"If we're lucky, she'll end up the tribe elder."

[hazlogs]

31 Jan 2004, late night.  Rina's place.

Rina answers the door in loose knit pants and a tank, the usual sleeping attire
      these days. Her hair is rumpled, and she is bleary-eyed with sleepiness, 
      rubbing at her face.

Salem, wearing a dark gray t-shirt and jeans under the long leather coat, has a
      tense, irritable look about him, though he smiles a bit when he sees her 
      and murmurs an apology.

"Sokay," she murmurs. "C'mon in... lemme get a glass of water, you want some
      decaf or somethin'?"

Rina steps back to let him enter, watching for his answer.

Salem enters, shrugging easily out of his coat. "Decaf. Fucking cold out there
      tonight." Dropping the coat onto the back of the couch, he looks over at 
      her, his face solemn. "Saw Josh."

Rina swallows. "Yeah?" Ducking her head, she gestures him to follow, as she
      goes to the kitchen to fill up the coffee machine.

Salem trails after her, his expression pensive. "I really don't know," he
      mutters. "He shows improvement, but he's done that before, and then 
      backslid... and he really, _really_ has a bad habit of twisting 
      everything around into a worst-case scenario and going woe-is-me." The 
      halfmoon scowls. "The kid's twice the headache Cat was when Cat was at 
      his _worst_."

Rina nods. "I know," she says hoarsely. "Spent some time talkin' to him, at the
      house." She sets up the coffee machine, practically by rote.

Salem leans against the counter and folds his arms across his chest. Nodding,
      he says, "Yes. And we need soldiers, not children who need to be 
      constantly babysat. So..." He watches her carefully. "In a month, he's 
      going to join Cat and Emma on a Rite of Passage."

Rina glances over her shoulder, surprise taking some of the lines from her
      face. "Yeah? You think that'll work out?"

Salem's shoulders lift and fall. "I was close to thinking I'd need to cull
      him," the halfmoon says dully, looking at her. "He might still not 
      survive, but... he has a chance." He utters a squeaking grunt. "Jacinta 
      thinks he's got the heart to work hard and learn. We'll see if she's 
      right."

The dark eyes narrow. "Jacinta? Who's that?" The coffee machine starts making
      its characteristic din. Rina leans back against the counter's edge, 
      studying him.

Salem blinks once, and then smiles sardonically. "An amazing thing. A Wendigo
      with a brain. Offered to help Joshua with his wolf problem. Which reminds 
      me." He rubs the side of his neck. "I still have to get her some net 
      access while she's stuck at the Bawn playing Guardian."

Rina frowns slightly. "Hm. Prolly can do it through one of the cellular
      providers. Lemme look into it. Be hard getting good wireless coverage out 
      there, but we oughta be able to manage something." She raises an eyebrow 
      slightly. "How's she getting along with that Ahroun?"

Salem lifts an eyebrow, his expression quizzical. "Which Ahroun?"

She waves a hand. "Whatsisname. The guy. Asshole." Snapping a finger, she
      eventually conjures up a name. "Leonard."

Salem wrinkles his nose, then shrugs. "She hasn't mentioned him to me, so I
      don't know. Since she doesn't hate white people and seems to be training 
      a metis as well, I suspect they don't get along well."

Rina snorts. "Yeah, well. Wendigo. What can ya do. She helped you out, though?"

Salem rubs his chin. "Still is." He smiles thinly. "Can't say I don't approve
      of her attitude. A Wendigo who knows how to be _polite_. If we're lucky, 
      she'll end up the tribe elder."

Rina nods quickly, lowering her eyes. "Cool.

She turns, then, to pour the coffee. "Black?" Ducking her head, she chews
      lightly on her lower lip.

"Have you ever known me to have it any other way?" he replies, forcing a light
      tone.

"Just checkin'," she murmurs, smiling faintly to herself. "You been feelin'
      okay?" She glances over her shoulder, offering the cup with its halo of 
      steam.

"Fine," he answers automatically, and then meets her eyes and clears his
      throat. "A bit, er... restless."

"The moon, y'think?" she asks gently, watching him as she takes up her own cup
      and drinks.

Salem's shoulders lift and fall, and he studies his reflection in the coffee.
      "That and... the other thing." He clears his throat.

Rina nods, lowering her eyes. "Yeah. Maybe we can... talk about things...
      Sometime. I should-- probably look for a new place. I don't really feel 
      safe here. The Russians know where it is, so..."

He nods. "I'll help you move, if you want." The halfmoon offers up a small,
      self-mocking smile. "Lift and carry."

Rina looks up, offering him a quick, startled smile. "Yeah? That'd be a big
      help... some stuff I don't trust to anybody, y'know?" She chews on her 
      lower lip briefly. "I'm kinda thinking I'll get a studio place here, or 
      keep this for painting... so there won't be much to move out of the 
      building. I'll just get new stuff. But some of it, like the safe, I don't 
      wanna trust anybody with..."