Keisha is normally a very well-behaved Garou. Sure, she acts a bit more human than she should and she's all into that bullshit peace-and-love thing, but she listens to her elders, she doesn't argue when she's given orders and she knows her place in the Garou Nation. "Still Waters" is an appropriate deed name for her; she runs very deep but on the surface she's calm and placid most of the time.
This isn't most of the time. Any of her packmates could probably tell you from the way she dreams, the little things like how her smile is just slightly duller, the way that she sometimes tenses when an unexpected sound appears...the way she hasn't done a single Rite on her own unless she absolutely needs to. They could tell you that she's not over the incident that seared the upper levels of Cold Crescent and what she experienced, nor what she feels about her potential involvement. She has recovered and most wouldn't note it, but there are scars there of guilt and sorrow and horror that those truly close to her might.
Then you add to that the fact that, not twenty-four hours earlier, two of her packmates died, if for only an instant, before the Goddess told them that they weren't done and to get back into the fight. More death, even if these ones got better. Keisha didn't say anything after the fact because there was the matter of Slumbering spirits to displace from Phoebe's backyard and she bound them to her ritual tools to deliver them to the city; this wasn't a moment for sadness or fear. They'd won; they'd survived. That's what mattered. Even if her mind wandered to what if?
And now, more. A member of her tribe, a member of her Auspice. And she is told, Not your concern. She's normally a very well-behaved Garou, and it is only the very fortunate intervention of Erich that keeps her from losing that reputation.
She looks at the Shadow Lord gratefully and moves to walk with them, because frankly she very much wants to hear the answer.
This isn't most of the time. Any of her packmates could probably tell you from the way she dreams, the little things like how her smile is just slightly duller, the way that she sometimes tenses when an unexpected sound appears...the way she hasn't done a single Rite on her own unless she absolutely needs to. They could tell you that she's not over the incident that seared the upper levels of Cold Crescent and what she experienced, nor what she feels about her potential involvement. She has recovered and most wouldn't note it, but there are scars there of guilt and sorrow and horror that those truly close to her might.
Then you add to that the fact that, not twenty-four hours earlier, two of her packmates died, if for only an instant, before the Goddess told them that they weren't done and to get back into the fight. More death, even if these ones got better. Keisha didn't say anything after the fact because there was the matter of Slumbering spirits to displace from Phoebe's backyard and she bound them to her ritual tools to deliver them to the city; this wasn't a moment for sadness or fear. They'd won; they'd survived. That's what mattered. Even if her mind wandered to what if?
And now, more. A member of her tribe, a member of her Auspice. And she is told, Not your concern. She's normally a very well-behaved Garou, and it is only the very fortunate intervention of Erich that keeps her from losing that reputation.
She looks at the Shadow Lord gratefully and moves to walk with them, because frankly she very much wants to hear the answer.
"The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules."
"Good men don't need rules. And today's not the day to find out why I have so many."
"Good men don't need rules. And today's not the day to find out why I have so many."