East Bank of the Silver Run River
The lands of the Abode surround you.
At the rivers edge, a pool has formed, sheltered by huge rocks on the west side, allowing the water there to collect and empty out somewhat at odd intervals. Here it seems a good place for the washing out of leathers, bathing of bodies and general relaxing, though the waters you find are chilled. There is smooth white sand, surprisingly, under your feet and you find yourself smiling at this pleasant place. There are a few trees scattered over the beach, providing shade as well patches of cleared ground. The bank here begins tapering off into thick woods, limbs covered with gaily colored leaves as the holt prepares for the season of DeathSleep. Dead and dying shrubs and undergrowth encroaches all around as the bank blends with and eventually becomes the forest. Tiny bugs zip around at ankle height, and occasionally a fish leaps out to snatch at one of them. It is a cool autumn afternoon. The father tree is quiet as elves and wolves sleep in their dens.
A few hours pass, Llune having gotten Rosendo back to sleep and leave him near her as she works on another outfit. Savith, meanwhile, stays buried in the blanket under hte shelter. On and off he's slipped into sleep, only to wake as no drams come. High Ones! This is what Aroree was going through. As the hours drag on, Larias's offer sounds better and better, as do the soft rustles of what he can feel of Rosendo dreaming across the clearing. But with effort, he remains out of everyone's mind, rolling uneasily to a side.
Moving more silently than any wolfrider could hope, Larias doesn't even bother to touch the ground as she approaches Savith's irritable form. With a gentle landing at his side, she kneels, ever careful, her sending like a whisper on a breeze, ** Savith? **
Savith was dropping by into darkness when the soft send brushes against him. He gasps and snaps his eyes open. A heartbeat passes. Oh, Larias. He turns his head and looks up at Larias. "Yes," he replies whispering, not sending at the moment.
Pale eyes look down on green ones, filled with concern, she can feel the torment, the need for sleep. As you do not send, neither does she, voice whisper soft so as not to bother Llune, "You're not resting well, are you?" Larias, Master of the obvious.
The painfully obvious, thank you. Yes, those green eye are troubled, exhausted. Savith is about to lie, say he's just not tired enough yet, but Larias's eyes make the words stick. Ah... stupid Recognition. "No, not really," he admits finally, still whispering.
Larias moves from a kneeling position, to that of one sitting, for Larias, she is quite close to another, barely any distance between herself and Savith. "If there is anything I can do to help..." A hand goes up, preventing you from speaking right away, "And I don't just mean with dreams as you assumed the other night."
Indeed, Savith was going to answer, his mouth openning slightly until Larias's hand stays his words. But her sentance has him a touched confused as he lays in the shelter in late afternoon as the cool of evening approaches. "What do you have in mind," he asks, his voice a low whisper so as not disturb Llune, who is watching the sleeping Rosendo across the clearing, sewing on something or other.
Larias rolls her shoulders in a shrug, uncertainty in her eyes. "If you want to know the truth, I hadn't thought ahead that far..." A half smile appears on her lips, "But, if ther eis something I can do, help you with.." Anything to ease his pain, and hence, her own.
Ah, just as selfish as he, huh? But Savith smirks, rolling fully onto his back, propping his head up with an arm. "Hmm... no foresight," he replies, his voice low, "Why does that sound familiar?"
In most selfless acts, there lies the selfish need to help others, for that little bit of praise or thanks. The smile on Larias's lips spreads just a little, "Perhaps you see the reflection of your lack, in me?"
Savith is actually tired enough to chuckle softly. Tongue in cheek, he can only nod and reply, "You think there was anyother reason behind half the things I do?"
"I doubt it was the only reason... " Larias glances off towards Llune and Rosendo, her eyes then traveling to look through the branches, finding their wolfrider guardians. Eventually, her thought filled gaze makes it back to rest on Savith's chin, "Though, I won't presume to know what those reasons were."
Savith turns with Larias's gaze, his eyes too settling on the cub and his protector. He sighs softly, the grin fading. "Nor I," he replies softly. "Nor I." When his gaze returns to Larias, he flicks a brow up, head tilting, "And yourself?"
Larias's lips curl at the corners, a light smile, not quite a smirk, "Oh me? My reasons are always simple ones. Survival, nothing else." She chuckles low, "Never anything else." Ahh, what a lie is that?
"Never," Savith asks, eyes hardening ever so? "Come now, at least I was honest," he comments, then shakes his head, a frown threatening to form. "Sorry, I've got a headache."
Larias glances down at the ground as he frowns, a slow breath let out in the form of a sigh. "I know you do..." She swallows, wetting her mouth again, "We once promised we were going to be truthful with one another, didn't we?"
Savith nods gently. "That we did," he replies, looking up at Larias again.
Larias slips into sending, the truest form of communication between else, her eyes never meeting your own. ** Then, I will admit, survival is not the only motivator for some of which I do. ** Her thoughts are tucked deep down, hidden from her open sending.
Savith tilts his head, but as promised, he asks permission before dropping to a private send, a deeper and closer level of communication. **?**
Larias nods her head once, curiously surprised he would ask permission to locksend with her.
You locksend to Larias, Savith asked because, well, last time.... okay, so that wasn't locksending, but STILL! That, and it's safer. Get permission first to make sure you're not going to just cause him agony again. **What is it then,** he asks softly, curious, concerned, and... longing for the touch of a mind, fresh and untired.
You sense in a locksend, Larias pauses before answering, her mind nearly retreating from the contact, a guarded worry flitting about her soul. ** I.. would you, be upset if I chose not to answer? ** But, with minds so close, souls intertwined, its obvious she is sheltering some thought deep within her, worried as to reactions should it be known - bother hers, and his, there are sometimes things, an elf does not want to admit to, not even to ones self.
Savith withdraws his mind, turning his gaze from Larias. "Why should I be," he whispers his reply, though without the firm contact from before, would she feel that bit of annoyance, that hint of tension that firms at it? "It is your mind, after all."
Larias very nearly punches the ground, but, instead she bites her lip and turns her gaze away from his as well. High Ones, why does dealing with other elves have to be so utterly confusing! Wasn't life better when she was alone, dead to the world. She snorts, knowing the answer, knowing how long she sought the Mountain, living just to see it again. A whispered statement, "And sometimes I don't even know it."
Savith Just nods, and closes his eyes again. At least he can LOOK like he's sleeping, can't he? "Sorry to hear that," he says, almost coldy, though not truely meaning it to be. "How is this helping, again?"
Larias chuckles without humor, "This isn't... This is conversation," and hey, its almost even polite. "You hadn't said what would help you, what I could do to help you."
Savith grumbles, and opens his eyes again. "Would it help if I said I didn't know?"
Larias shakes her head, once again looking back down at him, "Would it help you? No.. Would it help me? No... But this tie I am not the one that needs help, am I?" Her gaze drifts off into the woods again, "I only made an offer Savith, you don't -have- to take me up on it you know"
Savith snorts faintly and rolls over. Larias is SO trying on the nerves. "Well, I did," he comments, eyes closing again. Exhausted, his body almost instantly drops to sleep, but his mind... Nothing, and he opens his eyes again, sighing. Puckernuts. He's half tempted to ask for a bedtime story, but then the guards above would laugh him.
Larias looks back down at Savith, feeling guilty, somehow, she missed whatever it was he had asked for help. A light sigh and a shake of her head, "I.. guess I missed it?" A frown, or told him no when he asked privately in locksend *sigh*
Of course you did, dense fool. The touch of a mind fresh from dreams and sleep. Ah well, Savith just shurgs, and lays still, eyes open, blinking slowly. This wouldn't be nearly half so bad if he could hunt. Hell, even joining helps, until the act is done, and he's pleasantly tired. But he's not in a place to do either, is he?
Larias looks down at Savith once more, pale eyes focusing on his chin, her nose wrinkling at some thought. After a moment, her face schools to an expressionless mask, her mind once more reaching towards Savith.
You sense in a locksend, Larias, though a touch reluctant, once again brushes against your mind, skittish though needing to help, in some way. Without words, she inquires, does this help? Is this what you need right now? The touch of my mind to yours?
You locksend to Larias, Savith turns his attention to the touch, sensing its reculantance. It helps, but it is just as void of thoughts, emotions, memories as his own, but it helps distract him. **Yes,** he asks softly, almost seeming to ignore the wordless questions, as if refusing to acknowledge the fact that in some way, it helps, though not completely.
You sense in a locksend, Larias puts forth a greater strength into the contact, ** If this helps... ** she'll what? she thinks, the link remains though she struggles to put thoughts into words. She pushes back some of her own emotions, tucking them away neatly, where they can't make a mess of things, ** If this helps, I will gladly keep the contact with you. ** It is, after all, only an extension of the bond between their souls, is it not?
Savith shifts again, openning his eyes to look at Larias. "If it bothers you," he states aloud, "Then don't worry about it. I'm a big glider."
Larias's eyes open, though her response is a private one. She shifts, drawing knees up, smoothing the dress down over them, her chin resting comfortably.
You sense in a locksend, Larias sighs into her mental contact with you, ** It does not bother me. I, ** another pause, then she continues, ** I have a lot on my mind, and don't want to barrage you with it. But, as I said before, if this helps, I will gladly do it for you. **
You locksend ** A lot on your mind,** he repeats, and seems to chuckle. **I think we all do.** He sighs as well, mind trying to find something to quell it into sleep. **Well, it does help, if you wanted to know. ** to Larias.
A grin flickers softly, then Savith turns his head again, eyes closing.
Larias chuckles to herself, once more sending to the prone Savith in the blankets.
You sense in a locksend, Larias's mirth reaches into her sending, ** I could speak to you about plants once again... **
You locksend to Larias, Savith nearly chuckles aloud. He considers it a moment, **Why not? Go for it. Maybe I'll dream of flowers.**
You sense in a locksend, Larias begins the droning sending she used in the Raft, educating Savith about the various plants, herbs, roots, barks and leaves which all have the curative effect of fixing stomach ailments. But this only occupies one half of her mind, the other sets to wandering on her own, trying to understand and comprehend why exactly she is where she is, why she's doing what she's doing, why is it, she is so concerned with Savith's well being.
You locksend to Larias, Savith just listens, almost boredly, like he did in the Raft. Every so often his mind adds a bit of detail, as if asking what's that plant, or if it's similar to this other. As the 'lecture' goes on, Savith's mind becomes more and more passive about it, yet a touch more active, bringing to light memories of those plants that he knows, when and where he was when he saw them.
Savith's breathing steadies out, and his eyes remain closed, fluttering slightly. Sounds asleep.
Larias's own eyes close as well, her breathing very nearly matching Savith's, the aura of sending magic surrounding the pair.
You sense in a locksend, Larias answers readily the insinuated questions, images of similar plants flashing when they need to, warnings about others that are similar, but have bad consequences when eaten, but not steamed in a cup. And still, that other half busies itself, barely felt within her sending on plants, but still present, why is it again she took Winddance to the Mountain? Did she try all that hard to make the bird fly home? She knew the right whistle for Azerures bird, how to send it home, why didn't she try that with Winddance? Did she want to go back? Is that why?
You locksend to Larias, Savith just interacts wordlessly. Almost, like a dream, it seems. Bits of that harsh winter. Bits of Wolfflame and Wildstorm's childhood. Bits of being out with the bird. Bits of the Raft holt. Bits of Sorrow's End. Larias's musing he doesn't seem to realize are even going on.
You sense in a locksend, Larias pause sin her musing and plant explanations as she catches his thoughts, his dreams. She remains there, present, though does her level best not to watch or listen to that which may occur. She does not withdraw, if the touch of her mind against his is what he needs, he will have.
Preserver Webbing! Is Savith sleeping?
You locksend to Larias, Savith hmms softly as the thoughts discontinue. When they do, his mind stopping supplying those images after a few moments. It's not watching if you're causing sending and he knows you're there. When the images stop, the darkness starts to creep in, along with the sense that the fog of sleep should be covering his mind, but it is not.
Savith's eyes flutter almost open after a moment. "Hmmm?"
Larias blinks, then frowns as Savith begins to wake up, once again, the sending magic which had ebbed slightly, once again picks up around the pair. Wonder how long Larias can keep this up?
You sense in a locksend, Larias begins to send the images of the plants once more, this time, instead of stomach pains, she works through all the different teas she knows how to make, what they are for, why the are good, and even when. How to tell if dried leaves have gone bad...
And a heartbeat after the sending resumes, Savith quiets again. Like son, like father?
You locksend to Larias, Savith 's mind picks up the flow again. The memories just floating about, without much connection to each other, more just focusing on the plants, but there none the less. Tea. Yes, tea. Nice tea. Happy tea. Green tea. Earl Grey Tea.
You sense in a locksend, Larias runs on and on and on about teas, calming teas, sooting teas, ones that will relax muscles, ones that will send you round a tree to relieve yourself. Mmm, peppermint tea, orange tea...
Orange? Yum. Savith likes Orange tea. Not so hot about mint though. Makes him sneeze. Elian was like that. Hated mint teas with a passion. Orange blossoms, though, he loved. And Savith seems to sleep more, mind locked with Larias's.
You locksend to Larias, Savith continues on with the teas. Had jamaica tea? Peyote served it constantly at Festival. It's good. Sweet, too sweet almost. But Dodia seemed to like it. Tea's good. Wine's better. That flower, once it's a fruit, makes a good wind.
Larias continues the rambling sends to Savith about this and that, she's really a storehouse of herbalist remedies, she has to be, having survived so long, it was either learn or die. But, as time passes, her mind tires, unused to sucha connection for any length of time. And then, there is Rosendo, having not eaten of late, grows hungry and begins to fuss.
As Larias tires, and Rosendo's fussing is not only heard, but felt through the bond he shares with the mother, Savith stirs, his eyes slowly. Wow, he feels better. Almost like he got a nap there.
Llune brings the babe to the napping elves, "I believe" she says in quiet tones, "That I will nap myself." She winks to Larias and wanders off to a patch of sunshine.
Larias drowsily opens her eyes, stretching before she takes the child in her arms. Brows furrow at Llune's wink, wondering whatever that was for. She shushes Rosendo, quickly working around the dress so Rose can suckle. "Shh, theres a good boy," her voice so gentle and sweet as she speaks - a far cry from the night of the fight.
Savith yawns, fully, and rolls to his back again, to watch Rosendo. No, not to get a glimpse of Larias. Sick minded elves! :P He takes a deep breath, almost relaxed completely, and sends softly to Larias, having missed his mother's wink. **Thanks.*
Larias glances back over at Savith, rocking back and forth as she does so, Rosendo held snugly in her arms. She offers smile, though its a tired one, ** You will let me know, if I can help again? **
Savith nods, but replies, **I should be fine, for a while.** He notes the fatigue and asks, **You alright?** Oh, a hint of concern! Of real concern! Grab your personal affects! The world's gonna end!
Larias bobs her head up and down, eyes returning to Rosendo, she hums an ancient melody to the babe, one stirred up in memories from recent dreams. ** I am tired now is all... Though, ** she smiles crookedly, ** not so tired as I have been in the past. A nap and I will be good as new no doubt. **
Savith grins faintly, listening to the lullabye in the late afternoon silence. **That's good to hear,** he comments softly, eyes closing in a long blink.
Larias moves the child from one side to the other, Rosendo fussing briefly until he latches back on. Her eyes turn back to Savith once the kiddo is settled, ** And you are ok.. better? ** She just has to make sure, reassure herself.
Savith hmms softly, nodding, and openning his eyes again, **Yes. Why do you ask?**
Larias cheeks turn a light rosy shade. She turns her eyes back to the babe in her arms, ** I... well.. ** She can't lie in sending can she? A sigh is released, ** I suppose I was worried about you, ** among other things.
Savith Hmms again and retorts, **About time.** heeheehee.
Savith hmm again and retorts, **About damn time.** A jibe? Well, slightly, there's a smirk on his face as his eyes open, and glance at Larias, a touch of that cold humor in them. But it's humor, none the less. He's feeling a little more himself, perhaps.
Time that she admit, or time that she show it? A grin appears on Larias's lips, once again rocking the babe in her arms as he suckles. ** Perhaps I've always been worried about you.. I just had a strange way of showing it? **
Savith snorts softly, gaze falling to the child that's forcing them together. Odd, isn't it? **Very,** he replies, about to add more, but he doesn't. Instead, he pushes himself up, knowing he won't be able to sleep more, not if Larias is going to nap. Well, he's feeling more rested away, so it's okay. Gah, but there's hair in his eyes, and with a soft grumble, he presses at the locks, shoving them behind his ears only to have that one rambuncious one flop forward again.
As Rosendo finishes, Larias doesn't rise, instead she lays down placing the babe beside her, cooing and gurgling back at him as he makes noises to her, sending warm fuzzy thoughts to the child. Larias can't help but smile, "What can I say, I'm strange overall..."
Savith fianlly gets the curl away, and looks down at the mother and child. He smiles softly, and nods, "That you are. That you are..." Then a shake of his head to clear it of those mushy thoughts, and he flies up to leave the shelter, "I'll let you rest now."
Larias pulls Rosendo closer to her as Savith moves to leave, one arm wrapping around him protectively keeping him at her side - notlike he can wander far off at this age. "Thank you.. I'll, be here." she pauses, glancing over towards him, "If you need me." That said, she closes her eyes, ready to slip quickly into slumber - sending is hard work sometimes!
Savith watches Larias's aram tighten, his expression darken. After all that, and still she doesn't trust. Well, there goes that good mood. "Of course. Sleep well," he replies softly, voice lowering, chilling slightly. Then he's gone. Where DID that hair pin run off to? KNowing MOther, she might be hiding it to force him to wear his head done, and like a zwoot he forgot to pack an extra.
You sense in a locksend, Larias sends through the hazy fog of sleep, ** If he starts to fuss, please, take him. He needs to spend some more time with you. ** Theres almost a giddiness to her sending, as if somehow, this solidifies a deep secret within herself.
You locksend to Larias, Savith begins to reaches for your mind, to reply, but as he encounters the fog of sleep, he stops, and withdraws, almost tossing a thought at the fog and not waiting to see if it is heard, **Of course.**
