Base of the Lost Holt Father Tree 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 and you can see some of the scars left by the terrible blaze on the branches as leaves turn yellow as flame and red as blood. Brown weeds and night blooming wildflowers lie dead or dying in natural disorder around the trees roots. Like old friends, the gnarled trees embrace one another, their many branches entwining to form a canopy high above the ground, though most of the leaves now decorate the ground and crunch under your feet. 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: Clearbrook Flashfire Suntop Bearpaw Cutter Twotoes Cobweb Patience Skylark SafeRunner Obvious exits: Into the Tree Around the Tree Clearing Clearbrook smiles and waves to Nightfall, glad of a reason to tune out the uncomfortable conversation going on. Nightfall steps out on one of the lower branches, stretching, and wipes her eyes with one thumb. Still a bit sleepy, she looks around, expression growing perplexed. You locksend ** ... What's going on? ** to Clearbrook. Flashfire remains by the woodpile, one knee on the ground. Indeed, he'd have to admit Cutter's got a point - it's going to be too cold, too soon... Clearbrook locksends ** Suntop is trying to leave again... and Cutter does not wish him to. ** Cutter arches his brows even higher. True blue eyes narrow. "So you'd rather risk your hide traveling through the snow into troll lands?" Nightfall tilts her head in Clearbrook's direction in assent, expression abruptly more alert. She does, however, remain silent, crouching on the branch alertly. By Cutter's statement it is rather clear that he has not visited the Palace in some time. Suntop answers, perhaps a little too calmly, looking rather defiantly up at his father, "The Palace is no longer in the north, father. It is to the south...closer to Sorrow's...what was Sorrow's End." At his own amendment something in his eyes flash. Flashfire wasn't even aware of that, himself. That or he just didn't make the connection that when the Palace flew to rescue the Sunfolk, it went to a different place. How will this news affect things, then? The youngest elf present glances towards Nightfall, sending a silent acknowledgement of her presence, a greeting, before quietly going back to paying attention to the debate. Cutter is given a moment's pause by that news. He glances once more at Flashfire, then Clearbrook, and now Nightfall. The mounting audience doesn't, it seems, do much for his resolve. He frowns in earnest. "It's still too close to whitecold, Suntop. Wait. Until the first of Newgreen. Then you can go." Suntop's response is the same. "No, father. I have waited too long. I should have been there when the village was attacked." Ah...the reasons for his leaving are beginning to come out... You locksend to Cutter, Nightfall shares an immediate, if curious, sense of support; she doesn't know much about what is being discussed, but believes in you. Flashfire thought that had all been dealt with already. Finally, he speaks up, despite his words being unasked for. "Didn't we already talk about that, Suntop? They might have killed you, and you couldn't have stopped the round-ears by yourself." Clearbrook shakes her head. ** Even if someone who was... well, more warlike had been there, would one more been enough? It doesn't seem like it. ** Suntop turns intense blue eyes to Flashfire, "The danger was possible, but I could also be killed while on a hunt here. It has happened before." Then to Clearbrook, "I do not say that I singlehandedly could have stopped the attack, but it is--was my village as well." There is a held tension to his words. Clearbrook looks sad ** We all regret what happened and that we couldn't stop it, but... ** "They may have been your village, and .. Clearbrook speaks for all of us. We regret what has happened, but we are your tribe. Your blood." Flashfire adds, "And nothing can be done about what happened. So it won't do any good to worry about whether you were there or not. But maybe we can still help the Sunfolk, somehow." Of course, he doesn't know how that'd be done. Suntop shakes his head, this next statement obviously difficult for him to say. "My blood, yes. But not my tribe." There. It's said. Now for the reactions. Clearbrook shakes her head in disbelief. "Not yout tribe??" In her shock, she breaks her silence. "But who raised you all those years?" Nightfall looks at Suntop sharply, searchingly, then returns her attention to Cutter. The only noise she makes is an initial, surprised intake of air. For now. Cutter's reaction comes from his back, heralded by the stiffening of elongated spine, tensing of shoulders. He bows his head a little, but there is a palpable sense of mounting ... something. It does not feel like defeat. Flashfire isn't sure just how to react to /that/. He hasn't been part of the tribe for all his turns. He hasn't been raised in it from cubhood. The statement obviously has a different meaning to him. Nevertheless, the piece of wood in his hand falls, making a sound on the rest. Perhaps the only sound for the moment. Cutter's lip curls. He manages, though, to swallow what sounds like the beginning of a rumble born of temper. He answers a silent send, 'voice' tightly restrained. ** They can't defend themselves, Suntop. They certainly can't keep you safe. ** Could it be? Why yes, Suntop's temper...(he has a temper?!) seems to be growing as well. "I am not completely helpless. You saw to that, father, you should know." Flashfire figuratively bites his tongue, lest he get snapped at by either Cutter or Suntop. He stays crouched, sitting over his bare feet. Cutter snorts audibly, now. "You're helpless against the roundears, Suntop." Suntop's eyes narrow and he replies, "I had not planned on charging into the Village and demanding to fight each and every one. I would hope you think I have more wits than that. The attack is over and I am going to the Palace." Nightfall rocks back out of her crouch, seating herself on the branch, feet neatly bracing along the branch ahead of her. Flashfire considers asking Suntop what he would've done if he'd gone to the Village and found human spears being thrust at him. His mouth even opens, but the words don't come out. He doesn't bother sending them. Cutter sighs. "Suntop. If the roundears are strong enough and brave enough to attack a village of demons and spirits, what makes you think that they won't go after one alone? What makes you think that they stay in the village, any more than we stay only in the holt?" Suntop seems to say through clenched teeth, "I am not going to the Village. I am going to the Palace." Cutter snaps, "You don't understand!" Clearbrook sighs and closes her eyes. "Suntop. What if the humans attack the palace? Cutter is worried for you..." Suntop seems on the verge of exploding as well. "Then explain it to me! I am not witless, nor am I the cub you seem to think I still am." To Clearbrook, "I know he is worried, but he cannot stifle me." Flashfire understands Suntop may want to prove he's no cub any more, but he doesn't understand why it's all contingent on when he goes to the Palace or not. "Suntop..." he begins, before knowing what he's even going to say. Cutter closes his eyes, and takes a breath. "Humans hunt, like elves. They cannot find their food in the village. They will /leave/ the village, do you understand? You may mean to go to the Palace, but they may be between you and the place you want to go. You may find one hunting ... or he may find you. Then what?" Suntop answers, "Then I will hide, or I will fight. Father, you cannot keep me here. If it is not for this reason, it will be for another. But I choose to leave now." He is silent as he thinks a moment, "You lost a home once, yes? Remember how that felt. I have just lost mine." Nightfall's brow furrows and she inhales as if to speak, then closes her mouth, frowns slightly, and leaves the answer for Cutter. Cutter looks up at that, to study Suntop. He's silent a long moment, neither sending nor speaking. When he does, it is as he turns his back on the mystic. Lowly: "Then go." Flashfire would do the same thing if he ran across a hostile human. But that's not the point, is it? It's not about Cutter trying to 'keep' anyone here either...is it? But in the end, Flashfire doesn't think one can really hold back someone intent on leaving. He swallows at the way Cutter answers. Nightfall's feet slide smoothly from the branch and she drops to the ground, stepping to Cutter and holding out a hand. She remains quiet with her concern, letting her expression speak volumes of caring for both Cutter and Suntop. Suntop smiles a little, perhaps finding something humorous? "Father, I don't think you understand. I am not asking your permission." Clearbrook sighs and looks very very sad now. Flashfire doesn't know what might be amusing about any of this, here. It certainly isn't, to him. At a total loss for words, he just stands up and tries to give Cutter some kind of supportive look and send, regardless of how successful it is or isn't. Cutter turns his head back over his shoulder a little, then reaches out to take Nightfall's hand. It does not remain in his grasp. Rather, it's taken in acknowledgment, and dropped again. Nightfall squeezes Cutter's hand briefly, then looks at Suntop. Quietly, she asks, "What are you asking for, then?" Suntop frowns at a send and continues to look at his father. "...Yet you still continue to give me orders." This seems to be much more than leaving to go to the Palace now. "How long will it be, father, until you trust me as an adult?" "Don't we all have to listen to orders?" Flashfire asks, whether anybody is listening to him or not. Maybe he's missing the point. That's it. Cutter rounds on Suntop. "To keep you /safe/, /cub/. To keep you close, where we can protect you, where we can /care/ for you. The things I tell you, /ask/ of you, are to keep you safe. To do my best not to /lose/ you, Suntop." Huff. "Humans. Gliders. Underworlders. None of them are your friend, Suntop. /None/ of them. But you want to be an adult. You choose the village over the tribe. You've made your decision," he snarls, all tooth. "Now. Go." Treestump walks out of the Father Tree. Cutter is currently snarling at Suntop. Flashfire is currently struck rather dumb by Cutter's words. He knew the chieftain cared for everyone, but never heard it quite like that before. Wow. Treestump appears at the mouth of the Father Tree quietly, arms folded over his chest. His brows furrowed, he takes in the scene without a word. Clearbrook is sitting among the roots and looks equal parts angry and sad. Nightfall's face is a study of emotions, concern foremost. She stands quietly, near Cutter, but watches Suntop's reaction. Suntop visibly bristles, torn by the emotions he feels from his father and his own. His voice starts of controlled, but intensifies gradually. "I...choose...the village over the tribe?! What do I do here? In this tribe?! There at least I may be able to do something but here...here I am useless!" A dark hand slashes at the air, emphasizing his last words. A dark wrinkle appears in Treestump's brow as he digests the scene playing out in the clearing. The elder frowns to himself as he moves further out, then around to take a place standing near Clearbrook. Flashfire takes a couple steps closer to Cutter and Nightfall, but it's not meant to be something like 'choosing sides.' "Suntop.." he begins, not sure how it'll all come out. "It doesn't matter how much or how little you do here, as long as you just help in some way. At least that's how I learned it." He wonders how that'll be taken. If he had hackles, they would no doubt be up on Cutter. The chieftain glares at Suntop, unblinking, unflinching from his answer. Matter of fact, he doesn't move much at all, other than to breathe long slow breaths that swell his chest. ** Because you /choose/ not to be, ** Cutter erupts. Suntop counters, "That is not true!" Another slash of the hand. "I nearly drove myself mad trying to be one. Ask Ember, ask Flashfire. I had hoped that it would have helped bring me closer to the tribe...closer to -you-!" Flashfire only gets part of this exchange. What..a hunter? A Wolfrider? He raises an eyebrow at Suntop's words, figuring it must be the latter. Uncomfortably, he rubs behind his neck. Clearbrook gapes at Suntop's newest outburst. Treestump's hand is suddenly on Clearbrook's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. Whether for her sake or his remains to be seen as the elder watches, expression stoic. Clearbrook moves her hand up to Treestump's. She looks up and shakes her head. Clearbrook sighs. She glances over at Suntop again. "You .gave. .up.," Cutter accuses, "and I forgave you. I wanted you here, I wanted you close, Suntop, whether you can track with the rest of us, or know the wolves as we do. I /wanted/ you /here/, and you? You throw old scents into the wind to disguise your trail. Do you understand? Without the pack, without the tribe there is /nothing/. If you want that nothing ... you've made your choice." Suntop can't quite believe what he hears from his father's mouth. "Gave up?! I was being torn apart! Did you see that? Could you sense that? Were you pleased that you then had a cub worthy of your sire? Worthy of Bearclaw?" As the words issue from his mouth he realizes that he may have gone too far. Flashfire visibly winces and backsteps at that one. Even he knows that's probably crossing the line, and then some. . o O (Uh-oh...) Clearbrook visibly winces. Nightfall pales a bit, but remains steadily quiet. Treestump's pained expression breaks out across his face. "Lad..." the elder starts to say, starts to intervene, then stops himself, a line of worry panning his eyes. He bites his lower lip to keep silent, blue eyes flickering between father and son. Clearbrook starts to send shakily. ** Cutter, please, he c-couldn't have meant it.... << not really that certain>> ** Cutter's jaw quite literally drops open. For a moment. And then pure fury creeps into his expression, moment by moment until he wears a mask of rage. One step toward Suntop, and then another, movement restrained, and that restraint requiring visible effort. Blue eyes blaze with sapphire fire, and his lip curls again. Emotion is not trusted to send; he growls, thickly, "Get. Out. /Now/." Flashfire's amber-colored eyes widen to near-circles in size, a hand covering his mouth as he swallows hard, a shiver passing over him. How did it ever reach..this? How? High Ones..no way is he saying even a single word right now. Clearbrook just sits there in shock. Nightfall's jaw loosens and she steps back involuntarily, almost twisting to physically show throat. Cutter says "Wise, wise Nightie. :)" Flashfire was thinkin' o' dat... ;) Nightfall grins. . o O ( Big wolf. Bigger than me. Snarling. Really close by. Eep! ) Flashfire's probably second-closest to Cutter, after Nightfall. He follows her lead, taken a step further: he backs off, lying down to show his own throat. Much like he did with the mother wolf the other night. Cutter. Big. Mad. Not good. For a moment it looks as if Suntop will disobey once more, but then a long, sad, pained sigh escapes his lips and he lowers his eyes. Showing throat. He knows that his last outburst was too much...went too far. His breath coming shakily, he closes his eyes for a long moment, perhaps to try and hide the sudden despair he feels at what he has brought about. Yet...it could be argued that these feelings had to be let out sometime...if this is what happened in the short time they were festering, imagine what could have happened in a few more turns. Not meeting the eyes of the others gathered, he turns to leave the Holt. Treestump's eyes slowly close, his expression still pained, but old as well, as if all his years weighed heavily upon him. A hand lifts to rest overtop Clearbrook's, which in turn still rests over his on her shoulder. His eyes open after a brief period of time, shifting to watch Suntop retreat, then shifting again back to Cutter, dark. Clearbrook gets over her shock, leaving a look of scorn for both father and son. She, too, flashes the bare throat of submission, but it's more the token submission of a wolf that doesn't want to interfere. Her hand tightens on Treestump's again. Nightfall watches Suntop, eyes flashing with concern, but makes no move. For one instant, anger drains away from the pale-haired chieftain, and his shoulders drop. Blue eyes ease to normal, then widen faintly, and Cutter takes a halfstep after Suntop. The movement is halted, then, and he whirls sharply away from Suntop's retreat. Faced with those who watch, his gaze lingers on each a moment, and then on none of them. Without saying a word, he uses those too-long legs to carry him away from the tree. Suntop does not look back as he continues out of the Holt, but his shoulders are set tensely, as if it is taking a great effort for him to even move. Nightfall does not meet Cutter's gaze when it sweeps around; rather, she keeps her attention somewhere in between father and son. Violet comes into the area, rubbing her eyes... It's obvious she's been asleep for a while now... Cutter walks around to the back of the Father Tree. Suntop walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance to the Lost Holt. Suntop has left. Nightfall lifts her head, looking after Cutter, then Suntop, then quirks a slight, somewhat macabre smile at Violet. Quietly, voice a bit husky, she comments, "Suntop's ... leaving." Violet blinks for a few times... "Oh? why? where is he going?" Clearbrook rests her face in her hand. ** For the Palace. ** Keep it simple. Violet furrows her brows.. "Why?" Treestump's blue gaze shifts towards the new arrival, regarding her with some level of curiosity that fades quickly as he looks down at his mate. Very slowly he takes a seat behind her, arms wrapping around her waist. The elder, for the moment, remains silent. Flashfire sits up slowly after both Cutter and Suntop disappear, shutting his eyes tightly. That was not..good. Not good at all. Perhaps it's time for him to make himself scarce, too. Violet moves over and places her arm around Flashfire, knowing how close he is to Suntop.. She looks at him for a while in muted silence.... Nightfall moves the couple of steps and sets a hand lightly on Flashfire's shoulder, offering comfort -- whether for him or herself is to be determined. Flashfire doesn't look comfortable at all with anyone touching him or even trying to comfort him. "Let me be.." he warns, slipping away from both Violet and Nightfall to stand up and step away. Violet frowns and looks up at Nightfall, shrugging her shoulders Nightfall nods, to Flashfire, then turns and leaps back up to the branch she inhabited earlier, catching it with one hand and gracefully twisting to sit on it. Nightfall pauses thoughtfully, then moves further into the tree. You climb carefully onto a thick branch and pull yourself along, carefull to keep your balance. Skywatching branch You find yourself atop a thick branch, that could hold perhaps three elves. Looking up you see that the branches have grown in such a way as to let an opening up to the sky, allowing for easier stargazing. The view is excellent, as the leaves are starting to fall, leaving more openings in the canopy above you. The multi-colored leaves fall to the ground gracefully as your movements cause them to drop. 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: Cutter Obvious exits: Back into the Tree Nightfall pauses, then leaps to a nearby branch, saying softly, "Cutter..?" Cutter sits on the branch with one knee against his chest and the other leg dangling off to counterbalance him. One long arm is draped over that knee, the other rests in his lap. His chin is tilted up toward the sky overhead. "Are you all going to lecture me at once?" Emotion-roughened voice. He doesn't turn to look at her. Nightfall leaps lightly to the same branch and slips her arms around you, if allowed to. Tilting her head forward, eyes mostly closed, she says softly, "No." Cutter makes no move to prevent you from putting your arms around him. Neither does he make any effort to return the gesture, or to accept it. He simply sits in the same position, eyes still on the sky above. His chin dips faintly, and he offers, "Good." You sense in a locksend, Flashfire isn't sure if he had anything to do with your departure, and he's not entirely sure where you've went, either. But he sends, mutedly, ** I'm sorry..just need to be by myself for a while. I didn't mean to shun you. ** Just in case that has anything to do with it. ** I hope everything will be all right. ** Nightfall lets out her eyes in a soft huff of mild amusement. Folding one leg underneath her, she hugs lightly and sits next to you, the other foot propped next to her on the branch. "You've always been better at lecturing yourself than I ever could be." You locksend to Flashfire, Nightfall's departure had more to do with seeking out Cutter than anything else. ** I wasn't sure. And ... I don't know how everything will be. ** You sense in a locksend, Flashfire sends the effect of a nod and a thin smile. ** Aye.. ** Cutter's eyes slip closed for a moment, then open again; his gaze returns unerringly to the stars. "He went too far, Nightfall. If .. I was trying to protect him, and instead ..."