Sepdet smiles tiredly, wringing out the hem of her tunic onto the rocks. ~I am not leaving sept. I am simply not going to fight to the death with a stubborn Wendigo over who gets to guard that lake. And it may be that Salmon's Leap should continue without him. I must ask /her/ what she thinks.~ She looks closely at the Uktena. ~Also you. For you have defended her, and had eyes on this pack.~

((From afar, Sepdet was just swimming, and is drip-drying (seated) on the rocks.))

Reflexively rubbing the circular scar about his head as Reggie gets reminded of the defending he did, he grunts. "Yeah. Seemed like good people to throw in my lot with, however poor it might be. Thought maybe Leonard'd have loosened up some in it."

Working her way along the vents, Three-Blades slips out of a cloud of hot mist, gazing around the caern area and waterfall. Seeing the Strider and Uktena, the Gnawer passes over a vent with a cautious look down to it, trotting over to join them with a greeting chuff. Greetings. How are you two?

Sepdet raises a hand towards Yi, beckoning to her. ~Well,~ she murmurs. The scrapes and bruises she picked up from her last assault on the waterfall are closing. ~I was explaining to Reggie the situation. I am torn. Little Bear told me he will have nothing more to do with Wyrmcomers, and wishes to form a pack of Pure Ones. I do not wish to oppose his attempts to strengthen them here.~

Waggling fingers at Yi, Reggie comments after Sepdet summarizes to the Gnawer, "Well. Odd place for it, this Sept of all tribes, but if he likes long odds it's one way to go", then he raises his eyes to the caern, and his lips spli tin a grin, "And this is a place of long odds. Reclaimed, by Gaia. Retaken. Renewed."

Three-Blades flattens her ears. He said that? 'Nothing more to do with Wyrmcomers' ? The ragabash flicks her tail, looking disappointed. I know he dislikes those outside his tribe and its brothers, but... is that not a harsh rule to live by? She dips her muzzle, agreeing with Reggie before looking back towards Sepdet. I take it he did not like the thought.

Sepdet shakes her head. ~He holds me responsible for the sept not taking Wendigo as Totem. I can no more force them to do that than force a tree to grow underwater. To him, I have broken my oatk to help Wendigo earn back its place as leaders of this sept.~ She grimaces. ~'Earn'. That is the part we disagree on. So. I will not go back to Rainbow Lake. What do /you/ wish? He spoke in anger, Yi: perhaps he would still keep you as packmate, and perhaps you may wish to keep Salmon. I will not oppose that either.~

Reggie is silent now, and turns his focus on Yi.

Three-Blades sits, tail curled beside her leg. That is not true. Wendigo would not take to the sept! In the face of many, he must have seen the disagreement amongst the others when the North Wind and Many-faced one appeared. Her gaze drops down towards the ground. Even I did not wish for Wendigo to be this sept's totem. Strong as he is, and helpful that he was in saving the caern, I do not think either side would have been agreeable with each other. The Gnawer scratches at the ground with a paw. But, I wish to speak with Little Bear. His attitude, if that is what it is now, could not possibly bond with mine if he is going to think that he can simply drop all contact with those around him. Just thinking that they are Wyrmcomer. That would make me, you, and so many others outside of his drawn circle.

Sepdet repeats, ~I do not know what he calls 'Wyrmcomer'. Those who betray Wendigo, perhaps. Which he surely thinks I have done. I gave my oath, Yi, to support his tribe. He does not see that I can help him climb a mountain, but I cannot /move/ the mountain. So.~ She takes a deep breath. ~He will not change his mind about me, Yi. He will not pack with me, nor allow me to stay at the Lake. The pack must move, and change, or it must end.~

Reggie chews slowly on his lower lip, as he looks from Gnawer to Strider as they dissect Little Bear.

Three-Blades huffs a sigh. She gazes straight towards the adren, eye for eye. Is it true you agreed to supporting Wendigo? Did you actually say you would? The Gnawer looks plaintive, wanting the truth, wanting to know what happened between Leonard and Sepdet.

Sepdet laughs at the question. ~It is merely a confirmation of what I have always done, Yi. When they first came here, there was almost a war. I was one of only two that spoke for them. I have offered my /life/ to a Wendigo-spirit when it demanded a sacrifice. My oath is nothing new.~ She takes a deep breath. ~Little Bear asked me to summon Wendigo to help with the caern's reclaiming. I did so. It asked us to promise to make it the new Totem. That I could /not/ do. I promised instead to stay here, and to use my influence to support his tribe, until one of them was alpha or Warder. That has been my intention since they first came here, Yi, and I still hold it.~

Reggie blinks in surprise at Sepdet. "That's...quite an oath, for a tribe that isn't yours. Most just vow to get their own tribe into power."

Three-Blades blinks a couple of times. Use your influence to support his tribe, until one of them was alpha or Warder... the Gnawer mulls over this. Then she looks from the Strider to the Uktena. Rags, what do you think? This pack? You were looking into it before. Now you have the best view to see it from the unbiased view. What are your thoughts?

Sepdet meets Reggie's eyes briefly, giving him a grim nod at his comment. But she does not explain herself, and Yi's question seems to be echoed in her raised eyebrow.

"Unbiased?", Reggie snorts in surprised at the word applied to him. "If I was a half-moon I'd say something like I should hear from the other side before making any opinions. As it is, I'm not, and I got an easier route", and he grins. "Rend. Kill. No use for thoughts."

Sepdet smiles faintly at that. ~Good.~ She comments wryly to Yi, ~Too much thinking, and we'd all be Stargazers.~

Three-Blades splays an ear at the Uktena. You know as well as I do you have brains. Nearly lost them in fighting for the defense of the very totem of Salmon's Leap. The other ear sticks up now. I'm not asking for a large stream of thoughts. Not even a brook. But this is important. The Gnawer looks between the two. If Salmon's Leap wishes to continue on, then it will need more members. Packmates who are devoted to assisting spirits, and giving the sept a pack bonded close together under her wisdom. The ragabash glances up at the Strider now, a tinge of sadness touching her gaze. If Little Bear has left, then it is almost a sign that the pack is fading. The way I feared it would be.

Sepdet inclines her head to Yi. ~Or a sign from Gaia we have fulfilled our purpose, and should not press a dried flower once its seeds are planted.~ She gestures around at the scoured caern. ~I held onto Whispers and Renaissance long after they had served theirs, and it was... heartache. Renew? Or release? That is the choice we face.~

Reggie mock shivers at the mention of Stargazers and clamps his head on with a hand as Yi mentions the defending. "A brook?", he wrinkles his nose. "A droplet. You've another--Duane? What does he think?"

Sepdet shakes her head. ~Duane patrols Wendigo land. I have not seen him to speak to him since Bear and I parted ways.~

Three-Blades lowers her head a little. It is true. That was what I thought. I spent many a night, just sitting and thinking while gazing at the stars. But I realized, life cannot be all about thoughts, and regret for past actions. The Gnawer looks over to the Strider. It would be better if we could separate on good terms, and not like this. Yi looks back at Reggie. I am not sure what he thinks. Which is another reason, perhaps. When packmates do not know what the other is thinking, then maybe it is time.

Reggie looks between Strider and Gnawer, then spreads his hands. "Life's a mess. No clean easy way."

Three-Blades agrees on that point. No way to take the easy way. She looks over to Sepdet. You are alpha of the pack, Hope-Star-rhya. This will, ultimately, come to you. However, you know that pack or no pack, I will help you and help this sept.

Sepdet wipes the water out of her eyes again with a faint chuckle. ~Which is to say: I have no idea. And you are right, both of you should speak to Little Bear before passing judgement.~ She reaches a hand out to Three-blades' muzzle. ~I know it. Friendship's bond does not end with a pack's. My heart says: it is time. Give Little Bear the chance to make the pack he wishes, and not take those he hopes to recruit. I have no wish to fight with him.~

Three-Blades bows her head once at the Strider. Always. And, there will be memories and thankfulness. If she could shrug, she would. And this is not to say we are the only ones who can call upon Salmon and bond under her wisdom.

"If you can", Rags ponders. "I wonder how far he's going to take this 'nothing to do with Wyrmcomers'. He's still got to deal with the Alpha and Warder of this Sept." Sepdet rubs Yi's muzzle silently, reassuring. ~Assuming that's what he meant. He may only classify me as such, for oathbreaking. Or he may have meant simply that he refuse to /pack/ with outsiders anymore.~

And keep them off the lands to Rainbow Lake? The bluff? Three-Blades flips her tail about, slightly annoyed. I know there is the law of respecting territory, but it is a bit much. Even if he were unwelcome, I would not stop him from entering the Scab.

Sepdet says quietly, ~Joseph claimed the Bluff for the Wendigo. The cave has spiritual significance to them. Little Bear has added the Lake to that, since the buffalo are there. We'll see.~ She rises to her feet. ~Come. I think we should seek Silverscale. I told him I would speak to her one more time at the Lake before I left.~

"Classification?", Reggie echoes, "Unless he's working on a new vocabulary, which he well could be in order to get one not 'tainted', Wyrmcomer means someone not native American. As for this isolation--", he ponders. "--some up north've been doing that. But it's odd to see that here."

Three-Blades gets up to her paws, mentally shrugging off the thoughts of discontent for her galliard packmate. I just wish he is there. That way, he can tell his story.

Sepdet rises to her feet. ~You should. We do not have to decide for certain tonight, if there is some quetsion in your hearts. I will simply put the matter before Silverscale. She is Wisdom, after all.~

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:
Obvious exits:
West SouthEast

Reggie decides to include himself in the object of Sepdet's 'come' statement, and follows, asking as he goes "You've been saying how the lake's important to Little Bear. Is the lake important to Silverscales?"

Sepdet tells Reggie as she starts to climb the waterfall, ~That's one thing I need to ask her.~

Three-Blades flicks an ear in answer to Rags' question. Salmon's specialty is water, and wisdom. I suppose that she could move wherever she wishes. After all, when we first met her... she was a rabbit. The Gnawer tags along behind Sepdet. Since the lake was part of our pack's territory, I guess it was natural for her to live there. We had thought about the island at ~Arthur~ for packland before, until the CircleSnake pack came back.

Sepdet passes through the forest and moves down to the lakeshore in unhurried silence exactly as she would any other night--almost. Her calm manners are too practiced not to be hiding something, as Yi, at least, will know, from a few years observation of the Strider's habits. She pauses and takes a deep breath of the night air as they grow close to the strangely-colored waters. ~I remember when these waters were choked with poison and few fish lived. A bane dwelt here.~

The unhurried pace suits Reggie as he can keep up with the pace, and he listens to the others talk about their pack totem. "Was there? Before Salmon came here? Did you find and defeat the bane?"

Here? Three-Blades queries, ears standing up and forward. It hardly looks Wyrm-touched at all. She looks to the Strider with surprise.

Sepdet gives a private smile at that. ~Yes,~ she answers Reggie. And to Yi, ~No, it does not, does it?~

"Was it a mighty battle?", Rags asks, "One requiring many talons, planning, and strategy?"

Three-Blades scans the area around in disbelief. It is rather hard to believe, Hope-Star-rhya. How? That would mean the people in the Scab know about this place. And one wonders if you defeated it on your own.

Sepdet shakes her head. ~No. Just perserverance. And human help. There was an old mineshaft above the stream that feeds into it--~ she points. ~It leaked poison. The lake was silted up. A kin-human who used to live in the woods north of here organized volunteers to clean it. But her dogs were killed, and their bodies were found shredded in the shallows. We killed what was doing it, then added cleansing to her work. It took many months.~

"Just cleaning up a mine defeated the bane?", Rags asks, "If I'd known that, I'd have worked at being a better housekeeper. I'm sure there's a bane in the back of my refrigerator."

Three-Blades looks in the indicated directions, twitching her tail around. Maybe that is the same tactic to be used in the ~sewers~. She waxes thoughtful, ears swivelling around towards the mineshaft and then the north.

Sepdet growls. ~No. I gathered Collin and a few others, and killed it. That was the easy part. The hard part is /always/ cleaning up afterwards.~

"Ah", Reggie looks reassured that a battle did indeed take place.

Sepdet shakes her head and squats down by the water, gazing at her reflection. ~Now, Little Grandmother, let us see what you have to say.~

Three-Blades wouldn't have expected any less. Watching Sepdet now, she too eyes the water and rumbles quietly.

Sepdet reaches across silently and takes a moment to sniff the air for signs of foe before stepping into the edge of the lake itself. She's already half-soaked from her caern-dip earlier anyway.

Three-Blades shakes herself off once she's passed through, looking around for Sepdet by the lakeshore. Even though she is somewhat comfortable, the Gnawer shifts to hispo form in the Umbra, and wades in a bit from the lakeshore.

Reggie steps up to the water, trails his fingers in it and tastes the water, verifying that it's no longer polluted, then crosses over to the Umbra, joining Sepdet and Yi, and wades into the lake feet-deep.

Night has recently fallen and the air, cooled, has sunk heavily to the ground, trapping in the clean smell of the umbral lake and shoreline--and a slightly fishy smell intermingled subtly. A gentle *plop* comes from the darkshrouded far side of the lake, then another closer by shortly thereafter. In almost no time at all, eddies and currents move the fur/hair on your legs as something passes by in the water.

Sepdet wades forward and throws herself in, fully submerging for a moment before popping her head up and propping her toes against the bottom. Skin prickles from the nippy water. ~Little Grandmother!~ she calls. ~Heya.~

Three-Blades reflexively lifts one of her paws out of the water at the touch of fish, peering down futilely into the umbral lake. Still, as Sepdet moves forward, she sets her large paw back down and whuffs out over the water. ~Silverscale, hello.~ Pulling off his boots and leaving them on the shore, Reggie digs in his bare toes into the weedy bottom of the lake, wincing slightly at the chill of thw water as he edges his feet slowly into it.

Silverscale emerges slightly from the water, poking only its head up from the cold, murky depths if the lake. *Hello. Come for a swim this night?*

Sepdet smiles wistfully. ~In part.~ She does not come closer, partly to keep a toe on the bottom and partly out of respect. ~We came here to seek the wisdom of your counsel, and your wishes. There is a problem.~

Three-Blades swivels her ear, looking back over her shoulder once towards Reggie, and moreso looking and expecting Little Bear to come out from somewhere. A short huff later, the Gnawer is back to watching the fish and conversation between the pack alpha with the totem. Tail level and out of the waiter, she licks at her muzzle. A deep problem, she thinks quietly to herself.

The salmon spirit gives one of its enigmatic responses. *If there is but only one problem remaining, is it such a problem? Or is it all the greater a problem for being the only one?*

Reggie returns Three-Blades's glance, and, in turn, looks around but sees no one else.

Sepdet tries not to laugh in the water. ~There are many problems. But in this one, your own wishes especially matter. Little Bear has forbidden me to come back here, and I refuse to fight him over a patch of land. I must go.~ She coughs, catching half a mouthful, and moves a little more into the muddy shallows. ~So do we seek new waters, new packmates? Or do we call the pack successful, with the caern's recovery and cleansing? Should we simply part ways, give him the freedom to form the Pure Ones pack he wishes, and thank you for all your help?~

Three-Blades wades in a bit more, her forelimbs sinking a bit in the water. ~He's pretty much kicked his own pack alpha out of pack land.~ Put that way, it does sound sort of like bad fortune.

Silverscale answers in a gurggly voice. *I cannot decide this matter for you all as I am merely one member of this pack. A different member, but that could be said of any of you. But it sounds as if some change is required. This is the nature of things, the way things should be.*

Ankle-deep in the lake, Reggie cups water in his palms to sip, while he watches the Strider debate with Silverscales. Yi's comment gets a thoughtful glance from him.

Sepdet reminds Yi, ~Two Eagles' Bluff is Wendigo-land. The lake might as well be.~ Then she looks at the glimmer in the water keenly. ~Will you give up this lake and move, if we do? His quarrel is with me, not you, though he did say he was no longer of the pack.~

Three-Blades turns a bit, pushing the water around with a large limb. ~That is not the point. He was not alpha. I could understand if he put challenge to you, and you decided to move to spare a fight. But it is just confusing. One day, he is happy and with the pack. The next, once he sees his tribe's totem spirit, he decides to leave the pack and kick you out. Effectively, kicking the pack out with it.~

Little Bear trots in lakeside, then stares at his reflection until he's faded from view. He appears in the umbra about fifty feet from where the group is gathered.

Silverscale dips briefly into the waters and then rises up again. *These waters, once defiled, have been reclaimed. The caern, with these waters' aid, was also reclaimed. Both have been victories for both spirits, the Garou, and the creatures within these waters. All here is well now. Perhaps it is time for me to move to where I am needed more--in the great river. It would be a mighty task, far to great for me alone. Far to great for this pack, even. But the choice is whether to defend what we have won or to push onwards. If we disband, I will stay here to defend. If we do not disband, we can move to the great river.*

Sepdet shrugs, spreading out ripples in the water. ~He has made his choice. I see them as fixed, rather than something which can be shifted. Either we fight him, or we do not. I do not see any use to such a fight. So I move.~ She raises an eyebrow at Silverscale's suggestion, a speculative glint in her eye. ~Now that is a fight worth doing.~

Little Bear sits on his haunches, listening for now rather than revealing his presence. Three-Blades on the other hand, looks a little confused. ~Great river?~ she echoes with a rumble.

Sepdet explains, ~The humans call it "Columbia." Perhaps too big for us to tackle, but I'm willing to try impossible causes. If...~ She looks thoughtful. ~I will have to talk to the Warder before I go that far from the caern.~

Reggie looks up at the sky to orient himself, then points in the appropriate direction of west. "Big river thataway. Too wide to jump across, too deep to wade", he helpfully points out to Yi.

Three-Blades takes the two explanations of the other Garou, glancing in the pointed direction. ~The river by the park,~ she guesses, thinking it must be the one that's close by. By the same action, she looks towards Little Bear, ears turning towards him.

Little Bear glances at Yi, nodding his head in recognition, then looks back to Salmon.

Reggie confirms with "Harbor park? Yes, that's the one--", he turns to see what Yi is looking at, and vigorously waves a hand at Little Bear. "Hey! You got a long list of people waiting to talk to you, I could swear you're the Pope."

Little Bear arches a furry eyebrow, but nods. I'm here.

Sepdet sighs, noting Yi's gaze. Ignoring any glares, she merely raises a hand in greeting before ducking her face, coming back up, and addressing Silverscale again. ~I will consider,~ she tells the fish softly. ~You will know our choice soon. Thank you for helping me clear my head.~ With that, she hauls herself to the edge, rises, splashes her legs to get the main mud off, and sets her eyes on the water to reach through.

With a splash, the fish spirit disappears back into the cool, wet depths.

Three-Blades eyes Sepdet as the Strider departs, yipping a goodbye at the fish as well before turning back to Little Bear. The hispo'ed Gnawer pulls herself out of the water, shaking off the Shadow-liquid as she steps towards the Wendigo. ~So,~ she rumbles with a flick of her tail. ~You decided to strike out on your own.~

Reggie waddles out of the water, seaweed tangled between his toes, and shakes off water on the shore, before joining Yi and Little Bear. "Hear you're going to become a hermit."

"Hear you're going to have nothing to do with Wyrmcomers. That means no dealings with the Alpha, the Warder, the other packs--well, nearly everyone except a handful. Hermitage", Reggie replies.

Three-Blades splays her ears. ~But why did you throw out Hope-Star-rhya suddenly?~ she continues her question. ~What changed you, Little Bear? Just by one look at Wendigo, you decided to leave and kick us out?~

Little Bear stands and shakes. Will talk to who I need to, when I need to. He looks at Three-Blades, ears splaying. Hope-Star-rhya has made empty promises. When came a time she could fufill those promises, she didn't. Wendigo says this sept isn't worthy of him. I will make it worthy of him.

"Ah", Reggie replies, "So it's not a total cutoff. Your pack alpha wasn't sure if it was just her or the whole world at large."

~What promise? I'm no halfmoon, Little Bear, but she said she never told Wendigo she'd put him on the spirit throne. She told Rags and I she would help to eventually put a Wendigo as alpha, or Warder of the sept.~ Three-Blades replies with a blink. ~But positions like that, they must be earned in the eyes of all too.~

Little Bear will try to keep himself as pure as possible. I'm not stupid. I know I can't cut out everyone. He looks at Yi. She said she would return this sept to the Wendigo. When she had a chance to bring that closer to happening, she refused.

Three-Blades looks around at the umbra. ~Look around, Little Bear. The Garou of this sept couldn't possibly follow Wendigo. Not even I could.~ The Gnawer digs her paws into the ground. ~What did you want her to say? To ask for support from a sept that is half-hearted towards him?~

Little Bear growls low. If she meant her words, yes. She did not say she would return this sept to the Wendigo when the Wyrmcomers were ready to give it back. She said she would work to return this Sept to the Wendigo. She did not do it, she actively argued against it.

~It isn't enough she will help bring a Wendigo back to one of the high sept positions?~ Three-Blades asks, head gaining a tilt. ~Even if Wendigo was totem, what sort of sept would this be? Our alpha, our Warder, our Ritemaster, Children of Gaia. You expect them to follow totems of war?~

Rags stands out of the debate between Yi and Little Bear, and picks water weeds out of his toes.

Little Bear has seen the Children of Gaia fight. They would. And she always says will. She always says she's going to. I do not see a Warder. I do not see an alpha. I do not see a totem, something she had the power to do and refused. Not tried and failed, that I would respect, but refused. She talks and talks and talks but does not act.

Three-Blades says, ~Perhaps it is because there has been no one worthy of taking the place of alpha or Warder from the Wendigo. Soulcatcher had been Gatekeeper before, from what I remember, but he has left. It leaves you, Little Bear, Rain-Cougar, Man-Hunter and the one they call Touch Deer.~ Three-Blades paces, her tail twitching. ~She has many burdens of her own to carry, besides. That she even takes time to care at all for the Wendigo and the tribe's influence here is something to be thankful for.~ She gazes at Little Bear, blinking a few more times.

Little Bear didn't ask her to care. She swore an oath. She has not lived up to that oath. She says one thing and does another. This kind of help wyrmcomers have always offered us, and it is the kind of help I do not need.

Three-Blades paws at the ground, frustration building. ~What oath? Repeat it to me, Little Bear. You're the galliard. All I've gotten is smoke and mirrors regarding what was the deal with Wendigo. What did she Say? 'Yes, I will make the sept choose you as the caern totem' ?~

Little Bear growls. Its not just ABOUT the totem. Its about EVERYTHING! She says she wants to help the Wendigo. Having Wendigo as totem would have helped the Wendigo. She says she wants to give the caern back to the Wendigo. Having Wendigo as totem would have been a step in that direction. She says she wants to have a Wendigo alpha or a Wendigo Warder. Having Wendigo as a totem would have made this easier. She not only refused to argue for him, she argued against him. This is betrayal.

~Maybe she has her own ways of doing what she says she will do, Little Bear,~ the Gnawer rumbles, forcibly calming herself. ~She has her reasons why she did not support Wendigo as the totem that night. And Wendigo himself was not happy with the way the sept reacted. Not just Hope-Star.~

Rags braids a lanyard out of the water weeds to keep busy as he listens to the other two. "Moving a mountain?", he asks Yi.

~Maybe she has her own ways of doing what she says she will do, Little Bear,~ the Gnawer rumbles, forcibly calming herself. ~She has her reasons why she did not support Wendigo as the totem that night. And Wendigo himself was not happy with the way the sept reacted. Not just Hope-Star.~

Three-Blades looks over at Rags and nods her large wolven head. ~Moving a mountain instead of helping others to climb it.~

Little Bear doesn't care what her reasons are. She keps saying she'll help and she never does. I'm done waiting for her to find a 'right time' to help.

Rags indicates Little Bear with a thumb and, to Yi, "Mountain. Not moving."

Three-Blades gets back up to her paws, and looks over the Shadow lake. ~Then you've been waiting for her to help instead of doing it yourself. Now that you see that, and decide you will do it yourself,~ she pauses, rumbling softly, ~then I wish you luck, Little Bear.~ The Gnawer looks back over to the Wendigo, contemplative of him and his decisions.

Little Bear flattens his ears. I will do it, or I will die trying.

Three-Blades sniffs. ~No regrets?~ she asks of the Wendigo, tossing a fleeting glance at Rags.

Little Bear cocks his head. About what? Trying to help me people?

Three-Blades chuffs a no. ~About leaving the pack.~

Little Bear cocks his head thoughtfully. Salmon was a good totem. But it is time for me to go. He pauses, studying the small ragabash. I will miss you.

Three-Blades swivels an ear, quirking her head. ~The pendant you gave me, the one you made for me, might not apply anymore. But, it will always have memories.~ On a lighter note, she adds, ~And I'm not going to stop coming up here and howling at your borders.~

Rags bends the lanyard into a circle, then tosses it back out on the lake. When no mysterious hand emerges from the lake bearing a sword, Reggie turns his back on the lake, and waves a hand. "Mountain. Moves-Mountain", he names them, then steps back to the Realm.

Little Bear glances at Reggie, seeming a bit perturbed. He nods to Yi. I... good. I want to teach you. Show you you have no more to fear from wendigo than I do."

Three-Blades lets her tongue loll some at Reggie, and then looks back at the Wendigo. ~Who wouldn't be afraid of a spirit that eats you if it doesn't like you?~

Little Bear offers up an unwolflike shrugs. Who wouldn't be afraid of a man that could turn into a wolf monster?

Three-Blades drops her large jaw in a wolfish smirk, tail flipping over. Then in a more sober note, ~Will you forgive Hope-Star?~

Little Bear seems troubled. I don't know. I am very, very angry.

Three-Blades thinks on this. ~It is not wrong to be angry. But there is a time for anger, and a time for letting it go. For the sake of preserving a good relationship.~ She walks over to the Wendigo and peers down. ~I can understand if you think Hope-Star-rhya has done none of what she said she will do. She probably thinks differently. In any case, it does no good to cut the bond between you two. What have we been packmates for, then? I only wish you two will be ok with each other, and not need to bite on each other's tongues everytime you see each other.~

Little Bear cannot trust her anymore. She has betrayed. This is not a friend the Wendigo need. She will get the respect due her as elder and adren. But she is not welcome here.

Three-Blades swishes her tail. ~Will you accept her help, if she chooses to offer it?~

Little Bear doesn't trust her.

Three-Blades mulls her emotions. This one's tough. ~What about those that trust her?~

Little Bear sniffs idly at something on the ground. Others are others.

Three-Blades lowers her muzzle and nudges the Wendigo's gently. ~You have been a core member of Salmon's Leap, Little Bear. As Soulcatcher-rhya went away to do other things, and is remembered, you will be too. I hope that being in the pack has taught you things as much as it has taught me. Maybe there will be a time we can be pack again. But now. Now I think I know. I think it is time to say good bye to Salmon.~

Little Bear licks the corner of your mouth fondly. I have learned much. I have welcomed being in a pack with friends. But yes. It is time to say goodbye to Salmon. He realizes what you're saying, finally, looking at you with ears pricked. You are leaving too? Where...?

Three-Blades lifts her head back up. ~Things I too must be doing. There is still heavy presence of Wyrm in the Scab. There are cubs to teach, and ready for their Rites. There is a caern to rebuild and guard. And there are my own ignorances I must change.~ The Gnawer smiles a little. ~I want no regrets,~ she rumbles softly.

Little Bear nods, slowly. He shifts up to homid. "I... it has been... you have been a good packmate, and a good friend. If you need anything, come talk to me. I will help you as best I can."

Three-Blades steps forward, pushing her head against the Wendigo's chest and growling appreciatively. ~I'll remember that. Remember, you said it!~ She turns her head and looks up at you, before taking a step back.

Leonard smiles a little, rubbing your head with rough fondness. "I'll remember."

Three-Blades licks your arm once. ~Will you say good bye to Silverscale with us?~

Leonard nods. "I will. I already told Sepdet I would." He glances at the lake. "But it looks like Sepdet may not be leaving her."

Three-Blades looks back towards the lake for a moment. ~She may, or she may not. I believe Hope-Star is connected to Salmon in a bond deeper than just a pack.~ The Gnawer glances back at you. ~This is done, then. Who will you ask to be in your pack?~

Leonard sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Reggie. Tyler. Mitch. Sebastian. Touch Deer already said no."

Three-Blades headtilts. ~That is five. A good number. The question remains if Mitch chooses to stay with Salmon.~

Leonard nods. "We'll see, I guess." He seems pretty fatalistic. "You have a pack in mind?"

Three-Blades licks the side of her muzzle. ~No, but I think... that I will run alone for now.~ The Gnawer takes a glance around again, watching the Umbral sky twinkle on endlessly.

Leonard frowns. "You shouldn't be alone."

Three-Blades looks back towards you. ~You think I will be a danger to myself?~ she asks, tongue poking out from between her large teeth. ~I will not be purely alone. There are so many around.~

Leonard shrugs. "You know what I mean. We aren't meant to run alone. This pack has taught me that, at least."

Three-Blades flicks her ears. ~I know, I know. I do not think you need to worry. Sooner or later, there will be a time. For now, I think it is best.~ The Gnawer takes in a deep, deep breath of the Umbral atmosphere.

Leonard bites his lower lip, then nods. "Okay. I--we're going to be packing under Wendigo. The spirit is still around, I think." He seems to think this is significant somehow.

Three-Blades turns an ear, and glances around as well. ~You think he's probably watching you... at this very moment.~ She looks back to Leonard, staring at him and leaning in a bit. Ok, so she's just joking around. Paranoia is her department, though.

Leonard smirks. "No. Just... I might, change. And I don't want you to think its you."

Three-Blades swishes her tail. ~Change? In what way? You want to start eating people you do not like?~ The ragabash's question is actually sincere. She hasn't a clue what following a cannibal spirit might be like.

Leonard sighs, giving you a 'duh' look. "No. Get...colder."

Three-Blades might even try to roll her eyes at the galliard. ~If you can be colder than some of the Glass Walkers, or the Get, then I will be amazed.~ The Gnawer, though, does realize what Leonard means. ~That is what packing under Wendigo will do? Then I will expect it.~

Leonard nods. "I just wanted you to know. Our story says that he wept such bitter tears over the suffering of his people he could cry no more and his heart was frozen. Now..." He shrugs. "Now he is Wendigo."

Three-Blades turns her ears back. What a sad thing to hear about. ~I will have to hear the story, sometime.~ Then, looking over the lake, she turns to it. ~I think it is time to go back,~ she rumbles to him. ~Coming?~

Three-Blades shifts to a more Veil-safe lupine form before stepping back through the Gauntlet, appearing out beside the lake and the galliard. Once on the other side, she chuffs at him. You take care of yourself, ok?

Leonard nods. "You too. I expect you to be there to celebrate the birth of my children."

Three-Blades blinks a few times, head quirking. I... ok, I will try to be there. The Gnawer's ears splay, but she shrugs it off. Must be a Wendigo thing.