Log Cast:
	April 1994

Log Cast:
	Blackmorn, Clearsight

Log Intro:
	Clearsight and Blackmorn have departed the disturbing Preserver
valley in which they'd been trapped, and Clearsight yet retains a sense
of dread and fright at the way she'd lost herself in that place. But a
much more urgent and frightening situation has arisen now: Blackmorn
has been wounded by a rabid mountain cat, and the young Plainsrunner fears
that her meager skills at tending injuries will do him no good. As
he grows progressively more ill, Clearsight knows she has to get him to
a healer....

----------
        Walk with me, brave wolf, keep watch on my path
        Together we walk under star-sprinkled skies
	Together we journey till Walk's End.

Blackmorn sends *<From the darkness and heat that fill his head, a memory, at 
  once familiar and strange: the moonlit clearing, the bird-elf perched on a 
  stup, face uplifted to the stars above..breath catches even as it heats, as 
  the chest feels it might blow outward, caught by the sheer beauty of the 
  scene...>*

Clearsight sings softly, plaintively, at Blackmorn's side.

        Walk with me, brave wolf, stride at my side
	Guard me from danger and teach me to stand
        Uplift my spirit as we roam to Walk's End...

Clearsight, as she sings, smooths Blackmorn's hair back from his forehead. Her 
  eyes are worriedly anguished, but her voice is clear, ringing, even as it is 
  little more than a soft whisper.

Around the tiny camp, night comes slowly across the mountains, bathing the 
  land in shadows. One of the moons rises, casting milky light across the sky.

Blackmorn starts violently, jerking himself awake, eyes open, but unfocused..

Clearsight's song falters as she jumps, startled herself at Blackmorn's 
  writhing. Anxiously she grasps his unwounded shoulder. "Blackmorn?" she 
  cries urgently?

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf runs and runs...something chases 
  after..something that dogs his heels at every turn, and cannot be shaken, no 
  matter how far or how fast he runs..>*

Honeygold flits anxiously. /Silentdark highthing all sick?/

Clearsight bites her lip. Her eyes gone wide, she wets a rag, trying to dab it 
  across his forehead; tightly, she answers the Preserver, "Yes.. h-he is 
  sick."

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf pauses only a moment, to sniff the path 
  before him, then races on, but still the..something..races behind..the wolf 
  continues on until he enters a canyon of sorts, but with only one way 
  out..he turns, hackles raised, to face the shadows..>*

Clearsight sends openly *<Troubled by the violent whirl of his thoughts, she 
  strives to reach him, to soothe....> Blackmorn...! You dream!*

Blackmorn sends openly *<The something inside the shadows utters a cry..a half 
  whimper half snarl...the wolf lifts his head, hearing something far off, but 
  not understood or clear..he growls..>*

Clearsight goes white, her mouth tightening with effort. She whispers to the 
  watching Preservers, "He is... very sick!"

Honeygold flits over to watch Blackmorn in concern /Make wrapstuff now?/

Tumbleberry flits worriedly and whispers quietly to HoneyGold.

Clearsight shouts, "NO!" at HoneyGold, as she struggles to quiet the ailing 
  elf.
Clearsight leans in close, stroking Blackmorn's forehead with feather-light 
  tenderness. She tries to send again....
You send *<She focuses her thoughts, trying to let you know that she is 
  there... cool and palely silver, her mind-touch is tentative against the 
  dream.>* to Blackmorn.

Blackmorn sends openly *<The cry comes again from within the shadow, echoing 
  off the walls of the 'canyon'...the wolf's attention is turned an instant by 
  the breeze that ruffles his fur, cools..and he lifts his head, the sky 
  filled with stars...then back to the shadow, taking a stiff-legged step 
  forward..>*

Clearsight whispers raggedly, "Shhhhhh... Blackmorn, it's alright... "

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf continues forward, and into the darkness, 
  meeting the shadowbeast inside, wherein ensues a battle..claws and teeth, a 
  memory of the cat, a flash of the treehorn from so long ago..never lost are 
  the stars.>*
Blackmorn's limbs twitch and jerk as his muscles strive to obey his dream.

Clearsight's eyes glimmer with tears; she blinkblinks rapidly, trying to clear 
  her vision, but her head rings with the sensations felt in Blackmorn's 
  sending.
Clearsight's mouth sets, as she remembers another dream, and an attempt to 
  soothe _her_; taking Blackmorn's hand in hers and gripping it fiercely, she 
  sends....
Clearsight sends openly *<She soars, a young hawk on star-silver wings... and, 
  shrieking her defiance, she wings down into the battle, trying to aid, 
  trying to defend.>*

Honeygold flits over to Blackmorn, hovering above him as if trying to fan cool 
  air with its wings.

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf turns, even in the battle, snarling a 
  warning at the hawk..he battles all the more fiercly to keep dark claws from 
  her wings...>*
Blackmorn mumbles.."Fledge...no.."

Clearsight whispers back earnestly, "It's alright...! It's alright, 
  Blackmorn....!"

Blackmorn sends openly *<A swipe at the bird, and the wolf attacks the beast 
  again, distracting...the sendgrowl **Out...not safe...will do..**>*

Clearsight sends openly *<The hawk shrieks at the attacking beast... there is 
  a ripple of something like starlight, and she is an elf, a bow gripped in 
  her slender hands... >*

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf's teeth close in on the beast, his legs 
  raking, searching for the kill...>*

Clearsight grips Blackmorn's hand in hers protectively. Her eyes lock on his 
  face.
Clearsight sends openly *<She raises the bow... aims... fires.>*

Blackmorn sends openly *<The shadowbeast cries a final time, and 
  fades..leaving the star-elf, the wolf, and the sky above...>*

Clearsight breathes a ragged sigh, one hand going to her companion's forehead; 
  she frowns at the feel of hot skin under her fingers.
You send *<She throws aside the bow, and hastens to the wolf's side, 
  entreatingly.>* to Blackmorn.

Honeygold flits up to Clearsight. /Go home..to safe, quietdark place./

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf peers up at the elf...amber eyes clouded, in 
  pain/confusion.. **Fledgling is not-hurt?**>*

Clearsight looks up briefly, and frowns at HoneyGold. "That place is _not_ our 
  home."
Clearsight, to Blackmorn, whispers tenderly, "No, brave wolf... I-I am not 
  hurt... "
Clearsight sends openly *<She puts her arms around the wolf's neck, cradling 
  him gently, doing her best to send back that she is here, unharmed, safe... >*

Blackmorn sends openly *<The wolf closes his eyes at that and eases back..the 
  wolf fading..the elf remaining..>*

Clearsight releases a breath she hadn't known she held. She whispers 
  tentatively, "Blackmorn?"

Blackmorn's gaze shifts to Clearsight "Mmm..?"
Blackmorn sends *<The elf studies your face for a long moment, tired, and 
  seemingly peaceful...a hand raises to brush your cheek...and pulls back just 
  slightly..>*

Clearsight allows herself a tiny shudder, but continues to cling to your hand 
  tightly. "I am here," she murmurs. *<She clasps your hand, gently, gazing at 
  you with eyes filled with starlight... >*

Blackmorn sends *<He searches her face, her eyes, his own face still calm..>*

Clearsight's features soften, as her charge relaxes. She reaches again for 
  that damp cloth, seeking to soothe his forehead. "That is better," she 
  whispers gently.

Blackmorn's lips curl in a gentle smile...

You send *<Her eyes meet yours, blue, fathomless, matchless... is this the 
  same fledgling who stumbled out of the fire....?>* to Blackmorn.
Clearsight begins to smile, herself, face lighting with her relief. But she 
  blinkblinks a little, tilting her head at something; she peers at you 
  searchingly.
Clearsight murmurs softly, "Are you with me again, brave one?"

Blackmorn's eyes open a bit more, focusing on you again, and he mumbles. 
  "Mmm..here..songbird.."
Blackmorn sends *<*peace* *'rightness*>*

Clearsight swallows hard, and abruptly, awkwardly, she leans down to press her 
  face into your uninjured shoulder.
You send *<worry for you, and for herself in her inability to heal your hurt> 
  I-I...* to Blackmorn.

Blackmorn blinks slowly, his brow creasing a little, and he lifts his good arm 
  to drape across your back. "Wha...easy, Clearsight.."

Clearsight's shoulders quiver; she makes a tiny sniffling sound, hinting that 
  she is crying.

Blackmorn closes his eyes and slides his hand slowly to the back of your head, 
  resting it there gently. "Shh..."
You sense in a send, Blackmorn comforts and questions, all at once, his 
  mindtouch gentle as his hand.

Clearsight hugs you awkwardly; her face is damp against the bare skin of your 
  shoulder.
Clearsight whispers, "I am... I am sorry... "
You send *<A blur of thoughts: the need to press on, to seek the Sign, 
  conflicting hard with her worry for you; the worry has only now dimmed from 
  frantic concern as you return to lucidity.>* to Blackmorn.

Blackmorn says "Sorry.....why?"
You sense in a send, Blackmorn sends reassurance; the heat is still present, 
  but does not as before. Acknowledgement of the need to press on..of the end.

Clearsight murmurs into your shoulder, "I-I should not make you travel... "

Blackmorn chuckles, a soft dry cough. "Is..why we..walk..to travel.."

Clearsight raises her head enough to look at you. "We... we are going to have 
  to find you a healer."

Blackmorn nods slightly. "Mm.."
Blackmorn draws a deep breath, and his arm tightens a little. "Later..."

Clearsight says earnestly, "We should not wait... t-too long; I do not want to 
  have to go alone!"

Blackmorn opens his eyes at that, frowning lightly. "Not alone..I will go with 
  you."

Clearsight brushes her fingertips across your forehead, and nods softly. "You 
  can ride, on your wolf, and we will go slowly... and stay out of the hot 
  places, so that we can find water... "

Blackmorn sends *<He frowns, even in sending, the word 'alone', her voice, 
  shadowing the send. He reaches up to her cheek again>*

Clearsight gasps a little, frowning at you worriedly.
You send *No, dear wolf, I am here...* to Blackmorn.

Blackmorn sends *Here. Stay here. Please.*
Blackmorn sends *<Behind the words, there is need.> Please.*

Clearsight winces a little, and whispers fervently, "I will stay, dear one...! 
  Shhhh.... "
You send *<She pulls you to her gently, trying to assure you with her 
  presence.>* to Blackmorn.

Blackmorn breathes a quiet sigh, and slides his eyes shut once more, sleep 
  reclaiming him..

[To be continued....]