Rann was not cold and he did not need the large fur coat but, he wore it anyway. He knew he would not freeze and die, he had thought he might do last winter when he had slipped down a crevasse and split his head on a jagged rock. On that day he had been hiking with Corvinis in the peeks above the cave, and he had worn only his usual light jerkin over his town clothes and although snow was everywhere that had been all he needed. The view from above the cave was a marvellous spectacle, it was a perfectly clear night and the snow made the whole place light up almost like it was daytime. He had complained when it was first suggested, then spent the hike there wondering what lesson he may have to endure. It turned out that all Corvinis wanted to do was show him the view. Had the walk back gone to plan he would still have not needed a coat, the fall changed that. The damp inside the cravasse and the long freezing climb out with clawed hands almost had him beaten. The cold would not have killed him on that day, the jagged rock nearly did but even that would not have killed him. The snow would have sucked the light of the sun in and slowly burned him to death. Not the quick burning of direct light, more of a slow boil. Corvinis did not so much rescue, as use the situation as a training opportunity. Rann had not realised that large jagged rocks if you hit your head hard enough against them can knock a vampire out. When he came too there was the taste of blood in his mouth, and lumps of skull and some sort of yellow fluid on the ground. Corvinis was sat only twenty feet above him watching and waiting for him to awaken. Corvinis talked through the climb out, how to use claws to grip on the ice, both hands and feet meant loosing the heavy boots. Corvinis also explained that the yellow fluid was from inside Rann's head. During the fall the large jagged rock had clipped Rann in the temple, shattering the left side of his skull into fragments. Instant death for a mortal, but luckily for Rann it turned out even that level of damage could not kill a vampire. He had been unconcious for nearly an hour, sometimes Rann was grateful for the length of time it took his sire to make a decision, some may call it the patience of age but Rann had seen his sire keep one eyebrow raised in surprise for longer. "This year coat's are deffinately in season" Rann said to himself with a smile at his own private joke.

This would be Rann's seventh winter as a Gangrel, and it felt good. His gran would have said he was starting to fit into his own skin. The coat was a good example of that, he had learned from the year before, adapted and now was prepared. He couldn't help the beaming grin he bore when he entered the cave. As Corvinis looked up, he even gave a twirl showing off the large fur coat in full. Corvinis stared at hjim for a moment then stood, walked past him and headed outside. Rann followed, a little dissapointed, but not really that surprised. Corvinis was sniffing the air. "Keep up" Corvinis said "Do not lag behind". With that he leapt down the fifteen feet to the scree slope and dashed off into the trees. Rann did his best, he stumbled as he landed but managed to keep his feet, he let the momentum of the fall grant him a burst of speed and was soon racing through the trees after his sire. Corvinis was relentless and untiring. He never paused once. Luckily neither of them tired for breath. Rann even managed to keep the same distance behind. At an overhang Corvinis finally paused. Rann grabbed a tree to keep from falling over the edge. Rann realised that dawn was not far away and looked around "Where are we?" he asked.
"West" said Corvinis, Rann rolled his eyes. He knew that, but he did not dare push for more. Corvinis was stubborn and would rarely answer any question a second time. Rann already knew that the distance was "About that much running that we have just done from the cave" from the same tone the location would also be "That much running from the cave, which is to the East".
"Ah ha!" exclaimed Corvinis, then promptly leapt from the cliff into the trees who's tops were thirty feet below.
Rann shut his eyes. "Oh crap, I hope there is a power that's going to save me. Oh crap oh crap oh .." Rann backed up a couple of steps then ran and leapt after his sire.
THUD!
Rann impacted on the solid ground, breaking dozens of bones, including both his legs. The pain was intense. He felt every nerve ending screaming at him, but none of them shouted louder than his brain "why the hell di you not climb down you fool!" it yelled into his ear. "Shut up brain" he said as Corvinis helped him up. Corvinis dusted him down and set the compound fracture. "Good lad" he said approvingly, "your fortitude will develop quickly."
They sat still for ten minutes or so, Rann knew his blood was drained now. He needed to hunt. But first he wanted to let the pain from falling eighty feet onto stone and earth fade from his memory. As they were sitting Rann noticed movement in the tree's. An animal was approaching. Rann prepared to strike.
A large furry head poked through the undergrowth, and Rann leapt at it. As he did the wind left him and he fell where he had started. Corvinis had pushed him to the ground, cancelling his attack. The animal reacted with fear. It reared up on its hind legs. And roared. Corvinis said, "This way, quick"
The pair both ran from the bear, following the cliff edge for a short while, then turning and continuing West. After only an hour this time Corvinis stopped. The sunn was close now, and Rann was hungry. "Will you wake?" Corvinis said
Rann nodded, he knew his sire would not let him sleep if he was completely drained of blood. Corvinis nodded his approval and lay down on the ground. "Wait" said Rann, "the bear, I've heard they chase men down, it will not be far behind us."
Corvinis looked up, a proud smile on his face "It is tracking us, it will be here soon"
Rann furrowed his brow, "Should we, well should we not kill it?"
Corvinis' expression soured "No" he said sharply
Rann was hungry, so it was harder to keep his frustration in check, "I know you said we've not to hunt when we don't need to but, I am really hungry, I need to"
Corvinis leaned forward "No" he repeated in the same tone
Rann could not hold it back, "Why?" as he said it he knew it was a stupid thing to do. As soon as he said it his body started to recoil, the beast inside knew this was a bad move and it desperately wanted to flee. Rann held it in check and stared back at his sire, as much out of defiance against himself than his sire.
Corvinis' response however was calm, "Because of the tradition of the bear, the wolf, the tiger, the snake and the beast"
Rann blinked, "the what?" he asked
Corvinis said, "you will hear it told."
Rann said "Told? what does .. wait are we going to see a Gangrel Storyteller?"
Corvinis said "Something like that"

When they arose the next night the journey continued in much the same manner. They hunted on occasion, but mostly they ran. There was one moment where Rann nearly asked "is there a quicker way" but stopped himself because he feared Corvinis might shapeshift and leave him for dust if he said it. Day after day passed overhead, night after night passed as they ran. Always the mountains on their right, then at a town where they spoke a different language in a long valley with mountains on all sides finally they stopped. There was one maountain at the South East corner of this valley which was noticebly taller than the others. Corvinis looked at the sky and said "The time is close, but we are early. One week, perhaps more. This is good, I have looked forward to returning."
Rann was stunned "What in a bad?" he said confused, the comment was not responded to.

It turned out that Corvinis wanted to meet with an old gypsy woman who had an old shack at the North end of the valley. Rann was more than puzzled, she appeared to be mortal, and these two were clearly friendly. Neither said much to each other, but something made Rann uncomfortable. He spent the next two weeks enjoying the bards stories at a nearby tavern and avoiding the house. He noticed there were a couple of people who kept watch on him, but he kept buying a drink and either pouring it surropticiously down through the floorboards or letting one of the wenches drink it. So Rann kept quiet and the watchers did not approach him.

Eventually Corvinis decided it was time and they headed off up the mountain. A slow walk. Rann noticed there were other people from the tavern on the same path. An unusual thing to do, climb a steep mountain trail in the dead of night. Rann started to get excited, could these be other Gangrel? As they climbed the rise and approached the Eastern side of the huge mountain's peak Rann saw two things which stunned him. The first were the sheer volume of bats, hundreds of them flocked and swooped. All different sizes, some as small as a mouse, a few as large as a cat. The other thing was the people, there was at least half a dozen small campfires, each one had a small group of people around it, and at the far end, a grand bonfire almost as high as a man. Corvinis stopped as the scene came into view, "This is a gathering. Every ten years, in certain places around the world they will occur. This is one of those places."

Corvinis walked slowly and patiently through the small camp fires until he reached the centre. Rann stopped and said "Hang on, its only 1364"
Corvinis turned and said "The gathering is not measured with your new calandar. I have some people to talk with, go and see what the others make of you."
Rann was suddenly a little shy, "erm, but how do I know who to be polite to?"
Corvinis said "Ha, the city is rubbing off on you. Look for the storytellers, ask one about the bear, the wolf, the snake and the beast. As far as manners go, it is rude to chit chat, or to gossip, speak only if you have something to say." with that Corvinis turned and headed in the direction of the large bonfire.

Rann took a deep breath and looked around. There were so many faces, it took him a little while to take it all in. Accross from him were a pair of fire jugglers, a remarkable feat considering the risks, but like all good showmen they appeared to be unafraid. Some trick or other was sure to be involved. Three others near them were showing off contorion skills, posing in unnatural ways. Occasionally one of them would leap up and perform a short acrobatics display. Rann clapped and forgot the strange situation he was in. Without warning a handful of wolves ran through the middle, the acrobats leaped them and stood to take applause. A juggler missed his torch, he dodged it just in time and let it fall on the snow. It went out with a his. His companion yelled after the pack of wolves as you would a group of children, they paused for a while to re-light the now wet fifth torch. Around the campfire beyond a small band of musicians played a tune and some strange folk were howling and dancing next to them.

That group were the ones who made the scene a little too odd, they made Rann realise the strange afflictions that everyone had. One of the dancers had a snout like a wolf, the other had the large pointed hairy ears. Both were leaping and carrying on like animals, rather than dancing. CLoser to him the crowd watching the acrobats wer all equally aflicted, all in slightly different ways. A large woman beside him had a small, piglike nose and little tusks. On the other side of her was a man covered in thick shaggy hair, each eight inch lengths of thin matted strands. Rann slowly turned the other way, now curious as much as scared. There was a grey haired man with really high square cheekbones and really strange feet, just his toes poked out of his trousers and he was comfortably stood on four large equal sized toes ending in claws. Past him was a really large fat man, his chins wobbled when he laughed and his skin looked slick to the touch.

Rann stepped carefully away from the crowd of half animal, half humans. As he did he overheard a few words in Austrian. When he turned he saw that nearby was a kindly looking woman about his age. She smiled at him. He was sure it had been her talking so he went over, as he approached he said "erm, hi, do you speak Gorizian?"
The woman offered her hand, "Gabrelle, childe of Tauresh" she said in what was clearly her native tongue "I don't know about Gorizian, but I'm from Innsbruck and we call this German."
Rann sat down sheepishly, grunting "erm, Rann childe of Corvinis". As he sat into a crosslegged pose he noticed that the backs of her hands were feathered, though she was not wearing a revealing top he could still tell that the rest of her seemed human enough. Her companion at this fire was a young man, he was digging through a knapsack, engrossed in something inside.
"This is Kurne" Gabrelle said indicating the boy,
Kurne looked up and noticed Rann, "Hi" he said, "I've got the story, I have. Just give me a moment to find the second page."
Gabrelle smiled and explained "His sire told him to tell us the tale of the bear, the wolf and the snake." Then while rolling her eyes she added by way of appology "He apparently wrote it down."
Rann said, slightly more excited than he meant to sound "Oh, I've been told to listen to that story."
Gabrelle smiled, "New huh" she said
Rann said, "Well this is my seventh winter, but that's still pretty new I guess."
Kurne looked up at this "Seven? Your older than me." Then turned to Gabrelle "Gabrelle, he's older than me maybe he should tell it?"
Gabrelle said, "No Kurne, Logan told you to do the telling. Besides, he's not even heard it before." This last she said jokingly, motioning that if she were closer she would elbow Rann in jest
Kurne said "He's having you on, he's just here to judge me."
Gabrelle answered "So what, your supposed to be judged on the telling." Then as Kurnes face started to turn red with worry "Relax, I've been to three of these Gatherings now and in each of them the judgement was by an elder who announced himself as the master story teller as he joined us. Just think of Rann and me as a rehersal."
Then Rann added "I really have not heard the bears and wolves and snakes story before you know."
Gabrelle said "Hey, I was just trying to relax him, if he thinks you've never heard it he has a great responsibility to get it right."
Rann answered "Oh, erm sorry. I didn't want you to think I was being sly is all"
Gabrelle said "What you've really never heard this story? how is that even possible? It's like Gangrel day 1," and then in a loose impression of a man "you don't hunt bears, wolves or snakes"
Rann then twigged "Ahh, he said. I live in the town. I don't hunt animals."
"Ooh, lah dee dah. Just the fine kine, with there silver and gold like a proper Ventrue lord are we?" Gabrelle asked rhetorically
"Well, no not like that. I just didn't like living like a savage in a cave. So my sire sent me into the town to learn about the traditions and stuff."
Kurne continued to struggle with the contents of his pack, while Gabrelle whispered "Seriously, your sire lives in a cave? Isn't Gorizia where Lientz is?" Rann nodded "In the heart of Garou territory?" Rann nodded again "So who was your sire again?"
Before Rann could answer Kurne exclaimed "Got it!" he held a handful of parchments up. "Page two, found, all six pages, found. Ha!"
Gabrelle then got up onto her knees, turned and whistled. She waved to a few people who headed their way. A small group of half adozen Gangrel with a variety of animal features gathered in to listen. Kurne began.

""
Back at the dawn of creation there were many beasts, but none had yet been named. They did not know who was predator and who was prey. This was the world before the darkness of men came into it, before even Adam came into being so this was long before Caine slew his brother and fell into darkness, before Caine was named the father of all kindred. But for the origins of our clan this is where we must begin the tale.

A pregnant mother was cast out of Eden. They say she forgot the laws of god which held all women second to man. They say she tried to subjugate Adam, and turn the law of god upside down. This cursed woman staggered into the untamed world alone and afraid. This woman was called Lilith, and she is the grandmother. One night when the moon was full, this woman found herself at the bank of a river, at a place where a lush meadow met a great forest. Here she stopped for a rest, but the babes she carried would wait no longer. The animals of the forest heard her wails and came to her aid. The wolf came first as her legs were swift, she howled to carry the word to the farthest reaches and more came. The Tiger came next, she offered strength to the mother to be. The bear came next, and bears are known for stubbornness, but when this tale was new they were known as healers. The bear acted as chief midwife and guided the birth. The Snake came next, using its tale to assist it saved the mother's life. Finally the beast of dreams arrived, it granted them all with the gift of wisdom. With this wisdom each of the five midwives took with them one child. The snake's child was stillborn, but the rest were nurtured and soon became adults surrounded by the family of their foster mother. Each became the first of what we now call the werebeasts. For this reason we do not hunt Bears, Wolves, Large cats or Snakes for they are all our kin.

And so it was that one of these children was raised by wolves. And when the beasts were named and the wolves named as predators, even then they looked after the babe as one of their own. They called her Ennoia, for all things must be named and when she was of age, she took a mate from among the pack and bore him children. Some were like her, shaped as a man. Some were like the father shaped as a wolf, but all were kin. These are the first of the Garou. One was born under a new moon and he was Ragabash, he grew to become crafty and sneaky. One under the crescent moon and he was Theurge, he became wise and a student of the magic of nature. One was born under the Half moon and he was Philadox, and he always strived to find peace and balance. One was born under the gibbous moon, he was Galliard and he was the tale teller of the group the last was born under the full moon and he was the strength of the group.

Unlike her husband Fenrir and the other wolves with whom she lived, Ennoia was an immortal. She eventually grew dissatisfied with her life in the wilds and took to wandering far and wide. She next settled in a place where the people were like her. Descended from Adam and his second wife, and so her half brothers and sisters she thought that she could find a home with them. At first she was loved by the people, she bore many lovers children and from these are descended the Gypsies. Over time the people of the town grew envious of her beauty and wisdom and so cast her out. And so she wandered the world alone again.

In time Caine the master of Enoch came and found Ennoia and begged her to join him. Their passion for each other was legendary and it was not long before she was made a vampire. Yet the lovers were never able to agree on one point, Caine saw civilisation as a great boon to all kindred, but Ennoia argued that civiliseation was a trap. The source of easy kine on which to prey from a herd weakened the kindred and would make them forget how to hunt for themselves. Such luxuries, she argued would allow the beast strength, while the hunt would partner with it.

And from Ennoia we are descended as Gangrel, kin to the were beasts and to the gypsies. It is from her that we are taught the road of the beast and the lessons of the hunt. It is from her that were have earned the right to wander the world and settle where we may. And it is from her that we are placed beside the laws of the traditions which govern the kindred who dwell in towns and cities.
""

The group applauded, some with smiles. The tale was clearly a favorite, even if the telling was not the best. As everyone got up to leave Gabrelle leaned over to Kurne and said "You're lucky that none of those sheets smudged with all this snow, and that you could read them by the campfire light. The last one of these I came to it was a nice night, but so damp we were soaked through when it was done. Next time, memorise it."
Kurne said, "Aw, Gabrelle were you testing me?"
Gabrelle said "Yes Kurne, I was judging you. You're going to be a cub for another decade I'm afraid. But you told it well so I am going to tell Logan to let you do this again next time. And next time I think you'll do really well, I think you've got real potential."
Kurne face brightened at this, Rann stood up and looked around. He saw Corvinis' familiar cowled form talking with two others. They pointed as the group were all standing and Corvinis waved Rann over. As Rann closed in Corvinis said "So did you hear about the bear, the wolf, the tiger, the snake and the beast?"
"Yes, they called it just some of those but they were all in it. I .. erm .. well .."
Corvinis stared, as if waiting for some comment, but Rann could not think what to say. In the end Rann simple asked "How come you did not tell it to me?"
Corvinis smiled and said "I do not like to lie"
As Corvinis walked off Rann stood dumbfounded for half a minute, he eventually ran and caught up but was prevented from enquiring any further by some ceremony.

Corvinis stepped into a circle and held Rann's left arm up. The circle was the entire assembly, around forty or fifty Gangrel. All misshapen in some way. "I am Corvinis, a resident of the Eastern Alps. I present Rann, my childe. Respect him and I will respect you."

Corvinis left Rann standing as dozens of new faces rushed forwards to hug him and shake his hand. "What a really odd family" Rann thought to himself.