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Entry 6 – Hunters and hunted

I'm barely gone for a day and immediately things happen that make one's toenails curl up. Cluelessly I'd gone to a computer expo and missed all of the following.

Vancouver in wintertime doesn't get overly cold but mainly rainy, gray and unpleasant. Daylight also gets rare. It was in a wet, dark hour in the early evening when a werewolf materialized in Charlie's TV room. He was one of the relatively few Uktena that can still look back on real native american ancestors, even a chief's son. He introduced himelf as Three-Arrows. I guess there's another of those heroic stories behind that name with 3 = number of arrows = n and m = number of villains slain and n-m ≤ -1. A rather serious and direct guy but secretive as usual for Uktena. He claimed that he was attacked by an unknown entity/animal on his tribe's territory. He intended to catch or kill that creature without his pack but with the support of one certain Nuwisha. Charlie offered to bring us along, but of course there was the usual bickering if a Glass Walker was really needed. Mr. Whoa-Whoa can consider himself lucky that I had no time anyway or I'd have kicked his behind. Liam, Brianna, Carol and Fin were ready to go, and the hunt began in the same night.

It was still raining but out in the forest at the border of the tribal land it was even darker. Fin had brought a flashlight, the rest relied on their heightened senses, fairy lights et cetera. Three-Arrows whined about the light sources and stalked ahead. In the beginning Charlie had a difficult time not tripping over every single root in the dark forest (glad I wasn't there to be even more embarrassing) until he changed into lupus, too. After a long walk through the night and over steep, forested slopes they reached the place where the attack had occurred. Most traces had been washed away by the rain, but Brianna discovered the half-eaten carcass of a deer. The skull and some smaller bones had been placed into a ritual arrangement by whomever. It was either a rite of thanks or an offering decided Fin. In the Umbra there were unusually many spirits of darkness who didn't like to be „threatened“ with Fin's flashlight but apart from that no clues at what the ritual was supposed to do. Arrows managed to get really worked up over little things and that continued all night. When Brianna picked up a track anyway and the beast let her know that it was watching, Arrows could hardly be restrained. In a cluttered part of the woods with lots of small fir trees the forest monster tried to lead the pack astray. Arrows was just going through strong excitement for the hunt or so it seemed. He claimed that he'd picked up the trail again after a while, led the people uphill for some time and to an old talus where a rocky avalanche had gone down long ago. There he stood and seemed quite disoriented until he realized that one should go to the other side of the scree. He safely crossed over first – and then ran away. My friends passed the rocks without a problem, except for Liam who was a bit slower. That is, until the middle where another avalanche went down in exactly the most unfit moment. Thanks Gaia nobody was swept along. The only one who was missing was Arrows. His tracks led on for several meters in the Umbra. Instead the monster gave a cry, from distinctly downhill. Its smell and the shape of the tracks made the pack think it might be some sort of cat, and this was confirmed here. The animal was also fairly clever and left his tracks backwards in the snow – but now it was luring them towards it.

After following the tracks for a while suddenly Three-Arrows stood in front of them and claimed that he couldn't remember anything. He quickly found his commanding, impatient self again, said some contradictory things and said then it was best to split in two groups. He, Fin and I think Charlie strayed a bit and then in the middle of nowhere bumped into a hunter belonging to Arrows' tribe. He was obviously glad to see Arrows again after such a long time and he'd spread the happy news. Arrows reacted with a fit of psychotic destructiveness and killed him.

tbc, effing character limit

Should learn to keep it short, no? Okay, next time.
-snip-

What Brianna, Liam and Carol discovered was little more comforting, a disassembled trap with a really mean-looking arrow. Disassembled here means freshly taken apart by the mysterious animal. The black, scruffy creature then seemed to half flee, half lead the folks back to Arrows' trail. At this point it was no longer clear who was good or bad, hunter or hunted. Anyway both factions met again while Charlie and Fin were trying to keep the still frenzied Arrows in check. Upon seeing the black mountain beast he fortunately forgot to maul Fin as well but raced away in pursuit of it. Fin took the chance to shoot and wound the black beast with a silver bullet but didn't kill it. While the vegetation slowly became more crippled and frozen Arrows changed his mind once more and disappeared into a not very inviting crack in the sheer rock. A low cracking and grinding could be heard from it. Fin and Charlie went after him. They climbed over heaps of Garou bones and black, pitch-like cobwebs. This had seemingly been a burial place of the native tribes long time ago... Now it was the home of something unspeakable that Arrows meekly showed submission to and said he had no other choice. His new alpha, a mutation of baboon, spider and mummy took a first bullet from Charlie's gun and then went over to tearing into the mostly helpless Kinfolk and the Nuwisha with teeth, claws and bone shrapnel. Fin got hit badly but stood his ground and attacked furiously but without any effect. On top of all that, the Wyrm creature forced Arrows into frenzy and he too didn't go easier on Fin just because he was only human. Then Charlie came into play and with a short prayer to Coyote himself he wished the Garou who was already followed by bad luck even more of it. Shortly after, Arrows lay on the ground with one arm ripped off when his „daddy“ wanted to charge at the Nuwisha at the same time as he did but missed its mark. Note to myself, never make Charlie angry. Never.

Meanwhile, Carol and Brianna had pursued the black, shaggy and indeed very feline wood gnome into the Umbra and confronted it. It wasn't in the mood for a chat but on the contrary very gruff. He/It/She explained it only wanted to be left alone, the two should rather hurry to take care of their „false friend“ who was possessed by the Wyrm and very probably mauling Fin and Charlie right now. I think the creature can consider itself lucky that Carol was with them who has a natural understanding for angry cats and didn't begrudge it to the critter that it hissed at them like that. Somewhat reluctantly both returned into the Realm and went looking for the others. Brianna howled a Warning of the Wyrm's Approach to the Uktena, then both of them found the dark cave and raced to help. The bone- and Garou-eating freak meanwhile concentrated fully on Charlie while Fin seeked refuge in the Umbra for a moment. It had pinned the coyote to the ground but in the most critical moment it found itself with a furious Brianna on one of its flanks, an angry Fin on the other and a Carol ready for battle on its throat. Screeching and dripping ancient meat-dust from its numerous wounds it finally retreated and dematerialized.

It was made sure that Arrows stayed unconscious and they waited outside for about twenty minutes until four Uktena arrived for their aid. They weren't exactly exhilarated about all the bad news. They retrieved the slain tribe member and dragged Arrows away whose treacherous Wyrm-ridden ass can be expected to roast in the molten silver rivers of Erebus soon. They thanked my friends for their engagement and invited them to their next powwow to review the whole chaos. That an unfriendly Bastet had staked out its claim on their protectorate was another thing, but maybe it can end lightly. And finally they'll try to cleanse that formerly holy place in the cave from poison and corruption for good. There's supposedly more of these forgotten places... when the Indians and Garou of Vancouver Area were decimated by disease and conflict back in the day, much of their wisdom and sanctuaries was lost. Arrows had obviously rediscovered one of these places but was unable to take on its new inhabitant. Tainted and mentally corrupted he had avoided his sept. Until that new Bastet had taken offense from all that Wyrm stuff but was herself unable to do anything about it. It was clever enough to lead the hunting party that was after it to the source of all problems while Arrows had tried to lead them away again and when that didn't work to stop them with a rocky avalanche and traps. While doing this he seemingly went through sane and insane stages. So far so good, but ... doesn't anyone of us know Sense Wyrm? The problems that could have been avoided! And another thing, what kind of Bastet is that supposed to be? To be honest, I don't know particularly much about the cats. Dear Walkers out there, if you have a clue, you're very welcome.

Entry 7 – The Black Plague

Farther above I'd mentioned concerns regarding Fin. These have become notably stronger. And I must admit I underestimated him. That's unfortunately something that tends to happen to Garou of my tribe. It practically doesn't happen that our Kin are accepted into packs or are allowed to do anything else than the jobs nobody wants and donate genetic material for future Garou. Fin however comes from completely different conditions. The Fianna or whoever seem to have encouraged him to make demands and to work his way up. He's probably been in the supernatural business for longer than all of us. On one hand it seems possible that one simply wants more in that case, on the other hand it takes nerves of steel to question one's Garou alpha as openly as Fin did. I think no longer that it's simply a lack of brains, but delusions of grandeur are still a possibility. Brianna would do well to put him into his place very clearly. We Walkers lead our packs rather democratically but when it gets serious it's essential that someone gives clear orders. And no Garou should just put up to be fooled by a wise-ass Kinfolk... well it happened to me, but let's start in the beginning:

I was sitting in front of my PC working in the evening when Sings-with-Fae sent me a mail. The style was rather cute. He asked me and my friends to retrieve an object for an ancestor spirit. Carol, Brianna, Fin, Marius, Charlie and Liam could be summoned and we met at the Fianna's camp. We learned that there had been an ancestor spirit named Alley-Drifter in London of the the 17th century who had died of the plague and of which a magical amulet had been stolen. It possessed healing powers and was to be retrieved. Fin and Marius misbehaved and were kicked out but we decided to take them along anyway. I tried to stay focused and used my U.S.E. but said amulet was not in the Tellurian. But Sings-with-Fae had an answer. We'd find a reflection of the amulet in an umbral realm that was created out of the misery of the people in the plague-ravaged London and the memories of those times just before the Great Fire in 1666. Not only this, superstition and persecution would also await us. Sounded like vacation, so we set off at once.

We met Alley-Drifter's spirit who was locked out from the realm and a mongrel-like tortured Bone Gnawers Lupus (?) spirit named Shadow-Scent who was to lead us. Like in the briefing before Fin began to troll around and make his Elders angry. Shadow-Scent – very fitting name because even when he didn't directly stink anymore his aroma had a ghost of its own – opened a portal to the realm that greeted us in sinister sepia tones. Our equipment and appearance had adapted. My beloved PDA had become an abacus but at least I didn't look as ragged as Marius or Charlie. All around us the windows were nailed up and marked with white crosses, dead people and rats alike lay around – and Charlie enthusiastically stuffed the latter into his pockets. Then the question arose who was in charge now. Brianna's alpha role still made her feel a bit uneasy and Fin selflessly declared himself the new alpha. This triggered the response from me that I'd challenge him if he did this. Him, a human and Kinfolk who has no right whatsoever to the position. Shit. This human is quite clever and ambitioned and I've given him another little validation. Anyway, Brianna stayed the alpha.

Shadow-Scent led us through the oppressing desolateness to a barricaded house in which an old dying man lay on his death bed. Alley-Drifter' and Shadow-Scent's best friend. Turned out he was only a human, respectively the memory of one. Nobody of us could really handle the situation. I tried to find some fitting words but nothing really seemed appropriate. The only thing that was sure was that in three days the town would go down in flames and nothing we did here could change that. Fin made a really stupid remark on that, got beaten up by us but didn't really care. We also learned that the amulet hat been stolen by a crook who followed the Inquisition's trail like a scavenger and lived nearby. Shadow-Scent finally wanted to reveal his true form to his friend, and we too at least revealed ourselves with words. A touching scene. I hadn't thought that all of that would affect me like this. But we had a task to do.

When we arrived, a plague doctor in full mask opened and said some not so very nice things about the thief and explained that the latter had died. Shamelessly we searched the corpse, found a huge burn on his body and also the amulet that had caused it. The third thing we found was an occult book that described the amulet in detail. We gave both to the Mage for safekeeping. -... anyone remind me again why...?! We spoke quite freely in the presence of the plague doctor which caused Fin to make some unmistakable gestures towards Liam to kill him. I guess that's what happened later. Logic says it doesn't matter anyway. All these are no real persons but reflections trapped in a time loop of suffering. Logic however then proceeds to say, why is Fin so hell-bent on punishing „veil breaks“? And since when does one deal out death sentences behind the back of one's alpha wolf?? And of course the question remains, or better the suspicion, how Fin will act if he has to deal with other things than just ghosts. Hm.

The old man had expired his ephemeral existence, too when we came back. If it were for me we couldn't get out of this dreadful place fast enough. Back in the Tellurian we recorded that the amulet was indeed more than just a simple healing fetish and should be removed forever. Shadow-Scent however was damned to the fate to live through that dire year before the fire again and again. I don't want to think about it too much. I rather wish I'd never experienced any of this but at the same time I'm fully aware that this isn't going to be the last bad thing I've seen in my life.

One thing is for sure, though. Rail against the big old Spider as much as you want, but you don't want to miss antibiotics and infrastructure anymore.

Entry 8 – On secret mission for the Fae

Fin noticed that I don't like him. Either I've been showing it so clearly or he somehow has access to GWnet and reads up. In the latter case a sysop should _urgently_ look into the matter, he's no longer to be trusted at this point.
We were at Brianna's taking drugs, Fin even more randomly than the rest. He tried to taunt me a bit like for example bringing a beer for anyone except me or talking about me in foreign languages with the explanation that I'd never forgive him his words if I understood them. This impertinent little poser. Brianna went in a bit harsher than usual but I think that didn't impress him. I have to remind me times and times again that I'm not an Ahroun but a Trickster and that my methods of revenge should be cleverer than just smack him with claws. Every single attempt went wrong, though. The next morning however a strange little girl scout stood in front of the door, gave us cookies (more than one of these would kill, she later told us) and drank two coffees with us and finally presented Fin, whom she had somehow tracked down here, with a letter. Supposedly it read that the Lord of the Fae wished to see Fin and us. Ya, right. Fairies, just like Tinkerbell, and I don't mean that Hilton mutt. I laughed heartily then I declared myself ready to take a look at these alleged fae. Fin however took the whole affair unendingly gravely, we were to behave, we were not to say one wrong word... Oh the irony.

The little girl had us get aboard a huge pink limousine and drove us in a suicidal fashion to a restaurant named „Le Marché“. While Fin almost pissed himself with subserviency we went in, past two bizarre guards, to a completely darkened room lit only by candles. I suspected vampires but couldn't prove anything. It didn't smell of blood either. Inside there was a long table and the alleged representative of the Fae Lord invited us for lunch. Fin introduced himself first, then Anna, and barely mentioned the rest of us. Asshole. Charlie and I introduced ourselves correctly after that. After the pleasant part came the unpleasant, he was going to ask us for a favor. And we had to vow to keep absolute silence about the details or we'd reveal all of our own secrets. I did _not_ speak the oath, at least not correctly and I made very clear to him that I was committed to others first. Was all in vain, though, as I learned later, since the guy simply bewitched us. Dear Walkers out there, let this be a WARNING to you. I put this to debate when we were out in the open air again. That all of them had just readily gambled to rend the veil if they lost control of their tongue for one small moment and blooped out a critical word. Oh, their faces. I felt like the last ass on Earth when I looked into these offended, betrayed faces. Oh Rachel, you're the most unfunny Ragabash of all times. Don't spoil all the fun for us, it's completely normal to be cursed by some fake fairies and to swear loyalty to random people! - What do you want, a practical joke where I make you blurt out something wrong on purpose? Fin puffed himself up mightily and said that as a direct blood relative he was obliged to incontestable loyalty to the „fae“ and this was perfectly normal for Fianna. Alright, as a Ragabash and GW on top of that I don't have much to say in that matter but that doesn't mean that I have to trust the Fianna from now on. Blah.

Anyway, I don't think I give away too much when I say that to fulfill our mission we were to find a person to which we had a hot lead. A short recherce and a phone call later we stood in front of the apartment. Inside someone had already turned everything upside-down and left the door ajar afterwards. Our hints are a bit scarce from here on and boil down to some oily overalls and a matchbook which says „Ten Dollars Inn“.

Just realized how many swear words I used today compared to the earlier entries. The Rage in me keeps building and I'm afraid that I'll just flip my lid some day. I don't like at all how my personality changed since I met the others. I'm normally not like that. I _don't want_ to be the annoying asshole but it seems that I have to. Or nobody else will.

Entry 9 – Erebus

Before I finish that story up there, a little insertion.
Charlie and Fin were at the Uktena's for the final powwow where they deliberated about their Wyrmed tribe member. Obviously Fin had a really bad day which was related to the fact that he was a relative to a lot of people but liked by nobody and contrary to his whole relaxed behavior led a rather miserable life. The two however were called back to the Akhachu sept. The tribe's settlement presented itself modern and tidy but the Garou had built a clichéd Indian camp a little way off.

Three-Arrows had cleverly avoided all truth-seeking gifts and his father took this as a reason to say that he was not proven guilty. The Philodox who asked Charlie and Fin also failed to deliver the last needed proofs since none of the two had spoken to the cat creature. The rest of the pack – and me especially – were not available. But with a cool light show they could convince the cat to appear at the fireplace for a few minutes. The results clearly proved Arrow's guilt but made the chief, his father, very unhappy since his only son was now going to be banished to Erebus.

They intended to wait until the pack of the Winged Uktena returned from fighting the terrible cave troll whatsoever but this became unimportant when Arrows tried to kill himself in a fit of panic. Since they didn't want to expose the camp, Charlie and Fin agreed to be a part of the escort to Erebus. Together with a lupus-born female Theurge they went on their way and soon arrived at what seemed to be the mother of all moon paths. Arrows slowly became more alert again and began to lament. Good thing he was in handcuffs that kept him in homid form. He whined especially much when the true Gates of Hell appeared, framed by a black landscape of cliffs – and in front of it Cerberus of legend, big like a house, around him lots of scattered bones. Interestingly each of his heads seemed to correspond to one of the Triat, but they worked together peacefully. He let the four new arrivals pass, though... the bigger problem is doubtlessly to get out again.

Inside a black cave labyrinth spread, riddled with rivers of molten silver in which Garou kept burning, regenerating, burning and thus were subjected to endless agony. Every unfortunate had a personal torturer in the shape of a giant black hairless Crinos with red glowy eyes and a snake tail. Arrows should get one of his own now but used the opportunity to push the poor Theurge into one of the silver rivers and flee. Fin ran after him but too late. When a little stony bridge that Arrows ran over crumbled, Fin simply jumped into the boiling silver. Just in time one of the guardian demons poked his spear into him and fished him out again... ouch! The same method was used to save the Theurge, but she regenerated the wounds. Charlie who helped to get her out strangely didn't suffer the slightest effect from the silver. The Uktena however would have to stay in pledge until Arrows was caught – and that was not what the guards saw as their foremost duty. Charlie wasn't okay with that but refused the offer to play a game of chess for her freedom... which was probably a good thing, for the price in case he lost would have been eternal damnation.

They caught Arrows at the gate he'd entered through, which of course he couldn't open. Fin and Charlie charged at him, Fin with a kung fu jump that was as impressive as ineffective but he was tough. When Charlie however insulted Arrows and he got mad, suddenly the guards were there and seemed to ... well, leech the Rage from him until he ceased his struggles. He got his just punishment in the silver rivers while the Theurge was picked up and they set off to the mistress of this realm. She lived in a scary but nobly furnished black castle in the middle of a giant silvery lake that could be traveled on a boat without a ferryman. Half a dozen of the creatures escorted the earthlings in. The Mistress, called Charyss was a strange, half-human Gorgon which asked the three in turn what they had seen and experienced in Erebus. Fin obviously gave a clever answer in which he revealed that he had understood the purpose of this realm and the promise of salvation that lingered here. As a thankyou he received a small crucible with water from the silvery lake. A tunnel behind the castle lead the three heroes into something that the Theurge identified as the Null Zone and that stirred her spirits back to life. It seemed to be something like the ultimate shortcut to every place in the world. Fin who had a lot to think about, used this to get back under the wings of the Fae in New York and hopefully get a prestige-heavy mission from them. Charlie yet has to tell me where he and the Theurge went before they returned to the Uktena who in contrast to them were still very crestfallen.

Description
Entry 6 – Hunters and hunted

I'm barely gone for a day and immediately things happen that make one's toenails curl up. Cluelessly I'd gone to a computer expo and missed all of the following.

Vancouver in wintertime doesn't get overly cold but mainly rainy, gray and unpleasant. Daylight also gets rare. It was in a wet, dark hour in the early evening when a werewolf materialized in Charlie's TV room. He was one of the relatively few Uktena that can still look back on real native american ancestors, even a chief's son. He introduced himelf as Three-Arrows. I guess there's another of those heroic stories behind that name with 3 = number of arrows = n and m = number of villains slain and n-m ≤ -1. A rather serious and direct guy but secretive as usual for Uktena. He claimed that he was attacked by an unknown entity/animal on his tribe's territory. He intended to catch or kill that creature without his pack but with the support of one certain Nuwisha. Charlie offered to bring us along, but of course there was the usual bickering if a Glass Walker was really needed. Mr. Whoa-Whoa can consider himself lucky that I had no time anyway or I'd have kicked his behind. Liam, Brianna, Carol and Fin were ready to go, and the hunt began in the same night.

It was still raining but out in the forest at the border of the tribal land it was even darker. Fin had brought a flashlight, the rest relied on their heightened senses, fairy lights et cetera. Three-Arrows whined about the light sources and stalked ahead. In the beginning Charlie had a difficult time not tripping over every single root in the dark forest (glad I wasn't there to be even more embarrassing) until he changed into lupus, too. After a long walk through the night and over steep, forested slopes they reached the place where the attack had occurred. Most traces had been washed away by the rain, but Brianna discovered the half-eaten carcass of a deer. The skull and some smaller bones had been placed into a ritual arrangement by whomever. It was either a rite of thanks or an offering decided Fin. In the Umbra there were unusually many spirits of darkness who didn't like to be „threatened“ with Fin's flashlight but apart from that no clues at what the ritual was supposed to do. Arrows managed to get really worked up over little things and that continued all night. When Brianna picked up a track anyway and the beast let her know that it was watching, Arrows could hardly be restrained. In a cluttered part of the woods with lots of small fir trees the forest monster tried to lead the pack astray. Arrows was just going through strong excitement for the hunt or so it seemed. He claimed that he'd picked up the trail again after a while, led the people uphill for some time and to an old talus where a rocky avalanche had gone down long ago. There he stood and seemed quite disoriented until he realized that one should go to the other side of the scree. He safely crossed over first – and then ran away. My friends passed the rocks without a problem, except for Liam who was a bit slower. That is, until the middle where another avalanche went down in exactly the most unfit moment. Thanks Gaia nobody was swept along. The only one who was missing was Arrows. His tracks led on for several meters in the Umbra. Instead the monster gave a cry, from distinctly downhill. Its smell and the shape of the tracks made the pack think it might be some sort of cat, and this was confirmed here. The animal was also fairly clever and left his tracks backwards in the snow – but now it was luring them towards it.

After following the tracks for a while suddenly Three-Arrows stood in front of them and claimed that he couldn't remember anything. He quickly found his commanding, impatient self again, said some contradictory things and said then it was best to split in two groups. He, Fin and I think Charlie strayed a bit and then in the middle of nowhere bumped into a hunter belonging to Arrows' tribe. He was obviously glad to see Arrows again after such a long time and he'd spread the happy news. Arrows reacted with a fit of psychotic destructiveness and killed him.

tbc, effing character limit

Should learn to keep it short, no? Okay, next time.
-snip-

What Brianna, Liam and Carol discovered was little more comforting, a disassembled trap with a really mean-looking arrow. Disassembled here means freshly taken apart by the mysterious animal. The black, scruffy creature then seemed to half flee, half lead the folks back to Arrows' trail. At this point it was no longer clear who was good or bad, hunter or hunted. Anyway both factions met again while Charlie and Fin were trying to keep the still frenzied Arrows in check. Upon seeing the black mountain beast he fortunately forgot to maul Fin as well but raced away in pursuit of it. Fin took the chance to shoot and wound the black beast with a silver bullet but didn't kill it. While the vegetation slowly became more crippled and frozen Arrows changed his mind once more and disappeared into a not very inviting crack in the sheer rock. A low cracking and grinding could be heard from it. Fin and Charlie went after him. They climbed over heaps of Garou bones and black, pitch-like cobwebs. This had seemingly been a burial place of the native tribes long time ago... Now it was the home of something unspeakable that Arrows meekly showed submission to and said he had no other choice. His new alpha, a mutation of baboon, spider and mummy took a first bullet from Charlie's gun and then went over to tearing into the mostly helpless Kinfolk and the Nuwisha with teeth, claws and bone shrapnel. Fin got hit badly but stood his ground and attacked furiously but without any effect. On top of all that, the Wyrm creature forced Arrows into frenzy and he too didn't go easier on Fin just because he was only human. Then Charlie came into play and with a short prayer to Coyote himself he wished the Garou who was already followed by bad luck even more of it. Shortly after, Arrows lay on the ground with one arm ripped off when his „daddy“ wanted to charge at the Nuwisha at the same time as he did but missed its mark. Note to myself, never make Charlie angry. Never.

Meanwhile, Carol and Brianna had pursued the black, shaggy and indeed very feline wood gnome into the Umbra and confronted it. It wasn't in the mood for a chat but on the contrary very gruff. He/It/She explained it only wanted to be left alone, the two should rather hurry to take care of their „false friend“ who was possessed by the Wyrm and very probably mauling Fin and Charlie right now. I think the creature can consider itself lucky that Carol was with them who has a natural understanding for angry cats and didn't begrudge it to the critter that it hissed at them like that. Somewhat reluctantly both returned into the Realm and went looking for the others. Brianna howled a Warning of the Wyrm's Approach to the Uktena, then both of them found the dark cave and raced to help. The bone- and Garou-eating freak meanwhile concentrated fully on Charlie while Fin seeked refuge in the Umbra for a moment. It had pinned the coyote to the ground but in the most critical moment it found itself with a furious Brianna on one of its flanks, an angry Fin on the other and a Carol ready for battle on its throat. Screeching and dripping ancient meat-dust from its numerous wounds it finally retreated and dematerialized.

It was made sure that Arrows stayed unconscious and they waited outside for about twenty minutes until four Uktena arrived for their aid. They weren't exactly exhilarated about all the bad news. They retrieved the slain tribe member and dragged Arrows away whose treacherous Wyrm-ridden ass can be expected to roast in the molten silver rivers of Erebus soon. They thanked my friends for their engagement and invited them to their next powwow to review the whole chaos. That an unfriendly Bastet had staked out its claim on their protectorate was another thing, but maybe it can end lightly. And finally they'll try to cleanse that formerly holy place in the cave from poison and corruption for good. There's supposedly more of these forgotten places... when the Indians and Garou of Vancouver Area were decimated by disease and conflict back in the day, much of their wisdom and sanctuaries was lost. Arrows had obviously rediscovered one of these places but was unable to take on its new inhabitant. Tainted and mentally corrupted he had avoided his sept. Until that new Bastet had taken offense from all that Wyrm stuff but was herself unable to do anything about it. It was clever enough to lead the hunting party that was after it to the source of all problems while Arrows had tried to lead them away again and when that didn't work to stop them with a rocky avalanche and traps. While doing this he seemingly went through sane and insane stages. So far so good, but ... doesn't anyone of us know Sense Wyrm? The problems that could have been avoided! And another thing, what kind of Bastet is that supposed to be? To be honest, I don't know particularly much about the cats. Dear Walkers out there, if you have a clue, you're very welcome.

Entry 7 – The Black Plague

Farther above I'd mentioned concerns regarding Fin. These have become notably stronger. And I must admit I underestimated him. That's unfortunately something that tends to happen to Garou of my tribe. It practically doesn't happen that our Kin are accepted into packs or are allowed to do anything else than the jobs nobody wants and donate genetic material for future Garou. Fin however comes from completely different conditions. The Fianna or whoever seem to have encouraged him to make demands and to work his way up. He's probably been in the supernatural business for longer than all of us. On one hand it seems possible that one simply wants more in that case, on the other hand it takes nerves of steel to question one's Garou alpha as openly as Fin did. I think no longer that it's simply a lack of brains, but delusions of grandeur are still a possibility. Brianna would do well to put him into his place very clearly. We Walkers lead our packs rather democratically but when it gets serious it's essential that someone gives clear orders. And no Garou should just put up to be fooled by a wise-ass Kinfolk... well it happened to me, but let's start in the beginning:

I was sitting in front of my PC working in the evening when Sings-with-Fae sent me a mail. The style was rather cute. He asked me and my friends to retrieve an object for an ancestor spirit. Carol, Brianna, Fin, Marius, Charlie and Liam could be summoned and we met at the Fianna's camp. We learned that there had been an ancestor spirit named Alley-Drifter in London of the the 17th century who had died of the plague and of which a magical amulet had been stolen. It possessed healing powers and was to be retrieved. Fin and Marius misbehaved and were kicked out but we decided to take them along anyway. I tried to stay focused and used my U.S.E. but said amulet was not in the Tellurian. But Sings-with-Fae had an answer. We'd find a reflection of the amulet in an umbral realm that was created out of the misery of the people in the plague-ravaged London and the memories of those times just before the Great Fire in 1666. Not only this, superstition and persecution would also await us. Sounded like vacation, so we set off at once.

We met Alley-Drifter's spirit who was locked out from the realm and a mongrel-like tortured Bone Gnawers Lupus (?) spirit named Shadow-Scent who was to lead us. Like in the briefing before Fin began to troll around and make his Elders angry. Shadow-Scent – very fitting name because even when he didn't directly stink anymore his aroma had a ghost of its own – opened a portal to the realm that greeted us in sinister sepia tones. Our equipment and appearance had adapted. My beloved PDA had become an abacus but at least I didn't look as ragged as Marius or Charlie. All around us the windows were nailed up and marked with white crosses, dead people and rats alike lay around – and Charlie enthusiastically stuffed the latter into his pockets. Then the question arose who was in charge now. Brianna's alpha role still made her feel a bit uneasy and Fin selflessly declared himself the new alpha. This triggered the response from me that I'd challenge him if he did this. Him, a human and Kinfolk who has no right whatsoever to the position. Shit. This human is quite clever and ambitioned and I've given him another little validation. Anyway, Brianna stayed the alpha.

Shadow-Scent led us through the oppressing desolateness to a barricaded house in which an old dying man lay on his death bed. Alley-Drifter' and Shadow-Scent's best friend. Turned out he was only a human, respectively the memory of one. Nobody of us could really handle the situation. I tried to find some fitting words but nothing really seemed appropriate. The only thing that was sure was that in three days the town would go down in flames and nothing we did here could change that. Fin made a really stupid remark on that, got beaten up by us but didn't really care. We also learned that the amulet hat been stolen by a crook who followed the Inquisition's trail like a scavenger and lived nearby. Shadow-Scent finally wanted to reveal his true form to his friend, and we too at least revealed ourselves with words. A touching scene. I hadn't thought that all of that would affect me like this. But we had a task to do.

When we arrived, a plague doctor in full mask opened and said some not so very nice things about the thief and explained that the latter had died. Shamelessly we searched the corpse, found a huge burn on his body and also the amulet that had caused it. The third thing we found was an occult book that described the amulet in detail. We gave both to the Mage for safekeeping. -... anyone remind me again why...?! We spoke quite freely in the presence of the plague doctor which caused Fin to make some unmistakable gestures towards Liam to kill him. I guess that's what happened later. Logic says it doesn't matter anyway. All these are no real persons but reflections trapped in a time loop of suffering. Logic however then proceeds to say, why is Fin so hell-bent on punishing „veil breaks“? And since when does one deal out death sentences behind the back of one's alpha wolf?? And of course the question remains, or better the suspicion, how Fin will act if he has to deal with other things than just ghosts. Hm.

The old man had expired his ephemeral existence, too when we came back. If it were for me we couldn't get out of this dreadful place fast enough. Back in the Tellurian we recorded that the amulet was indeed more than just a simple healing fetish and should be removed forever. Shadow-Scent however was damned to the fate to live through that dire year before the fire again and again. I don't want to think about it too much. I rather wish I'd never experienced any of this but at the same time I'm fully aware that this isn't going to be the last bad thing I've seen in my life.

One thing is for sure, though. Rail against the big old Spider as much as you want, but you don't want to miss antibiotics and infrastructure anymore.

Entry 8 – On secret mission for the Fae

Fin noticed that I don't like him. Either I've been showing it so clearly or he somehow has access to GWnet and reads up. In the latter case a sysop should _urgently_ look into the matter, he's no longer to be trusted at this point.
We were at Brianna's taking drugs, Fin even more randomly than the rest. He tried to taunt me a bit like for example bringing a beer for anyone except me or talking about me in foreign languages with the explanation that I'd never forgive him his words if I understood them. This impertinent little poser. Brianna went in a bit harsher than usual but I think that didn't impress him. I have to remind me times and times again that I'm not an Ahroun but a Trickster and that my methods of revenge should be cleverer than just smack him with claws. Every single attempt went wrong, though. The next morning however a strange little girl scout stood in front of the door, gave us cookies (more than one of these would kill, she later told us) and drank two coffees with us and finally presented Fin, whom she had somehow tracked down here, with a letter. Supposedly it read that the Lord of the Fae wished to see Fin and us. Ya, right. Fairies, just like Tinkerbell, and I don't mean that Hilton mutt. I laughed heartily then I declared myself ready to take a look at these alleged fae. Fin however took the whole affair unendingly gravely, we were to behave, we were not to say one wrong word... Oh the irony.

The little girl had us get aboard a huge pink limousine and drove us in a suicidal fashion to a restaurant named „Le Marché“. While Fin almost pissed himself with subserviency we went in, past two bizarre guards, to a completely darkened room lit only by candles. I suspected vampires but couldn't prove anything. It didn't smell of blood either. Inside there was a long table and the alleged representative of the Fae Lord invited us for lunch. Fin introduced himself first, then Anna, and barely mentioned the rest of us. Asshole. Charlie and I introduced ourselves correctly after that. After the pleasant part came the unpleasant, he was going to ask us for a favor. And we had to vow to keep absolute silence about the details or we'd reveal all of our own secrets. I did _not_ speak the oath, at least not correctly and I made very clear to him that I was committed to others first. Was all in vain, though, as I learned later, since the guy simply bewitched us. Dear Walkers out there, let this be a WARNING to you. I put this to debate when we were out in the open air again. That all of them had just readily gambled to rend the veil if they lost control of their tongue for one small moment and blooped out a critical word. Oh, their faces. I felt like the last ass on Earth when I looked into these offended, betrayed faces. Oh Rachel, you're the most unfunny Ragabash of all times. Don't spoil all the fun for us, it's completely normal to be cursed by some fake fairies and to swear loyalty to random people! - What do you want, a practical joke where I make you blurt out something wrong on purpose? Fin puffed himself up mightily and said that as a direct blood relative he was obliged to incontestable loyalty to the „fae“ and this was perfectly normal for Fianna. Alright, as a Ragabash and GW on top of that I don't have much to say in that matter but that doesn't mean that I have to trust the Fianna from now on. Blah.

Anyway, I don't think I give away too much when I say that to fulfill our mission we were to find a person to which we had a hot lead. A short recherce and a phone call later we stood in front of the apartment. Inside someone had already turned everything upside-down and left the door ajar afterwards. Our hints are a bit scarce from here on and boil down to some oily overalls and a matchbook which says „Ten Dollars Inn“.

Just realized how many swear words I used today compared to the earlier entries. The Rage in me keeps building and I'm afraid that I'll just flip my lid some day. I don't like at all how my personality changed since I met the others. I'm normally not like that. I _don't want_ to be the annoying asshole but it seems that I have to. Or nobody else will.

Entry 9 – Erebus

Before I finish that story up there, a little insertion.
Charlie and Fin were at the Uktena's for the final powwow where they deliberated about their Wyrmed tribe member. Obviously Fin had a really bad day which was related to the fact that he was a relative to a lot of people but liked by nobody and contrary to his whole relaxed behavior led a rather miserable life. The two however were called back to the Akhachu sept. The tribe's settlement presented itself modern and tidy but the Garou had built a clichéd Indian camp a little way off.

Three-Arrows had cleverly avoided all truth-seeking gifts and his father took this as a reason to say that he was not proven guilty. The Philodox who asked Charlie and Fin also failed to deliver the last needed proofs since none of the two had spoken to the cat creature. The rest of the pack – and me especially – were not available. But with a cool light show they could convince the cat to appear at the fireplace for a few minutes. The results clearly proved Arrow's guilt but made the chief, his father, very unhappy since his only son was now going to be banished to Erebus.

They intended to wait until the pack of the Winged Uktena returned from fighting the terrible cave troll whatsoever but this became unimportant when Arrows tried to kill himself in a fit of panic. Since they didn't want to expose the camp, Charlie and Fin agreed to be a part of the escort to Erebus. Together with a lupus-born female Theurge they went on their way and soon arrived at what seemed to be the mother of all moon paths. Arrows slowly became more alert again and began to lament. Good thing he was in handcuffs that kept him in homid form. He whined especially much when the true Gates of Hell appeared, framed by a black landscape of cliffs – and in front of it Cerberus of legend, big like a house, around him lots of scattered bones. Interestingly each of his heads seemed to correspond to one of the Triat, but they worked together peacefully. He let the four new arrivals pass, though... the bigger problem is doubtlessly to get out again.

Inside a black cave labyrinth spread, riddled with rivers of molten silver in which Garou kept burning, regenerating, burning and thus were subjected to endless agony. Every unfortunate had a personal torturer in the shape of a giant black hairless Crinos with red glowy eyes and a snake tail. Arrows should get one of his own now but used the opportunity to push the poor Theurge into one of the silver rivers and flee. Fin ran after him but too late. When a little stony bridge that Arrows ran over crumbled, Fin simply jumped into the boiling silver. Just in time one of the guardian demons poked his spear into him and fished him out again... ouch! The same method was used to save the Theurge, but she regenerated the wounds. Charlie who helped to get her out strangely didn't suffer the slightest effect from the silver. The Uktena however would have to stay in pledge until Arrows was caught – and that was not what the guards saw as their foremost duty. Charlie wasn't okay with that but refused the offer to play a game of chess for her freedom... which was probably a good thing, for the price in case he lost would have been eternal damnation.

They caught Arrows at the gate he'd entered through, which of course he couldn't open. Fin and Charlie charged at him, Fin with a kung fu jump that was as impressive as ineffective but he was tough. When Charlie however insulted Arrows and he got mad, suddenly the guards were there and seemed to ... well, leech the Rage from him until he ceased his struggles. He got his just punishment in the silver rivers while the Theurge was picked up and they set off to the mistress of this realm. She lived in a scary but nobly furnished black castle in the middle of a giant silvery lake that could be traveled on a boat without a ferryman. Half a dozen of the creatures escorted the earthlings in. The Mistress, called Charyss was a strange, half-human Gorgon which asked the three in turn what they had seen and experienced in Erebus. Fin obviously gave a clever answer in which he revealed that he had understood the purpose of this realm and the promise of salvation that lingered here. As a thankyou he received a small crucible with water from the silvery lake. A tunnel behind the castle lead the three heroes into something that the Theurge identified as the Null Zone and that stirred her spirits back to life. It seemed to be something like the ultimate shortcut to every place in the world. Fin who had a lot to think about, used this to get back under the wings of the Fae in New York and hopefully get a prestige-heavy mission from them. Charlie yet has to tell me where he and the Theurge went before they returned to the Uktena who in contrast to them were still very crestfallen.