Log by Northwind
Log Date: 3/22/03
Summary:
Cutter goes dream-berry picking and Northwind and Shadows tag along. Northwind 
discovers dreamberries. 


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 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. All is quiet in the heat of the summers 
afternoon. The father tree is quiet as elves and wolves sleep in their dens, 
while others choose to sleep outdoors.

Northwind sits among the roots of the Father Tree, sharpening a spindly piece of 
driftwood she found. It is tough and light, and long enough to be used as a 
spear.

Cutter steps out of Pike's den carrying a couple of large baskets. Both are 
stained around the edges with a definite purplish hue. Both appear to be empty, 
however. He pauses in his steps as he catches sight of Northwind and he grins, 
**Ayooah, Northwind!** he sends.

Shadows is sleeping soundly on one of the roots of the father tree. He's been 
very tired and with the lack of food, sleeping is probably better then running 
around.

Sunrest raises his head from Northwind's lap. The russet tail thumps his 
personal acknowledgement and welcome to Cutter. ** Ayooah ** the pale elf maid 
returns, looking up. Her sending is quieter, in deference to the sleeping 
Shadows, but warm. She smiles at Cutter and holds up the almost-spear, twirling 
it experimentally.

Cutter is standing at the base of the Father Tree, dreamberry baskets in hand. 
Northwind is sitting on the ground holding a piece of wood that she appears to 
be fashioning into a spear with a sleeping Sunrest using her lap for a pillow. 
**Pike says we don't have many dreamberries left after the howl so, I'm going to 
pick some, Would you like to come along?**

Shadows stretches out and smiles a bit. Apparently his dreams are rather 
enjoyable at this point. However there is movement and it causes him to raise 
his head. ** Huh? Wha? What's going on? **

** Dreamberries?! ** Northwind sits up abruptly, causing to start to his feet. A 
frown darkens the elf's brow. ** They make you ill! ** she exclaims, before 
turning her head to glance apologetically at Shadows.

Cutter's brows arch high at Northwind's reaction to the mere mention of 
dreamberries. He blinks a few times then chuckles, **They'll make you feel a 
little under the weather if you eat too many.** he replies to her. He glances 
over at Shadows and grins, **I'm going to pick some dreamberries. Pike says 
we're nearly out of them.**

Shadows makes a slight face, ** Pike shouldn't have eaten them all. ** He 
stretches his scrawny frame out and accidentally rolls off the root to the 
ground, ** ACK! **

Northwind sends the image of Redlance being sick, her sending colored with 
uncertainty. A thump and a sharp sending and she sees Shadows on the ground, 
being licked enthusiastically by Sunrest.

Bramble grins and chuckles as she catches the tail end of the conversation as 
she joins the group. ** I think Pike usually has help in eating dreamberries. **

Shadows gasps as the wolf starts slobbering on him. He eeps and tries pushing 
him away.

** Sunrest ** Northwind sends chidingly. Shadows is so frail, he doesn't seem up 
to fending off the energetic attentions of the wolf. She looks up at the 
chuckle. ** Ayooah. I didn't catch your name the last time ** she sends to the 
other female elf.

Bramble chuckles softly at the wolf's antics and then grins at Northwind. ** I'm 
Bramble. Things were a little...strange last time. ** She looks around. ** Much 
more peaceful here without Underworlders looming over you. **

Shadows pets the wolf roughly and smiles. ** Its okay, I do not mind. **

Cutter grins at the antics going on around him and with a shake of his head, he 
turns to follow the path around the father tree, **Well, I promised Pike he'd 
have some dreamberries so, I guess I'd better get to picking.** he sends with a 
grin. He does turn to look at Northwind with a wry smiles curling his mouth, 
**Redlance ate too many.** he sends in reply to her send image.

Northwind flicks her eyes to Cutter and then back to Bramble to find her gone, 
like a figment of her mind. Bemused, she rises to her feet. Sunrest gives 
Shadows one last slobbering lick before coming to press against her leg. ** I'll 
help ** she volunteers.

Shadows grabs the wolf's tail and lets it drag him along. He grins up at Cutter. 
** Are you SURE you want to give THAT one more dream berries? **

Cutter chuckles and nods as he moves around the tree and toward the grove where 
the dreamberries bushes are thriving well, even if the game is still rather 
scarce.

Cutter walks around to the back of the Father Tree.

You walk around to the back of the Father Tree.

You leave the clearing.

Pike's Grove

The lands of the Abode surround you.

	Natural-seeming rock formations jut out of the ground giving a ruddy 
backdrop to a grove of low bushes. The bright, emerald color of the leaves and 
tiny purple berries on each bush lend a festive splash of color to the area. The 
fragrant fruits hang heavy on the branches and just one taste will confirm any 
suspicions of just what they are: dreamberries. Deep green mosses cling to the 
stones that seem to have so many places to sit and enjoy the ripe fruits.

You enter Pike's grove.

Shadows arrives from the clearing.

Northwind looks around. She's never ventured this way before. She watches Cutter 
to see what he does, still learning forest ways. Wolfrider ways.

Shadows follows slowly behind the pair. His expression is quiet, peaceful. Now 
and then he glances about, hoping to see a ravvit or brushtail.

Cutter strides into the grove and sets one of the baskets down. The other, he 
takes with him as he moves toward one of the bushes, heavy with ripe berries. He 
reaches in, plucks a few from the bush, drops them into the basket. He repeats 
this several times before he pops a couple of the succulent berries into his 
mouth.

Northwind watches Cutter. ** Do we pick them all? ** she asks.

Cutter shakes his head, **No, just filling up the baskets should be plenty. Pike 
will pick more to dry for the whitecold howls.**

Shadows looks at the berries and smiles a little, ** I can make them a bit 
bigger if you like. **

Northwind gets down on her knees beside a bush and touches the purple berries 
lightly. She glances at Shadows. ** I thought you didn't like dreamberries? ** 
she asks him. She picks a berry and puts it in the other basket Cutter had left. 
** I meant, how do we see which are good? **

Cutter shakes his head, **No. They're just fine the way they are. There's no 
sense in you using your magic to make them bigger when you look as if you will 
blow away in the next good wind.** he sends to Shadows then grins over at 
Northwind, **You taste them, of course.** he sends as he pops another berry or 
two into his mouth.

Shadows sees a nice mossy rock with his name on it and immediately sits down to 
watch the others. ** The berries are something I have not eaten in a while. I am 
still unsure of the memories. **

Northwind can't help the skeptical look at Cutter's suggestion. The image of 
Redlance being ill is vivid in her mind. But he said it was because Redlance ate 
too many of them. Well, one should be all right, she supposed. She picks another 
and tentatively puts it in her mouth, breaking the skin and chewing the juicy 
berry.

Cutter chuckles as he watches Northwind try one of the berries. He doesn't 
comment, only returns to picking the berries. He works his way around the one 
bush, only choosing the darkest colored berries and leaving the green ones to 
ripen. He moves on to the next bush then.

Shadows leans back against the nice moss and smiles as Northwind tries the 
berry. The elf then closes his eyes to relax a bit. ** Good aren't they? **

Northwind looks thoughtful as she considers the strange taste. Sweet... and ... 
suddenly, the summer night feels very warm. ** Passable ** she replies to 
Shadows, absently pulling her hair away from her skin. She picks another two, 
putting one in the basket and another in her mouth.

Shadows gives a knowing smirk to Cutter and just shakes his head a little. His 
attention is given back to Northwind. ** Try the darker ones. They are riper. **

Cutter just grins. If one is paying close attention, they might notice that 
there is a bit of a ruddy glow to his cheeks and his eyes are slightly glazed 
from all of the berries that have found their way to his mouth instead of into 
the basket.

Northwind shifts to a more comfortable position, sitting crosslegged on the 
forest floor. Her basket is filling slowly. She thinks that she is beginning to 
distinguish the better ones.. and but just to make sure, she tries a few more. 
** I think you're right, Shadows ** she says absently. She pushes an attention-
seeking Sunrest away. The wolf appeals to Cutter next for scratches.

Cutter gives the wolf a few friendly pats and scratches with one hand while the 
other continues to harvest berries. Done with the second bush, he moves on to a 
third. Though his basket is rapidly filling, his cheeks seem to be turning 
redder the closer he gets to filling the basket.

Shadows starts laughing at Cutter and leans back on the mossy bed looking very 
comfy. He's stretched out and his ribbed chest pronouncedly announces its unfed 
state. ** Do you like them? **

Dissatisfied with the absent attentions, Sunrest goes to lie down beside 
Shadows. ** They're... very nice... ** Northwind says. It would seem that a 
goodly portion of her harvest is disappearing on its way to her basket. She 
frowns faintly as she compares her collection to Cutter's.

Cutter glances over at Northwind's basket and chuckles, **You'd better slow down 
on those or you'll be sick.** he sends to her even as he pops another one into 
his mouth.

Shadows is still laughing softly. He reaches over and snags a berry. Looking 
with curiosity at the dark orb, contemplating eating it. ** Yes, save some for 
Pike now....**

Northwind transfers her frown to Cutter. She looks faintly muddled. And her face 
feels hot again. ** I don't feel sick ** she protests. She looks at Shadows ** 
And there's plenty for Pike ** she adds irritably.

Cutter's basket is full so, he takes the remaining berries that he had just 
picked and pops them into his mouth. He then grins and leans back against one of 
the moss-covered rocks and drifts off into a memory filled sleep.

** Eh? ** Northwind looks at Cutter a little blearily. ** That looks like a good 
idea, Cutter ** she sends to the oblivious elf. She looks around for a 
comfortable backrest. ** Sunrest ** she calls. Her wolfbrother pads over, 
slightly puzzled. She manages to make him understand what she wants and curls up 
against him. ** Ahh..... ** And then dreams claim her.

Shadows watches Cutter slowly pass out. Not feeling as nervous now, he munches 
on a berry or two. Carefully he gets down and makes the moss nice and thick to 
give him a comforting sleep. The patch of moss continues to spread a bit so that 
it will accommodate a few elves. He feels the warmth filling him from the few 
berries he has enjoyed. However the magic use saps him a bit. He yawns and 
glances around spying Northwind. A slight smile on his face as he heads over to 
pick Northwind up and lay her next to Cutter. He gives the wolf a grin and a 
welcoming send as he too makes himself comfortable. He's very tired now. With a 
contented sigh at his little 'family', he curls besides the two and snugs close. 
The look of peace takes hold of him and finally he too succumbs to sleep.

You sense in a locksend, Shadows is dreaming and shares a bit of a memory with 
Northwind if she is listening. Shadows is a young cub and running happily 
through the holt, a strange holt. His parents look on lovingly and the young 
Shadows jumps out at unsuspecting elves. Laughter erupts in the tribe. There is 
so much love. At Shadows' feet is a baby wolf frolicking.

Lying between the other two elves, Northwind stirs slightly as Shadows' locksend 
fills her head with misty pictures.

Shadows appears to be very happy as he just curls tighter against the two. There 
is a feeling of safety and love that has long been gone. And perhaps for once, 
the elf knows what it is to be a wolfrider.