April 24, 2012 Evening Stroll and much more?

It was 6 p.m, the sun was starting to glow a faint red. David, Hazel, Gwen and Jo had by some miracle, decided to check out the city. The sun was dimming and the street lights were coming to life. Illuminating the dark corners of the city, and just like, it seemed like the night had started to emerge. The city was beautiful at times, like tonight but, it's full of danger.

"Well, where to guys? I was thinking we head to a rose park! Oh, and maybe grab a bite to eat! Or or, a movie!" David was very excited. The city had always fascinated him, after his first encounter with Old Man Moon, he had decided to live his life in the wilderness, taking in the nature beauty and the serenity it had to offer. He would on very rare occasions, go into the city to buy some supplies, but other than that, he never actually enjoyed himself while there.

David looked towards the group and smiled. Friends. Family. What more can he ask for?

Gwen sighed, accepting David's hyper behavior. For an adult, he sure did prattle on a lot. "Well, we could probably go find somewhere to sit down and talk a bit...If that is all part of this 'bonding' thing. since it seems at this point, we're all going to be stuck together for sometime, we might as well get to know one another, right? If you all want to eat, we can. I'm a tad hungry myself, but it can wait. Anyway, anything attract your interest, Hazel?" she asked the woman, hoping she would choose a normal location. Gwen lived here, and nothing seemed special to her anymore. After all, her favorite place was happily holed up in her flat, and they certainly weren't going there...

Hazel smiled slightly. She knew that David was probably driving Gwen crazy. In an attempt to try to add some hint of normalcy to the day, Hazel made the most typical suggestion she could think of.

"How about some pizza?" It wasn't until Hazel made the suggestion that she realized how much she actually wanted the food. It had been ages since Hazel'd had pizza. It sounded delicious. "There's a good pizza place about two blocks from here that we could stop at."

Scarlett's honey eyes grew wide as she heard the familiar voices of... Family? Friends? Who were these people to Scarlett? Whoever they were they were all she had now and spending some time with them was something she really wanted to do. If only she could open up a little more. Scarlett carefully approached them-

"Hey-- Uh friends", stammered Scarlett, "I finished my ummm, business did you want to hang out? I heard you were talking about food, I know this really good place that serves Irish Pastys. They're really good! It's like a panini and a calzone mixed, it's something out of the ordinary So uh I thought....."

Scarlett let herself trail off, she most sound like a bumbling idiot to her family.

David was surprised to see her here. She was the type that liked to be alone, and that alone was so out of the ordinary for David, but family is family after all.

"Well, if it isn't Scarlett!" David boomed. He was in the city, the volume shouldn't be a problem, it was Portland, and the city was brimming with life tonight. Just like every other night. He made his way towards the women and hugged her.

"Looks like the gangs all here! Well, except for Stumpy but, he has his business to take care of. Regardless, now that we're here, why not enjoy ourselves? And as for food, we can get pizza then some pastry, how's that sound?" David seemed to trail off, he was thinking about the last time he was in the city. The first time he was in Portland. Looking for his father. This bothered David and hoped that the others couldn't tell.

Upon David's first exclamation, Gwen glared harshly and darted her eyes around the area. Much to her pleasure, no one was staring at them awkwardly because of the commotion. Loud noises disrupted her thought process (people never yelled in the library), and there has never been someone she thought so...loud. Even down to the tone of his voice, she was just irritated.

Shooting a sympathetic gaze towards the poor quiet girl that couldn't be currently saved from the man's grasp, she subconsciously moved towards Hazel. She started, "David, I think you might want to let go of her? And uh, yeah, let's go get pizza then pastry...Hazel, will you lead the way? What kind of pizza do you guys like? Anything with meat is good with me...lots of meat. Pizza needs meat," she jabbered while trying to get her mind off of David's continuing touching. She shuddered. He just needed to keep his grubby paws to himself.

Hazel smiled sympathetically at Gwen. If there was some way to get David to change his ways, Hazel would have found it ages ago. It was pointless to try, and Hazel was fine with David now.

"Don't worry," she whispered so that only Gwen could hear her. "He sort of grows on you." She then stepped up and cleared her throat, drawing interjecting herself between David and Scarlett. "The pizza place is this way," she said, her eyes turning to look at Scarlett. "Hello, there, pleasure to see you again."

Hazel turned around and began walking down the sidewalk, doing her best to avoid bumping into passerby as she went.

Scarlett was surprised by David's enthusiasm. Didn't he think she was weird? It had been years since she had felt an embrace like this, and to her shock she found herself hugging back tightly not wanting to let go. After a moment she let go and composed herself.

"Hello Hazel, hi Gwen. I think pizza then pasty sounds great. I like meat also; I think we should get meat lovers I mean how can you have a pizza with just cheese, that's always been weird too me. Lead the way "

Scarlett smiled brightly this was the first time in a long while she had had friends.

Turning around David looked at the floor. Why now? Why did he have to remember about his father now? He'd never really learn how to deal with it, so he just hoped he was alone when it happened. But that was different. He felt the waves of emotion slapping him in the face. Mocking him.

"Uhh, you guys go on ahead, just give the name of the place and I'll be there before you know it! since we're in the city, it'd be better if I took care of business now than later." David knew of only one place to go at a time like this. It wouldn't probably stir more emotions, but he didn't care. He needed to leave, and quickly before they ask what's wrong

Dameon sat quietly outside of the pizza parlor, with a single slice, leaning back in the shade under a large oak tree, the slight breeze rustling the leaves above him. He leans in to take his first bite, and looks up, to see none other than his own pack, almost the entirety of them, strutting around the corner, heading his direction. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. Setting his slice down, he leans back a bit, and raises a hand to his family, as if to invite them over.

Smiling at Scarlett, she continued to ramble on about pizza needing it's meat and her utter detesting of plain cheese. It was like some oily grease pit without any sort of reward.

When she heard David speak, she was flabbergasted. Out of all the things she had seen the strange man do, this was by far the weirdest. He was looking forward to this, and now all of a sudden he had 'some business'? Stepping away from Scarlett, she walked towards him, stopped, and cocked her head, trying to get a good look at him. "Did you fall on your head or something in the last minute or so when we weren't looking? I thought you were looking forward to this," she asked, looking at him straight-on. As much as she was annoyed by him, she knew him as the loud, touchy man. This quiet little shell wasn't right. At all. "Business? Why didn't you tell us anything about it?" Cringing, she continued, "We are, a, err, family, right?" Awkwardly, she stepped forward and attempted to place her hand on his shoulder, but stopped before she made contact. Oh no, she had been infected by it. Her eyes widened at the realization. Is that part of why people touch each other? For comfort? Not just germ-sharing?

Hazel had to give Gwen an A for effort at least. She was definitely trying, that was for sure. Hazel wasn't sure how David would respond to this. He had these times every now and then, and Hazel knew it had something to do with his life before he joined The River Spirits, but she had always respected that it was something he kept to himself, just as she did with her first pack. However, Hazel didn't know how David would respond to Gwen making the attempt to connect to him. Maybe this new girl could get him to open up.

Hazel turned her head at the pizza parlor. They were close. As she gazed at it, she noticed a familiar face sitting at one of the tables. It was Dameon. Hazel's face lit up in a smile and she raised her hand up in a half-wave.

Scarlett winced when she looked up to meet David's eyes. Scarlett had seen those eyes before. Yes those were the same eyes that had stared back at her in a mirror for years, Cold, looking for something that they knew they wouldn't find. Scarlett took David's hand he reminded her of Kamron in some obscure way. She wanted to ease his suffering, she had been through it once before and knew how hollow it could make you. She looked over at Gwen and smiled perhaps this girl could see the agony he was in too? Scarlett liked Gwen even though she just met her.

"Do you want to talk? I know a peaceful spot where you could clear your mind."

Scarlett shot a pleading glance at Gwen and Hazel hoping that they would help her comfort David.

"Families help each other right?"

David was touched. Looking down at Gwen, he tells her,

"I have to take care of this. It's...it's very important..." He said and trailed off in his thoughts and was awoken by the soft hand grasping his. He looked into the eyes of Scarlett

"I uhh, have to do this on my own, sorry haha" He said, faking the laugh and slipped out of his mouth. He knew that their intentions were well, but, this was a part of his past that he needed to deal with. He pulled something from out of his pocket and handed it to Scarlett, it was some money 20 something dollars.

"Enjoy yourself, don't you guys go on and worry about me." He said with sincerity. He took his personal matters very seriously and would hate to see others hurt by his doings. And with that, Daivd turned and waved to Dameon, giving him a large smile.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, give me 20 minutes? If not, I'll find you guys." He turned his back on them and left without saying another word.

Gwen watched him leave, but couldn't do anything to stop him. Not caring if he heard her or not, she cupped her hands and yelled, "You better be back as soon as you can, I'll be counting! When you want to tell us, I'll listen! I promise!" Her hands moved from an amplifying position to cover her mouth. Yelling? She never yelled. Her ears rang a little as she turned back at the others and continued in a low voice, "We'll just wait for him...No use in forcing it. He'll tell us when he wants to, I suppose. So let's welcome him when he gets back? I read somewhere that there's nothing better than smiling people to welcome you back, is that true? I may not like him much, but I wouldn't want him any other way, I guess. Anyhow, let's go inside and have something to eat...I'm famished."

She had changed into a werewolf one day not so long ago...Maybe it was fate's twisted way of telling her to grow herself? Ironic, she thought at first...her name meant blessed, but now, it just might not be that bad.

Hazel smiled at the two newer girls. They were both coming out of their cages. Hazel put her arm around Scarlett's shoulder and began to guide her towards the pizza place. "Now, now," Hazel said as they walked. "I know what you're thinking. Normally we do our best to help the fellow Uratha in our pack. We need to do our best for them. However, sometimes what's best for someone is to be left alone. And right now that's what David needs. What's best for David is to be left alone with his thoughts." She paused for a second until they got to the pizza place. "And what's best for us to get some food in our stomach." Hazel sat down at the same table Dameon was seated at and waited for the others to join them.

Scarlett sighed and let Hazel take her away.

"I know how he feels." She mumbled before perking herself up as to not upset Hazel.

She looked curiously at Gwen, she had never heard the girl talk above a whisper before. She was really starting to like her, and Hazel too, she was always the voice of reason. Scarlett promised to herself she would become closer to them in the days to come. With this said and done Scarlett sealed herself back into her quiet protective layer. She knew she didn't have to be so cautious around her pack but she couldn't help it she naturally watched out for everything. Upon arriving at the pizza place she finally noticed the man the pack had been waving at. The smell of pizza filled her nostrils and made her stomach growl it was useless to try and stay focused here in this condition. Scarlett sat down and that when she notice him for the first time. Curiously she cocked her head to the side, she could tell by looking at him he was Irraka I guess he was part of her family too?

"I'm Scarlett, nice to meet you."

After walking inside, Gwen took a seat near Hazel and nodded at Dameon. She hadn't seen him since the first time they had met and didn't know all that much about him.

Opening her bag, she pulled out her favorite portable sanitizing Wet Ones and carefully disinfected the table before them. Upon finishing, she folded it like a towel and slid it back into the original plastic wrapping. She commenced to pull out another one and cleaned her hands to satisfaction with it. Gwen knew that, chances were, if she saw the restroom, she would no longer want to eat there. A bathroom's cleanliness was a rather decent measure of the sanitation heeded whilst preparing the food. If she didn't see it, it didn't exist, and she could ignore it with some intense mental exercise.

She left her place to throw the used ones away and sat back down. "What do you guys want?" she asked, looking at them as if she had done nothing slightly strange. "Oh, and Dameon, what have you been up to? You didn't go with us when we went into the mountains."

"Nice to meet you too, Scarlet. My name's Dameon," He said, without a smile, as Hazel and the others sat down with him. He turned towards Gwen as she spoke to him, and looked off into the distance for a moment before speaking. "Heh, I had some... Work to do, the night before, so I couldn't have made it." He shrugged, and took a bite of pizza.

"How was your hike, anyway?" He said, after he swallowed a mouthful of cheese, bread and sauce, looking towards Hazel. "I bet it was more fun than what I was doing."

Jo had taken a nap and didn't realize everyone had gone out until she woke. They left me...Oh well! A grumble came from her tummy and she made a face. A little note was on the end table, under the phone. Jo took it and sat back on her bed. It was from Gwen, letting Jo know they went out. Aw Gwen was nice enough to leave a number...She pounced off her bed as she had a realization and yelled, "PHONE!"
Her leap wasn't graceful, her legs tangled in the warm sheets, but she managed to grab the phone...and drag it down with her to the floor.
Awkwardly upside-down, Jo quickly called Gwen. Attempts to kick out of the sheets didn't get her anywhere, other than farther down to the floor. "I feel like a Caterpillar..." She grumbled, but giggled a moment after.

Before grabbing a slice of pizza, Gwen felt a vibration and then heard the unfamiliar horrible ringtone she had set for those whose numbers she didn't recognize. Looking at her screen, she shrugged and answered it, figuring it was possible it was one of the many people she'd given her number to these days. "I feel like a Caterpillar..." she heard on the other end and she looked at her phone for a moment, thinking it was a prank.

"Hello, Mrs. Caterpillar. Who might this be?" she spoke into the receiver, glancing at the others smiling. Prank calls can be incredibly fun for the "pranked" as well, she thought, smiling with amusement.

Jo burst out in laughter. Why were things always funnier on the floor?

"N-No! Pffthehe it's, hah, it's Jo hehehe" She took deep breaths trying to control the giggling. Once a bit more composed she continued, "I'm hungry, lead me to food! Are you guys eating? I CAN SMELL THE FOOD FROM THE PHONE. FEED ME."

Gwen laughed heartily when she heard the reply. Jo, of course it was Jo. Who else could it be? "You can smell the food through the phone? What are we eating? Here I'll put it up nice and close for you," she replied, smirking as she picked up her originally intended piece and began eating. This counted as putting it close to the phone...

"I hear smacking..." Jo said as she listened, her mouth watered as she yearned for food. She wriggled more violently, now becoming the butterfly and escaping her cocoon.

"Okok come on, tell me where you guys are, I'll write down directions" She said, hastily searching for a writing utensil.

Laughing, she gave the girl directions, and said her goodbyes, telling her that she'd see her soon. Gwen closed the phone and stuffed it back into her pockets, which she had just replaced the last week with larger ones. Ha, she won over the sexist pants and made them useful.

"Jo's coming, too. She'll be here when she gets here, so...well that's it. One David and one Jo. Anyone else we're waiting on?"