Chapter 1: To Look Up

Voice-of-Rust & Anuket "Dust Eater" Mohsen

Rust participates, which makes me happy. Then I transform back. If he understands even a little bit about the human body, he will be able to see how cold I am. But I have followed all the customs and rules, and that is always important in our culture.

I don't wait long, but hurry to put my clothes back on, thoroughly nonetheless – if something comes rushing at me now, I don't want to get tangled up somewhere...

As I'm buttoning my blouse, I hear an answer. Not the one I expected, but nevertheless a rather positive one. I turn to Rust:

"Well, Voice-in-Rust, what do you think – shall we get to know this people better? We could go to them, have them come here, or meet them halfway.’

As I speak, I continue to get dressed, casually and artfully weaving the black scarf with chrome appliqués around my neck and upper body, and bend down to pick up my coat.

Stanisław (Staś) Mikołajczyk & Aisling "Ash" Byrne
Dance spiral. Now that sounds ominous.

Staś is beginning to think that maybe he wasn't here to find an informant after all, but to get himself purified from this... taint? Maybe only after that can he understand the scope of it all.? And this girl, Ash, she looks like just the person who might help him with that. Though he should not be so easy to trust. After all, these days everyone has spies everywhere.

"So there's more of us around? Do you know them?" He stays and watches as Ash greets the other Garou, but does not join her for the moment.

Ulysses stepped out of the woods, looking at the two men in front of him. "I heard the howl. I take it one of you is known as Dust Eater?"

He looked back and forth at the two men, trying to gauge their intentions. "I am Ulysses Rockwell of the Silver Fang."

Ulysses Rockwell, Voice-of-Rust & Anuket "Dust Eater" Mohsen
The woman in the clearing turns to him and nods her head in greeting.

"Ulysses Rockwell, greetings. I am the one who introduced herself as Dust Eater. As for the two Garou who responded, I am still undecided as to who they are."

With a measured hand gesture, she introduces the theurge.

"This is Voice of Rust. Allow me to ask a question: what brought you to this forest, Silverfang?"

As she speaks, she subtly supports her words with gestures and facial expressions; she gives the impression of a Garou who is lower in the hierarchy of this constellation than the other two.

So this was a Silver Fang. Voice-of-Rust cocked his head, looking over the stranger. His tribe had described them as aloof and full of fanfare, but he saw nothing of this so far. But something nagged at him. He was trained to see things that others did not, and something was missing from this introduction. Even he as a Bone Gnawer knew this much of the traditions..
"Why don't you share your Deed-name? Are you a cub?"
The odd brown eyes stared unblinkingly at the newcomer..

Stanisław (Staś) Mikołajczyk & Aisling "Ash" Byrne"I mean wolves. Here. With us." Staś looks around, his eyes tracing any sign of movement in the shadows that would betray a presence. After all, they could be here too.

"My story? Let's just say some wolves found me when I needed them. They told me a few things, but it's... it's a bit too much when you are not aware of some things." Staś relaxes a bit and walks closer towards Ash.

"Well, at least it's good to know there are more of us on this side of the world as well. I thought I was the result of some freak government experiment at first." He chuckles for a moment, then stops. Given she had not been a political prisoner in the USSR, she might not find the idea as funny.

"Should we figure out who is this dust-eating wolf? I guess they know we are here, so no point in hiding now."

"If you must know, I don't yet have a deed name." Was this really happening, were guys named Dust Eater and Voice of Rust calling out his lack of a deed name? Dust Eater sounded more like a poor culinary choice than a legendary deed. And And Voice of Rust? What did that even mean?

"Are there any more here, or is it just you two?"

I nod reassuringly:

"That will surely happen soon. In that respect, I'm not worried about it and will be happy to have been there to acknowledge your deeds."

She looks around the clearing and then back at the SilverFang.

"There are only three of us in this clearing, but the other two who were howling earlier may also come here. Otherwise, we could move towards them or take care of ourselves first."

She nods to the other two Garou.

"Ulysses Rockwell of the Silverfangs, what brought you here? And which moon do you follow? We've already introduced ourselves."

She gestures to Voice-of-Rust with one hand.

A cub then. Perhaps there was some of that renowned Silver Fang pride in this one after all, Voice-of-Rust decided as he settled on his haunches. It mattered little in the grand scheme of things whether or not the Silver Fang had earned his place among the Garou to Voice-of-Rust. What mattered was why these distinct Garou were gathering here, under this moon. He had heard the call from the others. Were they all guided here by the spirits? That stank of the threads of destiny. That rarely bode well..

'Spirit world? Isn't that... dangerous?" Staś asks, quickly dropping the subject as Ash shapes into a big brawler. He wasn't sure if the girl was making a point or if, like him, she still can't control her beast-side well. Anyway, better play safe, just in case.

"Sorry to hear about your pack corruption. Hopefully you can help me with whatever gave me this taint you talk about." he accepts her help on this. It looks like something important to her and, after all, she might be the one he is here to meet after all.

"Yeah, we probably should check that vacuum wolf"
Staś follows Ash a bit from behind, letting her take the lead on the introductions, remaining silent until he figures out who these new people are.