Cold Discovery

[Moira Phelan]

Cold wind tore through Moira's clothes, biting her to the bone. She sipped her cup of coffee and let out a breath as she perused the horizon before her. The top of the cathedral was an excellent survey zone. Not too high so she took too much getting down, and not too short so as not to be able to see anything.

The skyline was a vision against the angry night sky. A tumult that echoed the thoughts in her head. She was concerned about everyone and everything. Security was her job, but everyone seemed to want to tell her what to do with it. Moira was angry that she bit her tongue on her anger with the Margrave. She wanted to fight back, to get in his face and tell him she's doing the best job she can under the strain of the toughest job. But then she remembered Jack's warning about talking back to an elder. Granted, then she had been in front of lower ranking garou, but that wasn't the case here. She had been the lowest ranking one there.

'Too late now' she thought. 'No reason to brood about it'. And yet she did.

Her mind turned to Raven's Wall, jumping quickly to Moira's aid when she had told her pack mate that the Margrave had summoned her. He had moved at lightning speed. She could feel him coming long before she saw him. An entourage followed in his wake. If a guest hadn't known better, and had seen that same sight, they might have mistaken him for the Grand Elder.

And then he'd said she was his family...

A heavy breath released when she realized she'd been holding it for so long. When she had first seen Raven's Wall, she was afraid to go near him. He seemed so much like Michael. Like they had been one person, but had lived in two separate worlds. Michael had always acted first, never thinking of the outcome, just feeling his way through things. Raven's Wall did much the same. Shoot first, shoot last, shoot some more, then look around as the dust clears.

Moira wanted to wrap him into her family, make sure he was safe, like she couldn't do for Michael now. Maybe this was her second chance to rebuild the family she had lost.

She thought of Jack again. Yes, she considered him a brother, and yes she wanted to keep him going. But she had never thought of him truly being family. She was still to wary of him and everything he did. He still made her nervous. Raven's Wall just made her want to teach him something. She knew she could learn something from him too. Although she wasn't sure she could tell him...

Moira took another sip of her coffee. The cold wind continued it's course North. The clouds were clearing, but a few remained to swirl in the coursing winds. Much like her thoughts were marching in line.

[Red Moon]

(Ouch. What am I, chopped liver? lol Good post, though. I like reading about Moira.)

Daitaro's breath billowed in the cold, as he returned from his second patrol that evening. Too many incidents have been occurring just inside his bawn, and he felt safer making rounds on his own between his other duties. It wasn't that Moira wasn't doing her job well enough. There just aren't enough people to guard a place as large as Discovery park. And there are too many enemies to look out for.

Moira has her work cut out for her, He thought, as he scanned the night sky. With the Mar-grave lingering as he has been, things have been even more hectic. He'd already attempted to get him to leave as politely as he was capable of, and yet, for some unknown purpose, he stayed.

"It's not his business to interfere with my Sept." he said aloud. The frustration of his presence was mounting, and it was all Daitaro could do anymore to remain stoic in spite of his cresting rage. At least he had managed to turn his own punishment into his challenge for elder. And he had succeeded in avoiding any deaths since his arrival, apart from Butch's sentence. All things considered, things had begun to improve, and finally, he had position-holders he could trust, with possible exception to the master of challenge. Something would need to be done to fix that, and soon.

The moon was hardly visible through the Seattle gloom, but in the faint light it did provide, Daitaro spotted the Warder, presumably keeping watch from a high vantage point on the chapel's roof. Pulling up his coat, and taking a quick sip of some hot liquor Jack gave him, he began to climb, deciding for once, to be sociable.

[Moira Phelan]

((That opening wasn't left for you, but I'll take it anyway))

Moira looked down as motion caught her vision, hand going to her hip blade. When she sighted Daitaro, she relaxed again, but only into a semi At-Ease Attention. She wasn't willing to drop her coffee for a full At-Ease Attention she always gave Daitaro. She had always felt that he was some general in a war of human design, and being ex military, she was used to that feeling. It was the one way she could accept and get used to him.

"Ryah" Moira called in her soft Irish accented voice, as Daitaro crested the cathedral wall and landed with ease on the roof.

[Red Moon]

(Sorry, I didn't realize.)

"Moira," he replied, dismissing her formality. He regarded her as he always had since coming to respect her: Calmly, matter-of-factly. Daitaro was never one to mince words, even with Jack. Why, then, had he ascended the building. He quickly thought of a reason.

"How is the watch?"
As if in after-thought, he pulled the flask and offered her the strong-smelling liquor. Steam rose from the unstoppered lid.

[Moira Phelan]

Moira brandished her coffee, for once declining a stiff drink. She didn't want to fluff away the thoughts she had come upon before.

"All is quiet, relatively" She said, gesturing to the sky. "It seems the God of Storm and the Goddess of Air are arguing again" Moira said in reference to homeland legends and tales.

[Red Moon]

Daitaro refrained from commenting about Moira's talk of deities. Perhaps it was a reference made from her tribe, or perhaps it was satire. At the very least, Daitaro guessed it was a comment made in jest, and did not require speculation.

But she had been wrong on one point. All was not quiet. Quite a lot of "noise" surrounded one individual, and that same Garou had already disrupted his Sept more than even Butch ever did.

"He'll be leaving us soon, you know."

Of course, he knew this wouldn't lend her much relief. The Mar-grave's damage had been dealt, and Toshihiro's interference had made his words that much more harmful.
he sighed at the thought.
"What a nuisance..."

[Ikon]

"Hey if she's not gonna drink it pass it here." Jack said, having appeared out of nothingness.

He had wanted to say goodbye to his friends before he left and had followed Daitaro once he saw he was heading towards Moira. Stalking from the shadows had been such a part of Jack's life sometimes he forgot he had been hidden.

"Shit, sorry to startle." He said reaching for the flask of liqueur."If I have my way he'll be leaving with Furrow and I when I go to ki... settle her family situation."

The wind whipped Jack's hair around his dusky features, drawing contrast to the determined smile on his face.

[Red Moon]

After snapping his head back to see Jack, Daitaro immediately relaxed, handing him the warm concoction.

He was relieved to see his Beta, as Moira was obviously troubled, and his own skills would not have been much use without Jack's intervention.

[Moira Phelan]

Moira looked non-plussed at Jack, then back to Daitaro, relaxing her hand off the knife at her back again.

"If by 'He' you mean the Margrave, then yes, I know he will be gone soon. I just wish it had been before he had decided to put my head upon the chopping block and cut away at me slowly." She turned her head again to glare at the clouds which had rolled back in. The stormy air seemed to pick back up to the beat of her thoughts.

She wished that Raven's Wall could have encourage the fight in her before then. It's what she would learn from him while she was teaching him to think before he acted. Or at least while she tried. She knew an argument with him was inevitable. She even expected it.

She turned back to Jack. "You guys are leaving too, I hear?"

[Ikon]

Letting the sharp bite of the alcohol shake the cold from his bones, he looks at Moira and says, "I'm leaving tonight or tomorrow, I might be fucked cause the Margrave actually said 'Good luck'."

Jack looks over at the grand elder. "but he's staying till I get back." A look of worry crosses his face. "I'm worried about Daitaro, Moira. There is a certain Fianna who doesn't forget or forgive things easily, and the issue of the 'Wyrmy Twins' is still fresh. I'm afraid something might happen while I'm gone."

Jack watches the storm in the distance. For a second he can see eyes peering back at him as if his grandfather was watching.

"Or even worse 'Raven's-Wall' could confront the Margrave, that could get him killed!" He said as he stared right back at the storm.

[Red Moon]

Daitaro sat silently, while Jack counted his fears, completely aware of the likelihood that the foolish Fianna would again come to challenge him. He was also sure that the Ahroun had become stronger since their last fight. But Daitaro had also gained an advantage. He was sure that in another exchange, he could thwart Raven's Wall again, though, it was still a nuisance. The biggest danger was Jack leaving. His Beta was needed to keep peace within his Sept.
Jack's fears, indeed, he shared. The next two weeks would test his strength and leadership, as he was certain that Raven's Wall had a plan, which likely involved the Silverfang Septs he had visited without permission.

[Moira Phelan]

Moira snapped a full attention look on Jack. "Daitaro is a big boy that can handle himself. If you are so worried about it, then don't leave. He doesn't need a body guard to watch over him at all times. What Raven's Wall thinks is just that, what he thinks. I am tired of hearing from each of you your problems with the other. If you have a problem, take it to the other person. Talk with them about it. You should all be adults, yes? And as I see it, you are all Athro, yes? Meet each other on an even field and work out your problems." She snapped back around and faced the dark, roiling sky. She sipped again from her coffee cup and sighed. She hung her head and said quietly.

"I'm tired of my brothers fighting. It needs to stop. I won't choose between you."

[Ikon]

The thunder that crackled in the distance seemed to mask Jack's laughter. He smiled and looked at the storm with Moira.

"I never asked you to do anything about it Moira, I know you wouldn't. And if talking to him would help then I would. I'm only mentioning it to you because you are our warder, and If I am gone, and one of them dies we will be weakened."

Jack took another sip of the warm liquid.

"Look's like the Margrave's talk had effect on you. I wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to get you pissed off just to see you step up."

[Ikon]

Waiting for Moira's reply jack speak so softly only she can hear.

"I wouldn't want you to choose Moira... I know I would lose."

His face straight and true. The only sign of his emotion on the subject came from the sad rain that could be seen in his eyes.

(This assumes we are in the umbra and his spirit heritage is active)

[Moira Phelan]

"Step up to what Jack?" Moira asked at the air in front of her. She turned ever so slightly at the sound of his quiet voice, able to see him only in her periphery. "As far as me being warder is concerned, anyone leaving weakens us."

[Ikon]

"Well you should know the answer to that Moira. Don't try and out word me I said Exactly what I meant. I said and I quote 'I wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to get you pissed off just to see you step up.'. So I obviously meant step up from his perspective, he didn't hide how he felt about you as Warder." Jack said straight to her eyes. He wouldn't mince words with her he respected her too much, but even now there was tenderness as he spoke.

[Moira Phelan]

She turned full then and got into his face. "I'm not playing Word Games, Jack. Now, why do you think you would loose? Is it because we aren't tribe? I will never choose between my family. Blood, in tribe, or out of. Ever."

[Ikon]

Jack shook his head wondering if she even realized how angry she was getting while he was just trying to talk to her. Well it's understandable he thought to himself she doesn't know he probably won't be coming back. Challenging an Elder Silver Fang Ahroun in a situation the Fang would probably call for to the death, wasn't the best odds. Jack Frowned when he realized this might be last talk he ever had with his new sister.

He wasn't going to keep anything from her just in case.

"No it's the way you look at him."

[Moira Phelan]

Moira recoiled a moment and shook her head. "What?" She whispered. "What do you mean? I look at him no different."

[Ikon]

Jack sighed. "Yes you do, I think you identify with him some how... anyway listen I wasn't looking for a fight Moira."

Jack downed the rest of the drink and handed it back to Daitaro.

"I just wanted to say bye, I might not come back. I am going to bring back Furrow's children, from the man who raped and beat her. He is an Elder Silver Fang Ahroun. Not what I would say a walk in the park. Anyway I just wanted to say I love you. You have helped make me a better person..."

Jack turned away wiping a tear as subtly as he would stalk a bane.