It is currently 15:13 Pacific Time on Sat Oct 13 2001.

Currently the moon is in the waning Crescent Moon phase (25% full).

Currently in Saint Claire, it is mostly sunny today. The temperature is 59
degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in
from variable directions at 5 mph. The barometric pressure reading is
30.32 and falling, and the relative humidity is 62 percent. The dewpoint
is 46 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius.)

Walker Safe House - Lobby

        This small tenement building is a work that any interior decorator
would be proud of. The building is somehow filled with light and space,
despite the fact that the room is far from large. Mirrored surfaces and
lush green potted plants are much in evidence - jarring only slightly with
the video cameras that perch unobtrusively in various locations. A small
sign on the wall lists the number of apartments upstairs as eight, though
there are no names next to the apartment numbers. A very thick door leads
downstairs, with no visible method of being opened - except a keypad next
to it. A monitor is perched above the entrance, showing images from the
hidden camera that watches the outside of the building.

        The lobby branches off into what appears to be a small recreation
room; for use only by residents and their guests.

The door buzzes signaling the lock's having been opened, and Jon's voice
returns to the speaker. "C'min." he states, and then heads downstairs. As
Kaz enters she finds Jonathan sitting naked on the steps, save for a large
and light blanket draped over his shoulders and covering him, somewhat. |
Kaz has a large bag of bagels, and two cups of coffee. She doesn't seem to
notice his state of dress, or undress, as the case may be. "Yo, hey," she
says, cheerfully, "Want somethin' t'drink?"

Jonathan nods. "I could use it." he replies with a grin, his hand moves to
pat the step next to him. "Care to take a load off, Rhya?" he asks
quietly. "I got room for two."

Kaz hands over the coffee -- black. Instead of sitting down next to him,
though, she slides down the wall into a sitting position, next to the
stairs. "S'yeah. 'Sup?"

Salem comes down the stairs, apparantly on his way out; his sunglasses are
on, and his coat's folded over one arm. He pauses -- less because of the
presence of his "favorite" Bone Gnawer and more because the stairs are
rather blocked. Not to mention the state of the cub who's half the
obstacle. A brow rises. "Going primal, Jonathan?"

Jonathan shrugs. "Roger went ape on us. Seems me and Dizzy's bickering got
to him. He decided we're not learning anything or progressing. So he's put
us in bo--" His words are cut off by Salem's words and he lifts his head
up to look at Salem, albeit upside-down, from his point of view. "Yeah,
been working out, more comfortable like this. John says we cubs worry far
too much about modesty, shows ya how wrong he is about some of us." he
smiles warmly and stands up with the coffee in hand to let Salem pass.
"Frankly, if you go losing your clothes half the time when you shift, I
don't see the big deal in going naked." he moves across to get out of the
way, and slip down to sit next to Kaz, imitating her stance.

Kaz still seems not to notice Jon's state of undress. She shrugs. "Makes
sense t'me. Heya, Salem," she adds, glancing up at him. "How goes?"

"Hm," is all Salem says in response to Jon; even with the dark lenses
hiding his eyes, he seems to regard the cub critically for a moment before
his attention turns to the Bone Gnawer. "Afternoon, Kaz," he greets in a
tone of voice that's nothing but polite.

Jonathan settles down onto the floor next to Kaz and starts sipping his
coffee, cradling the cup in both hands. He pokes Kaz and smiles. "Hey, if
I spill this who do I sue?" he asks jovially, "That Mcdonalds lady made a
mint."

"You sue the Walkers, for creating an unsafe working condition," says Kaz,
grinning faintly.

[Kaz runs off on a Gnawer-errand.]

Salem shakes his head slightly. Though it's clear he was on his way out
earlier, now he lingers, turning toward the blanket-clothed cub. "Did you
enjoy the theurge moot?"

Jonathan shrugs slightly before speaking, both as an answer and to give
him time to consider his words. "The start. I can't say I enjoyed seeing
the damage I did." the cub explains, and then sighs, looking down into his
cup of coffee.

"Ah, yes. The fire." Salem leans against the wall nearby, arms folded with
the coat draped over them. "I've heard rumors." His tone treats the word
'rumors' with casual dismissal. "What happened?"

Jonathan shrugs. "Fire." he says, then takes a sip of the hot brew. "Laura
and I were attacked, by weaver spiders. They caught her. I tried to help."
He shakes his head again, "By tossing a burning branch at them. The
rest... got out of control."

Salem makes a thoughtful 'mm' type of noise, nodding. He's listening,
listening quite carefully in fact. "She led you into the Umbra?"

Jonathan shakes his head. "No, I ran there. She followed. I had just found
out that I might die during my rite. I was looking into a glass window at
the time that I got really scared. I just had to /run/. I can't explain
it, I just had to be somewhere else. Immediately. So, there I was, in the
umbra, during the daytime.

Salem's lips thin. He continues to regard the cub critically. "In the
umbra. In the daytime. In the dark. Mm. And then the spiders attacked?"

Jonathan nods. "Yeah, they were busy claiming some of the forest with
their webs and they attacked us. I guess they thought we would make good
building material."

Salem nods. He seems satisfied enough with the explanation. "Did you learn
anything from the experience?"

Jonathan nods. "I learned a lot, probably more then I could explain in a
week. Nothing, though, can teach as much as seeing the damage I did." he
sighs and takes another sip of the brew. A moment later he looks up and
offers the cup out. "Where are my manners, want your share?" he asks,
motioning the cup towards him.

Salem holds up a hand, his head shaking briefly in refusal. "No, thank
you. How extensive was the damage?"

Jonathan returns the cup to his lips and drinks from it. "Pretty bad. But
we're working on fixing it. Mostly me."

Jonathan returns the cup to his lips and drinks from it. "Pretty bad. But
we're working on fixing it. Mostly me. The theurges summoned some rain
there, that helped. I'm working on it in the realm, and trying to see what
I can get done in the shadow.

Salem nods once, then tilts his head slightly. "How long have you been
with the family, Jonathan?" The Philodox's voice continues to be nothing
but calm. Reserved, but not utterly unfriendly.

Jonathan considers this, seems like a lifetime now. "Hmm, I guess about
two months." he replies, after having mentally counted the days. "A while
of that was time with the family before I actually firsted. My kinfetch
ran off early."

"And you're..." Salem looks at the boy thoughtfully. "Sixteen?"

Jonathan shrugs. "Seventeen, but close." he replies quickly.

Salem nods. Straightening up, he unfolds the long leather coat and shrugs
into it. "If Kaz returns before I do, let her know that I have to speak
with her."

Jonathan nods softly. "Yes Rhya." he replies, and takes another sip.

Salem nods, then departs.