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Currently the moon is in the waning No Moon phase (12% full).

Farmhouse: Hallway and Living Room

All doorways in the front part of the house lead to the front hallway, a J-shaped area with the short tail starting at the stairs, the front door hitting the bottom curve, the doorless opening to the living room halfway up the long side, and the also doorless opening to the kitchen and dining room at the very top. The hall has a simple wooden floor, and decorated with a generic print of soft-colored flowers hanging on the wall to the right of the front door, and a tall table sitting under the print which serves as a place to toss keys. A closet under the stairs serves as a place to hang coats or to toss shoes.

The doorless opening to the living room is halfway up the side of the hall's J, and the word cozy might spring to mind when looking into is, as it seems to radiate comforting vibrations. A long couch sits against the south wall beneath a large bay window curtained only by sheers that manages to obscure the view in but only filters the day's light. A variety of out-of-date magazines are strewn atop a low coffee table; more neatly presented are the plethora of books filling the small bookshelves which line the eastern wall. Three chairs sit about the room, focused inward, to allow group conversations. Large floor pillows are stacked in one corner of the room, except one, which lies carelessly in the middle of the floor, apparently left out the last time it was used.

An opening in the northern end of the hallway allows access to the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house, while carpeted stairs twist up at the other end of the hall, leading to the second floor. A door at the base of the J lets out to the front porch.

Contents:
Jeremy
Salem

Obvious exits:
Kitchen/Dining Room Front Door STairs

Katrine steps in from the porch, closing the front door behind her.

Stepping into the living room after Salem, Jeremy rolls out of his trench coat and tosses it onto the couch, then flops down ontop of it. He continues to tap away at his PDA, quietly humming under his breath.

Salem hangs up his coat and wanders into the living room. Settling into an armchair and stretching his legs out, the Elder looks over at Katrine, studying her. "Have you met Natalie yet, by the way?"

"Nope," Natalie tosses out from where she's hanging up her coat. "I've met Joshua - and may I say that you're a paragon of patience - but I haven't had a chance to meet either of the Cats. Natalie Baker," she adds, sticking her hand out for the other Galliard. "Galliard, Cliath. Jeremy..." She casts a look toward the goth and amends to, "Has told me a bit about you."

Katrine walks straight into the living room, as she's not wearing a coat to hang up. She shakes her head to Salem. "No, I haven't," she replies, though Natalie already spoke. The girl glances down and hmphs softly at the last comment, then tosses a shoulder in a slight shrug.

Somewhat on the short side - only slightly over five feet tall - Katrine is slim, but her body is that of someone who doesn't get enough exercise and forgets to eat as often as not. Her hair, cut to chin-length, is as black as a raven's wing; deep cerulean eyes gaze out of a face whose skin is pale from lack of sun exposure. She smiles occasionally, and laughs hardly at all - and while Katrine can talk for hours on end if she wants to, it's never about anything really important. She is undoubtedly a modern-day city girl. Blue jeans, a t-shirt (usually dark blue), and tennis shoes are Kat's chosen attire. A black belt girdles her waist. Simple and utilitarian, they work for just about everything she ever needs to do.

Salem looks curious at Natalie's last remark as well, and glances over at the older Galliard briefly before turning back to the cub. "How have you been finding it out here?" he asks, steepling his fingers.

Natalie frowns faintly as the offered hand's utterly ignored, then follows the girl into the living room. She takes one of the other empty armchairs, her arms folding across her chest, and eyes Katrine sourly.

Katrine cants her head for a moment, considering Salem's question, then shrugs again. "It's been all right," she answers. The girl looks towards Natalie as the woman enters the room, frowning slightly in confusion at the expression on her face, then glances around the rest of the living room.

Salem purses his lips slightly, his gaze still on the girl. "Just 'all right', hm?" He shrugs. "Yes, well, I suppose it is a bit rustic. Been out to the caern yet? Met anyone interesting?"

Natalie doesn't contribute to the interrogation. She's too busy keeping an eye on her shoes, on Jeremy, on Katrine. None of them will leave without her knowledge.

Click. Click. Click. Jeremy continues to tap away at the screen silently without a word. He may as well be non existant.

Katrine shakes her head once more. "No, I haven't been out there yet. And... well, I've met Taslyn and Josh," the girl answers. Her attention is focused on Salem, but she gives Natalie a glance out of the corner of her eyes every once in a while.

"Ah, Josh." Salem rubs his hand across his mouth. "And how much do you think you've learned out here, Katrine?"

Natalie snorts faintly and smirks at the other Walker cub's name. Her flash of ill-temper seems to be oozing away as she relaxes.

Katrine is silent for a brief while, crossing her arms in front of her. "I've studied some on the Tribe; Jeremy's been out here with me a lot," the girl finally answers. "I don't know how much I've learned, though, in absolute terms. Relatively? It generally seems like a lot."

Joshua steps in from the porch, closing the front door behind him.

Salem grunts. "Well, you don't need to know _everything. Your tribe, your auspice, the Litany, our purpose. The other tribes, breeds, and auspices. How to fight, shapeshift, step into the Umbra. And get used to listening what's going on around you and spreading the news to others. News and stories -- that's your main role as a Galliard."

Jeremy tilts his head up a bit. "I haven't touched on the Umbra and fighting. But I have at least got her up to speed on shape shifting without a problem, and the history of our tribe, at least from my point of view. "

"As a Galliard, you're not expected to know everything until you're Fostern," Nat pipes up. She sends a smirk Salem's way, then tilts her head at Jeremy. "You've been teaching her?" She sounds equal parts bemused and impressed. "That's a lot."

Salem smiles thinly. "Jeremy's been clued into the family business for quite some time."

Katrine moves back a step as Jeremy speaks, clasping her hands behind her back once more. The girl drops her head slightly, glance flicking between the trio, but not interrupting their conversation.

Salem notices Katrine's withdrawal from the discussion and frowns. "Quiet sort, aren't you?" The observation is made without any note of condemnation.

"Fourteen years out of the twenty-one I have lived." Jeremy says, going back to his PDA, tapping away once again. "Served two Septs now and three Dons. Katrine makes the eleventh cub I have trained at least." He says softly.

The door opens, swinging shut after it admits one Ahroun Glass Walker Cub. He looks a lot better than he did even an hour ago, the majority of the damage gone, leaving just a few nasty cuts and such as a sign of the last night's battle. He takes a deep breath before slowly stepping over to the assembled trio of Elder, elder and Kin. He waits quietly until someone, anyone, acknowledges his presence.

Natalie accuses Jer, "Show off." There's no ire in the accusation whatsoever. "There's nothing wrong with being quiet," now she's defending Katrine. "Just as long as you do know when to open your yap. Most of us have to learn when to close it." Joshua? Nope, hasn't noticed him yet.

Salem shrugs a bit. "I agree," he says to Natalie, looking her way. Past her, he notices Joshua and raises an eyebrow at the Ahroun cub.

One corner of Katrine's mouth quirks up in wry acknowledgement of Salem's remark. She glances to the other two in turn, as they speak, but remains silent. In fact, all she does is nod towards Joshua as the other Cub walks past.

Glancing upwards from his PDA once more, Jeremy shifts his eyes to Josh, then back to his screen. He lifts up a shoulder slightly, before saying. "What is tonight's agenda?"

Joshua doesn't make eye contact with Salem; he is very careful not to. But he does look at the Elder for once, a major change from his usual of 'lets stare at boots'. "I do not want to interrupt you, but a moment of your time, Salem-Rhya? I was wondering if I could talk to you on the porch for a moment..." He keeps a very even, 'professional' tone to his voice, again, not his usual 'mumble and mutter'.

Salem studies Josh for a moment, then stands. "Why don't you and Nat keep chatting here with Katrine," he says smoothly, "while Joshua and I go upstairs to chat." He heads for the stairs, not looking back and trusting the cub to follow.

Salem mounts the stairs, pausing briefly at the landing before continuing up to the second floor.

Joshua reaches out onto the porch for something, tucking it in his arms before following after Salem.

Joshua mounts the stairs, pausing briefly at the landing before continuing up to the second floor.

Natalie blinks after the two of them, then returns her attention to Katrine. "Huh. Well, Katrine, you wanna sit? Anything you want to know about being Garou, I guess I'm a good person to grill. Anything not make sense when Jeremy told you?"

Jeremy watches the pair head upstairs, then glances to the Galliards. "You can learn a lot of Natalie, Katrine." He says softly with a smile on his face.

Katrine nods briefly, and sits in a nearby chair at Natalie's invitation. "Well... by and large, it seemed all right. I'm... not sure about the Umbra yet, but... Jeremy did mention I should learn that from you," she finishes, glancing briefly towards the Kinfolk.

"Soon as I've got the clearance from Salem," Natalie agrees easily. "I just got into town Thursday night, and I don't have all of his rules down yet. But I can tell you about the Umbra. Just won't take you there first hand until later." She glances thoughtfully up at the ceiling. "About two weeks from now, I'd guess. Do you know why?"

Jeremy clears his throat slightly and glances up at Natalie with a wry grin on his face. He tilts his head over towards Kat for a moment, then relaxes backwards on the couch, getting comfortable. Soon, he takes out his cell phone, plugs it into his PDA with a small dongle, and then begins to set up his laptop across his knees.

Katrine follows the direction of Natalie's glance, blue eyes narrowing in thought. "Because it's almost the new moon?" the girl offers, looking back towards Natalie. "And I imagine it wouldn't be the brightest idea to take a cub to the Umbra during the darker time," she finishes, with a wry grin.

Natalie's grin is almost thin enough to be a smirk, but it's there. "Exactly. Why?"

Click. Clack. *PING* Vroooom. The laptop starts to make an odd whirling noise for a moment, before it relaxes. Jeremy begins to type away on his keyboard, glancing to his PDA now and then.

Natalie glances over at Jeremy while waiting for Kat's reply. "What...? No, never mind. Not unless you can use small, one-syllable words."

Katrine clasps her hands behind her back again, glancing briefly towards Jeremy's laptop, then back to Natalie before replying. "Because the Garou reflect the moon's phases, and are stronger when the moon is brighter. Nearer the new moon, the Umbra is darker, more dangerous. And, frankly, I'd be a considerable liability if we got in any trouble there. I still have plenty to learn."

Glancing up from the typing, Jeremy simply says. "I plugged my cell phone into the celluar modem card of my Ericson Sony phone, then, broad casted a Blue tooth signal to my integrated adapter built into my Ti Book, thus, creating a satelite network from my Earthlink, to my laptop, on a simple dialup connection. Except, instead of the standard fifty-six K download, I am pinging at about... oh... a hundred and fifty megabits with the updated signal booster. With the firewall I installed, I'm able to filter out any electronic noise that could conflict with my broadband, and thus', use it to transfer information faster. So, my PDA became a miniture hard drive that is acting as a gateway go between my phone and computer." He then goes back to his typing.

Natalie mms thoughtfully. "Stronger? Not exactly. I can't bench press any more at full than I can at new. But we're... the Rage is closer to the surface when Luna's bigger. You'll find you're quicker to lose your temper, and..." Jeremy's technobabble cuts her off in mid-stream. "--Uh-hunh. Jeremy, short words. One syllable." Turning away from the kin, she rolls her eyes where Kat can see, the cub invited to share the joke.

Joshua comes down the stairs.

Katrine shrugs slightly. "Strength isn't always physical," she remarks softly, as Jeremy spins out his explanation. Afterwards, the girl looks at him blankly and shrugs again, darting a swift smile towards Natalie at the older Garou's joke. "I might have gotten... a quarter of that. ...Maybe." She shakes her head and grins. "But I don't think I need to know, anyway," the cub adds, looking back towards Natalie.

"Pah. Ok. Fine. Let me try to explain this to the uneducated. I took my thingy." Jeremy holds up his PDA. "And made it talk to my other thingy." He touches his laptop. "And then log on to the internet through my.. phone... you know what that is right? The three are talking to each other, at the same time." He nods, raising up a brow, then huffs, before tending to his work once more, mumbling in Japanese under his breath.

"Jeremy." Natalie's patience personified. "'Thingy' isn't a one syllable word. Do try again." Cue the halo and angelic chorus.

Blink. Jeremy glances up at Nat and says with a huff. "Thing. Is that easier? THING. T H I N G." He spells out. "One syallable, one vowel."

Speaking of that fine language, someone else is mumbling it, not as quietly, as he descends the stairs and heads back to the group. The Ahroun looks intensely relieved, and not a quarter as serious as he did just 5 minutes ago.

Katrine shakes her head and chuckles softly at the two, then turns at the sound of someone descending the stairs. She nods once more to Josh, raising a hand briefly in greeting.

Natalie throws a look at Katrine, then beams triumphantly at Jeremy as she sticks a hand out. "Hah! Hand over the moolah, chump. You owe me. Thanks, Katrine," she adds in a meant-to-be-heard aside. "I'll buy you a pizza."

Jeremy blinks his eyes a bit. "That was not a laugh!" He fires back at her, pointing a finger accusingly. "That was a chuckle. I think I know Kat well enough by now that she didn't laugh." He says, huffing.

Natalie says, "Welch. Don't make me ask Salem to judge it."

Joshua's brow forms a ditch, looking at the group if they where slightly lost in the head. "Hey, all... sup? Playing scrabble or something...?" He cranes his neck, looking about for any board, otherwise keeping an eye on the lot...

"Josh, was that a laugh to you? Or was that a chuckle?" Jeremy asks, drawing the Ahroun into the conversation. "I got a hundred bucks riding on this."

Joshua blinks confusedly. You can almost see the gears grinding in his head. "Well... it was maybe a chortle. Or a casual knee-slapper if you want. But a laugh or a chuckle? No. Perhaps a humored boon-doggle..."

Katrine turns her attention to Nat and Jeremy, her eyes narrowing slightly. She steps back again, glancing towards Josh as the kinfolk addresses him. "...You guys tell me tomorrow how it turns out," the girl remarks. "I think it's time and past for bed," she finishes, turning and walking towards the stairs.

"Welch," Nat accuses again, no where near as good-natured this time. "Kat, I'll try and get out here more often, at least until I'm building the greenhouse. Let me know where is a good place to find you." That said, the Cliath refolds her arms and flumps back in her chair, looking stormy once more.

Joshua leans next to Jer, his head coming close as he murmurs something low, brow still furrowed.

Grinning triumphantly, Jeremy turns his head a bit, then blinks at Katrine's features some. He knows that look, at least he thinks he does. "Um... Hey... " He trails off a bit, lifting a hand. "Ya'know, we're mostly just kidding. I said something in jest the other night when I was talking 'bout ya. Just... um... err..." He sighs, eyes rolling upwards. "Fux." As Josh whispers, he turns and sighs. "Umm..." He leans in.

Katrine pauses at the base of the stairs, turning and giving Natalie a shrug. "I'm usually around here," she replies matter-of-factly. "Jeremy's good at finding me," she adds, before continuing up the stairs.

Joshua ahh's softly, leaning back. He shoves his hands into his pockets, casually just standing there near Jeremy. "Night, Katrine. Gaia watch." He calls back, before turning his attention to the gathered. "What's this about a green house?"

Jeremy lets out a breath. "G'night Katrine... I'll see you tomorrow." He mentions, lifting up a hand to wave to her, fingers wiggling some, before kicking himself mentally.

Natalie's reply is a tart, "Then I'll be sure to bring Jeremy when I come to teach you." Unfortunately, she delivers it to Kat's heels. "Damn. Wow. Wasn't that a lot of fun." "--Oh, that's what Salem has me doing for Chiminage, Joshua. Building a greenhouse for the Walkers."

"Huh. Plumbing, Green Houses... hope he don't want me to do any wiring..." He musses half seriously. About then, he does get serious. "How long she been a cub? Does Katrine fall under 'next moot rite' order by Megan or is that a negitive?"

"Few months now." Jeremy says with a soft sigh. "She's had it hard. Nearly got raped, forced her into a first change.. then ended up in Salem's care after being dragged away from the Children of Gaia's. She's a recluse. Totally has herself locked away and doesn't open up much. I'm trying my best to chisle away at her, but I don't think its working. I suck." Jermey says, settling back and starts to type again.

Natalie's not about to get all soft on Katrine. "Yeah, well, most of us aren't lucky enough to know what we are before we change, Jer. I was, but being shot isn't exactly a piece of cake either, y'know? If she thinks we're tough, maybe we ought to farm her out to the Get for a while." She shakes her head sharply and stands. "I think I'm gonna head back into town. G'night, Jeremy, Joshua. Tell Katrine - once she's come back downstairs because the scary girl Cliath who talks to her has gone away - that it was real nice meeting her." Sympathy? Not even a rain check from Nat as she stands up and strides across to the closet.

Joshua curses soflty, in German this time, watching the Galliard head on out. "Good night Rhya. God bless, Gaia watch." The good night sounds much less enthusiastic for her, however.

"She doesn't think you are scary, she thinks Salem is. I think you actually made a difference there Natalie." Jeremy says with a frown on his face. "She opens up to females more than she does to males."

Natalie, at the closet, turns back. "If that was open... damn. Fort Knox has nothing on that girl." She doesn't sound mad anymore, just tired. "Try 'Cockroach', Josh, not God. If I'm going to have to teach her, I'm going to need a lot of sleep. G'night." So she says again, her bomber tossed over one shoulder as she pushes out into the chill Washington night.

[End of log]