Just a little friendly competition

[meimei]

Siyal lept to her feet, but was frozen in place. Even her gasp seemed to stick in her throat as Dust toppled ontop of Nalreen. She saw Far-Runner dash forward to help get the horse off the elf maiden. When the crowd began to merge, she backed up - not wanting to get in the way. She was glad when others stepped forward to control the situation before it got out of hand.

Watching, not moving, she saw when Sohnji and Ti-Len froze upon meeting eachother's gazes. As Nalreen was carried away, followed by her worried fathers and her healer mother, the crowd began to break into groups.

She heard rather than saw Taraan approach one group loudly discussing bad occurances at previous musterings and began to spin a tale of an accident at a previous mustering that had ended well. She didn't listen to the story itself, though it sounded vaguely familiar. The young man's voice sounded subdued and serious. He wasn't seeking attention now, merely trying to distract the distraught bystanders.

She debated about approaching the other elf, but hung back - uncertain what to say.

[peachbug]

The agony of watching Sohnji move away rather than closer, as every nerve told him it should have been, was unbearable. She had to heal her daughter, his tribemate, but the bare core of him protested violently. Ti-Len felt every sensation imaginable as he tore his eyes from hers and stumbled away. Her eyes had torn through him. Recognition. He hadn't even considered the notion, no more than a passing thought. Where did he go? How long? What should he do?

**Brother?** Chetta's frantic locksending was dull noise to what had seized him. She emerged from the tangled crowd of elves and grabbed his arm. *How is Nalreen? Is she healed? Where is her mother?* Despite the fact Nalreen's mother was truly the only thing on his mind, Ti-Len stared blankly at her. "Where is Caryo?" Chetta demanded impatiently, confusing his daze for shock. "Did she see--High Ones, are you all right?"

[Kris]

Ksiva clung to the High One's neck as Nazari hurried after her fathers and mother, sobbing. "She's not dead," she whimpered, clutching Nazari's rose-brown braid. "Please don't let her be dead, High One."

"She will be all right, little one, I promise you," but Nazari's firm, cool voice did nothing to soothe the twinges of fear that stabbed through Ksiva. Fresh tears poured down her face as the High One stopped in front of a tent and set her on her feet, and Nazari laid a hand on her cheek. "Ksiva. All will be well. Wait here, and you'll see."

"I want to come in," Ksiva forced out through a tight throat. "I want to see Nalreen. Please?"

Nazari smiled and took her hand. "Be quiet, now," she murmured, and led Ksiva inside.

The tent was dim, but Ksiva jumped in horror as a scream erupted--Nalreen on a pallet, their fathers on one side, Sohnji in a healing trance on the other, her hands spread upon Nalreen's bruised and bloody body. Ksiva saw a bone jutting through her sister's thigh; Nazari quickly turned her towards the wall of the tent, and Ksiva bit on her fist to keep from whimpering. Not that anyone would have heard her. Nalreen's cries as Sohnji worked her will drowned out everything.

Nazari put her arms around Ksiva, and the child leaned hard against the High One. She could feel her mother even in Nazari's embrace; Sohnji's power filled the tent, made the air feel about to crackle. Gradually, Nalreen's cries became little gasps, then subsided to soft groans. Ksiva peeped over her shoulder and saw the bruises fade as Sohnji made one last pass over Nalreen's body.

Her mother got to her feet, her hair falling around her like a cloak. And just as suddenly she collapsed, and Tevac and Astierri caught her up in their arms. Nazari advanced, leading Ksiva by the hand as her fathers laid Sohnji on the pallet beside a sleeping Nalreen.

[Kris]

She wasn't sure how she'd made it to the tent, but Caryo found herself surrounded by bandmates who wanted to know what happened. As if I knew, the young scout thought resentfully, wincing at Nalreen's cries of pain. She wanted to go in, but dreaded the reaction of her friend's parents--quiet Tevac might not blame her, but Astierri hadn't wanted Nalreen to race. And Sohnji might not want any reminders of what had happened after having to save her daughter's life.

**I'm here, soulsister,** she lock-sent, and flinched as Nalreen shut her mind to her. It was rejection, but Caryo knew why--her friend wanted no one to share what she endured this moment. Gritting her teeth, Caryo snapped at the next bandmate who came up to her. "No! I don't know how it happened! Why don't you go ask the horse? She's the one who fell on Nalreen!"

[meimei]

The crowd was slowly dispersing back to their own camps. Seeing Chetta approach Ti-Len, Siyal decided not to say anything. She allowed herself to follow her own bandmates back to Tavol's camp. The mood was subdued. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, waiting for news.


Finished with his tale, Taraan glanced around at the diminishing crowd. Small groups hung around, apparently unsure of what to do. Some of those who witnessed the accident were filling in late comers who had heard the commotion. He turned his feet back to Ouren's camp - the feeling of apprehension and concern was almost palpatable from the moment he stepped inside. He noticed Caryo where she stood stock-still. Trying to send to Nalreen, he wondered? Fetching a waterskin, he approached her slowly in an attempt to not startle her, and was instead surprised himself when she snapped out angrily.

"I can go do that. But I doubt she's as worried as you." He offered the waterskin. "Nalreen's strong. And Sohnji's got her now. She'll be fine."

[peachbug]

**You've gone and RECOGNIZED?**

Chetta's sending belayed all her swarming feelings: confusion, horror, delight, and more confusion. After dragging her brother to a more private location from the site of Nalreen's fall, she'd extracted the source of his odd behavior. Very odd behavior.

Ti-Len was now face down in the grass, head on crossed arms, stretched out. "Leave me alone." He mumbled miserably.

"Don't be so dramatic!" Chetta's voice now betrayed delight. She swung a leg over his back and tugged a lock of his hair firmly. "You're going to have a cub! You'll be a father, and Sohnji will be a mother...again." She paused and crossed her arms. "Speaking of which, what will Tevac and Astierri think of all this Recognition business? It's not as though they're a bunch of dried meat in all this!"

"Who cares?"

"They care, I'd suppose. No matter though!" She sat on his back with a thump, making him choke. "Not like they can tell the High Ones any which way about it. Though I suppose Nazari wouldn't have much to do with it at all-"

"What's wrong with Ti-Len?" Ki-Nava's distinctive voice broke Chetta's chatter, as she strode quickly over the grassy hill they were using for privacy. "I saw you down in all the mess. Were you injured?" She directed to her son.

He barely mumbled. "What?" Ki-Nava demanded. "Don't talk to me with a mouth full of dust."

"Oh, mother, he Recognized! He Recognized Sohnji, Tavol's healer!" Chetta couldn't contain her spirits now.

Ki-Nava's expression didn't change, but her mind felt like it was all sparks. She didn't speak for several long moments, long enough for Ti-Len to turn his head towards his mother in waiting.

"Perhaps it's better sooner than later."

It took a very, very long set of moments before Ti-Len registered that his mother was making a joke, or at least trying to be funny. A very bad joke. He thumped his forehead into the dirt.

"I assume the healer is with her daughter." Ki-Nava stated plainly. "Don't tear yourself up more than this already will, one of you will find the other. Until Nalreen and Sohnji are both recovered, I recommend staying out of her hair. You'll both survive, even if it's a whole day and night." She turned away. The huntress considered saying more, but continued her leave.

Ti-Len didn't respond, just lay limply on the dirt.

"Dramatic." Chetta muttered.