Log Date: 10/8/95
Log Summary: After the Howl at Lostholt celebrating the change of name
  of Goldfire's to Minx, Ynderra wanders the Holt in a dreamberry haze...
  commiserates with Ember about the lack of attention they get from
  Strongbow... witnesses, albeit groggily, a visit from Viresse... and
  inadvertantly causes Strongbow to be hurt when she falls out of the
  top of the Father Tree....

----------
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. The shadows lengthen as 
  the daystar slowly approaches the horizon. The holt slowly comes to life as 
  elves wander the holt paths.
Contents:
Ember
Cutter
Shadow
Denning Tree
Obvious exits:
Path<E> Hill<W> Approach to the Father Tree<N>

Ynderra appears briefly at the edge of the clearing, seeming slightly dazed,
  but giggling softly to herself as she wanders.

Spidersilk's still hanging in her tree, lazily. Ember' sacked out on the
  ground, smilng at the stars. Ember had two or five too many dreamberries,
  maybe.

Ynderra wobbles nearer, peers at Ember, and giggles. "Bet SHE has a worse
  headache than I do t'morrow..."

Ember cracks one eye open. "Back leader Pearclaw..." she sings agreeably, along
  with Ynderra.

Spidersilk laughs. "_Pearclaw_?"

Ynderra leans over Ember, and beams at her, bursting out laughing. "Pearclaw!"

Cutter chuckles. "You're _both_ going to have headaches."

Ember frowns at Ynderra. "Fix your face."

Ynderra looks up at Cutter wide-eyedly, her curls gone disheveled; one droops
  over one eye. She giggles at him. "Am not...!" Then blinks at Ember?

Ember points, groggily. "You've got too many eyes. One right..." She jabs in
  the general direction of Ynderra's forehead. "...there!"

Ynderra squints, making herself cross-eyed. "Do not....!"

Ember says "Oooooh. Now it's worse."
Ember closes her eyes and puts her hands over them.

Ynderra blinkblinks several times, then plops down by Ember, and touches her
  forehead, where indicated. "Don't feel anything there."

Ember peers through her fingers. "LOOKS like you got another!"

Spidersilk grins, and sends quietly to Cutter: ** I don't remember doing
  this... **

Ynderra insists, "It's FINE! See?" She scoops up Ember's hand and touches it to
  her head.

Cutter nods solemnly in agreement. "I never do this.."

Spidersilk giggles.

Ember feels Ynderra's head uncertainly. "Huh."

Ynderra thbptpbptpts at Cutter. "Huh! Elders never have any fun.... you or
  Strongbow!"
Ynderra then beams benignly at Ember. "Told you!"

Spidersilk, lazily, grinning, half sends, half says, "Strongbow is /lots/ of
  fun..."

Cutter comments not.

Ynderra blinks at Spidersilk. "How d'YOU know?" she demands.

Ember patpats at Ynderra's head some more, and shrugs.

Ynderra giggles at Ember. "Hey... tickles...!"

Spidersilk smirks through her eyelashes at Ynderra.

Ember giggles. ** Patting doesn't tickle. You're durnk! **
Ember frowns. ** Drunk. **

Ynderra grins slyly at Ember. "I am NOT."

Ember says "Are tooooo!"

Ynderra adds wisely, "And if I _were_... I could fix it!"

Ember says "Nuh-uh. I saw you try, during the howl!"

Ynderra crosses her arms and beams. "Did it, too."

Spidersilk drops out of the tree, landing neatly. "Let me know who wins," she
  says to Cutter, with a grin, and moves off.

Ember says "Did not!"

Ynderra calls after 'Silk, "Hey! I wanna know howcome you know Strongbow's fun!"
Ynderra adds firmly to Ember, "Did so."

Spidersilk pauses just before she reaches the tree. "Maybe I'll tell you
  sometime...when you're sober." A wink, and she disappears inside.
Spidersilk walks toward the Father Tree.

Ember says "Then how come you're tripping around?!"
Ember hah! Got ya there.

Ynderra yells, pouting, "Am NOT drunk!" Stubbornly, she places both hands to
  either side of her head, and her fingers begin to glow.

Ember says "Gonna give yourself a heaaaaadaaaache!"

Ynderra says distractedly to Ember, "Shaddup." The glow around her hands
  sputters a little, coming out an odd shade.

Ember snickers.

Ynderra blinkblinks for a moment, shivering, and suddenly grinning foolishly.
  Mmrmrmmmm...
Ynderra says slurrily, to Ember, "No headache..."

Cutter shakes his head.

Ember says "Not right /now/!"
Ember offers Cutter an extra dreamberry or three.

Cutter takes _one_, and only one, crunching it quietly.

Ynderra preens. "I feel _wonderful_ right now...." She pushes her hands through
  her hair; they're still glittering, a bit, and she breathes in a langorous
  sigh.

Ember lifts an eyebrow at Ynderra, and peers at Cutter. ** Better watch out, 
  ** she sends, muzzily.

Ynderra peers at Ember, then peers at Cutter, then peers at Ember again. And 
  sends, only slightly less blurrily, ** I could eat BUNCHES more dreamberries, 
  and be okay tomorrow! **

Ember snorts.

Ynderra could!

Ember sticks her tongue out. "We'll see."

Ynderra tosses her head proudly! "Can! I'll show you!"

Ember giggles. "Arright. Hey."
Ember squints at you. "What's Ynderra mean, anyway?"

Ynderra blinks. "Um... it means.... lotsa stuff." She beams.

Ember ohs. "Kinda weird name for a wolfrider."

Ynderra wrinkles her nose, pouting cutely. "Mother and Father didn't think 
  so!"

Ember squints a bit. "Well, Tyleet's got a pretty funny name for a wolfrider, 
  too."

Ynderra hmmmmphs. "No weirder'n' 'Leetah!'"

Ember says "Leetah's not a wolfrider."

You say "Well, _Mother_ is and so'm I!"

Ember blinks mildly at you. "Didn't say you weren't. Jussa funny name."

Ynderra pouts again, crossing her arms. "Am so a Wolfrider," she mutters. 
  "Not drunk, either."

Ember says "Didn't say you weren't!"
Ember says "And are too."

Ynderra wobbles to her feet, belatedly remembering she'd claimed she could 
  eat bunches more berries, and starts looking for the nearest dreamberry bush 
  to prove it.

Ember looks as if this should settle the argument.
Ember blinks after you. "Where ya going?"

You say "Gotta find more berries! Show you!"

Ember says "Show me what? That you can have a headache?"
Ember climbs to her feet, slightly less wobbly than you, and staggers after 
  you.

Ynderra pouts again. "I won't have a headache! I c'n eat lots more berries! 
  An' be okay tomorrow!"

Pike has arrived.

Ember pauses suddenly in her search for dreamberries, and looks towards the 
  Father Tree. ** Y'don'...naaaah. **

Pike pops a dreamberry into his mouth, looking pleasently muzzy. "Don' what, 
  'mber?"

Ember sends openly ** Don' s'pose Silk...naaaah... **

Ynderra blinkblinkblinks at Ember. ** ? **

Ember puts her hands on her hips and peers at the tree. ** Silk. Strongbow. 
  Y'don' s'pose...? **

Pike laughs at that. "Who knows..."

Ynderra's eyes go round. "No!" she breathes.
Ynderra totters over to Ember. "No way!"

Ember squints suspisciously, and provides Ynderra with an arm to lean on. The 
  result, of course, is the two of them end up sort of half collapsed, leaning 
  on each /other/, Ember, at least, giggling about it. "How else'd she know how 
  much fun he is?!" she demands.

Pike shrugs again, leaning with his back against the tree. "C'ld be..."
Pike laughs at you two, shaking his head.

Ynderra insists firmly, "He wouldn't do it!"

Ember rotates her head to study Ynderra, a whole three quarters of an inch 
  from Ember's own face. ** You _sure_?! **

Ynderra noddles! "He just likes MOONSHADE. And, um, Rillwhisper."

Ember waggles a finger. "Whul, if he likes Moonshade AND Rillwhisper...!" The 
  implication is clear: maybe he likes SILK, TOO!

Ynderra pouts, her face wilting.

Ember waggles the finger again. "Nonono! 'f he likes _three_ of 'em...maybe 
  there's hop!"
Ember frowns. "Hope."

Ynderra looks mournfully at Ember. "No fair! You got cubs an' everything 
  already!"
Ynderra sighs heavily, eyes liquid. "I don't even have a LOVEMATE!"

Ember looks a bit rattled by this, suddenly, vividly, thanks to the 
  dreamberries, recalling the first several years of Goldfire's life, in which 
  Ember almost entirely ignored the child. "Me neither," she offers, lower lip 
  sticking out.

Ynderra says, commiserating, "Strongbow wouldn't look at US...."

Ember sniffles somewhat. "Yeah. What's wrong with /us/?"

Ynderra scrubs a hand across her eyes. "He gotta go all the way to Willowholt 
  to get a lovemate?"

Ember sits down, pulling you with her. "Yeah! We're right here! 
  And...and...and we're as cute as Rillwhisper, huh?"

Ynderra blinkblinks limpidly at Ember. "Uh-huh... you're cute... I'm 
  cute....!"

Ember nodnodnods, floppily. "So what's his problem?!"

Ynderra sniffles. "Maybe we should ask 'im?"

Ember's eyes light up. "Good idea!"
Ember starts to push herself to her feet.

Ynderra beams and clambers as upright as she can manage. "Where'she?"

Ember locksends, to Strongbow, Ynderra: ** Ssonbow! Where ya'at? **

You locksend, to Strongbow, Ember: Ynderra backs up Ember's sending, her 
  thoughts swirling dreamily. ** S'bow! **

You sense in a locksend to Ember, Ynderra: Strongbow's returned send is 
  quiet. ** Den, why? **

Ember locksends, to Strongbow, Ynderra: ** Gotta question for you can we come 
  up? **

Ynderra reels slightly as Strongbow's send touches her head. "Oooh, he sends 
  real strong, doesn't he?" she mumbles.

Ember smirks. She doesn't say it.

Strongbow locksends, to Ember, Ynderra: ** Let me come down. Moonshade is 
  still asleep. **

Ynderra blinkblinks and beams. He's coming!

Ember locksends, to Strongbow, Ynderra: ** Goodfine we're in the clearing. **

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

Ember nodnods firmly, still leaning on Ynderra.

Strongbow approaches a bit muzzily, raising a brow. ** ? **

Ember points an accusing finger at Strongbow. ** Sho what's wrong wif us??! **

Ynderra looks up brightly as Strongbow comes in, and nods firmly to Ember, 
  where she and the chief's daughter are wobblingly leaning on one another.

Ember returns Ynderra's nod. They seem to be doing a /lot/ of that. Nodding 
  at each other.

Strongbow blinks at the obviously berry-sodden maidens. ** Perhaps too many 
  dreamberries? **

Ember looks completely exasperated. ** Nooooo. **

Ynderra cries mournfully, "That's not it! 'Cause we're not drunk, are we, 
  Ember?"

Ember points in a random direction. "Course not!" She stares at her finger, 
  trying to remember what she was pointing at.

A slight smile twitches at the very edge of the archer's grim mouth.

Ember points again, remember. "You hafta go allll the way to WILLOWHOLT!"

Strongbow raises a brow. ** Cutter and Skywise and Minx and Leetah are going. 
  I stay here. **

Ember reels a bit at this information. It doesn't compute. ** Huh? **

Ynderra ohs! And blinks, and nudges Ember. "He's not GOING," she says 
  significantly.

Ember ooooohs!
Ember beams at Ynderra.
Ember beams at Strongbow.
Ember crows, "You DO like us!"

Strongbow doesn't beam. His gaze goes from one maiden to the other. ** Of 
  course I do... **

Ynderra turns a worshipful gaze to the archer. "We were very worried," she 
  tells him.

Strongbow blinks a bit. ** Why? **

Ember waves her hands around. ** We thought you only liked Moonshade and 
  Rillwhsiper. Whisper. **

Strongbow starts to comprehend this. ** I... ** He pauses, trying to get a 
  grasp on how to explain this to drunken maidens. ** Moonshade is my lifemate, 
  and Rillwhisper is...she and I have been through a lot together. **

Ember puts her hands on her hips, which about knocks both she and Ynderra over. 
  ** Oh sure, like the ... <confusion/attempt to remember/recollection> Quest 
  wasn't lots!? **

Ynderra goes sprawling, and teeters several steps towards the archer, hands 
  flailing. "What -- whoa! -- she said... no, wait, I wasn't born yet..."

Ember's chin quivers, and she takes a couple of staggering steps after Ynderra.

Strongbow steps foward to catch Ynderra's flailing arms. ** You were young. 
  Rillwhisper and I have been through more...within. ** He flushes a bit.

Ember wails, "It only counts if it's RECENT?!"

Ynderra, caught, looks up and gazes meltingly at the elder.

Ember heys! No fair.

Strongbow steps forward to set the healer maiden back on what _should_ be her 
  balance, and loosens his grip. ** It was different. **

Ynderra stumbles against Strongbow, hands starting to glow. She tries for a 
  stern tone as she admonishes, "Rill's alla way in Willowholt an' YOU still 
  gotta relax..."

Ember boggles. She's stopped talking, even. She's just staring. How'd -Ynderra- 
  end up in his arms? She reels a bit, or perhaps wobbles. *wobble*

Ynderra adds dreamily to Strongbow, "'Mdifferent 'n' Rill," she coos. 
  "'Mcuter..."

Strongbow tries to disentangle himself from Ynderra. ** Here, healer, 
  sit...make yourself clear-headed...something? **

Ember says "Ooooh, /bad/ idea!"

Ynderra chirps brightly, "Did already!"

Ember says "She made herself *drunker*."
Ember still can't figure out how Ynderra ended up hanging on Strongbow. She 
  frowns.

Strongbow crouches, trying to get Ynderra to follow his motion and sit down. ** 
  Hush your voice, ** he adds, very gently.

Ynderra wraps slender arms around Strongbow's neck. Nice sturdy elf. He won't 
  let her fall down! She blinks at him, guilelessly. "Quiet?" she whispers.

Ember boggles. She should be taking *notes*.

Strongbow puts his hands on Ynderra's waist and straightens his arms, keeping 
  her a bit away from himself, and tries to settle her on the ground. ** Send, 
  ** he encourages.

Ember starts to look sulky. How come -Ynderra- is getting all the attention?

Ynderra mrmmrmrm, he's warm. She tries to curl up against him, promising, her 
  send-voice sweet and heady, ** 'kay... **

Viresse steps into the clearing from the east path.
Viresse has arrived.
Viresse floats out of the darkness, wrapped in her black cloak and seeming part 
  of the shadows.

Ember's weaving on her feet, some yards away from a very drunk Ynderra who is 
  hanging on Strongbow. He, in turn, is trying to get her off him, politely. 
  It's failing miserably.

Strongbow crouches there, trying to keep Ynderra at arm's length, evidently a 
  bit flustered.

Ember's head rotates as a new scent catches her attention, and she wobbles at 
  the ... Glider?!
Ember frowns. ** Glider? **

Viresse floats to the ground, touching boot to the solid earth. Unperturbed, 
  she continues into the clearing on foot, walking in a fluid manner not unlike 
  her earlier gliding.
Viresse smiles slightly out of the darkness. ** Yes, Glider. **

Ynderra gazes adoringly up at Strongbow, clutching at him with visibly glowing 
  fingers.

Ember sends openly ** Whatderoo doin' here? **

Strongbow looks up, mentally cursing. He rises, less politely brushing Ynderra 
  off as well as he can.

Viresse comes fully into the light, allowing her cloak to fall from around her 
  to reveal... well, what you see in her desc. :>

Ynderra falls back on her rump, disheveled curls getting in her eyes, and 
  blinks after Strongbow in bemusement. ** ? **

Ember frowns. ** Know you...? **

Viresse sends openly ** Hello Ember. It has been a while. **

Ember scowls through her eyebrows. ** Donno name. **

Viresse draws herself up, the difference in heights plainly seen. ** You do not 
  remember me, Ember? I am Viresse. **

Ynderra realizes, slowly, that Ember and Strongbow's attentions have both 
  diverted. Foggily, she blinks up at the newcomer, eyes very wide, very 
  surprised, and very glassy.

Ember frowns again, putting a head against her hand, and obviously thinking 
  very hard. ** Outside the Mountain... ** she finally sends, muzzily.

Viresse's eyes sparkle in the firelight. ** Yes, wolfrider. You remember. **

Strongbow just watches, coolly, silently cursing himself for having come this 
  far from the dens without his bow.

Ynderra blinks several times at the other three elves, then squints WAY up at 
  Viresse, and pipes brightly, "Hi!"

Ember sends again, still slowly, still fuzzy. ** You were...kind to me. When I 
  went...for Liri. An...<unfamiliarity> emissary...to Outside... **

Viresse hesitates, then crouches down before the wolfriders (to save strain on 
  their necks, I 'spose)
Viresse stops sending. "Yes, Ember. You remember."

Ember's head tilts down at the same rate that Viresse crouches. That's much 
  nicer. She squints at the Glider.

Ember pushes her hair back. "What're you doin' here?" Muzzyelf.

Viresse holds out her hand and gently pushes a lock of hair out of Ember's 
  befuzzled eyes. If one didn't know gliders better, one might almost say that 
  her gesture and actions were friendly and patient.

Strongbow relaxes ever so slightly as Ember appears to have somewhat favorable 
  impressions of this particular Glider.
Strongbow tenses, however, at the brushing back of the hair.

Ember backs up slightly, startled, even though the motion is slow.

Viresse says "Of course I would come visit you, Ember, whenever I was in this 
  region. But I have also come to visit your tribe. I am... well, on a hunt."

Ynderra squints one blue eye, behind a black curl. That makes her dizzy, and 
  she mumbles, "Oooooh... spinny.... hmmm?"

[Right here Ember gets blasted by call-waiting; we assume she passed out
 from berries. :) ]

Viresse spares Ynderra an amused look before sniffing the air. "Dreamberries? I 
  will assume there was a Howl this evening."

Strongbow nods once, curtly. ** Yes. **

Ynderra lights up. "Mmm-hmm," she agrees. "Goldfire gotta new name."

Strongbow nods to that, too, but enlightens no more upon it.

Viresse now turns her attention to the strong silent hunter who is obviously 
  not smitten with dreamberries. She returns send in kind, ** My apologies for 
  interrupting your enjoyment, hunter. My greetings and compliments to your 
  hunters and holt. **

Strongbow nods again. ** Thank you, ** he manages, as if not quite expecting 
  this kindness, and rather not trusting it. ** What is your hunt? **

Ynderra's gaze wanders up to Strongbow again, and promptly melts, lighting her 
  delicate face with adoration.

Viresse's eyes flicker to the bracer on Strongbow's arm, his attire, noting any 
  (visible) weapons within the area.

Ynderra informs Viresse dreamily, "S'bow'sa best hunter inna Holt... bet he 
  could help!"

Viresse smiles "The best hunter in this holt? That is a mighty claim, little 
  one."

Strongbow obviously lacks more than a hunting knife, though the leather on one 
  arm indicates rather clearly he is an archer. ** One of the better, ** he 
  amends, with pride but no trace of vanity.

Ynderra starts to nod, before making herself dizzy again, and then she settles 
  for giggling -- a bubbly, bright sound. "'Sa mighty hunter," she proclaims to 
  Viresse, worshipful gaze still on the subject of her babble.

Viresse's smile fades to a more respectful one. ** I see. Well, mighty hunter, 
  I am Viresse. **

Ynderra confides, still giggling, "An' he's cute, too..."

Strongbow nods once. ** Strongbow. ** He puts his gaze once more on the glider. 
  ** And what is your hunt, ** he repeats.

Within the depths of Viresse's clear blue eyes, a flicker of interest kindles. 
  ** Ahhh... so you are Strongbow. Interesting... I have heard of you, hunter. 
  Most impressive triumphs you have had. **
Viresse rocks back, obviously both impressed and surprised. She studies 
  Strongbow's face now, almost curiously.

Strongbow tenses again at that comment, folding his arms. ** Indeed. **

Viresse sends openly ** They speak most highly of you at the wolfholt amongst 
  the willows, including the chieftess there. You were the one responsible for 
  removing that malignant one, Tash. **

Ynderra, reminded of her earlier objective, very carefully clambers to her 
  feet. She can do this, sure... just focus on that tempting wavy dark hair...

Viresse's expression is respectful now, and she inclines her head accordingly.

Strongbow's gaze flickers and he sends wordless, half-absent appreciation for 
  the respect, thoughts hidden in dark brown clouds in his eyes.

Ynderra blinkblinks at the mention of Tash, then giggles happily. "Thas' 
  Talek's dad. Talek's cute too... not as cute as Strongbow..." Beaming, she 
  lurches at the archer.

Viresse sends openly ** As one who understands to another, hunter Strongbow, I 
  assure you that I come in peace here. **
Viresse pauses before slowly drawing her daggers from her boots. She reverses 
  them and sets them on the earth before Strongbow, handles towards him, before 
  leaning back out of reach.
Viresse dropped Daggers.

Strongbow crouches to put his hands swiftly upon the maiden's shoulders, paying 
  little attention to the daggers. ** Stay...um...sitting, Ynderra. For now. **
Strongbow amends, rushedly, ** It will make your head stay still. **

Viresse's send takes a more formal tone. ** I have come to ask information for 
  my hunt. It is a hunt that you, Strongbow, can appreciate all too well. **

Ynderra pouts cutely. "Don' wanna sit. Wanna snuggle!" Her knees, however, 
  oblige Strongbow by folding underneath her at his slight pressure on her 
  shoulders.

Strongbow rises, disentangling himself from Ynderra again, and steps toward the 
  daggers, though does not pick them up. He sends wordless grim query to the 
  glider.

Viresse sends openly ** I seek certain ones who may have traveled this way, and 
  been encountered by those who dwell in this holt and its territory. **

Ynderra pipes, "Underworlders went home! So'd th' Needlebrookers!"

Viresse concentrates and sends swift images to the bearded hunter, more quickly 
  than any other can comprehend.

Strongbow blinks once, comprehending, and considers.

[OOC note: What Viresse is telling Strongbow is assumed by the logger to
 be something about the recent turmoil in Blue Mountain. Check the Two
 Moons timeline or bug your local Gliders for details. :) ]

Viresse's smile is gone, her ice-blue eyes clear and cold. ** You understand, I 
  am hunting. This is what I seek. Have any of your people seen these? **

Strongbow finally shakes his head, sending in return to Viresse, not entirely 
  lockedly, but in the same sense that she does, on a level meant for her mind 
  only.

Ynderra wrinkles her nose -- sensing only the edges of the sendings -- and 
  giggles. They tickle! She wriggles a little, random sparkles dancing around 
  her fingers as she wraps her arms around herself.

Viresse holds her gaze on Strongbow for a long moment before turning away. 
  Tension leaves her frame.
Viresse sends openly ** I thank you, Strongbow. **

Strongbow bows his head for a moment, then looks up again.

Viresse's eyes drift to her daggers, still on the ground before Strongbow.

Strongbow steps away from the daggers, smoothly, nodding absently at them.

Viresse reaches out and grasps the daggers, fluidly slipping them into her boot 
  sheaths until they are barely visible.
Daggers has left.
Viresse imitates Strongbow's gesture, inclining her head deeply and 
  respectfully before rising to her feet.
Viresse smiles patiently down at the befuzzled one, nodding to Strongbow. ** My 
  thanks for the hospitality of your holt, honored hunter. I will have to come 
  visit Ember again... I had forgotten how beautiful it is here. **

Ynderra hugs herself blissfully, forearms shimmering in glints of golden, 
  tinged with green; her eyes are half-lidded. She blinks, at Viresse's sending 
  -- then giggles up at her, and chirps, "Pretty trees... an' bushes... an' 
  vines... an' flowers..."

Viresse half-turns and starts to walk back the way she came, into the shadows 
  of the way out of the clearing. She does not float, respecting the ways of 
  the holt enough to leave on foot.
Viresse follows the path out of the clearing.
Viresse has left.

Ynderra ohs, and waves vaguely after the Glider. "Baibaibaibai*giggle*..."

Strongbow sighs quietly, a bit dismayed.

Ynderra giggles bubblingly to herself, then sweeps her gaze around the 
  clearing. And beams as she sees Strongbow again.
Ynderra breathes hopefully, "C'n I snuggle you now?"

Strongbow ahems softly and takes a step back. ** Perhaps you two should be 
  headed back to the holt, ** he offers, hopefully.

Ynderra blinkblinks, taken aback, and then she breaks into a flurry of yet more 
  giggles. "Silly! Already inna Holt!"

Strongbow nods. ** Back to the dens, ** he amends.

Ynderra blinks owlishly. "Snuggly there," she agrees happily.

Strongbow hems. ** No...I think you should sleep off those berries. **

Ynderra awwws, as she tries to climb to her feet again. "No fun!" she scolds, a 
  smile tugging at her mouth. She's trying to look coy, no doubt.
Ynderra more or less stands up, but ruins it by spinning around in place. "Don' 
  wanna sleep... *giggle* Wastes all the sparkles....!"

Coyness seems even more wasted on the archer now than before Viresse's arrival. 
  ** Then bubble around in the trees. Less noise on the ground. *

Ynderra blinks, considering the idea. Ooh! "Trees," she breathes happily, and 
  tilts her head back, way back, trying to look up to the top of the Father 
  Tree.
Ynderra cries excitedly, "Gonna go climbing!" And with that, she totterskips 
  off towards the best place to climb up.

[Ynderra runs off and starts climbing up through the Father Tree...]

You climb further up through the branches.
Farther up the Tree(#778RL)
You're standing on the upper branches of the Father Tree, near the top and 
  green leaves offer cool shade from the summertime heat. Rounded bulges where 
  branches meet the trunk and split, hold dens for the elves that live this far 
  up in the tree. Climbing down towards the lower branches doesn't appear to be 
  that hard. You hear hushed noises as the holt slowly comes to life as elves 
  and wolves awaken from the hot summer sleep.
Obvious exits:
Type "DENS" to see who lives here.  Down<D>  

Strongbow follows you, staying carefully a bit below you, so as to be able to 
  catch you should you...teeter.
Strongbow climbs up through the branches from below.
Strongbow has arrived.

Ynderra raptly climbs as high as she can go, giggling to herself as she goes. 
  Every so often her hand glimmers greenly, and she leaves a bit of an 
  impression in the tree's living wood.
Strongbow almost forgotten now, Ynderra climbs. Old tree! Grandfather's magic 
  all in it... tickles! She pauses, and clings to a branch, rapturously.

Strongbow follows grimly, thinking: If she falls and breaks something, Leetah 
  is going to have a hissy fit.
Strongbow selects a branch sort of below and to the side of Ynderra's and 
  crouches upon it, watching upwards.

Ynderra beams at the branch. Nice tree. Sturdy tree. She climbs out to try to 
  curl around it -- what does the cub think she's doing, anyway? Going to hug 
  the branch?

Strongbow seems rather more willing to let her hug it than dance on it, and 
  merely watches, wary.

Ynderra smiles happily to herself. Who needs Strongbow, anyway?
Ynderra can make up her OWN lovemate... she can see him, too. He'd be lovely. 
  Golden hair... kinda curly, maybe like Mender's... and green eyes! Green as 
  leaves!
Ynderra hugs the branch she's crawled out on -- and it shimmers slightly in her 
  grasp.

Strongbow smiles a bit, moving to lie down on his branch, looking up, balance 
  impeccable.

Near Ynderra's dark-curled head, the branch takes on a vague shape of an elfin 
  form, and she giggles merrily. Lovely leafy lovemate... in her vision, she 
  can see him smiling gently at her, and she takes his hand, whirling and 
  floating with him in the dream....

The branch starts to curl, slightly, near Ynderra's feet.

Strongbow sends wordless warning, reminding you that the branch needs to stay 
  stable to hold your weight.

Ynderra, sent to, twists her head slowly downwards. Wha? In her dream, she 
  looks up from her lovemate's shoulder as he turns her around... but in 
  reality, the branch seems to... twirl. Ynderra's weight shifts...

Strongbow springs up, to life, crouching to leap up if he has time or out if he 
  must, if the shaper's grip should fail...

Ynderra abruptly slips sideways, letting out a strangled yelp. "Hey, come 
  back...!" she calls slurrily. Where'd he go? And she yelps again, as her feet 
  fall off the branch.

Strongbow decides not to risk getting tangled in that shaped mess of a branch 
  and stands. ** Ynderra. ** his sending is blade-clear, meant to waken. ** 
  Catch yourself, make the branch hold you...or swing down to me. **

Ynderra dangles, and color drains out of her face as she watches the world 
  start tilting around her in nauseating angles. "Come... back..." she croaks 
  plaintively, and tries to secure her grip on the branch. Then, blurrily, she 
  squints down at Strongbow. "Str... strongbow?"
Ynderra's right hand slips off the branch, and she squeals, frightened.

Strongbow nods, eyeing the branch...wondering if it would hold him, if it could 
  be trusted to...if Ynderra could be trusted to make it. ** Yes, I. Swing my 
  way, or make the branch hold you if you can. **

The shaped branch, nearly twisted upsidedown by Ynderra already, bends as her 
  weight dangles off it. The maiden blinks dizzily, and tries to obey the 
  elder's first urging, swinging herself feebly. But that only makes her head 
  whirl worse, and her left hand's grip slips. "Strongbow...!"

Strongbow, giving up on the shaping magic, the branch, and the swingng, aims 
  for another branch, across from and below his, near its join to the trunk of 
  the great tree; between his hoped-for landing point and himself he places, 
  mentally, Ynderra's path. ** Let go, ** he commands, sharply, and leaps to 
  catch you.

Ynderra whimpers, clearly frightened by THAT idea, but she obeys -- and 
  plummets.
Ynderra shrieks the moment she starts to fall.

Strongbow collides with Ynderra, silently thankful at her obeyance, and wraps 
  his arms around her...now, just to catch up with that branch he had marked. 
  Somewhere down...below...feet...in a moment, the archer lands, off balance 
  and with a jarring thud, on the thick base of a very low branch. His knees 
  give way a bit, but he clings to the berry-pickled Ynderra.

Ynderra clings to the older elf, terrified now, and without a hint of her 
  bubbling magic.
Ynderra mumbles, "Sorry didn't meanta..."

Strongbow sends, abruptly, distinct pain, the shock of a bad, weighted landing 
  travelling through his joints. He drops one arm from about you and puts the 
  hand between his ankles on the branch.

Ynderra blinkblinkblinks. "Strongbow?" she squeaks breathlessly.

Strongbow pants in long, deep exhalations. ** ... **

Ynderra blurts out groggily, jarred more by the sent sensation of pain than the 
  fall, "Strongbow you 'kay I'm sorry my fault send something please?!"

Strongbow manages, quietly, clearly, ** Fine. Bad landing. Voice down. **

Ynderra chokes off her words, and bites her lip, nodding timidly.
Ynderra sends openly ** <blurrily> Y-you're hurt... you sent... oh, I'm 
  sorry...! **
Ynderra tries to twist around a little, to peer down at the ankle the archer 
  grabbed.

Strongbow straightens himself, holding you at arm's length, hands on your 
  waist. As soon as you seem a bit steady, he puts them one at a time instead 
  upon your shoulders. He forces his face to stay still, hiding any pain he 
  might feel. ** Are you all right? **

Ynderra, held sturdily, peers abashedly from behind her rumpled curls. ** Feel 
  kinda sick an' dizzy, ** she admits, then babbles, ** but you hit somethin' I 
  felt it, you sent... ** She trails off, looking confused.

Strongbow nods, stepping a bit aside on the branch. ** Come on, into the dens. 
  ** With that, he makes his way--a bit gingerly, favoring his right foot and 
  putting his weight in his arms as much as he can--to the nearest entrance to 
  the tree.

Ynderra tentatively creeps after her tribesmate. With the world still spinning 
  around her, she finds herself suddenly appreciating the solidity of her 
  grandfather Redlance's shaping.

Strongbow leads, for lack of any better idea, to his own den, and in.
Strongbow climbs down further.
Strongbow has left.

You climb down further.
Up into the Tree(#774RA)
You stand high up on a branch of the Father Tree, close to the trunk, listening 
  to all the sounds of life that whisper quietly around you like the very 
  breathing of the tree itself. Smoothly curved so that it is almost impossible 
  to tell what was natural and what was changed by magic, the tree almost seems 
  to shift around you as it adapts to the needs of those it houses. Tiny 
  knotholes and larger openings that serve as doors are visible on rounded 
  bulges here and there along the larger branches and the trunk itself.
A long narrow limb stretches out away from the main trunk in one direction, and 
  a shaped set of steps leads down into a tunnel in the trunk itself, down 
  towards the main entrance of the tree. You hear hushed noises as the holt 
  slowly comes to life as elves and wolves awaken from the hot summer sleep.
Contents:
Strongbow
Obvious exits:
Down<D>  Type "DENS" to see who lives here.  Up<U>  

Strongbow has left.

Long distance to Strongbow: Ynderra slides unsteadily down through the tree, 
  and pauses outside the entrance into your den, blushing crimson.

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow wordlessly orders you in, though not 
  ungently.

Strongbow and Moonshade's Den(#4665RJh)
Soft leathers and furs of many kinds, expertly tanned and, in some cases, dyed, 
  line a hollow in the side of this small, cozy den. A small opening in the 
  side of the tree, very close to where the wood curves in to form the ceiling, 
  allows in light from the moons or the sun, gentled by the leaves overhead.
You hear hushed noises as the holt slowly comes to life as elves and wolves 
  awaken from the hot summer sleep.
Contents:
Strongbow
Frostfire
Obvious exits:
Out  

Ynderra crawls shyly into the hollow, suggesting wanly, ** M-Maybe I-I better 
  send for Leetah? **

Moonshade appears to have gone out hunting or after her mysterious tanning 
  secret spots, for she is not here.

Strongbow frowns. ** Get some rest, get the berries out of your head. I can 
  find her if I need to. **

Ynderra's gaze drops to the archer's right foot. She's still got lingering 
  berry-swirls in her head, but his involuntary sending of pain lanced through 
  her haze enough that she retains a niggling certainty that something's wrong. 
  "Okay," she whispers meekly, and curls up right where she is, by the 
  entry-hole.

Strongbow picks up two furs and brings them near. ** Come on, the leathers 
  won't hurt you. ** Casting a glance toward his idle bow and quiver, he 
  shrugs. ** I won't either. **

Ynderra starts to bow her head over her knees, and her arms that she's curled 
  around them, but at the sending she blushes, and protests, "Didn't think 
  that!"
Ynderra scoots nearer, though, awkwardly and carefully. She doesn't meet the 
  archer's stern brown gaze -- for one thing, it's safer for her embarrassed 
  ego not to, and for another... she frowns vaguely, still worried about that 
  sending she felt.

Strongbow nods, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. ** Be 
  comfortable. ** With that, he slips back to a place to sit, taking the weight 
  off of his feet and straightening his ankle.

Ynderra mumbles sheepishly, "'Mokay." She lies sideways, trying to settle down 
  on one of the offered furs. Hrmmm... it IS a relief, to lie down....
Ynderra's eyelids start to droop.
Ynderra huddles on the fur, pillowing her head on one arm and curling the other 
  just under her breasts. She shivers a little, restlessly, as her eyes settle 
  closed.
Ynderra's face quickly relaxes, as the maiden drops into a light slumber.
Strongbow shakes his head at Ynderra, a slight affectionate smile tinting his 

  eyes with a glimmer. He sits perfectly still, only occasionally shifting a 
  bit to make himself more comfortable, and never putting any weight or strain 
  on the right ankle. After a time, he strips his boots off and sits, idle, in 
  his tunic, watching with grim interest as his ankle slowly swells.

[End log.]