2019.01.21 - Battle Aftermath 3: Fireside Resolve, a Battle for Survival

*The night after the Siege of Rowanwood, the defenders gather and consider the daunting path that lies before them.*

January 1st, Year Unknown; Evening

Rowanwood Back courtyard

### Rowanwood House - Courtyard

*The courtyard is situated between a gap in the main wing of the house and the eastern addition, connecting to the read grounds. The courtyard is paved with flagstones, grown together with moss, and features a number of large potted plants, such as ferns and flowers, surrounded by stone benches. In the very center, a fountain bubbles and splashes away. Against the tawny gold walls of the house, vines trail along the edges of arches and windows, hardened and brown, often covered over with frost. Balconies look down from the house's upper levels, while doors on the ground level lead back inside. These tranquil surroundings seem as though they might make a good place to meditate quietly.*

After the fight, after healing, after making sure the pack that is here is safe, Derek chose to come out to the courtyard. He didn't make it any secret that he was going there, and anyone could follow him. But he also didn't go out of his way to invite anyone; it's just his self-evident way of doing things. And so he stands, breath fogging in the cold, looking out into the night.

Stiles, naturally, followed Derek out to the courtyard before long. He stood beside him for a moment, just in solidarity, then gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze and went to sit by the fire pit. Quietly, he stacks wood in it and sets about lighting a fire. There's only minimal cursing and grumbling along the way, too. He can so do this! Maybe he was never a scout, but he's played tons of survival-style video games!

Stiles lights a fire in the fire pit.

"Need some help with that/ Oh you got it!" There's applause from the east wing door as Oz walks out, smiling at his alpha and said alpha's mate as he sits down on a bench near the fire. "It's cold, but the fire makes it better," he says, thoughtfully, closing his eyes and seemingly losing himself for a bit in the crackling of the burning wood.

Ryan has gone for a run, and thankfully all has gone well, and everything within the large Rowanwood House has been alright in the meantime. After a shower, the fellow, appropriately dressed in his microfleece jacket and khaki pants, has made his way through the twists and turns of the place to end up at the courtyard, where he sees other people. "Hello," he greets quietly, nervously approaching the fire pit and observing the flame. "It is...nice out, in a way."

Rey emerges from the hallway to the south with a tray of mugs, filled with cocoa. He smiles, seeing the gathered pack members, and says, "Aha. There you all are. I felt we should speak, and so I have prepared a little something to warm us all up." He pauses, both in speech and in motion, as he stands near Derek. "You see," he says slowly, "some part of me seems to remember knowing you all, yet I'm quite certain it wasn't in this lifetime. This strikes me as something well worth consideration and exploration, especially since these memories tell me that you were allies, and well worth knowing."

Corey wanders outside, wrapped in a warm coat. "Hey, has anyone seen...? Ah, there you are." Grinning, he moves toward Rey and automatically helping him to pass out mugs. "Um, hi. I'm Corey Griffiths. Not Corey Ames, really." Whatever that means. "Everybody doing okay? Need healing or anything?"

Jacob pokes his head out from the parlor door, then he flashes a huge grin. "Hey, there you guys are." He steps outside, dressed in just a pair of khaki shorts and a tank top, barefoot, and seems perfectly comfortable that way. "Bonfire, nice," he remarks, and takes a seat on one of the benches, not too close to the others, but not too far. "I'm Jacob," he says, nodding to the others. "And the brooding hot guy who's about to come out here and glare at me for calling him that is my mate, Jason."

Jason Christopher had spent some time after the siege of Rowanwood House working to heal those that had been injured. It was not his usual role, but under the circumstances it seemed prudent. Afterwards he then spent a not inconsiderable time alone with his mate Jacob. At least until recently as night fell again. Now the agitation of the days events have settled back in once again. Though he is quite adept at keeping that to himself. He rolls his eyes faintly as he steps outside, following Jacob, and then sitting alongside of him. Nodding to those he knows, even if that was all relative at the moment. "Hello everyone."

Derek drifts in the direction of the fire pit as soon as Stiles goes there. He doesn't speak because he doesn't really have anything to say, and his body temperature is enough of a heat generator that the cold really hasn't chilled him yet. As the others seem to show up so soon after that, he's sure the combined metabolisms of all the wolves will surely make the place more than enjoyably warm enough.

He turns his attention to Rey when the man speaks. Derek's silent gaze is an intense one, and not everyone can withstand it comfortably, but it only means he's paying attention. "It feels like this lifetime," he finally murmurs, bell-clear in the evening's quiet. "Everything's complicated now."

Stiles gives each of the new arrivals an up-nod in greeting, though his gaze lingers a little longer on some, especially Jason, as though his brain is trying to shuffle something around, make a connection that isn't there. But, that's not what he says. Instead, he says, "Hey. I'm Stiles. Derek's the quiet alpha type." He smiles some at Oz, nodding, and then looks again to each of the others, waiting to see if they'll speak up... or if he'll have to interrogate.

"Oz," the man with that name says, waving to the new arrivals. He smiles at Ryan when he arrives. "Hey Ryan, how was your run with Ethan? I hope he was gentle like I told him to be." He looks to Rey, there seems to be something familiar there, maybe? But he really can't place it. It's almost like he was...some sort of father to someone Oz knew, but the pieces just aren't clicking into place. He doesn't seem to know Corey, Jacob or Jason at all except for the meeting and such, but he certainly has a lot of respect for the latter 2, especially given their combat ability.

Ryan blinks slowly at Oz, as if not quite comprehending. "It was a nice run, though I'm not so used to doing laps. I enjoy making a large circuit when I can, with lots of varying scenery, so it was a bit strange to keep passing by the same bits of the house." He looks toward Jacob and Jason, nodding to them with a slight tip of his head, his gaze sweeping slowly over everyone in turn. "Oh, um, I'm Ryan," he says via introduction, albeit as quietly as he ever is.

Rey starts to hand out the cups of cocoa, since nobody seemed to be taking them, and says, "The grounds are quite large, it seems. I'd stay well out of the tree line, but you should be able to jog around the rest safely enough, from what I can perceive." He does nod his agreement to Derek, but he doesn't belabor the point. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," he says instead. "I am Rey Devoss, and please, do call me Rey." He speaks in a fairly posh English accent, though the deepness of his voice, always seemingly spoken with the hint of a growl, even if an often cheerful one, keeps it more down to earth than it might otherwise sound. "So, here we are, beyond the end of all things. I'd say that's well worth a toast to health and camaraderie, aye?" He makes sure Corey gets a mug, too, and when he finishes distributing the drinks to those who accept them, he returns to standing by his comely blond companion.

"Corey Griffiths," he says, nodding to Derek and Stiles, then Oz, Ryan, and finally Jason and Jacob. "Nice to meet you all." He takes a steaming mug of cocoa, leaning his shoulder against Rey's as he sips. "So um. It's the end of the world as we know it, eh?"

Jacob briefly leans his head against Jason's shoulder, probably just to demonstrate that he was kidding, at least mostly kidding, earlier about Jason being bad-tempered. He accepts a mug of cocoa with a thankful grin, then sits up and holds the drink in both hands, enjoying the smell. "Well," he says slowly, "maybe not the literal end of the world, since, I mean, we're still here and all. Close enough, obviously, but it sounds like we've still got something to work with, right?"

Jason Christopher takes Jacob's hand in his own, and smiles faintly at him. Before he takes a shallow breath, and having heard Rey as he was walking out, adds his own thoughts. "First off, stay well out of the woods, though close to the wood's line should be fine. What you will see if you pass through there, is unfortunate." His voice tightens near the end of the sentence, before he continues. "I remember several of you. As well as several of those still healing. Sometimes, in an unusual way, almost in layers. One memory stacked over another. It is hard to explain, or honestly put to words." He shakes his head slightly. "Even four centuries of life does little to prepare you for reality peeling like the layers of an onion." He accepts the mug when it is offered to him and nods his thanks to Rey.

Derek takes his cocoa but doesn't sip it just yet. He inhales the aroma, sweet perfume, and listens to the others introduce themselves. He's pleased with Stiles introduces him. It's better that he doesn't do it himself. "We can't lose hope. Not now." Even though it may be hard for him to keep his resolve in a time like this, he certainly doesn't appear to have lost the belief in improvement for the future. He turns his head, eyes settling on Stiles, before he lifts his mug of warm drink to sip.

Stiles also accepts a mug, and he grins when Derek sips his, raising his own in a quiet toast. He sips as well, then says, "Well, okay. Some of you guys are a little familiar. And I have this pressing urge to call Jason the Big, Bad Wolf, or... Darth Nomnom, or... something. It's kind of hazy. But yeah, I think at least one of the 'layers' we knew each other. Weird, huh?" He looks to Oz, then Ryan, then Derek. "I feel like the only people I'm completely sure of are the pack. Wish I knew where the hell Scott was."

"So do I," Oz says, with a shrug. He does take a sip of hi hot cocoa. "I'm fairly sure of the pack, Ryan and Rey both look familiar somehow, but I can't connect the dots, and Jason, Jacob, and Corey are um...complete strangers." He closes his eyes and continues to sip his hot cocoa, once again listening to the crackle of the ire and the conversation, but seemingly with nothing more to add for the moment.

Ryan takes the cup of cocoa, looking contemplatively down at its surface. "I don't...know anyone here. But, I do hear things, and...I feel things. Impressions. Reflections." Ryan sips at his cocoa, his gaze pulled down to the hot ripples of chocolate, lost in his own thoughts for the moment.

Rey slips an arm around Corey's waist, holding him close, and listens to the others speak. He toasts them when the mugs are raised, then adds quietly, "Yes, indeed. Memories." The name of Scott makes something flicker across his features, but he says nothing to it. Instead, he sips his cocoa thoughtfully, then he says, "And so, here we are. The world is threatened, we have strange memories surfacing, and yet, we are here, together, and things could be much more bleak than they are." He raises an eyebrow. "You do realize what we have to do, given the circumstances?"

Corey sips his cocoa and leans a little closer to Rey. "Sorry, everyone, but I don't have any memories of any of you. Do you think that means something? I mean, should I have memories?" He frowns then, looking to Rey. "Why don't I remember anyone? Not even little flashes of deja vu."

"Well, I remember Derek," Jacob says, "and Stiles, and maybe the name Scott sounds familiar, but I don't know the rest of you." He cradles the mug in his hands, gazing into the fire. "I mean, it could be like past lives or something. I'm not exactly an expert on this stuff, but some of my people believe in that kind of thing. It's probably at least a little true. So, maybe some of us knew each other in past lives?" He gives Corey a helpless shrug, unsure of why some know each other and others don't. He does, though, turn to grin at Jason. "See? You get with me, suddenly life's full of surprises again."

Jason Christopher has a sudden flash of a young man, bussing tables at K9s. "Scott, Scott McCall. I somewhat recall him as well, and yes you as well Stiles. You have a jeep, don't you?" He glances then at the quiet alpha. "Derek Hale, I recall you the best, I knew your mother." He pauses to sip his drink as he considers further. "It comes to me in bits and pieces. But none of you are quite as you are now, in the memories I have of you." With a humorless grin he adds. "Memories be damned though. Right now I am just pleased you can all handle yourself in a fight. I feel there will be more of those to come in the days ahead." He glances at Rey, arching an eyebrow but raising his glass however slightly in toast as well. Just no group hugs, and he will be fine. He spares Jacob a slight chuckle. "I suppose I am a bit young to be retiring anyway. Semi so or otherwise."

Derek is quiet for a time, though he does raise his cup briefly when it seems it's time to do that. He picks up on these things, and he smoothly enough helps them through. When Jason speaks about his mother, the alpha looks up and gives the other man a look. It's a curious look, probing, but he doesn't speak more of it, no matter how much it blows a storm behind his eyes. In the end, though, he simply looks to Rey to propose whatever he will about what they have to do now.

"Right," Stiles mutters to himself, "because of course the gut I want to call Darth Big-Bad would remember what kind of car I drive and my best friend's name." He smirks a little and says, "Here's to ya, big guy. I'm so gonna have nightmares about what I saw you do last night. And I'm just talking about seeing you and your handsome prince there nakedly making out on a battlefield, which was bad enough. I'm also talking about the whole 'why turn into a werewolf when you can turn into something ripped right outta my nightmares' display. That one's gonna stick with me, so, yeah. Thanks for that." He glances at Derek, as if silently wondering if he's speaking too freely again. He does that sometimes.

Oz can't help but chuckle, just a little, but other than that he stays silent, raising his mug at the right time of course and sipping away, but he's caught up in his own mind, that or listening intently, so he says nothing.

Ryan blinks up at Stiles, then looks to Jason, then back to Stiles. "H-He did?" The fellow sips slowly at his hot cocoa, then looks around as if he were trying to scrounge up a memory. "I, um, don't remember much of last night. I was...um, focused." Ryan looks over from Derek to Rey, his head slightly tilting to one side. "What was all of that? The...everything that was attacking, where did they all come from?"

Rey turns a grin on Corey. "Are you really surprised to learn that you're unique and special, even in whatever strange convergence of realities we're experiencing? M'dear, I'm quite confident that you are utterly unique, and while there might be others out there, somewhere, *like* you, there can be no true duplication." He kisses Corey's temple comfortingly, then says to the group at large, "As to what we must do, that's quite simple: we must save the world. I trust you're all with me on this point." Ryan's question makes him pause, thoughtfully, and he says, "I've a notion what they were, my friend. And suffice to say, they were... twisted shadows of whatever they'd been in life. Or unlife."

Corey blushes more at Rey's words than the kiss, though either way, he turns a nice shade of red. "See, now you're just trying swell my ego even bigger." He grins then, leaning against Rey. "I knew there was a reason I liked you." He takes a few sips of his cocoa, staring thoughtfully into the fire. "It's like the gates of hell opened up and spewed out every nightmare anybody's ever thought of. Not just vampires, but oozing, corrupt vampires. Not just werewolves, but twisted, mindless werewolves." He shudders a bit. "Kinda makes movie monsters look pretty lame by comparison. You could never sell these things in Hollywood -- they're just too...too much, ya know? Too vile and corrupt to be real, even in fiction."

Growing fully serious, Jacob says, "Yeah. Those things weren't just evil. They weren't just *wrong*. They were... whatever happens when you multiply those together and add a bunch of 'too horrible to be real.' But they're real, and the world's... yeah, it's bad. So I guess that's it, like he said. We've gotta save the world." He raises his mug. "I'm in. Anyone got a plan? This feels like thing of thing where there ought'a be a plan."

Jason Christopher meets Derek's gaze, with his own. They were cut in some ways from the same cloth. Though since meeting Jacob, Jason did speak more than he once did. In point of fact likely more than he had in ninety or so odd years before that. The look says with some clarity, that they would talk, another time when this was perhaps behind them. But they would talk. Jason looks at Stiles curiously a moment. Then he says quietly after a moment. "Interesting. Just to impertinent to..." He lets the thought drift with a slight huff of air that might have been the closest he gets to a laugh ordinarily. But he has a look of certainty now too. He is as certain he knew Stiles, as he is that he knew Derek. If he is at all embarrassed about making out naked with his handsome prince, he doesn't demonstrate it. But he does look at Ryan. "They came from beyond the sanctuary of Rowanwood, beyond the forest." His voice darkens again as he replies, and he nods to Rey. "If so, they have a lot of raw material to work with." But beyond that he doesn't elaborate. "But I concur. Jacob is correct, we need a plan. We can't wait for them to just come back to us. Tomorrow, we need to meet with Nessa, and the other witches." He takes another shallow breath. "A council of war."

"We have to do it." Derek answers Rey's statement, though Jason's continued gravity draws regard too. He doesn't comment directly on that for the moment though, choosing instead to beckon Stiles over with an open arm, intent on him joining the alpha by the fire. The silence doesn't hide anything, but it also doesn't reveal anything.

Though after a short time, whether or not Stiles decides to join him, he does finally speak. "It's not a council of war. This isn't a war. It's a fight for survival."

"Okay," Stiles says, scooting over close to Derek and welcoming his arm around him, "if anyone breaks into Coach's *Independence Day* speech, though, I *am* gonna throw up." But then, more seriously, he says, "War, fight. It's gonna be those things, sure, but it's more than that. It's..." He snorts out a humorless laugh. "Okay, it's gonna sound so damn *Scooby-Doo* it hurts, but it's a *mystery*. We've gotta solve this, not just smash stuff. I'm sure there's a Sun Tzu quote about this or something."

"Stiles is right," Oz says, taking another sip of hot cocoa. "If we just sit here in the safety of Rowanwood and fight, we'll be here forever. We have to go out, we have to find what's causing this, we have to solve this, ad set the world right, or at least, as right as it can be after all this shit." And then he's quiet again, having said everything he has to for the moment.

Ryan sips a little more of his cocoa, then slowly gets to his feet, his azure eyes resting on Stiles for a moment. "'If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.'" He hugs the mug of cocoa to his chest and mostly keeps his gaze down. "I am going to bed, now. I will see if my dreams will tell me something important." It is cryptic, perhaps, but it it something meant more literally from the fellow's lips, and he quickly makes his way back to his room as quietly as he came.

"Gods and monsters," Rey mutters to himself, then says, louder, "Are we really at the point of quoting *The Art of War*? The situation is certainly dire, but on no account must we be so bleak as *that*." He smiles at them, a silvery, opalescent light glimmering in his eyes. "But, come! To quote another long and pondersome treatise on warfare, 'Fell deeds awake!' Yet, spare me your wrath and ruin, for when the dawn comes, may it be not red, but golden and pure, to sweep corruption from our path and carry us on a tide--not to victory, not to survival, but to nothing short of triumphant rebirth. This, my friends, I ask of you--and not a single measure less!" Then, letting the fervor die down a bit, he nods more soberly to Jason. "But a council, aye. That shall be a most fitting place to start. The Council of Rowanwood."

Corey leans back a little, his brows slowly rising as Rey's impromptu speech grows and becomes a rallying cry. "Whoa," he says at last, shaking his head. "Okay, I want your writers, 'cuz that was pretty awesome. Now I'm all psyched up for this war council with Miss Du Valle and...." His voice drifts off as he thinks for a few moments. "Hang on. Did anyone else notice that they were -expecting- the guy who showed up? I mean, yeah, they set up their alarm system or whatever, so they were expecting some sort of danger. But when the bells rang, somebody said, 'He's here,' or something like that. Not only were they expecting him, but they knew who he was." He looks around to the others. "Anybody have any idea who he was?"

The look Jacob gives Rey isn't rude, so much as... well, he's not disagreeing with the ideas, but there's a grandeur to the guy's manner that's just clearly not Jacob's style. So, he just says a bit flatly, "Yeah. What he said. Sure sure." Then, Corey's question seems to escalate his interest. "Actually, yeah. One of them did say that... but all I could tell was the the guy smelled wrong, but maybe that was the stuff he brought with him. It all happened pretty fast, and I didn't get too close to him. But if they know more, I definitely want to know what they know."

Jason Christopher nods quietly to Derek's ascertation of what they were fighting for, and Stiles as well. Jason Christopher had never known a fight for survival, but live long enough you were sure to encounter one. Staring into the fire he doesn't look at anyone for a moment, but his moonlight yellow eyes flicker red as he listens to Rey. It was a very uplifting speech. That was something Jason was not so good at. He was better at just going, and eliminating a threat decisively. "There are those of us better suited to different tasks. We all have strengths, all of which will be vital. The council of Rowanwood. A fitting followup to the siege of the same. Whatever did this, however they did it. We take the fight to them." He had to believe there was a way to 'fix' this. But that was the dominion of Nessa, and even Stiles for that matter. For his part, he would just kill the things they said needed to die. He couldn't really comment on who Corey or Jacob were speaking of, as he never saw him. "As would I Jacob."

Isaac listens quietly then nods to Rey, Corey then Jason. "Why though? I....I...mean why would they expect somebody and turn off their alarms?" he asks, looking worried and fidgeting with his scarves. "It's not....not adding up" Isaac says quietly then looks around. "It's just......something's not adding up is all"

There's the thud thud of boots as a figure with teak skin approaches and joins them, looking curious as amethyst eyes look over the group and fire. "So this is where you guys are" the figure says, looking both curious.......and amused. "And, you got a ire and cocoa. Alright, own up, whoever in that group brought me here...." he says then sighs. "Own up. One moment I was in a rain shower. The next I'm in a nice warm bed in a nice room. So. I went exploring and found you guys. I'm Marius" he says, not bothered by the weather and dressed or rodeo in his usual attire

Marius looks to the cocoa and gestures with a hand. "Mind if I have some, or got any coffeee?" he asks, tilting his head....a wolflike gesture as he looks over them all again. Five feet eleven, as he stretches for a moment, then huffs, "I mean. The bed's nice, the room's nice, I got food, I got this note. So" Marius says, "What the hell's going on?"

"The antithesis of everything we care about," Derek suggests, in answer to Jacob. "Judging by what he did. By what he brought with him." His brow lowers, giving him an even more imposing appearance.

Then, abruptly, Derek gets to his feet and looks to Stiles, communicating more in his face than he could with words. He turns, still carrying his hot cocoa, and starts back for the house proper. Either he has more to think about, or he just doesn't want to be out here anymore. There's plenty to consider, plenty to contemplate for the coming day. There's no intent of slighting the newcomer, it's just that welcoming him isn't Derek's place. This isn't the pack's land. So he heads into the house, hoping that Stiles will follow along shortly.

Stiles takes all this in with a look on his face that makes it clear he's not sure whether he shares Jacob's skepticism... or whether he wants to jump up and shout something about Avengers assembling. Fortunately, Derek spares him that indignity. Stiles gets to his feet, raises his eyebrows, and eloquently... shrugs. "Yep," he says, downing the last of his cocoa. "Sounds like that's about where we are. Uh, it'll... be good to work with you guys. Good talk. Pep-talk. Way, way better than Coach's *Independence Day* speech. Thumbs up, would endure again." He then nods to everyone, leaving the fire, and follows Derek off. It has, after all, been one hell of a day.

Oz shrugs, glancing toward the newcomer. He doesn't have much to say, though, but he does take another sip of his cocoa. He decides he'll let the smarter people answer the newcomer on this one, though he does glance toward Isaac in recognition briefly.

Rey gives a quiet chuckle, smiling at Corey in particular. "I suppose I did let the moment wax a bit grand, didn't I? Still, I think the sentiment does stand, even if I let it the drama get a bit... heightened." He hugs Corey, appreciating the compliment, but then things are shifting again. He gives the departing Derek and Stiles a polite nod, saying, "A good night to you both." Then, looking back to Corey, he says, "And fine questions. We shall have to pursue them with all diligence." And then there's Marius, just sort of... launching into the midst of it all. Raising his eyebrows a touch, Rey remarks in the least grand, most playful tone most have yet heard from him, "Well, then. I see the next boat has arrived, as you clearly missed the first. Enjoy all the cocoa you'd like. There's plenty."

Corey is clearly pleased by the affection Rey is showing him, right out in front of everyone. These are all strangers, after all, and nobody seems to have recognized him. Not that it would matter if they did, but lifelong habits die hard. But he leans into the embrace, smiling. "Well, the first act is over," he says. "The villain has been introduced, and the heroes have banded together, determined to defeat the villain. Now we get a little break, before we enter Act Two, where the stakes are raised, the dangers are greater, and the heroes fight not just against the bad guys, but against their own self-doubt and despair. Oh, and we get closer to solving the big mystery. That's an important part of the second act." He finds his own mug empty now, and with a little frown, he lets out a quick sigh. "Think I'm gonna get some sleep. Act Two is always exhausting for the heroes, so we should all grab as much sleep as we can, while we can." He leans in to give Rey's cheek a quick kiss, then pushes to his feet. "G'night, everyone."

Jacob watches the various departures, nodding and giving a couple of little waves. He mutters to Jason through a half-grin, "Okay, so basically epic people are epic. This is *so* your crowd, not mine. Short version is, we've got lots of ass to kick, and when we pull this off, we get to go on a really, *really* great vacation. Maybe like here, but with beaches." He winks, then looks up at the new arrival, Marius. Shaking his head a little, he says, "Man, you really did miss some stuff. Uh, let's see. Short version? It's an apocalypse out there, we're trying to survive, and when we figure out the whole mess, we get to ho home. Maybe." He shrugs, finding something familiar about the guy on some level, but he can't place it. Not like he knows him, exactly, but maybe like he knows... something. Can't say. "Basically, lots of ass to kick."

Jason Christopher watches as Derek takes his leave, nodding to him as he does so, and then nodding to Stiles. As Marius approaches, Jason stands and nods his head to him. From his scent alone Jason knew he was a wolf, and so he was owed in his eyes a proper greeting. "Hello Marius. Please join us." His eyes have returned to the more natural state of moonlight yellow now, as he sits back down next to Jacob. "There is no real easy way to say this. As Jacob has indicated. The world as we once knew it has ended. Powerful magics have brought you to a place of relative safety. We are still deciding how to proceed." He was hardly one to mince words. Yes there was more to it. More to explain. But that was more for the witches to do than for him.

Isaac nods to Oz then looks worried for a moment, then over to Corey and company, sipping his cocoa, too as he stares into the fire, and looks back to the assembled...group as it is. "So aside from staring into fires and drinking cocoa, what's the next move?" Isaac asks, meandering around the fire and sitting by it, warming his fingers.

Marius looks worried for a moment then shakes his head. "So....uh...." he says. "Apocalypse. You mean reality TV got worse and it caused the end of the world? Aw man. Now I'll never, ever get to see the d of Lost" he jokes, then looks serious, "The spirits did tell me a few words about this, mostly that bad things were coming. I figured it was the weather" Mar sighs, looking around. "So nobody here hit me on the head and brought me here, or broke into my apartment and kidnapped me. Good to know" Mar nods. "You guys are...?" he adds, fetching himself a cocoa as his eyes close at the taste and he calms. "So. World ended, in a safe place. Witches did it. So" Marius says with his eyes half closed. "Did I manage to somehow stumble into a Twilight Zone episode or do I need to wake up? I mean" he says twirling the cocoa. "I thought I'd eaten a plate of peyote. Then again, You're not singing mushrooms or talking pine trees and there's no elk spirits with paint here....so I can't be tripping can I?" he asks, a slight shake of his head and several choice words in Salishan, as Mar stares over his cocoa. "See, I'm worried. I'm worried somehow we're all in some magical nightmare we can't get out of, right, up until we do whatever it is. So, apocalypse....means....." Marius says carefully, setting his cocoa on his knee after sitting opposite the other wolves, cross legged. "So. Apocalypse means we get to go out and fight some giant evil? That's what they always say...." Mar adds with a flick of his eyes to cocoa then back to the others.

Oz laughs a bit. "Well," he says, with a shrug. "Sort of. There's certainly a war to be won, but there is...a lot of mystery behind it."

"Welcome to the resistance," Rey says to Marius, though this time there's no small measure of playful irony in his tone. True, things are dark and dire, but Rey spent his formative years in the court of the Erlking. There, laughing in the dark is just the order of the day--every day, essentially, being something quite like Halloween. So, he offers a bit of a salute with his cup, now empty of cocoa, and says, "Have courage. If we have the will, success shall be ours." Like as not he has his own insecurities and fears, but he's not letting those show. Instead, he's choosing to present pure confidence and certainty, which might otherwise be in short supply. Then, turning away, he says, "For my part, I'm off to bed. Much to do, and no sense doing it while exhausted!"

Jason Christopher looks at Issac, and then Marius. Isaac was one of the wolves he did not have memories of, and he was as sure as he could be at the moment that the same was true for Marius. "We will meet with Nessa and the witches tomorrow. Decide the best way to use the resources available to us." He stands up, glancing around the fire. "It would be best if everyone rested well tonight. There is no way to tell when you will have the chance to do so again." He glances at Jacob then. "I am going to find Sly. Spend some time with him before we return to bed." He clearly wants Jacob to accompany him. But turns to the others, and nods to them. "I am pleased to have met you all." The regretting the circumstances really goes without saying.

Jacob hops to his feet, grinning at the others. It's not false confidence. He knows how deep the shit they're in is. It's just... it's who he is. It's what he's sure his mate needs. And thus, that's what he will be. So, he says, openly bantering, "Aw, I bet the little guy's missed me like crazy. When we find him let's give him a great big hug." It's sarcasm, of course, but affectionate sarcasm. He and Sly do get along, but... they just don't have that familial a relationship, not yet anyway. Anything's possible! But Jake happily follows Jason off.

Isaac listens quietly then looks around, "So...resistance. Is that like....resisting the Borg?" he asks "Or Resistance with a capital R like in history class?" he wonders sipping his cocoa more as he looks around, then to Oz. "I'm not sure if I'll get away with tying a rock into my scarf and using it as a weapon" he admits quietly, as he gets another cocoa to keep warm. Being down several scarves and helping the pack left him drained so now he's fixing that one. They're in shit. But, they're in shit *together*, he knows this much. And he's glad for it!

Marius stretches out his legs and leans back, propping himself up on his elbow, sipping cocoa. "So, we're in a bad situation and we're in an apocalypse and a mystery. Also resistance. My people tried resisting and got massacred. History's not on my side. But I can resist. I resisted the food in the kitchen. Good start" Mar says quietly, and looks to Oz, "So let me get this straight. I'm in some magical safe house, the world is ending. I take it something godawful happened. Did Kim Kardashian run for office?" he asks, amusement in his eyes. "Though, I like this place. Good food, good bedding. I'll give it a great review" he adds and swirls his cocoa again. "Though" Marius says simply. "How deep in the mire are we exactly. Ya know. Apocalypse scale, 1 to 10?" he asks, smiling despite his unease. There's something likable about all the wolves here....despite Marius's choice to be a lone wolf...a choice he'd forget for the right people.

"1 to 10, I'd say it's about an 11," Oz says, frowning. "It's expanded so far that we're...like...not in our own timelines anymore. Some of us, including me, seem to have weird layers of memories that come and go of people, they look familiar but we can't connect dots. It's...strange."

Isaac looks worried for a moment then relieved. "Well, we're all in this together, right. Everyone in this place. We band together. We kick the ass of whatever's threatening us. We win. Victory music, right?" Isaac asks. "When we get home, I gotta get scarves. Hey, tell Aiden I said keep the ones I gave him," Isaac adds, "Wish I had something to toast on the fire. I could go for s'mores" he says as s'mores appear. "Neat!" Isaac says and begins toasting s'mores in the fire. "Mmm"

Mar grimaces at the eleven. "Ah. Well. You just got yourself landed with a Salish wit a rifle and a bow, and a connection to the spirits, and....stuff" Mar says with a smile. "Hey, if there's food around,I'll take a hot dog" he says as he too starts roasting food, or rather clutching the end of the hot dog in the fire. "This should do. I like this house, really. It's nice, comfortable and the people are friendly. Better than some places" he adds, inspecting the dog.

"Yeah," Oz says, with another shrug as he finishes off his cocoa. "The apocalypse is on us. It's time to fight, it's time to win. Battle 1 was casualty free, but I don't think they'll all be that way."

Isaac groans, licking hot melted marshmallow off his fingers and yelping a little. "Hot hot hot" he whispers, then bites into the s'more regardless, looking pleased with his campfire cooking. It's a start.....really. "So, uh....this apocalypse thing. Do we, like, have to kick something back offa this world?" Isaac asks around a mouthful of s'more

Marius shakes his head at Isaac then Oz. "Well" he says, chewing on his hot dog for a moment. "We're in an apocalypse. We're sitting around a fire talking about it. So, how bout this. We each tell the other about ourselves?" Mar offers, dipping his hot dog in coca and eating it. Mar's got odd tastes in food really

"I dunno, Isaac," Oz says, patting his roommate and packmate on the shoulder. "I guess we just see what comes at us and deal with it as it comes. Tomorrow there should be another meeting with the witches, hopefully we can learn more and start planning then." Oz shrugs. "Well," he says, addressing. "Oz. Werewolf. One of the older ones in the pack, these guys are all pups. But I'm different than the others, my strain is...not the same. It comes with its pros and cons but I work with it, ya know?" He shrugs, leaning back a little.

Isaac sits up. "Isaac. Scarf wearing werewolf. I'm....well.....I'm Isaac. What's there to explain. Oz" he says as if Oz knows him better. "I....like...uh...I like running naked around my apartment building, or did before I came here and I like sleeping on couches" he says hopefully.

Marius tuts and sighs. "I'm probably the oldest here" Marius points out with a weary sigh. "And the least explained about what the hell's going on. I'm grasping it as I go. But point is. I'm Marius" he says, taking another bite of hot dog. "See, I'm still finding my feet here" he adds. "But here's the DL. I'm from the Salish-Kutanai tribes in Montana. ANd I'd very much like to go home, but...I got a pair of degrees, a rifle, a bow and.....a hankering for more hot dogs. Questions? Ask away" he says as he digs in his pockets. Mar's not got much in said pockets. Lint mostly.

Oz shrugs and shakes his head. "Oh Isaac," he says, with a bit of a sigh. "Well. Yeah," he says, thoughtfully, "I guess we all wanna go home. I miss Beacon Hills, and San Francisco, but ya know, the most important people are here so, I'm alright."

"I miss Beacon Hills too" Isaac says starting on roasting another s'more as Isaac shakes his head. "Man I'd love to go home. Being stuck here is nice and all, but I wanna go walk to the lookout, or play pool, or....or sit in the diner and eat pie. I miss all that" Isaac groans, biting into his s'more. "You sure ya don't want any Oz?" Isaac asks. He's gonna be one high as a kite on sugar wolf...that's for sure.

Marius nods to Oz. "Yeah, I hear ya. I miss my home and people too. Lemme guess. I'm the sole Salish here? Fine. I can live with that. But" Marius points out, waving half a hot dog to make a point. "This whole end of the world thing. You'd assume that they'd figure it out, right, these witches and stuff. Like...they'd have a doomsday plan, and activate it. Problem is....yeah, we're in it now. Right smack bang in the plan. And" he adds with a look to Isaac, "Wait, is he trying to put himself out there for a mate? Come the hell on" Marius says as he stands up and a rolling wave of fur goes up his body from his toes. It takes about ten seconds, and when it's done, a russet colored wolf is standing there, looking into the fire, then Oz and Isaac.

Marius Riesse phases to his wolf form.

"Um...why did he just change?" Oz asks, looking to Isaac, as if his dumb ass roomy could have any answers. He shrugs though, sighing. "Oh well. At least we can understand him, right?"

Isaac watches the shift in awe, watching the wave of fur. "That's so neat. I wish I could do that" Isaac says, as he looks jealous to Oz then Marius, albeit four pawed Marius....and Isaac sets down a s'more. "I like that color though, it's a good color for a wolf. Better than the one I read about, an orange and red wolf" he adds with a grin. "I dunno why he changed, either. Don't ask me!"

Marius, in wolf form watches them for a moment then devours the s'more, tail wagging happily as he trots around the fire pit and stares into it as if looking for answers. Then he turns back to Oz and Isaac, yips, and lays down opposite them, watching them with one eye closed.

Oz shrugs. "Whatever, it's just a dog," he says, with a laugh. "He's gonna be naked when he comes back though. Damn."

"Yeah, but...still a cool shift. I wanna be able to do that" Isaac mock whines. "It's so neat" he adds, keeping one eye on the wolf, the other on the Oz, too. "You know what's weird about this house? It makes us food. It's like we got a ghostly cook or...or.....something" Isaac points out, adjusting a scarf as he looks amused by the idea.

Marius glances up and looks to Oz, tilting his head. If he were in human form he'd pretty much have a comeback. In wolf form though.....he hasn't. Still he's happy to just settle there and laze, like a happy contented wolf with somewhere nice to laze and relax. Mar though is.......definitely not like Oz or like like Isaac, indeed Marius slowly gets up, and tugs on one end of a scarf that had come loose. Soon, all the scarves come loose and Marius is enjoying this too much. The gleam in his wolf eyes shows that.

"Yes! Depose Isaac! He cannot be the scarf king any longer!" Oz seems delighted at seeing the scarves coming away from his friend, and there's certainly a smirk on his face.

"What? No? I need newspaper!" Isaac says. "Oz. Help!" he adds gathering up the scarves quickly...trying to prevent total and utter scarf nudity....though he's clothed otherwise, Isaac likes his scarves, as he looks to Marius, then Oz as if hinting to do the same thing with Oz. Though saying it out loud would be a bad idea. Finally....Isaac gives in, and gives Marius a few scarves to play with.

Marius looks at the scarves. Isaac. Scarves. Back to Isaac. Then to Oz.....then Marius puts one paw on the scarf, carefully, then another, then paws at the scarves quizzically, as if asking, in his own way, what, people wear these?

That last bit is gestured with a look right at Isaac, as if asking about the other wolf's fashion sense....as Marius is a fine one to talk....or gesture...on that front. Mar though looks entertained even in wolf form by playing with the scarves....and liking a whole lot, tugging the scarves off of Isaac. That was fun!

Oz shrugs and sighs. "Kids," he says, with a chuckle. "I mean, Isaac's certainly not the brightest mind in the pack, his scarf obsession is...somethin' else."

"I heard that!" Isaac says, looking over to Marius and Oz. "Yeah. I wear those. I like my scarves, ya know" he points out. "I may not be the brightest but I'm the warmest dressed in the pack" Isaac counters, then falls quiet, snacking more. "Huh what's there to tell about me? Not a lot really. Went to school, wanting to go to college, ya know?" Isaac asks with a look to Oz then Marius, then Oz again. "You may enjoy it if ya come along. Hot girls and lots of alcohol. Apparently." he adds

Marius flicks an ear at them and curls up on the scarves, deciding yes, they really will make a fine bed for now. Marius listens and keeps an eye on them, though the idea of kids has Em lifting his head to look more at Isaac, then head back on his paws....looking relaxed. In reality he's still alert and watching them, even with eyes half closed as he is, keeping a watching eye on the food too. He's not happy the food stopped from the scarf wearer, either....but......

"Are you kidding, Isaac? I'm too old for college. Besides, I tried it, it's...when I met that wolf and uh...shit went down." He sighs, frowning at those memories, but these days are better days. "Besides, are you even into girls?"

"Well" Isaac says. "I'm into people. Friends, ya know? You guys. Packmates" Isaac adds thoughtfully. "Aw but there's people like...40 or 50 who go to college, and...and....stuff. Not....not saying you're that old" Isaac adds quickly. "Just saying college isn't for frat parties, right?" he asks hurriedly, wanting to climb out of this hole he just dug himself

Marius peers at them and trots off, when he returns he's back in his human form with his hair cascading down his back....as he braids it one handed and looks over. "Ah, come on. College isn't all it's cracked up to be, look. I've been there twice, and did I get laid? Nooooo!" Marius groans shaking his head "I'm glad I didn't though" Mar adds with a smile, then looks over to Oz with a serious look. "Wait, you got turned in college? What?" he asks, sitting back by the scarves, wrapping them around his fingers to distract himself.

Marius Riesse phases to his human form.

"Not quite," Oz says, sighing. "I got turned when I was...16 I think, but my friends kept me caged and calm during the full moon. But it was in college when I met this girl, and uh...she lead me on a dark path. I um...may have accidentally killed her. It's why I left town, I was gone for a few years, I only got back to San Fran back in November of last year, but of course now the timeline i...nothing like it was."

Isaac looks to Oz with a mix of horror and intrigue. "So you killed this girl...why?" he asks unable to stop himself as he looks both alarmed and relieved to know he's not the sole one to do do dumb stuff as a wolf. Still........killing somebody's worse....than whatever Isaac's done.

Marius nods quietly. "It happens" he says sympathetically, then smiles, using Isaac's scarf as a makeshift hair band...which looks ridiculous really, a dark red scarf in his hair, taking up a good chunk of it too....as Marius nods to Oz then Isaac and sits. "Fortunately I was born wolf. My father was a medicine man, and....I'm a werewolf. Work that out" Marius nods. "Either wy I get where you're coming from. Killing on a hunt for animals is one thing, I mean we hunted moose, elk, deer in Montana. We helped control the herds, but now..." he says gesturing around as he has a bowl of stew from the kitchen, and is eating it between words. "Look. Just because you went down a dark path doesn't mean you're a bad person, or wolf, ya know" Marius points out. "There's good in everyone. Even the white settlers who hunted my people. I'm Flathead Salish. You know why we got that name?" Marius asks suddenly.

Marius nods quietly. "It happens" he says sympathetically, then smiles, using Isaac's scarf as a makeshift hair band...which looks ridiculous really, a dark red scarf in his hair, taking up a good chunk of it too....as Marius nods to Oz then Isaac and sits. "Fortunately I was born wolf. My father was a medicine man, and....I'm a werewolf. Work that out" Marius nods. "Either wy I get where you're coming from. Killing on a hunt for animals is one thing, I mean we hunted moose, elk, deer in Montana. We helped control the herds, but now..." he says gesturing around as he has a bowl of stew from the kitchen, and is eating it between words. "Look. Just because you went down a dark path doesn't mean you're a bad person, or wolf, ya know" Marius points out. "There's good in everyone. Even the white settlers who hunted my people. I'm Flathead Salish. You know why we got that name?" Marius asks suddenly.

"Of course I'm not a bad person, not anymore. Once I realized what I was capable of when it wasn't me in control, well, that's why I left. I wasn't going to put my friends at risk. I...only killed her, well, it wasn't me who killed her. It was the...other half. The beast was in control, I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to. It's really blurry, the memories, but I think I literally ate her." He turns to Marius. "No, no I don't know how you got the name," he says, with a shrug.

Isaac just listens and looks over with a look of....understanding, actually. "See, you were shitfaced, you were drunk,you didn't know what you were doing" Isaac offers as a reason, as if explaining away a werewolf kill as a drunk accident. Optimist, Isaac. Optimist.

Marius settles back. "Like I said" he says sympathetically. "You learned. Trust me, there's a lot that don't and when they don't...." he says, trailing a finger over his throat, the meaning obvious. They die. "Least that's how it is with the wolves I know. Still....you learned, you adapted. Okay, college wasn't for you but" Marius shrugs, "Don't give up on your dreams" he nods, placing another hot dog into the fire for a moment, then he gets up and walks around the fire bowl, sitting back down again. "Believe me. I know how you are......you just are along for the ride" Mar says softly. Brother Wolf would agree, indeed his wolf is keeping an ear on the discussion.

Florence stretches as she exits the house to the courtyard, glancing up to the sky. "Gosh, this whole thing is crazy..." she mutters before fully noticing the others around the fire pit. "Oh, hey there... Eh, I think I know neither of you so... Florence Diamond. Don't call me Flo please," she introduces herself with a little smile. "And I have no clue what I am in this bunch of... weird people I guess."

Oz looks up at the new arrival. "Hey, Isaac, look, a hot girl." He smirks, with a laugh. "But really. I'm Oz, that's dumb, and that's grandpa. Welcome to the party."

"No. It's well dressed" he points to himself. "Worse dressed" with a point to Oz. "And no fashion sense" he adds with a nod to Marius. "Like Oz said, welcome, come take a seat, I got s'mores going. There's a hot dog in there....somewhere" he adds and shakes his head with a grin. "I think. It's probably torched now. But still...."

Mar looks to Oz and shakes an imaginary walking stick. Which looks like he's just jacking it. Not the best look, though he does dig the hot dog out of the edge of the fire and wonders if the house'll give up a pack of hot dogs for everyone. Marius offers the hot dog around, hoping somebody else likes fire cooked hot dogs. "Nah, that's Isaac. He likes walks and couches, apparently. And scarves. Lots and lots of those things" Mar shrugs. "I'm Marius, not Grandpa thanks" he says looking to Oz. "Wait, if I'm Grandpa does that mean I get to order you to bed with no TV and no supper?" he adds with a mischievous look in his eye. "Don't tempt me, boy" he adds in a fake old man accent. "When I was your age..." he says then cracks up laughing.

*And so they talked, long into the night...*