Tapestries: Pablo - Monday, October 30, 2006, 11:33 AM

"So," Gabby says, finishing up a couple hours on the history of your tribe, "That's why we're not strictly Native American anymore, like little brother Wendigo. You know, it's kind of an adapt and move on sort of thing. As sad as that sounds. And not that we're not proud of our heritage; just that we're doing what we have to do as a tribe to keep up the good fight as it were." She grins a bit, tilting her head sideways, then glances at the clock, then back to you, sitting across from you at the cub house's kitchen table. [continued]

"Anyway, now that you've either deeply absorbed all that, or been bored to tears," she laughs, "I have some good news and some bad news for you. Which do you want to hear first?"

Tony is actually listening quite attentively to all of it. He loves history, after all. And like he suspected, it seems Uktena are kind of a mystery tribe - people hear the name and want to think Native American, but apparently actual natives (in terms of look) are a minority in the tribe. It's fascinating, especially given the good contrast of Wendigo pretty much staying within the Native population. "Good and bad, huh? Well, I guess I'll do the regular thing and go with bad first," he muses, leaning back in the chair and smiling.

Gabby nods, still smiling a bit, "Well, the bad news is, depending on your point of view, I guess." She laughs a little, "But Crystal has told me that she wants to be your half-moon teacher. Which is kind of odd, since she doesn't usually teach guys, and I'd planned on having Alex teach you, but," she shrugs, "She is an adren after all, and if that's what she wants, well, there you go."

Tony does find this news to be wavering between good and bad. Bad, cause he fears for his life around Crystal, and good because she does seem to know what she's talking about. The cub puts on an equally ambiguous half-smile, scratching his cheek. "Alright, then," he says. "What's the good news?"

Gabby wells, at this, saying, "You're a good guy. And seem to have some sense about you. So, I think if you go to your lessons with Crystal, and you /promise/ you're going to be really careful, then, I think you can go off the bawn." She takes a deep breath, then quickly follows up, "Remember, I'm putting my ass on the line for you here. I'm the one who will get in trouble if something bad happens."

Tony looks really surprised, sitting up straight. "Really? Off the bawn?" He hasn't been off the property since... well, not counting the attack on the party, since he got here. Suddenly this place seems and feels smaller than ever, and he's accutely aware of the fence around the perimeter. "Well... wow! Can I see my father?"

Your cousin nods, "Yes. But you can't bring him here, of course. As remember the Veil, of course. Just ... stick by the rules, and it will be okay." She's obviously a little worried about the whole decision, but doesn't vocalize it beyond the expression on her face.

Tony's lower lip gets taken in for a thoughtful nibble as he thinks of how to confront his father. He can't tell him about being a werewolf. Though, a part of him has an idea his father would somehow understand. The man has enough bend in his beliefs to allow in strangeness. Still, that doesn't matter. No telling. And the /library/. Oh yes! The very idea makes his insides quiver. "I'll be very careful," he promises. "And hey - I can write my driver's test now," he realizes.

That makes Gabby grin. "It's always good to have a driver in the pack, it's a lot easier to get around than running, though, you know, sometimes it makes me feel bad to be driving, you know, tossing all those emissions around. And, of course, you have to get a vehicle. Ours is kind of a hand-me-down." She grins lopsidedly at that.

Tony nods again. "Of course. I doubt I'll be able to get my own any time soon." He'll also be able to visit George, and see about perhaps buying an actual weapon. A knife to practice with or something. "So, when can I...?"

Gabby's expression gets slightly worried again, "Now, I suppose. Though, of course, you'll have to find a way into town. I mean, you can walk to Eagle; I do every day, but if you want to go back to Milwaukee, well, that's a ways. And I can't really let you borrow the van, it kind of belongs to our whole pack."
Tony replies, "I can take the bus. I've got enough money for that, to get home. And once I'm home, I can get more money from my bank. Only two hundred bucks or so, but it'll be enough to buy a few things."

Gabby considers this for a while. "I don't think there /is/ a bus. I mean, not without getting closer to the interstate. But, you know, you should ask Cursor. He would know." She grins a bit sheepishly, "It's a bit easy to get, um, you know, isolated from the human world out here. Even when you are with them everyday, it's just..." She purses her lips, "I mean, I work with a bunch of humans, but I don't hang out with them, you know? I don't watch the television, or anything like that. Which reminds me, did anyone ever warn you about television?"

Tony doesn't know, not really. He was never a really social person, but he hung out with people now and then, went to the movies, had some Burger King with classmates. But he can't imagine simply being isolated from them. He's a Garou, sure, but they're still people just like him. Besides, 'the human world', in his opinion, not something you should be isolated from if you want to save them. "Warn me about TV? Well, sure. Don't sit too close or you'll ruin your eyes."
You page-pose, "Pablo is involved in some rp already, I'm sorry, Miss." to Riesz

Gabby watches the expression on your face, and decides to explain further. "We scare humans, you know. Just by being near them. The more Rage you have, the harder it is to interact with them. Like, most galliards and ahrouns, well, they're just too much to be with humans on a day to day basis. And... you've not been in a pack yet, been when you are, you'll understand. They're like your closest friends, and your family, all put together as one." She seems to fail at words to explain more, so just talks about television. "Um, I don't know why, but it's easy for Garou to get entranced, like, almost hypnotised, when you're watching TV. I've even heard rumors that you can get sucked into a weird Umbral realm, though I've never seen it happen. The Urrah are a bit better with it, maybe just having it around more, or being more Weavery in general. Just a thing you should know. Really."

Tony wonders if this suposed trance-state Gabby is talking about isn't simply the stupour that anyone, Garou or human, can tend to fall into when watching TV. Maybe Garou are just so distrustful of technology, when they see someone just staring blankly into the old picture-box, they get spooked. Then again, maybe it really does hypnotize werewolves. He'll have to find out. "Right. Well, I'll be careful, then. I don't watch too much TV anyway." He frowns a little, leaning foreward in his chair. "Do we scare people after our first change? Cause, I can't really say people were nervous of me."

Gabby nods, "It's more pronounced after your First Change, yeah, because you've accessed your Rage. But the fuller moons sometimes experience it beforehand. Ask Hope, I bet she'd tell you she was pretty isolated as a kid. It's not unusual at all. And its not always fear, like, terrifying fear. Sometimes it's just being unsettled, disquited. I mean, you weren't one of the most popular kids, were you? No offense intended. It's just that we all tend to kind of, be a little alone, before the Change."

Tony mmms. That's true enough. He always figured it was a conscious choice on his behalf. But maybe there were other factors after all, things that happened before he can remember. "Alright. I'll remember it. And maybe I'll just walk the whole way home. I know it's far. But... can I go as a wolf? And maybe hunt for food, since I'm off-bawn?"

Again, Gabby has to think a bit about this. "Well," she says, "Most of this area is more rural than it is wilderness, so, you know, most people don't expect to see wolves. But, if you stay in the State Forest, and out of sight, it should be all right. Just, you know, be careful. Hunting season starts pretty soon, and heaven knows there are enough drunk men with guns who wouldn't hesitate to shoot a wolf if they saw one."

Tony smiles. "I'll need to study a map and stuff. Wow, this should be a lot of fun," he says, rubbing his palms together. "A little adventure just for me. Thank you, Gabby. I really appreciate you showing me this kind of trust."

Gabby smiles and reaches out touching your shoulder. "You're welcome. And I can get you a county map, I think. There should be one at the gas station next to work. And there are folks you can talk to about the area. Besides Cursor, you can talk to Sam or Caitlin from my pack. And, of course, the Guardians. They know the area around the bawn like the back of their hands. And I can show you which houses belong to kinfolk."

Tony puts his hand on yours and squeezes fondly. "So... the only Kinfolk I've met is Katrikki. What are kinfolk around here like? I mean, are they the sort who would open their doors to a Garou in need? Like a secret society?"

"Well," she says, smiling at you, "Um, about half of them are kin to the Get, and the other half Wendigo kin. There's the forest superintendent and his wife, also the families of some of the sept elders, like Mary Long-Night-Talker, and Edwin Shares-the-Glory, and, Eric Axe-of-Tyr. And, yes, they do help us, in a lot of ways. They cover for us, they interact with humans when we can't, that sort of thing."