Dolus' ears and body stayed trained on the deeper darkness, though his eyes did flick back to the fellow werewolves. His voice was a low gravelling rasp, the closest attempt at a crinos whisper, trying to keep his opinions from echoing further into the cavern towards their prospective quarry. "Good. We will face the monstrosities that slither and despoil together, then." Clearly it was meant to be a bolstering verbal gesture, but...it definitely needed a little work. "While untended fire can spread, consume, and harm, it doesn't do so with active malice. Those are problems that can wait until others are...dealt with."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Sun 12 Nov 2023.

The theurge nods to Breanna. "Seems correct. They do not know which direction the bells have gone. Can sense them both ways, but one may be only an echo. Memory." To Dolus she tilts her head with a subvocal whine of uncertainty. "Should fight, yes; we will face the invader, the taker. Play-fight is different, I have not fought before. How?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Mon 13 Nov 2023.

Natalie thought to herself, while listening to what the others said.

"I think you're right about going further in. Going back outside the cave, even if we're in the spirit world, probably just leads back to the packs, and I think if we leave the cave empty-handed, we fail. Or am I overthinking this?"

Dolus gave a snort, shaking his head raggedly at Rainfall's question, one hand picking at the other's splintered claws. "That is a better question for a Fullmoon, not a Newmoon. I know to take care biting, they are foul in nature, essence, and flavor."

He gave Natalie a slow regard, "It is never a flaw to think on all paths. This is a test, and so intent and expectations were made, especially by the Elders. They wouldn't have given such a fetish to their kind..." He flicked his tail towards the deeper darknesses. "But the Bells were said to call to spirits of all sorts, so maybe the wyrm-spirit stole it away. I think the Fire outside is an unexpected guest, perhaps intended, but less of a threat. We should clear the cave, but not because of any fear of judgement of the Elders. I don't think exiting into the greater Umbra of this caern is going to be their tipping point. To ignore the Litany would be.Combat the Wyrm wherever is dwells."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Fri 24 Nov 2023.

Ah yes, the *Auspices* she'd been taught about. Rainfall nodded at Dolus' deferment and glanced between the others. "Am of the crescent moon. Others?" After all, if they did have a natural battle leader among them, they would know best. "Fire spirit may be lost, or annoyed," she speculates with the rest. "Perhaps the wyrm-thing irritated. Should be sent home, possible?" She shrugs and glances further into the cave. The vindictive sound had come from deeper, so Natalie seemed in the right. Either way, she had a hard time feeling comfortable turning her back on the deeper dark, the fur along her spine rising.

At Rainfall's question, Breanna pauses a moment, her gaze briefly drifting as she recalls the primer she was given that covered the bare-bones basics of Garou society. "I'm a half-moon; I think the term is Philodox? And my only combat experience so far has been sparring -- another sort of play-fighting. I'm certainly no expert, though I'll certainly give it my best shot. And I'm inclined to agree with our friend here," and she nods at Dolus, "that we need to go after the nasty spirit, regardless. The only reason I can think of that it might be worth seeking out the fire spirit first is in case it has information about the other. Can you talk to any spirit the way you spoke with this one, Rainfall? Because that was very helpful."

Tilting her head at the word, Rainfall nods. "Crescent moon called theurge, think," she clarifies, before listening with interest to Breanna's explanation. "Balance is important. Strong defense." She glances between the last two before returning her gaze to Breanna for her question, tail swishing once in acknowledgment of the praise, pleased to be useful to her new pack. "Yes. Spirit-language more familiar even than this."

Natalie scrubs a clawed hand through the short fur on top of her head, a nervous and very human gesture. "Well, I'm a full-moon; they told me that was important to know. I guess that means I'm supposed to be good at fighting?" She shrugs uncomfortably. "I've always been good at sports and physical stuff, but my actual fighting experience is... not so much. But, there's a first time for everything, right?" The wry smile she attempts doesn't quite translate onto her Crinos snout.

There's a quiet sigh, stifled and filtered through the black metis' snout. It was hard to keep the disappointment from wilting the lift of his tail. They were outsiders to the Garou world still, not even Cliath, each of them looking awkward if not uncomfortable in the warform he wore as his true skin. A quick flick of his eyes to the straining denim legwear one had chosen to keep on, Awakened enough to express and shift with the change, even. Human customs were different, he had to accept that, strange as they were. Still, to not be properly taught how to wage battle against the Defiler's brood spoke poorly of their tribes. Shadow Lords would never leave thier cubs so blind, and so Dolus' instruction had been swift, harsh, and clear.

"Then we will be taught our skills by the oldest mentors of our kind: Pain and blood. With Gaia's blessings, it will be theirs more than ours." There's a dry humor in his tone, muddled in the rumbling language of his form, the phrasing an echo of his own lessons on the matter. "Do we seek the insight of the fire on the matter before, or do we hunt down the intruder now?"

There's a quiet moment where Breanna seems to be arguing with herself; the conflict plays out in the tension of her arms and shoulders, and faint twitches of her clawed fingers. "My first instinct is always to go for more information. Forewarned is forearmed, and all that. But that also feels a little like stalling, and I'm genuinely not trying to put off doing what needs to be done -- and I know we need to fight that dark spirit. Ugh..." She reaches up to wipe her hand across her face, and seems momentarily startled when she hits a lupine muzzle. "I'll go with the group if everyone else wants to find the dark spirit now, but since it's been brought up, I want to see what Fire knows." The tightness in her posture relaxes, settled now that she's reached a decision. She meets the eyes of each of the others in turn, waiting to hear their choices.

Clearly uncertain about the various assumptions being made, Rainfall turns her attention back to Insight and dips her head respectfully. [Language unknown: "Thi olre'olna p alneun Prout wa nc een loriss? Whouai nohis astne of eresomome sill Dinvorone os ca tho icaio io prdind?"] Glancing back at her companions, she tilts her head in a rather canine approximation of a shrug, the gesture clearly new to her. "Is best I clarify, maybe."

The images on the wall continue to dance. [Language unknown: “O ar Haser stev k k ithon ti hi pebe earthusti saadio. Po o olmost in naprpe est san rilopr. Io t tho os Resforion hipro k les ion anolstec ngnail nc. Mo il ssniri’u star hatwa ainpa u osredi il isle. Sonstayin ad n rea ur ie om hi pr intdi K pratho e onfi'uste.”]

Rainfall hums softly, ears pricking at the response before inclining her head respectfully to the cavorting paintings. [Language unknown: "Li nte it omer acse, Illerable. Ingherome om arwit nde olwhelnaen."] "Fire is older, centuries. Insight knows not if Fire has knowledge of Bells, but Insight wishes it to leave territory. Other is newer, younger."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Thu 14 Dec 2023.

Breanna listens attentively while Rainfall speaks to the pictograms, and translates their answer. "So either way, dealing with both interloper spirits would be the right thing to do. The question still remains which one we seek out first. I stand by my initial answer; we may learn something of use while treating with Fire -- even if that knowledge is nothing more than how best to work together as a group. But again: where do the rest of you stand?" While Breanna makes brief eye contact with each of the would-be pack, her gaze lingers longer on the two who seem more familiar with the ways of werewolf-kind.

The lupus-born gave an awkward approximation of a shrug. "Knowledge is powerful," she replied simply when Breanna's eyes turned her direction.

Dolus snorted at the hesitation that still lingered, a bit more tension in his tone, but keeping it level, measured. No need to push things too hard with newcomers he'd hope to be packmates with for a long time. "While knowledge given by an ancient fire spirit could be useful overall, the longer we delay, the more time that Bane has to taint, befoul and defile our caern. I will defer if the group feels what we will be stronger for finding the old spirit, but be aware that our foe may be stronger in turn.

Uncertainly, Natalie listens to first one, then another of her fellow new werewolves offer their opinions. She finds herself nodding along as the dark-furred wolf shares his thoughts. “If the Fire spirit is older, then it seems like that situation is… more stable, in a way? It’s probably not going to do anything too drastic while we’re dealing with the other one. Whereas the – Bane, you called it? – seems more volatile. More urgent. I guess I’m worried about what it could do if we give it any extra time.” Her glance flits between the dark wolf and Breanna, unsure if her contribution has added clarity or just further muddied the waters.

With the odor of concern Sierra suddenly stepped back sideways to the world you all knew so much better. Was she afraid? Did something more important come up? Who knew , but what was known is it would probably be considered a failure on her part barring extenuating circumstances. The last glance before finishing stepping through the weave was one of apologies.

Breanna blinks in surprise at Sierra's sudden disappearance, her ears drooping in disappointment. "Well, there goes our tiebreaker," she sighs. "Although, that was never going to be an effective way of making decisions going forward, anyway. Especially once we find ourselves in combat, we're going to need to be able to react as a unified group. We need a leader," she declares, glancing around the remaining werewolves, "and I think there's only one obvious choice."

She paces forward, stopping a few steps away from Dolus. "I expect you're going to protest that it's not your place for a number of reasons -- you were born under the wrong moon and all that -- but you were also raised in this world. You understand more about what's going on than any of the rest of us. And you have actual training in warfare, which we don't." She takes a single step back, giving him space, though there's a challenge in her green eyes. "It doesn't have to be permanent, if you don't want it, but for at least the duration of this trial, I'm prepared to trust you to lead us."

"What...happened?" Rainfall ventures, reaching a clawed hand out into the air where Sierra disappeared as if to forestall, but withdraws it quickly, ears flicking to Breanna. What's done is done, Sierra's path is her own, but even the loss of a short acquaintance is felt. The lupus sighs, focusing her attention. "No objection," she seconds, tilting her head at the metis. "Leader?"

Dolus had been distracted by the rapid departure of their Ahroun, ears flattened in annoyance. Fianna were known for talking, or even singing, a big game, but to flee from a challenge was uncommon. "Strange...I hope whatever would cost her their future was worth the departure."

It's a difficult thing to see color drain from somebody whose fur is the hue of starless night, but for a moment there's the chance when Breanna suggests he take charge. He's torn, ragged as the tips of his paws, unaware of his plucking and peeling at the splintering claws. Part of him knew this is the perfect opportunity to mold this pack, shape it for something great, something so much more than his destiny before. The other part knows he was never meant, never made to be such a leader of others, taught instead to obey and comply for the greater purposes of his elders. But this was something he'd never imagined, this could be a chance he'd never find or see again.

He took a deep breath in, willed his curled tail to straighten out, high and assertive, even if he didn't believe it. "First of all, there is no wrong moon. Wrong sires, yes. As for my knowledge of this world, it ends where the borders of Garou territories lie. And my teaching was of fighting, as every Garou should have. Not warfare...that is Ahroun's domain. If this does not make you balk, then so be it. I will make sure we will find victory and glory for our little pack."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:59, Sun 28 Jan.

The dancing figures on the wall became still and flat, like the paintings they were. As they returned to silence other sounds crept in. The crackling of fire and far off muted singing to one side. To the other was the maddening constant drip of water and a low litany of gibbering.

As she watched Sierra vanish back into the physical world, Natalie's blood ran cold. It's already falling apart. We have no direction, no guidance. A chilling thought stopped the breath in her lungs. Don't Ahroun usually become leaders? Am I going to have to...?

Her attention was captured by the words of the other human-born girl. When she heard Breanna tell the dark-furred werewolf to step up as leader, the tension that had gripped her spine released so abruptly that she visibly sagged a little. Oh, thank God.

Natalie licked her lips, her lupine mouth feeling suddenly dry. "I agree. I support you as leader."

Dolus snorted, not of derision, more of finality, a slight shimmy down his back like he was shaking off shed fur. None of the pack, his pack?, seemed to want to take on the mantle any more than he did, but without direction, more would balk and fall away. Time to live the lie. "Fine, then. If so, then prepare to hunt. No taint should sit this close to the heart of ou...the caern. The ancient fire will still be here when we return."

Breanna glances at Rainfall and Natalie, and then back to the dark wolf. "Excellent, we have a goal now. Since none of us have ever seen real combat before, I hope you're prepared to direct us." There is a hint of a smile on her canine features -- not mocking, but encouraging.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:45, Sat 03 Feb.