Breaking the Veil

Cyrus was perfectly content to ignore all the other conversations, but now there's werewolves at the table next to him. Lovely. He's certainly not going to go talk to them, but if he can discreetly listen in...well, it never hurts to have information, right? And hey, maybe having werewolves nearby will deter anyone else from coming near him.
Still, just to be safe, he moves Celine and her food to the seat next to him, so he can grab her quickly if he has to run. Got to keep the cat safe, after all.

(So, according to the rules, I have to let you know if/when I want to roll? I'd like a roll to listen in on Jacob and co's conversation without being noticed, pretty please~)

[GM SPEAKING: Cyrus is a clever Cyrus! Well done! *gives cookie* Yes, you can INDEED roll to listen, and you have succeeded! Expect an email with bits of conversation. :) ]

((Ms. GM, may I roll to notice Kalynn?))

(to Constantin.) "Jacob just pulled a /Draco Malfoy/. That was practically a direct quote from the book. And I'm supposed to prove I'm an Alpha to someone like /that/."

(to Rufus)
Constantin chuckles. "Yes, you are. Harry Potter would have had an easier time of it if he'd been able to claim the Malfoys as colleagues. And the Malfoys the reverse. So yes, Rufus, as alpha you need to make nice with the Weasleys and Malfoys alike. I don't know if you noticed, but it seems like you'll have automatic enemies from my quarter."

(To Constantin) "But he's such a wanker. At least Adam seems decent enough. Jacob's like those boxing buddies of yours who always tried to intimidate me into doing their homework too."

(to Rufus)
Constantin sighs, and continues their whispered conversation, sitting a little too close so they can keep their voices low and words private. He hopes. Who knows. There are probably people with superhearing or whatever here.
"To stick with your very grown-up comparison for a moment, Harry thought Draco was a wanker too. It still would have been a good idea to become his friend, and they both would have ended up less the wanker for it. So I guess what I'm saying is: suck it up and at least pretend to be diplomatic if you're going to head a pack."

The four young werewolves are conversing among themselves, when suddenly the skinny, awkward kid, Larry, stands up and shouts across the room to Rufus, "Hey, are you really a werewolf too?"

Adam facepalms, and Kay and Sam both flush. Sam pulls Larry down, while Larry makes a face like, 'what?'

Kay hops up and comes across the room toward Rufus and Constantin to apologize. After saying "sorry" more times than is probably healthy, she ends with, "What my friend was trying to say is, if you want to come join us, that would be fine. Both of you," her smile includes Constantin as she gestures back at her friends' table.

Then her eyes go wide and she shakes her hand quickly and says, "But if you don't want to, that's fine too! We just thought, well, since you don't know anybody around here..." She turns a little red.

Rufus looks the girl up and down as he stalls trying to find the right words for the type of answer Constantin expects of him. "Am I going to be propositioned to join your pack? Would any of you threaten my friend?" He watches her face before asking definitively "Or am I going to be shown respect as an alpha in my own right, with the people under my protection given equal hospitality?"

Kay blinks and looks back at her table uncertainly. Adam offers no support, just looks on, amused. "I was just asking if you want to sit at our table..." she mumbles.

She takes a breath and tries again. "Yes, of course. We will respect you as the alpha of your own pack." Her eyes flick to Constantin and back, but she doesn't say anything. "While you are under our hospitality, the Summer Wolves will guard you and yours as if you were one of us."

After a moment's hesitation, she offers, "For now, we can offer hospitality for as long as... umm... we're here at Alexander's."

She glances back at Adam. He nods, smiling.

"Did I do it right?" Kay beams at Rufus and Constantin.

Constantin smiles at Kay, a warm apology for the (judging by everyone's behaviour) necessary posturing. "Perfectly, ingerasul. Thank you for the invitation; it would be a pleasure to meet the Summer Wolves."

Rufus smiles at her, trying to apologize for how in her face he was about it and to put her at ease. "Thank you for inviting us. We'd love to meet you all."

[GM note to Rush: YES, of course you can notice Kalynn! No roll necessary. :D]

((Sorry this response took so long. As the latest email says, I've been having serious internet issues.))

[Conversation between the Summer Wolves pack and Rufus and Constantin]

Kay grins impishly and guides Rufus and Constantin over to the table where her friends sit. "This is Adam; you met him already."

Adam lifts one hand in a silent salute, his eyes quietly tracking the two newcomers.

Kay continues, "This is Larry. He's the special member of our little group."

"Hey!" Larry objects. Kay sticks out her tongue at him.

"And this is Sam," a new tone comes over her voice as she says that, and she throws her arms around the neck of the largest member of the pack. Even with him sitting and her standing, she barely leans down at all to reach his neck.

Sam smiles, with boyish shyness that's almost surprising coming from him, and gives a small, restrained wave.

[Convo between Rush and Kalynn.]

RUSH:
Speaking of the lady he's supposed to be meeting, adorable distractions though baby werewolfs are, Rush roams his eye around the room again, finally noticing Kalynn. He startles, with a small, distracted wave at the waiter, inwardly relieved that the politician doesn't seem too concerned with keeping a low profile.

"And speak of the devil, I'll just ask her." He makes his way over, trying to school himself to look polite and professional. A politically prominent changeling is kindove a new one.

"Ms. Worthington?" He flashes an awkward smile.

((Thanks Amelia! It's okay, no rush. ;) How is this for denoting which chars are speaking?))

[OOC GM NOTE TO RUSH]

((Looks awesome, thanks!))

((This is a conversation between Rufus and Constantin; and Rufus, Constantin, and the Summer Wolves))

As Rufus rises to meet the Summer Wolves, Constantin catches his shoulder and whispers something, with a wink, before carrying on to the Summer Wolves' table.
"It's a pleasure to meet those of you I am, and to see again those of you I already have. Constantin Musat: Domnitori, and Rufus' friend. Call me anything you like, but the terrible nicknames he," Constantantin gestures towards Rufus with a grin," conjures."

((This is a conversation between Rufus, Constantin, and the Summer Wolves))

Rufus grins at Constantin as they walk over. "I'm Rufus Call, of the newid blaidd apparently. My dad's probably written a fair bit of code for your cell phones and computers. And don't listen to him," he gestures at Constantin with a mischievous grin, "he /loves/ being called Connie."

[Summer Wolves speaking to Rufus and Connie]

Adam barks with laughter, "Hi, Connie! Mine's the pleasure. Make yourselves comfortable."

The kids readjust to make space at the table for the two newcomers. Larry perks up at the mention of computers and codes, but then, almost before Rufus is done speaking, he interjects, "What's a newid blaidd?"

[OOC GM NOTE for Rufus, Constantin, and Adam & co: All who wish to can make a roll to see what they remember having heard about the newidd bleidd at this point. Yes, Adam, that includes your ENTIRE pack!]

[OOC: I'd like to roll, please! The more information, the better~!]

[OOC: I'm included in that? Lol, yes, why not? Can't hurt. I'd love to roll.]

[OOC: I'd like to roll too]

[Rolling rolling rolling... keep them dice a rolling. The summer wolves are rolling!]

[OOC GM RESPONSE: Rolls are made, and responses have been emailed!]

((This interaction includes: The Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

With a quick glance across the Summer Wolf pack, Constantin answers Larry, "A survivor."
Over the last few moments, he's quietly shifted, and now stands one step to Rufus' side and about three behind.

((This interaction includes: The Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

"It means Wolf-Changer in Welsh. It's the type of wolf that runs in my family line."

((interaction includes: Summer Wolves, Rufus and Constantin))

Larry seems to recognize the phrase, now that he's hear it explained. He can hardly contain himself to wait until Rufus is done speaking before saying, "Yes! Now I remember where I recognize it from! I played this game, Bo Peep the Champion... ah, it... I don't really play that game anymore..." He looks slightly uncomfortable, then grins awkwardly.

Kay whispers something into Sam's ear, and he shrugs.

Adam nods, "I've heard of them. I thought they were all extinct." He leans back in his chair, raising an eyebrow at Rufus.

[ooc: as public school boys, might Rufus and I roll to recognize an immature and/or inappropriate videogame? XD I.E. Bo Peep the Champion.]

((This is an interaction with the Sunmer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

"Say what you will about them, they're not really ones for dying at all, let alone dying out."

[OOC GM to Constantin and Rufus: Successful rolls! You BOTH recognize this videogame. It was in the news a year or so ago, for all the controversy over its very inappropriate and offensive content, which included the (Welsh) hero, Bo Peep, having sex with a sheep instead at the end of each level. Mothers across the nation, as well as a large percentage of Welsh people, were not amused.]

((And this is going on the forum rather than in an email because it's not particularly secret information. I'm pretty sure the rest of the Pack recognizes this videogame as well.))

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Rufus raises an eyebrow at Larry looking like he might go on a nationalistic tirade about how the video game was offensive and disgusting before splitting into a smile. "While I don't like the sheep stereotype, I am always a fan of video games that offend as many people as possible." Rufus grins broadly before turning to Adam with a shrug "My family is far from extinct we just haven't had the right factors to trigger the change for awhile."

((this interaction includes the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Another few quiet steps, and Constantin is close and tall beside Rufus, a pale hand on his shoulder.
"Rufus is a right assassin; I've never seen anyone last against him," Constantin grins, wide and full of teeth. "A brilliant player."

He tilts his head slightly, from where it is over Rufus' shoulder, giving a quick whispered word before turning back to the Summer Wolves. "You should see his kill count!"

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

"Maybe we should go running sometime. It sounds like no one's seen a wolf from my family for a long time so you'd probably get some bragging rights amongst the other packs." He gives Kay a flirty wink before turning his smile to the rest of the pack.

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Constantin's fingers tighten a little on Rufus' shoulder, and he shoots Sam a look, telling him with rolled eyes and a shake to his head that Rufus isn't actually trying to horn in on his girl.

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Rufus places his hand on Constantin's where it rests on his shoulder, it's both an acknowledgement to his warning and a familiar, fond, gesture that indicates he's not actually interested in Kay.

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Kay's eyes widen and she goes a little pale as she watches the two. Sam looks slightly miserable. He covers Kay's hand protectively with his own big one.

Adam, oblivious to the discomfort of the younger two, nods appraisingly at the news. "Good to hear," he says. "There are few enough of our kind left, and it seems like more are vanishing all the time. Glad to hear your family still has some life in them."

"Can we go running with him? Please, please, please?" Larry asks Adam, wringing his hands imploringly.

Kalynn to Rush

"Ah," Kalynn says slowly, turning around at the sound of her name. She glances over the man. "I take it you are Rush?" She politely offers her free hand to him. The smile on her face is slightly forced, but she tries to look as amiable as possible.

"Perhaps we could return to your table?"

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

Sam smiles back in response to Constantin's rolled eyes and thoughtful look, though he doesn't seem to actually get the significance of the squeezed hand.

Kay still looks a little uncomfortable. She shifts in her seat a couple times, then leans forward and says, "Is it true that the Newid Blaidd (she pronounces it like "nude blade") use magic to shift?"

((This is an interaction with the Summer Wolves, Rufus, and Constantin))

"Um I don't know? I don't start chanting in a dead language and waving my hands around when I want to change I just do, but isn't turning into a wolf inherently magic?" He shifts back to lean against Constantin, hand still holding the vampire's.

((ooc: she wouldn't pronounce it "nude blade" because near as I can tell, in Welsh a "dd" is usually pronounced like "th" and she hasn't seen it written, just heard it.))

((This is Cyrus...not so much talking as starting to cause chaos. Also, the rolls for this scene have already been done with Amelia, so don't you worry there~))

At his table, Cyrus shudders--though for what reason, no one can tell. He covers his eyes, as if trying to ward off the light. His cat mews cautiously, as if she knows what is amiss.
"Shh. Stay here." There's no emotion to his voice as he finally speaks, patting the cat on the head. Cyrus gets to his feet, passing by Jacob and his pack before striding to the bar. There's no expression on his face, save for a flicker of a grimace when he passes the various vampires in the bar.