Character Sheet: Anita Wanderer Appearance Prelude Journal Entries
Name: Dr. Anita Guadalupe Wanderer (Seeks-the-Bridge) aka "Doc" Player: Beth Savage E-mail Address: bsavage@vax.clarku.edu Breed: Homid Auspice: Philodox Tribe: Glasswalker Pack Name: Pack Totem: Concept: ATTRIBUTES: Physical: Strength-1, Dexterity-3, Stamina-2 Social: Charisma-4, Manipulation-2, Appearance-2 Mental: Perception-3, Intelligence-4, Wits-3 ABILITIES Talents: Brawl-2, Dodge-2, Empathy-3, Primal Urge-1, Streetwise-2 Skills: Drive-1, Repair-4 Knowledge: Computer-3, Law-1, Linguisitics-1, Rituals-3, Science-5 ADVANTAGES: Background: Kinfolk-1, Resources-2, Rites-3 Gifts: Control Simple Machine, Persuasion, Truth of Gaia RITES: Rite of Cleansing, Talisman Dedication (clothes, cell phone, Gold Card, whatever piece of equipment she's using), Bone Rhythms, Greet the Moon RENOWN RANK 1 Glory-0/0 Honor-3/0 Wisdom-0/0 Rage-5 Gnosis-4 Willpower-7 Appearance: Anita Wanderer (Werewolf): Anita is a 31 year old at least part-Hispanic woman. Her skin is rather light, but her facial features and black hair and eyes are clearly Hispanic. She dresses fairly casually, but keeps a few suits around for those times when she has to look professional. Anita usually carries her "purse" (actually more of a sturdy waterproof briefcase) which at various times, holds her laptop, various scientific gear, student files, etc. She is never without her cell phone. "You don't bring a knife to a gun fight." A certain amount of mystery surrounds Anita's birth. From her appearance, she assumes that one or both of her parents had some Hispanic blood, but that's as specific as she can get. She also isn't sure exactly where she was born- somewhere in California- or if she has any living relatives. According to what she was told by her adoptive parents, she was anonymously deposited on the doorstep of Our Lady of Guadalupe's church and was then delivered to an orphanage. There were unfounded rumors that her parents were hippies who took part in wild drug and sex parties- and therefore had no desire to care for a child. During her childhood, Anita built up her parents as rebels who had to go into hiding because "the Government" was after them for anti-government activities- and that they would be back for her one day. During her years at the orphanage, she was shuffled around from one foster home to another, going through so many that the staff finally gave her the last name "Wanderer". The agency was puzzled as to why this cute little girl who charmed the adults around her had such a hard time gettting adopted. The trouble usually turned out to be with other children. Anita had a temper and was not adverse to getting involved in knock-down fights with other children. This might be semi-acceptable behavior for boys, but not for a young lady. In truth, Anita didn't know why she got into so many fights. All she knew was that she was unhappy and angry all the time. She didn't like living with any of the families she was placed with- she always felt out of place. And of course, she expected her real parents to come back and bring her home. After badly hurting another child when she was 8, Anita learned to control her temper somewhat and was adopted and moved to Indiana. She tried to get along with her new family, but she still had problems; becoming a teenager made it worse. Just like all teens, Anita was looking for acceptance in a group. It was made worse by her feelings of not belonging anywhere. She eventually fell in with a street gang, drawn by the feelings of solidarity amoung the tight-knit group and, although she hated to admit it, the undercurrent of violence. It was in the gang that she picked up the nickname "Doc" for her skill at fixing things- not just bikes and cars, but damn near anything that was broken. Although she liked being in the gang, she didn't agree with some of the things they involved themselves in. She had no problem jumping into a fight to support another member, but she didn't like some of the more dangerous illegal activities. She might have quit the gang the first time she heard about some of them but for Nash. The leader of the gang, Nash had a way of explaining outrageous things in a way that made sense; the fact that Anita had a crush on the older (mid 20's) man didn't help. Anita knew that Nash had contacts to organized crime and would occasionally get various members of the group involved in "easy money" jobs. These generally involved moving stolen cars, transporting unknown cargo, and other less savory jobs. Anita kept refusing to get involved directly, but Nash kept drawing her in closer and closer. Anita probably would have remained in the gang forever- or until she was finally arrested- except for two things: her love of science and her parents. She excelled in school and particularly loved math and the sciences. Her parents were not blind to Anita's involvement with less sordid members of the community, but were unable to make her stay away from them. So they concentrated on encouraging her interests and hoping that they could convince her to go away to school. Anita's room ended up looking like a mad scientists lab- various projects half-done, components stacked up in boxes, and notes and journals all over the place. Her parents never complained- and in fact cleared out the basement and gave her the space to use as a "lab". If she was home working on a voice-activated toaster, she wasn't out doing something illegal. After high school, Anita applied and was accepted to MIT. At first she didn't want to go and leave her friends behind. But the draw of the prestigious school was too great- besides they would be around when she got back. At MIT, she threw herself into her studies and excelled. Her social life was almost opposite what it had been- she had only a few friends and spent most of her time working on various projects. Gradually, the idea of returning to her life in the gang became less and less important. And when she got news that Nash died after plowing his bike into a telephone pole, well that just made it easier to not go back. [Anita's Streetwise skill was a 3, but has been dropped since she has been out of touch for the past 14 years or so.] Anita eventually earned a PhD in Physics and at the age of 24, became an assistant professor at the University of Indiana. But here too, she didn't quite fit in. She liked the students and she liked the research, but had a hard time fitting in with the stuffy faculty. In fact, part of her interest in science was an attempt to understand the world around her and figure out here place in it. This was better than the gang (although she missed the closeness), but it wasn't what she wanted. One of Anita's favorite places to visit was Wolf Park. It was a wildlife sanctuary which held about 20 wolves and a small pack of bison. The Park was set up so that the animals were free to wander across several acres of land. They were organized into one main pack, plus a few areas for those wolves who did not get along with the rest. Anita had always been interested in these wonderful animals and, when the cub Karin arrived (as part of a trade with another sanctuary), she began sponsoring her. One of the bonuses of being a sponsor was that she was allowed to visit "her" wolf and (if the wolf was accepting of it), go for walks with her. Anita visited Karin on and off, taking part in many of the Wolf Park activities. In the spring of her 26th year, Anita went to visit Karin. Karin had just given birth to her first litter, however, and was unavailable. Instead, Anita was invited to visit with Trillian instead. As soon as she entered the enclosure, Trillian immediately challenged Anita, jumping up and placing her paws on Anita's shoulders. Anita was a bit surprised since according to the staff, Trillian rarely challenged anyone. None the less, she met Trillian's gaze and growled back at her. Before the concerned staff member could react, Trillain had submitted and Anita was on her knees next to her vigourously rubbing her proferred belly. She didn't notice the speculative look the staff member gave her. Later that evening after a public lecture about the wolves social structure, the staff and public went outside where they could listen to the wolves howl. Anita wandered away from the main group to listen to their song- they were individuals, yet a group. They all sang together, yet apart as well. If only she could find a place where she could fit in as well as they did without losing her identity. Anita had fallen almost into a trance, as she did every time she heard the wolves sing. She found herself on the far side of the park near Turtle Island, where Karin was denning- and after a quick look at her watch realised that it was long past closing time. Oh well, who would care if she stayed just a little longer. The wolves' song rang out across the Park as Anita looked across to Turtle Island. The full moon illuminated the lake and after a few minutes, Anita saw Karin come down to the water's edge. At first Anita thought Karin had been drawn to the sound of her pack singing and meant to join in. But she was acting strangely, running back and forth between the den and edge of the water, pawing the ground and sniffing the air. Anita knew that something was wrong- unconsciously she imitated Karin's posture, alert for signs of danger. They both saw it at the same time- a dark shape rising out of the lake heading toward the island. Karin backed away from it toward her den, growling and snarling. "The cubs", Anita realised, "it's after them". She felt her carefully suppressed rage rise inside her; no one was going to hurt those cubs. Without thinking she ran forward, screaming a challenge to the dark creature heading toward the island. Her stride lengthened and her scream became a piercing howl as she reached the water. The last thing she remembered was hearing the song of the wolves change to a more strident tone... and the full moon glowing overhead. The next moment (or so she thought) Anita found herself standing on Turtle Island in front of the den surrounded by wolves and humans. Her first thought was for the cubs- but she could just barely hear them mewing nearby, so they were all right. As she looked around her, she saw the body of some strange creature at her feet. It's- or maybe her- blood covered her body... which was nearly naked; to her dismay she realised that her clothes were tattered. Having no idea what had happened or what to do now, Anita just stood there in shock, looking at the creatures around her. After a moment, the grey wolf she recognized as Socrates- the cub's sire- took a few steps forward and growled something at her. "Huh?", she responded. A woman stepped forward, one that Anita vaguely recognized as being a member of the staff- Angelique- or something like that. "Who are you? How did you know of this attack?" She paused for a moment, then continued in a kinder tone, noticing Anita's obvious confusion. "What is your tribe? Where is your pack?" "Huh?", Anita replied again. She suddenly realised that she had let her temper get away from her and had obviously done something horrible. "Um... look, I didn't mean to hurt anyone, but it...", she looked down at "it" in disbelief. "Um... it was going to hurt them... and um.. I... well.. I... don't really know what happened." Anita's voice dropped off as she finished. Angelique exchanged a look with Socrates. She took off her jacket and slowly approached Anita offerring it to her. "Do you know what you are? Do you know what you did?" Anita took the jacket gratefully, "No, I don't understand any of this." Angelique looked at Anita for a moment more, then put her arm around the younger woman's shoulder. "Then we have two reasons to celebrate tonight- Socrates and Karin's cubs are safe; and Gaia has returned a lost cub to us!" As the howls grew around her, Anita felt the sorrow and confusion lift from her heart. She didn't know what all this meant, but it felt good, it felt right. In the months that followed, Anita learned all about her new life. Looking back on things, she realised that Angelique, the eldest Philodox of the tribe, who became her teacher, must have had the patience of a saint. Conversations often went like this: Angelique - Once a month on the full moon we have a Moot. Among other things, this is a chance to pass on information about what is happening in the land around us. Anita - Yeah, but you've got a secure on-line site so you can contact each other with really important information, right? And probably a web site so everyone can keep updated on what's happening and mail accounts for all the nearby packs. Angelique looks confused. [Anita - Oh, you're not computerized yet? Just go with old fashioned faxes and beepers, huh? Angelique continues to look confused. Anita - Um... everyone does know how to use a *phone*, right? Angelique - Many of Gaia's children see the use of technology as furthering the corruption of the Wyrm. Anita (amazed) - How do you get anything accomplished? Things change overnight- how can you keep up? Well, we can set up something simple here at the Park. After all, you should have a Web Page for this place- and with PGP and a few anonymous accounts... I know this guy over in the Netherlands who supplies anon accounts and bounces them all over the place. With that, we could... The most difficult part of the whole process was getting used to the whole "instinctual mindset". Anita's first dozen efforts at responding to anything requiring that were a disaster- she kept trying to analyze the situation rationally. Finally, after nearly drowning when she fell through thin ice, Socrates (who felt sorry for the poor Garou who had obviously been horribly traumatized during her life amoung the humans) insisted that she spend a month living as a wolf with the wolves at the Park. Anita wasn't really crazy about the idea, but she was willing to give it a try. Although she was a pretty pathetic wolf at first, she came out of the experience more in touch with the side of herself that she had always tried to repress- and found that she actually liked being in wolf form. When it came time for her trial, it was the Wendigo theurge Altair who made the choice. Anita could fight and she had already shown skill at resolving disputes; what she needed was a closer tie with Gaia- yet another part of her upbringing which was sadly lacking. Anita was to go on a spirit-quest. Altair set up a sweat-lodge and on the night of the half-moon, summoned the pack's totem spirit to guide her. In her vision, Anita saw the world as it was in the beginning- all the forces in balance and the children of Gaia strongly in place. As the world "aged", the balance changed- the different tribes of Garou rose and fell in power individually, but their power clearly declined as a whole. Much to the opposite, the power of the Wyrm grew- along with its creatures, the vampires. The power of the humans grew as well- mostly due to their control of technology and their adaptablility. The Garou did not change... except for the Glasswalkers. Her own tribe grew in power and influence even as did the vampires and humans. But they could not defend Gaia alone, their numbers were too small; the other tribes were needed as well. They needed to learn how to fight on new levels- and use the weapons of the modern world- politics, technology, and the law. Anita's role as a philodox was to bridge the gaps between individuals, but in a greater sense she understood that it was also to bridge the growing chasm between the modern world and the ancient world most Garou lived in. A human with a stick could not hope to defeat one with a gun; so too the Garou could no longer rely on outdated weapons. When Anita returned to the tribe and told them of her vision, Altair proclaimed her an adult and gave her a new name "Seeks-the-Bridge". Anita decided to use her teaching skills to tutor kinfolk or Garou in those skills that would help the Garou in this world. Although she would focus on technological skills- computers, physics, math, engineering, chemistry, biology, etc, she also hoped to help the younger ones make it through high school or college in general. Anita realised that bringing such change to the unchanging world of the Garou would not be easy. She would need to introduce technology slowly and carefully- and to do so as a pack member who understood the world instead of a rogue lone wolf. Therefore, Anita began to learn as much as possible about the social life and traditions of the Garou. She learned how behave properly, how to address the elders, in short "good manners". Then, once she had mastered the basics of Garou society, she began to learn more about the specific tribes- since she hoped to be able to approach any tribe, she needed to be able to interact with all of them. Even though she found some of the traditions to be at best "old fashioned" and at worst "silly" (not that she would ever say that), she studied them all. She also began to slowly introduce technology to Wolf Park. Her first pupil was Chris Allen, a young kinfolk who worked at the Park. She had seen him fiddling around with an ancient computer and approached him with an offer of help. He was suspicious of her motives at first ("Please don't kill the computer, Altair checked it and said that it isn't wyrm-tainted"), then couldn't believe she was a Garou ("You have your own web page?"). Eventually, they worked things out. Anita agreed to teach Chris all about computers as long as he would support "the cause" and bought the Park a top of the line system. There were a few minor problems: Anita ended up sleeping on the floor of the office a few nights after an anonymous threat against the computer was made; and she had to constantly reassure certain members that it wasn't possessed. However, two months after they set up a Wolf Park Web page (complete with pictures) admissions and sponsorships had increased- not by a lot, but significantly. And when Chris was able to contact Anita immediately when an emergency occurred because she had a mobile phone, well.. maybe this technology stuff wasn't all bad after all... One facet of Garou life that fascinated Anita was the Umbra. She wasn't satisfied with vague descriptions of it, she wanted to know what it really was, how did it interact with time, how did two places exist in the same place at the same time. Anita has spent some considerable time in the Umbra, and learned how to bond instruments to her to help her exploration. Anita spent six years with the Wolf Park pack, doing her best to learn all that she had to know and slowly introducing some technology to them. About six months ago, she began having disturbing dreams. They followed the same theme: she would be searching for something (one disk amoung a roomful, one book in a library, one winning lottery ticket in a roll of them, a penny in a bank vault). Every time she searched one section and turned to another, she would get the feeling that there was something that she had missed, and would go back to that first section again. No matter how often she searched an area, as soon as she turned her back on it, she would feel that she had to go back to it again. Finally getting fed up with sleepless nights (melatonin didn't help at all), Anita went to Altair. She told Anita that there was something in her past that impeded her growth- an unresolved conflict that would haunt her until she dealt with it. Anita knew what it was: her parents. Who were they? Why had they abandoned her? Were they still alive? Anita decided to pack up and head to California in the hopes of solving this mystery. Altair had implied that she should look on this as a quest- to take her time (not bridge out there) and "live simply". Anita could do that. She quit her job and used her savings to buy a camper equipped with all the latest ammenities. She loaded her computer, scientific gear, books, and various belongings onboard and prepared to leave. Apparently Altair hadn't quite had a camper in mind when she said "live simply", but for Anita this *was* simple. Anita made her way west, not in any particular hurry. Along the way, she met various other Garou- and found that studying social manners helped her avoid getting chomped on by the local technophobes. Although she wasn't able to convince any Garou to take advantage of her offer to teach, she did pick up three more kinfolk students. Anita arrived in California one month ago and found that there was only one "Our Lady of Guadalupe"- in Santa Cruz. She made her way there and started poking around looking for information about herself and signs of Garou. She hasn't had much luck yet, but it's only been a couple of weeks- and she has no intention of wandering around howling and attracting attention to herself. She has put out feelers for tutoring jobs and temporary/part-time consulting and is hoping that something turns up there as well. Teaching Doc is a certified teacher and has incorporated the non-profit "Wanderer School". [I'm not certain of all the rules surrounding this, but hopefully she will be eligible for funds to get computers and such for students.] She has a high-school equivalency program and offers various college-credit classes. She also does on-line tutoring in whatever subject is needed. One day she hopes to set up a real school, but for now, this is a good start. Currently, Doc has five on-line students- all kinfolk and active with "the cause": Chris (college freshman majoring in Comp Sci), Laura (pre-law), Don (engineering), Emily (budding math whiz who is struggling through high school), and Jorge (chemistry). She also does private tutoring for non-Kinfolk as a way to make money, does lectures, and private consulting. Anita has her own home page "Doc Wanderer's Home Page" with links to the "Wanderer School", "Wolf Park", various ecological groups, on-line educational services, on-line resources for her students, private pages for each of her students, email links to her account, and whatever else grabs her attention. She is an active presence on certain ecological and scientific newsgroups. [And who knows, I might even make up a web page for her.] Notes: Bone Rhythms- Instead of using sticks and stuff, Anita "types" out her rhythm on her computer. She considers this to be when she does "inspired programming" and usually spends this time working on security or virus programs. Greet the Moon- Howling at the moon is a bit uncouth in the city, so Anita has altered this ritual and uses an oboe instead. Her playing is really bad, but she tries hard and performs the ritual faithfully. Languages- Anita also speaks/reads Spanish. Resources- Anita has the skills to make a lot of money if she ever wanted a real job. However, she prefers to work part-time as a consultant, making less money but spending a lot less time working. This gives her pleny of time to do her Kinfolk tutoring (which is usually free) and work on her own research. Saturday, June 10th, 1995 12:34 p.m. In her mind's eye, Anita replayed the images of the night before, seeing the torn landscapes before her. In one, a storm swollen river, it's waters coloured red from consumed earth ran wildly, tearing loose trees and gouging the landscape until it plunged over the steep bank, a seemingly endless torrent of water that ripped the landscape below it. Looking at the fall from the other side of the chasm, it did indeed look like blood. And again, following the same course of images, Anita once again viewed on her side of the rift the endless lines of ants marching near her feet, not in column, but in lines, racing as fast as their legs could carry them down a mountain side toward the creeping edge of a brush fire. The ants were running toward the fire which, as it raced over the dry brush, consumed everything, even the dirt. Anita knew somehow that where the fire had touched the earth, even the dirt was sterile and that nothing would grow in that blackness again. The fire grew and grew, burning broad acres around her. The ants screamed in agony, the smell of their burning blood gripping the air so thickly that even the occasional wind failed to clean her nostrils but they would not stop charging the flame, feeding it their tiny bodies. Crows, heedless of the flame, plucked at the ants, gorging themselves until blood ran out of their beaks and their bellies plumped full, but they would not stop feeding. Even as the fire approached them, they would not stop until the very end, but by that time they were too full to escape and the fire consumed them too, their smoking feathers clouding the bright eyed terror in their eyes as they suffered before dying. If only she could bridge the chasm, she could bring the sad waters to the fire, feeding it the blood it needed and putting it to rest for all time. She tried to stretch her body across, but she could not reach the other side and was afraid of falling into the chasm. Then, somewhere, she did not know where, a single garou howled. It's paen was taken up by an unseen host of garou and the mountain itself shook. Somewhere, down deep in the earth, the ground rumbled mournful and torn for the despair that was ripping apart the land. And, as always, just before the images ended, Anita realized that the garou who had begun the paen had been herself, though she never realized it until the end but by then, it was too late. Maggie, her computer, beeped at her. Shaking her head, Anita refocused on the matter at hand. Jorge was asking her a question - change, - had asked her a question and was waiting for an answer. Anita scanned the equation and saw where Jorge had made the mistake, noting that his basic understanding of the equation was there. If she could only get him to stop making careless mistakes by checking his own work. She sent him a quick message hinting at a solution in a manner that would still require him to work for an answer then signed off, indicating it was time to quit after this one. She wished Jorge a good weekend and said that she would catch him on Monday. All other students, glad for two days off from summer school, were offline but Jorge, behind once again, had makeup work to do.and so, Anita herself was trapped into giving up part of her day off. Anita yawned and stretched, scratching her arms. Now that her day had begun, she found she didn't know what she wanted to do with it. After a brief glance at the map, she decided to explore. She'd only been in town a little while now and thought that some more exploration around the city would do her good. After that, maybe she would take to doing some hiking around the mountain trails. She had read some disturbing news reports lately and, though she wasn't sure, thought that a few jaunts through the woods would be very educational. She didn't know for sure, but something about the mountains and certain sounds she heard at night told her that she was far from being the only garou in the vicinity. Before she left, Anita sent off one last e-mail message, addressed back to Wolf Park. She wanted to tell Altair about some very vivid dreams she'd been having - in fact - the same dream six nights running. Sat, June 10, 1995 Anita walked up to the door of Our Lady of Guadalupe church nervously. She had never particularly cared about religion. The few times she had been forced to go to church with her adopted parents, she felt as though she was trespassing in the imposing building. Still, she was here to hopefully learn something about her real parents. As a child she had considered a thousand possible lives her parents might have led: from the romantic to the tragic. And once she had discovered her true heritage, the possibilities expanded a hundred times more. Were they kinfolk with no knowledge of their own natures? Was one a heroic Garou who died in battle? Were they part of a pack in the area? Or outcasts who lived on the road? Finally entering the church itself, Anita was struck again by its forbidding atmosphere. Inside this cold stone building, it was impossible to feel the life in the fertile earth or hear the voice of Gaia in the wind. Even the scent of the world was hidden by pungent incense. Anita had to smile, though, as she walked down one of the aisles. As uncomfortable as she was, Socrates would never have entered the building. He probably would have peed on it, scratched some dirt toward it and walked in the other direction. A slight sound coming from a room behind the altar put Anita on alert. Keeping close to the wall, she crept up to the door. A man of her own age was carefully hanging priestly garments on a rack. He was dressed as a priest himself, with short carefully groomed hair, and a pleasant face. Yet Anita had the impression that she was looking at someone who was... confined somehow. Before she could put her finger on what exactly it was about him that seemed odd, he turned and with a muffled cry of surprise, dropped the clothing he was holding. Embarrassed by spying on him, Anita rushed forward to help him pick up his bundle. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The priest regained his composure quickly, "That's all right. I was just... I didn't hear you come in." He carefully placed the remaining garments on a nearby table, "I'm Father Duffy. How can I help you?" For a moment, Anita had the strangest vision. The way the light reflected off a nearby gold bowl, there seemed to be a tiny flame in the center of his chest. A dying flame, Anita thought. She blinked and the flame was gone. She offerred her hand to Duffy, who shook it a little surprised. "I'm Anita Wanderer. I'm trying to find my birth parents. You see, I was left at this church as a baby and I was hoping that you might have kept records. Or maybe I could talk to someone who was here back in '64," Duffy frowned as he thought about the request, "I'm not sure if there's much I can do for you. There was a convent here then, but it's been closed. And while I'm sure there are records here somewhere, I really don't know where to start looking." He smiled, a bit embarrassed, "I was just assigned here about a month ago. I'm afraid I don't know where everything is yet. My housekeeper has been here a long time. She's off today, but if you'd like to leave me your number I could look around and call you back." "Thank you. That would be very helpful." Anita handed Duffy her card which listed her phone number, email address, and web site. Although she was disappointed, Anita tried not to let it show. She shouldn't have expected the first person she met to know the answer off the top of his head. And she seriously doubted that anything here was computerized. Duffy watched Anita leave. There was something about her, something different. From her accent she was obviously from the northeast- that must be it. He slipped her card into his jacket pocket and returned to work. Wednesday, June 14, 1995 Anita's correspondence with Wolf Park pack was limited to normal everyday matters- building a new pen for Angel the fox, trouble with the bison herd, drainage problems on Turtle Island. And yet, it was this minutia that made her miss her adopted home the most. It was the small things that made her remember that she was cut off from her family. There was no word from Altair regarding her dreams. Anita wasn't overly worried until she received a message from Chris explaining that the new den was infected with fleas. Talk of vermin over the phone or email referred not to tiny insects, but to the minions of the wyrm. Something was going on- and Anita knew that she would get no information by phone, computer, or mail. So she waited and worried. Sat, June 24, 1995 9:33 p.m. Word finally arrived. Chinook was dead and several others were injured. Although the official word was that he died of a heart attack, Anita knew that the strongest and bravest warrior in the pack had died in battle against the wyrm. She knew that the pack would send a message to her as soon as they could with the details, but that wouldn't be for a while. In the meantime, she was alone with her grief. Unable to share it with the others, unable to mourn his passage and sing paens of glory of his life. Suddenly, Anita could no longer stand to be in the comfort of her camper. Sheknew that the pack would perform their farewell ritual soon- and decided that if she could not be there with them, she would perform it alone here. Anita had spent some time over the past two weeks exploring some of the park. Although she had the feeling that there were Garou nearby, she never saw any definite sign of them. Still, even feeling their possible presence was better than being alone. Once she reached the safety of the trees, Anita shifted to wolf form and ran through the woods, looking for the place she could mourn. When she found a place that felt right, she shifted back to human form and walked until she reached a clearing in the brush. As the moon rose, she performed her pack's rite of farewell, imagining that the rest of her pack was with her. She knew the stories they would tell about him and told them to herself: his battle with the wyrm-spirit in the bog, how he rescued the school children from the flood, and how he grew in status to become the foremost warrior of the tribe. When the stories were done and the rite was nearly completed, she sang out to the sky. Anita could almost hear the voices of her packmates joining her lament. July 4, 8:20pm Boardwalk Even as the sun set, the press of humanity at the Boardwalk was amazing. Long lines of people waiting for rides jutted out into the swarm attempting to travel along the Walk. The beach itself became a spillover, not only for the crowd, but for tempers as well as several fights continued to break out among those lounging and those cruising for action. Blood and broken glass mixed on the sand. Bikers, punks, and a host of young people from everywhere had come into town for the fireworks. Others had come too. There were cries for stolen purses or wallets and whatever police and guards that were present seemed dwarfed in number by the crowd of people, mostly from out of town. Around the bandstand, a succession of rock bands belted out tunes, gyrating and screaming; working the crowd around them into a furor. Above it all came the screams of those who dared their own fear by riding on numerous rides designed to illicit a safer form of terror. But some of the screams riding the air seemed too real. Before the distant fog had obscured it altogether, the sun turned the sky golden and then darkened to a shade of red that coloured the faces of everyone bloody as they turned to observe the death of yet another day. Anita had no intention of missing the fireworks; she had been looking forward to them for weeks. She finished up her work quickly and arrived at the Boardwalk just before sunset. Dressed in jeans, a "Conjunto Ce'spedes" t-shirt, sneakers and jean jacket, the hispanic woman blended into the crowd quite well. Of average height, with dark hair and dark eyes, the 30 year old was clearly excited about the gathering. As the sun began to set, Anita made her way to the western-most part of the docks to watch. The bright sun turned to a bloody one, summoning the shadows from their daytime hiding places and changing the Boardwalk from a children's playground to a far more dangerous site. As the sun slipped below the skyline, Anita wondered how many deaths and injuries would follow. The night brought more than darkness to the boardwalk tonight, Anita could feel something far more sinister forming. It wasn't a tangible thing, more like a cloud hanging over the crowd, beginning to insinuate itself into it. Regardless, the energy of the crowd was incredible. The sounds, sights, and smells of so many people in such an enclosed area weren't claustrophobic, but freeing. So many people, so many things to do, so many things hidden. And perhaps here she would find what she had been searching for. As Anita wandered through the crowd, she searched people's faces, looking for something that she couldn't quite name. Occasionally she followed one person or another, watching them for a few minutes before continuing on her way. July 4, 8:50pm Boardwalk The vast crowd, huddled around the railings, or watching from the sky car ride, gazed out onto the water. Everyone was restless. The bands had stopped playing. The rides were going, but everyone was looking skyward, waiting. Though a curtain of heavy fog loomed off in the distance, it was a relief to everyone that it would come in too late to spoil the show. Out on the water, a fleet of small and large craft lay at anchor, hoping for the best view. Sloops, schooners, private yachts and fishing vessels lay alongside handsome masted giants. The ships and boats were all lit so that they would stand out in the press. Watching their lights rising in the gentle swell was very hypnotic and one could hear the laughter and clink of champagne drifting towards the beach across the water. On the Boardwalk and Wharf, the clientele was less distinguished, less better dressed, less educated or just less monied. Beer bottles, empty and full were tossed along with curses and sometimes fists at the slightest provocation. Not having the distraction of music, drugged out men and women started began brainless macho banter and actions that often blossomed into something worse. Harsh words in many languages and harsher action were not uncommon as small fights again broke out; often involving innocent onlookers who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Private guards and police moved to break up such squabbles, often with equal brutality to those who were engaged. As the time for the fireworks drew near, Anita looked around for a good place to watch them from. The crowd was already thick along most of the Boardwalk,but there was one place that was fairly clear of people. Unfortunately, the reason why it was clear was that a group of a dozen biker types had claimed the area as their own. In between harrassing people walking by, they entertained themselves by throwing beer bottles at the people on the beach below and loudly insulting anyone who caught their eye- including each other, which of course led to fights. Anita watched their dominance displays for a few moments, then walked straight over to the railing. She didn't even glance in their direction, although she was well aware of the attention she was drawing. In a few moments, she was surrounded by several of them. When she didn't respond to their presence, one spoke to her. "Hey. That's my spot." Several others laughed. Anita turned to look at the person who had spoken to her. This one wasn't their leader; she guessed he was someone who enjoyed challenging others and usually winning. She didn't want to start a fight with these guys, she just wanted to watch the fireworks. And it was their territory. "Oh?," she responded calmly. "Then I'll stand over here." Anita took a step to her left; the burly man smiled and took another step toward her. "That's my spot too." The others laughed again, enjoying the show. Anita turned to face the large man. She could feel her anger rising, there was only so much bullshit she was willing to take from these guys. Her weight shifted forward as she instinctively prepared for a possible fight. Anita met the man's gaze boldly, showing no fear of him. His expression turned from one of amusement and aggressiveness to one of concern. There was something about this little woman that he didn't like. Something that told him that he really didn't want to mess with her. Still, he couldn't just back down in front of his pals. As the man's gaze shifted away from hers, Anita knew this battle hadn't been won yet. This type was likely to respond to a defeat by calling his whole gang into the fight, and that wouldn't help anyone. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing your view with me. You can only be in one spot at a time and both will give an excellent view of the fireworks." The man paused for a moment, then laughed loudly and annouced to the rest of the group. "I like her." He took a step back, "You can watch with us. This is the best view on the docks!" As the fireworks started, Anita watched them delightedly, totally caught up in the display. The booming was terrible on the ears as several opening rounds exploded too low, showering those on the boats and the Walk with fiery embers. The pyrotechnicians soon found their mark however as fiery blossoms bloomed across the night. Golden shimmers and wild screaming white fireballs elicited "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd. A fiery red explosion was followed by three smaller ones, coloured blue, golden and green; and leaving in their wake a scintillating dust that drifted downward. The ongoing succession lights and sounds played across vision and mind, hypnotizing everyone. It was impossible to look away. For a brief moment, a brief explosive life, the fireworks created their ephemeral dance, bringing wonder and beauty to all who watched them. Each explosive rhythm was followed by another, as the crowd lost itself in the pattern of light and sparkle. Toward the end of the hour, even the most jaded expectation was overcome as the night itself was banished for a moment in a crescendo of noise and wonder. It was a symphony of light and in a moment it was gone, leaving only images burned into the eyes. The fog, as if sensing its cue, moved in, shrouding the boats offshore into an inky blackness that made it dangerous for them to move. Their lights showed only dimly in the distance, like will-o-wisps dancing on the water. When everyone realized, not with a little disappointment, that the show at hand was over, they turned back to their mundane pursuits. They tried to cling to their sensation of wonder, but saw in the carnival lights of the Boardwalk only a mockery of the brilliance they had just seen. Drugs quickly passed hands and those not already stoned or drunk were well on their way there; lest the realization of how drab their lives were might overtake them. There were sounds of bottles smashing. The screams began again: some from the rides; some from the crowd while the bands began to play. July 4th, 10:20 pm Boardwalk After the fireworks and a beer with her new friends, Anita wandered up and down the boardwalk. When someone or something caught her eye, she'd follow them for a while. She felt that there was 'something' here, she should be looking for. As the fog drifted in, it became colder. The more respectable folk, mostly locals and middle-class tourists, having warm beds and some semblance of sanity awaiting them, left for home and their H.B.O. The indigent, the poor, the bored youths, the wasted, the homeless and the predators were soon all that was left. The Boardwalk quickly became their playground. More alternative, probably unpaid, bands took their chances onstage; competing with a host of boom boxes blaring at maximum volume. The crowd milled about, those who could afford it finding escape on the rides. Others watched the crowd - scanning for the chance and amusement and some for the chance of profit as well. Still, the crush was less and it was easier to breath as long as you didn't mind the smell. "May I help you, ma'am?" a woman's voice asked. Anita turned around to see a police officer speaking to her. She had apparently been so caught up in her hunt, that she had drawn some unwanted attention to herself. Or maybe not. Anita smiled, "No, I'm just looking for someone I was supposed to meet here." She gestured to the crowd, "I'm afraid I'm not having any luck, though. It's probably a lost cause." She considered the policewoman for a moment, "You must be having a tough night." The cop rolled her eyes dramaticly. "Yeah, we could say that. Stricly law enforcement speaking, the only differences between this night and a full-scale riot is that it would be improper to use tear gases tonight." She sighed, then smiled heartily at Anita. "Ah, don't mind me, I'm a natural born whiner. You are looking for someone, you said?" She threw a glance at the ever moving crowd around them. "I fear you're right; it's a lost cause indeed. There's so many people you could be two feet from each other and still not see you. But now that the main attraction is over, people will scatter a little. Give it another half an hour and things will have calmed a little bit. Then, if you lucky, you'll be able to hunt more efficiently whoever you are seeking." As the policewoman spoke, Anita looked at her intently. There was something about this woman that felt right, something that felt like home. As the crowd pushed them closer together, Anita caught her scent. She had a good smell - healthy and strong. Anita was torn out of her thoughts by the woman's last words: ' Then, if you lucky, you'll be able to hunt more efficiently who you are seeking.' Her ears perked up at this turn of phrase and she smiled. Interesting. She wanted to find out more about this woman. Anita offerred the woman her hand, wanting to touch her if only briefly. "My name is Anita. Is it like this every year?" The policewoman glady took the offered hand. Her grasp was warm and firm. "I'm Suzana, but call me Sue, everyone does." Anita noticed her glance over at another cop who was eating a taco. Must've be her partner. "If we are to trust the veterans, yes, it's approximately the same madness every year." She gave an apologetical smile to Anita. "It's my first 4th of July in the uniform, you see. The other years, I was on the other side of the fence, only worried about watching the fireworks and filling myself up with cotton candy until nausea ensued." Sue sighed dreamingly. "So it's your first 4th of July here in Santa Cruz? You're new in the area, or just on vacation?" Anita was about to answer Suzanna's question when a man walked up. His appearance made her forget what she was going to say. He was Garou for certain, she could smell the wild on him. He carried the scent of the forest; the salty ocean breeze clung to him. He had quite a few tatoos; some were stars and flashes, but Anita recognized a few as Garou sigils. Her eyes lit up and a smile formed as she met his gaze. The Garou spoke to both of them in a friendly manner, "Sorry to barge in, but could either of you tell me where Pacific Avenue is from here? I think I've gotten slightly lost." Suzana smiled back at the stranger. "No problems, Pacific Avenue, you said?" Anita had known that there was someone she would meet tonight. Perhaps it was two someones. While Suzanna gave directions, Anita watched him and caught his scent. Now, how was she going to contact him later? The Garou listened carefully to the directions and nodded. "Oh right, thanks very much. You better watch those gangs back there, their starting to get pissed off with one another again." Sue grinned. "Impossible, you can't start again what never stopped. But you're right, at this time they should have entered the dead drunk stage... Which means that there's plenty of trouble ahead." He smiled. " You're right there. Watch the scared ones. They're the ones that will start all the major problems. They'll pull guns instead of just fighting. Good luck, you'll need it." As he left, the Garou turned to Anita and drew a small card out of his pocket before handing it to her. "I'd appreciate it if you would call the number in the future. I believe we have a few things in common and it would be beneficial to both of us to have a talk. Good night." Anita took the card and glanced at it briefly before putting it in her pocket. It said: 'Some walk to find something, some are Walkers by nature, some walk to destruction and some walk to discover. Which are you?' "Thank you. I'll contact you soon," Anita promised. "I'll look forward to it." he said. Anita saw Suzana raised an eyebrow at the strange exchange that had taken place before her eyes, but to her credit, the woman remained silent. Suddenly, Suzana looked across the dock in concern, Anita followed her gaze to see two gangs yelling at each other. "Sorry Anita", Suzanna said, putting back her cap on her head, "but it looks like I must return to the job. It's been a pleasure, see ya!" The woman waved happily at Anita, then motioned to her partner who followed her. "Good luck," Anita called as Suzanna left. She was a bit disappointed, but the woman had a job to do and Anita didn't have any reason to keep her from it. Still, she had noted Suzana's last name from her badge and knew she would meet her again. July 4th, 10:30pm Boardwalk As Suzanna walked away, Anita turned her attention to the Garou to find that he had disappeared into the crowd. He wouldn't escape her so easily, she thought with a smile. Picking up his scent, Anita began following it through the crowd. At one point, it became hopelessly lost among a large group of beer drinking (and beer spilling) teenagers, but Anita cast out and eventually found the trail again. She followed it excitedly, thrilling in both the challenge of the hunt and the knowledge that she had finally met another Garou. July 4, 11:00pm Parking lot Anita tracked the Garou through the crowd, down to the beach, then out to the parking lot. Dodging between partiers, drunk and sober, she came to a dead stop when the trail ended. Frowning, she cast about for the scent. Eventually, she had to accept the fact that Erin had gotten into a car- and that he was gone for now. Frustrated, Anita wandered back to the beach. She wasn't ready to call it a night, but the boardwalk had really cleared out. Suzana wasn't in sight- and Anita really didn't have any excuse to talk to her even if she was around. The only people left were those she didn't have any desire to interact with. She was about to call it a night when she noticed a flyer for the celebration at Coffeetopia. Maybe that was worth checking out. July 4, midnight Coffeetopia It was late by the time Anita reached Coffeetopia, but she was glad she had made the trip. The first thing she noticed was the giant sequoia tree with a coffeehouse built around it. Although lights burned inside, the real action was outside. A buffet laden with food has been set up outside; a young man sat at a register. Near the buffet table was a table, garlanded in red, white and blue, upon which rested several silver thermoses, presumably filled with varying flavors of coffee. A large banner suspended from the table proclaimed "BOTTOMLESS CUP." Around the coffeeshop was a ribbon, compelling people to enter through one opening. In this opening, there wasn't much of a line yet, and people were either sitting at small wooden tables or talking with each other. The band was playing a slow slong, just instrumental--no vocals, and some patrons were slow-dancing. Others, meanwhile, were sitting around various tables, some of them playing chess, and others talking, playing cards, or reading books from inside the coffeehouse. There appeared to be about 250 guests. Manning the entry point was a redhead dessed in a black midriff, top, and black leather pants. Running down the pants leg was a blue stripe stylized with white stars; and her black leather jacket sported a similar stripe. As each guest paid the $3.00 cover charge, she gave that guest a stylized mug and smiled sweetly. The atmosphere here was opposite that of the Boardwalk; many people were gathered here, but there was a feeling of calmness and community not one of violence and activity. She had to laugh when she realised that she felt comfortable in both places. She was amazed by the tree and had to walk around it, wishing she could touch it and feel its energy. Even though many people were outside, Anita decided to go inside- mostly to get closer to the tree, but also to see what kind of people would build a place like this and what they would do with it. Paying the cover charge, Anita entered the clearing around the tree, armed with a latte glass. To the time of arpeggios and intervals, Anita wandered into interior. No one was inside the shop, although the balcony was crowded. Books were all around, on shelves, tables, everywhere. Occasionally, a server passed in or out, carrying trays full of glasses or plates. The tree itself was huge, it was as if the entire coffeeshop was centered around it, radiating out from the central tree. She loved the place at first sight. She walked up to the central tree and touched it, feeling the life within. Walking around the tree, letting her fingers graze the bark as she went, she took in the room. Anita stopped a server and asked her about the owner. She told Anita that the owner was a woman named Colleen Waters, a local businesswoman who was known for charity work and as an amateur poet. Unfortunately, the owner was busy, but Anita knew she would return to this place. Next time, maybe they would have a chance to talk. She glanced at the books until one caught her eye. Taking it out to the balcony, she found a seat and made herself comfortable. Anita wasn't sure what time this place closed, but she hoped to spend a few hours in this peaceful place. A few hours later she returned home, her spirits higher than they had been for a long time. Thursday, July 7th, 1995 10:58 a.m. Growing more and more lonely for her kin, Anita spent a great deal of time looking for other Garou. Throughout the hills, river valleys, and even the city streets she found and was found by various packs in lupine form. But for whatever reason, they would not stop to speak to her. Finally, she came across a small pack of three Garou in Lupine form. Instead of ignoring her, they changed course to meet her. A small scraggly creature, which looked more like a stray dog than a wolf stepped forward. "I am Weaverbane of the Stone Sea." Hardly an auspicious name, Anita thought, since the Glasswalkers were seen as allies of the Weaver. "I am Seeks-the-Bridge of the Wolf Park sept. My lineage is unknown to me, but I stand as a philodox among the Glasswalkers." Weaverbane recounted his lineage with pride, "I am an ahroun of the Bone Gnawers, a position held by my father and his father and his father before him." He paused to observe Anita's reaction, then continued "We are on a war party. We are seeking magi and vampires to destroy. Any we find we shall destroy without mercy - except for those they call Verbena, who we call allies." "Why are all magi but Verbena now considered our enemy?", Anita asked. Weaverbane stood taller and proudly annouced, "The magi have raped the cairns of the garou, destroying them and killing the Children of Gaia. They have reaped the crop of hatred they have sown and now the garou claim utter victory. Magi are afraid to come from their cairns and that the garou now rule the streets." Anita's dreams came back to her- blood flowing down the mountain, the land divided: half dying for lack of blood, the other drowning in blood. Troubled by this image, she did not respond to Weaverbane. "Will you join us and taste the blood of our enemies, Glasswalker?" Weaverbane asked. "No, I cannot." Anita responded unhappily. Her dreams of dissension echoed in her mind. She wanted to find a way to fix the rift, but she wouldn't go on the warpath when she did not understand what was happening and when she had seen no wrong done. The other two garou sneered at Anita. "Coward", one growled at her. "You fear combat with our enemies?" the other added. Weaverbane shook his head. "You disappoint me, Glasswalker. Like those others of your kind, you are too enamored of your electric world. You have left the true path. May Gaia find you in the end." Anita watched them leave, worried about what was to come. Sunday, July 9th, 1995 3:19 p.m. Cowell Redwoods State Park was renown for its peace and beauty as well as its redwoods; perhaps here, Anita would find peace. And perhaps here, she would find companionship. She hadn't realised how much she had come to rely on the company of her packmates until she was separated from them. She had become desperately lonely and unhappy living among the humans. She had heard a rumor that the park was home to a sept of Garou, so she had purchased a ticket and now wandered the park with the humans. Still, she felt separated, isolated. She stood on a paved trail, kept away from the trees by a rail fence. She could feel things closing in on her. The humans pressed up against her as they gaped and stared and pointed. She had to get away from them. As they approached the visitor's center, Anita left the trail and set out on her own. There were dirt trails away from the paved ones; Anita took one at random and followed it, searching for what she had lost. She walked on and on, stopping only when she came upon a burned out stump of a redwood hit by lightening. Although it was hollowed out, it was still alive. Anita felt a kinship with the tree; alive, yet empty. She curled up inside the trunk and began to weep, releasing her sorrow and loneliness. "The earth accepts your blessing of sorrow, sister," a man's voice said. Startled, Anita jumped back and started to transform. Suddenly, she realised that the elderly man speaking to her was a garou in human form. Calming down, she tried to regain her composure and wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry if I startled you," he told her. "My name is Diggs, and I am Theurge here." "I'm Anita Wanderer, also named Seeks the Bridge. What is this place?" "You are in the old place. We call it the place of Ancient Voices, from where we get our name. You are welcome, sister. What tribe are you?" "Glasswalker." To her dismay, Anita realized that the old theurge was suddenly suspicious of her. "Does it trouble you that I am Glasswalker?" Instead of answering the question, the theurge asked, "Where are you from?" "Wolf Park Sept in Battle Ground, Indiana." "So, you're not one of the local glasswalkers," he said, seeming more at ease. "That is good." "Why is that?" "Because, they have lost their way. It is a portent of the madness that has come among us. Are you hungry. Would you like to break your sorrow and come and dine with me?" Anita smiled, relieved that he wasn't going to send her away. "I would be very grateful for your company." She moved closer to the theurge and touched his arm, wanting contact with another of her own kind. "And I would be very interested in hearing about the rift that has formed here." "Let us dine first," Diggs suggested. "Then we will talk." Diggs led her into the forest. Though the sun still ruled the sky, the trees obscured it from Anita's eyes. The world grew darker, cooler, and mustier. Spores from the forest of ferns growing verdantly under the canopy blanketed the air. A thin summer trickle could be heard and Anita's nose caught the scent of algae covered rocks. Relaxing in the cool darkness, Anita was brought sweet water and some dried meat for her to eat. "Are we in the bawn?" she asked. "Not far," Diggs told her. "But I would not bring a stranger there without the knowledge and permission of the others. Perhaps, on another trip, you can meet with Sarah and the others." Anita sniffed the meat. "What is it?" she asked. Diggs cast a suspicious look around the forest, as if wanting to assure himself that no one else was listening. "It's goat meat," he told her conspiratorially. "I should be hunting deer, you know. But I'm getting older and the deer are getting no slower. And besides, I've developed a fondness for goat over the years. I just have to be careful not to take too much. Sarah forbids the hunting of the humans' animals, but a few here and there won't be missed much. And as long as Sarah doesn't find out…" "And why should she?" a deep voice boomed from above. Startled, both Anita and Diggs leapt to their feet. Above them, Anita saw the most hideous creature clinging like a bat to one of the giant redwood trees. It was jet black, with a glistening fur, and the way it clung to the tree upside down while gazing down at them allowed Anita full vantage of the things bat-like membranes under its huge brawny arms. She realized that she was looking at a Black Spiral Dancer! "RUN!" she told the theurge. "Run for help! I'll hold it here!" But Diggs ignored her. "Klaivesmourn! I swear I'll skin you alive one of these days!" "But not before you share some of your delicious goatsmeat, I hope," the thing bellowed, dropping to the ground. "Hello," it said to a stunned Anita. It was huge, over nine feet tall and approaching ten at that. And it's forked tongue slithered around it's face more like a snake that it barely gripped between in it's vicious teeth. It immediately dropped down and helped itself to some of the meat from Diggs' pouch. Anita wondered how it managed to not bite its own tongue in the process. Diggs just growled under his breath and sat back down. In a rather foul mood, he barked at Anita to sit down and finish her meal. She didn't. (Willpower = 5 successes.) Managing to control her Rage at the Spiral's sudden appearance, Anita still wasn't in a mind to take a seat alongside a spawn of the Wyrm. Finally, she ventured to ask it, "Excuse me, but aren't you a…" "…Only half," it assured her with what she assumed was supposed to be a smile. Diggs motioned again for her to sit down. She did so slowly, cautiously, regarding the Spiral thing. It was a metis - an abomination in itself - but a Black Spiral Metis? "Klaviesmourn here," Diggs tried to explain, "he's a bit different. I figured you would have met him at a... ," Diggs glared at Klaivesmourn, "... much later date. I'm sorry if he startled you. He's not dangerous I assure you. At least not physically. Just don't let him tell you any of his jokes." Anita took some cautious bites of the dried meat, sniffing it first. It was strong tasting but still delicious. The theurge had peppered it with some local spices, including bay leaf and California pepper. Casting an eye back at the metis while she spoke, Anita ventured to ask again about the war between garou and the strange magic users that she had heard of from the Bone Gnawers. "Yes, it's true," Diggs told her. "Most of the mountain septs have joined a faction of these magicians, weavers of alternate worlds; and now make war on the other magi. It is a war we should have stayed clear of - and would have had not the magi destroyed the Green Hills Sept. Now all garou it seems want blood in vengeance. But a darker source lies at the core of this tale." Diggs and Klaivesmourn exchanged glances. "Those of these magicians who ally themselves with those of the Three Waters - the ones calling themselves Verbena - they have brought forth a fire spirit - an ancient being from before our time. This 'thing', calling itself the Sunchild, has set us all on the path of war. So heady has been the rush that I fear we shall never set our feet off of it again. We of the Ancient Voices have resisted the call; but how long can we do so? Already, our young ahroun long to join the hunt and I fear that a few have already strayed." Diggs turned to Anita. "What of you, young one? Do you serve the Sunchild? Many garou have come here from far away, hearing it's call for blood. Are you, in fact, one of these?" Anita frowned as Diggs told her about the Sunchild. "The fire spirit called the Sunchild is something that I am unaware of- although its presence will surely affect me, as it will all here. My reason for coming here is a personal one." Anita glanced at Klaivesmourne as the wind shifted, bringing his scent to her. She wasn't sure what to make of him: he was both metis and from the tribe of the Wrym. Yet he was apparantly part of the pack here. She inhaled his scent, trying to determine what she could from him. He smelled of earth, moss, and grasses from the park. She could faintly catch the odor of blood from his last meal. Although grotesque, there was nothing from his scent that disturbed her. She would have to wait and see. She wasn't entirely comfortable telling her story in front of Klaivesmourne, but she was alone and needed companionship. "I have come here seeking my past, seeking my family, and seeking my heritage. I never knew my parents or kin. I was left on the stairs at Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Santa Cruz and then adopted and brought away from here." She turned to Diggs as she continued. "But now I feel that there is a more urgent reason for my presence here. I have had the same dream many times, one that greatly disturbs me. One that I need to share with you. And one that I hope you can help me interpret." Anita closed her eyes and brought back her dream. She told the pair about the raging blood-red river, the army of ants that marched to their deaths in the sterilizing fire, the crows which ate the ants and were then eaten by the fire, and her own warning cry. After she finished, she was silent for a moment, then continued. "This dream had no meaning to me until I head you speak of the Sunchild. Now I believe that it is the burning fire, the fire which destroys all it touches, that destroys what we live to protect. The ants who stand against the fire and die in it are those who oppose the Sunchild and who will die in combat with it. The crows oppose the ants as well and revel in the deaths of their enemies. But in their rage, our kin do not see the true form of the fire until they are consumed by it." "The meaning of the blood red river is unknown to me, as is the way to bring the waters to consume the fire." She turned to Diggs, "I beg your aid in deciphering this dream. For if it is a true dream of the future and my interpretation is correct, a great tragedy will befall us- one that we may not be able to recover from." Diggs, who had listened very carefully to Anita's description of her dream reacted with a surprising announcement. "Your dream I think has been sent to us by Mother Gaia herself, or at the least by some great spirit who serves her. It is no small matter. Sarah herself must be told." Diggs nodded to the metis. Sighing, Klaivesmourn dropped his meal and scrambled back up the giant redwood tree, looking like a cross between and giant black squirrel and a giant lizard as he moved. Unfurling his arms, he glided from tree to tree, disappearing quickly and silently into the forest. "Come with me," Diggs told her. Anita wasn't sure whether to be happy or not that Diggs felt that her dream was a true one. If it was true, it might hold the answer to the conflict going on around them. On the other hand, it also meant that their success or failure would have wide ranging consequences. She watched Klaivesmourn fly away in amazement, then followed Diggs. Diggs walked through the trees with a purpose that belied his obvious age. After a few minutes of walking, Klaivesmourn came into view, his long lolling tongue bobbing from side to side as he jumped down from a tree. Running up, he said, "Sarah is in the glade," indicating off to the left. Diggs looked at Anita and said,"Come this way; we'll be there in a minute." Passing by huge redwoods on either side, the little group walked down into a grassy bowl surrounded and covered by the branches of the trees. A small stream flowed through the middle of the clearing and a garou looked up as they filed in. "Sarah, this is a Anita, a garou from far away who brings a vision to us." Turning to Anita, Diggs nodded. "Tell Sarah about your vision in as much detail as you can, what you think it means, and what you know of what is happening." Sarah smiled and pointed to a large flat stone. "Please, sit down." Anita nodded politely to Sarah, moving in slightly closer to catch her scent. "Thank you for seeing me. I am Anita called Seeks-the-Bridge, a Glasswalker philodox from the Wolf Park sept in Indiana." She sat down on the flat rock, drawing her feet up beside her, took a deep breath than began to speak. "I have had a dream- one which meant nothing to me until tonight when I head the theurge speak of the Sunchild. Now it tells me a story and a riddle- the story is one of despair, deception, and tragedy for us. The riddle contained within it hints at a way to change the ending of the story." Once again, she told those assembled of her dream: the torn landscape, raging blood-red river, the army of ants that marched to their deaths in the sterilizing fire, the crows which ate the ants and were then eaten by the fire, and her own warning cry. "My knowledge of the situation here is limited, but I believe this dream speaks of what is going on here. The burning fire, the fire which destroys all it touches, that destroys what we live to protect, is the Sunchild. The ants who stand against the fire and die in it are those who oppose the Sunchild and who will die in combat with it. The crows oppose the ants as well and revel in the deaths of their enemies. But in their rage, our kin do not see the true form of the fire until they are consumed by it." "I believe I have met some of the ravens- Garou who now war on the mages for their part in the destruction of a nearby cairn. The mages called Verbeena are allied with them- they too may be crows." "The end of the dream is a riddle- a hint at a way to halt the destruction. If the blood red-water can be brought to the fire, it will quench it for all time. In the dream, I tried to stretch my body across the chasm, but I could not reach it and I was afraid of falling into the chasm. In the end, the garou and the earth itself cried out in despair." "I do not know what the chasm is," Anita tried to think of the things that it could stand for, things that were opposed to her and that she feared becoming. "Perhaps the water comes from those Garou who fight with the Sunchild, or the mages or humans who despoil the land; perhaps the corpses hold the answer." Her glance fell on Klavesmourne, "Or perhaps the Tribe that was lost to Gaia. I do not know." Sunday, July 9th, 1995 5:29 p.m. Anita sat in the middle of a grassy glade, marveling at the redwoods that towered above her. Thousands of years old, they formed a ring around the area as if to protect it from the outside world. Anita decided that the protection was more than illusory: although the circle of trees should have been visible for miles, she had not been able to see them until she entered the glade. One third of the glade was divided from the rest by a small stream which meandered across it, flowing underneath one of the giant redwoods at one point. On the far side of the stream, Anita could see two structures, crude buildings made of twigs, bark and deerskin. White smoke drifted from both. Anita was the center of attention as she sat below a group of boulders which formed a sort of amphitheatre. Having heard of the stranger in their midst, garou of the Ancient Voices gathered to gawk and sniff shyly at the stranger. Even though she was relieved to be among her own again, she couldn't help worry about the possible meaning of her vision. Anita greeted those who approached her, counting over forty garou and half a dozen kinfolk. Further away, Anita saw Sarah Four-kills, Diggs and a tall battle scarred garou speaking in hushed whispers, oblivious to those around them. After some time, Sarah and the other two garou with her came back to Anita. Their approach allowed Anita a chance to study Sarah again. The matronly leader was a very handsome woman, but seemed worn. Her youthful face was touched by grey in her hair and Anita could easily see lines drawn across the woman's forehead, even when she was not frowning in contemplation. Sarah spoke to Anita, "Sister, my regrets for keeping you waiting." Sarah looked at the gathered garou and kinfolk around her. "It seems we have made quite a showing of you. My people speak of you as a bringer of omens. They sense the coming change of things. Let us hope this change is for the better." Anita replied respectfully to Sarah, "As the world changes around us, so must we change or be left behind." A psalm by Longfellow came to mind: "Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Brings us farther than to-day." Sarah paused, as if considering her words for a moment, "Seeks-the-Bridge, we need to find the true meaning of this dream of yours. If you would allow us, we would like to take you to a place - one of our ancient cairns and there share your dream so we may better understand it. Would you be willing to do this?" "Of course," Anita replied instantly. "If there is knowledge and wisdom to be gained from what I have seen, I am willing to do what I can to reveal it."
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