"I oughta challenge him for being a bigger idiot than me."

[hazlogs]

4/12/04

Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 58 degrees
      Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the 
      west at 12 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 29.99 and rising, and 
      the relative humidity is 66 percent. The dewpoint is 47 degrees 
      Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius.)

Currently the moon is in the waning Half Moon phase (47% full).

Sliding the glass door open, you walk through into the dining room of the
      farmhouse.

Farmhouse: Kitchen and Dining Room

Homey is the first word to come to mind when looking at the farmhouse's
      kitchen. Dark, wood-paneled wainscoting covers the walls to about waist 
      height, dark beige wallpaper continuing to the ceiling. Twin 
      refrigerators occupy the north wall, facing the large six-burner stove on 
      the south. The kitchen counter runs the length of the eastern wall, 
      broken only by the double-basin sink. Cabinets run above and below the 
      counter and a twin-pane window is set in the wall above the sink. A small 
      pantry is set into an alcove alongside the refrigerators, presumably 
      holding the deep freezer as well as shelves of dry goods.

Some twelve feet above the floor, a large chandelier hangs from the ceiling,
      lighting the dining room and casting long shadows over the bar to the 
      kitchen. A long table occupies the center of the dining room, three 
      chairs setting along each side, and one on each end. On the west wall, a 
      large window looks out on the trees alongside the western pasture. Set 
      into the north wall is a large cabinet, its glass doors closed on shelves 
      containing a full compliment of fine china and glassware as well as a few 
      decorative nicknacks. On the east, a wide bar separates the dining room 
      from the kitchen.

An opening in the southern wall allows passage to the front entryway of the
      house, while a sliding glass door in the kitchen opens to a clearing 
      behind the house.

Megan's turning her head around to look over the shoulder with a moment's delay
      after the door opens, so that she's already facing Eve when she is 
      addressed. She looks confused briefly, but then something about Eve is 
      recognized, and the confusion clears to cool reserve. "Renee. Or, it's 
      Eve now, isn't it?"

Eamon opens the back door and walks in, then retrieves a beer from the fridge.
      He waves to Megan, then sits down and pops open the bottle.

Eve nods and sticks out her right hand. "Eve Walks-The-Darkened-Path. Cliath
      and Theurge of the Bone Gnawers. I'd like to stay, here. I owe Chiminage. 
      I can teach, but I don't have that much else to offer. If you're willing 
      to accept that."

Flash pushes open the back door and enters, barefoot and in jeans and t-shirt,
      with a bandana around his forehead to keep the overlong blond hair out of 
      his eyes. He's humming something under his breath as he enters, though 
      that gets cut off as he notices other people in the kitchen.

Megan glances at the hand offered across the room, but doesn't accept it. She
      belatedly gives Eamon a nod of greeting as he's making his way to the 
      seating at the table, then looks back at the Bone Gnawer. "You'll need to 
      work Chiminage out with Olga, who tells me she's claimed Eldership. 
      Renounced to theurge, too?" she asks rhetorically, with a bite to her 
      tone.

Eve takes the hand back and stuffs it into her pocket. "We all make our own
      choices," she notes, quietly. "I have not managed to find Leala, but 
      Alicia suggested that I speak with you conserning a Glass Walker by the 
      name of Joshua."

"Not that one," Megan responds immediately, a touch of acid in her tone now.
      "But I told Alicia you should speak with Leala, or take him to the 
      Dominion. What about him?" she asks, irritation creeping into her tone.

Flash's eyebrows rise at 'renounced'. He studies Eve with intent interest, then
      smirks and heads toward the fridge, going as wide around Eamon as 
      possible. "Ooh, /Joshua/." Opening the fridge, he bends down to rummage 
      about in the back.

Eve shrugs her shoulders. "He was wandering the alleyways of the city, coated
      in blood."

Flash jerks at this, banging his head against the inside edge of the fridge.
      "Ow!"

Eamon gives Flash an annoyed glance, then frowns at Eve. "What'd he do now?"

"Alicia told me this," Megan responds flatly to Eve, but then glances over to
      her tribemate, giving his question a nod as she looks back to the Bone 
      Gnawer to see her answer to it.

Flash straightens up and turns around, closing the fridge and then rubbing his
      head where he'd smacked it. His eyes go back to Eve, keenly interested.

Eve rubs at her jawline, while keeping her eyes downcast. "He came from here."
      She gestures behind her, toward the forest. "Claimed that he did not have 
      the time to clean, before making his way toward the city. Wandering the 
      city caked in blood is dangerous to the Veil, espically if the cops find 
      you. Its something that is very hard to explain away."

Eamon says "So where'd all the blood come from?"

"It was his own, according to him," Eve answers simply.

Megan's jaw sets. "It *is* a concern, but unless he was seen...I am not going
      to deal with it. Leala was chosen to be Glass Walker elder because she 
      expressed the desire to re-claim him. I've told him he must give being a 
      Glass Walker a true try. Let the tribal elder deal with him, and *their* 
      halfmoons. Unless they request my aid or need me to act *as* a philodox."

Flash pushes his hands into his back pockets. "I oughta challenge him for being
      a bigger idiot than me," the Ragabash mutters, looking sulky. "He's 
      stealing my fucking thunder."

Eve shakes her head. "I don't think he was seen, by anyone aside from me. Our
      encounter was less then, um, friendly."

Megan gives Flash a brief grin, which fades as she looks back at Eve. "Fine,"
      she responds tersely. "Leala. Or Natalie, who is now aware that something 
      is up, at least. Or Anthony. Anything else?"

Eve lightly shakes her head. "No, Megan-Rhya."

Eamon shakes his head. "That kid better clean up his act."

"How unfriendly is 'less than friendly'?" Flash asks suddenly.

Eve tilts her head to one side, then looks over at Flash. "When I left him, he
      wasn't able to speak yet."

Megan gives the Stargazer a sharp glance, but then gathers up the food on the
      counter into a bag at her feet. "Yeah, he better, Eamon," she agrees 
      darkly. She then swings the bag over her shoulder, announcing, "I'm going 
      to head back to the Grotto. If anyone needs me tonight, tell them to howl 
      for me south of there."

Eamon nods. "Gotcha."

Flash cocks his head a bit at Eve's answer, and then, at Megan's look, smiles
      faintly and hops up onto the counter. "Noted and logged."

Eve takes in a deep breath and releases it slowly as Megan leaves. "Well, that
      could have gone worse," she murmurs to herself.

"Bet it could have gone better," says Flash, swinging his feet slightly in
      order to thump his bare heels against the lower cabinets. He stares at 
      Eve with frank interest.

Eve runs that three-fingered hand over her hair and makes a face, before
      turning her back on the Metis and opening up the fridge.

In the front rooms, The front door opens, then closes quietly. Footsteps cross
      the living room.

Flash continues to watch Eve, his heels thumping rhymically against the
      cabinet. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Eamon swigs his beer quietly, then leans over to see who's in the living room.

Eve pulls a coke out of the fridge, along with an apple and a pair or oranges.
      She slips the fruit into her bag, then heads for the door.

Cutter strolls into the kitchen, the smell of cigarette smoke wafting gently
      from him. He touches the brim of his hat by way of greeting.

"Buh-bye," Flash calls to Eve's retreating back. Not waiting for a response, he
      turns a grin onto Cutter. "Hey, Frankie! Whassup?" He hops down off the 
      counter.

Eamon tips his bottle in way of greeting to Cutter.

Cutter says "Sammy. I was hoping I'd run into you. Wanting to quest sometime
      soon--get this project in motion. Wanted to know how soon you'd be up to 
      it."

Flash folds his arms across his chest and makes a show of thinking it over.
      "Hmm, well, apart from dinner with the Queen next Tuesday, my schedule's 
      pretty open."

Cutter bites his lip. "I wouldn't want to upset the Queen. I did that last
      week, and it gets old fast." He slips his hat off with one hand and 
      twirls it idly around his finger. "It's not an every Tuesday engagement, 
      is it?"

Tall, lean and wiry with long legs and an angular face. The current look evokes
      young Sinatra--the blue eyes topped with short well-kept red hair and a 
      felt fedora with a black feather tucked into the band. He wears a 
      retro-cut black suit and sunglasses with black leather loafers. The spot 
      of color is his royal purple tie.

Flash rolls his shoulders into a shrug. "Nah. Can't let her get used to getting
      a feel of the Flash."

Cutter says "Good. Met anybody who seems qualified to join up with us?"

Flash scratches at a chin, which shows only the barest blond stubble. "Hmmm.
      Dunno, couldn't say. All I can figure is we don't have a meatshield yet, 
      do we?"

Cutter shakes his head. "Nah. I figure we're bound to find somebody stupid
      enough, or somebody we can black mail into the job, given some time, 
      though."

Flash smirks. "If you like fixer-uppers, there's Joshua. Though he's all
      Weaver-thing-kill."

Cutter says "Fixer uppers or a culling waiting to happen? Tell me honestly, do
      you think he's got any hope at all?"

Flash considers that, his eyes shifting toward the ceiling. "Sometimes, once in
      a while, a good and honest hint of /brain/ becomes visible in that kid, 
      and I have hope. Then he goes walking around the city looking like he 
      stepped outta a slaughterhouse, and I start wondering again."

Cutter shrugs. "If you think he'd be good, then ask him. Although god knows
      where my brain is taking advice from a guy whose hobby is finding out how 
      to throw spanners into the gears."

Flash grins toothily. "And who has shit inside his skull, don't forget that.
      Anyway, the little ass-head'll probably turn me down anyway."

Cutter shrugs. "Maybe he's smarter than we thought, then. Warn him that we
      might spend some time in the city."

Flash unfolds his arms and gives off a sketchy salute. "Roger-dodger. Speaking
      of which, I should be spending more time out that way myself."

In the front rooms, Konstantin comes in the front door, and starts looking
      around. "Cutter?" he calls out. "Party can start. I'm here."

Cutter leans back to look over his shoulder and whistles sharply. Then he looks
      back at Flash. "Certainly would be glad of the extra paws. And I can give 
      you directions to the Crash Pad. Or K-Dogg here can."

"In here, Konnie baby!" Flash calls back. Then, to Cutter, "Crash pad?"

In the front rooms, Konstantin heads into the kitchen, following the voices.

Cutter says "Crash pad. For when you're contaminated and wyrmy or just need a
      place to lay low until the heat's off."

Konstantin glances at Cutter, then at Flash. The latter skeptically. He jerks a
      thumb toward the other ragabash. "He's in?" This spoken the way you might 
      say, "You found /what/ in the diaper?!"

Flash opens his arms as though to give Kostya a hug. "BROTHA'!"

Cutter smirks. "Gets better. He thinks we should ask Josh, Annoys-Everybody, to
      be our brick."

"Oh Christ," Konstantin mutters. He tries to avoid the embrace, but
      kind of gives up, returning the gesture like a limp fish. "Yeah, yeah, 
      that's /greeeat./" He shares an eye roll with Cutter, clearing his throat.

Flash gives the Shadow Lord ragabash a nice tight hug and manages to land a
      sloppy gramma-kiss somewhere before releasing him. "If we get him an 
      electro-shock collar, we /should/ be able to paper-train him at least."

Cutter says "And if Asteryx is still interested, that could raise the lame-oid
      quotient of the pack to beyond tolerable. But the extra warm bodies might 
      be neccessary."

Konstantin wipes off his cheek. "Asteryx?" More skepticism. "Only met the guy
      once. Riddle me this: why the hell would we want to pack with someone 
      who's such a freakin' basket case -- tribally speaking." He glances at 
      Flash, and adds, "No offense."

Flash leans against a counter and folds his arms. "None taken, sweet-cheeks,"
      he says cheerfully. "I'm paid to be a basket case, after all."

Cutter shakes his head. "I'm not interested particularly in tribal identity.
      I'm interested in people we can use to accomplish things, tools to fight 
      the war. Nest c'est-pas?"

Konstantin lifts his shoulders. "Sure. Sure. Not like the sept's going to trust
      us anyway... might as well take in all the fuck ups."

Cutter grunts and looks toward the front door. "Who the hell knocks around
      here? Must be Jay Dubs."

"Jay who?" asks Flash, then beams a smile at Kostya. "Thanks."

Desiree enters through the back of the farmhouse, burdened with a large
      backpack and camera around her neck. Her eyes narrow a she sees a few 
      gathered about in the house and sighs deeply. She murmurs a formal 
      greeting in Salish before repeating in English, "Good evening."

This woman's Native American heritage is unmistakable. She is short, barely
      above five feet tall. Her body is curvaceous and physically fit, showing 
      more musculature than extra weight. Dark, straight hair falls to her 
      shoulders, although it is more often pulled up from her shoulders in a 
      messy ponytail. Below high cheekbones rest dark coffee-brown irises. Her 
      eyes are almond-shaped, set between a well-define nose. 

 	 She wears several layers of warm cotton shirts, over which is a white
      deerskin coat with ornately-designed tassels. Her pants are basically the 
      same as the jacket, reminding one of a pair of cowboy chaps. On her feet 
      are a sturdy pair of boots. During these wintry months she can be found 
      wearing a scarf and, oddly enough, a cowboy hat. In field, she also 
      carries a light backpack.

Cutter says "Jay Dubs--Jehovah's Witnesses." He starts to the front door,
      leaving the others to greet the photographer. "Coming!"

Konstantin glances over at Desiree, then does a double take, and gives her
      longer thorough look over. "Are you a thief?" he asks the new arrival.

Flash nods vaguely, his eyes on Desiree; he stares at the woman frankly,
      looking her up and down and a bit sideways. Then he leers. "Hey, baby, 
      whassup?"

In the front rooms, Cutter leaves through the front door. You can hear the
      screen door swing shut again with a clatter.

"The last time I checked..." Desiree begins before Flash's comment catches her
      off-guard. "Uh..." she begins, "I have been around since this winter, up 
      at the Eagle Bluff."

Konstantin glances over at Flash, then smiles at Desiree. "Clearly need to
      start hanging out here in the boonies more often..." He crosses toward 
      Desiree, graciously directing her into the room. "Welcome. Welcome. I'm 
      Konstantin. That's Flash -- no seriously -- that's his name."

Flash wiggles fingers at Desiree, adding, "He's the cute one. I'm the smart
      one. Cutter, who's playing doorman, is the broody, soulful, artsy one."

Desiree chuckles softly and looks to each with a light smile. "Do not try to be
      too flirtious, boys." she says with amusment, although somewhat shyly. 
      "Not unless you want your throat cut out when Leonard returns. If he 
      returns." She offers her hand first to Konstantin, "I am Desiree 
      Skywatcher Keller, Wendigo kinswoman of the Colville Reservation. My 
      father is Micah Keller ~Crash-of-Thunder~, Adren of the Wendigo."

Cutter comes back from his conversation at the front door and holds up a hand.
      "Hey. New kid; let's do the introductions thing over."

Konstantin glances at Cutter with an unfazed look, most of -- okay 99% of his
      attention glued to Desiree. "Leonard?" he shrugs his shoulders. He looks 
      at Flash for some help here.

Flash shrugs right back at the other Ragabash. "I think he was mentioned at the
      moot. Some challenge or other?"

"Yes, Leonard." Desiree replies, "He was Alpha of the tribe before he was sent
      on his challenge, but he has not returned."

Konstantin, being right beside Desiree, not so discretely checks out her
      shapely rear curves, so fetching covered in buckskin. He gives Flash the 
      'OK' sign clandestinely, with a wink. "Well, hopefully he'll be safe," he 
      nods to Desiree. "How about a picture of me and my new best friend, 
      Flash? -- No seriously -- that's his name. Can you believe that?" He 
      crosses back toward the Stargazer, putting his arm across the thin gawky 
      kid's shoulders.

Cutter kicks Konstantin's chair leg. "Hi gang. This is Lucky. She's your new
      classmate. Would you like her to introduce herself?"

"But you can call me 'Stud,'" Flash tells the kinswoman, grinning.

Cutter kicks Flash's chair leg too.

Desiree smiles softly and bites her lip as she looks towards Flash. "Flash...
      as in what?" she asks curiously. She does not catch Konstantin checking 
      her out, which is lucky for him. "A picture?" she asks, smiling wider. 
      "Why, of course..." She unswings her packs from her back, setting them 
      off to the side as she prepares her camera.

Flash tears his eyes away from Desiree and blinks first at Cutter, then at
      Lucky. "Hi, new classmate!"

Konstantin frowns at he gets a kick from Cutter. "Hey!" he mutters. "Do you
      mind?" he says, petulantly. He glances at Lucky, flashes her a smile, 
      then turns back wide-eyed blinky-blinky to Desiree. "Don't worry; take 
      your time. Do you have a sister, by the way? I don't want Flash to feel 
      left out..."

Lucky seems amused, hesitating before doing any introduction... one, to watch
      the 'boys' ogle the young woman, and two, to make sure they're actually 
      paying attention. "Evenin', fellas. Name's Luz, but you can call me 
      Lucky, like the man here said. Or, hell, 'Hey you', I've answered t'it 
      enough. Anyway,..." She sets the duffel bag and her battered guitar case 
      down, "Fate's Right Hand, Cliath. Galliard. Strider. Blah blah blah, etc 
      etc etc..."

Konstantin shoots Lucky a somewhat patronizing, 'yeah, yeah, that's nice' nod
      and smile. "Konstantin Stormcrow's Silent Wing. No moon Shadow Lord." 
      Now, back to the /important/ stuff.

"Screw her sister," says Flash, hopping out of his chair (thus preventing
      Cutter from stopping him by kicking it again). He sidles over toward 
      Lucky, grinning, and sticks out a hand. "Flash Gordon Romero, hottest 
      Stargazer this side of the Far East, Ragabash supreme and cunnilingus 
      expert. Hi."

Konstantin rolls his eyes. "Oh sweet Jesus," he exhales under his breath.

Cutter eyes Konstantin. "Yeah. My thoughts exactly."

"She is fourteen," Desiree answers, "... although I doubt she would be
      intrested in any wyrmcomer." She manages to wrestle the cap off of the 
      camera as she looks across to the others introducing themselves to the 
      new arrival.

The Strider looks completely unabashed by the Stargazer's behaviour. In fact,
      she not only takes his extended hand, but instead of merely shaking it, 
      she kisses the knuckles not unlike one would a woman's. "Interesting, 
      that. And a Stargazer, t'boot. Menmaatre told me hell would freeze over 
      before I ever met one. But, to that last. If Dale Arden lives around 
      here, I'll fightya for her."

"Hey, now," Konstantin says to Desiree, quite seriously. "I'm not just /any/
      Wyrmcomer. I'm like, the mutherfucking KING of them. Better than Flash, 
      anyway." He puffs his chest out a little.

Cutter sighs quietly. "Cutter Thomson," he begins, "Knife moon Fostern Lord.
      And for some reason I was thinking of packing with these two. Luckily the 
      Pure Hottie kinfolk came to steal them away from me so I can get back to 
      my first love, internet pyramid schemes."

Flash's grin is wide enough to split his face in two. Then, over his shoulder,
      he quips, "Yeah, he's the King of comers... if you count coming /fast/ as 
      coming /well/."

Desiree looks to Konstantin, then to Flash. "Then I am not interested," she
      says with an emotionless tone.

Lucky eyes Desiree appraisingly, then chuckles at the 'boys' again. "You guys
      have no clue that there's like, actual courtship rules and traditions in 
      some places, do ya?"

"What?" Konstantin seems utterly bemused. No comprehension dawns in his eyes at
      all. He continues to look over Desiree with a thoroughly besotted smile. 
      "How about that picture?" He heads over to Lucky, dropping next to her. 
      "Remember to say 'cheese.'"

"She's dating a Wendigo," Flash says, pulling out a chair and going bonelessly
      into it. "Courtship is, what, kidnapping her and throwing her over the 
      back of a horse?"

"Wampum and brandy..." Konstantin throws in. "Hide the firewater!" he
      continues, getting carried away.

"I am single," Desiree replies, "... although, yes, I date Wendigo." She makes
      a guesture for those to be in the picture to gather together. "If I 
      remember there was a particular story about a Wendio..." she lightly 
      shakes her head. "Ya'll ready?" she asks.

"I'm always ready for you, gorgeous," Konstantin says, smoothly. He huddles in
      against Flash and Lucky. "Lend me some sugar, Flash. I am your neighbor." 
      He wears a giant cheesy smile as he waits for Desiree's shutter to snap.

Cutter takes a step off to the side, to get out of the way of the young super
      models. "The one where the Wendigo goes a courtin' and he does ride?"

Lucky mutters "Courtship prolly means asking her dad for permission to even
      /talk/ to her, but anyway." She blinks, and perks at the words 'story' 
      and 'Wendigo', and says, "Story?" She barely even seems to pay any 
      attention to the two young men crowding her.

Flash waits for the moment /right/ before Desiree snaps the picture and gives
      Kostya a smooch on the cheek. Lend me some sugar indeed.

Desiree focuses the camera and the shutter snaps as she takes the picture with
      an added flash to the indoor lighting.

Konstantin's eyes were closed, no doubt. "Take another one!" he says.

Konstantin is a young man in his late teens with a lean, wiry build. He has a
      generally unruly collection of close cropped sandy brown hair, long, 
      almost delicate fingers and a definite, although not unattractive Slavic 
      look about his facial features. He's dressed like a typical preppy 
      teenager, wearing a pair of freshly polished and stylish leather loafers, 
      a pair of snazzy looking and freshly pressed khaki colored dress slacks 
      with a button up cotton knit short sleeve shirt. The shirt is covered in 
      a vaguely tropical motif. Around his neck is a simple woven leather rope 
      with what seems to be a raven charm.

"/Why/ are doing this, again?" The Strider asks.

"Im-mor-TAL-ity," declares the blond Stargazer.

Konstantin elbows Lucky a little. "Hello?" he says to her, hopefully quietly
      enough so only Flash and she can overhear. "Flirting? Ever heard of it? 
      Sheesh."

Desiree clicks the advancer on the camera and focuses the lens again. "Okay,"
      she replies and waits for a moment until the men stop acting like little 
      school children. "Say... cheese?"

"Mmmf," Lucky comments, with a small headshake. "Darlin'," she murmurs, "/I'd/
      have a better chance than you two. At least I got some 'Native' blood in 
      me."

"You want some Stargazer in you as well?" Flash quips, letting his tongue run
      faster than his brain. He shows Desiree his pearly whites in a big broad 
      grin.

Konstantin snorts, dismissively at both Lucky and Flash. "She's clearly out of
      both your leagues..." He wears another tremendously huge, obviously fake 
      smile.

The flash goes off before the shutter clicks, and Desiree looks towards
      Konstantin. "Right," she replies.

Instead of taking Desiree's words as a rebuke, the Shadow Lord actually seems
      encouraged. "See?" he mutters to both Flash and Lucky. He almost /leaps/ 
      up from his seat. "Hey, thanks a lot, Desiree. You want me to give you a 
      lift down to the one-hour photo place?"

"Honey," the Strider smirks at Konstantin, "You ain't even ever /seen/ my
      league." She shakes her head, running a hand back through her hair, which 
      sets the beads a-clattering. "And anyway, /I/ know when and where t'play 
      th'game." She pauses, glancing at Desiree's camera. "Actually, I wouldn't 
      be surprised if she develops her own pics, friend."

Desiree shrugs her shoulders towards the Shadow Lord. "I suppose," she answers,
      "If you want these by tonight. Otherwise I have a darkroom set up in the 
      back of my pick-up." The poor truck is probably rusted through on the 
      side of the farmhouse by now. The Wendigo seems to smile to the Strider, 
      "She's a smart one..."

Flash leans back, stretching his legs out, and looks over to see what Cutter's
      been doing throughout all these light-hearted shenanigans.

"She," Konstantin labors to explain, "thinks 13 is a lucky number. So, how
      smart can she be?" He grins amiably. "Come on... my car's parked in the 
      drive way." As he passes out of the room, he asides to Cutter. "The 
      freaky Stargazer is in. Dumb as a bag of hammers, but he'll do. Ask the 
      Gambler over there if she'd pack with us... I mean, assuming she signs up 
      for a tour of duty an' all."

Flash lets out a hoot and pumps his fist in the air. "Score!"

Desiree grabs what is needed and follows after Konstantin. She looks over her
      shoulder towards the Stargazer and rolls her eyes.

Cutter says "I so need a drink."

Lucky arches an eyebrow, "Want some mace t'take witcha, ma'am?" she asks
      Desiree, chuckling.

He frowns, jabbing a thumb into his chest. "/I/," Konstantin says with great
      dignity, "am a complete gentleman." He looks over at Desiree greedily, 
      though, before turning for the door, and holding it open. "My lady, 
      please... I insist, after you."

Flash grins and rocks his chair, tipping it back on two legs, then letting it
      fall back forward with a thunk.

Desiree looks back to Lucky and shakes her head. "I have it covered," she
      answers the Strider. The woman heads out the door before the Shadow Lord, 
      taking his gentleman-ness.

Lucky turns her head and glances at Flash sidelong, "And, /how/ do we know if a
      male is lying? Why, his /lips/ are moving!"

Flash smiles warmly at Lucky. "At least we're consistant. So, you gonna be
      around a while or are you just passing through? If the former, you should 
      pack with us. Keep us in line. I, at least, could use a woman's firm 
      hand." He leers.

Lucky winks, "Careful there, or you'll see th'back of it more often than ya
      like," she grins, half-joking. "And, as to the 'should I stay or should I 
      go now'," Yes, she actually sings that bit of the song, even if a bit 
      mockingly, "I have no idea, just yet."

Cutter says "She's a Strider. They tend to... Stride. But if she can put up
      with you two clowns maybe she should consider our pack."

Flash's grin widens. "Oh HELL yeah."

Lucky smirks, "I'll take your, ahem, generous offer into consideration." She
      chuckles. "I'm always up for good entertainment."

Cutter smiles wryly. "In any case, welcome to town, Lucky. If you're planning
      to stay here then let the heads of household know. If you come to town, 
      feel free to stop by 1834 Willoughby Road. That's where I'm headed now."

Lucky taps her brain. "Got it. And, er... the heads of household here would
      be....?"

Flash continues rocking his chair. Tip, thunk. Tip, thunk.

Cutter frowns. "Uh. You know, I'm not entirely sure. But if you put up a note
      on the corkboard word should get around sure enough."

Lucky grins, and mock-salutes the Shadow Lord, "Aye-aye." She turns and looks
      at Flash, "So, Captain of Derring-Do and Arch-Enemy of Ming the 
      Merciless... You know who's 'Take me to your Leader' 'round here, or you 
      just exchange yer rocket for a rocking chair?"

"For the farmhouse," says Flash airily, "it's the Fianna Wonder Twins, Taslyn
      and Trevor. The Sept Alpha and boss of the whole shebang is Megan. Also 
      Fianna. Warder's Seeker the stay-put Strider."

Cutter says "Which might make it difficult for him to take you out to the
      caern. Let us know if you need assistance."

Lucky grins, "Might take ya up on that, bubba." She hoists her duffel bag
      again, "Inna meantime, I reckon I'll head out and cap th'night outdoors, 
      'til I get, y'know, permission n'all that shit. I'll catch you boys 
      around."

Cutter shakes his head. "Bubba. Frankie. Sooner or later I'm going to have to
      get me a real name."

Flash yawns, lets his chair thunk once more onto all fours, and makes a show of
      checking a nonexistant watch. "You sure do, Boss." He smirks and gets to 
      his feet.

Lucky grins at Cutter as she passes him, "Don't feel bad. I call lots of people
      'bubba'. I remember yer real name is Cotter." The grin widens, as she 
      winks, obviously joking the Shadow Lord.