The Road Less Traveled

The party stood around gathered in the forest just outside the city limits of Nacodoches, Texas. The main road into town seemed to have a never ending battalion of armed soldiers walking away from the city into the direction "The Prodigals" had just come from.

The groups new ever growing collection of bound captives appeared to for the moment at least be more or less silent. Each of the group members stood nearby. Zas turned from staring at the city and soldiers back to the captives and then to the recently turned Black Spiral who seemed to be tending to the captive children as best she could. He rubbed his head in thought as he surveyed the scene.

getting into town was really out of the question. Way too much attention would be drawn by this group walking down Main Street. Going to the Camino Real caern itself wasn't really an option due to litany violations too numerous to count. Things were interesting to say the least.

Zas turns to the others as he says in as calm a voice as he could muster, "Any ideas on what to do now?"

Zoe takes a deep breath, constantly watching between Rends and Penelope, knowing that one wrong move on the part of the one born Spiral would result in a quick and painless death for the girl.

"Getting these children healed of their possession is my top priority. Also, I need to rest long enough to regain my spiritual strength, otherwise, I will be nearly useless to you all in our next encounter."

She glances at Rends then turns to Eaton. "I would also like to speak with the Carmichaels and see what more we can learn about their family and their connection to the Black Spiral dancers. Based on your vision, I feel as if they desire to flee association with the tribe, but a bad deal with a powerful Spiral has dragged them into quite a mess."

Gesturing to the passing soldiers she remarks. "The humans seem to have the Cordova issue under some sort of control for the time being, so I suggest we focus our efforts on matters of Garou and Gaia."

Zas nods as Zoe speaks. He looks at her as he says, "The children do need help. That much is sure. It will be getting them help that is going to be--difficult."

Zas glances to Penelope and then back to Zoe, "The White family will be curious as to how you know so much about them. It may be best to wait and speak with them after the issue of how best to deal with her is resolved by Red Oath, (gesturing to Penelope).

Zas then looks back to the city and says, "It would seem that the city has been protected from Cordova for now, though I truly doubt he will give up so easily."

Zas then turns back to the group and says, "We do have more pressing matters as of now anyway. In addition to the Black Spiral issue, we still have the report on the matter of the caern totem to resolve. By my count we are past due the time given to us to present our findings. Our agreement was for Lune-Stalker to give us our two days to gather information before she proceeded with her own plans. Do we have a decision on what to do regarding this matter?"

Still garbed in lupis form, Eaton sits down between Zas and Zoe, slightly disappointed there was not a single reply to his calls; no one was coming to help the kids. His gaze was fixed on Penelope, his eyes more sympathetic than those set in a normal wolf. For her to have been treated this way against her will, for others to say she deserved to die through no fault of her own . . . he was supposed to inspire his pack yet his heart was as heavy as a stone inside his chest. No matter how he felt, he wasn't going to let that stop him; the pack needed answers. And he was certain that more death wasn't going to solve anything.

After listening to his pack-mates speak, he turned to Zoe and said,

"I agree with you. These kids are gonna be lost if we don't help 'em and soon. There has to someone in the caern who will save 'em; that's where my vote goes."

He turns his head to Zas,

"We don't need to let on too much what we know bout' the Carmichael family."

He shoots a glance at Zoe before looking back at Zas, "Remember, they didn't see us. If we get their kids patched up, we can say we found 'em. Well, the kids, anyway. Penelope's another problem. Though I agree with ya that Red Oath should decide that to do with her, but until then, I still want to stay with her. I'm not gonna just drop her off and have 'em tear her to shreds when we turn our backs."

He turns his gaze back to Penelope, before he rests his head on his front paws.

Kefka slows his horses to a stop before getting off and then helping down Penelope and the other little girl. He puts his right hand on Penelope's shoulder and props himself up while he talks. He is looking worse for wear. He continues to use Penelope for support as he talks.
"First things first these horses need some water, and a few sugar cubes. They did well and we rode them hard, probably harder than we should have, and secondly I could use some healing too. I fought off the venom, but my shoulder still hurts like no other, and I would rather not have to reopen the wound because it isn't healing right. Better safe than sorry you know?" He takes a pause and looks around.
"Thirdly we all did agree on trusting Chief Bowl," he looks at Rends. "Well mostly agreed. This much is true. However... If Lunestalker is the beat healer in the caern she might expect something in return for her services. For example waking the Bear Totem. I am not saying this is for certain going to happen...but it is best to be prepared. Worst case scenario pops up and at least we will have an answer for her we all previously agreed upon." Kefka stops supporting himself on Penelope and sits down/collapses. "Lastly I need a drink...and some alone time with Harriet... I think we all earned a little rest and relaxation from our latest adventure."

As Kefka sits down heavily, Penelope moved away and put her arm around her silent younger cousin, her dark green eyes clouded with anger and confusion. "I don't know what is going on, but why are y'all talkin about me like I'm not here? Can't you just take us back to our family?" She glances hopefully at Zas, Zoe and wolf-Eaton, before staring pointedly at Rends, her straight white teeth showing as she half-yells "-and why does he want to kill me so much? What did I do to him?!" Her outburst is cut short by a long, high howl. It is a song of welcome and tells that help and healing are on the way. An unmistakeable undercurrent of tension pervades the howl, setting the pack's teeth on edge.

At the noise the battered Indian rolls over and painfully attempts to sit up once before falling over, whimpering and cursing. The bound and gagged boys mutter and squirm feebly in their bonds, the crazed banes within them still forcing their hosts to snarl and thrash despite their complete exhaustion.

Kefka's eyes follow Penelope as she walks and talks. "Our most sincere apologies little one, but until we can heal ya you and your family got to stick with is a little longer. We killed to save ya, and have gotten you here safe despite some protests. There are rules and protocols we must follow, and one day you will have to learn them as well, but believe me...we have done and will continue to do what we can to reunite you with your family."

Rends set a boot down on the struggling indians back roughly to settle him down. The bandit squeeks and then quiets down under the weight of the large man bearing down on him. Rends meets Penelopes eye, his eyes cold and hard.

"You frew up out on the frontier like me. You know some folk jest need to die and some other folk gotta do the killin. Ain't no other way about it, that's the way of the world. Well we're the second sort and you..." his eyes soften a bit and he seems to notice for the first time how terrified the girl is.

"...well we don't quite know what you is yet. You don't either, and I recon you don't quite got yourself all under control. So we takin you to our boss and keeping an eye on you so you don't hurt yourself. Or anyone else."

He looks pointedly at mocks, laughter dancing behind his stoic eyes.

"Lune stalker ain't gettin nothing for healin the kids. We can maybe stop them from joining the black spirals so its her duty to do it or be responsible for them dyin. As fer penelope here..."

He looks at her again, weighing her in his eyes.

"I don't know. But I ain't letting you outta my sight till we do."

Zas let out a sigh of relief upon hearing their calls finally responded to. The direction they needed to go from here on would be simpler, with more help.

After each of the others had more or less said their piece, Zas spoke again, addressing the pack members, "It would seem our calls for help have been heard. That is good at least."
Zas nods to Leper friend and says, "Defending those in need of help and offering wisdom to those who would hear it are noble deeds. The children will be seen to. I hear no one saying otherwise."

He sighs, turning to Kefka, "Truthfully, Mocks-The-Night, planning for the next worse thing is sure be a good idea. This Cordova issue seems to be merely one of many things the Wyrm has let loose in this area. Having a plan to deal with what we know may happen is wise. That said, Rends-The-Gar is correct. Lune Stalker should not gain anything by fulfilling the duty of her auspice. Her decision to wake the bear totem will not rest upon her aiding these injured here. Further; sometimes Gaia asks much of us. Rest would be most welcomed I think, but other matters need to be resolved before doing so, though the sooner they can be done the better."

Zas B'ul then turns to look at Hears-The-Song, "You did well to cleanse those you were able to. I trust that when these matters are resolved you too will have the time you need to restrengthen your bond with the spirits.  As you said though, other things must come first."

Zas then turns to Penelope. He looks her firmly in the eyes and says, "You attacked a member of this pack. Granted, I believe this was your first change, however, you injured one of us. An attack on any of us is an attack on all of us. In addition, though you may not know them personally, your tribe defiles mother Gaia by drawing breath. This may not make sense to you right now either, but to most of us, insulting Gaia is a sure way to a quick funeral. Unfortunately, now is not right for further explanation."
Zas gestures to Rends and says to Penelope, "This is why he seems out for your blood however...in truth because he is. I do not know what the decision concerning you will be, however, concerning your kin, they need help. Your family will not be able to help them, and we can do nothing more, so we have called for help. This is what is going on."

Zas then looks to the rest of the party and says, "Who wants to inform the sept of the decision to rely in Bowls-Over-The-Great-Foe? And provided that something did happen to the Caern Totem, what do we do then?"

Zoe breathes a sigh of relief at the sound of the others approaching, but she senses the tension in their howls and hopes to Gaia that Penelope and her family will be spared the death that Rends seems so eager and willing to dole out.

"Penelope, I believe Zas has explained your situation quite well, so I simply pray that Gaia will have mercy on you and your kin for she is not a being of death and destruction."

Hears-the-Song turns to Zas and nods. "I will inform the sept of our decision to trust Chief Bowl and hope that we are not too late to preserve Papa Stagecoach as the caern totem. If, however, the bear has taken power, there is naught we can do at this point but accept the change..."

Zoe's eyes become misty, yet she holds back the tears with a sniff and a shake of her head. "Gaia willing we will not be too late to make a case for Bowl and Papa."

Zas nods at Zoe's decision and says, "Very well. If no one else has more to say, it is agreed. Hears-The-Song will announce the decision."

He then leans in closer and eyes each of the pack as says in a grave but quieter tone, "Regarding planning ahead for our next steps and preparing for trouble, I think hearing from the Laughing Stranger would be helpful. I also feel that we should do our best to be ready for anything regarding both the Caern and Cordova. The Wyrm's reach is long; longer still if we neglect to be wary of it. Cordova should not be left undealt with. And a Caern is only as strong as its united defenders-and if the Garou tribes in El Camino Real are not acting as one to face the Wyrm due to in-fighting, the Caern may be lost."