Leonard says "I want to know what the others in your tribe have said, as well. I want to know what your tribe thinks."

Kaz says "I can't tell you what our tribe thinks, we ain't got a group mind."

Elan looks to Kaz. "She the story keeper." He looks back to Leonard. "What's this about, anyway?"

From the trail, Yi in lupus comes padding along. Her head swings this way and that as she observes her surroundings with fervent curiosity. She'd never seen such beauty in the Wyld before. An ear turns as she sniffs a flower, the pollen sticking to her nose when she looks up to spot the trio. With a happy greeting bark, she lopes over the grass and slows to a halt a short distance from the three. Kaz, Elan-rhya, and... she pauses. Another face and scent I do not know.

Leonard shifts in his seat. "I have been thinking. About the other tribes and about us. We are Wendigo, and this land is ours, but we are small. We know better than any how to be brave, but that has cost us dearly. Now we are threatened, and not for the first time. We have kin and we have cubs in this place. Both are vulnerable. Rolling Thunder's coming here has made me think, also. As a tribe, we know little about the scab, the places where Weaver and Wyrm work together to destroy Grandmother. The places where the Bone Gnawers live and thrive." He shakes his head. "I also remember speaking to another of yours, the son of your last elder. He knew so little about the forest, about the places Grandmother's voice is strongest. And he spoke of the hardness of his life, and I spoke of the hardness of mine. And it has set me thinking. I remember the stories of the people, of how it was a Bone Gnawer who warned us about the evil coming into our land when it first arrived. This has not been forgotten. I remember the kindness of the Bone Gnawers taking me to the city, when they tried to keep me from being hurt the way Touch Deer was hurt. I remember the kindness of the Bone Gnawers in taking in one of our cubs, a rare thing, that they could have kept for themselves, yet had the honor to bring to us safe and sound. These things are known among us and are not forgotten, and they give me hope."

Elan grins broadly. "We remember our brothers, because when you're a Gnawer, usually family is all you got."

Leonard smiles. "When you're a Wendigo, this is seen as a good thing." He glances at Yi, suprised, and stands, hands clenched. "Who is this?"

Kaz listens to Leonard with a small smile that grows as she listens, and then she perks her head up, looking at Yi. "She's Yi. Heya, Yi. This's Wendigo terr'tory. That's Leonard, he's a Wendigo. Leonard, that there's a Bone Gnawer."

Elan looks back along his trail and sees Yi. "This is Yi, newest of our tribe in this place, save Junior and Joey, who passed their Rite." He flashes a smile at Kaz, then waves to Yi.

Elan says "Shift up and introduce yourself to Leonard, here. Leonard, I guess she followed us."

Leonard relaxes. "Oh. A cub." He waits for the introduction, folding his arms.

Three-Blades flattens her ears in submission, and shifts up as ordered.

Three-Blades contorts and blurs as she is transformed. You shift into Homid.

Kaz shakes her head. "Not a cub. She's just here from another country, is all."

After she shifts, her body bows in respect to the man. "I am Song Yi Ling, Three-Blades to Gaia's children, a cliath ragabash of the Bone Gnawers from the Sept of the Rat's Tail in Hong Kong," her tone is soft. "I apologize for the intrusion, Leonard. The world of the Wyld is still one to be lost in." Her body nearly folds over in her bowing.

Elan looks to Leonard. "This is how her people show respect in the home of another. the bowing, that is."

Yi straightens from her bow with a slight crick of her back, nodding to Elan and Kaz. "I was exploring the forests, unknowing of the lines that border tribal territory. In my steps through the wood I must have missed the signs from carelessness. Again, I am sorry. The world and forest is much bigger than this frog could have imagined from the well." Her tone is extremely apologetic and sincere, not wanting to have already angered the Wendigo she just met.

Leonard nods again, gesturing to the fire. The look on his face is thoughtful. "Please sit." He retakes his seat as well.

Yi smiles, the features taking a warm glow in the light as she lowers herself to a cross legged position and glances at the three, her eyes settling mostly on the Wendigo.

Leonard glances at Yi, then continues. "So I was thinking that maybe it would be good for both of us if we learned some from each other. We know little of what goes on in the city but hear much of what goes on here. You know all there is to know of the city but little of what goes here. When they speak against you, we will tell you who and why. When your people are here, we will teach them how to survive here. When our people are in the scab, your people will teach them how to survive there." He nods to Kaz. "She and I have already had some talks about things like this. I have told her things I thought everyone knew, and she must have felt the same about some of the things she has told me. There is much we could do for each other."

Elan smiles at this. "There was a Talon called Stormcloud that took it upon himself to train some of us Gnawers how to move in the woods and to survive here. I'd love to learn more, and we can certainly show you how to move in the city."

Leonard nods. "I would like that. I would you learned more about our people as well as the woods. There are many things you don't know that you should."

Yi runs a hand through her hair as she listens to the conversation, her head forming the idea that the Wendigo and Gnawers would come to an alliance. This would be good, she thinks. "I would be honored to have the Wendigo teach me of things I do not know," she says quietly. "The city is a place I've grown up with my whole life. The forests, I've never ever seen until now." Her coffee brown eyes gaze at Leonard with a light of one who would love to learn, one forever curious.

Leonard smiles at Yi. "You look like one of my people. Where is Hong Kong?"

"It is far from here, in south China across the ocean to the west," she replies with a curiosity. "Your people, are from there as well?"

Leonard laughs. "Maybe long ago. Our stories say we have always been here. Other stories say we came across the ocean a long time ago across the ice."

Kaz listens with interest.

Yi looks thoughtful, her memories of history unyielding of any teachings in the Native American lore. "I don't think I've heard that part of history," she murmurs, gazing into the fire. "The past few days I spent in lupus, I found easier to cope with an inner urge." The firelight flickers with life in her eyes. "The forest here, is nothing like what I saw on television. It's much more beautiful, seen through one's own eyes."

One-Rage trots along the trail, leaping through the patches of wildflowers and grass, shaking out the silver and brown coated fur. Goldeny orbs glisten brightly in mischeviousness, lolling his tongue out to the side, barking out loud to announce his arrival, not sure if he'll be faced with hostilities. Hello! Anyone Home? It's me One-Rage, looking for my friend Squall!

Leonard stands again, seeming suprised. "Who are you?"

One-Rage is One-Rage-In-Shadows, warrior cliath for the Bone Gnawers, protector of the city with Alpha Banecruncher. Is friend to Squall, was the one who found him and gave him to Man-Hunter.

Yi turns her gaze from the fire towards the sound of the bark. "That, would be another Gnawer brother, Jay." She laughs, standing up and glancing at the Wendigo's surprise. "Maybe you should have thought a little bit about asking the Gnawers to come to your fire so eagerly. When we come, we come in packs."

Leonard laughs at Yi. "Yeah, you're as bad as Indians." He nods to One-Rage. "I thank you for bringing our cub to us and keeping him safe. He's fine, but missing those dark cake things in plastic."

One-Rage dips his head in a nod as he settles upon his haunches, swishing his tail back and forth. This one has some in his car, down the trail a few miles away. Would be more then happy to give them to the cub if he wishes. This one misses him a lot, was told by Squall, that this one was his only friend, touched this one's heart, is honored to have made an impact.

Leonard smiles. "He's wearing the wolf until he's grown used to it and the forest..." He stops, struck by a sudden idea, and looks at Kaz. "Have your people ever done this?"

Kaz, who's just about to rise to her feet, stops in midmotion and blinks. "Which?"

Leonard says "Spent a month in the woods wearing the wolf."

Kaz shakes her head, hair flying a bit. "Spent a month in lupe back down in West Virginia, but it wasn't always in the woods."

One-Rage shakes his head no. Has not had the luxury to really get out in the woods for long periods of time, lived in California, in Sacramento.

Yi bilnks, listening to the conversation. "I've not spent a whole month in lupus since arriving here. I had to, when I was stuck in a fish crate on the journey over the ocean. I think, though, spending a month in lupus in the woods would not nearly be as horrible." She cracks a grin. "It could be...an interesting challenge to do so."

Leonard nods. "Would your people be interested in trying it?"

((Kaz pages to the room: Oh, I know. No worries.))

Kaz rises to her feet. "Might be interestin'. Might stick Bernie out here eventually -- once we teach her th' right /Urban/ survival skills, too. Dunno. I'll talk about it with folks. Anyways. I'll see you later, 'cause I have t'go patrol."

Leonard nods. "See you later."

Kaz heads out, whistling.

Kaz heads back into the forest along the faint trail. Kaz has left.