Tapestries: Pablo - Wednesday, August 23, 2006, 10:36 PM

There was a considerable amount of commotion inside the house soon after you arrived nearby, which made you wary to approach until things settled down. Later that evening, however, the back door swings open, revealing a young homid girl with the Native American features you are most used to seeing in homids. She looks around, and then slips down onto all fours, shifting and changing into, well, one of the scrawniest little wolf bitches you have ever seen. She's a pleasant buff color. She sniffs the air, and pads into the clearing around the back of the house.

Yiska, having hidden himself just past the clearing to wait out the commotion, slowly lifts his head as the homid leaves the cabin and shifts.. his ears perk and he sniffs at the air, not yet making a move to follow..

The little bitch's nose wriggles, apparently catching Yiska's scent. She carefully, slowly and cautiously moves in Yiska's direction. Hello? she whuffs. Who is it that is there?

The cub slowly lifts himself onto his feet and makes his way out of the underbrush, making sure to announce himself before being seen. Yiska, Wendigo Galliard, cub of the Great North. He sniffs at the air again, before asking.. And who are you?

The bitch turns around a bit, letting herself be inspected in the proper lupine manner. Her tail is tucked though, and her ears fold back, her posture screaming 'omega'. I am Little-Smiles, Ragabash cub, also of the Wendigo. I am very happy to meet you!

When Yiska approaches her, he notices a bracelet around her left front wrist, bearing the Wendigo tribal glyph.

Yiska comes to within a few feet of the other cub, noting the curiosities that surround her. Oh. Is the only response given for the moment, leaving a long silence as the cub circles around the ragabash. What ar e you doing? Are you too cramped in that homid dwelling? Or did they kick you out.

From the north there comes the sound of another. Someone on two legs. When he steps into the moonlight from the trees, the two wolves would see a tall young man with dark hair and the shine of persperation on his naked body glinting in the moonlight. He looks pleased to have found the cub house all by himself from such a distance. Catching movement, his gaze darts towards the two others in the area sharply. "Hello," he greets amiably enough, walking towards them.

Little-Smiles answers Yiska first, explaining that she enjoys exploring the caern, especially on pleasant nights. When the homid appears she turns her head up to look at him, seeming quite pleased to see him. ~Tony!~ she grumbles, as that's a word that the wolf language can't convey. New cub! New cub! New cub! If she were a dog, she'd be wagging furiously. But she manages to restrain herself, even if she's not far out of puppyhood.

Yiska turns quickly, head lifting as the human approaches. His hackles rise and he steps around and in front of Little-Smiles. Who are you? He asks, looking terribly wary of the new human.. meeting too many people in one night tends to make the cub a little grumpy, it seems.

Tony smiles down at the smaller wolf. "Hey Bits," he replies, though he stops when the unknown wolf steps around her. He's still quite rusty on how to read wolf-talk, but the question would be clear to anyone. "I'm Tony Meyer, Philodox cub of the Uktena," he tells Yiska slowly and clearly.

Little-Smiles doesn't step forward any further, so as not to get in the way, but she tries to make sure that any tension is defused quickly. Isn't this great? she says, three cubs now! How exciting! I'm so glad I'm not alone anymore! She looks to Yiska, asking if he is the cub Night-Talker was going to get?

Yiska slits his eyes at Tony Meyer and answers the other wolf cub without taking his eyes off the human. Yes, I am. Night-Talker brought me here just this night, not long ago. The cub leans forward and sniffs at the human as he asks Little-Smiles a few more questions.. How long have you been here? When did this human get here?

Tony looks somewhat amused by Yiska's distrust. It's obvious this wolf is a Garou, but he talks and moves differently than Bits. Ah, he must be a lupus! After a moment's thought, Tony drops down to all fours as well, pushing himself into his wolf self. His fur is black as the night except for a few zig-zagging slashes of blood red, and one red patch between his eyes. This shape is strange for me to communicate as, he conveys. He is larger than the other two wolves, but bows his head down in a submissive way nonetheless, since he's not too sure who Yiska is.

Little-Smiles answers Yiska's questions eagerly, explaining that she has been here for one full turn of the moon, but the Uktena has been here only since the half-moon. (About a week). She asks if Yiska is going to be staying here, and if both of them would like to join her as she explores the bawn some more?

The cub stands his ground as Tony shifts into lupus, sniffing some at the air as the change settles. He seems to approve somewhat, as he chooses to ignore Little-Smiles in order to introduce himself. I am The-Night-Has-Passed, Wendigo Galliard, cub of the Great North. He makes sure to use his human language name, not being too sure if they other would have picked up his native given name in wolf speak.

Yiska shifts on his feet some before turning around to include Tony in the conversation, letting him see Little-Smiles instead of hiding her behind his back. I am tired, Little-Smiles, but I would like to explore the bawn with others, so yes. I would like to join you.

Tony lifts his head again, looking pleased to hear Yiska's introduction. It is good to meet you, he says. I have not had the chance to talk to a lupus for any length. He pads in a half circle around the two, sniffing the air and lolling his tongue out. I have been running for a while, but I would like to explore more, yes.

All this approval seems to please Little-Smiles to no end. She looks quite happy with herself as she starts off towards the west. It may not be typical for an omega-type to lead, but it was her idea. After a few moments, she asks if the others think that they will have individual Rites of Passage, or they will send us as a pack?

Even in a casual trot it is fairly obvious that Little-Smiles moves habitually very quietly and very stealthily. She seems to float over the thin trails, not making a sound. She gives off the distinct feeling that if you weren't looking right at her, she'd disappear right in front of you.

Yiska seems to get some sort of wry amusement from letting the omega lead, finding her excitement a little comical. He sighs inwardly, it must be the homids influence. The cub keeps up rather easily with the other two, though he does have to keep his eyes mostly trained on Little-Smiles, not wanting to lose her visually and have to then track her by scent.

Tony doesn't find anything particularly out of place by following Bits around, as he has yet to really get a feel for rank around here. She's just another friend, as far as he knows. He keeps pace with Yiska, trailing the pack, his footsteps by far the loudest of the three. Still new to four-wheel drive, after all. Is there somewhere in particular we go?

Little-Smiles indicates, no, she just has not been over in this direction too much. She grows a bit more subdued as the ground slopes downward, and the terrain changes from light forest to more of a marshy area.

Yiska grunts softly as soon as the trio of cubs starts to push into the marshland. He asks if this is still part of the caern, should they be going this deep? He sniffs at the ground and the surrounding trees, trying to find any type of markers..

Tony feels the way the ground gets a little spongier beneath his paws, the air gains that wet and earthy smell to it of evaporating ground water. I think this is still the caern. It feels good, still, he tells Yiska, recalling how it felt when he left the bawn in the Umbra.

Little-Smiles indicates that Tony is right about the feeling, and that also there is a fence all around to keep humans out. She pauses, then, as three particularly alert pairs of Garou ears hear a sound about the same time. Stepping out from behind a tree are two homids, identical in dress and appearance, their heads shaved clean of hair, and their features very Germanic looking. The one on your left sneers in disdain as he looks at Little-Smiles, "Well, well, if it isn't the little jackal girl herself, come into Blackbones territory. Enjoying sleeping in my bed, bitch? Still hanging out with the hippie and her bastard mule boy? And who are these with you, more charach-lovers, looking for a place to break the first law together?" This series of insults makes the little wolf's hackles raise, and she slips up into crinos form. Still, she's short and thin, even in the war shape. She shakes a clawed finger at the man and growls, ~I told you not to call me that! And you have no right to talk about Whisper or my new friends that way!~ This just makes the man and his brother laugh, and the other one says: "We can call you whatever we want, little bitch cub!"

Yiska knew something was wrong with Little-Smiles the moment he first saw her. It was fairly obvious, but he had really never even seen one like her before. Or at least, he now assumes that she is indeed a metis. He glances up at Little-Smiles.. Calm yourself, they are doing this just to rile you and force a confrontation. I do not want to spend my first night here on the bawn in a fight. The wolf cub steps forward and calmly notes to the two skin-heads. Your insults are like water, weaver-lovers. Ones such as you must have so many deficiancies to pick on a helpless runt. Does it make you feel like a greater Garou, to do this? Do you go back to your pack and parade yourself around with self-inflicted battle-scars, too?

Tony comes up to Yiska's side when the two humans approach. He stares at them as oddly as if he were a real wolf who had never seen a two-legger before. What the hell is this? he wonders to himself. Are these guys for real? As Yiska tears into them like an admonishing mother, Tony puts himself back in human form and delicately touches Bits' arm in what he hopes is a calming gesture. For now, he lets the wolf do the talking, since he seems much smoother at it than he is. With his smart-ass streak, he'd likely force a confrontation if he started talking back.

Both of the skinheads turn to look at Yiska when the wolf speaks. "Oh, look, Siegfried, it talks!" says the one on the left. "Amazing, Sigwald!" says the one on the right. They watch Tony shift and Siegfried says, "Apparently this one's dumb, though. I wonder if either of them is smart enough to properly introduce themselves, when they've stumbled onto another pack's territory." Sigwald responds: "Probably not, if they are hanging out with the world's scrawniest new moon." Little-Smiles lets out a little growl at their conversation amongst each other. She shifts down to homid form at Tony's attempt to comfort her and mutters, "You can't claim part of the bawn as just yours." This makes Siegfried cock an eyebrow, "We can't, huh? I think we have every right to keep you out of here, den-stealer."

Yiska is just suddenly over come with .. laughter. The cub shakes his head, laughing wide. Are.. are you for real? Siegfried and Sigwald? I am amazed! Are you twins? You must be! Born from the same cow, perhaps dropped on your heads while she was moving, too dumb to even notice she had given birth. He laughs uproariously before continuing. She probably thought you were just feces! Oh.. oh I'm so sorry to intrude on your little territory. I'm sure your pack must need to guard it's disgusting swamp marsh with all its might, keeping out the rest of the caern. The cub snorts and shakes his head, then turns his back on the two idiots. These ones are not worth your breath, Little-Smiles, Tony Meyer. Let us leave them to their precious muck and gloom.

Tony feels something solid in his chest drop rather firmly down into his stomach. Okay, perhaps Yiska is not the one who should be doing the talking. A fine talker, but it's obvious this cub never went to high school. Turning his back on two bullies after talkin' 'bout their momma? Yeah, right. "Bits, we really ought to leave now. These two gentlemen obviously have some claims to this area." He tugs on her arm again and backs up, but does not turn away from the two. "Have a good night, fellas."

Little-Smiles is stunned. She blinks. And, really, so are the twins. For about a half-of-a-second. Then, with Rage-fueled speed, they both push into the war form and descend upon Yiska, crinos-sized ham fists pounding on the lupus cub. ~Respect your elders, fuckwad,~ says one, ~We're gonna throat your sorry ass,~ says the other. It's even harder to tell them apart now. Well, it could be worse. They could be using their claws. Tony feels something else, too, the prick of a sharp blade against his back, and the hiss of a throaty voice behind him. ~No. You're going to stay here until your friend gets his lessons taught.~


Yiska simply drops to his stomach, his eyes clenching shut, knowing exactly that this would happen. The cub just lays there, struggling to keep his mouth shut, denying the two any sort of pleasure from seeing him cry out in pain.. and eventually, with the strain just too much on the young wolf.. he falls into bloody unconsciousness.

Tony lowers his head as the two lunge at Yiska, looking and feeling rather frustrated and sad. He knew that was coming. Seen it a million times at school. However, unlike school, he doesn't intend to stand there let it happen. Just as he's turning towards the two pummelling hulks, the touch of steel to his neck makes him go rigid. Thoughts race through his head. His attacker is unknown. One might fancy they could see him go into another mode of thought and movement. "Bits," he says with forced calmness. "Is it true Garou heal really fast, even as humans?"

Bits shakes her head, "In every form except the birth form," she says, looking horrified at what has just occured in front of her. "I think that Yiska was born wolf." The hissing growl from behind you says, ~Don't matter none anyway, ignorant cub. This blade's silver, and it'll cut through you like butter, regardless of your form.~ Siegfried and Sigwald turn to the two remaining conscious cubs. One says, ~Proper introductions, and then you can leave. And maybe you will learn some sense at some point.~ Bits bites her lip and says, tension in her voice. "You know who I am. That's," she says, pointing at the unconscious lump of wolf: "That's Yiska, Galliard cub of the Wendigo."

Tony is confused by the threat of silver. The blade's silver? Yeah, so?  He almost asks just why he should care, when he realizes what this means. A simple but profoundly important note that no one bothered to tell him. Apparently that shit about Silver and Werewolves is true. Well, nice way to find out. He grinds his teeth briefly, the sight of Yiska's body making his blood race, but he keeps his cool. "I don't give my name to someone I can't see," he states simply. "How else could I show proper respect?"

That brings a cold chuckle. The blade's point disappears from your neck and moving around in front of you is a wiry, scarred mass of brown-furred crinos Garou. Oddly, his tail is furless, like some sort of rodent's. ~Now you seem all three of us, kid. So fucking talk.~

Tony feels thankful for his father's training in how to handle himself among intimidating people. In case of interrogation, he was told. Those were not pleasant lessons, but the use is apparent now. "I am Tony Meyer, Philodox cub of the Uktena," he says evenly, moving his eyes among the three sets of elevated gazes. 

All three of them snort. One of the twins says, ~Don't look much like a Uktena,~ though it's unclear if that's an insult or not, and the other one agrees, ~Should have known it was more wood niggers come to annoy us.~ They straighten up, then, and, at least somewhat properly introduce themselves in return. ~Seigfried Howls-in-Battle, fostern Galliard of the Get of Fenris, child of Bull, alpha of the Blackbones pack, and previous occupier of that house you're living in before the hippie charach threw us out.~ The other twin continues: ~Sigwald Bleeds-the-Truth, fostern Galliard of the Get of Fenris, child of Bull.~ And, finally, the one with the knife: ~Trickster-of-Banes, cliath Ragabash of the Get of Fenris. Now get your sorry asses out of our territory before we change our minds.~

Tony takes the insult in stride, though for some reason it stings him far more than he would like it to. Perhaps because Bits is here, and they're insulting both of them. "If you would like to fight at some point, you can find me at the cub's house," he says. "But for tonight, it was lovely to meet you all." Giving a curt nod to all three, he motions for Bits to follow him as he bends down to pick up Yiska's limp body in his arms and carry him back to Whisper's place.
Bits follows happily and quickly behind you, and there's laughter from the three Get as you leave. When you're well out of range of hearing of the three, Bits breaks down in tears, though she keeps moving, "I'm sorry, Tony. That was all my fault. I shouldn't have reacted like that, but they, oooooh, they just make me so mad!"

Tony can carry Yiska, but he figures he might as well make use of this new hulking form he can take to ease the burden. So he shifts to crinos, the wolf feeling as if he's shrunk down to a pup in his arms. ~It is not your fault,~ he growls firmly. ~Why did they call you a jackal?~ he asks, his heavy breaths leaving large clouds of vapor in the air behind him.

Bits shrugs, "I dunno," she hurries to keep up with your long crinos strides. "'Cause I'm all little and skinny in lupus, I guess. I'm little and skinny all around." She sniffs, "But I'm only thirteen years old. I can't help it. And I don't think I really look like a jackal, do you?"

Tony wonders if he could... Yeah, he could. He shuffles Yiska under one massive arm, supporting the length of his body across his forearm. And then he ducks down briefly to scoop Bits up in his left arm, letting her sit on his other forearm so she doesn't have to keep up; and, she looks like she needs the contact and comfort. He hopes he can convey comfort in this big, dangerous body. ~I have no idea what a jackal looks like, to tell you the truth,~ he admits. ~But some people are small. I do not see it as being important. You look fine to me, as wolf or human.~

Bits eeeks a little as you lift her up. She blushes, just a little bit, her braids bouncing as you carry her. "Now I feel /really/ small," she teases. The little girl leans against your massive warm form. "Thanks," she says, and lets out a long sigh, releasing some stress from the night. "We should probably put Yiska back in his den. I bet he'll be more comfortable there than inside. And he'll heal fine once he wakes up, I'm sure." She pauses, biting her lower lip. "Though we should tell Whisper anyway, what happened."

Tony nods in agreement, touching his snout into her hair to give a reassuring chuff. Following her directions, he finds Yiska's den and very delicately places him inside. He feels weird leaving an injured animal all on his own. "You sure he'll be fine? He's pretty banged up," he says once he is human again. "Yes. Let's tell Whisper. She may still be awake."

[The following follow-up scene was e-mailed to the players:]

It’s early the next evening when Bits, Yiska and Tony are summoned to the center of the caern. There, standing in middle of the gathering area is a great bear of a white man, his face covered in a full beard, and a scar turning his mouth down into a frown. He looks very unhappy, though its hard to tell if he could make a pleasant expression with that scarred face. Next to him are Siegfried and Sigwald, their eyes shooting daggers at the cubs when they look up. Nearby, also looking quite displeased are the sept alpha, Night-Spirit, and the athro Galliard Talks-Through-Long-Winter-Nights. A step back, looking more worried than anything is Gabrielle Knows-the-Lunes-Path, the septs only adult Uktena.
 
The large bearded man steps forward, half-growling, No need to introduce yourself, cubs. I know who each of you are. I am Jacob Grim-Scowl, athro Ahroun of the Get of Fenris, alpha of the Talons of Odin, Warder of the Sept of the Winter Night, and elder of the Get of Fenris here. He looks to the two twins, and snarls at them, before turning back to the cubs. The boys here have something to say to you cubs and your elders.
 
Both of the twins /glare/ at you, before Siegfried (you think), says, obviously very reluctantly, We apologize. There’s a pause, before Grim-Scowl prompts him: And? He continues, Night-Spirit-rhya, Night-Talker-rhya and Path-Knower. We apologize for beating the crap out of your cubs last night That choice of words gets a snicker from his brother, who promptly gets a slap on the back of the head from Grim-Scowl. Siegfried sighs, and continues: It is not our place to punish cubs. Problems with cubs should be brought up with their elders. He says this in a sighing, half-hearted manner; as if it were rote memory he didn’t really believe. Please forgive us.
 
Night-Spirit gives a bit of a non-committal grunt which one might suppose is an acknowledgement of the Fenrirs apologies. Gabby, on the other hand, says, Err, yeah, its okay. Just, you know, talk to me or something next time.
 
With that, Grim-Scowl gives a massive backhand to the twins, with one of their heads smacking into the other. Now get out of here. He turns to the collective cubs: And you are dismissed as well. They bother you again; you talk to me about it. He grunts, and heads off, the group dispersing.