Chicago: The North Wind

[Wolf Bane]

This city again, he never thought he would come back. The times where changing as where the winds again. Wolf wandered through the city in the early hours of dawn trying to avoid being spotted by the public. It would suck if he got caught in lupus form and animal control had to be called in. Animal Control was such a pain to deal with, they always cause problems.

He wandered under a bridge near the river where a man slept covering himself up with newspapers. Wolf focused as he shifted from lupus to humid form being careful to make sure no one was watching. He then stood there naked under the bridge as the cold north wind blew. He then kicked the bum sleeping under the newspaper.

"Dang it, it's cold wake up Butch."

Butch: "Bah go away mom I'm aint ready for school."

Wolf just stared at the Bone gnawer for just a moment, and then kicked him again.

"I'm not your mom, you Idiot."

Butch: "Go away go bother some other bum."

Wolf just shook his head and picked up a liquor bottle that was sitting near Butch. Wolf walked over to the river naked and knelt down to feel it up with the cold polluted water. Then he walked back over to butch and dumped the water onto his face. Butch then got shocked out of his slumber.

Butch "What the? Who the?"

Butch then noticed the naked man standing next to him with now empty Liquor bottle. As soon as the sleepy blur was out of his eye's he realized it was wolf.

Butch: “You know boy you shouldn't do that to a vet. I coulda killed ya with my military trainen."

"Bull Butch, we both you never would have made in the military with the way you sleep. So you still have my stash of spare clothing?"

Butch: “I’m to a Vet, I was sergeant in the U.S. Military. I use to little worms like you for breakfast."

"Well you smell like you where eating worms last night."

Butch: "Well just the tequila verity. As for your clothing um I kind of pawned them off."

Wolf's eye's narrowed as he heard his clothing had got pawned off. Never trust a Bone gnawer that’s what that Get in sin city had said. Then again that Get also said the only thing silent striders bring is depressing messages.

"You did what?"

Butch: "I was strapped for cash and cold."

"So you pawned my clothing off, which I gave to you incase I ever returned. To what buy booze to warm yourself up?"

Butch: "Who was to say you where ever going to return, you never know with striders. Also it was a very good tequila. But don't you worry kid old butch has some spare clothing you can wear."

"You do?"

Wolf just shook his head.

Butch: "Yeah, even though I must say this aint my fault at all. I mean I aint the one who likes to travel as a dang wolf. Just let me check my magic cart."

"You mean the Wal-Mart cart over there with junk in it?"

Butch: "That aint junk its wealth. That and it aint no ordinary Wal-Mart cart, it's Magic."

"What the hell have you been smoking?"

Butch got up and walked over to the cart and started digging through it.

Butch: "I hope Bad news didn't bring you to the city boy?"

"Well not bad news for you except that you smell horrible, do you ever take a Bath?"

Butch: “Bath? What is that? At least there is no bad news for me. Here is some pants put those on and cover your, you know."

Butch threw some very disgustingly dirty sweet pants at wolf. Wolf almost puked at their smell, they smelled worse then butch. But it was all he had so he slipped them on.

"These pants are horrible."

Butch: "Quit complaining at least you got pants. So who gets the bad news then."

Butch still digging threw his cart throws a stained yellow wife beater shirt at wolf. Wolf just stares at it for a moment before slipping it on.

"I'm here to deliver a message to Fiona, I don't think it is really bad news though."

Butch: "You know she moved right?"

Butch then walked over stops digging then comes walking over to wolf with a pair of Black over boots with out laces or buckles. He then tosses them at Wolf's feet.

"She moved?"

Butch: "Yup up town to a condo. Nice place I hear from some of the people she keeps in touch with."

Wolf slips the boots on then as Butch tells him the location of the condo.

"Thanks Butch, I hope I won't need a tetanus shot after wearing this clothing."

Butch: "Bah suck it up boy and be a man about it. Losing your clothing isn't the end of the world."

Wolf just walked away into the city.

[Wolf Bane]

About an hour later Wolf finds the place no thanks to Butch's shotty directions. Dang Bone gnawers where suppose to know the city just about as well as the Glass Walkers. It looked like a pretty upscale place to Wolf but it didn't have a doorman or was that New York had those guys? Cities tended to blur after you have seen so many.

Wolf stood there staring at the buzzers for a moment seeing Fiona’s name towards the bottom of the list. He was thinking dam she sure lived pretty high up. So using an old trick he learned from a girl scout LA he ran his hand down the entire buzzer's before Fiona’s name. Because as the teen age girl scout told him back then there will always be some lazy smuck who will push the button to open the door for you instead of asking who it is. Exactly as she stated someone open the door and he slipped in.

He went the elevator, got in and hit the six. It jolted to life pulling at his stomach. When he was kid he loved elevator's as he got older they just made him sick to his stomach. It stopped on the sixth floor and he got out sniffing the air.

"Black Fury, odd?"

He continued to walk to apartment eleven and he knocked on the door. He wasn't much to look at, at the moment in his dirty clothing but that wasn't what worried him. He had left with out even a single word thirteen years ago. Heck worst-case scenario Fiona would kill him oh well he figured.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: On the other side of the door, Fiona was dancing playfully in the livingroom to 'Strange Machines'. Hearing the knock, she hopped over and peeked through the spyhole ::

"Wolf???" she murmured. He looked horrible. Unlocking the door, she opened it to greet him.

"Whoof!!!"

He smelled horrible too.

"Pray Tell, what Bog of Eternal Stench did you fall into???!!!"

[Wolf Bane]

"All I can say is never trust a Bone Gnawer with your stuff."

He stared at her for a moment with a bit of an awkward silence. He really didn't know what to say. He had been gone a long time and never once sent word about where he had been.

"So um can come in or is there a rule against pets here?"

[Fiona Devlin]

"Stay right there."

:: She dashed down the hall then back again, spritzing him liberally with a bottle of Fabreeze, and before he could protest, hurried him through the penthouse and out to the patio ::

"Wolf!" she grinned. "It's good to see you again! What brings you to Chicago?"

:: She hoped he wouldn't kill her ::

[Wolf Bane]

"Uh."

He stood there and only a few moments and the next thing he knew he got spritzed in the face. Then he was being dragged practically through the penthouse and out to the patio.

"Thanks allot, do you do that to all your smelly friends?"

He gave a smile after he said that. That smile quickly went away though as he thought about her question. Silent striders where generally considered the bearers of bad news.

"A servant of the wyrm is causing trouble in the city that is why I have come back. I don't know who or what this servant is but he means lot's of harm to those I care about."

[Fiona Devlin]

"Aye." she replied gravley. "The Guttolic Hive has also returned."

[Wolf Bane]

"An information on what they want, or are they here just to cause trouble?"

He was starting to get flashbacks again but he held off the painful memories as best he could. He stepped back and away from Fiona just in case the memories got to strong and he wolfed out. The Guttolic Hive brought back horrible memories of friends that where lost.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Brigid and Nara killed one in the the park. They haven't made a move for the Fanum again, oddly enough. I don't know what they're planning, but we've been searching night and day."

[Wolf Bane]

Brigid the name lingered in his mind. She must be angry with him, since he left with out telling her. She was one he figured would be angrier then even Fiona.

"Who is this Nara? One of Br..."

He couldn't even say her name. She was the one thing he felt extremely bad about when he left.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Nara McKenna. She's a Black Fury. Brigid met her while I was in Paris and they really hit it off."

[Wolf Bane]

"I always knew she was into dogs, I just never figured she swung that way."

It was so much easier not to have to say her name. It brought back some regret to Wolf's eyes.

"As for you Miss Kincaid how is your life going? Besides the immanent danger you thrive on that lays behind every corner."

[Fiona Devlin]

"Brigid was never the type to wait and weep. She moved on."

:: She sat down in one of the chairs ::

"It's not Kincaid anymore. It's Devlin, and even that's about to change." she gushed.

[Wolf Bane]

"What? Who is the lucky guy? He does no about the fact you can't um die right? And is okay with you being a warrior princess that slays the things that go bump in the night right?"

Crap it was more complicated explaining Fiona, then trying to explain to a kinfolk that they where related to werewolves. Heck when it came to talking to people about his friends, he usually left Fiona at the end of the list explaining that Fiona was well just different.

"Aye I expected as much that Bri..gid would get over me. But still I would rather avoid um the uncomfortable silence that will ensue when I see her, if I see her."

[Fiona Devlin]

"Her name is Michele Hawkins."

:: The name was sweet, like honey on her lips and her eyes were sparkling. She was lost in true love ::

"She's like me. Immortal."

[Wolf Bane]

No wonder no ugo males ever got any. All the hot women that couldn't get hot guy's turned lesbian. Dang shame it was, just another hotty to add to the wall of untouchables.

"Any relation to your old friend Amanda Hawkins? May she rest in piece."

His Mind lapsed for a moment.

"Wait, you swing that way too?"

[Fiona Devlin]

"Aye." she nodded. "All grown up."

:: She raised a brow at Wolf ::

"I swing where my passions take me. Does that shock you?"

[Wolf Bane]

"This Michelle is Amanda's little kid?"

He looked at her with a serious look on his face. He had been gone for a while but even this could cause implications he didn't want to think about.

"She does know right?"

He was referring to the fact that Fiona and Brigid where the one's that saved the girl from the spiral that had killed her mother. If Michelle didn't know that could cause problems in the long run for Fiona.

"I always knew you had passion. Times are just changing and I'm not good about catching up with them. I'm getting older unlike you I don't live forever, the more things change the more I wish they could stay the same. Just thinking the world lost another hotty and that is a shame."

He chuckled a bit.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Aye, she knows everything."

:: She laughed, reaching out to catch his hand. She gave it an affectionate squeeze ::

"It's good to have you back. Would you like a shower? And something to eat?"

[Wolf Bane]

"Good."

Wolf felt comforted in Fiona's honesty. Fiona deserved a little relaxation and the since of love before the on coming storm Wolf felt coming. Wolf had just brought himself back for yet another war. War seemed to the only thing that ever brought him back. It almost depressed him but he didn't let it show.

"A shower and some food sounds good. If you’re really in a generous mood maybe a better-set clothing, if you can manage. You can burn these if it helps."

He smiled.

[Fiona Devlin]

"Aye, those rags are Wyrm-Tainted!!!" she joked. "Wait here."

:: She scurried off, then returned with a trash bag and a large bathrobe ::

"The shower is that way." she pointed the proper direction. "I'll fix you something in the meantime."

:: With that, she turned and went to the kitchen ::

[Wolf Bane]

Wolf just took off his clothing right there in front of Fiona. It wasn't the first time he had done this he really didn't have much shame when it came to taking his clothing off. He always traveled in lupus form so being naked just wasn't a big deal to him. He grabbed the bathrobe after throwing the clothing in the trash bag.

"Pink? Come on?"

He just laughed and began walking for the Bathroom to go shower take the pink bathrobe with him. He looked back at Fiona and gave her a wink.

"I hope your girl friend doesn't get jealous of you having a naked man in your home." He teased and then continued off to the shower.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona chuckled at her friend and made a stir fry w/pepper steak as Wolf enjoyed his shower ::

[Wolf Bane]

Wolf stepped out of the shower about an hour later. It had been awhile since he had last taken a warm shower. He stepped out of the shower to the smell of something cooking. It smelled really good and his stomach gave a grumble in agreement. Wolf quickly dried off and put the pink bathrobe on that Fiona had offered him. He stepped out of the bathroom and just followed his Nose to the kitchen.

"What's cooking?"

[Fiona Devlin]

"Stirfry."

:: Fiona looked over her shoulder and grinned at the sight of him, but she bit her tongue and served him ::

[Wolf Bane]

"Smell's good and my tummy is hoping it tastes as well as it smells."

He gave her a smile as he looked at the food with approval. He sat down not sure exactly how to sit with just a bathrobe on. Then again it wouldn't be the first or the last time Fiona would probably see his privates. Nudity wasn't a big issue so he just sat down and began to dig in with his hands. Not even realizing there was a fork. In between chewing he said something.

"I know you have some kind of funny remark you might as well spit it out."

[Fiona Devlin]

"heheh."

:: Fiona took up a pair of chopsticks, in total contrast to her Garou friend ::

"Fear not. I'll fetch you decent clothes."

[Wolf Bane]

With a mouth full of food he spoke again not even looking up from his plate that was already half gone.

"Thanks, I thought I might have to wear this pink robe for the rest of days in Chicago."

He was joking of course. His plate was now almost empty has he quickly devoured the food. It was good and agreed with his stomach. He finished and looked up at Fiona who was diligently eating her food.

"Seconds?"

He gave a puppy face as he said it.

"So when am I going to get meet this Girl Friend of yours and Judge if she is a good fit for ya?"

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona laughed and hopped up to give Wolf a second helping. This time, she introduced him to the eating utensils ::

[Wolf Bane]

He stared at the fork for a moment. It had been along time before he had eaten well with a human. He looked at it a little longer before he used it to dig into his food. It was almost as if he was trying to remember how to use the blasted thing.

"Oh right, sorry. Nearly forgot how to eat like a civilized dog."

It wasn't as fast and efficient as using ones hand but it worked wolf guessed. This time his food was not consumed in a matter of minutes. He was eating slower making sure he got enough food on his fork to fit his mouth.

"So when do I get to meet her?"

[Fiona Devlin]

"This evening." Fiona chuckled. "She's at school."

[Wolf Bane]

"She is still in school. Isn't she a little young for you?"

He teased. If Fiona based her love life on the ages of those she was going to date there would be a pretty high bar to meet. In fact no corpse in a graveyard in America could probably date her. Wolf was just happy he wasn't that old.

"I mean you turned like what two million this year? I still wonder if you ever dated a dinosaur."

He just laughed as he continued eating.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona's jaw dropped as though she'd been slapped, and she pouted, but there was a glint in her eye that told wolf it wasn't serious ::

"Oh yes, here it comes, the old gray crone, blahblahblah." :mneh

[Wolf Bane]

"Well I wouldn't say gray. You look fairly good for age."

Wolf scarfed down the rest of his food with a smile. He was good and full now. Yet he was still in a pink bathrobe.

"Alright I will meet your girl friend tonight but I really need some clothing. She might think it's odd I'm in a pink bathrobe."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona bit her tongue again ::

"I'll go fetch you those close now. If the phone rings, leave it be."

:: Slipping on her jacket, she stepped out, leaving the Garou alone. Mostly alone. Perceval stared at him inscrutably until his lady returned ::

[Wolf Bane]

"No answering the phone sure."

Then she was gone but wolf had this cat staring at him now. Wolf just stared back and then barked at it. The cat didn't even flinch how odd. Wolf thought about changing into wolf form and chasing the cat. Then he decided against it cause there would more then likely be collateral damage to Fiona’s condo.

"So Mr. cat do you mind if I turn on the TV and watch the news. I mean I have been out of touch with the world, I might as well catch up."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona returned an hour later, to find Wolf channel surfing the big screen TV ::

"Home again."

:: She had two bags in her hands ::

[Wolf Bane]

Wolf got up from the couch and then proceeded to rant.

"TV sucks. I mean come on at this time of day I got my choice of afternoon talk shows, news, and Soap opera's. So I can either watch this chick named Angelina jolie complain about her celebrity life to this other lady names Opera. Or I can watch Jesse profess his love to this chick named Sam on one life to live. Then there is the news why the heck is this Paris Hilton chick more important then a kid napping on Chicago’s south side?"

Wolf just stared at Fiona.

"Why?"

[Michele Hawkins]

Ah that lovely buzz rings in the back of my head signaling, more then likely, my Fiona was home. I unlock the door and head inside.

"Hi honey!" I toss my scarf and jacket over a chair and swing my book back far, far away from me. It thumps down behind the couch. "I'm home!"

Whoa back it up!!! I take two steps back and look at the stranger on the couch. "We got company?"

And company in a pink bathrobe. What the hell? :lol I am trying really hard to not giggle!!!

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Before Fiona could answer, a tingling swept over her and in came Michele. She tried desperatley not to laugh at Wolf's predicament, and failed ::

[Wolf Bane]

Wolf had the deer in a headlights stare on his face. Yet he could see Fiona about to laugh and he sprung into action. He was going to turn the tables on Fiona.

"Oh now this awkward."

He looked over at Fiona and gave her a sly smile and a wink.

"You didn't tell me you had a roommate baby? I mean she can join us if she likes. I just don't think she will like all the noise you will be making. You are a loud one."

[Michele Hawkins]

Ha! This guy's a funny one!

"Ok," I stroll pass Fiona with my nose in the air all offended like and pat her on the head. "I'll make sure to sell the engagement ring at the pawn shop tonight."

[Fiona Devlin]

"Ohhhhh!!!" she cried in jest, going along with the melodrama. "Baby!!!"

:: She tossed the bags of clothes at Wolf and chased Michele down the hall ::

"Can't we keep him??? I promise to take him out for walks, and I've trained him, and I'll put him outside on the patio for the night after we Snog!!!"

:: She grinned madly as she grabbed Michele's hiney with both hands and squeezed it :: :D

[Wolf Bane]

"Snog isn't a word."

He didn't want to say it but Fiona had gotten herself a looker. She reminded him of that chick he had just seen on the Oprah show. Well in look anyway. What a shame that she was lost to the female persuasion.

"I refuse to sleep on the Patio, I'm not a dog."

He was sort of a dog but he wasn't sure if Michelle knew of werewolves so it was best to keep silent on that part. He didn't want her to think he was the big bad wolf chasing little red riding hood and all that. He then looked at Michelle with a smile.

"To explain the pink bathrobe in my defense a bum stole my clothing and sold it. Fiona is an old friend, very old like the beginning of time old. My names Wolf."

[Michele Hawkins]

These two together are funny. Seems 'Wolf' was trying to play it cool since he had no idea if I knew about things that went bumpity bump in the night. "Ah ok, Wolf? Nice to meet you. I'm Michele and I already know how old Fiona is. I mean, talk about robbing the cradle!"

I wrap my arms around her neck and smile big down at her. "But we made sure to hide it well so she doesn't get arrested."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona rolled her eyes lazily ::

"Oh please. Your birthday comes 24 days before mine. That makes me the baby." :mneh

[Wolf Bane]

"I don't think that's how it works cradle robber."

He just smiled at the two women and moved on in conversation.

"So how much has Fiona told you about the paranormal world?"

[Michele Hawkins]

I laugh and point a finger at Wolf, but my question is directed at Fiona. "So does he know anything about me?"

Seriously! :lol If he did, :lol he wouldn't be asking that! :lol

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona looked cornered ::

"I'll just let you two break the ice."

:: She slipped away before either of them could stop her ::

[Wolf Bane]

Wolf wasn't fast enough to stop Fiona from fleeing. He just gave Michele an odd look. He wasn't good at introduction, well a lot of the social side of things he wasn't very good at. He just stood there silent for a bit.

"So um yeah. I don't want to shock you or anything I'm kind of a werewolf. Not like those in the movies I'm not cursed or anything it's genetic."

He wasn't any good at easing into things either he just blurted it out.

"I knew your mom through Fiona."

Yeah he cringed after he said it. He wasn't sure how she would re-act to such information. But he had said it so he had to deal with consequences.

[Michele Hawkins]

I stopped laughing.

"You knew my mother?"

Now I'm all serious, but not in a bad way. Just she died when I was so young and anyone that had contact with her interest me. "So you were there during the war."

Without saying it, Wolf would realize that I was quite educated in the world of the Supernatural. Vampires, Ghosts, Werewolves, and things that were tainted with such evil that it tried to pierce your soul with such terror and pain. Oh yes. I was quite familiar with the Taint of the Wyrm. Its minions, the Black Spiral Dancers, corrupted Garou, had killed my mother in cold blood.

I hated them for taking my childhood away. I hated them because they almost caused me to become an Immortal as a child. You see, it doesn't matter when an Immortal experiences their first death. You could be a baby, some kid at 8, a teenager, 30, 40 etc... You are stuck at that age forever.

But I was lucky. Brigid and Fiona were there to save me. And apparently Wolf too.