Werewolf: Appalachian Moonrise, Ch 1

[General Havoc]

"Yeah," said Sophie. "We'll take them to the Elders, and then see about this pawnshop and what the humans have to say."

[Cynical Cat]

Alex would put ten to one odds that they were listening in. "Yeah, let's do that." He picked up the fomori. "Someone get Crier. Let's get this done."

[LadyTevar]

Sees-faces nods, helping Arianna shoulder the human Crier, who was still a fairly large man. "We go!"

The trip down the path was as dark and cheerless as the trip up. Even with the Bane banished and the Bledson boys dead or dying, the land here was still tainted and wounded deep. When they finally reached the wider section of the holler and the first house, they could see several houses were still dark, but nearer the mouth of the holler a small crowd of people milled around, many with flashlights.

"There they are!" a voice called out, and flashlights turned to light the way among the houses. That voice would be familiar only to those of the Sept, as it belonged to one of the other pack leaders, but the next voices were welcome ones indeed.

"Nice job, cubs, looks as ya'll got 'em. Wher's th' rest o' 'em?" Caitlyn asked, eyeing the group's wounds as she spoke. Her eyebrows went up, noticing that SeesFaces and Arianna were the least wounded.

"Here, Adahy, you might need this," Galileo said, offering the still-Crinos meta a hooded cloak that would mostly hide him. "Did you find the item?" It was a deceptively casual question, his eyes going from Adahy to Alex as the Elder waited for an answer.

[Charon]

Breathes' first instinct upon hearing the voice was to move towards cover, but once the familiarity registered to him he stopped. Without a word he took the cloak that Galileo offered and wrapped himself up with it.

"We have a lead as to where it might be now. The Bledson's seem to have sold it off to an antique dealer. Which means they're dense as hell," he looked over at Alex "Or the item isn't a fetish." He paused for a second or two. "Or, I suppose, they could have been simply moving it up the ranks, which is never a good thing."

[Cynical Cat]

"There's a lot of work here that needs to be done," said Stormwalker. "Abused wives and kids, Bane nest, this list of businesses they've been selling their poison too, full interrogations to find out what other shit they're in."

[LadyTevar]

"That's why we brought so many kinfolk," Galileo repled. "They have offered to take care of the families for us, and make sure they're not here tomorrow night."

Before anyone could ask, Caitlyn snorted. "Gonna make that th' Revel fer th' Moot?"

"Can you think of better?" Galileo countered with a grin. " 'Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells...'." His grin faded, looking over the young'uns in front of him. "However, I think you cubs have had enough excitement for the night. We'll discuss tracing the matter further in the morning. Let's get ya'll back to the Sept. Especially you, Adahy... can't have you walkin' round showin' yerself."


(This will be the last round of posts before we skip to the next day. If you have anything you absolutely HAVE to say now, say now. You have until 6p the 13th.)

[Cynical Cat]

"We have a job to finish," said Alexander. "This thing keeps moving just before we get there. I don't want it slipping away again."

[Charon]

"I'd like to continue as well. But I cannot tonight, and we'll need every nose and set of eyes we have to make certain we nab this thing before we lose it forever. If it hasn't already moved it won't be doing so before tomorrow morning."

[Cynical Cat]

"That was our opinion last night," said Alexander. "And it might have been coincidence that twice it has moved just before we came for it, but it might not. Something may have its hand in this. Besides, you can still be of use. If it is fetish it'll be clearly visible in the Umbra."

[Devonie]

Arianne listened to what's being said... and what's NOT being said before speaking up.

"Unfortunately, Alex, I think we need to heal some wounds. You go out in public the way you look now, you're gonna turn more than just a few heads," she smirked and shifted Crier up on her shoulder.

"Besides, we still gotta sober this sack of shit up and find out what he knows before making the next move."

She looked at Sophie. "Can you see what you can dig up on this antique dealer? See who he usually deals with, what he usually sells, that sort of thing... and see if there's some sort of leverage we can use on the guy, family or something."

She frowned. "I'm not above blackmail or kidnapping if it'll get us the bone back.

[Cynical Cat]

"I'm not talking about a meet and great," said Stormwalker. "I'm in good enough shape to do a break and enter, especially if an Umbral scout has pinpointed the bone first."

[Devonie]

Arianne nodded. "That we could do, BUT... it's at least 2 1/2 hrs from here; I don't have any ties with the Knoxville PD; if we set off any alarms, we'll have to either cut and run, or sweet-talk our way out of it."

She shrugged. "Of course, this is all moot if the others say no, or if Gal tells us we -can't- go."

[Cynical Cat]

"You either have the fire or you don't," said Alexander. "We have been given a charge. How easily are you deflected or delayed?"

[LadyTevar]

Caitlyn started to say something, but Galileo touched her arm. He was just going to enjoy seeing Adahy's reaction if they decided to go right that minute.

Sees-Faces looked back and forth between Arianna and Alex, listening to what they both had to say. "Two hours is short run," he finally said. "Moon is just up, long night to go. Plenty of time for a hunt."

[General Havoc]

In the back of her mind, Sophie knew that this was not a good idea. They should wait until tomorrow and then go. The chances of the fetish moving that morning would be tiny, and the benefits of waiting large. Plus whoever Crier had sold this thing to was liable to be well-protected, perhaps supernaturally so. It was a good idea to have everyone ready for it.

But that part of her mind was not in control right now. She had just finished getting nearly devoured by a bane-infused animate swamp. She had walked through a village full of horrifically abused women and children and engaged in a pitched gun battle against their abusers. She had been beaten, crushed, and half-drowned in what was probably sewage. She had a shotgun in her hands and wolfsbane-silver buck shells loaded into it.

And on top of that, Alexander was being arrogant and macho, and insinuating that anyone who didn't want to go running off right now was inferior. Had she been in a calmer mood, she'd have told him to go and play with himself, but she wasn't.

So it was safe to say that her better judgment was not running the show right now. "I say we go to Knoxville tonight," she said, sounding annoyed, though even she couldn't pinpoint which specific annoyance she was annoyed with this moment. "I can break their security and shut off their alarms, and we can get the bane before whoever Crier sold it to has a chance to find out what happened. I can uplink in the car and find out everything there is to know about this place while we're driving."

[Charon]

"You have a fire to get yourself killed. I for one want to know what we're getting into. Perhaps this time before we go running into silver buckshot and a big ol' bane momma that wants to eat us." Breathes snorted. "We were in our element out here and we barely scuffed through it. Now you want to go running off half-cocked into a city with nothing but an address? There's a difference between bravery and stupidity."

Breathes-the-Winds looked around, and came to the realization that he was on the short end of the argument. Many of the others seemed to want to do this thing tonight. He didn't even look at Galileo, and did his best to keep his face passive.

[Cynical Cat]

"But if you do not wish to, I will certainly not try and force you."

[LadyTevar]

"Seems as yer all talkin' wit' yer Rage an' not wit' yer brains ta me," Caitlyn snorted, more in amusement than anything else. She had once been that young.

"For once, Adahy has a point. You have an address? A phone number?" Galileo asked. "I know you and Sophie might not think so, Alex, but Knoxville is an real city, with a million people in it. It's 'bout as large as it gets in this region," the Elder pointed out. Unlike many, he'd actually traveled outside Appalachia and knew the difference. " 'Sides, if ya wait until tomorrow, I might have a contact down there that can help you out."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "Ya know Hattie won' lik' tha' t'all."

Galileo gave a simple, eloquent shrug in reply.

[Cynical Cat]

"I would prefer to secure it now," said Alexander. "More city Banes sleep at night than not, poisoning the dreams of their victims. So too do most Weaver spirits diminish as human activity subsides. This bone has slipped through our hands at the university, from Crier, and now from these fomori. Three times we've missed it in one day. A bit much for coincidence."

[LadyTevar]

Galileo let out a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, you've got me there." He ran a hand over his face, then pulled out the car keys. "Jeep's at the mouth of the holler. Turn right on the paved road, it'll lead you to the Interstate. Hide Ahady, he's stuck that way til Moonset."

He turned to look at Sophie. "I know you'll have phone service. When ya get to the Interstate, call this number: " he rattled off a phone number. "Whoever answers, tell them Gally sent you to hide from Hattie. They'll set up a meet."

"Yer th' one who'll be hidin' when she fin's out," Caitlyn sighed, shaking her head. The aged Elder looked the wounded pack over with a shake of her head. " 'Lest let me try healin' ya a bit fore ya'll run off," she said, stepping forward and reaching her hand out towards Alex.

[Cynical Cat]

"Thank you elder," said Alexander. "I would prefer to be spending the next few days in bed, but the mission comes first."

[Charon]

Adahy grumbled low, but only nodded as he waited for Caitlyn to get to him. He felt incredibly uncomfortable letting someone he didn't know get that close, but he closed his eyes and focused.

[Cynical Cat]

Alexander picked up the keys to the jeep and shifted into lupus form.

[Devonie]

Arianne growled low in her throat, her annoyance evident.

"Give me the keys, Alex. You'll need to rest after what healing Caitlyn can give you. I'm the least injured of the lot of us - having to keep that sack of shit, Crier, from runnin' away - and at least I know the way."

She gritted her teeth with the effort to stay polite. Dammed Shadowlord. "I don't want to be Alpha," he says. "I want to stay independent," he says. Bastard keeps trying to take over, to force us all to be his bitches. She mentally bared her teeth. He'll have a fight on his hands if he ever officially tries to take over.

She smiled reassuringly at Sophie. "Between your skill and Gal's contact, I'm sure we'll do fine."

She wondered why Hattie would be ticked at their using Gal's contact, but was sure sooner or later they'd hear the tale...

[Cynical Cat]

Alex shifted back into homid to toss the keys to Arianne. "Certainly," he replied.