"Jeremy's gone missing and his car's been abandoned at the farmhouse."

[hazlogs]

It is currently 10:25 Pacific Time on Wed Jul 2 2003.

Currently in Saint Claire, it is mostly sunny today. The temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius). The wind is calm today. The barometric pressure reading is 30.15 and rising, and the relative humidity is 80 percent. The dewpoint is 49 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (20% full).

McDonald's

A small McDonald's which is devoid of any sort of garish trappings. Instead, it seems to focus on fast, friendly service with a smile and good food. Above the counter to the north, you can see the glowing yellow billboard which details the food and prices. Behind the cashiers, a few people can be seen scurrying about near the grill, making drinks or tossing finished burgers down a small metal chute toward the cashiers. Along the side wall, children's high chairs can be seen, each with the grinning face of Ronald McDonald. A wall poster asks you to donate money to the Ronald McDonald House. Opposite the cashier counter are both Smoking and Non-Smoking sections for in-house dining. Fake plastic plants hang from the ceiling and below the skylight in the center of the room is a square wooden basin that rises 3 feet into the air. In the basin are live potted plants, including a rather stumpy tree.

A glass door on the western side of the fast food joint leads back out onto the street.

Alicia gets a bright, wordless smile from the Chinese girl, who promptly stuffs some fries into her mouth and goes on again with the seemingly all-consuming task of the toy. Quietly it goes around and around the honey mustard, and all of her attention is focused on it.

Alicia tilts her head one way, then nudges the girl's foot under the table with her own. "You don't look happy." She says simply and to the point.

Lyra goes "shh shh shh!" in a slightly miffed tone, one hand fluttering about to ward off Alicia's words. The airplane goes up, swerves around her soda, and lands with neat and utter precision, inside the nugget box lid. The Gnawer pauses for a moment, letting go of the toy as reluctantly as though it were a chess piece...and she watches in for a moment more. Finally she looks up at Alicia and grins broadly. "Hello!"

Salem pushes open the door of the fast foot place and enters, looking a good deal less disheveled than last night and in different clothing. His eyes are hidden behind the dark glasses which seem ever-present during daylight hours.

".... Ok you are so fucking weird." Alicia says with a laugh as she leans back some in her booth. "Sometimes I wonder about the sanity of the Garou nation. Whats up?"

Lyra dimples as if there were no higher compliment than 'so fucking weird'. "You shouldn't say 'it', you know," she points out mildly, reaching for a nugget. "Ruins the rest of the paranoia we work so hard to keep. I'm fine." Now that she's not looking at Stuart Little, she catches sight of Salem's entrance and adds with a giggle, "I seem to be finding more 'n more of Her Own, today. 6' o clock, Alicia."

Salem spots the pair around the same time Lyra points him out. He gives them a brief, tight smile and makes a 'one moment, be right over' sort of gesture. And he is, too, after getting a cup of coffee from the wage slaves behind the cash registers.

The weird part is, the cashier leans over and whispers to Salem. ".. It.. its on the house... god father." He quickly makes him a cup of coffee, then even hands over a bag full of hashbrowns and McGriddles for free, giving him a quick bow, a duck of the eyes, then goes back to cleaning the counters.

Godfather? Salem narrows his eyes at the cashier, frowning slightly as though suspecting a bad joke. Then he shakes his head, takes the food and his coffee, and heads over toward Alicia. "You hungry?"

Laughing slightly, Alicia watches the pair with amusement. "Man, I got 'em so trained here." She says as she shakes her head, holding up her own bag. "Kinda cool having Ben run the place now. He got the staff giving us free shit whenever we want it, cuz' we're family."

Salem shakes his head slightly. "Friends in low places." He sets down his edible loot and slides into an empty seat; the trenchcoat stays on, the sunglasses too. "The owner doesn't mind? Or doesn't know?"

"I think he is the owner now." Alicia says with a chuckle. "He's been a manager here well over.. um.. four, five years?" She rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "Started here when he was like sixteen.. wait.. no. I'm eighteen now.. so he's been here for 3 eyars. Yah. Cuz' we're twins an all."

"You actually have to purchase the franchise to be the owner," Salem points out, after taking a sip of his coffee. "Mm. He should consider moving up. Maybe a deli. Something with a little less... grease." He's hungry enough, though, to unwrap and start in on one of the McGriddles.

"Oh.. well.. I dunno what he does there. I know he's a manager of something." Alicia says with a slight grin. ".. I haven't heard from him in a bit. I think he's kinda pissed that I yelled at him the other day. Told 'em ta' stop trying to fuck my friends."

Salem arches an eyebrow and looks questioningly at her. No words, but then it's impolite and crass to talk with your mouth full.

Alicia twirls a finger in the air and grins. "Thats something we don't need to get into." She says, chuckling before she pops a bite of griddle into her mouth.

Salem's eyebrow cocks higher, but then he shrugs and lets it slide. "We're going to have a problem with Leonard, I suspect," he says, changing the subject.

Lyra returns from her soda refill, taking her seat once more and giving Stuart Little a pat on the head. "A problema who now?" she asks with mild interest.

Alicia quiets and turns her attention to Salem, listening.

"Leonard," Salem repeats, nodding toward Lyra. "Little Bear. You've met him, I think. Native American, mid-teens, chip on his shoulder?"

Lyra quirks her glance. "Is he the bobbidy that was at the church a few days ago, making a fuss? So that's the first time I met him on two feet. Hmsy." She squints, then reaches for her soda and takes a slurp. "Wasn't he fussing over Miss Sarah, gave her a black eye, loads of wonderful things..?"

Alicia nods her head. "Thats him. Typical Wendigo.. used to run with Sepdet. He's like the only Wendigo now in the Sept." She says. "Hates white folk an shit."

"I caught him skulking about outside Sarah's new place," Salem says quietly, in between bites of food. He must have skipped the usual near-dawn breakfast. "He'd decided that it was _his_ responsibility to take care of her attacker, and nevermind that he was hunting on my territory without so much as a heads-up." He pauses, swallowing coffee. "I told him to get out, and he tried to go 'collect', his word, not mine, his kin. Which is when things got violent." He nods to Alicia, who saw the aftermath.

"She left word she moved out." The halfmoon girl slurps, looks from Alicia, to Salem, to Alicia, and back again. "Violent? Things with you or things with her, and when was this?"

"Last night," Salem says. "Me and him. I told him that he was no longer welcome in the city." The Walker takes another swallow of coffee.

Lyra makes a face. "Ohmy. There's going to have to be some additions to the Litany regarding cousins. It's coming up an awful lot these days, seems like..." She picks up a fry and dangles it thoughtfully. "He's not -forever- banned, is he?"

Salem arches an eyebrow. "If he's willing to make amends, I'm willing to hear them. But I doubt that he will."

Alicia rolls her shoulders a bit as she slumps back in the booth some. "So, until then.. what should we do? Attack 'em on sight if he shows up in the city?"

Salem narrows his eyes. "I don't think even Leonard would be so stupid as to disobey a direct order."

Alicia rolls her shoulders. "Are you claiming ownership of the city?" She asks curiously.

Salem finishes off the McGriddle and crumples up the paper wrapping. "More like, the buck stops here." He takes one of the hashbrowns out of the bag. He shrugs. "I lead the Walkers and I'm alpha over Renee. Who else? We don't work by committee."

Alicia shifts her shoulders a bit and nods. "Well, true dat'. I guess we're kinda lucky we don't have a huge..." She trails off, then shakes her head. "Well, nevermind that next thought. Renee got some info on the guy whacking people in the city tho'. Says the second dude was not bitten."

Salem nods. "I talked to her just before the run-in with Leonard. She told me that. And that he's left-handed." There's a pause, an odd look flitting across his face. "Mm. Leonard's left-handed, too."

Alicia shakes her head. "I'm not ganna even go there with that thought. Leonard is a prick, but he wouldn't dice people up in the city an steal their livers for no reason. That an he hates the scab. He had to drag himself out here as it is."

Salem shrugs. "If I really thought he was, this would be a lot more serious than it is. Interesting coincidence, though." He tucks into the hashbrown.

Alicia nods her head slowly in thought, then lets out a breath. "Caught word Luke wants to take my cub out in the Umbra so she can get a taste of the Wyrm an get the wounding Rite preformed on 'er."

Salem cocks his head. "Which cub is that?"

Alicia cants her head. "Catherine. She's a Raggie." She picks at her McGriddle. "She stays at the farmhouse and getting out there lately has been hard. I wanna spend more time with her."

Salem grunts. "I know that feeling. Not enough hours in the day."

Alicia nods her head. "Maybe I'll go up an visit her." She says with a soft sigh.

Salem considers his packmate. "We still need people to act as temporary Guardians, you know. Something I plan to bring up at Moot, if no one else does. You _could_ take a month out there, and use it to get better acquainted with her."

"I could, but I did that once already and you know.. didn't do shit but walk around." Alicia says. "Sides, there is stuff going on that I need to take care of. Like my own Fostern challenge to Eamon. That is, if I ever hear about it from him. He says he's kinda unsure what to do.. an I'm like.. dude.. yer a Fostern... " She huffs. "I dunno. I could spend time out there, but I also don't wanna blow off Tom /again/. He an I are kinda falling apart."

Salem grimaces faintly at this last. "I'm... sorry to hear that."

Alicia sighs. "Well.. He's always at work or at school. I'm never there.. I know it kinda upsets him when I come home /bloody/ an having body parts kinda dangling." She furrows her brows. "An we've been talking about having children."

Salem's mouth thins. "You are what you are. Of _course_ you're going to come home bloody..." His brows rise. "Children?"

Alicia nods her head, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yah.. He's a total family guy. He wants to have kids one day."

"And you don't?" Salem guesses.

"I totally want kids. I just.. well.. don't wanna get pregnant, then get into a battle an lose it. It'd break his heart." Alicia says.

Salem nods. "You'd have to be careful. Mm. Maybe after you've challenged and passed?"

"Thats what I was thinking. That is, if it ever happens. Not a lot of Fosterns around these days and Eamon needs to get off his ass. I may just bail on him an snag Kaz since she is back now. I know she wanted me to challenge her." Alicia says. "We'd have fun with it."

"Better do it fast," Salem says dryly. "Before Renee gets to her before you."

Alicia furrows her brows. "Hmph... Renee?" She asks, tilting her head over in your direction. "Well... that makes sense." She says. "She has.. did quite a bit."

Salem makes a little 'hrmph' noise. "I still remember when she was just a brat cub."

Alicia nods her head. "Now what do you think of her?" She asks with a wry grin.

Salem grunts. "She's very much... what she is. Her heart's more or less in the right place, however."

"Thats cool. And what do you think of me?" Alicia asks with a grin, propping her chin up in the palm of her hand.

Salem gives her a faint smirk. "Whenever a woman says that to me, warning signs go off."

Alicia grins back at him. "Oh yah?" She asks. "So, whats up with you an Mel? You two bumping fuzzies or something? Or just platonic?"

Salem snorts. "Platonic. Strictly."

Alicia tilts her head and grins. "Are you hooked up with -anyone-?"

Salem's jaw tightens subtly, though his tone remains light. "I don't have the time," he says, finishing off the last of his breakfast and washing it down with coffee. "Or the inclination."

Alicia nods her head. "I see. Well, that sucks." She says as she stretches herself out. "I hope you find someone, someday. You know.. " She says with a grin. "Well, I guess I'll make my way to the farmhouse an make sure my cub is in one piece."

"Love," the Walker says with easy cynicism, "is overrated." He shifts his weight and stretches. "Have fun."

Alicia nods her head and smiles, then exits the place.


It is currently 20:26 Pacific Time on Wed Jul 2 2003.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (23% full).

Currently in Saint Claire, it is mostly sunny today. The temperature is 71 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the north at 7 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.04 and falling, and the relative humidity is 36 percent. The dewpoint is 43 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius.)

Whispering Pines - Henderson's

This is a not-so-typical college student dwelling. It consists of one large main area, a smaller bedroom with its own little bathroom and a small kitchen. The main room is all too neat for a college student. There is the usual assortment of entertainment items: TV, Stereo, VCR, and a couple of video game systems. Beside that is also a small stand containing an electric guitar and small amp. The rest of the furniture is simple, a large chair and couch, both brown to match the carpet. A wide window at the far end of the room lets in large amounts of sunlight during the day. Along the opposite wall is a bookcase. Predicitably enough, the bookcase is filled with books, and on top of it there are several pictures of Tom and his family, though oddly enough, there are no pictures of him in the past five years, not even a high school graduation pictures.

After hanging up the phone, Alicia goes back to snuggling with Tom on the couch, watching Sea Lab. Damn, that show is so funny.

Salem arrives after about fifteen minutes or so, knocking on the door.

Tom quirks a brow, but doesn't ask. He just watches and snuggles. It's his lot in life.

Alicia leans over and gives Tom a quick lick to his ear, then rises off the couch, heading for the door. Upon opening it, she offers a bright smile to Salem. "Hey you."

Salem returns the smile with a faint one of his own. "Just as ordered." He glances past her to Tom and gives the kin a polite nod. "Evening."

Tom leans back, peering over as Alicia wanders off. "Ah, do I want to know what's going on?" He smiles, lightly and turns in the seat to see who's at the door and all that. Seeing Salem, he nods lightly again, saying, "Oh, hey."

"Sure babe. Its no biggie." Alicia says as she rolls her shoulders, sweeping Salem in as she closes the door behind him. "Two things.... I got Quentin living here now. Since he needed a place to crash."

Salem gets swept by the curvy Coggie. He nods. "Quentin mentioned as much. I appreciate your putting him up." His glance includes Tom in this bit of gratitude.

Tom smiles and rolls his shoulders. "Barely know he's here," he says. Slowly, he stands, stretching, and yawns. He moves into the kitchen, presumebly to get a soda.

A young man in his early twenties, Tom stands at a little over six feet tall. He has a head of auburn hair cut short on the sides and left a little long on the top. His eyes are a very light blue, almost to the point of being grey and are framed by the handsome features of his face. He's a handsome fellow ranging more toward gentle and boyish than toward ruggedly handsome. His clothes are casual, though stylish. He wears a simple blue pull-over shirt with no design on it, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of sneakers.

"Anytime.. I also moved in Catherine.. this morning." Alicia says, trailing off as she glances after Tom. "My own tribal daughter.. and I noticed something... er.. weird...at the farmhouse."

Salem arches an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yah.. um... Jeremy's car was there.. but he wasn't at the farm. He wasn't at the Caern or Bawn either." Alicia says. "Car alarm was on..could see the light flashing in there, hood was -cold-. Like it sat there all night."

Tom wanders back out, drinking the soda. He listens, briefly, to the conversation, but is, again, unsure what to say.

Salem's eyes narrow. He frowns. "I tried to call him earlier, but he didn't answer. I figured he was simply... out." Pulling out his cellphone, he dials the gothnerd's number and listens to it ring.

The phone rings once and Jeremy's voice mail automatically comes on, as if it was turned off. Alicia makes her way back to the couch and flops down onto it once more, sprawling out and watching it.

Tom idly tilts his head, then moves to sit back in his previous seat, getting comfortable.

Salem shakes his head and turns his cellphone off without bothering to leave a message. "Fuck," he says quietly, and then goes silent for a moment, his gaze turned inward, calculating.

"Maybe he's camping or something?" Alicia asks, trying to be helpfull. "Tho'. I don't know how he'd survive ten mins after his laptop batteries killed on him." She says with a chuckle. "I'm sure its probably no big deal. I mean, if he was at the farmhouse, the cubs shoulda saw 'em."

Salem snorts. "Jeremy? Camping? Maybe with Aiyana or something, but I'm sure he would have let us _know_. Besides, he was in the middle of investigating that Russian thing. Hmm." He looks at her. "You up for a drive to the farmhouse? We'll see what Questing Stone can do."

Alicia rolls her shoulders a bit, then kisses Tom good night, sending him off to bed with a swat to his ass. "I promise baby, I won't come home with my leg dangling this time." She snags her trench coat and throws it over her person. "I'm strapped. Lets rock."

"Arm yourself," Salem tells Alicia. "Just in case." He frowns. "Could use a third, too. I have a nasty feeling about this."

Heading to the closet, Alicia opens it up and takes out a saw'd off shot gun and tosses it your way, then, pulls a pair of barettas. She snaps a clip into each revolver, then glides them into her waist band of baggy pants. "I'm word."

There comes a firm knocking on the door.

Salem catches the sawed-off and checks the ammo. He glances up briefly at the knock, then moves out of the way of the door.

Alicia heads over to the door and checks the peeper, then opens it up. "Yo. Renee.... sup'?" She asks.

Renee shrugs. "Not much." She looks between the two children of cocroach. "Umm. Somethin' up?"

"Just thought we'd take our guns for a walk." Alicia says with a wry grin.

Renee stands at a height of 5'4 inches tall and is probably somewhere in her mid to late teens. The young woman's hair is mid shoulder length and shows off a striking dye job; alternating streaks of bright blue and solid black. It's been some time since the dye job was renewed and good inch or so of brown is exposed as new hair grows in. The Gnawer's eyes are a deep chocolate brown and have a habit of darting around, taking in everything surrounds her. This gives the young woman a wary aura. Fine white scars decorate Renee's gaunt face, near-invisible testimony to a difficult and violent existence. When the young woman speaks, her voice is rough and misused.

The Gnawer's lean figure is partially disguised by heavy, fashion less, utilitarian clothing. A small nondescript t-shirt, with a heavier and well-worn flannel shirt over the top. The sleeves of the ill-fitting garment are rolled up to her skinny wrists, exposing the edges of tightly wrapped and stained bandages. Denim jeans - baggy at the legs and tighter at the waist - are kept up with the aid of a well-worn (and in places, broken) leather belt. The faded utilitarian pants display a number of small rips and tears. Far from designer ripping; the holes are a testament to a rough lifestyle. The pants almost cover a formidable pair of black, scuffed, steel-toed boots.

Salem eyes the Gnawer for a moment, then says, "Jeremy's gone missing and his car's been abandoned at the farmhouse."

Renee blinks. "Uhhh. Thats freakin' odd. Any clue as ta why?"

Alicia rolls her shoulders. "He was investigating that Russian shit, remember?" She says. "Maybe he poked his nose into something he wasn't supposed ta'?"

Salem's mouth thins. "Then why would his car be at the _farmhouse_?" It's clear from the halfmoon's tone that he has some suspicions. Some nasty, unfounded ones.

Renee scratches her head, then looks at Salem. "Thats what I was gonna say."

The door to Alicia's apartment is open, revealing Renee, Salem, and the Coggie in question. Just down the hallway from Jeremy's.

Aiyana steps up to the door and lifts a hand, knocking on it even though it's open. "...anyone here?" she calls as she glances around the doorframe, eyes half squinted. She looks a bit tired. "Or is this place abandoned too?"

Salem's standing out of view of the hall, the sawed-off shotgun his packmate gave him in one hand. With his other, he fishes out his cellphone again and dials a number from memory.

Alicia cants her head over to Yana'. "Hey neighbor. So..I take it Jer isn't home?" She asks, testing the waters a bit.

Aiyana shakes her head at Alicia while entering the apartment. "Naw. Haven't seen him in a bit, actually. He's starting to worry me. I mean, anytime he leaves his computer for more then a few hours, I get nervous. I swear he's attached at the hip to that thing."

"You jealous?" Alicia grins in retort to her friend as she playfully punches her shoulder. "We're just about to go looking for him. Found his car abandoned at the farmhouse." She notes.

From afar, Rina's hoarse voice answers the phone. "Yo."

Salem speaks briskly into his cellphone. "Rina. It's Jack. Got a bit of a problem. Jeremy's gone missing, and his car's been found abandoned at the farmhouse."

Aiyana hmphs, managing a smile as she goes to punch back. "Nah. I can do so much more than that box of wires can," she replies, before she catches the rest of Alicia's statement. "...abandoned? Woah...is he all right? Anyone see him around the farm, or what?"

From afar, Rina snarls, "Fuck. Where do I meet you and when?"

Salem eyes Aiyana, then nods, giving no trouble over her presence. All things considered, she's probably one of the best people to have in a group like this. "Come to the farmhouse," he says into the cellphone. "Soon as you can... we're going to start the search there." There's a pause, and he adds, "Bring silver. Just in case."

"You think this is Garou related?" Alicia asks, perking up at the sound of silver. Reaching into the closet, she pulls down a box and opens it up, revealing yet another revolver. She hands it over to Aiyana, followed by a clip. "I guess if we're all strapping, we may as well go it in groups eh'? I got the ride. Car is out front."

"Just in case," Salem repeats, looking over at Alicia. His expression is cold.

Aiyana glances over to Salem and nods back, trying to withhold her look of surprise at the (for her, anyway) pleasant greeting. "Guns? You guys really think this is gonna be some tough shit?" the cub inquires as she takes the clip and gun, rolling it around in her hands to get a feel for it.

From afar, Rina takes a breath. "Got it."

Renee remains in the background, frowning thoughtfully.

Salem clicks off the cellphone and pockets it. He considers the shotgun, then sets it down. "Got a 9mm in the car. Easier to conceal."

"Aiight. Then I guess we're outtie." Alicia says as she opens up the door once more and heads down the hallway. "Lock the handle last person out." She calls over her shoulder, gliding her keys out of her pocket.

Aiyana follows after Alicia after having tucked the gun away. "Hope I can use that thing properly, without shootin' any of the good guys," she mutters to herself.

"Then don't use it," Renee states, as she follows Aiyana outside.

Lane

Stretching a good quarter mile from the road, this gravel lane leads back to the Escrowe farm. Trees line the lane, leaves filling out on the limbs to fill the sky with fresh green clouds. In the distance, the farmhouse looms above the treetops, gleaming white as the snow from its yearly coat of paint. Silence prevails here, save for the rustling of the tall grasses in the fields when the wind blows.

The front entrance to the farmhouse is on the porch alongside the gravelled road which continues on around the eastern side of the house back to the barnyard. The opposite end of the lane turns back west to empty out onto Sunrise Road.

The red sports car a few years aged pulls up onto the lane, headlights dimming down. Jeremy's black Neon RT is parked just ahead, with a flashing blue light inside, almost like a strobe of some sorts.

Salem climbs out of the car (unsurprisingly, he claimed shotgun). He scans the lane, then prowls over toward Jeremy's car.

The Ducati is parked by the edge of the road, when they turn in to head down the lane; they spot Rina some ten yards from the abandoned vehicle, light catching on the metal and circuit-board of her jacket.

Aiyana slides out once she has room to, eyes scanning the landscape around her as she tries to look for any signs of the missing kin. One hand goes to rest on her hip, and the other one gets tucked into a pocket.

Alicia climbs out of the driver's seat and hips the door shut, following after Salem with a sauntering swagger. Her arms flow freely at her sides as she clears her throat a bit. "Anti theft device." She notes to the flashing light.

"Mm," says the Walker, thoughtfully. He heads over toward Rina. "What'd you bring?" The kinswoman gets the faintest of thin smiles, but it doesn't touch his eyes; he's cold tonight, all business.

Aiyana goes over to stand near Jeremy's car, looking it over several times. She keeps silent and out of any sort of trouble for now.

"Fifty and .45, that's all I got." Rina's voice is quiet. "I'll give you the Eagle?"

Salem gets a calculating, almost wary sort of look. "How much ammo, and what kind?"

Rounding about the car, Alicia furrows her brows some. "Aiyana, got anything of Jer on ya?" She asks, gliding out a long piece of string from her pocket, with a black stone tied to the end.

"I loaded 'em both half and half, first half silver," Rina says quietly. "But I brought spare clips for each, so you can work it how you need. We think this is Dancers, or somethin' else bad?"

Renee scowls, crossing her arms. "We're talkin' 'bout the Bawn here, Salem. Robert is gonna shit a brick, if yer plannin' ta bring Silver onto it."

Aiyana blinks and thinks about that for a moment. "Ummm...ahhh...lemme see." She rummages through her pockets, then snaps her fingers. "I do! Gimmie a sec!" Pulling her arms inside of her shirt the Gnawer fidgits around for a bit, eventually squirming her way out of some article of clothing, which she hands over to Alicia. It's a tank top. "Took it from his drawer this morning. Didn't think he'd mind. Will it work?"

Salem turns an eye toward Renee. "Planning to run tattling again?" he retorts, rather sharply. Then he shakes his head. "This is about finding Jeremy, and dealing with whatever, or _whoever_ decided to run off with him. By whatever means necessary. Are you in or out?"

The Kin girl watches Salem, dark eyes steady on him. "Silent Bob can fuck right off, if someone's takin' our Kin," she mutters darkly. "I've seen the Wyrm go right to the top, in New York." She reaches into her jacket, taking out the huge Desert Eagle fifty and ejecting the clip into her hand. The gun makes her hands look small and fragile.

Renee blinks. "And what they hell was that for? I'm only pointing out the truth and you know it." The Galliard shakes her head and moves off a short distance, muttering to herself.

"C'mon Renee. No biggie." Alicia calls over, trying to inspire her pack mate of the moment. "Lets get frosty guys.. Aiyana.. passenger dashboard.. flash light. Get it." After taking the shirt, she tosses it before her, then starts to chant, holding the string with stone out in front of her.

Salem eyes Renee for a few more moments, his jaw tight. Then he turns back to Rina. "One silver bullet in the clip. Any more and I'm comepletely useless flipside."

Aiyana looks from Salem, then to Renee, and just stays out of it. "A'ight," she says to Alicia while heading for the car, rummaging around in the dash to find the requested equipment. After a few seconds of searching she returns, victorious, with flashlight in hand.

Rina holsters the gun, and goes through the lengthy process of reloading the clip, replacing most of the silver with normal rounds. She works fast, her jaw tight, deft hands uncompromised by the darkness.

Kaz, a shot gun slung over her shoulder, wanders out of the woods.

Renee, having aleady wandered away from the group near the farmhouse, is the first to spot the other Gnawer. "Hey!" She greets, trotting over. "Joining in?"

Aiyana perks once she spots Kaz, waving somewhat cheerfully to the woman as she stuffs the flashlight into a pocket.

Salem's attention is diverted from watching Rina work; he nods at Kaz.

Kaz says, "Hey, yo," cheerfully, then adds, upon spying Aiyana, "Gang's all here!" She slings a brief arm across Renee's shoulders and then heads for Aiyana. "Ain't seen you in a coon's age, kid."

Renee smiles a bit at Kaz. "We ain't here fer a party. Jeremy is missin'. Walker Kin. Found his car her, but no Jer. Gonna go lookin'."

Rina glances up briefly from her handful of clip and ammo. "Yo, Kaz," she says, a smile almost startled from her. Almost, but not quite, under the circumstances.

Aiyana grins, "Yeah. Could say the same 'bout you. Glad to see you're still in one piece, though!" She looks more content now, not as nervous as she was earlier. "Come to join the search?"

"I got movement guys." Alicia says after a few silent moments of concentration, watching the string tug and jump, jerking towards the East, where the mountains lie.

Kaz jerks a thumb back at her shotgun. "Yeah, yeah," she says, in response to both Gnawers, "I know. It's why I got this sucker and not just, you know, a big smile. It's more effective to have a gun /and/ a smile, see. Although," she adds, glancing around, "Do we need /more/ guns? Y'all look kinda... sufficient."

Salem simply shrugs; would any Glass Walker say no to another firearm? They're like jello. Always room for one more boomstick. He glances at Rina to see how she's getting along with the Eagle.

Aiyana's gaze snaps over to Alicia, eyes widening a bit. "Now let's hope he's still okay," the cub comments softly to herself.

Renee just looks irritated and cranky. Jaw set, as she keeps her eyes on the Fostern Galliard.

Rina palms the clip, takes out the Eagle, and drops it in--the extra rounds having disappeared into the pocket of her jeans, for the moment. "I didn't know there was a limit," she murmurs, half to herself; then the gun, safety on, is offered to Salem. Over a vambraced forearm, as a knight might offer a dagger to his liege.

Salem accepts the large handgun, which fits his hand better than hers by far, with a nod. He glances over at Alicia, then gives Rina a quick, sharp look. "I'd rather nothing violent happened to you." It's not _quite_ a dismissal or an order to stay behind. An unworded suggestion, maybe.

Rina looks back at him, coolly. "I won't slow you down," she says quietly, "and I'll keep my distance. If I have to, I'll fox out. Aright?"

Salem eyes Rina for a moment or two, then nods once and turns back to Alicia.

Alicia continues to let the string bob and tug a bit towards the East, then falls limp at her leg. Glancing to those gathered, she squints her eyes some. "That is quite a trek." She notes, furrowing her brow. "And its at night.. Got one flashlight, an hoofing it on foot is ganna slow us down." She trains her eyes to Rina. "If we go Lupus.. we'll easily out run you.. I dunno 'bout Salem.. but having two lost kin in the woods isn't a good idea.."

Rina glances to Alicia. "But if you go Lupus, you got no guns. No silver."

Aiyana crosses her arms over her chest as she patiently waits for the others to decide what to do and how to get there.

Alicia rolls her shoulders. "Well, four Garou.. Crinos.. I dunno if we need the guns if thats what it takes." She says with a mild shrug. "I don't think we expected to go trekking in the mountains. Its Salem's call tho'. He's Alpha for the night."

Renee shakes her head. "I have no idea what you're expecting, that we can't handle with our own claws. Lets just go fuckin' lupus and go already."

Rina nods, and glances to Salem. "Point," she says grimly. "I'll be here, then?"

Salem's nostrils flare as he looks eastward. Then he shakes his head. "She has a point," he tells Rina, handing her back the Eagle. "Keep this. And keep it close."

Rina takes the gun and holsters it without a word, meeting the Walker's single eye for a moment.

From afar, Rina's eyes say, Don't get yourself killed. That's an order. :>

Salem nods to the kinswoman, then turns back to Alicia. "Lead on," he says.

Kaz quietly sticks her gun under the porch.

Shaking her head and mumbling to herself, Renee heads for the treeline. Shifting to lupus when she gets there and trotting off in an easternly direction.

Alicia nods her head and then glances around for a moment. Stepping forward into the shadows, her body melts down into the Lupine form, pure black fur sprouting about her body. Her eyes glow a golden color as she clutches the string now in her jaws, letting the rock dangle.

Salem unholsters his 9mm and hands that over to Rina as well before moving up to Alicia's side and joining her in wolf form, a scarfaced shadow.

Aiyana takes the gun and flashlight and puts them into Alicia's car for safekeeping. Once that's done, she crouches down and shifts into her lupus form, then heads towards the others.

Guards-Flame roots her nose to the ground and sniffs about, wandering around in a circle for a moment. Found his scent, but, it only goes a few paces. She rumbles to the crowd, before gantering forward on her quick paws. The string tugs its way East once more. It stops.. here. She pauses, skidding to a halt at a patch of trees.

Sees-True bumps Kaz's shoulder, as she moves next to to other Galliard.

Dancing-Fighter sticks towards the back of the group, her nose held low to the ground as she sniffs for nothing in particular.

From afar, to the room, Guards-Flame notes to the group that when we shifted, we get a thick scent of Leo an Jeremy in this area.
Guards-Flame pages to the room: An its ganna take us an hour to get deep into the mountains.
Guards-Flame pages to the room: Once we hit the forest, we only catch Leo's scent and Jer's is gone.

Yipping to the group, Guards-The-Flame furrows with her nose to the ground as she sniffs about. I smell the Wendigo here.. and the kin is now gone.. the stone tugs one way... Her ear swivels East, yet.. the scents go slightly north.

Ears, of the Questing Fry, opines that the scent's irrelevant. It's the Stone that matters.

Salem's fur bristles up along his neck and shoulders. He growls, then agrees. Follow the Stone first.

Dancing-Fighter lifts her head, looking in Guards' direction as her muzzle wrinkles slightly. A soft, somewhat impatient whine is the only response she gives.

With that, the Child of Gaia lopes forward quickly through the darkness, using her sharp eyes to pierce the cloud of night, allowing the string to tug in the direction which leads them.

Salem follows his packmate, his pace relentless and silent.

Bawn: Foothills of the Mountains

The hills that rise here are roughened by the frequent rains, and rocky places show through the grasses and shrubs that grown in the clearings. Trees grow as often from shallow soil on rocky hillocks as from real loam. Occassional boulders show through like the bones of ancient creatures, covered with spreading patches of moss and lichen. The land is rough, and the weight of the ancient hills gives the place a chilling quality. The stones seem to resent intrusion.

No visible delimiter marks the eastern edge of the Bawn, only scent-marks and occasional scratches on trees. To the west, the hills become softer and the covering forest thicker, while to the east, the rocky slopes of the foothills become mountainous in truth, and the tree cover thins. I-90 to the north and the railroad to the south provide the remaining edges to this region.

An hour now the group has traveled through the mountain ranges, following Guards-The-Flame's lead as the questing stone rite dangles from her jawls. She chuffs to them, glancing slowly as she sniffs the air. No scents near by.. but, still, we go East.

The limping Kaz has apparently taken up a semi-permanent position as rear-guard.

Dancing-Fighter quirks an ear, as she slows down her walking to hang back near Kaz. Might as well keep you company, yes? she chuffs, her tail giving a brief wag.

Salem gives himself a brief shake and tells his packmate to continue east, as the Stone guides.

Shifting her weight, Guards-The-Flame continues East, leading the group over the rocky terrain. She isn't used to this sort of climb, but, she weilds her paws well.

Ears noses Aiyana in affectionate greeting. Keeping watch as well as being slow, see, she explains. As the group travels further on, the metis proves to be a versatile sort of Gnawer, and seems entirely adept at this kind of terrain -- except when she lands wrong, once, and her left foreleg snaps. This seems to serve merely as a distraction, as she pauses for several seconds, snaps at the air, and keeps going.

Dancing-Fighter noses back, then trots alongside the other Gnawer, her steps a bit more cautious. She's a city girl, after all, and this sort of area's somewhat foreign to her. She stops to make sure Ears is all right after her stumble, then picks up speed again.

Salem isn't _entirely_ unfamiliar with rocky terrain like this, though it's been a while.

The climb goes higher as the rocks become a bit more harder to get over. Guards-The-Flame continues to leap from one to the next, keeping herself patient and well timed, so now to make an error in judgement. Carefull. She chuffs.

The path here becomes a bit more narrower, making the Garou go in one at a time.

Salem directs Guards the Flame to go first, she with the Stone. He's right behind her.

Ears chuffs to Salem. Hey. BFG. Want I should come from another direction on this? Less chance of surprise.

Dancing-Fighter snorts and squints her eyes as she walks a bit slower, trying to keep her balance so she doesn't get herself injured

Guards-Flame pages to the room: Hey guys, we're going pretty much east and upwards on the side of the mountain, and the paths are getting harder to climb. Looser ground and not a lot of straight forward walking distance. Its slowing down the trekking.
Leonard pages to the room: As far as you can tell, you can go any which way you want. Just every which way but down is hard going. Anyone with lower than 3 sta is going to be exhausted by the time you get to the top.

Salem pauses to look back toward Ears to the Ground, then agrees. If you can manage it.

Ears branches out a bit, pausing for a few minutes to get a fix on Jeremy with her own Rite, before getting moving again, far enough away not to be seen, but close enough to hear problems.

Guards-Flame pushes forward once again with the stone in her mouth, digging her claws into the sides of the mountain, climbing it upwards. She winds her way in a zig zag manner, testing the weight of the travel beneath her.

As the terrain gets rougher, the rocks get bigger, the footing gets slippier. The slight rumble of rocks sliding around becomes commonplace; seems like things are always shifting up here in the cold mountains. At one particularly difficult area, where you're slowed to a crawl by the loose scree, the trickling doesn't seem to stop. Instead it slowly gets louder. And louder. And then you realize: rockslide. You can't see it, but you can hear it coming.

Pausing in mid step, Guards-The-Flame glances over to you and rumbles in her throat. Not good. She murmurs.

Salem snarls as he realizes what's coming. I'll _kill_ him, he snaps, and then, shifting up, orders, ~Crinos! And grab a hold!~ Because one assumes that one cannot really dodge a rockslide.

Bursting into the war form, Guards-The-Flame grips the side of the mountain with her claws, sinking them in deep as she presses herself close. She ducks her head down so that she won't get struck.

Ears, meanwhile, slightly further away, finds a largish boulder to dodge behind.

Salem sinks his claws, all four sets of them, into the terrain and flattens himself, taking as much cover as possible and otherwise simply preparing to hold on for dear life.

The Garou all prepare. The rockslide hits.

With a yelp, Guards-The-Flame finds herself tugged off the mountain, losing her stone in the process. End over end, she goes crashing into Salem and then bounces off of Dancing-Fighter, before the pair becomes stuck together under the rubble. Renee is behind them, caught on her side and motionless.

Ears, who was in lupus, bursts into crinos and bulls her way out, swearing continuously.

You paged the room with 'So... what's the damage, exactly? Under how _much_ rubble?'.
Leonard pages to the room: For those buried, when you wake up, it is impossible to tell which way is up. There are still falling stones that make it really hard to hear anything, unless Kaz starts bellowing on top of her swearing, maybe. She can try to use her nose to sniff you out but its awful dusty after that, so it's gonna be hard. And it is very, very hard to move under the rocks. Like, trying to move through... well... a pile of rocks. Suffocation is an issue if you're on the bottom of the pile, but you're really only under about half a foot so if you managed to land head up you'll be okay. The rocks are, as said, loose, not dirt or mud, so there is oxygen gettin' through.
Leonard pages to the room: You might also have limbs poking out of the dirt of which you may be unaware. its a really weird feeling, being buried alive.
Leonard pages to the room: Damagewise, lesssee... I'd say you're all at at least mauled. If you wanna be worse, feel free.
You paged the room with 'Nonagg, fortunately.'.
Leonard pages to the room: Yep.

Moments like this call for a break in the plan, and Kaz, swearing rather loudly, shifts into hispo and, going mostly by scent, starts trying to find people.

There is one Garou who, apparantly, has a special loathing for being confined like this, buried alive, helpless. Salem thrashes and snarls, and what part of him isn't fueled by that stubborn, fuck-you determination is spurred on by sheer frothing rage. He manages to shift some of the rocks above him, which gives Kaz a good indication of where he is.

Guards-Flame twitches about and coughs up dust, fortuantly being stuck head up. Its dark, completely. ~Salem? Aiyana, Renee?~ She hacks out, squirming a bit, poking her muzzle out of the dirt, inhaling a deep breath. Fresh air, how sweet it is. Yip! Bark!

Ears falls back into crinos, now that where people are is obvious, and starts hauling/digging them out.

Salem bursts from the rocky almost-grave snapping and snarling, his muzzle white with foaming saliva, his black fur dull with dust, his good eye rolling wild in its socket. He's not frenzying, but looks nigh-rabid.

Guards-Flame claws her way to the top, then hacks out a throatfull of dirt. Turning around, she snags Dancing-Fighter who has shifted back down to Homid, seemingly knocked out. Renee too, unfortuantly. ~Shit~ She thrums in her throat.

Ears gives Salem plenty of space. ~Stick 'em behind a tree,~ she mutters at Alicia. Compassionate, ain't she?

Salem snaps at the air, sending little gobbits of foam flying, hunkered down on all fours. Somehow, he manages to regain a bit of that cold composure -- enough to keep from screaming his rage at the sky and bringing another rockfall down on their heads. Instead, he mutters low. ~I'll kill him. I will fucking _kill_ him.~

Ears grunts. ~Kill him later, we got business.~

~Calm down bro. Don't worry...everything is still ok.~ Guards-The-Flame murmurs to her pack brother, squeezing his shoulder with a large palm. ~C'mon. We'll start up the Rite again.. an find your kin. Kaz.. I lost my stone.. you got yours?~

Salem rolls a golden eye toward Kaz, breathing hard. He nods, though.

Ears says, ~Yeah, but get a new one. I wanna keep with the splittin' up. I ain't thikin' this was accident.~

~Rabid little cur...~ Salem growls. Though he knows the rite, too, he doesn't attempt it. He is, clearly, way too fucking angry.

~You guys think Leonard did this?~ Guards-The-Flame rumbles in her throat after placing the two fallen Gnawers behind a tree, tucking them against each other for warmth. With that, she plucks up another stone, then tweaks a long strand of black hair from Aiyana's head. She shifts down to the glabro to wind them together, grunting.

Ears flicks an ear. ~Could be coincidence.~ Her tone is dubious.

~If he captured Jeremy.. an did this to us.. you think maybe he is of the Wyrm?~ Guards asks in a rumble after she takes the Crinos once more, popping a few joints. ~We did take out that Spider on the Bawn and it was tainted... maybe he was affected by it? It'd at least explain some of his actions... I mean.. can anyone be /that stupid?/~

Ears says, ~Oh, easily.~

Salem shrugs massive shoulders, his movements tight. He looks a wreck, but the wounds from the accident have closed up. ~I've not been impressed with his intelligence so far. The way I see it, he's declared war.~ He looks at Alicia.

Guards-Flame chuffs as she starts up the Rite again, concentrating, then answers. ~Well, if its a war he wants. Then we'll dance on his bones.~ She grumbles. ~Sick of his anti white people shit anyways. Lets go.~ Once more she starts to climb.

Salem falls in behind Guards the Flame, moving carefully and keeping his center of balance low. He moves on all fours at times.

Ears mutters, ~Me, I'm just here to find a Kin,~ and ranges out again. She's some distance away, not visible, but she can hear calls if need be.

Climbing the terrain this time is harder and slows the three up considerably as a few hours go by. With a pair of Rite stones leading them, at least they have a good idea of where to go and how to get there. Its nearly three hours later, that they break the rise and step up to a more solid ground. Guards-The-Flame is panting and coated in sweat, clutching the dangling rock tightly.

Ears is, currently, quite some distance from the others, leg occasionally going unstable.

Salem reaches the rise and stands at his full nine-foot-plus height, ears up. Presuming that nothing immediately leaps out at them or looks threatening, he shifts down to Glabro form and reaches into his coat for his cellphone. (Can you hear me now? Good.) It's a little harder to press the tiny buttons, but his fingernails are nice and pointy.

From afar, Sarah picks up on the third one. "Hello?" Her voice is distorted, somewhat, by the connection.

Salem shifts down to Homid and speaks, well, clearly into the cellphone. "Sarah? Jack. If you're at home, don't be there."

Guards-Flame clutches at the dangling stone in her paw, then shifts her eyes over to Kaz, ears twitching upwards.

Sarah pages: Her voice is touched with hoarseness. "I'm not. Haven't been since yesterday. Why do you sound--" Apprehension comes to her voice. "...where are you?"
From afar, Sarah's tone becomes hard, suddenly. "What has he done."

Ears is, actually, not in sight.

Guards-Flame stares at the stone dangling in her paw, then chuffs over to Salem, heading off in the direction once more. She knows he'll follow or catch up. Sniffing the air absently, she tries to catch a scent of Leonard in the air, or, /anyone/ in case this was an act of violence and not chance.

Salem's tone is grim as he speaks into the cell. "Jeremy's vanished. Leonard's scent's near him. In the fucking mountains. _Be careful_."

From afar, Sarah swallows. When she speaks again, her voice is quiet. "Jeremy. Your kin." It isn't so much a question as a request for confirmation.

"Yes, my kin." Salem pauses, eyeing Alicia, then adds, "Stay low."

From afar, Sarah lets out a breath. "Where are you? Near the bluff, on his territory? And are you tracking him, or your Kin?"

Salem says into the cell, "Tracking the kin. We're in the mountains... if not on his territory, near it, though we haven't scented him for some time." He exhales sharply, the sound staticish. "Look. I have to get word to my people. Just stay low and be warned."

From afar, Sarah swallows. "As soon as you find him. If you do. Call me." A small hesitation, and she adds, "Please, Salem-rhya. I need to know."

Salem grunts. "Will do. Take care." He clicks off, then dials another number. "Sarah's warned," he notes to Alicia, in explanation. "Going to give Rina a heads-up as well."

Guards-Flame listens intently to the one sided conversation as she continues to move on swiftl, allowing the string to tug on her. Its still simply bobbing East, without directions. ~Good God Jer.. ~

From afar, Rina picks up after the first chirp. "Yo. Ya got him?"

Salem growls into the phone, his tone irritable. "No. Little fucker has him out in Bumfuck Mountains. Got hit by a fucking rockslide. Look. I've warned his kin, but you'd better take care, too. Go back to the city."

From afar, Rina lets out a breath. "Shit. Right. I'll ditch. Um, I'll be at the studio... I don't think he knows where that is."

Salem grunts. "I'll keep in touch. Might be gone a couple days. Fucking bullshit little rabid dog."

From afar, Rina lets out a hissing breath. "Right. Be careful. Watch out for traps... those damn Injun mulignan's like their tricks."

Salem growls, "No fucking shit." He exhales sharply. "Do me a favor. Call Q. Let him know. Call the other city Garou, too... Lyra, K.C., Daisy... that Fianna, too, what's her name. Charlie."

From afar, Rina is silent a moment. "Got it."

Salem says, "Good." He pauses a moment, then adds, "Be careful. Don't trust him. He has no honor."

From afar, Rina snorts. "I'll give him some fuckin' fifty-caliber honor, 'f'he tries to fuck with /me/," she mutters. "What d'y'want me to do, just tell everyone what's happened?"

"Exactly. Quentin and Lyra have a description of the little bastard. Mm. Better call Mel, too. Same building." He pauses. "Let it be known that I will not weep if someone fills him with silver by the time I get back."'.

From afar, Rina lets out a breath. "Right. I'll watch my back... you find Jer. I like that kid."

"Me too. Take care, all right? Will call you when we find him.'" Salem pauses a moment, then clicks off.

The basic skinny and afterward. Finding Jeremy and getting him (a human) back takes the group around two days; they're basically out of the city until Friday evening.

Leonard OOC reply on being asked about the kinfolk's condition when found: Jeremy's cold (he was in a cave, so not exposure'd), clad in old buckskins, and maybe a little dehydrated depending on how fast he went through the water I left him. Oh, and has a bruised noggin. Other than that and any mental trauma, he's none the worse for wear. All his toys and clothes are nowhere to be found, though.