Teaching Kristin

9/26/2006

05:55 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.

Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (28% full).
It is currently 17:40 Pacific Time on Tue Sep 26 2006.
Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the northeast at 9 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.08 and falling, and the relative humidity is 35 percent. The dewpoint is 49 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius.)

The Sept Compound(#2075RAM)
Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, are the only signs of constant occupation.
A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.
Contents:
Stacey
Kristin
Obvious exits:
Forest  

Stacey arches a brow at the cub's first question. The pair are sitting on a log next to a decent fire within the Compound. "I know we've gone over the tribes, but perhaps time in the woods has made your memory rusty," she teases gently. "One of the city tribes? Anyways, it's highly unlikely that we'll run out of a certain Auspice. Septs can and have fall. There used to be more Septs in Washington, but now we are alone. And tribes... We have lost tribes as well. The Bunyip, the Croatan, and the White Howlers."

Kristin raises an eyebrow. "The Croatan? Aren't they a tribe of Native americans?" she hmms. "So... just like human peoples have been lost so too have Garou... but an entire tribe... I mean how does one get wiped away, surely small pockets of blood must flow in someones veins?"

Yi comes jogging into the compound in a workout outfit, likely pilfered the farmhouse attic's supply by the look of it with a temporary getup of twin yellow-striped, grey-colored sweats and mismatched oversized T-shirt. The Gnawer has worked up a sweat, stopping at the edge of the compound to rest and catch her breath. At first, she doesn't hear the two Children talking, but certain keywords catch her ear and she looks up to see the pair.

Stacey nods. "They were, yes. They were one of the 'Pure Tribes', along with the Wendigo and Uktena. They sacrificed themselves to stop a powerful bane. The Bunyip were actually killed by the other Garou during the War of Rage. And the White Howlers... Became the Black Spiral Dancers." she explains, briefly glancing away to lift a hand in greeting to Yi.

Kristin blinks. "Wow, White became Black, and umm.. Pure tribes? Are we talking like umm uh... tribes with a serious superiority complex here? And why would Garou kill other Garou?"

Yi lifts a hand to wave back, but seeing as the pair are in the middle of tribal discussions, she only comes within earshot. The Gnawer's got a bit of a limp in her right leg, pronounced from the strain she just put it through, but she seems to be used to it. Rather than interrupt, she waves a hand in gesture for them not to mind her and continue on. In the meantime, she takes a seat on a nearby log herself. Still, it's hard to deny that the ragabash is poking her nose in curiously to their topic.

Stacey gives a wry smile at the cub's questions. "Garou are prideful, rage-filled beings. We strive for control... and especially our tribe strives for peace, but that's not always what happens. In the War of Rage, those who were different, not seen as Garou at the time, and didn't acknowledge our 'superiority', were killed. And most tribes have a superiority complex." The Ahroun is in a light mood, from her tone and words.

Kristin snorts. "Great... I've just become part of a group of people who have a superiority complex, and think nothing of taking out of there groups. I thought I'd gotten away from all over that when I found out I was Garou!" she raise her hands in defeat!

Why speak of the devil! It's a Silver Fang! Blackriver comes striding out of the forest, ears pricked forward and tail held out high behind her. She appears to have a small wooden bowl in her mouth, which she sets down carefully on the ground before looking around. She flicks her ears in acknowledgment of the two Gaian's having a chat, and gives a soft woof in hello to Yi, tail lowering in respect to the other's rank.

"That's not true," Yi finally speaks. Her voice crackles with a squeak that warps her already accented words even more. The Gnawer winces, but continues her interjection. "It is not so much superiority, but survival. All have their place. It is only up to them to find it." As the Silver Fang comes out into sight, Yi pauses with a glance to the bowl, and then swallows down what other comments she may have had to dip her head acknowledgingly to the philodox.

Stacey reaches out a hand to ruffle the cub's hair lightly. "I was more teasing than anything. But we are known for our pride." More serious, especially as Blackriver enters, she nods to Yi, trying hard to ignore the sound of the voice. "Wise words. You can learn a lot from Yi-rhya, Kristin," she notes to the cub.

Kristin turns. "Hi?" she asks quickly. She caught the scent of the wolf, Blackriver and looks a little nervous... She takes a breath. "I doo that." she responds.

Blackriver settles down onto her haunches, pulling the bowl so it's right in front of her. She pricks her ears and turns to peer towards Kristin, cocking her head to the side and giving the cub a curious look. It's just a glance, however, as she soon turns back to Yi. Is your tribemate coming? She asks the Gnawer, shifting her weight around on her haunches. She seems a bit subdued tonight, cool and collected, with all that majestic pure breed shining through.

Yi cants her head, throatclearing as she shrugs in response to Blackriver. The fostern's unminding attitude towards her tribemate is overlaid with a twinge of embarrassment at Stacey's complimentary statement. Clearly, the newmoon is trying to avoid talking as much as possible still.

Speak of the Devil, they say. Where the Silver Fang strides, Leaves-None trots in a seemingly aimless fashion through the trees. A drop of her nose towards the ground eventually gives her a familiar scent to follow and brings her into the Compound a few minutes behind Blackriver. Her head lifts and ears perk forward as she breaks the treeline and sees the company gathered ahead of her. Moving forward the Gnawer's posture slides into that of carefully restrained respectfulness with tail kept low despite its friendly wag.

Stacey looks around at those who are gathering, a brow raising. "Perhaps we should continue the lesson another time, Kristin. You have your assignment. Ask three Garou, then return to me with the answers." She smiles over at the cub. "And I'll be working with you and Ruth much more on combat now that your Rite is drawing closer."

Yi looks up from her examination of the wooden bowl, smiling warmly towards her arriving tribemate. Standing, she goes over to scratch the other newmoon's head between the ears. Then, it is quite obvious that her mood has changed to something a little more... tense. Expectant. Nervously Anticipating. Yi glances from Blackriver to Kristin, then back to the halfmoon.

Blackriver twists back to watch Laveas-None as she arrives, thudding her tail twice against the ground. With a flick of her ears, she signals that she'll be right back, picks up the bowl, and trots off into the forest, returning in a few minutes in glabro, bowl now filled with clear water. She settles down near the fire, lightly touching the ashes within it. ~Come,~ she beckons the Gnawers.

Leaves-None lifts her head to the scratching and gives a bit faster of a wag in response. The anxiousness is shared by the younger newmoon as she silently watches Blackriver come and go. When the Fang calls so does she move and draw near.

Yi steps closer as she is bidden, temporarily forgetting Kristin. And yet, there is a solemn sense about her as a shame that still lies inside bubbling up and crossing her expression. The fostern stares at the clear water, and a hand clenches nervously.

Katya shifts around to she sits cross-legged, the bowl resting in her lap. Her arms hang limply in front of her, and her light blue eyes dart uneasily between the two Gnawers. ~This spring, the two of you found a Charach and, instead of turning him in for his crimes, you helped him escape.~ Although the states this manner of factly, the Philodox gives a sharp intake of breath, and the muscles in her hands tighten. ~For the summer,~ she continues, ~You have worn the jackal's voice for your actions. I come now to take it from you, to say you have earned your true voice back. Have you? Has wearing the voice of one so dishonorable taught you what you have done wrong? Are you wiser? Do you think you deserve your voice back? Tell me now, so the spirit may hear and give you what is yours if they agree.~

Kristin listesn as the others begin talking, the cub becomes curious but falls sielt as it seems very important. She quiets her self, trying to tell exactly what's going on. "Jackal? Voice? Soo many things...." she whispers to herself believing them to be unheard.

Leaves-None's ears flatten for a moment as the halfmoon speaks and shifts form halfway through to come to rest in homid. Running both hands through rough-shorn hair, she pensively considers the words before opening her mouth. The higher-voiced rough squeak that dogs her response brings no emotion to her face other than resignation. "Earned? What've I earned these months? The sense to kill first and ask questions later? The wisdom to open my mouth and tell tales on the first inkling of dishonor on the wind? To cry wolf when the sheep are already dead? No. I have learned to be watchful. Vigilant. And keep my mouth shut." She pauses for a breath and chooses her next words carefully, "I regret my actions that led to this. They have, indeed, made me wiser. Wiser than I think, perhaps, anyone may ever know." Her tone is, truly, contrite even if the emotion doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Yi intertwines her fingers before her. She is nervous. Really nervous. And also, really repentant. "I think it better to spare others the pain of another season of the Jackal's Voice." The fostern pauses, her demeanor cloaking darkly. "But nothing will spare us the memory that remains of our dishonor. Fools may twist the laws, but only cowards break it knowingly and then try to run from their deed." Another pause follows, before Yi clenches her fist again and slowly utters with great pains taken to /not/ avoid the Jackal's tone, "Rest easy, knowing I do not plan to take this punishment a third time. Ever."

Katya's eyes narrow as she looks between the Gnawers. ~I do not understand the human babble here.~ She informs the two, posture tightening a bit more.

Masao lowers her head for a moment and looks apologetic, the expression reading true in her posture. Slipping up to glabro, she draws breath and squeaks again, "This is a night for many regrets, I see. Apologies. In short, youth is no excuse for letting honor slip through one's claws. Even though Luna shed no light on my birth does not mean I can leave my own light unshed on others' actions. I will not let this shame revisit me, again."

Yi blinks a couple of times, and then she realizes the mistake. Rectifying, the Gnawer fostern also shifts upwards a step. The oversized clothing she wears suddenly fits a lot more snugly, in danger of a seam tearing or two. And she repeats what she said, this time in the Mother Tongue. ~Even Gnawers know of honor. We made our mistake. But we have learned from it. And we ask for forgiveness. From the Garou and from the spirits.~

Katya lowers her head in a short nod, and motions for the two to kneel down, dipping a dimly clawed hand into the pure water in front of her.

Masao lets out a breath she'd forgotten to let go and kneels, licking her lips quickly and trying to hold herself still.

Kristin watches. Eyes moving back and forth between the trio of Garou. She squints and tilts her head to the side trying to learning more the Mother tounge by listening. She tries to remail as quiet as she can and to hold her questions till it is over.

Yi swallows down the knot in her throat, taking a step forward to kneel. Her eyes looks down towards the grass, not up at the Fang. "Masao..." she adds in a small whisper, "... I'm sorry."

Katya's eyes flicker shut and she lets her hand soak in the water for one long moment. Slowly, she draws her hand up to sloppily wipe the water across Masao's face. ~Spirits,~ She speaks loudly and clearly, ~Hear this Garou, she is sorry for her mistake, and wishes for her own voice back, so she may once more work to bring honor to her people.~ Withdrawing her hand, the lupus turns next to Yi and repeats the water and words. There's no particular tingle or emotion as the Fang speaks the words, but the next time the Gnawers talk out-loud their voices are normal.

Masao's eyes blink rapidly, both from the whisper and the application of water across her face. Inhaling sharply she turns widened eyes to Yi, coughs once, and finds her true voice to answer the other Gnawer. "Don't be. I made a choice. I paid for that choice. Just as you did." she says in a voice that is a bit lower in pitch and light, free of the squeak and scrape that had plagued it before. The sound of it causes her to raise a hand to her mouth in slight disbelief.

Yi squints an eye as water gets in it, but waits for little before she dares to speak again. When Masao's voice turns back to normal, she looks to her tribemate, unable to hide the smile that brews up. "We really did." It comes as a surprise nonetheless, hearing her voice for the first time normally. Soon, Yi stands, and looks to Blackriver. "Thank you," she utters, first in English, then remembering to translate it.

Katya nods slowly to Yi, and wastes no time in shifting down to her birth form, lightly tipping over the wooden bowl so that the unused water spills out of it. Flicking her ears in acknowledgment to the two Gnawers, and glancing momentarily at the silent cub in the corner, she turns and pads out of the clearing, in the direction of Wildfire territory.

Kristin coughs. "Um...." she stands up and looks from older garou to older garou. "Can I ask what just happened here, please?" she says looking to each. She frowns as the wolf leaves.... snarling at the fact their neither her lupus nor Mother tounge is very good and so she dares not speak to the wolf.

Masao hastily blurts her thanks to Blackriver in the right tongue before returning herself to homid. One hand still pats at her lips and a smile stretches them as the reality truly sets in. "Oh. Wow." she babbles briefly before Kristin's question penetrates the moment. "Oh! Oh, this would prolly be confusing to you. Dangit, brain, get in gear so you can explain all of that hoo-hah."

Kristin laughs. "Ok.. perhaps I'm missing something but all I caught was Jackal and Voice... and spirits, what was that all about? I guess as a Theuge dealing with spirits is my job..." she rolls her eyes.

Yi slowly shifts back to her breedform as well. The clothes sag thankfully against her skin. "The finish of a punishment," she says slowly, like she doesn't believe her voice has completely recovered just yet. "The Voice of the Jackal is what it is called." Of course, she nods to Masao to explain.

Masao gestures to Yi as the full name of the punishment is given, "Right, what she said. You heard what we each sounded like before, right? That's what Voice of the Jackal does." Licking her lips, she spreads her knees slightly to make sitting that way more comfortable. "As to what it's a punishment for? It's done when something a Garou has done bring shame not just to herself, but to Sept or tribe as well. In this case Yi and I were punished for doing the same thing."

Kristin ohhs. "So it's more like breat a tribal custom or something kinda punish. Sounds steep... and painful..." she rubbs her ears. "For everyone involved.

"Yeah, well, that's why it's something so obvious. If you're causing discomfort and pain to anyone around you then how can you hide from the shame that brought it?" Masao says softly, folding her hands together in her lap and glancing down at them. "I suppose I'm lucky that Blackriver couldn't understand what I said first. Don't know that it would've gone over too well."

Kristin blinks. "How so?" she asks curiously. She'd actualld drowned most of it, and had been listening to the sound of the earth. "She doesn't understand spoke words?"

"Twice now, I have received that punishment," Yi says with a quiet musing and no small amount of marveling at the return of her normal tone. "Both, for those who have broken the first law of the Litany." She glances over at Kristin. "Blackriver is a lupus. She was born to wolves. She does not know English very well - maybe not at all. But, I like to think lupus are smarter than we human-born give them credit."

Kristin blanches. "You broke the first-!" she stares at the other Garou... "Unknowingly I hope..." she says quietly. She steels herself. "Not pleasant.."

Masao purses her lips and nods to what Yi says with a bit of thoughtfulness. Kristin's conclusion brings a raising of her hands and a stricken expression, "No! No! -We- didn't. It was all over someone -else- who did break the first law. Gaia's Mercy...of all the things I've done that is not one of them."

Yi furrows her brow about to quickly reject the idea when Masao does it for her. "No, no. Not I who broke the first law, but... I helped those who did." She rubs a hand against the back of her neck, obviously not proud of what she'd done. "And helping them, is almost as bad as the actual breaking... in a way." She looks over back at Masao, the casts her gaze back down. "It is... harder to explain why, though."

Kristin ohs and looks relieved. She sinks back to the log she was sitting on... "Oh... ok... for a moment I- wait that's still pretty bad! But I don't get it, they're still people broken rules or not... why must we mark them or what ever we do to people who break the first law? I mean.... they can still reproduce it's not like it physicall renders them incapable of reproducing... does it?"

Masao tries to wipe some of the panicked denial from her face and sighs. "That's always the hardest part. No one can really understand what you did but you." she says with an exhalation of breath and a slump of her shoulders. The change in questions earns a wrinkling of her nose, "Imagine there's a cookie jar. You know there are wonderful cookies in it but you've been warned not to touch them. You steal a cookie anyway and get caught. Which would make you more ashamed of doing it? A simple slap on the wrist and being told how bad you are? Or would perhaps cutting off your hand teach you not to reach for what your not allowed?"

Kristin uhs. "That last is really extreme...." she says quietly. " A slap would have been more appropriete." she says softly, pressing her ffingers together.

"To some," Yi notes, "the last is the most appropriate. If it were not a cookie, but something worse. See, the first law is there, not just because metis are unable to continue the Garou line, but also to remind us of our kinfolk. Imagine if we truly only cared about ourselves, with our 'superiority complex'. If we forgot about our families... Protecting them is also our duty that Gaia gave us. Forgetting about them and doing as we pleased with each other - that, I think, is the more terrible thing. That, is what is punishable."

Kristin ohs.. "That makes a lot of sense than not just have sex with out Garou... so much more sense..."

Masao snorts abruptly and lifts a hand to rub at her nose, muttering under her breath, "Garou? Make sense? Right. And I'm a pure-blooded Red Talon."

Yi bites on her tongue to keep from laughing. That doesn't keep a bit of a snort from escaping, though. The fostern goes to settle an arm around her tribemate's shoulders, and by the gesture shows finally the relief that is slowly letting out like baited breath. "I'm just glad it is over."

Kristin smiles. "Well at least I learned some important lessons. Can I ask another question please?"

Masao finds a smile to answer that with, nodding firmly, "Yeah. I'm glad. As if the rest of the summer wasn't trying enough without it." The hand at her nose ruffles her shortened hair again as she looks back to Kristin. "Since now I can properly answer, I don't see why not. Ask away."

Kristin smiles. "Ummm can I ask what you consider fun as a Garou... and uh...." she taps her foot trying to remeber something else. " Or a what you do for fun as Garou?"

"Do not be surprised if the answer is more confusing," Yi quips, though she listens to the question and considers it carefully. A glance goes to Masao. "What do we do... for fun?"

Masao just blinks for a moment, thrown off by the question. "Um. What do I think is -fun- as a Garou? Gee. We have fun? As Garou?" she returns Yi's glance quizzically. "Huh. Never thought about that. Most of what I consider fun isn't really specific to being Garou. Though...I do think running around the forest in lupus is kinda fun."

Yi clears her throat and squeezes Masao's shoulder teasingly. Then, affeecting a mock-drill sergeant manner, she points at Kristin. "You are hereby ordered to find out this answer by yourself!" The fostern is serious for but a second, before she breaks out a grin. "Truly though. You could answer such a question by listening to what you say to yourself inside."

Kristin smiles. "My job was to actually ask three Garou and report to Stacey-rhya... the results.." she adds

Masao chuckles at Yi's tone and grins at Kristin. "Fun is really what you make of it. If hanging upside down from a tree branch and holding your breath until you turn blue is fun then, by all means, have a blast!"

"Did she tell you to ask so generally?" Yi counters, head tilting. "Or perhaps it is a test to see how well you can find out information on your own? For example... how will you tell Stacey who said what, if you do not know our names?"

Kristin nods. "She did tell me to ask so that exact question." she says. She stretches... "Umm... good question."

Yi thumbs at Kristin and asides to Masao, "Pity her. She asked us first." Of course, she says it loudly enough so that the cub can hear. Turning back to Kristin, though, she gestures invitingly. "Well I can answer the second question. You tell us your name, we tell you ours."

Kristin nods. "Kristin. Kristin Hunt. Do I have do te whole title thing?" she asks looking a little upset but taking a deep breath to prepare to formally name herself and her ties.

Masao snickers and grins mischieviously, "Yes, pity her, indeed. Though, she's lucky we're not Silver Fangs and want her to recite names until she's blue in the face." When Kristin gives her name, she gestures to Yi as if to bow to the Fostern in introducing herself.

Yi nods in mock solemnity. "Better practice. You will get used to it. After all, respect is won with good manners. My teacher once told me that." Taking in a breath, she intros. "I am Song Yi-Ling." The name is spoken in its actual native sound, before it switches back to, "Yi for short. Runs-the-Gauntlet to the Garou, Runner for short. And I am a fostern ragabash of the Bone Gnawers." Her smile both ends her introduction and coaxes Masao to jump in.

Kristin sighs. "Guess I migh as well, I've alread given my human name... I'm Fears-Pain to both wolves and garou..." she rolls her eyes. "Hopefully that'll change in a a little while."

"Change is inevitable. It's always a matter of whether or not you're ready for it." Masao says enigmatically before following suit, "Masao. Only human name I go by. Called Leaves-None-Behind by the Garou. Cliath, Ragabash, Bone Gnawer. Simple, easy to remember."

Back | Next | 2006 Logs | Main