"A little match can start a fire that burns a forest..."

Center of the Caern
This is the central point of the 30-meter-wide clearing. The ground is a mixture of dark, rich, muddy soil mixed with clay, though there is an occasional patch of grass. At the center rests a large white boulder, immovable even by the strongest crinos. The boulder is shot through with streaks of quartz that produces scintillating colors when light strikes it just right. It is, for lack of a wholly adequate word, beautiful.
Around you, twenty yards in every direction, stretches the caern. To the southeast, a waterfall plummets over the edge of the chasm into a small pool in the caern; nearby, to the southwest, steam comes from cracks in the ground, perhaps some of the same water. Northwest, a rocky spar juts out of the ground at a low angle, showing a sloping but smooth top. The chasm walls narrow a bit to the northeast, causing some of the mist to swirl in that area.

Nose to the ground, Power-in-the-Darkness comes into the caern as though following the scent of someone's trail, ears pricked and alert.

The air about the caern settles, as if night were about to come again--except that night and the settling cooling air already happened many many hours ago. A pregnant tension mounts. One of the steam vents erupts a countering blast of sulfurous air, rupturing the pent-up pressure. And then a small licking of flame of yellow and orange emerges from a nearby crack, growing to a height of a mere two feet tall. With glowing red eyes. A small fire elemental, manifested in the realm. ~Garou.~ It's voice sizzles and cracks like logs and twigs in a fire, speaking the Mother Tongue. ~I seek the Garou of this place of power.~

Her attention torn from the Bone Gnawer, Pierces the Ice rises up to crinos, taking several steps toward the steam vents and the elemental now present. ~We are they,~ she answers simply. Her tone is formal, her posture showing as much caution as not, and the hairs begin to rise along her spine.

Leads-Without-Voice suddenly jumps back a foot or two, hairs rising stiffly long his neck and back as the small fire elemental manifests in the realm before the Garou gathered here. He looks around him, seeing the others and perking his ears forward.

Power-Up seems to be making for Pierces-Ice, but even as he sees (or more likely, in this dark night, scents) the Wendigo, the blackness is disturbed by the bright glow of the flame spirit, and he pauses in his loping movement to stare at it. He grows as far as hispo and responds. ~We are here. What do you want with us, spirit?~

Sparks drift upwards with an audible *snap!* as the fire elemental opens its mouth again to speak. ~There is rumor that you intend to destroy the conflagration in the place of the Weaver.~ If one could say 'conflagration' reverently, it was just accomplished. ~Is this true?~

The bridge, the Bone Gnawer answers quitely in his body language. His ears perk forward, seeming amused to find this small spirit here. He seems to be already bobbing his head before the others even answer.

~It is corrupt. The Horned Serpent rules that blaze,~ the Wendigo Ahroun answers, a small growl adding to her affirmative response.

Jesus, step away for a `few minutes` and see what you miss. Ciuraq returns to his night watch from having checked something suspicious down to the south. The Uktena staggers to a stop, nearly tripping and falling over the south rim in the process. Shifting up to war form, he moves quickly down the path into the Caern.

Emma is drawn to this fire with an intense curiousity. As she moves she too rises to Crinos, eyes meeting the dancing fire. ~I will be leading the attack upon that corruption.~

Power-Up glances towards Emma before speaking again. ~The fire is full of the Wyrm,~ he says, echoing Pierces-Ice. ~So it must be quenched. Again; what do you want from us?~

A tendril of flame reaches out and drags in a nearby dead stick into the heart of the flame. It almost instantly ignites, as might be expected of a bit of wood suddenly introduced into a fire elemental. ~It matters not who rules the fire, so long as there is the fire.~

*Our laws require us to destroy the wyrm blight.* That'd be the Gatekeeper, Circle Keeper, as he finally arrives down into the Caern. He's a tad light on breath from the mad dash down. *Does its extinguishing offend you that greatly?*

Pierces Ice's small growl grows sharp briefly and then subsides again. ~It matters.~ The words are low and gruff, rather than holding anger. ~It is our purpose to stop such corruption, as yours is to blaze.~

The Bone Gnawer looks lost and sides back a little ways. The Ahroun's lips prematurely peeled back into a silent snarl with his neck hairs stiffening when the fire consumes the twig in an instant.

~There are places for the fires of this world, but one corrupted by the wyrm has no place and will be destroyed.~ Stone-Spirit looks toward the bristling fire spirit, more tense now than she was upon her first arrival.

The fire elemental repeats itself. ~It matters not to us who rules the fire, so long as there is the fire.~ The sparking, hissing flames press onwards. ~Fire brings life. Fire brings death. Fire bring joy. Fire brings pain. Fire destroys. And fire purifies.~ The stick pulled in earlier is already reduced to nothing but glowing ashes. ~We offer a compromise. Let the fire burn, and we will betray the others in the fire that you do not wish there. Let it burn, and we will see that it burns as pure as can be. Let it burn. We care not who it burns for.~

Pierces Ice's eyes flick toward her packmate, giving him a small bob of her head before taking a half step back, letting the Gatekeeper take point, but her lips pull back in a small grin.

Power-Up cocks his head on one side, obviously considering. ~Must the fire be there? We could build you another fire, a bright clean fire, and keep it safe from corruption for you to dance in its flames.~

*I am gatekeeper, they will not speak.* Circle Keeper growls, partially to the others, his free hand slashing through the air behind him as he aggressively waves them to 'cut it out.' *If we were to accept your accord, you must care who it burns for. We will not let it burn for the wyrm.*

From afar, to the room, Circle Keeper notes the spirit speech is also in Mother's tongue, so you all understand what CK's saying.

Stone-Spirit watches the flame with fire in her own gaze. As the gatekeeper takes point, she listens carefully, but ripples with new tension.

Savages-Enemy is a bit restless, but he keeps his silence. Besides, silence is something that this Cliath is good at.

The small fire elemental focuses its two glowing red ember eyes on the gatekeeper. ~We care not for who the fire burns. If you let it burn, we will turn on those you do not wish to see in it. We will purify it with our flames as best we can. Let it burn and we are allies.~

Circle Keeper's muzzle juts slightly. *It is not my place to accept. Allow us to decide.* Squinting his eyes as the staring-into-fire starts to get to him, he adds, *We will be brief in deciding; We will make a burning in offering to you while we decide.*

Pierces Ice's large paw-hands grasp the thong around her neck as she takes a further backward step. She lifts the thong until the fang is within her sight. For a moment it glows, and then dims. Small spots of grey appear and she lets her gaze turn from one to another of the Garou, and then to the Elemental itself. With a flick of her ears, and a tightening around her jaw, she lets the fang drop back within her fur.

Stone-Spirit, true to her heritage, seems adamantly against this idea, and the tense posturing she shows might suggest that. She looks to the others that are gathered, nostrils flaring and fists balled tightly.

The fire elemental flickers briefly and then settles down as the offering of something to burn is added. ~We will wait, but cannot stay long.~ It finds a nearby leaf to consume, leaving only the glowing 'skeleton' to fall to the ground.

Power-Up sits carefully down on his huge hispo haunches, and considers recent events. His head turns to the Gatekeeper in silent query.

Circle Keeper turns sharply, facing the others, and Kevin in particular. ~Power in the Darkness: Run to wendigo territory, do not enter and howl for my cub to give you some of my hides. Go. RUN.~ Walking away from the vents, he adds to the others, ~Speak quickly about it. I would say, away from here.~

Stone-Spirit moves slightly away, looking to the others as they ready discussion. Her voice is low, but a growl lies persistent. ~They will purify it 'as best they can'. That is not good enough. It must be destroyed - the wyrm has festered too deeply there.~

Pierces Ice moves away as well, her gaze lingering on the elemental for a long moment. To Stone Spirit she says, ~If we accept their offer, but give our aide, we can defeat the Wyrm and leave them a pure burning fire.~

Circle Keeper watches the others head off to discuss the matter, and he, himself, heads back over to the fire elemental. Eyes squinted nearly shut, he begins to talk to the spirit in a low tone.

Stone-Spirit grunts, ~A pure burning fire would soon be handled by the humans, and our agreement broken by no means of our own.~

Pierces Ice's muzzle wrinkles. ~That is not our agreement. We make no oath to keep the fire burning. We agree to leave it be, so long as it is pure, and no Wyrm is present.~

Power-Up reverts to lupus on Circle Keeper's command and breaks into a run, heading off in the direction indicated by the Uktena at his top speed. Which is quite a speedy speed.

Savages-Enemy remains with his ears perked as he remains looking guarded.

The fire elemental, after Circle Keeper speaks with it, disipates and shrinks back into one of the steam vents, leaving a small scorched patch on the ground.

A moments thought is given, and the Get tosses her head. ~If that can be agreed upon, and our aide welcome in the fight to purify it, then I would be agreeable to such actions.~

Circle Keeper calls for the Glass Walker to stop as the spirit vanishes.

Circle Keeper visibly deflates, his eyesight pretty much well and shot from looking into the light. Shifting down to lupus, he manoeuvres by nose back over to the others. When you have decided, the spirit waits in the spirit-lands. he tells the other two. Going to get things for fire, he tells them (mostly his packmate), before lumbering off.

Pierces Ice grunts wordlessly, drawing her arms up across her chest.

Power-Up wheels round in a loop as he's called back from his abortive errand, and trots more easily back into the caern. He sniffs at the burnt grass and scorched earth where the spirit had its temporary abode.

Let it see what sort of fire we can build it, Power-Up suggests after having given the grass a good snuffling. Perhaps it will like our fire better than the Wyrm fire.

Savages-Enemy sniffs and looks across to Power-Up. There isn't something that you could put fire in? His tail does an occasional flicker.

Pierces Ice's fingers scratch at her upper arms. ~Why? What would you burn that would not cause more harm to Gaia's body? Why not leave what already burns, and let it be clean? Let us ally with the spirits, and gain their favor for the future, as well.~

~The scab fires, if pure, would be extinguished. And if it can help us cleanse that fire, it is much needed help that is offered.~ Stone-Spirit rumbles quietly.

Power-Up points out that he did not suggest burning for the sake of burning. Trees die, or drop branches, he points out. They can be burnt carefully without harming Gaia.

Pierces Ice's lips curl in a snarl at the Glass Walker. ~You do not think. The fire spirits would not care for a branch or a single fallen tree. What they have now has power. It holds great stretches of the earth, and the fuel is not consumed so easily as a branch. You would have to build a fire to rival that, to even gain their attention, and that would harm Grandmother.~

Stone-Spirit looks between Wendigo and Walker, ~If the spirits will help us cleanse what already burns, then we will take their aid. -Only- if they agree to our being there to ensure the fire is cleansed. Once it burns pure, the humans can handle it. If they do not... the fire will once again draw the corruption of the wyrm.~ She pauses in thought, ~The spirits which offer help must work to keep that from happening as well, or we will come once more to deal with this blight. I need to speak with the others to tell them this change, can the rest of you see that the spirits will agree to this?~

Pierces Ice's tongue flicks out to touch the black skin of her lips. ~The Gatekeeper and I will see to it. We will give our Oath to help destroy the Wyrm within the blaze, and while it burns pure to leave it be. They will agree to destroy the Wyrm, and to keep the blaze pure. They will agree to accept our aid, should the Wyrm come again to claim their burning.~

We should not obey every whim of a spirit just because it is a spirit, opines Power-Up. Spirits can be wrong, yes. I do not think this spirit knows how bad the fire we fight is.

Pierces Ice again snarls at the Glass Walker. ~It is better to fight with them as allies, than as opposition. They will fight to rid the blaze of the Wyrm, rather than fight us to keep the blaze alive. It does not matter how tainted the fire, we gain an ally and lose nothing.~

Power-Up adopts a subservient pose as he walks towards Pierces Ice. Of course, yes, yes, you are right. Spirits are good allies when we are able. But I still do not think this spirit sees and hears and scents the full panorama... as we do.

Pierces Ice grunts a verbal shrug. ~It does not matter. It will work on our side.~

Then may our alliance be a happy one, the lupus-bodied Glass Walker hopes. I was seeking you, Pierces-Ice-rhya, when the spirit came.

Pierces Ice looks down at the wolf, finally letting her claws release from her upper arms, and drift down to her sides as she slides down into homid, herself. "Ii?"

When Jacinta returns to her birthform, Kevin follows suit politely. "I spoke with KL," he explains once he's done shifting, "as you asked, Jacinta-rhya. She promised that she would come and find you as soon as she could. Perhaps tomorrow night. Or has she already done so?" He gestures to the fetish that hangs visibly around Jacinta's neck.

Jacinta nods initially, but then her brows draw downward and her hand rises to the necklace. "Qang'a," she says with a shake of her head. "This is the one I showed to you, before. The one that Forath-Ripper brought as his Chiminage."

"And you still need another?" One of Kevin's eyebrows rises perceptibly. "Well, KL will speak to you about it. Matter's out of my hands now."

Jacinta's own gaze grows harder. "I do not need it for myself. The Guardians have need of it. Chimera warned of tainted Garou and Kin, and we have only this one way to root it out and defend the Caern." She points at the pale grey spots, still evident along the surface of the tooth. "And it will not function again until I have meditated, here, uninterrupted. Even with two, we will be sorely challenged in our duties."

"Understood," Kevin says smoothly, "and may your meditation bring you wisdom, Jacinta-rhya." He prods with one toe-end the scorched patch of grass. "Circle Keeper is bringing fuel for the fire? I hope he can find enough."

Jacinta nods. "He will bring items of value. Size is not so important as worth."

"True, that," concedes Kevin. "A little match can start a fire that burns a forest... Well, since you seem to have things well under control here as ever, shall I go tell KL that you await here in this vicinity?"

Jacinta gives another nod. "Ii. Quyana. I will wait here."