Where: Upstairs at the Farmhouse
  When: Uh. Sometime. Near October 20th.
  Who: Dante, Dusty, Derrick, and a few more.

Dante L Coyote looks at the two of them.
Dusty runs up the stairs behind you, and breathes a sigh of relief as he 
 reaches the top. "There's way too many people down there. It's worse than a 
 concert hall on opening night. So, you new here, Dante?"
Dante L Coyote says "new to... where?"
You say "Cripes. It's a mob scene. Thanks, Dusty."
Dante L Coyote furrows his brow a bit.
Dusty sighs, and glances at Derrick. "You want to explain? You actually have 
 a clue as to what's going on."
Derrick snorts. "Clue? I've about 1/2 of one. But yeah. New to where. Um, 
 here, for one. And here, is, hm. Sort of a halfway house for young Garou. 
 Y'gotten an explanation of what Garou are, Dante?"
Dante L Coyote says "A what?"
Dusty leans against the wall. "I ain't heard this one either. Go for it."
Dante L Coyote blinks, slowly, watching them both.
You say "Garou. Oh, geez, wonderful. Armed with an explanation, he forges 
 onward. Well. The world isn't exactly as normal as you might think. There's 
 some weird stuff going on, one of which is the Garou race. I dun really 
 wanna use the word "Werewolf", cuase there's a lot of _really_ dumb movies 
 about 'em, but... We can change shapes, for one. Into wolves.""
Dante L Coyote blinks slowly.
Derrick shrugs. "If my parents hadn't been talkin' to me about this stuff 
 since I was a kid, I'd be goin', "What the hell are you people talkin' 
 about?" It's... not real logical."
Dante L Coyote speaks slowly, "Uh huh."
Dusty grins faintly at Derrick. "Now you know why I find it hard to believe."
Derrick sighs. "Want I should show you? Dusty just thinks _he_ isn't a 
 werewolf. He's seen folks doin' it."
Derrick shrugs ruefully at Dusty. "I never said it was easy to believe."
Dante L Coyote says "Are you saying that I'm one of these, what did you call 
 them?"
You say "Garou. I'm sayin' that people I trust say that you're one. Me, I 
 don't have a clue about whether you are or not."
Dusty just keeps his mouth shut.
Dante L Coyote says "Oh."
Dante L Coyote says "I, uh..."
Derrick plunks himself onto the floor.
Dante L Coyote says "I mean, well, uh..."
Dante L Coyote says "Geez."
Derrick grins. "I _can_ show you. It's immensely fuggin' illogical for 
 someone to say, *bing*, you're a werewolf, only not like in the movies, and 
 for you to just _believe_ it."
Dante L Coyote says "Show me."
Derrick grins. "Ok."
You shift into Lupus form.
Dusty shrugs. "They tell me I'm one, too." He gets -real- quiet as Derrick 
 shifts, and glances at Dante.
Derrick scootches toward the stairs.
Dante L Coyote blinks again, and then goes to poke Derrick.
Derrick lets himself be poked, and levers an eyebrow up and down.
Dante L Coyote says "That's a wolf."
Dante L Coyote looks between Derrick and Dusty.
You shift into Glabro form.
You shift into Homid form.
Dante L Coyote shakes his head, amazed.
You say "That's a wolf that was me. If you want, I can shift inta one of the 
 more "werewolfy" forms."
Dante L Coyote is amazed, but not unbelieving in his gaze.
Dante L Coyote says "Yes."
Dusty looks down at the floor, crossing his arms, effectively hiding his 
 expression. "You sure that's smart?"
Dante L Coyote says "What do you mean?"
Dante L Coyote again looks between the two of them.
You say "I'm not, no, but I'm not gonna shift into anything that'd scare him."
Derrick explains, "See, some of the forms, they panic humans. Which is why 
 one of the Garou laws is "Don't break the Veil," that is, don't tell 'em 
 we're here."
Dante L Coyote says "Oh."
Shin pages: See. We're all good enough role-players to both pose using social stats and pose accepting that.
Dante L Coyote considers that. "Why?"
Derrick shrugs. "People panic. Why should we make 'em panic if we don't have to?"
Dante L Coyote says "I mean, why do they panic?"
Dusty slides down to the floor, to sit against the wall. "Think of something nine feet and fuzzy comin' at you. Wouldn't you?"
You say "Oh. I dunno, somethin' instinctive. The form that makes 'em panic, it's known as The War Form. So, well, y'know, it's kinda intimidating. But I mean, even small Crinos, non-warlike types, even they panic 'em, so it's not just that they're big and mean and hairy."
Dusty just listens, carefully hiding his expression.
Dante L Coyote says "oh. Can I see it?"
Derrick sighs. "Yeah, I guess. It's not much fun, though."
You shift into Crinos form.
Dante L Coyote says "Holy shit."
Derrick holds a pose for a moment.
You shift into Hispo form.
Dante L Coyote looks between them again and again.
You shift into Homid form.
Dusty seems also rather surrised by this, even a touch unnerved, but does his best to hide it.
You say "So anyways, you probably can't shift yet. They try an' get folks who haven't shifted yet, so's their first change doesn't cause a riot or somethin'."
Dante L Coyote says "Oh, um..."
Dante L Coyote thinks about what happened last week, and then slides down the wall much like Dusty did.
Dante L Coyote says "This is all quite a lot."
You paged Brittany with 'We haven't done much. I'm introducin' Dante to various forms, and he's bein' incredulous. 's kind of fun.'.
Brittany pages: It seems like only yesterday, we were teaching yo... hey!
You say "Yeah, I know. I'm still new at this stuff myself. I've only been here about, uh, 3 weeks..."
Dante L Coyote says "I mean, well, geez."
Derrick nods. "Weirdness incarnate, it is."
Dante L Coyote says "And everyone here?"
Dusty stands up without a word, and raises a hand to both of you, almost running down the stairs.
You say "'Scuse me."
You say "Dusty? Hold up a sec? What's up?"
Dante L Coyote says "Huh?"
You say "I mean, I been hopin' you'd actually state an opinion sometime soon."
Dusty pauses at the top of the stairs, and turns. "Opinion of what? I'm not 'sposed to know all this."
You say "Have you _panicked_ at Crinos? Are you gettin' weird dreams? Are you feeling uncomfortable around people for no good reason? Are you feelin' pissy at random events that ought not to get you angry?"
You say "Why're you so convinced you're not?"
Dante L Coyote looks over at watches them quietly.
Dusty shakes his head quickly, his whole body tensing. "Look, I just don't want to talk about it, okay? Dreams're just dreams. They don't mean anything."
Derrick starts to get up, one knee on the floor and one foot. "With us, they sure do. It's... I dunno, someone said to me it was "a harbinger of the change to come," but she's kinda wordy. I'd just say it's your body tryin' to tell you somethin'. And it's not a _bad_ thing for it to be tellin' you."
Dusty shakes his head stubbornly. "It ain't telling me anything. Dammit, I can't be a werewolf, I've got a life to lead."
Derrick cocks his head, getting up. "Yeah? Doesn't mean you can't still lead it. Lotta folks around here are down on doin' city stuff, too, but that just mean you gotta be stubborn. And, in my experience," he adds dryly, "stubborn is something you're good at."
Dusty shrugs. "Not really, since I ain't gonna leave this place alive. Look, we'll talk about this later, okay?" He turns towards the stairs again.
Dante L Coyote blinks as he watches them.
Derrick sighs gustily. "Thank you for riding False Assumptions Airlines, I'm your pilot, Derrick Herr. We hope you had a pleasant flight... Dusty, you keep sayin' that. Me, I think you're wrong. I hope you are, anyway, 'cause I like you. I don't like people I like dyin', and I've had experience in it back home. But yeah, if you want to talk later (which, of course, rests on the assumption that you're wrong), 's cool with me."
Dusty nods quickly. "You can explain stuff to Dante better'n I can." He turrns and almost runs down the stairs. "Thanks," he calls up.
Dusty heads downstairs.
Derrick plunks down again. "Damn."
Dante L Coyote chews on his lower lip.
Dante L Coyote says "sorry."
Derrick blinks over at Dante. "What're you apologising to _me_ for. 's no one's fault."
Dante L Coyote says "I dunno. Just sounded like a good time to apologize."
Dante L Coyote glances at Brittany.
Derrick, sitting on the floor, laughs. "I've had moments like that. Hey, Brittany. You can prolly explain stuff better than I've been doing..."
Brittany tracks the cubs down, finally, and looks to Derrick. "Perhaps, perhaps not." She sets her glass of bourbon aside for the moment, asking, "What seems to be the trouble?"
Dante L Coyote scooches back against the wall, in some way finding the tall thin woman intimidating.
Derrick looks baffled. "I dunno. Everything? I tol' him about what Garou are, at least. Showed him, too. I 'spect you can do better 'n me at explaining, I mean, given as I'm pretty new at this myself."
Dante L Coyote chews on his bottom lip some more, chapping it a bit.
Derrick finally notices. "Doesn't that hurt?"
Dante L Coyote is a bit startles, "Hmm, what?"
Derrick motions at Dante. "Your lip."
Dante L Coyote says "Oh, uh, no. Just a nervous habit. Sorry."
You say "Are you one of these people who apologizes when you run into lampposts? It's ok, no need to. Me, I pick my fingernails."
Brittany nods. "You have been blessed, Unicorn's Child, by Gaia with the ability to defend her from corruption and degrdation."
Dante L Coyote says "Just when I'm nervous."
Dante L Coyote blinks at Brittany. "Huh?"
Derrick translates. "Gaia's earth. And the Unicorn stuff indicates what tribe you're in. There's 13 of 'em."
Dante L Coyote says "I'm Zuni."
You say "Garou tribe."
Dante L Coyote says "Oh."
Dante L Coyote obviously pretty confused.
Brittany pauses. "You did not tell him much, it seems." She takes a sip of her drink, trying to settle her nerves and bring herself ready to lay the story out to the newer cub.
You say "Well, I had Dusty. An' I was tryin' to get _him_ calm, too. And Dante'd never seen anyone shift before, so I was showin' him that."
Dante L Coyote thinks about last week's "incident" again, and gulps.
Brittany says "Very well. Dante, is it? Gaia is the force of life itself, a combination of Mother Nature and God, for lack of anything better to use as comparison. She has chosen the Garou as Her defenders. You are one of the Chosen. You will have much to adjust to."
Derrick peers at Dante. "Or have you?"
Dante L Coyote says "Oh. I see." Not really, as he pointedly ignores Derrick's question."
Brittany says "Like it or no, Dante, your previous life has ended. Like Phoenix from Her ashes, you will be expected to rise anew, and stronger than before. Fortunately, your is the Tribe of Healing. Your expectations are not as great as some."
Derrick sighs. "Ok, Dante, y'know all the pollution and corrupt politicians and general despair? That's what we're fightin', only it's not the actual pollution and politicians, it's the stuff that _causes_ them that we're fightin'."
Dante L Coyote just blinks, trying to take it in.
Dante L Coyote says "Well, I guess. I really don't have anything better to do anyway."
Dante L Coyote says "So, what do I do?"
Dante L Coyote is apparently taking it better than some cubs. :)
Brittany lectures, "Each Tribe follows a different path, Dante. Some are born to lead in Battle, some to lead in peace, some to explore the unknown, and others, such as yourself, to heal and keep the peace. I will attempt to contact Andrea and Andrew, who are also of your tribe, to provide the proper education."
Dante L Coyote kind of zones Brittany's speech, going into automatic school mode with her lecture.
Dante L Coyote looks rapt, but most everything is going in one ear and out the other.
Dante L Coyote sensing a pause. "Uh, okay."
Dante L Coyote attempts a small smile.
Brittany continues, "You have much learning ahead of you. Until Spring, this will be your home, those who live here your family. I suggest you start making friends."
You say "Hey, he's got one already, at least. Downstairs."
Dante L Coyote catches the end of that, intrigued at a command to make friends.
Dante L Coyote says "Yes, ma'am."
Dante L Coyote says "Was there anything else, ma'am?"
Brittany glances to Derrick, adding, "Try to gather Madeline, Dillan, and Nik for me in the next few days? I have a rather important lesson for you all, best done in a group." To Dante, she says, "There is far more for you, but I will not overstep my boundries by presuming the rights. If Andrew and Andrea agree, however, you can join the alpha group of cubs."
Dante L Coyote says "Okay."
Derrick grins. "Lots. But prolly not now."
Dante L Coyote blinks.
Derrick nods to Brittany. "Be happy to. 's gotta be better than just hanging around the Caern."
Dante L Coyote says "Um, uh, Is there somewhere I can sleep?"
Brittany says "A few short rules, for now. No changing your forms in public, or what might become public. No fighting. No leaving without the permission of an Elder... Frederick will point them out to you... and never, ever, touch silver."
Dante L Coyote looks up at her again, "Yes, ma'am."
Derrick snorts. "An Elder's anyone who's not a cub, right now."
Derrick gestures to a room near Gannon's room. "There's an extra bed in there. Sheets 'n stuff're in the closet."
Dante L Coyote says "Okay, I'm, uh, going to bed now, okay?"
Derrick sighs. "Brittany? Could I ask you something?"
Derrick nods to Dante. "Ok. I'll see you around."
Dante L Coyote grabs some sheets and quickly hits the sack.
Brittany nods to Dante. "Sleep well, child."
Brittany nods, setting her glass aside again, "By all means, Questioner."
You say "It's nothin' like that. It's just you keep calling me Frederick. And that's not my name. That's my _dad's_ name. Could you maybe call me Derrick? It'd stop me lookin' around for my dad every time you talk to me."
Brittany says "Would you prefer Mister Herr?"
You say "No, ma'am. I'd prefer Derrick. If that's ok."
Brittany looks uncomfortable, but nods. "I shall try, 'Derrick', but such... informality... is difficult for me."
Derrick nods ruefully. "Yeah, well, such formality as Frederick or Mr. Herr is difficult for _me_. We're livin' in a compromise society. Frederick isn't *awful*. Just not what I'm used it."
Brittany smiles some. "You grow up fast. We will have to deed-name you soon, young Questioner."
Derrick nods enthusiastically. "That wouldn't be amiss at all..."
Brittany says "I hope that your status as leader of the first pack will not rest too heavy, then."
Derrick looks up at Brittany to see if she's serious. Seeing she is, he gets to his feet. "What pack would this be, and why are you assuming I'd be the leader. Ma'am." He says this in rather more serious a tone than any he's been using so far.
Brittany says "The pack of yourself, Dillan, Nicholous, and Madeline, wither, perhaps, one or two others. When you go on your Rite of Passage, you will all go together.""
Derrick considers this. "Well. I hope Stormy'd be involved somehow. But I'm not really sure if I would be the appropriate leader. And in any case, is that not a decision made in-pack?"
Brittany nods. "That it would. You, however, are the obvious choise until Madeline has grown enough to take the lead. As such, I am placing you in charge, for our considerations, and expect you to make sure the others are faring well. If you see any problems they have that need to be worked on, such as the Litany, or in combat skills, what have you, pass it along. No chain is ever stronger than it's weakest link."
Megan comes up, leading Rose, half supporting her. She gives Brittany and Derrick a brief glance, telling the Philodox, "I need to talk to you sometime soon," as she passes by to the attic stairs.
Derrick, standing facing Brittany, looks entirely befuddled. And slightly angry. "Ah? So the pack has been incorportated already?"
Megan opens the door at the far end of the hall and climbs the stairs up to the attic.
Brittany says "Incorporated in what way?"
You say "I mean simply that you have apparently placed me in charge. And yet it is not a pack, yet."
Brittany says "Would you rather trust Dillan to ensure you all stay alive? That Madeline deduce what strategies will lead to victory when she cannot do long division? Perhaps Nicholous, then?"
Derrick sighs in quiet frustration. "That was not my question. And I appreciate your point; neither Dillan nor Nik are, at the moment, leaders of any sort, though I think that Dillan may be, someday. I just... think this is rather soon." He looks down at his feet, and then says with a grin, looking straight at Brittany, "An' who ever said that long division made you a leader?"
Brittany chuckles softly. "In time, I expect the burden to fall her way, worry not. As a Ragabash, you are not allowed the highest forms, of course. Of all here, only she and Timothy-Rhya might claim a Crown, some day."
Derrick makes a sharp whoosing sound. "Crowns, m'lady, do not interest me. What interests me is the bringing together of groups of people to help them be the best they can. Crowns are too... large for that role. And not something I find able to act within. Hence my objection to "crowning" me as leader of the pack... But I c'n deal," he says, finishing in rather less constrained a tone.
Megan steps out of the attic stair, closing the door with an audible creak.
Megan slips back down the stairs, although not all that silently, slowing as she spies Derrick and Brittany still here.
Derrick makes a sharp whoosing sound. "Crowns, m'lady, do not interest me. What interests me is the bringing together of disparate groups of people to help them be the best that they can be. Crowns are too... large for that role. And not something I find myself able to act within. Hence my objection to "crowning" me as the leader of the pack... But I think I c'n deal," he finishes with a smile, the last sentence far less constrained than the rest of them.
Megan asks curiously as she slides into the conversation, "Pack? What pack?"
Derrick shrugs. "Brittany has plans for a cub pack, apparently. I guess I should prolly let her answer, though," he says, becoming visibly less formal by the moment.
Brittany takes the last of her drink, then replies, "As I said, the one role is for Madeline, but you ... " She stops, glancing to Megan as she descends. "Forgive me, I was just informing young mister Herr of his role amoung the eldermost cubs... himself, Dillan, Nicholous, and Madeline. Nothing of concern for you."
Megan's eyebrows. "I beg to differ, Brittany. Have you consulted Randall and Drew about this?"
Brittany says "I will be, indeed. Their cubs, after all."
Megan shakes her head. "That's one of the things you need to learn, Brittany. You have this tendency to put the cart before the horse. Ask first. *Then* you can create the pack."
Derrick gets a little stiffer as Megan says this.
Brittany looks about her, at the empty air, saying, "Do you see a pack? No. I merely prepare for the inevitable, or, at the least, the wise courses of action. If they decide to follow my ideas, then I must be prepared. If they do not, then they do not. Until then, nothing is done. I, for one, take time to render decisions."
Megan's eyes narrow. "Mmmmhmm. I remember Gawain. And, see, that's the problem. It isn't the inevitable, nor necessarily the wisest course of action." She shakes her head, a mixture of resignation and faint disappointment. "If you can take a moment away from arranging lives to your order, I wanted to ask you something about the teaching you asked me about." The look she gives Brittany is weighty, short of pointed but definitely meaningful.
Brittany nods. "Ask as you will."
Megan crosses her arms over her chest, about as casual as she gets. The offhand disagreement is apparently already forgotten. "First off, I'm going to be wanting to work with you before we actually get down to the Rite. I realize your human life is busy, but I'm going to need that time. Okay?"
Brittany says "I will provide what I can. In addition to my job, of course, I have been instructing cubs. I am certain you realize how consuming that can be."
Megan nods. "I do. But if you can make time for that week or so, I'm sure you can before then." She gives a gently wry smile. "Secondly, I was asked by someone else to teach the same Rite, and I was wondering if you would mind a fellow student while I do teach."
Brittany frowns some. "That is most irregular. Is it truly neccessary?"
Megan gives a shrugs of her right shoulder. "Necessary? Not at all. It's not so irregular, though. Our Rites are an experience of our society, something you do with others. I found learning with others to be much more fun and I learned better, I think, having people learn with me."
Brittany says "In Liberty, it is the norm that an Elder take on a protege... an apprentice, if you will, and train that one until she is ready. Then, a new student is taken. The notion of two at once is quite alien. If you have a prior engagement, I will not intrude, and let you teach her as you see fit.""
Megan shakes her head, a sudden light coming into her eyes at this. "No, I promised you, first. But...I think I will teach you both at once. I insist," she says gently, mirth coloring her features.
Brittany frowns, marring her usual level gaze. "Who might this other be?"
Megan's mouth twitches as she tries to control the smile that threatens to break. "Natasha of the Shadow Lords. If Dillan may pack with two of your cubs so blithely, I'm sure you'll get along smashingly with her."
Brittany's frown reverses swiftly. "Indeed? Admittedly, I've found her to be quite interesting, and have wanted to spend more time with her for quite a while."
Megan's lips break free, and they quirk into a wry half-smile. "Well, then here's your chance. I'd like to start just after the midpoint of the next waning crescent, so the teaching will be during new moon, as I promised you. I'm not sure of the human dates."
Brittany seems to work that out, swiftly, in her mind, and nods. "By then, my other training should have been completed."
"Well, that's good," the Fianna says. She turns to smile at Derrick apologetically. "I'm sorry I interrupted your conversation."
Derrick, who'd been watching intently, says, "Huh? Oh, no, hey, it's interesting to watch an' stuff. What rite're you gonna teach her?"
Megan pauses, long enough to give Brittany the opportunity to answer first.
Brittany answers, "Neccessary Rites for those who seek to balance the spiritual nature of their Asupice with the physical."
Megan's lips twitch again, and says much more factually, "It's called Rite of Cleansing. Peformed properly, it may remove the taint of the Wyrm from things. Not all things, nor deep taint, but it serves."
Brittany counters, "That being the second of the Rites I asked to be shown."
You say "Aha. Cool. 's that just somethin' Philodoxes c'n do?"
Megan starts, then says something forcefully under her breath in something foreign. In English, she says, "Bloody hell. That's right." She pauses, then shakes her head at Derrick. "No. All Garou can learn Rites. There are just certain Rites that some auspices normally use, and perform. Cleansing and Contrition," she says to Brittany, faintly apologetically, "are traditional for the Philodox, along with the Punishment rites."
Derrick nods. "That'd make sense. Therefore, I shouldn't be a nosy young person and ask if I could watch."
Brittany says "For me, I was turned from my full training in such to a more martial-oriented path as well as my law course. I am hoping to correct this deficiency."
Megan nods to Brittany, then says towards Derrick, "You can watch, but learning it has to wait until you're further along. Usually after your Rite of Passage." She suddenly yawns, tearing up from the force of it. "I think that's my cue to go catch some sleep."
Brittany nods to Megan. "May Falcon guide your dreams, then."
Derrick nods. "G'night..."
Megan's smile is wry once more. "Better than weasels. Night," she says, as she heads for a door down here.

  -- Big ol' scene change. Forest, Creek, Stormcloud and Tep. --

Anpwhotep whuffs and thinks the bitch sounds very young. Very cubbish.
Derrick whuffs. Hello.
Stormcloud turns to Derrick. ~Welcome Derrickherr-friend.~ He turns back to Tep. ~Perhaps. This land may be new to her as well.~
Stormcloud | Derrick sees to very wet wolves (me in hispo) talking to each other covered in mud.
Anpwhotep nods. Good point.
Stormcloud sighs. ~This one hopes it will be a good union. This one wishes desperately to see his own cubs play at his feet.~
Derrick whuffs. It is cold out here.
Anpwhotep cocks an ear. Cold? That can be remedied.
Anpwhotep POUNCES on Derrick, aiming for the nearest patch of thick mud.
Stormcloud pounces as well, going high as Tep goes low.
Derrick yelps in mock surprise and lets himself be cannonned into, splooshing into the mud heavily.
Stormcloud makes sure the mud get rubbed in good.
Derrick coughs. ~That was a surprise. Really it was.~
Stormcloud backs off, letting Derrick back up.
Derrick backs up. And then jumps Stormcloud, with very little success.
Anpwhotep grins and shakes his head, spraying mud everywhere as his ears flap.
Stormcloud looks at Derrick as he rolls off his massive side. ~You wanted something?~
Anpwhotep yips in amusement and falls over, landing rather badly and sending a wave of mud splashing over the others.
Derrick shows some mud to Stormcloud. ~Just to deliver this,~ he explains as he plants it carefully on top of Stormcloud's head.
Stormcloud pant in amusement. Doing his best imitation of Brian, ~Would ye be wantin' to shorten your life now?~
Anpwhotep whuffs and watches the fun.
Derrick looks entirely innocent. ~Why would I want to make m'life shorter, Stormy?~
Stormcloud grins wolfishly. ~That is what this one responded to Brian when he asked this one that question.~
Derrick cocks an ear. ~Happily, neither you nor I are Brian. I am, however, both cold AND wet, now. Fire?~
Stormcloud shakes the mud off of him, even dousing himself in the stream to get it off. ~This one would like to. This one has someone he should talk to, though.~ He gives Anpwhotep a look to tell him who it is.
Derrick jumps in the stream with a happy bark. Clambering out, he asks, ~Yes? Who?~
Anpwhotep nods to Stormcloud.
Anpwhotep looks at Derrick. Someone he must speak to alone. You would not be welcome.
Stormcloud shakes himself dry. ~This one will let Anpwhotep explain. This one is to go now. This one thanks Anpwhotep for his advice.~
Anpwhotep whuffs. You'll do fine, Stormy.
Derrick gruffs. ~I didn't say I wanted to *go*. I just wanted to know *who* is all. Anyway, have a good time.~
Stormcloud trots out of the area, tail held high.
Anpwhotep whuffs. To keep you out of trouble, I'll tell you. He goes to speak with SwipesatSalmon.
Derrick flickers his ear forward. ~Ah? That is all to the good, I suppose.~
From afar, Anpwhotep is counting on Derrick's sense of self-preservation. All two microamps of it.
You paged Anpwhotep with 'Actually, Derrick's remarkably polite. If someone says it's private or not to come along, he tends to actually pay attention.'.
Anpwhotep chuffs and scrambles up the bank, spraying mud in all directions, barking maniacally. Race you to the fire, pup!
Anpwhotep disappears into the forest and soon becomes obscured by the underbrush.

  -- race to the Compound --

Paul looks up from tending the small fire and smiles.
Anpwhotep slides in, racing Derrick, and rolls to a stop by the fire, splattering mud as he rolls.
Derrick races in rather behind Tep, and slides to a stop. ~Hello, Paul!~
Paul rolls backwards off the log (getting wet anyway) avoiding the flying mud from the exuberant canine.
WHO
Anpwhotep whuffs and looks around.
Anpwhotep looks up and grumbles. No rain for the rest of tonight. I think I'm going to wash off.
Derrick lolls a grin. ~I did that before I left.~
Anpwhotep enters the compound.
Anpwhotep shakes himself, scattering cold, but mud-free, water.
Paul sits back down on the log, cautious of the wet furries.
Foxpaw pads out of the brush and looks about.
Anpwhotep whuffs cheerfully at Foxpaw. Have you had time with Alex yet?
Derrick, dripping quietly, whuffs to Foxpaw.
Foxpaw whuffs. A small bit but not too much.
Anpwhotep trusts Alex. He is one of my closest friends.
Foxpaw whuffs. That is good. Have you seen anything of interest?
Derrick says, ~I've seen a lot of water lately. Other than that...~
Anpwhotep grins at Derrick. And mud. Don't forget mud.
Paul chuckles to himself.
Foxpaw shakes a bit of he water from one of his forepaws and whuffs. "Yeah, the feeling is not very pleasant when the fur is wet. Have you seen Stormcloud?"
Anpwhotep grins. Trust me, Foxpaw. Wet fur is less unpleasant than wet clothing. We saw Stormcloud earlier tonight. But he went to talk to his Alpha.
Derrick flicks an ear back. ~I have seen more water than mud. Mud is a new arsenal in Stormy's arsenal.~ He looks over at Foxpaw, carching the question. ~He left to go find someone earlier.~
Paul says "Stormcloud just went through the woods north of here a piece. Didn't see where he went."
Foxpaw whuffs. Thats funny. I just padded through there and I didn't see or smell him. I guess the rain washes the smells away.
Anpwhotep nods. Rain sucks. I walked right into someone in the wheel because I couldn't smell him.
Paul snorts. "SOME of you no moons can't be smelled anyway, I've noticed."
Derrick raises an eyebrow. ~One of those Gifts?~
Anpwhotep chuffs, amused. Oh, really?
Foxpaw gives a friendly growl ~Gifts are cool. I wish I knew some of mine.~
Anpwhotep chuffs. Finding those can be fun.
Foxpaw says "I think I might know one from a dream but I've been afraid to try it."
Derrick looks more awake suddenly. ~Yeah. Wonder how I can find out what I have.~