Midsummer Feast

[Hector]

Hector is watching Tiny as the lawyer responds.

"Tell you what: me, Bird and Bleeds can keep tabs on that area. If something turns up, we'll call you in."

Adapt. Flow. Three men who look like they live on the streets are easier to blend into a poor neighbourhood (and the southern range touches upon an area blighted by neglect). Plus, the Elodoth has other skills the pack needs.

"You see or hear anything we should take a look into?"

Hector continues to listen as Tiny responds to Bird, adding something of his own once he gets a chance to interject.

He doesn't get an opportunity to delve further for Emily arrives.

"There she is! We are feasting!"

[Bird]

"What up, girl?" Bird greets Emily. Spots her eyeing the jug: "Strong wine. Want some?" He indicates the solo cups with a tilt of his head. "Wake you up. Ask him," he adds, flashing Tiny a good-natured grin.

A nod to Hector to confirm: he's got eyes on the street at all times.

The Elodoth's account of his world clearly fascinates Fa-ninna. He looks both intrigued and slightly confused. Like someone's telling him about a completely foreign culture or an alien civilization.

"Wait, how you explain her into a corner? How's that stop her from hurting people?" He asks, genuinely curious. Takes another bite of brisket while he waits for an answer from the lawyer.

[Emily Makerith]

Emily happily takes the offered plate and begins muching on the chicken. "Wai.... wha?" She looks for Tiny to Hector as he talks about being somewhere before swallowing loudly.

"Oh, you know me boss. Always down for a good feast." Emily salutes him with a chicken leg.

"Oooh! sure man, pour me a.... cup, or whatever," The Crescent nods, chugging her beer quickly and easily. She lets out a small burp and shrugs. "I dunno man. Legalese is all Greek to me." She sniggers at her own joke.

[Tiny]

He looks at Bird: "you're a man of the streets. A man who is far more world weary and streetsmart than i'll ever be. So surely you know the importance of moving in a group and how we all have to stick up for each other. By that logic then, we shouldn't do anything alone. Alone and a knife grows from your spine. So thats why you and Hector should sleep together."
He smiles, waiting a few moments, then continues, "I led her down a false path, and she's so deep into it that she can't figure out how to get what she wants. I've limited her choices by confusing her. For an actual example, she wanted to push out a bad tenant of a strip mall, and bring in a pet food store. The problem was that the way she would have done it, she would have pissed off everyone. So i showed her the way to really screw everyone by actually screwing no one, and letting the bad tenant out with his dignity, bringin the pet food lady in and make her feel special, and keep the landlord from losing 3 months rent in the changeover. She thought that she was figuring out a way to bilk them all for more money. I'd really just shown her how to not be an asshole. I'll be so glad to drop her as a client soon."

He smiles, and drinks more wine, before turning to Hector.

"Aside from the big Project, I'm worried about two transitions. New housing development over an old hospital. Hospitals don't have good resonance at the best of times, and people are now starting to move into those houses. No weird complaints yet, but the insurance policies that the homeseller is requiring is suspiciously specific about what they don't cover. Maybe its nothing. Maybe its a hungry spirit whose lost its anchor and is contemplating magath.
Another concern, lots of bicyclists now. Lots of drunk bicyclists and scooters at night. Its changed the character of downtown in a small way, but I'm worried about how the car spirits will take it. Their choir is arrogant and does not take second place easily."

He finds his plate empty, and refills it, taking more chips from hector, and refilling the fortified wine. Its starting to grow on him; though he adds a packet of honey to it. He smiles, "much improved."

[Bleeds Well]

Bleeds Well skulks up, dirt and soot on his face, blood under his fingernails. "Not just drunk scooters, drunk drivers too. Just saw a drunk driver hit a scooter. Kid ain't gonna make it."

The Rahu pulls a bundle out of a bag and offers it to Hector, "Em and I made you a gift."

[Hector]

Hector's lips quirk upward as Tiny recounts his exploits in the legal world.

"Cunning! I like it!"

His face turns more serious as the Elodoth outlines his suspicions regard the housing development.

"Some of us can swing by and take a look - keep an eye on it and see what happens. Keeping a low profile at a new development will be good practice and if your hunch is right we'll be well placed to deal with it."

The Alpha was about to grab his own meal when the Beta showed up. Hector grunted and wordlessly shunted his plate over to Bleeds Well Today Hector was playing human host.

His eyes shone and his eyebrows shot up when Bleeds presented the gift.

"What... For me? Umm... OK..."

He made to receive the gift and carefully opened it - then quickly wrapped it again before looking around with great care.

I think I know what the gift is. But let's have a description anyway.

[Bird]

Bird fills Emily a cup and passes it over to her with a wink, then refills his own. Lights another smoke. All while listening to Tiny explain this little bit of his world.

When the lawyer suggests that he and Hector sleep together, he raises an eyebrow but says nothing. Everybody bunks down differently on these streets. Maybe Tiny has a good idea. Maybe not.

Finally, when the diminutive wolf has finished his tale, Bird takes a sip of wine and nods sagely, as if he completely understands. "So, you sold her stepped on shit." He says it like it's a statement of fact. Like everyone should know what that means.

Then comes Tiny's list of concerns. Again, bird listens closely, smoking and sipping at his solo cup. Before he can say anything, Bleeds Well turns up. Fa-ninna pours him a cup of the strong wine without asking and sets it in front of the Rahu without comment.

When Hector volunteers the pack's services in regard to Elodoth's possible red flags, he finally pipes up: "I'm down for that." Shuts his mouth when the gift is presented. Drinks. Smokes. Watches.

[Emily Makerith]

"Wow," Emily mutters around some chicken. "Sounds a real classy bitch."

The Crescent clears her throat. "Actually, I'd been thinking about that. Back when we talked about changing the resonance of an area, I dug out some old stuff. Turns out there is a ritual for doing it, but it needs material work, just like I said. Now, I never done anything like it, not at all, and it's a big one - but working together we can impose a resonance through what's calle dthe Rite of Chosen Ground. It... reinforces work done like spirit deals and work on the material. Like putting a whole thing together. We run it once we're ready with evrything else." She takes a swig from the cup, eyes widening with a gasp. She whistles a loud note. "Wheeeew... that'll put fucking hair on your chest. The fuck is that, man?" She asks Bird, taking another swig from the cup.

Eyes move over to Hector. They'd both worked hard on the Fetish. She hoped it would be as appreciated as she did in getting the chance to make it.

[Tiny]

Tiny watches Bird through the explanation, and nods at his response, "Perhaps, but the specifics aren't important. The gist is that she got the effect she wanted, but the manner it was done in made everyone happier."

"She'd probably appreciate that. I'll pass your compliment along." Tiny remarks to Emily.
He listens to her explanation, a smile wide on his face. This is exactly what they are looking for.

He watches the gift giving with interest. Gifts explain so much of both the giver, and the receiver.

He drinks more of the wine, and holds an empty glass to Bird.

[Bleeds Well]

Bleeds Well grunts as he passes the package, then steps back. He finds himself a place to pop a squat and studies the Alpha as the bundle is unwrapped. Inside the grease stained rag is a leather sheath, First Tongue etching stained into the material reads <Venom-Hunter> and <Clarion's Call>.

Pulled from the leather sheath is a work of art. A round, sugar maple handle gently slops outward, its stain slightly tinted green gives it a nigh slickly appearance. At its base a stamped makers mark of a bleeding claw. The steel of the blade swirls, indicating it's hand-forged origin. It's dirk-like shape is decorated with etchings of First Tongue as well, again reading <Venom-Hunter>. The tip of the blade, extends just long enough, just fine enough, to give the impression of poison dripping from its end. Hector holds something much more than a knife, more than a work of art. This is truly a Klaive.

"Em can tell you more about Venom-Hunter than I can, but I can tell you that blade will not fail you."