Log Date: 5/15/96 Log Cast: Lostholt residents connected & present: Ynderra, WindStorm, Kai, Leetah, Ember, SpiderSilk, Myriel Visitors connected & present: Silverfox, Skyscar Several Holt residents are spoofed in this log, including Cutter, Strongbow, Moonshade, Nightfall, Dewshine, Scouter, Yun, Clearbrook, and others generically lobbed under "elves in the branches". Because of the nature of this birth, any Holt resident or Holt visitor is free to assume that they witnessed the events depicted herein. Log Intro: With her coming cubling growing larger in her by the day, Ynderra of Lostholt has found her magic reacting in odd spurts of strength. Kai, with whom she has finally consented to lifemate, has been fussing over her with all the expected anxiety of a new father, and for the most part, Ynderra has taken all of this pregnancy very well -- until she wakes up to find herself soaking wet....! ---------- You walk back out of the Father Tree. 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. The shadows lengthen as the daystar slowly approaches the horizon. The holt slowly comes to life as elves wander the holt paths. Contents: Silverfox(#6153PJXc) Harp(#10250Jas) Myriel SafeRunner Calmwind(#7032Jopq) Obvious exits: Into the Tree Around the Tree Clearing Ynderra comes wobbling out of the tree, looking quite shaken, and she pants raggedly. Ynderra sends to the whole tribe ** !!! ** Spidersilk locksends ** Hmm? Cub? ** Ember locksends ** Derra? You all right? ** Leetah locksends ** Ynderra? Is it the child? ** Silverfox is talking to My about the bugs when Derra comes out. Myriel looks over at her sister. *You okay?* Ynderra clutches feebly at her very round belly, and with equally round eyes, frantically searches the clearing. Ynderra sends to the whole tribe ** Cub! I.... cub! My... I'm wet! ** Silverfox pulls away from the tree, and looks at Derra concerned. Leetah locksends ** Where are you ** Spidersilk locksends ** Where's Leetah? ** Ember locksends ** Where's Mother? ** Ynderra, still heaving for breath, focuses pleadingly on Myriel. ** ! ** Myriel grins. Big. *Your cub has decided to join us, eh?* Myriel sends openly ** Can you make it back to your den? ** Leetah walks out of the Father Tree. Leetah has arrived. Ember locksends ** Where are you? ** Ynderra wobbles from foot to foot, starting to glow rather noticeably, and she whimpers a little. ** I-I-I don't know what to do! I'm wet...! ** Silverfox ahs, as Derra's expression is made clear. Leetah comes running out of the tree, disheveled, and with some blankets. Leetah laughs and gently takes Ynderra's shoulders, "Where would you like to go?" She asks gently. Myriel sends openly ** I was just asking the same thing. ** Myriel locksends ** Can you make it back to your den, sister? It will be easier there... ** Silverfox watches, smiling slightly, but trying to stay out of the way. Ynderra looks pleadingly from face to face. She has gone pale under the glow her rounded body is throwing off. ** I want Kai! ** she wails. Leetah grips your shoulders gently, smiling. Leetah says "Send for him." Ynderra bites her lip, looking in all directions, and palpably sending. And continuing to glow, focused around her belly. Her worried look doesn't ease yet, and she then locks on Myriel again, blurting, ** I don't know what to do! ** Myriel takes her sister's hand in her own. *Come on. Back to your den.* Leetah says gently, "Do not worry. We'll do fine." Ynderra grabs Myriel's arm in a tight grip, Leetah's in the other. ** Don't leave me please don't leave me ** Leetah smiles, "Nothing could persuade me to leave you right now." You sense in a locksend, Myriel nuzzles you. *I'm not going anywhere.* You locksend ** I-I'm outside... ** to Ember. Leetah glows softly too, soothing warmly. Ynderra gives another, smaller whimper. ** Should I lay down? ** Leetah shakes her head, "Only if you wish." She smiles. "Do you want to have it here? There is time to go wherever you like." Ynderra sends openly ** I... I-I-I-I.... ** Ynderra babbles, eyes gone huge in her plumpened face, and clings to both her tribesmates. Leetah sends gently, soothing with thought and a warm glow of healing. Ember walks around from behind the Father Tree. Ember has arrived. Ember skids around the tree, eyes large. "Derra?!" Leetah sets the blankets down and guides Ynderra onto them. Silverfox swallows, having never been this ...close to a birth. Ynderra, who as Ember hastens up is clinging with one hand to Leetah and with the other to her sister, whimpers vaguely in response. She's glowing steadily around her belly, throwing off a watery circle of light in her immediate vicinity. Ynderra kneels awkwardly and yelps. ** When? ** she practically begs of Leetah. Leetah sends openly ** Not too long. ** Ynderra's eyes go round again. ** I can hear him! ** Her brow furrows. ** He's upset! ** Silverfox slowly sits down, watching the mircle happen. Leetah points out gently, "So are you, kitling." Leetah smiles. Myriel giggles, just a tad. Ember smiles. Myriel squeezes that hand again. Ynderra sends shrilly, looking between the elder healer and her sister, ** I'm scared, I-I-I, you're all going to help me right? It won't hurt? ** Myriel locksends ** <> Shhhh... ** You sense in a locksend, Ember's sending is calm, trying to help. ** It'll be fine, Derra. Don't worry. ** Ynderra shivers in her little circle of light, drinking in the supportive gazes of the other females around her, all the while clinging to Leetah and Myriel. ** He moved an-and he's mad about it...! ** Leetah touches Ynderra gently. "You will be fine." Myriel smiles. *If I were being thrust into the world, I'd be a little mad, too...* WindStorm runs in from the clearing... ** Ynderra! I-- I felt you were...! ** Ynderra shoots her gaze to WindStorm and cries, ** He's coming...! ** WindStorm stops in his tracks, and quickly -- almost naturally -- takes a position near Ynderra's side. Leetah beams all around, utterly delighted. Silverfox smiles in awe, back at Leetah, watching Derra do something she can't . Already flanked by Leetah and her sister, Ynderra doesn't protest when WindStorm makes his way in too. The glow around the black-haired maiden's belly peaks briefly, and she suddenly gasps. You locksend ** DIF! ** to Kai. Ynderra sucks in a sharp breath, as her body quivers, and she blurts aloud, "Owwww..." Kai locksends ** *his own startlement* ** What's wrong? ** ** Kai locksends ** Is it.. ** You locksend to Kai, Ynderra grabs you without much in the way of words in her sending. Only a wave of come now/hurry/fear/come now! You sense in a locksend, WindStorm tries to bear your pain. Ynderra looks frantically off into the trees again, as her hands grab at whatever supporting arms are nearest. Myriel yeeps. Myriel locksends ** <> ** Kai walks out of the Father Tree. Kai has arrived. Silverfox winces slightly in sympathy. Kai bolts from the tree, rubbing his eyes. "What's..?" With WindStorm on one side of her and next to Myriel, and with Leetah on her other side, Ynderra crouches on a pile of blankets between the three and pants heavily, her small hands clutching at WindStorm's shoulder and Leetah's nearer arm. The younger healer's belly is glowing, and Leetah glows as well, in a broadening globe of light filling the clearing. Ynderra snaps her gaze up and wails half in relief and half in fright, "Kaaaaaai!" Ember stays back, out of the way, grinning and sending encouragement. Silverfox is watching with awe, also out of the way. Kai continues his bolting run from the tree to Ynderra's side.. he looks to her, then to everyone else in the clearing, then back to Ynderra. "What do I do?" to near Ynderra, since all her sides seem taken. :) Ynderra, now that Kai is directly before her, blinks rapidly up at him. Apparently very dazed and startled, she bleats anxiously, "I don't know....!" and turns an imploring gaze to Leetah and Myriel. Kai continues to look around.. to Ynd, to Leetah, back to Ynd. Leetah turns to Ynderra, smiling. Her sends radiate gentleness and her healing glow sooths what pain your own does not. She looks merrily up to Kai. Leetah says "Cutter and I shared the experience." Ynderra, the moment Leetah's radiance enfolds her again, inhales a long and slow breath. But her eyes are still very wide, as she mumbles breathlessly, "He's slipping...!" Kai looks to his mate, then to Leetah, and back. "Can I get something? Water? Something? What do I need to do?" He's excited, but worried at the same time.. Leetah sends openly ** <> Relax. ** WindStorm sends openly ** Relax! Relax? Hhhhhhhhhummm.... ** Leetah says "Ynderra, are you thirsty?" Silverfox giggles slightly at Kai's....babbling. Kai does his best not to bounce. "Relax? How can I relax?! She's having a cub! Our cub!" Ynderra blinks owlishly to Leetah. "Um. Water!" Hastily she bobs her head several times. Leetah nods to Kai, with a warm smile, "And she is thirsty and would indeed like some water, please." Kai scratches his head. "But.. well.." he looks at Ynderra, concern crossing his face.. he looks to Leetah. "Well.. allright." Kai lowers his voice a little. "Am I goign to miss anything?" Leetah chuckles, softly, never leaving Ynderra's side. Her glow shifts as the need for ease of the pain waxes and wanes. WindStorm shakes his head.. "Kai, you stay.. I'll go..." Ynderra, still clinging to WindStorm's shoulder with quivering fingers, starts reaching for Kai, then gives a tiny squeak and looks down at her belly. WindStorm motions for Kai to take his place at Ynderra's side. Ember grins broadly, watching. Kai looks up, fidgiting. "Well.. I.." he shrugs, and takes Windstorm's place. Ynderra squeals plaintively to WindStorm, "Don't go long!" Spidersilk walks out of the Father Tree. Spidersilk has arrived. WindStorm sends openly ** I..I'll be right back! ** Silverfox crains her head to watch better. WindStorm walks around to the back of the Father Tree. WindStorm has left. Spidersilk steps outside the tree, barely, mostly leaning inside the door, grinning. ** About time, Ynderra. You look like an over-fed troll these days. ** Myriel giggles quietly at Spidersilk. Silverfox giggles. Ynderra blinks up at Spidersilk, starts to stick out her tongue, and squeaks again instead. ** ! ** The luminescence ripples out, almost as far as the watching chieftess's daughter and the intrigued visitor. Leetah chuckles, concentrating on easing the labor pains. Sweat breaks out on her own brow as Ynderra's contractions increase in frequency and intensity. WindStorm walks around from behind the Father Tree. WindStorm has arrived. Kai's head jerks, as he looks sternly at Spidersilk.. "She's not a.. oh, sorry." he manages a grin. Skyscar has connected. Silverfox blinks at the glow coming towards her. WindStorm rushes in, near Ynderra, and passes a waterskin to Kai. "H-here! Water.... for Ynderra!" WindStorm dropped Waterskin. Spidersilk winks down at the lass, then crouches. ** Doing well, Derra. ** Another pulse of light, and Ynderra twitches where she's crouched. Kai does take the skin, offering it to Ynderra, twisting in nervousness. Kai locksends ** *warmth* *support* ** He's almost here! _Ours_! ** ** Ember lifts a hand, interested, at the wave of power, as if feeling it. Leetah helps support Ynderra, holding her gently, soft bluish healing magic surrounding them both. Leetah murmurs support and encouragement. Myriel locksends ** How's it coming, sister? ** Silverfox watches with awe, smiling briefly at Scar. Up in the branches of the Father Tree, several heads start poking out of dens, to see what the commotion is about. Clearbrook can be spotted briefly, smiling quietly to herself; Dewshine and Yun grin broadly. Even Cutter and Skywise, knowing to stay out of the way, take up vantage points where they can watch; the Lostholt chief nods in approval to his mate, seeing she's got everything well in hand. Leetah gazes up with a smile and a private send. Ember, noting her tribefolk, chuckles suddenly, and sends her mind out in a search for another. Ynderra gulps at the offered water, while the green-golden glow around her melds with Leetah's light. She then fumbles at Kai and WindStorm, trying to reach for both of them. Some long moments after Ember's laughter, and from a distance, the archer's mind touches yours, a simple feeling of encouragement and confidence. Myriel steps carefully away from her sister, to give Kai and WindStorm more room. You locksend, to WindStorm, Kai, Myriel, Leetah: ** I... feel him....! ** Silverfox looks up at all the faces in the tree. Skyscar pads up quietly behind Silverfox, looking over he shoulder. Leetah sends openly ** <> ** WindStorm takes the waterskin from Kai, so his hands are free, but keeps it ready in case... Waterskin has left. Kai blinks, then grins, looking at the faces surrounding his mate.. he's clearly proud, perhaps a bit smug, all of a sudden. The elves watching note the visitors; smiles are offered, though clearly, all attention is on the little knot of elves in the center of the clearing. Myriel sits quietly beside Silverfox, not taking her eyes off of her sister Ynderra giggles weakly for no apparent reason, then gasps, sharply, with another and much stronger contraction. ** !! ** Leetah dabs at the sweat on Ynderra's brow, and the blue glow surges to match the strength of the contraction. Springer, lifemate to Spidersilk, bounds out of the tree at her sending, nearly bowling the silver-haired elf over. She shoos him, grinning, back into the tree, and up into the branches with the other tribesmembers. ** Don't forget to breathe, now, Ynderra, ** 'silk advises. Leetah oohs, smiling. Silverfox smiles up at Scar, nodding, awed, then looks back at the birthing. Skyscar settles just behind Silverfox, his eyes breaking away only momentarily to meet Silverfox's gaze with a smile. You sense in a locksend, Kai sends what little magical strength he has to you.. opening the bond between the two (three?, though one has yet to be born) of us, letting you draw on his strength, if you will. Breathe? Breathe! Oh, right! Ynderra starts sucking in several quick breaths, and curls towards Leetah on her left. Kai nodsnodsnods. "Breathing is good." Spidersilk grins, nodding approvingly. ** That's better. ** Above, Nightfall pops in, golden eyes gleaming with excitement. Leetah's healing shifts in color as she senses... Silverfox laughs softly at that piece of advise, curling up next to Scar. Kai seems to get into the magical act, as it were.. he adds his own glimmer of glow to te mix, though it is drowned out by the rest of the magic flowing. You locksend, to WindStorm, Kai, Myriel, Leetah: Ynderra wobblingly reaches for you four in her sending, the ones closest to her, though on some other level she's obviously reaching for Kai alone. Interspersed in her sending are little flares of life-fire from what is clearly the mind of the cub. Kai offers. "We should have the healthiest kit in the whole world." Ember, watching Kai's magic flare as well, smiles suddenly. ** Now /this/, ** she predicts, ** will be -- ** And then she breaks off, laughing, and nods to Kai. Leetah ahhhs, smiling. "Do you feel it, Ynderra? The child is ready. You are ready. Let him come." Leetah's glow shifts, so that Ynderra may recognize the feeling before the child arrives. Ynderra nods shakily to Leetah. Then abruptly send-shrieks, ** MY BREECHES! ** Up in the branches, several elves giggle. Silverfox watches totally absorbed in the drama before her. Just briefly, for the shortest moment, she glows a silver, before looking like her normal self. WindStorm leans in, making sure Ynderra knows his support ... he locksends... Spidersilk does a double-take, then lets out a howl of laughter. ** Get her breeches off, for Timmorn's sake! ** Leetah laughs, "Ynderra, it might help if you were to take them off." Leetah offers you a blanket between you and the ground. Kai looks down. "Oh.. hadn't noticed." he winces. Leetah says "Kai, would you?" Silverfox giggles, eyes rivited. Skyscar chuckles, his attention distracted inadvertantly by something next to him. Ynderra whines audibly as she's shifted about, and grabs for Leetah and WindStorm again as she feebly tries to put herself right for Kai to tug at her breeches. Kai looks from Leetah to Ynderra. "Umm.. I think I'll have to cut them, eh? I'll make you new ones.. promise." Kai reaches for his knife, to make short work of this. Ynderra opens her eyes long enough to show that they've gone a trifle teary. She sniffles and gives only an unsteady nod as she flares up again. Moonshade, a trifle dryly, from the branches above, offers, ** I've others in my den to fit her. I -am- the tanner, after all. ** Leetah's glow broadens, soothing the pain, easing the worry. She continues to hold the young she-elf, supporting her in the most comfortable birthing position. Kai draws his long dagger, and neatly slits one leg, then removes the remains from Ynd.. he looks into the tree, to the send. " I've been meaning to talk to you about that.. later?" Ynderra squeaks, determinedly, "Kai makes 'em!" before she gasps loudly. As Kai deftly gets large swaths of dark red leather out of her way, the maiden's thighs can be spotted, glimmering with wetness rather than light. Moonshade lifts a dark eyebrow, then nods agreeably. ** Later. ** Leetah sends openly ** <> Feel it? The child is ready. Push! ** Ynderra cries, ** HOW?! ** But after a moment she seems to get the idea, and her frame goes taut with her effort. Leetah sends openly ** There. Just right... <> ** Kai puts away his knife, hands moving to support Ynderra once again. Spidersilk glances up at a sending from her lifemate, and, nodding, scampers up into the tree with him. Spidersilk walks up into the rough opening that leads into the tree. Spidersilk has left. Ynderra cries out, and her share of the light that now floods the clearing, reaching up as high as the lowest branches of the Father Tree, gives a noticeable pulse. Something that wasn't visible before between her parted thighs comes into view: a stretch of wet, red skin. Amplified by the growing circle of power here in the heart of the Holt, a new, and barely tangible, sending can be felt. Someone is VERY startled, and very irate. Leetah holds tightly, as lost in the birth as Ynderra herself. ** There... feel the head... it goes quickly now. The child wants out. ** Silverfox smiles, watching. WindStorm's eyes widen and a smile crosses his face as he witnesses a miracle... Another shove, and aye, Leetah's brown hands can feel a crown of a miniscule skull. Ynderra squeals in sending, wordlessly, shoving yet again to make the tops of wee ears visible. You locksend, to WindStorm, Kai: ** !!! ** Leetah holds her hands down to catch the tiny elfling, eyes shining with the joy of it all. Kai nods to Ynderra. "Almost.. just a little more." Kai seems to have calmed considerably, now that things are moving.. Silverfox blinks, eyes wide as this is happening. WindStorm locksends ** I'm here... I'll always be here... ** Skyscar shifts a bit, watching a bit closer. Ember grins suddenly. ** We'll want dreamberries after this. Where's Pike? ** She glances up into the tree for him, then, shaking her head, darts around to search the holt grounds, using the excuse to run with exuberance. Kai blinks. "Dreamberries? But.. that's what got us into this!" Ember walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance to the Lost Holt. Ember has left. With herself and everyone immediately near her bathed in the increasingly brilliant glow -- a glow that carries with it a tangible sensation of _life_, of _creation_, and physical presence -- Ynderra begins to relax, unable to help doing anything but. And as she does that, the cub slips again, revealing a face, and eyes squinched tightly up. Silverfox kinda laughs... Leetah beams at the tiny elfling, healing hands welcoming it into the world. With the head finally out, a tiny fist comes not long after, a fist that wriggles in protest at the unceremonious relocation of its owner. But now that his weight has gotten him going, only a few moments more pass before, all at once, he drops into Leetah's shimmering fingers. Elf cub(#7491) This is a newborn elf cub, red as all newborns are, with tiny pointed ears and delicate digits and limbs, and clearly a male. As of yet he does not appear to have much in the way of hair, and he's covered in birth-fluid. Leetah catches him and kisses his head. Elf cub WAILS! Myriel smiles quietly. Myriel locksends ** Toldja you'd be fine. ** Leetah's fingers glow as she takes care of the umbilical cord. Silverfox smiles soflty at the new one cries, sending his protest clearly... Leetah hands the child to Ynderra, eyes shining with pure joy. WindStorm smiles wide, and looks between mother and father... joy in his eyes for the couple! Ynderra slumps, panting frantically for breath. The glow only barely begins to diminish, as Leetah's power separates cub and dam... then, Ynderra stares in awe at the small being. WindStorm passes the waterskin back to Kai... "here!" Skyscar smiles brightly, watching. Elf cub squirms in confusion, squealing more loudly than his mother, and gleaming wetly in the lambent sheen in the air. Kai stares for a moment himself, broken free by Windstorm and the waterskin, which he then offers to the new mother. "Ummm.. here?" Leetah rises and backs away faintly to watch Ynderra and her cub. Her eyes turn up to the tree where her lifemate sits. He leaps down gracefully for the two of them to share that intimate memory of the birth of their own cubs. She gazes at Ember and embraces Cutter tightly. Ynderra gives another twitch as she reaches for the cub. _She_ squeals, too, as her afterbirth slides down out of her with almost no sound at all. Elf cub nestles wetly when placed in Ynderra's arms, and at last, the little mother blinks dazedly up at the others. Rumpled, still glowing somewhat, and damp from her dramatically smaller belly down, she blurts, "I... cub...!" Kai laughs. "It glimmers." Myriel smiles quietly. *Do we have a name yet, sister?* Silverfox smiles. Ynderra reels, as she hangs onto the infant. "Name?" she breathes. Elf cub whimpers again, cold, wet, and extremely confused, announces his disgruntlement with this entire situation by broadcasting a wordless send. ** ! ** Ynderra blinks, then fumbles at her robe, trying to wrap her new son. WindStorm giggles... "Cute little mumbler!" Kai grumbles. "I should've thought of that." Silverfox smiles, watching, **Not shy....** Myriel giggles. Kai shrugs. "Doesn't need a name anyway.. not yet." Ynderra breathes out, exhaustedly, "Cub needs... oh, he's wet..." She dabs at him with a fold of her robe-tunic, but she, too, is wet, as well as swaying. Kai moves behind Ynderra. "Here. you need to sit down.. all done." Elf cub whimpers, grumpily, eyes still tightly scrunched up. Ynderra slumps back against Kai, then lifts a wondering regard to him. "Blaze." WindStorm hovers nearby, smiling at the cub laying in his mother's arm. Silverfox watchs, smiling at the family... Kai nods. "Blaze." And with that, the cub lets out another healthy wail, as Ynderra's face lights -- this time from emotion rather than raw power -- at the declaration of his presence that the newborn Blaze makes to his tribe and Holt. [End log.]