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Post by Anna on Oct 11, 2008 11:07:52 GMT -6
**Niece?** {Lightgaze} sent out to Sunsong, **where are you?** Sunsong ran her hands over Shade's strong, thick-boned leg, then blinked at Lightgaze's sending. Her mother's sister seldom sought her out, so Lightgaze's query caught her by surprise. A pleasant surprise, of course, and her response contained that taste of happiness. **I'm with Shade, checking to make sure that she's fit for the journey.** Her wolf-friend, as loyal and sweetnatured as any wolf could be, was also becoming aged. Sunsong would not more consider leaving her behind, however, than she'd leave behind her own leg. Shade had strength enough yet to see them to a new holt. |
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Post by Viola on Oct 11, 2008 14:01:50 GMT -6
The weaver smiled as Sunsong sent a bit of her joy with her words. A cub less happy in life would have become either cynical or shy with a mother like Fernflower. Lightgaze felt little guilt in thinking about her sister like that.
From the mental words, she could see where Sunsong and Shade resided, and made her way over. She found her soon, and leaned against a tree, unsure if the youngster would appreciate her nearness or not.
Lightgaze had stayed away from her sister, preferring her soul sister Redthorn's company who felt much more like a sister than Fernflower. The bond between the true sisters had always be somewhat rocky, and Lightgaze had sometimes wondered if Fernflower looked down on her little sister because she didn't posess the plant shaping magic that seemed to run in the family.
"Fernflower was harsh on you." It was more a statement than a question. She hadn't heard the conversation but overheard Stormfire's and Fernflower's, and she had easily figured out what had happened. She knew Fernflower.
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Post by oddsong on Oct 11, 2008 16:28:53 GMT -6
The Elder had spoken and the Elder was wise, but Thornberry was not satisfied. He rarely was. Sureshot was as capable of mistakes as any elf, he could make bad choices, have the wrong reasons. And Stormfire was so young, and her spit and spirit were bubbling over. He heard it in her exchange with Fernflower. Turns and turns back, Thornberry himself would have spoken to the plantshaper this way, and that was not something in Stormfire's favor.
He chewed on his lower lip in thought, careful not to nick himself with his fangs. Bah, rotten habit! He glanced up. "She'll do well if she has elders and wiser tribemates at her side, to keep her on her toes, and keep her to the Way," he commented. With Windsoft along, and Mist as well, there was at least some assurance that the offshoot tribe could go in safety. On the other hand, Sunsong... Journey... High Ones, Silent! What were they going to do with that lot? And if Softling came as well... they could all grow yet into a fine pack, but they needed an alpha wolf, and if not that...
Some things were stronger than any one Wolfrider; the beating heart of the tribe.
"Maybe I should come," he said in a low voice. "Maybe I should."
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Post by Anna on Oct 11, 2008 17:03:08 GMT -6
"Fernflower was harsh on you." It was more a statement than a question. She hadn't heard the conversation but overheard Stormfire's and Fernflower's, and she had easily figured out what had happened. She knew Fernflower. "What?" Sunsong blinked, for a moment, not placing the comment. She'd moved past it to other things. "Oh!" She smiled at Lightgaze reassuringly. "She worries for me, but I'll be fine. It would feel better if she'd simply ask me to stay, but it is the intent that matters, isn't it?" And with that explanation to ease the prick of her mother's words, Sunsong's heart was easy. She was used to her mother's ways, after all. "Will you be coming with us?" she asked, looking up from her examination of Shade's paw. The nails were worn, but the pads were still firm and uncracked. "With Redthorn and Longdusk both coming, it would seem strange for you not to be there, as well." |
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Post by Anna on Oct 11, 2008 17:14:36 GMT -6
"Maybe I should come," {Thornberry} said in a low voice. "Maybe I should." Windsoft took both his hands in hers and looked into his eyes. Not challengingly, but searchingly. She was quiet for long moments, and those with them waited in silence for what she would say. In their little pocket, there was only the sigh of the wind through leaves and nightsong of crickets. The distant hoot of an owl ghosting through the forest. "If you come, huntbrother," she finally said, "you and your skills would be welcome. It is the Way for the tribe to disperse when it grows too large, and each dispersal must have a leader. Stormfire has been raised for that purpose, and we have not." She released one of his hands and laid her palm lightly against his cheek. "But if you come, Thornberry, you must honestly accept Stormfire as your chieftess and extend to her the respect and trust she deserves. She may fail us, yes. But if we do not give her the chance to succeed, she will certainly fail, and we will all suffer for it." |
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Post by peachbug on Oct 11, 2008 20:28:10 GMT -6
*Stormfire! I wish to come with you.*
Evenstar blushed at her awkward sending as she stepped up beside her new chieftess. "Surely you'll have a few torn leathers at this new holt of yours; would you mind taking a tanner and friend?"
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Post by Kris on Oct 11, 2008 20:33:49 GMT -6
*Stormfire! I wish to come with you.* Evenstar blushed at her awkward sending as she stepped up beside her new chieftess. "Surely you'll have a few torn leathers at this new holt of yours; would you mind taking a tanner and friend?" Stormfire grinned and embraced Evenstar. "I hoped you'd come,"she confessed. "You're more than welcome, and I hope to find a holt that will give you all the time you need to keep us in beautiful new leathers!" "That's our chieftess," Whirlwind remarked. "Always thinking of how good she--oops!--we look." Tallspear threw her an annoyed look, and smiled at Evenstar. "I'm glad you're coming, Evenstar. We'd miss you otherwise." |
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Post by peachbug on Oct 11, 2008 20:40:03 GMT -6
Evenstar smiled at her tribemates and felt a leap in her heart, confirming her choice. "I would have no one else to lead us; Sureshot is truly a wise chief, Stormfire." She sighed. "I was relieved to see your brothers keep their words so..." The tanner smiled. "Well, they stayed nearly brief enough for my tastes!"
With a glance to her golden haired sister, she locksent to Stormfire. **How many go?**
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Post by peachbug on Oct 11, 2008 22:10:43 GMT -6
Softling kept her torrent of feelings within as she kneeled in her father's den. She had attempted to convey the events to Snapbone and a few other curious pack members, but her own mixed thoughts left them whining amongst themselves.
How would the pack take such a split? It was not fair to the wolves...it wasn't they who approved this change. Her father had tried to reason with the she-cub, explaining that even packs split naturally when they are burdened, but she remained set in her frustration, much to his.
Her father Flintfire now rolled furs and tied them for her, silent since their last sending argument a few moments ago. She fumed and glanced down at the still bustling tribe below, spotting Stormfire, Whirlwind, Evenstar, and Tallspear deep in conversation. Was Tallspear going? She blushed and pushed her silly affection from her mind. Evenstar as well? She smiled to herself at her cub memories of frustrating the young stargazer in her work, purposely wearing out her leathers with mud and muck so quickly that she almost made the ever gentle Evenstar pop, almost. Softling glanced back at her father.
Flitnfire was hunched over something he cradled in his hands now, looking thoughtful. As Softling leaned in to look, she recognized it as her mother's hair ornament, green beads with white feathers, torn from her hair by herself in a fit of sickness. She recalled her father holding the ornament during the howl for her mother, and now...
He would be alone, she realized.
**Oh, father!** She sobbed and threw herself into Flintfire's arms. **I am not so terrible! I can learn, I can listen, I just-** "Softling, cubling, this is not punishment." He said aloud. "You make a fine elf, a better wolf, and a wonderful daughter. Do you not see?" He sighed and brushed her soft hair. "I am giving you the freedom you needed." Softling took the bundle he offered and sniffed. Flitnfire carefully extracted a bit of her thick hair from behind her left ear and tied the ornament into it.
'May the wider world give you what I could not.' Flintfire thought to himself sadly.
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Post by Kris on Oct 11, 2008 22:13:30 GMT -6
Beaming at the praise, Stormfire sent, *You, Mist, Wingfoot, Redthorn and Icemark--they offered to go!--their cub Silvercub, Softling, Whirlwind and Tallspear, Sunsong, I hope Lightgaze--*
"Stormfire!" Journey ran up at that moment, stopping just a hair from bumping into Tallspear. He arched an eyebrow at the older elf. "Are you going to stand there like a dead tree? Move."
Tallspear smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "Let me guess. They're making us take you."
"Although if you're coming, Windsoft must be, so it's not all bad," Whirlwind threw in.
Journey chuckled. "Laugh all you want," he informed the two young hunters. "I'm sure you'll still be laughing after I tell Sureshot what you've been up to those times you said you were going to Bluestone's Glen . . ."
Tallspear and Whirlwind exchanged quick looks and closed in on Journey. "All right, cub," Whirlwind muttered, lowering her head to his. "What do you want?"
"And make it quick," Tallspear warned.
Journey smiled sweetly. "Nothing, nothing . . . nothing more than a sack of blueberries from each of you."
"Not even dreamberries? You're easy," Whirlwind scoffed.
"I want them from the north side of the holt. They taste better." Journey's smile didn't waver, but Whirlwind suddenly cursed and Tallspear's scowl soured. "We won't be leaving for some time, so you should get started now." Journey headed off for the Father Tree, looking as innocent as a cubling with both hands buried in a bowl of honeycomb.
"I'm going to kill him," Whirlwind announced, shaking her head. "The north side of the holt?! It'll take us till afternoon to get there!"
"Do you really want Sureshot to know about the time we've spent stealing from the humans?" Tallspear snorted. "Journey's lucky I don't bury him up to the next in fire-ants."
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