From dmhartma@students.wisc.eduTue Mar 19 18:26:52 1996 Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 01:46:57 -0500 From: Dorinda Hartmann To: dewshine@eskimo.com Cc: joyleaf@lupine.org Subject: Ree, BC, & Swv: pre-Wandering Note: This log is from the perspective of Soulweaver. <> Plainsrunner Canyon The Plainsrunner have set up permanent camp here in the canyon. You see many tents scattered along the sides of the canyon and cookfires in front of them in addition to racks for drying meat. There are corrals in a side canyon to the southeast where the horses stay and smoke rising from other side canyons hinting to more tents you cannot see. It grows cold as the evening falls. Dry leaves whisper in the wind. Contents: Briarcatch Main Campfire Obvious exits: South of Plains Mtn Corral Clan Cave Deer Canyon North Canyon Soulweaver lopes down from her perch, scenting the evening wind lazily. Briarcatch stands by the campfire, arms tucked across his chest, and studying the fire intently. At the sound of Soulweaver's approach, he looks up, and grins faintly, eyes picking up flickers from the fire. ** Cousin. ** Soulweaver lifts her chin briefly in a fond hello, shaggy strands of hair falling across her eyes. ** Little cousin! Still wakeful? Sun's going down, you know. ** There's a teasing lilt to the send, as if you drop dead as a squashed slug once the light has gone from the sky. Briarcatch's grin widens, but he nods. ** Still awake, and will be for awhile yet. I can't sleep. I've tried. Buried in the furs in the cave, and told myself to rest before I'm needed again.. but there's something.. ** Soulweaver tips her head, considering this seriously, tongue-tip touching one fang as she scents the air more deeply than before. ** Something...? ** Her eyes squint nearly shut as she reaches out with her age and blood-honed senses. Finally, she pushes out her bottom lip, puzzled. ** Can't find it, whatever it is. ** Briarcatch sends openly ** No? _You_ can't smell it? ** Briarcatch shrugs, and draws a deep breath. ** Smells like.. change. ** He winks. Aureole enters the main campsite from Deer Canyon. Aureole has arrived. Soulweaver takes that at face value for a moment, the subtleties passing right over her straightforward-if-sometimes-not-too-clever head. She snuffs deeply. ** Change?? ** Aureole bounces in in light steps, and smiles at her two guardians as she trots over. Soulweaver regards Aureole with fond indulgence, lifting one sharp-nailed hand in a lazy greeting. She sifts the evening scents again. ** Well... the weather turns, as it always does. Season of sleep, before we reach the whitecold... ** she offers dubiously. Briarcatch chuckles now, and again the firelight catches in his eyes, as he turns to look at Aureole. ** Not season's change, Soulweaver. It's more than that. - This- wind wants to move us. Tugs at us.. 'ree? Do you feel it? ** Aureole quirks her head, and peers at Briarcatch thoughtfully. ** I've felt something... ** she acknowledges. Soulweaver wrinkles her nose in exuberant puzzlement, giving a hoarse 'grfff.' ** Maybe my age is showing, if you two tail-chasers have all the answers and I'm left with none. ** Aureole glances to Soulweaver, and tells her, ** Briarcatch... ** Back to that one her blue gaze goes, as she goes on with a bit of a giggle, ** ... has had a burr in his boot for a while now... ** Briarcatch chuckles. "Or maybe it means that some of us are meant to move, and some of us are meant to stay. For me... it's time to move." Aureole's pale brows draw together as she steps closer. ** This is what you wanted to talk to me about, isn't it? ** Briarcatch nods at Aureole. "But I didn't know it for certain. It was just... like an itch, then. Right between your shoulder blades. The kind you can't get at? " Aureole observes with a sudden flash of insight, ** Like when I went on the Walk . ** Her nose wrinkles. Soulweaver looks from one of her young denmates to the other, gnawing absently on a knuckle, vaguely curious. Briarcatch nods. "You see? It wants to move.. go somewhere other than back and forth from watch to cave and watch again." He paces a few steps in an arc either way around the curve of the fire, and back again. And then he stops, and looks at Soulweaver. "Maybe I can finish." Soulweaver gives the mental equivalent of a startled grunt. ** Eh? Finish what? ** Her mind's touch seems a bit scattered and hazy, as if it's half-occupied with thoughts of other things, scents, anticipation of the ritual of the hunt. Briarcatch sends brightly, ** The Walk, Soulweaver. ** Aureole blinks once or twice at Briarcatch, her blue gaze going full. ** You're. .. going now. ** Soulweaver slaps her own forehead, giving a shake like a wet wolf. She seems to have clicked into the discussion now. ** Ah! The name-seeking this elf-pack does. I remember it now. You're off to find yourself a new name, then, little cousin ? ** Briarcatch's gaze goes back to Aureole. "Why not? If I want to go.. If I feel like I -could- go.. why shouldn't I? Ree.. I failed.. a long time ago. And I've been waiting for the chance to try again.." Aureole seems to ponder that question herself, perhaps, as her mouth quirks around an uncertain grin. ** Then you, uh, ought to go, ** she sends, brightly enough. Soulweaver nods in uncomplicated agreement. ** What about you? ** she sends bluntly at Ree. ** You didn't bring back your new name either, did you? So go find them together, save trouble. <> <> ** Soulweaver shrugs. The image of the pack-hunt as the best kind reverberates through her, body and soul. Remembering, suddenly, that this idea had been brought up before, Ree peers curiously at Briarcatch. ** I... ** Briarcatch looks from Soulweaver to Aureole, back to his cousin, and then back again to Aureole. ** We don't.. usually travel together, Soulweaver. ** Soulweaver looks at Briarcatch as if he has suddenly sprouted a horn. Her send rings with confident wolfish scorn. ** Whyever not? ** She snorts and looks at Ree sternly. ** What have I taught you all this time about the hunt? ** Aureole responds promptly, ** Safer in a pack... ** Briarcatch answers after Aureole, ** And easier to track down. ** Soulweaver nods approvingly at Ree's answer, and then rolls her eyes at Briarcatch. ** Track down. Pellets. ** She runs a hand over her tangled hair. ** Solo-hunt teaches you to be a loner. And that way lies no good. Pack-hunt is the best way, brings the hunters together, binds the elf-pack as it does the wolf-pack. Safer, better. <> ** Aureole giggles a little, looking between the two. Briarcatch mmmfs. Briarcatch can't help but grin a bit himself though, and he arches an eyebrow at Aureole. "Pack-hunt, hmm?" Aureole looks just up at Briarcatch, that smile taking a slightly stronger hold of her mouth. ** Well, um, if we're gonna hunt two names... ** Soulweaver rests her hands on her hips, radiating agreement. ** Besides, that way I wouldn't have to miss you cubs one at a time. We can get this over with sooner, get you back where you belong, taking up room and causing trouble around the den. ** She grins. Briarcatch nods, almost solemnly. "Two names. It wouldn't do to have the tribe trying to call us both by the same name, would it?" Aureole's eyes slowly brighten, as she studies Briarcatch, perhaps only lingeringly aware of Soulweaver now. She giggles, just a trifle, again. ** That'd be silly, ** she agrees. Soulweaver rumbles low, deep in her chest, a sound of contentment. She eyes her packmates with a distinct air of feeling pleased with herself. With apparent unconcern she gives an athletic stre-e-e-e-tch of her spine and flicks a dry leaf from her hair into the fire, where it vanishes in a brief blaze. Briarcatch glances up at the stars overhead, and sends, ** With Whitecold coming, it won't be easy.. ** Aureole ventures, ** I've done blizzards, before...** Briarcatch blinks, then laughs, as he looks down again. "I guess you have.. but this time, no nearly freezing, promise?" Soulweaver can't help but chime in, whether or not the cubs are really listening . ** Two can stay much warmer than one. If they do it right. ** Her eyes glint with violet wickedness. Briarcatch grins at Soulweaver, and then looks back to Aureole, and asks, ** Will you go with me? To keep me safe then, Huntress Ree? ** Aureole lifts a hand to Briarcatch's shoulder, and answers earnestly, ** I'll watch your back for you, Pathkeeper leader... ** Soulweaver turns from her pleased and lazy stare into the fire, to fix each of you in turn with a bit of a glare. ** You'd -both- best watch out for each other. Take good care. I want you back here alive and kicking! Understand? ** Her send growls, but it's the protective mother-wolf growl, shaking you lovingly by the mental scruff for emphasis. Aureole abruptly laughs, happily, and hugs Soulweaver. Briarcatch nods. "And I'll watch yours." And then he winces, faintly, at Soulwaver's 'shaking'. "We'll be fine, Soulweaver. Aureole and I could fight off anything.." He winks at his companion-to-be . Soulweaver squeezes the tall and slender maiden tight, giving an affectionate nip to one of her bare shoulders before letting her go. Aureole then turns, eyes glimmering, and hugs Briarcatch. Soulweaver squints at Briarcatch for a moment as Aureole embraces him, and then gives him an understanding grin. ** You know, Pathkeeper cousin, I do believe you. ** She reaches out and tweaks a lock of Briarcatch's hair. Briarcatch hugs Aureole warmly, and releases her, just in time to be tweaked. Briarcatch blinks then, and glances at Soulweaver, eyebrows lifting in sent question. Briarcatch locksends ** Like... Blackmorn and Starwing. ** Soulweaver's eyes flicker politely over Briarcatch's face, meeting his own eyes for a bit longer than is usual with her. You locksend ** No. Like Briarcatch and Aureole. Or like those-who-were those two, who will find new names. Blazing a new path for yourselves. ** to Briarcatch. Briarcatch grins lopsidedly at Soulweaver, and nods. "It's settled then." Briarcatch says "At first light then.." Aureole nods once, a light in her eyes. She might not be her mother Starwing -- but with, perhaps, the same kind of joy, she smiles at the prospect of the Walk. Briarcatch stretches now, and stifles a yawn. "I should sleep.." Aureole links an arm through Briarcatch's, murmurs, ** With me? ** Soulweaver turns with a spring on the balls of her feet, lifting her face to the evening breeze and inhaling with savory delight. Her eyes sparkle. ** Sleeping at night? My cousin is having more of an effect on you every day. As for me-- <>. ** Fangs glint in firelight as she grins with feral pleasure. Briarcatch grins. ** With you, if that's where you want to be. ** Briarcatch grins then at Soulweaver. "Hunt well, Soulweaver. And when we come back, we'll have tales for you." Soulweaver looks at Briarcatch and Aureole, and nods once, strongly. ** See that you do. Liven up this old wolf's days. And if either of you come back less than whole, you'll have -me- to contend with. Right? ** A husky, playful growl, then the huntress is turning to lope from the canyon. Aureole grins to Soulweaver, sending only, ** Who says I'm going to sleep? ** as she leads Briarcatch off. You locksend, to Briarcatch, Aureole: Soulweaver's mental touch envelops you both, briefly, with a tingle of affection and-- especially in Ree's case-- earthy approval. Then the touch fades into the redness of the hunt-haze, and is gone. <>