~Your wolf is you. Your human is you, and your wolf is you.~

[hazlogs]

It is currently 19:36 Pacific Time on Thu Apr 8 2004.

Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 63 degrees
      Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the 
      north at 6 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.19 and steady, and 
      the relative humidity is 48 percent. The dewpoint is 43 degrees 
      Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (74% full).

Pierces Ice kneels beside the prone Glass Walker, her Crinos form bristling
      with unexpressed annoyance. Her own injuries have spent two days healing, 
      but still she is clearly not well. Josh is even worse, having spent most 
      of the past two days in his breed form, he has hardly begun to heal at 
      all.

Turtle appears at the mouth of the cave with Atcen, her ears alert and her nose
      working curiously to find out what put the harsh tone in her Elder's 
      voice. Seeing the Walker, her ears splay a bit.

Wolf-Heart turns his head back away with a grunt, arm laying where she dropped
      it. The young Ahroun looks like hell from where he lay on the ground, 
      right chest torn and smashed, as is part of his side and stomach. One or 
      both of his legs could very well be broken as well from the looks of it. 
      ~Why are you doing this? Let me leave and return to my work. I am not 
      even allowed off the Bawn.~ The Demand is weak at best, as if he's more 
      than a touch afraid of further angering the Older Ahroun.

Atcen slips into the cave in human form. The gaunt metis has used a knife to
      hack away at the legs of her jeans, turning them into shorts whose frayed 
      ends are well above her bony knees. Seeing jacinta and Josh, she furrows 
      her brow and frowns.

Pierces Ice snorts again and repeats what she said earlier. ~This sept has no
      need of a mewling pisspuppy.~ She growls a moment further in the 
      direction of the prone Ahroun, and then turns to cubs at the entrance. ~Go. Fetch 
      me a Theurge. Get the Bone Gnawer if you can, someone else if need be. 
      But get one who can call a spirit for us.~

Turtle lolls her tongue at Jacinta's name calling, and then eagerly barks a
      response to the order. A moment later the theurge cub disappears back out 
      of the mouth of the cave.

Atcen stares a bit, then nods. She's slower than Turtle, but she, too, obeys.

[...]

You paged Turtle with 'Say we split up IC to search and you go to the farmhouse
      to seek Olga/orwhoeverelse?'.

[The cubs search.  Meanwhile, back at the cave...]


Pierces Ice finishes the rake by twisting, rolling into a position from which
      her fist will have access to his Jaw.

Wolf-Heart releases the leg, pulling back to stand on the ruined legs. He
      snarls the entire way, one hand-paw going up to hold over the torn flesh 
      in a rather silly effort to prevent anything from falling out. Standing 
      now, and roaring a positively earsplitting beller for it, he swipes at 
      the other, older Ahroun. ~/No!/ Not you! Not anyone! /I will not be peed 
      on!/~ Froth is gathering in and around his jaws: Jacinta had very likely 
      never seen him this angry before.

Pierces Ice lunges up from where she fell, aiming her shoulder squarely at his
      midsection, the same ahroun gift that took her off her feet reversed to 
      use against the Glass Walker. ~Then Learn The Lesson's I Teach!~

Wolf-Heart is taken down, but not before the blow from the shoulder sends him
      to slam into the cave wall. He shrinks back down to breed, slowly 
      collapsing down against the rock surface and leaving a smear of blood in 
      his wake. Finally, he falls to the side, a surprised look stuck on his 
      face.

Pierces Ice drops again to her knees by his side, shaking her head and
      breathing hard. She reaches out a hand to his throat, but it is to check 
      for a pulse, not to do more damage.

Joshua, slumped on his side and bleeding profusely from having the flesh torn
      near completely, is alive. Barely. He will not, however, be getting up 
      any time soon if the rather grizzly damage is any indication.

Pierces Ice sighs and sits back on her haunches. She runs a hand over the new
      wound on her leg and shakes her head. One ear turns toward the cave 
      entrance, listening hard for the sounds that would indicate the return of 
      the cubs and the arrival of the Theurge.

[...]

You paged Ashley with 'Say I came and found you on the bawn, said only that
      Jacinta-rhya asked her to find a Theurge that can get spirits... if 
      questioned, Atcen doesn't really know /exactly/ why, except that Josh is 
      there too and very hurt, and Jacinta is angry at him.'.

Ashley pages: Well, with that news, Ash looks happy at the thought of Josh hurt
      and agrees.

[...]

Atcen returns, finally, with a Black Fury in tow; the metis is panting and out
      of breath, and her body is covered in sweat, her t-shirt stained with it.

Currently in Saint Claire, it is clear outside. The temperature is 57 degrees
      Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the 
      northeast at 3 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.19 and steady, 
      and the relative humidity is 55 percent. The dewpoint is 41 degrees 
      Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius.)

Joshua is living hell, but it looks like that could change at any moment. He's
      laying on his side against the cave wall, bleeding profusely from 
      numerous wounds. His entire right chest has simply had it's skin removed, 
      ribs smashed; his stomach and side are torn and leaking blood just as 
      fast his chest. Organs are visible, his legs are broken, and his face has 
      a surprised look stuck on it. If it weren't for the fact his left chest 
      still slowly rises and falls as it struggles to carry air in, he could be 
      very well mistaken for dead.

Pierces Ice sits on her haunches in crinos beside the still, though bleeding
      and breathing both, form of the Glass Walker. One ear is turned toward 
      the mouth of the cave as she listens for sounds which will announce the 
      arrival of those for whom she waits.

Striding behind the mule is the crone, Artemis, eyes narrowed and intent as she
      carries with her a fierce looking battle axe in both hands. She too is 
      covered in sweat, but instead of panting, she is breathing steadily. 
      Glancing over towards Joshua, a wide grin forms over her face, one of a 
      killer's glee as her tongue slips about her ragged lips. "Well, isn't 
      that a pretty sight."

Pierces Ice turns to those at the entrance, though she is wary enough of the
      Glass Walker based on his recent behavior, that she doesn't allow him to 
      be at her back - instead she moves to his other side and looks across him 
      to the entrance. ~Can you heal him enough that he won't die when we wake 
      him?~

"No. I don't know how to heal. I have that in mind for things to learn now that
      I run with Wolverine." The Fury says with a snort as she eyeballs the 
      meat that is the Glass Walker. "If he dies, would you really have a hard 
      time getting to sleep?" She asks, twirling the blade about in her wrists 
      once, before letting it settle into dedication once she hugs it to her 
      chest, allowing it to become spirit and meld with her in the form of a 
      black tattoo on her shoulder blade.

Atcen, still panting a bit, squats down to sit on her heels, one hand resting
      against the cavern floor.

Pierces Ice's ears turn backward. ~That will depend on his ability to learn,
      tonight.~ Snapping her jaws shut, she looks down at the bleeding boy for 
      a moment. ~Here, then, is what I intend - ~ She raises her muzzle and 
      looks at Ashley with the respect of an honored equal. ~He must face the 
      spirit of his tribe. He must hear from it whether his blood calling was 
      correct, or not. Will you help me?~ She spares a glance in the cub's 
      direction only when she has finished making her request of the Theurge, 
      and gives a flick of her head in the direction the bandages are kept.

Atcen gets up wordlessly to fetch the bandages and bring them to the older
      Wendigo. Her gaunt face is difficult to read for the conflict in it, 
      though she does seem worried about Joshua.

"You sure you don't want me to just snap his neck and bury him for yah?" The
      bitch asks with a smirk on her face as she flexes her fingers. "That'd be 
      less time consuming and probably better in the long run." Can you feel 
      the love, tonight? Blowing out a breath and shaking out her fingers, she 
      nods towards Jacinta. "I'm kidding." She murmurs. "Mostly. I can do this 
      for you. Roach spirit, huh? Got anything.. weavery around? Does he have 
      anything on him that is Walkerish?"

Pierces Ice stands, though she doesn't get much taller as she blurs down into
      Homid, finally giving up the War-Form. "Ii. A moment, and thank you. 
      Atcen, see if you can bind his insides to him with those. It would not do 
      for all this effort to be wasted, now." She moves to the back of the cave 
      and rummages through her things. After a moment, she pulls out a laptop 
      and brings it back to Artemis.

Atcen nods, again without speaking, and heads over to the badly-wounded Ahroun
      to patch and wrap as best she can.

Sheeaghan ducks her head into the cave as she arrives. The lupus gives a rough
      shake of her fur before she imediately sweeps her eyes across the cavern 
      until she spots the Ahroun lying on the floor. I come, the wolf speaks as 
      she arrives with the Wendigo cub, Turtle.

Turtle stops at the mouth of the cave, panting from her long run. Fat-Ripper
      had something to tend to, but I have brought this one, she tells Jacinta.

Ashley glances over towards the others and lets out a soft breath. She eyeballs
      the Fianna, then the cub, then sweeps her eyes over towards the Wendigo. 
      "Well, looks like you got a healer and a spirit speaker with you. Guess 
      you don't need me now." She says bluntly.

Jacinta offers a tight smile to Turtle and then to Sheeaghan. "Ii. Thank you
      for coming." When Ashley speaks, she turns directly to her. "Please, your 
      help is valued. Your honor and wisdom are spoken to by your quick 
      response to my call. I would hope you would stay." But, her attention 
      does not remain on Ashley and she turns again to Aubrey. "Artemis has 
      agreed to call the spirit of the Glass Walkers to teach this boy his 
      place in Grandmother's plan. But she cannot heal him, and, I would ask 
      you to bring him far enough from death that waking him will not make 
      useless all our efforts these past nights."

Atcen pauses in her less-than-expert attempt at first aid to look hopefully at
      the Fianna.

Sheeaghan shifts into homid to quickly extend her greetings to the Wendigo as
      she enters. "I am sorry that I could not arrive any quicker," she says 
      breathlessly. "There is a bit of trouble at the farmhouse, I am afriad." 
      She sweeps towards the male lying on the ground, inspecting his wounds as 
      she kneels before him. Her eyes look up towards Jacinta, nodding her head 
      slowly with understanding. The Fianna closes her eyes to concentrate on 
      the mending of bones, muscles, and skin that needs to be restored to 
      bring Joshua back up to his proper health. The Theurge's fingertips glow 
      a soft light as they extend over the Glass Walker's wounds. It does not 
      take long before the wounds are healed, and Aubrey stumbles back to her 
      feet. "There," she says, sighing deeply.

Atcen withdraws as Aubrey steps forward, slipping over to squat down where
      Turtle is. She licks dry lips and watches intently.

Placing the laptop on the ground, Artemis stares at it for a few moments,
      before openig it up slowly. She stares at the blank screen for a few 
      moments before poking a few buttons on the keyboard, then gets lucky when 
      she finds the power one. As it loads, she glares slightly at the machine.

Turtle leans into the familiar form of Atcen, but the wolf's eyes remain keenly
      focused on the elders and the Walker.

Jacinta nods approval and thanks to both adult Theurges and moves back to
      Josh's side. She places one hand just above his chest and turns her eyes 
      to Ashley. "When you are ready, we will know?"

"It may take awhile." Artemis admits. "I am not used to dealing with Weaver
      spirits, much less cock roaches." Settling herself before the laptop, she 
      closes her eyes and begins to hum in prayer. Not one, but two hours go by 
      as she sits there silently, rigid like a statue. She has her hands placed 
      upon the device before her, simply bathing herself in the glowing 
      ambiance of the screen. As a third hour drifts by, she has begun to grow 
      louder in her prayers, the words coming out high pitched and garbled as 
      her eyes roll back into her head, shifting her way into the war form. 
      ~Come to me brother of the streets, he who lives between the cracks and 
      plaster of the walls -- he who survives through the hottest days and 
      coldest nights. Come, for a child of your brood is in need of your 
      guidance and great wisdom!~ She draws a single claw gently along the 
      keyboard of the plastic device, ears pinned to her skull as she cranes 
      her chin upwards and releases a loud howl.

The air above the laptop wavers like a heat-shimmer as the Gauntlet parts, and
      a cockroach the length of a grown man's forearm appears, wings blurring. 
      It lands on top of the portable computer and settles itself there, its 
      antennae waving in an agitated kind of way, and its insectile eyes glow 
      with static like a television tuned to a dead channel. *Who calls me? Who 
      summons me? Who takes me from my work?* It sounds more than a little 
      irritated.

Lures-The-Beast tilts her head down towards the roach as her nostrils flare,
      ears flickering forward. ~I called for you, roach. There is one of your 
      brood laying over there, dying, because he is stupid. The Wendigo Elder 
      here asked me to bring you to us so that you can perhaps talk some sense 
      into him. If you will do this for us, I'll do something nice for you, 
      like food out for you and your kine.~

Jacinta bows her head, not looking at the spirit that has materialized, and
      lets her hand fall to the Glass Walker's chest. She pushes downward and 
      gives a little shake. "Wake, boy, and learn."

Joshua wakes with a groan and a stir, clearly not happy to be dragged back to
      the land of the conscious. At first, the only sign that he is even awake 
      is that his breathing picked up, before his eyes snap open and he sits up 
      with a start. His head and eyes jerks around panicked, before they go 
      wide at the sight of the cockroach. The Ahroun attempts to stumble back, 
      but the cave wall prevents him.

Aubrey has spend her time crouching before finally settling on the ground in an
      indian-style position. Her eyes drift across to each individual before 
      focusing in the spirit which appears on the laptop. *Great spirit,* she 
      says in a calming tone. *We have called you, for we are concerned for 
      your son. He has forgotten his place. We call to you for he must learn 
      his place in Gaia's plan, and you are our last hope.*

The spirit turns itself around to look over at Joshua, then turns again,
      slowly, to study both the Theurges, first the Fianna and then the Fury. 
      *You, Daughter of Pegasus, you will leave out food for my poor hard-world 
      cousins for days that I have legs. And not kill any. Will you vow this?*

~I'm going to be honest, you need to ask that of your friend over there,
      because I don't really give half a shit about him. I'm doing this because 
      I like the Wendigo and that idiot has pissed me off quite a bit. I'll 
      leave out the food for you on my porch, but so help me, you guys decide 
      to over run my home within my doors, you'll piss me off. That good 
      enough?~ The Black Fury says with a loud rumble in her throat, claws 
      flexing.

Jacinta lifts her eyes just enough to take in the spirit's form, and though she
      does not understand the words spoken by the Cockroach, she does 
      understand Lures-The-Beast and speaks, the Mother Tongue tricky in a 
      homid throat. ~I will leave food, if you will help your son. I will do 
      whatever you require.~

Joshua ceases his pressing into the cave wall, by now rather clear he isn't
      getting anywhere. The blood soaked full moon's eyes jerk around from 
      Garou to Garou, flicking back to the spirit between glances. "What the 
      hell is going on?" He mutters, more than a touch confused by the lack of 
      dying, the 'sudden' arrival of all the new people and the materialization 
      of the spirit.

"Be quiet," Aubrey barks at Joshua sharply. "Sit and listen to what the spirit
      has to say."

The cockroach turns again, facing Jacinta now, and stares at her for a long
      moment with its tv-static eyes. Then, strangely enough, those faceted 
      eyes blink, and instead of an oversized cockroach stands a small woman 
      with chitinous brown skin, static-filled faceted eyes, and four 
      stick-thin arms. The change isn't visible -- it's simply roach one 
      moment, roach-woman-thing the next. Her belly is swollen, gravid with 
      young, and though her mouth is full of mandibles and her voice is clicky, 
      she speaks the Mother Tongue perfectly. ~The Daughter of Pegasus will 
      leave food outside. The Daughter of Wendigo will leave food as well. I 
      will speak to the errant child.~ Her antennae wave as she turns toward 
      Joshua.

Lures-The-Beast rumbles slightly at the change and stands up to her full
      height, nodding her head towards the roach. As polietly as she can be, 
      she says. ~Thank you sister of the streets. Hopefully your wisdom will do 
      his thick head good.~

Jacinta snaps her homid teeth toward Josh when he speaks, a non-verbal version
      of Aubrey's chastisement. But the spirit's shifting grabs all of her 
      attention, and she bows low to the Roach-Woman. ~Thank you.~

Joshua is hard to miss the orders from the Theurge and the Wendigo Elder, the
      youth promptly shutting the heck up. He still looks confused, dazed, 
      bewildered and more than a touch disoriented. Not so much so that he 
      seizes on the impulse to run, though.

Aubrey sits back and listens silently.

The Roach Woman steps toward Joshua and gazes at him for a moment, her head
      cocked, her upper arms folded and her lower arms resting protectively 
      around her pregnant belly. ~Yes,~ she says after a moment. ~He is one of 
      ours. I smell the footprints that the little one left when this one was 
      brought from the human world. But that is the only touch I smell. You, 
      Garou, what is your name?~

Jacinta remains still, head bowed as the spirit speaks to the boy.

Joshua's throat bobs slightly, that panic picking up more than a touch as he is
      addressed. He does, however, remember that he can't manage mother's 
      tongue in Homid soon enough to avoid looking dumb by trying... Joshua 
      shifts up to Glabro, head quickly matching Jacinta's orientation as he 
      swallows again. ~Keeps the Human Mind with the Heart of the Wolf.~ He 
      responds carefully.

The Roach Woman wears her carapace like a cape and her chitin like armor. It's
      a subtle alteration, but now she looks ready to step on a battlefield, 
      pregnant or no. All she needs is a sword. ~Your name is what all Garou 
      should do. Your name is a lesson. Do you keep this lesson, Ahroun?~

Joshua's throat bobs again as he swallows a third time. ~I...~ He starts to
      answer, grasping blindly for words. Finally, he at least manages a 
      responce: ~No. I do not hear Guides anymore. I can not... and I tried, 
      really! I did not mean to make him go away!~

The Roach Woman's inhuman mouth turns into a slight frown. ~Him? You have lost
      your wolf? You cannot shift? You cannot rage?~

Joshua's confusion only deepens, head trying to tip down even further until
      he's making eye contact with the ground. ~I... cannot hear him anymore.~ 
      He attempts, ~But... I can shift and rage. I just... I cannot... He left. 
      I swear I did not mean to make him leave!~

The Roach Woman's head tips slightly to one side. She takes a step closer to
      him, studying him carefully, her mouth-mandibles working and her antennae 
      moving in swooping arcs. ~If you can shift and rage, the wolf has not 
      left you. You are Garou. Human mind, wolf heart, wolf mind, human heart. 
      Flesh, spirit. Garou. You are both.~ She looks over at the others. ~He 
      does not know this? I smell the Rite of Passage mark on him... how can he 
      not know this?~

*He knows it,* Aubrey replies, raising her voice. *He simply choose to not
      listen or to accept it.*

Jacinta lifts her eyes just a fraction, but she does not answer for the boy who
      was never her cub to teach.

*He is a fucking idiot.* The Black Fury offers from her spot in the back of the
      cavern.

Joshua doesn't argue or contradict any of what was said, eyes instead wandering
      further down.

The Roach Woman makes vague clicking noises as she turns back to Joshua. ~You
      can rage. You can shift. You have not lost your wolf. Why do you mourn 
      something that is not dead?~

~If he where not dead...~ Joshua grimmaces slightly, still not looking up. ~Why
      cannot I talk to him anymore? I... can not hear him for very long-time, 
      and I tried a lot.~

Jacinta holds the words she might speak, but her face tells that there are
      words left to be spoken.

The Roach Woman click-clicks again. Upper arms folding, she says, patiently,
      ~You _are_ the wolf, little one.~

Joshua grimaces again, offering a week agreement. ~Yes... I suppose this is
      true.~

The Roach Woman nods. ~You are the wolf, and you are the human. You are the
      flesh, and you are the spirit. You are Garou.~ She speaks as though to a 
      small child, simply and patiently.

Under downturned eyes, a small smile forms on Jacinta's face.

Joshua doesn't respond to the repeated words immediately, blinking once in
      confusion as he tilts his head further down. ~Yes. I this is true.~ He 
      repeats back, voice no longer sure if this was the right answer.

The Roach Woman's antennae swoop upward, the back. She stares at him, her large
      eyes glowing television snow, and the soft hiss she utters sounds like 
      static, to match her eyes. ~You make words that I want to hear,~ she 
      says, accusingly. ~Not the words that you _truly_ think.~

~That is true. Guides was part of me.~ Josh attempts, not missing the
      accusation in the tone. ~But it... I...~ He fumbles for words for a 
      moment, jaw finally coming to a rest. ~I was not sick in the head. Guides 
      was real. I heard him. And now I do not. Since he is part of me, I think 
      that I have killed part of me.~ Joshua finally states as firmly as he 
      can, still a smidgen confused.

Jacinta grimaces. She gives a small, sad, shake of her head.

The Roach Woman frowns. Once again, she says, ~The wolf is _you_. If you heard
      your wolf as another voice, you were splintered and injured. If you 
      killed your wolf, I would smell it. A Garou without both parts is no 
      Garou. A husk, empty, is what that is. Wolf and human, human and wolf. 
      Your wolf cannot be a separate voice because your wolf is you. Your wolf 
      is you. Your human is you, and your wolf is you.~

Joshua lets out a quiet sigh, nodding slight. ~If you say I did not...~ He
      agrees quietly, or as quiet as the mouther's tongue allows, anyhow. ~Then 
      you are right.~

The Roach Woman's antennae trace arcs in the air above her head. She nods, then
      turns to look questioningly at the other Garou.

Jacinta raises her eyes as the Roach Woman goes silent and notes her
      questioning look. She shifts upward into Glabro, matching Josh, to speak 
      with a little less effort. ~Thank you, Spirit. There is one more lesson 
      he needs to learn, if you would consent. He believes, because he finds 
      the wild more comforting, that he does not belong among your children. He 
      believes there was a mistake in his blood.~

The Roach Woman makes impatient clicking noises. ~Mistake? Mistake? No, no
      mistake. I smell the footprints of the kinfetch. I smell the footprints 
      of the Rite of Passage spirits. He is my child.~ She sounds quite certain 
      of herself.

Joshua's jaw bites down for a moment, before releasing again. He doesn't,
      however, respond to either Jacinta or the Spirit.

The spirit, it seems, is perceptive, and she turns quickly toward Joshua. ~Yes?~

Jacinta turns her face downward again, allowing Josh to converse with the
      spirit without her interruption.

~That is not what I said. I said many of my beliefs run against those of the
      tribe that follows you.~ Joshua intones as simply as possible, trying to 
      keep his voice level. ~Others in the tribe say I am traitor, since I do 
      not embrace, love, or even support the Scab; I would rather see it not 
      exist. I am inclined to agree with the others in the tribe.~

The Roach Woman cocks her head. ~You agree with my other children that you are
      a traitor?~

~I agree that my beliefs run against theirs, in terms of ideology.~ Joshua
      responds. A keen mind might pick up that his statement was more or less a 
      'yes.'

Click-click, click-click. The spirit is chewing on this, her mandibles working
      visibly. Finally, she asks Joshua, ~Do you hate Man?~

Lures-The-Beast snorts in amusement at the question, ears flickering forward.
      Too bad that question isn't directed towards her.

~I do not hate man.~ That answer comes easily enough from Joshua, but then it's
      his turn to chew on words for a moment before he adds. ~But I do hate 
      man's works and ways.~

The Roach Woman steps forward to place one of her upper hands (a finger and a
      thumb, more like a small pincer, really) on Joshua's head. ~You do not 
      hate Mankind. That is good. You are young. You are my Parent's child. You 
      are Glass Walker.~

Joshua almost growls as the 'hand' is set on his head, but he bites it back and
      instead casts his eyes further to the ground. ~And if then I added that I 
      do not hate them, but know they will need dealt with? That there are far 
      too many of them? That sooner or later they will need reduced in numbers? 
      I do not hate them, but that is not the same a loving them for what they 
      are.~

There is a sharp intake of breath followed by a slow, disappointed exhalation
      from the Wendigo elder.

~You are a Glass Walker, not a fucking Red Talon, you stupid idiot~ Hisses the
      Black Fury as she finds her voice again. ~You should be worshipping the 
      cement they walk on and you running with them. You don't even act like a 
      Glass Walker. Just a stupid, retarded cub that refuses to learn~

The cockroach spirit's words and manner had been full of compassion, her manner
      maternal. Had been. But Joshua's clear rejection washes that away, and 
      she hisses in anger as she jerks back. The carapace at her back splits to 
      free her wings, and as they whir into activity she changes again and once 
      more is an arm-length brown cockroach with static in her eyes. ~Whether 
      you love Mankind or do not love Mankind, I do not care,~ the spirit says, 
      hovering in the air above the laptop that was used to summon her. 
      ~Whether you love the city or hate the city, I do not care. Cockroach is 
      older than the city. Cockroach is older than Mankind. Cockroach is older 
      than wolves. Older than Garou. Older than mammals. Cockroach adapts, 
      cockroach survives. Do you reject Us? We know the Weaver, but we are not 
      OF the Weaver. Just as the Glass Walkers, our chosen beloved children, 
      are. We are not Spider. We spin no webs. We are Cockroach.~

The spirit's hissing, clicking voice grows, filling the cavern until it seems
      to come from every corner. ~Keeps the Heart of the Wolf in the Mind of 
      Man, you may reject Cockroach, but you do this at your peril, for if you 
      do We will never help you, never assist you except at the greatest price. 
      Our wisdom will not be for you but at cost. I tell you this as fact and 
      not threat. If you reject Us, it is _you_ that rejects us. _We_ do not. 
      You are Glass Walker. You were born Glass Walker. You were found Glass 
      Walker. You were Rited Glass Walker. It is your blood, your heart, your 
      spirit. Cockroach is old. We have adapted to stranger things than you, 
      Keeps the Heart of the Wolf in the Mind of Man.~ Her eyes flash again. 
      She repeats, firmly, ~We do not reject you.~ And then she vanishes.

Joshua sighs sharply after the spirit vanishes, standing up. ~I am leaving
      now.~ He states clearly for the upteenth time that evening. His eyes 
      wander over to Jacinta. ~Or are we going to go over it again?~

Jacinta's head raises when the spirit begins to speak and her jaw drops
      slightly in response. But at the end, she nods in agreement, though her 
      face holds a frown of loss. She turns, finally, to Josh, one hand 
      sweeping toward the entrance of the cave. "Think on the lessons, Joshua. 
      Think on the gifts. Think on Duty, Family, and Rage. I hope we will speak 
      again. Someday."

Joshua starts off for the cave entrance, blood soaked clothing dripping
      occasionally behind him. ~Why waste time?~ He mutters, either to the 
      people in the cave or himself. ~We already established that I am very 
      stupid.~

Jacinta shakes her head sadly as Josh walks away. "Because you are one of
      Grandmother's Warriors. Because I care." Her words are quiet, though, and 
      whether they carry to his ears, or were even meant to, is uncertain.