Log Date: 10/8/95
Log Summary: It's been a pleasant Newgreen and summer in Lostholt, what with
  the visit of the Needlebrook elves led by Onyx. One other visit -- by
  Rhentagoth and a party of Underworlders looking for Talek and Sorrow,
  whom Lostholt knows to be sheltering at Willowholt -- has cast a minor
  shadow on the season, but mostly only with Strongbow, in his concern over
  the young elf Starstreak in the Underworlders' company. But one other event
  has added spice to the season -- and this is the singlehanded slaying of
  a minx by Ember's young daughter Goldfire, a deed which prompted her mother,
  on the spot, to give the lass a new name. And a deed which, tonight, has
  prompted Lostholt to Howl....

----------
Base of the Lost Holt Father Tree(#765RJ)
A dense grove of grotesquely shaped trees dominated by one immense Grandfather 
  of a tree whose age is no less great than its size.
It is obvious that the old tree has survived a terrible tragedy but new growth 
  and thick strong branches cover the worst of the scars left by the terrible 
  blaze. Weeds and night blooming wildflowers grow in natural disorder around 
  the trees roots. Like old friends, the gnarled trees embrace one another, 
  their many branches entwining to form a dense canopy high above the ground, 
  serving to keep the ground cool from the summer heat. All is quiet in the 
  heat of the summers day, as elves and wolves both keep to the cool shadows to 
  sleep.
Contents:
Pike
Mirrormoons(#5438Qeq)
WellSpring
Shadow
Bearpaw
Twotoes
Calmwind(#7032Jopq)
Obvious exits:
Into the Tree<N> Around the Tree<AT> Clearing<S>

Ember has connected.

Minx walks out of the Father Tree.
Minx has arrived.
Minx grins at all. "Ayoooah!"

Ynderra, in a wrestling match with her wolf, looks up and beams, giving 
  Mirrormoons enough time to pounce her. "Hi -- oof!"

Ember giggles. ** Heyla, Minx. **

Pike is scritching Wellspring and watching.

Minx gives her mom a hug, and peers at Ynderra. "Who is winning?"

Ynderra giggles, as Mirrormoons with evident satisfaction pins her small form 
  to the ground.

Ember says "I think the wolf is."

Pike grins and nods. "She sure is."

You say "*giggle* He's waiting for the Howl -- all wound up like me!"

Skywise walks out of the Father Tree.
Skywise has arrived.
Skywise emerges from the tree, eyes shining, and hugs Minx.
Skywise grins and waves at everyone else.

Pike grins and waves back, scratching his wolf hard.

Ynderra wriggles out from under her wolf. Her hair is a mess, littered with 
  grass and leaves, but she looks absolutely thrilled. "Hi Skywise!"

Pike stands and stretches, watching Ynderra carefully.

Ember is sitting to one side of the bedeviled Ynderra and wolf, grinning 
  merrily.

Minx hugs Skywise!

Mirrormoons YURFS, tugging playfully at Ynderra's shoulders and hair.

Skywise smiles at her, but is unusually quiet.

Minx wraps an arm around Skywises waist, peering up at him.

Skywise squeezes Minx, and rubs his eyes.

Ynderra throws herself around her wolf's ruff, giggling.

Pike grins at Ynderra, trotting over to the dreamberry bush and snagging a few 
  berries.

Minx smiles to Skywise, and nuzzles him fondly.

Skywise suppresses a yawn.
Skywise grins embarrassedly at his timing and nuzzles back.
Skywise nods to Minx, grinning tiredly.

Ember sends to the whole tribe ** Lostholters! It's time to howl! Come to the 
  clearing! **

Ynderra starts, blinks at Ember, and beams!

Pike pulls Wellspring up by the ruff, quickly popping the berries in his hand 
  before scurrying over.

In a send to the whole tribe, Ember sends, as an afterthought, ** Last one 
  there has to limit themselves to two dreamberries. <grin> **
Ember walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance 
  to the Lost Holt.
Ember has left.

Skywise grins and snugs Minx, looking down at her with a combination of pride 
  and sly satisfaction.
Skywise walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the 
  entrance to the Lost Holt.
Skywise has left.

Pike walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance 
  to the Lost Holt.
Pike has left.

You walk away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance to 
  the Lost Holt.
Lost Holt Clearing
Here is where the elves of Lost Holt Gather for tribe councils, howls and 
  receiving visitors from other tribes. This large clearing is fringed by 
  slender saplings that have sprung up after the fire so many turns ago. The 
  ground is packed in tightly and covered with twigs and some fallen branches. 
  In the center there lies a stone ring. It lies unlit now and filled with 
  rocks and leaves as the silky summertime heat brings warmth to the holt. 
  There are many roots to sit on as well as one particularly large branch that 
  may serve to seat more than a few elves. Off to the north you see the massive 
  Father Tree, home to many of the elves of Lost Holt. All is quiet in the heat 
  of the summers day, as elves and wolves both keep to the cool shadows to 
  sleep.
Contents:
Pike
Skywise(#2945PBJXce)
Ember
Denning Tree
Obvious exits:
Path<E>  Hill<W>  Approach to the Father Tree<N>

WellSpring walks over from the Father Tree.
WellSpring has arrived.

Ynderra races in. She's not last!

Skywise winks, "Didn't THINK Pike would be last...."

Minx walks over from the Father Tree.
Minx has arrived.

Mirrormoons walks over from the Father Tree.
Mirrormoons has arrived.

Minx dashes in!

Pike grins at Skywise. "What? And be limited already?"

Ynderra scurries to a good place to sit, and Mirrormoons trots in beside her, 
  ears pricked up.

Skywise chuckles slyly.

Pike leans against Wellspring with a grin, waiting.

Strongbow steps into the clearing from the east path.
Strongbow has arrived.

Minx sticks right next to Skywise, grinning all over.

Spidersilk walks over from the Father Tree.
Spidersilk has arrived.
Spidersilk comes skittering in, two steps behind Strongbow, and *hmmphs*.

Skywise wraps an arm around Minx, grinning, eyes half lidded.

Ynderra reaches around Pike into the dreamberry bush mischievously. *filch*

Strongbow eyes the elves here, checking to see if he's managed to be last, 
  then shakes his head as he is proved less than last.

Pike grins, grabbing a berry or two himself. He rocks back and forth on his 
  heels, popping the berries into his mouth.

Minx waves cheerfully to 'silk as well. "You have to do with two berries!"

Pike laughs!

Strongbow slips toward the others and sends an eyetwinkle Spidersilk's way. ** 
  You can have my share, ** he offers.

Skywise chuckles softly.

Spidersilk sticks her tongue out at the handsome archer, and swings up into 
  her favorite tree perch. "I only .wanted. two berries!" She ohs!, and grins 
  at Strongbow. ** I'll be /very/ nice to you, ** she offers.

Ynderra imitiates Pike's berryeating techniques then peers blandly at 
  Strongbow, and then giggles.

Minx winks to Ynderra.

Ynderra leans over to Minx and whispers something.
You whisper "I STILL say he needs to relax!" to Minx.

Pike laughs and leans against the tree, grinning at Yndarra.

Minx giggles, nodding at Ynderra, and peers at Strongbow.

Strongbow starts slightly and finds a spot near some bushes, setting his bow 
  and quiver aside, sending not a word in reply to _that._

Ember grins, and makes a gesture at whosever got the dreamberry bowl. ** Pass 
  it around. ** She stands, smiling, about to speak, and then peers at her 
  daughter, Ynderra, and Strongbow, in order. ** ? **

Mirrormoons peers between Minx and his own elf-friend, muzzle wrinkling.

Minx quickly looks innocent! And grabs some berries when they come her way!

Ynderra beams radiant innocence at Ember, bouncing a little where she's 
  plopped down.

WellSpring sits down to scratch hard.

Minx feeds Skywise a berry with a happy smile.

Ember looks highly skeptical, but shakes her head and tries to start her 
  speech again. ** We are gathered here tonight for a howl of pure joy, with no 
  mourning to it. It's been too long, cousins! **

Skywise grins, obviously agreeing.

Pike nods agreement.

Strongbow's jaw muscles line shadows above his facefur as he tenses a bit, 
  gaze flicking one way to another, but relaxes a bit as Ember begins.

Skylark walks over from the Father Tree.
Skylark has arrived.

Minx cheers her mom!

Ynderra ayooooaoooooahs!

Spidersilk leans down out of her tree to make a snagging motion at the bowl of 
  berries, more or less missing entirely.

Shadow stalks the shadows, finally settling down near Skylark.

Skylark sniffs at various scented things, wolves, elves, bushes.

Minx giggles, and throws a berry at Spidersilk.

Pike scratches the wolf beside him, helping out in finding those hard-to-reach 
  itchy spots.

Ember sends openly ** We come together to celebrate the naming of my daughter, 
  who was once Goldfire, and to tell the tale of her first kill! **

Minx sends, and image of a newgreen forest, with the sense of hunting and 
  adventure. ** We were hunting, Shadow and I..for ravvits and treehorns and 
  anything we could catch. **

Ynderra, already having downed a few of the berries, can be seen to be 
  succumbing to their effects only in that she's bouncing slightly less 
  hyperly, slightly more fluidly. She grins widely at Minx.

Skywise tilts his head back and howls approval.

Minx grins happily.

Pike nods, echoing the howl.
Pike makes a grab at the bowl as well.

Spidersilk snags it out of midair, nods thanks at Goldfire, and ... er, Minx, 
  and resituates herself in the tree.

Strongbow sends wordless approval and nods to Spidersilk, grinning slightly.

Ynderra's eyes shine, as she wraps her arms around her knees and gazes 
  benificiently at the gathered tribe.

Pike grins broadly, leaning back against a tree, and staggering a bit as he 
  realizes that the tree isn't there. He catches himself quickly, regains his 
  composure, and continues scratching Wellspring.

Ember grins broadly at Minx. ** A deadly creature threatened our holt's 
  borders, and a certain young elf took it on herself -- without ANY HELP AT 
  ALL! <mild, teasing disapproval> -- to protect us from it. **

Pike giggles and nods, looking to Minx.

Skywise snugs Minx, grinning.

Spidersilk winks in Strongbow's general direction, and considers the as-yet 
  uneaten dreamberry. Do you suppose, if she aimed just right, she could throw 
  it into the archer's mouth?

Ynderra stifles a giggle, peering at 'Silk.

Strongbow frowns a bit, his own disapproval a tiny bit less mild, but still 
  teasing. Though closed, his mouth IS a tempting target in that frowning pout.

Ember sends openly ** This young elf managed to get herself /and/ her wolf 
  injured, though neither seriously. And fortunately, there was a healer 
  available to mend the wounds. **
Ember's disapproval is a bit more vivid in this sending, though still tempered 
  with pride.

Pike chuckles and nods again.

Ynderra straightens, distracted from studying Strongbow's -- ear? -- around 
  Pike, and glows proudly at Ember's words.

Skywise grins slyly, interested in Ember's version of the tale.

Spidersilk scoots towards the end of her branch, still peering with interest at 
  Strongbow's mouth.

Strongbow leans back a bit into the brush behind him, disapproval a little 
  stronger. If you could aim just over that annoying leaf...

Minx looks moderately shamefaced, though it looses quickly to a proud grin. 
  "Ynderra helped me!"

Pike plucks a berry, popping it into his mouth. He snags another, tossing it to 
  Ynderra.

You say "I just helped heal you... *giggle*... I didn't kill it!"
Ynderra grins at Minx, then oohs at Pike and downs the berry happily.

Strongbow leans forward to eye Ynderra as Minx mentions her, catching a curious 
  eye on Spidersilk. His brow furrows at her study of him, but he soon returns 
  his attention to the howl-leader.

Skywise munches a few berries reflectively.

In an open send, Ember's sending flashes images of the minx, attacking, hunched 
  up, hissing and spitting, danger on all levels, colored with Goldfire's 
  excitement. ** But despite the injuries, and despite the foolishness of the 
  venture, Goldfire successfully killed the creature, and for this adult act, 
  as her mother, and as her friend, I have chosen to give her a new, adult 
  name! **

Minx says "And Shadow helped, too..My brave wolf-friend!"

Spidersilk looks innocent. Utterly. And peers over that leaf, then under it. 
  She gives Strongbow a bright smile. Cute, isn't she? Pout just a little more, 
  archer, and she'll be able to get it in...

Ynderra starts getting caught up in Ember's sending, a bit of hunt-fire 
  glittering in her eyes, and she instinctively sways slightly, as if dodging 
  the charging creature.

Shadow thumps his tail, hearing his name mentioned. "Whuf!"

Pike bobs a bit, rocking from his heels to his toes.

Skywise's eyes flicker, sly grin never wavering as he watches Ember.

Minx feeds Skywise another berry, and helps herself to one, dark-gold eyes 
  gleaming.

Ember shoots a grin at the young wolf. ** Aye, and Shadow, too, but I'm not 
  renaming him, cub. **

Minx giggles.

Skywise eats it, squeezing Minx's shoulders.

Strongbow lifts one hand to his chin contemplatively, mouth dropping just the 
  least bit open as his eyes narrow at the scene.

Spidersilk grins hugely, and *plink*! tosses the berry at Strongbow's mouth.

Pike laughs at Spidersilk, tossing another berry in his hand, up and down, up 
  and down.

Minx cheers! And quickly stiffles it, hand pressing against her mouth as she 
  giggles.

Skywise's grin widens, eyes fastening on Strongbow.

Ynderra urges Minx, "Tell us how the minx attacked!"

Ember's grin returns to Minx, and, with obvious pride, she sends, ** Tonight, 
  we howl for Minx, latest of the chief's blood! **
Ember tilts her head back and *howls*! "Aaaaaayooooooooaaaaaaaah!"

Strongbow makes a *sculp* noise as the berry hits and flicks his eyes back 
  along its path to Spidersilk. His eyes widen, then glitter brownly. He 
  swallows awkwardly as Ember howls.

Ynderra ayoooooooooahs, and then giggles, not meaning to interrupt Ember, but 
  her features are alive with her excitement.

Skywise hows with pride and deep affection, "Ayoooooooooooaaaaah!!!"

Minx grins, and steps forward with barely a waver. She throws her head back, 
  joining loudly in the howl. "AAAAAAAYOOoooooooaahh!"

Pike lifts his head. "Ayyyyyyoooooooooahh!"

WellSpring howls along with the elves.

Strongbow swallows again, fighting back a grin and lets up his howl to join the 
  rest, keeping one eye open and on Spidersilk.

Ynderra howls, soprano voice rising; the wolf beside her barks a little and 
  then joins in.

Spidersilk lifts her face to the sky and howls, though her sending echoes with 
  laughter at Strongbow's expression. "Aaaaaoooooooooooah!"

Skywise stands through the shivering strains of howling elf and wolf voices.

Shadow howls as well, voice blending with the other wolves.

Pike pauses for a breath and to finish the berry, then continues.

Skywise has something to say when it dims.

Minx smiles at Skywise.

Ember's howl dies away, and she grins at her daughter.

Skywise's voice fades and he waits, glancing around, he begins...

Ynderra settles down, still occasionally swaying slightly, like a river plant 
  in a slight current.

Strongbow lets his deep howl fall after one long lungful's worth.

Minx beams happily.

Pike lets his howl die, wiping a stain of juice from his fingers.

Skywise says "There are as many views of a story as there are ways to look at a 
  starry sky."

Spidersilk manages to fetch herself a dreamberry, one that .she. eats, this 
  time.

Strongbow leans back into the brush, relaxing a bit, warming to the howl and 
  the story (or perhaps to the berry).

Skywise says "One elf may see something and another something else. The story 
  of the minxes (he winks) was well told as friend, mother and chieftess-to-be. 
  I'm interested in hearing the huntress's own view.""

Ember grins at Skywise, and sits down,nodding.

Skywise grins. "And the justification for worrying us sick!" He laughs a bit.

Ynderra nods enthusiastically. "Yes! Yes! Tell us!"

Pike grins and nods. "Yes!"

Skywise backs down, gesturing for Minx to take the center.

Minx scuffs her feet, and bats lightly at Skywise. "Aw! Um. Right..."
Minx walks into the center, and places a finger thoughtfully against her lips.

Skywise grins, arms crossed proudly, slightly smugly.

Minx calls Shadow over to herself, and skitches behind his ears, then grins up 
  at the others.

Pike smiles, tossing another berry at Ynderra...hoping she isn't paying total 
  attention to Minx so she can catch it.

Ynderra plucks a twig out of her hair, beams at it, and cuddles it in one hand, 
  glimmeringly. As the berry enters her field of vision she eeps; it falls 
  between her crossed legs. She looks up with a startled giggle as she scoops 
  it up and swallows it.

Skywise listens attentively, for all he's heard it a number of times before. He 
  grins approvingly.

Spidersilk leans over on her branch, stretching out, looking down into the 
  clearing with interest.

Minx spreads her hands, crouching slightly, in the imitation of one stalking 
  prey. ** Then, out of the forest, it charged! Huge and wild and bloodthirsty! 
  ** The image is appropriately fiery, a minx more than lifesized charging at 
  Shadow with intent to kill. ** It attacked Shadow! I leaped to the rescue! **

Ynderra jumps, her eyes going round with appreciation.

Ember's eyebrows shoot up.

Strongbow gets, for a moment, that sort of taken-aback look that certain 
  maidens tend to cause, then relaxes, turning his attention pointedly to the 
  story.

Spidersilk smirks in Strongbow's general direction, then blinks rapidly down at 
  Minx. ** !!! **

Strongbow's eyes start to get a wry, berried glitter at the turn the story has 
  taken.

Minx pauses just long enough for attention, then continues. ** I leaped, and 
  grabbed it, and slashed! ** She pulls her knife, demonstrating as she warms 
  to the part. ** It was too strong and threw me off! **
Minx throws herself to the ground dramatically. Shadow whurfs, startled!

Skywise watches, eyes glittering.

Pike grins, looking excited. He crouches on his heels.

Spidersilk sits up, blinking down at Minx. High Ones.

Ynderra stares at Minx, fascinated now, and drawing in her images like water.

Strongbow furrows his brow, hoping the cub doesn't hurt herself in her 
  re-enactment.

Minx sends openly ** <An image of the super-minx leaping on poor Shadow, 
  tearing a gushing wound in his leg> But I had to get up, to rescue Shadow! **

Ember looks more than a little alarmed as her daughter flings herself about.

Ynderra winces sympathetically, hands glimmering a little golden in automatic 
  reaction to her remembrance of the wolf's injury. Ouch! Her eyes, too, 
  glimmer, slightly foggy, but very bright.

Skywise's grin stretches, admiring his lovemate's ability to elabourate.

Minx gets to her feet, leaping at the imaginary Minx with intent to kill. ** I 
  stabbed it, all over, and it threw me again, tearing my face! It would have 
  eaten me all up, except valiant Shadow got it by the neck, tearing at it 
  until it realized it was dead.** She plops down on the ground, winded. Whew! 
  ** And then Skywise and Mother and Ynderra and everybody came, and Ynderra 
  made my face well, and Shadows foot, and the Minx is going to be my new 
  whitecold clothes. **
Minx grins at everybody. ** I want a dreamberry, I'm all talked out! **

Skywise grins and obliges her.

Strongbow grins at that summation.

Minx gobbles the dreamberry, and makes a lap of Skywise so she can sit in it :)

Skywise nuzzles her neck affectionately.

Ember tilts her head back and howls again, laughing. ** If I'd heard it /that/ 
  way, cub, I might have hurt you before I named you! ** "Aaaaoooooaaaaah!"

Ynderra beams!

Skywise howls, too, proud and protective.

Minx giggles, and throws her head back again. "AyooooOOOOOoooooaaah!"

Ynderra nudges Pike, to get him to pass the dreamberries down around the circle 
  -- past Strongbow.

Pike grins and howls along. "Ayooooooah!"
Pike passes them...reluctantly and after grabbing a few more.

Strongbow gives up a louder howl this time, his deeper tones adding strigent 
  harmony to those of the wolves.

Ember looks thoughtful, and begins to send again,though she doesn't stand, this 
  time. ** There are those who say that G...Minx... bears a resemblence, in 
  manner and form, to my grandsire, Bearclaw. ** Her eyes go to Strongbow. ** 
  Would you speak of him, some, elder? **

Minx makes a grab for more dreamberries when they come near.

Elf-pack and wolf-pack howl, joyously; Ynderra howls too, liquidly now, the 
  tones flowing.

Pike grins at that, looking to Strongbow.

Minx blows a lock of hair out of her eyes, and nodnods to Strongbow. ** Tell 
  us! **

Skywise grins, snuggling Minx.

Ynderra starts -- then brightens, and shifts around to gaze imploringly at 
  Strongbow.

Strongbow inhales, dropping his howl off, and moves forward, rising to his 
  feet. ** Bearclaw, eh. **

Spidersilk nearly falls out of her tree, looking for a better glimpse of the 
  archer. ** Tell us! **

Minx snuggles Skywise happily, and gives him a dreamberried kiss. ** Story! 
  Story! **

Pike grins.

Ember realizes she hasn't had a single berry, and remedies that when the bowl 
  comes near her. *crunch* Mmmmmm....

Strongbow gets a thoughtful look in his glittering eyes. ** Story, hm? This is 
  getting more and more demanding, ** he observes, teasingly.

Pike grins. "Aw, you can handle it."

Spidersilk sends, deadpan: ** Not as demanding as we /could/ be, archer. **

Ynderra chortles!

Spidersilk looks completely innocent. Utterly. It must be those big blue eyes.

Pike laughs!

Minx snoogles her favorite Skywise, sighing happily.

Pike finally gives up on keeping his staggered balance, sitting himself down 
  with a >plop< beside his wolf.

Strongbow nobly manages to say nothing back to that, pretending he didn't hear 
  it.

Ynderra, whose big blue eyes are just as if not more guileless than 'Silk, 
  gives a pointed glance to the side of Strongbow's head, a pink flush crossing 
  her face, as her dark eyebrows arch slyly.

You locksend ** He _does_ have really cute ears, doesn't he? *giggle* ** to 
  Spidersilk.

Spidersilk looks disappointed at Strongbow's nobility, but hushes, so the 
  archer can think. She knows how hard it is for him.

Ynderra claps both her hands over her mouth, shaking in an effort to control 
  her giggles.

Spidersilk locksends ** Lass, he's got a cute /everything/! **

Ember gives the whole tribe a Firm Look, and encourages Strongbow to send some 
  story that sounds like Minx and Bearclaw would have shared it.

Cutter walks over from the Father Tree.
Cutter has arrived.

Ynderra settles. Mostly. And gazes with rapt, undivided attention at the archer.

Minx can barely be heard to giggle. Mphmphgiggle.

Strongbow spreads his hands, shifting his weight on his feet. ** Son of 
  Mantricker, tenth chief, this Minx's grandsire. ** Perfectly serious, the 
  archer conjures up the picture of his friend and chieftain, eyes grinning 
  with wolf and trouble in equal parts, grinning within lined brown facefur.

Pike looks over towards Cutter and smiles. "Grab a seat, Cutter. We're hearing 
  about Bearclaw."

Minx watches Strongbow in fascination. Not his ear, either.

Skywise grins over at Cutter quietly.

Spidersilk, from the other side, gazes adoringly at Strongbow. High Ones, the 
  elf could practically fly.

Skywise chuckles softly at Minx.

Ynderra has heard Bearclaw stories before -- but she loves them. Bearclaw was, 
  after all, mischief incarnate!

Minx tries hard to look even more like Bearclaw. As well as she can, without 
  facefur.

Skywise holds a hand over his eyes, peeking through at Minx. He rolls his eyes 
  and grins.

You locksend to Spidersilk, Ynderra's sending starts fuzzing a little around 
  the edges, with the number of berries she's had, as she sends you her 
  agreement. Oh, but he's lovely! The hair... the eyes....

Minx smiles innocently at Skywise.

Skywise shakes his head, chuckling softly again.

You sense in a locksend, Spidersilk's much clearer, having only had one 
  dreamberry, and chuckles an agreement. That butt...ahem.

Cutter finds a place to sit.

Spidersilk waves at Cutter and gets him to come up here on her branch with her, 
  if she can.

Strongbow folds his arms, feet shoulder-width apart, one finger twitching at 
  where his bowstring usually lies upon his chest. ** There's something about 
  getting into trouble that comes with the chieftain's blood, ** he observes, 
  eyes flicking around the circle (and not missing Cutter). ** About 
  stubbornness and foolhardiness. ** It's not insulting...just a fact in the 
  archer's simple tone.

Ynderra peers at herself. Does she have chief's blood? Hmmm....

Skywise's lips thin slightly, watching Strongbow.

Ember grins, first at Strongbow, then at her father, last at her daughter. Who? 
  _Us_?_

Pike grins a bit.

You locksend ** <giggle!> You don't need chief's blood to get into trouble! ** 
  to Minx.

Minx exchanges a wide-eyed look with her mother, and falls down giggling again!
Minx locksends ** <giggle> Someday, I'll teach you all I know about it! **

Ember, quietly, sends, ** I think maybe you've had enough dreamberries, Minx. 
  ** Or, more accurately, too many!

Skywise pulls Minx snugly into his lap and holds her there.

Ynderra, still gazing happily at Strongbow, drinks in his story. And the sight 
  of him.

Strongbow eyes Minx for a moment, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, 
  then gazes out over his audience again. ** Bearclaw met his fair share of 
  trouble, but he never had so many to keep him from it. ** He wordlessly 
  indicates Ember first and Cutter second, adding, ** Or to encourage him into 
  it. **

Minx ahems, and climbs back into Skywises lap, trying very hard to look 
  dignified.

Cutter does, indeed, climb up to Spidersilk's branch, and does his level best 
  not to look like he has the faintest clue what Strongbow's sending about. His 
  eyes dance though, betraying him.

Ynderra, getting caught up in the story, hums very softly under her breath. 
  Pack-leader Bearclaw, riding through the forest...

Minx settles down to listen to Strongbows story, watching him nearly as raptly.

Pike shuffles back to lean against a tree, watching the storyteller through 
  interested, yet berry-bleary eyes.

Spidersilk picks up on the tune, as softly as Ynderra, and tugs Cutter over to 
  snuggle up against him, while still watching the archer avidly. And you all 
  thought he was the archer Strongbow. Hah!

Strongbow's eyes twinkle a bit. ** But he had stubbornness enough. ** And there 
  he is, sneaking out of the holt, facefur a bit thinner than in the previous 
  image, hair fighting its way out of a chieftain's knot. ** When it came to 
  him to want to, he sought out trouble like some seek a hunt, dreamberries, or 
  kin. **

Skywise grins softly.

Ynderra perks up. Hey, maybe she can get some pointers out of this...

Skywise glances at Cutter, sharing the smile.

Minx tugs at Skywises vest, sending to him so as not to disrupt the story.

Pike tosses another berry in his hand as he listens.

Ember reaches out and snags the dreamberry that Pike is tossing up and down. 
  *bip* It's gone!

Pike blinks. "Hey!"

Ember pops it in her mouth and shoots a quick grin at Pike. ** Shhh. 
  Strongbow's talking. <grin> **

Pike gives Ember a _glare_ and grins.

Ynderra shhhhhs! at Ember and Pike, wanting to hear the story.

The archer continues, inside his story now as much as with the howlgathered. ** 
  He was a young chief, or so it seemed. ** He valiantly resists the temptation 
  to check Cutter's expression.

Spidersilk isn't so valient. She peers over her shoulder at her blonde 
  chieftain.

Pike looks to Cutter too, unable to resist.

Minx looks up at her grandfather, and quickly back to Strongbow.

Cutter doesn't notice all the looks. Really. He doesn't. His cheeks and ears 
  are normally slowly turning red. Really. Without berry help. Honest.

Ynderra's gaze doesn't budge, as she dreamily absorbs the story.

Pike grins, turning away from Cutter back to the archer.

Minx nibbles another dreamberry, sharing it with Skywise.

Spidersilk, using Cutter as ballast, leans out of the tree and snags two or 
  three more berries as the bowl goes around again, and, sitting back up, 
  offers one to her chief.

As the chief-image's brown tangles follow him through the forest in the night, 
  the archer narrates, ** He was after a talonbird he'd seen a night 
  before...after its nest. **

Minx squints up into a tree.

Cutter takes the offered berry, and pops it into his mouth, crunching while 
  trying not to grin, which would no doubt be messy. He leans back against 
  Spidersilk's sholder, and peers down at Strongbow, eyes still lit with 
  amusement.

Strongbow grins, coming a bit back, leaning down to snag a berry with swift 
  fingers as the bowl passes. He rolls it in that hand, thinking. ** I think 
  it'd gotten into his head to get an egg and try to hatch it. ** He drops the 
  berry into his mouth with a soft crunch, and swallows. ** He found the place 
  he'd seen it hunting, and waited. ** Wryly, he adds, ** He wasn't very good 
  at waiting yet. **

Ember sends openly ** <laughter> A family trait. **

Pike grins at that. ** Few of the family are... **

Ynderra's eyes widen as she sees Strongbow voluntarily take another dreamberry? 
  She unconsciously grins, ear to ear, and bounces as she listens.

You sense in a locksend, Spidersilk laughs. ** It won't affect his judgement, 
  kit. **

Pike grins at Ynderra's reaction. He sits back, hands behind his head, and 
  watches.

Strongbow continues, licking berry stain from his lower lip, ** Maybe he was 
  tired of it. ** After a moment, he gets back to the tale. ** So he started 
  pacing a circle, looking for a trace of any of its kills. ** The image 
  returns, strengthening a bit, and young-chieftain-Bearclaw finds scattered 
  small feathers, like those of a songbird.

You locksend ** ! I've never SEEN.....! <She trails off. Well, she THINKS she's 
  never seen...> ** to Spidersilk.

Spidersilk's expression isn't quite as fixed as Ynderra's; the older elf has 
  had a lot more time to observe the narrow archer than has the young healer, 
  but there's no doubt she's studying Strongbow with clear enjoyment. Over 
  Cutter's shoulder. Huzzah.

You sense in a locksend, Spidersilk laughs. ** Never seen what? **

Minx smiles dreamily.

You locksend ** I didn't think he ATE 'em! ** to Spidersilk.

Spidersilk locksends ** <teasing> What did you think he did with them, rubbed 
  them all over his body and danced naked? **

Strongbow pauses, eyeing the group one each at a time. ** Mind you,he had no 
  idea if this was one of its kills or not. But he started circling outward 
  from the spot. ** And in a moment, he comes across traces of some sort of 
  fur. ** He told me he was sure he'd found the talonbird trail, and so he 
  followed that way, scenting, listening, watching for a trace of its nest. **

Ynderra blinks at Spidersilk, and then blinks at Strongbow, her eyes going 
  round as saucers. Her cheeks flush pink.

Minx leans forward a little, golden eyes intent.

Ynderra's mouth slowly curves in a blissful smile.

Spidersilk laughs, very quietly.

Pike closes his eyes, heaves a huge sigh, and reaches for the bowl again.

Bearclaw follows past one, then another trace of fur or feather, meeting with a 
  couple ravvit carcasses, bones scattered about. ** It was a clear trail, ** 
  the archer continues, ** or at least he made us think -- ** He pauses, eyes 
  fixing suddenly on Spidersilk.

Spidersilk looks completely innocent, and then bursts out laughing. ** Yes? **

Pike grins at the laughter, holding the berry _carefully_ this time, making 
  sure it isn't stolen. *munch*

Ember peers at Strongbow, then at Spidersilk.

Strongbow blinks twice, stern expression failing to prevent the blush creeping 
  up out of his facefur over his cheeks and up his ears.

Spidersilk puts a hand against her cheek, and laughs, nearly blushing herself.

Minx blinkblinks, and peers up at Spidersilk, too.

Ynderra basks in the story. Ravvit carcasses, check! Bones, check!

Cutter's eyebrows rise. And he looks at Silk, nudging her slightly.

Minx looks a bit crosseyed, passes on the next round of berries, and squints in 
  concentration as she looks at Strongbow again.

With a low "aHEM," Strongbow continues his story, mindless of the color of his 
  face. He forcedly brings back the scattered bones, fur and feathers on 
  Bearclaw's trail. ** He traced the trail until the moons had made more than 
  half their night-time's journey. **

Ynderra leans forward, slightly nearer to Pike, as she absorbs every sent 
  detail.

Minx snuggles up to Skywise, looking very relaxed indeed.

Ember reaches out, slowly, for another dreamberry, and nibbles it quietly, 
  watching Strongbow.

Pike looks over at Ynderra and grins, offering her another dreamberry.

Ynderra tilts her head and smiles radiantly at Pike, distracted.

Strongbow sends, gruffly, ** At which point he came across the half-scattered 
  carcass of the talonbird. ** The noble creature's great feathers lie, in the 
  archer's story-image, scattered over the leaves of the thick underbrush, airy 
  bird-bones freshly cleaned upon the ground.

Pike grins back at her, popping the berry into her mouth. He is still 
  listening. Really!

Ember blinks a bit. That wasn't the turn she was expecting the tale to take.

Minx aws! ** Was it dead? What about the other one? There were two, right?"

Young chieftain Bearclaw picks up two of the feathers, apparently as confused 
  as the listeners. Strongbow continues, a bit wry, ** He wasn't quite sure 
  what to make of that. Something big enough to... ** He eyes Minx. ** If there 
  was a nest, there would have been. But he'd only tracked one. **

Ember looks briefly alarmed. Two? Do you suppose there were two minx, too?

Ynderra chews and swallows, bending slightly to the side. She smiles again at 
  Pike by way of a thank-you, then straightens up. If HE can eat berries and 
  stay sitting up, SHE can!

Strongbow continues his point, ** Something _fast_ enough, ** he amends, ** To 
  prey on talonbird, had been there. **1

You sense in a locksend, Ember laughs. ** You're going to have a headache 

  tomorrow, Ynderra. **

You locksend ** <dreamily> Uh-uh... I can fix it! I'm fine...! ** to Ember.

Minx looks dreamy. Two minxes, and a baby minx? Then she focuses on the story 
  again, brighteyedly.

Strongbow grins. ** And Bearclaw could smell it something fierce. He followed 
  on a bit...maybe he thought, like you, that there should be two of the birds. 
  He _was_ intent on the nest, after all. **

Pike grins, leaning back against the tree.

You sense in a locksend, Ember grins. Hard to heal when you can't concentrate 
  through your pounding head, but she won't tell you that. You wouldn't listen 
  anyway.

Ynderra peers at Ember, then determinedly sits up very very straight. 
  Surreptitiously, she sneaks a fingertip up under black curls to her temple.

Ember, kindly, doesn't observe Ynderra's doing this. She does smirk, however, 
  faintly, and pays attention to Strongbow.

Is that a sparkle or two by Ynderra's head? If it is, after it fades there's no 
  really noticeable change in the maiden's stance. She is still bright-eyed, 
  her face delicately flushed.

Minx rests her head against Skywises shoulder, smiling up to him.

Ember grins faintly at Ynderra.

Young chieftain Bearclaw follows the scent, nose wrinkled, through the thick 
  brush until, emerging from the undergrowth, he comes upon a rocky 
  outcropping, sheletered by needled trees among the leaved ones, the ground 
  softly crisp with turns of fallen needles. ** Where the scent was 
  strongest--and though it was different than wolf or anything he'd scented 
  before, it wasn't a scent that didn't entirely belong--he stopped, and 
  watched. ** There, among the rocks, a hole is evident, shadowed in the face 
  of the outcropping, just big enough for an elf to crawl into.

Ynderra blinks rapidly, then, mouth forming a soundless 'o', leans towards 
  Strongbow again. The story, right!

Ember leans forward a bit, practically ready to crawl into the sending-hole.

Minx ooohs, hanging on the next words..

Strongbow grins. ** He still wasn't too good at waiting, and come daybreak, he 
  started tossing stones at the rock face. ** Strongbow smirks. ** From here on 
  into this tale you have to take Bearclaw's word on what happened. A tale is 
  seen through many eyes differently...but this one was seen through Bearclaw's 
  alone. **

Pike yawwwns involuntarily, then blushes, focusing again on the story.

Ynderra turns her head slightly and squints at Pike.

Pike grins at Ynderra sheepishly.

Spidersilk smiles down at Strongbow.

You locksend ** Don't tell me I'm gonna stay awake longer than you! <giggle> ** 
  to Pike.

Cutter sits up a little straighter.

You sense in a locksend, Pike fights off the fuziness a bit. ** I think I've 
  had a few more than you. But just fer you, I'll make sure I stay awake. 
  <teasing> **

Ynderra winks at Pike teasingly and swipes another of the berries when he's not 
  looking.

Minx curls well up against Skywise, listening to the story through a dreamberry 
  haze.
Minx falls asleep with a tiny yawn..

Pike grins at Ynderra, leaning over her to grab a few berries again.

Strongbow's gaze flickers over to Pike. As if just for his waking, the rocks 
  pelting the area around the cave have an effect: springing out of it, upset 
  at being so rudely awakened, comes a tuftcat--something rather like a 
  shrunken, tanned longtooth, faintly striped in browns and golds, eyes yellow 
  and extremely unhappy. The creature lands with two soft *thumps,* front and 
  back feet, yawning its sharp white teeth at Bearclaw with a hiss.
Strongbow smirks wryly. ** He'd found his talonbird. **

Ember jumps back, batting at the image of the cat!

Pike grins at the vision.

Ynderra jumps!

Spidersilk chuckles.

Skywise listens attentively.

Strongbow continues as Bearclaw scrambles in the archer's rather humourous 
  rendition of trying-to-get-sword-ready combined with running-away-in-fear. ** 
  Bearclaw must have been a bit surprised. The tuftcat bounded out after him as 
  he tried to get his weapon free from its place. He says he took a piece of 
  its ear... ** The Bearclaw-sending turns, spinning on the slippery pine 
  needles on the ground, slashing off a tuft from the beast's ear. The beast 
  screes and claws at Bearclaw's tunic, then leaps away in pain. ** However... 
  **

Ynderra draws in a sharp breath in reaction to the sent description of the blow.

Pike giggles to himself at the first bit, then tenses for the rest.

Ember blinks and leans forward somem ore, chewing on her lower lip.

The image comes back to the cat's chase, Bearclaw trying to free his weapon. ** 
  It always seemed to me that the little bit of fur he showed us smelled a 
  little more like a piece of his boot. ** The cat catches up with the 
  Bearclaw-image, who slashes ineffectively into the air, as the cat's claws 
  tear off a bit of longtooth fur from the folded-over, soft lining of the 
  elf's boot. Thankfully, the boot holds as the elf flees.

Ember laughs.

Strongbow slips back a bit, eyes twinkling. ** But I never asked him. **

Pike giggles.

In an open send, Spidersilk's sending is full of amusement. ** We wouldn't want 
  to doubt the chief, after all. **

Cutter grins.

Skywise grins slyly.

Strongbow crouches, smiling a bit. ** Not the best tale of Bearclaw, but it's 
  his fault for telling it. **

Ember tilts her head back and howls! ** Thank you, elder! ** "Aaaaaoooooooah!"

Pike nods agreement, echoing the howl.

Skywise howls as well, merrily.

Spidersilk nods, and joins in the howl, smiling.

Strongbow grins, refraining this time.

Pike looks as if he's fighting a bit to keep awake, but the howl wakes him up 
  more.

Cutter adds his own voice to the howl.

Ynderra beams at Strongbow, and howls too, high and sweet.

Strongbow snorts softly at Spidersilk and howls softly, as if at request.

Spidersilk inclines her head, with a smile, at Strongbow. What *else* will you 
  humor her with?

In a locksend to Minx, Strongbow's quiet sendvoice offers, without explanation, 
  ** Good hunt. You do your grandsire's sire's blood well. **

Ynderra shivers delicately, shoving both slender hands back through her curls 
  for a moment, then shaking out her hair, exultantly.

Pike grins at the shiver.

Skywise grins at the exultance.

Ynderra breathes, her voice turned faintly liquid, "I loved it... *giggle* I 
  wish I'd been around when Bearclaw was!"

Skywise chuckles softly.

Ember sends to the whole tribe ** <happy> About /time/ we had a good, fun howl! 
  **

Cutter chuckles quietly.

Skywise nods, grinning.

Pike nods agreement.

Spidersilk laughs. ** Ynderra...oh, the trouble you'dh ave gotten into. **

Ynderra flashes a bright look around to Spidersilk. "I could've handled it," 
  she says pertly.

Cutter breaks into all out laughter at that.

Strongbow grins at the memory of Bearclaw and the honor of Minx, and rises to 
  his feet. Becoming serious again, he shakes his head at Ynderra. ** We have a 
  good chief for our times. ** After a moment, he concedes--is it really a 
  concession?-- ** I don't know how Bearclaw would have done some things that 
  have needed done. ** With that and a swift, full glance at Cutter, he turns 
  to lift his bow and quiver, and treads back toward the father tree.

Skywise covers his face to stifle his giggles.

Strongbow walks toward the Father Tree.
Strongbow has left.

Spidersilk chuckles. ** Bearclaw had a worse temper than Cutter's got, cub. It 
  would have been...interesting. **

Ynderra sticks her tongue out at Strongbow's retreating back, then tosses her 
  head at the lot of you.

Cutter sobers, caught off-guard by that, and he twists around to peer down and 
  after the archer, curiously.

Skywise watches Cutter's reaction with a quiet smile.

Spidersilk blinks a bit after Strongbow, as well, then tilts her head with a 
  sending at Cutter.

Ember stretches mightily, looking lazily pleased with the entire howl.

Ynderra rises -- slowly, carefully -- and *hmphs*, eyes sparkling. "Bet I 
  could," she mutters, but half her attention seems to be drifting.

Ember rises as well, discreetly, keeping an eye on the young healer.

Pike stands and stretches before flopping back down on the tree.

Skywise rises and moves off quietly, with a nod to everyone there.
Skywise walks toward the Father Tree.
Skywise has left.

Ynderra tugtugs at Mirrormoons, who peers at her, and then giggles. "C'mon, 
  'Moons..." She flashes you all another pert look, and then scampers off into 
  the trees!

[End log.]