Log Date: 2/27/96
Log Intro: With the Willowholters, Strongbow, Moonshade, and Skywise rested and
recovered from their foray through the spider-infested woods shaped by Doreel,
the elves of Lostholt prepare at last to hold a Council and Howl, to share the
tale of what happened to their cousins in that remote forest. Much preparation
-- at least, much by the standards of Wolfriders who wish to have a Howl --
ensues, for Rillwhisper needs new leathers, and Moonshade provides them.
Strongbow needs a new bow, and Ynderra, eager to be asked to shape it, scours
the surrounding woods looking for an appropriate tree from which she might
shape it. And those Lostholters who have not yet heard anything of the
story surrounding the disappearance of the tanner and the archer wait in
anticipation until at last Cutter sends for them all to gather....

----------
Ynderra steps out of the tree, and smiles, hopefully, at the gathering elves. 
  "Are the Willowholters up yet?"

Cutter appears out of or around or.. somewhere, from the tree, all smiles and 
  bright eyes. He lets up a short yip, and flashes that bright grin all 
  around, before he sends, ** Ayooooah, cousins. The moons are rising, the 
  wind is sweet, and the stars are singing. **

Strongbow tears his gaze away from the ground at his feet. Toward the yip, he 
  murmurs, ** More so than you, chief. **

Spidersilk laughs, turning to her chief. ** Songmaker, now, chieftain? **

The archer's eyes glint for a breath's span, humor fleeting, and regain their 
  distance.

Cutter shakes his head, chuckling. "The archer has it. I'm not a songmaker, 
  but I can howl, as well as any of the rest of you." There is a definite hint 
  of challenge in the words.

Ynderra smiles to Kai, blue eyes bright, then ohs at the sight of Strongbow. 
  "Archer! I mean, I have something for you....!"

WindStorm walks out of the Father Tree.
WindStorm yawning, sneaks into the scene...
WindStorm sends openly ** Hi. **

The archer's head swivels, reddish glints coming off of his hair as it sweeps 
  his shoulders and catches on his leathers. The barest hint of a question, 
  with approval added, he sends at Ynderra.

Strongbow sends, aside, at his chief, ** Never doubted. **

Spidersilk lifts her chin, with a bright grin at Cutter. "We'll see about 
  that." And then laughter, as Strongbow's sending is at odds with her words.

Ynderra brightens even further as WindStorm emerges, and for a moment, her 
  gaze lingers on both him and Kai. Then she darts briskly inside the tree, 
  and just as briskly, pauses. "Now or later?" she giggles at Strongbow.

Wavefall walks up to the Father Tree from the clearing.

Cutter winks at Silk. "We'll need to wake the Willowholt."

Spidersilk brightens further. "Perhaps I could wake Woodhawk," she grins.

Strongbow considers that. ** Now. ** He glowers at the gathering. ** To save 
  foolishness about it. **

Wavefall pads quietly from the woods, a dark gray-and-black banded limp animal 
  dangling from a hand.

WindStorm smiles at Ynderra, and glances around, noticing Kai.

Ynderra nodnods, black curls bouncing, and darts into the tree. When she 
  emerges, she has a bow in her hands, taller than she is by several 
  handspans. "I, um, found bogwood," she pipes, and hops up to the bearded 
  elder hopefully.

Spidersilk winks broadly at Strongbow. "We'll fuss," she assures him.

Kai blinks a bit, and comes out from behind his tree, to crouch at the base.

Strongbow blinks once at that, what was to be a sending of thanks and 
  acceptance going quite blank. After a few seconds, he remembers himself and 
  lifts a hand to take the bow, its length more properly fitting his frame, 
  curve echoing his angles in odd contrast. ** Bogwood...? **

Skywise walks out of the Father Tree.

Ynderra blushes, unaccountably, but is standing quite straight and proud. 
  "Grandfather helped..." And then, she trails off, peering past Strongbow to 
  the figure of Wavefall. She cries out his name, pleased and startled.

Strongbow looks the bow up and down. Eyes going narrow, he leans upon it; as 
  its curve gives way just enough, evenly arcing down its length, a hint of a 
  smile creeps into the glimmering gaze and even more briefly along his mouth. 
  ** My thanks, shaper. ** That much said, he shoulders it, and turns to his 
  chief. ** Your Howl? **

Spidersilk waves lazily at Skywise. ** Greetings, nephew. **

Skywise grins at Spidersilk, and generally around at everyone. ** Greetings 
  everyone. **

WindStorm nods to the stargazer, only having met him once briefly.

Ynderra beams at Strongbow, then scurries past him to greet Wavefall. "You're 
  _back!_" she pipes enthusiastically, and waves him forward. "Look, everyone!"

Strongbow lifts his chin just a bit, at once looking down his nose and showing 
  a bit of throat. The glint shows in his eyes again, pleased.

Cutter turns at Ynderra's cry, and his eyes go almost impossibly brighter. ** 
  Wavefall, ** he welcomes, and then nods to the archer. ** Not mine, though. 
  We wake the Willowholt, and then we -all- howl. **

Wavefall looks up startledly at his name, stopping mid-stride, uncertain about 
  whether to bolt. With effort, his feet stay in the same place.

Strongbow snorts very softly, and nods once, turning to send greeting to the 
  stargazer, echoed by greeting to all of Ynderra's apparent acquaintences.

Spidersilk reaches for the nearest hand, and starts backing -- skipping -- 
  away towards the clearing. ** C'mon! **

Wavefall, with much disconcertation, untangles the small dangling animal from 
  his bowstring and hands it over to Ynderra, as some sort of gift.

Ynderra blinks, then beams at Wavefall, gratefully, and asks in all 
  earnestness, "Meat for the Howl?"

Skywise follows Spidersilk to the clearing, grinning.

Rillwhisper walks out of the Father Tree.

Skywise and Spidersilk walk away from the tree, back into the clearing that 
  marks the entrance to the Lost Holt.

Woodhawk and Trollkiller walk out of the Father Tree.

Wavefall bites his lower lip, and nods mutely, then spreads his hands to 
  apologize for the small size.
Wavefall walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the 
  entrance to the Lost Holt.

Trollkiller looks around at all the elves, many leaving, some not, and sends a 
  general ** ? **

Strongbow sends, lowly, bemusedly, ** Howl. **
Strongbow walks away from the tree, back into the clearing that marks the 
  entrance to the Lost Holt.

Rillwhisper giggles, and tugs her mates after her. "C'mon...!"

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. The clearing is now blanketed under a 
  thick cover of cold white snow, and in the center there is a stone fire 
  ring. The cold bites into into your skin and makes you wish to light the 
  fire for warmth. Off to the north lies the massive Father Tree, home to many 
  of the elves of Lost Holt. Evening falls clear and cold over the 
  snow-covered holt. The first stars of evening appear above.
Contents:
Spidersilk
Skywise(#2945PBJXce)
Willowholt Camp(#6874AJae)
Denning Tree
Obvious exits:
Path<E>  Hill<W>  Approach to the Father Tree<N>  

[More and more of the elves begin to gather in the clearing.]

Skywise takes a comfortable seat and waits for the fun to begin. He twirls his 
  lodestone around his finger.

Kai stays near the edge of the forest, mostly just watching Ynderra, or anyone 
  who gets near her.

Rillwhisper steps south from the Father Tree, rather more gracefully than she 
  has in some time, and announces wryly, "We're here, cousins."

Woodhawk, behind his chieftess-mate, grins.

Spidersilk swings up into her favorite tree, dangling one hand down in a wave. 
  ** Heyla, all! ** Woodhawk gets a particular wink.

Strongbow steps aside, circling the clearing to a low branch, seating himself 
  on the very edge of the treeline. He watches the Willowholt chieftess and 
  mate enter with a knowing nod.

Trollkiller and Cutter walk over from the Father Tree.

Trollkiller hop hop hops around, looking at all the people, much bouncier than 
  the last time he was here.

Ynderra smiles to Wavefall, with a murmured assurance that it's quite well, 
  and she turns to look for Cutter. "Wavefall has brought us meat, my chief!"

WindStorm makes his way over near Ynderra, and finds a seat on a protruding 
  root.

Rillwhisper pauses to survey the gathering. Her green gaze lingers briefly, 
  lit from within, on Strongbow, before she takes her two mates' hands in 
  hers, and moves nearer to the place where they'd been camping.

Wavefall hovers on the fringes of the crowd, before beginning a slow retreat 
  to the treeline.

Trollkiller hop hop hops along with Rillwhisper, but blinks over at Ynderra. 
  ** Hi! **

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow does not miss the gaze, and replies
  to it with a wry hint of hello.

Ynderra waves Kai and WindStorm to her, as she smiles again to Wavefall. Then, 
  cheerily, she smiles to Trollkiller and flounces down on the ground.

Rillwhisper locksends ** <pleased> Your mate's leathers are wondrous. ** to
  Strongbow.

Kai moves towards Ynderra, warily at first, then much quicker.. he drops down 
  next to her.

As the archer surveys the gathering, watching the chiefs particularly, through 
  the forest comes the slight rustle of another approaching elf. She ducks, 
  brown curls tumbling, the branch on which Strongbow is perched, and looks up 
  at him, violet gaze liquid and, perhaps, proud. The archer lowers his hand 
  to touch the tanner, as if he expected her to appear there, and exchanges a 
  soft send of hello with her. ** Look, ** he adds, nodding a glance at 
  Rillwhisper.

WindStorm smiles and watches out of the corner of his eye.

Moonshade looks, and, catching sight of her own work upon the Willowholt 
  chieftess, smiles. She leans back a bit against the branch then, quiet.

Ynderra flicks a grin at Kai, and bounces in visible anticipation, as the 
  tribe continues to gather: Ynderra's sister Myriel appears after a time, and 
  the two twins exchange quiet but honest grins. Some short moments later, the 
  furtive figure of Trouble, for those looking, might be spotted on the fringe 
  of the clearing.

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow allows himself a moment's pride.
  ** I know. **

Trollkiller looklooklooks around at The Crowd. ** Lots. **

Rillwhisper, as Moonshade arrives, stands briefly and smiles over to her. The 
  Willowholt chieftess's hands smooth themselves unconsciously across her new 
  leathers.

Woodhawk smiles affably at everyone, winking right back at Spidersilk.

Skywise takes a comfortable seat and twirls his lodestone around his finger.

Spidersilk laughs, pleased, and stretches a bit on her branch, watching 
  everyone arrive, and sits up to wave at her lanky lifemate as he slips in 
  from the woods. With a bright grin, Springer joins her on the branch, 
  overladening it and sending a few twigs of snow *puff*ing down to the ground.

Trollkiller nuzzles at Rillwhisper, careful not to muss up the new leathers 
  too much yet.

Ynderra senses in a locksend, Kai pretty much ignores everyone but you. ** How
  are you? I am sorry I haven't brought anything. **

Rillwhisper glances into the Willowholter tents, grins, and fires off a few 
  sendings. At last, sleepy figures roll out into view: Rainfire, Dawn, Dusk, 
  Silversong. They smile tentatively at the gathering crowd, and come out to 
  linger behind their other tribesmates, but well within listening and seeing 
  distance.

Ynderra locksends ** <gently> It's okay. <Then, her send brightens.> You
  brought you! This will be a good Howl...! ** to Kai.

Trollkiller holds his arms out at Dusk and Dawn, and sends to them.

Rillwhisper turns her green gaze to Cutter, and sends clearly, ** The 
  Willowholt awaits your pleasure, chief-friend. **

Trollkiller locksends ** Come here, too! ** to Dawn and Dusk.

Strongbow exchanges another send with Moonshade, lowering his bow for her to 
  touch. He nods once and looks over at his chief, agreeing wordlessly with 
  the Willowholt chieftess.

Kai wonders, mostly to himself, if Cutter's mate isn't enough anymore?

Leetah walks in, a quiet smile on her lips. Her hand rests gently on her 
  grandcub's shoulder. Minx runs over to Skywise with the usual enthusiasm. 
  Leetah walks to Cutter.

Skywise snuggles Minx into his lap for the story.

Ynderra sticks her tongue out at Kai, and smiles earnestly to Leetah as the 
  elder healer finally arrives to join her mate.

Leetah gives Cutter a quietly affectionate greeting, standing beside him. She 
  smiles to the visitors. "Welcome." She smiles at Ynderra, faint mischief 
  reflected in her eyes.

Warmly, Rillwhisper smiles to Leetah; her tribesmates around her, this or that 
  one of them leaning over to chat with the Lostholters, eventually settle 
  down into waiting expectancy.

Kai looks between Ynderra and Leetah, he scratches his head as he wonders..

Wavefall treads into the shadow of a few trees, just in the treeline.

Cutter beams, as his eyes shift from face to face and elf to elf. With a 
  noticable spring to his step, he trots a few paces across the clearing, and 
  then up onto a branch that overlooks those elves on the roots and ground and 
  lower branches. ** Tonight, ** he sends to start the whole affair, ** we 
  Howl! For many things. ** He points as he explains. ** We have guests, and 
  more. The willowholt shares our hunt and Howl with us, their chieftess 
  returned to them, as our archer and his mate are returned to us! **

Rillwhisper smiles, as behind her, Rainfire and Woodhawk grin at one another.

Strongbow nods once, sliding down off of his perch to allow his lifemate to 
  circle his arm in gladness. Giving her a glad, glimmer-eyed look of his own, 
  he reaches about her waist to set her up onto the branch; that done, he 
  regains his perch with an abbreviated jump.

Trollkiller nodnodnods, and blinks back at Rainfire, having missed his 
  arrival. He nuzzles Rainfire's shoulder, briefly, and returns his attention 
  to the Lost Holt chief.

Nightfall walks over from the Father Tree.
Nightfall strides in, pausing and taking in the crowd.

Ynderra lets out with a brief, glad, "Ayooooooah!" and scoots a bit closer to 
  Kai and WindStorm. She grins, spotting a sleepy-eyed Pike arriving at last, 
  clutching a big bowl of dreamberries; once the son of Rain arrives, he grins 
  at everyone, and sits down with a thump, his treasure before him, within 
  reaching distance.

Spidersilk grins down at Nightfall from her perch on a branch, and tilts her 
  head back in a quick, happy howl, watching Cutter.

WindStorm looks over as Ynderra happily scoots about, and a smile pops up.

Nightfall grins back at 'Silk, then moves to an unoccupied section of tree and 
  settles her bow, leaning beside her.

Leetah smiles to Nightfall, eyes glinting, almost a wink.

Eyes dancing, the LostHolt chieftain goes on. ** There are tales to be told, 
  and life to share. ** Pike arrival draws his attention, and again he points. 
  ** Pass the 'berries, and celebrate. Listen and learn. ** Now his attention 
  rests on Strongbow, and then Rillwhisper for a moment, before it circles 
  again. ** Is there news? Tales? Howl, cousins! ** He tilts his own head 
  back, and lets out a loud, boisterous how of his own, directed at the 
  branches above.

Dusk hops over to her sire Trollkiller's side, pulling Dawn along with her, 
  and plops down beside him. Tossing her red-furred head back, she also howls, 
  thick and strong voice peeling off into the night.

Skywise howls, voice blending with his soul brother's.

Pike doesn't need to be told to share dreamberries twice, and as the grinning 
  elf does so, Rillwhisper is first to howl of the Willowholters, her voice 
  rising up to blend with Cutter's. By ones and twos and then all together, 
  her tribesmates join in.

Leetah's soft voice rises and joins the music.

Trollkiller and Dawn join their daughter in the howl, Trollkiller's rougher, 
  lower; Dawn's sharper and with a direct simplicity all its own.

Strongbow finally breaks his soulful-eyed silence and lifts his own chin, his 
  voice low among the others, soon augmented by the soothing, higher pitch of 
  his mate's. The tones, paired, enter and leave harmony, twining now with 
  others, then each other, then alone among the whole before rejoining.

Ynderra reaches a slim white hand to both Kai and WindStorm, distracted only 
  long enough by Pike's wink and the berry bowl as the latter passes her.

Nightfall tilts her head back, joining in with closed eyes, one ear quirking 
  to hear Redlance's answering howl from up in the tree.

In the Willowholt Camp, Silversong listens to the howl from where she remains 
  in the camp, her thoughts her own.

WindStorm's ears perk up, and he glances to Ynderra for reassurance. Feeling 
  that, he tilts his head back and opening his throat, lets out the call of 
  the wolf, mixing his voice with the others.

Kai takes Ynderra's hand, but not a berry, nor does he howl.. though he looks 
  around, and perhaps seems a bit sad.

Cutter's send rings out again. ** Chieftess! Archer! Will you share your tale? 
  **

Nightfall reaches for the dreamberries, popping one into her mouth as she 
  looks at Rill and Strongbow expectantly.

As the tanner's howl becomes softer and cooler, the archer's dies out and is 
  replaced by his sending, at first wordless, warming as do the howls to a 
  simple, ** Aye. ** His eyes, closed for the howl, open, and he looks to the 
  Willowholt chieftess for confirmation, or perhaps lead.

Rillwhisper, with Cutter's adjuration, rises, slim, golden, green. ** By your 
  leave, ** she sends, politely, ** and Strongbow's, if he does not wish to 
  send the tale? ** She glances back at the archer.

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow unobtrusively remarks, ** Choose a 
  beginning, at least. **

Nightfall frowns slightly after her cub, but doesn't go catch her - she seems 
  to be safe. "Probably... but what?"

Strongbow nods once to Rillwhisper, and once more to his mate, lowering his 
  head for a second to touch her leathers with his nose, then chin. Looking up 
  again, he settles, ready to listen, passing the bowl by after offering one 
  to Moonshade.

Rillwhisper gives a level nod to Strongbow, then turns to face the gathered 
  elves. ** The tale, then, ** she sends, ** of where Strongbow and I have 
  been all this time. It starts before my last visit to you... **
With that, Rillwhisper begins her tale. ** Seasons past, at this point, 
  Strongbow thought that he would come to my Holt... for I'd promised him a 
  chance to try to bond with one of our wolf-pack. You all know it's a 
  pleasure for us when any of you come to see us... ** She grins, suddenly, 
  vividly. ** And I've never denied I'm fond of your archer... **

Trollkiller giggles, but keeps it to himself.

Cutter sits, on the branch that he has been standing on, after dusting a bit 
  of snow down onto the elves below, and rewarding their quiet yelps with a 
  quick grin and a sapphire wink. Again, his eyes scan the crowd gathered 
  below him, and he all but glows with joyous pride.

Ynderra giggles, brightly.

Dusk baps Trollkiller, who yelps appropriately.

Spidersilk chuckles.

Strongbow arches a brow, attempting mockingly to look surprised.

Nightfall chuckles softly, settling her feet more comfortably.

Leetah's eyes twinkle as she looks up at her lifemate, and she hides a wicked 
  smile behind dark fingers of a delicate hand.

The tanner puts a protective, or perhaps possessive hand on Strongbow's thigh, 
  but smiles upon the Willowholt chieftess, eyes a bit sad.

Cutter grins. ** None of us have denied it, either. How could we, with you 
  stealing him away, ** he teases.

As she sends, Rillwhisper walks a bit back and forth among you all, and 
  continues, ** Moonshade, though, knew the timing better than any of us. ** A 
  wink at Cutter. ** She came after her mate, and brought with her get from 
  her own wolf's litter. **

Moonshade looks up and over at her mate, brow raised in an unsent question. In 
  response, the archer simply blinks at her, expression carefully blank.

Rillwhisper's eyes turn a little solemn, as she looks round the ring of faces. 
  But her regard is clear, honest, and level, her sending equally so. ** Of 
  what transpired at Willowholt, I shall say only this: that, well, some of 
  our more interesting mushrooms, a campfire, and Strongbow don't mix 
  particularly well. There were dreams dreamt, and old stresses uncovered. **

Skywise chuckles very softly, looking at Strongbow.

Spidersilk leans forward on her branch, cublike, nearly overbalancing herself.

Dawn eeps a little, blushes, and tries not to draw too much attention to the 
  briefly guilty look on her face.

Strongbow nods, now, turning from his mate's eyes to the green gaze of the 
  Willowholt chieftess; his own gaze level, unrushed. He looks round the 
  clearing, meeting gazes where they ask to be met.

Ynderra quirks her curly black head, and nibbles a berry, as she takes in the 
  tale.

Rillwhisper smiles, briefly, solemnly still, at Strongbow and Moonshade. ** 
  Nor will I speak here of what happened, that Strongbow and I came back 
  without Strongbow and Moonshade. That, I'll save for them to share with you 
  as they decide. For the Howl, I will speak of what happened, when Strongbow 
  and I went towards Grove Holt to seek the tanner. **

Strongbow touches the tanner's arm, and though the two do not look at one 
  another, in that touch all to be said is said, sendless.

Silversong makes her way out of the Willowholt Camp.
Silversong emerges from the Willowholt camp, approaching where the others are.

Leetah watches the whole exchange between Strongbow and Moonshade, and hears 
  Rillwhispers words, all with an expression of empathy and concern. Her green 
  eyes are full with their obviously intense feelings.

Trollkiller looks over to Silversong, and smiles.

Rillwhisper, by now, has taken the center of the circle, and she sends on. 
  Images, now, condensing time in memory, of the chieftess and the archer 
  travelling west with the Preserver Fallberry, and Rillwhisper's wolf. As 
  trails often change between the Holts, this time, the pair of elves took a 
  northerly route...

Woodhawk turns round to glance back at Silversong, softly.

Cutter's eyes move to track shiftings and movement, but always returns to the 
  Willowholt chieftess.

Nightfall munches quietly on dreamberries, 'listen'ing to the tale unfold.

In Rillwhisper's sending, it can be seen that the chieftess and the archer 
  took a path past a waterfall where a river is born. Intending to sweep 
  southward in a wide circle down to Grove Holt, the elves and the wolf and 
  the Preserver tracked their way into a remote wood... a strange one, where 
  the trees grew twisted, lashing together as they grew as if they had 
  something to hide.

Silversong pauses, glancing towards sundown. She then shakes her head, going 
  over to sit down beside Woodhawk.

Spidersilk scounts the clearing for the bowl of dreamberries, and squints as 
  she sees it's on the wrong side from her. She gives Springer a poke in the 
  side, and murmurs to him; he goes and gets two berries, one for each. 'silk 
  beams.

Trollkiller finds the dreamberries making another round, and realizes he's not 
  had nearly enough of these. He borrows about, oh, four.

Spidersilk grins at Trollkiller, with an approving wink.

Skywise makes sure he gets enough dreamberries as they pass, and likewise 
  makes sure that Minx has more than enough. Minx's eyelids droop and Skywise 
  teasingly snuggles her.

Rillwhisper sends on: her relayed images take on a sense of 
  prey-being-stalked, of hackles rising on the back of necks. And with good 
  reason, for, seemingly as fast as skyfire, _things_ drop out of the trees to 
  attack her and Strongbow....

Trollkiller smiles back at Spidersilk, as Dusk takes one, and Dawn takes about 
  three all for herself.

Ynderra jumps!

Spidersilk lets out a yip, pup-like, and sits up very straight at the creepy 
  sending.

Skywise turns and nods, murmuring something to Minx, whose eyes have gone wide.

Trollkiller shivvers at the send, and pops a berry into his mouth. He's not 
  nad nearly enough of these.

In the send-pictures the Willowholt chieftess is sending, the attacking 
  _things_ are spiders -- but spiders as big as she. Or bigger. Their legs 
  alone are as wide as her arms, and their constant *click* *click* noises 
  drown the howls and snarls of the chieftess's wolf.

Cutter shivers a bit, and scowls, having two berries passed up to him by an 
  elf below. These he bites through, and chews, intently.

The archer winces in recollection, the first disturbed look he's granted the 
  howl yet. He shakes his head, 'looking' a bit away from the sending, well 
  enough aware of its content.

In her sent tale, Rillwhisper is swift with her blade, and after a moment, 
  Strongbow even more so with his arrows. But the spiders close in -- spitting 
  something that looks like wrapstuff, except duller. A black shadow lunges; 
  in Rillwhisper's side, there is a sudden fiery pain. Then, everything 
  vanishes under a veil of the not-wrapstuff.

Trollkiller snugs against everybody around him, all rather extended-family 
  members, with little don't-worry-it's-all-over-now sendlets across the 
  touchings...

Ynderra turns white, and with both hands, grabs at Kai and WindStorm, as 
  though she were a cub wanting to huddle for safety with others. What a tale!

Strongbow exhales lowly, a feeling of relief, laced with another feeling of 
  the-worst-isn't-over-yet. He attends once more to the sending, for a moment 
  stoically ignoring the worried look given him by his mate; after a few 
  breaths, he gives in and looks to her, sending comforts repeated for, 
  perhaps, one time of many.

Silversong seems incredibly distracted by something apparently nagging at her 
  thoughts, but listens half-attentively to the sent story.

Rillwhisper sucks in a breath. Perhaps she, too, is troubled by this story; 
  she certainly pauses for a moment before Pike, smiling ruefully at him and 
  glancing at the berry bowl. Pike readily offers it to her, and the chieftess 
  takes up two berries, to munch on as she continues to send.

Cutter's brow furrows farther, berries to their work. Despite himself, he 
  leaks a cloud that covers the clearing for a moment, of ** 
  <concern/protection/possesiveness> **. This is his tribe, and holt, and no 
  threats will be forgiven. Then it fades, as he clamps down on the leak, with 
  a faint hint of color.

Strongbow looks bemusedly over at his chief as he circles his mate with one 
  arm.

Rillwhisper sends openly ** I don't know how much time was lost to me in the 
  spider wrapstuff. The next thing I knew, I was being cut loose, and Lar and 
  Lira were bending over me. <Lar and Lira, it seems, are a pair of... what 
  _are_ they? Tiny creatures, smaller than elves, perhaps the size of 
  children, with green-brown faces. Stumpy builds.> **

Leetah's eyes turn upward, and she smiles softly, lovingly at her young 
  lifemate. Her warmth and love for him and all her tribe suffuses the 
  clearing.

Among the Lostholters, Myriel and Trouble exchange startled glances, and then 
  more, with their nearer tribesmates.

Trollkiller locksends ** Whatever they were, they were viscius 
  little monsters... my arms are still half-sore from the fight the big one 
  gave me... ** to Woodhawk.

Spidersilk sends openly ** Troll-humans! Little ones! **

Nightfall grins teasingly at 'Silk, but doesn't interrupt the tale herself.

Rillwhisper half-smiles at Spidersilk's contribution. ** They smelled like 
  trolls, to me. Except small ones. But it's been so long since Ii've seen a 
  troll, that I might be remembering wrong. **

Trollkiller sends openly ** They're strong like trolls, too. But not as ... 
  <looks for a word> **

The lack of a shadow where one was among those of the trees is the only 
  indicator that the shadow's owner, Wavefall, is no longer among the 
  listeners of this tale.

Strongbow looks over at his chief and chief's mate and, sensing something 
  right between them, allows himself a larger hint of a smile than usual. 
  Protective and proud, he nods once, then returns to the issue at hand. ** 
  Not as ornery. **

Rillwhisper, with that, adds levelly, ** The little trolls, however, were not 
  the only ones in the place where I woke up. There was also -- <And her 
  sending abruptly switches back to image, an image of an elf, tall as a 
  Glider, but strangely refined in appearance, as if someone's fondest dream 
  of what a Glider might be like was given flesh. Wearing oddly ancient 
  clothing, this elf bore sorrow etched in his face -- and fairly crackled 
  with magic.> **
** His name, ** states Rillwhisper, ** was Doreel. **

Behind Rillwhisper, Rainfire smirks to himself, but does not interrupt his 
  chieftess.

Spidersilk curls up against her lifemate, licking berryjuice off her fingers 
  and studying Rill.

Rillwhisper glances from face to face, and then, briefly, settles her gaze on 
  Ynderra. ** He was like you, maiden -- he could heal, _and_ shape trees. And 
  more. ** The chieftess's gaze lifts again, to all of her listeners. ** The 
  little trolls spoke of him being able to fly, once. I myself was healed by 
  him. But as I was healed, I learned that Doreel was mad. **

Cutter murmurs "Doreel," after the Willowholt chieftess, and then falls silent 
  again.

Trollkiller nods at Cutter.

Ynderra blinks. "Somebody else that can do..." It comes out in something of a 
  squeak. Then she falls silent, awed.

Leetah listens attentively to the story of another crazed healer. Her thin 
  brows knit, and she glances worriedly from one face to another.

Strongbow catches the gaze of his chief's mate and nods once at her, as if in 
  verification of a thought.

Rillwhisper nods, once. ** Doreel. This is what else I learned: that the 
  spiders in those woods were his. He called them 'Preservers'. **

Woodhawk, at his chieftess's last sending, glances at the Preserver Fallberry, 
  who flits from shoulder to shoulder in avid and sociable curiosity. And the 
  firestarter smirks, just a bit.

Strongbow snorts softly. ** Prefer small ones. ** It's the most he'll give, 
  and he doesn't look anywhere near Willowholt's preserver, perhaps in hopes 
  that it will continue to leave him alone.

Rillwhisper goes on: ** Doreel... _made_ these things. I'm sure of it, though 
  he never told me so directly. And he shaped the grove in the center of the 
  woods, claiming that he was trying to remake the place where the High Ones 
  came from. He said that he had been given stories -- by his mother. And his 
  mother was a High One. **

Leetah seems lost in thought, pondering this. She looks slightly sad and 
  greatly concerned. Her hands lie loosely linked in her lap. She looks at 
  them, and not at any of those around her, although she listens attentively.

Trollkiller nuzzles Woodhawk's shoulders, just for fun.

Skywise looks at Leetah, then Cutter.

Trollkiller nibbles on yet another dreamberry.

Cutter sends openly ** Shaped.. like the Palace? I.. did he know where he was> 
  **

Rillwhisper goes on, ** Doreel thought >I< was a human, at first -- ** That 
  solicits a bark of a laugh from Rainfire. And at Cutter's question, 
  Rillwhisper turns to the other chieftain. ** He didn't seem to, at first -- 
  he kept saying that his grove was the true home. But once Strongbow and I 
  sent to him of the Palace, he realized that we were not in the High Ones' 
  old home. **

Strongbow shakes his head, grimly stating, ** Where they High Ones came 
  _from._ Not...how they came. **
Strongbow nods to Rillwhisper, that answer adequate and as accurate.

WindStorm glances around, appearing to be looking for the basket of 
  dreamberries...

Rillwhisper, her movements restless, though a bit of berry-induced shine has 
  softened her otherwise alert gaze, continues. ** Doreel then thought I was 
  someone called Tasheya... till I managed to convince him that my name is 
  Rillwhisper. He then told me that I would have to stay in the grove from 
  then on... and tried to convince me that the 'Preservers' had killed 
  Strongbow. I didn't believe it. And went after the archer. The second time, 
  I got him. **

Helpfully, Pike passes WindStorm the bowl, and grins cordially.

WindStorm brightens, and takes the bowl from Pike, giving him a wink and a 
  nod. :)

The tanner watches the bowl pass and, softly, requests, "Berry?"

Rillwhisper's tale goes on: there are images, there, of Doreel looming angrily 
  over her and Strongbow, refusing to heal the spider poison out of the 
  archer. Of Doreel, shaping his great den-tree, and wistfully speaking of not 
  knowing what _fun_ is, to Rillwhisper. Of Doreel sharing the fruits of his 
  helpers' garden.

Spidersilk, helpfully, sends to Moonshade, with a wink: ** No, silly. That's a 
  bowl. **

Rillwhisper sends openly ** But there was _nothing_, not a squirrel or a rat, 
  that we could hunt. Once our bellies started feeling the lack of meat, 
  Strongbow and I knew we had to get out. Strongbow sent, and reached 
  Trollkiller for me. **

WindStorm chuckles, stuffing a few berries into his cheeks, and leans over to 
  pass the bowl to Moonshade.

Rillwhisper half-smiles. ** Strongbow's better at it than I am. At sending, 
  that is, and he got Trollkiller to hear him. My tribesmates came... but 
  then, you all know they were looking. ** Briefly, Rillwhisper smiles at her 
  folk, and at Skywise as well, as the stargazer had volunteered to come with 
  the Willowholters.

Moonshade gifts Spidersilk with a gentle scowl.

Spidersilk chuckles, snuggling back against Springer.

Skywise grins right back.

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow chuckles very softly. ** No telling
  of the black venom's madness? **

Rillwhisper finishes, ** It took blades, bows, and fire... but Strongbow and I 
  were freed. Or so I'm told -- for I was out and dreaming. ** She turns, to 
  Woodhawk, and asks him quietly, ** Tell them of the leaving, beloved. **

Cutter simply... watches. Intent.

Rillwhisper locksends ** <dryly> I'm not in the habit of sharing my dreams with
  this big a crowd, brother. ** to Strongbow.

Woodhawk rises, and nods to his chieftain. He sends out: ** When we got in, 
  Rillwhisper had fainted; Strongbow, too, once he helped us make sure 
  Rillwhisper wasn't about to leave us permanently. Doreel... tried to flee 
  from us, into the woods. And we think he called the spiders, to chase us 
  out. I used my fire to fight them, but those trees must have been dry as the 
  sands in Sorrow's End, because they burned fast. And hard. **
Woodhawk reaches to clasp Rillwhisper's shoulder briefly, favoring her with a 
  smile, before he once more sits down by Trollkiller.

Strongbow looks past his mate's shoulder as she leans forward to snag the 
  passing berry bowl. The archer's gaze catches Rillwhisper's green one for a 
  moment, and he nods once. As if on impulse, he plucks a berry from the bowl 
  just as Moonshade passes it on, earning an odd look from the tanner. In 
  defiance, he swallows the berry.

WindStorm smirks and chuckles, watching the archer.

Trollkiller nuzzles Woodhawk again, and offers to feed him a dreamberry.

Rillwhisper turns back to the listening elves, and concludes, ** That's the 
  tale, then; the rest, you all know, that we got here safe enough. **

Moonshade just shakes her head, savoring a berry of her own.

Ynderra lets out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Her eyes as round 
  as moons, she stares at the Willowholt chieftess, and tries to absorb all of 
  the tale.

Kai squeezes Ynderra's hand gently.

Nightfall regards the Chieftess and the archer thoughtfully. ** Are there any 
  spiders left, do you suppose? **

Skywise looks around from behind Minx's shoulders. He nuzzles her neck 
  briefly, reassuringly.

Spidersilk shudders, making a face at Nightfall. ** Hope not. **

WindStorm shifts slightly watching Kai and Ynderra.

Leetah looks up at her lifemate. ** I wonder if the Old One lived. **

Rillwhisper turns, then, to sit with her mates, and sends back to Nightfall, 
  ** I don't think we managed to kill them all ** -- a look to her tribesmates 
  gets her several shakes of heads, and Rillwhisper looks back to the Lostholt 
  huntress. ** There were at least two eights of them that I saw. Maybe more. 
  **

Strongbow looks darkly over the gathering, glimmers of smirks in the brown of 
  his gaze. He shrugs at Nightfall, unsure, sending, ** Long journey, built by 
  fire and ended in it. ** His gaze catches Dawn and Trollkiller before 
  travelling on. ** And more trail covered than that. ** He gives Rillwhisper 
  a meaningful look, then shares it with his mate, then his chief.

Silversong lowers her gaze to the ground, with a small sigh.

Ynderra wraps her fingers around Kai's, and reaches with her other hand for 
  WindStorm, if he's within range.

Nightfall nods slowly,thoughtfully, thenlooks at Cutter.

The smile creeps slightly into the corners of his mouth as the archer looks, 
  for a moment, distant.
Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow queries, gently,
  ** ...Sunruff...? **

WindStorm glances down at Kai, then to Ynderra and finally lowers his hand to 
  hers.

Cutter nods at Leetah, brow creased thoughtfully, and then looks at Nightfall 
  in return. ** What's your thought? **

Strongbow looks for a moment as though he might send, but looks to Nightfall 
  for her comment.

Rillwhisper smiles a bit at Strongbow, then offers to Leetah, ** He was a 
  healer... ** Her green gaze turns grave again. ** I and mine don't know, 
  honestly, if Doreel yet lives. If he does, or even if he doesn't, his spider 
  woods are dangerous. As for Doreel himself... **
Rillwhisper blinks over at Strongbow, and momentarily, her expression falters.
Rillwhisper locksends ** She... the Howl for her can wait till the proper time.
  This... is important... your tribe should talk this out if they need to.... **
  to Strongbow.

Nightfall thinks for a moment, then replies. ** I'm concerned that they might 
  decide to attempt to recapture their prey.** She nods to Rillwhisper and 
  Strongbow, then frowns a bit. ** I don't like the thought of them coming 
  here. **

The hand of berries she's eaten having painted vivid pictures of the spiders 
  and the ancient elf in the tale, Ynderra shivers between her two companions.

Nightfall turns her regard to Rillwhisper, silently asking for her thoughts.

Trollkiller locksends ** I suspect he's alive. But I don't think he'd come 
  out. ** to Rillwhisper.

Rillwhisper remarks, ** They didn't follow us out of their own wood, if that 
  helps. We kept scouting behind us as well as before us all the way here. **

Cutter shakes his head. ** If they come here, then they come into our 
  territory, like the chieftess and archer came into theirs. We'll be better 
  prepared. **

Nightfall nods, reassured.

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow notes, growlishly, ** Howl isn't time
  to plan blood-hunt. Not Council here. **

Woodhawk and Rainfire nod assent to the Willowholt chieftess's words.

Strongbow nods, that, in his mind, finished. ** Fire, and more, ** he states, 
  as if in repetition.

Soulful-Eyed Wolf Cub walks over from the Father Tree.

Rillwhisper considers, then sends to the Lostholters, ** I felt that you all 
  should know of this, of course. Before my folk return home. ** She pauses 
  again, then, as Strongbow's young wolf-friend lopes into the clearing, and 
  she blinks, as if taken aback.

Strongbow slips down off of his limb, uncurling his arm from his mate to 
  crouch, sending to the bouncing cubling. As if by scent, she follows 
  twitching nose and huge liquid brown eyes to meet the gaze of her 
  elf-friend, closing in by the bound.

Woodhawk puts in, almost gently, ** My chief left out something from her tale. 
  Her wolf was lost. **

Strongbow straightens to a stand after giving the cub a quick pat. He nods to 
  Woodhawk, keeping silent for the moment.

Rillwhisper starts, then smiles weakly to her elder lifemate. ** Aye, ** she 
  sends, lowly, simply.

Ynderra breathes in an "ohhhhhh", tilting her head a little, watching the 
  visiting chieftess. Her blue eyes glimmer. "We should howl," she whispers 
  sagely to Kai and WindStorm.

Cutter blinks, and scowls at himself. "I remember. I'd been told." And more 
  audibly, he sends, ** Then we howl for the loss of a bondmate as well. ** 
  Head tipped back, he leads the howl once more.

Trollkiller nods, quietly listening, waiting for that part to come out. He 
  snugs Dusk and Dawn, who both echo the sadness.

Spidersilk nods silently, sending sympathy, then lifts her head to call out 
  after her chief, howl long and sad into the night sky.

WindStorm nods to Ynderra, gently.

Strongbow is quiet, eyes on the Willowholt chieftess, though his chin lifts, 
  ready to join the song.

Skywise and Leetah both howl for loss, the one for a familiar loss of a dear 
  friend, the other in empathy of the sorrow another feels.

Kai squeezes Ynderra's hand again, and watches her.. and the rest of the 
  group, howl.

Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow murmurs, almost leaving words behind,
  ** It is a Howl. **

WindStorm releases his grip on Ynderra's hand, and goes off on his own. He 
  closes his eyes, letting out a morunful howl, certainly knowing the pain of 
  loss.

Nightfall clses her eyes, then tilts her head back and joins her vote to the 
  song of sympathy and sorrow.

This time, it is the Willowholters who lead their chief into the howl; at 
  last, though, the voices of the visiting elves rise to meet and match those 
  of the elves whose Holt this is. Finally, Rillwhisper herself howls, 
  striking a note sharply, as though swinging a blade into stone, ringing.

Trollkiller howls for his lifemate's sorrow and loss, followed by Dusk and 
  Dawn, as Rillwhisper leads them all...

Rillwhisper locksends ** ........ <Uneasiness, threaded with her gratitude for
  your mental touch.> ** to Strongbow.

Strongbow adds his own howl behind the striking one, joining the song, adding 
  very little to it save an echo of itself. Confusedly, the cub bounces on her 
  haunches by his feet; finally, she lets out a yap and then a high howl of 
  her own.
Rillwhisper senses in a locksend, Strongbow does his best to send comfort; more,
  it is his own feeling of This-Is-Right, and his hope that it is at least
  Not-Wrong to you.

When, at last, the multi-voiced harmony subsides, Rillwhisper can be heard to 
  send, muted and wordless gratitude to the tribe who has given her and her 
  kin shelter and comfort.

Strongbow nods once, eyes opening again, as Rillwhisper sends and the song 
  quiets. The cub realizes, a moment late, that the song is over; her howl 
  ends as abruptly as it started and she looks as much like anything like a 
  wolf trying to blush.

Rillwhisper, this time, when Pike once more nudges her with the dreamberries, 
  takes a couple quickly and readily. And smiles to Pike as she does so.

WindStorm ending his howl, opens his eyes, and glances up at Ynderra...immense 
  gratitude in his eyes.

Rillwhisper turns her attention back to Cutter, and sends softly, ** I am 
  done, Cutter. **

Strongbow looks down at the wolfcub, eyes fond. ** And more, ** he nods, as if 
  telling her so. To the howl at large, he states, simply, ** There is life, 
  too. ** He nods to Cutter, that having been the chieftain's charge at the 
  beginning. ** Named Kindle. **

Smiling to WindStorm, Ynderra abruptly leans over to hug him. And then, 
  abruptly leans back to hug Kai.

Kai stiffens, then relaxes as a smile begins on his face, finally.

Cutter grins. ** Welcome Kindle. **

Woodhawk grins, looking over Rillwhisper's shoulder to the frolicking cub.

Rillwhisper begins to brighten.

Trollkiller locksends ** So c'mere and relax. ** to Rillwhisper.

Leetah watches Cutter's smile, echoing it with a soft one of her own.

Rillwhisper glances just behind her, to Trollkiller. With a bit of a chuckle, 
  she leans back agianst her furry lifemate.

Kindle hurfs as her elf sends at her, confused by all the stimulus save one 
  bit; at her name, sent, she bounces forward, then back, tilting her head 
  back to look up at Strongbow. He nods once to her, sending, and she creeps 
  forth from his feet, sneaking between other elves and wolves to the circle's 
  center. Not so tiny a cub as the one Moonshade brought through snow a turn 
  ago, she shakes her fur into place and looks, briefly, proud. With a yip, 
  she circles the clear spot and runs back to the archer, who actually lets go 
  of a low chuckle at it all.

Trollkiller nuzzles into Rillwhisper's neck, as the cub bolts about, all 
  confused and excited.

Cutter laughs outloud.

Strongbow recedes to touch his mate's arm. To the group, he sends, ** I have 
  hunts to make up for. ** It is at once a challenge, a celebration, and an 
  announcement of intent to leave.

Skywise laughs and whispers to Minx, grinning, eyes twinkling.

Ynderra beams, and points happily at the new bow. "_I_ shaped that," she 
  declares, proudly, and with just a touch of a slur to her soft voice.

Cutter climbs to his feet again. ** Then there will be hunting, if the archer 
  will allow us to share, ** he sends, with a hint of affection and amusement 
  twined together. ** And the night is for all of us.. to celebrate and 
  remember. Use it well, cousins. **

Kai nods at Ynderra.

Spidersilk chuckles at Cutter, with a nod.

Several enthusiastic howls meet _that_ proposal. Dewshine and Scouter can be 
  seen to scurry off into the trees.

Nightfall nods approvingly, reaching for her own bow.

Skywise rouses Minx and draws his sword delightedly.

Ynderra, at the concept of hunting, giggles to herself and looks from Kai to 
  WindStorm and back again.

Kai shrugs.

WindStorm smiles, always enjoying Ynderra's company, and giggles along with 
  her not knowing what she's giggling at!

Strongbow gathers his mate and bond and, with a send of thanks around the 
  gathering, slips off into the woods.

Skywise walks toward the Father Tree.

Nightfall stretches her back, rolling to her feet and shaking the snow from 
  her leathers.

To augment Wavefall's initial offering, Myriel and Trouble take their own 
  bows, and head off into the trees -- but not before Myriel quirks a look at 
  her sister. Ynderra giggles again, and pulls both Windstorm _and_ Kai closer 
  to her.

As the archer leaves, he locksends gratitude to Rillwhisper...and the hope that
  her departure will not be so quick as to leave out good-byes. Pleased and 
  slightly berry-scented, his send fades.

Kindle, Strongbow, and Nightfall walk toward the Father Tree.

Ynderra locksends, to WindStorm, Kai: ** <teasingly> _We_ could go hunting.. **

Trollkiller grins at Ynderra. He knows _that_, well enough...

WindStorm merely looks up at Ynderra and makes a puzzled expression.

Kai shrugs again. ** If that's what you want. **

Rillwhisper giggles a bit herself. Turning to both her mates, she takes quick 
  note of the weapons available to the Willowholt. With the promise of a joint 
  hunt to liven the night, the visiting elves group with the Lostholters.... 
  and sendings liven the air as the previous dark tale, and all its 
  implications, are put aside for the joy of Now.
[End log.]