Staring Contest in the Park

[hazlogs]

Date: 11/23/02, Saturday, Night, early.

Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (75% full).

You make your way towards the fountain in the center of the large, open
meadow.

Harbor Park -- Fountain

Situated in the center of a large, open meadow is a clustering of six
trees, a flower bed, a few steel-and-wood benches set firmly into
concrete, and a flagstone courtyard that is dominated by a large fountain.

The fountain is a wide circular pool of water some fifty feet across and
about five feet deep in most places. The sculpture in the center is a mix
of old and new, traditional and modern: eight concrete-and-stainless-steel
slabs about six feet high are set in a rough Stonehenge-like circle around
the center of the fountain. Water flows from their tops, cascading in
bright mesmerizing sheets to the pool below. Rising above the steel circle
is a large marble statue of the Water Bearer, an androgynous figure draped
in robes of flowing water. It bears a large jug carved with various Greek
symbols, from which pours a seething torrent of water into the pool at its
feet.

Cars on the nearby street have an excellent view of the park as do any
residents of the tall buildings which line the waterfront.

The murky waters of the Columbia River flow swiftly along the east side of
the park. Bracketing the park to the west is First Street and the city of
St. Claire. Recent construction work is creating an earthen berm several
feet high all along the borders of the park in all directions.

Renee is holding a half-eaten slice of pizza in one hand and a pop in the
other, as she talks with the teenager at her side. Despite the full moon,
she seems to be in a fairly good mood.

Salem is clearly visible, sitting at the edge of the fountain, smoking as
he watches the park. The Walker's expression is bland, his face all hard,
cold lines.

Craig takes long sips from his drink, listening attentively to the other
teen as he walks alongside her. As practically always, he's in good
spirits, barely watching his surroundings. All of his attention is on the
girl as they walk.

Renee comes to a stop, her words halting as she catches sight of Salem.
Unlike Craig, she is well aware of the world around her. her face hardens,
lips pressing into a thin line. Moving farward again, the Galliard
aproaches Salem. "Hey," she rumbles.

Salem hadn't failed to notice the pair, and when Renee greets him, he
pushes to his feet exhaling gray smoke. "Evening." With the fall of
evening, he's removed his sunglasses, and the mismatched eyes fall on
Craig, studying him dispassionately for a moment. Then he looks back at
Renee. "Your new one, I presume?"

Craig finishes his pop with a gurgling sound, then holds out a hand to
Salem. "'M Craig Cassidy," he says, eyes flicking between the man's good
eye and the twisted scars on the Glass Walker's face.

Renee nods. "Yea." The young woman crosses her arms, looking up at the
Walker without fear. "I was wonderin', Scar-Face, why ya got yer balls
inta such a knot over him stayin' at Jer's place? Rhi showed up in the
mornin' an' told us, ya wanted use ta scoot." She gives Craig a nudge with
her elbow. "Ya can give this one yer full intro."

Salem sets the cigarette between his lips and steps forward to clasp
Craig's hand in his own. He's wearing gloves. Black. "Jack Salem," he
tells the boy, dead cold but otherwise polite. Like Renee, he has that
aura of potential violence, though his is far more controlled, on a
tighter leash. "Glass Walker Elder. Philodox." His introduction done, he
glances at Renee. "Your cub. Your responsibility to feed and shelter him.
Not ours."

Craig looks between the two full-fledged Garou, then nods. Managing to
keep his eyes on the good side of Salem's face this time, he drops his
voice and delivers the full introduction. "I'm Craig Cassidy, Ragabash cub
of the Bone Gnawers." He tries not to mumble this time and mostly
succeeds.

Renee grunts. "Yer a prick, ya know that?" The Galliard's tone isn't
insulting, just matter of fact. "Kid knows Eb, plays basketball with him
an' I wasn't plannin' ta stay the night there ta start with. Eb invited us
ta stay. Jus' wanted ta stach Craig there, while I swiped from clothes
from his place." The girl hitches on shoulder in a shrug, the movement
stiff. "Yer choice, in the end," she rumbles, last bit coming out in a
half-growl. Renee is annoyed and she never was very good at hiding such
emotions.

Salem's eyes narrow, his gaze focussing rather more sharply on the girl.
"Fine," he says, icily. "There is, too, the fact that I'm not keen on the
idea of you being anywhere _near_ Jeremy's apartment. I haven't forgotten
the little stunt you pulled last month."

Craig starts looking for a place to ditch his empty cup, an expression of
mild concern settled on his face. This time, there doesn't seem to be a
handy tool rack around to study.

Renee's lips twitch in the begining of a snarl. "An' I paid fer that
mistake, in alot of pain an' blood. Jer forgave me fer it an' yer the only
one with the rod up yer ass."

A car's tires squeal off in the distance, headed away from the park once
it turns back onto Elson. A few minutes later, the CantoGnawer comes into
view from the meadow with a hand brushing back part of her hair. Renee's
and Salem's figures catch her eye, and she arches a brow moving towards
them, almost expecting some kind of conflict. Craig's presence makes her
pause a little bit, as if trying to place what he is doing in the
situation as well.

The Glass Walker actually _does_ snarl, upper lip writhing away from his
teeth in a manner that's more lupine than human; the lit cigarette between
his teeth takes on a sharp, upward angle as he steps once toward the
Galliard Gnawer. "You paid for that incident, yes." His voice seems to
have dropped half an octave. "But it is _not_ forgotten. As far as _I'm_
concerned, you're still a rabid little cur with no control over her
temper."

Salem hasn't broken eye contact with Renee.

Craig's focus snaps back towards the confrontational duo. He crumples his
cup and jams it into his pocket. His eyes narrow as he quickly analyzes
the situation, and he moves to stand just behind and to the side of Renee.

Renee growls, bloody murder in her eyes as her hands curl into her fists.
Nails biting in to her hands, as she holds the Walker's gaze. The match of
wills seems to streatch out uncomfortably long, before Renee turns her
eyes away. Growl dying in her throat, as she exposes it. Tempermental she
might be, but she is no fool.

Yi's brow furrows. This isn't exactly a good scene to be in. "Hey you two,
break it up," she interjects between them. "You are going to have people
staring at you." She glances at Craig, figuring out who he might be.

Salem straightens up, nostrils flaring slightly as he stares down at Renee
for a few more moment before finally turning his attention away from her.
He takes the cigarette from his mouth and flicks ash from it on the ground
between them. "Just a little staring contest, Yi," he says to the new
arrival, coolly.

Craig's attention switches again, from Salem and Renee to Yi. "Hi," he
says, digging his hands into his pockets. The cub still doesn't have much
input as he watches events unfold around him. Still best to play it safe,
for now.

Renee isn't nearly as cool as the Walker, shaking with Rage that is barely
kept in check. Taking a deep breath, she looks up at Yi. "Hey," she
manages past clenched teeth. "Jus' bringin' our newest Family member out
here fer some Shadow lessons." Her eyes dart to Craig and back.

Tilting a critical eye at Salem, Yi shakes her head and shrugs. "Was it
amusing to stare down a teenager?" she questions rhetorically, before
turning to the offered 'Hi' and pushing the corner of her lip up into a
tweaked half-smile. "Hello," she replies after Renee provides some
clarification on who he is. Her head nods once. "I'm Yi, ragabash." Intros
can happen later, as she deems now isn't exactly the place to throw in
formalities. Looking back to Salem and Renee though, she eyes both Garou.
"You two really should know better. This is city, and city have eyes
whether you like it or not. Why are you arguing again anyway?" This time,
she regards both with the same tone of cliath to cliath.

"This 'teenager'," Salem says, his tone a bit less cordial, "claims to be
your elder. Hardly a child, in that case. Right, Renee?" The dark gaze
flicks back to the Gnawer Galliard, briefly, before turning back to Yi.
"She dislikes the fact that she was told to house her cub in a more
appropriate location. One that _isn't_ the home of the Walk's kin. No
offense, Craig." This to the very quiet boy, and he actually sounds
polite. In better circumstances, he might have even sounded pleasant. "You
seem decent enough. But your elder is a walking time bomb."

Craig nods back to Yi. "Craig. Same." He adds a smile to that, though his
interest is really peaked by the 'again' part of Yi's words. Running a
hand through his hair to scratch lightly at the back of his neck, the teen
draws a bit closer, studying the face-off more critically. His expression
shifts from mild puzzlement to a darker curiousity, though he stays quiet
as Salem speaks. The 'compliment' is met with a slight shrug. "M'dad
raised me t'be like that," he replies quietly.

Renee takes in a deep breath, before releasing it slowly. Carefully.
Fingers uncurling and hands coming to rest at her sides. "Ya ain't helpin'
Yi," she rumbles, voice flat. "We're all considerd adults, once we hit
Cliath." Her eyes shift to Salem. "Although, most of us are younger then
twenty-five. Most of us."

Sighing, the cliath ragabash keeps her own irritation under order. "I
could say the same about time bombs with you," she tells Salem before
looking to Craig. "So Craig. You were going into the Shadow tonight with
Renee?"

Salem's jaw clenches, a muscle twitching in his scarred left cheek, the
keloid tissue giving a subtle jump. His eyes turn back to Renee and stay
there. "Most, yes." Wendigo himself couldn't match the chill in the
Walker's voice.

"Yeah, s'what she said," Craig replies. "We were lookin' for someplace
good, I thought." He watches Salem tentatively, edging a bit towards Yi.
"Gonna come along?" he asks, forcing a polite smile.

Renee smiles sweatly at the Walker. She must have be practicing that look,
or something. "Temper," she chides, having managed to pull her own Rage
under control. Holding it just below the surface. "Yea. Figured the Park
was a good place ta start. Bein' a Glade, an' all. Wanna come with?" She
starts walking away from Salem, to search out a shadowed place where they
can cross over without being seen.

Looking around, and particularly at the moon pushing up in the sky, Yi
nods back to the two Gnawers. "Sure. I think a walk through should help."
Looking to Salem though, Yi keeps her expression neutral in the face of
all the Rage. "If Craig is not allowed to stay at Jeremy's apartment, then
he can stay in mine." Simple solution, right? She does look to Craig
though. "If he doesn't mind, that is."

Renee gives her head a shake. "He has a place ta stay. We only crashed
there for the night, 'cause Eb invited us ta stay."

Salem's lips thin; as Renee turns and starts moving away, he shifts his
eyes toward Yi. "I believe your elder's already taken care of it." He's
positively arctic. "And I'll leave you to her." He moves to go, pauses,
and looks back at the CantoGnawer. "Ah. One thing. John left a letter for
you. When you've a moment, stop by and I'll hand it over."

Craig shakes his head. "I'm okay with dad for a little bit," he replies to
Yi, nodding as Renee tosses in her two cents. "I'm sorta getting out of
there, 'n' then...yeah, I'll have a place."

Yi stiffens. John. "I will come by later," she replies, her tone quieted.
"Thank you for holding it for me." Not wanting to keep the two other
Gnawers waiting though, she nods at them with indication that she's ready
to step sideways. Her gaze slips back to the Walker halfmoon though,
slightly anticipatory.

Salem nods once, curtly. "Be seeing you, then." He stalks off, heading
away from the fountain.