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Primal Urge
Originally posted by Chris Laurent:
Yep there's definitely something going on there. He may be crazy but there's a mind behind it. "I would be worried about one pack getting ambushed and the other not being able to get there in time. Territory disputes would be a problem as well but we would be divided unless we orchestrate well."
"I guess I don't see a second pack as necessary. But I'm not going to force anyone to join us. That'd just make things messy." Chris shifts before settling back down next to Emily. "I'm more interested in knowing that there are allies in town. If that's the same pack great, another pack great. As long as we can kick the ass of whatever threatens the People."The Ithaeur looks at Chris, grinning. "Dude, we've got territory to burn. It's not the dispute I'm worried about - it's carving out the territory back from the wilds to begin with." She sighs. "You guys fought a Magath for this one. I know it's a full-on Hisil forest one side and a huge fucking spider-web elsewhere. 3 people to take on an Azlu the size of a Bewick, just for a bit of land, when our borders are well off secure? Pass."
"I don't want two packs," Emily says slowly. "It's not a smart move. Carillon Call is a solid size, but not huge. We could use the numbers, and our own territory is far from straighened out. It's got a solid core to build on and choose a direction together." The Ithaeur deliberately stares at the ground. "And forcing a group of people that don't know each other together... well, if it goes wrong, at best one pack breaks and we end up with one pack anyway, or at worst people die. And like shit am I letting that happen. And I know that's a risk every time we step up to do our duties as what we are, but it's a lot harder whe you've a smaller pool of skills to work with. Makes you less adaptable as a group. Weaker."
She looks up at the three newer faces. "I guess it comes down to this. You wanna join us or not?" It's not delivered harshly, just slow and factual. "You don't gotta answer now, I guess, but I can't believe none of you have given it at least a bit of thought already. If you need more time or whatever, cool. If not, well, I guess now is as good a time as any. If you can convince the Grinning Buddha over there." She nods towards Hector, and gives him a cheeky wink. "I hope all of you join us. I do. It's better that way, for all of us."...aaaaaand her question didn't receive an answer. She bristles, under the silence.
"With a large pack there's still risk of a few gettin' ambushed while the others aren't there. Not sayin' I want two packs, or one or whatever. Just sayin'." A shrug.
Eyes widen, "A Magath? Now there's a story I wanna hear." A pack this size, claimed their territory from a Magath, shit. She looks at the Wolves of Carillon Call again. "Azlu, around your boarders? I would...like to know more."Felix returned to his squatting as the others spoke, his dirty hand holding his chin as he considered their thoughts. First, there was Emily, who earned a grunt of approval from the balding Uratha when she reinforced his point about the Anshega. They would return and the Urdaga needed to be ready. Then came the Quiet One, Roach. Fellow Irraka. She chose to engage Hector directly, who offered nothing, but a grin as the others began to speak. It seemed the alpha wished them to hash it out together, without his influence.
For now.
Perhaps that was the way of Red Wolf's children.
Chris earned a smile, albeit a muted one. He was right to mention the issue of territory. Then the Ithaeur spoke again, speaking of the need for safety for the newcomers. Why she seeked to coddle them, Felix did not know, but her response seemed to signal the death of others. Pain. Still her concern over a three-person pack seemed alien to the Meninna. And her reasoning more so. After a long moment, Felix stood. Time to play the Devil's advocate. He looked at Emily square in the eye for several long moments before he was ready to speak. True as it was, he had to say it right.
"Emily, your heart speaks of pain. Life lost and sorrow, but... our People are not meant for the deaths of the Herd. I know of many Urdaga who have passed and none have gone the quiet death of Man." The balding wolf raised a solemn hand, signaling to wait until he was done, "We are given great purpose, I hold this true as well. One day, I will die and if it is in the way of peace, it would be the first I have known for the Uratha. But so long as it comes in the Hunt or for the glory of Father Wolf's vigil, I will know that it is a good death. And the our Mother will be smiling." A small smile alighted the dirty man's lips, his attempt at reassurance at their purpose and his acceptance of his Fate as one of Father Wolf's chilldren.
He'd ignore her direct question for now, turning his attention back to Roach. Roach had bristled in her silence and Felix had watched. She too spoke a truth. A large pack was not an ultimate solution. "Roach is right. Large as we might be we do not dwell together as our brethren in the wilds do. We all stand a chance of ambush whether we are all under the patronage of Necessary Guile or not. Us joining you is not a guarantee of safety. It is a guarantee of brotherhood. Of Family... if we sync like we must. Packs ebb and flow like the river, but perhaps together we can endure. For now." Felix would let that statement sink, "I will say that this Meninna has Hunted alone for far too long. And if your pack has truly beaten a Magath and the Spiders... Hikoan-Ur would think me a fool to not seek a place among you."
Then his eyes landed on Hector, "If your alpha and totem would have me."
Holding the gaze only for a moment, Felix would break it to glance between the pair of Iminir, new to Sacramento as he was, "And you, children of Winter Wolf?""I think we...well, I'll just speak for myself," Queen said after a moment, her eyes tracking to Roach, momentarily. "I already expressed my desire to join Carillon Call."Hector grunted. Nodded. Let his gaze bounce onto the faces of his pack.
"Well. I guess that is settled then. Unless there is any disquiet in the ranks?"
His gaze remained on his original pack member. The homeless man's voice remained level and without a hint of threat.
"Strength in numbers works for me. Especially given what we've encountered so far."Emily gives Roach a shrug. "When the People vanished, they seized their chance - so did anything that could pull itself together. The Rats could have been as bad - The Azlu just got there first. Took over a chunk of the city. Locked the Gauntlet tighter than a rusted nut. As for the Magath...." She gives a nod towards Hector. "Fearless Leader over there will need to get off his furry butt and actually do some Storytelling. I dunno much about that. I only knew when it was gone."
The way Felix talks like she doesn't understand raises her hackles. I'm not some ignorant Pup. I've got Purity just like you, old man. She goes to speak, and the held hand illicits a low growl form the Ithaeur, but she lets him speak... and it just seems to build the frustration.
"Yeah, I got something." She stands and looks Felix in the eyes - something much easier in Dalu. "I just wanna make one thing fucking clear. I know we don't get to die in our beds. Hell, I never thought I'd last this long. I'm know one pack doesn't make us invulnerable, but it makes us safer and strongerif we work together and have each other's backs." The Ithaeur's tone is like ice, jabbing her finger at the ground and then at Felix. "I've lived here my whole damn life, I know this city a damned sight better than you, and there's a whole fucking difference between being afraid of people dying and trying to make sure people don't die fucking needlessly throwing themselves into something all because it's "What We Do". It's not just about Purity of purpose or dying Gloriously. It's about tempering our natures with the Wisdom of not being wholely instinctual creatures. And I'm all for living out our duties. I get it. I do my job as Crescent - I got Purity just like you. But one wolf doesn't fight a dozen hosts alone. And if in the future, if we settle more space, and we break apart, well, that happens too. I just don't want anyone thinking I don't know how our life is or I don't know how to do my job." Emily plants herself firmly, scowling. I dunno how you'll take straight shooting like this, so as long as I'm ready for you you can bring it, old man.Roach nods, "I'm in, I ain't a lone wolf, and this place is wild, untamed. If there's need for two packs in the future, we can worry about that then." she nods, even if that means she's in a Pack with Queen, but the Shrink wasn't the only wolf around. Bet ya, Roach could go weeks without being alone with the smiling fiend.The Irraka simply shrugs as Emily calls him out. "Good point there." There wouldn't be allies if they ran into problems. Chris looks to Roach. "We were at a cemetery and came across some rats. After finding out that the Hisil was basically a wall." Who knows where that dog was squirreled away. "It's a developing situation as they say." The Talon mellows as Felix brings up how it all ends. How can he be so calm about it?The Ithaeur spoke with passion. Passion oft annoyed Felix, but he understood it. She had misinterpreted his message, or so Felix thought. Felix's words were not meant to cause her grief or anger. It was never his intention to denounce her intelligence. Frankly, he was unsure where the Ithaeur had gotten the notion. He simply shared the truth he felt she was ignoring.
Still the rage of the Irraka is not often an overt thing. So it was with Felix, as Emily ranted Felix's body bristled in the dark. He watched the Ithaeur, his eyes blinking little as she droned. Words. Words. Words. As she settled, Felix would match her scowl with a ready stare, tinged as it was with the animalistic coldness that had long tainted his Humanity. After a long moment he spoke.
"Perhaps I was unclear," That was all she would get. Felix would not offer apology. That was not his way, he was an Uratha of action and, as such, would offer a solution aimed at his psyche. "It's clear we need to Know one another. The rage can become potent if it is not controlled. As you know, Ithaeur. I suggest a spar for another time. As family." After all, Hector seemed to have welcomed the newcomers at this point. "Through Purity our bond will strengthen... and I promise to exercise Honor." It was clear Felix was not making a threat. To him, this seemed a fine solution. A conflict broken through a pact of blood and claw. There was no better way to learn about one's packmates. "I invite you to set the terms, Makerith."
The statements of the others were ignored for the moment, though Felix did note Chris' statements about the Beshilu in the back of his mind. For the moment, the balding Meninna was focused on the reconciliation with the Crescent. If they were to be packmates, they needed to bond. Both were greatly different it seemed, so what better way than a fight undertaken in the spirit of brotherhood?"A Magarth had built its lair near the Locus at the heart of our territory. From there it would range around, hunting and terrorising I guess - given thats what it seemed to be: a dishonoured melding of railway locomotive, the hunt, and fear. We stumbled upon its locus and made a goal of cleansing it of the taint the Magath left behind. That drew it into confrontation with us - and well, it came at us head on... So we fought and slew it."
Hector stirred, turning toward Roach as he spoke.
"As for the Azlu problem? Well... Its a Beshelu problem as well. Rat and Spider hosts are waging some war at the southern edge of Necessary Guile's territory. Apparently."
He gestured with his hands and bobbed his head.
"Now on this occasion there might be something to it. I mean we've made some exploratory forays and found the Gauntlet completely locked up in places by their webs. So the Rats are helping... this time. Still haven't found the Spider's yet but our... ha! ...Source has said they have gotten big. Having a large pack will be welcome with dealing with that shit, I wager."Emily listens as Hector describes the Magath. Never one to be (overly) stupid, she has avoided that whole area. But Felix's proposal throws her.
"A fight. You wanna fight me?" Emily says, taken aback. She shifts, but keeps leering at Felix and doesn't back down. Her hands are balled in fists.
Okay, Emmy. So, you don't know a lot about Meninna, but you know about Purity. Dad knew all about it. He would fight with anyone about anything and laugh arguements off after. He'd forget it as done, whether he won or not.
I mean, he was a Rahu, so he won a lot....
Low Honor High, High respect Low. Even if you don't know which one he is yet. Do it properly, Emmy.
"Fine. But not here. Never here," Emily scowls. "I'll learn about you your way. But you wanna know me? Then listen. My first Pack was among those that vanished. So if I seem more concerned about keeping people alive than blindly following instinct, I got a fucking good reason. It's not just a Story to me."
Some of the tension drops from Ithaeur. "Sutter's Landing, by the river. Next Friday. Work for you?" Secluded. Out of the way. Should be fine to fight in 4 out of 5 ways.
She looks around the gathered People, though she doesn't quite meet Val's eyes after her confession. "Good talk." She turns and begins heading back out into the night.
Unless anyone stops her/calls her back, Emily will exit the scene! Thanks guys! It was great to start getting big pack stuff moving!"So." looking around, "Spiders and Rats? Great." she nods. "I knew Sacramento was fucked, but fuck." she breathed deeply through her nose, before nodding. "Okay. We gonna circle back and check, or y'all gonna show us newbies the edges and there they've been gnawing and spinning?"
Felix, and Makerith. Okay. Sure. That's gonna happen. Roach wondered where and when she and the Shrink would get into it.
"Ya good talk." Roach mutters as Makerith gets up to leave.Queen watched in concern as Marekith left, the balding wolf's challenge no doubt like a needle at her back. She'd have to check and see if Marekith wanted someone there to...play referee. It seemed a little foolish to think of it as being 'a second'. It wasn't a duel, after all. More of a harsh disagreement. Of course, given the Rage that burned within them all, it could be disastrous to have the two of them punching it out, alone..."Welp I know where I'm going to be next Friday." If you think a Blood Talon is going to miss watching a fight you are very very confused. Besides...fights can get messy. Bad messy.
"Think of it as one hell of a fixer upper." Chris says with a grin to Roach. "See you around Emily" A small wave to the Crescent before she disappears into the night."Until then, Emily," That was all Felix offered as the blue-maned woman balled her fists after setting her terms. He committed the location to memory and the day Emily had set forth. The Meninna's eyes remained on the Ithaeur as she spoke briefly about her past, affirming her rationale. When Emily turns, a small smile spread across his lips.
She has strength. This is good.
Felix then looked first to the concerned doctor, a knowing expression spreading across his face. He understood her concern. Then Chris spoke and Felix saw his avenue to offer some reassurance.
"All are welcome," he said, his voice adopting a friendlier if still somewhat aloof tone, "My goal is not Death. It is to Know. And the presence of the People can help us stay grounded. You're being there will remind us of why we are there. The Rage can be a potent thing, but family soothes." Then a glance to Valentina, offering the smilodon smiling Doctor a nod of affirmation. He meant her too. If Hector and the Totem were to bind them, they were packmates. "As I said, I promise to act with Honor and I sense Emily will do the same. Death will not rule the day. Only understanding."
The matter done, Felix looked back to Hector and Roach, now able to offer himself fully to the conversation. At the promise of good Hunting Felix did not shy away as Roach seemed to. Instead, a feral glint hit his cold eyes and a smile tugged its way across his mouth. He'd not offer anything else, however. He had already voiced his interest in hunting with the ragged alpha and the others. To repeat it seemed redundant.I found the notes. Enjoy!
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