Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (22% full).
Currently in Saint Claire, it is partially cloudy. The temperature is 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the south at 5 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.02 and rising, and the relative humidity is 78 percent. The dewpoint is 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius.)
It is currently 23:24 Pacific Time on Mon Jul 23 2001.
Around the Lone Boulder
The sparse forest gives way here into a vast clearing, entirely devoid of trees or heavy underbrush for great distances all around. Low, thick grass, a palish green in color, grows everywhere underfoot; it sways ever so gently in the chill winds that seem to settle in across this open expanse with unusual frequency. The occasional darker shoot or dandelion weed makes its way up amidst the rest, but the hilly territory is on the whole a uniform color, reminiscent of a moor. Adding to the image is the single, ponderous old stone, a grey-brown in color, settled uncannily in the dead center of the expanse as if it has perched there alone since the dawn of time. Grass grows up around the weathered boulder, but its vaguely-flattened top clears the grass by a good many feet, at least chest-high to a good-sized man. The sky, often grey, is a presence in this sudden openness, appearing from amidst the treetops to arc high over the grass and stone.
Woodland tracks lead off into the forest to the north and south, while the boulder itself stands at the center of the clearing.
Dena follows behind, almost as quickly. She drops her jaw in a lupine grin. We've met. I'm the Fury, Walks-Thin-Ice.
John lifts his head, almost disinterestedly, and then looks about. "Taking over for Sepdet, Rhya?" He pulls himself to his feet with a soft grunt, and then slaps on the side of the van. "Sophia's here." he notes to someone inside.
Dena agrees, Yes. Sepdet is meditating at the Caern, so I took the opportunity to quiz your cub. We had quite a discussion about renown.
Spot, happy to see she's not in trouble for being late, trots toward the van. You know Serendipity-Rhya? I didn't know that. Who did you bring?
Dizzy carefully steps out of the van, taking off her sunglasses and putting them into her jacket pocket. She looks around, centering on the unfamiliar one, "Hello. I'm Dizzy Bradstreet, Spins-in-Circles, Ragabash cub of the Glass Walkers." She turns to spot her roommate, "Hey, there you are. I've been worried. You're not out here as per your previous plan, are you?"
The scarred man hitches a shoulder as he heads for the driver's seat. "Renown's often over-rated." he grunts, and leans against the door. Waiting for good-byes and such.
Dena shifts up into homid, smoothly. "Ardenas Kytheras Kostenas, myself, though Dena's much easier to pronounce. Also known as Serendipity's Shadow, and Guards the Desolate Shore. I'm new come, from California -- Gaia's Bones, where I led a Pegasus pack. I am Black Fury, and ahroun, and Adren, and it is good to meet you."
Spot shakes her head; not side-to-side as humans do, but tilting back and forth on an invisible axis. The shake ripples down her back, ending with a cheerful, hyper wagging of the tail. No. I've decided, if he tries something, I'll just bite him. I don't think he will, though. I trust him.
Dizzy nods to the Black Fury, "Nice to meet you. Sorry I haven't more time to talk." She motions toward the open van door with her thumb, "Come on, Soph. Time to come home." It's not said, but she does _not_ trust beer-boy. Expecially after recent events.
Dena fades off toward the trees, nodding to Dizzy politely.
Spot hops into the van, howling after Dena. ~Good trail, Rhya!~
John's prepared to wait a little longer, evidently, and just watches Spot, and Dena as she leaves. "Did you two have fun? Learn a lot?" he directs to the returned cub.
Dena grins. "You too, Sophia. Hope to see you around."
The ragabash climbs back into the van and takes her seat quietly.
Spot pants happily. ~Hope-Star sings me the trails of warriors,~ she says happily. ~New Rhya sings the trails of tradition.~
Dena waves, and wanders off.
John's nose wrinkles mildly, and he shakes his head mildly. "You can explain that to me better on the way back home." he grunts, before opening his own door, and settling into the seat.
Dizzy stands, leaning over and closes the door. "Okay," she announces, taking her seat again.
Spot shifts up to Hispo, awkwardly using one front paw to close the door. She shifts back down to Lupus again climbs onto a bench. Hope-Star taught me many new words, and new ways of thinking.
The Ahroun grunts, and closes his own door, before turning the keys and starting the engine. "That's disturbing." he notes, ruefully, and turns the van around to head back for the road. A faint, malicious hint of a smile touching the corners of his mouth. "And here was me, thinking I could ask one of that lot to look after you for a week or so. Ah well."
Dizzy looks back at her roommate, "Well, I'm glad you're coming back. After you didn't come back, I was worried something had happened and you were going back to the staying away plan."
Spot, who cannot see John's face, whimpers once. But... Serendipity-Rhya taught me why I shouldn't always say the thing front in my mind. That's better, isn't it? The forest elders have many things to teach me. Good things. Not just tricky Seer things. Other things too!
John smiles a little wider, if a little more evilly. "Hmmm. You're going to have to convince me. And lay down a few ground rules." He looks up into the rear-vision mirror to peer at the girl, then back to the road.
Dizzy stays quiet from then on, reverting to listening mode.
Spot tilts her head at Dizzy. No, I'm not going to run away from my mate-boy, Spins. It's silly for a Garou to run from a kin who spends all day playing with weaver-boxes. He'd never catch me, and I'd get bored of hiding. She looks to the rear-view mirror now, asking: You want me to make rules? Why? For whom?
John chuckles drily at the one-sided conversation, and shakes his head a little. "You're going to tell me why you're running from Jeremy, for starters. And after that /we'll/ think of some rules for you while you're out away from Walker care, in the woods."
Dizzy grins to herself, Jeremy might chase after Sophie, after someone yelled at him to do so.
Spot sits back. It was nothing. I heard everyone speaking of mating after the Rite of Passage, and got scared. I thought maybe he would want to mate, and mistrusted him when I should have just been grateful for his gifts.
John frowns, and goes quiet for a moment. "How old are you again?" he grunts, quietly.
Spot nods her head. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Only fifteen circles.
John just hmmphs, and his expression sours further. "No, you're thinking like a lupe, and a crescent, and in this case, that isn't right. Next time he brings it up, threaten to kneecap him. And the time after that? Kneecap him."
Spot shakes her head. He doesn't bring it up. He just sits there, looking cute at me. It was my mistrust, not his actions. Boys can be tricky, but he's not as tricky as most of them. But I'm all better now. I would never let him have wrong ideas about what I'll allow. He knows that, and is terrified of me even when I'm sitting still.
Dizzy sighs, "Too bad it's not Jeremy we've got to be worried about."
"He's got no balls, it's true, but I'd watch your estimation of sneaky, there. Quiet types are usually the ones who've got all the bodies hidden the best." John actually looks over his shoulder at Dizzy's comment, though. "What?"
Spot is very, very quiet.
Dizzy, realizing what she said, quickly puts her hands together and looks down at her lap. "Um... nothing," she says, flashing John a weak smile.
"Ah. Right." John notes, with a brief nod, looking back to the road. A few moments later, he pulls the van to a rapid halt, off to the side of the road, and taps his fingers on the steering wheel, patiently.
Spot bows her head. It's my fault. I let the cubs joke when I was teaching the litany, and he doesn't understand. Don't worry, boss. Nothing will happen.
Shit. In such situations, there are two things you can do: Tell the truth, or lie your ass off. Dizzy opts for the second option, "I'm just saying that Jeremy is not the type of person we've got to worry about, you know?"
John tilts his head a little, looking out at the dark road, and still tapping his fingers on the steering-wheel. "Right." he states, again. "Conflicting stories, and I get the distinct feeling Dizzy wants a few lumps for messing with words when she shouldn't. Full story. Fast." They can almost see the hackles rising on his neck. "I get an even stronger feeling I won't like this..." he growls lowly.
Cautiously watching John's hands, Dizzy explains, "Well, I'm just worried about Hops lately. He's been a little too friendly and he was..." she sighs, realizing that her theory is baseless without a little background. "Basically, Hops was the one that scared Jeremy off, then told Sophie that she shouldn't trust boys. He could just be being protective, but," she shrugs, "it's suspicious boss, so Core and I are watching out. Just in case."
Spot stands up a bit. There's more than that, actually. He's been trying to tickle me, which doesn't feel right even though he's my brother. And he doesn't understand that people wear clothes for a reason. When I was healing in Glabro from punching the door, I was dressed in a sheet, which he stole and ran away with. And he even told me he wished I wasn't Garou.
John takes a few deep breaths, and the fingers stop tapping. He shifts gear and starts to pull the van back onto the road. Very quiet. Very slowly. His face is a grim, neutral mask, though he chews on the inside of a cheek.
Dizzy watches the road intently, unsure of what exactly is going to happen now.
Spot watches John carefully, trying to read his thoughts. She doesn't want Hops pounded into the floor of the safehouse; she'd prefer to teach the boundaries herself. This is, however, something she doesn't believe she could change John's mind about, so she just observes, quiet.