up, ears
perked forward. Oh! I did this at the Green. Oh, oh. The halfmoon gets to
her paws, shaking her coat out and padding to Sith-Fhuil's side to sit
there, waiting for her turn patiently.

Blue eyes flicking to Sepdet and then to Salem- when he looks at Salem he
can't help but blink -Cat takes a very, very tiny step forward.
"I'm..C-Cat Hopkins," the boy murmurs, starting soft but speaking his name
loud enough for all to hear. "I'm a Theurge cub of the Glass Walkers."
Then he steps back hurriedly, almost stepping on the paws of the red wolf
next to Sith-Fhuil.

Wildfire invites Ashley with a motion to return to sitting between
Fights-For-Hope and himself.

Salem's gaze follows Cat's return to Cockroach Corner; once the cub's back
at his side, he turns his attention to the others.

Fights-For-Hope turns his head and chuffs something softly to Wildfire
between a pair of introductions.

The diminutive Get cub smoothes the folds of her skirt with a hand, sizing
up Cat with a brief glance before moving back to Wildfire's side. Ever
impassive, despite her apparent youth.

Four-Leaves darts out of the way to avoid the white keds as they come down
to her forepaws, skidding out in front of the Philodox. The red cub cants
her head, then decides she might as well go now that she's out there,
blurring upwards to breed form. Brushing her skirt out, Lyra smiles at the
familiar faces in the crowd. "I'm Lyra Xio Tobias, Four-Leaves, a Bone
Gnawer Philodox cub," she calls out, voice clear and strong. Then she
blurs down to lupus again, bounding back to the Gnawers with her head held
high.

Quentin flashes over a quick grin towards Cat as he returns, a reassuring
gesture as he reaches to ruffle the other cub's hair a bit. "Y'did fine,"
he murmurs, before looking up to watch Lyra bound back to her tribe.

Whatever Fights-For-Hope just said to him, Wildfire doesn't respond, not
even a flinch.

Julie can't help but grin, watching Lyra's exhuberance. The grin fades,
though, and her demeanor becomes serious as she looks over the crowd.
"Brothers an' Sisters. Some of ya know me, cuz I was here before." She
pauses, glancing over the clan members. "I left, cuz I was weak inside,
weak with guilt, weak with self-pity. Rather'n face m' weaknesses, I left.
But I found leavin' wou'dn't fix them, only facin' them. I sought, and
while I ain't perfect, I found m'self. So I'm back, askin' /You/ if'n I
can become part o' the Sept ag'in, as Julie Hackett, Bone-Gnawer Cliath,
Follower o' Rat, an', hopefully, rite name o' Heartsight once more."

Three-Blades grins wolfishly at Four-Leaves when she returns, and then
when Julie steps up to the spotlight, the Gnawer ragabash whuffs out loud.
Always the Sept can use another set of claws to defend the caern.

Sith-Fhuil waits patiently as the new arrivals introduce themselves,
one-by-one. Julie's reintroduction is met with a weighty gaze, then a
slight nod. After a brief silence, the halfmoon swings her arms up,
holding the bone fragments aloft. ~Those with announcements for the Sept,
come forward and be heard!~

Rides-Fire grumbles softly to Nightfire, a low growl. ~The cubs I can
forgive. I suppose she is an urrah.~ His ruff has flared with irritation,
and the ahroun's ear flicks occasionally, as if bothered by an insect.

Julie quietly returns as Sith continues on, content with that nod for the
here and now.

Cat watches the next introduction almost miserably, standing there next to
Salem and Quentin. The Galliard cub gets a wan smile...and his mood seems
to lift. A bit.

Stands-Proud takes the bones from the Truthcatcher, and then turns to
those gathered. ~I'll make this short and to the point, so we can get onto
more pressing matters. I've recently retaken the position of Elder for the
Silver Fangs of the Sept here. If you have any issues that concern my
Tribe, or anything else, see me. And if you can't find me, then look for
Calls-Spirts, since he's Beta. Either way, it'll get to me.~ And like she
promised, it was short, and conscise. She hands the bones back, shifts
down to her birthform, and retakes her seat next to Tobin.

Sith-Fhuil recollects the bones from Stands-Proud, and scans the gathered
for the next who wishes to speak.

Renee waits for the bones to be returned to the Truthcatcher before
stepping up to take them. Renee straightens up to her full height, before
approaching the stone. Back stiff and stride long. Taking up the bones,
the Galliard juts her chin out challengingly and looks over the gathered
Garou. "Jus' so people know," she rumbles. "In the absence of Kaz an'
Elan, I'm claimin' Eldership of the Bone Gnawers. When they come back,
they can have it if they want it. In the mean time, I'll be the one ta
come ta if ya need the Tribe for anything. If there are any objections, ya
can catch me tomorrow. I'll be spendin' most of the day at the Church."
Handing the bones back to Sith-Fhuil, the Galliard returns to her Tribe.

Ashley watches intently from Wildfire's side, scratching at one
stocking-clad calf with her toe. She frowns, unable to follow anything not
spoken in plain English.

Salem arches a brow at the announcement, but doesn't look all that
surprised. Sour, perhaps, but that's been his mood for most of the
evening.

Julie purses her lips thoughtfully, nodding faintly as Renee returns.

Helen approaches the Truthcatcher and takes the bones from her, quietly.
She turns, glancing over at the other Garou, before saying in a strong
voice, "I'll be short, too. With Dena Serendipity's Shadow gone, I've
claimed eldership of the Black Furies for now. So if you've got anything
to say, talk to me or Laura or, hell, anyone else in the tribe." She
offers the bones back and steps back to where she was.

Peacekeeper raises an eyebrow once again, but he nevertheless nods slowly
at all the tribal changes.

Three-Blades glances at the claiming of eldership around, but makes no
fuss save a look to Renee. Then she sits back and watches, occassionally
looking the philocub in case Four-Leaves had more questions.

Rides-Fire's look turns more sour as the announcements go on.

Nightfire looks surprised at all the changes in leadership. ~We were gone
longer than I thought,~ he comments to Rides-Fire.

Bernie arches a brow at Renee's announcement as well, and studies the
Ahroun thoughtfully as she returns to the tribe.

Sepdet's expression is impassive during the announcement of these
changovers, but her eyes shift in Robert's direction.

Sith-Fhuil listens with a calm calculation that betrays very little. After
Helen finishes her announcement, the Fianna looks with some curiosity to
the Warder, curling the bones up in her hands.

Wildfire takes a moment to look around him, just remembering something,
then settles onto his hanches so as to translate for his cub.

Rides-Fire's reply is caustic. ~Apparently. I am glad Shadow of Blood is
running with the wolves tonight. They have also apparently forgotten to
honor the moot with the Mother Tongue.~

Peacekeeper takes the few steps forward necessary to accept the bones from
the philodox. He looks towards Rides-Fire mostly blankly at the small
outburst, then looks over the rest of the gathered Garou. ~Please show
others--and your people--the courtesy of using a tongue that all adult
Garu can generally understand,~ he says gently as a reminder. Small
announcement made, he hands the bones back to Sith-Fhuil, saying, ~Thank
you.~

Julie mentally d'ohs at herself with the reminder, and even gives Renee a
light nudge with her elbow. Oops, her look says.

Helen frowns at herself. "Idiot me," she mutters, nodding once to
Peacekeeper.

Rides-Fire seems mollified as the athro steps up and speaks. His ruff
settles back down, though his tailtip still twitches with the effect of
the swollen moon.

Ashley tilts her head towards Wildfire's translation, listening carefully.
The pale blonde girl nods once or twice, wordless.

Calls-Spirits remains silent throughout the proceedings, crouched down
next to his Elder while they both observe without a word.

Sith-Fhuil bows her head to Peacekeeper when the bones are returned to
her. ~Are there further announcements?~ rumbles the Truthcatcher. Last
call.

Sepdet paces towards Layne and takes the bones with a nod. ~Many of you
have seen this stone,~ she murmurs, ~Or heard me speak among you. These
Garou have died defending this caern. It is up to us to carry on their
work. The Guardians have long defended this caern with their own valor,
but and all of us share responsibility for it. Therefore, I have asked
every Garou who is able to volunteer one moon out of each year, patrolling
and assisting Guardians and Warder as needed, and delegating other duties
to packmates and tribesmates for that moon.~

Salem straightens at the announcement, his chin lifting.

Rides-Fire's ear tilts toward Sepdet curiously.

Three-Blades perks her ears at Sepdet's announcements, tail thumping once
as she'd been volunteered already.

Sith-Fhuil straightens at Sepdet's words, eyes darkening with
determination. For a moment, her eyes seek out her future packmate, before
she remembers that the moondancer is still away on the Walker's challenge.

Sepdet seeks out faces in the crowd, expression stern. ~Many of you have
come to me, given your word and and chosen a moon. Now is the time to
affirm your vows before the sept's eyes, and to set an example for others.
Salem?~ She holds the bones out to the dour half-moon.

Gaia-Will-Judge nods at Sepdet's words.

Salem steps forward with deliberate grace and takes the bones from the
Strider Theurge. He shifts upward into the near-man as he turns to face
the Sept. ~Those who would give their time to the caern, approach and
speak as I do.~ He pauses a moment, his gaze seeking out certain faces in
the crowd before continuing. ~For one month, I shall keep to the caern and
patrol it as a Guardian, putting this duty ahead of all others. If
something comes which makes me break my covenant, I will find another to
patrol in my stead, and take their month's patrol when it comes. I swear
this by the blood of all those who have died defending this caern.~

Nightfire takes a single step forward and then speaks the words that Salem
pronounces.

Sepdet speaks after the half-moon, intoning the oath the same as the
others and adding, ~And by my own,~ as she slashes across her right hand
with claws of the left.

Fights-For-Hope approaches when there is a time availble for him and takes
up the bone, setting it down before him for a moment. There is something
rigid and pained in his posture, and waves of rage flow off the Get
Theurge in a manner that is quite unusual for him. ~I have sworn that I
will take a month up as my charge. I still am in the middle of my
challenge to Wildfire for Fostern. Once this has been completed in one
manner or another, I will claim a month to hold as a Guardian once again.~

Three-Blades steps forward, shifting up to the warform to repeat the words
that Salem spoke. The repetition isn't monotone the way someone would
repeat by rote, but rather with gravity of feeling. The Gnawer ragabash
takes a claw and adds a cut down her arm. ~Never again,~ she rumbles,
~Will the caern be taken. Not on my watch.~

Matt eases to his feet and steps forward beside Salem. ~I too so swear, to
guard the caern in my designated time and whenever else is needed. My word
as a follower of Finn Mac Cumahl.~

Gaia-Will-Judge steps forward when there is a gap and repeats Salem's
words.

Salem nods to Sepdet, a wry touch to his otherwise grim expression. ~And
by my own,~ he echoes, cutting his own flesh with the words and letting
flow his own blood as well.

Bernie pushes up from the ground and follows suit with the pledge, a bit
more quietly than some, but no less sincerely.

Cycle-Breaker shifts up, and repeats Salem's words. ~I swear and promise
to Gaia that I will also guard and protect the caern whenever I can,~ she
adds. She drags the claws of her left hand along her right arm, trying to
ignore the pain.

Wildfire steps forward and takes the oath. ~The month of May is mine.~
Slash. Bleed. Wildfire makes his way back to where he was.

Sith-Fhuil's is the next voice to rise, in her own oath, ~On the night
that Chimera answered our call, I swore that for one month of every year,
I would act as Guardian, patrol the caern, the bawn, our home. And I swear
this again, now, in front of the Sept of the Hidden Walk. What happened
earlier this year will /never/ happen again.~ The Fianna nods sharply to
the others, lifts her eyes to the moon, then is silent.

Rides-Fire moves up behind Wildfire, lengthening into crinos as he takes
his place. ~I will do all I am,~ he says, before he joins his blood to the
sept's.

Julie also steps forward, this time shifting up to near-man, to help with
the carriage of meaning, and repeats the oath, adding, ~once I have proven
my trustworthiness to all, and Gaia~. Once she is done, she returns to
where her tribemates are, and shifts back down to homid.

Wide-eyed at the sight of so many crinos Garou shifting and slashing
themslves, Ashley blanches visibly and hangs back at the edge of the
group.

Fights-For-Hope turns his head to regard Ashley, and gestures vividly with
it for the girl to step forward again,

Sepdet bows thanks to Salem and reclaims the bones with her uninjured
hand. ~Never again,~ she echoes her former packmate. ~Any who have chosen
to swear the oath and have not named a moon, please seek me after Moot so
that I may add your names to the circle of the year.~ She nods again
towards the painted stone slab propped at the foot of the outcropping,
then returns the bones to Layne with a faint smile.

Rides-Fire shifts back down into hispo and asks Nightfire, in a low tone,
~Name a moon?~

The new Get cub eyes Fights-For-Hope dubiously, and blinks once. Wrinkling
her nose at the sight and smell of fresh blood.

Wildfire echoes after Sepdet, ~Jut remember, May is mine!~

Salem steps down, returning to the two Walker cubs -- the smaller of which
is probably quite pale at all the bloodletting -- and resumes his place
there. Still in Glabro form, he fishes a bandage from a coat-pocket with
his uninjured hand and methodically wraps the wound.

Nightfire says, ~She means a period from one moon to the next during which
we defend this place.~

Fights-For-Hope shifts quickly, almost too quickly in a blur to the glabro
form and is seen to then be sitting there in an indian style manner.
"Ashley. Step forward again. Do not back away from something as meaningful
and profound to these people, as blood-letting. I will explain the
signifance of all this later. For now, be brave."

Ashley's pale green eyes flash defiantly at the tone in Fights-For-Hope's
voice, but she does take one step forward. "It's gross," she mutters under
her breath, arms crossing over her thin chest.

Matt gives Sepdet a nod and returns to his seat next to Bernie and Yi.

Wildfire grunts as he passes Ashley by on his way back to his seat. "You
don't know gross yet."

Fights-For-Hope grunts to Ashley, his eyes never blinking as he looks her
over. "You will know soon how much you have just insulted many great
warriors of the past and present. People who have had their blood let in
battle and are no longer with us. What is gross..." He nods to Wildfire,
"Indeed. But you will, Ashley. You will learn the very meaning of the word
on a level you may never have wished to. And then, this will be as
commonplace to you as breathing air."

When the Strider has finished, Sith-Fhuil takes the bones into her taloned
hands a last time, intoning smoothly. ~The bones go, now, to the Master of
the Challenge.~

Three-Blades twitches an ear at FFH's words to their cub, and then rumbles
to herself - something about if there was ever a time for peace.

Nightfire shifts into crinos form as he steps forward toward Sith-Fhuil,
nodding his head as he takes the bones. Holding them in one hand, he looks
out across the caern. ~Any who wish to issue challenge may do so.~

Ashley glances from one elder Get to the other, and chooses to clamp her
jaw shut against any reply. She averts her eyes, looking at the ground of
the caern.

Stepping forward toward the gathered Garou, Alicia lifts her chin up and
clears her throat. "I come before you tonight to issue forth challenge to
Runs-at-Dawn-rhya of the Fianna, for the right to be tested to become a
Fostern."

Runs-at-Dawn takes a step toward Alicia, and the Fostern Theurge regards
her for a moment. ~You have told me of your deeds, and others I have seen
for myself.~ His attention moves from the Gaian to the assembled mass of
Garou. ~Let it be known to all here that I accept the challenge issued by
Guards-the-Flame, and that the task she is to complete will be made known
when the moon of her birth again fills the sky.~

Julie scratches her head, glancing over at Fights a moment, then turning
blue eyes in Yi's direction. A shrug, stuff to be discussed at a later
time. Attention turns, then, to the exchange of Challenge, head tilted in
curiosity.

Nightfire looks from Alicia to Runs-at-Dawn as the challenge is issued,
and then back to the Gaian as it is accepted. ~So shall it be.
Tempered-Blade performed her challenge for Ever-Grinning, and he declared
her successful. She is now known as a fostern of the Garou.~

Salem witnesses his packmate's challenge and gives it a curt nod of
approval. His mind is, however, clearly elsewhere for the moment.

Rides-Fire gives a short howl of acknowledgement to welcome the new
fostern, despite her absence.

Three-Blades looks over to Nightfire when the challenge between the
ragabashes is noted, and then settles back down.

Nightfire goes on, ~Walks-Thin-Ice's challenge continues. He has one moon
remaining to complete his task, according to the terms set forth by
Ear-to-the-Ground. Fights-for-Hope's challenge to Wildfire is similarly
incomplete and continues.~

Wildfire cracks his knuckles where he sits.

Nightfire turns to look directly at Sith-Fhuil. ~Seeker has yet to set
terms for your challenge. Do you wish to revoke it and challenge another?~

Sith-Fhuil's ears flatten back for a heartbeat before pushing forward
toward Nightfire intently. The Fianna shakes her head. ~I will wait for
Seeker to return from Walks-thin-Ice's challenge, to speak with him,
before I make that decision. After that, you will be the first to know.~

Nightfire huffs softly, and then his eyes seek out Sepdet. ~Only one
outstanding challenge remains. Will you announce the result?~

Sepdet looks at the Gaian impassively. ~Organizing patrols of the caern
into a cohesive system has been my contribution, which as you see did not
come to fruition until Moot itself. It was your pack that sought and
invited Chimera to this caern. You have also brought back the Tree of
Mirrors to aid the wards, although your pack did not return from that
journey until after the end of the month. I had asked Dena, then Warder,
to judge which of us had provided more for the caern's defense.
Robert-rhya, will you pass judgement on this matter?~

Nightfire looks from Sepdet to Robert. Though he speaks no words, and his
expression remains impassive, he's clearly tense as his entire body
remains motionless while he waits for the decision.

Three-Blades looks amongst all the high ranked Garou, though something in
the back of her head is worrying at her own brain.

Peacekeeper tilts his head to one side. ~Both have contributed greatly to
the defense of the Hidden Walk,~ he begins. ~Sepdet has organized the sept
into patrols on different months and spurred the sept into rotating as
Guardians. Nightfire has both invited one who became a totem of this caern
and gone to Dream to recover an item to bolster its wards. Based on what
was done as well as when it was done, I give a slight nod to Nightfire's
contributions.~ With that, he nods to Nightfire, then to Sepdet. ~Though
your own are deeply appreciated in keeping its safety.~

Sepdet's back is straight and stiff, but the nod of acknowledgement she
gives Nightfire is firm. ~Nightfire-yuf,~ she says simply and without
hesitation.

Nightfire visibly shudders as the judgement is made, and he exhales a
deep, sudden breath. Then, without another word, he hands the bones back
and returns to his pack, dipping his eyes in acknowledgement to Sepdet
once he has rejoined them.

Rides-Fire's less subtle about it, as he howls a fierce call of
accomplishment. His body language is tinged with relief.

Sith-Fhuil clasps the bones in her claws, and offers something of a
congratulatory nod to Nightfire.

Three-Blades yips a couple times, adding to Rides-Fire's howl. An adren
added is another strength to the Garou after all.

Wildfire doesn't seem in the least tense, in his mind confident in the
outcome of all this. He does echo the Stargazer's howl, though.

Jamethon nods a vigorous gesture to Nightfire.

Julie doesn't do or say anything, just listening with a tilt to her head.

Ashley looks generally nonplussed, but continues in her steadfast
observation of events.

Little Bear nods to Rain-Cougar, folding his arms. He stands along the
edge of the clearing.

Rain-Cougar makes his way into the clearing, absolutely silent in his
stormcloud-gray wolfskin.

Three-Blades scans over the gathered again, catching sight of Little Bear
and Rain-Cougar. The Gnawer then shakes her ruff and looks back to the
Truthcatcher for the next announcements.

When no further challenges are announced, the Truthcatcher blurs down into
breedform. Drawing fingertips over the splintered pieces of bone, she
kneels to tuck them into the satchel at her feet.

[There are revels and suchlike.  Handwaved.]