Cub of the Warders of Men, why are you here?

[hazlogs]

It is currently 11:24 Pacific Time on Wed Jan 21 2004.

Currently the moon is in the waning No Moon phase (4% full).

The Sept Compound(#2075RAM)

Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of
      this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in 
      the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear 
      on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to 
      time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of 
      firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, 
      are the only signs of constant occupation. However, those of a 
      naturalistic bent might think that some minimal landscaping or planning 
      had been done, for nestled among the winter-browned grasses are a few 
      hardy perennials that, come spring, will create a profusion of color in 
      the clearing.

A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.

Rain-Falls-Up lies stretched out at the edge of the clearing, apparantly dozing.

Wrestles-Wolf quietly pads into the forest surrounding the Sept compound,
      carrying himself cautiously as he peers in from around a large fir. The 
      cub was once again without the elder's supervision, Signe off to manage 
      to her other duties, leaving him time to explore around the compound.

Rain-Falls-Up opens her eyes, then lifts her head from her forepaws. With ears
      cocked forward, the Red Talon stares at the Glass Walker.

Wrestles-Wolf halts, looking back to the Red Talon. Carefully, he pads out from
      around the fir and into the compound-proper, telling Rain' that he did 
      not mean to bother her.

Rain-Falls-Up yawns, then rises, stretches, and saunters over toward the cub,
      tail lifted. She doesn't seem bothered or angry as she begins to inspect 
      the Walker's scent, a process that involves the Talon sticking her nose 
      in some fairly personal places.

Wrestles-Wolf only reluctantly allows the elder to scent him there, seeming a
      tad unwilling at first. Finally, he relents, lowering himself down a 
      notch and waiting patiently until the Talon had familiarized herself.

Rain-Falls-Up splays her ears with amusement at the young homid's discomfort.
      Turning around, she pads a short distance away from him, turns in a 
      circle, and lies down again, facing him once more, though half-curled now 
      with her tail close to her hindquarters.

Wrestles-Wolf begrudgingly sits down on his haunches holding his head tight to
      his chest, tail curled to cover his behind again. He carefully asks the 
      elder if she is Rain-Falls-Up-Rhya, the child of the griffin who is not 
      of the Sept?

Rain-Falls-Up nibbles on an itchy forepaw and acknowledges that this is so.

The Talon perks her ears at some sound the Walker doesn't hear, then gets up
      abruptly and lopes off into the forest.

[...]

Rain-Falls-Up slips back into the compound, her ears laid back and her body
      language tense and restless.

Wrestles-Wolf was still at the Sept compound, despite the setting sun and the
      rapidly cooling air. The Cub lay on the ground, tail wrapped behind him 
      as he lightly dozed.

Rain-Falls-Up stops short and stares at the Walker cub for a moment, then huffs
      and trots over quickly, nipping at his ear.

Wrestles-Wolf jerks in surprise from the unexpected awakening, pulling his legs
      underneath him as his head cants up to face the elder. He greets the 
      elder, though, wits still about him.

Rain-Falls-Up stands stiff-legged and stiff-tailed, looking,
      uncharacteristically, less than friendly though not aggressively hostile. 
      Cub of the Warders of Men, why are you here?

Wrestles-Wolf pulls up into a crouch, smelling the Talon for a moment. He
      wonders if Rain-Falls-Up-Rhya is asking why he at the place for the Sept? 
      If she is, then it is because his keeper had left him here until she 
      returns later in the night.

Rain-Falls-Up snorts impatiently. Why are you in the _woods_?

The cub tucks his muzzle into his chest again, clearly embarrassed to relate
      this. He says that he is out here to learn, so to avoid being culled. His 
      keeper thought it would be best for him to live as wolf for half a moon, 
      so to make peace with wolf-of-instinct-within. Living as urrah was 
      not leading to peace between him and the wolf-within, so Storm-Rhya lead him 
      here.

Rain-Falls-Up cocks her head inquisitively. Storm-Rhya?

Wrestles-Wolf explains, still looking sullen, that he means
      Storm-Who-Would-Not-Stop-Rhya of the Gets of Fenris.

Rain-Falls-Up snorts, then sneezes explosively. Strange that your keeper is of
      the Great Fighting Wolf and not of the Warders of Men.

Wrestles-Wolf chews on his paw, to get at an itch, responding that Storm-Rhya
      was of same pack as elder of Warder of Men elder, and he thinks this is 
      why that happened.

Rain-Falls-Up relaxes slightly and sits down to scratch behind an ear. So,
      Scar-rhya sent you away from the city? Or Storm-rhya?

Wrestles-Wolf replies simply that is was Scar-Rhya, and he continues to chew on
      his paw.

Rain-Falls-Up stares at the cub some more, then snorts again and starts pacing
      around the compound, sniffing here and there.

Wrestles-Wolf cautiously stands up, keeping his head low in the presence of the
      elder. Faces-Rage, Storm-Rhya and the Giaian elder all suggested that he 
      seek Rain-Falls-Up-Rhya, he says nerviously, that you would know best how 
      to best provide and accept wolf-of-instinct.

Rain-Falls-Up looks up from an inspection of the ashes of the firepit and
      regards the cub, her ears cocked up and forward. She has never had any 
      trouble accepting her wolf-heart, because she has always known it. 
      Human-mind, yes, _this_ was difficult. But not wolf-heart.

Wrestles-Wolf's head twists as he squints at the Talon in confusion. He wonders
      if human-mind fights with wolf-heart in Rain-Falls-Up-Rhya as well?

Rain-Falls-Up tells the cub that it doesn't. For some wolf-born, it does.
      Human-mind is very difficult and complicated and confusing, and often it 
      goes against the Ways. Human-mind is very unnatural. Many wolf-born use 
      it little and rely on wolf-heart. This is the good way. She is no-moon 
      and has learned to understand human-mind, but she still relies on her 
      wolf-heart. It is more reliable.

Wrestles-Wolf considers this for a moment, then he whines a little, sounding
      and looking dejected. He says this is not what he was looking for, then. 
      The two problems are very different.

Rain-Falls-Up cocks her head and looks at him questioningly.

Wrestles-Wolf says it is wolf mind which is strange. Always growling at him its
      ways, taking control when he is weakest. Not controllable and very 
      unreliable.

Rain-Falls-Up snorts derisively. You are a Warder of Man. Your tribe is very
      weak in the wolf.

Wrestles-Wolf's head jerks up, snarling back that if this was true, then he
      wouldn't be having the problem now would he? This is no sooner told, then 
      he backs down, tucking his tail and chin again, too aware of the outburst.

Rain-Falls-Up bristles at the outburst and stands up, tail raised. She huffs.
      You have a problem because you are too much human and not enough wolf. 
      Storm-rhya is right. You need to be wolf for a time. Then you will 
      understand your wolf-heart.

Wrestles-Wolf backpedals a few steps not turning from the Talon. He says that
      going to Rain-Falls-Up-Rhya was a bad idea, even if she knew the way of 
      the wolf best. His elder would not approve of this.

Rain-Falls-Up stares at the cub with a mixture of irritation and confusion. But
      you are doing this already.

Wrestles-Wolf keeps backing up slowly. Yes he is, but his elder would not
      approve of him going to Rain-Rhya.

Rain-Falls-Up huffs and sits down again. No. Yes. Maybe. Your elder is very
      strange. He has another tribe's blood. She cannot know what he would say.

This catches Wrestles-Wolf off guard. He stops and cocks his head. What do you
      mean by another tribe's blood?

Rain-Falls-Up has known many Garou. The Warders of Men do not have the blood of
      the great ones of past. Your elder does. He has the blood of Shadow 
      Lords. Do you not see it? He has the blood of great ones of Thunder.

The Talon isn't praising the Walker Elder, merely stating facts. But there's a
      hint of disapproval and unease; she doesn't like the scarred Philodox.

Wrestles-Wolf stands there as he considers this before he finally accents
      agreement. Scar-Rhya does have a powerful presence, but he had always 
      thought it was because he was high in rank and station.

Rain-Falls-Up chuffs. He was Alpha of this Sept when still a Cliath, and none
      challenged him but the Get Theurge called Fights for Hope, who was also 
      Cliath.

Wrestles-Wolf cants his head, sitting down on his haunches. He had thought that
      watcher of fire-Rhya of the Fianna was the Alpha of the Sept, not 
      Scar-Rhya.

Rain-Falls-Up lies down. Before. Before and before.

Wrestles-Wolf keeps his head cocked, still looking at her questioningly.

Rain-Falls-Up explains. Before Firewatcher-rhya. Before Perseverence-rhya.
      Scar-rhya was Alpha.

Wrestles-Wolf indicates he understands Rain-Rhya. But regardless, he thinks
      that his elder would not approve of him asking Griffin child for guidance.

Rain-Falls-Up stretches her forelegs and agrees. Very likely not.

Wrestles-Wolf pulls himself back up off the ground, thanking the elder for her
      advice. He starts to trot off, stopping to turn his head back to look at 
      the elder once more, before scampering off back to where he was to meet 
      Signe.