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Post by Viola on May 25, 2009 2:02:27 GMT -6
**Meith.** [Redthorn] sent her shared love for Longdusk, of course mixed with her own love of Silvercub and Icemark. Her precious ones. She sighed. **High Ones know I never dreamed us taking a journey like this before our spirits left us! I can't imagine how Longdusk and I would have fared without you.** She paused deeply, and sent with humor. **What an adventure Sureshot and Waterdance's daughter has made for us, hm?** Lightgaze looked up, and realized she'd been staring in the direction in which the hunters had departed, and forced herself to smile. It hadn't been the first time that either Redthorn (or Longdusk, for that matter) had shared their appreciation of her coming along. But herself, she still wasn't sure. She wasn't made for these kinds of hardships, but returning wasn't an option anymore. For that, they had wandered too far already, and going back on her own would absolutely result in her death. **Aye,** she sent back and wanted to add more, when Stormfire's voice filled the surroundings, and violet eyes followed the chieftess. "What just happened?" Lightgaze answered clueless. ~*~ It wasn't the first time that Firecat cursed the cubs on their travels, and now that Journey took off, she did it once more. "These cubs will be the end of us someday," she muttered, taking one last bite of one of the ground-squirrels. |
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Post by Anna on May 28, 2009 22:06:24 GMT -6
Journey's departure, and the clash between Wingfoot and Stormfire, had cast a pall over the tribe. Conversations were limited and quiet, or sent privately between two or three. Thirst also sapped the energy from the Wolfriders and now they simply rode and endured, their thoughts more with the four scouts than with their immediate surroundings.
The night crawled by, moons passing overhead as endless grass passed underfoot. Mist and Whitecold had ridden up through the pass to ride to the right of, and just behind, Stormfire. His position gave unspoken voice to his support of the young chieftess. Sunsong had kept her position right beside Stormfire, although no one had ever doubted her unswerving loyalty to her friend.
Stormfire called the tribe to a halt as the sky started lightening where sun-comes-up. Oakstaff approached the chieftess and offered her his waterskin, half-full with tepid, leather-tasting water. Stormfire took a drink and passed it on to Sunsong. The plantshaper had hours before given her own to Icemark and Silvercub.
After taking a bare sip, Sunsong handed the skin back to the hunter and wearily slid from Shade's back. "I'll make some grass dens for us."
As the other elves passed the waterskins around and tended to their tired, dehydrated wolves, Sunsong sat in the grass and buried her hands in the dirt. The daily exercise of her gift had greatly increased her skill, and she quickly got beyond physical distractions and let her consciousness merge with that of the growing life in the soil.
In a ring around her, the grass grew quickly, braiding together in unnatural and supple ways. The grass inside that ring stayed just as it was. In a fairly short time, the first grass den was done, and the second had begun.
By the time Sunsong had finished the fourth, and last, rounded grass dome, she was exhausted and the other Wolfriders were moving in and starting to bed down.
"Do you think they found water?" Oakstaff asked quietly as he helped her stand up.
"Yes," Sunsong said firmly. "They did."
"Ever the optimist," the hunter teased wearily. "Time to rest, plantshaper."
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Post by Kris on May 28, 2009 22:24:46 GMT -6
Stormfire lay down beneath the den of woven grass. Her attention was caught by the intricacy of it all, grass caught together at angles like a spider's web . . . and it made her smile. If Sunsong could do such work as this, Stormfire could hardly imagine the wonders she'd work when they found their holt.
When . . . not if. No longer if. The small, nagging doubt that had plagued her since they left home had vanished. She knew, just as she knew Windsoft would find water, that her tribe would find their true holt.
She hadn't been able to explain why some places, despite being near game and reasonably far from humans, had left her cold. But when Sunsong had taken her hand and assured her, **You are a good chieftess,** Stormfire had finally understood what she was looking for. It would be a home they could hold in their hearts, a place where they could feel, if not completely safe, then secure--as secure as she felt among her tribe.
She'd held back the fear of not just being a failed chieftess, but a bad one. But, from Windsoft to Sunsong, her tribemates had shown faith in her. Stormfire smiled to herself, thinking of Silent's joy at being needed, at Longdusk and Softling going off on the same scouting trip . . . and of Mist's smile of approval.
A snort accompanied that last image, but Stormfire felt her smile grow to a grin. She closed her eyes and hoped that Windsoft would find them a nice, large lake to swim in. She rather hoped she could convince Mist to take a dip with her.
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Post by Multi-Facets on May 29, 2009 1:37:57 GMT -6
Tired. Almost comfortably tired. Silent crawled under one of the shelters Sunsong had managed to shape, laying down his bedfur and his mantle, then placing his weapons in easy reach. His belt, shirt and gloves came off next, with the shirt folded around the accessories to make a pillow.
Wanderlust had wandered off again, but that was no problem. She was well-fed, and her fur would make things uncomfortably hot in the little shelter. Besides, Silent had the memory of the day to keep him company.
He lay down, head on his shirt, and closed his eyes, but rather than dozing off, he remained awake, and could not understand why at first. He was feeling good, happy, and even his thirst wasn't so bad now, after feasting on three of the little burrowers.
So why couldn't he sleep if he was so content?
Content?
Silent sat up. Yes, he was content. Too content to be alone, as he usually was. He didn't want to let the warm feelings fade into wolfsong, or the Song that also ate his memory from time to time. He didn't HAVE to be alone; he just usually was. Of course it wasn't certain that someone would want to be with him, but he would ask anyway, while he still had some lucidity.
The silver-eyed elf sent openly. *[pale blue questioning]-[soft red desire for companionship/to touch-be touched-held-still accepted]-[request/please] [faint pink hope]*
======
Aaahhhh, High Ones, what a night. Shellslip crawled into the second den and stripped down, removing all her possessions and clothes. She would sleep with her skin exposed to whatever wind would come their way, and feel better because of it. Anyway, the grass beneath her was soft thanks to Sunsong. The gatherer shot a thought of quick thanks towards the treeshaper, and made a pillow of her dress and vest. "Nobody is to wake me on pain of getting their nose bitten," she declared. "If someone does wake me, it had better be for a very, very good reason." **Good morning,** she sent to Sniffer, and received a similar sentiment from wherever her wolf-friend had chosen to bed down.
Hopefully when she woke, the somewhat flighty red-haired elf would be able to dig up some more diggers before they got going. Shellslip was beginning to believe it was best to face the unknown with a full stomach.
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Post by Viola on May 29, 2009 2:22:11 GMT -6
Now Longdusk wasn't here, Lightgaze noticed how heavily she had leaned on her son in the previous days. She felt nervous and insecure, and while she'd been watching Sunsong creating the dens, she was unsure where she would stay. Actually, she had presumed the search party would have returned before they went to sleep, but the sky had turned purple and there was still no sight of them. **Redthorn? Can I stay with you and your family?** she asked her soul sister. Apart from the anxiety she felt, she liked Silvercub. The innocent little cub added another perspective to everything.
~*~
Firecat had dove in one of the dens as soon as Sunsong had finished it. She was confident that with fine hunters as Longdusk and Windsoft and Tallspear, the search would be a success. And also, a small party moved more quickly than the larger party with cubs.
She had been wondering if she could get Sunsong to spend the day with her, but the female seemed exhausted after she had shaped the hideout for the day. And they all were. Firecat was just too chipper to sleep right now.
She mused about the new holt, for the first time in a while. Up till now, it had just been an adventure, but she longed to have a perminent residence again. One where she could have her stuff lying around without worrying that she might forget to take it. Solid, warm sleeping furs, instead of the ragged ones she now had. Besides, the blistering sun made it so that she didn't even need them. Ah, if they would only move to a thick, dense and cool forest!
Then, Silent's request touched her mind. She thought the elf was slightly weird, but she
wouldn't refuse anyone. Getting on her feet quickly, she moved out the den, leaving it available for someone else. **Have me?** she sent to Silent.
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Post by Multi-Facets on May 29, 2009 2:43:13 GMT -6
An answer! How wonderful! **[happy assent/pink gratitude]** Silent returned, smiling. Firecat was a bit high-spirited for his taste- well, no, perhaps not. Longmane was high-spirited, and he had loved her. He didn't love Firecat romantically, but there were still enough parallels that he felt even more comfortable.
Besides, having a cuddle -or perhaps more- would be a perfect way to end the evening.
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Post by Anna on May 29, 2009 18:45:04 GMT -6
Sunsong cocked her head as Silent's wistful, yearning sending reached them. She grinned at Oakstaff merrily. "Silent wants company. I think I'll join him. Coming?"
Oakstaff chuckled and shook his head. "Thank you but no, plantshaper. The cub's a little too full of dreamberry fluff for me. I'll just go see if our chieftess wants to cuddle up for the day."
Sunsong giggled and danced to the hut that she'd seen Silent go in. Firecat had joined the young elf already. "Good morning!" Sunsong chirped. "Room for one more?"
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Post by Multi-Facets on May 29, 2009 20:12:41 GMT -6
Another answer! Now that was really unexpected. Silent smiled up at Sunsong. **[welcome]** he projected, and held out an arm, quickly looking at Firecat to see if she would mind.
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Post by Viola on May 30, 2009 2:32:03 GMT -6
Firecat smiled brightly. Some wished did come true, and she nearly purred of contentment. **Happy to have you, plantshaper,** she told Sunsong with shimmering eyes. The more, the merrier, she figured -- especially when it was Sunsong. "Not too tired, are you?"
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Post by Anna on May 30, 2009 7:39:29 GMT -6
With a flash of mischief, Sunsong widened her eyes and gave Firecat a confused expression. "We're denning for the day. Aren't we all supposed to be tired?" she asked innocently.
She reached for Silent's arm and cuddled against his side. "Of course, it's been such a tense few days, we'll need to relax first. I'd rather not drink any tasteless teas, so that leaves only the other alternative, doesn't it?"
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