Adiyah
Cliath
Eyes-of-Light
Posts: 319
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Post by Adiyah on Jan 15, 2008 20:06:26 GMT 1
Adiyah nodded to Danny, and as the others shifted form, so did she. Her fur was a mix of red, brown, and tan. With a few darker spots showing. Her newest scars are hidden, as they are on her belly, but as she moves, a glimpse is caught of the one on her thigh. She stepped sideways with some effort, over the gauntlet.
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Kasiya
Cliath
Treads the Darkest Path
Woof.
Posts: 598
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Post by Kasiya on Jan 15, 2008 21:15:46 GMT 1
Here in the Caern, surrounded by Garou and enveloped in Gaia's grace, Kasiya simply passes through the Gauntlet. Curiously he flips his muzzle as if brushing aside the weavers webs. As a creature as much of one world as the other it is no task for him.
He times his crossing to coincide with Anna's, vicariously proud that she will take charge and help her pack Reach. She really was ready to start learning.
He shows no sign of satisfaction at Danny's reticence to trust his Ragabash antagonist. She had the right to make her own mistakes and learn from them.
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Yvonne
Cliath
Elpis' Ardour
Posts: 528
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Post by Yvonne on Jan 15, 2008 22:23:57 GMT 1
"You'll be welcome." Yvonne sais to Adiyah with a smile. She doesn't hesitate as Caitlin's support is offered, although it's mostly because Danny spent enough time considering it that her hesitations had already been forced aside by the time it came for Yvonne to accept. "I'd be glad to have you along." Yvonne probably lags behind everyone else as she returns to her blonde-headed black wolf form and steps sideways after them.
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Kamut
Cliath
Shadow-Stalker
Posts: 365
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Post by Kamut on Jan 15, 2008 22:32:25 GMT 1
Being placed conveniently across from Nadezhda, Kamut doesn't show any sign of noticing her response. Danny had said so little regarding her that it wasn't hard to gather what had caused the look, which concerned Kamut somewhat. He doesn't stop to consider it however and readily takes to his ugly, mottled, wolf form and follows the others to the spirit world.
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Nadezhda
Cliath
Shodim s uma.
Posts: 356
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Post by Nadezhda on Jan 15, 2008 23:00:40 GMT 1
Nadezhda restrains herself from rolling her eyes at such a total waste of time, there were things to do and they were messing around worrying over the dead. The idea of finding some dumb kin that got in over his head doesn't do much for her either, but she manages not to show it as she nods to Vasara. "Yeah I'm Get too, I guess I'll be coming with you then." She joins the others as a wolf, a patchy grey and white wolf in her case, and probably arrives after even Yvonne joins them in the Umbra.
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Post by Saxon on Jan 15, 2008 23:49:58 GMT 1
Saxon shifted, like his human form he was big in his lupus form, a powerful looking light brown and beige form that walked over to slide himself along Caitlin. As their heads came close Saxon murmured, "Try thinking before speaking, you are not as stupid as you act."
Then without a backward glance he moved through the gauntlet.
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Post by Danny on Jan 16, 2008 0:06:43 GMT 1
The dirge echoed through the Umbral city, as the Galliard told Kaleb's story. He told of Berlin's last loyal Garou, of survival against impossible odds, of the Bone Gnawer's final battle, and how he walked to his death with a smile on his face. But although it was a dirge, it wasn't a too solemn affair. After all, Kaleb had never been a very solemn person. Kaleb's pack joined in the howl, urging the others to remember him as they would. And so the moot closed, with a dozen wolves howling mournfully at the Umbral skies. In the end, silence hung over them, and Danny turned to Vasara. "Stay," he growled to him. "You too," he added to Kasiya. They had a cub to rite. He turned around to look at Saxon. "The Caern is your charge until I return," he said. Kasiya, Vasara, Anna stay here. Everyone else may return to The Library
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Tony Vasara
Fostern
Judgment from the Skies
Manche f?hren, manche folgen
Posts: 648
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Post by Tony Vasara on Jan 17, 2008 16:37:00 GMT 1
Vasara's low, and mournful dirge was done with the others. He listened it to fade into the Umbra and as Danny spoke, he shifted and rose in his huge, scarred, one-eyed crinos form showing well the marks of his own true breeding.
It was time to focus on the living.
Vasara looked others go away. Then he grabbed the rope he had stashed in umbral side of the caern for this occation. Others didn't need to see what was going to happen. He looked at Danny and Kasiya, to see if they were ready too. If three of them failed now on this, Anna might not be returning. If those tainted ancestors didn't leave her, if Fenris wouldn't accept her and aid her fighting them off, she was lost.
His icy eye bore on Anna "It is Time, either for you to become a Daughter of Fenris or for me to fulfill an old vow. Follow."
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Anna
Garou
Der Wahnsinn ist nur eine schmale Br?cke
Posts: 672
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Post by Anna on Jan 17, 2008 18:38:37 GMT 1
Anna was ready. It was a good thing she hadn't had time to think about it, or there was a chance she might have started freaking out. Despite the pressure, she felt strangely calm. She shifted to Crinos too, turning around to glance at the Striders, but not saying anything.
She was holding her breath, and so were they. They knew what was coming, and they didn't like at all. Silently, she followed.
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Kasiya
Cliath
Treads the Darkest Path
Woof.
Posts: 598
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Post by Kasiya on Jan 17, 2008 20:58:05 GMT 1
Alas, Kasiya could not remain silent. As Ritemaster for her trial it was his duty to make sure she walked into this knowingly, unflinching. Fenris would accept no less. He cannot convey all he must as a wolf, so he takes human form, lengthening his strides to keep pace with Anna and speaking in a low voice as they go to the park.
"The spirits have been called. You have begun on the path to the strongest of commitments a young Garou makes.
You make your case to Fenris, proud hunter of the north. Patron of the fierce and hardy. You must be worthy. Your Rite of passage must prove you so.
You walk the path of the Crescent Moon. Twisted and perilous. To call ourselves Theurges we must look Death in the face. We must touch it and look into it's eyes. You will die this day and be born again a daughter of Fenris.
Dreams and visions will come to you. These are a part of your trial. You will always suffer visions. You must come to know them as you would a lover. You must chose your path and prove yourself worthy.
All Rites of Passage are dangerous, yours doubly so. You know what you will face."
He takes his time talking, they have a way to go and listening to him will help her focus. As they approach the Glade which is their destination, he feels the urge to say one thing more, barely more than a breath:
"The umbra is our world. You are never alone.
The word 'our' is strangely proprietory. Theurges more than any auspice stick together. Frequently misunderstood and underappreciated by others only in the presence of their peers can they find true acceptance, at least, Kasiya had found it so.
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Post by Danny on Jan 18, 2008 0:24:12 GMT 1
Danny took up the rear as Vasara led them to the site he had chosen. He watched the three of them, Fenris and Theurge leading the cub. He smiled inwardly as Kasiya made his introduction. He, a Galliard, couldn't have phrased it better himself.
He knew then they had made the right choice. For once, he had nothing to say. Kasiya and Vasara had said it all. He shifted to Crinos and followed their lead.
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Tony Vasara
Fostern
Judgment from the Skies
Manche f?hren, manche folgen
Posts: 648
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Post by Tony Vasara on Jan 18, 2008 21:19:24 GMT 1
Vasara took his time walking to their destination, not saying a word to anyone. There were huge parks in Berlin, and in parks you could find trees, even that type of trees he was looking for. He looked at Anna as he started to make a knot everyone has seen, at least in movies, as he walked and looked around. He was looking for something specific, and he looked at Kasiya, nodding slowly.
This was the place. "Let's prepare."
Then he looked at Anna, the freezing cold of the North in his stare.
"You are now Anna Walzcak, after tonight you will be someone else, or none at all." Vasara moved his head as he spoke and the Luna's light glowed from his still-exposed skull "You claim to be theurge and you wish to become a Fenrir. Our strength doesn't come from our bodies only. We are proud Tribe, we do not fail, we do not give up, not until we are all dead. Other Tribes argue how to save Gaia and who should lead."
"During that time, we fight the Wyrm or die trying. You see, it is strength of will that makes us strong. That is why we are on front line in every Battle. Even the most feeble ragabash of us fights to death with determination and ferocity that other Tribes sees only in their ahrouns." Vasara was a bit uneasy, saying these things in front of two Striders, but he had known Danny for a long time and trusted him. Kasiya was new face to Vasara, but had some kind of silent determination Vasara found pleasing.
Vasara threw the loop-end to Anna, keeping the rope-end in his hands. It was her choice still, she needed to face death and find the Will to survive and fight from within. None other could help her now but Great Fenris. And Great Fenris helped only those who helped themselves.
"Shift into your breed-form. It will be the inner strength you are needing now, not the strength of your arms. Besides, you don't want to weight any more than it is necessary right now. Trust me on that." his eye lowered on the hangman's loop.
"You know what goes there." Vasara showed no compassion, no sympathy in his voice or stature. Things like those had no place in front of Great Fenris.
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Kasiya
Cliath
Treads the Darkest Path
Woof.
Posts: 598
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Post by Kasiya on Jan 18, 2008 21:42:55 GMT 1
As Vasara makes the last of the preparations, Kasiya makes his own. He knows the shadow of the Ash. It has stood here for years. It survived the bombs that fell and it will survive these Garou who need it now. He has been here with Vasara and they had paid their price. He had spread good soil at the roots of the great tree. He had libated it with pure water from Gaia's veins and Vasara had even paid a 'tree surgeon' to prune the dead boughs and ensure it's health. This they had done even before approaching it's guardian. Now he lays gentle hands on the smooth bark of the umbral tree, looking up and calling out in a soft voice:
Child of the Glade, the time is now. We ask that you usher this Cub into adulthood.
The glade child emerges from it's repose among the branches, it's body like unto that of a child but for the leafy texture of it's skin and the moss and twigs that make it's hair. It's eyes are a vivid poison green and shine mischieviously. It loves the young ones who play about it in the summer. From them it draws it's strength. It scampers, monkey-like and lithe to a strong and level branch of the tree. Kasiya is reminded that in the material world that branch supports a swing. Heedless to the fact that Vasara is unversed in the language of the Spirits it crouches and holds out it's hands, balanced perfectly as it does so:
"Throw me your rope, child of Fenris. I honour the chiminage you have done me."
It's voice is the rustling of wind through leaves, the creak of wood in the deep forest, the cracking of stone as roots tighten over decades. It is the slow and inexorable power of nature.
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Anna
Garou
Der Wahnsinn ist nur eine schmale Br?cke
Posts: 672
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Post by Anna on Jan 19, 2008 0:00:19 GMT 1
Anna walked alongside Kasiya, listening to his words. There was something reassuring in his explanation. It made her realise that in the week she had known him, she had come to trust him almost as much as she trusted her Alpha. It must be a Theurge thing. It probably kept her from dwelling on what was to come, as she would have had they walked in silence. When she looked up, they had already reached the Glade.
An icy chill crept up her spine when Vasara spoke. She opened her mouth to reply, but the words caught in her throat. So she shifted to homid in silence and stared at the rope. She knew what was coming. The noose had given it away, of course. But she couldn't falter now. No child of Bear would falter, not even in the face of death.
They took advantage of the moment's silence to assert their presence. Don't be a fool! You are no Child of Fenris. You can never be. Fenris will never take you. We have claimed you. We have marked you. Will you turn your back on us now? Anna smiled. You have no claim on me, she answered them. I am no longer afraid of you.
"I am ready," she said out loud, placing the noose around her own neck. Her voice was steady and unafraid.
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Post by Danny on Jan 19, 2008 1:13:31 GMT 1
Danny gave her a reassuring nod as she fitted the noose around her neck. Be brave, cub. You are stronger than you know. He stood to one side, letting them do their part before it came to his. For now he watched silently. Some day, he would tell of this Rite and those who led it. It was part of the Caern's history.
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