The Right Response

The philodox hunched forwards deep in thought in his powerful hispo form, gazing out across the mountain range as nightfall settled a good distance from where his fellow packmates had bedded down for the night.

His ears perked up as he attentively reacted to unseen and unheard sounds carried aloft by the wind, before he resumed his more stoic and passive stance.

Turning to face the scent he caught on the breeze, "You hunted well." He spoke in a short low bark.

He turned his face back to look upon the Silver mine.
"That place was bad." He snorts.

Zas reverted to his human skin, "In our journey, I have come to see that the way we each react in the heat of the moment...under pressure, says much about who we are."

He clears his throat, "But there is something to be said for having time to think and plan things out."

He looks to the newcomer, "Since we now have a moment where there is no silver beast raining down blows upon us, I would like to pick at your mind for a time."

The philodox offers a smile, "In your time at your home caern, did you ever find yourself involved in a tribal discussion where there were multiple parties that disagreed with one another, but there was no clear right or wrong answer? As in, it wasn't a strictly litany issue or clear cut case with a guilty person and an innocent victim that a fair and balanced Righ could not easily respond to fix the problem?"

"It's okay to say no-if not. I am just curious."

Eiger walked up to the Silent Strider scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Thank you.”

He then cocked his head to the side to ponder the Philadox’s question.

“Feel free to pick away, Strider. I don’t know how much assistance I can be in this matter though. At the Spring’s Embrace I preferred to watch and listen, rather than actively participate myself. However, if my recollection is correct what would happen in those situations is a mediator would meet with 2 parties alone, get their individual stories, piece together the truth of the matter and the root cause behind the current issue, and only then would he bring the 2 parties together to talk and come to terms. The key is fixing the source of the issue, not just the top layer.”

He paused.

“If you wish my opinion on a matter though, I am all ears.”

Zas rubs his chin thoughtfully before responding.
"When our pack first started out, I made the call to charge Eaton with giving into his rage recklessly. He had a tendency to resort to giving into his fury in the heat of battle at the expense of being able to think clearly. I felt that this was endangering our pack."

The philodox nods once, "Our ragabash at the time pointed out that this was not a clear cut litany issue and thus Eaton and I agreed to settle the matter by way of a duel. The outcome was that I lost and in so doing would agree to let the issue rest."

Zas looks to Eiger. "I considered that moment to be quite the learning experience."

He turns back to the mountain view. "I now approach matters of law and pack disputes quite differently- with much more patience and a bit more of individual leeway in how far to let something go before I address it."

He tilts his head, "Maybe this is wrong, but it has seemingly worked well enough."

The Silent Strider grits his teeth, "However, upon our packs recent venture to the abyss, several unexpected issues arose."

He sighs, "I will not go into detail about all of them, but an issue that seemed to be underlying in many of them was the problem of each of us wanting to do something the others disagreed with. This nearly came to a head at one point when our ahroun and a high ranking theurge had opposing ideas about how to proceed."

Zas turned back to look at the Fianna. "Our pack has no ragabash. I have no one to counsel me as to how to address this issue with a different perspective. Were this a spiritual issue I would rely upon our medicine woman, but alas this is of a different sort. I fear that if left unchecked for much longer we risk our own doom."

Zas ponders for a moment before adding, "A packmate that does not see the danger in refusing to take heed at sound advice but instead chooses to walk a more dangerous path...as a new moon, how would you respond to this threat?"

Eiger listens intently to Zas Bul’s explanation. He closes his eyes and shrugs when posed the question.

“Supposing I was in a pack... I can’t imagine I would act differently than how you saw me act. I would literally show them their folly and pull their ass out of the metaphorical fire. Most Garou would refuse to admit being beaten, or saved by a Ragabash. They are too prideful to admit that not only were they wrong, but someone “weaker” then them bested them. Yet, that is our calling from Gaia herself. To humble the rest of you lot and remind you that no Garou that walks this earth is infallible.”

He paused.

“Though you mentioned disagreements over what to do in a pack... that’s kind of what an alpha is for right? Why don’t you guys have an alpha? Was it The Shadowlord?”

Zas stared for a moment at the ragabash before slowly nodding his head. It was clear the answer caught him off guard.

At the latter question the philodox angled his head off to the side as he said, "We follow a different form of pack structure than most. I mean we follow coyote after all...unorthodox kinda comes with the territory."

He sits up straight as he continues, "At first we tried having no alpha. Couldn't agree on one. That went surprisingly well for longer than you might think...til we ran into a town of twisted witches and nearly got ourselves killed by fighting the entire town and tge witches at the same time. Ended up nearly losing all our fetishes and our lives."

He cleared his throat. "After that most of us agreed it was time to change. So we took a vote and agreed for Rends to be our alpha. That stayed tge case for awhile. Then we ran into a little town called Gslveston and ran into some of the church folk who had a mob out looking for a fight. It was alleged by the Fenrir caern nearby that the veil was broken by Rends as he had fought and killed some of the mob in his war form. I challenged the ruling, but was over ruled. Rends for his part stepped down as Alpha and tge mantle of Alpha was picked up by his beta and our former Shadowlord."

The Silent Strider took a long pause before continuing. "Mocks the night led our pack well for a span of time. Things went off rather smoothly...til they didn't. If you've ever seen a falling star, that's what this felt like. Beautiful while it lasted, gone before you were ready to see it die out, and crashing with a meteoric thud. We acted on information provided by Red Talons and a scattered vision from their caern totem."

He grows quieter, "We failed to make our own inquiries before we acted and the result was us killing innocent Bone Gnawer kinfolk and nearly triggering full scale inter tribal war. Mocks never forgave himself for that-regardless of anything we said or did."

Zas then stares off facing the west. "I took it upon myself at that point to have us all under go a sweat . We needed to reconnect with one another...to find ourselves."

He turns back to Eiger. "During this rite, we agreed to try things differently. We had all agreed that having no alpha did not work. We needed direction. But we also realized that having one of us be Alpha in all situations was asking too much and left us vulnerable. Instead-we each would be alpha. We each take lead/charge when our strengths best suited a given situation."

Zas smiled, "But I sought to blend what we had learned as a pack with the strength of my people, to make us a truly potent pack of Gaia. So-rather than nominating myself for a position, I suggested we make our medicine woman-Hears the Song be our tie breaker. Should we as a pack ever reach an impasse as to who should be in charge or if we were unable to agree on a split decision, her voice of wisdom would be the deciding vote."

The philodox nods, "Just as I started to think I had it all figured out and that we were unstoppable...we found ourselves in the abyss, and losing our ragabash."

He gives a mirthless chuckle, "Does that clear things up for you?"

When Zas finished speaking Eiger was frowning.

“My condolences Zas Bul. It has become clear to me that your pack has met with much trial and tribulation. It’s a credit to you 4 remaining Prodigals that you have not only made it this far but have pressed onward continuing to gain strength. I can’t help but imagine you have all made it this far due to each other. Truly you 4 are showing me the true meaning of a what a pack is and can be.”

He smiled.

“Thank you for reminding me that not all packs work the same. Not all Garou from their respective tribes work the same. I know so many legends and stories by heart, that it I forget there is still much to learn and new stories and legends to be made.”

Zas waves a hand, "Look at us as an example of what not to do. Many of our victories were achieved simply because we happen to be in the wrong place at the right time. Our choices and actions-while they may have worked out, are certainly not the best or even the smartest options."

He considers Fae Carvers words for a monent before replying further.
"You are right though, that we rely on one another. We have to. Being a lone wolf teaches you to survive, but not how to find joy. There are few things that are more fulfilling or that feel more right for our kind than being in a pack that is united in task and purpose."

The Silent Strider pauses, "We each still have our own personal goals, certainly, but can you think of a more expedient or efficient way to accomplish your goals than with having the help and support of others?"

The Ragabash shrugged.

“No... I can’t. A pack is good for a great many things. That isn’t to say you have to be in a pack though to receive help and support. For example here I am helping you at the King’s behest, and with any luck you will be helping me in return afterwards. Beyond that who can say.”

He looked at Zas with a stern expression.

“I have to disagree with you about one thing remark though Strider. You say being a lone wolf does not teach you to find joy... to agree with you there would be to admit I have never experienced joy since I have always been packless. I can’t accept that. I held a position at a caern. Being packless has allowed me to help multiple packs rather than being tied to one group. Joy can be found in solitude as well.”

The Silent Strider's features harden, "I did not say you could not experience it. What I meant was being on your own teaches you different skills and gives you a different focus."

"My tribe knows better than most what sort of life can be lived in solitude."

He grits his teeth, as a memory flashes behibd his eyes and he grows slightly distant, "And yes--being in a bond with others can open you up to a new world of pain; those closest to you can hurt you the deepest..."

He shifts his focus back, "There are many among the Sicarri who choose to act on their own or in small pairs rather than entire packs."

Zas B'ul shakes his head, "But we are stewards and guardians of more than one world, both Spirit and flesh. Tending to one realm at the expense of the other can create imbalance."

The philodox pounds the ground with his foot, "I feel more can be done to further Gaia if we are able to act in unison, standing as one, rather than merely standing beside one another in the face of our enemies...in any world."

Zas looks around to the ragabash, "What do you feel?"

Eiger chuckled.

“Ever the optimist, eh Strider? In my humble opinion, acting in complete unison is nigh impossible. To act in unison would require not only for all Garou to share the same goal... but the same motivation behind it.”

He paused.

“For example, there is a King here. A Silverfang King. Have all Garou here visited the King and sworn fealty to him? I imagine not.”

He sighed.

“Each of us must decide if we shall raise a banner in our own names, or raise up the banner of another. Some change banners at the drop of a hat. Some feign another’s banner waiting for someone to stumble. They will use that sign of weakness to draw under their own. What I am trying to say is even if all Garou unite to complete one goal. There will be those who whose goal is not only to achieve, but to achieve and rise on top.”

He smiled.

“That is simply the nature of how things have worked in the past and how they currently work. It does not mean it is written in stone and how it must be in the future. Perhaps this apocalypse shall be enough to make us change or foolish ways... or perhaps you Zas Bul have the power within you to change the heart of the Garou nation as a whole.”

The Apache grinned. "Our kind stands toe to toe with oblivion, faces off against wyrm monsters the size of mountains, and generally find ourselves outnumbered and outclassed by those who don't believe us capable of doing the impossible; yet here we are..a bit the worse for wear, a little further on down the road still alive and kicking."

Zas looks over to the rest of the pack, "Yes-we do the impossible. On our off days we still do the unthinkable. It just took me awhile to see it."

He turns back to the Fianna, "Our banner is that of the defiant. The ones who choose to make a stand when reason and sense all say we should flee...those are our brothers in arms. We finish the fights others have abandoned. We get knocked down, only to rise again. The prodigal sons and daughter of Coyote are quite mad. Yet I believe that in the end, we may be just crazy enough to catch the rest of the Garou nations attention and in that moment, point them all towards our shared enemy and unleash the combined hell of all the warriors of Gaia."

Zas grins again, "But then again I killed a man with a dead dog, so maybe I am simply a fool."