Gangrel Training Session

[Mable Wood]

"I agree, I'm not quite ready either. I want to learn how to hide beast first. Then the speed will come in handy. Besides, I am kinda fast as a bat." Mable laughs.

"I always enjoy your company. It is so relaxing just talking with you. I see why horses respond so well to you. Your voice is so soothing." Mable compliments.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods as Mable agrees to hold off asking for Celerity training, at least until she's learned the Mask of Tranquility. A month or two is all that will take, he's certain. Will he be able to complete his Chrysalis by then? Best not to think of it like that way; he will go into it when it's time, when it feels right and he feels ready, whenever that is. Let nothing rush it.

He smiles slightly at Mable's compliments. "Thank you, Ma'am. It's mighty kind of you to say so." He says. "Truth to tell; I spend as much time as I can these nights with no voice at all. It's to prepare for my next Change." Dirt Nap explains.

He is silent and unmoving for a long minute, then another. He seems to be enjoying the company and the atmosphere.

"It'll be even more peaceful when we both are Masked, I suppose."

[Mable Wood]

Mable nodded, "Yes. I feel bad sometimes about that. Other times, however, I really enjoy the reactions. But I would prefer to have our time peaceful and calm."

She thinks a moment. "Is there anything I can do to help with your voice thing? Like speak up for you or I don't know, anything?" She is curious but doesn't need details. She only wants to be helpful and not see him disappear as BB did.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap is silent a moment as Mable talks. Then he pauses another long moment and then he says, "I am sorry, Ma'am. I think I might have missed what you meant about the reactions? I guess maybe you mean without the Mask?" He asks. He nods, "It is a good thing, for the safety of it. Just because a dangerous Beast is Masked, doesn't make it any less dangerous." He says thoughtfully.

He is quiet again as Mable speaks about his voice. Then after a particularly long pause, Dirt Nap says, "I apologize, Ma'am. I think I steered you wrong though I did not mean to. What I meant is, I spend most of my time, well, as much as practical, going about on all fours or on wings, so to speak, and I don't talk at all then, and the rest of the time I am mostly only with the horses, and while I do speak a word or two to them, I don't really use my voice so much. A horse'll pay a lot more attention to what I do more than what I say."

[Mable Wood]

Mable smiled again, "Yes, I meant without a mask. I think people forget that I am dangerous because I try so hard to be kind. A reminder of my beast pressed against their own is a good reminder. But, it will be interesting to be completely underestimated when I can mask the beast."

Mable thinks a moment, "I am sure people underestimate you. And I am pretty sure most think I am just an empty headed weak fool. That's ok with me. Usually at least."

About his silence, "Oh, I see what you mean. Okay. I wasn't sure if it was something you needed to do for your studies. Maybe I am more empty headed then I believe."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods and is silent in thought. "Yes, Ma'am; I believe you are. I believe you'd regret it, but you would do whatever is called for, I don't doubt it at all." He says respectfully. "Any one who figured you for less just because you were Masked would be making a mistake."

He chuckles when Mable says she's sure that people underestimate him. "Oh, now there I disagree, Ma'am. I think people don't underestimate me, so much as maybe they underestimate the things I am interested in." He says. "I think people tend to rightly figure right off that I'm not too much to brag about in the things that they are interested in, and that suits me fine."

Dirt Nap is quiet, and then says, "I know I am playing a risky strategy, not working so much on building up the kind of power people would respect, for my own protection. It's a good thing if no one thinks of me as standing in their way."

He listens to Mable about her supposed empty-headedness and shakes his head saying softly, "No Ma'am, not at all. It's my own way of speaking less plainly than I could. I apologize, Ma'am."

Dirt Nap is silent again, looking out into the night and listening to the night sounds. "Ma'am, do you mind if I ask, what way does your ambitions lie? I don't want to know your secrets, I would like to make sure not to be an obstacle in the way."

[Mable Wood]

"Dirt, you can always speak plainly to me. I appreciate you and your intelligence. You are a strong minded man. I like that." She sat quiet for a minute.

"I'm not secretive and you will never be standing in my way. I may have already told you my different outlook then others have. I believe we were all chosen. This thing that we are may be a curse but we have purpose if we choose to. My purpose is to help save humanity. While I may lose some of my own. I need to help care for nature. The Kine, they don't see the long haul. They don't see what they do is killing them. They need help. We get a picture of the long haul. Of how fleeting life is. We watch our loved ones die. We can see the damage kine do to the environment."

She waves a hand out to the trees. "I think by helping save the forests we will help save the animals. Help keep the air breathable. Keep the earth safe. So many of our kind are selfish idiots who are bored and unfocused. Or worse, seek power just like they did as kine. So many just fuck with the kine or each other. Not me. I am not about power and control. If I do get power, I try to use it to make things better."

"I try to explain to others that by saving forests, I save animals. By saving animals the humans will stay in the domain. By keeping the humans here then our kind can eat. Many of our kind don't see this, they only see what dangers are in front of them."

"My ambition... it's to keep the domain safe. To protect. Always to protect...trees, animals, people both kine and kindred. To protect my family and friends. Even when my family and friends are not inately good. I try to find the good in everyone." She quiets for now thinking. Perhaps answered his questions perhaps not

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap is still and listening intently as Mable speaks. He gives no sign of his astonishment. She had told him this before, and he'd forgotten, because it was just so different and unusual a perspective coming from an apex predator as she was. He imagined for a moment that the disoriented feeling he had while listening to here might be something like what some felt when he unwisely shared too much of his own strange theories and philosophies, but his own relative youthfulness and weakness probably helped them to ignore his different outlook, if they were of a mind to.

"Thank you Ma'am. I do recall now, you mentioned it. I had forgot." He says. "You did take care of the forests for people before, if I recall, before your Change. It's right admirable, Ma'am, your commitment to it."

He wonders if it has to do with children, if she had any before, or wanted to.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind a question that I don't think I thought of before, does it matter to you which parts you protect? Cause you've done right well by this farm and the land around it for a while now."

He didn't feel much attachment to any particular place, just an attraction to the opportunities to Change himself in a place. He wondered why it felt to him he never had seen a place with more opportunity than in this Domain? He supposed the Prince and her allies were the main reason. Still, he felt like Mable was a big part of it too.

[Mable Wood]

Mable thought about it. "No. The area really doesn't matter. Here however is the opportunity to help with the wild fires which go nuts around us. I have worked in many forests during my time. Mostly I have been by myself one with nature. It is really difficult to be social. So many things I just don't understand." She looks down.

"I had become so savage in so many ways. I was allowing the beast to take me over. I needed a change. So I came here." She looked up.

"The people here have all taught me things. But you and your support has been a huge reason for me staying. I didn't care much for the old prince. He was kinda a typical self centered guy but he did care about the domain and I respected that. When he disappeared, no one seemed really concerned and then Ale stepped in. She has been finding her footing but I think she also cares about the domain and the people. But seriously, you are the only one who seems to accept me for who and what I am. I appreciate that." Mable was as honest as she could be in her answers.

"What keeps you here? You could be in a place with more horses. Better space. Less people."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods as some of Mable's words seem to echo what he has felt himself. She is a bit further along than he is, and is working out her Change by changing things around her, maybe not even seeing how it changes her inside, while he is focused specifically direct on himself, putting himself in positions to make The Change on purpose. That doesn't sound too different than what she is saying for herself.


"I did leave, for a bit, Ma'am." Dirt Nap says slowly.

After a silent pause, long enough to draw doubt whether he's going to say anymore, Dirt Nap nods and says, "This is the best place I have found so far. I can't put my finger on it, the reason, exactly, but I do believe I have the best chance to grow here, more than anywhere else I have ever been."

He looks at Mable, "Ma'am, I suspect your kindness and your being established here as an example of a different kind of ambition has something to do with it, though." He says with a smile.

"Thank you again, Ma'am; you make a difference."