Team Building Exercises

Midnight, June 14th, 2008

Shayd’s apartment.

Shayd tapped her chin as she considered the contents of her wardrobe. Reaching in, she removed one robe and then a long, blousy shirt. She dropped them over one arm and left her bedroom to see the two naked men sitting on her thread-bare couch. “Sorry guys. I don’t have much of a wardrobe for men. But I have this for now.”

She held up a pink robe. It would be long on her, but it only just came down to Odin’s thighs. “Here. You’ll freeze if you don’t wear something.” She offered the shirt to Blood Fang. “I don’t have any jeans that will come close to fitting you and this is the longest shirt I have.” The sleeves had billowy cuffs and it seemed a little sheer to him.
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A Changed Man

4 am, June 14th 2008

A native woman, obviously far from home given her features, tossed and turned in the small cot provided by the homeless shelter people. Her mind was drawn down into a whirlpool of sleep-induced dreams from which she could not escape, trapped as if she was a helpless onlooker. And as certain as a train wreck, something was going to happen.

She was at a tall building in downtown Denver. She thought she’d recognize the building if she saw it again, but she didn’t catch the name. It was night and a man was entering. He had black hair and blue eyes, and wore a zippy suit, the kind that powerful young men wore. Since it was after hours, security approached, checked him and let him through while they exchanged friendly banter. The young man appeared to know the security guards by name.
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The Charming Mr Thomas

8 am, June 14th, 2008

Charlie’s alarm clock issued it summons in its typically annoying, insistent fashion.

After dragging himself out of bed, he wandered into the bathroom, brushed his teeth and spat once. Then his sink burbled. Charlie eyed the uncharacteristically vocal stainless steel bowl set in his shining black marble bathroom counter. He was certain it wasn’t supposed to do that.

It burbled again and filthy water backed up into the sink, nearly splashing him. As he watched, it seemed to make a wet, sucking noise, and then he thought he saw something shimmer in there for just a moment. He had to lean closer to see what it was. A hairy tendril appeared, rising from the drain and, much to his horrors, slapped the side of the bowl of his sink. Another joined it, as if it was some kind of muck-ridden tentacle, and slapped another side of the sink. With a wet, sucking sound, an improbably huge, soft-ball sized clog hauled itself out of a drain far to small for it to have fit in there.
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Seeking Out Death

Timeline: May 5th, 2008

Chaska spent a couple of hours resting and healing. He was hurt in the fight but nothing that couldn’t be healed in time. The others seemed intent on Michael but it seemed to be a Mage thing and one thing he had already learned, he would never understand the mages.

Morning came fast and there was no time to lose. Chaska had no idea how they were going to get out of this mess but he was clear on one thing… they needed to find out fast. The only place he knew to start that made sense was to go back into the lion’s den. He needed to speak to the Pure again. They were the only ones who knew the area and might have answers they don’t realize they have. Lyla might not like his choice of action but he could think of no other.

He went to look for Lyla.

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Shady Places

June 13th, 2008

Odin and Blood Fang got the message all right. The old pack, the ones who’d found them, had made it pretty clear that it was time for them to strike out on their own. They were full — new werewolves didn’t have a place with the older, experienced wolves and they were expected to strike out on their own, figure out their own way.

So they did.

But the two new werewolves weren’t totally green. They’d been in the game for about three years now and knew a little bit about what was going on. They knew the rules and they’d known this was coming for a long time. Now that things in this city had settled a little bit, it was time to move out on their own. The training wheels were off, so to speak. And they needn’t be alone.
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Tour of the North

Timeline: April 29th, 2008

Ann-Marie had intended to visit the small towns north of Eldon Well to establish whether or not kindred lurked in these areas. It was doubtful, but if she was to be the Prince, Baron, Top Vampire, or what-have-you in the area, blessed by the Hierophant of Albany and the knowledge of the Prince of Portland, she needed to case the area. To do it right, she needed help. So, off to the Blood and Brew she went…

“Hello, Ann-Marie,” Rey said with a smile from behind the bar. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Evening Rey. Yes, a Cabernet would suit me fine. How are you this evening?” the pale woman asked.

“Pretty good,” Rey replied as she looked at the wine stock. “Yourself?”

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Rey Talks to the Boss

Timeline: End of April, 2008

Rey was practically bouncing when she walked into the Blood & Brew. It was a Thursday, so Lyla was going to be working with her that night.

“Hey, Lyla,” Rey said with a grin on her face. She looked around the room and saw Ramiel sitting alone at a table. “Ramiel! Cool! I was hoping you’d be here at some point tonight.”

“And here I am lucky you.” His smile was one that warned her he was in a fiesty mood. “What can I do you for?”

“Oh, those words bring up all kinds of naughty ideas,” Rey replied with a grin. “But the request I have isn’t very naughty at all. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

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Relaxing with Ironclaw

Timeline: April 26th, 2008

Ann-Marie went out into the woodlands soon after her return. The burns from her first attempt at daring the sun since her returning the ring were healed, thanks to he training in the discipline of Resilience. She took wolf form and sought out her bestial lover.

She found him late, but not before a curious and harrowing encounter with a massive, scarred wolf. It was huge, even larger than Ironclaw when he was in his true wolf form, and as she remembered back upon the encounter, seemed somehow familiar. It had lurked in the mountains to the northwest, where she’d wandered in search of Ironclaw, and in the dark of night it had seemed to sense and recognize her. But it was rapidly gone, vanished up the flanks of the great mountain upon winds constantly howled. The pack rarely went there, as this mountain, the tallest in New England, was renown for its punishing weather and nearly constant, hurricane-force winds.

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Catching Up with Ramiel

Timeline: April 25th, 2008

A few days had passed by for Ann-Marie, Grace to her brother John. Ramiel and Michael had lent her something profound. How something so blessed could be found in the hands of a sorcerer she did not know. This was something legends were made from. At least among her kind. Twice since then she had braved the coming dawn, only failing in her will and fading into the twilight slumber of the raw earth, burned but tested. It was a test. Good or bad, the Goddess would tempt her and thrust her into danger always. She politely thanked the Morrigan for this new challenge, though in her heart, the longing for the sun was great.

Ramiel hadn’t contacted her. She was patient, but she wanted at least to know if he was thinking about her request.

After dusk, she made her way quietly to the house, rapping on Ramiel’s door. She dressed in long dress with a feathered black winter coat, her hair and face hidden beneath the tall hood.

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Lessons

Timeline: April 25th, 2008

Ann-Marie entered her temporary apartment, waiting on Jesse she poured a glass of wine and considered how to approach her young roommate with questions of a mystical nature.

She didn’t have long to wait. Jesse stepped in through the door, a handful of mail in her hands. The mail was addressed to a post office box, of course, which meant it was business mail — or rather that intended for Ann-Marie’s art sales. Jesse wore a smile on her face as she handed the mail to Ann-Marie.

“I think it’s good news!” she said. The letter was addressed to name Ann used in her painting life, and its return address was labeled Mr. and Mrs. Trebelkind. “Those people won the bid on the last ebay auction. It had closed at three thousand dollars!” Jesse said excitedly. “They’d have received the painting by now.”

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