02-16-2014, 12:39 AM
A few times now, the jawbone that Avery took from the body of a lion has gone back and forth among many wolves. Right now there are five standing in the center of the gathering with she and the Great Alpha: Shieldwind, Vigor, Storm's Teeth, Final Word, Cinder-Song. It's her duty to stop knots of argument from developing without completely shutting discussion down. It's not always an easy balance to strike.
So right about at that point, Reverence of Dawn steps in. She takes the bone back from Tamsin, looking over the Fianna and the Fenrir first, they of lowest rank. When they return to their places, she looks at Storm's Teeth until he returns to stand with his pack as well. She'll tell them to go if she needs to, but her hope always begins with the highest expectation: that they will understand, because they are all wise, they are all honorable, they can all see that this is becoming tangled without it being spelled out for them. She does not assume that any one of them will dig in their heels out of pride.
After that, her eyes turn to Vigor and Rigor. She smiles and inclines her head, her lips parting, but the Ragabash is already putting up his hands to forestall her: he's already more the center of attention than he wanted to be, so he goes back to the sidelines. Shieldwind stares at her, Athro to Fostern, til she says calmly: "Rhya, if you will."
And he wills. He walks away, to the pack that has been splitting its time between two septs, these days one more than the other. The Wyrmfoe for tonight, Silhouette, is among those packmates. Avery takes a breath after the gathering's center has been cleared and she has a moment to corral her thoughts. She is standing next to the Great Alpha, whose shoulder is not far beneath her own when he stands in hispo, who has not snapped his jaws for the bone since he allowed others to speak.
"This discussion began with Shieldwind-rhya requesting an appointee and the Great Alpha determining one. Everything else that has been said or suggested, no matter how incensed we may get about it, is conjecture at this point. Our traditions are not being desecrated by a suggestion. Our number are not being insulted by an idea. We are Garou," she says, "but we are not monsters. And those who cannot make peace with their pride or show restraint with their rage will have the bone removed from their hand mid-speech, if necessary. We are not here to attempt to rally and rouse each other to support of one cause or another; this is not a mob. We are not here to defend the litany and traditions against each other, silencing each other -- the bone is cracked so that everything may poor out. Good ideas, bad ideas, every idea, every question, from Elder to Cub. If we lose the ability to speak and question with sanity and respect, if we throw up our hands and bare our teeth at one another whenever we hear something we don't like, then we have undone the core tradition of every moot."
Avery turns to the Great Alpha. "Rhya, the difference between a Sept Leader loyal to Forgotten Questions and a representative seems a narrow one to me, and perhaps a semantic one: at this point, either would be appointed by you. A liaison would be a new role of leadership, and one that I believe could be as easily challenged as a Sept Leader." She licks her lips thoughtfully. "For my part, as one wolf and not as Truthcatcher, I would prefer greater unity between our two septs, at least initially, especially as we investigate the pit and the airport -- these should not fall solely within the realm of those at Cold Crescent, for they affect us all.
"And knowing that you have already granted such leniency, knowing that no one here wishes to simply establish a sept without your blessing or we would not be having this discussion at all, I believe that we already view Cold Crescent as still being joined in many ways to Forgotten Questions. I also believe, and trust, that you will honor such a sept with your guidance and oversight, whether with a representative or with a separate leader."
She inclines her head. She waits for him to take the bone. He looks away from her, at the wolves around them. Avery takes a deep breath, turns, and holds the jawbone out again.
"We will continue, then."
So right about at that point, Reverence of Dawn steps in. She takes the bone back from Tamsin, looking over the Fianna and the Fenrir first, they of lowest rank. When they return to their places, she looks at Storm's Teeth until he returns to stand with his pack as well. She'll tell them to go if she needs to, but her hope always begins with the highest expectation: that they will understand, because they are all wise, they are all honorable, they can all see that this is becoming tangled without it being spelled out for them. She does not assume that any one of them will dig in their heels out of pride.
After that, her eyes turn to Vigor and Rigor. She smiles and inclines her head, her lips parting, but the Ragabash is already putting up his hands to forestall her: he's already more the center of attention than he wanted to be, so he goes back to the sidelines. Shieldwind stares at her, Athro to Fostern, til she says calmly: "Rhya, if you will."
And he wills. He walks away, to the pack that has been splitting its time between two septs, these days one more than the other. The Wyrmfoe for tonight, Silhouette, is among those packmates. Avery takes a breath after the gathering's center has been cleared and she has a moment to corral her thoughts. She is standing next to the Great Alpha, whose shoulder is not far beneath her own when he stands in hispo, who has not snapped his jaws for the bone since he allowed others to speak.
"This discussion began with Shieldwind-rhya requesting an appointee and the Great Alpha determining one. Everything else that has been said or suggested, no matter how incensed we may get about it, is conjecture at this point. Our traditions are not being desecrated by a suggestion. Our number are not being insulted by an idea. We are Garou," she says, "but we are not monsters. And those who cannot make peace with their pride or show restraint with their rage will have the bone removed from their hand mid-speech, if necessary. We are not here to attempt to rally and rouse each other to support of one cause or another; this is not a mob. We are not here to defend the litany and traditions against each other, silencing each other -- the bone is cracked so that everything may poor out. Good ideas, bad ideas, every idea, every question, from Elder to Cub. If we lose the ability to speak and question with sanity and respect, if we throw up our hands and bare our teeth at one another whenever we hear something we don't like, then we have undone the core tradition of every moot."
Avery turns to the Great Alpha. "Rhya, the difference between a Sept Leader loyal to Forgotten Questions and a representative seems a narrow one to me, and perhaps a semantic one: at this point, either would be appointed by you. A liaison would be a new role of leadership, and one that I believe could be as easily challenged as a Sept Leader." She licks her lips thoughtfully. "For my part, as one wolf and not as Truthcatcher, I would prefer greater unity between our two septs, at least initially, especially as we investigate the pit and the airport -- these should not fall solely within the realm of those at Cold Crescent, for they affect us all.
"And knowing that you have already granted such leniency, knowing that no one here wishes to simply establish a sept without your blessing or we would not be having this discussion at all, I believe that we already view Cold Crescent as still being joined in many ways to Forgotten Questions. I also believe, and trust, that you will honor such a sept with your guidance and oversight, whether with a representative or with a separate leader."
She inclines her head. She waits for him to take the bone. He looks away from her, at the wolves around them. Avery takes a deep breath, turns, and holds the jawbone out again.
"We will continue, then."
my whole life is thunder.