*howl of introduction*

[hazlogs]

It is currently 22:43 Pacific Time on Mon Jun 16 2003.

Currently in Saint Claire, it is clear outside. The temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the northeast at 7 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.03 and steady, and the relative humidity is 31 percent. The dewpoint is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waning Full Moon phase (84% full).

Rain-Falls-Up is a good-sized wolf and looks quite sleek in her summer coat. In her is a fine example of _Canis lupus_, a purely wild animal and a true predator. Long legs and large paws carry her confidently along; she has heavy jaws and prominent claws.

The Red Talon's pelt is a reddish-brown color, darker along her back from nose to tail-tip and paling to cream underneath. Black tips her bushy tail, her upright ears, and her keen, intelligent hazel eyes. A close look reveals gray and white and yellow hairs scattered throughout, and there are light areas around her eyes and upon her cheeks and lower muzzle. Her left front paw is a strikingly red color, almost scarlet.

Bawn: Southern Forest(#3017RAJ)

Evergreen trees spread their overhead branches wide across the forest floor. Each tree limb interlinks with its neighbor, forming a thick overhead canopy of pine needles that leaves the forest floor dim even at noon. An apparent tenseness seems to permeate the air here, and there is a somewhat less than subtle feeling that perhaps something is watching. The behavior of the wildlife in the area betrays a certain wariness that suggests the presence of predators nearby.

The southern edge of the bawn is marked here by the railroad tracks which run from St. Claire and Kent's Crossing to the west, towards the mountains to the east.

Rain-Falls-Up's howl comes from just south of the Bawn, a formal Howl of Introduction, long and wavering and rising like a question at the end. A second, shorter howl adds that the 'singer' is a no-moon of the Red Talons.

Soon, very soon, after the howl is heard a gigantic dire wolf appears at the edge of lupine eye's view scent picked up soon when in range. The markings of the breeding of the Get of Fenris, not so pronounced as to be pure bred, but still prominent describe what tribe this approaching wolf belongs to. Movements are swift and controlled enough to perhaps be lupus born, but it difficult to tell this soon.

Rain-Falls-Up has none of the marks of a hero's heritage, but her appearance conforms to what can be expected of a Red Talon, down to the near-scarlet fur on her left front paw. She rises from a seated position as the other appears and then lies down, her chest and belly almost touching the ground. Her ears and eyes and nose are alert; she wags her tail appeasingly.

Fights-For-Hope stands tall before the lupine and steps forward to greet the stranger with a closer inspection, not yet voicing his thoughts. He snaps his teeth with a barking snarl as he stands above the Talon, making demands. Who are you, and why are you here?

This oversized monstrosity of a wolf looks fit to stand on all fours, or even perhaps on it's massively muscled rear legs. The entire beast is covered in thick ragged gray fur, save for a shock of black fur that jags from the top of its head down to a bit below mid back, the tip of the streak just touching a tattoo of the cresent moon burned into his lower back. Among many scars, the most noticable one is a massive burn-like scar on the great wolf's chest.

The stranger keeps her ears flattened and her lips pulled back in a submissive's 'grin'. Her tail waves again. She informs the other that she is called Rain Falls Up and is a no-moon of the Red Talons. And that she wishes to join your Sept.

Fights-For-Hope sniffs deeply at the visitor after her answer, stepping around in a circle grunting as he does so. This one cannot detect the taint of the enemy. You will either submit to a ritual cleansing, or will wait till one with the gift to sense the Wyrm comes. His words seem to carry a weight with them, as if other options aren't to be considered.

Fights-For-Hope pages to the room: Using persuasion there.

Rain-Falls-Up rolls onto her back, submitting to the inspection. When Fights is done, she rolls back onto her stomach and looks up at him, curious and quizzical. She asks him how he knows if the ritual of cleansing has worked if he cannot sense the Wyrm? It seems an honest enough question and there is no intent of insult that the Get can detect. She adds that she is willing to wait.

Fights-For-Hope tilts his head forward, eyes piercing deeper into the lupus. I do not doubt my own abilities. If you are of the enemy, you will not withstand the ritual without me having to kill you. If you are without taint, you can only benefit from the strength of the ritual. Even then, I will only take you in far enough to find one who /can/ sense it. Fights-For-Hope then takes on the crinos form, a jacket with runes apparently sewn into the fabric appearing that manages to be large enough cover his chest. From inside this jacket he puts a metal vial, which as he continues to circle around the new comer he starts sprinkling the contents on the ground. The liquid smells strongly of natural wood oils and smoke, and faintly of blood, willow sap is a particularlly strong part of the brew. As he walks and pours drops he begins to howl out warnings against the wyrm and invitations of cleansing energies and spirits to invade this Red Talon to remove all things offensive to Gaia. The howl is long and unbreaking, despite the Get seeming like he should run out of breath, he just never seems to quite go silent.

Fights-For-Hope pages to Rain-Falls-Up and Tobin: You would probably hear Fights-For-Hope howling at the Southern Bawn as part of a cleansing ritual. The howl calling for the abolition of taint and inviting cleansing energies and spirits to come to this new comer.

The Red Talon rolls over again, showing her paler belly, though she seems a wee bit... puzzled. The rite goes without a hitch; there is no taint in her, not even a little. Her scent is all woods and wilderness and beast. About halfway through the ritual she rights herself once more, but remains crouched, lowered, submitting to the Theurge's -- well, he must be one, mustn't he? -- attentions.

Fights-For-Hope takes the time for the ritual to be completed, finishing it with an introduction howl. ~Spirits who would come to cleanse this soul, thanks to you! I, Fights-For-Hope, theurge of the Get of Fenris, once child of Wolverine and Weasel, sole survivor of the Great Curruptor's touch,~ He puffs up his chest at that, ~And let all things who call the Wyrm mother and father, tremble at my calling!~ With this completed, huffing slightly with an exertion more spiritual and mental then physical the Get returns to the hispo form, finishing up one final circle to stand once again before the Talon, his gruff manner only amplified by the dire wolf form.

Rain-Falls-Up gets to her feet, though does not stand as tall as she could, despite the fact there's no way she could stand taller than the Get in Hispo. Her tail remains lowered, waving slightly. Her manner is curious and expectant.

Fights-For-Hope looks for a moment longer over the Red Talon, but not for a moment doubting his own skills he barks a command for the Talon to step forward past the markings left to signify where the Sept's wards are. We have been betrayed before, so do not expect trust till it has been earned. We will journey inwards, one will have heard my howl and will come to check. We shall be sure of you before you are welcomed. The Hispo Get then adds, ~But I would welcome any among the pure line of the Red Talons who has claws to lend, the will to use them, and the honor and wisdom to know when to do so.~

Rain-Falls-Up accepts the Get's wisdom and his remarks about no trust until trust earned without rancor; this seems good sense to her. Padding forward, she indicates that she knows of the Fall last year. She knows, too, that there are few or none of her tribe here -- this last has a bit of a questioning air to it; she looks to Fights for confirmation.

Fights-For-Hope heaves his chest as the Talon looks to him, a kind of sighing lent to his posture in a positive answer to the Talon. There is one, though it has been a very long time since anyone outside of his pack has seen Shadow-of-Blood around. The other wolf born who is strong with this caern is Rides-Fire, a Stargazer Fostern and powerful Ahroun. Your arrival will be a welcome one. With this he turns his head over his shoulder, looking over the lupine once more with a chuff portraying a bit of humor, moving to the mother's tongue to speak easier for the homid born. ~If you do not already know, this is a place of many tribes and many beliefs. I should expect it will be very different from what you are used to.~

Rain-Falls-Up does not go far into the bawn, though she does sniff at the ground and a nearby tree, then turns her inspection to the Get himself. It is a moment or two before she agrees that things were very different at the place where she was born.

Fights-For-Hope then turns an inquisitive ear towards Rain, perhaps silently agreeing that this is far enough. The place you were born. He says, almost a question in form, though the question is commanding a response in dominant form.

Rain-Falls-Up turns her muzzle northward. Cold place. Very small. Red Talons only.

Fights-For-Hope pages to the room: Figured that would come to be before Tobes was available. We will just have to assume that he came, did the test, and you passed, so we brought you to either the old den, or the Compound, or somewhere non-Caern on the Bawn you can rest for the time being until someone in authority makes a decision on chiminage.

Fights-For-Hope walks back and forth, dominant posture evident though perhaps it is a direct reaction of the generally submissive posture of the newly arrived Red Talon. They seem to be having a quiet discussion about the Talon's birth home when Tobin arrives.

Having heard the howl of greeting earlier and then, not too much later, the howl of the Get doing the Rite of Cleansing, Calls-Spirits has come to investigate just what, exactly, is going on. He approaches at a lope but quickly slows when he approaches the other two. Showing a brief token submission to the elder Theurge, he asks who this new arrival is.

This wolf is sleek and graceful with pure white fur. Sometimes moving with a puppy-like awkwardness and sometimes with sure-footed grace, he still strikes a cutting figure, suggesting a proud and pure heritage. Attentive blue eyes shine with intelligence and large ears swivel around to various sources of sound.

Fights-For-Hope gestures with a sweep of his muzzle towards the Talon, intending for the newly arrived to introduce herself.

Rain-Falls-Up's attention turns to Calls-Spirits; she waves her tail and 'grins' appeasingly, deferring to the purebred Fang as much as she did to the hulking Get. Again, she gives out that she is a no-moon of the Red Talons and is called Rain Falls Up.

Calls-Spirits looks surprised at the wolf's introduction. A Red Talon? It's been long since I knew any of your tribe. Welcome to the Hidden Walk, I am Calls-the-Spirits-to-Battle, born under the thin moon to those with Fangs of Silver. He glances over at the Get, and wonders if he has checked the newcomer for taint?

Fights-For-Hope finally at this point shakes his massive muzzle. ~Of all the gifts it is a shame that I lack, that one is the most embarrassing. But no. I have not. I have however performed a proper cleansing on the visitor that I have no lack of resolve on the success of. Were she tainted, the taint is gone. Were she one with the Wyrm, she would have attempted to break my cleansing, and I would have slain her. So I have no worries about taint... never the less, I would not bring her deep into our territory until she has been properly checked, so it is good you have come and can do so.~

Rain-Falls-Up tilts her head slightly, ears focussing on Fights as he speaks. The Talon seems somewhat amused, though her ears remain back and her tail stays close to her haunches.

Calls-Spirits blinks placidly at Fights. Yes, it is a good Gift to know. Perhaps I will teach it to you, sometime. He turns back to the Talon, looking mostly curious about her as he starts breathing deeply, eyes going half-closed. After a moment or two of this exercise, he steps forward and gives the Talon a thorough sniffing. This takes some time, but when he's done he looks satisfied. I can detect no trace of the Enemy, but she should be checked again by another, just in case. He looks apologetic at Rain, but firm in his resolve. We cannot be too careful.

Rain-Falls-Up takes the opportunity to sniff at the Silver Fang as well. She is amiable to his caution and is willing to go where he or the other Garou tell her to go. In fact, she clearly approves.

Once the check has been confirmed that not taint has been found, Fights-For-Hope visibly relaxes and lowers himself to the lupus form, suprising enough the Get is still rather large in the pure lupine form. The scar on his chest seems even more massive against the smaller form, and more fleshy and tortured. He regards the Fang briefly. I will find one to learn from when it is time, there are other things I seek first. But I do agree with the second sensing, though I am sure by now, that there is nothing to fear... at least not from the Talon being tainted by the Wyrm. She may still be a menace despite being clean. Let us hope not, it is a blessing to have more of the pure wolf tribe among our Sept.

Calls-Spirits looks pleased at the Talon's attitude and also relaxes, if only just a little. He regards the Talon with an even gaze for a moment more, measuring...something. Yes, we are in need of more wolf-born, he agrees absently with the Get, then addresses Rain directly. I am Guardian for this moon, and so I will inform the other Guardians and leaders that you are here. The territories to the south and east are claimed by packs. Please be respectful of hunting there. I patrol the territory to the north. I will howl for you here, though, after I have spoken with the sept leaders.

Fights-For-Hope nods to this and offers in lupine fashion to have the Talon join him in a hunt in the places the Get usually does such things. We may feed, and perhaps see some of your skill.

Rain-Falls-Up considers this, head tilting, then lowers her muzzle and thanks the Silver Fang. She takes a step toward the Get, accepting his offer; she is confident in her ability to hunt and kill prey.

Fights-For-Hope nods this, offers a quick parting bark to the Fang, and heads off with Rain to test the validity of that confidence.

Long distance to the room: Rain-Falls-Up okays. Going faceplant now. So, Rain goes off to hunt with James, and I'll stick around here 'til others check me out. :> Oh, and James -- so you know, after the kill, presuming we make one, Rain steps sideways to perform the Prayer for the Prey. (And of course James gets to eat first. :P )

Calls-Spirits looks satisfied by the outcome of the evening's events and indicates that he needs to return to his patrol. If you wish to speak with me, howl for me here or in the ~Shadow~. I hunt as often on one side as I do on the other. And with that, he turns and heads north again.