Zane's life, from 19th birthday to 20th birthday.
May 15 2000 - May 15 2001 [19]
-The pack continues their bloody campaign in South Korea for another two months; having found the small Hive of Fallen Hakken that Kuronue has endeared himself to, the Jagged Tooth seeks to wipe out every last Garou from that pit, the Sept of the Broken Fist.
-Kills-Hope, Ben, Zane, and the three remaining Cliath of the Jagged Tooth confront Kuronue, and with the aid of Zane's massive Bane Flock, they re-capture the stolen Klaive. Kuronue manages to escape, but his pack, the Flying Fox, isn't so lucky.
-With his pack slaughtered, his Hive destroyed, Kuronue flees yet again, back to the United States. He settles in Necropolis, Kansas. Kills-Hope and the Jagged Tooth returns to the Thrashing Elk Sept in Michigan.
-Kills-Hope discovers that Harley wasn't actually killed, merely captured. A pack of Children of Gaia has been attempting to reform the insane Wyrm-Garou, with little success. Kills-Hope wastes no time planning ways to free Harley from the Gaian Garou.
-Hope's plan fails misrebly... the Children of Gaia kill the three remaining Cliath, and capture Zane. Kills-Hope and Ben are forced to flee, abandoning Zane.
-The Gaian Garou, who call themselves the Mother's Smile Pack, spend several hours per day trying to "reach" Zane, to try and get him to renounce the Wyrm and return to the Gaian Garou... the Mother's Smile can clearly see his Get of Fenris bloodlines, and they think that he is Fallen Fenrir. At first, Zane is unresponsive. He's known nothing but abuse for so long that anything else confuses him. One young Garou, named Spring Thaw, makes it her personal goal to help Zane. She often goes into the cage Zane is being kept in [since he is Wyrm-Garou, they must keep him locked up for safety reasons] and merely puts her arms around him. She sometimes sings to him, and does what she can to try and comfort him. He doesn't respond, and he refuses to eat.
-After nearly a month, Spring Thaw's kindness pays off. Zane, missing the comforting touch of his pack, becomes lonely and despondent for several days. Spring Thaw, seeing how misreble the boy is, defies her pack's law and unlocks his cage and takes him out for a walk, as if he were her son. Zane, no longer used to being outside, stays close to Spring Thaw, and by the end of the day, he's not only speaking, but willing to eat on his own. By the end of the week, Zane has begun to return some of the kindness shown to him, occasionally sidling up next to Spring Thaw, as if begging for attention. He is still confused, however... she has made no attempt to hurt him or engage in any form of sexual contact. Used to being used, Zane doesn't understand what Spring Thaw wants from him, and he becomes increasingly anxious.
-Spring Thaw, sensing that Zane is no longer hostile or depressed, begins to try and teach him the ways of Gaia, which are by now totally alien concepts to the young Garou. Still, he is submissive and compliant, and seeks to do whatever he is told, fearing possible abuse if he refuses. He soon learns the Gaian Litany, and part of the Silver Record.
-Bull-in-a-China-Shop, the Mother's Smile alpha, decides that Harley and Zane have had long enough to renounce the ways of corruption. He declares that both Garou will be forced to participate in a Rite of Cleansing; should they show any signs of remaining Wyrm-aligned, they will be "mercifully put to death," in the belief that it is a kindness to end the "suffering" of a Black Spiral Dancer, being cut off from Gaia the way they are. Bull-in-a-China-Shop schedules the Rite to take place durring the next Moot, which is less than two weeks away.
-Spring Thaw takes Zane home to her appartment, where he will stay untill the Rite of Cleansing. Certain that he will be declared "rehabilitated," she prepares him for his upcoming Rite of Passage... she intends to have him made into a member of the Children of Gaia tribe. Zane obediently learns from Spring Thaw, since she is the only one who pays him any attention by now; the rest of the Mother's Smile pack has found other buisness to attend to.
-Zane and Harley are forced to undergo a Rite of Cleansing. Harley shows signs of clinging to his Taint, and the Mother's Smile declares him irredeemably Wyrm Tainted. Harley is executed immediately. Zane, not feeling any specific loyalty to any particular aspect, be it Wyrm or no, passes the Rite easily. He feels more loyalty to people he sees as family than people who share religious beliefs with him. Spring Thaw suggests that Zane be allowed to go on an Umbral journey, supervised of course, for his Rite of Passage. Bull-in-a-China-Shop agrees.
-Spring Thaw takes Zane to the Children of Gaia Homeland realm. Upon arrival, Zane's Unicorn Anamae greets him, and Spring Thaw is horrified by the realiZation that Zane wasn't truly a Black Spiral Dancer after all, but a Skin Dancer. Zane's Unicorn Anamae, a hideous false unicorn, looks like a tarnished golden mule with a harpoon through it's head, forming a unicorn's horn. The beast is a spiritual reflection of Zane, and shows very plainly how sick and decayed Zane's soul is. Zane, not understanding, befriends his Unicorn Anamae, who is ironically named "Stitches."
-Spring Thaw and Zane return to the territory of the Mother's Smile, to find that Kills-Hope, Ben, and Leclere have killed every last Child of Gaia from the pack. Zane petitions for Spring Thaw's life... the kindhearted Philodox is allowed to live, on the condition that she dance the Black Labyrinth and join the Black Spiral Dancer tribe. Spring Thaw reluctantly agrees, and survives. She meekly assumes the role of a breeder for the tribe within the Thrashing Elk Hive.
-Kills-Hope and his sons move to Necropolis, Kansas, with the intentions of killing Kuronue.
-For the first few weeks in Necropolis, Hope and Ben keep Zane locked in their new basement. They worry that Zane's tendency to wander off might be problematic. Durring those weeks, Kuronue and Hope forge a sortof truce. Zane declares himself neutral in the debate, and removes himself from all dominance issues and territorial disputes.
-To make up for breaking a promise, Kuronue gives Zane to Troy Dante, a vampire. It is the first time Zane's been out of Hope's basement in about five weeks, and he is nervous and shy, though he genuinely likes Troy.
-Hope, reassured by Ben and Kuronue that Zane is relatively safe, allows Zane to come and go as he pleases. Zane does his best to spend as much time with Troy as he can. Zane soon learns that Kuronue has chosen a mate: Gevauden, a powerful Spiral Dancer Theurge.
-Troy discovers that Zane is a Black Spiral Dancer, and clearly disapproves. Zane, desperate to stay in Troy's good graces, declares himself Ronin and renounces the Wyrm. Hope, in responce, throws Zane out, figuring that he'll regret his impulsive decision soon enough and then he'll return, and everything will go back the way it was. However, Hope underestimates Zane, who, determined to make Troy happy, refuses to give in. Zane winds up living on the streets, since Hope will not allow him home.
-Zane encounters a man named Xoanon, who lures Zane into an alleyway near Shadows Bar, where he reveals himself to be a Black Spiral Dancer. The Spirals in the city are not pleased with Zane's defiance, and Xoanon punishes Zane by beating him severely with a lead pipe, breaking most of his bones and causing severe internal injury. He also shoots Zane twice in the left leg with silver ammunition, and as a final warning, slices the right side of his face open with a silver blade. He then gouges out Zane's right eye, and leaves the young Ronin, broken and bleeding, in the gutter on the side of the road.
-Xoanon again approaches Zane, offering him a choice: join the Spiral Dancer pack he is alpha of, or die. Zane, fearing for his life, agrees to join the Dark Moon pack, though he insists that Xoanon and his fellow Spiral Dancers respect Zane's right to remain tribeless.
-A woman named Purraj approaches Zane, and informs him she has been hired to kill him. Zane merely accepts this... it isn't the first time people have wanted him dead, after all. Purraj does manage to supprise Zane when she tells him who hired her: Xoanon. Zane convinces Purraj not to kill him, though he doesn't confront Xoanon about it, either. Zane finds Purraj interesting, and he attempts to befriend her.
-Zane spends more and more time at Shadows Bar and Grill, finding the people who frequent the bar to be unusual and entertaining. He also explores the nearby Lake Smithville woods, and befriends several shapeshifters; one of his closest friends is Quintton, one of the Bastet.
-Durring one of his visits to Shadows Bar, Zane meets Christian Derakh and his "followers," Corbin Cruz and Sepp Derakh. Zane is initially attracted to Christian because he is handsome and blatantly dominant, but he is intimidated by Sepp's odd behavior and Corbin's hostility. He is made even more wary when Christian whispers frequently with Corbin; Zane fears they are planning to attack or harm him. He refuses to go home with Christian, since Zane really isn't interested in the fun and friendship Christian offers. After Christian leaves, Sepp and Zane talk for a bit, and Sepp offers to take Zane home, not to have fun with, but to give him a decent meal and a place to sleep, plus a shower. Zane eagerly agrees; street life doesn't agree well with the timid young Garou, who is by now used to being taken care of. Sepp offers to have sex with Zane, who refuses.
-Rei Aterides, one of Zane's friends, begins to touch Zane sexually when Zane had previously asked him not to. Stressed about being part of the Dark Moon and anxious about the Derakhs, Zane isn't sure what to do about Rei's unwanted advances.
-Zane stays with Sepp overnight again, though he still refuses to engage in sexual activity with him. Zane is nervous... he's feeling a bit pressured by both Sepp and Rei, and is somewhat afraid of Rei.
-In a bout of emotional weakness, Zane succumbs to Rei's advances, and the following night, it occurs to him that maybe the reason Sepp is letting him live with him is simply for sex. Fearing that Sepp will make him leave, Zane submits to Sepp's advances.
-Concerned by what Rei has been doing and nervous about Sepp, Zane seeks out Troy, but doesn't manage to convey his concerns very well. Troy, understandably not comprehending the barely coherent rambling from Zane, doesn't seem concerned. Zane, reassured by Troy's calm demeanor, relaxes as well.
-Xoanon and his pack attack Purraj, who slaughters all Dark Moon members except Xoanon and Zane, who declared himself neutral in the conflict. Zane is suddenly thrown into the position of Beta, a dominant member of the pack. Xoanon actively seeks to recurit more Garou, and James joins the pack. Zane, encouraged by Sepp, asserts his dominance, maintaining his place as Beta.
-Zane enjoys being fed from by vampires, and often offers himself to Sepp as a "free meal." Zane is eager to keep Sepp happy; he is petitioning for an Alpha, and Christian and Sepp seem dominant enough to make Zane want to remain near them. Sepp asks very little of Zane, and he worries that, because he isn't being given work to do or commands to obey, Sepp will get rid of him. Thus, he often winds up nearly pleading to be fed from, hoping to remain "useful." At some point, he convinces Sepp to reciprocate, giving his blood to Zane, who doesn't really understand the process of Ghouling. Being Wyrm-Garou, he isn't allergic to the blood, and finds it addictive in the extreme.
-Tension increases between Zane and James. Even though Zane is higher ranking than James, James is physically stronger, and he knows it. Zane is hard pressed to hold his place in the pack, but because Sepp approves of Zane's attempt at dominance, Zane continues to try and keep James in line. To further back his own threats, Zane undergoes the Third Circle of the Black Labyrinth.
-Over time, Zane becomes confused. He admires Christian's dominance, but doesn't understand why he never takes utter control of Zane. Similarly, Zane wonders why Sepp never shows blatant dominance. In an attempt to goad Christian into punishing him, he uses Dagger of the Mind on Sepp to induce lust. Zane's plan backfires; Christian punishes Sepp instead of Zane. Confused, Zane tries to comfort Sepp by licking the small bleeding wound on his neck, which Christian inflicted. Doing so inadvertently seals the Blood Bond between Sepp and Zane.
-Purraj is posessed by the spirit of Broken Sword. Zane manages to convince the spirit to leave Purraj's body and take up residence in a massive battle axe. He then presents the axe to Xoanon as a gift.
-James challenges Zane's dominance as often as he can, and Zane is slowly losing ground in his ongoing struggle to remain Beta of the Dark Moon. In a very open display of defiance, James stabs Zane in the groin with a steel knife, and leaves him bleeding in the street. Zane is terrified, and further frightened when a well-meaning Get of Fenris attempts to asess the dammage by forcing Zane's legs appart. Cyndane "Min" Taggart, hearing Zane's screams, does her best to comfort him while Sepp and the Fenrir try to help Zane's injuries.
-Zane tries to seek out Xoanon, to tell him of James' attack, which directly violates Xoanon's pack law... but Xoanon is nowhere to be found. Zane finds himself in the unexpected position of de facto Alpha. James obviously resents this. To prove his dominance over Zane, James captures Zane and chains him in his basement for three days, alternately torturing, beating, and violently raping Zane, who is forced to live in filth and force-fed rotten meat filled with maggots. The horrible treatment is maddening, even to Zane, who usually just accepts abuse. He crushes the bones in his right hand pulling free of the chains that hold him down, and then he flees into the Umbra, and heads home to Sepp, seeking comfort and medical care.
-Zane, who occasionally has himself tested for STDs, discovers that he has contracted HIV. This obviously worries him greatly; he fears that Sepp will be angry with him. Zane is so relieved that Sepp isn't upset that Zane is "sick" that he literally doesn't seem to mind that he could potentially die of illness. By now, Zane has firmly determined himself to be one of the Derakh "pets."
-Feeling a very deep crush on Corbin, Zane shyly tries to win Corbin over; Corbin seems hostile at first, then merely unfriendly. Encouraged, Zane continues to try and warm up to Corbin, though Corbin's cold attitude towards him makes Zane shy and nervous. Fearing rejection, he refrains from telling Corbin how he feels, and instead focuses on trying to make himself a part of the Derakh's property. By now, he has sworn loyalty to them, and is perplexed that none of them have openly declared ownership of him.
-Often, when in the woods, Zane seeks out Quintton for companionship. Durring one of their visits, Zane is lured away by a sound not unlike a baby's cry. Not knowing any better, he walks into the trap, and is captured by Shapeshifter Researchers. Quintton rescues him before they can do too much dammage.
-Zane learns a great deal about vampire history from a Gangrel friend, Merrick Armstrong. In return, Zane tells Merrick about Garou history.
-A young human boy, Danny Zinkewich, is found by Zane after nearly being beaten to death. Zane, feeling lonely, cleans Danny up and takes him to Kills-Hope's house, where Ben lives. Kills-Hope is often out of town, trying to take care of buisness in both Kansas and Michigan. Ben agrees to let Danny stay with him, and Zane frequently stays with Danny at Ben's.
-Sepp, after informing Christian that not only is Zane now Bound to Sepp, but that Zane has contracted HIV from him, decides to keep his hands off Zane in a very literal sense. Zane is deeply concerned by Sepp's sudden physical rejection... among the Spiral Dancers Zane has lived with most of his life, the touch of the pack was always seen as acceptance, and refusal to touch was seen as rejection. Fearing that Sepp is trying to reject him, he pries for a reason. Sepp lets slip that Christian told him to keep his hands off of Zane, and Zane immediately draws the conclusion that Christian is trying to kick him out. Right then, Sepp leaves Zane to go and visit with another young man at the bar, Jason Timmerman. A nearby vampire, for no other reason that personal amusement, mentally rapes Zane, instilling deep fear of abandonment and jealousy of Jason, since he has Sepp's attention and acceptance while Zane does not.
-Sepp leaves Zane in the bar to go out with Jason... and the two are promptly attacked by a Gaian Garou. Zane rushes to his Domitor's defense, attacking the larger, older Garou. Zane's friend Danny tries to help; Zane mentally shouts for Sepp to get both Jason and Danny out of danger. Zane is badly mauled in the fight, but he succeeds in overcoming the other Garou while Sepp flees, and Zane drives her away. Too ill to travel back to the Derakh home, Zane slips into the Umbra for the night, spending the next day recovering from the fight. Zane is disheartened when Sepp doesn't thank him for saving his life, instead merely commenting that he's relieved that Zane wasn't blinded for life.
-Zane attempts to quiet his fears of rejection by asking Christian if he belongs to him. Zane's reasoning is that, because Sepp belongs to Christian, all that Sepp owns is automatically Christian's; therefore, Zane felt that he belonged to Christian. Christian answers to the contrary, stating that Sepp is free, not a pet any longer, and that Christian has no right to his property. More afraid than ever, Zane desperately tries to regain Sepp's favor, failing misrebly.
-Corbin does his best to help Zane stay sane, since Zane is nearly going mad with fear and jealousy over Sepp and Jason. Zane doesn't mind that Jason is getting attention... Jason is, after all, a "new toy" and therefore more interesting than the old toys... but Zane is very deeply hurt that Sepp won't touch him at all even when Jason isn't there. Corbin winds up being the only one to assist Zane when Zane Frenzies due to the feelings of jealousy and the fear of abandonment. By now, Zane is certain that Sepp plans on getting rid of him. Zane also develops very deep feelings for Corbin at this time, but due to Corbin's previous coldness, Zane is still afraid to try to tell him how he feels.
-Sepp begins to teach Zane and Jason to hunt and kill women. Zane is very unhappy with how things usually turn out… Sepp warned them that, above all else, “don’t get dead.” Zane followed that rule to the letter, keeping himself and Jason from being killed. Instead of praise or recognition of obedience, Zane is ignored while Jason is praised for bringing home prey.
-Zane spends less and less time at home, instead staying with Danny in Ben and Hope's house. He performs a Rite which makes Danny into Kinfolk; Zane plans on useing the boy, either as a gift to Christian or as a gift to Gevauden. Danny, however, doesn't listen to Zane, and seeks out Christian long before Zane was ready to introduce them. Christian seemed disinterested in the boy, who, after listening to Zane [whom Danny calls “Hero”] speak so highly of Christian, is stunned. Zane is disappointed that Danny didn’t listen to him, and merely decides to give him to the Spiral Dancers as a breeder for the tribe at the next available opportunity.
-Depressed, lonely, and feeling ignored by Sepp, Zane attempts to drown himself in meaningless sexual activity with anyone male and willing. He is occasionally compared to a whore, the major difference being that whores get paid. Zane eventually decides to refuse drug therapy and antiretroviral therapy to control his HIV, choosing instead to allow himself to die of the disease, a “passive suicide” of sorts. Zane hopes to sicken and die before Sepp abandons him, which Zane views as inevitable. Troy, Zane’s lover and close friend, is greatly disturbed by Zane’s decision.
-Perceiving Jason to be of “higher rank” than himself, since he sees Sepp favoring Jason in numerous small ways [giving Jason a collar for identification while Zane had to make his own, for example] Zane attempts to get closer to Jason, partially because he believes it will eventually make Sepp “like” him again.
-In a desperate attempt to appease Sepp, Zane travels into the Umbra, and seeks out the Nexus Crawler he once befriended as a child. Believing that Sepp will like him again if he isn’t Garou, Zane forces the Nexus Crawler to undo the Rite of Sacred Rebirth. Zane then finds that, merely ghouled kinfolk now, he is unable to exit the Umbra. Ben, concerned by Zane’s sudden three-day absence, tracks him down and helps him return to the physical realm. Sepp does seem to approve, but Zane still feels that Sepp no longer likes him. More than ever, he fears abandonment.
-Zane grows increasingly irate towards Danny, whom he has come to view as a subordinant pack member. Zane is upset that Corbin apparently owns Danny, having made him his own pet; this is anathema to Zane, since pets cannot own pets. Christian apparently agrees, and Danny is given to Bastian Keith, to be his ghoul and pet. Zane is still wary… he no longer fully trusts Danny.
-Purraj convinces Zane to try and save his own life by purging his disease with a Sunfire Talen. Zane agrees.
-Zane confronts Bastian, explaining his concerns about Danny, and about the way Danny and Corbin are together. Zane is not only angry about Danny’s behavior, but is also jealous, since he harbors deep feelings for Corbin. Bastian, not sensing Zane’s rational concerns but picking up on his jealousy, angrily dismisses what Zane is saying.
-Purraj confesses that she has fallen in love with Zane, and wants him to be her mate. Zane, being homosexual, is at first somewhat reluctant to even consider it, however he is attracted to the idea of raising children. He agrees eventually, but Sepp’s disapproval of Zane “breeding” makes him eventually turn down Purraj’s offer.
-Taking matters into his own hands, Zane angrily confronts Danny himself. He convinces Danny to back off enough to let Zane talk to Corbin. Zane later discovers that Corbin was in a massive automobile accident on that night.
-Zane and Jason, while in the Lake Smithville woods, discover Danny’s dead body, apparently torn apart by a shapeshifter. Zane is suspicious, since there are no tracks, no scent other than Danny’s, and no signs of an all-out struggle. Furthermore, the body is cold, not a fresh kill.
-Zane meets Night-Eyes, a wolf-dog hybrid; Zane sees the animal as a friend, and often tries to get the wolf-dog to come with him when he goes places, feeling more secure in the company of the seemingly tame carnivore.
-Zane visits Corbin in the hospital, informing him of Danny’s death. He planned on telling Corbin how much he cared for him, and that he loves him, but Corbin seemed preoccupied and Zane, disheartened, left without saying anything about his feelings.
-Purraj and Zane wind up arguing, and in a bout of ill temper, Zane informs Purraj that she isn’t the only killer, that Zane is more than capable of ending someone’s life. Purraj, undaunted, asks Zane if he intends on killing her. Zane, still furious, smashes the iron container of Sunfire, destroying his chance at purging the HIV virus from his body, and coldy tells Purraj “I’ve just killed me.”