"Wolfquest, Part 7" Log Date: 10/16/98 Log Cast: Rillwhisper, Lonehowl, Nightwing, Rainsweet, Sweetrain, Leafdrop What Has Gone Before: Powerfully drawn to the hunter Lonehowl, the maiden Keshah has managed to convince him to talk to Rillwhisper about the two of them staying with her in the Preserver valley. Half-dazed by the lingering effects of the pollen that pervades the place, Lonehowl has decided to play along with Keshah's request... but he has found the chieftess deep in dreaming, murmuring incoherently about their cub. And he has yielded to the urge to just lie down and dream with her, powerfully moved by the glimpses of their offspring that he has seen in Rill's dreaming mind -- for regardless of their reality, they have driven home to him that he is going to be a father. But Rillwhisper's dream has been a deep one, and Lonehowl has been pulled down into the heart of it to find a dream-Rillwhisper deeply worried about her welfare and that of the cubling. The chieftess and the hunter find themselves moved to try to escape their dream-terrain, anxious to find their cub -- and by extension to make sure that the cubling will actually be born safe and sound. In the process, with Lonehowl's soul brushing hers in a way not even her own lifemates have ever accomplished before, Rillwhisper finds the strength to pull herself up and out of the dream that has engulfed her.... ---------- The chieftess has no way of knowing how long she's lain among the flowers when her slumber finally begins to lift. Nor can she really pinpoint when exactly she makes the change from sleep to awareness, her eyes coming open on the dappled twilight deep within this valley. But once her eyes do open, she frowns musingly to herself, taking stock of her surroundings... aye, she's still lying undisturbed. A dull, slightly numb feeling marks her broken, bewrapped leg, and as she glances down at herself, she notes with relief that she is otherwise free of wrapstuff. But there are warm arms around her, holding her close to an equally warm bare chest, and Rill turns her head, her breath catching in her throat. _Lonehowl..._ ** Welcome back.. ** Lonehowl send-murmurs softly, having been awake for a bit of time prior to Rillwhisper's coming around. He stayed there quietly, holding her, waiting for her to awaken. ** Slept well, Twyr? ** he wonders, leaning his head close to hers and drinking in her scent, arms wrapping her close. Nestled against the hunter's shoulder, Rillwhisper smiles a drowsy, lopsided sort of smile. One arm comfortably curled round Lonehowl, she squeezes him with it, and sends back in with equal softness, ** Yes... actually starting to feel awake now. ** The hunter smiles, exhaling in a soft sigh. Perhaps content, perhaps something else. Though, Rillwhisper is with him again, so all can be somewhat well. For now. ** That's good. Maybe we can both leave soon. ** he replies, but maybe other things are on his mind for the moment, as his head turns so his lips can brush an ear of hers. ** If I can walk, I can leave, but it's the walking that's the problem, hunter... ** Rill sends back, but she trails off, too, at the attention paid to the taper of her ear. Pulling in a soundless breath of her own, she leans her head in closer to him, but she also sends, ** ? ** Lonehowl hmmms, and forces himself to pause in thought at her words and questioning send. ** Could carry you, maybe..or call the pack to come back.. ** he ponders, wondering what would be the best thing - getting out first, or enjoying a quiet moment. Rillwhisper pulls back slightly, lifting up her green gaze to seek Lonehowl's face. ** Will they hear you if you howl for them....? ** Her sending, though, softens somehow as she looks up at him, and after a moment she brings up a hand to touch his cheek. Lonehowl smiles warmly back at Rillwhisper, shifting a hand to cradle the back of her head, sifting slowly through her hair. ** A howl would be too loud here - it'd attract too much unwanted attention. We need to have a surprise for the other elf and her bugs. ** He pauses, seeming to concentrate on something. There's still a fair amount of muzziness in Rillwhisper's head, enough that the strong fingers running through her red-golden mop provokes a very soft and sleepy "mmmmm" out of her. ** Surprise? ** she repeats, blinking a time or two. Her gaze stays up on the hunter's face, though, oddly fascinated, perhaps even a little shy. Lonehowl notices nothing of the eyes upon his face, for his are closed as he tries to establish contact with the alpha of his pack - his bond. The movement of his fingers ceases while he does so, and a slight frown tugs on his lips as he must be finding out some information troublesome to him. Rillwhisper quietly watches the elf who holds her, then, keeping her hand resting lightly against the planes of his cheek, waiting for him to return his attention to her. _Calling the wolves?_ she wonders. A delicate blotch of color flits from bush to bush, then vanishes among the violet blossoms. A butterfly perhaps, though it seems odd it would choose these flowers to visit. Evidently as oblivious to the flitter of color nearby, Rillwhisper moves that hand of hers, then, beginning to lightly trace the shape of Lonehowl's rugged countenance. Lonehowl reopens his eyes, finally done communicating with whoever it was. Looking back at Rillwhisper, he send-murmurs, ** Greyshadow says there is a pack of five-fingers scouting the area around this valley. They moved away, and are about a night's travel from here. ** He lets that sink in first. Lonehowl adds on to his words. ** The wolves are about a night away, that is. ** Again, the flash of color - indigo, in fact, so dark its barely distinguishable among the violet blossoms - might be seen among the bushes, but it vanishes before it can be focused upon. A pair of rubyish eyes watch in silence. The chieftess's hand moves back down to rest against Lonehowl's cheek, and she can be seen to frown anxiously, her gaze still on his. ** I remember the hunters from before... their friends, come back, perhaps? ** ** Maybe..probably. Fools. I told them what would happen if they came looking for us. ** Lonehowl growls in his throat, his displeasure evident. ** The pack will be coming, but if the tall ones are still around, they may have to wait, or sneak in. ** he explains simply, looking into her eyes again as she places her hand over his cheek. He smiles faintly, and admits, ** Without the strength and numbers of the pack, we have to wait.. ** But there may be some good to come of that yet, as Lonehowl begins to nibble around one of the Chieftess' ears. He made no indication to suggest he's aware of others present. A delicate frown settles on even more delicate features as the indigo-red sprite hides in the bushes. . o O (Highthing say manygrowlers nocome back... sunnygreen stay... whyfor manygrowlers comeback now?) ** But surely they could... ** Rillwhisper begins, then she trails off again, rather effectively distracted. ** Hunter, ** she sends a trifle giddily, ** you're... not helping me plan... ** Lonehowl pauses to smile, shifting himself to more effectively wrap around Rillwhisper, cradling her close while he rubs his cheek to hers. ** Plan later..nothing else we can do right now.. ** ** You make quite a convincing argument, ** murmur-sends the chieftess, shifting her arms to twine around the brawny hunter embracing her. The nearby bushes rustle as a familiar butterfly-like sprite emerges, it's ruby eyes flashing as it takes in the sight, then announces itself with a loud, // Highthing made fib! // Lonehowl chuckles softly, smiling as his hands move along Rillwhisper's back, beginning to hint at undressing her as he licks an ear. ** Do I..? ** Then..all is ruined. By the cursed whining of the bug. ** Timmorn's Blood.. ** A growl forms in the hunter's throat. Within Lonehowl's arms, Rillwhisper starts. "Puckernuts," she mumbles, peering with startled green eyes up over his broad bare shoulder. Ignoring the other one, Nightwing glares at Rillwhisper, its lower lip jutted out sulkily and it's arms crossed over it's chest. // Highthing made fib! // it says again. // Said manygrowlers highthing leave, no comeback! Sunnygreen said wouldstay! // ** Let me sit up... ** Rillwhisper entreats her companion. She shifts slightly within his embrace, trying to prop herself up an elbow. "What I said," she speaks up tiredly to the hovering Preserver, "was that I'd stay if you let him go. We didn't talk about whether he'd come back, bug!" Very, very reluctantly, Lonehowl disentangles himself from Rillwhisper, that growl still in his throat as he sits up, then stands to glare at Nightwing. "Go. Away. Now." Nightwing scowls. // Is same thing! // it insists. // Nightwing noWANT manygrowlers highthing.. Nightwing want sunnygreen, want highbaby.. NOT -- // and it glares at Lonehowl, sticking its tongue out in regards to his glare. // -- nastybad manygrowlers highthing! // This was not, however, what Rill had in mind by 'letting her sit up.' ** High Ones, Gyrr, don't fight with it or we'll never get out of here...! ** The chieftess pushes herself into sitting up, her nose crinkled in displeasure at the generally rumpled and pollen-laden state of her person, and she sneezes aloud. Lonehowl points a finger at Nightwing in annoyance. "You have no right to claim an elf and make her stay here, do you understand me?" His eyes burn with anger at the bothersome bug. And he's not nastybad, either. Then at Rillwhisper's sending, he turns to look back at her, silent. // Highthing made PROMISE! // Nightwing snaps back, it's own eyes sparking. And the highthing turns his back to it too. Grrrr!ing tightly, the preserver darts around, hovering in his face and chatter-snapping angrily. // Highthing made promise -- manygrowlers go away, sunnygreen stay here! Sunnygreen no goback on promise! No tell fib! // "Look, bug," Rillwhisper says sharply, "I didn't promise anything about whether he'd come back, or how long I'd stay with you. But there's no reason why" -- _Timmorn's Blood, I can't believe I'm going to say this_ -- "we can't both get what we want here. You could.... come with us." Bweh? Lonehowl blinkblinks at Rillwhisper's words, looking at her, nearly begging her with his eyes to explain. All right..agree with the bug? Maybe. But..offer to take it /with/ them? Good for him - he stays quiet, at least in ways the bug could hear him. ** Uh... ** Nightwing zooms around, opening its mouth to fire some earful of preserver-chatter... and blinks. // What? // ** Play along with me, Gyrr, ** the chieftess pleads. ** We've got three more Preservers at Willowholt -- one more won't hurt -- and if this one tries anything, I'll have Woodhawk burn its wings off. ** Her sending is quite unyielding on this matter, though tinged with a reluctance to cause the creature harm without need. Aloud, she addresses the Preserver: "You could come with us. Back to my Holt." It's an interesting sight, seeing a preserver dumbstruck. It blinkblinkblinks rapidly at Rillwhisper, casts Lonehowl a sidelong glance, then back again. For a moment, no reaction. Then.. It's nose wrinkles. // Homeplace is here, // it answers stubbornly. // Outsideholtplace not homeplace. Is bad, dangerbad. Sunnygreen get hurtmuch. Highbaby get hurtmuch. Muchbetter stay. Nightwing take good careof! // ** If you say so..you're the Chieftess, after all.. ** Lonehowl acquiesces to Rillwhisper's desires and shrugs his shoulders at Nightwing. "You can come with us.." he begins, but sure enough, at the preserver's protesting, he frowns again. "You don't know how to take care of us. Her home is in /her/ holt, with /her/ tribe. Not here! Come if you want, but we're going back to /her/ holt." "If we run into danger," Rillwhisper puts in swiftly, "you could wrap it up." Determined to try to get through this without antagonizing the bug if she can help it, the chieftess tenaciously presses the idea, as if it were prey and she were a she-wolf stalking it. The preserver spins again, facing Lonehowl. It flicks it's tongue out at him again. // Highthing hushup quick, // it warns, Rillwhisper's words going momentarily unanswered. // Or Nightwing fill bigmouth with wrapstuff! // Lonehowl shrugs at Nightwing, and just waves a hand, as if to dismiss the bug. He'll waste no more words on it (as long as he can manage, at least), and try to let Rillwhisper do this. She's doing a better job of it than she is. "If you wrapstuff him," Rillwhisper sternly insists, "you can't come with us. What'll it be, bug?" Nightwing turns back and frowns, looking at Rillwhisper narrowly. It says insistently, but quietly, // Nightwing want sunnygreen and highbaby stay here..! // "And she and I go together," Lonehowl explains to Nightwing. No exceptions. Rillwhisper's green gaze doesn't waver. "We can't," she says simply. // Why not? // the preserver pipes quickly. // Nightwing take goodcare of! // Lonehowl wonders what part of this Nightwing doesn't understand. He glances back at Rillwhisper for her answer to that. "Lonehowl and my tribe will take better care of me," replies the chieftess evenly. "And my cub. And I need to be there, to take care of my tribe in turn. They're waiting for me." Nightwing seems to consider this for long moments, it's minute features set into a pensive frown. It offers after a moment, it's voice tinny and hopeful, // Tribehighthings come here too? Nightwing take careof. // A simple answer from Lonehowl. "No." "They can't," says Rillwhisper quietly, shaking her disheveled, gold-dusted head. "The offer stands. You can come with us." Lonehowl adds, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Nightwing's eyes flicker softly, the ruby-redness darkening some with thought. It blinks it's eyes slowly, face crinkling.. and suddenly the indigo preserver divebombs into the sunnygreen highthing's gold-dusted tresses, it's voice rising in volume as it bawls unhappily. // Highthing no gooooooooo! Nightwing nowant lose highthiiiiiiing! // Lonehowl shuts his eyes and sighs deeply, covering his ears with his hands. This is...very annoying. Very annoying indeed. ** Twyr...? ** Eek. Rill fumbles at her hair, sneezing again as some of the pollen that'd settled in between the strands is dislodged. "Then *chff* come with us," she says gruffly. ** Aye, hunter? ** Lonehowl's send is flat. ** Aye. ** Nightwing bawls, // But Nightwing want highthing stay he-eeeeeere! // The chieftess's mind reaches for the hunter's, even as her gaze lifts to find his. ** It'll be easier to get out of here if we have at least one of the valley bugs on our side, Gyrr, ** she sends soothingly, or at least as much as she can manage with the Preserver shrieking right in her ear. "Look... bug... it's not _good_ to stay here for highthings...!" Lonehowl grunts in more annoyance. The covering of his ears doesn't seem to be helping much. "Will you stop whining, bug, and actually listen to her for one moment?" High Ones... He nods slightly to Rillwhisper, answering with only, ** I really hope so, Twyr..we need /your/ bug freed, too. ** Nightwing sniffles pathetically, then shoots a quick glare at Lonehowl. // Hushup! // It looks back down at Rillwhisper, it's eyes growing large and watery again. (We're not playing favorites, are we?) // Is so! // it protests unhappily. // Took careof other highthings! Lots of highthings. Can take careof sunnygreen and highbaby... and manygrowlers too! // Pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and finger, Rillwhisper explains as patiently as she possibly can, "We... can't live sleeping all the time, bug. We can't. We have to be... _free_, do you understand?" ** No, Twyr. It doesn't understand. There's no reasoning with that thing. ** Lonehowl answers her words via sending, going to the point of rolling his eyes at Nightwing telling him to 'hushup.' "Stop being so stubborn, and come out with us, preserver." Hey, he didn't call it a bug this time. // Awww! // But that's the only protest the preserver emits, not even going so far as to answer Lonehowl as it falls sharply quiet, a frown on it's face. ** It worked all right with Fallberry and Sunbright and Flickerflame and Flutterbye, ** the chieftess sends back wearily. ** Timmorn's Blood, I dunno, maybe the flowers muddle the bugs' brains or something... ** At Nightwing's abrupt silence, she lowers her hand, willing to let it perch in her hair as long as it is, by the High Ones, _quiet_. "Well, bug?" she asks it after a pause. // No HoneyGold. // ** But this one isn't one of the bugs in your holt, Twyr.. ** Lonehowl sends wearily, mind tired from this unnecessary argument with Nightwing. ** No matter the answer, we're going. ** He pauses to tilt his head at Nightwing's mention of HoneyGold. "HoneyGold doesn't live in Willowholt," Rillwhisper warily affirms. The preserver takes hold of some strands of Rillwhisper's hair and leans over, peering at her solemnly upside-down. // No HoneyGold, // Nightwing repeats firmly. // Sunnygreen and highbaby /Nightwing's/ highthings. Not HoneyGold's. HoneyGold stay in valley. // The chieftess manages to keep her exultation out of her face, though she does send a flare of it to Lonehowl. "HoneyGold stays here," she confirms. Lonehowl senses a chance to improve his and Rillwhisper's situations here with the bug, and he smiles. "Then hurry up..come with us and let's go, before HoneyGold finds out." A palm is lifted, a gesture of sorts - not necessarily to be offered as a perch, however. ** Stupid, silly bug..acting like it owns you and our cub.. ** Lonehowl sends privately to Rillwhisper, still not liking that part in particular. But there seems to be no changing the way the preserver thinks. Nightwing nods its head firmly and sits up again, taking to the air. // Is so, // it says firmly, bobbing its head and looking as if this was what it was planning to do all the long. // Nightwing gowith highthings. Take good careof highthings. // ** They're all like that, ** Rillwhisper dryly replies. ** It'll have to take it up with Fallberry as to whose highthing I am... Fallberry! ** She starts. And tries to turn her head round to look at Nightwing. "Look, er, Nightwing, one more thing... do you know where Fallberry is?" Nightwing pauses, blinkblinking. // Is so. Nightwing knows. // Lonehowl's hand retracts back to his side as soon as he realizes Nightwing /might/ opt to make a perch of it, and he rubs the side of his leather pants idly. "Show us where?" ** Something tells me Fallberry won't let this one have you, Twyr. ** "Can you find it?" asks Rillwhisper earnestly. "It belongs with my tribe." A frown appears on Nightwing's face, and it lifts its chin haughtily. // Whyfor? Sunnygreen noneed other wething. Nightwing take good careof -- take better careof than other wething! // Lonehowl sighs openly at Nightwing. This is getting to be impossible. ** Well, just as long as they don't wrapstuff me or anybody else along the way, they can argue about it all they want. ** Rillwhisper tells Lonehowl, and then to the dark Preserver, she sighs and explains, "Fallberry lives at my Holt, and we need it. To, er, take care of the _other_ highthings, while you take care of me." Nightwing brightens. That makes sense! // Nightwing do! // it chirps in answer, looking pleased as it darts forward, starting to flit off. Well, Lonehowl's not going to be letting Nightwing take care of /him,/ that's for sure. "Then we can get ready to go now?" ** The wolves won't be here yet, Twyr.. ** Rillwhisper whews soundlessly, then looks up at Lonehowl again, smiling crookedly. ** Want to help me up? ** she inquires. Rillwhisper adds, ** Perhaps not... but it may take that long to get me quietly out of here to where we can meet them... ** Her features crinkle in general annoyance for her injury, and she gives her wounded limb a dark stare. ** And it'll be a problem if any of those blasted round-ears are out there, too. ** Lonehowl adds, stepping back to Rillwhisper's side. He makes to hoist her up gently into his arms. The preserver flits about the air idly, hands clasped. It breedeets! idly to itself, watching the highthings get ready. It's expression is pensive, delicate lips pulled into a frown. It almost looks worried. Rillwhisper's eyes go a little glassy as she's lifted; clearly, her strength isn't what it should be. But she wraps her own arms around Lonehowl's neck, her grip sure, as he gathers her up into his embrace. Lonehowl snorts faintly in Nightwing's general direction, frowning as well. "Going to let Fallberry go, preserver?" he reminds it evenly, adjusting his stance to help make Rillwhisper more comfortable. He begins to walk. // Nightwing do. Waiting for /you/, highthing, // the preserver answers primly and just as evenly. ** If... my leg didn't hurt, I could get to like this, ** muses the chieftess, a trifle distantly, from the hunter's arms. Lonehowl nods curtly at Nightwing, wasting no more breath on it for the moment. Instead, his attention goes back to Rillwhisper for a moment. ** Heh..I bet you could, too. Looks like this is finally going to be..over. ** Rill smiles wearily, resting her head against Lonehowl's shoulder as he carries her away from the pool. ** ** You head away from the pool, your head clearing as you leave the purple flowers behind. Hidden Valley(#474R) This tiny hidden is nestled between the steep sides of three mountain peaks, all but unreachable from the outside world. White clouds drift above, curling around the mountaintops and blocking the valley from view from above. There is an eternal twilight down in the bottom, a soft silvery one. A small waterfall cascades down from one of the rocky sides of the valley, falling into a small pool from which flows a sparkling brook. The brook disappears into a small copse of dark green trees, evergreen and sheltering. A small berrypatch is on the other side of the brooklet, framing a miniature meadow filled with sweetly fragranced flowers. The bright sunlight of noon manages to penetrate the fog ceiling in a few places, allowing golden beams of light to highlight a tree here, a sparkling waterfall there. Contents: Rosebud(#466p) Tumbleberry(#462p) Obvious exits: Berry patch Pool Copse Climb Out Lonehowl emerges from the fog surrounding the pool. Lonehowl has arrived. Nightwing watches for a moment, brows draw together as it makes certain that the highthings are both walking all right, then flits off. It lobs silently and slowly through the air, glancing back occasionally to make sure the highthings follow. Away from the pool, out towards the valley. Back in the direction the highthings first entered the valley from. Lonehowl is the only one doing the walking here - lucky him, neh? He grins back at Rillwhisper, supporting her easily as the pair move along. But..this isn't the right way..unless, of course, it's where Fallberry is. "Bug..? Fallberry is this way, I take it?" _Just... breathe, Rill,_ the chieftess advises herself, trying to steel her mind against the dull throb of her damaged leg, for all that Lonehowl's step is sure and his grasp on her gently firm. ** Do you see any of the other bugs? ** she sends to her companion, worriedly. ** Or scent keshah anywhere...? ** // Is so, manygrowlers highthing. Fallberry is this way! // The preserver chirps as it glides lazily in the direction of a thick patch of bushes. ** Not..yet, no. No other bugs that I can see. ** Lonehowl answers, adding a sense of comfort and support to his words. ** No sign of Keshah, either. ** Thankfully. He nods to Nightwing's answer, following along behind. ** Can't scent a thing in here... ** frets the chieftess faintly, with another sneeze. The indigo bug pauses a moment, then vanishes into the bushes, it's head popping out a moment later. // Is this way, highthings! // Lonehowl keeps up with Nightwing, a part of him still not completely trusting of the bug. ** Not easily at least, Twyr. And not without that cursed pollen mixing in. Ugh. ** ** I can still taste it, ** mutter-sends the chieftess, with a blurred, sent memory of a shower of golden dust right in her face. Lonehowl makes a face at the imagery, nodding lightly to Rillwhisper's words. ** As can I..but I can't give in to it again, and neither can you. ** So far, so good, he thinks, waiting to see what comes of Nightwing's actions. Once the highthings and preserver get past the thick tangle of bushes, it opens up into a tiny clearing. The bushes crowd about snugly, almost enough to make one feel claustrophobic with the overhead branches of a tree hanging low over elfin heads. Nightwing hovers, waiting for the highthings. Now, two more Preservers can be seen, perched on the branch above. The twins in fact, and they straighten up at the sight of Nightwing and the elfin pair, standing protectively over a tiny bundle of wrapstuff glued to the tree. Rillwhisper coughs, trying to clear her throat, and trying not to long too much for clear, untainted water. She looks up blearily at her surroundings, and frowns at the presence of Rainsweet and Sweetrain... and the wrapstuff bundle. Lonehowl's lips tug into a frown as well, and he doesn't much care for the closed-in feeling of this tiny clearing. ** Don't like this, Twyr..more bugs. ** he sends, staring suddenly at Nightwing. A trap? Nightwing glides up and away from the two highthings, approaching the twins. It casts a brief glance over its shoulder, then looks back to its fellows. It says something softly, its voice tinny and just quiet enough so that the two below cannot hear what it says. But it must have said something that the others don't like, for a frown appears on both of their faces. Rainsweet (or is it Sweetrain?) says, // Is not what said before, Nightwing. // Rillwhisper shifts in Lonehowl's embrace, enough to lift her head, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the arguing Preservers. Not liking this either, she watches for the time being, but the hunter who holds her can feel tension beginning to tauten her frame. Lonehowl is growing much more tense with this whole thing as well, frowning openly at the quiet-talking preservers. He glances briefly at Rillwhisper, then looks back to the bugs. "We want Fallberry back. Now." he speaks. // Is different now! Nightwing say-- // the bug starts to say, but the same one as before cuts it off. // Is *not* different now! Sweetrain say - no! // Lonehowl's command goes unanswered as preserver voices start to rise sharply in anger, the words themselves lost in the high pitch and speed of the arguing. ** Hairballs, ** Rillwhisper sends. ** Hunter, I think we'd... ... better make ourselves scarce, if Nightwing can't order these two... ** Make that three, for another face - Leafdrop's - appears as it flits on to the scene, emerging from some bushes. The best Lonehowl can do is look at Rillwhisper with a highly troubled look on his face. ** But..what about Fallberry? ** Scratch that. They have to get out first, then worry about Rillwhisper's own preserver friend later. ** We'll go, then. ** That said, he gives the three preservers aside from Nightwing a harsh look and begins to backstep his way out of the tiny clearing. Her own instincts demanding flight, her better sense counselling holding still so Lonehowl can carry her, Rillwhisper sends her wordless assent, already trying to plan how she can come back for Fallberry later. _Not without rosecherry... so I can stay awake... must be some in the Holt somewhere...!_ // Highthings getting away! // Just which of the four said that may remain forever unknown, for all four preservers seem to turn and look at the same time. Sweetrain and Rainsweet rise up into the air, Leafdrop taking up the rear, and all three dart down at the highthings. Nightwing's protest slices through the air like a knife through warm butter. // NO! // Perfect. Just..perfect. Lonehowl, without any weapons on him and a Chieftess in his arms, has no choice but to attempt to flee - which he of course does, getting out of the clearing with Rillwhisper in his grasp. ** Not good not good not good! ** he speed-sends, looking around quickly for the best way out - even if it means going back to the mountain. ** Dung! ** This, from the chieftess, who strives her best to cling to Lonehowl as he bolts away from the bugs, who strives to ignore the jolting of her broken limb. ** Keep going, Gyrr, don't mind me, I'll hang on...! ** // Stop! Stop now! Stop now, Nightwing say so! No chase, No cha -- eeeeeep! // Nightwing's shouted commands are cut off sharply as one of the twins whips around and uses the same technique it did on Fallberry when the highthings first arrived here: it spits wrapstuff at her. The indigo sprite goes hurling down into the ground, it's limbs, face, and wings tangled in silvery webbing. Meanwhile, the other two preservers maintain pursuit, darting through the air skyfire-fast. The mountain is too far away, though it is closer from here than it is from the pool. And the two preservers and a third coming up behind are coming quickly. Lonehowl spares nary a glance back to see Nightwing's fate, nodding wordlessly to Rillwhisper as his legs pump, propelling him forward fast as they can. Got to get out. Got to get out! Her face gone white and strained, the chieftess clings to the hunter, her eyes clamping shut as she focuses every ounce of her energy on hanging onto him -- while he focuses his on getting them away. The three preservers move ahead, picking up incredible speed for such tiny sprites, and two of them manage to get ahead of the highthings, turning around. No words, not even the most briefest of shouts. Just two mouthfuls of wrapstuff flying forward towards more able-bodied of the two, straight for the face. "Leave us al-augh!!" The hunter sputters, flinching as his mouth and eyes and the rest of his face is covered over with wrapstuff, unable to use his hands to remove it with Rillwhisper in his arms. He staggers now, unable to see where he is going. He nearly falls, catching a boot on a tangled root on the ground. ** Gyrr! ** sends Rill, in edged alarm, which breaks off into ragged, unfocused pain as Lonehowl stumbles, jarring her around... and slight though the chieftess is, she's still a significant weight for a running elf to be carrying, especially when blinded so swiftly. The two of them topple over, and the chieftess's thoughts blank for a moment in a wash of agony.... The third preserver catches up and all three hover about, spooting wrapstuff everywhere. They don't seem to be even aiming, some of the sticky strands catching to the ground or feet, or just going every which way. But they do their job, clinging to elfin bodies as they stumble. Lonehowl yelps, unable to avoid crashing down on Rillwhisper as he falls, losing his sense of up and down. "No..!!" he protests, snaking a hand free to uncover his mouth again, covering Rillwhisper's body with his own, an attempt to protect her. "Stop!" ** Gyrr...! ** Rillwhisper struggles to get her breath back, to move... but the latter is difficult with the hunter pinning her down. She swats blindly at a streak of silver that crosses her vision, and she croaks out, "Stop! No! No!" But they don't. The wrapstuff keeps coming and coming.. until a tiny indigo body appears out of nowhere and slams into a bright pink one, shoving one twin into the other. // MY HIGHTHINGS! // Rainsweet and Sweetrain go reeling, and Leafdrop looks up in surprise, the onslaught of silvery webbing halting temporarily. Lonehowl never thought he'd be glad to see a preserver - not that he can right now - but Nightwing's arrival is welcomed, even if there's nothing the hunter can do about it. Atop Rillwhisper, he's already taken the brunt of the attack, most of him covered in the sticky strands of wrapstuff, the Chieftess beneath him with considerably less in most places except those he couldn't cover up. It's enough that movement from him is difficult, at best. ** ... ** Lying with Lonehowl half-curled atop her, most of the rest of her still free, but still, it is hard for her to move. "Stop it," she calls out hoarsely. "Stop... wrap us, and no highbaby... please!" Rillwhisper, weakly, fumbles to try to pluck strands of wrapstuff from the hunter, but she has only one hand free at the moment. Do Preservers have laws of Challenge? The question could rise to mind as Nightwing, with strands of webbing still clinging to it's spritelike form, glides up into the air and fixes its fellows with an angry glare. // Is Nightwing's highthings! Nightwing say so! // Its arms fold over its chest as it glides up, the three too startled out of their wits to retaliate yet. // Highthings want other wething.. and Nightwing say, no wrapstuff! Said nowrappstuff ALL time! Whyfor not listen to Nightwing? Nightwing say no, Nightwing MEAN no! // The preserver's voice is tinny and loud, yet seems strangely distant to the pile of elf lying on the ground. The ruckus has stirred up the pollen, golden dust shimmering in the air as it dances over their fallen forms. As the Preservers argue unaware, the pollen settles over the two, too thick to avoid being inhaled. Lonehowl chokes a bit on the pollen mixing in with some of the wrapstuff still caught in his mouth, but he's taken enough of it in for it not to take him out quite as fast as before. ** Twyr..? ** he sends, dazed and confused..and panicked. He does /not/ like this wrapstuff! He tries to wrench a hand free from his body, without success. "Noooooo," Rillwhisper mumbles, tasting the haze of flower-dust in the air more than seeing it, the effects of the stuff slamming hard into her pain-shaken mind. It costs her a mighty effort, but she shifts, trying to roll Lonehowl off to her side, to get both her hands free for freeing _him_. Slurrily, she reaches out for his mind, sending, ** Get you out... hold still, Gyrr... hold... still... ** And she tugs with all the strength she can summon on some of the strands that have coated his nearest shoulder. // Whyfor not listen to Nightwing?? Wethings LISTEN to Nightwing! Or Nightwing pop over head and.. and.. throw in pool! Nightwing muchvexed! MuchMUCHvexed! // Nightwing's tinny voice can be heard over the dull rush in elfin minds as the pollen blurs sight and sound, dragging at muscles until they seem to be pulling through wine-sweet dreamberry juice and not pollen fresh air. The golden dust is settling, casting a coppery-gold shimmer over the valley and the two elves within. Why they listen to it now and not before escapes even Nightwing, but the bug is intelligent to know that it'd better work now while everything's okay. Muttering and exchanging glances, the trio retreat back the way they came, and Nightwing flits down to the pair. // Highthings? // Lonehowl groans faintly as he's rolled over, still unable to see thanks to the wrapstuff. But Rillwhisper is able to get enough of the strands undone that he can move an arm and hand again, which results in him starting to paw at his face, removing what he can while he keeps otherwise still. ** Twyr..we..I'm stuck..I can't get us out of here like this, and I can hear them arguing.. ** What a predicament. Maybe Nightwing can regain some form of control. He doesn't know the others have left. Through the lingering effects of the pollen, he makes a questioning sound meant for the remaining bug. Rillwhisper manages to prop herself up on one elbow, but the world is spinning around her... spinning, and... golden, and... she shakes her head a little, trying to clear it, and she grimaces vaguely as this only makes it worse. "Bug?" she mumbles. // Nightwing sorry, // the indigo preserver apologizes unhappily, hovering above them. // Wethings not listen! // Lonehowl picks around his eyes, getting most of the wrapstuff off his face. It actually wound up slightly lessening the amount of pollen that got to him, though he'll still probably succumb to it in time. He doesn't have anything to say to Nightwing. "We..." Rillwhisper licks her lips involuntarily, tasting fresh dust there, and the eyes she lifts towards Nightwing are growing muzzied, the pupils large within them. She frowns faintly up at the Preserver, and goes on doggedly, "we have to get out." // Nightwing know, but.. but.. got wrapstuff allover! Too much, and Nightwing too little to take alloff..! // ** What are we going to do, Twyr? ** Lonehowl's send is somewhat heavy, but still clear enough to be understood without any trouble. He tries to focus himself again, and get some more of the strands away from him. "I'm not..through yet. As long as I'm able, I'm going to try to get us out of this cursed place!" The urge to simply lie down is extremely seductive, especially with Lonehowl so close by, near enough to be cradled close. But Rillwhisper wrestles with the languor encroaching on her mind, and finally pulls an order forth from the rising haze. "Knife," she tells Nightwing in a distinctly softer voice. "Find my knife." // Nightwing do.. // comes the soft reply, but it trails off towards the end, as if distracted. Instead of fetching the knife, it watches, expression unreadable. For a preserver, anyway. Lonehowl gets up to a sitting position and begins to tug and pull at the webbing around his legs, ignoring the fact his hands soon become coated again. It's like the dream all over again, climbing the cliff, swirling mists engulfing him... He looks up to see Nightwing still hanging around. "Go..find the knife.." he tries to convince the preserver to actually do it. The chieftess still is propped up on her elbow, but her gaze has grown noticeably more distant, and it's uncertain whether her attention is still focused on the Preserver. Her heavy-lidded eyes drop closed for a moment, and her voice has slowed and slurred as she murmurs, "Find the knife.... take care of us, Nightwing...." Like a windblown leaf, Nightwing drifts shyly closer, studying the two before alighting near Rillwhisper. // Nightwing /will/ take goodcare of highthings, // it answers her seriously, its wine red gaze serious. // Sunnygreen highthing needrest. Need calmdown, need highbaby sleep. Stayhere, little while. Rest. // Lonehowl makes a slight face, eyes blinking a few times before he shakes his head to clear it again. "We..need the knife. We..the three of us..have to get out of here while we still can.." he protests, rolling to put a foot down while he balances himself, trying to stand. Rill's head turns slowly to track Nightwing's movements; equally slowly, she tells it, "We need to leave...." But she doesn't move, and she gazes limpidly at the Preserver, her voice trailing off. The preserver says nothing, only looks back wordlessly. Time and sight seem to blur together like water thrown against a still-wet painting; the indigo Nightwing stands out against the almost pastel landscape, a dark blot against the pale green and gold, but even it loses its distinctness as the flowerdust takes effect, smearing everything together until nothing is individual and everything is smeared into one. Lonehowl squints, resting a forearm over his knee, forehead then coming to rest against it as a dizziness spreads more around him, some of the wrapstuff still annoyingly present..he just can't seem to be bothered with getting the rest of it off. "Got to..get out.." Now, he forces himself to stand, wobbling in place. Rillwhisper turns with infinite slowness towards Lonehowl... or at least, where she thinks Lonehowl was, just now. Sleepy tranquility steals across her features, and as she tries to stir, to sit up, it seems to her as though her entire body is flowing and shapeless, like water. She makes it into sitting up, and only watches, nothing more, as the hunterish blur awkwardly trickles upright in her vision. Enough of the idea of escape still clings stubbornly to her consciousness to make her murmur, "We have to...." But she cannot finish the thought, for it flows away from her like everything else in sight. The slight movement Lonehowl makes some pollen rise and fall in ineffective clouds of dust. Something drags at the hunter's limbs, something sleepy and lazy, sluggish and sweet. As sight blurs and time with it, so does balance quickly follow. Lonehowl blinks heavily, looking down at Rillwhisper..or the smeared shape that's supposed to be her. "Uhh.." he can't quite get the words out, and he shakes his head, lifting a tired, weighted hand in an attempt to help stop the spinning. No such luck, and as he stumbles forward once, then twice, then finally a third time, he slumps, falling forward to crash on the ground face-first, his head coming to rest on one side. That indistinct silver-and-tan blur... is that Lonehowl? Bemused, Rillwhisper keeps gazing liquidly in the blur's direction, watching in dazed fascination as the blur changes shape again, flowing abruptly from the vertical to the horizontal. "Bug," she murmurs, "we... we need..." // Ssshh... // On the very edges of her vision, the maiden elf might catch sight of a dark blue blur with a familiar voice. A minute hand reaches out, patting her cheek gently. // Sunnygreen and manygrowlers go stillquiet now, yes? Restquiet now. Nightwing take goodcare of. // "Rest?" echoes Rillwhisper dreamily. // Restnow, // the preserver confirms with a knowing bob of its head. // Restnow, go homeplace later. Nightwing say so. // Lonehowl groans quietly, feeling a sudden sharp pain in one shoulder..probably from how he fell. It's sharp enough to slice through the heaviness in general, and the hunter's glassy eyes stay open. However, no movement is seen from him. "Ow.." he whispers. The chieftess tries to turn her head towards that tiny voice, making herself sway where she sits as colors blur softly around her. A voice... a focus. "But... I need my... knife," she protests. A glance thrown towards the hunter, brows furrowed, then its attention is returned to the huntress. // Later, // it repeats with a thrice-blink of its wine-red eyes. // Nightwing take goodcare of highthings now. // "You'll... bring....." That's all that Rillwhisper manages to say, as she gazes in increasing docility at the bug. "Ow.." the hunter mumbles again, shifting in place to move a hand enough to touch the offending shoulder. He wonders idly just how bad it is. Probably not broken. Surely he'd know if it was, and it would have had to be a pretty bad fall to break a shoulder in the soft valley. He still hears the other voices at a distance, and murmurs, "Who's..there? Mother..?" Delerious? // Nightwing take goodcare of, // it repeats firmly, backing off finally to take to the air. Nightwing hovers above, looking down. At Lonehowl's murmur its gaze is drawn to him; lips pursed, it shakes his head and glides down again, settling somewhere between them. // Highthings rest now! Nightwing take goodcare of.. no nastybad wethings, no nighthair highthing.. Just Nightwing and highthings. Nightwing makesure no bad. Take goodcare of. // Rillwhisper can only focus on one thing at a time, by now. That thing is Nightwing's tiny voice; Lonehowl's murmurs blur together in her hearing and seem to slide into the rest of her senses, as everything around her slurs together in gold-tinged swirls of mist. She holds herself sitting up with her palms pressed to the ground, but she is swaying, and she murmurs drowsily, "All right... rest... a... little while...?" No, not mother..she's not here. She's..gone, somewhere. Somewhere Lonehowl can't reach. He sighs, nothing able to be made out from the voices he hears. They seem like whispers on the wind, faint echos of something just out of reach, unable to be seen despite the knowledge they're present. Ach..perhaps sleep would be the best thing for now. And they were so close, too. Lonehowl's eyes finally shut, and he grows stillquiet. So close... If she is made of water... it seems the most natural thing in the world that she simply... flow downward. Rillwhisper gently sinks down to the leaf-and-petal-carpeted earth. Her gaze still seeks the Preserver, but her eyes are drifting shut, pulled and weighted by the languour now thoroughly suffusing her frame. The indigo sprite does not move from where it has landed, safely between the two drifting elves. It looks from one to the other slowly and silently, its ruby eyes blinking slowly. It doesn't say anything; the highthings didn't answer it. But it watches them quietly, a peculiar expression on its delicate face.... [To be continued.]