Log Date: 1/29/96
Log Intro: Rillwhisper, if she really knew how to mark the passing of
time in segments any smaller than days and nights, would by now be
engaged in the most unWolfriderly practice of counting the hours until the
arrival of her lifemates to aid her and Strongbow in winning free 
of Doreel's grove. The chieftess has begun to be driven to distraction,
with very little to do in the sheltered glade; the helpers don't have
leather or the proper tools or hides for her to make new clothes for
herself and Strongbow, she has lost her flute, and she cannot hunt,
having neither weapons nor nearby animals that can be hunted safely.
This has begun to worry her deeply, for she can feel her strength leaving
her with the lack of the nourishment to which she is accustomed.
And her restlessness is not only physical, but also mental, as she
finds herself with little energy for staying alert enough to keep
a pace ahead of Doreel, should he once more lapse into a dangerous
mood....

----------
It was harder to wake up this time, Rillwhisper has noticed with 
  dismay. So many days without meat has sapped her strength, and she finds 
  herself wishing she could just curl up and sleep. But Strongbow needs rest, 
  too, and so she makes herself wake up, so the archer can take his turn 
  dozing. Now, as the grove is mostly silent, save for distant clicks, and the 
  occasional noises of the helpers at their tasks, Rillwhisper paces the open 
  ground near the central tree.

Doreel mutters quietly, sitting up high in the tree, his magic flowing around 
  it.

Rillwhisper shifts, uneasily. She knows Doreel is about... she can smell him, 
  and at least on some level, she can sense the magic he's doing, as it feels 
  like her brother's. She occasionally glances upwards into the branches, as 
  she stalks nervously back and forth.

Doreel glances down at you. he points a finger towards you, and one of the 
  lower branches snakes towards you.

The branch touches your shoulder gently.

Rillwhisper turns for another nervous circuit of pacing... then jumps, at the 
  contact. Wha? She barely manages to suppress a startled cry, then she looks 
  up at the branch, and along it. "Doreel?"

Doreel chuckles slightly and causes the branch to pull back.

Rillwhisper scowls at herself, as her pulse settles down. Attempting to sound 
  calm, she calls up, "Do you want something?"

Doreel shakes his head, "Not at all."
Doreel says "Am I not allowed to have a bit of fun?"

Rillwhisper considers this, and allows a hint of a grin. "You, uh, hadn't 
  seemed... to be interested in such things, before."

Doreel raises an eyebrow, "Haven't I?"

Rillwhisper leans against the tree, crossing her arms lightly, and looking 
  upward. "Not that you've shown me, so far."

Doreel shrugs slightly as he continues to shape, "No need to."

Rillwhisper, oddly gratified that the acnient shaper seems to know what fun 
  _is_, smiles a bit more. "Well, it's possible to have fun alone, but not as, 
  well, fun."

Doreel hmms and shrugs slightly as he makes a sweeping motion upwards, causing 
  a branch to shoot in that direction.

Rillwhisper remarks, "My brother says that talking to the trees is fun... do 
  you do that?"

Doreel wrinkles an eyebrow and shakes his head, "I don't talk to them. I just 
  do what mother told me to do."

You say "Ah. Well. Sweetleaf likes them, anyway, He likes to talk to the trees 
  for moons on end. A way to pass yoru time, if you have nothing else to do, I 
  suppose..."

Doreel shrugs, "It's just wood."

Rillwhisper giggles a little. "You should tell that to my brother. It lives, 
  anyway. Slow, but it lives. Sweetleaf gets along better with trees than 
  elves, sometimes. I can't really underestand it, unless I eat one of the 
  shrooms he makes, and I don't care to spend a whole summer thinking I'm a 
  flower again, so."

Doreel hmms and shrugs, "Flesh... is much more interesting to shape."

Rillwhisper quirks an eyebrow at that, herself. And says unruffledly, "Nobody 
  in my tribe does that. Or Strongbow's." She finds herself remembering that 
  Winnowill does -- but that, she thinks, is better not mentioned. "We've 
  treeshapers and healers, and 'Hawk calls fire; Duskshadow shapes metal. 
  That's it, though."

Doreel hmms and nods, as if not impressed... he's probably heard of them all 
  before... "Many of the others had magic also."

Rillwhisper smiles tiredly. "Not a scrap of it, myself. Unless you count 
  sending."

Doreel shrugs, "A child can send."

Rillwhisper says cheerfully, "Oh, aye, if they're taught. Which can be fun, I 
  suppose... " Her expression goes a little wistful, as she stares out across 
  the grove. "Been a while since I last taught a cub to send."

Doreel hmms and nods slightly, "Have another then. Teach it."

At that, the chieftess gives a crooked grin. "If I do, I will."

Doreel shrugs slightly, "You have mates."
Doreel says "Nothing to stop you."

Rillwhisper explains patiently, "Except that it takes Recognition to make a 
  cub, or a healer powerful enough to do it."

Doreel wrinkles a brow and nods slightly, "I forgot about that... amoung the 
  younger ones... Only slows things down."

Rillwhisper ahs to herself -- he knows what Recognition is, too. Again, she is 
  a bit relieved, though not quite certain why; perhaps it's simply that she 
  won't have to explain it. "Eh, well... often it's for the best, if you've a 
  tribe to feed and protect. Besides, my tribe has two cubs, still. We're not 
  hardpressed for renewal of our blood."

Doreel hmmms and shrugs slightly, "The humans are always there... always a 
  threat. I hve seen many children..." he pauses... assuming what he was about 
  to say is obvious.

Rillwhisper frowns softly, thinking. And finally observes, "No one in the 
  Willowholt... ever since it was made.... has been slain by the Tall Ones. If 
  that helps."

Doreel hmms and shrugs, "Give it time... You are young..."

"Be that as it may," Rillwhisper says mildly, "my tribe and I know how to hide 
  from the humans. And how to fight them, if we need to." Abruptly, she 
  smiles, and adds, "But we'd drive ourselves mad if we spent all our time 
  thinking about it. Elves need to have fun."

Doreel shrugs slightly and looks around the grove, "You have said yourself 
  there is little to do here."

Rillwhisper looks up at the other elf, searchingly. "Well... as long as I'm 
  here.... we could have fun. It might help you remember how to deal with 
  other elves, anyway, if you want to see what's outside your grove here."

Doreel chuckles slightly and shakes his head, "I have dealt with others 
  before."

Rillwhisper frowns a bit, again. Does he really know how long it's been? 
  Should she try to mention? She shrugs, and says finally, "Can't say I didn't 
  offer."

Doreel says "There was never time for fun before."

You say "Up to you, of course...."

Doreel says "There is little time now..."

Rillwhisper slowly sits down at the base of the tree, gaze drifting round to 
  Strongbow. And almost, just almost, she chuckles. _Speaking of elves needing 
  fun,_ she thinks. And aloud answers, "As you will... I won't stop you from 
  shaping if you need to. But if you want to do something, well, speak up... 
  Strongbow and I will have to leave, soon."

Doreel shrugs, "I am finished for now," he carefully and methodically clambers 
  down from the tree. He then says bluntly, "You will not be able to get out."

Rillwhisper says simply, "We'll have to try."

Doreel shrugs and drops onto the steps.
Doreel walks down the steps, taking a quiet seat on the bottom step.

Rillwhisper looks over, and asks, "What would you do, to have fun?"

Doreel shrugs slightly, "There is little time to think about it. The helpers 
  work, I work..."

Rillwhisper shifts, where she's taken a seat under the great tree, and looks 
  up at you. "But... surely if you and the helpers work with one another, you 
  could find the time to have fun with one another, as well... I mean, it's my 
  task to lead the tribe, but I also like to have fun with them. It draws us 
  closer together."

Doreel shrugs, "They are not elves... they want to work..."
Doreel says "They have fun amoung themselves when they have the time."

Rillwhisper points out, "Doesn't help _you_ much...."

Doreel shrugs, "I am their master."

Rillwhisper goes on, earnestly, "They worry about you, you know. They want 
  their master to be happy... but are you?"

Peaceful, the archer sleeps, curled up not far from the little stream. 
  Dreaming, perhaps, he stretches, a little filtering light glimmering redly 
  in his hair.

Doreel shrugs slightly, "If they do not worry about me... stay with me... I 
  slip back into what they call 'remembering'."

You say "But don't you see?" Rillwhisper sits a little more forward, as if to 
  emphasize her point. "Having fun might help that."

Doreel mutters quietly, "I... don't know how... or even what it is."

Rillwhisper rises, and pads closer, gently. "Having fun is... doing something 
  you enjoy. Or at least, that's a start. What do you like to do?"

Doreel shrugs again.

Rillwhisper glances briefly past Doreel, seeing Strongbow shift by the stream.

Doreel sighs deeply, and mumbles, "Tasheya always knew what to do..."

Rillwhisper settles down beside you, and considers. "Well. What did Tasheya 
  like to do?"

Doreel shrugs slightly and sighs even deeper, "She is gone now..." he leans 
  back against the steps and brushes a hand across his head, "Only a memory."

The archer yawns, wolfishly, facefur framing sharp teeth in the bottom of his 
  jaw. A moment later, one eye slits open, soon joined by the other, and 
  Strongbow blinks, thinking upon his surroundings.

You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper tiredly touches your mind, the kind of 
  tiredness that comes from not having enough meat in too many days. ** The 
  grove is quiet, soul-brother... as is Doreel... we talk, he and I.... **

Strongbow nods, slightly, slowly rising, pushing his hair back and out of his 
  eyes to gaze upon Rillwhisper.

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow slips quickly up next to you in sending, 
  offering support -- wearied support, something he can offer from sheer will 
  more than from energy, for he too is missing his usual diet. ** Word from 
  the others...? **

Doreel glances over at the other elf quietly and stands.

Rillwhisper says gently, "Doesn't mean you can't have happy memories of her... 
  if she'd been one of my tribe, we'd have Howled for her. perhaps we should 
  do that..." As Strongbow wakes and Doreel rises, she trails off.
You locksend ** Not yet... I thought, perhaps we should send again...? ** to 
  Strongbow.

Strongbow nods, picking up the conversation, a bit slowly. ** Or a telling. ** 
  His eyes flicker from Rillwhisper to Doreel and back, thought impressed with 
  weary rememberings of stories of those long gone and well remembered.

Doreel shakes his head as the two wolfriders move around, "No... no happy 
  memories."

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow replies with silent agreement, avoiding 
  thought of why they might not have sent.
Strongbow sighs, almost imperceptibly.

"None... at all?" Rillwhisper quirks her head. "Nothing you could tell us, to 
  say why her life was good?" Her tone stays gentle, though perhaps as much 
  from languor as genuine concern.

Doreel shakes his head and turns away, "no... only painful images... like 
  mother... no... not like mother... she... she left..."

Strongbow's brows go up. ** Left? **

Doreel says "Wandered off... left... However you want to say it."

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow questions, wordlessly. Left? Does he mean 
  Tasheya by that, or "Mother?"

Rillwhisper's gaze turns liquid, disappointed. "I'm sorry, to hear that... I 
  was sad, when my mother died.... but it helped, to Howl for her....."
You locksend ** I... don't know. He is hard to follow.... <Her sending is 
  listless.> ** to Strongbow.
Rillwhisper frowns down at herself, then, for some reason.

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow quietly points out that a Howl for one not 
  dead is hard to have. And, after that, peers closer. ** Stay with me, 
  chieftess, ** he urges, almost a command, though gentle.

Doreel shakes his head, "I know what death is. I am not totally lost to your 
  outside world, Rillwhisper."
Doreel says "She did not die. She left."

Strongbow questions, quietly, ** Tasheya? **

Doreel nods quietly.

Strongbow sighs, almost imperceptibly, again, this time as if in pain. ** Tell 
  of that, then. Show. **

Rillwhisper frowns absently at Strongbow for a moment, then jerks her head up, 
  paying attention to Doreel again. "Then perhaps she's alive...."
You locksend ** <plaintively> Need meat. ** to Strongbow.

Doreel shakes his head, "No, I won't tell of it."
The elf shrugs, "Perhaps."

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow agrees, silently, having known it since he 
  first set teeth into a leaf, weak in your arms. ** Stay with me. **
Strongbow musters a little more imperative into his sending. ** Why? **

Rillwhisper frowns again, and leans wearily against the tree, as if seeking to 
  draw support from it.

Strongbow's glance flicks to his companion, worried.

Doreel says "You do not understand."
Doreel mutters quietly.

You locksend ** Even Sweetleaf's foodshrooms would be good... ** to Strongbow.

Strongbow points out, ** You give me no chance. **
Strongbow's gaze snaps to Rillwhisper, something registering in his head.

Doreel turns and glowers slightly, "No! I will not give you that chance 
  either."

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow considers. ** Perhaps 
  underground...roots...better at least than leaves. **
Strongbow looks back to Doreel, brown gaze glittering. ** Why? **
You sense in a locksend, Strongbow sends, absently, ** Never asked 'why' so 
  much in my life. **

Doreel shakes his head, mumbling again, "You... you just won't understand."

Rillwhisper giggles a little, for no apparent reason, glancing at the archer.

Strongbow folds his arms, taking the giggle in stride, as if expecting it. ** 
  You give me no chance, ** he repeats.

You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper gives you a languid mental chuckle, as 
  well, and adds, ** I'd ask Doreel, but I don't want him to get 'em wrong. 
  Dreamshrooms instead of foodshrooms would be bad.... ** Stubbornly, she 
  makes herself latch onto you, and awareness.

Doreel narrows his eyes, and sends to Strongbow.

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow sends mild assent. ** Scent them myself, 
  maybe. If there are any. **

Rillwhisper slides, slowly, right down into a hollow between the roots of the 
  great tree beside her, and leans her cheek against the bark.

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Doreel sends an image of who can only be 
  Tasheya, walking away quietly, carrying something in her arms. Suddenly the 
  image is replaced by a wave of emotions. Anger, fear, and finally... the 
  strongest, loneliness.

Strongbow draws in a long breath, starting sharp and fading off. He turns to 
  face Doreel, getting slowly, crouchingly, to his feet, then rising to his 
  full height, yet looking up at the elder, taller elf.
Strongbow locksends to Doreel, Strongbow's question is simple. ** Your '
  preservers.' Were they here then? **
Strongbow locksends to Doreel, Strongbow imagines the spiders, the only way he 
  knows them, hunt-beasts to fight off from himself and his companion.

Doreel says "They have always been here. As long as I have."

Strongbow sighs faintly, giving Doreel a shadowy look, almost reproachful.
Strongbow locksends to Doreel, Strongbow's words are plain, meaning plainer. 
  ** Hardly a safe place for a cub. **

Doreel raises an eyebrow at Strongbow, quite confused, "A child?"

Strongbow raises a brow, himself.

Doreel's face has dropped noticeably after the send to Strongbow.

Strongbow locksends to Doreel, Strongbow tries to peer into your sending. If 
  not that, then what _does_ she carry?

Rillwhisper nods vaguely to Strongbow, gaze going absent.

The archer, intent on the mad? elf, for the moment fails to notice if 
  Rillwhisper is slipping.

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Doreel's sending unfolds for you. Doreel 
  running after her... She turns, a look of sorrow on her own face. The bundle 
  is a child... the image is turned a sudden intense, blinding whiteness.
Doreel grabs hold of his head, "NO!"

You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper, as if distressed that she must ask, 
  pleads, ** Soon....? We... need to eat. Something. No leaves. **

Strongbow steps toward Doreel, muttering under his breath in the name of 
  Timmorn. He reaches out, but hesitates, unknowing the best path here. ** 
  Doreel, hear me! **
You sense in a locksend, Strongbow breaks past thoughts of leaves or roots or 
  meat. ** They had a cub. **

Doreel shakes his head, "No... it isn't... not a child... she left alone."

Strongbow scowls inwardly. Curse it, this should have waited for Silversong. 
  Reaching out to put a hand on Doreel's arm, he sends, trying to find the 
  right way.

Doreel flinches away from the touch, "No."

Strongbow locksends to Doreel, Strongbow tries, best as he can, to be gentle. 
  ** They could still be alive, ** he manages, hoping for hope. ** But not 
  here. The spiders would have... ** he trails off, deciding on another 
  tack. ** She was wise to go! You must find her, find out... **
Strongbow steps back, removing his hand, throwing it and the other up in an 
  instant, giving up.

You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper frowns to herself, grumpily. Too much 
  talk of children. ** Ought to get on with his life, ** she mutters, vaguely.

Doreel's face turns pale, "No. They... they didn't attack her... They got 
  away."

Rillwhisper frowns to herself, and presses her hands against the tree, 
  carefully getting up.

Strongbow winces.
You sense in a locksend, Strongbow begs at you. ** Help me. I have no way to 
  help -- I'm making it worse! ** He gestures mentally at Doreel's last 
  comment, knowing it was a thought of his own that gave it to him.
Strongbow manages, ** She was wise enough to go -- mother wolves will fight 
  hard for cubs -- **

Rillwhisper, once standing, peers uncertainly between the two taller elves.

Doreel turns away, the truth that he let them go breaking him apart even 
  more... the memories flooding to the surface.

You locksend ** I... what? I didn't hear.... what is he remembering, now? ** 
  to Strongbow.

Rillwhisper swallows, as she steadies herself. Clear your head, chieftess. 
  After a moment, somewhat more focused if perhaps no less gaunt of feature, 
  she glances at Strongbow, then steps cautiously to Doreel.

You sense in a locksend, Strongbow lets a memory, stolen, flood through his 
  sending. She -- who must be Tasheya -- walking, holding something in her 
  arms, away from the tree, away from him in this memory. He follows, 
  stumbling after her through the webbed wood. She turns once, and what is in 
  her arms indeed is a child. Upon that revelation, all fades to white, 
  blinding, brighter than the moons.

Doreel looks between the two of you, on either side, fear fills his eyes.

Strongbow bites his lip, trying to make himself look more gentle than, in 
  truth, afraid. Nevertheless, he does not send further, sparing a pleading 
  glance at his smaller companion.

You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper somewhat scatteredly studies this, her 
  thoughts tinged with the yen for a cub you know she's had for a while, and 
  which annoys her as she can't get it out of her head with all this talk of 
  young ones. Then she sends assent.

Doreel says "She... she left me... with the child... never even knew her 
  name..."

Rillwhisper sends, as steadily as she can manage, ** Doreel... you don't have 
  to bear this alone. **

Strongbow swallows slightly, then nods to Rillwhisper.

Doreel peers at Rillwhisper, "I have for countless turns of the stars! I do 
  not need anyone's help!"

Rillwhisper closes her eyes, tiredly, for a moment or two; her head droops 
  slightly, before she lifts it again to answer mildly, ** As you wish... but 
  you don't have to do without it, either. **

Strongbow looks at Rillwhisper, back to Doreel, and back to Rillwhisper again.

Doreel folds his arms across his chest and glowers at the shorter elves, 
  "There is nothing that you can do to help me. I am the way that I am. There 
  is nothing to change that."

Rillwhisper, her too-thin face quietly composed, waits unhurriedly. As best 
  she can, when shaking, slightly.
Rillwhisper sighs, then. And turns. ** As you wish. I _have_ to find something 
  to eat, Doreel, besides your helpers' leaves.... but if you need me to 
  listen, to whatever you want to say, let me know. **

Strongbow scowls, exasperated. ** You _are_ the way you are because you choose 
  to be. ** Lip curling slightly, he adds, weaker, ** You would know if she 
  were dead. You should follow...I know that much. **

Doreel shrugs slightly and turns towards the tree, "There is food in here."

The archer is silent for a moment, looking at Rillwhisper rather than Doreel, 
  strangely enough. After a long look, brown gaze slowly going a bit wider, he 
  turns and stalks off toward the stream and down it.
You sense in a locksend, Strongbow tosses, over his shoulder, ** Roots. **

Rillwhisper looks up at Doreel, and asks wearily, "Do you have meat? Fresh? 
  Strongbow and I have to have meat....."

Doreel shakes his head, "No. No meat."
Doreel motions for you to follow, his steps short and quiet.

Rillwhisper visibly slumps, muttering, "Can't bear more leaves....."

Doreel turns and holds out an arm.

Rillwhisper looks up hopefully. An offer, then; as hungry as she is, she can't 
  afford to refuse it. She grasps the arm, her hold less steady than it should 
  be, and follows you.

Doreel walks up the stairs slowly and into the tree.
Doreel climbs up the winding stairs around the tree, and then moves inside.
Doreel has left.

You climb up the winding stairs that have been shaped into the tree and walk 
  into the very heart of it.
Tree
The inside of the tree hums with energy. Like the inside of a Wolfrider father 
  tree, except a lot more. Similar images to those entwined in the limbs 
  outside have been shaped into the walls here. Every once in a while you 
  think you see one of the images move but when you look it is the same as 
  when you entered. Narrow and steep stairs curve around the inside of the 
  tree to a small area where soft and warm furs have been left lying for a 
  sleeping area. Several windows line the highest parts of the tree and give a 
  wonderful view of the sky and stars. This place is surely one of the most 
  wonderous things you have ever seen.
Contents:
Doreel(#6997PJXce)
Obvious exits:
Out  

Rillwhisper step in behind you, asking hopefully, "Foodshrooms, maybe? Or 
  berries? Anything...."

Doreel lets go of your arm and goes over to a pair of baskets hanging against 
  a wall, and carefully takes one down.
Doreel walks back over to you, placing the basket down.

The basket is about half filled with some purplish fruits, "They last for a 
  long time after the small ones pick them."

Rillwhisper keeps her balance, though perhaps with a fair bit of 
  concentration, then blinks up at you. "Wh..."

Doreel takes a fruit from the basket, and holds it out to you.

Rillwhisper kneels, sniffing curiously. "What are they....?"

Doreel shrugs slightly.
Doreel says "There used to be a tree of them... then... bad weather. I grow it 
  again whenever we need it."

Rillwhisper sniffs at the offered fruit, again, and when her belly growls at 
  her, pulls in a breath. Doesn't smell wrong, she thinks. She nibbles 
  experimentally, trying to eat slowly.

Doreel watches you eat, placing several of the fruits on the floor before 
  taking the basket and hanging it back up.

Rillwhisper sends openly ** This'll help... I think... a bit. But Strongbow 
  and I will _have_ to hunt, soon... there must be something to hunt. 
  Squirrels, or mice.... **
Rillwhisper smiles tiredly up at you, though, and sends, ** Thank you, ** as 
  she chews.

Doreel shakes his head, "Only the Presevers are here. They capture anything 
  that goes their way."

Rillwhisper giggles a little, turning the fruit around in her fingers as she 
  studies it, trying to figure out the best way to eat it. Licking juice off 
  her fingers, she grins. ** Even mice? Awfully tiny for your spiders... **

Doreel nods, "They will eat anything.'

Rillwhisper frowns, looking disappointed. ** Could kill a mouse with a rock, 
  maybe. If I had a sling.... ** She settles down to finish off the fruit, and 
  after that one, inspects the rest for ones she wants know, and some to take 
  to Strongbow. ** Can I share these with Strongbow? They're good... **

Doreel nods and points to the basket, "There are always more in there."

Rillwhisper smiles, abruptly, warmly. ** Thank you, for being kind, and 
  sharing the fruit... you will have to come to Willowholt, so we can share 
  our food with you... **
Rillwhisper downs three of the fruits in rapid succession, then giggles 
  ruefully at the mess she's making. ** Puckernuts... sorry... I'm a little 
  loopy. Tired. Going to need meat... I'll have to ask the others to bring in 
  something, maybe.... or have it waiting... **

Doreel shakes his head, "I am going to Blue Mountain first. If anything."
Doreel nods quietly, "You may well have to get used to not having meat."

Rillwhisper frowns tiredly at the mention of Blue Mountain, then sighs, desire 
  to eat the fruits gone. She picks up what mess she's made, already, and says 
  exhaustedly, "A wolf needs meat, Doreel, and so does a Wolfrider. Comes with 
  being beast-blooded. I'd rather Strongbow and I didn't starve, so we'll have 
  to hunt." She sighs, and rises, to carry the fruit scraps out. Must be 
  somewhere to put them.

Doreel nods slightly, "The helpers may have meat. But that is for Lira," He 
  holds out his hand for the fruit rinds.

Rillwhisper says absently, "Lifebearer, aye, she needs meat for her cub..." 
  Then, tiredly, she drops the rinds into your hand, and turns, saying, 'I 
  should help Strongbow look for roots or something. Maybe foodshrooms. "

Doreel looks out the entrance to the tree and tosses them into the garden with 
  a fling, "The fruit is not enough then?"

Rillwhisper pauses, scrubs a hand across her weary eyes, and thinks. How to 
  explain this? "There's... something in meat... that wolves and Wolfriders 
  need. That's all I know. My brother knows how to put it in mushrooms, but 
  I'm not a treeshaper, so I can't make them...."

Doreel shrugs slightly, "I have never needed it. Though some of the younger 
  ones always tried it."

Rillwhisper leans against the entryhole of the tree, and says listlessly, 
  "You're not a wolf, or a Wolfrider.... thank you for the fruit, though, it 
  helps, a bit...."

Doreel takes a step towards you and puts a hand on your shoulder. His hand 
  glows slightly, offering you some strength, "I think that I could remove 
  your wolfblood..."

_That_ makes the little elf jerk her head up in startlement. And for an 
  instant, she eyes your hand almost as if in fear. Then, hastily, she shakes 
  her head. "No! No.... thank you, but no....."

Doreel shrugs slightly, "You would not need meat any longer."

You say "It.... would.... change me in other ways, too, Doreel....."
Rillwhisper strives to retain a calm tone, but she doesn't have quite enough 
  presence of mind to hide the worried sheen in her gaze.

Doreel raises an eyebrow, "How do you know that? You have never had it removed 
  before."

Rillwhisper steadies herself once more, and says, softly and earnestly, "It 
  would take away a part of _me_. The wolf is not just in my blood... she's in 
  my spirit, too. As with any Wolfrider..... it is.... part of what Timmain 
  gave us."

Doreel shrugs slightly, "It would not be your spirit I would be changing."

[Doreel disconnects here. Frightened by Doreel's offer... and not quite 
 trusting him to not go through with it, should he slip into another spell of 
 madness... Rillwhisper flees his tree as calmly as she is able. But this is 
 not very. Anxious for the sturdy comfort of the archer's presence, she
 immediately seeks him....]

Strongbow scrounges around, digging through the loam and mosses at the base of 
  one of the trees near the edge of the grove. Next to him, nestled among a 
  few sad-looking berries and a grub or two, are a collection of various 
  roots. He works, sweating, like one avoiding thought.

Rillwhisper comes stumbling down out of Doreel's tree, looking badly alarmed. 
  She doesn't run, at least not until she's out of the immediate line of sight 
  of the tree itself. Then, spying Strongbow, she gives a tiny moan of relief 
  and hastens to him.

Strongbow turns, rising with a startle at the sound. Seeing it to be 
  Rillwhisper alone, he relaxes slightly. After looking her over and taking a 
  sniff of her state, he nods, as if to himself, and turns back to crouch to 
  his work, sending a mere wordless assent of a greeting.

You locksend ** I.... <Alarm/Nervousness> ** to Strongbow.

Strongbow looks up, over his shoulder, back at the green-eyed chieftess. ** ? 
  **

Rillwhisper pauses, uncertainly, shaking. She should help, she thinks, and 
  awkwardly, she kneels in the earth next to you. Abruptly, she hugs herself.

Strongbow watches you from the corner of his eye. ** What did he do? ** 
  Leaning back a bit from his work, he wipes one hand absently on his leathers 
  and offers it to you.

Rillwhisper begins, "I...." Then, not trusting her voice, she adds tinily, ** 
  I... was trying to tell him that we needed meat... wolves and Wolfriders. 
  He... said there was no meat in the grove... and offered to.... take.... **

Strongbow quirks a brow, not liking the sound of where that's going. He adds, 
  not interruptive, softly, ** Found grubs. ** Less than thrilled, he 
  nevertheless points with some small pride to the little pile.

Rillwhisper abruptly cuts herself off, scowling, and trying not to quiver so 
  badly. Her nose wrinkles in distste, but not for long, as she snatches up a 
  grub hungrily and practically inhales it. ** Can't stay.... we can't stay. 
  They have to come, soon.... **

Strongbow nods without comment, pushing more of the little creatures your way. 
  ** Thinking. Birds go over...if I had a bow. ** For once, the archer doesn't 
  say, _his_ bow. It's lost, it's gone. Past. ** Something to string it. ** 
  After a time, he digs at the loam between the tree roots. ** Some shrooms. 
  Roots. Grubs. Stream should have fishlings, maybe water-grubs, pinchers. ** 
  He is quiet, digging out a root, for a while, catching a grub in the process 
  and idly gulping it before setting the root aside. ** Should send, ** he 
  admits, at last.

Rillwhisper grimaces at the taste of grub. Slimy. But it's something, at 
  least, to relieve the pinch of hunger in her blood. Still, the look of wild 
  strain doesn't quite leave her eyes, as she turns to you, nodding anxiously. 
  ** Send... yes... please... we have to get out of here... ** She pauses, 
  coughing, as something goes down wrong in her haste to eat.

Strongbow advises, ** Don't chew if you can swallow it. ** With those words, 
  he turns to sit, tuning himself in while munching half-heartedly on a root.
Strongbow queries, ** Your mates? **

Rillwhisper, mind clearly not on what meager sources of food have been found, 
  quite abruptly and suddenly hugs you. She is still shaking.

Strongbow leans into you, squeezing back. Relaxing a bit, he sends, more 
  deeply. ** Stronger now, ** he mentions, meaning his mind, not his hungry 
  form.

You locksend ** Please. Yes. Let's send...... <Her thoughts churn, an edge of 
  fright and desperation to them.> ** to Strongbow.

You sense in a locksend to Trollkiller, Rillwhisper: Strongbow reaches out 
  while keeping a bit of himself back, trying to calm Rillwhisper, gently. His 
  send, wordless, is a bit of a howl, greeting, searching.

You locksend, to Strongbow, Trollkiller: Rillwhisper's presence wobbles, 
  nearly overshadowed by Strongbow's, but not enough to disguise that 
  something has rattled her badly. She throws out her own dim call, pleadingly.
Rillwhisper mumbles, "I don't hear...." Another trembling seizes her, as if a 
  wolf had just picked her up by the scruff and vigorously throttled her.

Strongbow frowns more deeply, holding you close to him, leaning back against 
  the tree. ** They're out there, ** he affirms, quietly. His gaze strays out 
  across the grove to the central tree, glowering. Have to get more meat for 
  her, somehow. ** I'll send. Rest. **

Rillwhisper scowls, upset with herself. "Shaky," she mumbles.

Strongbow nods gently. ** Hungry, ** he explains.

Rillwhisper huddles against you, her head resting against your shoulder; she's 
  gotten far too thin, has the chieftess, and the lines of her face are too 
  delicate, too fragile.
Rillwhisper mutters, "Wish I were part bear... then I could sleep the whole 
  WhiteCold...."

Strongbow locksends to Trollkiller, Strongbow sends again, more gently, a soft 
  howl of searching, greeting.

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Trollkiller sends a little confusion, and 
  maybe a little surprise. ** Are you there? **

Rillwhisper then frowns at her own thought, and tugs at the ragged front of 
  your tunic, plaintively. "Is it Whitecold? Lost track.... don't know how 
  long I was in the spidergoo..."

Strongbow nods, distracted for a moment, then replies with wordless agreement. 
  ** Or a squirrel. ** The thought, though, makes him hungry, and he aborts it.
Strongbow locksends to Trollkiller, Strongbow sends assent. ** Grove, still. 
  Doreel. ** The archer's sending is much clearer since last heard, but 
  weaker, as if time wears upon him. ** Need to get out. **

Trollkiller locksends ** We should be there in another night. What's 
  happened? ** to Strongbow.
Strongbow senses in a locksend, Trollkiller waits, starts to send, waits a 
  minute or two more.
Trollkiller locksends ** Strongbow? ** to Strongbow.

Strongbow locksends to Trollkiller, Strongbow sounds weakly, wryly bemused. ** 
  Hunger. No meat. **

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Trollkiller sends, ** What? Not even 
  squirrels, or rats? Why not? **

Strongbow shakes his head. ** Not yet... ** His tone, however, is unsure.

Strongbow senses in a locksend, Trollkiller reminds himself. ** The spiders. 
  Of course. **
Strongbow senses in a locksend, Trollkiller sends, ** We'll have provisions 
  with us when we get to you. I can't promise a fresh kill, but it'll be 
  meat. **

Strongbow locksends to Trollkiller, Strongbow is unsure. ** Grubs. Maybe 
  pinchers in the stream. ** He sighs softly. ** Doreel eats leaves, fruit...
  the spiders keep everything out...everything dead. Birds, above...no bow. **

Rillwhisper's hand slides limply downwards to drop along her. Her eyes droop 
  shut.

You sense in a locksend to Trollkiller, Rillwhisper: Strongbow sends, gently, 
  as he might to a slumbering cub. ** They're coming, ** he soothes at 
  Rillwhisper. ** Soon. **

You sense in a locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper: Trollkiller shudders at the 
  images... ** Rillwhisper? **

You locksend, to Strongbow, Trollkiller: ** <Silence.> **

Strongbow strokes at your hair, lacking strength to do much more than send, 
  though he keeps one arm wrapped about you, able to gauge breath. ** Stay 
  with me, soul-sib. ** It is something he almost never says, meaning there or 
  not, and after it, he is quiet.

Rillwhisper barely breathes, where she's fainted... but she does breathe.
You locksend ** <On some level, she does hear you, and she squints muzzily 
  into the pool in the center of her inner glade. Reflections, there. She 
  needs to keep watching them.> ** to Strongbow.

Strongbow nods to himself, keeping with Trollkiller as well as he can on one 
  hand, watching careful guard over his companion here in the grove in the 
  meanwhile. In sending, he watches over there, too, but does not disturb the 
  glade, wishing no ripples in the pool there as long as what is there is Now, 
  not spirit. A thought, watching you there, crosses the archer's mind, and he 
  smiles to himself, but leaves it unvoiced, returning outward, to gaze, 
  softly, across the grove at Doreel's tree.

[End log.]