Log Date: 11/6/95
Log Intro: After massaging Rayek's tense body to within an inch of
its life, Trollkiller of the Willowholt stays with the now-sleeping
Master of the Palace, wolf-napping occasionally and waking up every so
often to resume the work of making sure Rayek does not tense up once
more in his sleep. Trollkiller also sends to his chieftess and lifemate,
Rillwhisper, asking her to make sure food and drink are brought, as
he suspects that his companion might, at last, be ready to eat when
he wakes up. Rillwhisper readily agrees to go for aid, and eventually
brings it....

----------
Savah enters from the hall.
Savah has arrived.

Rillwhisper enters from the hall.
Rillwhisper has arrived.
Rillwhisper ventures in noiselessly, and peers around the tall elf at the 
  sight of her lifemate -- unsurprisingly -- curled around Rayek's smaller, 
  brown-skinned form.
Rillwhisper starts to giggle, thinks better of it, and then blinks, seeing 
  the Little Palace.

Savah smiles, and walks over to the Palace, touching it lightly.

Rayek sleeps, looking rather dwarfed by Trollkiller's large furred arm.

Rillwhisper whispers lowly, "Um... Trollkiller... sent he thought Rayek might 
  need food..."

Savah says "It seems to make us more of what we are, wolfrider chieftess."

Rillwhisper trails off, and creeps towards the sculpture.

Savah smiles warmly, looking to Rayek. "I am pleased my dear one as found some 
  peace, though removed from his tasks." She tilts her head slightly, 
  regarding Rillwhisper with warm golden eyes. "You know him, of old?"

Rillwhisper keeps her voice pitched very low, hoping not to wake those in the 
  sleeping pit. "Not well... but... Leetah told me once, of much that had 
  befallen her tribe. And he brought the Palace to us, once." She glances at 
  the sculpture. "It felt like... _that_."

Savah looks thoughtfully at the little Palace. "It grows stronger, by the day. 
  Soon, the Palace will be restored."

Rillwhisper, at Savah's soft declaration, nods solemnly, and glances at the 
  sleeping ones again. Shyly, she asks, "Is there anyone I can help bring food 
  here?"

Savah says "Let us see what Ahdri has found us, my dear."
Savah leaves the room.
Savah has left.

Rillwhisper leaves the room.
Rillwhisper has left.

[Rayek and Trollkiller continue to slumber, until...]

Trollkiller nuzzles gently against Rayek's back in his sleep, one arm draped 
  over Rayek's shoulder and across his chest, body curled around Rayek's 
  frame, fur of his chest brushing gently along Rayek's length as he breathes.

Rayek is not sure when he awakens; for once, in more years than he's counted 
  for some time, he neither snaps abruptly awake nor finds himself fretting on 
  the edge of slumber. No; here, now, he is simply deeply and peacefully 
  asleep... and then, without fanfare, peacefully awake. The sensation is so 
  unfamiliar that he blinks startledly, uncertain of his location, or his own 
  status.
Rayek becomes aware, then, of several things at once: the glimmer of the 
  little Palace on the edge of his line of sight, the ceiling overhead, the 
  silks underneath... and the large, furred, muscular body next to him. 
  Letting out a little cry of startlement, he jerks up.

Trollkiller blinks awake, surprised. ** Wha--? **
Trollkiller half-laughs, under his breath. ** Ah. Awake, I see. **
Trollkiller mmmmms and stretches wide.

Rayek, now propped up on his elbows, stares warily at you. "Yes," he answers. 
  "And... less alone than I had expected."

Trollkiller giggles. ** I don't think you were expecting much one way or the 
  other when you fell asleep. **
Trollkiller sends openly ** But... I've been here since you fell asleep, 
  maintaining what I'd done before. I'd wake up every little while, make sure 
  you were still okay, and go back to sleep. **

Rayek frowns at the other elf, considering all this. Then, his gaze turns 
  slightly inward as he takes inventory... he does feel... different. 
  Physically tired, drained, almost as if a few of the villagers had been 
  beating him like a blanket they wanted to air out... but not... bad. And at 
  last, he averts his eyes. "My... thanks."

Trollkiller reaches over and rubs Rayek's chest. ** You needed it. Though I 
  admit, that wasn't what I'd wandered in here expecting to do. **
Trollkiller looks over the edge of the sleeping pit. ** Ah! Food. Fruit, it 
  smells like... **

Rayek stiffens a little as he's rubbed. Then, grateful for the distraction, he 
  glances over.... and frowns at himself in a bit of surprise as he realizes 
  that the notion of food does not make his stomach twist. "Ekuar's... doing, 
  I suppose. Or Savah's..."

Trollkiller sends openly ** I asked Rill if she'd bring it, actually. I don't 
  know who did, but... **
Trollkiller ohs. ** Rill is Rillwhisper, one of my lifemates. Many from my 
  tribe are here for the festival. **
Trollkiller notices the stiffening. ** Oh no, don't start _that_ again... **

Rayek's black brows draw together at the scolding, even as he says brusquely, 
  "I... remember your tribe, I think..."

Trollkiller sighs, and his hand traces up to Rayek's forehead, which he rubs 
  That Way. ** Oh? **

Rayek starts to protest, then he seems to change his mind, and simply bows his 
  head and deals with it. "Firestar and Autumn. Two of yours, yes? I felt 
  their spirits enter the Palace... some time ago."

Trollkiller hurks. And stops for a moment, but doesn't move his fingers away. 
  Swollowing hard, he continues where he left off.
Trollkiller sends openly ** Yes. They were. **

Rayek, without looking up, says lowly, "I... did not properly apologize, for 
  taking the child against your tribe's will."

Trollkiller suddenly really realizes that you're _that_ Rayek. ** Oh... **
Trollkiller sends openly ** Well... <he thinks> **
Trollkiller sends openly ** She came back. At least, for a while, before 
  dying... **
Trollkiller rubs Rayek's neck. ** All that is long over. I had... almost 
  forgotten that... **

Rayek looks up, at that, one eyebrow cocked at the word 'forgotten', but he 
  slowly nods.

Trollkiller smiles wistfully. ** You find it hard to forget, don't you? **
Trollkiller leans forward, and nuzzles Rayek's chest. ** Even when you want 
  to. **
Trollkiller reaches _past_ Rayek, and finds an orange on the tray of food.

Rayek studies the furred elf thoughtfully; that might be a flicker of 
  embarrassment in his amber gaze, as he attempts to decide exactly how to 
  answer that. Trollkiller's attempted nuzzle makes him take in a sharp 
  breath, though, and his next words come out gruff. "I... would rather not..."

Trollkiller peels back the skin. ** Or even to step back... ** He offers Rayek 
  a wedge of the fruit.

Rayek eyes his visitor warily, and decides that discretion is the wiser option 
  here -- not willing to unburden his soul to this stranger. He glances at the 
  fruit, though, and grudgingly takes it, nodding briefly by way of thanks.

Trollkiller sends openly ** Rather not...? **

Rayek nibbles at fruit, carefully, so long habituated to indifferently pecking 
  at his food that the habit is difficult to break, despite the food in 
  question having an appeal he has not experienced for some time. Nibbling, he 
  sends brusquely, ** Speak of it. **

Trollkiller reaches over again, for another fruit - one he doesn't recognize, 
  but seems to be already prepared for eating - and nibbles on it carefully. 
  ** I can understand that. **
Trollkiller sends openly ** But it's clear to me that you need to. **
Trollkiller sends openly ** And I don't even know what it is. **

Rayek's eyes harden as he continues, with slow precise movements, to eat. 
  Staring at you over the fruit, he sends, ** It is my own affair. **

Trollkiller sends openly ** I didn't say that you needed to speak of whatever 
  it is to _me_. But you do, clearly, to someone. Leetah, I would suspect? **

Rayek's stance hardens along with his gaze, and with an angry movement, he 
  hurls the rest of the fruit he'd been nibbling across the room. Fluidly, he 
  moves, and is suddenly crouching on the far end of the sleeping pit. ** You 
  have... helped me, ** he sends, darkly, the words brittle as if he is just 
  _barely_ keeping a sudden surge of rage in check, ** but _do not_ overstep 
  your bounds. **

Trollkiller is taken aback, eyes big and blinking. ** Well. **
Trollkiller walks slowly and carefully over to Rayek. A no-threat walk.
Trollkiller does something very Trollkillerish (but OOC probably very 
  stupid). He rubs up against Rayek, chest to chest, hands against flesh. ** 
  I do not mean to. **

Rayek's body stiffens further. ** Then. Do. Not. Do. That. ** His brown hands 
  come up, defensively, flaring a little with sparkles of magic. There is a 
  shove... but not a physical one, as Rayek nudges you away from him. And 
  immediately on the heels of that, his face twists, oddly; rising to his 
  feet, he whirls away. ** <tensely> It... would be better if you left. **

Trollkiller's face shows pain. ** I'm ... **
Trollkiller sighs. ** ...sorry. **
Trollkiller picks himself up, saddened. ** Please, someday, soon - let 
  _someone_ touch you. I thought - hoped - that you'd let me, since you 
  _don't_ have... a history with me. **
Trollkiller half-smiles. ** It didn't hurt that you're lovely, either. But 
  that's another story. **
Trollkiller picks up his strap and sword. ** Please. Let _someone_ in. **

Rayek blushes, scarlet, not looking at the elf he's just rejected. The line 
  of his shoulders remains tense, his head bowed.

Trollkiller sends openly ** And eat something, before you let your body get 
  all screwed up again. **

Rayek, appetite lost, does not look up.

Trollkiller feels the waves of pain again, and drops his strap and sword. ** 
  Will you at least let me fix your shoulders again, before I go? **

Rayek sends only, ** Please. Go. **

Trollkiller, eyes downcast, picks up his sword and strap, and goes. But with 
  one last send, wordless, but with the sense of a hope of forgiveness, and 
  the knowledge of where to find him...
Trollkiller leaves the room.
Trollkiller has left.

[Rayek remains where he is, throat tightening... feeling all at once
 tense again, unsurprised at the reaction he'd given to the furred
 Trollkiller, but... disheartened. And shortly after, another
 visitor creeps in...]

You sense in a locksend, Ekuar sends, very gently, ** Brownskin...? May I 
  come in? **

You locksend ** <distantly, heavily> Ekuar... yes... ** to Ekuar.

Ekuar has arrived.
Ekuar enters quietly, hobbling to the side of the sleeping pit.

Rayek stands near the wall, head bowed, shoulders tense. As he hears the 
  clomp-shuffle of his mentor's footsteps, he looks up, mournfully, eyes 
  liquid. "Ekuar... what... what is wrong with me? I..."

Ekuar stops, leaning on his staff, cocking his head. His bright gaze scans 
  Rayek carefully... lovingly. "Wrong with you, my dear?"

Rayek shoves a hand through his hair and then paces, fretfully. His stance is 
  tense and tight... though, perhaps, not so much as in previous days. 
  "The... furred one. The one who... helped me. I-I just made him leave. Why, 
  then, do I feel like I just kicked one of the Wolfriders' cubs?"

Ekuar ahs softly, nodding just a bit. He considers this carefully. "I think," 
  he says soothingly, "Because the handsome wolfling only wanted to help you. 
  Eh-- his heart went out to you. He had no harm in his thoughts. And you 
  sent him away... perhaps feeling deep inside that you shouldn't have." He 
  stops, blinking inquiringly at the intense young elf, gauging his reaction.

Rayek frowns bemusedly, still pacing, with all the restlessness of a desert 
  cat. He smirks, sarcastically, and mutters, "No... no guile in that one. He 
  called me lovely. High Ones."

Ekuar ehs? "But you are lovely," he observes mildly. "Surely the wolfling 
  can't be blamed for speaking the truth. And it seems-- ah, my dear, perhaps 
  you treated him with a harshness he did not deserve?" His tone is light-- 
  questioning, not scolding.

Rayek stops his pacing... and regards the floor, abashed. "He... mentioned 
  Leetah..."

Ekuar's voice drops a bit, with the gentlest reproof... and even in his 
  disapproval, warmth and forgiveness run richly through his face, and his 
  voice. "Oh, Brownskin... You let Leetah's very name be the spark that lit 
  your temper?" His brow wrinkles.

Rayek drops to the floor, one leg folded under him, the other hugged loosely 
  in his arms, and his head sags. He is silent for a few moments, realizing 
  disheartenedly that the mere thought of _her_ is twisting his insides.

Ekuar comes closer, leaning heavily on his staff, bending down to peer at 
  Rayek carefully. "Dear one... Know that I'll do, eh, all I can to put 
  things right between you. Somehow." He tips his bare head to one side. "But 
  until then, Brownskin... All we can do, I think, is to try and keep your 
  temper. Hm? It causes you so much pain, indeed, when it escapes."

Rayek murmurs hoarsely, "I... have been trying.... truly...."

Ekuar grips his staff, lowering himself carefully to settle in front of 
  Rayek. "Oh! Of course you have, of course! Eh, sweet Brownskin, I've seen 
  it. You're getting better and better." He nods sincerely. "It is taking 
  time, and practice. The more you see other elves, and learn to, ah, dwell 
  among them, the better you will get." He pauses, and gives a soft and 
  encouraging smile. "Perhaps some of the practice could come from you 
  talking again to the wolfling? Even... an apology, hm?"

Rayek looks up warily. "I... I cannot dwell among other elves, Ekuar... not 
  anymore..."

Ekuar tsk tsks, softly, paternally. "You can," he replies, his eyes shining. 
  "You have been. Mustn't give up so quickly, my dear. I saw you with the 
  cubs on your lap... they were, eh, becoming quite fond of you. What was 
  that, if not dwelling among others, hm? If only for a short time?" He nods 
  reassuringly.

Rayek's eyes glimmer, a little, at the mention of the children. "I... 
  remember... when Leetah was a child... I --" He cuts himself off, frowning.

Ekuar ahs softly, barely stirring the air. He looks at Rayek encouragingly. 
  "There was love there. And friendship. It can return again... Eh, my dear, 
  if there's anything this long, long life has taught me, it's that nothing 
  is ever ended. Never-- ah, never completely. Not the love between you and 
  Leetah... not your ability to, eh, dwell among others. I'm here to help 
  you, and I say you can do it."
Ekuar's voice carries serene conviction.

Rayek looks up at last. The faith in the older elf's voice makes his eyes 
  glisten a little more.

Ekuar props his staff in the crook of his elbow, and pats warmly at Rayek's 
  arm.

Rayek swallows, and says huskily, "I... perhaps I should...."

Ekuar beams affectionately at his pupil, nodding gently, encouraging the 
  words to come of their own accord. "You should...?"

Rayek finishes hoarsely, "A... pologize."

[End log.]