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Post by peachbug on Sept 30, 2008 21:57:38 GMT -6
Evenstar's high laughter at the plantshaper's misfortune stopped, and after a moment of discomfort from Softling's sending and a glance at Stormfire and Windsoft, she studied the fur now in her hands awkwardly.
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Post by Kris on Sept 30, 2008 22:13:13 GMT -6
Windsoft's face sobered, and she offered Stormfire the leg she's just severed from the ravvit's body. Hunting had been good, yes, but not for long. "Today's rest should be safe enough," she said as she returned to her task. "But I have found signs that humans are familiar with this land. One of their holts must be close, but not to near."
Stormfire nodded. I was afraid of that. She accepted the ravvit leg with thanks, biting into the warm flesh with relish. *We'll stay no longer than we must,* she sent to Windsoft. *Can you show me what you found?*
Windsoft nodded. Stormfire blinked as the scout sent images: an abandoned camp . . . a second camp, also abandoned . . . waste-pits full of burned bones and rubbish . . . none of it pointed to the presence of humans nearby now, but neither did it suggest the humans had been gone that long.
Stormfire sent to two of her tribemates. **Windsoft's found signs of humans,** she warned, and shared with them what Windsoft had shown her. Their answering sends were quick and reassuring; they would take watch, one the morning, one the afternoon, as the tribe slept. Stormfire glanced back at Windsoft. "We've been following the river for some time now," she said, walking back towards the trees.
"Humans usually live close to rivers," Windsoft noted. "They need something to carry off their waste and rubbish."
Stormfire was about to answer when she noticed the little grove where the Wolfriders had stopped. Sunsong was still working her magic; branches had been bent to form a sheltering canopy, and some laced together like basket-reeds. Oakstaff still stood nearby, chuckling as his comments were met with Sunsong's sweet trilling voice.
"The trees look comfortable enough to sleep in for years, treeshaper," Stormfire called up. Sunsong's merry laughter made her laugh in return. "Do you intend to sing us to sleep too?"
"Why not? What better way to fall asleep than to pleasant music?"
Stormfire shrugged and took another bite of her ravvit. Sunsong's suggestion sounded inviting, but if she was going to wake clear-headed and strong, she needed food. She drew her knife and began cutting small, chewable pieces off the leg.
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Post by Anna on Sept 30, 2008 22:30:27 GMT -6
Softling listened from afar with quiet glances, playing with a small portion of the meat she'd accepted at Snapbone's whining insistence. Her palm was deep in his dark mane now, tightening at Windsoft's words. *Humans? What is too near for humans?*Her sending was foolish. She had never seen a human, only stories of their great atrocities against the tribe. Still, the memory of the fear rushed to her as easily as any Wolfrider. Mist looked at Softling and smiled reassuring. *Too near, for humans, is within a days easy ride. Humans are slow and tend not to wander too far from their tribe. There's no need to fear as we're just passing through. If we chose to stay, however, there would be cause of concern.* The healer's sending was gentle, reassuring the edgy cub with the sense of safety and security. He gestured towards the tree, inviting her to come explore their temporary home with him. |
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Post by peachbug on Sept 30, 2008 22:44:39 GMT -6
(High Ones, Softling is so angsty, isn't she? Sorry, she's a little teen...  ) Softling growled to herself at the plantshaper's playful tone, the relative calm of the tribe distracting to her private worries. 'Humans?' She thought to herself, feeling another chill despite the warm air. The healer's invitation hung in the air, and after a moment of her green eyes searching the air, she sent to Snapbone. I sleep with them tonight. We'll hunt tomorrow. Snapbone stared up at her blankly. You're just like a dumb treewee. She sent with a small smile. She got down and scratched his ear roughly. "All big eyes and fur, no brains." She whispered. She rose and strode quietly to Mist and the others. Evenstar watched her chief go with some concern; so much for a chief to think on. Tonight's ravvits were enough for now, but would it remain so? For how long? What awaited their sapling tribe? She shook her brown mane sharply. 'Live for the Now.' She told herself. She rose from her spot by the roots of young tree and smiled broadly at her tribemates, especially bright Sunsong. 'Live for the Now and enjoy it.' |
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Post by Viola on Oct 1, 2008 1:29:58 GMT -6
*Oh, Windsoft, wait up!* Firecat had heard the notion of food and swiflty ran with her carefully wrapped package, as well. "I have some fish, too. Better eat our bellies full before we leave again tomorrow." Wrinkling her nose, she added: "We never know when we have the chance to eat again."
Ungracefully letting herself drop to the floor next to Evenstar, she offered her sister some fish. She always felt that red meat started to bore after a while, and loved the variation with the fish, herself. The rest of the fish she pushed in front of her, for the hungry for the taking.
Longdusk slowly and carefully made his way back. His belly rumbled, so as a guard he would be not quite so useful as he had been. 'Humans and prey alike would have easily found him when he made sounds like these,' he thought ironically.
Swiftly sliding through the trees and only getting down when he entered the -for now- familiar territory, he climbed down the tree next to the young chieftess. "Downstream, there's only waste from what the river took, but no dangers there, except the usual." With that, he meant the predators lurking for an easy meal -- which basically they weren't, but one could never be too careful.
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Post by Multi-Facets on Oct 3, 2008 0:27:21 GMT -6
Night ending, sun just beginning to shed light; fading starsong and earthsong, dimming moonsong, wolfsong. The world itself, singing, singing. Magic. Music; nearly beyond comprehension. Memories, so old, the world even older, resonant with power.
The love and warmth of elves and wolves, and the presence of other elves passed on.
Endless. Mystifying. Almost indescribable, nearly unbearable.
Beautiful-
WHUMP
And suddenly he was on the ground, blinking at the sky in confusion. Oh. His wolf-friend, Wanderlust, must have dumped him again. It was a very effective tactic for dealing with her elf-friend.
Wanderlust rolled back onto her feet and left, approaching Windsoft to give her an adoring expression, wagging her tail. It wasn't the first time she had begged food from an elf, though normally Silent's parents were her "targets". But they weren't there, so Windsoft was her "target" instead. The scout was the one with the ravvits, after all.
*One?* Wanderlust sent- not in words, of course: Just the hopeful image of Windsoft handing over one of the little animals, and then Wanderlust herself taking the ravvit to her elf-friend.
Across the way, Silent sat up, shaking his head and feeling decidedly embarrassed once more. He crawled to the nearest tree and huddled behind it, knees to his chest and arms around his legs.
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Post by Anna on Oct 4, 2008 11:16:40 GMT -6
Wanderlust rolled back onto her feet and left, approaching Windsoft to give her an adoring expression, wagging her tail. It wasn't the first time she had begged food from an elf, though normally Silent's parents were her "targets". But they were busy, so Windsoft was her "target" instead. The scout was the one with the ravvits, after all. * One?* Wanderlust sent- not in words, of course: Just the hopeful image of Windsoft handing over one of the little animals, and then Wanderlust herself taking the ravvit to her elf-friend. "And you, a wolf grown, come begging instead of hunting your own?" Windsoft teased, scratching the broad skull between the wolf's ears. "Silly beggar. Go find your own ravvit. I'll see that your friend eats tonight." Shooing the wolf away, Windsoft gathered up some of Firecat's fish and a bit of her ravvit and headed for Silent's still form. "Here, my friend. Fish and ravvit! We have a bounty tonight." |
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Post by peachbug on Oct 4, 2008 17:01:48 GMT -6
Evenstar smiled at the retreating wolf and gave a small glance toward the lone elf. 'How can one stay so alone in oneself?' She thought. She shook her long hair and tore another piece of fish with her dagger. 'Perhaps it is well enough.' The elf turned back to her tribemates with a grin. "Such a fine feast, sister!" She teased, blue eyes bright with laughter. "Please tell me you will provide such a bounty every night! We shall grow as fat as a couple old stags!"
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Post by sarince on Oct 5, 2008 13:47:15 GMT -6
Stormfire sent to two of her tribemates. **Windsoft's found signs of humans,** she warned, and shared with them what Windsoft had shown her. Their answering sends were quick and reassuring; they would take watch, one the morning, one the afternoon, as the tribe slept. Moondew sighed. She had been looking forward to eating something and then spending the day in her furs, preferably not alone. Instead, she got stuck on guard duty. Still, it was necessary, and it was her turn to guard the sleep of the tribe. Joining Stormfire and Longdusk, the pale huntress gladly took a piece of meat. Smiling coyly at the male, she fluttered her lashes. "Guard-duty will probably be boring, if the humans are indeed further than a days travel away. Won't you keep me company?" |
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Post by peachbug on Oct 5, 2008 14:41:36 GMT -6
Evenstar snorted over her piece of meat, earning a nasty glare. She could only imagine what Firecat and Moondew had in mind for the poor hunter...
'Probably rip him to pieces just to claim shares.' She smiled to herself.
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