It is currently 19:21 Pacific Time on Mon Jun 28 2004.
Currently the moon is in the waxing Gibbous Moon phase (75% full).

Natalie escorts Chaney back up the stairs after supper and a taped episode of
      Blue's Clues. Unsurprisingly, Marcus refused to stay and watch, even 
      after finding out that it was the episode about the costume party. He's 
      no fun anyway. "Today," the Galliard says as they reach Chaney's door, "I 
      think it's time for tribes. Maybe auspices. And for this, you'll need to 
      be in lupus."
Chaney swings her arms energetically as she climbs the stairs behind Natalie,
      muttering little 'ah's and 'uh's in varying pitch and tone. She stops at 
      the word 'lupus' and looks alertly at Nat.
Natalie nods and points toward the cub's room. "Yup, you heard me. Into your
      room, then shift lupus, Chaney."
"Uh-ah!" says the cub brightly and jogs into her room, dropping instantly into
      her birth form the moment she's stepped foot inside.
Natalie pauses, her head cocked, then glanced down the stairs. "Well, that
      certainly /sounded/ like lupus. Good girl, Chaney!" She shifts as well, 
      though it takes her longer to shift through the handful of forms. The 
      door to the hall is left open behind her.
Many Faces trots out of the room, tail upcurled in happy-mode, jaws gaping
      cheerfully open. She frolicks at the Galliard, wagging her tail and 
      licking at the older Garou's face.
Yes yes, Holds-the-Line tells her, batting at her with one paw, her own tail
      flopping lazily. I am very very pleased with how fast you learn. Soon I 
      shall take you to meet the Alpha of Alphas. She will be pleased with you 
      as well.
Many Faces all but bounces on her forepaws, then dashes away a short distance,
      turns, and play-bows. Yes! Very very very smart I am.
Holds-the-Line snaps her jaws at the cub, the effort causing her to fall over
      onto her side. And, not so coincidentally, blocking the doorway as well. 
      Very very smart, she agrees. Which is why I know you will learn the 
      tribes very very quickly.
Many Faces lies down and looks quizzical. Tribes?
Tribes, the older wolf confirms. You already know about Garou. You know our
      rules, the Litany. What you do not know is that we do not just run in 
      packs. We have packs of packs. These are what we call tribes.
Many Faces turns her ears back a bit, looking confused. Packs of packs?
Holds-the-Line digs lightly at the floor as she thinks, then tucks the paw
      beneath her. Yes. Each tribe lives in a different way, and once, in a 
      different place as well. Our tribe is Those Who Walk Among the Glass. 
      Remus, Sun-Hair and Dark-Hair all belong to this tribe. When we went to 
      the farm, those Garou we met were of different tribes. You see?
Many Faces chews at a forepaw restlessly. I am Those Who Walk Among the Glass
      too? What is glass?
We are both Those Who Walk Among the Glass, Holds-the-Line affirms. Glass is...
      She lifts her nose to point it at the window. There. The hole in the wall 
      that is covered but you can see through. It is covered with glass. There 
      is much glass in the city, and that is where we make our home. That is 
      why we are Those Who Walk Among the Glass.
Many Faces heads over to the window, rearing up to hook her front paws on the
      windowsill so she can press her nose to the glass.
Holds-the-Line watches as she explores, her tail thumping once against the
      wooden floor. Do not break it, or you will be She Who Walks On the Glass. 
      ...Do you remember when we walked to Sun-Hair? The shiny on the floor? 
      That was glass also. It bit you.
Many Faces drops back down to all fours and pads back to the Galliard. Yes. It
      bit me. But the hurt went away. I know tribes now. Play?
Holds-the-Line only snorts at her. You know -one- tribe. There are many.
The cub lets out an impatient whine and lies down again in a way that hints
      that she'll be back on her feet in an instant. Many?
As many tribes as there are rules in the Litany, the older wolf agrees with
      only a brief lolling of her tongue to indicate amusement. You already 
      know of one: our tribe. Then there are the tribes in my pack. Get of 
      Fenris and Black Fury. The Get are fierce warriors, one and all. The 
      Black Furies are all female, and fight like a mother protecting her cubs.
Many Faces listens like a student just before summer vacation.
Holds-the-Line snaps her jaws closed. If you do not want to listen and learn,
      then I shall leave. And there will be no toys tonight for you to play 
      with. She begins to push herself to her feet.
Many Faces is on her feet in a flash and practically attacks the Galliard in a
      wriggly, muzzle-licky demonstration of apology.
Holds-the-Line allows the frantic licking for a moment, then shoulders the cub
      away. Enough! The Garou have no place for a cub who will not learn. If 
      you do not learn, then you will be culled, like a sick runt pup. You do 
      not want that. I do not want that. But I will do it if you do not listen. 
      So. Sit down and I will tell you of more tribes.
Many Faces lies down obediently, her head between her forepaws, and looks
      mournful. Will listen.
Good. Holds-the-Line stands a heartbeat longer, then sits. So. Three tribes you
      know already. Then there is the tribe of the Alpha of Alphas. She is 
      Fianna. This is also the tribe of the Garou in the barn - Sings to 
      Spirits. The Fianna keep the history of the Garou. They also enjoy 
      singing. Howling.
Many Faces now listens like a student before summer vacation who fears a
      surprise pop quiz -- intently but restlessly.
The Bone Gnawers, Holds-the-Line continues relentlessly, also live in the city,
      but they are not like us. They pick the smelliest, worst places to den. 
      They know much about what happens in the city, but they must be kept at a 
      distance.
Many Faces's ears skew. Why do they want to live in small bad places?
Because we take the best, is Holds-the-Line's answer. And also because they are
      Bone Gnawers. That is their way.
Many Faces chuffs. First of best things to alphas! Omegas get last. Bone
      Gnawers are omegas?
Yes. Very good. Bone Gnawers are Omegas of city tribes. Of all tribes. Now. The
      galliard swivels an ear toward the stairs. Which tribe is all female?
Many Faces thinks for a moment before answering. Black Angers.
Holds-the-Line's ear swivels back onto the cub. Close, but not quite. If one of
      them heard you say that, you would be flipped onto your back. Black Fury. 
      Which is the tribe of the Alpha of Alphas?
Many Faces remembers this. Fianna.
Holds-the-Line knew that you were clever enough to remember. Another tribe is
      the Children of Gaia. They make peace among the tribes. When we fight and 
      draw blood, the Children step in to say no. The Wendigo are a tribe that 
      fights a lot. They fight humans, they fight the other Garou. They do not 
      come often to the city.
Many Faces becomes more interested despite herself. Why do they fight?
They say that the other Garou - and the humans - brought the Wyrm to this land.
      They call us 'Wyrmcomer'. A derisive snort indicates what Holds-the-Line 
      thinks of that. They carry a grudge like a bone until it is all chewed 
      over, and still they carry it. I think they have forgotten what it is 
      like to not carry this grudge.
Many Faces absorbs this with bemusement and chews at an itch on the top of her
      foreleg.
Holds-the-Line continues her lesson. The Red Talons are all lupus-born, like
      you. They would kill all humans everywhere. Then there are the Lords of 
      Shadow. They are... tricky. They will say one thing and mean another. She 
      becomes even more stern, her pumpkin-gold eyes boring into the cub. You 
      cannot trust a Shadow Lord farther than you can see him. Do you hear me?
Many Faces lays her ears back and puts her head down. I hear you.
Holds-the-Line huffs, just once, and nibbles on a foreleg to calm herself. When
      it doesn't work, she heaves herself to her feet. Those are all the tribes 
      I will teach you tonight. I will leave the door open so you can go 
      downstairs if you wish. Perhaps Remus will make a bagle for you if you 
      ask.
Many Faces lifts her head and wags her tail at mention of bagel. Released from
      the lesson, she stretches up back to human form and with a wordless 
      little cry gets up and goes charging gleefully down the hall. Someone's 
      energetic tonight.
Holds-the-Line shifts in the hallway - one of the perks of being Elder - and
      heads up the stairs instead, taking them two at a time.