Smells Like Weed Spirit

Logfile from GarouMU.
Currently the moon is in the waxing Gibbous Moon phase (64% full).
It is currently 14:23 Pacific Time on Sun Aug 14 2005.

Big Red Barn(#3420RA)
The barn is built in the old style, a vast three level structure that is greater in height than a mere three stories, actually closer to five. Great wooden posts support the weight of the upper levels and roof, sunk into the hard-packed dirt floor of the first level like a sparse forest of regularly spaced, naked trees. The stalls and flagstones which once were here have been torn out to leave a rather open area where even crinos Garou may roam freely without fear of running into anything but the supports or the walls or the ladder at the back which allows access to the other two levels.
The first two levels are relatively open to each other, the second being only little wider than a catwalk going around all the walls but the front one, which has massive, twenty foot tall doors set into it. The third level is a true second floor except for a place cut out that allowed hay to be tossed down to the ground floor when the farm was actually worked. Now, it is a hayloft where Garou can sleep outside of the house.
(Non-Garou, please "+view curse")
Contents:
Aaron
Obvious exits:
BarnYard  

The afternoon light seeps into the barn through cracks and chinks in the woodwork. Dust motes float through the air, disturbed as Yi punches at the slung punching bag hung for such training purposes. Each hit slaps the synthetic cloth squarely. "All your energy should focus to your goal - your goal, if you are striking someone, is to hurt. Every strike should be made with release... and anticipation of what is to come. Do you understand?" She moves aside, giving the cub the opportunity to show his own skill.

Aaron squints his eyes as he listens to Yi. The boy needs to concentrate extra hard to listen to everything that he is being told, but he is making an effort to fully understand everything that the Ragabash is teaching him. Sweat is already begining to bead on his forehead, nodding his head to Yi in understanding as he motions towards the punching bag, striking it with his fist. First his right, coming at the bag with a strike like a rattle-snake which is quickly followed by his left in succession.

Yi nods her head, approving of Aaron's strikes at the punching bag. "Hit harder, hit faster," she rolls out command-like, sharp and quick. "Trust your instinct, train your mind and your body together."

Aaron growls deeply and takes at his target again, fists flying directly at the center of the punching bag. It creaks from where it is hung as he hits it enough force to make it swing abuptly.

"Stop," Yi then calls out after another minute or so of simply watching the cub hit the bag over and over. "Rest. Remember, most fights will never be one to one, and never be fair. But both sides will have one thing in common. What do you think that is?" She moves to still the bag from its creaking.

Aaron takes in a deep breath as Yi tells him to stop. He takes a corner of his shirt sleeve to wipe off his brow and looks towards Yi. His hands cross against his chest as he sets his eyes on the bag in front of him. "They both want to win?" he retorts, sounding a little unsure of his answer.

Basil steps into the barn with a sort of happy yet passive look on his face, his hands stuck in his pockets in his usual way. "Oh, you two are in here. I was wondering who was around. So what are you two up to?" He steps a little closer to the two of them, glancing at the bag. If someone has an accurate nose, the might notice a faint smell of weed on him.

"Close," the ragabash replies with a slight smile. "They both /think/ they can win. And there is no other more dangerous enemy than one who believes in victory." She gestures to the bag. "Which is why this is only one side of your training. This bag is not an enemy, only an aid. It is up to you to determine what enemy you are fighting." The ragabash points up towards Aaron's forehead. "Next to the gift of shapechanging that Gaia has given you, your mind is your greatest weapon." She glances past the first ahroun to the second entering, her nose sniffing at that very faint smell like any drug dog.

Aaron nods to Yi and runs his hand through his hair just before directing his attention to Basil. When he notices her sniffing at the air, he cringes and narrows his eyes at Basil. "What have you been doing?" he blurts out, possibly intrupting the Ragabash.

Basil says "Haven't been doing a thing, other than hanging out with a friend." He pulls his hands out, showing his palms to the other two. "See? No red. You should listen to whatever Yi is telling you though, she's a smart one." He casts a glance towards her, bowing his head. "Congratulations, by the way, Yi-Rhya."

Yi crosses over towards Basil, and the closer she gets the more intense her scrutinizing gaze becomes. She stops just short of range, taking a deeper sniff of the air around the nearer cub before turning back to Aaron. "When your mind is clouded, you will be unaware. And when you are unaware, you are vulnerable." The ragabash's eyes turn just off to the side, indicative of Basil behind her. "Maybe when the time comes, you will be called upon to lead your pack, or any of those beneath you, into battle. But even before that, you will need to earn their trust. You must convince them that you are able to lead, that you have a plan and it is clearly aimed towards success." She then turns back to Basil. "Where have you been?"

Aaron nods his head sharply to Yi and stands at attention as his eyes remain on Basil. His eyebrow begining to arch as he eyes the other Ahroun with a fair amount of doubt.

Basil seems relaxed even as Yi draws near, even though he doesn't put his hands back in his pockets. While the smell is most certainly weed, he doesn't have any redness in his eyes or other such signs. "True enough, but you can always use the same thinking against your enemies. If you can find a way to cloud their minds, anyways." He shrugs, glancing over his shoulder back at the doors. "Back at the farmhouse. I had a huge breakfest earlier, I *love* eating like a king whenever I come here. Beats that oatmeal or whatever Olga makes."

"That wasn't the point of my question," Yi says as she attends to a scar along her wrist. "But I think my question wasn't clear. Where did you go, that you stink like a weed?"

Aaron remains with his arms across his chest as he looks towards Basil. The teenager slowly shaking his head back and forth.

Basil says "The farmhouse. I was with someone while they smoked, and we had a great time shooting the shit and hanging out. I didn't smoke, though." He gestures to himself, tapping his fingers on his chest. "My Rite could come at any minute. I don't want to be stoned and have to go fight."

Yi frowns at this, clearly displeased at mention of drugs, and more particularly in the locale. "Who had it?" she continues to question, her volume lowering a touch.

Basil shakes his head a Yi. "Betraying my friends is something I can't do. People will say a lot of things about me, but they'll never say I betray people I like. I really do respect you, Yi, but I can't do it."

Yi darkens even further, before she glares directly at Basil and shoots a glance back to Aaron before turning to the shorter ahroun. "Do not feed me your excuses, Cub. I am not requesting information. I am demanding it. Now. Who had it?"

Basil looks at Yi for a moment longer, then lowers his gaze to her neck, looking submissive despite his silence on the subject.

Aaron shrugs his shoulders when Yi turns to glance at him.

Yi steps in closer towards Basil. "I want the truth. And if I do not have it, then I will find a halfmoon that will get it for me." She states this simply, flatly, and turns back to Aaron. "The farmhouse is Not a funhouse." Then she crosses over to the punching bag and smashes her fist into it, the resounding smack echoing into the barn. "The barn is not a ball room." Smack! "This is not a bloody McDonald's playpen for you to simply 'hang out with friends' in and stuff your gut full!" The ragabash's fury makes itself known in a rising volume, and she suddenly explodes into a flurry of punches blindingly fast that ends with a full on shift to the crinos form, blood red and ivory fur exploding out of her as the last hit sends the punching bag flying up and around to smack the beam it's hung upon before it drops. She steps back, claws curling with restraint.

Basil isn't looking up a Yi as she presses her point home, feeling the Ragabash's eyes bore into him skull. If looks could kill, he'd be fried. He takes two light, quick steps back when she looks at Aaron, and a few more when she is focused on the punching bag. He looks at Aaron, then the Crinos Yi by the fallen punching bag, wondering if he'd lost track of the moonphases again.

Aaron's eyes widen at Yi for a moment as she rage seems to burn. The Texan clears his throat and takes several steps back from the Ragabash.

Runner catches the bag with a large clawed hand, stilling it and digging the hooks for fingernails in. ~Tell me!~ she snarls at the errant ahroun, golden eyes glaring daggers at the cub. ~Or you will regret your disrespect.~

Basil stops in his tracks and looks towards Runner's feet, watching for even the slightest movement towards himself. Holding the silence for a minute longer, he quickly whispers. "I-It was the girl cub, her name was... Was... "

Whether Basil was about to name someone or not may not be clear, for at that point the barn door bangs open and Clemency strides inside like a small whirlwind. Her momentum takes her several feet before she notices the cluster of three garou in the barn, and she skids to a halt somewhere near the haybales which are so often used for seating.

Aaron's muscles tense as Runnar snarls even though the demand is not directed towards him. He remains looking between the two, his jaw loosening.

Runner, focused with her stare looming over Basil, ears forward, hackles bristled aggressively. Only one ear switches position with the bang of the barn door hitting the end of its frame, but that just seems to emphasize the Gnawer ragabash's radiating anger.

Basil swallows and glances at Clemency as she comes in, then turns his eyes back to Runner's feet, babbling a bit and bringing a hand to his face. "I got to think, I'm nervous now! Hang on, her name... Name... Damn, you know! One of the ones I was talking with!"

Clemency eyes the crinos garou suspiciously, clearly not recognising her, and steps up behind the two cubs. She doesn't say anything, but her body language proclaims her to be poised for action at a second's notice in response to the evident tension in the barn.

Aaron remains where he is, although he looks to Basil with some frustration. It looks like he is about to blurt out something at the tip of his tongue but manages to hold it all in.

Runner bares her fangs directly at the wilting nerve of the cub, a wordless growl rattling out from deep under her throat. Time ticks by too slowly, and the ragabash's screws get wound tighter and tigheter by the second. The crinos takes another step closer.

Basil takes a step back as soon as Yi takes a step forward, his face suddenly going firm along with his voice. "It was.. It was Tabitha." He doesn't make eye contact, continuing to slowly step backwards towards the farm doors.

Clemency remains in her position of readiness, frowning discontentedly, and pretty clearly torn between speech and silence. For now, she opts for the latter once more.

Aaron remains distant towards the other two. His eyes give a waggle like an amused puppy as he looks at Basil, then frowns as he finds Clemency doing so.

Runner closes her claws into fists, ears sweeping back as she finally steps back. Her eyes wrench away as tunnel vision dissipates, and her composure slowly restores itself to levels more civil. Only then does she become aware of the presence of the Fang, to which she turns and watches a moment. A growled curse in crinos rattles out again, and she shifts down to her more recognizeable, unassuming breed form. "That wasn't too hard," she mutters more to herself than to anyone around before turning her eyes back on Clem. "Afternoon, Clemency." She gestures with her hand to the Fang, addressing the two cubs. "I'm not sure if you've met Clemency yet. But, introduce yourselves properly."

Basil says "Yeah, all I had to do was give up someone that trusted me." Basil's face looks as though bile is creeping up the back of his throat, exchanging a glance at Aaron. Seeing the Ahroun's expression only causes his own to grow more bitter. "I've already met her. Right, Clemency-Rhya?"

Clemency nods. "I know Basil, well enough," she confirms, "and Aaron too I've met. And I'm sorry if I was bristling my non-existent homid hackles at you, Yi-rhya, but until you shifted down I had no idea who you were. Have I just intruded upon some secret Bone Gnawer conclave, and should I take my regal Fangness out of your light?"

Aaron pardons himself to walk around the Cliath and Fostern to Basil where he promptly lands a slap in the back the other Ahroun's head. "Dult!" he says with a glare. "For someone of intelligence, you're really stupid."

Yi shakes her head, going back to the punching bag and spinning it around to check for punctures. "Nothing secret going on," she claims solidly, eyes keeping themselves distinctly on the bag. "Only training. And a short reminder of the purpose of one's cubhood." When she looks back up, the newmoon has managed to push her anger down all the way and calm herself down. "In fact, as you are a fullmoon, it would be most convenient if you could add in your knowledge of fighting arts to this session, I would be most grateful." She watches Aaron go, but makes no move to restrain him with word or hand.

Clemency frowns once more, this time at Aaron, before looking back to Yi. "I'm more than willing to help out," she confirms. "I actually came here to see if Sophie was around, since I promised to show her a few more moves, but if you're willing to trust me with your cubs, Yi, I'm happy enough to show them stuff. Basil, you're a full moon, right... Aaron, remind me your auspice?"

Basil's face goes from a distaste to a full out smoldering glare as he turns to look at Aaron, his hands drawing tight at his sides. "If you touch me again." He says in a hiss like whisper. "I'll remove the fingers on your hand, one buy one. Do you understand me?" Basil's stance is now firm and tall, his full ( though tiny ) height being brought to bare on Aaron, his side turned to the boy's front.

Aaron completely ignores Clemency for a moment as all of his attention is on Basil, but he would answer her if he could. "You're going to what?" the other fullmoon asks as he gives a push at Basil's shoulder. "I know you have been wanting to punch me, so do it! Give me your best shot."

"That's enough!" Yi snaps, eyes pinning Aaron with a 'don't do that again' look. "Bloody fucking pups with rocks for heads, the both of you! Is this how you act in front of your elders? In front of those of other tribes?" She strides over, hands reaching out to push the two cubs away from each other.

"If you two don't quit it this instant," barks Clemency in a voice reminiscent of a drill sergeant, "I won't teach either of you a damn thing. In case you guys didn't know it already, cubs who persistently misbehave and refuse to shape up get bad things happening to them. Up to and including culling." This last word elicits a bitter snarl on her features. "So wise up. NOW." The last word is so loud it echoes round the barn.

Basil's anger disappears for a minute, the Ahroun actually flashing a brilliant smile at Aaron, moving as if to raise his fist. He stops when he hears Yi, the bitter look on his face now seeming to be more of disappointment. He moves away when she comes near, walking across the barn to partially lean against the doors. He doesn't turn his back on either of them. He spares a glance at Clemency, then looks at the barn floor again.

Aaron shakes his head at Basil but remains very obediant towards his elders. He relaxes the tension in his body as he take a few steps back from the other Ahroun cub. "Sorry," he murmurs.

Sighing in exasperation, Yi flips her head back and runs both hands through her hair. A foreign tongued entreating of the gods escapes her, before she beckons both ahroun cubs closer. "I don't do this to be mean, but you both must understand one very important idea. Working together." The ragabash glances to Clemency for a moment, then back to the cubs individually. "It is not enough to only be able to take care of yourself. Our tribe's totem, Rat, depends on many many allies coming together to be our strength. Where one is weak, many do not break. Where one wolf alone has the hardest of lives, a pack grows strong, balanced around many. Do you understand me? There will be other opportunities to fight amongst yourselves under your bums are bitten raw. Now is not one of them."

Clemency eyes Yi with interest as she speaks of the Bone Gnawer's totem. "Okay," she says, waving her hand in a horizontal line as though to separate what's just occurred from what's to come. "How much training have you guys had already, and are you both at the same kind of level? And Aaron, I did ask you your auspice?"
Basil says "I understand exactly what you are saying." He says firmly, looking at Yi. "Which is exactly *why* I didn't want to tell you what you made me." He stays where he is, looking at Clemency, shaking his head. "I've had a lot of training. He's an Ahroun, and I've been doing this for longer. I'm better, especially with a weapon."

Aaron sighs at Basil and goes on to completely ignore him. "I am an Ahroun, ma'am." he replies to Clemency with his southern accent. He nods both, to Yi and Clemency. "I have had some training with various others like Yi and Touch Deer."

"They both still need practice, if nothing more than against their shadow." The ragabash looks back to Basil. "Whatever your reasons, hiding secrets from your elders is not good." She turns back to Clemency. "I will watch for a time, but I do need to return to Kent Crossing shortly."

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