This time Nat called ahead, successfully placing the Get Elder at the Brownstone before making the drive over. She steps inside now, coatless and with her thumbs hooked into her pockets. "--Hell," she offers upon seeing the brownstone's 'new' look. "Looks like someone had the kind of last days I've been having."

"Someone did," Signe answers in a gravely voice, curt and somewhat sharp. She gestures for the Walker to follow her toward the kitchen, though, since none of the living room furniture's been replaced yet. "I had some things I needed to talk to you about, too, so I'm glad you're here."

"It's just a regular ol' infodump." Nat frees her hands, the right scratching at the base of her skull, and follows her pack alpha to the kitchen. "You want to start, or should I?" She carries a tattered, edginess around her, slightly more pronounced than the moon would suggest.

That makes two of them. The Jarl, also seems unusually tense and edgy. It's in the way she carries herself, her tone, even in the look of her eyes. "You go first," she tells the Walker.

Natalie says, "Right." She steals a look at the floor as if expecting to find help there, then her eyes sweep up to Signe's face. "Pack stuff first. I'm still thinking about Brom. Like I told Emma today, he was thumping his chest and waving around his testosterone, and it was a bad day before then. I want to be able to think about it, not just give you a knee-jerk. Vex deserves better. We deserve better."

Signe actually smiles. It's an odd, dichotomous visage when coupled with her otherwise tense nature. "Actually, Natalie, I agree completely. I feel kind of pushed myself, when it comes to Brom. Don't get me wrong, I like him. But right now, I'd prefer he just hung out, did some patrols with us, and settled in before we consider anything else. So, that's fine by me."

Natalie nods jerkily. "Good. And... I'm feeling a little... hell. Excluded. Two Get and me, that's fine. Even three. But four Get and me... I don't know. So that's what I've got to think about too. Brom bragged he'd gotten invitations to join every other pack and was shooting off his mouth about how he was this great leader. But when I asked him why he didn't pick one of the other packs, all he could say is that he wanted to be in your pack. Wanted to be where 'the fight' was. I just..." She shakes her head and studies the fridge. "We didn't click. Not like you and me, or me and Emma."

Signe leans against the counter of the kitchen. Her expression darkens, a resigned little sigh escaping her throat. "I was afraid of that," she says, folding her arms across her chest. "In fact, I said the same thing to Emma yesterday--about you feeling excluded I mean. As for Brom, he's a brash young Get. They're all like that. Stupid and mouthy. But they tend to learn. And they do fight well. But, look. I told Emma yesterday that each of us--including you--have the same voice when it comes to packmates. No one's in unless we all agree."

"According to him..." Nat's eyes flick to the Get and linger there. "He's not exactly 'young'. He's been a Cliath six years. That's longer than me. And... I'll be the first one to tell you I don't know the inner workings of your tribe, but he comes off more like an Ahroun than a Philodox. And that's another thing I don't know if we need either. I'd like to see more... more brains, not just another scream-and-leap. Vex says 'no mercy', he doesn't say 'be stupid'."

Signe regards Natalie for several seconds, and it appears as if the Jarl might be preparing to argue. She says, "He made some mistakes, back at his original sept. He's been working hard to correct that and regain his renown. That's why he's still a cliath. You can call it stupidity. It is. And, like I said, I'm not ready to invite him in, either. What you were just saying is more proof to me he's not as smart as he should be. Bragging about being invited into every pack. We both know that's just not true. Makes you wonder what else is not true. But the fact remains, he's a body." There's a longer pause here where she shifts her weight onto the other leg, almost a visual sign of her shifting gears. "But, like I said, if you don't want him in, then he won't come in. This is our pack. Not a Get pack with a Walker mascot. I won't have one new guy messing with the applecart."

Natalie shrugs uncomfortably, then flicks off the idea. "Give him time. Give me time. He couldn't have picked a worse month if he tried. About the only thing that isn't going on is me showing up pregnant." She offers Signe an ill-looking smile, then studies the fridge again. "--Your turn? Or do you want everything out of me first?"

Signe agrees about the timing, a dark glance offered to the living room before she simply nods to Natalie. "You first," she says. "Might as well."

Natalie glances back at her, nods. "All right. My other two things are me as Glass Walker Elder. First... Well, hell. I've been trying to figure out which one to bring up first, and it's a crapshoot. Either one of them could get ugly. So I'll just start." She doesn't though, not immediately - takes a deep breath instead before plunging in. "--Kevin's got a past life. It's a Get. A really arrogant Get. It's been wandering around at night, leaving us notes. We finally called him up and talked to him, and he's got his panties in a wad because Kev didn't choose your tribe. I told him I'd talk to you."

Signe's jaw tightens. "The... past life is taking over?" Clearly the Get seems uncomfortable with this. "I think maybe I should have a talk with him. Gunnar and I will come see him." Eyes narrowing, she adds, "Natalie, I know he chose the Walkers. But it might be he'd be better off with us, if his blood tells us that. I'd like to talk to him about that."

Natalie's head starts shaking, she lifts her hands to fend off the idea. Or part of Signe's idea, at least. "It wasn't... it's not 'taking over'. We had to get him stoned for it to even show up. I told him - Claws of the North, Fostern Ragabash - that Kev was unmarked. Lost. So it was Kevin's choice where he went, according to our rules, anyway." Her hands drop. "I said I'd talk to you, and if you didn't agree, then we'll go to a neutral, uninvolved Philodox to decide. And-- I will. I'll hate to lose him, he's a damn fine cub, but... if that's what the judge decides..." A wince turns into a grimace but she bulls on. "But sure, you can come talk to him. Gunnar too. He might have a better chance at getting I... him to come out and play."

Signe eventually nods. "Alright. We'll start with a talk. See where it goes. I'll grab Gun and stop by soon."

Natalie doesn't look happy, but she nods. "Right. And last thing... We need to talk about 'rent'. For Emma. When I started the Safehouse I figured that people crashing there for more than a day or two could bring in groceries, provide furniture, that sort of thing. Only Emma can't, exactly. She doesn't have a GED, much less a job. So I wanted to talk to you and work something out."

Signe looks irritated. "Like what?" she asks.

"I don't know," Nat answers, turning her hands palm up for a second. "See, I don't want to kick her out - can't kick her out. She needs somewhere to stay plus she's my packmate. And it's not like the whole tribe of Gnawers has descended on us like locusts. But... we can't operate at a loss, Signe. I'm not asking for her first-born -- or even your first born." There's a vague attempt at a smile, gone as quickly as it arrived. "Just something. Something fair. I figure we can work together and hash something out."

Signe smirks at the non-joke, but it doesn't seem to lighten the alpha's mood. "The thing is, Natalie, it's not like I have any money to give you, either. I have this place with the thanks of some Get kin. It's not like I have a job, either. If she can't stay at the safehouse because she has no money, then she'll have to move back here with me. We'll make room. Unless you can think of a way she can be useful to you. Because me giving you money's not really an option."

"I know it isn't. I just..." Another grimace, and Nat paces a small circle, hands raking through her hair. "If I let Emma stay there free, then everyone else gets to stay there free. I don't just want to impose something, especially if she can't do it. Even at the farmhouse people are expected to chip in with food and stuff." On the far side of the circle she stops, head cocking to one side. "--Huh. Does Emma have any... skills? Talents? Anything I don't know about?" She pivots as she speaks. "Maybe she could teach Kev something. Something on-going. I know she likes him, and he likes her."

Signe blinks at that. "You'd let her teach him?" she says with some surprise. "That's certainly something Emma can do." The thought seems to please the Get. "And what's more, she'd love it. Honestly, I don't have any other, mundane ideas. So, if you're cool with her teaching the cub, that's fine with me. Or, working at the safehouse. If it still needs painting, or cleaning, or whatever. Talk to her. Ask."

Natalie bobs her head, relieved if not actually happy. "I will. Good. Thank you. --So what've you got for me? And who do you want to talk to, your pack mate, or the Tribe elder?"

Signe lets out a tired sigh. "The Walker elder," she says with a grimace. Turning back towards the counter between the fridge and the microwave, she retrieves a bunch of papers. One is a newspaper clipping, the others various inkjet printed photos. they contain various blurry pictures of certain garou, and one Glass Walker kinfolk named Rina. "The corax paid me a visit," she says. "Dropped these off. Said she saw the whole thing and made some veiled threats, like 'Too bad I couldn't sell these. I could have used the money'. As if I should pay her to keep our secrets. I'm still not sure what exactly went down out there. I was hoping Rina could fill me in."

Auggie and Cole are in there, and I think Jana too. The picture with Rina has a cop in it, who I think is Matthew, but that's a guess. [Signe]

Natalie frowns as she takes the clipping and scans it, then looks over the pictures. "--The hell? What's all this? Who does she think she is, and who does she think would be interested in these things?"

Signe has no clue, but that doesn't stop her from being irritated by the entire thing. "She made out like she was doing us a huge favor. And, well, maybe she did by telling us it happened at all. But I'd still like to ask Rina what the hell happened."

Natalie snorts and takes a closer look at the pictures. "...Rina talking to the law. Like that's blackmail worthy." She drops it dismissively to the ground. "As for the other... so what?" She shrugs and offers it and the clipping back to Signe. "Next time she comes by making threats, or hints, or allusions, kill her. We've got no assurances she knows how to keep her yap shut; no reason to trust her."

Signe can't argue with that. Then, there's a small, satisfied little smirk that slowly creeps into the Get's expression. "I threatened her, actually. With that exact thing. She fainted."

Natalie smirks back before stooping to retrieve the picture of Rina. "Good. Though... you might not see her back after threatening her. You got any information on her? A name, any way to track her? And why the hell would she come to you, for that matter?" She scowls at the picture as if it contains the answers. "Rina's my kin. The others... I don't think they're yours either. It's sure as hell not Emma, Gunnar, or Brom in these pictures. So why you? Why not me? Unless she doesn't know as much as she thinks she knows."

Signe answers with a vague shrug. "She hangs out in the woods. Probably seen me out there. She knows who I am. She knows a lot of us. Some of our kind work with her. Birds can learn things, sometimes, that are hard for our kind to find out. As for finding her, that's easy enough. She works for the paper. That's her by line at the bottom of the newspaper article."

"Then we can find her," Nat says simply, glancing at Signe for permission before folding the picture of Rina into thirds and sticking it in one back pocket. "I'll talk to Megan and see what she says. If this is the same Corax that was around last year, she's not too happy with it. It used to hang out at the farm - in the farmhouse - until Megan put her foot down."

Signe's first words are, "Thank you." She was apparently hoping you'd offer to pass on the information. Then, she moves on to the next topic. "Now. I need some help. I need a doctor. Or, someone. To make sure everything's going right. you know what I mean?"

Natalie says, "For the..." A nod toward the Get's belly. "Right. I was working on that and it completely slipped my mind. Sorry. I was going to talk to Emily, but I haven't heard back from her. I figure we can just talk to her boss instead. Alec, I think his name is. Don't remember his last name. But I've got the number for his clinic in Kent's Crossing." A hand reaches for her cell, hesitates. "--Do you want it, or do you still want me to call and set it up for you?"

Signe frowns thoughtfully, and not a little uncomfortably. "You set it up," she finally decides. But, then her expression tightens. "He knows what I am, right? I don't just mean garou, I mean. Get. Ahroun. Me, in other words. I don't want him poking and prodding me with needles if he's also pissing in his pants."

Natalie only shakes her head as her hand drops away from her phone. "I dunno, Signe. I'll ask him. --Discreetly, of course. But I think you don't really have much of a choice, and neither does he."

Signe looks downright grumpy, but she acquiesces, nodding. "Fine."

The Galliard hesitates for a moment. "Anything else?"

Signe thinks about it for a minute, shakes her head, and then catches a glimpse of the living room again. Grimacing, she asks, "No where I can get some cheap furniture?"

The question brings a wry, rueful smirk back to Nat's face. "Goodwill. That's where I've been doing most of my shopping. Or there's this decent thrift store... it's pretty ratty, but for a thrift store it's halfway decent - place on the corner of 10th and Vine."

Signe files the address for future reference and nods. "Thanks," she says, and indicates with a shrug she doesn't really have anything else.

Natalie, after a second, nods. "Welcome. --I told you I was going to Challenge tomorrow, right?" She rolls her shoulders, though it does little to disperse the tension there, and rehooks her thumbs into her pockets. "Layne. Because the Wendigo elder is Challenging Alicia. I was three days too late to get her."

Either the Walker elder hadn't told Signe, or in all the flux of the last few days the Get had forgotten. She registers mild surprise but pleasure. Nodding at the circumstance, she says, "Good."

"I'm nervous as hell," she admits with another flash of a tight-lipped not-smile. "Like I said, everything is coming to land on me this month. I'm kinda surprised I'm not losing it daily."

Signe snorts. "Tell me about it," she mutters, half to herself. Still, the Get's reaction is sympathetic. "We'll be there to support you tomorrow."

A hand frees itself to go raking back through her hair, which is even messier and tousled than it was when she walked in the door. "Thanks, Signe. Means a lot. I... I ought to get going, huh? I'll talk to Megan and Emma, and give that doctor a call for you. Won't be today or tomorrow, but within the week."

Signe seems satisfied with that, nodding. She walks Natalie to the door. "I'll find Gun and drop by sometime this week to talk to the cub."

Natalie says, "Spiff. --Look, Signe," she adds at the doorway, "He's made his choice. He spent a -lot- of time around Get - Emma, Gunnar, Brom. And he chose us. I'll... I hope it doesn't come down to a Philodox, but if it does... Anyway. You two come talk to him first. We'll see how things shake down from there."

Signe simply nods.

Natalie returns the nod, then heads out.

[End of log]