Andrew sits at the base of a tree playing his marnonica. the song is both feirce and paranoid. He could could hear the emotion in his music, even if others couldn't.
Matthew enters the Tur, and, seeing Andrew, walks over to him. "Have you had a chance to check out the park yet?"
Andrew lowers the instrument. "Yes I did." His replies without looking at Matthew.
"And? What did you find?" Andrew's reaction is making Matthew a bit nervous.
"An angry Forest Spirit wishing to turn into fertilizer." Andrew accuses more then answers. "That thing is mad as hell and manifest in the mortal side." He scratches at his greasy hair and sighs "It told me give a message of condemnation to the Shadow Seekers."
Matthew freezes for a moment, then deflates visibly. "I never meant to put you in danger. I didn't think he would have come to this side." Internally, Matthew is kicking himself. How did I fail to notice the intrusion on my very doorstep?
Andrew turns to Matthew as he hears the apoplgy in his voice. "Look, If I had thought the spirit was manifest things might have been different. I depleted my spiritual energy to sooth that mistake. What happened back when and Who is Taylor?"
"Taylor used to be our Alpha, before he was killed in a territory squabble. A few months ago, while he was still Alpha, we met with the spirit, initially to talk. It had lived far too long with the Anshega, and learned to expect that our kind should serve spirits. It insulted us repeatedly, calling us weak, until Taylor finally snapped and attacked him. I had never seen him act so aggressively. We drove the spirit off, but we've been so busy dealing with other problems that we never checked back on it." Matthew sighs, his voice turning bitter. "My day job is in Southside Park. How could I have missed the signs?"
Andrew shrugs and leans back against the tree, thinking. "I kept asking what I could do for it but it refused to answer me. It demanded essence, I gave it and I was rushed off without any thing more." He scratches at his hair again with a sigh. "Your totem, Golden Bear I believe? We should ask what he knows and how best to handle Light Engulfing Forest."
"So we have one more thing to talk about with him. Defeating the spirit on any permanent basis won't be easy, I know that much. The last time we fought it, it disappeared rather than submitting. And now that it's had a chance to entrench itself on this side, our options will be further limited. The last thing I want is humans breathing down our necks."
"Unless Light Engulfing Forest has done something negative against the city I see no reason to banish it. It will be hard but we may have a chance to resolve the issue peacefully. If it was supported by the Anshega then it may have information about what has happened in this city." Andrew stands up from his seat on the ground and leans against the tree.
Matthew gives Andrew a thin smile. "Once something gets as aggressive as that spirit has, peaceful means tend not to be the first ones to come to mind. It certainly could be a useful source of information, but I don't know that we could ever convince it to cooperate with us."
Andrew shakes his head "I know that it would easy to take it out and be done. But the city has a zero population of Spirits, taking out this one becouse it called someone nasty names and demands privacy seems foolish to me. I can't agree with a fight unless the spirit deserves to be destroyed." Andrew didn't mind stating the truth. The spirit had done nothing wrong, yet. It seemed obvious the forest spirit was up to something, or at least ready commit violence. Its pressence in the mortal world alone was suspicious.
"No, you're right. Most of the spirits have fled across the Gauntlet. The forest spirit was one of the few that had remained on the other side."
"And now it's here too. If we could know why then we would be opne step closer to finding out what is scaring the spirits out of the Shadow." Golden Bear had to know something. It was all so bazaar. Spirits risking the guantlet in an effort to survive? what was going on? Of course Andrew was assuming Light Enguling Forest was hiding out on this side of the guantlet. I was possible LEF was here for other reasons.
"We already know that it's a rite the Anshega developed, but beyond that ... " Matthew trails off. "Unfortunately, we have a lot more on our plate. We've also been trying to deal with a beshilu infestation and something far more ... exotic."
"Exotic? what do you mean?" Andrew blinked, he was not the strongest soldier in the G.I.Joe collection. How could you more exotic then Beshilu and their ilk.
"The city is also home to vampires, mages, and changelings. I've only met a few of them, though."
"Wait, wait. You said Vampires, Mages and what thew heck is a changeling? is there a hogwarts around here or something?"
Andrew seems to refuse to believe it. dispite being a werewolf himself. "that stuff is faiytales and nightmares I mean... well gues it posible..."
"It takes getting used to, I know. I still don't know much about any of them."
"I'll take you on your word then. Any of them a threat. I doubt Vampires are friendly to anyone. What about these magicians? Are they wrapped in cults and stuff? Kill a chicken and cast a curse kinda stuff." Andrew tries to imagine what a 'changeling' is. He is reminded of the movie and gets confused.
Matthew chuckles. "Am I going to have to be the one to talk you out of an aggressive stance now? Something major happened to the city's vampires recently, and I wouldn't be surprised if the ones I've met ask us for help. Just keep an open mind."
Andrew sighs. "I trust two things in the world. Mother Luna and myself. I devoted my life healing the spirit wilds and I know wolves well enough. Until these other things prove them selves my only concern is whether I need to watch my back." He sounds tired as he speaks of his life and devotions. He was wandered alone for too long and knows it.
"We can watch each other's backs. That's what packs are for."
Andrew nods and smiles. "What ever happened to that wolf. That other guy take him?"
"As far as I know, yes."
"Well I've given you my report. What's next?" Andrew asks changing the subject again. He pocket the harmonica stil in his hand.
"We can see about talking with Golden Bear. We first met him at a fountain here. Can you see if he's nearby?
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