Demons and Deathwalkers

[hazlogs]

Harbor Park Meadow

Currently on this gusty and cool spring dusk in the general St. Claire area, it is 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8.3 degrees Celsius). The wind is coming from the west-northwest at 11.3 mph. The ground is icy. Skies are hazy with no chance of precipitation.

Currently the moon is in the waning No Moon phase (14% full).

Moving carefully across the icy ground walks Sally. Smiling despite her occasional slip, she heads for the fountain.

Kevin Sterling walks into the area, glancing sidelong at the woman who gave him pizza a few nights before. He smiles slightly to himself, then stands quietly with eyes closed, hands in pockets.

Sally MacKay continues on a few more paces, her eyes sweeping the mostly empty park. Kevin is spotted easily enough, but it takes a second look for her to recognize him. "Hey," she smiles as she makes her way in his direction.

Kevin Sterling snaps gently out of his light trance, replying with a quiet "Hi." and a smile. He looks Sally over quickly with slightly tired eyes.

Bright eyed, Sally returns not only his general checking-out look, but his smile as well. "How's it going?"

Salem walks in from the fountain area to the north, moving at a slower pace than usual, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Kevin Sterling manages a slight blush at the return of his look, then directs his gaze downward as he shrugs and says evenly, "Pretty fair. Mostly looking for a place to stand in peace."

The blonde cocks her head slightly as she stops a few feet away. "Huh? Stand in peace?" Slipping her bare hands into her duster's pockets, Sally gives him a questioning look.

Xandra makes her way south again, picking through the meadow thoughtfully.

Salem pauses, hearing voices, and his eyes narrow as they pick out the pair of Sally and... someone he doesn't know. Lips thin, press together, frown.

Kevin meets the woman's gaze again, amusement in his eyes as he quips, "Yeah, stand in peace. I figured since I've been standing around for days now, and I hadn't tried this one spot yet," he kicks the ground idly with a foot, "so here I am trying it."

Xandra raises her head, recognizing Sally. Her eyes flick to Salem gravely, and then away again.

Salem shakes his head slightly and then turns away, dismissing Xandra with a passing glass as he faces the swollen river. He stands and watches it dourly, hands in his pockets.

Sally MacKay has yet to see either of the new arrivals. Confused, her attention remains on Kevin as she guesses, "You looking for a quiet place? Were all those dogs in the Church getting too much for you?" A look of understanding at his plight settles into her expression. "Dogs seriously suck," she sounds mostly serious about that, at least.

Kevin Sterling's eyes seem to light in agreement at Sally's first question. "Quiet place, yeah. Forest is nice for that but someone's always getting their pride hurt because I'm not allowed to enjoy the trees in their forest...you know?" He frowns a little, "I like dogs a lot actually. They're good dogs, they don't bother me and few times they've helped me out...but the town just rubs me wrong."
Kevin Sterling takes a silent note of the others' presence here, but doesn't look at them or allow any outward signs that he sees them.

Although she nods, Sally's nose wrinkles slightly in a subtle, probably unconscious gesture as he mentions the forest. "Well, I guess dogs are okay," she shifts her weight and runs her hand through her hair, settling it back from her face, "so long as they're, like, in a backyard or on a leash or something."

Xandra heads towards Sally, vaguely, kicking at the ice-covered blades of grass and shivering now and then.

Salem remains a still, solitary figure watching the river. The wind gusts across the meadow, tugging at the long black hair and whipping it across his face.

A wide smile creeps across Kevin's face as he begins to laugh pleasantly. He stifles the laughter enough to ask, "Sally, wasn't it? Would you happen to know a good place to get coats in this town? I need a new one."

[Kevin's desc]
Pale green eyes gaze out from the palid countenance of this boy. He seems in his late teens or early 20's perhaps, and is looking better than previously seen, having bathed. His expression tends to come across as thoughtful, and he seems unnaturally thin. Brownish-black hair is tied back tightly in a pony-tail, and cascades down his back between his shoulders. His clothing is of a used nature: an army field jacket with white dirtied t-shirt beneath, and some broken-in blue jeans. His shoes are of black leather and worn from literal miles of travel. Calloused hands curl reflexively almost into fists when he isn't thinking about it, and he seems as if on a constant "fight or flight" alert. The worn backpack slung over his shoulder sags with the weight of objects that clink softly as he moves.

Kevin Sterling notices Xandra's approach and makes a point of looking at her. He nods and calls out neutrally, "Hi.", making sure she doesn't sneak up on Sally unawares.

The kinswoman's eyes take another trip up and down him. "Yeah, you do," she grins at him, then nods, "Sally or Mustang, either's cool." Xandra gets a glance, but isn't recognized. "You looking for a cheap or a cool coat?"

Xandra's half-smile fades as she realizes Sally doesn't recognize her, and she ducks her head, shrugging to Kevin's greeting.

[Xandra's desc]
This is a slight adolescent girl, thirteen or fourteen. She has long dark hair, usually braided, and rich brown eyes. Her skin is a tanned olive and her hands are calloused from work. Her body, slowly aquiring the curves of an adult, is surprisingly well-muscled and moves with a trained grace. Occasionally her movements across a room break into spontaneous dance, completely without conscious thought. Her gaze is steady and thoughtful. Usually, she's clad in either jeans and a t-shirt, or a leotard, tights, and a small skirt.

Kevin Sterling fixes Sally with a roguish look, "I guess I'll have to say cool, because I want to look as good as the next guy, you know." He sticks his hands farther down in his pockets and a finger pokes out of the bottom of his jacket on either side. "This is not good, you know. I lose more change that way."

Sally grins approvingly at him, not giving the 'kid' a second look. "I had to get a new one a few months ago," she spin in place to show off her duster, then gives him the name and address of a store. "They had a lot of cool ones, at least when I was there."

Xandra stands there for a moment, staring intently at the ground, her cheeks flushed. Then, slowly, she begins moving again, doing her best to seem as if she was never aiming for Sally.

Salem appears not to be watching the others in the park at all. He remains alone, moody in his thoughts.

Kevin Sterling raises his eyebrows as he admires her duster. "I'll have to scare up some money and pay them a visit...or maybe I'll just pay them a visit. Thanks for the tip." He stands silently for a little while, watching the girl out of the corner of his eye as she walks.

Xandra heads down to the river, stopping to scoop up a rock, which she then flings over the sandbags into the swirling grey mass.

Sally chuckles, then drops her voice to a near-whisper. "Hey, no one told me anything about that. I bet you guys have tricks for getting things you want when you're, um, low on funds, huh?" She steps up closer to him, making it easier for them to converse with lowered voices.

Kevin Sterling turns his attention fully on Sally again as she steps closer. He grins, saying in a hushed tone, "Hell, anybody can take off with merchandise, you don't have to know any special tricks, although they help sure enough. One reason I even have clothes at all is knowing when someone stops noticing I'm there. It also helps when I'm hungry or need a drink."

Salem tilts his head, glancing at Xandra for a moment, then flicking his gaze briefly to Sally and Kevin.

Xandra ignores Salem utterly-- perhaps the Sally is rubbing off-- concentrating on throwing stones into the river. Eventually, she runs out, and stares fixedly at the sandbags.

Sally MacKay's eyebrows raise and though her voice remains quiet, her tone holds a hint of excitement. " 'When people stop noticing you're there'? Damn, cool!" Her words come quicker as she asks, "Do they, like, forget about you, or do you kinda fade out and they just can't see you?" A pause for a breath, then, "Is it, like, one of those, uh, trick-things you learn? Show me?" After bouncing on the balls of her feet a few times, she takes a quick step back to make room for this wonderous feat of Garouy gift.

Kevin Sterling blinks his eyes and chuckles a little, then shakes his head. "No," he says softly, "I can't do that trick, but it's kind of a natural thing for me. I'm kind of quiet, you see...don't usually attract much attention. Actually someone like you would make good cover; you seem like you catch a lot of attention. I could probably stand somewhere close to where you are and get away with murder before anyone thought about it."

*plunk* Apparently Xandra's found another stone. Then she turns to stomp off and realizes she's facing Salem. She scowls at him, and looks pointedly away.

"Oh, drat." Her smile now lop-sided, Sally steps back towards Kevin again. Quietly, "I thought it was one of those tricks, like healing or something."

Salem takes the cigarette from his lips and flicks ash onto the ground. A corner of his lip quirks upward in slight amusment at Xandra.

Xandra frowns at Salem and stomps past him, crushing ice between her feet. Just a little ways past the Ronin, she slips on the ice and ends up doing a half-flip before landing on knee, hands held close to her chest. She crouches there, breathing for a moment.

Salem turns as Xandra passes him. When she slips, he makes no move to help her. He just watches, interested in an arrogant, superior, idle kind of way.

Kevin Sterling shakes his head again as he smiles, "No I can't do that one, but I've seen it done. Drives me nuts. I'll tell you what, though, I'd like to learn it. Probably sometime in the future, and if I do I'll show you, deal?" Kevin's face takes on a concerned look as he sees the girl take a fall on the ice. "You ok?" he calls out to her and leaves Sally to walk toward her.

Xandra continues holding her hands close to her chest, and pushes herself to her feet. "Fine," she mutters.

"It's a deal," Sally agrees with a grin, then turns to look at whatever's caught Kevin's attention. Her gaze never quite makes it to Xan, instead it halts on Salem. She remains in place, her smile gone but not replaced by a frown. Her chin lifts a touch as she looks at the Ronin.

Kevin Sterling frowns, looking a little worried. He stops his movement toward Xandra and says, "You're sure?" His voice and expression are sincere as he keeps a solid gaze on the girl.

Salem glances toward Kevin as the other man speaks, and then moves his eyes toward Sally. His own chin lifts as he meets her gaze with the square-on intensity of an charging grizzly bear.

Xandra catches the eyes-meet-eyes of the Demon and the Deathwalker, and she shivers. "Yeah. I'm fine. We should get out of here." She shakes her hands out.

Kevin Sterling follows Xandra's eyes and takes in the exchange between Sally and Salem. He looks back to the girl and smiles as encouragingly as possible, saying, "Go ahead, just be careful of the ice ok?" as he jerks his head gently and indicates a direction of exit. He carefully walks back to Sally, glancing back at Salem a few times. When he nears her again he mutters, "Ok...I'll bite, what's this about?"

Xandra buries her face in both hands as the young man walks back towards certain doom, and then peeks out from between her fingers, moving a few steps backwards.

Salem seems to ignore Kevin completely. He continues to meet Sally's eyes, unsmiling.

Now Sally's lips twitch downwards, but not into an angry expression. Her face starts to turn away from Salem well before her gaze does; her eyes linger on his face till the last possible moment. Once the eye contact is broken, Sally continues the movement on a grander scale: her whole body follows her head's lead until her back is to the Ronin. Her body straight and shoulders tight, she tensely holds that position even once Kevin returns. He gets a one word answer, "Nothing."

Salem's upper lip curls upward into an expression of scorn. "Worthless slut."

Kevin Sterling draws his lips into a thin line and sniffs once, loud. "Yeah right." he mutters sarcastically. When Salem speaks Kevin raises an eyebrow as he looks around. His expression is one of amused understanding.

Xandra's eyes widen, and she looks between Salem and Sally, her hands dropping. Her mouth clearly shapes the words 'oh, no', and her gaze settles on Salem.

Sally MacKay's stance stiffens further. "Screw you," she tosses back to him without turning. Her arms rise up to cross over her chest and her expression tightens. Kevin, at least, might note that the effort is costing her.

"Not even if you asked," Salem retorts, the scorn dripping from his tongue and turning the air into poison between them. "Not even if you begged. God knows how many have already walked down that road."

Xandra drops into a crouch, hands resting on her thighs.

Kevin Sterling stifles a smile before facing Sally again, not wanting her to see it. He mutters, "Guess it's not such a peaceful place to stand anymore, huh?" His voice is neutral, his face carefully expressionless.

Well, time to +learn some willpower. Sally spins around, arms flying down and hands fisted. Her upper lip raised in a sneer, "Beg? You? In your fuckin' dreams." The blonde laughs coldly at his second insult. "Yeah, right. Like you'd even remember what that road was like." Her sneer becomes a self-righteous smirk as she forgets lessons of the past, "You're the one who's alone, remember? Kicked out, was it? I wonder why?"

Salem's lips peel back in a grin that holds no goodness and no humor at all. Thank god for the new moon, but the rage is _still_ there, snapping and snarling under his flesh and behind his eyes, dancing like the name Xandra's given him. He takes an aggressive step toward her. "How many, Sally?" he taunts. "Hmm? I hear you went out to the forest." Another step. "Couldn't wait to have a wolf cock shoved up your ass, is that it, you simpering, besotted, empty-headed little cunt?" Another step and a glittering sneer. "You don't even remember, do you, you drunken little whore. Blocked it out in a mist of beer, hmm?" The dark eyes stab down at hers, merciless.

Xandra scratches her face, whispering something softly. She darts a measuring glance at Kevin. "Hey you."

Kevin Sterling backs away from Sally a little, pointedly staying out of her way. He remains silent as he flashes a glance to the little girl acting ready to run. It's almost to see if she seems surprised at what's going on, or even if she's reacting at all. When she whispers he frowns as if to answer, "What?"

Xandra isn't as surprised as one might expect-- mostly, she seems concerned. Her hands clench on her jeans into fists. "You should get out of here." Her words are pitched to only carry to Kevin.

Sally MacKay's eyes snap back up to his, though her own flood of anger is hardly a bucketfull whem compared to Salem's. It is, however, enough to thrust the rational part of her mind off into some distant corner; the kinswoman, the Deathwalker, takes a single stomping step towards Salem. "Fuckin' bastard. God damned, fucking clueless asshole!" She takes no more than that single pace towards him, holding her position now, shaking with her own lesser version of rage. "Go to hell and get the fuck outta here."

Kevin Sterling shakes his head tersely at Xandra as he stands his ground. He looks around, hoping that no one else in in earshot of the ranting that is obviously coming from someone aquainted with the garou.

"Make me, you simpering little cocktease," Salem replies, glowering down at Sally. "Or go suck off one of your little puppydog _friends_ and get _him_ to do what you don't have the spine to do for yourself. You're a fucking disgrace. You're worthless. What the hell do you contribute to anything, Sally? _Nothing_."

Wearing an expression that is too heated to be properly called disdain, Sally closes another step. "You don't know shit. I know about you, though, be /damned/ sure of that." Though not continuing forward, she leans in agressively. Her voice drops and takes on a taunting tone now, "And what do you think'd happen to you if word just happened to get out that you broke the law?" Sally's pitch raises in a play on her own voice as she addresses the air to Salem's left, "Oh, hey! Remember when you told me about that, what was it?" Giggling, Sally twirls a bit of her hair around her finger, "That law where you guys aren't supposed to let people see what you are?" Both her hand and the act drop as she looks back at him directly, smirking. "Get the hell out of here. Get lost. Don't friggin' come back."

Xandra slaps her hand over her eyes again and reaches forward, grabbing at Kevin's arm.

Kevin Sterling watches the goings-on sternly. When the girl grabs his arm he turns and looks down at her. "Let go, will ya?" he whispers urgently as he moves to stand between the girl and the yelling couple, facing them.

It's a new moon, right? Right? The moon when Garou are supposed to be at their calmest. But you wouldn't know it to look at Salem, to see the rage leaping to the forefront. His fists clench, as though it's only by an iron-clad control that he doesn't slap the kinswoman silly right then. "You treacherous little _bitch_," he hisses, leaning close. A hand snaps up, pointing finger jabbing at her face. "_I_ keep my promises. But it's clear promises are worth nothing to you." A beat to let the violence throb between them, and then he spits in her face. "Bitch."

Xandra freezes, standing absolutely still, like a rabbit in grass. Her fingers tighten on Kevin's sleeve.

Sally's cool falters as Salem's hand flashes level with her face and she takes a step back, giving up some of her hard won ground. And then another. Her chin lifts arrogantly once more even as she retreats that second step. "*I* kept my promise, remember? *You* were the one who didn't, or did you forget tha-" her word is cut off with a sound of disgust as he spits on her. "God damned fuckin.." That little bit of Rational Sally that the fear from the near-slap drew back is thrown to the wind.

Kevin Sterling bears teeth in a combination wince-scowl as he tenses and jumps between Sally and Spitboy. He shoves Sally back away, attempting to push her off her feet, and whirls on Salem, shouting, "DO THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE DAMN YOU!"

Xandra moans softly and leaps after Kevin, hauling back on his jacket with everything she's got.

"Shut up!" Salem's voice snaps out with the unmistakeable tone of command -- and Kevin, at least, should recognize the power of breeding behind that tone. "Shut your god-damned cocksucking little mouth! I have kept _every_ promise I've given to you, cunt, and a damned few I didn't even fucking make!" His finger jabs toward her again, sharply, and his voice continues in a slightly (slightly) lower tone, though the words are no less clipped, no less angry. "The _only_ thing that--"
And that's about the point that Kevin steps in. Salem's reaction is immediate. Lightning-fast, supernaturally fast even, his fist pistons out at the other man's face.

Salem pages to Xandra, Sally MacKay, and Kevin Sterling: Btw, the shut up bit was directed at Sally, if it's not clear. :)

"You did not!" Sally starts to answer even before Salem is done speaking. Kevin's push comes out of the blue and the kinswoman sidesteps, trying to retain her balance. However the icy ground does her in and she falls, landing on her forearm and hip with an 'ooof!'.

Kevin Sterling takes the punch and falls back, landing between the man and Sally. He looks up, slightly dazed but coherent, "Fists are good...good," he gasps, "now find some other place to do this. They'll kill you if you lose it, you know they will." The tone of his voice is firm, and the attacker may note that it comes from breeding as well.

Salem turns hateful dark eyes on Kevin. "Piss off," he tells the other man with a snarl. "And take that blond cunt with you."

Xandra, pulling on Kevin, tumbles down with him with a squeak. Half on him, she rolls away, quickly, cursing fluently in another language.

Kevin Sterling stares back solidly at the standing garou, blood beginning to drip from his nose. He makes no move, says no word.

Salem returns the gaze steadily, locking on to the other's eyes with a grim, arrogant determination, the kind that's walked through fire, and darkness, and madness, and pain, and come out the other side alive, comma dammit.

Sally MacKay recovers quickly enough. Muttering a curse as she slips while getting back up to her feet, she graces Kevin with her first glare. "Stay the hell outta this," she sounds just as pissed off at him as she did at Salem. Then her attention returns to the dark Garou. "Fuck you, I go where I want."

Xandra curses again and snaps something at Sally in irate Romany, from where she's standing a little away.

Kevin Sterling pays no attention to Sally, trying to maintain his eye contact with the other garou. His eyes hold no anger, only urgency. Go, leave before you lose control.

Salem stares back, the muscles in his jaw tightening; new moon or not, the rage coils and snarls under his flesh, turning the area around him into a haze of potential violence. "Drop your eyes," he says. His voice has dropped to a low rasp, the words colored by a faint but noticeable accent, somewhere European. "Unless you wish me to break every one of your limbs, _drop_ _your_ _eyes_."

Sally's glares between the two Garou then mutters 'bastard' at one or perhaps both of them. Finally, after long last, she notices Xan again and recognizes her. Her eyes widen a touch and she glances at the two men before making an abrupt shooing motion with her hand. "Go before the shit explodes," she says in a quiet voice little friendlier than her muttered insult. As the staredown goes on and Salem speaks, Sally moves away from both them and Xan, trying to make her moving appear nothing more than a casual wander.

Sirocco comes through the rusted chain-link fence along the street into the park.
Sirocco has arrived.

[Sirocco's desc]
Eyes of amber-gold, flecked with bits of autumn rust, peer curiously out onto the world. Everything seems to catch her interest, from the simple melody of a songbird to the intricate threads of conversations around her. Often, she seems lost in contemplation, dark hair draping gently across her narrow features. Her lean 5'7" form moves with an unconscious grace, not the affectations of most teenagers, but a genuine familiarity with herself and who she is, body and soul. Her skin is a soft coffee color, her cheeks tanned a bit russet-brown by wind and sun. She wears a pair of dark brown leather hiking boots that seem generally no worse for wear, only a few scuffs here and there. Faded buttonflies fall over her ankles, frazzling slightly at the hems. A rust-colored t-shirt is visible beneath an ochre-toned flannel shirt, worn unbuttoned and untucked. A beat-up leather jacket, bearing a few military patches and more than a few scrapes hangs loosely across her thin frame. A few necklaces compete for space at her throat, different beads and small pendents clinking gently as she moves.

Xandra spits at Sally (figuratively, this time), "You go. You should /know/ better. Get your friends killed... do you even /have/ friends?" And then, as Sally begins to move away, her mutterings subside, and she says, "Good."

Kevin Sterling sits steady. As Sally and the girl make their way off he gets to his feet, then directs his gaze at Salem's chin. "Dropped." is all he says, then he turns and follows Sally's direction, but does not walk directly toward her.

Xandra pages all: Xan isn't actually moving away.

Sirocco blinks a bit, having noticed all the people as she walked up, but not prepared for the sort of... tension... that she encounters.

Salem inhales a breath of cold air through his nostrils and lifts his chin, the dark eyes gleaming. Just at that moment, he looks every bit of his Shadow Lord breeding. He folds his arms across his chest, glowering at the trio, the rage coiling about him like a live thing, a rabid rotweiller on a very short leash.

This is just not Sally's night. Scowling in Xandra's direction, she opens her mouth to speak, then snaps it shut. "Fuck you," she finally settles on. Now stopped, she notices Kevin coming her way and jabs a finger in his direction. "And you stay the hell away from me."

Kevin Sterling wipes blood from his nose and stares at it on his fingers for a second. He looks up at Sally, then flicks a drop of it at her. "You don't kill yourself on my time." he says as he walks away...

Xandra crosses her own arms, glowering after Sally and Kevin. Her tension and anger is, of course, dwarfed by the demon standing behind (?!) her, but she seems to have completely forgotten him for the heartbeat. Her entire body quivers, like a bow about to snap.

Sally moves away from the flicking motion, perhaps the blood misses her, perhaps not. In the growing darkness it's hard to tell. "Fuck off," she mutters, not even bothering to say it loud enough for him to easily hear. Two down, one to go. Sally looks back to Salem, anger and question in her eyes.

Kevin Sterling probably doesn't hear the expletive as he leaves...

Kevin Sterling struggles his way out of the park, climbing over the rusted chain-link fence in the west.
Kevin Sterling has left.

Salem lifts his chin another fraction as he stares back at Sally. "You're the one who turned her back first," he says, with quiet steel in his voice. "You were _always_ the one who turned her back first. Not I, Mustang."

Sirocco quietly regards the scene for a time, either unsure or unable to decide how best to enter or exit the emotionally charged verbal fracas.

"I helped you. Even after you pulled your shit, I still helped you." Sally may be looking ar him directly, but this time she does not jerk her chin up to match his pose. "I never broke my promise," her voice is just loud enough to reach him. "*You* did."

Xandra twists her head to look at Salem and then Sally, and then mutters, "Hell. Y'never give up. Die in each other's arms already. Give you poisons, but you don't need 'em." And she starts to vaguely pick her way away from the obsessed pair.

"Bullshit," says Salem, curtly. "That 'shit' I pulled was to protect you, since you clearly have no fucking clue how to protect yourself." He jabs a finger in Xandra's direction. "_This_ little slit has ten times the foresight and common sense you do, Sally MacKay. _She_ will probably live to see twenty-five." Xandra's words slip right past him, unheard.

Xandra is too busy muttering to herself in Romany as she picks her way across the steadily-darker field to notice Salem pointing at her.

Sally also ignores the teen's words. "I can take care of myself," she informs him. "You were suppo-" she cuts herself off, looking pointedly at Xandra now; blonde eyebrows raise expectantly until she tuens to go. Back to Salem, "You were supposed to keep your word."

Salem grimaces, his patience worn seriously thin. "And which word was that, Sally, hmm? I've answered every question you've put to me, even volunteered a few things."

Sirocco apparently had started to head away, but turns back upon hearing the mumurings of the Romany tongue. She narrows her gaze, glancing at the young girl from whom the stream of language is coming from.

"At first, yeah. But then you called the deal off and got all pissy." Sally's tone is not an accusing one. "Remember?" She shurgs and her voice drops further, "It's friggin' late now, but you were going to tell me about the silver."

Sirocco makes a point to skirt the argumentative pair carefully, then quietly walks closer to the teenage girl. As the girl continues to let loose with her Romany ranting, she casually offers a few words in the same language.

Salem scowls. "I _get_ pissy, Sally. It's a bloody fucking fact of life." He shakes his head and glances up, dark eyes sweeping the area and noting the other figures coldly. "Fuck this," he says, turning back to Sally. "Not here, not now. If you can possibly stand to keep your mouth shut and use the empty space between your ears, give me a call tomorrow."

Xandra glances over at Sirocco and seems... oddly... worried. She leaps sideways, away from the other woman and clamps her mouth shut.

Sirocco shrugs faintly, taking a step back from the young girl. "Sorry. It wasn't my place to intrude. Its just... I don't hear the Tongue much, especially around here."

Xandra ducks her head. "Neither do I." Her eyes slide over the woman.

Sally MacKay's anger edges back at his further insults. "Go to hell," she starts as she does just what he said she did: she's the first to turn her back on him both physically and emotionally. "I don't need you anymore. I can ask anyone." She stalks off into the night.

Salem's voice snaps out toward the blonde. "I don't need you either, Mustang. _Nobody_ needs you, in fact. Remember that, when they decide to cull your worthless ass." And then he stalks off himself, rather more stiffly than usual. One hand comes up and presses against his side unobtrusively, just before his passses out of sight.

Salem struggles his way out of the park, climbing over the rusted chain-link fence in the west.

Salem has left.