Explanations - Panther's Lair

He waved at both women, then slipped out the door and into the night.

Grace turned to Rebecca and smiled.

"Alright love, time for ye t' learn how t' be Gangrel. It's a whole new world for ye."

She sighed, but nodded.

"Trust me, I know. This body feels weird. Everything about me right now seems really weird. I still remember everything, I just can't do any of it anymore. Not to mention this whole changing clans thing? Not a whole lot of fun."

Grace nodded, then gestured to the back door.

"This will be easier t' explain outside than in here. But 'least Jamie be smart 'nough t' turn ye Gangrel, an' nay another clan. Remind me how old ye're supposed t' be now?"

She sighed.

"No idea. But young enough to still not know a damn thing other than the beginnings of Potence?"

She turned to follow Grace outside.

"No idea. I'm really just winging it. Nobody's asked me how old I am."

Grace nodded, and Serene was actually the one to lead the way outside. The back yard was largish, with no landscaping done to it, just wild growth that cut it off from the neighbors.

"Well, luckily, in th' world o' Gangrel, tis nay odd for ye t' be released so quickly. But for those who know me, it nay be odd for me t' take th' young ones under me wing. Hell, look at Ronny."

She nodded and laughed.

"Ronny's a good kid, yeah."

Grace laughed.

"Aye, he be a good kid. Operative word kid. He'd be up t' all sorts o' dumb shit wi'out me t' reign him in."

She laughed.

"I think we all were a bit crazy when we were kids."

Grace chuckled and dropped into a crosslegged position in the grass.

"Yeah, but if ye had nay had t' 'cause o' ye're clan, would ye have followed every order tha' every idiot gave ye?"

She laughed as she dropped onto the grass beside Grace.

"No. Didn't even when I had the cause of the Tremere at my back. It's why I got in trouble so much."

She wrinkled her nose and laughed.

Grace smirked.

"Ronny's nay tha' smart. He'll do wha'ever he's told by anyone. Tha' be th' reason he be th' only one I've ever had bonded t' me. Tis for his own safety."

She smiled rather fondly.

"I remember Ronny from Seattle. He was a really sweet kid. I also remember that Mayek wanted to use and abuse him quite a lot."

For once, her face seemed to darken a bit.

Grace nodded.

"Aye. An' Ronny would ha' let him. He's a real sweet kid, but he dinna understand who be out t' use an' abuse him."

She nodded.

"What was really sad was that Mayek had Lexington so far under his thumb that not only would Ronny have let him, Mayek would have used Lexington to do it. And while Lexington was a decent kid, he is much like Ronny, not knowing when someone is out to use and abuse him. It's why I took over the dealings with Ronny for the Tremere. Less chance that I'd actually abuse him. Use him, sure, but I expected him to use me, too."

Grace laughed.

"He nay would ha' used ye back, love. But thank ye for takin' over th' poor mite. We all use eachother t' some degree, but anyone abuses me boy, an' I'll show 'em tha' momma cat be worse than momma bear."

She shook her head.

"But anyways, we need t' get th' basics o' wha' it means t' be Gangrel int' ye."

She nodded, and though it was very subtle, her entire bearing changed. For all that she was raised a Tremere, was completely new to being a Gangrel, if one thing she was, it was a good and attentive student.

"Okay."

She said it with a smile, and an almost eager look to her face. Then she laughed a bit nervously.

"I'm a little nervous, actually."

Grace smiled.

"Tha' be natural. Ye spent centuries in a very strict an' limiting clan, an' now ye find yerself in th' least structured o' them all, 'ceptin' maybe th' Caitiff."

She laughed and shook her head.

"A bit. Not really sure what to do with myself. I remember a lot from back when I had other powers. Animalism being one of my more prized powers. I can somewhat remember how it's done, but it's not the same as being second-nature for me anymore. I actually have to re-learn everything I once knew. It's a little daunting."

She looked a bit sheepish, and picked at the ground with gentle fingers.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all emo on you. What would you like me to do, Grace?"

"This is goin' t' maybe sound strange, but I want ye t' commune wi' ye're Beast. Nay give in t' it, but learn it. Love it. It'll now be a much bigger part o' ye're life than before. It has th' power t' change ye, both inside an' out. So ye'll need t' understand it better than ye ever have."

A look of confusion, near-panic, and something else seemed to cross her face. She had been three centuries a Tremere, all of that time spent ignoring the fact that she had a Beast within her. She frowned.

"How ... in the world ... do I do that?" she asked, a note of almost fearful curiosity in her voice.

Grace smiled.

"Ye ever meditated, child? Same concept, except tha' when ye commune wi' yer beast, ye're listenin' for it."

She frowned, then bit her lip as she nodded.

"Sure, I've meditated. I just normally meditate on ignoring it. I don't really know how to meditate to listen for it or to it."

Grace nodded.

"It'll take practice. But just do th' oposite o' wha' ye've been trained, an' tha' be a good start."

She nodded.

"You said that I shouldn't give in to it. If I do this, won't I frenzy or something?"