Log Date: 1/1/2000 Log Cast: Midnight, Trollkiller, Teliron, Sela, Lanina, Dodia Log Intro: Midnight comes to Trollkiller to ask permission to help search for missing Willowholt tribesmates -- and the two also wind up discussing past history involving Winnowill and Woodhawk. ---------- About the height of an adult wolfrider, Midnight still has cub-round blue eyes and a roundness to his facial features. His body seems to be caught in mid- growth, though, the hands and feet too big, the limbs too long, the motions graceless. Apparently this halfbreed still isn't done growing. His hair is currently covered by a black cap of sorts, unornamented but carefully tailored. He wears black leather in the ornate and tight-fitting glider style, but though the outfit is apparently new, it is already an inch or two too short in the sleeves. His expression is usually foreboding. Midnight sits pondering deeply a short distance away from the rest of the tribe. After a while, he peers over at Trollkiller. Trollkiller is just waking up, before everyone else - as usual - and is brushing his fur. It's getting full of burrs and mud, with all the swamp and torn-up landscape, so he's started caring for it daily. Plus, it's a little bit of soothing - he's borne the stress, but not as well as a chieftan would - it's too much, for too long. Midnight gets to his feet, walking over to Trollkiller. Kneeling beside him, he offers in a quiet send. ** I can help you with that. ** Trollkiller mmms? and looks up at Midnight. ** Oh, good. Thank you. It's hard to reach some places... ** He looks tired - no, fatigued, the days of turmoil reddening his eyes and coursening his fur. Midnight nods gravely, and starts gently disentangling debris from Trollkillers back. ** Maybe it would be easier with a bath... This really is tangled. ** Trollkiller winces as you pull at his headfur. ** I did, before I went to bed. This is what stayed... ** [OOC] Trollkiller notes that his body-fur is thin this time of year, being late summer. It'll be bulking a bit up soon, but not quite yet. [OOC] Trollkiller also doesn't have the feathers hanging off his arms and legs in the summer. Midnight concentrates on a particularly awkward tangle. After a while, he says softly. "I want to go with you, next time. To help search." Trollkiller looks up at Midnight, approvingly. ** Of course. ** Trollkiller sends, ** We've covered a lot of territory... but there's still some more left to go. And I want to work downstream a bit. There's a flow to the swampwater... ** His eyes close, and he forces them not to tear up. Teliron walks down the stairs from above. Teliron has arrived. Trollkiller sends, ** There's a flow to the swampwater. It could have carried... things... with it. ** Midnight swallows, and nods. Impulsively, he wraps his arms around Trollkiller. "We will find her." Trollkiller nods, eyes still closed, looking down. He's holding on, but it's getting a bit of a brittle, fragile edge. You sense in a locksend, Midnight nuzzles, a bit awkwardly. ** She's alive, we'll find her. Or she will find us. She's *Rillwhisper*. He sends with the utter conviction of youth. ** Trollkiller nods quickly, repeatedly. ** We'll be heading out as soon as the rest of the tribe awakens. You'd might... you might want to get ready. The water's cold. ** Trollkiller sends, ** And there's a lot of it. ** Teliron goes home. Teliron has left. Midnight nods gravely. "No colder for me than for you... But I'll bring some extra clothing." He gives Trollkiller a worried look. "You should sleep more, too." Trollkiller sends, ** I've never needed as much sleep as most. ** He touches Woodhawk's cheek, genderly. None of that means he's getting as much as he needs. Sela arrives from the grotto. Sela has arrived. Midnight says "You're looking all red-eyed and worn. Rillwhisper's going to be upset with everybody for not taking care of you." Sela emerges, almost indistinguishable from the other gliders about, save for her familiarity. Midnight is helping Trollkiller with some errant snags and burrs, sending and occationally talking softly lest they disturb the sleeping willowholters. Lanina has connected. Sela has partially disconnected. Trollkiller glances up at Sela and half-smiles. ** Hi. ** Sela gives him a sad little smile and places her hand gently on his shoulder.. Trollkiller sends openly ** Midnight is going to come help search. ** Midnight looks up at Sela, and nods gravely. ** I should help, too. I don't need to be looked after anymore. ** Lanina comes out of the grotto, adjusting her top. Her hair is wet and slicked back. Dodia walks down the stairs from above. Dodia has arrived. Sela nods. "You are a strong fledgling, Midnight." Trollkiller leans a little against Midnight. Mmm. Brushy. Dodia moves hurriedly down the stairs, nearly running, as much as possible. Lanina comes out of the grotto, adjusting her top. Her hair is wet and slicked back. Trollkiller rm? at the other elves, come running into the hall. Dodia's steps slow once she takes note of the others in the hall. She nods faintly, then begins to look around. Sela barely seems to register the elves entering the room. Her expression is distant, half asleep. Midnight says "You should rest more too, Sela." To the others he adds, "Um, hello." Lanina nods slightly. She doesn't look exactly pleased to be here. Dodia nods to Midnight, "Shade." She says, then starts towards another hall, looking around. Trollkiller looks up at Sela - she really is half-asleep, isn't she? - and smiles a little. ** You really should. We don't want to have to go looking for _you_, too. ** Sela sighs. "I suppose I will be right here." Midnight says "Aren't you coming with us to search?" Trollkiller hms? Sela just seems distant, distracted. "I will ask Tsoran." Dodia glances over, "Has anyone seen lord Winnowill?" Trollkiller's hackles rack a bit. ** What's he got to do with it? ** Trollkiller hms? at Dodia. ** Um. Not today... ** Sela just gazes a little sadly at Trollkiller, not responding. Dodia doesn't even look at Trollkiller, still waiting for a reply, in something she can hear. Midnight blinkblinks a little at Sela, too. At the mention of Winnowill, he blushes faintly and looks quickly at Dodia. "What do you want her for?" Dodia glances towards Midnight, "To speak with her." You locksend ** What's going on, then? ** to Sela. Midnight ohs. "Um, maybe she's at her Throne or something..." Hmm, raised hackles actually makes this kind of thing a bit easier. *tug*. Sela locksends ** I am sorry, but that is between the two of us. ** Dodia nods, "Yes..I'll look for her there, thank you." You locksend ** Don't let him intimidate you. He's done a good enough job of that with Dusk, so I know he's got a talent for it. ** to Sela. Sela has reconnected. You locksend ** Don't let him intimidate you. He's done a good enough job of that with Dusk, so I know he's got a talent for it. ** to Sela. Sela locksends ** We have an agreement. That is all. ** Lanina squeezes her hair a bit, dripping water on the floor, then she continues on her way. Lanina heads north into the cavernous hall, fading into distant darkness. Lanina has left. Trollkiller mmrms as Midnight gets another few burrs worked free. You locksend to Sela, Trollkiller nods. ** Okay. Just... don't let him get to you. ** Sela locksends ** He cannot take more than I have already given. ** Trollkiller looks up at Sela. He didn't like the thought of _that_ at all... Sela grows a little more distant at Trollkiller's regard. She draws her skirts closer to her and steps away. You locksend ** If you need help, come to me. ** to Sela. Sela locksends ** There is no help for the agreement I freely entered into. It is a decision I would make again. I cannot tolerate bullying of those weaker. ** Trollkiller nods silently to Sela. Fair enough - though the offer still stands. Midnight bites his lip a little, looking after Sela. She looks like she could use some attention as badly as Trollkiller, but... After some hesitation, he goes back to tending a last tangle. Dodia heads north into the cavernous hall, fading into distant darkness. Dodia has left. Trollkiller mmmrms. ** That's good. ** Midnight locksends ** I'm glad it is. I wish there was more I could do. ** Trollkiller nuzzles Midnight's stomach. ** There's only so much any of us can do. Hopefully we'll find something soon. ** He sighs, thinking. ** Eventually, we have to be thinking about what we're going to do next. ** Midnight frowns thoughtfully. ** I was going to be here for a few years anyhow... Can't the rest of you stay, too? ** Sela takes a step closer to Midnight and cups her hand around his cheek. Midnight looks at Sela with wide, blue eyes, filled with concern. Sela leans over and gives him a gentle kiss on his forehead, then turns to drift away. Midnight makes a small motion as if to reach for Sela, but checks it. Adults are so... He sighs a little, then abandons the incident in favor of declaring to Trollkiller. "I think that's as good as it gets. The fur, that is." Sela moves up the staircase to the west. Sela has left. Trollkiller looks at Midnight. ** So... you like it here, then? ** Midnight's cheeks gain just the faintest touch of color, looking aside as he sends. ** It's... all right. Different. ** Trollkiller sends, ** Well, I can't disagree with that. It is different. ** Trollkiller adds, ** And it's not entirely without its pleasures. What do you like? ** Midnight blushes a little more deeply. Staring steadily at his toes, he mutters. "It's... um. Warm and dry and stuff. And other kinds of people. And..." Peering at Trollkiller, he adds in a send. ** Did you ever... I mean, you've met Lord Winnowill... ** Trollkiller nods. ** I have. Several times, not just now, and not with such a ... welcoming reception, either. ** Trollkiller sends, ** She tried to ... break Woodhawk, once upon a time. ** Midnight's eyes widen. ** What do you mean? Woodhawk? ** He looks at the elf in question. ** How? ** Trollkiller sends, ** She tried to break his mind with her magics. She wanted... I don't know how to say this. To own him. ** Trollkiller sends, ** It was eights of eights ago. ** Trollkiller shakes his head. ** But something has changed here. I don't know what or how. But I have hope for better, now. ** Midnight gnaws his lip again, peering at Trollkiller. ** She's been sorta nice to me. ** He does seem a bit shaken by Trollkillers story. Trollkiller nods, looking up. ** She's been nice to _me_. Which... well, once upon a time in the long-ago before, she was... well, no. She was never nice. She was... approachable. Perhaps because we had a common... issue, with one named Tash. ** Trollkiller sends, ** But the last time we met, she was trying to change Woodhawk in his mind, to force him to her will. ** Trollkiller sends, ** And she also tried it, just a little, on me. ** Midnight frowns more deeply, and says quickly. "She didn't really, though? I mean, it was only trying?" Trollkiller rubs Midnight's arm, comfortingly. ** With Woodhawk, it took much healing before he was returned to himself... and it was the trying, itself, which was bad enough. ** He laughs a little. ** Just because you miss your prey doesn't mean you're not trying to eat it. ** Trollkiller shakes his head. ** So. I'm ... reluctant to trust her. Not until I know what's changed. She's always felt broken, herself - maybe someone has... healed her. ** Midnight nods thoughtfully at Trollkiller. "I need to think about this some more." He gives Trollkiller his best stern look. "I still think you should sleep some more. Or try to." Trollkiller looks at everyone, still sleeping, with various degrees of not-so- soundness - but that's more than he's had. ** You're right, I suppose, I should at least try... ** Trollkiller nuzzles. ** G'night... ** Midnight nods, and gives Trollkiller another close hug. ** Everything's so much easier when you're rested. I'll... stay with you a while. ** Trollkiller nuzzles and pulls you down beside him. ** I'd like that. ** Midnight stretches beside Trollkiller, quite evenly matched for height. Snuggling as close as is practical, he yawns and quickly abandons his vague plans of staying awake for a good wolfnap. Trollkiller giggles. ** Sleepy too. ** Midnight mrble am not... ZzzzzZZZZzzzzZZZzz.... Trollkiller falls asleep beside Midnight, head on his chest.