Log file from Skywise. 3/21/2000 2:02:18 PM 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 morning. The father tree is quiet as elves and wolves alike seek to their dens. Woodlock smiles in greeting, but otherwise is resting against the trunk of a tree. Skywise wanders in to the clearing, his eyes raised up towards the hill. Would it be such a surprise if he's headed up there? Giving a wide grin, he waves to Woodlock and halts. "Heyla. Think he's up there?" Since Furr has decided to make a home on the hill, Skywise is a little careful about going up there. Woodlock frowns faintly towards the hill. "Still making trouble?" He gets to his feet, thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's time to check." He does seem to have developed a certain distrust of the, ah, visitor. Skywise would likely be more relaxed around a rabid wolf, than this uh, visitor. "Aye. Had Shenshen run away in tears, just the other eve." The 'gazer mumbles, glancing back up the hill. Woodlock narrows his eyes slightly. "Strongbow had a talk with him, too." He shrughs, and follows Skywise. "More than a talk, by the looks of him." Skywise comments, somewhat satisfied. "You think it's true, that old wolves just can not learn?" It honestly has the 'gazer boggled, seeing that even Treestump find ease in picking up new tricks. Woodlock says "And none so old as he, if he tells the truth. Unless, perhaps, Rillwhisper and her mate are of a similar age." Woodlock is talking quietly with Skywise, casting glances towards the hill. There were about to head there, when Shenshen arrives. Shenshen wanders in from the Hill, humming a lighthearted song to herself. It's a Festival song, wholly unappropriate in the rapidly chilling air of Deathsleep season, yet it doesn't stop her slightly-off key voice from rising in the lilting refrain. The sound of voices catches her ears, just barely over her own, and she calls out a greeting. "Sweet water!" Woodlock turns slightly to face Shenshen, and gives his fellow villager a quiet smile. "Shade, Shenshen." Skywise nods to Woodlock's words, his eyes seeking towards Shenshen's general direction. His cheeky grin appears and he raises a hand to wave to the maiden. "Heyla, Shenshen!" Furr enters the clearing carrying a rather large Buck over his shoulders. Shenshen wiggles her fingers in greeting at the two elves. "What are you two doing over here? Following me?" The teasing in her voice is soon hidden by giggles. "I was just coming back from the hill." She brandishes a handful of the reeds in demonstration. Woodlock smiles at Shenshen's reeds. Then moves his gaze to the one entering right after her. After a moment, he nods by way of greeting. Furr drops the buck in front of the elves, "This is for you all." "It's in how you walk, Shenshen." Skywise blurts out, winking impishly as he trots towards the maiden. His eyes gaze over her shoulder at the elf behind her, his expression turning neutral. "In how I walk? What do you mean?" She glances over in surprise as Furr seems to have followed her in, wrinkling her nose delicately at the very large dead animal dropped at the feet of her slippers. Shenshen gives Furr a curious look, clutching the reeds tightly to her chest, but says nothing to him. You locksend ** Think he put a stripeback in the buck? ** to Woodlock. Woodlock regards the buck gravely, then tells Furr. "Well hunted, Furr." Woodlock locksends ** Only one way to find out... ** Skywise steps up behind Shenshen, now nodding slightly towards Furr. "Aye." is all he says to Woodlock's comment. Or is it something else he's answering to? Shenshen glances over at Skywise and steps a bit closer to him, smiling. She casts another look at Furr but otherwise ignores him. A hint of a send sparks in her eyes. Shenshen locksends, to Skywise, Woodlock: ** I wish he'd just leave! ** Furr nods slightly in return before turning and walking back to where he came from. Furr climbs carefully up the hill that overlooks the river. Woodlock locksends, to Skywise, Shenshen: ** It seems you got your wish, Shenshen. ** Skywise returns the smile, easily. Though his eyes widens slightly at the very surprising send recieved. Not exactly what he'd expect from Shenshen at all, but considering the elf in question... would it be a surprise? "Uh huh." he replies to the sends, unsheathing his blade to gut the buck. Looking for something? Shenshen wrinkles her nose as Skywise turns to butcher the animal. Even in the Sun Village, she always found a way to avoid the preparing of meat. "I...um, maybe I should go check on him? I didn't mean to sound so...." She turns to regard where Furr wandered off to with a confused look on her face. Woodlock quickly offers to Shenshen. "I will go with you." He gives Skywise a quizzical look. "Coming." Skywise is not about to leave Shenshen alone with that elf with a burr up his tail, wiping his blade off. No stripeback's in the buck, he grimaces a little even. "It's a good kill." he has to say, though his cheeky grin appears again and he offers a hand toward Shenshen. "What did you tell him, anyway?" "Tell who what?" Shenshen's brows furrow together in surprise. "I didn't say anything at all to him. Remember, he doesn't want to know an elf like me!" When her feathers get ruffled, they seem to get -ruffled-. But she pauses in her steps towards the hill, waiting for the stargazer to catch up. Hill Standing atop the slope, you have an incredible view of the SilverRun river, to the west of the holt and to the Northeast you see the huge branches of the immense father tree in the distance, reaching upward to the sky.. The land here rises softly in a gentle slope, then drops off steeply to the river bank which hems in the western side of the holt. The land around you is covered over with brown and drying grass, dotted here and there with colorful stray leaves from the neighboring trees. It is a cool autumn afternoon. The father tree is quiet as elves and wolves sleep in their dens. Furr is sitting under his bush as usual, feet sticking out from beneath the foliage. Woodlock stops on top of the hill, folding his arms over his chest and regarding the bush calmly. Skywise catches up to Shenshen, trotting up the hill. "His loss." he comments to the maiden's outburst, giving a playful grin her way. As Woodlock stops, he does too and imitates his posture. Shenshen's slippered feet follow the two wolfriders. As they cross their arms, she puts her hands on her knees and tilts her head to the side, trying to peer under the bush. "What are we looking at? Is Furr hiding again?" Her eyes blink in curiosity. **Furr? Are you in there?** Furr wiggles his toes as he sends openly, "I am here" Skywise shrugs and looks back to Shenshen. A slight gleam in his eyes and he suddenly moves to pounce her, this is an excellent place to do such neh? "What you have there, anyway?" He playfully tries to snag the reeds out of Shenshen's hand. Her concentration on Furr, she misses Skywise's pounce and gives an alarmed squeal of laughter, hiding the reeds from him. "Those are mine, Skywise!" Woodlock regards the Furr-bush, and states quietly. "We appreciate your offering Furr. You have no need to hide from us." Furr hurmpfs. As /if/ he was hiding. "I am not hiding. This is my holt", he rustles his bush a bit. Woodlock replies mildly. "As you say, Furr. There is no reason for us to disturb you further, then." He looks over to the others. Shenshen gives Furr a blank look, shaking her head. "What do you mean, your holt? It's everyone's holt. Nobody owns it." She nudges Skywise, still holding the reeds away from him. Skywise snickers and wiggles on Shenshen a bit, until bits of the conversation reaches his ears. With a sigh he gives Shenshen a squeeze-hug, then glances over at Woodlock. "Old wolves can /never/ learn new tricks." he comments, heading back down the hill. "Woodlock, let's walk and see if we can find a spot to see the stars." Woodlock says "Aye." Furr pops his head out of the bush, "No wait!