In Search of Wisdom

[Emily Makerith]

Sometimes things needed a woman's touch.

Which, Emily thought vaguely, kinda was her whole responsibility with Clarion Call.

Brigit was clearly skittish. She had every right to be, expecting an empty city to hide out in and getting a showdown. So, Emily invited her out to Sutter's landing. It was isolated and rural, wooded and peaceful. A great place to talk.

The Mustang's engine purred and Emily stroked the steering wheel lovingly as she pulled in to park. Getting out, she rolled a cigarette and laid back on the hood, purring at the warmth beneath her in the mild spring air.

Hopefully, someone would show.

This is a scene mostly for Stray , but I've left it open in case anyone wants to hear Brigit's tales.

[Brigit]

Sutter's Landing.

Rural. Isolated.

In the eyes of the Herd and perhaps regular Urdaga the place even seemed peaceful, but Brigit was far from the usual Blood Talon. She was once-Pure and now in a city with a presiding pack that seemed to suspect what she was. Thus, Sutter's Landing was perfect for two things. On one hand, the blue-maned peacemaker was trying to grant her some small comfort by getting her away from the city. On the other, it could easily be a ruse.

The meeting with Emily could be a lure, drawing Brigit into a sense of security before another member of the pack pounced, perhaps the impulsive Giant or the crazed alpha himself.

However, Brigit knew she had to risk it. Thus, the rumblings of the Defender sounded in the distance, announcing the former Izidakh's approach. Soon it pulled up near the Mustang, though it some space. Brigit remained in the cab, engine still running for several long moments as she scanned her surroundings. Then she glanced at her center console, debating whether or not to retrieve her Colt, but ultimately deciding against it. She had to play this cool and a pistol on her hip could give Emily the wrong idea.

Brigit meant no harm and the presiding pack she had been absorbed into needed to know that.

Finally, Brigit took a deep breath, killed the engine, and exited her vehicle. She'd walk a short distance towards Emily, but stop a few paces away from her to create a natural buffer.

"Love for blue, huh?" she asked, her lamblike features offering a nervous smile as she attempted to afford some levity.

[Emily Makerith]

The Ithaeur propped herself on one elbow as the jeep approached, sealing the cigarette with her tongue. It was barely possible to look more laid back that she was, so Emily added a smile as Brigit approached.

"What?! It's like, my favourite colour! How did you tell?" The grin stretches wider as she plays along with Brigit's quip. Sitting up, Emily pops the smoke in her mouth. She flicks her hand, but nothing happens.

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-03-23 19:09:44		Emily rolls 4 to Call Fire: Stam+Surv+Purity (10 Again)		4, 3, 7, 1		failure

"Hang on just a sec," she says, scowling at her own hand and clicking her fingers several times.

  1 success

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-03-23 19:10:44		Emily rolls 4 to Call Fire: Stam+Surv+Purity (10 Again)		4, 1, 1, 9		1 success

Flames wrap around the Ithaeur's hand and she lights the cigarette, shaking the fire out and taking a long drag, sighing happily. "So, Brigit. First, like, I want you to try and relax. I'm not here to kick ass, unless you scratch Baby here, and even then, it's not personal. She's my pride and joy. I'd kick the ass of anyone that did that, and...er..." Emily clears her throat. "Ahem. Well. Sorry. I get sidetracked sometimes. So... this is kinda personal, but I noticed you're missing a kinda important bit of your hide. And I think we both know what that means, but I don't wanna, like, jump the gun or anything here, because you are Suthur Anzuth." The Ithaeur shrugs and takes another drag on her smoke. "So, I'm kinda offering a change of information, or whatever. I'll tell you what I can about here - and I've lived here longer'n most of our kind - if you kinda fill in a few gaps in a more chilled environment. What d'ya say?" Another cheeky smile is offered.

[Brigit]

Emily's benevolent demeanor - and the accidental humor of her subsequent difficulties in summoning the flame, put Brigit at a visible sense of ease, though she remained partially guarded. Nonetheless, the meek smile tugged a little wider.

A nod followed.

"I understand... my girl's a little important to me too," she offers, a thumb pointing to the quiet Defender. Her chariot.

The smile lessened a bit as they moved into the meat of the issue. Brigit lacked an auspice. Emily wanted to know why. She also wanted to know why the Blood Talons trusted her enough to grant her entry to their tribe.

Uncertainty danced in the eyes of the once-Pure, but then they became washed with a sense of acceptance. Brigit's arms folded at first. Then her arms shifted, almost as if hugging herself for some semblance of security.

"Like I said," she starts, her voice dipping to solemn tones, "I understand why you guys would be suspicious. I don't have an auspice. That can only mean one thing, right?"

A long pause. Brigit's eyes land on Emily's, locking on in order to gauge the Ithaeur's reaction and intent. Then, after some moments, she sighed and took a few steps closer before moving to lay in the dirt beside Baby. Brigit's gaze turned to the sky, her expression clearly showing that she was searching for the right words as her hands dipped beneath her head, supporting it against the rocky soil.

"I was Anshega, Emily," she affirms, "No reason to beat around the bush... we both know it, but there's only one way to get silver brands and that's the blessings of spirits associated with Mother Luna. I'm guessing that's what your curious about, yeah? You wanna know how someone who knowingly damned themselves to Mother Luna's embrace gained at least a semblance of her blessing, am I right?"

[Ruach]

wrong account

[Matt Joule]

Matt comes walking out into the area where Emily and Brigit have parked.

He had parked his black, vintage Hummer on the other end of the park and walked through the dog park along the greenbelt running beside the river. It was...calming.

Matt understood Emily was the one that was good at the diplomacy. She was good at getting people to like her, and talk to her. It was probably counterproductive for Matt to even be there, but he wanted to know, first hand what Brigit had to tell. So he gave them a headstart to get all comfortable and walked instead of driving the last part.

Matt, the giant has an unusual, calm expression as he approaches, though his eyes still carry an intense focus on Brigit.

"Hey," he says, simply.

[Emily Makerith]

Emily's eyes roll upwards as she thinks. Could it be anything else/ I don't... think so...?

"Far as I know," she admits. "And I wouldn't say damned... I mean, look at me. I look damned to you?" Emily spreads her arms, presenting herself and grinning cockily. She cocks her head. "B, listen. You've already been accepted, and I might not know much, but I know the Anzuth don't take just anybody. And yeah, it's weird - and you saw what I'm working with, I'm pretty much the brains of the outfit. So, I come to learn. I don't have Glory, but Wisdom and Purity. You born into them, or something? Makes the most sense to me." She grins playfully. Emily would tease, but having a Pack mean the world to her.

The Ithaeur looks over her shoulder at the hulking entrance of Matt. "Hey, stretch," she greet the Rahu, waving slightly with the hand behind her back to keep a little distance.

[Brigit]

She could smell Matt. She didn't have to look.

"Matt, I'm gonna level with you," she say, her tone serious as her caution melts away, "If you think a stare is gonna do shit to me, you're going to be disappointed. I grew up among the Izidakh and was brought up by an Alpha. Compared to that, dealing with your tall ass is a breeze. That said, if you're here to make a move and try to put me down, I'd make it now. Just know the Destroyer doesn't suffer the weak. I won't go down quiet. Otherwise... take a seat. Stay awhile."

She let the statement hang, though her eyes never even looked to the Giant, remaining on the skies. One thing was certain, she sure as hell wasn't going to let them glower at her if that was their intent. Fuck that.

"Kind of you to say, but acceptance is just a word. I know you guys don't trust me, it's not my first rodeo," she says, her voice still slightly on edge, "You might accept me in time and I hope you do, but let's look at the facts. You have an auspice. I don't. And I never will. I've come to terms with it, but I'm not gonna call it something it's not, you know? Far as our Mother is concerned, my time with the Pure is a blackmark on my soul and I don't disagree with her."

A pause. "So to me, no you don't look damned," she says, before flicking her eyes to the Ithaeur and offering a small smile, "You look blessed."

The compliment was earnest.

Brigit stretched as they got to the meat of the issue, but remained on the dirt.

"Yep," she says, "I was raised in a compound out in Idaho. We were pretty self sufficient and all the families were related to the Izidakh pack that ran things. All of us were wolf-blooded. The pack was run by my grandfather, it might still be, and he clued me in on the truth about him and his buddies pretty early on, just like they did with all the kids. A bit before my 19th, the shaman determined I was nuzusul. I got the Rite of Purity that night. I Changed a few weeks later. Joined the pack. Got a new name. And a new purpose."

Then a small laugh.

"Obviously, a lot's changed since then," she said.

[Matt Joule]

Matt stares at Brigit. "I'm not staring." he says. "This just me. Looking." he says. "I'm here to listen." he says.

"Emily and the Alpha say your not Pure. So you're not. You say you got someone to protect. That sounds like something someone could be using to control you. Like the Pure that showed up at the same time and place you did. So, I'm just here to listen to what you have to say." he says.

"I'm not here to fight. Unless you know, you want to." he offers.

[Emily Makerith]

"Hey, easy guys," Emily says lethargically. "I didn't mean accepted byu us, I meant the Suthur Anzuth. I'm not saying we're gonna be all buddy-buddy after one day," the Ithaeur says lightly, "But maybe we can start an understanding, yeah?"

The Iron Master grins. "I always said I got looks and brains." She knows Brigit means the Auspice, but it helped to put the nervous wolf at ease. "We can't help what we're born as. But we can choose what we want to be. I won't hold it against you. I never fought the Anshega much. Dad wouldn't let me. Shortly after that everyone disappeared." She shrugs.

Emily listens to the story. "Yeah, sounds like. What brought you down here? It's not exactly what I'd call a safe environment - dunno if you've looked across the way yet but it's chaotic out there."