[Pre-combat scouting not included in this log.]

The trip to the ourskirts of the site is uneventful. A short time passes as 
 the assualt group makes their way through the forest and meets up with the 
 scouts.
Falcon's Wing's just gotten back to Madeline, and fills people in. "Ok. 
 There's a bunch of people - humans, as far as I can tell - doing similar 
 things to last time, only inside this big 'ol building. I didn't check around
 inside it because I used up my stupid supply last time."
A dark, winged shape circles in the sky, flying over the outskirts of the site.
Madeline growls a little. Let's go kill them, then.
Spirit-of-War glances up at the winged shape and inquires of Derrick. ~How 
 many people? What sort of machines? Did you see weapons? Are they in a big 
 open space? There are windows?~ Again, she is brisk, almost impatient.
The site seems quiet. Patrols are normal, normal amoung of guards at the 
 gates. Very little activity near the structures and buildings.
Dusty listens quietly, as is his usual wont, his manner betraying tension held
 behind a reserved facade.
A dark, winged shape circles in the sky, flying over the outskirts of the 
 site. Its sweeping movement draws any gaze which happens to look up.
Tastes-Ashes looks to Derrick. What talens did you prepare for this battle?
Serves-Honor's muzzle twists in an expression of disgust, as if some smell or 
 sensation had revolted him. He glances around the group. He is not certain 
 this pack is great enough to assault a foe in a blight this size.
Falcon's Wing says, before his gaze is drawn by the bird, ~Half a dozen 
 people, that I could see. There are windows. The whole building is not a big 
 open space, but the space in question is somewhat large. I don't know what 
 sort of machines, but they looked vaguely similar to last time. It smelled 
 similar, too. I did not see weapons, but that doesn't mean they do not have 
 them. Nor does it mean they are humans, necessarily.
Falcon's Wing has a water talen. Other than that, I do not know how to make 
 them.
Tastes-Ashes blinks at Falcon's Wing. Yes. But there are those who do. Did you
 not ask them?
Spirit-of-War says to Serves-Honor absently, muzzle wrinkled in thought, ~We 
 are bound to Weasel for this battle. Tavi gifts us with some support.~
The bird cries what sounds like a warning. The sound is faint, coming from 
 high above.
Tastes-Ashes looks at Serves-Honor, then up at the raven. Fenris marks this 
 battle. It is a good day to die.
Serves-Honor's ears flick back at the raven's cry. Corpsefeasters gather 
 already. A poor omen.
Dusty's eyes snap to the sky at the cry of the bird, and he stares at it for a
 moment, frowning at his companions' words. He hums something under his 
 breath, verysoftly, and the tune itself seems to strengthen him.
Alexander looks up as well. He doesn't seem as happy about the raven as 
 Tastes-Ashes does. In fact, he looks downright disturbed.
Falcon's Wing looks down at the ground.
Serves-Honor, aware of the requirements Weasel makes of its children, seems 
 unsurprised that Athena is not hesitating at the odds.
The raven dives, suddenly, banking toward them in a wide curve and 
 disappearing into the forest cover. It reappears some moments later, 
 swooping down from the high branches to land on a closer one.
A faint smile flickers across Dusty's mouth, tugging at one corner of his 
 lips, as he watches the raven, though he says nothing.
Alexander looks impatient. "Well, let's do something. Either leave, or get 
 started. Sitting around with our thumbs up our asses isn't going to get the 
 job done for us."
Madeline waits impatiently for orders to come in.
Tastes-Ashes continues her pacing.
Spirit-of-War is staring at the compound, concentrating.
To the pack, Dusty (over the link) hums softly, "The field burns away // The 
 sky breathes it in // So why sit and wait for the new world to begin...."
Serves-Honor clearly favors returning to the Caern to gather stronger forces, 
 in light of the strength of the blight the mage is laired in.
Tastes-Ashes bumps Serves-Honor with her nose. We will never grow stronger if 
 we do not test ourselves. The strength of the Blight only brings more glory 
 and honor to those of us who will lay down our blood here.
Winter watches the Garou, seeming surprised--and perhaps a little pleased--at 
 finding them there.
Dusty's eyes follow the raven still with some apparent interest. He moves away
 from the group a bit, closer to the raven, though not close enough to 
 frightens it off immediately.
Spirit-of-War seems to be watching the patrols. Again absently, she says, The 
 moon is with us, as are the spirits. We have honorable elders to fight with. 
 And then she turns to look at Tastes-Ashes directly. ~I think we should 
 divide into smaller groups for the assault. One, or maybe two sets of 
 distractions and a third group to get in and kill the mage.~
Tastes-Ashes thinks it would be best to draw the mage out here, but if that is
 not possible, then yes. That would be good.
Serves-Honor assumes a submissive posture towards Tastes-Ashes. He will, of 
 course, fall if it is required.
Melanion is anxious and calm in turns, alternating between gripping his spear 
 with white-knuckle intensity and slowly nodding to himself. He waits for 
 someone to tell him which way to go, looking insticntively to Serves-Honor 
 and Tastes-Ashes.
Spirit-of-War thinks any distraction we think of will only summon men with 
 guns. She considers the pack assembled.
Spirit-of-War shifts into Hispo form.
Alexander clears his throat. "Guns sholdn't be a problem tonight."
Falcon's Wing mentions that Alexander, at least, has the gift of jamming 
 guns., so it hardly matters if it summons them.
Tastes-Ashes says calmly that she could go towards the tower, howl for the 
 people and then lead them back here. She may even survive the action.
The raven lets out a hoarse sound, a noise that blends urgency and warning.
Serves-Honor's ears lift and his body lowers. He looks at the surrounding 
 trees suspiciously, and takes a few steps away from the group, sniffing at 
 the air.
Alexander takes a deep breath. "If someone doesn't shut that bird up, I'm 
 going to eat it."
Dusty studies the bird for a moment, considering its apparent message. He 
 doesn't appear to have heard Alexander's comment.
Falcon's Wing looks at Serves-Honor worridly.
Tastes-Ashes will help you, Thunder's Claw.
Alexander takes a form more ready for action. If they decide to come looking, 
 he might as well be prepared.
Tastes-Ashes fears the bird may attract the attention of the mage even if we 
 do not. And why are we not doing anything yet?
Alexander shifts into Crinos form.
Tastes-Ashes shifts into Hispo form.
Melanion shifts his feet back and forth, nodding to whatever it is he is 
 hearing in his head. To no one in particular he says, ~Is it alright if I 
 shift tonight?~ It is probably directed most toward Spirit-of-War.
Spirit-of-War seems stricken for a moment as she considers the division of 
 teams. She nods her head abruptly at Tastes-Ashes, the jerky movement 
 betraying her human birth in the stress. ~I would ask you to be one of the 
 distractions, honored elder; your experience must make you formidable. Your 
 packmate can assist you. Thunder's Claws and I will go in through the 
 windows, and Derrick, Dusty, Madeline and Melanion will seek out the mage.~
Winter's feathers stiffen, flaring about his body to make him look larger. He 
 focused bead-sharp eyes on Alexander, angry--and then, with a sudden almost 
 startled movement, he flops off his branch and recovers, taking flight 
 quickly and winging deeper into the environs of Hanford. He seems to have 
 lost his implacability for a sudden urgency.
Serves-Honor, searching for approaching foes, does not hear Spirit-of-War's 
 plan of battle as she gives it to Tastes-Ashes.
A distant scream of frustration, anger, cracks the night silence. It seems to 
 come from the same direction as the raven's abrupt departure.
Tastes-Ashes eyes Spirit-of-War. You would send your strongest fighters away 
 from the main area of combat and then attack the mage in his lair while 
 giving him time to know that you are coming?
Dusty draws in a deep breath and shuffles one foot. ~I do not mean to intrude 
 here, rhya, but I suspect he already knows we're here.~
Spirit-of-War shakes herself roughly. ~I was not clear. I would have you go in
 the front door.~
Thunder's Claws says, ~I don't think splitting up into three groups is a good 
 idea. There are only eight of us.~ As he speaks, the moonlight gathers around
 the black Crinos and seems to solidify, taking the form of a transluscent 
 suit of armor.
Serves-Honor slips off a short distance, quietly, in the direction of the 
 raven's cry. He is shockingly silent to those who expect someone his size to 
 be clumsy.
Falcon's Wing, about to ask how to find the mage, looks enlightened at the 
 raven's cry, and begins to follow his tribemate.
Spirit-of-War hesitates, and changes her plan. ~Melanion will be with TC and 
 I.~ She throws the other Fury a swift look. ~Shift, yes.~ She looks after 
 Serves. ~The others will be going in behind Gaia's Shield, using them as the 
 spearpoint to cause enough chaos for the others to slip through.~
Spirit-of-War shakes herself. ~We should move /now/ before it is too late, 
 while we have the moon and before we let ourselves sink into more debate and 
 more loss!~ Her posture is almost challenging.
Falcon's Wing makes ready to follow Gaia's Shield.
Tastes-Ashes turns to Serves-Honor and rumbles. ~Back. Do not leave the pack.~
Melanion doesn't look much more at ease at her approval: he keeps moving his 
 feet and shifting his grip on his weapon. With a quick glance to Thunder's 
 Claws, he moves to the Shadow Lord's side.
Serves-Honor lifts his muzzle, breathing in carefully. Something comes.
Tastes-Ashes turns to meet the thing, whatever it is. Kill it quietly if it is
 only one creature, she warns.
Falcon's Wing fades out of sight, and whuffles quiet assent.
Serves-Honor sinks low, into a posture of readiness. It is not quite human.
Tastes-Ashes is unsurprised. There is probably nothing human in this place.
Within mere seconds the sounds become clear: the approach of someone human, 
 the scent of a more familiar mage than the one they go to fight--familiar, at
 least, to a few. "Friend, not foe. Or at least not foe." The young woman's 
 voice sounds hoarse, almost weary. "I know where he is."
Chloe has arrived.
Winter pages to Tastes-Ashes, Chloe, Serves-Honor, Thunder's Claws, Shadow 
 Mage, Madeline, Dusty, Spirit-of-War, Melanion, and Falcon's Wing: She speaks
 well before she comes anywhere near striking distance.
Serves-Honor's posture shows vague recognition of the scent, at least. The 
 recognition, however, does not cause him to stand down.
Falcon's Wing fades back into view. ~That,~ he says, in case it wasn't clear, 
 ~Is the Alpha's mate. She has been fighting against this Warper before we 
 were.~
Tastes-Ashes looks to Serves, every muscle at hair-trigger. Who is this?
Serves-Honor understands her to be a worldshaper, known to the Alpha of the 
 Sept. Banned from the Bawn on pain of death, but perhaps trusted elsewhere.
Tastes-Ashes snorts. She trusts no worldshaper.
Madeline growls. She may be in league with our foe. Don't trust her.
Falcon's Wing snorts. ~She is not in league with him. She has been injured, 
 occasionally, fighting him. I would not trust her for other things, but she 
 hates this man as well."
Winter slips out of the woods with a rustling of suede. "I just spoke to him,"
 she says softly, meeting a few pairs of eyes with her own. "He and I aren't 
 on speaking terms any longer. I know where he can be found, but we must go 
 quickly. He knows you are here, I think."
Spirit-of-War looks at Falcon's Wing. ~I will trust you, but not her. If she 
 betrays us, it will go down with your honor.~ She is shockingly cold to her 
 packmate.
Falcon's Wing is quite aware of that, Spirit of War.
Thunder's Claws says, ~So three of us crawl through a window, the other two 
 walk in the front door. And the remaining three do... what?~
Falcon's Wing says, ~Follow Gaia's Shield.~
Spirit-of-War will trust the mage to position herself usefully. ~The other 
 three follow the two. We must move quickly, we must move together, we must 
 move now.~
Madeline is ready to go. We will taste the blood of the enemy, tonight.
Falcon's Wing looks to Chloe.
Serves-Honor's eyes, naturally enough, go to Tastes-Ashes.
Chloe watches them quietly; after a few moments she looks to Falcon's Wing. 
 "I'm not waiting. Is anyone attacking the compound?"
The Shadow Lord shrugs his massive shoulders. ~Whatever.~ He finally seems to 
 notice Chloe.
Falcon's Wing, unsure if Chloe speaks Garou, shifts.
You shift into Glabro form.
Derrick says, "We all are. They," he says, pointing to TC and his band, "Are 
 causing a distraction. We are... following you. I assume. Could we perhaps do
 so *now*?"
You shift into Hispo form.
Without anything more--clearly impatient herself--Chloe gives a curt nod and 
 stalks toward the compound.
Madeline pads after the mage, assuming the pack will also follow. Or perhaps, 
 not caring.
Falcon's Wing fades out of view again, and follows.
Spirit-of-War looks at TC and Melanion.
Dusty follows as well, perhaps not entirely aware of where he is or what he is
 doing, the only Garou still in homid.
Thunder's Claws shrugs again. ~You know where the windows are. Lead on.~ He 
 looks ready to kill something.
Pack> Spirit-of-War says over the link, ~Shift, Dusty!~
Melanion, still silent, simply waits for direction. His face gives no clue to 
 his thoughts, but he re-positions his hands on his weapon again and again.
Spirit-of-War directs a look at Melanion and turns to lead the way, still 
 close to the other group at this point, watching the patrols again.
Chloe leans down once, midstride, to pull a Derringer-sized handgun from the 
 top of one boot. She keeps it low, nearly concealed in her clothing.
Dusty stops in his tracks for a moment in what looks like total confusion, 
 then shakes his head and takes his wolf form somewhat sheepishly.
Dusty shifts into Lupus form.
The group is open and exposed on the clear land between the buildings and the 
 fence, yet they seem to be lucky, or have Gaia's grace with them, because 
 they encounter no patrols or resistance and make it to the building with no 
 difficulty, and apparently without being spotted. There is but a single light
 on, shining from a set of windows that are on the same room on the ground 
 floor.
Thunder's Claws snorts softly as he makes his way toward the compound. ~This 
 is too easy.~`
Spirit-of-War walks lightly, tense and nervous. Gaia's grace.
Melanion, with a few nervous glances ahead, at the spear-heading Gaia's 
 Shield, then at Thunder's Claws, proceeds to shift into his birthform.
Melanion shifts into Crinos form.
Thunder's Claws says, ~Or a trap.~
Chloe pauses with her back set against the building; she closes her eyes 
 briefly, spreading both hands against the wall. "I don't think he had time," 
 she whispers.
You shift into Glabro form.
Derrick whispers, "Fine, good, is it locked, is the question."
Chloe remains still, tension etching slowly into her features. She seems to be
 searching.
Derrick looks at Chloe questioningly.
Thunder's Claws glances over at Chloe a moment, then tells Spirit-of-War, ~I 
 don't trust her. She could be leading us into his hands.~
Spirit-of-War hesitates. ~She could be. I am worried about it. Is she too 
 powerful to kill easily?~ She pauses and reasons, ~If she is easy to kill, 
 she is no help. If she is hard to kill, we need somebody willing to die, and 
 we have to accept that loss in our other battle.~
Madeline growls. You think too much. If she betrays us, we will kill her and 
 the other mage.
"There," Chloe breathes. "Maybe." She opens her eyes, looks over at Derrick. 
 "How do you want to get in?"
Hunter growls quietly, deep in his black-scaled chest. ~I am willing,~ he 
 says, the words barely rippling above the growl.
Derrick shrugs. "I can unlock whatever. I just want to find the asshole and 
 get him and his equipment. It all depends where he is."
Derrick adds, "And do it before these folks get too tired of waiting."
Chloe's jaw tightens a little as she looks to the hostile ones.
Thunder's Claws looks back directly at Chloe. ~Well?~
Deep-Fires's manner is one of patiently controlled tension. He seems to think 
 that the pack is as lambs to the slaughter standing here.
Spirit-of-War paces forward some, rumbling deep in her chest, looking past 
 Chloe. Speed is of the essence and what we are best at. You delay us.
"East side, I think," she whispers. "I may be wrong. But I believe he's in 
 this building."
The Get and Fang of Gaia's shield are waiting as well, the Get seeming 
 impatient and wishing to simply get on with it.
Chloe looks to them. "Go then," she whispers, with a hint of tension. "That's 
 all I know. I'll make my own way to him."
Derrick growls. "Let's get to it, then. Door, windows."
The woman's posture is tight as she straightens.
Thunder's Claws notes quietly that she understands both the Garou tongue and 
 that of wolves. And even greater threat than he'd realized. Then he prepares 
 to follow the Furies through the window.
Madeline waits by the door for sounds of chaos from within.
Chloe glances to Derrick. "Unlock it," she whispers very softly. "I need to
 find him quickly. To get to him before he has time tio run."
Spirit-of-War uses her totem link to coordinate the attack with Derrick and 
 Gaia's Shield, to maximize the amount of chaos.
Derrick glances at Athena.
Derrick mutters, "Fuckit," to himself, and unlocks it, quietly.
Spirit-of-War suddenly races towards the windows, gaining in bulk as she does 
 so, not climbing through the windows, but crashing through the window and any
 wall she might take with her as well.
Chloe slips in, silently, disappearing inside.
Derrick waits for about 20 seconds and follows Chloe, blurred and wary.
Deep-Fires falls into line behind Derrick, following him carefully and quietly.
Tastes-Ashes and Serves-Honor are the first through the door, slamming it 
 down. There are initially no sounds of resistance. Those that follow find a 
 dark, empty hallway.
Thunder's Claws leaps in after Spirit-of-War, rolling as he hits the floor 
 inside and coming up quickly.
Madeline marches in through the front door, in Hispo, not worrying about the 
 consequences terribly much.
You shift into Hispo form.
Falcon's Wing tracks Chloe.
Spirit-of-War shifts into Crinos form.
Hunter follows Thunder's Claws, leaping and rolling as he passes through the window and hits the floor inside - he pauses just long enough to make sure his spear goes through ahead of him.
Chloe sprints toward the upstairs room at full tilt.
Spirit-of-War stumbles to her balance, clawed hand now curved around a glimmering long knife.
The Lord and the two Furies go crashing into the room with the scientists in it, who all start rather suddenly, fearing gripping some, but none running yet. Various types of techinical looking equipment are scattered about.
Madeline does the best she can to keep on Chloe's tail, leading her to the main target. Her claws leave scars upon the floor as she bounds through the room.
Shadow Mage dropped Fomori Scientists.
Falcon's Wing is somewhat slower than Madeline, but also follows Chloe.
l fomori
Three men and two woman, all rather haggard looking. Most with deep circles under their eyes. They are all dressed in lab coats and teh semi-formal attire you would expect of scientists researchers. One of the men favors his left arm, holding it tightly against his side. Another has a large bandage over one eye, and scratch marks around the edges of the bandage, as if from human nails. The third male seems more normal then the other two, save for the mad look in his eyes, and his tendency to seem to want to meet people's gazes. The first female is unremarkable save for being short, and having something of a wild, feral look to her. The last woman simply stares out about her blankly.
The Get and Fang are the first in the door, the other's following. The empty hallway leads to a central atrium. As the two children of Buffalo burst through the door, a frightening sight awaits that part of the assualt group. The Get and the Fang leap in concert at the Nexus Crawler, calling upon what aid they can from Gaia before doing so. Two sets of spiral staircases lie on opposite corners of the room.
Shadow Mage dropped Nexus Crawler.
Falcon's Wing fights the urge to join them, and tries to find Chloe's scent.
Thunder's Claws doesn't hesitate; he picks a nearby scientist and cuts loose.
Deep-Fires tags along behind, trying to keep Derrick or someone else in sight.
Hunter levels his spear at the nearest scientist and leans into a thrust, pushing from his hip, his considerable weight fully behind the attack.
Thunder's Claws goes after the most uninjured-looking of the men, shredding 
 him quickly. The man falls to the ground with a scream of pain.
Spirit-of-War pounces on the feral-looking female scientist, knife whipping 
 down in one hand as she claws with the other.
Chloe sprints up the nearest staircase, taking the steps double.
Pack> Spirit-of-War says "If she tries to protect the mage, kill her, as well."
Madeline resists the urge to take on the large monster, focusing on the mage. 
 Must fulfill the mission.
The man favoring his left arm falls under the Shadow lord's claws as 
 Spirit-of-War lunges at one of the females, cutting her shoulder open and 
 the side of the woman's face as well. She lets out a scream and slashes back 
 at the Fury with claws of some black material that literally pop from her 
 fingertips. Hunter's spear drives deep into one of the scientists, but that 
 same scientists makes a wreching sound, spewing some vile substance, 
 apparently a mass of saw toothed worms onto Hunter that bite and burrow into 
 the metis's flesh. At the same time the other female scientist, the blank 
 eyed one levels her gaze on Hunter. The last scientist, the one with the mad 
 look in his eyes bolts for the door.
Thunder's Claws turns to give chase to the fleeing scientist, stepping on the head of the one he already downed as he runs.
Falcon's Wing scrabbles after Chloe, panting slightly.
The rest of the group follows the mage up the spiral stairs to the sound of ripping, tearing, and shredding, blood and foul pieces of bane flying about them. They all feel the room shudder as they reach the top of the stairs, it seming to twist and buckle, literally as if walls and floor were being bent. The stairway starts to tear apart at the bottom, and threatens to break loose at the door way at the top. The mage is through the door at the top, and the rest are just behind her on the now very dangerous staircase.
Pack> Falcon's Wing mutters, ~Planning to, yes.~
Chloe darts down the hallway at a sprint, heading for the east end.
Spirit-of-War growls savagely and goes for the woman's throat, just barely keeping control.
Falcon's Wing continues following, sparing only a thought for Gaia's Shield.
Deep-Fires's shyness, now in the heat of chaos, is gone, to be replaced by a fiery determination as he follows along, closing in behind Falcon's Wing as he tries to get offg this rickety excuse for a worldbender's staircase.
Hunter seems driven mad by the saw-worms and... something else. He flails with his spear, the head coming loose from the scientist he gored and spraying blood about. The spear is dropped soon enough, and his clawed hands begin to tear at the parasites covering his neck; his own blood rises to the scaled skin.
Thunder's Claws catches the fleeing man just a few short seconds after the man enters the hallway. His claws slam into the man's pack, sending him face first to the floor in a spray of blood, but not killing him. Another man steps out from a nearby office, looking angerily about. He is the one some would know as the Director from the first fight. Spirit-of-War finishes off the woman, tearing her throat out savagely.
The mage and following Garou enter a darkened hallway, moving away from the earthshaking battle in the middle of the building. It's long, with three doors on each side, and, after a moments consideration seems unnaturally dark.
Spirit-of-War looks around and then races towards the Director in a rage-induced burst of speed, throwing herself towards his middle lower half as she gets closer.
Director: A tall man, with a dark, angry stare. Short cropped black hair lines a hard, solid featured face. He wears a business suit, though one functional enough that it wouldn't hinder actually doing things in it.
From afar, to Chloe, Thunder's Claws, Madeline, Deep-Fires, Spirit-of-War, Hunter, and Falcon's Wing, Shadow Mage needs to be more specific. The Director came out of an office that is attched to the hallway, so Athena probably can't see him yet, being in the lab still. Yes, TC, you would be in her way.
Spirit-of-War pages to Chloe, Thunder's Claws, Shadow Mage, Madeline, Deep-Fires, Hunter, and Falcon's Wing: Ah. I thought it was in the lab. Never mind.
From afar, to Chloe, Thunder's Claws, Shadow Mage, Madeline, Deep-Fires, Hunter, and Falcon's Wing, Spirit-of-War will attack machinery instead!
Falcon's Wing whuffs to Maddy, panting, ~Lambent... Flame...~
Chloe stops abruptly in her tracks, tensing.
Spirit-of-War raises her head, jaws red with blood and heads towards the woman with the blank eyes, the last standing scientist. She is loping, quickly.
Madeline hears her packmate's suggestion, and turns on her gift, an eerie and terribly bright glow beginning to originate from her body.
Falcon's Wing practically runs into Chloe. ~Huh?~
Thunder's Claws steps on the back of the man's neck, breaking it with an audible snapping of bones. Audible to him, at least, as everyone else is still too busy doing other things. Turning toward the Director, he throws his arms into the air howls a challenge to the man, calling upon Luna's Gift of intimidation as he steps forward.
The worms continue to burrow into the metis's flesh, though he digs and scrapes and kills many of them, some still burrow deeper, their target seeming to be somewhere deep in his chest. The blank eyed woman turns her stare from him to Spirit-of-War, and the Fury feels gripped by an uncontrolable fear and utter emptiness, stopping her charge. The Director blinks and then cowers back from the Shadow Lord, first running towards the atrium, and then stopping short at the thunderous sounds coming from within.
Hunter keeps ripping and shredding his own black flesh. He begins to whine and chew his serpent's tongue as if mad as the worms do their business. The scientists have been forgotten, apparently.
Thunder's Claws closes quickly with his chosen target, bringing his claws up to unseam the man from the nave to the chaps.
Chloe sprints again, galvanized into motion by some unseen signal.
Falcon's Wing's ears go back unhappily, but he follows, secretly happy to have been able to get his breath.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the darkness seems to lift as the Silver's Fangs gift flares around her. The darkness attempts to bear down again as those upstairs hear a feline like hissing from the depths of the shadows. The darkness falls back though, and a half dozen shadow-cats snarl hatred from their position of ambush, two moving to cut the Mage off in her advance.
Chloe lifts the small handgun to aima and fire--a quick doubletap into the first beast, another to the second. It seems a trained movement, a near-reflex of self-defense.
Falcon's Wing, after Chloe shoots, obligingly flings himself at one of them, going for its throat, rage speeding his advance. He's still blurred, not that that is much good given his talking and panting and such.
You paged Shadow Mage with 'Always presuming it's not dead, of course.'.
Madeline braces herself to take the brunt of the shadowcat assault, and dives in, rage fueling her movements, and weasel's bite seeking cat flesh.
Deep-Fires's barely-contained Rage gets the better of him as he sees Derrick leap into battle, and he abandons the wolf for the better-equipped warform as he takes on another of the shadowcats.
Spirit-of-War stares at Hunter as she slowly gets a grip on herself. She rumbles, and touches her packmate through Weasel at the same time: Be strong, Hunter. If you must die, die fighting for the mother, not shredding yourself. You are strong, you are Fury...
Hunter seems to be coming around, though whether or not the other Fury's message was the main reason or not isn't clear - the blank-faced scientist turned her attention away from him, too. The majority of the worms have been scratched away or have burrowed beneath the skin, so the Hunter is no longer so bothered by them. With Rage flaring in his eye he growls, ~I am,~ to Spirit-of-War, then rushes off to join Thunder's Claws with the Director.
The building shakes to the sound of the Get's scream in the atrium, an accompanying inhuman howl following it up. 
Upstairs, the Mage's gun has little effect on the manifested spirits, passing right through them. Falcon's-wing takes one of the two that lunge for her to the ground, and a second cat mauls him from behind as well. The Fang Raggie tears into the spirit beast, wounding it certainly, it bleeds shadow stuff freely, but not killing it. A third hits the mage squarely, knocking her to the ground and opening up wounds on her shoulder and stomach. The Fang ahroun fairs far better then her tribesmate, tearing large rents into the spirit which seems to cower back from the silver light, claws only landing light furrows in her before pulling away sharply from the light. Deep-fires blurs into motion grappling with the last cat-spirit, taking it too the ground and a blur of claws and blood. 
 On the ground floor, as Thunder's Claws moves to rip the man stem to stern the Director is surrounded in a aura of baneful, greenish flame, searing the Lord even through luna's protection, though not badly enough to stop him. The director slumps back towards that office, pulling a gun from his jacket and crawling, leaving blood and innards behind him. The blank-staring woman takes the oppurtunity presented by Fury attending Fury to make bolt for one of the windows.
Falcon's Wing gives up on his Blurring and starts shedding his own light, through his pain.
+scan/doing 4 agg down
Chloe cries out as the strike hits, but comes up to strike back with a clawed hand, viciously.
Spirit-of-War shakes off the despair when she can and bolts after the last technician, howling loudly, call on her Totem and her Rage to help her.
Deep-Fires snarls, the sound almost like a song as he strikes back, his claws moving in odd time to some hidden rhythm.
Madeline's minor injuries serve only to fuel her rage, as her dance of violence edges closer to the limit, and she lashes out at any shadows that seem to be moving.
Falcon's Wing lashes out at the spirit again, slower this time.
Chloe cries out as the strike hits, but rolls quickly and strikes back with a suddenly clawed hand. She rips into the thing once, and then makes another run for the door, hoping to gain some ground through the confusion of the brawl.
Upstairs, both Fangs and Gaian continue their assualt on the spirits. The two fuller moons, Madeline and Deep-Fires manage to do enough damage to force the spirits to disapate who let out ear peircing screams as the shadow of their forms slip into that of the shadows around them. Falcon's Wing's choice to activate the silver flame is a wise one, and both cats that were viciously clawing him at close range back off slightly, looking to swipe and hit and fade more then maul. While he is yet again injured, it is nowhere near as badly, and it seems from the one spirit's staggering gait he has almost put it down. The Mage's attackes open large rents in the spirits, forcing it back enough for her to bolt to the door, but it stays intent on it's target, lunging at her again. She's able to just barely sidestep the attacking spirit, but it positions itself between her and the door she seeks, snarling.
Thunder's Claws seems reluctant to touch the man after that. He glances around quickly, looking for any kind of imprompty weapon. He takes a fire extinguisher that is hanginf off the wall and lifts it up. With a Crinos' strength, he brings the metal canister down on the man's skull.
Chloe attacks again swiftly, furiously, swiping toward the creature with both hands this time, intent on taking its life.
Hunter leaves Thunder's Claws to the Director -- whatever is left of him -- and turns his attention to the battle raging between the two Full Moons of Gaia's Shield and the wyrm-creature in the atrium. He races on all fours, his spear long forgotten, Rage burning brighter in his eyes.
Spirit-of-War is far quicker then the woman, claws tearing up her back and legs, knocking her forward. The woman's head slams into the window, smashing it and her face and neck, blood flowing and spraying as one of her arteries are cut, the woman letting out screams and gasps. Thunder's Claws improvised weapons slams into the man's head, crushing it with a sick, thumping noise as the man raises his gun and fires off a shot that misses narrowly. The corpse settles to the ground near the doorway rather undramatically. Hunter arrives on the scene of a twisted room, floor and walls buckled by something unnatural. Get and Fang are locked in a death match with the manifested spirit that would fit some descriptions of a Nexus Crawler. Blurred forms, silver light, blood, and a dark mist decorate the room. While one of the stairways has been thoroughly demolished by the structural warping, the second is still probably climable. Maybe.
His initial task finished, Deep-Fires leaps to help Falcon's Wing, knocking the Fang out of the way if he has to.
Chloe slams the feline into the wall with amplified strength, digging into it with both taloned hands. Fury twists her face.
Thunder's Claws drops the bludgeon and races back into the laboratory.
Madeline turns towards Chloe and her cat-foe. She hesitates, not entirely sure in her state of mind which ought to be her target, and fighting back the urge to just dive in and sort it out later.
Falcon's Wing, lunging toward the flagging cat spirit in front of him, gets knocked into it further by Dusty, claws and teeth scrambling.
Hunter howls once, short and loud, the sounding echoing oddly into the warped atrium. Tastes-Ashes and Serves-Honor, locked in battle as they are, only get a passing notice as he throws himself, fueled by even more Rage, at one limb of the Nexus Crawler. Claws a blinding whir, teeth slashing as best they can, he begins to lose control of himself.
The Mage's forceful attack takes the shadow thing by surprise, and she slams it into the wall with an alarmed squeal. It screams and hisses in feline agony on her claws, and then dissapates. Deep-fires and the remaining unhurt spirit exchange fearsome blows, both tearing into one another. Falcon's Wing is able to finish off the the shadow cat opposing him at last, and it dissapates with a scream.
Spirit-of-War finishes shredding the blank-eyed woman and turns towards the lab machinery, setting about demolishing is steadily, since she hasn't heard any cried of need over th totem link.
Thunder's Claws sees that Spirit-of-War has finished off the remaining scientists and is busy destroying the machinery. Rather than join in here, he heads up the way the Orion went, trying follow the sounds of battle to where the other Garou fight the mage and his allies.
Chloe heads immediaely for the door.
Falcon's Wing, injured as he is, heads towards it slightly slower, letting Dusty finish his Spirit off.
Madeline heads to the door behind Chloe, expecting to spring on something very soon.
The Nexus Crawler howls out an inhuman, unnatural scream of pain as the Metis Fury slams into it, tearing and ripping one of it's limbs thoroghly. It turns it's attention to him in anger, smaller limbs and one of the several foot long talons converging and impaling him. Bits of scale and flesh fly as the Nexus Crawler tries to toss the impaled Garou off the talon. The other two members of Gaia's Shield renew their efforts with the Crawler, though both seem to have taken rather bad wounds for the effort, and another of the beasts inhuman howls echo forth.
Hunter remains stuck through with the abomination's talons, his body quivering and convulsing as the massive appendage tries to free itself from the Fury. The metis whines once then lets loose his last breath - he dies undramatically, still impaled by the massive Nexus Crawler.
You shift into Glabro form.
Derrick rips into his backpack, following Chloe, and retrieves Scott's pistol, dropping the remains of the 'pack as he goes.
Chloe kicks the door open violently, then steps aside Hollywood style, reaching in to fire several quick shots inside without leaving her cover.
Deep-Fires snarls, very close to the brink and abandoning most but not all of his rhythm as he tears savagely, seeking to take down the cat as quickly as he can.
The Mage fires into the darkness beyond the door. The place is unnaturally dark, full of shadows, not seeming to be anything like a normal room. It seems like the door opens into some primeval setting, floor giving way to dark colored grass. Trees visible in the distance, and the ground rolling in small hills. But there is something wrong about the place beyond. The scent of darkness wafts from it. And the tones and colors of the hues there are all far darker, richer then they should be, decadent. Though, again it is difficult to make out much as almost everything is cloaked to one degree or another in shadow. Deep-fires drives his rage almost to the point of burning himself out and is able to dissapate the spirit, finally, though again being wounded in return.
Spirit-of-War looks up sharply as she rips machines to pieces. Then she narrows her eyes and speaks through the pack link instead of howling: Vehicles come! Move faster! With a final swipe at a piece of machinery, she races out of the laboratory and towards the second story.
Deep-Fires drops to one furry knee once the shadow-cat dissipates, half slumping over himself to catch his breath, all the while unintentionally smearing his own blood over every inch of his fur. He stays like that for several moments before standing gingerly.
The quick look inside brings a dark expression to Chloe's face. "Shit!" she whispers.
Thunder's Claws arrives on the scene just as Deep-Fires is standing up again. He looks the Galliard over quickly to make sure he's alright, then asks, ~Where?~
Derrick snarls to Chloe, "Vehicles coming, Athena says." He, too, looks inside, and looks exceedingly unhappy. "That's... illusion?"
Spirit-of-War shifts downward into her lightest form and races up the stairs in huge leaps.
Madeline growls, sniffing for something ahead to kill.
Deep-Fires snarls softly as he looks in the direction the others have gone, ~That way.~
Chloe shakes her head tightly, and walks into the dark room.
The battle in the Atrium still rages, occasionally sending shudders through the building, or punctuating the now silence with roars or pain or anger.
Thunder's Claws turns and lopes off of all fours in the direction indicated.
Derrick mutters, "Now there's an answer," and follows, still glowing.
The room seems large then it should be considerint it's position in the building. An odd spacial anomoly. The darkness seems to tighten around all but the Fangs, especially the Mage and Shadow Lord, or maybe it's just your mind playing tricks on you. A deep voice rumbles from /all/ of the shadows, seeming slightly in pain, though masking it,"I am surprised you have made it this far, moon-puppies."
Deep-Fires follows Thunder's Claws after a moment, lagging behind.
Thunder's Claws pauses, catching his breath and looking around. He shifts into the more perceptive Hispo and sniffs the air.
Thunder's Claws shifts into Hispo form.
Spirit-of-War bounds down the hall after the others, and into the dark room, scarely pausing.
Derrick just snarls, drops his now useless gun, and does the same.
You shift into Hispo form.
Chloe's voice is tight. "They'll make it farther. Give up."
Thunder's Claws snarls aloud and looks to the Silver Fangs. ~Banes here. Can you get any more light?~
Madeline growls. ~No dimmer switch. Stick close.~
Spirit-of-War seems a little more comfortable padding through the darkness, as if it doesn't affect her quite so much; she listens alertly for the sound of threats.
The shadows rumble again, but this time with low laughter,"This battle is far from over." A hissing starts to seethe from the shadows as the silver light from the two Fangs seems to be slowing pushing back the supernatural darkness. There are at least four distinct hisses, from different locations.
Falcon's Wing growls wordlessly, and then stares at Athena, who can, after all, see in the dark. ~Where is he?~
Thunder's Claws starts backing up toward the other Garou. ~Form a circle, face outward.~
Chloe draws in a quick, hissing breath as if punched. Her eyes, narrowed, search the darkness. She touches one hand to the crystal at her throat.
Spirit-of-War backpedals immediately towards the group and relays to her packmates: 'Large wavery winged thing over there.' Alexander is unfortunately left out, as is Chloe.
Before moving to join the circle, the weary Deep-Fires balls one clawed hand into a fist and slams it into the wooden door. From the splinters that fly, he takes the largest two with him and growls softly, ~Fire...~
Madeline joins the circle, very annoyed by this cowardly mage-thing.
Falcon's Wing joins the circle, next to Dusty. ~I don't have a match.~
Thunder's Claws asks where and how far to the thing you saw, Spirit-of-War?
Chloe curses again, her whisper sharp. "*Damn* it!"
Deep-Fires turns his back to the circle, staring out into the darkness. Rubbing both sticks together as hard as he can seems to fuel his determination.
You shift into Crinos form.
The Garou form a defensive Wheel, and as they do so four large, winged monstronsities float out of the darkness towards them, enclosing them in a circle. The shadows hiss again, but this time from a single source, near one of the trees near the corner of the 'room'. "End time, moon-puppies. Make peace with your Gaia." The name of the mother is said with incredible derision. At that moment, the wood in Deep-fire's hands starts to smoulder.
Thunder's Claws snarls, ~Heads up!~ as the things converge. He once again takes the warform, needing strength more than perception at this moment.
Thunder's Claws shifts into Crinos form.
Falcon's Wing grates, barely understandable, "Take a long walk off a short pier," and straightens.
Deep-Fires keeps it up, letting his more hale and less occupied friends converge first while he encourages the smouldering both in himself and in the wood in his hands.
Spirit-of-War shifts upwards again, growling savagely at the beasts, the diamond blade in her hand somehow catching what light the Fangs shed.
Madeline contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Madeline shifts into Crinos form.
Thunder's Claws pages all: Four of them, four of us (excluding Chloe and Dusty). Cool.
Madeline also moves to the war form, to be able to reach the winged creatures as they attack.
Shadow Mage pages to Chloe, Thunder's Claws, Madeline, Deep-Fires, Spirit-of-War, and Falcon's Wing: Okay, we are entering a combat round, make your attempt type poses, I'll counter pose. The beasties are vaguely biped, have wings and really big claws hands and vaguely avian head and beaks. They are a little larger then Crinos size.
Thunder's Claws doesn't break the circle, seeming content to let the thing come to him.
Falcon's Wing reaches down to grab one of the larger remaining door fragments, watching his assigned critter closely, but not breaking the circle.
Madeline waits for the thing to come do its doom. Namely, her.
Spirit-of-War faces her bane, her jaw jutting forward in determination. Then, suddenly, blindingly fast, she rolls foward, attempting to come up near a bane's leg and slash at said leg with claws and knife.
The four banes fall as one upon the Garou, the Fury's attack taking the one lunging at her off gaurd. Her Klaive strikes true, leaving a trail of spirit matter and energy in it's wake. The bane on Thunder's Claws lands a mighty blow, though it seems to mostly glance off the Shadow Lord, it has the 'luck' to catch one of the more badly burned parts of his arm, ripping at the burned flesh. The one closing on Madeline seems a touch wary at first, as does the one approaching Derrick but they then fall upon the two Fangs suddenly, the one ripping a deep gash into Madeline's shoulder while the other barely missed Derrick's throat.
Chloe whispers a few words, chanting quickly, eyes drifting closed for a moment and then opening again. She steps purposefully toward the source of the voice, the shadowed corner of the room.
Falcon's Wing twists out of the way, and, rage driven, stabs one of the broken ends of the makeshift dagger at the throat of the bane, clawing at it with his other hand as well.
Thunder's Claws cringes as the claws bite into his flesh, and explodes in a flurry of motion. Both claws rake out at the creature, automatically going for vital spots on the bane.
Deep-Fires draws his two brands rather gingerly in a long arc over his head, using their moderate speed as an equivalent to blowing on the flames, even as he looks around for a target.
Spirit-of-War takes the moment of surprise to come up more fully behind the bane, driving her blade towards its neck with both hands, jaws open and teeth bared.
Madeline winces in pain, and turns her thoughts entirely to killing the flying beast that is attacking her, attempting to get her jaws somewhere vital.
The massive blows of the Shadow Lord rock the Bane before him back, and it holws in pain as spirit energy bleeds out from deep wounds. The bane Spirit-of-War fights manages to bring an arm around to block and push the blade aside, it only biting shallowing into the creature. Falcon's Wing's rage driven blows rips several rents into his bane as the creature brings up both hands in balled fists to rain down on him. That bane suddenly seizes up thought, and flails about as if fighting something unseen. The mage makes her way steadily towards the circle of banes, specifically the one that seems to be flailing, though she doesn't pass it yet. Deep-fires efforts provide him with a small flame that starts growing larger by the moment. Madeline clamps down on the neck of the beast with her jaws as it pounds it's hands against her.
Spirit-of-War growls in frustration and throws herself on the back of the bane, now both biting and clawing-- biting at the back of the neck again, and trying to reach around to claw at the belly.
Thunder's Claws presses his advantage, seeking to finish off the wounded bane before it can attack again.
Chloe seems still, silent, as she approaches the thrashing Bane. She says nothing, makes no outward sign of anything but concentration and purpose.
Madeline closes her jaw, willing to bear any lashings that the beast which is surely dying now might make.
As both brands light up with a warm fire, Deep-Fires lets out a roar of triumphs and leaps for the bane that is beleaguered by Spirit-of-War, driving one brand straight for its eye sockets.
Falcon's Wing examines it closely, and goes for its throat again, clawing intently.
Thunder's Claws press seems to take most of the life out of the spirit, and though it doesn't fade it retreats back into the shadows, or attempts to. Spirit-of-War's claws bite true, though she only gets a shaky hold with her jaws. None the less, it seems to wound the spirit enough that it is staggering, throwing up it's arms to avoid Deep-fire's brand. Madeline's death lock doesn't put the spirit down, but it does seem to weaken it, it's blows fading in potence as they raing down upon her head and back. The last one, facing Falcon's Wing and Chloe, siezes dead still, and the Fang has an easy time of ripping it to shreds in such a state, the thing dissapating. There is a soft, low cursing from the corner, and then black fires rips through the air, engulfing the Shadow Lord.
A sharp scream escapes Chloe, and she reaches out one hand in a violent gesture, the fist grasping and tightening.
Thunder's Claws seems about to pursue the fleeing spirit when the fires drive him to his knees. He howls in pain and turns to face the mage, hackles going up. With a primal snarl, he once again calls on the Gift of intimidation, this time targetting it on the mage. He begins moving toward it purposefully.
Spirit-of-War howls in triumph as she gets a solid hold on the Bane and brings up her hind legs to claw at its back, forcing the huge creature to support her full weight and perhaps be dragged down even more.
Falcon's Wing grabs the gun off the floor, takes a quick glance around, and bounds towards the mage, shifting as he does so.
You shift into Glabro form.
Seeing that Spirit-of-War seems to have things well in hand (claw?), Deep-Fires turns his attention to the shadows, the soft curse drawing his attention. With a low snarl, he tosses one of his brands in the direction the curse came from.]
The figure cloaked in shadows shudders, taking several steps back, and then falls to his knees, letting out a snarl of pain and grasping at this side. He makes it baack up to one knee, but no further, his shape and face now illuminated by the flaming brand that has landed near him. The Fury's continued attack does bear the creature to the ground, though it strike true once with a claw, albiet a shallow wound. The spirit disapears beneath her, energy spent. Madeline's death lock dissapates the spirit as well, it's blows landing on her ineffectually. The fires still burn over Thunder's Claw's form, though they seem to be dying.
Derrick, now closer, fires his gun at the mage, as many times as possible.
Spirit-of-War bares her teeth in triumph and rises to all fours, looking around, and then sliding between the mage and Dusty, and stepping closer to Thunder's Claws.
Thunder's Claws lunges forward suddenly with the speed of the Striders, angling directly for the mage. He seems heedless now of the spirits, the gun being fired, or anything else except the mage's throat.
Seeing the mage stumble, Chloe breaks into a run toward him, dodging past at least one of the converging Garou.
Deep-Fires too converges on the Mage, but rather than attacking him seems to be seeking to get around to one side or behind him.
Madeline takes a moment to regain her bearings after finishing off her bane-creature, letting the others rush forward first.
Bullet strikes clean, spraying blood on Mage, Lord, and Gaian alike. Both Chloe and Thunder's Claws talons rip into his flesh, his last effort seeming to work some magic none can see. The Mage pulls back as the Ahroun continues to rend the body, making sure the Warper is /dead/. An odd calm comes over the room as the warper's body lies in pieces on the floor. The supernatural darkness lifts, though the room retains it's other out of place characteristics.
Thunder's Claws doesn't stop there, knowing that mages heal themselves of just about anything, and sometimes even return from the dead. He tears the offender's head clean off and tosses it back. It rolls a few feet before coming to a stop.
Spirit-of-War turns to look at the door they came in through, remembering the vehicles that she had heard arriving.
Derrick looks around for remaining banes, then snarls, "Vehicles. We gotta get out of here."
The sounds of combat from the atrium seems to have ceased. In fact, the Garou don't seem to remember exactly when it did, only that it is dangerously quiet now.
Chloe stumbles back from the full moon's vented fury, raising a hand as if to shield her face from the blood. She whispers a few hoarse, unintelligible words.
Madeline looks very uneasily at Chloe. ~What about her?~
Deep-Fires growls at the dead body, then tosses his second brand on top of it and turns towards the door. ~Let's go.~
Derrick says, ~What *about* her. She helped. Leave her be.~
Thunder's Claws steps back as he comes out of frenzy, soaked in the blood of the mage, fomori, spirits, and his own. Most of his body is covered with burns and a good portion of his fur has burned away. As his Rage finally leaves him, he sags.
Madeline doesn't seem terribly pleased at this idea, letting the mage live, even if she is an ally, but she doesn't put up a fuss about it.
Chloe clutches one hand to her wounded side; with the back of the other hand, she swipes a streak of blood from her forehead. "Let's go," she says hoarsely. "He's dead."
Derrick leaves, grabbing his half-ruined backpack as he does so, and going, somewhat warily, to see what's left of downstairs.
Thunder's Claws grabs up the mage's head by the hair as he heads for the door. His grisly trophy swings from one arm as he lopes, three-armed, after the others.
Deep-Fires takes three steps towards the door, and abruptly drops to one knee, his own Rage spent. He is covered from head to furry feet in blood, mostly his own and the mage's, but he standsw up again after a moment, shaking his head.
The Garou quickly make there way out of the complex, hooking up with the badly injured, but grinning Get and more stoic Fang. Their is no sign of the Nexus Crawler. A quick run across the compound grounds, and a running battle, fighting retreat with more fomori and a few weak materialized banes brings them to the edge of the compound and the woods. The fomori and banes seem unwilling to come near the fence and certainly seem unlikely to go beyond.
As the group makes their way from the compound, the voice of Tavi sounds in the heads of the Suspects members. *Your mission is complete, the task for which you sought my aid, accomplished. If you wish to ally more permanently, call; I will come.* Then his voice fades, and with it, his presence. The bond that held the pack together melts away.
Shadow Mage pages to Chloe, Thunder's Claws, Madeline, Deep-Fires, Spirit-of-War, and Derrick: Chloe, take another 2 non-agg, Athena another three agg, Derrick another two agg, Maddy another 2 agg, but you are healed the non agg from regeration. Deep-fires, another Agg.
Chloe stumbles after them, head down, staying out of the fighting save for a few timely shots from the 22 she still carries. When they reach the relative safety of the woods, she slows to a limping pace and calls to Derrick in a hoarse voice. "I'm going back the way I came. But if anyone will take healing from me, I'll give it.
+scan/doing Down 6 agg.
Derrick, carrying Orion's body, glances at Maddy and TC. "Well. *They* won't. But I dunno if I mind..."
Madeline doesn't look terribly good, but shakes her head at the offer of healing. ~I'm going back home, to rest, now. See you guys later.~
Thunder's Claws doesn't stop for the offered healing. he makes his way toward the U-Haul, the head of the mage still in one hand.
Spirit-of-War rejects the offer of healing as well, travelling near Madeline.
Deep-Fires doesn't speak -- he doesn't look like he cares to spare the effort. He, too, heads for ther U-Haul, moving almost blindly.
Chloe's pace slows, then. "Hold on, then," she says hoarsely. The dark eyes are unfocused, dilated with the onset of shock.
Derrick stares at her for a moment. "Lady, you're none too well yourself. If it'll mess with you, I ain't lettin' you heal me."
Chloe pauses, leaning against the trunk of a tree, eyes closing for a moment. "Don't worry," she mostly whispers. "I'll take care of me first. You can-- repay me by getting me back home somehow... or at least somewhere that isn't a Blight. And-- I can-- cross to the Shadow... do it there. Easier."