Log Date: April 1994 Log Cast: Lhovrik, Clearsight, Tumbleberry, HoneyGold Log Intro: With her self-appointed guard Blackmorn growing progressively more ill from a wound dealt him by a foam-mouthed cat, Clearsight finds herself growing more and more frantic. Her meager abilities to tend injuries are not enough to stave off Blackmorn's fever, and she begins to fear for his life even as she hotly refuses the repeated requests of HoneyGold and Tumbleberry to wrapstuff him -- the Plainsrunner girl does not trust the two Preservers who followed her and Blackmorn out of their hidden valley, and she isn't about to let them trap Blackmorn again. But as she tends her friend, Clearsight has an unexpected encounter with another elf.... one whom she's met before, the elder Lhovrik, the one of oddly deformed appearance but powerful sending.... ---------- Lhovrik sends openly ** This one offers greeting, kindred. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** An inquiry is expressed regarding your placement here... ** Clearsight sits kneeling at the opening of a small tent, evidently striving to cut some ragged pieces of leather into bandages. At the sending, her gaze snaps up, and she leaps to her feet. Clearsight cries, "High Ones... I remember you!" Hovering in front of your face Tumbleberry tells you solemnly. /Tumbleberry take good care of highthing!/. Lhovrik looks on in blank puzzlement. Lhovrik sends openly ** This one is most gratified to encounter you, here. ** HoneyGold flits! Lhovrik sends openly ** This one assumes that you have been well. ** Clearsight turns her head and snaps at the applegreen Preserver, "Be quiet...!" She flicks a glance to a prone, pale form lying curled up just under the tent, and she answers Lhovrik solemnly, "I.... am well enough, but Blackmorn, my companion, h-he's ill!" Lhovrik looks at you in apologetic incomprehension. Lhovrik sends openly ** This one fails to comprehend the spoken words. ** Lhovrik's eyes turn to the apparently sleeping elf. Clearsight shoves a hand through her disheveled hair, and murmurs, "I remember... " She looks up again, and sends clumsily, *My... my friend Blackmorn is sick.* HoneyGold flits around the new highthing curiously. Lhovrik sorts out your sending, his mind betraying concern. Lhovrik kneels down beside the prone form of the elf. HoneyGold flits. /Ooh! Bighighthing!/. The elf in question has dark chestnut-colored hair that falls back from his face in damp strands; his face is pale, drawn, and his shoulder and arm are bandaged and bloodied. Lhovrik frowns, and carefully works around the bandage. Lhovrik sends openly ** What has happened to him? ** Clearsight kneels down beside Lhovrik, her own face pale and tired as she answers, *He was attacked... b-by a cat. It bit him.* Lhovrik sends openly ** That is very regrettable. ** Blackmorn, as the bandage is touched, winces in his sleep, and cries out raggedly. But he does not wake. Lhovrik looks carefully at the wound, claws sliding out of their sheaths to gently move flesh aside in a search for broken bones. Lhovrik's other hand goes to the elf's forehead, testing the strength of the fever. Lhovrik sends openly ** This fever must be broken... ** Lhovrik sends openly ** And the infection taken out. ** Lhovrik reaches into his tunic to pull out a few folded, broad green leaves. Lhovrik sends openly ** Cooling leaves, good for fever and infection both. ** Clearsight sends earnestly, *I-I used a hot knife, to try to burn the badness out of the hurt.... * Clearsight winces as if in memory; her eyes are shadowed as she sends that. Beside her, Blackmorn moans, mumbling vaguely, "Fledge... " She bites her lip, and reaches for his hand. Lhovrik's sending is diplomatic. ** That was a good intention, but the hotness is to stop bleeding, rather than infection. ** Clearsight sends openly ** Can you... make him not sick? Th-the cat was mad, and its mouth foamed.... ** Lhovrik crumbles the dried leaves into the wound, hard hands grinding them into a find powder. Some he sets aside. **Give this to him in water.** Lhovrik sits back to consider the situation. Clearsight nods gravely, as she takes the herbs, and sniffs at them tentatively. *There is a tiny spring... where I have been getting water. H-he has not been eating, not much... * Lhovrik sends openly ** The foaming is very bad. ** HoneyGold flits. /HOneygold go get water for silentdark highthing!/. Lhovrik smiles absently at the preserver as he tries to think of something. Lhovrik sends openly ** There are several things that could cause a foaming in an animal. ** Clearsight glances at the Preserver, and a frown flits across her thin face. But she answers, "You can't carry much, bug." Lhovrik sends openly ** All of them are dangerous, and require a Healer to mend. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** I cannot Heal, any more. ** Clearsight, looking worried, glances back to the tall elf, listening. Beside her, Blackmorn clasps her hand in a fierce grip, mumbling incoherently. Clearsight ventures, *He... is very hot, inside his head.* Lhovrik sends openly ** How long ago did this happen? ** Clearsight clings to Blackmorn's fingers with both her hands. *A few days... * Her brows draw together slightly as she keeps up the sending, but she shows no other visible sign of discomfort. Lhovrik sends openly ** That is bad... there must be a Healer summoned, and soon. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** The foaming sickness hurts the mind as well as the body. ** Clearsight's eyes go limpid, as she blurts, "I can't get him to wake...!" She catches herself, and adds in sending, *I-I cannot get him to wake up. I thought to put him on h-his wolf, so that we can ride.... * Lhovrik sends forcefully, **No! That would be very bad right now.** Lhovrik sends openly ** But perhaps you can get to a gathering, and summon a Healer from there. ** Clearsight flicks her tear-glimmered gaze between you and the elf lying beside you both. She whispers, "He... he asked me not to leave him." Lhovrik once again has a shadow of frustration cross his mind at the inability to understand you. Clearsight looks clearly torn, and worried, anxiety showing in tiny lines of exhausation around her face. She blinkblinks, then blushes and adds, *He... doesn't want me to leave him. He _needs_ me to stay, he sent... * Lhovrik tries to get this absence thing sorted out. ** He requested that your manifestation remain with him? ** Clearsight sends openly ** ** Lhovrik looks baffled at this. ** But it is only a seeming... ** Lhovrik sends openly ** Where is the nearest Gathering of the people? ** Blackmorn tosses in his sleep, a pained look flickering across his features. He mumbles, "Don'... " And a vague send tumbles out of him: ** Lhovrik tries to make sense of that, as well, his mind a dull gray wash of confusion. Clearsight exhales, and answers gravely, tiredly, *We... were going to Sorrow's End... but... I do not know how far that is, save that it is east.... and I do not know where closer elves are....!* Lhovrik sends openly ** Perhaps I could get to Sorrow's End in time... ** Lhovrik sends openly ** But I fear for that one's existence if matters require much more time. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** The longer the foaming sickness goes on, the deeper the hurt, and more lasting. ** Clearsight lifts pleading eyes to your face. *He might... die?! * Clearsight goes stark white, and more tears well up in her wide eyes. Lhovrik sends openly ** It is true that he may depart his shell. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** But... ** Lhovrik sends openly ** Not if a Healer can be obtained in due time. ** Blackmorn, as if sensing Clearsight's distress, turns his face to her, frowning vaguely. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** He speaks of a hawk. What is the significance of this? ** Clearsight gazes at Blackmorn with frightened eyes, and presses his limp hand to her cheek. She send-whispers, *That... that is me.* HoneyGold flits. /Honeygold make wrapstuff..keep all safe!/. Lhovrik eyes the Preserver speculatively... Clearsight cries, "NO!" Lhovrik knows that much of the spoken, at least. Lhovrik sends openly ** All shall be well, kindred, granted but a little reason... ** Lhovrik sends openly ** The most important thing is to get a Healer. ** Clearsight, eyeing HoneyGold warily, gives a vehement shake of her head. *He will _NOT_ be put in the wrapstuff!* Lhovrik considers that for a moment. ** Why do you object so strongly? ** Clearsight, still clinging to Blackmorn's hand, still eyeing the pair of Preservers, very nearly seems about to growl. With surprising sharpness, she sends back, *They tried to trap us.* Lhovrik sends openly ** Ah... ** Lhovrik does not pretend to understand why that might be so. Blackmorn frowns absently, his head tossing slightly. ** HoneyGold pouts. Flitflit. HoneyGold flits. / All safe in wrapstuff..stillquiet./. Lhovrik sends openly ** Best that he be put into a deep rest. ** Clearsight turns her gaze back to you, and continues mournfully, *If... if you can just find a healer, I will do my best to guard him!* Lhovrik sends openly ** I am not certain that is best. ** Clearsight leans over to Blackmorn and sends directly to him, now, as if trying to soothe. He subsides. Lhovrik sends openly ** I can place him into a deep, healing rest- but only if I remain. ** Clearsight swallows hard, torn, considering. *How... how much time would it take for you to do that? I-I mean, would it be better to spend the time to find a healer? * Lhovrik sends openly ** What ways are you skilled in, kindred? ** Clearsight blinkblinks? *?* HoneyGold flits worriedly around Clearsight. Lhovrik sends openly ** I can keep him in the sleep, and soothe his pain, but I must remain with him in reflection. ** HoneyGold flits. /Silversoft highthing all sleepy?/. Lhovrik sends openly ** And I desire to know what disciplines you excel at. ** Clearsight finally, perhaps desperately, shakes her head. *If he needs a-a healer, one must be found... * She swallows hard and adds, *I can hunt, a little... and his wolf has been helping me... I can make a fire, and cook meat. I can tend his hurt, a little.* Clearsight tells HoneyGold crossly, "I am alright." Lhovrik sends openly ** It is your choice, kindred. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** I can hold him, but only if I remain. ** Lhovrik sends openly ** I trust your judgement in this matter. ** Lhovrik regards you quietly. Clearsight glances at Blackmorn again, clearly pained of expression, and worry and fright now unconsciously leaking through her thoughts. She sendwhispers, *Please... f-find a healer. Please.* HoneyGold peers at the allquiet bigthing. Lhovrik sends openly ** As you choose. ** Clearsight looks up at the taller elf. *Thank you.... * Lhovrik sends openly ** It is no more than an obligation. ** [To be continued....]