2/3/2006

08:04 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (37% full).
It is currently 19:56 Pacific Time on Fri Feb 3 2006.
Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). The wind is calm today. The barometric pressure reading is 29.66 and falling, and the relative humidity is 99 percent. The dewpoint is 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius.)

Around the Lone Boulder
The sparse forest gives way here into a vast clearing, entirely devoid of trees or heavy underbrush for great distances all around. Low, thick grass, a palish green in color, grows everywhere underfoot; it sways ever so gently in the chill winds that seem to settle in across this open expanse with unusual frequency. The occasional darker shoot or dandelion weed makes its way up amidst the rest, but the hilly territory is on the whole a uniform color, reminiscent of a moor. Adding to the image is the single, ponderous old stone, a grey-brown in color, settled uncannily in the dead center of the expanse as if it has perched there alone since the dawn of time. Grass grows up around the weathered boulder, but its vaguely-flattened top clears the grass by a good many feet, at least chest-high to a good-sized man. The sky, often grey, is a presence in this sudden openness, appearing from amidst the treetops to arc high over the grass and stone.
Woodland tracks lead off into the forest to the north and south, while the boulder itself stands at the center of the clearing.
Contents:
Stacey
Obvious exits:
Forest  Boulder  

It's a dark, cloudy evening, and many would probably not spot Stacey as she sits with her back against the large boulder in the center of the clearing. Her legs are pulled up against her chest, arms wrapped around them, and she stares down at the ground in front of her.

[look Stacey (homid)]
Stacey has long, light brown curls that frame her oval-shaped face. The preteen's features are soft and childlike, with a small nose, slightly prominent cheekbones, and large hazel eyes. A fading tan and a few freckles color her otherwise fair complexion. This slender girl is wearing blue jeans with a black short-sleeved shirt that reads "PEACE" across the front in bold, white lettering and "...or else" across the back, along with white tennis shoes. A leather thong necklace with a pendant of a dove carved of smooth white shell with bits of mother-of-pearl on either side is tied around her neck.

[look Kenneth (lupus)]
This wolf is large, but young by appearance. A jet coat of fur, long legs and a deep chest show his health, but not lacking in some particular scars on his furred body. Healed over punctures at the left shoulder and gut show that this wolf seems to have been impaled at some point and somehow survived. He unquestionably carries himself with as much grace and agility as he can muster. Soaked in the color of void, his coat cloaks him with darkness incarnate with hints of ashen and earthen colors streaking the fringes. Faint silver frosting brushes at the tip of his muzzle and just over his golden eyes. Despite an overall scent of wilderness, this wolf has the unmistakeable taint of Weaver products in his scent - soap and civilization.

Even harder to spot with his darkly colored coat, Dagger's-Edge slips out of the woods at the edge of the clearing. The philodox's nose is low to the ground, sniffing in an effort to track a scent. But his efforts are successful. Soon the calm wind brings the Child's scent to him fresh, and he makes his way up. A low, but loud enough chuff pushes out of him. Peacemaker.

Stacey looks up at the greeting, staring through the Shadow Lord for a moment before his presence seems to register. "Far-Cry," she says softly, uncurling and shifting so that she sits cross-legged. "Didn't hear you coming." A hand lifts to brush across a cheek, pushing away some stray hair, perhaps... or a tear.

Dagger's-Edge trots forward, a bit stiff and tense, but without the gruff caution he reserves for most everyone but. I would not expect you to, replies the black wolf. Or I would be a poor hunter indeed. It's hard tracking you, even after the rain.

Stacey sniffs and attempts a smile. "Well, good. My time being a stealthy Guardian is paying off. How... How have you been?"

Dagger's-Edge closes the gap, circles, and comes to a stop in front of the ahroun. Disturbed, is his answer, accompanied by a backwards tilt of his ears and baring of teeth. Many changes are coming.

Stacey sucks in a deep breath. "You're telling me. Did... did you already hear then?" She runs a hand through her hair. "I don't know what to do first. Talk to Andrew. Get word to Karl is he's even still around. Probably with his family. I'm sure he could be found..." She breaks off and puts a hand to her mouth, trying to keep her composure.

Dagger's-Edge tilts his head at the ahroun. Hear what? Forath-Ripper is gone. Burned-By-the-Dragon's-Blood, also heads east as we speak. Requiem is down to four. There is a deeper disturbance when he acknowledges it in the open. It doesn't sit well with the Shadow Lord, no matter what he may deny.

Stacey blinks. "Brom left, too? What is happening around here?" She lets out a shuddering sigh, then adds, "Alicia-rhya and Dakota left. They are going to join the Sept of the Western Eye."

Dagger's-Edge finally looses a growl he's been holding back. His hackles stiffen up. Somewhere in that growl is the phrase 'like rats from a sinking ship'... or the lupine equivalent of it. Squirrels jumping from a falling tree. Then, his gaze turns back to the fullmoon. And what did they say to you?

Stacey frowns as the Shadow Lord growls. "Could it really be all that bad? I think Alicia... I think they liked the Sept in the south when they visited. I think they thought it was time for them to move on." She shrugs. "I probably could have gone with them if I'd wanted, but... this is home still."

Dagger's-Edge huffs, pacing off to one side, then to the other, and back and forth. They abandon the Hidden Walk! he continues to growl. All those words of greatness and redemption. Nothing but farts in the wind! He looks east, teeth baring at the invisible backs of those only he seems to see.

Stacey frowns and looks downward, looking forlorn and lost. "They didn't really give any warning. Just... Gone." Then she shakes her head and huffs. "They wouldn't want us to think this way. They felt they did what they could here; it's up to us to pick up where they left off."

Dagger's-Edge stamps a paw down on the ground, jerking his eyes back and forth between the east and the ahroun. Turning and stalking back before her, he flops down with a grunt onto his belly, pointedly not looking east again. Kills-Wisely is the new pack alpha. But he does not even come to territory often. This is Stupid. Yes he is angry, and petulant, and trying very hard not to wallow in the anger that boils inside. What about you? he asks quickly. Your elders above you are now gone.

Stacey lets out another sigh. "Your pack has been through a lot of ups and downs. I hope that it will survive this as well." She gives the Shadow Lord a searching look as she says that, then she shrugs a shoulder. "What about me? I will do what I have to do. There is a cub that has to be taught and Rited, a Caern that has to be guarded, a tribe that needs to be represented." She reaches out to scratch the wolf behind the ears, as though trying to be reassuring. "Things will work out. They usually do eventually." Whether she's saying that for Far-Cry's benefit or her own is unclear.

Though he makes no move to stop her, the Shadow Lord is tense right to the tips of his fur. Your cub had better make sure he is on his best behavior, he snorts in regards to the pup. Has he told you about his task I gave him?

Stacey nods, moving her hand back. "He did. He managed to mess up one more time, and the next time, well, I'm hoping it won't come. I've moved him to the bawn, and he has greatly improved since. Jamethon-rhya and Yi-rhya spent some time with him, and it appears to have worked wonders. Did a bit of combat training with him and gave him a new name: Head-Ache. I think he'll do all right, just had a /really/ rough start."

Good. The philodox licks at the side of his jaw, more a gesture of testing his fang's sharpness. He does not seem to get any -good- cub names, does he?

Stacey chuckles and then shrugs. "Cub names shouldn't be /too/ good, in my opinion. I gave it to him because he head-butted me while sparring. I wasn't expecting him to draw on his Rage for that."

Dagger's-Edge does snort with a wolf's version of a very short laugh. Unexpected but good tactics, for a ragabash. He shakes out his fur, hitting a plateau for his underlying anger. How is the pack life?

Stacey smirks and shakes her head. "Well, it's going okay. We had an... incident... Well, I... something took control of me while we were on the Eastern bawn. We don't know what it was, but we'll have to get a Theurge to help us find and stop it."

Dagger's-Edge blinks, eyeing the ahroun. Something took over you? What do you mean? He observes more carefully, focusing on her. What happened?

Stacey takes a deep breath, and watches the Shadow Lord's reaction carefully. "Jacinta-rhya and I were making our way from the hills, through the Eastern Bawn, to the Caern. Circle Keeper and Horace heard that we were nearby, and howled to let us know. Jacinta started to run toward them, but it was then that... I felt something watching me. It was something bad. Creepy. I called out to Jacinta to tell her, and she came back. I looked for it, but couldn't see it. It was always behind me. Watching. And then I got this bad taste in my mouth: metallic, oily. It was really, really bad. And it kept getting stronger. Jacinta pulled out that fetish she has, and it sensed Wyrm. I was getting so frustrated... finally I shifted to Crinos... And that's the last I remember. I woke up to Circle Keeper pointing his spear at me, and Jacinta's back was cut up real good."

Dagger's-Edge slicks back his ears further. That does not sound good, he states in all obviousness. And it sounds like there is much more to it. Did you check the Shadow after?

Stacey sighs. "No, we did not. Circle Keeper wanted to, but Jacinta thought that it would be gone by the time we were able to get to a place where we could cross over. And they wanted to Cleanse me right away. Just in case."

Dagger's-Edge lashes his tail, getting back up and pacing again. Cleansing would not help if the source was still there. Cleansing can only bring back to balance, but that balance will tip if the thing that tipped it is still there. He growls low, disturbed by the thought. Then he looks back to the ahroun. At least you are okay again.

Stacey chews on her bottom lip and nods. "I think it had left me, though. I was normal when I work up, and I wasn't tainted anymore. Oh, speaking of that... Cubs are, from now on, to be checked for taint before ever being brought to the Caern."

They should always be checked for taint anyway, the Shadow Lord replies with a rumble. His eyes meet hers for just a second, ears flipping forward. Why do you say that?

Stacey looks weary as she explains. "It seems that KL brought Alesia to the Caern, and the cub was tainted at the time. Jamethon-rhya has passed on word to our pack that Alesia is not to be allowed in the Caern until he says otherwise, cubs are not to be brought there until checked first, and..." She hesitates. "Well, anyone found bearing taint in the Caern, we are to kill."

Dagger's-Edge sits slowly, evaluating the ahroun. You disagree with the Warder's word? Or have you forgotten about Thunder's-Forge already, he asks rhetorically. The Caern Shall Not Be Violated.

Stacey raises her brows, eyes widening, and shakes her head. "Oh no! Nothing like that. I agree that it is right, and I've forbidden Andrew from entering until I can find someone to check him. I do agree. I just, you know, hope I never have to enforce that. I will if I have to, but hope I don't. You know?"

Dagger's-Edge rumbles quietly. Just taint? Taint can be Cleansed. Some would not know they were tainted. His lip lifts on a side, showing tooth. And still more have no way to check until it is too late.

Stacey huffs and looks indignantly at the Shadow Lord. "What do you want me to say?"

Dagger's-Edge lifts a furred brow, head tilting as he looks back. Nothing, he replies quickly with a replacing of his lips back to a more relaxed state. He flops back down, forelegs stretching. We still have not finished our contest, he notes in an afterthought.

Stacey relaxes a bit, leaning back against the boulder and crossing her arms. "Yeah," she agrees after a moment. "Things just keep coming up."

Dagger's-Edge licks his jaws thoughtfully, and then looks at the ahroun with a scrutinizing eye. We have time, he considers aloud. Or we can finish this with a race.

Stacey looks at Dagger's-Edge, tilting her head. "A race?"

Dagger's-Edge chuffs once. Yes, a race. Obviously, we both can kill what we catch. The question is, who would be the first to get to the prey?

Stacey nods. "All right, I wouldn't mind that at all. Only, not tonight. Tonight I just... have a lot to think about."

Dagger's-Edge clamps down on his eagerness to compete. There is a lot to think about, yes, he adds. There's just a coloring on the edges of his disappointment.

Stacey sighs. "I'm sorry, Kenneth. I'm just... I'm scared, okay? I may not have seen them a whole lot, but I always knew they'd be there for me if I need help or advice, and now... they're gone. What if I screw up with Andrew? I'm twelve! What if I make a complete fool of myself? How could they just LEAVE like this?" She jumps to her feet and starts pacing, much like the Lord had earlier.

Dagger's-Edge remains where he is, following the ahroun with his eyes. Giving her a time to stew in those thoughts, he waits until an opportunity comes. You may be young, but you are cliath. An adult in our eyes. And still you are Guardian by choice. You are trusted by all the Garou here to guard the most sacred of what we protect. That is a better start than I could hope for.

Stacey reins herself in, listening tensely to the Philodox before she returns and kneels down near him. "You're right. It does no good for me to doubt myself." She falls silent, looking at the ground in front of her.

Dagger's-Edge splays an ear. You lose a couple of those you care about, and that will happen, he replies. The halfmoon looks away. His other ear tilts back as well. Then slowly he turns back. Now is time to concentrate on what is next.

Stacey watches the Shadow Lord, then shifts down into lupus. The gray and white wolf sits proudly next to the lone boulder and Dagger-Edge, the pure Gaian blood within her showing through. She tilts her head back, toward where the cloud-shrouded moon should be, and lets out a long, heart-felt howl, heavy with sorrow, loss, and frustration. It builds to a sense of mournful parting, of goodbye, then softens into resolve and hope before fading into silence.

Dagger's-Edge continues to watch. But when the howl starts to lift, there is little to hold down instinct and urge. Accompanying the Child's howl, the Shadow Lord opens up his own deep variations. His wolfsong is one with a nod to the past, of those who are gone and filled in with his own underlying anger. It lasts only as long as to fade after the ahroun has pushed out the last of her mournful cries. When there is no more echo left in the howls, he rises to his feet and looks to her.

Walks-Middle stands to her feet as well, once there is silence, and looks back at the Shadow Lord. Now, Far-Cry, she chuffs, I am ready to concentrate on what is next. There is much to be done.

Dagger's-Edge's expression can only be described as 'wry'. His tonguetip slips from between his teeth, ears stand up, but he curves himself in a way to show a teasing mood. Now, -we- are going to be elders, alphas. I will have Master of the Challenge. And you have a cub to teach. Indeed, there is much to be done.

Walks-Middle lifts her ears in surprise. You are going to claim Master of the Challenge? That is good! I wish you well with that, Far-Cry. Her tail wags slightly.

Dagger's-Edge bares his teeth fiercely, set into determination. Forath-Ripper left it open. I want it. I challenged him once before and failed. But so far, only you and I know about the Master of the Challenge position being open. At moot, I will claim it. Let those who want to challenge me for it, do so.

Walks-Middle parts her mouth in a wolfish grin. Then claim it, Far-Cry, as I will claim Elder, and we will see where life takes us next.

Dagger's-Edge whuffs with a hearty eagerness, and draws close to bump his shoulder against the Child. I will return to Requiem territory now, and see if the others are there. You take care of yourself, Peacemaker.

Walks-Middle chuffs agreement. Take care! Tell Bloods-Bane and Power-Up hello for me. And Gaia watch your steps.