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Annie appears in a glimmer of light.

Quiet appears in a glimmer of light.

Thorn appears in a glimmer of light.

Patrick appears in a glimmer of light.

Quiet pads in up baside Anubis, looking at Ehni curiously.

The pack passes through the Gauntlet as a group for the first time.

Kate appears in a glimmer of light.

Anubis waits quietly by the pool.

Annie appears in a glimmer of light.

Kate runs a hand through her hair. "Damn. That was easy."

Annie shrugs... "Still feels like ants on my skin..."

Thorn takes a deep breath, savoring the clean air.

Anubis looks at Thorn, waiting for him to lead on.

Patrick raises an eyebrow at Annie, rhen nods once as his face clears in remembered understanding.

Kate tosses her head back, flipping a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes.

Thorn looks about. ~I want you to meet the Spirit I have been trying to bind to the flute I carry.~

Annie arches both eyebrows. "I don' wanna know."

Anubis arches an eyebrow slightly at this, but doesn't comment.

Quiet nods at Thorn and sits quietly, curling her tail around her hind paws.

Kate purses her lips dubiously. "Why?"

Patrick grimaces slightly. "You dragged all of us in here to look at some spirit you've been trying to play B&D games with?"

Annie snickers softly.

Quiet thumps her tail once on the ground, but she doesn't look directly at Patrick.

Thorn, again, doesn't get Patrick's reference, but he wolf-grins as he answers the question. ~I may need help later, to perform the ritual. I thought it right for you to know the spirit, because I had hoped you might be the ones to help.~

Annie makes sure she's at the back of the group.

Kate shrugs noncommittally. "Sure, babe."

Anubis simply waits, listening.

Thorn looks about, waiting for responses. He seems a little worried.

Quiet whurfs reassuringly at Thorn, having been told of this spirit and the potential for helping with it before.

Patrick grins at Thorn. "Is she cute?"

Thorn's tongue lolls at Patrick. ~Enchanting.~

Annie nibbles on her lower lip.

Kate's lips twist in a cynical smile. "That ain't y'r brain talkin', babe, unless it's moved somewhere lower recently."

Annie smirks.

Quiet chuffs at Kate, her ears tilted, ~Perhaps he needs a woman to help him think with the right head?~ Her eyes twinkle at Thorn.

Patrick snorts. "I think that's the problem now."

Thorn wolf-grins at the teasing. ~I take that as a conditional okay?~

Kate coughs faintly. "Uh, yeah."

Annie says "Count me out."

Anubis looks at Thorn as if a bit surprised that he needed to ask. Anubis blinks, and looks over at Annie curiously.

Annie wrinkles her nose at Anubis.

Kate does a classic double-take. "Do what?"

Thorn's wolf grin drops and he looks at Annie. ~Will you at least meet the spirit, Annie? Before deciding?~

Kate says "Uh... Jumper? Whassup?"

Quiet tilts her head at her packmate, but says nothing. Her dark eyes are concerned.

Annie shifts uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess, Freak.

Thorn nods, ~Thank you, Annie.~ Thorn looks about the group, then trots off southward. Thorn walks around the side of the pool and heads into the southern woods.

Annie walks around the side of the pool and heads into the southern woods.

Patrick walks around the side of the pool and heads into the southern woods.

You walk around the pool and into the woods. You walk through the shimmering forest for a while, and it gets denser the further south you go. Suddenly, the woods end, opening up in a great clear space...

Umbra: Hill of the Stone(#2239RJ)

This is a great circular hilltop amid the Umbral woods, startling in its lack of trees. The hill is cleared of all but grass from the hill's crown to its foot. A great stone sits on the hill's crown, perhaps three feet in diameter. One face of the stone has been sheared away as though by a great axe, leaving a gleaming silver surface that seems to shine with an inner light. Off to the east, the mountains can be seen, seeming to rise higher here than in the human world. They seem to be watching this place from afar.

Extremely faint pathways descend from the hilltop, leading north and south. Contents: Patrick Annie Thorn Totem Obvious exits:

North South

Kate comes out of the woods to the north.

Anubis comes out of the woods to the north.

A faint rustling and a glimmer of shiny eyes may be noticed by the alert, however.

Quiet pads after Thorn, her tail swaying in time with her steps.

Annie watches the surroundings alertly. Annie frowns at the eyes.

Quiet sniffs the air, moving her head to the left. With a twitch of her ears, however, she continues moving.

Patrick raises an eyebrow at Annie's frown, then shrugs.

Thorn leads the pack southward along the well-traveled Moon Path that leads toward Lake Arthur. His alert gaze crosses that of the shiny eyes.

Annie keeps an eye on the eyes as she follows Thorn.

Anubis looks quietly around the group, following not far behind Thorn.

The eyes, noticing this, blink out of sight.

Annie shrugs and mumbles something about "creepy friggin' place..."

Thorn's stride breaks a little and he sniffs at the Umbral air.

Kate contorts and blurs as she is transformed. Kate shifts into Lupus form.

Patrick looks around at the disappearance, then shakes his head slightly.

Chaser-Never-Rests tosses her head and looks around with alert, wary green eyes.

Anubis nods. This place is the spirts' own, not that of mortals.

Thorn shakes his lupine head. This place is ours, as well. We are of the Umbra as much as of the Realm.

Quiet looks at Anubis. Gaia's children are as welcome here as any, mortal or not.

Chaser's nostrils flare a little. She pads southward silently.

The Garou know this of this place:

This place is rumored to be dedicated to the Earth Spirits, Gaia's elemental children. In fact, the stone on the hilltop is rumored to have been placed there by Gaia's spirit servants in ages long past. The place has a distinctly alien feel to most Garou, not evil, but obviously dedicated to spirits rather than mortals. Only Theurges will not feel slightly uncomfortable here.

Chaser wrinkles her nose, and peers around alertly.

Annie sticks stubbornly to her native form as she follows Thorn southwards.

Thorn resumses his easy stride southward along the path. Thorn descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

Anubis descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

Chaser descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

Annie descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

You descend the southern slope and enter the woods. You pass through many trees and groves, and even cross a path (probably a road somewhere in the human world). After several miles, the Umbral woods open up into a clearing.

Umbra: Circle of Trees(#2241RA)

This is a perfect circle of grass, ringed in by majestic redwoods. It looks more _real_ than the human world, as does most of the umbra -- contrasts are sharper, colors more vivid. A shimmering pool sits near the edge of the clearing, no more than 8 feet across. The vibrant grass sways a bit in the Umbral Wind, as do the branches of the redwoods high above.

There is a slight gap in the trees at the north end of the circle. Contents: Annie Chaser Anubis Thorn Obvious exits:

West North

Totem comes into the clearing from the woods to the north.

Patrick comes into the clearing from the woods to the north.

The Garou know this of this place:

This place holds a special meaning for the lupus Garou of the area, being the one nearest to the wolves of the park in the human world. It has an aura of peace and security, and a feeling of home, for most Garou.

The rustlings heard before are much louder here, but the perpetrators are annoyingly out of sight.

Quiet's ears twitch and the fur on her ruff raises slightly. She sniffs the air again.

Anubis pauses, sniffing and peering around.

Annie keeps a weather eye towards the rustlings.

Thorn's gait slows and he stands silently, looking about with pink eyes.

Sparkling black eyes begin to appear, peering out from the circle of trees. Small chitterings, curious noises, drift toward your ears.

Anubis cocks his head a bit. Raccoons.

Annie starts as she meets the first pair of eyes. "Friggin squirrels."

Quiet pads unobtrusively near Annie, her dark eyes watchful.

A ruffle of chitterings, very near to laughter, greets this pronouncement.

Patrick cocks his head to the left, listening. "I'll take your word for it, Anu. SOunds as much like squirrels to me." Patrick hmms. "Then again, you're probably right...."

Annie wrinkles her nose. "What'd he say?"

Chaser takes a breath, and lets it out slowly; she glances around warily, and whuffles to Anubis.

Slowly, raccoons begin to slide, stalk, strut, tumble, or ramble out of the trees. As they take their places, you begin to feel you've interrupted something.

Thorn raises his nose to scent the air.

Patrick says "Raccoons. Yep, he was right."

A tribunal of raccoons is ranged loosely around the forested area, all sizes, all shapes, sitting up on stumps, leaning down from tree branches, reclining in the soft dried leaves. At the center of the assembly is one huge Raccoon, his tail long and darkly banded, his stomach rounded, a sign of raccoon wealth.

Annie mumbles... "Nevermi..."

Anubis's eyes gleam a bit. I know what a raccoon smells like. He smiles slightly at Patrick.

Thorn sits down.

Chaser wrinkles her nose. Whoops. We crash a party or somethin?

Annie slides over, as close to Thorn and Kate as she can get without crowding them.

Chaser nudges Annie reassuringly. They're raccoons, babe. Chill.

The elder Raccoon rolls himself into the center of the clearing, very near you. Sitting up, balanced by his lovely tail and his prodigious stomach, he addresses his kin with growls, squeaks, and chitters.

Thorn cocks his head and studies the assemblage. He looks up at Annie and nudges her with his head, offering some support.

Quiet follows Annie and sits, a few paces from her. She notices two young raccons as alike as twins peering out of a nearby bush and wags her tail at them.

Annie mutters to Kate, "That's one friggin' huge 'coon, dog."

Anubis nods at the elder raccoon, but seems to be waiting for Thorn or Quiet to speak first.

Patrick chuckles at the 'coons' antics as he sits down to watch the ... party.

The twin raccoons hide their faces in their paws, chittering. Slowly, as the speech continues, more and more bright pairs of eyes turn to consider the pack.

Chaser edges back a few steps, getting herself a bit out of the way.

Annie contorts and blurs as she is transformed. Annie shifts into Lupus form.

This young wolf is not particularly noticable, despite the vaguely odd reddish tinge to her otherwise pale grey fur. She seems light on her feet, as if she's likely to jump off in some unexpected direction at any moment. Her eyes are pale blue and look vaguely nervous.

Jumps-Fences looks confident and more or less happy, though she's still notably unversed in some aspects of Garou/wolf culture. Jumps-Fences folds herself into a small space between Thorn, Quiet, and Chaser.

Thorn raises a non-eyebrow, considering the spirits. He chuffs acknowledgement at something that is said by one of the raccoons.

Quiet glances toward Thorn. She sits straight, a gentle breeze tugging at her sandy fur.

An elderly, grizzled coon rises to address the elder. Another follows, and soon a cacophony of dissent and agreement fills the clearing.

Jumps-Fences's lack of understanding is writ in boldface in her expression.

Chaser cocks her head slightly, and eyes the elder raccoon. She leans toward Thorn, and whuffles quietly. You get this?

In the chaos, few 'coons notice Thorn's vocalization. The elder does, however.

Thorn understands some of it.

Anubis watches all the activity around him thoughtfully, glancing now and then to Thorn or Patrick, who sit closest to him.

Patrick watches the debate with some interest, noting both the chaos and the slight degree of order. "This is cool..." he mutters under his breath.

The elder raccoon rears back on his hind legs, silencing the crowd with a resounding hiss.

Thorn looks at his packmates. ~The Raccoons discuss our lack of a Totem.~

Jumps-Fences flattens herself against the ground at the hiss.

Quiet's tail twitches, and she looks unflinchingly at the elder raccoon.

Thorn turns back to the Elder Raccoon.

Jumps-Fences says ~I don't want one. It's too big.~

Anubis looks curiously at Thorn, then turns to look at the elder raccoon. I see.

The elder raccoon turns slowly to the pack, trundling towards them. He stops in front of Thorn.

Jumps-Fences lays her ears back against her head and slides back behind Thorn.

Chaser wrinkles her nose in startlement, then quickly regains her cool. She nods slightly. 'Lo, raccoon.

Thorn meets thr gaze of the Raccoon and dips his muzzle respectfully.

Jumps-Fences says ~Not low. Very high.~

Patrick watches the elder raccoon, though more of his interest seems to be occupied by a couple of raccoons to one side who seem to have quietly renewed their disagreements.

Anubis turns his head to regard the raccoon. He dips his muzzle slightly just after Thorn does.

Jumps-Fences is hiding behind Thorn.

The elder considers, then speaks. His words are that, words, and clearly intelligible by all. ~My kin call me the respected name of Branch-Splitter.~

Quiet chuffs softly. ~Peace, packmate. They do not mean us harm.~ As the elder's bright black eyes search her face she lowers her muzzle and raises it again, watching his gaze rest on each of her packmates in turn.

Jumps-Fences's ears twitch. ~It's still awful big for a raccoon.~

Thorn cocks his head, ~I greet you, Branch-Splitter. I am Thorn-Slowly-Wins.~

Branch-Splitter nods politely, then turns to consider the pack aas a whole. ~We see that you bring no spirit with you. You are unbound. Gaia's warriors should not travel thus.~

Anubis stays quiet, seeming content to let Thorn do the talking.

There is a quiet, quickly hushed grumble.

Thorn nods, slowly, in agreement.

Chaser tosses her head, and nudges Annie gently. We are unbound, yes.

Jumps-Fences would make a smart-ass comment, but doesn't know enough slang in any tongue she can pronounce in this form.

Patrick makes no comment, but also does not keep a perfectly straight face.

Thorn says, ~We have newly formed, though our friendship has seen many moons.~

Branch-Splitter looks back over his assembly. ~We are divided. Some woud offer you the honor of a totem. Some would not. I offer you...a test. A deal.~

Jumps-Fences flattens her ears again.

Many voices call agreement, sitting up in interest.

The voices do not sit up. Curious raccoons do.

Thorn looks at his packmates, curious as to their reactions.

Chaser's ears perk forward. ~We will prove our worth, as we have before. What is your test?~

Jumps-Fences is not playing tin whistle for another 8 days...

Quiet seems unperturbed and nods slightly at Thorn's look.

Anubis's features curve in a slight lupine smile.

Patrick grins. "Let 'er rip, so long as I can get my homework done."

A mother raccoon hoists her baby onto her back, so he can see more clearly. Another young buck hangs by his feet.

Branch-Splitter looks around the group. ~You agree amongst yourselves? You would accept our honor, if we deem you worthy?~

Thorn meets Annie's eyes. Thorn cocks his head in a silent question.

Jumps-Fences hides her muzzle in her paws.

Chaser's eyes flick over the gathered raccoons, curiosity bringing a bright spark to her gaze. Then, she turns to look over the pack. ~No others have offered us such favor,~ she says somewhat cautiously.

Anubis nods. And few would be more appropriate for such a group.

Thorn looks back to the Raccoon, and nods agreement with Anubis.

Chaser bares sharp, delicate teeth in a feral grin. Think so, eh?

There is a sudden spate of coonish laughter, perhaps at Anubis' statement, perhaps at the furry ball that just fell out of the tree.

Patrick chuckles. "Are you making an observation about us, Anu?"

Anubis's eyes glitter with slight amusement as he nods back at Chaser.

Quiet stands smoothly and pads the few steps over to Annie. She nuzzles her shoulder gently, ~The Raccon is a michevious spirit, but an honorable one.~

Chaser fails to suppress a whuffle of amusement.

Anubis gives Patrick a reflection of his own 'Who, me?' look.

Jumps-Fences looks up at the Raccoon. ~It's still awful big.~

Quiet whuffles, low, as she glances toward Kate and Patrick, ~Much like certain Ragabash we know.~

Patrick blinks, giving Quiet almost the *exact* same look he received from Anubis.

Branch-Splitter looks down at the cowering one with amusement. ~I will not be your totem, cub.~

Chaser rolls her eyes and glances at Thorn. ~Bet Annie'd hate it if we started talkin' bout her like she wasn't here, eh?~ She glances amusedly at the raccoon.

Jumps-Fences nips at Chaser's shoulder. She looks at the Raccoon. ~I don't understand. No one explains.~

Branch-Splitter rubs his round stomach with both black paws, waiting.

Thorn's mouth closes in a clop.

Thorn looks at Jumps-Fences, ~Would you hear an explanation, then?~

A low murmur with slightly angry overtones arises from parts of the assemblage.

Jumps-Fences's ears twitch. ~Better late than never.~

Arguments begin again, several of them breaking into tussles in the leaves. Branch-Splitter ignores them.

Chaser's eyes gleam, and she glances toward Branch-Splitter. Her muzzle dips slightly in apology for the cub's words, and then looks back toward the pack.

Anubis's eyes slide briefly to Annie, then begin looking over the group of raccoons again as Thorn explains.

Quiet glances toward Thorn from her position next to Annie, the tilt of her ears a question.

Patrick watches the raccoons interestedly, with a spark of amusement in his eyes.

Thorn says, ~Packs of Garou, almost without exception, are bound to a Totem spirit. The Totem helps them, and they help it, to the benefit of Gaia.~

Jumps-Fences cocks her head to own side.

Thorn says, ~Branch-Splitter is such a spirit. He and his kin have considered that we might be worthy of Raccoon. They do us an honor, and wish to test us to determine if we are, indeed, worthy.~

Jumps-Fences's ears twitch. ~Why did Anubis say it's fitting?~

Thorn says, ~We must determine for ourselves if we consider Raccoon to be appropriate as our Totem.~ Thorn says, ~Consider what you know of Raccoon and what you know of us.~

Patrick grins at Jumper. "Because we're mischievous as Hell, overall, but still have our own sense of decorum."

Jumps-Fences twitches her ears, considering. ~I know nothing of Raccoon, except that it's big.~

Chaser's eyes turn slyly toward Branch-Splitter, gleaming in Luna's light. ~I *like* it. It fits.~

A stone, picked up and thrown ineptly in a fight, whizzes overhead.

Thorn nods at Patrick. ~More than that. Raccoon is at home in the City, and the Forest.~

Patrick edges slightly towards the raccoon free-for-all, still keeping an eye on the elder raccoon.

Quiet's ears twitch. Ragabash. Of course you like it. Her own expression, solemn yet amused, does not seem to contradict the choice either, however.

Chaser's head whirls as the stone zooms past. She looks toward the raccoon argument suspiciously.

Branch-Splitter looks up as the rock flies over, then rests his paws on his stomach, a low growl building as the tussles continue.

Chaser nods at the other comments. And Raccoon is a survivor. Chaser tosses her head as she speaks, glancing briefly over her shoulder and then back toward the arguing spirits.

The noncombatants take to the trees as the fighting spreads to all on the ground. Watching closely, you notice that most of the squabbles are just hissing and posturing, backs high in the air.

Patrick grins. "And they fight among themselves without really meaning anything by it."

Anubis listens to the explanation, his expression showing agreement as well.

Jumps-Fences looks up at Branch-Splitter, considering. ~I wish you told me things earlier, Freak...~

Thorn nods. ~I did, Jumps-Fences. Perhaps you should make an effort to listen.~

The raccoons in the trees begin to shower those below with twigs and needles. Branch-Splitter rocks backward. ~We grow impatient.~

Patrick watches the goings-on with amusement, then turns to Branch-Splitter. "Then give us your test, Oh Masked One."

Quiet looks at Thorn and nods, quietly. I accept the honor and challenge.

Chaser whuffles exasperatedly at Jumper. ~As do we all... if that was a yes, Jumper.~

Jumps-Fences whuffs. ~I do what they do.~

Anubis looks back at Branch-Splitter, obviously willing.

Quiet nuzzles Jumper's shoulder again.

Thorn wolf grins and gives Jumps-Fences a friendly nudge before looking back at Branch-Splitter. ~Yes.~

Branch-Splitter lets out a bellowing screech, interrupting the squeals of outrage and clamberings behind him. The other raccooons freeze and go silent.

Chaser's eyes widen a little, and her ears snap up alertly.

Jumps-Fences winces at the screech.

Branch-Splitter speaks formally, with authority. ~You will bring us gifts. Each brings one. The gift represents what you would offer to us, what you wish to receive, from the bond. You will explain to us the significance of the gift.~

Jumps-Fences blinks slowly...

Anubis regards Branch-Splitter thoughtfully for a long moment, then dips his muzzle slightly.

Branch-Splitter continues. ~We await. This night.~

Patrick stares at Branch-Splitter for a while, then rolls his eyes. "Raccoons. I shoulda known. A big, meaningful scavenger hunt...."

Jumps-Fences's tongue lolls out amusedly. ~Things of us?~

Chaser cocks her head, considering. After a moment, she nods, then looks back to the others. ~Let's go, then.~

Thorn nods, a wolf-smile brightening his eyes. ~We shall.~

Jumps-Fences scrambles to her feet.

Chaser looks at Branch-Splitter. You want us to go separately, and return here? Or as a pack to find individual things?

Eager faces appear at the mention of gifts. the raccoons become more orderly, settling in to wait.

Quiet whurfs an agreement to Chaser, waiting patiently by Annie, not quite brushing against her.

Patrick looks at the rest of the pack. "Yo ... yep, Kate got it right. Do we run off together, or individually?"

Anubis looks curious about this point as well.

Branch-Splitter clarifies. ~Each brings his own. How you find them, how you decide, matters not to us.~

Anubis nods, and glances at Thorn.

Patrick cocks his head at the pack. "Our decision. Any preferences?"

Chaser shakes out her ruff. ~Cool. Les' do it.~

Thorn shrugs. ~I already have the gift I would give. I will accompany any who wish me to come with them.~

Jumps-Fences shakes herself vigorously and pads after whoever heads back the way we came in.

Anubis considers. Perhaps it would be better, or more appropriate, to go as a pack. But it may be quicker to do so individually and meet up again.

Patrick rolls his eyes again. "You're far too prepared, Thorn. You shoul've been a Boy Scout."

Quiet looks at the other Garou, I think we should consult, so that we do not give near-duplicate gifts.

Thorn smiles at Patrick. ~I just don't have a lot of stuff, so I can carry most of it with me."

Chaser flashes a grin. ~I know what I'll *try* to find.~

Anubis nods at Quiet. Shall we go discuss it, then? Anubis stands slowly.

Thorn also stands. Certainly.

Patrick nods. "Good idea."

Jumps-Fences pokes among her clothes, and retrieves something shiny.

Curious mumblings arise as raccoons peer closer...

Anubis points his nose northward. We do want it to be a surprise for them, after all. No reason to give expected gifts.

Quiet pads near Anubis.

Anubis's eyes dance mischeviously.

Patrick winds his way north along a faint path through the Umbral landscape.

Jumps-Fences carries it carefully in her mouth as she follows her packmates. Jumps-Fences winds her way north along a faint path through the Umbral landscape.

Quiet chuffs a short bark of laughter. Indeed. That would ruin the fun.

Raccoons pout.

Anubis winds his way north along a faint path through the Umbral landscape.

You leave the circle, walking north through the shimmering landscape. You pass through many trees and groves, and even cross a path (probably a road somewhere in the human world). After several miles, the Umbral woods open up once again.

Umbra: Hill of the Stone(#2239RJ)

This is a great circular hilltop amid the Umbral woods, startling in its lack of trees. The hill is cleared of all but grass from the hill's crown to its foot. A great stone sits on the hill's crown, perhaps three feet in diameter. One face of the stone has been sheared away as though by a great axe, leaving a gleaming silver surface that seems to shine with an inner light. Off to the east, the mountains can be seen, seeming to rise higher here than in the human world. They seem to be watching this place from afar.

Extremely faint pathways descend from the hilltop, leading north and south. Contents: Anubis Jumps-Fences Patrick Obvious exits:

North South

Thorn comes up a faint path through the shimmering trees to the south.

Chaser comes up a faint path through the shimmering trees to the south.

Patrick descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot. Patrick comes up a faint path through the shimmering trees to the south.

Umbra: Hill of the Stone(#2239RJ)

This is a great circular hilltop amid the Umbral woods, startling in its lack of trees. The hill is cleared of all but grass from the hill's crown to its foot. A great stone sits on the hill's crown, perhaps three feet in diameter. One face of the stone has been sheared away as though by a great axe, leaving a gleaming silver surface that seems to shine with an inner light. Off to the east, the mountains can be seen, seeming to rise higher here than in the human world. They seem to be watching this place from afar.

Extremely faint pathways descend from the hilltop, leading north and south. Contents: Patrick Chaser Thorn Anubis Jumps-Fences Obvious exits:

North South

Chaser looks aroun

Jumps-Fences lies down within the group and carefully piles her gift in between her paws.

Thorn contorts and blurs as he is transformed. Thorn shifts into Homid form.

Quiet contorts and blurs as she is transformed. Quiet shifts into Homid form.

Chaser tosses her head, looking around the gathered pack. ~I have somethin' back at the clearing where I sleep.~

Jumps-Fences looks at the others. ~Shoulda brought my clothes..."

Thorn nods. "Shall we go there first?"

Andrea feels through the fringed pouch at her waist.

Jumps-Fences looks back towards the south... ~Watch this?~

Anubis looks around the group. What does everyone have planned, first of all? As Quiet said, perhaps we should discuss that quickly first.

Thorn nods. ~Good idea.~

Jumps-Fences bounds off to the south, leaving a pile of golden chain where she was. Jumps-Fences descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

Patrick nods. "Capital idea."

Jumps-Fences comes up a faint path through the shimmering trees to the south. Jumps-Fences scrambles back up the hill with her clothes.

Thorn looks at the chain, and smiles.

Jumps-Fences drops her clothes and shifts.

Chaser flicks an ear. I have a small silver ring with ... some of my other things.

Jumps-Fences contorts and blurs as she is transformed. Jumps-Fences shifts into Homid form.

Anubis has the ring. Damn shared keyboards.

Annie eels into her clothes, and drops the chain around her neck, tucking it out of sight.

Patrick hmms, thinking. "Damn. I've got like nada on me."

Chaser wrinkles her nose at Anubis. I was thinkin of a silver bracelet I have.

Thorn reaches into one of the inner pockets of his coat and takes out a small wooden carving. The carving has several smooth-faced stones set into it. It doesn't have any recognizable shape, but it seems to caress the hand that holds it.

Andrea moves her hand in her pouch, "I have mine in here." A few clicking noises can be heard as she takes out her hand, closed in a fist.

Anubis looks at Andrea's hand after nodding with a slightly mirthful expression at Chaser.

Patrick hmms. "Do we have all the sparkly pretties covered yet?"

Andrea opens her hand. Three small pieces of tiger-eye, cut and polished, lie shimmering in her palm.

Annie looks faintly offended at Patrick... "This is more than a sparkling pretty, bub..."

Anubis nods at Andrea, and whuffles with slight amusement at Patrick. Raccoons love things that sparkle.

Patrick was gone while you were doing your thing, he believes....

Andrea smiles, "I suppose I should keep a little luck for myself." She replaces one of the pieces of stone, and holds the other two loosely in her hand.

Annie's gift is her crucifix.

Chaser thinks. ~I'll be back... gotta go find the stuff.~

Patrick ahs.

Chaser walks over to the great stone, staring at her reflection in its side. Chaser seems to shimmer momentarily, and then vanishes.

Patrick hmms, pondering over his gift.

Anubis looks at Patrick and Thorn. And you? Anubis erases that. Saw Thorn's.

Patrick looks at Thorn. "THornie's got his. I've got to think of something."

Thorn nods. ~Would you like us to come with you, Patrick?~

Patrick shrugs. "I need to think of something good, something suitable, first."

Andrea tilts her head, the gesture familiar from her lupine form. "What do the gifts mean, though? That's important too."

Anubis nods. I will run and get mine as well, and then return here. Anubis descends the north face of the hill and enters the forest.

Andrea holds her hands open again. The tigereye stones shimmer yellow to brown in the moonlight, "In my beliefs, this stone stands for luck, for example."

Annie fingers her crucifix nervously, as the idea of giving it to a raccoon seeps into her human, Catholic mind.

Anubis comes out of the woods to the north. Anubis trots back in, a silver ring, larger than a finger-ring but smaller than a bracelet, in his teeth.

Patrick grins. "I don't think I'll give 'em my phone...."

Annie smirks and nibbles on her lower lip...

Patrick grins at Annie. "Hey, it'd be appropriate, in some ways. Just a bit expensive, too." Patrick says "Not to mention I'd have to explain to the 'rents what happened to the damn thing."

Andrea chuckles, "I'm sure they'd have great fun taking it apart."

Annie shrugs.

Patrick hmms. "I could give 'em the dreamcatcher I made a little while back...."

Annie says "Won't they break it?"

Patrick hmms. "Probably."

Thorn cocks his head. "Dreamcatcher?"

Anubis shrugs. The substance of the gift will matter less than the meaning behind it, I think. Anubis cocks his head. And if they choose to destroy their gift, it is their choice, yes?

Patrick nods at Thorn. "A dreamcatcher. It's a Native American thingie that my mom showed me how to make."

Thorn nods, "Ah... and what does it mean to you?"

Patrick grins. "This particular one is kinda a link between my mom and I, a family sort of thing, as well as having some special meaning because *I* made it. Plus, with the way things sometimes go with Garou, I like to think that it keeps me away from nasty Chimares."

Annie says "Chimares?"

Thorn says "Dream-realms."

Annie frowns in puzzlement.

Thorn nods, "That's neat, Patrick." He smiles.

Kate seems to appear as though emerging from some kind of pool of invisibility, head appearing first and the rest of the body following.

Thorn looks at Annie. "When someone dreams, they often will project that dream into the Umbra. That projection is called a Chimera."

Annie thinks this over.

Patrick nods. "I'll go get it. It'd be cool." Patrick descends the north face of the hill and enters the forest.

Thorn says "Some might say that the dream isn't even projected from the dreamer. Instead, the Dream-Realm, an area in the Umbra, may be initiating the contact with the dreamer."

Annie says "That's nuts."

Thorn smiles at Kate as she enters, then he looks back at Annie. "So's turning into a nine foot tall monster, eh?"

Kate flips hair out of her eyes, and holds out one wrist; a wide bracelet of hammered silver, ornamented with square studs, encircles her wrist. "Ya think?"

Annie says "I didn't ask for any of it, Freak."

Anubis looks at Annie. No, but you have it.

Annie fingers her crucifix and ignores Anubis.

Thorn cocks his head. "Noone gets to ask for it."

Kate tosses her head. "Bitch gettin' back in here."

Thorn nods at Kate, smiling faintly. "With all that Silver, yeah... it would be."

Anubis nods. Definitely slower.

Annie frowns and looks puzzled... Annie shakes her head and goes back to fingering her crucifix.

Anubis waits quietly, seeming lost in his own thoughts, silver ring hanging loosely in his teeth.

Andrea plays with the two stones in her hands, rolling them between her fingers.

Patrick comes out of the woods to the north.

Anubis looks around the group. Are we ready, then?

Patrick whews. "Uh ... yeah, I s'pose so."

Annie nods nervously...

Anubis waits, letting Thorn go first.

Thorn looks about, then nods. Thorn descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

Annie descends the southern slope of the hill and disappears into the umbral woods at its foot.

You descend the southern slope and enter the woods. You pass through many trees and groves, and even cross a path (probably a road somewhere in the human world). After several miles, the Umbral woods open up into a clearing.

Umbra: Circle of Trees(#2241RA)

This is a perfect circle of grass, ringed in by majestic redwoods. It looks more _real_ than the human world, as does most of the umbra -- contrasts are sharper, colors more vivid. A shimmering pool sits near the edge of the clearing, no more than 8 feet across. The vibrant grass sways a bit in the Umbral Wind, as do the branches of the redwoods high above.

There is a slight gap in the trees at the north end of the circle. Contents: Annie Thorn Totem Obvious exits:

West North

Anubis comes into the clearing from the woods to the north.

Patrick comes into the clearing from the woods to the north.

Kate comes into the clearing from the woods to the north.

Sleepy raccoons perk back up as the pack enters. Branch-Splitter returns to the center of the clearing.

Kate runs a hand through her hair in a nervous gesture. The thick, studded silver cuff on her wrist gleams in Luna's light.

Thorn steps up, now in his Homid form. He nods respectful greetings to Branch-Splitter and his kin.

Andrea walks in comfortable, easily. Her right hand is closed in a fist.

Annie fingers something shiny at the base of her throat.

Anubis holds a largish silver ring in his teeth. He sits near Thorn, with a nod of his own.

Branch-Splitter rubs his paws together, an avid gleam in his eye. Raccoons gather closer, murmuring and jostling.

Kate flashes a grin at Branch-Splitter, and nods to him in greeting.

A smile plays on Thorn's features. ~We have gifts for you, hopefully they are to your liking.~

Soon the pack is surrounded by a sea of brown fur, tail stripes and masks dark contrasts. Eager cries greet the news.

Branch-Splitter rubs his belly, pleased. ~Present them...~

Annie tries to summon up a smile at the eager eyes.

Patrick grins widely at the raccoons' infectious mood.

Thorn reaches into one of the inside pockets of his coat and removes something.

Andrea chuckles as a small raccoon tugs at her shoe with eager paws before called back to wait with the others. Her eyes twinkle at the Elder raccoon.

Anubis sits back on his haunches, watching the crowd amusedly.

Soft paws tug at shoelaces and gently feel along jacket pockets. Warm wet noses press forward.

Thorn holds up a small wood carving, inlaid with smooth-faced stones. It does not have a recognizable form, but it does seem to caress the hand that holds it. As Thorn lifts it, the light from Luna strikes the upward facing stones, and the downward facing stones glow faintly. The carving is clearly hollow, and the stones translucent.

Annie grips the shiny thing at her neck in her fist and watches the raccoons at her feet.

Branch-Splitter reaches forward his paw.

Thorn says, ~I made this thing, and I present it to you. I enjoyed creating it, and I hope that others enjoy it as well.~ Thorn hands the carving to Branch-Splitter.

Branch-Splitter peers closely at the gift, murmuring quietly. He turns it this way and that, sniffs it, then hands it to the raccoon beside him. This raccoon also studies it, then passes it to the next, who tastes it...Branch-Splitter considers...~Explain its significance..~

The carving slowly, very slowly, makes its way through the crowd. Each raccoon inspects it with care, peering into the stones, nosing the smooth wood.

Thorn considers for a short, but pregnant, period of time. He draws his lips tight, then answers. ~For me it is an object of beauty. It represents my effort and I hope, something of my spirit. It gathers light, and colors it... adding to it a unique character.~ Thorn says, ~By sharing it, I hope to color other lights.~

Branch-Splitter nods, watching as the carving passes through the crowd. He turns back expectantly.

Andrea glances to Anubis, and then to Kate, waiting to see who steps forward.

Kate takes a step toward the raccoon. "Um." She runs a hand through her hair

Slipping the silver cuff from her right wrist, Kate holds it out toward the raccoon; she flips a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. "I thought I'd offer you something... of Luna. who... shines on us all." She purses her lips.

Kate holds out the bracelet, offering it to Branch-Splitter.

Branch-Splitter reaches out to take it, trying it on over his nose, his paws, looking at the gleam of his eyes in its reflection. Again, he passes it to the raccoon on his side, how steams up the shiny metal with hot paws, then passes it on..

A thin, wry smile curves Kate's thin lips as she watches the raccoons examine her gift.

Branch-Splitter growls, pleased, and turns to wait again.

Annie fingers the thing at her neck and watches the reception the others get.

Kate licks her lips. "Um, it's a unity thing. The circle, you know, no beginning and no end. A friend of mine gave it t'me in school... and it was a symbol of our bond to each other. The studs are part of that--individual parts that are attached to the whole circle...bound to each other through the wholeness behind them."

Branch-Splitter nods wisely, watching the bracelet make its way around, growling at one coon who seems predisposed to chew on it.

Kate ducks her head slightly, and runs a hand through her hair again. "I guess that's how I want our pack to be. Acting together. That's what it's about, eh? And it's -- well, it was a bond between me and someone else, to begin with. Now it's a bond between Raccoon and our pack, if we're worthy."

Quiet discussion follows both objects, still following a meandering path from paw to paw.

Kate steps back a bit, finished.

Branch-Splitter curls his tail around his feet, waiting for the next presenter.

Anubis looks at the others before taking a step forward himself. Anubis drops a shiny silver ring with traces of other colors through the metal. Anubis noses the ring forward to the raccoon's feet.

Branch-Splitter picks it up in a twinkling, poking his clawed fingers through it. Branch-Splitter picks up the ring. Branch-Splitter picks up the bracelet.

Anubis's eyes twinkle and he glances back at Chaser. ~Many of our reasons are similar.~

Anubis looks the elder raccoon in the eye. ~This ring was given to me as a gift, by a scribe at the Sept of the Wheel of Ptah after my vision there. The silver of the ring shows the strength of Luna, and the red lines are the blood of the fountain there and the blue represent the tears that most of the visions of the spring there bring. That vision reminded me of the importance of things here, of my sept, and of my friends that make up this pack. A ring is a circle, enxcircling but not necessarily containing those within it. I give it to you in the hopes that, like the ring, raccoon will encircle and hold this pack together for the better good of all of us.~ Anubis whuffs. ~In the end, the tears and the blood and the joy and the sprirtuality only bring us closer.~

Branch-Splitter listens while intently squirming his paw into the ring. With many contortions, it fits. With a sigh of regret, Branch-Splitter wiggles the ring back off to pass around the assembly.

Anubis steps back, making room for the next pack member.

Branch-Splitter's ears perk forward.

Andrea glances toward Patrick and Annie with a raised eyebrow.

Patrick shrugs back at Andrea.

Annie bites her lip and takes a hesitant step forward.

The carving finally seems to have been inspected by all the raccoons. It is placed carefully in the middle of the clearing.

Annie watches Branch-Splitter's eyes as she takes a delicate, golden chain from around her neck and offers it, and the delicately carved crucifix pendant on it, to him.

The chain is strong, for all of its delicacy, and the crucifix itself is minutely detailed, but not graphic.

Branch-Splitter reaches out to take the chain, dangling the pendant above his head, swinging it so that it catches the light.

Annie glances at the crucifix and then back at Branch-Splitter. "It's me, sort of. It was given to me by my father, I mean, my real father, Father Paul, not my Dad, when I was baptized."

Branch-Splitter wrinkles his nose slightly, thinking. ~There is more here than I understand..~

Annie bites her lower lip.

Anubis regards Annie quietly for a moment before looking back at Branch-Splitter.

Branch-Splitter looks with curious intensity at Annie. ~How can you have two fathers?~

Annie says "My Dad's my mother's husband. He's sterile. Father Paul's my real father, my biological father. He's a priest..."

Andrea blinks but says nothing, watching Annie silently.

Branch-Splitter rubs his mask, confused. ~This is a gift to us from one you love. This I understand.~

Annie nods... "I've worn it all my life... It's kinda become part of me, sort of..." Annie doesn't really understand it all herself.

Branch-Splitter nods, passing the gift along reverently.

Annie steps back into the pack, looking relieved.

Patrick steps forward, pulling from his jacket pocket a small hoop with a network of strings through the middle.

Thorn looks at Annie, a strangely uncomprehending empathy in his eyes. He then drops his gaze and looks back to Branch-Splitter.

Gentle paws gather the chain and pendant, feeling the patterns with velvety pads, talking quietly amongst themselves about the one with two fathers.

Annie would turn red if she could understand the raccoon talk.:-)

Patrick smiles somewhat nervously, a strange expression on his face. "This is a dream catcher. It's ... well, it's kinda part of my heritage, on my mom's side. According to her, the strings would catch the bad dreams, and the little sliding beads would imprison them, and good dreams get through the hole in the middle. It's kinda a bond between mom and I, since it's really one of my first big acceptances of her side of things."

Branch-Splitter reaches out for the dream-thing, feeling the strings, sliding the beads.

Patrick holds out the dreamcatcher. "I like to think that it symbolizes the way that the pack, with Raccoon, can be a family, and keep our heritage to Gaia strong. At the same time, the way it keeps out bad dreams, I guess we can help keep each other out of bad trouble, but still having fun, the way the good dreams get through."

Branch-Splitter weighs the dream-thing in his paws, then passes it on. The next raccoon, fearful of the bad dreams inside, hands it on quickly.

By now, the bracelet has joined the carving in the middle of the clearing. The silver ring proceeds more slowly, as every raccoon tries to fit it on his paw, her tail, his nose.

Andrea smiles warmly at Patrick. Then, nodding to her packmates to her left and right, she steps forward to make her pack's final offering. Andrea stands in front of Branch-Splitter and holds up her fisted right hand. Opening it palmup, she holds its contents up for the Elder to see.

Branch-Splitter leans forward...

Two stones lie in Andrea's palm, glinting a polished shifting yellow-brown in the moonlight.

Branch-Splitter's eyes flit from one stone to the other, then up to Andrea's eyes.

Andrea looks back into the raccoons eyes and begins her story. "These stones are tiger-eye. In my religion, it is thought to bring luck to those who carry it. But as any good story, there is more to it than that."

Branch-Splitter settles back, eyes on the stones, to listen.

You say "When I was a child, I heard stories of magic. I dreamed of growing up to be a mage, but Gaia's gift to me was for me to become one of her warrior children, even if my battles are usually here, in the Umbra."

Anubis watches Quiet, eyes gleaming slightly in the moonlight.

Andrea smiles, "Other people also dream of magic, and few have the gifts Gaia gave myself, or my mother. Many of these join religions like mine, in which they worship Gaia as they can, with the magic of heart instead of spirit or mind. Andrea looks at the stones, "I carry these stones with me to remind me of these people, and that I must give all I can, because I have been gifted with more." Andrea holds the tiger-eyes out to Branch-Splitter, their colours shifting as she moves her hand.

Branch-Splitter reaches out quietly, much of the avidness gone from his eyes. He watches the shifting colors in his palm thoughtfully.

Andrea sets pack, melting into her pack. Andrea ers and steps back.

The crucifix, the dreamcatcher, and soon the stones, join the small pile in the center of the clearing. The raccoons wait expectantly, eyes fixed on Branch-Splitter.

Anubis's eyes return to Branch-Splitter's face.

Thorn also waits with much the same expectance.

Annie bites her lower lip and watches Branch-Splitter.

Branch-Splitter addresses his kin. ~Those here who would accept these gifts and accept this pack, come to claim them.~

Annie holds her breath.

Many of the raccoons make a motion to move forward. Looking around, hearing the sudden rustle, many of them plop back down, resigning early. Others, braver, continue forward to circle around the pile of gifts.

Andrea holds her empty hands tightly shut, watching the circling raccoons.

Anubis watches the raccoons around the pile.

Thorn bites his lip, waiting and watching.

Patrick watches, a look of nervous expectation etched into his face.

Hisses grow louder and hackles raise, backs arch and teeth bare, as the raccoons contest for the honor and the commitment. A grey, scarred coon, an old warrior, makes his way to the center. Many others back off, but a few remain to challenge him.

Kate watches the gathering raccoons, her eyes narrowing a little. Her lips curve in a bit of a smile.

Thorn shifts his feet as he watches the contest. His eyes flick to some of his packmates, then back to the raccoons.

The grizzled coon screeches, a thin echo of Branch-Splitter's, but a scary noise on its own. Two pudgy raccoons retreat, leaving a rangy young buck alone to face the old one over the pile.

Anubis's eyes flick to Annie, then to Kate, before returning to the raccoons in the middle.

Kate's eyes narrow, and she chews on her lower lip.

Annie watches the raccoons in the center, with an odd expression on her face.

Noises and posturings cease. The attacks come swiftly, betrayed only by a twitch of tail. Claws slide off thick pelts, but the strength behind the blows is telling. The upstart's blow is square and strong; the old one skulks back, turning his back on the gifts.

The young buck turns about once, twice, then looks to Branch-Splitter for approval. Branch-Splitter grants it with a nod; the young coon gathers the gifts lovingly into his arms.

Kate's smile widens to a feral grin.

Thorn's eyes wrinkle with smile-lines as he grins.

Andrea smiles lopsidedly, leaning forward, murmuring to Patrick, "He looks like a kid at Chrismas."

Annie grins at Andrea's comment.

Anubis's features curl in a slight smile.

Patrick chuckles. "Well, it might as well be..."

As the coon picks up the gifts, they seem to disappear. But there is a glint of silver around his wrist, around his neck a hint of gold, and strangest of all, a dream-catcher pattern in the fur of his back.

Annie mutters something under her breath as she watches the young coon.

The raccoon concolation fades slowly from view as they slink one by one into the woods. The pack's new-found friend stays, moving into the midst of the group, studying each of you closely, warmly. His presence is palpable; it reaches out to include you all.

Anubis regards the young coon quietly.

Kate grins crookedly. "Yo, raccoon."

Patrick grins widely at the young raccoon. "Hey. Welcome to the pack. Glad to have ya."

Annie watches the raccoon curiously.

Anubis looks down at the spirit. Welcome, Raccoon. Is that what you would have us call you, or have you another name?

Thorn seems genuinely warmed, and he looks about at the rest of the pack with a wide smile on his lips. He says quietly, ~Welcome, Raccoon.~

Andrea smiles warmly at the young coon as her packmates greet him.

The coon's eyes are the color of tiger's eye. The carving seems to have become part of his stomach, or something. He looks up at the speech, considering. The coon seems to be struggling; he paws irritatedly at his whiskers. Finally, after some time, he garbles out a word. ~Name?~

Anubis nods. ~What would you have us call you?~

The raccoon scratches his ear. ~Friend? Name?~

Kate cocks her head, and drops to a crouch. ~I am Chaser-Never-Rests. You're Raccoon... if that's what you want us to call you?~

He scratches at his head. It seems the concept will take some time to explain. And he's sleepy. Hard work!

Patrick rolls his eyes. "C'mon, Kate, nothing that generic, unless he *really* wants it. I mean, I don't call you 'wolf', or even 'Garou', do I?"

Anubis's mouth twitches mirthfully. Raccoon will have to do for now, it seems.

Andrea smiles at the raccoon and looks at Thorn, "Perhaps we should find him another time. With a shiny or two, of course."

Thorn nods at Andrea, smiling. "Perhaps."

The coon curls up to sleep. As his form dissolves into the spirt-stuff it is made of, his presence remains.

Anubis's eyes gleam. At last.

Annie looks mostly confused, and quite tired.

Andrea puts a hand on Annie's shoulder, "Come on; let's go on back."

Patrick grins. "Coolness. We have ourselves a totem, and a cute one, to boot. Hmm ... I wonder if Raccoon grants us allmore cuteness?"

Kate tips her head back, one hand sweeping spiky hair out of her eyes, and lets loose a yipping, triumphant, almost coyote-like howl.

Thorn looks about, "I think, maybe, we should wait to meet the fetish spirit later."

Annie glances at Patrick. "I know some jocks who'll be happy to restore the balance if he does..."

Andrea nods, agreeing.

Thorn smiles at Kate's howl.

Andrea snickers at Annie and stretches. With a thumb's up at Kate, she turns away and walks off into the Umbra.

Patrick grins at Annie. "Yeah, but they wouldn't dare."

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