[Joss Lehrer] She’s been pulling out of her sadness, slow but sure. It’s not in Joss to mourn for long, though she’ll always miss Evan, and the strength and confidence he had in her and her abilities. She knows he’d hate to have her mope, despite how much her brand of Happy gets on everyone’s nerves. The long talk with the Ancient Godi helped her see that. No holds barred his advice was invaluable: Do better. Be better. Move on.
She’s been caught dancing in public again, played with the spirits, played on swingsets with Curata and Gina, and even snuck the pikey into the packhouse to give her a place to stay for a while that’s not the Brotherhood. In return the pikey? Cooked. REAL FOOD. Like they haven’t had since Randy went home.
Which brings us to the packhouse, here and now – and one Godi happily dishing herself up a bowl of beef stew, and slicing some fresh bread that’s still warm from the oven, slathering butter on the thick piece and moving to the table to fill her grumbling belly.
Even the Christmas lights in the windows seem to be twinkling brighter today in reflection of her mood…
[James Wagner] Along with Joss’ mindset becoming more… stable, more light than it had been in recent times, James’ moods haven’t been as dark. Perhaps it had a bit to do with Moira, the fact that the Kinwoman had demanded he not come back to her on his shield. Since Sobhian left him, it was like James hadn’t had much to fight for or live for. Now? It seemed like he had to fight to prove himself to Moira. To someone.
The pack would always be there, but a pack couldn’t be friend and lover. Not that Moira was his lover, but she was still a friend. A pack was many things, though. A sense of belonging, though it seemed to him like the pack wasn’t as… directed, or stable without Decker. To James that man had always been the keystone to the Eagles, and without him? While the Ahroun wasn’t dead, it seemed to the Galliard that Decker might be trying to see how they each would survive without his presence.
Evan’s death hadn’t made things any easier. Yes, the boy could be insufferable at times, but a good lad all around.
Booted feet stomped into the kitchen from the back door, the snow kicked off of them outside the doorjam before he made his way inside shrugging out of his coat and hat. “Bloody fookin’ ‘ell,” he muttered to himself. “Ye’d think growin’ up ‘n Ireland an’ livin’ ‘ere fer nigh on near a decade I’d be used tae th’ damned weather.”
Turning, he saw Joss and tossed her a wink. ” ‘Allo, lovely. ‘Ave ye decided ye’re ‘n love wit’ me yet?”
[Joss Lehrer] She had felt him coming, of course. Long before he got to the back door, the tug of pack was heavy in her spine, tightening her shoulders, letting her know another of their number drew near. He clomps in and she grins his way, and after he’s shaken off the snow and asked her question, she jumps up from the table and launches herself at him for a good squeeze.
“You’ll always be my forbidden love, Sandman, ya know that!”
She grins, and gestures toward the stove. “We’ve a visiting Pikey – did you know that means she’s a real live Gypsy?! – and she cooked us some stew. It’ll warm you up for sure.”
[James Wagner] James caught the girl, returning that squeeze with one of his own in iron-hard arms. Putting her down lightly, he kicked out a chair for himself and plunked down. “Och. Ye’re nae meanin’ th’ fookin’ girl Gina, ‘r ye?” James grunted sourly. “Bleedin’ itinerants. ‘S long ‘s she kin cook,” is all James really said.
The Irish and the pikeys were not really the type to get along. “Aye, gypsy she is, an’ them’re thieves an’ scoundrels t’ boot.” It seemed like James has had more than one run-in with pikeys in general.
“An’ I fookin’ better be yer only forbidden love, Joss Lehrer.” Rising to grab a bowl and dish himself some stew before popping it into the microwave, a beer was grabbed out of the fridge.
[Joss Lehrer] “Yeah, Gina. She’s between places to live right now, and needed a break from the Brotherhood. She and Curata are friends. Her and Andrew too, I guess. And she cooks well.”
“As for forbidden loves…” She laughs and settles back into her chair, her feet tucked under her ass, her elbows on the table as she digs into her stew again. “Well, I dunno. Curata is awful cute. A girl can’t have too many options, right?”
Clearly she’s a soft spot for Fianna. Or just big flirtatious men. “I’m beginning to think I need to recruit more females – this pack has become awfully Testosterone-filled…”
She takes a bite, and chews contemplatively, watching him as he grabs his meal.
[James Wagner] The microwave chimed, and the stew was removed and set down on the table across from Joss. A fork was grabbed and speared into the bowl before he sat down and took another swig of beer. “Och, an’ ye think ye’d be wantin’ competition wit’ more wimmen?” he said with a laugh and shake of his head.
“Met Gina once, an’ I’m nae fer knowin’ this Curata bloke. ‘Mazin’ ‘ow I dinnae know most o’ the Fiann ‘ere, when ye ought t’know I’m the Fianna ’round these parts.”
A big forkful of hot stew was raised to his mouth and shovelled in, and to Joss it would appear like he didn’t even bother to take the time to chew. Nodding approval, he shovelled another fork-full into his mouth. Ah, manners were something he didn’t possess much of.
[Joss Lehrer] “You need to be getting to know him then. Should be easy enough – he’s bound.” She taps her temple, and grins. “In fact, I do believe we need a pack hunt. I know that the Eagles often fly alone, but we need to come together more often than we do. Curata ran vangard with the Eagles – not packed, but alongside – at the raising of the Caern. He was gone for some years, but is home now. He’s had a few problems finding a pack that works for him – but has the makings of a fine Eagle.”
She takes another bite, and grins at him as she chews. “You’ve been ‘The Fianna’ of my wee cold and black heart since the first time you got me drunk and patted my ass, you ol’ goat.”
[James Wagner] “Aye,” James said with a bit of a shrug. “Seemin’ like a good ‘nough idea. Been quite a time since th’ lot o’us were gathered ‘n one place. Och, an’ ye’d think we’d o’ gotten t’gether fer Thanksgivin’ ‘t least.” It wasn’t a holiday in Ireland, but any excuse to eat and drink…
“Bring yer Curata,” he said with a smile. “Th’ name does sound familiar. I was ‘ere when th’ caern raised, e’en if’n I was fightin’ fer my life elsewhere an’ couldn’t be directly ‘n th’ battle ‘tself.”
[Joss Lehrer] “He promised to tell me the story later. It must have been amazing, to see the Caern Raised.” As a Godi, it’s something always aspired too, yet so rarely seen and experienced – and Joss is young enough still to have starry-eyed ideals, much of the time.
“He’s good in a fight. Eagle found him worthy. I’m sure with a bit of shuffling we’ll all settle in well together.” She pauses, and furrows her brow slightly. “We could use another member or two, with Silence gone. If you have anyone in mind, be sure to let me know.”
And then she just grins at him. “Whatcha gonna get me for Christmas?”
[James Wagner] ( Luna’s Armor, 1 Gnosis Spent. Stamina 3+3(Crinos) + Survival 2 = 8 dice. WP added.)
Dice Rolled:[ 8 d10 ] 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6) [WP]
[James Wagner] ( Witness, plz. )
[Joss Lehrer] (witnessed!)
[James Wagner] Sitting back on his chair, the beer was tipped to his lips again. A glance down from Joss would show he’d nearly consumed the entire bowl of stew. For an old man, he could eat and drink with the best of them. A rueful shake of his head, then. “A lot o’ good wolves died th’t day, Joss. T’was one o’ th’ most epic battles I e’er heared o’. Shame that I couldnae o’ been there, but then ye know if’n I was there, chances are I’d nae o’ been ’round tae be sittin’ ‘ere wit’ ye.”
A wave of his hand. “Get yer story, love. Well worth th’ wait.” It was so long ago that james’ memory of it was flighty, even if he wasn’t directly there.
[Joss Lehrer] She nods, with a smile. “Oh I will. He can’t expect to run around just flirtin with me forever, and not tell me stories!”
She grins at him, and scoops out the last of her stew with her bread and plops it into her mouth. She waits till he sets his beer down, and snags it – and a swig – before giving it back.
[Joss Lehrer] (pause here. headed to GC.)