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The three canidates follow Eligio and Quiet to where the rite is
preformed. Eligio leads the ritual, a solemn and silent figure in the
dim night light. Quiet raises her voice as she entreats the dream, her
yellowed crinos form the last thing you see as your eyes close.
Something touches your eyelids, and you feel sleep pulling you down.
Quiet's voice follows you as you fall, though before it fades, you can
no longer even understand the words.
You fall down, down. Past REM. Past beta. Down, deeper than any sleep
you have visited before. At first the falling is pleasant, the only
way it can be sensed being the feeling of air past your face, and a
uneasy feeling in your stomach. But as you speed up, your nausea
increases. The mist carries tendrils of mist past your body. You
plummet into blackness.
You fall into a black pit of emptiness, the wind harsh and cold against
your face. You attempt to scream, but you realize you can hear
nothing, move nothing, sense nothing but the cold and falling.
Finally, you hit bottom and land in...yourself. You open your eyes
again and blink them once, twice. The world begins to suggest itself
in the mist around you. The firepit is to your right; its warmth felt
against your side. The tablestone looms before you, the pool glimmers
to one side. Gradually you can hear voices: Justice and
Swipes-At-Salmon are speaking at the center.
Justice crosses her arms in front of her, her steely gaze on the lupus
in front of her, ~I realize your problem, but solving it is just not
that simple. If we move to attack outright, we set up a huge sign
proclaiming our presence.~
Swipes growls with frustration, though her body is still summissive to
the caern alpha. Our brothers and sisters are in danger! If this
~company~ takes the woods, then they will be driven out at best, and
perhaps killed. This can not be tolerated.
Moon Otter looks around the caern wildly for a moment, then fixes his
attention on those in the center of the caern. After a moment of
hesitation, as well as a quick bite to a foreleg, he pads over towards
the other two, looking pretty confused.
The bite to your foreleg proves that your body, at least, feels normal
now. The ground feels strange under your paws at first, but before you
reach the center even it seems normal. Only a strange mistiness of
edges reminds you that this is a dream at all.
Justice turns at the approaching Shadow Lord, her expression smoothing
out as she recognizes the lupus, ~Shadow Walker. Good. I have need of
you.~
Moon Otter settles down on his haunches near the other two, pausing as
Justice addresses him. ~Who? Me?~ he inquires.
Swipes glances up at Moon Otter, then back at Justice. Her posture still
speaks of frustration and worry, but she does not seem to object to
the Lord's presence.
Justice nods, then asks crisply, ~How much do you know of the news the
Children have brought us about Wolf Woods?~
Moon Otter listens to Justice while he stretches his neck out slightly
to sniff at Swipes. He turns back to the Fang. ~News?~ He pads over to
sniff at the new Alpha as well. ~About what?~
Justice explains, ~The Children have some ties with the people that run
the park.~ A quirk at her lips shows that there is more to this story
than that, but she does not explain. She then continues, ~A company is
making moves to buy some of the park land, and has managed to push
through the city council.~
Swipes touches her nose to Moon Otter in greetings, then growls. The
scabwalkers would sell their souls for themselves. They did not warn
us.
Moon Otter flicks an ear. ~This one knows one or two that aid the park
from the side of the Apes, as well. This one thought that the land
belonged to one of the Children, an Aspen Demilune, that was missing
and that Arjun was watching to see if she was declared dead by the
humans? Which company?~ He asks Swipes, ~Who did not warn us?~
Justice answers for Swipes, ~Apparently Arjun didn't find out in time to
let us know, or was unable to block the action. Aspen /was/ declared
dead, and the city has auctioned her land off to developers. I didn't
find out about it until Beth told me that the tours were being changed
for this, and Swipes came to tell of increased human movement.~
Swipes swishes her tail with frustration. The scabwalkers. Now we have
the apes in our homeland, and our wolfbrothers are endangered.
Moon Otter heaves a long breath through his lips. ~Killing the humans in
the woods would only bring more humans and make things worse. This
company, it needs to leave. It is the real problem, I think.~
Justice nods again, then adds warningly, ~The company is already
fighting the park, plus some influence other Garou have called into
play. I'm concerned they might not use ... let us say, fair tactics.~
Moon Otter inclines his muzzle slightly in agreement with the Alpha. ~It
matters not whether they play fair or not. They threaten the wolves.
This is unacceptable even if they follow all the rules.~ He pauses for
a moment, taking in the other two with a critical eye. ~How do you
both feel?~
Justice frown again, ~I'm concerned they might go to some extreme
lengths to keep the land.~ In the same breath, the Talon growls
threateningly. We will not tolerate the human closeness much longer.
Moon Otter looks from one garou to the other, then back to the Fang. You
said you had some need of this one?
Justice quirks an eyebrow, then says, ~Yes, Shadow Walker. I need
information. What's that company doing? You know, your job.~
Moon Otter inquires, ~Do you know which company it is or have any other
information?~
Justice lists some information. The company is a pretty standard
developing firm, that clears land for city expansions. She has no
other information.
Moon Otter listens carefully to the pertinent and detailed information,
absorbing the data. When she finishes speaking, he pushes to all
fours. ~I will see what can be done.~ Regarding the other two Garou
once again, he cocks his head slightly to one side. ~How do you both
feel?~
Swipes turns away. The humans are already in the woods. I go to keep
watch on them.
Swipes is obviously unhappy, though she doesn't answer Moon Otter's
question directly. Justice frowns again, ~I'm not happy with the idea
of problems so close to home, Shadow Walker. What do my other feelings
have to do with anything?~
Swipes at Salmon disappears toward the south.
Moon Otter huffs a farewell to the Talon before she disappears, then
turns back to Justice. ~Not about the woods. About...,~ he struggles
for words, ~... how do you feel? Strange? Different?~
Justice again quirks an eyebrow, beginning to look impatient. She
answers crisply enough, ~No, Oscar. I feel fine.~
Moon Otter looks thoughtfully at the Fang for a moment. Interesting. He
turns and heads out of the wheel, without another word, to find the
other members of Magpie's pack.
After an hour or so, Secret Service is assembled.
Moon Otter contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Moon Otter shifts into Homid form.
Oscar shifts to a more fluent form to explain the situation to the
assembled group, pacing back and forth, looking at the ground as he
speaks. "We gotta problem." He explains the current situation with the
woods and the company, then looks up at the members of the pack.
"Everyone clear on the situation?"
Oscar receives nods, with a few questions for clarification. Drew
offers, "Quiet lives near Lake Arthur; she needs to know about this if
she doesn't already."
Nodding back to Drew, he asks, "Would you tell her as soon as you can?
She has pups that need to be watched out for." He smirks. "And I know
how much you love the little munchkins." Addressing the rest of the
group, "Make sure everyone in the caern knows about this. Everyone.
Let's not get caught with our pants down. Tommy? Can you get in to see
Arjun? See if we can throw some static at them from another business.
Maybe he can do something to hurt them in the wallet. Hank? Think you
could fake a call to the IRS about them not paying taxes or something
like that? If not, find out where the place is. Siobhan. You're taking
college stuff. Could you write something negative about them and get
it into the paper? Maybe in an editorial or somethin'?" He rubs his
chin. "We need to make their life hell from every side and not let
them know who or where it's coming from. Any more ideas or someone not
like their job?"
Tommy grunts, "I'll try." Siobhan looks a bit unsure, but nods
acceptance. The other members of Secret Service split up to begin
their tasks.
Oscar heads back towards the caern to spread the news, stops, and
hurries back after the others, managing to corner Drew and Siobhan
before they escape entirely. "Hey!" He pauses to catch his breath. "I
meant to ask you two how you were feeling. Not feeling about this
thing in the woods, but just feeling in general."
The Gaian and the Stargazer exchange puzzled glances. Drew answers,
"Fine, Oscar. Something wrong?"
Oscar nods. "Yea... er... " He looks from one packmate to the other.
"Weird," he mutters, mostly to himself. "Uhm. I'll be busy over near
the Ranger hut or in that area for a while, so if anyone needs me for
somethin'...." He adds, "Or maybe the caern after that." Shrugging, he
takes a step back. "I guess I'll see you later?" It comes out as sort
of a question.
Oscar's packmates nod and leave, Drew shifting down to lupus as he
lopes toward Wolf Woods.
Oscar watches them leave, then heads for the Ranger Station mumbling
under his breath.
The mist threads its way through the trees as you walk toward the
station. The forest seems strangely forbidding, but all is quiet.
Oscar continues on his way throught the woods. He starts humming some of
the more popular songs be Nirvana from a few years back, breaking the
silence of the forest with the poorly hummed melody.
The woods seem to absorb the music, the notes falling dead in the night
air. It is with relief that you see the ranger station loom before
you.
Oscar rounds the garage of the station and heads for the door of the
small building. He spares a glance at the parking lot before entering.
Due to the lateness of the hour, the only car in the lot is David's
Ranger. The door opens to your touch, but the building is empty.
"Hel-lo-o!" Oscar calls out with a musical lilt, falling far short of
the level of annoyance that only older ladies can seem to manage.
"Anybody home?" He looks at the map on the wall, as if not really
expecting a reply.
Your voice echoes in the empty room. The map is unchanged, still showing
the boundries of the woods as they always were.
You hear the sounds of someone running across the gravel of the parking
lot outside.
Oscar finishes his study of the map and starts looking around the
station, poking here, looking there, then looking up at the noise
outside. He looks out the nearest window facing the lot.
Through the window, you can see Drew running up to the building.
Oscar moves to open up the door for the running Drew, stepping a bit to
one side in case he goes straight on into the station.
Drew runs in, his eyes wild. "Oscar, they're dead! All of them!"
"What?!?" The young Lord asks, quickly, "Who? How? Where? And are they
nearby?"
Drew's sides heave for air as he struggles to give his alpha the news,
"Cubs. All of them. Quiet's sick, but alive. Big black wolf ran me
off."
Oscar's mind races, then he grimaces. "Shit. I'll bet it's some sort of
poison that company tossed out." He glances at Drew. "You think you
can make it back to them?"
Drew nods, his breath still fast and uneven. He then repeats, "That big
black wolf. Ran me off once, probably will again."
Oscar nods once, already falling back into his habit of pacing back and
forth. "O.K., he'll just run me off as well and Quiet might need some
help fast." He heads for the door, speaking as he makes his exit.
"When you catch your breath, check the area for any carcasses. They
might be poisoned. They might not. Just get them out of the way so
nobody eats them." He looks back into the station. "Bring 'em here.
Mr. Cox is going to want to take a look at them, probably, and if they
have been poisoned... we'll see." A brief flash of hate flickers
through his eyes before it disappears. "I'm going to warn Summer Frost
so they can watch the wolves and spread news among their tribe. Then,
I'm going to the caern to send someone after Quiet." He turns to
leave.
Drew nods again, saving his breath. He is on Oscar's heels as the two
enter the forest, shifting to lupus as the two get deeper into the
woods. Then the CoG peels off to one side, to search out any creatures
that drew themselves off to die. The forest seems even more forbidding
now to the Shadow Lord, as he penetrates into its too-quiet depths.
Oscar contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Oscar shifts into Lupus form.
Moon Otter heads northwest towards the caern and Summer Frost's
territory. His pace is quick, but not all-out. It's measured and
calculated, falling into time with some rhythm in his head as he moves
swiftly through the forest, howling out an introduction and a request
to enter as he finally approaches Sky and Swipes' territory.
There is no answer to your howl. The forest continues to bear down on
you, oppressively silent.
Moon Otter heads into their territory, regardless of an answer or no,
going straight for their den and picking his pace up a bit more,
urgency pushing him harder.
You pick up their scent as you get closer: the scent of sickness and
pain mingled in the bitter and wild smell that makes up what you know
of Sky's. Swipes's scent is overlaid with panic and desperation.
Moon Otter utters a few choice lupine curses, then barks to the two
Talons that help will be coming shortly. Adjusting his course
slightly, he heads straight for the caern and breaks into an outright
run. As he finally gets within ear-shot of the wheel, he howls once
more. ~Healers! Poisons in the woods! Quiet and pups! Summer Frost!
Maybe more! Hurry!~
The caern begins to resemble not so much a quiet place as a beehive, as
theurges, lupus, and Children of Gaia begin boiling out of it to
answer the call. The Red Talon dictate forgotten, these Garou skim
past Oscar toward the depths of the woods.
Moon Otter catches his breath for a moment, then howling out more
details, telling of the possible poisonings of meat. Coughing a few
times, he watches as other Garou rush past, then heads for the caern.
Justice is still at the center, trying to calm Joshua Halfhand and
Prophecy from any immediate attack, though the anger shows clearly on
her own face. Bringer and Shea peal off to the south to help out with
the woods, while Travis, Alexander and Megan stay next to the fostern
Get, who seems to be controlling his temper with difficulty.
Moon Otter, satisfied that the caern didn't suddenly empty out, turns
back towards the woods at an easy trot. He heads south, not knowing
exactly where he's going at first, but then choses to pass by Summer
Frost's den once more before continuing on towards the Ranger Station.
Several other Garou are aiding Sky; it seems once they got her to shift
out of lupus that she began healing and is now merely sick, as opposed
to her previous condition. Shea stops you, a grim look on her lupus
features. It's everywhere, Moon Otter. The forest stinks of death.
Moon Otter stops to speak with the crescent. ~Everywhere? What do you
know? Is it a thing of the spirits?~
The Fianna growls. I scouted around after I attempted the healing on
Sky. There are dead animals, in the undergrowth. I could smell them.
Shea indicates that she does not know if this is a spirit thing.
Moon Otter flicks an ear, peeved. Show me where one of these dead are.
Fight-Seeker bristles a bit at the earflick, but does so. Indeed, there
are dead creatures in the deep bushes, and several burrows also smell
of death, though the animals themselves cannot be seen.
Moon Otter contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Moon Otter shifts into Homid form.
Oscar picks up a dead squirrel, withdraws a slightly rusted pocket knife
and cuts its stomach open, probing at its innards.
The squirrel appears to have had internal bleeding, and from the dried
foam on its muzzle, had other side effects. Its stomach is empty.
Oscar pokes at the corpse a moment longer, then tosses it onto the
ground without an cerimony. "Water," he mumbles, then raises his voice
so the others can hear. ~The poison might be in the water, too. Spread
word.~
Shea backs out and goes to run the news to the other groups through the
forest.
Oscar contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Oscar shifts into Lupus form.
Moon Otter looks around for some Garou unable to help but looking to
help, anyways. ~Go back to the caern. Tell them that there might be
some poison in the water and that a group should go investigate it as
soon as possible.~ He pauses, looking around for a moment. ~This one
will scout for the source ahead of them.~ He pads off in search of the
nearest stream.
Eris and Persephone chuff acknowledgement at the scout, and head back to
the caern. This leaves only StrengthBringer and Swipes with Sky, but
they seem to have the situation under control. The nearest stream is
not hard to find, especially as the odor of dead fish draws you there.
Moon Otter follows the course of the water, upstream, just inside the
treeline near the bank, occasionally stopping to check the water's
condition in order to locate the source of the toxin.
As you approach where the area would be less assessible to a person on
two legs, the number of dead fish and other water creatures washed up
on the sides become less frequent.
After some search, the Lord finds an owl perched in a pine tree. The owl
appears sluggish, but comparatively healthy.
Moon Otter looks around for a bird that doesn't appear to be too ill. He
finds an owl perched on a limb of a pine tree. Taking a moment to
relax, he speaks to it, saying that the water is bad and that he needs
its help to make it right.
The owl opens one eye, startled as she can understand the wolf. She then
says to her fellow predator. Feel sick. How can I help?
Moon Otter tips his head, as if to better understand the owl. The water
has something bad in it. Could you go that way (he motions upsteam)
and see if there is something not right?
The owl spreads its wings and flutters them. It takes off rather
clumsily toward up the stream head, and soon disappears in the dim
light.
Moon Otter continues making his way upstream after the owl.
After about 5 minutes, a feathered shadow reappears and lands in a
nearby tree. There was nothing odd. There are few dead prey, up there.
Moon Otter huffs his thanks, then asks the owl if she would follow him
so he may repay her, if he can, by making the sickness go away.
The owl considers, turning its head from side to side. I must go with
you, to not be sick?
Moon Otter thinks that you may die if you do not.
The owl ruffles its feathers. I will come.
Moon Otter pads off for the source of the poison once more, sticking
just inside the treeline of the bank.
The owl follows you, its flight silent.
Moon Otter pauses and looks around the banks and in the waters, trying
to find something, anything, that might be causing all this death in
the forest.
In the dim light and the moving water, you just don't see anything out
of the ordinary.
Moon Otter continues upstream, continuing to check the banks for dead
things.
As you go upstream, you see nothing out of the ordinary. The light seems
to be getting dimmer; the mist is rolling in as you climb.
As you turn to search, methodically, you still find nothing. The mist,
however, is getting thicker and thicker. Eventually, you can barely
see your own paws, much less the silent owl or the burbling river. The
mist envelops you in itself, wrapping you in a silent coccoon. And
then ... you wake.
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