Log Date: 5/16/97 Log Cast (Present player characters): Cutter, Blaze, Ynderra, Dewshine, Dart, Myriel, Leetah, Skywise (came in late) Log Cast (Spoofed as present): Redlance, Nightfall, Treestump, Clearbrook, Strongbow, Moonshade, Scouter, Skywise Log Intro: Times are tense at Lostholt. Word has been brought in by Dart that his lovemate Trouble -- daughter of Myriel, granddaughter of Tyleet and Graymist, great-granddaughter of Redlance and Nightfall -- has been killed by a human. And even more urgent news has come from Blue Mountain, with the word that Rayek and Suntop have been captured by Winnowill... and that Winnowill has begun to work her magics upon Rayek. Furthermore, the Mountain still seeks vengeance upon Ember for her killing of Sar. With both of his cubs in trouble, Cutter determines that he will have to act, and thus, with both death and crisis to bring to the attention of his tribe, he calls them forth to Howl.... ---------- In a send to the whole tribe, Cutter sends, on a rather somber note, ** We howl, tribe. ** [The summons from the chieftain is answered by the tribe... and among them, the healer Ynderra comes out to join her kindred...] 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 is covered now with multi-colored leaves that crunch under your feet as you walk. Elves have made the best of the leaves, piling them up in huge stacks and using them as something to lay down on and the cubs as well as the wolves enjoy tumbling in them. In the center there lies a stone ring used to keep the fire safely away from dry leaves. Off to the north you see the massive Father Tree, home to many of the elves of Lost Holt. It is a cool autumn evening. You hear hushed noises as the holt slowly comes to life as elves and wolves awaken from their daytime slumber. Contents: Dart Cutter Denning Tree Obvious exits: Path Hill Approach to the Father Tree Blaze walks over from the Father Tree. Blaze has arrived. Ynderra slips into the clearing, her blue eyes subdued for once, as she scans the Holt for some sign of her sister. Dewshine walks over from the Father Tree. Dewshine has arrived. Dart sits quietly by himself on the ground, hugging his knees to his chest. Cutter stands in the center of the clearing, himself, as wolves and elves appear, as they can, slipping into the open, or filling the branches of the trees huddled around the clearing. Myriel walks over from the Father Tree. Myriel has arrived. Blaze jogs in quietly, more from not wanting to get yelled at for being late than any real desire to be present for this particular howl. Leetah walks over from the Father Tree. Leetah has arrived. Ynderra pauses as her twin arrives, torn between stepping to her, or to Dart, to offer what meager comfort she can manage. It's finally to Myriel that Ynderra moves, lifting a hand instinctively, yet not touching, not sure whether her twin wants her to. Dewshine peers down from a branch, watching her cousin. Redlance and Nightfall perch on a branch of the Father Tree as well, the red-haired shaper seated, and his lifemate with her hand on his shoulder, standing. Treestump and Clearbrook, too, rouse themselves, and come to sit, shoulder to shoulder, on a gnarled root, expressions vaguely troubled, but still. Myriel sighs, watching Ynderra, then looking quietly away. Ynderra drops her hand very lightly upon her sister's shoulder, barely more than a feather's touch. Dewshine looks up, as Scouter settles down next to her. She curls up next to him, as her eyes resettle on those below. Blaze sits near his great-grandparents, watching his mother and aunt quietly. Myriel sighs, sitting on the ground, pulling her knees up to her chest, and looking sadly up at her sister. Leetah stands close to her Lifemate, expression sorrowful. Cutter takes one last look around the holt, eyes lingering on Skywise and Leetah, in turn, noting Strongbow and Moonshade's silent presences as well. A breath, and then, ** You all know the beginning. Dart brought the sad news to us, that while they travelled, Trouble and he came on a human. Trouble was killed. ** He pauses, the focuses on Dart, and then Myriel. ** We howl for her tonight. ** Dart fingers the arrowhead pendant around his neck lightly, gaze dropping from Cutter to the ground. Cutter tips his head back first, and sends the howl winging through the trees. Rainrunner's howl joins his, followed by the howls of others around him. Myriel closes her eyes and adds her voice quietly. 'Derra's soft soprano floats up, and her she-wolf Hushpad answers it; the healer's eyes are liquid, and her voice is husky this night. Blaze's young voice joins in, the lad's howl clear despite the tears rolling down his cheeks. Myriel's sad eyes look to Ynderra as she howls. It is no surprise that Ynderra's face reflects her sister's pain; no surprise, either, that the dark-haired shaper maiden's eyes are anguished, as if she finds this a wound she does not have the skill to repair. Dewshine adds her clear voice to the howl, tears falling to the ground. Leetah raises her desert voice to the wolfen howls, mourning as well, tears streaming down her cheeks. Dart howls softly and mournfully. He hugs his knees tightly to his chest, hoping to stave off the raking sobs until the howl is done. Cutter lets the howls linger, and echo for a time, then clears his throat. ** There's more.. ** Just what you all wanted to hear. ** Quickfall, of the Grove holt, came to tell me of Minx's travel to Sorrow's End. That Liri would be coming for Ember.. ** Leetah lowers her eyes, hands clasped together the outward sign of her deep worry. Myriel lays her head down on her knees, looking up to her sister, over to dart, then finally closing her eyes and swallowing, heaving a sigh of resignation. Ynderra simply remains at her twin's side, her slender hand rubbing quietly at Myriel's shoulder. ** For that reason, I set you all to watching the skies, for Gliders, or their birds. Now, though, ** he continues, with another glance, though brief, at Dart, ** there is more news. ** He takes a deep breath, looking first at Strongbow, then at Treestump. ** Winnowill.. has Rayek in the Mountain. Rayek and Suntop. ** Ynderra's head snaps up. Leetah cannot respond, not even to raise her eyes. Dart's eyes remain closed as he says softly, "She's already begun to reshape his body.." Leetah shudders then, she cannot help it. Ynderra bites her lip, but does not, not once, stop her tentative stroking of her sibling's shoulder. Myriel just half-watches, and half-listens, mind obviously somewhere else. Cutter sends openly ** I will not force any of you to go, when we go. Those who choose not to will go to the Go-Backs. ** Leetah raises her green eyes, so close to despair... yet not lost to hope. Dewshine looks down, blue eyes shocked. Ynderra sits down slowly by Myriel, slipping her arm about her twin, watching and listening to her chieftain. She swallows hard, surprised by that last pronouncement, yet not. Cutter adds, ** But I.. have no choice but to go, and get this.. over with. ** Oddly, perhaps, Cutter seems reluctant to make that decision. Worry and indecision are now clear in Ynderra's face. To go to Blue Mountain -- and risk facing Winnowill? -- or go to the Go-Backs? Where will she be needed? Leetah says softly, "I go with my lifemate." Blaze bites his lower lip a bit, the GoBacks? Somehow this doesn't sit well with the cub. Myriel looks worriedly up at her sister. Dewshine looks down at the ground. To the Blue Mountain, where the Snake has stolen another of the tribe, Suntop who she knew as a cub, or to the Go-Backs. It does't take long to decide. " I will go too." Dart says "My riders and Ravenholts's area already going to the Mountain, those at the Grove holt will likely be helping too." Cutter nods slightly at Leetah, and again, at Dewshine. ** I do not expect this to be an easy trip, or a quick fight. For any of us. We may be injured. ** Or worse, the trailing of his send seems to imply. Leetah says softly, "I am no warrior, but I shall do what is needed for my children... and Rayek." Ynderra turns her head to look at Myriel, just as anxiously. Myriel locksends ** Stay with me? ** Blaze asks, "There someplace other than the Go-Backs to go to? I mean.. not like Skot or Krim are going to miss a fight to take me up there and I don't wanna go there." You locksend ** You know I will, Kei. ** to Myriel. Cutter shakes his head at Blaze. "Winnowill knows that when we leave this holt, we go to Sorrow's End. And Savah has been in enough danger. We will not go there again. I don't want us scattered, easy targets for her tribe, either." Ynderra looks up softly, then. "Kai and I will go with our cub. And my sister." The stargazer watches a small patch of moss, gaze thoughtful and turned inward. But there really is no decision to be made for him. ** I follow you, my chief. ** Myriel manages a half smile at Ynderra. Myriel locksends ** I s'pose I do, don't I? ** Blaze frowns, still not wanting to go north to the Go-Backs. Cutter nods, letting answers wash over him. Skywise grimaces, memories of past raids on the mountain flitting through his mind like glimpses of almost-forgotten nightmares. "We've done this before," he murmurs at last. "We'll get them back." He lifts his head, silver eyes searching his tribemates'. Dart gets to his feet quietly and walks away, the howl's business no longer really dealing with anything that involves him. Dart climbs carefully up the hill that overlooks the river. Dart has left. Dewshine slips down to the ground, nodding. "We will.... "looking to the twins, and cub. Blaze hmmphs, "I don't want to go north, I don't want to go anywhere." With that the cub takes off towards the Father Tree, repeating, "I don't want to go anywhere!" Blaze walks toward the Father Tree. Blaze has left. Ynderra sighs, mournfully, as her son storms off. She cannot conceive of what it must be like to lose one's own cub -- save what she senses of it from Myriel. And the healer knows she will have to speak with Blaze. But later. For now, as she draws her twin to her in a silent hug, Myriel needs her. [End log.]