Drumming under the Moon (Open)

[Cayce]

Joseph “Long Fang” Cliffe was walking down the sidewalk with his usually ground eating stride, eyes scanning his surroundings, when he spotted something. He paused to look over his shoulder for a moment and then slipped into the alley. He walked forward, his step light and quick over the moist, moss covered pavement until he bent down to examine what he had seen. He picked it up and found it to be an empty, white, plastic painter’s bucket. Perfect.

He continued walking down the alley until he exited out of its other mouth and turned to the left, walking in the same direction as before. He carried the bucket over his left shoulder, the cans he had already been carrying bouncing inside it as he continued walking. He began humming quietly to himself as trees came into sight over the next row of buildings and he changed his direction so he could approach the park from down wind. When he finally entered the park his step quickened and he took a slow, deep breath through his nose, testing the wind. If there were any Uratha around he would be able to smell them coming. He found a bench, sat down, and after taking the cans out he began to set up.

Joseph took the stick he had picked up after walking into the park and after poking holes into the cans he threaded it through, sticking it into the slits in the bench’s backrest near the seat. Next he sat the bucket face down on the ground, between his feet, and took his drum sticks out form his coat pocket. He sat for a moment more; smelling the trees and looking up at the few stars he could see and the moon in the sky. He then began to drum. Wildly he beat on the bucket, alternating complex rhythms and using the cans occasionally to mix in new sounds.

(For an idea of what it sounds like here is a video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIiVYk83bOM)

[Donan]

James is walking along the streets in his martial outfit, having started to prefer it after wearing it through his trial. Black trousers and a t-shirt to allow good freedom of movement, designed to allow very free movement of limbs and fast reacting.

He stops as he picks up the scent of another wolf on the wind and sniffs the air to try and follow it, beginning to move cautiously.

The Howlers were in a mess and there was a lot to fix, but one thing he needed more then anything else were new recruits, but if this was an dangerous werewolf..

He signed and squared his shoulders, whatever it was, he would do what he could to take care of it.

He walked into the nearby park and followed the scent of the other Urathu, and now the sound of drumming, making no effort to hide his approach.

When he reaches the other werewolf he stops at a respectful (and safe) distance and gives a nod. "Evening."

[Cayce]

Joseph looks up from his drumming when he hears the other wolf’s greeting. His gaze snaps over to the man with a vicious glare and then suddenly evaporates as a friendly smile splits Joseph’s face. He had been too absorbed in his drumming, too caught up in the need to express, the need to pour his energy and soul into something else. He always was on nights like this. He finishes one last insanely fast roll and stops. He quickly takes stock of his situation and notes the other Uratha’s position. Damn, I should have expected them to come from down wind, too. He sets his sticks aside and stands up slowly from the bench, still smiling.

“Evening,” he replies in turn, “nice one, too.”

[Donan]

For a moment James' causal stance is lost as Joseph glares at him, his eyes narrow, his fists tense and he changes into someone preparing for a fight. Just as quickly it's gone and he nods lightly. "It's nice to see people using these parks, we sometimes get musicians here, but I've not seen you before. New to these parts?"

The tone he asks the questions with is civil and friendly, but he still keeps some distance between the two of them.

[Cayce]

(Change of font)

Damn it 'Fang, you're putting him on his guard; not that he wasn't already.

"Yeah, just got into town this morning. I was itching to play, saw the park and I figured it was my best bet at this time of night," he says with a shrug. "I take it you live around here," he asks, quickly scanning the area around the man and then moves forward slowly, hand extended. "Name's Joseph by the way."

[Donan]

James nods, shaking Joseph's hand lightly. "James Hallen. You're planning to stay around here Joseph, or are you just passing through? There are places for you to stay, if that's what you want."

He glances around to make sure they're alone. "Auspice and tribe?"

[Cayce]

Joseph takes his hand back and breathes in quietly yet deeply through his nose. Nope, he doesn't smell like Anshega, although I might not be able to tell here.

In the First Tongue Joseph replies, "I'm a Cahalith Hirfathra Hissu. I do plan on staying, at least for the time being. My Name is Long Fang, though, you may call me whichever name you prefer if you are offering your hospitality. I apologize if I was trespassing on your territory but I didn't notice any markers."

Being this close, James can clearly see that Joseph's smile reveals his pronounced canines, which look somewhat like small fangs. If James shows no recognition of the First Tongue he repeats what he said in English after apologizing.

[Donan]

James nods as Joseph apologises and repeats it in English, waving a hand to show it's not a problem. "No, you're not intruding on my territory, so don't worry about. The packs around here have simply learnt to be cautious about new arrivals, times are hard." James smiles ruefully. "I'm the alpha of a nearby pack, the Howlers. If you do want somewhere to stay Long Fang, you'd be welcome. Like I said, times are hard and we've had it rough. But I'd like to know more about you, and I assume you'd want to know more about us. So ask any questions you like." He settles on the bench next to Long Fang. "What bought you this way, just travels, or something more?"

[Cayce]

"I'd be worried if you didn't want to ask a wandering Uratha questions," 'Fang replies, returning James' smile. He kicks the bucket aside casually and removes the can-stick from the bench, setting it aside as well. He removes his jacket, laying it across his lap, and although he doesn't smell disgusting it's clear he hasn't bathed in awhile.

“Well, where to start,” he begins, more as a statement than a question. “I changed two, almost three years ago up in Washington. It wasn’t a pleasant event,” he says, eyes flashing with old pain for a fleeting moment, “and during the Change I was actually led by a Spirit into the Hisil and down into Idaho. I emerged some time later in the woods and was greeted by a pack of Bone Shadows. They had been waiting for me, or at least they acted like they did, you know how we are,” he flashes a quick grin before continuing. “I stayed with them for about for about a year, learning the ropes you could say. I stayed with the pack for most of that time and with a couple others in the area for a time but I never joined any. At the end of the year the Spirit returned and demanded that I follow it again in order to repay a debt. So I did. I followed it around for a long time, both in the Hisil and gurihal… sorry, the material world. I saw some interesting things in the spirit wilds and here as well. I dealt with spirits, ridden…and Pure.” He says, mouth momentarily twitching into a snarl, “I met with several packs, and experienced some other things along the way. Thought I even caught wind of a muth luzuk, once, but I never found out if I was right. I also got very familiar with my Urhan and Urshul forms while traveling.

Anyways, the Spirit led me out of a Locus somewhere outside of Sacramento not too long ago and said that once I entered the city my debt would be paid.” He pauses for a moment, “Man, I was in the Hisil for a while… Anyways, that’s a brief rundown; but I do have better recountings if you or your pack is ever interested... Is there anything else that you would like to know?”