Whispering Pines - Henderson's

This is a not-so-typical college student dwelling. It consists of one large main area, a smaller bedroom with its own little bathroom and a small kitchen. The main room is all too neat for a college student. There is the usual assortment of entertainment items: TV, Stereo, VCR, and a couple of video game systems. Beside that is also a small stand containing an electric guitar and small amp. The rest of the furniture is simple, a large chair and couch, both brown to match the carpet. A wide window at the far end of the room lets in large amounts of sunlight during the day. Along the opposite wall is a bookcase. Predicitably enough, the bookcase is filled with books, and on top of it there are several pictures of Tom and his family, though oddly enough, there are no pictures of him in the past five years, not even a high school graduation pictures.

Contents:
Karl
Dakota
Alicia
Tom

Obvious exits:
Out

A wry grin forms over Alicia's face as she peers at Tom. "And what did I tell you about poking me with clothes on?" She says, giving him a poke back in the shoulder, before sliding off the couch and heading off after Karl. "I think I'll start on dinner."

"No thanks, Karl, I'm good." Dakota responds to him with a shake of her head, heading over to take a seat on the chair. "Oh. What're ya makin, Ali?"

Karl nods and moves off to the kitchen behind Alicia, pausing to take a glass from a cupboard and setting it on the counter.

"I am thinking of just spaghetti'." Alicia remarks with a smile on her face as she heads to the cupboards, digging about for the packaged noodles. "We got any frozen meat I can make balls outta?"

Comes a rap rap rapping on the door.

Tom chuckles, "There's a joke there somewhere," he muses. "Ah, but I think there's some hamburger meat in there somewhere."

"Mmm, haven't had spaghetti in awhile." Dakota says with a hungry looking grin that's interrupted at the knock on the door. She gets herself up and goes to investigate, peering out the peephole before opening the door.

Standing at the fridge, Karl laughs out at Tom's joke as he takes the bottle of orange juice and proceeds to take it back to the counter, filling his glass.

Natalie's standing out in the hall, her hands jammed into the pockets of her jacket. The Galliard casts an eye up and down the hall, then studies the door as if considering giving it another knock.

Peering out from the kitchen for a moment, Alicia notices that Dakota is handling it, then starts to fill up a bowl of water at the sink. Lightly she hums to herself, reading the back of the pasta for directions as she shifts her weight to one hip.

Tom peers over at the door, quirking his brow.

Natalie gives a half-frown at seeing Dakota. "Looking for Alicia? It's... Dakota, right? You're looking better'm last time I saw you, anyway."

Dakota coughs, cheek going a touch red at mention of the party. She nods to the Galliard, "Yeah, Dakota. Common in, Alicia's in the kitchen." She steps aside to let her in.

Karl regards the visitor with a smile, "Can I get you a drink?"

The humming continues to float from the kitchen as the sound of pots clinking about can be heard. Soon, the freezer is opened, then shut firmly, followed by the sound of plastic crackling.

Tom sits up a bit. He finally shuts the game off and stretches. He moves into the kitchen after a moment, probably in order to terrorize his wife. True to form, when he gets in there, he pokes her right in the ribs lightly.

Natalie comes in, snicking the door closed behind her. She seems rather taken aback at finding quite a number of people already here. "Uh, what? Uh... no. No thanks. I'm, um... good. Natalie Baker. Is... Alicia here? Am I interrupting?"

"No, you're fine." Dakota responds with a grin as she heads for the kitchen, poking her head inside. "Ali', Natalie's here to see ya." She says over the sounds of dinner being prepared.

Squirming at the poke, Alicia turns around and gives Tom a sharp look, smirk rising over her face, before Dakota catches her attention. "Natalie eh'?" She asks, giving the kin a sly look, before moving her way into the living room, brushing her hands off. "Hey you."

Karl returns the OJ to the fridge and gets the heck out of the kitchen. He was concerned about getting in Alicia's way, but now there seems to be a whole lotta... well... he just gets out.

Tom waits till Alicia passes him, the snaps a dishrag against her butt. He grins 'innocently' and even whistles as nonchalantly as he can manage.

"Alicia," the Walker acknowledges with a jerk of her chin. "Uh... you said to come over. I was, um, hoping... Anyway, you've got company. I'll come by some other time, all right? Or call?"

Dakota makes her way back for the chair and re-occupies it, plucking up the stuffed, floppy deer that's on the table beside it and places it in her lap, absently petting it as she watches Alicia and Natalie talk.

"Its cool Nat, they live here." Alicia says with a bob of her head. "I'm making pasta, so, park your rear and I'll whip up another plate for you." She says with a smile upon her face. "So, whats up? This is a private thing?"

Tom:

A young man in his early twenties, Tom stands at a little over six feet tall. He has a head of auburn hair cut short on the sides and left a little long on the top. His eyes are a very light blue, almost to the point of being grey and are framed by the handsome features of his face. He's a handsome fellow ranging more toward gentle and boyish than toward ruggedly handsome. His clothes are casual, though stylish. He wears a simple blue pull-over shirt with no design on it, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of sneakers.

Karl sips from his glass as he crosses the room and takes a seat on the couch, collecting a TV guide in one hand and casually flipping through it, though his attention is half on Natalie.

Tom wanders out behind Alicia. He puts a hand on her shoulder, rubbing lightly as he listens.

Natalie says, "Yeah. I.. Kat's here too - she wanted to stop and grab something first." She eyes Tom, a nervous undercurrent spiking her words. "Now's not good, if you're eating. I already ate. So we'll, um. Catch you later, a'right?"

Katrine walks down the hall, pausing briefly in front of the apartment door and just looking at it for a moment, before actually raising her hand and rapping knuckles against its surface.

Alicia rolls her eyes a bit as she leans back against Tom somewhat. "Oh Nat, don't worry 'bout it. We love the company actually. Sides, yer family an all." At the knocking and news of Katrine coming, her face brightens visibly. "Oh, Rock! Katrine is here too. Cool. I got a cake in the fridge." She motions over towards D and K to answer it.

Dakota chuckles softly as there's another knock, flopping the stuffed deer across her shoulder and walks towards the door, opening it up. "Hey, Katrine!" She greets warmly, motioning her inside. "Common in, we got a party going, it seems."

Tom rubs Alicia's shoulders a bit more. His head tilts slightly, but he smiles. "Oooh, cake in the fridge, and I wasn't told?"

Karl turns his attentions now to the other visitor, "Hey," he offers briefly.

Natalie pulls her hands out of her pockets and turns to give Kat an abstracted half-frown. "There you are. Alicia's got cake, if you want it. I think I'm gonna head out." Back to Alicia and her personal masseur, frown deepening. "Maybe I'm family, but you're not."

Alicia crosses her arms over her chest, staring at Natalie. "Well, if you want to take off, thats up to you." She says rather bluntly. "I asked you to stay, and you are more than welcome to be among friendly faces and warm food. But..." She trails off, heading back to the kitchen. "Whatever is clever."

Katrine steps in through the door, casting a slightly bewildered glance towards Natalie at her words. After a moment, she shrugs, then offers a nod to the rest of the room. "Hello, everyone."

Tom blinks again. His hands just rest on Alicia's shoulder. "Ah, who's not family?" he wonders, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. He's a bit unsure what's going on, but it doesn't seem to be 'good'.

Karl goes back to the TV guide, pages flipping until he spots something that catches his eye.

"Feel free to sit down, if you'd like." Dakota says to Katrine as she walks over and plunks down next to Karl, plopping Ardo back into her lap and laying her hands across the stuffed deer. She squints over at Natalie, unsure of what she means too.

Katrine selects a chair and sits down, turning it so she can look towards the television and at Alicia and Natalie both. Crossing her legs, the girl sets her elbow on her knee and rests her chin in her hand, currently focused on the two Galliards.

After making her way to the kitchen, Alicia goes back to turning the heat on the stove for the pot of water filled up, humming to herself once more. She begins to fiddle with her spice rack, spinning it around until she can make a selection.

Instead of answering Ali directly, Nat turns to Katrine. "Looks like I dragged you out for nothing - or maybe not. You wanna stay for cake, or head back with me?"

Tom watches ALicia head back into the kitchen. He leans on the doorframe, though, watching the company.

Karl sips again from his OJ before leaning over and placing the glass on the coffee table. He glances around at the goings on in the room, but turns his attention back to the write-up that caught his eye.

Dakota knits her brows in a rather serious expression, leaning her shoulder into Karl's and murmuring quietly to him.

"Hey, Nat, come here for a moment." Alicia calls out from the kitchen, before going back to her humming, clinking about with the pots once more.

Karl breaks from his reading to hear Dakota. He offers a soft whisper in reply.

Natalie flicks Kat a 'hold that thought' gesture and heads for the kitchen, weaving around and past the other people. "'Scuse me. Yeah, Alicia? You don't mind giving Kat a ride back, do ya? I can always come pick her up; I don't mind."

Katrine looks between Natalie and the doorway through which Alicia has gone, her hand dropping as she blinks, confused. "Umm..." She begins to stand, then sits lightly back down in the chair as Alicia calls Natalie over. The girl frowns, but waits to see what follows.

Dakota sighs softly and leans away from him and back into the couch, fingers running along the fabric of the plush deer in her lap. She looks back over to Katrine, offering up a soft smile. "So how's the pronounciations goin'?" She asks, indeed curious, but also to offer a distraction.

"I don't mind at all." Alicia says, walking past the Walker and shutting the kitchen door, giving the lock a twist and a 'click'. Slowly, she turns back around to face her.

Alicia clears her throat, stepping closer so that she can drop her voice. "So, whats up? You pissed at me or something?"

Tom is kind of ushered out of the kitchen so to speak. He frowns a touch himself, then flops down lazily in his chair.

Natalie doesn't meet the other Galliard's eyes; her voice is equally low. "Huh? No. I just - I was hoping to talk to you about the other night. Salem." It doesn't take a therapist to guess that Nat's uncomfortable doing that in this crowd - or perhaps any crowd.

Natalie murmurs back to the other Galliard. Her voice is audible, but too low to make out any words.

Karl tries to turn himself back to the article, but finds himself generally distracted. He frowns, but it's clear that he's having a hard time keeping anything in - he keeps having to stop and reread entire sentences.

Alicia nods her head slightly, clearing her throat. "Gotcha. Look, Nat, if you need to talk buisness, you can always tell me. Don't be afraid to shout it out in front of the others. They are Cliath's now, they will get used to having a busy Elder. So.. whats up with that family remark?"

Katrine looks towards Dakota, giving her a quick smile in gratitude. "Well... It's all right. I'm progressing," she remarks with a shrug and a slight grin.

Natalie says, "Yeah? Who's the red head, then?"

Alicia grins faintly. "That's my husband, Tom. A kinfolk of our tribe. He has been here longer than most Garou."

Dakota chuckles quietly, "Yeah. Practice is everything when it comes to speakin' Garou. I slaughtered that language into so many grammatically shameful sentances and wrong nouns... it was hilarious and embrrassing at the same time."

Karl tries to take in the article a little longer, but eventualy just gives up on it, dropping the guide down beside him and reaching out for his glass again. He takes a mouthful of it, studies Katrine briefly, and sits quietly.

Natalie glances back at the door as if she can see through it. "Yeah? Lucky." Which could mean Tom, or it could be Alicia. "Sorry about the... I'm on edge. The moon, that damn... the Rite, Salem deciding he's taking off..." She shrugs uncomfortably and keeps her eyes low. "S'just not something I want to blab all over, y'know? I got the feeling he wasn't too happy about me telling Signe on Friday."

Alicia nods her head and reaches out, placing a hand on your shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "Don't worry 'bout the moon. Tonight its our moon, we should be having a ball, going out on the town, singing it up." She grins faintly. "An, don't trip about Salem. He had to tell Signe eventually. Better now than later... he did afterall, beat the crap out of her to take pack Alpha from her. That won over her respect, being that she's a hard core Get of Fenris." She flashes a smile. "The Rite will also go fine. Cat is a good kid and well.. Josh will.. prove himself, one way or the other."

Natalie flinches as if to move away from the hand on her shoulder, but too late. "Yeah. S'not Cat I'm worried about. Anyway. I, uh... you don't wanna listen to me blab at you. I'll, um, take my mood off, all right? Kat's welcome to stay if she wants. I gotta drive around St. Claire anyway, learn my way around if I'm gonna be big dog."

Alicia smiles slightly and shakes her head. "Go ahead and blab at me, let the kiddos in the other room bond." She says, pulling out a chair once she drops her hand from your shoulder, motioning for you to sit. "So, you came over to talk about the Russian thing?"

The hushed voices continue to be blunted from within the kitchen, only a word or two able to be caught.

Katrine nods in agreement. "Yeah. It can definitely be that," she replies. Sitting back in the chair, the girl casts a curious glance towards the kitchen, but her gaze doesn't linger; after a moment, she turns back to Dakota. "So, what are you up to now? ...In general, not right this moment," she amends with a grin.

"Not much at all, just hanging out for the night, and -- Oh!" Dakota says with a blink, "I completly forgot to introduce all you guys." She clears her throat. "Katrine, this is Tom, Child of Gaia kinfolk and Alicia's husband." She gestures first to him, then to Karl. "And this is Karl 'Finds-the-Path', my fellow tribe mate, Theurge, and Cliath." She then nods to Katrine, smiling, and gesturing for her to introduce herself.

Natalie shakes her head tightly. "Nah. Wanted to vent about, well, lots of things really. And get some tag-team teaching in for Katrine. She seems to like you - liked spending time with you, at least. So I figured she'd want to see something besides my shiny face for a while." The Walker checks behind her, then leans against the counter opposite Alicia. "Honest, I didn't know your place was always this crowded. It kinda took me by surprise."

Karl nods curtly, smiling and offering a "Hi."

Alicia shrugs her shoulders. "Karl and Dakota live here.. well, Dak does.. Karl stays over once in a blue moon because he gets sick of the farm kids once in awhile. Katrine lived here for about two months until Salem took her in." She twitches her lips upwards a bit. "I think Kat has a pretty good bond with us. We treat her like a person, an not a prisoner.. which is why we work out well together." She smiles." So, vent to me. C'mon.. I got all night. Let the kids talk for a bit. Please?"

Katrine nods towards the kinfolk. "I remember Tom," she remarks with a smile, before turning towards Karl. "Pleased to meet you, Karl."

Natalie eyes the door again, clearly suspecting it of some nefarious purpose. "Uh... yeah. I guess. Aren't they gonna start breaking down the door soon, though to get at that cake?" She may not be as adept as Salem at avoiding questions, but she's doing well enough. Perhaps she's been taking lessons.

From afar, Alicia snorts slightly as she crosses her arms. "Natalie, c'mon, loosen up some and gab to me. Its why you came over, so unleash it."

Dakota smiles softly and gives her shoulders a shrug, "Well, uh... guess dinner will be awhile. Anyone got any ideas on what do do?"

In the kitchen, someone mentions cake.

"It's stupid," Nat mutters, not looking away from the door. Her arms fold across her belly automatically, her shoulders tightening faintly. "I, um... well, Look. You said something about all the Walker elders running out, right? What'd you mean by that?"'.

Alicia shakes her head. "Not the Walker Elders, all the Elders.. Ourorborus and First Strike. Both packs were made up of the strongest Garou here. They all left for their own reasons.. except, at the same time." She says with a frown, shrugging her shoulders. "Since then, we've been having an uphill crawl towards getting back to what we were."

Karl shakes his head, "Nope." For lack of anything better to do, he takes another mouthful of OJ.

Katrine shrugs and gives Dakota a wan smile. "Nope. No ideas here," she replies with a bit of a sigh.

Natalie doesn't lower her arms from their defensive shielding. "Yeah, well, that's why it makes even less sense that Salem's leaving. And who's he got to replace him? Bunch of no... newcomers. Jeez Louise, I still get lost half the time when I'm driving around. And I'm supposed to be the end-all be-all of the City?"

Dakota hms softly, then suggests, "Hey Katrine, would you be interested in some lupus training? Karl and I have had lots of practice, we could head out to the barn, show you some things?"

Tom has his legs propped up. He peers at the group and chuckles. "That doesn't sound like something I could help in," he grins.

"Sure," Karl says to Tom with a slight grin. "Doggies are fun to play with."

Katrine chuckles softly, and shrugs. "Sure," she replies, standing up and stretching. "Not like I'm busy, or anything," the girl adds with a smile.

Alicia raises up a brow as she looks her over slightly with a flick of her eyes, slightly empathic in her own way. She ponders slightly, the grins. "Why are you so worried for? You seem assertive enough, and weren't you a..." She trails off.. "Beta of your old pack from wherever you came from? It'd be temporary and good practice, and like I said before... tho' drunk.. I'm here for you if you need me to be. I"m practically a Walker after packing with 'em and Cockroach for half my Garou life."

Tom wrinkles his nose. "Noooo, it's hard enough to be around a group of you guys in human form. It'd just be weird in wolf."

"Alright, well, hold the fort down, Tom!" Dakota says with a broad grin to the kinfolk. "I have my cell phone in case you guys need me. And don't eat all the cake!"

Natalie snorts and finally looks over at the other Galliard. "The phrase you're looking for is 'pushy bitch'. And yeah, I was Beta. Liked it, too. I figured once I'd settled in here I'd see about maybe trying for Fostern come June or something. But first I had to find a pack with an alpha who'd push back and not fol... who'd push back. Figured I'd struck gold when Salem and Signe were gonna be in it."

Someone in the kitchen calls someone else a pushy bitch, but the tone is teasing.

Alicia nods her head and grins slightly. "Well.. I am creating a pack." She says with a chuckle. "So far its just Dakota and I.. and I believe Taslyn. You are more than welcome to join with us and be my Beta." She tosses the offer out onto the table, nodding her head. "Its going to be an Urban pack, and won't be all cuddly and stuff. I'm serious when I say I'm all about buisness and wanting to get shit done. The Walker's spoiled me with routine and elitism's."

Karl drains his OJ and sets the glass down on the coffee table. He feels kind of awkward leaving it there rather than on the sink, but... well. He rises from the couch, ready to move out when the others are.

Katrine steps over to the door, opening and holding it. "After you," she says, grinning at Dakota.

Tom waves lightly, "See you crazy kids later."

Dakota waves to Tom as she walks out the door, nodding her head in a warm thanks to Katrine.

"See ya," Karl says, lifting a hand in a wave and heading out the door.

Katrine waves to Tom, then follows after the other two.

Natalie shakes her head. "I couldn't push you like I could push Salem - or Signe. Though if she turns me down... I'll think about it, all right? You said Owl, right? If Signe picks someone frou, your chances go up. Though I can't imagine Signe or her pack sitting around and contemplating navels."

Alicia chuckles. "You don't think I got what it takes to throw a punch at ya or something?" She says with a smile on her face. "Oh well, you know what they say... kill 'em with kindess. I'm not all that nice. I've came a long way from being a blood thirsty cub." She says with a slight grin. "Hell, I've came a long way period." She cracks the noodles and drops them into the boilinger water, watching them swirl about. "But yah.. Owl or maybe even Raven."

"S'not what I mean." Nat shakes her head again, freeing one hand long enough to tuck a bit of hair behind an ear. "I dunno Raven. Don't know a lot of things. I feel like I'm being pushed into the deep end here, and I'm not sure if the pool's filled with water or sulfuric acid. Only... s'like Salem said. I don't want to be Elder, but there's no one else. Tony? Hah. He's been here months and didn't even have Chiminage until I got here and suggested it to him. I've never seen Leala, so she's out. Cat? Joshua? Still cubs, both of 'em, even if they do both survive their Rite. I couldn't follow either of 'em. Not with Cat sobbing in a dark pigsty and Josh... Sheesh. Josh."'.

The murmuring in the kitchen continues even if most everyone else has left.

Tom picks the game back up, starting to destroy Vice City once again.

Alicia nods her head slightly. "Leala is a good Garou tho', just a busy one. I'm sure you know she handles all of the bills. She could take over for Salem if needed, but she probably won't be as active. Than again.. its not like the Walker's ever have been since John got killed."

Natalie's chin comes up at that name. "Who is this John person? I've only heard about him a couple times, but every time someone says his name it's like we're expecting an angelic chorus, or something."

Alicia lets out a faint grin. "John was my brother in arms. My second pack Alpha and he created Synthesis. He was perhaps the greatest Walker to have walked into this Sept. He was a master strategist and practically led the Sept against the Spirals to take back the Caern. He formed Synthesis, recruited his pack, took over the tribe and did so many things. He flushed out the sewers when they were a blight. He led the attack on the hospital." She says with a nod. "He took one spiral down after the other with both gun and claw and some thought he was unstoppable, before he died on his Fostern challenge in Seattle." She says with a grunt. "I saved his life on the first night of being a Cliath. I stepped out of my passage, into the city and into a huge fight with Glass Banes where he was not holding up well. They fired glass into his face, taking away his eyes. It was also my first fight against the Wyrm and I stepped up, nearly lost my hands, but pounded them into powder. Then, with shredded fingers and wrists, I pressed my useless hands to his face and called upon the mother's touch, giving him his eyes back. Since then, we were like brother and sister and found a great respect for one another. He helped me get my name out in the Sept, and in return, I put his pack on the map."

Natalie listens intently, eyebrows lifting and inserting impressed noises where appropriate. "Damn. Wait a minute - he died on his Fostern challenge? He was a Cliath? Who thought it'd be a good idea to throw all that away?"

Alicia shakes her head and thinks for a moment. ".. Who did he challenge..." She trails off. "His challenge was to go to Seattle and kill a buncha shit I believe. God, I am brainfarting. But.. he died and um.. Chaser died, a Fostern Get Ragabash who served the Sept for seven years. Jarred was there as well.. he returned, said something about spirals who were ripping Garou in half as if they were paper. I mean.. its the kinda thing you send Athros on to make Elder."

Alicia adds. "He had to gather a group of Garou together and go down to Seattle to defeat something... vampire I think? They found spirals instead. All I know is that Jarred and Raeye, a Strider girl, returned all shook up. Oh! Seeker was there too.. so only he an Chaser died. The rest ran for their lives."

Alicia blurts out. "Thats right.. Kaz sent him off. His job was to act as Omega in a pack of Garou that he wasn't a pack with. He had to pick out unlikely Garou that he'd listen to, so that he can learn what its like to follow as well as to lead. They were supposed to kill two spirals, bring the heads home and come back. Thats it. Instead, they met an army up there, and found out how badly Seattle is off. The Sept there is lost to us."

Natalie shakes her head as well. Her next words are more than half to herself. "Damn. If that's what they do to real leaders..." The Walker snorts and looks back up. "That's why Salem's running, you think? So he's not the next one in line?"

Alicia shakes her head. "Not even likely. Salem got buisness to attend to, and I believe it. Salem, just like John, is not afraid of anything. He's been a Fostern twice now, been a Garou for a long, long time. He just probably needs to clear his head, get some things straightened out. Don't know a lot 'bout his past, except he was tangled up with Vampires and Gnawers up in Vegas years ago, back when he used to go by the name of.. Jack Devil."

Nat's voice, her mouth, twists cynically. "You didn't hear him. He said he wasn't coming back. Maybe not in words, but that's what he meant. When I got here, I figured I'd finally made it - found a place I could settle in, listen, and learn. Found someone I could learn from, and who didn't mind a little pushing. Then two weeks later, he says he's up and leaving. Now what the hell'm I supposed to do? I never wanted Elder, Alicia. Never even thought about it. I figured I'd settle in to Beta, 'specially after I saw the rest of the Tribe. Dammit, I'm a good Beta. I'm crap in a basket for Alpha. And he's running off, laughing about how he's dumped all this onto my lap."

Natalie looks away again, her arms tightening over her belly. "He's not coming back."

"Whats wrong with your stomach?" Alicia asks as she reaches out to tug on one of your arms. "Are you sick or something?" She frowns, eyes turning up into yours questionably, full of concern."

Natalie shrugs the tug off angrily and shifts toward the closed kitchen door. "I'm fine." Not that she'll meet Ali's eyes, of course.

"No you aren't. You are not fine at all." Alicia says worriedly as she nudges you. "Nat, c'mon, open up to me, huh? Its obvious you need someone here to help you out. I'm here for you."

Nat sets her jaw stubbornly. All she says, flatly, is, "Yeah." The door, though cracked, shuts again - or tries to. "Look, I'm sorry for sobbing on you Friday. Helluva way to end a party. Too much beer, too much self-pity."

"Pff.. oh Nat.. c'mon back here." Alicia says, patting the chair again. "Look, you don't got to apologize about that shit. Just cuz' we are Garou, doesn't mean we aren't human. Salem has seen me cry plenty of times, hell, he's even hugged me before. But, you never heard that from me. I think you need a best friend or something." She says, clicking her tongue. "Whatcha doing Tuesday night?" She offers. "Want to go out an grab a bite, then work on a few strategies together?"

Natalie takes another step toward the kitchen door. "Dunno. Until Salem leaves, I'm at his beck and call for lessons. If he wants me for anything, I gotta be there. I'd be worse off if he just ended up getting killed, right? Right. So. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. ...Anyway," and now that door's firmly closed, no more silly confidences slipping out, "I gotta collect Kat and get her back. Thanks for the, the lessons, by the way. She's getting lots better."

"Well.. alright.." Alicia trails off some. "But, if you ever just want to hang out, off the record and be girls for a night, I'm all for it. I've a regular at the Temple." She says, chin lifting. "You got a drive ahead of ya. The kids went to the farm to train Kat in how to be a good lupus." She taps her skull. "Benefits."

"Benefits?" Nat repeats blankly, then shakes her head. "Damn. Yeah. I... g'night, Alicia-rhya." Her arms unfold, her hands promptly jamming into her pockets. "Thanks for listening. I'll, uh... catch you later, sometime." The Walker slouches for the kitchen door and through, snorting at the lack of people on the other side. "Go me."

Standing up and following you to the door, Alicia chuckles. "You can call me Alicia you know. I'm not the pushy formal type. Only the cubs can call me Rhya." She says wryly, then softly says. "Nat, if it means anything.. I like ya. I got confidence in that you will make the right decisions here in Claire's." Reaching out, she jerks the front door open and smiles. "I'll give Kota' a call on the phone, let her know you are coming."

"Thanks." Nat heads for the outer door, not once looking back. If misery shared is misery halved, then why does she act so... miserable?

[End of log]