Pack creation and meeting their totem

For those werewolves who are staying at the Niagara Falls motel or in Zoar valley will get a wake up call at various points during the days after our first meeting Saturday.

Maxim will come to each of the werewolves who are able to be found and ask that there be another meeting of our brothers and sisters on Wednesday evening at Ellicott Creek Park, same location as before. Bring along any of your packmates and spread the word to others of the meeting.

There are necessary things to be talked about as well as a pack will go through their first rite together. To place any other items on the agenda please contact me directly to set those up.

::I will give this some time to see what PC's / NPC's start showing up before the major ideas of this thread take place::

Greyson will show up at the appointed place and time as he is one whose pack needs a totem.

[A Large red wolf approaches, sitting on his haunches directly behind Grayson.]

Matt arrives roughly fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Wishbone's there a bit in advance, performing...well, either it's a ritual of some sort or he's invented a new boardgame that involves three egg cartons, an assortment of Scrabble pieces, and a considerable amount of tinfoil.

Sits ammusedly watching Wishbone

Wishbone hrmfs quietly as he lays out the Scrabble pieces. He peers at them intently...which might seem a bit odd to those who know him and know he never got around to learning how to read anything but Garou.

"Got problems," he mutters. As usual, when in Homid form, the normally-garrulous lupine is reduced to terse, clipped sentences. "Raccoon says, got more enemies'n we know."

He nudges at a few of the tiles. "More friends'n we know, too." He begins to gather up the tiles and stash them back in the egg cartons. "Find 'em quick, I say."

The tinfoil--folded into shapes that catch and reflect the sun brightly--is placed ceremoniously around the bases of trees and trash cans, just where a raccoon might come across it. "Thank you, Brother Raccoon."

Then we must thank bother Raccoon.

"I believe it. We destroyed that bane, we were seen in Niagara Falls...I believe it. How do we find our allies, though?"

Matt's question is posed to no one in particular, leaving it to be answered by whomever wishes.

Keep your heart and ears open. Talk to the wolves maybe they know where there is more.

In the Garou tongue: "Gaia will provide."

"Gaia also provides for your fleas, genius." Chirps a raccoon in broken wolf-speech. The little fella just climbed down from a nearby tree.

He regards Wishbone for a moment, "Damn fine shiny you got there. Damn fine shiny."

Wishbone's lips quirk up.

"Raccoon has keen eyes. Good to know what he sees."

He takes a step back.

"All yours."

"yoink!" and the little guy scurries off.

Wishbone watches him go. "That's one way," he says, directing it towards Shields. "Listen to the spirits. They see things. They know things. Get in good with them. Find out what they can tell us."

That done, he pulls out a greasy McDonalds bag and begins to scoff down the remains of a Big Mac. Probably best not to ask where he got it; it seems unlikely that he went through the drive-through.

Walking up with a small cloth bag in one hand, Maxim seems to be casually strolling to the meeting but looking puzzled given most of the procession is staring off in one direction.

"Hot night for meeting. Glad to see several have shown." Glancing around and looking over the Get and Talon, "Well I'm glad there will be at least one good event that can start the processes of rebuilding tonight."

Moving to take a seat on the ground near Wishbone, "Care to give me a hand this eve, it has been a long while since I was able to do this rite, might be a little rusty."

Wishbone nods. "As you ask, Maxim-rhya." He stands, limping over to a nearby trashcan to dispose of his empty sack, and returns with his florescent orange "medicine bag."

*Reaches into a back pocket and pulls out an old fashioned bar of Chewing Tobacco*

*Offers it to the Theurges*

Ya'll might be a need'n this or are ya'll doin the new fangled version?

A breeze blows through the park, and anyone with spirit speech can hear a faint voice. Locals will recognize it as the gravelly voice of Reclamation:

"We have strength enough to aide you in this rite, and will lend our voices to yours, as you will be bargaining with totems outside of a Caern, which many will frown upon. There must be packs."

Wishbone inclines his head deeply to Reclamation, with an expression about as close to reverence as a butt-ugly face like his can manage. He responds in kind. << We are grateful for your aid, spirit of Gaia undaunted. We break with tradition out of need, not desire; thank you for understanding that it is needful. >> Whereas his English is stilted, and his Garou tends to be somewhat coarse, his words in the speech of spirits are downright eloquent. << With your help and with Gaia's, we will seek to set things aright. >>

For the benefit of those who cannot speak to spirits, he relays Reclamation's words, appending his own to the end:

"So don't mess up."

Maxim accepts the tobacco, "I am glad to accept your offer in this most joyous time for our two brothers."

Pausing for a moment as a strange wind blows across the fields and seems to listen intently for a moment.

"Well a blessing from the spirit realm has come to us this day. Before the trial begins," Maxim's gaze goes looks directly at the Get and Redtalon, "you two must get something you feel may assist you in the Umbral realm. This item must be something used or old that has passed between the hands of another."

Glancing out towards the water, he continues, "we will show respect to the elder spirit that has come to watch over us this day. You have one hour to find your object, whatever it may be. You have friends here that can assist or you can find it on your own. After you have an item we will start the preparations for your quest."

Maxim continues looking out at the water, contemplative and seeming to listen to the winds.

[The wolf tilts his head to the side, as if asking, "time to begin?"]

Greyson's eyes narrow in anticipation of the time to go... his mind turning a mile a minute. He knows what to get just needs to get there.

Matt nods at Wishbone's advice, though it's clear on his face that it only partially registers. He was an Ahroun, after all--his job had more to do with the physical.

Rather than say/do anything else, he simply stands there and looks respectful.

After listening to the winds for a few minutes, Maxim looks over at the two soon to be packmates, "one of you seems like you need to be somewhere, what do you need Greyson?"

I am getting a talisman of strength of warriors past. Rememberances of warriors who have come before. Their memory is all the help I need in a quest. May the return from Gaia to fight again.

The wolf looks up upon this statement: "Cross, and we will speak."

[He then steps sideways] *SEE CLAWS OF GAIA BOARD*

*steps sideways*

Watching the two slip through the veil, Maxim looks around for a moment and then starts to remove items from the cloth bag he has with him. Setting down a mortar and pestle, he takes the tobacco he was recently handed and grabs a few pinches to place in the mortar. A few minutes later and some other objects from the bag, he is mixing the materials together.

While mixing, "I can only hope the spirits today are going to be ready for two ahrouns rumbling about and making a ruckus through the umbra. Always an interesting thing to see, the aftermath that is." Glancing over to Wishbone, "do you recall any of the feelings and sights from your trial?"

Wishbone quietly murmurs, "Hope the Banes AREN'T ready."

(OOC: Our pack hasn't firmly established whether we've gone through our trial yet, so I'll have to get back to you on that. I believe our gameplan was to seek a totem here in Buffalo.)

In the distance, you can pick out a Garou issuing the Howl of Challenge.

A minute later, a shrill rasping reply can be heard. Then both howls join into a unified howl of challenge.

*looks quizzically at the sound, and over at the Theurges prsent.'

'That sound. What is?'

Not stopping mixing the concoction in the mortar, Maxim looks to Sewer Pipe and postulates, "I can only assume those two have decided to figure out who will be their alpha for the pack to be. It seems to be a challenge laid out by one to the other and both agreeing. Although I could be wrong."

could be, position fight. settle challenger, ahroun elder. I say, Talon win, first round, true fear. Bets?

[Greyson and Wind of Vengeance(Wolf form) return no more than five minutes after the howl is heard. Both appear unhurt.]

"We have failed in the mission to find something to aid us in our quest to find Wolverine. We have however, found Wolverine, and received his blessing. More of his children require our aid in the land of snow, but I was tasked with feeding and watching over cubs in the Zoar Valley. I do not know how long we will be gone, but my purpose is that of a warrior. Walks with Gaia, can another watch the young or am I truly needed?"

*looks oddly at the lupus* Chimmange priority. Go forth. Your job, I'll do, if need, Help Wishbone, till return

[Wind of Vengeance slightly bares his throat towards sewer pipe before looking towards the Alphas and Walks-with-Gaia-through-the-wastes]

Maxim immediately stops what he is doing when the Red Talon finishes his statement. His mouth partially agape, just stares for a moment before he can collect his thoughts.

"So let me ask this very simple question, even a Talon should be able to answer this. Did you just completely ignore the most basic of requests that I gave for you?"

"No... We looked for something that would aid us in our quest. Before we could find what we sought, Wolverine attacked us in the guise of a Wyrm Wolf."

Wishbone hrmfs thoughtfully, but holds his peace for the moment; the Alpha is speaking.

Greyson nods at WoV's statement.

Still sitting there a bit vexed, "well young ahrouns, you have a story to regale us with before we can start, let alone finish your ritual."

Greyson looks over at WoV obviously ever to spin a wild tale of heroics.

[WoV, Nods towards Greyson]

Greyson starts up quickly,

There we were two warriors in the shadowy web of the preumbra. Looking around we didn't see anything around. WoV's plan was to find a corrupted spirit, kill it, and offer it as our gift. I saw it as an honorable gift.

WoV howled a challenge into the air but the response he received unnerved him... a howl back. I could feel fear in my packmate so I howled a strong battle howl to steel his nerves.

Back to back the warriors stood for a while until we found ourselves surrounded! *greyson throws his arms out to punctuate the point*

A lone large figure in lupus came running up at us, a creature tainted by the wyrm! *greyson's voice growing louder*

He asked us if we were ready to die and said his name was death.

I made a misstep forgetting the call of challenge earlier and kept at the foe who tossed me aside easily quoting tradition.

The fiend kept at WoV who was able to cow it long enough for a few moments but we quickly saw all of its wounds kept healing as fast as they could be dealt.

Honor above all I stayed back trusting in my packmate to vanquish the foe.

However it became quickly appearant that this demon spawn would not die.

I cried out to the forefathers and my ancestors that if we were to die we would die in battle preparing all my rage to vanquish this spawn of the wyrm. However as WoV hit it again this creature that seemed to be that which we strive to destroy became Wolverine himself!

He congratulated WoV on not backing down even under insermountable odds and gave us his blessing for upcomming battles.

Then those who were with him shed their disguises and embraced us and requested the assistance as explained eariler.

As the story reaches conclusion, Matt leans over to one of his packmates (should one happen to be present - I guess poke me if you are?) and whispers something. Should any happen to look at him, his expression betrays some degree of concern.

Greyson looks over at Matt then WoV to see if he said anything that didn't happen.

[WoV sits still, his tail impatiently flopping back and forth]

Wishbone speaks up.

"Unusual. Not unheard-of. And we're in an unusual situation." He pauses thoughtfully. "But there's one question. Can we be sure it was Wolverine? There are spirits of the Wyrm who can put on a fair face."

His snout wrinkles up. "I suppose we could ask Wolverine, but I don't think it would go over well. He is not the spirit to appreciate excessive caution. If it was him...and it probably was...he'd likely be offended."

He turns to Maxim. "Maxim-rhya? Yours is the final decision, Alpha."

Sitting patiently while listening to the tale and others comments, Maxim sets down the mortar and pestle, stands and approaches the two ahrouns. He takes a moment before asking the two, "who did you mention to that you wanted a specific spirit to follow you as a totem?"