[i]Jocasta[/i]

Jocasta left her car parked in the small lot that served the public and the ranger station of Pawtuckaway State Park. It was empty save one tan colored Jeep marked with the green circle of the park's logo. She locked up their belongings, Eddie shrugging into the old army surplus coat he wore over his Amon Amarth shirt and his jeans that had seen better days. His long black hair hung down past his heavy jaw and was in need of a combing. Jocasta shook her head as he refused the brush and stubbornly tucked the strands behind his ears, glowering at her. He was still sore at having to come in homid form though he did enjoy car rides it was not the same as running wild through the moonpaths. 

She gave up and led him toward the park entrance. Jocasta looked like a camper, her long dark hair up in a ponytail and she wore a white t-shirt tucked into khaki shorts and hiking boots. She had a bag over her shoulder that contained not a tent or trail mix but her tools, weapons, and Eddie's Game Boy. She could hear him huffing and snuffling, she knew he wanted to change. Finally, after they were into the forest and away from the main trail she gave her consent. 

"Alright, go on...and quit growling about it," Jocasta said waving her hand at him and turning away as he eagerly stripped and transformed to his more comfortable Crinos form. She picked up his things and stuffed them into her bag. 

The forest was quiet, the twitter of birds dying down as they passed through the sun beams and shadows that filtered through the tall pines and hemlocks. Eddie made is way among the trees while Jocasta stayed in the trail as it wound upward towards the summit of a hill that was generously called a mountain. When they reached the summit, she could see the large pond, the home of the caern. The air felt clean here, the scent mud, the tang of pine, and the scent of other Garou in the breeze. 

Jocasta made her way down, Eddie trailed after her unseen and soon she was approaching the water. The pond radiated a sense of peace and ancient wisdom. It had been a Croatan caern and though it was now a shadow of it's former power but still an important force to be protected. It was still morning, the sun midway to it's apex in the sky and the still waters reflected the puffy clouds that floated over head. She paused, watching a couple of turtles slip from their perch on a dead tree limb into the water and that is when she noticed the young woman. 

She studied her for a moment, that redhair screamed Fianna, and she was certain she was not a Fury. Jocasta felt Eddie come up behind her, studying the stranger as well, his golden eyes wary of the stranger. The Metis could no doubt smell that she was homid, a Garou, and he was cautious. His experience had been not many Garou were as kind as the ones who had taken him in or the Children of Gaia who had other Metis of both sexes. He rumbled a growl and she hushed him. 

Approaching the tattooed woman, Jocasta waved, "How's the fishing?"