6/8/2004

09:03 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.

Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (60% full).
Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 69 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the southwest at 14 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 29.85 and rising, and the relative humidity is 58 percent. The dewpoint is 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius.)

Center of the Caern
This area of the clearing is about 30 meters wide and is a mixture of dark soil and clay throughout. The ground is mostly mud, but patches of grass, halted by winter's cold, are beginning to peek through the ground and take root. Near the center of the clearing, a small cairn has been built with white stone and quartz--what was left of the beautiful boulder that was once there. None of the stones is bigger than a softball.
Around you, twenty yards in every direction, stretches the caern. To the southeast, a waterfall plummets over the edge of the chasm into a small pool in the caern; nearby, to the southwest, steam comes from cracks in the ground, perhaps some of the same water. Northwest, a rocky spar juts out of the ground at a low angle, showing a sloping but smooth top. The chasm walls narrow a bit to the northeast, causing some of the mist to swirl in that area.
Contents:
Jacinta
Obvious exits:
Rock Slab  Windy Spot  WaterFall  Steam Vents  

Added concern ever since the attack of the cotton balls of doom spurs the ragabash to be in the caern this night. The Gnawer is in her lupus form, with a bandage carefully rolled up and set atop a folded jacket beside her as she rests. Still, her ears remain pricked, alert.

Pierces Ice enters the caern from the northwest, her lupus body language clearly seeking. As she grows nearer, she whuffs a soft greeting to the object of her search. Three Blades. May I approach? She signals her question with a slight lowering of her body, forelegs stretched forward, yet her ears and tail remain self possessed, rather than truly submissive.

Three-Blades raises her head at the approach of the Wendigo, and seeing the wolf make her beeline to her, she rises to her paws to greet her as an equal. The no-moon chuffs, ears swinging foward as she stands in place. In more of a human gesture than anything, she dips her head to signify her agreement of a meeting.

Pierces Ice drops her jaw slightly open in a pleased gesture and moves closer. She rests on her haunches for a moment, absorbed in thoughts not evident in her posture. Then she shifts upward into her birth form and kneels before the wolf with her hands resting on her thighs. "I have watched you, at moot, though we have never truly spoken."

[look Pierces-the-Ice]
This arctic wolf's thick, cream coat seems almost yellow when touched by the sun. She's not large, but her stocky frame seems sturdy enough. Perhaps despite her thickness of body, there is an air of alertness about her. It can be seen in the deep brown of her eyes, the cant of her ear, and the facility of each step.

Three-Blades tonguelolls, pleased to hear that she's at least been recognized. That is true, she chuffs. Sitting then, with a slight feeling of injury to her leg still, she lays her tail beside her neutrally. You seemed to be looking for someone.

Jacinta's brows quickly rise and fall. "You." Her right hand plays at the corner of her quspuq, smoothing the ruffled edge. "As I say, I have watched you at moot. I have thought well on what I have seen, and I believe we might both hold to the same Ways. I wished to speak with you, to find if this is so."

[look Jacinta]
 She stands proudly, this young adult; sure in her movements and comfortable in her body. Calloused fingers adorn small hands at the ends of muscular arms. An Alaska Native, Jacinta is not the tallest warrior one could imagine. Her stout figure falls a full two inches shy of five feet. Her eyes are a brown so dark as to be almost black, and there is a steeliness about her gaze which belies her easy smile. A plait of black hair, reaching her lower back, curls slightly at its tip.
Jacinta is currently dressed in formal Yup'ik garb. A head dress of blue and white felt is adorned with beads, and caribou ruff. Her quspuq, a short dress reaching to mid-thigh, is cut from a blue and white flowered pattern. A deep blue edging runs along the neck, as well as the ruffle at the bottom. The same edging follows the border of the large pocket, covering most of the torso of the garment. It is cinched at the waist by a belt made similarly to the head dress, and beneath it she wears a dark pair of jeans, in much better shape than her usual set.

Three-Blades, not a lupus who can mask feelings in this form, splays an ear in obvious question. Her inclined whine accompanies it, as the dot on the end of the question mark.

Jacinta tips her head slightly to the side and considers her words carefully. "You seem to hold well to your wolf, and, at moot, you show deep understanding of the rituals of the people, and a respect for those ways, the caern and lands, and those of her protectors who have earned such. Do you feel this well describes you?"

By the waterfall, Bites's ears cant forward as she slides to a stop off the descent of the rim. Nose in the air, she sniffs for the scent that brought her, and catching it, she pads toward the center.

The fur along her ruff rises, but the Gnawer's ears sweep low with an embarrassed look as she listens to the Wendigo's words. The ways of our kind are the same everywhere, no matter how many different skins we wear. The ragabash looks off briefly towards Bites, but returns her attention quickly to Jacinta again. Three-Blades's tail thumps the ground lightly in thought. And I have considered this place to be a second home. I have, with others, felt the need to protect it, yes. Her golden eyes stray up to look at the Wendigo straight on. Why?

Bites does not interrupt. she simply lets her nose get more acquainted with Three-Blades even as she greets her elder with a faint twitch of her tail--respectfully lowered.

Jacinta holds out a hand toward the other Wendigo, though her eyes remain on the Bone Gnawer. "Because, I, along with Bites the Belly of the Spider and our Tribesmate, Untangler hope to form a Guardian Pack. It is my hope that we will find others of like mind to join with us. From my observations of you, I thought you might fit well with our purpose and strength, but I thought to speak with you, to know you better and allow you to know us."

Three-Blades's nostrils flare slightly, the scent of Bites floating to her in the night. She remembers the theurge's scent, from moot. At the mention of a Guardian pack, the Gnawer's black furred ears tilt down at first. You are the third to have approached me about joining a pack. Her fur smoothes, her form shrinking slightly. The Gatekeeper had his eye upon me for Scourge, and the Alpha for Echo. I had heard Seeker also sought Guardians. She glances aside to Bites. The others in your pack, I do not know either. All are of the ~Wendigo~? She looks back to Jacinta.

Bites answers, bold for a new cliath. So far, she says, coming forward out of the dark to sit before the Gnawer to be inspected.

Jacinta says "Ii. I have yet to ask another who is not of our Tribe, though we are not enough alone. Holly and I have spoken about others, but you are the first I have approached."

Three-Blades considers the Wendigo before her, both full and knife moons. And the spirit you wish to run beneath? She is clearly thinking, but not so obviously so that her thoughts are readable.

Bites lets Jacinta answer this time, remaining silent and watching the ahroun quietly.

[look Bites]
Thin and a tiny bit scrawny, this wolf nonetheless appears healthy. Her coat is a light beige, grey, and red with darker black and brown guard hairs along her back and tail. She's young, maybe two years old, with bright, alert eyes and small but wide triangular ears. Her black nose is set in a muzzle of beige and white, matched by thick white paws on gangly, teenager legs.

This time Jacinta does glance toward the Theurge, a slight grin playing at the corners of her mouth. It disappears, though, as she turns back to Yi, once again fully serious in expression and manner. "Bear." The word is said firmly, with dedication, and there is a slight pause afterward, as if waiting for a challenge. But before any can come, she follows with the reasoning she and Holly had discussed. "He is strong, and fiercely protective of what he values. He is wise, and shares that wisdom freely with those he trusts. These qualities would be of value, here."

Three-Blades at that, looks surprised. Bear? Though it makes sense, says the no-moon's mind, and you've packed with Wendigo already! And in memory of her pack with said Wendigo, the Gnawer snorts in what could be assumed as a nostalgic, lupine chuckle to herself. First the fish, then up the falls, then the bear, is it? she rumbles quietly. But then, her expression switches just as quickly back to a more somber attitude. I tell you now, before anything other, I have packed with your tribe before. Brings-the-Buffalo-Home, before he began his journey to find his second rank, was my packmate and together we ran with Salmon swimming beside us. It was Salmon who gave us wisdom, and helped us when took back the Hidden Walk. The ragabash lifts her muzzle to the sky. But, I tell you now as well, I have already said to the Alpha... I would run with her pack, for one blink of the sister moon's eye. She looks back to both, seeing if their reactions towards her will change at her news.

Bites's expression doesn't change, but the newly rited cliath is still fresh and green, and she may not have completely understood the no moon, because she looks to Jacinta to see her reaction.

Jacinta isn't generally very good at hiding her reactions, but at this her face remains mostly impassive. When Yi is finished, she is thoughtful for a moment longer before she responds. "And you will run with Resonance as a test, to see how well you match their steps? When your time is done, are you then free to make a choice, or have you bound yourself to them by word already?"

Three-Blades licks the end of her muzzle, trying to remain as nonchalant about the feeling of indecision creeping around in her skull as possible. Which is to say, not particularly well. It is by far a lot easier to hide emotion in homid form. It is to see how well I run with the deer spirit they follow. After that, it is my choice to leave or to stay, if Stag feels I have passed his test. Her paw sets down on the ground, more determinedly. But consider this as well -- I seek the second rank myself, if only to strengthen my body, mind, and spirit to better serve the ~sept~. This is my prey now. And, if I were to challenge one of the elders for it, their test could send me away. After hearing this, do you still consider me?

Bites's answer is easy enough. she seems pleased, accepting. But she lets Jacinta do the talking.

Jacinta's answer is slow in coming, and several thoughts go unspoken before she finally replies. However the words are sure and firm in tone when they come. "I do."

Three-Blades remains still as a statue for a long, silent moment. Golden eyes kept in an unblinking stare at the elder Wendigo, the ragabash examines the homid face. A happier, satisfied grunt thuds from deep in her chest and she rises to her paws again. Her tail lifts and wags just a little at the tip, the lupe now with a more casual bent to her expression. Are you sure? I am an ~urrah,~ born and raised from the very heart of the human Scabs.

Bites, for her part, seems amused by the Gnawer's latest statement. She exchanges a knowing look with Jacinta, tail tapping the ground in a slow, humorous manner.

Jacinta smirks, the more relaxed attitude of the lupus form mirrored in the Wendigo. "Brings the Buffalo Home accepted you as packmate. And I have a laptop in the cave. Knowing the scab is a strength. The enemies will hide there, if we cannot also be strong in the Weaver's world. Yes. I am certain." Then, the grin growing slightly wider, she lifts her chin and goes on. "And what would you know of us?"

Three-Blades earsplays. Weaver machines? At Two Eagles? Her incredulous whimper exudes surprise. Disbelief. The no-moon has a more subdued reaction of what she thinks Leonard's would be, if he ever found out there were Weaverthings, especially computers, in Wendigo territory. This is one time the raggie is caught off guard, again, foiled by a Wendigo. Giving her coat a brief shake to compose herself, the Gnawer has to sit down again. Again, silence, as she thinks of what to make of these two Wendigo. Computer-using Wendigo. ... I thought ~Wendigo~ hated the Scab, she rumbles, amazement still there. I suppose the only thing I have to ask now is, whether or not this fool of a no-moon can visit your Two Eagles, sometime. The lake in the valley with the buffalo... that was the territory of Salmon's Leap. I have not been back there in a long time.

Bites again lets Jacinta answer, but the simple fact that her diminutive if sometimes stiff elder has put the no moon off guard so perfectly makes the theurge's tongue loll with lupine laughter.

Jacinta turns to the younger Wendigo with a grin, but lets it fade before returning her gaze to Yi. "You are welcome to visit the lake. I will build a fire and you can enjoy the maqii on the shore, as well. Please howl to let us know you come."

Three-Blades lolls her tongue out herself, glad that she's now got invitation from the Wendigo elder. Looking to Bites and seeing the theurge's laughter, the Gnawer nips with intention of missing. Forgive the impressions I have. Brings-Buffalo was very much against the Scab and the spider's webs, and Soulcatcher did not strike me as one who left the mountains often either. Managing back up her feet after that monumental, world-view shattering epiphany, the Gnawer stretches again. Then, I will see you both again. This wolf needs to stretch her legs a little.

Jacinta bows her head ever so slightly, respectful but not submissive. "Ii." Again, there are thoughts unspoken before the single word utterance, but they are unreadable, and what she says, she says with conviction.

Bites scampers to her feet, dodging the nip she need not have dodged. It doesn't seem to damper her spirits. If anything it bolsters them. Her expressions suggests to the Gnawer that she has a similarly respectful opinion of Bring-Buffalo. The mention of a Soulcatcher, however, has the curious theurge's ears cocked forward. Who?

Three-Blades rumbles a soft reply, amused that the theurge still scuttled away. A seer, as yourself. He had done many good things for the Hidden Walk, I heard, before taking a mate and bearing his child with her. They are away from here, though, raising their family somewhere on Gaia's face.
Three-Blades adds, that the Soulcatcher was also her packmate. Wendigo, at that.

Bites listens, disappointment filtering into her eyes. I remember now, she says with a chuff. Leonard mentioned him. His teacher.

Jacinta smiles, and rises easily to her feet. "If you walk with me, Bites-the-Belly-of-the-Spider, I will tell you the stories I know." She turns to regard Three-Blades once more. "You will tell us of your decision regarding Resonance?"

Three-Blades whuffs affirmatively. Yes, definitely. And with that, the ragabash gives them another dip of her head in human farewell. Good hunting to you both. She turns, and trots off towards the darkness of the forest's edge.