Log Date: 11/5/96
Log Cast:
	Ynderra, Skywise, Pike, Gingerheart, Strongbow, Cutter, Mirth,
Eagle, Dart, Dewshine, Myriel, Branch
Log Intro:
	Ynderra has healed the ailing Dart, and now, the elves of
Lostholt grow more anxious as they try to prepare for the expedition
to save Trouble.... even as visitors linger in the Holt.

----------
Base of the Lost Holt Father Tree(#765RJ)
A dense grove of grotesquely shaped trees dominated by one immense 
  Grandfather of a tree whose age is no less great than its size.
It is obvious that the old tree has survived a terrible tragedy but new 
  growth and thick strong branches cover the worst of the scars left by the 
  terrible blaze. Weeds and night blooming wildflowers grow in a riot of 
  natural disorder around the trees roots, taking advantage of the NewGreen 
  warmth. Like old friends, the gnarled trees embrace one another, their many 
  branches entwining to form a dense canopy high above the ground. The daystar 
  shines brightly down on the hazy green surrounding trees, waking the forest 
  from its long WhiteCold sleep.
Contents:
Rainrunner(#7036Jep)
Shadow
Wrapstuff cocoon
SafeRunner
Calmwind(#7032Jopq)
Obvious exits:
Into the Tree<N>  Around the Tree<AT>  Clearing<S>

Pike walks out of the Father Tree.
Pike has arrived.
Pike walks out of the father tree, ** 'Lo? **

Skywise walks around from behind the Father Tree.
Skywise has arrived.

Ynderra kneels in the middle of the clearing, picking up bits of wrapstuff, 
  and she looks up with a tired grin as the two of you arrive. "Skywise, Pike!"
Ynderra drops the wrapstuff bits she was gathering, and leaps to her feet.

Pike flashes his full grin, ** 'Derra! **

Skywise strolls in with a rather casual gait. He looks better than he has in 
  days, and smiles his usual grin. "Greetings, both of you. Glad to see you're 
  back, Ynderra."

Ynderra bobs her head as she joins you, and says, "It looks like I'm needed, 
  and I'm glad Cutter and Leetah got back, too!"

Pike gives a careless toss of the head, throwing his hair out of his eyes, 
  "Needed? You? Never!...well, yeah." He looks at the bits of wrapstuff, "I 
  guess you were."

Skywise gazes at the silver threads haphazardly strewn about as he answers. 
  ** Aye. ** A single word, but there's a lot of emotion behind it. It's been 
  one of the weights upon his shoulders. The other looms ahead, in Doreel's 
  grove. "Need help?"

Ynderra giggles a bit, but weakly, and pokes Pike's nose. "Eagle's taken Dart 
  off to rest, but I don't think I'm done yet. I was just picking up the 
  wrapstuff."

Pike's berry purple eyes cross and he stares at his nose, "Wha...?"

Ynderra murmurs playfully, "I know you missed me, berry-eyes." But her 
  teasing's a little less than up to par, today.

Pike chuckles and nods, "Well yes, I guess I did. You know, peace and quiet 
  is just so annoying!"
Pike winks and flashes his full grin.

Skywise shoots a baffled glance at Pike. Peace? Hmph. "Peace to you is a full 
  bush of berries, Pike." He chuckles softly, though not with much humor. "So, 
  you'll come with us, won't you Ynderra? Has anyone spoke to you about it 
  yet?"
Skywise has stooped to gather some of the iridescent preserver silk, idly. 
  Rising, he puzzles... what does one do with used wrapstuff when it's not 
  wanted anymore? He looks around, then shrugs and rolls it between thumb and 
  forefinger for lack of a better plan.

Ynderra says softly, "I've been told some by Mother. You'll need a healer, of 
  course."

Pike starts to collect bits of wrapstuff as well, Hey, why not?

Skywise nods mutely. He gazes at her for several heartbeats, thinking. "Your 
  mate... will he want to follow you?"
The stargazer's attempt to toss the tiny silver-white ball at Pike fails, as 
  wrapstuff not only weighs next to nothing... it's sticky. He scowls, trying 
  to shake the thing from his fingertips.

Pike looks back and chuckles! "Silly."

Ynderra smiles a bit, solemnly. "Kai doesn't like to be without me."

Skywise almost says something about Minx, but bites his lip and nods. "So 
  that'll be an eight of us going..." He nods again, as though reassuring 
  himself. "Yes, we can do this." He turns away, finally flicking the annoying 
  wrapstuff ball into the low foilage.

Pike stands up and brushes off his breeches, "Sure we can!"

Skywise walks to a root, seating himself and drawing his legs up to his 
  chest. Chin on his folded arms, he smiles at Pike's optimism. "Doreel won't 
  know what hit him." Empty boasts.

Pike chuckles and nods his head, "Sure won't."

Ynderra wrinkles her nose slightly, and leans her slender body against the 
  Father Tree. "Do you, um, know how we're going to do this?"

Skywise gazes at her. "Well, we got Dewshine and Windkin out of the mountain, 
  against all odds... Snatched Suntop form the Black Snake's clutches... This 
  can't be much harder." A weak smile at Pike. "Right?"

Ynderra asks anxiously, "Is... Doreel that bad? It didn't seem like he was, 
  um, like Winnowill, from what I remember from the council we had when you 
  all brought Strongbow home."

Pike nods his head, "Sure we can! We've survived worse then this, remember 
  stargazer?"

Skywise's silver brows furrow, and mumbles half to himself, "No... different, 
  but mindsick for the same reasons, I think. Winnowill stagnated inside, 
  because she didn't feel needed.. And for all his old powers, who needs 
  Doreel...?"

Pike frowns ever so slightly at that and sits on a root near skywise.

Ynderra scuffs a toe in the dirt. "Well," she says meekly, "it's not like the 
  Holt needs me or Kai to heal, when we've got Leetah. But we're needed for 
  other things. So how do we help Doreel?"

Skywise gives Pike and almost bashful smile as his approach pulls the 
  stargazer from his musings.. He glances up at Ynderra, turning her question 
  over in his mind. "Help him... I've thought more on how to get us into the 
  grove, and Trouble out."
He adds, with a light chuckle, "You'll have your hands full healing -us-, 
  Ynderra..."

Pike grins softly to the stargazer and pats his shoulder reassuringly.

Ynderra turns up her dainty hands, palms to the air, looking fretful and 
  helpless. "Do you think we ought to fight with him?"

Skywise smiles ruefully. "Well, that's one plan. Though, I don't want his 
  blood on my hands, that's certain... I'd rather have him helped, but until 
  you, Kai, and Leetah returned, that wasn't much of an option."
Skywise looks at Pike, a ridiculous idea springing to mind in the face of 
  such seriousness. "What if we bound him and poured some of Pike's select 
  dreamberries down his throat? I'm sure he'd be managable then... happier 
  too." He grins, obviously jesting.

Pike hmms and actually thinks about that, tapping his bottom lip in thought. 
  "Well...do I want to waste them all?"

Skywise shoves Pike playfully. "Tribe before berries, my friend!"

The stargazer's goofy grin fades into a shining 'that gives me an idea' 
  look... "Do you think we should try to find a way to muddle the Mad One's 
  senses..? And those helpers too! So that the rest of us wouldn't be noticed 
  by him..."

Pike meeps! and falls over, "Oh! Well then..."

Skywise gazes at Pike from his ungraceful position on the ground. "We could 
  send -you- in, bearing 'gifts' in exchange for Trouble. He won't accept, of 
  course, but the gifts could maybe be something strange and mind-muddling 
  that he might not have seen before.."

Pike blinks, "But...shouldn't we send someone cute?"
Pike says "Like...a certain silver-haired stargazer?"

All this is brainstorming... and idea, just like a thousand others that have 
  emmerged and been discarded as 'impossible' over these past few days. The 
  stargazer sinks back down on the root, brow furrowed in thought.

Pike says "Named....Skreewise..."

Skywise glances up at Pike quizzically. "Me? But who could better rant about 
  the enchanting wonders of dreamberries and the like better than you?" He 
  grins. "Besides... the person who goes will have to get -very-, er, muddled 
  as well... so Doreel won't suspect."

Pike winks a berry eye, "But you're cuter muddled!"

Skywise sighs. "But I'm needed to lead the others!" He fingers the lodestone 
  idly. "It was just an idea.. besides, that'd put you in a lot of risk, 
  heading into the grove alone. You could be captured. We should think up 
  something else."
Skywise ponders, "Unless we sent Dart in with you... I'm sure he'd be anxious 
  to be one of the first in to see Trouble."

Pike reaches in to his pouch and pops a dreamberry in to his mouth and winks a 
  berry eye, "Then you'd have two to rescue!"

"But you could watch each other's backs..." The stargazer shakes his head. 
  "No, you're completely right. Too risky." He sighs. Another idea thrown to 
  the winds. What next? We send the preservers and tell them to sing to Doreel 
  till he frees Trouble?

Pike says "I'll do whatever, Skywise."

Skywise sprawls out on the grass. "Arrg! I'm tired of this. My brain hurts."

Pike ehs, "Thinking is the enemy here."

Skywise lifts his head to give Pike a smirk before letting it fall back into 
  the grass with a muffled 'thunk'. "Let's just set the whole grove aflame. 
  We'll only lose one of us that way..." Not at all serious, Skywise struggles 
  back into a sitting position.

Pike goes over and offers Skywise a dreamberry, "I don't know...do we really 
  want Dart to be Rayek?"

Skywise sighs softly and gazes at his boots. "No..." He shakes his head at the 
  offered berry. "And High Ones know he'd brood wonderfully in the vast palace 
  halls."

Pike shrugs and pops the berry in to his mouth and chews thoughtfully, "Let's 
  just follow ourselves."

Ynderra looks back and forth between you and the flurry of ideas, big blue 
  eyes anxious.

Skywise scowls. "Follow ourselves? What troll rot is that, Pike? We need a 
  plan, not dreamberry talk." He bites his lip at the surprisingly harsh 
  admonishment. None of this is Pike's fault...

Pike blinks and looks at Skywise and then looks at Ynderra as if to ask 'You 
  know what's wrong with him?' and then just scoots away from the stargazer.

Skywise shrinks into himself, just slightly. "I'm... I didn't mean..." He 
  tosses a glance at Pike. "Well, what did you mean by that, anyway?"

Ynderra finally sighs gently and says, "Well, um. Rayek needs his head dunked 
  in a berry-bush, and then he needs a tumble in the furs, but that's not our 
  most pressing problem." Her cute little nose crinkles. "Dart's in line after 
  Rayek for berries and furs, I think, but he needs Trouble back safe, first, 
  and then maybe he'll listen to me when I tell him his father really isn't a 
  foamsick bear."

Pike purses his lips and thinks about that, looking at the stargazer for a few 
  long moments, "Oh, it's nothing. Dreamberry talk is all."

Ynderra leans forward and eyes you both, concernedly. "We're _all_ worried, I 
  think, and we shouldn't let that eat at us before we go to try to get 
  Trouble home."

Skywise looks at Ynderra, *blink blink* "What was that about a foamsick bear 
  and fur-tumbling?" He shakes his head a little, as if to clear it, and 
  winces inwardly at the hurt in Pike's tone. "Yes, Ynderra, that's the most 
  sensible thing anyone's said all day."

Pike looks at his berry bag for a few moments, as if lost in thought and then 
  shrugs, having made up his mind, and he pops another berry in to his mouth.

Ynderra looks between you both again and smiles a bit. "Dart," she explains 
  mildly, "is almost as bad about his father as Trouble is about Myriel. It's 
  amazing that Dart and Strongbow can be so alike and get burrs in their boots 
  over it. Strongbow nearly tackled me and dragged me in to heal Dart, but 
  wouldn't say a word about it -- you know how Strongbow is. And Dart's got it 
  in his head that his father is disappointed in him or some such, and won't 
  let him go look for Trouble."

Skywise queries distractedly, "Dart thinks he can't come because Strongbow 
  said so, even though he didn't? Strongbow's not even chief right now..." 
  What's this in his tone? Relief? "Dart's coming. He'll insist."

Ynderra giggles tiredly. "I _told_ Dart that Strongbow might be his father, 
  but he's not his chief. But I also told him that if I were Strongbow, I'd 
  sit on him too till he was strong enough to go anywhere." Her merriment 
  subsides, then. "Dart was awfully weak, and he needs meat in him."

Pike leans back against the tree trunk and quietly chews on another 
  dreamberry, now just listening.

Ynderra adds, "As for Strongbow, I have the feeling Dart might have mistaken 
  fatherly worry for chiefly order. Dart didn't see Strongbow's eyes when we 
  got here. I'm going to go talk to the archer soon."

Skywise nods. "And get some food in him. Fatten him up." He gives a small 
  grin. "So what's our best idea so far? Using our healers to try and help 
  Doreel?"
Skywise tosses a blade of grass towards Pike, though it doesn't do more than 
  flutter merrily to the ground. "I still say you should get the Mad One so 
  drunk he can't see straight, and we could sneak in."

Ynderra giggles softly, then says, "Well. What do we know about him?"

Pike looks up and flashes his full grin to Skywise, "Hey, it could work."

The stargazer tries a friendly smile with that, one that seems to query Pike's 
  possibly hurt feelings. "Pike could have him howling like a feather-flapped 
  wolf-chieftain.. he's -good- at that."

Pike chuckles and grins wider, "Well I did it to you once."

Ynderra drums her slim fingers on a knee, thinking. "Well, the point, I think, 
  is can any of us get in there safely?"

Pike says "...Or twice...or many many times."

Skywise is pulled from his attempts of reconciliation to give Ynderra's 
  questions serious thought. "Basically I was thinking that... well, Doreel's 
  expecting a whole mess of us will come calling. But if we send in just one 
  seemingly harmless wolfrider....."
Skywise says "It might catch him offguard...?" He hastens, "Not that you're 
  harmless, Pike. We've all seen you with a spear." He grins. Then frowns. 
  "You'd need that spear to get past the spiders, though... and if you're 
  hacking at spiders, you're not harmless.""

Ynderra holds up a hand and asks, "How do we know what Doreel expects? He's 
  mad, right?"

Pike says "Umm...no, that wouldn't work."
Pike falls silent again.

Skywise sighs, eyes distant with plans both realistic and absurd fluttering 
  though his thoughts again. "Quite, Ynderra. And we -don't- know what to 
  expect. That's the whole problem with making plans."

"Which gets us back to my other question," replies the maiden. "What do we 
  know about him? You saw him, Skywise, what happened then?"

Skywise ponders. "He.. well, he's lonely, Ynderra. Unspeakably lonely. That's 
  why I fear that we'll have a difficult time trying to convince him to give 
  her back to us. It's not like Winnowill and Windkin. There could be... 
  feelings involved. Like love."

[And with that, as Skywise quietly goes off to talk with others needed
 for the rescue....]

Gingerheart yawns and stretches, stumbling, tumbling slightly out of the tree.

Ynderra, sitting quietly near a pile of what looks like recently vacated 
  wrapstuff, blinks at the emergence of a stranger from the Father Tree, and 
  glances at Pike.
You locksend ** Who's this? ** to Pike.

Pike locksends ** Oh, that's Gingerheart. **
Pike chuckles at Gingerheart, ** Have a nice nap? **

Gingerheart
        A friendly smile and a wave greet you when she notices you looking at 
  her. Whisper thin, she stands a mere 3'5" tall. Her long ginger colored 
  hair, one of her featured she is most proud of, hangs to her waist in a 
  waterfall of soft curls, barely controlled by the dark blue headband she 
  wears. her eyes are a striking aquamarine, like the clearest stretch of 
  ocean, and sparkle like the stars.
        All her travels have made her body nicely defined and rugged, but 
  still very feminine. Her hands have long, thin fingers that seem frail and 
  easily breakable until she gets a bow into her hands, then you see the true 
  strength behind them.
        Her clothes are simple and form-fitting, emphasizing her gentle 
  curves. Leggings of mottled black tucked into knee-height dark grey boots 
  ringed at their tops with bear teeth lashed together on cording cover the 
  lower half and her upper body is snugged into a dark blue halter and then 
  draped in a mottled black vest laced partway up. Her forearms are wrapped 
  and lashed in brown leather bracers and at her left hip is a large pouch. 
  She carries a longbow and quiver of arrows across her back when hunting, but 
  they seem ever present when she's not.

Gingerheart rubs her eyes and stumbles towards Pike's voice. ** Yes, thank 
  you, lovemate. **

Ynderra's black eyebrows climb at the visitor's greeting, then she giggles a 
  bit and waves. "Hi there. I'm Ynderra. I live here."

Pike flashes his full grin at Gingerheart and nods to Ynderra. His eyes widen 
  as it dawns on him, "Oh yeah...you do!"

Gingerheart drops her hands and blinks her eyes to focus on Ynderra. "Oh! 
  Hello there! I'm Gingerheart. I'm, well, visiting for now I guess."

Pike chuckles and waves to Gingerheart, "I think you are, at least."

Ynderra smiles a bit more; her big blue eyes reflect a measure of distracted 
  solemness, but her smile is quite bright regardless. "Well, um. A hand or 
  two of visitors around, it would seem, but welcome and all that."

Gingerheart blinks at Ynderra. "Oh? Well... if... if I'm uh - needed to do 
  some hunting to support my weight around here. I'd be happy to..."

Ynderra rolls her slender shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know yet; I just got 
  home myself. You should probably talk to Cutter, though, now that he's home 
  too."

Gingerheart nods. "Gladly. I wouldn't want to be a burden onthe tribe."
Gingerheart sits down beside Pike, placing a hand on his leg.

Pike holds up his berry-bag to Gingerheart and pats her hand.

Gingerheart looks to the bag and manages to grin oddly and then hold back the 
  drool.

Ynderra peers between the two of you, then giggles a little. "Pike, have you 
  gone and gotten her hooked on your berries?"

Pike rolls his eyes and waves the bag under Ginger's nose, "You know you want 
  one... "
Pike blinks his berry eyes at 'Derra, "NO!...She hooked herself..."

Ynderra leans over and whispers conspiringly to the visitor, "Better watch 
  out. He'll cross your eyes with the berries and then haul you off to his 
  furs. He did that to me, the scamp." And she winks a blue eye.

Pike reaches out to poke at 'Derra, "Whuzzat? I did nothing of the sort!"

Gingerheart giggles softly, bringing a hand to her mouth. She winks to 
  Ynderra. "Too late... I was already hooked.. and I dragged HIM off to his 
  furs." She wrinkles her nose cutely and giggles again.

Pike mumbles 'It was YOUR furs...'

Ynderra giggles, eyes lightening.

Pike nods his head and whispers to Ginger, "Don't listen to her, she dragged 
  ME off."

Ynderra rises, glancing off into the trees. Then she glances back and says 
  with a smile to the visitor, "I've got some talking I need to do with my 
  tribe, but in the meantime, be welcome, okay?" With that, the blackhaired 
  maiden trots off around the den tree.

You walk around to the back of the Father Tree.
Behind the Father Tree(#650RAJ)
The land of the Abode surrounds you. 
As you walk around the Father Tree, you come upon a sight unexpected in a 
  Wolfrider Holt. It is evident that Redlance has been putting to use the 
  skills learned long ago in the Sun Village. A neatly tilled garden lies in 
  front of you, a few green buds appear in the loamy soil and along the edges 
  of the garden are stakes, set in even rows to be used for support of slender 
  stalks as they grow. A tiny opening leads into the back of the Father Tree. 
  Off to the north-east lies another large tree, small in comparison to the 
  Father Tree, but quite large enough to house many elves. The daystar shines 
  brightly down on the hazy green surrounding trees, waking the forest from 
  its long WhiteCold sleep.
Contents:
Strongbow
Bearpaw
Obvious exits:
Path<S>  Den Tree<NE>  Woods<W>  Father Tree<FT>  Around the Tree<SE>  

Ynderra, on quiet small feet, comes padding around the father tree and peering 
  through the leaf-dappled daylight.

Fingers plucking oddly at a frayed point of his bowstring, the archer sits 
  among the swelling roots of the great tree, leaning against its trunk. He is 
  silent for a moment, and then looks up, as if to secure in his mind the 
  certainty that he did indeed hear someone.

Ynderra comes into view. Ah, _there_ he is. She bobs her head by way of a 
  wave, and says softly, "Thought you might need me to talk to you?"

Rainrunner walks around from the front of the Father Tree.
Rainrunner has arrived.

Rainrunner
A large brindle wolf, his coloring dark brown, rusty orange, and cream swirled 
  together, in a very thick coat of fur. His paws splay wide beneath him as 
  they carry him along near silently over any ground. Eyes of molten amber are 
  sharp, catching every movement around him, and his ears stand stiffly 
  upright on his head.

The archer nods once and looks back at the frayed bit of gut, then puts the 
  bow to his side, leant against a root. A host of expressions flicker in his 
  eyes, none winning out to his whole face. At last, he sends. ** Dart...? **

Ynderra comes over to sit on the grass by the archer, and tells him earnestly, 
  "I got the spider stuff out of his blood, but he's still weak and tired and 
  ought to spend some time resting and getting his strength back." Her nose 
  wrinkles as she thinks a moment; then, she says, with unusual 
  forthrightness, "I think you might also want to talk to him, because he's 
  got it in his head that you're disappointed in him."

Strongbow looks up abruptly at that, brows furrowing a bit and eyes a bit too 
  wide. ** Him..._me_...? ** It's rhetorical, whatever it means, and if there 
  was more to it the archer's bitten it off and kept it to himself. ** Yes, ** 
  he agrees, then, quietly. A new version of the subject: ** Can 
  you...we...keep him here long enough to rest? ** He frowns, all concern 
  again, startledness and uncertaintly gone.

Ynderra doesn't bat an eyelash as she replies, "We could try -- and he thinks 
  you ordered him not to go anyway -- but I bet we'd have to wrapstuff him to 
  do it. I bet we'd have to wrapstuff _you_ if you were that sick and it was 
  Moonshade who was stuck with Doreel." Her voice remains soft and sober, her 
  gaze steady.

Strongbow points out, quietly, ** I _did order him. ** He looks away, then, 
  and lacking for anything more interesting than a lazy watchful wolf to look 
  at, goes back to staring down the frayed bit of bowstring. ** I knew he 
  would go. What you say. Matter of...when. Whether he'd live through it. ** 
  The archer shrugs, fluidly, forcibly casual.

Rainrunner sits down, and scratches viorously, at an itch. He's not doing nada!

Ynderra offers, "Well, I DID tell him if he were my cub, I'd sit on him too, 
  until he was strong enough to make the trip." She sighs. "You know what he 
  said to me, though? He said, that every time he's around you, he's not an 
  adult anymore, he's a cub to be ordered around without discussion." Another 
  sigh, and then the maiden nibbles her lip. This IS Strongbow she's talking 
  to, and she's not sure how her words will be taken. "There's, um, a 
  difference between being a father and being a chief, you know? And Dart's 
  been a chief longer than I've been alive! If it were Rillwhisper who was 
  sick, or Cutter, would you order them to stay behind?"
Ynderra, as she speaks, blushes, progressively more pinkly. He's gonna snarl 
  at her, isn't he?

Strongbow turns and looks narrowly at the shaper. His send, when it comes, is 
  plain and a little chill. ** Yes. ** Strange behind the chill, though , a 
  flicker of a smile glimmers in his gaze. ** And I wouldn't expect _them_ to 
  listen, either. **

Cutter walks around from the front of the Father Tree.
Cutter has arrived.

Ynderra's mouth curves up at each corner, a bit. "If it makes you feel better 
  I'm probably going to have go to, too, anyway. Or Leetah. It'd be really 
  silly to not take a healer to Doreel's woods. Which of us goes'd be up to 
  Cut--" She cuts off, as the chieftain's scent reaches her nose.

Cutter, browner than he was, and looking very much like he just woke up, and 
  is still half-asleep, ambles around the tree.

Ynderra yelps, "My chief!" And leaps to her feet.

Cutter
While not very very tall, at an even 4' in height, Cutter is still a presence 
  to be reckoned with, mostly by virtue of the way he carries himself, and an 
  almost-cocky air of self-confidence that surrounds him. His hair has grown 
  shaggy, still it's pale plainsgrass shade, the top layers pulled back into a 
  wild lock of mane that signifies he is the chief of the LostHolt. Sharp 
  crystal blue eyes take in everything with their keen vision, but his snub 
  up-turned nose belies the trace of the rascal in him. Around his neck is a 
  thick beaten gold collar, and a smaller band rests around the muscles of his 
  upper left arm. He wears no vest in the hottime heat, and his breeches are 
  low-slung, dark in color, well-fitted to muscular legs, and well-worn. His 
  dagger, NewMoon, won from the trolls hands of eights of Turns ago, rests at 
  his left side, never far from his reach. He smiles crookedly, and gives you 
  a nod, before going on his way.

Bemusement. ** Chief, ** the archer states, with a certain pleased relief.

Cutter's eyebrows lift. "The last time I checked, yes." Unbothered by the 
  yelp, and if he's amused by the archer's pleasure, he doesn't seem to show 
  it, as he finds a root to sit on, and yawns, hugely. "I couldn't sleep."

Ynderra smiles to Cutter and impulsively hugs him. "I've been talking to 
  Strongbow about, um, well, everything," she tells him.

Strongbow nods once, as if unsurprised and not terribly sympathetic. ** 
  Willowholt? ** he prompts.

Ynderra turns back to the archer and plops down on the grass again, within 
  easy distance of both of the males. "Willowholt," she repeats, thoughtfully. 
  "Well. What do you want to know first about it?"

Cutter uhfs, and grabs hold of Ynderra's arm, using her to balance himself 
  again, then he gives her a quick grin. "Everything, huh? And he can still 
  hear?" he teases. It doesn't last long as blue eyes turn to Strongbow. "What 
  about the Willowholt?" And back to Ynderra. "Is the chieftess all right?"

The archer nods, his own first thought obvious and, in the echo of Cutter's 
  own question, needing no restatement.

Ynderra says earnestly, "Well. Rillwhisper looked like she needed a few moons' 
  worth of a good hard nap when I got there, but her tribe's taking turns 
  making sure she doesn't knock herself out with guarding and chiefting and 
  hunting."

Strongbow nods approvingly. ** Talek? **

Ynderra lets out a sigh, and blushes again, then mutters anxiously, "Well, um, 
  I _tried_ to heal him..."
Ynderra looks up again, gaze turned glimmery. "I think I woke up his magic 
  again. It was very hard to get into his thoughts, and the first thing I 
  touched just... well, the next thing I knew Rillwhisper and Kai were trying 
  to wake me up."

Cutter frowns lightly. "Trying to wake you up?"

The archer frowns and nods, Cutter again beating him to the question.

Ynderra bobs her head gravely. "You know how Rayek has magic, and he can make 
  people stop moving with it? Well, Talek does that."

Didn't Cutter just leave Rayek in the Palace? No more Rayek references. Brow 
  furrowing more deeply, he asks, "You're all right?"

Ynderra nods quickly. "Oh, sure. All Talek did was knock me out. I remember 
  him sending, 'You can't take my dream away!' and then everything went kind 
  of sparkly."

At the mention of Rayek, and at his chief's subsequent darker frown, the 
  archer scowls a little, listening. ** What have they done with _him_ now? **

Ynderra purses her lips, pauses a moment, then admits softly, "Well, 
  Rillwhisper made her Preserver wrapstuff him, when you sent to her, 
  Strongbow, so I could come back."

Strongbow closes his eyes for a moment, then nods. ** The trees? Pack? **

"Well..." Ynderra pulls in a soft breath and lets it out. "The Willowholt 
  trees aren't... hurt. They're just full of lots and lots and lots and lots 
  of magic. In fact, the whole Holt kind of feels like Sweetleaf, really."
Ynderra adds, after a beat, one foot twitching as she does so, "But the chief 
  female of their pack isn't having cubs."

Fixing his gaze on the healer, the archer seems only partly satisfied with 
  that, but nods again. ** Time, ** he states, quietly, his sudden favorite 
  solution, and picks up his bow.

Ynderra slowly blushes again, watching Strongbow as she finishes delivering 
  her news. She mumbles, "I looked at the wolf, she's just not having cubs at 
  all. I think she can't." Aware that she didn't fix a single thing at 
  Willowholt, she scoots away from Strongbow a bit.

"Does the hol.. do the trees..?" Cutter tries again. "Is it still newgreen?"

Ynderra gratefully looks to her chief, and clarifies, "Well, it's... Newgreen, 
  and summer, and Deathsleep, all at the same time, or at least, that's what 
  the Holt looks like. The magic in all the plants makes it that way. I 
  think... I think Sweetleaf's gone into the trees, maybe."

Strongbow's lip curls slightly at the corner, with a twitch, still not pleased 
  with it, but nods.

Cutter nods, slowly. "Well. If the holt doesn't mind it... you did the best 
  you could, Ynderra. Maybe with time," he echoes.

Ynderra nods softly. "I'm rather more worried about their pack. They don't 
  have any cubs and haven't in turns and turns."
Ynderra fidgets a bit. "Seedling's not really a cub anymore, and she's the 
  youngest there, and she doesn't have a wolf-friend... neither does Tinyhowl, 
  or Dusk, or Nightwisp."

Strongbow murmurs, a little to himself, ** If they came here... ** He shrugs 
  and looks up at his chief, silent.

Cutter looks at the archer, and shakes his head a little. "Every time I turn 
  around, I catch someone else's scent. Or something. How many elves are in 
  the holt now? Visiting, I mean. How many of those are hunting?"

Strongbow frowns inwardly. ** A hand...and a half, ** he returns, quietly; 
  ** They seem to feed themselves, mostly. ** A slight sigh; the archer looks 
  away from his chief then, as if aware that the answer's not good enough.

Cutter echoes, "A hand and a half.. Dusk, Nightwi.. the Willowholt cubs would 
  be another hand.. and what about our own cubs? We can't expect the pack to 
  have cubs for two tribes, can we?"

The archer wrinkles his nose and looks back up at his chief. ** No, ** he 
  states, with the tone of one giving the answer that's expected, for no 
  better reason than that it's expected.

Cutter arches an eyebrow. ** Is something wrong, Strongbow? **

Quiet, Strongbow reaches forth a tendril of a locksend, as if expecting to get 
  slapped back for his effort. ** Dart. **

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Dart seems mildly surprised by the send, 
  ** Father? **

Strongbow thinks about that for a while, perhaps a bit distant. He shakes his 
  head, finally, hair redly glinting in the dimming light. ** It's good you 
  came back, ** he manages at last, sternly despite a wry glimmer in the eyes. 
  ** Rather not do that again. **
Strongbow arches a brow, then, and blinks, for no apparent reason.
In locksend to Dart, Strongbow startles a little and, as if blinking, almost 
  smiles in his mindvoice's tone. ** Ynderra tells me...you're doing better. **

Cutter chuckles. "I almost didn't, you know? Just to see what the world was 
  like, without having an entire holt and tribe to worry about? But I never 
  stopped thinking about them. So." A momentary pause, and then he closes his 
  mouth, falling silent.
Cutter locksends ** <<sincere>> Thank you, Strongbow. I chose correctly. **
  to Strongbow.

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Dart sends his assent, ** Yes, I'm doing much 
  better. Still hungry, but there's enough to eat here. **
The archer, at that, gets to his feet. The corners of his eyes narrow a little 
  and, pausing to put his bow up to his shoulder, he steps near and reaches a 
  hand to his chief's shoulder.
Strongbow stands for a moment, as if he might send but, finding nothing to 
  return to that save a little gentle gratitude, doesn't actually call up words.
  His hand drops back to his bow then and he nods once. ** Need to talk to 
  Dart, ** he states peacefully, as explanation, and trods off.

[As Cutter and Ynderra continue to talk, Strongbow excuses himself, intent
 on speaking with his son, stopping first in his den to fetch food for
 Dart...]

You locksend to Dart, Strongbow assents to that and, as if asking for an excuse, replies, ** Shall I bring food? **

Dart locksends ** If you want to... <<mild amusement>> it won't go to waste. **

You walk back out of the Father Tree.
Base of the Lost Holt Father Tree(#765RJ)
<Desc deleted.>
Contents:
Mirth(#6072PJMXceoq)
Dart
Pike
Eagle(#10680PJXco)
Gingerheart
Shadow
Wrapstuff cocoon
SafeRunner
Calmwind(#7032Jopq)
Obvious exits:
Into the Tree<N>  Around the Tree<AT>  Clearing<S>  

Mirth jumps and turns towards Strongbow, "Who'dat?"

Pike looks at Mirth, "Yeah, I remember you too."

Eagle walks up and snags Mirth around the waist in a bearhug, "Stand still, ya 
  drunk. Take a good look and ya might just figure it out on your own."
Eagle nods to Strongbow, "You're Dart's sire, right? You look like him."

On quiet feet, the Lostholt archer emerges from the Father Tree, one arm laden 
  with a fairly good collection of dried meats and one long strip of fresh 
  venison, shimmering redly and raw. He sends a wordless greeting and, wryly, 
  watches the visting Wolfriders for a moment before turning a curious, 
  one-brow-arched gaze onto his son.

Mirth oofs! and growls playfully, "Heya 'dere!" then he switces to sendings, 
  ** H'lo, Name's Mirth. **

Gingerheart murmurs to herself that she may not be normal, but at least people 
  understand her as she shoots Mirth another look.
Gingerheart glances up to see who they're greeting.

** Yes, ** states Strongbow to Eagle, with a bit of pride, bemused. 
  ** Strongbow, ** he informs Mirth, then, and steps toward Dart with the food.

Dart smiles awkwardly to his sire and stands quietly.

Eagle
With one eye of emerald green and another of turqouise blue, this elf is 
  definatly an odd looking fellow. A mop of tangled black curls creep out from 
  beneath a wide-brimmed hat, framing the elf's pale squared off facial 
  features. Eagle wears a patchwork vest over a natural color leather shirt, 
  both of which are tucked into a pair of black leather leggings that have 
  been accented with patches of the same blues and reds that make up the vest 
  on the outter seams. On the 3'8" tall elf's feet are a pair of sturdy black 
  boots with trim around the top. The only other adornments the lightly tanned 
  wolfrider wears is an arrowhead necklace, which upon closer inspection 
  reveals and intricate etching of a wolf lightly recessed into the surface of 
  the wooden pendant.
Carrying:
Mixer
Numbskull(#7113J)
Eagle's hat

Mirth
        You eyes meet Mirth's laughing, twinkling hazel eyes. These eyes seem 
to always hold smile and a laugh even when his face doesn't. His mouth is full 
and his face bears a very dark tan. Mirth has a rough face though a handsome 
one and he is always ready the crack a grin at the slightest hint of humour. 
His hair is very dark brown, almost black and is very long, growing to mid 
back. He wears his hair in many tight braids looking much like dreadlocks. 
They hang all over his face and head. He has prepared for his travels by 
bundling his nicely muscled form in a full leather tunic rimmed in some 
strange fur as well as green leather pants. Upon his feet he wears calf high 
leather boots. He looks at you and grins, nodding in greeting.

Pike nods, "'Lo Strongbow."

Eagle nods, "Pleased to meet you, I'm Eagle. I get bossed around by your cub 
  back in the Village."

Mirth's head turns to follow strongbow, ** Yeah, they do look a lot alike... **

Gingerheart blinks and straightens, making sure she doesn't look like a 
  slacker suddenly as she hears the new arrival's name. That's him... that's 
  the archer I've heard about.

Mirth snickers, ** Yeah but I swear I've seen him smile at us behind our backs 
  sometimes. **

Eagle growls and heft's Mirth off the ground, "Course he smiles.. smiled a 
  lot when you had to take care of my brother back in the Village."

Mirth chuckles and stands on his own this time, ** Yeah, he did at that. **

Gingerheart clears her throat and steps towards Strongbow and bows her head to 
  him. "I am Gingerheart." she introduces.

Pike flashes a grin at Gingerheart.

Mirth sends openly ** But I mean OTHER then when he's devising punishment. **

Dart relieves his father of some of the food, and nods towards Mirth and 
  Eagle, "Those are umm.. two of my Jackwolfriders, Father."

Mirth fakes afront but his wide grin throws that whole chance off, ** Only 
  two, he says, herumph! **

Strongbow tilts his head curiously at the wolfrider maiden. ** Shade, ** he 
  tells her, ** Welcome. ** He looks from her to Dart, briefly, wondering if 
  this one is explainable as are the other two, and nods at Dart's comment 
  regarding those two. ** Pikes of the tribe? **

Eagle grins, "I'm little more than just a Pike."

Mirth pshaws! ** Nah, there can only be ONE Pike. We're a pair, Pike's only 
  one, see? **

Pike flashes his full grin and walks over to Eagle and Mirth, "I don't know, 
  these two might be fun to run with."

Mirth sends openly ** Eh sure, c'mon along. **

Strongbow offers his son a sort of pained expression, a smile hiding somewhere 
  behind it in a glimmer in his eyes.

Dart nods to his sire and smiles, "They're fun to have at Festivals at least."

Mirth flashes a pose, ** The life of the party! **

Gingerheart seems to almost puff up with pride as Strongbow greets her and 
  waits patiently to speak with him more if he so wishes.

Pike can't help but laugh now and he shakes his head, walking back to Ginger.

Munching thoughtfully on a piece fo dried meat, Dart sends ** Eagle, you 
  should probably talk to Leetah while you're here. **

Eagle shrugs, "Maybe... prolly not."

Mirth sends openly ** Why her? **

Eagle cuffs Mirth upside the head, "So I don't need to drag an extra pair of 
  eyes along when I go somewhere, goof."

Pike puts an arm around Ginger and watches this pair of characters.

Gingerheart glances to Mirth and Eagle from time to time, but her eyes always 
  make their way back to Strongbow.

Mirth's head flies forward and his dreads whip all about, he stumbles forward 
  slightly and then tosses his head back, whipping his dreads back as well, 
  ** Aahh...but I thought you LIKED dragging me around. **

Dart glances at Gingerheart a moment before looking at his sire.
Dart locksends ** Perhaps, we should talk somewhere else. Gingerheart is 
  eyeing you like a smitten maiden. ** to Strongbow.

Eagle shakes his head at Mirth's antics, "No more 'shrooms for you. They're 
  not wearing off enough the way you scarf em, Mirth."

Mirth pffs, ** Can't wait to get back home, though. **
Mirth sends openly ** 'Sides! I can still walk. **
Mirth sends openly ** ....Sort of. **

Eagle rolls his eyes, "If you call spinning around and falling every two 
  steps, walking..." He pulls a small pouch from his hip pouch and dangles it 
  in front of Mirth, the scent of both dreamberries and wine exuding from the 
  bag.

Mirth hhmmms and licks his lips, ** I feel strangely that I'll regret this 
  later but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a berry. **

Pike blinks at this display and then chuckles at Mirth.

Eagle dangles the bag just out of Mirth's reach, "You can have them if you 
  promise to go take a snooze for a while. You look worse than Dart did when 
  Ynderra unwrapped him... Do we have a deal?"

Strongbow locksends to Dart, Strongbow chuckles softly. ** Perhaps. ...Walk 
  with me? **

Gingerheart stifles a giggle at Mirth and Eagle, watching to see if Pike or 
  Strongbow laugh.

Mirth herms and scratches his dreads, ** Oh alright, fine, I'll go off and 
  take a nap. **

[At which point, Mirth and Pike disconnect; we presume that Pike dragged
Mirth off to a better place for napping.]

The Lostholt archer merely shakes his head, bemused.

Dart nods slightly to his sire, sending.
Dart locksends ** A walk will be fine. **

The archer watches his son for a moment, nodding, then, as Dart sends, looks 
  to the maiden. ** There's meat in the stores, ** he offers, with a gesture 
  of one hand to the Father Tree.

Gingerheart takes a small step back from Strongbow and glances towards where 
  he motions. "No... thank you. I've hunted and eaten today." She smiles at him.

Eagle grins, "Or if you've got taste for the wierder stuff, me and Mirth still 
  have some boar me left."

Strongbow then nods once to his son and, with a crooked brow, tilts his head 
  once toward the clearing.

Dart walks off slowly towards the clearing, chewing on some of the food given 
  to him by his sire earlier.
Dart walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance 
  to the Lost Holt.
Dart has left.

Gingerheart shakes her head, looking to Eagle. "I got 3 or 4 ravvits this 
  morning."

You walk away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the entrance to 
  the Lost Holt.
Lost Holt Clearing
The land of the Abode surrounds you. 
Here is where the elves of Lost Holt Gather for tribe councils, howls and 
  receiving visitors from other tribes. This large clearing is fringed by 
  slender saplings that have sprung up after the fire so many turns ago. The 
  ground is packed in tightly and covered with twigs and some fallen branches. 
  In the center lies a stone ring. It lies unlit now and filled with rocks and 
  leaves as the time of the Newgreen comes to release the holt of the grip of 
  the whitecold season. There are many roots to sit on as well as one 
  particularly large branch, that looks to have fallen sometime during the 
  fierce season of death-sleep. As the daystar sets the air turns chilly in 
  the NewGreen evening.
Contents:
Dart
Denning Tree
Obvious exits:
Path<E>  Hill<W>  Approach to the Father Tree<N>  

Strongbow trods along toward the clearing, gaze on the ground. ** It's good to 
  see you more well, ** he comments, softly.

** My thinking is clearer now, ** sendmumbles Dart as he keeps a slow pace.

The archer pauses for a moment to look over at you, then paces again, more 
  slowly, to match you. ** Poison didn't treat me well, either, ** he murmurs.

Dart nods, ** Trouble never got bitten by them at least not by the time I 
  left.. ** His statement is laced with worry and fear. ** I shouldn't have 
  left her there. **

Strongbow sends, tone firm. ** She needs help, and you'll come back _with_ it. 
  ** A slight sigh, and he stops on the edge of the clearing to turn toward 
  you. ** Dart. **

Dart also stops but is still looking at the ground, ** Yes? **

Strongbow reaches out, as though he might put a hand on your shoulder, then 
  takes his hand back with a frown, letting it hang at his side. His send is 
  quiet, uncompromising, at once shamed and proud. ** You make a better chief 
  than I do. ** And, in a breath, only proud: ** And I'm glad to let others 
  know you're _my_ 'cub.' ** The emphasis on the last word is clear, and not 
  at all an implication of smallness.

Dart glances up quickly, ** I..I'm sorry about what I said to you... about 
  going back to Sorrow's End. **

[And meanwhile, back with Cutter and Ynderra....]

Dewshine walks over from the secondary den tree.
Dewshine has arrived.

Myriel walks over from the secondary den tree.
Myriel has arrived.
Myriel ohs. "Cutter!"

Cutter chuckles. "Yes?"

Myriel grins. "Just observing that you're... like... here."

Dewshine comes out of the Denning Tree, and smiles, seeing everyone.

Ynderra squeals, "Myriel!" even louder than she'd squealed out Cutter's name, 
  and tackles her twin.

Cutter moves out of the way of elves tackling one another, and grins over 
  hem, winking at Dewshine.

Dewshine giggles, and grins at Cutter, watching the two tackle each other.

Myriel looofs, looking up at her sister.

Ynderra says wistfully, "Missed you!"

Myriel grins, and nuzzles her sis. *Nice to see you too.*
Myriel tickles Ynderra.

Ynderra sits up, smiles lopsidedly at her sister, and grins to Dewshine as 
  well.
You say "Looks like we're all just about home, now..."

Cutter shakes his head. "Are you sure you've greeted each other enough?"

Ynderra giggles to Cutter.

Myriel ummms... And decides to nuzzle some more.

Dewshine giggles, and says, "Welcome back, Derra..." convenientely forgetting 
  Cutter.

Cutter grins. "Yes, welcome back, 'Derra."

Ynderra bobs her head at the lot of you.

Dewshine giggles, and glances at Cutter.

Cutter looks himself over, letting slip, "I don't know how you could miss 
  me.."

Myriel giggles. "Oh, I missed you, Cutter. *wink*"

Ynderra, just for that, launches herself at Cutter. Pounce!

Dewshine giggles... "It must be your impressive self...." she says fondly.

Cutter yelps, and goes down beneath a mound of Ynderra, laughing, and 
  protesting, ** That's not what I meant! **

Myriel awws cutely, as she's un-pounced.

Ynderra beams perkily and tickles her chieftain, fingers sparkling. "So where 
  are you in the line of people who need a faceful of berries and a tumble in 
  the furs, my chief?" she asks.

Dewshine watches, laughing....

Myriel grins at her sister. *Now that sounds kinda like fun.*

Cutter blinks, then begins tickling back, in earnest. Grinning widely, he 
  answers, ** Not seen a berry or a fur except Rainrunner's until we got back. 
  Where's that? **

Ynderra squeaks, giggles, and wrestles playfully!

Myriel grins, not wanting to be left out of the fun, attacks Cutter and 
  tickles from behind.

Branch walks around from the front of the Father Tree.
Branch has arrived.

Cutter is currently in the process of being tickled. He twists, to tickle 
  Myriel back, between attacks on Ynderra, laughing riotously.

Dewshine laughs, watching her cousin get tickle-attacked, grinning at the 
  newcomer.

Branch ducks around the tree and smiles as the rolling group comes in view.

Myriel screeetches! (but doesn't stop tickling)

Ynderra's hands glimmer green-golden in dancing sparkles of light, and 
  whispers mischievously to her sister, "Just wait till Leetah teaches me that 
  Thing she does, then he's really *AIE!* *giggle* gonna be in trouble 
  *squeal!*"

Dewshine calls out to the rolling group... "Need any help?" as she watches, 
  laughing..

Branch chuckles, perching off to one side on one of the oversized roots, 
  watching the melee with a grin.

Ynderra sends openly ** <merrily, and in sending as her breath has gone 
  short> Tickling the chief is a tribe-wide job! **

Using distraction to his advantage, Cutter traps one of Ynderra's arms, and 
  gets to his knees, not quite straddling her, but holding down at least that 
  one arm. As full of mischief as any other, he bats at Myriel, and snaps at 
  fingers that come to close to more tickling. ** _Who'll_ be in trouble then, 
  Ynderra? **

Dewshine grins, and decides to help torture her cousin, "AAAoooyyyahh!" as 
  she jumps in with fingers ready for tickle.

Myriel grins at Cutter, using distraction to _her_ advantage, nipping quickly 
  at the nape of her neck as he gets himself tied up with trying to prevent 
  tickling.

Ynderra sends openly ** Always... wondered <bubble giggle sparkle>... what 
  Cutter nutmash looks like...! **

Cutter howls with laughter again, collapsing under the added onsluahgt of 
  Dewshine's tickling. He fights back, valiantly, but three against one, 
  aren't exactly fair odds.

Branch grins as he watches, cocking his head to one side a moment, seemingly 
  catching a send and returning it.

Dewshine tickles, fiercely, now that her dearly beloved cousin is on the 
  ground.

Cutter's sending is disrupted, and distracted by laughter, though he gets 
  out, **... supposed to tickle the _chief!_.. **

Ynderra leans over and peers innocently down into Cutter's face. ** Why not? 
  ** Tickletickletickletickletickle

Dewshine takes that as a 'yes, please tickle' and doubles her attack.
Dewshine sends openly ** Of course, dear chief! **

Myriel strengthens her attack as well. ** Tickletickletickletickle. **

Branch turns his head again, the grin coming down a notch in response to 
  something, then after a pause, slides off the root and moves back around the 
  tree with a last grin at the rolling pile of elves.
Branch walks around to the front of the Father Tree.
Branch has left.

Cutter's struggles slow, and then all but stop, as his sides heave, in an 
  attempt to catch his breath, eyes squeezed mirthfully shut. Do your worst, 
  elves, the chieftain is defenseless.

Dewshine chuckles, then leaves her chief to the other two maidens, to do 
  their worst. ;)

You sense in a locksend, Cutter sends, a low rumble of a half-warning ** 
  Careful, healer.. **

Ynderra nuzzles Cutter ferociously, her dainty form sparkling up and down the 
  arms in general, the lights dancing in erratic sympathy to her giggles. But 
  she's breathless, too, and she finally rolls off to his side -- before 
  something else makes her burst into a fit of further giggles, and makes her 
  eyes glitter merrily.

Myriel grins, and continues tickling Cutter... sorta. The tickling turns into 
  more of a scritching, across belly, sides, and chest.

You locksend to Cutter, Ynderra's sending dances around yours in reply, 
  teasingly.

Myriel nuzzles under Cutter's ear as she snuggles in beside him, on the 
  opposite site of her sister.

Dewshine grins, watching the two cuddle up to Cutter.... "Having fun, cousin?"

Cutter chuckles, quiet, but audibly, and curls an arm around Ynderra, still 
  catching his breath. ** Trouble, both of you.. this is much nicer.. much 
  more relaxed. ** Cracking an eye open, he asks, ** Not giving up, are you, 
  cousin? **

Ynderra mmmmmms and curls bonelessly up against a nice broad chiefly 
  shoulder, and trails her fingers up and down her chieftain's chest.

Myriel nuzzles gently at that ear. *nuzzlenuzzle*

Dewshine chuckles... ** Do you *really* want me to tickle again? **

Cutter hmmms, the sound dying nearly to a contented rumble, as he answers, ** 
  Maybe not right now.. I owe you.. all of you.. **

Dewshine grins, glancing at the sparkling healer, and just grins.

Myriel hmmmmmms? in Cutter's ear.

Ynderra leans up to peer cutely at Cutter. ** What kind of payment would we 
  be talking about? **

Myriel props herself up on an elbow, curious at the answer herself.

Cutter curls the other arm around Ynderra, even as she peers cutely down at 
  him, and tugs her closer. ** Trust me, ** he murmursends. ** I'm very good 
  at thinking up payment. After all, I'm Bearclaw's son. **

Myriel leans down and nuzzles that ear, whispering. "You gonna pay me, too?"

Dewshine blinks, then leans agains the tree, giggling.

Ynderra, encurled in Cutter's strong arm, blinks limpidly at him, a giggle 
  playing around her mouth. She trails a sparkling finger along the contours 
  of the chieftain's face, and sends impishly, ** Bearclaw was before my time, 
  and I'm a featherhead, so maybe you better explain to me again why being the 
  son of Bearclaw is good. ** Her eyes sparkle now, too.

Cutter's gaze travels over as much of Ynderra as he can see, and then he 
  meets those sparkling eyes for a moment. ** Featherhead... there are stories 
  I could tell.. ** Myriel is looked over as well, and he chuckles, quietly. 
  "But not in the middle of the holt, piled out where any elf could trip over 
  me, while there are lessons to be learned. ** Dewshine gets an arched 
  eyebrow.

Dewshine sits down to see these *lessons*

Ynderra traces a single fingertip along Cutter's left eyebrow and purrs, ** 
  But isn't it comfy right here? **

Myriel leans on her elbow, playing with Cutter's hair with one hand, 
  occasionally tracing an ear, or tracing along his jaw.

Ynderra traces a single fingertip along Cutter's left eyebrow and purrs, ** 
  But isn't it comfy right here? **

Myriel leans on her elbow, playing with Cutter's hair with one hand, 
  occasionally tracing an ear, or tracing along his jaw. (justincase)

Dewshine grins, settleing down to watch these 'lessons'

Cutter tilts his head alternately toward the elf that traces his ear, or his 
  jawline, admitting, ** Yes, very comfortable.. ** He draws in a deep breath, 
  full of scent and sparkle, and murmurs, ** We could stay... **

You locksend to Myriel, Ynderra touches your mind, giggly, and 
  half-disbelieving of the state Cutter seems to have fallen into.

You sense in a locksend, Myriel grins, mentially nuzzling you. *We should 
  take advantage of this while we can!*

Ynderra prompts helpfully, ** And you're gonna tell us why being the son of 
  Bearclaw is good, right? **, while running a glimmering hand through 
  Cutter's hair.

Myriel leans down and nips at the tip of Cutter's ear, purrring contentedly.

Dewshine chuckles softly...

Myriel sends openly ** Yes... Do tell... **

Cutter murmurs assent, answering, ** Bearclaw. Bearclaw was good, because.. 
  he was smart. Outsmarted all the trolls, and the.. round-ears.. **

Ynderra inquires guilelessly, ** So this means you're smart, because you're 
  his son? ** Her fingers brush feather-soft along Cutter's cheek, down the 
  side of his neck, along his shoulder.

Dewshine comments idlely... ** Thought it meant he was good at troll dice **

Myriel suckles on the tip of Cutter's ear, her fingers wandering over his 
  chest. **And clever, too.**

Cutter nods, lazily. ** Mmm-hmmm. Best of sire and dam, ** he boasts, 
  half-heartedly, distracted. ** Recognition, see? ** He nuzzles at the 
  underside of Myriel's chin, while his fingers knot in the back of Ynderra's 
  tunic, and release again, a kneading motion.

Ynderra squirms in languid delight, and giggles to Cutter. ** What does that 
  make me and Myr? **

Myriel mrrrrrs, lifting her chin for Cutter, her fingers still lazilly 
  scritching across his chest.

Cutter grins, a flash of tooth against sun-browned skin. ** Trouble. ** That 
  one word is clearly sent, and is then drowned out in pleased murmuring.

Myriel sighs, tugging away from Cutter and rolling over onto her back.

Dewshine grins and slips away at a send. ** Have fun! **

Cutter blinks, frowning blearily at Myriel. ** Mmm? Something's wrong..? **

Myriel stands, walking away, looking back for a moment. *Yeah.*
Myriel makes her way to the secondary den tree of the Lost Holt.
Myriel has left.

Ynderra looks up, and suddenly frowns, anxiously.
Ynderra sits up slowly, looking after her sister.
You locksend ** .......? ** to Myriel.

Cutter uncurls his arm from around Ynderra, and sits up as well. ** << 
  Confusion >> Ynderra? **

You sense in a locksend, Myriel mentally growls.

Ynderra doesn't answer her chieftain immediately, as she stares after her 
  twin. Her eyes turn quite liquid, though, with the threat of tears.
Ynderra finally turns around and looks up at you, and mumbles sheepishly, 
  "What was I thinking?"

Cutter blinks, and he frowns faintly. That frown melts away entirely, however, 
  at the hint of tears from you, and he summons up a smile. "It doesn't matter 
  now, Ynderra. Myriel might need the company more than I do, hm?" Gently, he 
  prompts, ** Go on. It's all right. **

Ynderra whispers anxiously, "The... Strongbow told you, didn't he? I-I mean, 
  about Trouble?"

Cutter's frown returns. "Trouble? No..." The frown deepens. "What happened?"

Ynderra's hands fly up to her mouth. "Oh no," she mumbles. "I can't believe 
  Skywise and Strongbow didn't _tell_ you..." Shaking, now, she shoves her 
  hands back through her hair, then says abashedly, starting off slowly and 
  gradually picking up speed till she's babbling, "It's Trouble, and Dart, she 
  never came back, and while we were gone Dart DID come back... he was all 
  sick and weak and had spider poison in him because he and Trouble got into 
  Doreel's grove somehow, Dart got stung but she didn't, but he couldn't get 
  her to _leave_ there!"
Ynderra finishes in dismay, "I just wanted everybody to feel better before we 
  have to go get her...!" Her face goes stark white, then floods with a 
  crimson blush.

Cutter's expression goes through many changes: confusion, understanding, 
  anger, concern, weariness, and finally settles on something 
  determined-looking. One terse nod, and he says, "I need to talk to 
  Strongbow." A glance up at the Father Tree, and a glance back at Ynderra 
  prompts, "Thank you." Off he goes, into the holt, somewhere, with a nearly 
  palpable cloud of sending surrounding him.

[Infinitely relieved that Cutter didn't shout at her, Ynderra creeps off
 to try to find and comfort her sister, tracking Myriel to her den. End
 log.]