Sepdet winds up fleeing to a deserted spot in the mountains east of the caern. Fortunately, several friends are out near the promontory (there was a Fang moot that night) and run across her scent-trail, laden with hysteria, on their way back.
____
Soulcatcher has arrived.
Sepdet is standing, quivering, at the edge of the cliff, head down and fairly reeking of mad smell.
Soulcatcher's voice breaks the silence. "Sepdet?"
Sepdet doesn't even seem to hear. She is focussed on the open air, silent and shaking, staring out hollowly at the empty space beyond her feet.
Soulcatcher contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Soulcatcher pauses, his form losing its continuity and twisting into Homid form.
Thorn pages: I finally start getting back into the roleplaying, and you leap off a cliff. What does this say? :-)
You paged Thorn with 'That you just happened to be around when Sepdet goes Harano. Not your fault. :)'.
Long distance to Thorn: Sepdet earnestly wishes she could RP with old baldy, but her character, as usual, is making life difficult. :) I hope I've given you something interesting to discuss with the other Fangs, perhaps.
Joseph gives the space beyond the ledge a nervous glance before stepping toward her. His eyes, reflect the fear he feels as he scents her. "Sepdet?" he calls again as he nears, a hand tentatively touches her shoulder.
Sepdet flinches and nearly bolts forward, but some inner instinct keeps her still. She makes an empty yowling noise that doesn't sound like her at all, and snaps at the air. Despair is dead. Despair is dead. Hope lies.
Sepdet shakes her head violently. Hope betrayed you, and Despair betrayed her. She is with him now.
Joseph flinches, instinctively jerking her back when she tries to bolt. Seperated after the violent reaction, his eyes widen at the words, fears confirmed darken them. "No." He says quietly, and repeats it, his voice growing stronger, more defiant, as if he could stop the truth of it with him. "No."Sepdet makes a terrified whine. He was despair. We were too late. He was the Spirals', before we ever brought him to sky. My brother's wings are broken, and I can't fly either.
Joseph takes a breath, steadying himself. The words cut him, registering on his face as a pale grimace. "Gaia...why did I have to be right." Crouching, he extends an arm to her, eyes pleading. Ironically, his voice is softly soothing. "Hope...please...come away from the edge? come to me Star."
Sepdet jerks her head violently sideways. Star fell. Star's already at the bottom.
Sepdet lowers her muzzle and walks towards the Wendigo, stifflegged, tail down and dragging. But there is a Keeper who is not allowed to die, yet.
Joseph's eyes narrow, and for a brief moment theyre encompassed with fear. He does not let it touch his voice. "No. She's here. She's with me. She has to be." his hand waits for her to reach him, fingers running through fur when she does.
Sepdet doesn't respond, but stands quite still. Star almost betrayed the Wheel she pledged her life for, because she hoped too much. She was blind and hoped.
Joseph closes his eyes, knowing all too well what she describes. Too often he's sat alone in Chez Ren running over the possibilities. "Sshh.." He tells her now. "Hope is what we need, even if it is blind sometimes."
Sepdet shivers and makes a soft pup mewling sound. It's empty It's empty here. Anubis will know she failed. Take her somewhere to not know the truth, before she breaks it open again.
Joseph opens his eyes again, and the fear is still there. They search her, going over her wounds, and his hand-still in her fur-shakes slightly.
Joseph pulls the tiny jackal to him, curling an arm around her small body.
Silent Storm has arrived.
Silent Storm tilts her head. The silver fang are coming.
Sepdet whines and shudders, something in Snow's warning finally penetrating the Seer's numb shock. She leaps out of Joseph's arms and runs, ducking around the rocks and down the trail.
[...]
Edwin hollers down as loud as he can. ~It says she's here. Has to be the Umbra....~
Sepdet gives a yip of fear, coming face to face with an entire crowd. Bristling, ears flattened against her skull, she tries to bolt.
Edwin pages: Everyone but me is at the bottom of the cliff.
Long distance to Thorn, Eagle presence, Silent Storm, Edwin, Always Hungry, and Sterling: Sepdet oops. I take it back. I guess I come face to face with Edwin. :)
Sterling draws her Klaive, to see her own reflection for travel. ~How could she have crossed...~
Edwin turns, ~Sep!~
Thorn calls back up the cliff face. ~We'll be there as soon as we can!~ As good as his word, the bald Theurge begins to run back up the mountainside.
Edwin breathes heavily. ~Sep. Thank god...~
Sepdet snarls like a rabid dog at Edwin and dodges around him, making for the forest.
Always Hungry follows Thorn as the fastest pace her lupus form can travel.
Edwin calls out as he shifts. ~Sep!!~
[They catch up with her in the woods]
You paged Silent Storm with 'Speed of thought?'.
Silent Storm is following on the tail of Sepdet.
Silver-In-Night chuffs out. ~Sep! Wait! It's me! Ed.~
From afar, Silent Storm moves really fast. Not that fast, but very fast. :) Can I catch you, should I stop you?
Sterling picks her way down from the trail to the east.
Sterling has arrived.
Always Hungry picks her way down from the trail to the east.
Always Hungry has arrived.
Sepdet is easily outrunning the others, veil tattered to the winds as she flickers between possible and utterly improbably speeds. But her wounded forelegs finally trip her up, and she goes sprawling.
Sterling takes the low-road, not high, prferring to work her way through woods, rather than climb for a path.
Silent Storm, is straining herself, trying desperately to follow the blinding Metis, but she cannot maintain speed. Somehow she is able to stay in sight, seeing her trip, Silent Storm leaps for her.
Sepdet snaps at the air and at the Wendigo on her heels, her whine a mocking yowl. Why are you following /me/? Star fell down, and Hope is blind, and it is the blind one you follow! Go back. No one should follow hope.
Silent Storm pages to Joseph and Sepdet: Just don't get me into a fight now, I've spent enough rage trying to follow you. :}
Silver-In-Night comes up almost immediately behind Silent Storm. He slows down quickly. ~It's me Sep. Ed.. Please calm down...~
Silent Storm falls on her, unable to stop herself. ~I'll not lose you,~ she screams, or is it a whine? Her leap leads her to Sepdet and a little beyond, she scurries for purchase and balance.
Sterling's fur shows steam from exhertion in the cold, breath puffing like a steam engine as she works her way from the woods, looking up the trail. ~That had to cut them...~ Her eyes catch the movement to her left, and she turns, shocked at how far the Metis moved. ~SO fast... how is it possible?~ Seeking answers, she slowly closes the distance, panting for air.
Sepdet collapses onto her side, closing her eyes. Go away. Go back to the Wheel that needs strength. Don't follow hope, she is done running, and she is done hiding, and she doesn't speak to strangers.
Joseph picks his way down from the trail to the east.
Joseph has arrived.
Silent Storm has found her balance and now stands near Sepdet, panting heavily. Her head hangs down as she tries to regain her breath.
Thorn picks his way down from the trail to the east.
Thorn has arrived.
Silver-In-Night says, ~Sep.... Without hope.... We have nothing...~
Always Hungry finally manages to catch up to where the Strider fell and the others gathered.
Sepdet lays her ears flat and ignores the plea, herself nothing more than a limp, mangy dog lying on her side across the trail, head turned with her muzzle buried in the dirt and eyes shut tight.
Silver-In-Night glances to Thorn quickly as he arrives.
Silent Storm approaches slowly, carefully. This one will not force you to speak, but will speak. Snow Walker has fought for you, and will not lose you.
Joseph makes his way past the others, his eyes finding the little Strider among them. There's fear in his dark eyes, as well as defiance and anger, when he glances at each of them. "Back off, all of you." He command, moving to her. Once there, his voice softens, murmuring to her as he moves to take the jackal in his arms.
Thorn's pace slows as he spots the group ahead. He walks the last stretch down the trail, arriving well after the others. He stands just few paces back.
Sterling pauses some paces back, letting the Strider breathe, and letting those who know her betteer speak their heart.
Joseph whispers "I'm here. I'll take you."
Sepdet's sides heave fitfully in ragged pants. Her lips pull back from her teeth. Then you are as mad as hope was. Fight for something better. Go back to that which means something. There is nothing here.
Silent Storm's body spasms at Joseph's rebuke, but she obediantly steps back a few paces, toward the caern.
Sepdet's ears raise slightly at the young man's voice. She gives out a soft whine as he lifts her, but she doesn't struggle. Tell them. Tell them Despair is dead, and Hope doesn't need them to know what folly is. Tell them what it means.
Silver-In-Night says, ~Without hope, there is no meaning in anything...If that makes me mad, then so be it. I am mad.~
Joseph nods to her, continuing his soothing words. "I will. I'll tell them. First I'm going to take you." The Strider seems obscenely small in his hands once he's gathered her. He stands again, giving Thorn a pleading look.
Silent Storm stands numb for a moment, taking in the words. Then slowly, she turns to Joseph. Is this true? Is he dead?
Sterling looks to Thorn at her side, then back to the others, in silence.
Joseph says "I need somewhere I can take her to. Take care of her."
Silent Storm needs to take Wayfinder somewhere... Somewhere safe. ~Stormcrow's Barn?~ That was suggested.
Thorn turns his pink gaze to the Sterling, Silent Storm, and Silver-In-Night. ~She will be cared for. Find, if you can, the Arm and Voice of the Goddess. Those Children of Gaia may be able to help.~ He faces Joseph. ~You can take her to my cave. It is safe there.~
Sepdet's unnerving growl comes as slow fitful answer to the ahroun's question. He betrayed hope, betrayed her, ran, and died without her at his side. My brother. They killed him in the stinking dark, beyond my reach.
Sterling wonders why she must be taken for care.
Thorn looks at last to Always-Hungry. ~Go with Sterling, cub. This is not something you should see, yet.~
Silent Storm looks again at Joseph and Sepdet, allowing questions to go unasked.
Always Hungry looks at Thorn, wanting to come with, but stays with Sterling.
Sterling will take the cub from here, then...
Joseph huddles the small wolf to him as he nods at Thorn's words. Almost before he is done, the Wendigo has turned and started to pick his way down the slope.
Sterling, first, looks to Thorn, seeking his eyes and his alone.
Thorn meets Sterling's gaze with a raised non-eyebrow.
Thorn walks several steps to the side of Joseph and Sepdet. He murmurs softly to the Wendigo, ~We'd best travel the moon-path. I will show you the way.~
Silver-In-Night walks behind Thorn.
Joseph nods to Thorn silently, expression grimmer than it was a moment ago, perhaps.
Sepdet buries her muzzle in the young man's chest, an ear suddenly jerking from time to time at a word or footfall.
Cave on the Island(#2648RAFJ)
The entrance to this hole in the ground shows signs of many passings, the rough edges of the soft rock are worn away. Inside, you find a comfortably large limestone cave. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, but are high enough overhead so as not to wound careless foreheads. The floor of the cave has been smoothed out, and is surprisingly clean, indicating that the dweller herein has taken pains to make it so. There's probably room for two or three people to sleep stretched out. A small fire pit resides near the entrance, and the air currents fortuitously carry any smoke out of the entrance. A couple of stalagmites have been hewn off and now act as low tables. Whoever lives here shows a knack for making things comfortable.
A well worn passageway leads out to the narrow hidden entrance to the cave. It's a bit of a scramble to get out.
Contents:
Joseph
Silver-In-Night
Thorn
Obvious exits:
Out
Dropped.
Silver-In-Night scans the cave instinctively, then moves off to one side out of the way, making next to no noise, and having no scent to alert anyone to his prescence.
Joseph lays the small form down beside the growing fire gently.
Sepdet has not responded to anything through the whole journey, pressed into Joseph's chest. She barely notices until he starts to put her down, then stirs in agitation, eyes opening and blinking numbly at the sudden light. You kept my fire burning, spirit-brother, she notices with a soft sigh. You said you had.
Thorn waits for the chance and, with a gesture, bids Joseph to come closer.
Joseph's expression is pained as he does his best to make her comfortable. Looking up, his eyes meet Thorn's and he tries to smile. "I'll take care of her." He nods, murmuring, "I did Star. It's safe, and you are too."
Silver-In-Night has disconnected.
Joseph leaves her side to move toward Thorn, the grim expression still present.
Thorn speaks softly, leaning close to the Wendigo, "If you like, I can prepare a sleeping draught?"
Joseph's arm wipes across his eyes. He nods to Thorn, looking back at Sepdet's still form. "Yes. A good idea." -- "May I.. stay with her?"
Sepdet rolls over, muzzle between her paws, staring into the flames with some degree of bleak calm, as if trying to reach through them instead of a mirror. Every now and then a muscle jerks in a spasm under her patchy fur. She has run a long, long way, and it is obvious exhaustion is finally catching up with her.
Thorn nods carefully, "Of course... of course." His voice trails off as he watches the distraught Groundskeeper. Finally, with a shake of his head, he busies himself with a motly collection of powders, herbs, and vials, all of which he produces from his deerskin pouch. He fills a battered metal kettle from a glass jug and places it upon the fire.
Joseph returns to her side as Thorn prepares his recipe. the Wendigo's voice takes up it's soothing song again, reassuring the wolf as he strokes the fur of her shoulder gently.
Sepdet suddenly raises her head, half-turns, and stares at Soulcatcher, eyes angry and flat. Is hope blind, then? Is that the answer?
Joseph shakes his head aintly. "That's not the answer, Sepdet. but it's sometimes true. We just have to keep fighting, best we can. Lay back. Rest."
Thorn bustles quietly about, mixing the warm water with some of the powers and a few angular dried leaves. The concoction ends up steaming in a little wooden bowl. It smells of spring flowers and cut grass.
From afar, to Joseph and Sepdet, Thorn adds a d in that power. :-)
From afar, to Joseph and Sepdet, Thorn's going to head off for the evening. Thanks, you two! You're welcome to assume that Thorn stays out of the way for the most part, offering to help if it's needed. He lets Joseph administer the draught. Let me know if and how people end up leaving the cave. :-)
Long distance to Thorn and Joseph: Sepdet smiles at Thorn, as angst comes a-knocking on his doorstep. I don't think Sep will be going anywhere tonight. Goodnight, and I hope you enjoyed.
From afar, to Thorn and Sepdet, Joseph thanks Thorn profusely for everything. :)
Thorn pages to Joseph and Sepdet: I enjoyed it greatly! G'night. :-)
Thorn has disconnected.
Thorn contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Thorn shifts into Homid form.
Sepdet presses against Joseph's knee, returning her gaze to the fire. Some of the madness-smell has gone from her now, leaving a cold stillness in its wake. He was my own brother. And if my father had held out a different hand, /I/ would have been the one raised on Dancer's milk. There was no difference between us, spirit-brother. None but a forked road, and two different paths to walk.
Joseph's eyes close again briefly. when they open, they glisten darkly. "I know love." He takes the wolf's head into his lap, holding the bowl of Thorn's concoction in the other. "Drink now." He says as he offers it, his oher hand running soothingly into her ruff.
Silver-In-Night has connected.
From afar, to Joseph and Sepdet, Silver-In-Night kills the net.....
From afar, to Joseph and Sepdet, Silver-In-Night has pretty much stayed back in the shadows of the cave a kept quiet.
Bitter-Water pages: About Sebek. He was beaten, chained, and obviously had been raped repeatedly by those Dancers, remember? And yet he was still one of them...
You paged Bitter-Water with 'Yes. They had him utterly. :( That was his own /pack/, Hazmat. No wonder he kept telling Sepdet, towards the end, that Joseph was going to rape her.'.
You paged Bitter-Water with 'He thought that's what everyone did to mules.'.
Bitter-Water pages: Eeeeee. Slick is EVIL.
Bitter-Water pages: Evil, evil, evil, evil!
You paged Bitter-Water with 'The worst of it is...Sebek was the alpha of the pack.'.
Bitter-Water pages: He WAS?
You paged Bitter-Water with 'Rick treated him as alpha.'.
Bitter-Water pages: EEEEEEEEEE.
You paged Bitter-Water with 'And Mika was obviously a packmate.'.
Bitter-Water pages: EEEEEEEEEE.
Sepdet obeys after giving Joseph a clear probing look that is gone back to unfocussed numbness as soon as she turns away. Dropping her nose to the bowl, she laps obediently, unquestioning.
Joseph nods, pleased, as the wolf drinks. His shoulders lose a little of the tension in them as he continues his soothing strokes of the fur. A weariness comes over him suddenly. Looking up, he notices Silver In Night.
Silver-In-Night just sits in his corner of shadows, completely still, eyes open, watching, as if almost protecting. He nods slowly, soundlessly to Joseph when he looks in his direction.
Joseph says, as he wipes an arm across his face again, "She'll be alright." The statement is for him, as much as anyone else, to be sure.
Silver-In-Night chuffs eversosoftly. ~And you? You're exhausted.~
The words catch the Wendigo by surprise, making him blink. "I'll be alright. I'm going to sit with her a while, til she sleeps. Then I'll sleep too."
Sepdet's movements begin to slow as she drinks. She keeps her eyes half-shut, avoiding looking at her flickering reflection.
Silver-In-Night nods solemnly, yet not moving. ~I'll be here, and watch over you both. Make sure everything's alright.~
Sepdet finally rolls back on her side. Tired. Tell...tell the Anubis I'm sorry I failed him.
Joseph gives Silver in Night a grateful look, murmuring to the little wolf again.
Sepdet starts to shut her eyes, then starts. She whimpers again and changes.
+shift glabro
Sepdet contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
You shift into Glabro form.
Silver-In-Night sits still, undisturbing.
Sepdet is, in fact, wearing nothing but the klaive slung from the red leather strap that goes from left shoulder to right hip. She doesn't seem to notice. ~Sen kept me from having bad dreams,~ she whispers unhappily. ~I haven't been alone in a while.~
Joseph's fingers touch her cheek silently. Something in the words makes him wince. "Sleep.." He whispers, "You're not alone. I promise."
Sepdet shivers and reaches out an arm, then stops, uncertain, dark eyes staring unhappily towards Edwin. Then something shifts in her expression--it couldn't really be a little bit of pride being lost, as numb as she is, but that's what it looks like--and she tugs Joseph's arm around her, rolling up against him for warmth.
Joseph doesnt seem to even notice Silver In Night. He curls his arm around Sepdet protectively, body curling around her as well.
You paged Silver-In-Night with 'And if you say CHARACH, I'll hit you. :)'.
Silver-In-Night sits still, watching protectively over you both. In the morning when you wake, he is still present, with the same pose and bearing.
