DATE:  Wednesday, October 9, 1996
Place: Off the East Side of the Wheel


---- Recall start ----

Off the East Side of the Wheel
Contents:
Tastes-Ashes
Hazmat
Matt
Steps-on-Cracks

Matt moves quickly, though Hamzat's speed still makes him look like he was 
   standing still. He shifts up into his war form, and eaps towards the 
   Gnawer, claws raised.
Wayfinder emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Tastes-Ashes comes charging out from the story tree, and slams herself bodily 
   into the first thing she sees -- probably Hazmat or Steps-On-Cracks.
Silent Storm emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Steps-on-Cracks is clearly at the disadvantage here. Already wounded, she 
   fights back not in the mindless grip of frenzy, but the desperation of 
   someone who's looking at imminent death, trying to block more than do 
   damage, hoping to hold off until Matt can do something.
Silent Storm contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Silent Storm shifts into Hispo form.
Snow Walker shifts up to hispo as she follows closely on WayFinder's heels.
Jimmy Wilson emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Serves-Honor emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Thena emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Second-Chance walks in and gives a yerf of surprise at what she walks in *on*, 
   a fight in progress, with Anna stepping in to break it up.
Alexander emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Kosh emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Tommie emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Alexander and Tommie are among the last to appear, and the Shadow Lord leads 
   the prisoner past the fight, toward the Caern.
Wayfinder lopes in, with Snow Walker on her heels. She puts on an extra burst 
   of speed to head for the fight, ears pinned back. Again?
Alexander sets out west, towards the Caern.
Tommie sets out west, towards the Caern.
Drew emerges from the small clearing that holds the Story Tree.
Hazmat is in the middle of a lethal guy-swipe when Matt slams into her, 
   fighting. Snarling, she turns to backhand Matt away, blood staining her 
   white fur.
Unferth comes around the wheel from the north.
Tastes-Ashes's charge follows just as Hazmat turns her back. The crinos Get 
   slams into Hazmat from behind and sends the Gnawer sprawling beneath her. 
   Matt gets thrown off balance as well, but Tastes-Ashes has focused the 
   brunt of her weight on Hazmat.
Hazmat hits the ground with a hard thud, woofing as the breath is knocked out 
   of her.
Jimmy Wilson yells out. "Fuck! You gyus are ruinin' everything! Now they're 
   gonna fucking kill /me/! He shifts, moving in to try and restrain the 
   nearest combatant he can find - Matt.
Jimmy Wilson contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Jimmy Wilson shifts into Crinos form.
Drew appears from a southeast portion of forest, to look nonplussed at the 
   collection of Crinos. A quick check reveals that it hasn't become full moon 
   when he wasn't looking.
Snow Walker pulls up short as she sees that the fight is between garou. When 
   Jimmy enters the fray, she looks even more hesitant to act, looking to 
   WayFinder for support, or perhaps inspiration.
Kosh turns to Thena and says, "If I act like an Ahroun again, you'll back me?"
Matt stumbles away from Hazmat, the force of the get's charge flinging him to 
   the side. He rights himself almost immediately and turns back to face 
   Hazmat, an angry howl ripping from his throat. He shakes visibly as he 
   considers continuing the fight. His anger finds a focus when Jimmy nears 
   him though, ~Back Off!~
Second-Chance settles back to growl, hackles up, clearly displeased at the 
   brawl. She snaps a chuff at the collection of cliaths standing around. 
   ~Stop them!~
Serves-Honor takes a moment to take stock of the situation before he reacts. 
   It doesn't take very long, however, for him to decide what needs done.
Serves-Honor contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Serves-Honor shifts into Crinos form.
Tastes-Ashes secures her hold on Hazmat and barks out a rough order to the 
   other idiots who are standing around doing nothing. Serves-Honor and Drew 
   are the main ones she snarls at. ~HOLD THEM!~
Wayfinder charges Matt, on a word from the Fianna, shifting up as she goes.
Wayfinder contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Wayfinder shifts into Hispo form.
Thena skids to a stop, and nods. "Sure, why the hell not, it seems there is a 
   lot of that going around."
Steps-on-Cracks has any and all fight taken out of her, by the time people 
   start arriving on the scene. She seems to be fairing the worst of the 
   three, deep claw wounds etched into her side, teeth marks on her shoulder, 
   and a lot of blood on her fur. She's on the ground, not moving.
Snow Walker's head swivels to Second-Chance, head bobing in compliance as she 
   circles the fray, looking for an open target to pin.
Hazmat struggles unthinkingly under the Get's grip, but not as vigorously as 
   before. The frenzy seems to be leeching out of her, leaving her literally 
   shaking.
Serves-Honor makes a short leap, landing near Matt and Jimmy. His expression 
   seems to suggest that it would be unwise for either of them to rejoin the 
   fray.
Shakes leaps at Matt. ~Sorry! It's for your own good!~ His arms spread out as 
   he leaps, trying to snag Matt and bring him down to a position to be pinned.
Drew scowls at the scene, jogging closer, transforming into the Glabro form as 
   he attempts to sort out who, in the mass of mixed Crinos, is who.
Drew contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Drew shifts into Glabro form.
Tastes-Ashes slams a fist into Hazmat's temple and growls at the Gnawer. ~Be 
   still!~
Matt decides at the last moment tyo duck under Shakes, but his decision comes 
   too late as the other garou slams into him, knocking him to the ground with 
   a loud thud. The younger Gnawer doesn't fight him, though it is a clear 
   effort of will that allows this. ~Off!~
Hazmat yelps, high-pitched, at the bloe, and immediately stops struggling, 
   though the tremors remain.
Snow Walker survey's the conflict, prepared to leap on anyone seeking to 
   continue the brawl.
Serves-Honor squats, settling one massive Crinos paw on Shake's shoulder, and 
   the other on Matt's. His lips pull back to expose his teeth, and he 
   rumbles, ~Enough.~
Steps-on-Cracks decides just to lay there, and let whatever happens around her 
   ride its course. Not that there's much else for her do at the moment, 
   besides bleed. She pressed a large hand down toward the deeper of the claw 
   scores, one that's left cut down deep enough to expose the bottom of her 
   rib cage.
Kosh clenches his fists tight, blood trickling from his palm as he closes his 
   eyes and tries to remain calm. "Thena...hit me if I get to intense."
Shakes looks at the pinned Matt with his one good eye. ~I'll get off... When 
   you're done fighting. It's over, okay?~ He makes no move to let the other 
   up, but watches for trickery as he holds him pinned to the ground.
Wayfinder comes in at Shakes and Matt, a silent snarl for both of them. Stop. 
   Now.
Thena nods. "Sure. Electroshock, or bullet?"
Tastes-Ashes looks down at Hazmat, then towards Matt. A low growl cuts through 
   the chaotic noise. ~You. Gnawer.~ She seems to be indicating Matt. ~What 
   happened?~
Kosh says softly, "Electroshock."
Drew stalks to the brawl, his expression displeased, and looks from Hazmat, to 
   Matt, then Becca, and finally Kosh, with a quelling look.
Second-Chance, who has been sitting back and watching during all this, 
   suddenly looks over and growls at the two who also watch. She jerks her 
   muzzle northwards. If you are going to just stand there not helping, get 
   going.
Unferth enters, still running, when the scuffle is over. He glances around. 
   "Right, who's fuckin' around?"
Shakes stands, looking down at Matt. ~Sorry. Didn't want things getting too 
   fucked up...~ He offers a large crinos hand down to him, to help him back 
   up.
Snow Walker looks at Second Chance, sternly. ~It is settled. Do you want me to 
   throat one? If not, I will remain ready.~
Tastes-Ashes chuffs to the Fianna. ~Go. This is under control now.~ To Unferth 
   she growls a faint welcome, but doesn't answer his question immediately. 
   Her attention is mostly taken up by the gnawer beneath her.
Matt stands up with a huff and shakes as he shifts down into homid form. He 
   grabs his bakpack and pushes towards Becca, ignoring all questions. The 
   stress of everything has finally broke the young gnawer, as tears stream 
   down his face. "She fuckin' didn't even do anything. What the fuck is wrong 
   with you people?"
Unferth lumbers over his his tribemate, knowing enough to keep his distance, 
   but watching nonetheless. He nods to Tastes-Ashes and silently lets her 
   resolve the matter.
Second-Chance shows Snow Walker a negative, eyeing the three combatants. There 
   is no need, I think. She looks over at Tastes-Ashes, snorting. These three 
   are due to be there. Nothing happens until they are.

**** Lots of shifting

Wayfinder stands ready, eyeing both Matt and Shakes with distaste.
Tastes-Ashes rolls her eyes. ~Why didn't you say so?~ She gets off of Hazmat 
   and glowers.
Second-Chance snorts again this time, with a little sour humor. Because I did 
   not have the chance. I would appreciate it if you would help me to get them 
   there without further fighting, though, Tastes-Ashes-rhya.
Thena heads off around the wheel to the north.
Drew nods to the Fianna, after another warning look at Kosh, before taking a 
   step towards Becca, in an inspection whether the Gnawer can move under her 
   own power.
Hazmat pushes unsteadily to her feet. Her own wounds are fairly superficial, 
   though she's as much red as white now. She holds herself uncommmonly still, 
   unusually unexpressive.
Tastes-Ashes steps over towards the wounded Gnawer and looks down at her and 
   her companion with obvious distaste. ~I'll carry this one. She'll survive.~ 
   And with that, Tastes-Ashes scoops up the Gnawer with a grunt and begins to 
   walk towards the lone boulder.
Kosh turns to Drew and says, "I am fine," his body is calm now, shoulders 
   relaxed. "I had to resist the urge to dive in there..."
Drew tilts his head towards Matt, and jerks after Becca, in an instruction to 
   the Theurge to follow.
Steps-on-Cracks doesn't say anything to her packmate, looking fairly close to 
   a dog that's been whipped one too many times. She's not in danger of dying, 
   that much can be told, though another few seconds at the rate things were 
   going and she might have been. Until someone tells her to shift she's 
   staying like that, a hand pressed to her side.
Second-Chance chuffs terse thanks, glaring around at the rest, then moves to 
   heads towards the Lone Boulder now that she knows Tommie is being escorted 
   there.

**** Scene change

Around the Lone Boulder
Contents:
Jimmy Wilson
Snow Walker
Steps-on-Cracks
Kosh
Tastes-Ashes
Wayfinder
John O'Morain
Rholeen
Thena
Spirit-of-Words
Shadows
Alexander
JJ Malone
Seeks-the-Truth
Nate
Brian
Hank
Rockslide
Anne

Tastes-Ashes lumbers into the clearing with a bloody wolf draped across her 
   shoulders and back.
Hank looks up as people start to turn up, and nods to Jimmy and his brother.
Snow Walker steps into the boulder clearing, taking a seat near Wayfinder.

Listeners present:
Name                Sex  Form    Doing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mosh                 M   Glabro  - 
Serves-Honor         M   Lupus   - 
Matt                 M   Homid   Gnawer Things 
Second-Chance        F   Lupus   Looking kind of...preggers 
Jimmy Wilson         M   Homid   - 
Snow Walker          F   Hispo   - 
Steps-on-Cracks      F   Lupus   Down about six levels, claw and bite wounds 
Kosh                 M   Homid   Watching the Shadows move... 
Tastes-Ashes         F   Crinos  Pissy Get. 
Wayfinder            F   Hispo   Out of it completely 
John O'Morain        M   Homid   - 
Rholeen              F   Homid   Flying midair! Okay, not really. 
Thena                F   Homid   Chipper, beware 
Spirit-of-Words      M   Lupus   5 agg - lots of small puncture wounds 
Shadows              F   Hispo   Dirty. Small. Guilty. 
Alexander            M   Glabro  - 
JJ Malone            F   Homid   Seething quietly 
Seeks-the-Truth      F   Lupus   - 
Nate                 M   Homid   - 
Brian                M   Homid   - 
Hank                 M   Homid   - 
Rockslide            M   Lupus   Such a strange Garou. 
Anne                 F   Homid   -

Matt enters slowly, scanning the area, then moves across towards Second-Chance.
Wayfinder stalks alongside Jimmy, more of an escort than a companion.
Drew comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Mosh follows Matt closely, hands in pockets, visibly agitated.
Rholeen approaches the garou, but stays a comfortable distance from the main 
   group. Kicking a few weeds out of her way, she find a place to sit.
Tastes-Ashes drops her burden onto the ground with only enough care to ensure 
   that the wounds on Steps-on-Cracks don't reopen. Then she snarls at the 
   group in general and stalks off to take a seat.
JJ Malone glances over at Kosh and Thena as they arrive, from her spot next to 
   Nate, giving them a curt nod. She then looks around the group, waiting to 
   see what happens.
Brian's expression takes on a less impatient, but equally grim cast as the 
   troupe of Garou emerge from the sparse woods to the south. He remains where 
   he is, though, arms folded across his chest, back pressed against one side 
   of the boulder.
Second-Chance looks up as Matt approaches, looking rather surly herself. She 
   chuffs shortly. Yes?
Anne leans against the boulder, facing south, a pouch in her hands; her face 
   is grim and sober.
Drew follows, in the parade of Gnawers and other towards the boulder, wearing 
   a similar surly expression.
Matt stops when he is near enough to Second-Chance to speak. "Hazmat fucken' 
   jumped on her for no reason. I don't care if she get's in trouble or not, 
   but Becca didn't do anything to deserve that. "
Jimmy Wilson tries his best to keep a totally neutral experssion on his face, 
   but it's obvious he is not pleased by his tribemates' actions so close to 
   /his/ being judged. He stands, his ars crossed, waiting.
Alexander looks around at all the Garou, attention lingering on 
   Spirit-of-Words before moving on. He nods silently to most as they come in, 
   but never moves from his spot next to Shadows.
Mac is here, part of the crowd, looking at his tribemates with a face carved 
   into an emotionless mask.
Hank gets slowly to his feet, stuffs his hands back deep into his pockets, and 
   goes to stand next to Jimmy.
Tastes-Ashes just generally looks like she's about to kill someone. A gnawer 
   for preference at the point, but most anybody will do in a pinch. The Get 
   slams her back against the rock, folds her arms across her bloody chest and 
   glowers at anyone who comes near.
Second-Chance studies Matt critically for several seconds, then jerks her 
   muzzle down into a curt dip. She looks for the other five Bone Gnawers, 
   indicating that they should come forward before her in a semi-circle or 
   line, and makes to shift out of lupus.
Rholeen watches curiously at the drama about to start.
Second-Chance contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
You concentrate to shift into Crinos form.
Matt wipes his nose noisly on his sleeve, leaving a wide track of sirt across 
   his face. "I just want to make sure that the Gnawers don't get blamed for 
   starting it." He looks over to where Hazmat is, "Cuz the person who started 
   it wasn't one of our tribe." That said, he tries to find where he is 
   supposed to be.
Shadows scratches herself furiously and then takes on her birthform, crouching 
   on the ground next to Alexander.
Shadows contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Shadows shifts into Homid form.
Spirit-of-Words narrows his eyes a bit as the others arrive. He sidesteps 
   closer to the treeline, showing a little bit of a limp.
Jimmy Wilson moves forward, sighing. "Drop it, Matt. You're gonna get us /all/ 
   killed, dumbass."
Tommie looks at Matt, and mouths a curse.
Seeks-the-Truth, who this time is truly innocent and unknowing of anything 
   that has possibly happened here, sits with a puzzled, but fairly unangry 
   expression on her face. She curls up, tucks her tail beneath her, and 
   watches the goings on w ith some interest.
Hank heads forward after Jimmy, towards the line.
Wayfinder shrinks down to a more comfortable and familiar form and leans 
   against Snow Walker, ears still pinned back unhappily.
Matt says "Shut up, Jimmy."
Wayfinder contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Wayfinder shifts into Lupus form.
Steps-on-Cracks was deposited by the Get near enough to the others to make up 
   part of the line, one the end by her two packmates. She watches the Fianna, 
   the one whose name she's heard so often these past few days, with as much 
   concentration as she can feign.
Second-Chance takes a deep breath before looking around those gathered to 
   witness, then at the Gnawers in specific while she says, ~This decision was 
   both a very difficult and very easy one to come to. Easy, because the wrong 
   was obvious. Fiery Hand, cliath Galliard of the Glass Walkers was murdered. 
   Garou die often, but in battle against the Enemy, or in rightful Challenge, 
   not with their throat torn out while helpless. Difficult, because where 
   blame lies and what punishment should be meted out is not so simple.~
Tommie crouches, still quiet. She seems strangely serene.
Brian regards the line of Bone Gnawers without any particular malice, just 
   weary disappointment. His expression leaves little doubt that he believes 
   justice will be done, here.
Alexander scratches at his head, then says quietly, to Brian, "I think Kuang's 
   on his way."
Quiet comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Cleanser comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Second-Chance pauses briefly to look over at Brian, but then makes to go on.
Second-Chance again sweeps her gaze over the Bone Gnawers present that night 
   before going on. ~Every one of you should be ashamed of yourself. Not just 
   for the fact that your stupidity led to Fiery Hand's death, but because 
   your intent that night was against the laws of the Garou, which apply to 
   all of us, not just those who belong to a Sept. The Litany was set down to 
   prevent from happening exactly what did, but you, in your infinite 
   'wisdom'~ and her posture and tone make that term sarcastic, ~felt that 
   your anruth status makes you above the laws. You are wrong, and a Garou 
   died for your mistake, sold for money like "Jesus" to the "Jews".~
Jimmy Wilson stands more or less still as the decision is announced. He 
   scratches a little at an armpit, then stops and waits, crossing his arms as 
   he listens.
Cleanser slips lithely from the brush and takes up station, ears cocked. He is 
   as expressionless as a lupus can be.
Second-Chance's gaze picks out Mosh, anger now lighting in the depths of her 
   eyes. It is to him that she now speaks directly. ~You accepted money from 
   someone to fight their battles of vengeance for them. I hope you choke on 
   that. However, you, at least, showed some intelligence, by Challenging Remy 
   at the end, therefore making it within the Laws. You saved your tribemates 
   by that.~
Disgust creeps rapidly into Brian's expression as Cleanser arrives. He remains 
   quiet and still where he is, however, allowing the business of judgement to 
   continue.
Gabriel comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Drew stands, watching the Gnawers with a steady gaze, which darkens and focus 
   on Mosh when Megan speaks to him.
JJ Malone's expression hardens as business is finally taken care of. 
   Cleanser's arrival gets no more recognition than any of the other tens of 
   strangers around her.
Mark comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
John O'Morain watches everything carefully, muttering now and then.
Nate's expression is kept neutral, as he listens.
Second-Chance's head turns to pick out Becca, Matt, and Hank, glaring at them. 
   ~The mistake you three made was going along with it. No matter what your 
   beliefs are about 'how things are done out here' and 'how things are done 
   in the city', we are *all* Garou, and the laws apply to *all* of us. You 
   forget that you are visitors on the land of this Sept, and live there with 
   the tolerance of those 'out here', not because it belongs to you. If you 
   have a problem with someone, you Challenge them, not gang up to 'teach them 
   a lesson'. If nothing else, every Garou has right to the judging of a 
   Philodox, and no matter what your claims,~ she says, her tone becoming 
   edged with anger as she slides a hard glance over to Shakes, ~it is our 
   *duty* to be fair.~
Quiet hesistates on the edge of the crowd. She lingers on the edge, not moving 
   to join anyone in particular. Her expression is distant, her head tilted at 
   some unheard sound.
Kosh lurks into the shadows, watching, eyes dark voids.
Cleanser remains apart, and seemingly aloof. His full attention rests on the 
   speaker.
Thena's expression is hidden behind the latex that covers her face.
Gabriel enters from the south and starts with suprise with the number of 
   people gathered here. He scans the area and frowns deeply as he spots his 
   packmates. Sighting Wayfinder, he slowly starts to edge towards her without 
   attracting attention.
Jimmy Wilson just stands there, staring at his feet. At one point he looks up, 
   as if to say something, then bites his tongue and casts his gaze downwards 
   once more.
Hank frowns as he listens to Megan's description of things...He doesn't remove 
   his hands from his pockets, just stands, tense.
Wayfinder leans against the bigger Wendigo, attention rivetted on 
   Second-Chance.
Tommie looks oddly at Megan.
Matt still seems to be caught up in earlier events, his mind apparently 
   focused less on the words of the philodox and more on the state of his 
   packmate.
Second-Chance waits a few moments, then actually moves to stand before Jimmy, 
   settling down to just look at him for several seconds before she speaks, 
   her tone and posture becoming more intensely earnest. ~The same applies to 
   you. You *paid* someone else to fight your battle for you. The act of a 
   dishonorable coward.~ She lets the name sink in momentarily before going 
   on. ~In addition, no matter what your excuse, you actively interfered in a 
   legal Challenge, further wounding Fiery Hand with a fetish dagger. It is 
   *your* fault that opportunity for Shadows to kill Fiery Hand even occured, 
   and it is the result of your bad decision that your former packmate is 
   dead.~ Again, she pauses to drive home her statements
Snow Walker's attention is also rivited on Second-Chance, trembling very 
   slightly at her word, taking comfort in the warmth of WayFinder.
Jimmy Wilson nods. "Yeah. I fucked up." His words, though not eloquent, are 
   sincere.
Tommie opens her mouth, and then closes it again, starting to look a little 
   angry.
Gabriel eventually gets to Wayfinder's side. Giving Snow Walker a quick nod in 
   greeting, he bends to Wayfinder's ear.
Second-Chance rises to her full height. ~Your punishment is two-fold. The 
   fetish you do not have the wisdom to use properly is no longer yours to 
   wield,~ she says while drawing out Jimmy's fang dagger so that everyone may 
   see it. ~A new owner will be found for it, by Challenge before the 
   solstice. In addition, because of your desire to teach a lesson in such a 
   dishonorable method, and for including the others of your tribe, you have 
   brought shame upon all of the Bone Gnawers. Until it is determined that you 
   have proven yourself, your every word will declare your baseness.~ At that, 
   she turns to look for Nimue, backing away from the Gnawer ragabash to let 
   the Galliard step up.
Anne contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Anne shifts into Crinos form.
Steps-on-Cracks's attention sharpens slightly at this, head lowered, and the 
   beginnings of confusion forming as she tries to comprehend the second part 
   of the punishment started.
Nimue comes forward, the pouch in her hands held only loosely. She comes to 
   stand in front of Jimmy, looking him over from head to toe. Her claws work 
   on the ties of the pouch; just as she tears the leather enough to open it, 
   she looks Jimmy in the eye. ~Your cowardice, your dishonor, have proved you 
   to be of jackal blood.~ She tilts the pouch so that its contents, grey ash 
   and dust, pour out into one hand; then she lifts the hand to blow with a 
   sudden powerful breath, sending the mixture flurrying around Jimmy. Her 
   voice rises slightly, vowels lengthening and more power ringing into her 
   voice. ~So, then, let your voice proclaim your true breed!~ She upends her 
   hand over Jimmy's head, the last of the ash and dust falling into his hair.
Brian nods slightly, approvingly, at this, though his eyes, eyes still filled 
   with irritation and disgust, slide occasionally to Cleaner.
Matt's eyes widen at the rite that unfolds before him, not quite sure what 
   exactly the purpose of it is.
Hank's frown deepens into a scowl as he listens, the way his pockets bunch 
   indicate his hands inside them are now fists.
Alexander raises his eyebrows in interest. He's heard of this, but never 
   actually seen it performed.
Nate's gaze shifts not to Cleanser, but to JJ, beside him.
Tommie watches Jimmy, looking a little bit relieved, actually.
Kosh watches the puishment with an eerie detachment, distant and dark.
Snow Walker relaxes noticeably, perhaps dramatically, as the sentence is 
   passed. Quietly, she shifts down to lupus, and snuggles more comfortably 
   next to WayFinder.
Snow Walker contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Snow Walker shifts into Lupus form.
Gabriel seeing Jimmy's punishment, sighs with a little relief.
Quiet's right ear flicks.
Drew watches the Rite with an air of studying.
Jimmy Wilson coughs. "I ain't no coward, dammit. I just did what I had ta..." 
   he stops, realizing that his vioce has raised an octave and has taken on a 
   screetching quality. He simply stares at the philo with his one eye, and 
   fingers the necklace given to him several weeks earlier for bravery. He 
   shakes his head then hangs it in shame.
Nimue steps back a pace or two, eyes considering and utterly neutral, almost 
   withdrawn in her distance from the Rite just performed. As Jimmy speaks, 
   she steps back further, to give a nod to Megan.
Matt shakes his head slowly, then looks away from Jimmy back towards his 
   wounded packmate.
Gabriel smiles appreciatively to Wayfinder and bows thankfully as he turns 
   back to look back upon his packmates.
Second-Chance steps back up at the end of the Rite, nodding respectfully to 
   Nimue in thanks. She looks away from Shakes, finally going to Tommie. She 
   lets the silence grow as she crouches, unmoving, her voice quiet as it 
   disturbs the stillness. ~Your punishment was difficult to determine, 
   Shadows, theurge of the Bone Gnawers. What you did was the act of a stupid, 
   dishonorable coward. You broke the Litany, you violated every tenet of the 
   Creeds.~ That the Philodox is angry is almost palpable, but it is tightly 
   in check. ~I shall protect the weak. I will be fair. I will be merciful,~ 
   she intones. ~You, a healer, were none.~
Cleanser paces slowly around the edge of the clearing, distant from the flock 
   of sept Garou. The focus of his attention remains the same.
Tommie rises to her feet, crossing her arms. She neither affirms nor denies 
   the statements of the Philodox.
Hank stands tense, just listening...
Gabriel grits his teeth a little as he listens to Second-Chance's words.
Matt makes no attempt to even follow Tommie's punishment, his arms crossing 
   slowly across his chest and his gaze looking anywhere else.
Second-Chance's muzzle twitches as she goes on. ~And yet, I am still bound to 
   the Creeds even if you, murderer, were not. In looking for the proper 
   punishment, I searched for a way to show you mercy, the same mercy Anubis 
   gave me. And came to the realization that you, by the very action that has 
   you standing before us tonight, took away the option to show the mercy I 
   had hoped for. Cat that Talks to Shadows, cliath theurge of the Bone 
   Gnawers, of the pack Cavall, at the Sept of the Wheel Renewed, your 
   sentence is death. If you had shown a hint of honor, you perhaps would have 
   deserved the Hunt.~ She pauses and makes a brief show of contempt. 
   ~However, you showed nothing of the sort. Neither will the Glass Walkers,~ 
   she goes on, now looking out among the gathering, at the representatives of 
   the named tribe, ~have the honor. Fiery Hand lies dead from vengeance, the 
   cycle will not be continued. It will be broken,~ she says loudly, and with 
   finality, ~now.~ The Fianna looks over to find someone in particular, and, 
   at doing so, Mac steps out of the crowd, shifting up into the warform. His 
   expression is emotionless except for a sense of resolved duty, as he steps 
   forward to fill the spot vacated by Second-Chance as she steps back once 
   more.
Cleanser's teeth glint slightly at the pronouncement, bared in a faint snarl.
John O'Morain scratches his chest, face neutral.
Hank clenches his jaw, listening quietly...his fists still in his pockets.
Mark-Of-Thorns comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Jimmy Wilson yells out, "Noooo!" his voice a grating whine. He steps before 
   Tommie. "Ya'll hafta kill me, too!"
Thena stands up in utter disgust. "Might as well kill me too."
Wayfinder jumps up, eyes intent on Jimmy.
Silent Storm makes a motion, as if to rise, but she does not... until Jimmy's 
   outburst. In a moment she is fully in war form and standing.
Silent Storm contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Tommie smiles gently at Jimmy and slips her patched knapsack off her shoulder. 
   Turning, she scans the crowd for a member of Whispers.
Silent Storm shifts into Crinos form.
Seeks-the-Truth nods slowly, pleased by the sentance. Jimmy Wilson's reaction 
   draws a snarl of anger and fury. She doesn't move foward however, but the 
   Utkena speaks ~You who defend her are fools. She is a murderer, worse by 
   far than I ever was and I sought to die for my crimes.~
Cleanser growls quiet warning in Thena's direction, the fur of his ruff 
   bristling.
Snow Walker stops, looking from Jimmy, to Tommie, to Second-Chance, stanfing 
   motionless.
Alexander snarls softly at Thena. The Gnawer, he could have expected this 
   from. But not the Walker.
Kosh says nothing but stands by his pack's Alpha, eyes looking to Tommie.
Second-Chance looks to Alexander and Unferth, then Silent Storm as she shifts, 
   indicating Thena and Jimmy Wilson. ~Get back both of you before you 
   dishonor yourselves further.~
John O'Morain watches Second-Chance and Brian, quirking an eyebrow; his face 
   questioning.
Hank moves after Jimmy. "An' me." He stares at the others. "Cyllan kills two 
   Garou...an' she's still here. Justice for Gnawers, yeah."
Tastes-Ashes grits her teeth, holding back the rage that threatens to burst 
   forth.
Drew casts a sharp, displeased look at Thena in warning.
Mark-Of-Thorns appears from the south, pausing on the edge of the clearing at 
   all the people. She paws at her nose, as if confused by all the myriad 
   senses.
Cleanser reverses the direction of his pace, moving slowly towards Thena with 
   a grimly dissatisfied mien.
The Bone Gnawer Galliard looks at his tribemates. ~Get back, kids.~
Tommie stops her motion, turning to stare at her packmates in surprise. She 
   looks around, an odd hopeful expression on her face.
Snow Walker does not moving forward, eyes returning to Jimmy, shaking her 
   death-head no.
Gabriel frowns sadly and closes his eyes with a silent curse on his lips. His 
   eyes open again with a watery glaze as he watches Tommie and Jimmy.
Nimue snarls, pulling herself up to her own full height. ~Seeks-the-Truth was 
   tried, and stripped of rank for killing in haste and heat. The Philodox has 
   spoken the judgement.~
Jimmy Wilson's voice creaks out. "Ya want honor? Fuck you. I ain't gonna let 
   my alpha die over shit that's my fault. I'll go with her, if it's all the 
   same to ya."
Seeks-the-Truth rises to her feet and takes a step forward. ~The Garou that I 
   killed were not unconscious at my feet. One was not even meant to die from 
   my actions. Yet I took what punishment was given to me. Had the sentance 
   been death, I would have taken that as well. The Gnawer deserves to die.~
Snow Walker moves, slowly, directly across to Jimmy, crossing the distance in 
   long strides, somehow remaining a near-perfect calm.
Alexander walks forward to pull Jimmy back. His shift upward is silent, 
   instant. Clawed hands lock around the Gnawer's upper arms.
Nate says, in a voice pitched so that only those nearest him will hear it, "If 
   they're so eager to die, kill them, too. Or do we force the useless to 
   live?"
Alexander contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Alexander shifts into Crinos form.
Tommie seems terribly bewildered by the beginnings of the riot.
John O'Morain pushes himself to his feet, almsot sighing. He mutters a bit.
Steps-on-Cracks's ears draw back, and an instinctive whimper comes from her 
   throat. She slinks backwards a little, as well as she can, pulling herself 
   a few feet back from the rising mass of Garou.
Wayfinder threads her way through the crowd, just behind Snow Walker.
Thena frowns. "What good is honor without heart."
Second-Chance turns on Jimmy, even as Alexander goes to grab him, ~It is *not* 
   all the same to me. You *still* do not get it. Shadows chose her own path. 
   You have your punishment. She has hers. Sit down! You have a mate and child 
   on the way, remember?~
Drew turns his warning gaze onto Hank.
Thunder's Claws pulls Jimmy back forcefully. ~Shut up. Your voice is getting 
   on my nerves.~
Cleanser stops before Thena, facing her and looking upwards, his demeanor 
   quiet amidst the storm of emotion. ~You will stand silent, and not dishonor 
   yourself or your tribe before this rabble.~
Jimmy Wilson lifts his chin, exposing his throat to the claws that are now 
   there. "I can't just let her go," he whines childishly. "I... ulp!"
Snow Walker turns to Alexander, still trying to maintain calm. To him, she 
   says, in a growling voice as gentle as she can make it. ~Please. Let me 
   handle him.~
Jimmy Wilson sits down forcefully.
Quiet turns her head toward Cassandra. Her look is lost, like a questing 
   child. She seems mostly unmoved by the beldlam.
The most perceptive of the crowd may notice Brian straighten from his slouch 
   against the boulder and his hand drop to the hilt of the klaive that hangs 
   at his hip; this happens nearly before Cleanser's snarl is fully formed. 
   Jimmy's and Thena's outbursts recapture his attention, though, and he 
   speaks in a clear, imperious tenor, the nobility of his bloodline virtually 
   palpable around him. "Enough," he says. "The judgement has been made. If 
   you all want to die with her, that's your choice. But each one of you who 
   dies makes your tribe that much weaker. Is that what you want, to leave 
   your Kin and your homes defenseless because of the misdeeds of one?"
Hank glares back at Drew...
Mosh steps back beside his wounded packmate, his nose wrinkling in disgust. He 
   murmurs quietly into Steps-on-Crack's ear, but makes no move to stand by 
   the tried others of his tribe.
Gabriel pushes his way next to Jimmy and lays his hand on Jimmy's shoulder. He 
   bends down on begins to whisper into Jimmy's ear.
Tastes-Ashes growls out in sudden disbelief. ~Are you all fucking BLIND? She's 
   a murdering little bitch and you want her to live? I don't give a shit if 
   Remy was the biggest asshole to walk the face of this earth, she ripped out 
   his fucking throat while he was unconscious. I don't believe you idiots!~
Serves-Honor looks at Thena. He rumbles, ~Honor has a heart. The Theurge made 
   it bleed. She has choosen her path.~
Shin comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Brian takes a step forward, to the front of the assembly, making himself that 
   much more of a presence. "Enough," he repeats. "Enough."
Second-Chance looks over as Brian's voice rises above all others, the Alpha 
   speaking.
Serves-Honor, unlike many, seems to take little joy from this pronouncement, 
   but he obviously believes what he says.
Snow Walker crouches down, offering to replace Alexander's arms restraining 
   Jimmy.
Thunder's Claws indicates the seated Jimmy. He seems fine enough now.
John O'Morain waits patiently.
Jimmy Wilson bites back whatever it is he wants to say, his packmate's 
   whispered words locking him stone-still in place.
Snow Walker nods to TC, kneeling beside Jimmy as she looks up to both the 
   Alpha and the judge.
Mark-Of-Thorns skirts the edge of the gathering as she catches a particular 
   scent. Skirting the mob, carefully, she begins to make her way over to 
   Quiet, trying not to get stepped on by all the Crinos forms around her. She 
   pauses by her pack Alpha, looking up out of habit at Brian as he speaks.
Hank looks to Brian, listening...his hands still clenched tight.
Nimue stands grimly behind Second-Chance, not speaking now that Brian has done 
   so, but glowering still at the arguing Gnawers.
Thena seems to break inside, and just nods dumbly.
Cleanser growls quietly at Thena, low and composed in the silence, ~One garou 
   too many has died in foolishness over this. The Wyrm cherishes these 
   moments of discord.~
Spirit-of-Words was watching calmly, but moves forward, still in lupus to back 
   up his packmate if needs be.
Gabriel finishes whispering to Jimmy and stand above him protectively though 
   calmly.
Kosh remains silent, eyes on Brian as he bellows at the crowd.
Serves-Honor looks at Cleanser in surprise as he speaks, and then again as the 
   other's rank registers.
Tommie sighs and looks up at Mac. "May I have a moment?" She flinches as she 
   hears Cleaner's words, but does not look behind her.
Wayfinder sits to side of Jimmy, unhappily. Her attention goes to the Alpha, 
   as he speaks.
Second-Chance looks around to make sure everyone has bascially calmed down, 
   before nodding to Mac, who has been standing there the entire time after 
   his one imperative to the Gnawers, looking down at Tommie. At the request, 
   the Fianna pauses, obviously undecided, but then finally nods. ~A moment 
   only.~
Brian sweeps his eyes over the Gnawers. "Is this what you want?" he repeats; 
   his imperious tone gives way to a much more glib one, each honeyed word 
   complementing the next. "To die to protect someone who's going to die 
   anyways? To leave your friends and your families bereft of defenders? Is 
   this what you want?"
Jimmy Wilson sits totally still except for the trembling of his hands - the 
   Rage within doing everything it can to make him lose it right now.
Cleanser ignores everyone except Thena until he is satisfied, hard eyes 
   finally leaving her. He turns, assaying briefly the one who quells the mob, 
   then looking back towards Tommie, chill calculation and thought.
Tommie manages to completely ignore Brian as she goes about her business of 
   saying goodbye. First, she makes her way over to WayFinder. Kneeling down, 
   she offers her backpack. "Give this to Sepdet and Dylan, please?"
Hank looks between TOmmie and Jimmy...then goes over and puts his hand on 
   Jimmy's shoulder.
Snow Walker moves an enormous hand up to Jimmy's shoulder, resting it there 
   softly, both comforting and restraining.
Cleanser shifts as he turns, stretching upward to no great height, but 
   retaining an imposure of presence no less than his wolf form.
Of the Gnawers, the Wharf Rats have made no move to intervene, no spoken word 
   to argue against the death of their tribemate. They seem to have distanced 
   themselves from the moment the outcry started.
Thunder's Claws waits to see if anyone else wants to put a hand on Jimmy.
Wayfinder dips her muzzle to the condemned Gnawer, ears tilting back even 
   more. She can't manage to say anything.
Gabriel lays his hand on Jimmy's other shoulder supportively. He bows his head 
   downward towards Jimmy to watchover him briefly before looking back at 
   Tommie.
Tommie leaves the pack lying in front of the unresponsive Stargazer, and next 
   looks towards Cleanser.
Quiet shakes her head, ears flopping. The theurge seems to draw back somewhat 
   to this reality, moving closer to Mark-of-Thorn. Her muzzle swings around, 
   toward the center of the group. She whines softly.
Lee Kuang looks back towards Tommie, his expression a disturbingly inscrutable 
   blend of oriental tranquillity and the cool presence of authority. It 
   doesn't change a whit as she meets his eyes.
Brian focuses his eyes fully on Jimmy. "You have an opportunity here," he 
   says, his voice decreasing in volume if not in its magnetism. "You have an 
   opportunity to live, and to learn, and to remember, and to make your tribe 
   stronger. It's easy to throw your life away. It's hard to make something of 
   the opportunity. Which road do you want to take, Jimmy? The quick and dirty 
   path that gets you nowhere in a hurry, or the long and hard one that's far 
   more fruitful in the end?"
Shin takes a slow step to one side, resting the flat of his hand against a 
   boulder for support. He arches an eyebrow at Brian's last words.
Mark-Of-Thorns nudges her packmate with a black muzzle, then turns her 
   attention back to the center.
Tommie clears her throat, starts to say something, and then looks at 
   Alexander. Then she shakes her head and tries to get closer to the Glass 
   Walker elder. Very quietly, she says, "I'm..." She shakes her head again. 
   "Wish I could do more than... this... to make up." Her voice is so quite it 
   probably doesn't carry very far. She looks up at him.
Gabriel whispers to Jimmy one more time before he pulls back away, 
   uncomfortable with the proximity of people.
Jimmy Wilson thinks for a long moment. "I..." he says, his voice cracking. "I 
   wanna do what's right. I wanted ta do what I thought was right from the 
   beginning. I didn't want -anyone- ta die. I'll do what I can... ta make 
   things right."
Tommie swallows, looks over her shoulder, and then lifts her chin, showing the 
   Glass Walker elder she feels she failed her throat.
Brian nods slightly. "Then let what must happen, happen," he suggests. "And 
   remember what happened here, and why, and tell it to every other Bone 
   Gnawer so that it doesn't happen a second time. Live." His tone remains 
   quiet and urgently magnetic. "Live and rebuild."
Lee Kuang looks quietly down into Tommie's eyes, listening. His expression 
   neither condemns nor forgives as he looks, but maintains the thoughtfulness 
   of someone reading an interesting book. Finally, he lifts his hand as she 
   lifts her throat.
Mac continues to stand where he is impassively, watching Tommie and the athro 
   Glass Walker.
Jimmy Wilson stands straight and watches Tommie. "Goodbye," he whispers.
Kosh looks to Tommie and opens his clenched hand, palm out to her. Within, a 
   small slip of paper, one sentence printed for her eyes only.
Lee Kuang gently yokes Tommie's throat between forefinger and thumb, letting 
   his fingers just rest against her skin, "I have no intention of forgiving 
   you. I have no intention of forgetting what was spoken." He pauses. "I have 
   no intention of letting this become a war between tribes that must fight 
   side by side against the Wyrm. You can take that with you." He spreads his 
   fingers slightly, enough to indicate release.
Snow Walker follows Jimmy up, controlling the violence of his movement through 
   pressure on his shoulder. Quietly, she murmurs, close to his ear.
Tastes-Ashes mutters quietly ~This peace and love shit is disgusting.~
Steps-on-Cracks turns her head away and waits for this to end, no intentions 
   of watching the death blow land as it soon must.
Quiet's gaze suddenly sharpens, as if Tommy and the rest have just come in 
   focus. Her dark eyes fix on the young Gnawer theurge.
Brian's eyes shift, then, to Hank. "The same goes for you," he says quietly. 
   "You can throw your life away here and now, or you can live, and do 
   something worthwhile. You can make sure no other Bone Gnawer dies this way. 
   Which is the better choice, Hank?"
Eochaid comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
JJ Malone continues to glower, watching her elder with the theurge. Approval 
   radiates through her at his words, although she does give the other Gnawers 
   a hard, appraising look.
Tommie stares at Lee Kuang, and then nods hesitantly. She turns to see what 
   Kosh has written her, but she can not manage to smile. Then she turns away, 
   looking for her packmates, and Hank.
Hank looks to Brian, still standing near Jimmy. "The choice I made...t' stand 
   with Jimmy...m'packmate."
Drew studies the Walker elder, before watching the effects of the Alpha's 
   words on Hank, his expression turning to a hoping encouragement at his 
   choice.
Brian indicates Jimmy with a lift of his chin, though he doesn't take his eyes 
   off Hank. "He wants to do what's right," he says. "What's right isn't for 
   three Bone Gnawers to die right here, right now. Only one has to. You have 
   the chance to live and keep your tribe strong and your Kin safe. Isn't that 
   more important?"
Jimmy Wilson's gaze is locked on Tommie. He gives her a nod, then looks over 
   to Tastes-Ashes, his good eye narrowing in disgust while the other opens 
   wide and milky white.
Hank nods slowly....though he looks as if he hates to.
Eochaid scowls as he walks into the clearing, clearly not quite expecting to 
   see so many Garou here. He hangs in the back, searching the crowd for some 
   of his packmates, folding his arms thoguhtfully.
Lee Kuang lowers his hand, idly sliding a roll of coins from one pocket and 
   letting it drift between his fingers as he watches the retreating Gnawer.
"Good," Brian says, a hint of a grim smile dancing briefly across his lips and 
   disappearing quickly. He gives Hank's shoulder a brief squeeze before 
   taking a step back from the front of the assembly, and looking towards 
   Second-Chance and Mac.
Tommie walks over to Jimmy and whispers something in his ear. Then she wraps 
   her arms around Hank and Gabriel, squeezing wordlessly.
Snow Walkers attention is focused primarily on Jimmy, although it strays to 
   Brian when he speaks, and occasionally to Tommie, comforting/controlling 
   hand still on Jimmy.
Mosh settles back in a crouch beside his packmates, eyes levelled on Tommie, 
   silent and watchful. His silence and withdrawal speak volumes, even if his 
   expression offers nothing.
Gabriel's eyes become wet with tears as he strains some sort of encouraging 
   smile to Tommie, closing his eyes with her hug.
Jimmy Wilson hugs Tommie back, then pulls away, an amazed expression on his 
   face. "You knew...?" he squawks, then chuckles. He lets her go on, saying 
   her goodbyes.
Snow Walker allows Jimmy the freedom to hug Tommie, then gently returns the 
   hand to its position.
Hank closes his eyes at the hug, returning it quickly.
Luckily for all concerned, Tastes-Ashes doesn't even notice Jimmy Wilson.
Tommie looks over at the Wharf Rats speculatively, and then grins at them 
   wildly. Shaking her head until her hair flies, she returns to her place in 
   front of Mac. "I'm ready, Mac." She lifts her chin as she did for Lee Kuang 
   earlier.
Gabriel waits until the the punishment is over to leave with his gaze 
   practically afixed to the ground.
Kichkinet comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Jimmy Wilson doesn't frop his gaze. He watches Tommie's every ection with his 
   one good eye, the other having closed after glaring at Tastes-Ashes. He 
   seems to have found a certain calmness that is entirely opposite of the 
   Rage and anger he's shown the last few days.
Mac's actions are quick and efficient. He lowers his head down, his jaws 
   closing around Tommie's exposed neck. He jerks back, and her throat tears 
   free, still locked in his teeth. Blood fountains from severed arteries.
Kichkinet pauses, looks around the group for faces he might know.
Hank watches quietly...his face blank, but his fists still clenched.
Tommie seems calm at the end, almost peaceful. Hey eyes flutter shut right 
   before Mac rips her throat out, and then it is over.
Mark-Of-Thorns flicnhes at the quickness of it, and nudges Quiet again.
Kichkinet hops back, stunned by what he has apparently walked blindly into.
Snow Walker watches Mac's movements, perhaps more closely than Tommie's, as 
   the deed is done.
Quiet, who had watched Tommie intently at the end, shuts her eyes with a sigh. 
   Eyes still closed, she turns her head blindly toward the Fury.
Thena has not moved nor blinked at all.
Kichkinet glances at Thunder's Claws, the only face he recognizes, eyes wide.
Nate nods, once.
Nimue watches the killing with a grim expression, then turns her head to look 
   towards Lee Kuang.
Spirit-of-Words watches the execution quietly. His eyes then widen a bit, and 
   he shakes his head, taking a few steps back.
Drew watches the execution with a determined grimness, exhaling at its end to 
   inspect the other Gnawers.
Jimmy Wilson stansd there, still, waiting like the action is still about to 
   happen. It finally registers with him that it is over and he looks down at 
   his feet once more, then back up, taking a deep berath.
JJ Malone watches, breathing hard, expression dark, but apparently satisfied 
   with the result now that it is over.
Lee Kuang doesn't even twitch. He watches as might an appointed witness to the 
   execution, noting detail without judging. No look of satisfaction or 
   dissatisfaction touches his countenance.
Thunder's Claws' jaw clenches as the flesh is pulled away, then his nose 
   wrinkles at the stench of fresh blood. If he caught the Wendigo's look, he 
   ignored it completely. But he probably didn't catch it.
John O'Morain scratches his chest, muttering.
Serves-Honor watches in silence as Tommie dies, then looks slowly around the 
   group of gathered Garou to gauge their reactions.
Kichkinet's eyes narrow. Or perhaps not so unusual.
Kosh is stone as Tommie dies, life flowing onto the ground. In his eyes, 
   coldness. The hard, empty, unforgiving coldness of deep vaccum, staring out 
   at the world and feeling nothing for it.
Shin frowns slightly, the barest curving down of his lips before he schools 
   his expression. He draws himself up and looks down at the body.
When the sentence is finally finished, Matt leans down to whisper to his 
   packmates. He seems unconcerned about the loss of Tommie.
Wayfinder tilts her head back and sends a fluting cry up to the Wind, 
   wordless, but loaded with meaning. o/~ Guide her home, Wind of peace...~/o 
   She then lowers her head, and stares at the ground.
Jimmy Wilson looks back at Snow Walker. "Lemme go," he creaks. "It's over. I 
   ain't gonna do nothin'."
Second-Chance looks around, then speaks up, even as Mac spits the flesh from 
   his mouth, and shifts down to lupus to escape the crowd, heading for the 
   woods, still emotionless. The Philodox says, ~I asked that her elder do the 
   killing, for it was his responsibility, and one that he accepted.~ She 
   looks pointedly at the remaining five Gnawers at this. ~If you still do not 
   understand you may come to talk to me later. Her body will be burned, and 
   the ashes returned to her pack to take care of. She is refused the Burial 
   Mounds.~
Snow Walker takes her hand away, shifting as she does so to become a weak, 
   frail, frightened and perplexed young woman.
Snow Walker contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Snow Walker shifts into Homid form.
Kichkinet lopes quietly over to Thunder's Claws, still staying a ways outside 
   the circle.
Spirit-of-Words's eyes narrow again, and he stares at the corpse for a long 
   moment before looking around at those assembled.
Quiet opens her eyes at this, her ears flattening somewhat.
Nimue gives a supportive nod at Second-Chance's last words.
Seeks-the-Truth shakes her head as the sentance is carried out. Then she turns 
   and walks off.
Thunder's Claws steps back to let Jimmy go, then turns to look down at 
   Kichkinet.
Seeks-the-Truth sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually 
   becoming lost from view in the forest.
Shin frowns in earnest this time, brushing the hair from his face. He looks at 
   Second-Chance for a long moment, then turns his eyes to one side.
Kichkinet looks up at Thunder's Claws. Not a good time for introductions, I 
   think. Nor a good omen after being here only a few days.
Lee Kuang's gaze continues to rest on Second-Chance, seeming to wait patiently.
Theressa Storm, shaking a bit, turns red, slightly watering eyes on Jimmy. 
   Silently, she mouths, "Thank you," to him before turning to leave.
Second-Chance chuffs, simply. ~It is done.~
A few droplets of Tommie's life-blood staining his left cheek from the spray 
   of gore, Brian turns his attention on all the remaining Gnawers. "I have 
   something to say to all of you," he asserts. He wipes at the fair skin of 
   his face as he goes on, his brilliant emerald eyes resting on each of the 
   five youths in turn. "This happened in part because you tried to straddle a 
   fence that's hard to straddle, to remain Anruth while relying on the 
   goodwill of this sept. Some of you remained members of this sept and 
   attempted to live apart from it. Others of you broke from the sept but 
   tried to live within it. I want to put an end to that tonight." He pauses 
   only long enough to draw breath before going on.
Thunder's Claws shakesh is head slowly. ~Bad timing. We don't often try 
   murderers here.~ He gives no indication of being surprised by the Wendigo's 
   claim of only being here a few days.
Theressa Storm contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Theressa Storm shifts into Homid form.
Mark-Of-Thorns nudges Quiet gently, whining at her softly enough to not 
   interrupt the talk around her.
Kichkinet looks over at the throated Tommie. That slip of a girl? Murderer?
Theressa Storm sets off over the hills to the north, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the sparse forest.
Eochaid unfolds his arms, stuffing his hands in his pockets, watching 
   everything with keen interest, while still keeping at the edge, and not 
   involving himself.
Hank listens, his eyes watching Brian closely.
Jimmy Wilson stands there, starting to shake a little as he knows what will 
   come next from the Sept alpha.
Thunder's Claws nods slowly, homid-like. ~She tore out another Garou's throat 
   while he was unconscious.~
Kichkinet's eyes narrow at Thunder's Claws' words. I see.
Thunder's Claws says, ~Like I said, it doesn't happen often. You'll see. Bad 
   timing.~
JJ Malone takes a moment to nudge Nate to get his attention and looks at him, 
   before beginning to pick her way over to where Lee Kuang stands.
Drew is still, not merging into a chatting group, as he listens attentively to 
   the Alpha.
Kichkinet shrugs, features hardening. It is what I have seen every other 
   place. I would be surprised to find this one different. But perhaps a 
   second week here will show you correct, Guardian.
Thunder's Claws shakes his head, actual amusement showing in his features. 
   ~I'm sure in a week, you'll find the place much better.~ He indicates the 
   Wendigo's wounds. ~How do you feel?~
Thena appears unaware that anything has changed.
Lee Kuang doesn't shift his gaze from Second-Chance as JJ approaches. Nor does 
   he move otherwise to acknowledge her. The roll of coins spins loosely 
   between his fingers, unconsciously shifting from one hand to the next, 
   twirling lazily between his fingers.
"You all have a choice to make," Brian goes on. "Either you -- all of you -- 
   can become part of this sept, subject to its rules and strictures but 
   gaining in return its help and protection, or you can turn your backs on 
   what happened here and leave now, leave St. Claire altogether, and not 
   return." He pauses there, nudging the toe of his left foot into the water- 
   and now blood-dampened soil. "You must make the choice together."
Kichkinet looks himself over. Not sure what happened. I must have slept on a 
   nest of fire-ants. The scabs itch.
Nate's attention is gained, and his eyebrows lift, before he follows JJ, the 
   body looked over as casually as the rest of the grass.
The three Gnawers of Wharf Rats remain removed, aloof. Having calmly watched 
   Tommie's execution, they silently listening to the Alpha, relatively 
   dispassionate.
Shin tries to keep his expression under control, turning his head to study the 
   bark of an oak to avoid being seen. He wraps his arms around his chest and 
   looks back, face cold.
Thunder's Claws shakes his head. ~We fought something last night. I'm not 
   surprised you don't remember. It'll come back.~
Kichkinet looks vaguely confused, and falls silent again while the Alpha and 
   the Gnawers continue talking.
Mark-Of-Thorns snorts, an effect that sounds suspiciously like a sneeze. THis 
   time, she nudges Quiet fairly forcefully, and turns to leave the clearing.
Hank listens to Brian....and frowns, looking to Jimmy.
Quiet's dark gaze rakes one last time over those gathered before she turns to 
   her packmate's urging. The pair pad south, and away.
Quiet sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Mark-Of-Thorns sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually 
   becoming lost from view in the forest.
Matt rubs at a spot just above his right eye, then leans down and speaks 
   softly to his packmates.
Brian slides his hands into the pockets of his coat, waiting and visibly 
   willing to allow the five youths to discuss their options among themselves.
Thunder's Claws turns to look at Second-Chance. ~I'd like to talk to you when 
   you have a chance, Philodox.~
Jimmy Wilson nudges Hank then heads over to where the Wharf Rats huddle in 
   conference.
Hank heads after Jimmy, still frowning.
Mosh mutters, loud enough to be heard by those nearby, "Fuck me," then turns 
   to quiet discussion with his pack.
Steps-on-Cracks isn't making decisions tonight, apparently. She lowers her 
   head to the ground once again, and shuts her eyes.
Brian observes, as off-handedly as he can manage in circumstances such as 
   this, "The Wheel will not be complete without the Bone Gnawers."
Kichkinet watches the Gnawers gather. With his recent memory failure, he looks 
   thoroughly baffled as to why a murderer's death would call for an 
   after-the-fact conference. He sits, and watches with a bemused expression.
Second-Chance takes a deep breath, then splays her ears a little at Thunder's 
   Claws with humor. ~Very well, Ahroun.~ She turns after that to look over 
   and hopefully catch Brian's attention, then turns to face the Athro Glass 
   Walker whose eyes would be boring holes in her if it was possible. She 
   crouches down before him, respectful despite the disparity of size in the 
   two forms.
Shin murmurs something softly in Japanese, letting a touch of amusement enter 
   his tone as he turns to face the treeline again.
Lee Kuang lifts his off hand and casually beckons to Second-Chance, regarding 
   her still in silence.
Second-Chance grimaces at the beckoning, but obeys, shifting out of the 
   warform.
Second-Chance contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
You concentrate to shift into Homid form.
Nimue glowers at Lee, taking her gaze off the Gnawers, as he beckons to Megan. 
   Her arms are still crossed over her chest, and she stands still in Crinos, 
   irritation obvious.
Mark moves up onto the boulder a ways to get a better view of the aftermath.
Thunder's Claws turns and heads southward, dropping to a four-legged form as 
   he returns to the Wheel. ~Come to the Wheel when you're free,~ he calls 
   back to Megan.
Thunder's Claws contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Thunder's Claws shifts into Lupus form.
Thunder's Claws sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually 
   becoming lost from view in the forest.
Kichkinet stays, not following Thunder's Claws back to the Wheel.
Hank looks at the other Gnawers, chewing his lip slightly.
Lee Kuang continues to observe the tall young woman as she approaches. His 
   quiet voice is polite, it's Georgian drawl all out of kilter with his 
   oriental face, "Half-moon. Should I assume you didn't receive the message I 
   sent?"
Brian runs a hand back through his hair after a wry grimace flickers through 
   his expression. "I tell you all what," he says, cordial if cool. "Take some 
   time to think about it. We would rather have you among us than not, but it 
   is time for your tribe to make its choice one way or the other. I think I 
   know what Mac will advise. Please listen to him. Take until Luna waxes full 
   again to make up your minds, okay?"
Megan's expression is an attempt at neutrality, but she's no where near good 
   at completely hiding her feelings. Some of the dislike for this man leaks 
   out, through her posture and small movements. "No," she answers simply. "I 
   did."
Kichkinet looks from the Gnawers over to Brian. His eyes settle on the Fianna 
   thoughtfully.
Kosh tilts his head as he catches a few of Shin's words, but does not react. 
   The icy voids behind his eyes remin.
Drew's gaze studies the Gnawers, with a hopeful, yet wry expression, and he 
   shifts back down to the slighter form of the human, as it appears no riot 
   bodes any longer.
Drew contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Drew shifts into Homid form.
Serves-Honor sets off over the hills to the north, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the sparse forest.
Lee Kuang nods. "I had thought so." He measures her quietly for a while, 
   letting the silence hang. When it has stopped kicking, he gives the rope a 
   twitch. "I had some counsel you might have given consideration. What it was 
   might surprise you." The slightest semblance of a frown creases his lips, 
   "Still, I deliver upon my intent. Perhaps in the future, you will find the 
   time to take it in some other valuation." He opens his hand, dropping a 
   pair of copper disks to the grass at Megan's feet and beginning to turn 
   away.
In spite of the Alpha's extension, the group of Gnawers continue to discuss 
   what they plan to do.
Drew crosses the portion of the clearing to offer his few words to Hank. "I 
   hope you and your tribe'll stay."
Shin tosses his head slightly and casts a backward glance at the cluster of 
   Gnawers and Fianna, then strides back into the forest, hands slipping into 
   his pockets.
Shin sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Nimue contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Nimue shifts into Homid form.
Hank looks up at Drew. "Go away. I don't feel much like talkin', right now."
Anne comes up behind Megan, and asks over her shoulder, "Did you not get _my_ 
   message?"
Megan looks at the copper, then up at Lee as he begins to make his way out. 
   Although unasked, she raises her voice slightly so the theurge may here. 
   "Ask Brian why I didn't. Sir." She adds, but with the slight pause of 
   afterthought.
Kichkinet stands, lopes over toward Brian and sits a distance behind him to 
   patiently await his finishing with his role in this.
Brian draws a breath and, for the first time in many minutes, takes his eyes 
   from the Gnawers. He focuses them on Kuang and says, crisp, cool, and with 
   the minimum measure of respect for an Athro that one could conceivably get 
   away with, addresses the Glass Walker. "Backstabber."
Eochaid watches Lee and Megan, his lips pulling down to a thoughtful scowl. 
   Carefully he makes his way towards her, skirting around many other Garou to 
   get to her.
Lee Kuang turns, not to leave, but towards Brian, remarking over his shoulder 
   to Megan, "I imagine we have other things to discuss." He doesn't even 
   acknowledge Anne's question, but bestows a wintery smile upon the Sept 
   Alpha. "I see you have heard of me."
Drew tilts his head slightly, nods, "You can find me, later, if you want to 
   talk." With the parting words, he puts a few paces' distance.
Brian's demeanor is hot to the Glass Walker's cold as he proffers a curt nod. 
   "I have," he states flatly. "Your name is infamous among my people."
Kosh turns to Thena and rests a hand on her shoulder.
Thena does not appear to notice.
Mark looks curiously at the Walker elder.
Kosh says to his packmate, "Thena." Deep in the back of his voice, a low, 
   rumbling baratone whispers lurking beneath his normal tone.
Lee Kuang takes a casual stance perhaps ten feet in front of Brian, "So I am 
   given to understand." He smoothes one of his lapels. "So you know me. Or 
   know of my past. Who do I have the honor of addressing?"
Kichkinet watches the Glass Walker and Fianna closely, like a fly on the wall 
   who has happened into a room of pesticide manufacturers.
Thena just stands there, facing the way she had been facing during the 
   sentencing.
Spirit-of-Words continues to watch quietly from the edge of the clearing, as 
   he has most of the night.
Kosh shakes his head, a slow movement and reaches down to take her hand. 
   Hefting over his shoulder, he lifts her, angling her body so she rests on 
   him like a wounded soldier. Weighted as he is, he bows to Lee. "With your 
   permission, Lee-sama?" he says, the dark, warbling woodwinds in his voice 
   stronger now.
Scab-Survivor comes out into the clearing from the hills to the south.
Lee Kuang waves a hand towards Kosh without looking away from the Sept Alpha.
Scab-Survivor pads in from the south, trying to be quiet as possible (and 
   succeeding rather well), and looking very angry. He scans around for Shakes.
JJ Malone looks at her tribemates, dark eyebrows going up over the rims of her 
   sunglasses quizzically.
Nate leans forward to murmur something to JJ, as he stands behind her this 
   time, Then he nods toward the surrounding trees, and starts off toward the 
   south, pace leisurely.
"I am Brian O'Flannery," the Irishman begins, his six-foot frame towering over 
   Lee's smaller Oriental build. "Heartsfire to the Garou, Echen Mac Conaill 
   to the Fianna. I am born of the full moon, while the red planet was rising 
   in the sky. On my claws is the blood of Silvernails; I bear scars from the 
   Ice King; I fought beside the Garou of the doomed Caern of Cypress Rising 
   to reclaim what is now the Caern of the Last Days. I hold the rank of 
   Adren, and I lead this sept." While this is perhaps the most formal 
   introduction Brian has offered in recent days, there is little doubt that 
   it's his abridged version.
Kosh scans his cold eyes across the assembled Garou, Thena on his shoulder, 
   gazing at them one by one. He walks into the shadows, pausing just before 
   the wood and saying one sentence, the symphony of dark voices clear to all 
   who can hear: ">You are all Kosh now.<"
JJ Malone looks over at the Get of Fenris at his whisper, and nods. With a 
   muttered, "Excuse me, Mr. Kuang," she, too, makes her departure, following 
   after the ragabash.
The Gnawer congregation seems to break up a bit. Jimmy stands back a bit, 
   scowling.
Matt nods grimly at the group then stands and heads away from the group, 
   towards the Fianna Alpha. He stops a few steps away and waits to be 
   recognized.
Hank stands, wavering a little, close to Jimmy, but looking after Matt.
Nate sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
John O'Morain looks after Kosh, muttering.
Eochaid finally gets to Megan, and rests a hand on her shoulder. He leans in 
   close to talk to her in low tones.
Scab-Survivor spots Jimmy and heads for him.
Eochaid whispers "You allright, lass?"
Mosh seems resolute and as disdainful as he dares be to Brian's face, fists 
   planted on his hips and a frown carved into his angular face.
Megan jumps a little at the hand on her shoulder, although Eochaid is hardly 
   quiet enough to normally surprise the Philodox. She turns to looks over at 
   Eochaid, and gives him a shallow, distracted nod, before sighing and 
   reaching up to squeeze the fine-boned hand on her shoulder gratefully.
John O'Morain quietly folds himself down to sit on the ground, watching 
   everything carefully, nodding now and then to some unheard question.
Scab-Survivor reaches Jimmy's side and chuffs up towards him quietly.
Steps-on-Cracks opens her eyes now, having listened to the conversations, if 
   not contributing any herself. She looks watches her packmates for a few 
   seconds, then ducks her head down to lick carefully at one of the more 
   accessible wounds.
Jimmy Wilson looks at the necklace he wears as Touch Deer approaches. "Hey," 
   he says, his voice cracking and whining. "The philos told everyone I'm a 
   fucking coward. I don't know what ta do with your gift."
Scab-Survivor contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Scab-Survivor shifts into Homid form.
Lee Kuang nods. "Good." He doesn't attempt to tower, or shift his relaxed pose 
   at all, for that matter. Nevertheless, his presence is palpable in the 
   night air. "I am Kuang Lee, of the Glass Walk, weaver in the webs of 
   spirits. In the East, I am Gold-Sticks-To-Him. In the West, I am the 
   Cleanser. I am the Architect of the Wards of the Caern of the Gull, and one 
   who heals the sores of Gaia. I have come here to gather and guide the Walk, 
   and to cleanse, maintain...And, yes, govern...The City men call St. Claire. 
   And just now," he drawls, "I have no quarrel with you, Heartsfire, Alpha in 
   this place."
Drew steps about the cooling pools of blood, and looks considering at trees 
   nearest him.
Touch Deer frowns and converses with Jimmy in hushed tones, deliberately not 
   wanting to disturb the things going on elsewhere near the boulder.
Brian gives the man a curt nod. "Then I will ask you to observe a few things. 
   First, I am under the impression that you brought one of your Kinfolk into 
   our caern two nights ago. This will not happen again; our Warder has 
   forbidden it. You will perform a Rite of Contrition to the spirits of the 
   place to make amends. Second, if it is your intention to claim the city as 
   your territory, as I understand you discussed when you first appeared at 
   our caern, then I must ask you to present your chiminage to the sept and 
   become a member. Otherwise you disrespect our territory. Third..." He 
   trails off there, glancing towards the Gnawers who wait for his attention. 
   "Third. Come find me at another more opportune moment if you have further 
   need of me. I have very pressing things to attend to, this evening."
Drew makes a looping path through the trees, gathering up branches fallen with 
   the autumn leaves, to start a pile of wood.
Matt takes a breath, then says as firmly as he can, "What if we all can't 
   agree? Some of us want to go, and other's are willing to stay. The people 
   who want to leave, can do so, but they don't want to cause problems for 
   those who don't."
Alexander walks back in from the south in lupus, then reverts to his birthform.
Kichkinet continues to sit patiently, watching Lee Kuang and Brian.
Lee Kuang 's eyebrows rise very slightly. "I acknowledge your requests. I was 
   given to understand that your bawn ended well before the City." He leans 
   forward slightly on the balls of his feet, "Third, the rules of the game 
   are simple, Fianna. You have trouble enough with the support of one tribe, 
   it would seem. We can work together and tear at the Wyrm's heart. We can 
   work apart and inflict our own separate wounds upon his work. Or we can 
   deluge two tribes in unnecessary blood and let the Wyrm laugh at us both. 
   The city needs my attention. Look at how it fares now. You've shown 
   yourself a leader with decision and sight so far tonight."
Brian holds up a hand to Matt, a kind of, "give-me-just-one-second" gesture, 
   as he frames a response to the Athro Glass Walker. "As I said," he says. 
   "If you wish to make St. Claire your domain, I must ask you to present 
   chiminage and join the sept. I am tonight putting an end to the 
   disorganization of the city's Anruth. The Wheel has grown with the blood of 
   all thirteen tribes, and whatever bad blood lies between the Fianna and you 
   is... of little consequence, in the grander scheme of things." The last bit 
   of that speech seems to leave a foul taste in his mouth, and he turns to 
   address Matt with a far less hostile demeanor. "I want for you to all 
   agree, Matt," he says candidly, as if perfectly willing to explain his mind 
   to the Gnawer. "We can no longer have Anruth just running around 
   disorganized and unsupervised in the sept's protectorate. Do you have a 
   suggestion, a better way than what I've asked of you?" He asks the final 
   question openly, without any petulance or patronization.
Hank comes forward slowly, looking at Brian for permission to speak.
Megan clears her throat, looking between Matt and Brian. "I think he meant 
   that if some wanted to stay, and some to go, if you would treat those who 
   stayed badly." She looks at Matt for confirmation, with a tilted head.
Matt shrugs. "Let those who want to leave, leave the city, and those who want 
   to stay, like, be members like you said." He looks back at his pack then 
   back to the Alpha with a nod at what Megan saids. "Wharf Rats is a pack, 
   and if one of us wants to leave, we are all leaving. We will be no trouble 
   to you."
Drew puts some attempt towards piling wood as quietly as he can.
Kichkinet, an Anruth himself, makes no sound, continuing to wait and listen.
Lee Kuang shifts the roll of coins into his pocket with a nod to the Alpha, 
   then turns, taking Brian's own turning away as dismissal. He walks at a 
   casual pace back towards the caern.
Lee Kuang sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming 
   lost from view in the forest.
Touch Deer nods to Jimmy and turns to watch the proceedings nearby Brian.
Jimmy Wilson moves forward a bit himself, up near Hank, Matt and the Alpha.
John O'Morain stands up. "Mm. Righ. I'm Anruth too."
Spirit-of-Words sits, near the edge of the clearing, watching quietly and 
   subduedly like he has all evening.
The tension runs out of Anne's body almost as soon as Lee Kuang has vanished 
   through the trees. The Galliard turns towards the Gnawers, taking a step or 
   two towards Steps-on-Cracks, then swings towards John as he speaks up.
Brian runs a hand back through his hair one last time, then returns both hands 
   to his coat pockets. "I would rather that you all made the decision as a 
   group," he admits. "But if some leave and some wish to stay, the ones who 
   stay will be treated with the same dignity and respect that any other 
   member of the sept is treated with." A pause, and his eyes take in all of 
   the Gnawers. "I'm Fianna. When my people first came to the New World, the 
   Bone Gnawers were already here and helped us through the hard times. I 
   haven't forgotten that. I would rather that you all stayed, and were an 
   example of the good of your tribe. There is a place for you here."
Hank chews his lip, still looking to Brian. "Can I ask ya somethin'?"
"Sure," Brian answers.
Matt nods. "Well, I don't want to bother you any more, but it seems like this 
   Sept don't want us, even if you say they do. We don't want to be where we 
   don't feel we're wanted, and I don't think that anything would change if we 
   stayed. So it's better for us to go before we get into more trouble." That 
   said, he turns and heads back to his pack.
John O'Morain waits, patiently, muttering quietly to himself the entire time.
Mosh nods and grins humorlessly, offering a hand for Matt to slap 
   congratutorily. "Good work, Mattman," he mutters.
Hank takes a deep breath,and looks up at Brian. "How d'ya feel about someone 
   who feels trapped? I mean.... I was real close to tellin' people I was 
   leavin' the Wheel...BEFORE ya said anything 'bout us stayin' or leavin'. 
   I...don't know how much I really wanna stay here. But I'm trapped, kinda. 
   Jimmy's got Sparrow an' the kid t' think about, so he can't leave...an' I 
   don't want t' leave him...or ST. Claire. It's the closest thing t' a home I 
   got right now. I just don't know if I give a damn 'bout the Wheel right 
   now. So....." He shrugs. "What's YOUR opinion."
Brian glances past Hank for a moment, and inquires of Matt, "What makes you 
   think the sept doesn't want you?"
Hank sighs softly. "An' I really don't wanna lose m' brother, either."
Brian fixes his eyes on Hank, then, and chews on his lower lip. "Lot of people 
   will tell you a lot of different things about what honor is, Hank. Some of 
   'em will tell you that it has everything to do with the Litany. Others will 
   tell you that it has everything to do with the creeds. But honor's simpler 
   than all that, really. Do you know what honor is?"
Jimmy Wilson waits impatiently. It's obvious from his stance that he wants to 
   say something, but realizes that anything that comes ouf his mouth, with 
   his newly acquired voice, would have exactly the opposite effect of what he 
   wants. He just sighs, and even that is nasally and pinched.
Hank looks at Brian. "What do _you_ think it is?"
Megan smiles to herself, muttering wryly, amused, loud enough to be heard, 
   "Stick around and find out."
Brian lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Honor is doing what's right, no matter 
   how much it hurts, no matter what it costs, no matter what it takes. That's 
   all. And I'll tell you this: it's right for the Bone Gnawers, and your two 
   packs, to remain here."
Matt turns back towards the Alpha with a slight shrug, letting him finish with 
   Hank before replying. "From my first introduction to this place, I have 
   never been allowed to come or go without some stuff shirt pickin' a fight 
   with either me, my pack, or Rat. Never. I know we don't go by the rules, 
   but we do the best we can. He glances at Megan, then back to Brian. "The 
   rangers out here don't seem to be able to understand that, and so they 
   don't understand us. Maybe, eventually, you'll find some gnawers that 
   follow you rank and file, like Hazmat, but they ain't Gnawers. They're just 
   pretending."
John O'Morain contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
John O'Morain shifts into Crinos form.
Jimmy Wilson sighs, and interrupts. "We did what we thought was right, no 
   matter the cost, and look what it fucking got us."
Eochaid looks at matt, confusion written on his face. He glances at Megan and 
   shakes his head, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Touch Deer watches Jimmy with a pained expression, and glances around to see 
   everyone elses response.
Anne puts in, quietly, "But it wasn't right, and that's why it cost. Knowing 
   how to tell, that's something you can learn, and we can teach...if you want 
   to learn."
Talks-to-Air steps over toward Megan and Brian.
Steps-on-Cracks chuffs tiredly, trying to draw the attention of at least one 
   of her packmates. We should leave. Talking is stupid.
Megan's amused expression fades as she looks at Jimmy, sighing softly with 
   exasperation and frustration. Now that judgement is made and passed, her 
   anger is mostly leeched away, and she is looking more and more unhappy with 
   what is being thrown about.
Mark scrambles down fromt eh boulder and walks over to Megan.
Talks-to-Air says, ~When would be a good time to petition for Sept membership, 
   Righ?~
Jimmy Wilson shakes his head. "Ya know, it *is* ironic," he whines. "I 
   *wanted* ta be a member here. I really did. I tried ta do shit ta prove it. 
   I almost died goin' scouting in the bawn. I came to yer hotshot Fang, even 
   though I hate the guy, and asked him ta teach me how ta fight. I did 
   everything he wanted me to, an' he didn't do shit for me. An' now, I _am_ a 
   coward, 'cause I'm gonna let ya bully me into joinin' cause I got Kin that 
   I can't just move outta the city an' responsibilities an' shit. I can' 
   tleave thsoe homeless people back at Tommie's church, so I'll join yer 
   club, so you won't fuck with me when I feed them an' give them a place ta 
   sleep at night."
Brian shakes his head slowly, a rueful smile playing over his lips. "Paying 
   someone to beat someone else up for you isn't right, Jimmy," he says, the 
   words intended to be more gentle instruction than admonishment. "Stabbing 
   someone in the back isn't right, you know? Even when someone else treats 
   you like shit, you show yourself better by doing the right thing. What was 
   the right thing to do here? You already know it, Jimmy." He extends a 
   finger to touch Jimmy's breast, above his heart. "You know what's right in 
   here. Even Garou have conscience." Having said this he moves his gaze back 
   to the Wharf Rats, and lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "I was never a Bone 
   Gnawer," he says candidly, "but Mac was, and is, and doesn't think you're 
   right in taking off. Does Mac follow me rank and file? Shit no. I still 
   have a scar from a fight he and I had once. But Mac knows where he's 
   needed, and where he's wanted, and knows enough to say to hell with the 
   assholes who give him a hard time, because there are more important people 
   around here who *do* want him around. Ought to talk to Mac before you make 
   your final decision, and really do something that you can't reverse."
Hank looks at Brian. "An' me...I don't really GIVE a damn 'bout the Wheel 
   right now...but I have t' stay for Jimmy....t' help HIM. An' lose my 
   brother, if he leaves."
Matt nods, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Well, I'll talk to Mac 'fore 
   we leave, but I thought you should know why we were leaving. You know, if 
   you ever figure out what the money Jimmy gave Mosh was, you'd pro'ally be a 
   lot closer to understanding us. Thanks for lettin' me speak my mind." He 
   moves next to Becca and kneels down. "I bet I can get you at least able to 
   make it back to the city."
Brian lets his attention drift back to Jimmy and Hank. "I'm not bullying you, 
   Jimmy," he says quietly, again shaking his head. "Nobody else is either. 
   Nobody's putting a gun to your head and making you stay. You're not being a 
   coward. You're doing what's right. You have responsibilities. You have 
   duties. And no matter how bad the rest of the world treats you, you can't 
   abandon them. That's honor. Staying here is honorable. Not tucking tail and 
   running away from a place that needs you is honorable. Doing what's right 
   rather than what's convenient is honorable." The last sentences are 
   directed to Hank as much as they are to Jimmy; he nods absently to Matt 
   before falling silent.
Mosh levels the Fianna Alpha with one last glance and follows Matt's suit, 
   kneeling to help deal with their wounded packmate. "Yer doin' a'right, 
   yeah?" he asks her quietly.
Talks-to-Air leans on his staff, and taps Megan on the shoulder. ~You did 
   good, Second-Chance. Tough decision, I know, but you did well.~
Alexander watches the Wharf Rats silently.
Hank looks at Brian, raising an eyebrow. "Stayin' someplace ya don't give a 
   damn about, when that's supposed t' be the whole point of stayin', is 
   honorable?"
Matt spends some time working on Becca, letting Gaia's gift work through him 
   to help heal some of her more serious wounds.
Steps-on-Cracks pulls herself up a little, altering her position so that the 
   deepest of the wounds is in easy access to Matt. There's a decided look of 
   relief that comes, now that her packmates are done talking, actually moving 
   again. She flicks an ear back. I will be.
Megan grimaces and shakes her head at Matt, sighing with regret. She looks 
   over at Talks-at-Air and gives him a small smile, but turns to say to Matt, 
   "Matt...before you leave, if you do, I'd like to talk to you, too. Please," 
   she adds.
Drew slowly builds a woodpile next to the gory darkening pools.
Alexander says "Hank. Staying here and doing what you don't want to do, 
   because of the people you care about, that's honorable. Sacrifice. Putting 
   others in front of yourself. Get it?"
Brian nods tentatively to Hank. "After a fashion. Putting up with the shit you 
   get from most of the sept, and sticking around even though it makes your 
   life hell, because it's the right thing to do? Yeah. That's honorable. At 
   least, it is in my book."
Matt finishes with Becca and, after taking a moment to scratch her bettween 
   the ears, stands up and faces Megan. "I only got a couple of minutes, cuz 
   we should really get her back to the city so she can rest."
Touch Deer glances all about, watching a listening as people talk about honor. 
   He looks decidedly unhappy.
Megan shakes her head. "I didn't mean now, now. Before you leave St. Claire, 
   if you do. Later this week or early next, maybe. Before you make a final 
   decision."
Hank looks at Alexander. "An' how 'bout the people I care 'bout, who might not 
   be stayin'. What do I do 'bout them?"
Mosh smirks and nods. "Been there, chiquita," he mutters as he helps hold her 
   heavy body so Matt can work more effectively. "I quit hurtin' after a day 
   or so, but I didn't have no Haz goin' psycho on -me-." By his voice, he's 
   just trying to keep her distracted from the wounds.
Alexander shakes his head. "Whether they go or stay is their choice. You can't 
   make it for them. You have to worry about the poeple who can't go. The ones 
   back in the city that you care about. Your friends." He indicates Jimmy.
Hank turns back to Brian. "If I do stay....I dunno yet....it won't be because 
   of the this place. It'd be because of Jimmy. An' only because of him."
Hank glances at Alexander. "I can't make it for them...maybe not. But I could 
   be there if they needed me. You're makin' me choose between my brother, an' 
   Jimmy."
Hank clenches his fists slowly. "An' I fuckin' hate it."
Matt glances at his pack, then back at Megan. "Well, I imagine we're gonna 
   split tomorrow or the next day. I'll try to make it back out here before we 
   do." He turns back towards his brother. "I'll stop by the church later, so 
   we can talk." That business done, he finally takes a few steps towards the 
   woods with a small smile towards his pack. "Ready?"
Alexander shakes his head again. "We're not. Jimmy wants to stay. Matt wants 
   to leave. We're not forcing you to choose."
Steps-on-Cracks snorts softly, just at the mention of Hazmat. Once Matt has 
   done the best he can, she pulls herself back to her feet, testing her legs 
   out. Yeah. t's time to leave.
Hank stares at Alexander. "By makin' leavin' St. Claire part of leavin' here? 
   So one way or the other, I lose one of 'em? That's forcin' me t' choose.'
Mosh overs a shoulder for Steps' support and begins to walk slowly after Matt.
Brian withdraws slightly from the conversation, moving his attention to 
   Talks-to-Air. "Yeah," he tells the Fianna theurge, "I know you've been 
   wanting it for a while. You've got people to speak for you, so all that's 
   left is some chiminage, and that's more formality than anything. Come up 
   with something the sept can use, and you're in, eh?" Then, returning his 
   gaze to Hank, he shrugs his shoulders. "I can live with that, Hank," he 
   says. "Maybe there'll come a day when you do start to care about the caern 
   and the sept. But for now? I can live with Jimmy being your only reason for 
   staying."
Megan's jaw tightens at Hank's growing anger, but she nods to Matt, not saying 
   anything as his attention has shifted once more. She turns back to the 
   Fianna Theurge to look up at him with a rueful sigh. "Thank you, John," she 
   finally says.
Jimmy Wilson throws a glance at Alexander. "I never said I wanted ta stay," he 
   whines. "Just that I got responsibilities an' shit. An' because a' Tommie. 
   I ain't gonna let what she built fall apart over this shit. I /gotta/ stay. 
   So I will."
Matt sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Steps-on-Cracks sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually 
   becoming lost from view in the forest.
Mosh sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Hank glances off after Matt as he leaves, biting his lip.
Touch Deer goes up to Jimmy and taps his shoulder. "Come see me soon." After 
   that, he shifts down and begins padding off.
Touch Deer contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Touch Deer shifts into Lupus form.
Jimmy Wilson turns to Hank. "Go spend time with yer bro, man. I'll be here... 
   with Tommie. Okay?"
Alexander says "And I think you're doing the right thing, Jimmy."
Hank sighs softly, looking at Jimmy. "You sure?"
Jimmy Wilson nods at Touch Deer. "Yeah... okay."
Brian reaches out and gives Hank's shoulder a squeeze. "Hey," he says quietly. 
   "Listen to me. He has to choose his own path. No one can do that for him. 
   And you have to choose yours. And if the two paths split, that's okay."
Rholeen sets off over the hills to the north, eventually becoming lost from 
   view in the sparse forest.
Hank looks up at Brian, his eyes hardening a little. "No....no, it ain't OK, 
   the paths splittin'. Not for me an' him."
Anne looks around at who's left, and finally turns away, walking northwards 
   into the forest.
Anne sets off over the hills to the north, eventually becoming lost from view 
   in the sparse forest.
Drew puts another branch on the pile. He glances at Hank with an ambigous 
   expression.
Mark sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Hank watches Brian. "You ain't ever had a twin...he's....like the other half 
   of me. Us splittin' up ain't right. We sometimes aren't together all the 
   time...but not bein' together maybe ever again?"
Jimmy Wilson heads over to Hank. "Come on, man. Drop it. Ya oughtta know by 
   now that ya can't win this argument." He looks to the dark, moonless sky. 
   He can't hold back the ragabash call. "Hey. Go get the Rats an' tell 'em 
   I'll pay them if they stay."
Hank sighs softly, the joke only drawing the weakest of smiles. He looks at 
   Jimmy, and shrugs.
Jimmy Wilson squeezes his friend's shoulder and repeats. "Go on. Go hang out 
   with him. I'll be here later, okay?"
Megan glances over at Alexander, remembering his request from earlier. With 
   the Bone Gnawers still here, however, she stays where she is, amidst pack 
   and tribe.
Brian puts a hand inside his coat, produces a chrome hip-flask from an 
   interior pocket, and tosses the vessel to Hank. "Tell them this is a going 
   away present, or maybe an advance on Jimmy's payment. Whatever you like." 
   Then he turns and goes to Megan's side, where he exhales a long, tense 
   breath. "Nice job."
Hank closes his eyes, sighing softly,and nods. "Yeah, sure Jimmy." He puts his 
   hand on Jimmy's shoulder a moment, then looks up at Brian's words, and 
   catches the flask. He bites his lip a moment....then turns and slowly walks 
   away, not looking backwards.
Hank sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually becoming lost 
   from view in the forest.
Spirit-of-Words sighes from where he sits, and motions towards Alexander. Long 
   night.
Eochaid nods in agreement, quirking a smile. "Aye, lass. Ye handled yourself 
   like an old hand."
Alexander moves over to stand next to the wolf. "Damn right. How you holding 
   up?"
Talks-to-Air considers for a bit. ~I have something. Not much, true, but 
   something.~
Drew straightens, folding his arms, and looks thoughtfully after Hank, before 
   asking at large. "Fire tonight?"
Jimmy Wilson goes over to Tommie's body and looks at her. "When..." he croaks 
   out. "The burning? When?"
Spirit-of-Words wishes he recognized anyone. It's hard. This place, these 
   people seem right, yet this one does not know them. Though....something 
   happened here before. Another....was killed.
Drew exhales, rubs the back of his neck. "When there's enough wood."
Megan runs a hand through her hair at the sudden onslaught of praise, giving 
   all three men an appreciative, if faintly weary, smile. "I'm tired," she 
   answers to Alexander. "Gannon was right, I think. I'm going to have to take 
   it easy for a while, I think." She turns to look at the Shadow Lord. "Need 
   to work something out with Luz...or whoever's acting in her place," she 
   adds, "about that, sometime soon. It'll keep, though."
Brian returns his attention to Talks-to-Air. "Doesn't need to be a monstrosity 
   of a gift, John," he emphasizes. "We take anything that's useful, really." 
   The second sentence is offered more comically, in the manner of a TV 
   salesperson.
Alexander nods. "She," he indicates Tommie, "killed another Garou. While he 
   was out cold. And her pack and friends... they weren't exactly innocent 
   either. It's over now, though. Better or worse." It's uncertain whether he 
   thinks it's the former or the latter. Maybe he doesn't know himself.
Talks-to-Air grins, a fairly nasty gesture. He holds out his staff. ~I offer 
   this. It is all I have to offer, really, besides myself.~
Spirit-of-Words nods slowly. This one did not remember that, he remembered 
   another being...executed here. But just flashes. One of his tribe?
Jimmy Wilson scowls as Alexander, who was not there, tells his version of the 
   story. Jimmy, hoever, says nothing. He simply kneels by Tommie's body, 
   waiting.
Alexander nods. "Farther back, yes. He turned."
Brian accepts the staff in both hands, looking it over with an odd mix of 
   puzzlement and wonderment. "I, uh. Hate to ask, but, uh. What is it? 
   Besides a staff, I mean."
Drew resumes the process of gathering wood, increasing the size of the pile 
   slowly.
Talks-to-Air says, ~As for what it does... well, it bashes Banes quite nicely.~
Talks-to-Air grins slightly. ~It will also shed light, about the same as 
   Lambent Flame and in much the same manner, at the owner's command.~ He 
   pauses. ~It was the first spirit that I bound.~
Spirit-of-Words nods his head quickly. This one fails to see why some do what 
   they do. In the end all we have is the law, the system, to keep us from 
   tearing each other apart in our rage and hatred. That or honor. The system 
   is not perfect, but it's the best we have. Anyways. The bane we fought, is 
   it dead?
Jimmy Wilson helps Drew gather wood, his expression solemn and dark.
Alexander shakes his head. "No, that's next."
Brian delivers the staff back into Talks' hands, and he says, "Well enough. 
   I'll accept this as your chiminage, John, on the condition that you find 
   the person in the sept best-suited to carry it, and bear it yourself until 
   then. Fair?"
Talks-to-Air nods. ~Fair, Righ.~
Talks-to-Air hmms, a rumbling noise not unlike rocks mating. ~Now I will have 
   to resume my aggressive introduction campaign.~
Spirit-of-Words nods slowly. This one forgets this place, the land, so he has 
   been lost on occasion. He feels foolish about this. He ought run with his 
   other pack-mates a few times so he learns it again.
The pile grows to bonfire size, Tommie placed on it, and it lit.
Alexander says "It'll come back, don't worry. It did for me."
Spirit-of-Words chuffs an acknowledgment. He still is surprised at this place. 
   It as if he was snatched from his past and placed in his future. It feels 
   odd.
Drew stays by the bonfire, its light casting flickering shadows on the Garou 
   and trees.
Alexander smiles wryly. "Just be glad you're not a wolf. Manes apparently
   forgot the whole last year or something. Which is a good portion of his
   life."
Megan looks at the fire thoughtfully, moving to be upwind of it and watching 
   the greasy smoke stain the sky. After a short time, she looks over at 
   Alexander, and says, "You wanted to talk?"
Talks-to-Air says, ~Is there anything else I need to do, Righ?~
Spirit-of-Words nods slowly, apparently agreeing that would be quite worse.
Alexander looks over as Megan speaks and nods once. "Sure. Somewhere else?"
Brian shakes his head. "Nope, John. That ought to do it, really."
Talks-to-Air says, ~OK.~
Talks-to-Air ducks his head awkwardly, and walks off into the woods, 
   muttering. He shifts just before entering the woods.
Talks-to-Air contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Talks-to-Air shifts into Homid form.
John O'Morain sets off across the rising ground to the south, eventually 
   becoming lost from view in the forest.
Megan looks quizzical. "If you must. I don't mind staying here. Actually...I'd 
   like to, if *you* don't mind."
Alexander looks around, then admits, "I'd actually rather talk in private."
Brian watches the fire for a moment, waiting until the scent of burning flesh 
   grows a bit too pungent. Then, as much because of the smell as the desire 
   to allow Megan and Alexander the privacy to talk, he withdraws into the 
   forest.
Brian sets off over the hills to the north, eventually becoming lost from view 
   in the sparse forest.
Megan frowns faintly, but then nods. "Sure. Not too far, though, and upwind?"
Alexander nods, grimacing. "Please."
Spirit-of-Words nods to his pack-mate and then wanders off into the woods 
   warily.

---- Recall end ----