December 18, 2002
.12.18.02. - priorities [decker]

[pine barrens, con't from previous scene]

(decker)
A glance up. A faint tilt of the younger Fenrir's chin up for the elder, and then the elder is gone into the forest. Like a fuckin' phantom.

Left alone, Decker finishes cleaning under his nails and starts trimming them with the same knife. So James. 'Cause he could damn well feel him in there, too. Gonna feel better if you kick my ass around a bit?

(james)
yep
he's still sitting there, quietly
(seething)
a flicker of dark gaze up and a nod, up, in hello to Ra'gon
and while he can feel their Alpha moving away
he still hasn't really moved

to get up and leave and work off what's veritably boiling would include getting his backpack
which is by the front door
and he's pretty sure Decker is still there
and while pack is pack
he doesn't want to start anything because his temper is flowing (however sedated)
he values pack more than that

floor by the dining table must be real interesting
cause he's staring at it again
and then there's a half-snorted laugh
Only because you'd let me to make me feel better? the words are caustic and hard. as. steel No.
immediately he regrets saying it
sometimes you can't even control your mental tongue

and with a sigh he's up
moving across the living room
he's not going to add to the raised tempers that have been in the house

(decker)
Then what, James?

There's a delay in the reply during which he continues to trim his nails. The kinwomen, not involved in the mental conversation, might take affront in.

Then, quiet, "'Sup Zoe. 'N no, Eliza, I ain't."

As James appears at the door, Decker glances up at the Bone Gnawer before returning to his crude manicure. You tell me.

(james)
there's a smooth sweep of hand to snatch the backpack from it's place by the door
he'll apologize to Eliza for just walking out unannounced later
but he's pretty sure she can feel he's still not a happy camper
even with the touch of her gift
which just makes it outright infuriating
but even with all that's happened here
and that the house is no longer the same
he still respects it for what it was
so takes his little temper right on outside

there's a pause, as he straightens
just.... glaring.... at the Modi
the poor Jansport succumbing to clenched fist in haphazard hang

I don't know. his gaze averts, that much is ingrained no matter what I'd love to pummel the shit out of you for what you ended up doing to Lila. not the house, not the Kin, not the Garou, not anything else - just Lila. But it's not my place or right to do so, is it.


(decker)
And the Modi stands looking back, the knife paused, a sliver of fingernail half-cut from the whole. He stands tonguing the outside of his molars, keeping his thoughts to himself, until:

You know I wouldn'a if I ain't had to do it. But I did. 'S how my priorities lie.
The women above the children.

(james)
Do I?
lightning crackles in dark eyes
he's still trying to figure out exactly what Eliza did
and this slippery grasp on what he tends to know so intimately
is. not. helping.
he should be heading right on over the edge
but he's not.
he's staying rather... level
and that's confusing

Right now, I couldn't tell you anything I know you'd do, except let your fucking blood get your temper up and out of control where you acted without thinking. Your priorities fucked up a little kid. Where the HELL did you learn to think like that?
it must look really interesting
Decker calmly giving himself a manicure
James randomly gesturing to puncuate his words
yet not a sound between them

(decker)
Calmly?
Calmly?

The half-cut nail suddenly rips off and the switchblade, thrown, impales the ground at James' feet. The Modi stands tense as a bowstring, pulling great deep breaths out of the moonsilvered night air.

Kinder-fuckin-garten, James.

Another beat, and then the Modi stalks forward, bends and rips the switchblade out of the ground, clicks the blade into the handle, turns, and starts walking off. James can follow for all he cares, but they were a little too close to kin. Again.

(james)
he doesn't move as the switch flies
hey, after having a shank of rebar through your foot?
switchblades are child's play
he doesn't move as the Modi stalks, either
he may look down, at pertinent times
but he doesn't back down

actually moving forward
he knows they're too close to Kin, for whatever's going to happen
so weight shifts and he's following Decker
boots crunching on the gravel
whatever this is
it isn't over
move along, James, awaaaay from the cabin

he's silent otherwise though
all but biting his mental tongue
to snarl after his packmate as they're walking away?
he'd feel like a fucking rabid shreiking poodle yapping at his heels

(decker)
A ways into the forest, the Fenrir stops. Turns around. Holds out his hands a moment, palms up, as though to say - well?

(james)
the walk gave him time to think
and sometimes? That isn't a good thing
So that's what happened to you.
a... breif... pause
fabric rustling as arms cross over his chest
Well congratu-fucking-lations, Decker, you just put her through kindergarten. She's gonna grow up to be an Ahroun. Just. Like. You.
that pause should have been longer
he -knows- he shouldn't have said that
not even through the Totem Phone
most especially not to someone that outranks him
most especially not to someone he knows can beat the shit out of him
which is probably going to happen about now
(fuckin'. full. moon.)
but yeh, the Gnawer said it anyway

(decker)
One second, a man-shaped Modi.
The next, a bristling grey direwolf flowing through the air.

WHAM. Lands on James, their combined weight bearing them both bonejarringly to the ground. One on four paws (twenty claws), one on his back.

Words - human words, even in this form, because the insult was delivered long before his Change - That is NOT what happened. You don't know SHIT about what happened to MY MOTHER.

Wha...?

Kids grow up. Sooner the better. Then they can start fighting back.

(james)
he was expecting it
but the wind still gets knocked out of him on impact
bone still jars painfully when the ground rushes up all too fast

now he knows this is also a bad idea
but when it rains, it pours
No, I don't know what happened to her, and I'm sorry something did, but I know someone gave you nightmares. Just like you gave that little girl.
snarled inside their heads
the Modi went dire, the Gnawer goes chrinos
curling to draw his legs up
huge paws plant on belly and SHOVE
he follows to roll into a crouch
You teach them to fight so they don't have to fight back, you teach them how to never get backed into that corner inside the words spat, though a low growl rolls through the air You don't pass on the same scars that were lain on you

(decker)
Pushed back, the beast braces himself on four paws and doesn't drive the attack (again). Snarl for growl, the low ripple ripping its way through the calm night.

You teach them. Bitter. as. bile. I'm only good for the killing, remember?

CRACK. - a snap of enormous teeth, the sound of a dozen steel traps closing on air, a physical severing of the conversation. The direwolf wheels about, shrinks to the lupus form, and stalks stiff-leggedly away from the clearing they'd either found - or made in the scuffle.

(james)
a low sound rattles in the crisp air
throttled enough to break the icy atmosphere
broad head shaking at the physical lancing of their connection
that hurt about as much as getting slugged
(if not more)

this time he doesn't follow
he wants to, he wasn't done saying what he wanted to
but even furious, he respects those that outrank him
and there's no doubt in his (aching) mind that the Fostern has ended their conversation for the night
handpaw swings out, dormant bark splintering beneath the volatile talons
frustration vented in animalistic gruntgrowlsnarlbellowhowl

it's quite a few minutes later that he's able to shift down, grab the pack
and head off in another direction about 45 degrees from the other's path
yea.... there should be some road.... eventually

Posted by james at December 18, 2002 12:00 AM