Nick and Rain arrive

Nick and Rain arrive in Sacramento via orange Yamaha R6. The trip down the El Dorado Fwy passed quickly as the excitement of a new beginning occupied their thoughts. Pulling off the freeway, Nick pulls into the El Patron Bar and Grill to get something to eat.

The two sit down and order a meal contemplating their next move.

Moon is Half. The restaurant is rather small, and they advertise their famous Bloody Sangrias. Not too many people are in the restaurant.

(Hishu)

Brushing leaves and grass from his jacket, Toby steps into El Patron. Between the hostess pointing him to the table where a couple was sat and recognizing the haggard look that a cross-country drive gives people, he carefully moves his way over the table where Nick and Rain are sat. He pauses as he walks forward, pretending to read something or reaching down to tie his shoe. To a wolf, it would look like the advance-retreat motions of meeting a new group.

Eventually, Toby decides it is safe enough and ventures over to their table.

"Hi, I'm Toby," he says in an even, polite tone. "Do you mind if I have a seat?"

(Hishu)

Nick watches the newcomer carefully as he approaches. Nicks starts to rise when Toby introduces himself and then thinks better of it and motions to an empty chair at their table.

“Hello, I’m Nick and this is Dana.” Nick waves towards his companion.

(Hishu)

Dana smiles charismatically as Nick introduces her.

"Do you live around here?" Dana asks, trying to make conversation.

Toby nods and cautiously takes his seat.

"Hello both of you. Yeah, I live fairly close. I expected you earlier, to be honest. How was the drive?" Toby says evenly as he picks up a menu and opens it.

((I'm assuming here that someone in the Bone Shadows helped us arrange this meeting. Let me know if you guys have better ideas.))

"The drive was long," Nick answers. "So what's the story here?"

Toby sets down the menu and crosses his hands on the table. He keeps his eyes on his hands for the most part, but occasionally looks at the others.

"As far as 'special concerns' go," Toby says, intimating Uratha affairs, "I suspect something big is happening. A local pack trained me up a bit, and before I stopped seeing them, I got the impression they were...agitated. Other than that, I don't really know. I've been trying to keep my head down until I get situated with a real pack."

Toby pauses for a moment, thinking over his words. "It feels...wrong...trying to do things alone. How about the two of you? What brings you to the city?"

He takes a drink of water then idly traces on the condensation as he listens.

Nick watches Toby for a moment, and then looks to Dana as he begins to speak, “We were meant to be here. I found Rain, I mean Dana, not too long ago. The place that we were before was small, there were very few of ‘us’. We came here to find others to establish a pack, if I may be so blunt, and find a place that we can really call home. We were given your name as a contact here.”

"So you're looking for a pack to join, and we need another member," Dana says when Nick pauses. "Would you like to join us?"

Toby's eyes snap to meet Dana's after her question. He takes a long breath in, carefully considering how he'll proceed.

"I'd like to...see what happens," he says after a moment. Toby's finger and eyes go back to his water glass, wiping it clean of the moisture collected on its surface. "I hate to use a pedestrian term like 'trial period,' because that doesn't really work. Let's just say I'd like to get to know you two and see how we fit together. If we fit together. Does that make sense?"

Nick nods. "Not a problem. Do you know a good place for us to stay? At least for a while?"

Toby reaches into his jacket and pulls out a folded map of Sacramento. It is what you'd expect a tourist to have. On it, there are several scribbled words indicating points of interest and a few of the streets are highlighted.

"These roads, here, are called the Tur. If you stay on these, you are safe from offending others; you won't be violating any territory, basically. We are in the sticks out here as far as territories go, but if you head downtown stay on the Tur until you get friendly with the locals. I was also told not to go too far north of town. Anshega." He leans in close as he says the last, the First Tongue word coming out harsh from a Hishu tongue.

"This is where we are," he points to where El Patron would lie on the map. "I live a little southwest of here. There should be plenty of hotels along the highway until you find a more permanent residence."

Unsure what to say next, Toby's words trail off. He gives Nick and Dana a calm smile as he begins to refold his map.

"We'll be sure to remember that," Dana replies.

Nick's and Dana's orders arrive, and there is silence as the two begin eating.

Toby waits what he considers a respectable amount of time before speaking up again.

"Was there anything else either of you needed before I go? Oh, before I forget..." Toby plucks a pen out from inside his jacket pocket and scribbles a number down on a napkin. "This is my cell phone number, in case you need to call."

Narration:
The three of you exchange phone numbers, and go your seperate ways.