[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *Marcus didn’t look he’d come from a battle. He’d washed off the blood before he came to see the Caern Spirit Maelstrom. He was wearing a set of clothes in Homid form, work clothes, as he made his way across the bawn in the Umbra, past the guardian spirits, into the caern proper.
He looked nervous, and back home it always gave him comfort to see the Wind Horse. It came close to him once. Stopping to look at him, coming within a few feet of him, sniffing a bit, and then it was gone. A majestic creature old as Father Sky himself the Wendigo said. Even the whites with their bullets couldn’t kill it when they killed the Oglala Lakota at Wounded Knee. The land was still the Wind Horse’s, and the Wendigo watched over it.
But the Maelstrom was different. It was stationary, never moving, but right now Marcus needed to be close to it, to set down some burdens from his heart. To see if Maelstrom might take them from him like He/She/It did with the picture of his grandmother.*
[Joss Lehrer] The Chicago wind plays, even here, even umbral, tugging her dreads into a wild pattern of writhing lengths about her head and shoulders, sliding around her torso, teasing and clinging to her sweater. The breeze picks up the edges of her skirts, fluttering them about her knees as she kneels on the banks of the Mighty Maelstrom. Her feet are bare, her eyes are closed, her hands are resting palms upwards on her thighs, as she simply….
breathes.
(…1…2…3…)
If she notes his approach, she makes no sign of it, she is buried in the depths of mediation, of concentration, of communion with Gaia, with the totem, with her soul, attuning all parts of herself with this, her new home, Maestrom, and at last? Eagle, too.
(….7…8…9….)
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *Marcus comes over to the banks of Maelstrom. He sees Joss and part of him is glad she is here. He didn’t get a chance to speak with her on the party but very briefly, but that’s okay. It’s always good to see Joss.
For a moment he swallows frowning, wishing she’d have been there tonight with him. He replayed over and over in his mind if he’d made the right calls, the right… choices.
He sat down a little ways from her to give her space, and let her finish her meditation. He looked out into the Umbra and stared for a moment at Maelstorm, and then back up away from it just feeling the wind on his face, his thoughts returning back to his home in Pine Ridge.*
[Joss Lehrer] Here, here she is strong. Here she is at home. Here she remembers, she forgets, she simply is.
(11…12…13)
She takes a deep breath, holds it, and lets it go again, a smile lingering along her lips as she finally opens her eyes, and lifts her hands above her head, her back arching as she stretches, and then looks over at him as if she’d known he’d be there when she was done, a content smile playing about her lips, sparkling in her eyes. “Hey there.”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He smiles.* “Hey how are you. Breath of Gaia. Good rite. Very simple. Very calming. It is good it was named after our Mother Gaia. It can seem to lift the burdens from one’s spirit sometimes.” *He looks at her.* “How are you my friend?” *He says in a kind voice.*
[Joss Lehrer] She smiles and rearranges, sliding from her kneeling position to slide her bare feet forward through the umbral ground, toward the banks of Maelstrom, but not too close, for she knew well the power of the great totem. She smooths her skirts down over her thighs, and laughs softly. “I couldn’t be better, I don’t think.”
A pause, before she turns to grin at him. “I am Eagle now.”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He nods, gets up, and comes over to sit down closer to her.* “That is good. I know you’ve wanted to be in that pack for quite some time now.” *He inhales a bit.* “I didn’t think anyone else would be out here at this time. I was hoping Maelstrom would take some of my burdens from my heart.” *He says in a low voice. His face isn’t said, or whiny, but it is stoic. He’s a young man with a lot on his mind.*
[Joss Lehrer] She studies him, quiet, and that smile ever present, lingering along the edges, content to sit here, and listen. In fact, that’s exactly what she offers, aloud, as well.
“Well, I’m no Totem, but I am a pretty good listener. What’s on your mind?”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] “I was in a fight tonight. I may have made a few mistakes. It was very messy. Many witnesses, and I may have shifted into the Near Man form too much in public.” *He looks out.* “I went with my instincts and it saved me. That I am not so much worried on. I will take whatever punishment comes if there is to be any. Frankly after what happened in the fight, and getting rid of the bodies I think my haste in shifting to Glabro will be the least of our worries as a sept.”
*He exhales.* “No… My main concern is if I am being too prideful. I do not know if what I am doing is correct with the Modi Sam, or if I should continue my course in trying to get him to understand the meaning of what it means to be a proper Fenrir. I am not sure if my objectivity is still intact as a Forseti because he personally insulted me.”
[Joss Lehrer] She listens, leaning back on her hands as she crosses slender legs at the ankle, her eyes across the landscape, though coming back to watch him as he speaks, now and again and then…
sharp, that look, as he mentions Sam. She snorts, her smile falters, her gaze sharpens, angry. “I am unsure anything can teach him what it means to be Fenrir. Gaia knows we have all tried.” Clearly, something aside from the incident with Marcus has firmed her opinion of the boy.
“As for the fight – we do what we have too, even if it means inciting delerium to clear the area of witnesses, to complete the battle before worse things happen. We do what we can – that is all we can do.”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He nods.* “It’s just that I could forgive him for his rash actions. I can understand the way a woman pulls at your heart. The way the thought of anything bad happening to her can make you… not rational.”
*He holds up a hand for emphasis, index pointing up.* “But as a Fenrir especially we have to own up to our mistakes. If he would just perform the Rite of Contrition for attacking me without a proper challenge and spitting in my face I could let it go. But I feel until he does that I cannot. One because it is a question of my honor, which is very personal to me. He insulted me and my ancestors by speaking to me the way he did, and insults me further by continuing to act as if the fault was mine, and only mine.”
*He exhales.* “I understand his pack kicked him out there. And I understand he is… not a good example of our people, and sometimes I think I should let it go. But then I think if I do he will not learn anything. He will not understand that his actions do not just hurt him, but they hurt our Tribe. They hurt our reputation as honorable, forthright Garou. And it is because of that I feel as if I should keep telling him, to his face how wrong he is every time I see him. That as a Forseti it is my duty to do so.”
*He licks his lips.* “I don’t know Joss. This is troubling me. Am I making the right decision by continuing to be this way, or should I let it go? ”
[Joss Lehrer] She doesn’t answer for a long time, fighting her own anger and irritation at the Modi in question, and trying to weigh the questions without prejudice. She comes to a single conclusion…
… its a damn good thing she’s not Foresti.
She shakes her head, and holds up a hand. “I was witness to the altercation. He was in the wrong. Evan was there too. Samual was in the wrong. Period. Even his pack saw that, and punished him accordingly. That he does not accept his responsibility in the matter, and continues to place blame everywhere but on himself where it belongs, is the greatest disrespect.”
She pushes her dreads back and sighs. “He killed a man. A fight much as yours tonight, I suppose, but they killed a cop who did not run. Do you know what he did then? Troubled that he’s a murderer, just like the rest of us, he decided that he had to tell someone. He overheard a bit of a phone conversation, and discovered a Kinfolk – Eagle Kin by Proxy as he’s married to one of ours – knew the cop. I was there. He pulled us aside, and he confessed to a perfect stranger, and laid the burdon of this act squarely in Henry’s lap.”
She growls, low and angrily, her hands clenching, before she forces herself to relax again. “That kinfolk is under investigation for the murder. Now he knows exactly who the culprit is, and cannot say anything. This, in turn, makes Henry look guiltier, like he’s hiding something, because he is. He very well could have ruined a stranger’s life, a kinfolk’s life, one of MY kin’s life, just because he felt guilty, and felt someone had to know that this stranger died with honor in his eyes, all because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and didn’t run in the face of Garou.” she’s furious, about it still, that much is very clear.
She takes a deep breath. “At the bonfire, he had the nerve to suggest a rite of contrition to me, because the spirits care for us more than the kinfolk. Said he would apologize to Henry. I threatened to take his throat if he dares speak to Henry again. Samual Modine is without honor, without wisdom. He will not learn. Forgiving him will do nothing.”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He looks positively speechless… Just stunned… Like she just told him a squared circle existed in the world. He couldn’t believe it. How could someone, a Modi, Warrior to his people, the deeds of his ancestors so clearly in his blood… How could he act like this and still possibly even call himself a Fenrir?*
*He swallows.* “I am very sorry for the trouble he has brought upon you and yours… Even though I had nothing to do with matter.”
*He exhales.* “Suddenly my problems with Sam Modine pale in significance to what your kin, and Henry must be going through. I am almost ashamed I brought them up now.”
*He turns to look at Joss.* “Is there anything I can do to help you and these kin? If there is and I am able you have but to ask and it is done.”
[Joss Lehrer] He says he’s sorry and she shakes her head. “Don’t be. It is part of the larger problem of Sam. He has proven again and again to be dishonorable, to be…” she pauses then just throws her hands up in frustration. “an IDIOT. How the hell did he… I mean… ugh!” She makes a face, and even laughs, a sharp bitter sound, that one does not expect from an 18 year old girl, let alone one who is so often carefree and happy as the Giggling Godi…
She takes a breath, and pushes her dreads back from her face. “I heard that Decker was going to try and take him to the Battle Realm, to reclaim his birthright, something like that after other altercations. I do not know if he still intends to do so. I do know that I will take him down if he so much as looks in Henry’s direction. Should he desire to preform the rite of Contrition to me, I will let him, though I already warned him that one rite would not do much to change my feelings toward him. I don’t know. I am torn. Part of me wants to refuse him the opportunity to preform the rite, just so that I can stay angry at him.”
She wrinkles her nose, and chuckles. “Does that make me an awful Fostern? A petty godi?”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He smiles and shakes his head a bit, at seeing Joss get a emotional, another side of her he hasn’t seen.* “No it doesn’t make you awful as a Fostern or as a Godi. The Rite of Contrition is… from what I have seen of it quite humiliating for a reason. It is to show another Garou the sincerity of your apology. Anyone can say the words, but to crawl on your stomach, to lick your paws and whine like a wolf cub… For a proud Garou of any tribe to do that… It is difficult.”
*He inhales.* “But… One Rite cannot erase things. The wrongs do not go away. No the Rite of Contrition is merely the beginning. It is the first step in making amends. From then on you must prove yourself to be what you say you are. We are Fenrir. Words are cheap to us. Actions are what matter. The Rite is a show of apology. From then on deeds of honorable behavior show the sincerity and depth of that apology.”
*He pauses* “If he should perform it you should accept the Rite, but do not simply forget all the wrongs he has committed simply because he performs one rite, and then continues his poor behavior. He will have a long way to go to get back to being anything close to a proper Fenrir Modi from what it sounds like.”
[Joss Lehrer] She listens, and then nods, with a slight sigh, a rueful grin sliding over her lips as she pulls her knees to her chest and rests her chin on them, wrapping her arms around her knees and holding them tight before relaxing again.
“I will explain that to him before the rite. Then should he choose that path, he will know it is not the end of the journey, but the beginning.” A pause, and a soft chuckle. “I don’t think he’ll ever understand. I hope he surprises me – but I don’t see it happening.”
She reaches out and nudges his knee. “And here I am supposed to be listening to you, and instead doing the talking.”
[Marcus Schwarzkopf] *He smiles.* “You did exactly what a Godi does. You helped me to unburden my spirit. And I did what a Forseti does. I answered a question you had about the proper way for a Fenrir to act. All is as it should.”
*He puts a hand on her back, a show of friendship.* “You have been a good friend to me Gossamar Wing ~rhya. I am lucky you are here in this sept.” *He inhales and stands up.* “I should go. Thank you for speaking with me.” *He pauses.* “Oh. I am looking to learn some more rites. I know a lot of the minor ones but only the Talisman Dedication. Could I come to you for instruction? Perhaps teach you some that I know in exchange?”
[Joss Lehrer] She laughs softly, and nods. “It is as it should be.” She agrees, and then as he stands, she follows, and shakes the dirt from her skirts, before tucking her hands into her pockets and looks up at him with a smile. “I would be honored to aid you in the quest to learn more. It’s often in teaching others that we learn the most, after all.”
She grins, and then slips her shoes back on before touching his shoulder as she turns to move off as well. “Thank you, Two-Ravens. I’m glad you stayed.”
And with a final grin, one that makes her look every bit her young 18 years, she turns and makes her way toward the exit that will lead her back to Eagle Territory.