Hurricane Pini

[ChosenSavith]

It would be two days after the joyful celebration of the young wolfrider's return.

For those awake in the daystar's journey in the skies it was filled with warm breezes, the sun basking those below pleasantly, even as it offered dappled clouds just begging for viewers to admire. The same balming wind caressed the more nocturnal elves: the one remaining moon in a lesser form didn't provide much light, but it was a playful one that peeked among those same clouds.

The tiger, Fire Bright, hadn't done well in hunting. His large size and scent scattered some of the prey. Not that he went truly hungry. While the wolves had to cover a little more ground they found better success. The elves not hunting were finding a small harvest in fruits that made their meals (some wanting cooked food - others wanting raw) more enjoyable.


The Wavedancer had vanished soon after the celebration. Back into the Vast Deep he seemed to prefer. Sending to Dancer (whom he seemed to also prefer), but otherwise absent. So on the second night it was more then startling for an open-Sending 'yell'. One of panic backed by worry, planning, frustration and fear. And a kind of despair. Cutting in as if part of the conversation had already passed.

*..get your tail onto high ground! Just grab them and dig in deep or, by High Ones..* the threat more feeling then properly formed. One could almost see angry fists hitting waves before it shifted as if the owner had dived back down deep.

What a shame the warrning was not recived by the Cat Elf. It was early morning when she had left with Fire Bright. She needed to find bigger game and wanted to know more about the area that surrounded them. When Crosscurrent had sent to her she was deep into the woods by then and already near the other side. In one arm she had a basket she used to gather things for Pey, for Llune or for the group. Her mind felt a bit of something but she smiled and pressed on. It made her happy to think he was missing her and wanted to see her. He would live till she got back. She wanted to find more supprises for him to see or taste. Fire Bright made little noise as he padded along comming to a large feild. The cat sunk in the grass and Dancers eyes looked to see a small herd of forest leapers. The males were equiped with long sharp horns but the female had no such protection.


Blaze was along the tops of the sea cliffs, hunting birds' eggs. The birds built their nests in hard to reach cranneis in the rock, and the only other elf better suited to the job would have been Savith. Blaze figured the glider wasn't very keen on bird-hunting, though. He had a small bag that he'd been filling with eggs, and two birds that hadn't been smart enough to fly out of range before he cooked a vein in their brains shut. Sitting on the edge, looking out over the vast-deep, he was in the process of cooking an egg solid in his gloved hand when he felt Cross' send.

The images of waves and deep water terrified him for a moment, and his heart jumped in his throat. Then he replied with a single, mind-numbingly strong open send, the same sort he would have used to draw together his tribe when they spread out over the dunes. **CROSS?**

Savith out hunting too, for crabs and lobsters and other small game animals that dwelled along the shores, river rocks in hand. As Cross's send flicked across his mind, followed promptly by Blaze's, the glider looked up, worried. **Blaze,** he questioned the stronger sender. **What happened? High ground? Can you reach the wavedancer?** Even as the questions were asked, Savith begin to lift himself up into the sky to try to get a better vantage of the situation. Shirtless, the sun had already begun to darken his skin tone as it edged ever closer toward sun burn.

Llune felt the send as well, but it didn't make much sense. She was in the midst of a project when she received it, and poked her head out of the little cave to look around.

She had located a group of silkworms living in a mulberry tree at the base of one of the cliffs around the cove, only a few days before Dewpaw had returned. As she moved up the tree she had found more, and then by pure luck had come across a small cave that would suit her needs, at least for the moment, perfectly. It did require a bit of tidying, however, so Llune had been busying herself this day with forming a sweeping instrument and bringing baskets of water to wash the mud and excess grime out of her new home.

It wasn't by any means a large cave - large enough to fit 5 or 6 elves if they must, but it would be cramped. Llune had extravagant ideas for building a chest of drawers and decorating with brightly colored fabrics, and, if she could find any shiny stones, lining the opening of the cave with them so that more light was reflected inward.

But for now, it was dirt and little pebbles and a lot of dust in the air.

**Wha... What's going on?** she sends to the others, leaving the mouth of her cave and drifting upward, much like Savith is, to look around the entire area. **Is everything okay?**

Blaze's send rippled with fustration, and carried a worried undertone. **No. Something is out there, on the deep. He was angry with the waves, or the air? Something he needed to stay underwater for. But he dove again. I cannot feel his sends, if he still is sending.** Blaze screwed up his eyes, staring as far out as he could acrost the water. All he could see was a line of clouds on the horizon.

He gathered his thoughts for another send, this time with a quick warning to those who's minds were open to his; cover your ears. **CROSS! WHAT IS IT?** He put an extra kick to it, hoping he might be able to overcome the distance and water between them.

As Llune drifts up and into sight, Savith (in all his half-bare glory), moves toward her, mind silently asking her, **Mother?** He's concerned, glancing out toward the waves. **Angry, at the waves,** he asks of Blaze a heartbeat later, mind hoping for more knowledge.


The Sendings must have reached the Wavedancer, although the reply was slightly faint as he was not as strong a Sender. Directed at Blazing Rock, but still 'open'.

**Where's Dancer? No, wait, can you grab everyone? Just get them burrowed deep quickly!**





Blaze rebroadcasted the send to Savith and Llune. **I think he means we should get everyone to somewhere protected. But how could the vast-deep birth a sand-storm; all it has is- Water.** His send froze up with fear. **Oh no.** He pointed with his mind out towards the cloudline over the deep, darkening as it slowly grew. **I think we might be in for some rough weather.** He quickly wrapped up the remaining eggs and pair of birds, and headed along the cliff down towards the beach. **Savith, send for the others. Find them, tell them. Llune, can you find Peyote? She needs to be warned. Quickly, now, both of you! Can wind make waves move like it does dunes?**


From somewhere in her dreams she heard urgent voices, a nightmare, the sky falling and darkness. Yet the dead continued to cry out for her **starsong** they whispered in her head and she turned to face them, but they were nowhere in site. **starsong** they cried again. Where could she go to help them, they were beyond her help.

**STARSONG** she awoke with a start, Savith's mind touching hers and she shook her head. She groaned as she sat up and scratched her head. What in the high ones names was so urgent. She hefted herself up and grabbed her bow, replying to Savith to let her know that she was coming.

Llune listens to the sent exchange, all the while eyeing her son and the distant sea warily, then nods to Savith, her mouth drawn into a straight, serious line. **I will.** she sends to Savith and Blaze.

Considering Llune IS a very strong sender, she locksends to Dancer, **Come home quickly - there is a worry and we need to group together immediately.**

Llune also sends to Relim and Dewpaw **Hurry back to the cove, there is trouble and we must convene at the gathering hut, right away!** The worried undertone shows Llune's not sure precisely what the trouble is, but it's definitely serious!

Then Llune turns to find Peyote, gliding swiftly back into and through the treetops. The last she saw the pretty little elfess she was near the gathering hut, preparing a mid-day meal, so Llune hoped it wouldn't be too much trouble to find her again. Unless Peyote had wandered off somewhere in the last hour...

Dewpaw had been sleeping the day away in the crook of a nice tree she had found, near the flowers she ahd shown Savith adn the trail back to her old home. The initial sends from Crosscurrent adn Blaze shook her awake, so much that she nearly fell out of the tree. Her mind was slow to pick up on the conversation and the emotions of the sends. It was Blaze's last send and Llune's send that finally hit home.

She slipped from the tree, eyes quickly scanning the area, mind open. *Morningtail* she sent to her bond, conveying the urgency of teh situation and sending an image of teh gathering hut. The young wolf was there almost instantly, having been lurking in the area. He did not like the smell in the air or how even more animals seemed to have disappeared from the forest. He could not even find the scent of a ravvit. She climbed on his back, him barely slowing down for her to get on. *What is it? What's coming?* she sent out, hoping for a better answer than 'trouble' adn 'weather'.


Glad to know Starsong was near enough to catch his flung locksend, Savith returned his mother's nod as he lifted up higher into the sky, eyes on the horizon. His mind supplied to the huntress what little facts he knew: Crosscurrent was greatly worried about a storm from the Vast Deep and wanted everyone to get into safety, Llune was looking for Peyote, Savith could use help to sniff-out everyone else and make sure they're getting toward the gathering hut.

**Ask him what direction this is coming from,** Savith's mind asked Blaze, stretching itself in his direction. **I'll see what I can see from up...here?** His send rippled off in a stunned question. The darkness of the clouds, still so far away, looked like a mountain range. **Rain,** he replied to Blaze's question about vast deep birthing storms, **Water falls from the sky. Those clouds look like rain clouds but... I've never seen any so... big.**

He too reached out for the minds he knew, hoping to catch people in range even as he paused in his upward drift and closed his eyes to focus on each person more fully. **Relim.** **Dewpaw.** **Peyote.** **Gentle Midnight Dancer.** **Llune.** **BlazingRock.** **Starsong.** Akin to a wolfchief send-calling for the tribe, Savith's mind sought to wash over everyone and share the same message: **If you haven't heard already, get to the Gathering Hut, quickly. Bring all that you own. Send to all. Howl to all. Ensure no soul is left unaware.**

His eyes open then and he continues lifting himself up for a better view, mind again consolidating toward Blaze's. **And of the wavedancer himself? Should he not also get to shelter? If this storm is coming from the Vast Deep...?**

**Even I cannot raise Cross now, with the water and storm interfering.** Blaze looked up at the storm and Deep from descending the path to the beach, then hurried on. **He dove, and I gather he has weathered storms like this before. That far below the water, he might as well be under solid rock. He will be safe. As long as he does not came near shore.** His send was directed at Savith, but open for all to hear.

Gaining the sand, the dunerunner set out on a dead sprint acrost he sand towards the gathering hut. At about halfway there, he skidded to a halt, and looked out over the Vast-Deep. The onshore wind was hot and moist, and the towering mass, though still far out to sea, was closing fast. Dread filled his mind, and he started towards the hut again. **We do not have much time to spare. We will have to get to the cliff forests, once we are gathered. Cross said higher ground, so I assume the beach will flood somehow. Wind makes waves taller, so the ocean will probably rise.** Blaze had spent time watching the Vast-Deep, and he knew a little of how it worked. He had never trusted the water to stay so calmly where it was.

**And I know what rain is. Do you think I was born yesterday?**

Peyote was indeed in the main hut working on a midday meal, happily obvlious to everything, seeing as it sent and all. The food was just about ready, and so, she stood up and moved toward the 'doorway' in hopes of finding some one to send her message to the rest.

Dew listened to the open sends as Morningtail carried her toward the gathering hut. She easily followed the path down from teh cliff forests, one she had already learned by heart. Her mind tried to figure out how bad a storm could be to cause such panic from three who were so brave. *How bad?* she sent to Savith, *What storm is so bad?* She knew of winds high up in the canopy of the trees that made it harder to climb. She knew of teh river in teh forest flooding slightly a couple times a year, but never anything taht caused this much worry. She could see the gathering hut now and Peyote in the doorway, Morningtail breaking out teh brush and heading for the shelter.


Peyote smiles as Dewpaw comes into sight, and she raised up on her tip toes, waving brightly. "Shade, Dewpaw! I'm so glad to see you! Lunch is about ready. Can you call everyone for me," she asks, completely clueless.

Blaze rushed up to the door, and paused a moment as he caught his breath. "Peyote!" **Llune, Peyote and Dew are at the hut.** "We gota massive storm comin,' and th' beach might flood." He looked in the hut, and back down the beach. "Either o' you seen Dance?"  

[ChosenSavith]

Llune enters the clearing in front of the gathering hut, her face lined with worry. "Dancer is away, I have instructed her to find shelter - she is distant..." Llune is clearly concerned, but it's impossible to tell if it's because of Dancer or the coming storm.

**Inland, I do so very hope.** Blaze's sends were dripping fear, and his eyes kept darting to the ever-graying waters, and the fast approaching clouds. He shook his head as if to clear a bad thought from his mind, and tried to appear interested in Peyote's prepared lunch. "Do ya think you could wrap that up to eat on th' run? We might wanna get to the forest afore the weather gets bad, so we can find a safe place.""

Blaze looked over his shoulder at the treeline, and sent quickly to Savit. **Dew, Peyote and your mother are at the hut. Dancer is in the forest somewhere. Do you know where Starsong is?**

Starsong entered the Hut, not sure of where else to go, but figured if there was some sort of an emergency this is where everybody would gather. She walked in, looking alert, if not a bit tired, she had been on watch nearly 48 hours the previous couple of days.

She looked around, not seeing Savith she went to the next person she felt would give her an explanation of the situation best. **Llune? What is going on?** She asked walking into the middle of the hut and looking around, her bow in her hands and Shine beside her.

Llune takes a deep breath and speaks so that everyone can hear if they choose to, "Crosscurrent sent a warning to us, something about the vast deep and dangerous weather... That we need to find shelter and safe shelter in case of flooding..." Her face is still creased with worry, "Dancer is in the forest, fairly distant... She is seeking out shelter for herself and Firebright now, and has assured me she can weather the storm." Llune looks about the hut that has become more lived in and homey over the past few weeks, "That is all I know. The severity of the storm I can not tell, and Crosscurrent has gone silent..." she pauses again and looks around to everyone present, "Where shall we go for safety? If there are floods and storms anything like those after the Moon's crash, then we should choose our shelter wisely... "I believe we have sufficient food to sustain us all for at least a week... Don't we?" The last part is directed toward Peyote, the official manager of the group's food.






Blaze sent out a quick "live" image of Starsong at the hut to Savith. **Dancer is accounted for, too; she is in the trees. You might as well come down.**

Blaze spoke up in response to Llunes question as to where they might go to be safe. **I think we should get off the beach quickly, considering it might flood. The cliff forests are our best bet. The farther in, the better. Starsong, can you think of any sheltered spots were we can hide? Caves, perhaps?**


Peyote's smile faded as Blaze and Llune joined them in the hut and everyone seemed to be talking all at once, and only saying about half of what would have otherwise made sense. She blinked a few times as Blaze told of a storm before she turned her gaze to what from her vantage point way down here on the ground, looked to be a clear sky with no clouds and zero wind; the calm before the storm. When Blaze asked for a meal to go, the village server just nodded and turned to get things packed up, not really sure what all was going on. She glanced at the various elves, until Llune spoke and addressed a question she could hear toward her. Smiling lightly in thanks, the server glanced back at her food stores, so minimal still, and shrugged a worried shrug. "For those we have, elves only, yes, but barely. Even one more mouth would mean smaller meals for the rest and... well... we simply don't have enough of the right things in order to feed the animals. As for safety, why not one of the caves around the waterfall? Aren't they not facing the Vast Deep and some of them do start up pretty high from the beach, but really, what's to worry over a bit of rain? Just find a nice high cave and wait it out. You'll see. Soon as the rain passes and the sands drink up all the fresh water, everything'll bloom and we'll have food a plenty."

From the sky, Savith had tried to see what he could, even going so far as to ponder flying out to the storm, above it, and surveying the cloud-tops. One look at the massive vertical column of clouds, stretching up and up and up higher than the very top peak of his mountain birth home, had him hesitating. The sends from below drew his attention. Starsong was safe; Savith breathed easy. Dancer was still out there but finding shelter; Savith frowned lightly.

**I'm on my way,** he replied, send thinned by the distance between himself and Blaze. Turning toward the beachhead, the glider doubled up then dove for it, pushing himself into the top speed of free fall and angled toward the gathering hut. As the wind rushed past his ears, stealing away all sound, his mind pressed forward, growing louder and more solid with every heartbeat. **Dancer shouldn't stay out alone, if Crosscurrent is worried about the storm,** he sent to Blaze. **Let's find a place to be sheltered from the rain. If the cloud-height is any indication, there's going to be a lot of it and it's probably going to be cold as well. One of the caves along the cliffs, would probably be best to keep everyone dry, and I think Dancer's is large enough that we shouldn't all be packed together too tightly.**

He pulled himself up from the freefall just inside the doorway of the hut, body and mind moving in a long practiced grace, to settle him with what would have been a soft thump of feet on solid rock... had he been in his mountain home. But in the soft sand, with a still healing ankle, he landed, gasped in annoyed and startled pain, and dropped to a knee as his injury forced him to get his weight off his feet in the quickest if least graceful manner possible.

Dewpaw had stayed back, leaving the planning adn discussions to the adults. The sends were going about too rapidly and it seemed to her like everyone was talking at once. It all had her going in circles. Her ears perked when Peyotte mentioned feeding the animals, and her heart began to race. she couldn't picture her bond starving to death or being caught in a storm that had everyone so worried. She slipped ou of the door, trying to at once get out of the way and go to morningtail, who was sitting in the sand outside. The wolf had stayed wihtout being told, waiting patiently for Dewpaw, despite instincts to leave. The cub sat in teh sand, laying her head against the wolf's chest. She didn't know what to do. at first she thought of simply sharing her food with the wolf, but she remembered how much he could eat. The second option, to send him off on his own to safety and possibly better hunting grounds, was instantly thrown out, as she didn't want to be apart from him for so long.

Dew sighed, still seated in the sand as the sends from inside the hut continued and Savtih returned to the conversation. She was staring at the sky, wondering which direction he would come from when she saw him coming in for a landing. A landing which made her laugh, even in teh situation, so ungraceful. *You okay?* she sent, trying to hide her laughter from the send.







Blaze frowned and watched as Savith dived, his send dusted lightly with equal parts fear, fustration, and indecisiveness. **True, Dancer's cave is large enough to shield you all, wolves included, from rain alone. But when storm truly hits, it opens to the sea, and no matter how narrow the entrance is, the winds will blow in, and bring rain and sand. And what if the waves flood the beach?** He switched to a locksend. **Although I doubt the waters will rise that far, I have not seen a storm of such magnitude since the moons collided. High Ones know what the effects-**

As Savith fell, and Dew laughed, Blaze sent a quick snap of dissaproval at her, a reminder that it wasn't good form to laugh at someone in pain, especially an elder. As he was closest to the doorway, he offered Savith a hand up. **Careful. This is no time to hurt yourself again.**

**We have to act now. Dancer's cave will most likely stay dry enough, but the forests will be safest if the storm is strong enough to flood- Nevermind. And Savith is right. Someone should go for Dancer, so that she does not weather the storm alone.**
**I could do that.**


Savith ignored Dew's laughter, replying with a semi-clipped, "Fine." He took the offered hand, using it and magic to pull himself back up to floating a scant inch from the sand. His light frown sat on his face even as the now throbbing pain of his ankle tightened his eyes.

"We must act now, but we'll not act hastily. From the look of the clouds, we have several more hours before the darkest of the clouds are upon us. These are hours we must use to our advantage so we weather this as best as possible," he stated, speaking so Peyote could hear him as well. He gave Blaze a weighted look, making eye contact and not breaking it. "Starsong would be best suited to finding and bringing Dancer here quickly if she's in the forest. You and Llune are the strongest senders we have. I'd like you and her to link minds, combine their strengths, and try to locate Crosscurrent again. We need to know exactly what he knows about this storm and just how much time we really have. Maybe he can suggest shelter, an underwater cavern. If you feel any other elven minds while you're trying to findt he wavedancer, give them warning as well. Dewpaw, Peyote, and I will see to packing and moving camp, after you've gotten more information on exactly what we're dealing with so we know where we'll need to go. Okay?"


As the others make plans, Llune listens intently, her mind occasionally reaching out to touch on Dancer's far away and check up on her, keep her informed...

"Ah.. May I mention... It is far from complete... But I located a cave of my own, and it is a good ways up the cliff face in the forests... It's not terribly large, but it is curved and should shield us from the weather well... We will be perhaps cramped..." She looks around questioningly, not sure anyone would want to stay in her only half-cleaned cave.

"As for Dancer..." Llune pauses, "She's told me that she does not wish for anyone to fetch her..." Llune pauses again, obviously wrestling with what to say, "But I... I think she is hurt... I don't think badly, but her sends have been filled with pain..." Llune looks away from the group, at the floor, "She doesn't wish for anyone to endanger themselves by searching for her, but *I* fear for her health."

Llune takes a breath, saying her piece in its entirety, "As for food... Although we don't have much, perhaps we should gather even the hard green fruits from the trees and anything else that is within simple reach, to supplement our food stores, even if the fruit is unripe and bitter..." She shrugs, "As for the bonds... I haven't a clue how to care for them, if we have no large game... I am at a loss." SHe sighs and raises her hands in a "geez, I don't know," gesture.


Blaze exhaled in fustration, and his shoulders drooped. Savith was right. If anyone was going to find Dancer, Starsong would be the elf to do it. The uncomfortable nagging memory of Cross' asking where Dancer was kept replaying in his mind, and the worry intensified when Llune mentioned she was hurt. But there was work to be done, and the benefits outweighed the losses.

He sent openly to Llune, the thought like a hand awaiting a responding touch. **Perhaps the worst of the storm will pass before we even feel any true hunger. We need to contact Crosscurrent again, and know for shure. I have the range, you have the precision.** He opened his mind to her, but kept it somewhat restricted for the moment, lest he cause her to overheat like Savith had.

Savith's lips pressed into a thin lip at Llune's statement, eyes narrowing faintly as they shifted toward Starsong. A private thought passed from glider to wolfrider as the hand closest to her turned at his side. The palm rotated to face her, fingers opening in a wordless gesture: **We've come too far to lose even one of us. We have the time right now. Please, go find her.** The private touch of minds was calm yet concerned, unquivering yet semi-frightened; the worry of a parent speaking to another parent.

Thought shared, he turned his gaze to Dewpaw, eyes conveying a hint of the emotions his private send had held. "Could you sniff out my mother's nest, little one, and see if it will fit us all? Including the wavedancer, if he might need it, and..." He paused slightly, glancing at the two wolves, before shifting his gaze back to Dewpaw, "...and the two wolves and one tiger."

Request made, he looked to Peyote with a faint nod, "Pack us up. Tell me what you need moved where to do it quickly."


Dewpaw frowned as Blaze scolded her. It was a reaction to laugh, she didn't mean anything by it, adn the glider was oaky. but she said nothing, knowing blaze probbaly had otehr things on his mind. So she sat, listening like she had before. When Savith said she would be helping with teh packing, she stood up, but llune's words stopped her from moving. 'Fruit' she thought, glancing at her bond. the wolf was still sitting patiently, but she could tell he wanted to leave, as exposed as the beach was.

she nodded to Savith, "I'll find the cave. And I can get fruit. I know the trees, where to look." she stood up, turning to Morningtail. "Go hunt," she said simply, touching her forhead to his. She sent to him about the storm, telling him to find safety, "We can't fit and feed everyone, Savith. i'm a cub and i know that. Morningtail at least will be fine. he can find shelter, its instinct after all." As Dew walked off toward the cliff face and the caves, Morningtail headed into the forest, in a different direction. Dew walked fast, hating sending her bond off, but knowing the food supply may not last.


Savith gave teh wise cub a nod at her words, but the slight inward crease of his brow turned his semi-neutral expression into a frown. Pressing any other concerns over it aside, he floated, ready to help Peyote with her packing.







Llune responded to Blaze's send without the slightest hesitation, and in fact with a determined grasp of that mental hand, **Yes. Let us locate him quickly.** The sent words are half prayer, half statement of the job at hand. With Llune's sending strength and his combined, reaching deep into the ocean waters could be achieved without taxing either of them into a coma. Llune physically stands near the elf of smaller stature, so that their minds may reach from a common origin toward the wavedancer.

As the others hustle and bustle around her, it takes a moment for Llune to realize Dewpaw is seeking out her cave, so she divides her mind for a brief moment between reaching our for Crosscurrent and shooting a quick image of the route and location of her cave, to aid the cub in its discovery.


Peyote gives Savith a coy grin as she continues to pack things up. As he asked, she points to this or that that she can't reach or can't move on her own. She'll stay quiet till everything's ready, which won't take too long.

"Anyone else need to get their stuff packed up," she asks at large.





Blaze reached out in every direction, the force of his send rippling off any mind in range. He wasn't so much looking for Crosscurrent, but getting a feel for how everyone else's mind felt, so he knew what to ignore. Then he swung the send into a loose wedge out acrost the deep. **I have the range, you have the precision. Take as much as you need, but no more than we can both handle.** He tried to clear his mind, forcing smaller thoughts to the bottom, as to provide a 'clean slate' for Llune to work with. **Do not worry about straining me. If you do; I will recover quick.** A quick shadow flitted acrost his mind. **But if you feel your body or mind heat up, break contact immediateley.** The fire shaper was still not completeley open with Llune, a far corner of his mind was still shielded, glassed over with a thick barrier. It was not to be tampered with.


There was a faint sense of the Wavedancer's return Sendings: a mixture of worries, exasperation and confidence. A little unsure of the minds merged to reach him but not hostile.

With their sending strengths combined, Llune seems to become somewhat entranced. It's as though she's no longer in the gathering hut, but down in the waves with Crosscurrent. Anyone with magic sending might notice that perhaps there's a little something more than just sending going on here.

**Crosscurrent.** she sends to the wavedancer. **Are you safe? Will you weather the storm with us? How much time is left to prepare?** These all seem to be the most pertinent questions. Although Crosscurrent may sense Llune is worried about Dancer, the specific reason is not included in the send. **Is there a place in your watery world we should hide? Or on land up high? What should I tell the group, what is coming?**

Starsong nodded as Llune spoke and looked around the hut. She turned to Blaze as he sent to her and she stopped to think. Whenever the weather got particularly bad, they would hunker down in the father tree. But since this place had no father tree, and she didn't know what kind of storms they had at this place, she didn't know. She shook her head at Blaze, still thinking of possible places that would be best.

She turned to look at Peyote when she spoke and also nodded, that seemed like a logical idea, a cave, high up in case of flooding, against the wind and rain, somewhere large enough for a fire to stay warm... she was still thinking when the idea of Dancer's Cave came to everybody.. but her. She was quick with a bow, but when it came to desicions and planning, it took her a while to sort things out in her head. She supposed thats why she never made elder council at the holt, she wasn't known for her speedy desicion making. Even when she had recognized, it took her nearly until the cub was born to sort out that situation in her head.

Starsong heard her name and looked to Savith, she smelled him but was lost in her own thoughts until her name brought her back to the present. She nodded once at Savith and called Shine to her, she would have to be quick, depending on how far out Dancer was and how recent her scent would be. She needed no other words from Savith as she hopped on Shine's back and raced off.

The Wavedancer had been startled from his rushed preparations by surprise. Wide green eyes locked on the projected image of the mother-to-be. There was little natural light at the deep depths he was preparing to hole up at and it made Llune appear even brighter.

Crosscurrent couldn't help but gape at her for a long moment. Her quick set of questions almost went right past him. He had survived these storms before. While not common it wasn't so rare that the younglings weren't taught to notice the tempture of the waters.

So he stared at Llune.

Didn't they know anything? As if -he- ever been caught on land when the storms hit!

** I have seen large trees riped from the ground. The boats of the round-ears, heavy and light, flung far from the waters they had been tied down at. Water moved to flood what was once land.

** The Vast Deep waters have gotten colder. And the currents are moving stronger as the winds are picking up.**

It was all he could think of to Send. His worry for Dancer peaking a little. The small coral-cave he had found was a good shelter for a short time. Nothing fancy. A bit too far from an easy reach to the elves on land.

** You who dance in the air would know best the strength of such storms.** Yes, a tint of bitterness in that. His dislike of the Gliders was too old to be harmless forgotten by a few words between him and her son: or with her.

But he was still a little stunned/surprised... looking at the glowing sight of Llune underwater.







As Savith had done during the group discussion in the gathering hut which seemed like so long ago, Llune spoke as Crosscurrent to the group, her voice taking on the tone and accent of his speech.

His bitterness toward the Gliders was not lost in the open send Llune shared with the others, though who knows if it was lost on Llune herself. She is serving more as a conduit, or vessel for Crosscurrent to speak through, and seems to be entranced.

Llune also appears to have no knowledge of any ghostly image of herself in the deep, though she does appear to be concentrating on sending to Crosscurrent VERY hard.


Blaze's own mind finally followed the connection to Crosscurrent's, a blunt smashing feel too it; the only way he could get it through the water between them. **Then the beach is not safe. Water will flow over the low land. Go to the high land?** His mind strained to keep connection, the force of his thoughts making a locksend impossible. **Starsong goes to Dancer. She is alive.** The animosity Cross had towards gliders was ignored, and Blaze snapped back to supporting Llune's send, sweat broken out on his face. **Carry on, mother bird.** Already he was recovering, but he would not drive himself too far just yet.

Savith, too, seemed to ignore the illtrust Crosscurrent had for elves of his kind. Far more important matters were at hand. He paused in his work with Peyote. A thumb came to his mouth for teeth to n** at the nail slightly as he listened and considered his Mother's... Crosscurrent's words.

**I admit freely,** his mind replied to his mother, seeking her to direct the thoughts down toward Crosscurrent, **that I have never personally seen a storm of this magnatude and only vaguely remember passing comments of them during my various stays with wavedancers in the past. Storms that swirl both water and air should not be taken lightly. We are all worried over the safety of all the survivors we have found so far. We may very well be the last of our kind. If you've a place that can shelter us all in a location where we could all get to, tell us. If you do not, we are trying to find a cave to shelter us all, and though there may not be any water in it, we offer that you shelter with us if you need.** A hint of that On-Duty flavor colors his sends, a thoughtful gentleness to his mind as he seems to work to sort through the information at hand and find the best resolution.

It was confusing to hear the questions, their tone in direction, shift as Llune spoke. Enough that he only moved to keep afloat in front of the glowing image of the Glider female. He was glad to hear someone (Starsong?) was looking after his friend.

**I shall be fine in the depths** he assured Llune. **But without the gift to Shield or flesh gills on others there is nothing I can do to bring any with me. As for being the last of our kind.. you think too darkly on things other then what's needed, sky dancer. Think of the stories you will have to share!** An amused chiding that didn't distract from his serious preparations.

Because Crosscurrent could 'feel' the reunion he would someday find with his tribe and family. The Wavedancers enjoyed adventure: trusting in each being able to care for themselves long enough for others to help, if needed. And if he lived, and Myuadi had, then others must have too.

**But the waters are getting colder as we Send. Go. Getting everyone and find a cave quickly! I am no weather-watcher but I would gamble to think the storm will be here very soon.**

He dove down with a farewell wave to Llune's image.

Savith's lips pressed into an unhappy line before he took a breath, schooled his features into a serious but calm expression, and sent back a wordless acknowledgement through his mother. Pulling his mind from Llune's, and therefore Crosscurrent's, he paused to regard the glideress's physical form, head tilting faintly, before he shook his mane of curls and buried those thoughts for another time.

**Come,** he sent toward Peyote, forgetting for the moment she's send-deaf, **Let's finish our preparations. Mother, can you check on Dewpaw now, please? See if her nose has found your nest?** His eyes and mind flicked back toward Llune, sweeping past Blaze briefly, a hint of questioning concern dancing amid his thoughts.

Blaze broke connection with Llune, and ducked out into the fading sunlight. A wet and powerfull wind ruffled his hair. He looked out acrost the horizon first, the ocean and sky blurred together in the fog of shade and rain beneath the clouds. His eyes shifted skywards, following the grey, boiling masses over their wind-tortured forms, untill he was gazing straight up at the overhanging crest of the storm thousands of feet overhead. The graying rim spread like mold over the blue sky, the entire mass slowly rotating, the entire scene a bit vertigo-inducing.

He stepped up anto a low rock, and watched as the ocean began to pile up out underneath the clouds, the massive low pressure system raising the swells into watery dunes. The palms and the roof of the hut rustled worriedly, as if they knew their fate. The time for planning was fast running out.

His send was open to everyone, exhilarated and terrified at the same time; electric. **It's here.** He jumped off the rock, and stopped for a second at the entrance of the hut. "We have ta get moving now! Llune's cave is our only option. Get what ya need and can carry. Nobody stays behind, not fer anything." His voice had crushed any hint of doubt that might have hid there. His words were not a statement, they were a demand.


Acting as a sending vessel, Llune stood there with her eyes clenched shut, concentrating just as hard as she can. Therefore she did not see Crosscurrent's wave goodbye, but had she opened her eyes, she may have been awfully surprised! Good thing she's concentrating on sending *SO* hard.

And then Savith asks her to check on Dewpaw. No problem. Without skipping a beat, and since Dewpaw is so close (without a wall of water between them), Llune has little trouble discovering her position, then sending verbal directions to the cubling, **There, that tree, climb up to the branch that looks like a braid and go through the leaves, the opening for the cave is there...**

Her image is once again projected, the iridescent glow appearing beneath the large mulberry tree near Dewpaw and pointing upward to the appropriate branch, while the image of parting tree leaves and a jagged crack that is the opening to a cave.

It took a physical touch to rouse Llune from her intense sending, and when the others begin filing out of the main gathering hut someone jostles her, ever so slightly. "OH!" she exclaims, looking about and blinking, momentarily confused, "Oh, yes... Lets..." she finishes, grabbing a basket of odds and ends that peyote and Savith had gathered. "This way," she says, taking up the rear of the group but moving as swiftly as she can in order to take the lead to her cave.  

[ChosenSavith]

Along the cliff wall, were you to follow it away from the cove a ways, you would come across a little indentation in the otherwise sheer cliff face. And in this indentation is a fairly straight mulberry tree, it’s branches brushing along the sides of the indentation, as if the cliff has wrapped itself around the little berry-bearing tree to protect it.

Were you then to climb this tree, to a height of about 20 or 30 feet, and happen to climb out to the end of a branch that looks like a thick braid, then part the leaves, you may be surprised to find a tall, narrow crack in the wall of the cliff face.

The “hallway” runs about 3 feet in before it curves to the left, back toward the cove. After another 3 feet, the entranceway opens into a much larger cavern, one with a high ceiling, and ample space for at least 6 elves to lay down. Along the edges of the cave it’s dark, very dark, so it’s hard to tell if there are any other openings into other cavernous rooms.

For the moment, Llune has gotten the bulk of the room swept and has laid down a few grass mats, nothing too fancy just yet. Near the entranceway is a basket with some orange fur and what appears to be some sort of thread-forming spindle. Also near the entranceway is a small hole in the wall that holds the cocoons of several sleeping silworms.

The night finds Savith wide awake, sitting in a cleft in the rock not far from the cave's entrance. Knees drawn up to his chest, he peers outside at the howling wind and sideways rain. The storm was in it's full fury and the trees outside moaned as they were bent over sideways. In the cool of the cave, he'd found the top part of his uniform and pulled it back on, like a jacket.

Blaze lay on his chest in the cave, his head resting on his carefully folded tunic, the nearby embers of the fire having burned down untill they were but a dim, orange glow in the ashes. The firestarter stirred in his sleep, and a single eye flew open and darted frantically from side to side for a moment. His eyes still adjusting to the dim light, he sat up and pushed the charred ends that had not burned completely onto the coals, and covered it all up with ashes so that there would be coals to start a new fire with in the morning.

The cave became completeley dark, but in the short time that there had been light Blaze had counted one missing from their number. Putting out a hand to touch the wall, he stood and felt his way blindly to the entrance tunnel, bare feet silent on the cold stone. His send a guarded whisper, he searched for the Glider's mind. **Savith?**

Savith's mind wasn't hard to locate for all that it seemed to be forceably detached from the here and now. The send pulled him from his silent reverie of the shearing winds and blinding rain. He lifted his head from where he'd placed his chin on his arms and looked over, blinking a few times to force his eyes to focus. **Here,** he replied finally, the feel of it still distracted and detached, almost like a whisper from one who'd sat up all night and has grown used to the quiet that even a whisper echoes loudly in their ears.

**Thank the High Ones. I was hoping you had not been stupid enough as to go out there.** Blaze nodded pointedly towards the scything rains, and shivered slightly. **I feel sorry for anything out in that.** He was silent for a moment, then sat down against the rough wall of the tunnel, his arms crossed over his chest and his feet tucked under his knees. **If there is anything.** Blaze needed someone to talk to, about anything, to clear his mind of the things he'd seen in his dreams. As if they'd ever leave him. They would only be supressed for now, never forgotten.

Savith snickers lightly, a half grin curling one corner of his lips. As Blaze made his way over and sat down, Savith returned his gaze to the tempest outside. His mind gave a non-commital, wordless sort of agreement to the other's though. But the pessimism just made teh glider chortle through his nose. **Come now. If Peyote can survive,** Savith quipped, thoughts fading away with humor.




Llune is sleeping on a couple of the grass mats, near and next to the warm pile of Dancer and Dewpaw, and covered by one of Savith's old winter blankets. Her dress in laid out flat on her other side, nearer the late fire, within arm's reach, and has finally nearly dried. Llune's pulled the covers to her chin and is sleeping quietly in a warm ball. From time to time she'll murmur something incoherent, or smack her lips, or even brush at a stray, tickle-y hair, but is otherwise sleeping soundly.

In the darkness a soft gasp could be heard and then fussing. *It's so hot in here.* Her send seemed to grumble a bit with her heat. Now she was kicking off things trying to get cool. It could be the feaver trying to break or it could be getting worse. It was hard to tell with no healer around of any kind. She even scooted from anything she way laying on to feel the cool flat rock under her. "mmmmmm"

Elsewhere…

Autumn woke to splatters of rain and a hard wind blowing in. Internally she growled. Bad weather meant poor hunting as if it wasn't bad enough. She knew she would be well soaked by the time light found the sky again. Sky Fire bolted across the sky and it made Autumn jump a little. She knew that it wasn't called sky fire for nothing but with all the rain chances were slim anything would happen. Still the thought of fire made her cringe inside. Maybe she would have luck getting a fish if prey was not to be found. The over swollen river made that idea leave quickly as well though. Seems her belly would go empty yet another night and traveling was pointless. She huffed a bit moving into a tree near the water. It was calming even if it flowed so swiftly. She found a limb that even hung over the river at a safe distance to watch it and stay somewhat dry. The wind seemed to howl and nearly pushed her off the branch she sat on so she moved closer to the trunk. Hunkering down for what might be a rough night of weather. The rain was battering and the wind nearly blew her from the tree several times. Finlay Autumn decided she needed to find a better place to wait out the weather. She stood in the tree and looked around as the lightning flashed. She couldn't believe how fast everything changed. The swollen river was now wrapped about her tree and for the first time in a very long time she felt helpless. She gave a mental sigh and climbed into the denser branches. They wouldn't keep her dry but she might not get blown away so easily now. It was then she felt the tree shift. She knew it wouldn't end well. Autumn gripped onto the tree as it then twisted in the water and soon was uprooted and moving. The tree twisted and moved in the rushing waters but as Autumn tried to keep herself out of the water she found her top became hooked on one of the branches and she was dunked under. Air was needed and in time given as the tree moved in the water. Her mind called out franticly as again she went under the water to the movement of the tree. *Help! High Ones let someone help me!*

Creek Runner followed the last send to the river, but didn't know where to begin looking. *Can you hear me? Where are you? I can't find you* he sent to her, not as loud as the other sends he had heard, but hopefully loud enough. She ran along the river, following its flow and making sure to stay far enough away not to slip in. He foudn himself again stumbling over roots, but he didn't slow. He was a natural runner and an elf was calling for help. 'Maybe she's knows about my tribe' he thinks, or rather hopes. He would love to rejoin his tribe. The rain made it hard to see and the water level was still rising. Creek feared falling in, so again he kept his distance, but he wondered what he would do if the elf calling for help was actually in the river.


It stunned Autumn a moment to hear not one but two answers. As her head pulled above the water and she gasped for a breath she sent again. *HERE THE RIVER! THE LARGE TREE!* and down under she went again as the tree shifted yet again in the rushing waters. It was like needles to Autumns flesh and now she yanked hard on her top as it ripped and the branch that had it broke. Scrambling the Wolfrider made her way swiftly to a part of the tree that was sticking out of the water. Then her face turned white as she looked where the water was rushing to. Was that the sky ahead? She said to herself, *High Ones hold me tight*


Back in the cave…

Blaze's mouth turned up at the corners. **I think the High Ones just felt sorry for her. I am happy they did, though. I am also happy they felt the need to save-** His relaxed grin gave way to sudden alertness. **Did you feel that?** He stood suddenly and stepped to the mouth of the cave, the cold rain spattering unheeded off his exposed skin. **I think someone out there just sent.** His mind racing, he took a moment to calm his thoughts, then sent with as much force as he could out into the storm. **WHERE ARE YOU?** He would definitely have awakened anyone not soundly asleep, but he was not about to take the chance of the storm breaking the message, and having to find whoever he had missed in the morning.

Autumn heard the return send and tried to keep her wits about her. Each time the tree moved she took another breath. Even still there were times when she was held under longer then she could stand. Her mind clawed to stay focused on sending and on breathing when she could. Struggling to get her top unhooked from the tree as well. *HELP! THE RIVER! A TREE!* The send frantic by now and quickly moving into panic. Like a desperate animal fighting for life. The send was nearer now. Moving quickly. All who could hear a send can hear as well now. Can feel the loss of another elf could be near if nothing is done.


If Llune wasn't completely awake after Blaze's send, she's definitely wide awake now! Blaze's send caused Llune to sit upright and start looking around, and now Autumn Joy's send - why is it so familiar? - causes her to begin scrambling to pull her dress on under her covers. **What... What is it? What's going on?** she sends to whoever else is awake in the cave, considerably disoriented, but becoming more alert as she wakes up.

With the dress pulled unceremoniously over her head and being pushed down past her waist as she begins to climb out from under the covers, Llune still manages to cover almost all her nakedness as she gets out of her bed. With a sideways glance to the somewhat sleeping Dancer, Llune moves to the entranceway of the cave with Savith and Blaze, **There is... Someone else... Out there?** she asks them, knowing it's the truth, but wanting someone else to reassure her, **We must help them!** she sends insistently, **What can I do?**

Dancer heard the screams as well now and sat up in a heart beat. Eyes wide she gasped trying to figure out if it was a dream or if she had really heard something. Adrenaline filling her body and pushing her past what she felt and into action. *What's happening? Who's screaming?* She looked about to be sure everyone was here in the cave.

Blaze sent quickly to everyone in the cave. **Llune, you stay here. Try to get the fire made again. Dancer-** He paused momentarily. **You are in no condition to move about. Help Llune.** Without any hesitation, he stepped out into the rain and began to climb down the tree, dropping the last bit muddy ground. **Stay here untill the weather clears. If I am not back before then, do not come looking for me. Savith, if you can fly in this weather, or care to go on foot, I need your help.** The combination of icy rain and wind made him shiver, but he shrugged the feeling off and set off at a dead run for the easiest way up into the cliff forests. **KEEP SENDING. I AM COMING.**

Dew rubbed her eyes and sat up, having been awoken when her pillow, Dancer, moved away. Her other hand rubbed the back of her head, which had hit the ground when Dancer moved. *Whats going on? Who's yelling* she sent out, still half asleep. Dew wasn't the quickest elf when it came to waking up. She caught the last few sends, about going out into the storm and something about a tree and a river. *Is someone out there?* she sent, worried now about her new tribe. She glanced around, but everyone was there, although Blaze just bolted adn it seemed to her Savith was about to do the same.

Dew knew those two wouldn't tell her anything, so she turned concerned, half-asleep eyes on Llune, waiting to be told something.

Llune nods to Blaze as he dishes out orders, her mouth a thin line of concern and duty - perhaps this is where Savith gets it? She turns back to the dying embers of the fire, moving quietly that direction so as not to wake Peyote who probably hasn't heard the wild sending going about and is, presumably, still fast asleep.

As Llune kneels beside the embers, she notices Dewpaw's inquiring gaze, and answers shortly, **There is someone in the storm. Please, help me build the fire back while Blaze and Savith go look - whoever it is will need to get warm and dry... Will you pass me some of those little branches?**

In situations like this, its best to keep everyone busy, so Llune starts blowing gently on the embers, slowly coaxing the coals back towards flame. **How do you feel Dancer?** she asks, **Can I get you anything? How does some nice hot tea sound?** In situations like this, it's always best to give everyone tasty warm drinks.

*Thank you, no.* Dancers mind brushes Llunes. The Cat elf sits in a dark corner of the cave trying hard to keep a composed look on her face. In truth she is well shaken inside from the screaming combined with the storm. She is sure something bad will happen. Still she knows Dew is awake and must stay calm for her. No use in putting fright in the youth when they weren't even sure what was really going on. "I...I'm sorry I made you fall DewPaw." Her voice came through the darkness quietly. "I.... I was just surprised is all."




Savith started at Blaze's send, which at the moment, had seemed completely misplaced. Indeed, so unaware of the other's plight was he, that he opened his mouth to give the fire-starter a retort to be quiet and not wake anyone that when Joy's send did reach him, he was slow to react. His head snapped toward the cave entrance as Blaze dashed out. He lifted from the ground as Blaze began to climb down, and finally, he flung himself from the cave opening and out into the god-awful winds mere haertbeats later. Instantly, he regretted it.

The high winds yanked him the moment he left the protective rocks, and fling him toward a tree. Gritting his teeth, he fought against it, and managed to keep himself from crashing head long into it. Instead, he caught it roughly, and looked about for Blaze. **Where,** he shot at the stronger sender, mind feeling as flayed at the tree branches that torn about him as he struggled to keep his grip. Somewhere, buried behind that must-help-save-elf was that this-was-SUCH-a-bad-idea. As he waited for his directional, the glider clung to the tree and tried to learn the gust patterns, as best he could. Maybe, he could use them to steer himself?


Peyote had helped get everyone dry and settled, then curled up and fell asleep. As the sends ring out, the sun villager just keeps sleeping. People talking? Still sleeping. Flying elves? Still sleeping. ah, sweet sleep. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Blaze sent over his shoulder, hardly expecting Savith to venture out into the storm. How someone like that could hope to survive such raw violence was beyond him. **Cliffs, the stream. Take-** He stumbled momentarily, and the connection was lost in the rain. He wasn't going to waste time trying to find it again.

Blaze hit the base of the cliffs running, clawing his way up the combination of muddy earth and loose, wet rocks. The rain got in his eyes and made it hard to see, but gravity and decades of rock-climbing guided his hands and legs. Then he faltered a bit, almost slipping. A second mind? A rock shifted underfoot, and his mind snapped back to the here and now. A few moments later, and one last herculanean effort, he levered himself over the edge onto the grasses that grew on the cliff edge, stumbling away from the unstable precipice. He was not far from the falls, the roar pounding through the sound of the storm. The water fell far there, he remembered. It ended on solid rock.

Snarling his defiance, he forced himself to stand, and headed for the swollen waterway, sending as he went. **GET TO LAND, NOW!**

Blaze's send made Autumn grit her teeth and snarl a bit. *Don't you think if I could I would?!* She snapped back. It was more reflex then anger. The mind frantically trying to figure out where to jump, grab or something to keep from going over the upcoming falls. Even if the falls went into water all the things pushed along by the water made the very river deadly let alone landing in a pile of broken trees and who knows what. She could hear the roar of the falls over the scream of the wind and Autumn closed her eyes a moment. She took a deep breath as red hair blew like fire in a windstorm. Then calmly, almost to calmly her mind said, *If anyone has a rope or something that would help. Otherwise I am going to have to learn to fly real quick.* You could almost hear the defiant chuckle in her send as she studied the waters close to be ready to flap her little arms. It was in this moment that Autumn wondered where all these elves were coming from. Did they just pop out of the trees to save her? At every request for location she would send strongly to the ask-er *HERE* along with a clear view of her location. She seemed calm enough but just under her words was the blanket of fear, the need to stay alive and the will to fight however she could.

'Maybe the High Ones would grant that' Creek thought sarcastically to himself when Autumn joked about flying. He could see the tree adn was managing to gain on it, closing the distance quickly, and only slowing when he again stumbled over a root or rock. He faltered at first, hearing the secind elf so close, but it didn't bother him. It meant a greater chance of someone having seen his tribe. *Can you jump close to the bank? And swim?* he sent to her, not running even with the tree and finally seeing what the panic was about- the cliff that was getting dangerously close. He knew soon they'd run out of time, so he prepared to jump in himself, starting to think her flying would be a great idea.

Blaze tore out of the dense carpet of ferns on his side of the torrent, and immediateley saw the Wolfrider's red hair against the gray-green of the storm and flood. Both the falls and the floating tree were in clear view, there wasn't much time at all. "Where's that mangy ol' bird when ya need 'im?" As far as he knew, Savith had never left the cave, and Blaze did not think poorly of him for that. He briefly considered heat-stressing one of the trees and weakening it enough to fall it acrost the river, but the heat available wouldn't have lit a candle, and even then it would have taken too long. The floating tree seemed closer to his bank, but the distance was still just a bit too far. His eyes hardened, and he sent inwardly. **You always want heat, fire, life. It is there, in the water. Help me take it, and it will be yours.** He stood on the edge of the water, and focused all his being into pulling the meager heat from the water next to the shore.

(1-10 on how well it works, 10 being best case.)
(Sweet, 9)

Feathers of frost formed on the still slivers of water, then spread quickly, the surface hardening into a thin sheet of ice. Blaze stepped forward into the water, the circle of ice thickening and widening aroun him. His jaw clamped shut and his entire body tensed, testimony to a battle of will he seemed to be winning. Small branches caught and tore at the thinner parts, only to wedge and bind up in the thicker sections. Slowly the artificial bank spread out into the water, but about seven feet out, it would spread no more. By this time the firestarter was breathing heavily, on the verge of collapse. The collected heat pulsed around him, writhing invisibly but for a faint shimmer that was lost in the rain. He sent again, nothing more than a hoarse cry. **You are damned if you do not. Jump, and try.** He put one final effort into thickening the ice, untill the block was soundly bonded to the shore, and thick enough to survive the swift current for at least a few moments, but most importantly, sturdy enough to keep an elf from being swept away, once they held on. His view slowly faded to red, and darkness, as he settled peacefully to a sitting position in the mix of slush-ice and flooded grasses as a dull, all-consuming pain dampened his senses and his mind. **No elf can say I did not try.**


Autumn looked from one elf on one side to the other on the other side. It was jump and try to swim. Chances were that she would swiftly pass the tree in this water and end up over the falls with the large tree following her. Jump and try to fly. Chances were good she would go splat. Last was jump and try to land on the newly formed ice. Autumn bit her lip. She never trusted the stiff waters of the white sleep. She had seen many have to be pulled out of it without a moment to spare. Still it seemed there was no other real choice at hand and so she leaped.

As she took off from the tree it shifted again and a large root hit her in the back. It pushed her down to the water sooner then the ice. Her mind lased out in anger at nobody but everyone. It was a primal snarl. Like a wolf fighting for its life. She just couldn't believe her luck at the moment. The High Ones should see fit to send her all this help only to have her die anyway? As the soaked elfess poked her head out of the rushing waters she gasped for a breath and looked for something to cling to before she went under again. Defiance filled her mind as she spat out, *So help me High Ones if you see fit to let me die I will come to the palace and make you all miserable!*


Creek slowed for a second as he saw the rushing water suddenly begin to freeze. His eyes focused on the male elf that had shown up, it seemed from the cliff itself. But he didn't stop. The tree was still moving. He watched as the elfess tried to jump, and was glad he had kept running when she didn't make it. At least now, he was still slightly ahead.

Creek took a deep breath, not quite believing what he was about to do. 'High Ones, why am I doing this?' his mind shouted, but he took another breath, reached the bank just beyond the ice and jumped in, swimming as hard as he could toward the other elfess.

((1-10. 10-5 Creek saves Autumn. 1-4 he comes out empty handed. I don't feel like giving him a chance to die off this soon.))

Edit: ((2, man, Autumn, the High Ones must really not want you to get saved.))

Creek swam, kicking his legs to push himself toward the elfess, but the current was too strong. He could tell he wouldn't make it to her in time and would end up over the waterfall himself if he didn't turn around. His heart fought his head, saying it wasn't right to leave her, but his head won out. There was no sense in both of them dying. Angry at himself, he turned around, now swimming for the shore that was closer. He pulled himself onto the slightly flooded bank, chest heaving from the struggle. Creek didn't look back, he didn't think he could take seeing her go over the cliff.

Once more came the request for a location. Autumn clung to a bit of drifting wood as she sent one last time she thought before her trip over the falls. *Here, in the water. About to go over the falls.* She came to accept her fate but wasn't at all happy over it. Her mind growled and grumbled. A third voice she thought. How strange that so many should be here and unable to do anything. Still if she was on the shore and another was in the water what could she do? Not much she supposed. Still Autumn got to see a new type of magic before her end and that was neat. This wasn't at all the way she thought to meet her end. Then she thought about if she didn't die going over the falls. What if she just lay at the bottom broken and suffering for a while. Yes, a swift death would be better then suffering at least. Before long she was flung over the side. Now in free fall green eyes opened wide looking into the tempest below. A smirk graced full lips as her hair flew wildly. Oh how she wished she could howl as one open sent howl ripped through the minds of all. It was mournful and longing but defiant to the end. *AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

Cliffs. Stream.

River. Tree.

Gave him enough to look. His eyes squinted as he sought out his destination. Heart beats he waited, hoping to time the gusting winds.

In a tiny lull, Savith shoved off and rocketed himself to the cliff's top, and sought the cover of the low lying brush found there, hoping to use it to help keep the winds from flinging him about like a wet chicken-hawk. Once there, his mind sought out the foreign mind he'd felt before with an open send flung out as far as his mind could make it.

**I am here, where are you?**

No sooner had the though formed and fled his mind than the red head washed past him, over the edge and the howl hit his mind. Without a thought he turned in midair and dove after. Winds be damned, there was an elf to catch! His eyes narrowed as he flung himself, fighting the wind gusts, toward his target.

As he neared the falling elfess, Savith reached out and grabbed her bodily about the waist. As he fought gravity and wind both, he took his eyes off the elfess, and turned them to the water rushing up to greet them. He rolled, putting his back to the ground as he strained with the effort of pulling them up from the free-fall dive. He skimmed the surface of the water with his back, thankful for the headwind that slowed him down as he drew near the edge of the pool. The pull-up continued, and the two arched upward, back into the ferocious winds. Again Savith struggled, getting tossed and shoved along as he worked toward the cave that housed them all. His mind leaped out ahead of him, to the most familiar of the bunch: **Mother! I have her! Come to the cave-mouth and catch her. I'm going back to try to find Blaze.**

Meanwhile, back in the cave...

Llune has managed to coax the dying embers into a orangey-red pile of hot coals. There are no flames, but that's hardly necessary to create enough heat for tea and possibly warming someone up. Llune places a few clean, smooth stones next to the fire so that they can start heating, then fills a tightly woven basket with water and various herbs.

Through all these activities Llune hums softly under her breath, not so loudly that she might wake Peyote, but audibly enough that the sounds may (hopefully) soothe Dancer and Dewpaw. In all honestly, Llune is a bit excited to meet new people, since she does not truly understand the magnitude of the storm. Here in the cave she feels safe and sound, and frankly, quite at home. She is lost in her thoughts, and possibly sends, as she wordless hums and prepares some nice warm tea for anyone that might like it.

Dewpaw jumped up when she hears there are more elves, her excitment clearly visible, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. *Another elf!* she ran to the cave entrance, staring out into the storm and struggling to see past teh blanket of rain. Savith adn blaze had already left, adn she wanted to go to, to join them. But she knew she could not fight the storm like they could. "Another elf" she muttered, still staring out into the night.

*Llune, do you think they can get to the other elf? Its bad out there. I wonder who teh other elf is? Maybe she's a wolfrider or a catelf, or a sun folk. I'd love to meet more. I haven't met many elves outside my tribe and now you guys. Do you think there could be another type of elf, one as different as the fishie?* Dewpaw was sending rapid fire questions, a old habit she did whenever she was truly nervous.

Dancer took a few deep slow breaths. Nobody was as of yet gone so she started to calm down outwardly anyway. All Dew's questions made her smile a bit and she came over to sit by Llune and DewPaw. "Tea sounds...." Then she hears the howl in her head. "I think that answers one of the questions anyway." Her eyes drift to the cave opening and Dancer bites her lip. "I hope they come back soon."


Savith struggled, getting tossed and shoved along as he worked toward the cave that housed them all. His mind leaped out ahead of him, to the most familiar of the bunch: **Mother! I have her! Come to the cave-mouth and catch her. I'm going back to try to find Blaze.** The send flickered and stammered as he tried to keep himself and his cargo moving in a straight (HA!) and steady (AS IF!) line to the cave's entrance.

As he neared, the keen of eye would notice the feathers of his uniform pulled every which way, wet, broken, and looking like they are clinging for dear life. Tiny knicks and scratches on the exposed skin of his face and chest (since the top part of his uniform is opened and detached from the pants, per a previous scene) bleed freely into the rain that pelts him.

Autumn grunted as she felt the grip about her midsection. It made her blink and she looked down first. She saw legs past her legs. Looking behind her she saw him. He was lean with redish brown hair that lashed at his face. His form was long and even with all the goings on Autumn took time in her heartbeat of a look to study those eyes a moment. Grayish green and set with determination. Could it be? She called to the High Ones and here one was to help her? He fits the ticket and she is in aw. Autumns jaw hangs slack for a bit as they sway and thrash about in the air. Then her brain snaps back into action. She watches close where they are going and lets her mind touch his lightly. Almost as if she wasn't good enough to be inside his thoughts, *Thank you for my life High One.*






Before Llune can even begin answering Dew's series of questions, or even comment on Dancer's seemingly good health, Savith's send is received and answered with a stern mental nod. Llune rises abruptly and moves to the mouth of the cave, gently tapping Dew on the shoulder to indicate she should move aside for a moment.

Through the dark, and the wind, and the nearly-horizontal rain, Llune strains her eyes to see the approaching duo. She locksends to Savith, **I am here, at the mouth of the cave...** There is a pause as Llune waits for Savith and his cargo to arrive, not daring for a moment to ask after Blaze - it is as if her asking would confirm her fears.

Luckily the coals are warm and bright, and the rocks are very nearly warm enough to brew an herbal tea. In her infinite wisdom, Llune chose herbs that were soothing as well as pain relieving, just in case. As soon as she could get this new elf inside she would start the tea brewing and then see to the new member of their group.

Savith spared Autumn the briefest of heartbeats as his mother's mind brushed against his own, gifting her with a faint grin. A wordless acknowledgement of her thanks was given minds sharing only briefly. And in the brief touch was the stain of the task at hand. He dropped even with the cave mouth and pushed Autumn from him, holding her aloft with mind until Llune's could take hold. He held there until he no longer felt the winds tugging at the other elf's body before he allowed it to whisk him away, guiding himself back toward teh cliff above.

Dancer watched Llune close. While Llune stood waiting Dancer looked to DewPaw, "I think we will have another WolfRider in the group to share your ways with us Dew." She smiled warmly at the youth. Dancers face still looked a bit flushed and worry shown clear in her eyes still she never mentioned the fear that was inside her for the two who were still out there. High Ones protect them was all she said inside her mind. She would call out to them but didn't want to distract either, should it be a fatal distraction.






Once Llune saw Savith holding the new elf out by magic, she hurried to take hold, so as to relieve Savith from the dual task of holding himself and the other elf aloft at the same time. It was more difficult than she had anticipated, pulling her in through the wind and the rain. Llune grasped the cave wall with one hand as she concentrated on brining the other elf in, reaching out the other hand as sweat broke out on her brow. **I have her,** said the send, the essence of sheer will within it.


Again Autumns jaw hung slack as she drew closer to the cave. Another High One? She was tall and beyond beautiful to her. How could it be that these two amazing beings should be in this hovel of a cave. What of the others who tried to save her? Was the male High One going to save them as well? Autumn hoped so. As her feet touched the ground at the mouth of the cave Autumn again felt like her mind was unworthy of reaching out but had to inspite of that. *Thank you High One. You honnor me by saving my meger life.* Stepping forward on shakey legs Autumn dropped to a knee. Gingerly she lifted the hem of Llunes dress and touched it to her cheek before letting it fall. In her mind she thought to herself how blessed she must be.

Llune reaches down to the new elf, sending cheerfully, not understanding Autumn's reverence in the slightest, and send-speaks, "**Come in, come in, out of the storm..." Her hand brushes the little elfess on the top of the head, "**What is your name, little one?**"

Llune moves toward the fire after a moment, with Autumn welcome to join if she so desired... "**Would you like a warm bit of tea? And perhaps something to dry off with?**"

Dancer watched Llune at the cave opening. When she strained Dancer stood and moved closer in case Llune needed any sort of help. She chuckled a bit inwardly seeing Autumn take a knee and all to Llune. Dancer looked past the two to the outside. She was still thinking of Savith and Blaze and wanted them to come back soon and safe. Looking to the new elf Dancer said in a sleepy sounding but cheerful voice, "Yes, come get dry and warm. You are welcomed here."  

[ChosenSavith]

Autumn stared long and hard at Llune. She knew this one. This was truly a High One to touch her in her very dreams the way she did. It must have been a vision of the meeting they were now having. Truly Autumn felt blessed at the moment. Then the gentle one touched her mind causing Autumn to look up at her again. *You.... You know my name don't you High One? W..... We met before. In the Midnight Woods.* The new elfess was given a slight nod as Autumn seemed entranced by Llune. Her wet body started to shiver now and she felt a bit light headed. Then she noticed the young one near the fire and smiled brightly rushing over to hug her tight. Autumn could sniff out a wolf cub a mile away. *The High Ones saved you as well cub? How wonderful!* Her send overjoyed at suddenly seeing and feeling so many elves still alive.




Back in the storm…

Sitting waist deep in freezing water, Blaze's head was held above water by nothing but thick vegetation, his mind dead to the outside world in an instinctive attempt to stabilize his body. His chest rose sporadically and shallowly, bare to the vicious rain. But beneath his skin, his mind was still sputtering, a matchlight in the night.

**So cold... No fire no heat no sun no life no mind no food no love. Sleep, wait for sunheat...** **Cold, betrayed, alone.** **Maybe I die?** **No. Hold on. Live. You were ever a fighter.** His delirious send rose in volume, a thin, defiant scream into the storm. **I will live, you hear! Live!**


Creek clenched his eyes shut tighter as the howling send rung in his head. He had failed to save her, and he knew he'd be angry with himself, even though he had done waht he could. He cursed at himself as he pulled himself completely out of the water and to his knees. He shook his head, trying to clear the water from his eyes long enough to glance around when another send struk him, this one even more intense than the dying howl. He glanced over back to where the ice had been, some of it still visible on the water. The elf that was standing there was now in the water. *high ones! not again!* He jumped up, feet slipping in teh mud, as he ran toward the otehr elf. *hold on!* he sent as he reached the other elf. he could reach him from teh bank, but barely, he didn't feel like even touching teh cold water again. *I'm pulling you in* He grabbed the elf's arm and started to pull him from teh water.


As Creek pulled his comatose body from the freezing waters, the only apparent sign of life coming from the orange-haired elf was a whisper of a breath every few moments. Limp and wet as a dishrag, Blaze's body slid bumping out of the water, his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes open, but unseeing. He might not have seen, or heard Creek, but the elf's body held heat. The firestarter's mind reached out for it, tugging on it like an invisible garment, trying to take it. If Creek wasn't too numb from the rain, he would have felt a painful tingle in his hands as the heat was slowly pulled from them. Had Blaze been concious, he would have never done such a thing, but operating on basic survival instincts, Creek's warmpth was no different from that of the sun, and Blaze wanted it, and had the means to take it.

Creek had managed to get the other elf safely onto shore and out of the water when a sudden pain shot through his hands. He yanked them away from the other elf, not quite sure what had happened. He had seen the elf make ice, but he wasn't sure what type of magic was used. creek had seen tree-shaping, adn he himself could use finding magic. He had even seena healer once, when meeting a second plainsrunner tribe, but he hadn't seen ice. that made him slightly afraid of the elf he just rescued from the water, but at the same time, he couldn't leave the elf to freeze.

Creek had heard otehr sends, but he didn't know who they were, or where they were. And the only shelter he could think of was the canvas tent and rock shelter he had made not far from there. *Guess you're coming with me* he reached out again, grabbing the elf, and pulling him closer. *Gotta get you dry and warm.*


As the send brushed the fireshaper's dormant mind, he stirred, and a quiet, almost gentle send rippled out to in response. **Dry...** The stirring gave way to a rumbling shift, and the send was replaced by an expectant feeling of waiting.

As Creek's hand came in contact with his arm again, Blaze again tried to siphon off the Plainsrunner's body heat. His body had made use of the quick shot of heat he'd pulled away before, and his mind had become fixated on the heatsource. Perhaps somewhere hidden he knew it was another elf, and perhaps he didn't care either way. Creek would have felt something much like grabbing hold of a peice of brightmetal left out in the snow overnight as Blaze reflexiveley pulled away another scrap of heat, and possible even a headache as his body cooled by a fraction of a degree. Yet as swift as it had come, the moment passed. Heating something too quickly could do more damage than the steady cold ever could, and Blaze had had enough for the moment, his mind folding back in on itsself, silent.

After making his delivery at the cave mouth, the glider made his way back tot he river, wind-whipped and rain-soaked as the rest. The high gusting winds knocked him this way and that, but he fought through it, eyes and mind searching for Blaze. The flicker of a thought barely brushed at Savith's senses but gave the glider enough to battle the gusts and make his way over. When he spotted Creek Runner, it brought Savith up in momentary shock. Another elf! But the shock was mistimed, for a gust of wind battered him and he overshot the pair slightly, grunting as he grabbed one of the trunk of a nearby tree to keep from getting ripped up into its branches. **No time for formalities, Cousin,** the glider sent as he clung to the tree for a moment, mind straining as one's voice would in such a gale. **Stay low and make your way to the edge of the cliff. Your friend is safe in the cave with the rest. We should make our way there as well, and quickly. The winds are getting stronger.** He pushed himself from the tree when he felt that lull in the gusts and made his way over, staying as low to the ground as he could, hands keeping a grip on the plants as he went.

creek released his hold on the other elf once more. His arms felt numb, worse than they had before. The sudden temperature change made him shake as he drew away from the elf. Creek glanced up as a shadow passed over him, something in the corner of his eye. He couldn't make out what it was, but was glad to hear a send. Another elf was welcome, especially when he offered a place to go. Although, Creek wasn't sure why the elf wanted him to go toward the cliff. *I can't hold this elf. Whenever I do, something happens. I think I can drag him though, but I can't get down a cliff with him.* Creek had seen carriers made, even made some himself, animal skin strecthed between two long branches to carry a fallen elf or even just a day's hunt. But he knew he didn't have the time or supplies to make one now. Instead, he pulled his shirt off- he was already soaked, so it was doing little for him. Creek placed the shirt around the elf's back and under his armpits. He hoped he could drag him without touching him again.

As Creek replied, Savith neared. He studied the plains runer briefly, then nodded. **Good idea,** the glider replied. **Let's get to the cliff edge. I'll get us down from there.** And then pass out. Fighting this wind is hard work.

As Creek slipped his shirt under him, Blaze remained inert and inofensive. The distance between them, small as it was, was far enough to prevent him from causing Creek any more grief. Freezing the water was something he'd never tried before in such magnitude, and the toll it had taken on his body would stay with him for some time. His chin tilted into his chest as Creek began to drag him, and his eyelids slid gently closed. Bumping over sticks and rocks, his mind was distant inside himself, slowly re-establishing it's connection with his body. If Creek of Savith tried to send or pick his mind, they would have found nothing but cold stone, a shield against all but the most determined meddling.

Creek too studied the other elf, but he quickly decided now wasn't the time to get acquainted. He nodded, *Thank you. But how can you climb in these inds with anotehr elf to carry?* Creek didn't think he could even climb with just himself. Still, he headed for the cliff, seeing no other real solution, although he hated leaving his stuff back at his make-shift tent. he had only grabbed his bow adn arrows, everything else was left behind. He glanced at teh cliff edge, they were just about there and no path had suddenly materialized to help get down.







Savith smirked despite himself, having taking up Blaze's feet to help carry the comatose elf. He had only enough touching between them to help split his mind to the task. **I don't climb,** he replied, amusement flavoring his send lightly as they reached the edge. **I fly.** He stood a momet to look over the edge and toward the cave. As the wind whipped at hsi hair, the glider frowned and took a breath. This was going to hurt. **Grab my back,** he stated as he reached down to heft Blaze into his arms. **I'll not be able to focus on holding both of you aloft and fight these winds.**


Creek almost stopped when Savith said fly, if it weren't for the wind and rain pounding on him, he would have. At first, he couldn't responde. Elves couldn't fly. He knew that. run, yes, ride no-umps, sure. Climb, hunt, swim, dig, but not fly. that was left to the birds and insects. When they reached the edge, Creek still didn't know how to respond. *Maybe I should climb..* he started, but he wasn't too sure about that either. He shrugged, figuring he had already trusted teh other elf this far *Umm... let me know if you need me to climb.* With that, he grabbed onto the otehr elf.


Savith gritted his teeth at the added weight and burden. He shook his head in reply, grunting as he pushed from the ground. **Just... hang.. on,** his mind ordered brokenly. He was focused on keeping the group aloft. They lifted from the ground, then over the cliff edge. It was far from a smooth ride as Savith fought the wind gusts and stinging rain. He struggled to move them, struggled to keep them from getting tumbled end over end by the wind while still moving them closer to the cave. It was hard going as the surf rose higher. He ducked behind a bit of rock, hovering there in the protective outcropping. His whole frame was shaking as he took in ragged gasping breaths. He almost closed his eyes, almost let himself sink down into darkness. It mase him sink a foot or two before he forced himself steady again, lifted his chin, and looked for his landing spot. There, just out of easy climbing reach, was the cave's ledge. His mind tried to reach out, his flight faltering as he split his attention. It stayed his sending, so that he recollected himself, and with one final breath, pushed out into the stormy weather again and tried to beeline it for the cave.

Back at the cave…

Long minutes after Savith dropped Autumn off, that sense of magic once again heralds his approach. Faltering, unsteady, shaking, magic sputtering, the glider hauls himself and his cargo into the cave. In his arms is Blaze, whom he all but drops in an unceremonious heap as he crumples over him just inside the protective shelter. His arms catch him and almost crumple from the weight of the plainrunner on his back. A wordless, exhausted, pained send ripples from him: a worldess plea for help.

Dancer shook her head a little as Autumn seemed overjoyed about everything. It was almost irritating somehow or was that just the effects of the fever still? She wasn't sure. Then Savith seemed to be thrown into the cave by the winds outside. "Oh" She jumped a moment being started from her thoughts. Still she was quick to rush over and help each elf as best she could. Helping Creek off Savith. Helping Savith to just sit up against a wall for a moment and then poor Blaze. He seemed to need the most help. Her mind reaching into his and poking about for him as she called out lightly. *Blaze. Blaze answer me please. Let me pull you from the darkness as you helped me.* She placed his head in her lap and started rubbing his skin to warm it up. Switching between that and stripping him of his wet things.

Llune's night vision is not the greatest, and though she could make out the small form of the new elfess, perhaps the color of her hair, she could not make out any distinct facial features. But as Autumn's mind touched hers again, with a reference to a dream, Llune grew pale with recognition, **Yes... I...**

But before any thoughts could go further, Savith was in the opening, burded by the weight of two extra elves. Like Dancer, Llune rushes to his side, helping to peel the other (new!!) elf from his back and making sure his whole body made it in out of the rain. With Dancer seeing to Blaze, Llune sends warm, calming thoughts - like a napping in a patch of sunshine, or a soak in a hot spring - to the pair as she looks them over while firing questions rapidly, "**Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Can I help? What do you need?**" She checks them over with an untrained eye for wounds, but her inexperience with this sort of thing makes it a useless checkup, even if they *are* wounded.

"**There is a small fire and...**" she stretches to the now-very-hot stones with her magic and plops them in the large basket, "**warm tea, food, dry blankets...**" She is clearly distressed, these three in much worse shape than the first to arrive, and one of them her son! "**Come, you must rest...**"

Dewpaw stood back at first, close enough to teh fire to stay warm, but as out of the way as she could get. She merely nodded whnever someone spoke to her, deciding it would be better to just wait. When the new elfess suddenly ran to ehr adn hugged her, Dew was briefly confused. She had been more cautious when she had first come here, although, she had also met elves she had never seen, not anotehr wolfrider. But he shock quickly passed adn she squeezed the other elfess in return. *Another wolfrider!* Dew sent, excited, but followed with confusion *High Ones? Dancer and Savith saved me.* She sent an image of Dancer and Savith and pointed to Dancer as she did. ((Well, they sorta saved her...))

Dew was about to ask about the elfess's wolfbond when Savith came, or fell, into teh cave once more. instinctively, she broke way from Autumn and ran to Savith, not noticing the new elf (One-track mind). *Savith? Savith... you okay?* her send drecnched with worry for teh elf she had become very close to. *You shouldn't push yourself* she sent, trying to be stern, like a little kid when she tells her dad that he has to cut the crust off.

Creek tried to roll off Savith's back the way he learned to get off of a no-hump, but found it harder, his body being as sore as it was from the winds. He felt two pairs of hands help him and someone was sending to him, but it was all abit hazy in his head. He pushed himself up on his knees and forced his eyes to open, not quite sure when he closed them in the first place. Soon, the flickering fire and the elves infront of him became clear, as did the frantic sends. He felt bad that the elfess infront of him seemed so concerned about him when he knew the others had done a lot more than he did and had pushed themselves harder. He glanced at the elf that had carried him, noticing a youngling crouching by him. His eyes then moved to the other elf, the one that made the ice, and the elfess by him. Finally they drifted around to the elfess infront of him, tall like the one that could fly, and behind her, he could see the one that was in the river. But he focused on the elfess before him. *I'm fine, thank you. But the other two... they did more and...* he coudln't quite get his thoughts straight at the moment. *They need help, I'm fine.* he finally stated, still looking at the tall elfess. He was so out of it, he didn't even remember to introduce himself or ask about his tribe.

Blaze's mind stirred at Dancer's send, a familiar, comforting feeling. The heat from her chafing his body was not felt in his nerves, but rather his magic picked it up, so sensitive his mind was from being stripped raw in the freezing of the floodwaters. The heat bit like cold water on a scorching day, but it was a good pain, and Blaze foced his mind to stay open, and not curl tightly closed again. Behind the sealed corridors between his body and conciousness, he knew there waited a flood of pain of the more physical type. But he could keep those doors closed a bit longer.

**...love? Is that you?** Delirious from hypothermia, the Nomad's mind dredged up a peice of memory to fit in with the sensation of the foreighn mind. He had no idea who he was sending to. **So cold...**

Dancer's heart ached hearing his send. She knew all to well the dangers of shocking him with the outright truth but still there was no lie in a send. Softly and with all the tenderness she could put forth she answered him. *I know your cold Blaze. If you need take some heat from me.* Her mind was reaching to hold his. Like a warm embrace. Full of worry and consern. She hoped that someone would bring her anything to help warm him but dare not leave him.

Savith leans back into the wall with an exhausted groan. His legs were stretched out in front of him, hands flat against the rock beneath him, eyes shut tight. His whole face read of exhausted pain.

**Whole. Everywhere. Blaze, warm, blanket. Me, rest. Cousin... ??...** Savith's mind tried to reply to Llune's rapid-fire questions, training overcoming the exhaustion. **Rest here,** he seemed to state, clearly more that he was too exhausted to move further than because this was a good place to rest.

His head lolled toward Dewpaw as she seemed to skitter to his side. He fought the agonizing fatigue to lift a hand toward her face, cupping a cheek in his hand. **Had to, cub. Too few. No other way,** his mind supplied, again his training to give a report forcing his mind to give up reasons and answers when it'd really rather just black out.

Blaze's mind relaxed. Fond memories surfaced and replayed themselves in his mind, the feeling of warm bodies on summer nights, and Blaze inadvertently got Dancer back a little for the view she'd sent him and Llune of Crosscurrent. Still very much out of it, he sent gently, almost expectantly. **...i'd like that, love.** His mind lazily moved to goad his body into action, and the channels opened.

The pain from his cooled body hit him like a rain of blacrock shards, and his mind flooded with suffering. The mental scream was accompanied by a silent one as his body tensed and shuddered, and his face, relaxed and pleasant in its unfeeling, contorted into a mask of rage. **GET OUT! I'LL TEAR YOU APART!** The send was masked and muffled in a red haze, but it's meaning was clear enough in it's intensity, and as fate would have it he'd opted for a locksend, so Dancer would have felt the full force of his mad pain.

The talking and the sending do very little to rouse the heavy sleeper that is this sun villager. Nope, she just snuggles back down into one of Savith's winter blankets she swiped and keeps snoring softly.

Dancer relaxed as Blaze's send was warm and soft. She smiled and chuckled at the visions she was getting from him. The feelings were very warm and fuzzy. That is until she went stiff. Her hands clenched whatever body part she was holding at the moment. Then came the scream. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" His full on pain rushed to her mind and all through her body. Needless to say she ripped her mind from his. When it was over she let him go and fell over in a heap. Her body shook as she sobbed.

Savith blinks and looks over at the scream. o.O what th-?

Well, that's one way to wake an elfess. At Dancer's scream, Peyote screams a bit herself as she bolts up, holding the blanket up to her chest as if hiding. Her eyes are wide and she stares about in the dark-dark cave in clueless shock.

Blaze lay curled tightly into the fetal position, his his hands clutching the side of his skull, experiencing what could have been quite possibly the worst brainfreeze in the history of elves. As soon as Dancer broke her mind free, his sends opened up, althoug more diluted because of it. **-GET OUT OF ME! HIGH ONES, IT HURTS!** The first wave passed, Blaze settled for sobbing brokenly, his mind a turmoil of images that were impossible to nail down.

Blaze barely contained a second outburst, too confused to send, and preocupied with learning to breathe over again, each breath of the warm air of the cave searing his lungs. "...bloody mess I've made...sorry..."

Peyote stares at Blaze a bit, as he curls up and grabs his head. His send scream, loud enough that even her send-deaf mind could get the barest sense of, pulled her to her feet. Taking the blanket with her, she moves over and looks at Dancer. "What's wrong," she asks, brows pulled together in concern. "Is he cold," she wonders aloud as she drops to a knee to put her blanket on him. Her finger tips brush his ice-like skin, and she gasps, "Sun Bless me! He's colder than midnight!"

Then comes the seckond send to a raked raw mind. "AAAAAHHHHHH" She started to shrink away from him more. Her own hands over her ears. That is untill something in her says no. Something in her makes her move closer to the pained Blaze. A trembling hand reaches out and touches his body. Something in her flowed to him. It wasn't strong or powerful but she needed to try.

Dewpaw moves into Savith's hand, hoping to make it easier for him before shifting to sit closer, *Fine, but you even think about going out again and I'll tie you down* her send still had that "stern" attitude. She heard Dancer scream and turned quickly to look only to feel Blaze's send stirke her and nearly knock her over. She wasn't as strong as the adults, so it hit her harder. She instictively put her hadns over her ears and curled in on herself, inching yet closer to the glider next to her.




Autumn sat near the little fire. She watched until Dancer screamed. Getting to her feet she was quickly trying to think of how to help. The second send hit her mind but she was able to stay well focused. Moving to Blaze she finished stripping him and wrapped him tightly in any blankets she could find and pulled him closer to the fire. Looking at Pey she sent *Watch him. Keep him from rolling into the fire.* Going back over to the group huddled by the opening she looked at Dancer. Autumn hefted the sobbing mass into her arms and brought her as well over near the fire. *You are safe now young one. Your friend hurt you but you know he isn't right at the moment. Give him time.* The send was soft and gentle. The feeling of consern flowed freely from the new stranger. Her eyes lifted to look around the cave and she moved to Dewpaw. Tenderly and softly she sent, *Cub, are you alright now?* She reached out and pet Dew's head lightly while she looked at Savith with wide eyes. Still the aww of the High Ones right before her shone bright in her stare.

Savith winced at Blaze's open send, one eye closing while he turned his face from the other elf. His upper lip curled up as he hissed through his teeth. The hand that was on Dew's cheek stays lifted as she itched toward him, only to drop lightly to her shoulders in a fatherly 'I hide you' motion. But he makes no move to get up and help anyone else.
Peyote dropped to her knees to finish getting Blaze all wrapped up warm when it occurred to her... he might not be able to get warm himself right now. She saw it happen once. Someone thought it'd be a good idea to take a swim in the hot pools early one evening and when they got out, fell asleep at the pool's edge. It took lots of warm tea and two elfess at his sides to get him to warm up. "It's alright, Blaze," she said over the sending, helping Autumn get him by the fire's side before stripping herself, "we'll get you all warmed up, you'll see." She looked at Autumn now, smiling and while hte other elfess sent toward Dancer, Peyote said aloud, "Thanks."

Nekkid, the villager crawls into the blanket next to Blaze and pressed against his frozen Butterball-esque form, gasping as she does so.

Dewpaw only nodded to the new elfess, her mind still hurting from the send adn not wanting to try to reach out just now. But Autumn's stare of "awe" at Savith made Dew suddenly move. She gently pulled Savith's arm around her, not just on her shoulder, and moved herself between the two.

Still trying to catch his breath, Savith doesn't balk at Dewpaw's motions. In fact, he clasps his hands together to keep the wet noodles that were his arms from dropping to his sides. With Blaze being seen to, Savith's eyes drop closed again and his head sinks back against the rock wall behind him.

Still to out of it to notice much of anything going on, Blaze pushed Dancer's mind and her seemingly ineffective attempt at healing away, though he strained to do it. All he wanted at the moment was darkness, warmpth, and quiet. He didn't protest to being stripped or wound up like a caterpillar in blankets; he hadn't the energy, their intentions were good, and, more importantly, they were doing what he would have done for himself if he could. Unable to pull the heat into himself, he settled for letting his body heat itsself naturally. Then Peyote crawled in with him, her warm body pleasant against his freezing skin, and quite welcome for its heat and the simple feeling of security it gave him, on top of knowing, in the back of his mind, that she was the one person his sends couldn't hurt. He cracked open an eye and whsipered a quiet thanks, before shifting slighty against her and passing out, his drowsy mind venturing an exhausted smile of a send to everyone. **Oh, lay off. I will not die that easy.**

As Blaze's mind brushed hers she gasped and pulled her mind away from his touch as best she could. Dancer was well shaken still and didn't trust his send wouldn't come on waves of pain. Slowly she opened her eyes and felt the tears run from them silently. Trying to remain unnoticed she made her way again to the darkest corner of the cave to sit alone. She knew Dew would be good in Saviths care and that the new elf along with Llune would tend the others. Her head still pounded and the tingle in her body hadn't fully left just yet. In the darkness she reached out her mind to the only one she wanted every time something really hurt her, Crosscurrent. Her mind was weak and she knew she most likely wouldn't reach him but still had to try. *Crosscurrent. Please my friend, reach me. I hurt so badly. Just a soft word would help so much.* Her send flowed with sadness, pain and a feeling of loneliness. Confusion twisted in her as well. Yes Blaze didn't know what he was doing, or did he? She had felt his mind threaten her before when she tried to get to close to it. Did his mind bite her on purpose? She didn't know and at the moment didn't care. He would be fine in time and she was glad of that but wanted noting more to do with his minds touch.

Llune had knelt beside her son and the new elf for but a moment when Dancer's scream, then Blaze's raw send ripped through the cave, Llune labored to show no sign of the pain it caused. Sweat beaded upon her brow, and her demeanor was ashen and serious... But aside from that, she kept working, stripping Savith out of his largest, wettest clothing items and wrapping one of his winter blankets around him and Dewpaw. The still-damp-but-mostly-dry absorbent cloth used on Dancer and Starsong earlier was passed to the new male elf, as well as a mostly-whole fur blanket. When the new elfess - still so familiar - dragged Blaze to the fire, Llune helped with a lift from her magic, before turning her attention back to her son, her look asking "Will you be okay," though she said nothing.

In the wake of the sending storm, and everyone's clear distress, Llune opened her mind softly and sent a calming, "mommy loves you," sort of vibe openly to the entire group, non-invasively, but simply there to bask in if anyone so desired. Softly, half in send, half gently audibly, Llune hummed a happy tune, wordless but uplifting...

Once Savith and Dew had been draped in the blanket, Llune moved toward the hot coals (for it wasn't really a fire, persay, not nearly enough fuel), and began to ladle hot tea into various drinking utensils brought from the gathering hut supplies. Her send was still open, and her humming still soft, when she rose, her hands full, and lifted the additional cups with her magic and moved to Savith's side. "Here," she said, offering her son, Dewpaw, and the new elf each a cup of the steaming, sweet-smelling liquid, "It will warm you."

And then she was off, moving to the other members of the cave to give each of them a hot cup of tea as well. "Come, new friends and old, let us warm each other beside the coals," she looked at each in turn, smiling in a reassuring, warm, motherly-calming sort of way, hoping that everyone would gather around the warm center of the cave and snuggle up and forget all about the painful sends and the craziness of the night so far. She sat on the other side of Blaze, leaned against him and wrapped a free arm around both him and Peyote, finishing with, "Tell us, you two, how did you reach us here during such a storm?"

Autumn took her handed tea and sipped. Warm and yummy it moved down her throat and felt like it was warming her all over. She stood and moved to the small circle of warmth. She also looked like a drowned rat but let those who needed the blankets more have them. Eventually she would dry. At Llunes beckon for how they got here she smiled. *Did you not send me a vision of others High One? Was it not you and the other who brought us all here?* Animal eyes reflect the little light made by the coals as she sipped her tea. The send was a primal feeling of wonder and curiosity. Llune could see the head c**k to one side as Autumn asked the questions then went back to drinking. Then she looked to Pey and Blaze and smiled. *Hope you're doing a good job keeping him warm there. He tried so hard to help me.* Green eyes lifting back to Llune to await her answer.

Dewpaw liked being held by Savith, it was comforting. And the blanket llune draped over them was warm. *thank you* she sent *I promise I'll take care fo him* she let llune know with a calming nudge to teh mind taht there were two evles she didn't have to worry about right now. She accepted the tea, taking a minute to find a way to drink teh tea without knocking the blanket off of her or Savith (the hardest part of the task). Finally, she figured it out adn gratefully sipped at the tea.

Savith didn't balked at his mother stripped him of the top part of the uniform, though he did give her a hint of that shy 'I'm not in trouble, am I, Mommy' half grin as the top of what had once been a one-piece uniform clearly comes away without the pants. He tries to hide it by nodding to her question, lips whispering, "I will be, Mother. Just need to rest." The blanket is taken, the male glider shifting with faint grunts and groans to try to get it settled on him and the cub at his side. When the blankets and cub are settled and the tea is brought, Savith takes it with a murmurred thanks, bringing it up to sip at. He only half listens to the sent conversation going on about him as his eyes drift shut. A heartbeat passes. The hand holding the cup lowers. Savith starts himself awake, eyes snapping open and the tea returning to his lips for another sip.

Peyote smiles at Blaze when he whispers at her, not acknowledging any send coming her way. In fact, she seems to talk when people are sending at her, and usually to someone else. In this case, as Autumn sends in her direction, Peyote doesn't even look back in her direction. Instead, she focuses on Blaze, bringing her hands up to rub at his chest and torso.

Alone in her dark corner Dancer cried silently. One night and Fire Bright was also greatly missed. Llunes send of warm Motherly love was like flower petals on Dancers thoughts. It was nice and she embraced it but still kept to herself. She drifted from thought to thought till she slumped over asleep. Tired from the goings on, the attack on her being and the fever might still be showing it's last little affects.

Llune blinked at the little elfess, partly misunderstanding the send, partly oblivious to Autumn's suggestion that she's a high one, **Oh, I suppose Savith brought you to the cave, and I brought you in, but I was thinking more along the lines of how you reached this general area...** Then, more privately, Llune sent to Autumn, **Peyote can not send or receive sends, my dear, I am sorry...**

Again Autumns head cocks in that puppy way that says Huh? She never heard of an elf unable to send. Maybe not a strong sender but to not be able to do it at all, odd. Still many things she was learning this night were odd to say the least. Then her brow furrowed and she frowned a little. It would be a hard thing to communicate with the dark elfess. A barrier Autumn would have to work at fixing if the other seemed interested in speaking to her as well. Then she cast her gaze back to Llune and asked quietly, *Could you tell her then to tend well that one who nearly gave his life to try and save mine?* The send was slightly frustrated that it had to be delivered by another and for the first time Autumn felt her lack of speech as a burden. Sipping her tea she looked around the cave again. This time it was a slow account of each elf. Her mind putting a scent to each one and trying to put names she heard to faces she saw.


Creek had moved to sit against the wall, muslces slightly sore from the swim, and the fact that he had just arrived to teh forest when he had heard the send for help. He hadn't rested yet after the day's travels. But he figured he owed these elves something, after all, they had saved the life of anotehr elf adn the flyer may have saved him. He accepted the tea with a nod, not one for many words. His mind had briefly drifted back to his temporary camp, where all of his stuff, save his bow and aroows, was. Everything had had managed to save from the remains of his tribe's last village post. The few things they had missed when they moved on. He sighed, mad that not only had he not found his tribe but that he also managed to lose all he had left of them. He snapped back to the present and the cave when llune asked again how the two new elfs had come to be here. *I'm Creek Runner. I was looking for my tribe. We've been near here before, so I hoped to find them,* he sent openly, leaving it at that. Already he ahd said more than he usually did, he was usually quiet and used as few words as possible.