> >> >>>>>Greyspear left the middle of the circle before it had a chance to
scatter and went right to his daughter's side. His vision was so tunnel-like
from all the grief and pain he'd opened up to that he couldn't see her face
clearly, or who she was talking to, but he approached her nontheless,
remembering tears in her eyes not long before. ~**Daughter?**~<<<<
> >> >
> >> >>>>>>One-Edge leaned on Longsong, the two of them supporting each other
while sitting on the howling circle. But she didn't have an ounce of mind to
even be aware of it. Her thoughts were all on Sweetbreeze. She looked in front
of her, looking at Sweetbreeze running around with a big smile on his face.
Laughing. The pain in One-Edge's chest was beyond tears. She had howled for her
son, shedding tears, but that wasn't enough. The pain had increased in her. And
now that was all she could feel while staring at the ghost images of the
cub.<<<<
> >> >
> >> >"Should we perhaps go to the tent?" Longsong asked One-Edge in a hushed
tone of voice. Facing the world seemed too much to ask at the moment and all at
once Longsong only wanted to curl up and sleep until the sun never rose again.
Sweetbreeze's spirit kept flickering at the edge of his vision, darting out of
sight every time he tried to focus his eyes and memory on him. It hurt more than
any wound Longsong had ever had to suffer through.
> >> >


One-Edge let out a sound that could have meant anything. Somewhere in her
consciousness she had realized that someone had talked to her, thus an automatic
reply had appeared. But One-Edge had no registration of it.


> >> >>>>>IC ~ Silvereyes sniffled and tried to muffle her woes and stop her
trembling as she wiped her tears on her left arm sleeve.  she handed the (If
she has not already) wine container back to Dancingflame and gave her hand a
good squeeze then hugged her.  Hearing her Father send with his heavy
emotions fallowing his sending voice she nodded to Dancingflame and hoarsely
whispered Thank you to her before turning quick to catch her Father.  She
helped him to a near log or bench to sit with him a lil bit from the others
hugging him and let them cry together.<<<<
> >> >>>]
> >>>~**Father! I am here, I have you....Come and let's sit over here?**~ 
She suggested.  She eased him down first then herself.  She kept close and
left her mind open to him.  She wanted to be strong but this was not the time
for that she thought.<<<<
> >> >>>]
> >>>>~**Should you need something? Water...Anything?**~ Her own emotions still
showing and her eyes still fighting her tears.  Her emotions tightening her
throat and her trembling more in shifts now.  She hugged her Father firm at
his shoulders and hid her eyes on his shoulder letting it all go as she slid her
hip next to his. It seemed they both needed to living contact right now to share
an understanding that words could not express.<<<<
> >> >
> >> >For a long moment Greyspear simply sat, embracing his daughter and letting
the pain wash over him in waves. But Silvereyes' shivers brought him back to
himself, to his purpose. He was a father and as much as he wished to lay down
and not get up at that very moment, he had to. For her.
> >> >"Water sounds wonderful," he said to her, his voice thick with grief and
raw from crying. "I've lost a lot of that I fear. Who was it I pulled you away
from? They seemed to have a skin of some kind. Or was it a jar? Did they have
water?"
> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >Ic~  "Mmm, hmm." She answered not sure if her throat would let her
speak yeet.  she wiped at her eyes again and noticed...  "Oh!  Sorry
Father, (choke, cough) I made your shoulder damp."  She listened to him
answering after clearing her throat some to reclaim moisture to it.  "Eh? 
That was I think her name is Dancingflame?  She and her two companions
brought us some Dreamberry wine.  I had some (cough, cough)  It is very
good.  Would you like me to ask them for some for you?" 
> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >Her voice was clearing from cracking to rasping then more clear as her
nerves started to calm from the cool distraction.  she had not even realized
her trembling had slowed.  She looked from Dancingflame back to her Father
setting a hand to his shoulder.  "I do not mind."  Her other hand across
her belly as if it would some how possibly calm her nerves.  She hardly
hardly noticed she was holding her belly.   Her mind on so many
things.  Looking around she looked at the others still gathered then back to
her Father as he spoke.
> >> >
> >> >IC:  Gale sent one last good sending to those loved ones now
departed.  He looked to Squirrel and the cubs and said, "It was a good howl
for our friends to let them know we think of them.  But for myself right now,
it's time to get on the mend back in the tent.  I want to get well so that I
could be with you all again soon as I once was.  You
> >> >cubs stay with your mother and see that she rests, and I will see you
soon.  I love you all!"  And with that and some wariming hugs to his cubs
and a kiss to his wonderful mate, Gale found a new strength within him and stood
up and began to climb the hill back up to the tent to rest...
> >> >
> >>
> >DancingFlame stood for a moment, not knowing what to do next. She looked
around. There was so much grief. She felt their hurt, as it was her own.
DancingFlame opened her mouth to speak to Rainblossom and Firecry, but her eyes
caught Silvereye's glance. ~**Is there anything I can do for you?**~, she asked
the young woman immediately. ~**Please, just let me know if there is anything**~
Her mind was set after being allowed to share their memories and feelings in the
Howl. DancingFlame would help these elves that had lost so much, no matter what.
> >
> >Eveninglight just sagged on the ground where she had been standing during the
Howl. She had shared the loss of her mother Safier, the happy memories of her
family. All that. Only the fear for the safety of her father and brother that
haunted her day and night, she had kept to her self. Many others would feel the
same about their loved ones who had been captured by the trolls, she thought,
and she wouldn't want to burden them with her own fear aswell. Tears fell
silently from Evenlight's eyes. After the Howl, after the sharing the
remembering... She felt hollow, empty. Then all feeling rushed back in, like a
tidalwave. Eveninglight covered her face with her hands, her body shaking with
the tears that fell hotly again.]
> >]
> >IC~ Silvereyes blushed.  she tried to move but her body had not moved to
stand.   she could not admit it either.  She jumped at the sending from her
new friend.   she looked at her nodding.  **Another sip for my father and me
too please?   Pardon my asking,  our emotions seem to have parched our
throats.  If you and your friends do not mind and if there is some still in
your wine skin?  OH! And you are welcome to join us? **  She looked over to
Eveninglight recognizing the pain.  Silvereyes  locksent to her Father. 
~**Eveninglight is still hurting too.    Erm,  ((She shared her locksend
with Eveninglight)) I can try to come to you our you can join us?  No elf
should be alone at this time friend.  I lost my Mother too.   I know that
pain.**~ 


Eveningsky squeezed her sister's hand. She had shared the memories of their
mother, Plantwhisperer and their father Longtale. It was only during howl that
the whole reality had sunk in to Eveningsky's mind. Before she had been well
aware of her losses but the need to survive had been strong enough to push the
need for sadness aside. The Howl had allowed Eveningsky to take the time to
remember her beloved parents together with her dear sister and to let go of the
sorrow of loss. The lines of shed tears were still clear on her face but she
felt content now.


During the Howl Morning-Glow had been carefully walking around the circle,
offering the grieving elves some berries and fruit from the basket he was
carrying. At first he had been a wary of the wolves but soon he had realized how
strongly these beasts connected to this farewell, being part of the circle, that
he did not feel any threat from them. Now we stood among the elves, looking
around at the emotions playing on the faces of each one, even on the elves of
CotO that were around. He didn't have any particular expression on his face, but
his eyes shone with the compassion he felt for the survivors.