Log by Northwind Log Mar1203 Northwind Shadows Redlance.txt Title: Sharing Summary: Northwind shares a bit of her background with Shadows. Redlance is hung over from the Howl the night before. Behind the Father Tree As you walk around the Father Tree, you come upon a sight unexpected in a Wolfrider Holt. It is evident that Redlance has been putting to use the skills learned long ago in the Sun Village. A neatly tilled garden lies in front of you, a few green buds appear in the loamy soil and along the edges of the garden are stakes, set in even rows to be used for support of slender stalks as they grow. A tiny opening leads into the back of the Father Tree. Off to the north- east lies another large tree, small in comparison to the Father Tree, but quite large enough to house many elves. As the daystar sets the air turns chilly in the NewGreen evening. Northwind reclines against one of the protruding roots of what she now knows is referred to as the Father Tree. In an unguarded moment, her reserve is gone and she muses her wolf-friend's bright pelt affectionately, and is rewarded with a wet lick to her face. She tucks a slim white hand behind her head and leans back, sighing in contentment. Shadows is stretching greatly as he enters the small clearing, looking like he had a long sleep. A slight smile is on his face. Northwind looks up at Shadows' entry. "Good eve, sleepy eyes," she greets, sitting up slightly. A slight shove at the wolf sets him off towards the new arrival. Shadows grins at Northwind. His expression brightening considerably, ** I was comfortable. ** He crouches down to greet the incoming wolf. ** Are you doing well? ** Considerably changed from the distant, reserved creature she has thus far presented to the world, she nods. Her bright hair cascades to a pool on the other side of the root. Sunrest, having tendered his own greeting, returns to her side, laying his chin on her thigh. Shadows heads over to Northwind and grins a bit at her. ** You have long hair....it is very pretty. ** Shadows appears a bit shy, but the compliment is well meant. The shadowed elf's words startle a smile out of Northwind. Sensing her change in mood, Sunrest raises his head and tilts it, inquiring and alert, at the speaker. An unfamiliar sensation runs through Northwind; her face feels hot! Her mouth curves in a faint, shy smile and she self consciously twirls a lock of hair around one finger. ** I like to feel the wind in my hair ** A tinge of wistfullness impinges on her send and it carries overtones of memories of cold, cold wind blowing through a land of white and sparkles. Shadows sits down near Northwind. He grins at her rather affectionately. ** The wind is lovely almost as lovely as you. ** It appears the young plantshaper does have an elf hidden in there somewhere. He just smiles and then shyly looks down at his hands. Tilting her head so she almost echoes Sunrest, the elf maid appears to consider briefly. ** High praise indeed. I don't think I equal the wind in its glory, though. ** She pauses. ** You are very kind, Shadows. You were the first to welcome me to the tribe. ** Then she holds out a hand to Shadows. ** Will you let me share with you? ** she offers. Shadows seems confused. He reaches out a hand though to answer hers. ** Show me? ** The white hand closes around his lightly so that he can pull away if he wishes. ** Yes ** Shadows holds the hand gently and moves to sit closer to Northwind, smiling at her a little. It's taking him everything he's got to be brave enough to address Northwind directly like this. He looks at her face, studying it. Northwind meets the elf's vibrant violet eyes calmly, awaiting his decision. She stays still as he comes closer, her hand still lightly clasping his. On the other side of her, her wolf-friend, Sunrest, lays his head back on her thigh. Northwind is nervous inside, but hides it. She has just offered to share a memory with Shadows, an offer she has never made before. But then, she tells herself firmly, this is a time for many new things. Shadows holds her hand gently, staring back into purest blue eyes. He brings her hand to his face and nuzzles it gently. ** I would like to see... ** Startled by the gesture, Northwind calms herself sternly. She simply nods. Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes and sends. ** White. Cold. The rock beneath her is slippery and she must tread carefully. Mother has often warned her about climbing that icy, treacherous promontory. But it has the best view. And up here, the winds whisper to her. They tell her of the places they have been, the wondrous sights they alone have seen, high up in the air, deep down in the lightless cavern beneath the earth. They sing to her. ** She opens her eyes again. There is yet more to tell but she waits for his reaction before continuing. Shadows shivers a little and has his eyes closes. A smile is on his face. He almost wants to reach out and touch the snow despite the freeze they went through. He opens his eyes, ** It is beautiful. ** ** It is that. But there is more. ** Northwind tells him silently then slips back out of the now of wolf-thought and into the past. ** She remembers, she remembers. Sometimes the winds tell her of dangers. Mother and Father learned quickly to listen when she said that today would be a bad day to hunt for a storm is coming. But neither of them would believe her when she says the winds told her so... ** She smiles at the memory of the child Northwind trying to make her parents believe her. Looking at Shadows, she finishes ** Maybe it's a child's fancy. But the winds sing to me still. ** She looks down, her turn to be abashed. She runs her fingers through Sunrest's russet coat, thinner now than it had been during the whitecold. She dares not think too hard about what she has just done, showing so much of herself to an elf she barely knows. This is the tribe way, to share, she tells herself. Shadows's tears fall down his face. ** I cannot share my past. Not yet. Your world is beautiful. ** The other elf's tears stun Northwind. She pulls her hand free to cover her mouth. ** I didn't mean to make you unhappy ** she cries. Sunrest's head comes up. "Hmmmmrph?" he asks. With a leap, he jumps over Northwind and proceeds to lick Shadows. Northwind scoots back, still appalled at what she has somehow done. Shadows laughs as the wolf licks him. He raises to knees and brings her face to focus on his own, ** NO...these are tears of joy. I am not sad. Few wish to be close to me. I feel a part of something. ** Northwind pauses in her retreat at his reassurance. ** But I felt your emotions. You were sad ** she insisted, half stubborn, half accusing. ** And you are a part of this tribe; how can you say you are not part of anything? ** she asks. To be part of a tribe is... everything! Shadows shakes his head, ** I am a visitor only. Strongbow will never allow me to be part of the tribe. I have wandered for so long. I have felt so alone. But I have begun to feel life again. I am only sad for I have missed so much time in my self-pity. ** ** A visitor too? ** The knowledge makes her look at him through new eyes. She had taken it for granted that he was an accepted member of the pack and tribe here. Perhaps for the first time, Northwind fully takes in the scars on the elf's body and the silent tale they tell. ** You...have been hurt ** she says gentle and subdued. Sunrest quietens down, sitting back on his haunches between the two elves. Shadows nods, ** Many times. It has made me outcast myself from the holts. But I am learning that I can trust others. That I can find peace again. ** ** Here? ** she asks simply. There is a note of wistfulness/hope in the sending. Shadows nods, ** Most members of the holt are kind. Just avoid Strongbow. I'll try to keep him from bothering you. You are a guest here. Just try to help out. ** The glacial blue eyes he had gazed so deeply into before fix on him steadily. ** Strongbow is chief ** she says, tone conferring respect and the obedience inherent to the title. There is a hint of warning in there, even as she is warmed at his offer of protection. Yet, Strongbow is chief and no member of the pack - not even guests - should be 'shielded' from the leader. ** And as I pledged to him, all I have to offer is the tribe's to ask ** she says. Shadows frowns, ** I only wished to help. You don't want Strongbow after you....he is not kind. ** The elf maid's face is impassive and cold for a brief moment. ** Chiefs cannot always be kind. But they have to be strong ** she says distantly. Then her features soften, as does her pose. She lays a hand on Sunrest, the other held out to Shadows ** I know you only mean well, Shadows. You have been nothing but kind all this time since we met ** she says in a conciliatory tone ** I thank you for that ** **Heyla, wolfriders...** Redlance greets and stumbles from his den, hanging over the branch outside the entrance and giving a soft groan... Those berries are still hitting him pretty hard. He's been watching, not that he'll let on to that, but he saw a bit of an opportunity here to defuse things... and after that howl, it NEEDS to be done... Shadows takes the hand again and places it against his face. He closes his eyes, ** You have been kind to me also.....** Of course Redlance picks that time to pipe in. He widens his eyes nervously and releases Northwind. Northwind doesn't quite lose her balance at the abrupt release. The reason for Shadows' withdrawal is apparent enough as she looks up at the red-haired elf looking down from his den high in the Father Tree. ** Ayyoooah ** she sends in greeting. He looks unwell, she notes. "Oooh, gentle..." The Treeshaper replies, pasting on a wan smile... "The howl was rough, I was telling stories... told the one about Skyfire. Tribe was in a rough spot last I saw. Not doing well together, visiting elves thinking they weren't welcome because of Strongbow's unhappiness about the Whitecold, and there being no food..." He lifts an arm and wraps it around his eyes, groaning softly.... Shadows sighs, ** I stayed away from the howl....figured it might be best. ** Northwind's gaze flickers between the two. She missed a howl the evening before, apparently. ** Wh- ** "Why?" she switches to verbal speech, taking her cue from Redlance. "And, why do you look unwell?" she asks the red-haired tree shaper curiously. She'd been told about howls. They are gatherings for the tribe to bond and remember the past chiefs. Celebrations, not unhappy events. Redlance smiles wanly again, rubbing his hand across his brilliant hair "I must have eaten an entire bush full of dreamberries. I feel a little sick. I had to remember the stories, and grow the berries, and to know when they're ripe, I try a few now and then... Then running around in circles at the howl to tell the story... guess I just overdid it." He gives a weak chuckle and carefully rises, creeping to the Father Tree and picking his way down the crafted steps... Shadows turns and leans a little beside Northwind as he watches Redlance, ** I have never been one to eat many dreamberries. When you are alone all it brings up is bad memories. ** Northwind barely heard Shadows' send, with its sinister undertone. Her attention was caught by something the tree shaper had said and she asked as she watched him gingerly descend the steps he himself had shaped, "Dreamberries? What are those?" Redlance chuckles softly "Dreamberries... little purple ... ohhh..." he pauses, turns an unpleasant shade of green, and races around the side of the Father Tree... Northwind jumps nimbly to her feet in alarm as the tree shaper rushes off, looking -very- unwell. She starts to follow... Shadows stays where he is, watching Northwind leave. He thinks for a moment before he tries to reach out, ** Can you stay here? By me? ** ** But the plant-shaper-- ** she protests, brow furrowing in concern as she looks back at him, then in the direction Redlance had disappeared in. Redlance vomits as quietly as he can on the far side of the tree, heaving up rather unpleasant purple bile... ... ewww. A look of understanding flickers on the pale maiden's face. She carefully takes two steps back and sinks down beside Sunrest who was making sneezing noises of disgust. Shadows watches for Redlance and glances at Northwind, ** Someone had too much fun. ** Redlance buries his ick for the moment and then slowly creeps out around the tree, pointing up to his bole and beginning to climb. Queasiness would seem to indicate that he's not even in much of the mood to send right now. But he does manage to mumble half way up "Too much fruit..." Northwind rises and approaches Redlance to help him up as he looks none too steady on his feet. She silently vows then not to touch the dreamberries, ever. Redlance again flashes a wan smile, a pale imitation of his usual serene gleam. He allows himself to be helped up to his den, not prideful, and slips inside. **Thank you, Northwind. I'll be alright, Shadows... Nightfall is here to help me. You should show her your tree!** Shadows gets up and moves to Redlance. He stops when Northwind helps him first. The elf smiles a little and steps back. ** She has more important things to do then be near me. ** After helping Redlance to his den, she climbs back down. Sunrest bumps his head against her leg; they have been lolling about for too long already this night. ** Hunt now ** he sends, a demand. It is newgreen and his blood stirs with the unaccustomed heat. Northwind looks at Shadows. ** I'm off then. Sunrest wants to stretch his legs, it seems. ** She climbs onto Sunrest's back and waves to Shadows as she is carried off, to hunt and howl.