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"I don't like what you are either. Does that help?"

There was a chuckle in the voice. Interest too. He'd followed the obvious path without question. Either out of a lack of imagination (which she doubted) or some sense of security she'd not expected him to feel here yet, if ever. Strange, yet welcome.

For Corbin it would soon become evident the path he walked wasn't necessarily quite as real as it ought to be.
Things moved in the shadows, monstrous things that didn't belong in any place where laws such as physics and gravity applied. But nothing came close, or paid him any heed.

Various senses would work as usual however, giving an indication the pathway was headed underground, more of a tunnel than a corridor.
Eventually, it opened out into a circular area, with multiple doors leading off it. Something smelled like wet dog.
And the darkness cleared, revealing Roan leaning against the wall by the farthest door, smoking casually, with a deep gash down her left arm.

"I like what you will be though. I have a present for you."

"Heh, if I didn't want you coming down here, I'd never have let you in to start with. I'm not stupid enough not to recognise a stubborn brat who pokes his nose where it doesn't belong when I see one. No, you'll NEED this place. The cells closest to the tunnel hold criminals with death sentences. which is to say... lunch.


As to the latter, quite right. I figured you could use a pet to keep you occupied and to practice your skills on with a living response. The TR isn't perfect yet, and the droids don't really feel pain. Jan's working on it, but it won't hurt you to have my age old enemy to practice on.

I sincerely HATE werewolves."

The scowl as she spoke the last was telling. Clearly, some kind of history with the creatures. It became obvious then that the shadow play had been for the benefit of dealing with their 'guest' rather than detracting Corbin from the end goal. Which wasn't to say there weren't secrets being kept from him yet, but apparently this area wasn't one of them.

"Tell me what you know of the pathetic beasts."

"According to them, their gifts come from some kind of earth goddess or some such, and the moon certainly comes into it, though not as it does in books. Then again, we don't work like books think we should, so that's expected.

Like all things, they're more complicated than they appear. Close knit communities, some have gone corrupt due to a warped deity they call the wyrm. Many of the dumb idiots believe we work for this serpentine thing, or some such. As ever, I take what I hear with a pinch of salt, considering what is known had to be tortured out slowly.

Generally, picking on the young seems to be the best way of getting information, while ensuring you wont have vengeful teenage wolf-men to deal with 15 years later."

A howl of angry and pained protest erupted from the cell behind her, causing her to chuckle as she tapped ash off her smoke.

"This one is a local pack leader. Not the strongest Garou you'll meet, but he should provide some fun for as long as you can keep yourself from breaking him.

Find out where the rest of his pack are. Beyond that do as you will."

Standing aside, Roan didn't initially leave the area, but did not follow her protogé within.
A small smile decorated her lips at his quip towards the beast, which roared in response to the slight.

"Basenji would be better, have fun."

When Corbin first entered, the beast would be restrained, though only by more of the unnatural darkness swarming around it. As soon as the door closed however, the darkness dissipated and the creature, half man half wolf, skittered back with powerful claws into the natural shadows, from whence only the glower of blood red eyes came.
Where its claws had scrabbled at the stone, deep rents had been scoured in, not to mention the feeling of being in the presence of a predator that seeped throughout the room, more earthy and ever present than that Roan was want to exude.

Sensibly, the creature did NOT attack instantly, but observed its newest tormenter, snarling softly as the stink of undead filled its nostrils.

Again, just a snarl in answer. Followed by a swift, sudden attack. The Garou was a pack leader, which required some degree of combat expertise to get to that position.
Hence, he didn't waste time talking, and didn't telegraph his moves in any way whatsoever. A mere blink of the eyes came before the explosive dart forwards, 7ft of sheer muscle and savage power moving fluidly out of the shadows like a shark rising beneath a seal, with the sole intent of entering Corbin's immediate vicinity to lay hands on the kid.

Hands the size of frying pans, tipped with long rending claws which had already shown their ability to carve into stone. Only now would the boy get a response. A single, growled out word that sounded like a mammoth stomping the ground.

"No."

Strangely, the wolf didn't seem to even try to avoid the blow. Perhaps he wasn't quick enough. Perhaps he was a big dumb beast... or perhaps there was a REASON why he only curled over the punch, briefly raking his grasp down the offending arm as he was then thrown back, further than a creature his size should have been by such a small opponent. The joys of potence.


Two things occurred. One... Corbin was about to find the joys of potence ebbing away, without his consent. But secondly, the unknowing beast had stared into that reptilian gaze, albeit briefly before being thrown back.
It rose slowly, shaking its head with a softer snarl, likely bruised after the hard fall to the cement floor, as he had given over any semblance of defence to making sure he made contact with Corbin himself.


Now, the beast prowled around the Kindred fledgling, taking his time once more.

A wolf like snout wasn't really made for a smile, but nevertheless, the creature appeared to be grinning as it kept its distance. It didn't speak. Didn't let anything on. Never mentioned to the horrendously tainted thing in front of it that a single touch was all it needed to unleash one of the most potent of gifts his tribe had available.

Truly, Magra would be gnashing in frustration within moments as access to the innate blood pool Kindred all built up seemed to be hampered, and blocked. It was unclear as to exactly how though, likely to cause even the deity some pause to repair and undo. It wasn't permanent though, far from it. The beast knew it had but a short time in which to act, even without there being a persistent deity of the blood involved.

Thus, when Corbin made himself even MORE abhorrent to the Garou, it had no issue with attacking him full force. As he again attacked out of the shadows with the unnatural speed of all monsters of Gaia, it made good use of the extra kick the continent seemed to give all supernaturals to boost up what was normally a passive ability around fire to an offensive one.
Flames flickered about it like an aura as it launched a flurry of strikes at the fledgling, knowing all to well that its ancestral enemy was not a lover of fire.

"There is nothing similar about us, leech. Burn."