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.
Savith muses silently, 'Maybe I should just cut the damn thing off, and not worry about it. Yes, that's the ticket. Cut short, at the ears. No tangles. No mess. No hairstick... and... it'd all fit under the helm, hopefully without poking through the edges. He grins then, and glances at his mother, "Mom, where's your cloth cutter?" Rut-roh. The guards perk up, their number doubled since fight night.
Llune shrugs and is only a little hurt, Savith has never really been into this stuff - but oh, he is so *handsome* when he dresses nicely... "Oh, no, I don't think so." she says, only a tinge of fear in her voice, but mostly a sure, not-on-your-life tone, "You have beautiful hair - it would be a *crime* to lop it all off!" she finishes.
Pondering the idea herself, Larias moves to join Savith by the packs, "Well, if he can't have them, can I?"
Savith heaves a sigh. You see what he has to put up with? With a sound of complaint, he mutters, "Yes, Mother." Ah, typical teenager sound. Phooey. Then the curl, wiggly free, leaps into his face again. He looks up at it, thinking silently, 'If only I have my knife...' Hmm... Larias moves over, asks for a blade. He glances over, grinning softly at his Recognized. 'Oh... Larias....'
You locksend to Savith, Larias conspiratorially sends, ** If you help me cut mine, I'll help you cut yours. **
You sense in a locksend, Savith replies without hesitation, **Deal.**
Llune shakes her head and snuggles Rosendo, "I don't think so Larias... you're probably supportive of this *awful* idea... Why don't you just cut off that curl?" She suggests, glancing up between the two, "And I'm very hurt that you won't even look at my gift," she pouts, "I put a lot of work into it, and it *is* very nice, you know."
Larias glances over at Llune with a bit of a grin, "And if its my own hair I wish to cut?" Can Llune really deny one who is her elder? Then again, how often has Larias been acting like Llune's elder?
Never? Savith schools the grin from his face, but Llune's pout has the desired effect. Ah, heck. Can't let Mom be unhappy. He sighs.
Llune shakes her head again, a little exasperated, "I don't understand why you would ever wish to cut it," she nods toward her thick braid, "I've *never* cut mine... and besides, doesn't hair help keep one warm when it gets cold outside?" she looks pointedly between the two, "And isn't that a greater concern than that one silly curl?" She asks, reaching forward and brushing the pesky lock from his face, "Perhaps a tie?"
Larias lets out a sigh, backing away from the bags. Well, there went that idea, as yes, Llune is right, its one of the reasons she kept her hair so long despite the fact that made getting tangled a distinct possibility. "Perhaps your right, a tie will suit him fine, or as you said, just cutting off the one annoying lock."
Savith purses his lips lightly, and just lifts a brow at Llune. "I've already got one, thank you Mother," he replies. See what a good boy, holding still so his mommy can press a curl from his eyes. "Yes, long is warmer. You have a point." Even if he don't like it.
Llune nods appreciatively and turns back to cooing at the baby, "And I didn't bring my shears, besides... most of my fabric I cut before we left - it is why we were late in following... I apologize for that, by the way... But, I think perhaps a trim wouldn't be unhealthy?" She offers, hoping that perhaps *this* will please them...
Larias finds an out of the way spot near the water to take to the air and lounge, beginning the tedious process of finger brushing her locks.
In the trees, the guards sit back to relax a moment. No cutters? That's good, but Strongbow silently orders Skywise to creep in next time they are all asleep and double check.
Savith nods to Llune, "A trim, when we've something sharp again. Until then, we'll survive." He's just being picky.
Llune sighs and shakes her head, Savith can be *such* a brat sometimes. She snuggles the baby again, who is happily watching the big elves around him.. He's especially interested in Larias' gliding about, something he's experienced but not really gotten a chance to look at, "When do you think he will be able to glide on his own?" Llune asks, noting his interest.
Larias wrinkles her nose as she encounters a particularly nasty knot in her long pale yellow locks. Her eyes flicker towards Llune, and she shrugs, "I.. have no idea." Almost chuckling, she inquires, "Do wither of you recall when you could first glide?" As if.
Savith shakes his head lightly, unable to remember. "I think I've always flown," he replies. Llune's question makes him stop to think. You know, he spend a good decade and a half in a wolfrider holt watching to see if his other two showed any signs of flight. And Ekana never did. His brows furrow at a dark thought before he shakes his head again, "I suppose if he doesn't begin trying soon... he never will."
Llune giggles at this idea and bounces Rosendo up and down a bit, "Would you like to fly like mommy?" she asks him and in silly baby tones, "Would you?" she tosses him up a bit, only a few inches and catches him, "Whee! Isn't that fun?" she asks the now giggling baby, who obviously is having a wonderful time. "I can't remember beginning - though my parents wouldn't let me off the ground for at least a decade... They were a bit... overprotective..." Her face becomes thoughful at the memory of her parents, and she quiets, looking lovingly at the cub.
Larias's brows purse together, how can Llune recall her parents? Her own, little more than foggy half recalled faceless figures darting in and out of dreams and nightmares. She continues finger brushing her hair, remaining thoughtfully quiet.
Because Llune's a nutball? Because Llune had a happy life? Because Llune is Llune? Savith watches Llune bounce the baby, trying not to grin stupidly. What a cute baby! Yay! The baby!
Llune gasps a little as, during one of her playful tosses, little Rosendo keeps himself bouyant a few additional seconds, a short enough period of time for Llune to have noticed, and for anyone else who was watching closely. "Did you see that?!" she exclaims, grabbing the now wildly ecstatic cub and hugging him close, "I think he just started to learn!"
Larias glides swiftly towards Rosendo and Llune, ** Did he really? Are you certain? Absolutely certain? ** Larias doesn't know if the child did or not, foolish mother, actually turning her eyes away from her young one. As if to prove the feat he just performed, a tiny bubble of magic surrounds the hatchling, and up he goes, if only for a second.
Llune gasps a little as, during one of her playful tosses, little Rosendo keeps himself bouyant a few additional seconds, a short enough period of time for Llune to have noticed, and for anyone else who was watching closely. "Did you see that?!" she exclaims, grabbing the now wildly ecstatic cub and hugging him close, "I think he just started to learn!"
Savith blinks a few times. Does this mean he did it? He's had a gliding baby? Oh boy! Savith smile and moves over too, gliding silently. His head tilts slightly as he watches the lad. "This is good news, if he did."
Llune giggles, too thrilled to really speak, and sends wonderful thoughts and "good boy!" to the little one, though she hold him tight, "Now I fear I should *never* be able to keep ahold of him!" she finally stammers, her eyes shining and absolutely thrilled, "At this rate he might outfly even you, Savith my dear!" she teases.
Perhaps more attuned to what the magic of flight feels like, Larias isn't sure, after all, he lifted only a little for such a short time, but yes, he did indeed lift. She smiles at her little one, ** Very well done Rosendo, soon perhaps, you will be able to fly to Savith and myself from Llunes arms. **
Savith grins at Llune's statements. That WOULD be nice! A child of his... flying faster than him. Oh, but envious too... Hmm.. mixed emotions. What a joy. Instead, he says, "You'll have to braid him a tither then, Mother, to hold him to us."
Larias drifts back and away, her eyes going downcast, thoughtful. she returns to where she had been hovering before, working rather slowly at the tangle sin her long hair, a pensive look about her. Hrm, if he can glide, that means, he will be Chosen... ew!
Llune smiles and grapples with the little one, "I think he wants to float off! Savith, would you take him, I don't know if I can hold him..." Little Rosendo is obviously trying to bob loose of Llune's overprotective arms, "And I don't trust just letting him do it on his own..." She looks helplessly at Savith, and says, jokingly and a little apprehensively, "Here, catch," though she would never think about REALLY tossing a precious babe to his father...
Savith grins. Oh, but his father would. Lifting from the ground, and only partially sensing Larias's pensive mood, the Chosen drifts from Llune, pulling the babe toward him magically. **Come, little one.** Then to Llune, **Do you have anything we can lash him with? The more and more he floats, or tries, the strong he'll be.**
Llune nods and releases the babe to Savith's magical grasp, moving to their bags and searching for a few strips of material, "Yes, let me braid it together... how much do you think he'd need? Perhaps we shouldn't let him get up *too* high, in case he drops? He *is* still very new..."
Larias smirks to herself, "I'm sure Llune has something somehow that can be spared to keep him tied to any one of us should he decide to float off on his own. If not, I could come up with something." She has an old pack,boots with lacings included, that would work.
Llune braids the strips of material together with expert fingers, making a strong rope about 3 feet long, and smiles widely as she finishes, "Here, perhaps this will work? I can make a harness for him tomorrow, but for now I suppose we can attach this to his ankle?"
Savith floats in the middle of teh clearing, a good height from the ground. Rosendo he holds up, letting the babe feel the weightless of flight, to get used to it. "An arm's length only, Mother, if you would? We'll tie it to our waists, whoever is watching him. " He bounces the babe gently, floating him up, then letting the power drop, only to caught him again a few inches later. Done? Already? Savith glances over, holding Rosendo, giggling madly, still. "No mother. Finish it completely, a harness for his chest, then we'll lash him." Gah! His ankle! Talk about CRUEL! ;>
Larias can't hold out on her pensive mood for long, a hand going over her mouth to stifle a chuckle as she watches her son giggle wildly, arms flailing about by his father. Slowly, she glides up to join the pair, "Perhaps then, more than an arms length? Else, he and whoever has him will end up bumping."
Llune sighs and roots about through the bags, "It will take a little time... Here, let me see how big around he is..." and stands, and reaches for the child, holding the strip, and glides up beside them. Aw, what an adorable family, all of them floating in the air - the Wolfrider guards watch uneasily as the whole group floats, as though it's completely normal (which it is...), thinking, "Gliders are *so* odd." She wraps the length around the child and holds a finger at the length, only to drift back to the ground and continue looking through the bag, "I'm not as fast a seamstress as I used to be..." she murmur, perhaps just to herself, as she pulls forth a few pieces of leather and some of the velvety green fabric Larias' dress is made of.
Not a fast semestress?? Puh-leeze! Savith just watches his mother measure the boy befor ehe goes back to bouncing him. Oh, what a good boy! What a big boy! Handsome boy! Coo! Coo!
Larias looks at savith, smiling a tad, "Would you mind if I took him.. for a little while?" She's been good, sharing him and all - well, not like she' shad much of a choise, Rosendo lurching and jumping towards Savith then Llune earlier.
**Hmm?** Savith glances at Larias, then sends Rosendo sailing toward Larias. **Of course not.** He ALMOST says Catch, but not quite. But larias would pick up on the slight playfullness. Heck, even Llune, knowing his moods so well. There's little else to occupt his time here, not hinting or such. And... well... without WInnowill mucking his mind everyother day or so, he CAN relax, can't he?
Llune slyly pulls a pair of shears from her bag, but hides them from view, drifting off to a more moonlit part of the clearing to fashion the halter, glancing at the babe as it drifts toward his mother, then around to notice a few edgy wolfrider guards moving closer in, wary of all this baby floating stuff, "I'll be done in a moment, Larias, if you can manage to keep ahold of him - he's very energetic this evening!"
Larias chuckles softly, her smile blossoming even more when she does indeed 'catch' the drifting child. Rather than hug him tight as she would like, she holds him loosely, facing out so he can see whats going on in the world. With little arms and legs flailing now and again, gurgles and burbles bubbling out of him, Rosendo is the picture perfect babe. As Larias turns in air to look at Savith, Rosendo lets out a squeal of delight, pulling hands up be his face and hiding his eyes, almost as if, looky at me Dad, I'm too cute for words!
Savith's eyes are focused on Rosendo. Oh. Is that a grin? No, Of course not! It's a SMILE! :D It turns itno light chuckle at the baby's motions. Ooh... yes you are! Cutesy baby! Baby baby! Cute baby! OOoh... baby!! Then, he seems to realize they are under watch, and he forces his face expressionless again. Welp, that was a good 20 seconds, that one was. Score one for the baby.
One can almost imagine him clearing his throat to do so.
Llune completely misses Savith's smile and the antics of a completely adorable baby, concentrating on cutting the cloth quietly - she doesn't want Savith or Larias to notice she's got a tool that could possibly cut their hair... Finishing cutting, she slides the secret shears under the edge of her skirt and begins to join the pieces, squinting in the moonlight, "This is much easier in the daylight." she mentions.
Larias bounces little Rosendo gently, chuckling at his squeals and giggling gurgles. Looking up at Savith, she can't help but have her own expression soften, here he is, trying so hard to remain that nasty-bad mean Chosen. If he can't be expressive, well, she'll do it for him! To Rosendo she speaks, "Thats a good boy, smile big for your Sire."
Savith blink blinks at Larias words. Did he hear he right? Duh! Hello. Wake up in there. Of course he did. His brows raise, a faint smirk coming ot life. Smile big, huh? We'll see. He crosses his arms, glacning back at Llune. He doesn't spot the shears, and so replies, "It can wait until the morning." Can't it?
Llune nods, but continues, "I'm almost done, this way he won't float off in our sleep." How odd this must all sound to the wolfriders on guard. Poor gliders, have to worry about their young floating away... Llune works with well trained fingers, weaving the bits together and making a harness strong enough to keep the *ahem* "bouncing" baby nearby. She glances up and flashes a bright smile at her handsome family, especially the adorable baby, "aren't you just adorable?" she asks, finishing the harness without having to watch what she's doing.
Larias sends a private thought towards her Recognized, her eyes casting downwards towards the child in her arms as she does so. The whol enotion of brushing her hair out has long since past - someone's going to end up with tangles.
You sense in a locksend, Larias briefly brushes against your mind, ** I.. felt the need to apologize to you. For many things. ** What those things are, she doesn't say, but hey, she's swallowing pride here
Savith tilts his head at Larias's private send, returning one of his own. His arms remain crossed.
You locksend ** For the... commotion? There is little to apologize for. My doing, entirely. ** to Larias.
You sense in a locksend, Larias sheepishly responds, a little to quickly perhaps, ** Not just for that... for all the troubles I've caused you. ** Even if it all did evetually work out well, or, its currently working out well - she now has a son, and, how likely is she to ever truly be alone again? With the touch of another's soul always there.
Llune covertly slips the shears into the top of her boot - can replace that a little later - and, turning, stands, displaying the simple little harness, "Here it is," she exclaims, rising and moving toward Larias and Rosendo, holding the item, complete with leash, out to the mother, "For whenever you'd like to let him bob on his own," she offers with a smile, completely missing the concentration between the two recognized, concentrating on the cub, "You are just the handsomnest little one, aren't you?" she coos, then glances at Savith, "I mean, next to you, of course, my son..." she backpedals, half-grinning at him.
All the troubles? All the trouble, eh? Like the dreamless nights? The shuddering nightmares? The constant worry that you're going to get yourself killed? Right, Larias. Well... An apology is an apology, and Savith just nods. LLune's compliment recieves a smirk. "You're biased."
Larias would explain further, but then Llune is suddenly there, with the harness to keep her little one from floating off and about randomly. She nods to Llune, "Ah, yes.. thank you. Definitely a good idea." Taking the harness from Llune, she works at putting it on while holding the babe aloft in the air. No time like the present to keep him from deciding to drift away on the next breeze.
Noticing the distance of both of her fellow gliders, Llune decides to give them a bit of time to converse. "Ah, well... I think perhaps I should prepare some food, I am famished... I'll be... over here..." she motions toward their supplies by the shelter, then kneels to pull out a few dried items, "I do, however, hope that Cutter visits us soon, we are running low on supplies."
Savith hmms and watches Llune make a hasty retreat. Okay, she's plotting something. Hmmm... Savith purses his lips, considering. Ah, heck. What's the point? He nods, and glances about, "That we are." Maybe, there's a ravvit he can float over to kill barehanded.
Once the harness is on him, and leash line attached to her own waist, Larias settles Rosendo back into her arms. He Doesn't seem like he;s going to fly off, so she'll assume he would rather be held at the moment. "There are other things to eat you know... Surrounding this pool, though we'd be lacking meat, there is enough to make do on." Yup, Larias is a mad woman, what does she expect them to eat, twigs and bark? Or even worse, grubs?
Slyly, still, Llune searches through the bags, slipping the shears back into her satchel, and, upon hearing Larias' words responds, "Are there?" she glances about, not seeing anything edible, at least, not that *she* knows of, "Where?" She's obviously curious and confused, obviously not knowing what there could be to eat, but also knowing that she's pretty ignorant to these things... "Can you..." she begins, not sure quite how to ask, but still *TERRIBLY* curious, "... Show me...?"
Savith glacnes at Larias, "If you need me take Rosendo while you gather, I shall." Not that he really wants toe take the baby from her. It's keeping her happy and stable, but at least he offered.
Happy certainly, stable - well, come on, lets be real - stable is not a word one would often use to describe Larias. Undoing the braided cloth about her waist, she hands it, and Rosendo over to Savith, "I won't gather just yet, we do have some stores left... Its best to gather as needed if it comes to that. If you disturb the wrong rock at the wrong time, you might lose your chance for a meal."
Llune moves toward Larias, obviously curious, "What do you mean, 'the wrong rock'?" She looks about the pebbles at the river's edge, enatively nudging a few with the toe of her boot, "there is food beneath them?" She turns a pair of VERY confused eyes upon Larias, "*under* them?"
Savith takes the babe, pulling him toward himself. "There's a hatchling," he says softly, watching Larias. **Yes. Mushrooms, usually. Not the best, but filling if need be.**
Larias glances at Savith, chuckling as her gaze then drifts over to Llune, "Mushrooms are or will be out of season very soon. There are.. other.. less pleasant things we can survive on."
Llune raises an eyebrow, now on guard, "What do you mean, 'unpleasant'? Like..." She stops, doesn't even *know* what FOOD could be unpleasant, so changes the subject, "what are... Mushrooms?"
Savith mmms. Great another odd discussion with Llune. "They are... " How the heck do you describe a mushroom. A 'oh help' look goes to Larias, until Rosendo's whimper catches his attention. "What, what, baby bird?" And Rosendo has Savith's attention. giggle! Savith grins.
Larias moves over towards Llune, gliding quickly and easily to cover the distance. She alights next to the she-elf, grinning slightly, ** <> ** There really is but one way to explain these things easily you know :p
Llune nods, taking in the send, trying to understand how such a plant could exist, "Oh..." She whispers, tasting the thing as though for the first time, "It's almost... familiar..." She looks again to the pebbles at her feet, "And they grow there?" she nods toward the pebbles, "What other foods are there to be found?"
The wolfrider guards roll their eyes at this odd glider, geez, she doesn't even know how to find food, silly glider.
Cheater. Savith glances at Larias, and if he were any more relaxed, he'd stick out his tongue. Instead, he just pays attention to the baby. "Baby baby."
A snicker is heard in the trees, though whoever was behind it is invisible and now silent. Funny to see such a stoic glider gurgle for a cub... Not that cubs aren't absolutely adorable - it's just hard to imagine one breaking through the shell of a *CHOSEN*.
Again Larias manages a light chuckle, "Well, those mushrooms only grow on deadwood, rotting tree trunks and the like." A pause, how best to exlain the source of food she had thought about,that she has survived on in lean times, "There are... several things which are edible. As I said before, best not to gather or think about it until the time comes, if the time comes." High Ones, please don't let the time come!
Savith blinks once. He glances at Larias, and sends privately, before bouncing the baby again. Oh, but the happiness is gone, and he starts to fuss. The sense of hunger drifts along a faint faint send that mingles with the cry. "Ah... Larias..."
Llune looks confused, "Dead trees?" but shrugs the thought away, and smiles at the suddenly fussy baby... He couldn't possibly be hungry, he just ate a little while ago... but then again, perhaps gliding takes it out of a kiddo... He *is* young and all...
Larias lifts into the air and ping pongs back over to Rosendo and Savith. ** Shh Rosendo... One moment more. ** Brazen she's become! Wary to undress to fulfill the demands of Recognition, Larias has no qualms (or at least is getting over them) when it comes time to feed her little one. She plucs the boy from his father's arms, cradles him gently, allowing him to eat.
Savith floats away from Larias a bit as she begins to feed. He sighs and glacnes at Llune. She's unsettled so... "Where is that hair stick, then?"
Llune practically lights up, "Oh! Let me get it!" She is *SO* thrilled that Savith will actually accept her gift, "It really *IS* very nice, I *promise*" she insists, searching through the satchel, completely forgetting the odd notion of *finding* food, and withdraws a simple hair stick, more simple than Savith's regular hair stick... It's of brushed silver, tapering at the tip to go through the hair more easily, the wider base adorned with 2 dark oval beads of shiny black. Beneath the beads is a string of tiny beads in the same shade, that attach to a pair of white feathers. It's truly a masculine, simple decoration. See? She was honest!
Larias drifts back to the ground, landing softly she begins to rock and sway with Rosendo in her arms. It really is hard to tear ones eyes off of perfection.
Savith blinks. Wow! That's great! Simple. Elegant. The emotion flickers in his green eyes as he floats over to take the hairstick. "I'm impressed, Mother. This is... simple."
Llune beams (cover your eyes!), "I *TOLD* you!" she says, the emotion nearly dripping from your voice, "You always think I'm going to dress you up silly, and you're always surprised when I don't..." She shakes her head, in a way that only one so involved as she is in style can, "The most important thing about outfitting someone is that they get something that suits THEM - not the tailor." She smiles, "You're so silly!" and gently hugs Savith, "You should know that by now!"
Larias glances over at Mother and son, tailor and wearer. She shake sher head, gaze drifting abck down to Rosendo, is that what she'll sound like, talking to Rosendo in a few hundred turns? A frown appears, will she be able to talk at all?
Savith returns the hug briefly, then steps back. Damn it mom! I'm stoic! STOIC I tell you! Stoic! GAH! He pulls his hair free, then pulls at it, grabbing it into a hand to wrap and coil and in a few moments, TADA! Up in a Chosen's bun. Ah.. MUCH Better... Hmm... Savith's eyes turn toward Larias at her slight shift of emotion. A frown? A wordless send ripples her, an edge of concern.
Llune is too busy to notice anything amiss and starts humming happily, returning to the bags to look for some rations. It's so nice to be appreciated. Whee!
Pale blue eyes glance over in Savith's direction as his send brushes against her mind. Larias shrugs, still feeding a hungry child. ** A passing thought is all. **
You locksend ** Not a happy one. ** to Larias.
Savith quirks a brow but nods. Ah, yet hte matter is not done. Private sends. Poor Llune. No wonder she missed everything.
You sense in a locksend, Larias sighs, ** No, not a happy one. Even here, the shadow of the Mountain reaches. ** Unbidden, the thought comes again, will she be able to speak to her son as Llune does Savith - will her son know her, will her son see nothing but a useless statueque glider shaping nothing, holding nothing, simply sitting - forever.
Llune hears the odd send, **passing thought? about what?** the context is completely lost on her, as she's missed the private sends, she looks up from her chore **wait, what's going on?**
You locksend to Larias, Savith's resolve hardens. Of course you will, beloved. He'll see to that.
Larias's gaze drops from Savith's form, her eyes returning to look upon Rosendo's face, so sweet, innocent, perfect. Her brows furrow more thoughts pass by, emotions sorted out, and finally she responds to Llune's question, ** I was thinking Llune. Nothing more. ** Ok, so the thoughts were sad, no surprise there.
Llune shrugs and sighs, assuming it's a private conversation between the recognized, but the sudden mood shift is reflected upon her, and she ceases her happy humming, instead lost in her thoughts and searching for a snack.
Savith glances at Llune. Great, not she's un happy. He sighs and moves to the shelter. "I'm taking a nap."
