2019.09.10 Recovery

Recovery
Zyler and Aaryn cleanse the devastated Ravenscarne and Aaryn leads a Gathering for the Departed
IC Date	1881
Players	Aaryn, Zyler, Micah Starnes, Iris, Branton, Miguel, Sten
Location	The Rubble of Raven's Rock
Prp/Tp	Ravenscar
Spheres	Garou Gaian

The air is still heavy with the smell of smoke and charred wood. The unstable ruins of Ravenscar loom as morning marches on. Jes, Iris, Branton, Aldric and Hrafn have not yet returned with the news, though Zyler is aware of what they have just found out on their journey to follow the children. Theron, Micah, Sten, Aaryn and Zyler have remained back at the site of the attack, under the lead of Isla should anyone return. Alongside the rear of what was once the homestead, Aaryn has finished her work. There's a small body sewn in what appears to be a large piece of heavy cloth curtain, laid beneath one of the few nearby upright trees. She crouches low a few feet in, scrubbing her hands in a bucket of water. Those who have been perceptive to Aaryn in the past might recognize the set of her jaw, but there's an unusual heat in her eyes.

xxxxxZyler comes back from where he had been sitting to speak to the wind, looking definitely wind tousled in his hair and clothes. He would of course, report to Isla first. An alpha that will actually listen to him. Although the information is brief. Then he walks over to where Aaryn is crouched. There's a moment's contemplation, black gaze studying her look, before he nods slightly. "That is look of Shadow Lord. Study situation. Plot how to get to goal. You're learning. Yes?" He points behind him with his thumb. "You're coming with me. They tore the Umbra with their storm. We're safe. For now. It needs to be mended. We help Spirits, they help us. Children are caught. Others on tail. Come. Yes?"

xxxxxPerhaps Aaryn didn't fully hear Zyler. She continues to scrub at her hands for a moment longer, her jaw working twice as hard as her fists. Finally, however, she stands. It's rather abrupt, and oddly aggressive for Aaryn. She steps over the bucket and heads right at Zyler. When she moves past him, in the direction he pointed, she pauses log enough to say, "Pine. Instead of Birch, then?" Indicating the tools that will be necessary to cleanse the umbra. "You can draw up some water from the well...." She turns to head in the direction of a fallen southern pine, swiping a hand up her hip to materialize her axe.

xxxxxZyler raises a brow, then simply nods. "Yes." He watches her go for the wood and he heads for the water as directed. Direct to the point. Short. Simple. It is what he's wanted from most of them, isn't it? And yet.. why did it not feel right coming from her? Zyler puts it out of his mind for now. He gets the fresh water and lets Isla know they're doing this cleansing, then going to ask her to help them in the hunt, before he heads for where he can see the tear is at.

xxxxxAaryn gathers the pine and whittles the needles off well enough to handle. She finds a bowl, broken but still usable, and fills it with the water Zyler brings. Resting a hand atop the water, just lightly, she infuses it with gnoses. The water ripples and glistens as the mana flows through it. She turns to Zyler, "Two of us. Four directions. You get North and South I get East and West? We should start in the east, as it's still morning."

xxxxxZyler simply nods in answer, adding his own gnosis to this, to help power the cleansing they need to do. This is repairing the Umbra and that's no subtle thing. Working with Aaryn, he would do just like she said, starting southeast and begin that long process of covering the area they had to cover for mending the damage done.

And so, the pair of them would move, dipping the pine into the water and slinging the healing water through the umbra at each directional corner. They would raise their voices, as necessary, in howls to banish spirits of pain, rage, and destruction, allowing the umbral and the spirts there to soak up the gnosis and begin to knit together in the healing process. This would take the better part of the day. By the time they sidestep to the physical realm, the others have returned and are sharing the news they already knew.

xxxxxAaryn watches her packmates, moving her eyes to each of them, in turn. Without turning to face him, she asks Zyler, "will you help me lay him to rest before we shed blood together?"

xxxxxZyler worked with Aaryn. They moved well in the ritual, helping to restore the peace that was here, before the storm. In the end, towards that end of the day, Zyler would watch the others as they'd speak of what he already knew. There was no point in pointing that out. Why bother? They may or may not believe him. At Aaryn's ask, Zyler frowns, then sighs and simply nods. "Fine. I'll assist."

xxxxxAaryn's eyes are cold as she watches the reactions. She looks down at the brown bowl in her hand and then back up at the others. "Thank you," she says, an unintended tiredness in her voice. "For the Rite. For trying to warn us. I heard you. The spirits here know your deeds. She gives him a sidelong look, "you don't have to help if you don't wish. It was the first rite I learned, I know it well...."

xxxxxZyler simply shrugs. "Payment. You assist. I assist. Balance reached. Yes? I will help. I said I would. Simple."

xxxxxAaryn tosses the bowl aside, nods and wipes her wrist along her upper lip. "Fine," she agrees. "Then we're equal."

xxxxxZyler nods a little, then starts to walk off, so he can go recover after the last rite and prep for the next. "You understand. Another step closer to Shadow Lord. To understand more than just Get. More than just beat the wall down with head."

---

Devil's Night is over, but the recovery has just begun. The battle at Ravenscarne extended into the forest where Aldric, Swift Wing, Jes, Iris and Branton brought down the last of the great banes released by the storm. Unfortunately, they discovered that the attack was only part one of the attack. Waiting for the fleeing survivors were unknown desperado's that have taken the residents of Ravenscarne - including Feather Picks the Lock himself. By the time they finish searching, and the those left behind are done healing and picking through the rubble, it is well past dawn.

At dawn, Aaryn and Zyler, guarded and watched over by Isla, performed an extended Rite of Cleansing in order to heal as much of the damage to the spirit of Ravenscarne as possible. Others picked through the rubble of Ravenscarne to salvage what they could, as well as find food and clothing. Micah and anyone who would join him, went in search of a nearby family burial plot and prepare a grave for River. Now, as the sun reaches midday and temperatures, Aaryn has finished preparing the child's body for burial and everyone has gathered to lay the child to rest.

xxxxxAaryn made the best of what was available to her in preparing River’s body for his journey through the spirit realm. Using what she could find of the heavy curtains in Ravenscar, she sewed the Burial Bag and laid it upon one of the fallen doors. Micah, upon advisement from his ancestor, had brought her a fistful of feathers, explaining that the boy’s tribe believed feathers would help them move as swiftly as possible on to the next life. These, she sewed to the Bag just as she had tied together a lock of the boy’s hair and given to Miguel, who would serve as next of kin in River’s twin sister’s absence. When the time came, all that was left was for the four Theurges and Miguel to carry the body on the door to the gravesite that had been prepared by Aldric, Sten and Theron.

xxxxxMicah has cleaned up as much as possible from the night. He would have preferred to ritually cleanse himself in the nearby lake before this, but time is of the essence. He would lead those that are digging the grave to the burial site. He has marked the path by carving sigils into some of the trees in some kind of hope that they will last the ages.

xxxxxIris isn't dealing well with death, nor with the death of a child, and has likely just been gone during all this. Cant say what she's been doing or where she's been doing it, she's got a line open to her pack via Weasel and all, but that's it. At some point though, knowing Stuff's Happening, she does return with a pair of very weird looking but very pretty little flowers, one of which she hands to Aaryn since she's handling the needful burial items, and the other she offers towards Miguel when it looks like he's being the missing twin's surrogate Thing Holder and Next of Kin. "I hate funerals." she breathes quietly to no one in particular.

xxxxxBranton is present but is focused mainly on supporting Iris. Its not that he doesn't care its that he's got different priorities. Helping his lady and plotting firey retribution.

Those designated would carry River to the site and, upon laying the door down, would transfer him over. Iris would open the Rite with a howl to the spirits, letting the sound lift and soar so as to attract those related to swiftness, speed. Aaryn would intone the intent, to help the young one's spirit pass through on swift winds. To bring him quickly to his next life so that he may take up the body of a warrior in Gaia's plan. Zyler and Micah would begin to cover the Burial Bag, letting that weight of the mortal coil no longer tie him to the earth and give him the freedom her would need to move on. When they are finished, Aaryn would ask those that are gathered to gather their thoughts and, upon the lead of Miguel's Roar, lend their voices to the wind to help River along the way.

xxxxxOnce his part is done, Micah fall back to the back of the group, keeping a watchful eye on the woods and the skies so that everyone can take their time and grieve in peace without worry of an ambush.

xxxxxYeah this is going to need a good, long cry and at least 30 to 50 feral hugs to get over enough to fight the good fight without doing it stupidly. After that, a minute or three alone to stave off a sob-headache and blow her nose at least twenty times. Just tearin up a box of kleenex over there.

After Miguel lends his roar, it reverberates through the trees and a flock of birds take to the skies at top speed. There is grief there, certainly, but something more. A promise. After the others add their voices to the symphony, there is a silence that fills the clearing, and a moment of stillness before the others take upon the task of filling the grave. At last, everyone returns to the rubble of Ravenscar, and talk of what was found would be discussed, as well as where their next steps should carry them.

xxxxxSten would be standing over the grave. Allow the people to grieve in their own way. Once each shown their respect and their sorrow the Skald would take to word. "I am not a man of the spirits, I am not holy nor do I know the will of the Mother. But there is one thing that I do know. I know that this is not right, I know that this is not right, such a young life taken from us. I know that we will bring our wrath down upon those who did this, we will bring the fury and the rage they deserve for this... we will end their misserable lives and we will show them that such a crime will not go unpunished. We will rend them limb from limb and we will make them regret their life. A precious life was ended, its precious future taken.. We shall not stand for this!" the Fenrir growled the last past even in human form.

xxxxxIris gets her shit together, eventually any how, and has a refreshing drink of water to soothe her cry and howled out throat. Howls that she totally made but that I neglected to pose due to connection issues. She nods firmly to Sten's short speech and agrees, "Damn right. Alright, how do we get our people back and make this right?" she asks, loathe to just get right into things after all of that, but unable to think of anything else.