Laidan: It's quiet here, very quiet, the noises of the city muffled to something dull that one can just barely strain to here. This late, the only sound that really comes through is the bubbling and burbling of the brook that surrounds the sept. It's... really rather peaceful, all things considered.

The wolf lays under one of the benches, eyes closed for now, apparently sleeping. She's reddish brown in color, lean, with scars along her left side. Now and them an ear twitches, or swivels, apparently giving away that's she's resting instead of in dreamland.

Far back, hanging from a tree branch above a small section of ground where a wolf obviously makes its home... hangs what appears to be a dream catcher.

Keisha Ballard: The girl's staff taps lightly on the ground as she makes her way through the Sept. She's been to a few in her time, and of course each is different. Even if the physical aspects are similar, the totems always add their own feels to the place. And, being a Theurge, Keisha is of course sensitive to that.

She looks around curiously as she walks through. She kind of got the heads up when she met Larissa today as to someone she might epect...someone she might want to meet with. She looks around, pausing and head cocking with a smile as she notices the wolf. "Hello."

Laidan: People? The wolf's head raises and turns to look at Keisha, eyes opening to show a brilliant blue she knows she's seen before. There is a moment where the wolf sniffs towards her, wary, before a sweep of her tail indicates she's relaxed. Steps bring her out of the shadow of the bench and she moves easily towards the young woman. ~ws~"Keisha." She rumbles, almost... pleased? "I suspected but I did not know for sure."

Keisha Ballard: She smiles when she recognizes the eyes and the words confirm it. "I had my suspicions myself. I talked with Grandmother Larissa earlier, she mentioned I might be able to offer you some help. Good to know my instincts are still on-target."

Laidan: ~ws~"Very on target."

There is a cracking of bones as she grows from lupus to homic, skipping her birth form for now. She is barefoot, in only a tank top and underwear, but she seems comfortable, like... her near nakedness doesn't bother her. There is still that spacey look to her, but her smile to Keisha is very warm today.

"You are a shaman, then?" She asks, curious.

Keisha Ballard: "I am." She moves to take a seat near where Laidan now sits, legs crossing. She is relaxed herself...more or less completely, at ease. "Fostern Crescent Moon. Children of Gaia. The spirits call me Still Water."

Laidan: "It is very nice to meet you," Laidan says, smiling, pleased at meeting another of her Auspice. "I am Laidan Sees-With-the-Heart, Fos-"

She pauses, and then continues, slower. "Adren Fianna Metis Theurge. Mistress of the Rite to the Sept of the Green."

Yes. The metis holds a sept position.

Keisha Ballard: If there's any revulsion at the idea of a Metis holding a sept position--even one as significant as Rite Mistress--Keisha doesn't show it. Damn hippies. In fact, she smiles when Laidan mentions her position and nods.

"Nice to meet you too. I was Rite Mistress for a while at the Sept of Three Rivers in Pittsburgh."

Laidan: "I am new to the position," she admits, pausing. "... it is still a little weird."

Weird as in her old Sept would have flung themselves to the Wyrm before letting a metis have a sept position. Weird in that she's still unused to the respect she receives now, even if some of it is grudging. Weird in that she was pretty sure she wouldn't live long enough to ever see Adren.

Keisha Ballard: She smiles a bit, her staff resting comfortably in her lap. "It's weird for all of us. No matter the situation. I went into it thinking that I was totally screwed and would be found out that I really had no idea what I was talking about and kicked out of the Sept for impersonating someone useful."

Laidan: There is a slow blink and a tilt of her head before she smiles. "It's good to know that, at the very least, I am not the only one to have that feeling."

Keisha Ballard: "No, it's not just you." She grins a little. "I promise. I think the general idea is, 'If you think you're ready for it, then you're not. If you don't think you are...you might be.'"

Laidan: There is a laugh, soft from her. "This is true. While on my Adren quest, I met a man who wanted to help me, and I refused. He was angry and I tried to explain that I had to do it alone, that was my challenge. He said back that, then, I would likely fail in it."

She smiles, warmly almost. "And I told him that was okay. If I failed, then it meant that I wasn't ready, and I shouldn't yet have it. I suppose... it's something like that?"

Keisha Ballard: "Something very much like that, yes." Laidan can't see the smile, but she can hear it in her voice. "You just underwent it recently, it seems like?"

Laidan: "I just returned a couple weeks ago, yes." Her voice is quieter now and unlike others, there really is no nod to emphasize her point. Her hands grasp the edge of the bench, comfortably, shoulders creeping up ever so slightly with vague tension.

Keisha Ballard: She notes the tension and her voice gentles a slight bit out of habit. "Well, congratulations." She falls quiet for just a moment. "Larissa said that you might be able to use my help in some things. If you do, you only need ask. I'd be happy to help."

Laidan: The tension bleeds away again and she smiles to Keisha. "Help is always welcome. I am still learning my duties, I admit... but you are always welcome to ask for help from me in return." For a moment, she too falls quiet before she asks. "... what rites do you know?"

Keisha Ballard: "A few. Um..." She pauses as she runs through them in her head. "Summoning, Binding, Talisman Dedication, Questing Stone. Cleansing, of course. Last Blessing. And Rite of the Teacher and Breath of Gaia."

Laidan: She listens as Keisha lists them off, cocking her head with a mild frown of concentration. "... I know all but the last three. And the only one I've never heard of is Rite of the Teacher. Explain that one to me?"

Keisha Ballard: "It's not surprising." She smiles. "It's not that common outside of Unicorn's people, since it basically involves...well, getting high. It involves using Awakened hallucinognic herbs--teacher plants--to make it easier to step across."