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At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 7, 2009, 11:55pm
((OOC: this starts shortly after Windsoft leads her scouts away, so there's about 8 hours before the Wolfriders would get there. So this is late afternoon, but with 3 or 4 hours to go before sunset. So, until the Wolfriders reach the rive in the main thread, only Nightsun, Ashglow, and Starpath will be posting here.
))
Nightsun paused as she crested a slight hill, almost indiscernible in the vast expanse of the grasslands. She shifted her pack into a more comfortable position, barely noticing it's familiar weight or contours. She'd been wearing a similar pack since she'd taken her first steps. That pack held all of her goods and possessions, just as her brothers' packs held theirs.
She closed her eyes and listened to the whispers that drifted around her. They weren't always there, but for the last several days, three had been particularly persistent and stayed with her for almost the entire walk. She didn't understand most of what they said, but they promised a home that had no more wandering, a cool place to stay with others of their kind.
Nightsun was very tired of wandering. She yearned to stay in one place, to see the same things day after day. The whispers said that by coming this direction, finding this river, that she could have that.
She peeked a look at her brothers from beneath lowered lids. They could have that, too. They would be happier with others of their kind, and not just her.
"We will wait here," she said quietly, starting the shallow descent of the hill. "It will not be long. I will collect soaproot. They will want it."
Re: At the River
Post by peachbug on Jun 8, 2009, 2:01pm
Starpath shared an awkward glance with his brother. He enjoyed this change of direction, and his sister's new confidence in leading them wherever they might be heading, but all this talk of 'they' was making his head itch with questions. He scratched the top of his head, but that didn't really relieve the wondering.
**Ashglow?** He locksent, though their sister probably couldn't catch their words in her current state. **I'm fine with following Nightsun, but why do I have the feeling we're on the tail of something else entirely?**Re: At the River
Post by meimei on Jun 9, 2009, 9:17pm
Ashglow glanced at the river their sister had led them to, then glanced back at the grasslands they had already crossed. It was a welcome sight. But so far Nightsun hadn't led them wrong since she had unexpectedly decided to take over the course of their wanderings.
Where she was leading them too, and how she knew how to get there were just the beginning of the unanswered questions. He tried not to think too much on it. One way was good as they other. He was used to it. But he shared an awkward glance with Starpath at her statement. He didn't like this 'they' bit that had started up either. Who were 'they'? For that matter what were they?
**I feel it too, Starpath. I don't like it one bit, though. Let's just be cautious, alright? We don't know what's out here.**Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 9, 2009, 9:54pm
Nightsun hummed softly as she led the the way down the shallow hill. The tall grass rustled as she passed, brushing her legs and waist with stiff, golden stalks. Everything smelled greener the closer she got to the river. She thought they might have been here before, but she couldn't remember. It seemed familiar - but one riverbank on the edge of a grassplain was much like another. She couldn't count how many times they had walked the grass plains, wandered through forests, even skirted the burning waste. They'd never crossed that, however. It was too desolate, too unknown. She would miss the times they'd walked along the sandy shores and looked over the endless waters, but she was willing to make that sacrifice.
A glance at the sky assured her that rain was unlikely, so Nightsun didn't bother breaking out the tent. Sleeping under the stars would be pleasant, and Starpath always enjoyed gazing at them. They would need a fire, though - later. When it cooled off. She set her pack down and pulled out the bone knife one of her brothers had made for her and started cutting a wide circle in the turf. She set the sections of turf aside, to replace later when they left this camp. She always preferred to start the camp with the fire-circle.
"Will you hunt?" she asked her brothers, glancing up from her task. "We will need a lot. I'll fish, after I finish the fire circle."
Re: At the River
Post by meimei on Jun 9, 2009, 10:55pm
Ashglow glanced over at Starpath again. He'd stopped to take a sip of the water, grateful for the chance to moisten his parched throat with water that hadn't been his waterskin under the hot sun. Nightsun's words bothered him more than he cared to admit.
"We'll hunt." He knew Starpath wouldn't mind him volunteering them both. He wanted to ask more, but hesitated. Why more than usual? Bringing down more than they could eat or dry to take with them was impractical. The obvious answer was she planned to feed more than just them. But why? Who was she expecting?Re: At the River
Post by peachbug on Jun 10, 2009, 12:15am
Starpath nodded, of course they would hunt for their sister, but for her...'they'? He would ask his sister, but upsetting her was the worst thing he could imagine, and what harm did it really do in letting her lead for a while? She'd followed them every which way, across endless hills and flat earth. Hopefully Nightsun wasn't keeping anything from them, but Starpath seriously doubted it. Something about this spot had struck her fancy, and who was he to complain? He shrugged at his brother's look. Ashglow was apparently more concerned than he.
She was Nightsun, who knew what flew round between her ears?Re: At the River
Post by meimei on Jun 11, 2009, 1:48pm
At Starpath's shrug, Ashglow relaxed a little. Maybe he was just letting the heat make him jumpy. This wasn't a brand new path, afterall. They'd travelled all their lives, up and down the forest and the grassplains. Even though it was just the three of them now, little had changed. They'd never stayed anywhere long. He'd wondered a few times if they should. Just pick a spot with water and good hunting and stay there. But he'd never voiced the idea to his siblings.
"We'll try to stay within sending range. We won't be long."
Though a part of him knew Nightsun could take care of herself, he still felt the need to protect her. The times when her head seemed full of clouds worried him. What happened if danger came along at the wrong moment?Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 11, 2009, 11:19pm
Nightsun watched her brothers go off to hunt. There were fresh hoof marks on the river's edge so she didn't think they'd be gone long. Large game was close by.
Singing now, she absently continued to cut squares of sod and set them aside. When she finished that, she listened to the whispers of the three who had guided her across the grass plains as she gathered grasses and twisted them into blocky bundles that she could use instead of wood for a fire. She wouldn't start that until she was ready to cook; grass burned much more quickly than wood did.
Her three friends grew more excited as time passed and Nightsun had to smile as their eagerness sent them flying off and back again. "No, I won't," she said firmly, returning to the river and getting a long, rolled string of gut from her pack. "Not yet, anyway," she qualified.
The sun had set by the time she had started fishing, but she didn't worry. The others wouldn't be there until the night was half gone.
Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 13, 2009, 3:01pm
Her brothers had returned as the moons neared the highest point of their nightly path, pulling a rope and leather travois behind them. They'd clearly found one of the herds of bison that traveled through the grasslands. They had just as clearly been successful in their hunt, bring down one of the huge beasts and butchering it on the spot for easier transport back to the river.
Nightsun set aside her fish as her brothers arrived, and greeted each with an embrace and a brush of her lips against their cheeks. "This will be plenty," she said happily as she looked at the grass-wrapped bundles on the stretched hide.
She stiffened abruptly, however, when the three whisperers around her grew excited, then abruptly vanished. They hadn't left her for days, not since they'd urged her on this path, and the sudden sense of aloneness that followed their departure saddened her.
But then it occurred to her what reason they may have had to leave, and she suddenly laughed with delight. "Your return is timely," she said merrily to Ashglow and Starpath. "I believe our friends have arrived!"
She turned around, scanning the horizon until she spotted the ones she'd been preparing for. "Welcome," she called stepping forward and away from her brothers. She smiled and spread her hands, showing she had no weapons on her. "You have had a long ride. We have food, and there is water. Will you join us? We've been waiting for you."
Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 13, 2009, 3:08pm
Beside Stormfire, Sunsong gasped as the stranger elf by the river called out to them and urged them to join her and the other two. She glanced at Stormfire, not sure what her friend would decide. They'd never met other elves before! She wanted to race down to the river and ask them questions - who are they? Where did they come from? Are there more of them? But she waited for Stormfire's word.
Mist stepped up beside his chieftess and pondered the unexpected trio on the river's edge. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Elves, sun, grass, sharp copper scent of blood from fresh kills, water. The unique, body-scents of the three below, though he'd have to get closer to know which scent belonged to which.
They had been expected. How? They weren't from the holt, and Mist doubted that Sureshot would have told strangers of his daughter and the group that followed her. But they were elves, so how strange could they be? 'Not our tribe,' the thought whispered to him, but Mist shoved it away. That was a wolf's territorial tendencies speaking, and in this the elfin blood spoke more strongly. Elves were elves, and they were all one.
And the three below were greatly outnumbered. "There's no harm in going to the river, Stormfire," he murmurred quietly. "They are only three, they are elves, and they seem friendly."
Re: At the River
Post by multifacets on Jun 13, 2009, 6:39pm
"We've been waiting for you"? How had they have possibly known of Stormfire's tribe?
Was one of them somehow like him? Able to "hear" things from afar?
Silent wanted to send and ask. He wanted to see what the Song could "tell" him about those three elves.
He held back anyway. Stormfire hadn't said it was okay to move yet.
Still, he burned with curiosity.
Shellslip was confused. Very confused. How had the strange three known they were coming? Surely they hadn't been that noisy! Maybe the trio had been hiding when the scouts arrived, and then waited for them to come back? That made sense, but in that case, why didn't the scouts have a chance found them?
So confusing! She didn't like that.
**What now?** the gatherer lock-sent to Stormfire.Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 13, 2009, 7:33pm
Quote:
"Welcome," she called stepping forward and away from her brothers. She smiled and spread her hands, showing she had no weapons on her. "You have had a long ride. We have food, and there is water. Will you join us? We've been waiting for you."
Stormfire froze in the act of reaching for a javelin. The maiden who approached them was an elf--but so dark! Long black hair, smooth and gleaming as a crow's wing, hung to her hips; eyes like new amber met her own. And she was smiling in welcome, unarmed . . . and smelled of fish and fire.
The latter scent made the Wolfrider chieftess wrinkle her nose. Fire was for humans.
Sunsong gasped in surprise, and Mist came up to join them. "There's no harm in going to the river, Stormfire," he murmured. "They are only three, they are elves, and they seem friendly."
And Shellslip locksent: **What now?**
Stormfire took the measure of the two males and the campsite, and locksent back to the tribe. **Keep an eye out for trouble.** She took her hand off her javelin and advanced to the maiden. Her scent revealed no fear, no anxiety, and Stormfire took another step closer.
"Why have you been waiting for us? And how did you know we were coming?"
Re: At the River
Post by peachbug on Jun 13, 2009, 10:58pm
Starpath could only grit his teeth and stare at the newcomers, spear raised defensively, but not aggressively. Their skins paler than yellowed grass, and riding great beasts of prey...but elves. Certainly elves. But what sort?
He edged forward, hoping to have a word with Nightsun before she sped into the arms of these strangers. Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 14, 2009, 12:05am
Tallspear saw the stranger move towards the dark maiden, and brought his own spear up to his shoulder. "I'd stay put if I were you," he warned.
**Down, cub,** Wingfoot ordered.
Grimacing, Tallspear lowered his spear. "He comes near Stormfire, and I'll pin him to the ground," he muttered.
"Aren't you the protective one," Whirlwind scoffed, coming up behind him. "Let him make a move first, mighty spear-thrower."
Blushing, Tallspear gritted his teeth and said nothing, but resolved to let both Whirlwind and Wingfoot have it if anything happened. **And you've got your hands free, I'm sure, Wingfoot,** he sent at last, when Wingfoot didn't move. Something about the elder's silence made him look over his shoulder. "Hey," he hissed. Wingfoot looked past him. "Elder! Are you deaf?"
Wingfoot threw him an annoyed glare and pushed past him. Tallspear swore under his breath as Wingfoot positioned himself close to Mist, blocking the young hunter's view of the strange maiden. *If those other two make a move,* he sent to Whirlwind, *Wingfoot better listen when I tell him to duck.*Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 14, 2009, 7:32am
"They told me," Nightsun answered Stormfire. "They said you were crossing the prairie, hungry and thirsty, and seeking a new home. They said that you would come here, and if we wished, we could join you. We are wanderers, and many turns of the season ago lost our family. I tire of wandering and wish a home with others of my kind. My brothers need others of our kind, as well."
Nightsun looked over her left shoulder at Starpath, only then noticing the spear he held, ready to use. She reached out one hand and pushed the spear away. *No, brother. There's no danger,* she sent to him, not even bothering to locksend. *They will not hurt us, if we offer them no harm. Please?*
Starpath reluctantly, and very slowly, lowered his spear, replacing the physical threat with a scowl as he looked over the dusty, dirty, sweaty newcomers.
Satisfied that he'd given as much ground as he could, Nightsun looked at Ashglow, and sighed to see his arrowwhip in hand. She sighed. *Ashglow? Please?*
Sunsong stifled a giggle and leaned towards Stormfire. "I don't think she told her brothers anymore about us, than we know of them!" she whispered merrily.
"I wonder who 'they' are that told her about us," Mist murmurred.
Icemark stepped back from the front row of elves, carrying Silvercub with him. Redthorne stayed, as was appropriate for one who was hunter and elder. He sent her a wordless reassurance that she didn't need to worry for him or their cub; her attention could safely be focused forward, on the unknown.
Oakstaff edged forward and eyed the three strangers curiously. "Pretty," he said, noting the lush curves just hinted at beneath the female's shapeless poncho. "Foul tempered," he added with a chuckle, moving his regard to the two males. Re: At the River
Post by peachbug on Jun 14, 2009, 11:12am
Redthorn nodded slowly, but shakily. She trusted Icemark absolutely, but not these strangers, however gentle the female's intentions seemed. It was merely a mother's inuition to beware these scowling, armed strangers. They were elves though, therefore children of the High Ones. She sent ahead. **Wingfoot...what do you make of this?** She sent also to Lightgaze, asking the same.Re: At the River
Post by viola on Jun 14, 2009, 5:18pm
OOC: Okay, short, because I'm a bit at a loss -- everything's altered a lot these last few days
Firecat's hand laid on her weapon, but she was more curious than something else. Now, what? Elves! And gorgeous, handsome elves. She wouldn't mind them in their group, though only the female seemed content. The males seemed just as uneasy as a lot of the wolfriders. Raising an eyebrow to Evenstar, she sent: **Darkskinned and pretty. Though I think the female suffers from slight moon madness.**
~*~
After the initial shock, Longdusk had started to frown and hadn't stopped doing so anymore. His instincts told him to protect the tribe, but half the cubs were merry and joyful and all that blah, while they should be cautious. One of them even raised his weapon, that should've told them enough. Suppressing a growl, he observed the threesome ahead. This was their river, their territory, because they were here first.
~*~
Lightgaze had slumped to the back, and decided that this was as good a spot as anything else. She caught a glimpse of one of them, however, and swallowed. The wolfriders had tanned over their journey, but nothing like the darkskinned elves they had encountered. And what's more, when their scents drifted towards them, they smelled vaguely familiar.Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 14, 2009, 10:41pm
Jun 14, 2009, 7:32am, Anna wrote:
"They told me," Nightsun answered Stormfire. "They said you were crossing the prairie, hungry and thirsty, and seeking a new home. They said that you would come here, and if we wished, we could join you. We are wanderers, and many turns of the season ago lost our family. I tire of wandering and wish a home with others of my kind. My brothers need others of our kind, as well."
"And who are 'they'?" Stormfire asked, only to see the maiden look over her left shoulder at one of the males. She glanced sidelong and saw Tallspear attempting to get him in sight. **Hold it there,** she ordered. **They're kin, not trolls.**
Quote:
Sunsong stifled a giggle and leaned towards Stormfire. "I don't think she told her brothers anymore about us, than we know of them!" she whispered merrily.
"I wonder who 'they' are that told her about us," Mist murmurred.
"That's what I'd like to find out," Stormfire whispered, waiting until the maiden turned back to her. "I don't know what 'they' told you of us," she said firmly. "I don't even know who 'they' are. But we are Wolfriders, journeying from far woodlands. I am Stormfire, chieftess of our tribe. Who are you, maiden?"Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 14, 2009, 11:01pm
Knowing now that neither of her brothers was in a particularly welcoming frame of mind, Nightsun kept half her attention on them, and half on the newcomers. "They gave me their names," she answered the leader. "They...were not familiar with you. But they names they gave they said you and yours would know. I am Nightsun, and these are my brothers, Starpath and Ashglow." She took another step forward, but stopped when she heard both of her brothers draw in sharp breaths, she smiled at them reassuringly, but didn't move further from them.
"The ones who led me here had two names, as do we. The hidden name, which they would not tell me, and the name which was theirs by right and by gift. They were Skylight, and Tracker, and Pinecone. Skylight said to me her mate was coming. Pinecone and Foxpace said that their children would be here. Are these names not known to you?"
Suddenly Nightsun's tone, until now sure and calm, turned uncertain. Almost timid. The whispers she'd heard were a new thing for her. She had, at first, be startled and wary of them. But they had seemed so individual, so knowledgeable of things she couldn't know! Surely they had been there? Surely they still were! She could all but hear them circling around those they had loved! She knew she'd be able to pinpoint precisely those that Skylight, Foxpace, and Pinecone had been connected to in life!
"Please," she said more softly, her arms folding around her torso as doubt assailed her. "Please. Do you know these names? Are they not kin to some of you?"
Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 14, 2009, 11:08pm
Wingfoot stared in shock. The names . . . he could hear as well as feel his tribemates' shock. Stormfire looked as though someone . . . well, as though Nightsun had found the bones of Timmorn Yellow-Eyes and held them up to her.
He stepped forward, ignoring the looks he got from all sides as he approached Nightsun. "I knew Pinecone," he told her, and then locksent. **I knew his soulname. If you know it, tell me.**
Stormfire's lock-send was as sharp as a blade. **Wingfoot, what are you doing?**
**Making sure we're not being led into a trap, Chieftess,** Wingfoot responded, not taking his eyes from Nightsun's own.Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 14, 2009, 11:17pm
Nightsun's eyes widened as one male stepped out from the rest. Her gazed locked on his, gold to liquid darkness. Narrow were those eyes, sharp and keen. Skin as pale as the silvery moons and hair nearly as dark as her own. She held that gaze, as fascinated as a viper's prey, hypnotized by some sense she couldn't name. Her body swayed slightly as he came closer, and she gasped for air as the world began to swim. She'd forgotten to breathe!
Just as she was about to repeat what she'd said before, that the others had not given her their hidden names, a whisper brushed her mind. She reached out without thinking and laid her hand against this one's cheek, feeling the soft silk of his skin, and the short prickle of the hair that traced his jaw. **Orm,** she answered him softly. **Pinecone's secret name is Orm, and he bids his son greeting.**
Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 14, 2009, 11:23pm
Orm. Pinecone's soulname, the last thing his sire had shared with him before dying from a bear's vicious attack, swept over Wingfoot with a flood of memories. Some were so old that he'd forgotten them; others felt new, although his sire had been dead for nearly half his life.
It was as if Pinecone stood once more before him, and as Wingfoot stared down at Nightsun's round, lovely face, he felt as giddy as a cub. She had no idea what a gift she'd given him. In spite of all his years and his status as an elder, losing his parents had been the most painful thing he'd ever suffered.
He smiled at her, nodding . . . and knew nothing more as the grass came up to meet him with a thud.
Stormfire saw Wingfoot smile, and gave a small sigh of relief--and gasped as the elder suddenly crashed to the ground like a stricken tree. "Wingfoot!" she exclaimed, and Mist hurried to him. "What happened?"Re: At the River
Post by meimei on Jun 15, 2009, 1:27am
Ashglow had only been able to stare in shock at the sight of the strangers. Elves?? Could they really be elves? A part of him could not believe it to be true. He pretty much missed his sister's initial greeting in his confusion. He gritted his jaw when they approached - not liking the intrusion one bit. He saw Starpath raise his spear in warning, and one of the strange elves seemed to reply in kind.
He pulled out his arrow-whip - eyes narrowing. If they dared to harm his siblings...
He heard Nightsun's plea, but he only shook his head with a scowl. How did they know they could trust them? From the wild beasts they rode to the weapons they carried, it was obvious they were hunters and fighters. But he paused when he spotted one elf turn and walk away, carrying a youth in his arms. A child? Slowly he lowered his arrowwhip - though he did not put it away. Surely if they meant harm, they wouldn't have brought their children with them?
He listened to Nightsun's words, but still could make little sense of them. The names were certainly not familiar to him at all. Who were these strangers? He scowled as one approached his sister, and sending passed between them. When the elf passed out, he stepped protectively to his Nightsun's side. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew he'd have blamed if Nightsun had been the one to collapse.Re: At the River
Post by multifacets on Jun 15, 2009, 4:21am
Silent yipped in surprise when Wingfoot simply folded to the ground. What in the world had this Nightsun told him? It must have been truly staggering. What was going on here?
He looked at Nightsun and leaned on Wanderlust, daring to open his mind and "listen". The Song weaving about and through her was odd, but not bad. It was simply very strange, something he had never experienced before. The silver-eyed elf withdrew, closing his mind again, and wondered.
=====
The entire situation was so strange, Shellslip actually started giggling. In the face of such absurdity, how could she not? It seemed the only way to keep a level head at the moment. The sight of poor Wingfoot crumbling made her laugh a little harder, however. Things like that were always funny when they happened to someone else.
What other surprises could they expect?Re: At the River
Post by viola on Jun 15, 2009, 5:15am
Longdusk felt his skin crawl as the darkskinned female told him that his deceased lifemate had told her. He growled deeply, hearing his father's and lifemate's name from that... elf! Was she an elf? What strange tricks were laid out here?! When Wingfoot collapsed, and Stormfire and Mist hurried over to him, he jumped in front of them with a snarl, ready to protect them if these elves tried anything. He didn't know what had happened between the female and the elder, but it had passed him out completely!
He felt the urge to jump over and force her to tell where she'd gotten these names, but for now, three against one seemed a little too much even for him to take. Skylight's death had been a severe blow, and now someone he didn't know spoke of her, it made him feel as if he was being toyed with. A snarl excaped his throat.
~*~
"Oh," Lightgaze breathed, and her eyes widened as she heard the name of her father and lifemate, right before Wingfoot collapsed. She stared, wide-eyed, to the dark female and her gaze shot to the two males on her side. She took a step back, and unconciously tried to lock-send to her mate. The send connected to nobody's mind, and Lightgaze only realized that she had sent, when se felt no connection. It was the same feeling she'd had right after Tracker's death. Now, this female brought it all back up.
When Longdusk jumped in front of Wingfoot and the healer, she took another step back, but was half lost in memories, some of which she thought were long forgotten. "How..?" she breathed, but she couldn't make one coherent sentence.
~*~
With Wingfoot's collapse, Firecat tightened the grip around her weapon, and added to the send she had shared with her sister before: **A very weird form of Moon madness.** What was her deal? Talking with ghosts? She suppressed a snort.Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 15, 2009, 6:50pm
“Oh!” Nightsun flinched back as the male before her abruptly collapsed and his companions rushed towards them. She stepped back, seeking the safety and shelter of her brothers. She watched wide-eyed and frightened as a silver-haired male spread his hands over the fallen one. “Is…is he unwell?” she asked faintly, pressing back against Ashglow’s chest, unheeding of the fact that she was preventing him from raising his arrow-whip again. “Please? He is not hurt, is he? I-I didn’t do anything!” Nightsun twisted her fingers around each other, biting her lip as her gaze stayed fastened on the dark-eyed male who’d asked her for the name.
She gasped as another male leaped in front of the fallen one, his stance protective and threatening. Instinctively she took a step back from him, forcing Ashglow to move, too. Faced with the threat inherent in the other’s position, she wilted, huddling against her brother, her wide gaze flickering between him and the one who’d first approached. When he snarled, she paled and swallowed hard. “I-I didn’t do anything…” she whispered, blinking quickly. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Mist lifted his hands and shook his head. “He’s fine,” he announced to them all. “Just a bit more of a shock than he was prepared for. Wake up now, Wingfoot,” the healer added, touching the elder between his eyebrows with one fingertip, and using a bare hint of healing energy to rouse him. “Wake up, stand up, and stop scaring your tribemates, you treewee.”
Sunsong looked at Shellslip and bit her lip, trying to not join the other in her giggle. She slipped back, leaving the handling of the situation to Stormfire, Mist, and the other elders, and took a place beside Shellslip. “It’s not funny,” she whispered, a sparkle of unreleased laughter edging her tone, “but it’s funny! Did you see him just go down like that?”
Re: At the River
Post by multifacets on Jun 15, 2009, 9:10pm
"Yes!" Shellslip squeaked, and covered her mouth to muffle a louder laugh. **He's normally so sure of himself, and down he goes, whoomph!** she lock-sent to Sunsong, thoughts bright with humor. **This will be something worth teasing him about, but only for a little while. We don't want to hurt his feelings too much, do we?**Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 15, 2009, 9:24pm
Sunsong widened her eyes innocently. **How could two young cubs such as we,** she replied merrily, **hurt the feelings of so dignified an elder?** She grinned, slipping her arm around Shellslip's waist and leaned against the gatherer. She giggled, looking towards the still prone Wingfoot. **Oh, no, my friend! We shall tease him for quite some time!**
Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 15, 2009, 11:40pm
Stormfire was unable to keep back a snicker when Wingfoot opened his eyes. The elder's eyes crossed, rolled, and finally narrowed in a scowl when he saw Mist in front of him. "You can move away now, Healer," he growled, sitting upright. He threw Stormfire an irritated glower, but sent, **She's telling the truth. She knew Pinecone's soulname.**
The chieftess turned back to Nightsun and fought the chill that went through her. It was said that the Father Tree at home cradled the spirits of dead Wolfriders, but Stormfire had never known an elf who could actually talk to them. She wasn't sure she'd have wanted to. If you could see the dead, the elders claimed, you were too close to them to begin with.
Her heart sank a little. She was beginning to like Nightsun; she hated to think the dark maiden was fated for an early death. But Stormfire squared her shoulders back and gave Nightsun a reassuring smile. No matter what, she had told Stormfire the truth, and the chieftess was prepared to do her duty to tribe and host.
"We're grateful to you for your hospitality, Nightsun," she said. She looked at the males standing behind her. "We mean you no harm. We're only travelers at this moment, searching for a new holt in new lands." She held out her hand. "We'd be honored to share meat and water with you."Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 16, 2009, 11:39pm
"Especially since it's their meat and water," Oakstaff commented drily. "Don't know much sharing we'll be doing."
Re: At the River
Post by kris on Jun 17, 2009, 12:16am
Stormfire lost the battle to keep her composure with Oakstaff's send. **No one's going to want day-old scraps of ground-squirrel, Oakstaff,** she returned, chuckling. **And let's hope they aren't going to burn all that meat!**Re: At the River
Post by Anna on Jun 17, 2009, 7:06am
Nightsun was relieved that the female seemed amused and friendly, and that others of her group weren't hostile. However, the first male was still on the ground, and the growling male still stood in front him, offering threat to herself and her brothers. She wasn't sure what to do and nothing would let her ignore the one closest to her, the one with a weapon and a clear willingness to use it.
She didn't move or speak, keeping her eyes fastened on Longdusk now that she knew Wingfoot - wasn't that was the silver-haired male had called him? - was not harmed.
