Log Date: 1/9-1/10/96 Log Intro: Deep in the heart of a secluded wood lives a mad elf named Doreel, and with him, three troll-like, diminutive helpers, Lar, Lir, and Lira. The little group has for ages lived undisturbed in their grove, with the 'Preservers' -- spiders bred up by Doreel's magic, and whose true origin has been lost in Doreel's memory -- that inhabit the surrounding forest preventing any of them from leaving safely. The spiders, too, have prevented anyone from getting _into_ the grove. That is, until Lar discovered 'the Rillwhisper' in a spider cocoon, and brought her to his master Doreel to be healed.... ---------- Doreel kneels next to you, a hand brushing against your cheek, a faint hint of healing magic moving from him towards you, however his mind reaches towards yours, trying to find something familiar. Doreel does so gently, trying not to wake you. Rillwhisper shifts against the hollow that she'd curled up in, her head turning under the slight glow. She doesn't wake, not quite yet, but her mind is there, and restless with recurrent shreds of dreaming. Her mouth curls slightly, a worried look. The light from the outside peeks through the small opening into this niche. A pleasant smell wafts in also, one that is evident almost all the time in the grove. You sense in a locksend, Doreel's sends are concerned ** Tasheya, please come back to me. The others, they have been sending. They are trying to find us. They fled the other way. ** You locksend ** ** to Doreel. Rillwhisper's right hand swings out a little, fingers curling around a knife-hilt that isn't there. Doreel blinks and looks out towards the grove, his sharp mind reacts to something, perhaps your send, perhaps something else. He then looks back down at you, concerned. You sense in a locksend, Doreel tries to calm you, ** Vargo is gone Tasheya. They... Haarok sent that the humans got him. Perhaps the little ones though. Perhaps they found him. ** Doreel continues to glance between you and the exit back towards the grove. Rillwhisper's features tighten, and under her closed lids, her eyes dart from side to side. The small frame of her shifts, too, her movements picking up force and fear. Doreel grabs hold of your hand that is apparently wielding the knife in your dream, and squeezes it, his healing magic trying to blot out any of the bad memories, his sendings turn towards pleasant images... before the humans came to the camp... before the humans killed Haarok and Vargo... Doreel locksends ** ** You locksend ** ** to Doreel. You locksend ** Wha.... wh... who are you? ** to Doreel. Doreel gasps and opens his eyes, a small trickle of sweat running down his temple, ** It is Doreel, Tasheya. Don't you recognize me? And yes, the preservers bit you, they poisoned your mind. ** Rillwhisper's eyes fly open, as she cries out and tries to sit up, still partly in the grip of her nightmare, and partly startled by the unfamiliar sending. Where is she? The spiders... but no. They aren't here. But the stranger is, and his strange sending, and... Rillwhisper frowns up at you and says thickly, "My... name's Rillwhisper..." Doreel looks at you concerned, his face displaying it, his healing stops as you sit up. Doreel wrinkles a brow and shakes his head ** No... ** Doreel stops in his sending. Doreel mutters your real name, "Rillwhisper... That name... Lar..." Rillwhisper's head droops a little. Curse it; she's still not rid of this dizziness. Made irritable by it -- for she _must_ find Strongbow and she _must_ find him now -- she nods gruffly at you and gets to her feet. "It's true," she offers. Not quite steadily, but still. "I am Rillwhisper, of the Willowholt... and I will repay you in any way I can, for the healing, truly, but I _must_ find my friend, Strongbow...." Doreel shakes his head, "No. There is no Strongbow here..." The somewhat glazed look that has been in his eyes clearing up slightly as the look that he had in his eyes when you first met comes back... Doreel says "And Rillwhisper... Lar... you were not one of the group." Doreel rubs his head. Rillwhisper wobbles a little on her feet, frowning anxiously. Whoever this tall stranger is, he makes her head hurt. But she says pleadingly, "No... he has to be out in the woods, still, where the spiders got us... I _have_ to get to him. I have no right to ask it of you, stranger -- Doreel? -- but if you could aid me, I will owe you doubly. I-I-I have to find him!" Doreel reaches out to steady you, he stays kneeling on the floor though, the room too short for him to stand fully, "Doreel... How..." He peers at you, fear in his eyes, "How do you know my name..." Rillwhisper blinks. "You sent it." Doreel shakes his head, not remembering, "No... but... yes... I am Doreel..." Rillwhisper staggers a bit under the slender hands, and she blinks several times at you, her nose wrinkling as she tries to catch your scent. Doesn't smell like Zalen -- not a Glider? Doesn't smell like Talek or Sorrow, either. But he's tall as either a Glider or Underworlder would be. Her head hurting at all of the implications of this, she shakes it back and forth, trying to clear her thoughts. "All... alright... I... my weapons, did you find them? My bow? My dagger?" Doreel raises an eyebrow and shakes his head, he watches you move, the first elf in so long a time, "No. I, only remember the small one shouting to me. You. You are not a human. But no weapons." Rillwhisper goes on, voice hurried, words a bit slurred, "Need 'em, to get through the spiders..." She starts to shake, and a bit of panic flashes across the green eyes. "The spiders wrapped him. I... wha? No, not a human... " She almost laughs, a touched strainedly. "Too short for a human, tall one..." Doreel wrinkles a brow and shakes his head, "No, not a human." He hand reaches out to touch your pointed ears, "A child, here in the woods. Alone... The spiders... no spiders are here." Doreel seems to get a hint of recognition in his eyes, though they don't glaze over this time, it is quiet likely he is remembering again... slipping back... Rillwhisper blinks. She, a child? She blurts, "Um... I... am grown... I've mates, a grown son..." Who _is_ this Doreel? Momentarily forgetting the urgency of her situation, she stares over at you, perplexed. Then blurts to explain, "You haven't seen them? In the woods? They're huge, bigger than my wo... they're big. I-I-I'm going to have to have my bow or my blade, if Fallberry's flown back to the Holt to get help, i-if you or the, um, helper can show.... ohhh..." She reels, as her spate of anxious words wrestles with her low store of energy. Doreel says "Please. Stop. The... you are talking about the preservers off the grove. They, they help keep the food fresh. The poison is still in you." Rillwhisper's brow furrows. "I know what Preservers are," she says, then stares at you blankly. "Whassat t' do with the spider stings?" Her words slur again. Doreel shakes his head, not believing that you think the 'Preservers' are spiders, "The small winged ones are not what they were when we came here. But, they are still Preservers." Doreel places his other hand on your arm, trying to steady you, his magic starts to work quietly to push the poison from your body, trying to calm you. You say "But... but. Wait. My Holt... _has_ Preservers. The little winged ones. Fallberry, Sunbright... well, not Sunbright... Flickerflame and Flutterbye, though..." Rillwhisper trails off, letting off an unconscious sigh as the glow sinks into her. Doreel shakes his head, "No... The little winged ones are not like that. They are dangerous now. They do not listen to me as they listened to the ones who came here first." Rillwhisper offers a slightly muzzy sending. A tiny purple Preserver with green wings; a couple more, the three of them frequently flitting through the willow trees of her home. "They're alright," she murmurs slurrily, mostly occupied by your magic, now. And with the healer's touch on her small body, there is... something... within her. In the blood. Something strange and not-elf. The Preserver poison? Doreel wrinkles a brow and shakes his head, he looks at you, as if in a new light as you send the images of the true Presevers. But then he detects the strangeness... more poison... it must be removed... The magic seems to work harder, Doreel's face wrinkling as his magic encounters something unexpected... wrong... Rillwhisper mumbles worriedly, "Haven't seen Fallberry... it must have gone... home..." She sways, eyes closing, as the glow envelops her. Doreel gasps as his magic fails to remove what is there... the un-elf in you, he shakes it away, he looks tired and hagard, perhaps something to cover up that he can't fix it. Doreel blinks, "But... you have seen one of the small winger ones..." Doreel looks at you, an idea flashing in his mind, a thought at the tip of his tongue. Rillwhisper blinks several times. Her head's cleared, a little; the healing has seen to that, she realizes gratefully, and she opens her eyes again. "We've got three at my Holt," she repeats, and smiles crookedly. "I'm starting to feel better... if you can tell me where that helper of yours is, I should ask him where he found me... don't remember. I have to look for Strongbow, though, and I need my weapons...!" Doreel shakes his head, "But. Holt? A camp? There are others? You are a child... like me... your parents?" Rillwhisper's lopsided smile falters. "Dead," she murmurs. "Long ago.... I lead the Willowholt, now." She pulls in a long breath, testing her strength. Still a little shaky, but improving. Doreel wrinkles a brow, "Dead? How... The humans..." He sounds sure that this is the reason for their death, "Your parents. They were Garran and Lyai? Your eyes... like Lyai's." Rillwhisper pauses, again, as you speak of unfamiliar names to her, and her dark golden eyebrows knit together. "Um... no... my sire was Windwatcher, my dam Sparrow... we never knew what killed Father, but my brother says that Mother starved to death." She lowers her eyes. Doreel wrinkles a brow as you use unfamiliar names with him, "Then... you... there is a lot of death in the camp? Garran and Lyai are dead also?" Rillwhisper frowns at you a bit. Sensing she's not quite managing to communicate here, she hedges, "I... don't know these names. Well, I know of a _Gerren_, but he is a Glider, and I have never seen him..." Doreel nods and wrinkles a brow, "The humans scattered all of us. Vargo ran one way, mother spoke of one called Timmain going another, another named Rissar going another." Rillwhisper blinks. "Timm... you know of Timmain?" Rillwhisper blinks again. "Your... mother spoke..." How old _are_ you, she wonders, shocked, green eyes round in her small face. Small, at least, compared to yours. Doreel nods slightly, "Reeya spoke fondly of all those on the ship. Timmain, sh-she, mother said many of the others were not seen..." Doreel says "They ran. Or killed by humans. How old?" Doreel wrinkles a brow, as if he does not know how old he is. Rillwhisper breathes, "Timmain... was... is... our foremother. Of the Wolfriders, that is..." Doreel wrinkles a brow, "Wolfriders?" Rillwhisper says, a bit dazedly, still staring at you in wonder, "The name of the tribe that made mine, and many others..." Doreel continues to look confused, practically matching your look, though certainly about something totally different, "Others? There is more than your camp. The humans did not get to everyone..." Doreel seems to get some hope in his voice as he mumbles and rambles. Rillwhisper peers at you searchingly, and tentatively offers, "Aye... my tribe... many others... my friend Strongbow comes from Lostholt..." She sighs, anxiously. "And I _must_ find him... I'll be happy to tell you more, but I _must_ find Strongbow, he's wrapped up somewhere out there and not answering my sendings!" Doreel frowns and shakes his head, "If he does not answer you... He is dead. The others who have come here, they always die..." Doreel seems to slip into remembering as he says that, "The presevers' bite does vicious things to the mind..." Rillwhisper shakes her head vehemently. "No... I can still _sense_ him. He's my soul-brother, Doreel, and I _promised_ to return him to his lifemate! I have to find him, and then we must find Moonshade. Please... will you help me?" Doreel sighs and shakes his head, "There is nothing that I can do against the presevers. They do not listen to me. The helpers, they go into the woods, but that is only rarely..." Doreel says "Many of them have fallen victim to the presevers..." Rillwhisper sighs. "Then... may I speak with your helpers? At least to find out where they found me? I-I remember running, but not far, and Strongbow can't be too far from where I fell... I think." Doreel shakes his head and sighs, "They are too afraid to go into the woods. Only Lar will, but only very rarely when Lira is with child for her meat... The presevers will..." Doreel trails off. Rillwhisper says quickly, "Lar, yes... that's the one that found me. May I speak with him?" Doreel nods slightly, though reluctantly, he heads out towards the grove without a word. Rillwhisper rises to follow you, her steps mostly steady, now. Doreel leaves you and the hole behind, going into the light and life of the grove. Doreel has left. You move out into the grove quietly, the *click* *click* *click* that resounds in the walls of the hole fading from your ears. Grove(#9784RJLU) Life fills you as you walk into this grove. All around you plants grow, twisting around each other in a magical dance of life. A majestic tree stands in the center of the grove, it's life force encompassing the whole area. Small rock formations dot the garden adding another level of beauty to the place. A small spring flows from between some of the rocks and becomes a miniature strem meandering through the many trees and flowers. Other than the huge tree in the center of the grove all the others bear wonderful fruit of all different varieties while each flower is in bloom and full color. You notice stairs curling up around into the tree directly into it's heart. Even through all this beauty you can hear the constant *click* *click* *click* off in the dark woods surrounding you. Contents: Doreel(#6997PJXce) Helper Obvious exits: Woods Path Hole Tree The helpers, all having been awake for some time, look up and over at Doreel and Rillwhisper, they chatter between themselves from across the grove. Doreel steps out into the grove, looking around quietly, spotting the helpers, he looks across at them and with a simple hand motion causes what looks like Lar to move away from the group and towards the two of you. Rillwhisper comes out behind the taller elf, still occasionally peering at him in disbelief as she tries to piece together what you've been telling her. If you're _really_ as old as all that... but she puts that out of her mind, as Lar approaches, and straightens, looking all business. But a gleam of worry in her green eyes betrays her. Lar looks up at Doreel, "Master? You act strange with the Rillwhisper." He points towards Rillwhisper and mutters, "What is it?" Doreel shakes his head at the creature and talks in a quiet, stern voice after glancing over at you briefly, "It is a Wolfrider. It wants to find her friend. Where in the preservers did you find?" Rillwhisper, now that she's much more awake than the last time she encountered the little helper, peers at him in some measure of wonder. The tiniest troll she's ever seen? Not that she's seen very many trolls, but still. She nods gravely to Lar, glancing from him to Doreel and back again. Lar shakes his head, "The preservers, they attacked when I found the big foodstuff wrapping. I ran. On the path was where the Rillwhisper woke up." The other two helpers continue to look on quietly. Rillwhisper steps forward, and asks anxiously, "Can you show me where? Or tell me how to get there? I must find my bow and arrows, and my dagger, if I hope to get to my friend...!" Lar starts to point off in a direction, but a motion from Doreel stops him short. The little helper cowers slightly, "Lar doesn't know. Lira has meat now. Doesn't need to go back to the presevers." Lar moves and backs away quickly, and then in a dead run, goes back to his two fellows. Doreel shakes his head and sighs, "He will not go back in there." Doreel says "And I will not ask him to." Rillwhisper frowns. Then nods solemnly, and looks up to Doreel. "I... understand. But I must yet go, myself...." Doreel shakes his head, "The presevers will only capture you again child. And then, you, like your friend will be nothing more than a meal." Her businesslike stance does not shift, but a glint of grief flickers across her eyes. Rillwhisper turns, eyeing the woods, and for a long moment, sends.... Doreel watches you quietly. Rillwhisper murmurs, at last, "I can sense him. I _must_ get to him if I can." She looks up once more. ** He is my friend. ** Doreel nods slightly, knowing what you mean by that, but then he looks away, "I cannot help you. I will not go into the woods. The preservers are too dangerous... they do not listen..." Rillwhisper inclines her head, then steps up to you, looking up. "I should repay you for the healing, then, before I go; what can I offer?" Doreel shakes his head, "There is nothing you can give me child. I healed you because of what you are. You should know that i do not expect anything in return.: Doreel says "Just be careful." Rillwhisper smiles crookedly. Then nods. "I... well. No time like now, I suppose; I'm not hungry, and you've made my head clearer." She turns, then pauses, and sends amiably, ** I'll get my Holt to come back and look for you. You sound like you could use some company. ** Rillwhisper then turns, scents the air, and approaches the forest. Doreel looks after you and sighs deeply, but says nothing, he mumbles some words under his breath and watches you. Doreel turns and heads into the tree. Doreel climbs up the winding stairs around the tree, and then moves inside. Doreel has left. The helpers watch as Doreel walks up into the tree, they chatter between themselves, having heard all the conversation. One of the helpers that looks female breaks away from the other two after some raised voices and walks over towards Rillwhisper quickly, though fear quite evident in her face. Rillwhisper stands, long enough to sniff the air, and to send. She can feel, faint, thready, the pulse of Strongbow's mind _somewhere_ out there. But she'll have to tread cautiously. Steeling herself, she moves towards the trees... then pauses, when she sees herself pursued, and she looks back with an "Eh?" The helper looks at you pleadingly. Rillwhisper turns around, to look down at the creature. "You... want something?" The helper continues to look at you, her concern for her master overpowering her fear of you, "Please. The others all die. The presevers bite. My medicince does not save them. You lucky. Master does not always heal others." Rillwhisper slowly crouches a bit, to look the female helper in the eye, and perhaps, just perhaps, to look a little less frightening. As gently as she can manage, she says, "My friend... Strongbow... is still out there. I can feel him. Please understand... I have to find him." Shaking her head, the helper grabs hold of your arms, "Please don't. Master slips out and in and out and in. Master will be worse when you go. He is in tree, talking to himself. We just watch him. Hope others will come and survive." You say "But... little one, others _have_ survived. Out past the woods! I lead a tribe of elves called the Willowholt, and my friend, Strongbow, comes from another tribe...!" Rillwhisper's voice, firm now, nevertheless holds just a hint of bafflement at what seems to be a belief on the part of the tall elf and these small... trolls?... that there's no one past their sheltered glade. She adds, "I can prove it, but have to get to Strongbow, first. And I'll have to find my weapons, to do it." She shakes her head again, "Not here. The willowholt. We know name, they come before, older ones told us. Other does not survive here. Master does not remember them." The helper female says, "No, no weapons. Only thorns." Rillwhisper sighs, and insists gently, "I had a knife. See? Here is my sheath." She gestures at the empty sheath strapped by leather thongs around her thigh. "A brightmetal knife. It wasn't on the ground here, that I could see...." "Uh uh. No knife. No shinies," the helper seems to be lying, something she's not too good at. Rillwhisper sighs, regarding the plainly nervous little creature. "My bow, then? Do you even know what a bow is?" The female helper smiles sheepishly as she tries to hide something about your weapons. She shakes her head, "No, no weapons. Only daggers." Rillwhisper shoves a hand through her hair, and tries to tangle out her chief's lock. "Fine," she mutters under her breath. No bow, no dagger, and she without a way to get another weapon. She nods distractedly to the female helper, disengages herself from the little grasp, and rises to eye the forest. Must be a way to infiltrate it; think, Rillwhisper! Now's the time to use your mother's wisdom, and not your father's dreamheadedness.... Rillwhisper scowls. Even from out here in the midst of the grove, she can hear the spiders' noises. So many. And Strongbow.... *there*, she thinks, in that direction; she can feel the pull of his dazed mind. Lira takes hold of your sleeves, "The Rillwhisper stays. Master will not slip out with you." Rillwhisper looks down sharply at Lira, but not without worry, or a glimmer of sympathy in the green eyes. "Little one... please understand, my friend out there is in danger! If I can find him, and we can get out to our tribes, we can bring back a healer for your master. Other elves, for him to be with, as well!" Lar shakes his head, shifting his weight a bit. "No. The Rillwhisper has to stay. Too dangerous to leave now." (OOC that about right?) Lira shakes her head, "Master doesn't need healing. He say no. Other elves won't survive here. No weapons, the presevers don't like tall ones like you." Lira says "Presevers eat your friend like they eat older ones." Lar nods at that. "Safer if you stay here. Don't get other tall one eaten." Rillwhisper looks from helper to helper, and insists, "I can _feel_ his mind, still; Strongbow is alive! And as long as he's alive, I _must_ try to help him, just as you must try to help your master, can't you see?" Lira shakes her head, "No, Master, he does not think straight. But we don't go into the woods... Lar go for meat for me. You not foodstuff." Lar rocks back and forth on his feet and nods, looking a bit excited at that. "You one of the Masters." Lira looks up at Rillwhisper pleadingly, "The Rillwhisper doesn't go. Stay. Friend will not be found." Rillwhisper paces a little, frustratedly. "No," she agrees, "I'm not food. I'm an elf... but I know where other elves are. Other elves, who can help your master. I'm not a healer; if he's mind-hurt, I can't help him!" Lira shakes her head, "You are like Master, he will not think funny with you." Rillwhisper faces Lira, again, her entire slim body tense. "But if I don't go into the woods, my friend Strongbow will die without my help. I can't let that happen." Lar shakes his head. "The Rillwhisper can't go! The preservers will eat you. The Strongbow is already eaten, or not here." Lira nods in agreement with her fellow, "Others don't survive here. My medicine doesn't work all time. Many bones." Lira digs into a small pouch at her side. Lira pulls out a small, fragile bone that appears to be quite old, "Older ones find. Tell us stories with it. Say from ones like Master." Rillwhisper flicks a glance over her shoulder, sending. There's still a faint glimmer out there, that she _knows_ is the archer's powerful mind. He's full of that spider-venom, she's almost sure, for he doesn't seem to be able to answer her; all she senses is that he is _there_. But if she doesn't have a chance against the spiders on her own.... Lar nods at Lira. Lira holds the bone out to Rillwhisper, "See, like you." Rillwhisper looks at the bone, then, and frowns, unable to give it the attention it deserves even as she suspects it may well be important. Uneasily, she asks, "Well, if you don't go into the woods, how'd you get here?" Lar says "The Master brought us long ago. Many, many, many moons." Lira says "We always live here. Older ones teach us." You say "You... came through that wood full of spiders?" Rillwhisper's expression, already dubious, turns even more skeptical. Lira peers over at Lar and gives him a funny look before looking back at Rillwhisper, "We no walk with Master. He walk here with older ones." You say "Alright, well, how'd _they_ get here? Your master, and the others?" You say "Did they fight the spiders? Or what?" Rillwhisper throws out these questions intently, eyes flicking from face to face. Lira shrugs and looks towards Lar, "They walk." Lar shakes his head again. "They preservers. Master made them come here." He shrugs in return. The third helper who has been saying little pipes up, "He looks at them funny. They listen, then they look like presevers then." Lar nods at the third. Rillwhisper blinks. "Wait. He...." She stares out into the woods, then back at the little helper creatures. "He _called_ them?" Lar nods at Rillwhisper. "Uh huh. Looked at them...touched them. Called them out. Now they're preservers." The helper who is known as Lir nods, "He looks at them funny, his eyes funny, they presevers after much noise." Lira nods. Rillwhisper blinks yet again, then crouches by the three. "You're... telling me he _changed_ them?" Lar nods at Rillwhisper. Lar looks around, fingering the dagger at his side briefly as the clickings grow a bit closer, briefly. Lira and Lir both nod, "Older ones tell us," the female says. Rillwhisper considers this, eyes widening, thoughts racing. He's a healer, she knows that much... and he changes creatures, too? What _is_ this Doreel? Intently, she demands, "What else can he do?" Lira says "Older ones say he fly too. But no more. He doesn't float for us." Lar nods again. "Made the trees change, too. Made them into home." Lir points to the highest portion of the central tree, "Up there he was, fixed it." A flash of hope crosses Rillwhisper's face. "He's a treeshaper?" A treeshaper! Fiercely, she smiles, then, and rises. Rillwhisper calls out, "Doreel! Doreel?" Lira scampers back as Rillwhisper stands up and starts to shout, back towards the two males. Lar blinks at the strange tall one's shouting. He covers Lira as she scurries over. Lira grabs hold of Lar and mutters something to him. Lar nods at the whisper, scurrying off towards the trees. Lar climbs up the winding stairs around the tree, and then moves inside. Lar has left. Lira looks after Lar as he scrambles up in the tree. Lira points towards the central tree, "Master in there." Rillwhisper frowns, as Lar scurries off, then she nods to Lira. But pauses, before going into the tree. If this Doreel is a magic-maker _and_ mad, it's probably wisest not to disturb him. Yet... she must, for Strongbow's sake. With that, she steadies herself, and approaches the tree. You climb up the winding stairs that have been shaped into the tree and walk into the very heart of it. Tree The inside of the tree hums with energy. Like the inside of a Wolfrider father tree, except a lot more. Similar images to those entwined in the limbs outside have been shaped into the walls here. Every once in a while you think you see one of the images move but when you look it is the same as when you entered. Narrow and steep stairs curve around the inside of the tree to a small area where soft and warm furs have been left lying for a sleeping area. Several windows line the highest parts of the tree and give a wonderful view of the sky and stars. This place is surely one of the most wonderous things you have ever seen. Contents: Lar Doreel(#6997PJXce) Obvious exits: Out Doreel sits, muttering as both of you come in, to Lar, this is a familiar state, one of remembering of thinking about the past, before the attack... Rillwhisper steps into view at the entryway of the tree... and pauses, catching her breath, as she gets her first real look at the place. Seeing it, there is no doubt in her mind, anymore, that this elf is a treeshaper. "Doreel?" she calls, softly. Doreel opens his eyes slowly and looks up at the two of you by the entrance to the tree. Lar shifts. "The Rillwhisper wants to talk to you," he repeats. Doreel's eyes appear to be glazed over, as always happens when he is 'remembering'... a familiar sight to Lar, and one quite recent for Rillwhisper... Doreel mutters the name of one of the 'older ones', one of his old helpers, now long dead, "Lin, what is it now. Why do you always bother me?" Rillwhisper approaches, uncertainly. Her nose wrinkles slightly, giving her the look of a she-wolf sizing up a member of the pack who's started biting his own tail. "Doreel," she says, a little more loudly, trying to divert his attention. Lar shakes his head at the name. "It's Lar, Master. And the Rillwhisper wants to talk to you." He is patient, used to this by now. Doreel turns and narrows his eyes at Rillwhisper, a look of anger, though the fear that was there when he thought she was human is not present, "What are *you* still doing here." Doreel says "I told you to leave Fallenleaf." Rillwhisper starts, and then sighs. Two-Spear's Madness! Or, rather, Doreel's. As patiently as she can manage, she sends, ** My name is Rillwhisper, old one... and I'll go, but before I do, for the sake of my friend Strongbow, I must ask you a favor. ** She threads hope and worry through the tone. Doreel starts to speak, "Fallenleaf! I.. You!..." whatever memory he has drug up is obviously an angry one, but it fades away as his eyes close and his head bow. Lar shifts positions, not leaving, but peering briefly outside the tree. Doreel mutters, "Lar... what...what is it?" Lar indicates the elf. "I brought her here..." He obviously isn't sure whether he should be staying here, or leaving now. Doreel blinks and looks over at Rillwhisper, "You... You didn't go into the woods?" Rillwhisper shakes her head, quickly. "Not yet... I realized I cannot, not without a weapon. I..." She hesitates, then continues briskly, "Your helpers say that you shape wood. I came to ask... if you would help me make a bow, and arrows. So that I can have a chance against the spiders." Despite her brisk tone, her gaze is worried, deeply so. Lar shakes his head rapidly at that. "No! Preservers would eat you. Too many for just one Tall One..." Doreel looks over at Rillwhisper, peering at her, his face still looks haggard from trying to completely heal your imperfections before. He nods slightly, "I can shape the wood." Doreel says "I have used it to create this garden, this grove." Doreel says "This paradise like mother told me about..." Rillwhisper frowns slightly, wondering what kind of refuge and haven could exist surrounded by spiders -- but she doesn't voice that thought. She steps closer to Doreel, saying softly, "Do you know what a bow is? Arrows?" Doreel narrows his eyes and then blinks, looking unsure, he glances over at Lar, as if to ask him if he knows what it is. Lar shakes his head and shrugs. He looks down at his weapons, as though they hold an answer. Doreel says "The travellers did not use their powers to make weapons. They had no need, and nor have, or will I..." Rillwhisper presses anxiously, "But if I am to get past your..." She hesitates on the word. "'Preservers', I must be able to fight them, to get to where my friend is. I could make a bow. And arrows. Or a spear, at the very least! Would you do this, for me? In return, I will swear to bring elves back here, to prove to you that some have survived...!" Doreel shakes his head, "I cannot help you child. The helpers only rarely use their weapons, I do not use them. They are the one who do." You say "Even if I send, to you, what they look like?" Lar nods at the word 'spear', understanding _that_ one, at least. Doreel says "The presevers are not to be killed though, they came with the travellers to this place, it is not right to kill them." Rillwhisper's tone turns ragged, anxious. Curse it! She must make him understand! Rillwhisper stares. "Even if they kill my friend?" Doreel's eyes glaze over again slightly, "The humans killed our kind from the beginning, but the presevers, they, they have changed since the fall of the ship." Doreel says "Death is inevitable on this world of two moons mother said, it would happen, it could not be avoided sometimes." Rillwhisper scowls to herself, beginning to understand. He doesn't know, she realizes, that those spiders out there _can't_ be Preservers. But... She sighs. As she'd told Lar, she's no mind-healer, and it looks as if she can't get through to this rambling mind, now. Rillwhisper mutters lowly, "Not if I can help it." With that, she whirls on her booted heel, and stalks out into the grove. Leaving the tree causes you to sigh slightly, as the warm life that it contains is replaced by the cooler air of the grove. Grove(#9784RJLU) Life fills you as you walk into this grove. All around you plants grow, twisting around each other in a magical dance of life. A majestic tree stands in the center of the grove, it's life force encompassing the whole area. Small rock formations dot the garden adding another level of beauty to the place. A small spring flows from between some of the rocks and becomes a miniature strem meandering through the many trees and flowers. Other than the huge tree in the center of the grove all the others bear wonderful fruit of all different varieties while each flower is in bloom and full color. You notice stairs curling up around into the tree directly into it's heart. Even through all this beauty you can hear the constant *click* *click* *click* off in the dark woods surrounding you. Contents: Lira Obvious exits: Woods Path Hole Tree Lira looks up from where she is digging around in the dirt. Rillwhisper strides towards the edge of the grove, beginning to systematically search the fringe of the trees for fallen branches. Or rocks. Anything she can use to start making a weapon. Lira says "What does the Rillwhisper do?" Lira scrambles to her feet. Lir tries to stop Lira from moving towards Rillwhisper, but instead stays and continues to dig where she had been digging moments before. Lar walks down the stairs from the heart of the tree. Lar has arrived. Rillwhisper calls, "The Rillwhisper wants a spear, little one, and she is going to make it. To rescue the Strongbow." There's a slight bitter edge to her tone, but she doesn't scowl, as she continues her search. Finding the nearest portions of the boundary into the woods disturbingly neat, however, she _does_ scowl at that. Lira goes over to stand by Rillwhisper, "The older ones keep it clean. We do more, Master remebers more and more." Lar slips down the tree, landing on the ground. Lira says "Lar uses point sticks. Others also." Rillwhisper looks about fretfully. The edge of the Willowholt wouldn't be so... groomed. She supposes it's lovely, but now, she can't appreciate it, not with the likelihood that Strongbow will become a spider's night meal growing with each passing minute she delays. "I _need_ a point stick," she declares, "but one long enough for me to use. To defend myself against the spi... the Preservers." Lar takes out his dagger, turning it over in his hands. "But the Master said the preservers aren't to be killed..." Lira looks towards Lar and glances at him accussingly, "The Rillwhisper friend is stuck in cocoon." She shakes her head, "But the Rillwhisper might not come back." Rillwhisper smirks, avoiding mentioning that Strongbow shot at least one, that she can remember; she trembles, though, at the still-immediate memory of the archer shooting his arrows at a desperate pace. "No," she says with a sigh, "I might not, but I can't help that. Strongbow's out there in a cocoon, too, and I have to get to him. It's important." Lar twists the adgger more tightly in his hands, looking towards Lira. "The Rillwhisper might not come back...but what about the Strongbow?" He looks towards Doreel's tree. Lira shakes her head and stomps a foot angrilly at Lar, "Master will remember more if Rillwhisper does not come back." Lira says "Go into hole, get point stick from the Others." Rillwhisper looks from Lira to Lar, and frowns, not quite certain whether to trust these little... trolls. They certainly look like trolls. "You have a spear?" she interjects, quickly. Lira glares at Lar, as if telling him to go, NOW! Lar nosd a bit, then scurries into the cave, coming out with a spear. Lira says "Old ones found, kept from Others who were here." Rillwhisper's eyes light up. "Moons! If you will lend it to me, little ones, I swear I will return it..." Lira says "The Rillwhisper returns too." Lar nods, passing the spear over. Rillwhisper says firmly, "The Rillwhisper will return, with her friends. To show your master there are other elves in the world. I swear it." Lira grabs hold of a pouch at her side and digs around in it, pulling out a pair of leaves that are rolled up and hands them towards Rillwhisper. Rillwhisper beams at Lar, thankfully, then blinks at Lira. Lira opens Rillwhisper's hand, shoving the leaves into them, "Medicine. Lira makes it." She makes little blowing motions, "Like this in end, against the presever bite." Lar grins and nods, tapping the 'armour'. "Works well." Rillwhisper a-has, and grins crookedly. "Thank you. Thank you both...!" Lira says "The Rillwhisper comes back..." Rillwhisper turns, then... and, steadying herself as best she can, ventures carefully off into the woods, all senses alert. Lira looks after Rillwhisper worriedly. Minutes begin to pass, as the elf continues to be gone. The *click* *click* *click* noises deep in the trees grow louder in the direction she's chosen, after a time. Minutes become a quarter of an hour, a half.... Lira eventually goes back to her work, looking towards the woods constantly. Lar shifts positions nervously, fingering his dagger at the noises. Lira says "Lar. The brown ones, they need digging."" Lira motions towards where Lir is digging around, pulling out some of the foodstuff from the ground. Lira tries not to sound worried... tries not to think of the Tall One, hoping she will not become like the Others... Perhaps an hour, perhaps two, have passed, before Rillwhisper bursts out of the trees, her clothes much more of a shambles than when she departed. She's still clutching the spear, but there's a new wound in her leg, and she's breathing at a frantic pace.. Lar jumps a bit, startled. He nods, moving over to dig at the grounnd. Lar looks up at the movement, dropping the tools to run over. Lira looks up suddenly as Rillwhisper bursts through from the woods, she scrambles to her feet, not bothering to brush the dirt from her clothes. Rillwhisper collapses to her knees, barely managing to prop herself up. Tears of anger sting her eyes, as she clamps them up. _Hairballs!_ "Couldn't... reach him," she mutters, anguished, her breath a rattle in her throat. Lar scrambles towards where Rillwhisper came from as well, checking to make sure the 'preservers' stay in the main woods where they're _supposed_ to stay, Lira squats down next to Rillwhisper and tugs at her tattered sleeves, "The medicine. They didn't goo you?" Lir scrambles away, back towards the hole where he lives with his fellows, far too shaken up by everything that is going on. Rillwhisper is trembling violently; her leg, where her breeches have been ripped open across the side of her thigh, is a mess of the spider venom and her own blood. "Grazed," she mumbles. "Ran, fast as I could... I..." Lar makes sure the spiders aren't following, then turns back to the Tall One. "Is alright?" Lira plunges her hand into the pouch at her side and pulls out one of the wrapped up leaves. Lira says "Presevers bite again." Lar nods. "Yes...but Tall One will live?" Lira says "She not gooed. She not eaten. Will think funny." Rillwhisper barks, gruffly, "Not alright, Strongbow's still out there...!" Her voice cracks, and she hovers on the edge of frantic weeping. "I'm fine, I'm fine, just grazed..." Lira leans down and places the tip of the leaf against the wound on Rillwhisper's leg, or tries to at least. Lar nods rapidly at Lira, then shakes his head at Rillwhisper. "No! The Rillwhisper has to stay. Stop bite from hurting more." Rillwhisper keeps herself as steady as she can manage, aware that the little troll is trying to help. "Water... should wash this..." Lira breathes in deeply and then blows hard, injecting the powder medicine into the new wound. Lira sits away, and puts the leaf back into her pouch, "The Rillwhisper cannot leave again." Rillwhisper jerks, unsteadily, and slumps over. "How... how bad am I?" she mumbles. Lar nods at Lira's words, putting his dagger back on his belt. Lira pats the leg gently, "The bite makes mind funny. Cannot move. Too much bites is bad. Others and old ones not like us, they just bones after bitten many times." Rillwhisper protests, "It just grazed me... not a real bite... I dodged...." Lira snorts and shakes her head, and stands up, stomping her foot like she did at Lar earlier, "No. Real bite. No scratch." Lar turns her head towards the soft scuff, her hand on the wall.ose grins a bit at the stomp, knowing that means business. Rillwhisper, disturbed by the dryness building in her throat, pouts. "I'm... going to go out of my head? But... the medicine..." Lira says "Master's is stronger. He rememebers still. He cannot help. Lira's medicine will do now." Rillwhisper scowls, absently. "Al... alright... where... should I rest?" Her head's fogging. Can she still feel Strongbow? Lira nods, "Rest. Here. Don't move." Rillwhisper rolls over, weakly, on her back, trying to comply. The more she rests, the faster this'll get overwith, she thinks dimly. But her mind is starting to whirl, and she blinks absently at the helper faces over her. Lar watches the Tall One stagger, then looks worriedly at Lira. "Medicine not working?" Lira looks at Lar, worriedly, "Maste remembering still." Rillwhisper murmurs vaguely, "Can handle this... just like mushrooms... just drift for a while..." Lira looks back down at Rillwhisper curiously. Rillwhisper's features have turned oddly distant, peaceful. Lira gasps and looks at Rillwhisper, "The bite, the medicine doesn't work." Lar frowns worriedly. "The Rillwhisper going to be like the Others?" Lira says "Wake master up Lar. He must not remember more." Lar nods, turning to scurry off towards Doreel. "Alright. I'll get the Master." Lar climbs up the winding stairs around the tree, and then moves inside. Lar has left. Rillwhisper murmurs dreamily, "I'm... fine... you said to rest, right? Just... a little dazed...." Lira shakes her head, "The Rillwhisper does not think straight." Rillwhisper frowns at this, pondering Lira's words, and the distantly perceived heat in her leg. Lira looks over Rillwhisper frantically, trying desperately to think of something to do, all she can do is look towards the tree and shout, "Lar!" Rillwhisper blinkblinks, confused. Why's the troll yelling? She _told_ her to rest; she's resting. What's the problem? Rillwhisper murmurs, "Just a scratch." Lira rushes over to the small stream and grabs hold of a small wooden bowl, filling it with water, and then back over to you, "The Rillwhisper drink." Rillwhisper mrmrms? And lifts her head a little, obediently, to sip at the water. Doreel walks down the stairs from the heart of the tree. Doreel has arrived. Lar walks down the stairs from the heart of the tree. Lar has arrived. [End log.]