Convo on the Bawn

[hazlogs]

It is currently 10:42 Pacific Time on Thu Nov 12 2015.

Currently in Saint Claire, it is raining lightly. The temperature is 43 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the south at 8 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.27 and falling, and the relative humidity is 89 percent. The dewpoint is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius.) For more detail, see: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=98501

Currently the moon is in the waxing New (Ragabash) Moon phase (6% full).

Bawn: Southern Forest

The vast temperate rain forest is dominated by Sitka spruce, western hemlock and other giant evergreen trees that spread their overhead branches wide above the forest floor. Each tree limb intertwines with its neighbor, forming a thick overhead canopy of pine branches that leaves the forest floor dim even at noon. The land undulates here, rocky outcroppings breaking up the otherwise overwhelming vegetation. The occasional call of an owl or the startle of a deer create an unease that seems to permeate the forest. It's not hard to believe, standing here, that someone or something is watching--perhaps even hunting. Remnants of the Wyld surge still remain here and there in the form of unidentifiable plants--some of them still bearing their weird fruit.

The bawn continues to the north, east and west, while the railroad tracks to the south mark where the bawn ends and the mundane forest takes over. A variety of other trails converge here, as well. The Ash grove, the sept compound, and the half moon pool can all be easily accessed by their respective trails.

Salem is deep in the southern part of the bawn, far from highway or railroad. It's where the undergrowth is thick as a jungle and the trees grow close, their branches often entwined. It's a perfect tree-climbing environment, and that's where the newly youthful Philodox is, making his way carefully along a thick branch twenty feet high off the ground.

Trudging through the woods is Justin, who is dragging a garbage bag behind him. He appears to be picking up dead sticks from the ground and putting them into it. Someone is on clean up duty in the bawn. He doe not appear to notice the Philodox in the treetop above him as he is quite focused on his task.

Salem peers down at the Gnawer, considering, then sticks two fingers in his mouth and lets out a brief, shrill whistle like someone hailing a cab.

Justin jerks his head up quickly at the whistle and glances left, right, then upwards at the tree. Squinting his eyes, he waves his hand. "Oh. Hey dude. What's up?"

"Me, at the moment," Salem says dryly, with the hint of a crooked smile.

"Heh. I guess that would be true. What got you up there? Just bored or something?" Justin asks as he slings the garbage bag over his shoulder.

"Practice." The Glass Walker eyeballs the branch a few feet below his. "You lose a foot of height, and your center of balance changes significantly." He swings down from his perch to the lower branch, not looking especially graceful about it... but he doesn't fall, either.

"You wanna hit up a playground and use the jungle gym instead?" Justin says with a toothy grin. "Same concept I would imagine. So, does this mean you're a tween again and you get a second chance of growing up or will you still die naturally like you would if you hit a certain older age?"

"God only knows," Salem says, making his way down to the next lower branch and edging closer to the trunk. "The only other person I know who's had a situation like mine was aged /up/ by one of the Fae and then had her former youth restored... but was told that the years she'd lost were gone for good and she'd die young, too." He keeps making his way downward as he talks until he's only six feet or so from the ground, and then he jumps, landing on the leafy ground with a grunt. "Fae magic is not exactly predictable."

"Sounds like it fucking sucks. Why did they pick on you anyways?" Justin asks curiously as he watches the Walker make his way to the ground. "Did you guys piss them off or something or are they just hardcore pranksters?"

Salem brushes off his hands and then combs his hair back from his face with his fingers. "I don't remember," he says, grimacing. "Neither of us do. For all I know, this was the cost of doing business, though even with that..." He shrugs. "I've no idea if Kavi did get to learn that Gift he wanted or not."

Justin squints his eyes a bit and rubs the back of his neck. "That's fucked up. Did you at least put a beating on one of them for doing that to you? That is some bullshit."

"Life /is/ bullshit," Salem says, picking a few evergreen needles off the front of his hoodie. "Or, rather, dealing with it. You can either sit around and angst about it, or learn to work with the hand you've been dealt."

"Yeah, true but I woulda still put a beating on the dude that did that." Justin says as he leans against a tree, dropping the bag to his shoes. "So, hey, I passed my Fostern challenge. Got the thumbs up from Marcos of the Silver Fangs who I challenged." He puffs himself up a bit.

Salem offers up a sincere, "Congratulations," at this. "What did he have you do?"

Justin shifts his jaw a bit and slumps his shoulders back. "Uh -- He had me go into the Battlegrounds led by Falcon and I had to witness every major battle from World War two to the Civil War and lastly the Apocalypse. I had to witness people getting blown up and murdered in front of me. Including my pack mates." He says as he stubs his foot against the ground.

Salem nods slowly. "I take it that kind of thing was new to you?" He finds his own tree nearby to lean against, then slides down into a squat, sitting on his heels with his back to the bark.

Justin shrugs his shoulders upwards. "I killed banes, monsters. You know.. haven't killed a person yet. Just watching people blow up from grenades and landmines and being stabbed was kind of intense. I had to lead my pack to battle in the apocalypse and I had to watch each of them get killed in front of me. Devoured. Torn apart." His hands slip into his pockets. "It was intense. Heart wrenching. I could not sleep that night afterwards."

Salem grimaces. "No, I imagine not." He pauses, rubbing idly at the stumps of his half-ringfinger and missing pinky. "I won't say it gets easier. It's not a thing one ever wants to get used to, ne?"

Justin nods his head. "Yeah. It's not something I really wanna do again. I can think of better vacation spots." He says as he leans a hand up to ruffle through his hair. "That night I had to talk to the pack and I kinda wanted to grab them in a huge hug and not let go. I really thought it was all real."

There's the fall of heavy feet on the autumn leaves, the rhythmic impact sounding of four feet and in no particular hurry. In due course the sound is revealed to be Comsumes-Shadow, the Shadow Lord elder sporting his Hispo form. His lone eye turns to regard the two who are present and talking and utters a low but politely-toned noise of greeting.

Consumes-Shadows shows as a heavy dire wolf, far larger than any modern lupine - more bear than wolf. His face is lean and wary, though much of him is built stout and strong. His shaggy, dense coat shows the distinctly darker fur traditional of Shadow Lords. It is mostly a warmer toned black with brown ticking and a few lighter patches around his shoulders. His eyes show a pale yellow under a fierce, heavy expression - at least the one. The blind right one is set in a couch of talon scars. There's a haunted look to his visage, like he has seen terrible things and was never quite was the same after. Paws end in black claws and his heavy jaws are full of sharp teeth. The scars on the lower portions of his two forelegs are dominantly visible, jagged and ash-stained. Numerous other small scars mark him, with the only other of note being a larger, superficial scar across his stomach.

Salem is about to answer when the Shadow Lord makes his presence known. He becomes almost immediately tense, face going still like a door slamming shut. He doesn't get up from his crouch against the tree, but his return greeting is perfectly polite, if stilted. "Good afternoon, Thane."

At the sight of the Shadow Lord Elder, Justin pushes himself off the tree and stands up a bit straighter. "Hey boss. Guess what? I am a Fostern now!" He says with a wide grin on his face. "Picked up this awesome gift from the spirits called the shield of rage. Protects me from attacks in the umbra."

Consumes-Shadows is calm opposed to Salem, though the Hispo does sniff in his direction. ~Ah. I heard rumors of what happened. My condolences. Perhaps it will wear off soon.~ It sounds genuine enough, even vaguely sympathetic. ~Childhood is not worth living again.~ As Justin gives his announcement, the Ahroun gives a pleased grunt. ~Congratulations. The third step after your First Change and Rite of Passage. Keep up the good work.~

"I've survived worse," Salem says, pushing himself back up to his feet. He rolls his shoulders, shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

"At least you do not have to do high school again." Justin says as he folds his arms over his chest. "But, I am sure Val can hook you up with a new ID or something. Must suck not being able to go into a liquor store and buy beer again."

~No doubt.~ Consume-Shadows agrees, adding, ~We all survived it once, at any rate. It's not so hard to obtain anything one wants with the right connections. Beer is a minor issue.~ For a moment he turns his nose to the wind to sample some scent or another. ~Have either of you seen Grapples-With-Fire-rhya out and about at all?~

Salem shakes his head. "I haven't seen her today, no."

Justin gives a shake of his head as well. "Nope, sorry. I am doing work for Charlene out here." He motions to the garbage bag at his feet. "Getting dead wood that hit the ground and storing it for kindling later. You gonna talk to her about that thing you talked about the other day?"

~Shame. I have business to talk to her about.~ Consumes-Shadows remarks before he takes a seat, responding to Justin with a, ~Among other things. I am considering, with some of my pack otherwise occupied and the city well looked over, to take some time as a Guardian. We have a need for it and I could use the change of pace.~

Salem raises an eyebrow at Justin's question and cocks an eye at Thane. "There's always a need for more Guardians. Always has been."

"That would be cool." Justin says with a nod of his head. "Though, if you are here, does that mean I can watch over your garage? I still need a place to stick the ride and to tune up."

~It is still my tribe's territory.~ Consumes-Shadows says to Justin, the elder Lord in his Hispo form. ~So I must check on it at times. The first floor remains open to those of the sept needing the supplies, as long as they treat it respectably. Only Lords may enter the top levels. But yes, Guardians are needed. We've all had our eyes turned to the city with everything going on there are few here to help watch the bawn and caern. So, it's a good time to make a change.~

Salem continues leaning against a nearby evergreen, hands stuffed into his hoodie pockets. "I'm sure Jacinta will appreciate the offer."

"I wanna know what's so special about the top floors. I swear, if you have a secret arcade up there, I will be sore at you for holding out on me." Justin says to Thane with a wider grin on his face. "Because, if you got a air hockey table up there, I will steal it and accept whatever ass kicking you give me. I love air hockey."

~So if any see her, I would appreciate letting her know I'm looking for her.~ Consumes-Shadows says, ~I'll keep looking while I'm out here.~ A snort is given from the Lord as he looks to Justin. ~There is no arcade. Nothing so exciting but the tribe deserves a place of privacy. Besides, your pack can't find enough trouble to get into?~

A touch of a rogue's grin quirks one side of Salem's mouth up. Dryly, he says, "Clearly, Justin, you need to recruit a Shadow Lord into Coyote's army. Get someone on the inside."

The sound of footsteps becomes quietly noticeable before a shape appears just at the edge of the gathered's conversation space. "Am I intruding?" comes the soft, polite voice of Jenelle.

"I /tried/ but Jenelle told me that we suck and it would bring dishonor to her family and to her good name if she was to pack with a bunch of assholes like us." Justin says with a wide grin as he spies the approaching Theurge.

An average young woman in almost all regards, Jenelle stands at about 5'5" and has the look of someone who is day to day active but not too focused on fitness. She has a fair complexion, a petite nose, and an easy smile that feels warmly genuine. Bright, blue eyes take in her surroundings in a rather lackadaisical manner; amused but not overly concerned. Her hair is naturally black and long enough to hang past her shoulders, with carefree bangs that hang across her brow and often drape over her left eye. Often hard to see, there is a thin, vertical scar that crosses over that same eye. There's also a sense of old regality about her, though it may be hard to decipher at first glance given her rather easy-going posture.

Ears and nose turn to fix on Jenelle before a tilt of his head bring's the lone eye of Consumes-Shadow to fix on his tribemate. ~Ah! There you are. Been keeping to yourself, have you?~ Says the Ahroun, though he doesn't sound displeased. He does though add a snort and a sidelong glance to Salem. ~Please don't encourage him. I'll find one of they stuck in the vents or something.~

"I'm sure you already have cockroaches in there," Salem says, his tone still one of dry humor. "And rats underneath, in your pipes." He casts a look over at Jenelle, taking a moment to recognize her.

The young theurge reaches a hand back to pull her hair forward; the majority of her dark locks hanging on her left shoulder and collarbone, and covering most of her features on that side. "I've been busy with study and training. I thought it best I do it on my own for the most part. Sorry if I've caused any trouble with my absence." Her words are sincere, though her attention shifts to the younger and perhaps less familiar individual there, and despite usual manners, is caught staring at Salem.

"It's okay, you can pretend I'm not here and talking shit about you." Justin says as he gives the garbage bag a soft kick with his foot in front of him. "Door is still open though for you if you wanna roll with us." He gives a wide grin to her, then looks thoughtful at the idea of getting stuck in a vent.

~That's fine.~ Consumes-Shadows says to Jenelle. ~There has been no trouble among the tribe. I trust your studies went well. It is good to see you again.~ He turns his focus over towards Justin and wrinkles his nose. ~If I find any of your pack in the vent I am leaving you in there and turning up the heat. I can assure you there is nothing exciting in the upper floors. Why would we keep all of our best things under one mundane roof?~

Salem stares coolly back at Jenelle, the note of dry humor fading from his expression. "We've met," he says to her. "Though I was much older."

Jenelle is pulled back toward Justin at that, and she offers a faint wince. "Sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you. You're not assholes," she clarifies. She nods to her elder then, "Yes. Well enough. I've managed to get some answers and experience under my belt." Salem gets the strangest look at his comment, eyes narrowing as she studies the young man once more. "That's pretty much the reverse of how it usually goes. What happened?"

"No, we are totally assholes. It's okay to call us that. We're coyotes, we aren't boyscouts selling popcorn door to door. We own it." Justin grins at the Theurge before he nods to Thane. "Hey, I will take you up on that offer in the winter when it gets below zero. You can crank up the heat all you want."

Consumes-Shadows gives himself a shake as he snorts noisily. ~Better yet, perhaps not. The smell of roasted rat might get rather intolerable.~ He tosses back to the newly-minted Fostern. ~Just stay clear of where you don't belong. Small request for free use of the garage.~

Salem pushes off the tree, straightening to his full (and currently pretty meager) height. "It's a long story." Turning to the other two, he says, "I'm heading out. Thane, if I see Jacinta, I'll let her know you're looking for her."

Jenelle continues to look after Salem in a rather focused manner. It's only when Justin speaks again that she turns her attention there, "I met a coyote spirit during my studies. They wrap wisdom in their cleverness, and knowledge in subtlety. In all honesty, you make it sound like a frat house eager for their hazing antics to go viral. But that's just my opinion."

"Well, seeing how you blew us off right from the start because you were afraid to made your daddy mad, I figured that is how you saw us. We have actually gone through a shift in our ranks. Fitz and Henry have left, we have gained a Benny and Felix. I am now Alpha. We are moving in a strong direction of being a capable urban umbral pack." Justin says as he folds his arms over his chest. "If you were to join us, we would treat you with respect. We joke around a lot because we are carefree, but we are serious about getting shit done. I am a Fostern now, so is our packmate Benny. We are trying to give ourselves a good name." He says as his tone turns serious and he loosens up.

Consumes-Shadows gives a human-like nod of his lupine head to Salem. ~Thank you. Safe travels.~ And thus he's left to regard the two younger Garou as pack talk is brought up. He settles himself back down onto his stomach, remarking, ~Coyote the spirit can be cunning and wise, but compared to many totems followed by the Nation his methods and penchant for jokes means he is seen poorly by many who seek a more honorable face. It does not mean the spirit or packs that follow Coyote are honorless by any means, but a pack who follows Falcon or Stag or Fenris will see a Coyote pack as untrustworthy, devious, and foolish.~

Salem heads off at a limping jog, heading roughly in a northeasternly direction.