Log edited with Logedit 2.6.6pl on Sat Jan 2 05:02:19 EST 1999

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Andrea, like for so many of her rituals, is building a fire. The smell of burning wood and the herbs she has dropped on the flames in part obscure the stink of rot from the cloth-wrapped body that lies in the center. But only in part.

Adam approaches the fire, quieter than normal. "Ryha," he asks, from the other side of the fire.

Kristine clears the treeline, and stops. She closes her eyes, remembering the last time she came here, before re-opening them. "Andrea-rhya," she offers in a quiet respectful tone, "I came to ask if I may be part of the gathering. Cass, was a friend of mine."

Andrea turns toward the voices. She nods at Adam first before answering Kristine. "Of course you may speak for Cassandra."

Kristine nods towards her, "Thank you, Andrea-rhya." She moves to stand next to Adam, folding her arms across her chest.

Kneeling by the fire to warm himself, Adam asks. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Andrea shakes her head. "This ritual is simple compared to most. You might ask the Groundskeeper if you can help him dig a grave afterward. And you might think on what you will say." Andrea again lapses into silence, her eyes turning toward the cloth-wrapped body of her packmate.

Adam doesn't say anything, and just watches the area as the fire cracles and spits.

Kristine glances down to Adam, then back up to Andrea, "If you need a shoulder to cry on, Andrea..?"

Whitestreak pads into the clearing quietly and makes his way over to the Ritemistress.

Falcon's Wing enters from the surrounding forest.

Andrea answers Kristine's offer with a sad smile, but no tears threaten as yet. She kneels as her Uktena packmate makes his way toward her and the corpse. To the lupus nose, the smell of smoke and herbs does an even poorer job of covering the decay of flesh.

Falcon's Wing, in a word, lurks. For the moment.

Whitestreak pads up next to his packmate and rubs against her legs, standing beside her. His nose wrinkles a little at the smell, but his posture betrays little, beyond a slight twitch to his tail.

Kristine glances down to Whitestreak and offers a short, curt introduction, for the sake of the gathering, "Kristine, Stands-Proud, Cliath Crescent of the Silver Fangs."

Andrea buries her hands in Whitestreak's ruff. The fire builds in intensity until it licks all the wood that Andrea had placed for its burning. She glances up as Kristine speaks.

Whitestreak introduces himself as Whitestreak, new moon, twice-born of the Water Serpent.

Kristine looks at Andrea, and lowers her head, "I'm sorry, I just.." She sighs "I apologize."

Andrea shakes her head slightly. "If you don't know my packmate, it is good that you do now."

Kristine quirks a small smile, "I thought I met everyone, almost."

Whitestreak snorts wryly. Almost.

Falcon's Wing fades out of the bushes and pads over to Kristine, silently.

Kristine stoops down to wrap her arms around her teacher even before he can get a comfortable place next to her.

Falcon's Wing licks her face and settles down next to her.

Adam stands up, walking over to look at what's left of Sisyphus.

Andrea turns to Whitestreak. "Howl," she says. "Gather all that will come to see our dead on."

Shakes makes his entrance quietly, slinking in the shadows with his head held low. He carries with him the scents of the city.

Kristine turns to watch Adam, then gives a violent shudder. "Next time Fog shows me something, I'll have to tell him not to be so..impressionable." She tightens her arms around Falcon's Wing. "Too much death."

Whitestreak steps a little ways away from Andrea and throws back his head, howling fiercely to the woods. Whitestreak howls long and loud.

From Burial Mounds, Whitestreak can be heard to howl, ~Come to the Burial Mounds; gather, all who will, to give our dead back to Gaia!~

Falcon's Wing says, tonelessly, No kidding.

Alexandra enters from the surrounding forest.

Arlen soon appears out of the woods, not being overly quiet, a lit candle in her hands.

Kristine buries her face into the wolf's fur.

Walks-Far-Alone arrives from the south, her steps all but silent even with the fall-dried leaves starting to gather.

Shakes finds a place, slightly away from the others, to sit quietly and watch.

Adam stands at the edge of the clearing, solemn as he sees the others arrive.

Whitestreak pads back up next to Andrea, bumping her gently.

Falcon's Wing leans into the other Fang, much stiller than he is usually.

Arlen sits down, tailor style, somewhat away from the rest of the Garou, candle right in front of her.

Finds-Reason lopes into the clearing, closely followed by the two Black Fury cubs, and thoroughly outdistanced by Mountain's Peak.

Kristine finally sits on her rear, effectively pushing her more into her Teacher.

Finds-Reason leads the cubs over to where Arlen and Diana are stationed. I thought it would be good for these two to witness this. She sits, slightly behind her Elders, indicating to the cubs that they should find positions as well. Somehow, She-Finds-Reason manages to ignore both Kristine and Adam without overtly averting her eyes.

Little-Cat trots into the clearing, looking around her expectantly, trying to figure out why she's here.

Andrea finally pulls herself back and stands erect. She looks around the gathering of faces, meeting each pair of eyes that gazes her way. The fire crackles behind her, and its glow backlights her shadow on the moonless night. Those newly-arrived catch the whiff of decay in the air despite the strong smell of smoke and burning herbs, but Cassandra's body is completely wrapped in white cloth. Nothing can be seen of the dead daughter of Uktena's face. Of Hunter, of course, there is no body at all, though there is a rough carving of a snarling wolf placed on the ground next to the shrouded body. Andrea finally closes her eyes and grows into the war-form. When she speaks, the Voice's words ring out across the gathering. ~We gather tonight to send those we loved and respected to their next life. Death is no stranger to any of Gaia's children, and these two that we wish on tonight died valiantly to retrieve and make a fetish that let us keep one of our oldest laws. A place of power must be kept safe at all costs, because they are the few, the last places of Gaia's power. Her strongholds in the war that claimed Hunts-Far-Beyond Home of the Get of Fenris and Cassandra Mark-of-Thorns of the Black Furies.~ Quiet's gaze again sweeps the clearing. ~Those that would speak for Hunter, step forward and do so.~

Arlen looks up from her candle and nods. "Remembering a sister, it is vital."

Derrick, at Andrea's last words, perks up his ears and pokes Kristine a little. Gotta go. Back in a sec.

Touch Deer steps forward first. "I only knew him from a few occasional meetings, but from his death I know he lived like we all should, and died as any warrior would wish to: in service to Grandmother. May his soul be honored in the Ghost World as it is honored here today. He was a credit to this Sept, his Tribe, and all Garou everywhere."

Piotr shuffles in as quietly as he can, hanging back a ways.

Collin strolls on in with Piotr, actually managing to be quiet for a change himself.

Adam watches the speakers with a quiet intensity not normally seen in the Gaian.

Shakes' single good eye takes in the sights around him as he sits, observing from the shadows. His ear flicks once in recognition as Touch Deer speaks, and he sits a little taller, his head cocked so that he may hear the words. He makes not the slightest sound.

Falcon's Wing pads forward a step or two, keeping the lupus form, in silent tribute to the Get. He was a Get, and I never quite understood him... But I was getting closer. We Guarded, together, and wondered at some people, together. And I was coming closer to him, as time went on. He was a silent person, and he watched everything, intently, always. I'm a bit louder, but I enjoyed his company a lot. Shifting on his paws, looking at the wolf-statue, he says, I'll miss getting to know him better.

Robert steps into the wide clearing from the surrounding forest, staying to the edges of the area for the moment, waiting to see how the Gathering has proceeded.

Finds-Reason steps forward almost apologetically. I met Hunter only once or twice. I cannot say I knew him. He died most honorably in the service of ~Gaia~, but what impressed me was his willingness, not to die, but to humble himself in his own eyes by obeying a request from a new cliath of a rival tribe in order that the ~Summoning Rite~ might be properly done.

Robert nods as he figures out which part of the Gathering is currently running, and steps forward a couple of steps, clearing his throat. "If I may, before I get back to my own patrols?" he asks, looking around. Getting no objections, he continues, "Hunter was a good, strong Garou. He believed strongly in what he did, in ensuring the safety of the caern and its sept, in maintaining its purity. He was not afraid to disagree with others, but was also not afraid to put aside differences against a common enemy. In the end, he died as a true son of Fenris Wolf, sarificing his own life in protection of a sacred caern of Gaia. For this, he is honored. For his absence, he is missed."

Quiet closes for those that speak for Hunter. ~It took the courage of a true son of the Great Wolf to face dying at Wendigo's icy hand without fear. I did not know Hunter well, but I knew him. He was a strong theurge, and he sought knowledge more than many born of wolf. Though there was much that kept us apart, I respected him, and I honor his sacrifice tonight.~ She bends over to pick up the wolf carving. ~May the winds carry the ashes to the four directions, and may those winds guide your soul to your Homeland.~ With these last words, she drops the carving into the flames. She tilts back her head and howls while the bright fire chars and blackens the rough wooden wolf.

Falcon's Wing, before he pads back to Kristine, belts out a long, loud, energetic howl. Arlen merely continues to stare at her candle.

Finds-Reason joins her voice to that of the others, giving voice to her respect for Hunter.

Whitestreak tilts his head back and howls, a low mournful sound weaving dissonantly in and out of Quiet's more stable line.

Kristine remains there, closing her eyes as she lets the howls wash over her.

Adam keeps his eyes respectfully on the ground on front of him.

Piotr bites his bottom lip, and opts to stay in the human form as he turns his head back and howls where he stands at the edges of the crowd.

Robert lowers his head, his stoic expression never really changing beyond a tightening of his lips and a slight narrowing of his eyes. A single tear runs down his face as he turns silently to leave the clearing.

Shakes howls from within the shadow he occupies, then becomes quiet once more. Sitting. Watching.

Quiet lets the howls die. Silence falls a bit uncomfortably as the Ritemistress again stares at the white-shrouded corpse, but finally she speaks. ~We also gather for another that died, this one in getting the item of power from the undead so that we could do the ritual that would in turn claim Hunter's life. My packmate Cassandra Mark-of-Thorns has lain dead this half-moon and more, and now we wish her on her way. Those that would speak for her, step forward.~

Finds-Reason's eyes follow the Warder, narrowing slightly as he leaves.

Kristine stands once Quiet has finished with the opening for speakers. "I think I'll speak first for Cass," she says, ignoring the notion to shove her hands in her duster pockets, "I first met her shortly after Alex's death. She caught me moping around the bawn, and all but hunted me down. That day, Steven really got my goat, and she just told me to imagine the poor man in a pink Tu Tu. It was the first time I had laughed in days. Then on, she was always a support for me, and the news of her death was quite a shock to me upon my Return." She blows a small kiss towards the wrapped body, "Gonna miss you gal." With that, she retakes her seat next to Falcon's Wing.

Diana steps forward and says a few short words about her tribemate. When she steps back, She-Finds-Reason steps forward, shifting into homid to give voice to her feelings. Her accent is thicker than usual, as is her voice. "Cassandra helped ease my passage into our world. She gave laughter into my first exposure to our people. She taught me much I needed to know, and rescued me when I was sorely in need of it. I am certain I could have learned still more from her, and regret that I shall not have the chance."

"That," says Arlen, quietly, still sitting, "Quite perfectly encapsulates Cassie. I was rarrely on the receiving end of her wit, but oh, my, it was an experience when I was. But she was also someone I rapidly became friends with, because while she may have had reasons to be wary, she kept... Letting people in." Raising the candle, she says, "Gaia light your way."

Touch Deer again steps forward and speaks, once Cass's tribemates are through. "She was tough, tough from a hard life lived and things endured in her past. She may not have been the friendliest or most openly kind person I know, but she knew about honor, and especially about Family. No one understond what it meant to belong to a family, a pack, more than Cass did. Ouroboros was more important to her than...anything, I think. She died like a warrior. I love her." He turns back to his packmates, saying in farewell, "Walk in a Sacred Manner, Cassandra Mark-of-Thorns."

Whitestreak chuffs weakly and shifts up to homid form to get the emotions out. "Cass was ... hell, she was cool. We fought; we teased; we punned; we picked on others; we watched each others' backs. She was sometimes bitchy, sometimes fun, and always there when she was needed. She ... she was a sister, through all of her fun times of cutting up an the difficult times with her pregnancy. And now she's gone," he finishes simply, "and there's a hole left." He bites his lower lip, then shifts back down into lupus.

Quiet shifts back down to her birth form to close this one. There's the hint of tears in her voice, but she still casts it out strong so all can hear. "You are all these things and more, Cassandra No-Moon. You leave me a thousand thousand memories. Some can still make me laugh, like the ice wolves on the island. Some shake me, like the healing of your leg when we had hardly met. Some make my rage burn still, like your betrayal that we all witnessed in the Atrocity Realm. And others make me weep, like remembering your..." Andrea swallows, and tears actually do spring to her eyes. "Your daughter's death before she ever saw the light of the sun. I have had close brothers, Cassandra." She links an arm with Touch Deer on one side, and her other arm reaches out almost blindly for Whitestreak. "But you are the closest sister I have ever had. Mother guide you, Cassandra, my sister, my friend. Your soul is too strong to go long unborn again." She takes in a shuddering breath, then unlinks her arm with Touch Deer to flood instantly into lupus. Her mournful howl raises under the moonless sky.

Finds-Reason shifts swiftly back into lupus, adding her voice to the howl, louder, stronger, fiercer, and more mournful than that for Hunter. Diana's howl, too, reaches to the moonless sky, grieving for the Black Fury.

Whitestreak's head is thrown back again as a wrenching howl shudders out from his muzzle, several steps below Quiet's, clashing with his packmate's yet still expressing its own sorrow.

Arlen raises her candle to the sky, and then snuffs it out, lunging into lupus and howling long and loud.

Runs-With-Rage sits up and emerges from the shadows. She throws back her head to join her tribesisters in a raw, soft crackling howl.

Piotr offers another token howl for someone he doesn't know, an uncertain, human-toned cry in a peculiar world.

Finds-Reason edges around Diana to Arlen's side as the howls die off. Shifting back into her birth form, she adjusts her jacket on her shoulders. In an undertone, she asks, "Arlen-rhya, if you have a moment?"

Arlen re-lights her candle, and looks up at the Galliard. "Hm?"

Agatha glances after Diana, who is heading out of the clearing, then looks back at Arlen. "Diana-rhya said you could tell me of the Women's Shelter, in St. Claire? She had mentioned it, in the summer, as a place I might make myself useful."

Arlen straightens slightly. "It is such a place, although it is not yet built. Currently, I believe we have the deed and the site, we merely have to set a time to perform a Rite. The mundaner details, I am sadly not familiar with, but there is a Gaian Kin, whose number I have, if you would wish more information."

Agatha nods, her eyes showing her eagerness. "I would, please, Arlen-rhya."

Runs-With-Rage shifts up to homid. She remains in the shadows for a few moments, watching the remaining Furies.

Arlen smiles faintly. "You have more plans for it than just helping out?" she asks, as she finds a pen and writes the number down.

After a few moments, Touch Deer leaves to return to the island. Quiet continues to lean against Whitestreak silently.

Agatha nods to the older Fury as she takes the piece of paper, glancing at the number on it before tucking it into a pocket of her jacket. "When I thought about it, about working there, I had the idea that maybe I should find others likeminded and form a pack to protect and aid it. I am afraid that my first choice for packmates in this have packed with others, however."

Nodding, Arlen says, "That tends to be the way. And your selection is somewhat more limited than some."

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