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The It (Part II)
[The day after Kathryn's encounter with the monster.] Kathryn Wolf-Dancer leads the hunting party through the mountains to an open clearing, the place where she was so recently mauled. The aura about the place is undefinably disturbing, though that could just be an effect of the day-old blood staining the snow and the old, half-devoured deer carcass. The trees all around are stripped of bark for several meters off the ground, and the wide, black entrance of a cave leads into the ground. There's a smell of death that's sharper than the winter air, and the reek of some heavy animal -- wolf and bear and something acrid and metallic, mixed in with blood. The monster is not visible. Wolf-Dancer points with her muzzle at the cave. This one first saw the beast in there. This place stinks bad, how can it not be of the Wyrm? This last comment is directed at the Uktena Mule. Red-Belly snorts. Always the outer appearances. dung stinks as well. I do not slay those who defacate within my sight. Night's-Justice shivers slightly, and looks to Shadow Eyes. ~Can Shadow Eyes sense?~ Shadow Eyes pads along silently in the snow, moving unusually so for a city born dog. He flick an ear. He spares a glance to the mule, then to the cave. This one does smell the Enemy. Night's-Justice growls sharply, walking to a point almost behind the Theurge. Jabs simply pads forward along with the rest, close to the front and Wolf-Dancer. Quiet. Walks-Far-Alone moves up right next to Red-Belly, back in Hispo form once more. Turning her head to stare at him, she conveys one word: Quiet. Those with sharp senses can hear movements within the cave, accompanied by a kind of heavy, snorting breathing, like someone with clogged sinueses. Red-Belly's eyes begin darting wildly from object to object. Several times he opens his jaws as if to howl, then closes them again. Finally, he speaks in a wolf-gesture speech. Allow me to draw the thing out. I wish this to be accomplished with a minimum of bloodshed. Shadow Eyes pads forward cautiously, trying to will himself lighter. He uses his pack gift to heighten his senses to an extreme and wags his tail slightly. It may be asleep? He moves forwards a bit. Wolf-Dancer limps towards the back of the group. This one will only hinder your efforts, she shall stay back, unless you are in dire needs. Good Luck, and may you all come out of this alive. Just as Shadow Eyes moves forward, a deep, thick growl, big as a Garou in Hispo, emits from the blackness of the cave. Threatening, angry. The message is understably wolf speech, but gutteral and coarse, distorted. Intruders. Go away. In one quick move, Walks-Far's jaws open and seek the Metis' scruff as his jaws open, the Uktena's words of intended warning not far from her mind. Night's-Justice crouches down, the Hispo ready to spring at moment's notice. Shadow Eyes curses. It knows we are here. Red-Belly gives a low, quiet growl as he leaps away from Walks-Far. Hardly the time to pick a fight, fool. Shadow Eyes chuffs to Red-Belly. Prove your words, since it knows we are here. Go get it. Jabs takes the moment to shift up to Hispo in preparation. Jabs contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Jabs shifts into Hispo form. Another growl, and as the creature moves, a wave of its thick, rank odor hits Garou nostrils. Evil, it snarls. Go away. Mine! This mine! Walks-Far-Alone starts to step after the mule, then turns towards the cave as the growling starts. Later, she promises. Wolf-Dancer steps back further, snarling, and takes the hispo form, slowly. This one is angry, that thing should not be! Red-Belly grows more agitated as the thing's anger grows. Please! It is foolish to fight this thing! We must call for an elder, or one who has wisdom in the ways of the Wyrm... The unseen creature continues to growl from the depths of its cave, angry at the intrusion but remaining in its lair. Mine, it repeats in gutteral wolf speech. Mine! Shadow Eyes chuffs. What is yours? Night's-Justice stays crouched, and blinks. ~Evil....he means us.~ Shadow Eyes moves carefully to one side of the opening. Huffing, deep-chested breaths from within, and a snort. Mine. This mine. Evil! You go! Jabs peels his lips back, lowering his front half down to the snow. You paged Shadow Eyes with 'You can hear it moving around in there, but not moving much. Probably not a particularly roomy cave. You can smell blood. It's wounded, probably from its fight with Kath.'. Walks-Far-Alone remains where she is, tensed, as Shadow Eyes talks, awaiting some signal from him. Shadow Eyes chuffs. I think it is wounded. We should draw it out and kill it now. How I wish ~Cutter~ had been able to come. Red-Belly growls again. I will hinder your efforts to slay it as well as I can until it has been proven to be tainted. Who among you can Sense Wyrm? Night's-Justice flicks his muzzle to Shadow Eyes. This one knows Shadow Eyes can, and he has already sensed the Enemy. Shadow Eyes can, does, and has. Jabs snaps his teeth at Red-Belly. Go in back and stay out of this one's way. He resumes watching the opening and Shadow Eyes. Wolf-Dancer, seeing Red-Belly being harried by the other, whuffs out to him. ~Stay back here, and protect me, Red-Belly. I am wounded.~ The beast within the cave stops growling for a moment, makes a few huffing, burbling noises, and then returns to growling. Red-Belly snorts at Wolf-Dancer. Ah, so you deign to speak with me. Very well then. He curls up on the ground, and begins to nonchalantly clean himself. Walks-Far-Alone snaps her jaws. Yes, go protect the Charach, unless you'd like us to check her for Wyrm first, too? Shadow Eyes has sensed the Wyrm on it, Red-Belly. Go in and draw it forth, as you said you would earlier. Night's-Justice keeps a sharp as an eye as he can, hoping to see something. Jabs snaps his teeth again. Keep him away. He slinks forward, close to the ground and moving forward to the cave entrance. Red-Belly rises, and begins to walk towards the entrance very slowly, and with his head hund low to the ground. Towards the beast, in a low, humble voice, he whines out a greeting. Hello, Great Master of the Woods. I come to you with news. The cave entrance remains black. A Garou could fit in there, even in Hispo or Crinos, if said Garou crouched down. The beast snarls angrily. Go away! Walks-Far-Alone starts to follow after Jabs, only to be passed by Red-Belly. She gives the indecisive Metis another ill-tempered look. Shadow Eyes takes this opportunity to move to one side of the cave entrance, close now to the rock. Night's-Justice creeps a little closer to the cave mough, bristling. Red-Belly whines again. I bring you prey, Master of Predators. Surely you are hungry? Shadow Eyes flicks an ear at Red-Belly. Buh?? Jabs gives Red-Belly another snarl, then to Shadow Eyes, get ready. The Uktena metis' words bring only another snarl from the unseen beast. No! You come kill! Think me finish. Me no finish. Kill you plenty. Go away! Night's-Justicesears flatten back at the Uktena, eyes going dark. ~You. Backstabbing. Bastard!~ Wolf-Dancer shakes her head as the garou walk towards the cave. No cohesion, she whuffs. Walks-Far-Alone steps up next to Jabs, towards the spot she had intended for before the Metis passed by. By doing so she's standing slightly behind Red-Belly, him between the mouth and herself, to the left side of the opening. Jabs, with all the balls of Razor behind him, breaks in to snapping barks as he lunges forward into the maw of the cave. Night's-Justice gallops to the side of the cave opening, waiting besides it at a distance, opposite Shadow Eyes. Red-Belly whirls around. See, master, I protect your den! He then advances toward Jabs, baring his fangs. Shadow Eyes's plan, whatever it was, had not reckoned with the Ban of Weasel. His ears go straight up in the air at his tribemate's rash action and he barrels forth. Seeing what Red-Belly has planned, he changes course slightly, seeking to push the metis into the cave. Wolf-Dancer howls a warning to Jabs. ~Behind you! The Mule!~ Night's-Justice forgets the pushing, and barrels towards the traitorous Metis, fangs bared. Weasel would indeed be proud of Jab's fury and fearlessness as Jabs dive into the cave entrance and half disappears from view, but within the dark, narrow confines of the underground lair, the Bone Gnawer meets only a huge, flattened muzzle full of sharklike teeth, teeth that lunge forward and snap, meeting the lunge with murderously biting jaws. Walks-Far-Alone's already behind the Metis, and since she can't get into the cave, she attacks the next best thing: Red-Belly's undefended back. Sweeping her head low, her jaws seek his hind leg, biting to snap the bone (if she connects). Red-Belly speaks, but now it is in slurred Garou-speech, garbled by his Lupus throat. ~Please, I am trying to gain his trust! I have betrayed no-one!~ Red-Belly dives deeper into the darkness of the cave, away from the accusing fangs of the Garou. Night's-Justice hurls himself at the traitor, maw open to strike the target, held outside the cave by Jabs and Walks-Far-Alone. Shadow Eyes chuffs. Get the Thing and Jabs, first. Jabs, goes head first into the cave, where the sound of teeth snapping together echoes from the maw. A split-second later, Jabs' head emerges completely intact, as evidenced by the fact that his lips-parting, snarling barks continue. Walks-Far-Alone using her greater Hispo mass to Red-Belly's lesser, she drags him away from the cave, taking no care at all not to further mangle his leg. There's no sign of the beast, which - showing feral cunning - doesn't follow Jabs out of the cave. It's growls rise in volume and outrage. See! You come kill! Go away, evil! Go away! Night's-Justice spins from the Uktena. ~/You're not worth staining my teeth.~ and moves towards the mouth of the cave, towards Jabs, but remaining outside. Shadow Eyes looks to Jabs. How are we gonna get that thing outta there? Go in in Crinos? Red-Belly lets out a loud snarl, his jaws snap with vicous fury at Walks-Far's throat. Jabs doesn't appear to hear Shadow Eyes, as he's in the process of going WarForm anyway. Jabs contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Shadow Eyes contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Jabs shifts into Crinos form. Shadow Eyes sparkles and blurs, shifting into Crinos form. Shadow Eyes growls. ~We try to jerk it out?~ Walks-Far-Alone's throat would be hard to get to, what with her head lowered to hold onto his leg. The Metis' teeth rake across the top of her head and cheek, opening bloody tears. Still she bares down on his leg. *Snap!* Jabs quickly says ~Get ready.~ as he does attempt just that, grabbing on to some part of the thing and pulling. Shadow Eyes bends and reaches with Jabs, seeking to jerk the creature out of it's shell of stone. Red-Belly howls in rage and pain. Great One! Don't leave the safety of your den! The Evil Ones would destroy you! Red-Belly contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Red-Belly shifts into Crinos form. Night's-Justice blitzes into Crinos, and joing the Gnawers, adding what strength he has. Night's-Justice contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Night's-Justice shifts into Crinos form. Without letting go of Red-Belly's leg, Kasie shifts up to warform. Both of her hands reach up, though with his leg in the way she can't reach more than his upper thighs and lower belly. She rakes her claws down through his flesh, snarling around her mouthful of almost-torn-off leg. Walks-Far-Alone contorts and blurs as she is transformed. Walks-Far-Alone shifts into Crinos form. Wolf-Dancer steps forward, slowly, looking to Walks-Far-Alone. ~You keep hold of that one, I'll try to agner it.~ She limps towards the cavemouth, and howls. ~Bear-thing! It is I! The one that hurt you so much... Wouldn't you like to hurt me back, some more?~ Jabs reaches into the cave first, his burly Crinos body blocking most of the entrance and effectively keeping the other Garou from reaching in. But perhaps that's just as well; the Weasel-son's arm jerks as _something_ clamps onto it. Red-Belly tries to scramble away from Wals-Far, away from the pain and blood. He howls out again. NO! Don't listen, King of Beasts! You must not leave the den! Shadow Eyes growls as he tries to help his tribemate. Night's-Justice rumbles violently. ~Jabs, brace yourself agaist the opening, and pull!~ Jabs scream-howls in pain, fire in the guttural voice as he plants a foot and /pulls/ like a fisherman hauling in a massive catch. As Red-Belly's leg is torn free of his body, the enraged Fianna tosses it away with a violent tossing of her head. With that obstacle out of the way, Kasie can reach up further to claw across his chest, though she does not come out of her crouch yet. Wolf-Dancer shouts a warning. ~Be careful of the metal thorns in its hide, they are tainted with poison!~ Whatever it is that has its teeth clamped on Jabs' arm is incredibly strong, but with the help of Shadow Eyes, the beast is dragged partway out of the cave, just its head and shoulders. The head is a horror, part wolf and part bat, with jackal ears flattened back and a bat's wide mouth and fanlike nose. And eyes so tiny that they're almost not there. It still bears the slashing wounds from yesterday, wounds that took out an eye and injured the delicate bat-radar nose badly. But it has a merciless, hyena-esque hold on Jab's forearm, and the Gnawer's fist is buried within the monster's maw. Night's-Justice claws the head fiercely, going for it's face. Shadow Eyes uses his claws to hold the creature in place. Hoping the cave will work to their advantage here and not let the tentacles out, he strains to hold the monster's head just out of the cave so the others can savage it. Jabs has his lips still peeled back. After Night's-Justice claws at the head, Jabs aims a bite at the thing's bat nose. Wolf-Dancer looks from side to side, torn between the two combats in the area. Deciding that Walks-Far-Alone more or less has things convered, she moves closer to the brawl with the hyena-bear, waiting to see if she can help at all. The monster flattens its jackalish ears as its head is attacked from three fronts; Bailey's and Elan's claws both rip at the oily-hided flesh, taking out the other eye and causing great rents along the side. Jabs finishes what Kathryn did yesterday in destroying the folds of the monster's nose, but the powerful jaws grind down on Jabs' arm; there's a sickening *crunch* *snap* as the limb is crushed. Red-Belly screams in demonic fury, and suddenly the fighters who are battling the beast are enveloped in darkness. Amid the sounds of snarling and roaring, his voice chos above the fray. ~Damn you! Damn you all! I'll see you bastards in Malfeas! Burn, you foolish bastards!~ The beast is just far enough out of the cave that its thick neck and shoulders can be seen, looped with the evil-looking barbed wire. Well, they could be seen until Red-Belly turned on Shroud, of course. Night's-Justice howls with Rage as he reaches a claw forward, attempting to throat the Monster. Shadow Eyes winces and tries to maintain his already held grip. He pushes his claws downwards, seeking the softer inner flesh of the creatures head. Walks-Far-Alone does not let go of the Metis, nor does she miss its timing with his yell. /Now/ she comes out of her crouch, her jaws falling open and her head angled to seek his throat as she pulls him towards herself. ~Traitor!~ she howls. Jabs lets out a growl-yell that would peel paint. His breathing has picked up rapidly, his lips have part of a nose hanging out of it. He swings with his good arm at the face of the Monster as many times as he can in rapid succession. Red-Belly howls in Rage, and you feel his body quiver in the darkness. His rank breath washes over Walks-Far as his frenzied jaws snap down at her face, seeking to rend skin from bone and spill blood on the earth. Thick, inky darkness engulfs the area, called forth by the Uktena's gift, Within, the trio of Garou attacking the monster feel their claws hit. Jabs feels it especially, as the monster turns its head sharply with the blow he gives it, an action that tears the already mauled flesh of the Weasel-son's arm. Night's Justice opens the side of the beast's neck, near the jaw, right to the flesh, and Shadow Eyes slams down upon the misshapen skull, feeling the thick, impossibly thick, bone crack under his blows. Then, suddenly, the creature is gone, releasing its hold on Jabs' ruined arm and retreating quickly down into the narrow cave, its thick, blood-bubbling growls a mixture of pain and anger and fear. Another bloody rip, then another lays open across Kasie's face as Red-Belly snaps down at her, trying to deflect the blow. Unbalanced as he os on only one leg, and quickly weakening from blood loss, the block is not totally effective. She gathers herself for another drive at his throat, Rage burning in her eyes. It's dark, so there's nothing to see, but you can /hear/ Jabs go completely nuts with the fire. He gives in to it, letting the Rage swell. A long, sustained gargle accompanies the sound of claws raking incessantly into Wyrm-tainted oily hyena flesh. Shadow Eyes howls in frustration as the beast slithers out of his grip. He tries to slash inside the cave, but pulls back also, not wanting to hit Jabs. Night's-Justice hears the inferno in Jabs' voice, and pulls back, not wanting to become a Frenzy target. Shadow Eyes growls. ~I felt it's skull give...~ The frenzied Bone Gnawer's one-armed slashes meet only air, as the badly injured monster retreats to the far end of its narrow lair, snapping and snarling in desperation. Night's-Justice nods, as it it could be seen. ~There's a new hole in it's throat, and Jabs hit it so hard /this one/ felt it.~ Shadow Eyes moves off to one side, back along the rock face until he is in daylight once more. ~I have an idea... Kepp it from coming out. If the darkness drops, feed Red-Belly to it.~ Jabs stuffs himself into the hole as far as he can wedge in, reaching with good claws and stump and grabbing wildly, slashing back and forth. Night's-Justice follows the Gnawer into the visible night. He rumbles, almost sounding like a sigh. ~I'd rather let Walks-Far-Alone have her fun. We'll do it after Red-Belly-ikthya has been dealt with. This one will sing for Walks-Far-Alone when next the Garou meet, and sing loudly of her vanquishing of the traitor.~ Red-Belly opens his jaws for another attack, but weakened by blood loss, he falls back on his one remaining leg. His voice rings out into the battlefield, high and mad, like the ranting of a witch at the stake. ~HA! turn in and slay your brothers, mighty Garou warrior! When the apocalypse comes, you will have oceans of my blood on your hands, and I will ensure that it stains your soul for centuries after you have abandoned your body! Ha! By the names of the dead, I curse you! By the name of my Father, he who was beloved by Eater-of-Souls, I curse you! By the names of the Wyrm, I devour your life! Abhorra, Mhasstrac! Relshab, Vorus! I will feed carrion to your ghost in Erebus, you bastards! As I die, I will slay your spirit! Bring your claws unto my throat, and I become the Master!~ With his maddened harangue echoing off the walls of the forest, Red-Belly the Mule slumps to the floor. Maw gaping wide in the narrow, stuffy darkness of the cave, the monster snaps at the limbs that come at it; though Jabs manages a few more flesh wounds on the thing, his good right hand and crippled mess of the left get bitten badly as well, injury received for every one inflicted. And then, abruptly, the monster lets out an ear-shattering shriek. Jabs body, blocking the hole, muffles the sound and spares his companions, but the Bone Gnawer member of Razor's Edge gets the full brunt of the sound, which shatters his eardrums and seems to stab right into his skull. Walks-Far-Alone's ears are deaf to the Metis' words themselves, if not their tone. Through the blackness her head arrows forward, her hold on his upper arms allowing her jaws to zero in on their target. Muscles clench and her teeth meet through his flesh, cutting off his wind, robbing his words of their volume... and robbing his brain of blood as she rips the traitor's throat out. The darkness lifts. Shadow Eyes blinks to see Jab's state, and howls. Night's-Justice wheels back to the scene as the Scene, and barrels over to Jabs. He places a hand on Jabs' chest, feeling ofr a heartbeat. Jabs is nearly blasted out of the hole from the ear-piercing scream. His body is sent straight upwards and flat on his back, out cold seemingly. Shadow Eyes sees his chance. Catching up a large rock, he moves into the beast's lair, still powered by his Rage. The silence afterwards from the monster is broken only by its harsh and pained breathing deep within the cave's depths. Wolf-Dancer jumps in front of the fallen Gnawer, ready to shield him with her own body if need be. ~Bear-Thing, come out, and try to kill, again.~ Blood on her jaws, blood matting the fur of her head, blood on her claws, Walks-Far-Alone draws her head back, spitting out the Metis' throat. The body remains upright, still held by the young Fianna. She seems hardly aware that the light has returned, and less so of the fight not a dozen feet away. Night's-Justice rises slowly, and approaches the Crinos Fianna, keeping a respectable distance. ~Glory to she who has slain the traitor. This one will sing your praise when next the Garou meet.~ Shadow Eyes looks in the entrance, tosses the rock in, hoping for a lucky shot. He moves back in front of Jabs. ~Night! Quit talkin' and get me that small tree there. Chop it off with your claws and bring it to me. Now!~ Shadow Eyes crouches, claws ready in case the creature decides to sally forth. There's a thump and a snarl from deep within the cave. Walks-Far-Alone continues to look at the body in her hands as Night's Justice speaks, then drops it as if she suddenly realized she was holding something distasteful. Come to think of it, she is. She blinks down at it, the Rage ebbing quikly away. Night's-Justice does exactly that, moving with a Rage-fueled speed. he carries the small tree to the Gnawer. ~Your command?~ Shadow Eyes grabs onto the tree. ~Put your back in it!~ He then moves forward and tries to use the tree like a fork, jabbing the creature over and over with it like a giant spear. Jabs is bleeding from his ears and out cold. His left arm is dog food from mid-forearm down. At the third jab, Bailey and Elan can _feel_ the *crunch*, and _something_ give way under the blow. And the weakening growls within the cave cease. Shadow Eyes continues to jab and stab it for a few more times, and then moves to the entrance of the cave to look inside. Night's-Justice lends his strength to the attack with the still-standignGnawer. Walks-Far-Alone continues to stare at the body for some time. Her tongue passes across her bloody muzzle as the activity near the mouth of the cave finally gets through to her. She looks that way, appearing almost surprised to see others nearby. Wolf-Dancer raises her muzzle to the moon, and howls long and hard. You paged Shadow Eyes with 'You can't see much, but you smell a lot of blood and you don't hear anything. Not breathing, not heartbeat.'. Shadow Eyes growls as he sniffs the cave opening, and tries to use the tree to fish the creature out. The tree, alas, is no hook, and doesn't seem much use at getting out the thing inside. If and when he pulls it out of the cave, all can see the end crushed and smeared with blood and, ugh, other fluids. Shadow Eyes moves into the cave, claws bared and ready. Night's-Justice follows the Gnawer, snarling visciously. Argent-Fury leaps out of the treeline, skidding to a halt near the mouth of the cave. ~Anyone around?~ Shadow Eyes vanishes into the cave and eventually emerges, dragging out the corpse of the monster. Its head has been mauled, clawed, bashed in and brained; hard to say what its head used to look like. The rest of its body is uninjured. There's a lot of blood. And the carcass stinks. Walks-Far-Alone stands over the body of Red-Belly, the snow red around the Metis' head and the stump where his lower leg was violently ripped from his body. Blood, both his and hers, streaks the fur of the Fianna's head. She starts towards the main group at a shambling trot. Lightseeker lopes in from a slightly different direction, silently. Argent-Fury looks at Walks-Far-Alone, curiously. ~Do I know you from somewhere, valiant warrior?~ Defends-Wolves makes his way through the sparsely forested mountains in wolf form, taking in the situation as he arrives. He looks once at the corpse of Red-Belly, then at the thing just dragged from the cave. Night's-Justice growls at the bloodies corpse. He looks around, and sees the others. ~See to Walks-Far and Jabs, they have been injured/~ Wolf-Dancer stands above Jabs' body, growling at the cave-mouth. ~Is the thing dead? I hear not still.~ Shadow Eyes chuffs to Night's Justice. ~Make /sure/ the damn thing is dead...~ He moves over to Jabs, and tries his level best to heal him. Lightseeker snarls quietly. ~Is it dead yet? Brightspot, do you need aid?~ Luna-Singer comes padding in quickly, not long after Defends-Wolves. She pauses a moment to take in the scene. Dead Monster lies where it's been left, quite dead, its head a broken and bloodied mess. Night's-Justice growls, and tears into what's left of the monster, making sure to avoid the barbed wire, while tearing it to pieces. Walks-Far-Alone arrives just in time to see the body being dragged from the cave; she spends much less time studying it than she had the Metis'. She turns back towards Argent-Fury. ~Bri- Walks-Far-Alone, Fianna GAlliard, Cliath," she introduces herself distractedly, then shakes her head no to Lightseeker's question. Night's Justice's attemps are valient, but except for being able to finish destroying the head and chewing off the paws, the Walker's efforts come to little; the flesh below the neck is almost impossible to harm deeply while avoiding the wicked, poisonous-looking barbs. Recognition shows in Argent-Fury's eyes. ~Brightspot? You are...Brightspot? You look different.~ The Ahroun salutes the Fianna. ~You have changed, Walks-Far-Alone. I remember you from my cubhood.~ Jabs is bleeding from his ears and out cold. His left arm is dog food from mid-forearm down. Lightseeker looks at the Fianna carefully. ~I'll tkaetake your word for it. And I will use your new name while doing so.~ Hunter comes threading from the south, pausing some distance away when he sees how many are gathered. Night's-Justice rises after finishing his work, and joins the others. ~What can I do to help?~ Lightseeker looks distractedly around. ~Is the Caern secure?~ Walks-Far-Alone thanks Lightseeker before replying to the Fang Ahroun. ~I have,~ she says simply. ~Your name again?~ Collin arrives with Seeker, looking worried. Seeker lopes into the area and shifts into homid, kopsh in hand. He looks around, surveying the area. Dead Monster continues to lie there, head destroyed, paws destroyed, and with superficial bites and claw-marks on the bits of flesh that can be reached between the barbed wire looping its carcass. Wolf-Dancer relaxes slightly as she realises there is no more threat. She sniffs at Jose's unconcious body, and whines. Argent-Fury eyes the corpse with distaste, then grunts to Night's-Justice in greeting. Hefting the largest rock he can lift, he slams it down on the barbs of the bane. ~Flatten the creature.~ Shadow Eyes falls into a deep concentration over Jab's arm, holding the pulped flesh in his hand. His eyes narrow to knive-slits of gold as power pours from hsi hands into the arm; the very living power of the Goddess. Night's-Justice grumbles. Good idea. Luna-Singer picks up on Wolf-Dancer's whine and pads over, nuzzling the Fianna gently in greeting, also attempting to distract her from Jabs. The big rock slams down on the creature. *Crunch* Its ribs break a bit, and sme of the barbs get dull and flattened. But man, even in death the thing is sturdy. Walks-Far-Alone watches the Fang move off without answering her question, then and walks back to the Crinos body a few feet away from the main group. Lightseeker snorts. ~Anyone else need healing?~ she asks, not really expecting an answer. Hunter finally comes forward to the very fringes of the group, not intruding on any of the cleanup efforts, but also making no attempt to hide. Seeker returns his kopsh to his pack. "The danger is gone, then?" Defends-Wolves moves over toward jabs, padding around quietly as Shadow Eyes does his work. Shadow Eyes continues to pour his power into the arm of his friend. The mangled flesh slowly begins to straighten and smooth, muscles and bone sliding to more correct positions. Collin peers around. Oh ick. Teethgrinder lopes in, looking for tasks that need doing. Walks-Far-Alone crouches down to all fours as she reaches Red-Belly, remaining in Crinos as she studies the body... or more exactly, its face. Night's-Justice indicates Kasie. ~Walks far does, as does Jabs. Walks-Far was hurt by the traitor~ He indicates the Uktena Corpse. Collin peers down at the Uktena's corpse, then blinks. Wha? He *really* tried it? Oh...oh man. Lightseeker tells the Walker, ~She said she did not. I will take her word for it,~ and fades further into the background. Collin looks vaguely disturbed. Night's-Justice shifts down to Lupus, and pads over to Wolf-Dancer, growling softly. Wolf-Dancer looks around, seeing Lightseeker. She limps towards her, and nuzzles her side. ~I think a rite of Cleansing should be done around here. There is a dead Wyrm-thing in the cave, and a dead Wyrm-tainted metis over there, too.~ Wolf-Dancer indicates the cave, and Red-Belly's corpse. Teethgrinder knows the Rite. He heads toward the cave. Dead Monster is lying outside the cave, a mauled corpse. Lightseeker notes, ~I do, as well,~ and joins the newcomer. Walks-Far-Alone is bloody, very bloody in fact, but if one was to look closely the only tears in her flesh are on her face and across the top of her head, alone with one ear being ripped. Argent-Fury is standing there, still pouding the Monster's corpse into mush with the huge rock, chanting ~Thump Monster, Thump Monster, Thump Monster~ Walks-Far-Alone answers Collin without looking from the body. ~He did worse than what he said. He did all that he could to get the attackers killed. He was a traitor to us all.~ Seeker frowns at Red-Bely's corpse. "What happened?" Wolf-Dancer sees Night's-Justice's expressions, and nudges his muzzle, briefly. ~I acted rashly, my own fault. You have no need to apologies, it should be I that does. I apologise, Bailey. I am sorry for losing control.~ Defends-Wolves knows it as well, and he joins the others near the cave. Teethgrinder begins to pad around the corpse of the Wyrm-thing. Glancing at Argent-Fury, he mentions that it would be helpful if the other Garou got away from the thoroughly dead corpse. The monster's near-headless corpse gets further mauled by the Silver Fang valiantly attacking the dead Wyrmbeast with a rock. Seeker nods. "A traitor's death." Night's-Justice whurfs. This one forgives you. We all lose control, sometimes.~ Shadow Eyes's shoulders bunch in unconscious effort as he continues to heal Jabs. Lightseeker snarls, ~Stop that,~ at the Fang. ~We need to Cleanse here. Get out of the way.~ Wolf-Dancer nods, and chuffs a little. ~Thankyou, Bailey. I will not attack a fellow garou in anger again. Never. I swear it.~ Night's-Justice walks over to Walks-Far, and howls softly. ~This one, when not shrouded in called darkness, Walks-Far-Alone deal justice to the traitor Red-Belly-ikthya, who called upon the name of his father, who was beloved by Eater-Of-Souls. The glory of destroying the traitor belong to her.~ Argent-Fury drops the rock on the mauled, flattened, pulpy and squished corpse. ~Me get out of way now. Sorry.~ Walks-Far-Alone's eyes are drawing to the changing, pounding Fang. ~Everything's okay here now,~ she says more to herself than to anyone else. Turning away, she shifts down to lupus and starts to leave. Dead Monster isn't _that_ squished, actually. Damned sturdy monster. It's mauled, but not quite roadkill. Shadow Eyes sighs and stands up, blurring down to Glabro. Lightseeker snorts. ~Good for you.~ Seeker's face shows nothing but disgust. Collin shifts on upwards, ontowards his Homid form. Hunter regards Argent-Fury curiously, still staying to one side of the gathering of Garou. Walks-Far-Alone chuffs a quiet thanks, the very opposite of Night's Justice bold words. She slips into the underbrush and passes out of sight. Argent-Fury nods to Hunter. ~Got too carried away. Can you understand me?~ Teethgrinder begins to growl deep in his throat, an oddly musical and ululating sound for one so quiet. It becomes rapidly obvious that it is a chant of sorts. The Talon continues to pad in a circle around the dead thing, wearing a path into the ground around it. Wolf-Dancer looks around at the scene of carnage, and limps over to Lightseeker, and her Rite partners. She sits and watches intently, absorbed in the Rite. Collin blinks at Teethgrinder, but doesn't get in the way. He sticks near Seeker, in fact. Elan coughs. "OK, I think I saved his arm." He takes a deep breath and turns to the others. "OK. Kasie needs to be cleansed, too, I think, as does this whole area. Purified. The traitor pronounced a death curse on her." Hunter sits down, still looking at Argent-Fury. I wonder what you would have done with it when you were done. Echen arrives some half an hour following Wolf-Dancer's initial howl, slowing from a breakneck pace that somehow hasn't managed to tire him. He allows the Change to come, retaking his breed shape once the tableau is in view. Lightseeker regards this variation on the Rite with interest, and soon begins howling a counterpoint, pacing up and down in the opposite direction as the Talon. Elan moves back from the cleansing, almost too tired to stand. He still manages to nod to Brian before sitting down beside Jabs. Bailey shifts up to Homid, and turns to Elan. "I don't know how to cleanse, but I think I remember needing fresh snow. I can get some." Teethgrinder seems pleased with his partner's counterpoint. As the pair pound a double-ring around the thing, eventually he slows and stops, turning inward toward the thing and facing Lightseeker across the body. Teethgrinder's rolling growl continues despite his stopped motion. Lightseeker comes to a stop a fraction after Teethgrinder does, watching him across the body, still whurfling her own counterpoint. Walks-Far-Alone's moving away from the group, her form merging with the darkness between the trees and around the underbrush. Teethgrinder gives a nearly-imperceptible signal with one ear to Lightseeker. Argent-Fury half-growls, half-speaks. ~This one would have destroyed the body utterly, wolf-kin.~ After about 40 minutes, Jabs starts to move his head slightly back and forth. Brian coughs slightly, his attention following the beginnings of Walks-Far-Alone's departure. "I'm just spitballing here, not being a theurge and all, but maybe we ought to, say, check the girl for signs of Wyrm taint before we go trying to Cleanse her and everything else in the world." His eyes fall on Red-Belly's mutilated corpse, and he adds, "It's just possible that your traitor's 'curse' was a lot of piss and wind." Collin looks up at Brian, then rubs the back of his neck. Hunter turns his muzzle so he can look at the corpse, then looks back at Argent-Fury. It seems much work, but if that is the custom, it should be finished when they are done. Lightseeker does so, shifting upwards briefly to pour some water from a jug in her pack onto the body, and then shifting down again, chanting quietly in the Mother Tongiue, calling to the elements and Gaia to cleanse this blight that the warriors have killed. Elan nods to Brian. "Yeah, I can hope so. You're right, of course, Brian-rhya." He stands and walks to Walks-Far-Alone, and kneels beside her, eyes narrowing subtly. Argent-Fury lowers his head in deference to the Sept Alpha, one knee nearly touching the ground. Lightseeker flicks her ear at Teethgrinder. Wolf-Dancer still watches the rite, unable to hear the conversations behind her due to her deafness. Walks-Far-Alone waits at the edge of the clearing as she hears the Alpha's voice. Turning back, she sees the Gnawer coming forward and turns a questioning look towards him. Brian's attention slides towards what's left of the Bane and the Garou attempting to Cleanse the corpse. His expression turns on the incredulous for a few moments, and then he shakes his head and strides over towards Red-Belly's body. Teethgrinder allows his growl to slowly die to a dull monotone rumble. He raises one paw and places it in the wet pool atop the monster that Lightseeker poured. Those with the appropriate attunations can feel a presence disappear, and even those not so attuned may notice some slight lessening of ... something. Jabs moves his once-mangled arm up towards his forehead, dazed. Noticing lots of movement around through slitted eyes, he sits up quickly, too quickly. Obvious pain sends him back down to the ground. Teethgrinder's growl ends, and he nods a thanks to Lightseeker. Someone should burn the body. Argent-Fury shifts downwards, into his birth form, better to steady the injured Jabs with hands, rather than claw-tipped paws. "Easy." Elan touches Walks-Far. "Just gotta check ya for taint." He does so, even as he speaks. Seeker is still frowning at Red-Belly's corpse. "I did not know him. Why was he permitted to be here?" Lightseeker whuffs a thanks back, and adds, I can do that. I have matches. ~I am, by the way, Lightseeker, theurge of the Black Furies, of the Hidden Walk, packing with Edge. Daughter of Weasel.~ Walks-Far-Alone indicates agreement and stands still for the checking, mostly, anyway. Her ears cant towards the conversation around the Metis' body. Teethgrinder's eyes widen. A glorious totem. I am called Teethgrinder, Red Talon of the Moonlit Woods. Hunter continues to watch silently, ears swiveling from one side to another. Wolf-Dancer looks around, as the rite finishes. Noticing Brian, she shies away slightly, and tries to slip out of sight in the bushes. Jabs still flinches at Keith's touch, the fire in his nuts smouldering still after three-quarters of an hour of unconsciousness and a frenzy before that. Familiar shapes and faces ease him somewhat. Bailey stands, watching the carnage grimly, unsure of what he can do at the moment. Collin trots over to Bailey, then nudges him lightly with an elbow. Teethgrinder steps away from the shell of the creature to allow Lightseeker to do her work. Bailey turns to Collin. "hey," he says softly. Collin shakes his head a bit, speaking to Bailey quietly. Elan is nods to Kasie and straightens. "OK, you're clear. Go with Gaia." Lightseeker shifts to crinos, hauling the creature over toward the dead tree, bringing smaller burnables afterwards, then shifting upwards to retrieve her matches. Bailey sighs, nodding at the Strider Cub. Dead Monster leaves a smear of blood and other nasty things as it is dragged. Walks-Far-Alone's tail wags once slowly, then a second time no faster. Thank you. Teethgrinder glances over at Red-Belly, then at Brian. What is your Sept's custom in dealing with such bodies? Keith Mallory whispers to Jabs. "Rest easy, fellow Garou." The young Fang then shifts into Crinos form. Lightseeker growls, ~Once you people stop mooting here, we can burn this. Anything else need Cleansing?~ Brian exhales after nudging the corpse with a toe. "Burn this sack of shit too," he suggests. "I suspect Shea won't want what's left of him defiling the burial mounds." Collin makes a face at Bailey. Wolf-Dancer backs further into the shadows of the bushes, trying to keep out of sight. She shifts down to the wolf-form, to aid her efforts. Bailey shakes his head, grimacing. Elan grins as he turns to watch the monster destroyed. "Wow. Thank Gaia it's dead." Teethgrinder grabs Red-Belly's corpse in his teeth and drags it over to Lightseeker. Walks-Far-Alone waits to see if anything more is needed of her before giving the clearing a final sweeping look. She turns once more to go. Argent-Fury digs up the earth that the Monster splattered icky stuff on, then dumps it in a pile. ~This should be cleansed.~ The Silver Crinos also moves some rock to form a ring around the two cruddy bodies. Arlen throws the Uktena's corpse on, as well. Collin makes a face, "Oh, geeze. Like he wasn't hinting at it strongly enough." Brian runs a hand back through his hair, shakes his head slightly, and begins to head off alongside Walks-Far-Alone. "Remind me," he says quietly to his tribemate, "to ask Quiet to give lessons on when and what is appropriate to perform a Rite of Cleansing upon." Collin blinks at Bailey. Bailey looks to Elan. "What about Jose? He got bit by it pretty hard. There might be some taint there." Arlen looks at the Fang dubiously. Elan shakes his head. "It takes a shitload of stuff to Taint someone, man. You could bathe in that stuff and not get Tainted by it." Hunter makes a slight movement at Teethgrinder's question to Brian, but as Brian begins to move off, he subsides again, as quiet and motionless as before. Walks-Far-Alone looks up at Brian as the two head off. I will, she promises. Walks-Far-Alone goes home. Walks-Far-Alone has left. Bailey makes a face, as if tasting something very distasteful. Arlen calls to Brian, ~We were cleansing the aea. Not thing itself.~ Jabs absently flexes his once-mangled hand. Noticing he's still in warform, he shifts to breed form. Jabs contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Jabs shifts into Homid form. Argent-Fury blinks at Arlen. "Urmh well....I dunno. I mean the thing bled and puked and slimed the soil, right? Just in case. I don't know much about this Theurgely stuff." Bailey nods to Elan. "Ok. I wasn't sure." Arlen says, patiently, ~We cleansed the area arond it. I was merely wondering if the cave was still tainted, buif you do not have the Gift, then stop wasting my time.~ Teethgrinder, seeing things well-in-hand, steps over to Brian. Some time soon, I would speak with you. When you have more time. Brian pauses, lets Walks-Far-Alone retreat into the night. He turns and flashes a disarming smile towards Arlen. "I'm sorry," he answers. "I didn't mean it like that. Simply, let's not Cleanse half the world because the local bane bled, breathed, or walked on it." Arlen nods. ~That, I agree with.~ Elan goes back over to Jose. "You killed it, dude." Bailey moves over to Jose, motioning for Collin to follow if he wants to. "Yeah, bud," he says to the Gnawer. "Kicked some ass, you did." Brian nods curtly to Teethgrinder. "Not tonight," he says. "Tomorrow, perhaps." Then he turns and follows after Walks-Far-Alone. Brian goes home. Brian has left. Jose Figueroa looks up at Elan. "Que?" He sticks a finger in his ear to clear it out, but cringes. "Ow. Fuck. Ow." Elan slaps Jose's hand back. "Does it hurt when you do that?" Teethgrinder follows not far behind Brian's exit. Teethgrinder goes home. Teethgrinder has left. Jose Figueroa is looking down at his knees, not responding to Elan. Bailey draws a hissing breath. "Shit. That shout it did. Must have fried his eardrums." Jose Figueroa has drying blood still down the sides of his face from his ears. Argent-Fury waves a hand infront of Jose. ~Hey! You killed it dude! You're a hero!~ Arlen waits patiently for the area to clear before she sets things on fire. Elan nods. "He'll heal from it." He looks to Bailey. "Mindspeak him, tell him what's going on." Wolf-Dancer, seeing Brian leave, limps over to Jose, and licks at the blood. She speaks to him in the wordless speech of the wolves. This one is in a similar state. It eases with time. Hunter glances around quietly, but as Teethgrinder leaves, he too rises and turns to go. Bailey nods, reaching out a hand to take Jose's own. Jose Figueroa watches Keith wave his hands in front of his face. "Shit, dude. Fucker made me deaf." He sees Kathryn motion-speak and nods, still holding his ear. Wolf-Dancer sits down, in front of Jose. This one wonders. What did you do? She could not see. Jose Figueroa seems pretty dazed. "I's dead?" Argent-Fury nods to Jose, then flashes a claws up to him, his furry Crinos face grinning with joy. ~Hope he gets the message.~ Bailey clasps Jose's hand, and smiles at him. Jose Figueroa lets Bailey take his hand. "Man, I don' feel much like bein' a hero." He tries to stand up, using Bailey as help. Bailey urfs under the Ahroun's weight, and shakes his head. "You need to rest." Elan tells Bailey. "Tell him to go to wolf, so he'll heal his ear damage. It'll probably take a few days, too." Jose Figueroa nods, taking a seat again. "Bad, eh? Didn' feel good neither." Jose Figueroa nods slowly, as if it hurts, then shifts to the wolf. Seeker says "Come, Collin, there is no more to be done here." Collin nods to Seeker, "Alright." he starts to shift back down to Lupus form. Dead Monster pages all: Bedtime. Night.