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Post by Viola on May 13, 2009 8:39:56 GMT -6
Surprised, Lightgaze looked up as Redthorn suddenly rode next to her, and she smiled when she felt the she-cubs cool skin. **Wonder how she does that,** she muttered. **It's a gift.**
Trying to focus on the road ahead, Lightgaze noticed that her hands started to lose strength. Her arms trembled from keeping herself straight up, but still, she tried hard to not let anybody know. If a cub could hold on, so could she, she scolded herself. Then, the sudden turmoil of Evenstar's discovery made her tilt her head, but she was too tired to actively respond to it.
~*~
Quickly joining her sister, as Evenstar told everyone about her discovery, Firecat was overly happy to hear that they weren't alone there -- even though the beasties were underground. *What kind?* She felt slightly confused, because she hardly knew what to do with the situation. Were they supposed to dig, so they could eat ? Her stomach rumbled -- she wouldn't mind that option, actually.
~*~
Longdusk heard the excitement of Evenstar's mental voice, but he hardly responded, but with a sigh. He knew he couldn't discard the discovery before knowing more -- the tribe needed to eat, after all. But -- digging took time, time they wouldn't be able to get across this nightmare, and they'd need lots of those critters to feed properly. *How far below are they?* he asked, still having his eyes fixed on the horizon. If there was going to be something else than this stinking grass, he'd definitely find it, he swore to himself.
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Post by Kris on May 13, 2009 23:45:09 GMT -6
Whirlwind waited as Mist walked by them. One touch of the healer's pale fingers, and Softling's sunburn faded as though it had never been. Whirlwind grunted as the healer did the same to her, inwardly relieved that her skin no longer stung or burned like fever.
"Show-off," she threw after Mist, winking at Softling. "Mustn't let his head get too big. Healers need to keep their feet on the ground." Whirlwind considered Softling's question as they walked. **Stormfire's holding up,** she replied. **She knows we have to find water and food here somewhere. Whoever heard of a land where grass grows, but no birds nest? Even snakes--** Whirlwind stopped in her tracks as Evenstar's sending hit them all.
"Hear that, cub? Where there's digging and dens, there's food! Hah!" She sent to Evenstar. *Nice work, tanner! Think the wolves can help dig 'em out?*
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Post by Kris on May 13, 2009 23:58:10 GMT -6
Journey stifled a groan as the evening finally began to cool. He didn't know how humans could stand daylight. Then again, they hadn't seen a living thing here--for all they knew, any humans had long ago dropped from heatstroke.
Windsoft lead the scouts on a search for water and food. Journey kept close because he wanted to be sure his mother was all right, and because hanging back with the others was boring. Back there, they sent about whether or not they'd ever find food, if it ever rained in this place (a question he was happy to hear Sunsong answer) . . . and where they were going anyway. Up with the scouts, the questions were to the point: where can we find food, and where's water?
Water . . . by the lost dwelling of the High Ones, he'd give every single treasure he had for a drink from a cold spring. Journey had left most of his prized possessions behind, although he still carried the bracelet he'd found at the crumbled mountain. He wondered, if he came upon a troll who offered a dice game for water, would he really wager the bracelet?
"Oof!" Someone stumbled into him; Journey fell to the ground, gasping at the impact.
*Watch it, you--* He saw it was Tallspear, and swallowed hard. *Ooops.*
*What are you doing?* Tallspear demanded, hauling Journey up to his feet.
*Thinking about water,* and Journey jumped when Tallspear, irritation clear on his face, thrust his waterskin at him. *I've got plenty of that, Tall--*
*Just drink,* the hunter ordered. Making a face, Journey took a sip of water, wincing as the warm, leather-tasting stuff went down. All he could say in its favor was that it was wet. Tallspear took a sip from it as well, and peered around him. *Evenstar may have found something,* he said, and clamped a firm hand on Journey's arm. *C'mon, you. Quit tripping me up and let's see what it is.*
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Post by peachbug on May 14, 2009 18:23:06 GMT -6
Evenstar tried to answer their curious sendings the best she could, already worn from heat and thirst, as well as the shock of actually finding something. *I don't know what they are, their minds are like ravvits, but they aren't.* She pushed her gift again at the creature under their feet. *I can only see what it sees, so I don't know what they are. They're food, though, I wager.* The tanner sighed and slumped with her legs out in front of her. She had heard of animal bonders who could touch a creature's memories, see what it had seen or felt in the past, not just the moment. She had never developed her bit of magic past some helpfulness. What good would it have been to know what the meat in your bellies remembered or thought about? Now she reconsidered that idea.
*If the wolves are up to it, we could dig it out, but there's tunnels all over. I think it'd be quick. We'd have to dig fast, or find the openings.* She looked at Windsoft. *There must be openings?*
----------------
Softling sighed as Mist's healing revealed a Wolfrider's pale skin rather than the angry mess it had been moments ago. She started to wonder how much it cost him to use his powers, whether it robbed him of strength or was just like a thought to him, but was drawn back to Whirlwind's locksend, then Evenstar's open call. Food? Her worries of Stormfire faded into the background of her empty belly.
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Post by Anna on May 16, 2009 17:57:00 GMT -6
Windsoft smiled at Evenstar. *There have to be,* she agreed. *Just like hunting rabbits,* she added, glancing around at her tribemates.
*Except we,* Sunsong interrupted cheerfully, *don't know these rabbits boltholes! I have an idea.* And with no other warning than that, Sunsong sat down in the groun, closed her eyes, and dug her fingers into the soil almost hidden beneath the thick mat of grass.
She extended her awareness down into the plants that surrounded her, seeing a verdant map of vegetative life around her - and the holes where that carpet of green growing life was interrupted. With gentle, irrestible persuasion, she hastened the growth of grass into thick barriers around all of those openings. Any animal with sharp teeth would be able to gnaw it's way out soon enough - but not fast enough to avoid the digging Wolfriders.
She opened her eyes and smiled at her watching tribemates. "There. If Evenstar will tell us where to dig, and if we do it fast enough, we'll have a mouthful or two tonight!"
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Post by Kris on May 16, 2009 23:17:14 GMT -6
Stormfire shook her head as Sunsong worked her plantshaper's magic. "I've no idea what you just did, but if we end up with full bellies tonight, I'll be grateful. Evenstar, you can feel where these little beasts are--put us where we can grab 'em!"
As Evenstar directed the hunters, Stormfire found herself passing Whirlwind and Softling. Whirlwind had her sleeves shoved up almost to her shoulders, saying, "You see movement, reach down and grab!"
"But not if it's a mother with young," Softling reminded her.
"Of course not, cub. I know the Way!"
Stormfire headed over to Windsoft. "Windsoft," she said quietly. "We can see this plain all the way around, and it doesn't look like there's any water anywhere. But," she added, forestalling Windsoft's reply, "if those animals underground are here, there has to be water somewhere. I'm coming with you to find it. Grab whatever pops out of the hole, and we'll be off."
"Chieftess?" Windsoft raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Stormfire met her gaze with a level look of her own. "Worried I'm going after another stone egg?" She softened her words with a wink, and then plunged her hand into a burrow as she saw movement. In the same moment, Windsoft did the same, over a nearby burrow--and both came up with handfuls of squeaking, wriggling rodents. Stormfire broke her prey's neck, dropped it, and waited patiently for another. When she had three, she walked over to Snowtreader and dropped two in front of the she-wolf.
"Here you go, friend," she said, and skinned hers as the wolf ate. Several mouthfuls of warm, bloody meat made her feel better at once; she didn't care for the taste, but food was food. Stormfire finished her catch and got up to find Mist, locating the healer sitting with his own catch skinned and half-devoured.
He looked up at her, his expression already wary. "Chieftess?" he asked.
He was never that distant with Sureshot. Wonder what's got into him with me? Stormfire squatted down in front of him and smiled.
"I'm going to lend a hand to Windsoft and the others, and see if we can't find water. There has to be some around here, somewhere." She smiled wickedly, half-enjoying watching the storm gather on Mist's face. That's what you get for being so stand-offish with me, elder. Let's see how long you keep this up. "While I'm gone, you're in charge. Don't drive the tribe too hard, and seek shelter as soon as the sky starts to lighten."
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Post by Viola on May 17, 2009 6:15:42 GMT -6
Firecat looked in awe, when the wolves started digging and the little beasts were trapped. "Say, Sunsong," she told the plantshaper, "isn't it far more convenient to trap these little critters in the vines you're creating anyway? That way, we only have to dig them out instead of catching them, too." She was momentarily distracted, when one of the little beasts surfaced and she made a dive for it, but it got away and she smacked to the ground. *There he goes,* she mentally cried out, a little embarrased, when the animal desperately tried to get away from it's prey.
~*~
Though reluctant at first, not wanting to waste the precious energy he had left, even Longdusk had tried to catch some of the little animals when it became clear that the attempt, in fact, proved to be useful. Swiftly, he trapped one, broke its neck and handed it over to Lightgaze, whose purple eyes looked grateful. It wasn't exactly water, but the moisty flesh would definitely do some good to her dry mouth. And Longdusk was determined to keep his mother on her feet -- she was more important to him than anyone else, right now, even if the hunger radiated inside him. Silently, he went to look for another, his wolfish instinct maxed out.
~*~
Lightgaze had gratefully accepted the animal Longdusk had given her. Mist had lightened the burden of sunburn moments before, and it made her feel slightly more elf again. She took a bite, spit out the fur, and took another, quickly chewing the fresh, warm meat.
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Post by Anna on May 17, 2009 18:14:59 GMT -6
Firecat looked in awe, when the wolves started digging and the little beasts were trapped. "Say, Sunsong," she told the plantshaper, "isn't it far more convenient to trap these little critters in the vines you're creating anyway? That way, we only have to dig them out instead of catching them, too." She was momentarily distracted, when one of the little beasts surfaced and she made a dive for it, but it got away and she smacked to the ground. *There he goes,* she mentally cried out, a little embarrased, when the animal desperately tried to get away from it's prey. Sunsong blinked at Firecat, then flashed her a smile. "No vines, fisher!" she said merrily. "Grass! And there is no grass in their little burrows." She giggled and pounced on the animal that had evaded Firecat. She offered it, still alive, back to the other elf. "They look like tailless squirrels, don't they?" she observed. "I'm going to lend a hand to Windsoft and the others, and see if we can't find water. There has to be some around here, somewhere." She smiled wickedly, half-enjoying watching the storm gather on Mist's face. That's what you get for being so stand-offish with me, elder. Let's see how long you keep this up. "While I'm gone, you're in charge. Don't drive the tribe too hard, and seek shelter as soon as the sky starts to lighten." Mist's eyes narrowed at Stormfire's pronouncement. Again she planned to go off without most of her tribe and leave him to watch over them. An inaudible growl vibrated in his throat before he clamped down with stern control. He didn't want to be chief of the tribe. He didn't want to be thrust from the Now by having to think far ahead, or worry about the stupid cub's dubious safety. And he knew, oh, yes, he knew that Stormfire derived more enjoyment out of tweaking his tail than she should. 'When she gets back' he thought grimly, knowing he couldn't forbid her to go any more than he could question the wisdom of her decision over a relatively minor issue, 'I am going to lay her over my knee and spank her til she'll have to walk to the new holt.'Instead, he swallowed his anger and presented her with a mild expression and tone. "Stay out of Windsoft's way, Chieftess, and she'll find water for you." |
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Post by Multi-Facets on May 17, 2009 22:36:26 GMT -6
Shellslip cried out, and she and Sniffer gladly got to work. The maiden found a hole and beat on the ground above it, and wonder of wonders, an animal shot out, squeaking. Sniffer leaped high like a fox and came down on it, breaking its spine, and started gnawing. Encouraged, Shellslip hurried to find another hole; the odds of another animal coming out the same way weren't very good. Changing her mind at the last second, she went to Sunsong and Firecat. "Let's work together," she said. "I'll beat on the ground if you two can catch them."
=====
Joy interrupted his search, and Silent blinked himself to awareness, gazing at everyone in confusion. Wolves were going nuts and hunters were capturing little burrowing creatures, and feasting. Wanderlust bolted from under his hand to pounce on one that almost got away, and rushed off to devour it in peace.
Food. Food! That was wonderful! One problem solved. Silent smiled and half laughed, the sound cracked by disuse and a dry throat.
Mist brought up the subject of water, and the quiet one's thoughts were brought back to what he had been looking for in the first place. Food could wait. He hurried to Stormfire, grabbing her shoulder. *Let me come/[pleading]-[faint pink hope]/[purpose],* he requested, for once daring to meet someone's eyes.
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Post by peachbug on May 17, 2009 22:38:44 GMT -6
"Should I stay and keep searching for these grass squirrel things, Chieftess?" Evenstar called to Stormfire, oblivious to the tension between the healer and chief in all the excitement and blood scent. "Or should I help with the search for water? This good luck won't be our last I think!"
With that she pointed suddenly to a few paces away. "Oh, there! There's one!" Redthorn's old Whitecrest, now adept at the new hunt, pounced before even his elf-friend could, eagerly scratching up the hard earth. He pulled up two in grinning jaws. "Oh..." Evenstar laughed quietly. "Two I guess. They think so similarly, it's hard to keep track. Tailless squirrels is right..."
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Redthorn eased one of the creatures from Whitecrest's teeth and handed it off to Icemark. Her cub already had a piece of bloodied meat in hand, sucking on it quietly as she watched the ruckus with wide violet eyes. Whitecrest tore the other open eagerly.
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Softling knelt into the grass and tore into one of the creatures without even bothering to skin it, relishing blood that relieved her aching throat. Snapbone already had two between his paws, though he had sat like a dumb stump until Softling showed him just what the other wolves were leaping after. One more lay beside her. Should she try to save the meat? Eat it all now before the sun spoiled it? More unassured, should she share it? She glanced about, but brought her mind back to the task literally at hand. If the other Wolfriders wanted her help, they would ask. She hoped.
Where would they go from here, she couldn't help but wonder.
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