2019.01.18: Patrol: The River to Chaos
| Patrol: The River to Chaos | |
|---|---|
| A makeshift pack goes on patrol. | |
| IC Date | Friday, January 18 |
| Players | Aleksandr ST, Frost, Brooke, Drey, Waziyata |
| Location | Near the Bawn, Prospect |
| Spheres | Garou Gaian |
Midday, still light, but it is heading for dusk. A patrol is on its way in, and Aleksandr has gathered for the one on its way out. A makeshift pack, that’s how many patrols go these days, one comes in, another goes out, and so the cycle continues. He’s in the designated clearing, talking to Frost, both voice and signing, going over some things. “Not glass, but still, you will be careful. Make sure to listen, and to be smart, Evie Frost, it is important. I would recommend extending your link to as many as you can if they are willing, as signing, while good, may not be prudent in these situations, and I need you to be able to call for help. While I will be giving my report to Howling-Wind-rhya of your performance, I will also be asking those who join us, their opinion, so make sure to make a good impression, yes?” It’s all rather matter-of-fact and sounds very neutral, just a set of instructions for someone’s first patrol. “We will likely move in wolf, but I know you are sued to that, but we will keep the pace manageable. We still must cover a certain a mount of ground, so expect to be tired.” He looks the kinfolk over a minute. “You are prepared? And do please remember what I have given you in case there is trouble and you are in real danger.” He lingers on her for a moment, as to see how she takes isntructions.
The other pack, that is finishing patrol appears on the horizon and checks in with Aleksandr and the warder, making a report, before moving off to do their own thing. Aleksandr and the leader of the pack exchange some words, mostly about all clear, a complaint about not action out there, and then it is done.
Frost stands with Lights-the-Darkness'rhya, listening and nodding as he gives her instructions. She has her hunting rifle slung across her shoulders, and while he talks finishes fastening her knife to her thigh for easy access. Nodding she straightens up, waiting quietly while he goes to talk to the other patrol.
It isn't too long before a white wolf emerges from the brush into the clearing. Waziyata gives herself a shake, then approaches Aleksandr and Frost with a slowly wagging, friendly tail. Her posture is comfortable and relaxed, tongue lolling contentedly. When she draws nearer, her mouth closes and her ears perk up as she looks up to Aleksandr. She considers the man a moment, before turning a small circle and growing into her human form, a heavily tattooed teenage blonde.
Wazi grins at Aleksandr then, staying low to the ground, in a squat, "Hello Many Names. I have questions for you." The kinfolk gets a glance and a smile, before the lupus's attention refocuses on the Silver Fang.
Brooke arrives to pick up a patrol today. She sees Wazi, Frost and Aleks and approaches to see if she will be going out with them. "Lights-the-Darkness, Puddle Jumper, Ms. Frost. Good to see you all. I think we shall be going out today?"
Aleksandr turns his attention from the returning patrol, to the enwcomers and bows his head. “Hushed-Blaze-rhya, Puddle Jumper.” The latter gets paused on and his lips thin a little into annoyance. “Lights-the-Dakrness-rhya. You know this, you are no longer a cub. Nor are you a No moon.” Yes, he does take his name very seriously. “At the very least, you should be attaching -rhya, but I really do not have time to explain it to you. Perhaps you need another timeout at the Caern and another escort.” He sighs, turning from the white wolf to Brooke. “Yes, and I am taking Evie Frost with us. She ahs requested to do patrols, and Howling-Wind-rhya ahs approved that request so long as a patrol leader says it is okay. Since that is me today, I have decided now is opportune. As she is mute, she might need to use her abilities to link minds, if you and she is comfortable with that. It will certainly make things easier.” A glance at Frost and then back
Finally, he turns back to Wazi and sighs again, brow raising. “What are your questions? We do need to be off soon.”
Frost nods to what Alek says, nodding to what he says. If allowed, she will extend her hand to them each in turn, starting up the Mindspeak link that will allow her to talk with them, and each other if they wish. Anyone that resists the attempt to establish the connection finds that it stops immediately, she does not push it if any don't wish to participate.
At Aleksandr's obvious annoyance, Wazi's grin only widens. She chuckles quietly as she listens to his protest over the nickname, undeterred even at his talk of another "time out", though she shakes her head at that comment. Then she tilts her head a bit to one side, brows raising in a playfully mocking way, "You forgetting honor? You say you are Many Names for me. It is agreed long back." A pause, and a quiet snort then, before she shakes her head another time and straightens up from her crouch to stand.
She glances to Frost, eyeing the woman curiously a moment, then nods slightly toward Brooke. Then her attention returns to Aleksandr, expression turning more serious, "I will ask crayons. You have answered some."
Brooke raises a bit of a brow with the talk to Wazi, but nods in favor. When it is mention about the mindlink, she agrees, "Of course. Anything to make for good communication during this patrol. I look forward myself to seeing how you fair with it, Ms. Frost."
Aleksandr doesn’t resist the midnlink, he’s the one that suggested it, after all. Once established though, he continues talking, the link is more so Frost can communicate with them, though for stealth, it will certainly be a boon to some degree, but only with her. A nod once it is established, he turns back to Wazi. “So one question was about Evie Frost’s presence, what about crayons?” She’s harder to understand some times, than spirits. Though with Frost in mind contact, Aleksandr begins his slow shift into lupus, going down into his silver wolf form. <<Now better than alter, Puddle Jumper.>> He does not respond to the name thing, though obvious he knows he would never agree to such. But it does not seem worth the argument now.
He turns to look back at Brooke. <> Then he trots a few steps forward and spins, so he is facing them all. <<Puddle Jumper take front. Hushed Blaze-rhya, take middle with Evie Frost? I will take rear? WorK? Objections?>> A pause. <<Will have to keep moderate pace, for Evie Frost. Two legs not as fast as four.>>
Frost inclines her head respectfully to Brooke first, then Wazi as the link settles into place. "Thank you very much Hushed Blaze'rhya, I will do my best." Then quiets down as Lights speaks again. She nods her understanding, and will fall into line where she's placed once the group starts moving.
Wazi shakes her head in reply to Aleksandr's insistence on her asking her questions, "No," she answers simply, "Later. Too many things and words. It is bad time." She snorts then, watching Aleksandr sink down into his lupus form. She stands quietly, hands moving to her pants pockets as she looks between the other three. Then, at the order to move out she tilts her head a bit, brow raising slightly, then nods and turns to start off. She moves a few paces into the brush before dropping to all fours, shifting nearly instantly back to her breed form. Then, there is a white wolf trotting ahead of the group, setting a pace that's probably hard for a human, but not impossible. She isn't trying to run the kin girl ragged, after all.
Hushed Blaze shifts to lupus herself, >> That works for me. I am happy to observe and let you know afterwards. << She moves around and is ready to take off when the others are ready.
The silver wolf does not push any father with the Lupus born, if she can wait, so can he. He keeps a little distance back from the group, ears perking, eyes scanning the environment , nose seemingly sniffing everywhere, the ground most of all. His eyes occasionally flicker to Frost to ensure she is keeping up and perhaps keeping an assessment of her.
The first part of the patrol is as reported, boring. The last patrol was right. Nothing really close to the Caern or bawn brings anything to anyone’s attention. Light starts to fade into darkness and the moon rises in the distance, but there is still a smattering of sun on the horizon. Low light, but enough to see where one is going. The sounds of a river in the distance is heard by wolf ears, but not likely by human, very faint, even at that. They wind their way through a forest of thick trees, silence meeting with the sound of their passing, not much wishing to be spotted by these predators.
Frost doesn't complain, doing her best to keep the pace, settling into a steady enough stride that its easier to maintain over distance. She keeps one hand on the strap of her rifle as she goes, helping to keep it from bouncing and at the ready should she need it. Its her first patrol, so there's a small resting smile on her face until she seems to get a whiff of something. Her head lifts a little bit and she looks around, puzzled, until she catches it again and her nose wrinkles. "Something smells..spoiled. Rotten." coming through the link.
Up in the lead, Waziyata's ears perk up and her head turns, muzzle lifting as she scents the air. Her hackles begin to rise before settling again, before she glances back to the others and chuffs softly. <<Bad death. Human poison. We see?>> She growls a little, then, shifting her weight and looking in the direction of the smell. Then she glances back to "Many Names" for his answer.
Hushed Blaze wrinkles her nose. >> Death. It's decomposing something... maybe food even? And something more unnatural? We need to investigate it. << She snorts a bit since it is annoying her nose.
The silver wolf smells it too, just seconds after the others, in the fact that he is at the back, maybe better than the others. <<Yes. Chemical. Has caused death, I think.>> He starts to make a faint little circle sniffing at the air here and there, and then stops, looking to the east. <<There. Think. Faint, but think.>> Everything he says is also relayed through the link, it’s almost second nature to sue the ling. Paws scratching at the ground a little, restless, his hackles also rising.
Nothing has really changed the wind gusts a little, changing directions, and making it difficult for some people to pinpoint. The travel has taken the sun just about below the crest. Soon, it might get a little harder to see.
Frost looks in the direction that Lights points out, nodding she slides her rifle off of her shoulder. She starts walking that way, careful of her path, and while not as quiet as the wolves, she does her best to not to draw attention.
"Yes," Waziyata agrees through the mental link, though her body language shows her agreement with the silver wolf. She shifts her weight a little, then dips her nose to the ground, tail and ears standing up alertly as she begins to follow the trail toward the east, "It is this way. Twister guides me, he is wind. I am sure. The river is sick."
Hushed Blaze is not longer sure where it is quiet coming from, as the wind gusts up. >>Wind.. ugh.. Whoever has the best scent of it, lead on.<<
"That... oh God. I volunteer Waziyata." Drey's voice has been thankfully quiet throughout the process thus far, but for better or worse, Frost's link allows a bit more of the Garou's personality to come through than simple Garou might've. The black wolf pads forward as the armed human does so, silent on her tracks, but remains little more than a shadow. A fanged shadow.
Lights-the-Darkness isn’t terribly sure himself, a direction yes, but the wind is playing tricks, changing directions. A look to the front and a quick dip of head. <<Lead on, Puddle Jumper. Will follow.>>
Drey is somewhere, lagging behind, no doubt doubling back on Lights-the-Darkness’s order to sweep a path that is rarely followed and catches up now.
Following Wazi to the water leads to the smell increasing, it makes one want to gag, as if some many live things died, rotted in the sun and their stench now permeates the area. Even Frost’s human nose is not immune to it. And then the chemical smell also catches up, it’s just waste, chemical, human waste that taints the river and has killed everything in it from here, to much farther up stream. The faint sludge seems to trickle it’s way further downstream, but at a slower pace, suggesting whatever has been done here has been going on for a while.
Frost covers a gag at the smell as it grows stronger, looking over the flowing water and the...substance mixing in it. She drops down to one knee slowly, putting her hand on the ground at the riverbank, closing her eyes for a moment as she concentrates with a frown creasing her forehead.
On reaching the riverbank, Waziyata growls again, the sound mixing with a whine to convey her dismay at the smells and sights that greet the group. She gives herself a shake, lip curling up at the scents, hackles raising again. "It is bad, here. But it is not from here." She eyes the stream a moment, then groans quietly, and turns to nose along the riverbank, moving upriver, toward the source of the waste spill. She doesn't just hare off alone, however. She moves a bit in that direction, then pauses and looks back to see if the others follow or have a better idea.
Hushed Blaze keeps checking and sensing all that she can. >> It isn't more than usual Wyrm.. not so much taint. This is pollution for sure - nasty stuff. Still need to stop it and clean it up. <<
Drey pads along a yard or so behind Hushed Blaze, 'listening' to the others speak. The scent coming off the the river does earn a few unappreciative chuffs, but she spares the group further thoughts on the matter.
What is apparent at the river bank, is the dead rotting corpses are mostly fish corpses, eyes milky, probably due to the pollution. Some have made it to land, only to die that way, some float to the top of the water. Other, nearby life has also died, a few frogs, a couple birds anything that ahs dared to drink from this, or swim in it. Even more than that, there’s a dead bird with one of those plastic 6 pack holders wrapped around its neck. The pollution might appears to come from upstream, but with the river flowing the way it is, it’s not completely sure. Though the evidence of corpses seems to give this credence, also. The stench coming from upstream is also worse.
Lights-the-Darkenss sniffs at the air. <<Smell no taint. Strange.>> Then again, the silver wolf pads gently through the dead carcasses and to the river to smell at it. Hs dark gaze going to Frost as she does what she does, curiously, head tilting a moment, before eyes find Wazi and he ducks his head, as if, seemingly agreeing to the logic.
Frost straightens, nodding to what Waziyata and Brooke say. Via the link, "It's a ways upstream, farther than I can sense." a sigh and she rests her gun on her shoulder, not slinging it back, but making it easier for traveling further. She stops in her walking to look at the dead, kneeling down next to one of the birds, expression growing sad.
For her part, Waziyata just pushes onward, making her way up the stream. As she goes, she growls a little, whining quietly here and there at the sharper scents of chemical death and human poisons. A lupine version of grumbling under her breath, though she isn't saying much of anything. As she moves, she glances back to the others and then looks up-river, ears perking up again, "Can we call humans to clean their mess? It is what we did when sewer pipe burst into another river."
>> Yes. We should follow this and find out what the source is. We may need to direct some others here to help with the clean up later. It is a good project if there is no Wyrm taint for others to assist with. << Brooke thinks over the link. She begins to pad that direction, taking stock of all that is seen that needs done.
As the others trudge boldly closer to the mess, Drey comes only close enough to be remain both within the link and sight. The black lupine's head and front haunches are lowered slightly, giving off an air of unease, but after listening to the others make their assessment, she's playing good patrol-wolf and rising up to shadow Brooke once more.
The further they go up river, the worse it gets everyone was right about that, it has to come from this direction. Eventually the water is more black sludge than water itself, dead bodies floating on that, it’s just pure, rotted death. Even some garbage bubbles up or float here and there. The wolves certainly suffer the most, nothing but the chemicals and rot fill their nose, making it near impossible to smell anything else. One of their senses robbed from them, to be sure. Not that the human among them is fair any better, this smell is nauseating. And the stranger part being, that the further they go, the quieter the nearby forest gets. Perhaps, just their passing, but it reaches a point where it seems simply too quiet. There seems to be no sign of an end, and no sign of a source.
Lights-the-Darkness takes his time to sniff around the site, and then follow Wazi, touching his nose to Frost’s leg to nudge her on also. He takes up the rear again, ever alert. The further they travel, the further they scent, the more his nose gets turned downward, trying to keep the scent as weak as possible and scent past it. But his hackles starts to rise when he sees the extent of this, a low growl emitting from his throat. <<This not accident.>> He looks up again. <<Kinfolk can help. Can get help. Know some. If no taint, should be safe.>>
Waziyata continues on at the head of the group, ears alternately standing up and wilting back at the unrelenting awful of the stench. Her head swivels frequently and she once even stops and paws at her nose, as if to unclog it. From her general demeanor, it doesn't help much. She continues along for a time, before abruptly halting and lifting her head to look across the river, ears perked up alertly. She shifts her weight a little, stance altering to that of a wolf ready to spring at some new, uncertain danger. Mentally, she says, "Movement. Something stalks there. To move behind us. I will chase?"
Then, she is crouching down and gathering herself up as if to leap.
Hushed Blaze puts out on the link, >> Vehicle ahead. Past the trees along the bank. Not sure what kind, but there are some tracks. Up the river. Careful everyone. Keep out of sight if you can. <<
Drey continues trailing the periphery, her focus almost willfully /away/ from the toxic sludge in front of them, when her straying eye actually comes to some use. "I can track the vehicle, if you want? Used to be a hobby of mine."
Lights-the-Darkness appears to be oblivious to a lot of it, the smell probably overwhelming him to the point of distraction. His head stays mostly down, trying to get underneath it. Only when Wazi speaks does he look up. <<No, Puddle Jumper. Maybe trying to draw out. Stay with pack. Chase later. Keep aware sneak up behind.>> Then eyes flicker to both Two Souls and Hushed Blaze, looking between them. One might be a coincidence, but two… His eyes go to the trees ahead, and he pauses. <<Quiet. Yes. See what is here.>> He lowers himself a little towards the ground and moves for the cover of the trees or the bushes. <<Flank ahead, stay close. Puddle Jumper forward with Two Souls. Hushed Blaze, me, Evie Frost will flank around.>>
Frost nods, crouching down lower herself. She moves towards Hushed Blaze'rhya, minding her gun, and waits until the two Garou lead the way to follow closely behind, looking around as she goes.
Instead of slinking off to investigate the vehicle ahead with Drey as she's been told to do, Waziyata's attention remains focused over the river's horizon for another moment. She shifts her weight a little, ears perking back up again. Then she turns slowly in place, looking all about herself. Mentally, she speaks, "Strange spirit things, here.. Banes that like death. Not big or strong or scary. Forest spirits. Trees. Something very bright. Many colors. Wrong for this place. Am looking at it, then will see normal world and follow Two Souls."
Hushed Blaze goes ahead with Lights-the-Darkness and Frost to flank around. Taking careful steps she keeps here eyes on everything, and looks up to Frost from time to time to be sure she is good. She thinks, >>Report anything you spot.<<
Drey... well, Drey has seen Waziyata pull some fairly outlandish aspects in the past. That, and she seems a tad eager to get away from the near-gagging fumes. And so she's tipping her muzzle toward Lights-in-Darkness, to delve into the thicker trees as she follows the spotty bouts of tire tracks.
Lights-the-Darkness pauses, his eyes flowing to the sky, focuses past the gauntlet to what Wazi is speaking off, if he sees it or does not, it’s difficult to say, but he comes back, shaking his maw a little. He motions to Hushed Blaze. <<Will follow, keep eye on Evie Frost. You lead.>> And then he is angling with a motion to circle around to a flanking position of the sounds behind the trees. Following Hushed Blaze, he growls a little <<Come Puddle Jumper, look later. No real danger there.” Then again maybe he didn’t see what Wazi did.
Frost nods to Hushed Blaze'rhya, "Will do." even with the link she's being short so as not to distract. A glance is given back to Lights-the-Darkness'rhya as he mentions her, a slow exhale of breath that could be a sigh if it carried sound. Her thumb slides down and removes the safety on her rifle and she nods to the red furred Garou as she moves to follow her.
About the time that Aleksandr is looking across the gauntlet, Waziyata's ears are wilting back, tail drooping from its alert position. Then he gives that little growl and she whines a little. Has the big, fierce ahroun been intimdated by the Theurge? Probably not, she's still looking across the gauntlet. A moment's hesitation, then, before she growls in return, ears laying back as her attention returns to the physical world. "Wyld Energy. Very, very dangerous. VERY dangerous. Listen to me, and do not dismiss, or I will find worse name for you!"
Then, instead of standing around to fight or challenge appropriately, she growls again, the sound more frustrated than anything, and plunges into the brush after Drey. The lupus moves quickly and quietly, stalking after the Ragabash. Mentally she adds, "Twister will watch, I hope. But listen to me! I am not a puppy to bark at leaves in wind. Something is wrong, ahead."
Hushed Blaze thinks over the link, >> Puddle Jumper - this is not the time. We hear you - will be careful. Always careful. << She moves into the lead, keeping a sense of Frost and peering back from time to time.
"Nobody said you were, Waziyata-rhya" Drey 'thinks' back at Waziyata, and whatever tone may be conveyed oh-so-casual. Ah, Ragabash. Always a joy to have around. "And something's always wrong ahead." The black wolf even slows her pace a bit to wait for the other patrol member, a bronze gaze tipped back at the other wolf. Waiting, if necessary, for the other to catch up. Probably likely to Brooke's chastisement -- if you could call it that -- Drey is saying no more to antagonize the other youth.
Lights-the-Darkness does not even bother to argue with Wazi, or reply, even, whatever he might say. Maybe later. Now is not the time and it seems like he lets the others words speak for him. He flanks out, and enters the fairly dense forest by the riverside up ahead. Though he does not look terribly pleased with Wazi’s response either, if body language is to be taken. The words bring him a bit straighter, a bit haughtier. His attention though is ahead
Some trees near the water here are looking a bit sickly and possibly dying, but others, the water, the polluted water, hasn’t reached them yet. A clearing comes into view as they comes a little bit into the dense thicket. It looks like a big pickup trucks was driven in here, ran over a bunch of foliage with no regard for it, to make a path to the river bed. 4 men and two women stand around it, one is in the driver seat cranking up music, which is death metal, by the sounds. Two more stand around, chatting with the others. One takes a sample by the water, and two more, the biggest brutes in the bunch are tipping a barrel of sludge from the back of the truck into the river. One of them even laughs. “Fuckin’ shit woulda been so expensive to dump and look at this, we got a spot right here for free.” The others all laugh. The one in the driver seats climbs out, head banging to the music. “Start a fire after this, and then let’s blow this popsicle stand. That’s the last of the barrels. Probably just saved a couple hundred thousand. Thanks for the help. Fire should cover most of the evidence.”
Frost follows after Hushed Blaze until the culprits come into sight. She'll stop before the tree-line, crouching down there to set herself up with her rifle. A comfortable enough position to hold until the others decide what they would like to do. As the people at the truck talk, its easier to hear some emotion in her mental voice, growing very angry as it comes through the link. "I can't believe they're this brazen about it."
"Black Spiral Dancers," Waziyata growls through the mind link. For her part, she had already gone quiet and moody after her outburst. Her own mood doesn't look to have improved any with the responses she received, but at least she isn't raging or anything, right? She shifts her weight a little in the brush as she watches the men dump the waste into the river. "Who will she shoot? Maybe better to wait and shoot any that do not change, unless she has silver." Then, the ahroun goes quiet, tense and waiting.
Hushed Blaze sighs, thinking across, >> Cheap, easy way out. Figures considering. We need to stop them. They care not about Gaia, they only worship their wallets. What is your direction, Lights-the-Darkness?<<
Drey comes to a halt just out of the presumably humans' view, huffing softly as she overhears their conversation. She does tip the now-quiet Waziyata a glance, but considering their serious-minded companions, she's making no comment. Instead she looks toward Hushed Blaze as she speaks, and then back to Lights-the-Darkness to await command
“Don’t care for Wyld or Gaia. Always brazen. Wyrm only sows destruction.” Lights-the-Darkness says to Frost through the link and then turns to the rest. “Not Dancers maybe. But must be stopped. Can’t let burn anyway. Stop vehicle escaping, can do?” This he poses directly to Hushed Blaze, being the Glass Walker, and one he can only assume at her abilities. He then sniffs the air between them. “All tainted, all of Wyrm. Pretty certain. Litany clear.” His teeth bares little even as he continues to communicate silently over the link. “Should attack while we have surprise.”
Meanwhile in the clearing the biggest one kicks the barrel itself into the river after it finishes dumping and laughs again. “I better get paid everything Vincent or I swear to fuck I’ll will fuckin’ pull your arms off and toss you in the river too.” The guy by the truck waves him off. “Eddie, you’ll get paid, fuck, it’s not even a full moon. Don’t be so fuckin’ temperamental.” That gives him a little laugh and even the big guy smirks, giving him the finger. They start to all roll around, turning as if to leave the river bed, when the girl beside the truck pulls out a lighter and begins to light some kind of cigarette. She starts to turn and eyes catch on something in the direction of Lights, Hushed Blaze and Frost. “Shit! We’re not alone. Some bitch in the woods. Which probably means…” Her eyes scan the trees. The one that was taking samples by the river and then one that came from the truck pull out guns. The big guy grins. “Good, I was hopin’ someone might come. He pounds a fist into his hand. “Come out you little bitches.” His form and others already shifting into that of the twisted Crinos, the others without guns.
Frost remains crouched where she is, despite the cries that go out, she refrains from firing any shots just yet. "I can remain here, be the focus, if flanking them gives an advantage." Her finger slips to the trigger, ready whenever the decision is made.
Waziyata shifts her weight again, exhaling a quiet breath as the Dancers focus on the "flanking" group, turning her and Drey into the real flankers. The Ahroun settles her weight on her back haunches, tense, ready to spring into action and charge into the fray. As she waits, she gathers Luna's Armor to herself and speaks silently over the mental link, repeating her question: "Who does she shoot?"
Hushed Blaze replies, >> I can try to stop the car. I will call upon the right spirit to do that. Just a sec. << She concentrates, reaching out to the spirits within the vehicle, hoping to convince them to stop it from being used further.
Two-souls takes on a posture much like Waziyata's, her attention flickering between the ranking Hushed Blaze and the enemy that has clearly noticed them. Ready to attack, but waiting for the command.
Lights-the-Darkness does not know what Wazi is referring to, but he’s quick and smart and he gets it. “SHE is not firing first.” His gaze comes upon Frost. “Aim for the ones with the guns, Evie Frost. Once the fighting starts.” His own forms shimmers a bit, surrounded by soft moonlight for just a moment. He looks to the rest, or their relative positions as he can’t see Wazi or Drey well. <<Four of us, four of them. Best to team up, perhaps. But they can do same. Maybe be proper pack. Not much tiem to decide. We will charge. Focus on big one Puddle Jumper, Two Souls. I will draw fire, and attention, Hushed Blaze, we will focus on other big one. Less big one. Sound good?” It looks like he is not going to hold much longer. But he is giving time for rebuttal. Not much, but some, or he’s buying time. His form starts to shift in Hispo, spoiling a bit of the stealth, it’s ruined for him anyway. Or he’s decided too. Several eyes turn on him.
The four Black Spiral’s stomp there feet, and seem to be waiting for things to charge at them. The two humans level their guns on the trees. Finally focusing their guns on Lights-the Darkness when his Hispo form comes into view. “Fuck, I knew it.” The woman Garou tosses her lit cigarette towards the riverbank and a rush of heat starts up, as the black sludge lights. Even the water does not stem the flow of fire. It’s like oil. It does not take much to light it, and the blaze starts, but it will be quickly out of control. It will possibly consume the forest they are in, too. They don’t have much time in cover. But they aren’t charging either, the humans run for cover behind the truck, seeing Lights, and the Black Spiral’s don’t charge, oddly enough. Yet, anyway.
Frost nods, and via the link says simply, "Understood." sighting on one of the gun wielders though she holds her shot.
Waziyata shifts her weight a little in the forest, waiting patiently for the signal to begin the attack. She's spent much of her life laying in wait to spring ambushes of one kind or another. It isn't even abnormal for the target to see the lead wolf and focus its attention on the obvious threat. The lupus is in her element.
But then, there's a fire. Her ears perk up and she nearly lunges out of hiding, before turning her gaze to the fire and tensing. Her ears lay back and then a lot of dirt and rocks form, raining onto the fire. With as quick as the blaze is spreading, it's probably a long shot. But, she tries to live up to Smokey the Bear's standards.
Hushed Blaze opens her eyes suddenly. Over the link, >> Vehicle is dealt with. They are not escaping that way. << She then shifts up to hispo herself, and a ripple of steel covers her body.
Drey's watching and sensing the others putting up their... armor, of sorts, and huffing softly as she engages Resist Pain. The Blur of the Milky Eye (forgot to pose it last round) still has her form hazy in the darkness, but it would be clear to anyone that the black wolf is transforming into Glabro. Still on the lupine side of things... but definitely not of the wildlife type.
When the battle is finally joined, Waziyata bursts from the bushes and charges across the short distance, hulking into her massive hispo shape and throwing herself at the biggest Crinos available. She latches on with her jaws, tearing a chunk of flesh free from the Black Spiral Dancer before dropping to all fours. Then she spins and snaps at him twice more. Once, she only grazes teeth against his fur, pulling loose a clump of it. Then, she growls and lunges in to snap at him again. This time, she comes away with another chunk of the Crinos's flesh. She snarls. <<Die for this!!!>>
Hushed Blaze launches herself at the Galliard BSD with a vengence. She bites down, trying to get purchase, but it is too tough for her at first. The steel covered Hushed Blaze goes in again then, better prepared, and this time rips a chunk off the Galliard BSD, and spits it out. >> I don't think so! <<
Drey lunges forward as soon as allowed, the now-Hispo now spreading her spreading her jawss and snapping viciously as the engaged foe. A growl of rage is audible when her teeth close on no more than fur and skin, and while she does leap out of immediate Crinos-claw reach, her posture remains openly hostile. Teeth bared, hackles raised, preparing herself to dodge or attack.
Frost sighs up the first Spiral kinfolk, taking her shot. There's no hesitation or wavering, she looks right at them and pulls the trigger. She bullet hits, grazing an arm and sending a bit of blood spray out, but that's all. The spent casing pops out, landing on the ground next to her and she feeds the next into the chamber.
The silver wolf jumps out into the fray, the giant thing barreling in the clearing, only to zip and doge around, as bullets fly towards it and claws attack it. Silver, you can see it, as the bullets are almost harmless to Lights-the-Darkness, but they graze him and he gives a little yelp of pain. It’s not much, but silver is still silver and even a graze hurts. <<Silver>> The wolf growls, turning his eyes on the two with guns, but he has no chance to focus as one of the Spirals descends on him.
The two big ones, they grow horns, out of their head. Actual horns, like sharp antlers, that look twisted and grotesque, even as Wazi, Two Souls and Hushed Blaze descend up on. Their thick hide is tougher than normal, and claws and teeth do not find purchase, the Wyrm offers his own rpotections. The big one turns to Wazi, <<My turn.>>The Gallaird does the game. The Theurge lets out a terrible howl, that shivers everyone to the bone, terror rocking you gently. The two tried to hide behind the car, but a gun is fired back at one, and he yells. “Fuckin bitch!” Still, he knows he’s armed with silver and he’s going for the bigger threat.
Wazi growls as the big crinos turns and smashes his horns into her, shifting a little under the blow. She snarls as the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around her form come to life, oozing with blood and ichor as the wound closes right back up again, the Ahroun filled with renewed vigor. Afterward, she howls out a challenge, directing the force of the call directly at the kin who isn't shooting silver bullets at her. <> Yep, the ahroun is challenging them. Or maybe taunting them? She doesn't even flinch when the other Ahroun's blows rain down, or when a silver bullet slams into her side.
Frost takes her second shot, the bullet hitting the Spiral kin she'd winged square on this time. It's a solid hit, punching him center mass and leaving a hole in his shirt that he isn't going to like, but hopefully not for much longer. Another spent casing, another round loaded.
Hushed Blaze is having /none/ of this. She snarls and goes on the attack again. He goes after her first and even her steel does not help her not take a bit of damage. The she goes in on the attack. RIIIPP! RRRRIIIIIIIPPPPP!!! His awful blood spilled, he goes down. She growls and looks up. >> ANYONE ELSE WANT A PIECE OF ME!! <<
Two-Souls snarls without restraint as she dodges the Ahround's swipe, bounding forward again for a bite that has the angry creature stumbling to the ground. Before any celebration can be made, he's on his feet again, and Two-Souls is back to snarling.
Lights-the-Darkness gets hit, is rake across the side, but it’s not too bad. He’s fine, really. His claws cover in silver as he howls in pain, slashing out with anger at the Spiral who faces him. Rending him across the midsection with claws.
The slightly smaller, big Spiral goes down, dead, in his battle with Hushed-Blaze. The big, almost the same as he handles two attackers, but somehow bounces back, putting all of that anger it Wazi futilely. The one kin bleeds, profusely, no time to care as it cowers in fear, the other, looks like it wants to bolt.
It's right after her epic howl of challenge that Wazi proves her claim of "Wyld Touched". While she has been doing quite well for herself, ignoring blows, shrugging off silver bullets, and tearing massive chunks from the enemy Ahroun... She pivots in place, scrambling in her opponent's blood, and then gets tangled up around the Crinos's legs. She twists and snaps at him, trying to sink her teeth in to finish the job, but instead she falls flat on her back, belly exposed!
She snarls, thrashing about a moment and taking another horn to the stomach, though she seems unhurt through her gifts and talen. Eventually, she manages to disentangle herself from the now-dead Ahroun (courtesy of Drey) before turning and launching herself at the last remaining opponent: the poor theurge.
The lupus charges, barreling into the foe and snapping her jaws shut to tear out his throat before he quite knows what hit him. Afterward, she pants a moment, surveying the scene.
Frost switches targets as the kin jumps in the truck, firing a round through the glass. She parts his hair for him but doesn't seem to actually do any of the hurting part, which makes her swear as she jerks another round into the chamber. "Mother..." goes out through the mental link. "Bastards in the cab."
Hushed Blaze turns to see who is left to take down, and targets the Theurge as the Philodox goes down. She growls and bites and does all she can until she can riiiipppp a piece off of him! She spits it out, and hopes the others can get more so this guy also goes down.
Drey snarls loudly with the Crinos' next attack, a large gash opened along her flank. It's the fury at his blow, not doubt, that gives her the strength to take a last savage bite of her foe. The Ahroun goes down, his body limp and heavy as the creature drops to the ground. Unfortunately, Drey isn't all the far behind. The dark wolf is still on her feet, teeth bared and breath huffing, but her pace is significantly slower as she makes a slow circleh around the dead Ahroun. Just in case.
Lights-the-Darkness takes a giant claw across the chest, bloodying him badly. He his own brings silver claws down on the Spiral Dancer, tearing it in half. Coming up with a bloody arm, filled with guts. He howls in pain and rage. His next flurry of attacks bring sihm down on the last remaining of theirs. Tearing chunks from its back side with those same silvery claws.
One by one the Spiral Dancers fall under the flurry, some taking the werewolves with them, causing great damage to them, but none fall, and soon the tide is too much. All the Spirals falls, leaving one kin blubbering inf ear and slowly bleeding out. The other gets in the cab, turning the key but the engine won’t flip. “Come on you fuckin’ thing. Come on, come on, come on, you piece of shit.” He slams hands down angrily and full of fear on the steering wheel several times in succession and then looks to try again. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Frost fires again, her bullet sliding through the now open doorway to clip him on the shoulder. It's a drop in the bucket because he's dealt with afterwards, but as that concludes she rises from her shooting spot. Slinging the gun over her shoulder she walks closer, stopping by the blubbering, bleeding spiral kin on the ground. Her knife is slid free from its sheath and after gripping his hair she slits his throat. At least its quick from there.
Oh no, the Black Spiral Dancers are all dead. But the two kinfolk with silver bullets are still kicking. Or fleeing. Even as Frost finishes the kin on the ground, Puddle Jumper sees the other climb into the truck and start the engine. She growls faintly <<It is not dead.>> Then, she fixes that problem. The ahroun throws herself into motion again, leaking blood and viscera as she sprints at maximum speed and then throws herself, bodily, into the hood of the truck. It crumples with a horrific squeal of crushed metal and the pop of engine housing or block cracking under the strain of the ton of muscle and fur smashing into it.
She staggers back a moment, then, and only watches as Two Souls goes in through the window to finish the job. "It reminds me of Jurrassic Park," the lupus remarks through the mental link. Her massive hispo tail wags a little at the thought.
Hushed Blaze works calling on the spirits again to open the locks on the cars. No escape for them all. When she sees it all going down and hear the Jurassic Park quip, and thinks to them, >> Which one are you? The Raptor? Or the T-Rex? <<
Still driven by an obvious fury, Drey's disregarding her ripped flank and shoulder. As soon as the Ahroun is determined dead, the giant wolf is barreling through at least /most/ of the front windshield. Fortunately, her form is large enough to rip out the Kin's throat with ease. It's probably for the best that she's not listening to the Jurassic Park chat, considering she's now scrabbling to get purchase on the dashboard and get the rest of the way /out/ of the window.
The door has been unlocked, but Lights-the-Darkness is in too much off a fury, clawing again and again the door unless he gains purchase and basically peels it down, to get at the kin inside.
The kin, he has wet himself, even before Frost shoots him, and Drey finishes him off. The fire is small blaze on the water, trying to light itself again, even under the dirt Wazi has put on it. Everyone is dead, or dealt with. But there’s still pollution, fire, cleansing and so much to do in the aftermath.
Speaking of which, Aleksandr goes to tend to the wounded, as he resumes his human form.
After it's all said and done, Puddle Jumper falls back down to her breed form and spends a moment looking around again. Her tail wags once more at Brooke's question, and further at the sight of Drey struggling to unwedge herself from the window, even as Aleksandr is healing her. "Drey is the dinosaur that kills the fat man. Or the raptor. One of them got stuck, right?"
She doesn't answer the question of which dinosaur she is. Maybe she thinks it's obvious? Either way, she turns and stalks around to the opposite end of the truck, then raises up onto her hindlegs, forepaws planted against the side of the vehicle to peek inside. Her ears lift up again at something inside. <<Wyld Thing.>>
Frost finishes with the kinfolk on the ground, cleaning her knife off on his clothing before putting it away. After a look around she puts the safety back on her rifle and slings it back across her shoulder. Approaching Brooke she holds out her hand, "If I may Hushed Blaze'rhya?" gently placing it near her wounds before focusing. It's tingling and itchy, and then her wounds start to heal.
Hushed Blaze nods to Frost, and accepts her help. Once she is healed, she shakes things off. >> Thank you, Ms. Frost. Much better. << She notes something odd and moves to look in the vehicle as well. >> That could be dangerous. <<
Drey remains still, as awkward as the position may be, as Aleksander closes her wounds. It's then that she opts out of pulling back against the pieces of broken glass -- some of the shards long enough to nearly make it through her fur -- the direwolf is becoming... much smaller. A blood-drenched Lupine is jumping from the truck's mangled hood to half-slide and half-jump to the ground. The surrounding foe now done away with, she's padding away from the immediate area of the bloodbath. Still within thought and sight, but on the periphery of
Aleksandr is covered in blood, his own, his hands, his face, all of it. He doesn’t seem to care. He looks for that who is most damaged, and sets upon Drey, stuck in the windshield and it’s bending metal. He lays a hand on her. “Stay still, Two-Souls.” Haling warmth spreading through her form, and then sighs, looking around. He misses the globe inside the cab, instead, moving to kick dirt around and further smother the fire. A brow raises as he concentrates on his task. “Wyld thing?” He might misunderstand.
<<Here,>> Waziyata answers Aleksandr's question in a soft chuff, from where she still stands on hindlegs to peer into the smashed truck. Mentally, she clarifies, "Inside truck. It is like the Wyld Energy. From here. Ball. Thing."
Frost moves back a few steps as the Garou start to look things over, glancing at the bed of the truck as Puddle Jumper speaks of it. She refrains from approaching, leaving that to those more experienced, instead walking to where they were dumping the barrels to see how badly the damage has spread.
Hushed Blaze shakes her head, >> Wyld Ball Thing. No good. This is out of my scope though. Could get it to a safe place and call in Shaderunner'rhya. <<
Well, that certainly gets his attention, and his brow furrows, coming back to the truck. He passes Frost, giving her a light tough on the shoulder, a look and then moving on. As he gets to the truck, he moves to one of the doorways to get a better look at the thing. He crouches down, titling his head as he examines it. He does not touch it. “Why would they have this?” He reaches out a hand to hover over it, and then his eyes go a little glossy, as if peering across the gauntlet, though it takes some effort. “Interesting. Fascinating really. If I’m not mistaken, if is like spirit energy, but of the Wyld, somehow solidified, or given form.”
The truck suddenly shifts, all the damage having been done to it, as the creak of metal, and then the ball start to roll on the floor. It hits lightly on the seat bottom, and cracks just a little. Light flows out of it blinding, blinding light and then it explodes. Or more importantly, implodes on itself, chaos, eating chaos, until gone.
Waziyata tilts her head a bit to one side as she watches the 'Wyld Thing'. She wags her tail slowly, uncertainly, even as her ears perk back up. She shifts her gaze into the umbra and her mouth closes, ears laying back. She goes rigid with surprise and anticipation, watching something, then as the ball disappears the ahroun drops back to the ground and turns and trots several paces away, tossing her head and looking about in every direction, almost frantic. A moment passes, and then she is settling down again. <<Too much Wyld. Too much. Why?>> Then, she adds mentally, "Where did it go?"
Drey remains on the periphery as the others examine the glowing ball. A tick of annoyance has her shaking her coat out, sending an impressive spray of blood -- hers and the Spirals' -- in a halo around her. At least she had the decency to move away from the group? She looks down at the resulting gore that rounds her, and the tip of her head seems slightly curious. There's a series of more vigorous shakes now, until some of the areas around her have an opaque layer of red. While she may've gotten rid of the actual /coat/ of blood, she's still wet enough for her coat to take on a life of its' own. Poof goes the woof.
Frost looks up Alek as he passes her, giving him a small but warm smile and a snort nod. She watches him as he heads over to the vehicle, then back to walking the bank slowly.
Hushed Blaze watches and blinks her eyes. >> Well then. Puddle Jumper, it must have been very concentrated. Perhaps Shaderunner'rhya can shed light on it. Let's cleanse and clean up this place. <<
The cleansing and cleanup takes hours, if not days. The initial cleansing of the area is faster, but the cleanup of the river from the sludge takes real effort. Kinfolk can help, it's not anymore tainted than any other pollution and eventually they get it there, restore the water to it's natural self. The area of the dumping is cleansed, the Black Spiral bodies burned and the makeshift pack participates, a combined effort to cleanse the area of them. The pack returning back to the Caern to report.
