Log Date: 12/29/95
Log Intro: At Willowholt, after several of the Holt have set out in
various directions on various missions, the mood of the remaining members
of the tribe is tense. Woodhawk, Rainfire, and Dawn have all been beset
by feelings that someone is in trouble; Dawn has acted impulsively on
these feelings by assuming that the person in danger must be one of
the elves at Blue Mountain, and has hastened off there with her daughter
Dusk to see. But Woodhawk and Rainfire are both convinced that the
person in trouble is Rillwhisper, and to the dismay of the firestarter,
he receives a long-distance and powerful sending from his other lifemate,
Trollkiller, who has felt the same....

[NOTE: Dawn, Dusk, and NightDancer are spoofed in this log by Trollkiller's
 player.]

----------
Silversong steps out onto the branch, lightly rubbing at her eyes, but sensing 
  the disturbance in your feelings despite her wearyness. ** 'hawk? **

Woodhawk, perched tensely on the sentry branch with his brown gaze flicking 
  back and forth from the west to the north, immediately snaps his gaze around 
  to you. he looks startled, but then relaxes. Slightly.
You say "Silversong..."

Silversong lifts a hand to an overhanging branch, steadying herself. "What's 
  wrong?"

Woodhawk looks at you sharply, but it's not directed to you -- as you probably 
  realize, the moment he tells you, bluntly, "Rillwhisper's in trouble. I had 
  a bad dream... and Rainfire's been restless, too. Thought it was possibly 
  nothing... but I just felt Trollkiller send. All the way from Blue Mountain. 
  _He_ felt something, too."

Silversong snaps awake at that. "Do you know where she is, or where she might 
  be?"

Woodhawk's eyes have turned golden, and his hand grips the branch under him, 
  tautly. "Rainfire thinks north. And I _think_ I agree. But cursed if either 
  of us know where. She _said_ she was taking Strongbow to Lostholt. But 
  Rainfire thinks he can send to them there, and he's not reaching them."

Silversong points out in a soft voice, "Sending to them means nothing, if they 
  can't send back..."

Woodhawk frowns. And sighs. "I know. I... don't think she's dead. We'd know -- 
  Trollkiller and me. But if he _and_ I are both feeling things -- something's 
  wrong."

Silversong nods. "I won't argue with that, 'hawk... But if she's in trouble, 
  someone will probabaly need to go look for her..."

Woodhawk half-smiles. "Rainfire's already packed. Trollkiller's coming home, 
  now, he sends. We'll probably have to ride out to meet him -- save time...." 
  His voice turns a little husky, the pacing of his words a little rapid, as 
  his tenseness comes out in his voice. "We'll need the word from No-fur, too 
  -- he _is_ chief while Rill's gone. We need to hear what his say is."

Silversong nods to your words, listening with her usual quietness of seeming. 
  "Aye... should I come as well?"

Woodhawk shifts, restlessly, gaze wandering from you and out to the north and 
  back again, across the snow-frosted trees. "If... she's in trouble, she 
  might need a healer...."

Silversong nods in quiet agreement.
Silversong sits slowly down on the branch, her hands to either side of her.

Woodhawk looks at you. "We'll need a plan... can't go randomly wandering. But 
  maybe between Trollkiller and Rainfire, we'll be able to find her..."

Silversong nods. ** I'm worried about Brightmark, though... **

Woodhawk nods, thoughtfully, frowning. "With Dawn running off that way... 
  don't know. I'm wondering if we should hold council on this. Soon."

Silversong nods. ** If Dawn's found them though, perhaps she'll return with 
  them. **

In the clearing, Rainfire chuckles faintly, nosed under the chin by his 
  wolf-friend. "All right, all right." He skitches the furry ruff vigorously 
  behind twitching ears.

Woodhawk smiles faintly, as he jumps down out of the tree.
You swing down off the branch to the clearing below.
Clearing by the Old Willow(#123RHJ)
Contents:
Thornclaw
Rainfire
Twilight
Nightruff
Obvious exits:
Branch<Climb>  Old Willow<SW>  Hillside<S>  Path<W>  Starwillow Copse<SE>  
  Marsh<E>  Pond<N>  

From the branch above, Silversong watches Woodhawk, smiling slightly.

Woodhawk, his movements restless, comments, "Trollkiller's not far. I can feel 
  him. We'll be leaving soon, I think, if No-fur gives the word..."

Rainfire looks up, and Thornclaw whines as the skitching stops.
Rainfire stands, shifting the bow across his back. "Good...I'd rather have 
  been gone long before now."

Woodhawk studies Rainfire gravely, noting only, "The quality of the... dream 
  hasn't changed. Rill still lives."

Rainfire glances northward again uneasily. ** We must go soon. **

From the branch above, Silversong sends quietly, her hands on the wood of the 
  branch beneath her. ** We will, Rainfire... **

Woodhawk glances from healer to hunter and back again, and says, "We must talk 
  to No-fur. He _is_ chief, while she's gone."

Rainfire turns and looks up, focusing on Silversong. ** Are you coming with 
  us, silverhair? Rill may be in need of your touch. **

From the branch above, Silversong nods to Rainfire. ** I will be. **

No-fur bounces in.

Woodhawk, as No-fur himself comes into view, looks over at him quietly. 
  "Trollkiller's coming home. Soon."

No-fur skitters to a halt.
No-fur smiles just a tad. "I could sure use him right now. How do you know?"

Woodhawk's gaze turns graver. "Trollkiller... sent to me. From Blue Mountain. 
  They're on their way home, and will be here soon, I think. Maybe even 
  tonight. He... got a feeling, too, lad. About your mother."

Rainfire turns and looks to No-fur then to Woodhawk, then takes up shifting 
  antsily where he stands.

No-fur's heart almost visibly falls... His shoulders certainly do, as he 
  sighs, looking at his fire-father.

From the branch above, Fhen sends openly ** I'm gonna go too. **

Woodhawk looks from face to face, frowns, and concludes, "He... sent very 
  hard. And I didn't catch more than brief words. But one of them was 
  'spiders'."

Thornclaw whines.

Rainfire frowns more deeply. Not at all happy with this.

From the branch above, Silversong glances at Fhen, and shakes her head. ** I 
  don't think you should go, Fhen... **

No-fur scowls. He looks up at those in the tree, then at those in the clearing 
  with him.

Rainfire crosses arms over his chest and scowls, "Well, are we going to go yet 
  or what?"

No-fur says, quietly. "No, you're not. Not yet."
No-fur does his best to sound authoritative. He manages to pull it off about 
  halfway.

Rainfire's ruddy brows draw together.

No-fur asks, of fire-father, "Possibly tonight, you say?"

Thornclaw lays his nose on his paws, following his pacing elf-friend with his 
  eyes.

Woodhawk nods. Still gravely. His face is drawn, but he does not look 
  impatient.

No-fur looks off in the distance, seemingly lost in thought.
No-fur turns to Woodhawk. "Fire father?"

Woodhawk, reading that as a request for his input, states solemnly, 
  "Trollkiller's felt something now, too, son. I think some of us should go 
  look for your mother. I'm still... 'feeling' that she's alive, but if 
  Fuzzy's felt something, too, I'm more worried now that she's in trouble."

No-fur nods quietly. "Aye, I pretty much figured that out, I think."
No-fur says "Who would you send?"

Rainfire broods quietly, scuffing grooves in the dirt with one foot.

No-fur glances at Rainfire.

Rainfire looks up briefly, his send carrying an air of finality. ** I am 
  going. **

No-fur grumps slightly at that.

Woodhawk glances around the circle. "Well," he says, almost smiling, 
  "Rainfire's going. He's a warrior, and we'll need some if Rill's in bad 
  trouble." His gaze lingers on Silversong, then. "We may well need a healer 
  for her and for Strongbow, too. I'm assuming that Strongbow's with her -- 
  and also in trouble. Otherwise the archer'd have come here to find us."

No-fur nods quietly, looking up at Silversong. "Aye."

From the branch above, Silversong drops down from the branch, landing nimbly 
  on the ground below.
From the branch above, Silversong swings down to the ground below.
Silversong emerges from the trees by the nearby pond.
Silversong has arrived.

No-fur says "Fur-father will probably want to go, as well, if I don't miss my 
  guess..."
No-fur looks at Woodhawk, seemingly for approval.. "I think, one more? Maybe 
  two. Not too many, we can't just forget the holt."

From the branch above, Fhen swings down off the branch to the clearing below.
Fhen drops down from the branch above.
Fhen has arrived.

Rainfire glances at Silversong.

Woodhawk lets out a breath. And says, "You need sentries here. And a healer as 
  well. You need people to hunt and guard."

Silversong shakes her head. "I'm going, 'hawk," she says stubbornly.

Fhen looks over at No-fur. ** I'll stay. ** He looks as if he doesn't want to, 
  but will because he has to.

Woodhawk turns to Silversong, and holds up a hand, forestalling. "I can't tell 
  any of you aye or nay. No-fur," he stresses again, "has the say here. Rill 
  said so."

No-fur smiles at Fhen. *Aye, I'd like you here.*

Silversong glances over her shoulder at No-fur, eyes inquiring. She nods, 
  agreeing.

Trollkiller emerges from the trees by the nearby pond.
Trollkiller has arrived.

Dawn has arrived.

Dusk has arrived.

NightDancer has arrived.

Skitches has arrived.

Fhen gets up and walks over to No-fur and sits down.

No-fur turns at the suddenly (probably) very noisy bunch of elves.

Trollkiller looks around. He'd be a little more frantic, but he's a lot more 
  tired.

Rainfire's eyes snap to the arriving elves. He goes to Trollkiller first, 
  offering a supporting shoulder.

Dawn sends, ** A council? **

Dusk looks around at everybody, unusually quiet.

Woodhawk looks up, startled, as Trollkiller and the rest arrive. He hastens to 
  his younger lifemate, nods to Dawn in passing, and supports Trollkiller from 
  the other side.

Silversong turns away from No-fur as the group arrives, nodding. ** How is 
  Brightmark? **

No-fur looks at the group. *Is everyone here in one piece?*

Trollkiller leans heavily against Woodhawk, sliding off the back of Skitches, 
  who promptly flops down in the grass and goes to sleep.

Dawn sends, ** Tired, haggard, but more or less fine. Fuzzy here led us on 
  quite a ride. **

No-fur snugs fur-father, ultra-gently.

NightDancer nods.

Trollkiller looks back to Dawn. ** Um? **

Dawn reaches over and touches Trollkiller's shoulder. ** It's okay. But no 
  more rides late into the day. It's not safe. **

Rainfire skitches Trollkiller's headfur gently. ** Going to make it, Fuzzy? **

No-fur manages a half-grin. *He better.*

Trollkiller nods. ** I'll make it. But we'll need a day to rest here. **

NightDancer sends, ** Is a Council in progress? **

No-fur nods quietly to Trollkiller. "I wasn't about ready to let you run off 
  again without it." ... almost as an afterthought ... "I'm assuming you're 
  going to find your mate. I can't imagine I could stop you if I wanted to."
No-fur nods quietly to NightDancer. "Sort of."

Woodhawk stands back, listening, letting No-fur discuss the situation with the 
  newly returned tribesmates. He keeps a hand on Trollkiller, smoothing his 
  fur.

Trollkiller looks at No-fur. ** "Your mate?" Yes. Your dam. **
Trollkiller mmmmrs. Lots of stress.

Silversong lets her question go unanswered without protest, listening quietly. 
  She lifts her hand to her lips, blowing a soft whistle.

No-fur hmmmms? at Silversong.

Ashes comes down out of the trees on the hillside.
Ashes has arrived.

Joy has connected.

Ashes answers the whistle, padding down from the hill and over to Silversong, 
  who smiles and hugs her wolf.

Rainfire steps back quietly and leans against a near tree, listening.

Trollkiller sends openly ** Um. What's council about? **

No-fur says "Who's going after mother."

Zalen glides down from above.
Zalen has arrived.
Zalen lights gently into a tree.

Joy slips near her father.

Dusk sends, ** Me! **

No-fur says "Thusfar, Rainfire, Silversong, and yourself."... He looks at 
  fire-father, then back to Trollkiller, "we think one, or maybe two more, but 
  no more than that.""

Joy has disconnected.

Dawn sends, ** I can help, I think. **

Zalen eyes Dawn, having not seen her when he landed.

Dawn runs over to Zalen, huggling him.

Zalen tries not to fall off the branch and ruffs her hair. "That was a quick 
  trip," he comments.

NightDancer sends, ** Well, I can help, too - help stay here, and guard the 
  holt. **

No-fur nods at NightDancer, and turns to Dawn. "How can you help?"

Zalen leans down on the branch and says teasingly, "She can dye them to death."

No-fur giggles quietly.
No-fur locksends ** I guess it isn't fair not to ask you if you want to go. **

You locksend ** <a flash of solemn affection, and amusement> My... magic would 
  be useful, if Rillwhisper is in peril. ** to No-fur.

Dawn sends, ** I know... Jasmael's trip to the mountain did not go as well as 
  she'd hoped... **

Zalen swings his legs and remains otherwise silent resting head on arms atop 
  Dawn's head.

Rainfire puts in quietly, ** Dawn sends strongly. We may be able to find Rill 
  faster if we work together. **

Dawn sends, ** I just can help, that's all. ** She glances over at the 
  semi-exhausted Trollkiller. ** Everybody who needs it. **

Silversong glances back at Dawn, eyes showing concern. ** How is she? **

You sense in a locksend, No-fur sighs. "I was afraid you would say that."

Dawn smiles, leaning back a little against Zalen.

Zalen asks, "How do you know she's lost?"

Trollkiller pipes up. ** She's not necessarily lost. But she's in trouble. **

No-fur looks over the group quietly, saying nothing, just listening.

Dawn looks to Silversong. ** Sad. Sar is... changed. She's going to Wolfhaven; 
  she thinks Gerren may have gone there. **

Rainfire counters, ** In trouble and we do not know where. **

Dusk looks back and forth between people, left and right...

Silversong seems amazed. ** Gerren was not at the Mountain? ** she replies.

Zalen says stoically, "Do we know if she made it to ... wherever she was going 
  with Strongbow?"

Woodhawk puts in, "She was to be going to Lostholt."

Dawn sends, ** No. He has gone out. We don't know why. **

You locksend ** <softly> She'd have gone after me, when Tash had me. But 
  couldn't. I don't want to do the same now, when I can. But you should keep 
  what warriors you can here, son. ** to No-fur.

Zalen says "Then go to Lostholt first and hear where she was going next, or if 
  she was there at all."

Rainfire shakes his head, ** She is not at Lostholt. Not anymore. **

Trollkiller sends openly ** I think we should go to Lostholt and find out. See 
  if she got there. Maybe we can track her from there, too, if something 
  happened on the way back. ** **

Zalen says "Do you know she was /at/ Lostholt."
Zalen says "Do /they/ know where she went since? Who here was just there?"

Dawn pets Zalen's arms.

Zalen looks down to Dawn and smiles quietly. "Sorry. I'm just trying to help."

Trollkiller sends openly ** That's where she was going. That's what we should 
  do, too. **

No-fur sits quietly on a log, watching, listening, but saying nothing. Every 
  now and then, he glances at Woodhawk, and occasionally to Fhen, all the 
  time, studying the group at large.

Rainfire frets impatiently and gestures in the direction of Lostholt. ** But 
  she isn't /there/. ** He points north insistently. ** She's up there 
  somewhere..and in trouble.. **

Trollkiller glares at Rainfire. ** I >think< I know that! **

Zalen says calmly toward Rainfire, "But they'll know more than we do, here, 
  now."

Dusk looks surprised at Trollkiller.

Trollkiller sends in general, but mostly at Rainfire, ** We can run off 
  without knowing _anything_ about what's going on and get ourselves just as 
  caught up as Rillwhisper, _or_ we can try to see what somebody might now, 
  and maybe have _some_ idea what _not_ to do! **

Zalen says vaguely toward the two, "Calmly. Letting the wolfblood take hold 
  will not help Rill any, from here. Now."

Woodhawk watches all this, and listens, frowning gravely.

Silversong stands silently next to her wolf, petting over Ashes' fur.

Woodhawk glances at Zalen -- and nods to him, quiet, approving. Not from Zalen 
  would he take offense about his wolf's blood, and he does not look offended 
  now, simply worried.

Dawn nods, adding, ** And if she's in imminent danger, we won't get there in 
  time - regardless. **

Rainfire stops and looks at Trollkiller, his expression falling. He shifts 
  feet as if about to reply but then looks away and simply walks away into the 
  trees without another word.

Zalen looks down at Dawn, not knowing she knew the world 'imminent'. ;)

Woodhawk glances after Rainfire, frowning again -- but does not stop him. He 
  pitches his voice to carry to the other hunter, though, as he notes, 
  "Rillwhisper is not dead. We'd know if she were, Trollkiller and I. And 
  she's been not-dead for at least an eight of days, but yet we've had this 
  worry. Whatever danger she's in -- I don't think it's something about to 
  kill her."

Dawn looks up. ** Your words stay with me. I learn them. :-) **

Trollkiller sends openly ** More than a worry. **

Zalen wasn't sure HE knew the word 'imminent'. ;) ;)

No-fur clears his throat quietly. He holds his fingers to his lips in a very 
  "shhhh" type motion.

Zalen says "Take mostly hunters, then, trackers and leave some behind, in 
  case. Those who are not needed could be sent back from Lostholt."

Woodhawk glances to his son, waiting, with the same patience he'd give 
  Rillwhisper, despite the bleak look in his eyes. He can't quite hide it, nor 
  the tenseness of his stance.

No-fur stands and faces the group.

Trollkiller locksends ** ... <come back?> ... ** to Rainfire.

Dusk looks over at No-fur. He seems more than usual.

NightDancer looks up at No-fur, as he stands.

Silversong strokes gently over Ashes' fur, watching No-fur.

No-fur tries to look dignified, but it's obvious he's not exactly at his most 
  comfortable. "Silversong, Trollkiller, Rainfire, Dawn...."

Rainfire comes back silently at a send, perched on an overhanging branch close 
  enough to hear and see.

Zalen smiles quietly and squeezes Dawn's shoulder, as though she'd just been 
  picked for a Knucklebones tourney.

No-fur looks quietly at Woodhawk.

Woodhawk's lean mouth twitches a bit, as if he's not quite sure whether to 
  smile. But he doesn't speak, as he waits for his son to finish.

Dawn looks up at Zalen.

No-fur sighs. "If I let you go, fire-father... Do you promise to come back 
  safe?"

Dawn locksends to Zalen, ** Don't worry, love. I'll be back, and I'll be fine. 
  And I'll bring back our chief. **

Woodhawk's brown gaze softens. He sends, ** I promise to do everything in my 
  power to get home safe, and bring everyone else home as well. **

No-fur looks at the rest of the group, Trollkiller in specific. "Oh, I'm not 
  worried about them..." He manages a nervous grin.

Trollkiller snorts, tiredly.

No-fur sits back down on his log, and pulls his knees to his chest. He says, 
  quietly... "... and Woodhawk."

Dawn nods, agreeing.

No-fur says, flatly. "Day after tomorrow."

Zalen stretches out his arms, smiling somewhat. "Will you be going?"

No-fur shakes his head. "I can't. As much as I want to, I can't."

Woodhawk inclines his head to No-fur, once.

No-fur says quietly. "Mother left me in charge. The holt is my responsibility."

Zalen says "Aye."

Trollkiller sends, ** Yes. You should stay. **

Fhen says "And since someone needs to keep him company, I'm not going, either."

Zalen looks down at Dawn for a long moment and says, "I'll keep Dusk safe, 
  here."

NightDancer says, "As I mentioned, I will stay here as well."

Dawn looks up at Zalen, reserve on her face. ** We'll... talk about that, 
  then. **

Zalen nods back, seriously.

No-fur, looking as though he's all chief'd out, puts his head down on his 
  knees.

Dawn snuggles Zalen again.

NightDancer says, "Well, since that's settled, I'm off to my den, before I 
  fall down here."

Zalen chuckles.

NightDancer stands, stretches, and wanders off to sleep.
NightDancer has left.

Woodhawk steps briefly to No-fur, gives him another quiet and approving smile, 
  and clasps his shoulder respectfully.

No-fur looks up, doubt in his eyes.

Trollkiller looks to No-fur, looking _very_ tired.

You locksend ** You've done well, son. <His tone gentles.> I think I'd better 
  take your other father off and let him rest now, though. ** to No-fur.

No-fur nods to Woodhawk.

Trollkiller locksends ** It sounds right to me. Chiefs need to show confidence 
  where they can. ** to No-fur.

No-fur locksends ** I think that'd be a great idea. **

Woodhawk looks quietly at No-fur for a moment, almost smiling, then turns to 
  Trollkiller, offering him an arm. "Fuzzy... you want to come fall down and 
  rest in our den?"

No-fur locksends ** How can you show confidence if you don't know that you're
  doing the right thing? ** to Trollkiller.

Rainfire slides down a near tree and pauses at Woodhawk's offer, halting his 
  path toward Trollkiller.

Trollkiller locksends ** Ask your mother when we get her back. ** to No-fur.
Trollkiller blinks. ** Huh? Oh. Yes. I kinda ache. **

Woodhawk looks past Trollkiller to Rainfire, and considers him for a moment.
You locksend, to Trollkiller, Rainfire: ** Den's big enough for three, 
  obviously... **

Sitting next to No-fur, Fhen looks over at the acting chief. ** Something 
  wrong? **

Silversong sits down beside Ashes, leaning into the wolf's side.

Dusk hops over to Dawn and Zalen, and snugs them both.

Zalen oofs and ruffles the wild young wolfrider's hair.

No-fur sighs at Fhen. "I'm not very good at the chief thing yet."

Rainfire looks uncertainly from Woodhawk to Trollkiller and then slowly 
  crosses to the furry elf. Kneeling behind him, Rainfire leans his forehead 
  against Trollkiller's shoulder.

Trollkiller breathes deeply, sighing.

Silversong smiles supportively over at No-fur. ** You're doing fine.. and will 
  get better. **

Rainfire locksends ** I am sorry...I can be thick headed sometimes... ** to
  Trollkiller.
Trollkiller locksends ** Yes. ** to Rainfire.

No-fur smiles, a tad. "I hope so."

Fhen nods. ** Besides, you've got plenty of time to practice. Your mom is 
  coming back soon. **

Trollkiller locksends ** But that's okay. ** to Rainfire.
Trollkiller locksends ** Usually. ** to Rainfire.

Rainfire sighs faintly.

You sense Trollkiller shifts his weight against you, letting you carry it. ** 
  Den. **

Rainfire sits back against the tree and rests his forehead against his knees.

Trollkiller locksends ** That wasn't a rebuke. ** to Rainfire.

Woodhawk hugs both Rainfire and Trollkiller, then gently turns them both, 
  propelling his younger mate into the Old Willow.

[End log.]