Big Red Barn

The barn is built in the old style, a vast three level structure that is greater in height than a mere three stories, actually closer to five. Great wooden posts support the weight of the upper levels and roof, sunk into the hard-packed dirt floor of the first level like a sparse forest of regularly spaced, naked trees. The stalls and flagstones which once were here have been torn out to leave a rather open area where even crinos Garou may roam freely without fear of running into anything but the supports or the walls or the ladder at the back which allows access to the other two levels.

The first two levels are relatively open to each other, the second being only little wider than a catwalk going around all the walls but the front one, which has massive, twenty foot tall doors set into it. The third level is a true second floor except for a place cut out that allowed hay to be tossed down to the ground floor when the farm was actually worked. Now, it is a hayloft where Garou can sleep outside of the house.

Contents:
Trevor
Alicia
Flash

Obvious exits:
BarnYard

"Not my bike. This must be... that new StarGazer that was howling last night. I didn't get a chance to talk to the others 'bout him much. I've had other pressing things on my mind right now." Alicia admits as she raises her eyes upwards to the loft, staring at the 'jokester'. "There is waffles and sausage links. Eggs are cooked scrambled. Make do with what you can get." She sounds just as serious, before looking to the Fianna again.

Flash tsks, then sits down on the edge of the hayloft, legs dangling, to put on his boots. Nice pointy-toed cowboy boots. "Talk about poor treatment of guests. The television didn't work, I didn't get my wake-up call at promptly 7:56am, and now she tells me that there aren't any hashbrowns. I mean, really."

"Ok, this guy can piss right off." Trevor comments to Alicia. Apparently, Trevor turns nasty quite quickly when tired. He dosn't seem angry, more sort of amused in a bad way. Beginning to head up to the hayloft, he calls out "I'm gonna give you a wake up call you won't forget in a hurry, unless you start getting with the program."

Dale's carrying a composite hockey stick in one hand and a mesh bag of pucks in the other, so is forced to open the side door of the barn with his foot. This, predictably, results in said door slamming open rather loudly, and when the Fenrir claps eyes on the assembly, he's muttering, "Christ, it's a goddamn convention."

".. Trevor.. I'm sure he's just being playfull." Alicia says softly as she glances back upwards to the hayloft at Flash. "Its no big deal." Rubbing her shoulder absently, she pops a joint back into place, eyes roaming up towards him. "Let me guess, Ragabash?" She asks curiously as she blows her bangs away from her face. "I am Alicia, by the way. My charming companion is Trevor." She says, before glancing over towards Dale. "Good afternoon to you too."

Natalie enters the barn immediately after Dale, barely catching herself from walking into the Get's back. "Wanna watch where you're going?" she snaps at him, eeling past to head for the back of the barn. Voices catch her attention and she looks at them, then at... boots? A familiar pair of boots, apparently. Nat's hands go to her hips, a faint smirk twisting her lips. "Well well well. If it isn't Mr. Zoo."

"Oh, hey, hey now..." Flash pulls on his other boot rather quickly as Trevor starts to climb up to the hayloft to administer beatdown. He gets to his feet, grabbing up and pulling on the dark purple and silver vest as he retreats along the loft, away from the ladder. He's damned close to the edge of the hayloft and the perilous drop down to the bottom. On the way he picks up a plastic red raincoat that Natalie will indeed recognize. Seeing her, he stops short and calls down to her, "Your friend still owes me a faggot orgy, yanno."

Flash doesn't directly answer Alicia's question, but if he isn't a Ragabash he's a damned fool. Or both.

"Yeah, well, I'm not in the mood." Trevor replies to Alicia. When he reaches the Hayloft, and hears Flash, he raises an eyebrow. "A faggot orgy? What the hell? Now, are you going to introduce yourself?" He hasn't noticed the newcomers, or at least hasn't acknowledged them.

"Not really," Dale answers Natalie, with veiled amusement; apparently the moon's not chasing his mood toward his characteristic surliness and viciousness, today, which probably explains him responding to her tone with humor rather than violence. Then, to Alicia, "Is it?" before his gaze also climbs toward the hayloft. "What's with this?"

Dale:

A tall young man, at least a couple inches upwards of six feet even in his very early twenties -- and more than that, solidly built, from broad shoulders and chest through to well-muscled thighs and calves. He keeps blond hair back out of his face, though frequently indulges a few days stubble beyond a trimmed goatee that's, despite his relative youth, not incongruous amid craggy, attractive features. His eyes are a pale blue, striking in their way, but are more often than not touched with a gleam of raw fury.

Underneath a black leather hip-jacket, protection enough against mild Washington winters, he wears a belted pair of blue jeans -- the bottoms of which wrinkle around dark brown leather day boots -- and a heavy white tee-shirt.

"Soon as we can get 'em together," Nat promises to the snappy dresser, smirk widening. "But she's gotta know who to deliver 'em to."

"Gordon Romero," says Flash, pulling on the red plastic coat. "Eater-of-Shit, Feces-for-Brains, Lowest-of-Low, offspring of charaches, and a bitch of a bastard." He rattles this all off carelessly, even flippantly, flicking overlong bangs out of his eyes as he looks from one face to the next. Trevor gets an especial careful eyeball. "Most people call me 'Flash'. Ragabash of the Stargazers. Howdy."

"...Right..." Alicia trails off slightly. She glances around at the others, then goes back to punching the bag, letting out a soft breath.

This seems to placate Trevor, who offers his own introduction. "Trevor Sings-To-Spirits, Cliath Galliard of the Fianna, Master of The Rite, Warder of Escrowe Farm." He even extends a hand.

Dale, after shrugging out of his jacket, has upended his bag of pucks and gathered one on the blade of his stick. "Hey, Fianna," he calls over to Trevor. "You want him down from there?" He'll launch a hard wrist-shot up toward the loft, deliberately well wide of both the Ritemaster and the no-moon.

Flash is rather out of hand-shaking range of Trevor, but the Fianna's between him and the ladder. He seems to think about this for a moment, then slips back along the edge toward Trevor. Once he's close enough, the Stargazer spits into his palm and clasps hands. Firmly.

"Headcase," Natalie mutters to herself, not loud enough for those in the loft to hear. Dale gets a half-frown, but it's Alicia and the punching bag that get the Galliard's full attention and a, "Afternoon, Alicia."

"Nah, I'm good thanks." Trevor calls down to Dale. "He seems friendly and tame, and it's not every day I have a Stargazer living in my Hayloft." Shaking Flash's hand just as firmly, he moves so the other can get to the ladder if he so wishes.

"Afternoon Natalie." Alicia says as she pounds into the bag for a few more shots, then catches it once more, steadying it. "Seems like everyone decided to take a trip over here at once."

Dale shrugs broad shoulders diffidently though his expression betrays a sliver of cruel disappointment; his next shot finds its way between the first and second rungs of the ladder, just an illustration of his accuracy, before he begins winding up harder slap-shots aimed for a hay-bale. "Stargazer in the hayloft. Don't they have exterminators for that kind of thing?"

Flash wipes his spit-smeared palm on the ass of his jeans and makes his way toward the ladder and then down... once Dale's not shooting pucks at it, of course. "I'd say we breed like rats except that we don't. Oo, hey, hockey player?"

Natalie steps behind the bag to hold it for the Gaian. "Just a wild party, that's us. Actually, I was hoping to run into Megan, but I didn't see her in the house." She waits until Dale's between shots before adding a titch louder, "Natalie Baker, Holds-the-Line, Glass Walker elder and Cliath."

"Probably." Trevor replies to Dale, following Flash down the ladder. The pucks don't seem to bother him, since he's sure they arn't aimed at him. "But I figured we'd keep him around for now, you know? Unique conversation point and all that."

Flash wiggles fingers in a wave at Natalie, acknowledging the introduction, then rakes those fingers back through his messy hair, getting a few but not all of the hay stuck in it.

Dale doesn't appear to be the sort to suffer fools gladly: "What do you think, smart guy?" is his response to Flash, just before he tees up another shot that buries a puck in straw. And since introductions appear to be the craze, he'll addhis own -- "Dale Jenson, Burns-The-Wyrm, Modi of the Fenrir." -- and then shrugs over at Trevor. "Up to you, Fianna. Me, I wouldn't keep somebody from that pack of useless cowards around, even as a lawn ornament."

Alicia nods her head slightly to Natalie and taps the bag once more, before stepping away from it. "You can have it." She says, before glancing around at the others in the barn. With a furrow of her brow, she turns and heads out the door, leaving it slightly ajar.

Flash watches Alicia leave, his head cocked slightly; Dale's comment about his tribe seems to have swept right by him, unheeded.

Natalie frowns after Alicia. "What crawled up her butt and died?" She steps away from the punching bag, arms crossing as she watches the others. "How's that ...Taslyn, right, Trevor?"

"Right." Trevor nods to Natalie. "She's fine, thanks." Dale gets a grin.

Flash snaps out of his momentary fugue to focus on Trevor. "Was she serious about there being eggs?"

Dale offers a possible explanation to Natalie, for Alicia's behavior: "Smoked some bad grass, maybe," is his quiet quip, but he's out of pucks, now, and he crosses the barn to retrieve some from his makeshift 'goal' of stacked hay bales.

Joshua enters the ground level of the barn through one of the doors.

Natalie snorts over at Dale, one fist thumping backwards against the bag, the other still folded. "Never seen her touch the stuff, but sure, maybe. You'd think the moon was bigger or something, as edgy as everyone is." She adds over toward Flash, "Which reminds me - Zoo's Gnawer territory. Olga wasn't kidding when she told you to keep out."

"Nope." Trevor shakes his head to Flash. "There are eggs. I ought to know, I do the grocery shopping for this place."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," says Flash, making the appropriate gestures. "Olga being the broad with the beaky nose? And the kid with the sense of humor, who was she?" He gives Trevor a sidelong look and a toothy grin.

"Who's edgy?" Certainly not Dale: he finishes gathering his pucks, prying some out of the straw with the toe of his stick, and then crosses back over to the far end of the barn where he can resume his practice. The floor may not be ice, but one does what one needs to. "Never? I thought she was, like, the Grand-Super-Poobah Child of Gaia, or something. First among stoners."

"She's Elder, yeah," Natalie affirms, "But I've never seen her doing anything." Flash's question gets a, "Joey. Another Ragabash. And, seeing as you're the only one of your tribe around, you probably get to try and sell her on What It Means To Be A Stargazer, tee-em."

Joshua slides the barndoor open, sliding through before he shuts it behind him. It takes a moment for him to realize that there are actually other people in there, and when he does, he turns for the ladder to the loft.

Flash cocks his head. "What, and steal her from the Bone Gnawers? Hm. Good idea. Thanks." He starts heading for the door, then pauses and looks back at Trevor. "Mind if I use the shower? There's running water, right?"

"Yes, there's running water. Yes, you can use the shower." Trevor nods. "But don't refer to Olga that way."

Flash takes a moment to look over the new arrival, then turns back to Trevor. "What way?"

Joshua takes one look at the fashion accident and stops dead in his tracks, turning to look over Flash with a look akin to pure horror. His forehead then furrows, eyebrow threatening to creep its way up.

Natalie scowls at the wayward Ahroun, scowls further at his reaction to Flash. Silently, and behind his back, she pushes one fist into the opposite palm before heading for the barn doors at a fast stride.

Dale has yet to resume his shooting drill, as he watches the interplay between Trevor and Flash. At length, he's forced to concur with Natalie's assessment: "Headcase," he mutters, though on his lips the word has a trifle more disgust. "Nice t'meet you," he'll add, as the Glass Walker elder departs.

Barnyard

The lane wends its way back and around the farmhouse to here, where it widens into a broad, grassy sward contained only by the woods which encircle it on three sides. Buildings break up the purity of the landscape: an open-sided structure which serves as a garage and the big barn, empty of livestock, to the east. A good-sized vegetable and herb garden furrows the land south of the barn, while a pyramid-like pile of rocks, of similar consistency to the gravel of the lane, rests a few yards south of the garage.

North of the buildings, the fields have long been fallow, hastening a conversion from farmland to natural prairie. A sliding glass door allows admittance to the farmhouse, the interior obscured by Levolor(tm) blinds in a wood-grain pattern. The lane leads out around the house to the southwest. The discerning can just barely pick out the beginnings of a faint path into the woods towards the southeast.

Contents:
Alicia

Obvious exits:
FIelds BArn Farmhouse Lane Woods

Leaning against the farmhouse is Alicia, slumped on her rear and writing in her spiral bound notebook. She looks lost in her thoughts, allowing the pen to swipe carefreely among the faint blue lines and powdered white paper.

Natalie strides out of the barn scant moments after Joshua came in. That probably isn't surprising, nor is the faint air of irritation hanging about her head. The Walker makes for the lane, but pulls up at the sight of Alicia. A moment's hesitation and she moves to join her, stopping just out of arm's reach. "...You feeling all right?"

Glancing upwards as the shadow falls over her, Alicia looks up at Natalie, slowly closing the notebook. "Mmm.. I'm fine." She says softly, placing a hand on the ground and pushing herself up to her feet, dusting off her knees with the other.

"You sure?" Nat presses, stepping back to give the other woman room. "'Cause you just kinda ran out of there. Well, not ran, but you know. If you didn't want me holding for you, you just coulda said," she adds, ladling the humor extra-thick.

Having shown Flash where things are in the house, Trevor reappears in the Barnyard.

"Just too many people I guess." Alicia says with a shrug of her shoulders, her voice distracted as she lets out another breath, her voice soft. "I'm a bit tired I suppose." With a flick of her head, she sweeps the hair from her face, tugging it behind her neck.

Sly steps out through the sliding door, glancing back at the flash that had been, well, Flash. He glances towards the three standing there, opting to stay silent for the time being.

Natalie says, "Well, you're bang out of luck there," keeping her distance from Ali. "I already gave all my help to S - to Thomas. If you're feeling anti-social, though, no worries. I ought to leave a note for Megan or something, let her know the Walkers really want to talk to her."

Alicia nods her head slightly towards Natalie. "Um.." She opens her mouth, then closes it slightly. "Alright. I guess I can just catch you later then." She says, turning her eyes over towards Sly, studying him.

Natalie frowns at Alicia as if she'd just pulled a switch and heard a moo instead of turning off the lights. "...Uh, yeah. Gaia watch your steps, Alicia." She takes a couple of quick steps away, her own eyes flicking toward Sly.

Sly leans up against the side of the house, meeting Alica's gaze for a moment before turning his attention to Nat, looking over her carefully before returning to Alica. He politely waits to be called on by his betters, stuffing both hands in his pockets.

"Hey guys." Trevor smiles, moving towards Alicia. As he does so, he notices Sly leaning against the side of the house. "Joining us?"

Taslyn comes down out of the farmhouse, hands shoved into her pockets and wandering out in the barnyard. She had been headed for a walk in the woods, but seeing Trevor brings her over to the group. "Hey, everyone... Hey there, Sly."

".. Nat, you don't have to go." Alicia calls out quickly without hesitation, letting out a breath. "Look, I'm sorry I'm such a drag." Her voice is almost pleading as she sucks in a breath, biting on her lip. "Craig is dead." She finally says, blurting out.

Alicia's admission tears Nat's attention away from Sly, and back to her. "I'd heard," the Walker says quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were close."

Sly shrugs in a non-committal way at the invitation, but saunters on down the steps, keeping his hand in his pockets. He more or less watches where he puts his feet, the wind blowing his blonde hair across his forehead. "Where we going?" He asks quietly.

Seeing and hearing Alicia, Trevor dosn't answer Sly's question. If he even hears it, that is. The Fianna strides over towards his friend and attempts to draw her into a comforting embrace.

"We were packmat-.." Alicia begins until Trevor's arms wrap around her. Biting her lip, she takes a deep breath, then lets it out as she leans into him, tears sliding down her cheeks as her iron resolve finally gives in. Curling her head against his shoulder, she grips him back, swallowing loudly in her throat. "I lost my voice for him."

Sly isn't the largest of teens, standing at only about 5 feet 7 inches. He seems pretty trim though, standing and moving with some measure of grace. He has fair brown hair that borders on blonde, cut long enough to show off its sheen and body. His bangs are kept out of his face and the rest is nicely brushed.

His face has just the right angles in just the right places, his jaw recently filled out from puberty. Slightly angular but solid, his skull sets the frame for his pretty face. Sly is a good-looking kid, with light eyebrows that sit above hazel eyes. His eyes are that particular mix of green and blue that had no name, and glimmer in the light. His nose seems the perfect size for his face, and below it are his lips, barely parted in a smile. They are just full enough to be expressive and curve in a perfect cupid's bow, a pale pink that fits well with the flush of his skin.

In comparison, his clothes are almost drab, their plainness contrasted by the handsome boy that wears them. The shirt is a neutral gray, with a black infinity symbol scored across the chest. His pants are a long faded gray-green, complete with cargo pockets. His legs terminate in a pair of black and gray sneakers, tied with faded gray laces.

Taslyn just stands to the side, watching and listening, looking a little uncomfortable. She shoves her hands down into her pockets, sadness on her face.

Natalie's eyebrows go up, but she keeps quiet, letting Trevor do the comforting. "I'm sorry," she says again before she looks to Sly. "Who're you?" For once, she doesn't demand an answer.

Sly finally make it over there, perking at the question. "Oh, I'm Sly. Alicia's new cub." He gives a bit of a shug and kicks at the dirt a bit with his sneaker. "Who're you?"

Holding Alicia close, Trevor hums a soothing tune. "Yeah, I know 'Lica. I know." he sighs, rocking her back and forth.

Taslyn licks at her lips a bit and walks over to sit on the steps, getting out of the way of the others.

Sniffing, Alicia murmurs. "Sorry..." She says quietly, taking in a deep breath and leaning away from Trevor. Her eyes are stained with wet tears, embarrassed slightly. "I think I'm going to get something to drink." She murmurs, eyes roaming to the farmhouse.

"Name, rank, and serial number," Natalie advises Sly, glancing at the others before tending to the cub. "Human name, deed name if you've got one, auspice, rank, and tribe. I'm Natalie Baker, called Holds-the-Line, Elder and Galliard of the Glass Walkers."

Sly sighs softly as he finally pulls his hands from his pockets. "Sly Dobsen, Silver-Tongue, Moon-Dancer and cub to the Children of Gaia." His voice is rather flat, though, as if he's not putting much effort into it at the moment.

"I'll come with." Trevor murmurs to Alicia, getting ready to follow his friend.

Alicia glances slightly over towards Sly, then back to Trevor. "...Why don't we all go in?" She asks softly, knuckling a pair of fingers against her eye. Sighing quietly to herself, she turns to face the cub, straightening up a bit. "I suppose I should introduce myself to you as well. We haven't had a chance to actually say Hi yet, which is mostly my fault. My apologies." Clearing her throat, she says. "I am Alicia Henderson. The one who Guards The Flame. Currently I am the Elder of our tribe as well as the Voice of the Goddess. Moon-Dancer and Fostern to our people, GroundsKeeper to the Sept of the Hidden Walk. It is a pleasure to finally meet you Sly."

Taslyn rises up and rests a hand on Sly's shoulder. "There you go." She gives the cub a smile, hoping to at least lighten his mood. She looks to Natalie. "Don't believe we have met formally either... Taslyn Forrester, Defends-her-Worth, Half moon Fianna."

Natalie inclines her head - first to Taslyn, then Sly. "And it didn't even hurt." "--Ah, you go on ahead, Alicia. I may go for a run, or something. You want me to tend the cub for a bit, since you took Katrine for us?"

Sly smiles weakly at the assembled Garou, giving a small wave of his left hand. "Its good to meet you all." His smile is wan, and his eyes look somewhat tired. "So who was the flashy guy that ran through the house just now?"

Taslyn shakes her head, "I can stick with him... No problem." As she smiles at Natalie. "Was just going to hang out anyway.

"Ah, that would in fact be Flash." Trevor replies to Sly. "He's the resident Stargazer in the Hayloft." The Fianna is sticking close to Alicia.

Taslyn pages to the room: Know I went out of order... Just trying to get it in before Alicia had to make a decision.

Alicia blinks her eyes a bit, glancing between Natalie and Taslyn, before offering up a chuckle. "...I was thinking of snagging a soda from the fridge in the farm, not drive out to the bar in the city." She says as her head tilts a bit. "Thanks for the offer Natalie. I guess its his choice if he wants to or not. I'm not against it."

Sly shrugs again, then puts his hands back into his pockets. "I don't mind at all." He scuffles a sneaker into the dirt again, glancing up to look at Nat again.

Natalie eyes Taslyn and teases dryly, "I'm not going to drag him off and implant microchips in his head. ...Unless he wants me to."

Taslyn throws up her hands. "I just... I dunno. Just... Nevermind." She shakes her head and laughs.

Alicia chuckles slightly as she glances to Trevor for a moment, then back to Sly. "So... can you an I catch up later?" She asks, offering him a quick smile, blowing away a strand of brown hair from her eyes.

Trevor smiles softly when Alicia glances towards him, watching as the decision of who has the cub is made.

Sly nods, "Sure thing, Alica-rhya. Its not like I'm going anywhere." He flashes a bit of that old dazzling grin again, making light of the situation. He's obviously beginning to realize the seriousness of his current situation and is maybe still shaken from the day before.

Natalie takes a step toward Alicia and Trevor, casually angling her body to cut the cub away from the others. "Anything in particular you want us to cover? He shifted yet?"

Taslyn sends a grin back to Sly, "Besides... I'd just like to get to know you a little better."

Alicia glances slightly over to Sly. "From what Dak told me, he has shifted.... but I don't know what she is teaching him. I was going to let her run things with him, you know? See how she does in her first teacher/student experience."

The comment that Dak will be teaching him earns an interested look from Trevor. That's rather dropping her in at the deep end, but he thinks she'll swim.

Natalie rubs at the back of her neck. "Yeah, well, I don't have a gun anyway, so that's just as well." She considers Sly, eyeing him from top to bottom and back again. "Well? Your choice. Taslyn, or me?"

Sly pipes up, though he's not too loud, "She covered the basics. Tribes, auspices, breeds, etc." He looks between the two, considering them carefully. He pauses for a second, then grins once more. "How about you both do it? Or better yet, duke it out for the honor? It seems to be the way to do things around here..."

Alicia coughs slightly. "No more fighting, please. I'm tired of healing everyone." She says. "Why don't the two of you go over the litany with him?" She suggests.

Sly slips in a few words, "She covered a bit of that too..."

Dale walks out into the yard from the barn to the northeast.

Taslyn chuckles and looks at Sly. "He's a good one..." She grins widely. "Sure. Be glad to..." She turns to see Alicia and then back to Sly. "Fighting doesn't solve everything..."

Dale's worked up something of a sweat, inside; his jacket's stuffed into the mesh bag he carries, along with a bunch of hockey pucks, and the wooden blade has apparently been removed from the composite shaft of his stick, and discarded. He stops just outside the barn door, to allow his eyes to accustom themselves to the daylight again.

"...But it helps," the Walker interjects. "Yeah, fine, the Litany. What d'you say, Taslyn? Want to do it in the barn, or out in the forest?"

Taslyn shakes her head, "Or the barn will be good."

Sly nods. "Can I practice shifting there too? I wanna get the hang of my other forms..."

Alicia chuckles slightly and smooths down her pants. "Well.. have fun you three." She offers with a quick smile, before heading into the farmhouse.

Big Red Barn (again)

Natalie shifts the door closed behind her before turning to regard the barn and its occupants. "...I'm curious. Any other tribes regularly get first change out of their cubs by shooting 'em? Or just us Walkers?"

Sly walks around to one of the high stacks of hay bales, heading behind it. "I'm gonna go ahead and shift, alright?" Once he's behind the privacy screen of the hay, only his shoulders and head are visible, which is good enough for modesty's sake. "Go ahead and start in about the Litany. Dakota-rhya only covered the Veil, submission and charach." His brow furrows as the Walker speaks. "I wasn't hurt at all. Dakota-rhya shifted, lifted me off the ground I just did it out of instinct..."

Taslyn nods, "Sure... You can practice changing... And as you do, why don't you go ahead and tell us what you know of the litany?" She enters the barn and walks over to a bale of hay, sitting down on it and pulling out a strand of hay to gnaw on. She looks to Natalie, "I think it is just the Walkers. We usually just let it happen naturally."

Natalie shakes her head with a 'tsch' sound before joining Taslyn on her haybale. "Y'know, you don't have anything I haven't seen before," she calls to the Gaian. "No need to get all shy, or anything."

Sly has already begun to strip down, tugging his shirt off and laying it on the top bale. "Well, sorry for being shy. I guess I'll get used to stripping naked in front of people I just met at some point in the future." He grins playfully at her, his head dipping down as he presumably removes his pants and other articles.

Taslyn chuckles as well. "Why don't you give us a little pop quiz type thing. Why don't you tell us what you know so far?"

"You aren't Dedicated yet?" Nat interrupts, cutting across Taslyn's question. A sidelong look at the Philodox and she subsides, folding her arms across her chest with a, "Hunh."

Sly quirks one of his eyebrows at the question, looking a bit confused. "Dedicated? I don't know what you mean by that. As for the pop quiz, can you wait a sec while I get my fur on?" He nods toward them. "I don't think it'll take long." The cub took a deep breath, and from what the two could see, he seemed to relax his body. His pretty eyes closed and his head lolled back a bit a low guttural growl rose from his throat. Wether a part of his transformation or just a trick to help him focus, it was a prelude to Sly suddenly getting quite larger.

Taslyn looks to Natalie, "I can help him take care of that..." She smiles a bit.

Natalie pushes off the haybale to pace all around it. "You don't know the litany, but you can discuss it in Crinos?" she asks the cub incredulously. "Jeez Louise, the Gaians do things weird."

Taslyn raises a bit of a brow. "Talisman Dedication... You do it to your clothes so that when you shift, the clothes stay with you. When you change back... They are still there. Can happen with items, necklaces, knives... things like that. I can do it for you... If you like or until you learn."

Silver-Tongue steps out from behind the bale, fluffing his fur out a bit, looking very steady on his paws. Apparently walking on two legs transfers between forms rather readily. ~A Galliard must sing the Mother Tongue~ he nods resolutely, curling his massive paws, looking down at them. He wuffs softly, wagging his new fingers and watching the muscles and tendons pulse just beneath the surface. His ears flick and swivel towards the door as it opens, his head turning quickly to see who it is.

"A Galliard must know what the hell he's talking about first," Nat snaps back. "Cripes. OK. Litany. Sheesh. We'll start from the top. Number one - Garou shall not mate with Garou. You've been told that one already. Two: Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells and whenever it breeds."

Taslyn stifles a grin. "Go ahead... You are on a roll." To Natalie. She runs a hand through her hair, looking over Sly.

Long distance to Alicia: Natalie slaps a few more up there.

Silver-Tongue nods, his ears perked as he listens carefully. His eyes, however, are on his own body, checking out the placement of new muscles, claws. He looks down at the broad hindpaws he now possessed, along with the interesting new joints in his legs. He's doing his best to listen as he checks it out.

Natalie's lips pull back from her teeth at the cub's apparent inattention. "Do you mind? You can play with yourself later. Third. Respect the territory of another."

Taslyn snickers a little. "Go ahead and shift back so you can talk to us." She grins a bit. "And come see me tomorrow. We will get your clothes set up for you, at least your underwear so you won't be hanging out in the wind."

Joshua finally comes back to the barn, having finished his patrol of the Bawn. After shutting the door behind, he turns around to notice, low and behold, there are people in the barn. "Afternoon, Tas." He mutters, not interrupting Nat's lesson.

Silver-Tongue gives out a tiny wuff at the scold, his ears flicking back against his skull. He lets his paws hang by his side, turning his full attention towards the lecturing Garou. He nods at Taslyn, ~Where you?~ he asks, knowing he can't leave the Farm without permission.

When Dale returns to the barn, he's both showered and dispensed with his workout gear; the faint smells of deodorant soap and shampoo follow him back inside.

Natalie, her back to the door, hasn't yet noticed Joshua's entrance. "At least take Glabro," she instructs, her voice calm and even even if her manner isn't. "And by all means, don't let me interrupt your little chat."

Taslyn lifts her head to Josh. "Hey Josh. How are you?" She looks to Sly and smiles. "Doing a little of Litany learning." She looks back to Sly, "I live at the farmhouse, the second bedroom in the hallway to the attic. Door is always open... But if it is closed at night, knock first... Jess may be over for the night. And yes, take Glabro... At least you can get full sentences in." Giving Sly a wink and looking to Natalie, "Because I'd actually like to hear what he knows of each one... And what he thinks."

Silver-Tongue feels very scolded, and slinks back behind the hay bales, his ears and tail very low. From behind the bales there is low growl before the familiar cub gets himself dressed again, quickly. He walks back around, still looking down. "I'm very sorry, Natalie-rhya." He kicks at the floor with a sneaker. He nods a bit at Tas's words. "Yes, Taslyn-rhya."

Natalie takes in a breath, letting it out through pursed lips. "Right." She looks back at not just Josh, but Josh and Dale, but turns back to the cub without saying a word. "Right. So. Any thoughts on the first three, or do you want me to go through them all first?"

Joshua set his jaw slightly at the cub, giving him a very disapproving look that quickly fades on back. The Ahroun shakes his head. "Natalie: I need to talk to you about some important things. Soon. So when you get a chance, I'll be around." There's a 'I'm not happy about something' tone to his voice, but it very well could just be the cub. He turns around, heading for the Barn door again. "Anyhow. Sorry to interrupt. Gotta run."

Alicia heads into the barn, pushing the doors open. She is holding a bottle of pepsi in one hand and a towel in the other. At the sight of all the Garou in the barn, she blinks her eyes and looks a bit disapointed.

Natalie glances back at Joshua. "...Yeah?" Her tone's neither hostile nor particularly encouraging. "I'm still trying to hunt down Megan. We can see about getting together." And it's back to pinning Sly under her gaze, waiting for his reply.

Dale's brows climb by degrees at Natalie's dismissal, but says nothing. Instead, he folds his arms across his chest and slouches his shoulders back against the barn wall -- sufficiently out of the way that, as Alicia enters, he can give her a minute nod of acknowledgement while still taking in the instruction underway.

Joshua pauses at the door as Alicia walks through. "I'm hoping to talk before then. Anyhow. Gotta run. Again, sorry for interrupting." And he heads out of the barn.

Taslyn turns and nods at Dale, "Good to see you, Dale-Rhya, and Alicia-Rhya." She smiles widely. "It's okay, Sly... Just go ahead when you are ready."

Sly quirks his brow again, slipping both hands into his pockets. "Go ahead what, Taslyn-Rhya?" He looks a bit confused, his pale lips slightly parted.

Dale offers another minimalist nod Taslyn's way, and if he's surprised by the archaic expression of respect being directed his way, he doesn't object to it. Still, one can't help but get the impression that for this evening, at least, the moon isn't driving his mood toward surliness and violence: as he leans against the wall, his demeanor's mostly neutral.

"Whats going on?" Alicia asks as she steps out of Josh's way, giving each of the Garou a nod, before turning her eyes towards Sly once more. Shifting her weight some to one hip, she tosses the bottle and the towel onto a haybale.

Taslyn looks back to Sly, "Tell us what you already know. I would be interested to hear your opinions of what little of the litany you know so far."

Natalie brings her hands up to her face and scrubs; Taslyn could probably hear a whimper.

Silver-Tongue ahs, and nods a little. He pauses, takes a breath and focuses. "The first of the litany is that Garou shall not Mate with Garou. This is to prevent the birth of metis." He gnaws a little on his lower lip, pausing again, trying to dredge up something else about it, though he only got the hard and fast version of three lines two nights ago.

"...Why?" Nat's muffled question manages to make it out from behind her hands, which she has yet to lower.

Alicia glances over to Natalie for a moment, then back towards Sly, then Taslyn. A frown soon forms upon her face as she crosses her arms, letting out a breath..

Silver-Tongue furrows his brow and takes a small step backwards, fidgeting. "I...um..." His shoe scuffles the floor again. "The reason wasn't explained to me, just the importance of not mating with any other Garou." He tries his smile again, but the withering look from Nat makes him lose it. "I don't think I know enough about us to guess, either."

Alicia clears her throat loudly, obviously wishing to interject something here.

Dale, still quiet, still slouched against the wall, fishes a hand through the pocket of his jacket. After another moment he's popping a stick of chewing gum into his mouth. When Alicia makes to interrupt, a thin, humorless smile finds its way to his lips; perhaps he has a guess as to what's coming.

Taslyn looks to Alicia, "Go right ahead and speak up, Alicia... This is just discussion." She smiles over at the noise. "Just wanted to know what he knew so we could build on it."

"Alicia?" Nat echoes, turning to face the Gaian elder and letting her hands drop. She mouths a silent and fervent, "Thank Gaia," eyes cast upward, before gesturing broadly to the other woman. "Alicia. Good. You can take over now, right?"

Sly flinches, as if he's been scolded again. He shuffles backwards, his hands digging further into his pockets.

"The reason why Garou do not mate with other Garou, is because Metis are sterile and they come out horribly deformed or even mad with insanity." Alicia says, chin lifting upwards. "If we continued to mate with each other, our kind would die off and we would lose the war to our own passions. It is why we seek out kinfolk, wolves, and even humans for our mates when we wish to find love, or to simply breed and continue with our bloodlines. It is not worth bringing a life into this world that may or may not be able to defend itself. Also, child birth is painful and quite deadly for the mother." She tilts her head towards Natalie and Taslyn. "Is the instructions not going well?"

Taslyn looks to Alicia, "Going just fine... Just trying to find a beginning point to start at." She turns back to Sly, "It's all in the learning. Just have to knock it into your head... But you have to know why things are the way they are... Not just the Litany, how else can you learn from it?" She offers a comforting smile. "It can take a while." She leans in close, "Did for me..."

"Now that you're here you can take over," the Walker Elder says with a bright false smile, adroitly avoiding the question. "I'm gonna head back into town, I think. I got a craving for won tons." She offers the rest of the group that same smile and strides for the barn doors as afraid someone will stop her.

Sly stays silent, feeling a bit disappointed in himself.

Taslyn lifts a hand, "Bye Natalie! Catch you later."

Alicia frowns slightly as Natalie bolts for the doors, letting out a soft breath. "Well, see ya then, Nat." She says, shrugging a shoulder upwards, then glances back to Sly. "Pss." She says to the kid. "If it wasn't explained to you before, don't get down on yourself. None of us is psychic."

[End of log]