The Tale of Reynard's Children

Diana faces the assembled Garou, the full moon's light limning her with a silvery glow. She waits for precisely three heartbeats, then begins --


"Not so very long ago, in the city that the humans call Buffalo, in the Niagara Protectorate, there lived a pack of Garou who followed Fox, and who thus called themselves Reynard's Children. Their numbers were few – a Crescent Moon of the Glass Walkers named Eithnie Grows-Miracles, well-known for her devotion to planting trees in the cities; a Lupus No-Moon of the Bone Gnawers, named Opens-the-Hood, who befuddled even his elders with his obsession with the machines of the Weaver; and a Metis Ragabash of the Black Furies, one Elspeth Clears-New-Paths by name, whose tricks were the bane of many of their sept-mates.

The rest of the sept was often confused and even infuriated by the strange ways of Reynard's Children, who preferred to spend far too much time coming up with furtive ways to trick their foes, instead of simply dealing with them in a more forthright manner by fangs and claws, as the other Garou of the sept thought proper.

Now, it happened that a nearby city (called Toronto by the humans) was infested with a nest of wicked Leeches. Determined to crush this affront against the Litany, the brave Garou of the sept girded themselves for battle. As they took up their mighty Fetishes and honed their claws, Elspeth, who was the alpha of Reynard's Children, offered to lend her pack's aid against the vampires.

‘You?' sneered Conall Macpherson, a ferocious Ahroun of the Fianna and leader of the fiercest pack in the sept. ‘What would you know of fighting, little Ragabash? You and your tricks would avail us naught against the Leeches – now leave this job to one better suited to perform it!'

Elspeth choked down the Rage that boiled up from within her at this insult, and faced Conall squarely, her slender form dwarfed by the Fianna's hulking one, but her back straight and her head proudly erect. ‘Do not be so sure of the uselessness of trickery, Conall. The blessings that Gaia and Luna give to the children of the New Moon are just as potent as those They give to the Full. But, if you do not want our help, then I will offer it to the elders.' And with that, Elspeth turned on her heel and left the Fianna to his preparations.

That night, Conall led his pack to the stronghold of the Leeches. Luna's light limned the fur of their war-forms in silver as Conall barreled through the door, howling the Anthem of War and his mighty klaive at the ready. He and his packmates cut through their foes as a wolf's teeth cut through the tender flesh of a rabbit, until they reached the inner sanctum of the Leeches' nest.

Within was a lone woman, her flesh pale as alabaster, long golden hair hanging about her face. Roaring, Conall raised his klaive to cut her down.

Smiling, the woman reached out a slender hand and laid it upon the mighty Ahroun's belly. Conall roared in pain, for that single touch had opened him from chest to belly, and his innards moved of their own accord, his guts squeezing the breath from his lungs and crushing his heart. Though he fought valiantly, the brave Ahroun of Stag's tribe fell to the floor, his flame-colored coat painted a deeper red.

Seeing their leader fall, the pack charged his murderess, but the same deadly touch that had felled their leader also proved to be their bane. Only one member of the pack escaped the slaughter, managing only to make it back to the sept and tell the tale of the pack's defeat to the council of elders before he, too, slipped into the embrace of Gaia.

The elders were sorely troubled, for the Leeches had defeated some of the sept's strongest warriors. As they debated what to do, Reynard's Children came before them and offered their aid in the struggle. Wary of losing yet more members, but not knowing what else to do, the elders assented.

Gathering Opens-the-Hood and Eithnie about her, Elspeth conferred with her packmates, and as Helios began his journey across the sky, they had a plan.

The next day, as Helios made his ascent into the highest part of the sky, Elspeth, Opens-the-Hood, and Eithnie made their way into the city the humans call Toronto. The Bone Gnawer's knowledge of the Weaver's contrivances enabled them to travel swiftly, and Eithnie's ability to speak to the spirits of the trees guided them unerringly to their destination.

Upon reaching the Leeches' nest, Reynard's Children hid themselves nearby, watching the door of the place for anyone entering or leaving.

As Helios began his journey down from the highest point in the sky, the pack saw a pair of men leaving the building, carrying a large bag between them. Eithnie confirmed that the bag bore the stench of the Wyrm, and Elspeth called upon her Gift to open things that were closed, concentrating her will upon the bag.

As the fastener of the bag sprang open, smoke and a horrible stench poured from the opening, followed by an agonized scream as Helios's purifying rays struck the Leech within, reducing her to a pile of ash. While the two minions stared in disbelief at what was happening to their mistress, Reynard's Children sprang from their hiding place and made short work of them. After disposing of the bodies, they scattered the ashes to the four winds.

Reynard's Children returned in triumph to the sept, and the Galliards spread their tale to others, to remind us that, where force fails, stealth and wit may succeed.


Her tale finished, she returns to the Cliath log.

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This web page and the story above are copyright © 2001 by Midori Hirtzel-Church. Werewolf: The Apocalypse and all breed, auspice and tribe names are copyright © 1994 by White Wolf Game Studios; no copyright infringement is intended.

This page last revised -- November 12, 2001