2018.12.18: Inviting Ildar

Inviting Ildar
Kandula's Hope asks Ildar to join the pack
IC Date	December 18th, 2018
Players	Ildar, Johanna, Skully, Kandula's Hope
Location	Serenity Grove
Spheres	Gaian Garou

What a weekend! So much has happened, and it proved some things that Skully and Johanna already had thought about. So Johanna has sent word for Ildar to come over to her home, where there is always treats to be had, and join her and Skully to talk tonight.

Ildar would be doing what he does. Now that Khol is safe, he was at the Caern when he got an ask to go over to the house. Happy to oblige, he would set off as lupus to start with, travel's faster that way and then shift to human when approaching. This of course, had him knocking on that door and after a moment calling out. "Hello? Can I come in?"

"A'course you can come in," Skully responds in his loud rumble, sitting on the loveseat and drinking a mug of warm cider. He's calm, relaxed, and finally looking rested, comfortable as if he was in his own home and patient as a saint. He has a smile for Ildar, and he gestures to a chair, saying, "Siddown. You hungry? Want anythin' to drink?"

Johanna has an array of cookies, fruit, cheese, crackers, and drinks on the table. "Please join us, have a seat, a treat. If you need something more, let me know. I'm sure we have it." She sits on the other couch, relaxing with a mug of hot cocoa with a candy cane to stir it with. "You are welcome here anytime, Honor's Keeper."

Smiling, Ildar nods to Skully, then to Johanna. He'd take a bottle of water and some of the cheese and crackers. "Thank you. This will be fine. The messenger said you were wanting to talk to me? Is there something else going on? I'm ready to help if needed."

Skully laughs at the statement, shaking his head, and says, "We know you are, Ildar. You're always ready to help." He takes a sip of his cider, leaning forward, and looks at Ildar seriously. "You were here when we needed you the most. When Khol was taken, you ran courier an' whipped up a frenzy gettin' help. You did anythin' an' everythin' was asked'a you, an' ain't never complained. Even after it was all over, you looked after Xenovia, an' don't think we ain't grateful; she fought as hard as anyone."

The big Metis looks to Johanna for a moment, bowing his head. "Starchaser an' I... we're beyond grateful, Honor's Keeper. This pack's our family. All the most important things in our world are tied up in it. An' you were there when we needed you, 'til the very end."

Johanna nods to Skully in agreement and then to Ildar. "Yes. You were here for us all. Our family thanks you. And by that I mean all of us, my mate, Skully, Tinlin, Xen, and you. Honor's Keeper, you are family no matter how you answer this question." She takes in a deep breath and smiles brightly like the stars shine. "We would like you to join Kandula's Hope. Be a member of our pack, and come with us to seek Mammoth, our totem. Be there, like you are, to help others of the Sept and Nation out. Be there for the Garou from Lost cubs to Elders. Be there for the Kinfolk, and the spirits that guide us. Will you join us?"

Ildar smiles a little, then raises both brows as Skully explains. He smiles sheepishly and just shrugs a little. When Johanna continues, he'd suck in his breath softly, studying her, then Skully. Ildar muses for a moment before looking back to them with a solemn nod. "I use to look out for people when I knew it'd get me nothing but kicked from behind.. I use to have to do a lot of things just because it's right.. Now.. Now I have a group who's got my back.. and.. I've found that I enjoy working with the family. Our family. I'm honored and humbled to accept. I'll gladly join and put everything I can into helping."

Skully bows his head, nodding in understanding, and sets his mug down before rising to his feet and stepping forward with arms wide. "Then welcome to Kandula's Hope, brother," he rumbles, giving Ildar a pleased, affectionate smile. "The pack is proud to have you, an' I'm proud to see the Garou you've grown into. Mammoth'll be proud to have you, as well. Welcome to our family, Honor's Keeper."

Johanna sits her drink down, and joins them. "Group hug!" She pulls on Skully a bit, and puts an arm around Ildar's shoulders. "And just in time for Christmas! I say we bring Honor's Keeper to meet Mammoth as a gift for us all, including Mammoth. I'm sure he knows all that we have done for him and his memory, but it would be nice to tell him ourselves."

Ildar laughs, setting drink and food aside to stand up himself. He grins widely at Johanna and does his best to give a hug to both of them too. Skully IS pretty big. "I think that sounds wonderful. Xenovia was wanting to figure out something to do with Christmas. I am really glad you guys asked me and I look forward to meeting Mammoth too. I'm sure he'll be just as amazing as Falcon was when I met him."

"No doubt'a that," Skully replies cheerfully, giving his pack mates a squeeze with those long, mighty arms of his. "It's the time'a year for coming together, an' our family's growin' in number in all directions. Makes me proud. Glad to have you with us, brother; we've got a bright future together, the lot'a us."

Johanna takes her seat again, once they all get that pack energy flowing with the hug. "Great. I talked with Khol tonight, and we made a bunch of plans for the house. Going to get it all fixed up really nice with some decorations. Alpha, Khol will be contacting you about what we want as a tree for inside. One we can all decorate, and not cut down more trees. Something we can use for years to come. We will have everyone over, and do cookies and carols, and have a stocking for everyone." She gestures to the fire place. "We have plenty of rooms, so people can stay over, and really make a holiday of it. Make sure all our family knows the rest of the family. I know that Xenovia will really like that. And Khol and Weathers-the-Storm can cook as well, and it will be a fine time. Then we can talk about any other plans we would like. Maybe even take that trip to meet Mammoth."

Ildar smiles, stepping back after Johanna does to take his seat. He picks up his food to snack some. "Hmm.. I'm.. ok. Well I know what we all are.. But I can hunt without putting claw and fang marks on the stuff, to help cooking? I know Xenovia has a limited window of when she could eat something caught.. So maybe I can work with you guys to do something special for her too?"

"Sounds like we got a fine plan goin'," Skully replies with a grin, bowing his head. He retakes his seat, picking his cider back up and taking a drink. "Tell you what, Ildar. Day before, we'll go track us a pheasant an' catch it. I'll kill it mornin' of an' prepare it so it's fresh enough as Xenovia can have some. We'll spend our mornin' together as a family, an' once things settle, we'll bring Ildar to meet Mammoth an' have him accepted into the pack proper-like. Should all work out jus' fine, that way."

Johanna nods! "That sounds great. See, working together for all of us already. It warms my heart." She picks up her glass of hot cocoa and takes a sip. "Is there anything we can do for you, Honor's Keeper? Anything you want to learn or do? Help you want to give to others we could accomplish as a pack?"

Ildar smiles to Skully and nods. He'd pick up his bottle of water to open it, drinking some before looking to Johanna curiously. Musing a moment, he nods a little. "There's one particular soup kitchen. In the city.. It's the place I use to go when it was this time.. One of the nice ones. run down. But.. it felt.. I don't know.. right. You know? Anyways.. Good people and if we could give something there? I'd enjoy doing that a lot. Something to pay back for saving me from starvation.. As for me.. I know we had mentioned it before Khol got kidnapped.. I'd still like to learn the ritual from you, if you're willing, Starchaser-Rhya." Ildar looks between them both. "I also wanted to let you know.. I've approached Lights-the-Darkness-Rhya as the highest ranked Silver Fang for my Fostern challenge.. He's working on setting it up for me."

Skully smiles proudly at Ildar, drinking the last of his cider, and says, "Congratulations to you, Honor's Keeper. Well-earned. I look forward to hearin' you named Fostern. As for your soup kitchen... come over to my place in a couple'a days. You can help me cook up some big ol' pots'a stew, an' we'll bring 'em down together with some soda bread an' such. Make sure folks as go there have a good meal in 'em. Maybe take some'a the radio-controlled toys I been fixin' up an' hand 'em out, too."

Johanna ponders that all for a minute. "You know, I bet Khol would like to help cook for them as well. Maybe we make it a monthly family thing. I know what it is like to be so poor and scrape by. We could certainly all lend a hand." She adds, "I am sure you will have a more than suitable challenge and prove your worth. You have earned it."

Ildar grins at them both, nodding lightly. "I'm excited to show my worth in the challenge and come out a Fostern. I believe I will do well in this. Just a matter of when he's ready and I will show it. As for the cooking? I love that idea.. I think we can really help out and it'll be helping a ton of people. I know all the good guys go there.. I was one of them."