"A Night for Misunderstandings"

Log Date:
	3/23/02

Log Cast:
	Leafshimmer, Vardeus, Tiana, Starwind, Franni, Virdi (NPC emitted by
Vardeus), Iletya (NPC emitted by Vardeus)

Log Intro:
	Not too terribly long after Vardeus' miraculous return to his crew,
a new band of elves has come into the immediate area: a group of travellers
from the tribe called Briarholt. Franni has already met one of them, whose
wolf-friend almost stole her supper -- and as a result, the chieftess called
Leafshimmer has decided that she must come and make a gesture of apology to
the strange Tall Ones. Because his chieftess finds that the humans' 'chief'
seems friendly, the healer Starwind opts to spend a little time in their
company to get to know these five-fingered strangers, and as he does he
inadvertantly manages to bring matters between Tiana and Vardeus to a head....

----------
Hunting over, and Lucky hopefully safely ensconced back with the rest of the 
  returning travellers from Briarholt, Leafshimmer wanders out again, still 
  not entirely sure about these five-fingers. She sticks to the trees to begin 
  with, watching what is going on. There is an awful lot of them, and they 
  really aren't far from her island. You want to bet that she'll be careful 
  about them. At least that Ferny didn't seem too hostile, not once the wolf 
  wasn't stealing dinner. Shim sighs, wondering how Tacit and the rest of the 
  tribe at home on the island is taking this. Just staying out of sight, no 
  doubt.

There _are_ an awful lot of them -- by easy estimation over two eights of 
  them, camped around the huge broken hulk of the.... _something_ that sprawls 
  on the sandbar. And apparently something has happened recently among them to 
  stir them up, for the sounds of their voices hold a great deal of cheer even 
  if they are unintelligible to most elfin ears. The focus of much of their 
  activity seems to be a tall, sturdy-framed fellow with shaggy sunbleached 
  hair and eyes the color of the ocean, who moves back and forth among them 
  and often calls out loud ringing comments that sound like orders. He seems 
  to talk with everyone at length -- and not just his fellow Tall Ones either. 
  There are other elves apparently camped nearby; the scents of them are in 
  the vicinity, and so is the scen of at least one wolf. What time the big 
  shaggy-haired human doesn't spend talking to everyone in sight he spends 
  thoroughly inspecting the big broken Something... and more than once, 
  expressions of dismay cross his rugged face.
At last, needing a moment alone, Vardeus lopes up the beach a ways to stretch 
  his legs and do a bit more scouting of the immediate area. Maybe he'll find 
  that elusive little creature Wayfound of whom Arnos seems so fond... or 
  maybe some sign of the other elves Franni has reported seem to be camping in 
  the area. He stays within sight of the ship though, and even as he goes on 
  his stroll, he turns to give what's left of his beloved vessel a long liquid 
  look.

Leafshimmer certainly isn't Wayfound, though she watches as the big human male 
  comes her direction, wondering if she should drop down. But she knows 
  there's other elves around, and that Ferny one didn't do anything harmful. 
  Not even when Lucky tried to steal their dinner. Shim actually has a brace 
  of ravvits with her, as you can see when she drops down to the ground, a 
  good five paces away from you easily. She doesn't say anything, just watches 
  for a moment, bow over her shoulder, but obviously not ready for action. One 
  hand goes nervously near to her knives, but they stay put, for now.

It's a soft thump, granted, but Vardeus catches it, letting out a soft hoarse 
  gasp and spinning around in startlement. "((Ach,))" he exclaims 
  involuntarily; _this_ must be one of the new arrivals. He's armed, too, but 
  his hands immediately go out to put obvious distance between them and the 
  daggers sheathed at his belt, and he proffers forth a crooked smile. And 
  awkwardly pronounced elfin words, as well. "Taydes," he ventures.

High Ones, but he's BIG. Shim takes a breath, uneasily, and her brain takes a 
  while to translate that strange pronunciation. Taydes? Tides? Did he just 
  say ... "You've been visiting Raft Holt," she says, surprise quite obvious. 
  Though, come to think of it, Blackhawk (Orenth) is pretty tall himself. Shim 
  pulls herself together, noticeably. "Tides," she replies carefully, just to 
  see if she's got that right. That is what you said, isn't it? "I brought you 
  some ravvits, since Lucky tried to steal your dinner."

Vardeus' brow crinkles as he tries to follow some of those unfamiliar words, 
  but he _thinks_ he catches most of them -- and his grin broadens. "Raft 
  elfs?" he guesses. "Raft elfs help I. Give I elf words, I nae say good..." 
  His expression turns rueful, lightly self-deprecating. "You, uh, say bring 
  food?" Nervous, this one, the Captain thinks. It's not exactly easy for a 
  man who tops six feet in height and has broad sturdy shoulders and limbs 
  besides to look unintimidating, but he gives it his best shot; it helps that 
  those blue eyes of his are openly friendly, perhaps, with no sign of threat 
  to the elfin arrival.

Leafshimmer steps closer, bringing the ravvits, a good three hands of them, 
  tied together with a vine. She sets them down on the ground, and steps back 
  a bit. "Raft elves, yes. Who did you meet?" She quirks her brow at the rest 
  of what you say, but tone of voice, eyes, and body language have her 
  relaxing somewhat. "Redtide? Stormgrace?" Having been to Raft a time or two, 
  the chieftess does know a few of the elves there.

"Kyethaerm help I much," the human offers. "Kyethaerm, Raven, Shayla here." 
  And he gestures back behind him, towards the still ongoing activity around 
  the _Windrider_'s wreck. "I see Staermgrace, Wadderlaerk... Maernantayde, 
  more elfs, many elfs. Coorelfair too. Nae see Redtayde."

Shay'la. oh, that figures. Shim isn't entirely crazy about that Underworlder 
  who slapped Orenth. The wolfrider manages to keep from growling though, not 
  wanting the five fingers to take it amiss. She has to concentrate on his 
  words, his accent is very odd. But he definitely knows some of the Raft 
  elves. How very interesting. "I'm Leafshimmer," she says, making a decision. 
  "chieftess of Briarholt." She doesn't expect that will get understood, and 
  casts about in her mind, wondering how to explain it, if she has to.

"Cheef...tiss. Cheeftiss. You lead elfs? Bree-erhelt elfs?" Ah, he apparently 
  has a bit of a clue, at any rate. He cants his shaggy head a bit, 
  interestedly, before thumping his broad chest with the flat of his palm. "I 
  Vardeus Alirreus. I ((Captain)), huimins." He gestures back behind him 
  again. "Bring food, feed ((crew)), I happy. Thank you."

Leafshimmer is impressed. This five-fingers knows quite a few elf words, it 
  seems. Many more than she knows human, so that's a good thing, isn't it? 
  "Fardos Airr-who?" she can't quite pronounce the name, tongue getting 
  tangled. "Yes, I lead elves. We're going home from a trip to visit friends." 
  Well then, if he understands them, so much the better, she'll just try to 
  explain what he doesn't understand. Right at this point, she's not sure what 
  his vocabulary is. "You and your friends ((cru)) staying here?"

"Vardeus," the human suggests, wryly. "Two name. I have two name. Vardeus one 
  name, better say?" He turns a bit to give the she-elf a better view of his 
  ship and his crew and camp around it, and hopefully also to not loom over 
  her quite so much. "We no go, we stuck. ((Ship)) break." A big five-fingered 
  hand points at the huge broken Thing on the sandbar. "Is ((ship)). Raft elfs 
  say, big raft." And as he utters these last few words, despite the stoic 
  expression he manages to keep, something sneaks into his eyes and his deep 
  rumbling voice that suggests he's taken the breaking of the ship-thing very 
  hard.

Leafshimmer can actually find a bit of pity in her for the poor fellow, though 
  humans this close to Briarholt? What if the island burns again, and they 
  have to come over to Dancer beach? Too many humans and too many elves so 
  close together. It's just asking for trouble, that is. "Very big raft," she 
  says, a little dryly, as she looks over. "Fardos. Vardos? Yes, that's better 
  to say." she tries the name a couple times. She's definitely not much of a 
  linguist. "I'm sorry." She glances out towards the vastdeep, and perhaps 
  Briarholt island is visible from here, off along the coastline. "Maybe we 
  should pass through and camp at Dancer Beach."

The name is unfamiliar to him, and Vardeus shakes himself, blinking down at 
  the elf beside him. "We no hurt elfs," he says swiftly, firmly, wanting to 
  be as clear on this as possible. One of his hands does unconsciously gesture 
  in the air, though, fretfully, before coming up to run just as unconsciously 
  through his unkempt wavy hair. "((Ach)) -- nae have good words. Elfs stay, 
  is good, elfs go, is good. I tell ((crew)), nae hurt elfs. We nae know elfs, 
  home."

Leafshimmer can definitely understand the 'we no hurt elfs' part. She actually 
  chuckles a little. "Where is your home then?" she asks. And impulsively, she 
  adds, "my home is that way," pointing in the general direction of the island 
  anyway. "Be careful if you see strange elves. Some of my tribe - they've 
  been hurt by humans." It's an awkward sort of warning. "I'll tell them to 
  leave you alone." And hopefully it will work.

"Raft elfs tell I, huimins hurt elfs," Vardeus says, solemnly now, inclining 
  his head. And then he pauses, unsure how to answer the question he's been 
  asked. "Home... long go. We on ((ship))... long time. Many moons. We... nae 
  know how go home."

The sound of approaching footsteps is not exactly difficult to miss when the 
  one approaching isn't trying to hide the sounds of her steps. A human 
  female, obviously one of Vardeus's ((crew)) comes walking toward the two, 
  "((Captain..?))" she calls out, then pauses as she catches sight of the elf 
  speaking with Vardeus. Her surprised look turns quickly to a smile then. Her 
  elven is even worse than her Captain's. Obviously the woman hasn't done as 
  much speaking with the little people as the man, "Hailo." She turns then to 
  Vardeus and says in a rather low voice, "((Captain, when you have a 
  moment... I think there's something you should be aware of.))"

Lost. It strikes a chord with Shim, who's not so very long ago, so far as 
  elves go, been at the Palace watching that Scroll unfold a story of beings 
  crash landing. "Lost. Vardos, it sounds to me like you're lost." Her violet 
  eyes darken and she steps over towards the trees for a moment, finding a 
  vine there. Concentration, and it doesn't take long to coax a bud to bloom, 
  so that the elfmaiden can bring over the fragrant pink flower. She holds it 
  out in her open hand, but just stops what she's doing as someone else comes 
  over, taking a moment to make sure things are still safe.

Lost. He didn't have the elf word for it before, but now Vardeus does, and he 
  hauls in a deep breath before he murmurs in acknowledgement, "((Aye.)) I... 
  we... lost. Leefshimmuh say--" And then he cuts off as Tiana hails him, and 
  his head swivels about to find her approaching. "((Tiana? What is it? Just 
  talkin' with one o' the new Little People Franni said she saw, 
  Leefshimmuh.))" He gestures around at the she-elf a careful but still 
  conversational distance away, and to whom he appends, "This Tiana. I... big 
  ((Captain)), she little ((Captain)). She nae have much elf words."

Well, Tiana is shorter than Vardeus? This will therefore make sense to Shim. 
  Though she might not have it right. ((Capin?)) That's a word she's not sure 
  of. Her face might show her puzzlement. Does Vardos mean that these strange 
  five-fingers call themselves all capins? "If she has any, that's more than I 
  have human-words. What is ((capin))?"

Tiana looks over, noticing the flower held in Leafshimmer's hands and she 
  glances about, noting that there is nothing else bearin that particular sort 
  of bloom around here. Her expression turns to wonder as she tries to figure 
  out where the bloom came from. She then looks to Vardeus as he speaks to her 
  then nods her head and looks back at the elf, "Leafshimmuh," she says, doing 
  pretty good at immitating her captain's pronunciation of the name.

"((Captain)) is... like cheef," Vardeus clarifies. "Huimins on ((ship)), have 
  ((Captain)), ((Captain)) lead. I ((Captain)). Tiana help lead." And with 
  that, glancing back at the Tiana in question, the big human male adds to the 
  female who's come to talk to him, "((Leefshimmuh says she is the leader of)) 
  elfs ((called Bree-erhelt.))"

Leafshimmer steps forward to give the blossom in her hand to Vardeus, a sort 
  of commiseration thing, since she is feeling sorry for the poor lost folk. 
  And then she nods her head to Tiana, inspecting the female briefly, catching 
  her scent. "Ti-ahnaa." she tries, herself. Ah, a chief second. That makes 
  sense to her too.

Tiana dips her head in a slight nod as the elf maid tries her name and does a 
  fairly good job of it even if the pronunciation is a bit off. She knows that 
  the few words she does know of the elfin tongue don't roll from her lips 
  very well either. Other than that, she stands quietly waiting for a more 
  opportune moment to discuss something with the captain.

"((She's brought us a bit of food, apparently,))" Vardeus goes on, gesturing 
  at the brace of slain ravvits that have been brought, and by which he now 
  crouches even as he shoots the she-elf a grateful look. To her, also, he 
  goes on, "I say Tiana, you bring food. Is good, we cook, eat tonight. Elfs 
  come, say hello?"

Leafshimmer blinks, now caught in a bit of a quandary. She sets the blossom 
  down near Vardeus as well, then steps back. A grin crosses her face. "We can 
  come say hello, but wolfriders don't cook meat to eat it." She just tries to 
  keep it simple.

Starwind emerges from the small travelling camp.
Starwind has arrived.

Tiana simply looks back and forth between Leafshimmer and her Captain, not 
  catching much of what's being said in the elfin words.

Wait. Come to think of it, hasn't Raven eaten her meat raw? Taking up the 
  offered kill in his big lean hands, Vardeus starts standing up again, 
  keeping all his motions deliberately easy, still anxious to avoid unnerving 
  the elfin visitor. "What... 'woolfraeduh'?" he asks, once again tilting his 
  head curiously.

Ah, there's a word he doesn't understand. This time it's too bad she left 
  Lucky behind. She frowns and then speaks slowly, as Shim thinks through it. 
  "Do you know what a wolf is?" she asks, to start with. "Wolfriders - we ride 
  wolves. They are our friends." Her eyes go to Tiana, and then Shim steps 
  back to that vine. There was another bud, wasn't there? She coaxes it again, 
  and brings the next pink blossom over, holding it out cautiously to Tiana. 
  "For you."

Silent as he is cautious, Starwind skirts the area where the others are 
  standing. His wolf is following him, Trickle making some noise that can be 
  heard before Starwind becomes visible, seeing his chieftess, he figures 
  things must be alright. Keeping silent for the moment at the sight of the 
  humans, he just watches.

Vardeus gets a distinctly strange look at the sight of the she-elf giving her 
  blossom to Tiana... and his hand lingers on the first of the flowers, before 
  he pulls himself completely to his feet, flower in one hand, the ravvits in 
  the other. He starts to offer one hand forward to Tiana, realizes it's the 
  one with the ravvits, and hastily switches them as he rumbles to her in an 
  undertone, "((Perhaps... ye'd better take this 'un too, aye? I'll, ah, 
  probably squash it...))" Then he catches himself and adds more loudly to 
  Leafshimmer, "I know woolf. See woolfs on island, with elfs."

Tiana gets to see her first example of elfin magic in use and her eyes go very 
  wide. "((By the gods! She can make the very plants bloom out of 
  season..?!))" she says this in a awestruck whisper that his half 
  exclaimation, half question as if she doesn't quite believe what she just 
  saw. As the blossom is offered to her she offers a shaky smile and very 
  carefuly takes the lovely thing, "Thaynk yoo," she says, still sounding 
  completely mystified. She straightens and it takes her a moment to digest 
  Vardeus's suggestion that she carry the bloom given to him as well. Finally, 
  she turns and nods slowly as she takes the second bloom and holds both as if 
  they are made of the most precious of materials.

Stretching after a long nap, Franni yawns and works a few kinks out of her 
  neck. Stepping out of the shelter, she looks about for some activity to join.

Leafshimmer is glad that the five fingers seem pleased with the blossom. It's 
  only a little gesture, really. The wind carries a familiar scent as well as 
  a slight noise, and her head tilts as she glances over to locate Starwind. 
  ** Heyla. They seem friendly. Lost. How are you doing? ** No, Orenth likely 
  wouldn't be impressed, but he's probably watching all this from some secret 
  hidden spot anyway. "Heyla Starwind. Come to talk with us too?"

Starwind offers a half smile at Leafshimmer before glancing at those gathered 
  near her. He looks a little nervous at first before answering Leafshimmer in 
  a send at first, ** I'm feeling much better. Where'd you find them? ** He 
  gestures towards the humans, before noticing Franni come from nearby. 
  Reluctant to speak, he doesn't yet.

For a moment, just a fraction of a moment, Vardeus' attention is riveted upon 
  the redhaired human woman at his side; the sight of her so amazed by the 
  blossoms seems to transfix him. But then he belatedly realizes that another 
  elf has approached, and he jerks his attention back to the visitors, lifting 
  up his chin and looking towards Starwind as he draws near. "Taydes," he 
  greets the new elf, a crooked little grin curving his mouth. "Leefshimmuh 
  bring food, say hallo."

Leafshimmer returns Starwind's send, amusement in her tone. ** they were here 
  when I got here. Their big raft seems to have broken. ** Yup, see the 
  remains of the ship? "This is Starwind, part of my tribe," she introduces 
  the newcomer. "Starwind, meet Vardos and Ti-ahnna."

Franni walks out from the main camp and looks about the area. Eyeing a small 
  group assembled a little farther up the beach, she begins to head that way. 
  As she nears them, she notices the strange female she met earlier, 
  Leefshemmerrr?, is there. With her Cap'n and Tiana. Well, might as well 
  visit with 'er again, she thinks to herself. Oooh n' another one? She walks 
  up quietly to the group, not wanting to get the things all frightened like 
  before.

Tiana doesn't notice the lingering look from the captain at all since she's 
  rather busy staring at the flowers in her hands. She blinks and lifts her 
  gaze as she hears the two start talking again and just barely catches the 
  new addition's name, "Haylo, Starrweend," she says giving the name a try and 
  offering a smile and a nod of greeting.

Starwind nods as he looks towards the remains of the ship, and then back to 
  Vardos and company. "Heyla." He greets, if curtly, before his wolf trots 
  back off towards the encampment. Moving over towards his chieftess, where he 
  feels a little more comfortable since they're now outnumbered, Starwind adds 
  to his greeting. "Humans like the ones at Blue Mountain?"

"We, uh... nae see other huimins," Vardeus points out, brow crinkling. "Just 
  Coorelfair, Zo-sa, Shelbor. Staerweend know more huimins?" And then he 
  gestures again towards the shelter and camp around the remains of the ship, 
  encouraging, "Elfs come, we eat? Elfs nae cook food, we cook food, we eat, 
  we talk?"

Franni walks up to the group and raises a hand in greeting, (( 'ello all. See 
  th' girl here brought a friend with 'er this time.)) She looks at 
  Leefshemmerrr and smiles. Without an invitation, she makes herself 
  comfortable within the circle, finding a spot to sit down in the sand. 
  ((That's nice. They be actin' a bit friendlier this time? 'er beastie came 
  right near this close to attackin' me. Called him off though. Thank Seid for 
  that.))

Leafshimmer has actually heard those names before, strange though it seems. 
  "Seems the five-fingers from Blue Mountain beat us here. No wonder, since we 
  wintered at Grove." Her nostrils flare a bit, and she steps back, but then 
  she does smile. "Ferny," she greets. "Some of us will come by, Vardos. A 
  festival is always fun." Or usually it is, anyway. And besides, the 
  Briarholters have to go right by to get out to that island of theirs.

"((Heya, Fran, they've come t' bring us food, an' greet us. Leefshimmuh says 
  it's to make up for 'er wolf tryin' t' take our meat.))" This, Vardeus utters 
  to the young human who's come to join him and Tiana, and to the elves, he 
  adds, pointing Franni out. "I tell Franni, you come, bring food, say hallo. 
  Come, come, we eat, we talk." And, including all in the wide, sweeping gesture 
  of his hand, he indicates the way back to the ship.

Starwind peers between the humans, the one capturing most of his attention is 
  Franni who takes a seat in the sands. "Not surprising no." He seems a bit 
  lost on the conversation, but tries to keep up. "Eat? Talk? I'll go if 
  Leafshimmer does."

Leafshimmer decides she should go tell her tribe about all this, keep the 
  hotheaded ones from doing anything foolish. "I have to go talk to my tribe. 
  Make sure they know you're friendly," she says slowly. "I'll come back 
  later?" she suggests. ** Starwind, you can stay with them, if you want. **

Franni chuckles and claps her hands together, ((She did, did she? That's real 
  nice o' her. I think th' boys were so hungry, they'd put that chewed 'n 
  slobbery meat in their mouths n' swallowed it whole anyways.)) She motions 
  to Leafshemmerrr and smiles, "Leeshemmerrr". Turning back towards Vardeus, 
  ((Ye've been learnin' that growlin' sing song tongue o' theirs. Wots 'is 
  name?)) She tilts her head towards the strange point eared male. She notes 
  that the girl is chattering again. ((Get any o' that?))

Tiana drops her gaze back to the flowers and just studies them though she does 
  take a couple of chances, when she's pretty sure nobody will notice, to 
  glance over at Vardeus with a definately star struck expression in her green 
  eyes.

And this time it is Vardeus' turn to miss the glance that Tiana sneaks him, as 
  he listens to Franni and tells her, "((Aye, I've a few o' their words... I'm 
  thinkin' she's got t' be tellin' her lot we ain't after hurtin' 'em. Th' 
  male 'un, he's Staerweend, 'e said.))" Then to the elves he nods, earnestly. 
  "You go, tell elfs we nae hurt elfs. Is good. Thank you for food. We happy 
  for food."

Starwind nods at Leafshimmer, ** I'll go, I guess. I haven't better things to 
  do. ** He grins a little as he looks at the humans, this being the first 
  time he's actually seemed half comfortable since arriving. Hearing his name 
  in the funny speech they speak, he perks up a little. "What?"

Leafshimmer gives Starwind a grin. ** See if you can learn some of their 
  words. They sound different to me than the others. ** And then she nods her 
  head to Vardeus. "I'll be back later." Of course, cause Shay'la's around. 
  Wouldn't want to miss giving the Underworlder a chance to slap Orenth again.

Franni nods at Vardeus and then points at the male elf, "Starrweend." Quite 
  satisfied with herself, she takes to watching the beast that this one came 
  with. (( They sure are a quiet lot. Only 'ear 'em say a word or two t' each 
  other. Ye would think they'd be chatterin' up a storm n' then some at seein' 
  us. )) She blows a wisp of hair out of her eyes nonchalantly.

For Starwind's benefit Vardeus clarifies, "Franni ask who you. I say you 
  Staerweend. Franni nae know elf words, I nae know elf words good." The 
  Captain's smile is crooked and a little sheepish, but it's there. To 
  Leafshimmer he then nods in acknowledgement, inviting, "Staerweend come? Go 
  with cheeftiss?"

Starwind nods at Leafshimmer, though he doesn't like the prospect of trying to 
  learn their language at all. He can hardly decipher anything the humans he 
  had met before said to him, except Shelbor. His wolf isn't too far from 
  where they are, but far enough not to seem like a threat. Trying to pick up 
  words Franni just said, he tilts his head curiously. "Who is who?" He had 
  names thrown at him but never told which is which. Never know, he might call 
  Tiana Vardeus. "I'll go with you to talk." He motions towards Vardeus.

Tiana stands, listening to the conversation between the captain and the elfs 
  but, she can't really make heads or tails of what's being said since much of 
  it is completely beyond her ken.

With that, then, the Captain leads the way back towards the campsite, though 
  he holds up the ravvits for Starwind to take one, if he'd like, to eat it in 
  the way of his folk. "You take one? You no cook?" As he speaks, he takes a 
  moment to relay what he's trying to say to the women, just to try to keep 
  them in the conversational loop, though there's a certain strained 
  concentration that they might recognize in his expression. Linguistic 
  juggling has never been Vardeus' strong point. "I, Vardeus. She, Tiana, she, 
  Franni." And each of the two women are pointed out in turn.

Franni walks up next to Tiana and sees the flowers in her hands, ((Nice 
  flowers ye've got there. Ye pick 'em from around 'ere? Don't recall seein' 
  any in bloom, but guess ye could've got em from th' woods. )) Franni knows 
  enough to bite her tongue when it comes to mentioning the dopey look Tiana 
  had on her face when she was watching the Cap'n earlier.

Tiana looks over at Franni and shakes her head, "((Leafshimmuh made them bloom 
  on that vine.))" Her words are still edged with awe as she talks about that 
  particular event and she nods her head toward a tree with a rather plain 
  looking vine wound through the branches. She starts moving back toward the 
  camp then wondering exactly what to do with the two blooms. She debates for 
  a moment and finally tucks them into her hair, one above each ear.

Starwind takes the offered ravvit, and offers a smile in return for it. "Thank 
  you." He says, and looks between the others as they're pointed out and speak 
  in their own tongue straight over his head. He's definitely not one to be 
  learning a new language. "Where did you come from? You don't speak like 
  other humans I've met." He hopes they can understand him, since he won't be 
  able to understand them, at least not yet.

The ship isn't too far away -- still within easy sight of where Vardeus had 
  first encountered Leafshimmer. As the little group draws nearer a couple of 
  the crew still up and about call out greetings, which prompts the Captain to 
  holler out an order to stoke up the fire, for a new gift of food has been 
  brought by the Little People. And in the meantime, as Virdi and Ileyta call 
  back grateful acknowledgements, and as one or two of the others call out 
  hopeful greetings to the unfamiliar elf, Vardeus goes on, "Tiana, Franni 
  say, see Leefshimmur... make flower. We, uh, nae see elfs make flowers. We 
  come... from big water, on ((ship)). We... lost."

Franni blinks at Tiana in disbelief. ((Made 'em bloom? How? Only Seid 'er 
  blessed self can make th'flowers grow faster 'n normal. S'not natural.)) She 
  looks over at the vine in question and frowns. But the little pointy eared 
  children aren't too natural and normal themselves within Franni's little 
  world view, are they? She looks over at Starrweend as he takes an uncooked 
  flopear. Jes' like th' big beast earlier, she thinks to herself.

Tiana shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head, "((I don't know how she did it 
  but, I know I saw it with my own eyes.))" she replies, still sounding very 
  much mystified.

Starwind looks a little nervous as he gets led towards the large ship in the 
  distance, his wolf following behind but keeping his distance, never letting 
  his bond leave his sight. He nods, understanding Vardeus enough to know what 
  he's talking about anyways. "Leafshimmer can make flowers grow, it's her 
  magic." He says, and is pretty hungry, but will wait for the others to 
  before working on the ravvit that was given to him, as the women chatter 
  about things he don't understand. "Lost.. Far from holt?"

Not all of the crew is out and about, as night is falling and these humans 
  from afar do at least seem to have in common with their local brethern that 
  most of their activity is done by day. But the ones who are still awake 
  shoot Starwind curious, interested smiles -- and more than one of them, 
  Virdi and Iletya most notably as they are closest, light up at the sight of 
  new fresh meat. Eager commentary about the hunting improving shoots back and 
  forth, while Vardeus invites their guest to claim a place for himself near 
  the campire as he will. "An' yer woolf, ah, we give woolf space," he 
  promises, though every so often he shoots the creature a slightly unnerved 
  glance. The Captain's gotten a bit used to seeing these beasts follow the 
  elves around from his time with the Rafters, but still. "I... nae speak good 
  elf words. Nae know 'huilt'?" he tells Starwind then, half a question.

Franni shoots a sidewards wink towards one of the crew as he shouts out a 
  greeting. Taking a seat near the fire, she casts a second furtive glance 
  towards the vine. ((Odd. Very very odd. )) she says more to herself than to 
  Tiana. After all, most of her life was built around fertile seasons and 
  harvest rituals. ((Wonder if'n all these children be bless'd with th' same 
  gifts fer makin' th' plants grow.)) She yawns a bit and settles back onto 
  the ground.

Trickle is still a young wolf, a yearling but not quite filled out to the wolf 
  he will become. Instead of continuing closer, the wolf trots off into the 
  shadows most likely keeping an eye on Starwind even from afar. Taking a seat 
  near the campfire, and then setting the ravvit beside him for a moment, 
  "Holt.. where you come from, is it far?" He tries clarifying, pointing at 
  the ship hoping that'll help some. He does notice Franni muttering 
  something, as she looks at the vine again. "Do you have magics too?"

Tiana shakes her flower-bedecked head and shrugs her shoulders, "((I couldn't 
  begin to know and I don't have the words with which to ask them.))" She 
  pauses for just a second then adds, "((Maybe Var.. er.. the Captain 
  knows.))" Whoops, almost called him by his given name there.

Vardeus' attention goes to the women for a moment, as he puts in, shaking his 
  shaggy head, "((Nae, nae, I dinnae see elfs growin' the plants on the 
  island... just Shayla shapin' th' rocks, and another 'un shapin' metal, and 
  th' one that--))" Er. Does he really want to talk about the healer? He makes 
  a face for a moment, looking disconcerted. "((The, uh... one that put me 
  ribs back right.))" That, he blurts out noticeably swifter than usual, 
  before he goes on firmly to Starwind, "Maj-ik. Nae. We nae have maj-ik. 
  We... nae see maj-ik, home." And he starts to nod, trying to affirm the 
  other question that's been asked him, too. "Home far. We on ((ship)) long 
  time, lost."

Virdi and Iletya, in the meantime, commandeer the ravvits from their Captain, 
  letting him handle the task of seeing to their guest while they attend to 
  the dinner that's been brought. Iletya smiles shyly at Starwind, while young 
  Virdi yelps at the sight of the wolf so near... then he smiles weakly, too, 
  in a universal 'scared? Who? Me? Naaah!' young-manly sort of way before 
  falling upon the task of skinning and cleaning the catch for proper cooking.

Franni sits up and looks at her Cap'n as if he's grown another head. ((They be 
  able t' do all that?)) She studies Starrweend curiously. In her mind, she 
  begins to recall all the little stories she heard as a child. She frowns, 
  thinking to herself, 'Can't be Seid's children...too big 'n the wrong color. 
  Fae folk? Nah, no bug wings...'

Starwind frowns as he is a little confused at some of the words, and looks at 
  Franni as she studies him. Well, at least if they have no magic that would 
  explain their reaction to Leafshimmer growing the flower. He watches as the 
  food is prepared, and cleaned.. wondering why they do that. All of it's so 
  confusing to him, he has seen humans but never around when they ate. 
  "Anything you want to know?" He looks to Vardeus, since he seems to be the 
  only one who understands him.

"I tell Franni, Tiana, I see rock shayper. Metal shaypur. And, uh--" Now, 
  Vardeus rubs at his side, a seemingly entirely reflexive gesture. "I break, 
  elf fix." Not quite looking at his second -- that may well be why he hasn't 
  noticed the blossoms in her hair yet -- he shifts languages again and adds 
  to the women, "((Staerweend wants t' know if we have...)) maj-ik. ((That's 
  his word f'r what his folk c'n do. He's askin' where we come from, if it's 
  far away. I, uh... told 'im we're lost. An' he's askin' what we want t' know 
  from 'im.))"

Tiana looks toward the visiting elf and tips her head. It might be noticable 
  that she avoids looking directly at the captain as she seems to consider 
  something to ask the elf. "((Can they all do this..)) maj-ik?" She finally 
  decides that that is the most burning question in her mind.. well, that the 
  elfs can answer anyway.

Franni repeats the word to herself, "Majik..." She looks at Starrweend and 
  shakes her head. ((No...))"majik." She looks over at Vardeus and notices him 
  rubbing his side. ((Ye side botherin' you? Keep seein' ye rub it out o' th' 
  corner o' me eye.)) She wonders what she could possibly ask these things. 
  Her stomach growls. So she also wonders when the flopears will be done. (( 
  T' ask him... I d'no. Um...oh! There be more o' his kind? Ask 'im that.))

Starwind's wolf comes from the shadows and moves to sit near his bond, 
  nuzzling at a hand trying to get attention. Starwind watches the 
  conversation between those speaking, trying to get hints at what words mean 
  the in his language. He nods at Vardeus, "Healer, if you were hurt.. I'm a 
  healer." He says and returns his attention to his wolf until asked anything 
  else.

Er. Vardeus's hand freezes, and he realizes what he'd been doing as his gaze 
  swings first from Franni to Starwind to Tiana -- and on Tiana it stays, as 
  he abruptly realizes--
_She has flowers in her hair--_
And then he shakes himself, looking suddenly discomfited. "I nae hurt now," he 
  asserts, in a gruffer voice than normal. "Elf fix. She, Splesh. Tiana ask 
  all elfs do majik? Franni ask, more elfs?" To the women he adds, equally 
  gruffly, "((I, uh, just got a bit banged up is all, not t' fret. One o' the 
  Raft Elfs--))" Touched him and it hurt like nine kinds of hell, though it 
  was gone the next morning. But we won't go there. So he finishes lamely, 
  "((Put me back right again. Staerweend say, he... healer, I think.))"

Franni watches the flopears cook over the fire and tosses a Virdi a pouty 
  'Feed me now' look. She's oblivious to the glance her Cap'n is tossing Tiana 
  this time. Her brows furrow as something crosses her mind, ((Ye keep sayin' 
  one word o'er n' o'er again.)) She works it out on her tongue. "Elfs" She 
  looks over at Starrweend, ((Izzat wot they're called?))

Tiana doesn't notice Vardeus's look but, she does notice him pause for just a 
  moment which does turn her attention toward him just in time to catch him 
  turning away. She offers a bit of a smile as he reassures Franni that he's 
  well now and turns back to Starweend to listen to his reply. Of course, she 
  doesn't understand very much of what he says but, that's okay.

Starwind scritches at his wolf's head as he contimplates Vardeus' sentences. 
  Piecing them together he attempts to answer them. "Not all elves have magic. 
  And there are many elves all over." That's his pretty plain and simple 
  answer as he watches all three of those humans near him, their reactions to 
  him and between themselves.

Virdi and Iletya, lingering on the other side of the fire, are keeping 
  themselves at least ostensibly occupied -- but their avid curiosity cannot 
  be denied. Both of them are listening on the conversation intently, their 
  gazes shooting back and forth from the face of the Captain to the face of 
  their elfin guest, even as they're taking turns preparing the flopears and 
  getting them spitted for roasting over the fire. The smell of the meat 
  cooking is even now beginning to rise up, and Virdi leans around to say to 
  the others, "((Ye be singin' out how well ye're wantin' it cooked, aye?))"

"((That other 'un, Waefund!))" Iletya chimes in. "((The one's as been teachin' 
  Arnos their words. She said she dinnae have th' majik, aye?))"

"((Nae, nae,))" Virdi argues, "((she does th' head-talk! I 'eard 'er say, I 
  did!))"

"((Shush, shush, let the Cap'n ask 'im more!))"

"((Aye, Franni, they say they're)) elfs. ((We, we're)) huimins. ((Shy o' us, 
  they are. The Raft 'uns said some o' 'em been killed by folk like us. But 
  then they went an' raised Coorelfair up from a child, they did.))" And 
  Vardeus pauses to listen to Starwind, nod, and relay his answers on to the 
  others and explain what he'd just said.

"Huamins." She snirks at the word and shakes her head. "Huamins." She looks at 
  the elf. "Elfs." Right strange. She yelps as a strong arm grips onto her 
  upper arm and yanks her up. Dorian. She rolls her eyes. He motions silently 
  to something outside the camp and she figures she might as well follow. 
  ((Don't mind me. Goin' t' see what this lunkhead wants. Save me a piece o' 
  meat b'fore the pigs chomp it all down. )) She looks pointedly in the 
  direction of one particular crewman. Looking back at Starrweend, she raises 
  a hand in a bye gesture--something she had seen Leefshemmerr do 
  before--before scampering off after Dorian.

Tiana turns and nods after Franni as she chuckles at the coversation going on 
  at the other side of the fire. She then turns back to Vardeus and Starweend 
  as she lowers herself to the sand, kneeling so that she can get up quickly 
  if needed.

Starwind watches as Franni scampers off, his wolf scooting to the point he's 
  almost curled around Starwind as he watches the activities, and smells the 
  cooking of the ravvits. "How many know how to talk to us like you?" He asks 
  Vardeus, picking up the uncooked ravvit beside him to tear off a piece for 
  his wolf who promptly chomps it down. Then glances towards Tiana, "She does 
  not know, does she?"

"Tiana nae know elf words. I know small. Arnos know. Other elf, Waefund, come. 
  She give Arnos elf words. Arnos say elf words good, is--" Ach, how to say 
  that's Arnos' job, to learn the strange words of folk who live in unfamiliar 
  lands? "Ah... Arnos good, say words. He much do. I ((Captain)), _he_ say 
  words. More ((crew)) try learn, some, nae much." This Vardeus relays to the 
  others in earshot as well, provoking a vigorous nodding out of Iletya, who 
  chirps up that she wants to learn the strange new words, though Virdi just 
  looks sheepish and mutters something about the 'elf words' tying his 
  thoughts in knots.

Starwind fumbles through those sentences, understanding for the most part, and 
  the spaces inbetween well pronounced words fill themselves in fairly well. 
  "You do well, better than I could learn your words. You teach?" He asks, 
  maybe about himself learning, or someone else. Either way, the question is 
  posed. His wolf finishes off the ravvit he was given, now content to rest 
  near Starwind. "Other humans have near-wolf, you too?"

"I with elfs, long time... lost. On island, Raft Elfs there. Raft Elfs give 
  words, I try learn, try teach Maerro too. Ah, ah, Maerro is child, little 
  huimin. Maerro know small elf words. I, uh, try teach, nae teach good, Arnos 
  teach better." This, Vardeus has to admit with rueful honesty. But! "Raft 
  Elfs bring I, Maerro. Nae many days before now. We come, find ((crew)), see 
  Zo-sa, Shelbor...ah, 'neerwoolf'? Nae know 'neerwoolf'?"

Tiana simply keeps to herself while this is going on and waits for her share 
  of the floppers. Her stomach gives a bit of a grumble and she turns to 
  Vardeus, meaning to get him to ask Starweend another question but, she 
  hesitates for a moment to just watch him while his attention is on the elf.

Starwind quirks a brow, knowing Shelbor. "Shelbor has a near-wolf, he calls it 
  Yellow? Or does he not have Yellow anymore?" He seems lost on the other 
  statements, either not able to follow the choppy sentences or otherwise. 
  "Raft elves found you hurt? Your .. (points to ship) broken?" While Starwind 
  may not be paying enough attention to Tiana, his wolf decides he likes her, 
  and wants to sniff at her. Leaving Starwind's side, Trickle moves over near 
  Tiana, sniffing at the air near her before trying to move closer.

"((Dog!))" Vardeus bursts out, then, abruptly smiling, that crooked grin of 
  his spreading out to dominate his rugged features. "You say, ((dog)). 
  Shelbor have neerwoolf! I see. I nae have neerwoolf, nae here. Have, home. 
  Neerwoolf nae good, on ((ship))." He pauses, then, partly distracted by the 
  rather wondrous sight of Tiana being investigated by a wolf. "((They did 
  that t' me, too,))" he tells her. "((The wolves on th' island, that is. One 
  of 'em dem near knocked me over, liked t' play, it did.))" Back to Starwind: 
  "I... hurt, ((aye)), I, Maerro on beach. Elfs find. ((Ship)) come _here_, 
  break. ((Ship)) come to big water... we, uh, find..." Now he grimaces. "Find 
  Thing. Big... ((monster)). Bad Thing. Break ship. Kill ((crew)). We... 
  stuck." To this, all he can do is spread his hands, restlessly. Perhaps 
  fortunately, Virdi pipes up that the ravvits are getting done enough if any 
  want to start in on them, and he starts passing out shares to everyone near.

Starwind watches as Trickle moves towards Tiana, assuring that the wolf won't 
  harm her at all. Returning his gaze to Vardeus he nods a little, making out 
  at least half of what he said and understanding the word "ship" means that 
  broken raft thing nearby. "You seem all better now, just broken ((ship)) 
  now?" He points towards it. "You fix it and go back to your home?"

A damned good question, that. Vardeus turns a somber gaze upon the great 
  broken hulk of the _Windrider_, and has to admit, "We... nae know. Is hard, 
  fix ((ship)). She... bad break. We nae have good things, fix ((ship))." And 
  here's the kicker. He looks skyward, a shadow falling over his expression 
  now -- a shadow which Tiana has seen many a time before, one that whispers 
  of a guilt that is _still_ haunting him, turmoil that's only been somewhat 
  assuaged by seeing so many of his crew still alive and here. "We... much... 
  lost. Staers say, where go. Diff'rent staers, home. We nae... know how see 
  in _these_ staers, how go home." Now his voice has dropped, so that only the 
  elf and Tiana can hear him. His other two crewmates, glancing at the 
  Captain's face, seem to sense it might be best to get out of earshot -- and 
  so, offering smiles to Starwind as they go, they move off to go hand out 
  shares of the cooked meat to the rest of the crew still awake, and to smoke 
  what's left to go into the stores.

Tiana notices the wolf approaching her and she turns to watch it moving 
  closer. She goes a little wide eyed and there is a definate trickle of fear 
  in her scent for those that can smell it but, it dies down noticably once 
  she's been reassured that the wolf won't harm her. She sort of nods to Virdi 
  and says, "((I'd like my share as soon as possible,))" but, she doesn't turn 
  her gaze away from the large four legged beast.

Trickle stops a good foot to Tiana's right, just staring at her as though he 
  was told to stop what he was doing. "Different stars?" He seems confused by 
  this, but then eats some of the ravvit that was offered earlier and put 
  beside himself since the others have some food also now. "So you stay here?" 
  Starwind glances around at all the humans he can see. "There many of you?"

Vardeus nods heavily, gesturing up at the night sky with his five-fingered 
  hand, saying in a gruffly plaintive tone, "I home, look up, staers... all 
  different. We on ((ship)), follow staers. Staerm come, big staerm. We lost. 
  Staerm go, staers different. Wind different. We on ((ship)) long time, come 
  here. ((Monster)) come... break my ((ship))." And as he says these last few 
  words, Vardeus' gaze turns back to the _Windrider_, and he gazes up at 
  what's left of her like one who's gazing upon the body of a dead friend. 
  When he finally returns his gaze to Starwind, his expression's gone hollow, 
  bleak. "We nae want hurt elfs. Nae want take elf home. Nae want take home 
  other huimins. We... two tens now."

Tiana's attention wavers from the wolf as she hears the grief in Vardeus's 
  voice. She turns to look over at him and the expression in her eyes is 
  purely one from the heart. It's clear in that one look, she feels his pain 
  in this and yet, there is more than just that in the expression. She seems 
  to realize that she's allowed her gaze to linger a bit too long and, giving 
  herself a mental shake, turns back to the wolf.

Starwind does notice Tiana's expression as she looks to Vardeus. His wolf 
  trots over towards her and attempts to give her a friendly lick on the hand, 
  the wolf hasn't had any bad experiences with humans at least, not yet. 
  Starwind nods to Vardeus, "I'm glad to hear that.. I don't want to hurt 
  humans. I even healed Shelborr."

Healing again. Vardeus' face twists again, a little oddly, giving him an 
  uncharacteristically nervous look... though he tries to smooth it out with a 
  lopsided smile nevertheless. "We nae have elfs, home. Only see elfs here. 
  We... laern. Happy, elfs help."

Tiana blinks as her hand is licked but she smiles and reaches a tenative hand 
  out to touch the gray furred head of the wolf. She seems somewhat bemused by 
  the creature's friendliness. Of course, the fact that this one is larger 
  than any they have back home and that the stories of the creatures have 
  never made them out to be noble beasts, certainly don't make her feel that 
  much easier about being this close.

Starwind also notes Vardeus' facial expression at the mention of healing. 
  "Healing makes you not comfortable?" He asks, not sure if it's the magic 
  itself that bothers this human or something else entirely. Smiling over at 
  Tiana as his wolf decides she's friendly enough, and nuzzles to her hand 
  before trotting back over to Starwind happily. "Trickle won't hurt you, I 
  told him you're friends."

Er. Uncomfortable? Him? He's not sure of the word, but Vardeus can guess the 
  meaning, and he makes a strangled little cough sort of sound in the back of 
  his throat while trying to look as nonchalant as possible. But he also eyes 
  Starwind askance, thinking heavily about his words before he finally 
  uneasily asks, "Healin'... hurt all time?"

Tiana actually smiles as the wolf nuzzles against her hand then turns and 
  trots back toward Starweend. Her expression is slightly bemused as she 
  shakes her head. It seems that this eve has been one of many interesting 
  revelations for the ship's second.

Starwind shrugs a little. "It can, I suppose.. Though I have not had any hurt 
  worse during. But I try hard not to hurt." He says, and smiles at Tiana, 
  wishing he could speak to her too, but she wouldn't understand him. "Trickle 
  likes Tiana." He tells Vardeus, at least he could relay for him.

That's not exactly reassuring, this news of Starwind's, but Vardeus (well, 
  mostly figuratively, at any rate) squares those broad shoulders of his and 
  seems to try to take it in stride. "I... nae know how think, majik. I... 
  learn." And let's not try to break any more ribs, shall we? So this issue of 
  moving the ribs around in his very own living flesh can be avoided. Happily, 
  though, a change of subject has been provided, and that last comment of the 
  elf's draws Vardeus's blue gaze back to the woman. He smiles a little, and 
  says huskily to his second, his gaze filling with something that goes rather 
  beyond the call of the simple relaying he's doing, "((Staerweend says his 
  wolf likes you.))"

Tiana turns her gaze from the wolf to Vardeus and she smiles a rather 
  unguarded and natural expression that lights her features, "((I like the 
  wolf as well,))" she replies then chuckles, "((I'm very glad he didn't try 
  to have me for dinner.))"

Starwind looks between Vardeus and Tiana, and from earlier actions among other 
  things, he asks quite boldly. "Tiana is your lovemate?" He asks of Vardus, 
  before adding. "I have a lovemate too, Amberwolf. She is sleeping in camp, 
  always tired from hunting ravvit." He waits for a response, and while doing 
  so he eats the rest of the ravvit, tossing the scraps to his wolf who 
  happily accepts them.

The Captain makes another of those strange, choked little sounds, and his eyes 
  go quite round before a flush of crimson sweeps across his cheeks -- or at 
  least, the parts of them not hidden by his beard. "Nae," he mumbles then. 
  Skyfather, did he just put his foot into it or what? "Tiana nae luivmet. 
  I-I-I just say Tiana, woolf like." Keep it simple, sailor.

Tiana blinks as she hears her name from the elf and then notes the captain's 
  sudden spluttering. She looks between the two of them and a curious 
  expression comes to her face, "((What did he say?))" she asks. If whatever 
  the elf said has the captain blushing and her name was involved, she has 
  /got/ to know what it was.

Starwind shrugs a little. Maybe it was none of his business, but just from 
  some actions he got the idea in his head they might have been lovemates. 
  "Yes, wolf does like her. I didn't mean harm in asking if you were mates." 
  He adds, at the end, seeing Vardeus' response was not quite what he 
  expected, more like a branch horn caught by surprise.

"((Staerweend wanted to know if, we, uh... you and I-I, I mean--))" Not only 
  is the Captain blushing, he's stammering, too, and looking anywhere but at 
  his second in command while he struggles not to sound like a babbling idiot, 
  without much success. "((Are, uh. Paired. Paired up, that is.)) Tiana ask, 
  what Staerweend say. Nae haerm, nae haerm." Honest. Ignore the mortified 
  expression he's got on; this is what he gets for being a rotten liar. He 
  won't even try to come up with a convincing lie; Vardeus can't, not with the 
  heat in his cheeks even _he_ can feel, and he can only hope this isn't about 
  to shatter the fragile new accord he seems to have established with Tiana--
--Who he can't have, anyway. The recollection comes crashing down into his 
  memory again. He's _betrothed_. Even if they're stuck _here_, and Tyra 
  Yfantis is likely never to see him for the first time, much less again.

Tiana listens to the captain stammer his way through an explaination of what 
  the elf said. It seems to take a moment for what's said to sink in before 
  her own cheeks flare a bright pink, almost matching the shade of the flowers 
  in her hair. Her eyes go wide and she lets out a sharp, very nervous 
  sounding bark of laughter. "((You did set him straight on that, I 
  hope..?))".o(not..?)

Starwind watches as the two blush quite profusly, then shakes his head. From 
  the reactions alone, he can tell they at the very least like eachother 
  enough to the point they're shy about it. He just smiles and nods, "Other 
  mates then, if you are not together?"

_Blessed Seamother. I -do- want her--_
That, too, shoots across Vardeus' mind, a sharp, bright flare of realization 
  at war with the memory that he's left an intended back in Vrae -- a memory 
  underscored, it might be added, by the elf's next question. With an effort 
  Vardeus yanks his attention back to Starwind, even as he roughly affirms for 
  Tiana, "((Aye. Told 'im we're nae paired, h... he's askin', if we've other, 
  um.)) And to Starwind, he adds, hauling in an unsteady breath, "I... had... 
  ((woman)), home, say I be... met. Say I ((marry)). We lost on ((ship)), I 
  nae see Tyra, I nae marry." Even as he says these things, though, his gaze 
  thratens to flicker back to Tiana. It's been _months_ since he was with the 
  crew. Gods! For all he knows, she could have paired up with any of the other 
  men in the time he's been gone... couldn't she have?

Tiana very well could have but, that's not the case at all and she starts to 
  protest that when a particular word gives her pause. That name.. Tyra.. 
  Could it be?.. Her expression grows puzzled for but a moment before she 
  gives a noticable shake of her head and the expression is wiped away. It 
  must be someone else he's talking about. Tyra is a fairly common name after 
  all.. Isn't it? She has to try twice before she finds her voice and shakes 
  her head, "((Tell him no... no others for me, won't you?))"

Starwind gets lost on some of the words Vardeus says, especially marry. He 
  nods though, "Friends then." He tells himself, if not those around him. "You 
  turn red when you speak of Tiana, especially when I say lovemate. You like 
  her as more than friend?" Elves are pretty open about their relationships, 
  at least, Starwind has always been. "I had another mate at Grove, she left 
  for mountain. Amberwolf stay with me."

Vardeus just... stops, for an instant, as his mind refuses to let him process 
  what's just been asked him. "Tiana... good little ((Captain))," he blurts 
  then, hoarsely. It's _not_ the answer that goes with the question that was 
  asked, but the man's eyes have gone a little wild now, with a clear 
  desperation to change the subject. "She much good, h... help lead. I gone, 
  she keep ((crew)) nae killed. I-I... much happy, she nae killed. She say, 
  sh... she have nae met." One tiny crumb of consolation, that he doesn't have 
  to watch another man winning her affections... at least, not right now. But 
  it doesn't help much.

Tiana's gaze darts back and forth between the elf and the captain. She watches 
  Vardeus's expression getting more wild-eyed by the second and really wishes 
  that she knew more of the elfin vocabulary than just the smattering that 
  she's learned from watching Arnos and Waeyfund talking.

Starwind hrms to himself at Vardeus' expressions, he knows the answers he was 
  given were not what he hasked for in the question. "I'm happy to hear that." 
  And then, he gives him the much wanted subject change. "Did many get killed 
  from the sea monster?" He glances to Tiana, offering her a warm smile, 
  hoping she isn't getting too lost, and Vardeus is translating things right.

Well, that's _certainly_ a subject change -- though it doesn't lessen the 
  wild, unsettled look in the ocean-hued eyes of the human man. He jerks his 
  gaze up to the wrecked ship, finding it the only really safe place to be 
  looking at the moment, and his voice remains a gruff rasp as he draws in a 
  heavy breath, lets it out again, and finally answers, "Ten, eight. We start 
  on ((ship)... we five tens." And as if his mind weren't already a-roil, now 
  he is reminded that on this ill-fated voyage he's lost over half of his 
  crew. Vardeus's expression wavers for a fraction of an instant, and it's all 
  he can do not to wince like a horse has just kicked him in the ribs.

Tiana listens to the two, and she's not really getting much of a translation 
  from the stricken Vardeus. She wonders if he really thinks it would be so 
  bad to be paired up with her that he would have such a look on his face. Her 
  expression falls a bit and she looks down at her hands which she folds 
  calmly in her lap now. Her stomach, completely forgotten up to this point, 
  decides to grumble rather loudly in protest of its emptiness against the 
  earlier temptation of the scent of cooking flopper.

Starwind almost is to the point he could send to these humans, but since he 
  can't he'll have to make due with the words he hopes Vardeus can understand. 
  "I think Tiana doesn't know what we were talking about. Look at her." He 
  doesn't gesture, so maybe Vardeus will look at her before her expression 
  fades completely. Starwind then quiets down, hoping the two will at least 
  talk, his attention now falling to his wolf.

Ah, _hells_, he's forgetting to translate, isn't he? "((Starwind says... I-I'm 
  not translating. Sorry. He... wanted to know how many we've lost. I... told 
  him we were fifty starting, down to twenty--))" Guilt slams into his 
  expression now, a look that needs absolutely no elaboration in either 
  language, Vraeyan or elfin. Over half the crew of the _Windrider_ has been 
  lost... and apparently, her Captain thinks it's his fault. "((Tiana... 
  you... should eat. Take a share of wh... what the Little People ha' brung 
  us...))"

Tiana can't bring herself to look up and meet the captain's gaze. Instead, she 
  simply nods, "((Aye, sir,))" she says as she gets up and walks over to where 
  Virdi and the others have left a few portions for the captain, herself and 
  Franni. She takes a portion and eats, keeping her back to the elf and her 
  captain. Any that are watching her might catch a decidely noticable slump to 
  her entire bearing.

Starwind glances up at Vardeus, and sighs. He didn't mean to cause any 
  trouble, or bring any foul feelings to the surface but instead he not only 
  brought up a sensitive subject of Tiana and the Captain's relationship as 
  well as asked about the casualties of the ship. He watches as Tiana goes to 
  eat some food, and notices her slump. "Is she alright?" That seems like a 
  safe question, unlike the others were.

Aie, well, _that_ was smoothly handled, sailor! Vardeus scowls at himself, 
  slapping a hand to his brow in frustration and a brand new flavor of guilt 
  to go with the burden of what he's already carrying over his many lost 
  crewmates; this guilt, however, is entirely focused upon Tiana, and how it 
  slices through him to see her proud slim frame slump in that particular 
  fashion. _Idiot! Skyfather, man, you're -such- a flaming fardling idiot--_
It takes him several seconds before he can manage a reply to Starwind, whose 
  concerned tone finally makes it through his virulent self-flagellation. 
  "I... dinnae know," he murmurs, stricken, his words coming out of him almost 
  mechanically now. "I... tell her you ask, how m... many killed. Say she need 
  eat. She say, ((aye, sir)). ((Aye)) is... yes. ((Sir)) is... word say to 
  ((Captain))."

Tiana eats quickly then returns to extend her hands toward Starwind, "Thaynk 
  yoo, Starweend.. ((for the)).. food," Okay, so she had to use a little bit 
  of Vraeyan but, at least she hopes she's understood well enough. She smiles 
  at him but, there's something different about the expression, perhaps the 
  expression that one might find in the eyes of a dog that's just been kicked. 
  She straightens then and offers a bit of a nod in the general direction of 
  the captain, "((If you'll not be needing me anymore, sir, I'd like to get 
  some sleep before my watch comes up.))" She has taken the opportunity to 
  straighten most of the slump from her shoulders but, it's still there to the 
  perceptive eye.

Starwind offers the half-hearted smile back to Tiana, though he wasn't the one 
  that gave them the food at all. He glances to Vardeus, and stands up. 
  "Please find out, she looks hurt." He frowns a little, disliking seeing 
  those in pain either physically or emotionally. "I return to my camp, 
  Amberwolf will be worried if I'm not back soon." He looks apologetic for 
  bringing up things he shouldn't have, and calls Trickle to his side. "Thank 
  you for talking."

What has he done? Vardeus feels his throat constrict, almost to the point of 
  pain, at the look in his second's eyes -- and the sight of it brings him to 
  his feet, involuntarily. He starts to reach a hand for her, before Starwind 
  distracts him, and he has to divert enough attention to give the elf a 
  ragged nod. "Thank... you. See again, soon. ((Tiana, I--))"

Starwind nods, and slips off quietly with his wolf padding behind him towards 
  their campsite. Turning back for a moment to watch Vardeus follow after 
  Tiana, then he disappears from sight entirely.
Starwind quietly enters Campsite <CS>.
Starwind has left.

Tiana starts to turn toward the shelter but, stops as she hears her name from 
  the captain's mouth. Quickly she schools her features into something less 
  emotional and turns her head to look back at Vardeus, "((Yes..?))" A flicker 
  of hope rises up within her but she quickly squashes it back down lest it be 
  dashed to bits.

"((Jus'... a-afore ye gae t' bed--))" Vardeus' brogue flares up, reverting and 
  reverting hard to the days of his youth, and he has to shove his right hand 
  through his hair to try to disguise how that hand is trembling. "((I... 
  dinnae ken wh... what I said t' make ye unhappy... I'm... gods, I'm always 
  sayin' summat t' upset ye, I'm... I'm sorry. I'm...))" Now his left hand 
  mimics the right, leaving his sunbleached mop in complete disarray, and he 
  starts to step back, part out of the need to retreat and part out of anxiety 
  that if he gets too close it might just make matters worse. "((I... dinnae 
  want me bein' back makin' ye unhappy. I'm... sorry...))" And I'm babbling, 
  and I know it... and now would be a good time to retreat. "((Sleep well--!))"

Tiana lets Vardeus babble and that wee flicker of hope flares up again. This 
  time she doesn't even bother to try to squash it. Instead she grasps onto it 
  and holds tightly.. for what else have the wayward crew of the _Windrider_ 
  got to hold on to at the moment, if not hope of some sort?
She sighs and shakes her head, "((It's got nothing to do with you being back, 
  Captain.. and it wasn't something you said, either.))" No, it was what he 
  didn't say mixed with the panicked, stricken look on his face, that's all. 
  She starts to turn once more then remembers that she still hasn't told him 
  what she was going to tell him earlier so, stops and says it over her 
  shoulder, "((What I was trying to tell you earlier, sir... Dharce's thinking 
  that she may be.. in a motherly way.. I'm putting her down to light duty til 
  we know one way or the other.))"

"((Ach... that's... that's a good call, 'tis.))" Somebody, apparently, _has_ 
  been taking a 'luivmet' even if it hasn't been Tiana, then. An odd footnote 
  to the conversation that's just taken place... but still, as Captain, 
  Vardeus does need to know it if there's going to be a baby coming among the 
  crew. It'll change things. "((Thankee... g'night, Tiana.))" he finally 
  finishes, hoarsely.

Tiana dips her head in a quit nod and in a voice that's strangely as hoarse as 
  the captain's, "((You're welcome.. good night, Vardeus.))" She hesitates for 
  just a moment before she goes ahead and uses the captain's given name once 
  more. She then turns and walks off toward the shelter apparently to take her 
  rest.. unfortunately, a sleepless night of tossing is probably more like 
  what's in store for the ship's second.

His name again, on her lips. Vardeus swallows hard at the sound of it, but 
  lets her go, watching Tiana make her own retreat before he can effect his... 
  and only after he's sure she's well out of sight does he finally bestir 
  himself and go in search of his roll of sleepfurs, to take them out beneath 
  the trees. Where _he_ will pass what he's sure is going to be a sleepless 
  night of tossing and dreams.

[End log.]