Tapestries: Pablo - Saturday, August 19, 2006, 9:17 PM

It's a very long ride in the old Weaver-vehicle. You drive on through the night, until just after dawn, luckily sleeping through most of it. As the sun begins to rise, Joe pulls the truck off of the very large highway, and starts off down some smaller, twisty roads. Even at night, while you were mostly asleep, you've seen much much more of the humans and their web of highways than you ever expected there could be.

The boy, rather unprepared for such a strange journey with such odd people as his companions, skips between staring intently out of the windows, darting his head to the left and right as fast as possible. To curling up in the cramped cab and drifting in and out of fractured dreams and nightmares.

Night-Talker continues to offer murmurs of wordless comfort, knowing the boy has been tossed into a strange situation -- perhaps one even stranger than his cubnapping. "We are almost there," she whispers. Joe looks over, and asks, "Where do you want me to drop you off?" His Garou wife responds: "At the house is fine. We can walk from there, and Yiska here will be glad to stretch his legs."

The cub shifts uneasily as the journey in the strange weaver-beast nears its end. His head swimming with a thousand thoughts of what awaits him. He closes his eyes for the moment and focuses on one thing, 'stretching his legs'. Oh that sounds nice, to be out on the firm ground again and not surrounded by this cranky metal monster. To be away from the ugly scent of Joe .. and the odd, if somewhat motherly and comforting, presence of Night-Talker.

Joe nods, and the next few minutes are silence, until Joe pulls into a driveway next to a modest, but nice house. Night-Talker leans over you and gives her husband a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, hon," she says, "I owe you one." He just smiles back and chuckles deeply, "I'm always happy to do what little I can, you betcha. Tell Charlie, Henry and NS I said hi, okay?" She smiles, and nods, then opens the door, motioning you to follow. "Come on, Yiska. We have to cross this road here." The house is at the corner of two roads and she points across the larger one, to the sparse dedicuous forest beyond.

Yiska grunts softly and stumbles his way out of the truck cab. The cub struggles some to keep upright, his legs bowing a little as he walks around in a small circle, trying to get the blood flowing in his stupid bipedal legs. "Why do we cross a road?" He asks, peering into the darkness, while simultaneously cursing his weak human eyes. 

Night-Talker laughs softly. "Because the caern is on the other side," she says. She checks both ways for traffic and, there being none at this early hour, takes your hand in hers and leads you across. On the other side, is a small ditch, and just beyond a fairly fierce-looking barbed-wire fence. There's a sign on it just a little bit to your right, though it's in human writing, not in glyphs. "Be careful," she murmurs, as she leads you through the little pokey wire. The forest here is sparser than you are used to, and it's surprisingly warm, even for this early. There are many kinds of trees around, unlike the pure pine forests you grew up in. A soft mist covers the land.

Yiska doesn't understand what Night-Talker finds so amusing about what's on the other side of the road. He attempts to figure it out as he follows her towards the ditch, but it's soon forgotten as he is made to squirm his way through tangled barbed wire. The forest seems odd to him, certainly not like home, something just doesn't sit well with him.. though he's not sure what it is. So the cub stays close to Night-Talker, nearly colliding with her on more than one occasion.

Almost as soon as you are past the fence, however, the tingling sensation of delight covers your body, the one that lets you know that you are 'home' -- near a caern, a holy place of Gaia. You're surprised at the strength of the feeling, obviously this place is more powerful than the Sept of the Great North Woods. "It's safe," she says, gently, "you can shift back now." Her voice, even though it's the still-weird human sounds, is comforting to hear. Expecting you to do the same, she slips into lupus form beside you, shaking her fur out once after she does.

The cub brightens instantly as the feeling overpowers his previous paranoia. He grins wide and tugs clumsily at his human clothes, finally able to drop down to all fours and shake the his fur. The cub laughs and stretches out, making a few circles around Night-Talker before falling in line at her side..

Night-Talker noses you playfully. It is good to see you happy again. Welcome to your new home. She pauses, then lets out a howl... the howl of greeting you recognize, it was one of the first things you were taught. Her cry is returned shortly by others, acknowledging her presence on the bawn, and welcoming her return. After a moment, she lopes off towards the west, expecting you to follow.

The boy is overcome with a great feeling of joy, his tail flagging high in the air as he listens to the great chorus of howls that great Night-Talker. The cub prances in a tight circle, gathering to view of the woods, his new home, one last time before he bounds after his new mentor.

Night-Talker leads you through the light forest, sometimes on trails, sometimes off, in a generally westerly direction. The land slopes downward at a slight angle, and at one point, you cross a small river, though it's barely deep enough to dip your pads in during the height of the summer. After about a mile of travel you come to a clearing that is obviously the social center of the caern, including a large assembly area. Currently, there is only one figure in the clearing, though, a middle-aged Indian man who is sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed, with a staff in his hand. Upon your approach, he opens his eyes and smiles. "Ah, Mary, you're back. And with you here, the results of your secret mission to the North?" She lolls her tongue in amusement. Yes, that is correct. She glances to you, waiting for you to introduce yourself.

Yiska takes the journey in stride, actually enjoying the travel, the chance to stretch out and gather the scents and landmarks of the caern. He keeps up with Night-Talker, never one to keep others waiting, even if his bones ache of curiosity. And as the journey comes to a stop in the wide gathering area, the cub becomes shy, almost letting out a whine as he's pushed into introductions. I am Yiska, Galliard, Wendigo.. cub of the Great North Woods.

The older Garou tips his head in acknowledgement. "Greetings. I am called Brother-of-the-Dawn," he doesn't bother with his human name to a cub he knows is lupus, "And I am an elder Philodox of the Wendigo, child of Bison, and Gatekeeper here at the Sept of the Winter Night." The Gatekeeper is the Garou who is in charge of maintaining and guarding the Moon Bridges that link various septs. It is a very prestigious position.

The cub bobs his head in a semblance of greeting, though he glances curiously at Night-Talker before laying down on his stomach. It is an honor, Gatekeeper. We don't have a moon bridge in the Great North Woods, so you are the first gatekeeper I have ever met. The cub lolls his tongue, his tail wagging slowly above the dirt ground.

Brother-of-the-Dawn watches you lay down with a pleased look on his face. "Well, they shall have one shortly." He looks towards Night-Talker, asking: "That is the deal negotiated?" She nods her head, and he smiles, "Good, good. I will send Cursor up there shortly. I am sure he will enjoy the ... vacation ... among the Wendigo." He laughs, finding this terribly amusing for some reason. Night-Talker also lolls her tongue in amusement, then asks: Is Night-Spirit in his den? she asks, and Brother-of-the-Dawn nods. We shall take our leave, then, and meet the alpha, she says, bowing her head, and excusing both of you, heading towards a small cabin atop a nearby ridge.

The cub listens curiously.. then stands and mimics Night-Talker as he takes his leave. He trots along Night-Talkers side, his ears scanning for the sounds of others. He was very nice, though I do not understand what is so funny about the Wendigo. Is there a joke I do not know about? Of course the cub really doesn't care if there is a joke or not, as he's only making conversation to steady the rampant butterflies that have taken residence in his stomach..

Night-Talker explains that the one called ~Cursor~, who is the Moonwalker of this sept, is a Glass Walker. She wonders if you have heard of the Glass Walkers? Before you can answer, though, you've reached the door of the small, old cabin, and Night-Talker resumes her birth form instantly to knock softly on the door, the sound of which is returned with a 'whuff' indicating that she should come in. She pushes open the door, beckoning you to follow. Inside this one-room log cabin are a few human luxuries -- a table, some chairs. In the corner, you notice a shrine to Bison, who is the totem of Night-Talker's pack. Standing up in the middle is an old wolf, his chin fur grizzled with age an experience. Somehow he radiates strength, yet has the demeanor of someone you could confide in. It only takes a few seconds for you to realize that you would follow this wolf anywhere. Behind him, on the bed, is another lupine form. Completely covered in white fur, this male looks up at you curiously, and you notice that his eyes are an odd red color. The older wolf speaks first once he stands. Welcome Night-Talker. I am glad you have returned. He turns that steady gaze to you and says: Welcome to the Sept of the Winter Night, cub-from-my-visions. It brings me great joy to see you here.