11-22-2013, 03:44 PM
If Hector were somehow hers, Phoebe would have words to say about what he's done. She would question him about the wisdom of wandering the Umbra alone, and tell him he's lucky it was a bane he could walk away from and not a lingering fragment of the Beloved Horror which he might not have. Or she might question waiting all this time before calling her up.
Truthfully, she still might say these things. But now is not the time. They are welcoming spirits and celebrating Hector's courage and the strength of his Rage that allowed him to remain with them another day. And celebrate they will. But first...
Phoebe stands patiently while Hector undresses, even though she too is cold. She's removed her coat and set it on the ground outside the circle, leaving her in clay-splattered jeans, hiking boots, and a thick sweater that can't keep out this cold for more than a few seconds. She doesn't shiver, though, as she holds out her hands toward him, beckoning him forward to the first of those ash-filled clay pots. Once she's led him inside with her - it's a close fit tight and intimate - she steps outside, and she goes to Hector's packmates and directs them to stand a few feet outside of those clay pots. Then she returns to stand outside the ring, herself. Taking Hector by the hands, Phoebe turns him toward each of the four directions, toward his packmates and his family. At each, Phoebe lowers, dips her fingers into the ash, rises, and smears. Her fingers are cold, but her hands are steady as she turns Hector
south, facing Tamsin and the summer, with the ashes of a branch of cedar wood, "For protection," and then
west, facing Thomas and the autumn, with the ashes of an osha root, "To heal the spirit," and then
north, facing Jack and the winter, and the ashes of sweetgrass, "For the blessing of Gaia and the earth," and finally
east, facing Lola and the coming spring, with the ashes of sage, "For renewal."
Despite the cold, Phoebe moves quickly but does not rush them through this. By the end her fingers are like ice against the tough raised scar tissue. She's smiling throughout when she speaks, offering Hector a quick wink when he's finally facing his mate. Phoebe steps away from him then, a few steps until she's somewhere between Lola and Jack. There, that smile widens until she's beaming at the Uktena Galliard.
She looks from left to right, to each of Hector's packmates and to his mate, before she melts, her form rippling and shifting and changing down into her Lupine form. Lifting her muzzle to the sky, Phoebe hops up, her front paws lifting from the ground as she howls and howls and howls with all of her might. To Echoes of the Lost! To Gaia! To Luna! Their brother, their friend, their lover, he has lived another night, and will fight another day!
=====
niko @ 2:28PM
[charisma+expression+PB, and Rage for extra RAWR and a WP for extra OOMPH]
Roll: 10 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 5 ) Re-rolls: 1 [WP] VALID
jamie @ 2:28PM
Look at those stupid 5s.
Truthfully, she still might say these things. But now is not the time. They are welcoming spirits and celebrating Hector's courage and the strength of his Rage that allowed him to remain with them another day. And celebrate they will. But first...
Phoebe stands patiently while Hector undresses, even though she too is cold. She's removed her coat and set it on the ground outside the circle, leaving her in clay-splattered jeans, hiking boots, and a thick sweater that can't keep out this cold for more than a few seconds. She doesn't shiver, though, as she holds out her hands toward him, beckoning him forward to the first of those ash-filled clay pots. Once she's led him inside with her - it's a close fit tight and intimate - she steps outside, and she goes to Hector's packmates and directs them to stand a few feet outside of those clay pots. Then she returns to stand outside the ring, herself. Taking Hector by the hands, Phoebe turns him toward each of the four directions, toward his packmates and his family. At each, Phoebe lowers, dips her fingers into the ash, rises, and smears. Her fingers are cold, but her hands are steady as she turns Hector
south, facing Tamsin and the summer, with the ashes of a branch of cedar wood, "For protection," and then
west, facing Thomas and the autumn, with the ashes of an osha root, "To heal the spirit," and then
north, facing Jack and the winter, and the ashes of sweetgrass, "For the blessing of Gaia and the earth," and finally
east, facing Lola and the coming spring, with the ashes of sage, "For renewal."
Despite the cold, Phoebe moves quickly but does not rush them through this. By the end her fingers are like ice against the tough raised scar tissue. She's smiling throughout when she speaks, offering Hector a quick wink when he's finally facing his mate. Phoebe steps away from him then, a few steps until she's somewhere between Lola and Jack. There, that smile widens until she's beaming at the Uktena Galliard.
She looks from left to right, to each of Hector's packmates and to his mate, before she melts, her form rippling and shifting and changing down into her Lupine form. Lifting her muzzle to the sky, Phoebe hops up, her front paws lifting from the ground as she howls and howls and howls with all of her might. To Echoes of the Lost! To Gaia! To Luna! Their brother, their friend, their lover, he has lived another night, and will fight another day!
=====
niko @ 2:28PM
[charisma+expression+PB, and Rage for extra RAWR and a WP for extra OOMPH]
Roll: 10 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10) ( success x 5 ) Re-rolls: 1 [WP] VALID
jamie @ 2:28PM
Look at those stupid 5s.