"Well, it's nothing if not exciting around here."

[renferret]

Talk of vampires and lots of frenzies. Fat moons are bad.


Flint disappears into the office, the door shutting behind him.

The group of Garou are all seated in the lobby area. Alexandra and Flint are seated on the couch, Nieve is sprawled out in one of the chairs, and Devon is seated on the floor in front of Nieve. The Shadow Lord says, "Also worth mentioning that there are vampires in the city. A couple of them attacked one of our kin, but she got away and got to the Vault. Ky and I went back to where she was attacked and killed them, but they were obviously pretty freshly dead, and didn't act smart enough to have been able to stay hidden for any length of time. When I listened in on what had happened before in the area, about the only thing I got was a woman giggling. I'm guessing she was probably the one who made them."

"I'm aware of the leeches. Had some dealin' with 'em in Albaquerque an' St Louis." There's a faint undertone of a growl in Nieve's voice. "Fuckers."

Devon looks up when Flint leaves for the office, frowning after the Galliard. When the office door closes, he tilts his head and glances up at Nieve, then returns his attention to the Shadow Lord. "You try 'listening' anywhere nearby where you found the two leeches? Alleys or... wherever?"

The door from the stairwell opens just as the conversation turns to vampires, and Kavi, who steps out first, stops almost immediately. He glances back, once, but then his focus turns sharply to the conversation.

Ex nearly runs right into Kavi's back, drawing herself up short only at the very last moment. She makes a growly, grumbly noise, and then tries to poke around him, so that she can peer at those in the lobby. Her eyes are narrowed; there's clearly a foul temper hovering over her already. Fat moons.

Alexandra shakes her head. "Just inside the warehouse, since that seemed to have been where they'd set up shop. The odds of getting anything from outside was a lot lower, and I wanted to get back and make sure Alice had been able to get in touch with my dad to get checked out."

"Might be something worth trying anyway," Devon suggests as he glances toward the stairwell, hearing the door open again. He frowns just a little when Kavi appears, then a little more when his gaze touches on Ex, a definite shadow of wariness settling in. He turns away again, setting his chin to his forearms.

Kavi looks back again and then releases the door as he steps closer to the seating area. "Where was this?" he asks, and then casts an apologetic look to the cub behind him.

Ex stalks in behind Kavi like a thunderous shadow in the shape of a young woman. Her eyes flick to Devon, and narrow, and then Alexandra likewise. There's a stoop to her shoulders, and she seems to be holding her head lower than usual.

Alexandra answers, "A warehouse that's a couple of blocks from the Vault. Leeches on the streets and giant mutant rat nests and acidic slugs in the sewers. Ah, the many joys of city life." The cub that's with Kavi gets a brief glance and a faint nod.

The sound of the copy machine comes from behind the shut office door, and then Flint emerges into the lobby again. "Hi, Kavi-rhya," he says. He's got about five sheets of paper in one hand, and crosses back over towards Alexandra.

"Industrial area," Devon puts in for clarification in a quieter sort of tone. He doesn't look toward Kavi or Ex again, and after speaking he tips his head to press his lips against his arms.

Kavi nods at something in Alexandra's explanation. "Fidelity-- We cleared a lot of slugs from the sewers near here. We've kept them clear, but. They could be related. Fire... was very effective." He swallows, a frown tugging at his lips, and he looks toward Ex. "Do you...? I need to know more about the vampires, before we go downstairs."

"What are they?" Ex asks, flatly, still eyeing Devon and Alexandra.

Flint sits back down on the couch, next to Alexandra, setting the papers on the coffee table, one folded into his sweatshirt pocket. The galliard's drawn a reasonable reproduction of the sewer map they were given, nest locations marked, and he gestures towards the papers for Devon, Nieve, and Kavi.

Devon takes a couple of pages when it's offered toward him and Nieve, passing one off to the theurge while he studies the drawing. He twists around slowly, looking at Ex again when the cub voices a question. "...What am I? ...What do I look like? What are you?"

Alexandra says "I don't know a lot. When Ky and I killed the two of them, the bodies were still very fresh, so I know they hadn't been dead long. They didn't seem to be smart enough to have stayed low-profile for any length of time, either -- they didn't even talk to each other, just hissed and made some clicking noises. I listed to what had happened in the past in the warehouse they were at, but all I got from it was what sounded like a woman giggling with the two of them in the background -- so I'm guessing she made them and left them there." At the cub's question, she asks Kavi, "Shall I introduce myself to her, or do you need to take her downstairs right away?"

Kavi draws in a breath, slow, tense, as Alexandra describes the encounter. Devon gets a brief, focused look, and then the galliard turns back to Alexandra. "This is Ex," he says with a tip of his head toward the woman. "She's just starting to learn. She's... been through a lot, to get here. She's under Glass Walker protection, for now."

Ex shifts her gaze back to Devon, and shows her teeth. "I'm a fucking caged animal. Watch out, I bite."

Flint makes a bit of a face to his lap, pulling his knees to his chest again.

Devon, unfazed by the show of teeth and even the look from Kavi, cracks a humorless grin. "And I might be insane and have Rage issues. Welcome to the club, Ex."

Alexandra tells Ex, "Alexandra Morgan, called Seeks the Raging Water to Silence Her Strike, Cliath Ahroun of the Shadow Lords and alpha of the pack Unfettered, in service to Merlin."

Flint sits up a little. "Alexandra's a friend of mine," he tells Ex. For what little good that might do. "Unfettered is the. The pack I'm in."

Kavi watches Ex as Alexandra makes her introduction, and adds. "Merlin the bird. It's the spirit connected to their pack, like Skokiaan, the sphinx is for mine. And Shadow Lords are... another tribe." Then he turns back to the others again. "There was a vampire. Last summer. I. I thought she was dead. A girl. She giggled, and. They found other young vampires she'd made. If she's not dead? If it's the same one? She... She had the power to do things to your mind." He casts a brief glance to Devon, but then looks back to Alexandra. "She made it... It was like the things you were afraid of, were real. Sometimes memories. Sometimes fears."

Flint glances between Kavi, and Devon, tensing a little as the elder galliard speaks.

Ex snorts. "Not a club member," she says, with her shoulders hitching even higher. "Kavi's showing me how to kill shit and turn into a monster when I want to, though." Her eyes flick to Alexandra, and her forehead wrinkles. She starts to open her mouth, but both Flint and Kavi seem to settle most of it before she can say anything. Her mouth briefly closes. Briefly. "Bonkers."

Devon glances toward Kavi, jaw tightening for a moment. But when Ex speaks again, he returns his attention to her. "Pretty sweet, isn't it? Killing shit? Turning into a monster to kill worse monsters?"

Alexandra frowns faintly. "I knew about their mind control, but that's...even worse, in its own way. Did you find any way of defending against it? And how long does it take to wear off?" To Ex, she just nods. "Yeah. It does get pretty bonkers. I saw them pull an evil spirit out of someone my second day. But there are good parts, too."

Flint furrows his brow a little further. "Like has been?" he asks the elder Galliard. "How do you... fix it? It. It could be the same one, or. Or another, with. With similar ability and." There is a pointed glance at Devon.

Kavi's gaze tics to Devon, a narrowing around his eyes, a look of warning. When he refocuses on Alexandra, he gives a small shake of his head. "It seemed like... sometimes it just lasted a few minutes, and other times... I didn't know what it was, at first, but one of the times Solsiva was affected, it lasted several days. I don't know if there's a way to fix it, directly? Jack-- He just seemed to shake it off. But the others? It faded after a while."

"Yeah," Ex says, her tone bizarrely casual. "I think I ate a few people. That was real fun."

Flint looks up at Kavi. "How long's a while?" Then Flint pushes to his feet and takes a few steps over to speak a little more quietly to the elder Galliard.

Devon makes a face, no feigning needed for the disgust at Ex's comment. "Soylent Green is not meant to be eaten," he points out, shaking his head. "So bad for the figure. Really. Stick to pizza and donuts."

Alexandra listens to the exchange between Devon and Ex, but doesn't involve herself in it. Instead, her attention remains primarily on Kavi. "So it might be worthwhile to have talens that protect us from fear made, assuming we're able to track her down. Changing the subject a bit, have you ever heard of anyone who called herself the Sewer Queen?"

Kavi shakes his head at the question from the Shadow Lord. "Fidelity has focused on the sewers and tunnels around here. But. Solsiva and Lefty, Jacey and the others, they made some maps when they were chasing the vampires, last summer. I might be able to find those. They went all over." Though he glances to Flint, he doesn't seem to have anything to offer in response.

"Squeamish?" Ex asks Devon. Accuses, really. "What, you just leave them lying around, rotting? Flies laying eggs in their mouths and maggots crawling in their brains? What'd you even go and kill them for, then?"

Flint starts humming, and not the usual quiet humming, but the melody to a Neil Young song, as if he's quite purposefully ignoring the cub.

Flint: Ohio. :D

"Necessity," Devon answers. "Just the bad ones. The ones that couldn't be helped. Then burn them. Eat any of them and you're no better off than the bad ones."

Alexandra says "That would be very helpful. I hadn't known about any vampires in the sewers last year, and we haven't seen any signs of any down there this time, though we didn't know it was a significant risk, either. We'll keep our eyes open when we do more scouting and when the clearing missions start."

Ex turns her head and stares at Flint.

Kavi nods to Alexandra, but his attention is pulled to the cub and the two Walker cliath. To the galliard, he says, softly but clearly, "Flint, don't. Leave if you need to, but. Don't." Then he looks to Ex, and he studies her for a moment, and when he does speak, his voice is much softer still. "You don't need to test us. You don't need to push them, to find out how far they'll go." Even though the words are for Ex, there's a glance toward Devon, including him, as well.

Flint looks, at the office and the stairwell, before he moves to lean against the couch. He does silence, though the tension is visible in his posture.

Devon looks up at Kavi when he speaks, brows pinching together. After a moment he lets out a sigh and shakes his head, then returns his chin to resting on his arms.

Ex's mouth twitches, followed by a deeper frown, but she does look back to Kavi. "Why?"

Alexandra stays quiet rather than butt in on internal tribal matters, though it's clear that she's listening to the exchange with some interest.

Kavi catches the corner of his lip between his teeth, his attention now reserved for Ex. "Because the moon is still full. Because you already know how much power your words have. Because you can... find other ways to use that power, if you want to. This? You already know the answer. You already know what will happen. You don't need to do it, anymore."

Flint leans against the couch now, and it seems that the younger galliard is calm again for the moment, though peering off into the distance, and there's a snort of amusement at something as he glances over to Lex.

Ex shrugs. "I don't know them." She jerks her chin toward Devon and Alexandra.

Devon's eyes angle back toward Kavi, watching the adren.

Alexandra continues her silence, though she shares a grin with Flint at about the same time as his snort of amusement and glance her way. It seems she's in on the joke, whatever it may be.

Kavi frowns, casting a disapproving look toward Flint at the sound. He refocuses then on the cub and considers her response. After a beat, he nods. "That's true. There are some things you do know, though. You do know that they're garou. You do know that the moon is still full. You do know that if you try, you can make them angry, and if they're angry enough, they might lose control. You can... find out more about them if you keep that part in mind. Because there's only so much you can learn, once you make someone angry. Even if they never lose control."

It's on that last 'control' from Kavi that Ex seems to focus more on Alexandra. Her forehead starts to wrinkle. And then in the very next moment she's in crinos and lunging at the Shadow Lord. There's no stiffening, no roar to announce the sudden shift from 'look' to 'attack'.

Devon slams into Crinos himself as soon as Ex moves, launching up from the couch to tackle and take the cub off her line of attack.

Alexandra is started by the sudden attack, although not so much that she doesn't blur up to crinos to meet it, the large blanket-wrapped bundle tossed over toward the couch even as she she's bringing up the other hand -- palm open and flat, as opposed to ready to rake with claws -- to strike at the cub assuming she makes it past Devon.

Flint isn't far behind Devon in crinos, and there's a baring of teeth and aggressive posturing that's more unintentional than intentional even as he, too, moves to stop Ex, though he doesn't get in the way of his packmate.

Bridge Builder shifts along with the rest, coming up behind the cub to grab hold and keep her from reaching her target. ~Don't hurt her!~ he growls as he moves.

Between all of the far, far more experienced and better trained Garou, Rogue stands no chance whatsoever of holding up, despite her fury; which is considerable. Her eyes roll, she snaps and froths and claws at anything in front of her, but she's brought down fast and hard between Kavi and Devon, with an assist from Alexandra.

Red-Hands shows little fear of the teeth and claws, reaching in to clamp his hands around her muzzle and keep her held while Bridge Builder handles the talking part.

The younger galliard forces himself to step back, too many people too close and Requiem is quite obviously keeping a handle on his own Rage.

Seeks-Raging-Water looks over at her packmate. ~Does the cub understand the Mother's Tongue yet?~

~No,~ Bridge Builder answers, but that's all he offers as the rest of his focus going to bringing the cub under control, by taking her to unconsciousness. His blows are solid and well placed, intended to take her down quickly and efficiently, without causing more actual harm than necessary.

Rogue struggles furiously, and now there's noise, strangled snarls and shrieks squeezing their way out from the jaws Devon is holding shut. Kavi's work is quick, however, and she's out fast. She shrinks back to homid, limp and, thankfully, still fully clothed.

You have shifted to Homid form.

Alias removed.

Name set.

Alias set.

Red-Hands pushes the cub toward Kavi once she goes limp. Then, panting, returns himself to homid. He looks up at the elder Galliard, then starts for the stairs with a kind of haste different from that he'd entered with.

The younger galliard crouches by the couch, and then shifts back to homid, though he seems like he's still working to control himself.

With two Garou successfully working to restrain the cub, the Shadow Lord Ahroun doesn't attempt to join in, instead returning to her birthform, letting out a breath. "Well, it's nothing if not exciting around here."

Bridge Builder cradles the cub in his arms as he rises, still breathing heavily. For a momen more he simply stands, working to control his own breathing as he looks down at the woman he holds. Slowly, he slips down from crinos to glabro, and looks to the members of Unfettered. "Whatever... Whatever you shared? Whatever secret joke it was? I'm sorry for this, for her. She still-- But it's like whispering. When you do that? And it... If you wouldn't whisper in front of someone else? If it would be rude to whisper? It's rude to share your private thoughts where we can see." He readjusts his burden and turns to carry her up the stairs.

Flint nods, to Kavi. "I'm sorry," he says, quietly. "I. Yeah." A pause, and he nods. "Yes, Kavi-rhya."

Devon takes the stairs two at a time, the sounds of his shoes on the steps fading as he climbs upward and further from the lobby.

Alexandra's expression turns to a frown, but she neither disagrees nor argues, whatever her opinion might be. As Kavi gathers the cub and goes upstairs, she gathers the bundle she'd tossed onto the couch and re-secures it. "I should go as well. People trying to kill you is generally a hint that you've overstayed your welcome a bit."


Tenement Building - Cubs' Bunkroom(#1657RA)

This large studio apartment has been set up as a communal living space for the tribe's cubs, as well as a temporary crash space for those who don't have their own apartment in the building. It's extremely sparse in furniture, consisting of two bunkbeds set opposite each other against the walls, and little else. Fortunately, it does possess a small kitchen and an even smaller bathroom.

Contents:
Kavi(#3249PJOc)

Obvious exits:
Out

Kavi is still gentle as he sets the unconscious cub on her bed, careful to make sure her limbs aren't tangled or twisted uncomfortably, before he steps back and finds a seat on the opposite bunk.

It takes a while, but eventually Ex stirs. First with a sharper inhale than usual, then a roll of her head to one side. Her fists clench before she opens her eyes, and when she does that, it's very carefully.

"You're safe," Kavi says softly, when he sees that first sign of waking. "I brought you back upstairs. You're safe, here."

Ex brings a hand to her forehead. "Wha' happened?" she mumbles.

The galliard opens his mouth to answer, then closes it again. He pulls in a breath and leans forward. "What do you remember?"

Ex hefts herself up on one elbow. "Uh." She squints. "I don't know. We were talking."

"We were," Kavi agrees. He shifts, then, shrinking down from glabro to homid. "Something made you angry. I think-- I think I know what it was, but I want to know if you can remember it."

Ex shakes her head again, without hesitation. "You were saying something about not annoying the others."

Kavi smiles at that, a soft upturn of his lips, and he nods. "I did. I hope-- We can talk more about that, later, but I hope you understand that." The smile fades, even before the words come, and he looks down at his hands where they rest on his knees. "It doesn't matter, really. The thing, the trigger, this time? It could be anything. Especially this time of the month." His gaze rises again and he looks across to her. "I want to try something, when the moon is smaller. I want to try to help you... recognize when you're about to lose control, before you do, so that you can make the choice."

Rina comes in from the hallway.

Rina has arrived.

Ex watches Kavi sidelong, her eyes faintly hooded. "How are you going to do that?"

Kavi rubs his palms over his knees and sits up a bit straighter again. "I don't know, exactly. But we'll wait a little. Maybe at the half. We'll find a way to help you feel it. We know you can change without losing control. Now... We need to help you learn how to stay in control when things happen that you don't expect."

Rina knocks quietly on the door before slipping inside. "Caro?"

Kavi looks to Rina at the knock and extends a hand in invitation. "Hey," he says softly. "We're just... talking."

Ex's hooded gaze flicks to Rina, but she has no greeting; not unusual at all, for the cub. "That one guy was being fucking creepy."

Coming in, Rina almost closes the door behind her--but not quite. "Which one guy?"

"Devon?" Kavi asks. "The one who was sitting on the floor?"

"That guy," Ex confirms. She eyes the door hard for a moment, but then seems to let it go. "Fucking creepy."

"He's..." Rina pulls a chair from the table. "Having some issues, right now." She glances to Kavi, a meaningful and serious look.

Kavi wets his lips. "He... He plays the same game you do. He likes to push, too. To see how far things will go." He casts a glance toward Rina and nods, but his brows knit. "I think. I think I know what's causing that, too. Do you remember? Last summer? The girl? The vampire? She made Solsiva see things. It didn't last this long, but. She said the shadows were moving. There were things, there."

Rina's brow furrows, her jaw tightening a little. "I didn't know that," she says quietly.

Ex presses her own lips together very very hard, but says nothing.

Kavi swallows. "I thought she was gone. I thought... Jack was there, and I thought she was dead. But Alex was talking about a girl, a giggling girl who made the young vampires that she fought. And it sounds just like last summer."

Rina takes a shallow breath, and releases it. "I don't guess there's any alcohol in here," she says, rising and heading for the kitchen.

"That's fucking /creepy/," Ex says, rather too loud for comfort. She crosses her arms over her chest and scowls.

Kavi shakes his head. "I'm sorry," he says. "I shouldn't-- You don't need to hear about this, now."

"It's fine," Rina says, a subtle tension in her voice as she goes through cabinets.

Ex glances between Kavi and Rina, eyes narrowing just a little further.

Kavi leans his elbows on his knees and bows his head. For a moment he's quiet, just breathing, soft and slow. He lifts his gaze to Ex and offers her an apologetic smile. "I mostly wanted to talk to you about... about how it felt when you lost control, before. But it's okay. When the moon is smaller we'll work on figuring that out. I've seen you make choices, so I know-- I know that once you can feel it? You'll be able to control it."

Rina finally gives up, and gets herself a glass of water. "Anyone want some tea?"

"Feels like something's tearing its way out of me," Ex says, low. "Like it's hot."

Rina turns to listen, keeping her distance, glass cradled in both hands.

Kavi glances across to Rina and gives a slight nod. His attention returns to Ex, though, and he leans forward again. "Now? You're feeling that right now?"

"Always," Ex says, aggravated. "Sometimes more than others. Definitely now. It's too noisy and full of people and walls and fucking cameras. The creepy guy and the little kid were arguing the other day. Loud. Made me want to smash them into goo."

The galliard casts another glance to the kin and nods. His lips part, and then close again, and he swallows. "There are some people," he says, the words coming slowly, and his voice soft. "Who think you would be better off in the woods, with them."

Rina moves quietly in the kitchen, the water running briefly, cabinets opening and closing.

"Yeah," Ex says. "The Fury people. We talked. Have you had that meeting yet?"

"We... We did. Some. We didn't finish." The galliard swallows again, and for a moment his brow furrows as he considers his next words. "We agree, all of us? We agree that we want what's best for you, but we disagree about what that is. At least... what it is, right now? I worry that-- You and I, we're just starting to trust each other. And I don't want anything to happen that could change that. I promised you, that I'd keep you safe. And I worry that... if you weren't here, with us? I might not be able to keep my promise."

Ex squints at Kavi. "Well, why not?"

Rina turns to watch them, her dark eyes haunted. She doesn't speak--just listens, a silent and supportive presence.

"Because I might not be there, or be close enough, if you needed me." Kavi catches the corner of his lip between his teeth. "But they're right about something. About... About being here, being inside with all of us so close? That is hard for you. And maybe it is making it worse."

Ex exhales through her nose. "Well, that's easy. We just talk to them and tell them they don't get to do that whole kill her if she doesn't join us crap." She's watching Kavi very closely as she says this.

Kavi actually smiles at the words. It's a soft expression, and his eyes are touched with sadness despite the curve at his lips. "Definitely," he agrees with a nod. "But. But I think there's more to it, than that."

Rina finally crosses the room, standing behind Kavi, hands on his shoulders.

Ex jerks her chin to the side, and looks expectant.

Kavi lets out a breath as Rina's hands reach his shoulders, and he leans back just a little into the touch. "I think. I want to try something. If you're willing? The Furies suggested a place. It doesn't belong to them, and I think. I think it might be a good place for you to learn. Without the walls." He pulls forward, upright, strength showing in his posture. "We're starting to trust one another. And this. This would be my chance to show you that I trust you, and your chance to show that you believe me. I'll take you out to the island, tomorrow. I'll ask Morgan, if it's okay, and if it is? We'll go there, tomorrow. If you promise not to try to run. There are more dangers out there, and I... I don't want you to be lost, to be hurt. Can you do that? Can we do this?"

Rina's hands give Kavi's shoulders a little squeeze.

Flint comes in from the hallway.

Flint has arrived.

Ex's eyes narrow as she studies Kavi very, very carefully. "What happens if I do run? What would you do?"

Like a candle snuffed out, the galliard's expression darkens, not with anger but sorrow. "I would catch you. I would... bring you back here." He swallows, and his gaze falls to rest on his knees. "And I would know."

Rina gives a small shake of her head. "We-- the two of us, anyway? I think it'd be good, for you t'be able to just-- be. Without walls and doors and all this, yeah?"

Ex presses the matter. "But what if I ran really fast, and hid really well. Would you catch me then?"

Down the hallway, the doorway to one of the apartments opens, and the footsteps that follow pad towards the cubroom, rather than going past to the breakroom. And then, there's a soft knock on the door, accompanied by the cutting off and silencing of a telltale humming that betrays who it is.

Kavi lets out a sigh and he looks up over his shoulder to Rina for just a moment. "What if," Kavi says to Ex in turn. "What if I didn't? What if I... let you go?"

Ex blinks. She blinks again, and then stares at Kavi. "...Why the fuck would you do that?"

Rina gives Kavi's shoulders another squeeze, and turns to head for the door. "C'mon in," she says quietly, once she's close enough.

Flint pushes the door open far enough to slip in, closing it to the ajar state behind him. Rina gets a nod, before Flint leans against the wall and slides down to sit, arms wrapping loosely around his knees. It seems the younger galliard isn't going to interrupt.

The rest of the world might as well not exist for the older galliard. He inches forward in his seat, his gaze focused on the cub. "I wouldn't," says, and the words have the power of a promise. "I wouldn't. Not until I know you'll be safe. Until I know you've learned everything you need to. I wouldn't give up. I won't give up on you. It doesn't matter if you run. It doesn't matter if you hide. It doesn't matter if Dancers try to steal you, or Vampires try to hurt you. I /won't/ give up."

Ex echoes that focus, though Flint does get the briefest of glances. She takes a few moments to respond, but when she does, it's low and intense. "Doesn't sound like that's something you can get. Does it? I'm not /safe/. Nobody's safe. You've got your vampires and your evil werewolves and...Dancer...things, and the doctors, and your war. You can't know I'm gonna be safe."

Rina returns, her dark eyes haunted. "Maybe not," she says. "But we can give you the skills t'make ya safer. So you can take care a y'self. You can stand against just about anything in this world, and the thing about bein' Garou? Y'almost never are gonna hafta stand alone."

Flint sits there, listening, and he nods once at the end of what Rina says. "She's right," Flint says, very softly.

Kavi's gaze falls again, and he gives a small shake of his head. "No. There is no guarantee. Not for anyone." He's quiet, then, as Rina speaks, and he lifts his gaze to Ex, again. "But she's right. There are so many things we have left to teach you, skills you can learn so that you can be... as safe as anyone can be. And that's what I want for you."

Ex pushes off of the bed and paces a tight line in front of it, her muscles tensed. "Okay, okay. /Prove/ it. Let me walk out the door."

Flint looks up, to Kavi, to Rina. "I can. This. If this isn't... a. A-a good time, I. Can come back." There's effort, in the words, though they're still two steps away from being word salad.

Rina's expression darkens a touch, and she looks to Kavi, clearly deferring to his leadership.

Kavi rises as well, though he doesn't move to follow, or to block her path. "I won't," he says with a soft shake of his head. "I won't let you go, until I think you're ready. And you're not, yet. I /want/ to take you away from the walls, where you'll be more comfortable. And I want to believe you won't run from me, if we go there."

Rina glances over her shoulder to Flint, and says, quietly, "Stay a sec."

"No," Ex says, heatedly. "No, no, no. You're not getting it. Walls!" She thumps a shoe into the bed. "There's walls /everywhere/. I only draw on the ones you can touch, right? But we go to an island and then there are walls of water and words and 'I'll come and catch you'. You put wires in the ground and a collar on the dog, it's still a fence, even if you can't see it." She turns to look right at Kavi. "And they get up in your throat and your nose until you can't breath, and then you can't move and they put silence on you until you do what they want." She licks her lips and lifts one gloved finger. "We can make a trade. You let me /go/...and I come back and learn everything you want to teach. Right? I can go, and you can teach. Maybe at the Fury people's place, I don't know. So there aren't regular humans around to worry about. No walls. No leashes. No 'we kill you if you don't sign on the dotted line'. And I stay away from people when I'm not in control and I listen and I don't try to make people so angry...all the time."

Flint winces a little as Ex goes on, but nods at Rina, and the younger galliard stays quiet.

Rina watches Ex speak, her expression tightening a little around the eyes. "Just a bigger cage," she says quietly. "But still a cage. I know."

Kavi swallows, the sorrow once again visible in his eyes. He nods, a demonstration of understanding rather than a gesture of agreement. "I want that, for you. I want... I want to be able to give you that. And I'm sorry that I can't, yet. But I can offer you this choice. I can offer you the island, where you can be outside, where you can have time alone, without anyone else close enough to hear or feel or see. And we can try to reach the point where I can give you all of it."

Ex sighs, and flumps back onto the bed. She's silent for a few moments, before she shakes her head. "I don't want to be that far away. I just want space. I don't like it when I'm alone and there's no one listening."

Flint pulls his knees a little more to his chest. "Maybe they. Kavi-rhya and. They can maybe work, something out," he offers Ex, or maybe in general. "It. Sounds like. If. It would still. It would still be, more space."

Kavi glances to Flint for the first time since the younger Glass Walker entered, but his gaze returns quickly to Ex and he nods. "What if... Instead of going to the basement, tomorrow, to practice shifting? What if I take you, there. We can spend time outside. You won't be alone, but we'll have space. We can come back, to eat dinner, to sleep. But you can have time away from /these/ walls, too."

Rina just watches, her attention mainly on Ex.

Ex hesitates a moment, and then nods. "Okay. But don't /leave/ me there. If you leave me there, I'll run. I don't want to be entirely alone."

"Then we'll make sure that doesn't happen," Rina says quietly.

That soft smile returns, along with the duck of his gaze and the shake of his head. "Never," Kavi answers. "We'll be there."

Flint waits a moment, and then pushes to stand, hands shoving into his pockets, but that's the only indication from Flint of moon-born tension. "So a-- about earlier, Kavi-rhya. Ex." That's as far as the cliath gets, to start, and his gaze goes to the floor a moment, then he settles for looking to Rina, rather than the others.

Ex nods several more times, a little shakily. "Okay. Okay. We can do that then." Her attention shifts to Flint as he starts speaking.

Kavi nods to the cub and then turns. Moving to Rina's side, he takes her hand and looks to Flint.

Stress and pressure, such as they are, do not do great things for Flint's ability to speak coherently, and he spends a moment taking deep, steady breaths. "I need to, to," and he pauses, "say, sorry. That I'm sorry. That. I. Now I see, what did, came. Across wrong. And I. If. I'm sorry." Flint's apparently not done, though, because no sooner has he paused for breath than he continues, in the way that he needs to keep talking and not be interrupted or he'll never manage to say it. "I'm not. I'm not good at, at keeping separate. What's inside, and what's. Not. I talk to the. Aloud, still, sometimes. And... I. I'm sorry, though. I. Should not have, externalised. My response, to something that. That had nothing, to do with earlier."

Ex blinks a few times. There's no other reaction from her beyond the creasing of her forehead.

Kavi nods to Flint. He glances to the cub, tensing for a moment as he watches for her reaction, and then looks back to the boy. "It's okay," he says softly.

Rina watches Flint speak, and something changes in her eyes; there's a warmth, that chases away the shadows.

Flint is hard to read as he speaks, aside from a faint quiver of his lips that gets caught, lower lip chewed on and eyes cast to look at the cubroom, before he turns to Ex, addressing her more specifically as he pushes off the wall, just one step forward. "I'd. I would never, ever. Ever laugh, a-at," he says. "It. I. No. Not you, not at some kid on... on. The street, or. Anyone, because. Because usually it is--it was me that, was. Was-- was laughed at. A-and I don't." He chews on his lower lip again, watches Ex, glances to Rina, and then to Kavi. "So."

There's no change from Ex. Her expression might best be called 'faintly confused', but it's hard to tell.

Kavi nods again. "It's okay," he repeats, his hand tightening around Rina's for a moment. He releases his hold after a beat, and turns to the small kitchen. "I'll get the tea. And then? Maybe we should let Ex rest?"

Rina nods, looking to the girl. "I'll go out there with ya, if you want. To the... lake, or whatever."

Flint watches Ex, and brows furrow for a moment, before the cliath turns his attention elsewhere. "Thanks, Kavi-rhya," he says.

Ex nods, first to Kavi, and then Rina. She lays back a little bit further and rubs her forehead with the knuckles of one hand. "Maybe you could work out a joint custody deal or some shit with the Fury people. I don't know. Don't know why everyone's so bothered."

Kavi pulls down an extra mug and fills all four with the tea. He looks back to Rina at Ex's last, but he doesn't attempt to answer as he juggles all four mugs to bring them to the table.

"You'll decide that shit later," Rina says, turning away to go to Flint. She just looks at the boy for a moment, a hand coming up to the curve of his shoulder. Meeting his gaze--if she can--she gives him a small nod.

Flint startles, ever so slightly, and then grins, and then entirely unexpectedly, he hugs Rina, tightly for just a moment before he steps back, and very, very quietly, speaks. "Thanks mom." It takes a moment, for Flint to realise, and he hastily looks down at the floor. "Um. Rina," he corrects himself.

Ex stares for a moment in Flint's direction, but then she rolls onto her side, facing the wall. Unlike usual, it's not a sulky sort of turning, and her eyes remain open.

Rina presses her lips together hard for a moment, looking away, odd tensions moving through her expression. Her eyes are averted, her voice low and husky when she speaks. "Don't got anything t'thank me for."

Kavi freezes for a moment, gaze locked on the other galliard and kin. A sharp breath pierces his stillness, and he sets three of the mugs on the table and leaves them there. He comes over to the bunk with the fourth, dragging one of the chairs from the table behind him. He places the chair near the head of her bed, and leaves the mug in the center. "When you're ready," he says softly, and returns to the table.

Ex doesn't move her head, though her eyes do shift back toward Kavi as he comes, and then goes. She remains where she is, however.

Flint looks at Rina for a moment, then down to the floor, and takes a bit of a breath. "Still mean it," the cliath says, very quietly. There's a very brief, impulsive moment, and Flint hugs Rina again, and then goes towards the table and to claim his mug of tea. There's a glistening, blinking back tears, trying to hold himself together sort of expression on his face, and he doesn't look at Kavi, or at Rina now.

Rina's left blinking, standing still for a moment before she does much of anything. After that pause, she looks over toward the girl. "Night, Ex," she says quietly.

Ex mumbles something. It might be a goodnight. It might be a nonsense sound.

Kavi picks up the remaining two mugs and crosses to Rina, one held out in offering. He tips his head toward Ex and then toward the door.

Flint moves towards the door after taking a sip of tea, his own mug cradled in both hands, pulling the door open with his foot and stepping out into the hallway.

Rina slides her hand into Kavi's, twining fingers with his.


----


Tenement Building - Fifth Floor(#2192RL)

An indigo night softens both of the Glass Walker hallway walls, an urban scene crawling up to the ceiling by skyscrapers and evening clouds. A bright, full moon peeks from behind the tallest building on the right side, its light dulling that of the windows and headlights of the city. A road begins on the right wall and falls into background oblivion on the left, sparse cars treading it's length. In the foreground on the right wall, however, a gust of wind swirls from an alleyway in the form of a wolf, its shape amorphous and changing as it follows the viewer down the hallway. The wind continues on the left side, picking up dry leaves and dust that glimmers in the bold moonlight.

Spaced regularly within the mural and painted to match it are doors leading into each apartment; each door bears a brass three-digit number in the one-hundred range, and a whiteboard near the stairs lists each number with the corresponding tenant (look board). The short carpet is a dark brown that doesn't stain easily. The lighting is both bright and easy on the eyes; there are smoke detectors spaced regularly on the ceiling and a couple of fire extinguishers along the walls. At the end of the hall, a large window leads to the fire escape.

The apartment door nearest to the stairwell has been removed, and through it can be glimpsed an open space for the tribe to gather.

Obvious exits:
Devon's Apartment Ishmael's Apartment Empty Apartment Solsiva's Apartment Kevin's Apartment Mouse's Apartment Chris' Apartment Kavi's Apartment Ritual Room Cubroom Breakroom Stairs

In the breakroom, Hard on the heels of those words, Devon snaps, a wordless yell of hot, angry rage warping into a snarl as he slams into Crinos. The table and chairs are shoved aside as the Ahroun lunges, liberally, with teeth and claws at Kevin.

In the breakroom, Only two seconds and one action separate Devon's sudden shift into crinos from Kevin's own adoption of the war-form. The action in question is for Kevin to sling the remainder of his hot coffee straight into his tribemate's face, following which he's into crinos himself and fighting back.

You go into the breakroom.

Tenement Building - Cockroach's Breakroom(#3365RJ)

Here, a large studio apartment has been converted into a mutual meeting space for the tribe, one with its own kitchen and bathroom. The walls are a simple, plain white, and the floor is covered in stain-resistant beige carpet. The windows look out onto the somewhat less than scenic view of downtown St. Claire, but more often than not, white blinds prevent anyone from peeking in, or out.

Amenities are what might be expected--a well stocked refrigerator and cupboards, a microwave, a coffee maker, a toaster. There's a wooden table that seats four, five or six if people scrunch, and enough chairs to service it. There's also an old couch and armchair along the walls, angled to face a large, plasma screen television. Most of the entertainment goodies are here. An old NES system, an original Sega system, and an XBOX 360, each with assorted games. There's also a DVD/VCR combo player, and nearby a box of movies, most of them Ed Wood and Roger Corman specials. Ah, classics.

Along one wall is a row of tables and chairs, on which sit five desktop computers as well as the Walker's network server, a printer, and a scanner. (+view for more details)

Contents:
Kevin
Red-Hands
Memorial
Information Board: Skindiggers Cult

Obvious exits:
Out

The hot coffee doesn't even seem to faze him. Red-Hands keeps coming, biting and clawing when he gets past the table - which hopefully isn't too badly beaten up - and close enough to lay into Speech-and-Silence.

As if a frenzy weren't enough, there's a furious clattering from the hallway, and Ex fairly skids into the room. She gawks for the space of a blink, then clenches gloved fists tightly. "Angry. Angryangry/angry/."

Out in the hall, Kavi goes into the breakroom.

Kavi enters from the hallway.

Kavi has arrived.

Speech-and-Silence socks Red-Hands in the eye with a well-timed right hook. ~GET OUT OF HERE!~ he bellows at the incoming cub, not stopping to worry about whether she can actually understand him, as he keeps backing away from the frenzied Red-Hands, seemingly waiting for his chance to get in under the ahroun's guard.

Either she can't, or she ignores him. Ex abruptly boils up into crinos herself, and lumbers toward the fight with a decidedly ungainly, unbalanced walk. She snarls and attempts to wrap her arms around Red-Hands and heave backwards. This is also decidedly uncoordinated.

The noise is enough to rouse anyone on the floor, and by the time Kevin is shouting at Ex, Kavi has reached the doorway. It doesn't take him long to assess the situation, and he also rises into crinos.

Red-Hands doesn't have much of a guard, and isn't too aware of the cub for the moment. The strike to his eye gets just enough of a pause to be growled over just before he lunges again. It's thrown off just slightly by that cub he'd been ignoring, who doesn't heave him backward but does disrupt his aim enough.

Well, as long as there are two other heads in the fight rather than one, Speech-and-Silence takes advantage of this fact to grab one in either hand, and bang them firmly together with a thud that sounds like a rutabaga being chopped in half.

Red-Hands: (though, is Ex frenzying too? Or trying to help?)

Bridge Builder was under the impression Ex was helping.

Red-Hands too, but I also didn't see her frenzy the other day as a frenzy.

Rogue: Well, she was trying to. XD Kev, am I parsing that pose right? He's banging Devon and Ex's heads?

Speech-and-Silence: Yeah. Far as he's concerned, Devon is frenzying and Ex disobeyed an order, so they both deserve it.

Rogue: Okay!

Rogue just wanted to make sure. :)

Rogue clings doggedly to Red-Hand's back, apparently the only thing she can think of to try at the moment. And then she's seeing stars. And /then/ she's seeing red. The cub shrieks with fury, and her clinging suddenly becomes wild, frenzied clawing. Devon's back being already within reach, the Ahroun gets the brunt of her attack, but she's not aiming for anyone in specific, and there's a snap toward Kevin as well.

~No!~ Kavi shouts when he sees Kevin's grab, but it's too late to stop what comes. His growl is low and fierce, wordless as he lunges into the fray, but his sole goal appears to be to separate Ex from the others, wrapping an arm around her neck and bringing his full force to bear with a fist to her temple.

Red-Hands's attacks slow briefly as his head is rung. He staggers a step, and then a second when the cub's teeth and claws sink into his back, for an instant his assault on the Ragabash is stopped. And then turned abruptly on Rogue. His head turns around to snap at her, claws reaching behind as he tries to turn in his skin to get at the cub, and really anything else that gets near, snarling and frothing.

Speech-and-Silence pounces on Red-Hands and locks an arm around his neck, trying simultaneously to choke him and to pull him away from the cub. ~Get them apart!~ he barks at Kavi.

Rogue's eyes roll wildly, froth and drool scattering everywhere as she tries to shake free from Kavi's grip. Devon's attack is met with wild clawing and snaps of her own, but she's already being yanked back too far to reach. Not fast enough to avoid some ugly slashes across her chest and neck, however. Kavi's fist causes her struggles to slow as she tries to fight her way back from looming unconsciousness.

Bridge Builder's only answer to the other adren is a snarl of anger as he continues in his original aim. Back, and back, toward the door, bringing another strike to the cub's head as he moves.

Red-Hands meets claw for claw before the cub's too far to be reached, likewise earning some fresh red stripes in front to match those in back. He turns his efforts to getting back at Speech-and-Silence, twisting and gnashing his teeth at the arm that holds his neck.

Speech-and-Silence , meantime, tries to focus his attack on smacking Devon over the head repeatedly until he either comes out of his frenzy or loses consciousness. Or, of course, both.

Kavi's second blow finishes the job. Rogue goes entirely limp, with her fresh injuries spurting blood all over the carpet.

Bridge Builder pulls the unconscious crinos back, back down the hall, back into the cub room. The only sound from him, another growl of displeasure.

Red-Hands continues to struggle despite the bludgeoning. Though it's taking its toll. His attacks come slower, less intent and accurate and more drunken, until a final strike from the Ragabash knocks him out and turns him into a limp lump of a bloody Ahroun.

Speech-and-Silence reverts to homid form as soon as he's sure that his tribemate is out for the count. "/Jesus/," he groans in dismay as he looks around. Only for a second, though -- then he's out of the door and after Kavi, to make sure all is well with that part of the situation.

Despite his own bleeding arm and shoulder, Kavi is in homid, already pulling down the bandages from the cupboard in the kitchen area. He looks over his shoulder when Kevin appears, but doesn't speak, anger still visible in his expression.

Rogue is still in crinos, but she's quite clearly out for the count.

Red-Hands is definitely down and out, and left bleeding on the breakroom floor.

"Y'okay? Is the cub all right?" Kevin is out of breath and has a scowl quite the equal of Kavi's, but he does seem genuinely concerned.

Kavi nods, as he turns back to his task. Bandages are set on the counter and he moves to fill the bowl with water. "She will be," he answers.

Kevin squats down to check on Devon as well. "You silly bloody sod," he growls quietly as he does so.


Tenement Building - Cubs' Bunkroom(#1657RA)

This large studio apartment has been set up as a communal living space for the tribe's cubs, as well as a temporary crash space for those who don't have their own apartment in the building. It's extremely sparse in furniture, consisting of two bunkbeds set opposite each other against the walls, and little else. Fortunately, it does possess a small kitchen and an even smaller bathroom.

Obvious exits:
Out

Kavi comes in from the hallway.

Kavi has arrived.

When Kevin leaves, and the bowl is full, Kavi turns off the water and brings both bowl and bandages close to where the cub lies. He crouches down nearby, but doesn't touch her. "Ex," he says, his voice soft but loud enough to hear.

Rogue responds with a low rumble. Her jaws part for a moment, and one eye opens.

"Hey," Kavi says, still soft, warmer. "You're okay. You're safe, now. I... I want you to try something."

Rogue's other eye opens. She rumbles again as one hand reaches up to her head. When she notices the claws, she stops, and her ears twist back.

Kavi nods, and holds up one hand in a gesture of stillness. "You frenzied. You went to help, and it was too much. But you're safe, now. It's okay. I. Do you remember, when we talked about glabro form? I want you to try to shift, just that far. It's smaller, and you'll be able to sleep in your bed, and be more comfortable, but you'll still heal."

Rogue's nose twitches, and her ears swivel several times. She touches one of the bleeding injuries and blinks, and ends up making a noise that sounds mostly, "Ahmph?" There's another glance at Kavi, and then she noticeably breathes a little deeper, and her ears flatten. Nothing happens right away.

The galliard nods again, slow and calm, keeping his own breathing the same. "You were hurt. Remember, garou claws and teeth - we don't heal as quickly. But you will. It just takes longer. Breathe. Slow. Fine the glabro form. The near-man. Bigger than homid, smaller than crinos. Feel the strength in it." His voice softens further as he speaks, and eventually breaks off altogether.

Rogue's rumble this time sounds impatient. Aggravated. But she quiets herself, and focuses. And veeery slowly, almost reluctantly, she shrinks down into the desired form.

Kavi lets out a sigh, and the corners of his lips turn upward in a faint smile. "You did it," he says, and though his voice remains quiet, there is pride in the sound. "I brought the bandages and water, to clean the wounds. I. I won't touch you, unless it's okay. But I'll help, if you want." He gestures to the bowl and the wrappings at his side.

Nicodemus comes in from the hallway.

Nicodemus has arrived.

Ex presses her gloved hands to her face, her hair, the gash on her neck. She looks over toward the bandages and water with a faint, uncertain frown. "Okay. How does that work?"

Kavi crouches on the floor of the cubroom with a bowl of water and the pile of bandages and towels at his side. He continues to ignore his own bleeding arm, and the gash at his shoulder that seeps through the tee, instead focusing his attention on the glabro cub laid out on the floor before him. "First? We need to clean the blood away from your neck, away from the wounds. You can do that. You can look in the mirror, or just... feel it. Then we'll wrap them, so they stay clean. It... If you stay in this form? And rest? You should heal in a day or two."

Nicodemus materializes in the doorway, a pair of recycled grocery bags in each hand, and taps the door frame with the edge of a shoe--an impromptu means of knocking to announce his presence. "Hey." He offers a nod towards each of the garou. "Not interupting?"

"Bestial," Ex mutters, more to herself than the Galliard. She uses the arm furthest from the injuries to push herself up, and then reaches for the water bowl. There's a blink, and a jerk of her head upward at Nick's voice. "Oh. Hey." She sounds marginally lighter in tone. "Don't think so. Had an accident."

"Glabro," Kavi says in response to that first word, but even in correction his voice is gentle. He turns to look at the knock, at the voice, and he offers a small smile to kin. "Hey. It's... It's fine." He nods toward Ex. "We're just cleaning up."

"Well, just to let you know, Salem said the clubhouse could use more milk and cereal. So...." Nick hefts the bags. "I'm going to go put up the groceries. Let me know if you need anything that I can take down with nothing but my credit card."

Ex presses a damp rag to her neck wound, turning her head in order to try and squint down at the injury. It's not terribly successful. "Why do werewolf claws do more damage?"

Kavi nods to Nick and the small smile repeats. "Thank you," he offers and then turns to the cub. His brow furrows, and he gives a slight shake of his head. "I... I don't know. At least, I don't know why they hurt us, this way. But they're our weapon. Our claws and our teeth are how we defend Gaia, how we fight the things that hurt her. So they're made to do damage to those things."

Nicodemus lingers a moment, snatching up a bit of the conversation, then moves off to the breakroom to unload groceries.

Ex's frown deepens. She continues to sponge at her injuries without further comment.

Kavi doesn't speak for a moment, either, but watches to make sure the cub isn't doing more harm than good in her attempt to clean the wound. "It looks okay," he says after a bit, and casts his gaze toward the bandages.

Ex is clearly not remotely experienced in the art of patching yourself up, at least not for injuries even approaching this kind of seriousness. She glances toward Kavi, dabs a few more times at her wounds, then abandons the cloth for the bandages.

"If..." Kavi begins, and then trails off for a moment, glancing toward the open door. "If you'll let me? I can do it. I... My fingers might touch your skin, but only a little, and only briefly. I can do it quickly."

Ex scowls for a moment. She jerks her chin at Kavi and offers the bandages back over, though her expression is sulky at best.

Kavi is not as practiced as Rina, but he is certainly adept. As promised, he is careful to avoid skin-to-skin contact, for the most part, and what does occur is brief. "I'm sorry," he says, as he pulls back, and his gaze ducks downward.

Ex sits very still. The sulky expression remains until he finishes. She plucks at the bandages, then looks up sharply. "Wait. Why are you apologizing?"

Kavi takes the bloody towel and puts it in the bowl of water. He gives a small shake of his head before looking up again to the cub. "Because I know what it's like. Because I know you don't like to be touched, and I... I couldn't put the bandages on without. I'm sorry for that." He rises, bowl in hand, and walks over to the sink.

Ex narrows her eyes as Kavi goes. She looks rather suspicious.

Nicodemus re-emerges from the breakroom, tucking one empty bag into another, and pausing in the doorway--assessing whether he should be there or not.

Kavi dumps out the water and rinses the rag. Once it's approaching clean again, he uses it to wipe most of the blood from his own arm, though he stays away from the injuries. When Nick appears again in the doorway, he looks back toward the pair, seeming to consider something for a moment. "It's okay," he says, finally, apparently to the cub, and then rinses the towel again.

Ex spots Nick. "He's apologizing 'cause I fucked up," she tells the kin, as if this were the most ridiculous thing.

Nicodemus raises an eyebrow at that, glancing from Ex to Kavi and then back again. "Really? What'd you do?" He stays securely in the doorway--away from both garou.

Kavi returns for the bandages. "You didn't do anything wrong," he says as he crouches to gather the wrappings. "You tried to help."

"Yeah," Ex snorts. "And then I woke up on the /floor/." There's an unspoken 'duh' in there. She looks back to Nick. "Must've tried to eat someone again, because I don't remember."

"Kavi--and others--will probably be able to show you tricks so you can get better control over it. And, from what I understand, it's pretty hard for almost everyone when the moon gets full." Nick lifts a shoulder. "I guess there's a grain of truth to some of the werewolf legends."

Kavi nods at the kin's words. He stays there, in that crouch, with one hand on the floor to support his balance. "You were hurt. You lost control. It's... It's something you still need to work on. That we need to work on. But. You didn't do anything wrong. You weren't trying to hurt anyone." He swallows and glances down at the bandages in his other hand and then back to the cub. "It is hard. It's hardest when the moon is full, but it's never easy. But you can learn. You can get better at keeping control. Look at yourself, now. You learned to shift - You took crinos to help. You shifted without losing control. And now? You found glabro. You're learning. And you'll keep learning."

Ex squints. "I think he grabbed me. /Moron/." She sits up a little straighter and looks toward Nick again. "Kavi's trying. Kevin and the creepy guy were arguing or something. And /then/ the creepy guy tried to eat Kevin. Dunno what they were arguing about."

The still-in-the-doorway kinfolk observes, "It sounds less like you lost control and tried to eat someone, and more like someone else did--and maybe chain-reactioned you. Who," he asks, turning towards Kavi, "is the creepy guy who can't control himself and I ought to avoid?"

The galliard draws in a breath and holds it. He rises, bringing the bandages to the counter and then returns to where he can see both cub and kin. "Devon," Kavi says, but his brow is creased and he catches the corner of his lip between his teeth. "He's having... There's a vampire. It might be the one from last summer. Or maybe one she made? Or... Or it may be a different one. But it's one that can do things to your mind, and she... She did something to Devon, and now he's seeing things that aren't there."

Rina comes in from the hallway.

Rina has arrived.

Flint comes in from the hallway.

Flint has arrived.

Rina knocks lightly on the door, listening a moment before coming in.

Kavi: Nick is standing in the doorway. (:

Rina: Oops.

Nicodemus: Nick: organic door. :)

Rina: Cancel that.

"Yeah," Ex says, nodding to the name. "Him. And there are fucking vampires around too. And Kevin did this thing a few days ago." She holds up her hands, still wearing Nick's gloves. "Doesn't get my clothes all ripped up. See?"

Flint | Rina knocks on Nick's back.

"Nick?" Rina says quietly. "Everything aright?"

An empty bowl and pile of bandages behind him on the counter, Kavi stands near the kitchen, looking back toward the cub in the middle of the floor, and the kin in the doorway. His left arm and shoulder bear obvious claw wounds, though his shirt covers a good portion of it, and he's at least cleaned away some of the blood. The cub has a new bandage at her neck, and a few other, smaller injuries have been covered, as well.

"Devon?" Nick seems a little uncertain. "So there's another vampire in town. Do we know what it looks like? That might be information worth sharing so as to alert the rest of the tribe that there's one lurking about." He gives Ex a thumbs up when she explains the gloves didn't rip. And then looks behind him at Rina. "With me? Sure. Sounds like there's unpleasantness abrew for other people, though." He motions his head towards Kavi, who might have more details.

Ex touches her upper teeth with the tip of her tongue as her attention shifts from Nicodemus to Rina.

Rina slips past the man with a touch to his arm, coming four steps into the apartment and then stopping dead when she sees Kavi. "What *happened*?"

Kavi smiles, even before he can see Rina, just at the sound of her voice, and he steps a little further from the kitchen. "I don't know," he answers, Nick. "Only that--" He cuts off at Rina's reaction and swallows. "Devon frenzied. Something with Kevin. Ex was there. She tried to help, but." He gives a slight shake of his head and holds out his uninjured hand to her. "We're all okay."

The door to the stairwell down the hallway swings open, and footsteps pad down the hallway, followed by Flint coming up behind Nick in the doorway, then slipping through the doorway, for the moment.

Rina's brow furrows. "Shit," she murmurs. "God *dammit,* I *just* started getting somewhere with him. I'm gonna *kick* Kevin's ass."

Nicodemus checks behind him, looking for anyone else that might be coming up on his blind spot, and offering a "Hey" in greetings to Flint as he heads into the room.

Ex's eyes flick to Rina, and then Flint, and then away. She goes, suddenly, very still, with her shoulders hunched over.

Kavi looks from Rina to Ex to Flint, and his brow furrows. He pulls in a breath and holds it for a moment, releasing it only as he moves to crouch down by the cub. "This is your space," he says softly. "You can ask us to go, if you need to. If you want to."

Flint doesn't come very fall into the room, taking up the spot he tends to against the wall next to the doorway, and there is a nod after what Kavi says. "What happened?" he murmurs, barely above audible.

"Too many people?" Rina asks quietly, watching Ex. "I'm sorry."

Ex shakes her head vigorously. "Get away from the /door/," she stresses.

Rina nods, stepping into the kitchen and glancing over her shoulder to Nick, to invite him in.

Flint takes a step further away from the door and along the wall, then sinks to sit down crosslegged against the wall. "Sorry, Ex," he offers.

Kavi smiles, despite the tension in the room. The expression is fleeting, but real, for the moment it lasts. Then he rises, and crosses back to the kitchen, and Rina, and the pile of bandages.

Nicodemus hesitates, unsure whether to come in or go out. He opts for the latter. "I'm going to get moving and give you folks some breathing space. Take care. You've got my number and e-mail if you need anything." He backs out of the doorway and begins moving towards the elevator.

Ex exhales, and then flops back onto the floor, her source of stress apparently gone. She tucks the hand of the arm opposite of the injuries under her head, then turns to watch Nick leave.

"Call me, Nick," Rina calls out. She turns, then, and starts making tea.

Flint glances to Kavi again after Nick has left. "You alright, Kavi-rhya?" he asks.

*Ding* Nick apparently decided to use the elevator on his way out.

Kavi gives a nod to Nick as he turns to go. "Stay safe," he calls after the kin, and then turns back to put the rest of the bandages away. He puases, at the sound of Flint's voice, and looks down at his own arm.

Rina turns to greet the Galliard, and touches a worried hand to Kavi's cheek.

Ex rubs at her face, grimacing just a little.

Flint just sits there for a moment, quiet, though he does look towards Kavi and Rina, brows ticking upwards.

Kavi looks to Rina at the touch and his teeth catch at his lower lip. "I'm okay," he says. "I... After. I'll shift." He casts a glance back toward the cub. "Just... later."

Rina nods, and switches the kettle on before going out to Ex. "Can I sit?"

Ex nods herself, without quite looking at Rina.

Flint nods at what Kavi says, then settles to lean back against the wall, not leaving, but neither interrupting, though he glances from Kavi, to Rina, once.

Kavi finishes the task of putting the bandages away. He glances to the others and then moves to the sink to better wash the rest of the blood from around the wounds. He's quiet, but his gaze returns frequently to the others.

Rina folds herself down to the floor beside Ex. "You're gonna be fine," she says quietly, looking the girl over with a critical eye.

"Course," Ex mumbles. "It's always fine."

Flint glances towards Ex. "I. Can... go, if you want, or. If you need," Flint says, quietly. Not that he's got a real purpose in being there himself, aside from perhaps not wanting to go be alone in his apartment right now.

Rina's brow furrows, her expression turning thoughtful. "You wanna tell me about what happened?" she asks quietly.

Kavi shakes his hands to rid them of the excess water and winces at the result. Frowning, he reaches up to retrieve a set of the bandages he just put away, and wraps it loosely around the offending limb.

Ex shrugs in response. "Kevin and the creepy guy were arguing. Dunno what about."

Rina listens. "The one with the red eyes?" she asks softly. And after that she listens, for a time, letting the other prompt Ex.

"Devon," Kavi supplies as he crosses back to sit by Rina.

"Him," Ex confirms. She does not, however, continue.

Flint looks over, and chews on his lower lip. "Devon," Flint repeats, sounding not at all happy about it.

"...and?" Rina's voice is soft, gentle.

As he settles in at Rina's side, Kavi extends his uninjured hand to reach for hers. He looks across to Ex and nods, offering a small smile. "It's okay," he offers softly.

Ex shrugs again. "Guess the creepy guy lost it. They were fighting when I came in."

"Moons big," Flint says. "It. It happens." He looks to Kavi. "I. Can see if, I can get Kevin to. To fill me in on, what. What set Devon off, at. At some point," the cliath offers.

Kavi nods to Flint, and to Ex as well. "We can all frenzy," he says. "It doesn't matter how long we've been learning. How... how much we've trained. We can all frenzy. It's just... The more we can learn to recognize what it feels like? The more we'll be able to stop it. Sometimes, you can feel it coming for a while. You feel angry, or afraid, or even excited. And you can tell, you can feel in the pit of your stomach, that it's coming. You have to choose. If you can leave? If you can go be alone and find a way to calm yourself? You can avoid it altogether."

Ex closes her eyes. "/Always/ angry," she emphasizes.

Rina listens quietly, watching the cub.

Flint nods, and looks at Kavi for a moment. "But," he says, pausing to try and and collect his words. "But there's angry, and there's... going to lose it. They don't feel quite. Quite the same."

"The normal stuff, there's... stuff that can help," Rina says says.

Kavi nods once. He looks down at his hand, threading his fingers with Rina's, and then looks back to the cub. "You can learn to feel the difference. Your rage? It's always with you, and... There are things you can do to make it... easier. But there are also things that are going to make it worse. One of those is the moon, but. People blocking the door is one, for you. And when it's worse? When you feel that difference? That's when you can choose. Choose to be alone, or to do something that helps you calm."

"Or tell people to get away from the door," Rina murmurs.

"And walls," Ex says, a little acidly. "And stupid morons grabbing me. Did he grab me?"

Flint doesn't add anything, quiet for the moment.

Kavi nods. "He... He tried to fight you, and Devon, instead of letting you help." Anger enters the galliard's voice and expression, and he looks away, forcing it down.

"Moron meaning Kevin?" Rina murmurs.

"That was /dumb/," Ex says. "Yes. That's his name now."

Rina winces slightly.

Flint brings his face to rest on his palms for a moment and groans, entirely wordlessly and barely audibly. "He. Might not have..." Flint pauses and looks at Ex. "He might not have, have know that. Help, he, that. That you were, trying to help."

Kavi nods again and then draws a breath in and holds it. He lets it out slowly, at least until Flint speaks, and he turns to the younger galliard. "He should have known," he says, a sharpness to his quiet voice. "She grabbed Devon. No claws. No teeth. She was holding him, when Kevin tried to hurt her." All the anger is back, all the tension of the moment.

Flint pulls his lips back from his teeth, nods at what Kavi says. "He. Should have, yes," Flint agrees.

Ex's expression is that of someone who's been vindicated. "See? Captain Moron, that's him." She rolls over and eyes Kavi. "Can I learn a mutant power that shocks people that touch me or some shit? That one guy could make stuff come to him, like Magneto, except it was paper and stuff like that."

Kavi extricates his hand from Rina's and bows his head, focusing on his breathing again. He shakes his head a little, at Ex's question, but doesn't offer more than that.

Flint makes a face, quiet amusement. "If you. I-if," Flint looks over at Ex. "Sometimes," he starts again, "the entire. Shocking people that. Touch me, thing. Sounds. Pretty neat."

Ex looks decidedly disappointed by Kavi's answer. She flicks a glance toward Flint, and her forehead wrinkles.

Holland comes in from the hallway.

Holland has arrived.

Flint bites his lower lip and looks down at his lap, then glances towards the door. "Should go," Flint murmurs, glancing towards something that the younger galliard quite clearly hears, even if no one else does. "Sorry."

Rina looks over to Flint, then speaks to Ex. "After you go through a rite of passage," Rina says quietly. "Basically, after people feel like you've learned enough for that to--" She straightens a fraction.

Kavi sits at Rina's side, all four of the current occupants sitting or laying on the floor. The galliard's shirt is soaked through with blood at the shoulder, and both he and the cub sport bandages with various amounts of visible blood, the adren's on his arm, and the cub, primarily at her neck. Kavi's head is bowed, and he focuses on keeping his breathing even, though as Flint moves to leave he looks up again and nods. "Stay safe," he says softly.

Flint pushes to his feet and leans back against the wall. Not leaving yet, just being able to should he need to.

A gentle rapping precedes the door to the room opening and Holland's entrance. A look to the others, particularly at the injuries from Kavi and Ex, "So it wasn't just Devon tonight, then. I hope I didn't come at a bad time?"

Rina twists to her feet, to regard the new arrival doubtfully.

Still fighting with his own anger, the sound of new arrival startles Kavi and he nearly jumps to his feet. His eyes narrow and his fingers flex and curl into fists at his sides.

Rina doesn't actually say anything, but a hand moves to touch one of those clenched fists. She doesn't take dark and suddenly unreadable eyes from the stranger. "Someone gave you a key, and I don't know you," she observes, stepping forward to offer a small hand. She isn't wearing her jacket, but she *is* wearing a .45 in a shoulder rig. "Rina Vencenzo, kin. Nice suit."

Flint turns, edgy a little but overall quite calm. "Hi, Holland-rhya," the cliath says after Rina speaks, then glances back to the elder Galliard. "Kavi-rhya?" Flint's voice drops a level on volume, a little questioning, and he leans against the wall.

Holland says, "Holland Altimari, Fostern Philodox and representative of the Sept of the Mountain Fortress, out of Colorado Springs. I'm here as part of the Terminus Group." The family name is likely to be recognizable, given its prominence in the tribe -- it has strong ties to the Wiseguys in Europe and to the Corporate Wolves in the US -- even if his own name may or may not be. "A pleasure to meet you."

Kavi's breathing begins to ease at the touch of Rina's hand, and by the time the philodox has given his introduction, the galliard seems more grounded. "Kavi Bhaskar, Bridge Builder, adren galliard and member of Fidelity, under Sphinx." He looks back toward the cub, just a glance, and then returns to the new arrival, though he doesn't move from his spot.

Rina wets her lips, sizing up both the individual and the introduction. "Been hopin' I'd get the chance to meet one a you guys," the woman says. "I think I remember a Carlo Altimari in Chicago, any relation?"

Flint sinks to sit again, cross-legged and leaning back against the wall, and looks at Holland. "'s Devon... alright?" the cliath asks, softly. "Or. Well." Shoulders raise in a shrug.

Holland says, "I should've known you'd know Carlo. My second cousin, as a matter of fact." At Flint's question, he answers, "Devon is having a rough time. That's actually part of why I'm here -- I want to review some of the security tapes, see if I can't help him figure out what's going on this past week. I'm wondering if it might be an angry spirit, based on what he described."

Flint grimaces, turns his head up. "I. I've looked at. At the tapes," he says. "There's nothing. Nothing's there. I. I know that, it's real to him, but it's not real, enough. For the tapes to get it."

Rina lets out a breath. "We've had leeches," she says quietly, a flicker of tension coming to the line of her jaw. "Thought maybe it was somehin' like that, or a namebreaker, might be fuckin' with his head. Tea, or whiskey?"

Ex finally opens her eyes, and, without quite acknowledging the newcomer in the room, looks at Rina and sighs. "/What/ is a Rite of Passage?"

Rina glances over her shoulder to Ex. "Or ...why don't we adjourn to the lounge, yeah?"

Kavi turns back to the cub and shakes his head. "It's. A test. At the end of your training. You... You don't need to worry about it, yet. We'll explain more, later. When it matters." He turns to the others and nods at Rina's suggestion. "The break room would be a better place to talk." He starts moving toward the door, but glances again to Ex as he does. "You can come. If you want." It's clear from his expression that there is more he wants to say, but just as clear that he's holding his tongue for the moment.

Holland says, "The break room it is, then. And tea for me, please," he adds, in answer to Rina's question. "Leeches or namebreakers...so Devon's problem may be much more complicated than I'd thought."

Ex regards Kavi for a long moment, before giving her head a brief shake and closing her eyes again.

Flint half-ungracefully scrambles to his feat and heads down to hall for the breakroom, careful not to block the doorway as he exits.

Rina lifts one shoulder, glancing to the newcomer as she passes. "Only other things I know that fuck with your mind," she says, heading across the hall.