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Post by Multi-Facets on Jun 13, 2009 17:39:13 GMT -6
"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.
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Post by Kris on Jun 13, 2009 18:33:32 GMT -6
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?"
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Post by peachbug on Jun 13, 2009 21:58:10 GMT -6
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.
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Post by Kris on Jun 13, 2009 23:05:24 GMT -6
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.*
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Post by Anna on Jun 14, 2009 6:32:14 GMT -6
"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.
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Post by peachbug on Jun 14, 2009 10:12:43 GMT -6
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.
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Post by Viola on Jun 14, 2009 16:18:04 GMT -6
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. |
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Post by Kris on Jun 14, 2009 21:41:28 GMT -6
"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.** "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?" |
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Post by Anna on Jun 14, 2009 22:01:54 GMT -6
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?"
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Post by Kris on Jun 14, 2009 22:08:15 GMT -6
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.
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