The Summoner and the Summoning

Zas left a day after arriving in the Sept of Three Rivers. He was anxious to be with his pack once more and to quell his own inner pack squabble after his conversation with Scents-the-Lies. Since arriving back to Nacogdoches after the time spent in Crossroads, he had not seen to some things that needed to be tended.

He made his way to the thriving city of Nacogdoches with great haste and not being weighed down mentally or physically greatly aided his speed. He arrived just before the sun set and sought out his theurge.

He found her en route to the caern, and rushed up along side Zoe as he says, "I must apologize for something. When we first returned from Zavala we had heated words between us over the use of the technology inhabited by Metal Noise. I have let our disagreement go on for too long. I do not wish to be at odds with you, but I want you to know that I have not changed my stance...at least not entirely. I was speaking out of anger for some of what I said. Do you recall what I speak of?"

Zoe is startled by Zas's sudden appearance and even more so by his apology of sorts.

"I do recall that discussion and believe we both spoke out of anger and very strong beliefs. Since then, however, I have come to see our differences not as contradictory but complementary. We Iron Riders need others to help us keep one foot grounded in reality as we dive carefree into new technologies as produced by the Weaver. In the same way, you others need us to gently, not harshly, show you the benefits of technology in certain situations. In the same way our auspices can cause conflict between us, but we should strive to use them as a way to strengthen the pack. The Christian Bible says that if the whole body were an ear, where would the smelling be, or if the whole body were an eye, how would we feel things? Gaia brought us together from five different auspices and five different tribes to form a new unit that can do far more than five of the exact same person could do. I do not hold your differences against you and I forgive you for your anger."

Zas gives a relaxed and genuine smile as he hears Zoe's response, "I am pleased you have come to your own resolutions with our working relationship. I would ask in the future for you to try and be mindful that I don't intend for my words to be hurtful or for my perspective to seem as though I am disregarding your own wisdom, and in turn I will try to have a more open mind about the usefulness of technology."

Zas then takes a breath as he says, "Would you be opposed to working with me now to commune with the spirits? I believe that I stand to learn some things from an Owl and an Ancestor spirit that will hopefully prove useful in coming days."

Zoe nods agreeably, content with the Silent Strider's response.

"I, too, desire to speak with an Ancestor spirit. Perhaps yours will be willing to respond and assist us this time. Owl spirits we have summoned before, so I will attempt to summon the same one in hopes that it will remember us favorably. We will begin with the Owl spirit."

As Helios vanished from the sky, Theurge and Philodox slipped across the gentle Gauntlet. As they emerged the ephemeral wind gusted, tugging at their clothing and hair insistently. Zoe called forth into the umbra, raising her voice above the whirling ringing in her ears, asking the Owl spirit they had met earlier in their travels to visit them again. The wind all but ceased and the remaining sounds of the Penumbral Caern grew soft and distant, as a mothlike being bigger than a horse flew down out of the dusk sky. Great wings beat the air silently, each stroke giving a momentary glimpse of of two great eyes, full of experience and ancient lore. They were nothing more than swirling patterns, but they gave off unshakeable image of a blinking owl.

Wherever your travels take you, Owl listens to your footfalls. The wings thrummed the words, a gentle sound that tickled the ears. What do you wish to learn?

Zas stepped forwards and bowed his head as he began, "Great spirit of Owl-thank you for meeting with us once more. I seek your wisdom in being able to both see and hear into the lands of the dead. I feel it wise to be mindful of all realms I traverse and as such seek after your ways for having enemies that hound after you that you cannot see is deadly."

Zas then says, "I offer to provide food or help clear a nest for your nearby children for the next three nights as chiminage for this lesson. Unless you would ask of me something else."

Vermin alone do not sustain me. Surely you can offer better for one who aided you in the twilight borders of the Death Bear's realm. The Owl-moth's wings beat faster; though the thrumming remained steady and unhurried, the great dark eyes ceased to blink, staring at Zas intently. The body of the moth seemed to form a sharp ivory beak beneath the eye-markings, and the overall effect made the spirit appear uncannily like the visage of an old horned owl. 

Knowledge is a sweeter morsel to one such as I. Uncover a secret, a dark or embarrassing scrap hidden by Rat or one of his children. Do you find this a just and fair trade?

Zas nods once but says, "How will you receive this knowledge? Shall we summon you once more?"

Zas pauses, "I will comply with your chiminage, but would you provide me with the lesson first; that I may bring to you the knowledge you crave without fear of death from unseen foes and be more able to focus on uncovering what it is you wish to know?"

The spirit's humming timbre changed slightly, as if it were considering. Finally the sound took on the shape of words. Is this the same Garou who walked so boldly into the very jaws of Mangai? There is no urgency on your part if I complete my end of the bargain first. Owl watches his own. We will know when your task is complete.

Zas stares back at the spirit and says cooly, "The Garou who went to face Mangai and the one you see before you now are the same in physical body only. Much has changed since then. You know by watching me that I honor my word as I have not ever broken any promises. Just recently I said that I would see to it that Chief Bowles over the great foe would be interred into Gaia once more once I found his body. I have upheld my word for I am Apache. You wish to withhold from me this lesson that I seek until after I carry out your chiminage-so be it, but let it be known from this point forward that if Zas B'ul, child of owl says he will do something on behalf of the spirits, it shall be done. I accept."

Zoe nodded approvingly as the Owl spirit dissipates back into the ephemera.  "So, you planning to unearth some secret of Eaton's in order to satisfy your chiminage?  It's an interesting request on behalf of the spirit. Best of luck to you, friend."

"Now about that ancestor spirit. I've got an idea that I think you're going to like."

Zoe's face turns up in a grin as she goes through the motions of summoning, just to turn and gesture to a familiar figure lurking nearby.

Zas nods to Zoe in response to her initial question as he says, "That does fall under the terms of the chiminage. I'm sure I can work something out."

The philodox then raises an eyebrow and turns his head following her gesture with piqued curiosity.

Behind Zas, the Laughing Stranger was rapidly and silently shuffling a mismatched deck of playing cards, his tan hands moving in an easy blur. "I think I'm just the being for the job, Zas B'ul." He paused for a moment before shrugging, and he added "I reckon I'm somebody's ancestor..." as if to head off any skeptical responses. White teeth flashed in a grin beneath fools-gold eyes as the Coyote spirit straightened up and shook himself, cards still moving with preternatural speed. "What mystic expertise can I impart on this lovely evening?"

Zas lets a small smile form on his face as he gazed upon the Stranger. At the pack totems question, the philodox says, "I believe you certainly look the part. I'm looking to learn of how to rend the powers of our foes to prevent them from continuing to harm us. We have, as you know come across some creatures and servants of the wyrm that we only just managed to destroy. I for one, do not wish to continue rolling the dice of fate without stacking the odds in my favor somewhat...call it the ace up my sleeve."
Zas then takes a breath, "As far as chiminage is concerned however, would you be interested in playing a round of cards?"

Even though the cards had disappeared, the totem began playing with his Lucifer, its yellow flame snapping to life at rhythmic intervals. "I agree that it never hurts to have an edge, and playing a hand or two isn't something I'll ever turn down. That said, gambling is never fun if there isn't a little risk involved; I'll teach you how to ruin the best laid plans of your enemies, but first you gotta beat me at my own game." The Laughing Stranger tapped the side of his nose and winked at Zoe before looking back at Zas.

"Now, what to play... blackjack is too cliché, strip-poker is too risqué... I suppose that leaves us with Pharo." Yellow eyes glinted in Luna's light as she crept upward into the sky. "Seems appropriate for a Silent Strider, if I do say so myself. Whaddya say, Zas, up for a friendly wager? What do you place against my gift? We'll just play a few deals, see who comes out ahead... me or you."

Zoe smiles amusedly at the exchange between the Silent Strider and the Coyote spirit, mentally taking notes.

"Now, Zas, don't beat him too badly. I still need to learn a gift from him as well."

The Stranger grinned even wider under the brim of his worn cowboy hat. "You need a favor too, eh? Well, then, step right up, Ms. Kostas- I'll deal you in. Let's just hope you are a sight better at cracking the old nut than Rends-the-Gar." The lighter had vanished, replaced by the dog-eared deck as the pack's totem split and shuffled relentlessly.

Zoe gives the Stranger an amused smirk.

"Alright, Stranger. You're on. I certainly can't do any worse than our beloved Alpha."

"As far as the stakes are concerned, if I win, you teach me the gift of calming a raging Garou. If you win..."

Zoe pursed her lips as she considered what she could give or promise her pack totem that she wouldn't give or do for him at a moment's notice anyway. She considered what items she had on her person, but in the penumbra that was limited to her fetishes and the items dedicated to her, none of which she was willing to part with. During her rite of passage he had been greatly interested in the feathers that grey dove had dropped. She took her knife and cut a strip of fabric from the hem of her blouse. She then grabbed a small section of her jet black hair and deftly worked it into a simple braid, which she tied off with the strip of cloth.

"If you win, I'll cut off this braid and give it to you - one of my feathers so to speak. What do you say?"

Zas looks at the Stranger inquisitively as he says, "I am willing to play this game though I will need you to teach me the rules. I must admit I am also curious why you find this game to best suit me but perhaps that is a question for a different time."

Zas then briefly mulls over ideas for what he stood to wager that his pack totem would desire or deem worthwhile. As his mind hones in on a thought the philodox squints his eyes as he says, "If I win you agree to teach me this gift. If I lose however...I wager myself-as you say...I go all in. I know truth-deception however is not something that comes easily to me or something I find comfortable...I would offer my services to trick anyone you deem appropriate until the next half moon rises. Surely a spirit that serves coyote could find the attempts of a philodox trying to wear moccasins he was not made for, at the very least amusing. Do you accept this wager?"