Log Cast: Rayek (editor/logger), Coldfire, Bria Log Date: 3/20/98 Log Intro: After being released from Blue Mountain and the clutches of its Dark Lord, Winnowill, Rayek was reunited with both Palace of High Ones and his lovemate (whom he had tricked into believing deceased) Ktai, only to find that Ktai was pregnant by Recognition with another. Torn by this, though feigning otherwise, Rayek instead took Ktai with him and made the trek to Sorrow's End in hopes of spreading the good news of his release. Unfortunately, the Sun Village was in disarray and the Mother of Memory nowhere to be found.. Rayek spoke with Suntop and was startled to find that during the Festival of Flood and Flower a Raid set by the Underworld had occured, and Savah was one of many taken. Brooding over this as well as his own personal dilemma, the Airwalker is becoming a common sight within the Village walls.. Crossroad The paved pathway widens here and the circular paving blocks are set into the sandy soil in a seemingly random pattern. You can go into the nearby Visitors' Court for a temporary home, or go South to the Dancing Square. To the West the paved pathway wanders towards caves in the nearby hills. To the North the path leads past the well and out onto the desert. The sun is high in the cool autumn skies. Heavy rains have fallen over the village, bringing out an explosion of color as all the plants and seeds that have been dormant through the dry seasons flower at once. Contents: Dawnshadow(#10084DJaeps) Obvious exits: Winding Path Dancing Square Boundary Path Visitors' Courtyard ColdFire enters from the west, walking the Boundary Path. ColdFire has arrived. Rayek pauses towards the center of the Crossroads, his feet slightly lifted from the air as his golden eyes flicker about, as if looking for something. ColdFire enters the crossroads, holding a spear in his right hand. For a moment, the Airwalker's golden gaze lingers on the path leading away from ColdFire, not taking note of the new arrival until he frowns quietly and shifts his attention. He then pauses upon sighting the newly arrived spear-bearer and regards him for a moment before lowering himself to the ground, the moment of toes touching paved earth silent. ** Shade and Sweet Water, ** comes the slightly stiff, but polite, greeting. ColdFire nods his head absently, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. ** Has anything been decided yet? ** He taps the butt of his spear on the ground. The reply is as swift as it is short. ** No. ** There is a slight curl of Rayek's lip, an expression he brushes away as quickly as possible, and he shifts his gaze to regard the southern path, the way to the Dancing Square, as the place known for a center of revelry and good nature is the source of a festering sore he'd rather be rid of as quickly as possible. After a moment, he adds, voice quieted only slightly, ** I have heard no news. ** ColdFire follow's Rayek's gaze southward, a look of pain flicking across his face. "He's totally mad." The whisper is almost lost in the desert breeze. "He will hurt anyone to achieve his own ends." Rayek's eyes snap to ColdFire, gold giving way to hardened amber. In a voice, he speaks aloud, the tone as hard and flat as his sending: "You speak of the new Lord of the Underworld?" ColdFire looks to Rayek, his blue eyes like chips of ice. His smile is feral and wolfen. "It is him that I speak of. Even you, I would pity, were he to touch you." He shifts his weight slightly, as though he might head for the dancing square after all. His knuckles are white upon the shaft of the spear. The Airwalker's eyes widen, amber threatening to dissolve again, and he takes upon himself a tight-lipped silence. . o O (Pity.. if he were to touch you.. Mother of Memory..) Then his gaze seems to solidify somewhat, eyeing ColdFire with new curiousity. "You attended the Raid?" he queries, addressing it as simply as he might've asked his opinion on the weather. ColdFire is still looking south, to the square, as the memories play once more in his mind. His hand touches his marked throat and he turns back once more, studying Rayek's stance. "I was the first to fall." Rayek's eyes flicker, a peculiar expression upon his face, one that cannot really be read, then he takes a single step forward, eyebrows arched. "I was not there.. could you.. perhaps.. weave me the tale of its happenings?" ColdFire smiles, perhaps a little madly. "I could not tell you much, but perhaps the beginning of it. I...do not remember." It is clear that he is lying, or maybe does not wish to speak of it. Rayek gestures with a hand, looking down at the smaller elf with a faint smile. "Whatever you could tell me.." he answers, tone both mild and lined with frusteration. "..would most likely be news to me." ColdFire swallows, noting Rayek's manner, something of the superior bearing seems to spark something in him. "His manner was very polite, much like yours. He was very lavish in his praise of the Mother of Memory." ColdFire closes his eyes, his mind drawing him back. "He sat at her elbow during the celebration...always watching." Rayek blinks once, his expression.. faltered at having been compared to said Lord Morganthe. He frowns deeply, his arms arranging themselves over his chest, yet says nothing, listening intently. ColdFire shudders. "Twilight was settling, and most of us were well full of food and good company...and spirits. He simply stood up, very slowly, and placed a knife to her throat anouncing that he would kill her if we did not yield immediately." His eyes flicker open, shadows playing havoc in the blue. Rayek's eyes widen slightly, amber dissolving to a paler, metallic gold, nostrils flared. "And then?" ColdFire looks again to the dancing square. "I do not know now, why I did...I had a spear, you see...It seemed the quickest way to get her out of danger... Rayek's eyes then narrow, the frown deeper still, and his voice barbed. "What did you do?" ColdFire shifts his gaze, unable to meet the desert dweller's eyes. "I...used it." His fingers once more touch the marks on his throat, his eyes flaring with the memories. Rayek stays silent, serpentine eyes studying the Wolfrider in silence, as if measuring his reaction. His lips form a straight, thin line and his arms unwind slightly from their arrangement over his chest. He then pushes forward, heedless of the smaller elf's reserve: "And?" ColdFire steps back feeling the unspoken threat. ** It isn't obvious to you? I bear his hand, burned on my throat! Even Mender could not take that! ** Rayek's eyes flicker, the golden wall holding back emotions he knows better than to show. His barb has hit its mark, it seems, but pierced deeper than he would have liked. "I meant no offense," he answers mildly, his hard tone softened fractionally. ColdFire bites back a sharp retort, trying to order his thoughts. "I managed to plant my spear in his twisted flesh. He took me by the throat, and the pain began...I do not remember anymore." His words drop off and he turns his back. As the Wolfrider turns his back, Rayek silently fumes. A spear.. a -spear-! If this 'Lord' is as powerful a magic-user as they say.. and as evil as Winnowill.. his spirit would have ran loose within the Palace, wreaking havoc wherever it pleased! If he had been there! If. Only. He. Had. Been. There. If ColdFire turned, he would see the Airwalker's jaw clenched tightly, lines drawn heavily upon his brow. ** And so, Savah, the Mother of Memory, as well as many others, were stolen in to the Underworld, ** he finishes up, his sending tight and sharp. ColdFire nods, his back still turned, not aware of the battling emotions behind him. ** They are gone. Several of my tribe, two lifebearers, Treestump, Tyleet, all of them innnocent, and yielding only for Savah. ** Rayek's eyes spark. Lifebearers? Treestump? Tyleet? The gruff-spoken elder and the red-golden haired maiden of the Lostholt tribe, both he knows, though neither very personally, and.. lifebearers? "They.. took.. lifebearers?" he hisses softly, perhaps showing the first moment of faltering since the conversation began, looking pained. . o O (Ktai!) ColdFire growls, amazed that the dark one seems to question his words. ** As I said, there were lifebearers. Only here for the celebration, surely suffering now for being here...Who knows what -He- plans to do with their cubs.** ** Who knows indeed.. ** Rayek echoes, sounding strained, a hand lifting to pinch the bridge of his nose between forefinger and thumb. . o O (Ktai.. she will most definitely.. she CANnot.. go..) ColdFire holds the spear, almost as though he is not sure of just what he will do with it. ** We must get them back, every one of them. He is beyond madness... ** Rayek seems to regain his posture of before, snorting softly under his breath. "Aye, we must," he gives shortly in reply. "But we cannot until the.. chiefs congregated in this Village speak to one another." Bria arrives from the winding path that goes by the well. Bria has arrived. Bria stalks in obviously angry and growling about fools as she straps on her catclaws ColdFire looks as though he might take this opportunity to retreat from the probing stranger, but holds his ground. ** Then it will need to be done soon, before it is too late. ** Rayek stands towards the center of the Crossroads, obviously in conversation with ColdFire. AT the arrival of another, his chin lifts and golden eyes fall upon the approaching Cat-Elf, silent for the moment. He grants ColdFire the barest of nods in reply, turning his gaze back to him. "I agree," the Airwalker answers smoothly. "I wish they did." ** They've taken another.. now they are stalking our hunting grounds and taking down more **She flexes her hand and the claws shimmer, ** When are these fools going to do what they speak of so urgently?? ** ColdFire pales. ** More? What is this you say? Another raid? ** ** When they find wit enough to work together, ** is Rayek's even, but disdainful send, his attention once more caught by Bria. ** They are returning? ** Bria sends openly ** My tribemate was hunting with another and they were attacked.. the she-wolf was taken and Hedge only just returned ** Rayek's lips purse and he swears softly, "Spirit of Orolin.." before shaking his head. ** This is getting.. ridiculous. ** His fingers, though resting upon his forearms, curl inward into tight fists. ** If these.. these -idiots-!.. ** There is vehemence to the Airwalker's send, violent and sharp. ** ..if they would only cease in their repetitive squabblings and -listen-.. then we could get somewhere! ** Strapping on the second clawed glove she almost hisses her anger, ** THey've taken lifebearers, Stolen my friends and all I hear are arguments over who should be in charge and who has a better plan. Why not mix them together, use two or three plans, confuse the evil ones. Or do I have to take the ones I can find and do it myself while they bicker? ** ** That might be a better plan, ** is Rayek's mild reply. ** Than the stupidity they fling about now. I have spoken to perhaps a handful that have any wit left to them to work together.. There was talk of arranging with other Holts near other entrances.. ** He trails off, frowning lightly, and discards that sending unfinished. ** I have spoken with Suntop about it and I will speak once more. Savah has -already- deemed the sun-haired lad leader.. -They- are just too.. too high in their trees to give way to that. ** Bria growls fingers curling into fists that extend the 3' long claws from the back of each gloved hand. ** They would do well not to anger too many more cats, we don't take lightly to our lifebearer being tortured while they bicker. I want that kitling back in the jungles to bear her kit where she belongs ** ColdFire looks away, his hair falling into his face. He brushes it back with absent fingers and looks back to the dancing square. Rayek gives no reply, eyeing the claws with momentary curiousity, then ignoring them. He looks to Bria and says nothing, the slightest of his eyebrows all that he gives in reply. Bria hisses flexing her hands again wishing the High Ones would drop another evil one here so that she could vent some of her rage to a more managable level ColdFire shivers at the sheer hatred in her voice. ** You play their game now. Don't give in to your hatred cat-elf ** Biting off what she was about to say Bria rubs the claws together, ** I want what they have taken from us.. I want my friends returned and I want them safe. Now, not next season when they fools are done bickering. ** Rayek steps back fluidly, arms once more arranging themselves over his chest as he glances to both of the smaller elves, expression bland. ** If you both are so eager to get this done with, speak with Suntop.. Savah -did- deem him leader.. ** A slight smirk creases his face. ** We can, at least, get -some- order to this. ** Bria growls, ** I will gather the cats, someone has to tell the wolfriders Silvermist was taken ** Rayek says nothing and he sends nothing, nodding silently to Bria in acknowledgement. Growling again Bria spins letting her claws slice through the air before she stalks back to speak with her tribemates Bria wanders North towards the Well and the desert beyond. Bria has left. ColdFire nods to the dark one. ** I will speak with Suntop, count on it. ** Rayek's eyes linger after the departed Cat-Elf, then turn to rest on Coldfire, his head slightly tilted as he nods. ** Good. ** [END LOG]