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Introitus

Yes, people were still having panic attacks, and yes many were still crying. Thank heavens the screaming had stopped, but still - some were still making mournful wails albeit more quietly now, considering,... mostly the littler ones. Maybe they had mostly stopped because they were exhausted, passed out, or passed away. So many injuries.

It had been impossible to tell who was dead or not when the lights went out, until the Warden got the emergency lamps out for us to have some light emphasis on the Some light. You couldn't see much, but it wasn't pitch black either. You could see the shapes of people. Most of the adults, as far as I could tell, were either chill or merely unsettled. Idunno, maybe they were freaking out and just faking it really really well. Or maybe they were stoic or in shock from their injuries, yeah, those were possibilities too.

But think; who wouldn't freak-out. Imagine you're a tourist, farting around town, seeing the sights in a new city and suddenly the ground starts shaking, it's an earthquake. Crap is falling off of buildings, falling all around you, small shards of glass are falling like rain, cutting people, everyone is screaming, every furrson running somewhere - you blanking out because you don't know where to go to hide. Then a swirl of bright color grabs your hand and drags you with them into a narrow alley, down some stairs - down into the safety shelter with them. I thought to ask them to stop screaming, then realized, it was me screaming. I shut up, we sat down and that's when the panic hit me, and my brain turned the fear over to my body and I began shaking.

You are in an unknown city, dragged by an anonymous furrson down an unknown alley, into an unknown basement, under an unknown building, waiting for an unknown rescue, ... Oh, and the emergency radio that's there? That's silent. The Emergency Warden doesn't know if that is because there is nothing left of anything above, or if simply the radio's batteries are dead.

And there I sat, shivering in fright and fear at the edge of the room with my back to the wall of the cavernous room. I looked and felt even more alone. No other badgers in sight, hundreds of different species sat in twos or threes on long concrete benches, keeping to little groups of; their friends, co-workers, families, or partners. I was alone, and I felt so crushingly alone.

Some sounds that weren't moaning or crying were coming from two guys kneeling, rocking back and forth chanting. Also from the other side of the basement a couple, looking like - I dunno - like capuchins, were chanting their beads, tails rocking in time to the words. A little later someone started singing a church hymn or prayer or something, and others who knew song joined in quietly. They probably lived in this area so knew the song. They sang very softly, but it was still beautiful. Though I heard it sung with strong conviction, they sang it quietly, as if they didn't want to shake anything or make too much noise - but still wanted to be heard...

I can't say it did much for my brain, but it was very pretty, and somehow comforting to my body amid all the chaos. Certainly not cannon to the church of the New Reformed Druids. However, in listening to them it helped me focus. My heart rate slowed and I stopped shaking. Beginning to compose myself to this new reality, I turned and saw a young couple to my left, avery handsome fruit bat holding hands with a puma who had the shiniest coat I had ever seen. From time to time the puma would let his head down onto the bat's shoulder for comfort. I was rather envious of what they had or companionship, and so felt even more alone. I lofted no few prayers to the goddess and to the Greenman, Cern, Herne, Bastet and Pan, I was covering my bases, asking for guidance and aid. And to my right was a handsome ferret; she was tall, elegant, beautiful, enwrapped in beautifully brightly colored robes, I had never seen such cloth before, the colors were so rich and vibrant! She sat in repose with her eyes lightly closed, as if meditating, or praying. It was she who had dragged me into the shelter and sat down next to me finally opened her eyes. At a guess she'd been meditating or some mental exercise. Turning to look at me wearing a very neutral expression on her face she stared right into my eyes. Wow! She had such a powerful self assurance that I felt quite small and bashful. Her regard was unnerving and a small laugh was forced out of me, stood up and turned to face her.

I started by bowing. When I looked up into her face, I changed my mind and made it into a smooth reverance. I felt like an oaf in front of some important personage. The look in her eyes unnerved me. I stumbled over my own tongue trying to get the words out. My...my n-name is is Wood- uh- I... I am Rains Upshur, of the H- Harmsmuth Upshurs, my family owns a bookstore. Not knowing what to do, or how to start conversing with her, I made a reverance again. Sure it was a feeling alien to me, but I was not really myself, for some reason I felt quite bashful. I'm very sure the low light level covered for me preventing her from noticing my blushing. Finally I got my breath under control and began as an adult, "I wish to thank you for saving my life out there. I, Uhn, I, I!" My brain froze.

She tilted her head a little bit, as if to begin a change of subject, "You started to say something about wood?"

"Uhn, I," I took a deep breath, "It's my nickname. Woody."

"How delightfully rustic! May I ask, or is it not to be spoken about?"

I wasn't sure what to do, she was not laughing at me, though I didn't know if she was just teasing me. She just seemed too real to be mocking me, so I jumped in with both feet and began: My father had means enough, and he sent me to several schools to learn what might be my course in life. First I began with a cabinet and joiners shop. It was good work, and I was good at applying finishes, I was quite good at faux-finishes.

Childish

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Then he had me off to a blacksmith's shop, but at metal work I was not adept, the fire was too cold and it took me too long, or the fire was too hot ... and I burned up my apprenticeship final exam, melted the middle right out of it. Total disaster."

Watching her watch me I was impressed, she was giving me her attention. I felt flattered, but not fooled. I was entertaining her. And I was content to right then.

"I admit it. It was so very childish of me to try and cheat on a school examination, just a schoolboy prank, trying to beat the system. I ran to my old woodworking master, and got some materials, and I made a fret-work piece of wood that looked so much like the metal grate I had been forging, that they were to the eye, identical."

Again she tilted her head, giving me her attention, and I continued.

"I mean by that, that they had no discernible visual difference. Unfortunately after I hid the one with the hole melted through the middle, the Master Smith was so impressed with my finished project that he wanted to put it in the display case. And of course! As soon as he picked it up, it didn't weigh enough to be metal but he was astounded! So I didn't get my metalworking diploma, but I did get a sheepskin; an Award of Achievement in Wood Working from the Blacksmiths' Guild!"

She had begun to chuckle when I related how he picked it up, and by the time I announced the award, she was laughing outright. And she smiled. I was forced to duck my head again for blushing.

She began her side of the introduction. Smiling at me, she said, "I am Guild Master McLennan, of the Good Honnef Weavers Guild. I am the youngest master weaver the guild has ever chosen.