A Cry For Help

Kefka stalks back into camp after finishing his patrol, with a grim look on his face. He heads over to Zoe while opening his flask and taking a big swig. He closes it and wipes his brow. He draws near her not bothering to hide the fact something is bothering him. He clears his throat before speaking.

"You seen Zas lately?"

Zoe with her curly brown hair and olive skin looks up curiously as Mocks the Night poses his question. She ponders for a moment before slowly shaking her head.

"No, brother, I have not seen him. I know Rends was going to go speak to him at some point. Have you asked him if he's seen Zas?"

Kefka nods when Zoe answers, scratching his chin simultaneously. When he speaks it is more to himself than to Zoe.

"Huhn. He probably went to go talk to Eaton first then. Poor guy."

He then locks eyes with her and begins speaking to her.

"I came to warn you. Something happened in San Antonio to Zas... he ain't actin' right. He thinks he's been too merciful or some somethin' and is aiming to fix that. He looked like a warrior and was talking about punishing us if we get out a line at all, and fightin' all we come across . It's like he cast aside part of his name, his identy. No more sensible, peace talking Snowy Owl. He thinks he has to be something different. He reminds of a Judge of Doom I met once. The Judge's name was Drowns His Foes. We need to stop Zas afore it's too late. We need to pull his head out of his ass afore he does something stupid. If I talk to him alone it will probably turn into a fight... one where neither of us wins. You think you can try and talk to him gently?"

Zoe's eyes grow wide as Kefka describes Zas's current state of mind. She sighs and shakes her head, looking apologetically at her Garou brother.

"Oh, no. This is all my fault."

She begins slowly pacing and continues shaking her head

"I was talking to Rends earlier about how I felt I did not serve you guys or Gaia well in the fight against Akna and one of the ways he tried to 'encourage' me was by saying, 'At least you don't suck as bad as Zas does.' Well, I didn't appreciate him speaking so negatively about our packmate and he explained further why he felt that way and how he believed Zas to be weak and foolish."

Zoe pauses for a moment, hindsight being 20-20.

"I suggested that Rends talk to Zas and share his concerns with him and possibly offer suggestions on how he could better serve his pack and Gaia. Apparently something Rends said mixed with what happened back in San Antone caused Zas to react in the way you've described."

Zoe sighs again as she looks assertively at Kefka.

"I will talk to him and see if I can't temper this new attitude of his. Perhaps it is not all bad, but simply too intense. What did he correct you about?"

Kefka lights up a cigarette while his packmate explains what she thinks caused his attitude change.

"He didn't correct me about nothing in particular, just gave warning of what would happen if I were to break the litany. He did thank me for killing Carnes in my frenzy though... found that out of character for our veil protecting philadox."

"He was talking about war, and being merciless. Something affected him in San Antonio differently than the rest of us. I told him if he wanted war to go and chase after Jack because our mission is different. We are hunting down Akna to finish her off once and for all. We will need help from the Oilers, Uktena, hell from whoever is willing to offer aid. We can't make allies when our mediator is hungry for blood and vengeance."

"I never had a problem with Zas. Sure he ain't much in combat, but take my guns away and most of the time I ain't worth spit either. Gaia has need for a variety of Garou. If she wanted us all to be warriors we would all be ahroun. Some how we need to make him see that."

"If Zas found out you are the reason Rends is talking to him perhaps he assumed you shared Rends feelings and views. You are the best one among us to resolve this. Could you possibly summon a spirit who became friends with Zas, to help convince him this change is unnecessary?"

Kefka finishes puffing on his cigarette. He flicks it to the ground and crushes it under his boot. He then takes a seat on the ground indian style and takes a generous drink from his flask.

Zoe sits casually across from Kefka and shakes her head yet again.

"I don't think it is the spirits' place to settle inter-pack issues. I agree that Zas does not need to play the ahroun, but a little more passion probably wouldn't hurt his cause. But from the way you're talking, he's gone a bit overboard trying to compensate for his perceived weaknesses. A philodox must be strong and sure of himself. Take Red Oath for example. But this vengeance and bloodlust you describe would likely cloud his ability to judge the Litany. As Theurge, part of my creed is to promote mercy and listening before speaking, thus I will let Zas say his piece and then respond appropriately. However, as Theurge, it is also my place to encourage Zas to have mercy in his judgments and not immediately jump to punishment as Rends would likely do."

Zoe inhales deeply and blows an exasperated sigh in Kefka's direction. She slowly stands to her feet and glances back toward camp.

"You say you think he went to speak with Eaton? I guess I'll follow the lovely scent of Bone Gnawer and see if I don't find Zas, too."

She looks back toward Kefka. "I am truly sorry that I started Zas down this path. Any last suggestions before I speak with him?"

Kefka looks up at Zoe as she stands to leave.

"No need to apologize to me Zoe. I trust you can get through to him. Before you leave though... there is something else I needed to discuss with you. Something that for my sake must be kept secret... at least until more details come to light."

Kefka's eyes are bloodshot and full of worry, as he fumbles with the lid on his flask and finishes draining it. He looks a little more at ease, but it is plain to see it the ease won't last. He gives Zoe a half smile.

"Will you help me?"

Zoe turns back to face Kefka, a curious and concerned look upon her face.

"A secret, you say? And you need my help? Can't make any promises except that I'll do what I can. What's going on, brother?"

Kefka sits in silence, with his eyes closed for a few moments to gather his courage.

"In San Antonio before we left I had talked to Bites the Snake. You remember? He was the Uktena guide for the Throat Tearers in Perdido. He scented me out. Said he could smell my corruption...Akna did something to me. She cursed me some how. I need your help. There has to be a way to undo what spirits cause right? There has to be a way to break the curse! She is the goddess of fertility. What if it doesn't just affect me. What if it hurts Harriet, or my unborn child?"

He pauses to collect his emotions.

"Bites the Snake suggested talking to Uktena... but if we are too slow there may be none left due to Jack's war. Chief Bowl is too busy at the moment to ask for help... is there anything at all you know to do?"

Kefka looks at her pleading.

Zoe's eyes grow wide with heartbroken concern for her brother. A curse from a beast such as Akna was no minor issue.

"Oh, Kefka. Please forgive me for not noticing or doing anything to prevent it. Unfortunately, my knowledge of spirit curses is not far-reaching. I know that if a Gaian spirit curses you, its appeasement will convince them to lift the curse, but a Wyrm spirit...their ways are so corrupted its nearly impossible to know what all they are capable of."

She sits next to her brother and places a hand on his back. "I...I wish I could comfort you and tell you that her curse cannot reach Harriet or your child from here, but I would be lying or at best speaking out of ignorance. I know that powerful spirits can cast far-reaching curses, but I do not know if this is such a spirit or such a curse."

She looks out into the darkness and breathes a deep albeit shaky breath. "If Bites-the-Snake is right, then we must find the Uktena and keep them alive long enough to break or remove this curse from you. In the meantime, I can attempt to cleanse you, but I don't believe it will be effective. If the curse begins to physically affect you, I may be able to help keep the symptoms at bay, but the curse itself will remain. I am so sorry, my friend."

Kefka leans into Zoe when she touches his back. He stays there for awhile after she finishes talking. When he gets up he has a resigned smile on his face.

"It's what i expected, I just didn't want to hear it. So for now we will just keep as close an eye on it as we can. Please don't tell the others, we don't need more doubt amongst ourselves. Thank you for everything."

He walks off defeated, shifting to Lupus after a couple of steps and racing away under Luna's light.

Zoe sighs as Kefka disappears into the darkness. She lifts up a heartfelt prayer to Gaia for the protection of Harriet and their unborn child. She then stands to her feet and walks off to find Zas and sort things out with him.