Grass, Grass, Everywhere

[Anna]

Mist weighed his waterskin in his hand. It was nearly empty, and there was no water within sight. The heat from the day still lingered among the tall grasses, and sweat trickled down his spine. He'd discarded his tunic long since, and it now traveled rolled up in his sleeping fur, across Whitecold's haunches.

He looked around him. His tribemates were all around him. They weren't showing signs of deprivation yet, but soon they would if they didn't come across water soon. The hunting had been thin, as well. Everyone was hungry and thirsty. The unshaded heat of the day made sleeping difficult, which left them all tired when the sun set and it was time to travel again.

Sunsong rode beside him, eyes closed and unusually quiet. No humming, no singing, no twittering of birdsong. It was almost more worrisome than the lack of water.

[Kris]

Tallspear looked at the grass surrounding him, and wished it was tender spring grass instead of sun-scorched, brittle blades. He could chew the grass and swallow the spit to wet his parched throat. If grass weren't too tough to digest, he'd swallow the chewed mouthful as well. But the dry grass would choke him; it had no moisture to give. Worse, even if he managed to swallow it, it would go through him like a handful of burrs.

The last of the day's heat seemed to shimmer around him. What little game they'd found hadn't filled anyone, and Tallspear gritted his teeth as his stomach complained loudly.

[Viola]

Longdusk kept quiet, scanning for any sign of other vegetation except for grass. His tongue seemed to have been replaced by a piece of leather in his mouth, but he wasn't complaining. Hé dgiven the last drops of water to his mother, who seemed exhausted. Still, he felt proud that she didn't complain.

Lightgaze hissed softly when she touched her face. The sun had been merciless, and her normally pale skin was now red with sunburn. The tips of her fingers brought some cool feeling, but it didn't last long and it made her skin hurt even more. So far, the journey had been tough on her, and she had often wondered why she'd tagged along. She cast a short glance at Redthorn behind her, digging her fingers in her wolf's pelt. She was having trouble maintaining to sit up straight, but she refused to give in to the exhaustion just yet.

Firecat realized she was getting paranoid. This endless grass was just like a steady relationship, she mused, and at times, the grass seemed to be closing in on her. She'd scream if they wouldn't be able to see at least *something* other than grass.
Leaving the rubbles of the mountain had left her with an uncomfortable feeling, and that feeling hadn't gone away since. She fixed her gaze at the horizon, and bit her lip. If she'd never see grass again in her life, she would die a happy Wolfrider.

[peachbug]

Redthorn watched her soulsister silently struggle to stay mounted with much difficulty, wishing she had but a few drinks left in her water pouch. Only a few swallows were left over, and those were saved for her Silvercub. The cub was now shielded in a cloak of one of Evenstar's light skins, huddled against her father.

Watching Lightgaze slump slightly, Redthorn turned a reluctant to be directed anywhere Whitecrest to her mate's side and slid Silvercub onto her wolf-friend's back. Urging Whitecrest forward, she lurched to Lightgaze's side. **She's like a breeze, even under a sun that burns us to bone.** Redthorn smiled weakly, her cheeks and exposed forehead also a swollen red color. She tugged Lightgaze's hand and rested it on Silvercub's cool, pale shoulder.

------------------

Softling's brains felt like hot mash, especially as wet trickles streaked down her neck and around her ears. Everything about this felt horribly wrong. There had to be something at the end of this. There just had to be. She couldn't keep losing faith in their chieftess. She just had to keep walking. 'And keep my mouth shut.' She tried to scowl at herself, but it hurt around her lips.

It just felt so helpless. Nothing she could do to save them from the sun, no say in where they would go from here. Snapbone had been a resilient pup so far, but she ached to see him so ragged and parched, panting the little water left in him as he straggled along beside her. It couldn't be helped. Water must go to the cub first, and the scouts who meant to sight them precious trees. She had no quarrel with that.

-------------

Evenstar let her long legs slip down Farpace's sides until her feet drug against the hard dirt and harsh yellow grasses. How was Firecat holding up? She forced her head up to look at her sister's face, to find it twisted in an odd expression. High Ones, Evenstar wondered faintly, is she gone and maddened by the heat?

[Kris]

One foot in front of the other.

One foot in front of the other.

One foot . . .

We should go back the way we came.

Stormfire shook her head to clear it. The sky was darkening, and yet the air was still heavy and hot. Sweat soaked her hair, trickled down her neck, her back, her stomach; her feet felt slippery in her boots. She didn't dare take them off. She'd tried, and the dry grass had cut her toes and soles. Even now, the sweat stung in the tiny cuts.

There weren't even any birds in the air. Stormfire glanced up at the expanse of darkness above, but nothing stirred. If only there was a breeze! High Ones, a little breeze would be so welcome . . .

She gritted her teeth and forced her mind back on the journey.

The Wolfriders had no food. They had no water. And there was no sign of either in this sun-burnt grassland. Stormfire raised her head and sniffed the air; the smell of baked earth and dried plants came to her nose, but not the least smell of water.

"Quit that," Whirlwind growled. "You're making me nervous."

"I'm not making you nervous. The heat's got you on edge, like everyone else." Stormfire took off her headband and wiped the sweat off her forehead and temples. After a moment, she licked the moisture off her hand.

Whirlwind made a face. "Yuck."

"I'm not wasting moisture."

"Don't expect me to do the same. Salty, warm sweat--yuck, I say." Whirlwind blew her breath out sharply. "How can there be so much grass and no water?"

"Maybe it rains for one turn of Mother Moon, and never again for a year?" At Whirlwind's snort, Stormfire hung back and strode over to Redthorn and Lightgaze. **Why don't you see to Softling?** she lock-sent to Whirlwind. **Poor cub's got her hands full with Snapbone.**

**You've got it, chieftess,** and Whirlwind fell in step beside Softling.

Stormfire turned to Redthorn. "How are you holding up, Redthorn?" she asked, putting a hand on her tribemate's shoulder. She put the other hand on her waterskin. There wasn't much there, but if an extra drink would help Redthorn, so be it. Silvercub needed her mother more than Stormfire needed a swallow of water.

[Kris]

Whirlwind fell in step beside Softling, wincing to see how badly burned the cub's face was. "Yowch," she exclaimed. "Wish we had something to smear on that sunburn." Sighing, she tugged at her hair. "This heat makes me want to strip down to my bare bones. And then I'd probably roast that much faster."

She paused. "Hey, Softling. Snapbone's looking a little ragged. Why don't you let me carry him a bit?" She pulled up her waterskin. "I've gone easy on the water, so I can spare a sip. Have some."

[peachbug]

(OOC: I clarified a bit in the post, but Snapbone's probably a little big to be carried by elf arms. I imagine him a half grown wolf, not large enough to ride, but quickly getting there. Think gawky teen wolf phase. I'll answer generally and the other offer. Sorry!)

Softling shook her gold mane roughly. "No..." The offer was pleasantly surprising, yet worrisome. Did she really look that worn out? She didn't want to cause trouble or waste time. "He'll get along. I'll carry him if I have to." Softling could almost laugh at the idea. Her short frame carrying a gangly, half grown wolf? If the other wolves could manage, even with riders, she knew Snapbone could. Although... "Do you have enough for just a bit for Snapbone?"

"I've kept a little water for me, kept a little left." The words came out slightly more awkward than she meant and she blushed over her burn. "I'll manage." Softling kicked some grasses clumsily that caught on her sandal. "I wonder if we'll be red after this. Burned deep enough." She wondered out loud. Softling turned her head to Whirlwind suddenly. "How is...?" She switched to locksending, embarassed to be overheard. **How is Chieftess Stormfire? What does she think?**

-------------

Redthorn waved Stormfire's offer away gently. "I'll admit, I can't say I've seen a thirst like this in all seasons past, not in Sureshot's holt, but we're a fine set of Wolfriders, Chieftess." She smiled slightly. "You chose well. We'll make it through to whatever meets us."

[Multi-Facets]

High Ones, the heat! Shellslip could swear she was melting. It was a good thing she had insisted her clothing be so lightweight; otherwise, she wasn't sure hot she would manage. The skirt was cooler than trousers as well. Yes, the redheaded gatherer was determined to be good-tempered about something. Anger made one hotter and drained too much energy.

Sniffer was panting beside her, but after every few pants he gamely tried to sniff out food. There were bugs he caught and gladly chomped on, but that wasn't enough to fill his stomach, no matter how much he ate. At this point, he would have happily pounced on some wild rhubarb or even a sick gopher.

Then again, so would Shellslip. She had a little water, but it was torture not to drink it, and some dried meat, but that was it. She longed for a river to dive into, to drink from, to look for mussels and clams. High Ones, just one little freshet, she prayed, and sighed deeply. "This can't last," she said aloud, mostly to reassure herself. "It'll be fine."


=========


He felt as though he was boiling, but after seeing several tribemates' skin turn red under that sun, he thought it prudent to keep the hood of his mantle drawn to the bridge of his nose. It shaded his eyes, too.

Silent gave himself a sip of water, then poured some on his palm to give to Wanderlust, which she gratefully accepted. **All right?** Silent asked his friend, ruffling her ears.

**Been better,** Wanderlust replied. **Hot. Thirsty. Hungry. Unhappy.**

**Me too,** Silent replied with a measure of guilt. Wanderlust had wolfsong that blurred the moments, but she was still conscious of her discomfort. He had something more, and he could forget his physical needs. It was why he was walking rather than riding, why he still had some water left, and why he was carrying all of his meager possessions, bundled in his sleeping fur; he could forget the weight. **If you find food, don't feed me,** Silent firmly instructed. **Eat it all.**

**But-**

**Eat it all/[determination],** Silent reiterated, not allowing any room for argument. Wanderlust laid her ears back and whined, grinning submissively, and did not object. **Good girl/That's better.**

Ahhh, if only there was something to find! Silent shook his head, growling under his breath. There had to be something- even something as small as mice or other burrowing rodents would be welcome. Where was the game? Where was the water? That was the most important question.

The silver-eyed elf blinked in thought, then adjusted his grip on his supplies and rested a hand on Wanderlust's shoulders. **I need to lean on you/[please let me]-,** he sent to his friend, and the she-wolf immediately walked a little straighter. This she could do; she had aided her elf-friend often enough.

Silent closed his eyes and opened his mind, stumbling a bit and closing his hand into a fist in his wolf-friend's fur as the Song once again came into focus. The essence of heat, the wind in the grass, the dry soil, earthsong, wolfsong, the sun, the clouds.

Chase the clouds

Follow the wind

Seeking

Seeking

Where is it?

Seeking....

I will find it. Somehow....

Scent of dust

Scent of death

[Anna]

Windsoft’s nostrils twitched as, once again, she caught the scent of living animal. It wasn’t a familiar scent, and it was faint, although fresh. Where in this endless lake of grass, was fresh game? It had to be somewhere!

The tribe had been moving since before the sun went down, none of them having rested well in the humid heat that had saturated the day. At least with the sun’s setting and the cool, silver light of the moons the heat would fade. That would make traveling more comfortable, if one could ignore hunger and thirst.

Wolfriders could ignore hunger with some ease. Thirst, however, was a different story. Windsoft couldn’t remember a time when she’d been short on water and hadn’t had a stream, river, brook, lake, or pond close enough to refill her waterskin.

*It must rain often here, for all this humidity and the lack of ground water,* she sent to the hunter who paced beside her.

Oakstaff snorted. *Then we’re here in the dry season, because there’s not a cloud in the sky.*

*It rains, often,* Sunsong said, her send joining theirs even though there were several Wolfriders between them. Oakstaff and Windsoft hadn’t been locksending and their thoughts were open to any of their tribemates. *The grass remembers it. Their roots are deep, though, to let them survive the heat and dry time of this moon.* She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. *At least it’s starting to cool.*

Mist drifted by them, his eyes half closed, and brushed his hand along there arm. A brief warmth suffused them, then the nagging, tender pain of their sunburns eased. Oakstaff opened his mouth to thank the healer, but Windsoft stopped him with a gesture.

*He wouldn’t hear you, anyway,* she advised him. *He’s helping us all.*

One by one, Mist lightly touched each of the Wolfriders, healing the sunburn that drained their energy when they needed it for other things. He was frequently past an elf before he or she realized he’d come near and what he’d done.

Stormfire he touched last, and he frowned at her as he came out of his light trance. *Do keep your boots on, Chieftess,* he scolded gently as the tiny cuts were soothed away. *There’s a reason we wear them that has nothing to do with decoration.*

Windsoft smiled at the healer's chiding of the chieftess, then turned around and looked for Evenstar. *Evenstar, I smell game. Faint and fresh, which means small, but it's still game. I just can't see it. Can you 'look' for it?* If her own eyes, ears, and nose couldn't find what they needed, maybe Evenstar's animal-bonding gift could point them in the right direction!

((OOC: yes, there are animals about. They're diurnal, however, which is why our poor elves aren't seeing them! We're crossing a prairie, so naturally there must be prairie dogs! ))

[peachbug]

Evenstar was startled by the request. She had used her small gift to predict the direction of game the Wolfriders had already detected, or to sense the health and age of a creature, but never to seek prey completely strange to her. Her gift had certainly never made her an apt hunter. She had even tried to quietly 'look' for any game hiding amongst the grass, but barely touched skittish lizards. What had the tanner missed?

*I'll try.* Evenstar sank forward on Farpace's shoulders, blocking out the sounds of her fellow elves and the panting wolves, listening through the faintly grinding dry grasses. Grinding...She flicked the sound away in annoyance and sank more into the sentience of the creatures of the plains.

A few minutes later, a small, mindless lizard scampered away from her prying. Windsoft couldn't be wrong, and she certainly wasn't scenting lizards. Grinding..."Oh, tanner's needles!" She mumbled. "Hush you stupid grass!"

The grinding paused, startling Evenstar. She halted Farpace, who huffed at Evenstar's oddness. Grinding...Evenstar suddenly felt the faint sensation of being compacted, the feel of hard earth under her palms and all around, and everything felt thunderous, like a skyfire shower around her ears. Fear, fear and the desire to go deeper...dig?

Under the ground?! Evenstar almost tumbled off Farpace, who huffed again, with more concern. She brushed grass away as she pressed her ear to the ground anxiously. The grinding was tiny feet scratching tiny burrows, but what was in the burrows? Were there openings? "Windsoft!" The tanner switched to sending to share her discovery. *My brains may have melted as I slept, but I swear it! Under here! Under the whole awful place! Digging! Dens!*