?[Annie Taylor] Ludacris, and Annie is amusedly tolerant; it’s not her usual style, but that’s okay. She can stand listening to almost anything in small doses, would have to be able to given all the traveling she’s done, and that she hasn’t always had the money to drop on CDs, and has certainly never had what it takes to get an ipod or other mp3 player. Transience lends to ecclectic tastes in a lot of things, and music is no exception.
“Part snow something, anyway,” she mock grumbles; she’s an Ahroun and often ill-tempered, but she’s also quick to smile, and complains seldom. “‘m gonna freeze my tits off. Let’s go meet people, yeah?”
She’s scarred, is Annie, in a way that speaks Glory and War, and her hair is left down, long, to cover some of it and shadow the rest, even in firelight. It’s still there, easily seen, but she can fool herself . . . and never mind that she’s proud of how she acquired them. She’s a seventeen year old girl, and was once a pretty one at that. She hides them when she can, except when it’ll do her good to show them. And for all that, when she smiles, she smiles true – for Indira and Marni, who she knows, and for anyone else who happens to look her way.
When she gets to the table, her own pockets are emptied . . . she comes bearing gum and mints, mostly. And toothpicks. For after eating, of course – doesn’t do to breath onion (or whatever) breath on people.
[Imogen Slaughter] She turns slightly to hear her title and surname, glancing at the other kinfolk, “Mister Ostermann,” she greets him when he’s close enough. “Well enough. Yourself?”
A brief glance toward Echo and Grace, near the alcohol, or perhaps, she is merely looking at the alcohol. “I’m just about t’get a beer. Do you want one?”
Kemp, the tall, wiry Adren is a half dozen feet away, addressing Adrian.
[Ethan Yates] “It can be.”
There is no purity to be found in the blood of the older man walking beside Adrian. He does not easily align himself with any one tribe, does not seem as though he would be any more likely to produce a Trueborn heir than the man beside him is. So far as anyone can tell, the only thing marking him as Kinfolk is the fact that he’s here.
He walks alongside Adrian without touching him, without helping him carry the container of food. The man, 6’1″ without the assistance of shoes and swarthy of skin while having dark blue eyes, is wearing a buttoned black peacoat and undistressed jeans, black boots, looks like he might be a friend of Adrian’s or else just an acquaintance. He holds up under the force of Kemp’s Rage, though, and doesn’t interrupt when the Trueborn asks which one he is.
[Adrian Sandenberg] Which one are you? An eyebrow raises as he looks up at the Garou who’s a little bit younger than Adrian himself is, and then he answers simply. “I’m Adrian Sandenberg. It’s a pleasure,” he says, as if it really is. And who knows? It’s been a while since the college boy met anyone new who wasn’t uni related. Indira and Marni, who he knows, appear and his eyes flick that way briefly, long enough to raise his hand in a wave before they return to Kemp.
[Danny Germaine] Danny’s scars are on the inside, if indeed he has any, and the only outward sign that he has been through a lot in his life is that distant, cold look in his eyes that said I will take your life, and give nothing in return. The bag of 40s was hitched a bit higher as he followed behind the smaller Ahroun, not being subtle in those glances he gave her ass.
“Ain’t ta worry, doll,” he said. “I got a coat ‘r somethin’ in the van. An’ yeah, let’s meet some folks.”
He followed her to the table, pulling out a few bottles from the bag and grabbing one for himself. The cap was unscrewed and a swallow taken. “Steel Reserve… Ain’t made nothin’ cheaper that’ll fuck ya ass up quick, na’mean?”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray smiles warmly at the doctor and takes another look around at the growing number of individuals, some he even recognizes. He waves briefly to Indira and Marni, before turning back to Imogen. “I’m quite well, I’ve been quite busy. It is good to see you here but I have to admit…I didn’t expect to see you.” He doesn’t say it like her being there is a bad thing, just a fact.
He glances over at the table where the contributions are being piled and he pulls up his cooler and taps it with a grin. “Well I had better make my contributions, they are going to want to get these on the grill fast.”
He gives Imogen a quick wave and moves to the table, where he deposits and opens the cooler, revealing layer upon layer of black angus steak, rib eye cut. Looking fresh and succulent from the market.
[Marni] The Spitfire arrive together, popping out of the umbra near the clearing, Indra’s hoodie bulging, as is Marni’s backpack. She grins at her sister, nudging her shoulder with her own as they stop by the tables first and unpack their loot – most of it still in the packages, because some people frown on three day old sandwiches from the 7-11 dumpster. No Marni, of course, as them is some good eats – but some folks find fault in a lot of silly things.
Once unloaded, she stashes her pack under the table, and turns to see who all is here – those she knows given a friendly wave.
Marni’s like a puppy – all exuberance and fun, and ya can’t help but smile back. A wink for Indira. “Ooooooooh Ray’s here. Might get me some… spring time renewin’ after all.”
[Kemp Oates] He was a tall drink of water, towering over most. And right then he was looking Adrian over like he found a cousin he didn’t know about.
“I’m Kemp….ya know Kora?”
For a moment his attention flicked towards Ray as he began to speak to Imogen. If he had been in lupus, his ears would of been flicking every which way to keep up with all the people moving around.
[Echo Quinn] The No Moon sets herself up on a table somewhere near the alcohol; pops open the tab on her first beer can of the evening, and sets about embracing the changing season in her own fashion; that being copious consumption of beer. She toasts any that come near, and then sets about lounging in the manner only a long-limbed Ragabash can.
It won’t be long before the Sentinels are playing drinking games, again.
[Imogen Slaughter] She makes a faint sound of amusement deep in her throat, “It’s not particularly my style o’ party, no.”
Ray moves off to drop off his high quality steaks. The slight kinwoman moves to the alcohol, plucking a beer from a bucket of snow.
Echo toasts her, and Imogen casts her a glance, lifting the beer – not in a return toast but in wry gesture.
“Got a bottle-opener, do you?” she enquires, her eyes moving briefly toward the wolf, then back again1
[Imogen Slaughter] -1 +. (oi)
[Going Down] “Dude brought steak, makes him okay in my book,” Indira says, with a look in the Kin’s direction. And, well, normally that look might be of another variety, but Marni is her sister, and that dictates a certain kind of behavior.
“Lotta fuckin’ people here, huh,” is her other, not so astute observation. The Ahroun is all smiles, flashing a big open grin toward the other people there at the bonfire, even the ones she doesn’t know. She reaches for a beer, gives Marni a shoulder nudge and adds, “I’m gonna go say hi ta people. You bring Ray back, don’ keep me up too late, huh?”
[Annie Taylor] “That’s Marni and Indira,” she says, indicating them when she notices them – they get smiles, of course. “That’s . . . Grace, I think? Cub. And I don’t know anyone else.”
That’s it for now, and she stays by Danny – not shy, exactly, but close to it. And she watches, and listens, especially when people think she isn’t.
[Trent Brumby] Trent makes his way in. A black peacoat, jeans, hiking boots and a watch cap is suitable for the terrain and the weather. Spare ribs were wrapped up in a bag in one hand and beer for the other, as he carried both in pausing at the clearing to look over the varied people gathered, hoping there’s some familiar faces around.
[Marni] “Fuck yeah. Hell, you should tap a piece of that too sometime before some jealous little wench puts a chastity belt on him – the view from his apartment is AMAZING. and don’t EVEN get me started on the POOL…” Marni, you see, doesn’t do jealousy. And she shares. It’s all about the free love, baby…
“Cool, Annie made it- who’s the dude with her?” Then Indira’s moving on, and Marni slaps at her playfully, chuckling. “A POOL woman, he has a POOL…” She winks at her sister, and then makes her way over to Ray.
“Hey there… Didn’t think I’d see you here… Not that I’m complaining…”
[Adrian Sandenberg] “…..the Jarl,” he says, indicating that he’s heard of the man before at least. “Yes, I know Kora. She’s a good friend to have.”
He doesn’t touch Ethan, doesn’t so much as look the older kin’s way as far as anyone can tell, and he bears up under the Rotagar’s rage quite well if not exactly easily. He is polite and respectful, but not completely submissive. He stands at his full 6’1, and his eyes fall just below Kemp’s own.
“She’s mentioned that I should meet you.”
[Danny Germaine] “Ain’t knowin’ no one else,” he said to her. ” ‘Nless Analog King shows up. Hopin’ he does – I don’t wanna be the only black man at this thing. Y’all white folks get crazy when ya get drunk.” Annie goes about pointing people out to him – Marni and Indira get a lift of his chin if they take notice of the Ragabash.
Likewise Danny stays close to Annie. A bit protective of the Ahroun, he might be. Yes, she was a Full Moon and likely could kick ass and take names with the best of them, but the way Danny grew up? Women were usually the first ones to get targeted. It’s too ingrained in his make-up to not look after the women. No, they weren’t weak damsels in distress, but that’s just how he was.
A hand brushed against the front of his hoody, which covered the 9mm tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Yeah, he didn’t need it here, but it was always good to be a little safe. Never knew what could happen out here in the woods. Rogue bears or some crazy-ass deer.
[Going Down] Indira turns a smirk in Marni’s direction, which rapidly becomes something incredulous when the other girl says that yes, Ray has a -pool,- a symbol of untold wealth. “Holy shit. Guess I’ll have ta drop myself by his office soon,” she says, cracking the cap off of her beer.
Her sister gets a wave as Marni makes her way off toward Ray, at which point Indira turns her attention to the others. She notices Annie, had when Marni drew her attention, and the young man she’s with, and then makes her way over.
“Hey, Annie, who’s your frien’?” she asks, with a look and a broad grin in Danny’s direction.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray examines the steaks for a moment, counting them out in his head, hoping the thirty or so steaks would suffice, Garou could be ravenously hungry sorts when the mood strikes them.
He leaves the steaks, hoping they are enough and heads for the mountain of booze that was slowly accumulating. He just reaches in and pulls out a beer of some sort and cracks it open. He cheers Echo with a irresistible laugh and a clink of drinks before taking a swig. He knows how to drink when it comes to it.
When he catches Indira looking in her direction, he waves and winks at her, laughter still writ upon his face. He then gives Marni a wink as well. The man wasn’t hear to be shy thats for sure.
[Echo Quinn] The brunette with the pixie-cut straightens a little when the redheaded Doctor inclines her bottle at her; the Ragabash digs beneath her body in a pocket and pulls out a bottle opener, passing it over. Then, sitting upright, End Transmission’s legs dangle off the edge of the table as she surveys the growing crowds.
Her dark eyes pass over many familiar faces; find some new ones and study them without censure; or any sense of shame, her interest is as bold and brassy as the girl herself is.
[Kemp Oates] A smile as wide as a Great White’s spread across his face as he stuck out his hand for Adrian to take.
“Well then, this is that time. Nice to meet ya Adrian. Kora said something about family and shit that I won’t bring up at this very moment, but I do expect ya to take her advice and come see me sometime.”
[Echo Quinn] “You should go mingle,” she says to the wolf-formed Grace at one point; grinning and gesturing with her beer so it sloshes against the side. “Don’t be a bad example like me and sit in your corner, getting shit-faced.” A burp, half-covered by a hand.
[Annie Taylor] “‘s Danny,” she says with a grin, and a hug for the taller Gnawer Ahroun – she’s that kind of girl, who dispenses hugs like candy to those who can stand to be close enough to her. “He’s from Cali, too.”
The Ragabash gets a bump with her hip (and he’d been looking at that ass – a nice, rounded little thing it is for a white-girl ass), and a smile over her shoulder.
“He’s crashing in my van for now, while he’s ‘splorin’ an’ shit. How’re you an’ Marni holding up?”
[Trent Brumby] Heading over to the tables, he’d set down the package of ribs with the rest of the meat and set about taking beers out of packaging to bury them in the cold with the other lots. He takes notice of faces around but doesn’t venture off to introduce himself, yet.
[Imogen Slaughter] “Ta,” the redhaired kinwoman replies, plucking the bottle opener from Echo’s hand and deftly removing the cap from her bottle before passing it back.
Her tea cup is left to be disposed of later, and Imogen steps away from the drinks. Trent, lingering near the meat catches her eye – and the slight woman inclines her head, briefly, in a greeting from a distance.
[Trent Brumby] He lifts a hand in one of those brief waves that’s more like a salute, or stop sign, or however someone wants to take it. A smile accompanies in, slight but there, in return to Imogen’s greeting.
[Danny Germaine] That hip-bump is responded to with a finger dug into her side, with a playful flick to said curved ass. Indira showed up and spoke to them, and Danny smiled at her. A curve of full lips, as he glanced over at Annie. “Name’s Danny “Lawless,” No-Moon G-dub. Cliath, just arrived from West LA.” he said to Indira. He almost never gave his last name, as it was a bit too trace-able.
“Grab a 40 an’ enjoy yaself,” he continued, to Annie, and a nod to Indira. “You too. I brought ‘nough. More’n the van if we need it. Good thing I aint the only one that brought drinks.”
[Marni] Her grin for her packmate is completely unrepentant, as she nods “I know how to sneak in too – we could go swimming anytime…”
Because she’s nothing if not in it for the thrill…
Then, she grins at Ray, and reaches around to grab a beer, popping the top before she finds herself a good place to cop a squat, and people watch.
[Going Down] “Ain’t been too bad,” Indira says, happily returning a hug to the other Ahroun. They’re a warm, friendly group, the Gnawer girls, more inclined to smile than not.
“Nice ta meet you, Danny,” she says, holding out a hand for him to shake. Well, not shake precisely; she expects a hand slap, a grip at the wrist from another warrior; this seems to be much more her style than the polite and civil touching of palms that usually goes with such a gesture. “Ain’t been in Chicago long myself, jus’ got here a couple months ago from Detroit. Good ta have more a the Tribe aroun’.”
He offers 40s, and she holds up the beer she’s holding already. “Maybe once I finish this.”
[Adrian Sandenberg] The hand is taken, shaken, and Adrian nods. “Of course. At your convenience – I can miss a class, or part of one, if necessary.” May as well get it done with, yeah? Though that smile does nothing to relax him when it comes out (not that he’d been obviously tense). And then, to be polite, “You know Ethan?”
Or maybe it’s to avert a bit of attention. Adrian doesn’t like being the center of it, unless he’s on a dais, giving a lecture.
[Kemp Oates] “Ya don’t do clase twenty four seven, right? So it can be done without missing anything but some sleep.”
He firmly shook the hand, then turned towards Ethan with the introduction.
“I don’t recall meeting Ethan.”
[Ethan Yates] “Hi,” Ethan says.
He lets that sit there a moment, then extends his empty right hand in an offer to shake with Kemp. He’s wearing gloves, cheap leather to keep out the cold; his left stays in the pocket of his peacoat.
“Ethan Yates. Kin to Rat. Nice to meet you.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray watches the gathered kin and True with a sense of belonging as he takes another swig off the beer. When he catches Marni’s smile in his direction he almost gets pulled in her direction, but he just waggles a finger in her direction as if to say shes naughty, and turns to look about.
He starts to head towards Indira and the group around her. Smiling as he strides up, “Evening, this is going to be one hell of a party, I’m almost…almost sad i didnt bring a camera.”
[Coraline Emerson] Just another new arrival, a face unlikely to be recognized but most already present. A tall woman, standing just a couple inches shy of six feet in her hiking boots; curved and full of figure, plain but not-unpleasant of facial features. Her blond hair swept back into a long, loose braid that curls over one shoulder, she adjusts a military issue rucksack at her back, the damned thing a little more than half her height. She’s dressed for the weather and the outdoors and she’s been in the area since last night. Roughing it is a joy. A vacation from the cloying suffocation of the city. This little event, however… suffice to say that there is a general sense of uncertainty as to what to expect here.
Her Blood marks her as Silver Fang kin, for those who can tell. But the Breeding is relatively dim – especially for her Tribe – and it probably wouldn’t be a fellow Kin’s first guess if asked to mark her lineage.
Moss-green eyes slide over the gathered, trying to pick up on faces through the dance and lick of firelight, while she finds some unobtrusive place to lay down her burden.
[Annie Taylor] “Ain’t old enough,” she says with a smirk when Danny suggests she grab a beer – sure, no one’s going to ask here, but no one’s ever seen her have a drink yet. Or a smoke, for that matter. She seems to be a clean living sort of girl, which is probably something to do with the letter jacket and all its ribbons, letters and numbers. Sure, she’s capable of it, has been around other jocks who do it, but that doesn’t mean she does. “You really wanna contribute to the delinquency?”
[Kemp Oates] He took Ethan’s hand, shook it and murmured his name.
“Kemp Oates.”
All this hand shaking biz was new for him and outside his normal comfort zone, but you couldn’t exactly sniff asses and offer your own in a situation involving Kin.
[Marni] She laughs, and sticks her tongue out at Ray as he moves toward Indira instead. She clearly doesn’t mind as she takes a long swallow from her beer, and then hops up to grab one of them steaks before they’re discovered and gone. She grabs a plate, a steak, and then goes to show it to the grill in open threat that she COULD leave it on there until it’s burnt to a crisp… but oh, she won’t. Not even close…
But she does at least brown the sides and let it warm through.
[Going Down] “I ain’t old enough either, an’ I do it,” Indira says to Annie. “I figure we’re old enough ta go out killin’ the Wyrm, we’re old enough ta have a beer.” Nevermind that she was drinking long before her First Change.
[Danny Germaine] “Shit, I ain’t old enough either.” You think Danny got that beer for free? Pays to know a guy who knows a guy. Eyes flick over to Echo. “Who’s that?”
“Yeah I figured Chitown was a good place to stop. Was thinkin’ of going all the way to New York, but shit that’s a long as walk and I got here on foot, ya digg? Can’t say as my feet wasn’t hurtin’ somethin’ fierce.”
[Going Down] “Long fuckin’ walk,” is her sympathetic comment to Danny. “Better place ta be than New York anyway.”
And, for Ray, with a big grin, “I figure get a bunch a my kind aroun’ an’ drinkin’ together an’ you’ll probably be happy you don’t got one. How’re you?” She turns to face the Kin.
[Gina McClaren] *You’d assume with all the people she knew, she’d be able to catch a ride on time. A smelly trucker named Jonesy and a long hour in the cab of double stacked semi, and the tinkling of charms announce Gina’s arrival. As does cursing and the smell of something truly delicious from the cardboard box she’s struggling with from the parking area, bottles clanking from the satchel at her hip. She’s weebling. She’s wobbling. But she hasn’t fallen down. Yet.*
Jaysus! Little Fookin help here?!
*That voice, that accent, that swearing. The pikey had arrived.*
[Ray Ostermann] Bonfires don’t have a age of majority, if you can get the beer open…you can drink it.” He comments to Danny and Annie before returning Indira’s wide grin.
“I’m doing quite well, how have you been since you and Marni attempted to help relieve me of that burden that particular night?”
[Echo Quinn] The pair of Sentinels are sitting on and around one of the tables by the alcohol, likely laughing and jostling one another, perhaps trying to see which of them can crush a beercan with their bare hands — Gaia only knew when you left them to their own devices. At some point after Danny is asking who Echo Quinn is — she’s nudging Joey and pointing at the food, making eating gestures.
The Fenrir nods, and the Fostern begins to stroll toward the steaks and plates and whatever else is laid out. Then — Gina is yelling and the Glass Walker, quirking one brow — deviates from her plotted course and jogs over to unburden the Kinswoman. “Yo, Gina. Gimmie some of those.”
[Grace] Little Fookin help here?!
Grace turned and ran in the direction of the sound, though admittedly she didn’t quite know what female meant aside from needing help. An attempt to help, but soon enough she’s starting to try and shift up to help. Though, it seems Echo has it, so the would-be Fianna stays in her breed form. Head cocked to the side, tail slowly swishing.
[Coraline Emerson] A hard accent to miss: Her lips curve slightly, one remembers their little savior with fondness, of course. She turns towards Gina’s direction, ready to turn and jog over to help but two women [more] beat her to it, so instead she tugs once at her braid [for luck or sanity or a little jolt of bravery or.. whatever] and makes her way over to the food tables, bot to follow her nose – as it were – and check to see if the folks at Brotherhood had gotten her own contributions out as arranged.
[Iona McNevin] She had spent the morning at the empty ironworks working on her new project Edward had asked for. But now it was time to let loose and have some fun – the Fianna way. The old Chevy that sounded like it was on its last leg, pulled into the lot and died a minute or so after she had turned it off and gotten out of the truck. It ended in a loud gunshot sound of a backfire. Iona went around to the back o the truck and grabbed a small box that held 6 bottles of Midleton Irish Whiskey, her favourite drink. Then she headed for the bonfire.
She was casually dressed now, after having gone home to shower and change. She was wearing a white Celtic tunic type shirt, with green trimming in celtic tribal embroidary. A pair of light blue jeans tucked into knee high Docs. Her hair was done nicely, and just only a touch of makeup.
[Trent Brumby] There’s women helping a woman, so Trent stays out of the way. He stands alone, hands in pockets, and seemingly content to watch. He’s near enough to the tables of food and the beer, near enough to nod to Coraline with a light smile and silent greeting. His eyes are pale gray, quiet but kind – a contrast to his gruff demeanor.
[Annie Taylor] “Well then, I guess I’ll have to have one.” Not because of peer pressure (of course not! Annie has enough . . . will . . . no, really it’s because everyone else is doing it), but because she wants to. Or something. “But only one! Can’t be drunk in case a wrestling match comes up or something.”
She’s teasing, light, amused, and gets one of those beers – big, compared to her. She’s a tiny little thing, is Annie.
[Going Down] “Figure you heard abou’ it from Marni, but Max took off an’ we can’t find him, but other than that I ain’t been too bad,” Indira tells Ray, sipping from her bottle. “Ain’t been anything that’s tried ta kill me yet.”
Gina yells, and it draws her attention – she knows the pikey’s voice, and likes her – but there are some other Garou already jogging in that direction to help. Annie announces her intentions of going to get a beer and it earns a laugh and a slap on the shoulder from the other Ahroun, nudging her toward the table.
[Gina McClaren] Thank Christ fer yer strong arms darlin.
*Mischief and warmth blossom in a smile as the Owl-kin gladly lets Echo take the box of samosas off her hands, pikey’s attention going to the satchel full of booze that hung heavily from her shoulder. Fantastic. Nothing was broken. She trots along side the ragabash to the food table, all switching hips and swishing hair. Muttering halfheartedly as she goes.*
Ah swear, these bloody pastries put on twenty fookin pounds ‘atween the highway an’ here.
*A wolf stirs in Gina’s peripheral, getting a quick wary glance. Coraline however, gets the full 1000 watt smile, schnapps lifted and wagged teasingly as the distance between strider kin and silverfang kin closes.*
Liquid courage darlin. Could ye use a shot? AH sure as hell could. Me skins crawlin aft me jubbly bits aulready, an ets nae even midnight.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray nods his face briefly solemn at the mention of Max disappearing. “Yes she did, I am sorry for that, I hope yout two manage to stick together regardless however, you two are quite a pair. A dangerous and well…from what I’ve been told “He pauses a roguish smile crossing his lips. “Very entertaining pair at that.”
He takes another swig of his beer, getting through the first beer a little fast, infact very fast. Tonight might be an interesting night.
[Adrian Sandenberg] There’s relief, yes, at not being the center of attention, but then Adrian feels bad for making Ethan so. He shrugs, points at the food in front of him (since they haven’t made it far from the table. “I came from South Africa originally,” he says, explaining the more exotic smells. “My mum used to make things like that for us. There’s vetkoek, bredie, bobotie and yellow rice. You should try them, if you’re hungry.”
Because Garou always are, right? And the foreign words roll off of the kinsman’s tongue more easily than English does, sometimes, as if he’d been born speaking it. Or at least as if it was his first language (which it was).
[Going Down] He says they’re an entertaining pair. Indira’s response is a grin and a comic waggle of her eyebrows. Her face sobers after that, though, after she’s raised her bottle again. “Yeah, we’re gonna stick wi’ each other. Marni’s good people. Keeps me on my toes an’ shit.”
[Iona McNevin] She finally comes into view and looks about. There are a few here she knows. Most she doesn’t. She heads for where she sees the food and drink go and drops off the case of whiskey. One bottle she grabs for herself.
Then she moves quietly near the bonfire and finds a place to sit, just watching who is here and who is not.
[Coraline Emerson] Trent’s silent greeting is returned in kind at first; her own smile light but honest, her nod succinct. She bears herself well, this woman: Not with aloofness or a dancers grace, but with a subconscious sense of her own abilities. The kind you get when you’ve had to push your body to the limit and come out with a contented understanding of one another: Body and mind. “Hullo.” Her alto voice easy, her accent a sonorous cross between well-educated British and something rooted in Dutch.
The pikey pistol heads her way, waving liquid courage and Coraline grins, toothy but mellow, laughter in the crinkle of her eyes before she rolls them with subdued lament. “Wish I could, but I’m off the drink these days… d’you need a jacket, then, meme? I’ve an extra in my pack…” Thumbing int he direction of the deposited rucksack.
[Marni] Her steak perfectly frightened of the grills heat, she slaps it back on her plate, then peruses the table and goes about piling her plate high – because SOMETHING tell her she might need her energy tonight. Annie hopes for a wrestling match, and hell, what’s a garou party without a rumble or two?
Her plate piled precariously high, she grabs another beer and finds herself a spot to sit and chow down.
[Imogen Slaughter] A fire burns steadily, hissing as snow falls into the flames. Imogen has eschewed further conversation to stand near it, the heat seeping through her clothing. She has a cigarette in one hand, a beer in another.
She has no food – and likely no intention of any of it.
(comes back to life after dinner)
[Ray Ostermann] Ray laughs, that deliciously infectious laugh as he goes to finish the beer before nodding at Indira’s words despite her sober look. “She seems to like to do that to everyone, if it wasnt for the steaks i strategically placed over by the grills I think she might have jumped me by this time. But…I don’t have to worry about that from you do?” He asks, almost suggesting she does.
[Trent Brumby] “Hello Miss,” he returned the greeting to Coraline, sounding nothing but American. Last place to leave trace in his accent would be Seattle, nothing too obvious. There’s plenty of foreigners in the city. Sometimes he had a hard time making out what they were saying – especially Gina, to whom he had nodded politely at, too.
[Kemp Oates] “Er, thanks.”
Given to Adrian before he started off. No way he was going to eat things he couldn’t pronounce, he’d had more than his share of weird food before. He nodded to both Adrian and Ethan before stepping away.
“I look forward to a more in-depth meeting Adrian.”
[Going Down] “Nah, if I’m coming for you I’ll let ya know,” Indira says, folding her arms across the front of the black hoodie she’s wearing and finding a tree to lean back against. She’s wiry and solid, an athlete, always moving in bursts of barely contained energy. There’s a quick glance over in Marni’s direction, just checking to make sure her packmate is still around.
“She says you got a pool, though. May have ta drop by an’ see for myself.”
[Edward Bellamonte] Edward is there. Not immediately, not when Coraline arrives, but not long behind her either. There’s time for her to greet Gina and Trent, to refuse a drink, and then there’s a Ragabash, a beacon of Silver Fang breeding, making his way into the clearing, all suited, though he’s dispensed with the tie for this. He makes his way unerringly towards his kinswoman, and she finds a hand in the small of her back shortly after she realizes he’s there.
[She’s good at noticing him, though, even when he doesn’t want to be noticed. Now, he’s not sneaking, but just quiet. Somehow lighter.]
“Hello, Cherie. You’re well, I hope.” Gina gets a smile and a nod, as does Trent, and Edward’s accent (or lack thereof) is mostly high class New York City, with hints of Chicago and France.
[Gina McClaren] *Cora was declining the offer of butterscotch schnapps. That was a damned tragedy. Still Gina supposed it simply meant more for her, and the ghoulish rotagar, if the chancer made an appearance. Harder to get ahold of than snot, that beast. Cora gets an easy grin.*
Nae darlin, Ah’m warm enough. There’ll be a monster oor tae here soon enough tae keep me warm, effen ah need et, ah’m certain.
*A cheeky wink, and she’s tearing the foil cap off her schnapps with her teeth, wiggling her fingers at Trent and singing hello. Or what sounds like its probably a greeting anyway.*
Mallo Larves.
*She leans a rounded hip against the table already laden with food, making sure her samosa’s have made it for general consumption, and not been spirited away somewhere. A cheery wave and jingle of bangles to Kemp as he approaches, pikey still engaged in a battle with foil. Edward getting a look that tries for pleased and settles on wry.*
[Ray Ostermann] “You are welcome to any time, My condo is open to you.” He says with a smile before shaking his empty beer can and frowning. “Well that went woefully fast, Time for a refill would you for one Indira?” He asks gesturing to the mountain of booze near by.
[Coraline Emerson] “Coraline.” Back to Trent then, holding out one gloved hand made salt and pepper with the light falling snow. Her tone, her expression… no, not some beacon of charm and social ease like Gina, but earnest in its own down-to-earth manner.
Edward is there then, almost sly enough in his approach to catch her completely unawares; but a heartbeat before his hand finds the small of her back she is turning to look over her shoulder, un-alarmed [this time]. Magnetism. “Gotcha.” Is her greeting. Warmth.
Back to Gina , then, who gets a bit of a startled look when she mentions keeping warm with the aid of monsters, her immediate mental image… unnerving. It clears then and she chuckles. “Whatever works, meme.” The looks the petite pikey gives Edward is not missed – it is also not understood. But Coraline says and does nothing there [none of her business] and she arches an eyebrow in query then to those about: “So.. what’s the general way of things at these bonfires? Just drunk and disorderly or.. I don’t know… games? Game-craft? Fiddles and clogging? Mud-wres– Oh dear fuck! Samosa’s!”
Once discovered – happily, obviously – she helps herself.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *To slum. To step outside (below) one’s social position and fraternize with those of a lesser caste. The slender silverfang socialite arrives on the scene with a crate of wine held easily in one hand. She’s dressed impeccably, yet practically. A chocolate brown pant suit, and a rose grey coat. All tailored, all lovely. Put together with the care and lack of creativity of one who finds fashion a tool, rather than a joy. Those she knows get respectful nods. Kemp a tilt of her head. Ah, the rude man was a garou. that made a good deal more sense now, the trueborn in Chicago were nearly all savages to date. One of the reasons the fang kin had been so hesitant to participate in this gathering. Wine is set on the booze table as Fabienne Marie Bartelle surveys her surroundings.*
[Going Down] “Yeah, maybe one a the 40s,” Indira says, with a look toward the table, piled high as it is with alcohol and food. She’s giving a look toward the steaks, though, eying them. “Actually, I’m gonna get some a the food before it gets cold,” she says.
Then she begins walking toward the table, slowly enough that Ray can walk with her if he likes. She’s taking stock of everyone else that’s gotten here, grinning at all of the newcomers with a pleased sort of enthusiasm. “I’ll make sure an’ crash your condo soon, Ray. You’ll prob’ly be sorry you invited me.” Another smile, this one teasing and playful.
[Lonna Larson] She liked the bonfires, and this time she had actually come and brought what was important. Lonna brought booze. Or, rather, Lonna brought beer. Good beer, too. But that, however, was not as important ast hte fact that she came prepared to be a little chilly.
Attire was decidedly comfortable. Jeans, rain boots, some jacket that was relatively warm. The color scheme and the entirety of it wasn’t quite important. lonna was in a coat and relatively warm. And there were people. It was a good day.
[Iona McNevin] Her eyes settled on one person, and she sighed, a bit of a smile as she him. She cracked open the bottle and took a long guzzle from it. She was now wondering if she brought enough booze, and if there was enough brought by others. She ignored the cold, and laid back near the fire, letting that keep her warm. Well that and the booze she was starting to pour down her system.
[Adrian Sandenberg] “I’ll see you soon, Kemp.”
And then the Rotagar is departing their company. Adrian is done fussing with dishes and gives Ethan a look, to gauge his interest in goings on. “I know Trent,” he says, of people to possibly talk to, “and have met Gina at the meetings. I know Marni, too, and Indira was . . . at a thing.”
At the thing where he’d lost his study group, in fact – but there, he has people to say hi to.
“We can split, if you like, and meet back up when it’s time to go.”
[Edwin Morr] It was hard to say when exactly the figure appeared from the darkness… Hard to say just when exactly the space that used to be simple night air formed into the apparition of Edwin Morr… Hard to say just how long he had been there, and to what conversations he’d been privy.
Whatever the case, Edwin seems to snap into being… The effects of the gift disappearing suddenly and without warning as he appears amidst the throng, near the edge of the bonfire’s light. He had used his typical tricks to approach; the blurry and indistinct form stealing across the darkness like a wraith. And then, when convinced it was safe enough or desirable to let others see him, Edwin discarded his tricks in favor of something less blatantly dishonest.
So there he stood, at the edge of the bonfire, black baseball cap with the embroidered Fox Racing logo pulled low upon his brow… His hand fetching a beaten metal flask of something exceedingly alcoholic from the interior pocket of a brown denim work coat.
As always… His grin was lopsided, troublesome by its very nature, even as shaded eyes consider the bonfire before him.
[Trent Brumby] “Trent.” He shook Coraline’s hand lightly, his own warm from where it had been shoved into his pocket for most of the night. He nods also to Edward with a small smile, retreating from them and giving more space as they begin their conversation.
He takes to watching others and how they all seemed familiar in one way or another. It was nice, that.
[Edwin Morr] ((Whoops… Forgot to post my rolls for that. I put them together to avoid cluttering the room.
Edwin Morr
Sat 9:00 pm
Roll valid
to Edwin Morr
((BotME))
Dice Rolled:[ 10 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 8)
Edwin Morr
Sat 9:02 pm
Roll valid
to Edwin Morr
((Houdini trick with woods modifier))
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 2, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)
))
[Ray Ostermann] Ray chuckles as he snags a forty and another beer, tossing the forty to Indira as they stride over to the steaks. “Maybe I will, but…at the same time maybe I will welcome the company, or at least the resulting mess?” He smiles as he looks over the steaks, glad they were being gobbled up.
He then looks over at Iona as she takes a long swig of her Whiskey and he sighs ruefully as he watches her. “If you will excuse me Indira, I think i see someone who needs one of these.” He says as he picks up one of the cooked steaks on a plate and steps towards Iona.
[Ethan Yates] “That’s fine,” Ethan says, pushing his hands back into his pockets. “I’ll meet back up with you when you’re ready to leave?”
[Kemp Oates] When he spotted Fabienne it was all he could do not to grab his crotch and do something rude. Instead the smile he gave her was like the cat who ate the canary. Though he made no attempt whatsoever to go near the woman. Instead he was edging away from the clearing towards the deeper shadows.
[Jesmond Krutova] At some point a little later into the bonfire, when the fires are burning and the crowd swollen a solitary figure marks her trek toward the gathering in a dark coat, knitted together at the waist with a belt. There are thick, seasonal boots housing her feet and her hands are gloved against the chill. Drifts of snow fall against hair almost black against all that white. Her coat has a hood; but it is pushed half back off the crown of Jesmond Krutova’s head as she reaches the peak of the hill and pauses.
Adjusts a heavy dish covered in foil in her arms and moves into the crowds, seeking out the table set with various kinds of food and carefully setting her own — somewhat more refined perhaps than steak — offering down. She peels back a corner of the foil, and steam rolls out, bringing with it the scents of freshly cooked herbs. It is not simply pie, her subtle smile will offer any who venture glances; it is her mother’s traditional lasagna, and it is there for any who perhaps wish something more substantial to eat.
[Going Down] Indira grins and accepts the 40 from Ray, cracking it open and busying herself at the table, piling a plate high with as much as she can take from the table. The South African food gets a slightly suspicious look and a poke, but in the end, it joins her plate with the rest. What sort of Gnawer would she be to turn down food?
With a wave toward the Kin, she’s off to sit and people watch and work her way through the plate in front of her.
[Iona McNevin] Her eyes we up to the sky, the clouds, the few broken areas that hinted of stars beyond. So she didn’t see his approach. Her head would only lift when she wanted a guzzle of her whiskey. She hummed softly, a lullabye her mom would sing to her when she was a child. The words in her mind, a fluid Irish melody.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *Fabienne raises her chin to Kemp as he grins a devils grin. Spine stiffening, though the quirk of lips she gives back is nothing if not insufferably polite. Bland even. If he was only going to leer from afar, she was quite fortunate he stay away from her. That small blessing given, the Silverfang kin raises a hand in greeting to Edward.*
[Lonna Larson] The first thing that came out of her mouth was a sharp- “OI! Gina!”
It was something she didn’t sa often, or at all, really, but the Child of Gaia called out and her voice carried. She gave a wave, back and forth, a smile on her face and she went to go put away whatever goods she had brought. There were people everywhere, mingling and interacting and doing whatever it is that people do at large gatherings like this. It made Lonna smile, the rather lovely woman was pleased.
[Adrian Sandenberg] There’s the very briefest of subtle [hidden] touches, and a nod. “Enjoy yourself,” he says, and goes his own way as Ethan goes his. There are people to say hello to, yes, and he starts with Trent. “Hallo,” he says, quiet but not soft – there’s very little about Adrian that’s soft.
[Ray Ostermann] Iona’s view of the sky is suddenly obstructed by Ray’s upper torso and he looks down at her with a shake of his head. “Get up and socialize you silly woman.” He chuckles as he cants his head. “And eat something, I brought you steak. Have some fun…don’t just drink.”
[Iona McNevin] Her eyes switched and she smirked. “Och, there is nuthing wrong with drinkin’. If I remember, tha’ is how we met?” Another smirk as she slowly sat up and held out her hand for the plate. “Ye look good, love. It’s nice ta be seein’ ye out o’ a suit.”
[Marni] Marni’s gaze sweeps from side to side, people watching, watching how they interact with each other, catching Ray and Indira’s grins as they banter, and grinning in return. Se continues eating her way through the pile of food on her plate, as she watches the ShadowLord make his way to the Fianna, and when – if – Iona looks up and in her direction, Marni waggles her fingers in a little grinning wave, before her gaze moves onward…
[Mama Ankle-Biter] She sits on the edge of a bonfire, lost in a group of people that carouse and socialize, like there was never the looming threat of a war. There was plenty of food and alcohol to go around, but one little Gnawer hadn’t touched much of the beer. Her belly full of food, nostrils flaring to breath in the different delicious smells of delicacies that were brought by the different kin.
Voice rumble around her, drifting in and out of her thoughts. She’s barely noticeable. Small and compact, huddled up in a big leather coat with pale fake fur trimming the wide sleeves and hood. Brightly colored stockings peeking out of the rolled up pant legs of her jeans, and combat boots. A hideous tye-dye wool sweater swallows up her small body just under the coat.
[Trent Brumby] When Adrian approaches him, he smiles and offers out his hand to shake. “Adrian, it’s good to see you.” He means what he says, and keeps his voice low. “How are you?” After shaking hands, it went back into his pocket again. It was cold out after all and he wasn’t wearing gloves. He did have on his watch cap, so that was something.
[Gina McClaren] *Gina chuckles, pointing out the different types of samosas (pork,veg, and dessert) to an enthusiastic Cora, as Schnapps are liberated from their foil captor and sampled in excess. Edward’s presence is something unwelcome, and as it seems Cora’s in his care and not left to wander lost amongst the monsters gathered, the pikey singsongs gently.*
Ah’m gintae – Och christ!
*Lonna hollers, and Gina bounces on her heels, a wave to those she’s leaving as she half bounds towards the fire. Grin out in force as the little woman makes to loop an arm around her friend.*
How are ye, scarlet woman?
*A yelp of pleasure at the appearance of the no good scoundrel in their midst. Gina whirling Lonna around and pointing at Edwin Morr.*
Looks like we’ve found teh worst o’ company.
*From her tone, it would seem like thats a very good thing, a laughing wave to the Bogeyman.*
[Ray Ostermann] He laughs and shakes his head. Your right, nothing wrong with drinking but all these people are here to say hi, and meet others. You should do the same.” He suggests as he hands her the plate. “Its what I plan on doing.”
He cracks his beer and takes a hefty swig, his cheeks are already red, apparently beer does not really work well with his system as hes already feeling it but he doesn’t seem to care. “you eat that…and then go say hi to someone you’ve never said hi to.”
[Iona McNevin] She pulled the plate down and smiled. “Only if’n ye give me a kiss.”
[Edward Bellamonte] Edward’s presence is unwelcome and he recognizes that – he leans in and down a bit to murmur in Cora’s ear before pulling back, moving away from the assembled kin. After giving Lonna a large, genuine smile the likes of which she may never have witnessed from him. “Hey, you,” he says to the Child of Gaia kin. “It’s been a while.”
[Edwin Morr] It was hard to ignore when people were pointing at you. It was even harder to ignore when the people pointing were women like Gina and Lonna. Shaded eyes and a grin that drips trouble turn to them, as a quiet chuckle escapes his lips.
He feigns fear for all of an instant then, and points to himself as though wholly innocent of whatever he was being charged with. Then, as the feigned fear again gives way to the troublesome grin, he nods and then starts toward the pair.
“Well, well… Ain’chew two uh sight fer sore eyes. How’s doin’, dolls?”
[Ray Ostermann] “You have bought yourself a fine deal.” He says with a wide grin, his face turning slightly redder as he kneeled down and sets down his beer momentarily so that he could kiss her by the light of the fire.
[Lonna Larson] She hugs the decidedly smaller, equally busty strider kin. It’s a rather appealing image, and they could probably make a mint selling calendars of those two being friendly. However, this was decidedly platonic hugging. She laughed a little, “continuing to be a terrible, awful influence ont he world, darling.”
She looked at Edward, lips upturned and she beamed, “hey mister, look at you all happy and such. How’re you holding up?”
The blonde then regarded Edwin and the blonde perked up immediately
“Edwin!”
[Iona McNevin] She smiled as he knelt down, and the kiss…it was passionate and loving. She touched his cheek gently then slowly she pulled from it, and smiled. “Aye, I’ll eat then be going tae meet someone. Ye win….this time.”
[Adrian Sandenberg] Adrian had been wearing gloves, and his hands are still warm from them when he shakes, though it’s obvious that this cold is something strange to him, and not all together pleasant. It gets cold in London, it’s true, but seldom as much so as this. And he certainly hadn’t spent any more time than necessary outside when it had. “I’m . . . alright, I suppose. Keeping busy – went to the range this afternoon. How about you?”
[Marni] She sees Edwin when Lonna calls his name, and she calls out from her seat by the fire. “HEY! EDWIN! Ya ever gonna give me back my blade?!”
Oh yeah, she’s figured out who took it… and how he managed it too.
[Ezra Turk] *Crack. Snap. Thump.
It was literally raining Shadowlords this evening, as Ezra tumbles the hell out of a tree near the food, upending a lasagna and narrowly rolling out of the way of a noodle monsoon. Its ok everyone. The creep escapes unscathed, with the exception of a noodle on his shoulder, which is plucked off, sniffed, and eaten as he pushes to his feet. Popping back up from behind the table. Black eyes gleam with recognition as flashes a cheshire smile to Cora and Trent. His voice a gravelled scrape.*
Well.. hey there Princess. Friend of Princess.
*As though he didn’t just fall like a crashtest dummy out of a tree.*
[Kyle] After grabbing some food and a drink, Kyle finds a spot near the fire and sits down. Absently he sits there eating with a slight smile on his face. Watching everyone as they enjoy their time together. At his side is his guitar case for later if he feels in the mood for it.
[Going Down] Indira, after she’s been chewing away for a few minutes, picks up her plate and wanders over so she can go and sit next to Mama near the fire. The wiry Ahroun seats herself, placing the plate in her lap and setting the massive can of beer down next to her foot.
“Hey, Mama. How’re you settling in?” The boy with the guitar sitting down nearby gets a big grin and a wave.
[Trent Brumby] “Working,” he replied. “I took the night off for this.” But now he’s not sure that he should have. Although it was only the start of the night and it might be entertaining later on, he still felt a little on the outside. That happened to be with the lack of his Tribe. But that’s to be expected in a city. He thought that maybe they’d come out tonight though, being that this was the woods. Never–
Ezra’s unexpected crash behind him on the food table jerks him out of his thought process and halts any conversation happening with Adrian. Trent spins a quick look over his shoulder, watching Ezra roll off and leave a trail of food behind. He glances over the man, gives a quick look to Coraline to see that she was alright, before turning back to Adrian. “Not sure I should have,” he now states it openly.
[Ray Ostermann] He snatches up his beer and goes to stand a finger wagging down at her. “Be careful, I always win Iona, even if you dont know it.” He grin’s widely as he finds his feet and stumbles just slightly.
He blinks a few times and squints down at the beer, checking the alcohol content of the beer. “Maybe i should stick to my hard liqour.” He says as he shakes his head, but turns with a wave to Iona once again and moves off looking about aimlessly as he feels the beer starting to take effect more and more.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] The little Gnawer’s head tilts up at the sight of Indira. The corners of her mouth peeling back in a wide, friendly smile. She chuckles softly, leaning forward to rest her arms on her drawn up knees.
“Doing fine, baby, just watching and listening to the people. Just thinking is all…”
[Gina McClaren] All darlin.
*Was bloody Edward following her? A quirk of an eyebrow, but she leaves the busty blonde bombshell to the flippant fang. Edwin Morr a popular fellow tonight, the pretty strider kin takes the opportunity to smooth a hand down his hip and offer him a wink.*
Schnapps darlin? Oor dae ye’ve somethen stiffer?
[Iona McNevin] She chuckled. “Light weight.” She shook her head, and watched him walk away. A light lick of her lips as feeling came back to them once more. Then she started to eat the offered food he brought her, and working on the bottle of whiskey as well.
[Going Down] “Thinkin’ ’bout what?” she asks, shoveling a large forkful of…something into her mouth. Some sort of rice and…something. That weird food that Adrian brought. It isn’t terrible though.
She leans to the side long enough to bump her shoulder into Mama’s, her perpetual grin still present. “Party’s for drinking an’ doin’ stupid shit, not thinking.”
[Edwin Morr] Lonna perks up, Edwin grins wider…
“Dat’s th’rumor… Jes’ ‘tween you’n’ me.”
Then, upon hearing Marni’s yell, Edwin fishes in his pocket for something… and pulls out something that looks like a simple handle with nothing attached. As the firelight glints, some might catch it’s remarkable likeness to a switchblade…
The shaded eyes turn to Marni, as he answers…
“Catch.”
And throws it (blade retracted) to Marni.
Then, a hand that wasn’t his own started wandering on his hip. The shaded gaze returns to Gina.
“Oh… I might jes’ have uh li’l sum’in’ handy.”
He holds out the flask, offering it to Gina.
“Have uh sip.”
Whatever it was, it was highly alcoholic. And judging by the overly sweet smell from within the metal flask, corn whiskey…
[Jesmond Krutova] The brunette Kinswoman of Thunder glanced over her shoulder as her dish was knocked over in the passage of a Garou, stumbling out of the trees. She doesn’t frown, but simply sets the bottled water in her hand on a table and moves to squat beside it. Carefully turning the dish over and scooping the remains back into it; prying loose twigs and leaves from the food.
There is a precision; a care to her suddenly brought upon duty that is reminiscent of a doctor tending a patient. Jesmond pushes to her feet, hands against her jean-clad thighs and looks around for a bag to dispose of her wasted foodstuff. Finding one, she tips it inside, and carefully ties it. All this without a word, before she rises, dish in hand and returns to her bottle of water, sipping from it, and warming herself near the fire.
[Coraline Emerson] She spotted samosas with obvious delight and proceeded to take a selection. True, some of her easy-manner [and momentary glutenous joy] is offset as Gina slips away; intelligent eyes slipping once more from the Pikey to the Silver Fang Ragabash, a frown forming at her brow. The expression is devoid of judgment just.. unsure quite what to do. Then Edward leans in, murmuring. She fidgets [we’ll call it that] slightly, then stills, one brow arching. A nod. She turns her own face upward, murmuring in return before he moves off.
Well, all is not lost. She does, after all, have food. Taking up her plate she’s about to move off after Gina [in terms of relative sides this would be something like a German Shepard following about after a Poodle] when… *crash*. Jolting back a step – nearly losing her coveted samosas in the process – she swears under her breath, looking up – then a little down [he’s shorter than her, you see] to Ezra. Her head cants a curiously animal gesture as if for a moment she just has no idea what to make of this man [creepy little bugger] and his sudden entrance.
Perhaps unexpectedly, what she ends up doing is laughing, softly. Slightly. “Smooth. Real smooth. Do I need t’teach you how to climb trees then?” And yes, maybe somewhere in there is.. no, not a challenge, but a bit of sporting tease. Bet I can do it better, her eyes say. As if for all the world this man didn’t have her good and trembling some nights ago.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] The shoulder bump is returned, not much strength put into the motion as Mama wasn’t the strong sort. She reaches up to run her fingers through the mess of bleach blond curls that halo a cherub face and shoulders, standing out against the black leather of her coat.
“Mama cant halp it. Gatherings like these always remind me of ol’ Moonshine. He was always quite the ladies’ man at such events, and a ham for showing off his singing voice.” She taps a hand over her breast, where her heart was. “Not easy the loss.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray moves about the group, smiling to those who would smile back, and he seems to be making his way back towards the mountain of booze. He stops briefly to sample a few different foods, he doesn’t even bother with a plate, he just picks it up and wolfs it down, apparently he was picking up bad habits from the bone gnawers.
After finding a few things to eat he moves back to the booze, this time picking up a 40 of scotch, at least this he knew how to drink, he looks over at Marni and winks at her, but doesn’t move in her direction. He just turns back to the fire and seems to stare at it for the moment.
[Lonna Larson] “You know, Edwin, I love that you come to these things prepared,” she informs him with upturned lips and a rather pleased look in her eyes.
“How’ve you been? How are you holding up?”
[Imogen Slaughter] Imogen is still by the fire, a half-burnt cigarette held between her fingers, a half finished beer in one hand. She glances up as Ray comes to stand near the fire.
“Enjoying your socialization?” she asks.
[Going Down] Indira’s brow furrows with sympathy as she looks at the other Gnawer, reaching out an arm so that she can wrap it around Mama’s shoulders and squeeze briefly. “I know it ain’t. I seen a couple frien’s go too. It really sucks. ‘Leas’ you came out here, though.”
She looks toward Kyle, there at the fire with his guitar, and then points at her plate of food. “You shoul’ get a couple drinks an’ maybe tell a story abou’ Moonshine, huh? Or do shit he’d do when he was still aroun’.”
[Marni] She holds up her hands, catching the blade easily enough, laughing. “Thanks! And next time grope a girl proper before stealing her blade, will ya?!”
Shameless, Marni. She grins an checks out the blade, making sure it’sin working order, the same as it was before she ‘lost’ it. Then, she tucks it away into her pockets, and blows Ray a little kiss – though he doesn’t move in her direction, again. She laughs, and watches him, finishing off the first of many plates of food she’ll work through tonight.
[Edwin Morr] Edwin chuckles quietly, the shaded eyes considering the pleased looking Child of Gaia kin. He winks at her and nods, his expression growing, if anything, more troublesome.
“Uh wise feller does whut he c’n, doll…
As fer me, I’m holdin’ up fair to middlin’. Though I did git uh dash uh good news lately.”
His voice drops quieter, as he whispers just loud enough to be heard by Gina and Lonna.
[Ezra Turk] *Cora didn’t spook. Much anyway. A disappointment that. Still, a pretty kin was cleaning up his mess without complaint. That was a plus. Then Cora speaks, and his twitchy attention sweeps her way again. Knobby fingers wiggle a beat against the table as the theurge leans oh so casually.*
Wasn’t the climbing that was the problem precious. Was the staying in. MmmMMMmm?
*He moves towards the Silverfang kin, sniffing at her plate – inhuman. A samosa plucked from her dish as he leans around her back to do so.*
[Ray Ostermann] It takes a moment for Ray to notice Imogen’s arrival and he turns his head sharply to behold her, an almost silly grin plastering his face as he nods lazily.
“I am…though I think those beers were a little more then advertised…that or I did not eat enough before I arrived.” He says with a chuckle as he uncorks the 40 and takes a swig of scotch a slight grimace at the sheer bite of it, not his usual sort of whisky.
“What about you?” He asks watching Imogen as she smokes, he contemplates it himself, but sticks with his scotch.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Big blue eyes crinkle up as Indira tosses an arm around the little Gnawer. She slings her arm around Indira’s shoulders, nudging her head against the other girl’s. She chuckles, glancing out over the many strange faces that make up the body of the socializing.
Her eyes following after Kyle for a bit and shrugs her shoulders. “Mama don’t think she can do that. Aint so good at sweet-talking women and they’s not really Mama’s preference.” she says with a soft laugh.
[Going Down] “Sweet talk men, then,” Indira says, laughing. “An’, you know, get up an’ sing an’ stuff.” She lifts her head, craning her neck and taking a look around. “Don’ think anybody brought music out here. Sucks, we coulda danced an’ stuff.”
She washes the taste of the odd food out of her mouth, then glances back at Mama and gives her another nudge. “Jus’ ain’t fair that you gotta come out where everybody is an’ be lonely. Don’ wanna make me sad, do you?”
[Imogen Slaughter] She shakes her head slightly, her gaze moving upward, skyward, as she fits her cigarette between her lips, and taking a drag.
“Not really my kind of party,” she says again, when she’s removed her cigarette and can speak clearly.
“The beer’s not half-bad though,” she says, lifting it up in illustration.
[Gina McClaren] *Good news. Of course it was good news. Gina’s heart should be glowing – and on some level it was. Happy for Lonna. Pleased and smiling for her friend. Yet she also felt a little uneasy suddenly. A squeeze to Lonna’s hand, Schnapps pressed on her, even as Gina liberates Edwin’s flask for another swig of something harder. She doesn’t speak, but she does chuckle and look out across the fire.*
[Coraline Emerson] She didn’t spook immediately. When he snakes around her back to sniff at and pluck food of her plate though she tenses, lips quirking in grimness at her own response – like laying out roadkill for the buzzard. Shifting about, she turns to face him, trying to keep him from her back. “Apparently, y’eh. It must be the oiliness.” His trouble with the tree, that is.
[Kyle] Finishing off the food on his plate, Kyle lets out a contented sigh. It had been a few days since he’d had a decent meal so it’s no surprise he’s feeling a lot better. Picking up the beer from beside him he sips it as he looks around. That constant smile always on his face.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] She inclines her head in a small bobbing motion, eyes shutting as she laughs a little harder, her smile growing a bit more wider. Shoulders shaking under her coat, she reaches up to absently twirl a frizzy blond curl around her fingers.
“Sweet talk men!” She snorts out, warm breath rushing out in a soft white plume. “Mama aint got no time for men… they’s the worst creatures to try and figure out – them two-legged ones. Wolf ways are easy ways, simple ways. When the seasons right and birds are singing and the bees’ humming, child, ya gitcher ‘self out into them woods and shake loose ya fur… the wild sings yar blood when it’s matin’ time.”
She waves a hand at her face as cheeks flush with color and winks at Indira.
[Ray Ostermann] “No??” He asks a hint of curiosity in his voice as he glances sidelong at Imogen. “Then what is? A quiet gathering? A trip to the pub? A light conversation in a lounge?” He offers up a few possibilities as he seems to imagine them.
[Ezra Turk] ooooOooo.. Keep those claws in kitty.. I hear the declawing process..
*He’s grinning, entirely pleased and 100% vicious as he circles to Cora’s front like a short, wild haired shark. Snapping his teeth on a Samosa and chuckling lowly.*
….is painful.
*Food sucked off his fingers one at a time, before Ezra sniffs and looks around.*
So. Where’s your mate precious?
[Imogen Slaughter] Her eyebrow cocks up, her mouth twisting a little.
“What difference does it make?”
[Edward Bellamonte] Edward hadn’t made it far, and when he sees another Garou circling his mate in such a fashion, it brings him in closer, protective. Whether or not he’d heard the question asked, the answer is the same. “I am right here,” he says plainly, without ire, but the intent is clear. Mine, says everything about his posture, his tone. “Ezra, wasn’t it? It’s good to see you again.”
[Ray Ostermann] “None….but you continually peek my interest and my curiosity.”
He says with a shrug before taking another drink.
“Does sharing such a minor detail bother you?”
[Going Down] Indira lets out a good, long laugh at this. It comes from somewhere deep within her chest, bubbling outward, brash and raucous. She flashes a big, amused grin in Mama’s direction, particularly once she sees the wink, the way the other girl blushes.
“Monkey ways ain’t so different. ‘Specially if you’re in a bar or somethin’ like that. This one time, I’d had like six fuckin’ beers an’ a frien’ of mine talked me inta goin’ aroun’ an’ tryin’ bad pickup lines ta see if it’d work. Didn’ take very long. Jus’ gotta make people laugh an’ have fun.”
She takes a sip from the huge bottle, giving Kyle a wave as though to invite him into the conversation, just sitting there with his guitar as he is.
[Imogen Slaughter] “No,” she answers mildly, “people’s idle curiosity does.”
She pitches her cigarette into the fire, exhaling her last breath of smoke and poison into the air.
“In either case, it’s not the genre, really, it’s the participants.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] The Gnawer’s head tilts at an angle, sideways, cheek nearly brushing against one shoulder as she follows Indira’s gaze. The other Gnawer’s words sliding into one ear and stopping just short of rolling out the other as Mama listens. It is what she does best.
Her eyes fall on Kyle, running up and down the length of him. She clucks her tongue against the back of her teeth like some Mother Hen and shakes her head. Frizzy blond curls bouncing off her shoulders to tickle along her cheeks. Her right hand outstretched to indicate Kyle’s shape, using her index finger to point and draw his outline in the air.
“Now see he looks fine, maybe healthy, kinda hard to say. A bit on the thing side and a bit tall. Might just be yar type, baby. Ya should definitely go talk to him, maybe ya gitcha groove on eh?” Gently nudging Indira’s side.
[Ezra Turk] Oh there he is.
Hello hello hello…….
*His head ducks. Half an instant of submission and no more given to the Fang ragabash. Grovel while in front of them, snarl from behind. It was a philosophy that kept a bastard alive. … And accounted for his dishonorable standing in the nation. The grin he gives Edward is pure malice behind buggy eyes and sharp teeth, pale theurge tapping a beat on a beer he’s now picking up.*
[Going Down] Indira nods, giving Mama’s opposite shoulder a pat as she sets the now empty plate aside. “You gonna be okay?”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin stands, more or less stock still, nodding only periodically as he converses with the kinfolk before him. Shaded eyes moving, every so often, to consider the area without the quiet little group as he searches for would be eavesdroppers.
[Fabienne Bartelle] *Fabienne makes an appearance. Smiles, says hello to those she knows. Offers wine to those who are looking for something less harsh, and the Silverfang kin who’s all breeding and little personality – offers a ride home to anyone who might not have another way to get back.*
[Coraline Emerson] The tension in her form momentarily redoubles: The urge to strike or the urge to back away… or, hell, the urge to stuff the rest of the food into her mouth before Ezra snatches those away, too. It could be any of those, it could be all. Either way clearly her comfort level is dropping at a steady rate. “He’s–” Right there. Edward’s arrival should make her feel better – on some level it does. Given the clenching of her jaw it might also jab at her pride, too. Edward’s words are mild, his stance possessive. Ezra is… well, Ezra. She steadies herself and offers up, deliberately mild. “Ezra and I were just chatting about tree climbing.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] She nudges Indira along, waving hands at her. “Go, baby, shoo! Mama be fine.”
[Ray Ostermann] He laughs again before shaking his head. “You are a cool one Dr. Slaughter, but I understand. But know that some of us…do not mind your company.”
He says placing a hand to his chest and smiles. “At least not for the few times that we have had to talk. But that is neither important, nor the current concern.”
He takes a moment to glance around the immediate occupants of the bon fire, Indira and an unknown woman not far from the man and his guitar. Iona eating her steak near as well. And then he looks outwards, to the rest that are gathered, his gaze even stopping on Ezra for a second.
[Gina McClaren] *She talks with her hands. That much is obvious. A curvy figure lit by the fire, the muted heaven of her voice a muted song accompanying the din of the crowd and the crackle and pop of the bonfire.*
[Going Down] Indira gives one last grin to the other Bone Gnawer and then picks up her 40, circling around to the other side of the fire. Once there, she offers a friendly smile to the Kin and then plops herself down next to him, curling one black-booted foot beneath her. Her piercings catch the light of the fire and so does her hair, making it look more washed-out than its usual pink in the half light.
“Hey man. Sittin’ by yourself?” she asks him, and then casts a curious look toward his guitar. She’s seen them of course, but has never known someone who actually played.
[Imogen Slaughter] Her mouth twists into a smirk, “How touching,” she says.
She takes a deep drink of her beer, turning her head to scan the crowd as well, looking above the heads of the others. Moments later, she turns her attention back.
“These have only been going on fer a year,” she observes, almost absently, an aside to the kinfolk. “But between the first time and this, nearly all th’faces ha’ changed.”
[Wyrmbreaker] The Rite ends with the antithesis of their fall into the underworld: white light, and expansion, exponential, like the birth of the universe.
When it fades away, Lukas finds himself in the woods. He can hear his kin, his pack, his people — he can smell their food and their drink, their fire. It is Equinox Night, and it is the bonfire. He feels something in his hand, so small than his large fist engulfs it completely, but it knows what it is even before he opens his hand to look at it.
Which he does: the Ahroun bemused and charmed, his dark head bent to the tiny scrap of fabric and sparklies in his hand, testament to a future that is not yet, and perhaps never will be —
but is possible, at least. If he chooses it.
“Look,” he says softly to whoever will listen, beginning to smile, beginning to grin, “I found it.”
[Kyle] He’s off in his own world, thinking of gatherings long past and remembering the good and bad times that went along with them. When Indira sits beside him he’s shaken out of that melancholy by her words. He’s not a traditional goth. Sude he’s dressed all in black, has a studded black leather collar around his neck and long black hair. He even has the pale skin and gaunt features but the one thing that stands out is the constant smile he has. It’s there in his eyes and mouth. That slight look that says he’s happy regardless of how he looks. Smiles as he looks to Indira and nods in greeting. His voice raspy and barely above a whisper so he makes sure to look directly at her face the best he can.
“Yeah just enjoying….the atmosphere….Nice to see so….many people having….fun…..How you doing….tonight?”
[Ray Ostermann] “But your still here….that has to be a hard pill to swallow.” He says in an understanding tone, not sympathetic, but understanding.
“Would you rather be left alone Dr.?” He asks before taking another swig of scotch, apparently more then willing to sink into a drunken state tonight.
[Blood Summons] They can hear them before they see them. The sharper-sensed of them can smell them before they arrive, seven of them tramping through the snow-encrusted grass and up the path towards the crackling of the fire and the low humming of a dozen or so voices all speaking at once. They’re spurred on by victory, by survival, by having labored and fought and persevered together, and they appear in a clot altogether at the mouth of the path, in clothing that isn’t quite appropriate for the weather they’re having.
Few of the people present have seen the tall, black-clad man with the wild hair and the stark blue eyes who’s carrying a small Black Fury on his lean shoulders, who’s holding onto the hand of a blonde Fostern of average height, all of them clean-yet-dirty, energetic-yet-spent. He’s not dressed for the weather: he’s got on combat boots, jeans, and a tucked-in t-shirt with red-and-green suspenders, his Rage flaring like a fire tempered by his yet unflagging will, curly hair standing up just about straight. They look like they’ve been to Valhalla and back, the lot of them, but they’re ready to celebrate having made the return trip.
Look. I found it.
It’s not until they reach the edge of the clearing that Blood Summons ducks down onto one knee to let his cargo clamber down off of his back, soaking the black denim in the crusted snow as he lets Adamidas down off of his back.
“Shit,” is all the Godi has to say.
[Iona McNevin] She had been quiet this whole time, eating her steak and drinking her booze. When the plate was clean, and her bottle near empty, she grumbled. Now she had to keep up her part of the deal. She looked around, frowning a bit, then slowly got to her feet. First, she went to throw the bottle and plate away, then tucked her hands in her pockets, and slowly started to walk around. Smiling to any that look her way.
[Edward Bellamonte] “Ah, interesting chat, I’m sure.” But his eyes are still on Ezra, intent, studious. Again, his hand finds the small of Cora’s back as protective [possessive] as everything else about him right now.
Yes, he knows it chafes at her.
No, he can’t help it.
“There’s some pastry down there that’s heavenly, with some nearly Dutch sounding name, ma chere,” he says. “Except there’s meat in it. You’ll tell me about it later, yeah? And youre doing well Ezra, I hope.”
[Going Down] “You losin’ your voice?” Indira asks him, concerned, as she takes a long swig from the 40. A very long one – she has a lot more drinking to do tonight before she leaves, and it isn’t yet close to empty. There’s Rage present in her – she’s an Ahroun, a warrior of Gaia, there would have to be – but it seems to shape itself in the form of enthusiasm, playfulness.
“I’m doin’ good. I ain’t been ta one a these big Garou parties before. Think it’s nice that people try an’ do shit ta have fun so it ain’t jus’ all about fightin’, you know?” Then, a look toward the guitar. “You play?”
[Imogen Slaughter] Though Ray may not have spoken with sympathy, Imogen glances at him sharply, “It was merely an observation,” she says, “not a plea for sympathy.”
He wants to know if she wants to be alone, perhaps a comment made even more pointed by her cool reaction to his understanding.
“Either way suits me,” she says. “You’re not a burden.”
A group of Garou approach the boundaries of the clearing. Imogen turns her head slightly to look at them, her brow furrowing faintly, her eyes narrowing.
[Marni] Ah, first plate down, first beer finished, and Marni’s standing, only to dispose of the first, and collect another of the latter. She stretches, and looks around, searching faces, and chuckling as she watches the silent conversation between Edwin and the two kin.
She grabs another handful of chips from the food table, and then starts to wander, headed in no particular direction… though it does bring her past her packmate, who gets a wink, and Marni keeps on moving.
[Blood Summons] [OOC: I think we need some color coding up in here!
Fire
Food Tents
Field]
[Wyrmbreaker] [Additional suggestion: if you’re talking to someone for the first time in a while, bold their name! At least, please do that for me. Otherwise I will not notice. *LOL*]
[Rain of Brass Petals] Field-ish, I think
She still isn’t talking, though she catches words, catches something soft spoken to whoever would listen. She grins, teeth bared for a second, eyes closed and she laid back. The Fury started to clamor to her feet, her hair was starting to get tangled again, curling on the ends.
She doesn’t make a sound, but Blood Summons can feel the distinctive, half-bouncy breathing patterns that might indicate laughter. It’s in her eyes, its in her breathing, it’s in the air, and that was all that mattered. Once let down, she bumps the Godi with one of her hips and is absolutely beaming. She doesn’t stand hipshot or off-centered. She turned and moved to stand a little to his side. She dusted off his pants; it didn’t do much good, but the sentiment was nice
[Rain of Brass Petals] (close those tags, you weren’t raised in a barn!)
[Ray Ostermann] Ray chuckles, his inebriation seems to have largely inured him to Imogen’s cool and hostile manner and he shrugs. “I am simply trying to be friendly…”
He follows her gaze and looks to the new people approaching as a group and he raises a brow in curiosity not scrutiny. “An odd show of togetherness wouldn’t you say?” He asks, presumably Imogen, but at the moment he could be talking to anyone from Mama to Kyle.
[Truth’s Meridian] At some point when everything fades to white, and they are abruptly transported back to where they began, the Silver Fang with her hands on the soil, with a handful of it clenched in a fist that strangely enough does not make her quiver, or wish to scrub herself free of it turns her face heaven-wards and whispers — “Farewell,” — to the gatekeepers, to the rite itself and lastly, and most importantly perhaps, to their guide. “And thank you,” she murmurs, before setting off with the other Garou, and what a strange picture they make, arriving to the scents of meat cooking, laughter and gently falling snow.
Truth’s Meridian with dirty palms, dressed in clothing borrowed from a now non-existent reality with hair still damp as if she had freshly showered. She exchanges a look with Lukas, Lila, Kora, and abruptly smiles; her teeth flashing very sharp and white in the crisp air. “We did it,” she says with pleasure; with evident satisfaction.
“We did it.”
[Kyle] [FIRE]
Chuckles softly as he nods and looks around before looking back to Indria.
“When we focus on…the loss all we…forget that which….brings us all….together…..Last fire I went….to here was….rather enjoyable….Helps heal wounds….in more ways than….one….”
Taps the case of his guitar and keeps that constant smile going.
“Yeah I play….Used to sing until….my accident with some….fomori……”
Motions to the collar around his neck and makes a clawing action. Then offers his hand in greeting.
“I’m Kyle….Nice to meet you….”
[Wyrmbreaker] Field!
“We did.” The Shadow Lord catches his packmate’s eye. Laughs suddenly. Then: “Race!”
Off he goes, running for the food tents.
[Gina McClaren] *Irritable. Somehow irritable. Maybe she was PMSing, because general irritability for little reason wasn’t like her. A slight frown at herself, a thought dancing unpleasant in the forefront of her mind. Gina bumps Edwin with a hip, raises her schnapps, and sings.*
Ah’m gintae move along darlin. Ye an’ Lonna ‘ave plenty tae catch up on. Headed on a walk aboot. Catch ye en some shadow somewhere, nae doubt.
*That said, she winks at Lonna and moves along towards the treeline, charms jingling.*
[Going Down] Fire
Indira gives him a sympathetic wince when he tells her he can no longer sing, taking a look at the collar he gestures to. “That sucks. ‘Leas’ you still can play, though, huh?”
He tells her his name and she extends a hand in greeting. Black tattoos wind over her brown skin – some new, some slightly faded by now and years old, though she can’t be out of her teens yet. “I’m Indira. Going Down, Cliath Full Moon Bone Gnawer. You been here long then? I ain’t ever seen you aroun’ before. ‘Course, I ain’t been in the city more than a couple months, so we coulda missed each other.”
[Imogen Slaughter] Standing near the fire, Imogen answers Ray while watching the approaching. “Just a bit.”
Then Lukas goes running for the food, and perhaps Katherine follows, perhaps not. Either way, Imogen turns back. “Doesn’t seem to be overly dramatic, in either case.”
[Lonna Larson] “I’ll see you around, Gina. Call me, okay? I miss you, I need girltime like it’s nobody’s business, there are things I’ve got to tell you,” she tells her.
She gives Gina a little wave, seeing her move on her way.
[Truth’s Meridian] Field to Food
“Cheat!”
Cried in his wake, and the elegant lope of the Silver Fang gives chase, as she pursues, her laughter rising to join his in the evening air. “You must wait before you begin!”
[Imogen Slaughter] (find something other than green, please!)
[Imogen Slaughter] (OW!)
[Marni] (requesting a color OTHER than the MINDSEERING GREEN, please.)
[Wyrmbreaker] (Food?)
[Wyrmbreaker] (okay that’s a no. Food?)
[Imogen Slaughter] or Food
[Edward Bellamonte] (Food?)
[Edward Bellamonte] (Nope, not that one.)
[Rain of Brass Petals] what about Food
[Rain of Brass Petals] color code is FFFFFF
[Kyle] [FIRE]
“It was a trade…..off taht seems…ok to me….I’m Strider Kin…..I tend to wander…..a lot….Been back a few….weeks but it is….a large city….Easy for people to….vanish in the night…”
The last part said with some concern as he’d heard about various people falling to foes.
[Iona McNevin] Field
As she walks the area, she gets spun around by the racing Lukas then Kate rushing past her to the food area. She chuckles a bit, and shrugs.
[Wyrmbreaker] (Food! Back IC!)
[Waking Dream] Field to Food
” – one day,” Lila says, after the chiming of bells, after that sweet (spring) sound. “Good luck,” she says, and her voice is soft; is smoke. Lila twines her arm through Kate’s when Blood Summons lifts Adamidas up on his back, tromps off through the snow-bent boughs, and exchanges a glance with her, with Lukas, a radiant I told you blooming in her eyes. Fast-tucked, there, in her hand — the tine of a stag. She holds her breath, releases it, laughing – “SPRING, Jaro, fire, whatever, wait up, Wyrmbreaker,” and she’s off after Lukas like a shot, running, running.
[ooc: COLOR CODING COMING!!!! …next post. as soon as I figure out how to make the colors show *LOL*]
[Edwin Morr] [color=+c00000][/color][Fire]
“Shore thang, doll. See ya ‘roun’.”
Then, the shaded gaze watches Gina saunter off a ways, before returning to Lonna, a slightly confused look on his face.
“Y’know… Dat ’tweren’t e’sactly e’spected.”
Then, straightening, Edwin considers Lonna for a few moments… Again speaking quietly.
[Ezra Turk] *A low chuckling, Ezra looking around and – oh! Why hello Nurse. Lonna Lonna Lonna. Cora and Edward are ditched outright for his own lovely kin. Well.. His was a relative term. He trots up and and sniffs along the neck of a Coggie kin, fingers tapping on his beer bottle as he smiles all devilry at Lonna and Edwin both.*
MmmMMMm.. hello Ladies.
[Silence] Fire
Silence is simply there. Literally: the Gauntlet bends, and then there he is, the fire roaring in his face, his rough hands held out to it for warmth. It’s a moment before he looks at Imogen beside him, sidelong; then the edge of his mouth turns up.
“‘Sup,” he says quietly.
[Ray Ostermann] FIRE
Ray smiles lightly as he regards the group arrive and then quickly separate heading for what they desire and he chuckles. “We are all here to have fun afterall…I don’t think anyone plans on standing on tradition or pretense. If they tried, i think they would find themselves without anyone to talk too.”
[Iona McNevin] ((I really like the bold names idea. That way no one misses any comments to them IC))
[Going Down] Fire
“Heh. Fuckin’ funny you say that, actually, s’what happened to my alpha a couple weeks ago.” And she actually does laugh, at this, at the irony of his wording and her situation. There are no brooding glances, no unhappy faces, no indications that he’s touched on a sore spot; she seems content to laugh.
“Shit happens. Where’d you run off to when you left?”
[Edwin Morr] ((perception + Alertness))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 4, 5, 6, 6 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Wyrmbreaker] Food
Iona is spun around as Kate dashes past, but then Lukas grabs her up around the middle the way he did Kate a few hours ago, a few lifetimes ago, carrying her six steps over his shoulder before setting her down rather unceremoniously
right in front of the roasted meats.
A few hours ago — a few lifetimes ago — he hunted through an autumn forest, brought down prey with his hands and teeth, ate in his birthform, savage and bloody as a beast. Lukas seems to find little need to resort to utensils now, and grabs a plate in one hand, begins heaping meats onto it with the other. When Lila dashes up beside him, he shoulder-checks her playfully.
“You know what I think?” he says to the Gaian. “I think we’re lucky we never got to sit down to dinner. I bet Zlata would’ve flung potatoes at you.”
[Sorrow] Food Tents
The seven are loosely grouped – the packmates, Lukas and Kate, Blood Summons, Adamidas on his back, Lila
holding his hand. Joey there among them, alive, ranging forward. And Kora, flanking Lila, flanking Kate, holding a guitar by the neck, a loose familiarity in the gesture. Her hair is brushed and loose, her face and arms scrubbed clean, but her black boots are crusted with dried, flaking mud. Pointillist spots of blood dot the now-filthy thermal she wears, but the t-shirt over it – black – is relatively clean. The creature crunches through the new-falling snow – the irony of this is not lost on her – carrying a guitar she holds loosely by the neck, an old, easy familiarity to the gesture.
She does not go running through the woods; she does not race. She does walk, however, her face lifted to the sky, to the black (gray) sky somewhere above the treeline, and the stars beyond it. Imaging Orion, his three-starred belt.
[Marni] [Field to Fire]
She decides to head toward the fire again, stepping out of the way of the stampeding Garou aiming for the food, and as she watches them, starts walking again – and she almost walks right into Iona. She sidesteps in time, that devilish grin sliding across her lips, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement as she watches Lukas catch her up and cart her off.
So she moves on, and eventually plops down on the ground next to Ray at the fire. “gonna make me chase ya all night, are ya?”
[Edwin Morr] Fire
Edwin’s shaded gaze turns to Ezra darkly as he begins sniffing about Lonna’s neck… His grin becoming the merest hint unpleasant; whatever he had planned to say lost to the winds as he watched the other ‘lord approach.
“Call me dat ‘gain…”
His voice hinted at violence as yet unrealized.
[Jesmond Krutova] Fire
Jesmond, settled near to the fire with her water bottle open before her at the table is busy people watching from the depths of her half-drawn hood; her eyes black as precious stones in the dark; the firelight dancing across what bare skin there is to see, reflected in her gaze as the Umbral bends and warps and unleashes the tidal of a Modi’s rage into being nearby her.
Jesmond’s fingers tighten in her lap, around her bottle of water, she turns her attention to Silence, and in contrast, the fair-skinned woman he addresses; recognition, distant but true, flickers through her eyes.
[Iona McNevin] Food
She yelps as Lukas picks her up and drops her basically on her ass by the food. The spinning and roughhousing made her hold her stomach a moment as not to upchuck. She got up and blinked at Lukas “Bloody hell, Brotha! Wha’ are ye smokin’ and where kin I git some?”
[Edward Bellamonte] Food
Ed is there, standing with Cora, having just been left by Ezra – it’s a quiet moment, and then Lukas and Kate show up, and that smile widens. “Want to meet them properly, Cherie? They’re in good moods, it appears. And what happens after that . . .”
The sentence is left to dangle, as teasing and promising as other things, earlier.
[Coraline Emerson] [food]
It chafes. He knows. And, yet, it is what it is; unchanged. She understands. [in some intangible way, yes.] Either way, some of the tension fades as Ezra lopes off, something whispered in her stance and felt against Edward’s hand where the small of her back ceases to feel like an overdrawn bow string, ready to snap. Somewhat uncaharacteristically [in public, at least] she turns her head, her cheek brushing Edwards shoulder. Her chin rests there for a moment as he speaks of food… and then she steps slightly to the side peering in the direction of the food he mentions, already brightening up again. “Good lord.. it’s Vetkoek,” Pronounced, quiet easily, fet-cook, on her tongue. Her lips curve up and she takes his hand, tugging him in their direction. “Absolutely fabulous, despite the name… ‘Fat Cake,’ y’eh?”
And then.. well, then there’s a cadre of Garou racing up and Lukas dumping down women unceremoniously and serving himself meat. She blinks, momentarily taken aback, doing a bit of a two-step to avert being bowled over.. then, helpfully and easily. “Try the Vetkoek.”
[Lonna Larson] Fire!
“Think she’s okay?” she asked, “she did seem kind of tired, I hope everything’s fine.”
The blonde nodded again, reaching up to tuck strands of blonde hair back out of her face over her ear and away. The Child of Gaia heard avoice, and her lips upturned and the relatively sweet young woman put on her relatively sweet face and seemed immensely, well… not immensely. Just the usual sort of happy. Happy to be out, happy to be in company of people, pleased in general. Ezra invades her space, and the child of Gaia stops. She inhales and she is still. She waits, stiff for half a second.
“Hey, let’s just… calm down for a minute. How’re you?”
[Kyle] [FIRE]
“Sorry to hear….”
Nods but doesn’t let things dwell before speaking again.
“Bit of a long….trip…..Went to pay respects…..to friends in Colorado Sept……Not sure why…. but I ended back here……one of those weird things…..about being a….Strider I suppose…..What brings you….to this city….If I may ask?”
His gaze turning to the nearby commotion as he prepares to move if needed. Last thing he needed was to be caught in a fight.
[Nate Cross] [color=+c000c0]Food/color] At some point Nate finally arrives, making his way through the woods carrying two large shopping bags full of noodle boxes. Steam wisping it’s way up around his fingers. Moving past people as he tries to avoid bumping into people he finally reaches the food tents.
The noodle boxes removed and placed on a table as he turns and begins surveying the area for faces of people he knows.
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
Ray turns his gaze from the now silent Imogen and looks down at Marni as she takes a seat next to him. She can tell hes drunk, or at the very least well on his way into the state. He sits down next to her as she came to him and offers her what little remains of his 40 of scotch…apparently most of the body already drained into him.
“Chase you?? I’ve barely moved all night.”
[Imogen Slaughter] Fire
She shakes her head slightly. “S’not quite what I meant, but never mind it.” The end of her final syllable is cut off slightly, as the gauntlet begins to rend, just by her shoulder.
A tension coils through her muscles. It unsettles her this – a subtle shift in her posture, little more than a change in the perfection of her poise, but it is there nonetheless.
It eases minutely as what was once a half-formed body becomes whole, solid and true, heat and rage but lingers more than one might expect. She does not return the lift of the mouth.
“Rohl,” she greets him by name. “That entrance is becoming a bit of a habit.”
A tone catches her ear, and she turns her head to look at Lonna, her eyes moving from the Child of Gaia kinfolk to Edwin, then Ezra.
[Rain of Brass Petals] Field to Food
The Fury spent little time waiting around in homid. In a moment, and it does take a moment, she’s no longer in her breed form, but rather, she’s a relatively small-to-average sized black wolf. Her eyes are bright, brigh yellow goldenrod. She doesn’t take long before she trots over to the food area. The Fury plops herself down in time to watch people go forward. For now, she’s resting. If the need to pounce to get something-
Hey, were those…. samosas?
Her tail wagged a little. Back and forth.
[Marni] [Fire]
She laughs up at him, takes the scotch, and takes a swig, before handing it back again. “You kept looking at me and running off elsewhere Was beginning to take it personal.” Then she leans in and teases. “Unless, of course, your just keepin the Misses happy…”
Oh there’s no doubt who she means, even as she settles back on her elbows, and looks up… her smile full of mischief and delight. “I told Indira I was gonna sneak her into your pool….”
[Going Down] Fire
“I grew up in Detroit, but my brother though’ I shoul’ get out some an’ go an’…do stuff on my own,” she says, shrugging. Unable to fully articulate exactly what brought her down to Chicago and away from the place she always had been, around the people that she knew before. “Firs’ time I ever really been away. It’s been good, though. I like Chicago.”
She drains the rest of the 40, and then holds the bottle up to the fire, peering into it and watching the light reflect through the glass. “I’m gonna go an’ get more ta drink, Kyle, an’ say hi ta a frien’. Nice meetin’ you, look me up in Back-a-the-Yards, ‘kay?”
With that, Indira rises to go and make her way back to the table to get a few more drinks, giving a big smile to Waking Dream and a wave as she goes.
[Silence] Fire
…which makes him turn to face her, the grey-eyed Modi and the flamehaired kin.
“Ya want me ta stop?”
[Wyrmbreaker] Food
“Underworld,” Lukas says, offhand like that. Maybe it’s a new club. “Tell you all about it later, when the fire dies down a little.”
He tilts his head back: civilized, courteous, well-mannered Lukas, who is right now dirt-smudged, scratched Lukas, with absurdly clean hands and face, and the rest of his clothes more traumatized than deliberately-distressed — tilts his head back, and snaps a piece of meat up wholesale, teeth flashing like he was starving.
Then, chewing it, mouth full and all, “Coraline, mate of my brother, at least until sunrise.” An eyebrow cocks. “What’s Fet Cook?”
[Blood Summons] Food
The Fenrir has to be freezing in his short sleeves and lack of jacket, but he doesn’t shiver or make a show of it, doesn’t bitch about the cold despite the fact that the thick hair on his arms is standing up straight to keep his homid form warm. He just follows the troupe of Garou off towards the tent where the food has been stashed, moving at a pretty decent clip but slowing up to give the injured Adamidas a chance to catch up.
Once they reach the tent, he presses his hands against his hips and surveys the offerings. Nourishment doesn’t hold any great interest for him; it’s alcohol he’s after, and after finding an errant six-pack stashed beneath the table, he picks it up and starts towards the pixie-haired Ragabash from the Sentinels.
“Echo!” he bellows, his voice loosing its scratchiness and becoming more of a growl when he picks it up.
[Kyle] [FIRE]
“Sure thing…..Take it easy and….have fun…”
A thumbs up given to Indira as Kyle simply smiles at her. Something about the way he talks and acts makes it easy to trust him. When she wanders off he keeps tabs on the commotion as he looks around.
[Ezra Turk] FIRE
Shhhhh.
*Yes. The cocky little shit puts a thin finger to his lips and Shushes Edwin Morr in a rasp thats sibilant and unpleasant. A swig of beer, and he’s dancing his fingers along the pretty blonde’s arm. Rat. tat-tat-tat-tat. A gesture to Lonna’s splendorous rack.*
I was speaking to the girls. MmMM?
Don’t be a tit, Morr.
*That cheshire grin is all challenge and trouble, thick eyebrows raising and jumping over hard black eyes.*
[Iona McNevin] Food
She messed Lukas’ hair and smiled. “Well, whatevah it be? Thih…smilin’ niceness looks good on ye.” She winked and started to walk off, grabbing another bottle of the whickey she had brought for all to share. She wretched the top of the bottle and looked around. “Hafta say ‘ello tae someone I dinnah know, huh? Damn deals I make. Startin’ tae think he’s tha devil.”
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
“I was just letting you know I knew you were there…its a bonfire, I’m here to socialize, to meet and greet the rest of the community.” He pauses and seems to realize something. “Mind you I haven’t talked to a single person I don’t already know.
That seems to call a chuckle from his throat as he realizes the foolishness of it all before shrugging and looking into the fire. “I just want to keep all the women happy…if I can.”
[Wyrmbreaker] [gonna go pick up food! back in a bit!]
[Marni] [Fire]
She laughs, easily and nods. “I’m just givin ya shit, as I know better than most tat you can keep this woman happy.” She crosses her ankles, comfortable now, the heat of the fire rushing over her.
“Well then, who don’t you know? Maybe I can introduce ya to someone new.” A beat, and a grin. “For a price….”
[Echo Quinn] Fire
There’s a burp, and dark, pixie-cut head pops upright and promptly falls off her perch at the table. “What!” She roars, but it comes across as more of a startled yelp-holler. Her dark eyes wide, she narrows them after a beat, seeing the Fenrir stalking her like prey. She rises, leaning forward over three empty beer cans.
“Why are you bellowing my name, sugartits?”
[Imogen Slaughter] [fire]
She does not answer immediately, lifting her beer to her lips, taking a swallow. She lifts a hand as she lowers the bottle, wiping a droplet of alcohol from her bottom lip with her thumb.
She is no longer watching the happenings on the other side of the fire, but it is there at the edge of her attention.
In the end, she does not answer at all. Merely offers him her beer bottle, an eyebrow arching in offer.
[Coraline Emerson] Again a tilt of her head, an animal gesture of interest or curiosity or both; watching the Ahroun gobble down juice-dripping roasted meat like he’s starving and speaking around it all to answer her suggestion. Entirely undaunted by what others might call a lack in manners, she smiles with greater ease than she had that night at the Club for Theron’s birthday, her green eyes warm though they shift slightly at his mention of at least until sunrise — darting toward Edward, then back again — she holds up a finger — just one moment — to Lukas and moves to take up three of the aforementioned pastries, bulging with their filled interiors. She sniffs at one, then holds out one to Edward, first, “Vetkoek. A pastie? Minced meat, these. Afrikaner comfort-food. Manna from heaven. Try one.” The second offered to Lukas and the third.. ah, the third she bites into, her eyes rolling with the food-lust ecstasy of some pregnant women.
[Lonna Larson] Fire!
Ever the peacekeeper, ever the one who wanted things to be calm and cool and collected and peaceful, she puts up a hand and ends up doing something vaguely… well… stupid. She changes positions, just enough so that she’s standing between one garou and the other. And dear god was it a stupid move, and subconsciously, she knew this. Consciously, she knew this.
“Guys, look, it’s… I really don’t think now’s the time with this. Ezra, I really need to talk to you soon, please?” she does try to ask nicely.
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
“Ohhh and just what price would you require hmmm? What tithe would you demand from me?”
He asks with a raised brow, curious as to what she might have in mind. He had seen a few interesting looking ladies around, and he was rather interested in meeting a few of them.
[Theron Locke] FIRE Theron had been quiet since arriving at the Bonfire, his long thin fingers of one hand wrapped around a bottle of scotch as his other hand caressed a glass that was almost empty. Eyes gazing into the flame as he raised the glass to his lips and took another slip.
He listens to the voices around him, ignoring the majority of them. He had expected his Alpha to be here, but he had been strangely absent, unaware the Ahround had only shown up moments ago. Then he hears mention of a particular name and Theron turns as his attention focuses on the discussion between Edwin and Ezra, but for now the Theurge doesn’t get involve or even say anything. Head flicking to Lonna as she tries to intervene…inwardly he became frustrated that he had been unable to have that meeting with Lila.
Watching and listening as he takes another sip of his scotch.
[Edward Bellamonte] Food
“It’s some pastry thing, with meat in it. Fantastic,” he says. “She’s right, you should try it.” and then his attention turns to Kate, as Cora moves to claim three of the things she’s mentioned – Ed’s promptly gets broken in half, and the other piece offered to Kate. “Try this,” he says, and then, “I know you’ve met Coraline, dearest sister. Meet her now as my mate.”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin watches Ezra, a quiet laugh escaping his lips… Lips that remain curved upward in a cold and lopsided grin. The look was less that of the idle liar now, and far more the macabre grin of the executioner waiting for the command to loose the head upon the block from the shoulders it’s attached to.
The eyes stare past Lonna’s shoulder, to the face of Ezra Turk beyond.
“I’m out ta have fun here, fella. But if’n yer lookin’ fer trouble, I’m willin’ t’oblige. Jes’ say th’word.”
At this, Edwin replaces the metal flask in the internal pocket of his denim work coat, his hands once again finding the exterior pockets of the coat thereafter.
[Blood Summons] Fire
He doesn’t have the sort of voice that lends itself to shows of frivolity. Few here have heard him raise his voice like this, and though he is in a good mood, though he walks with a spring in his step and a lightness in his lean frame, it still sounds like an animalistic roar when he shouts the urrah’s acquired name and starts towards her. He sounds pissed even though he’s not, and Echo gives it right back, along with a new vocabulary word.
“Sugartits?” he counters, his voice reaching normal decibel levels as he mounts the bench across the table from Echo. He sets the six-pack of bottles down with a heavy thunk, then starts drumming out a rhythm on the table, humming in a falsetto as he considers her. “Maybe I’m just happy to see you.”
[Rituals+Wits: WAKE UP GRAIN.]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7 (Success x 2 at target 6) [WP]
[Sorrow] Food toFire
It seems hours since they hunted. It seems days. In the end, Kora is the tail of the loosely flung comet that the newcomers define – Lukas and Kate and Lila surging forward, full of delight, the promise of the opened gates, that the world returns to itself, winter is buried, spring is reborn, burning with promise. Blood Summons and Joey and Adamidas, in an opening arc behind them, and Kora last, contemplating the sky, the light catching her loose, pale hair, sheening her eyes with an animal gleam in the darkness. Between the treeline and the tents, Kora lifts the guitar – a new thing, this – over her head, settling the strap over her right shoulder, down across her torso like a beauty contestant’s pageant sash, an unconscious echo of the battlescar bisecting her torso.
Inside the tents, the Skald finds a plate, fills it with food – bratwurst and chips, brownies and wings – whatever is offered, whatever was prepared. Snags one bottle – then, after a moment’s consideration – two – from one of the coolers on the hard-packed ground and ducks out from the tents, circling back toward the fire, balancing her booze-and-food carefully, the guitar and unfamiliar weight on her back.
[Kyle] [FIRE]
Taking the guitar from its case, Kyle strums a few times to see if it needed any fine tuning. After a moment he simply starts to play. It’s just random notes at the moment but they seem to flow together and not sound like a rachet.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 4, 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Iona McNevin] Food
She heard Ed and blinked. She looked his way, completely surprised by something. “Ye have a mate now? Who?” Totally curious and somewhat astonished.
[Marni] [Fire]
She grins at him, her dark eyes dancing with mirth and just a sense of pure delight and good fun. “Oh, I dunno… Maybe just another romp in your hot tub, or oh… some of that faaaaaaaaaaaantastic desert we had after I made you breakfast last time. THAT would be an amazing payment, I think…”
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
Ray’s smile widens as he considers her price and from the look on his face he would pay it gladly. He nods lazily as his body succumbed to more and more of the alcohol coursing through his body.
“You have a deal….as to Indira joining you in the pool, by all means just let me know when you are coming, I’d love to see it for myself.”
[Rain of Brass Petals] food!
After a few moments, when healing and resting were less of a problem, the Fury headed back to her breed form. Still a little sore, still a little out-of-sorts, she went for the food with wide eyes and a pleasantly surprised. Bob is yelling to Echo, who in turn ends up calling Blood Summons “Sugartits”. The Fury raised a brow, but she grins, shakes her head, and grabs food. Anything and everything she can find in tiny, tiny portions.
Silently, she goes from the food to the fire area, to go pester Kora.
[Truth’s Meridian] Food
Katherine, content, idling with a glass of wine she’d discovered somewhere that some kind soul had been inclined to bring turns to face her brother as he offers up a sample of food to her. Her lips part obligingly, and Edward, knowing his sibling the way he does can witness the glow that suffuses her skin; the dancing joy in pale eyes, the apparent happiness with all that surrounded her at present.
Even in clothing not quite her own.
Even with damp, drying hair in the chilly evening.
“Mm,” she commends the food, and licks traces from her lips, an arm winding through her brother’s, a head finding a place to lean against his shoulder. “Hello again, Coraline.” She greets the Kinfolk with a dreamy tinge to her voice, and expression. “My congratulations.”
[Marni] [Fire]
She dimples into a grin. “Deal. Who you wanna meet, and I’ll make t happen.” She glances at the way he’s relaxing, and laughs. “Hell, I’ll even fetch em and bring them to you. Desert was THAT good…”
She does look over toward her packmate and Kyle, then the possible scuffle in the making, before grinning up at Ray. “I’ll be sure to let ya know before we sneak in – I’m sure you would like to watch. Given i still don’t have a suit.” Not that it’s stopped her so far, and likely won’t at all. Ever.
[Wyrmbreaker] Food
“Well, why not.” With little further ado, Lukas snaps up a savory pastry and devours it. “Excellent,” he comments, sucking crumbs off his thumb; then his pale eyes flicker around, look for his packmates amidst the crowd.
“Iona, go call Theron over for a minute, will you?”
[Theron Locke] Fire to Food
Theron stands from where he was sitting and begins to move, he spots Jesmond and offers her a nod and then a smile. Perhaps either an invitation to join him or a request to speak to her sometime tonight.
After any sign of acknowledgement though, Theron is moving back towards the food. Brushing past Edwin as he walks leaning in , with a murmur “We need to talk later. Drop by room 3 of the Broho in the next day or so/” and then he is walking again.
[Ezra Turk] FIAH!
Dont’.
Its hissed, unpleasant as fingers dig into soft skin. Lonna stepping between them not appreciated. The theurge’s gaze is positively reptilian, and while Edwin smirks sly malice, Ezra grins madness and cruelty. Oh Lonna Larson, what company you keep.*
Oh, I’m here to have fun as well MMMMMmM? If you’re feeling particularly froggy precious… jump. Otherwise, play nice, MmMM? You don’t want to have a quarrel with this soft little thing between us…
*There it is. For all he snarled at Lonna for stepping in the way, the hand on her arm isn’t to reprimand. Its perhaps to use her as a meat shield…. a hostage.. hell.. who knew. Eyes still on Edwin, lips fall to the kin’s shoulder. He offers her his beer, rasping*
You might just need this tulip.
[Iona McNevin] FOOD
She nodded to Lukas and looked around, then found Theron. Heading his way, she smiled. “Och, Brotha. Lukas wants tae be seein’ ye.”
[Waking Dream] Food
“Hi, ‘dira,” Lila says, when Going Down goes for refills, comes close. Lila bumps gently into the taller, sunset-haired bonegnawer girl, and her gaze is going thoughtful, growing pensive, even as she finds herself some whiskey, couples it with meat, her stomach sings a welcome song to, drinks and eats. Lukas‘ remark earlier about the potatoes — well, that’d received some kind’ve comment. (“I bet I’m hungry enough to have caught those potatoes in my open mouth, sir.”) The funny-sounding food would’ve received a curious look. “Enjoying yourself?” She’s just about to drift over to the fire, now, in Kora’s wake, but — no, pause a moment.
[Silence] [Fire]
No answer is given, in the end, except the offering of a beer bottle. Possibly something finer than the cheap american swill Decker tends to offer Imogen, at any rate. The Modi takes it, upends it, drinks unabashedly from it — not a sip but a good gulp that reduces the amount of liquid therewithin by a quarter or a third.
He wipes his mouth on the back of his wrist. Hands the bottle back. Nods, chin-up, at Jesmond.
“Who tha fuck’s that, ‘n why’s she starin’?”
[Theron Locke] Food Theron raises an eyebrow at Iona as he spots his packmate trying to get his attention. As much to ask perhaps ~what have I done now~. A smile given to his Alpha though as he heads in that direction as requestion “Evenin Brother” extending his forearm for a grasp.
“Iona, mentions you needed me?”
[Going Down] Food
“Yeah, I’m havin’ a lot of fun,” Indira tells Lila, as she reaches for another one of the 40s there on the table. For one of the pastry things, too, among the odd foreign food. She doesn’t know what they’re called but they were pretty good.
The pensive expression does not go unnoticed. Indira is usually rather sensitive to such things, and there are a surprising number of people that are sitting alone even at the party, lost in their thoughts and remembering gone friends. “How abou’ you?” she asks, choosing not to jump on it immediately. “An’ you oughta try one a these,” she adds, gesturing with the half-eaten pastry toward the piles of food.
[Echo Quinn] Fire
Echo, grinning, patting down her hoodie pockets, fishes a packet of cigarettes from one and a lighter from the other. Then, glancing at the close proximity of the fire from her, re-thinks the logic of the latter and returns it to its former location. Twisting to face Bob, she offers him one and leans over rather precariously to ignite her own in the flames; breathing out smoke from nostrils and lips.
“Yeah, yeah,” she retorts his greeting with, splaying one long leg off the edge of the table [never mind if anyone wanted to actually sit at the table, heaven forbid] and grinning at him; her nimble little fingers popping the tab on a fresh beer. “Everyone fuckin’ yells my name when they see me, I’m like Santa Claus.” She swallows, takes a drag, repeats.
“Only slightly less jolly.”
[Edward Bellamonte] Food
“Things went well, apparently,” he says as his sister snuggles in just so, in a way that hasn’t happened in too long – as bittersweet as it is, the parting, at least it’s going as smoothly as one can expect so far. Things are still friendly, which is better than these things go often. “And thank you. There will be a small legal ceremony for obvious reasons,” he says, then quiets as the rest of the pack present draws near.
[Coraline Emerson] The pasties dispersed, Edward draws his sister in, a formal introduction [announcement] made. In the snowy night with the bonefire off a little ways the colour that rises along the alabaster line of her neck, to the fullness of her cheeks could be the cold, the fire-glow.. anything. To Iona‘s question Coraline arches a brow, resisting the urge to raise her hand like a schoolgirl. She watches instead, chewing slowly, as Kate lays her head on Ed’s shoulder – a gesture that seems to please the Kinfolk – and speaks dreamy words of congratulations. “Thank you.” Soft-spoken, but she means it.. otherwise she gives the Bellamonte siblings their moment, looking back to Lukas and offering a little salute of her hand, with a smile. “Excellent,” she agrees.
[Iona McNevin] Food
She followed Theron back to Lukas, and decided to listen in as she worked on bottle 2 of whickey fun.
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
Ray smiles his eyes dancing expectantly as he eagerly awaits that day where he will be graced by the presence of two women in his buildings pool, not just one. He then looks about for someone to meet and he see’s Lonna, trapped between Ezra and Edwin and he jerks a finger in her direction.
“I think that lovely lady might need something else to distract her…otherwise she might get hurt..”
[Imogen Slaughter] [fire]
She takes back the bottle – it is passed between them without their skin ever touching. Silence points out Jesmund and Imogen’s eyes turn to look in the same direction. She regards the other for a moment, her eyebrow arching.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” she says, her tone shifting slightly – her response is not part of a personal conversation anymore, but a more open discussion, one in which Jesmond is expected to take part.
[Kyle] [FIRE]
For now he’s content to play. Just letting his fingers run over they strings and allowing the notes to flow as he plays.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 6, 7, 9, 9, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6)
[Marni] [fire]
She arches a brow, and then just laughs. “Jesus, you’re gonna get me killed. Have to go for the one in the middle of a fight, do ya? Alright. But if I come back bleeding, the price goes up.”
She stands with a wink, and heads over to The ShadowLord Duo with the pretty Coggie filling. “Sorry to interrupt, Edwin, but my buddy over there? He hs a question for yer girl. Mind if I borrow her a minute?”
Aka – hey, how bout I get your pretty friend out of the way, huh?
[Sorrow] Fire
“Doc.” The creature’s dark eyes graze Imogen as she circles the fire. Silence, beside her, his rage an overwhelming storm choking oxygen from the air around him. “Silence–rhya.” The cliath doesn’t linger; she finds a place on the other side of the blazing fire, in its other shadows, bathed in its natural heat rather than the stifling weight of the Adren’s rage, finds a log, sets down her two bottles of beer in the trampled grass. It’s close enough to the fire here, the waving heat of it, that the snow melts as it falls, when it falls now – sifting fitfully down from the dark sky above.
Guitar still on her back, hair a loose pale tangle around it, Kora sinks easily down to perch on one of the logs, balancing her plate on her thigh, looking up with a faint, quirked little grin when Adamidas wanders up. “Hey.” Like many, Kora’s eyes fix on the knot defined by Lonna, Ezra and Edwin. She keeps the group in her peripheral vision, alert, aware of them. Then, back down to Adamidas. ” – you want a beer?”
[Blood Summons] Fire
There’s something of a commotion going on between the Shadow Lords several yards away, enough of one that the tired Gaian Galliard is watching from her perch beneath the food tent, but that doesn’t have the Godi’s attention right now. There’s a cigarette being offered, and he takes it with a scratchy grunt of thanks and extends his arm to light the thing in the flames from the fire. His arms are longer than Echo’s; he doesn’t have to lean quite so far.
He takes a hungry inhalation of smoke from the end of the cigarette, grimacing with the burn of it in his throat after what feels like an entire day without, then blows sharp plumes of smoke out his nostrils as he returns himself to rights at the table. He lets the cigarette dangle from between his thin lips as one hand plucks a beer from the cardboard sleeve. It’s held still as his left hand twists the cap free. He tosses it onto the cacophony already covering the table, then removes the cigarette from his mouth and takes a long swig of the awakened beer.
“Who the fuck’s Santa Claus?” he asks, stifling a belch on the back of the wrist holding onto his beer.
[Edwin Morr] ((Hush Gift (Ezra)
Wits + Subterfuge + Fox, diff = 8, wp spent
Hail Kahseeno))
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 8) [WP]
to Ezra Turk, Marni
[Wyrmbreaker] Food
Lukas has literally been to the underworld and back — he, and the other six Garou with him. He looks like it. He also looks — happy. Relaxed, open, pleased with his company and his pack and the bonfire and the season. The season, most of all. Jaro.
He clasps Theron’s forearm firmly, then waits til Iona rejoins them as well. But it’s not really Theron he wants here, specifically, but simply his pack: all of them present at the bonfire at this moment.
“Springtime, my pack,” he says, setting his plate down and picking up one of the clear plastic cups, one of the anonymous bottles of wine or liquor or beer, “is a time of new life, new beginnings. So it’s fitting that it is in spring that Edward Silver-Jester will leave the Unbroken to start a new life with his mate. Tonight, the cusp of the season, is the last night Edward will truly stand with us as our brother, though I believe he will stay on amongst us until his debt to Perun is fulfilled.
“So, Brother,” Lukas’s eyes fix on the Silver Fang’s, clear and direct, full of the sort of fondness that’s perhaps grown rarer between the two of them of late, “thank you for running with us. And we wish you and your mate the very best.”
[Lonna Larson] Fire
Don’t. she clenched her jaw and tried to give little indication that the nonverbal reprimand hurt, and she didn’t appreciate it. Not grievous bodily harm, just a little painful. Painful enough to be a deterrent, but… with the presence of a hand on her shoulder, it semed that she wasn’t going to be going any time soon whether she wanted to or not.
Lonna takes the beer and looks between the two males. This was certainly not the place that she wanted to be, but it seemed the Child of Gaia was content to continue being there for the sake of… well… causing a definite inconvenience in case things got out of hand. Then again, getting out of the way might not be too easy.
She took a drink of Ezra’s beer. She might need this.
Marni was coming over, and the blonde raised both her brows in surprise.
“I’m good to be borrowed,” she hoped.
[Waking Dream] Food
Lila offers Indira a smile that could be why (isn’t, but could be) she’s called Waking Dream, because that’s what’s in the smile, the slow of it, the curve of it, the wistful, thoughtless yearn of it, and, by now, she has noticed her kinswoman and Edwin (who has his hipflask with him, probably!) and Ezra (who probably does not have Paul’s porno with him, but alas, is associated with it in Lila’s mind), and the smile drifts away, and she rubs her right eye with the palm of her right hand. “I’m out of my time,” she says, murmurs, to Indira. “I don’t know what year this is yet,” she adds, as if perplexed. “Iiiiiiiiiiii should go say hi to some people.”
[Iona McNevin] Food
Iona looked confused. “Och, wait naw.” She turned to Ed “First ye got a mate, an’ now ye’ll be leavin’ us? Ye are gone tae stay in this Sept, righ’?”
[Going Down] Food
She says she’s out of her time, that she doesn’t know what year it is yet, and the look Lila gets from Indira is utterly bewildered. She’s heard Children of Gaia are a little loopy from time to time, but this is the first time she’s had any such experience with Waking Dream.
“Um,” she says. “Okay. You take care, okay, Lila?”
[Edwin Morr] Fire
Edwin stares for a long time at Ezra, his hands fumbling ever so slightly within his pockets as the gift is enacted. Then, when it’s released…
His grin grows even darker. Shaded eyes never leave Ezra Turk, even as he speaks in such a pleasant tone in answer to Marni.
“Reckon now’s uh great time fer dat, doll… Seems mebbe me’n’ m’buddy Ezra here got some thangs ta discuss…”
Then, he nods briefly in Ezra’s direction.
“Dat don’t bother ya none, if’n Lonna gits borrahed (borrowed) jes’ now, does it?”
The hands remain in the pockets of the denim work coat, as Edwin stands stock still…
[Rain of Brass Petals] OTHER side of the Fire
She plops herself down, looking at the guitar and then back to Kora. She looked at her, but her eyes traveled to the bit of commotion starting up. The Fury was tense for a second, food forgotten for a time being. It seemed, however, that things were being dealt with, but it didn’t stop her from continuing to look over.
The Skald, however, gets her attention again.
She shakes her head no, and finds herself looking for a writing utensil. This time, she uses the end of a particularly overcooked something-or-other.
I can’t drink. Then the charred-something gets put down, her hand goes to her lips, palm facing inward, then brought down and away from her face. Her head cocked to the side; she’s made that gesture once before tonight.
[Jesmond Krutova] Fire
In truth the Shadow Lord Kinswoman had looked at Silence in unspoken consideration for several moments, then away as the Cliath Theurge of her tribe signaled to her, she dipped her head a little in greeting to Theron, then turned her face back toward the flames; silently regarding them with the vaguely marred brow of one in deep thought.
She does look back long enough to be noticed; and chin-jerked at and invited, by means of a lack of introduction by the fair red-head, to make herself known. Jesmond’s blue eyes shift between the pair; then linger over-long on Decker, which is surprising in and of itself. The hood is pushed back, and dark hair tendered behind small lobes. “I apologize for the keen observation,” she begins, the young woman with an air of quiet earnestness perhaps unlike most here. Her voice is steady; comforting.
“But I recognized your face. You are from Storm Hammer, are you not?” A beat, her eyes stray to Imogen, she holds her smile in place. “I am Jesmond Krutova, lately come to this Sept from another. My blood is of Thunder’s, but my mate was Eirik Thurstan, Blade That Sings, Fostern Modi of Storm Hammer.” She looks back at Decker. “He passed only this winter.”
[Kyle] [FIRE] – Heading to [Food]
After playing for a while longer, Kyle finally stops and lets out a soft sigh. Gently he packs away the guitar and stands up. A nod to people as he passes them while he makes his way towards the food tents. He needed a drink and there was that nagging rumble in his stomach again suggesting he should eat up again.
[Theron Locke] Theron nods and his eyes move to Edward and his dark eyes cast over him and he gives Edward a nod “Well I’m sorry to hear your leaving us brother, but we all need to find our own paths to walk. Recent events have made me come to realise that, but I will be re-commiting to my journey with the Unbroken. If my Alpha will have me.”
The Theurge then turns back to his Alpha “We must talk later you and I… but tonight let us celebrate and also farewell our brother.”
[Waking Dream] Food
The gnawer’s expression snags her attention, and she laughs, reaches over, up, ruffles the girl’s pink-hair. Lila’s shirt, long-sleeved, dirty, smells of something that isn’t these woods, something rich, smoky, Indian summer, lightning-scorched fall — it’s a strange smell, and already fading. “I’ll tell you later,” she says, promises. “I’ll tell you a story.”
And then the tired galliard is circling the fire, empty-handed, toward Edwin and Ezra, and perhaps Marni and Lonna, although perhaps not. Her hands are in her pockets.
[Joey] Fire
Joey returns from wherever Joey was when she and six other Garou stormed the bonfire clearing. She parks herself beside her sister, and she leans into Echo’s side. For a moment, she rests her head on the Glass Walker’s shoulder. Then Joey straightens and looks around Echo toward Blood Summons.
“You don’t know who Santa is?” she asks, and answers without waiting for confirmation. “He’s this jolly old fat guy goes around the world giving out presents to good kids an’ leavin’ coal for the asswipes. Can I have some’a that?” she asks, pointing at a spare bottle of beer.
[Silence] Fire
“Naw,” he’s not from Storm Hammer, “but I was there fer a few months.”
That’s an important distinction, somehow. His eyes remain on Jesmond for the rest of it, unflinching as hers, far more tempestuous. When she’s finished, he lifts his chin faintly, the cant of his gaze changing. Can’t quite say it softens, but — it gentles, maybe.
Sometime in the middle of this: Kora passing by; Silence-Rhya. He nods to her, offhand, a little distracted. Back to Jesmond.
“I remember him,” he says. “His pack sang ‘n howled ’round his pyre all night. I weren’t aware he took a Shadow Lord mate.”
That’s not an insult or a stab. It’s just a statement: there it is. The modi shifts, then, nods to Imogen.
“This’s Imogen Slaughter,” he says.
[Edward Bellamonte] Food
For the entire pack, “Yes, I have a mate. This is she, Miss Coraline Emerson, soon to be Bellamonte.” And there is, of course, the sparkle of a very, very nice diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand. “And I will be staying at the Sept. My family is here,” he says with a look at Kate, and then Lukas – they are his and he theirs, even without pack bonds. Their circle ([un]broken) is simply rearranging itself, reforming.
“I look forward to seeing how we all grow and change, and hope to maintain friendship and alliance with all of you.”
[Truth’s Meridian] Food
Katherine, her arm twined with her elder brother’s, her head now resting on his shoulder so that pale strands mix with his slightly darker, auburn locks links their fingers and draws his hand up to her lips in an old, familiar gesture, rubbing the skin there with her thumb and looking into his eyes, clearly, fondly, with the devotion of a sister; if no longer a pack-sister.
“Meilleure des choses, mon frère,” she murmurs, and kisses his palm, before letting it drop.
[Ezra Turk] *Ezra has things to say. Oh – such things. Only as Lonna’s being borrowed – he finds himself quite unable to say them. Oh. Oh that was precious. The shock and sudden anger that flashes cold on vulpine features is priceless. Ezra’s eyes meeting Edwin’s and locking on – even as the theurge leans in slightly. Letting his eyes tell the story.*
[Marni] [Fire]
Lonna’s good to be borrowed, and Edwin gives his permission, and she nods – that’s to outa three, and a clear majority rule. Marni claps her hands together and nods. “Perfect! Lonna, is it? I’m Marni. Let’s jut go right on around this way…”
She hooks her arm in Lonna’s and is soon dragging her from between the two shadowlords and off….toward a third.
Poor girl.
[Blood Summons] Fire
“Never heard of ‘im.”
He could just be fucking with them. He looks like the sort of guy who has a fucked-up sense of humor. It’s hard to tell what sort of guy he is beyond that; they both know that he thinks quickly on his feet, that he’s a tenacious fighter despite the fact that there isn’t much to his tall body, despite the fact that his claws snap off if he lands a strike incorrectly. They know that he pushes himself to keep going long after he should have collapsed from exhaustion, that he doesn’t seem to respect the limits of his own body, or else knows them well enough that he knows just how far to push them.
They also know that right now, he reeks of dirt and blood and sweat. His normally unruly hair is all over the place, and his eyes are shining, almost glazed.
Joey sits down and asks if she can have some of that, and the Godi plugs his mouth with his cigarette again before passing off one of the bottled beers.
“Careful,” he says, gnarly voice muffled until he can snatch the cigarette from his lips, “I woke up Grain.”
[Wyrmbreaker] Food.
Lukas looks at Theron briefly and curiously; nods. “Later,” he agrees.
“Tonight’s for celebration,” he affirms, then. “We celebrate the season. And life: new and old, coming and going. So come on.” He reaches out, grips Theron’s shoulder, Edward’s, binding them briefly. “Let’s eat. Let’s party.”
[Iona McNevin] Food
She looked …. happy. Her eyes went to Coraline. “OCH!! Tha’ be great news!” She hugged the poor girl suddenly, yet careful if the kin had food in her hands. Then she looked to Ed and Coraline ” There be an old pray fo’ those we say in me family. Blessings ar do shaol, agus is féidir leat a thabhairt neart heirs. It means ‘Blessings on your life, and may you give plenty of heirs.'” She raised her bottle in toast.
[Sorrow] Other side of the fire.
Adamidas’ gesture draws Kora’s attention back to her. She’s intent; she always is. Her eyes trace the arc of the gesture, then rise to the meet the girl’s dark eyes. “Alright.” – is what Kora says, still low. It is, accepting. If Adamidas can’t drink, Kora is willing, perfectly, to drink for them both. She does not quite inhale her food, but she consumes it with dedication and thoroughness, applying herself to the wings, ripping fried flesh from the bone, her expressive mouth coming away from it, shining with grease. When the meet is stripped from the bones, Kora throws the bones back into the fire, watching them circle end over end.
Then, musing, ” – you know what we have to do?” to Adamidas again, of course.
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
Ray still waits casually, watching the situation unfolding some ways away, his face is contemplative but he remains silent, waiting to see what happens.
[Echo Quinn] Fire
“Who the fuck doesn’t know who Santa Claus is,” the Glass Walker objects loudly; aghast at Blood Summons. Then; Joey arrives, and Echo fistbumps her pack-sister before taking another drag and listening as Joey explains the way of things to the Metis. When he says he still hasn’t heard of him she rolls her eyes heavenward and raises her arms.
“Gaia save us! Oooh, awoken beer is amazing. I have some awakened Weed at my place a friend left, we need to smoke some together sometime.”
[Theron Locke] FOODTheron nods and smiles at Lukas and Edward, and does so as he begins finding himself food and drink [ AFK for awhile.. Grocery Shopping beckons]
[Imogen Slaughter] [fire]
Kora greets Imogen and Imogen greets Kora in return – as brief as hers, though non-vocal, an inclination of her head, a brief touch of the eyes.
She turns back as Silence speaks of the funeral pyre at Stormhammer, a pack howling all night. Her expression is contained, cool and controlled.
She is introduced, and her mouth turns in a shadow of a smirk before she turns back to look at Jesmund, her lips controlled.
“A pleasure,” she says; acknowledging the loss is a sticky thing. She chooses instead to ignore it entirely.
“Stayin’ ‘ere fer a time, then, are you?”
[Coraline Emerson] [food]
She does have the good grace to stop eating while Lukas speaks, juices licked from her lips and delicately sucked from her fingers. A part of this and yet apart, she watches and listens with a clear level of curiosity and, indeed, some manner of surprise when there is talk of Edward leaving the pack though after a quick look his way it clears. She moves closer to him; not out of discomfort and still not wanting to infringe on his an Kate’s closeness; but simply because it is – feels – fitting. Right.
As she is introduced she does waver just a fraction back, not a delicate flower or painfully shy but the attention of many is not, generally, her ‘thing’. But she bears it with good grace, smiling warmly if only because the warmth around her seeps into her own mien. When Iona hugs her of a sudden she is briefly startled but surprise becomes a chuckle and she returns the gesture before being released and moving again closer to the Ragabash. A blessing spoken [something like amusement flares briefly in moss-green eyes]; she nods. “Fine, lovely words… thank you.”
[Lonna Larson] Fire
She blinked,, took Marni’s hand, and continued on her merry way. the blonde was getting pulled out of the middle of a few Shadow Lords, over to another Shadow Lord, and- it was at this point Lonna realized that there were an absurd number of Shadow Lords in her life. She was pulled along, and decided to make talk.
“Well, Marni, it’s nice to meet you… umm.. what was your friend’s name again?And what did he want to ask?”
[Danicka Musil] She’s dressed far more warmly for the vernal equinox than she was for the winter solstice, ironically. Danicka’s jeans are tucked into her boots, and she has a green hat on over her pale hair, a heavy black wool coat on, a cream-colored scarf bound up under it. Her hands are in her pockets. She brings no food or drink with her, not this time, tromping up from the parking lot towards the fire.
When she reaches it, she goes straight for it, if only to warm herself after her walk.
[Edward Bellamonte] Food
“Plus sage, ma sœur,” is his reply.
And then, at Iona’s words, Edward laughs, delighted, and it’s a sound that may well do at least Kate good to hear – it’s been a long time since that laugh was heard. “Thank you, sister. The first of those will be along come late summer.” And yes – yes, he is pleased with himself about that, at least in this moment. An heir, another Silver Fang, is no small thing, but a thing to be rejoiced in and celebrated as sure as the changing of the seasons, the drawing forth of light and warmth. “Drink with me, brothers and sisters, to the health of my mate and our child.” This is pleased and carries throughout the food area, but is most specifically for the present members of the Unbroken.
“And then, I think I may well steal Coraline away, if there are no complaints.”
[Iona McNevin] Food to Fire
Iona grabbed a napkin, and then pulled a pen from her back pocket. She scribbled something down onto the napkin, folded it up, then put her pen away. A nod given to all her pack before she turns and heads towards the fire area, towards Ray. She hands him the napkin, winks to him, nods to his company, then begins walking once more, her bottle in hand, and heads for the woods.
[Joey] Fai-yah
“Awwwwwesome.” Joey accepts the offered booze, pops the top, and takes a careful swig. For the first time in it’s anyone’s guess how long, the mention of awakened weed doesn’t make the Rotagar look thoughtful, distant, gone. Sad. She smiles broadly to Blood Summons after that first careful swig, and lifts her bottle in a kind of salute.
“To spring, dude. And we should totally break out the weed some time. I haven’t smoked in like,” she stops, face screwed up in thought as she tries to remember. Then she shrugs and laughs. “I don’t fuckin’ remember.”
[Marni] [Fire]
She chuckles, and grins up at Lonna. “Don’t worry, this one’s kin, and he’s a good guy, if a bit of a womanizer – which suit me just fine of course. He and I made a deal, see, and I told him I’d introduce him to whoever he wanted me too. He agreed to my choice of payment, and then we saw you trapped between those two?And he picked you. He does so love to be the Knight in shining armour. SO! Off I came to the rescue. Edwin’s a buddy of mine anyway, so figured I could pull it off….”
and i that time, the chatty Raggie has brought Lonna to stnd in front of Ray, her grin ringing in triumph. “Lonna, this is Ray. Ray, Lonna.”
And oh, Oh she’ll be collecting on his agreed payment, she will.
Iona walks by – and Marni grins at her and gives her a cheerful “Hi!” for all she’s ignored and nodded at. Which makes her laugh, outright.
[Iona McNevin] Fire
Before Iona takes off, she grins to Marni, grabs the girl and gives the Gnawer a playful smooch on the cheek. “Blessings be on ye thi’ wonderous eve!” NOW, she heads for the woods.
[Rain of Brass Petals] other side of the fire
The burnt something is then left in favor of a bone from a rib, which Adam ended up picking absolutely clean or meat, barbecue sauce, and anything in between. Occasionally, she would nudge Kora, gesturing to one corner of her own mouth with her thumb, then pulling away towards her lips. She does this twice, in hopes to give the skald some indication that she had a little of something on her face.
Does she know what they have to do? The Fury shrugs, shoulders rise up once, then down and she takes a second to muse over this.
The relatively clean bone is used to carve out a few words. Celebrate? After a second, she runs her hand through it and wipes the word away. Rock out? She does the same with this. Remember.
She nods, and with a grin, she writes again.
I prefer rocking out, though.
Conversation, though slow, is deliberate.
[Kyle] [FOOD]
Casually Kyle picks up a beer and sips it before moving to select some food. That slight smile always present as he gathers enough food to last him a few days if necessary.
[Jesmond Krutova] Fire
There’s some hint of humor pulling at the edges of the Shadow Kin’s lips, it threatens to un-stitch itself into a smile but does not quite manage the feat, staying instead the suggestion of it; her skin danced upon by the flickering shadow of the fire like a screen made for shadow-play. “He was brave,” she condescends to add for Silence’s remembrance of her mate, and adds with a downward glance at her fingers; as if reminded of the lack of anything within them.
“He passed befitting that valor,” she does not say died, or mention death, but merely that he was once present and now, has passed — onwards, away, to Valhalla. Then, back to Imogen, Jesmond does smile now, and it invites the other Kinswoman in, regardless of whether she receives warmth in response. “For the next little while, at least. I’ve just started work at Mercy Hospital, so as long as that pans out, I suppose.”
[Marni] [Fire]
She just laughs even more at that.
[Wyrmbreaker] Food
“To health,” Lukas says, and lifts his glass. His clear plastic cup of … whatever it is he poured.
Then his head is turning, his attention caught elsewhere. Katherine will understand it better than most. She was there through so much of the seventh gate, as he was there for the sixth. She’d understand why the Ahroun’s eyes stray to follow his mate, and the look in his eyes, which is so complex a knot of emotion that any given thread becomes indecipherable.
“I’ll catch up with you all later,” he says. “And I think Kate and I’ll have a story for you.”
He drains his cup, then, tosses it into a wastebin. Bringing his plate heaped with food with him, Lukas leaves the food tent, moving toward the fire.
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
Ray watches the pair approach, but his slightly hazy gaze is interrupted by the approach of Iona who he smiles brightly up at her and looks slightly confused as she hands him the paper. He looks at it briefly, and can’t help but chuckle as he she walks away.
When Iona kisses Marni on the cheek, that gets an amazed look on his face but he turns his gaze to the new woman who stands before him. He holds up a hand, but does not rise at the moment.
“Lonna, it is a distinct pleasure to meet you. I apologise for not rising but…for this moment I think it would be better if i stay right where I am.” He gives her a dazzling smile as he says that but the smile is ruined somewhat by his slightly drunken state, his head canted to the side looking somewhat uncomfortable.
[Coraline Emerson] ooc: I’m off — CC’s gonna write out Cora in her post for me. Night!
[Imogen Slaughter] [fire]
Jesmund does not, of course, receive warmth in return. She does however, receive interest, quick and sharp edged.
It has begun to rain, the droplets hissing in the fire. Imogen glances up before smoothing over her hair, then wiping the dampness on the thigh of her jeans.
“What do you do, then?”
[Blood Summons] Fire
To spring.
Bob lifts his beer in a silent salute, taking a long swallow of the nearly-singing fluid before taking a long drag from his cigarette. This close to the fire he doesn’t seem to be suffering from the cold, even though he’s sitting in short sleeves. It’s fucking freezing out, and the only thing stopping the solid Godi from outwardly shivering is the warmth from the blaze a few feet away. He seems comfortable.
More comfortable than he had seemed at the start of the Rite, when he was the last one left awake, anyway.
“Awakened weed, huh?” he asks. “You gotta be careful with that shit.”
[Sorrow] other side of the fire
“I was going to say,” Kora replies, laughter evident in her shoulders and her eyes, in the shape of her body, shoulders taut, forward, spine just curved. Half-way through, Kora reaches up, thumbs away a glistening bit of chicken skin or hoagie bun, licks clean her thumb, flicks another bit of gristle to singe and spit and burn in the roaring fire. ” – that we need to find someone to give us a ride back to the city, or we are going to have a long run through the Umbra. But,” she is drinking through this, too, resting the bottle against her mud-spattered boot, ” – rocking out is an equally reasonable option.”
[Lonna Larson] Fire
“Marni, this isn’t good, they could get into some… I don’t know, I’m just worried,” she insists.
She does come up to meet Ray, and the blonde offers him a smile. She’s a bit nervous… no, she’s quite nervous. She looks back to the little grouping again, though she does offer him a hand. She’s quite sober, and she takes her time conversing. She is pleased.
“Ray? It’s great to meet you… and, yeah, in my experience, these things are fabulous for meeting people, getting toasted, but mostly getting toasted.”
She laughed, and took a pull off the beer.
[Silence] Fire
“Some sorta doctor too?” Decker adds — he’s reaching for Imogen’s beer again.
[Edwin Morr] Fire
Ezra’s eyes move to meet Edwin’s… Edwin’s eyes do not meet the gaze. Instead… His hands begin moving from within the pocket of his coat once more, and mere instants afterward, an inky black cloud begins to flow from the No Moon’s form.
Darkness crawls along the landscape, spreading steadily… Until an area surrounding Ezra and Edwin, approximately 20 feet by 10 feet, is covered in an pitch black wall of night.
Edwin’s grin widens as the darkness grows, becoming indeed the cruel sneer of the hangman… A hangman relishing the joys of a job done well.
It would appear… If Edwin and Ezra were to clash, they would do so in environs of the No Moon’s choosing.
[Edwin Morr] ((That’s Shroud, as the Uktena level 1 gift folks))
[Danicka Musil] Fire
Danicka lets out a yelp as darkness falls, having just barely taken stock of her surroundings.
[Rain of Brass Petals] Other side of the fire
Suddenly, whatever she was writing became very, very unreadable because it was very, very dark.
[Marni] [Fire]
She gives Ray a wink, knowing he enjoyed the little show and a brief arch of a brow is questioning – before she simply moves on, and nudges Lonna. “They’re True. As am I. Your not. If they.. you know.. whatever? They’ll be fine. They’re big boys – they can handle it, and me and Ray here, we’re gonna help ya have a good time.”
She nods, and gestures toward the ground next to Ray. “Have a seat – want me to get more beer?”
How helpful she is. She must LOVE desert.
[Ezra Turk] *A grin in the dark. Slick as spit, Ezra’s sliding into the Umbra. *
[Marni] And then? Then… it becomes very very dark, and she slides her arm back into Lonna’s, and murmuring.. “Sit, with Ray, please…”
[Kyle] [FOOD] Heading to [FIRE]
Making his way back to the fire proves to be a bit of a balancing act for Kyle. In one hand he has a plate of food and his drink while in the other he has his guitar case. Weaving past people he looks for a spot to sit near the fire and while avoiding feet and people he manages to find a spot and avoids spilling anything.
[Silence] Fire
…and then there’s darkness.
Which makes Silence’s hand close not on Imogen’s beer but on his wrist. Conversation interruptus: he more or less pulls her away from the spreading inky-black.
“Don’t worry ’bout it,” he says. “Just some fucktards pullin’ a prank ‘r somethin’.”
[Ezra Turk] [and I’m Out!!]
[Ray Ostermann] Ray smiles as she laughs, finding her laugh rather infectious, much like others find his and he doesn’t seem to mind in the least.
“To my discredit it would appear I am much further along to that then you are. I hope you will see it in your heart to forgive me this very poor first meeting.” Marni suggests that Lonna take a seat, and Ray suggests the same gesturing to the same location. When the blackness goes up Ray and his lips twist almost into a frown but he forces it back.
“What is your preferred drink Lonna?” Ahhh idle chit chat.
[Truth’s Meridian] Fire
“To the next generation,” chimes in the elder Bellamonte daughter, holding her wine-glass aloft and toasting with the others her brother and his unborn child. She clinks glasses or plastic cups with others, sips from her own and untwines herself from Edward; there is perhaps something symbolic in it, her surrendering of him to Coraline with a small, satisfied expression.
“Take care of him,” she says, to Coraline, with a musing, wry, little smile.
[Waking Dream] From Fire to Inky Darkness By The Fire.
The shadowlord boys’re tensing even as Lonna’s drawn away to have what looks like it’s going to be an oldfashioned stare-down, and Lila’s slowing, pausing, and then darkness descends, and she goes stock-still, body wakeful, alive, senses once again diminished. “Shit,” she says. Then: “Edwin. Ezra. Bonfire’s for light.”
[Echo Quinn] Fire
“You really do,” Echo agrees fervently, with rapid head nods. She’s already quite tipsy, no doubt the awakened grain will finish the little Ragabash off. “Joey and I smoked some a while back, and I got so. fucking. toasted.” She bursts into an infectious round of laughter, and bends at the waist, tucking her legs beneath her indian style.
“I couldn’t stop laughing for, for… like, ever.”
Then it goes dark: “Oh, what the shit, man. KNOCK IT OFF!”
[Edwin Morr] Fire
From within the cloud, the No Moon watched as Ezra stepped sideways… His cruel sneer slowly fades… Eventually, the sly liar’s grin replaces it upon his forgettably sharp features.
A moment passes, then two, if only to be sure Ezra was no longer there. Then, whether satisfied or otherwise, the inky shroud begins to dissolve in the very air… Like the dissipation of thick smoke clouds.
When it is completely gone, Waking Dream finds herself not alone. The sly, lopsided grinning No Moon stands beside her, his hands still within his coat pockets.
[Jesmond Krutova] “Nursing,” Jesmond begins after a moment’s thought. “I worked as a mid-wife while at Storm Hammer,” she begins with a sip of her water. “But there isn’t really the same call for it in a city Sept like this one, so I thought I’d go back to more general Nursing.”
Her eyes turn considering on Imogen. “What are you a Doctor of, Imogen?” Jesmond asks — before the lights go out.
[Edward Bellamonte] And so it goes – there’s a toast and everyone drinks something – Edward’s seen to it that whatever Cora wants is in her hand, of course – and then, there are smiles and hugs for those Edward is closer to than anyone else in the world. “We’re going to head home. But we’ll see you later, and Lukas was right – I will be fulfilling my debt to Perun.” And then he and Cora are on their way out and home.
[Sorrow] Shroud.
Darkness. Adamidas, beside her, can feel Sorrow go still and alert. The Fenrir puts one hand on the Fury’s shoulder, – right hand, left shoulder – and is silent. The voices sift through the darkness, but there are no sounds of battle – just the heat of the fire, the banter continuing between lovers-who-are and perhaps lovers-to-be, packmates and kin. The Fenrir woman is still, intent. Her first thought it not: shadow lords playing/play-fighting/fighting around. Her first thought is darker – more immediate.
The sounds continue, though – and the shroud begins to dissolve like smoke on the wind, until the light – not just the heat – reasserts itself.
[Danicka Musil] At the edge of the darkness, Danicka emerges. She doesn’t look like she knows what’s going on. Disoriented would be a good word for it, stumbling slightly on the snowy grass. She breathes in, exhales, and mutters under her breath as she head back towards the parking lot.
[Danicka Musil] [Sorry about the 3-post presence, folks. *L* I just realized I’m sick and might wanna sleep. Have fun!]
[Imogen Slaughter] [fire]
She’d have answered the other, but then the lights, as they are, go out and Imogen does not speak or make a sound, through her wrist is stiff beneath Silence’s hand. Her bones are fragile, slender and light beneath his heavy, broad grip.
He pulls at her, and the resistance is nearly immediate – a tug in response that gives away a moment later. An ascension to the futility for someone of her height and strength and weight to resist something like him in an attempt like that.
Don’t worry about it he says and her eyebrow arches. He continues.
“Charming,” she says, extracting her wrist from his hand, lifting the beer for a swallow, draining it to its last quarter before passing it over.
The shroud passes, fades. Imogen answers Jesmond Krutova as if their conversation had not been broken at all.
“Forensic pathology,” she says
[Edward Bellamonte] [G’night, everyone, thanks for the play!]
[Joey] Fire
Joey laughs. It’s a low chuckle that is certainly not a giggle. “Dude. I think I remember that. Shit this shit is strong,” she says, lifting up her bottle and glaring at it accusingly.
Then her expression smooths, and she looks at Blood Summons. “Is that what awakening this stuff does? Makes it stronger?”
Darkness falls, Echo swears, and Joey joins her. “Mother fucker!” She’s half rising to her feet when the shroud begins to dissipate, and she lowers herself back to the ground.
[Wyrmbreaker] [I gotta go hang out with friends, and Lukas would go after Danicka anyway, so — Lukas out!]
[Rain of Brass Petals] Other side of the fire
She sighed, heaving her breath and seeming somewhere close to frustrated. In the silence, there was tension there, but not the kind that came with fight or flight. Not the kind that came with much of anything, really, except for waiting. Anticipation. Readiness.
She gritted her teeth, and she glanced to Kora. She was a little on edge.
It took a long moment before that started to dissipate. She didn’t say anything, though. Or write anything, until, finally, should we check around?
[Lonna Larson] Fire!
“I? Would love something to drink… preferably something hard,” she says when the lights go out. She is tense, she is taut, she is concerned, but that is neither here nor there.
“Or just gimme beers and keep ’em coming, I don’t know… I… I don’t know.”
[Kyle] [FIRE]
Just as he was about to start eating things go black. He’d swear but seriously there was no point to it since he couldn’t be heard if there was a problem anyway. When it finally lifts he gives slight shrug and starts eating again. Looking around between bites as he takes not of people left around the fire.
[Marni] [Fire to Food]
The darkness dissipates a moment later, and Marni searches to see who’s where afterward. When she sees Ezra has gone, Edwin with Lila she nods, and then grins at Ray and Lonna.
“Deal. Somethin’ hard and beers and keep’em comin. That I can do. I’ll be back in a bit with’em”
And with that, she’s roaming around the fire, toward the food tents again, to collect the requested drinks.
[Waking Dream] Fire
The darkness dissipates and Edwin is standing, smiling that liar’s smile, that smile that honor breaks upon, right next to the golden-haired galliard, whose Rage is lapping across her bones, washing up, up through her ribs, flushing her cheeks with more surety than the spring-snow-eaten air. There’s a pause, and she turns her head to look the ragabash over, eyebrows pulling together. Then: “Okay.” A brief pause. “I am, too.” A briefer pause. Her wide-set eyes are tracking away from Edwin, finding Lonna, resting. And then, absent, dreamy, whatever: “Don’t I get a hello hug, No Moon? And a sip of whatever it is you carry around, tastes like what Luna uses to get the glow off so that people like you can be born?”
[Blood Summons] Fire
Before he can give a definitive answer whether or not awakening ‘this stuff’ increases its potency or not, someone several feet away calls on the Gift of darkness and enshrouds the area in it. Bob seems patently unimpressed, the cherry of his cigarette flaring up in the blackness as the females protest, though it does slow down his drinking for the moment.
The darkness doesn’t last long, though. Long enough to drive a blond-haired–familiar–female out of the woods and the Ahroun elder after her, long enough for one of the Shadow Lords to slip Umbralside and Waking Dream to stroll closer to the epicenter of the shroud.
When Joey sits back down, Bob blows a stream of smoke of their heads and ashes his cigarette into the snow-encrusted grass.
“Fuckin’ clowns,” he mutters as light returns to the fireside, and swigs off of his beer.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray smiles at Marni as she goes to take their orders. He then checks his watch and frowns as he see’s the time. He sighs and rubs his eyes and looks at Lonna apologetically.
“You just arrived and now i must go..” He says standing. “How I will get home at this moment I am not entirely certain, but…i have a client fairly early in the morning tomorrow night.” He looks Lonna over at that moment and seems to regret it even more. “Even more unfortunate for the company I must leave.”
[Sorrow] The tension dissipates. Kora looks to Adamidas, a flashing look – sidelong – then gestures toward Edwin in and Lila. Ezra is gone now, has slipped through the Gauntlet to the world’s shadow or the shadow’s world. Gestures with her chin, just up, and then shakes her pale head, the long, fine strands catch on the strings of the guitar on her back. The frame sits there, rides the curve of her spine. “I’m pretty sure it was them,” the creature says, “the two who were about to facedown. One or the other couldn’t take it and pulled the gift. It caught me off-guard. The Spirals in the park pulled that gift too.”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin chuckles, the sound lighter and more pleasant, as though nothing had happened. Though his Rage tinges the sound ever so slightly more than it had before, giving it a slightly harsher nature than intended.
“Why sure, doll… Y’know all ya gotta do’s ask.
Whut order ya want ’em?”
And with that, he holds out his arms as though in invitation to Lila.
“Hug away.”
[Jesmond Krutova] [Ahem, sorry, had to rush off and do an errand. *typing!*]
[Joey] Fire
Wherever Joey wound up when the rite takers separated, clearly it involved alcohol. The Rotagar is already several sheets to the wind. She’s not even halfway through her bottle of awakened beer before she’s leaning heavily against Echo again.
“I love you, Echo, you are the awesome,” she mumbles. And she sags, and is asleep within seconds.
[and Joey’s OUT]
[Lonna Larson] Fire
“Don’t work too hard, Ray, and try not to go in hung over, whoever your clients are, they might notice and I’d hate for you to lose business… doing… what is it that you do again?”
She looked at him and perked up. She offered a smile. She was a conversational sort. A reasonable sort, she crossed her legs and, ooh, Marni was coming back.
“I appreciate this, thank you.”
[Silence] [okay, really gotta go. decker will hang around and then bum a ride with imogen!]
[Marni] [Fire]
She’s coming back indeed, weaving her way around the fire with a bottle or four in hand, moving like someone who has FAR too much energy and quite the devilish agenda to go with it. Then again, she’sa raggie. It’s expected.
She gets back and see’s that they are saying their goodbyes, and sets the bottles down by Lonna and grins up at the Shadowlord Kin. “Gonna leave without a kiss goodbye? I might cry…”
[Jesmond Krutova] Forensic Pathology, Imogen Slaughter says as light returns to them. Settled where she is by the fire, the darkness had been tinged with warmth, at the very least. When it recedes, Jesmond’s face is turned in the approximation of where she remembers Imogen and Decker’s voices emerging from.
She blinks, and then raises dark brows.
“That was interesting,” she notes mildly, like one would a rain shower in summer. Then: “Forensic Pathology, that must be,” a beat, she smiles, recognizing that there is no tender way to phrase it. “Something. How long have you worked in that field?”
[Zeke] Arrival
The Towncar is immaculate, even on the roads necessary to push their way up to the designated spot. The parking was effortless and tucked off to one side, away from most others and the car alarm set with a minor ‘beep‘. The tie is tugged at, gingerly to avoid wrinkles, loosening enough to hang about his neck, rather then against it. The top button of the shirt is undone and the cuffs, unhitched. The Jacket extends well behind and a brief glance given to the sky, followed by a popped collar against the chill.
He sifts through wood and tree, disdaining the cut for a well worn trail leading to the obvious glow of the fire. His jaw pushes forward and his hand wraps snugly about the bottle once bound in a pocket. The gait is leisurely and the eyes bound for the ground, a low whistle on his lips that sounds vaguely blues. Distant depressions of a human era.
[Truth’s Meridian] [logging kate! presuming she’s wandering about, marveling at nature and spring and stuff. whee.]
[Rain of Brass Petals] Other side of the fire
She nodded slowly as Kora discussed, or rather referenced, what happened int he Park. The news had gotten out, leaked its way to others that the spirals in the park had used… restraint. Something about it left a bitter taste in her mouth. The spirals in the park had used that gift, too, though, and it was a point of thought for her.
She dusts through where she had written earlier, and the Fury takes her time to think on this.
What do you think they wanted? Do you think this is isotated- she wipes out the last word and rewrites it upon realizing she crossed her L, too, isolated?
[Ray Ostermann] [Fire]
He wobbles on his feet for uncertain about his own legs and he smiles, his smile a drunken one. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card and hands it to Lonna. “I’m a financial broker…heres my card..” He plants the card in her hand and then waves shakily before turning on Marni and without even a comment he plants a kiss on her lips his arms holding her shoulders as he does so.
He then lets her go with a wide grin, just as drunk as before and winks at her. “See you soon for desert Marni….” He chuckles, and his voice obviously tells of something else, before he starts to walk out of the forest, a phone coming out as he calls a cab.
[Waking Dream] Fiiiiiiiire
Edwin opens his arms, and Lila, who was watching Lonna, how tense she was, how many drinks she was drinking, exhales quietly before dragging her fingers through her hair, canting her head to the side, wolfish, and sideglancing. “Yeah?” she says, something like — but not quite — laughter in the back of her throat, underneath her voice. “Okay,” she says, and pretty much wraps Edwin up in the sort’ve hug you give if you happen to’ve won the gold medal in olympic-style hugging, which is to say, close, like she’s feeling out who he is and doesn’t care if it’s bad. Adds something, though — somethin quiet, eaten by the fire, unless you’re Edwin Morr.
[Marni] [Fire]
She grins and leans up into that kiss, and swats him on the ass as he walks away. “You better believe it.”
and with that she’s flopping on the ground next to Lonna. “Got a bottle of… whiskey I think – AND beers. Help yourself.”
[Echo Quinn] Joey tells her she’s the awesome and then sags and snores softly into her shoulder. Echo, bemused, half way to drunk nods vaguely at Bob as if to suggest without words see, she knows it, do you know it, my level of awesome Bob, do you before she tips back her head, and finishes another can of beer.
“I feel like I should be getting laid,” she says, idly, scruffing a hand through shorn hair, her dark eyes frowning as much as her lips are. “Spring and all, baby animals and Easter eggs, isn’t it the time to get busy in the foliage, too?”
[Imogen Slaughter] “Quite some time,” Imogen replies, casting a glance at her watch.
“You’ll ha’ to excuse me,” she says. “S’about time I was headin’ off,” she casts a glance at the hard-bodied Fenrir as she takes a step back. A pause before she offers: “Want a lift, do you?”
With his agreement, both turn and head toward the trees in the direction of where she’d left her car. Kora receives a nod in farewell from the good doctor as she goes.
(DYING and need sleep! goodnight, all)
[Liadan] Fire-ish
Lee has been quietly making rounds, helping out at the food tents when needed, making sure revelers have drinks and are enjoying themselves. She’s very good at being unobtrusive, most don’t notice her presence except for the breeding. The red hair caught by firelight.
The people she knows better than others receive a word or two of greeting, recognition. Those she doesn’t make it over to get a wave and a smile.
Like Blood Summons, who Lee sees from some distance away. She smiles that crooked grin of hers and offers him a small wave.
[Ray Ostermann] ((And im out! catch you all later.))
[Zeke] Fire
The fire’s glare has him lift an arm and a hand out, the free one, to block the majority, that hand rising a moment later to flick sunglasses down off the top of his head and onto the bridge of his nose. His regard remains with that fire for a moment, even as the filter of voices steadily rises until the treeline is fully breached and he is among them. Tiny groups, small groups, singles and one large one surrounding the flames. Chatters and chirpers, some recognizable, others an utter mystery.
The bottle in his hand, gold fire in a tall, square glass, unmarked and brushed with a fine coat of dust, swishes gently as it bumps against his leg several times. A pause on the outskirts, to survey and take in. A brief furrow, jaw hinging to the left marginally.
“…Shit outta luck it seems…” And then he’s moving, slow steps around bodies as necessary, flickering glances cast as Pureblood mingling with not, that eye holding on Shadowlord Blood that stands out for a moment longer even as he approaches the fire and a spare spot somewhere within.
[Kyle] [FIRE]
Food finished, Kyle stiffles a burp as he takes out the guitar from its case. Streching his fingers a little he absently starts to strum a few notes while looking for the right notes in his head.
[Lonna Larson] Fire
She looked at Marni, and the blonde with the mess of curls and the lovely eyes and the killer body grinned from ear to ear. She looked at the Gnawer, “aw, you two are cute.”
[Jesmond Krutova] “Night,” Jesmond calls in the wake of the powerful Modi and his [perhaps] mate. She rises, and strolls to claim another bottle of sparkling water from the bin set up for refreshments. There does not seem to be, within Jesmond, any desire to circulate, or speak to any without prior cause. She begins to collect together empty trays, and paper cups from the ground, and put them into trash bags to aid with clean up later on.
When Zeke approaches the fire, it is to one of his blood stooping to reclaim a final napkin, balled and left on the ground. She rises, casts him a momentary glance of consideration, nods, and ties off the bag, setting it to one side for disposal later on. Whatever else she is, she is a child of Thunder’s with that bone structure, and that dark, dark hair, curling over her cheeks.
[Blood Summons] Fire
The Godi sitting across from the two No Moons looks as though he’s starting to feel the effects of the beer he’s plowing though. He drains it with an open-throated swallow, sets the empty bottle back into its empty place in the sleeve, then takes one last killing drag off of the cigarette and flicks it into the fire to be consumed, there being no suitable place to toss the filter.
As he turns back from the fire, he catches sight of the red-haired kinswoman who’s been bustling about the bonfire the entire time he’s been here waving at him. Bob glances over his shoulder as if to make sure that she’s actually waving at him, then raises his hand in a return wave and pulls a fresh beer from the six-pack. There are only three left. If he makes an attempt to finish them by himself he’s going to wind up stumbling and slurring his words.
Maybe that’s the intended effect.
Echo feels like she should be getting laid. Bob raises his eyebrows in amusement, peering at her from across the table as he rattles the beer bottle open and takes a healthy swallow. She keeps going. It doesn’t cease to be entertaining.
“I wouldn’t think one of Cockroach’s would be at all interested it copulating in the bushes,” he says. “Ain’t it too green for you out here?”
[Marni] [Fire]
She snorts, and opens a beer for herself, chuckling. “Like I said, he’s a good time. We understand each other. However, He’s cute I’m fuckin ADORABLE.”
And well, it’s really true, what with the sparkling eyes, mass of curls and devilish desire for fun. “Either way, it’s gonna be a bummer when someone up and claims his ass and kicks me outa the pool…”
Then she’s grinning up at Lonna with a shrug. “So. Who was that creepy dude with his hands all over ya?”
[Teodora Krutova] Fiiiiiiire
Teodora joins her sister Jesmond at the fire. The fawn-limbed, gangling (potential) teenager whose lineage is Shadow Lord looks unhappy when she comes out’ve the woods and beelines for the flames. The perceptive would notice that she’s wet, dark jeans made darker all the way up to her thighs, mud on her boots, and she’s cold, too, shivering, blue eyes big in heartshaped face, the freckles that’re hardly noticeable unless you look close a little more noticeable today. “Hey, Jezzy,” she says, between ch-ch-chattering teeth. She’d said she was going to get her own ride to the shindig, if she went, in that imperious way teenagers have of letting you know that duh they have plans and they are SO much cooler.
[Zeke] Fire
…A pause, the hand holding the bottle raising, tucked close to his chest, index finger jutting free of the neck to point outward at Jesmond. The head ducks, brow furrowing even if a smile one could only consider to be ‘quaint’ crosses his lips. A ripple travels from one corner of the lips to the other, even as he turns slowly to level that pointing finger at the tall Shadowlord Kin.
“You…have a sis-”
Hey Jezzy
-and Zeke is staring down at the wet and chattering ‘Dora, head rearing back slightly and lips pursing forward. The sunglasses have slipped down the bridge of his nose enough to warrant that gaze untinted, an amused cast to one side of his lips.
“Huh. Yeah. That’s about right.”
[Sorrow] Kora reads the words Adamidas scratches into the soil, quiet, intent. Shakes her head then, a brief twist of negation curling over her lips. “No.” Her nostrils flare, faint, and she looks up, into the dancing firelight. “That set-up was far too elaborate to be isolated – unless it was dreamed up by one of those mad geniuses you find in James Bond films. You know? Or that dude from Austin Powers – what was his name? With the mini-me.
“There was a point to it. My Alpha’s going to track them, though.” Kora falls silent. Then: ” – hey, I think I will go take a look around. You can join me, if you’d like. But there’s no need.” She stands up, picks up the two empty beers, the sodden paper plate and begins to saunter away toward the recycling bins.
[Echo Quinn] “I hate the green,” she slurs viciously and half-rolls so she’s now lolling on her belly across the table. Poor Joey slides down and slumps to one side, still, somehow, managing to remain asleep despite everything. Echo rests her chin on a palm, and kicks her feet in the air like a bored child, her other arm lying — some might have said possessively, protectively — over her pack-sisters stomach.
“But I mean, if I had to pick between sex and no sex and the sex was gonna have to happen in the green, then I’d tolerate it, I guess.” She says morosely, as if a pretty looking girl like Echo Quinn with her lean, athlete’s build couldn’t get a date in the usual fashion. Then Lee is waving, and Echo’s attention is caught by it. She peers, then a grin [trickster, no moon, devil’s girn] crosses her lips. “Ohhh, you know Lee?” Said like it’s naughty that he does.
[Sorrow] (night!)
[Jesmond Krutova] Jesmond, her coat’s hood half-lowered over her dark locks is uncapping a bottle of water. She hesitates in the act, her fingers half-caught, turning the cap as she tilts her head; blue eyes dancing with firelight. “I do,” she confirms in her mild mannered way, as if it were quite reasonable to be acknowledged by one’s siblings. Then Teodora approaches, mournful; bedraggled.
Her elder sister’s eyebrows come together. She does not rush to comfort the teenager, but waits for her to grow nearer. “Teodora, how did you get out here this evening?” The young woman she calls Jezzy asks her, much like she was addressing a patient in great amounts of pain, asking them to tell her where the pain was worst.
[Lonna Larson] Fire
She laughed at that. the blonde seemed to light up pretty easily, and pleasure flickered across her features. Whatever had happened in the middle of the bonfire was forgotten for the time being.
“It happens, though. I guess you guys don’t share a tribe?” may as well ask, she doesn’t quite know Marni.
So, what was with that guy? “Ezra? Oh, umm… he’s… well… it’s interesting, because I think he wants to keep me, or did, we kind of live together,” sort of, “and I don’t quite know what to say here, but… I mean, he’s usually pretty good to me.”
[Teodora Krutova] [I’m … going to tell you nothin’ but the truth. Manip + Subt!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6) [WP]
[Edwin Morr] Fire
“Why thanks, doll…”
He grins that lopsided grin, as the hug is parted, before Edwin reaches into the denim work coat and pulls out a beat up metal flask.
“Whuts say we have dat drink o’er yonder. Dat way, we c’n check on Lonna ‘thout havin’ ta walk so far.”
He’s already unscrewing the lid to the flask as he starts walking in that direction, and once it’s free, hands it to Lila. The overly sweet smell emanating from the flask indicates two things… Corn Whiskey, and high alcohol content.
As they approach Lonna and Marni, Edwin nods in greetings.
“Sorry ’bout th’commotion folks… Ezra’n’ I’s fixin’ ta talk sum’in’ out.
Ever’body okay here?”
[Blood Summons] “Hmm.”
It grates, that sound, like something heavy being pushed across a gritty cabin floor, a deep and almost resonant sound that dissipates to make room for another throatful of beer. He’s not nearly as intoxicated as Echo, not nearly as tired as Joey, but some of the electric tension is going out of his frame. He’s not so much perched on the bench as he is just sitting, sitting and conversing with one of his Septmates, with a woman he’s hunted with and gone on a quest with, a woman who he seems to have a few things in common with.
Things like rank, like tenacity. Things like a sailor’s mouth and a fondness for tobacco. Little things.
He’s drinking his beer when Echo’s grin stretches across her pretty lips, and his eyebrows fly up when he sees it, as though he knows nothing good is going to come from it.
He knows Lee.
“Yyyep,” he drawls, his lips popping at the end of the single syllable, and sets the beer down to tug at the end of his nose.
[Kyle] [FIRE]
Taking a sip from his beer he reaches up and adjusts the collar around his neck. Picking up the guitar again he starts to play what ever comes to mind.
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Zeke] (Persuasion? Cha + Sub)
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 5, 6, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Zeke] (Wouldn’t you know it? A night of truth, astonishing. (man + sub)
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5)
[Liadan] [percept + subt!]
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 (Success x 4 at target 6)
[Zeke] Fire
“I drove her.”
Zeke’s smile spreads to both sides of his mouth, a mournful furrow to his brow even as he too, turns to regard ‘Dora.
“‘Dora ‘n I met in a Diner not too many nights ago. Did me the favor a’ cuttin’ my tab for me on account I lost my wallet. Return I promised her a ride in the future which she so graciously decided to collect on.” The cadence of the man’s words are rhythmic. Not easy to interrupt. Easily lost on the other hand…
“…’Fraid she went ‘n dropped ‘erself off the edge of a riverbank in all the excitement a gettin’ up here. Had to fish ‘er out ‘n bring to the fireside.”
He pauses, as if somewhat startling, turning that glance and smile to Jesmond, a hand held out toward her, switching the bottle to the left to offer a shake.
“Zeke. I’m part of the family.” As if that one sentence could take all of the potential for creepiness out of his little diatribe.
[Marni] [Fire]
He’s usually good to the Kin. Marni just arches a brow, and tips her beer over toward where the altercation took place. “You realize he was tryin to use you as a shield, right? That’s fucked up. Seems ya need better friends.”
And then Edwin and Lila are coming her way. “Like them.”
And then – it’s a nod for the two joining them. “Right as rain, m’man. And thanks for givin me the blade back. Took me a while to figure out who the hell jacked it.”
[Waking Dream] Corn-whiskey, perfect for someone who just went down the corn-maiden’s route, perfect for someone who wants to get tipsy, wants to feel it through every damned inch of her skin. She takes a swig! And then smiles, quiet, at Lonna. She’s looking dreamier and dreamier, like maybe she’s going to join the Silver Fang philodox pretty soon, wandering around, marvelling, or disappear through the trees with some random kinsman – ” – hey, Lonna. Hey, Marni.” They haven’t actually talked outside’ve a moot, but Lila remembers her, marked her, knows her. Gives the guitar-player an appreciative glance. Because of his playing.
[Eeehhh stamina for fun.]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 4, 5 (Botch x 1 at target 6)
[Waking Dream] ” – ley, Honna. Mey, Nimar.” Is actually more like what she says. Before she passes out.
[Liadan] Lee catches bits and pieces of conversation as she makes her way over to the only conscious Sentinel she can see and the metis sitting with her. She lifts a brow as she passes by Zeke, listening to him spin half-truths and lies. The Fianna kinswoman doesn’t speak up, doesn’t stand up on a chair and point to the Ragabash and shout LIAR for all in attendance to hear.
But she does make note. And she continues on her pre-determined path, toward the pretty Walker and the unfortunate looking Fenrir. Unlike most of the revelers, in Lee’s hand is not a bottle or a can of beer, but a plastic cup from Starbucks. She flashes another grin to the Ragabash and the Theurge, dark eyes sliding over the prone form of the unconscious blonde without really seeing her.
“Hey. How’re you guys doing?”
[Jesmond Krutova] [Ack! Jacqui was making coffee and needs to roll! Percept + Sub]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Teodora Krutova] Zeke slides himself in and Teodora doesn’t look like his version of events is news to her, no way. Teodora could, right now, sell ice to a polar bear (and polar bears? They don’t even have money, but they’d get some, believe it, if she fineagled a way to get ’em to). Her eyebrows prick and she gives him this look, all wide-eyed. Says ” – awww, nuh uh, you’re the gracious one – ” all honey and light. Well, something like that. Her eyes slide back to Jezzy and she says, “He’s pretty much right.”
[Lonna Larson] Lonna blinked.
Then blinked again for good measure. She stood up and started to gather up her small, rather drunk warder.
“I’m sorry Marni, I have to get this home.”
[Edwin Morr] Fire
Edwin blinks as Lila passes out…
“Wow… She must’a been tired. Dis stuff ain’t dat strong…”
Then, after a few moments, Edwin stares about the woods in consideration.
“Reckon dis’d be uh right nifty spot fer uh moonshine still…”
Then, turning that sly grin to Marni, Edwin nods and chuckles.
“Yeah… I couldn’ help m’self. I’d been meanin’ ta give’t back fer uh spell’r more now. Glad ta fin’ly git dat done when it mattered.”
And with that, Edwin busies himself with propping Lila up as best he can…
“Need uh han’ wit’er?”
[Blood Summons] [Okay… *waves magic hands* Pay no attention to the picnic table by the fire! There’s nothing to see there!
Night guys!]
[Marni] She arches a brow as Lila… passes out. And nods, chuckling. “No problem – but you remember what I said. They don’t fuckin use you as a meat shield. Ever.”
And then she winks up at Edwin, and tips back her beer and watches them deal with Lila. “See, hat’s why you always stick to the bottled stuff. That homegrown shit will mess you UP.”
[Jesmond Krutova] “A riverbank,” the Kinwoman’s eyes are level on Zeke, she does not seem either taken in or put off by his smooth interference on her baby sister’s behalf – as a matter of fact, the subtle edge of Jesmond’s smile suggests that she’s used to men jumping in front of buses to spare Teodora with her big doe eyes and long, girlish limbs from danger — or the potential wrath of a protective sibling.
“She does look the part,” she qualifies, and then her eyes stray to her sister; she relents, if that is the proper term for it, does not seem as if the truth alarms her, or requires her attention. She takes Zeke’s offered hand, her palm warm and soft; feminine one might attest — but with implied strength. “Then I am happy to meet you, and more so to know another is aware of and seeing to Dora.”
[Liadan] [Lee and Bob go for a walk. And then VANISH! *spooky hands*]
[Echo Quinn] [Echo follows like a big perve and wolf whistles before running off.]
[Marni] [Gasp! shocking!]
[Zeke] “Seeing to. Interesting phrase, from a sister.”
The smile loosens again, turning to regard ‘Dora with a calm sort of regard that is all at once genuine and…something else. He blinks both eyes and widens his smile, scrunching his nose ‘cutely’ for a moment before his face rears back into a settled and comfortable pose. The bottle in his grip is sloshed against a leg once more, even as the tall business dressed figure steps over a nearby log and settles into place with an easing grunt and exhale through the nose.
“Trust you two have met the big boss already?” The cork, which is what the bottle is stuffed with, is plucked free with his teeth and spat into a hand, which deposits it into a front breast pocket.
[Waking Dream] Lila doesn’t wake up. Her eyelids don’t flutter, like she’s going to wake up. The Galliard Elder, who at least is not a Fianna, so shan’t be shamed by this, sleeps the sleep of the enchanted, like maybe that was magic moonshine.
ooc: and Lila’s out! seriously.
[Lonna Larson] (taking lila away!)
[Lonna Larson] She nods and looks back at Edwin and shakes her head. She gives him a quick hug, and looks back at Marni, “I’m not very good cover anyway.”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin hugs Lonna and chuckles darkly for a moment… Before answering her statement.
“Depends on who’s on th’other side uh th’knife, doll. Some shields mean more’n udders.”
And with that, he takes a seat beside Marni, and a swig of his liquor… Before offering her a swig of her own.
[Marni] She looks up at Edwin as he settles next to her, and down at the flask, then to Lila, and then back again. And then? Like a good raggie, she ignores her own advise, takes the flask and a swig from the same.
And makes a face
And coughs.
And grimaces.
And enjoys the BURN as she offers the flask back.
“No WONDER she passed out. Fuckme.” and she uses her beer as a chaser, chuckling.
[Teodora Krutova] Teodora gives Jesmond a quick look at that phrase seeing to Dora and there’s the ghosthint of something sullen curving her mouth. She wrinkles her nose, too. Then: Teodora doesn’t like the woods. Teodora doesn’t like nature. Well, she does in theory, but as soon as she’s spent thirty minutes in it, she’s done, done with the whole damned thing. Bugs, dirt, blah, walking, blah, more bugs, bleh. Pretty, but not worth the hassle, when you can usually see prettier woods on a screensaver or something. “Aw,” she says, softly, imploring-like, “You make me sound like I’m always getting in trouble.”
Somewhere, her aunt’s car sinks further into the muck. And Teodora’s blue eyes cant back to Zeke. “You mean Lukas? I haven’t met him yet. I’m really looking forward to it, though! I hear he’s pretty cool.”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin grins, nodding…
“Well, ’tain’t th’sorta thing I’d normal dis’gree wit’, but… ‘Fraid flipper babies ain’ my idea uh fun.”
And with that, he chuckles and takes another swig, before offering the flask again to Marni.
“Anywho… Thanks fer th’han’…”
[Marni] She snorts, and nudges him with her shoulder. “So you WERE only cuddling up at me to check my pockets. Dammit, and here I’d developed quite a crush. Now whatever am I gonna do?” She sigh dramatically, and then takes the flask again.
Apparently she’s glutton for punishment.
“Anytime.” And it’s clear she means it, too.
[Jesmond Krutova] “Is it?” An odd phrase in regards to her sister, Jesmond is smiling; the expression is full of warmth, unguarded. It invites, does not protest if you linger a while in the corners of her lips, in the slant of her nose, her fine eyes; her dark hair. She has adopted some traits, but not all, of her adopted tribe for a time. Earlier; it had been she and Silence, regarding one another with dark, intent stares that did not seem to challenge but connect, reveal, understand.
Her eyes travel from Zeke to Dora, and she adopts a softer, gentler tone. “No, Dora,” don’t be silly, it reads. “Not always, but you have to give me room to fret.” A beat, she does not say, because I’m a mother without a son to tend to here, but means it. “That’s what I’m meant to do.” Have they met Lukas? “Yes, I have. As well as his mate, Danicka.”
[Zeke] The laughter that comes out of Zeke is loud. Something entirely uncharacteristic, not that either of the Lord kin would know that. The ‘Ha Ha’ sounds are singular in their comprehension, the syllables easily picked out one by one. His head rears back from the mouth of the bottle he’s holding, body leaning dangerously off to one side before swimming back to put his chest against his knees, spread slightly whilst on the log.
The bottle comes back up toward his lips, hovering there as if he were undecided on a sip. He stares into the fire with a smile that makes it impossible for the lips to grasp the bottle’s mouth.
“Cool is the word, Munchkin.” And then a swig of the bottle, slow and easy. The wince coming off his features afterward is vicious, the bottle set between his feet comfortably for a moment as the effects wear off and he is seeing once more. Then, the square bottle is hefted briefly and handed off to the right, in Marni and Edwin‘s direction.
And “It is.” Zeke replies to Jesmond’s possibly rhetorical question without looking up at her.
[Kyle] Fingers sore from playing, Kyle lets out a long sigh as he stretches. Setting his guitar down he checks his drink and notices it’s empty. Standing up he looks around and catches the eyes anyone remaining. Making several motions that indicate if anyone would like another drink while he’s up before he heads off to get a refill for himself.
[Teodora Krutova] [a’ight, Zeke. You ain’t lookin’ at me, but I am GLARING AT YOU FULL OF DOOM. Char+Intim. MUNCHKIN?!?!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 3, 3, 6, 8, 10, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6) [WP]
[Zeke] (“At Me Munchkin?” (Cha + Intim)
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 3, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 3 at target 4)
[Edwin Morr] ((Well, I’m doing the sleep thing folks. Y’all have a nice night. *wave* And thanks for the rp))
[Zeke] …And Zeke’s gaze lifts slowly, rolling around inside their sockets to peer up at ‘Dora and catch that spiteful glare. The bottle lifts slowly as he meets that stare with a slow smile at the corner of his lips and a correction-
“…I mean, ‘Dora.”
-Followed by another slow swig of the bottle’s contents, eyes returning slowly to that fire and a second wince climbing his features.
[Marni] And hey, Edwin falls into a companionable silence, and then wanders off and disappears as he’s known to do – and there’s another bottle heading her way.
She grins at Zeke, takes the bottle, a swing, and hands it back. Seems everyone is determined to get her drunk tonight….
[Jesmond Krutova] Jesmond reclaims her seat by the fireside next to Zeke, and sips from her water bottle before setting it to one side. Set against her sister; Jesmond is like a placid lake beside the raging river. Easily overshadowed when one was glaring daggers at a full blood while the other seemed content merely to observe the altercation as if it were as insubstantial to them as ghosts, flitting across a grave-yard.
“What do you do, Zeke,” Jesmond asks, watching him rather than her sister. Perhaps this is a deliberate tack, avoidance. “When you are not rescuing my sister, that is.”
[Teodora Krutova] This is true: teenage girls are monsters. Maybe not the way that Zeke is a monster. Maybe not the way a lot of ‘people’ around this bonfire are monsters. But, still: they’re monsters, cruel-things, harpy-taloned, vicious. And, quite often, scary too. Zeke calls Dora munchkin and the lanky-limbed, growing-up, just-starting-to-bloom-into-cuves kingirl just … It’s the way housecats are, so sleek, so adorable, and then looking atchoo in a way that’d hold a fullgrown ninja at bay, at least for a little while. But then! THEN! Theeeen! He’s calling her Dora instead and she’s beaming, all honey and light again, “Aw, thanks so much! For the rescue earlier, I mean. From the river, and stuff. Uhmmm, I’m gonna go get something to eat. You guys want anything?” And then she’s bouncing up, scrambling over to the foodtents.
[Zeke] “…I’m a driver.”
He nods toward Marni, accepting the bottle back again and setting it down between his feet, gaze finding the firelight, sucking in cool air to soothe the burn of the Tijuana back bar tequila. Smooth if fierce, it brought a warmth to the skin that was pleasant and made the night all the less hungry. Or maybe just the body all the more delectable.
“…Cart important nobodies to important somethings for important business.” A pause. “For the most part…” He doesn’t sup from the bottle again, turning it out toward Marni or another hand that may look to take it again.
It isn’t until ‘Dora goes off toward the picnic table for foodstuffs, that Zeke’s features creep into something a little less pleased. A little more relaxed. Odd that those two expressions are so opposed.
“What exactly are you two doing here?”
[Theron Locke] With his pack now gone their seperate ways, Theron eventually begins heading back towards the bonfire. His plate filled and now empty, his hand caresses the glass he was using to consume his whisky. The golden liquid a gift from Ray for his 25th birthday several days previous.
His eyes scanning the area around the fire to see who was still gathered at this late hour. A nod given to Zeke, a smile to Marni and Jesmond before his eyes settle on the young teenager. A look of puzzlement on his face as he tries to fit the picture to a memory. It doesn’t take long for the connection to be made as he watches she scrambles over to the food tent. “Everyone enjoying themselves? ” he asks of no one in particular, when current conversations have done quiet and an opportunity allows.
[Kyle] Leaning slightly on a table, Kyle downs half the bottle of water in his hands as he looks around. There was some color in his cheeks which was a good thing. That ghost like appearance wasn’t healthy all the time. Glanzing at the tables he absently starts to do some cleaning up. Stacking empty containers and moving stuff that still had food to one side to help make it easier to see what was left to eat.
[Marni] [aaaaaaaaaand fade out Marni here – she’ll head off to find someone to warm her bones sooner or later. Hee.]