Aerie
At the very summit of the Mountain you find the clearest signs of the transformation initiated by the Dreaming gliders at Winnowills bidding. The rocky surface is still shaped in intricate loops and whirls, echoing the wonder of the great Egg. Half familiar shapes can be sensed as much as felt among the twisting and folding surfaces..some utterly alien, other of a disturbing familiarity.
Pain cries from the walls, but so do joy, and wonder, and the dizzying echoes of the long gone Dreams. The gargantuan latticework forms a dome to crown the Mountain with shapes that from afar might seem to be the roots of some twisted tree. Even here, the tiny cracks can be seen criss-crossing all surfaces.
The loops and folds open out to the open sky in unexpected places, and ways. Though none of the openings are larger than the armspan of a glider, and most much smaller, there are still few places left shadowed. The light of the sun and the moons weaves intricate shadows, that changes in fascinating ways as time passes.
In some nooks and crevices there have been placed furs or pillows, telltale traces of the gliders spending hours and days in dreamy contemplation of the sky.
A winding stairway leads Down to the main parts of the Mountain.
Kureel locksends ** Brother, the Lord has ordered en, yourself, and I to travel to the Vastdeep to hunt for our Visitors, I am with Yeyeen now, please begin getting our Bond-birds ready for flight, and gather what we will need. We will meet you in the Aerie. **
You locksend to Kureel, Savith snaps to attention quickly. **At once Brother,** he replies, flying from his room shortly there after to get the bondbirds ready. Of course, yours and Yeyeen's are hardest. Stupid lack of animal bonding...
As ordered, Savith has prepared the three bondbirds for travel and hunting. Each have the Chosens' day packs, and three spears each. Floating by his hawk, the trained, and until recently, unbonded hawkess, Savith trills at her, feeding her a bit of morsel and petting her beak as he waits. "Sweet hatcling."
Yeyeen drifts into the Aerie, a brillant smile bringing the beauty back to her face until her gaze falls upon Savith. Quickly, the stone mask that makes the elfess look so haggard reappears. **Clear skies, Brother. Are we ready yet** she sends, obviously expecting Savith not to be finished.
His eyes first scan the preparations.. critically eyeing the packs, the birds, weighing that against the time since he sent.. not bad. As Kureel alights his feet on the stone of the Aerie he sends **Well done Brother, well done indeed. Almost as well as I could have done.. half asleep.** He grins wryly.. a joke? or ego? **But better then most.** He floats over towards his bond, calling softly to Nightsky. 'Are you ready to fly again so soon?' 'No I don't doubt you can do it.' 'Yes you are very brave..'
Savith glances over his shoulder at his Sibling's sendings. To Yeyeen, Savith merely nods, while Kureel just gets a thin-lipped almost smile. It's like an unpleasant smirking pout. OH, this hunting trip is going to be fun. Two cob-web ridden ancients picking on him. Oh boy. Turning away, Savith settles upon the brightmetal harness that wraps itself around the bird's breast, cooing like a turtle dove to his mind-deaf hawk. **Just waiting on you, treesap,** he quips finally, eyes flicking to Yeyeen. Treesap, cause she's SLOW!
Yeyeen smirks at the poor attempt at an insult and sends softly to Stardrifter, her own bond bird. The elfess checks the harness and supplies herself, not trusting Savith to have done it correctly as the tightens a strap here and refits a buckle there. **Funny brother. Didn't I hear you making those same sounds to your babe? Doesn't speak well for her intelligence.**
Kureel sighs.. oh yes this will be.. interesting. Floating up to the harness and taking his seat, he pulls the hunting spear free from its holding place, gesturing with it as he speaks, not *to* dramatic, "To the Vastdeep and back, with as little time wasted as we can. Lord Winnowill has sent three of us, to bring enough food back for all of the elves below, three days there, no more then we must return. To leave our home unprotected, even when most of the guests have left, is dangerous. So let us fly fast and hunt well."
Savith straightens in his harness, opting NOT to reply to Yeyeen's comment this round. He's got to think of a good one first. A shrill whistle and Winddance hefts herself up to her feet, crying aloud and ready to be off.
Yeyeen settles herself into her harness without any more delay, and glances about a moment before a queit send to the heavy bird lifts the two into the air and into the night.
Kureel urges Nightsky out, behind the others.. some small part of his mind worrying, why does it seem like he might not see the Mountain again? Odd, must have been something he ate. Nightsky takes wing and falls in behind the others, Kureel scanning the ground carefully.
Savith and Winddance lead the way, taking to flight and starting toward sun-goes-down. He doesn't glance down, rather, the Chosen glances back, toward the mountain. After all, everything that is important to him is there. **There is a cliff we'll perch at,** he informs the others. **Room enough for the hawks. It over looks the waters we'll find the most game in. Daytime hunting is best.**
