From: owner-willowlogs-l@murkworks.net on behalf of Wolf031877@aol.com Sent: Thursday, December 10, 1998 8:09 PM To: willowlogs-l@murkworks.net Subject: [willowlogs-l] [Log] Tsoran comes calling... Synopsis: Outside after waking from a nap in mid-afternoon, Dusk is both surprised and startled when Tsoran sends to her, apparently from a distance just outside the holt. The Recognized pair have a...tense exchange before Tsoran leaves after making various threats if Dusk does not allow him to see Midnight -- the reason for his coming. After the Chosen departs, an unsettled Dusk sends to her father, needing someone to speak with. Dusk's soulname is given, but please do not assume you know it unless you really do (as in, Trollkiller and Dawn should know it). Log Cast: Dusk (logger), Tsoran, Trollkiller. Rillwhisper, Woodlock, and Midnight are mentioned and "shown," but weren't online at the time. Logged December 9, 1998 (Dusk/Trollkiller took place December 10, but was timeshifted to more realistically occur directly after Tsoran's departure). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Dusk is located in the clearing to start.] Tsoran locksends ** Ashte. ** You locksend to Tsoran, Dusk first sends sudden surprise at /that/ send-voice, then she steels herself. ** What. ** More a statement, less a question. Tsoran locksends ** Unfriendly as ever, Ashte. I do hope my son will not learn from your disturbing manners. ** You locksend to Tsoran, Dusk corrects you. ** Our son, you mean. ** Certainly, she's not comfortable hearing from you again, as past times have only been troublesome. ** Where are you? ** Tsoran locksends ** Close enough. I wish to see him. ** You locksend ** My apologies, but now is a bad time. He is asleep. ** to Tsoran. You sense in a locksend, Tsoran sends frostily. ** Are you denying my wish? Consider the consequences carefully, little one. ** You locksend to Tsoran, Dusk doesn't bend, nor break, showing strong maternal instincts. ** I am, Tsoran. Midnight needs his rest, and you can wait until he is awake to visit with him. Surely you can be patient? ** Tsoran locksends ** And while I wait, your tribesmembers arm themselves and get ready to 'welcome' me. Do you think me a fool? ** Tsoran locksends ** I will be back. And the next time, I will not accept a no. ** You locksend to Tsoran, Dusk's send contains distaste. ** So you wish to see him now, and steal him away while we are unprepared? ** She practically scowls at you. ** What sort of fool do you take /me/ for? ** Another pause, then she settles slightly, still on edge. ** This holt contains Gliders already. I'm sure you know that. We wouldn't be dumb enough to attack you without cause. ** Tsoran locksends ** Soon, Ashte. And then we will see, won't we? ** You locksend to Tsoran, Dusk's send contains a frown. ** I suggest you reconsider the authority you have around my home. ** [Dusk frets a few moments, then decides to see if Trollkiller's awake.] You locksend to Trollkiller, Dusk's send is something on the concerned and apprehensive side. ** Father..? ** You sense in a locksend, Trollkiller sends from his sleep sort of an abstract, fuzzy ** wuzzit? ** You locksend to Trollkiller, Dusk's sending slices through whatever muzziness there is. ** I need to come talk to you..it's..Tsoran. ** You sense in a locksend, Trollkiller mmmrsf? and sort of wakes up. ** Um. What? What. Tsoran. Talk. OK. C'mere? ** You locksend to Trollkiller, Dusk sends wordless acknowledgement, and heads on over to the den. Chieftess's Den This oft-crowded den seems spacious enough to perhaps hold five or six elves easily. Many pillows and furs of shades of brown, white, grey, gold, and black are scattered about its floor, some on the large pile of sleepfurs beneath a small window-hole looking out towards Sun-Goes-Down. Here and there along the walls are shaped small candle-nooks, in the shapes of leafy nests; the candles they hold are unlit at the moment, and the occasional beam of sunshine flickers in through the willow fronds outside. Along one wall, a shelf-like ledge is set into the living wood of the tree. You see 4 elves asleep here, and 1 awake. Two crawl-holes are visible here: one leading back out into the heart of the great tree, and one leading off sideways to the guest den frequently used by Rillwhisper, Woodhawk, and Trollkiller. Contents: Trollkiller Comfortable fur Obvious exits: Guest Den Out Trollkiller is sitting up and mostly out of the furs when you arrive, with Woodhawk and Rillwhisper - now visibly carrying - on either side. He's rubbing his eyes and blinking sleepycrud out of them. Dusk wears something of a concerned expression on her face, and instead of speaking aloud when she enters, she sends, trying not to wake the others. ** I was just sitting around outside after a nap, and all of a sudden he sent to me, and was demanding to see Midnight..he called him /his/ son. ** Trollkiller shakes his head and finishes putting his thoughts together. ** Um. Well. He can't really demand much out of us, he has no right to do that... ** Trollkiller sends openly ** It's not good that he's shown back up, though. Not within sending range. Rill will need to know. ** ** And that's what I said. But first I told him Midnight was trying to sleep and needed his rest, and he told me to consider the consequences carefully. I told him he could wait, and he said he'd be back and he wouldn't accept a no. ** Dusk masks a frown, eyebrows bunching together. ** Then I told him to reconsider the amount of authority he thinks he has around our home and he left.. ** Trollkiller sighs. ** Well, that's a declaration of war. Where's Midnight now? ** Dusk moves closer, as though she needs to be held right now. ** He's in the next den. ** Trollkiller pulls Dusk close to him, and nuzzles her headfur. ** Good. Best keep him inside - none of those birds are strong enough to take on a tree, so he'll be safe here. But we should warn everyone. ** ** Aye.. ** Dusk agrees, wrapping her arms around her father's back, resting her head against his chest. ** I'm afraid he's going to try to take him from me..from us. I don't trust him one bit. ** Trollkiller blows gently into your headfur. ** I fully expect he will. And I wouldn't trust him either. Something about the way they raise cubs in the Mountain is just... wrong. They keep ending up with attitudes like his. Not all of them, of course, but... enough... ** Dusk murfs quietly at the blowing on her head, sighing softly. ** I know..I'll keep Midnight inside, or around others if he goes outside. I want him to grow up how he will, but without being forced to believe what they believe in that mountain. I want him to make his own choices. ** She nuzzles Trollkiller's chest a bit. Trollkiller skritches up Dusk's back, fingernails reaching down to the skin through the fur. ** It's a mess. It's... unfortunate he's decided to do it this way. We'd just about half to let him visit if he just asked, but... he doesn't do that. ** Trollkiller wonders a bit about how long we'll have to keep close watch over Midnight. ** Under constant guard is no way for a cub to grow up, either. Hrm. ** Dusk mmrrrs at the scritching, eyes closed. ** He..could have asked..and been nice about it. But he still treats me like he owns me, and he doesn't. ** She frowns. ** I wish I never Recognized him. It's been nothing but pain and trouble. And I don't want Midnight to have to be guarded all the time. I just want Tsoran to leave us all alone. ** Trollkiller keeps you close as he skitches around your flanks, your belly, your chest. ** Well. Without the Recognition, there'd be no Midnight. And that'd be a sad thing. ** Dusk manages to stay relatively settled and in good shape with the reassurance and skitching. Though she has no answer to the truth her father sends, she does answer with wordless agreement. Trollkiller blows lightly into Dusk's ear. He'll wake Rillwhisper and tell her, soon; but there's no immediate danger, so he'll let her wake up on her own - she's nearing her own time to birth, she needs her sleep. ** Want me to come over and den with you for the rest of the day? Or for the next few? Just to be safe? ** Dusk grins at the blowing, for it tickles a bit, causing her to turn her head slightly. Still holding on to Trollkiller, she sends, ** I'd feel safer..both for Midnight and I, if you could. ** Trollkiller nuzzles the ear, too. ** Of course I could. Let's trundle over, and get back to sleep before the sun sets. ** He touches each of his lifemates in turn, with a just-noticeable private, reassuring send to each - and then reaches over to get his straps and trollsword. Just in case. Dusk's just got her claws. Oh, and stuff like her spear and bow. ** All right..Midnight likes you, too. It's probably the fur. He thinks we're..umm, mated. I'm trying to get him to stop thinking that. ** Trollkiller giggles aloud. ** Well. I'm sure that if somehow we ever were to recognise, we'd produce a lovely cub. A very, very furry, lovely, cub. ** Trollkiller licks your earridge. ** And you're awfully pretty, too. ** Trollkiller sends openly ** But... somehow, my own cubs, no matter how lovely, have never really interested me. No matter how grown up they've become. ** Dusk can't help but giggle quietly at that. ** That's just what this place would need..another one like I was. ** She's not quite as rambunctious as she used to be, but..well, stress. Y'know. She hugs a bit more firmly. ** Thanks..and I understand. ** Trollkiller cocks his head to one side. ** _Are_ you interested? ** Dusk tilts her head back to look up at her father. ** Hmm? ** Trollkiller sends to Dusk, ** It sounded like you were disappointed, s'all. _Do_ you want a roll in the furs with me? Or am I just reading things all wrong. ** Trollkiller giggles. ** I think No-fur does. Is why I'm asking. He's never said anything about it, though. I think he needs to lose his cubname first! ** ** Oh..I'm not really thinking about that right now. ** Dusk admits with a faint shrug. ** But Midnight doesn't really have a true father. ** She grins at the mention of No-Fur, shaking her head a bit. ** I think he does, too. That's all he seems to want, most of the time. And he does need a new name. ** Trollkiller grins, and rolls forward with you, pulling us both off the furs. ** We'd better go over, before we wake these two up. ** Trollkiller sends, ** Midnight will do well enough, I think. I've tried to fill in. Which is probably why he thinks we're mated, as much as the fur... ** Dusk grins, being lifted up a bit as both move to stand. ** Like I said, I'm still trying to convince him you're my father. At least he hasn't realized it yet. I don't know how to explain the way Tsoran is to him. ** And she does /not/ care for the way Tsoran treats her. Trollkiller couldn't imagine anyone _liking_ the way Tsoran treats... anybody, as far as he can tell. ** I wonder whether he has any friends. He must be very different to them. ** And he leads you through the passage to your currently sleepyhole. Trollkiller's old den Trollkiller's old den is, these days, most often used as a playroom, or as a guest den for visitors who are particularly close to Rillwhisper, Woodhawk, or Trollkiller. It is filled wall to wall with soft furs, and kept from becoming stuffy by regular use. Lying atop one pile of furs is a small wooden statue is of a large, fat, and somehow canny-looking bullfrog, like those found near the Willowholt pond. It is coloured a dark green, with little spots. Contents: Trollkiller A bunch of brightly coloured leaves Obvious exits: Rillwhisper, Woodhawk, and Trollkiller's Den Out to Willow Tree Centre ** I bet he tries to control all of them, too. ** Dusk figures it can't be much different from that. ** And they probably can't do anything to stop him. ** Trollkiller thinks your probably right, but thinks that's not what he calls friends... and he pads over to Midnight, gently brushes his hair, places his sheathed sword and straps over to one side, and lies down beside him. ** All safe and sound. You coming? ** Dusk stands off to one side for a moment, watching Midnight and Trollkiller. Her cub doesn't awaken, but seems to find a smile as her 'grandfather' settles down next to him. ** Aye. I think I need another nap. Did I ever used to sleep for so long, like he does? ** Trollkiller stifles a laugh. ** Only when you were _very_ young. And even then, not often. ** He lies on his side, and once Dusk finally settles down on the other side, passes one arm over Midnight and onto Dusk's flank and back. ** Sleep now. ** Dusk considers asking Trollkiller if he can remember a few other things about her cubhood, for she's forgotten a lot of it. Another time, though. She smiles. ** I see. ** Then, she settles next to father, her own cub between them, safe and sound. And all three sleep.