From Burial Mounds, Shadow-of-Blood can be heard to howl, ~Garou of the Hidden Walk, tonight we send one of our own, Brightening-Sky, back to Gaia to rest. Any who will help her journey, come to the Burial Mounds.~

Burial Mounds(#3207RJ$)
This wide clearing in the midst of short, dark pines is rough with wild grass and bare stone. The air is a bit cooler up here in the foothills than below, and the majestic peaks of the nearby mountains rear up over the eastern treetops. There is a vine-covered boulder standing under the edge of the somber evergreens to the east. The air here is prenaturally still and the grass waves not at all for there is no breeze that blows through the pines. It is silent, no call of bird thrown from the treetops to dance gaily in the open spaces. Occasionally chill fingers run up your spine.
A faint path leading downhill to the west is the only exit from the clearing.
Contents:
Finds-the-Lost
Shadow-of-Blood
Lion's-Roar
Obvious exits:
Forest

Finds-the-Lost emerges from the treeline, sliding quietly into view as Garou begin to gather.

Three-Blades slips into view from the fringes of the treeline, sniffing the air with ears perked. Her dark form remains on the side as she keeps on her paws and watches the proceedings.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (33% full).

Rides-Fire appears not far after Ethan, unsurprisingly. The Stargazer's good ear is flattened slightly as he approaches the rite, though he does offer a warm greeting to his Talon packmate.

Heart-of-Fury trails behind the rest of his packmates. He lopes toward Rides-Fire as he clears the treeline, offering a greeting to the others.

Three-Blades keeps her tail low as the others gather, chuffing a soft greeting before finding a suitable spot to watch from away from the packed wolves.

Shadow-of-Blood watches as the other Garou slowly come into the clearing, still standing beside the few remains found at the Sept of Gaia's Tears. We have come here to help the Brightening-Sky on her way back to Mother Gaia, to rest before coming back to fight again.

Finds-the-Lost is somewhat uncomfortable here, Talon Gatherings nothing in his realm of experience. It's not as if he even knew the Talon in question. But Shadow-of-Blood is his packmate, and Sky once a Garou at this Sept, and so here he is. Besides which, there's a scummy Gnawer here. That alone reassures him that he's not the most out-of-place participant.

Lion's-Roar keeps his place, seated near-ish the Talon and, well, few others.

Peacekeeper comes in quietly, right behind his cub, making sure the pair of them stay just a little inside the clearing's edge, so as not to interrupt the Gathering.

Finds-the-Lost pages: Ah. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to use the phrase 'scummy Gnawer' in a pose. ;-)

Three-Blades isn't all that scummy, having spent more time out in the woods than any other city Garou of her tribe in proportion to her time here. Her ears rest attentively on her head, as she watches the leader of this Gathering with interest.

You paged Finds-the-Lost with 'You're welcome. ;b'.

Rides-Fire settles down with his pack, nosing Heart-of-Fury as he comes closer. As Shadow-of-Blood begins, he turns his attention to the ritemaster.

Heart-of-Fury's ears tilt forward as the Talon begins to rite. He looks attentive and somber.

Blooms-Pain settles down next to Peacekeeper and remains quiet as she watches the gathering intensly.

Shadow-of-Blood glances again towards the remains before continuing. She will once gain run at the side of the Great Hunter, sent on by the memories and words of those who knew her. Do any here wish to tell of her?

Rides-Fire's ear flicks at the request, but he doesn't indicate that he will speak.

Heart-of-Fury will speak in her memory. He steps forward a few paces and waits to be acknowledged.

Lion's-Roar seems apt to keep his silence as well.

Shadow-of-Blood chuffs at his Fianna packmate. Speak.

Three-Blades' ears turn backward, as she simply looks down at the remains. Her coming was for giving respect for the fallen, even though she didn't know this Garou at all.

Belated, Guides-the-Dead strides towards the burial mounds. The half-moon settles herself upon her haunches, intent eyes on the unknown Shadow-of-Blood.

Heart-of-Fury takes a moment to gather his thoughts. Our fallen septmate was searching for her place in our world. No Garou I know has ever thought more seriously about how she could best serve Gaia and herself at the same time. It was hard for me to watch her confusion; I believe that we must follow the path we are born under, but Sky felt like she must find her own way through the wooded path. Even so, I know that her thoughts were sincere and without deception. It was an honest hunt for answers that at long last she found. Her passion for finding the truth of herself even at the expense of others opinion is what I shall remember most vividly about her. Rest well, Brightening Sky. The next time Gaia gives you form, I hope she provides you with a stronger set of directions. The Fianna's amusement is gentle and genuinely fond. With that, the Galliard glances among the other wolves and moves to stand near the Stargazer.

Three-Blades glances up at Heart-of-Fury, ears flickering in the dark with some of her own confusion. That is quickly put down for later pondering though, as her ears and eyes return attention to the Talon.

Shadow-of-Blood watches his packmate's remembrance with a understanding and some sympathy in hisposture, then steps back up as the Fianna moves nearer the Stargazer. Do any others wish to offer something to help her spirit in its hunt?

Three-Blades would like to know how she fell, if it weren't too much to ask of those that do know. This one did not know the fallen, but gives her respect all the same.

Finds-the-Lost keeps to his silence; like Three-Blades, he never knew the Garou in question. The words of his packmate paint a rather confusing picture for a Talon.

Rides-Fire indicates that several of us here can speak of the enemy that killed her, but I do not believe that any here were there when she fell. More reflectively, he says, She was a wolf-born in a world with few. May she be born again as such, to continue to hold to our ways.

Shadow-of-Blood, finding few others willing to say anything, continues. She was on a journey to complete a circle. Long ago, we had been Rited in a caern in the lands of ice, far away. There, she found that she had been born to the Winer Wind, but now followed the Great Hunter. Much later, she decided that the way she was born to was not her path, and petitioned Luna for a change. She was returning to the place of Riting, to finish her circle of changing, of being reborn under the Hunter and under a different face of Luna. On her way, she was killed by those who were Corrupted. As Heart-of-Fury said, she chose her own way while trying to follow Gaia's way. At the end, she had found her way. Now, I hope she can finish this way when the hunt leads her back here again.

Three-Blades glances back to the remains, and then to Shadow-of-Blood as he speaks of the fallen Garou's past. So she fell fighting, and in search of the truth within her and Gaia. The Gnawer newmoon turns her gaze up to the sky to view the moon sliver peeking out from the trees. Good hunting, wolf. This one hopes your skies brighten further on your journeys beyond and back.

Heart-of-Fury's ears flicker toward his packmate in agreement.

Lion's-Roar can't help but say something, at least, for the fallen Talon he never knew. She goes to a better place, one that we all strive to. We will all see her and each other again when the Heroes rise again.

Shadow-of-Blood looks down at the remains and flicks an ear. On the strength of our memories and the road of our howls, go back to Gaia, Brightening-Sky. Join with the Great Hunter. Hunt and grow strong, and return to us again. He lifts his head and howls a long howl that echoes out into the night.

Peacekeeper nudges the cub with his muzzle, then despite having been silent so far, the Warder joins the howl, striking a dissonant chord with the Talon.

Heart-of-Fury joins up his voice with the first. Encouragement and sorrow mix like the discordant notes of wolfsong.

Three-Blades' howl begins with a low rumble that grows into a long, mid-pitched, somber song that accompanies the calls to the skies with harmony.

Blooms-Pain lifts her voice up to join with the other's in this song. Her sonnet beautiful, if not a bit higher in pitch then the others.

Lion's-Roar adds his voice with the rest, but ends quickly, allowing the Talon to outshine his voice this night.

Finds-the-Lost adds his own voice in with his packmates, mixing with the others in a manner that's hard to pick out unless you listen close.

Rides-Fire's call layers on the other, the long cry of the summon to the hunt. When he stops his jarring addition to the howl, his ear sits more relaxed than at the beginning of the ritual.

Slowly, the howls die out into the crisp evening air, and the Talon ritemaster's posture relaxes as well. As the last echo fades into the mountains anf the forest, he pads over towards the rest of his pack, leaving the remains where they lie.

Peacekeeper bumps the cub again as the rite finishes. Another lesson. Or more than one.

Blooms-Pain dips her head lightly in a nod as she turns to face her Elder, swishing her tail to the side. This one understands.

Three-Blades rises slowly to her paws, padding towards the unknown Talon wolf with ears back and tail low. For a moment she hovers over the outfringes of the pack circle, unsure whether or not to introduce herself to the Talon.

Heart-of-Fury's good eye lingers for a moment longer, and then snaps back to his packmates. The galliard seems a touch more at ease, but perhaps a bit more melancholy. It is customary for people of my tribe to drink strong drinks and look on this as opportunity to celebrate the departed's life with others. Sometimes, however, short and simple is better.

Lion's-Roar remains where he is, looking at no one (in fact there's a tree bearing the brunt of his gaze).

Finds-the-Lost's own mood is decidedly somber and low-key, a rare state of mind for the young Get. He pushes to his feet now, shaking out his fur some and then stretching, watching Shadow-of-Blood more intently than he normally does when the rest of his packmates are about.

Shadow-of-Blood gives his packmate a chuff. Short and simple is the way of the wolf. There is no time or need for more. The approaching scent is noticed before the motion, and he turns to look at--and sniff--Three-Blades.

Rides-Fire's ear tilts slightly in humor. I do not think she would feel honored by man food. Especially if it is sticky.

Three-Blades allows the Talon to sniff first, as she keeps herself lowered towards him. This one is Three-Blades, rited new moon of the Bone Gnawers. The last of her introduction is accompanied by a short, polite sniff towards the Talon elder.

Heart-of-Fury's tongue wags in humor toward the Stargazer. Perhaps not. His agreement is quick and simple. It is then that the young ragabash gets a long look.

Shadow-of-Blood accepts the invitation before offering his own, bearing unconsciously a bit disdainful, made maybe moreso by his breeding. I am Shadow-of-Blood, shard moon of the Red Talons, alpha--and only--of those here born to the Great Hunter, bound to Cougar.

Finds-the-Lost misses that wry observation from the Stargazer, and it takes a few more moments for him to feel the weight of Heart-of-Fury's attention on him. Earlier he was preoccupied with watching Shadow-of-Blood interact with the Bone Gnawer but now he pulls his attention back to others. Just the attention is enough to make him both feel and act somewhat guilty. What did I do this time?

Looking at Shadow-of-Blood
-----
A rather alert young wolf this is, ears pricked to sounds that perhaps you don't quite hear, tail held high with the pride of a natural predator and a leader of other predators. His fur is somewhat mottled black and grey, with some of the black parts having a reddish tinge, looking like nothing so much as pools of blood in the darkness. The dark brown eyes gaze around him alertly, absorbing his surroundings, seemingly missing little.
-----
Peacekeeper gestures with his muzzle for the cub to follow him, then he leaves the clearing into the forest, towards the caern.

Heart-of-Fury's bearing seems to indicate that he thinks Finds-the-Lost the most likely to get all four of them into mischief of some type. When confronted with the question, the Fianna doesn't reply, but his body language shifts to something less accusatory.

Three-Blades dips her head towards the Talon alpha, and chuffs to him with respect for the wolf-born. This one has heard little of children of the Hunter, but holds respect for those that protect the wild. Thank you for allowing this one to attend the gathering. Brightening Sky will be remembered. With that, she presses off towards the treelines, not wanting to continue to intrude on the packed wolves.

Finds-the-Lost has, in the meantime, done a quick mental scan of his activities of the past few days, including ones likely to focus the Fianna's attention on him. Nothing particularly bad can be remembered -- that Heart-of-Fury would know about, anyway, and that's all that matters. The ragabash quits worrying with that, posture relaxing. Are there other Red Talons here in the woods, ones I haven't seen? The first I knew about Sky was when she was found.

Rides-Fire looks after the Bone Gnawer as she goes. He comments, That is the one that spoke to me about fighting in the man holes.