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 Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:50 am
She shrugged "Sure." Chuckling to herself that she was already meeting the family and they hadn't even courted.
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Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 4:48 am
Quote: Dart grinned then sent, letting her hear it. *Father, mother.* Quote: Strongbow's head snapped up and he sniffed the air. Quote: Moonshade gasped and looked at her lifemate. "Dart," she whispered. Quote: As though her voice had loosed him, he sped like an arrow shot from a bow. He leapt over tree roots and other wolfriders until he stood before his son. Quote: Moonshade sped after her lifemate and stood still as stone as she saw him, a single tear rolling down her face from her wide eyes. Quote: "Mother, father," Dart said smiling warmly. "This is Arianna, her pack called her Ari." Quote: *Send it,* Strongbow sent sharply. Quote: Dart grinned back at Ari. *That's his way of saying hi,* he told her with a chuckle. Quote: Moonshade broke from her paralysis and grabbed dart, hugging her son close. Quote: *Tyleet said we have much to discuss, and cutter called council. I haven't been to a council since Blue Mountain, so let's go?* he said, grabbing Ari's hoof and heading for the clearing.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:18 pm
Ari gave a tentative smile *hello.. nice to meet you*, eying his parents. Darts father looked.. very.. interesting. She mentally nodded to herself deciding she liked him. She nodded at Dart.. still unsure about what this council was.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:39 pm
(bleh, mun just realized a goof in my last post. oh well. Dart wasn't at the blue mountain council.)
Dart brought her to where the pack was gathered.
(Howl will be written and edited in here)
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 1:36 pm
All of this is on the Holt thread and will be logged from there. Bardess Ookami Strongbow followed his son, silent, but with a bit more energy then he usually evidenced. His scowl remained as deep as ever, however.
Moonshade followed her mate, thrilled to have her son home, and with such a pretty she wolf too. The other, this Ari, smelled of strength. She would be a good lovemate for Dart. Her smile looked odd on her usually stern face. Bardess Ookami Quote: Once everyone seemed to be gathered, Cutter stood on one of the roots of the tree. He howled, and waited for the responding howls to die down.
"Wolfriders, as well as those not of the back, but welcomed in by bonds of trust, and love," He began. Quote:
"And bonds of a roll in the furs!" A voice called out, Branchwalker.Quote: Cutter sighed, knowing the jibe was aimed mainly at Skywise and Caelestra. But as Skywise only grinned like a drunk troll, he ignored it and continued. "Regardless of how and why we came together, it remains a fact that we are now together. We are a pack, we are Wolfriders. The absence of the wolves does not change this, nor does the absence of the rest of our once small family. But slowly, they have been returning to us. Dart, son of Strongbow and Moonshade has come home to New Father Tree. Venka has joined us. But it seems that the pack are not all who have returned.
"Venka informed me that she is aware of the Black Snake's presence."
He waited until the reaction died down, most of it was mental, and quite a bit of it vicious. Strongbow, who had said and sent nothing had none the less readied his bow and was far from the only one looking about alertly.
"Venka has, in the past, been able to thwart her, acting as a sort of thorn wall for the pack. Skywise has verified this. Venka will keep us hidden from Winowill, the Black Snake, as best she can. However, like with any other danger, no one can protect us from stupidity and carelessness. The Black Snake does not seem to know that we are here. We shall keep it that way. No one is to go looking for her, no one is to take stupid risks. Her powers lie in the mind, the spirit and the flesh. No one is to send their spirits out without instruction from Suntop and shielding from Venka. When away from the holt, keep sendings aimed and private.
"Many of you were born here, and do not know of the Black Snake. Dart was not with us when we first encountered her, so for those who do not know, or may have forgotten, I shall inform you, so that no one is fool enough to draw her attention."
Cutter focused and sent them a mental image of Winowill, not as she had been when he last saw her, broken on the floor of her mountainous lair, but as he had seen her the first time, tall and stunning, with all the haughtiness needed for her claim of being a High one. Quote: Strongbow added his mental image. sharing it ruthlessly with the assembled, letting them see her as he had seen her, through the bars of his cage; letting them all have a feeling of what she had done to him when she tried to break his spirit, then showed them all the cowards kidnapping of Suntop. Quote: Cutter grimaced but refused to loose ground before Strongbow, especially not here and now. "Enough!" he snarled. Quote: Strongbow looked as though he were about to challenge Cutter, then looked away. Quote: "The Black Snake is a great danger," Cutter said, regaining control of the howl. "However, she is one we faced and defeated when we were far fewer in number. Those who have stood against her the most strongly, Suntop, Venka, and Strongbow, those best able to stand opposed to her are here with us now. If we are not stupid, we have little more to fear from her then we do from a rabid fox. Like the fox, she is cunning, ruthless, and dangerous. But we know how to handle a rabid fox, and so we are aware but not long eared fluff tails before it." Quote: "If she's so dangerous, why don't we just kill her?" Bloodtrack asked with a sneer. Quote: "Elf shall not kill elf," Cutter snarled. "Even if he or she is my enemy." Quote:
*You mean to tell me one of the famous Wolfriders has never killed an enemy elf?* Bloodhunt sneered. Bardess Ookami Quote: Strongbow snarled. *I did,* he said, his tone challenging, daring, just daring Bloodhunt to try him. Quote: "And he had to go to the palace before he was whole again," Ember put in tartly. "It's not just another one of father's stupid rules, this one actually makes sense!" Quote: Cutter managed not to sputter. Quote: Branchwalker glanced over at the sound, most of the others were reacting mentally, so her voice had been clear. He blinked as he saw her eyes. Aok. Aok. What did that mean, and why did he keep hearing it in his head? Quote: "So when the chief says Elf mustn't kill Elf, you listen!" Ember finished. Quote: *If you want to be chief, you first have to best me,* Strongbow sent. Quote: Cutter grimaced at this turn of events. Strongbow was the one who challenged him most, so in an odd way, it did make sense. If Bloodhunt could not best Strongbow, and few were those who could, then he could not best Cutter. Still, it was not as much out of logic or loyalty that Strongbow had laid down the challenge, as a desire to bash Bloodhunt's head in. Cutter wanted to stop this, not wishing either hurt, but could no more step in here then he could if it were among the wolves. Somethings had to follow their own course. To do otherwise would be like trying to move a river. Quote: Bloodhunt glared at strongbow. Quote: Strongbow met him glare for glare. He had more practice, however. Quote: Bloodhunt snarled and looked away, finally.
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:55 pm
Still moving from the Holt thread, just wanted to break it up so it's not too huge to post. Bardess Ookami Quote: "Killing the Black Snake is out," Cutter said firmly, once the dominance battle was settled for the moment. He had no doubt it would come up again, however. From watching Ember's eyes, Cutter got the feeling she intended to handle this herself, should it come up again. He was tempted to stop her, but changed his mind. Someday she would be chief, this would be good experience for her. "so for those of us who can manage it, we must be intelligent, those who cannot, will be confined to the Holt." He glared a challenge at the one most likely to be stupid. Quote: Blood hunt, still smarting from his encounter with strongbow would not meet cutter's gaze. Quote: Cutter nodded, satisfied. "The High Ones have smiled upon us, as much as it might not seem that way, given the Black Snake. Never before have the wolfriders had so many cubs so quickly, and we are truly blessed and fortunate for them. What this means, however, besides Redlance having his work cut out for him shaping new dens, is that there are now many in the holt who do not know our stories. Two Moons has volunteered to be our Story Teller, and I think that it is a brilliant idea. A howl is usually for stories and news, and a council for heavy discussion. Tonight was a bit of both. As such, we will have a story. Two Moons is still learning our tales, so if you have one you want to hear, or share with her, find her." Quote: Two Moons Smiled and stood. "Thank you," she said, her soft vice carrying throughout the Holt. Quote: Redlance got up, then and started passing out dream berries, to any who wanted. Quote: Once everyone was settled, and Cutter sitting with his lifemate, Two Moons glanced at her own lifemate, then began telling the tale she had just learned to the gathered pack. "Cutter, blood of ten chiefs, had embarked on a perilous quest, soon after his cubs were grown enough to leave. He was possessed of the idea that there might be other tribes of Elves in the land of two moons, leading very different lives then the Wolfriders or the Sunfolk. So mounted on a pair of ornery Zwoots, Cutter and Skywise set off across the desert, back the way they had come.
"After a time, before they were due back, The Mother Of Memory, Savah, of the Sunfolk, had gotten herself lost, trying to guide Cutter from a distance. She sent her spirit free of her body, as she had many times before. However, on this occasion, she brushed too closely to another mind, a strong mind, one that captured her immediately.
"Suntop was able to track her down with direct physical contact. She gave him a warning and shoved him away before the mind that held hers captive could spy the cub. Suntop came back to his own body in tears and looked to his mother, and the gathered Elves. He knew he carried the warning in his head, but also knew that he couldn't tell it properly to anyone but his sire, Cutter.
"So began a second quest, with the Wolfriders, Leetah and the cubs off to find their wayward chief. Not all the Wolfriders went. Some, such as Rainsong and Woodlock stayed behind for they had cubs too young to travel, and Dart stayed behind, to train the young of the Sun Village to protect themselves and hunt. It was there young dart founded not another tribe of Wolfriders, but a hybrid clan of Jackelriders.
"The road to find Cutter was perilous and fraught with danger. Everyone, even the hearty wolves tired, and grew hungry. Suntop grew especially restless. Finally they came to a place of grass and sky. They settled down beside a lake to rest. Strongbow and Treestump spotted what seemed a bird big enough to feed all the pack. Suntop, realizing the danger tried to stop them, but was too late, and was one voice against the hunger of all. Strongbow's bolt flew true and the bird was felled.
"The bird's rider was less then pleased with the slaying of his mount, and the others with him attacked before the Wolfriders were even aware of the danger. They were scattered. Some were driven into the nearbye woods, others kidnapped, and One Eye, may the High Ones hold him, was knocked out when the bird carrying Clearbrook dropped him.
"The elves were imprisoned by the riders of the birds, Elves themselves, in their mountain home. Most were kept as captive slaves, but two held a different fate. Dewshine, and Strongbow. Dewshine and one of theirs, Tyldak, had recognized, though only Dewshine ad suspected what had happened. Tyldak kept her away from the others until he could figure out what had happened, and why he was so drawn to her. Winowill knew of this, however, for there were no secrets in Blue Mountain save those she chose to keep. Her attentions, however, were focused on Strongbow. The other who was held apart.
"As Strongbow had been the one who loosed the fatal arrow, his punishment was deemed to be more sever then the others. Winowill kept him in a cage where she sent black sendings at his head, trying to pry apart his mind and break his spirit. Moonshade's repeated attempts to slay the Black Snake and free her beloved were met with bolts of black sending all her own. She granted him reprieves, for the Black Snake chose to focus on one of them at a time, then, but that was all she could gain against the tall Elf.
"Those who escaped found, or were found by Cutter, who had befriended a pair of humans, one of whom came from the tribe that lived at the base of the mountain. The Hong'Tay'Sho, were humans who worshiped elves, what they called Bird Spirits, for the Elves they knew were the Gliders of Blue Mountain, who gave them presents of food and weapons, and took from them offerings of their people. As these people never returned, the Hong'Tay'Sho were unaware of the true goings on of the mountain.
"Using their connections to these odd humans, Cutter convinced the Hong Tay Sho to sound the signal that they were sending an offering, and when Winowill instructed her captive rockshaper to open the portal, Cutter and his group funneled in." Quote: "There are human rockshapers?" Two Paws asked. Quote: Branchwalker was again stricken by the lovely sound of her voice, his eyes following the motion of her hair in the moonlight. Quote: Cutter shook his head. "No cub, the Black Snake did not just enslave our people as punishment, she also made slaves of her own, using her mental abilities until they were little more then obedient shells. There was one, she called him Brace, who never moved from his seat. She informed us that he existed simply to shore up a weakness in the rock wall." Quote: "Remember Egg?" Skywise asked, laughing. Quote: "Egg, was a Stoneshaper who did nothing but sat in a chair and maintained a stone egg that was made of thin veins of stone that formed pictures, another egg much the same inside that and another in that, nine deep," Skywise said. "Aroree, one of the chosen, she said that the Gliders would ponder the rotating stones and see secrets of life inside. All I ever saw was stone." Quote:
"Were you ever actually looking at Egg?" Nightfall teased. "Or did you only have eyes for Aroree?"Bardess Ookami Quote: "Hey, she saw shapes, I saw shapes," Skywise said with a grin. "We were both happy." Quote: "What about Egg?" Vineheart asked, glancing at her brother, Branchwalker. He was acting oddly. Quote: "Well, like I said, all he ever did was sit and control the Egg which they called him for. Until pike slipped him some dreamberry wine." Skywise laughed. "Whoo boy, when that started to come down..." Quote: "We gave Winowill nearly as many reasons to dislike us as she gave us to hate her," Nightfall said. Quote: "Winowill was furious about what happened to Egg," Leetah recalled. "At the time I thought she was healing him, now I wonder if she wasn't reestablishing her hold over him." Quote: "No way to find out, since Rayek blew the mountain into so much rubble," Skywise said with a shrug. Then he noticed everyone staring at him. "What?" Quote:
Twomoons took control of the story again. "Cutter, Leetah, Nightfall, and One Eye took the wolves and surged through the opening before they could be stopped. The fight that followed was tremendous, the chosen eight against the Wolfriders, with Cutter neutralizing Winowill at the threat of knife point, New Moon very nearly to her eye.
"However, as they bested the eight, they were unprepared for Winnowill's abilities. Sensing Cutter's distraction, she burned his hand with powers like a healer's turned on it's tail. She fled toward the one thing she had used to keep the Wolfriders from rebelling even more effectively then her causing them pain when they tried to send, had. She blasted Strongbow with power and reminded them all that she had the ability to destroy him from within. His life would be forfeit if they continued to fight.
"Leetah, a true Wolfrider in courage and heart, dashed forward, and thrust her hand between the bars, clasping tight to Strongbow's own. Her power to heal while in direct contact countered the Black Snake's ability to harm from a distance.
"Cutter pushed to speak to their leader, and sure of her victory, Winowill lead them to Lord Voll, who was leader of the gliders in every way but the ones that mattered. Winowill proposed before her lord that since Kureel's mount was slain, a life for a life was fair, and demanded the life of Strongbow's bond wold, Biersting in return. Leetah again rose to the challenge and pleaded with the aged lord, beseeching him, and likening the lives of the wolves to those of the cubs.
"At the word children, did Voll first show any evidence of emotion. His people, safe in their mountain had grown stagnant, and had borne no children for so long a time as the Wolfriders would have called generations. The Youngest of the gliders had been born before the tribe of Go-backs even existed. Voll agreed to a trade, if Leetah could prove her words, prove that there were children in the world, he would free Strongbow. As Leetah kept her end of the bargain, so too did Voll, and with it, he offered hospitality so he could come to know the cubs more.
"The Wolfriders held council. Voll had offered them hospitality, and Winowill claimed that the gliders were the First Comers, the High Ones. While no one was tempted to believe a word from her mouth, she said as much in front of Voll and he did not challenge the statement. After much long and hard debate, most of the Wolfriders chose to stay for a few days, guarded, to learn what they could and to give Dewshine the time that she needed. Those who disagreed strongly enough, however, decided to go wait in the woods with the wolves until the rest of the pack were ready to leave. Strongbow forced Door, who only listened to Winnowill to open the rock to let those who wished to leave out.
"The Wolfriders ate with the Gliders, and even drank with them, Pike more then most." She waited for the laughter from those who knew Pike to die down. "As they spent time with the Wolfriders, the Gliders, especially Voll, learned. Their knowledge was threatening the shroud that Winnowill kept over all of them, and she became desperate.
"The worst of it, for Winnowill, was what was called a Preserver. Petalwing, specifically, who is around here somewhere. Preservers live to facilitate memory. Petalwing was free in Blue Mountain, Cutter had shown that he could best Winnowill, and she knew they were planning on telling Voll everything. So she acted. She called upon her allies in the chosen eight, and while Cutter and Leetah were recovering from their last dealings with her, and helping Dewshine who was ill from holding back recognition, She and some of the Eight attacked.
"Winnowill put Voll into a deep sleep, as the others fought the Wolfriders, catching them by surprise. Winowill kidnapped Suntop and fled to the secret warrens her son, the half mad half Troll Two-edge had crafted for her.
"The pack reunited, those from the woods joining those within, all the wolves, and petalwing took to the tunnels, chasing after her. Two-Edge, finding this to be a great game, did not hinder their progress. They chased her through a warren of exploding rocks, through slave pens where humans were kept, and even past a net of strangleweed.
"Suntop bravley sought the opportunity to rescue not only himself, but Savah, the Mother Of Memory as well, and dove into Winnowill's mind. But he was at that point too young and untrained to fully succeed. He found Savah, but could not free her.
"Strongbow put an arrow through Winnowill's shoulder, causing her to loose her hold on Suntop. He came back with a message from Savah, that Leetah was to heal Winnowill. They fought her to the edge of a steep stair without rails. Leetah began the healing, reversing the twistedness of her own mind. Savah was freed, however, Winnowill did not want to be healed, and she stepped back, falling from the stair to the cold cave floor below, preferring possible death to a healing.
"The Wolfriders have once beaten the Snake in her own home, by working together. There was no one whose skill was not necessary, and there was no one who was left behind. As a pack, as one, there is no challenge the Wolfriders cannot face." Two Moons tipped back her head and howled. Quote:
Cutter leaned back his head and joined, hearing the voices of the pack around him as they all howled as one. Quote: Ember grinned as the howl finished. "Yep, there's nothing we can't do!" Quote: Cutter mussed his daughter's hair and nodded to them all. "To HUNT!" he called, and when he heard the rallying reply, he headed to the vine wall, leading those who would hunt with him to follow.
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