Log Date: 2/13/96 Log Intro: Upon the arrival of her tribesmates, Strongbow, Moonshade, and Skywise at Lostholt, Rillwhisper and her mates have been given permission to rest in the visitors' den in the bottom of the Father Tree. There, Rillwhisper realizes something: that when she and Strongbow were rescued, she and the archer exchanged soulnames. Or, more properly, realized that they'd known one another's soulnames all along. And, perhaps in acknowledgement of this deep level of knowledge, the archer comes looking for the chieftess.... ---------- Rustling, soft, can be heard from outside the den, in the storage roots. A moment later, there is a soft, almost sent, growling, punctuated by something being dropped. Footsteps leave the tree, heavier than need be, for the clearing behind the tree. Rillwhisper stirs softly, slitting open an eye at the noises outside. After some silence, almost enough to encourage sleep, the archer (doing his best to be gentle while in an irked mood) touches your mind, as if to see if you are awake. You locksend ** Mrmm? It _is_ you... I'm here... ** to Strongbow. You sense in a locksend, Strongbow's sendvoice does an about face to apologetic. ** Shouldn't have bothered... ** You locksend to Strongbow, Rillwhisper sends back a bit of a chuckle, a little more alertly. ** It's alright... ** You push aside the leather flap and crawl out. Back Storage Room(#645RL) This is one of the small supply and storage dens in the Father Tree. Momentos and relics from before the flight occupy one end of the small den, while more practical supplies take up the majority of the room. A rough opening leads back out to one of the main branches, and you notice a small opening in the back wall that almost looks too tiny to crawl through without considerable effort, so you tend to ignore it. Shelves, shaped by Redlance, cover the walls, and are, in turn, covered by odds and ends. Bowls, weapons, tools, winter furs and the like are scattered around the den. The shadows lengthen as the daystar slowly approaches the horizon. The holt slowly comes to life as elves wander the holt paths. Obvious exits: Type "DENS" to see who lives here. Small Opening Out You squeeze through the small opening and follow the tunnel downwards, trying not to slip and slide all the way down to the opening at the end, at the base of the 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, with small green plants rising from the rich soil, and along the edges of the garden, taller plants carefully staked upright for support to their slender stalks. 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 shadows lengthen as the daystar slowly approaches the horizon. The holt slowly comes to life as elves wander the holt paths. Contents: Strongbow Wrapstuff Obvious exits: Path Den Tree Woods Father Tree Around the Tree Strongbow stands, back to the tree, a step aside from the entrance between the roots. His expression is surly at best. Rillwhisper steps, slowly, up out of the tree, blinking owlishly. And pausing, to give a pleased and dreamy smile at the sight of starlight and fading sunshine casting healthy dapples of light through the surrounding Holt. Rillwhisper then turns her head. Not quite fully emerged from the Father Tree's heart, she leans unashamedly against the sturdy trunk, and smiles up at you. "Been sleeping all day anyway," she says gently. "About time I got a stretch." Strongbow turns his head aside, looking down at you. His expression gentles slightly. ** Want a hunt, ** he grumbles, strangling a pout. Suspecting she knows the answer before she gets it, Rillwhisper nevertheless asks mildly, "Not steady enough for it yet?" Her gaze, too, is mild, though a bit of a sympathetic, rueful curl plays about her mouth. Strongbow flicks his gaze away. ** Don't have a bow. ** He adds, grouchily, ** either. ** Rillwhisper considers, then experimentally finishes her climb out of the tree, and smiles in satisfaction when her pulse doesn't unduly speed up at the motion. "We'll both need new weapons," she agrees, softly. "Lost my flute, too." Strongbow nods once. ** Can get leathers... ** He almost smiles, gaze going distant. Rillwhisper chuckles a bit, now leaning against the tree, beside you. She inclines her head once, the smile lingering in her eyes though she doesn't quite seem to have the energy to let it blossom fully across her face. Patiently, she waits for your attention to come back, sending only, ** I hope I'll get to see your new leathers before I go home. Want to make sure I don't have 'Hawk's look too much like. ** The archer grimaces slightly. ** Leathers for you too, ** he points out, that having been part of his original thought. Rillwhisper blinks, and smiles, gently. "You think Moonshade will..." Strongbow turns his head again, eyes smiling enough to make up for the glower still on the rest of his face. ** If you're here long enough. ** The hint of a question undercurrents the words, as well as the hint of some old disagreement lain to rest. Rillwhisper studies that expression, tilted slightly as it is, with her head leaning against the Father Tree's barked trunk. "A hunt would be good," she murmurs, amused; her gaze, though, is still soft. And pleased, for the unspoken hint of resolved quarrels. Strongbow turns further, to face you fully, shoulder against the tree. He sends wordless assent, and reaffirmation of the fact that he has no bow. ** Should ask Redlance, ** he grumbles, to himself. Rillwhisper nods, once. "And not ravvits, this time?" she says, a bit of a laugh in her voice, and a memory of another hunt in her gaze. Strongbow looks away, the light in his eyes spreading a bit to a twitching upturn at the corner of his mouth. ** I'll take what I can get. ** Rillwhisper gives an audible chuckle, then, and slowly sinks down to sit, pillowed between the great tree's roots. "Mrmm. Don't let 'em bite your bow hand." She smiles drowsily. Strongbow drops to a crouch and leans against the tree like that. ** Better to hunt with a bow than my hands, ** he snorts, softly. Rillwhisper then wrinkles her nose, slightly, and adds ruefully, "Barely keep my eyes open. Feel like I could sleep for moons..." Strongbow chuckles faintly, letting himself drop to a sit. ** Should stay, then, until you're able to travel. ** Rillwhisper points out, "Got here alright..." Rillwhisper shifts her head to smile at you. Rillwhisper then pauses, regarding you directly. For a long span of moments she says nothing, just watches the way the light falls on red-violet hair, as if intrigued. Strongbow nods once. Without reason, then, he states, ** Should stay. Rest. ** He shrugs a bit, still slightly too-lean muscles tensing and falling again. Rillwhisper starts to speak, then appears to think better of it, expression a trifle bemused. Her green regard settles on you again, and she simply nods, sending only assent, pleasure at the company, and satisfaction with finding a warm spot of sunlight among the trees. Strongbow looks at you for a time, almost sending query, only the undercurrents of it actually making it out of his head before he leans it back into the bark, hair tangling violet-brown against it. Rillwhisper sends, then, without opening her eyes. You locksend ** I didn't dream it, did I? ** to Strongbow. There is a bit of a pause before the archer reacts, and more of a pause from when he begins sending to when the thought actually takes shape. When it does, it brings with it greenness, a bit of a memory, like reflections in a pool. ** No. ** Rillwhisper opens her eyes a little, glances at you, then closes them again. A smile, there, tired but honest. All she sends in reply is, ** Good. ** More, she thinks, might not be needed, but there's a note to her mind-touch that suggests any further commentary would not be unwelcome. Strongbow shakes his head slightly. ** Not unless we both dreamed it. ** His own eyes close, for the most part, gaze slitted and hazy upon the forest. Rillwhisper reaches a heavy hand over, and pats your nearest shoulder, gently. ** I'm the one that occasionally gets lost in dreams, remember? ** Strongbow nods again, once. Rillwhisper laughs, very slowly, not even opening her mouth to do so. ** All Windwatcher's fault, head up in the clouds... ** She studies you again, softly. And sends... You locksend ** I... don't think it was a dream. And I hope it doesn't bother you. ** to Strongbow. You sense in a locksend, Strongbow listens to you, his own thoughts less rambling than still, and after a time, sends reassurance. Almost a shrug, he adds, ** It never has. ** Rillwhisper, with that, genuinely smiles, pleased, and she sends so. Strongbow nods once, eyes closing entirely now. Good, he thinks, and sends as much. [And with that, we end the log.]