I let the blade do the talking
So my tongue shall become iron
And my words the mighty roar of war
Revealing my divine anger's arrow shall strike
Heilung, "Krigsgaldr"
That face was one I hadn't expected to see again. At all, if I'd had my druthers, as they say. And so I scowled at Tek Fire-Eyes, as cool a greeting as I ever gave anyone. There had been a good reason why we hadn't worked out. As Garou go, even among his own kind, he was considered on the soft side. Easygoing. Maybe that was because he was a Child of Gaia. Not that anyone would have argued that he was improper--save for his decision to date me.
Heh.
Meanwhile, as my kind went, well. The Old Man knew I could be trusted, but save for Theora Hetirck, there were a good number of Euthanatos who thought I was too close to what old Voormas represented. If they knew about Voormas in the first place. I thought that a joke. Far be it from me to walk the path of the Nephandus or worse--that was what I hunted, for Artemis' sake, but. I digress. Senex had left me to my own devices, though he'd bade me stay on Earth. Even with Autumn and its drives calling. Maybe he'd seen something. My own foresight and visions, ever capricious, had shown me nothing.
That, however, was probably for the best.
My first impression of Rolf Howls-at-Winter was that he was huge. I mean, Jo is massive, too, but this guy had three inches on him, and another twenty pounds of muscle at least. That, and a crappy attitude. I didn't like him much, and the feeling was mutual. He glared at Tek over my head, while I got to watch the rise and fall of his chest as he bellowed like a bull moose in rut. I kept my face expressionless as he slung curses at me--that, I didn't give a damn about. When he challenged my fighting prowess, that twisted my lips a little, but time would prove that to him. When he started in on Tek, and worse, Tek's mother? By then, I'd had enough, and he was too red-faced and bawling still to see it coming. At least I didn't use a knife. I'd give him a few chances. This was his first.
I punched him in the groin, putting everything I had into it, and he dropped like a practice bag whose chains had been cut, gasping, hands clasped over his crotch. Couldn't get his breath. I gave him credit for that, because he wasn't vomiting yet. As it was, I placed the sole of my boot on his head, leaned in and down, and snarled at him. I'd heard that violence was one of the few things that got through to the Get of Fenris, and here was evidence. Fine by me. His pale blue eyes flicked up at me through the tears, and then I spoke clearly.
"You can say what you like about me. I've heard worse, and I don't expect you to care much for me. That's fine. However, you will respect your elders in your own damn nation. Tek doesn't need my help to keep your ass in line, but Sings isn't here to defend herself, and I respect that woman. So you will speak of her with courtesy, and if you do not, you can expect to meet the business end of my fist again. Or worse. That is not a threat, because I do not need to threaten you to get my point across. That is a promise. Do you understand me?"
He finally managed to take in a nice, deep breath, and his face twisted, reddening again. I pivoted my ankle, making sure the stiletto heel slid into his ear, and leaned in again. The snarl turned into a yelp real quick, but I wasn't trying to deafen him. Even if I knew he'd only regenerate it when he could, especially if he reopened his own wound.
"Cass isn't given to joking, Rolf. I think you might want to answer her, and do your best to not yell." Tek had been there the entire time, of course, but he hadn't made any moves to interfere. I'm sure he would have, if he'd thought I was in danger, but he knew what I was capable of. And vice versa. I just figured that the Philodox was far more inclined to try to keep the peace. Sure, I preferred that, too, but that just didn't always work. It was why we'd actually worked together for a while. Also why we hadn't worked out in the end. We both knew it, he just liked it less than I did. I felt the Get struggle under me, and put most of my weight on to that one foot. As submission holds go, it shouldn't have worked, but he still remembered what I was capable of. Maybe he didn't want to provoke me more.
He could be taught. "I understand you," Rolf said, though anger put a growl into his voice. I took my foot off his head and leapt back, and he surged to his feet and tried to swipe at me. And that was when Tek, in Glabro, slammed into him and pushed him into the wall. Plaster drifted down, covering us as if with snow. It had been a nice hit.
"You need to--" Rolf started, glaring down at the still-shorter Tek, while the Child of Gaia shoved him into the wall again. "You tell her what you told me, pup, or I will walk, too, and you can go find yourself a new pack to run with. One who will put up with your bullshit," he growled into the taller man's face. I just stood back and watched, arms folded over my chest, and shrugged.
"If he goes, I go. I don't need to be dragged into Garou business again." Or at all. I already got enough suspicion from others, just from being Euthanatos. Not to mention my other history. Rolf didn't like me, I didn't like him, and that was going to be trouble. I could leave him alone with whatever was going on, whatever Tek wanted me for, but I was pretty sure old Howls-at-Winter was going to pick at me like a scab. See if he could get a rise out of me. My temper only went so far. Which meant I'd put up with only so much of his shit until I snapped and left him on the ground again.
"But she is--" he started again, glaring at me and looking down at Tek again. Then, I lifted my hands in the air. "She can walk. I'm at loose ends at the moment, but I'm sure the Old Man will have something for me to do..." Eventually. I didn't tell them that. Bad enough by then that Autumn being right around the corner had me more bitchy than I was normally. Probably why I'd punched him, too. But the words I'd spoken? They made the Get's face fall, even over Tek's shoulder.
"I'm not here to put up with your sexist bullshit or whatever it is that crawled up your ass. Tek asked me to come here, just so we get that clear. I'm here as a favor to him." Certainly not a favor to me. "He asked me to hear you out. If you don't want me to, I can busy myself elsewhere, I promise." At that point, I almost didn't care why Tek wanted me to hear the Get of Fenris out. I mean, sure, I got that he was young, but he wasn't too young. Old enough to know better. But maybe too young to care. Or with something like a death wish. I was educated enough to know that when I saw it.
Once upon a time, I'd had one myself. I'm still not sure what had shaken me out of it. Maybe duty. Couldn't tell you for sure, even now.
I could see Rolf trying to compose himself, and so I waited. I wasn't the one wasting time, after all. He was. I could read it in his movements--half of that show of bravado had been anxiety. Putting on a show for people who weren't there. For a moment, I pitied the kid, not that I'd show it. That wouldn't do either of us any favors, either. Of the two of us, I was the less patient one, at least. Tek just regarded the younger Garou in silence.
"My pack is lost. I only escaped because I was visiting kin. Our caern was captured by the Dancers. Our Theurge sent a spirit to warn me away, but I cannot leave them there! I do not know if they yet live--and if they do, they were likely made to walk the Spiral, but--"
"But you came here to beg for help for your lost cause. And most of the Elders told you no." Because I knew enough about the mystical scene in Pittsburgh, really. And just enough about the Garou to be in danger. "But Tek has always been a sucker." I looked over at the Child of Gaia, but he knew I had his number, and so just shrugged. "And you," I said, pointing at him, "Were hoping for mine. What do you hope to get out of this? Except a bunch of new battle scars?"
Admittedly, those were a Thing amongst Garou, but they didn't do shit for me. Normally I wasn't so mercenary, but Black Spiral Dancers were bad news, with a capital B. And I knew it.
But I never could pass up a chance to throw the dice. I waved a hand, cutting off Rolf's words before he could speak.
"I hope you have your passport ready, Tek. Where are we headed?" I looked over at the Get of Fenris and arched a brow.
"Norway."
Fuck. I hated the cold.
So my tongue shall become iron
And my words the mighty roar of war
Revealing my divine anger's arrow shall strike
Heilung, "Krigsgaldr"
That face was one I hadn't expected to see again. At all, if I'd had my druthers, as they say. And so I scowled at Tek Fire-Eyes, as cool a greeting as I ever gave anyone. There had been a good reason why we hadn't worked out. As Garou go, even among his own kind, he was considered on the soft side. Easygoing. Maybe that was because he was a Child of Gaia. Not that anyone would have argued that he was improper--save for his decision to date me.
Heh.
Meanwhile, as my kind went, well. The Old Man knew I could be trusted, but save for Theora Hetirck, there were a good number of Euthanatos who thought I was too close to what old Voormas represented. If they knew about Voormas in the first place. I thought that a joke. Far be it from me to walk the path of the Nephandus or worse--that was what I hunted, for Artemis' sake, but. I digress. Senex had left me to my own devices, though he'd bade me stay on Earth. Even with Autumn and its drives calling. Maybe he'd seen something. My own foresight and visions, ever capricious, had shown me nothing.
That, however, was probably for the best.
My first impression of Rolf Howls-at-Winter was that he was huge. I mean, Jo is massive, too, but this guy had three inches on him, and another twenty pounds of muscle at least. That, and a crappy attitude. I didn't like him much, and the feeling was mutual. He glared at Tek over my head, while I got to watch the rise and fall of his chest as he bellowed like a bull moose in rut. I kept my face expressionless as he slung curses at me--that, I didn't give a damn about. When he challenged my fighting prowess, that twisted my lips a little, but time would prove that to him. When he started in on Tek, and worse, Tek's mother? By then, I'd had enough, and he was too red-faced and bawling still to see it coming. At least I didn't use a knife. I'd give him a few chances. This was his first.
I punched him in the groin, putting everything I had into it, and he dropped like a practice bag whose chains had been cut, gasping, hands clasped over his crotch. Couldn't get his breath. I gave him credit for that, because he wasn't vomiting yet. As it was, I placed the sole of my boot on his head, leaned in and down, and snarled at him. I'd heard that violence was one of the few things that got through to the Get of Fenris, and here was evidence. Fine by me. His pale blue eyes flicked up at me through the tears, and then I spoke clearly.
"You can say what you like about me. I've heard worse, and I don't expect you to care much for me. That's fine. However, you will respect your elders in your own damn nation. Tek doesn't need my help to keep your ass in line, but Sings isn't here to defend herself, and I respect that woman. So you will speak of her with courtesy, and if you do not, you can expect to meet the business end of my fist again. Or worse. That is not a threat, because I do not need to threaten you to get my point across. That is a promise. Do you understand me?"
He finally managed to take in a nice, deep breath, and his face twisted, reddening again. I pivoted my ankle, making sure the stiletto heel slid into his ear, and leaned in again. The snarl turned into a yelp real quick, but I wasn't trying to deafen him. Even if I knew he'd only regenerate it when he could, especially if he reopened his own wound.
"Cass isn't given to joking, Rolf. I think you might want to answer her, and do your best to not yell." Tek had been there the entire time, of course, but he hadn't made any moves to interfere. I'm sure he would have, if he'd thought I was in danger, but he knew what I was capable of. And vice versa. I just figured that the Philodox was far more inclined to try to keep the peace. Sure, I preferred that, too, but that just didn't always work. It was why we'd actually worked together for a while. Also why we hadn't worked out in the end. We both knew it, he just liked it less than I did. I felt the Get struggle under me, and put most of my weight on to that one foot. As submission holds go, it shouldn't have worked, but he still remembered what I was capable of. Maybe he didn't want to provoke me more.
He could be taught. "I understand you," Rolf said, though anger put a growl into his voice. I took my foot off his head and leapt back, and he surged to his feet and tried to swipe at me. And that was when Tek, in Glabro, slammed into him and pushed him into the wall. Plaster drifted down, covering us as if with snow. It had been a nice hit.
"You need to--" Rolf started, glaring down at the still-shorter Tek, while the Child of Gaia shoved him into the wall again. "You tell her what you told me, pup, or I will walk, too, and you can go find yourself a new pack to run with. One who will put up with your bullshit," he growled into the taller man's face. I just stood back and watched, arms folded over my chest, and shrugged.
"If he goes, I go. I don't need to be dragged into Garou business again." Or at all. I already got enough suspicion from others, just from being Euthanatos. Not to mention my other history. Rolf didn't like me, I didn't like him, and that was going to be trouble. I could leave him alone with whatever was going on, whatever Tek wanted me for, but I was pretty sure old Howls-at-Winter was going to pick at me like a scab. See if he could get a rise out of me. My temper only went so far. Which meant I'd put up with only so much of his shit until I snapped and left him on the ground again.
"But she is--" he started again, glaring at me and looking down at Tek again. Then, I lifted my hands in the air. "She can walk. I'm at loose ends at the moment, but I'm sure the Old Man will have something for me to do..." Eventually. I didn't tell them that. Bad enough by then that Autumn being right around the corner had me more bitchy than I was normally. Probably why I'd punched him, too. But the words I'd spoken? They made the Get's face fall, even over Tek's shoulder.
"I'm not here to put up with your sexist bullshit or whatever it is that crawled up your ass. Tek asked me to come here, just so we get that clear. I'm here as a favor to him." Certainly not a favor to me. "He asked me to hear you out. If you don't want me to, I can busy myself elsewhere, I promise." At that point, I almost didn't care why Tek wanted me to hear the Get of Fenris out. I mean, sure, I got that he was young, but he wasn't too young. Old enough to know better. But maybe too young to care. Or with something like a death wish. I was educated enough to know that when I saw it.
Once upon a time, I'd had one myself. I'm still not sure what had shaken me out of it. Maybe duty. Couldn't tell you for sure, even now.
I could see Rolf trying to compose himself, and so I waited. I wasn't the one wasting time, after all. He was. I could read it in his movements--half of that show of bravado had been anxiety. Putting on a show for people who weren't there. For a moment, I pitied the kid, not that I'd show it. That wouldn't do either of us any favors, either. Of the two of us, I was the less patient one, at least. Tek just regarded the younger Garou in silence.
"My pack is lost. I only escaped because I was visiting kin. Our caern was captured by the Dancers. Our Theurge sent a spirit to warn me away, but I cannot leave them there! I do not know if they yet live--and if they do, they were likely made to walk the Spiral, but--"
"But you came here to beg for help for your lost cause. And most of the Elders told you no." Because I knew enough about the mystical scene in Pittsburgh, really. And just enough about the Garou to be in danger. "But Tek has always been a sucker." I looked over at the Child of Gaia, but he knew I had his number, and so just shrugged. "And you," I said, pointing at him, "Were hoping for mine. What do you hope to get out of this? Except a bunch of new battle scars?"
Admittedly, those were a Thing amongst Garou, but they didn't do shit for me. Normally I wasn't so mercenary, but Black Spiral Dancers were bad news, with a capital B. And I knew it.
But I never could pass up a chance to throw the dice. I waved a hand, cutting off Rolf's words before he could speak.
"I hope you have your passport ready, Tek. Where are we headed?" I looked over at the Get of Fenris and arched a brow.
"Norway."
Fuck. I hated the cold.