Goldsand Beach~Harvest Festival

Serpent Fang let out a long, slow breath, trying to keep himself calm at Tern's waspish comment. He watched the younger elf throw his boomerang with interest. His throat ached already from one single word, but he knew now was not the time to send.

"I will think you for saving me, but that's not why I'm here," he said, his voice surprisingly soft. It wasn't gentle, but it wasn't harsh. Serpent Fang paused, he had to say this carefully, but words were not his strong suit.

""I'm not here to belittle you...I'm here because you recognized," Serpent Fang stopped again, agonizing about what to say. There was no easy way to go about this. His speech was halting and broken, a voice not used in many, many years.

"Go carefully with the High One. She is...fragile." Again, Serpent Fang stopped, trying to put thought to words without sending. "There is a great deal you don't understand...She feels threatened by your...passion."

Serpent Fang looked at Tern, wary about being snapped at, but unwilling to give up. He didn't even know what had prompted him to approach the younger elf.

"The High One needs time...Give her that, if you can..." Serpent Fang stopped, his words making his throat feel raw. He was out of sorts, ever since the daggertooth attack that afternoon. There was no malice in his words, but there was something else, something beneath the raw voice.

--

Ridge was about to reply to Swirling when she leaped back with a cry and dove into the water. Confused, he looked over his shoulder. Had she seen something or had he done something. He stared after where she was disappeared into the black water.

**Swirling!** He lock-sent, hoping she was still within range.

Ridge turned to look at Oakroot, his chest ached with a sudden fierceness. Swirling had been there one moment and gone the next, but he had always know that the elves of sea and shore couldn't make it work.

"Forget it, Oakroot," Ridge said, his voice fainter than he'd hoped. He sniffed the air, catching the scent of what Oakroot had brought. He tried to sound interested as he engaged Oakroot in conversation. "There's still enjoyment to be had."

He couldn't believe how quickly Swirling had fled, but her parents had taught her to. He couldn't be overly surprised by it.

"Well cub, if it is a maiden from the sea, I can't teach you how to deal with them. I do know this and this.." Oakroot held up his bag and jug, " are in desperate need to be enjoyed! Do you want to join us?"
He wished he knew what had happened, so he was of a better help. Seeing cubs like this....

"Oof" **Hey, what is that for?** he send to Stormcloud, when she pooked him in the side.
"I am sorry Ridge, maybe a good howl can help?! And since the moon is rising we can show the Seafolk how we Wolves celebrate?"
Nothing like a good howl to free the heart of any worries or pain.

Tern snorted at Serpent Fang's words. Fragile? She had gone way past fragile. She had allowed herself to completely shatter and was now letting her broken pieces cut whoever got too close.

"Time?" Tern bit, then checked his tone before he went on; this long time enemy was not being cruel, and Tern couldn't help but feel guilty for snapping. "Because recognition comes with the luxury of time," he finished blandly, but without malice.

Tern wondered what had brought the older elf to him. It was no secret that they did not share a liking for each other. It had to be for the High One. At least Serpent Fang pitied him enough to be nice, but Tern wasn't sure if he preferred the pity to rubbing it in. He wondered what would posses the elf to defend Kaimeta. Perhaps it was respect for the only known High One, or maybe he was just still out of it from the attack. He thought back to how Serpent Fang had actually told him his father would have been proud. Serpent Fang had definitely been out of it then, and not much time had past.

He through his weapon once more and another pillar fell, the others around it reducing another small fraction in size.

"With every moment, this uncomfortable feeling increases. How can she not need me as much as I need her? Doesn't she get there's no running away?" He hadn't meant to speak so freely, but his thoughts seemed to seek an escape. He silently cursed those thoughts. It wasn't like Serpent Fang could answer those questions, and it only showed more weakness to the last-second to last if he included Kaimeta-person he wanted to see him vulnerable.

Kai accepted the skin again. "I've said all I can think to say." She sighed and took a drink. "How else can I say that?" She said. "Or have I just been cut off from life too long?" She asked more the air than Straystar. "Well I know one thing." She said getting to her feet. "We need more wine or at least I do and since I don't foresee leaving now as an option though I would very much love to, the festival is the place to go." She wanted to forget and maybe in the morning she wouldn't have this aching need inside her. "Tis an impressive feat to keep such good wine squirreled away for so long." She winked at him. "I could not have done so well as you." She smiled.

"Think you can keep up with me this year old wolf?" She asked the chief. The High One started back to the festival, the opposite way from where she wanted to go right now. "I wonder if they have more wine." She mused.

Anger flashed through Serpent Fang as Tern snapped and he scowled, his upper lip drawing back to reveal his sharp teeth. He hissed the words out before he could stop them. Had he been sending, it would have been like he'd set Tern's mind on fire, "You speak of time as though you know something about it, but you know nothing of time and recognition! My mother resisted it for weeks because of your father and what happened to her: she died!"

Serpent Fang was panting with anger, his expression twisted into rage. Shakily, he took a breath, trying to calm his boiling anger. When he felt able to safely speak again, the words came out in his same low, rough voice, "Can't you see that she's afraid, Tern. She knows that she needs you, but you're forcing her. Go slowly Tern. You can fight pain, you're not weak if anything."

Serpent Fang halted to catch his breath, wheezing slightly. His throat ached, but still he knew this was better suited to words than sending. He wondered why he was even bothering and looked away from the younger elf. His thoughts flitted back to a long-ago lovemate whom had recognized and the pain that accompanied it.

--

Ridge tried pushing the thought of Swirling away and nodded. He was in desperate need of enjoying what needed to be enjoyed. He would come to the beach tomorrow and hope that Swirling was there. They would talk then; until that point, Ridge would get swept up in the now and enjoy the festival.

"Certainly, Oakroot," Ridge told his elder. He satisfied himself with the decision he'd come to looked back at the festival. The SeaFolk celebrated the festival so demurely, it was time to show them what it meant to be a wolf.

Ridge grinned at Oakroot. He was going to enjoy this.

Kai laughed at his expression. '"I'm calling you old." She said with a grin. "And if any elf here knows old I believe it would be me." She said, teasing the other elf. "I'll walk slower so you can keep up." She teased again. This felt right, normal like nothing had happened and it was just a false memory.



Kai's eyes sparkled. "Oh that was a great year." She laughed. "Yes I agree let us not be the leaders or responsible elves we should. Leave that for tomorrow when the sun rises." She grinned. "So let's see if we can indeed swipe some from our dear Swiftwing." She said passing the nearly empty skin back to Straystar.

"So which one will distract and who will swipe?" She asked. Mischief always made the High One feel better and mischief that ended with drinking made her feel even better, so this was just the thing she needed. Even at her age, she just wanted to have a little fun.

‘I could eat.’ She has left the stag she hunted back at the Evertree. The stag isn’t enough to feed the whole tribe but at least it will be enough for a snack. ‘And drink.’ She would prefer something different than dreamberries though. She doesn’t like the lightheaded feeling that comes with them. She loves however the stories that spill out of their howl keeper once he’s started on them. Ash moves along the outskirts of the dance floor heading for the dinner table. The smells that drift from the table are mouthwatering and her stomach agrees nosily. Maybe she should have eaten something before she got here because she feels like she could eat a whole bear by herself. Not that she’d try though. She calls back to Brooksong ‘Do you want something?’

"My very own recipe! Slowly cooked in a firepit, stuffed with delicious herbs!" Oakroots' mouth started to water. He hoped the Seafolk would appreciate them.
"He did, did he?! Well, guess those leasons in tracking finally paid off!" He joked. "No seriously, I am glad the cubs are safe again! I hope the Seafolk will not back down again. Their fear of the world they do not understand..... it would be a shame if this was stirring things up again...!" He knew how it had been between the two tribes, the distrust from both sides. After all these turns there was a change they could be one tribe, with two different sides. Much like a pair of lovemates with different personalities. He knew the Seafolk would never go and live on the land as his people would never be sea-dwellers. Although he was curious how they could breath with those gills.

".. let's not think of that! It is time to enjoy and celebrate! And maybe, with the help of dreamberries..." he held the jug up again! "there is a story to be told! But first........ we dance!"
He pulled Stormcloud and Ridge to the area were they danced. Nothing better then a good swirl around to clear the head! He placed the birds and the dreamberrywine on the table and started dancing. He could dance and he knew he could get others to dance with him.

Kai grinned. "I accept your challenge." She giggled. "If I need cut off you wont be the one to stop me." She knew every well that most didn't try to stop her anyway, but she knew when she needed to and usually stuck with that. "I shall do the swiping this year." She agreed.

"So when should we start our fun?" she asked the other elf.

Kai watched Straystar go. She smiled this was going to be fun. She shifted her size, she changed her hair color to a silverly white blonde and her eyes to the color of blue after the sun sets. She couldn't be the high one like this right? She smiled and made her way behind the tent. She waited till she heard Starystar start speaking to the breweress before she started her end of the this mission.

Kai floated now, so she made no noise. She managed to get into the tent and grabbed 2 barrels from the tent one of wine and the other of the juice drink she'd become found of recently.
She had little idea that Swiftwing wasn't aware of their antics, and the High One thought that she knew they did this every year but the elfess let them get away with it in the spirit of the festival and well it did make the High One happy, so maybe that was enough. ** I got them! meet you down the beach.** She lock sent to the wolf chief with an image of where she meant to meet.

With the barrels in hand, or under her arms she floated away down the beach to where they were going to meet. Returning to her normal height but leaving her hair and eyes the High One sat down and waited for Straystar.

Kai looked up. "Sit!" she said. "I've always loved your company." She grinned. "Oh and you brought snacks!" She clapped her hands. "Lucky then I remembered the mugs this year." The High One grinned. "After all the power I've used today I should probably eat more." Normally it was nothing for her to change her height, or hair or anything about herself with ease, but with the hearings she was called to do, she found herself lacking in energy, thus she had yet to change her hair and eye color back.

"Come friend let us drink to another peaceful beach side year." She smiled and poured the first of their many mugs of wine that night.

Ash gathered a mix of everything in sight before she turned back to Brooksong. Her grey eyes watched Brooksong as she teased Ridge. She settled herself down at the edge of the dance floor watching with a bit of envy as the others moved gracefully on the beat of the music. She loved making music, the beat of the drums could flow as easily through her as her own blood. She preferred that over twisting her body in awkward angles that were nowhere near smooth. Dark hair fell forward over her shoulder, she needed a new scrap of leather to tie it back. She liked fiddling with it but long hair did not come in handy while hunting. The slight crook in her nose was proof of that.

Ridge wanted to slam his heels into the ground and fight back the moment Oakroot had said there was nothing like a dance to clear the head. Grief stabbed him at Oakroot's comment about their fear of the world they didn't understand. He had no idea how right he was. That was the reason Swirling had fled: she was afraid.

He wouldn't fight dancing, though. He grinned at Brooksong, giving her a sharp nudge and laughed, "Only when you cubs were giving me trouble."

He laughed as Oakroot took Brooksong and danced off with her before he turned to Stormcloud. He extended his hand to her, his blood singing with the music. Tonight was a night to embrace the wolf blood and forget the worries of the word.

"Shall we dance?" He asked Stormcloud invitingly.

While dancing, Oaktroot looked around. He saw that the tribes were finally starting to mingle and some of the Seafolk even tried to dance like Wolffolk! This celebration started to be one to remember for the good reasons.

Oakroot felt like howling! And why not!
"AAWWHHOOOOOOOHHHAA!" Haha, he saw some startled faces, he knew his howl was much like a wolf. Living as long as he had it would have been strange for him not to!

But still he could feel something happend that could change how the festival was going. Stormcloud didn't know for sure, Ridge didn't want to talk about it. His chief had walked of with Kaimeta, no doubt they had snatched some delicious brew, so he didn't want to ask him.

He wondered who he could ask. If there was trouble a good howl for guidance may be what was needed...

Ridge danced with Stormcloud, falling into the movements, the music pounding with his blood in his veins. Dancing with Swirling was mesmerizing, dancing with Stormcloud was real. Stormcloud wasn't soft and fragile like Swirling, she was strong and fierce and Ridge knew her well.

Ridge's smile faltered as he thought about how he'd enjoyed the festival after he'd found the cubs. He'd loved his time with Swirling, but the ending had been crushing.

**It's been wonderful,** he lock-sent to Stormcloud. He allowed her to feel some of the warmth and affection he felt for Swirling and an image of the sea-elf's face, but there was a sadness that twinged with it.

Stormcloud was one of his friends, but he wasn't sure he wanted to ask her what she thought about the whole thing. He'd rather ask one of the older elves, but he didn't feel he could confess to any of them what he felt and thought. If only there were someone he could talk to without fear of ridicule or embarrassment! He held in his question, simply dancing with his friend.

**Have you enjoyed the festival?** Ridge sent Stormcloud. It was far more natural for him to listen to other than tell them about his own problems and heartaches. He preferred being a support for others than having to bog them down with his worries.

Still dancing Oakroot heard some talk to each other. Recognition..? Who? His eyes widened! The High One with the sea-elf Tern? He could only guess how they reacted, but at best it wasn't going smoothly!
And his nephew Ridge? If he had fallen for a Wolffolk he would have known. And his face wouldn't look as troubled! No, difference between the two tribes were big, but not too big! Hmmm, how could he help?
He stopped dancing and walked to the table. First he had to think. While eating a plan formed in his head.