Cafeteria - Go Sit In The Corner

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa sighed, "I feel like you and I have had this conversation before. Sometimes stuff can't be fixed."

[Brigid Plunder]

"I'm a sucker for lost causes."

[Theresa McMasters]

"One of your endearing and frustrating traits."

[Brigid Plunder]

"I just hope Murphy and Vertie figured out something, you know?"

[Theresa McMasters]

"As much as I adore Murphy, I'm not going to hold my breath on that."

[Brigid Plunder]

"I told her to talk to the girl, said I'd support her whichever way she decided. Best I can do for now."

[Theresa McMasters]

"I suppose you'll have to wait and see. She might actually listen to Vertie."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy steps out of the line, holding a tray. She spots Brigid and Theresa. She looks at them questioningly, not entirely sure if she should interrupt.

[Brigid Plunder]

Brigid's back is to Murphy at the moment, so she doesn't notice quite yet.

"One way or the other, it's got to happen."

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa catches sight of Murphy and gives her a brief flash of her puppy dog eyes as if begging Murphy to come over. "Hopefully I've squared things with Murphy so that I'm out of that whole thing."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy walks over and sits down.

"Hey."

[Theresa McMasters]

The panic Theresa's wolf was fighting mostly disappeared when Murphy sat down. "Hey. Brigid and I were just talking about you."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Yeah. Nothing bad, though. Just hoping you and Vertie had a good talk."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy nods. "It was interesting."

"Says I need to lead. Take responsibility," Murphy says.

[Brigid Plunder]

"So she's still pushing for that, huh? Well, if that's what you want..."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy locks eye with Brigid. She folds her hands in front of her, "No. Not about that."

"It's what we need," Murphy says. It sounds like she's stating a fact. Her demeanor isn't challenging either Theresa or Brigid. She doesn't look aggressive or defensive. In fact, her body language is very open, casual, and trusting.

[Brigid Plunder]

"I just want what works, you know?"

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa remained quiet, contemplating her food as she listened to Murphy and Brigid talk.

[Hannah Murphy]

"Not sure you know what you want," Murphy says bluntly, without any anger or accusation to her tone. "Friendly. Trying to avoid trouble."

"What do you want for yourself?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"I want us to stop fighting."

"I guess I've been going about that on two legs instead of four."

[Theresa McMasters]

"I'm not sure we *can* stop fighting," Theresa said quietly.

[Hannah Murphy]

"Why?"

[Theresa McMasters]

"I don't know. Just that it feels like every time grudges get settled, new stuff pops up. It's like entropy is taking a dump on us." She sighs, "I'm rambling. Ignore me."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy shakes her head, "No. Good point."

"We need to put an end to it all. No more fighting. Rules."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Ones we all agree on, or is it better to just lay down the law?"

"Theresa and I were talking about... well, mixed messages."

[Hannah Murphy]

"Mixed messages?" Murphy asks. "Like what?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"Like the human inclination is to try to accommodate folks, but from an alpha the wolf finds that... confusing."

[Theresa McMasters]

"And with me not being pack anymore, that just muddles the signals even more."

[Hannah Murphy]

"Fine," Murphy says. "No more fights alone. Entire pack has to be there. I'll decide if a fight is necessary. No fights without permission. Got it?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"Think we can all live with that."

[Theresa McMasters]

"Wasn't going to fight anyone anyway."

[Hannah Murphy]

"Good," Murphy says. "Anything else?"

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa shook her head quietly, eyes focused on her food.

[Brigid Plunder]

"Hope it helps," is all she says.

[Hannah Murphy]

"Me too," Murphy says. She glances at Theresa.

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa's overall body language hadn't changed, but when Murphy glanced at her, her head tilted slightly to one side. The motion caused her hair to move and bared the side of her neck in Murphy's direction.

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy leaned her head on Theresa's shoulder. It was comforting.

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa seemed to relax a bit more and she quit looking like she was about to bolt.