[Jeremiah McNamara] After doing some research – some very quiet, very discreet research, mind you – into who might be the Chicago Get of Fenris least likely to rip ones limbs off and ask questions later, only one name kept coming up repeatedly: Joss Lehrer. And so, after obtaining her cell number from Reuben at the Brotherhood, Mia had called the Fostern Theurge to request a meeting after introducing herself in her usual quiet but amiable tone; respectful and polite but otherwise affable. Truth be told she was nervous, no matter what she’d heard about Joss. But the fact of the matter is that in at least one respect the Fenrir aren’t so different from the Furies: One doesn’t seek them out on an important matter shaking at the knees with ones tail tucked between their legs.
Weakness was like blood in the water.
So she’d asked if Joss would meet her on the roof of the Brotherhood, where the previous owner had set up a small greenhouse that Jenny Coltrane simply hadn’t had much success with. Until, that is, one Mia McNamarah came along and offered to help. The simple truth was that if it could possibly grow in even one spot on the planet, then Jeremiah could probably grow it. There was a reason her hands almost always had a slight stain green to them, a hint of dirt in a few lines here and there no matter how many times she washes them. This morning, while she waits, she is staning in the warmth of the greenhouse, tending to a vine of cherry tomatoes, humming lowly under her breath, her white guide cane set against the table, always within reach.
[Joss Lehrer] She had received the call, and the invitation with curiosity, and had agreed to meet with the woman on the roof. She arrives perfectly on time, as well, smelling of the earth itself, as she climbs the stairs to the roof. Her hands are dirty, and she’s a smudge of dirt across her nose as well. Her skirt and sweater too, is of earth tones, though it’s obvious that Jeremiah would not be able to note that. Which means she wouldn’t be surprised to see the cell phone that she’d made the call too was pink and covered in sparkly pretend jewels. Joss is a study in girlish contradictions for sure.
The greenhouse is easy to find, and soon there’s a rap on the door frame. “Hello? Ms. McNamara? It’s Joss…”
[Jeremiah McNamara] For her part Mia is dressed comfortably in tailored cargo pants [tailored only because it was the only real way to ensure a good fit given her petite, shapely frame] and a pale green shirt with a picture of Oscar the Grouch at the breast, the muppets’ name above the picture in whimsical letters. The pea coat she’d been wearing outside are hung up by the door; given the chilly temperatures these days the greenhouse is, indeed, delightfully warm.
Joss raps on the door frame and calls a hello, and the blind woman within looks up [ and old habit even after ten years] and then tilts her head slightly, canting an ear in the Fenrir’s direction. “Hi, Joss… c’mon in. And please… Jeremiah is fine. Or Mia. Folk seem to like Mia.” It is clear that she is perfectly fine with either. Outlandish as it might be, Jeremiah very much likes her name.
Mia, too, has a smudge of soil on her smooth face and much like the Theurge, smells rather markedly on the outdoors, her trees, her herbs and the soil.
[Joss Lehrer] She smiles. “Mia then.” And steps inside, closing the door behind her. She pushes up the sleeves of her sweater, and resituates the bag at her hip with a tug on the strap that dissects her torso as she moves into the greenhouse proper.
Fingers reach out to touch a plant here or there, appreciating them for what they are. “You’ve a way with plants I see. I have a bit of a garden in my attic, but nothing like this. I fear my Sunflowers have decided to give it up for now. It’s ok, the Hummingbirds prefer the blue bells anyway.”
Once she’s close enough, she touches the blind woman’s elbow to let her know where she is exactly, then leans back on a planter box as she tucks her hands into her pockets. “What can I do for you?”
[Jeremiah McNamara] Joss speaks, perhaps just idle talk, but Mia seems to listen quite intently, a marked interest in her amber-brown eyes. And, perhaps, a touch of surprise, too. After all, the thought of a Fury theurge dealing with spirits of nature, of flowers, of soft, winged things… that is easy enough to think of for Mia. But a Fenrir? It is, at the very least, curious. Beyond the curiosity she seems.. pleased. Pleased at the thought of Joss having such interests.
“My real work is back at my home on the Lake — I’ve got a good bit of land and am working to restore the woods there along with my gardens and my own G-house. If ever there’s something you might need for your rituals and rites… well, you are welcome to come whenever you like….”
While she still speaks softly her words are earnest. Assisting the Garou is most of the point of her projects and work, after all.
Then, Joss gets to the heart of things and she frowns slightly, pensively… “It requires a bit of background information before I go into the real situation.. do you mind?” Like people [and wolves, she supposes], not all Garou – irregardless of tribe – are patient.
[Joss Lehrer] “Perhaps I’ll visit sometime – as soon as my Van is running.” Oh her van! There’s a quiet pride in the ownership of the the rattle trap 65 VW van that Randi is helping her rebuild, and put into working order.
She nods, slightly, as there is history that must be told. Surprisingly, she is likely the most patient of Fenrir. It’s not a hard thing to accomplish, given the rest of the Fenrir in Chicago, but she listens better than most, and loves a good story more than many a Skald. “Of course not. Go on…”
[Jeremiah McNamara] She nods at the comment of perhaps visiting, a bit of a tugged smile at the corner of her lips as she notes the hint of pride in the Garou’s voice. Like many a blind person, Jeremiah is very adept at discerning the undertones of what people say, of what goes on around her as a matter of survival; perhaps more so than others.
Given the go-ahead, she returns her attention to the plant in her hands, her motions sure, deft and – yes – loving as she speaks. “About.. oh… six or seven years ago, I was looking to get a book published and was given the name of a fellow Kinfolk who worked as an editor in a small firm. Abigail Bradley was her married name. We worked together, on and off, over the years and became very good friends. There were certain boundaries to our friendship, though… she’d been… hurt – abused, even – growing up in the Nation and wished to have very little dealings with Garou and most Kinfolk. In her own way she still tried to make a difference: Looking for works to edit and publish that had a Gaia-friendly theme; being Environmentally friendly and active, that kind of thing. But in most regards she wanted separation. This included her two children, Sarah – the eldest – and Connor. Her husband was also Kinfolk but knew even less of the Nation and had no desire to know more. I didn’t really.. agree.. with this approach… but I loved Abby as a dear friend and, perhaps wrongly, agreed to her wishes.” There is a real note of regret to her words, perhaps a touch of confession, the residual essence of some sense of guilt. “…mostly we were friends from a distance. But every now and again I would visit her and her family. And I do have to admit — they were some of the most.. well.. normal times in my life and I guess that was pretty refreshing in a way.” Nostalgia. Remorse.
She falls silent for a moment and then continues… “About.. well, I guess a little over two months ago, now, Abby called me out of the blue. Distressed. Really, really upset. Sarah is almost 18 now, no longer a little girl, but grown enough that Abby thought she’d escaped the fate of having a Garou child…. to that point neither Sarah or Connor had shown any signs of an approaching Firsting… but, apparently, that was changing. At first Abby and her husband had tried to explain it away, but as Sarah’s behavior started to change more and more Abby was certain her daughter might be on the verge of her first Change. I listened.. I listened and I offered advice – I all but begged her to consider reaching out to any Garou in her area or nearby… I reminded her of the Fellowships out there, of Kinfolk who would be able to help… and she told me she would think about it.”
“I should have pressed harder.”
No doubt Joss can already see where this is going. It is, after all, not at all an uncommon story among the Garou. “…after that night I didn’t hear from Abby again. I was new to the City here and working hard on my land… and, well… I tried calling a couple of times, to no avail and just.. pushed it from my mind.” Again, that tinge of guilt. And, yes, a trace of anger beneathit, though Mia is naturally very slow to anger. “About a month ago, I was out on my land, tending to the trees, when who should come dragging through: Tired, worn, ragged from weeks on the road alone… but Connor, Abby’s son…” A sigh… a snagged bottom lip and then she goes on, with a shrug. “…I’m sure you can guess the rest. Sarah did go through her firsting, killing her mother and father in the process,” There is frustration in her voice – at the situation, not at Sarah. “Connor witnessed it and ran… he got enough things to fit into a hiking pack and hit the road, going in the only direction her could think of… it turns out he’d heard some of Abby’s conversation with me the last time we spoke. Enough to thinkt hat maybe I might know something. So he found my information in his mom’s Rolodex and spent a bit over a month hitchhiking across two states to get to me…”
Slowly releasing a breath her hands still then finally drift away from the tomato plant. “He’s been with me ever since. And the reason I am telling you this is that Connor Bradely, like his mother and father before him, is Get of Fenris.”
[Joss Lehrer] She listens. She’s an odd one, Joss, because not only does she listen, but she does so with the air of one who is truly interested in what she is being told. She has a healthy dose of curiosity, which is hardly surprising due to her moon. Those that follow the Crescent moon are most often dealing with things few people think about, see, discovering new elements, spirits, areas of the Umbra and how to interact with them for the betterment of Gaia, of the war, of themselves.
every little story enhances that.
While she understands having it difficult with being a part of the Nation, she has never experienced it herself. Joss was loved. She was wanted and cherished and taught from the time she could speak who she was, what she was, and what she would become. Her change was one of a time of stress, but not wholly unexpected, and handled without bloodshed. Her early change, her early rise to Fostern, it is all told by her Godi father, her kinfolk mother, with a sense of pride, of accomplishment. This is what she was born for – and it would belittle the gift her parents gave her to not give the story, the words, the problem her full attention.
She nods, slightly, as the story comes to an end, having figured half way through what it would come too. “And what of Sarah?”
She’ll get to Connor in a moment.
[Jeremiah McNamara] I isn’t spoken – it isn’t spoken because it just doesn’t come up right now. But were these two to get into their respective upbringings, they may find they have similarities beyond their love of growing things. Mia, too, has very fond memories of growing up knowing she was Kinfolk, knowing of the Nation. Though she never knew her parents, both sides of her family had enveloped her in love, though – admittedly – her father’s side [Fianna to a fault] were boisterous and flamboyant about it, where as her Fury relations – those who claimed her – were a good deal more stern, driven, serious and introverted. But nonetheless, love was not missing from the equation. Later in life some things would change, but in so far as her upbringing had gone, her foundation in the Nation was firm, loving and heartfelt. And yes, at times, a Joy.
Joss listens — truly listens — and it is something Mia catches and appreciates to no end. When she asks about Sarah, Mia isn’t at all surprised and, like the thoughtful, detailed kinswoman she is, has information on hand. “Apparently a small pack of local Garou – not Fenrir, I don’t believe – went looking for her shortly after the firsting, but as of yet no one has tracked her down.” She is obviously concerned – it could man any number of things. “But people are still looking into it… Gaia knows I hope she is… well.” Alive. Whole.
Not currently being initiated into the madness of the Spiral.
That kind of thing.
“…kinfolk took care of matters back in their home town. Between bribes and feigned evidence, both Sarah and Connor were declared dead along with their parents so that the human authorities aren’t trying to track either of them down.”
[Joss Lehrer] She nods, slightly, and is quiet for a moment. “I cannot speak for the Jarl, but it is understood that all Fenrir answer to him. If they get into trouble, it falls in his lap, if they wish to be mated, so on and so forth. I’m sure you know the routine well. Aside from that though, and with that understanding, I’m sure that he won’t mind that Connor live with you, under the circumstances. At least until he has settled in – though, again, I can’t speak for the Jarl, only to him for you.”
She pauses, and pushes her hair back behind her shoulder, letting them fall heavily down her back once more. “He’ll need to be taught the ways of Fenrir, of course…”
[Jeremiah McNamara] Joss speaks of the Jarl and it would seem that Mia is informed enough that she can discern what it means, even though Furies use no such terms. In fact, while Furies of course have pack alphas, by and large they rule their tribe with two Councils, rather than one set head, Sept Alpha, Grand Elder, Tribal Elder, Jarl… whatever you wanted to call it. It went back to their Grecian roots. But Mia knows much – more so than many Kin and even young Garou she encounters – and so ‘Jarl’ is easy to follow.
She means Decker.
And, for her part, Mia has absolutely no desire to converse with Decker anytime soon. Hence going to Joss.
Which is proving to be just about the best decision Mia’s made in the last few weeks, hands down.
She nods, “I understand, of course. Please do bring the matter to him. I’ve spoke to Connor about all of it – about needing to tell his Tribe about him…. the last thing I need is a pack of Fenrir at Lights Out or my door asking why I’m harboring away your kinfolk…” There’s a touch of humour to her voice, but in a way the humour is… grave. After all, such a scenario wouldn’t be unheard of. And very much understandable. “I only waited this long because of the shock he’s undergone… I felt he could use some time to settle, to get used to the idea of the Nation – of who he is, and his sister, too – before… well… he’s a jumpy about the very idea of Garou still…”
Them with a clear note of pride in her voice, along her expression: “He’s a good kid. Fifteen years old and handles himself remarkably well – a credit to your tribe, Joss, even if he’s still shaken by it all. Already he is planning on getting on his own two feet as soon as he can but, yeah.. for the time being he is comfortable at my home and wishes to remain there for a while longer at least.” By no means is it a demand, but she states his wishes clearly. Also clear is that she would like such an arrangement to be possible. “I’ve been teaching him about the Nation, but he is very willing to meet with those of his own Tribe. So if its’ a matter of someone coming out to teach him about his own or getting him to a meeting place for the same, consider it done…”
[Joss Lehrer] She does, indeed, mean Decker. And Mia will likely have to speak to him sooner than she likes. Joss, however, doesn’t bring that up, but instead reaches to the side, nudging a bit of dirt around a small plant, as she listens to the rest. She hears the obvious pride in her friend’s son, and her grin is lopsided and warm as she teases. “Completely unbiased, that opinion, right?”
He’s 15. Not much younger than Joss, all told, though the Godi holds a maturity few of her age find, even for those who bred true. “I’ll bring the matter to Silence’s attention, but for now I’m sure it’s fine that he remain with you. I would like to meet him as soon as possible, however.”
And form her own opinion. Naturally.
[Jeremiah McNamara] Completely unbiased…
In response to both Joss’ tone and the words themselves, Jeremiah’s lips curve in a smile that is at once good-humoured and sheepish. A little shrug [well, you got me there] and one hand rises to rub at her nose, slightly, leaving another smudge of dirt there. “Well.. I can’t much argue with that.”
As for the rest, she just nods. “Of course. Let me know when a good time is and I’ll make sure he’s there to meet you.”
[Joss Lehrer] She smiles and pushes away from the edge of the table. “Bring him in with you next time and give me a call, and I’ll make time to meet him. Maybe my van will be ready by then!” a beat, and then “Was there anything else?”
She brushes the dirt off her hands, and stretches slowly. She has patrols to see too – and a sandwich downstairs calling her name.
[Jeremiah McNamara] “No, nothing else.. guess that was quite enough on it’s own, really.” Again she smiles but in general she seems relieved. This went very well. Of course, she knows the prospect of possibly having to meet with Decker is still there… but like Scartlet O’Hara, she just won’t think about that today.
“Thanks, Joss… about Connor and, well.. it was nice meeting you apart from that, too.”
[Joss Lehrer] She laughs softly, easily and touches Mia’s elbow lightly. “The pleasure is mine. Maybe I’ll bring you my ailing sunflowers and see if you can revive them next time. Have a good evening, Jeremiah.”
And with that, she turns and slip through the greenhouse door, closing it behind her.
[Jeremiah McNamara] ooc: And that’s a wrap! YAY!