Kabula and F'Foeg plowed after Sweet-Luna's-Smile, oblivious to the fact they were about to run into a pack of very angry Garou. Kabula lunged forward, teeth sinking into Sweet-Luna's hip. F'Foeg reverted to his native Crinos form now that he didn't need the speed. He slammed toxin dripping claws into the hapless Child of Gaia, catching them just beneath her ribs. The force of the blow sent Sweet-Luna flying, a long strip of fur and flesh torn off in Kabula's mouth. The Ahroun snapped up the bloody mess and quickly swallowed the chunk, sure the now crippled Garou would be unable to escape.
Sweet-Luna tried to drag herself further from the two Spirals, whimpering and crying piteously. Kabula trotted up behind the injured Garou and tore another bloody hunk off, bolting it down.
"Did you hear some..." F'Foeg was cut off mid- thought as a furious Bone Gnawer came charging around the corner of a warehouse and slammed him into a pile of trash cans.
Kabula had time to shift up to Crinos before another of the Neverending Fire pack came bounding to their packmate's aid. The mountain of a Garou took one look at the blood on Kabula's muzzle and heedlessly launched himself at her with a roar.
Both pairs of battling Garou went at each other tooth and claw, the Spirals desperately fighting for their lives. The two Bone Gnawers were totally committed to scattering little bits of the Spirals all over Rutland as payback for what they'd done to their packmate. Sweet-Luna continued to drag herself away from the conflict as best she could.
F'Foeg and Fine Whine abruptly find themselves breaking apart and scrambling for cover as silver bullets slammed indiscriminately into the both of them. The two sat nose to nose for a moment as they'd both chosen the same dumpster to dive behind. Hatred flashed between the two, but also a certain unwillingness to die at the hands of an unknown attacker. The two wordlessly bolted out from behind the dumpster and away from the unseen gunman. Their fight would have to be concluded later.
Meanwhile, Cheesy Poofs found himself similarly attacked, but by a hell beast instead of gunfire. Kabula was using the assualt to her full advantage and was frantically tearing away at the Bone Gnawer's legs, trying to topple him into the jaws of this new attacker.
The Gnawer frantically tried to shake off the hell hound hanging from his arm to no avail. There was no breaking its hold with its jaws or with the short rubbery tentacles that had crawled out of its flesh like blind worms. He ceased shaking the beast and brought his fist crashing down in the middle of its broad skull in a stunning strike. The thick skull absorbed most of the shock but the beast's jaws loosened and it slid from his arm. He stooped and grabbed the angry Spiral by the throat and tossed her into the hell hound.
Mugshot meanwhile finished recocking his revolver and cooly put a silver bullet into Poofs chest. That was finally enough to send the towering Garou to his knees.

Nuntisiwas gathered himself together, calling on all the powers at his disposal to enhance the force of his presence. He rose to his full Crinos height and stared down at the Garou below haughtily. With his dark fur and only the scant light of the moon, it seemed the night itself had grown burning eyes. He directed that stare down at the Garou below, but even the skulking theurge by his side felt the need to edge away from him.
"I've been watching you. I want the one who carries the pup, the Silent Strider, and the blade he carries. Give me these and there will be no need for a fight." He smiled benificently, as if he expected them to do as asked. He knew full well that they would do no such thing.
"Rot in hell!" Fade-to-Black used her free hand to flip him off. Her other hand was busy squashing Paradise to her chest.
"Surely you can be reasonable. I simply wish to...talk with him and take back what is rightfully mine."
"Like hell you do! We don't bargain with Black Spirals!" Ghiyath pointed the klaive threateningly at Nuntisiwas.
"I don't see you leaping up here to attack me."
"You're just a distraction! Whine, Poofs, go help Sweet-Luna, we'll make sure these two don't come from behind!" Fade-to-Black pointed down the alley from which Sweet-Luna's pitiful cries came and the two Bone Gnawers leapt to do as she commanded.
Lone Wolf looks up at the Spiral. Something was odd about him. He could see what the young Fang had meant. There was just... something about him. "You said they were rightfully yours. She is your daughter then?"
Nuntisiwas seemed uncertain for a brief instant. "I did not say that. But she should rightfully be mine, as should that blade your friend is waving about."
"We're not giving either to you without a fight! We outnumber you!" Azhar shouted up at him, seeming to have shaken off the reverie he'd fallen into.
"Yes, but I have the tactical advantage and the informational one as well."
"What do you mean?" Azhar seemed uncertain again.
"I have the high ground and have been sitting her quite long enough to know that you are not a pack and that Fade-to-Black has most unwisely split up her forces. You will fight as an unruly mob and my forces have flanked you. I also know you don't have any ranged weapons, so you must come fight me on my terms, should you really wish to be so foolish. It would be so much easier if you simply did as I asked."
"But there are only two of your people flanking us." Lone Wolf chipped in. "And they're fighting three of the Neverending Fire pack."
"Your tongue is as poisonously sweet as any Shadow Lord's, but we can outwait you, if Lone Wolf is correct. We really only need one person here to watch you. If you had ranged weapons youself, you would have used them by now." Azhar shook a fist at him to punctuate his speech.
"Very clever, you have a sweet tongue too, my boy, but as you know, Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs are natural enemies, despite the compliment. I shall have to hurt you then, as a matter of principle."
Azhar pulled himself up bravely, eerie silvery flame dancing across his fur as he steeled himself to face the Spiral alone. "Then come get me. The rest of you, go help the others and get rid of his lackies. I'll let you know if he's all talk or actually comes down."
"I will stay too, and hold the pup. It will only hinder Fade and she should be with her pack." Lone Wolf relieved Fade-to-Black of the cub and she and Ghiyath went bounding off to help the rest of the Neverending Fire pack.
"Well are you coming down!?"
"Why should I, when I can hold you both here without risking my skin in the slightest?"
"Are you a coward then, not even strong enough to to back up your threat!?"
"I was going to avoid hurting you, little one, since I owe you for aiding me against Allonzo, but if you insist on making it a matter of pride..."
"Who's Allonzo?"
"The beast you gutted for me. It was a Shadow Lord, once, but now, well, even the Black Spirals will have no dealings with monsters such as that." Nuntisiwas could see the young Fang's resolve waver as he'd clearly intrigued the boy.
"What kind of monster is too bad for even Spirals to deal with?"
"Come up here and I can tell you. No sense shouting such secrets from the rooftops." Azhar wavered and took a few hesistent steps towards the nearby fire escape that would let him climb to the roof.
"Azhar! Don't listen to him! If he wants to tell you, he can do so just as well from up there!" The Fang looked over at Lone Wolf.
"You're right, of course. I don't need to hear any more of your lies!"
"Oh, but I would never lie to you. The truth is a much more effective weapon."
"Then what's the truth here?"
"You and you little friends are a monkeywrench in my plans."
"What are your plans?"
"Ah yes, this is where I am supposed to cackly evily, twirl my mustache, and tell you all my secrets plans, so you, the brave hero, can thwart them, yes?'
Azhar looked down and mumbled sheepishly. "It would be kind of nice."
"That's the way the story should go, isn't it? But what if I tell you and you find that it would be in your best interests not to interfere, or worse still, to help me?"
"You're a Black Spiral! There's no way we would help you! Ever!" Lone Wolf broke in as Azhar looked uncertain.
"Maybe he's right Lone Wolf. That thing..." he wiped a paw across his fur nervously. "Just thinking about it makes me feel dirty. It's wrong somehow. Worse than him. What if he is right?"
"Come up and talk with me and find out, shining one. Perhaps you are not meant to be a hero out of the tales of old. These are dark times, perhaps the heros must be equally dark, in their own way. Just because we take different paths does not mean we don't have the same destination in the end."
"NO! I can't believe that! It's all a trick!"
"And what does your heart say, little one?"
Azhar paused, but no one ever heard his answer as the combatants came tearing around the corner, drowning him out.

Fade-to-Black and Ghiyath barreled around the corner, to find Sweet-Luna trying to drag herself behind some barrels and out of the line of fire. Fade dragged her behind the scant cover. "Crap. Where's the Theurge when you need him? Look her over and set and hold things as best you can."
"But why? She'll heal just fine."
"No she won't! You've never been here for the bad fighting. Yeah, she'll heal, too fast! Look, here, its already starting to heal together, but its not doing it right. It'll cripple her if we don't cut them back open now."
Sweet-Luna stirred slightly. "Shoulder. silver bullet."
"Awh, crap, I can't even find the hole anymore." Fade -to-Black pulled out a knife and frantically looked over Sweet-Luna's fur looking for a hole in the bloodstain. Failing to find one, she cut a new hole and dug about until she could find the slug.
"But if it's silver, how can it heal so fast..." Ghiyath stared down at the tear on Sweet Luna's hip that he was attempting to hold closed. "We heal fast, but not this fast!"
"Sweet-Luna does, but if we don't hold things in the right place, we have to cut all the scar tissue out again latter and hope it'll heal right the second time. She's luckier than some metis, but still, it's not all good." Fade peered over one of the barrels and a bullet whined overhead.
"Great, there's two engaged with my boys now and I can hear three more coming! You stay here and try to get her up. I'll deal with the gunman." As Fade leapt out from behind the barrels, F'Foeg and Fine Whine bolted past their position. Another shot went off and Fade leapt towards the gunman, trying to get to him before he could chamber another round.
The Glass Walker howled and there was a terrible shearing noise followed by a curse from the gunman as his weapon literally tore itself apart and the metal pieces on his uniform splintered and drove themselves into his flesh.
"Skippy! Sic the bitch!" The huge man semed to grow even bigger and more musculer as he rolled up a sleeve, flung the ruined gun aside and brought a massive fist crashing into Fade's snarling muzzle. The attack dog looked briefly confused as to who its handler wanted it to go after, but finally abandoned Kabula in favor of attacking Fade-to-Black.
Kabula took the opportunity to run, darting past Ghiyath. The Strider flicked his blade out and opened a long cut along the Spiral's side as she flew past. Sweet-Luna meanwhile tried to struggle back to her feet and go to the aid of her pack leader, who was clearly outmatched by the hell hound and his handler.
Ghiyath tugged at her arm. "No, come on, she's only trying to hold them back while you get up. I'll get Cheesy Poofs, you go that way, Azhar can heal you so you can get back in the fight." Sweet Luna nodded and limped around the corner.
Ghiyath leapt out and slapped at Cheesy Poof's muzzle, trying to bring the huge wolf around. It was a bad sign that he'd reverted to his native form. "C'mon, c'mon! Get up!" The wolf didn't respond, so Ghiyath reluctantly sheathed his blade and hoisted the massive wolf across his shoulders. And none too soon as when he stood, he could see figures down the alley running towards them, pulling weapons.
"Fade! I've got him, we need to retreat!"
"Trying to!"
Ghiyath ran back around the corner and into absolute chaos. Azhar and Sweet-Luna were trying to fend off Kabula and the vile little Theurge. F'Foeg and Fine Whine were back at it tooth and claw, and Nuntisiwas and Lone Wolf were warily circling each other, not quite having engaged just yet. Odd considering that Nuntisiwas appeared quite capable of overpowering the Red Talon, especially with one of Lone Wolf's paws tied up in holding onto Paradise.
"More guys with guns coming in less than a minute! And they aren't on anybody's side! Everybody run!"
No one seemed to heed the Silent Strider initially until Nuntisiwas bellowed. "Fall back!" The other Spirals fell back reluctantly, and F'Foeg seemed to be having no success getting himself free of Fine Whine's furious assault until the Theurge sank her foul teeth into the unfortunate Bone Gnawer's leg. Fine Whine screeched and hopped about as greenish ichor oozed out of the wound.
The Spirals backed up quickly, but looked like they were ready to press their advantage as soon as they knew whether Ghiyath had spoken accurately.
Azhar quickly laid hands on Sweet-Luna, spirit magics weaving back together her errant flesh the way it should be. Ghiyath brought the injured Bone Gnawer over to the Theurge as well.
"Boss, let's get them before the guys with guns show up, before they get healed." F'Foeg grinned eagerly at the wounded Bone Gnawer, easy prey now that he was down a limb.
"Have you seen these men with guns?" Nuntisiwas risked looking at him quickly.
"Yeah, they've got silver..."
"Then we're going. Now. This is not a fight we need to win that badly."
"But we've got 'em on the ropes!"
Fade-to-Black came barreling around the corner, hellhound hot on her tail and a hail of gunfire soon following. "Incoming! It's the cops! And they ain't scared!"
"We are all on the ropes in this case. We're going!" And abruptly the Spirals were gone, retreating to the spirit world.
"I never though I'd say this, but do like the Spirals!" The rest of the Garou gathered their wits together and leapt for the spirit world as well, leaving Skippy, his handler Mugshot, Hans and his 'new recruits' from the Rutland police force to wonder where the Garou had all gotten to.

Albrecht stiffled a yawn and took a sip of coffee. He eyed his Kinfolk 'secretary'. Bruce got huffy if anyone called him a secretary though. Secretaries made coffee, typed, and looked pretty. He was a 'personal assistant' who occasionally deigned to make coffee. He was a professional. Still, the whole idea that he needed a secretary or personal assistant or professional scheduler of any sort rather disturbed him. You'd think being King would be a lot less complicated. "You did get me up this early for a meeting, right?"
Bruce gave him The Look. The 'don't make me prove my skills' look. "I wouldn't disturb you this early otherwise. You were supposed to meet with the foreign boy, Azhar Serpent-Slayer..."
"The Arab one, with the eyes the size of saucers?"
"They only appear to be that big when you're around. And he's an Israeli, sir"
"He doesn't look Jewish."
"By default I don't think any Garou can be Jewish, or Christian or Muslim really."
"So he's non-Jewish Israeli Silver Fang. Could he be any more contrary? Guess it makes sense he's late then."
"Well, he's not really late, sir..."
"He's not here and I've finished breakfast. I believe the idea was I'd have breakfast with him so he wouldn't look so much like a scared rabbit. Look, the legendary hero also eats breakfast like normal people. But he's not here."
"I sent people to look for him and no one seems to have seen him for at least a day"
"It's cold enough that I'd like to still be in bed. Maybe he's huddled up trying to keep warm."
"First place they looked, sir."
"Sure he's not sharing someone else's bed?"
"Sir! I'm sure none of the other Kinfolk would be..."
"Attracted to a polite and exotic foreign princeling and more importantly, someone who's not their cousin? No, never happens." Albrecht took another swig of his coffee. "When we manage to breed the attraction out of young people is when we know've thinned the gene pool too much." He banged the cup on the table. "I said 'young people' When the hell did they get to be young people?"
"I have no idea, sir. You're still young people so far as I'm concerned."
"I don't feel like one at this hour. But you said no one's seen him for at least a day?"
"No sir. Not even the kitchen staff."
"Can't keep a young man from food either."
"Yes sir, and none of the, ahem, likely suspects to be, ahem, keeping him warm so to speak have seen him either, much to their disappointment."
Maybe Bruce qualified as a butler. He was certainly proper enough. No, butlers weren't usually skilled in the art of fending off persistent Garou. Bruce would also give him The Look if he ever called him a butler. Personal assistant. Right. "So he's just up and vanished"
"Apparently, sir. The last anyone remembers seeing of him was when he said he was going for a walk. In the snow."
"Oh. So you have a bunch of Kinfolk running around trying to find a large white wolf lost in the snow."
"They ARE trying very hard and I'm sure if he's lost, he's doing his best to find his way back."
"Well either he has a terrible sense of direction, or something's held him up, and anything that can hold up a Garou can certainly take out Kinfolk. I should probably take a look."
"No, really, sir, don't disrupt your schedule over this, you can send one of the other court hangers on to look. He's probably been held up by something trivial. All these young heroes seem determined to go haring off at the first sign of adventure. There's no sense disrupting the whole court because you've decided to act like an addled pup and go running off looking for an adventure."
"Alright, alright, I'll avoid sending everyone into a panic. For now. Send one of the young pain in the ass loudmouths out to look for him. But if I don't see him back here in a week, I'm going to go look for the puppy myself. I don't want to tell his sept we lost him. Killed in battle they might understand, misplaced will cause a diplomatic incident."
"I didn't think he was that important, sir."
"Every Garou is now, famous or not. The last lost pup I dealt with turned out to be pretty important. Would I be sitting here now if I hadn't involved myself with such an 'unimportant' kid?"
"Point taken sir. I'll send Matfei to look for him."

Part 8

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