Sepdet comes walking with a wide shallow wooden bowl tucked under an arm, climbing the crest of the hill.

There's no howl to precede the Gnawer's arrival this time, but there is a steady drum beat that rumbles its waves through the air, only stopping on occassion before resuming. Then, the Gnawer finally appears, with pack slung over shoulder, and she waves the white stick she was using to thunk on what looks like a drum. "Hey!" she calls out to the others, and drums a quick trill before finally lugging up and setting the thing down. "Found it at one of the oddity stores in the city." Her pack, she also sets down with a slip off her shoulder.

Sepdet turns her head over her shoulder and smiles faintly. "Very good. Shall we go down to the sweat place Little Bear was making?"

Leonard, clad only in a breechclout, comes up from the river with another basket full of water. "Its ready if you need to sweat."

Sepdet inclines her head in a nod. "I will go. Show me? It has been a while since I did this, and it must be done properly." She slips down to the little hut.

Yi wipes her own forehead and chuckles a bit. "The trip here is a lot harder in two-leg forms, I'll say that much." The others would notice she's only wearing a short t-shirt and shorts, this time.

Joseph comes up the bank of the bluff walking at a leisurely pace. From the look of the Wendigo, he's already had his sweat, for his skin is flush and his hair still wet and draped over his shoulders. He carries his medicine bag with him.

Leonard leads Sepdet and Yi down to the sweat lodge, jerking his head towards the river. "Bathe first." He ducks his head into the lodge to sit the water down inside.

Sepdet sets the bowl down on the hill above and strips unselfconsciously, keeping only her old Salmon pendant tonight and shedding even the raven-feather she usually carries. She holds back on the riverbank, as always having as much fear as love for the element she wasn't born near, and then dives in with a splash. A few minutes of immersion and she returns up the bank.

Yi looks around as Sepdet strips and bathes, politeness getting in the way of anything else on her mind. She busies herself with making sure the drum is going to hold out should something happen.

Leonard glances at Yi. "If you've been to the city, you should sweat again."

Sepdet is shivering as she takes her place quietly in the low hut, breathing deeply to settle her mind.

Yi glances up at Leonard. "Right...ok," she says, and goes to the small creek with just a little reluctance. After a few more minutes, she comes back out, same getup as before, and pauses at the hut's entrance. Steeling herself, she enters and glances at Sepdet before sitting down.

Leonard climbs in after Yi, leading the chanting. After about fifteen minutes, he motions for you all to leave, and bathes in the stream once again.

Sepdet follows Little Bear's lead, adding some of the strange chorded humming that she and Joseph learned from the wind-spirits long ago. Cold and fire, and earth, these primal things she knows. Her eyes are widely dialated when she emerges to dunk down in the cold stream again.

Leonard bathes in the stream, then wades further up, where its shallower, and fishes around until he finds a line made of what looks like twine. He follows it until there's a splash, and he's holding onto a struggling salmon, slightly small, with a red back and spots along its sides. "Here she is."

Yi strips off her shirt again, dipping into the stream. She'd hum, but being cooped up in anyplace small gives her a little bit of discomfort. Now back in the open, she quietly murmurs something in Cantonese, before glancing up at Leonard and the salmon. "That was quick," she says with some surprise. And then she remembers to put on her shirt.

Sepdet shrugs back into her skins and leggings, peering towards Little Bear as well.

Joseph, having already made himself sacred, busies himself with preparing other things for the cerimony. there is a bowl with a dark, foul scented liquid. There is another bowl with a white, chalk-like paste. And the Wendigo himself works on twisting together a set of vines.

Leonard smiles a little at Yi's words, showing her the string through its gills. "I caught it earlier today."

Yi ahs quietly, slipping on her shorts. Then Joseph's preparations gets her curious interest.

Sepdet smiles and drops to one knee beside Little Bear, looking down at the struggling little creature. "Hello, daughter of old Grandmother. We are thanking you for bringing us together."

Leonard lays the struggling fish on a flat rock next to the stream, holding it down with one hand. With the other, he picks up a small rock and proceeds to bash the fish's head until it stops moving.

Sepdet winces faintly at the crunch of bone, whispers a bit of the prayer for the prey, and then moves to stand behind Joseph, watching him work even more intently than Yi.

Yi doesn't seem fazed by the bashing. She's done it too many times before working on the docks. But Joseph's preparations gets her attention a little more than Little Bear.

Joseph looks up to see the two women peering at him. With the faint suggestion of a smile that doesn't /quite/ manifest, thanks his intensity upon his task, he speaks up. "Would you like to help?" Yi is handed some of the vine and shone how to twine it together. Sepdet, on the other hand, gets the bowl of white paste.

Sepdet gathers the bowl into her hands, telling Joseph quietly, "When the time comes, I will make pure water for Salmon." She nods with her lips towards the bowl.

The paste has almost no scent, right now, and there's no clue what it's made of. Apparently, though, the Wendigo imparted the secret to the Strider earlier. He smiles at her answer. A third bowl is taken from his bag. "In this goes our blood, to makes us one."

Yi takes the vine gently, and watches as she is shown how to make some small rope from it. "Er, what's this...for?" She holds up her, not quite as professional Indian twine.

Sepdet tells Yi quietly, "Bind us together."

Leonard does not, suprisingly enough, say the prayer for the prey at this time. He guts the fish, tossing the guts into the water with a small exclamation, then begins scaling it carefully, leaving the fins, head and tail in place. He leaves the scales on the rock, taking the fish over to the fire and spitting it, then leaving it to roast as he gathers the scales carefully. "You need some of these, Spepale'na?" He looks over to Joseph.

Joseph looks up to see what Little Bear has brought, and his eyes light up. "Thank you, Enapay. Yes." He holds his hands out for the little, reflective scales.

Leonard smiles and nods, wiping the scales on Joseph's hands more than handing them to him, as they are still wet and maddeningly sticky.

Joseph takes the scales, some of them saved for something unknown and some of them put into the bowl Sepdet holds, with the paste.

Yi watches all these with interest, still twining the vines together quietly. A quiet hum in her voice, accompanied by some changes in tones and actual syllables, might show she's singing something. Or chanting. Maybe it's a shanty.

Joseph speaks, as he does this, "They hold the rainbow, you know. The Salmon's scales."

Sepdet smiles at the words. She takes one of the scales as a scoop of paste and looks at Joseph questioningly, holding it up.

Leonard moves to turn the fish, taking care it doesn't burn. He stays near the fire, watching it as it broils.

Joseph looks about him. Everything seems ready, once the last vines are woven together. He seems satisfied and gives a little nod, gathering things back up. He looks to Little Bear's cooking.

Leonard tests the fish with his fingers, nodding in satisfaction and turning it again. "Almost done."

Yi gives the vine twines an experimental tug. She seems impressed by the way the rope holds together.

Leonard pokes at the salmon again, turns it, then nods. "Alright, its ready." He stands, looking at Joseph. "We should all eat until the flesh is gone, but be careful you don't take any of the bones off. The meat should slide off pretty easy." He picks up the wood the fish is spitted on, and hands it to Joseph.

Joseph checks to make sure one other thing is present, then he looks from Sepdet to the sky. He says, some seriousness making his voice soft like a whisper. "I told Light Feather she could come to the Lake, and wait for our return, tonight."

Yi glances at the fish, and then pack to her packmates. Her hum had lowered into a very quiet almost growl. She's nervous.

Sepdet smiles, falling into her own speech as the mood deepens. ~Well. She is, after all, the one who called me Salmon last winter, before all this came about.~ Her eyes light suddenly, and she moves to the small pile of her belongings she left behind earlier, digging into her tarot card bag. She returns with a round river-rock, marked in red clay with sinuous lines and a stylized fish. ~And gave me this.~

Joseph's smile is more genuine, then. Soft and real. Yi can chalk up one more smile from the stoic warrior. Then it's gone and he's packing up. "Time to go."

Joseph takes the fish from Little Bear's hands and starts the process by pulling a meaty piece from the bones. His fingers draw it to his lips before he passes the 'plate' on.

Yi lets the greaters in station have their share, quietly waiting and occassionally thumbing the twine in her hands.

Sepdet takes the small fish with a thoughtful sniff, tasting it first with her head before her mouth, pulls off a decent portion for herself, and then passes it on, nibbling hers in small careful bites.

Leonard takes the offered fish, pulling off a chunk and stuffing it into one cheek, chewing as he hands it to Yi. Mmm, wild salmon. No wonder they'll pay up to twenty bucks a pound for the stuff.

Yi takes the fish on a stick gingerly and picks off a decent fillet. She's surprised about the freshness, and a small smile comes to her as some memories return. Careful not to dislodge the bones, she glances around and simply holds the stick while eating the fishy finger food as mannerly as possible with her other.

Joseph takes the fish back again, pulling off another piece. It goes round the group until nothing but picked bones are left. Joseph hands these back to Little Bear, wiping his hands on his leggings. He climbs to his feet, ready for the walk along the water.

Leonard banks the fire, then falls in behind Joseph.

Sepdet gathers up her wooden bowl under the one for the paste, dropping her salmon-stone into the former, and heads down to the meeting of Lake and stream.

You head into the woods to the east, following the stream to Rainbow Lake.

Rainbow Lake(#2713RJ)
Long and narrow, the lake stretches a mile to the north and south, right at the heart of the woodland. Tall, silver beech trunks mix with the even taller evergreens and dominate the mountain valley. Where the canopy has been broken by a fallen tree, a riot of brambles and nettles have erupted, clinging to anything and everything and fighting for light among the thick forest. Underfoot there is a deep bed of mulch and last year's leaves, muffling any footfall.
Other plants have found a foothold where the beeches make way for the line of water. The edges of the lake are overhung by a wall of dark myrtle, their scent hanging sweet and heavy in the air, giving the place a dreamlike quality. The waters of the lake itself are a clear, unruffled indigo, dropping into bottomless darkness, with otherworldly reflections of the sky floating above the depths. Rainbow flashes of light play about the reeds and weeds that break the surface here and there, throwing colors into the air.
Part of the valley around the lakeside to the south is clear of trees, and often here in the brush and grass a small herd of three woods buffalo can be seen.
Contents:
Nemo
Sepdet
Joseph
Obvious exits:
West SouthEast

Joseph looks around the lake, taking in the sight of the buffallo, right now grazing on the eastern shore of the lake. There's a proud tilt to his head as he begins to measure out a circle in the clearing with the twisted vines.

Sepdet sets the bowls within the circle and joins Joseph quietly in adjusting the vines into the proper shape.

Coming with small drum and pack in tow, Yi walks behind Sepdet and takes another look around the lake and surrounding valley with its inhabitants. "Sepdet... I brought a little thing, uhm, in case we ran into a unicorn spirit." From her pack she draws out a small, palm sized piece of rose quartz, offering it to the Strider.

Sepdet cups it in her hand. ~That's exactly what we needed. Very good.~ She sets it down carefully between the salmon-stone and looks over at Joseph with half a question, but decides not to disturb what he's doing.

Joseph is already drawing the runes along the ground. He includes in these marking reprisentations of the fish-spirit's arc over the water, the spirit itself, as well as ones for Buffalo and for the single horned horse. Yi's gift gets an approving look. In answer to Sepdet's look, he nods to his bag. "There is a bit of broken horn from Grandfather Buffalo in there. Put it with the others."

Sepdet is by his side as he speaks, and takes the horn from him with a faint smile. They have obviously worked together too long. She sets it carefully in its place, then picks up the bowl of white clay again.

Leonard waits until Joseph and Sepdet appear to be ready, then looks at Yi and nods.

Joseph finishes making the circle. Buffalo sits between East and South on the circle, and Unicorn between south and west. Salmon arcs over both directly north. Satisfied, he nods and invites his four packmates into the circle.

Leonard steps into the circle, standing where Joseph directs him.

Yi picks up the drum, and moves to the circle. Yi ignores the cold wind in her shorts and t-shirt. Picking up the white stick that supposedly acts in place of the bone, she waits for a short signal to begin drumming.

When they are in position, Sepdet moves among them, starting with Duane and Yi, and one by one begins to paint certain signs over the forehead, backs of the hands, above the heart of each of them. Foremost is the Totem glyph, then the others which Joseph has taught her. This takes her effort, time, and concentration, since her fingers are a bit shaky from an old injury.

Yi, despite the blush rising in her face, steels herself and takes off her shirt to make it easier painting for Sepdet.

Joseph follows after Sepdet. The Wendigo carries a sharp knife with him made from bone. Each of the packmates gets cut, their blood drawn down into the third bowl, the empty one. He starts with Little Bear, and as Sepdet paints him with the clay, Joseph marks his forehead with the mixed blood of all of them. He asks the other Wendigo, "What is Buffalo to you?"

Sepdet's formal and focussed manners may perhaps make the more intimate parts of the ritual easier; she's about as intrusive as a competent member of the medical profession. When she's done with everyone else, Joseph takes care of hers; Duane, at least, may not have seen the faded brand of an Egyptian eye over her heart before. Then she stands between Yi's place and Joseph's.

Leonard doesn't wince or even look as Joseph makes the cut, looking past his elder's left shoulder as he answers. "Buffalo is the gift of Grandmother to the people. He is strength, he is wisdom, he is the good of the many. He was my Rite of Passage. He is my name. He is hope. As the buffalo, so the Indian. The two cannot be separated."

Duane waits patiently for Joseph and Sepdet, his own simple offerings in his hands: a thick band of woven grass, and a crudely cut carving. Without his shirt, the black bands he's painted around his upper arms can be seen, matching the bar across his eyes.

Joseph hands the bowl with the black, foul smelling stuff to Little Bear, after he answers. The galliard is encouraged to drink. As he does, Joseph moves on to Duane. The dark skinned Uktena gets a mark of blood just like Leonard's. Of the Uktena, Joseph asks, "What does Flamecaller know of dark Unicorn?"

Leonard takes a swallow, grimacing a bit as it goes down.

"Bigger an' badder than his little sister," Duane murmurs, before really answering. "He protector of the weak, don't take no shit, always looking for ways to keep his own good and safe. Strength, pride, righteousness," he says. "He give his blood for others, which is what we Garou do everyday."

Joseph's quick nod shows his approval of the Uktena. He motions for Leonard to give Duane the bowl of black goo, so he can sip from it too. Joseph then moves to Yi. The Gnawer gets her blood glyph too, and he asks of her, "Who is Salmon?"

Leonard hands the bowl to Duane.

Duane takes the bowl, eyes it blankly for a moment, then sips. If the taste disagrees with him, he makes no show of it. When the time comes, he calmly passes it on.

"Spirit of the ocean, who survives by enduring the journey from the great waters, leaping up against waterfalls to ensure the future generations, and finally giving her flesh and blood so that others may live on. Keeper of the waters and of secrets. By her we know if the waters are clean, and sustaining of life. She is the patient survivor, enduring so that others may live," Yi replies quietly, trying to come up with the words that would fit. She glances up at Joseph and smiles a little.

Yi takes the bowl and sips the drink, swallowing and clearing her throat just barely at the bitter taste. Black coffee tastes better, but she's not foreign to herbal medicines.

Joseph's nod is slower this time, and Yi gets her second smile of the day. That could be a record. In fact, the Wendigo offers a whispered, "Washte," as he nods for her to drink. He then moves to Sepdet, marking the Strider in blood, and asking his question of her. "Hope Star, what is a pack?"

Pack> Yi .oO (Is that your FINAL answer?)

Pack> Leonard grins evilly.

Sepdet looks up at his eyes and then to each of them in turn. ~A pack is a union of Garou in heart, mind, and purpose, under one spirit that embodies and strengthens their bond. They share the same hunt, the same dreams, the same challenges. They speak the same language of the spirit.~

Joseph lets Sepdet take her drink from the black bowl and then holds out the blood bowl to her. She gets to paint Joseph and ask of him a question.

Sepdet takes the drinking bowl in both hands and laps at it wolf-fashion, eyes squinting slightly against the taste, then exchanges it for the other and paints his forehead with two fingers. ~What is our purpose?~

Pack> Leonard says "WHAT is your name? WHAT is your quest? Boy, we'd dead on the first one. :)"

Pack> Sepdet is gonna have to do a LOT of corrections in this log, la. Paints his forehead.

Pack> Yi fractures...

Pack> Sepdet's mom suggested Flashing Fins and Scales of Steel, unhelpfully.

Pack> Yi says "What about our favourite color? Dang, we're screwed."

Pack> Yi says "Not Steel... too Weavery."

Pack> Leonard says "Is that like Buns of Steel for fish? :)"

Pack> Sepdet says "Exactly."

Joseph's eyes shine. He lifts his chin a little as he answers. "To heal, to teach, to learn. To keep this place sacred. We come from many different tribes, many different worlds. This pack is a bridge, bringing those separate things together."

Sepdet gives him the bitter drink and then sets the bowls down in the center of their circle by the offerings.

Joseph drinks the black liquid, then places the bowl down with the other two. With Sepdet's help, one working widdershins and one working clockwise, the two of them use the vines to bind each of the packmates together, arm in arm. When they reach their pwn places, they tie each other together and the Wendigo lifts his arms to the night sky. Now, he speaks directly to the spirits.

Pack> Joseph had intended for this to be done umbrally. I always forget that. :( Sep can you tell him we meant to be on the other side?

Pack> Sepdet tells Nemo.

Joseph's voice lifts into the night, *We bind ourselves tonight to a purpose, to a place, and to a spirit. Buffalo, some of us have followed you before, some of us have always looked to you. All of us now call to you. PArt of our purpose is to heal, and to protect those who need to heal and can't protect themselves. For this noble purpose we ask for the favor of the dark One-Horn, a son of the Mother born to this very purpose. Lastly, we call to you, Grandmother, with the shimmering Scales. Make a path for us.*

Sepdet stands rooted at Soulcatcher's shoulder as he begins the summons, eyes going distant as she strains to listen for an echo. Her own prayer is silent, but sketched out in air by her fingers in dancing gestures. She encompasses the five of them with outstretched hands, then draws them together to shape the totems. Buffalo: that would be her fists clenched, moving in drumbeats to match the rhythms Yi is beginning to tap out. Unicorn: a sharp, direct gesture, one finger pointed and thrust towards the sky. Salmon: hands pressed together in a sudden arcing leap.

Thump, thump-thump...thump, thump-thump... The slow, steady beat of Yi on the drums as she takes up the stick to dried skin and reverberating wood echoes around the circle and surroundings. Into the rhythms, she adds what she knows. The pulse of the oceans, the lap of the waves against the lake shore. The quiet rush of the rivers, and soft gurgle of streamwater over rocks. Then, the thundering beat of hooves against ground, sometimes galloping like the Unicorn's hooves as it runs swiftly over the ground, to an imitation of the thundering beasts of buffalo, stampeding. She closes her eyes, to concentrate on these rhythms.

Leonard raises his voice, adding it to the call. "Come Enteeteeueh, Strong Swimmer! Come Quaspeetza, curly haired one! Come Black Unicorn!"

While the rite continues, a small black rabbit breaks free of the Umbral woods, little more than a quick-moving shadow in the light of the crescent moon. Three foxes stalk the rabbit, chasing it towards the lake.

Joseph's eyes shift at the movement, the idea of seeing his name sake slightly disconcerting to the Wendigo. Attempting to refocus his concentration, he begins a soft chant that is at once reminiscent of the thunder of hooves, and the rush of water.

Sepdet tracks the movement with a turn of the head, and smiles. ~Life's circle,~ she observes quietly, scanning Blackrabbit's expression before resuming her own call.

Yi has her eyes closed, not seeing the rabbit or the foxes at this point, and continues her drum beatings. Almost meditative, though, her other senses seem to heighten up at this and she mentally does note Sepdet's mild comment.

Duane has taken up a quiet wordless song, high, but matching the cadence of Yi's drumming. His shoulders dip and sway with the rhythms; he doesn't appear to see the rabbit and its pursuers until the Strider's comment.

Sepdet's respect for all three is the same, and that much is clear in the timber of their voice as she begins to weave their names softly. But as the rite builds the offering she makes is most certainly suited to one more than the others. The wooden bowl she brought begins to fill with water, as she concentrates fixedly on it, brows knitted in effort.

The rabbit suddenly turns at the last moment as one of the foxes almost catches it. Avoiding capture for the moment, the lapine hops in almost a direct line toward the pack and their ritual space.

Sepdet glances towards hunter and hunted and stoops to one knee to be closer to the rabbit's level, should the canny spirit run the gauntlet of foxes at its heels. There is sympathy in her eyes, but understanding too, of the dance between prey and predator, give and take.

Yi slits one eye open, to glance at the others, and only now sees the rabbit and foxes coming straight for the ritual circle. But it doesn't stop her rhythms, though there might be a slight change as it reflects the dance of hunter and prey, swift heartbeats that give excitement to the chase. For a brief moment, the Gnawer opens her eyes to look for the buffalo spirits...if there are any, since there were many buffalo on the Realmside.

Joseph's attention is now more on the rabbit than the call. The Wendigo's eyes show encouragement for the little prey animal, admiring it's skill in out foxing the foxes.

The chase continues towards the circle, the foxes gaining on the rabbit. The small black-furred shadow barely makes the ritual circle as one of the foxes snaps at it. The escape was coser than it seemed, as a little bit of blood from a small red gash in the rabbit's back wipes off on Yi as the lapine slips past. The rabbit weaves in through the vines and mong the ritual elements, further confounding any pursuit. The fox, though, smelling the blood, swipes at Yi.

Yi makes an attempt to dodge the swipe to her legs, surprised no doubt by the fox. "Hey!"

Sepdet moves to block a fox as they enter the circle. ~Enough!~ she cries, laughing softly. ~Rabbit has sought sanctuary of us. Find some other prey. Or take if you will.~ She holds out a hand to one.

Leonard tries to settle the rabbit down, following Sepdet's lead and boxing out the foxes.

Joseph tracks the rabbit, offering it sanctuary in his shadow as he crouches. Like Sepdet, he offers the fox his own hand, where the wound from the cut made earlier has still not healed.

Duane moves to block another gap, keeping a fox at bay with one foot. "Back off, homes."

At the reprimand, the foxes look at the Garou, then at each other. One steps forward as if to accept the Strider's offer, then backs off a little again, perhaps unwilling to take on something of that relative size, though one of the three looks longingly at Joseph's hand.

Sepdet moves slowly, opening her palm outward to them where the cut has already closed but fresh blood from the rite preparations remains. ~We will not harm you, cousins,~ she tells them softly. ~Let the survivor live to grow and have kittens in the spring. Take from those who can afford to give freely, this time.~

Joseph's hand remains well within striking distance of the fox. He does not flinch or move away.

Yi glances between Sepdet and Joseph, then to her other packmates and down to the foxes. Specifically, to the fox that tried swiping at her. She stoops down to one knee, and outstretches a hand likewise. "If you wanted it so bad, you could've just asked," she murmurs.

Duane relaxes somewhat, removes his foot barring the way to the rabbit, and watches the foxes's responses to his packmates. His gaze flicks momentarily toward the rabbit, but otherwise remains on the vulpines.

The rabbit's nose twitches nervously, then it hops once again through the vines still binding the pack, slipping through to the water's edge. There, it leaps into the air; in mid-leap, its black-furred form slides and shimmers into a silver-scaled shape before breaking the water's surface. The foxes take a couple of steps away from the pack and the water, then slip back into the woods.

Joseph stands moothly from his crouch, his gaze following his name sake as it shimmers and becomes not his name sake. His gaze darts to Sepdet and back to the water.

Leonard looks from the rabbit/fish to the theurge, questioningly.

Duane turns, watching the fish-turning-rabbit calmly. "Huh," he says, eloquently. With that, he sketches a brief nod.

Yi watches the foxes slip off into the woods, making sure they were gone, before turning back to the others and just in time seeing the silver scales shining and water gleaming. She makes a double-take back to the rabbit's spot, and then the lake. "So the answer to the riddle arrives," she musses up from her inward surprise, before setting down the drum and straightening up.

Sepdet's face lights in a brilliant smile, but she holds quite still until the foxes have moved off. She looks towards Leonard with a nod, taking up the bowl of water she made to carry it to the lake's edge. ~Welcome!~ she calls down to the the scaled spirit. ~Thank you for coming so far to find us.~

Joseph moves with Sepdet, careful of the vines that tangle them together. He crouches back down to watch the surface of the water, keen eyes trying to make out the moving shape of the fish spirit.

Leonard moves to the water's edge as well, carrying the intact skeleton, still upon the spit. As he removes it carefully, he chants. "Welcome, friend Swimmer. We have met again in good health. Welcome, Great Medicine Bearer, You, Long-Life Maker." He kneels and pushes the skeleton into the water, head-first, towards where the fish disappeared. "For you come to set us right again, as is always done by you."

And since all of them are strung up together, Yi moves with Joseph and Leonard as well. "Hello, and welcome back," Yi intones with the others. She's seen lots of fish before. But spirit fish? Well, that's another story.

Sepdet tugs gently at the vines, urging the rest of the pack to move with her and Leonard down closer to the water's edge. The symbolic offering of pure water is poured slowly, making a miniature waterfall over the bank's edge into the lake and spreading out silvered ripples. ~We are yours now,~ she tells the spirit softly. ~What would you ask of us?~

Duane is tugged along, his own eyes drifting far out over the lake's moonlit surface. For now, he remains silent, watchful, intent on the elder Theurges.

The water's surface breaks once again as the spirit pokes its head out of the water. *You have persevered long through hardships unnumbered. You will continue. How could I not come?* The fish dives agan before any answer can be made, then comes back up once again near the shore. *You will continue what you have started. I will lay on you one burden, however--when any of the spirits of Gaia ask for help, you help them. The Garou blend spirit with material. Too many forget that on this side, we can help if just by showing you where help is needed.*

Sepdet watches the diving leaps, the ripples, with a raw child's grin that few besides Joseph have been privileged to see. ~We understand, daughter of my old friend, and will hold that law.~

Leonard looks to Sepdet as she translates the fish's burbling speech, then nods in agreement, eyes shining.

Nemo pages to the room: That's up to y'all. If you're definitely gonna spend that point, I have no problems with everyone understanding now.

Yi has a similar grin, but it's more moderated as she peers at the glittering fish. She stoops a little at the bankside, to narrow her eyes a bit and peer some more at the spirit. "I know some spirits give names to the packs they bond with, Salmon. Do you have one, that you wish to be called?"

Joseph glances to the Gnawer, who happens to have wound up right beside him at the water's edge. He looks out over the water with yet another smile. A landmark day indeed, for Yi.

Duane has his gaze out over the water again, though it's narrow now, thoughtful. He bends down toward the bank - though, being as tall as he is keeps him from pulling whoever's next to him down too far - and splays one big hand across the sruface of the water, touching so lightly that only a slight ripple spins out from beneath it.

The fish-spirit leaps into the air, then cuts through the water's surface again before coming back up to speak with the pack. *For now, I am Salmon. You may name me what you wish to call me. Protect and guard, Avalon. I am with you.* She leaps up once again, then swims off like a shot into the depths of the Umbral lake.

Yi stands up, slowly, beside Joseph as she watches the fish swim off. She doesn't hide her smile, as she looks to the others of her pack.

Sepdet exhales, expression rueful. ~We'll get back to her on that.~ She doesn't seem to mean the fish's name, either. She turns her head towards the others, slowly raises her arms to the sky, and then grins crookedly at Joseph. ~I'm flattered, sen-n ka'i, but is it time to take these off now? I want to go swimming.~

Joseph seems to have forgotten the vines. Chuckling, he removes them, clockwise. For now, they're places with the other ritual things and he looks toward the water. "I followed you once. I will again."

Duane dips his hand below the surface now, bringing up a cupped handful of water that quickly leaks back to its source. He repeats the gesture, this time, with a flick of the wrist, he sends the water splashing lightly toward the others. "/Word/," he says. "Some good karma tonight, yo." He adds one of his rare, bright smiles as he stands.

Yi rubs her wrists once they're freed, and gets splashed with Shadow water. She laughs and slips behind Duane to push him into the water.

Sepdet gives Joseph a rueful glance at his words, then gives a sudden whooping yip. ~Come dance!~ she tells the others. Not bothering to strip again, she wheels and runs down to the edge and throws herself in on her stomach, otter-style.

Joseph takes a few steps back, eyes dancing as Duane is pushed in. Then the Wendigo leaps off the bank into the umbral waters of the lake with his own yowl added to Sepdet's.

Duane resists at first, but his balance isn't right, and so finally relents, turning his tumble into something like a dive. Not much one for swimming usually, he sucks a deep breath and sinks down below the waves.

Yi grins, and watches quietly from the water's edge. For now, she waits before joining in.

Sepdet pops up and paddles about, sticking close to Joseph. The Strider's never entirely confident in this alien environment, and it's surely cold, but she splashes and loses herself with the others for a while before rolling up onto the bank to start gathering their things and going back to the fire.

Yi waits for her packmates to come out of the dripping Umbra water before moving to also help gather the rest of the materials. "We have ourselves a Salmon," she remarks to the Strider as she picks up the drum and a bowl.

Sepdet smiles gratefully at Yi. ~Yes. And I feel...~ She shivers, her body complaining cold, but those are not her words at all, and her smile is warm indeed. ~Almost like a cub again. It is good to come full circle.~

Yi stoops to pick up the quartz and places it in her hand beside the drummer's stick. "It's funny the spirit didn't give us a name," she murmurs quietly, thinking of the fish. Her hand turns the quartz in hand a little and she looks back to the Wendigo in the water. It reflects the crescent moon's light with a bright glitter, and she thinks, "How about 'Silverscale'?"

Sepdet pushes the dripping and wild curls out of her face, eyes, shoulders, and licks her lips to taste the word. ~It's close,~ she decides. ~Very close. Silverscale for our cousin, here, and... Salmon's Leap for the pack?~ She shakes her head. ~Our Galliard needs to weave us something right. Don't press it. We'll find it.~

Yi smiles and nods. "Maybe the fish will tell us in our dreams," she chuckles and hoists the drum up with a dull clunk. "Guess I'll be heading back across."

Sepdet follows her wordlessly, carrying the stacked bowls but leaving the three offerings for the spirits. Water is wonderful, but the desert-born Garou and her scant clothes are no match for Wendigo's nippy air.