A Return to Arms

[Jeremiah Daniels]

A growl of angry disappointment rumbles from Jeremiah as he finds no one to make sorry. Too bad it would feel so good. Instead he sheathes the knife and sets off on a slow walk around the defiled grave. Someone has fucked up and fucked up hard.

Each step brings him focus. Each step brings clarity back from the Rage.

Two wolves come to his attention as he walks. A wolf new to Jeremiah and Kevin.


...Kevin?

<<Kevin?>> Jeremiah calls to his friend and apparently unexiled wolf. The situation reasserts itself onto Jeremiah and he turns to look at this new wolf.

<<Greetings. I pray you have nothing to do with this.>> Jeremiah calls out to the new wolf.

  esuxx (5)

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-05-07 21:49:50		Jeremiah rolls 8 to Perception (Wits3+Comp3+Daul2=8) (10 Again)		3, 1, 6, 4, 3, 10, 8, 10, 8, 10, 6		5 successes

[Key]

Sacramento had been calling, it was so new, so wild. The perfect place for Samantha to begin another trek into her favourite topic. But when the howls of challenge ripped through the air she couldn’t, by any stretch of the words, leave it well alone.

She arrives at the call to see six others, in one shape or another; her own red and white fur still cooling from the movement of the chase. She was curious, but she was no where near anything that could be considered territory of her own.

Sammy the wolf approached the others carefully, making no move to hide herself, he head lowered just enough, she knew where she was as far as that it wasn’t hers.

Samantha is in Urhan

  5suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-05-07 23:23:14		Samantha rolls 10 to Perception [Wits+Comp+ 4 (Urhan)] (10 Again)		2, 9, 10, 4, 4, 5, 5, 4, 10, 4, 3, 10, 8		5 successes

[Mike]

Steel, Jim, Tony

You notice that the line of decay isn't spreading nearly as quickly towards the caern, but it's still slowly eating away at the thin line of life, the barrier protecting the caern is failing. You can feel the Essence from the loci being rapidly drained at an impossible pace.

Esuxx

The three of you notice that each box has a small Christmas gift card on it. The box on the left is addressed to Mr. Matthew "Firebringer" Greene the box on the right is addressed to Mr. Jeremiah Daniels. The sound of moans of pain can barely be heard from inside the boxes. Somewhere in the near distance the quiet "Hoo" of an owl can be heard.

[roadnottaken]

Too many people, mostly unrecognized. Where were they all coming from? Why now? Eyes flicker to each of the others, primal, distrustful. If this weren't Tur ...

At once his head snaps back to the boxes. <<Looks like someone decided to celebrate Christmas in May. At our expense.>> The words are barked out in a low growl. He had half a mind to swat at one of the boxes, but holds back. As fast as it was draining essence, he couldn't imagine motes being the only things at risk from it. <<Whatever's in there, they're hurt.>>

More disturbingly, where was his pack? Others should have answered. Without hesitation, he sends his senses flying outward to locate them. The effort proves surprisingly difficult. Hopefully not a sign of things to come.

  Pack Awareness

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-05-08 18:31:43		Matthew rolls 7 to Wits + Emp + Wis - 1 (10 Again)		2, 3, 3, 1, 4, 6, 8		1 success
2013-05-08 18:31:04		Matthew rolls 8 to Wits + Emp + Wis (10 Again)		5, 7, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 3		failure

[DrDog]

"And I'm not sitting around while someone could be hurt. Names Jim by the way."
Jim steps over to the box on the left, and tries to pry the top off.

Jim looks at his hand. "Oh come on."

  partial change failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-05-08 19:36:39		Jm Stone rolls 4 to Stamina+Survival+primal urge (10 Again)		3, 2, 7, 2		failure

[Kevin Swift]

Kevin cringes a bit at Tony's statement, after all it's true, he not suppose to be in the city and yet... "I heard the Howl. I don't know why but I did. Punish me or not, I don't see many more showing up and you need every wolf you can if that vision is happening." He states, looking first at Tony and then about, not seeing as many familiar faces among the crowd.

Then he says for the benefit of the new faces, "I am Kevin Swift, Itheaur of the Iron Masters."

He smiles over to Jeremiah and Steel, although he doesn't see Nieves or those brothers. "I'm glad you two are fine." He confesses once he moves to stand before Jer. "How have things been since I... I was exiled?" Kevin asks.

[Key]

«Sounds like Death and Pain.»

First tongue rumbled out of the Edoloth as she padded closer, the curiosity of what was happening just beyond her feet suddenly taking over her mind.

She watched as the strawberry blond worked at getting the box open, her own help currently paused by the fact that her clothes hadn’t exactly come with her.

Her red and white face turned towards the talking one.

«Shouldn’t we at least check the boxes?» Her eyes looked at the decay before she carefully placed a paw over the crawling line.

[Anubite25]

Steel's first reaction wasn't to the boxes.

It was to Kevin. Somehow the exiled beta had returned. After being chased out by every wolf, after it must have taken so much restraint for everyone else to avoid killing him.

The rahu's reaction was therefore completely understandable.

"The fuck are you doing here, Kev?!" Steel shouts.

His voice is equal parts confusion, anger, joy, and a sprinkling of other emotions that he can't quite express. He doesn't know whether to embrace or strangle the Itheaur, so he settles for keeping his hands at his sides. At Kevin's question, Steel takes a deep breath.

"... Confusing is the word I'd use," Steel pipes up before Jeremiah can. "The Baines brothers left town right after Jer named one of them Alpha... I'm not sure where Nieves is... and now, well..."

He gestures to the boxes. Seeing the corruption leaking out he's suddenly glad they have an extra seer around to help out. He also notices the other two wolves plodding up to them. The new girl stops at the edge, but the man actually tries to pull the lid off of one.

<<THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?>> he shouts at Jim before he can stop himself. <<You see what those things are doing! How is getting close on your own a good idea?>>

Steel doesn't bother to reign himself back, he doesn't even notice or care who the wolf that just touched the box is. They're in unknown territory with these things and whatever is inside them he refuses to believe popping them open for a peek will lead to anything pleasant.

[Jeremiah Daniels]

<<There are people inside of them Steel. That is why.>> Jeremiah replies to the Rahu with his gaze on the boxes. His voice is tense but level.

He shakes his head sadly to Firebringer. Words fail the Ghost Wolf. This is all Something alright.

<<I'm Jeremiah, Crescent.>> Jeremiah says to the rest of the wolves. Niceties done.

After a moment of deliberation Jeremiah draws his knife once again. <<I'm opening the one with my fucking name on it.>> Why swear? Because he can.

Moving next to the box Jeremiah suppresses a cringe at the decay. <<Steel, Kevin. When I open this. If its friendly help it. If it's not make sure it stays alive so we can ask questions.>> With that Jeremiah starts working on the box with his knife.

  2 suxx

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-05-08 20:50:07		Jeremiah rolls 8 to Open the box (Str4+Weapon4=8) (10 Again)		2, 9, 9, 7, 3, 2, 2, 2		2 successes

[Mike]

The moment that Jeremiah touches his box a number of things occur simultaneously.

Danger Sense alerts Samantha and Steel of Danger

The boxes both effortlessly fly open. An owl's screech pierces the air. The lids land with a thud a few feet away and behind the boxes.

Jim and Jeremiah make Resolve+Composure rolls at -1, Jeremiah takes an additional-1. Everyone else makes Resolve+Composure

The sight inside each box is a gruesome one.

In Matthew's box, the empty stares of Alejandra and Stefan look skyward, faces frozen in horrified expressions of pain. Next to their neatly lined heads is half a face. Eternal Sentry's face, the left half, sits against the side of the box. For those close to the boxes, beneath the heads they can see the cleanly butchered bodies of 2 and a half people. Thighs, ribs, hearts... each piece neatly arranged by type, like one would find in a meat market.

Jeremiah's is the mirror image of Matthew's. The other half of Eternal Sentry is there, neatly placed next to heads of the Baines Brothers. Underneath their heads are the parts of 2 and half bodies cleanly, and professionally butchered.

Matthew roll for Kuruth -1 die. Jeremiah roll for Kuruth, Steel and Kevin roll for Kuruth +1

Mere seconds after this grizzly sight is unveiled, before what they are seeing can truly set in, the true package that exists within the boxes comes bursting out.

INITIATIVE- Samantha and Steel may each post one action/statement before posting their initiative if they pass their composure rolls.