"I know for a fact that at least one of the philodoxes was itching to punish you along with me."

The Sept Compound(#2075RAM)
Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, are the only signs of constant occupation. However, a student of such things might think that some minimal landscaping or planning has been done, for the meadowlike profusion of grasses and other plants has an unusually high concentration of brilliant flowers, which attract a number of bees and butterflies.
A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.

Dillen finds his way through the forest, shifting into his human form as he reaches the sept compound. He takes up a place at the same tree as he did before, leaning against it as he looks over the two occupants. "S'up?" He says, very casual.

Kevin leaves Basil for a moment and walks over to Dillen. "How's it looking, boss?" he asks politely enough.

Dillen folds his arms across his chest and shrugs, "Not much. Pack is gone." He runs a hand through his hair, "I can't keep it going. Having these rough as hell dreams and can't being the pack back four times in a row. Just can't." He shakes his head and shrugs again.

Kevin's shoulders slump. "I'm guessing that means Ken's still nowhere to be found?" he hazards quietly.

Dillen shakes his head and sighs, "No. Not yet. No word from any of them. And nothing we can do."

"Nothing I can do for sure," Kevin says tautly, "still not allowed out of here. Still don't know when they're gonna hack us up. I ended up fighting with Emma yesterday just to burn off energy... though I think she wanted it as badly as me."

Dillen gives a nod of his head, "I'd try and keep the pack for you... But I just can't see it working." He shoves his hands into his pockets, "Already working on a new pack. Leslie, Blackriver, and myself. Hoping for Wyvern."

Kevin looks at Dillen for a long moment. "Probably a good idea," he finally says in clipped tones. "Wouldn't do you any good to associate with me any longer. I know for a fact that at least one of the philodoxes was itching to punish you along with me if I'd so much as hinted you might have speculated about guessing I was up to something."

Dillen takes in a deep breath, "I still would have taken whatever punishment came." He shrugs, "It's not wanting to associate with you. When your punishment is over, I will still be your friend. Will still fight by your side. Still have to take punishment when it comes."

"You trusted me," Kevin says in a voice that sounds as though he's taking especial care to iron any emotion out of it. "That may have been a bad choice, but better that than conniving at what I did, or concealing it, heaven help us. I don't suppose I shall ever be in a pack again, now, even if I live longer than a couple of weeks."

"You will live." Dillen pronounces. "Just have to see that you will. And as far as trusting you, I did. That is what packmates do." He looks off over at Basil and then back to Kevin, "We all make mistakes."

Kevin turns to look at Basil too for a moment, then his gaze goes back to Dillen. "I know. I just don't tend to make small ones," he grins. "With me, either I'm dodging every atom of flak and running free, or else I'm going down in a spiral... bad choice of word, that, but hey... with all engines on fire and the pilot dead. No space in between."

Dillen folds his arms again across his chest. "Yeah. I just hope you don't want to go that route. I'd hate to kill you." Dillen says, half a joke and half a threat.

"Oddly enough I'd hate it too," Kevin counters. "I'll tell you what I told Emma. I'm going to do what I have to at the tire fire, and if I do die so be it, but I damn well don't want to. I enjoy life too much to want to leave it already."

"Just fight to the best you can. Know what you have to do and do it. It helps." Dillen scans the woods for a moment, thoughts running about in his head.

Kevin looks over in the same direction as Dillen, and for a moment silence reigns. "Penny for your thoughts?" Kevin asks him, breaking the moment.

Dillen turns and looks back at Kevin, "Just idle shit. Like if the pack hadn't been would so much shit have happened? Was the pack just cursed? Who knows. Crazy stuff in my head when I sleep at home. Even tore up a couch. Had to get a new one in there before Freya took my head off."

"I remember when I was still a new wee cub, when the news broke about Lucas," Kevin recalls. "Man, the farm was buzzing. Every time someone came to visit from the city it was crazier and crazier news. I wonder what the cubs at the farm are hearing about us guys now..."

"They are learning the litany even more and knowing it is nothing to be toyed with." Dillen shrugs again. "But somehow it has to stop. I can't keep being brought in with things like this. It is all the pack so the pack has to go."

"Good examples are better than horrible ones," Kevin says sententiously and perhaps a little hypocritically. "So what happens with Snae? I... know I haven't exactly honoured him as I should, but I... guess... I'd like to at least see him and apologise. Or has he already poofed off into the aether?"

"I haven't spoken to him yet. Soon, though." Dillen runs a hand across his hair. "Just been busy with other things. Talking to Jacinta-Rhya here soon to see about challenging."

"If he wants no more to do with me I'll understand," Kevin sighs. "Go give Jacinta hell. If my opinion's worth anything, you're more than ready for a rank challenge."

"People will have things to do with you when you prove yourself." Dillen says with a manner of confidence. "You just have to prove that being a Charach isn't all there is to you."

Kevin nods in assent. "Like Thomas Grey has," he muses aloud. "Is he still missing as well? I hope the old bugger's okay. I'd miss his surly face... and I want to see it when he finds out what's gone on with me."

Dillen lets out a bit of a grunt, "Knowing Grey, it won't be a pretty face." He shakes his head with a bit of a chuckle that sobers quickly, "The sept is missing people. People that should not be missing. They will return."

Kevin breaks into a snigger. "Grey? A pretty face? Ever? Believe me, no." But like Dillen, he soon loses his amusement. "Who else on top of Grey and Ken? The Silver Fangs' elder, I heard?"

"Yeah. Clemency-Rhya, Reggie, Abraxas, Kenneth, Grey. Helluva group of fighters there." Dillen's hands shover into his pockets.

"One, two... three ahroun. And another who used to be. If they're all stuck together somewhere they must have chances," Kevin speculates. "Doesn't anyone know anything at all?"

"No." And Dillen's voice is a little strained as he says it, a certain anger coming through his voice. "Nothing. Not right."

"If we don't see those five again," Kevin says grimly, "the chances of me, or anyone else, surviving the tire fire assault just took a good old dent."

"Yeah." Dillen kicks at a dirt clod on the ground. "We need them in a fight. I mean, hell, I can jump in and do whatever I can but the chances are just... Shit. Yeah." He grumbles.

"This is depressing talk," Kevin points out. "Can't we find some good/ news to talk about? How's your little girl?"

Then a smile creeps over the Galliard's face. "She's great. Growing every day. Don't get to see her too much at times and Freya is a real trouper. I couldn't ask for a better woman at my side." Dillen cannot help but show all his pride as he speaks of her.

Kevin manages a little smile. "See what I mean? You're doing the right things. I wonder whether Emma's threat to throat me if I go near any Get kin extends to Freya..."

Dillen raises a brow, "Better not." Dillen gives a hint of a chuckle, "Any man gets near her and I will hurt them."

"Surely now you know what you know about me you can be sure my intentions towards your wife are entirely honorable and friendly?" Kevin quips wryly.

"Sure Aimee knows the same." Dillen says, folding his arms again, "Have you spoken to her? You know you should."

"Haven't had chance since... that night," Kevin confesses. "I told her before that I thought it wasn't working and perhaps we should think about where we were with each other... but I don't know even whether she knows about what happened yet."

Dillen cannot help but lets out a snort, "She surely knows by now. Everyone knows."

"Soon as I get the chance," Kevin decides, "I'll go find her and explain. If she'll let me. I think she will... she's pretty cool. And I reckon she knew there was something a bit wrong even before I told her."

Dillen nods. "Okay. Just make sure you make good with everyone before the tire fire." He shakes his head, "I'd hate to see your bridges burned and you can't come back."

Kevin laughs again. "Learned that lesson from all this, if nothing else," he promises.

"Good to hear." Dillen nods his head, "Well, I need to get back to town to check on Freya and Gretchen." He turns and begins to head off, then he turns back, "I woulda killed you if you had to die." He says, then turning to head off into the woods.

"Thanks," Kevin says, in a voice that's almost but not quite too soft for Dillen to hear.

At some point between this log and the following one, the ritual punishment was carried out on Kevin and Basil. Thankfully, it was handwaved...