[Ray Ostermann] Showing up uninvited into a packs territory might not be the smartest thing in the world for those in the know to do, most people would avoid such a place without the express permission of the pack, or at least without a very good reason to do so. But this was Ray, he might not have had direct express permission to enter the territory, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to be turned away.
HIs gait and manner were as confident as always, as he walked toward what he knew to be the pack house he looked from side to side, taking in the place that Marni and Indira had taken up as their residence. It was nothing flashy he knew it wouldn’t be, it was afterall the pack house of a predominately gnawer pack. Not that there was anything wrong with that.
Today he carried a large brown bag with him, tucked up under his arm. He was doing his best not to rumple his favorite slate grey suit. But not really succeeding with the bag under his arm, its weight and size awkward, so instead he took to carrying it in both as he stepped up to the door and briefly balanced the package in one hand before knocking.
[Indira] As he approaches the house Ray can hear loud music from within. It’s hard to tell what it is, beyond the pounding base line – some sort of electronic music or rap, in all likelihood. Somehow, though, she still hears Ray’s knock on the door. Or perhaps she smells him.
Either way, the music shuts off and the pink-haired Ahroun shows up to open it for him, raising her eyebrows and grinning when she sees who it is. The dark skin of her hands and forearms is smeared with charcoal; she was drawing before he got here, and it tends to get everywhere in spite of one’s best efforts.
“Hey man. Didn’ expect ta see you coming aroun’ ta our place. You wanna come in?” she asks, stepping aside to clear the front door for him. Then there’s, “Hey, Marni! Ray’s here!”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray is surprised, but pleasantly surprised to see the pink haired Ahroun and he flashes that warm, dazzling smile at her as she steps aside. Before he steps in though he pulls up the bag and pulls its contents out, two six packs of beer and offers them to Indira.
“Never come to another’s home without a gift…for the first time at least.” He says like hes reciting some old book on manners, something from the forties likely, seems about right. He then steps inside and takes a look about before looking at Indira with a knowing look on his face.
“I hear you enjoyed the pool.”
[Marni] After their mission, she’d been PISSED. No – BEYOND pissed. Her willpower was all but non existent, her rage elevated, and her entire irritation with the situation near palpable. Fortunately Indira had a been a soothing balm for that irritation. That and the random gnawer kin she found in an alley on the way home, who left hours later completely exhausted and sore in muscles he didn’t even know he had.
But as a result, now, just 48 hours later, she’s regained her equilibrium. Still pissed off, sure, which happens when Fangs are total dumbasses, but she’s at least more like her normal self. And added bonus, all her wounds have healed so she’s no longer bleeding from a million little bits of glass.
When Indira yells – Marni’s in the bathroom, fresh from the shower. She grins, and yells back “Cool! Be there in a few! Pinch his ass for me, huh?”
[Indira] “Oh, hey, thanks,” she says, and cheerfully accepts the beer. A nice guy, Ray is, for one of the pure breds. “An’ yeah, Marni an’ me went an’ checked out the pool. It was fun. Firs’ time I’ve ever gotten a big pool like that mos’ly ta myself, the Y back home was always real fuckin’ crowded.”
Marni tells her to pinch Ray’s ass for her, and Indira’s dark eyebrows twitch upward before she grins, surreptitiously leans over and grabs a handful. “So how ya been? Marni ain’t been in a good mood, jus’ ta warn you. Shit got a little fucked up when we wen’ ta go an’ check out the Tabernacle.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray grins and looks from her hand on his ass to her face and a warm chuckle erupts from his throat. “Thank you for the very warm welcome, I can’t say I usually get welcomed so…completely.” He pauses a beat “I’m sure she has already told you this, but my condo, as well as the pool is open to you whenever you need it.”
He then steps forward and into the pack house proper looking about at the place as he does so, curiosity setting him off in a random direction. “I’ve been well, tired, busy, and up to my eyeballs in projects but such things are unavoidable these days it would seem.” His face becomes a little more serious when she mentions the mission to the church. “We didn’t lose anyone did we?” He looks towards where Marni had yelled from, but doesnt go to the bathroom. He sees both of them there, and at the moment thats what matters.
[Indira] She grins. “Yeah, she tol’ me. One a these days I’ll make my way up there an’ come visit you when you’re actually home.” She slings an arm about his shoulders companionably and pinwheels him around further into the house. The first floor actually looks well-inhabited, lived in; the girls have left bits of themselves around, DVD cases and empty cups and, in Indira’s case, art supplies – pencils or erasers or small sketchbooks that she hasn’t bothered to pick up.
“An’…no, we didn’ lose anybody.” Her voice lowers for a few seconds. “Kinda had a close call with Marni, though. I’m real glad she got out okay. Jus’ had an issue with this Fang who assumed he was in charge ’cause he was, y’know, a Fang, an’ wasn’ listenin’ ta Marni when she talked about stuff she could try an’ do ta help. So they argued an’ it was kinda tense.”
[Marni] She scrubs a towel through her curls, then manages to get a brush through them too – which, as once can imagine, is no easy task. A bit of lotion, an examination of her short yet stacked lil frame to ensure there’s no lingering damages, and then she tugs on a pair of jeans and a tank top, hangs up her towels before grabbing her stuff, opening the door and making her way to her room.
She tosses her shit inside and shutting the door before she joins the others in the living room, near silent on bare feet.
“Hey, Ray.”
[Ray Ostermann] He see’s art suppiles, and therefor there must be art. Even as they continue to discuss a particularly important subject, one that almost had very serious consequences for Marni, Ray still takes the time to find that personal thing that Indira obviously enjoys doing, he won’t pry into any closed sketch bookers or the like, but he makes note of any pictures laying about. His smile and amiable nature returns as he speaks
“I can’t wait to see you.” He says like hes talking over the phone, even though Indira is right there. But then he is dragged back to the serious matter of the nations business and his smile shrinks, just a touch. “You both made it out…thats good. And you should never assume your in charge, its the quickest best way to create problems..” He shakes his head at the idea of the fang being a complete idiot and goes to take a seat on any available seat.
When Marni comes in, Ray flashes her that award winning smile. “Hey to you too…you look pretty damn good for someone who supposedly had a rough time of it.”
[Indira] Indira also goes to sit down. She doesn’t seem to have hung any pictures or paintings up around the place; it’s confined to sketchbooks for the most part, though he can catch sight of a sculpture or two through the door into her room when he happens to glance that way. Odd, abstract things for the most part.
She, too, goes to sit down when Ray does, drawing her legs up onto the couch with her and flashing a grin at Marni. “Hey. You do look like you’re feelin’ better. Good ta see.”
[Marni] She ruffles Indira’s hair as she walks past and falls to sit on the couch with a whoosh, tucking her feet under her, and grins a little. “I’m still pissed, but not so much that I’m gonna rush off and tear his throat out for being a fucking idiot anymore. And I think I finally got the last of the glass out of my hair – so THATS good..”
She lifts a shoulder in a shrug as she smiles at Ray. “I don’t stay mad long. And he’s not here – and YOU are, and YOU are a far better sight for these eyes than that dickhead. So yeah. Better.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray chuckles happily at Marni’s words and nods. “Not being a complete asshole, I tend to have that effect, or at least this is what I am told. To add to your increasing pleasure…both of your pleasures. I brought beer.”
He gestures to the beer that Indira had recieved, unless she went and hid it in the intern. He then takes one more look down at Indira’s art in her room before looking back to her. “Do you only do Abstract work?”
[Indira] “Jus’ with sculpting,” she tells Ray, and, after he’s mentioned the beer, she gestures to the six packs that she set on the coffee table. Then leans over and takes one, pulling the keys and attached bottle opener out of the pocket of her pants so that she can crack it open.
“I do actual pictures an’ shit when I sketch. I’m thinkin’ about learnin’ ta ink someday.”
[Marni] “and he brings beer…” She moans happily and reaches to grab one, steals Indira’s keys after she’s done and pops it open. “Indira, we’re gonna have to just up and adopt him, ya know that? He’s just too good to give away….”
“She’s really good. I can’t draw worth shit – shoulda seen my sketch of the community center – it was frighteningly pre-school…”
[Ray Ostermann] He waits for the both of them to grab beer before taking one as well and borrowing the keys to crack it open, he admittedly has a harder time of it, not used to opening a beer can, he does usually drink harder alcohol then this, but it seemed appropriate.
His gaze shifts to from Marni, to Indira as the woman comments on Indira’s work a slight grin crossing his lips at Marni’s comment about her drawing. “It sounds like the pair of you complement each other nicely.” Then directed more to Indira. “You should, If I had an ounce of artistic ability, which I don’t, I’d do my best to be as much like a renaissance man as I could. What I do have though…is an appreciation for others art.”
He looks between the two woman a knowing grin on his face. “Well..its probably more a appreciation for all things beautiful.”
[Indira] Indira looks between the other two, clearly pleased at both compliments. “You’re too sweet for the Lords, Ray,” Indira says, flashing a grin in the Kin’s direction. Of course, she’s mainly dealt in stereotypes, in what she’s heard around town and from the Bone Gnawers who instructed her.
She takes a swig from her bottle of beer. “So what’re all these secret business projects you keep talking about?”
[Marni] She just chuckles at the grin, and flashes one back just as knowing, and filled with mischief. And with complete and total straight face answers Indira’s question with…
“An S&M Dungeon.”
…and she hides her grin with a swallow or three of beer.
[Ray Ostermann] He’d had his beer to his mouth, and had been in the motions of taking a drink when Marni speaks about him building an S&M dungeon, and he sputters as he tries to laugh, and drink beer at the same time. To his credit, he doesn’t spew beer about the living room, but swallows hard and coughs.
“Noo….no I keep that in my closet.” He finally gets a chuckle out as he gasps for air, thumping his chest with his fist for a moment before looking to Indira.
“Be careful Indira, its my sweet, honeyed words that make me dangerous.” He says in an almost sinister fashion while waggling his eyebrows, before his face breaks into a real smile and he laughs.
“My secret projects arn’t so secret..i plan to by up properties to be used as defensive points or safehouses, as well as establish a general expense account for kin and trueborn that would need it. I’m also helping several individuals with financial situations.”
[Indira] Indira, too, giggles when Marni mentions the dungeon, utterly with a straight face. She grins at Ray as he splutters on his beer, lowering hers so she doesn’t end up trying to swallow it while laughing at him.
The girl listens with interest as he talks about his business projects and what he’s doing to help the Nation at the same time. “That’s real cool,” she tells him. “I wasn’ very good in school or at math or any a that shit, so it’s cool that you use it ta help the Garou an’ stuff.”
[Marni] Oh the smile she gives Ray is completely unrepentant, her dark eyes dancing with mirth and pure devilish delight. And that she near made him choke on his beer? Score!
She nods slightly, and then chuckles. “I gotta talk to mama though – as it seems she’s has plans for our Ray… might make some money on the side with Stud Fees….”
[Ray Ostermann] They both laugh at him as he chokes on his beer, but he takes it in good humor and grins roguishly as he points a finger at both of them. “Just you wait…next time you come for the pool you will find it frigid and cold.” He says with a sure nod, maybe he meant it, maybe he didn’t.”
Ray simply roll’s his eyes at Marni as she speaks of stud fee’s his head shaking as he can’t believe she said that, but he doesn’t look upset, given to the fact that smile is still plastered across his face. He takes a slow careful sip of his beer this time, making sure no further wise cracks come his way so he can actually enjoy the beer.
“I’m doing the best I can, I may be only kin, but I have no intent on just laying around…that will get everyone else nowhere…me included.” He says with a pleasant shrug as he adresses Indira, briefly ignoring Marni for her words, to tease her. “You may not have been gifted in math or business, but its obvious your talents lie elsewhere.”
[Indira] Indira, too, looks surprised as Marni brings up stud fees, eyebrows raising once more as she laughs and takes a sip of her beer. There’s another grin at Ray, appreciative at first and then playful. “There’s a couple you ain’t seen yet, besides.”
Then she looks back at Marni, thoughtful. “What’re Mama’s plans?”
[Marni] She shakes her head and stage whispers to Indira “He won’t do that – cuz then we’d swim with our clothes ON… and he’d HATE that… it’s more likely he’d turn the heat up than down…”
And then she laughs as Indira teases Ray, before answering the question. “Not sure -but she asked him questions bout everything, including his bank account. I’ll go chat just in case, but Ray here says she had a gleam in her eye that made him think “sugar daddy” at the least. My luck she’s gonna demand I get knocked up…”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray raises a brow as Indira playfully talks abut her “Other” talents and he leans back and tilts his head from side to side as if he was trying to figure out…or perhaps picture those other talents, the beer can in his hand turning about lazily. “Should I be worried? Or worried in a very good way?” He asks, teasing in return before nodding to Marni’s words.
“She did, If she looked at me any longer then that I might have sworn she was either going to gobble me up right there….or make off with me into the wild.”
[Indira] She grins at Ray as he muses, saying, “I’ll leave you in suspense,” before looking over at Marni, considering what she says about Mama. She likes the Theurge, that much is obvious from the slight smile that’s on her face as they’re talking.
“Guess we’ll have ta wait an’ see. Mama’s real nice though, I’m sure it wouldn’ be anything bad.”
[Marni] She just chuckles and nods. “Probably want us BOTH knocked up… how about that Ray, wanna raise a couple Spitfire Twins?”
Oh its said so very innocently, even as she elbows her packsister with a knowing little wicked grin.
“Mama’s cool. Hope she decides to crash here for a while.”
[Ray Ostermann] “Well that would be a sight wouldn’t it, me in an apron, teaching the children the finer points of hostile take overs whilst the kitchen burns down around us as I try to make rice…” He says it like it might be a fond memory, looking up and away as if recalling better times. “Ahhh just like mother.”
He waits a moment, then another, and then laughs the joke finally breaking his concentration as he looks back to the two women. “It would be something…ill tell you that.” He then looks about at the living room. “I was of the thought that she would already be with you.”
[Indira] Indira gives Marni a surprised look as she talks about Spitfire twins, and then lets out a laugh. “Don’ think I’m ready for that yet. My mama had us all real young, I wanna wait.”
She takes a sip of her beer, thoughtful, when Mama’s name and the prospect of her joining comes up. “I’d like ta have her. Think she’s takin’ the time ta shop aroun’ a bit though.”
[Marni] She just laughs, and nods. “I’m not ready either – gotta take off too much time from fighting to spawn, and well, I’m having too much fun otherwise.” A wink for Ray, as she stretches, arms over head, before taking several swallows of her beer.
“Yeah, there’s a number of packs Mama would be good for. I hope she chooses us, but I’m not gonna pressure her. We do have a dude – Strider – who’s running with us for a while to see how he fits in. Not gonna jump in with just anyone – me and Indira are a pretty good team just on our own.”
[Ray Ostermann] “A straight up tag-team hmmm?” He asks looking between the pair, seeming to appraise them for the first time like a duo, and not as independent people. Taking in what he knows about them and what he can figure out from looking at them.
“I am curious, I have heard of Kin joining packs, but to what purpose?” He asks, his mind for a time…turning away from the thought of them tag teaming….in THAT way.
[Indira] He calls them a tag team and Indira just gives him a wide smile, as though she’d guessed what the term brought to mind for him. She makes no verbal reply.
“I figure, ‘s far ‘s Kin packin’ up, that it’s jus’ so you guys are kept safe. From us, as much as from the bad shit out there,” she says. It’s a little grim, that: Indira often does not voice her feelings on the treatment of Kin by the Nation, but once in a while it surfaces. And it’s clear that it isn’t all that positive.
[Marni] Oh the smile that Marni gives Ray is one of complete wicked delight, as she scoots down a little and lays her head on Indira’s shoulder, as if she knows exactly what he’s thinking… but she does give him a verbal reply.. not yet.
Then she’s nodding with Indira’s explanation. “Some folks even bind their kin to their totem, but it ain’t easy – its harder on the kin, and it’s rare there’s really a need for it. Mostly GeeDubs do that shit. Mostly kin ‘join’ the pack when claimed by one of the members. But it is certainly for protection. Once your claimed, by our law, you can’t be poached, or stolen or used, or even harmed even a little without permission of those the one that claim you. Gnawers – well, we’re more of a family. We don’t treat our kin like shit – ever. No more than we would the folks that raised us. We see ya’ll as equals – I ain’t no better than you just because I can rip the spine out of some asshole without blinking. Other Tribes…”
And she just shrugs.
[Ray Ostermann] “Other tribes have their own preconceptions as to exactly what we are good for, and what we are meant to do…” His voice takes on a sour note at the last portion of that sentence, he obviously doesn’t like what some of those opinions are, he might enjoy sex, but he is no one’s sex toy. “Good to know one way or another. I am uncertain as to where I may end up with the way things have been of late. It is good to be informed.”
He does crack a smile and raise a brow as Marni lays a head onto Indira’s shoulder and chuckles. “Cock teases…both of you.”
[Indira] Indira grins and reaches up to ruffle Marni’s curls as the other girl lays her head on her shoulder, grinning at Ray. Innocently, almost. “Hey, we didn’ say anything.”
There’s talk over where Ray will end up, that he’s looking for a pack, and Indira gives him a look of consideration. There’s a momentary frown and a furrow of her brows. “Well, you’re always welcome here. I like you an’ I know Marni does. But if you were ta join up with us, I figure the Lords would have somethin’ ta say abou’ that.”
[Marni] They’re a cuddly pair, the two of them. And Marni just grins as fingers ruffle through curls, though she pouts playfully. “I’m not a tease – I totally put out…”
Then she nods slightly. “Lukas wouldn’t take kindly to it I’m sure – but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t challenge for ya if you decided you wanted to be here. The both of us would. Doesn’t help that his packmate has designs on claiming you too… But if you decide you want to be with us, I won’t hesitate to challenge Wyrmbreaker for that right.”
[Indira] “Me neither,” Indira adds, with a nod in Ray’s direction. “If it’s what you wanna do.”
[Ray Ostermann] He listens to their words, and his smile takes on a more sincere quality a look of a man who has been touched by words as he dips his head in acknowledgment.
“Thank you…both of you. It is good to know that I am so highly valued. You are certainly my choice at the moment, but for now I shall remain a free agent. Being required to join a particular pack or group, may close doors that will not allow me to aid others as much as I can from my current position.” He pauses allowing that to settle in as his normal, mischievous smile breaks through the other. “Not….that I would have anything to complain about being kin of yours.” He says looking over the pair as they lounge together, cuddling with each other as a physical tease.
[Marni] She nods, slightly, and chuckles. “We wouldn’t tie you down, Ray.”
a beat.
“…from helping others, I mean. That’s not the Gnawer way. Just don’t hesitate to give us a yell if it comes down to someone going after you that you don’t want to be hooked in with for good. We’ll put a stop to that right quick, even if we have to steal you…” another beat and that wicked grin. “And your toybox.”
[Indira] Indira gives him a nod. And another smile, not one of the playful grins that are her usual but something a bit softer around the edges, as though she’s picked up on the fact that he’s touched by the offer. Not always the brightest, Indira, but she’s sensitive: she picks up on these things easily, and understands them.
“Yeah, I get that,” she agrees, when he says he might want to remain a free agent. “You do what you gotta do. Jus’ lettin’ you know that our doors are open, an’ we’re a lot more fun than those other packs. No sticks up our asses.”
[Ray Ostermann] “No stick up your asses, a willingness to steal me out from under my captor’s noses along with my toybox.” He chuckles as he finishes his beer. “I must be absolutely insane to say no.”
He pushes forward at that, putting his empty can on the table and seems to consider. “Well…ladies, as much as I really want to stick around and learn more about your….way of living.” He weights those last few words as he looks at the pair of them. “I think I had better be going.”
[Marni] And now she does pout, though it’s still very playful, as she sits up and tips back the rest of her beer, before leaning to put it on the table. “Speaking of Wyrmbreaker- I think he’ll be getting ahold of you soon, once he decides what to do with the info we brought back.”
It may be obvious, that – but its said so that she can say this. “Be careful, please. The things we’re up against over there? Just.. watch your back and cover your tracks. Ok?”
[Indira] Indira nods, lending extra credence to Marni’s warnings. “Yeah. It ain’t a pretty sight over there at the church. So don’ get hurt an’ be real careful who you talk to.” She can’t imagine Wyrmbreaker would send anyone who is incompetent, which is a comfort.
“Thanks for comin’ by ta visit, Ray, an’ for the beer. I’m gonna look you up at your place soon.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray nods, if he finds their warnings disconcerting or worrisome it doesn’t show. He instead stands and slides over to the pair and hugs them both briefly, perhaps an gesture of friendship…or from the look on his face maybe he just wanted a quick feel before he left.
“I’ll do my best to come back alive and whole, I do hate to disappoint two lovely women afterall. Especially two lovely women who are so close.”
He then straightens, and in turn straightens out his suit. “If Lukas understands my talents, I will be waging my end of the war from behind a cell phone or my desk….not in the face of the enemy.”
[Marni] When he hugs her, she slides up against him like she fits there, and finds comfort in the familiar lines of his body under his suit. She hugs him tight, and kisses his neck – a soft, warm, silent promise, before she lets him pull away again.
“Good. Do me a favor will ya? Aside from what Lukas asks you to do – in addition if he doesn’t think about it – find out anything you can on a Mrs. Goodman… she runs the church there, and while maybe not one of ours, she’s definitely on the good side.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] [Crossing Over]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6) [WP]
[Indira] Ray gets a tight hug from Indira, and a grin and a wave as she releases him to let him straighten his suit. “Wyrmbreaker’s a smart guy, I’m sure he ain’t gonna throw you at anything you can’t handle. But…yeah, look up Mrs. Goodman, ’cause she can maybe tell you some new stuff.”
[Ray Ostermann] “I will. If she isn’t on our side yet…I am certain I can bring her over.” So confident in that fact. He winks to the two pretty gnawers on the couch and turns to go. A wave over his shoulder as he walks from the living room and makes for the door. “See you both…very very soon.” He calls as he steps out of sight, they may not be able to see him go,but they can hear him. The door creaking open, and then clicking shut behind him as he goes.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] There’s a loud *POP* that erupts in the middle of the living room of the Spitfire’s pack house. The Gauntlet nearly parts like a curtain as the little black and grey speckled wolf slides through it, moving across the floor in an unceremonious heap as she somersaults through. Tail and hindquarters flipping over her own ears.
She collapses in a pile of fur, all four legs spread out at odd angles as she just lays there with her eyes closed for a moment or two. Then the wolf’s head lifts up, legs pulling in under her belly as she shakes her marbles back into place and peers around the room with a cocked ear and a pink tongue lolling out of her muzzle to pant.
[Marni] “Just remember she might not be one of the Nation -but I’m certain you can.” She grins at him, and watches him go, before chuckling and tossing a wink to her sister. “That is one fine, fine, FINE specimen of a man…”
And then… POP. She whirls back around to face the living room… but relaxes when she recognizes the wolf, her grin warming. “Hi, Mama!”
[Ray Ostermann] The pop was heard just before the door was closed, and it brought the man back inside his body coming into the living room once more searching for the source of the sound…like he could possibly help defend the two women in the living room. When he spots the wolf on the floor, he blinks and only registers who it is when Marni says her name. He seems to consider that before taking a step towards the bath room.
“Excuse me for a few moments ladies.”
((I will be staying, just need to make dinner, back in maybe thirty))
[Indira] There’s a wave to Ray as the Kin leaves and the front door swings shut after him, and a playful grin at Marni. “Yeah, he’s…” she begins, before there is the POP.
Indira, like Marni, looks alarmed for the first few seconds before she recognizes the form of the black and grey wolf. And the scent, which is still evident to her even in Homid, albeit faintly. “Hey, Mama,” she says, cheerful. “Jus’ came by for a visit?”
[Indira] ((Also need to AFK for a few minutes. Indira’s there, just quiet.))
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Marni is offered a wag of the Gnawer’s tail as it drums on the floor. She pulls herself up, head lowers as she stretches out her small, wiry frame and then shakes out her fur. A fine cloud of dust rises in the air, she sidesteps it, tilting her head to watch it hover there. A gleam of amusement twinkles in her eyes as the wolf starts to shift up and out of her birth form.
“Came by to visit. Nose was itching figured someone was talking about Mama,” she chuckles as she stretches all 5’3 of her form again, rising up on the balls of her feet. Bleach blond curls bouncing across her shoulders as she spies Ray heading for the bathroom, her head tilting to the side as she casts a glance at Marni and then Indira.
She waggles a finger at them, “Tsk… already jumping the gun ahead of Mama,” she begins to tug and shrug off her large leather coat and a canvas gunnysack resting on a long strap that cuts across her chest. She sets it down on the ground, draping the coat over it. “Came to speak with’a. Need to find out a 411 on someone and ain’t sure how to go about it.”
[Marni] Ray comes back in, to make sure they’re ok, and that smile of hers warms, softens, since he’s so protective over them…
But then her attention is on mama and she laughs and ducks her head away from that waggling finger. “I was meaning to talk to ya bout him. He said you looked like ya had a plan…” A wink, as she gestures toward the beers on the coffee table. “Make yourself at home – Ray brought beer.”
And then she’s flopping on the couch again, comfortably. “Who ya need info on?”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] She crosses her left ankle over her right, flopping down on the floor right beside her coat and bag. Knobby knees poking out from underneath the tattered hem of her denim overall dress. She runs a hand through her hair, trying to push back the heavy mass of blond curls to keep it out of her eyes.
“Course Mama has a plan for Mr. Ray. The man too goddamn all over the place,” she says with a wild grin and gives up on her hair, dropping her hands into her lap as she leans forward. Her nose wrinkles up, eyebrows dancing over her eyes.
“Found me a man – kinda sick…” she taps at a finger at her temple, “Up in the head – he gets all horny, not like a toad mind ya, in them man parts whenever he feels pain… Kinda sad really if ya think about it. Mama’s got a halp’im, maybe fix’em up, but need to know more things about him. He…”
She turns to her bag, grabbing a hold of the strap to haul it into her lap and starts to rifle through it. Her head bending down to disappear into the sack. “He’s got nice digs… nice car… nice suits, like Ray. Smells nice…. sweetest…” her head rolls out, looking up at Marni as she suddenly becomes all soft and wistful sighs, clutching the bag to her chest. “And the sweetest voice Mama’s ever heard since ol’ Moonshine died, like angels eaten cotton candy and riding winged pink ponies or some shit.”
“Anyway…” she shakes her head after the little hearts stop popping over her head, “Something funny about him… comes from a family” another pause, more digging, she finds what she’s looking for, holding up his driver’s license. “Sean Douglas-Pinkerton. I stole his driver’s license and his funny looking phone.”
[Indira] Indira, who was all ears when Mama said she needed them to find a 411, is listening with interest. The Ahroun runs a hand back through her cotton-candy pink hair, roughing it as though to release heat, as she listens to Mama talk. She hasn’t met the Kin the woman is speaking of.
“I ain’t very good at doin’ that kinda stuff,” Indira says, then gives a look in Marni’s direction. “Maybe one a the G-Dubs could help. There’s a guy named Danny that Annie is frien’s with, he jus’ rolled inta town a while back. Lives in her van an’ shit. So maybe if the two a us can’t help, he can.”
[Marni] “You gotta plan, do ya… gonna share?”
She reaches for another beer for herself, and pops it open, taking a swig as she listens, and watches Mama. She chews on her lower lip, absently, as she listens. He’s not someone she’s met up yet, but that don’t mean she won’t in the near future.
She nods, slightly, as she listens. “I known some folks like that – get all hot n bothered when in pain.” But she grins at the description of his voice. “Aww, nice…”
She nods at Indira’s suggestion, and wrinkles her brow slightly. “I can do some digging, see if anyone around has anything. Ray might be able to find out more though with his fancy connections…”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “There’s no rage about the man… but Mama’s got sneaky suspicions and needs to find where his parents live, maybe drum up an ancestor spirit to find out if’n he’s a kin… Thinking maybe he’s lost or something. No purebreed so Mama can’t tell.”
She looks back at the picture on the license, and then extends it out to Marni or Indira if they wanted to take a look at it.
“Figured Ray be the one to find out with all his fancy-schmancy contacts and such.” She looks between both girls as she mentions Ray, tilting her head to the side until her cheek brushes against a shoulder. “So what’s this talk to Mama about Ray.. Hmmmm?”
[Indira] Indira takes the license simply so she can have a look at the picture, which she smiles at before handing it on to Marni. “Hope somebody can fin’ out something about him for you, Mama. He looks like a nice guy.”
Then she brings up Ray and Indira looks sidelong at her packmate. “Marni an’ Ray both said you were talkin’ ta Ray an’ askin’ him questions like you had some kinda plan.”
[Marni] “huh.” She takes the license for a moment, and memorizes the information there, before she simply holds it so she can give it to Ray. “He is a cutie… I’ll keep an ear out and see if anything is sweeping through the gutters about the guy.”
And then she shares a look with Indira, and laughs, grinning delightedly before confessing. “Ray said that you looked like you had a plan for him, and well.. we was just hoping it involved us. I’d hate to see such a good guy locked up for just the Shadow Lords, ya know? I mean, I ain’t lookin to mate anytime soon, but I ain’t lookin to have my favorite playmate stole from me anytime soon either. Like to do the stealin myself.” Another glance at Indira, and a grin. “We wouldn’t mind makin him Spitfire Kin, but I’ve a feelin Tall Dark and Broody might have a problem with that.” Lukas, she means.
“So – was wonderin what YOUR plan was…”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Blue eyes dart back and forth between the two other Gnawers as she starts to laugh. It is a warm and loud sound, erupting from deep in the belly as it rolls off her tongue. She presses a hand to her stomach, shaking out those blond curls around her shoulders as she continues to chuckle.
She leans out to take up the license and looks back at it again, smirking. “Mama’s found some rich boys for her Girls to prosper on. Sean’s and Ray’s got money, and if’n Sean turns out to be a kin and ain’t got no tribe. I sure as hell am scooping him up. Trust-fund babies….”
She clucks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, shrugging, “Mama’s planned to challenge Wyrmbreaker for Ray. It might look better coming from a higher rank or equal rank Garou…. and then…” she is eying the both of them, “Ya both better put him to good goddamn Gaia use.”
[Ray Ostermann] *Its at this moment that the bathroom door swings open and Ray comes out having heard only the laughter of Mama and catching ‘Gaia use’ as he steps into the living room once more, looking between the gathered gnawers.
“I missed something funny didn’t I? Care to share?” He asks as he joins the women in their little circle, for all the world looking like the odd man out.
[Marni] She wrinkles her nose as Mama starts to laugh, but her own grin is still unrepentant, even as she ducks her head, chuckling.
Then she nods, that it’d look better for Mama to challenge than her or Indira – and then those implication make her blush and blush big time. “Uh….”
Oh, brilliant, Marni.
[Indira] Indira blinks as Mama says that she is planning to challenge for Ray. There’s a sidelong look to Marni, and then one toward the bathroom. The Ahroun sucks thoughtfully at the ring pierced through her lower lip, tonguing the bead at the end for a few minutes. “That’s real nice a you, Mama, an’ I see what you’re sayin’ about it soundin’ better comin’ from a Fostern, but…”
Then there’s hesitation here. Because she likes Mama, and Mama does indeed outrank her. Is much smarter and more clever than Indira besides.
“Well, we were talkin’ ta Ray, an’ maybe we oughta fin’ out whether he -wants- ta be claimed by us firs’. I mean, when we were talkin’ ta him it still soun’ed like he was tryin’ ta decide. An’ it ain’t fair a us to force him with somethin’ like that.”
[Marni] And she adds with a grin “What she said.” cuz she’s still on those implications of good goddamn use…
And she reaches up to had Sean’s license to Ray.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Her head turns, gaze swinging towards that opening bathroom door where Ray comes out of. Nostrils flare out as she snorts softly, Indira’s words sliding into one ear as she watches the well-suited kinfolk come out of the bathroom to rejoin the women. When her eyes slide back to watch the Girls’ faces she can see the blush on Marni’s cheeks.
“Ray’s got about as much say in it as he can muster. Wyrmbreaker ain’t gonna give two shits what a kin’s opinion is. He’ll want a yes or no “Do ya wanna shag up with this Garou” maybe?” She says with a half-shrug, watching the license get passed around. “Sides, how many other ranked Females are actually pounding on Ray’s door to leg-shackle him?”
[Indira] “I mean maybe we oughta see whether he wants ta get claimed by us, not bringin’ him ta Wyrmbreaker,” Indira says, but her tone is quiet now that she’s seen Ray come out of the bathroom.
There’s an embarrassed, apologetic grin Kin-wards. “Sorry, Ray. We’re talkin’ about you like you ain’t here, that ain’t fair.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray blinks at the conversation being had before him, and looks in turn from Mama, to Indira, and then finally to Marni,when the woman moves to hand him the license he raises a brow, but remains silent, before looking it over. He reads the name, the address, everything before his eyebrow raised further. He smiles back to Indira. “It’s alright.”
He doesn’t comment on their other conversation at the moment, letting them argue, he frowns slightly when mama states the hard truth about what Lukas would say….and then speaks up, holding the license. “All this talk of claiming me asside….why do you we have the drivers license of one of the Pinkerton’s?” He asks looking about, his gaze mostly on Mama, as it hadn’t been there before.
[Marni] “Wyrmbreaker might not – but we ain’t Lords. We’re Gnawers. We care what his opinion is.”
A beat, and then a little grin up at Ray.
“I care. I promised him I wasn’t gonna lay a claim unless he was willing. I mean to keep that promise. As for how many others – i have no idea.” She laughs. “Other than Wyrmbreaker’s packmate – not ranked, but definitely containing claws, right Ray?” A wink, and a grin.
And then she’s quiet while Ray asks about the license.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “And Mama ain’t human born either. Wolf-born, city-bred, sure… but Mama knows her instincts.” She looks between Indira and Marni for a moment, and then back to Ray, she seems indifferent to talking about him like he hadn’t been there in the first place, even though he is.
She is a Gnawer that speaks of herself in third person, after all.
Ray holds up the license and Mama’s face immediately flushes with color. She clears her throat and just grins all sheepish and cute at Ray. “Mama did, why?” she asks, and then begins to dig through the pockets of her coat for the expensive Black Berry. “Got his fancy phone to. Don’t know how to use it.”
[Ray Ostermann] “That answers who…” He says taking the black berry from Mama’s hands and looks it over, turning it on with the touch of a button. No stranger to such technology here. “My question is why? Why do you have it? Or is it simply a…spoil?”
He asks looking at Mama, she gives him a sheepish grin and he raises a brow. “This…is not just a spoil is it? You have the sweets for him….dont you?”
[Indira] Indira is quiet, listening to the exchange between Mama and Ray. Ray asks if the Theurge is sweet on the man she’s talking about and Indira grins, tossing back the remainder of her beer. She’d suspected as much, though Mama has not really said outright: something about the way she talked about the sweetness of his voice.
Beer finished, she sets the bottle aside on the coffee table.
[Marni] “Ooooooooooh a blackberry – nice, but not like Ray’s iPhone. That’s got PACMAN on it!”
And she grins, and lets Mama and Ray talk.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “Mama ain’t sweet on nobody!” She growls out defensively.
Her eyes begin to narrow as she stares right at Ray, blond brows furrowing deeply. “Maybe it is a spoil, what’s it matter anyway. Took the damn thing to figure out how to use it. Sean’s got a new phone anyhow. Man goes through this weaver stuff like a kid with new toys.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray’s brow rises in surprise. He seems to consider the situation for a moment before putting his hands up. “My mistake….” He looks over at Marni and Indira, looking like hes not at all sure what he’d just done. Then he looks back to Mama and offers the items back to her.
[Marni] She just chuckles and shakes her head slightly – Mama ain’t sweet on anyone. She winks at him, and grins.
“Mama was just wondering if you could dig up some info on him – she thinks he’s a lost kin.”
[Marni] AKA – mama’s TOTALLY sweet on him. Of course.
[Indira] Indira watches the tension between Mama and Ray spike for a few seconds, and she offers the other Gnawer a placating smile. “Think Ray was jus’ askin’, Mama, ’cause you seem ta like the guy a lot. Ain’t always easy ta be sure,” she says.
“An’…yeah, what Marni said. Mama wan’ed us ta look an’ see if we can fin’ out where the guy comes from, ’cause he don’t know.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “Mama knows Sean’s sick. Needs to be cured of whatever this thing that ails him.” She waves a hand in the air flippantly, shaking her head as she starts to glare at Indira and Marni, totally in denial of what they are suspecting and suggesting.
“Ain’t sweet on no one, ‘specially some two-leg monkey with an adonis complex.” She snorts again, and then promptly looks away, fingers toying in her curls. “Thinking maybe he’s lost.”
[Ray Ostermann] He listens to Marni and Indira as he keeps looking at Mama, its not a piercing gaze, or a inquisitive gaze, just the gaze of someone who had been growled at, and wasn’t going to look away till he was certain he wasn’t going to be attacked.
When Mama looks away and plays with her curls he looks about at the other two women before nodding to Mama. “Alright….i’ll see what I can find out. If this is the Pinkerton’s that I know of…then i should be able to get you the information you want.”
[Marni] (shoot! sorry! i was on the phone. heh.)
She chuckles softly, but hides it behind her beer, before she takes another sip. “You know the family, then? Know if there’s any of us in it?”
[Indira] Indira glances toward the wall clock and something in her expression jerks. “Aw, shit, I’m gonna be late for work. I gotta go,” she tells the others, getting up so that she can dart into her bedroom to grab the horrible blue polo shirt that makes up much of her uniform. That and the name tag, of course.
“You guys let me know how things go with this Sean guy,” she tells the others as she raises a hand in a wave. “An’ let me know if you need any of my help, okay?”
[Indira] ((Sorry to leave, have a planned Mage oneshot that will make it hard to MT! Thank you guys for the RP. :D))
to Mama Ankle-Biter, Marni, Ray Ostermann
[Marni] (thanks for playing!)
[Mama Ankle-Biter] The little Gnawer sits and watches Marni and Ray quietly, huffing and snorting as she starts to calm down. Her head ducking down, listening as she starts to rifle through that bags of hers, pulling out random pieces of junk to look over.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray waves goodbye to Indira as she takes of to work, wherever that may be before shrugging to Marni’s question. “Honestly, I have no Idea. But ill dig up what information I can and get it back to you two…or….to whoever wants of you two.” He says looking from the still engaging Marni to Mama who isn’t responding at all.
He then changes gears. “You would see me claimed?” He asks Mama.
[Marni] “Later Indira – don’t work too hard!” She grins as her sister takes off, and she curls up on the couch, tucking her feet under her.
“Sounds good.”
and then he asks the question, and Marni opens her mouth to say something, and then just snaps her mouth closed again, before chuckling. “Seems to be the topic of the day.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Her head pokes out of the bag, eyebrows shooting straight up as Ray asks that question of her. She lets out a loud sigh, rolling her eyes shut for a moment. Fingers come up to pinch at the bridge of her nose. She sets the bag off her lap, pushes her body up off the floor and stalk over to Ray.
Hands perch on her hips as she looks right up at him, standing in front of the well-dressed kin. “Yes, we’ll see ya claimed nice and proper.”
[Ray Ostermann] [Per+Emp…whats eatin mama]
Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 2, 5, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)
[Ray Ostermann] Ray looks down at the little woman who could tear his head off and play basketball with it if she wanted to and nods. “What if I don’t want you too?”
He asks, maybe he’s just checking to see what her answer is, at the moment though he doesn’t seem overly defiant, just curious.
[Marni] She… just bites her lower lip for a minute, and waits for the answer she knows is coming.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “And just what are ya gonna do about it?”
He may be testing the Gnawer’s reaction, but she doesn’t seem to be giving an inch into what her thoughts. Hands remained perched on her hips.
[Ray Ostermann] He blinks at that, perhaps the realization settling in as to his situation, if this was a regular human, he could hit her, yell at her, threaten her, crush her into financial obscurity…he could do many things. But, Mama was a trueborn, a dangerous creature to be respected, and a member of the nation he’d sworn to serve.
His eyes narrow and he doesn’t look happy. “When it comes down to it…I don’t have a choice do I…unless i want to throw myself off a bridge or right onto your claws.”
[Marni] She.. keeps her fool mouth shut, though she has to press her lips together to do it. Mama has rank, and even a Gnawer knows when to bide her time..
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Her left hand draws up into the air, fingers curling and uncurling, flexing the slender digits as she gestures at him, at the space between them. Blue eyes have narrowed into thin slits as she held his eyes.
“Let Mama educate ya some, Ray.” She says in a soft voice, it is firm and matronly, like a mother talking to a child, or a mentor schooling an apprentice.
“Ya got very little choice in the matter. Any Female can come along and challenge Wyrmbreaker for ya ass, if she wins, any other Female that still wants ya, can challenge that Female for ya and so on. It’s the natural order of things. We ain’t human. We wolves. Mama’s a wolf-born, ain’t born from no two-leg nor walked upright until her First Change. Ya’ll have to understand this.”
She points back to Marni over her shoulder, “Ya want to keep seeing her… have ya little monkey fucks uninterrupted without some other Female coming around to sniff around, like Iona’s pack mate? Mama’s solution fits perfectly in Mama’s head.” She brings her hand back down to her hip, “Now, if’n ya think you can just “shop around” for the perfect mate, it don’t work that way. We’s possessive creatures. What we claim, what we mark is our territory. Ya better make a damn quick decision where and who ya want ya alliances to be.”
She snorts softly, “Mama don’t play no Shadow Lord Games. And don’t like being played, her challenging for ya is for Marni and Indira, not just for Mama. It’s for the benefit of the tribe.”
[Ray Ostermann] He tries to keep his face neutral, he might not be able to get a smile on his face at the moment, but at least he wasn’t frowning. He stands there, listening to her lay it out, telling him how it is….he’d heard it all before. His plan seemed perfectly logical to him, but in the end she was right. That fact alone made his shoulders sag for a moment before he managed to pull himself together again and rub his forehead with two fingers trying not to snap.
“Fine….then challenge if you think you can win.”
At that he drops his eyes and moves to take a seat. A small smile crossing his features. “Couldn’t blame a guy for tryin could ya?”
[Marni] He sits next to her on the couch, and after a moment, she slips her hand over and into his, fingers sliding along his until she can grasp lightly. She doesn’t know how this will work out, but she wants to keep her promise.
That touch, warm and tender, promises she still will.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Ray knows she is right. Her body pivots, all of her following Ray as she watches him move towards the couch, sits down next to Marni. Her chest lifts up, draws in air through her mouth and nose and just lets it roll right back out.
She turns on the other Gnawer in a heartbeat, as if nipping at the no moon for trying to steal a juicy morsel of meat. “Mama reckons ya have something to say in this as well. Let’s hear it.” She watches them – together. Her eyes dropping to the hand holding and the body language between the two of them.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] [Marni and Ray: Mama’s reading them emotions!!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 7 at target 6) [WP] Re-rolls: 3
[Ray Ostermann] Ray looks up at Mama and over to Marni but for the first time in a long time…he has very little to say. He simply sits there and waits this one out for now.
[Marni] She… hesitates, and then she sighs softly. She looks up at Mama, and wrinkles her nose, before she reaches up with her free hand to tuck her hair behind her ear – only to have it spring forward again. “I just made him a promise, that’s all. And if I can find a way to keep it, I’d like too. I promised him I wouldn’t claim his as mate unless he wanted me, and wanted me to. I know he likes his girls – and I ain’t jealous, I got me a boy in every other alley myself at times…”
She pauses, slightly, and shifts underneath the directness of Mama’s gaze – and she can’t hide a thing, even if she wanted too… so she puts voice to it. “I like Ray, I like him a lot, and I like being WITH him.. but I couldn’t stand it if he felt trapped somehow by me.. and I wouldn’t want…” She looks up at him, and grins that little knowing grin. “I wouldn’t want to lose the friendship because you felt I’d overplayed my hand.”
She nods, slightly, and sighs. “I don’t wanna trap no man. Specially Ray. That’s it.”
And surprisingly, it’s the honest to gods truth.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “This… ain’t about trapping Ray.” Again, he is talked about like he was invisible. She doesn’t mean to say it that way, but it is how it comes out at first. “Ain’t gonna care none if ya wanna keep screwing around with every piece of ass that ya find interesting. What Mama’s trying to do is gain a benefit for my kin that we ain’t got.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray listens to the two gnawers discuss the situation and he perks up when Mama talks about not trapping him, and not keeping him from doing the things he wants to do, and his opinion changes.
“So…your not trying to claim me as your mate…your simply claiming me for the tribe so that I am officially available for the three of you if you want me?” He asks his manner changing from one of defeat to one of careful consideration. “That…might not be that bad.”
[Marni] His demeanor changes, as it’s clarified, and Marni relaxes back into the couch with a slight smile.
Ok then. And she can’t help the tease…
“…and the pool. Cuz, you know, that’s important.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Blond eyebrows shoot up, riding high on her smooth forehead to nearly touch the hairline. She gawks at Ray, literally. Open-mouthed and wide-eyed. It’s an amusing expression, especially when her voice drops out in one of bewilderment.
“What the hell ya think Mama’s going do with ya! Claim ya as a mate… sheesh…”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] “Fine suit and all, Ray, but… Ya can’t handle all of this.” She says, waving a hand up and down her small, skinny frame.
[Ray Ostermann] Just as fast as the darker mood came on, Ray’s beaming smile cuts across his face as he raises a brow to Mama. “I can handle anything you send my my way Mama, including every inch of that body…you should see for yourself sometime.”
He says as he regains his old confidence, his eyes are laughing now. Pleased with the turn of events, and finding Mama’s display quite entertaining.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] Her head lifts up, eyes closing as she raises her chin and nose up into the air. A hand waving at Ray as if to say… ‘as if…’ The corners of her mouth start to curl upward slowly, “Ray, once ya go wolf.. there ain’t no going back. We don’t mess around with all ya monkey lurve talk. We get down to business.”
Her grin is positively infectious and feral all at the same time.
[Marni] And when Ray’s smile returns, she grins and squeezes his hand, chuckling… and then mama tosses back her comment… and she just grins at Mama.
“What, you think we bother with sweet nothings?”
But her grin is back and she just shakes her head, relaxing now that it all sees to be all right. “And if Sean turns out to be one of us, we can do the same with him – that’s the plan?”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray raises a brow and gives Mama a knowing smile, its an intimate thing, a look promising all that she could want, no strings, no words, just what she needs. He then winks at her, giving the whole look a very human/monkey twist to it before he looks over at Marni and chuckles.
“Sweet nothings take up time we would rather be doing other things.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] She snorts softly, “We’ll see.”
A glance over to Ray, seeing he was no longer flustered and frustrated, she sets her hands to her hips once again, eying him. “Ya done acting like a bruised cock in a hen house full of geese?”
[Marni] She just laughs at that. “Gotta love Mama – she tells it like it is…”
[Ray Ostermann] *He chuckles as well* “Just remember Mama, that which you push away, is often the one thing you may want the very most.”
He says this and then at last releases Marni’s hand and stands with a nod. “Yes, at this point I think its safe to say I’m done being dramatic. I think that was my quota for the next five months infact.”
[Mama Ankle-Biter] The little Gnawer snorts. She bends down to collect up her bag, shrugging into it and then soon to follow into her coat as well. She studies them for a moment, and nods quietly. “We’ll see about that. Keep me abreast if any other Females decide to get the notion in their heads to challenge for ya.”
The way she speaks, it is like she were preparing to depart. Her business done here, she saw no other reason to stay, and perhaps, to leave them alone. She waggles her fingers in the air at them.
[Marni] She grins. “Thanks Mama. You come by anytime – you know we’ve got a spare room here if you want it. Even if you don’t decide to join up. You’re family.”
[Ray Ostermann] “I’ll keep you informed of course. Have a good night Mama, see you around.” He says as he reaches down and takes another beer and cracks it open before sitting down.
[Mama Ankle-Biter] [Second Verse! Same as the first! Crossing over!]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)
[Mama Ankle-Biter] *POP* The little Gnawer’s gone, crossing over as Ray gets his beer open and leaving them alone!
[Mama Ankle-Biter] (Thanks for the scene! (plots more torment for Clark!)
[Marni] She just shakes her head and wrinkles her nose. She tips her head at Ray and chuckles. “Looks like we’re gonna make a Gnawer out of you. At least she isn’t planning on stud fees…”
a beat.
“…yet.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray shakes his head as he sits back down, taking drink from his beer and laughs lightly. “You know…I can stand up and be as smooth as silk before three rather ornery Get of Fenrir, but I get up infront of her and all I can do is back down.”
His face has a bemused look as he shakes his head and then he raises a brow at Marni’s words. “So that is what it means….shes plannin on takin me into your tribe then.”
[Marni] She laughs and nods. “She has a way about her, for sure. And yeah, that’s what she means. She told me and Indira that she wants to better the tribe, and you’re a kin of value. Don’t mean she’ll win the challenge though, and Wyrmbreaker might not allow it to happen at all. I dunno really. Bottom line is we’re all fighting for the same thing.”
So it doesn’t right matter what name they claim, under what tribe.
[Ray Ostermann] “I gotta say, I never saw this coming. I had a good idea that you and I might have eventually had something happen. But I never for the life of me thought that I might end up changing Tribes….”
He lets that fall for a moment before picking up another line of thought. “But your right…who know’s what Lukas may do. I suppose we will find out soon enough won’t we?”
He lets that hang in the air, full of unspoken potential. He looks sidelong over to Marni as he takes a drink of the beer, now getting warm from sitting on the table. “I am not…dumpster diving.”
[Marni] She arches a brow slightly, before she nudges him with her shoulder. “Kinda thought me n you, or hoped me and you…” She nods, they’ll find out, and then… then?
She’s laughing, outright. “Aw come on! There’s a GOLDMINE of stuff in dumpsters! People throw away the best stuff! I can teach you where all the good stuff is…” But it’s clear she’s teasing him, when she looks up, her eyes sparkling with fun and mirth. “Being a Gnawer don’t mean you have to give up your fancy life, Ray. We’ll rub off on ya, a little bit, sure, but ain’t no one gonna make you renounce your cash and give a vow of poverty.”
A beat. “I will, however, rub up on ya. And off on ya. And sometimes just rub ya… aaaaaaall over.”
[Ray Ostermann] He listens to her words and shakes his head with a laugh as she talks about rubbing off, on and all over him. He certainly doesn’t mind that idea, infact he seems to love that idea. He even seems to have the wheels spinning in his head, who knows what he might have planned.
“Ahhh but what about this Marni. What if I rubbed off on you and suddenly you are living the high life and dressing in fancy cocktail dresses hmmm? You and Indira both…we might even get Mama into a pretty little thing.”
[Marni] She snorts and waves that off like it’s not even important… “Really, me in a fancy cocktail dress? Can you imagine?”
Of course, he likely can, which is exactly why he has that little ‘I’m thinking’ look dancing in his eyes. So she gives in and grins. “You can dress me up however you want, whenever you want, as long as you promise you’ll always prefer me in just my skin…”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray raises a brow at that, a curious look creeping across his face, and it mingles with a bemused smile as he takes another drink of his beer, obviously quite comfortable in these new surroundings.
“Getting all sentimental on me now are we Marni? I didn’t thinkn you had it in you.”
[Marni] She snorts. “What, you think I’m TOTALLY heartless?”
She nudges him again, laughing. “I just like to know you like me naked. After all, under all the other stuff, I’m still a girl. You have noticed that I’m a girl right? Or do I have to prove it again… Indira’s a girl too. I’ve seen her naked.” she lets out a low whistle, and then grins wickedly at him. “Whew…”
Oh Marni. Shameless.
[Ray Ostermann] Ray leans in and whispers, even though they were the only one there. It kept the moment intimate, personal, and all together for just them. “Marni…such foolish questions, I could ride your curves from here to LA and back again.” He winks at her before leaning back into the couch.
“I have noticed how much of a girl Indira is…I’m very interested in seeing just how much more of a girl she can be.”
[Marni] “mmmmmmmmmm…” she grins up at him, a slow, sultry smile as she lifts her fingers up to dance along his jawline before he leans back again. “I may take you up on that…”
She laughs and nods. “I’m sure you two will find that discovery mutually enjoyable. She’s a great girl. She.. Well, I dunno what I woulda done without her on the mission we went on the other night. Likely would have kicked me some stupid Fang ass, at the least. Still will, but it wasn’t the time then, and she kept me grounded.”
[Ray Ostermann] “She is your proverbial ‘rock’ is she?” He raises a brow before his lips twist into a sly little grin, a joke coming on quite obviously, being around Marni has only increased the amount of wise cracks and jokes he has started to use.
“And here I thought that she was the Ahroun…not you.” He says as he watches her face. “Shouldn’t she be the one wanting to kick the life from the Silverfang’s body?”
[Marni] She laughs and settles back into the couch, curling up against him comfortably. “Yeah, pretty much. On both counts really – but the mission, it was a fuckin scouting mission, a Raggie mission. He sauntered in, declared himself the leader, then did stupid shit and acted like what I suggested wasn’t worth the breath it took to mention them. He jepordized the mission, and worse? He’s blaming the whole fuckin shit on me. When I got them in, I got them the info that was requested, and he stood around being pissy.”
She shakes her head, slightly, and sighs. “He’s SUCH an asshole. I just don’t deal with arrogant pissheads very well.”
[Ray Ostermann] His brow raises up as he listens and he nods intently as he looks down at her as she curls in against him. “You always have had the most eloquent descriptions for people. Arrogant pisshead has to be one of the best so far. I really must call up Webster and get that added to the dictionary.”
He seems to consider things for a moment, in particular what she’s been talking about. The gears spinning behind his eyes once more. “Speaking of the Recon mission, was there anything of use for someone such as I? Other then perhaps contacting this woman you spoke of?”
[Marni] She laughs and pokes him in the side, before that arm just continues round his waist and she snuggles in contentedly. “When you meet this guy, I’ll give ya 10 bucks if you don’t think it’s the perfect description.” She grins though, because she knows it IS perfect.
Then, she nods slightly. “I think that Wyrmbreaker will be contacting some kin – we were searching for things to further the next stages, including ways for the kin to get involved. To give you a head start though – the info on Mrs. Goodwin is my idea. He might not think of it -but it’s the way to go in order to get a foot hold. She might not be garou or kin, but she’s clearly on the right side, and part of my blow up with FuckheadFangboy was because he wanted to rifle through her office – getting caught doing that without trying to approach her in a more normal honest way is a surefire way to get her to tell us to take a hike. Anything you can get on the financial records of the church, the woman herself, anything at all that helps us get a toehold to launch talks with her would be helpful.”
Then, she nods, and rubs her chin absently. “The community center next to the church is just.. a hell hole of taint. There’s money and a lot of it funneling in from somewhere – the hive, of course and their contacts. There’s a farm that’s providing tainted foods – someone’ll be asked to dig into that. We’re gonna have to find some way to clean out and take over that community center. they’re gonna run an assault on it to clean out if we can, but there’s a lot that can be done by you guys too. The building itself is against fire codes – so likely something will be done with that. They have elevators and no emergency exits.”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray listens to the woman who has snuggled in close to his body, stealing his warmth and the comfort he provides. He doesn’t mind in the least of course. He enjoys having her close, enjoys the feeling of her body pressed against his, even if there is clothing in the way.
Its obvious that he’s memorizing every detail, taking in everything that they could possibly be of use to the efforts, but there are a few pieces that fall into place that make him smile just a little bit more then he normally does. “I’ll look into her, but in truth, it may not even be necessary to have any form of foothold. My type of job, and the things I can do for organizations of all shapes and sizes might be enough to get her on side. As an added bonus I should be able to walk up to the church without any of the enemy being any wiser, I just don’t show up to you anyone…i guess its the benefit of being a mutt hmm?”
His biggest smile is saved for the last little bit of information though and he grins, but it is not a friendly grin, it is one she hasn’t seen much of, its a dark smile an almost evil smile, like hes found a weakness that he knows he can exploit to the fullest, and make the enemy suffer for it. He even laughs a bit, its not quite maniacal laughter, but its close. “I can get them shut down…with information like that we can shut them down and fine them into the ground until they pay up for the renovations to reconsruct the entire building…and adding stair wells is not cheap.”
[Marni] “Don’t you DARE go into that town without backup.”
She’s deadly serious. There’s no sense of budging on this, either. “Wyrmbreaker mentioned that he had kin who had the right connections -I’m certain he was talking about you. He’ll get you started doing exactly that, I’m sure, but please.. promise me that unless he sends a group into the town, or sends you himself, that you don’t just go on your own. It’s bad, Ray… really bad…”
[Ray Ostermann] Ray laughs and runs a hand through her hair at that as if to allay her fears of him going anywhere near it his smile is reassuring and promises that he won’t go anywhere without being specifically told to.
“I cannot imagine him sending us into the area without backup. While some of us are capable at defending ourselves, I doubt that we would stand a chance against a group as concentrated as the ones at the community centre.”
A beat “Besides, I have no interest in getting any closer then necessary. But you must concede if I am to get Ms. Goodwin on ourside, I may have to go and see her. I doubt she will want to travel all the way into the city to see me.”
[Marni] He runs a hand through her hair, and she relaxes again, under his touch. She knows he may have to go… but still. “I know. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t take off and do it on your own, just because you can.”
Aw. She’s even cute when she worries…
[Ray Ostermann] “As much as I may wish to make a name for myself within the nation Marni, I have very little interest in running head long into danger. Danger and I do not mix well. Unless…of course you include hanging around with you and Indira.”
He smiles at her, finding her actions endearing and just a little cute. Of course…she could defends herself against them. He…well he mgiht as well bend over and take it up the ass.
[Marni] She laughs softly, and looks up at him, stretching to press a kiss against his neck, just below his ear. “May Indira and I be all the danger you have to face in the upcoming months…”
Even though she’s cute, and cuddly like a puppy, she can indeed defend herself. She has before, she will again, until one day she simply can’t and loses her life in battle. Until then, however, there are plenty of life’s little joys to indulge in, and on happens to be sitting here on her couch, in his favorite suit. Her fingers reach to slide down his tie, and then she stands, tie still in hand and tugs on it, until he gives in and stands. When he does, she turns – tie still in hand, and pulls him close with the silken material before heading toward her room.
“In fact, I think that you haven’t seen near enough of my sort of danger today.. and it’s time we rectify that…”
Once inside her room, she reaches around to kick the door shut. Fortunately, Indira’s still at work. There’s no way she could sleep through what happens next….
[and fade…]