When the Bosses are Away

[hazlogs]

It is currently 17:10 Pacific Time on Sun Aug 3 1997.

Grotto(#2863RJ)
The woods part suddenly, here, amidst the quiet roar of falling water. A wide 
  stream spills over the edge of a rocky face that is the western edge of a 
  hill some thirty feet high. The stones are worn smooth with the passing of 
  time, and are slick with moisture and soft mosses, but a climb up the drier 
  rocks would not be impossible, and there is a sense of space behind the 
  falls.
A wide pool has been carved into the earth by the rushing waters, and the tall 
  trees have grown out around it, sheltering the grotto in a pleasantly-cool 
  shade. Rocks, hewn from the cliff face and shouldered along the path of the 
  stream, form a rough ring around the edge of the pool and guide the flow of 
  water further westwards, again deeper into the woods. All manner of animal 
  tracks are visible in the sandier areas of shore; the trees crouch close 
  against the edge of the stream again as it passes further west, muting the 
  dull thunder of the falls.
Faint trails, between the trees, lead off in all directions, while a 
  determined climb eastwards would crest the rock face.

Brightspot is laying on the ground, just kinda flopped down. Her head rests on 
  her paws, ears twitching now and then.
Erik pauses to look over the resting cubs, then slips wordlessly toward the 
  cave, sitting down outside the entrance, his motions weary.
Brightspot huffs a sigh, rolling over onto her side. Her eyes are open but 
  unfocused, either sleepy or lost in thought.
Jewel rise to her feet as Erik wanders in. She gives him a dismissive snort 
  and pads towards the grove of trees. When she comes back, she is in homid 
  form and smoking a cigarette.
Jewel contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Jewel shifts into Homid form.
Erik leans back against the rock, breathing slowly and steadily.
Brightspot blinks, looking towards Jewel at her snort. She lifts her head 
  without getting up, expression curious. She turns her face to see what Jewel 
  saw.
Jewel settles down near to Erik. The girl looks remarkably unhappy -- near to 
  miserable in fact, and she puffs on her cigarette with determination.
Brightspot rolls and jumps up to her paws. Tail wagging, she trots to Erik. 
  Hello!
Erik stirs a bit and turns his masked face toward Jewel. After a moment he 
  sits up, giving Kasie a murmured hello; his attention is mainly on the 
  unhappy Jewel. "What's wrong?"
Brightspot sits next to him, smile still on her muzzle. She reamins quiet, but 
  if she's listening to Jewel it's hard to tell. The cub's eyes are mainly on 
  Erik.
Michael is mostly asleep, curled up in lupus near the edge of the grotto and 
  mostly under the overhanging foliage.
Jewel's thin brown fingers pluck a rock from the ground. She spins it this way 
  and that before she answers the metis. "Oh, I dunno," she says dully. "I'm 
  mostly confined here. I haven't seen most of my teachers for over a month. 
  Brian's too busy running around with his head up his ass -- for good reason 
  -- to teach me fighting. I don't have anything to do, and that's bad. Only 
  way I was coping before was because I was always doing something." She looks 
  up at Erik, mouth twisting in annoyance and something of self-disgust. "And 
  I keep thinking that it'd be really nice to just zone out for a few hours."
Erik absently rests a hand on Kasie's neck and works his fingers into the 
  thick fur. To Jewel, he sighs. "I'm sorry. They can't be gone for much 
  longer."
Brightspot's eyes half-close and she leans into his fingers. She makes a 
  little chuffed sound of satisfaction.
Jewel lights another cigarette from the dying embers of her first and shoves 
  herself to her feet. "Erik, I'm going nutso out here. Isn't there 
  *something* I could be doing? Anything that would keep my mind off of how 
  nice a quick hit would be?" She sounds almost desperate; something almost no 
  one has ever heard from the young Raggie.
Brightspot's muzzle wrinkles, then she sneezes suddenly as the smoke drifts 
  her way.
Erik gives Kasie a pat and pushes to his feet. "Recite the Litany," he says, 
  quickly. "Backwards. Every word."
Brightspot lifts her head, watching Erik as she moves. Her tongue peeks out 
  and she licks her nose.
"I did that," she replies deadpan.
Erik tilts his head. "All of it? Or just the shortened version?"
Michael shakes himself awake and gets to his feet, padding into the grotto 
  itself.
Jewel tilts her head in confusion. "All of it? Aren't there only the thirteen 
  laws?"
Brightspot turns to Jewel and lolls her tongue. It can go on for hours, the 
  longer version.
Jewel sits back down with a frustrated sigh. "I'm not convinced that listening 
  to someone rattle off a bunch of words -- even if they're very important 
  words -- is gonna help."
Erik straightens a bit. "Well, then what do /you/ suggest?" The Metis says, a 
  bit exasperated.
Michael thinks she needs something to do. Physically.
Brightspot rises to her paws at his tone. Her muzzle closes, humor gone from 
  her face.
Erik pushes his hands into his coat pockets. "Michael... Steven taught you how 
  to fight, yes?"
Jewel taps her nose and points to Michael. "Bingo. Kas and I played tag this 
  afternoon. I've chased more goddamn squirels than I thought existed. I've 
  run."
Michael was taught to fight by Heartsfire.
Erik makes a tired gesture toward Jewel. "Then perhaps you should share your 
  knowledge with Jewel."
Jewel rolls her eyes at Erik. "Don't patronize me, damnit. Brian's worked on 
  teaching me to fight. I'm not totally ignorant."
Brightspot takes a step, closing the distance to Erik. She leans into his leg, 
  perhaps not seeking support this time, but maybe offering it?
Erik's patience is wearing thin. "Then you can bloody well practice sparring," 
  the Galliard snaps, and turns to stalk off toward another part of the grotto.
Brightspot glances at Jewel, ears flicking backwards. Dig a hole, the cub says 
  her posture lending it a slightly curt tone. Might help. She trots after 
  Erik.
Jewel's temper does not seem to have settled down at all. The no moon casts a 
  withering glare at Brightspot, lips curling up in a vicious snarl as she 
  hisses (but not loud enough for either the metis or Brightspot to hear) "And 
  why don't you go fawn after the damned mule, since you haven't got the guts 
  to stand up to anything on your own. Fucking bitch."
Michael looks a bit at a loss as the elder walks away and Jewel's temper 
  deteriorates even further. He tosses his head and shifts.
Michael contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Michael shifts into Homid form.
Erik, oblivious to the irate cub's remark, sits down at the base of a mossy 
  tree and leans back against it.
Brightspot slows as she nears Erik. She stops a few feet away and cocks her 
  head. She stands there a moment before asking him if he'd rather be alone?
Jewel watches Erik and Brightspot. The disdainful snarl hasn't quite faded 
  from her lips, and there is something disquieting about the feral look in 
  her gaze.
Erik hesitates, then makes a vague gesture to Brightspot, distracted and 
  noncommittal.
Michael studies the other three Fianna in the clearing, thoughtfully. After a 
  few seconds, in a clear voice meant to carry, he says, "Well. Aren't we a 
  pretty bunch?"
Brightspot seems not to hear Michael. She watches Erik a moment, brown eyes 
  worried. She takes a single step closer and lowers herself down to the 
  ground, placing her head down between her front paws. She's just within the 
  metis' touching distance, but no closer than that.
Erik pulls his knees to his chest and sits forward, folding his arms and 
  resting his head on them. Wordlessly.
Brightspot lays still and silent. Only her eyes move, following his movements.
Jewel stabs her cigarette into a rock. "Stress," she grates out between just 
  barely unclenched teeth. "Or something."
Michael's voice doesn't get any quieter. Brightspot and the metis can 
  /pretend/ they don't hear him, if they like, but he'll be damned if he's 
  going to make it any easier. "Stress," he says, slowly. "Yes. Cooped up in 
  one place, uncertain if we'll stay here, or have to leave. Not knowing what 
  will happen to the Caern. Worrying that the Wyrm might choose to strike in 
  the confusion..."
Rusty comes out from the cave, yawning slightly. He glances around.
Jewel nods grimly to Michael. "Yeah. That'd be about it." She pitches her 
  voice in a tone meant mostly for the other cub. "I don't deal well with 
  stress. Haven't gotten any way of coping with it other than my old 
  ways...and that's not allowed any more."
Brightspot shifts her weight, ears moving back for a second before returning 
  forward. The cub has heard and she seems not to have been comforted by his 
  statement.
"Or rather," the Raggie adds, "I'm not dealing well with this *much* stress."
Rusty waves to the others when he sees them, and starts that way.
Michael says, agreeably, with the same level of casual projection, "It'd be 
  easy to let it get to you and just snap, or curl up in a ball and wait for 
  it to go away."
Brightspot gives Erik one more worried look before rolling onto her side so 
  she can look back at the othe two. She glances at Jewel a moment. Maybe this 
  will be over soon...
Erik remains almost motionless, face buried in his arms.
Jewel folds her arms across her chest and eyes Michael with that false, 
  brightly pleasant look that she used to reserve for her denser customers. 
  "Well, that could be why I was asking the only adult around this place for 
  something productive to do." That last is pitched to carry clearly across 
  the area. "But, obviously that wasn't the best of ideas."
Brightspot looks back to Erik. She rises and moves to him, sitting down with 
  her side against his. Slowly her face turns back towards Jewel at the girl's 
  comment. Her brows lower. Don't.
Michael adds, without stopping to think about it, "Or to blame your own 
  problems on someone else. It's always easy to be bitter."
Michael says "But it never seems to be productive..."
Erik shows no reaction to the remarks, which he undoubtably hears.
Michael's calm, reasonable voice rises sharply. "So if everyone would kindly 
  stop feeling so GOD DAMNED SORRY FOR THEMSELVES and start acting like Gaia's 
  warriors instead of Her designated whiners, we might be able to pull 
  together here and at least salvage some dignity while we wait."
Jewel's temper snaps and she reaches out with one hand to slap Michael firmly 
  across the face.
Rusty winces slightly at the slap.
Erik stirs a bit and sits up, once more leaning back against the tree.
Michael's head snaps around under the force of the slap, and he looks back at 
  her. He turns his head slightly to offer her the other cheek.
Jewel's eyes narrow. This time, she doesn't just slap the other cub, she comes 
  out swinging with a roundhouse punch backed with all of her (admittedly 
  limited) might.
Brightspot's head raises as she watches the hit. Her ears draw fully back and 
  her eyes widen.
The Galliard catches the blow square on the jaw, and it rocks him back on his 
  heels - he may be taller than Jewel, but he's no heavyweight. He blinks a 
  few times and shakes his head sharply to clear it. "I've gotten worse than 
  that from Brian. If that's what it takes to get your attention..." He rubs 
  his jaw. "But the next one's not free."
Rusty watches quietly.
Michael spreads his feet a bit, taking a more balanced stance.
Brightspot shifts her weight uneasily. She watches the two, worry clear in her 
  eyes.
Erik turns his head a bit to watch the pair. Reaching out, he rests a hand on 
  Brightspot's upper back, perhaps in reassurance.
Jewel rubs at her knuckles. Now that she's swung and released her temper, she 
  feels a bit better. Her lips quirk with almost pleasure as she nods to 
  Michael. "Your turn, I think." Then she too settles into a better fighting 
  stance.
At Erik's touch, Brightspot leans him, but she does not relax. Her eyes stay 
  on the pair.
Michael takes a menacing - well, as menacing as he can possibly be - posture, 
  glaring at Jewel aggressively. He raises his hands in a classic karate 
  guard, then lashes out suddenly with a feint to her side, followed by a 
  vicious...honking of her nose with the other hand?
Jewel doesn't move, seeming as willing to take the punch as she was to give 
  it. The honk startles her briefly, but then the raggie bursts into giggles. 
  "Lo, sir!" she declaims as she pressed a hand to her wounded nose. "I am 
  most viciously slain!"
Brightspot gives a soft chuff of amusement. She turns her head and nudges 
  Erik's leg. It's going to be okay, she tells him softly.
Erik grunts. "I knew that," he says, with a vague shred of tired amusement.
Michael declares, "Well then! Let that be a lesson to you!" He grins.
Brightspot lets the tip of her tongue poke out from between her teeth as she 
  grins at him.
Jewel drops Michael a very deep curtsey -- looking rather odd in the jeans -- 
  then holds out one hand. Her tattoo's gleam darkly in the fading light as 
  the Ragabash says soberly, "Sorry 'bout that, Michael. I'm on edge, and not 
  thinking. And that was wrong of me."
Michael says "No worries. Steven always told me that being a Galliard included 
  occasionally giving people a slap upside the head when they needed one." He 
  rubs his jaw again. "I suppose the reverse works just as well."
Jewel smirks. "I still wish there was something we could do other than sit 
  andget on each other's nerves." The girl glances around the clearing as she 
  says this. "I mean, I don't wanna go far -- not with all hell possibly about 
  to break loose. But still..."
Michael says "Well, I don't think anyone would object to you taking a bit of a 
  run. There's just not much we can do right now. If we were out near the 
  Caern, we'd just be under foot."
Michael doesn't seem to like that much, but there you go.
Jewel contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Jewel shifts into Lupus form.
Jewel drops back down into a more comfortable form. I have been for a run. I 
  went to get more stuff. Then I came back. Why could we at least not watch 
  the bawn for trouble. If it showed up, we could run very very fast away from 
  it and get help.
Brightspot huffs softly, letting her head settle back down to her paws.
Jewel repeats, to herself. There must be something we can do.
Brightspot casts her eyes in the direction of the caern. Wonder what's 
  happening now?
Erik suddenly sits up. "Good Gaia," he murmurs. "How are they going to get 
  back?"
Rusty looks at Erik. "What?"
Brightspot blinks as she turns back to Erik. Huh?
Erik speaks quickly. "They left for Ireland by Moonbridge, didn't they?"
Brightspot's expression holds no answer to that, or even to who 'they' might 
  be.
Jewel nods to Erik. Then the realization hits her, and the cub whines softly 
  and takes a step closer towards Michael -- the nearest source of comfort.
Rusty frowns, then whistles softly.
Brightspot glances towards Jewel at the sound of her whine, then back to Erik 
  questioningly.
Erik continues anyway. "Without a caern, they can't moonbridge back. Not 
  directly."
Rusty shakes his head. "That's gonna be a mess."
Erik leans back against the tree again and murmurs a mild curse.
Michael says "Well, they were going through a lot of different Caerns. They 
  can come back to the closest one and walk. Or take a bus?"
You say "They'll have to."
Jewel sits down, posture tense and scared. I think they will be afraid. Will 
  they know what has happened?
Erik mumbles, "If not, they'll know soon enough."
Brightspot's eyes move around the grotto, picking up on the mix of emotions. A 
  whine starts up in her throat before she clamps down on it. She keeps 
  watching and listening.
Jewel bumps Michael's leg uneasily. Will Heart-of-Fury make it back safely?
Michael scratches Jewel's head, lightly. "Well, he may have to walk for a 
  while, and he might not be in a great mood, but I think he'll be fine."
Brightspot asks, Heart-of-Fury?
Jewel stills looks less than happy about the prospect. ?I wish there were a 
  way to talk to him.
Michael shrugs slightly. "I can't think of a way...we don't even know where he 
  is. We're on our own for a while."
Jewel feels very much like she did the first few moons after she ran away. It 
  is not a comfortable feeling.
Brightspot lowers her head and glances over at Erik as if checking on him.
Erik just shakes his head a little, once more wrapped up in silence.
Michael says "Just think of it as a prelude to our Rite of Passage, Jewel. A 
  test to see how we do without supervision in a tough situation. If we can't 
  handle this, we'd make pretty lousy Cliaths."
Brightspot's head remains lowered and her eyes stay on him. To him she 
  questions very quietly, You are worried? Or tired?
Jewel contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Jewel shifts into Homid form.
Erik murmurs to Kasie, "Just tired."
Jewel shifts back up into her birth form with a rush, frowning at Michael's 
  use of her name. "Susan," the girl says finally. "My name's Susan. And I 
  suppose you're right. Just think of it as soem sort of test. Patience is a 
  virtue, right?"
Brightspot lowers her head back down to her paws, seemingly satisfied with the 
  answer.
Michael laughs softly, and settles down on a rock by the side of the pool. 
  "Not one I've ever been good at. Anyone have a deck of cards?"
Rusty grins. "Not on me, I'm afraid.."
Jewel runs a hand through her thick curls. "I could go swipe one."
Erik speaks up. "I may have a deck."
Brightspot glances at the others then she, too, shifts up.
Brightspot contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Brightspot shifts into Homid form.
Michael grins. "Mmm. No, I don't think Steven would approve." He looks at Erik 
  as the metis speaks up.
Jewel rolls her eyes at Michael. "Don't see why not. I wouldn't be doing 
  anything he's told me not to do." She too turns towards Erik. "Really? 
  Where?"
Kasie shifts to a more normal sitting position for a human, brushing the dust 
  from her jeans.
Erik sits forward, fishing about in the pockets of his huge coat.
"And what should we play?" Jewel gives the other Fianna a sweet grin. "And for 
  what?"
Erik plucks a battered, small pack of cards from his coat and offers it to the 
  cubs.
Michael looks at the eeryone else. "So. Preferences?"
Jewel drops to the ground. "Poker?" suggests the girl.
Michael gives the Ragabash a mock-suspicious look.
Kasie remains by Erik's side, she picks at a loose thread on the leg of her 
  jeans.
Jewel says "We can play for M&M's. There's four of us."
Erik lobs the pack of cards gently, underhand, toward Michael.
Michael catches the cards and takes them out of the box, shuffling them 
  slowly. "Well, five if Erik wants to play. Erik?"
Erik shakes his head. "Erm. Thanks anyway."
Rusty looks mischievous a moment. "Strip poker?"
Jewel gives Rusty a very, very bored look. "Why? Trust me, there's nothing you 
  have that I haven't seen, and there's nothing I have that you could afford."
Kasie glances up from her pant leg at Jewel's comment.
Michael reaches out to bap his young partner on the nose. "Didn't know you 
  were old enough to be interested," he teases.
Rusty shrugs at Michael. "Hey, I'm fourteen."
Rusty mock-glowers at the older cub.
Jewel leans back against a rock. "I was thirteen. And there are some guys on 
  the street 'bout his age."
Michael gives Jewel a quick look that seems to have a message behind it.
Jewel rolls her eyes at Michael, but drops the subject. "You dealing?"
Michael says "Well, you can deal if you like. Seeing as how you're providing 
  the M&M's..."
Jewel produces several bags from her pocket. The collection also includes 
  Skittles. "Kasie? You know how to play?"
Kasie uhs softly. She reaches up to push her bangs out of her eyes. "Poker? 
  No," she admits quietly.
Jewel tosses out the candy, keeping a bag of Skittles to munch as she runs 
  down the basic rules and begins to shuffle the cards.
Kasie glances at Erik before moving closer to the group. She fumbles her bag 
  as she listens carefully to the rules.
Erik makes a shooing 'go have fun' gesture at Kasie.
Jewel keeps it simple, not going into any variations or such. When she's done, 
  she begins dealing the cards. "Make sense?"
Kasie uhs again, eyeing her cards as they pile up. "I think so..."