Trading With Isabel

2/12/2009

06:19 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.

Currently the moon is in the waning Full Moon phase (80% full).
It is currently 18:16 Pacific Time on Thu Feb 12 2009.
Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 44 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius). The wind is calm today. The barometric pressure reading is 29.97 and steady, and the relative humidity is 62 percent. The dewpoint is 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius.)

Ash Grove(#4024RJh)
Within this dark forest dominated by the canopy of the tenacious, light-hungry pines is a place where a stand of ash has established itself and fought off all competition. The ashes allow the rays of sun and moon alike to lance down through limbs which bear nothing more than clusters of rust-coloured keys, such that undergrowth abounds and the forest floor is even clad with a bright green sward of grass. Bright white bits of bone peep through the green, testament to a history of food offerings in this place.
These habitual offerings have accomplished their purpose and, during daytime, a great number of carrion birds roost in the branches of the trees, predominately the large black bodies of crows and ravens. The grove is deserted at night, the birds having left for other sanctuary.
Contents:
Isabel
Obvious exits:
Forest

Yi walks towards the small grove of ash trees from the west where the sun has set and the dark of nightfall is encroaching, stalled only by the light of the full moon above. A small black messenger bag is slung across her neck and shoulders, which she keeps a protective hand upon its cover. Her path seems to be rather unerring, focused as she is in her steps like she already knows which way to take to reach her destination. It's when she breaks the border of the small stand of tall trees that she calls out into the growing dark, "Isabel? Are you around?"

A chuff from a little off to one side, and then Unsolved-Mysteries paces forward, shifting up into homid once she's within view. "I am here, Yi-rhya. Were you successful in your quest?" she adds, her gaze moving to the bag that the gnawer brings.

The slight bulge in the bag tells of there being contents within. Yi turns as she hears the chuff, picking out the general area of it, and then smiles. "I was, and have brought you crystals." Her eyes check around and then she asks a little cautiously, "Where is your... snake friend?" There's a moment's gaze down towards her feet.

Isabel smiles at that, looking relieved. "That is good. I do wish to give you something in trade, although I do not know what you require. As for Chu'mana, she is off in the Umbra. I will see her before the day is done."

Yi seems to ease down herself once she's told the snake is in the Umbra. The fostern nods as she brings the messenger bag back around and offers it out to the Uktena. "I believe you said two, but there were many of them to choose from so I was not sure which would be your perfect choice. Please, look through them at your pace."

Isabel lifts her brows at this, then smiles. "You are most thoughtful." There's a hesitation, and then she takes her own bag, handing it over to Yi. "You may take your pick of the contents of my medicine bag, anything but the bag or the rattle. Or let me know if there is some other favor I can do."

Yi receives the traded bag with an almost reverent sort of air for it once she hears what it is. The ragabash, it seems, knows a little bit about what 'medicine bag' might imply. "Are you sure?" her questioning comes slowly, although there's no questioning her curiosity towards its contents. And so, she looks to stick her hand into the dark mouth and feels around within. A brief series of expressions passes over her features as she appears to try and figure out what it is she's feeling within when she grasps onto something and starts to lift it out. "What is thi-- ahh!" Abruptly, she lets go of what she's holding - a dried scorpion - and it drops back into the bag. The accompanying vocalization is quite along the lines of a girlish squeal.

Isabel has meanwhile started to examine the crystals within the messenger bag, her expression one of intent interest. Occasionally she lifts one out, holding it up to the light to assess how clear and bright it is. At Yi's squeal, though, she starts and looks over at the Fostern. Her brow furrows a moment later. "Be careful with those! They took me a long time to collect and prepare."

Yi's staring down into the medicine bag's mouth like it's suddenly grown some teeth and is waiting for her to dare sticking her hand down within its maw again. "You have... scorpions." Her composure is a little slower in coming, but it does come as she slowly lowers herself down to a sit and lays the bag down, lid open, upon the ground. Slowly but surely then, her hand trickles in and out with bringing out what's stored inside to set upon the lid. Each item is noted with a cautious, yet curious interest. The scorpions are carefully piled a little further and eyed on occasion, as if she doesn't trust them to be fully dead. And then she looks over the various items. Her decision doesn't yet come, however, as she glances over to the Uktena to see how the crystal inspection is going.

"Only one," assures Isabel. "Ab- ...A friend and I once competed to see who could catch one first. I won, that time. It was a lucky win." Her expression takes on a wistful sadness, and then she looks down at the bag in her hands, also moving to sit, as she continues her search. Eventually, she narrows it down to three good-sized crystals, clearest of the bunch, and she looks at them thoughtfully. In Isabel's bag is an assortment of small items: Clay beads, red stocks, turquoise stones, tobacco, sage, a bag of small lizard bones, a picture of a younger Isabel with what might be her family, a hawk's foot, a small knife, flint and tinder, a book of pressed flowers, a jar of desert sand, a small mirror, feathers, a small jar of dead desert bugs, a mortar and pestle, a variety of healing or cooking herbs, and other odd items.

Yi watches as the crystals are picked out and eventually picks through the stock of items, the many that there are, with care. The jar of dead desert bugs is very carefully put aside, denied. The tobacco is considered but then her eyes catch on the more odd things present. She picks out three things. A small dreamcatcher, a bar of yucca soap, and of all things a candy bar. "This is my choice," she says with a holding out of the things procured, and waits to see what the Uktena thinks of the selection.

Isabel lifts her gaze at Yi's words, eyeing the selection critically before she gives a soft grin. "Good choices, all three. I always loved that candy, and it was always useful for calming new cubs. And the spirits know we could all use something to soothe our dreams. And I hear your tribe could use the soap," she adds, her tone turning teasing at that last bit, and she offers an appeasing smile along with it. "These two will work well for me," she decides finally, choosing two of the rounder crystals.

Yi grins back in much the same manner with the theurge's comments on her selection and she proceeds to set them aside while she helps put the items taken out of the medicine bag back. There is, still, a mild poke given the dried scorpion before it's put back and a slightly quickened movement of the jar full of bugs back into the bag. "I know just who can use the soap, in fact," she says with a matter-of-fact nod, "Although maybe it will go in his mouth instead if he crosses me." The ragabash looks up as Isabel only selects two of the crystals, partly puzzled. "What will the crystals do?" she asks inquisitively.

Isabel chuckles at Yi's reply. "This an unruly cub? Or unruly tribemate?" she asks curiously, but then she frowns at the puzzled look. "Do you... think I should choose differently? And I will ask a Lune to lend them its power, so that trips within the Umbra will be safer. One journey each."

"Definitely a tribemate," Yi considers aloud in the musings, and the response on the crystals brings out a long 'ahhh' of understanding. Yi shakes her head side to side, replying, "You know what you are doing far better than I know what you are doing. It is important you stay with your choices if those are the ones you have made. If I knew how to make talens, I too would choose only the vessels I feel are best to make them." She finishes putting away all of the items from the bag and with a nigh undetectable wince for her leg, pushes back up to her feet to hand the bag back to Isabel. "Oh. What should I do with the other crystals you did not choose, you think?"

Isabel eases after Yi's words, carefully placing back the crystals she didn't choose before she, too, stands. "The spirits are generally happier the more appealing the object. Although it is still a heavy task to ask of them." She switches bags with Yi, gently placing her new crystals in her own bag. "Hmmm, you could keep them. You never know if more might be needed. Or if they will be of use. Or trade them for something else you require."

Swooping the strap of her own bag back over her shoulder, Yi purses her lips in thought as she puts the dreamcatcher and soap in the bag. The candy bar though, remains out and is twirled around in her fingers loosely. "You make a good point. And the Rite of Silence could always use some extra shined stones to attract Magpie." Her head tilts side to side in these thoughts, and finally she straightens back up. "Is there anything else you might need? I can get other things besides pretty rocks, you know? A thief must be good for more than that, yes." Her eyes glitter with that very shine that could attract Magpie, regarding the Uktena.

Isabel smiles and nods. "The birds certainly are attracted to such things. As for other things..." Her head tilts, eyes narrowing speculatively as she looks over the Gnawer. "I have no doubt that this was hardly a test of your skills. Perhaps sometime soon I will need something else. Or maybe you'd even be interested in helping with the summoning for the other talens... Although that one is not for the faint of heart."

"Is that a hint of danger you are trying to tease this ragabash with, spirit seer?" Yi banters back with an eyeing of the knife-moon. "What manner of help do you need? Protection? Watchful scouts to make sure the rituals are uninterrupted?"

"Lune spirits are easy to find, if it is not always easy to gain their full attention," explains Isabel. "But where half of my chiminage is light, the other half is dark, and the spirit for it would be easier to summon than seek out. A spirit of Death is what I am seeking out, to create a talen that could shed some wisdom on darker times. My concentration will be on the summoning, and then dealing with the spirit. Another Garou or two to keep watch or aid me if what answers the summon proves unfriendly... It would certainly be a help."

Yi peers intently once Isabel begins to explain. When the revelation comes, the no-moon straightens up. "I see," she murmurs thoughtfully. "You seek... Death. Well, there are some places to go looking for it." Those places, however, she doesn't say. Instead, the ragabash nods a couple of times to indicate understanding and adds, "If you would like help, then I offer mine. But on one condition."

Isabel tilts her head to one side. "You don't really have to look all that far," she notes, her gaze dropping downward towards the more obvious remains of past offerings. "What condition? I do realize I am not one who can ask such a thing without expecting a price."

Yi says in a simple answer, "That I am not required to kill anyone in sacrifice." The ragabash has suddenly gotten serious about this, brow wrinkling a little ways between her eyes. "And no foxes or mice or rats are hurt. So I guess that makes two conditions."

Isabel quirks her brows upward. "This will not require a human sacrifice," she informs, in a manner that suggests there are things that /do/. "And I am not so thoughtless that I would harm a creature connected with another's totem in front of them. And I myself may not harm any snakes. So! This narrows down our options. Mayhap I will in the end hunt a creature that would normally hunt our favored friends. But I will not lie and pretend I could do this without some sacrifice..."

"I understand the need for sacrifice and death in it," Yi responds with a nod. "I only ask that it is not my hand that does the killing. I've... had enough of that lately," is how she stumbles through the rest of her explanation that isn't really one. Shaking it off, she turns her eyes back to the theurge and raises her brows at Isabel. "So, send word to me when you are ready to perform this rite, then?"

Isabel nods to Yi, then lifts her hand in understanding. "I'll do that myself. You need only keep watch for hostile spirits or banes. I've no doubt you can do that easily." She then nods. "I will. ...Thank you, for the offer. It wasn't one you had to make."

Yi wiggles and curls her fingers in an almost eager fashion and she slips the candy bar into an available pocket on her jacket. "I can, and I will. I'll look forward to your message soon, Isabel. For now, I believe I have a date with a caern and a beauty of a full moon against the stars, tonight." Meaning, she's headed off. The Gnawer bobs her head once in a departing note. "Gaia grant you luck in your hunting," she says and starts to head off once more.

Isabel gives Yi a small smile, then nods. "Farewell, Yi-rhya. I hope our paths cross again soon." She watches as the Gnawer starts to walk off, and then she, too, turns to head further into the woods.
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