Lace's Cave

Serpent Fang turned his head away. He felt guilty about sending so harshly to Lace, but he didn't know how to rectify his actions. Still, after five hundred years, he didn't know how to make amends. He followed Lace to her cave, only half-aware of where they were going. He slipped into his thoughts.

He paused in the entrance to her cave. A new outfit. It had been many, many years since he'd accepted one from her. He could see her nervousness, it was almost palpable. He didn't smile, but he laid a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. Here, outside of the secret cave, he was unwilling to open himself and expose himself. He would return to how he had always been, but he hoped Lace would understand why. It was for his own protection.

Lace felt his hand on her shoulder and calmed down. It worked better then words and felt more comfortable then he would realize.
In a way she was happy he reacted like usual, nothing had changed, at least in the eyes of their tribesmen, yet everything had changed. It was a good thing to keep this to themselves for a while, at least untill questions came. And they would come.
She felt a change already, felt it inside. She was more self-confident.
It seemed sharing a soul also meant sharing a bitt of your personality. She hoped he could feel it too, that he could share her soothing heart, but then again she had been more perceptive of others.
In her piphood she had been more confused then other pips, because at times she had thought their feelings had been hers....

She smiled at him, all was forgiven, if there was something to forgive at all. "Come, if you heat up the water again, I will get your clothes."
She lowered the cover at the entranche of her cave, letting others know she didn't want to be disturbed. And walked to another cloth. Behind this one was her closet. It was almost as big as her main chamber, but in here were coves and shelves, filled with fabrics, leather, leftover pieces, little pots with pins and pearls, feathers, shiny stones and other usefull tools.
On the other side were her clothes, her jewellery, she had made some herself, but most had been gifts from Snaketwist andvothers in return of a new set of clothes.
At the end, almost hidden, was what she was looking for. It was a small package, wrapped in the wrapstuff of one of the Preservers. She smiled when she picked it up. It would look good on him, she knew it would.
Then her eye caught another package. It was very small, but she knew what was in it, but it wasn't time to give it to him. Not yet. So she left it on the shelf.

"Here it is. I think you need to use a knife to open it. I think I have mine next to the firepit, next to my cookingpots." She handed over the gift. And while waiting she poored hot water in drinkingcups with a mixture of herbs to clear the mind and help the body to wake up a little.

Serpent Fang followed Lace into her cave. and did as instructed and knelt beside the fire pit. The fire had gone out in their absence. He picked up the stones used for starting fires and struck them together, sparks leaping. He coaxed the sparks into a small flame and then the flame into a fire. He focused on the task at hand while Lace retreated to the adjoining room, or closet as Lace claimed it to be.

He heated the water in time for Lace to return. He took the wrapstuff package carefully, warily examining it. He'd never liked wrapstuff, seeing as it was sticky and the bugs that made it were annoying. He took the knife, making a small cut. Brown. Good, at least it was a color he'd wear.

Serpent Fang opened the package the rest of the way. The clothes were light and well made, as were all of Lace's works. He turned them over slowly in his hands. Different, but similar to what he wore. He laid them out, regarding them for a moment.

**Thank you, Mara,** He lock-sent, looking up at her.

She didn't noticed she had hold her breath. **I am so glad you like it! You like to try it on? Or will you wait untill later?** Lace knew how he was and didn't mind if he wanted to wait.

Quicly she started talking about other things, to let him know she didn't mind. "I think I can eat something now. My stomache is feeling much better now." She walked to her storage to see what she had and took two large shells from a shelf. "You like something? I got.... bread, dried fish, oh and I took some fresh Redfish from the festival." She smiled at him and looked seductive to him. "After last night you and I can use some food, to gain strength again." Only thinking about it made her blush. It had been a long time since she felt this way again.
Secretly she observed him as she picked the food she liked and put it on one of the shells, which she used for her food. She had always thought he looked good and she was one of the few who looked passed the hardened outside.
And the attraction was mutual. She knew he would be gone soon and only he knew for how long. So she had to imprint every moment they had together.

To get her mind of it she asked. "I am not sure how to prepare for a journey on land. I think I will need some boots? And maybe some cooking utensils? Perpaps a large backpack to take home some new materials...." She thought of the big basket she had made a while ago, it was very light, but it could store a lot.
"And do you want to leave soon? I could be ready in a day if you want?"

Serpent Fang rose silently to his feet. He folded the garments in his arms, his gaze steady. The desperate rush of earlier had faded and he turned from Lace.

**I'll try it on later,** he lock-send. He looked over his shoulder at the entrance to her cave. **The sun has surely risen by now, I need to check on things and prepare. We'll leave in a few days time, there are things that must be set in place first.**

He returned his gaze to Lace and approached her. He placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and brushed his lips against her forehead before pulling away.

**There's a matter I have to attend to,** he explained. He headed towards the entrance of her cave, but stopped. He knew she'd have something to say, she always did.

Good, a few more days. It gave her time to finish what she had started a few days ago, when she first sensed Serpent Fang's troubled heart.

**Will you go see Tern? Do you think he is ready to hear what you have to say to him? Or do you want to meet with the maiden of the Wolffolk?** Lace meant nothing with it, but when he first came to her cave, that had troubled him.

**Both... Perhaps neither,** Serpent Fang relied. He had to make amends, but he had no idea how. He hadn't thought of the wolf maiden since the night before and shook his head irritably. There was still so much to do. He reached instinctively for where he would have placed his spear upon entering the cave only to remember it had been lost forever. Great, another thing he'd have to do before he left. A new spear wouldn't take too long to make, but he hated having to replace his old one.

**Would you mind accompanying me as far as the beach?** Serpent Fang asked Lace. He wouldn't take her with him to his destination, but he wouldn't mind her company for the short journey to the beach. He had to find his kinsman and the wolf-elf Brooksong, but where to find them was unclear. He would start with the beach.

**I will join you to the beach, but I need to change first, I am still in my nightgown and I think it is going to be a warm day today!** Lace turned and walked back into her closet. She had many different outfits, most were old, but because she was very carefull she was able to wear them a long time. At days she had trouble choosing what to wear, a luxery ofcourse, but being the tailor of the tribe, it would have been strange to have only two sets of clothes...
Today she knew just what to wear, she had a set she knew looked good on her. It was a two piece, the top was off-shoulder, with two short sleeves, and her skirt was very short on one side and long on the other, showing one of her hips. From her neck to her hips a leather ribbon twirled around her body, pointing out her beautiful shaped body. The color of the ribbon matched her eyes and her clothes were sandcolor, making her skin seem even darker.
She took another ribbon and put her hair high in a tail She looked at her favorite necklace, but decided not to wear it, it was a beautiful piece, two shells rested on her shoulders and between them were several strings with pearls and other shells and some strings hung loose down her arms.

She was very quick, so Serpent Fang didn't have to wait long. In his eyes she could see he liked what she was wearing and she hoped he would return to her coming night, although she wouldn't ask him.
Instead she walked to him and kissed him passionatly one last time before she pushed aside the cloth in front of her entrance.
She picked up a small basket and placed it on her hip, she wanted to look for some clams and decided to take her small fishingspear too, maybe she caught a fish to eat.

"I am ready!"

Serpent Fang looked approvingly upon Lace. He brushed his hand across her cheek before he exited her cave. The cold calmness settled over him as he walked. He didn't know who he would try and make peace with first, if that was at all possible.

As he walked, Serpent Fang retreated into his own thoughts. His temper was so violent, he was bound just to make things worse. Perhaps, he should take some time just to think it over, plan before he did anything. He was already running away, why couldn't he just delay confrontation with Tern?

Lace followed Serpent Fang, leaving her cave open.

She could feel the tension building up inside him. She reach out for him, lifting her hand, but stopped midway. If he wanted she could give him peace, but she didn't do it without his permission.
Some things he had to do, ask for himself.

Lace entered her cave and fell to her bed. She could finally let herself go and screamed into her pillow. "Why!? Why did you leave! I am so sorry, it is all my fault! I am sorry....."

Lace started throwing pillows and then she saw her package..... her gift to Serpent Fang. He didn't even had time to take it with him. She picked it up and wanted to throw it away, across her chambers, but stopped mid-air. She sat down again and stared at the clothes....

On silent feet and at a distance, Tern followed the grieving elf to her cave. Slowly, he approached the entrance and quietly peered in at the scene. He felt guilty, for a moment, for intruding on Lace in this time of vulnerability. But, his need for the truth was greater than his guilt. Still, he was not so selfish as to not comfort her.

Carefully, Tern approached and sat next to Lace. "I'm sorry, Lace," he said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder, "It is a part of who he is. what happened today was at no fault of yours. It must be difficult to love such a spirit as his." He was genuinely empathetic, he knew what it was like to want someone that was difficult to have.

She looked at Tern and tried to smile.
"I know. I have know since we were pips. And I knew he would leave soon...." She looked at the clothes again. "I made these for him, to take with him on his next journey."
She looked at the clothes again, lifting it a little. "You know... I wanted to join him for a few days, just so we could be together. We even made plans. We wanted to fish today, dry them so we could take them with us." Lace wondered if she should tell him about last night...

She looked at Tern. He looked so much like her Serpent Fang and yet he was so different. "We.... we.. had a special night, last night." How could she explain it to him, that they shared willingly what he had to force sharing.
"Serpent Fang and I are one now. I don't know if I am willing to say we are Lifemates, but he is my Soulmate now!"

She stopped and awaited Tern's reaction. He would ask if it was Recognition too...

Tern smiled sadly as Lace spoke. It was not fair for an elf like her to have her heart bound to one who may never truly be able to offer the same as she. When she showed him the clothes, he glanced down at the spear that he was still holding. It seemed as both of them were trying to make a difficult connection.
"Maybe he will come back," Tern said, smiling brightly, "Maybe he just wanted some breathing time and he will come back tomorrow." As he spoke, he wondered if his words held any truth.

Lace's next words came to him as a surprise, and he listened carefully with wide eyes. They had something between them, that was obvious, but Tern had never imagined it to be as deep as she was describing. The intimacy that was suggested in her words made his heart throb with envy, but he tried not to let it show. Tern fell into his thoughts, wondering again if he would ever be able to have a connection of heart with Kaimeta, and not just one of body and soul. In his younger years, he thought recognition was greater than love, but lately he was questioning his thinking. Tern's recognition to Kaimeta had done nothing but make him feel empty.

At Lace's final words, Tern blinked and was jolted back to reality. "You have recognized?" He asked, not completely certain on the meaning of her words.

"Recognition? Yes and no..... we..." Lace looked at Tern, she knew what he must be going through, but there was no gentle way to explain what had happend.

"Serpant Fang and me... we are not Recognized, not like you and Kaimeta. Yes, I know about it and I know it is hard for you...." She turned her head and looked at her hands and saw the oyster laying on the floor. Memories of earlier that night came back to her and picked the two pieces up.

"See this oyster? When whole they can create beautiful pearls, but as time goes by some split in two halfs and the tides might seperate them for good. But on rare occations the two halfs find each other again after living a lifetime a part. See how these still fit? One broken, mangled through the tides, the other half only slightly.. but, they still fit! They will not be whole again to create a pearl, but they belong to each other! This is what happend with Serpant Fang and me. Our souls found each other again, they are whole again, but not for the purphase to create a new life...."
Her eyes filled with tears she looked at Tern.

"Tides will seperate them again, but...." her voice broke, she could not speak any more...